Students looking for a quiet place to study for finals or write papers before the sun rises can now work in the Little Building Dining Hall as a part of the All-Nighters Club, a new program co-sponsored by the Iwasaki Library and Emerson Business Services that began April 15, and will run through the end of final exams.

According to Cate Hirschbiel, the library’s coordinator of outreach and reference librarian, the trial service arose from student requests for the library to stay open longer, which she said isn’t feasible because of the Walker Building’s closing time and its lack of 24 hour security.

Business Services oversees the dining hall space, which Hirschbiel said was chosen as the best location for the program because the All-Nighters Club runs from 1-6 a.m. 

“There’s no food service, there’s no book lending, but it’s a quiet place that isn’t your dorm room, that you can go and study and plug in your laptop,” said Hirschbiel of the All-Nighters Club.

Sophomore visual and media arts major Jabari Canada said he thinks the dining hall is a good place for this program, but wishes the Iwasaki Library would be open longer year-round.

“This seems just like an alternate space to study. Living in Piano Row, the only place is a common room or the quiet study room which closes at midnight,” said Canada.

According to Hirschbiel, Piano Row’s Max Café was also considered.

Sophomore writing, literature, and publishing major Mehak Anwar, who learned about the All-Nighters Club service through a flyer, said she thinks the program’s early time slot seems to endorse staying up into the wee hours of the morning to study.

“I think it’s ridiculous that Emerson is promoting staying up all night to study before finals, where they expect us to do well,” said Anwar.

Patrick Elwood, a freshman writing, literature, and publishing major, disagreed.

“You could say that it supports that lifestyle, but people will stay up late to study regardless,” he said. “This just gives students another designated space to do so.”

According to Hirschbiel, the service will occupy the front room of the dining hall, which will be staffed by a single paid student worker.

The promotional materials, including posters and flyers, feature the All-Nighters Club schedule and other information about the program with a red-eyed purple and yellow owl in the background. The flyer promises “plenty of power outlets,” but not services typical of either the library or the dining hall.

This All-Nighters Club trial service, which Hirschbiel said will end on the morning of Thursday, May 1, is unlikely to be scheduled for next semester if student attendance is low. So far, Hirschbiel said no more than three students have taken advantage of the service, but said she expects the use to be minimal until final exams begin.