Library policy angers committee members

The Library Affairs Advisory committee is unhappy with the newly released policy to discard old or duplicated books, saying it is only a regurgitated version of the library's three-decade-old unwritten policy.

"We need an improved policy instead of writing down what they've been doing for the last 30 years," said Mary Lamb, advisory committee chairwoman. "We need a fail-safe policy, something to double check so that fewer mistakes can be made." David Carlson, dean of Library Affairs, sent the revised policy to faculty and staff Wednesday, but committee members Lamb and George Boulukos said their concerns were not addressed. The Library Affairs Advisory committee has been working to clarify the policy since finding four mistakenly removed books in the discard bin in February. Committee members said some of these books were the last copies in Illinois. This number jumped to 20 in March after members found more books in the bin. Library liaisons, who must have masters' degrees in library sciences, are the workers responsible for removing the books.

Morris Library has had an unwritten removal policy in effect for the last 30 years, but these findings forced the administration to develop a formal, written policy reflecting the past withdrawal practice. The policy handed out Wednesday still allows library liaisons to discard books and does not include a second process for faculty review. The withdrawal process was halted in the fall semester but resumed again Wednesday.

During the committee's last meeting Feb. 23, the committee did not vote to approve the policy. Lamb said the only time the administration showed them the policy during the revision was to give them the final draft. Susan Logue, associate dean of Library Affairs, said they never agreed to re-discuss the draft with the committee and that the library administration is pleased with the policy. George Boulukos, a committee member and an English professor, said he had no idea the draft was going to be final. He said he thought the library administration would reconsider procedures because mistakes had been made. "I would be glad to get this done too, but I think we need to work on it a little more," Boulukos said. Boulukos said he is unhappy that a system of outside review for the withdrawn books was not included in the policy.

The committee has asked for a way for faculty and students to look at the discarded books before they are removed from the library's shelves permanently. They suggested several options, including an e-mail list or a shelf for outside review to prevent future errors. The Library Affairs faculty unanimously turned down the ideas at a meeting March 21. Loretta Koch, Morris Library's collections coordinator, said a shelf or e-mail list of books to be discarded would be a time-consuming procedure that would be inappropriate. Koch said she also does not thinks the committee should second-guess the library faculty.

"We're professionals," Koch said. "We don't go into their classrooms and tell them what to teach. It shows a lack of respect for fellow faculty members." In a memo sent to faculty and committee members, Carlson said the library faculty should remain responsible for removing books. Boulukos said he is also concerned about a part of the policy that allows for the Library Affairs faculty to discard last copies in the state because having the books at Morris Library is a valuable research tool. Koch said the library only discards the last copy in the state if it is damaged beyond repair. In such cases, the library would still seek to find a replacement copy.

The committee had called the books they found with few or no copies left in the state "rare," but Koch said instead that they are called "scarcely held" books. Scarcely held books can be attained from another library. A rare book, Koch said, is a book that is an artifact: one that is physically valuable and cannot be replaced. The committee is also concerned about the liaisons' roles in faculty consultation. Lamb said one book could be valuable in several different subject areas and is worried one of the departments may be left out of the decision. "Anyone can make a mistake," Lamb said. "We're not asking the liaisons to give up their roles. We don't want to look over their shoulders. We just care about the books."