Hello everyone!  I’m excited to be back blogging after a J-Term hiatus.

Now that our final semester is in full swing with reading assignments, papers, and group projects I find myself back in the habit of spending ridiculously long hours in the library.  This may sound a little nerdy, but I learned quickly after arriving at Middlebury, that the library is not at all a bad place to be!

Middlebury’s Davis Family Library is so much more than your run of the mill, dreary building filled with stack s upon stacks of books.  Yes, it does look a bit like a spaceship from the outside, but everyone knows it’s what’s on the inside that counts!  Here are a few of the library’s best features:

1)      Moving bookshelves – ok maybe you’ve all seen them before, but when I walked in a bewildered freshman from Mississippi, I was in awe at the electronic moving stacks.  Now I’m realizing just how practical they are.  The library’s extensive book collection has the perfect balance of obscure specialized books and all the classics and thanks to the moving bookshelves, we even have room for more!

2)      Abundant group study rooms – so you don’t have to feel bad chatting in the library…

3)      Mac lab – filled with dozens of high tech Mac computers and printers, this is the perfect place to get digital media projects done, or procrastinate with PhotoBooth.

4)      Wilson Café – located at the front of the library and open daily, the Wilson Café is the perfect study break.  Grab a delicious Chai Tea Latte to go and bring it back to your carrel or settle in the comfy booths to enjoy a late night snack.

5)      Comfy Chairs – the library is home to dozens of comfy blue recliners perfect for relaxing while you work your way through reading.  The chairs on the second floor at the east side of the library are my personal favorite, as they provide a view out over the entire town of Middlebury and to the mountains beyond – particularly impressive when fall foliage is at its peak!  While the comfy chairs are a great place to spend a lazy Sunday, they can be a bit dangerous… students do tend to fall asleep there after a long stretch of studying.

6)       Endless Carrels – for those seeking a more formal study space, the main library is also filled with carrels for thesis writers and those who don’t have time to snooze.  These carrels come with no distractions and are ideal for working to make a deadline.  Carrels are located in the basement (the quietest level, for sure), main floor, second floor, and the more secluded first and second floor mezzanines.

7)      WARMTH – I didn’t realize until I looked out of the window from my carrel this weekend and saw snow flurries blustering past, but the library is one of the warmest places on campus.  The weather outside may be frightful, but the library is so delightful!

Still libin’ it up through my last semester   –   Teresa