I am forwarding this from the Anthropology List.
>
>Date:    Tue, 25 Feb 1997 10:35:54 -0500
>From:    "Hugh W. Jarvis" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: plea to help save library in Queensland (fwd)
>
>This is forwarded from the SAS-Net. Sounds like a bad thing. Please help
>if you can.
>
>        Thanks, Hugh.
>
>*       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *
>
>
>From: Tony Thulborn <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>AUSTRALIAN PALAEONTOLOGY UNDER THREAT
>Closure of Dorothy Hill Geology Library
>
>
>The Dorothy Hill Geology Library (University of Queensland) is "the largest
>and most comprehensive collection of geological literature in any Australian
>university" and "ranks among the world's outstanding geoscientific
>libraries" (quoted from the library's introductory booklet). It was founded
>on a core of palaeontological literature gathered by Professor Dorothy Hill
>CBE, FRS, FAA, and is widely acknowledged as the best palaeontological
>library in Australia and, probably, one of the best in the entire southern
>hemisphere.
>
>The library contains nearly 43,000 monographs and nearly 3,000 serial
>titles, of which more than half are current.  Most of these items (more than
>98%) are not duplicated elsewhere in Queensland, and many of them are
>unavailable elsewhere in Australia.  The library also houses a collection of
>approximately 35,000 maps.
>
>It has particular strengths in palaeontology, sedimentology and regional
>geology (among various other fields), and in Russian and Chinese monographs
>and periodicals (among many others).  In recent years efforts have been
>directed to strengthening the library's holdings in palaeobiology,
>vertebrate palaeontology and ichnology.
>
>The library is an essential tool for palaeontological research; it is
>heavily used by palaeontologists based in the University of Queensland and
>in affiliated institutions (notably the Queensland Museum).  It also
>sustains heavy use from geologists and palaeontologists based in other
>Australian universities and state geological surveys.  In addition the
>library is a key resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students in
>Biological Sciences, Earth Sciences and Geographical Sciences.
>
>The University Librarian has proposed that approximately 50% of holdings of
>the Dorothy Hill Geology Library should be transferred into the Physical
>Sciences & Engineering Library; the remainder is to be placed in storage.
>Predictably, this proposal is supported by arguments of economy in time of
>financial constraint.  (The projected financial savings are not impressive.
>In fact, figures supplied by the University Librarian demonstrate that the
>Geology Library is more cost-effective than the Physical Sciences &
>Engineering Library: it provides 17% of the library services for only 11% of
>the costs.)   The University Librarian claims to have received only a single
>letter of protest.  This is not surprising, considering that there has still
>been NO announcement of the proposal and NO consultation with library-users.
>
>Closure of the library has already been approved "in principle" by the
>University of Queensland's Library Committee.  That approval will go forward
>for endorsement at the next meeting of the Library Committee - on Tuesday
>March 4th.
>
>Closure of the Dorothy Hill Library is a severe threat to the future of
>palaeontology in Australia.  The decision-makers fail to understand that the
>literature of 1897 is still current for palaeontologists in 1997.   Please
>help to protect the library.  Express your concern by writing (letter, fax
>or email) to one or more of the decision-makers (list below).   Please
>forward this message to any interested parties.
>
>Thank you for you help,
>
>
>Tony Thulborn
>Reader, Department of Zoology
>University of Queensland
>===========================================================
>
>(1)
>Professor John Hay
>Vice-Chancellor
>The University of Queensland
>Queensland 4072
>Australia
>        fax:  61 7 3365 1266
>        email:   [log in to unmask]
>
>(2)
>Professor Ted Brown
>Deputy Vice-Chancellor
>The University of Queensland
>Queensland 4072
>Australia
>        fax:   61 7 3365 2680
>        email:  [log in to unmask]
>
>(3)
>Mrs Janine Schmidt
>University Librarian
>The University of Queensland
>Queensland 4072
>Australia
>        fax:    61 7 3365 1737
>        email:   [log in to unmask]
>
>(4)
>Professor Cindy Gallois
>Chair, Library Committee
>The University of Queensland
>Queensland 4072
>Australia
>        fax:   61 7 3365 4383
>        email:   [log in to unmask]
>
Anita Cohen-Williams
Information Specialist
Auto Club of Southern California
**************************************
Listowner of HISTARCH, SUB-ARCH, and SPANBORD
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
**************************************