The powers that be at my University have lost their minds.

Today I tripped into the city to return my library books, and realised that something was very wrong in my former safe haven. The University library has two staircases, one of which is open to the library floor and covers three levels, and one behind a door that covers all floors.
In the first, open staircase, as I climbed up the curving steps, admiring my favourite view, I was assailed by an unidentifiable, insect-like high-pitched whining noise, which turned out to be emanating from strange sucker-like things attached to the curving glass exterior wall that half-encloses the staircase. 'Ouch, my head,' I thought, and then 'must be some kind of strange meteorological thing.'
Things began to get weird when I reached the top of the open staircase and switched to the enclosed one. Jogging my way up to the sixth floor, my eardrums were pummeled by rhythmic thumping and clicking noises. 'Some kind of structural repair work with high-pitched instruments?' was my next guess. 'I hope they're done soon...'

On my way out of the library, I asked the issues desk librarian what was going on. I think my exact phrase was "that horrible noise in the stairs". She replied 'Sound Installation', which told me precisely nothing, and pointed me at a notice attached to the wall.

I read it.
I read it again.
This was no irritating but necessary interruption to be endured - it was 'aural architecture', a.k.a some kind of satanic torture dreamed up by the School of Music students to torment the rest of us who have EXAMS and need the library  - let me repeat that, the UNIVERSITY LIBRARY - to STUDY in.
Apparently it is meant to remind us of the aural landscape outside and the wider world which is obviously passing we sad cloistered students by.

ARGH. Aural Architecture? Hamiathes' hiney (to borrow a phrase from TLE Checkers*), the world is against me.


* I stand corrected