University administrators are hoping to make the first floor of Morris Library available to students 24 hours a day next fall, and this badly needed option is the best plan yet for late-night studiers.

Not only will students be able to check out books and consult resource materials, but they will have access to computing services well after the weekday 3 a.m. closing time of the Faner Computer Learning Center.

John Jackson, vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and provost, announced this new plan at Tuesday’s Faculty Senate meeting.

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And Jackson also announced a second benefit of this plan:A bathroom finally will be provided on the library’s first floor. At present, first-floor library patrons must scramble aboard elevators or take flights of stairs to use the bathrooms located on other floors.

Jackson’s announcement is equivalent to two Christmas presents for SIUC students in one big shiny package.

This unexpected news is the latest of a series of SIUC administration’s efforts to appease its academic-minded students. Plans for campus study areas have improved substantially in the past year.

The present 24-hour study facility on campus besides the study areas for students in residence halls is the Big Muddy room on the lower level of the Student Center. The Big Muddy room became available to students until 3 a.m. last spring after Undergraduate Student Government proposed the idea. The room’s hours of availability were extended earlier this school year, once again, at the request of USG. The 24-hour access to Morris Library’s first floor will replace the Big Muddy plan.

Although this latest idea is an excellent one, some students may wonder why all of Morris Library’s options will not be available to them. For classes, many students are required to look up government documents, evaluate compact disc recordings or just need to access other similar services not offered on the library’s first floor.

But Jackson said the cost of staffing of Morris Library 24 hours would be too expensive. Besides, students needing the library’s other services will just have to settle the option of prioritizing their time and getting to the library before closing the option currently available to them.

In spite of that minor concern, it is easy to see that opening the first floor of Morris Library for 24 hours is one of the best ideas thought of to help students on this campus. But, our appreciation of the new plans for Morris Library does not signal disregard for other services already attempted for students’ benefit.

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The Faner computer lab’s late hours help a number of students during each semester especially during finals weeks when the lab’s hours are extended for students’ convenience. But some students may still need to use computers during the normal hours that the lab is closed. The 24-hour option of studying in the Big Muddy room also has helped students and the option should aid a number of students next week during final exams. But, the Big Muddy does not offer computer access.

The Morris Library plan offers the best of both worlds, and for this we are grateful to SIUC administrators, as well as the Physical Plant and library staffs, who will be working late hours for our convenience.

But because administrators have warned that all of the library’s services may not be available during late hours, we can only hope that the promised services of book-checkout, reference section availability and computer access still will be available to us next fall. It is these components that make this new option truly beneficial.