The above quote is from Christopher Baker (Class of 2010, Med School 2015). Read the full memory below:

I remember like it was yesterday. I had just gotten admitted to Brown as a RUE and gained entrance into my first research laboratory in the bio-medical center. Initially, I was tasked with developing a new silver ion detection assay. Being a new scientist and not being very knowledgeable of Brown’s library system. I unknowingly used a humanities literature search tool on the library’s website. I had allot going on in my life in addition to the new path I was travelling on and things seemed quite overwhelming. None the less, I printed out my references locations and went out in search of some knowledge. Upon arriving at the Rock I was greeted by stacks of books bearing coordinates which I could use to search for my references. Ironically, the first book I found on my list was not a scientific journal but a compilations of works, the first of which was titled “Who am I and where am I going”. I found this to be one of my most memorable moments at Brown. Here I was, a new scientist, lost in the wrong library and still the books gave me a sense of direction and purpose.

The above quote is from Andy Padden (Class of 1966). Read the full memory below:

Remember being alone in the stacks a lot in ’65, writing a paper on Stalin. Feeling very grim about it, seeing fellow students lounging w girlfriends in the main lib. Very clear memory, and to this day I can’t stand Stalin.

The above quote is from Celia Hartmann (Class of 1978). Read the full memory below:

Never mind the Library’s collections and the study spaces – and the cookies – the Rock ladies’ rooms had the best graffiti ever: profane, witty, filthy, funny, heartbreaking, political, personal, universal. When you went, you never knew what you might get.

The above quote is from Yannis (Class of 1994). Read the full memory below:

Twenty-five years ago, first year in grad school…My Sunday evening’s schedule was fixed: Dinner at the Ratty together with other Greeks and then off to the Rock for the latest harvest of Greek Newspapers—Internet was at its early childhood, if not still in its infancy, then.
The Rock also hosted some scientific sections that were not covered by the SciLi. Quite often, I would take the opportunity and wander among the bookshelves looking for the rare treasure. On one such occasion I accidentally ran into a fellow Greek who was trying to pick a book on “Contract Bridge” and introduce it to us as our new pastime. He thought I was looking for the same and that it was an “omen”. Indeed, Contract Bridge did become our favorite pastime and has been a dear hobby ever since. In this process, he became a very close friend and also ended up marrying my sister!
Twenty years ago; graduation: The Rock had organized a book sale, and I seized the chance. I still remember that sunny day and my excitement as I went from stall to stall picking quality titles to take back home and which have been accompanying me ever since.
In this light, the Rock accomplished many of its noble goals. It supported and nourished the multicultural community of Brown, not only within the restrictive academic confines, but also taking a much broader view on life and personal development.

The above quote is from Nora Taylor (Class of 1984). Read the full memory below:

Anyone who graduated in the 1980s is sure to remember the smoking room in the lower level. When I needed a break from studying, I would go find my friends there and bang on the glass to signal them to come out and chat. We would hang out in the sofa chairs and inevitably run into others. It was a prime socializing spot. And indeed, I did meet my husband there (although we eventually broke up, but then got together again more recently) The idea of a smoking room in a library conjures a different era for sure, as does the fact, that I encountered my first word processor at the Rock. I typed my first research paper on a device other than a typewriter in one of the newly installed computer rooms, near the card catalog (remember that antique contraption?) There were no printers, so I had to send my file to the Computer Center and pick it up 24hrs later. This seemed very modern and innovative at the time, but I can imagine that today, the library is used very differently by the students.

The above quote is from Nancy L. Spencer (Class of 1984). Read the full memory below:

Blowing bubbles from the second floor balcony during exam week and watching them float down and land on unsuspecting friends…

The above quote is from Marie Trenga (Class of 1981). Read the full memory below:

Group Primal Scream outside the rock during finals.

The above quote is from Ray Chambers (Class of 2003). Read the full memory below:

Reading tons and tons of political theory books. Loved the quiet room! Heavy bookbag. Time to get serious!

The above quote is from Jessica Kovar Lichtenstein (Class of 1983). Read the full memory below:

I rarely went to the Rock during high pressure times: during reading period or finals, the atmosphere seemed so intense, so sociable, that it was sometimes hard to actually study there. The Rock was the place I went when I was in danger of procrastinating. I would head there on Saturdays after lunch, and would feel self-conscious browsing in the attractive periodicals room. I was most at home in the Rock during my senior year, digging deep in the more obscure basement stacks to find the right books for a final project. I realized then that it was my last chance to do this, before regular life, with ordinary library cards, would intrude.

The above quote is from Eric Shorter (Class of 1989). Read the full memory below:

My fondest memories of “The Rock” are all about the sunsets. After classes where done for the day, and I’d need to focus my attention on political science, (theories of justice, justice as fairness, from Locke to Kantian notions and such), I’d take myself to the upper floors and into the stacks to find a good window seat. I remember the Rockefeller Library having the best views of the setting sun over downtown Providence and Federal Hill, to take me away from pondering Tacitus, if only for a brief few minutes to smile in awe of the beauty of the world.