opinion
Page 4 Summer Nebraskan, Tuesday, June 13, 1978
Library computer: tale of planning, cooperation
A computer which will allow librarians in
Love Library, UNO library and the University
Medical Center library to know exactly what
books and periodicals the others have will be
installed as a result of approval by the Board
of Regents, May 20.
There is little doubt that the addition of
the University of Nebraska Library Retrieval
System is a good one.
By knowing what the other libraries have,
each can share specialized items that
otherwise would be purchased for use by only
a few persons. That results in monetary
savings for the libraries. It also gives students
access to a wider range of materials.
There are other benefits as well. When the
system is installed students will be able to
check out books automatically. A special
device will record the material withdrawn and
the identification number of the student.
Elimination of the handwritten charge
cards means less hassle for students and less
bookkeeping for librarians. It also means that
there will be a current and accurate record of
withdrawals. Librarians should be able to tell
students within minutes which library owns
the material and if it is available to be
checked out.
The computer will also "remember"
students who have not returned library
materials and will not allow them further
withdrawls. That should result in less stealing.
Scheduled to begin in early 1979 it is
hoped that the system, within several years,
can be expanded to the thirteen branch
libraries on the UN-L campus, to the
agricultural experiment stations and to other
outstate locations as well.
News of the system was a pleasant surprise
for us-who like many students-were
Students need child care assistance
The cost and availability of adequate day
care for the children of students is now
becoming a critical factor in determining
whether some of us will be able to remain in
school. Since the Board of Regents withdrew
monetary help from the University Day Care
project, the rate for two children is being
letter
raised to $260 per month. The only other
child care associated with the
University-Ruth Staples Developmental
Center-has an extremely limited enrollment
and makes no provision for children under the
age of three. In addition, most private day
Letters policy
The Summer Nebraskan will publish letters
to the editor and guest editorials. The editor
will decide which letters are published and
reserves the right to condense submissions.
Timeliness and clearness of writing will be
considered.
All letters must be signed.
Letters should be received by the Summer
Nebraska Monday prior to the date of desired
publication.
It's Our "Get Aquainted
Special Week"
e97r HAM
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Made with ham, lettuce,
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What't a Gazebo?
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azebo
also featuring
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soft drinks
crepes
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Coupon expires June 17.
care centers in Lincoln are just as expensive
and do not accept children under the age of
24 months.
Complicating matters even more, federal
help for day care costs for low income
graduate students is now being cut off.
For those of us with middle-class incomes
or lower, and those of us with children
younger than 24 months, there is no help for
this situation.
In the past this university has been most
eager to encourage younger students in
various ways: establishing residence halls,
recreational facilities, work study programs,
and the like. But isn't it time to aid the
increasing number of non-traditional students
with such a basic problem as child care?
Perhaps the only way to demonstrate the
relevance of our problem to University
concerns is to form our own pressure group.
If action is not taken, we must join together
to solve our problem in any way possible.
Dona Moody
Sophomore English major
Wahoo, Neb.
Summer Publication
The Summer Nebraskan is a weekly
summer sessions newspaper. The first issue
appears Tuesday and seven subsequent
editions will be published on Thursday. The
next Summer Nebraska will be June 22.
This first edition has a special pull-out
entertainment section with a schedule of
UN-L summer events.
;1
Vintage Wardrobe
a unique alternative
1890's - 1950s
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Mon. - Sat. 1130 to 530
Thursday til 800
also . . . antique rugs
lamps and prints and
COSTUME RENTAL.
rr II Corn9,oi
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20 discount on clothing with this ad.
beginning to wonder if anyone realized, or
cared, what a mess the library system seems
to be in.
But even more surprising than its existence
is the story behind its creation. The computer
system is the culmination of planning begun
two and a half years ago and carried out with
extensive cooperation between library
personnel. University administrators, the
Legislature and the University Foundation.
Brice Hobrock, assistant dean of libraries
and the technical leader of the project, said
there has been extensive cooperation between
the library directors of the three campuses to
plan, gain approval and implement the
system.
The project also had "unusually strong
backing from the administration," he said. He
specified Steven Sample, executive vice
president of academic affairs as an especially
strong supporter-even in initial planning
stages.
The mini-computer plans then were given a
boost last year when the Legislature approved
an amendment of to the University
Appropriations bill. The bill allowed the
University to designate unexpended utility
funds for library improvement.
The libraries chose to spend the $200,000
retained for the mini-computer. An additional
$150,000 will be given to the libraries by the
University Foundation to implement the
project.
This cooperation has yielded good
results-a system that benefits the students,
the library system, the university as a whole
and the state as well.
Its too bad we don't see more of this.
Editorial cartoon
Student u n i Jn a jj
" - PARK,jN&i
jjjjj "
Expire June 30.
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