It's late in the evening as the hour hand approaches midnight. A voice passes through the intercom announcing the closure of the Ned R. McWherter Library.
This time of the night does not affect the study hours of many University of Memphis students. Others, however, feel an increase in library circulation hours would give certain students more time to gather their work.
For Phillip Taylor, junior mechanical engineering major, study time is a big deal.
"It makes the biggest difference between a 2.5 and 3.0," Taylor said.Although Taylor said he has been given sufficient time to do his class work, he agrees that the idea of a 24-hour library would help many other students in need of more study time.
Taylor, who sees the library as a quiet place to study, said late night work can bother roommates.
"If you live with someone or share a dorm, it would be helpful to that person living with you," Taylor said.
Recently, Harvard's Undergraduate Council released an "executive summary" demanding a 24-hour library, according to a Newsweek article.The paper, based on a survey of 300 students, reported that 92 percent supported a 24-hour library. It also reported that the lack of a 24-hour facility threatened the well-being of undergraduates.
Taylor said there has been only a couple times where he has felt the pressure.
"It can affect your immune system," Taylor said.
Victor Davis, senior journalism major, said a 24-hour library would help every student on campus, especially those who work part- or full-time.
"The stress level affects you more psychologically than physically," said Davis, who works part-time at Outback Steakhouse.
The health of people who work is affected especially during finals and midterms, Davis said.
If Harvard gets its demand, it would join five other Ivy League schools that already have 24-hour spaces.
Drexel University's Hahnemann Library has a 24-hour study room but, much like The U of M, its main facilities close at midnight Mondays through Thursdays.
The University of Texas at Arlington's central library opens continuously from Sunday at 9 a.m. to Friday at 8 p.m.
The subject of keeping The U of M's library open for 24 hours has come up, but it has only been up long enough to laugh at, according to Edwin Frank, associate professor of libraries.
"We would need a substantial increase in staff members," Frank said. "They were thinking of merging with library technology, but SACS said they didn't have the staff."
Currently, the library has only 88 staff members.
Frank said the library would need a "skeleton crew" and that a 24-hour facility could not happen without drastic funding.
Elizabeth Chiozza, freshman undecided major, said she believes a 24-hour facility might be a cause for security concerns.
"It will be easier for people who get off work," she said, "but it would be bad as far as security."
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