The “new” University
library features
relocation of the
newspaper reading
room, a redesigned
book-finding system
and a new library sign
system color-coded by
floors.
Photos by Steve Dykes
*»J
Room
.
w w w* * w #
Microforms-*
Checking out
the new-look library
Outside it may look the same, but
inside the University’s main library is a
different place.
"Every book in the place has been
moved,” University Librarian George
Shipman says.
Shipman and the library staff feverishly
revamped the library over Thanksgiving
and Christmas vacations.
“The staff did it," Shipman says. “From
the last day of finals, everyone worked
from 7 in the morning until 6 in the
evening. And there was one 22-hour shift
that some staff members worked.
“Students who come to the library will
find it more predictable with fewer
complex service points,” the librarian
^ says.
Money for the reorganization, which
H cost less than $20,000, was obtained
from salaries from unfilled library
| positions.
“We asked the University
Administration if we could keep the
salaries for positions left open,” Shipman
says. “It was either that or wait until next
year and maybe not be able to do it. The
Administration has been responsive; they
didn't want us to wait.”
■ The reorganization begins with a less
complicated sign and graphic system.
I "Informational signs should hit you at
every point as you come in the library,"
Shipman says.
The sign system, is color-coded by
floor, and each floor's set of signs go
from general information such as what's
on a floor to detailed information on
exactly where specialty items, such as
research documents, can be found.
Maps of the library are located at the
two entrances on each floor.
“The signs repeat some information,”
Shipman says. “But, if you can’t find
something, ask a librarian.”
To prevent cluttering of the library's
sign system, no additional signs will be
added until approved by the library’s
graphics services.
Another major feature of the library
organization is the consolidation of the
three subject areas,
Education-Pyschology, Social Sciences
and Humanities, along with four
reference librarians and reference
materials, into a central reference area
on the first floor.
In the past, reference librarians helped
students by giving them the benefit of
their subject specialty area, and Shipman
says he forsees this service continuing.
“That trend of personalized service will
continue, and we hope to improve upon
it," he says. “We're working to identify
those heavily used areas of subject
expertise so we can fulfill those needs.”
Also located on the first floor is the
Current Periodicals-Reserve Book Room,
which houses short-term check-out
materials that are required course
reading and all unbound periodicals. No
periodicals bound or unbound will be
allowed to circulate out of the library.
The old Reserve Book Room, located
in the northeast corner of the first floor is
now the Newspaper Reading Room.
In addition, books were reshelved to
enable students to find books easier and
faster, Shipman says.
Library of Congress classified books
from A-thru-L are on the second floor,
and those under M-thru-Z are on the third
floor. Also located on the the third floor is
a section for the Dewey Decimal system
books not yet classified under Library of
Congress cataloging.
The library is considering joining a
bibliographic utility that would enable the
Library to catalog books faster and would
speed the transfer of Dewey books into
Library of Congress.
Shipman says this complete run of
books will improve the library's
accessibility for students, but that the
shelves of books are tight, leaving little
room for expansion in coming years.
The shelves “need some degree of
looseness because each year has areas
of heavy interest that aren’t predictable,”
Shipman says, citing the rise of Middle
Eastern interest since the crisis in Iran.
“The time will come when I might have
to say ‘Folks, I have to remove those
chairs to make room for books. We need
to start on the problem now because it
takes time to jump through the
Legislature's hoops.”
Most of the Microforms and equipment
are now located in the Microforms and
Recordings Department on the third
floor. Recordings are kept within the
Douglass Listening Room, now part of
the Microforms and Recordings
Department.
The Library is open now from 8 a m. to
11 p.m. Monday — Thursday and from 8
a m. to 5 p.m. on Friday — Sunday. There
will be an open house Wednesday Jan.
14 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Parts of the Library used to be open
until midnight, but Shipman has
established uniform hours. "When the
building is open, the whole thing is
open.”
The transition to the new organization
should be smooth, he says.
