New SOM Library Hours Begin Monday, January 3

December 27, 2021

The Health Sciences Library continues to fine-tune our hours to provide effective service and a welcoming and quiet study environment seven days a week during normal academic periods, and a pleasing or professionally fulfilling facility  for our library staff to work.  We also know that the theoretical risk for susceptibility to respiratory infectious agents of all types increases in areas where people gather, and we appreciate that students show common sense and consideration for other students in socially distanced ways and wearing masks during the pandemic.

The Library has been monitoring on-site attendance, and we know the latest evening hours are not popular with the vast majority of students. We also have noticed that most students have not been using reserve library materials or anatomical models, and most library use is as a quiet study hall before, in between, and after classes.  We are also a “locker room” for students that prefer to leave belongings in the library, rather than use their assigned lockers.  So far there has not been a moment where a student comes to us and says they cannot find a seat, so until that moment arrives, we will continue to not enforce the Library policy that belongings cannot be left in the library for long periods.  Perhaps OMS3 and OMS4 students recall when this policy was regularly enforced.

We are proud of the usefulness of our digital library, and SOM cited the breadth and depth of the digital library in the recent COCA reaccreditation, because it gives students the ability to study anywhere and anytime.

Here are the revised regular Library hours that take effect on Monday, January 3.   I consider this adjustment to be minor, given the clear lack of use of reserve materials and anatomical models in the Library, measured low late evening attendance,  and the existence of alternative study spaces in the Academic Center and University Education Center with card access at any time for SOM students. These adjustments also address issues of effective staff coverage and concerns about the reduced use of print and reserve materials.

Mon - Thur.

8am – 10pm

Friday

8am - 5pm

Saturday 

9am - 5pm

Sunday

12pm - 8pm