ARL, CNI, SPARC; ARL, CNI, SPARC

library, which can be closed off from the rest of the building. Some of these libraries have a “learning commons,” and others have only certain floors open for 24 hours. The remaining respondents in this group maintain regular 24/7 or 24/5 schedules in a library other than the main library, often in a science or engineering library. D. Those with main libraries open 24/7 only during finals—13 total (20%) E. Those with no 24-hour access indicated—6 total (9%) The compilation of responses showed that, among the 66 respondents, Olin Library is situated within the largest group like 36% percent of the respondents, we have a 24/7 space (Whispers Café), and this space is outside, though attached to, the main library. The responses also revealed other ways that ARL libraries provide 24-hour access. Among our respondents, more libraries operate RLI 277 18 Keeping the Doors Open: Exploring 24-Hour Library Access at Washington University ( C O N T I N U E D ) DECEMBER 2011 RESEARCH LIBRARY ISSUES: A QUARTERLY REPORT FROM ARL, CNI, AND SPARC A: 24/7 most of year (9%) B: 24/5 most of year (26%) C: 24/7 or 24/5 space (36%) D: 24/7 only during finals (20%) E: no 24-hour access (9%) 24-Hour Access in 66 ARL Libraries as reported in January 2011

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library, which can be closed off from the rest of the building. Some of these libraries have a “learning commons,” and others have only certain floors open for 24 hours. The remaining respondents in this group maintain regular 24/7 or 24/5 schedules in a library other than the main library, often in a science or engineering library. D. Those with main libraries open 24/7 only during finals—13 total (20%) E. Those with no 24-hour access indicated—6 total (9%) The compilation of responses showed that, among the 66 respondents, Olin Library is situated within the largest group like 36% percent of the respondents, we have a 24/7 space (Whispers Café), and this space is outside, though attached to, the main library. The responses also revealed other ways that ARL libraries provide 24-hour access. Among our respondents, more libraries operate RLI 277 18 Keeping the Doors Open: Exploring 24-Hour Library Access at Washington University ( C O N T I N U E D ) DECEMBER 2011 RESEARCH LIBRARY ISSUES: A QUARTERLY REPORT FROM ARL, CNI, AND SPARC A: 24/7 most of year (9%) B: 24/5 most of year (26%) C: 24/7 or 24/5 space (36%) D: 24/7 only during finals (20%) E: no 24-hour access (9%) 24-Hour Access in 66 ARL Libraries as reported in January 2011

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Friday, and until 10:00 p.m. Saturday. During reading and exam weeks, we remain open until 4:00 a.m. After midnight during the normal schedule and reading and exam weeks, the Help Desk is staffed entirely by student workers permanent staff leave at midnight. Access to Olin is restricted to valid Washington University ID holders via card swipe after 9:00 p.m. Olin has an attached café, Whispers, on the first floor. The 5,000-square-foot café serves as our 24/7 space during the fall and spring semesters and provides soft seating, tables, computers, printers, restrooms, and vending machines. Food service in Whispers ends at midnight Sunday through Thursday nights and at 3:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday afternoons. One security guard attends Whispers during the overnight hours. Our Exploration of Library Hours January 2011: Dean Shirley Baker engages ARL colleagues in discussion about library hours Responding to user needs is, of course, a primary concern for our library, as is making decisions based on a complete investigation and data-supported understanding of the expressed need and how best to fulfill it. Recognizing that in their Service Quality Survey comments, students were comparing Olin Library’s hours to their perceptions of other major research libraries’ hours, Dean of University Libraries Shirley Baker initiated a discussion with her colleagues via the ARL Directors Discussion List. Gathering this information from our peers helped us to achieve a better understanding of how our current hours compare with those of other research libraries. Dean Baker’s message to the list included the following questions: • Do you keep your main library open 24/7? • If not, how many hours per week is your main library open? Of the 126 ARL libraries, 66 libraries responded. Respondents fell roughly into five categories: A. Those with main libraries open 24/7 most of the year—6 total (9%) B. Those with main libraries open 24/5 most of the year—17 total (26%) C. Those with 24/7 or 24/5 spaces within or attached to the main library, or in a separate library—24 total (36%). Roughly half of the respondents in this group have a 24/7 or 24/5 space within or attached to the main RLI 277 17 Keeping the Doors Open: Exploring 24-Hour Library Access at Washington University ( C O N T I N U E D ) DECEMBER 2011 RESEARCH LIBRARY ISSUES: A QUARTERLY REPORT FROM ARL, CNI, AND SPARC