“Within a couple of weeks, it will be like
old times. Everyone had to work hard, but
it was worth it.”
“It's going to be a while before
everyone knows where everything is, but
I like it,” said Kate Freeman, a secretary
in the Librarian's office.
“Everyone is really encouraged by the
changes that have been made," said
Ruth South, a reference librarian. "It will
be more efficient and easier on students
because they only have to come to one
place.”
“It’s probably more logical in terms of
students ability to find things,” said
Susan Fisher, a circulation staff person.
“It’s helpful to have reference librarians
in one area, but I’m not sure about the
cutting of some parts’ hours from
midnight to 11 p.m. A number of
students used that."
Overall, students liked the new
arrangement. Some, however, were
concerned about the new central
reference area.
“It works okay for me now because I’m
using the reference books down here,
but I think it works better for lower
division students because most of the
books I need are on the third floor," Stan
Stanford, a doctoral student said.
“It’s a pain in the ass,” said Tim Weber,
an English graduate student. "It makes it
tough for me because most of my books
are located on the third floor and the
reference books are on the first. Also
they won’t let you take out periodicals."
“In some ways I like it better," said
history student Gail Unruh. "I think it
simplifies matters a great deal, but I'm
still getting used to it."
Story by Marian Green
Cultural Forum
II
I, Claudius
The
Winter
Film
Series
JANUARY
Fri 9 The Kids Are Alright
150 Geol 7:00 & 9:00
Sat 10 Richard Pryor Live In Concert
150 Geol 7:30 & 9:00
Sun 11 A Slave of Love
180 PLC 7:00 & 9:00
Thurs 15 I Claudius (1 & 2)
150 Geol 8:00
Fri 16 Remember My Name
180 PLC 7:00 & 9:00
Sat 17 Star Trek*
EMU Ballroom 7:00 & 9:30
Sun 18 KeetjeTippel
180 PLC 7:00 & 9:00
Thurs 22 I Claudius (3 & 4)
177 Law 8:00
Fri 23 Time After Time
150 Geol 7:00 & 9:15
Sun 25 The Lacemaker
180 PLC 7:00 & 9:00
Thurs 29 I Claudius (5 & 6)
177 Law 8:00
Fri 30 Nosferatu
150 Geol 7:00 & 9:00
Sat 31 Agatha
150 Geol 7:00 & 9:00
FEBRUARY
Sun 1 Lumiere
180 PLC 7:00 & 9:00
Thurs 5 I Claudius (7 & 8)
150 Geol 8:00
Fri 6 Luna
150 Geol 7:00 & 10:00
Sat 7 The Rose
150 Geol 7:00 & 9:45
Sun 8 Summer Paradise
180 PLC 7:00 & 9:00
Thurs 12 I Claudius (9 & 10)
150 Geol 8:00
Fri 13 Romeo and Juliet
150 Geol 7:00 & 9:45
Sun 15 Women
180 PLC 7:00 & 9:00
Thurs 19 I Claudius (11,12,13)
150 Geol 7:30
Fri 20 Peppermint Soda
150 Geol 7:00 & 9:00
Sat 21 The Seduction of Joe Tynan
150 Geol 7:00 & 9:00
Sun 22 My Brilliant Career
150 Geol 7:00 & 9:00
Fri 27 All That Jazz
150 Geol 7:00 & 9:30
MARCH
Sun 1 La Salamandre
180 PLC 7:00 & 9:30
Fri 6 The Tin Drum
180 PLC 7:00 & 9:30
Sat 7 Gilda Live
150 Geol 7:00 & 9:00
Sun 8 The Apple War
180 PLC 7:00 4 9:00
Fri 13 Everything You Always Wanted
to Know About Sex
150 Geol 7:00 4 9:00
Sat 14 No Nukes
EMU Ballroom 7:00 4 9:00
Admission-$1.25
* Indicates 75 cent tickets available
for children under 12 years of age
Page 7
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