All Suggestions for Thode Library

(Apr 16/17) Its burning in Thode on the basement floor. Im dying of heat and trying to concentrate but I just cant! Please, save me from this boiling hot room and turn on the air condition. Please dont make me choose between my love of studying in silence and my other love of not dying from heat. Thanks!

(Mar 20/17) Having Group study rooms in the basement of thode effectively defeats the entire purpose of the basement environment, which is supposed to be a quiet study area with no talking. When multiple groups get together in the rooms and talk/laugh very loudly it is disruptive to the outside environment, even though they may not realize it. Unfortunately, the only solutions I can think of that involves keeping these rooms as group study rooms is to properly and professionally sound proof the rooms to allow minimal sound to escape. Or, staff can conduct patrols to keep the noise down, however, this solution would waste staff time and resources. Quiet study is the main reason I come to thode instead of other libraries, but its becoming difficult with the level of noise in the basement. Any assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

(Feb 2/17) The Wi-Fi connection is terrible. Getting work done is impossible.

(Oct 5/16) I find it hot in the silent study room at Thode (B115) and I am not sure if the fan control switch is working properly.

(Sep 30/16) Keep Thode open 24/7 all the time please.

(Mar 23/16) While there are printers located outside of the library, can you place one in a space that is open 24 hrs for students, like the University Centre?

(Mar 2/16) The second floor on thode gets really loud, especially during exam time. I understand its a busy time of year, but sometimes there are people that crowd in big groups and talk really loud right beside people that are clearly trying to study. It makes it really hard to concentrate, even while wearing ear plugs

(Feb 1/16) Hello, Several suggestions related to the basement of Thode: There are many broken lights in the basement of Thode, especially in the study rooms. Would it be possible to repair these? The furniture (especially tables) in many of the Thode study rooms is decrepit and not terribly useful/flexible. Would it be possible to either find new tables or redistribute the existing furniture in a better way? The capacities of the Thode study rooms listed on the booking website are incorrect. For example, B106 is listed as 8 but comfortably seats 12. Would it be possible to update these? The appearance of the entire basement of Thode is rather depressing and looks terrible. Really, its the ceiling tiles that are the biggest eyesore.There are currently at least 7 missing and 10 with the skin removed that I can see from where I am sitting. Would it be possible to just remove them wholesale, as was done on the first floor? Instead of throwing good money after bad? I realize that this would be a significant investment, as the walls of the study rooms would have to be extended to the concrete ceiling, and the whole basement would likely have to be painted, but this seems to be the best long-term solution and it would give the library a more modern look (instead of the current 70s throwback). Thank you for your consideration.

(Jan 20/16) Blinds should be added to the windows on the second floor, particularly along the south side. During the day, practically from 11:00 until sundown, the sun shines directly through those windows and the glare makes the desks situated along that side virtually unusable.

(Feb 15/15) Hello, Would it be possible to change to Thode retrieve from storage functionality to work like the one for Mills/Offsite? For Mills/Offsite its one-click, so long as you are logged in, but with Thode you have to copy-paste and enter data that is already in the system elsewhere. The functionality has already been developped and implemented (and is already used at Thode for Recall requests), so why not tweak the few lines of code it would take to implement one- click storage retrieval for Thode?

(Jan 21/15) This is mainly an aesthetics problem but Ive noticed the majority of ceiling wallpaper have fell or are in the process of crumbling - thus exposing the ugly ceiling structure giving Thode a ghetto dilapidated look. Its prominent on all floors as well, and eventually, all ceiling wallpaper will rot, crumble, and fall down. I was wondering when this will be fixed - Thode could look better than it does right now!

(Dec 18/14) Love the Basement study space however can you add some comfy chairs like the ones in Mills to the study space, cause sometimes it is nice to get comfy when studying.

(Dec 3/14) Ive noticed recently that there are not enough chairs on the second floor of Thode library. I was looking for a place to study, and, while there were perhaps a couple dozen empty desks, there was not a single unoccupied chair in the room. I know people tend to move chairs around without returning them, but it definitely seemed like there were not enough chairs to cover all the work areas.

(Oct 24/14) It would be amazing if there was disinfectant/cleaning wipes available to wipe off a desk before sitting down to study (or even to clean up before you leave for the next person).

(Oct 21/14) Mac computer number 11041 has a clock that is 6 minutes fast. Please correct it.

(Sep 23/14) Noise restrictions are not respected in this library too often by a minority of students. However, this minority is enough to spoil the quiet. It is a huge pain to set up computer/book/paper/etc in a good spot, only to have someone else come into the proximity 10 minutes later when they clearly should have stayed downstairs. Too often do people come up with food/chums and begin with raucous laughter... even if they chose to whisper things would be much better. I know levels of respect seem to have declined over the years (I remember Thode having dead silence before in areas), but the noise restrictions must be made more apparent AND enforced somehow. With a new batch every year, they are either ignorant to the rules (unlikely due to the many signs posted) or just flat out selfish. I know its not fun for a librarian to play bad cop, but the message is not received by some who feel it is their right to act however they wish. The idea of a group study space/lounge/cafe on the first floor is great, and these people should be redirected there -- by official staff. I dont see what would be wrong with someone on duty to take a walk around every so often and remind people of the expectations. People would get the message after a while and the problem would improve significantly over time. Thode librarys 2nd floor in particular is a wonderful space: - open space - natural light - an interesting floor layout where you have enough privacy and still feel the energy of fellows around you doing work - comfortable seating/temperature/desk space - good coffee just downstairs Thank you for taking the time to read my comment.

