Last spring, O’Neill Library extended its weekend hours, making the first floor of the library available to students all night. This fall, however, the program has been temporarily stopped to collect more data and gauge student demand for the 24-hour, seven days a week program. Now, the library closes at 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
The pilot showed that students used the study space until around 2 a.m., and then usage dropped off, according to Scott Britton, associate university librarian for Public Services. The pilot program, however, was only active for three weekends at the end of the semester.
The Office of Student Affairs and the University Libraries are working to collect more data to determine if the study hours should continue, and what hours the program should be active. The groups hope to bring back the extended hours in mid-October, around the time of midterm exams. They will then monitor the room’s activity.
If reinstituted, the University Libraries will provide study space on the first floor of O’Neill and the Office of Student Affairs will provide the funding for overnight security.
Britton also said that the University Libraries might issue a survey to students during the fall extended hours to see the usefulness of starting the extended weekend hours prior to October.
“We received a super positive response after the change, and a huge turnout on the weekends,” said Caroline Monnes, Senator on the Campus Improvements Committee and MCAS ’19.
Featured Image by Savanna Kiefer / Heights Editor
