University Libraries

By Katy Kelly

The Libraries’ study rooms are one of the most popular spaces and services that Roesch Library offers. With a new easy-to-use self-service system introduced in the fall term, students can now book study rooms online in advance at libcal.udayton.edu.

Each semester for the past several years, a lucky winner of a Libraries social-media contest claimed the ultimate jackpot: a key to an individual study room for the entire week of finals. This year, the Libraries took a different approach: Give exclusive finals-week access to an individual study room to one of the most frequent users of the new reservation system -- which had more than 20,000 bookings in its first semester for a total of 1.4 million minutes of quiet or group study.

Peiqi Li, a junior finance major from Shanxi Province in China, accepted the prize as one of the most frequent users: Peiqi has reserved a study room 164 times. That’s 9,480 minutes of hard work! On Friday, December 8, Peiqi picked up her key to study room 4C along with a finals-week gift bag complete with library swag and candy.

IN THE WORDS OF THE WINNER …

After all that time spent in study, Peiqi was well-prepared to make the most of the prize. She shared her plans in a Roesch Library Q&A:

What do you like about using Roesch Library study rooms?

“The study room is quiet, and I can pay attention to studying.”

What projects or studying will you be doing during finals week?

“I will practice a presentation in the study room so I don’t bother others. I have two projects due during finals week for my MIS class and my management class; also I have four exams.”

What’s special about finals week at UD?

“I believe students work hard all semester, no matter where they go. I prefer a study room because I can't focus in my dorm. I'm excited about after finals.”

- Katy Kelly, coordinator of marketing and engagement