(Dec 11/13) In the basement, there should be power bars at every set of desks, not only the select few. The majority of people utilizing this study space use their computers, which results in significant crowding around those few desks that do have power bars.

(Dec 2/13) Why were the plants along the curved wall of Thode taken away? Any chance of them coming back?

(Nov 7/13) The wifi internet connection in Thode is extremely problematic at times, unable to connect for several minutes. It may be an overload to the internet, is there any way the internet service in Thode can be improved? It makes hard to download assignments when internet keeps disconnecting and avenue keeps timing out.

(Apr 14/13) In a study room B113 of Thode, it would be very helpful to have a whiteboard. It helps to do questions together in a group, but it makes it harder to do so without a whiteboard. Thank you

(Apr 2/13) I always dread walking into Thode because of the smokers that seem to congregate right by the entrance (usually right in front of the sign telling them to stand at least 9m away). Can there be some more enforcement of this rule? To top it off, sometimes if people use the automatic door opener the lovely smell of second hand smoke wafts in towards the study section at the far curved wall since the door stays open longer.

(Mar 13/13) Hello My friend, I and many people use the quiet section in the basement to study. However, someone has removed part of the ceiling near B116 and all the people who are trying to study quietly can hear every word and conversation coming from first floor, only from the section where the ceiling has been removed. This part of the basement is no longer a quiet study area and with exams coming up, as many people as possible need a good area to study guaranteed to be quiet.

(Feb 10/13) 2nd floor is quite cold near and around the windows. Fingers and hands are so cold that its hard to type. the radiators lining the windows dont seem to work.

(Feb 3/13) Ive been trying to write my thesis in the Thode library on the second floor. And my goodness it so darn cold. Fingers and feet are cold within an hour of sitting down. Had to abandon my favorite place to take refuge in a warmer lair. Can you please adjust the temperature on the 2nd floor?

(Nov 9/12) I bike to campus every day, and most days will spend a good amount of time studying in Thode. Ive noticed that finding a spot to lock my bike is nearly impossible. I think it would be very helpful to add more bike racks to the area outside of Thode to accommodate for the amount of study space available. Ive locked my bike outside and a number of times have come back to see my bike crushed underneath 3 or 4 others trying to get thier bike locked to the rack. I think that by adding 1 or 2 more bike racks right outside the library entrance it would reduce the amount of congestion at the one bike rack.

(Nov 8/12) I love the change to the second floor of being converted to a quiet study area. This allowed students a great environment to study in. The first year this was implemented in, the dividers were all removed and vandalized, while this year they are all bolted down. It is great that the university took the effort to maintain the quiet study area. The only problem that exists is groups of students tend to group study and group work on the second floor. This gets quiet annoying to the students who are trying to study or work on assignments in a quiet area. People would ask them to keep it down, but some students do get intimidated by 10 obnoxious students socializing and studying together. As well students sometimes dont like to be seen as the jerk asking everyone to keep it down. My suggestion would be to get staff members to make hourly rounds on the second floor, and this will get the message through to those always socializing. While I do understand that there may not be enough staff to do this, a couple weeks of maintaining rules will get the message out. Another solution would be to put the THIS IS QUIET STUDY AREA, PLEASE TAKE ALL SOCIALIZING AND GROUP WORK DOWNSTAIRS posted on every pillar in the library will get people to keep it down. The cost of this is VERY MINIMAL,(a couple of dollars at most) and the signages dont even have to be fancy just needs to get the message across. Thanks

(Nov 7/12) Second Floor of Thode is more and more becoming a group study area. People blatently are talking in groups of 2 - 4 very loudly, without whispering... I think maybe if you print out half page sized this area is for quiet study posters that say please whisper and have them available near the top of the second floor, people could just pick one up and give it to a member of a group that is talking. That way you dont have to verbally confront them and you may feel more comfortable telling them to stop talking.

(Nov 7/12) The internet in Thode is virtually unusable. I love the second floor of the library, but I am unable to utilize this space because I cant get internet to do my research. Is there any way of improving this ??

(Nov 6/12) http://www.pingtest.net/result/71866657.png http://www.speedtest.net/result/2290694081.png Im sorry but this is rediculous. I see that it was said this was going to be worked on during the summer but has anything been done yet? The internet is practically unusable.

Follow-up Comments:

Those results were gathered while connected to MacSecure wifi on the second floor (2012-11-09)

Thanks for letting us know where and how you were connected. Weve been conducting our own speed tests and have been able to corroborate your results quite easily. During peak times, upload and download speeds via MacConnect, MacSecure, and eduroam do indeed grind to a halt. We have shared these test results with UTS (they maintain both the wired and wireless networks on campus) with a request for their assistance in dealing with peak demand. This problem has grown more acute year by year as more people entering the building bring wifi-enabled devices with them (now, often two devices, both taking bandwidth). There are solutions, of course, but they do not come cheaply, and on a campus where there are entire buildings without wifi, it is hard to make a case that the library needs enhanced wifi capabilities. As I have suggested to other students who have noticed and commented on these slowdowns, please consider directing your feedback toward the MSU. They are an effective lobby when it comes to addressing these campuswide issues. D Askey (2012-11-09)

(Oct 29/12) The internet is pretty bad. The library is very crowded in the afternoon, which i think is causing this issue. I normally have to find somewhere else to study. Is this internet problem able to be fixed?

