Ltbh t" r3 "wrr
uiiuy
retreats
bitterly
from
library
battle
by MIKE W1LKINS
Staff Writer
The story of Frank Lundy
and his quest for a new Library
for the University's Lincoln
campus is nearing an end-and
not without some bitterness.
Lundy has reached the
mandatory retirement age of
65, and after 27 years as
director of University Libraries
he has also lost his patience in
trying to establish a "first-rate"
library system at NU.
"This state will not even
support one first-rate
University," he commented. "I
have been begging for sums of
money within financial reach
for a library, yet a fieldhouse
receives an open-ended check."
Involved with the allotment
of funds for library
construction are the political
motives of the Legislature.
"The plans were made for a
single library at one fixed cost.
On the floor of the Legislature
that buildirc h?s been tossed
around in the past five years at
many different costs and stil!
no building," he said,
Lundy's efforts to gain a
new library addition for the
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central branch began about ten
years ago as he foresaw the
expansion of the University as
far as students and the number
of volumes required for the
l'brary. He began to bring the
library's problems to the
attention of high
administration officials.
In 1968, Lundy and his
staff prepared a comprehensive
study of needs for the
proposed expansion of the
central branch.
Using this report and funds
alloted from the Legislature,
plans were made for a $7 5
million building. Then politics
came into the picture and the
plans still remain unused in a
second floor Love Library
office.
Lundy said one of the
problems stems from the
campaign proposals of Gov. J.
J. Exon.
Representatives from
Exon's office captured an
inaccurate picture of the
library situation, he continued.
"These men would walk
through the library several
times and see that half of the
tables were not being used by
students and that empty
shelves existed in various places
in the library."
They then informed Exon
that there are plenty of library
facilities on this campus, he
said.
The problem is not so
simple. Lundy indicated that
by 1973 all available space for
books on this campus will be
occupied, while approximately
70,000 volumes will continue
to be purchased each year.
Academic attitude is
another hindrance to library
progress.
"I have observed repeatedly
that real academic work on
campus doesn't start until
football season ends and that
libraries are not heavily used
the first half of the fall
semester and at other times
when social and sporting events
nvited to pV
V
are uppermost."
"Students go to the library
when teachers require that
they do so. But a university
with a mediocre teaching
program and a library that is
not well used perhaps cannot
afford to spend its money on a
library," he said.
This is only one of the
discouraging factors which has
fermented in Lundy a
bitterness towards the politics
within this state and
University.
The faculty also has been a
source of futility to him. For
years criticisms about book
supplies, facilities and library
personnel have been directed
to him and not to the source of
the problem. Lundy has
suggested that the faculty
support the program of the
library by recommending and
proposing policy.
Even more disheartening to
Lundy has been the absence of
administration aid in handling
the library problems.
"My staff and I regret that
the University Libraries have
not held a strong position in
uniiiiiniiiEiiiiiiiiij iimnMn
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""teat . rt (
Lundy . . . the fight is over.
Why ever accept
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administration circles and
thereby have not been able to
satisfactorily accomplish their
mission," he said.
Lundy's discouragement is
also reflected by other
members of his staff. Right
now six of my best people are
asking me to help them try and
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get out of here," he said.
When asked if he would
have done things differently in
the earlier years he was here
while looking back at the string
of events, his answer was not
surprising.
"I should have left this
University in 1 954."
STARTS THURSDAY 1 !
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WEDNESDAY. MAY 19, 1971
THE DAILY NEB HAS KAN
PAGF 13
