Staff Editorial | Longer late-night library hours needed

Students who stayed on campus over Thanksgiving break or returned early could not study in the library after 5 p.m. due to “Thanksgiving Hours.” Despite the fact that finals are approaching, the Main library as well as the Art and Music libraries will still close before 2 a.m. during exams. While the library is extending its hours, this applies only to Friday and Saturday, when the library will close at midnight. As an academically rigorous institution, these library hours constrain students’ study times. Like all college students, Vassar students stay up late to study—few are done b 2 a.m. during the most academically challenging week of the semester. The library ought to extend its hours throughout the year, particularly during study week and exams.

Student tour guides are frequently asked about library hours while giving campus tours to prospective students and their families. The response is that the library is not open 24 hours a day because Vassar does not want students to think that they are expected to study all of the time. With the library closing at 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays (excluding exam periods), students are encouraged to leave their books and attend all-campus social functions, which start at 10 p.m. The concern is for students to be well rounded and not slaves to their studies all the time.

However, students are expected to be responsible for themselves at college. Though the administration ought to provide students with guidance, this notion of closing the library with the intention for students to go out is archaic. Many students have classes, meetings and activities during the day; their time to study is late at night. A student booked solid until midnight with classes and organization meetings is out of luck if he or she wants to print and read reserve materials for a morning class.

The library’s value extends beyond research and book storage. The library also creates a quiet place to study—people with roommates, loud neighbors or a tendency to fall asleep in their rooms need the library as a solace for immersing themselves in their work. But at 1:30 a.m. on any weeknight, these students are without any options if they have not completed all their work in the time allotted by current library hours. Even worse, students are left with no place to study after 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, the nights when dorms are the loudest.

Granted, peer institutions such as Wellesley, Haverford and Amherst have similar practices with respect to library hours, but Vassar ought to continue to be a college that responds to student requests and specific needs. In turn, students who wish to see a change in their time at Vassar ought to make this opinion heard. The distribution of an on-line survey, the answers to which will be used by the Library Committee to make improvements based on student input, demonstrates that the administration recognizes there is need for change. As the committee considers options to reorganize its collections through new shelving or storage, it should remember that lengthened hours that better serve student needs are an integral step in improving the student library experience.

Vice President for Computing and Information Services (CIS) Bret Ingerman recently announced to the Vassar Student Association council that the campus will get a wireless network within the next two semesters. CIS has also made improvements to the printing situation in the library. Effort is being put forward in order to make the library more convenient for students. Now, the library should provide hours that allow us to take advantage of these positive improvements.