Midnight Hall at Cowles Library

Midnight Hall is a high-quality study space open to Drake students outside of regular library hours. In the interest of safety, access to the area is controlled through the campus access card system. Use your Drake ID Card to access Midnight Hall from the south (University Avenue) side of the Library.

When is Midnight Hall available?

Midnight Hall is open during regular library hours, and remains open after the Library closes, effectively making Cowles Library a 24×7 study space. Hours vary during summer, holidays, semester breaks, at the end of a semester, and for special events.

We post any changes to the Midnight Hall schedule on our website.

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Who can use Midnight Hall?

Students, faculty and staff who wish to use Midnight Hall must

• be CURRENTLY enrolled/employed, and
• have an active Drake ID Card.

Only Drake students, faculty and staff can use the area after the library closes. Persons who do not have an access card will not be allowed to remain in Midnight Hall when the library closes.

These restrictions are in place to promote a safe environment.

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What if my Drake Card isn’t working?

Issues with your Drake Card are handled by Student Services or Public Safety, depending on the time of day.

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Will the cafe be open after the library closes?

No. The cafe will not be open after the library closes, but there are a number of vending machines.

Cafe hours are controlled by Sodexo and are posted on our website.

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Is printing available?

Yes. The printer/copier is named cowl-lowercommons. The printer can be accessed through web print.  This printer/copier will do both color and grayscale (b&w) printing.

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What about security?

Midnight Hall is monitored by closed-circuit television. There is a security phone (just pick up and talk to security) at the entry and the Drake card access system controls who is allowed in the area.

Responsibility for monitoring the area and controlling access lies with Campus Security and the Dean of Students.  After the library closes, Midnight Hall is not managed by Cowles Library.

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Can Midnight Hall be reserved for special events or meetings?

No. Midnight Hall is intended for study and normal library operations and is available to users on a first-come, first-served basis.

On rare occasions, the library may use the Historic Entry as an entrance or support space for events in the Reading Room and Atrium, but this area of the library is not available for general booking.

Library Hours