To: Stony Brook Statesman

This is a response to the article ‘The Reverse Psyche of Library Mobs’ by Tejas Gawade, Feb. 1, 2007.

Two years ago we extended the Central Reading Room hours to 2 AM, in order to accommodate students using the library at later hours. According to reports from our night staff, on average, around half of 113 seats in CRR are occupied after midnight. During final exams week, the hours of both the Central and North Reading rooms are extended to 4 AM.

We have arranged to keep the Commuter Lounge, with more than 150 seats, located at the south side of the Melville Library Building, open 24/7. The Lounge is equipped with security cameras monitored by campus police. Students are encouraged to use the Lounge for studying after the Library is closed. We are in the process of reconfiguring the Central Reading Room. After the project is done, the seating capacity of that room will be increased by 30-50 %.

Sherry Chang

Associate Director of University Libraries for Public Services

Melville Library

Stony Brook University