Library locks door to save money
A chain stops students from using the door linking the Stafford Academic Building and the library.
JIMMY BRITT/CASTLETON SPARTAN
Did you formerly use the back door of the Calvin Coolidge Library to get to the Stafford Academic building? Well you can’t anymore.
The back entry is now chained off with a sign that reads, “This door is closed due to budgetary/work-study restrictions, this door will no longer be available for through traffic, please us the library entrance. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
“The mandatory 45-cent minimum wage increase that takes action in January and about a 3 percent reduction in overall dollars,” answered Access Services Librarian Ginger Johnston when asked why the door was locked.
Johnston said the $11,000 yearly expense to have someone monitor the entrance needed to be cut to not only to save money, but also to keep other work-study other positions. Because of the cuts, the number of library work-study positions has receded to 20 from 24.
Karen Sanborn, head of the Media Center on campus, talked about how that there’s less traffic between the library and Stafford since the door has been locked, but she said people looking for the Media Center are finding it.
She and coworker Sarah Chambers are only allowed to use the back door for when they are on call for the library or to access the media room in the back of the library.
“It’s more isolating. Not as connected as before, but I’m not complaining,” Chambers said.
Students had mixed reactions about the change.
“I didn’t even know that the back door was there,” said sophomore Alex Guyette, a library work-study student, with a shrug.
“It’s a waste that the buildings were even connected just to have it closed,” said senior Brian Dawicki.
But some students had stronger opinions.
“It’s more convenient to have it open. I don’t think that people would take books out without checking them out and the work-study probably couldn’t stop it anyway,” said Junior Angus Gluck.
“It sucks because of my work-study, but it was kind of pointless,” stated library work-study senior Amanda Tracy.
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