March 18, 2015

By Hailey Stolze, Quinn Malloy, George Roberson

Power cords are strewn about the floor of the Grand Reading Room on the second floor of Ellis Library. These cords are a jury-rigged solution to the enduring problem of providing power to study stations throughout the library, said Matt Gaunt, director of advancement for MU Libraries.

“Things like that are commonplace for other libraries,” he said. “We’ve just fallen behind.”

MU Library System officials hope to address these inadequacies and more by asking for funds from students.

Recently, library officials proposed a $5 per credit hour student fee to the Missouri Students Association that would incrementally increase to $15 per credit hour over the next six years. The fee would fund improvements to the library including renovations, increased staffing, new services and 24/7 study space.

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