Iowa State is experimenting during this upcoming Dead Week and Finals Week to accommodate the growing student population and student demand.

For the first time, Parks Library will be open 24/7 throughout Dead Week and Finals Week to provide students with a centralized study area. The longer hours will allow students to study continuously without interrupting their studies to go home at 2 a.m. when the library usually closes.

Both Beth McNeil, dean of the library, and Jonathan Wickert, senior vice president and provost, played influential roles in ensuring that this experiment came to fruition. Both said they listened to student demand.

“This is a topic that Student Government had brought up about having the library be open around the clock during Finals Week and Dead Week,” Wickert said. “Students brought it up, and actually, Dean McNeil had been thinking along the same lines.”

McNeil, who arrived on campus from Purdue University in July, said a student approached her in mid-fall asking about the possibility of having the library open to study 24/7. McNeil, who said she takes student success very seriously, immediately began working with other staff to ensure that this was a possibility.

“The library staff are committed to student success, so while this is a change for us, I would say we’re on board with making it work,” McNeil said.

Wickert also said that ensuring students have uninterrupted study time is important to faculty. The faculty members understand the pressures students are under and don’t want them to have to be kicked out of the library at 2 a.m.

“If a student is there really late at night studying … the faculty member in me doesn’t want to have to kick them out of the library,” Wickert said.

Traer Schon, senior in journalism and mass communication, said that although he isn’t sure he will use the library in the middle of the night, it’s nice to have it as an option.

“It would definitely be helpful just because if you’re working on something and having to change places or something, it could disrupt that, so I think it will be a good change,” Schon said.

George Knight, an exchange student in political science, said he is looking forward to not having to leave the library at closing time.

“I get more distracted at home, so I won’t have to go home,” Knight said. “I can sleep here.”

The faculty also thought about students’ health during this time, and while they are encouraging students to spend their time studying in the library, they are also encouraging students to take their health seriously and know when they need to sleep. They want happy, healthy, well-prepared students, McNeil said, which Wickert agreed with.

“Taking care of themselves means getting sleep,” Wickert said. “It means eating healthy food. It also means exercise and taking a break.”

Wickert and McNeil plan on being at the library at least once during that 24/7 period to work and speak with students. McNeil will work two overnight shifts, and Wickert will come in during the middle of the night one night to speak to students and gather feedback.

If having the library open 24/7 is a success this semester, the school intends to continue doing it. McNeil said the library staff will also have extra campus security patrols coming through the library throughout the night to ensure the safety of students. At least one regular library staff member will always be there, along with student employees assisting them.

Wickert believes the different groups around campus working together will make it a success.

“It’s an example of both students and the administration thinking about this at the same time and coming together collaboratively,” Wickert said.