Feedback to the Library, April 2006
NOTE: Comments are edited to remove names of specific employees or users. Comments with names go to "Askref" for response or are forwarded to the appropriate person for a reply.
The location is only identified as "Library", "Campus" or "Off-Campus" to protect the anonymity of users. Comments received on paper forms may be entered several days after they were submitted.
Date/time Location
Sat Apr 1 17:04:13 2006 Library
I was using the email computers on the 3rd floor, reading some artciles on the web, a lady sat next to me & did not even say "excuse me", she just asked if I had a pencil, I did not want to lose concentration & was silent, attempting to ignore her, she then tapped me on the arm, & I still was silent, moving my hand away in apprehension, then she said angrily, "what the hell is your problem?" She got a pencil from someone else. She used the computer & then kept looking at me & then when she walked away, said angrily, "You are pathetic", I ignored her even then. My question is, can I report this to someone as harassment so that I can read in peace? I am a male and do not wish to speak to strangers when they accost me for things or intrude on my concentration in the library. Thank you.
Library response: Any time that you feel you are being harassed in any way, you can come to a desk to report it. In this situation, one thing that might be more effective for you would be to politely say that you are concentrating very intently on what you are reading and ask the person to please not talk to you anymore. After all, your concentration ended up being disrupted any way, so it's probably better to just handle the situation up front on your own. In all situations, when asked, library staff will talk to the person. But you would have to come down to a service desk to report it, and the person would have to be there when you and the staff member got back. All we could do is first talk to the person and ask them to leave you alone. We call the campus police, if situations get threatening or if people we ask to leave do not leave. But the situation that you have described does not sound like one in which we would outright ask the person to leave the library or contact the police, unless the situation escalated. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Sat Apr 1 22:17:34 2006 Off-campus
Could you please add this book: Demystifying Switched Capacitor Circuits (ISBN: 0750679077)?
Library response: I'll forward your request to the subject librarian. I checked on this title in a national database, Worldcat, and it appears that this book was just published or is about to be published in England. Currently no U.S. libraries have it and the only library that has it is the British Library. So this may be a title that we will receive automatically in the next several months. But the librarian will know this.
Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Sun Apr 2 12:36:20 2006 Campus
I just wanted to thank the late-night staff at the 1st floor information commons help desk. Whether I need to use the electronic stapler or find an academic source for a paper, they are always the most helpful. I always enjoy working in the library at night because of the helpful staff and the quietness of the library, especially on the first floor. Thank you!
Library response:
Thank you so much for sharing this comment about the good experience you have in the library. Usually people don't take the time to say thank you. It makes our day when someone does. Your comment will be shared with the late night staff as well as all the day time staff of the library. Sometimes the day time staff forget what a great job the late night staff do, you know, out of sight out of mind. So your comment is a great reminder for all staff. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Mon Apr 3 16:13:01 2006 Off-campus
Hello, I wanted to make a recommendation for a book to add to your collection.
The Salvation of La Purísima
ISBN: 0915745550
Publisher: Floricanto Press.
The novel deals with a group of Mexican migrant workers, and the repercussions of a failed border crossing.
A brief synopsis follows:
The Salvation of La Purísima reveals the forces driving migrants north and the resulting impact on the communities and families left behind. The journey north is no longer just an economic necessity, but has evolved into a rite of passage for so many of Mexico's rural youth.
A migrant he befriends draws the novel's narrator, anthropologist Paul Westin, to Mexico. As Westin becomes more involved with the migrants and learns of a tragedy among them, he struggles to maintain professional objectivity. In Mexico he encounters La Purísima, the fractured village and symbol of rural Mexico, desperately struggling with the mysterious death of one of its own young men. The strange and unexpected reactions of the villagers force Westin and a local priest, Father Gabriel, to search for a solution to save La Purísima.
Library response:
Thank you for your suggestion. I have forwarded to the subject librarian for her consideration. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Librarian
Mon Apr 3 19:31:49 2006 Off-campus
When I requested a book a couple months ago and was not notified for a long time, I checked and learned that the library had been trying to notify me but they had an old email for me. So I undated my information.
