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The UA main and science libraries close at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, while the Student Recreation Center remains open. It's time the university allocates funds to keep these reference centers open longer on weekends.
The UA Main Library is open until 1 a.m. Sunday to Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, however, the library is only open until 6 p.m.
It's ironic that this Research I university has a student Rec Center that's open longer on Friday and Saturday nights than its libraries. So you can exercise your body, but not your mind.
Why isn't the library open later on Friday and Saturday? Carla J. Stoffle, library dean, said that five years ago, the library budget was cut and hours on those nights were one of the first things to go.
Twenty to 30 students were using the library between these hours, she said, and keeping it open was not cost effective.
"Evening hours on Friday and Saturday would be nice, but it's a matter of funding and staffing."
Stoffle said that keeping both the Science-Engineering and Oriental Studies Library and Main Library open with minimal staff for an additional six hours on Friday and Saturday nights would cost about $105 an hour. Over a 48-week period, the cost would come to approximately $30,000, she said.
Well, how much has the UA spent in planning for the reconstruction of the Memorial Student Union? How much has it spent planning for construction of the Integrated Instructional Facility? What about the $20,000 the UA spent on the first "University of Arizona" boundary wall put up in October 1995 -$6,000 for the sign and $13,600 for the land to put it on?
Stoffle says the 50 cent minimum wage increase that went into effect Oct. 1 is partly to blame for shortened library hours. That, however, doesn't explain why the library has not had extended hours on the weekends for years.
Other universities see the importance of keeping their libraries open later on weekends and realize that not all students party when the bell rings Friday afternoon.
Duke University's Perkins Library is open until midnight Monday through Saturday.
The University of Michigan Shapiro Undergraduate Library is open from 8 a.m. to 5 a.m. everyday, including Fridays and Saturdays.
The University of Iowa's Main Library is open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. The Main Library Study Center at the University of California at Irvine is open Friday's until 9 p.m.
Room 160 at Stanford University's Meyer Library is an all-night study hall. The only thing like that at the UA is the Arizona Health Sciences Library which is open 24 hours. The problem is that it's located on the second floor of University Medical Center, a hike for students living on campus. And at certain times of the year, only medical students can use the library.
"If there's a big demand (for extended weekend hours), I'm willing to sit down with student government, but we're talking about trade-offs," Stoffle said.
Have a seat.
Editoral Staff
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