OCS-OCL Theft

Thefts of books and valuable documents costing $150-250 a year have forced the Office of Career Services and Off-Campus Learning (OCS-OCL) Library to consider new security measures, including a $6100 electronic system. Charles C. Kovacs, OCS-OCL librarian, said yesterday.

Under a new security procedure, Kovacs is asking library users for ID cards and checking bags and packages for the first time. "We tried to trust the students but that trust is being betrayed," he said.

The proposed electronic system would involve placing a small mercury label in each book. Monitoring devices at the door would emit a beep if someone tried to remove a book. "One reason I considered it is because we cannot afford to have a staff member checking bags at the door," Kovacs said.

The system's $6100 price tag is "way too much to even consider at this point," he added. This year's budget is $8000, much of which is earmarked for the library's 263 subscriptions.

The OCS-OCL is especially hard hit by the loss of stolen materials because some of their resources are hard to replace.

The "most painful loss" is the loss of alumni comments on graduate and professional schools compiled by the OCS-OCL staff. "Former students take the time to fill out these questionnaires and students respond by stealing them," Kovacs said.