Letter to the Editor: Turn off cell phones when in the library

Editor,

Shut up!! I am sitting here in the computer lab in the basement of the newly dedicated Merrill-Cazier library. It is a Friday afternoon and I am working on a big research paper due in one of my classes next week. The problem? Everybody is talking. Whatever happened to people actually being quiet in the library?

I remember a few years ago when I was a freshman here at USU, I could study whenever I wanted without the fear of having chatter boxes all around me. That was of course in the good old Merrill Library. This year, however, because of the demolition of Merrill, I have been forced to study here in the SciTech Library. It is a nice, modern, expensive facility that was built with a lot of sacrifice.

Unfortunately, I am not able to enjoy my experience here because too many cell phones ring, way too many people answer their ringing cell phones, and way too many people TALK on their ringing cell phones IN THE LIBRARY! What has happened to us?

Why do seemingly very few students realize that it is completely inappropriate to talk on a cell phone or talk in a loud voice with the person next to you when in a study area? Something has to be done about this. I don’t know what it will take, whether it be putting up more signs to remind people to turn off their stupid phones, or threatening physical harm to those who are loud in study areas, but something must be done. We are all here to get an education, and thus we all need to study. It would be nice if we could go to the library and do so without worrying about whether people were going to do some inconsiderate thing to completely distract you.

So please, just turn off your phone, stop talking to your neighbor and do some homework!

Alec Cannon