Live! - News

College approves 24 hour library trial

Feb 12 2004 21:50

Arthur Dent

The Rector yesterday agreed to trial 24-hour opening for Imperial College’s Central Library.

The Central Library at South Kensington

In a meeting yesterday, Sir Richard Sykes, Imperial College's Rector, agreed to trial 24 hours a day, 7 days a week opening for the Central Library. The trial period will extend for 13 weeks from 29th March to 24th June and if successful it is anticipated that the library will move to being open 24/7 for 10 months a year.

The costs of the scheme, presented as a joint proposal by Imperial College Union and the College Libraries Services, will be just over £30,000 for the trial. This will cover minimal security cover in the building during the extended opening hours and some additional staff necessary to maintain a minimal service.

The period of the trial will cover the examination period that was identified in student feedback as the time of greatest need for having increased access to library facilities. A Union source described the success as the "culmination of concerted campaigning by Union officers which has seen opening hours steadily increased over the last six years." He added that "credit is due to those officers and to the Director of Library Services who has supported us every step of the way."

Email this Article | Share on Facebook

Discussion about “College approves 24 hour library trial”

The comments below are unmoderated submissions by Live! readers. The Editor accepts no liability for their content, nor for any offence caused by them. Any complaints should be directed to the Editor.

1. dubious

Feb 13 2004 03:37

interesting timing for this achievement and its promotion in the media.

2. Editor

Feb 14 2004 14:08

If there are any comments/questions/complaints regarding any editorial decisions then please contact the editor directly as appropriate via email to editor@cgcu.net. Thankyou.

3. Ian

Feb 18 2004 18:06

If anyone actually listened to the students they would realise there are two main points to address with regards to library opening times. First, WEEKEND opening times need to be the SAME length of time as the weekdays during revision periods. Second, the closing time should be extended an extra hour or run up to midnight during revision periods.

Now, what you define as revision periods could be all three terms, but the point is there is there's a reason we want better opening times - not because 24-hours sounds nice and catchy.

All the people I've spoken to seem to think likewise - the 24-hour library is a waste of money.

The rector is throwing away cash approving this trial. All that needs to be done is a REASONABLE extension to the current opening times. Put your thinking caps on chaps!

4. Mustafa Arif

Feb 18 2004 18:20

1. Library surveys over the last few years have consistently shown demand from students for a 24 hour facility.

2. Student officers have worked with the library over the last few years to steadily increase opening hours.

3. Opening hours are now generally at the point where any further extension will cost almost the same as simply opening 24 hours (due to the costs of getting staff home in the middle of the night).

4. So, the only sensible next step is to open 24 hour. This is increasingly normal practice in many campus universities - especially for access to computer facilites.

5. Surveys show students want longer library hours so they have somewhere to study and access to College IT facilities. The 24 hour opening will aim to do this with a minimum of staff. (Just security staff, no librarians over night - if you want to take books out you will only be able to do so with the self-issue system).

6. Already the announcement about South Kensington is resulting in strong demand being expressed at other campuses (St Mary's, Wye, Charing Cross especially) for 24 hour opening.

Closedd This discussion is closed.