From Monday 6th May, the Arts and Social Sciences Library has followed through with plans to open for twenty-four hours a day during exam period due to popular demand.  However, students have noted a lack of organisation and have thus been inconvenienced, which they believe might effect their chances of exam success.
The twenty-four hour opening of the ASSL comes as a result of years of campaigning and negotiating with the University.  There has been phenomenal demand for this by students due to the lack of spaces in the Julian Hodge building, which is situated close to the library.  The opening shows how student feedback through the NSS, student representatives system, and other forms of communication can result in changes within the University.
One of the issues with getting twenty-four hour opening hours is staffing; the ASSL has had to bring in agency staff to cover the late night shifts.  This caused problems on the 10th May when the agency staff did not arrive for their shift, meaning that the library had to close at the normal time and delayed opening on the Sunday.  This resulted in students queueing and waiting until 10am for the library to open.
Beth Button, Cardiff StudentsÔÇÖ UnionÔÇÖs Education and Affairs Officer, said of the issue, ÔÇ£Whilst there have been some minor issues with staffing, these do not detract from the positive impact the opening hours have had on students during their assessment period.ÔÇØ
For the moment, the twenty-four hour opening hours will run as a pilot period from 6th May until 9th June, to examine student demand. It will coincide with the internal assessment period.  Demand for the new scheme has so far been high, with over 120 students using it on the first night.
Beth Button also said that ÔÇ£the opening of the ASSL for twenty-four hours is a much needed response to student demand for increased and more flexible study space during the assessment period, when the current twenty-four hour study space in Julian Hodge is overcrowded and doesnÔÇÖt meet studentsÔÇÖ needs.
ÔÇ£The response from students has been overwhelmingly positive, with a large number of students utilising the service in the first week, hopefully providing evidence to the University for the necessity of the service to be extended after the pilot.
There have also been issues with conduct in the Library with one student claiming that the libraryÔÇÖs private study rooms were being booked for a ÔÇ£bit of revision time ÔÇÿrelief.ÔÇÖÔÇØ┬á Another anonymous report claimed that they ÔÇ£walked into the girlsÔÇÖ toilets and swiftly walked out again after hearing the door rattling and what was clearly two people having sex. They werenÔÇÖt even being quiet about it.ÔÇØ
Furthermore, there have been claims that people have been vomiting and not cleaning up after themselves.┬á Emma Browne, a third year Law student, said that she has ÔÇ£walked into the Library toilets on several occasions to hear people being sick, or making themselves sick. The worst incident was one girl was sick and then did not bother to clear it up so it was sat in the toilet and on the floor/seat.ÔÇØ
There have also been issues with the lack of spaces in the Library.┬á Emma Browne said, ÔÇ£it is practically impossible to get a plug in ASSL unless you bring an extension cable. It is common to see one extension plugged into another (the most I have seen is a chain of 5). There have also been incidents of extensions being stolen or moved. Also, wires get trailed across the library to the middle tables as there are no plugs away from the walls. I also know several people who have had their extension cables stolen.ÔÇØ
Anonymous reports have claimed that there have been issues with people saving tables in the morning and not returning until many hours later.┬á Within the first week of the twenty-four hour opening scheme, there were reportedly a number of people saving seats overnight.┬á Furthermore, there have been claims that ÔÇÿnon-ASSLÔÇÖ students (ie students who study a subject not related to the ASSL) have been causing frustration by using the space that Law students, for example, need.
Despite these issues, reaction to the new scheme has been largely positive and the libraries have said that they will take feedback into consideration in the future.┬á Tracey Stanley, a member of the libraryÔÇÖs staff has said, ÔÇ£we hope that this will provide further flexible support for students at a very busy and stressful time, and we will use the results of the pilot to make a case to the University for continuing with 24/7 opening during the exam periods, if it is successful.┬á WeÔÇÖve already seen some considerable use of the Library during the extended hours, with over one hundred students in the Library at 2am on the first night.ÔÇØ
Matthew Jones
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