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Pros and Cons of a 24/7 Library


A new trend in librarianship is the 24/7 library, but is this concept easier on paper than in actual practice? 

PROs

  • Provides a place for vagrants to safely stay and be productive. Instead of spending the night in the streets, vagrants can have a place to read, surf the internet, and revise.
  • Helps students cope with school workload, especially working students who make time for revision in the early morning, after nightclass and before the work day.
  • Provides a venue for creative brainstorming for teams.
  • Increased access to reading resources
  • Helps prevent crime by keeping the would-be victims in a safe place until the morning 

CONs

  • Requiring better security, because many miscreants may enter the library for theft and other malicious acts
  • Increased risk of vandalism of library resources 
  • Increased electricity bill of the library because airconditioning and lighting are on 24/7

Solutions:

  • Better training for librarians who will take the night shift, including workshops on self-defence and first aid. 
  • Proper shifting and scheduling would make sure that there's always someone around to attend to the needs of patrons, even in the early morning.  
  • Facilities, such as the bathroom, need to be manned by personnel other than the librarian.
  • Revise policies on eating inside the library.
  • Provide couches for napping.


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