We've got drinking and water fountains all over the Library.  And every one has both hot and cold water. But the hot water is not hot enough for my tea – I want really, really hot water! No problem – the "secret" hot water supply is on 1/F :-) Basically, all the water fountains except the one on 1F are too accessible to children to let the water be too hot, so they are all set to be around 60oC. The one on 1/F is higher, and set farther into the wall out of reach of small hands, so it is set for around 90oC. Of course, as soon as we rolled that out, a student complained that they tested the water with their finger and got burned – so now it has a warning sign.   We have not found a good place to do this in the Learning Commons yet, but at least you now know where to go for your heat when the main Library is open. Ahhhhh...... Edward Spodick Associate Director of Library Services lbspodic@ust.hk

Yesterday we changed all the furniture in the study pods – except for the orange high chairs in the solo pods. We work hard to get you the best furniture available – and we were not satisfied with the defaults provided by the vendor. The new seats in the duo and quad pods have improved upholstery cushions and nicer fabric – and we moved from 2 tones of grey to a green-grey combo. All the tables were also replaced, with unneeded holes removed and a better study surface which should show fewer marks from your laptops. I hope you like them – and feel free to let me know if you have suggestions for other improvements! Edward Spodick Associate Director of Library Services lbspodic@ust.hk

In September, we asked you to suggest a Chinese label for the new study pods on LG1 – and we received 128 responses. After much deliberation, Library Administration team decided to label the study pods 研習亭, taking into consideration the nature (space for research & study), intended use (for individual and group), and shape of the pods. Among our suggested labels (自修亭/艙, 研習艙, 學習艙, 智能會議艙), the most popular choice was 自修艙 (33 votes), followed by 自修亭 (19 votes). We are amazed by your creativity and would like to share some of your witty suggestions below. 自修「停」唔「老黎」 🤔；「艙」又會聯想到暗瘡的「瘡」😖，如「壓力瘡」。所以我建議用「自修小屋」🏠，比「自修室」多一種溫馨的感覺，而且「屋」給人安全感 🥰，亦可令人好奇 「小屋」在哪。 小智囊（大智若愚，小智若囊hhh）🤗 自閉艙 / 自闭小桌 / 自闭亭 / 自修太空艙 孤方讀想 / 獨讀艙 😝 摺拉 /摺拉把 🤣 学习胶囊 / 灵感胶囊 💊 創思亭 / 巧思亭 研討間 / 隔音研習艙 学习豆子 🫒 讀書蛋🥚 專注間 渡学舱 靜習小屋 盤思洞 博站 溫習方艙 師仁空間👍 鴻鵠亭 🦢 Thank you to all who responded, 6 winners were drawn from the lucky draw to win a Library mug. Eunice Wong Learning Support Manager lbeunice@ust.hk  

Alumni are a good source of inspiration, not only for current students, but also for the Library. On Oct 5, an award-winning film director, Mr. KA Sing-Fung, came to the Library to share his career path starting from a chemistry undergraduate at HKUST.  This very personal talk, 《然後去了拍電影》("Then, I went to make movies"), was well attended by many students. He talked about how he enjoyed the Library during his study at HKUST in the mid-2000s, finding it a welcoming space to explore knowledge beyond his core subject. He recalled how he loved to put aside his chemistry books and immerse himself in literature and books about design, and enjoyed movies from the Media Collection. I am so touched and glad that the Library played a role in his personal growth and career path. Sing-Fung encouraged students to follow their dreams. I hope many of them, like Sing-Fung, will find their inspiration and warm support in the Library. We organized a number of talks by HKUST alumni; stay-tuned for the next one!

If you haven't checked out the Library Exhibition "China In Maps 500 Years of Evolving Images" yet, you're missing out! This introduction video is just the beginning of an exciting journey. You'll find an excellent example of how students can take their learning to the next level. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z79oXtpX5xg[/embed] Meet Delores Yip and Felicia Pang, two Year 3 students from the School of Engineering (SENG). They are fast learners with a passion for Minecraft, a game that has captured the hearts of many. With their engineering background and gaming skills, they were able to create an engaging and interactive experience for visitors to the exhibition. This is just one example of the extended learning opportunities available to students at the library. By collaborating with co-curators, students can create compelling storylines that bring history and technology together in exciting ways. So why not join us on this journey of discovery and exploration? Who knows what you might learn!