Fondren plans changes for finals hours

By Jeremy Huang     11/18/13 6:00pm

In light of student concerns, the Fondren Library staff plans to improve the student experience during the finals weeks from Dec. 2-17, implementing a number of changes to maximize student study space and limit visitor access to the library, according to David Bynog, Fondren's assistant head of acquisitions. 

"The [pilot] project aims at increasing available spaces in two ways," Bynog said. "The first is by reducing the number of hours that the library is available to visitors, particularly during the evening and nighttime hours that are popular with students. The second is to temporarily increase the [amount of space] for student use."

According to Bynog, an often-voiced concern has been the large presence of visitors at the library, who number about 600-800 a week.

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"[There are] ... visitors who spend many hours studying at Fondren for medical exams [and] take up many of the large tables near windows," Bynog said. "[Rice] students have to search for tables for their studying."

Bynog said a key concern is the availability of space for student use, especially as the demand for space heightens.

"Rice's student population has increased dramatically since 2005 as part of the Vision for the Second Century," Bynog said. "[Students] have increasingly expressed a need for more study space, and we have added more study rooms, tables and chairs in response ..., [but] students [continue] to raise concerns."

According to Bynog, new rooms will be open for students to use for studying during finals.

"[We will open] up the Kyle Morrow Room as a study space during evening and weekend hours and [provide] extra tables and seating in various locations throughout the library," Bynog said.

Former Fondren student employee Omare Okotie-Eboh said he felt the number of visitors in Fondren was never a significant issue.

"Overall, I feel like it is OK ... that we are not the only students in the area," Okotie-Eboh, a Will Rice College junior, said. "The problem is that there are people who come to take advantage of free access to [computer resources] for nonacademic reasons. It's never fun to be distracted by a random visitor loudly playing games or music on the computer next to you."

Okotie-Eboh said he is nevertheless mainly in favor of Fondren's handling of visitors.

"But [it] is important to remember that there are many people outside of Rice who benefit from access to Fondren," Okotie-Eboh said.

Bynog said the library also plans to provide stress-relieving activities, such as a number of study and snack breaks in the weeks leading to finals week.

"On Dec. 4 and 11, granola bars and other snacks will be provided in the fourth-floor Sarah Lane Lounge at 8:30 p.m.," Bynog said. "And on Dec. 9, coffee and popcorn will be available at the circulation desk from 10 p.m. to midnight."

According to Kerry Keck, the assistant university librarian for research services, volunteer animals will visit the library from Dec. 12-14 as pet therapy for worn-out students - an event brought back by popular demand.

"[In past semesters,] students have been very happy with the pet therapy program," Keck said. "They enjoy having a bit of distraction and the stress relief of petting a dog for a few minutes. There have been animals of all shapes, sizes and breeds - mostly dogs, but we might have a kitty or two."

According to Keck, many students indicated they wanted the pet therapy program to continue, and the few who did not mainly had concerns about the sanitary aspect of having animals in the building. Keck said that to address these grievances, pets would be confined to a specific area and earplugs would be provided to those who might be disturbed by the animals' presence. 

Baker College sophomore Mini Bhattacharya said she enjoyed interacting with pets during the stress of studying for finals.

"I love that Fondren organizes the pet therapy event for us because it's such a good way to take a break and relieve stress," Bhattacharya said. "It's refreshing to interact with living beings that aren't panicking about finals, and I leave feeling so much happier."

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