The James Branch Cabell Library
will be open 24 hours a day, five days
a week until Dec. 18 to help students
prepare for exams.
The extended library hours are called
Library Lite All Nite.
“Library Lite All Nite was established
in the spring 2005 semester and has
repeated each spring and fall semester
since that time,” said Donna Coghill,
director of marketing and public relations
at VCU libraries.
Extended library hours have proven
beneficial for students such as L.J.
Llena, a chemistry major who said he
studies a great deal during the two-week
exam period.
“I used it a lot over the last two years.
I’ve spent a lot of late hours there while
it was open all night,” Llena said.
Coghill said the Student Government
Association is partly responsible for
the extension of library hours during
exam time.
“The SGA requested that VCU
Libraries consider longer hours during
exams, and through discussions,
library administration determined
to extend hours prior to exams and
throughout the exam period,” Coghill
said.
According to the VCU’s strategic
plan, dubbed “VCU 2020 Vision for
Excellence,” Cabell Library may be
open 24 hours a day all semester long
to accommodate students who work.
“We’ve not had a lot of requests for
these hours, though it has come up
a few times,” Coghill said. “Among
Virginia’s doctoral institutions, only the
University of Virginia has a 24-hour
library facility, and that is its separate
undergraduate library.”
VCU junior Janelle Conley said
she doesn’t use the library much, but
she takes comfort in knowing that it’s
available all night.
“I’ve never really used the 24-hour
library hours, but that’s because I
have a dorm room to myself,” Conley
said. “But I really enjoy knowing that
those hours are there if I want to use
them.”
Library Lite All Nite dates are chosen
by the VCU Libraries administrative
council, a group of library personnel,
including the university librarian, John
Ulmschneider.
Until Dec. 18, Cabell LIbrary doors
will open at 11 a.m. on Sundays
and remain open until the regular
Friday evening closing-time at 9 p.m.
Saturday hours will remain unchanged
during Library Lite All Nite – 10 a.m.
to 9 p.m.