This school year is moving very quickly, and one thing that lingers in people's minds is the library hours and how it is affecting students here on campus.
The library has always been a quiet place for students to go and get work done. But with the hours being cut short because of COVID and staff related issues, students are having a hard time managing their study hours and finding new ways to get work done.
Students like Ridge Chautin, a freshman here at Spring Hill, expressed his thoughts on the library closing early by saying, “Usually I like to get work done at night and with the library closing at 5 P.M. it really gives me a hard time to figure out study routines. This prevents me from having a quiet place to study and in result forces me to either study in the Caf or in my room which can be distracting in both places.”
Senior, Grace McCann, spoke about her feelings towards the library closing early and said, “The library shortening its hours has made me find other places to study. I now study outside or at coffee shops because the library is usually not open when I like to study. It's been different not seeing the usual people in the library because the library has always been a home to people and it has to me the past 3 years.” Grace mentioned that hopefully in the spring the hours will go back to normal so that she can finish out her senior year the right way.
Library director, Gentry Holbert, spoke about the library and the reasons behind the hours by expressing, “The main reason for the hours are my staff. I don’t have the staff like I used to, and that is the thing that frustrates me the most. I just wish I had the staff so that I can give the students what they want which is more hours.”
When asked about COVID protocols she said, “The library is still a safe place to come study, there are plenty of open areas to study at and things are constantly cleaned, such as returned books.” She continued to explain that hours for next semester are still up in the air because of staff issues and hopes that things will get back to normal for the students here at Spring Hill.