I have a book checked out now and just checked the due date and find that I "was notified and the fine is now $7" !
So apparently my change did not take effect as I have received no email notification.
I've been going back and forth between "pages" and have not found the page in which I can view or modify my information. I can vaguely remember what it looked like, from my previous change, but cannot locate it now. Please help. And is there any recourse for me regarding the fine? I'll bring the book down tonight (as I will have no car tomorrow - Tuesday) --- but I still need to deal with this fine and incorrect email business.
Library response:
The status in our system indicates that you are retired faculty so what Vicki has explained regarding pulling your information from the campus database is correct. Given this, here are your options:
1) If you the ability to log into Employee Link, you can update you contact information there. Here is a link to their website:
http://emplink.arizona.edu/
2) If you don't have access to Employee Link, you can contact the Account Administrator at CCIT, our campus computing office, and they should be able to update your e-mail address. Their number is 621-2985. Travis S. Teetor, Materials Access Team
Tue Apr 4 21:45:08 2006 Campus
is there anything you can do about the man who has taken over the
map room area and hallway to the left of entering that room?
he has been there all day long (and night!) since last sept. or
so. i have no problem with any particular person being there,
except that he smells badly. that's the only reason.
the computer he uses is mnper102 and the one next to it. you've
probably seen him, he looks like a cave man, wears brown all the time and is around 50 years old. he obviously has been kicked
out of the main computer room as he used to always be in there.
what to do?
if someone got sprayed by a skunk, you would kick them out....
so why not the bum that smells just as bad.
Library response:
We are aware of this man using that computer and have actually contacted the Campus Police to see if there is anything that we can legally do about him. As long as he not behaving innappropriately or breaking any library policies, there is really nothing we can do about him. We do not discriminate against people based on appearance or smell -- you can imagine what a slippery slope that would be, if we did something like that. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Wed Apr 5 14:11:23 2006 Campus
Books that are being recalled should be returned within 5 days, not 10 days. Library patrons, especially students who have to write papers and are on a deadline, and we as scholars, who also are on many different deadlines, need to get the material from other customers asap. If the library informs us at the end of the 10th day that the book has been returned, I might get this note only the next day or so, which means that in reality I would have to wait almost 2 weeks until I get the book.
Library response: See response below
Wed Apr 5 14:33:52 2006 Campus
I agree with a recent observation made by Prof. Classen, who has remarked that 10 days is much too long to have to wait for recalled items. It would be much more appropriate to cut that in half, to 5 days, at most.
Library response: See response below
Wed Apr 5 15:06:13 2006 Off-campus
Subject: Do not change recall time
The issue has been raised whether, when a book is recalled, it should have to be returned to the library in less than 10 days. I think that 10 days is just about right, giving the one holding the book time to finishing using it and get it back to the library, something that is not always easy for some users who do not come to campus every day.
Library response: See response below
Wed Apr 5 15:15:34 2006 Campus
Books should be recalled SOONER than 10 days - in a semester-by-semester schedule, students need access to texts sooner than 2 weeks after the fact (and with students pursuing individualized paths of research, simply putting things on reserve doesn't solve the problem).
- Cat Bohannon, English 109H teacher
Library response: See response below
Wed Apr 5 18:36:49 2006 Off-campus
Hi,
I am a grad student and I can't figure out why, once something is recalled, the one whose book is being recalled has ten days to return it? Often one just needs to verify a source, take a quick glanze, or something along those lines. Couldn't one include an option as in, for example 'recall for a day' (or two or three), so that the one who brings it in can pick it up the next day or soon thereafter? And so that he/she knows that they will have the book back soon? Or find another solution to recalling, just to then be recalled by the one who brought the item in question back, just to then recall again andandand?
Library response:
The library has regularly reviewed the amount of time we allow users to return a recalled item based on feedback from our users who need the recalled items and from the people who have them checked out. Based on our investigation, we find that 10 days seems to strike the best balance between the users who want the items and the users who have them checked out.
