Love Library-maze of confusion, analysts say
by Robin Pilus
A study recently conducted by
three consultants concerning the UNL
library system, found morale of staff
employees low, problems in branch
library functioning, and that Love
Library is "basically underused."
ASUN hired the consultants from
Provo, Utah in February to study
complaints about the library.
"If the library staff would have
looked at the problem collectively we
may well have come up with the same
things and probably even more,"
shelving and study areas were
inadequate.
According to the report, the
consultants "were surprised when we
first came to find that the library is
basically underused.
"This was especially true in the
reading areas of Love Library," the
report said.
The survey stated that after visiting
areas during various times they found
that study areas were unoccupied.
According to Huessman, "there is a
real need to improve the environment
I
I 1 -v- V
X
John Huessman, UNL director of libraries . . . "We've just had a
general lack of funding for too long."
according to John Huessman, UNL
The study team initially
approached the assignment with the
understanding that the university was
going to build a new library and that
of these areas. They are not conducive
to study."
Huessman blamed insufficient
lighting, uncomforable furniture and
bad physical conditions for the
H
WHY ARE NEBRASKA UNION
FOOD PRICES GOING UP?
As everyone knows, the price of food has skyrocketed
recently. The increase has been particularly dramatic in the price
of meat, the main item in the Nebraskan Union Food Service
menu.
The increase has been approximately 28 percent during
the past 12 months, based on our two most popular items,
ground beef and beef for roast beef.
The line has been held as much as possible, but the
continuing rises in food costs have forced us to raise selected
prices by an average of 10 percent. A portion of increased
costs will continue to be absorbed by us as long as possible.
The price increases are permissible under the recent
interpretive ruling of the Cost of Living Council regarding the
applicability of certain Phase 3 guidelines to restaurants.
problem.
"The report did recommend that
we approach the Legislature for funds
for remodeling." he said.
The consultants suggested that
"problems would be created if
legislators made a tour of the library
and found that the study areas were
unused and that the shelving areas of
the library were not filled to
capacity."
"I believe if legislators would see
conditions are bad for study,
Huessman said, "I think they would
understand physical conditions are to
blame."
Many shelves are unused because
books have been categorized and many
books moved to other UNL libraries,
he said.
Plans have been made to move
many meterials back to Love Library
when the new addition has been
completed, he added.
The study said that under existing
conditions a student attempting to
find a book "is faced with a very
confusing situation.
The consultants, Sterling Albrecht,
Leon Woodfield and N. Dale Wright,
said: "The image of Love Library is
very low among the majority of those
who are associated with it."
Huessman said he agrees that there
are problems of morale in the library.
"Any system with a million
volumes is going to have a diversity of
problems. This is one of them," he
said.
The report said the problems are:
public image, relations to staff, faculty
and students; master planning and
branch library functioning.
Too few clerical workers, too few
professionals, and internal
communication problems were blamed
by the consultants for the staff's low
morale.
The first recommendation made by
the consultants for library
improvement is an examination of the
library's "basic premises" on a largely
undergraduate campus.
"This library system has attempted
to be a research library system at the
expense of other publics, notably the
undergraduate students," the report
said.
Concerning management, the
consultants said: "There is a lack of
overall planning in terms of long-range
and short-range goals of the library."
They also said they "found the
basic supporting data and documents
for the acquisition and flow of
books.. .satisfactory." But they added
that the work flow of the library could
be improved.
"We've just had a general lack of
funding for too long," Huessman said.
"The new addition will be a start, but
it will not solve all our nioblems."
Huessman said he hopes "for a
concerted effort by librarians,
students, faculty and administrators to
really make some kind of progress."
WHY WONT THE NEBRASKA UNION
CASH TWO-PARTY CHECKS?
Effect ive with the return to classes following Spring
Vacation, "two-party" checks will no longer be cashed at our
check cashing stations in the Union. This type of check is the
one in which an endorsement on the back is required before
it is cashed.
The collection problems involved with "two-party" checks
returned by the bank are greater and more expensive. Some of
the effective collection avevues are just not available when you
are trying to collect a "bad" two-party check.
WHAT ARE THE NEW OPERATING HOURS OF THE CRIB ?
Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m. -6:30 p.m.
Saturday 8:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.
Sunday Closed
Food service will still be available through the South Crib Vending Line until
closing time each day.
This ad fxiid for by the Nebraska Union Board to keep its public informed.
thursday, march 22, 1973
daily nebraskan
page 9
