Finals week at the library is approaching fast, and there are a few changes to how it’s being handled compared to last semester.

At the beginning of the spring 2023 semester, the library changed the process for obtaining a single-person study room to help students find rooms faster. Reservations are available and allow up to six hours in the room per day.

Library staff member Jessica Reidmuller said these single-person study rooms will see no changes.

Library Staff member Elizabeth DiPrince said the library has “no plans to lock the individual study rooms during finals week. Rooms can still be used spontaneously. We encourage people to use the QR codes on the study room doors to make sure the room is available and complete a reservation before using it.” 

This allows students to walk into a study room that is available without a reservation. 

Reidmuller says, “If someone is in a room without a reservation, they will need to leave if another student reserves the same room. Library staff are available to help in these cases.”

Students can reserve a study room by scanning the QR code on the doors of the study rooms or online at https://uca.libcal.com/reserve/spaces/study_rooms.

There is also a computer near the reference desk on the first floor that is designated for reserving study rooms. Students can reserve the larger study rooms in the same way. 

The library hopes that allowing students to reserve single-person study rooms will “reduce stress on students by saving them time so they don’t have to wander around the building looking for an open study room.” DiPrince says.

Outside of the single-person study rooms being available by reservation, the library plans to handle finals week the same way they have in the past. 

The library is usually very crowded during finals week; Reidmuller says, “Last year we had almost 10,000 people in and out of the building starting on study day and through the end of finals week.” 

Some recurring finals week changes include, “The library will have extended hours on the weekend before finals week. On study day and on Saturday the library will stay open an additional four hours, closing at 9 p.m. on both nights. On Sunday, the library will open two hours early at noon.” said DiPrince.

Reidmuller also said, “The library will be offering de-stress activities during finals week. We are still planning these activities which in the past have included visits from therapy dogs, craft projects and more.” 

Last semester the library had Bubble Wrap therapy, a therapy dog, a labyrinth walk for mindfulness and story time with UCA President Houston Davis.

DiPrince says the library will be posting this semester’s events on Instagram soon.