Changes At the Philip Weltner Library Leave Lasting Impacts
The Phillip Weltner Library has undergone drastic changes in staffing and operating hours in recent years, leaving lasting impacts on Oglethorpe University staff and students.
The end of the 2026 school year saw big changes at the Phillip Weltner Library. Six student workers – including Olivia Chapman, Head of Library Operations — and two staff members, Evie Wang (Reference and Instruction Librarian) and Eli Arnold (Director of Library Services) — left the Phillip Weltner Library to start new adventures. With the loss of Library staff and reduced access to campus resources, students, faculty, and staff have been impacted.
Archival records show in previous years, the Library opened from the early hours of 8:30 am to 10 p.m., only closing earlier on Friday and Saturday. However, following this past summer, Library hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., whilst the 24- hour rooms operation varies, depending on staff, according to the Library’s Website.
Emma Lynn, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, said, “I do have concerns over staffing issues and budget cuts on campus. I am primarily concerned that continual cuts and staffing changes will impact students the most, including campus events and resources.”
Students’ studies have been hindered due to “...no longer having access to a printer that works
effectively and [now being rushed] to study…,”. However, students are not the only ones impacted. In fact, “...many student organizations have been impacted by these changes, which is upsetting for the entirety of campus life and involvement…,” said Ashley Reyes-Verde ‘27.
The stability of campus itself is also questioned, as it is felt that “...the resources of the staff that we rely on are dwindling, which could [make it] harder for us to get the help we might need,” said Anaya Jackson ‘29..
With limited access to library materials, research support, and reliable places to work efficiently, the future of students' academic success is a concern. This trend of reducing these vital resources is not unique to Oglethorpe University. On Mar. 14, President Donald Trump signed an executive order dismantling the Institute of Museum and Library Service (IMLS), the federal organization that is tasked with supporting U.S. museums and libraries. As library staff and institutions work to address the loss of valuable resources while also acknowledging the rise and institutional use of easily accessible digital tools, such as AI, those who face the consequences are the students themselves.
As Oglethorpe is a small university with a small staff, it is hit harder, making it hard to offer that next step internally, said Judith Levy, Core Professor. However, the Provost, Gabriel Barraneche, said, “...It is Oglethorpe’s responsibility that those changes do not diminish the educational experience for students… We have used data about how students use the library to guide our decisions while keeping student needs at the center of every conversation.” While the impact on students, especially those in high need, is regarded, Oglethorpe staff work tangentially with faculty, Accessibility Services, Student Success, and other campus partners to help ensure every student has access to the resources they need to learn and thrive.
While being a smaller institution that is deeply impacted by any loss of staff and resources, “...the benefit of being a small campus is that faculty and staff are close with one another, and they all care deeply about the mission of higher education, so we team up to make things work in times of reduced resources,” said Levy. “...I must give kudos to our current staff who have taken on extra work in this way, especially Sarah Lewin (Technical Services and Systems Librarian) and Sarah Morris (Director and University Librarian). They are great at filling the gaps when possible.”
While Oglethorpe has suffered the loss of valuable assets and resources provided by the Library, students and staff must work together to bridge the gap and allow for progression. Students may feel the impact now, especially as they go through Midterms. However, Oglethorpe staff and professors remain aware of said changes and look to support students during this time, prioritizing the future of their students, especially in a time of AI prevalence.
Professors, library staff, and Oglethorpe administration acknowledge the growth and implementation of AI in an institutional or resourceful setting. However, it is stressed by those aware of the negative consequences that result from an overreliance on AI that students must progress critically with the information provided. “Society has adopted AI remarkably quickly, but not always critically,” said Barreneche. “The question for higher education is not whether students will encounter AI. They will. The question is whether they will develop the habits of mind necessary to question it, evaluate it, and use it responsibly.” With a drastic shift in staffing and resource availability at Oglethorpe University, during a time of students’ neurological development, students are vulnerable and ill-equipped to prepare for AI’s ever-changing development.
Oglethorpe staff and professors hope to create a reliable, supportive environment for students rather than one where students feel disconnected or exist in an unstable environment.
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