Commuters May Obtain Library Next Semester

Commuters may have a special library with both tutorial and basic texts next year.

Charles P. Whitlock, Allston Burr Senior Tutor for Dudley, stressed last night that the fate of the library was still uncertain because budgets are not yet established. He added that the proposed plan for a commuter library is the best of the several plans he has considered since his appointment as Dudley senior tutor in June, 1952.

Under this plan, a library will be established on the second floor of Apley Court for the use of commuters. It will be open weekdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and commuters will be able to check out books at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and earlier on weekends.

At present, commuters have only the facilities of Lamont Library. Whitlock explained that the rule of permitting students to check books out of Lamont early on weekends has greatly helped the commuters this year. But, he added, Dudley House members have had to wait around until 9 p.m. on other nights to check out reserve books.

Lamont officials will supervise the Dudley library, which will be under the immediate direction of a student librarian.

An estimated 470 students will use the new library.

Difficulty Still Financial

Much of the work on the plan was undertaken as early as November, 1952. At this time, the basic ideas of the plan were set forth, minus most of the important details.

Since then, the plan has been clarified in many respects. Apley has been chosen for the location, rather than a section of Lamont, as was formerly proposed. Also, many of the actual books have been selected.

But Whitlock explained that then, as now, the chief stumbling block was financial. Some progress has been made in clearing up these difficulties, he said, but the final decision will not be likely for a month, two months, or more.

If the library is established, it will solve one of the commuters worst problems. Whitlock said that of all the commuters' complaints about conditions in the College, inferior library facilities was one of the most common.

The library is the latest development in commuters' attempts to maintain equal status with the resident students which commenced in 1931, when commuters banded together to eat lunch in the basement of Phillips Brooks House.