Claiming Public Space

Alden Library is the semi-public space we chose for this project. It serves as a public place for students, professors, researchers and the Athens community in general, but there are rules and codes that govern the space too.

Alden as representation of space:

·         Planned: This place is place is planned considering the demarcations within the building and the arrangement of mobile and immobile furniture, like tables, chairs and bookshelves. These spatial arrangements together with signage impact how the user moves within the space and the actions that are allowed or not.

·         Controlled: It is controlled in the sense that without an authorized username and password by the institution, one cannot access the computers, printers and scanners. Furthermore, this space is also controlled in the sense that, there are restriction with the use of some places. Here are some examples:

-          Conference rooms have to be booked to be used.

-          Gender segregator restrooms (male and female).

-          Shelved books cannot be taken out of the library unless they are checked-out.

-          The presence of librarians is to instill discipline and sanity.

-          Users of the library cannot install software onto the library computer’s.

·         Ordered: In the library, notices pasted on walls instills some form of rules for users of the library. Like for instance, in some parts of the library are posters which instructs users of the space to stay quiet. In addition to this poster, there are other notices which are pasted on the book shelves within the library. This also instruct library users not to re-shelve books taken from the racks. Rather, users should keep them on trays positioned close to these shelves.

Code of conduct of Alden Library includes the following:

-          Policies and Guidelines

-          Cell Phone Use

-          Children in the Libraries

-          Computer Software

-          Computer Use

-          Digital Collections Rights and Permissions

-          Disruptive Behavior

-          Exhibits

-          Filming and Photographing in the Library

-          Food and Drink in the Library

-          Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections Reading Room Policies and Procedures

-          Meditation Room

-          Personal Property

-          Privacy on the Website

-          Records Storage & Destruction Services

-          Room Reservation Policies

-          Solicitation, Postings, and Distribution of Materials

-          Surveillance Cameras

-          Tobacco Use

As previously discussed Alden Library is indeed a representation of space, it is constituted as a library by the use the students, researchers and public in general give to it. Even though the behavior is given by the authority figures and enforced by furniture location and signage, it is has become an intrinsic behavior among the users. We think that this normalized behavior within the library space can be linked to the theory of “control through consent” where rules are so normalized that they are not perceived as such (Foulcault).

Alden Library is used study, research and academic discussion purposes. The users of the place are students, professors, researchers and the public people. Communally, the library supports the purpose for which it was built in the sense that, it allows students and also community members who want to fully access to the facilities. For this reason, it contributes to the effective learning and success for students and community members as individuals and collective. In addition to that, the library itself can also promote efficient communication among the librarians with people involved in higher education.

There is an absence of certain groups of the population in this place. The library infrastructure is not designed of built to be completely inclusive. People with special needs or not full able cannot find a proper space for them within the library. In terms of mobility the building is accessible, but when it comes to activities inside the place it becomes restrictive, not only for people with mobility limitations but also for people that face other type of challenges (e.g. mental health problems, disability) According to Mitchell, public place should be a place for social interaction and that individual people could access to the social infrastructure. Public space also encourages the voice of everyone to be heard even the marginalized people. However, in the context of Alden library, some groups of people became an excluded actor that remains as an “invisible” group in the society.

Alden as representational space:

·         Higher education: Alden is one of the main hubs or networks of Ohio University, collectively it holds some of the largest reserves of student resources to aid in students’ future success not only at Ohio University as an institution but of the student’s future as a productive member of society as well.

As a group, we understand that Alden is an amazing resource for students and it would be foolish not to take advantage of the opportunities and resources it provides.

·         Network of resources and opportunity for students reinforcing effective learning strategies and behaviors. Effective communication between students, tutors, librarians, and professors creates an even more powerful opportunity for success among students.

As a group, we understand that being able to effectively communicate with other students and those who are more knowledgeable than we are or have more (or different) experience can be a far greater resource than any textbook can be. By viewing Alden as a network of communication for higher education you can see how essential and helpful it can be student success.

·         Because Alden is a resource for those seeking higher education it can become or be perceived as a “elitist” space where there is no place for people that not belong to the academia.

As students we are fully aware that the library is a place where users go for quiet reading, studying, attention to detail, and focus. In general users of the library are aware that there are spaces that allow more interaction than others (e.g. quiet rooms). We also recognize that the lack of spaces that promote the learning and integration of people with different abilities within the library spaces marginalizes them. Moreover, it fosters the idea that they shouldn’t be included in society. They are “invisible” and are excluded from access to the resources and network of social and academic infrastructure that Alden provides.

As students we are aware that we don’t only form part of the Student Body of Ohio University, but we are also part of Athens community. Therefore, we think that Alden Library should be more inclusive, especially with members of the community that not belong officially to the institution. Even if the community in general has access to the Athens Public Library, Alden has multiple and different resources, that could be useful for many people. We think that knowledge and sharing of experiences shouldn’t be a privilege only for academia and students, and that rather we could learn a lot from each other (faculty, staff, community members and students).