HOLLIS Officially Opens at Widener

With the November election fast approaching, Harvard students have grown accustomed to political bashes with bright balloons and brassy music.

But the festivities yesterday afternoon in the Widener Library reading room weren't for any candidate--they were for Harvard's new computer card catalog system.

Although HOLLIS--the Harvard OnLine Library Information System--has been operating since Labor Day, yesterday's official grand opening gave library administrators and officials a chance to publicly praise the new $3 million computer card catalog system.

"This will set us on the new path, it's going to make a big difference in years to come," Dale P. Flecker, associate director for planning and systems in the Harvard University Library, said. "We hope to eventually use HOLLIS in the future to keep track of all library materials circulated."

Hollis currently lists three million books-most of the new acquisitions in the Harvard Library system since 1977, and some volume acquired before that date. Library officials say they hope to add 150,000 items per year, untilthe libraries' entire collection of 11 millionvolumes is on line.

Surrounded by balloons and eight HOLLISterminals bound by red ribbons, libraryadministrators called the new network "the firststep" in automating Harvard's informationresources.

"The top of [Dexter Gate] bears theinscription, 'Enter and grow in wisdom,'" Y.T.Feng, Librarian of Harvard College said. "MayHOLLIS help us to do just that."

The 4:00 p.m. jamboree, which for the firsthalf-hour was open to all members of the Harvardcommunity, featured baskets of bright red buttonsand a Harvard marching band drummer playing aRevolutionary era salute to the new technology.

And with the official ribbon cutting, ProfessorSidney Verba, who is director of the HarvardLibrary System, led a sing-along of the "HollisCarol," a tribute to the computer system he wroteto the tune of "Deck the Halls."

After a brief demonstration of the HOLLISsystem, Verba led approximately 100 invitedguests--several of them donning giant rhinestoneHOLLIS buttons--to a private reception for thosedirectly involved in the program.

And a few die-hard students in the front of thereading room, rid of their distraction, returnedto their studies