omynous@watcsc.waterloo.edu (Shannon Mann) (08/11/89)
In article <15787@watdragon.waterloo.edu> ajhainer@violet.waterloo.edu (Allen J. Hainer) writes: > > Yesterday I posted this to uw.general. I should of cross posted it >to uw.library, but up until about 20 minitues ago I didn't know it existed. Isn't technology wonderful! My reply to this posting got to uw.library before the original! :-) > Since responses to it are now going here, I decided to post the original. >(I have found the reminants of a similar discussion here, so I'm sorry if >I'm beating a dead cat) A dead cat? ...no but perhaps a dead horse... :-) Seriously, having books returned from term loan is, on the average, as fast as having them returned from regular loan. Please see my previous posting for reasons why. > -al (ajhainer@violet.waterloo.edu) P.S. I agree that term loan can be abused. Having name release mandatory is an excellent solution. I would even like to see the researchers release their names, privacy arguments aside. (Even the students should have their privacy guarded. If the students are forced to release their names, so should all patrons.) There is an excellent argument for name release. People with similar interests may meet others while looking for particular books. This will encourage much networking (Time to go to bed. My speech patterns are getting strange...)
liboff@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (Carolynne Presser Library) (08/11/89)
Did you know there is a separate newsgroup just for the Library? It's called uw.library. Please have a look at it as there is an exchange going on term loan. We are currently reviewing the policy and could use all comments from all UW Community members. I will pass all comments on to Bruce MacNeil, the Associate LIbrarian for Public Services.
ajhainer@violet.waterloo.edu (Allen J. Hainer) (08/12/89)
In article <28235@watmath.waterloo.edu> kgdykes@watmath.waterloo.edu (Ken Dykes) writes: >Strange idea. >Why can't term loans require a small cash transfer from a Profs or >grad students supervisor account-# >Not a great amount, but something to show up in the book-keeping as a >reminder to both the budget-holder and buget-granter... I like this idea. Paying for library services may upset alot of people (although it would help pay for more books to fill those empty spaces), but maybe something like a form that has to be filled out by the borrower for every term book would slow down the abuse of the system. As it is, I've had books put on term loan without even knowing it. This is too easy. I agree that there is a need for term loans, but the current system is being abused. I think that those who feel that the system should be left the way it is don't realize that the majority of people here have yet to specialize (don't forget all those undergrads). They often need information about a topic but don't have any specific references. When they do a subject search and find that there are no useful books in the stacks, they are left with two options: 1 - Recall 5 or 10 books and wait and hope for a week that at least one of them has the information they are looking for or 2 - Give up. Recalling a book works if you have a specific reference, but otherwise there should be enough books left in the library to quickly find information on ANY topic. -al (ajhainer@violet.waterloo.edu)