To meet increased demand for study spaces, the Eugene McDermott Library is reinstating a 24 hour schedule from Monday to Thursday.
From Sunday at 11 a.m. to Friday at 8 p.m., students can stop by 24 hours a day. On Saturday, students can visit from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The library has not been open for 24 hours since online classes became widespread in 2020.
“This is a response to students’ needs and serves those who need it…Everything the library does is for the students,” Travis Goode, assistant director of public services, said. “We would like to see the usage increase.”
Dean of the McDermott Library Ellen Safley said that with the return to in-person instruction, students are expressing a need to use the library more often. Management responded by bringing back the longer hours of operation. Safley spoke with UTD President Richard Benson and Vice President and Chief of Staff Rafael Martín, who both said that the demand for library resources has increased as a result of student growth and post-COVID changes.
“There is a new overnight staff. A whole new team was hired to do this job,” Safley said.
Students must have an active Comet Card to enter the library after 10:30 p.m., for safety reasons. Police will keep the library and its surroundings under observation overnight for an additional layer of security.
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