Library Renovations Receive Mixed Reviews
New gaming center, new tables, new discussion about the purpose of the library
After a brief closure, the basement floor of the William Knox Holt Memorial Learning Center is open again, with some notable new features. New tables equipped with mini-fluorescent lights and an outlet have been added. At the time of this writing, electricity has not been provided to the tables, but once it is, these tables are going to be the most aesthetic study spot on campus.
When asked about the purpose of this new seating, students, and staff replied to my question by stating that “this addition creates a quiet study spot in the basement,” which is why some have found it to be a bit incongruous that it shares a floor with Pacific’s brand-new gaming center.
Designed to be a space for both casual gaming and esports (competitive gaming), the gaming center has already received a warm welcome from students seeking to play games with their friends and compete with their classmates. When I visited the new space, students were interviewing for an opportunity to work in the new gaming center. I spoke with Dr. Woodruff, Director of Esports, about the purpose of the new center. They said, “During the day, the space will be used for academics, research, and events. The space will be open for gaming after five in the evening, and it’s going to be 50/50 casual and competitive gaming.” Woodruff hopes to start gaming clubs that will compete with other colleges, much like how we have intramural and club sports. This is an opportunity for students to form friendships and experience the joys of being on a team, and it will definitely enhance a sense of community on campus. To learn about how to get involved, stop by the new Pacific Gaming Center, located on the basement floor of the library, on February 22nd from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Some see the value that gaming computers bring to a research project. One student asked, “Can you imagine how fast Excel and JSTOR are going to run one of them bad boys?” The gaming computers can definitely process computations and downloads faster due to increased speed and storage. Still, some worry that the library might not have been the proper location to house this new amenity. At the time of this writing, the room is not soundproofed. A student attempting to study in the basement during one of the test runs of the space said she “could hear every cheer.” “It’s unfair for students to have to leave their dorms to get away from a noisy, gaming roommate to a building full of games,” says another. Other students raise the concern that funding allocated for the gaming center may have been better allocated towards creating a more solid faculty base in the College of the Pacific, citing the lack of instruction in Native American History and Modern European history.
Students are clearly expressing a need for balance between recreation and academics, which is an admirable quality of Pacific students. Hopefully, the addition of both the quiet study space and the gaming center will address the need for this balance.