With the onset of final exams, many students begin their end-of-the-semester pilgrimage to various campus libraries, many of which are offering extended hours. Because students plan to study, work on projects, write term papers or take naps on reading chairs, these buildings are predicted to be packed.

“It’s already gotten a lot busier than last semester’s finals,” said Lori Mestre, head of the Undergraduate Library. “The garbages have been overflowing since Wednesday.”

Mestre said the average number of students, about 400 to 600, who use the library per day is predicted to double, if not triple, within the next 24 hours. There are so many students who come to use the Undergraduate Library that they run out of chairs. Security guards are required to make sure there are pathways through “the tons of textbooks and students all over the floor,” Mestre said.

“It gets pretty crowded at night,” said Jonathan Popejoy, student assistant at the Undergraduate Library and senior in LAS. “It’s pretty deserted during the day, but it’s always quiet. And it’s a lot more structured than a coffee shop.”

Popejoy said he feels students benefiting from spending time in the library “depends on their motivation.”

“If you come and sit around and chat with your friends, you won’t get much done,” he said.

Mestre, who has been involved with the library for the past five years, has seen a dramatic change in study dynamics since her time as a student, especially in group work.

“When I was in college, finals used to be a very individual thing. Even recently, I feel they have become more collaborative. There are more students in need of space to do group projects, and much more prevalent are the take-home tests,” she said.

The Undergraduate Library, as well as Grainger, opened Thursday and will remain at the disposal of students continually until closing on May 14 at 7 p.m., when they resume their normal respective schedules. Many others, such as the ACES Library, have extended their hours until midnight.

“I usually study in the Bromley Hall study room,” said Lindsay Gordon, freshman in LAS. “But when that’s full, I go to Grainger. I like the nice, big windows and the tons of table space. I feel that the UGL feels depressing and kind of dark.”

No food is allowed in the Undergraduate Library, but Mestre said drinks are permitted and that Grainger does allow students to bring snacks into the study area.

“Wherever students choose to study, they need to watch their belongings,” Mestre said. “The biggest problem we have is when students leave to go to the bathroom or to get a cup of coffee from Espresso Royale. They think that they’ll just be gone for a second, but that’s all it takes.”

Night shift security guards at the Undergraduate Library try to keep an eye on unattended laptops and backpacks, Mestre said, but she feels there is always someone who loses something during this time of intense study.