News
By Margaret Chipowsky
|
November 17, 1999
Every night at 1:30 a.m., Student Council College Rep. Joe Bilby counts the number of students using Clemons Library.
Bilby said an average of 166 students study at that time - one fact that lead Council last night to an almost unanimous vote to pass a resolution that calls for 24-hour library services during the week.
Bilby sponsored the resolution after three months of meeting with library officials and other administrators.
Council's resolution serves only as a recommendation to the University administration.
Bilby said the number of students studying late at night "demonstrates pretty clearly that there is a need for late-night study."
Clemons Library Director James Self attended the Council meeting to address any concerns raised by the representatives.
Self said the project will cost about an additional $52,000 a year, in addition to a start-up cost of $15,000.
He said the library had factored the added costs into its budget request for the year, but the funding was denied.
"We would be happy to do this if the University would come up with the $52,000 a year it would take to run it," he added.
The library budget is approved by the Provost's Office.
Self said the library now faces the choice of having to divert funds from other initiatives, such as the purchase of books and resources, to have the funds to keep the library open from Sunday morning through midnight Friday.
Dean of Students Penny Rue said she is supportive of the idea, but that funding will prove problematic.
"Most people don't want to fund [extended hours] at the expense of books," Rue said.
According to last year's statistics compiled by the University, an average of about 123 students studied at Clemons at 4:30 a.m.
