During the “Pack the Library” initiative last week, students gathered in a corner of the library. On Thursday, the rest of the library was empty.
The Nelson Poynter Memorial Library closes at 10 p.m. on weekdays.
So when the end of the semester rolls around, the complaints begin.
Students electronically voice their opinions through the student-run Facebook page, “USFSP Know It All’s Guide,” and share their dissatisfaction about how early the library closes.
The reason the library closes at 10 p.m. during the week is because there are not enough students using the space during the later hours of the day. The library is currently open 79 hours per week. More staff and security guards would have to be hired in order to allow for extended hours, said Carol Hixson, dean of the library.
USFSP student Jozef Gherman, along with two fellow students Nicholas Patides and Juan Salazar, devised a plan to show student interest in extending the hours. They started an event called “Pack The Library.” From Monday Jan. 12 to Jan. 15, the goal was to get as many students as they could to show up at the library during its final hour of operation.
To prove how many students showed up, Gherman had students sign in on a sheet of paper. The event was quite successful for the first two days, with about 50 to 60 in attendance. But for the next two days, the turnout was weaker, with only about 20 students attending.
Starting this initiative early in the semester is important to its success, because students usually wait until the end of each term to bring up complaints, Gherman said.
Security guard Desmond Henville, who can be found working at the library almost every night, said the plan won’t work unless all three floors are packed.
“The fact that you have to use nights like this to bring people is a problem,” Henville told The Crow’s Nest. “It won’t work unless it is something people want to do for themselves.”
Henville and library staff member Samuel Holloway said they would have no problem keeping the library open until midnight if it was approved. They both agreed that extended the library hours until midnight could be possible, but the library would “definitely not” stay open for 24 hours like the Tampa campus.
During the week before and during exams, however, the library stays open until midnight. Dean Hixson said this is possible only because staff is asked to volunteer an extra two hours at night and their schedules are modified accordingly.
Last semester during the extended hours, Hixson said the record for attendees from 10-11 p.m. was 87, and from 11 p.m. to midnight it was 64.
In reaction to the “Pack the Library” initiative, Hixson said it will be difficult to make a case to the University administration for longer hours without an ongoing demonstration of need for increased hours. A staged demonstration lasting for only one week won’t cut it, she said, especially a demonstration with a relatively low participation rate.
“I urge students to work with Student Government to discuss effective ways of documenting a real need,” said Hixson. “The Library would be delighted to stay open longer hours if we received additional funding, and we would be happy to work with students on such an effort.”
Current library hours:
Monday-Thursday
8 a.m.-10 p.m.
Friday
8 a.m -5 p.m.
Saturday
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday
1-7 p.m.
