The Battalion
TlVednesday
H^tjovember 15, 1995
3
Amy Browning, Tut Battalion
Students express concerns about usefulness of Evans Library
By Amy Protas, The Battalion
volvo
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t has become somewhat of a pastime at
A&M — complaining about the Sterling C.
Evans Library. Students’ grievances range
from lack of materials to the amount of
time it takes to find a parking space.
Tamara DiLiberto, a senior journalism
major, said it takes too much time to find
research materials.
“The library is not organized,” DiLiberto
said. “Whenever I look for a book, it’s usually
not there. I can find stuff, but I know it’s going
to take a very long time.”
Dr. Fred Heath, dean of the library, said that
is one of the most common student complaints.
Heath said a lot of changes are taking place
to improve the library. One of these changes is
assessing and improving the shelving of books.
“We have two focus groups to look at these
issues,” Heath said. “We’re augmenting our
shelving team to be faster. We’re also ordering
multiple copies of high-demand items.”
Another common complaint among students
and faculty concerns journal holdings.
Mary Ann O’Farrell, an assistant professor
of English, said she often has a hard time ob
taining journals she needs.
“Journal holdings have been cut in the past
few years,” O’Farrell said. “Journals are a way
for students and faculty to be in touch with
what’s freshest in all sorts of fields. They are
one of the first things to go when funding gets
cut. It’s the easiest place to make cuts, but it’s
the area where attention should be paid.”
Many students also complain about a lack of
quiet places to study at the library.
Hemant Patel, a junior mechanical engi
neering, said his biggest grievance is studying
at the library.
“As far as studying goes, fourth floor group
study is always packed,” Patel said. “They
used to have third floor group study, but they
took that away. It’s hell to try to find a place to
study, and it closes at midnight. It’s not like
we just stop studying at midnight.”
Heath said students complain about the li
brary’s hours but it is not open 24 hours be
cause of security reasons.
“A lot of people don’t understand that UT
has around 40 different libraries, and only
some are opened 24 hours,” Heath said. “Our
complex is 420,000 square feet, and we can’t
just close off one part of it. It’s for security rea
sons. We couldn’t have only one person at the
front desk and other people at remote caverns
of the library. It’s just not safe.”
Complaints against the library are not
strictly academic.
Sharon Spies, a senior journalism major, said
parking deters her from going to the library.
“I went to the library, and it took me 20
minutes to find a parking space,” Spies said. “I
don’t want to have to park far away and walk
at night. It’s not safe to be walking all over the
campus at night just for a parking space.”
O’Farrell said funding is the main problem.
“The funding seems to be inadequate to the
size and research aims of the University,” O’
Farrell said.
“For being the third largest university in
the nation, we have an undersized library. Our
collection isn’t up to our size and status.”
Funding has improved over past years.
This semester, the $2 per credit hour stu
dent library fee went into effect. The money
will be used to make improvements and ad
dress complaints from students.
Heath said in the next 15 months, the
Evans and Cushing libraries and a parking lot
near the library will be transformed into a “li
brary village.”
There will be a new facility that will be
geared more for undergraduates.
There will also be a reserved reading room,
group study areas and the Learning Research
Division.
Evans will have an Advanced Studies Com
plex for upper-level studies. The stacks, jour
nals and microfilm will be located there.
Cushing will become a rare books and
archives building. Heath said the undergradu
ate building will have extended hours.
Heath said it may take a few years, but
students will see improvement in the state of
the library.
“Two years ago, our library was ranked
50th in terms of materials budget, now we
rank 25th,” Heath said. “We won’t make
progress by getting into a shouting match. We
just need to keep pushing until the value is
on intellectual concerns.”
By Amy Uptmor
The Battalion
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HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Local group holds Shack-a-thon to raise awareness for local project
A group of students is
shacking at Rudder
Fountain this week to
raise awareness of the
housing problem.
Shack-a-thon, a
fundraiser for the
Texas A&M Habitat
for Humanity, is a
three-day-long,
around-the-clock vigil
held in a makeshift
shack.
Todd Townsend,
Shack-a-thon coordina
tor and a junior bioenviron-
mental science major, said
the shack is meant to raise
awareness just as much as
it is meant to raise funds.
“The shack is a symbol
of substandard housing in
America,” he said.
Students have the opportuni
ty to buy a nail for $1 that will
actually be used in the construc
tion of Habitat for Humanity’s
house. Funds are also raised
through business sponsorships.
Last year, Shack-a-thon raised
approximately $2,000, $400 of
which was raised through nail
sales alone.
Bryan Embrey, construction
coordinator for Habitat for Hu
manity and a junior construction
science major, said Shack-a-thon
is a successful fundraiser.
“It’s the best fundraiser in
terms of publicity, but it’s a
good way to get donations, also,”
he said.
Townsend said two or three
members are in the shack dur
ing the day, and as many as five
or six stay overnight, “even
though it seems to be everyone’s
busiest week of the semester.”
The money being raised will
go toward Aggie Habitat’s sec
ond house. Their first house was
started in September and is al
ready paid for through fundrais
ers and donations, Embrey said.
Twelve houses have been
built in the Bryan-College Sta
tion area by Habitat for Human
ity. The original
Texas A&M
chapter was
started seven
years ago, but
died out due to a
lack of interest.
The new chapter
was started
three years ago
and has steadily grown in size,
Embrey said.
Volunteers work every Satur
day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the
Habitat house on Luther street
in College Station. The site was
donated, and the family was cho
sen by a committee through the
B-CS Habitat for Humanity.
“We never have a shortage
of volunteers,” he said. “Thirty
to 50 people show up every
Saturday to work, which is al
most too many people, but it’s
hard to turn away people who
want to help.”
"It's the best fundraiser in terms
of publicity, but it's a good way
to get donations, also."
— Brian Embrey
construction coordinator. Habitat for Humanity
Tom Argue, project leader for
Shack-a-thon and a junior me
chanical engineering major,
said anyone can help, regard
less of skill.
“We like people with skills,
but it’s not necessary,” he said.
“Free labor is free labor.”
Aggie Habitat’s first house
should be finished in April. Em
brey said the project will hope
fully become an annual event.
“We broke ground in Septem
ber and hope to hand the keys
over in April,” he said. “Hopeful
ly we’ll break ground for the
second house in September.”
Embrey said he has learned
a lot through his involvement in
Aggie Habitat for Humanity.
“I’ve learned quite a bit, not
just about construction, but
about dealing with people and
organizing,” he said. “I didn’t
know we would have so many
people willing to help out with
the house.”
Argue said is glad he got
involved.
“I like that it’s not a handout,”
he said. “The family puts in
sweat hours and actually pays
for the house. I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve
made a lot of friends in it.”
9ASC CXPJZS (Presents
in conjunction urith its
9{pv. 19 performances of "Cinderelta, f Ihe MusicaC
Oprm &
CincIereLLa :
ThE CoSMOpollTAN PERSPECTIVE
A FREE panel discussion
on differences in the Cinderella story across cultures
Featuring:
Dr. Lynne Vallone, Dr. Donna Norton, & Dr. Sylvia Grider
ThuRsdAy, NovemBer 1 6xh
7:50pivt MSC 250-251
<k
Persons with disabilities please call 845-1515 to inform us of your
special needs. We request notification three (3) working days prior
to the event to enable us to assist you to the best of our abilities.
CHARGE BY PHONE (210) 224-9600
Today is the Day!
Texas Recycles Day.....
Recycle old Phonebooks at the
Target parking lot from
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sponsored by:
eIc.
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