Open Collections

 V     3,   No     1   of  the  U.   B     C.   NEWSLETTER       OCTOBER   1966
DONNER  FOUNDATION  GIVES   UBC     LIBRARY  $75,000
The  Library  and   the  School   of   Librarianship  have   received  a  grant
of   $75,000   from   the   Donner  Canadian   Foundation   to make   the   first
thorough   study  of   library  use  patterns   in   a   large  academic  community   and   to  use   for   the   first,   time,   extensive  data  collected  by   a
computer-based   circulation   system   in   the   planning   and management
of   library  operations       Basic  to  this work will   be  the  conversion
of   the   she 1f- 1 1st   to machine   readable   form       Once   the Mathematics
Library   she If- I 1st   has   been  effectively   completed,   we  can   look  for
ward   to  the  production  of   book-cards  for  the   total   shelf-list
This   in   turn  will   open   a  whole  new  sphere  of   possible  projects
One   such  one,   the  union   catalogue of   the   three  British  Columbia
university   libraries  will   be   the   subject   of   discussion   at   the   coming   seminar  November  8th   and  9th
FEATURING  THIS  MONTH
News     n  Notes
The Bonn Report
Non-Professional   Turnover.    Part   II
Administration   Biographies   (Part   I!)
Microform  Collection
Computer   listing  of  UBC  Serials  Titles
Student-Library  Committees-  Orientation
Page
2
3
7
9
13
16
17
Once more we would like to thank all those who have contributed to
Biblos. NEWS 'N NOTES
Library Representative on_the_ _S_afety and Security Committee:
he has changed his name from Graham El 1i ston to Georgina Detwiller
and is now operating out of the Sedgewick Library.
Changes of scene: Our happy friar, Hans E-urndorfer has gone into
seclusion in the carrel I at the far end cf the Serials Division,
However, rumour has it that, he has been seen strolling in his
old haunting grounds - only upon occasior, of course!
Un' versity of British Columbia Library: a  plan for future ser-
viees by BSS and Bill Watson: This preliminary report gives a
general survey of the building requirements of the library up
to '974-75 and is intended to serve as a guide in future planning  This has not been put into general circulation but anyone
interested may consult a division head's copy.
Departmental Reading Rooms have been successfully avoided for
some time as so little was known about them.  In the past year,
Tom Shorthouse and Doug Mclnnes have excavated the campus and
have unearthed some 30 reading rooms which are officially recorded in A report on departmental readirg rooms at the University of British Columbia, September, 1966.  By revealing the
location, approximate size of the indiviaual collections, processes and procedures presently effective, and the users thereof, this report serves as a basis for the present discussions
which are now under way to decide the future of this "no-man's
land" !
Books going directly into Backlog: Books falling into certain
categories are placed directly into backlog without searching,
These shall be recorded in the Backlog listing and yellow temporary cards shall appear in the main catalogue.  Included are
materials for Stacks, Sedgewick Library, Fine Arts, and Special
Collections which fulfill the following criteria; publication
date prior to 1953, cost of less than $50.00, and good physical
cond i t i on,
Change in location: The hive of the library's printing activity-
has been moved from the Typing Room in the Cataloguing Division
to the little room (formerly a faculty reading room) in the
north-east corner of Stack Level 3, temporarily.  All masters
shoLld be taken to the Front Office to be forwarded for dup-
1 icat i ng. New additions to the library:  As U, B, C„ is considered to have the
best Slavic Department and Slavic Collection in Canada, the Polish
Embassy in Ottawa has presented the U,B,C, Library with a collection of some 150 volumes containing recently published Polish literary works, histories and criticisms on Polish literature in
general, books on Polish culture, and works dealing with German-
Polish relations since 1539,  The majority of these are in Polish;
however, the occasional one appears in English and/or French.  As.,
Poland is celebrating its millenium, a display shall appear shortly
to honour this occasion tsing materials from this collection.
SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY LITERATURE RESOURCES IN CANADA
Report of a survey by George S, Bonn
The Bonn report describes and assesses library resources in science
and technology, excluding medicine, and makes recommendations for
improvements in facilities and services at the national and local
level,  Limited to major collections at 33 universities, 8 public
libraries, 5 provincial research councils, the Atomic Energy of
Canada Ltd., and the Hydro-Electric Power Commission on Ontario,
Professor Bonn investigated the utility and availability of collections to the whole scientific community.  Although Professor Bonn
found common deficiencies in Canadian libraries in general, it is
interesting to note the surprising strength of the U.B.C. collection when one considers its age and size.  The results were as
follows:
Reference literature
Subject literature guides, organization directories, periodicals
lists.  Only U.B.C had all 17 on the list, out of the 48 libraries
1i sted.
