Students may more safely walk and more easily access online catalogs inside Hayden Library this semester due to the addition of new carpet and workstations.
Library administration decided that new carpet on the lower concourse and new workstations were necessary to better serve the ASU community despite massive budget cuts, Associate Dean of Libraries Jane Conrow said.
The carpet in Hayden Library hadn't been changed since 1989, Conrow said, and was recently declared a safety risk by ASU's Risk Management department. Although no one has been seriously injured yet, Conrow said it was clear that new carpet had to be a high priority.
"People fall; They sue the library," Conrow said.
University administration wasn't able to find the money to pay for the carpet, Conrow said. The administration mandated that 18 open positions in the library remain unfilled this year, creating a one-time pool of money from which carpet could be purchased. From this money, library administrators also were able to purchase additional workstations to be placed on the lower concourse.
"We've got some real hardships," Conrow said about the unfilled positions. But she said that she believed the administration made a good decision because it was the best way to get the money "closest to the students."
Jane Bortness, a librarian in Access Services said she disagrees with Conrow.
Bortness said the new carpet will save the University more money in the longrun because an injury from the old carpet could have potentially lead to an expensive lawsuit.
She added that the workstations have saved students time and effort. She said she used to witness students waiting long lines to access workstations.
"They're non-existent; They're gone," Bortness said about the lines.
Reference Librarian Mimmo Bonanni also said that the additional workstations and new carpet are "vast improvements."
Bonanni also said that the new workstations are providing a "very valuable service." He said that since new workstations have been installed the reference department has seen lines go down and has had fewer patrons asking them to do simple catalog searches.
Students, however, have mixed views about the new additions to the library.
Maria Stoianova, an ASU graduate student working from Hayden Library Friday afternoon, said she has had to wait in line for a workstation before. However, she said she didn't believe that 18 positions should be left open to finance the new carpet and workstations.
"I didn't even notice the carpet at all," she said. "I didn't think it was all that important."
Undergraduate Jessica Jones said she disagreed.
She said she has waited in line because workstations have been "totally full" in the past and added that she hasn't noticed a slow down in service because of the open staff positions. Finding an open workstation has been a relief this semester, she said.
Conrow said there is still a lot more that needs to be done around the library, such re-carpeting additional floors and adding additional lighting fixtures. She said library administration will look at adding these as next year's budget permits.
Julie Messner is a reporter at the Web Devil. Reach her at julie.messner@asu.edu.
