Buzz Off

When Lamont Library first opened its plate glass doors, the general comment ran, "Fine, but a few bugs have to be ironed out." After five years, these bugs have unionized, formed shifts, and now buzz from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. each evening in the first level fluorescent lights. The sound has been one of Lamont's distinctive features, a source of pride to the library staff and the insect kingdom.

During the past exam period, however, rebellion began. Some students rushed away wild-eyed after an hour's study beneath the incessant hum. Others were lulled to sleep, dreaming of one-key, acappella choirs. Both groups demanded an end to the buzzing.

And so, Mr. NcNiff now has two entomologists, armed with screwdrivers and long ladders, transferring the bugs to a more congenial surrounding, perhaps the Biological laboratories. Though this removal comes after the recent examinations, in May the resounding silence should satisfy everyone.

The intervening months will be lonely on the first level, of course, but comfort outranks companionship.

If buzzes are so entrenched in the lighting system that the noise will not end, there is another solution available. A small expenditure of library funds could easily transform the grating buzz to a soothing tinkle of bells.