library updates

the last couple of weeks i have spent at least 5 days per week in the ucsf library in the blumenthal asian collection reading room on the fifth floor. the corner of the library on parnassus has wonderful views of the ocean, golden gate park, and the marin headlands. it also is home to many sleeping med students and many sleeping homeless people. initially i thought that the homeless people would bother me, but they seem to be some of the most respectful and courteous people who enjoy the faux leather chairs scattered around. no, it seems to be the students who are the worst offenders of the loosely defined group of manners known as library etiquette. obvious offenses such as talking are somewhat commonplace. but the group of 4 men in their early 20s who sat down, hooked up their computers and proceeded to intermettently talk for the better part of an hour were impressive primarily because the guy that did the most talking spoke in a whisper loud enough for the entire reading room to hear. the older asian man who is often there i enjoy quite a bit. he keeps to himself and always thoroughly wipes down the table where he sits. he did, however, cause a little angst the day that he decided that he needed to rip his tissue paper into perfect rectangles. they were very neat rectangles, but the sound of rip after rip i wouldn't exactly consider polite. the young woman who sat down next to my friend, popped in her headphones and proceeded to violently bob her head to whatever wonderful song she was listening to was laughable. then there is, as my friend likes to call him, Typey McTyperson. he is famous for not only his earphones blasting music loud enough to hear across the room, but also for his typing which has the finesse of a baboon and elicited a command from another studious young woman: "you can't type that loud in here, go outside the reading room."