Libraries are supposed to be a sanctuary from the chatter of the outside world, a place where people can focus on their task, whether it be reading or homework. However, at Diamond Bar High School, the LINC serves nothing more than a large room for students to lounge.

When I visit the LINC before school, to catch up on homework or print a document, the majority of the students there have their eyes fixated on their phones with a pile of untouched notebooks and worksheets on the side. Despite the sign hanging on the walls of the library that says “No phones,” these students blatantly tap away on their devices while chatting with their neighbors.

With the ruckus they are causing, it’s no wonder that many students don’t realize what else the library provides besides a place to read. Not only does the LINC have hundreds of spellbinding books of all genres, but it also has multiple AP and SAT Subject Test workbooks at hand. As AP season arrives, students can avoid spending money on prep books by studying them at the library.

Students can also find off-campus opportunities on program posters hanging on the walls. In addition, librarians can teach students how to utilize their resources to the fullest.

Although libraries serve as a place where students can quietly finish their work, the LINC seems more like a hub for students to gather to escape the cold and have somewhere to sit. While some studious students do take advantage of the working space the LINC provides, many fill up the limited seats and accomplish nothing. A few even sneak in food to munch on as they loiter aimlessly in the library.

The rules the LINC has established regarding phones need to be enforced strictly to weed out students who are merely there for warmth and a desk to rest their elbows on, and to allow students who wish to get assignments turned in or read to make use of the space instead. Banning phones and kicking out people with them will likely discourage a majority of the inhabitants from returning, but it sets up the right environment for students to study and read in.

In addition, banning phones would not interfere with any homework, as students could utilize the numerous computers to access their assignments.

The library isn’t just a place for students to relax and chat—it is a resource that students can and should utilize fully to borrow books and complete work.