Who ever said that long nights at the library are boring, monotonous affairs?
On Thursday evening, a typical night at Baker-Berry Library ended up being a seminal moment of Sophomore summer for those lucky enough to have a front row seat.
An unidentified middle-aged man, approximately 35 years old, according to sources, settled down into a Dell reference terminal on the first floor of Berry Library, adjacent to the reference desk. He was not there to research a paper, however.
First, students began to notice that in lieu of academic material, the man was viewing hardcore transvestite pornography. Other sources indicated that they observed the man rubbing and touching himself underneath the computer table.
A later investigation by The Dartmouth into the Internet history of the computer revealed that the male subject was viewing sites that included asiansexyshemales.com and female-to-male.com.
Many students said they were "disgusted" by the community member and his selection of porn. However, Katherine McNabb '06, who observed the incident, said that she was not particularly fazed by the transvestite pornography.
"Don't yuck someone else's yum," McNabb said.
As time passed, word spread throughout the Berry library and as many as 30 students subtly observed the man in action.
Ann Scott '06 was among those who swept by the computer terminal to see if the rumors that they heard were true.
"He must have been an exhibitionist or something," Scott said. "The man must have known that people knew what was going on because there was constant traffic going behind him."
In fact, seven or eight female students congregated at the top of the grand staircase, giggling and monitoring the location of the man's hand as the incident transpired, sources said.
Thereafter, the man left the computer terminal and "rushed" to the first floor Berry Library men's bathroom, causing onlookers to erupt in laughter.
When the man finally left the bathroom, students began to clap quietly at first, but soon erupted into a louder roar.
The male reportedly then hurried down the grand staircase and out of the Novack Cafe doors facing Bradley and Gerry Halls.
Some student reports circulating on BlitzMail about the incident indicated that the male had a "silly smile" and a "look of pleasure" on his face at this point.
"At first, I thought [the incident] was sort of amusing," Scott said. "The more I think of it though, it was rather disturbing."
Associate librarian Cindy Pawlek said the mysterious porn-watcher did not necessarily do anything illegal during the incident, as viewing pornographic material is not in violation of Baker-Berry's public computer regulations.
"If there are complaints about pornographic viewing because it is making students uncomfortable, we'd probably ask them to relocate to a more private area of the library," Pawlek said.
Pawlek also said individuals not affiliated with Dartmouth College, as the man apparently was according to student reports, are lawfully allowed to use College library computers at their leisure.
"It is part of our open access to the community to provide open access to the community on a walk-in basis," Pawlek said.
Head of Baker-Berry Reference Ridie Ghezzi said that Thursday's incident was only the second time in her recollection that pornographic viewing created hysteria in the College libraries.
About six years ago, students complained that a community member was viewing pornography in the Baker Library Great Hall. In response, library staff asked the community member to leave, Ghezzi said.
Capping off an already eventful evening in the library complex, later that night, observers said that five female College students streaked through Novack library, only to nonchalantly return minutes later in regular clothing attire.