Biographical directories.  Only U.B.C, Toronto and Windsor had all
5 on the list.
Encyclopedic works.  Only Toronto had all 11, U.B.C. lacked one.
Dictionaries and handbooks.  U.B.C. and Alberta tied for first
place among the universities with 83.7% of the 43 on the list.
Vancouver Public Library had the highest in Canada with 86%.
Treatises and compilations.  U.B.C. was first with 90%, followed
by Alberta with 88.7% and Toronto with 83%.  There were 89 titles
on the 1i st. 4
Indexes   and  Abstract ing__Se_rvj_ce_s
Out  cf  a   list   of  79,   Toronto  had  73,4%  followed  by  Alberta  and
U.B.C ,   each  with  71%,
The  various  services  had  a  combined  age of  2782  years.      In  this
respect,   U.B.C.    ranked  first,
binec  age  of   1570  years,   while
binec  age  of   1442  years.
its  56   services   having   the  corn-
Toronto's  53   services  had  a  com-
Jou _rn ais
To measure journal collections, Professor Bonn used a selected
list of 250 critical titles.  Of these U.B.C, and McGill had 88
titles each in complete files, followed by Toronto with 81 complete files,  As for current subscriptions, Toronto led with
138, followed by U.B.C and McGill with 135 each.
In terms of specific subject, areas, U, B. C.. proved to have
Canada's strongest collection in mathematics and second strongest collections in physics, bacteriology, mechanical engineering and plant culture.
In terms of general subject areas, the record was as follows
General Science - 4th Biological Sciences - 3rd
Physical Sciences - 3rd Technology - 5th
Agri cu1tu re - 2nd
''fen Years of Painting by Gordon Smith1'
Exhibit - Fine Arts Gallery
Oct ,27th - Nov  12th,1966
Some 31 paintings and 14 serigraphs "serve to illustrate the
development of this outstanding British Columbia artist  A
member of the "West Coast School" (a group noted for its abstract handling of nature), Mr. Smith's inclination towards
richness of colour and elegance of form can be noted upon examination of his work as can the gradual development towards
harder-edged form and the retinal use of colour,  British by
birth but Canadian as of his arrival in 1934, he has had exhibitions in all the major galleries in Canada, the U.S.,
Mexico City, Warsaw, and Australia and has represented Canada
at the Sao Paulo Biennial in I96I and the Guggenheim International Exhibition in 1957,  Presently on the faculty in the
Department of Education at U.B.C,, he will conduct a guided
tour of his exhibit on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28th at 1230 p m. 5
U.B.C,   WELCOMES  LAVAL TO TELEX  NETWORK
BIBU LAVAL Q.BC
NOUS VOUS FAISONS PART DE NOTRE NUMERO DE TELEPHONE : 011-3560
LAVAL
WELCOME TO THE TELEX NETWORK FROM THE SEPARATIST PROVINCE WHICH
SPEAKS ENGLISH
BIBU LAVAL Q.BC
PACIFIQUE AMIS
LA NOUVELLE FRANCE VOUS SALUE
COMNGS AND GOINGS
WELCOMING:
Carol Bregaint Library Assistant Government Publications
Janet Cordes Clerk I Law Library
Irene Minick Library Assistant Serials
Ann Nelson Ref, Librarian Science
Marilyn Potts Clerk I Circulation
Jane Roper Clerk I Acquisitions
Lorraine Tomlinson Clerk I Cataloguing
Frances Woodward Ref, Librarian Special Collections
PROMOTIONS:
Kathy Becker, from Clerk I to Clerk II, Circulation
Joanne Brown from Library Assistant to Senior Lib. Asst, Law
Mrs, M Buckingham, from C erk I to Library Assistant, Law
Nora Williams, from Clerk I to Clerk II, Acquisitions
RESIGNATIONS:*
Jill   Buttery Ref    Librarian Science
Hilary Horton Cle~k II Circulation
Lorraine  Image Cle-k  I Law Library
Joan Millar Lib-ary Assistant       Serials
Ann Morris Cle-k  I Woodward
Gabrielle Shrank Cle-k  I Cataloguing
* None  since October  1st   I. A NEW LINK* IN THE, CHAIN
Within the dark (?) confines of the STACKS, sandwiched between
the rows of carrel Is, sits a new breed of bureaucrat - the Stack
Level Attendants. Their job is to shelf-read, tidy shelves and
reshelve books left on shelf-ends after a "quick glance", The
Attendant also directs and checks on the operation of student-
ass'stants while they are shelving or helping to shelf-read on
his level. While she If-reading, they pick up books in need of
rebinding or relettering,
As well, Stack Level Attendants give answers to directional
