The Booth Library will be providing students with coloring pages, puzzles, Sudoku and more as ways to relax and de-stress starting Friday.

On Monday and Tuesday of finals week, the library will have three certified therapy dogs, named Pippa, Tucker and Wilson, by the North entrance to the library. The three therapy dogs will be around for students from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Betty Hargis, Wilson’s owner, said the dogs were so popular with students that last year, they extended their visiting time by an hour.

“We were only scheduled to stay in front of Booth for two hours last year, but so many students were coming up to see the dogs that we didn’t think it would be right to just end it there,” Hagris said.

Hargis said therapy dogs are trained and chosen with a specific temperament that makes them love to be around humans. She said the way the dogs and humans interact usually leaves both happy and as a result, less stressed.

Coloring pages and Sudoku will be available throughout the library, but if students want to work in groups there will also be group coloring and group puzzles in the Marvin Foyer.

Beth Heldebrandt, the public relations director for Booth Library, said the library chooses what activities to offer based on what was popular in previous years.

“I think this past December during finals week was the first time we put out the coloring pages and we couldn’t print them out fast enough,” Heldebrandt said. “They were disappearing as fast as we could put them out, so clearly they were really popular.”

Heldebrandt said students started to gravitate towards Sudoku puzzles instead of activities they have put out before like Mad Libs.

Heldebrandt added that the reference desk is available at all times to help with research. Students can also print papers for free from the reference area.

On Monday, the library will provide students with popcorn and lemonade while they are studying or relaxing.

The library will have extended hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open during normal hours for the rest of finals week.

Mace Mackiewicz can be reached at 581-2812 or mmmackiewicz@eiu.edu