Officials announced Gelman Library will return to 24-hour operations next Monday for the first time this academic year.
Dean of Libraries and Academic Innovation Geneva Henry said in an email to community members Wednesday afternoon the library will open at 7 a.m. on Oct. 13 and follow a 24-hour schedule thereafter. The announcement comes after the library ceased round-the-clock operations since the beginning of the academic year due to a “temporary staffing issue” caused by the University-wide hiring freeze.
“We thank you for your patience as we resolved our temporary staffing issues, as well as your support of our libraries and the vital role they play in education and research at GW,” Henry said in the email.
The Student Government Association also announced the library’s return to 24/7 operations in an Instagram post Tuesday.
Under the reduced hours, the library is currently open from 7 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to midnight on Sunday.
Henry said in August service desk hours, including the check out desk, Ask Us, CREATE Digital Studios and Special Collections, remain unchanged.
SGA President Ethan Lynne announced in an Instagram post in late August that the library would return to normal operations within the next “few weeks.” Lynne said in an email obtained by the Hatchet at the time that he met with library officials who confirmed they were hiring more staff and Gelman would return to 24/7 operation “soon.”
The University will also end its hiring freeze on Oct. 13 and reinstate the position management review process following officials’ announcement last week that it laid off 43 staff members. It is unclear if any employees from Libraries and Academic Innovation were affected by the layoffs.
GW Libraries has faced staffing issues and lowered morale since pre-pandemic layoffs, especially during the overnight shifts, which has dealt with high turnover rates due to the shift’s demanding schedule.
Officials last slashed Gelman’s hours in 2015, when the University reduced the library’s weekend hours, but remained open 24 hours a day during the week. However, officials quickly reversed their decision less than a day after an online petition went live and garnered over 1,500 signatures.
