Starting this week and until the end of finals week, the UO Allan Price Science Commons and Research Library will be open for 24 hours a day.
This program was initiated by ASUO President Prissila Moreno during her campaign last spring.
Moreno said the idea came from hearing stories from graduate students, student parents and students with day jobs about not having time to study and focus on schoolwork during normal library hours.
“We decided to run ambitiously on 24-hour libraries, and it was something really, really popular during this campaign,” Moreno said.
Moreno said launching the 24-hour library pilot program was “on the top of the list” of things that students wanted.
“Once you’re no longer living on campus, you don’t really get that experience of being able to utilize a university resource,” Moreno said. “Being able to have that quiet space, group study spaces for people to practice their presentations, I think that’s the main benefit.”
According to Moreno, library workers will not be present past regular operating hours, meaning checkout services will not be available. However, Moreno said that contracted security workers will be present.
“(Having workers present) just would have burdened the libraries more than it would’ve helped students, I think, because I don’t think students will utilize checkout services,” Moreno said.
The 24-hour library is funded by ASUO surplus funds. Moreno said the cost of keeping the library open is $12,000.
Judge Jewkes, a UO student, said the extended library hours were helpful during finals week and that he would utilize the 24-hour library hours to study, but likely wouldn’t stay overnight.
“When people need to have access to resources, it’s nice, especially during this time,” Jewkes said.