(Oct 11/12) Thank you for adding new study space on the second floor of Thode! Unfortunately it seems people dont know its a quiet study space and many conversations and group meetings are taking place. Is there something the library can do to raise awareness its a quiet study space? Its easy to ask one person to stop talking but when the whole floor is abuzz there isnt much an individual can do. Perhaps a large sign right at the top of the stairs? Or perhaps a regular patrol by library personnel would help spread the word. Thanks!

(Mar 26/12) I like Thode because of the social vibe. But now I will be going to HSC because the internet in Thode is out of the 90s. Please let us know when it has improved!

(Mar 23/12) It is appreciated that Thode stays open 24 hours during the final exam. But there is only 2 days difference between last class and the 1st exam. So I think it would be helpful if Thode 24 hours starts 1-2 week before the last day of class. In that way people having exams at the beginning can have enough time to study. Also during Midterm period there are very few places to study. People are always very loud in Mills Learning commons and the student center has very few spots and also not quite. So it would be helpful as well if Thode stays 24 hours during midterm weeks.

(Mar 18/12) I am extremely grateful for the extra study space on second floor Thode, however it is completely useless with out the plugs. In 2012, when most of the students work is online it is only logical to provide a study space with plugs for laptops. Students have to go on a hunt for plugs every single time before studying to ensure their laptops dont die while working on an assignments, and 8/10 times are disappointed.

(Feb 12/12) What was the purpose of making thode 2nd floor an independent study floor? Most engineers find it most productive to study in groups and thats why first floor is always overwhelmed with people. If you want to study alone feel free to use the basement of thode (or the many other quiet libraries on campus such as mills and health sci libraries). Apparently there was a survey done by the MSU asking all students whether they wanted an independent study space or a group one. Why should students from other faculties decide on matters regarding the engineering and science library?

(Feb 12/12) The dividers on the second floor tables are easy to take out and put back in, but apparently we are not allowed to remove them. This makes working in groups difficult. Thode is an engineering library, and we need to work in groups, and I do not see why it matters if we remove the dividers if we put them back afterwards.

(Jan 30/12) It would be great if you could run an experiment where you remove the no smoking sign beside the entrance and look for any change in the number of people smoking beside that wall over a week. My hypothesis is there would be no significant change. I can now smell the smoke while sitting at the new core i5 PC (label 30615) which is near the black waste bin.

(Jan 12/12) Better PCs, or at very least an increase of the current screen resolution.

Follow-up Comments:

I did some further checking, and there are still six old PCs over in Thode, so you may have been using those. They are slated for replacement within a few weeks. Also, the stock screen resolution for our PCs is, in fact, 1024x768. That is likely lower than typical, but part of the issue is that we set that centrally, and given that we have a variety of displays deployed, we have to select a resolution that will work on nearly any display, hence such a generic and fairly low resolution. askeyd (2012-01-13)

(Dec 12/11) Please get a scanner for the library again. It is a huge waste of time to take the book out and scan it elsewhere if one only needs it to get one figure or table.

(Dec 11/11) It is really cold in Thode, especially near the Reactor Cafe. I would suggest increasing the temperature to foster a more hospitable working environment. Thank you in advance for addressing this problem.

(Dec 11/11) Too darn cold in there to study. Keeping it open 24/7 is a good asset during exams, I only wish I didnt have to sit with my winter jacket on the entire time.

(Dec 11/11) It is December the 11th, I have sat in Thode library studying for exams for the past 11 hours. for the better half of the day, I have been freezing due to the temperature in the library. My feet are freezing, my hands are cold and i am forced to wear a jacket like most of the other students I see around me. Is there nothing that can be done to increase the temperature in Thode library??

(Dec 11/11) The temperature on the first floor and basement of Thode are freezing even with wearing my winter coat. Almost too cold to concentrate.

(Dec 11/11) This library is very cold and not at all comfortable to study in. My nose is actually running after i get to thode and i have to wear gloves (which is not very comfortable while youre trying to write) Please increase the temperature at thode!

(Dec 11/11) Please increase the heating at Thode. Regardless of where we sit inside Thode, it is very cold. It feels like 16 degrees Celsius. Libraries are supposed to be comfortable places for students to study. Unfortunately, under the current temperature settings, the library is not a comfortable place to study. It is especially important during exam time to increase the heating as no one likes to get sick at such a crucial time during our semester. Thank you and please put this at the top of your priority list. The students of Mac would appreciate it.

(Dec 11/11) The library is little bit too cold, although the librarian check the temperature is around 21, but i suggest the heat could be turned on 2-3 degree celsius higher

(Dec 5/11) could there please be more power outlets in the basement of thode? I like the new power bars but there are not enough of them! exam time brings more people to the library and we all need outlets for our laptops

(Dec 3/11) love thodes 24/7 times, and yes, keeping first and 3rd floor quiet are is totally needed

(Dec 1/11) The washrooms at Thode library are very dirty and they smell bad. They have to be maintained and cleaned properly.

