Like many institutions of higher learning, Indiana University is financially strapped, but students and faculty agree that tentative plans to close several of their libraries make little sense. One of the libraries is the African-American Culture Center, which was thankfully spared after a student protest; another is the School of Library and Information Sciences Library, which is located at the Herman B Wells Library, and it was also rumored that the School of Journalism Library, and the Geography and Map Library would close this summer as well.
Students at the Indiana Daily student say, “The possible plan to shut down {this}library showcases that IU’s financial decision-making process takes place behind a fish bowl lens. They look at raw data instead of what larger implications the decision might have. The University should learn to look at these decisions through a wide lens and see the bigger picture.
And if we are really hard pressed for money, why don’t we stop putting up huge, red clocks on campus? Libraries seem like a much better investment than campus aesthetics.”
Classic way to handle cuts
Propose shutting down popular facilities. This generates outrage which makes arguing to not have funding cuts much easier for library administrators.