Council Agrees House Libraries Inadequate to Replace Lamont

The House libraries' inadequate lighting, heating, and ventilation make them a poor substitute for Lamont during the extended reading and exam period hours, the Student Council has concluded.

A survey by Stephen L. Reynolds '55, chairman of the Student Council library committee, reveals that the students prefer studying in Lamont by four to one. Reynolds also reported to the Council that he believed Lamont Librarian Philip J. McNiff would find that the cost of fitting the Houses to accommodate students who usually study in Lamont from 10 to 12 p.m. during exam periods will exceed the cost of keeping Lamont open.

McNiff has estimated that Lamont will cost $20 an hour to keep open after normal closing time in comparison to an estimated $5 an hour to keep the House library system open. But says Reynolds, this assumes that the Houses should adequately take care of the students who use Lamont without additional improvements. Actually, he continued, an average of 300 study late in Lamont at exam time, a figure too large for House libraries to handle. The lighting, in particular at Adams and Wintrhop, is especially poor.

At present, McNiff and College Librarian Keyes D. Metcalf are seeking possible alternative solutions. Their ultimate decision will be subject to approval by an 11-man Faculty Library Committee and then by Dean Bundy, who controls the purse strings.

Council representative Reynolds points out that expenses can be appreciably curtailed by closing Lamont the last week of exam period.