The National Institute for Trial Advocacy is holding a course at the University of San Francisco this week. Due to the lack of group workspace in the main law school building, they kept sending folks to the library yesterday.

It was, shall we say, obnoxious. They were very loud. Seeing as all of the participants were attorneys, they should recognize our BarBri materials. The most annoying spoke at full volume while walking through the library's lower level, which has always been a quiet study area (though the introduction of wireless has functioned to bring more people down here -- it was never wired -- and scuttled the very quiet nature of it.) Other stood in line for their videotaping sessions, talking to each other about their practices, their shoes, or catching up on their phone calls. All, it seems, were oblivious to the students who kept asking them to shut up.

Another common pastime appeared to be speaking at full volume in the group study rooms with the doors open. I went to one group and asked if I could close the door. "It's very hot in here," was the retort. Mine back was, "But it's very loud out here." And I slammed the door shut.

There's a sign outside one of the doors today: "Please limit your conversation while waiting outside this door -- law students will get VERY ANGRY."

Indeed.