While most of us spend a lot of time inhabiting digital environments, have you ever really stopped to think about the physical spaces you regularly visit? Think about a public space where you feel the most comfortable, where you enjoy spending lots of time. Imagine yourself fully in whatever space that is. Ponder these questions:
Does your body feel more relaxed there? Are you able to be more focused mentally in that space? Can you use that space to multitask? Do you feel energized by the space? Are you alone or with others? Do you feel like you really understand that space, how to navigate it, and how you fit in it? Do you literally feel like you could kick back and relax in that space?
As individuals, we may respond differently to these questions, but Roesch Library has been thoughtfully designed to ensure you can find the space you need to feel comfortable as you engage in different learning activities. The library provides quiet, individual study spaces if you prefer an environment that allows deep focus. At the library, you can experience being “alone together”— feeling connected through shared space while engaging in solo work. The library also offers plenty of group study spaces to cultivate collaboration and the exchange of ideas. There are spaces with large tables if you need to spread out with all of your stuff. We offer soft seating for when you want to sink into a chair and really dig in to what you’re reading. We have tables and chairs that you can move around so you can create the perfect mini-environment for your learning needs. We even have wobbly stools if you like to move a bit while thinking about big ideas.
We have spaces like Concourse D that are meant to cultivate creativity and innovation, especially for group activities, and the Story Studio, where you can turn that creativity into digital content for classes and other learning activities. And when you need to unplug, we have quieter, meditative spaces like the Roesch Retreat, which brings a bit of the outdoors inside. We regularly seek feedback from our students to ensure we continue to provide options in our widely varied spaces throughout Roesch that meet their different learning needs.
While we provide 24/7 online access to information resources, there is something special about finding a brick-and-mortar space that feels like you’re not just a guest, but that you truly belong there. The library is one of few places we visit where getting together is encouraged, where you aren’t expected to buy something, where you can just sit and think. Whenever I walk by a student who has put their feet up, coffee and backpack on the table next to them, laptop perched on their lap, eyes focused on what they are reading and writing, I can’t help but smile, knowing that student has found “their spot.” At Roesch Library, we work to ensure everyone feels not just welcome, but at home.
— Ione Damasco is a professor and associate dean of the University Libraries. Photography by Surya Deip Reddy Kesaram ’25.