Bizzell: A Place to get your Bizzness Done.

Sara Mcminimy studies for spanish with her clasmates and friends
in the second story of Bizzell Library, on OU's campus.

Ahh, Bizzell. The library that smells like musty paper that I hold close to my heart.  Now that the University has allowed Bizzell to stay open for 24 hours a day, students are bringing blankets and smuggling food into the library to camp out until  their final.

            “I’m so happy that Bizzell is open all day and night. I have no place to study in my apartment that allows me to concentrate solely on what I am studying. I have a Spanish final in two days, and I need to rock it.” Sara Mcminimy, an Elementary Education major, said as she flipped through her flashcards.

            But how did the University finally come around to letting the library stay open for Dead Week and Finals Week? And why doesn’t Bizzell stay open for 24 hours all year around?

            “I don’t know why it doesn’t stay open longer, but I think it’s probably because of employees and costs. I mean, it takes a lot of energy to keep this place going.” Said Nick Towler, a Criminology senior.

            While the student employees can’t technically talk to the press without permission and a supervisor, a female student employee who works at the front desk did say that the library managers have scheduled the 24 hour open library from the Friday before Dead Week to the last Friday on Finals Week to make sure that students received the right amount of opportunity to study in the library. They also said that in order to get into the library after 12:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. you need a valid OU student picture ID card. No food allowed under any circumstances, but many students get past the front desks by hiding the contraband items in their backpacks. The employees don’t check.

            If you need something from the library, but don’t care to brave the masses and attempt to find a table, then the OU library website and system (LORA) can help you find the research you need. If you need to renew a book, simply log into the system and LORA will check out the book for you for another month.

            Bizzell provides the students at OU a place to study, sleep (sometimes) and get the information you need in order to be successful. How much better can it get?