The Oswego State Student Association has been in talks about some changes that could come in future years. Two of these are extended library hours and improved accessibility for textbooks. By making textbooks easier to access and the library being open for more hours, Oswego State could become a place that truly understands that academics come first.
The purpose of schooling is to get an education and often times, a degree. A lot of the time, this idea is lost in the various clubs, sports and partying that happens on and off campus. SA, by wanting the library to be open 24 hours a day, would be making it much easier to continue studies while not being cramped in the 24-hour study room. This room, on school nights and Saturday nights, is usually filled to the brim with students trying to get work done. Having this room available is a great first step into having a place for students to study. When there are no empty tables late at night, a student would need to look elsewhere.
The biggest problem that would arise by increasing hours is finding the necessary staff to run the check-out desk or technology help desk during the new hours. If a student begins to work, then realize they need to take a book home with them, someone needs to be there to check it out. If the want for the library to be open 24 hours a day is popular enough, then increased pay for overnight shifts should be offered to those library employees.
The second idea highlighted by SA is the improved accessibility of textbooks. This is, pretty much without question, a great idea. Textbooks are only one of the many exorbitant costs of attending college, and they are overpriced. Creating a textbook is difficult, of course, but to charge over a hundred dollars on a digital copy of a textbook is just money-grabbing and taking advantage of college students who do not have a choice or, often, a steady income.
SA is proposing expanding a now-available method to get PDFs of textbooks needed for courses and creating a database of sorts for books. This would make college, with the introduction of the Excelsior Scholarship, a much more affordable option for people who are trying to improve their lives. Many students who cannot afford books choose to not purchase them and attempt to do the assignments without the readings to help, or do not do the assignments at all.
By increasing the hours the library is available and making textbooks easier to get, or eliminating textbook costs altogether, Oswego State could become a more inclusive and affordable campus.
Photo by Julia Tilley | The Oswegonian
