Why did the library hours change?/Why aren't you open 24 hours?
Answer
Decisions about library hours of operation take into account several pieces of information:
- Student, staff, and faculty feedback
- Use of the library during certain days/times (based on gate counts)
- Operating budgets
- Employee availability/undue burden on employees
- Other minor factors
Currently, library use numbers and operating budgets do not allow for 24-hour operations outside of pre-finals and finals weeks.
Most assignments are due at 11:59 p.m., and library use drastically declines after midnight. We stay open until 12:15 a.m. most nights to allow students to turn in these assignments.
A recent survey (spring 2025) revealed a strong desire from students to be open later on Fridays. To make this work, we allocated two hours from Saturday mornings to accommodate staying open until 8:00 p.m. on Friday evening without impacting the operating budget or requiring additional employees to cover additional hours.
