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U.S. NEWS Thursday 8 February 2018
American Living:
A library without books? Universities purging dusty volumes

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Cashdollar argued that cir-
INDIANA, Pa. (AP) — A li- culation is a poor indica-
brary without books? Not tor of a book's value, since
quite, but as students books are often consulted
abandon the stacks in fa- but not checked out. Sub-
vor of online reference ma- stantially thinning a library's
terial, university libraries are print collection also ignores
unloading millions of un- the role of serendipity in re-
read volumes in a nation- search — looking for one
wide purge that has some book in the stacks and
print-loving scholars deeply stumbling upon another,
unsettled. leading to some new in-
Libraries are putting books sight or approach, Cash-
in storage, contracting dollar and other critics say.
with resellers or simply re- "We're going to throw
cycling them. An increas- away as many of them as
ing number of books exist in the library can get away
the cloud, and libraries are with, which is not a strat-
banding together to ensure egy," said IUP history pro-
print copies are retained by fessor Alan Baumler. "They
someone, somewhere. Still, say they want more study
that doesn't always sit well areas for students, but I find
with academics who prac- Dierra Rowland, 19, of Philadelphia, studies at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania library in In- it hard to believe there is no
tically live in the library and diana, Pa., near a shelf of books marked with red stickers, meaning they might be removed from place else for students to
argue that large, readily the shelves. IUP is planning to remove tens of thousands of books that have little or no readership. study."
available print collections (AP Photo/Michael Rubinkam) The library project is more
are vital to research. about responsible steward-
"It's not entirely comfortable tory or studio or clinic doors cently, a library's value was wound up building its own ship of the state's resources
for anyone," said Rick Lugg, would be for others." measured by the size and storage facility for 1.2 mil- than it is an effort to free up
executive director of OCLC Though "weeding" has al- scope of its holdings. Some lion books near campus. space, Provost Timothy Mo-
Sustainable Collection Ser- ways taken place at librar- academics still see it that At IUP, a state university 60 erland said. But he under-
vices, which helps libraries ies, experts say the pace way. miles (96 kilometers) from stands his colleagues' pas-
analyze their holdings. "But is picking up. Finances are At Syracuse University, hun- Pittsburgh, faculty reacted sion. "There are some who
absent endless resources to one factor. Between staff- dreds of faculty and stu- with alarm after school of- will never be comfortable
handle this stuff, it's a situa- ing, utility costs and other dents objected to a plan to ficials announced a plan to with the idea of any book
tion that has to be faced." expenses, it costs an esti- ship books to a warehouse discard up to a third of the ever leaving this mortal
At Indiana University of mated $4 to keep a book four hours away. The school books. coil," he said. q
Pennsylvania, the library on the shelf for a year, ac-
shelves overflow with books cording to one 2009 study.
that get little attention. A Space is another; libraries
dusty monograph on "Eco- are simply running out of
nomic Development in room.
Victorian Scotland." Inter- And, of course, the digiti-
national Television Alma- zation of books and other
nacs from 1978, 1985 and printed materials has dra-
1986. A book whose title, matically affected the way
"Personal Finance," sounds students do research. Cir-
relevant until you see the culation has been going
publication date: 1961. down for years.
With nearly half of IUP's col- Libraries say they needed
lection going uncirculated to evolve and make better
for 20 years or more, univer- use of precious campus real
sity administrators decided estate. Students still flock to
a major housecleaning the library; they're just using
was in order. Using software it in different ways. Book-
from Lugg's group, they shelves are making way
came up with an initial list for group study rooms and
of 170,000 books to be con- tutoring centers, "maker-
sidered for removal. spaces" and coffee shops,
Faculty members who as libraries seek to reinvent
make their living in the themselves for the digital
stacks voiced outrage. age.
"Unbelievably wronghead- "We're kind of like the living
ed" and a "knife through room of the campus," said
the heart," Charles Cash- Oregon State University li-
dollar, an emeritus history brarian Cheryl Middleton,
professor, wrote to the president of the Association
president and provost. "For of College and Research
humanists, throwing out Libraries. "We're not just a
these books is as devastat- warehouse."
ing as locking the labora- It's a radical shift. Until re-