Sonoma State University Library

If I were rating this library only on the professionalism and service of its staff and faculty, this institution would get a full five stars. The four stars is given because it is clear that more resources need to be directed their way, though through careful allocations and prudent Solomonic choices, and with special collections of local and regional importance, this library has managed to remain extremely useful.
I am amazed at the level of service and the access to such a wide range of quality materials for those pursuing scholarly and creative pursuits. The staff and faculty librarians are extremely knowledgeable and skilled, and clever at chasing down obscure paths to sources I wouldn’t have known how to find, and at time, that I wasn’t even aware existed. They are extremely good at teaching patrons (students, university faculty, and community members) how to make use of a university library; this aspect is often under-​appreciated or even entirely overlooked by those not familiar with the unique role of a university, and is thus often insufficiently funded.
Over the past several years (perhaps going back five or more years), there has been a slow but steady and apparent tightening of the belt. Staffing has been limited, and as some have inevitably left or moved into other positions, the university has not been backfilling successfully enough. The library –including its faculty and staff– is one of the central, most essential pillars of any reputable university, part of what makes a proper university what it is. It is the last place where cutbacks should be (or should have been) made, and with the slow economic upswing and the corresponding increase in taxpayer funds to public higher education, I am hoping this review could be updated to five stars.

I love libraries. Always have, always will.
But university libraries? Typically a different story. They never feel too warm or welcoming. Often times, they look and feel and smell old, and stale. In short, I am loathe to spend much time in them.
Not so with the SSU Library.
For starters, it’s a newer façade than most university libraries, with modern and practical furnishings inside. It’s not so big that I get lost in it. And it accommodates all kinds of people — ranging from individuals or small groups of people, to larger groups and even classes looking for a place to meet.
The first floor is good for group projects, collaborative homework assignments, or just hanging out with friends. The second floor is where I go when I want to work on less demanding assignments, or chat with a partner about something. And the third floor is perfect for writing seminar papers, because the quiet policy is adhered to and makes it a good environment for concentration.
And with flexible hours (open every day, and until midnight on week nights) it’s always open when I need it to be.