EDITORIAL: The University of Maine’s Student Government (UMSG) President, Keegan Tripp, announced in a recent executive report that the staff at Raymond H. Fogler Library will be reclassified as non-essential. As a result, they will no longer be required to work on days when most campus services are closed. The library will also reduce its operating hours and close on holidays when classes are not in session.
This decision compromises students’ academic growth and limits their access to vital educational resources. Fogler Library staff are essential workers who offer indispensable support for learning, research and literacy — services that no other university department can quickly provide.
Without the expertise of librarians and the help of student staff, especially during the closure of other on-campus services, students are left without the support they need to succeed academically.
Fogler Library is the heart of UMaine, serving as a central hub that provides a wide range of physical and digital resources, collaborative workspaces and student support services.
Cutting back operating hours limits students’ access to quiet study environments, forcing them to work in unproductive and more distracting spaces such as dorm rooms or common areas in residence halls or academic buildings. This disruption can negatively impact study habits and academic performance, especially for those who depend on the library’s in-person staff assistance when internet access and research databases are down on snow days.
I remember during my freshman year when classes were frequently canceled because of heavy snowfall. My friends and I naturally gravitated towards the library, spending the day exploring each room, studying and taking breaks by doing puzzles and games in the Oakes Room.
Throughout my years at UMaine, whenever professors cancel class due to extreme weather conditions or personal reasons, I’ve always found myself walking over to Fogler Library to work on my assignments — free from the pressure of watching the clock or worrying about an early closing.
Ensuring the safety of its staff during extreme weather conditions is both an ethical and operational necessity that should not be disregarded. However, there is an equally important professional responsibility to maintain essential in-person library services for students who depend on consistent guidance, stability and continuity during unexpected disruptions.
Libraries have evolved into what is known as a ‘third space,’ a social setting separate from home as the ‘first place’ and work as the ‘second place.’ It is a place where people can collaborate and build community.
Fogler Library serves as that neutral ground in UMaine as an inclusive hub that supports both academic progress and personal well-being. It offers a place not just for studying but for socializing, relaxing and engaging with other students in a meaningful way.
We need to push for a formal university policy that recognizes our library staff as essential personnel because of their vital role in aiding academic success and campus operations. UMaine needs to develop procedures to guarantee the library services and staff availability are prioritized during emergencies, class closure and operational adjustments to uphold continuous academic support.
Fogler Library Staff are essential workers, and their reclassification as non-essential is a troubling decision that could harm students’ access to crucial academic resources, limit reliable study spaces and disrupt the welcoming around-the-clock environment that fosters learning, focus and connection on campus.
