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Life after
death topic
Does man survive death?
That is the question which
has occupied most of the
20-year career of
para psychologist William Roll.
Roll will speak tomorrow at
3:30 p.m. in the Nebraska
Union on "What Science Can
Tell Us About Life After
Death."
Roll is head of the Psychical
Research Foundation in
Durham which seeks primarily
to answer the question of
survival after death.
Tuesday at 7:30 pm, Roll
will participate in a discussion
at Abel Kail, f
I:
Parepsychologist William Roll , . '
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monday, april 29, 1974
IfncoSn, nebraska vol. 97, no. 53 ,
By Charles Johnson
In March 1973, three researchers from Brigham
Young Univessty prepared a study of the UNL library
system, and now a year later, Adam Breckenridge,
acting director of University Libraries, has reported
that many suggestions included In the study have
been put into effect.
In a letter to UNL Chancellor Jnmes Zumberge
dated Feb. 6, 1074, the researchers noted a number,,
of improvements in the jlbrary'progrem which they
viewed in a Second visit to UNL the first week f
February. I
The original 3-day study included criticism of
public relations, physical fad'ities, location of book,
landing and fine policies,' management and morela.
The researchers lucsestad examination of tha roles
end services of each of I ha 13 library branches,
solving tha 'mocala problem with the library staff and
acquainting students with ths library system.
In their letter to Zumberge. the researchers noted
especially the improvement in morale of library
personnel. They listed as factors In this change:
appointment of an acting director who has
demonstrated forceful leadership, filling of critical
staff vacancies in the technical and public services
departments and increased communication, and
cooperation between staff members. i
"We've had a substantial reduction in the turnover
of tha professional staff.1 Most of the staff
resignations this year have been bee
reasons Breckenridge said v.- ;
suss I of family
According to the researchers, this change, ip morale
has shown itself in a renewed interest in the needs of
undergraduate students by staff members
Instructional programs have been developed to serve
the patrons, including clinics and tours. j;
"We seam to think that tha attituda of tha staff
and students is mora pleasant," BreckenrkJga ssid.
"These era just tuhjectiva things." Ha said tha library.,
usaga figures were up over fast year, Nmav&f,'
Breckenridge said the libraries had adopted several
Innovations to aid students. He mentioned term paper
clinics, which were held twice this semester and ones
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last semester, large red directional signs and
placement of librarians in the open to field questions
and help patrons.
The large red signs were installed in Love Library
in fall 1973 and give directions for "everything from
where the restrooms are to where the reserve books.
are," according to Breckenridge.
, ... . . In trying to make tha materials of tha library mora
""accesssbSa to the students, tha vm hava proved to ba
a great timesaver for library employes, Breckenfidga
said. Employes no longer must field questions about
finding various parts of tha library.
Ha hopes to have similar signs placed in the
Undergraduate Library at Nebraska Hall next year.
The researchers also noted improvements in the
' technical service areas, resulting in a reduction ol
processing backlogs, and, in planning the roles ol
branch libraries and storage areas.
However, the researchers indicated that several ol
the problems pin-pointed in the original study still
exist. They included: the image of Love Library,
. difficulty finding library materials, organization of
government documents, reading of shelves and
physical remodeling of Love Library.
Breckenridge said he was baffled by tha image
problem.
"I don't know what one does with that," he said.
"I would suspect that some students have never
entered a library. I think the students will us a
library if the faculty encourages them to do so."
He said the libraries are reorganizing handling of
government documents and hope to have them
available almost immediately after receipt. Ha said
the reading of shelves, which means looking for
misplaced books on the shelves, depends on tha
amount of part-time help and is always a problem
with open stacks.
In their second visit the researchers a'so cited the
need for appointing a permanent director, an increase
f fiill-tirrift nmitiom at th associate. director level
and careful analysis of the effects of inflation and
changing enrollment patterns on tha library's
objectives.
Breckenridge, a political science professor, expects
to serve as acting director until sometime th!
summer. A new director hasn't been appointed yet,
h laid.
On inflation, he said, "We recognized it and tha
Legislature recognized it enough to give us a smaSI
increase in funds this year."
' Breckenridge and the researchers cautioned that
construction of tha new addition will not be a cure 1
' for all the problems of the library system. '
A major change which completion of tha addition
will bring about is transfer to it of the Dewey
Dadma! system numbered books now on th? third
floor of Nebraska Hall. In tha process about 000,000
pieces will be moved among the 13 UNL libraries
Brcfcenr ald.
He said there would be advantages end
disadvantages if the 13 UNL libraries were in ona or
two structures,
"We could administer the "library perhaps mot
csslly, but students and staff would have crest
incownlenees," Brcckenridgg said.