We also hear from other library users that people need sufficient time to follow up with a recall request. This is due to the fact that some users don’t check their e-mail every day (because they work in the field or are away at conferences and don't always have access to a computer) or they needed to make special arrangements to travel to Tucson because they don’t live in town. Given that our system only allows us to select one recall period, we have selected what seems to be most reasonable for all parties involved.
Even though 10 days is our limit, we continue to find that many users who are able to return items sooner make an effort to do so. Travis S Teetor
Thu Apr 6 08:56:38 2006 Campus
I think the currect policy is fair and we should not change it.
Library response: This comment is referring to the policy of recalled books, see the response above.
Thu Apr 6 14:44:11 2006 Campus
I cannot access the catalog pages of your library web site. i get 403 permission errors. i have never had this trouble before, but it has been a while since i accessed your site.
Library response:
Could you be as specific as possible about this problem? What URL are you starting at and what links do you follow to get to the catalog? You are on campus, right? In what department? Do have a firewall on your computer or does your department have one? What browser are you using?
Sorry, but we can't reproduce the problem so we need to try and figure out what could be specific to your situation to be causing the problem. Thanks, Gene Spesard, Digital Library and Information Systems Team
Mon Apr 10 21:01:50 2006 Library
mnper204 needs new mouse pad and key board is falling off it's
mound, crooked! bye
Library response:
Thank you for notifying us about this problem computer, we will have it fixed. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Wed Apr 12 00:11:37 2006 Campus
Many of us who spend hours upon end at the Integrated Learning Center feel as if it could use a little bit of uplifting and entertaining factors. One way of doing so would be a balloon clown that would circulate around the ILC at the later hours of the night to make balloon hats and animals for working students. The clown could just work for tips and his/her presence would make the hours spent here more bearable for students. With a balloon creature nearby, one cannot frown...watching a clown walk by, one cannot look down...but with a balloon clown, to lift spirits, to entertain, to bring business, students could also see more inspiration to complete their higher education so that they themselves do not become the balloon clown in the ILC. This idea is multi-faceted and I look forward to the day when I can look up and smile at the simple pleasure of a balloon hat on the engineer-to-be next to me.
Library response:
Great idea. We will seriously consider it. But, while you and I like this idea, do you think that all students would appreciate it? Also, I don't think the library could afford this -- or at least not more than one time, as a promotional activity. If we were to try it -- do you really think students would pay for balloon animals? If we think about doing this next fall, we will ask for help from you and other students in planning it. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Fri Apr 14 14:16:13 2006 Campus
I have been working for two years on a book of Poetry.
I have acheived it,and I recieved a certificate.
I am an Ambassador Poet for 2006.
I am at Poetry.com hice charles in the boxes
Poemhunter.com Hice,charles
http://www.poemhunter.com/i/ebooks/pdf/Charles_hice_2006_4.pdf
this last is my ebook all 50 of my poems
While I am certain that this info means more to me than to you
I am just saying thank you for allowing me to use the computor
I knoe how difficult it is for you to allow me anything.
Library response:
Congratulations on your book of poetry. Of course your accomplishment means more to you than to people who don't know you -- but I think everyone can appreciate the work that would go into creating a book of poetry. We're glad that the library's computers contributed to your work. It isn't that it is difficult to allow you anything, we did allow you many hours on our computers -- it was just that some of your activities while on the computers made others uncomfortable. So we did get complaints and we did have to act on those complaints. It was really not personal. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Mon Apr 17 16:28:18 2006 Campus
It is that time of year again.. when people are taking off their shoes and slipping on those flip flops. As I type, the person next to me has freely kicked of her sandals and it smells of FEET.
I cannot say anything to her because she will think I am a bitch.
And to make matters worse, she is eating a garlicky lunch.
So, before I leave my computer station in the crowded ILC, I am going to say that people should not be allowed to bring full on meals and take off their shoes while they use computers. It is inconsiderate.
Thank You.
Annonymous.
