No place like the Map Library

I was saddened to learn of the pending closure of the Geography and Map Library. Your article described some of the issues involved, such as the need for space on campus and the growing role of digital resources in research and teaching.

But there is an additional issue that was not mentioned. If the Map Library closes, we lose one of the few relatively quiet places to read and study on the central campus, and perhaps the most pleasant.
 
I am not a geography student, but I have used the Map Library for years. I have so often appreciated having a place to go that was clean, open to natural light, and (usually) free of bustle and noise. There is really nowhere else like it. The libraries in Chemistry and Swain West are less comfortable and are usually overcrowded. The Union serves many needs, but it does not facilitate study.

One of the most under-appreciated functions of libraries is that they provide a space where people can enjoy working in peace. This may sometimes escape the attention of people who draw up budgets, but it is essential to the real function of the University. I hope that this will be borne in mind when deciding what to do with the space.

We don’t really need more classrooms, computer terminals, televisions or fast food franchises. We need a place to think.

Perhaps the Map Library could be converted to an individual study area. This would be less expensive than building classrooms, and it would be far less expensive than expanding the football stadium.

Stephen Irish
IU alumnus