Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

DO Ihai for you I'll shampoo and style your hair for $7.00 I'm Margie Broome, I've just co think you should have to pay sot can doit for free. So I'm giving y< across from Sharpe's. Phone for SPORTSMAN 706 771-0961 Intern Dir Wednesdc Russell Ho 5:00 - -featuring foods f Paprikahl Lasagne Wiener S< UNysT ig PUgyggggS e a DEAL r HAIR ! or you shampoo your hair and I'll give you for $3.00 me down from Washington D.C. I don't neone else to wash your hair when you iu a choice We're located in Five Points appointment. STYLE SHOP Harden 771w0961 ati onal iner ty, Oct. 15th use Cafeteria 7:00pm rom different countries ihner Spatzle ~hnitzel Thefts, vandalism spurs library survey By JOHN SHARKEY Gamecock Staff Writer The percentage of missing books from McKissick Library will be determined in a random survey conducted by the Student Academic Affairs committee (SAAC). Michael C. Griffin, chairman of the Student Senate finance committee and a member of the graduate student organization, said that a random sample of 200 books is being used and that the results of the study will be given to the Student Senate within two weeks. "There has been a jot of allegations," Griffin said, "but we want to get a true estimate of books that are missing." Griffin said that "99 out of 100 times it (the study) will be correct." Overcrowded conditions at McKissick has prompted criticism of the library. However, Griffin said the study "is not being done as criticism, but to point out the need" for better conditions. He added, "We want to look at it objectively." Griffin said that he does realize the limits of the library. "It's basically a matter of staff and money," he said. Griffin believes that the library is doing the best they can with the money and staff they have. GRIFFIN SAID that the library has done a better job of locating missing books this year. He thinks the computer check-out system has helped the problem a lot. Griffin also thinks that an inventory of some sort should be taken at the library. He said that now might be a good time to conduct the in ventory. Kenneth E. Toombs, libraries director, said that he had not been notified of the survey, but was skeptical that such a survey could be accurate. "I don't see how anybody could conduct a survey of lost books without talking to anyone who knows more about the library," Toombs said. He said that many of the books that are thought to be stolen or lost are actually misplaced within the library. HE SAID that many students do not know where to look for books and some students copy the wrong number of the book they want from the card catalog. He pointed out the example of a student who requested 100 books from the inter-library loan program. He said that 41 of the requested books where found in the library. "Of every 100 books that a person said he can't find, less than 10 per cent are stolen," Toombs said. Toombs said that if a book cannot be found in the stacks, students may request the circulation staff at the library to put the book through a regular locating procedure. He said that books are automatically replaced after being on locate for about a year. He added that the library will spend $10,000 this year to replace lost and stolen books. "HOW DO you keep people from stealing books? It's hard to catch people without intimidating them," Toombs said. "The people that could do the most are students. The responsibility for the behavior of the student body is with the student body," Toombs said. Mutilation of books and especially journals is another big problem of an open-stack library.Toonbs said that many people do not realize how much harm is done when they mutilate a book or journal. He pointed out the example of an honor student who had illustrated a paper he wrote with pictures cut from a journal in the library. A 500 rer cent increase in library use in the past seven years has added to the problem of theft and mutilation in the library. Toombs said that he is very much against having a closed-stacks system. "No security system is fool-proof and closed stacks is not the answer," Toombs said. He said that many people single out undergraduates as the people who cause most of the problem, but that he disagrees. "It's not uncommon at all for graduate students to hide books from other graduate students; I'm not accusing anyone, it's just human nature," Toombs explained. Toombs said that his staff works at trying to alleviate some of the problems. He believes that the student assistants who work in the circulation department have a more demanding job than in any other department on campus. The security system in the new library, scheduled to be open next spring, will help cut down on the number of books stolen. Three detection systems will be set up there, one in the reserve reading room and two at the front door. "If a book is not checked out the gate (to the exit ) locks and sounds an alarm," Toombs said. "It's the same system used in the law library," he said, "every book will be treated so that it will respond to the electronic system." Toombs said that the three systems cost about $10,000 and that it will cost about ten cents for each book that is treated. THERE IS only one exit and entrance at the new library and the windows cannot be opened. Many books are stolen from McKissick by being thrown out the windows and picked up later. Toombs emphasized that he would like to see a better attitude among people using the new library. He thinks student should have more respect for other students when using the library. He believes that any student who is caught stealing a book should be expelled from the University. He said that there will always be theft and mutilation, regardless of what kind of secnrity system there may b.