LUMEN Summer 2020 - Flipbook - Page 28
Merry Wickes
Bachelor of Arts (1973), Honours (1975)
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, my university
life revolved around constant daily movement
between the Napier Building – where my lectures
and tutorials were held; the Refectory and
Cloisters – for food and snacks, catching up with
friends and the wider university activities; and the
all-important Barr Smith Library – the centre for
my academic studies.
And just beyond the Library, and in view through
its windows, was Union Hall (where the Braggs
Building now stands) with its downstairs coffee
shop. For a brief time, you could take a break
from library studies and sip a cappuccino there
with friends.
Being rather studious and ‘bookish’ then, much
of my time was spent in the Barr Smith Library.
Most days, after lectures or tutorials, I would
join fellow students queuing to search the long
wooden boxed card index catalogues to find
books and journals (no online resources then).
Or I would hang around the Reserve Desk near
the front entrance to place requests for one of the
multiple copies of the most in-demand books and
articles for the week’s assignments, and then wait
for them to turn up. And of course I remember
seeking research assistance or photocopying help
from the wonderful and ever helpful librarians
and staff.
Then I’d find an empty desk in one of my
favourite quiet corners to pile up borrowed
books and scrawl notes and hand write essays.
Or, on cold and wintry Adelaide days, I’d head
to the glorious and beautiful Barr Smith Reading
Room. Best of all were foot warmers in long
metal tubes hidden beneath the desks to keep
students cosy. It’s still possible to see remnants of
the tubes under some desks, though sadly long
disconnected from a heat source.
The Reading Room is one of the few areas
of the Library that remains very much as it was
50 years ago. While everywhere else in the
Library now buzzes with the sounds of students
chatting amongst themselves, the Reading Room
remains a remarkably quiet space just as it has
always been, a place where you still feel a little
intimidated to talk in more than a whisper.
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THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
While there have been so many changes within
the University, I think for many students, the Barr
Smith Library remains an academic and research
hub on the campus, and one I still love to visit. To
be able to contribute, in some small way, to this
favourite place continuing to be well resourced
and central to university life is a special pleasure.
Cecilia Wang
Bachelor of Laws and
Bachelor of Health Sciences (expected 2022)
The great thing about the Barr Smith Library,
and what makes up some of the best experiences
I’ve had, are the staff who are always there to help
when you need it.
I remember when I first started at the University
and I was nervous to ask for help. I initially went
to ASK Library with a general question about
where I could find books for an essay. They were
not only able to help me find relevant sources,
but recommended I make a time with the liaison
librarian who would help me on the path to write
an excellent essay. I ended up doing very well
with that assignment. I go to the Library quite
regularly to do work and I’d say I spend up to
eight hours a week (apart from the times I work
there) to study. The Reading Room is so quiet
and calming, it really helps when I’m feeling
stressed about finishing an assignment.
Whether I need a break from studying and
a comfy place to relax, or looking to finish
something for a fast-approaching deadline, it’s a
great space. I absolutely love the quiet Reading
Room on level two, which some people call the
Harry Potter room. The space is very old and
gives a sense of nostalgia and awe, which I always
find inspirational. I also love how well the Library
is organised.
For me, it’s a place where I can count on getting
the help I need from the vast amount of resources
it offers, whether this is on the shelf in the
Library, online or from the friendly staff.
When I first started using the Library, I used to
commonly get lost because it’s so big. And I still
do on the rare occasion.
After using the Library for a while, I decided
to find out how they make everything happen