(Nov 20/11) I was sitting in the library and was amazed at what I saw. A dog just walked by the quiet study area in the basement. Please Do Let people bring in Dogs to Library. Its a place for Academic discovery and learning, not to walk you pets.

(Oct 31/11) I can only applaud the new open lay out of the 2nd floor of Thode, while I lament the loss of the journal hardcopies like Can. For. J. Res, I can live with it if the layout of 2nd floor remains as is; bright, open, relatively quiet, not overcrowded. Is it the libraries intention to just furnish the 2nd floor of Thode? Or to turn it into another Club Mills with giant screened Macs everwhere? If its the latter, itll be a tragedy. My only concern is the decision to construct the new furniture...while everyone is working on said floor. Nobody likes woking with a power-screwdriver going off every ten seconds. Is this likely to be the norm for the next few weeks?

(Oct 28/11) Just wanted to let you guys know that I like the new giant power bars in thode basement. I dont think there will be any future issues finding power for my laptop. I also enjoy the constant shifting of study cubicles, but I fear that this will come to an end with the new power locations. Oh well! It was refreshing to come in every day and have the desks shifted around :) Thode is my favorite library by far, just try to avoid renovating the basement to match the main floor. I find the atmosphere very homely and welcoming for some reason! Oh also, if you could turn up the heat a little itd be nice. I get cold feet when studying. Cheers!

(Oct 27/11) Thank you for the extension cords in Thode basement.

(Oct 13/11) Is it possible to get extension cords in Thode basement for those using laptops? Innis, and Health Science Libraries have power available at every cubicle, how come this is not the case for Thode?

(Oct 4/11) Could we please get the out of order computers fixed. Many have been broken since summer. Why do we have a IT help desk if they cannot fix the computers. It is unacceptable that we have increased prices/tuition yet we do not receive proper services. All computers should be in working order with no exceptions, what are the IT people up to all day? Why cant the upper year computer student fix the computers as a co-op?

Follow-up Comments:

As a member of the IT Help Desk, I dont think you understand what we do. We are here to troubleshoot problems with printers and network issues. When a computer is out of order, I would personally fix it but WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO. (2012-01-30)

We are looking at changing that rule about who can troubleshoot. D. Askey (2012-01-31)

(Sep 27/11) Smokers, particularly when it is raining, smoke quite close to the entrance. Some even smoke in front of the sign that states to not smoke by the entrance.

(May 17/11) I learned today that the journals at Thode will be put into storage, making it a much more difficult process for me to get the articles Id need for my research. Moreover, it means that quickly looking to see if an article would be useful before taking the journal out is now impossible. I understand the desire to make more study space, but please do consider making it just as easy for journals to be accessed, as they are an invaluable part of the research we do.

(Apr 26/11) I was informed that the journals shelved on the second floor will be transferred to storage over the summer. Obviously this will make those resources less easily accessible. I understand that the space may be renovated to benefit students and their research, yet this change seems counter productive. I would like to suggest that the journals not be put into storage; perhaps an alternative shelving strategy can be looked into.

(Apr 26/11) Do not move the journals off of 2nd floor. Graduate students, professors, and undergrads, rely on those journals to write papers or run experiments. Moving the journals to an inaccessible location in the basement will retard research, which will affect grant money and recruitment. Remove some of the computers on the main level (that are often not used for study purposes) or get rid of the eatery (which shouldnt be in a library anyways) if you need more room, the journal articles are way more valuable than checking your facebook status or getting a coffee.

(Apr 20/11) THANK YOU SO MUCH for opening 24/7! But I think this policy should not only be limited to exam periods. I know that all other universities have libraries that are open 24/7 throughout the year. I think Mac should have at least one library like that as well. Also, its very nice to see Innis open on weekends now. I think it was outrageous that they closed innis on weekends before. Thank you so much.

(Apr 13/11) Love the 24/7 service at Thode! Hopefully this will be maintained throughout the fall and winter terms, even outside exams. Having somewhere to sit with a table and a healthy supply of outlets is fantastic! Also, definitely keep 1st and 3rd floor as silent study spaces; we have enough noisy places with Mills Learning Commons and the student centre.

(Apr 8/11) Keeping Thode open 24 hours is a fantastic idea! Hopefully this will stick around for good. The noise has been keeping to a reasonable level which is great. The one problem with Mcmaster (not enough late night study space) has been solved.

(Apr 8/11) Late Night Thode = Extremely happy engineers. Please keep this going for next year. Please.

(Apr 4/11) Thank you thank you thank you for keeping Thode open for 24 hours!! I study best in the library and find it very distracting to be at home. I know that Mills Learning Commons has always had late night hours, but the noise is too much for me. I need a quiet space. I am so happy that my study stress can be minimized over the exam period. My only complaint is that this didnt happen sooner. Thanks again!

(Jan 19/11) Hello! Ive been going to Thode to use SPSS program and it seems that it doesnt work anymore...I went in last week and it worked perfectly fine but today it wouldnt open in any of the Thode computers. I am worried that maybe Thode computers dont have SPSS software anymore? Thank you very much!