questions, or to general questions on carrel 1 regulations, loan
periods, etc "Subject-matter" questions are referred to the
information Desk,  However, there is a limit to the kind of
"general Information" questions they can answer.  This was
brought home to one of the Stack Level Attendants last we.ek,
when a puzzled-looking young man stopped at the desk,
"Can i help you?"' the Stack Level Attendant: inquired pleasantly,
"No", he answered, straight-faced, "Mm looking for myself,"
"Oh", the Stack Level Attendant replied ouietly, "I can't help
you,"
Two ships In the night.,.
These positions have been made available.by converting some of
Circulation's student time to seven 3&2  hour positions, thereby
attracting responsible students taking only one or two courses,
The links are
Level (l)  Leo Vin i s
(2) &• *3l  Perer f haHcner
(4)
(5)
fu^i i -
1      K  !
Hm
I 4
I i   vY*1--,' i''J''l  r-^-1^
iLLAWi'illiiiill   K
l _
i    \     .   , __,     „
^
tor 7
NON-PROFESSIONAL TURNOVER - PART II
Non-professional turnover - what a challenging subject.  One tends
to wonder : should the analysis be based on past experience or on
present circumstances?
I am one of the optimists v-<ho feel that many constructive steps
have already been set in mction that will eventually cut down the
large turnover and as I uncerstand it a decrease is already beginning to emerge as a pattern.
It is also a fact that we are   not alone in the problem of staff
turnover  Most employers ere experiencing the same trouble  A
psychologist would probably proclaim this to be one of the hazards
peculiar to this age particularly within the younger group.  Nevertheless ours is one of the areas where high turnover can be extremely damaging and disorganizing especially when one realizes
that in most departments it takes at least 6 months before the new
employee can be trained to any degree of usefulness,  A training
period which takes time anc ability on the part of the trainer and
can waste endless hours - and MONEY, if the process has to be
repeated too often  So the question remains, what can be done?
My own feeling is that: this problem will exist until it is fully
realized by the "powers that hold the purse strings" that this is
an age of specialization.  In the complexities of the library
field as it exists today and at the non-professional level it is
no longer feasible to hire on the basis of minimum requirements
but rather on the basis of selectivity.  As a Doctor would not
hire inexperienced clerica  staff neither should a library be expected to.
Therefore to attract and hold the kind of applicants needed, it: is
not only necessary to offe~ competitive wages but also to be able
to offer a challenging career with definite promotional and monetary advances.
Many leaders in the field 3f librarianship deplore the fact that
owing to the shortage of trained non-professional staff many
Librarians have been forced into the position of acting as highly
paid clerks, looking after the mechanics of the library instead
of concentrating on the academic aspects of the profession for
which they have been trained, 8
Now is the time to change and it is with this in mind that our
own "Front Office" and other far sighted librarians elsewhere
are seeking a revision in the status of the Non-professional
and a complete re-organization to accommodate his or her potential ability, thereby lowering the wastage and cost of unnecessary turnover in staff,
This will eventually bring up the problem of what happens when
the top positions are filled with career workers and promotion
is less rapid.  At that time it will be necessary to make
interim raises very attractive, especially in the steps of
seniority.  Then, as now, policy should most definitely be
clarified.  It is an unfortunate fact that "management" so
often concentrates on the larger issues only to forget the
minor irritations that cause the most friction - and some resignations.
There will always be a certain amount of turnover in the library; there has to be by the very nature and location of the
job ,
One major cause will continue to be due to the requirements of
our own Library School,  It is desirable that an applicant to
the Faculty of Librarianship has experience in library work.
