Texan Mosaic

By Desiree Lopez

During the summer, improvements have been made to the Library on the Levelland campus of South Plains College in hopes of increasing student interest.

The Library has new furniture throughout the first floor, such as movable tables and chairs, white boards, and charging stations.

“We’re trying to bring students in from all different parts of campus and make it a place where students want to come and hang out between classes,” said Mark Gottschalk, director of libraries at SPC, who adds that upgrades on the first floor are ongoing and there are plans to start renovating the second floor soon. 

The furniture is not the only new thing added to the Library. There are also a few new rules in place for the beginning of this semester. Students are now free to eat and talk with one another on the first floor only. 

“We want you to come in here and hang out with your friends, and have a burger or whatever you want to do,” said Gottschalk, “and then go upstairs if you need quiet.”

 The first floor of the Library is meant to be a place where students can hang out with one another in a comfortable setting. Meanwhile, the second floor is reserved for those who want to study in a more quiet environment.

“Everything we’re trying to do as a department is to make it a space where students want to be and make it a campus destination,” says Gottschalk. 

Suggestions are welcomed for how to make the Library a more student-friendly environment. 

“We’re working with more students this year to figure out what else they would like to see,” says Gottschalk, “and then figure out how we can keep the momentum up by changing it to what you guys might like.” 

Students are free to adjust the new furniture in a way that is comfortable for them. 

“We’re kind of watching how furniture moves around, and if you guys use it differently, then we’ll just shift and adjust,” explains Gottschalk. 

Library staff have been working to make the Library a welcoming environment for all students and hope to attract more students to visit. 

An event for students called ‘Grocery Bingo’ recently was held at the Library, which is open to hosting any campus or student group meetings and events. In October, the Library will be hosting an author event for Stephen Sanders, an English instructor at SPC, who published his first book last year. The library plans to hold more events for students in the near future in hopes of making it a more social place and open space for students.

Plans are still in the works for the upgrading of the first floor, with work to start soon on the second floor and the lobby. All furniture that was not repurposed was donated to Levelland Christian School. 

The Library is open from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday through Wednesday, as well as from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.