Hilles Closes Its Open Reserves; Last Year's Thefts Force Measure

Hilles Library has permanently ended its open reserve system due to the theft of 300 books last year.

Workmen are constructing a three-foot indoor fence around the reserve section which will force students who wish to use reserve books to get them from a member of the library staff.

Members of the University have previously been able to use books inside the library without signing them out. Under the new system, which will be like the one now used in Lamont, only library staff members will be able to enter the reserve section, and all books will be signed out.

Mary I. Bunting, president of Radcliffe, decided to change the system after the library staff asked her to do something about the widespread theft of books last February.

Lucy Manzi, assistant librarian and head of the reserve section, said yesterday that many more books than the 300 stolen last year were missing during reading and exam periods.

"The total figure was pretty phenomenal," she said. "Students hid books in other parts of the library for their own private use. Some covers were returned with no books inside."

Mrs. Bunting said last night that the closed reserve system is the only way to ensure that books will be available during reading and exam periods.

The College planned to construct the fence before the school year began, but a steel strike delayed construction until now, Mrs. Bunting said.