Since April 20, Pius XII Memorial Library has extended its hours to allow students a safe place to study past 2 a.m.
This is designed as a pilot program to gather and evaluate data on the usage and the practicality of a permanent 24-hour library for the 2009-2010 academic year.
“So far we have heard positive feedback from students, librarians and administrators, people are happy with the way it is turning out,” Student Government Association President-elect Michael Harriss said. “I think we have a good foundation for the future.”
Harriss will present the collected data on library usage during this trial 24-hour period to the President’s Coordinating Council meeting on May 12.
The newly installed card swipe system requires students, faculty and staff to swipe their ID after 9 p.m. to gain access into the library.
The system is also recording the number of people who enter the library after 2 a.m. and so far the library has been packed during the extended hours.
“It seems the first floor is full most the time, not many open seats,” Harriss said. “I haven’t looked at any data yet, but it appears everything is working out so far.”
After 2 a.m., the upper floors of the library close with only the first floor remaining open for the rest of the night. In addition, Café Libros in the library has also extended its hours until 2 a.m. on 24-hour days.
The Department of Public Safety has had officers stationed during the extended hours to provide students with a safe atmosphere to study.
“The quiet and safe atmosphere really allowed me to focus on what I was studying,” freshman Lyndsey Duncan said.
Since the implementation of the extended hours, almost 80 to 100 people are packed in the first floor after 2 a.m. with no reported incidences of disturbance.
“I am pretty happy with how things are going,” Library Task Force Chair Adnan Hussain said. “I have not heard of any incidences, as far as I know it is going smooth.”
For the 24-hour Library Task Force the battle is not over as further data may be needed for a permanent 24-hour library.
According to Hussain, the data is a bit skewed, as it is the end of the semester when many classes pick up in workload.
Further data will need to be collected in the fall semester to get a true sense of what students need.
“We want to do what is best for students, if students are using it then we do need a 24-hour library,” Hussain said. “If it is not 24-hours next year it should be close to it.”
With the current turn out, students are showing a need for a 24-hour library.
“I could definitely go for a 24-hour library,” Duncan said. “This program should be extended all year round.”
