When normal after hours for the Halle Library loomed Monday night, students gathered for the kick off of Club Halle, the time of the semester the library’s doors are open 24 hours to accommodate student’s study needs around final exams.
“This definitely gives me a quiet place to study,” sophomore history major Michele Beam said. “I can come with friends if I need to, it’s a better study environment.”
But Eastern Michigan University students didn’t need to be hitting the books Monday night to come out to Club Halle. The event featured free t-shirts and breakfast on the third floor of the library to celebrate the start of the two-week schedule change.
“I’m here mostly for the breakfast,” senior and technology management student Dustin Baldwin said.
Student Government hosted the event and people came out to show their support for them as well.
“I know a lot of student government,” senior and biology major Quentin Turner said. “Plus I can’t pass up free breakfast.”
Club Halle also helped make students aware of what the library has to offer during a time when they may need its resources the most.
“I didn’t know what it was, so I came to check it out,” freshman and criminology major MeSha Johns said. “It’s really cool. It’s great the library is open more hours, it’s more opportunity to study.”
While free breakfast for EMU students was the big draw for the evening, many people knew how this event, which runs through the end of finals, would help them in the coming weeks.
“My roommate goes to bed early,” social work major and freshman Jessica Gabbard said. “Now I can come here to study.”
Some felt Club Halle shouldn’t be limited to finals time, but be an option year round for students.
“I came out to all the stuff last year,” Beam said. “It was really fun. I think it should be a university-funded initiative to make an effort to keep the library open for 24 hours as often as possible.”
For Beam, it’s not just the books that are resources when she comes to the library.
“It helps to be in a different environment when you study,” she said. “Other universities have 24-hour libraries year round. I think it would be cool to implement.”
Others weren’t sure how the change would impact their study habits but were happy for another option.
“A lot of my finals are writing so it’s less studying, just time,” Baldwin said. “But it’s great to have Club Halle. I love this place a lot. It’s good to know that if I needed something, I could just come here.”
The extended hours are also helpful for students wanting to work in groups who may not have other places to do so.
“I’m mostly looking over old tests and using a few study guides,” Johns said. “But this makes it easier to meet in groups, people are generally available to meet later.”
Regardless of how many students plan to study, the added ability to use the library whenever they want is one that can help them out.
“I’m studying as hard as possible and not spending time with people who might distract me,” Turner said. “Halle should stay open 24 hours all the time. It’s a good place to study and a good resource to have.”
