Cal Poly Kennedy Library’s 24 Hour Study Room a Resounding Success

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Late night study hours are a fact of life for students with demanding schedules. More universities have begun to provide spaces designed especially for students looking for a safe, sociable late-night place to work away from the distractions of home and dorm.

Cal Poly opened the Kennedy Library’s 24-hour Study Room last year. Over 27,000 late night student visits were recorded between Oct. 2007 and June 2008, with over 400 visits on each of several nights.

To learn more about use of the room, the Library conducted a brief survey in May 2008. Nearly 100 responses were received. More than 80 percent of the respondents reported living off campus; 43 percent use the room daily or several days a week, while 38 percent use it several times a month or quarter, with another 10 percent using it during midterms and finals only.

This successful study room would only be the beginning if survey respondents had their way:

88 percent agreed that the room is “sometimes” or “always” too crowded
79 percent said they would use the PolyConnect Lab if it were open 24 hours
68 percent said they would like to see a quiet 24-hour room in addition to the main study room

Respondents also asked for more electrical outlets and better access to computers after hours. To address all of these issues the Library has been exploring options for expanding the current 24-hour space, providing access to computers and creating a designated 24-hour quiet study zone.

Visit the Library’s surveys page to learn more about results of this and other recent surveys: http://lib.calpoly.edu/about/surveys.

For more information, contact Anna Gold, Associate Dean for Public Services, at 805-756-5786 or agold01@calpoly.edu.

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