Simply put, the library last school year was a mess. From the commotion created by students’ “whispers” and librarians’ frustrated hushes to the overflow of students resulting in a lack of seating, the library was not a place where I could focus and get assignments done. In fact, it was a place I avoided altogether. However, this year, the library is a place I gravitate towards and prefer to do work, as the environment has changed completely. When I walk in, I can easily find a seat and begin to focus on my work. The library is no longer filled with noise and disorder. Instead, it’s a tranquil space conducive to studying and doing work.
At first, I ascribed this shift to pre-midterm bliss and believed that as the school year progressed, the library would return to its previous chaotic state. However, weeks have passed, during which work has been assigned, and tests have been taken, yet the library has remained a place where I can adequately focus and study. I believe this change can be attributed to the library’s implementation of its new no–phones policy.
This year, students must turn in their phones at the circulation desk before sitting down in the library, prohibiting students in the library from accessing their phones. At first, I was skeptical of this no-phones policy. I felt like my phone helped me do my work more efficiently, whether it be a quick Google search or a text to a classmate regarding an assignment. I hadn’t realized in years past that those quick searches and texts were gateway distractions, excuses for me to begin using my phone and lose focus. But now, without my phone, I am rendered without any distractions or excuses.
As we integrate our phones more and more into our lives, phone distraction becomes more normalized and accepted. How many times have you experienced an abrupt and awkward end to a conversation when the other person pulls out their phone and begins completely ignoring you? Or how many times have you opened your phone to do something specific and ended up spending two hours on Instagram or TikTok? Doomscrolling, high screen time, and being chronically online were once socially unacceptable habits but are now dismissed as typical aspects of life in the digital age.
In a 2023 study, the University of Michigan found that teens “received about 240 phone app notifications, with a quarter of these messages arriving during school hours.” This translates to nearly 60 opportunities for students to get distracted, pick up their phones, and lose focus throughout the school day. However, the library eliminates these chances of getting distracted by completely eliminating the use of phones within the space. So yes, initially, I didn’t like the idea of my phone being taken away from me in the library, but after reaping the benefits of a phone-free study space, I can say that I have been able to complete assignments more efficiently.
