Lamont to Stay Open Till Midnight; Buck Also Adds Hours on Sundays

Lamont Library's hours will be extended until midnight, Monday through Fridays, and from two until 10 p.m. on Sundays, Paul H. Buck, Director of the University Library, announced yesterday. The new program will go into effect on Jan. 5. Saturday's hours will remain the same.

In his short surprise statement, Buck warned, however, that if the student use of Lamont is less than anticipated, " a revision will of course be in order."

The extension of the hours ends the recent campaigns by student groups for increasing Lamont's hours. But at the same time, yesterday's announcement was more than most groups had ever expected.

In the past, several groups, including the Student Council, have campaigned for extending the hours during reading and exam periods. And as recently as last week, the Council refused to endorse a Union Committee's proposal to lengthen the weekday hours for the entire year, believing that its goal of permanent long hours during exam periods was more likely to be achieved.

Desks Open

Under the new schedule, both desks three and one will be open, with reduced staffs, after ten on weekdays. The Poetry room will be open on Sundays but closed after ten during the week. The Forum room will be closed on Sundays, but open until midnight on weekdays.

Buck said only regular Lamont employees will be used in the library, there-by rejecting a Union Committee offer of free help. The Class of '59 had said it would man the desks if Buck would open Lamont until midnight. He said he respected the generosity of the student body, "but it isn't fair to depend on anyone whom you don't compensate."

Experimental Extension

For the last two years, Lamont's hours had been extended experimentally during exam periods, but Buck said the results of this experiment were not the whole reason for the sudden change. "This was a partial reason," he said, but added that he, personally, felt a change was in order.

One of the main reasons for the extension, he said, is the anticipated number of students who will occupy the Prescott Street Apartments. Since they will be far from their House Libraries, he believed that they, together with the freshmen, will definitely need Lamont.