The Reflection Space, located on the lower level (1st floor) of the Gordon Library is a quiet space for community members to reflect, pray, meditate, and de-stress. The space has meditation cushions, yoga mats, prayer rugs, ear plugs, and noise reducing earmuffs available for use. Recently, with feedback from the Muslim Students Association, the library has reconfigured the space to have a more defined prayer space with a wooden privacy screen, Qibla marker, space for shoes, and prayer rugs. This library space will continue to evolve with the help of user feedback which can be submitted anonymously via a suggestion box located in the space.
The Reflection Space opened in the fall of 2018 after library staff observed students praying in hallways and in the library’s stacks because there was no dedicated space on campus. Seeing a need, Robin Benoit, Well-Being Resource and Outreach Librarian and other library staff worked to understand how to structure the space to fit students’ needs. “We wanted to not only address finding a better space for prayer, but also a place where the WPI community could find a space that is quiet for reflection and meditation but not for studying or socializing. Self-care can be difficult for everyone, and I hope that more people will find this space helpful for their own well-being and mental health. “
Full list of campus prayer and reflection spaces