Library response:
We agree with you about the smelly food and if you come to the IC reference desk and ask us, we will go ask people eating smelly or greasy/messy food to take it outside. We can also do the same for shoes being removed, but I don't know what the answer is for flip flops. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Tue Apr 18 10:39:45 2006 Off-campus
While cleaning out some old photographs I came upon pictures from the marenci strike and other old pictures from the early 1900's Arizona. Is anyone interested in these photos?
Library response: This comment was forwarded to the Special Collections staff and they contacted the lady. She is sending us the photos so we can take a look at them. Vicki Mills, Undergradute Services Team
Wed Apr 19 11:06:02 2006 Campus
Dear Web Master,
I have two users who are not able to view the following links, and I have been investigating this myself, and wondering are you using a Microsoft ISA 2004 Firewall with your web-servers?
http://sabio.library.arizona.edu/search/X this is the link they will get a HTTP Error 403 - Forbidden
Internet Explorer
Trying to see if this is my end using ISA 2004.
Library response:
I guess the short answer is the the library catalog (http://sabio.library.arizona.edu/search/X) runs on a Linux system. I can't really think of any reason users should be getting a 403 error.
If it's still happening please let me know and we can look into it further. Leo Eugene Spesard, Support Systems Analyst, Senior
Thu Apr 20 16:51:48 2006 Library
RE: books,
"Hornbills", #QL696C729k448
Greenway, J. "Extinct and Vanishing Birds" #SK353.G7
The two book titles listed above are listed in the directory as "in library" but I do not see them on the shelf.
Library response:
Thanks for notifying us about this. Next time you discover books on the shelf, drop by the info desk in the library you are in and let them know about this. They will put a search on the books and notify, if they are found. I'll ask them to put a search on these books and contact you, if they find them.
Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Fri Apr 21 01:22:47 2006 Campus
play info database isn't worknig and will expire b4 u post an answer to this but perhaps you'll buy it or fix it by the time i try it again
Library response:
Apparently the company that we were getting the trial database from ended the trial sooner than expected. The decision to purchase this database will depend on several things, including the budget in this subject area. But your message about the database has been forwarded to the subject librarian. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
____________________________________________________________________________________
Fri Apr 21 01:30 2006 Campus
is of course the link i meant.
I also noticed both that you had not posted a button for Marches feedback and that putting a 4 in for the link with the 2 for february brought up our current month not just last month with a 3.
I also noticed that I'm not alone in doing that as others (from this patron form) have replied to comments they read there it seems already.
SO please don't stop this from working as it is as now that I know I don't have to wait so long to see comments I'll do that even though perhaps you should at least puta link in for March if not share the fact that current month is available as well?
Library response: We were late in getting the responses for March loaded onto the website. We will continue to answer these comments and post the comments and responses by month and we'll try to not be so late in the future. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Sun Apr 23 22:12:55 2006 Campus
The 4th floor is FREEZING COLD.
Library response:
This problem has been reported to our building manager. We are experiencing cold temperatures all around the building right now. We had major work done on the heating and cooling system in the library, but the contractor will soon be making a change to some components in the system to correct a problem in the original design. Hopefully after that, the building temperatures will get the improvement that was promised. We are all keeping our fingers crossed because it is also very cold in our offices.
Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Wed Apr 26 00:09:24 2006 Library
The computer on the fifth floor of the main library in the north west corner has the keyboard frozen.
Library response: Thanks for notifying us about this problem, it has been reported to the Library Systems staff. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Wed Apr 26 13:44:19 2006 Off-campus
I am a PhD student in Anthropology who is in the final stages of completing his dissertation. Needless to say, I rely on the UA Main Library for access to key resources in my field.
I am dismayed to find that you have recently moved a large section of Southwestern Archaeology and Anthropology resources in the D and E sections on the third floor (particularly the E78 through E99) into compact shelving. These sections include some key resources on Southwestern Archaeology and Anthropology. While this would normally be a minor inconvenience, the fact that the compact shelving device has been habitually broken has made it very difficult to access any resources within the entire section.
