After being away on exchange last year, I noticed some increased problems in the Libraries at UQ (SSH in particular) on my return last semester. I often could not find an available computer and although many were being unused at the time, they had books/belongings covering the keyboard or seats as a way of reserving them. I would often wait for long periods (i'd usually give up after 20mins or so) and no-one had come back in this time, so in effect, the computer was not being used, while i and others were waiting. This was also the case with desks and I often had to resort to sitting on the floor. If I was lucky enough to find somewhere I also found noise a major issue. People were always talking, listening to music too loudly, taking phone calls etc. (including in the supposed quiet zones). I'm not normally one to complain, but I see the library as one of the few places to go to get away from noise or other distractions so that we can study. I realise these problems are more about student behaviour rather than the fault of library staff, but am perhaps suggesting some stronger campaigns about library etiquette. (For example the university I was at on exchange dressed people up as mimes and got them to hand out flyers/bookmarks with library do's and don'ts)

Or perhaps it would be nice if we went back to the old fashioned way of library staff shooshing people who get too loud, rather than the students having to take it upon themselves.

Thanks in advance