Cal Poly Humboldt Library — Local services in Arcata

Update: The library now has external monitors on the 2nd floor that you can plug your laptop into! Some of them have HDMI cords and some require you to bring your own. I am grateful to whoever decided to make these purpose-use for people like myself who require a second screen to maximize their productivity.

Old: I like the recent upgrades but wish they had external monitors you could use with your own laptop like other university libraries have.

Specifically what I'm referring to is an area with desks with external monitors that you can plug your laptop into using a USB-C and/or HDMI cable. Many students have their own laptop and find using an external monitor boosts their productivity. In fact, many classes at Cal Poly Humboldt (like the statistics courses) are taught in computer labs that have multiple monitors. This shows how useful and even necessary they are. An added benefit for students is they can charge their laptop while using the monitor if it is equipped with a USB-C cable. This is very helpful if the student left thier charger at home.

When I suggested this to the library, they kindly suggested I use one of the rooms that have projectors in them (see the library's response to this review). I appreciate the suggestion, but using a projector for homework is a bit excessive, and I would not want to take over an entire room to do it when a simple monitor and small desk space would suffice.

There is ample space for an area with ~10-20 desks and monitors at the Cal Poly Humboldt Library. The advantage of this type of space for the library is that there is little to no maintanance cost for just monitors without computers. Additionally, students would not be occupying entire rooms and trying to figure out how to use projectors just to have a second screen.

Please see the pictures associated with this review for an example of the type of space I'm referring to. Other universities refer to these areas as "Bring-Your-Own-Device Workspaces" or BYOD Wordspaces. It is very common among universities and from my experience these spaces are often full of students.

Cal Poly Humboldt Library - please consider adding a BYOD space instead of referring students to the solution you provided in the response to...

I am so in love with this library. It gives me a quiet place to read and study. It is so big, and so comfortable. It stays open late which is wonderful to almost always have a place to go and study....

500+ hours spent in this library. Staff working here were always helpful. Partially what got me through my degree.

Take advantage of your time while attending and make a trip over....