Matt Miller/DN
Joan Giesecke, dean of libraries pending the NU Board of Regents’ approval, stands in
front of pre-1800 books in the Archives room in Love Library.
library may undergo face-lift
By Erin Schulte
Staff Reporter
The Nebraska Union won’t be
the only building with plans of ex
panding on campus if the new dean
of libraries accomplishes her goals.
Joan Gicsecke, dean of libraries
pending the NU Board of Regents’
approval, took office as acting di
rector Feb. 1.
During her term as dean,
Gicsecke said she would be seek
ing funds for an addition and reno
vations to Love Library. #
About $30 million would be re
quired to make the needed expan
sion, she said. Two floors would be
added to the Love North wing, and
one floor would be added above the
link between Love South and North,
as well as an addition that would fill
up part of the area under the link.
Because the library is not paid
for by student fees, finding the
money will be a more widespread
process, she said.
Funding would come from state
and private donations, she said. The
uni versity will handle the fund-rais
ing, and the library would not have
any say in how it was done, Gicsecke
said.
Money has not been raised yet,
so renovations are years away,she
said.
She also wanted to continue to
strive for improved service and ex
panded collections, she said.
Library service should be im
proved by expanding electronic re
sources, Giesccke said. She wants
to continue to seek funding for CD
ROM and databases, which have
been requested by all academic
colleges on campus.
Gicsecke was hired after the uni
versity restructured computing and
library services to be headed by one
associate vice chancellor. She re
placed Kent Hendrickson, who be
came associate vice chancellor of
information services.
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Journal editor to talk
on homosexual issues
By Karl Anderson
Staff Reporter
Educating students and staff about
homosexuality and homophobia is
Warren Blumenfeld’s main goal for
the week as he gives a series of talks at
UNL.
Blumenfeld, editor of the Journal
of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Iden
tity, will be speaking about the impact
of homophobia on homosexual youth
in school and on homosexuals in the
work place.
The talks arc sponsored by the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Af
firmative Action and Diversity Of
fice, the Teachers College and the
UNL Committee for Lesbian and Gay
Concerns.
Blumenfeld, who has been speak
ing on issues surrounding homosexu
ality for the past 25 years, said educa
tion was the key to gaining support for
the homosexual population.
More gay and lesbian support
groups should be established within
schools and communities—not only
for homosexuals, but also for hetero
sexuals who understand the needs of
homosexuals, he said.
These “Gay/Straight Alliances
would support homosexuals and their
families and friends. They also would
provide needed education in schools
and communities.
Blumenfeld said more policies
should be developed by government
and school boards to protect homo
sexuals from harassment, violence and
discrimination at work, at school and
in society.
Homosexuals have little chance to
advance in the work place because
they arc afraid to come forward about
their sexuality, he said. They often put
shields around themselves that pro
tect them fromdiscrimination but don’t
allow them to move forward.
Coming forward and gaining ac
ceptance is important for progress, he
said.
“The contributions we could make
are hidden in the closet,” Blumenfeld
said.
Domestic-partnership benefits for
gay and lesbian employees should be
equal to heterosexual employees, he
Warren Blumenfeld will give
a series of talks this week
at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln.
• "Homophobia: How We All Pay
the Price," today at 3:30 p.m.
in the Nebraska Union.
• "Equity Issues in Schooling for
Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual
Youth," Tuesday at 2 p.m. in
the Nebraska Union.
• "Recovering the Past: Gay,
Lesbian and Bisexual History,"
Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Wick
Alumni Center.
said.
People who step out of their gender
role arc hated, he said.
“Thisisalife-and-dcathissucwe’rc
dealing with,” Blumenfeld said.“Gays
have been designated the demon in
order for other people to gain and main
tain power.”
Although he said he knew that in
creased visibility could cause a back
lash, Blumenfeld said he was optimis
tic about the future.
Same-sex marriages could be legal
in the future, he said, and a bill protect
ing homosexuals in the work place
could be passed as well.
More people will become accepting
of homosexuals, he said.
He said homosexuality and
homophobia were being discussed
more, and he was being invited to speak
at more locations — indications that
people are becoming more educated.
He said more polarization also has
taken place, with individuals in the
middle deciding whether they sup
ported homosexuality.
But homophobia doesn’t affect just
homosexuals; it hurts everybody, he
said.
“Gays lead proud and happy lives
like everyone else,” Blumenfeld said.
“And I don’t care who’s in your bed,
only what’s in your head.”
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