I know this has been pointed out by a few others here, but I wanted to reiterate ONCE AGAIN for all of the slow ones out there:
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IS KEEPING THE BOOKS!
UT has twelve different libraries on campus. Twelve of them, ranging hugely in size and composition. The Undergraduate Library was, during all of the time I spent as a grad student there, a sort of literary ghetto: the building was badly laid-out, it smelled bad, and the collection left a LOT to be desired. Whenever I searched the catalog at the main library and a listing came up for something at the Undergraduate Library, my heart would sink in the horrible anticipation of having to trudge over there and deal with the lousy facilities.
This conversion is the best move that UT could possibly do. Rolling the books into the other collections is going to make them MORE ACCESSIBLE, not less.
So, all of you Luddite alarmists out there: chill. The books are safe. Texas is not out to take your books away. UT's is one of the best library systems in the country (my wife is a librarian at the New York Public Library, so I do have some point of reference here). Everything will be okay, I promise...
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I know this has been pointed out by a few others here, but I wanted to reiterate ONCE AGAIN for all of the slow ones out there: THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IS KEEPING THE BOOKS! UT has twelve different libraries on campus. Twelve of them, ranging hugely in size and composition. The Undergraduate Library was, during all of the time I spent as a grad student there, a sort of literary ghetto: the building was badly laid-out, it smelled bad, and the collection left a LOT to be desired. Whenever I searched the catalog at the main library and a listing came up for something at the Undergraduate Library, my heart would sink in the horrible anticipation of having to trudge over there and deal with the lousy facilities. This conversion is the best move that UT could possibly do. Rolling the books into the other collections is going to make them MORE ACCESSIBLE, not less. So, all of you Luddite alarmists out there: chill. The books are safe. Texas is not out to take your books away. UT's is one of the best library systems in the country (my wife is a librarian at the New York Public Library, so I do have some point of reference here). Everything will be okay, I promise...