| Newsletter 11, February 1996 |
Vandalism of library stock has always been a problem, but seems to be getting worse in certain subject areas at Beckett Park. Computing books were always top of the hit list, but since Law moved to Beckett Park they have the dubious honour of sharing that position. Almost every day another item is discovered to have been cut, torn or dismembered.
The value of damaged stock from all sections ranges from relatively cheap to extremely expensive (prices in three figures). Sometimes, the pages could have been photocopied for only a few pence … sometimes a loan copy of the very same book was sitting on the shelf next to the vandalized one.
The culprits run the risk of disciplinary and financial punishments from the University if caught. However, we need the support of faculty staff to actively discourage this type of behaviour. For example, we are grateful to law lecturers who have indicated to their students that such offences will be mentioned in their references when they leave. Maybe other faculties could do the same.
We are constantly upgrading our security, but the most effective deterrent is to create a culture where such behaviour is considered totally unacceptable. Mind, we have all dreamed of the torture we would inflict on them — particularly on the one who carefully snips out a couple of lines here and there from several separate pages. If ever we catch that one….
Dot Phillips
