Request may extend library’s hours Hours

SGA President Andrew Gillum said FAMU students will no longer have to go to Strozier Library after Coleman closes early if a $200,000 budget request is approved by the Florida Legislature. University lobbyist Jim Davis asked the State Legislature to grant the university more than $2 million from the state’s budget. If FAMU gets what it wants, $200,000 of the $2 million will benefit Coleman Library. The money will be used for more staff and security to work until 3 a.m., Sunday through Thursday next fall. “If our library closes early, [FAMU students] will end up at Strozier,” said Gillum. “This is an institute of higher learning and higher learning should take place.” Gillum also said if it were up to him, Coleman Library would be open all night. Some students are hoping that the Legislature grants FAMU the money to extend Coleman’s hours. “I really hope that the library extend the hours because I will not have to go over to FSU all of the time,” said Danielle Patterson, 21, a senior psychology student from Detroit. Students are not the only ones who are in favor of the library extending the hours, some administrators are too. A. Delories Sloan, vice president of student affairs, said she hopes that the Legislature will see fit to provide for FAMU students. “We need that library…students are hungry intellectually and we need to provide that (library) for them,” Sloan said. “Students need to matriculate and graduate.” While Gillum and others are lobbying for extra hours, Lauren B. Sapp, director of libraries at FAMU, said she would like to see the library get more money for resources. “I asked for more money for books because we are bringing on more Ph.D programs…we have to show that we have resources for the people to do the research,” Sapp said. “Or the library will be just a study hall.” Sapp said that the library received two cuts during the present school year. One cut was $500,000 the other was $300,000. The Legislative session will run for 60 days. Afterward, FAMU should know if it will receive the funds for library staffing. Five additional staff members are needed for the extension. The university will also hire two security guards and student assistants to help with the additional hour. One faculty librarian will be needed as well.