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(Jan 28/08) My name is Sadia Iqbal and I am a member of the Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences Society here at McMaster. I am writing this email to address the issue of room booking in the Health Sciences Library. Currently, the only students allowed to pre-book rooms in the library are Health Sciences students, but this does not include members of the Biochemistry Department. Our department prides itself in being a joint program between the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Health Sciences so we therefore feel that Biochemistry students should also have the privilege of pre-booking rooms. The teaching style in the Health Sciences program shares many similarities with our department, most notably the concept of problem based learning and inquiry classes. This type of learning style requires a substantial amount of group work and thus our students could definitely take advantage of the rooms available in the library, if given the privilege. Although we are able to book rooms if they are available, the rooms are in very high demand and finding a room at the time needed is difficult. The society understands that it is not feasible to give everyone the privilege of pre-booking rooms, however we feel that our argument is genuine and that it should at least be considered. Thank you very much for your time, Sadia Iqbal Co-President Biochemisty and Biomedical Sciences Society McMaster University

Library response: The request to be given the ability to advance book study rooms in the Health Sciences Library has been raised before by students and faculty of the Biochemistry Department, but a reminder of the issues and solutions is important. At McMaster, undergraduate Biochemistry students are considered part of the Faculty of Science, not the Faculty of Health Sciences. However, as more programs move to a problem-based/inquiry-based format, the need to create more group study rooms is recognized. You will be glad to know that adding enclosed group study rooms is a key objective of the Thode Library renovation. According to Vivian Lewis, Associate University Librarian, Teaching, Learning and Research, the last set of revisions show 12 rooms - although the final number and location is yet to be determined. All rooms will be open and bookable by the entire campus community using our online room booking service. When the other libraries set up a laptop lending program, we extended the Health Sciences Library lending to all McMaster students. In the same way, once more study rooms are available in Thode, we will certainly re-examine our policies. (Jan 28/08)
Answered by: Liz Bayley (Director, Health Sciences Library)