On December 20^th, 2013, the last day of the Fall Semester, the Library Learning Commons finally closed at midnight after staying open continuously since September 2^nd (except for a typhoon). It was the first time that the LC operated 7x24 for a full semester!

The Library expanded the long hours of the LC in phases, first trying out late hours during exams in Spring 2012, when the LC opened to 6am. Gradually the practice spread to more weeks in the semesters, and the operation hours extended from 22 to 24 daily. The process allowed the Library to gather experience and to expand service based on observed students’ needs. For the Library to operate the LC continuously, covering all the hours and public holidays, support from the Facilities Management Office (FMO) was essential. Without FMO’s efforts arranging and providing security guards and related coverage, the 7x24 operation would not have been possible.

Many actions were taken to make the LC more supportive for student learning in such long service hours. Examples include arranging accessory checkout service after the LC Help Desk closes at night, extending LC Help Desk hours to 2am whenever possible, negotiating with the vending machine provider for an extra snack machine, and conducting promotions for considerate use of tables and seats.

The Learning Commons is a popular place for students day and night. On average, there are slightly more students at the LC at 10pm than at 3pm: