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University Daily Kansan Friday. Dec. 13. 1957
Book Barn Needs Remodeling—
It's A Gloomy Place
Comes commencement speech time, every college president worth his salt trots out phrase No. 216; "the heart of our campus is the library."
If that's true, KU is a cardiac case.
Watson Library has a fine stock of books, thanks to an active acquisition program. And in general, the library staff is a helpful group.
But the library building is a book-reader's nightmare. As Robert Vosper, library director, said, Watson Library "looks like a cross between a Gothic cathedral and some town's First National Bank."
He's right, too. Take a look at the main reading room, officially titled the Reference Room. It's a somber-looking place, with a high ceiling to accommodate supposedly impressive gothic windows. Dark, uncomfortable reading furniture is lined up in the room like tables in a mess hall. Light filters down from ceiling lamps, high overhead. The main room of the "heart of the campus" looks like a union station waiting room.
Some other areas are in similar shape. The Education Reading Room, Kansas Room and Green Room all have the same type of "utility" furniture. Unpainted plaster is crumbling off the walls in many places in the stack areas.
Worst of all, library officials are handicapped in rearranging cramped library reading space, for fear of overloading the floors. The library was built with concrete support beams instead of steel girders. Concrete beams usually won't bear as much weight as steel.
Let's face it, we're stuck with an impractical old barn of a library. Perhaps the best solution would be to start all over by constructing a new, modern reading plant. But new libraries cost money, money that might be used to buy more books.
Mr. Vasper and his associates think they have at least a partial solution to the book-and-reader housing problem. As appropriations become available, Watson Library is getting a face-lifting.
The undergraduate reading room was remodeled a few years ago. It's an example of how pleasant reading conditions can be. The room was painted in bright, pleasing colors. Modern furniture and good lighting were installed.
The cost was stiff—$70,000, including air-conditioning—but it's paying off. With a seating capacity of 265, plus 91 seats in the Green Room, the undergraduate reading room has traffic counts averaging 1500-1600 students per day'.
During the next few years, there are plans to:
1. Further enlarge the undergraduate reading room, possibly by building an addition onto the east side of the building and/or moving magazine displays to the second floor.
2. Add space to the main reading room by building a mezza- nine, or balcony, on the west wall.
3. Air-condition the entire library.
4. Redesign the heating system, thus eliminating bulky old steam radiators and adding to stack space.
Eventually, of course, a new library may be built. Mr. Vosper said he hoped such a building would be placed further west on the campus than the present building. This would reestablish the library in the center of the campus, which seems to be expanding to the west and south, he said.
In the meantime, we think the library's remodeling should be pushed at full speed, particularly that of the main reading room. It's a gloomy old place.
—Larry Boston
Career Status For Vets
NEEDS REMODELING—Designed as Watson Library's main reading room, the dark, cathedral-like reference room doesn't get much business. Library officials hope to brighten it with new paint, furniture.
Career Status For Vets
WASHINGTON - (UP) President Eisenhower has signed an executive order making it possible for veterans receiving disability compensation to gain full career status after one year of "satisfactory service" in a civil service appointment.
In the past a three-year period was required following a "conditional" appointment.
POPULAR SPOT—Good lighting and ventilation, plus modern library furniture, make the undergraduate reading room a pleasant study area. Remodeling paid off, for lots of students use the room.
SAVE YOUR OLD FLASHBULBS!
After December 26th each bulb will be worth 1c on the purchase of a New Flashbulb!
Offer Good Until January 20th Bring 'em in and Save At
Step Aside Lawyers, This Is Ladies' Day
The tables were turned when some coeds beat the law students to their posts on the front steps of Green Hall recently.
Alpha Chi Omega pledges, feeling frisky on their walk-out, ridiculed passing males, who looked up with surprised glances.
The man most surprised was Dean M. C. Slough, of the School of Law, who was counted up the steps.
Daily Transan
University of Kansas student newspaper
1904, trivweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912
Extension 251, news room Extension 376, business office
Member Inland Daily Press Association.
Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by National Advertising Service, 420 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y. News service: United Press. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $4.50 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan., every after eighth grade. University year except Saturdays and Sundays, University days, and examination periods. Entered as second-class matter Sept. 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kan., post office under act of March 3, 1879.
Telephone VIking 3-2700
Bob Lyle Managing Editor
Marilyn Mermis, Jim Bannan, Richard Brown, Ray Wingerson, Assistant Managing Editors; Bob Hartley, City Editor; Patricia Swanson, Lee Lord, Assistant City Editors; Leroy Zimmerman, Telegram Editor; Nana Harmon, Assistant Telegraph Editor; Gerald Harmon, Malcolm Amplegate, Society Editor; Kevy Beth Noxes, Society Editor; Martha Crosier, Assistant Society Editor.
NEWS DEPARTMENT
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Harry Turner Business Manager
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
TURMUT
Ai F
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Larry Boston ... Editorial Editor
John Eaton, Dei Haley, Jim Sledd, Associate Editors.
Bike
8 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS VACATION Get Your Travel Reservations
at
The First National Bank of Lawrence
8th & Mass. TRAVEL AGENCY Phone VI 3-0152 Miss Rose Gieseman, Mgr.
AIRLINES—FOREIGN, DOMESTIC
(tax included)
| From K.C. Via Air to: | tourist | 1st Class |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Phoenix | $112.20 | $148.50 |
| Sioux City | —— | 35.97 |
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| Chicago | 41.80 | 54.67 |
| Boston | 127.60 | 165.11 |
| Havana | 188.10 | 201.86 |