University Daily Kansan
Dean says computerization costly
By GENELINN
Staff Writer
Future KU students who want to do a complete library search on a certain subject or author may not have to leave their residence halls or classroom buildings.
since 1956. Dean of libraries, said this week that in about 10 years the information in the card catalog in Watson Library could be transferred to a computer.
interfered to a computer.
"Terminals for the computer could be put
wherever they would get a lot of use, if
enough money were available," he said.
But computerizing all the libraries' cataloging is being held up because of lack of funds, Rans said.
of 18th-century men. HE WAS THE amount of money needed he would hard to measure because the technology had never been fully implemented at a university. However, he said, it definitely would run into "millions and millions of dollars."
The high cost of computerizing the KU library cataloging has forced the University
to approach the task gradually, Ranz said.
The libraries' trend toward computerization began five to ten years ago, he said, when circulation procedures were improved. The library of cataloging was computerized, he said.
At that time KU gained access to a computer in Columbus, Ohio that could give the University cataloging information, David Passmore, head of cataloging, said.
PASSMORE SAID the information was put on magnetic tape, which could then be transferred to a computer or put on microfilm.
microbiom.
"The problem is that not all of our holdings are on the tape," Mary Rosch, cataloging librarian, said.
The only holdings on the tape are those that use the Library of Congress cataloging system and have been acquired since July 1976, she said.
Passmore said only about one-fourth of KU's holdings used the Library of Congress system and only a small part of the
University's total holdings were on the magnetic tape. To put all of KU's catalog on the tape, he said, would take more staff, more time and more money.
The needed money would not come from the $6.2 million Watson renovation bill now in the Kansas Senate, State Sen. Paul Hess, R-Wichita, said.
RWANDA is the chairman of the Senate Ways and Means subcommittee, which is conducting its research.
sureting the RENOVATION plans call for improvement of physions, such as removal of interior walls to allow for more efficient use of library space.
However, Hess said he was very concerned that the proposed improvements did not include work that would enable the library to take advantage of new resources.
"I don't want us to spend $6.2 million on Watson and not put in the circuitry that would be needed by the new computers the library might use," he said.
Senate committees to begin work
By MELISSA THOMPSON
Staff Writer
Interest in student government does exist, Mike Harper, student body president, said yesterday, and evidence of that interest, he said, are the 212 students who applied to serve on the seven Student Senate standing committees.
The applicants were assigned to committees of their preference by a special Committee on Committees Tuesday night, and the groups are scheduled for March 23.
ANOTHER idea that frequently was
The largest committee will be Sports which will have 39 members. Applicants for this committee listed several ideas that they would like the committee to work on in the coming year, including a new seating plan at basketball and football games.
expressed on the applications for the Sports Committee was an improvement of Senate relations with the Kansas University Athletic Board and with Clyde Walker, Director.
The Communications Committee will be the second largest of the standing committees. Among its 3S members is former staffer Robert Levien, who has been a journalism senator.
Leben mentioned many ideas expressed by other applicants in his written comments about the Senate's public relations problems.
priority "COMMUNICATIONS has to be a high priority for the new Student Senate." *Leben wrote*, since the Kansun rarely runs campus centers and since academia is now the word of the day.
Apathy is now the
The Academic Affairs and Student Ser-
1 am not happy with the building in
2 want to know if it will stand up.
Ossmanian
Dissatisfied with the Green Hall construction, Carl Ossmann, state architect, said yesterday he would reach a decision soon about how to remedy certain defects-
Architect to remedy flaws
The $5 million building has not been formally accepted by Ossmann, even though Green Hall was dedicated in a Feb. 22 ceremony.
Ossmanian, who met yesterday with Max Lowen, director of facilities planning, and Warren Corman, facilities officer for the Kansas Board of Regents, said the meeting was called to gather information concerning the alleged defects.
A number of exterior panels are considered to be defective by Ossmann.
The construction company, Casso,
Construction Co. Topaka, has refused to replace the panels. Last summer the panelors lateral panels, which failed final inspection.
Ossmann is withholding the final $150,000 payment from Casson until a solution is found.
"Right now we're gathering information and expert advice," Ossmann said.
he said he would reach a decision in a week or 10 days.
vice committees each will have 33 members. Applicants for these groups mentioned two projects of interest that had surfaced in the Senate earlier this semester.
Student Services applicants said they wanted to continue working on possible revisions and improvements in the KU bus system. This issue had been brought up early in February by the current chair of transportation service, Steve McMurry.
"I want to make damn sure the University of Kansas and the state of Kansas are involved," he said.
ACADEMIC Affairs applicants supported the idea of a student evaluation of teachers and curriculum, similar to the defunct Feedback survey, as at a top priority. This was to have been a project for last year's committee, but it took no action.
One applicant also raised the question of possible grade inflation at KG and said he was worried about that.
The Culture Committee will have the fewest members, but most of its 14 applicants expressed a desire to make that committee more active than it had been in
SUGGESTED projects for the Culture committee were scheduling more concerts and political speakers at KU and booking more national touring companies.
The remaining Senate committee, Finance and Auditing, will have 28 members, many of whom said they were interested because they were business owners.
A dominant area of interest among those applicants was the philosophy followed by the Senate in funding student groups. Many of the funded groups, the applicants say, are not so committed to education because they may not serve as many students as they say they do.
Rent-A-Car
"FM NOT AN expert in library science," he said, "but from what I've read on the subject, I'd say that somebody we'll have to learn about our libraries through computer terminals."
The technology envisioned by Hess would allow the content of KU's holdings, not just the cataloging information to be put in a computer.
"Someday" might come before the end of the century, he said.
"It may be hard to believe that the technology could develop so fast, but how long did it take television to develop?" he wrote. "If you think it will change a lot in the next 20 to 30 years."
Ranz does not believe the technology will become practical in the near future. Libraries that would give users access to all their holdings through computer terminals would be too expensive and would violate copyright laws, he said.
COPRIGHT LAW states that material generally available at a reasonable price cannot be copied and distributed. Rans said that most of KU's贮落 were affected by this.
Another official at Watson objected to totally computerized libraries because of personal preferences.
"I think such a library would be dehumanizing," Robert Malinowsky, associate dean of libraries, said. "I don't want to be around when they come into my room."
KU Campus Veterans
118B Student Union 864-4478
VETERANS
KU CAMPUS VETERANS
6:00 p.m. Council Room Main Level Student Union
GENERAL MEETING TONIGHT
Reminder, the other half of your tuition is due March 10.
ALL VETERANS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND!
2.
K. U. Residence Halls and Scholarship Halls 1978-1979
POSITION OPENINGS
RESIDENT ASSISTANTS
Must be Junior, Senior or Graduate
Student for 78-79 academic year
ASSISTANT HALL DIRECTORS
Must be Graduate Student or Fifth-year status for 1978-1979 academic year
SCHOLARSHIP HALL DIRECTORS
Must be Graduate Student or Fifth-year status for 1978-1979 academic year
All applicants should evidence above average academic achievement, prior residential group living experience and availability for the entire 1978-1979 academic year (August-May).
Applications and job descriptions available now in Dean of Women's Office (220 Strong Hall) or in Dean of Men's Office (228 Strong Hall).
APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 10, 1978
The University of Kansas is an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified Men and Women of all races and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.