Books and Late Risers

The Student Council is upset about Lamount Library's treatment of late sleepers, but it hasn't much of a case. The Council wants the library to extend the time limit on overnight books and to lower the fine 25 cents before 10:15 a.m. This would be a big help to the few who can hardly make breakfast on time but it would hurt students who like to study before their ten o'clock class.

In the first place, most books are returned by 9 a.m. and Lamont takes about ten minutes to get them ready for the early morning zealots. If the deadline were 9:15, as the council requests, books wouldn't be ready until 9:30, and no one can accomplish much in half an hour. Even if late sleepers lose some money, Lamont should not deprive everyone of a chance to grind in the morning.

The Student Council is upset about Lamont Li-the first hour and a quarter would make tardiness less painful but would probably mean more overdue books. Lamont director Phillip J. McNiff tried a no-fine system last year, but found that student returned more than 12 percent of overnight books after 9 o'clock. Even after Lamont imposed the 75 cent "messenger charge," the number of late overnight books was only halved. But as long as this keeps up, it is no time to relax the fines.

Lamont's system is more lenient than many. Students who are twenty minutes late might as well keep their books until the next morning since the fine is the same for 24 hours. A graduated fine would put an end to this, as the Business School's Baker Library has done. Sealed fines would also eliminate the need for messengers, and would probably be easier on sleepy-eyed students who, after a gallant try, are still a few minutes too late.

Many students have found that Lamont occasionally, doesn't fine them anything for books overdue 15 minutes or less. McNiff and his staff have been lenient on this, but it shouldn't become official policy. Nor should Lamont lower its fines; if anything, it should raise them. The Council wants the library to case up on students when actually Lamont should be a little tougher.