Lamont Library will keep its doors open until 10 p.m. on Saturday evenings next semester, to meet students' demands for extended weekend hours in Yard libraries.

Heather E. Cole, librarian of the Hilles and Lamont Libraries, said yesterday she expects to see an increase in library use during the new hours.

"Clearly there has been an enormous interest in extra hours, and I sort of picked up on the drift over the fall that people were very much wanting to have one of the Yard libraries open for some weekend hours that we hadn't been open previously," Cole said. Currently, Hilles is open until midnight on Saturday.

Cole said the new hours will be accomplished by some creative rescheduling and not through an increase in the library's budget this year.

Although reference help will not be available, student staff members will ensure that the circulation and reserve desk is fully operational.

In addition, student staff members have been asked to monitor reference requests in order to determine whether it would be possible to provide Saturday evening reference help next year, Cole said.

Currently, Lamont is keeping extended hours until 1 a.m. during reading and exam periods. The new schedule will begin next semester.

The library will also be open additional hours during spring recess, closing at 4:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 and opening at 12 p.m. on Sunday, March 31.