Extended West Library hours will begin on Wednesday, May 6 and will end on Monday, May 11. [File photo]

 The West Library has shortened its hours for the spring 2026 semester—now closing at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday instead of midnight.  

Library Director Elizabeth Howard cited staffing shortages, infrequent patronage and budget cuts as the contributing factors towards the change. 

The spring 2025 semester saw an average of 1.2 students entering the library between 10 p.m. and midnight, according to West Library statistics. This figure rose to 1.5 students during the fall 2025 semester.  

Following the end of the fall 2025 semester, the West Library staff saw the departure of four library student workers, all of which worked the evening shift. The university did not make funding available to West Library to replace the departures.  

 In addition, the evening shift circulation assistant departed the staff Thursday.  

“If we don’t have the people and we don’t have the students showing up to actually use the services, why are we here?” Howard said.  

The change marks the first time in over ten years that the library has closed before midnight on class days during fall or spring semesters.  

“One of the first things I did when I became [library] director in 2015 is that I extended the hours to midnight, and I was very excited about that change and now to take it back is a little bit disheartening,” Howard said.

The change came as a surprise to many students who expressed their dismay. 

“I feel rushed now that I know,” first-year exercise science major Brianna Codina said. “Right now, I’m in [Human] Anatomy & Physiology—that’s a big study-based [course]. I just need as much time as I can get and in other places, I feel like I can’t focus as much as I can focus here.” 

Codina expressed that the shortened hours could conflict with the busy schedules of many students.  

“People have lives, people have late classes, people come from practices and work,” Codina said. “I feel like it should stay open longer; it gives people more time to use the resources.” 

Sophomore psychology major Maddison Luper, a softball player, said she often comes to the library with teammates following practice. With softball practice ending at 6:30 p.m., Luper and her teammates would study in the library until midnight several days a week.  

“It’s really the only time we can come,” Luper said. “We spent a lot of time here last semester until they closed.” 

The library provides many students with technology they don’t otherwise have access to. Luper said she used library computers to take online tests and quizzes for class which were due at 11:59 and required lockdown browsers—a feature she doesn’t have on any of her personal devices.  

Howard urges students in need of library resources after 10 p.m. to use the “Ask a Librarian” chat—a 24/7 feature which can connect students with librarians from universities across the world.

The West Library is now open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. 

The West Library will extend its hours back to the original midnight closing time Monday through Thursday during finals week from May 5 to May 11.