(Jan 18/25) What is Mills policy on quiet study on the second floor in the public desktop PC area? A lady across from me has been participating - and that, very loudly - via speakerphone in a conference call of some sort for some 30 minutes now. Would it not be prudent for the library to require people to use headphones in such situations? This area would be a veritable jungle if all users behaved similarly. Incidentally, I have not confronted her as yet, nor have I as yet brought this matter to the attention of library staff. Please kindly advise. PS: Someone called me on my cell a few minutes ago and I disregarded it out of respect for fellow patrons. I then played back the resultant voicemail later near the elevators. Im a Mac alumnus and this library was much more peaceful 25 years ago!

(Apr 3/24) Please fix the desk lights underneath the desk shelves. Im sure more than half of these desk lights are broken, and it is very inconvenient for a student who has to look for desks with no working desk light.

(Mar 15/24) You should add the floor plan of the Health Sciences Library back onto your website. It is only present in-person now. It was very helpful when booking study rooms.

(Jan 27/24) The chairs/couches in Mills are absolutely filthy and smell. In one of the fourth floor chairs in Mills I found a used tampon wedged between the cushions. There are empty drink bottles, take out containers, used tissues, and chip bags littered in the book stacks that have been there for months. It looks like they are never vacuumed or cleaned in any way. Im concerned about bringing home bedbugs because of the lack of concern for cleanliness demonstrated at McMaster.

(Jan 24/24) It would be good if they put notices in libraries so that people do not put their shoes on the sofas, chairs and tables. Well, many young people put their dirty shoes on the chairs especially and not only do they dirty the furniture but also damage it.

(Apr 2/23) There is a squeaking noise at the healthsci library and it is making it impossible to concentrate. Every few minutes there is a loud squeak. This happens occasionally when I come here but not always (which adds to the ambiguity of it all). Could this please be stopped? Or at the very least could someone explain what it is?

(Apr 19/22) Heyo! Since theres a sewing machine in the Thode makerspace, I think it could be cool to also have an embroidery machine! :)

(Apr 22/19) This library has wonderful study space, but its absolutely disgusting. Ive arrived, first thing in the morning (8:00, when it opens) and I had to visit the ladies washroom in the lower level. I havent been here in two or three days, but the washroom looks exactly the same as it did when I was last here - disgusting. Theres toilet paper in only one stall, but its all over the floor in every other stall (covered in feces). There is absolutely no paper towel to be found and the tiniest amount of soap in only one dispenser. Theres also barely any light, and this feels like it might be to cover up how disgusting the facilities are. If I didnt have to go so badly, I would have trekked over to the IAHS building to use their washrooms. The cleanliness isnt only in the washrooms, but obviously this is the most concerning. In the silent study area, there is garbage and dirt all over the desks. I understand that its exam time and the library is used more often, but wouldnt that warrant more cleaning? As I said - its 8:00 am on a Monday, which means that nobody has been here to make the mess since Saturday.

(Mar 19/19) It would be helpful if the upcoming events were more visible on the library website.

(Jan 29/19) Thode and HSL are probably the best two libraries on campus. Thode because it services science and engineering students, who make up the majority of the population, and HSL because of its natural light and great study atmosphere. However, to a lot of students (mostly those who live on the side of campus near the football field) these libraries are very inaccessible/ inconvenient. It can take almost half an hour to get to these locations from Les Prince Hall and even longer in the winter. In the cold weather, it is especially brutal. There and back, its almost an hour of walking! Has the library considered running shuttle buses or golf carts from this area to the various libraries so students do not need to waste so much time and can make the most of what the library has to offer? It would be nice for students not be discouraged by a long trek in the freezing cold?

(Nov 28/18) Fire alarm at 12:07 today: 55 LOUD bells & no announcement (as of 12:14) why ! ?? !! whos in charge ? and: has no one ever heard of / considered damage to hearing ? This is a hospital, correct ? ----

Follow-up Comments:

Thank you for your comment. Yesterday we had many complaints about the library being too warm AND too cold. We are not clear where the issues are. When you have a moment, please contact me directly to let me know the location in the library where the temperature was too cold so that we can investigate more thoroughly? Thank you. mckinn (2019-04-04)

(Oct 18/18) Often students book rooms and do not use them. Potentially figure out a way to confirm this so that others may use. i.e. send an email 10 min. before to confirm.

(Sep 10/18) It would be helpful to list the locations of prayer spaces within the libraries on the new website.

(Sep 5/18) The sixth floor in Mills is suppose to be a silent study area, yet every time i come here there is always 1 group that is not mindful of others. It may be a good idea to have a worker regularly monitor the floor throughout the day to make sure that people are respectful of others and follow the rules.

(Jul 16/18) Chairs at HSL are not comfortable, there is no back support. The chairs are not ergonomically correct. Very uncomfortable.

(Mar 20/18) I must say, the lower level womens bathroom (not too sure about the mens?) is probably the most unhygienic, grimiest bathroom on campus. Of course, this is as just as much the fault of those who use it, but is there anyway it could be cleaned more frequently throughout the day? I dont think there has been a time Ive been in there and the garbage wasnt overfilling, or the floor was flooded with water. Thanks!

(Nov 9/17) will u be bringing out more puzzles????

(Nov 1/17) The link attached to the how-to for renewing library books leads to the old library account system. If someone hadnt helped me, I would have been in a pickle. It might help other first- year students if the link is updated. Just a thought...

(Sep 8/17) Of course it was too good to last ! 3 days of warm/hot water in the womens washroom (library entrance) for the first time in 1 year? 2 years? and today its cold again. This is pathetic.

(Aug 29/17) I tried to renew the library books today but I found out that the log-in feature has changed. I am not sure why features that are not broken are being fixed, and now end up being broken. So now, I cannot renew the books online so I either have to pay a fine or bring the books back personally for renewal, which are either way, a waste of time and money.

(Jul 20/17) Hello fellow Marauders, I was wondering whether the university would invest in something like this: https://twitter.com/westsydulibrary/status/823425172711555073 . If McMaster wants to see itself as a top-tier university, it should try to invest in these material things which are both beneficial to the end-user, i.e. students, and positively influence the place. Thanks for reading. Best Regards, Mohamed Mirza

(Jun 16/17) It would be greatly appreciated if the grammarly subscription is reinstated. It was extremely useful and helped me improve my writing. I know there is the free version, but it isnt the same. Thank you.

(Dec 12/16) fire alarm: today at 1:09 - 31 rings, then a screech, 6 rings, 4 more screeches, 11 rings no message (and it is now 1:19) This is a hospital. Are there no audiologists on staff? Is there no concern about damage to hearing from high decibels? from prolonged and repeated noise? Why 31 rings? Why do 10 not suffice? Why the screeches? And - how about a location ???

(Dec 2/16) re. the womens washroom, upper level at the entrance to the library: why is there no hot (or at least, warm) water in the taps? Last week: same problem.