Extended hours for University libraries, a long-standing desire of many undergraduates looking for late-night study havens, could be a reality in the near future, Harvard College's new head librarian said yesterday.

Nancy M. Cline was hired earlier this year as the Larsen librarian of Harvard College after serving in a similar capacity at Pennsylvania State University, where she presided over a program that allowed undergraduates 24-hour access to at least one library.

Since Cline's arrival at Harvard, discussions regarding extending service have intensified, but no definite timetable has been set.

"My approach will be first to gather good information," Cline said. "We need to determine if students are just asking for a quiet place to study or if they would also need reference help and staff assistance."

Cabot, Lamont and Hilles libraries are the leading candidates for later hours.

On weekdays, Hilles Library is open until 1 a.m., and Lamont Library closes at 12:45. All other libraries on campus close by midnight.

Heather E. Cole, the librarian for Lamont and Hilles libraries, said many other schools keep their libraries open late by separating study areas from stacks, but that option is not feasible at Harvard due to the layout of its most popular libraries.

Cole also said the University would need increased funding to pay for staff and utility costs if libraries were to remain open later.

"A good long time ago, we did experiment with longer hours in Lamont and Hilles," she said. "Nothing of what we saw of the student participation could we take to the administration as clear proof that money should be taken from other programs."

But a library worker who asked not to be identified said many library staff members believe extended hours are a good idea.

He said the University would not have to hire and train many additional personnel to make it possible.

"It should have been done a long time ago. MIT has had at least one library open for decades," the worker said. "With all the money Harvard has saved so far by closing the libraries early, I think they could afford to keep one open now."

Student reaction to the current discussions to lengthen library hours was overwhelmingly positive.

"Most of the time, when I'm studying at night and need to use a library, there's never one open," Yunsun Nam '99 said. "This school is the only one without 24-hour libraries that I know of."

Mike K. Titelbaum '99, sitting in a study carrel in Lamont Library, said he would have taken advantage of longer library hours many times last year.

"I needed a quiet place to study, and my room in the freshman dorms was definitely not that," he said.

But an undergraduate representative to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences' Committee on Libraries said keeping the libraries open late into the night also raises security concerns.

"There definitely are security issues when you have people walking around at four in the morning," said Justin D. Lerer '99, who is a Crimson editor. "That's one of the reasons why it would be best to use Cabot library, because the Science Center has 24-hour security."

Lerer said the best-case scenario would involve expanded hours for not only libraries but also shuttle buses