(Dec 16/10) Library reserves dont have enough science course exams on file. Specifically biology and chemistry courses in first and second year.

(Nov 11/10) Get the smokers away from the doors. The chamber by the entrance gets very polluted with smoke.

Follow-up Comments:

Brilliant Response! Dont you realize there is already a sign that says they shouldnt be smoking near the doors. People sometimes smoke while leaning on this sign! The wall by the entrance literally looks like it was scorched by a fire from all the ashes left behind. Id also like to bring to your attention that cigarette buds have started making their way into the library lobby. One more week then Im appealing to the president. (2010-12-02)

RESPONSE TO COMMENT: Obviously the signage is inadequate since you are right, I overlooked it.  I had intended to make signage more clear, but have been advised that the campus Facilities department is responsible for all signs on buildings.  However, I have been discussing possible solutions to the problem with Library Facilities, and we will try to make the fact that there is no smoking within 9 metres of the building more obvious. In addition, I will speak to all Thode staff and ask that they monitor the distance of smokers from the building. Staff will advise people who are smoking close to the doors that they must move away from the building.  You may also notice that custodial services have cleared away the cigarette butts from in front of the doors. I hope that these measures will help with the problem. Please feel free to let library staff know if you find that smokers are in violation of the 9 metre distance and we will do whatever we can to ensure that the area immediately outside of the building remains smoke-free. Lynn Schneider, Manager, Library Services, Thode Library (2010-12-12)

(Oct 20/10) Since many books have been moved to Thode, I need to go over there and look at them in the basement. I thought this was a library and not a place for prayers. Can you find another place on campus for those you want to pray.

(Oct 20/10) To Whom this may concern, Disgusted by the complete disregard for noise levels in the Science Library known as Thode. The least I expect is that areas designated for quiet study should be so. Why is there an excessively loud blender noise that resonates to the second and third floor...maybe its because of a cafeteria set up on the main floor of Thode library. Who are the foolish brains behind making Thode into a student center and a makeshift coffee shop? Clearly not dedicated academics. Its ridiculous that the entire main floor becomes a rowdy mall from 11am - 3pm, peak study hours... What happened to the concept of a library... a true center for learning... What a Joke this Library has become... but its no wonder - the leadership is not even remotely aware. Lets see how the University fairs in the next rankings - there is only one library that fosters a quiet study environment and that is Health Sciences - unfortunately not all students can fit into one reading room...no coffee shop setup in the library - we have three coffee shops within 200 meters of the library already, Mary Keys, Mohawk Building and BSB/JHE... There should primarily only be book shelves and desks so that information can be absorbed...quietly and naturally...notwithstanding that there already is an area designated where students can eat their lunch within the facility... why compromise the integrity of the facility? Start by posting a $12/hour job that includes book shelving and physically walking through the library to conduct monitoring..for the security and safety of a student... Lets not forget the honorable H. G. Thode, a man who obtained numerous academic qualifications and his personality was embodied within the library atmosphere...imagine what he would think walking into this place today as a Graduate and post graduate level academic and leader...where have our standards gone... weve dropped our levels to having to deal with some chump from Detroit : Good Riddens Once a beacon for silent study - always pin drop silent has now morphed into a pathetic attempt to appease an ill conceived strategy.

(Oct 5/10) As there continues to be a lack of quiet study space in libraries, can you please enforce it in one of the last remaining spots - the Thode basement? It continues to get quite noisy and no one seems to be monitoring the area. Thanks!

(Sep 14/10) Ive used the group study areas in the basement of Thode since my first year here and I am disappointed to see them from being halved last year to being totally removed this year. I find it that the group areas in the first floor are way too noisy compared to the basement. That space was often used by groups and filled much more quickly than the first floor and there are reason to that.

(Jun 2/10) Today I needed to check out a book on reserve for a midterm I have tomorrow, however when I arrived, the book was already checked out (and there is only one copy). The textbook wasnt returned at the end of the two-hour time slot, and as a result, I had to scramble to get a hold of the textbook from another source!! This has happened to me before in another course. Can you please adjust your borrowing/return policies for books on reserve to ensure they are returned on time? Perhaps increase the fines, or restrict the book from being removed from the library so that the person can be tracked down.

(May 26/10) The study desks in the basement do not have enough light to study (unless using a laptop). It would greatly help to add lights for each desk similar to the arrangement on the 3rd floor a year ago. Thank you.

(Apr 15/10) The wireless internet access here at Thode is pretty bad. I read that in November 2009 it was improved, but I still have a really hard time getting anything to load here on the 1st floor around the iMacs. Can you get UTS or whomever to look into this and actually provide wireless that works please?

(Apr 1/10) Regarding scroll down on iMac computers. Used 5 different iMac computers today, 4 of them were not able to scroll down if using the scroll ball on the mouse. Possible mouse problem. Very annoying. Was only able to scroll up using the track ball. This happened on 4 computers.

(Apr 1/10) I would like to say first of all that this library is a great library. However, there are hardly any places that is quiet to do studies. My suggestion is for the library to have a posted stand as over at Health Science library to remind people in the upstairs and down on the basement that those area ought to be for individual studying (wherever it is applicable). Thankyou. Pls. keep up the great work.

