The school library has been much different since the a policy disallowing students to eat there was enacted in early December. The rule has lessened the overcrowding during lunch, but the library is still very busy during flex blocks, sometimes having as many as 150 students crowding the tables. Librarians are worried that the crowding won’t get any better as the school, already at maximum capacity, is projected to have even more students next year.

“The library is a really popular place to study and do group work, said librarian Amy Ivory. “The no-food policy has made lunch periods more tolerable, but the increasing number of students makes space and resources tight.”

Since the policy is still new, few students have formed opinions yet. For the time being, library staff do not plan to reconsider flex blocks or adjust other policies and instead focus on making do with the space they already have. They believe flex blocks are the cause of the extra crowding.

The libraries say they will continue to address student needs, as well as offer an excellent space to study and collaborate, while continuing to grow. They believe the no-food policy in the library is one step towards balancing the overcrowding.