(Photo: Allison Farrand/Michigan Daily)
When I walk around my library, I sometimes see students dozing in the study carrels. I usually leave them alone, since they aren't disturbing anyone. But if they're sprawled out in the stacks or right in the middle of the floor, then I make them move.
Tending to the sleep needs of students isn't something that most academic libraries think about. But the Shapiro Undergraduate Library at the University of Michigan is an innovator. This semester, it created designated napping stations for tired students to use. They aren't study carrels, but cots with pillows and blankets. Students can stay for up to 30 minutes at a time. Allana Akhtar writes for the Michigan Daily:
Stephen Griffes, University Library Information Resources Senior Supervisor, said the library was happy to help CSG because of the successful ideas they have presented in the past, including the table sharing program in the Shapiro library to indicate when spaces at tables are available even when someone is working there.
He said the primary concerns for the library was the safety and security of sleeping students. In order to keep the station as clean and secure as possible, pillows with replaceable pillowcases and sanitary wipes have been made available and the organizers are currently working setting up spare lockers from the Hatcher Graduate Library which students can use to safely secure their belongings while napping.
-Thanks, Christine!