Page 12
University Daily Kansan Wednesday, Feb. 13, 196
Library Fines Help Curb Carelessness
By Delores Orman
Library fines, library fines, and more library fines—just a means of making the libraries richer and the students poorer.
This is the opinion of many university students who do not understand the significance and importance of the library fine system.
"Fines are a regulatory device to prevent the misuse of state property and curb social irresponsibility," he said.
W. Stuart Forth, associate director of libraries, explained the purpose and meaning of this financial aspect of KU libraries in a recent interview.
OFFICIALS OF the library and the University consider library books as legal state property, said Forth.
Farm Revision Would Improve Latin Countries
"Is he calling us vandals and imature children?" some irate student may ask.
There is an urgent need for reform in Latin America, and agricultural development necessarily must precede general development.
This was the opinion given by Jacob H. Beuscher, Wisconsin professor of agricultural law, in his lecture yesterday on agrarian reform in South America. Prof. Beuscher's speech was the third in a series on Latin America sponsored by the KU Center of Latin American Studies.
"Millions of people who work the land do not own the land," Prof. Beuscher said. "This extreme inequality of distribution is the main reason for the difficulties in Latin America."
Jacob H. Beuscher
According to figures which Prof. Beuscher admitted may not be absolutely correct, about 10 per cent of the population own approximately 90 per cent of the land.
"This distribution of land also represents the system of political and social power," the professor said.
"The question is." Prof. Beuscher stated, "can this agrarian reform take place under a framework of law and order?" Mexico, Bolivia, and Cuba have already attained their system of agrarian reform, but by forceful and violent revolution.
Some type of action must be taken to aid these millions of poor peasants who are outside the market of economy in every respect.
This is the problem which faces the Latin American countries. It remains to be seen whether they will be able to meet it in a peaceful and lawful manner, or whether they will resort to the violent methods used by Mexico, Bolivia, and Cuba.
Forth explained that the amount of fines per year for the average student is small. The fine system, he said, is not set up for this large portion of the student body but the minority—those students who tend toward delinquent actions.
"WITH THIS IDEA in mind." Forth said, "the libraries' policy toward fines has been made as flexible and humanistic as possible in order to deal with the uninformed, the fairly honest, the sneaky, and the chronic offenders in their individual cases."
"Okay," a skeptical student might say, "so the library isn't such a mean ogre after all. But where does that fine money go? In their pockets, I'll bet."
The answer is no. Forth explained that none of the library fine money for overdue books is kept by the libraries. It is turned in to the Registrar's Office where it is placed in the general fund of the university.
Many students become angered over the fact that there is no grace period. Forth said there is no formal grace period as such — a four- or five-day period when the overdue book can be returned without penalty.
IN PAST YEARS. Forth said, the library has designated a period in which all overdue books could be returned without penalty.
The project was not too successful, he said, mainly because the relatively small number of books returned did not justify the amount of expense for advertising the project.
"What about the poor, woeful soul with the red eyes who loses a book and has to pay for it and a processing fee to boot?" a student may ask. "What about this processing fee anyway? Probably a coverup for money-grabbing."
Forth admitted that money for a lost book does go to the library, "but not without just cause," he added.
FORTH LISTED the various uses of the $4.00 processing fee: bibliographical checking, acquisition, cataloguing and classification, and the physical preparation of the book.
The loss of an out-of-print book presents a special problem to the library staff, he said Trying to replace an out-of-print book involves notifying the Book Searchers Organization which has centers in Washington, D.C., New York, and England.
The Organization in turn investigates secondhand book shops, antique shops, etc. in search of the volume. Forth noted that the fee for the organization's services is sometimes rather expensive.
And so each day, throughout the library system, fines are collected, volumes are replaced, lost, renewed, purchased, processed, and checked out—as 35 professional librarians try to accommodate approximately 11,000 students in relation to approximately one million books.
Ph.D. French Reading Exam. Saturday,
Feb. 16, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Fraser 110.
Bring book to Miss Craig, Fraser 120, by
today.
Official Bulletin
TODAY
Episcopal Holy Communion, 9:30 p.m.
Day forth, Chanel
Radio Production Center. 7:30 p.m.
Room 220 Flint, Executive Comm. Meet-
Catholic Masses, 7:00 a.m., and 11:40
St. Joseph's Catholic Chapel, 1910
Stirringford Road,
TOMORROW
Department of Mathematics Staff Seminar, 3:30 p.m., 119 Strong Hall, Professor Lee M. Sonneborn: 'Continuous Functions on Spheres.' (There will be coffee
College Life. 7:00 p.m. Student Union.
Parking. Statment. tennis player, U.
Tennis. w/coach.
International students: A reminder of two important meetings. The International Festival meeting will be at 7:00 p.m. and the People-to-People Job Placement Meeting will be at 8:30 a.m. Room of the Kansas Union. All international students are urged to attend.
Der Deutsche Verein, Donnerstag, den
14 Februar 5 Uhr. Uhr. gibt eine
Nr. der "Hillen" in einem
Stuart." Wir werden auch einige deutsche
Lieder singen. Erforschungen
Trash Haulers Serenade
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — (UPI) — Over the usual clatter of cans yesterday Mayor Henry Maier heard the tones of a barbershop quartet.
Four public works employees serenaded the mayor with "Happy Birthday" while making their usual trash pickups.
A Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Review will begin Feb. 23 for students who will be taking the CPA examination May 15-17.
Accounting Review To Begin Feb. 23
to questions on previous examinations.
Sherwood W. Newton, associate professor of business, will direct the course. It will include detailed study assignments emphasizing practice in writing answers
The review, sponsored by the Kansas Society of Certified Public Accountants and the KU extension, will meet six Saturday afternoon in Summerfield Hall for two hours of lecture and discussion. Attendance certificates will be awarded but no college credit will be given.
HAVING A PARTY?
We are always happy to serve you with Ice cold beverages Chips, nuts, cookies Variety of grocery items Crushed ice, candy Ice cold 6 pacs all kinds
OPEN TO 10 P.M. EVERY EVENING
LAWRENCE ICE COMPANY
616 Vt. Ph.VI 3-0350
When You're In Doubt, Try It Out—Kansan Classified
That iminable VILLAGER shirtdress, with its roll sleeves, pan coat, and burlap stretch belt, has gone pleasantly nutty. They're all here, scientifically illustrated and labeled (very useful, really) . . . cashews and cobnuts, peanuts, pistachios, and so forth, on brisk cotton broadcloth. The tidily colored print is mostly Olive, Brown, or Blue. Sizes 6 to 16.
Nuts
$18
843 Mass.
JUNIOR CLASS PRE- PARTY
SATURDAY, FEB.16
BIG BARN
4:30 P.M. Until?
Dance to J.C. and "The Disciples"
75c per Person
All the Beverages You Can Drink
BUY YOUR TICKETS AT YOUR LIVING GROUP, AT THE DOOR, OR CONTACT DAVE BROLLIER, SUZI RUNNELLS, JOHN LINDEN, OR BRUCE NULL