Hilles and Lamont Try Extended Hours

The two main Harvard undergraduate libraries have extended their hours from 12 mid night to 1 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday, but despite the change. Harvard remains the Ivy League college with the second shortest library hours per week.

Harvard's Lamont and Hilles libraries are now open 90 hours weekly, less than any other Ivy League library's other than Yale's The other six schools average more than 100 hours a week.

Erica F. Eisenberg '86, a member of the Committee on College late that recommended the change last spring said there was some resistance by administration officials who were concerned the longer hours would encourage students to study too late at night.

But the change is experimental, said Heather E. Cole, head librarian at Lamont and Hilles, and will depend partly on student use during the new hours She added that student monitors will make head counts during midterms this fall, as it is too early to determine the success of the change now.

Another consideration is the safety of the library staff, Cole said. The shuttle bus schedule has not been coordinated with the new hours, so some students workers must want until 1:40 a.m. for a ride to the Quad and 1:25 a.m. to the River Houses. And non-student staff members will be unable to take the MBTA home, as it stops running at 12:15 a.m. on weekdays.

Although many students were unaware of the schedule change, which has been in effect since the beginning of classes, some were enthusiastic about the longer hours A note on the Lamont suggestion board reads. "Thanx for the 1 a.m.!"

Clare E. Martin '85, who lives in North House, said that participating in a varsity sport and holding down a job force her to do most of her studying at night North has no facilities for late night studying, she explained, adding that working in her room "can be very distracting."

In January 1981, about 70 students staged a one-hour sit-into call for 24-hours library service In response, the College made class-rooms in the Science Center available around the clock during reading period and finals, but students complained of overcrowding and a high-pressure atmosphere.

The College Life committee, a 10-member group of Faculty and Undergraduate Council representatives, resurrected the issue as one of its first items of business last winter.

No final date has been set for a decision on the experimental hours, but Coles will make a recommendation one way or the other later the semester.