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Students in the town of Westmere will soon have somewhere quiet to study late into the evening. From the first of November, the town's central library will stay open until 11 p.m. from Monday to Thursday during the exam season, instead of closing at 7 p.m. as it does now.
The change follows a petition signed by more than 1,500 local students, who said that their homes were often too crowded or noisy for revision. "I share a bedroom with my two younger brothers," said seventeen-year-old Lily Chen, who started the petition. "After dinner, it's impossible to concentrate at home."
The late opening will run for a trial period of four months, until the end of February. During the extra hours, only the second floor will be open. It has eighty desks, free wi-fi and plugs for laptops. Students will need to show a library card, which is free for anyone who lives or studies in the town.
The library's café will not open in the evenings, but students will be allowed to bring their own drinks in bottles with lids. Food will not be allowed upstairs.
The extra opening hours will cost around £18,000, which will be paid by a local technology company as part of its support for education in the area. Two security guards will be on duty each evening.
If the trial is successful, the council says it will consider keeping the library open late all year round. It will judge success by the number of visitors and by asking students to complete a short online survey.