Sterling is a city within a city, a collection of spaces that each tell a different story. Some rooms welcome, embracing you with warmth and promises of getting that paper done; others repel, leaving you at arm’s length, floundering with deadlines. Some of these rooms are grand, others intimate. Some inspire awe, some intimidate, and a few simply exist. Hidden within Sterling are the true sanctuaries of study: the reading rooms. Beyond the well-known enclaves of Starr and L&B lie spaces both sacred and secret, waiting to be discovered by a stumbling student. And with finals looming, your study spot is not just a choice — it’s a strategy. Choose wisely.

13. Wright Reading Room

Let’s begin with what barely qualifies as a reading room — if it even qualifies as a room at all. The Wright Reading Room is the epitome of a liminal space, neither belonging to Bass nor Sterling, neither a destination nor a refuge. It is a thoroughfare, a passageway, a place of purgatory masquerading as a study space. People do not settle here; they pass through it on their way to the bathroom, to Sterling, to Bass. Or on their way to watch the Naked Run twice a year. And yet, inexplicably, it has a name, as if bestowing an identity upon it might make it real. But it is not real. It is not a reading room. It is a lie.

12. Irving S. Gilmore Music Library Reading Room

This space suffers from an identity crisis. Its high ceilings and vast openness attempt to create grandeur, but they only amplify the loneliness. The cavernous acoustics mean that every shuffle, every cough, every whispered conversation echoes as if through an empty concert hall. It is not a space that draws you into your work; rather, it makes you hyper-aware of yourself, of your movements, of the silence that is never truly silent. Beautiful to look at, perhaps, but a reading room should not merely be admired — it should be used. And this one, at least for me, fails to serve its purpose despite all its elegance.

11. Southeast Asia Reading Room (2nd Floor, Room 218)

This room is just … a room. It’s quiet, but not in a comforting way — it’s sterile and isolating. There is little here beyond function; it is a grind space, devoid of warmth or inspiration. If you want to get work done, it will serve its bare-minimum purpose, but do not expect it to welcome you with open arms.

10. Graduate Study Room (2nd Floor, Room 226)

Sterling’s youngest reading room, having opened only in October of last year, “could” be incredible. It should be incredible. But it is haunted — not by ghosts, but by the overwhelming absence of books. The shelves are completely bare, an eerie oversight for a space meant for deep intellectual engagement. The architecture is gorgeous, reminiscent somewhat of the Andrews Study Room, but it feels like an unfinished painting. When it is finally filled with books, it might rise in the rankings. For now, it remains a space of unfulfilled potential.

9. American Studies Reading Room (6th Floor, Room 608)

If a reading room exists but does not allow you to access its books, does it truly exist? The few books in here are locked in cages, a frustrating barrier between knowledge and the people who seek it. The room, however, is spacious — so spacious that you could take long, contemplative walks between study sessions. And yet, despite its grandeur, it feels strangely empty. Many of the shelves are barren, the lights are almost too bright, and the creaky wooden chairs only add to the unsettling atmosphere. It is a space that should feel scholarly yet somehow manages to feel sterile. If you are looking for a place to think, perhaps this is it.

8. Egyptology Reading Room (3rd Floor, Room 329b)

A secret room, but perhaps one that should remain a secret. This is less a reading room and more a single table trapped within an aesthetic dream. The golden bindings of the books, the soft lighting — it all conjures an old-world, Indiana Jones charm, a place where scholars might have gathered in hushed reverence. But practically? The lamp dominates the table, the space is always occupied, and if you do manage to claim it, you may find yourself feeling more like a museum exhibit than a student. Beautiful? Yes. Usable? Hardly. It is lovely in theory but not particularly functional.

7. Philosophy Reading Room (6th Floor, Room 610)

This room is warm, inviting and filled with books that have shaped centuries of thought. The presence of Directed Studies readings on the shelves adds a layer of intellectual weight, making the space feel like a gathering place for big ideas. However, as a non-DS student, I did feel a little out of place, as if I’d stumbled onto someone else’s secret. Unlike some of the colder, more isolating rooms in Sterling, this one was also noticeably more social. I could see it as a place for discussion, for debate, for shared inquiry. If you are seeking solitude, it may not be the best choice, but if you are seeking a space that feels alive, it is possibly the best one.

6. Middle East & Islamic Studies Reading Room (3rd Floor, Room 333)

Now, this is a reading room. Bright, lined with beautifully bound books that do not merely decorate the room but define it. The space strikes a delicate balance — it is neither imposing nor casual, neither overwhelming nor uninspiring. It invites you in, makes you want to stay. Beyond the books, it is quite a simple space — very much like the average seminar room — but it is a space that respects the reader, and in return, the reader respects the space.

5. Periodical Reading Room 

The room is tucked away, quiet and filled with deep green chairs and warm wooden paneling. Unlike some of Sterling’s more grandiose spaces, it does not demand attention — it simply exists, steady and reliable. The periodicals lining the shelves add a touch of character, and the proximity to Selin Courtyard and Common Grounds allows for easy study breaks. It may not be the most dramatic or visually stunning room when compared to its sisters, Starr and L&B, but it is one of the most functional.

4. Judaic Studies Reading Room (3rd Floor, Room 335b)

This room is practically a library within a library. The shelves are overflowing with books, ladders attached like something out of a fairytale. It is a room that makes you feel small in the best way possible — like you are part of something much greater. The long table invites collaboration, and the sheer presence of books makes knowledge feel tangible. If only it had better lighting — the small windows just don’t cut it — it might have taken the top spot.

3. Slavic Reading Room (4th Floor, Room 406)
   

If Sterling’s reading rooms were residential colleges, this one would be mine — Trumbull, small, cozy and brimming of character. It is unassuming at first, until you walk in and you see the stained glass, the wooden carvings, the velvet chairs and the framed texts hanging on the walls like a gallery. The variety of seating — cubicles for deep work, couches for contemplation — makes it adaptable for any task, any study mood. The long, almost hallway-esque style feels unusual compared to the other study rooms, but it only adds to its charm. It is a space with history, a space that feels lived in. 

2. Andrews Study Room (2nd Floor, Room 215)

The busts are the true guardians of Andrews, watching over every student who dares to slack off. They do not just observe; they judge. Their unblinking eyes bore into you as you reach for your phone or as you consider taking a break and scrolling through Instagram. Their silent presence is felt, and the message is clear: You came here to work. So work. And yet, despite its intensity, Andrews is oddly comforting. The couches are temptingly plush, and the wooden tables, the flickering lamps, the musty scent of old books feels somehow novelistic — like the place where great ideas are born. This room is not for the faint of heart, nor one you stumble into. You seek it out when you are ready to get things done. It does not coddle you — it challenges you. And that is exactly why it is one of the best.

1. East Asia Library Reading Room (2nd Floor, Room 222)

The most intentional. The most beautiful. This room does not just house knowledge; it honors it. The shoji-style partitions create an almost meditative state. The bookshelves, carefully arranged with Japanese, Chinese and Korean texts, feel sacred. The balcony adds a cinematic quality. Legs dangling over, book in hand — it makes it feel like a world of your own. You feel at peace, distractions melting away. Here, studying becomes something more than just work; it’s an experience. I have never felt unhappy here, never too stressed nor too alone. It is, without question, the best reading room in Sterling.