The music/art library sit in

Gee, talk about sense of entitlement.

Rather than being concerned about a petty issue like the merging of two libraries, I would suggest that Art and Music students should probably be more concerned about the financial future of the School of Music in general, and the direction in which it appears to be heading.

Wily_Bear said :

Missing, they’re merging the library not getting rid of it right ? Nobody in that video appeared to be lacking the capacity to walk, so why can’t you amble over to the new library space ?
Maybe you guys might find economics classes would be helpful as well.

We have at least one student in a wheelchair, and quite a few with disabilities that actually DO make it difficult for them to walk.
And yes, the libraries are being merged, not blown up or anything. But they have at various times told us that some books will be culled, some will be removed etc. We have been told at other times that NO books will be removed… but given the size of the SOA library, I don’t see how this is physically feasible – they won’t all fit. A big problem is that we are yet to get a consistent story about what will actually become of the excess books.

creative_canberran said :

That observation aside, the ANU has merged 3 science libraries from around the campus into the Hancock Library.

I don’t approve of those library merges either.

We are fee paying students trying to get a higher education. How is culling libraries conducive to this?

Actually we have a few physically disabled students who frequent the library.

Missing, they’re merging the library not getting rid of it right ? Nobody in that video appeared to be lacking the capacity to walk, so why can’t you amble over to the new library space ?
Maybe you guys might find economics classes would be helpful as well.

While your theories on art students’ use of time and resources seem to be wholly justified (points for detecting sarcasm) in your well thought out appraisal, I’d like to offer some insight. As an student of the School of Art and CASS, I can say that the library is a huge part of our education and contributes to our art knowledge by helping us to gain insight and understanding into various art movements, philosophies, and artists works. While digitizing some of the works maybe helpful, it is not available in all cases. Artist and publisher rights come into play when organisations such as the university wish to digitize work. In a lot of cases with specialized artist books (which can be incredibly rare), there is no way that the book can be released digitally. In the case of the music school, sheet music or large scores are not only limitedly printed but are also again under copyrite control and cannot ‘just be digitalized’. With digital systems, infinite copies of data can be made and a products value then decreases as the avaliability is infinite and no longer retains the supply:demand ratio, thus is becomes worthless. You can see why publishers and owners of the rights of work have a problem here.
So digitalization doesn’t help that much.
The assertion that Visual art students don’t use the library. FALSE.
Should any students from other faculties wish to come past the library you would be sorely disappointed to find that your stereotypes of visual arts students doesn’t ring true. Just because our significantly smaller student base doesn’t sit around pretending to do work like the hundreds of Eco/Arts students in Chifely, doesn’t mean we don’t deserve a library. We are a smaller student base so comparing number for number, the amount of students within the Art library and within the chifely or Hancock is ridiculous.
The culling of books that have not been borrowed in awhile – absurd. Some of these art books are worth hundreds of dollars and are not designed to be flung carelessly into a backpack. These books are, however, not useless or neglected. Students often spend hours in the library researching these books and getting the most out of them without borrowing them. Borrowing stats does not = usage!
And last but not least, the Librarians. These valued members of staff are on the same level as professors in this institution. The sheer amount of knowledge that these ladies have is astounding! Not only can they find books and journals on hard to find artists, they also suggest similar artists in that field and can recommend books that more often than not, are a gem themselves. We cannot afford to lose them through lack of insight and poor planning.
So whilst I find your “informed” opinion valid, I also find it wanting.

neanderthalsis said :

I’m surprised that art/music students can even find the library!

I bet they can find Centrelink and Uni assistance officers with no problems…

I’m surprised that art/music students can even find the library!

creative_canberran said :

Something tells me the UAIs and emphasis on reasonings skills over that end of the campus may have something to do with that.

Christ, did art students kill your parents or something?

lol, the guy giving a speech is wearing a scarf when it was 22 and sunny outside and even warmer inside.

That observation aside, the ANU has merged 3 science libraries from around the campus into the Hancock Library. Funny how there’s been no protests about that. Something tells me the UAIs and emphasis on reasonings skills over that end of the campus may have something to do with that.

I like that participants of an organised (and noisy) sit-in are complaining that the library is not a space conducive to study. Kind of like organising a traffic jam and then complaining that the roads aren’t conducive to driving.