Library considers extending hours for next semester

Stapleton Library is considering extending its hours during finals week in the future.

Students have been asking for this “for quite some time,” according to Luis J. Gonzalez, Director of Indiana University of Pennsylvania Libraries.

According to Gonzalez, the earliest that students can expect extended hours is fall 2013.

The library is currently considering a number of potential plans for extending hours, said Gonzalez.

One involves “24/5” hours – that is, the library being open starting on Sunday afternoons at 1 p.m., as usual, and staying open until Friday, when it would close at the normal closing time of 7 p.m.

Another plan involves keeping only the first floor of the library open after normal closing time.  

In this plan, additional security cameras would be installed on the first floor, and a campus police officer would be responsible for monitoring the library overnight.  

Students would be unable to access the upper floors or the Stabley building, but would have access to the bottom floor of Stapleton.

In all plans currently under consideration, student workers would not be asked to work during the extended hours; either permanent staff or campus police would be responsible during the extra time.

“Nothing is final yet, this is all still in the infant stages,” said Taylor Billman, president of the Student Government Association, in an email interview last week.

The funding for the structure changes necessary for the extended hours, such as extra security equipment and the means to open and close access to the upper levels, would be covered by a one-time grant dedicated to university improvement, according to Billman.

Billman, along with the leader of the Graduate Student Assembly, spoke at a meeting of the Educational Service Fee Committee and stated that the students wanted longer library hours.

“The GSA president and I admitted  that the students were upset that the library had cut back its hours in the past year and a half,” said Billman.

The library is used by students.  In spring 2012, the library’s gate count came out to 39,417.

“When I have to study, I do come,” said Angela Terepka, a second-year doctoral student in clinical psychology.

“Extended coffee hours would be great during weekends as well,” she added.

Austin Harnish (sophomore, communications), uses the library “occasionally, if I have a lot to do.”

“There are some times when I come to the library during finals week,” he said.  “It would definitely be helpful.”