It's not always quiet at the library.
Friday night, students and staff put the books down for a while to have some fun at the Ralph Brown Draughon Library.
The AU Gamers club brought over various video games such as Wii sports and Rockband. There were also free snacks and drinks for attendees.
"We want the students to know that we are not always serious here, and that we like to have fun," said Marcia Boosinger, associate dean for public services. "We don't want to distract people from studying obviously, but we thought on a Friday night this would be a good time for students to come out and have some fun and recognize the new Learning Commons area."
The Learning Commons area is the new part of the library this semester dedicated to group studies.
"One of the major things we did over the holidays was renovate this part of the library to create open student space," Boosinger said. "We have found out that other libraries around the country have had great success with this game night." The library had a more formal dedication to the new area on Feb. 5 with people from EBSCO, who donated most of the funding. "We had a more formal event with EBSCO before, but we thought we needed to do something more fun for the students," said Leigh Younce, librarian in the reference department. "We are dedicating this to the new learning commons. This was something informal for the students to come in here and enjoy and hopefully get to know the place."
Students were previously asked what they would like to have done the open space and this is what the faculty decided. "I've come in to the commons area to study a couple of times," said Timothy O'Grady, freshman in aerospace engineering. "Usually when I come in here to study it's with a group so this area makes it much easier."
The Learning Commons area is now equipped with more space and tables for groups of students to study and not be distracted while others are trying to study next to them.
Students are able to interact and talk more freely without worrying about distracting others.
"It's really the environment here that makes it better," O'Grady said. "When you are at home or in your dorm that is a place for you to rest and relax. This is a place for studying and to get your mind off of other things." While some played Wii bowling and others played various board games, the students and others in attendance were able to learn of the new facilities.
"We want (students) to come in and realize the new commons area here, and we want them to come in here and use this space," Younce said.
Boosinger said they hope to have an event like this once every spring.
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