By David Dyck
Library announces longer study hours during exam time at both the Burnaby and Surrey campuses
At forum last week, it was announced that the Fraser Library on the Surrey campus and the W.A.C. Bennett Library on the Burnaby campus would be extending their hours to accommodate late-night study sessions. The new hours will allow the Surrey campus to remain open longer, and students on the hill who want to pull all-nighters will now be able to do so in the comfort of the library.
SFSS university relations officer Mark Fontaine and president Jeff McCann first approached the library in December to attempt to extend library hours. “We were going in with the idea that students don’t need full check out facilities and full librarian assistance in the middle of the night,” said Fontaine. “They need the space to study in; warm space and good lighting, with access to computers.” Fontaine pointed out that when either the Burnaby or the Surrey libraries close in the evening, “there’s a stream of students who are herded out of the library.” This indicated to him that the demand was there for longer hours.
Natalie Gick, associate university librarian, administrative services, explained the changes at forum. “At the Bennett library we’re going to have what I call ‘late night study hall’. We will be keeping parts of the building open 24/7.” These hours are for exam period only, taking effect on April 10 and running until April 22. Gick explained that only designated spaces, such as the fourth floor, most of the third floor, and the group study lounge on the second floor, would be kept open.
Students wanting to check out books, borrow laptops, or browse the stats and reserves collections are out of luck after regular library hours, however, as there will be no library staff on hand. Students won’t be completely alone; security will remain on hand to manage safety on the floors that remain open. Essentially, the library will only be providing added study space.
On the Surrey campus, the Fraser Library will not be offering the same full-time service, but it will be extending regular operating hours. Beginning April 12 and ending on April 21, from Monday to Friday, the library will be open at 8:00 a.m. as usual, but it will close at 11:00 p.m. instead of 8:00 p.m. On Friday during that period, it will close at 11:00 p.m. as well, as opposed to its regular Friday closing time of 6:00 p.m., and on Saturday it will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., rather than 5:00 p.m. Regular services will be available at the Surrey location during those hours.
Gick told The Peak that they are doing this on a trial basis this semester, and will be looking at how many students use the facilities during this time.
