After Monday’s launch of the 24-hour, 5-day-a-week schedule for the Perry-Castañeda Library, UT students will no longer worry about relocating during tedious all-nighters for the remainder of the semester.

University of Texas Libraries and Student Government kicked off the PCL’s 24/5 service Monday evening by handing out free pizza, prizes and T-shirts to students. Students waited in a line that wrapped around the PCL to celebrate the launch of the new schedule. More than 800 students said they would attend via Facebook.

The PCL will now be open from noon Sundays through 11 p.m. Fridays and will maintain regular hours Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Student Government President Thor Lund and Vice President Wills Brown promised students a 24/5 PCL during their campaign in March 2012 and Lund said the two were not opposed by UT Libraries or fellow Student Government members.

“Wills and I felt that students needed a safe study space that they could access all hours of the night, and there was not one that was available to students,” Lund said. “Many of our peer institutions and neighboring schools have 24-hour libraries. It only makes sense that we would provide a 24-hour study space on campus as well.”

Travis Willmann, communications officer for UT Libraries, said this is not the first time PCL has offered 24/5 services. Willman said UT Libraries cut funds for the PCL in Spring 2002, which was operating on a 24/5 schedule at the time. He said funding for the 24/5 service includes costs of electricity, maintenance, replacing more broken furniture, custodial services and security guards. He said current funds from UT Libraries alone could not cover the cost of a 24/5 schedule. 

Lund and Brown proposed the 24/5 PCL to various campus groups to gain interest and funding support for the initiative. The Student Services Budget Committee contributed $20,000, the Office of the Provost and Office of Student Affairs each contributed $10,000 and the Texas Exes contributed $5,000 toward the effort.

Lund said Student Government is currently looking for permanent funding for the 24/5 PCL to keep the extended hours.

“We hope that sometime soon we will be able to announce that [permanent funding] has been secured to continue benefiting future Longhorns for years to come,” Lund said.

Biomedical engineering freshman Amanda Nguyen said she believes she will get more work done now that the library is open 24 hours.

“My dorm room can be very distracting,” Nguyen said. “Now I will be able to study longer and accomplish more.”

The 24/5 service will be offered from now until finals. The PCL’s hours will return to the previous schedule next semester until the beginning of midterms.

Printed on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 as: PCL 24/5 launches for midterms