This then, becomes a moral obligation on the part of the University that a potential student be permitted to work in the
Library.  (Last year 14 out of 70 library assistants resigned
to attend Library School.)  Ultimately of course, this works
to the advantage of the library as many graduates do return as
Li b rari ans.
Then again though many Library Assistants with their B.A.'s do
make a career of library work, there are others who will find
that their interests lie elsewhere and will resign to continue
their education in other fields - this is inevitable.
There are many other reasons for resignations but I really feel
that the only answer to large staff turnover is to give the nonprofessional a career and a status.  A career as it has been
suggested furthered with vocational training for Library Technicians (there are 26 schools in the U.S. offering such courses)
In the final ana/lysis however, when a person respects his job
anc its opportunity, and feels he is being respected as. an
individual, he stays.  This is the secret of Turnover.
Pat LaVac HEADS OF THE REFERENCE DIVISIONS
MISS LO S CARRI ER
Smitten by the siren
voices of U.B.C, the
coastal climate, and
Vancouver scenery,
this prairie product
joined the ranks of
westerners gone west!
Apart from two widely
separated years in
Toronto (B.L.S. and
almost M.L.S.) the
progress has been
steadily toward the
sea.
Her career was launched (the nautical
atmosphere has affected her already!) at
the Saskatoon Public
Library, followed by
several years in
reference at the
University of Alberta in Edmorton.  This was relinquished in order
to spend two years setting up a library of arctic materials at the
same institution.  Calgary at least being within sight of the
mountains, and favoured by chinooks, there she served a three-year
stint running (the understatement of the year) Reference and
Circulation at the university.
A.C.L.A. occasional paper and an article now in press are products
of spare time otherwise devoted to bridge, or travel, or tennis,
or. . .
Now ensconced in the Social Sciences Division, her concern is
chiefly with reference in all aspects of its service and collection
building, and if she is by chance found rattling around in her vast
office, she may even be tackling some administering.
Not being a "joiner" by nature, she nevertheless somehow belongs
to C.L.A., A.L.A., A.B.C.L., and I.P.L.O.
■ MISS ANNA LEITH
In 1958, after over
twelve years as a medical laboratory technologist, chiefly
bacteriological, Anna
attended the Univer-
s ty of Washington
School of Librarian-
ship.  Her lab experience included local
stints at Shaughnessy
and Riverview Hospitals as we 11 as th ree
years in San Francisco.
Among bits of wisdom
acquired (unshaken by
U. B. C. years since
'59 in the former
Reference Division,
Biomedical Library,
or in her present
position as Head of
tie Science Division)
is the absolute
evidence that scientific workers expect to find information
even before it is recorded.
Her irregular profile may be partially attributed to the
result of pressing her face to the Public Library Commission
windows in Prince George when, even as a native daughter, she
was not entitled to library service, and no other was available.  Understanding dawned years later at library school
where, by the way, she reports an absolute "swinging" year
unaware of any contrary tradition.
From time to time, she attempts to "throw" a pot over eight
inches in diameter, or to improve her golf game. More
usually, she wastes time reading recipes without mastering
the art of effortless dinner preparation, but she has concluded that organization is greater if the cook resists
sarroling the aperitif ! MRS. JOAN SELBY
She Was born in
Vancouver some little
time after the turn
of the century, and
sojourned in a number
of boarding schools
throughout B.C. (you
name it: she's been
there!) and England
(you couldn't name
that one: "Felixstowe
Col 1ege for young
ladies and the daughters of indigent
clergymen'"") .  She
received a B.A. from
U.B.C., deci ded on
journalism, and stood
up to be counted at
a convocation at
Columbia University
(1945?).  Some time
between conception
and now, she was de-
livered of a daughter
and in search of a
haven for herself and her fatherless babe, she wandered into libraries, liked them and stayed.  She worked as a clerical for
approximately seven years in university, special and public libraries in St. Louis, New York, end Vancouver.  The institution in
New York had the kind of name Paul Revere would have ridden to save
"The Citizens' Commission for the Improvement of Public Schools in
the United States of America".  She can't remember what year she
received her library degree from the University of Washington but
it was two years before Anna Leith - who of course does remember-'""
(see this issue of Biblos).  She worked as a librarian for three
years at the Vancouver Public Library, came to the University Library the same time as Anna Leith*** (once more, see this issue of
Biblos) and stayed.
