Residents of Dudley Co-op hosted their own version of the Primal Scream on Monday night--in the middle of Lamont Library.

About 20 undergraduates stripped down to boxers and bras in the main-reading room of the library, while other students studied around them.

The "lingerie study break," is an annual event, but this was the first time in four years that library personnel asked the strippers to leave.

At 10:30 p.m., the students gradually started taking off their clothes. By 11 p.m., the co-op residents and a few other undergraduates, who joined in spontaneously, wore only underwear.

"What's amazing was how nonchalant they were," said Tricia Morente '01, who saw part of the event and who is a Crimson editor. "They'd just take off their clothes and resume studying."

Ty Gibbons '99, co-president of the co-op, said he was pleased because the unique study break was finally recognized this year. Two years ago, he stood on a table wearing nothing but boxers and read poetry aloud, but the guard took no action.

"It sort of turned into performance art because one of the goals is to get kicked out and apparently being in boxers isn't enough," Gibbons said.

This year, Gibbons wore a dog collar along with his boxers and was led around the reading room by Elizabeth Marks '99. Another co-op resident wore a garter belt, while a third swung his belt in the air like a lasso.

Though all of the other participants kept their underwear on, David Friedland '99 donned only a strategically placed sock.

"I had an interesting set-up going with an elastic sock," he said.

According to both onlookers and participants, the event gently poked fun at reading period. Many students watched and giggled from the balcony of the fourth floor, while others stayed in the main reading room.

Eli Diamond '99 was studying on the first floor when a friend came to tell him what was going on upstairs.

"It was a nice way to lighten up exam period," Diamond said.

But for some students, the striptease was a distraction. Julia Rosenbloom '01 said she thought it was funny, but she chose to go up to the fifth floor and get back to work.

Others complained to the library night supervisor, who told the strippers that they had to leave if they did not puttheir clothes back on.

Yet for some, the striptease was no distractionat all. Mosi Secret '01 was in the reference room,engrossed in his books, and said he was unawarethat anything had occurred. He said he was sorryhe missed it.

"Were they wearing boxers or briefs?" he askedwith a laugh. "If it was briefs, I mean, that'staking it to the next level!