By Shane Shick
Burning the midnight oil
Intense lobbying by RSU president Mike D’Angelo has resulted in extended library hours during the upcoming exam period.
The Ryerson library will now be open until midnight from Monday, Apr. 10 to Tuesday May 2. Regular library hours are in effect on Fridays, but on the weekend, students can hit the books from noon until midnight.
In a press release issued last Monday, D’Angelo said that “extended hours are absolutely necessary!…With so many challenges in front of them, access to educational information should be the least of (students’) concerns.”
The RSU discussed extended library hours with Library services and Ryerson v-p academic Dr. Dennis Mock. Mock approved the new hours.
Ryerson’s Library Access Services head Daniel Phelan says that the 22 day extension is costly, and may have an effect on other services.
“(The extended hours) will cost $6,000. When you spend money on one thing, it has to come out of something else.”
Phelan adds that library services will be monitoring circulation numbers during the exam period to determine the feasibility of implementing the new hours next semester.
“If we find that people are using the library as a study hall, we won’t try this again,” Phelan said.
During the extended hours, only the reference and circulation desks will be open. There will be no service at all on the upper floors.
Computers unplugged
A new energy-conservation plan could mean reducing the operating hours for campus computer facilities.
In a memo to the Ryerson community last month, the department of Physical Plant Operations said it was considering using electronic timers to shut off school computers.
The memo also suggested that computers operate for only eight hours from Monday to Friday, saving more than $300,000.
Sabu Pathan, assistant director of Physical Plant Operations, said energy waste around campus has to be curbed at all costs. “We are used to living in an affluent society which encourages certain luxuries,” he said. “It’s high time we realized these resources are being spent.”
Robin Whittamore, who manages drop-in computer labs in Kerr Hall, the Business building, and the library, objects to closing the labs early. “We cannot reduce our operating hours in any way and still provide the service students need,” he said. “These computers aren’t just for day students, there are continuing education students using them at night, too.”
According to Pathan, one computer running 24 hours a day costs $200 in energy costs per year. If the computer has a laser-printer or other attachments, the cost increases. Ryerson currently pays more than $2 million in energy bills.
Although the proposed times are expensive, Pathan said the money saved by conserving energy will pay off the costs in seven years.
He insisted operating hours are “still being negotiated” and that no plans regarding the timers will be finalized without proper consultation of all departments. Department heads however, aren’t sending the information needed to make a decision.
Leave a Reply