Page History

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Last fall, as a part of a continuing effort to make the library as strong and utilized a resource as possible, the Drew University Library Committee, administration, and staff introduced expanded hours for studying. These hours were made effective for the last seven weeks of the semester, and extended the library's open hours five days of the week--from midnight until 2:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Fridays.

Wiki MarkupThese extended hours were born out of student need and the expression of that need to Library Director Dr. Andrew Scrimgeour and other staff members. According to Dr. Scrimgeour, the movement to increase hours was spearheaded by the student government of the College of Liberal Arts and later supported by both the graduate and theological students. President of the Student Government Association, senior senior Spencer Bates \ [C '02\] reflected, "It is a great thing. It demonstrates the responsiveness of the University Library to the student body. All of the students I have talked to about it express their gratitude and hope it will continue."

That show of gratitude has frequently been expressed by "students voting with their feet." When the idea was proposed, Dr. Scrimgeour expected the experiment to be a success if twenty students used the facility on an average night; however, the results have been astounding. The average number of students using the library during those extended hours ranged from a low during the shortened Thanksgiving week of thirty-six to a high during the week of final exams of nearly one hundred people! These statistics were far greater than even the most optimistic of library administrators could have predicted, and the student feedback has been just as resounding. CLA senior Jennifer Dolores used the library during those hours and reported, "Having the building open late was very helpful. I had a big exam and the library was a great place for me to study. While I was there, I noticed that I was not the only one taking advantage of the hours; there were people all over the building. As a library employee, I know that the extended hours are difficult for the staff, but they are really helpful for the students."

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Staffing the Library during the extra hours has been a large concern for Dr. Scrimgeour and the rest of the library staff. Because the entire facility is open, not merely one room or area as has been tried in previous years, proper supervision of the building was essential. Last fall the program was monitored by Public Safety officers after the circulation and reference staff left at midnight. In the spring, library personnel oversaw the extra hours. Funding the extended hours in the future has not been entirely resolved. Despite this difficulty, though, the library staff is determined to continue to better serve student needs. "We want this place used," says Dr. Scrimgeour, and in answer to the current issue of funding, he says that a proposal has been submitted to adapt the next budget to accommodate a continuation of these services. Until then, however, the director says, "We will be open when the need is real. We don't know how, but we'll do it."

Wiki MarkupThat attitude is a relief to the hundreds of students from all three of Drew's schools who consistently use the library, and it is refreshing to see such collaboration between each school of Drew University and the University Library. This move towards extended hours is a generous and responsive way to better serve the Drew community and the members of the community have responded resoundingly.\[

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I am almost afraid to observe out loud that the typical book from a university press is without advertisement, save perhaps for the dust jacket, for I do not want to jinx the situation. Even popular books, the so-called trade books, rarely disrupt their texts with ads. Some now place a few at the end of volumes, but the text flows without interruption. For the moment, books are a port safe from the hucksters. Is it naïve to hope that they will always be free from commercial harassment? Wiki Markup\-\- Andrew D. Scrimgeour\[

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- Andrew D. Scrimgeour[

Recent Gifts to the University Library

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Drew Says Farewell to Robert L. Chapman

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The maintenance of life became life itself in the Potemkin Village of the model ghetto, and this unusual dissertation is ultimately a celebration of life.

Wiki Markup\[Sloane Drayson-Knigge received her Ph.D. at Commencement on May 19, 2002.\]

2002 Bela Kornitzer Prize

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