What is more, I have found it very difficult to get help from Library staff in resolving this issue. Last night, while trying to obtain access to the E99 section to get a key resource for my dissertation I was given the runaround by no less than three staff members until one kind person (Sandy at the information desk) went out of her way to help me resolve the situation.
In my 10+ years at this University I have watched the UA Main Library continuously deteriorate in quality as a resource for student research, despite recent flashy high-tech "enhancements", so I guess I should not be surprised by this recent move. I would remind the powers that be, however, that the Anthropology program at UA is one of the premier programs in the country, and it is simply unacceptible for you to impede access to a key body of resources for students in this field.
Library response: Thank you for your comments. Please see response below.
Wed Apr 26 16:03:01 2006 Campus
I am a graduate student in Anthropology, a department that has given the institution of U of A a great reputation over the last several decades as Arizona's first Anthropology department. I chose this institution for graduate work because of the high praise it received from others, and because it was said that anthropology is a department respected and admired by the rest of the university. To my knowledge, Anthropology is the largest program in Social and Behavioral Sciences, which is the largest college at UA.
The reasons stated above make the following comments outrageous that anthropology texts were chosen among others for relocation to compact shelving. Recently, the library has changed many anthropological and archaeological books, especially for the southwestern region, in compact shelving that is often unfunctioning, and even more often visited by more than one student at a time, causing backups for waiting for access to the books. This is a problem that should be resolved immediately, as the treatment of a department that is critical to the University's standing as a top 20 Research institution hinges upon the quality students put forth by this department. I have already been withheld from books because of technical malfunctions, and will continue to raise my voice to university administration if need be, until the issue is resolved.
Library response:
I apologize for the confusion and difficulties resulting from portions of the collections being moved to compact shelving. Truly, it was not our intention to make materials inaccessible. We've had a number of difficulties with the mechanics of our most recently installed compact shelving. Library staff is working on this, and we hope to resolve this problem soon.
The UA Libraries is facing severe space limitations in our main library. One of our responses to the crisis is an increase in compact shelving use. However, it is not our intention to make heavily used portions of the collection difficult to use.
The library staffers responsible for shelving and space allocation have been contacted on this matter, and we will be discussing the alternatives to the present situation with them soon. You're certainly right when you say that Anthropology is one of this university's premier programs, and the library wants very much to be one of the reasons the UA Anthropology program is held in such high regard.
Once again, we do have a serious lack of space, and we're also working within some pretty severe budget constraints. Please be patient with us as we look for solutions to the present situation. I will be glad to stay in touch, and if you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Olivia Olivares, Social Sciences Team
Thu Apr 27 01:45:38 2006 Campus
I don't think you should worry about it being too cold except for the cost of that.
But I do appreciate you noting the intramonth comment as such
Library response: We are working on getting the temperature in the library under control. It seems like it is either too cold or too hot and we apologize for this. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Thu Apr 27 02:23:10 2006 Off-campus
Can a UofA student have access to fulltext articles in the INTERCHANGE e-journal?
I couldn't access to a 1990 article.
Library response:
If you look at the catalog record for Interchange (the record is a little hard to find because this journal changed its title a couple of times, so the heading for the current title in the catalog is Interchange (Toronto, Ont: 1984: Online). But the online access only begins with 1997. The catalog record shows this. So if you need an article from 1990, you will need to come to the library and get it. The call number is L11 I57. It will be on the 4th floor of the Main Library. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Thu Apr 27 19:48:54 2006 Library
I wanted to report loud music coming from one of the 'grad student' offices, located on the 4th floor (A418). I knocked and told the woman inside to turn off the radio so I could study but an hour later it was still on and could be heard. Could you please have someone tell her to not listen to a radio. Thank you.
Library response:
This is a response to this comment and to anyone else who is experiencing disruptive noise on the quiet 4th and 5th floors. Please come report the incident to the Info Desk on the main floor (2nd floor) if it is during the day or to the IC desk if it is after, 9 pm. We can try to address the problem, but only as it is happening.
Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Sat Apr 29 15:53:25 2006 Campus
I just sat down with some intent to make this request but first checked out the black studies databases for justa few minutes at most.
