The Scene staff
Some Forest Park students think library closes too early, and I agree.
There is a reason that other academic libraries are open until midnight, and many of them used to be open 24/7 on weekdays and Sundays prior COVID-19 pandemic.
“(The Forest Park library) used to be open till 10 p.m.,” said Neil Das, longtime librarian. “But we do not have that kind of business anymore. Some people do ask about Sunday hours, but it has been this way for over a decade.”
From my perspective, that is circular logic, and it seems to be espoused by every official I talked to about the library.
“If we stay open later,” they say, “people won’t come.” But I believe students don’t come because they know the library closes so early (9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4:30 p.m. on Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday; it’s closed all day on Sunday).
I frequent Wash U’s Olin Library, UMSL’s Thomas Jefferson Library and SLU’s Pius XII Library. I see St. Louis Community College students studying in those libraries all the time, including late at night, when our officials say they don’t study. I believe our students default to these libraries to avoid being put out at 8:50 p.m. while in their zones of deep concentration.
“The current hours reflect when most students are on campus,” President Julie Fickas said. “When determining library hours, budget comes into play, and we must consider where resources are expended to have the most efficient impact.”
I feel like if Forest Park didn’t lock down all of its buildings, not just the library, so early, allegedly to avoid riffraff, students would spend more time on campus.
Yes, this is a community college, but we have the same classes that require the same amount of out-of-class study time as four-year residential institutions.
“Before hours were cut, surveys were taken,” Fickas told me. “It’s not that people would not use the library after hours, but significantly less would.
“We cannot compare our commuter school to how residential institutions operate. Our students come for class then leave and head to work.”
The Florissant Valley campus library closes an hour earlier than the Forest Park library Monday through Thursday. The Meramec library closes an hour earlier on Saturday but is open from 1-6 p.m. on Sunday. The Wildwood library closes at 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 1 p.m. on Friday, and it’s closed on Saturday and Sunday.
“There are differences between Forest Park, Flo Valley and Meramec,” said Betsy Rayl, administrative assistant of library services.
“What programs are offered at each campus directly correlates to how resources are allocated and the hours that services are available.”
Why does the Meramec library have Sunday hours, but not the Forest Park library? Do STLCC students who live closer to Meramec study more or study more on Sundays?
These decisions seem more subjective than objective if you ask me.
“We must consider staff coverage and hedge that against student needs,” Rayl said.
“We open the library before class so that students can prepare and print, and we have adequate access for evening students to do the same.”
Adequate access is one thing; sufficient access is another.
“We take surveys,” Rayl said. “We count how many people are in the library and at what times. We use data to determine the need, and we currently cannot justify late nights.”
Not every Forest Park student is unhappy with library hours.
“The hours are fine,” said Calvin Carson, Student Government Association director of communications. “8 to 9 is good.
“Campus closes at 10. If we keep the library open later, it would not just be the library. We’d have to extend the hours of the entire campus.
“Should the library/campus be open later for a minority population? We would have to look at the data to determine the propriety of extending the library hours. We would need to know who’s coming, why and for how long.”
I believe it would be more practical for the Forest Park library to just do a trial run with extended hours for a semester to see how it works out.
If the school takes a head count now, it’s going to reinforce its current position because students are already conditioned to think the library closes early, so they won’t show up until the positive reinforcement of extended hours and being informed of it is a reality.
“Library hours are being talked about in a casual sense, but nothing official, Carson said. “If we were to get significant student feedback about library hours, we would initiate communication with the library and look at the data.”
I think STLCC should send out a mass email and take a poll on whether students think our library hours should be extended or if the current hours are sufficient.
I also talked to some other students to get their take on the issue. Opinions vary.
“I feel like if you go here as a student, you shouldn’t have to use another school’s library if you want to study late in the evening,” said Paige Barkley, 20, a mortuary science student.
“The employees may have kids they need to pick up,” said Nate Perkins, 23, another mortuary science student. “We must consider their schedules too. Later hours could cost them more on their childcare expenses. I don’t even use the library. I just study at home.”
Sarah Smith, STLCC district dean of libraries, said need is the primary factor for determining hours of operation.
“One way we assess need is by conducting hourly patron counts at the libraries,” she said. “This data allows us to make wise decisions about our operating schedules.
“Most patrons use our libraries Monday through Friday, before 4 or 5 p.m.”
Speaking of need, many of our students have no idea how to excel in academia. They’re mostly first-generation college students who have not been groomed at home on how to effectively matriculate.
I believe it’s in STLCC’s best interest to not only extend hours at its libraries but also to explain to our students why it’s important to spend more time there.