Even the most unflappable students tend to feel stress spiking in the final week of the semester, when exams and essays loom. It’s also one of the busiest seasons at the UI Libraries, with visitors seeking energy and focus among the stacks. We’ve put together a list of recommendations and activities to help you find a finals routine that works just as well as you do.
Attend finals week programming
Throughout finals week, the UI Libraries and other university organizations are supporting students by offering special activities and resources designed to add fun and relaxation to the calendar.
On Monday, for example, you can fuel your studies with a free breakfast in the IMU, catered by the famous “Pancake Man.” Then head down the road to the Main Library for some snacks, or stop by the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences to find the plush dinosaur hidden in the building and collect the prize.
Monday, Dec. 12
Main Library
- 9:30 a.m. – Snacks available in the Service Commons on the first floor, while supplies last
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – SEAM Brain Break available on second floor, offering activities to keep your mind engaged while offering a respite from work.
Hardin Library for the Health Sciences
- The first student to find the plush dinosaur hidden in the building will win a prize from December 11-14
Tuesday, Dec. 13
Main Library
- 9:30 a.m. – Grab N Go Breakfast Bags available while supplies last
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – SEAM Brain Break available on second floor
- 7 p.m. – Snacks available while supplies last
Wednesday, Dec. 14
Main Library
- 9:30 a.m. – Fresh fruit available while supplies last
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – SEAM Brain Break available on second floor
Thursday, Dec. 15
Main Library
- 9:30 a.m. – Snacks available while supplies last
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – SEAM Brain Break available on second floor
Watch this space for a complete schedule of activities at the UI Libraries during finals week, as our programming continues to develop and expand. For more on-campus finals activities, keep an eye on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Extended hours to fit your schedule
The Main Library will be open until midnight on Friday, Dec. 9, and Saturday, Dec. 10. Then, around-the-clock access starts at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, and ends at 10 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16. Make sure to bring your Iowa One card to enter the building between 1 to 7 a.m. The Food for Thought Café will be open until midnight from Saturday, Dec. 10, to Thursday, Dec. 14, and will close at 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15.
Marvin A. Pomerantz Business Library and Lichtenberger Engineering Library will also have extended hours during Finals Week. Be sure to check here for hours at all our campus libraries.
Find a study space
Sometimes you need a corner all to yourself, a place to hum along to the song in your head while you grind out a bibliography or memorize a formula. Sometimes you have a group project that requires focused communication, and telepathy isn’t an option. Maybe you just know a whiteboard will keep your thoughts organized. Whatever the task, the UI Libraries has you covered with with variety of study spaces.
Group study spaces at the Lichtenberger Engineering Library, Marvin A. Pomerantz Business Library, Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, and the Main Library can be reserved online. Plus, reserving a room can put you in the running for Group MVP.
And if the stress of finals is getting to you, feel free to check out the Reflection Room, Room 2060, in the Main Library and at Hardin in Room 407. Just make sure you keep your visit to 30 minutes or less; this time of year, it’s pretty likely that someone else will need it next.
Borrow Accessibility Tools
Great libraries (we count ourselves among them) adapt to the needs of the people who use them, rather than expecting visitors to compromise their needs to fit into an outdated model. UI’s libraries are constantly adjusting our approach based on new information.
And the more researchers uncover about how our brains work, the clearer it becomes that there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all study environment. Some students work best with background noise; others prefer to cancel it with a pair of earmuffs or ear plugs. Sitting upright in a chair is effective for some, while others might benefit from a wobble pad or beanbag chair.
The Main Library provides short-term rentals to accommodate as many of our visitors’ needs as possible. Game-changing tools like weighted lap pads, earplugs, noise-dampening earmuffs, and wobble cushions can be checked out for four hours at a time from the service desk at Main Library, and the textured calm strips that come with them are yours to keep.
You can earn more about the accessibility resources here, which were generously funded by a Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Catalyst Seed Grant.
Just ask!
Not only are our staff uninterested in shushing visitors—they actually want you to speak up if you have questions. Whether you’re lost on your way to a study room, need help finding a particular volume, or want to rent an accessibility resource, they’re here to help. Don’t be afraid to pose a question or voice a concern; “Just Ask” is the unofficial motto of the UI Libraries.
Our libraries contain an inexhaustible range of resources, and library staff have a wealth of expertise to help you take advantage of whichever ones are most useful to you. There’s an ideal study space, resource collection, and atmosphere for every student—so many options that they can be daunting at first. That’s why we’re here, during Finals Week and every week.