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Students would like longer library hours

Brian's Mugshot»Brian Bigelow
–Managing Editor
As a second-year graduate student who also completed much of his undergrad here at APSU, I have a lot of experience with last-minute papers, due on D2L at midnight, being disrupted by a downed internet connection in my apartment.

When that happens, the library is there to help … sometimes.

If you’re finishing a 15-page paper by midnight Friday night without internet, you better be glad that the Starbucks on Madison has wi-fi that still works on their patio after they close at 11 p.m., because the library is locked up tight.

I realize that as college students, we’re supposed to have social lives, but some of us have assignments due on Friday and Saturday night, and the library closes at 7 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively.

I’ve never attended an SGA meeting, but of all the topics that have grabbed my attention over the years, this is the one I most wanted to bring to their attention.

The library is open until 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, which I think is great.

Some people argue that the library should be open 24-hours a day, but I, personally, don’t think that’s necessary—except during finals when the number of frantic, stressed and desperate students increases dramatically.

The much more pressing concern is the early hours on Fridays and Saturdays.
graphic415»Graphic by Christy Walker | Cartoonist

Sometimes, the library is the only quiet, distraction-free zone for studying, reading, writing or researching. Sometimes, the library’s resources are the only way to accomplish the tasks set forth by professors. Sometimes, the library is the only place to take a nap between commitments and responsibilities, but if that’s why you’re there after 10 p.m., just go home and go to bed.

If, for some reason, it’s not possible to keep the library open until 2 a.m. every night, I think it would be a reasonable compromise to extend these hours to at least 10 p.m. or midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

I would be interested in learning the rationale behind these shorter hours.

With as many online classes as APSU offers and the pervasiveness of D2L for on-campus classes, the idea that assignments will only be due during class time Monday through Friday is unrealistic, and the library needs to reflect this new 24/7 homework and testing schedule.

I realize that longer library hours means more money spent by the university, and I have no idea where that money would come from or how much it would cost, but I think it would be a worthwhile investment.

I’m sure there is no shortage of student workers who would volunteer to work these extended hours, because the only thing college students love more than free food is money.

About Jennifer Smith, Editor-in-Chief

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3 comments

  1. I agree with you. My cousin attends University of Nevada, Reno in Reno, Nevada. He was telling me the library as well as the recreational center are open 24 hours. I never understood why our library says they are open until 2am but any student at APSU knows they are open until midnight if your lucky.

  2. As the Night shift supervisor here at the APSU Library for almost 6 years, I can understand your desire for longer hours on Fridays and Saturdays. I work Sundays – Thursdays until 2 a.m. so I have seen a lot of what you mentioned. Honestly, I cannot tell you the rationale behind the earlier hours on Fridays and Saturdays, but I can tell you that not many people want to work until 2 a.m. We consistently have short-staffed evenings/late nights because students do NOT want to work that late and usually have early morning classes.

    The person to whom to direct your question(s) would probably be the library director, Mr. Joe Weber. I suspect that your ideas about how much money it would cost are probably a big part of the reasoning behind the shorter hours on Fridays and Saturdays.

    Regarding the noise levels in the library, the resources available, and the need for 24/7 library service, I could write an entire book about those issues and still wouldn’t begin to cover them.

    @ Cassie – Not sure where you got the idea that we’re NOT open until 2 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Unless there is a power outage, snow-storm or something similar, I know for a fact that we’re there until 2:00.

  3. I have a solution to EVERYBODY’S problem. I’ll send a letter to the Dr. Hall to make all deadlines 30 minutes prior to the library’s closing. If the network goes down, you’ll still have time to look for an alternative to send the paper. This will save the school money, and help the procrastinators who can’t seem to manage their time well. And you’ll still get your ‘social time’ after the paper is turned in.
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