Best quiet place to study?

[abbie romanul]

I live in Davis and feel like I've done the rounds with studying, trying desperately to find someplace that is clean, comfortable, quiet, and open late to study in. I get distracted easily. Diesel is too loud, Starbucks is too hard to find a seat, the library closes too early...any favorite study spots that I should check out? Thanks!

Comments

[pvfirenice.livejournal.com]

I love the Robbins Library in Arlington. It's just a quick trip up Mass Ave via the 77 and open until 9pm M-Thurs. Beautiful building too.

[narya.livejournal.com]

I find True Grounds is usually better for me for studying than the Diesel (it tends to be quieter). You might also check out Bourbon Coffee in Porter or the Zing Cafe in Porter Square Books (haven't personally tried Bourbon).

[teko.livejournal.com]

I'll second Bourbon Coffee. It has lots of quiet nooks and spots to study in.

You might also check out Panera Bread. It's pretty spacious inside.

I don't know if I could study in Zing Cafe. It's a tiny space and you've constantly got people pushing by you, since the seating is next to the coffee line.

[curiositykt.livejournal.com]

The tufts library is pretty awesome.

[dphilli1.livejournal.com]

seconded. as long as you try to check stuff out, they largely dont care who uses the space

[hikermtnbiker.livejournal.com]

Call me an old fart (which I guess that I am) but I never understood the whole "go out to a coffee place filled with people to study by yourself" thing. Once the coffee is gone, what is the attraction? Certainly bad for the coffee place's business model. Libraries seem much more appropriate.

Is there something wrong with studying at home?

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

I find PSB is surprisingly loud and distracting. Which is a shame, because they make my favorite iced mocha ever. Bourbon Coffee is pretty great.

[mytheria.livejournal.com]

Often people are more productive when studying not at home. At home you have more opportunities to distract yourself with 'productive procrastination'.
What happens to me is stuff like: go to get a glass of water, decide to empty and reload the dishwasher, wash pots, scrub sink, etc., think 'oops I was just getting up for a minute, it's now been an hour and while my kitchen is clean, I am no closer to having written what I needed to.'

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

But how late are they open?

Gourmet Market or whatever it's called, across Mass Ave from Porter Square station, is open 24/7 and has seating with tables and A/C. It may also have TV, I'm not sure, but I think not too loud.

[curiositykt.livejournal.com]

http://www.library.tufts.edu/tisch/hours.htm

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

I was going to say. I don't know what there summer hours are like, but it is a pleasant and quiet place to study, and I'd be surprised if they weren't open fairly late once the Fall semester begins.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

Me, too.
But then again...I didn't study much. I figured if I did the work and the reading (usually at the library, between classes, but back in those days they were open til 11pm), that was good enough, and if I couldn't pass an exam based on that I didn't really deserve to pass it.

I also happen to be more of a "think on the fly" kind of person, so that worked for me...

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

In fact, as a federal government depository library, they're required by law to be open to the public.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

I don't have the distractions I do at home, and I at least nominally feel some sense of shame if people see me screwing around rather than working.

The library in Davis would be great if it were, you know, open at any kind of relevant hour. Or if the top floor had climate control or non-malodorous carpet. Or if they weren't doing emergency repairs that make the bathroom unavailable. Et cetera. Sigh.

[dphilli1.livejournal.com]

what kind of college library closes at 5? I know its the summer, but come on, where are you supposed to have your "Oh my god, my experiment doesn't work I'm gonna die!" freakouts?

[dphilli1.livejournal.com]

huh. Both institutions of higher learning I've attended have been gov depot libs. The other being Swarthmore.

[ron_newman]

Can you check books out if you are not a Tufts student?

[genarti]

Yeah, during the academic year they're open into the wee hours except during vacations. I want to say until 1 am? And they've got a cafe -- it's unexciting, but has caffeine and juice and baked goods and stuff. There's a late-night study room that's open even later, but once the library's closed you have to show a Tufts ID to use that one.

[dphilli1.livejournal.com]

if you're affiliated with Tufts in some other fashion I believe so, but the hoi ploi don't get borrowing rights

[ron_newman]

That's what I thought, so I don't quite understand your earlier comment "as long as you try to check stuff out, they largely dont care who uses the space"

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

During finals week, they are open until 6 am. I've been out for an early walk and bumped into the "just finished studying" crowd.

Here's a list of who can borrow from Tufts: http://www.library.tufts.edu/tisch/who_can_borrow.htm#blc

And, since Tufts doesn't say so, here are members of the Boston Library Consortium that's referenced:

http://www.blc.org/members/current-members

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

That chart is a little confusing, but they are open until 10 pm, EXCEPT between summer sessions.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

You can also use some of the Harvard libraries, especially the one in the Kennedy school.

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

probably a typo, and they meant "as long as you DON"T try...." at least that's my guess

[cravereality.livejournal.com]

It's not in Davis, but I used to love Bloc 11 to study. Bigger and less crowded than Diesel, and an easy ride on the 87.

[dphilli1.livejournal.com]

yeah, typo

[lonelyholiday.livejournal.com]

You know what's funny? This comment actually made me think... Maybe a laundromat is a good place to study. I actually used to love going to the laundromat (before I had in-unit laundry) because it was an excuse to sit and read with nothing else I had to do. In my case, it was sort of the reverse. I wasn't studying at the time, so if I tried to read a book for pleasure at home I'd always think of things I should be doing - cleaning, answering those emails I was putting off, etc. So maybe my "no obligations for a while" could be someone else's "no distractions so I can focus on my obligations for a while."