(Apr 1/10) There needs to be more projectors at Thode. Every time I try and sign one out it is never available.

(Apr 1/10) I appreciate the projector borrowing program. I do have a tough time getting a hold of a projector. Would it be possible to get more than one projector at Thode?

(Mar 29/10) Considering the library closes early on Fridays, maybe the EXTREMELY LOUD, ANNOYING, DISTRACTING and so on, renovations and drilling could be done after close instead of during the busy hours at Thode.

(Mar 12/10) Thode is freezing after 5pm. I understand while there may not be as many students in here, but honestly, I have to bring a sweater just to sit in the library when its nice outside.

(Feb 28/10) Thode should be opened past 6 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

(Feb 3/10) Please fix the exit gate (i.e. the black bar that swings as students leave through the main area on the first floor) at Thode library. Where it used to be so loose it stayed swung open, it now has a nasty backlash as students walk through. Ive been hit in the stomach on my way out numerous times now and it really hurts! (Like getting punched!)

(Jan 16/10) the quiet study areas (second floor and the first floor at the back) need to be watched by the librarians. Some people talk very loud and people who are trying to do some work are very disturbed. Mills library usually has 2-3 librarians walking around the quiet study areas making sure it is silent. Thode libary definitely needs to work on this.

(Dec 17/09) The exit gate arm swings back with too much force (was altered recently). The entrance gates arms are nice and smooth!

(Dec 9/09) It is 10:30 in Thode. Second floor. Quiet Study Area. The loudest noises this morning? Library employees, shooting the breeze (outside the photocopy room near the washrooms, and the single office). Whatever happened to leading by example?

(Dec 6/09) For the first couple years of my university career Thode Library was the place to be for those of us who were in need of good, quiet study space. It has proven difficult in the past to find decent study space throughout the rest of campus, and now Thode, a sanctuary of sorts for some of us, has been renovated to be a social hang out. Not only has the first floor been taken over by people who want to hang out but the third floor has been lost to the iSci program which nobody really seems to know what it is. Is anything going to be done about the noise problem in Thode so that we can have a good place to study again? Thank you

(Oct 29/09) There is still a huge problem with Thodes internet. ELM does not seem to load at Thode, through my own personal laptop, or even the library computers, and it really makes life a lot more difficult for students that live far away from campus when they cannot access ELM through their own schools computer. Something needs to be done to address this major flaw. I was unable to post this to the suggestion box doe to some technical difficulties with the system.

(Oct 23/09) Several complaints have been recorded about the loudness of the coffee shop (specifically the machinery in it) in Thode. The response has always been that Hospitality Services will be contacted. Have they been, and if so, are they actually going to do something about it?

(Oct 23/09) I was studying on the second floor of Thode (after walking past a Quiet Study Floor sign) when I was interrupted by a long conversation in the stacks nearby. I asked a librarian to intervene, but she refused and implied that it was policy to not stop such talking in the library. May I ask why this is so? The entire first floor has become a Loud Study Floor (even to the point where Ive seen students watching TV episodes on the $3000 Power Macs) and pushed the serious students away. Are we now doing this to the rest of the upper floors? The third floor isnt even accessible for study. Setting aside a corner of the basement is not acceptable after taking away three floors that were previously quiet.

Follow-up Comments:

Response to comment: Im sorry that you had a negative experience at Thode Library. I will make sure that staff are aware of what happened to you and that we try to handle these situations better in the future. (2010-01-13)

(Oct 20/09) My concerns are with the quality of the wireless internet in some buildings on campus. My experiences have been poor in Thode and the Health Sciences Library, recently. At peak hours, many people accessing the wireless network slows the internet speed to an observable rate. Has anyone else noticed this? What is being done to fix it?

(Jul 28/09) Solid Edge v20 program should be put on the computers for the Thode Library. This would greatly help first year engineering students with the course 1C03 (Graphics Design)

(Jun 28/09) Could the available criteria for searching the catalogues be extended to include page counts? Maybe a range could be given by the catalogue user. In certain subjects, the particular use of a given text is often related to its thickness (eg., math texts that are ungodly huge are usually used in the classroom, and smaller ones elsewhere). I know this suggestion sounds strange, but it would be a great help to have it carried out. Thanks!

(Jun 15/09) Patron would like to suggest that : Description of the International Bridge constructed over the Niagara River, near Fort Erie, Canada, and Buffalo, U.S. of America published 1873 be digitized because hes spoken with a number of Canadian historians, Fort Erie histoical society and historians at Brock University and this book is not known to them. Author Gzowski was the leading engineer in Canada at this time. this book contains maps and folio drawings and the condition is poor, brittle and disintegrating. Carl Riff

(Jun 5/09) Please make it easier for a post-doc to update room & telephone number on profile. Thanks.

Follow-up Comments:

Update This suggestion has been responded to privately. Lynn Schneider (Supervisor, Circulation/Reserve/Stacks) (2009-07-02)

(Apr 24/09) Today I was studying in the library when a loud rattle startled me. To my chagrin, the smoothie bar was blending for up to 10 seconds at a time. Now Im aware that there are quiet areas available elsewhere but a library should never have mechanical noise like that. I study well with background chatter, but blenders have no place in a library. Shame on you Thode. These renovations have ruined the study/work space that students deserve.

