This semester, Brennan Library has implemented new hours of operation. Before the new schedule, the library was open until midnight on all days excluding Fridays and Saturdays, when it closed at 9 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively. Saturdays remain unchanged, but on all other days, the campus library will now close at 10 p.m.
This has a wide range of effects on those who rely on the library to get some late-night work done. I know, for myself, that I have frequently used the facility in the past to evade noisy roommates or people in my hall during the weeks that encompass final projects and exams. Just having that time from around 8-11 p.m. to bang out a few pages of an essay or finish up that one last presentation made all of the difference for someone like me.
It isn’t to say other spaces on campus are not available through midnight and even overnight through the morning. The Michael B. Alexander Science and Technology Center (STC), though seemingly locked after 8 p.m., can be accessed by scanning your Lasell ID at the card reader just outside the entrances. Arnow Campus Center is available all through the night, where you can use the many tables, couches, and lounging areas to comfortably get your work done. The residence halls have common areas, which often go unused overnight, and can be used to get some important tasks done while evading the annoyances of noisy people in and around your dorm.
Although some students may have issues with these hour changes, there are many other areas on campus that are available to students during these hours, and, as previously mentioned, throughout the night. But I do get those who have on or off-campus jobs during the afternoons or have classes through 7-8 p.m. They heavily relied on being able to use that late-night time to get projects done and now have to find other avenues to complete their course assignments. In the end, only time will tell of the response to these measures and if they remain the same or not.