Northwestern is fortunate to have a fine university library, with varied and deep resources for study, research and enjoyment. Two notable features of the library have been its central role in quality education here and its significant open hours.
The open hour policy is being abruptly abandoned. This presents problems of principle and policy making. On principle, freedom of inquiry and information are crucial for a free society, informed citizenry and critical scholarship. Great libraries are at least in part public because of the social importance of knowledge.
People should be able to walk in at certain times, no questions asked. Changing from an open library to one with restricted access is like changing from exercising a right to petitioning for a privilege.
There is a qualitatively different feeling between simply walking into the library and having to show official ID, or first having to register, get a pass, and then be admitted. What has traditionally been an exercise of intellectual and personal freedom becomes a bureaucratic and regimented procedure. What does a sign reading "we card hard" symbolize when approaching a place of learning rather than a bar? When government requires ID, it constitutes a search. Even the "requirement" to show ID to get on an airplane is more flexible for those who show up without a license.
The dramatic switch here was instituted before the facts were presented and the policy debated by the faculty and wider community. Have the members of the NU community as well as residents and officials in the surrounding areas been afforded a chance to speak to the issues? There was little notice during summer vacation when few people were around to discuss or protest its instigation. Those who do not want to go through "registration" or cannot present "proper" ID simply cannot use the library anymore. This abolition of open hours is not a good fence and it won't make the University a good neighbor.
And what about younger students from local communities who might benefit from the opportunity of simply walking in and using a great library? Some area high school students of today will be future NU undergraduates. How many teenagers or community members who have yet to visit a research library will want to present proper ID and register to taste the fruits of sophisticated knowledge for the first time?
Moreover, how can the library close its doors to users who simply want to read a government pamphlet or the U.S. or Illinois Constitutions? NU receives free government periodicals and reports by virtue of its public accessibility.
The new policy also raises privacy issues. Many people simply want to come and go to the library without being IDed or tracked. Staff members are also now required to wear ID badges. This can create uncomfortable attention, particularly for women. The hassles when busy students, faculty or staff cards don't work or the ID system is down can unpleasantly delay just getting to work or studying.
Problems within an open library can be solved. Will restricting access make the problems disappear, or will it simply exclude outside users? How much will these restrictive procedures cost and what else could the money be better used for? Funding for the library should go for books and staff, rather than further security apparatus.
Members of the University community should make their concerns known to the Faculty Senate, library and University administration. Letters and email on the topic to campus leaders and media can highlight the importance of the issues.
NU has been receptive to concerns of the Evanston community, including offering borrowing privileges locally. Yet, this policy conflicts with better town-gown relations. Returning to open hours demonstrates openness to community concerns and that University leaders can learn when an unfortunate change is better reversed. For principle and good policy, there need be no barriers to knowledge in the NU community.
Richard Sobel, visiting scholar in the Buffet Center
is a member of the 
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