August 2008 Comments Archive

August 1, 2008: Popular Reading/Browse books - no longer available

I am very disappointed that the browse section has disappeared. It seemed like a very popular and well-used area to me, and worth the effort and expense. Will it be reestablished when things settle down with your circulation relocation?

I appreciate your sharing your thoughts about the "Browse" books -- too often we are left guessing about what our public wants. I know that you are not alone in being sorry to see the termination of the popular reading collection. Library employees themselves were heavy users. But rising costs have forced us to cut more deeply almost every year into research collections. In the past two years, we have cancelled 922 serial publications and cut book-buying below the level we consider minimally adequate to support VT's key missions. So we have reached the point where we felt that retaining the Browse books could not be justified.

All of us would love to see them back. The Libraries have received good support for next year -- enough to help with the research mission, but not enough for us to revisit this latest round of cuts. We are hopeful that continued new support could help us to do that.

Thanks again for your expression of interest.
Best,
Paul Metz, Director of Collection Management

Return to 2008 list of comments

Recognizing that there are finite resources and that the library is horribly underfunded, I still want to at least register my sadness that the Browse Books section has been terminated. This was an excellent way for readers to sample new authors and, it seems to me, a workable way to expand fiction offerings without the long term investment in new books.

I realize that this issue pivots on what one understands the mission of a library such as VT's to be. Literature has long been a way for persons to pursue education rather than merely training. The humanities are already the step-children at VT; I am afraid that the decision in favor of esoteric technical journals, many of which are available in other ways, exacerbates the trend and intellectually impoverishes our community.

I hope this decision can be reconsidered at a later time.

We have developed a webpage on Finding Pleasure Reading Books to assist users in finding popular literature in the stacks, along with resources for suggested reading lists and links to the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library and their library catalog. It can be surprising how much pleasure reading material can be found in the collection.

Robert Sebek, Webmaster

Return to 2008 list of comments

What has happened to the "browse" popular reading books that had been available next to the circulation desk on first floor? I know that some of them were moved upstairs when the desk was moved, but now they don't seem to be available at all. A co-worker just dropped by and was told that those books will no longer be offered. Is this true????

I am a staff person, and loved dropping by the library to pick up a couple of books at lunchtime for leisure reading. I will be VERY upset if you do away with this service. I, and many of my co-workers, don't have time to go through the stacks to look for books, but the browse section was quick and convenient.

Please do not terminate this service; it is much needed and appreciated!

Return to 2008 list of comments

August 7, 2008: Service in microforms area

Re the moving of circ to the second floor. I am a regular microfilm user, and often had to go to circ desk to get more paper. When the microfilm readers were just around the corner from circ desk, I felt fine leaving my bag, laptop etc at the machine. But if I have to go upstairs to get paper or assistance in case of a paper jam, I will have to pack up all of my belongings and take them with me. Is there some other option (perhaps storing some paper near the microfilm readers; placing a phone near the readers that connects directly to circ)?

2 Responses:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We are still reviewing the logistics of how we will assist people. Your idea of a telephone sounds like a good possibility. Whenever we do, we will be sure to have some easy way for people to get assistance.

Thanks for letting us know your concerns.
Don Kenney, Associate Dean of Administrative Services & Circulation

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for your note regarding user assistance at the microforms area of Newman Library. With the current changes taking place in the library and the moving of circ to the second floor, the Research and Instructional Services Department is now going to be in charge of microforms. We have planned on having someone stationed on the first floor to assist patrons with microforms, maps and other user resources on the first floor. Additionally, there may be a phone that connects to the reference desk or the person who will be assisting users. We are currently in a state of transition and ask that you bear with us as we finalize the plans. Watch our library announcements on the library home page for further information.

On another note, we discourage patrons from leaving their bags, laptops, cell phones, etc. unattended in the library. Numerous thefts have occurred in the library, even when items are left for brief periods of time, there is a risk of theft.

Please let me know if I can be of assistance to you, or if you have other questions or concerns,
Sincerely,
Lesley M. Moyo, Director for Library Research and Instructional Services

Return to 2008 list of comments

August 12, 2008: Request for TIFF viewer to be installed on public machines

Please install one of the the free TIFF plug-ins at http://www.uspto.gov/patft/help/images.htm so that patent images are viewable.

Return to 2008 list of comments

August 13, 2008: Request for item to be published

Hello, I'm the author of: The Great White Tabernacle (the charter rulings). Please go to yahoo.com, or any other search engine and search: The Great White Tabernacle (the charter rulings). I wish to publish the report. Please read the report, and then email me. You will find the report rather interesting.

Thanks for your note, and good luck with your plans to publish it. Unfortunately we don't have a university press here at Virginia Tech and wouldn't be able to help anyone publish anything.

Best wishes,
Paul Metz, Director of Collection Management

Return to 2008 list of comments

August 24, 2008: Please reinstate journal subscription

Hi, This is basically a request letter for reinstating the subscription to a journal. We used to have online access to The Shock & Vibration Digest, an important journal in the field of vibrations control, while it was being published by Sage Publications.

Sage transferred its ownership to Ebsco, which Virginia Tech does not have its subscription. This journal is a valuable collection of review papers in this field and having online access worth its costs. you may find more information here: http://online.sagepub.com/moved/ that lists all the journals titles that are sold out by Sage Publications. If you scroll down, you may find the link for this journal.

Thank you.

The University Libraries are a part of a consortial group, VIVA, which purchased the Ebsco databases and began providing access to this title. We now have online access to this title from 1969-present located at the Addison record: http://addison.vt.edu/record=b2560651. The print version of this title is located at http://addison.vt.edu/record=b1430422.

Return to 2008 list of comments

August 25: Request for bike racks near new entrance

I really love the new entrance and circulation desk on the second floor. It is very convenient and keeps you away from all of the foot traffic coming from Squires. Now, it would be really great to have a bike rack nearer to the new entrance along Alumni Mall. There seems to be plenty of space for one. There might be some other entity on campus that is more likely have control over this sort of things. I do not know. Please pass this suggestion on if possible. Thank you so much!!!

Return to 2008 list of comments

August 26, 2008: Reopening of wooden doors

I love that you are now using the wooden doors as the main entrance to the library. Ever since I started work at VT back in 1989, I thought it was a shame that they were not the main entrance to the library. Thank you for making the change.

Thank you for your comment. We are pleased to hear that you like our reopening of the old doors as the Library's main entrance.
Buddy Litchfield, Reference Librarian

Return to 2008 list of comments

August 27, 2008: Traffic jam with new doors

The new sliding glass doors on second floor Newman are causing a traffic choke. The outer doors will admit 4 people across. But the inner sliding glass doors will only admit 2 people across, as the other half is used for the glass to slide into.

The very first day, I got stuck in a queue at the door as a line backed up, caused by this factor. This is a vastly *less* useful entry system than the old doors on first floor.

The first floor doors need to be reopened - this new system is not better, it's less functional and reduces timely access.

Change is only valid if it improves functionality. If it makes it worse, as this has, what purpose does is it serve?

Return to 2008 list of comments

Last updated: 8/26/08 by Robert Sebek