By Kelly Lewis
The MacPhaidin Library has closed its doors to visitors until Monday, February 15 due to the campus shut down, but students can still get help from librarians online.
Virtual services will be available for students seeking help Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. Virtual hours are unavailable on Saturdays.
Before the shutdown on Thursday, the library restricted visitors; only students and faculty were allowed access to use the facilities. Now, with the library building closed due to the growing positive COVID-19 cases, commuter students voiced frustration.
Karly O’Keefe, a junior, lives in an off-campus apartment and commutes to campus multiple times a week for classes.
“The library is my lifeline during this time of year,” O’Keefe said. “It’s where I get most of my work done and can safely meet up with friends.”
O’Keefe said that this decision makes her feel restricted and strained from her community.
“The library is such an important location for students and given that most transmission on campus is stemming from parties and communal living, responsible use of the library should not be penalized,” O’Keefe said.
Summit reporter and senior Abagail Chartier commutes from Uxbridge, Massachusetts - an hour away.
Since the college is going completely remote for the coming week, Chartier said she will be taking all six of her courses online rather than commuting to campus for three of them as usual.
The closure of the library presents a challenge for Chartier; she said she can no longer use the Physics and Astronomy section of books on the second floor for her directed study.
Chartier said she utilized the library a lot during the fall semester.
“I usually would use it for study rooms to do an online class, and I’m bummed that I can’t use it for class while quarantine is enacted,” Chartier said.
In the meantime, further resources for remote learners can be found here: https://www.stonehill.edu/offices-and-services/academic-services-advising/resources-for-students/resources-for-remote-learners/