I guess it would depend on if there's an attendant and/or how attentive that attendant is (ha), but there might be somewhere you could just park yourself in a corner and go unnoticed for a while. OR... actually use it as a chance to get laundry done, too! I know the laundromat past Porter Square, at the fork of Elm/Somerville Ave, used to be open late (midnight?) and only seemed to get busy weekend afternoons. You'd want to check that, though, and see if their hours have changed in the year-ish since I last went there.

(Please disregard if this just seems way too dumb/silly.)

[abbie romanul (from livejournal.com)]

Thanks for the suggestion, I will check it out!

[abbie romanul (from livejournal.com)]

That's the problem--I work full time and am studying for an exam in September. I am a grad student at BU but am too lazy/tired/stuck on time to trek out to Mugar library by the time I get home. Summer hours suck!

[abbie romanul (from livejournal.com)]

As previous commenters have mentioned, home is for me (like others) a huge distraction. I have a husband, a roommate, two cats, a TV, a sink full of dishes, a computer and many other things which which to occupy myself...at least in a coffee shop, I am anonymous and can't get up to go do something else.

[abbie romanul (from livejournal.com)]

Good call! My husband went there and I remember you just have to give your drivers license to scan and you can head on in.

[abbie romanul (from livejournal.com)]

I'd love to be able to read/study between classes, alas I work full time and this is material I have to teach myself for the masters qualifying exam in the fall. So thinking on the fly won't do me much good!

[abbie romanul (from livejournal.com)]

Ha, I actually think this is a really good idea! Two birds with one stone. Thanks :)

[abbie romanul (from livejournal.com)]

Thanks for all the ideas and advice!! I have a long list of options I would never have thought of before.

[wellthan.livejournal.com]

Au Bon Pain in Davis. May not have much atmosphere... but clean, free internet, nice people, and lots of seating.

[dominika-kretek.livejournal.com]

??? My understanding was that residents of Somerville and Medford could get at least limited borrowing privileges. Am I wrong about that? Has that changed?

[ron_newman]

Doesn't that close at 7?

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

I've never had to show ID at the Kennedy School (though it's been a year or two since I dropped in). The other libraries may require that (if they even let you in). I took a quick glance at the master list and researching which ones let the public in is more hassle than this thread requires. I'm guessing most of the other college libraries are reasonably accessible in comparison to mighty Harvard (I'm pretty sure MIT's are).

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

No borrowing privileges for us (unless you are a Somerville/Medford teacher).

Here's a list from further down in the thread of who can borrow:

http://www.library.tufts.edu/tisch/who_can_borrow.htm

[dominika-kretek.livejournal.com]

I'm like 95% sure this is something that changed, but it looks like if you're willing to shell out a certain amount of money you can become a "Tisch Affiliate"?

[fishkiss56.livejournal.com]

There's also a coffee shop run by Tufts, Brown and Brew at the corner of Boston and College. http://dining.tufts.edu/locations-hours/overview/brown-brew-coffee-house/ Went in this morning and they seemed to have some comfy places to study and it wasn't too busy. The pastries looked mediocre, but they had Edy's Ice cream in addition to socially responsible coffee. I don't know if the site was updated for their summer hours, but they were open at 8:30 this morning.

[elerz.livejournal.com]

a little further out, but i love the tables in the windows on the top floor of the harvard coop. there isn't always one available, but they're great for people watching while you study. they're not open super late, but don't close ridiculously early either.

[ron_newman]

Widener, Lamont, and Cabot (in the Science Center) definitely require Harvard IDs and are off-limits to most other folks. Others such as the Divinity School library may be more accommodating.

[siderea]

If one is going all the way to Harvard, I recommend the top floor of Cafe Algiers. They're open to 11pm I think.

I also sometimes would study + have dinner at Frank's Steak House, earlier in the week and later in the evening. Some nights are too noisy (I think Wed was live music or karaoke or something). I generally preferred the Porter Sq. Unos, but now that's gone.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

Yep, it's in there somewhere:

Tisch Affiliates

Tisch Library provides the opportunity for individuals outside the Tufts community to purchase borrowing privileges at Tisch Library through the Tisch Affiliates program. The Tisch Affiliate program provides a six-month membership for $150.00 or a one-year membership for $200.00. Tisch Affiliate membership provides borrowing privileges for the circulating book, software, government document and score collections of both the Tisch and Music libraries; use of the microform and periodical collections; in-library access to electronic databases and e-journals not restricted by vendor licensing; and in library use of the Tisch and Music Library video and audio collections.

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

Lamont has a Government Documents collection which is open to the public. But they don't make it easy -- you have to go to the Privileges Office in Widener to get an access card.

The public can also access the Woodberry Poetry Room in Lamont, but not on weekends because it's closed.

As of a few years ago, people could sign into Cabot without a Harvard ID.

[freetobeme18.livejournal.com]

Try the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Porter Exchange building. You can access them using the elevator by the security desk. On the 2nd floor, there's a bunch of tables and chairs meant for studying for Lesley students, and on the 3rd floor there's this little room called the kasbah next to the cafe' that I've rarely seen anybody use, so it's a nice quiet place. I also often go at night or during the summer, when there aren't a lot of classes, and use empty classrooms to study (on the 3rd floor). The building is open until 11 during the week and 10 on weekends I believe

[codeman38.livejournal.com]

Yes, it does. (Found that one out myself the hard way.)

The one at Harvard is open till midnight, on the other hand.

[Edited because LJ keeps not choosing the icon I intended to choose. Seriously, will they ever get this right?]