Due to the high demand of students requesting a round-the-clock

library, the university library system and the Associated Students

of Madison announced Aug. 5 that College Library would be open 24

hours a day, fve days a week beginning fall semester.

The decision came after analyzing the usage of the small wing in

the Memorial Library, which was open 24 hours, seven days a week

between Sept. 2, 2002, and May 30, 2003, excluding official

breaks.

During spring semester, ASM collected nearly 3,000 petitions

from students who were in favor of a 24-hour library on campus.

“We need a 24-hour library so every student, regardless of their

schedule, has an opportunity to utilize all the wonderful services

College Library has to offer,” said Matt Modell, outgoing chair of

ASM’s 24-hour library campaign. Modell has since resigned all

association with ASM to take a position with the Badger Herald.

“This is also beneficial to students who want to study past 2:45

a.m. or before 9:30 a.m., which is when I believe the library

previously opened,” he added.

Modell has been working to open a 24-hour library since spring

semester of 2002.

According to Ken Frazier, the University of Wisconsin Library

director, the small wing of Memorial Library was opened in

mid-September as a trial to see how many people would use a 24-hour

library.

Statistics showed that approximately 23,906 students used the

small wing of the library after hours during the 2002-’03 school

year. The study area seemed to draw many occasional users rather

than a smaller number of regular users.

“It was found that few of the same students used the facility

most of the time, but rather a lot of students used it once in a

while,” Frazier said.

Frazier noted that at high-demand periods, more than 300 people

used the facility on any given night between Sunday and Thursday.

Statistics also showed that on Friday and Saturday nights, usage

dropped to zero.

According to Modell, student surveys found that College Library

was preferred, due to more resources available.

“Students will now have silent study areas, group study areas, a

complete computer lab available, reserved items, ability to check

out items, and access to vending machines,” Modell said. “The small

wing of Memorial Library that had been available 24 hours was being

utilized, and that did not offer hardly any of the resources that

College Library will offer to students.”

One concern stemming from College Library’s new hours is the

possible effect on the cleanliness of the building. Last year,

Memorial Library was found to be messiest during the late

hours.

“We’re worried about the physical condition of the building,”

Frazier said. “I think the greatest challenge would be keeping

College Library cleaned.”

Beginning fall semester, College Library will now open at 10

a.m. Sunday and remain open until 11:45 p.m. Friday. The library

will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.

According to Frazier, the small wing of Memorial Library will no

longer be open 24 hours.