Student voices were heard because the JFK Library is extending its hours starting Spring 2015 to help accommodate growing student needs.

According to JFK Library’s newsletter, LibraryLIVE, the extended hours will amount to a total of 14 more hours per week.

The new hours are Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight; Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sundays from 1 p.m. to midnight.

These hours only extend access to JFK’s main level after 10 p.m., restricting access to other services such as the Learning Commons and the equipment rental station on the lower level by not having those areas staffed.

Erica Henry, a Summit Interlibrary Exchange worker at JFK, said these extended hours for the spring will be nice to have. He said students will now have more time to study.

“Having the library opens at 7:30[a.m.] is not my personal preference, but I’m excited to try it out,” said Henry.

Henry said the drawback to these later hours for spring is, since not all the floors or services will be open after 10 p.m., EWU might have to wave the financial aspect of keeping the library open later.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Henry. “I study better at night, and students could use a better place to study than the dorms or the PUB labs at later hours, which isn’t bad in any way, but there are more resources here for students to use.”

Christina Polich, a student desk worker at JFK, said students are excited for the longer access to the library for spring.

“Students get more hours and more time for resources,” said Polich. “The only drawback is that I feel bad for the full-time staff members who have to work longer hours in a week, which will also probably cost [EWU] a lot.”

Polich said many people have been pushing for more hours at the library, and similar to the Leave No Trace food policy enacted in 2012, these new library hours will need a one-quarter trial period but will likely continue on after the spring.