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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1983)
Monday, November 21, 1983/The Battalion/Page 3 ew library system less error-prone by Brenda Bivona Battalion Reporter A new computer system in stalled a year ago to improve ook circulation in the Sterl ing C. Evans Library has re sulted in fewer errors in the Circulation process. “This system is much more tccurate than the previous pne because the computer leans the identification num bers,” Colleen Cook, acting (tead of the circulation divi- a, said. “Before, the num- ers were key punched and here was a lot of room for rror. The main reason for hanging circulation systems vas to eliminate as many irrors as possible. “With the old system we tad people coming in with iverdue notices and they ladn’t even checked out the look. This system makes it asierto know what books are hecked out and where they The intention of the new system has been to maintain a higher level of circulation of books to the library’s clientele. “It’s hard to say when we noticed an improvement with the new system because we have been using the old sys tem and the new system simul taneously,” she said. “During the last year we have been phasing into the new system and in September of 1983 we had absolute conversion to the new system.” The computer has 36,000 student library numbers in its data base. A library number is available for every registered student at Texas A&M. When a student applies for a library card he is given the number already assigned to him by the computer. The stu dents’ local mailing addresses are updated at this time for the purpose of sending over due notices. Texas A&M students can not check out library materials without a library card. Appli cations for the cards are avail able at the entrance of the lib rary. After filling out the appli cation, the student needs to turn the form in to the circula tion desk. Cook said that stu dents usually receive their cards when they turn in the application.” Faculty members have a combination I.D. card and lib rary card, she said. “A goal we have is to com bine the student’s I.D. card and library card,” Cook said. “I don’t know when this could go into effect. Other schools using this computer circulation system include the University of Neb raska and Arizona State Uni versity. Local Guardian Angels get new head, graduate eleven p Foreign students to get a hand with adjusting by Jamie Hataway Battalion Reporter iForeign students coming to Texas A&M next semester will ■ve help adjusting to the new Environment through a buddy system called International friends. llheTau Kappajunior honor iety is starting the program in attempt to help foreign slu- ™its adjust to life in the United aovertiiM j . n . ■lesand, more specnically, at ston ■ . n \, • i le is A&M, society member irk Eddy says, tnmgfl 7 au Kappa, whose activities Heron serving the University ild bets 1 the community, will meet nt.Afts hagroupfrom International lolitkal! |( ient Services next week to [cuss problems facing foreign houldl lc * ents ant * h° w to handle - ise problems. ’| s 0 Eddy and three other Tau ^ °fr [ppa members formed a com- ers toi f lee this semester to deter- sho" mipe ways to help foreign slu- Hits. The committee is trying [d nienfoarouse interest on campus to eaderslj Isn’t show i oucaa hy dot ectedp: Grenai es itendtt reeni tal ml re leers i* attlefit :ei isitiw 1 ' y ne»f lion 1 in r* ■ art^ ii Icii!'- (0 n# ihe ,c •elion*' r, is ask 1 ’ jugl'ff - p! ! tlf ripii" 11 - anOE ■out* 1 MtlV' Sian* make the new program a suc cess, Eddy said. Committee members have met with groups such as Student Government and extramural sports clubs to gain University support for the program and get the new students involved in campus activities. Although many activities help American students adjust to life on campus, there are not many to help foreign students, Eddy said. The International Student Association and other related clubs help in some situations but not in all cases, he said. “They get together and dis cuss problems abroad and prob lems in the United States, but they don’t get any actual involve ment with the Americans,” he said. Even though the world is becoming more “America nized,” he said, people from other countries still aren’t aware of the huge cultural difference between them and us. “These students need some one to be their friend,” he said. “They need someone to call on if a problem ever comes up. “The first thing we need to do is get the students out of their apartments. Sometimes there’s not a lot of American students in the complex and the foreign stu dents tend to isolate themselves and study a lot. We need a way to . help them meet people.” by Tricia Parker Battalion Reporter For the Bryan-College Station chapter of the Guardian Angels, it was a weekend of growth and transition. Growth because the organization graduated its first class of 11 “Angels” and transi tion because of the resignation of the Joy McLean as head of the chapter. McLean, who founded the chapter three months ago, res igned shortly after Saturday’s graduation ceremony. She will be succeeded by Joe Bernal. McLean said she resigned be cause of the time factor. She wants to join the Bryan police force and thinks the Guardian Angels takes up too much time for her to do both effectively. “I think this was the most natural time for a leadership transition,” McLean said. “I love the Angels very much but I have to look 20 years into the future to see what I’ll be doing. I needed ajob that I could work at for 20 years and still enjoy it.” M c 1 e a n said she always wanted to join the police and that she joined the “Angels” be cause the work they do is similar. “But the object of the Angels is crime deterence,” she said. “We look for people who need help, even if it’s just carrying their groceries up the stairs for them.” She said the “Angels” are not vigilantes. “We don’t go out there with this macho attitude. We talk to the people and see what they want, what they’re afraid of.” The Guardian Angels work in patrols of eight people. The new graduates went on their first patrol Saturday night after the graduation ceremony. The pat rol was led by Lisa Sliwa, the wife of the organization’s founder. From now on each new mem ber will go on two four-hour pat- rols twice a week. “We like quiet patrols best,” she said. “They may be boring but we don’t like to make arrests. We want things to be nice and boring. “We go to where the criminals are, when they are there. It’s not like if we see an armed robbery we’re gonna bust in there and say ‘We’re the Guardian Angels, hand over your gun’. We would call the police and try to keep bystanders from getting hurt.” In addition to the the biweek ly patrols, members also attend one two-hour training session each week to learn new skills or to brush up on old ones. “A person can’t just go through the initial three-month training and be trained fore ver,” McLean said. McLean said the people who join the Guardian Angels are tired of seeing people hurt and criminals going unpunished. “They’re very nice people,” she said, “your basic all Amer ican type person. T hey’re very intelligent and very kind.” Gandidates are screened very carefully to make sure they have no criminal record or that they are not trigger-happy or emo tionally disturbed. “We don’t even want to see those kind of people,” McLean said. There are 29 Guardian Angels now, including 18 still in training. McLean said she thinks will help deter crime. “We just care about this town and the people,” she said, “and we don’t want to see anyone hurt by criminals.” R€SUM€ S€RVIC€ Basic $19.95 package includes 20 original re sumes and 1 5 cover letters to potential employers all done professionally on a inord processor TH€ COMPUTCR PlfiC€ 707 Texas five.. Suite 108£ (Texas 707 Shopping Center — Across from Texas A&M) 764-1190 Spaghetti & Meat Sauce Platter 02.95 ^^ATTENTION AGGIES! Need a place to rent for your sorority or private parties? Sons of Hermman Lodge is the place. For additional information call: Don Roberts 822-4238 or 845-0336 Sangria Pitcher 03.50 Special good 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Sunday thru Thursday 4041 Cast University Or. 696-7311 MSC • TOWN • TT AT ,T. An evening with the “Bonfire” Friday, November 25, 9 pm Tickets $10.00, $9.50, $8.50 MSC Box Office 845-1234