By Annaleise Parsons | Staff Writer
As a student who studies late, the library closing at midnight is very inconvenient. Because other buildings are closed around campus other than my dorm, I have to hope that one of the study rooms in my dorm is open and not already being used by other girls in the dorm. Since my roommate goes to bed before midnight for her early classes, I can’t study in my room in order to be respectful to her and her sleep.
So I go up and down the hallways of my dorm, hoping a study room is open and that there is an outlet and some light. Many times, I settle in the study room next to other girls in my hall studying late, and we attempt to focus
It would be easier for my fellow college night owls and I to stay in the library where there are plentiful outlets, seating, printers and research resources. For some students, nighttime is the only time that they have to study. As almost every college student can attest, when you’re typing away in the zone to get that one paper done and are asked to leave the library, it almost seems painful to get up, walk back to the dorm and try to get back in the zone there.
I understand that Moody Memorial Library cut back hours this semester due to COVID-19 and the need for an empty library in order to wipe down and clean the surfaces of computers, printers and door handles before the next round of students come in.
However, with vaccinations ramping up and the potential planning of a more “normal” semester, Moody should return to its previous hours from the fall and spring semesters of 2019.
Having the library available 24 hours also opens more hours for student workers who might have odd schedules and want to earn extra money. It could also lead to more on-campus jobs for student workers, especially helpful for students who don’t own a vehicle or have transportation around Waco. For students who go to classes and work during the day, having the library open all night is helpful in order for them to have the full resources and time in the library as other students.
While having the library open 24 hours can lead to students walking around campus during odd hours of the night, campus has emergency safety boxes that can contact the police if needed and some self-defense tools, like pepper spray, are allowed on campus.
Although I understand the change this semester, the coming fall semester should return back to normal hours in order to accommodate students and their study schedules.