But before I could send a neat link to html of a dissertation that claimed to be durable, or for sure create a profile to save it for myself for later, someone spritzed watermelon or something which was probably froma study room being opened after having a chance to create a mightly blast with someone drenched stewing in there for a while.
This place is not a nightclub.... PLEASE EVERYONE SHOWER AND SKIP THE PERFUMING IF YOU PLAN ON BEING OTHER THAN MORE THEN A ROYAL NUISANCE WHILE SHARING THE AIR WITH OTHERS HERE.
Where I'm sitting I can't tell the level of contamination as the level was so high before. But therefore I know if i don't move far away- like to the science library if the 3rd floor isn't safe enough, but that (science commons) has risks as the ventilation is worse there if someone is offending but usually lesss contaminated despite that ...
Also when leaving a pc try to make it's availability clear by not leaving the page open or failing to tell your neighbor perhaps that you have gone if stuff of there's is piled ambigously near other pc's.
Unlike the homeless or cultural b.o. problems there is not a problem having guidelines about excessive ARTIFICIAL (referred as neurotoxic in fact by local experts) SCENTING. Nor is there a problem creating some priority seating for the chemcially sensitive near fresh air ducts not downwind or in stagnant areas or like where I"m at near study rooms ....
Same goes of course for smoking in the courtyard. It is not just illegal. Like perfumes it does not require imposition of agony to be tortous. If we can notify people that this is injurious they have no defense to litigation. Nor does the institution. Even though our bookstore engages in such chemical manipulation of 'customers' itself covertly even if supposeldy not shamelessly.
Perhaps there are already some policies online at worklife or hidden somewhere else I'm ignoring so if you could dig them up that would be great...
.
Library response:
This comment was very long and touched on numerous topics both within the library and outside the library. It was edited for space. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Sun Apr 30 19:34:20 2006 Library
The University's smoking policy is not being correctly enforced. The policy as stated prohibits smoking within a certain radius from buildings, however the ash trays are located next to the buildings, including the libraries.
PLEASE FORWARD THIS COMPLAINT TO THE ADMINISTRATION
It is contradictions in policy and enforcement such as this that, over time, lead students to conclude that the words and deeds of policies, whether optimal, correct and not, amount to hypocrisy.
This conclusion of hypocrisy leads to contradictions in communication and behaviors, some of which engenders students to give up on the good and righteous acceptance of law and rules, and to ignor and test these policies dysfunctional.
Consider this issue another way: If the entire university of academicians and administrators and potential lawyers cannot even write a consistent document regarding campus policy, how can you possibly, and how dare you, pretend to be able to teach others to do so?
So will the administration rewrite it's smoking policy? Prohibit all smoking on campus?
Library response: The smoking policy is a campus-wide one and in fact a state-wide one, I believe. It is really not something that the library can address, except if people violate the policy inside the library. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team
Sun Apr 30 19:50:20 2006 Library
One of my "angelic" children who appears to be under the age of 15 went to the main library, apparently unaccompanied. He was prevented from entrance by two adult guards. Since they prevented him from entrance before he began using the library, your (angelic) guards were in violation of library policy. He could have been going to use the government documents section. Irregardless, since the policy states that those children unaccompanied by adults are free to use a certain section of the library, one can only conclude that all and any children are allowed entrance into the library unaccompanied, and should not be interrupted until they use the library incorrectly.
My existence in this sector means that, "at times", there are more re-incarnated what are apparently non-students using university facilities than there are actual students. It is my opinion that they do occasionally break the rules, however consistantly enforced policies are appreciated.
Library response: We don't have guards in the library and we don't believe that any staff members stop children as they are entering the building. If we find children who are under 15 and not with an adult, who are using the library's computers or in an area other than the government documents area, we will make every effort to find their adult, ask the children to leave (if they are old enough to do this) or in extreme cases, call the campus police. We believe it is a safety issue, that children under 15 need to be with a supervising adult. Vicki Mills, Undergraduate Services Team