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New York University's Bobst Library wasn't a crime scene Tuesday, so students walked by mostly unaware that someone died in the building early that morning.

A 20-year-old junior from Westchester County jumped from the 10th floor in what police called a suicide.

"Unfortunately it's not surprising," said a NYU student.

Police found the student's body inside the library's atrium around 4:30 a.m. Hours later, the news was all over campus.

"As soon as someone knows something, it spreads around really quickly," said one student.

"And it's big news, a death is like a really big deal," said another.

There has been a rash of suicides at NYU in recent years. After two in the Bobst Library in 2003, the school installed plexiglass barriers on the railings facing the atrium.

Yet some students say it's not enough.

"If somebody has it in them to do want to do something like that and they've made up their minds, a piece of plastic's not going to stop them," said a NYU student.

NYU President John Sexton confirmed the suicide in an e-mail sent to students just before noon, which read in part: "No matter how difficult things might seem at any particular moment, your life is filled with promise, you belong in and are part of a community that cherishes your presence, you are loved, and there are many people at hand ready and willing to help you."

Experts say any student who seems anxious or depressed should seek help immediately.

Dr. Kelly Posner, who directs the suicide risk assessment program at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, said suicide is the second-leading cause of death in college students.

"Forty-nine percent of college students say they've been so depressed at any one time that they have trouble functioning. Fifteen percent will have met criteria for clinical depression. At least 10 percent will have seriously thought about suicide in any given year," said Posner. "So it's a major issue that's not particular to any one university but one we really need to address."

NYU students' ID cards carry a number they can call if they feel they need help. Posner, however, said colleges need to get better at identifying students who are at risk and help them get the treatment they need to save their lives.