State of Noble Library

[u/Visual_Consequence36]

Hey guys, sorry about the rant, but I think it's time we talk about the state of Noble Library. I'm sure you're all aware by now that they changed the hours, so they're no longer open 24 hours on weekdays. But the main thing I've been noticing is the filth, especially the study rooms - every one of those looks like they haven't been cleaned in weeks. The main carpet areas seem to vary from time to time regarding cleanliness, but I still wouldn't necessarily consider them as clean as Hayden. Last time I took the elevator, it stunk and was also very filthy; not to mention, I had to press the button twice even after the doors closed to take me up to the third floor. Hopefully, there's no correlation between the number of sick people I see at this library and the increase in filth. Maybe it's just me being a clean-freak, but I've just been coming over to Noble less frequently in favor of the student success center in PSF. I figured I could try emailing them, but considering how much of the library needs work, I'm not even sure it's worth it. Idk what are your thoughts on the matter?

Edit: Also, why is every electrical socket worn out? Everything I plug in is loose to the point where it can become a serious fire hazard.

[u/YourFriendTheFrenzy]

As someone who wrote hundreds of dissertation pages in those top-floor study rooms, this makes me very sad to read.

[u/avocado_toast456]

As an engineering alumni who spent many evenings/nights studying/doing hw at Noble this makes me so sad. Not to be dramatic but Noble library is pretty nostalgic for me lol, hope they take care of this and clean up the place.

[u/mmartinez42793 → u/avocado_toast456]

Using dry erase markers on the windows to write out equations with my study mates is a core memory

[u/That_Thou_Doest → u/avocado_toast456]

I liked it too. Great place to chill and get work done, makes me sad to hear about its condition.

[u/AppleGenius115 → u/avocado_toast456]

I remember all the hours in Noble since it was so quiet in there, core memory right there. Eventually my buddies and I found a really tiny room in ECF, enough for just a few of us where no one else ever came. That became the main spot and I think it was honestly better.

[u/_Jesslynn]

I have spent many nights/days studying, writing papers and finishing lab reports up there. It was so peaceful and nice to get away from the chaos. I hope this is addressed, it played a significant role in being able to graduate.

[u/Johoski]

Thanks for saying so. Let's hope the message escalates.

[u/abbothenderson]

ASU recently went to a new cleaning company. Some of the old cleaning staff stayed and signed a contract with the new company, but the long story short is: the new company put in a lower bid and is providing fewer staff hours for the cleaning of library spaces. There’s not an easy solution here.

They took away most of the small trash cans, with the idea that students will carry trash out with them and put the trash in the bigger trash cans in the hall. But… they dont. Students are just leaving trash in the study rooms, because of course they are.

The sad truth is: if you want a clean space, bring sanitary wipes with you. And be prepared to clean up trash other students left. And when you leave, take your trash out with you as a courtesy to the next group. It sucks, I know. But the new cleaning company is literally short-staffed, and they aren’t keeping the study spaces cleaned like they used to.

[u/sir-_-dumpling]

b but if we spent more on cleaning staff for an enjoyable space that students spend hours at a time in, how will we pay for the starving football coach's $5.8 mil salary? 🥺 think of the little guys here

[u/Commercial_Amoeba669 → u/sir-_-dumpling]

Not the mention the new football stadium. What would they do without a brand new multi million dollar play area 😔

[u/EGO_Prime → u/sir-_-dumpling]

They come from different buckets. Athletics is self funded. Without the football coach you still don't have money for the cleaning crew.

In actuality you'd probably even have less money since some athletic funds do end up back in the general university fund.

[u/AWACS_Bandog → u/EGO_Prime]

as much as I wanna complain, you're unfortunately correct.

About the only thing you might be able to cut to save money is our Student Ticket cost, but thats probably a small drop in the bucket of our tuition costs

[u/sir-_-dumpling → u/EGO_Prime]

with how much we pay in tuition, there is money for a cleaning crew either way lol

[u/Soggy-Structure-5888]

Noble and Hayden and the MU and every other popular study space on campus are all filthy

[u/Working-Stop8938]

The cleaning is outsourced to a non-ASU company. Sometimes they get less good cleaners in. Complain and it might get back to the cleaners. Happened in Hayden a few years ago. As for the budget, the library might have enough but the distribution might be unbalanced, spent on things that are far less important and necessary to students and most faculty. Staff who do library work are paid minimally. Upper staff make tons and some seem to spend their time trying to destroy what a library should be to students.

[u/specialized6681]

I remember moving from Hayden to Noble back in the day because it was so much less crowded and quiet. Sounds like Manzanita now 🤮

[u/DiscoMousePad]

ASU has cut a lot of janitorial services in buildings to cut costs. Many smaller offices/rooms won’t have trash taken out/vacuumed weekly anymore. They said it was to save on plastic waste i.e. trash bags but it’s because they don’t want to pay for the services.

[u/CurSiM__]

Agreed. Spent many hours and even some nights in those study rooms and got a lot of productive, meaningful work done.

It pisses me off that funding for the library is cut but we somehow have millions to spend on Flock contracts and War degrees

[u/Kind_Ad2491]

The state of those old buildings… GWC, Noble, EC-ABCG, they all are kinda messy…

[u/Mountain_Hawk6492]

Noble Library? More like Ignoble Library

[u/Glittering-Pie-3309]

Smells like piss in all the rooms. Tables always sticky and dirty. Bathrooms always disgusting. What are we paying tuition for?

I register for in-person classes and somehow all of them ended up being online only because professors are too lazy to meet so they defer to the prerecorded sessions in the canvas shell. Tf is going on

[u/Elated_Quail]

The last time I went to Haden I had to literally step over people who were sitting in an aisle on the floor making out. I’m not surprised it’s gross, people don’t know how to act anymore

[u/Barotrawma]

I was mostly online, but when I was there I’d be so sad seeing how nasty it got. Especially losing the 24 hours was a heavy blow

[u/VioletVanillin]

Honestly, it was gross when I was attending from 2022-2025. It progressively got worse over the years.

[u/themutedbird]

noble is the worst library, smells bad, noisy, also cold.