Card access boosts security, after-hours library traffic
26 January, 2016
category: Security
Libraries at Cleveland State University were growing a bit quieter than usual come 8 p.m. and the fall of night, but a decision by the university to implement ID card access at exterior and interior library entrances has instilled a renewed sense of security for library goers, and has resulted in increased after-hours traffic.
Per a report from the CSU Cauldron, the university’s Michael Schwartz Library and Cleveland-Marshall Law Library now require students to present their Viking Cards for entrance after 8 p.m, at which point the facilities will be closed to the general public. An ID scanner will be fixed to both the the outdoor and indoor entrances of the libraries, enabling access for only faculty, staff and currently enrolled students holding Viking Cards.
The policy comes as a result of library staff reporting a significant drop in library usage between the hours of 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. In response to the drop in traffic, library staff polled students to uncover possible reasons as to why they weren’t taking advantage of the libraries’ 12 a.m. closing time. The students’ response? They didn’t feel that there was enough security in place at night.
As with many universities located in metropolitan settings, Cleveland State library access is open to the general public, as well as students. The implementation of ID scanners at library entrances, then, will help to ensure that those in the library past 8 p.m. are either a student or member of the university community.
University officials believe that the change will also enable library staff to better optimize its services for students in the evening hours, as those without a Viking Card will not be able to access the facilities, thus leaving staff to exclusively serve members of the university community. As an added precaution, university officials say that anyone in the libraries after 8 p.m. may be asked to show a valid CSU ID by staff.
The change isn’t without its growing pains, as some student IDs are not yet opening the doors. To facilitate the changeover, the university is deploying staff at the doors after hours. Staff will immediately send those student ID numbers that are not yet working with the scanners to university Access Control to address any discrepancies.
