The remodeled study rooms opened late last October at the Mary Livermore Library.
The rooms were restored after a fire burned through most of the study area, but these rooms were scheduled for renovation long before the fire occurred.
The walls are painted baby blue and the floors are fitted with new carpet and tables for students. The library used this opportunity to get rid of the “institutional white” covering most of the study area.
Photo by Tyana Morris
“We wanted to give different areas of the library a different feel, like how we painted the front desk area red,” June Power, a reference librarian said.
Students were glad to have the space back, but disappointed in the type of blue chosen.
“I like the color,” said Tenisha McLeand. “But the shade could be lighter.”
Studies have shown that blue can give individuals a feeling of calm and serenity. Being in a room with the color blue can lower appetite and blood pressure. In fact, some weight loss plans recommend using blue plates when trying to lose weight, according to Color Psychology.
Because of this, the new color of the study rooms are anticipated to help students during exam time to feel less stressed. Other reports show that white can feel cold or sterile and that staying in an all white environment can make a person feel isolated.
White is not all bad though. Some white in a room can add a feeling of lofty cleanliness or a refreshing simplicity. However, white has not been shown to add feelings of calm, according to Color Psychology.
Since these study rooms are larger, three or more individuals are required to check out a key for their use, which makes them the most popular during exam time.
So far, students have not used the new study rooms much and the popularity is limited to common library patrons. Only time will tell if the popularity of these rooms increases, decreases or stays the same as exam time rolls around this semester and students have the option to use the new blue rooms.
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