“Heterick Memorial Library is Ohio Northern University’s undergraduate library” (https://library.onu.edu/heterick_memorial_library). ONU students received an email on January 21, 2022 from Kathleen Baril, “Monday, January 24, 2022, to access Heterick Memorial Library after 10pm you will need to use the swipe lock”. We received another email from Kathleen Baril on January 24, 2022 mentioning the same thing as the first email that was sent out to ONU students.
On February 14, 2022, ONU students received a reminder email that “after 10pm, to enter the library you will need to swipe in with our ONU ID to gain access to the library” from Kathleen Baril. Honestly, as an ONU student I don’t oppose this idea of swiping our ID cards to get into the library after 10 p.m. With all the recent suspicious person emails that we have been receiving from Public Safety, it would make sense to have more safe and secure places on campus.
I do not go into the library as much as I did, like my first two years on campus. When I do go into Heterick Memorial, I typically go in between my two classes or after my last class to print out laboratory packets. Since I go during the day, I don’t really need my student ID to swipe in and the new access swipe does not really affect me. Although, if I would be going to the library late at night because I forgot to print something or I needed a place to study, I would feel much safer because the building would be locked at night to avoid any suspicious activities on campus. Don’t get me wrong, ONU campus is one of the safer campuses compared to other D3 universities.
Some students may think of this as an inconvenience because they would have to get their IDs out or they forgot their IDs back in their dorm or apartment and have to go back and get it. Other students would be okay with needing your IDs to get in because they couldn’t care less and it does not bother them or it makes them feel safer late at night. Overall, I think having to swipe our ONU IDs into Heterick Memorial after 10 p.m. benefits every student, faculty, worker, etc. because the building would be secure.
Spring Heterick Memorial Library hours:
Sunday 12 PM -12 AM
Monday – Thursday 7:30 AM – 12 AM
Friday 7:30 AM – 5 PM
Saturday 1 PM – 5 PM*After 10 PM, use the swipe lock on the far left side at the front door of the building.
