Required Reading

Library techniques have come so close to perfection in Lamont that the smaller problems, formerly overlooked in the confusion of Widener, have become irksome. Chief among these is the delay in getting course books processed for use at the beginning of each term. Even now, many books are unavailable.

This slowness is not the fault of the Lamont staff. It is part of the problem which bookstores around the Square have been struggling with for at least thirty years--there are many instructors who do not prepare their reading lists in time for the Library and the bookstores to obtain the books for the beginning of the term. The situation this year is probably no worse than in the past, but no better.

There is, of course, no solution which will be altogether perfect. Variations occur, sometimes as high as 50 per cent, between preliminary enrollments and final numbers. A real improvement, however, is possible.

The Lamont staff is doing its best to have all course books placed on open reserve as soon as possible and to include on the reading list the location of every book for the course. In order to carry out this program more successfully than was possible this month, the Library has adopted a policy which bookstores have long followed--appealing to instructors from three to five months in advance to have their lists in on time.

Losing the first two or three weeks of study time in a course may not be of overpowering importance. But the carelessness of the few instructors who cause the delay is hardly justifiable.