This year, library parties will be limited to the typical study session on the fourth floor of Perkins.
In what has quickly become a much-anticipated yearly event, student groups have organized a weekend party in Perkins and Bostock libraries in conjunction with the University Libraries system. The effort, spearheaded in 2007 by the now-defunct DukePlays student organization, was followed by a Mi Gente-hosted party in 2008 and the International Association’s “Pangaea” party last Spring.
Responsibility for planning each year’s party has rotated among major student organizations, and this year, the library system chose to collaborate with the Duke Partnership for Service and Purple, two new student groups that promote undergraduate involvement in community service. Plans for DPS’s library party, titled “The Benefit,” fell apart in recent weeks, and the event has since been canceled.
This is disappointing news for Duke students, as dancing in the The Link, sipping a cocktail in von der Heyden and mingling in Bostock are fun ways to spend a Friday night.
But more importantly, the library party provides an inclusive, upbeat venue for students and professors to interact beyond the confines of the classroom, consume alcohol healthily and enjoy lively music and culture. Unfortunately, this type of opportunity is hard to come by on Duke’s campus.
So although we will miss hobnobbing with professors on the first floor of Perkins this year, we hope Duke revives the library party next year—though with a few changes that will help bring the event back to its roots.
Library officials should return to collaborating with student cultural groups. Although a party focused on service would have fit well with Duke’s commitment to civic engagement, the library party has huge potential to showcase the diversity and talent of Duke’s many student organizations and boost the fledging undergraduate arts scene.
In addition, the library party does not need to have the same steep price tag as in previous years. A large budget is unrealistic given the University’s financial situation, and it also makes the party more difficult for student groups to manage. Extravagant decorations and catering are unnecessary, and Duke should not outsource entertainment when students can perform for free.
Finally, the library party would benefit from a formalized structure to promote continuity from year to year. In light of what happened this Spring, there must be some oversight and accountability during the party’s planning stages to ensure that student groups are on track to successfully follow through with the event’s planning.
With these changes, the library party can return from its one-year hiatus better (and cheaper) than ever.
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