Napping Stations At The Library

The Chronicle of Higher Education posted a story about the napping stations installed at the University of Michigan's Library to help students "face exams."

"Concerned with students’ bad sleeping habits during final-examination season—and their tendency to fall asleep on top of library tables—the university’s Shapiro Undergraduate Library has installed “napping stations.” The pilot program is meant to allow students who live far from the campus to take naps—limited to 30 minutes each—between study marathons."

To make sure that the napping stations would be utilized, the university did its homework. "The university’s Central Student Government proposed the stations. Surveys were conducted to measure interest in the idea, and officials talked up the benefits of napping for students’ academic performance and alertness, said the library’s senior supervisor, Stephen Griffes."

As to the logistics, "the napping stations were located in a busy area to attract students and to be near staff supervision. The library, which is open 24/7, provides students with lockers to hold their valuables while they’re asleep, disinfecting wipes to clean the vinyl cots, and disposable pillow cases."

Now this is something I can get behind! It would be great if staff could utilize this, too. I never knew how exhausting librarianship could be! I look to the UofM libraries as a great example of a library really trying to meet student needs -- with napping stations and the use of therapy dogs to relieve stress. It's great to see a large undergraduate library really care for its students.

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