Thanks to Student Government, UF students will be able to pull all-nighters in Library West before finals this fall.
At a Student Senate meeting Tuesday night, Judith Russell, dean of UF's libraries, said Library West's closing hours would be extended until 4 a.m. during the final exam period.
The extended hours will last from Dec. 1 to Dec. 14.
Student Senate President Kevin Reilly said he and Student Body President Ryan Moseley met with Russell in May.
"Ever since I've been here it's been a big complaint," Moseley said. "It's just something I thought we needed."
Starbucks will also stay open during the library's extended hours those two weeks.
"There were some concerns about finding who to work until 4 a.m., but [Russell] made the effort and found people to do it," Reilly said.
Library West will be fully staffed as usual for students who might need research assistance.
Keeping Library West open during exam week will cost UF libraries ,5,000.
Russell said the cost would be absorbed into the library's budget.
Whether the extended library hours will continue next semester depends on student feedback, she said.
Library staff members will perform head counts and poll students about library operations.
Russell said surveys would help the library assess the cost efficiency of keeping the library open for extra hours.
Robert Schur, a UF history junior, said he thinks the library should be open 24 hours during the final exam period.
"I'm a big crammer," Schur said. "I imagine a lot of people are. The library is the place to go if you want to cram."
Russell said keeping the library open 24 hours during final exam weeks is a possibility for future semesters.
The librarians will make the decision based on student turnout and feedback from the surveys. For now, some time is needed for cleaning after the library closes.
Russell also said she was concerned students wouldn't receive adequate rest if the library were available for studying all night.
