“During school hours please use north entrance,” reads the signs to the stairs leading into the library. As most probably know, the library is monitored closely and the doors to the cafeteria are under the highest level security.  Students are not allowed to pass through these doors.  Though, we do understand the basis of the librarians’ policies, we still wonder how big of a disruption walking through the library during a passing period could be. In the five minute period, most classes situated in the library have not even arrived yet, let alone begun learning.

The library was reconstructed seven years ago, and seven years ago students were allowed to use the library as a hallway, entering and exiting through the cafeteria entrance.  This shortcut only lasted for a year, however.

The policy switched for various reasons, and the doors were rendered impassible and practically useless during the school day. “Interrupting classes was the biggest factor,” said Mrs. Krepps, library director. “The library is a classroom and you wouldn’t be able to pass through any other classroom in the school.”

Now, the librarians have to check students attempting to pass through the doors during the school day. In the next remodel of the library, the doors will be one of the first aspects put on the drawing board.

“We ask students to respect the learning space,” Krepps said.

Some students disagree this policy.  Cara Tenerelli, senior, recalls a time her entire chemistry class, who had all come from the same lunch period, attempted to enter through the cafeteria entrance into the library. “We told the librarians our class was in the library for the next period, but they still made us go back down and walk all the way around to the front entrance.” Her chemistry class arrived late.

On the bright side, the class was allowed to exit through the doors if they so wished. However, it feels nonsensical that the one shortcut in the school is blockaded. We feel it wouldn’t be a disturbance to classes if students were permitted to walk through the library, using the cafeteria entrance during passing periods. Students would not be able to enter during split periods because they would, in that case, disrupt the learning space. However, if students have class in the library, they should be able to enter without consideration to which entrance they use.