A ‘hack’ in the library’s reservation system allows students to reserve a spot without physically being there.
The library’s reservation system is intended to prevent students from having to wait in line for a study spot, especially during busy exam weeks. When a student reserves a place, they’re supposed to check in by scanning the QR code at the desk. This is meant to ensure that reserved spots are actually being used.
However, in practice, many students bypass this system. It’s possible to check in through the library’s website, which sends a link with a code that allows students to log in remotely.
Rarely used
As a result, spots remain occupied without the students actually sitting there. The check-out option, which allows students to release their spot when they’re done studying, is also rarely used.
This leads to students without a reserved spot simply taking an empty seat. Students who step away briefly for coffee sometimes return to find their place taken.
‘It’s a kind of cycle of people sending each other away’, says communication science student Tessa Kuipers. ‘No one is sitting in the right spot.’
‘All booked up’
If she hasn’t managed to reserve a spot, Kuipers makes sure to arrive by 9 a.m. ‘There’s hardly anyone there, but the system shows everything as booked.’ She ends up sitting somewhere anyway, hoping no one will ask her to move.
Human resource management student Sanam Ali is familiar with the issue. ‘It’s a good system, but it’s being misused’, he says. ‘So now there’s this fear of being asked to leave. Someone comes by, and you’re afraid they’re going to take your place.’
The UB is aware of the issues, says Annet Kranenborg from the library team. ‘We’re looking into how we can manage this better in the future.’