Spring Break
Forum to discuss library hour expansion
Survey results of hours will be presented
Bob Bajek / Student Government Editor
Issue date: 3/10/09 Section: News
Student Senate will host a forum to discuss possibly expanding Booth Library's hours at 7 p.m. today in the Northwest Resource Room at Booth Library.
The Academic Affairs Committee will present data from the library hours survey conducted by the committee in February.
Allen Lanham, dean of library services at Booth, will present the concerns the library has in expanding the hours with regard to issues such as funding, personnel and scheduling.
The library is open a total of 98 hours a week, and Student Senate has proposed adding seven hours to the current availability.
Lanham has said the library would probably not expand because of budgetary concerns and students would have to demonstrate a need for the extended hours.
At the forum, Chris Kromphardt, Academic Affairs Committee chair, will deliver input the committee received from the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils, Black Student Union, Faculty Senate, Library Advisory Board, Graduate Student Advisory Council and Student Organization Council.
He will also present the results from the survey.
The survey had 180 responses from students, which Kromphardt said fell short of the hoped-for thousand respondents.
"A thousand would have been ideal because that data would be closer to a scientific sample, but we aren't arguing that it is a scientific sample," Kromphardt said.
He said the survey shows validity because it had a range of satisfaction.
The survey showed a combined 53 percent were "very satisfied," "satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with the current hours. Forty percent were dissatisfied in varying degrees. Seven percent were neutral.
Of 177 respondents, 49.7 percent said they would "very strongly support" having the library open from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, and 33 percent "very strongly" supported opening Booth at 7 a.m. instead of 8 a.m.
When asked if they would use the library during the new hours, 45.7 percent of 160 respondents said "do not know," "probably will not" or "definitely will not" use the library at 7 a.m. opposed to 24.4 percent who "definitely" would.
Similarly, 36 percent out of 161 respondents said they would use the library Friday evening as opposed to the 34.8 percent who "do not know," "probably will not" or "definitely will not" use those hours.
Kromphardt will also address the possibility of shifting the hours instead of expanding them.
Time could be transferred from a morning or evening not frequently used by students to a time students prefer.
For example, Kromphardt said the library is dead on Thursday evenings, and instead suggested keeping Friday open from 5 to 7 p.m.
"Shifting could be a solution," he said. "It is more financially feasible."
Kromphardt said it would be difficult for President Bill Perry to approve more money to the library in order to increase hours.
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
The Academic Affairs Committee will present data from the library hours survey conducted by the committee in February.
Allen Lanham, dean of library services at Booth, will present the concerns the library has in expanding the hours with regard to issues such as funding, personnel and scheduling.
The library is open a total of 98 hours a week, and Student Senate has proposed adding seven hours to the current availability.
Lanham has said the library would probably not expand because of budgetary concerns and students would have to demonstrate a need for the extended hours.
At the forum, Chris Kromphardt, Academic Affairs Committee chair, will deliver input the committee received from the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils, Black Student Union, Faculty Senate, Library Advisory Board, Graduate Student Advisory Council and Student Organization Council.
He will also present the results from the survey.
The survey had 180 responses from students, which Kromphardt said fell short of the hoped-for thousand respondents.
"A thousand would have been ideal because that data would be closer to a scientific sample, but we aren't arguing that it is a scientific sample," Kromphardt said.
He said the survey shows validity because it had a range of satisfaction.
The survey showed a combined 53 percent were "very satisfied," "satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with the current hours. Forty percent were dissatisfied in varying degrees. Seven percent were neutral.
Of 177 respondents, 49.7 percent said they would "very strongly support" having the library open from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, and 33 percent "very strongly" supported opening Booth at 7 a.m. instead of 8 a.m.
When asked if they would use the library during the new hours, 45.7 percent of 160 respondents said "do not know," "probably will not" or "definitely will not" use the library at 7 a.m. opposed to 24.4 percent who "definitely" would.
Similarly, 36 percent out of 161 respondents said they would use the library Friday evening as opposed to the 34.8 percent who "do not know," "probably will not" or "definitely will not" use those hours.
Kromphardt will also address the possibility of shifting the hours instead of expanding them.
Time could be transferred from a morning or evening not frequently used by students to a time students prefer.
For example, Kromphardt said the library is dead on Thursday evenings, and instead suggested keeping Friday open from 5 to 7 p.m.
"Shifting could be a solution," he said. "It is more financially feasible."
Kromphardt said it would be difficult for President Bill Perry to approve more money to the library in order to increase hours.
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
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