Students cramming for exams and looking for late-night study space will have the opportunity to stay two hours later at Snell Library starting as early as Wednesday or as late as Friday, said Vice Provost for Research Srinivas Sridhar.
The Student Government Association (SGA) passed legislation last Thursday calling for the library to remain open until 2 a.m. for six weeks of the semester — three weeks during midterms and three during finals. Headed by SGA President Bill Durkin and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ashley Adams, the legislation requested implementation of the new hours by the Spring 2005 semester.
After SGA executive board members presented the resolution to the Committee on Funding Priorities (CFP) on Friday, Provost Ahmed Abdelal threw his support — and funding — behind the issue, Durkin said.
“Our resolution calls for it to be implemented by Spring 2005,” Durkin said. “[The Provost] thought it was a good idea and said he would have it done even sooner than that.”
The study space in the library will remain open until 2 a.m., but the circulation desk will still close at midnight to minimize the amount of extra workers that need to be added, Adams said. Also, she said, only Northeastern students and staff will be allowed to enter the library after midnight.
SGA will bring the legislation to President Richard Freeland Thursday, who will consult with the Provost’s Office and the library administration to determine whether or not he will sign it into university policy, Durkin said.
In the Nov. 10 issue of The News, Dean of University Libraries Edward Warro said, if given more funding, he would rather see money go toward increasing collections, rather than keeping the library open later. But with the Provost’s backing and passed SGA legislation, Associate Dean of Library User Services Lesley Milner said the library is willing to move ahead with extended hours.
“We’re going forward with this because the university is supplying us with the funds to do it and we will be using this as a test to see if it is possible in the future,” Milner said.
Sridhar agreed and said the later hours will be implemented this finals period and the finals period of the Spring 2005 semester on a trial basis only.
“We’ve agreed to provide the funding for it right now, just for this semester and the next semester also for finals, then we’ll look at it,” he said.
The new hours could be implemented as soon as Wednesday night, both Sridhar and Milner said, as long as final arrangements for extra security and workers are confirmed. Milner said the library is looking to staff graduate students for the late night library hours. Their salary will come from the funding provided by the Provost’s Office, she said.
