Elevator Fiends Terrorize Graffiti Paper in Widener

"This is a textbook example of repressive tolerance." says one writer. Another suggests that "next year they'll build a special building for us to occupy when we get pissed off."

Although Widener librarians have installed large pads of writing paper in the building's elevators. Harvard's graffiti fanatics seem unhappy.

The pads first appeared in December-a Christmas gift to Widener from Ruth Tighe, chief reference librarian of the College-and immediately disappeared.

"The first pad we hung in the main elevator didn't last a week. Since then, four other graffiti pads have been stolen," Mrs. Tighe said yesterday. "Apparently it disturbed someone to see the pad hanging there," she added.

The librarians then installed a sign next to their pad saying that if anyone objected to what was written, he should tear off the sheet but leave the pad. The pad was later discovered at the bottom of the elevator shaft.

Meanwhile, however, graffiti pads were successfully installed in the two stack elevators.

"We want graffiti." explained Theodore Alevizos, associate University librarian for reference and circulation. "We would like to preserve them for future scholars and anthropologists. We just want to encourage these people to deploy their creative talents on the paper rather than on our elevator walls."