Library West's extended hours pilot a success

January 8, 2008

Students took advantage of Library West’s extended hours of 8 a.m. – 4 a.m. from Dec . 1-13, with 85,840 people entering the building during those times. This was a 36-percent increase over the mid-semester week of Oct . 20-Nov.1. The building was open an additional 64 hours in December to help students study for exams.

The days leading up to Reading Days had the highest usage, which is significant because traditionally, the library extended its hours beginning the Thursday after classes were finished, which is the first Reading Day. Students took advantage of the 4:00 a.m. closing with a substantial number of users in the building in the early morning hours.

Group study rooms proved to be popular during the extended hours period with usage up 34 percent. In addition, graduate floor access card loans increased 60 percent in December.

The extended hours pilot was implemented when student government leaders Ryan Mosley and Kevin Reilly made the request to Dean of Libraries Judith Russell in response to requests from students. They asked for a 4:00 a.m. closing during pre-exam and exam week.

“We were pleased to accommodate students’ requests for longer hours prior to and during exams. Many students who used the library during the extended hours were appreciative of having a quiet place to study. I am grateful to the student government leaders for making this request on behalf of the student body,” said Russell.

Library staff have collected detailed data on attendance and will share it with the student government. Student government joined in publicizing the extended hours and seeking feedback from students. The pilot project will continue with extended hours in the spring semester.

As part of the libraries’ strategic planning, information on the hours of operation at other research libraries is being gathered, as well as the staffing and services that are provided during extended hours. Before making a decision on extended hours throughout the year, the value of extended hours to users, their staffing and service preferences during those hours and the incremental costs for expanded hours will be determined. The libraries will then assess the relative value of extended hours compared to other budget priorities.