Volume XIII: Number 8
Tm^ QjOHX^iJAa, ^WJOlwJi
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carohna at Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
October 25, 1977
library Use Increasing,
Circulation Director Says
Basketball??!!'
By Steve Bass
“People do use the library, I
know this for a fact,” said Jean
Meachem, Atkins Library director of
circulation.
“I read, with interest, the story in
the Carolina Journal about students
not using the library. That is no
doubt true to some degree. I’m not
exactly sure why it is, 1 imagine its
because most people just don’t know
how much information we have
available.
“But people do use the library.
We have seen a steady increase over
the past three years of patrons using
the library and in the materials in
circulation,” said Meachem. “We in
circulation have noted that the kids
are using the copy machines like the
library is burning down.”
According to the Circulation
Report for the Fourth Quarter with
annual totals and comparisons,
409,227 people used the library
during the 1976-77 school year.' (July
1, 1976 - June 30, 1977). This
compares with 375,146 people who
used the library during the 1975-76
period.
“We get these totals from our
daily turnstile count,” said Meachem.
“We also keep statistics for daytime
and nighttime use of the library. We
average about 450 patrons per day as
it is. This, of course, varies from peak
periods like early November to very
slack periods in May.”
The report also noted that during
the 1976-77 period 151,354 materials
were circulated from the library. Of
this total, 148,666 - were books and
2,688 were reference materials. During
the 1975-76 year, 139,456 materials
were circulated from the library.
18,211 students used materials from
the library, 2,591 faculty and staff
members checked out materials during
this period. In addition, 469
non-students used materials from
Atkins.
“I’ve done a little additional
statistical research into the library
usage to help determine peak periods
of use,” said Meachem. “I’ve found
some interesting data. For example, 1
took a measure of the number of
days of the week we were open last
year, and found that more patrons
visited and more materials were
circulated on Tuesday and Wednesdays
last year than any other days.”
Meachem’s research has also shown
that more students used the library
during the 1976-77 school than the
two previous terms. The increase
witnessed by month has been
consistent, over the last three years. “I
think it is fairly clear that students
do use the library here and are doing
so in increasing numbers,” he said.
“Many people just don’t realize
how much material we have in the
library. Perhaps only really serious
students like graduate students realize
what all we do have. Everyday,
particularly during peak periods like
November, we have students enter the
library who look absolutely baffled.
They just don’t know how to use the
facility.
“We’ve been trying to do
somethingi about this situation for
awhile. Circulation gets questions
about where the bathrooms and
elevators are daily. To alleviate the
problem we’re going to put up signs
directing people not only to the
bathrooms, but to materials and
resources. The reference people
(headed by Dawn Hubbs) do an
outstanding job of helping students
find materials. Believe me we are not
a pack of dogs ready to bite your
head off. We are here to serve.
“I do wish more people would
use the library,” said Meachem. “1
still can’t be sure why more don’t
but I would like to know. We can
help.”
Next week: The Carolina Journal
will investigate the opinions of
professors regarding student use of
Atkins.
...And So Is Its Value
By Steve Bass
Amanda Harmon, director of
acquisitions in the Atkins Library, said
UNCC’s material collection increases at
a yearly rate of $760,000.
“About the best I can do is give
you rounded figures as to the
breakdov.m of expenditures per year.
The figure I gave of $760,000 is a
temporary one which has been used
as catch-up funds. After next year, we
will return to a more normal rate of
acquisition.
“During the last fiscal year we
spent almost $500,000 on new books
and general library materials. Almost
$200,000 were spent on renewals of
subscriptions of periodicals and
newspapers. We spend $30,000 on
bindings for the periodicals and
$20,000 for gift funds,” said Harmon.
Harmon Said that to the best ol'
her knowledge it would be impossible
to assess the value of the materials in
Atkins. “We don’t have a record of
the exact value of all our books. I
dare say there is no way to know. So
much of our material dates from tlie
Charlotte College days, and good
records were not kept. It would also
be difficult to determine how much it
would cost to replace the books we
have. We have a problem in that
many of the books were donated, and
the donor probably feels like they arc
worth more than they’re actually
worth. About the only thing we have
are records of recent expenditures,
and for the last few years it has
averaged about $700,000.
Yes, and it's being played in Argentina, during
the UNCCbasketball team's recent trip south
of the border. In his diary printed on page 13
49er guard Jeff Gruber mentions that things
occasionally got a hit rough under the hoards,
hut freshman center James “Popcorn" George
seems able to take care of himself.
Hard Work Pays Off For Stickell
In District Five City Council Race
By Nancy Davis
No one seems surprised that two
women, Billie Stickell and Minette
Trosch, are the two Charlotte City
Council candidates froi'n District Five.
That’s a sign of the times. And no
one seems surprised that Stickell won
the Democratic primary run-off. That’s
a sign of hard work paying off.
Stickell, another UNCC student
involved in the City Council elections,
is experiencing the ups and downs of
running for public office. She had to
quit the UNCC women’s volleyball
team and described that decision as a
“severe blow.” Her husband has been
very supportive, yet “1 only see my
husband in the car,” she said.
After an overwhelming victory in
it,” explained Stickell.
The type of residents in the
district are diverse. According to the
young candidate, the area has
everything from “silk stocking to low
income and is five per cent black.”
A second year student at UNCC,
Stickell transferred from CPCC with
an associates business degree. She is
double majoring in business
administration and political science.
Her advisor. Dr. Louis Trosch, is the
husband of her opponent.
She is receiving support from
friends at UNCC and from some of
her professors. “Dr. (Nate) Pruitt has
been actively involved. He’s a
Republican, too. He’s worked the
polls for me,” said Stickell.
the recent run-off primary election
against Art Lynch, Stickell says she is
“gearing up for the partisan politics”
she will be involved in between now
and November 8th, election day. The
idea of a run-off stayed with her up
until election night, but was surprised
Lynch did call for one since he only
received 16.4 per cent of the vote.
Stickell believes that “issues and
personality” will factor greatly in the
race against Trosch. “Name recognition
will be the key factor,’.’ she
continued. “We’ll talk issues and meet
people.”
The issues in District Five
resemble the issues in most of the
Charlotte districts. The problems of
traffic control particularly involve
“child safety, especially near Briar
Creek...and a walkway across
Independence,” said Stickell. Other
concerns of the residents are more
parks and the scattering of the
proposed housing projects in that area.
Stickell is also^ concerned with
crim and the prospects of policemen
being responsible for their own squad
cars. “Police cars will be out more
often and the results of visibiltiy
should be very effective. The cars will
last longer, because the men will take
better care of thcni...It’ll pay for
itself. The city can’t afford not to do
it,” Stickell said.
^ckeli’s headquarters is her home
where she says she bases her campaign
with the help from “people I cal! on
in each precinct.” The Democratic
party will begin to help finance her
campaign, now that she is the official
candidate. However, she has worked
so tar from contributions only.
Stating that she has not seen :a
television show since the campaign
began, Stickell admits that she can’t
wait until November 8th, “so things
will get hack to normal.”
The
Carolina Journal
Is Late This Week
Due To
Mechanical
Malfunction