As a full-time student, there is nothing more valuable than time. Classwork and extracurricular activities take up significant amounts of any student’s time and without the right resources and spaces, that time has the potential to double.
Entering into the spring semester at SUNY Oswego, a number of spaces have reopened for students use. The Marano Campus Center Ice Arena was converted into a gym, dine-in options have become available in the dining halls and students can rent out spaces in the Marano Campus Center for group work. With all of these transitions being made, there is still one area that has not been made particularly accessible to students: Penfield Library.
SUNY Oswego’s on-campus library has reduced its hours following the COVID-19 pandemic. Moving from the regular 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Monday through Friday to 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m., plus a cleaning hour between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
While the importance of cleaning and sanitizing high-contact surfaces is not something that should be taken lightly, considering the nature of the world we are living in today, it is absurd to think that the entire three-story building is being cleaned in one hour. Furthermore, closing the main sections of the library force many students to go work in the “24-Hour Room,” leaving less distance between individuals and a higher concentration of people in one enclosed space. Not only is this increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19, it is an unfortunate reflection of SUNY Oswego’s focus on academics.
After the fitness center opened in the Marano Campus Center, the hours of operation for the building immediately changed, offering students more options for their schedules. While I am not disparaging the decision to reopen the fitness center or to allow students more opportunities to increase their fitness, I do find it questionable that the same adjustments have not been made for the library.
Many students rely on the library to complete classwork or access the various resources that are available. Now, more than ever, students need space to work on assignments and classwork other than their dorm room, where many students spend all day taking online classes. Without a safe space to complete assignments and work uninterrupted and undistracted, it is difficult for students to remain diligent and focused.
As someone who personally benefits from doing work outside of the living space, it has been frustrating to see a valuable resource removed. Closing the library at 7 p.m. does not account for the various students who need a quiet, private space to work after getting out of class, work, practice or meetings. Further, having one of the most high traffic times, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. closed puts further strain on the limited private spaces near class buildings and interrupts the students already working.
It is questionable that the fitness center, which generates some revenue, might adjust hours for entire buildings, but the building representative of academia goes ignored.
Photo from Flickr
