Libraries extend hours for last two weeks of semester


15838933043_7f15e3dfa5_kWhat do FIU students need to succeed during finals week? Three things come to mind: a semester’s worth of good notes, an unlimited supply of caffeine and a place to study.

The FIU Libraries can’t do much about the first two items (although Starbucks will also be open late), but they can address the third.

They have joined forces with the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost, FIU Police Department, and Facilities Management to extend library hours for the last two weeks of the semester, with the Green Library scheduled to be open 24 hours a day, five times per week. The extended hours will be in effect from April 24 through May 7.

The Glenn Hubert Library at BBC will be open until 3 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, until midnight on Fridays and until 8 p.m. on Saturdays.

This is the second semester such a schedule has been in place. During the Fall 2015 semester, hundreds of students took advantage of the late hours to come to the library for a quiet place to read, revise papers and study for exams.

Organizations such as the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Black Student Union (BSU) have helped spread the word about the extended schedule. When SGA sent out a survey on library hours in February, the results made it clear that students enjoyed the longer periods and were looking for more access to the library.

“We want to make the Libraries your go-to space for studying,” Anne Prestamo, dean of FIU Libraries, said in a message to students. “We have group spaces, as well as quiet areas for individual study. I especially want to thank our staff, as well as FIU PD and Facilities staff, for giving up sleep to help our Panthers ace their finals.”

 To see the full extended schedule for the FIU libraries, visit their website.