Textbook. Notes. Laptop (with power cord). Energy drink(s). Student ID card? The checklist for late-night study sessions in McKeldin Library is now a bit longer because in September, security staff began actively enforcing a long-standing rule: You must have a valid student ID to remain in the library after 11 p.m.
On one hand, it’s good to see officials taking steps to ensure student safety. Visitors lacking the proper credentials are asked to leave the library, and an escort from the Police Auxiliary ensures the individual complies with the request. Even if there aren’t many hardened criminals perusing the first-floor periodicals collection, the peace of mind for students is probably enough to warrant the policy itself – as the late-night rules state, the “goal is to provide a safe and quiet study space for our students.”
The policy also has its downsides, though, because students are being kicked out of the library when they find themselves sans identification. According to some students, even logging into a student account – which requires a unique username and password – is not enough to sway officials hell-bent on removing patrons who lack the proper plastic rectangle.
As this editorial board sees it, that’s a little too far down the police state side of the continuum for comfort.
Libraries Dean Patricia Steele says officials are simply responding to concerns about security during late-night study hours, noting, “If there is any way to improve student security, we do.”
No complaints there and, to be fair, rules are rules: If the library has a stated policy that all late-night patrons carry their student ID, then students should be able to bring it along if they want to enjoy the convenience of an after-hours study spot.
But the ultimate reality is this policy is in place to protect students – not to test their ability to adhere to obscure policies. If the actual goal is removing non-students from the library, officials should be willing to compromise with those who don’t have their student ID.
One easy solution has already been mentioned: Have students log in to their “MyUM” account. If officials are concerned about a non-student possessing an actual student’s login information (which is no more likely than possessing a stolen ID card), security personnel can ask for an alternate form of identification to compare with the name listed in the upper-right hand corner of the MyUM homepage. Another option is to request a student’s university ID number, or ask whether the individual has any other paperwork or identification that can identify him or her as a university student. Even a driver’s license lists a name that can be looked up in the student directory online.
Of course, working with students to find a way to let them stay in the library is much less convenient than marching around the first and second floors demanding identification. Instead of escorting noncompliant patrons to the exit, perhaps the auxiliary should take them to the circulation desk to resolve the situation. That would be enough of an inconvenience that students will remember their ID card the next time – but not so much as to ruin an already stressful night of studying. After all, the “goal is to provide a safe and quiet study space for our students” – right?
