Yale libraries: not just for bookworms

I remember the day I received the Herald freshman issue. It was about 110 degrees outside, and I stood on my asphalt driveway reading it, my feet burning. I devoured every word about midnight streaks, nightlife at Naples, and Saybrugians stripping down to their skivvies at football games. In all my excitement about the prospect of being able to store beer in my very own fridge, I somehow skipped over the article about libraries. At the time, I guess it just didn't seem all that important.

LAURIE RANDELL/YH The only thing more boring than doing reading is doing reading in the library.

Then I got here, and after the freshman meat market turned rancid, I realized that, like it or not, libraries were going to become an intimate part of my life. This is not all bad, however, because Yale boasts some seriously cool libraries.

The big kahuna of Yale libraries is undoubtedly Sterling, that huge Gothic-looking thing on the cover of every other Yale brochure. Fourteen stories of nooks and crannies, more commonly referred to as "The Stacks," are perfect if you want to disappear from the world during finals. The problem is that thousands of ancient books to look at pose a major distraction; procrastination thus tends to follow. If you prefer to remain in the world of the living, Sterling offers four reading rooms. The Green Room (officially known as the Linonia and Brothers Room), which reminds me of a library in an old English mansion, is my favorite. Green leather couches, polished oak paneling, and cozy side rooms are great for reading Chaucer or curling up for a nap.

One of the most popular places to study is the recently constructed Gilmore Music Library, a magnificent library-within-a-library built where an unused courtyard used to be in Sterling. The airy, well-designed space features a high vaulted ceiling, as well as an innovative bi-level floor plan. Since it opened three years ago, it has yet to attain that classic old book smell that the Stacks have spent the last 65 years perfecting. However, one of the best things about the library is its 44 listening stations. If no music students are waiting to use them, you can just borrow recordings and listen to them while you study.

Just under—yes, under—Sterling is Cross Campus Library, more commonly referred to as CCL. My bio major friends swear by CCL's fluorescent lighting and "weenie bins" for finishing problem sets late at night. Rumor has it that weenie bins and Sterling's stacks lend themselves to, uh, relieving tension. I've neither seen nor heard anyone having sex in these places, but that certainly doesn't mean it can't happen. While Sterling closes at midnight, CCL is open until 2 a.m., which makes it ideal for long nights. Just down the hall from CCL is Machine City, more of a sparse cafeteria than a study area. The vending machines that give Machine City its name stock mostly Snapple, soda, bad coffee, soggy sandwiches, ice cream, and candy bars. It's a great place to go when you want to study in a group, or when you're at least pretending to study.

Every residential college has its own library open at all hours of the day, but some are better than others. My limited survey found that the best two are those in Davenport and Jonathan Edwards, with Pierson's running a close third. Davenport's library, like everything else about the college, is aesthetically magnificent. A large fireplace in the middle of the main room overlooks the Monticello-inspired courtyard. The chairs are comfy, and there are a few semi-private side rooms. A friend of mine claims to have written her entire senior essay within the walls of Davenport's library. JE's Taft Library has a split personality. One side contains cubicles; the other is a spacious area with a fireplace. Both sides overlook the Yale University Art Gallery's sculpture garden, which can be both distracting and inspirational. Pierson's claim to fame is its high cubicles and hidden attic room. It's a hike, but it's worth it—you're almost always alone.

Yale's Law School library, after a brief hiatus three years ago because of renovations, is once again open to undergrads. The library is beautiful but a little strange, because each law student has his or her own desk adorned with personal objects. Although it's fine to use a desk if the student isn't there, it's a little awkward because you often feel as though you're invading someone's space. You can stay all night long if you arrive before midnight.

Like it or not, you'll have to do a lot of hard work once you arrive at Yale. When freshman quads and loud roommates make working in your own room difficult, Yale's libraries are great places to relax and focus on your studies.

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