A succulent description of her job: chief stirrer of the stew that
is the Humanities Division.
** Yes, Anna is younger. * Protestant, that is!
*** The Memory Girl! » -*
*
*
9fKrmr
■■■^Sff^
-t ..-,..
.•^ui
Mrs.   E.   D.   DODSON
A  second-generation
No rth-Vancouve r i te,
Suzanne's   immediate
family consists of
cne  husband -   large
red-bearded geologist
and one cat  -   large
black and white
furred   idler  (the
"atter named   in  a  fit
of   inspiration
"Kitty").
Her 1ibrary title is
Head, Government
Publications Division1 . She was
magically transmogrified into this official posi tion two
vears ago as the
culmination of a
varied career which
"ncluded a bachelor's degree from U.B.C. with a zoology major, several stints as
a camp cook for prospecting parties, a B.L.S.  n 1963 from U.B.C.
and a year as a librarian in the Circulation Dvision.  She is
responsible for the acquisition and record keeping for all government publications in the library system. The collection, which
grows at a rate of about 6,500 items each month includes publications from all governments in the world plus the United Nations,
international organizations and municipalities.  She is aided and
abetted in her work by her able staff of seven - who are frankly
terrified of her!  In addition to the government publications,
which she considers one of the two most fascinating fields of
library work, her division houses the 1ibrary's microform col lection, the other most fascinating field.
Were it not for her beloved government publications, she would
divide her time equally between painting water colours of wild
flowers and sewingVogue Paris Original patterns. 13
THE MICROFORM  COLLECTION
The   library's microform  collection   is   located on  Stack  Level   Six
at   the   south  end  of  the   Government   Publications  Division.      In
August,   1966,   there were over 8,000   rolls of microfilm,   15,000
ca-ds  of microfiche,   19,300  cards  of microcard  and  250,000   sheets
of microprint.     Since  August   the  collection  has   increased  considerably.     Yesterday,   for example   (October   19th),   it   increased
by   approximately   100   rolls  of microfilm  and  7,000   cards  of micro-
card   I     These   figures  do  not,   of  course,   include   the many  additional   microforms  waiting   to  be  catalogued.
Essentially microform   serves   two  needs:   first,    it  provides  compact
and  economical   storage   for  printed material   which would  pose
physical   problems   for  both   the   library   and   its  users;   second,   it
makes  available   large  collections  of old  and   scarce materials,
which  could  never  be   accuired   in  original   form  at   any  price.
The two basic types of microform are 'transparent' and 'opaque'
and these two types come in a variety of sizes and shapes. The
standard   forms   in   the   library  are:
MICROFILM  -   transparent  photographic  film;   35  mm.   or   16 mm.
MICROFILM APERTURE   CARDS   -   file   card  with  one  or more   frames
of microfilm mounted  along  one   side  or   in   a window,
MICROFICHE  -   transparent   sheet  of  film;   3"  x  5"   to  5"  x 8".
MICROCARD  -  opaque  3"  >   5"   card.
MICROPRINT  -  opaque  9"  x 6"  card.
The   library   has   17 micrcform   readers   for  these materials  but  of
course  each   form  needs   a   spec   al   type  of   reader,     There   are   10
different  models  of   reacer  represented   in   the   total   17.
The  most   impressive  of  all   the   17   readers   is  the  3M   Filmac 400
Reader-Printer.      It's  a  sad  fact   but  you  can   impress  people more
by  pressing  the  print   button  on   this machine   than  you   can   by  compiling   a  ten  page  biblicgraphv.     This wonder-machine  can  print
paper  copies   from  any   transpa-ent microform.      It   has  a  variety of
lens magnifications which  makes   it  very  versatile.     The  charge
for  printing  a  page   is   10  cents. 14
The microform   collection   includes  many  priceless   items   indes-
pensable   in   a   research   institution.     Among   these   are   such   sets
as  the  books   listed   in   large  bibliographies   like   Pollard  and
Redgrave's A  short-title   Catalogue  of  Books   Printed   in   English
or   in   England,    Ireland,   Scotland  and  Wales,   1475-1640.     Also
in   the microform  collection   are   the   British   Sessional   Papers
from   1731   to   1900,   the  United  States   Serial   Set   from   I789   to   1885,
technical    reports  of   the   US,   Atomic  Energy   Commission   from   1957,
the  Human   Relations   Area   Files   and   all   publications   listed   in
the Monthly   Catalogue  of   the   U.   S,   Government   Publications   from
1953   (non-depository)   and   1956   (depository)   to  date.
