The Cavalier daily :: Friday, March 2, 1973 :: University of Virginia Library

The proposal for the lounge
was presented in December to
University Librarian Ray W.
Frantz, Jr. in a report written
by six members of Asst.
Speech Prof. Theodore J.
Marr's Speech 12 Group
Discussion class.

By installing a refreshment
lounge within the confines of
the library, the group feels it
would better the study
conditions in Alderman
Library. The speech group
thinks having to walk to
Newcomb Hall (quite often in
inclement weather) represents
a senseless loss of study time
and train of thought, as so
much time is spent in transit.
Since the library staff is
granted the privilege of a
refreshment lounge, others
who "work" there should be
granted the same privilege, the
six students believe.

Four recommendations for
the proposed lounge are being
considered. First, the lounge
should be on the first floor of
Alderman Library,
sufficiently removed from
carrels and other study areas to
avoid disturbing "workers."

Vending machines
dispensing coffee, soft-drinks,
and candy would be provided,
as would a minimum of
furniture consisting of two or
three tables with chairs around
them.

The last, and most
important specification, is that
the proposed lounge would be
a privilege the library could
extend to the University
community, and that the
library could reserve the right
to withdraw that privilege if it
is abused. If food or drink are
taken from the lounge, it
would be the
library's privilege to use the
room and have the machines
removed.

The group had two basic
problems to consider in their
project: need and feasibility.

To determine the existence
of need for the proposed
lounge, two members of the
study group conducted an
opinion poll. The question
the poll asked was, "Do you
feel that there is a need for a
refreshment lounge in the
library?"

Library officials refused to
allow the poll to be conducted
in the library itself, however,
since only polls of
University-wide consideration
may be placed there.

The group then made their
own collection boxes for the
poll - placed two in the
Newcomb Hall Grill and one
each in the Cave, the Glass Hat,
the first-year laundry room,
and the Mary Munford-Roberta
Gwathmey mail room.

Out of the 2,000 ballots
printed, only 460 were
returned. The rest of the
ballots were either stolen or
lost.

Over 85 per cent of those
polled favored the proposal for
the lounge, and only 14 per
cent opposed it.

CD/ Arthur Laurent

Monotonous Library Hours Could Be Relieved With Proposed Lounge

To obtain information on
the feasibility of their
proposal, two members of the
group went to see Food
Services Director Bernard J.
Fontana, who would be in
charge of the acquisition and
care of the machines.

A student was also sent to
find out more information on
the staff lounge, but his search
proved fruitless.

Two possible locations for
the proposed lounge were
presented: the 'Bridge Room'
and a room currently storing
books that will be moved to
the new Education School's
library when that room is
completed. Both of the
proposed possible locations for
the lounge are well removed
from the study areas and yet
easily accessible for
maintenance. Servicing the
lounge would not cause any
extra commotion in the
library, the group discovered.

Mr. Fontana supported the
project. He said that he was
willing "to provide service
wherever there's a need for it."
Such a lounge would cost
between $2500 and $2800 to
equip, in his estimation,
depending on the kind and the
number of vending
machines. He also said that
extra furniture is available and
no charge would be made for
using it.

The group concluded in
its proposal to Mr. Frantz that a
lounge should be established in
one of the two rooms
indicated or in another one
which the library deemed
suitable.

Third-year Education
student and group spokesman
Michele Burpeau said, "One
thing that the group really
wanted to stress was that this
proposal was something that
they wanted to see done. They
chose the problem and they
thought that the establishment
of the proposed lounge was
feasible."

The fate of the proposal is
now in the hands of Mr.
Frantz. As the students' report
concludes, "The ultimate
decision as to whether or not
the lounge is established, or the
conditions under which it will
be established is now, as it has
always been, the library's
privilege to make."