Emilee Chinn | FOR THE POST
The first floor is too blocked off from light or nature, and its fluorescent lights are a little too bright to be focused. The second and fourth floors are the entrances and have group work sections, so it’s always abuzz with disgruntled group workers pushing one another to do more. The fourth floor also has those highly coveted “egg chairs,” but they’re positioned just correctly so that it makes reading or writing in them simply awkward and uncomfortable. The sixth and seventh floors don’t have enough adequate workspace for someone who isn’t specifically looking through their collections, and although their views are beautiful, a window seat is few and far between.
The fifth floor, however, puts the rest of the floors to shame. On immediate entry, there is a spacious workspace with tall windows that reveal a view of Park Place. When sitting at the tables by the windows, it’s easy to fall into a trance watching snow fall atop Baker Center or students scurry to their classes. It gives students a chance to look out the window and forget about their worries, even if just for a second.
But its views are hardly what makes the fifth floor so special. On the other side of the study space, there are archives and special collections with a room built specifically for installations about Ohio University’s history. There is also a meditation room for folks who may just need a quiet break to look within themselves in the middle of their busy day.
The atmosphere of the fifth floor is perfect for studying. Although it is a designated quiet study space, it is not so quiet that students feel awkward about eating a bag of pretzels or one of those premade, dining hall salads that are so hard (and loud) to open. It’s not frowned upon to have a quiet chat with a partner or friend, but the noise level isn’t distracting either. It always has a nice, low hum that makes any student feel welcomed on the floor.
The best bathrooms in the library are also conveniently located right in the middle of the fifth floor. Although, upon first glance, they may appear to be dingy, they’re the cleanest, most private restrooms one can find in Alden. And when students are studying hard with their coffees, that is an important feature for a library to have.
Most of all, the fifth floor has the best climate in all of Alden. Other floors tend to sway toward either too cold or too hot, but the fifth floor is located just centrally enough in the building to have the most comfortable studying environment.
Although the other floors have their perks, none can compare to the fifth floor. It may not have Macs or egg chairs, but its peaceful, comfortable atmosphere means that any student will feel welcome.
Shelby Campbell is a junior studying strategic communication at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Shelby know by tweeting her @bloodbuzzohioan.