"Let's say a young woman walks out of the library at 4 a.m." De Gennaro says. "By keeping the library open we encouraged her to believe that she would be safe and we can't insure that. What if she's assaulted?"
"Meanwhile, you have a building siting there with low staff and outsiders coming in," he says.
Many students say safety for the walk home would be a major worry for them, as well.
"No, I wouldn't feel safe," Wokhlu says, "but I wouldn't mind spending the night."
Other students, as well as members of the council, suggest better transportation options.
"If they're going to have a 24 hour library, they need to have a 24 hour shuttle service," says Melissa G. Liazos '96, Lamont circulation desk supervisor.
Costs
Library officials also say the costs of an all-hour library would be too high, both in financial and human terms.
"There isn't enough use to justify the cost," De Gennaro says. "It's our experience and belief that there isn't a need except for a few days during reading period and exams, and we provide for that by keeping Cabot open until 3 a.m."
Moreover, there are other costs tied to the 24-hour library. Some students say the extra hours might just mean more stress for overworked undergraduates.
"I think if there were a 24-hour library, people might throw their schedules off more than they are now," says Mittul Gulati '98. "There are already a lot of sleep deprived people here."
Other Schools
Many universities, including MIT, offer 24-hour or extended library access.
But among Ivy League schools, only the University of Pennsylvania maintains a 24-hour facility. The Rosengarten Library can stay open almost all the time because it is on a well-lit section of campus.
"We're able to partition off a section of the library with fairly minimal staffing," says Patricia E. Renfro, director of public services for the University of Pennsylvania.
Harvard, with no plans to build a new library, is unlikely to follow Penn's example.
But several students say the University that promises its students the best--and almost the most expensive--academic experience in the nation should live up to its promise.
"I think it's definitely something that we're lacking that other schools have," says Sara J. Krivicky '97. "We're supposed to have the best of everything, especially during exams."
Wendy Hanakahi '96, who was leaving Lamont at 1 a.m. last Tuesday, agrees:
"This is supposed to be the best University in the nation.... How can they expect us to be the best if they close the library?"