For  further   information  on   the microform  collection,   consult
Stuart-Stubbs,   B     and  S,   Dodson,   A  brief  Guide  to   Library   Resources  on  Microform       1966       This  scholarly   and  definitive
you more   about  microforms   than  you  can  possi-
SCT>
work  shouId   te 1 i
bly  want   to  know.
(Nfcw YoR«.s,a.) 15
MCRE "PHOTOCOPIERS"
if you people are wonderirg about the blue upright thing next to
the Xerox machine down in the Xerox Room, it is the much talked
about Dennison,  it is here only temporarily, as we would also
like to have the Bruning 2100 tested before deciding-wh ich of the
two to buy.
Both of them work on the same principles as the Xerox and are just
as simple to operate.  One special feature about the Bruning is
that the specially designed sensitized paper can be used as masters
for reproducing up to approximately 30 copies.  It also reproduces
better pictures than the Xerox,  The paper for the Bruning Is 3
inches longer than the Xe~ox paper,  The. charge for students re-
ma ins 10<J per exposu re ,
A blow to the sentimental sts I     Our out-moded Xerox 914 will soon
be discarded to make room for the new Xerox 720.
fci-IW        r<
TTVTnfi 16
COMPUTER LISTING OF THE UBC SERIALS TITLES
In 1964, the members of the Science Division, wishing to have a
listing of the serials In their particular sphere of Interest,
decided to compile one themselves.  The result of their work
is a computer produced publication titled, Serials In the University of British Columbia Library. Section i: Check-list of
currently received scientific and technical Serials,  The
success of this book can be judged by the fact that even now
we are receiving requests from libraries all over Canada not
only for it but also for Sections 2 and 3 *»hich have never been
comp11ed.
This Initial success by the Science Division aroused desires
for similar fulfillment In other parts of the library system
notably the Humanities and Social Sciences Divisions and the
Woodward Library,  People started collecting masses of information, card files began to grow, problems appeared, solutions
were formulated, a style manual was born, several worksheet
formats were tested on every colour of paper available and
finally we began to grope towards the goal of listing all the
serials titles in the UBC Library system. Many months (at
least 18 or 20 this year, ! swear) have passed since Doreen
White first started compiling information which was to be keypunched for the great "Master List", Many people have been
involved In a program of seemingly endless work, displaying
a degree of perseverance and endurance for which I have only
the highest praise. And now finally we have a room-full of
punched cards (60,000 of them) which we are currently tidying
up for the running of a preliminary listing by  the end of
October,
What will this listing signify? For us In the Serials Division, it is a mere first step toward the realization of a far
more dynamic goal - the automatic processing and updating of
all serials records in the library,  The list (ten copies)
which you will see In early November (with any. luck) will
really be a by-product of our work - It will not be complete,
will not be the ultimate authority, will rot be perfect - but
we hope you will find It useful while we carry on with the
next phase of the job, which Is to result in the publication
of a much better list. 17
A special expression of thanks to all those who have participated
or  are  currently participating in this project; Doreen White,
Carol Freeman, Joan Mitchell, Robin Williams, Joan Millar, Marilyn
Meister, Gail McKechnie, Rosina Wan. Irene Minich, Ian Lee, and
the key-punching crew under the cheerful direction of Gwendolyn
B rown .
u ,  t ,
Another address to confuse the issue -
Phi
University of British Colombia
L i bra ry
Serialsdr i o i s ion
Vancouver 8 Canada
THE STUDENT-LIBRARY COMMITTEE
The Student-Library Committee was formed during the summer of 1966
by the President of the Alma Mater Society, Peter Braund and the
University Librarian, Basil Stuart-Stubbs,  Although the Committee
remained undefined, the founders anticipated that it would act as
the official spokesman fcr the student body in respect to library
matters, and that it would assist in interpreting the library tc
the students as well as expressing the needs of the students to
the library administraticn.
