Library worker reflects on her four years behind the desk

With finals week approaching, the I.D. Weeks Library will serve as a space for a number of USD students to study, write papers and cram for tests.  Those that work there, however, have consistently been there all year.

Becca Gaikowski, a senior health science major, closes the library three nights out of the week. Gaikowski applied for work study the fall semester of her first year at USD, and has been employed there every semester since.

“It’s a very laid back kind of job, very flexible hours,” she said.

Though they vary semester by semester based on her class schedule, Gaikowski said she usually works 15 to 20 hours a week. This semester, she closes Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights.

“It’s not too bad, I actually really enjoy it,” she said. “Being a senior, I’m not on campus very much so I don’t get to see a lot of people, so it’s kind of nice sitting in the corner and watching people walk by and you get to talk to them and stuff.”

When she first started on nights, Gaikowski said she had to mentally “prep” herself for the shift all day. Now, she said her body’s used to being up until 2 a.m.

“Nothing a little coffee won’t fix,” she said.

As a desk supervisor – a position she was promoted to her sophomore year – Gaikowski is in charge of closing down the first floor of the library and ringing the infamous bell at 1:50, 10 minutes before close.

“It’s kind of funny because I feel like each desk supervisor kind of has their own like signature ring,” she said. “It’s nothing super magical or anything, it’s just a little grey button.”

One perk of working the night shift is having the ability to get some homework done, Gaikowski said.

“The night shift is a lot more laid back, especially students coming in, there’s not as heavy as traffic,” she said. “I really like the atmosphere of the night shift.”

As finals week nears, that atmosphere changes.

“It’s pretty crazy,” she said.

The library’s maximum seating capacity is around 800, Dan Daily, dean of libraries, said in an email.

There were an average of about 27 students that entered the library from midnight to 2 a.m. since this past November, Daily said. In December, about 65 students entered the library during that same time.

“Comparing November 2015 library statistics with those of December 2015 gives you a sense of how more students, both in the weeks before finals and during finals, take advantage of the extended hours,” he said.

The library’s hours were extended to 2 a.m. when the Muenster University Center opened, Daily said.

Gaikowski said the third floor definitely sees more traffic during finals time, so much so that the employee complete walk-through sheets, which are filled out several times a day, are covered in red ink and show very few, if any, open seats.

“People actually realize, yes, we are open until 2 a.m.,” she said.

The library is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday.

Other than the spike in traffic at the end of each semester, Gaikowski said she hasn’t had any particularly memorable experiences during the night shift. She said UPD has had to be called to “pry” people out “very minimally.”

“I’ve been very fortunate, I’ve never had any instances where people just don’t want to leave,” she said. “People are pretty respectful for the most part.”

After graduating this May, Gaikowski said she plans to go to graduate school for occupational therapy at USD. Though she won’t work at I.D. Weeks during that time, she said it’s been a good experience.

“It’s a pretty flexible job,” she said. “It’s been really nice to me for the past four years.”