(Apr 18/09) Why do staff not ask people to be quiet in the library unless there are complaints? By the time a complaint comes in, its already too late. I heard a rumor that (in Mills), staff are told to not do this. This is ridiculous - its a library and people want to study. The university is in dire shortage of good, quality study space without these issues, why arent they being addressed? If people want to go, grab a bite to eat and gab, there are countless other places they can go. A message needs to be sent that the library is a place for serious study, not the nonsense its by and large being used for now.

(Apr 17/09) I made a complaint over a month ago, requested a reply and left my email address. I have yet to receive any correspondence from the library staff although numerous complaints/suggestions have been addressed here on the online area. If you are going to leave a box for follow up replies on the comment card - make sure you do.

(Apr 8/09) The wireless should be fixed. Ive been having this problem in past two weeks from around 2:00pm to 6/7:00pm the wireless is on and off. This is happening to my friends also. Please fix the issue because now is exam time and I do not want to waste time. Thank you.

(Apr 7/09) Why is there a coffee grinder or frappucino maker in Thode library? It is extremely loud and distracting.

(Apr 3/09) Why is it not possible to make the library smell-free? Where ever one sits (except in the washrooms) the smell drifts through the library. It is unbearable. It is also very annoying that there are no signs telling students what areas are quiet study spaces. Even if there are nobody seems to keep to it.

(Mar 1/09) Its become practically impossible to study in much of Thode. Before the changes came in (big open computer area, cafe), it was somewhat easy to find a spot to sit down and quietly work. But now between the Club Mills effect of the computers and the cafe stinking up at least the first and second floors as well as providing even more noise (refrigeration and cooking equipment is very loud - extremely loud for a proper library environment) quiet has been very much murdered in most of the library. On top of that, the students who actually want to study (instead of eating, chatting, or screwing around on the Internet) are now pushed even closer together in our feed lot study spaces. This makes things yet more noisy and makes finding a space to study even more difficult. The cafe was a horrible idea to begin with, but not sound-proofing it was the icing on the cake of stupid. Im sure its making enough money to pay for such a thing - and if it wanted to be a good citizen of the library, it would do so. So, either sound (and smell) proof the cafe or evict it, please! As for the computer area, could there at least be put up a very large Please Be Quiet signs? I know you want to make the undergrads happy, but it doesnt take much to whisper instead of yell (and yelling often happens in this area). Thode is on its last legs - please help it before its too late!

(Feb 23/09) The noise coming from the food counter on the first floor makes it impossible to study quietly on the second. Is there some way to supply the study space that was lost due to this, or have an enclosure put up around the eating area? There is too little space to study at the university as it is, this has just made it worse.

(Feb 22/09) Removing the group study space in the basement and putting the individual study cubicles was a really bad idea. Many people use this space for group study/projects etc. This leaves very little space for group study/collaboration.

Follow-up Comments:

I agree, trying to work upstairs on those curved computer station desks is useless. Especially with major projects trying to sit together in a group of 6+. Couches are generally useless to get any practical work done. Please see the updated message associated with this suggestion. (2009-03-22)

(Feb 9/09) Having to constantly set up a guest account to use microsoft office on the macs is fairly annoying

(Jan 26/09) Why is the third floor of Thode filled with the constant sound of running water all of the sudden? Its distracting :(

(Jan 8/09) The new Mac computers in Thode should not be configured to use apple.com as their homepage. A room full of shiny new Macs (with effectively crippled versions of Windows available for the greater than 90% of users who are more familiar with Windows) is a sufficient marketing accomplishment for Apple. As a university library, Thodes workstations should be configured to bring users immediately to the webpages which allow access to the librarys resources, not to Apples marketing and sales site. It is also not acceptable that Windows is configured to run in a desktop resolution that does not match the screens dimensions. This almost appears to be a deliberate stunt to make Windows seem ugly and many users are probably not aware that it is the result of an incorrect setting rather than, say, Windows inability to run on an impressively large monitor. The desktop resolution should be changed to the display panels native resolution, as has been done in Mac OS.

(Dec 13/08) There are not enough plugs near the cubicles and large desks in the middle of the first floor. Ive seen people bring extension cords so that they can get power from their desk. I unfortunately was not so smart and now Im stuck by a window desk which is freezing and less comfortable than the couches and tables near the middle of the floor. You need more electrical outlets. At least provide an outlet for the cubicles against the walls near the back of the first floor. Everything is done online so there is no reason why there is such a low amount of outlets within easy reach of seating. And people prefer using laptops for personal documents etc so telling them to go to the computer area is not solving the problem.

(Dec 13/08) I just have two suggestions for the library during exam time: 1) Increase the temperature, its way too cold especially along the windows. It becomes increasingly difficult to focus when youre feeling a draft. I tend to bundle up for library studying but somehow always end up putting my jacket on because its just that cold. 2) Increase stock of ear plugs, it gets noisy at certain hours and I was told I should try to walk all the way to mills to get ear plugs because they had run out. Exam period should bring to mind an increase demand for quiet and the necessary stock for students to have that type of environment should match that demand. In general the noise level is still too loud. Just because its not a designated quiet study doesnt mean people should have loud conversations about what movie someone watched or where theyre going for their next date. Signs for quiet should go up around the entire building because of exam period. People can book study rooms or they can go to the student centre if they want to group study or have discussions.