:o
Although the effectiveness of this committee can not be determined
as yet, the first two meetings were used to discuss some of the
obvious student-1ibrary problems  Apart from student-orientation,
which is discussed later in this issue, some of the more important
matters dealt with to date include student behaviour and discipline
and seating capacity.  With respect to the former, it was taken as
inevitable that occasional breaches of peace and quiet would occur
and that, consequently, some machinery for dealing with offenders
would be required.  It was suggested that the Student-Library
Committee might act in this capacity if individual offenders could
be identified.  It has been the unwritten policy that behaviour
was the concern of the students and the library does not interfere
except in the most ext rente incidents, in which case it might prove
necessary to involve the R.C.M.P, or the Faculty Council, 18
Initially the Committee intended to issue a statement in the
Ubyssey notifying students that working conditions in the library were ultimately a student responsibility.  So far though,
this has proven unnecessary,
A study-seating problem exists because cf the present shortage '
of space..  At the current rate of book acquisition, space for
books will run out in 1968, unless public or staff areas are
taken over for book collections,  There will be no funds avail-
ab"e for buildings other than those now planned or under construction until 1968.  To the suggested solution of storing infrequently used materials, the Librariar said that this would
inevitably come to pass when satisfactory storage space on
canpus was made available.  He added that the data collection
system used for lending books would enable the library to pinpoint little used material, and that a storage library was part
of his recommendations for the future growth of the library
system.
The library's seating capacity breaks down as follows:
Main 1 ibrary 1970
Branch libraries        995
heading Rooms 839
3804
The majority of the student body is prevented from using many
of these seats as these are under departmental control or are
open to faculty or graduate students.  As an indication of the
magnitude of the problem, Ture Erickson of the Sedgewick Library informed the Committee that, to accommodate the students
served by his library last year, 1239 seats would have been
needed where only 479 exist.  In the meantime a student member
of the Committee was in negotiation with the Dean of Science
and the Heads of Departments regarding the possibility of opening science buildings in the evenings for study purposes.  Such
a move would make available some.4000 c'ass room seats.
Otner matters mentioned included an account of computer use in
the library and the new policy of stack access for first and
second year students. 19
STUDENT ORIENTATION
In order to find a solution to the problem of teaching great numbers of students how to use the Library to the best advantage, a
Working Group on Orientation has been formed.  During registration
week about two thousand students voluntarily took tours of the
Library, but tours alone are only a partial solution to a major
problem,.  So far no system used by any large library has been completely successful,  Some universities give courses, others have
slide showings, with or without a sound tape, but. most systems
break down under the pressure of numbers.
Before any major revision of U.B.C's orientation program is undertaken, a questionnaire will be circulated in order to sample student, opinion on the effectiveness of the present orientation procedures.  Such a questionnaire will be distributed in mid-November
after the students have attempted to write a few term papers and
do their assigned readings; this would follow the mid-October
lunch-hour special seminars on Library use,
As an introduction to the Library, movies are too expensive and
not easily adapted to frequent changes within the Library,  Although videotape facilities and a television studio exist in the
Faculty of Education, their potentialities are still being explored and the closed circuit system is not adequate for 6,000
students.  Some American universities have large circuits including dormitories and coffee shops.
The general information bulletin and the individual leaflets for
all divisions are useful for lower year students but more specialized instruction is needed in later years.  It is hoped that
a general handbook to the Library can be published in the future.
Compulsory lectures and courses for credit have also been suggested.  Most faculty members could give instruction, but where some
already set library assignments for their classes, others do not
know the Library well enough to teach on it, 20
The following poem was presented to us by a promising young Mexican poetess, Tequila Mockingbird, after she attended two of the
highly successful Sedgewick tours.  We were so Impressed with her
work that we asked Turtle Neck, Arts II If we could postpone his
essay, "The Many Faces of Prince Hal" until the next Issue of
Biblos In order to Include the poem with the article on oriental ion.
ORIENTATION ■  AFTE RMATH*
Into Sedgewick, gaily tripping,
Pencils dropping, raincoats dripping,
Purses ,fal1ing, tempers ripping,
Stolen notebooks tightly gripping,
Going down to talk a lot
Smiling sweetly, loudly thundering,  ^~
Laughing, smoking, suavely blundering, '^
Here are all the hippies wondering _^.r
If their hair will grow or not
•^
-•'-Title varies  could be'AFTERFRENCH, AFTERENGLISH, etc
depending on the timetable
^
*~