Maroon Opinions

Job openings?

is there a job opening for the admin?

At this time we have no full-time job openings for any position. However, the Suggestions Office is always looking for volunteers!

American dictionaries?

I appreciate the access that the library offers to the OED. But is it true that we don't have access to Merriam Webster's Unabridged? The OED is a wonderful resource, but it can't supply spelling and meaning for American English usage. If I'm just looking in the wrong place, please let me know.

We don't have access to the M-W unabridged, but do have several other online dictionaries, including Merriam Webster's Collegiate, American Heritage Dictionary, and the New Oxford American Dictionary.

All of the above will tell you that a "chip" is first a "small piece of food" and only then in certain parts a "French fry."

Squeaking doors on 5th Floor

I am sure there is a more appropriate place to mention this, but can't find that at the moment. I am on 5th Regenstein --Flourescent lights on North side windows are flickering wildly!!! Also, at least 2 study room doors are squeaking, really squeaking.

All so very distracting. Thanks for looking into this.

We have relayed to Facilities, and they are investigating.

Cold in Classics Reading Room

Would it be possible to turn the heating in the Classics Reading Room on the fourth flour of the Regenstein library a bit higher? There's a continual stream of cold air, rather than heating, now and I've heard complaints from several other grad students about this.

We apologize for the belated reply - the temperature should be back to normal now.

Water Fountains

On A-level, the water fountain by the non-gender bathroom and the water fountain in the northwest corner of the reading room do not work. Is this intentional because of repair work? If not, who do I contact to fix them? Thank you.

Library Building Services is aware the fountains are out of comissions (one needs to be repaired, the other replaced), and is working with University Facilities to get this done.

Broken Tampon Machines

I am very frustrated by the pad and tampon vending machines. I tried to use two separate machines, one on the 4th floor and one on the B-Level and both ate my quarters, leading to a loss of 75 cents. Do these machines still work?

Upon receiving this comment, the male members of the Suggestions Office staff remarked, "We learn something new about the Reg every day." Increased knowledge aside, we have asked University Facilities (who maintains the machines) to come repair them.

Seminar Rooms are for Groups!

Could you please stress that the Group Study rooms are for just that--group study. Every time I try to use one there are single people in them (who are not always willing to leave).

Groups do indeed have priority for seminar rooms in Regenstein (I'm assuming you're talking about the rooms on the upper floors there?). If individuals question this policy, feel free to refer them to the seminar room webpage, or contact the circulation supervisor on duty.

Warmth in RR4

Is there any way the heat can be turned down on the 4th floor? It has been uncharacteristically hot on the 4th floor for the past 10 days, to the point that I and others have decided not to use the library because it is so uncomfortable. In addition to the discomfort, it is a tremendous waste of energy! I understand that it may be difficult to control slight temperature changes and that it is impossible to make everyone happy, but the general consensus is that it is waaaaaay too hot up there (you can ask anyone, or observe the tank tops, flushed cheeks, students fanning themselves, or people passed out asleep from the debilitating heat). Thanks!

***

We received a similar comment from regular correspondent M:

Dear Regenstein,

We are having a wet T-shirt contest in the 4th floor reading room. The heat is up so high that we're perspiring through our clothes. While there are some quite attractive folks on this floor, there are plenty that I don't want to see in damp, adherent garments. Please turn down the heat before things get out of control up here!

We apologize for the warm temperatures last week. University Facilities was replacing the air dampers, and the Reg was not taking in any outside air. Further, the building chillers don't turn on unless the outside temperature is above 45 degrees, and we were a little below that point. Without any source of cold air, temperatures inside the building spiraled quickly (digression: most heat in the Reg comes from people, not heaters). We represented to Facilities that the situation was a little sticky, and they completed the present damper work as quickly as they could. Suggestions Office staff wasn't on the fourth floor during the weekend, but I'm hopeful the climate was more comfortable by then. 

There will be more damper work going on in the next several weeks, but it will hopefully not be as noticeable as last week.

PS. True U of C students don't ever let their eyes wander from the text.

Noise in Crerar

Did anyone consider the noise implications of moving the Crerar Usite cluster up to the first floor? The first floor bank of computers used to be the only place where one could work at a computer in a quiet atmosphere. Now with the increased traffic and people asking the Usite help people for computer assistance and various staff members loudly discussing the transition, it is just as noisy as every where else in this university library system. The upper floors are quiet, but the computers are not set up for convenient work because they are not placed at desks. I relocated to Crerar because of noise at the Reg. Where should I go now?

We checked with the Crerar folks, and they said: "While overall the John Crerar Library is a very quiet library, the 1st floor has always been considered a discussion area because it contains the Reference Desk, which at times can be a busy service point."

"While the 1st floor is a high activity area, the lower level, 2nd and 3rd floors are considered quiet spaces. As you mentioned the computers on the 2nd and 3rd floor are not ideal for continuous use because they are on kiosk stands and not tables, however you may want to consider using the Library computer on the lower level of the library, which is located on a table. Your other option would be to use one of the NSIT computers located further away from the Reference/Computing Assistant Desk to avoid the noise created by staff assisting patrons."

John Hope Franklin and Radiation

Some mention of John Hope Franklin and other deaths might be morbid, but I would not have known about John Hope Franklin's death without the Chronicle. The women display is professional just as the African American Experience display was professional. Again, because of recent loss of professor to cancer after coming from McGill, I am still a little concerned that there might be a slight amount of residual radiation associated with Chicago Pile 1 (fermi et al). Maybe a Geiger counter in place to put people like me at ease could sooth some anxiety?

I'm glad you enjoyed the current exhibition in the Special Collections Research Center.

Although not an official Library instrument, there is a radiation monitor in the A-Level of Regenstein. You can see its output on weather.uchicago.edu, just below the graphs. (Credit goes to Dean W. Armstrong, a member of the Library's crack ADS staff.)