Cold Front Puts Baker in Deep Freeze

Although it may be good preparation for the cold, cruel world of business, the Business School's Baker Library has been plagued by low temperatures that make it difficult to study, students and staff said yesterday.

"I can't work with gloves on my hands, but the library is usually too cold to take them off," wrote one unidentified student in the library's suggestion book, which records at least three other complaints of the cold.

But despite librarians' repeated calls to the B-School's facilities and maintenance department, Baker may remain cold until the spring thaw.

"Can anything be done about this?" wrote second-year student Carlo Franzblau.

Baker staff said they have no control over the problem. "We do alert the facilities department when the library is uncomfortably cold," Librarian Mary Chatfield wrote in reply to Franzblau's complaint. "But it is a fact of life that the building will be chilly and drafty at times, especially on windy days."

"[There is] no way of fine tuning the heating system with the heating plant and buildings we have," Chatfield said.

Despite weekly calls to maintenance, that service has not always investigated complaints, according to one staff member who wished to remain anonymous.

Two other members of the library staff said no one from facilities and maintenance had checked the temperature in the library in three weeks, despite the continued complaints.

But maintenance does respond to all complaints, according to Bill Endres, the B-School's manager for maintenance. "When we get a problem, we just respond to them as they arise." He added that the temperature in the library is generally kept at around 70 degrees.

But some library users have not given up hopes of a warm front. "There should be some way to handle the heating," said Tim Gourley, a second year B-School student.

Meanwhile, "dress warmly," Chatfield advised patrons.