Student resources should be open later on Youngstown State University’s campus. Students, who pay to attend YSU, should have access to the library, computer labs and sitting areas after 7 p.m.
Maag Library closes at 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and many student assignments are due at midnight. That is a 5-hour gap between when the library closes and assignments are usually due. If a student does not have access to their own laptop or a computer lab, it is frequently recommended that the student visits the library. Students may find themselves without a way to finish assignments after the library locks its doors.
These hours, especially on weekends, limit the time students can spend working in a building they help fund with their tuition.
Neighboring schools such as Kent State University and Westminster College have very different hours compared to YSU.
Kent State University’s library is open from 7:30 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 12p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Westminster College’s library is open from 7:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 to 4:30 on Friday, 9 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday.
These hours are much more suitable for the busy lives of college students. Some students work two jobs, or they are taking six classes and do not have much time to visit the library.
The library is a valuable resource for many students on campus. It provides a quiet place to work and sources for class projects and research papers. The open shelves, archives, microfiche machines, and computer labs are all things students may need access to after 7 p.m.
The library is also a place for students to work in peace. For those who commute, the library gets them away from their family and all the responsibilities that come with being at home. For those who live in the dorms, the library provides a quiet space away from loud roommates.
YSU’s Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness Center opens earlier and closes later than the library. It is also open on weekends. Of course, the rec center is a valuable resource that many students use. However, if it is understood that students will choose to exercise after 7 p.m., or on weekends, it is likely some students will choose to do homework or study at those times in a campus facility as well.
For Jambar production days on Wednesdays, we are typically in our office working until around 9:00 p.m., and by that time, the lights in the Hub have been shut off and the doors are locked, so when we go to leave, we must navigate the maze of tables and chairs in the dark.
YSU needs to acknowledge the needs and wants of students for services that our tuition goes toward funding but remain unfulfilled.