NON-PLACE

College library is a really busy library and you can say that they are going to a certain place to study. A section of the library that I would call a non place would be the first floor/lobby of the library. People don't really stay in that area but they are deciding where they need to go or wish that they can find a space to study in the library. At night time it is especially hard to find a place to study. It's almost impossible to find it in the common areas and it's still hard to find a table in the quiet areas at times.
In the first floor there are many people coming in with a sort of music device wether it be an ipod or other MP3 players. The students are coming in with their back packs full but who knows how many books they will actually get through. You can tell when some students have had a long day or are planning for a long night because it is the constant starbucks, sodas, or anything with caffeine. Those that have learned their lesson a little better are dragging along some water bottles as well which will keep them hydrated throughout the night.
People head in many directions in this first floor. They choose one of the three study areas, the computers behind the front dest are rarely approached, the computers up front are quickly approached and 3 out of the four people i saw signed into Facebook. The other choises are the elevator, the information desk or one of the two stairways. This little first floor area is almost like a terminal where people decide where they need to head to and people don't hang out in this area unless they are speaking on their cell phones or chatting with a freind they ran into.
Another thing that I observed is the look in certain people. You can see how some students are looking up or to the side and even mumbling to themselves of what they need to get done. You can tell that they are trying to figure out what they need to do first. The message board that is by the east wing doors also serves as a directory to let each other know where they are in the library which I can't say that I have used myself.
The quick pace of college life can be observed in this lobby and my roomates passed me coming into this library and didnt' even notice me and I think this shows on how quick paced this little area really is. This non-space will hopefully lead them to an area where they can study but as many of us know after a few years of going to college--it doesn't usually happen.