Bangor University Student’s Union have scored several victories in the ongoing battle for 24/7 library access for university students.
After two trial periods last year – during which both Main Arts library and Deiniol library were open 24/7, and which ended on the 31st of May 2014 – the University decided against keeping the trial opening hours. Instead, Deiniol was closed at midnight, and Main Arts library only became a 24- hour library after November 3rd, and was closed during the Easter holidays.
However, following feedback from students, Student Union President Rhys Taylor announced on the 17th of November that several changes will be made to library opening times, in direct response to feedback received.
He announced that Deiniol library will once again become a 24-hour library during the 2015 summer semester – a development that will no doubt be a boon to Bangor students living in lower Bangor. Main Arts library will also remain open over the Easter holidays, though not on a 24/7 basis.
There will also be changes in the opening hours of Normal Site library, which will open and close an hour later, and which will also open on the weekend. The SU, Taylor said, were “really happy with this outcome given the circumstances.”
Some students feel that the new measures are too little, too late. Will Gurney, an ex-Normal Site resident and Sports and Exercise, said “I feel like this measure comes too late for students who live at Normal Site- with Normal Site residences closing soon, weekend opening hours feel a bit pointless.”
Taylor made sure to note, however, that the Student Union has even more plans for Bangor’s libraries, including convincing the University to open libraries 24/7 from the beginning of each academic year, in order to help students with earlier assessment deadlines.
Feedback regarding the new library opening times should be sent to library@bangor.ac.uk.
