Many faculty members support the new policies in the library, but also acknowledge the difficulty of enforcing complete silence. “The hardest job in the world is to keep students quiet in the library,” said Instructor in Math Dale Hurley. “Polite persuasion is a momentary deterrant,” said School Archivist and Instructor in Art Ruth Quattlebaum. She continued, “The hardest thing, I think, is the toll it takes on the staff, because there is a lack of respect.” She added that contention of the rules creates a tension between students and proctors that erodes the effectiveness of rule enforcement. Quattlebaum also pointed out that there are different “standards of quiet.” She believes students and faculty could reach a common ground between silence and unruliness in the library. She said, “Sometimes I walk out there and it’s like a hotel lobby or a convention center or the Topsfield Fair.” Faculty members agree that the above description is not an acceptable use of the library. However, most are sympathetic to the students’ concern with having a social venue. “I think it’s great for the students to have a place to socialize, just not the library,” said Instructor in History and Social Sciences Edwin Quattlebaum. At a Flagstaff Cluster Proctor meeting, FLG Cluster Dean Clyfe Beckwith expressed the importance of finding alternatives to Ryley Room. Beckwith is exploring the possibility of renovating the basement of his dorm and home, Newman House, to become more of a social gathering place for some students. Regarding cluster dean involvement with library discipline, Instructor in English Deborah Chase said, “I think it’s a fine idea. It seems only fair that the library should follow the same protocol that every other academic building follows. For example, if a teacher has an issue with a student in his or her classroom, the teacher speaks with the cluster dean if it’s beyond immediate closure.”
