Shhhhhh: Library hours cut silently

Students should not plan any late night cram sessions at the library this year. They should also rule out Saturdays.

Following the library motto, the university quietly announced that the library would be closing its doors earlier and more often this school year. Almost 40 hours were eliminated from the library schedule. The biggest change is that it is closed Saturdays.

Eagle News spotted several students attempting to access the library this past Saturday.

“This really takes a day away from me that I can be productive,” said Brian Storms, a sophomore athletic training major. “They should have sent out an email with at least the new hours listed.”

Storms isn’t the only student upset by these changes. Of 181 students polled by Eagle News, 54 percent said they thought the library should be open later and on Saturdays. Another 38 percent said they did not care because they don’t use the library, and only 8 percent said they agreed with the changes. 

The library will now be open from 7:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 6 p.m. on Friday. The library will now be closed on Saturdays and open from 3-8 p.m. on Sundays. This cut, from 108 hours per week to 69½, is the most drastic in FGCU history. Other state schools have not appeared to cut hours in response to budget cuts.

The libraries at the University of Central Florida and South Florida are each open over 100 hours per week, including 24 hours Monday through Thursday at USF.

The cut has been met with harsh criticism from students. FGCU did not alert students about these changes before the start of fall semester, depending on faculty and staff to spread the word.

The Dean of Library Services, Dr. Kathleen Miller, cited budget cuts as the primary reason for the cut in hours. This year’s state budget saw a $300 million dollar cut with regard to higher education.

Eagle News reported in January that a bill was passed to continue with the library’s extended hours, which were until 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday and on Sundays.  The cost of the extension was $12,720 and was split between Student Government and FGCU allocated accounts.

Dr. Miller said statistical evidence was used for determining the slashed hours.

“Over 60 percent of our visits occur Monday through Wednesday,” said Dr. Miller. “With only 4 percent of our visits occurring on Saturday (about 570 visits), we decided it was the best day to close down.”

“Student Government is doing everything we can to ensure that library hours are never cut like this again,” said Student Body President Peter Cuderman.

Cuderman, a graduate student at FGCU, started a petition online for FGCU students to sign in opposition of the state budget cuts in higher education.

Students can find this petition on Facebook.com. Students should not plan any late night cram sessions at the library this year. They should also rule out Saturdays.

Following the library motto, the university quietly announced that the library would be closing its doors earlier and more often this school year. Almost 40 hours were eliminated from the library schedule. The biggest change is that it is closed Saturdays.

Eagle News spotted several students attempting to access the library this past Saturday.

“This really takes a day away from me that I can be productive,” said Brian Storms, a sophomore athletic training major. “They should have sent out an email with at least the new hours listed.”

Storms isn’t the only student upset by these changes. Of 181 students polled by Eagle News, 54 percent said they thought the library should be open later and on Saturdays. Another 38 percent said they did not care because they don’t use the library, and only 8 percent said they agreed with the changes. 

The library will now be open from 7:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 6 p.m. on Friday. The library will now be closed on Saturdays and open from 3-8 p.m. on Sundays. This cut, from 108 hours per week to 69½, is the most drastic in FGCU history. Other state schools have not appeared to cut hours in response to budget cuts.

The libraries at the University of Central Florida and South Florida are each open over 100 hours per week, including 24 hours Monday through Thursday at USF.

The cut has been met with harsh criticism from students. FGCU did not alert students about these changes before the start of fall semester, depending on faculty and staff to spread the word.

The Dean of Library Services, Dr. Kathleen Miller, cited budget cuts as the primary reason for the cut in hours. This year’s state budget saw a $300 million dollar cut with regard to higher education.

Eagle News reported in January that a bill was passed to continue with the library’s extended hours, which were until 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday and on Sundays.  The cost of the extension was $12,720 and was split between Student Government and FGCU allocated accounts.

Dr. Miller said statistical evidence was used for determining the slashed hours.

“Over 60 percent of our visits occur Monday through Wednesday,” said Dr. Miller. “With only 4 percent of our visits occurring on Saturday (about 570 visits), we decided it was the best day to close down.”