Assignment 1

Mario Pagliaro

LIBR10037

Dolores Harms Penner

May 24 2022
Case Study 1

I do not see anything wrong with having a library café for the students. I do understand

the circulation staffs’ concern with having food or drinks inside of the library, because of the

possibility of the food or drink ruining library materials. My suggestion in the meeting would be

to build the library café right next to the actual library so that students can eat or drink in the café

before entering the library. I think this is a win, win situation for both staff and students because

students can still enjoy their food and beverage just next door, before entering the library and

staff do not have to worry about students sneaking any food and beverages. Another suggestion

is that the food from the library café cannot be brought into the library, but drinks can. I can see

how bringing in both is a problem because you are more likely to make a mess with both food

and beverage at the same time instead of just allowing one.

I can recall being a high school student and always being allowed to bring a drink into the

library and I never had a moment where I spilt it on any library materials. Yes, an accident can

happen but for staff to have to worry non stop if students will drop their beverages onto any

library materials would mean that the students are very clumsy. The food I can understand not

being allowed because some foods are greasy than you are touching all of the library materials,

but a drink is fine to me plus you are not going to deprive students of being thirsty. That is why I

think the library café is a great idea because students can eat there and not have to worry about

being hungry in the library and focus on their studies. When I attended Seneca College, there

was a Tim Hortons next to the library so that you can eat there before entering the library and

you were allowed to bring in any beverage into the library because it is less likely to make a

mess with a bottle of water for example than greasy food.

 You might say, how will a library café stop making students from bringing in the food

they get from there into the library? My solution is that students have to eat in the café or else

they can still sneak food into the library by hiding it in their bag packs.

Case Study 2

The first problem with this case study is the lack of communication between Sylvia and

her superior. Her superior makes her look bad, because Sylvia is saying one thing to the students

and the supervisor is saying another. If I were Sylvia, the first thing I’d try is to speak to the

supervisor privately about what to do if they should extend the time limit or go by the rules so

that everybody is on the same page. This is a good idea because than the students will be on the

same page of the staff as well because they would not be receiving mixed messages on how long

they can stay and other groups waiting for the room will know exactly what time they can use the

room as well. If the supervisor does not agree with Sylvia, the next step Sylvia can take is at the

next meeting she can suggest having more group study rooms in the library so that multiple

groups can have more private study time for whatever they are working on.

If majority of the staff likes that idea, they can have a budget meeting to see if they have

enough funds to have that addition. If they do not, they can see if they can get a loan or raise

money through fundraisers to get the money to build more group rooms onto the public library. I

think it is inappropriate to ask for more time because other groups are waiting for their timeslot,

and they might have other things to do in the day and their only time to do these group study

rooms is for when they scheduled it for. That is why the supervisor should be on the same page

as Sylvia because people are always going to take advantage of the situation and hog the group

rooms for themselves and not consider other people’s time valuable. From experience, I

remember being in group study groups and when our time was up, we had to leave so that the
next group can have their turn. Everyone’s time is precious that is why it is important to try and

be fair to everyone.

I understand that once in awhile it can happen where groups are given more time.

However, in Sylvia’s case it looks like that the supervisor is always going against her authority

and that might be because the supervisor wants to be in control at all times and not trust his or

her staff to make any decisions without his or her consent.