Cliffies to Use Lamont Until Hilles Is Ready

Radcliffe students will be allowed to use Lamont Library for two weeks until the finishing touches are put on the 'Cliffe's new $5 million Hilles Library.

Theodore Alevizos, associate University Librarian, issued this short statement yesterday to explain the move:

"Because of unforeseen delay in the completion of the new Hilles Library at Radcliffe, Lamont Library will be open temporarily to Radcliffe students for the use of reserved books. This special arrangement will be effective during the first two weeks of the term only, and will terminate on Sunday, October 8. The general policy of Lamont's being a library for men only during regular college terms remains unchanged by this emergency measure."

It will be the first time that Cliffies have used the Library during a regular year (Lamont is open to girls during Summer School) and recalls last year's discussions to open the Library permanently to Cliffies.

The proposal was indefinitely shelved because, in part, of its unpopularity with Harvard students. A poll by the Harvard Undergraduate Council reported that 62 per cent of the respondents opposed the idea.

Alevizos doubted that the girls' presence for two weeks would cause a serious strain on either Lamont's space or supply of reserve books. "If we thought that, we wouldn't have opened it up," he declared. Girls will be allowed to use all the facilities in the building, though Alevizos stressed that the library is open primarily for reserve books.

Cliffies will actually be able to use Hilles Library on a limited basis beginning Monday. Ruth K. Porritt, the Radcliffe Librarian, said yesterday the movement from the old library in the Radcliffe Yard to the new building had just been completed on Thursday and that "things are kind of in a general mess."

The general shelves in the new library will be open, but Miss Porritt requested that girls not take out required books for several weeks, thus allowing the library's staff time to collect them and put them on the reserve shelves.

Some of the library's other new facilities, such as the snack bar on the top floor, the language laboratory, and the movie theatre will not be opened immediately. Workmen are now installing electrical fixtures and putting rugs down on the library's penthouse floor.