During the first week of Fall Quarter, Weinberg sophomore Olivia Sotos was sitting in Main Library at 11:45 p.m. when the building’s closing alarms began ringing.

Used to studying at the library past midnight, Sotos said the new closing time took her by surprise.

“I felt pretty upset about (the change),” Sotos said. “I didn’t know where to go, and I had so much more studying to do.” 

Main and Deering Libraries closed at 2 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday and at midnight on Friday and Saturday as of the last academic year. But both libraries began closing at midnight this fall, and some students have said they feel frustrated by the new hours, which force them to find alternative late-night study solutions. 

Clare Roccaforte, director of marketing and communication for Northwestern’s libraries, said in an email to The Daily that the change came after analyzing library usage data. 

“Based on recent usage patterns of the three main libraries on the Evanston campus, we elected to slightly scale back the hours of the University and Deering libraries for this academic year,” Roccaforte said. “We welcome community input as we evaluate our options for the future.” 

She added all three libraries will be open 24/7 for students during Reading and Finals weeks and Mudd Library still provides a 24-hour study space for late-night work. 

Medill sophomore Jackson Kruse said the library’s decision has limited students’ scheduling flexibility. He said he would be more understanding if the University shortened the hours to preserve students’ physical and mental health. 

While Mudd is open all night, Kruse also said Main provides a better studying atmosphere. 

“Mudd is bad. It’s sterile. It’s open all night, but not in a way that you’d want it to be,” Kruse said. “(At Main), the vibe changes depending on which part of the library you are in. You could get really nice and quiet upstairs.” 

Sotos said she now struggles to find a place to study past midnight. While some residence halls provide study spots with 24-hour access for their student residents, she said others do not offer similar amenities. 

When Sotos could not find a place to study during the first week of school, she decided to go to her room to work. However, she said her productivity has decreased as a result of limited access to study spaces.

“I live in Plex, so there aren’t that many study spaces, and they’re not my favorite,” Sotos said. “If it’s 1 a.m., and I’m in my room at my desk, it’s not that productive and I just get tired and go to bed.” 

Kruse said his coursework is less intensive, so he doesn’t spend many late nights studying. But he said he sees Main as a social spot, too. 

He and his friends used to spend late nights in Main hanging out and playing games, Kruse said. Now, he said he feels like the library is always about to close, which changes the social atmosphere. 

“If I’m here at 10 (p.m.), it’s like, ‘Oh my god, it’s closing soon. We should get out of here so (we) don’t have to listen to that awful fire alarm,’” Kruse said. 

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @joannah_11

Email: [email protected] 

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