Home to a variety of seating options in different settings, D. H. Hill Library can be overwhelming for new students who have never ventured into the building to find the best place to study. We put together our personal favorites, from silent study to floors perfect for group conversation.
Myra Bari, Culture Editor: Personally, my favorite type of chair in the library (or seating technically) are the carrels on the third floor of the library. They’re so comfy to stretch out on, and I love the privacy they give you. They can be really hard to find during peak library hours, so make sure to venture out early if you’d like to nab one!
Abigail Ali, News Editor: I love the study cubicles in the Bookstacks. They have little desks and a little wall that surrounds the chair offering students a private cubby to work in. Also, since these seats can be found in the top floors of the Bookstacks, the location is super quiet, which can be so important during exam season.
Heidi Reid, Assistant News Editor: The leather chairs with the round side tables on the ninth floor reign supreme. The ninth floor is always fairly empty, very quiet, and, if you are sitting on the west side of the building, the view is amazing.
Mary Kate Giuffrida, Assistant Copy Desk Chief: My favorite chairs in D.H. Hill are the ones by the windows on the third floor! I love being in the natural light and being able to look out at all the other students when I need a break from my work. I also like that there’s always a lot of other students working so there’s plenty of white noise.
Elyse Boldizar, Assistant Opinion Editor: I love the reading room near the Technician historical display on the first floor, especially when I’m editing for Technician for obvious reasons. It also has such a nice atmosphere, especially if you can snag a spot near the windows where you can see the peaceful trees outside. On weekends when I’ve procrastinated and really need to hammer some studying out, I love sitting in the blue chairs near the windows by the Brickyard entrance — only on off days though because it can be distracting watching people come in when Hill’s busy.
Wade Bowman, Managing Editor: I won’t lie, not much of my time at NC State has been spent in D.H. Hill. Despite normally preferring to study in the comfort of my own room, on the couple occasions that I did find myself in Hill, I’ve always gravitated towards the booths with whiteboard tables on the second floor. Being able to get anything that’s on my mind out on the whiteboard has always been a nice feeling, and going to the library definitely benefits my productivity — when I can get myself in there.
Jameson Wolf, Assistant Culture Editor: My go-to Hill study spot is the special collections reading room on the first floor. As far as seating goes, it’s somewhat unimaginative with a time-tested wooden chair style (why fix something that isn’t broken), but the long tables and low lamplight create a Library of Alexandria atmosphere that makes it easier to pretend what I’m working on is direly important. There are also big atlases to flip through if you need a brain break.
Cameron Rhinehardt, Brand Manager: I love to study with friends, so my go-to at Hill is the round booths on the third floor. There are always whiteboards around to utilize for studying and it is the perfect fit for friends or study groups to do work together. Not to mention everyone is generally noisy on the third floor so you don’t have to worry about being too loud. If you need to talk for any reason, this spot is great.
Ellie Bruno, Design Editor: I would love to say that I’ve always been a studious college student, but in reality I did most of my “studying” (aka hanging out with my friends) in the common areas of the dorms. When I actually had to study, I would find myself in D.H. Hill’s special collections reading room. The lighting, old wood furniture, the long hallway leading into the space – it all felt like a scene out of ”Legally Blonde,” which somehow made me work harder (?!). It also helped that Hill of Beans was just a short walk away whenever I needed a mid-study snack!
