The Knight Library will be open 24 hours during Dead Week and Finals Week to give students, staff and faculty a chance to get some last-minute work done.
University Librarian Deborah Carver said the first attempt to extend hours last spring was popular with students, and because things went so smoothly it seemed like a good idea to offer it again.
“The first experiment was more successful than we had ever anticipated,” she said, adding that about 4,000 to 5,000 people used the extended hours.
Students, faculty and staff will be required to show a current University identification to enter the library during the extended hours. They will have access to photocopy machines and the Information Technology Center computers and printers, but no materials can be checked out and reference desk assistance will not be available during the extended hours.
Other University libraries will keep their regular hours, and the Knight Library will resume regular hours on Thursday of Finals Week.
Access Services Department Head Shirien Chappell said people who use the extended hours at the Knight Library can fill out surveys, and the responses will be recorded to make sure the schedule is as popular this term as it was spring term.
“People just loved having this extra time and space to do their work,” she said.
Although administrators hope to continue the schedule for future terms, budgeting conflicts could put an end to the extra study time.
University library administrators are trying to cut costs because of budget constraints. All University libraries will be closed Dec. 24-28. Apart from the five-day closure, intersession hours will be in effect for all University libraries from Dec. 13 through Jan. 4.
Carver said the extended schedule’s budget isn’t the direct cause of the holiday closure, but it is an area that takes up extra costs. She added that the closure will occur during a time of low use and that it is more beneficial to offer students the extended hours now.
“We think it’s much more important to give the students a safe place to study,” she said.
The extended schedule for the Knight Library costs about an extra $7,000, Carver said. To keep it open through the night hours, security guards must be hired and student employees must work longer hours.
Carver said it is likely the extended hours will continue as long as they prove useful.
“If it’s very positive we’ll have to kind of figure out how to offer this,” she said. “We think it’s important to be as responsive as possible.”
University Library spokesman Ron Renchler agreed the extended hours must prove cost-effective in order to continue.
“If things continue to get tight we’ll have to be cutting back on those things,” he said.
He said the closure dates are days when students are usually away for the holidays.
“It’s a conscious decision and a careful one — we don’t like to close anytime,” he said.
Chappell said the schedule gives students extra time to study and provides student employees who are “hungry for hours” the chance to earn some extra money.
Arlene Penrose, a student assistant at the library, said last spring’s extended schedule helped her out. She said she is working the late hours again this term to earn money and get some studying done.
“During that time you’re just sitting there,” she said. “It’s pretty laid back; you can study for finals.”