That the Library Board, based on the success of the Terryberry pilot, approve the conclusion of the pilot phase of the Study Hall initiative and the adoption of Study Halls as an HPL service model where appropriate.  The service will continue at Terryberry.

That Library staff are directed to consider additional locations for Study Halls as part of future Service Hours planning.

The Study Hall service model requires a security guard to extend hours from regular closing time to 12am and is a cost effective way to provide additional library access.  Security staff for the Terryberry Study Hall has been included in the overall 2018 security budget.

Introduced in 2012, afterhours study halls were initially used to provide a study space for post secondary students during exam periods. This service was popular with students and led to an expanded and less restrictive approach for study halls that was approved in June 2017 as a Terryberry Study Hall pilot.  The revised approach was more flexible and recognized that many residents including the general public and highschool students would welcome greater evening access to library space. Many community members require a space to study or do personal work outside their home.  The new service model aimed at customers 14+ was more flexible in terms of arrival times with entry permitted anytime between 9 and 12. This was a significant improvement and recognized that customers need flexibility to arrive after 9pm especially if they are coming after evening classes or a job. The Terryberry pilot offered extended study hall hours from 9-12am Monday through Thursday.

Since the new program launched in September 2017, attendance has been very good with over 2000 participants or an average of 20 per evening with a high of 44. Exam periods are still an important factor especially among highschool students. The decision to broaden the audience was a good one and has resulted in greater participation. 64% of participants are general public, 25% post secondary students and 11% highschool students. Many customers bring their own devices and use HPL wifi although computers are available. 

Overall the pilot has been very successful with no security or conduct incidents reported.  Feedback from participants has been very positive.  It is a cost effective way to offer library space for late evening study and is an example of a relevant and responsive service providing value to the community. Based on the success at Terryberry the service may be extended to other locations as appropriate. Additionally enhancements including the use of entry software (eg open+) will be considered.