(Dec 12/08) The mac computer with the extra large screens (directly behind the circulation desk at Thode) do not have a working PDF reader completely installed. This makes them virtually useless for research and assignments.

(Dec 12/08) The water fountains at Thode are rather disgusting (particularly first and third floor), and could use cleaning and improved water pressure. I find water to be very important while studying, and dont always bring a bottle with me to the library

(Dec 1/08) Dear Thode, The new look is great, but it comes at a cost: 1) The circulation desk is to serve patrons, so it should be atleast facing the seating area, not the cafeteria!! Also, it should be closer to the library entrance. 2) This is a library, not a construction site where I keep hearing drilling noises everyday, something which I presume can be done outside of librarys regular working hours. 3) The Mac computers sure look fancy, but do we really need them? I wonder how much each system costs, because we could have done equally well with regular PCs having really good system configurations and still cheaper than these new Macs. 4) It has been more than 3 months since the new systems have been in place, and yet the printer doesnt print documents if it either sent from Win XP OS or Open Office on OSX.

(Nov 28/08) I heard some people talking this morning about Redesigning thode basement to be what i understood to be a lounge or something. Much like the health science library is currently with all the chairs. Im not sure if thats exactly right. My comment would be that the current reason for the basement of thode being so popular is that you can go there, sit at a table with friends and work on an assignment, and all around are other people all working on the same assignment, in the same room. This makes it much easier to confer with all the people in your program about the task at hand. I think that seminar rooms wouldnt be as effective because then it wouldnt be as easy to confer with everyone. In essence i think the current layout is very good, although I would agree that the furniture might need to be updated.

(Oct 30/08) The new computers on the first floor are nice, but have some annoying bugs associated with them. For example: - when running Win XP, the scroll wheel is very laggy. - when running mac os, word 2008 asks the user to set itself up for updates and register, which is annoying to do every time. - when printing .pdf files from mac os, certain items such as cross references and tables of content made in word receive a black box around them when printed. - when opening word 2003 files, some text is missing from the file sometimes(although opening it on the win xp machines downstairs works fine). Im sure there are other problems which I cant quiet remember. Perhaps the library could get an admin to spend some time and adress those small, but annoying issues?

(Oct 29/08) Thode definitely needs more bike racks. The single bike rack at the front doors is always extremely overcrowded, and has got to the point where students are lifting their bikes over the rails to lock them on the other side of the patio. Please add at least another bike rack to better accomodate off campus students.

(Oct 29/08) Dear Thode You and I have been going through some hard times lately and I feel that we need to have a serious discussion. I highly enjoy your new makeover because I really like the ambiance of an expensive restaurant. However, I find that using you to find information recently has become rather difficult. Allow me to get some more things off of my chest. First and foremost, I thought we had a deal. We were going to save money together in order to grow our knowledge database and become better for each other. However, you spent our hard earned money to purchase jewelry for yourself because you felt it makes you look beautiful. The new Mac computers do look beautiful, but their beauty is only surface deep. Each time we meet, I look around and I notice that everyone boots into Windows on those Mac computers and I ask myself if our money could have been better spent on books or other structural improvements. A dell computer could have been purchased for a fraction of the price and still allowed everyone to visit facebook, youtube and WebCT as much as the new Mac computers do. The high resolution screens running XP are actually not beautiful at all; they remind me of a girl who wears too much makeup. Secondly, you are beginning to talk my ear off during times when I just want to focus on my work. You invite your friends over for chatter on the first floor and no longer appreciate the quiet time we used to have together. This was OUR time! I feel like having more friends to you is more important than spending quiet time with me and I no longer feel appreciated. The last few years were great, I learned a great deal of things from you and hopefully I contributed somehow to your life as well. However, I feel this can go no longer because I do not feel the same way about you. I feel like we have drifted apart from the things we once thought we had in common. Perhaps I am getting too old for this party lifestyle, and thus, until you grow up, I feel like I need to see other libraries. It’s not me, it’s you. Yours truly, Heart Broken

(Oct 24/08) Talking in stairwell at cellphone talk level. Third floor is usually nice and quiet. Mostly because we respect the rule of no talking; or at most whisper but dont carry on a full conversation. Im assuming the rule of no cellphone calls in all of Thode applies, other than in the Cell Zone. Heres the situation; when answering a call we rush out of the study area whispering to the caller just to make it to the stairwell and assume its fine to talk loud. This happened three times in about fifteen minutes. I reminded the first person about how far they could be heard, but I didnt feel like getting up over the next couple times it happened. It takes a while for me to concentrate again. Some random suggestions; close the stairwell doors; acoustic treatment in the stairwell; enforce no cellphone use; remind callers in the stairwell they can still be heard in the study area (poster?); invent a cellphone that people can whisper into; a closed room on each of the library levels; on our own part - dont make or take the call.

(Oct 21/08) The new monitors in Thode library have very poor resolution. You have large monitors set at a very low setting and i can see the pixels on the screen which doesnt do good for the eyes. Could they be set at a higher resolution? At least above 1440 X 900?