The MacPhaidin Library bounces back after last week’s blizzard

By Martha Savage  

Shortly after the historic blizzard that hit the South Coast last week, Stonehill’s MacPhaidin Library reopened, and students quickly showed up. 

“[Students] must have been going stir crazy sitting in their rooms… I think that's why it’s very important the library reopened as soon as possible,” said Uma Hiremath, the library’s assistant director. “It has always been a place of comfort.” 

Despite the challenges presented by the snow, 65 students showed up to study Wednesday night. The following day, 506 students visited the library. This number far exceeds the library’s typical daily attendance of 300-350 students.  

The library closed at 6 p.m. on Sunday, February 22 after the college closed the building’s parking lot. Two part-time librarians and two student library workers reopened the building from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Wednesday, February 25. One additional part time librarian and one additional student library worker arrived later in the evening to assist. It was the first building on campus to reopen after the storm.  

 However, in a sense, “the library never closed… [because of the] vast collection of articles and databases” always available to students online, said Hiremath.  

Some of the library’s events were also impacted by the snow.  

Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies Elizabeth Striner Keefe’s 2026 Scholar Speaker Series talk, originally planned for Thursday, February 26, was postponed; while the library was open on Thursday, many of Keefe's colleagues, peers, and students who had hoped to attend the talk were snowed in and unable to make it to campus. The event was rescheduled for March 19 from 3:30-4:30 p.m.  

On Wednesday, February 25, Peter Ubertaccio intended to lead a session of the library’s “Faculty and Staff Epicureans at Stonehill” event series and give a demonstration on “How to Make Shrimp Scampi” in the Bogan Hall Kitchen. A new date for this event has not yet been set. 

While the Monday and Wednesday sessions of pet therapy were canceled, furry friends made their way through the snow and to the library by Friday.  

The real role of the library is to bring people together, said Hiremath, “that's why we're so delighted about being able to open” quickly after the blizzard had isolated everyone on campus.