Every exam season at CBNU, fierce competition erupts over reserving library seats. However, despite the reservation app often showing a “fully booked” status, the library frequently appears half-empty. It is common to find seats occupied only by unattended bags—a phenomenon widely referred to as the “Library Seat Monopolization.” As a result, many students who actually wish to use the library are unable to do so. This issue has not only arisen during the current exam period but recurs every semester.

  On CBNU’s community platform Everytime, students have voiced their frustrations: “I have seen a lot of people reserving seats without actually using them,” “If you are not going to use the seat, cancel your reservation and leave,” and “The allowed break time is 1 hour and 30 minutes, but some users do not return even after 2 hours. Many simply scan the entry code to extend their time and leave again.”

  Jeong Jae-hun (School of Business, 22) shared, “I normally use the library once or twice a week, but three to four times during exam season. The app always shows there are no available seats during exam season, but when I actually go there, many seats are empty even outside of mealtimes. Some seats remain unused even after the 1.5-hour break time, preventing other students from using them. I hope the school enforces stricter regulations against unused reservations.”

  In response, as of Tuesday, May 13 in 2025, at 9 a.m., CBNU library has tightened its regulations. First, failure to release a seat reservation will result in a one-day suspension from using individual reading seats the following day. This penalty applies even if the user simply leaves after the closing time without returning the seat. Second, the check-in confirmation time has been shortened from 30 to 15 minutes.

  However, there is skepticism about whether these measures will truly solve the problem. Do Ye-sol (Dept. of English Language and Literature, 24) commented, “Making seat return mandatory is a reasonable step, especially if students are restricted from using seats in the next day when failing to return them. In contrast, I question how effective reducing the check-in time will address the root of the issue.” She added, “Posting signs at the library entrance informing students that seat return is mandatory helps tackle the return issue. However, the root of seat monopolization lies not in the length of the check-in period but in the behavior of reserving a seat and not actually using it. Rather than simply adjusting time limits, it would be more effective to introduce a system where the first break is only allowed after a student has been at their seat for a certain period, or a system that verifies seat usage through devices connected to the library Wi-Fi.”

  At KU, several measures have been implemented to address the problem. According to the head of the Academic Information Team at the Sanghuh Memorial Library, “Since remodeling the library and expanding seating capacity, seat usage has increased, which has also led to more issues with unreturned or monopolized seats. We have managed this problem by adjusting usage hours and the number of uses. In addition, we hold events where students who consistently return seats are entered into a lottery to receive e-gift cards. Additionally,  KU also operates Dojawi (a student Library Autonomy Committee) that manages general student complaints related to library use. “As students themselves run the committee, they can better understand and respond to students’ discomfort. The committee also plays a vital role in improving the library environment and collecting feedback through platforms like Everytime and other online boards.”

  Similarly, at HYU, a library representative said, “Complaints about seat monopolization increase during exam periods. We have an internal student autonomy committee that handles these issues. Reading rooms are regularly patrolled, and if seat monopolization is confirmed, violators can be restricted from library access under Article 4 of our regulations on conduct violations. While these actions have contributed to improving order to some extent, full control is difficult. During peak times like exams, patrols are intensified, and online complaint channels are monitored closely to ensure prompt responses.”

  The representative added, “Since complaints still arise occasionally, we are continuing to implement institutional measures through both the student committee and administration. We plan to continually improve our policies and management systems for more efficient seat usage.”

  This issue cannot be dismissed as a mere problem of facility shortage or library management. According to the CBNU library, despite the implementation of new rules on May 13, over 700 students failed to comply. Ultimately, this issue is deeply connected to the sense of public responsibility among students. There are limits to what monitoring and enforcement by the library alone can achieve. For a meaningful resolution, improvements to current systems must be accompanied by students’ cooperation and responsible behavior.