Question

A public library located in the heart of the city attracts a large number of visitors every day. Many people spend long hours there, with some occupying the desks continuously for 7--8 hours. The library also has a lobby area with beanbags meant for leisure reading, but most visitors prefer using the desks as the lobby often becomes noisy. The visitors frequently visit a café nearby and bring coffee or tea to their desks. This has resulted in noticeable stains and damage to the furniture due to frequent spills. As the manager of the library, what course of action would you recommend to effectively address this issue?

• A. Restrict the study time in the library to two hours, as this would discourage visitors from taking beverage breaks.
• B. Provide leak-proof thermosteel flasks to visitors and mandate their use inside the library.
• C. Request the nearby café not to offer takeaway beverages to library visitors.
• D. Restrict the consumption of beverages to the lobby area only.
• E. Impose heavy penalties on visitors found consuming beverages inside the library.

Hint:

Choose the action that the library can enforce itself and that directly separates drinks from study furniture. Avoid responses that punish study time or depend on an outside business.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Identify the core problem.
The main issue is damage to library furniture caused by beverages being consumed at study desks, leading to spills and stains.
Step 2: Evaluate the practicality of each option.
Option (A) is extreme and unnecessarily restricts study time without directly addressing beverage spills.
Option (B) would be costly and difficult to implement and enforce.
Option (C) is impractical, as the library cannot control the business practices of a nearby café.
Option (D) directly addresses the issue by allowing beverages only in a designated area, thereby protecting study desks and furniture.
Option (E) is harsh and may create a hostile environment for visitors.
Step 3: Choose the most balanced and effective solution.
Restricting beverage consumption to the lobby area balances visitor comfort with the need to protect library property.
Final Answer:
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Answer 2

Concept:

• Choose an administrative action by testing directness, control, proportionality, and ease of enforcement.
• The best action should stop drinks from damaging desks without unnecessarily reducing access to the library.

Step 1: Define the required outcome.
The furniture is damaged because drinks are consumed at study desks. Therefore, the action must separate beverage consumption from the desk area.

Step 2: Reject actions with poor control or excessive cost.
The library cannot reasonably control café sales, and supplying special flasks creates cost and enforcement problems.
Limiting study time or imposing heavy penalties is disproportionate to the spill problem.

Step 3: Test the designated-area policy.
The lobby is already separate from the desks and can serve as the beverage zone. Restricting drinks to that area directly protects furniture while still allowing visitors to take beverage breaks.

Final Answer: Restrict beverage consumption to the lobby area only, option D.