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Friday, and until 10:00 p.m. Saturday. During reading and exam weeks, we remain open until 4:00 a.m. After midnight during the normal schedule and reading and exam weeks, the Help Desk is staffed entirely by student workers permanent staff leave at midnight. Access to Olin is restricted to valid Washington University ID holders via card swipe after 9:00 p.m. Olin has an attached café, Whispers, on the first floor. The 5,000-square-foot café serves as our 24/7 space during the fall and spring semesters and provides soft seating, tables, computers, printers, restrooms, and vending machines. Food service in Whispers ends at midnight Sunday through Thursday nights and at 3:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday afternoons. One security guard attends Whispers during the overnight hours. Our Exploration of Library Hours January 2011: Dean Shirley Baker engages ARL colleagues in discussion about library hours Responding to user needs is, of course, a primary concern for our library, as is making decisions based on a complete investigation and data-supported understanding of the expressed need and how best to fulfill it. Recognizing that in their Service Quality Survey comments, students were comparing Olin Library’s hours to their perceptions of other major research libraries’ hours, Dean of University Libraries Shirley Baker initiated a discussion with her colleagues via the ARL Directors Discussion List. Gathering this information from our peers helped us to achieve a better understanding of how our current hours compare with those of other research libraries. Dean Baker’s message to the list included the following questions: • Do you keep your main library open 24/7? • If not, how many hours per week is your main library open? Of the 126 ARL libraries, 66 libraries responded. Respondents fell roughly into five categories: A. Those with main libraries open 24/7 most of the year—6 total (9%) B. Those with main libraries open 24/5 most of the year—17 total (26%) C. Those with 24/7 or 24/5 spaces within or attached to the main library, or in a separate library—24 total (36%). Roughly half of the respondents in this group have a 24/7 or 24/5 space within or attached to the main RLI 277 17 Keeping the Doors Open: Exploring 24-Hour Library Access at Washington University ( C O N T I N U E D ) DECEMBER 2011 RESEARCH LIBRARY ISSUES: A QUARTERLY REPORT FROM ARL, CNI, AND SPARC

with a 24/5 schedule—opening on Sunday morning and remaining open until Friday evening—than with a 24/7 schedule. February 2011: Formation of Library Hours Committee Following our compilation of the responses to the ARL Directors List inquiry, Dean Baker appointed the Library Hours Committee to investigate issues related to our libraries’ hours and to make recommendations for change to the Dean’s Council. As the Library Hours Committee began its work, responses to the ARL list inquiry gave us a greater awareness of the possibilities for providing 24-hour access. In addition to reporting their hours, many respondents shared insights, suggestions, questions, and concerns about providing 24-hour access in their libraries, and these helped the committee to frame our own investigation: • Some respondents recommended piloting 24-hour access before declaring it a long-term plan, in case the service needs to be revised after implementation or is not heavily used. • Several respondents raised the question of what users really want when they ask for 24-hour access to the library: physical collections, course reserves, research assistance, computing resources, quiet study spaces, or a combination of these? • Budgets were a concern. Some respondents share the cost of providing 24-hour access with their student government associations. Some are unable to provide 24-hour access due to budgetary constraints. • Safety of users and security of collections were common themes. How can libraries ensure the safety of students arriving and leaving the library in the middle of the night? How can they ensure the security of collections and buildings? Would restricting access to only certain areas of the library help? Among respondents who provide some level of 24-hour access, deploying overnight security personnel is common. RLI 277 19 Keeping the Doors Open: Exploring 24-Hour Library Access at Washington University ( C O N T I N U E D ) DECEMBER 2011 RESEARCH LIBRARY ISSUES: A QUARTERLY REPORT FROM ARL, CNI, AND SPARC

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