Sinéad Baker | Deputy Online Editor
The number of Sundays that the BLU Library has been open in Hilary Term has been cut by six this year compared with previous years. The BLU Library delayed reinstating Sunday openings until today, March 2nd, despite doing so from January in the past.
A library representative has told The University Times that Sunday ‘unserviced’ (with the service counters remaining closed) opening hours will commence from today until the end of the exam period in mid-May. Serviced Sunday opening hours are due to begin St. Patrick’s Weekend.
The Students’ Union has claimed that the library’s standard practice over the last number of years has been to advertise Sunday opening hours as ‘TBA’ though invariably Sunday opening hours, from 11am-5pm, were realised from the beginning of January. A screenshot of the library website from January 2nd 2013 shows that this practice was in place last year.
The Union has also said that it was informed by the library last July that this policy would not change for the current academic year; however, until today the library had not opened on a Sunday since last May.
When contacted about the delay in extending opening hours this year, Acting Librarian Jessie Kurtz stated that “the pattern for this year has not yet been finalised because it will be informed by the use of the Library during the pilot 24/7 opening of the BLU libraries during March-May last year with funds arranged by the SU.”
When asked why they did not inform the Students’ Union as to the change in policy this year, Ms Kurtz maintained that “the Library works closely with the SU and the GSU [Graduate Students’ Union] on opening hours and other Library-related matters and there is a keen appreciation by all that resources are limited and must be targeted towards the greatest needs.”
Students’ Union Education Officer Jack Leahy stated that “the positive response to the announcement of restored hours sends a clear message that College should heed the imperative to adequately resource student academic services. If Trinity wants to compete internationally, then authorities are obliged to bring services up to standard. Library access is but a small part of this, but we are nonetheless grateful that library staff worked hard to facilitate our requests.”
The 24 hour study area has remained open on a Sunday as per usual this term. Ms Kurtz claimed that “apart from a few hours mid-afternoon on Saturdays, there are generally spaces available at this time of the year”; however, reports have reached UT of a lack of available space on a Sunday, with many students being forced to study on the floor of the 24 hour space.
Senior Sophister History and Political Science student Alex Sloan spoke to to the The University Times on the issue: “My personal opinion is that the weekend Library service is quite frankly unacceptable for a university of Trinity’s standing.
“Prior to this weekend, there were a mere 100 seats available for approximately 12,000 undergraduate students on a Sunday. Depending on the week, the 24 hour area would typically be full by mid-morning through to early evening. Students can quite often be seen sitting on the floor, notes in hand, waiting on a free desk. Surely the students of TCD deserve better?”
Junior Sophister Microbiology student Claire Donlon added, “It is true when the Library staff say there are spaces in the 24 hour apart from the rush hours. However, these spaces are at desks with broken sockets or on the floor. It is true that there are times when the 24 hour study space sees a higher demand than usual. It should be the responsibility of the authorities to meet this demand.”
Students’ Union President Tom Lenihan told The University Times “The SU has lobbied extensively for [Sunday opening hours] to happen and the delay was reflected in administrative demands the library faces. Our position is that Sunday opening hours are a priority for students and the library has acted on this.”
The library has advised both the Students’ Union and the Graduate Students’ Union that the pattern of opening hours in the run up to and for the exam period this year have not yet been finalised. They will be informed by the use of the library during the pilot 24/7 opening hours of the BLU last year. The library is attempting “to try and match our opening hours and services to the peak times of use identified during the pilot last year, within the available resources.”
Photo by Andrew Murphy
