ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


July/August 1996/415

Research m entors sought
ACRL’s Research Committee seeks experienced 
researchers willing to share their skills in a 
mentoring relationship. The committee is spon­
soring a mentoring program for those librar­
ians who aspire to conduct research but need 
to develop their skills. The program supports 
goal one of ACRL’s new Strategic Plan, “to con­
tribute to the total professional development 
o f academ ic and research librarians.”

For details on becoming or obtaining a men­
tor contact Marilyn J. Martin, Chair, ACRL Re- 
sèarch Committee, Rowan College Library, 201 
Mullica Hill Rd., Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701; 
phone (609) 256-4981; e-mail: martin@library. 
rowan.edu.

ACRL publishes c ale n d a r featuring 
C&RL N e w s covers
ACRL has featured some of its most popular

co v ers from  C&RL 
News in a limited edi­
tion 17-month aca­
demic appointment 
calendar. This spiral- 
bound, monthly cal­
endar, which high­
lig h ts  im p o rtan t 
ACRL d a te s and 
events, runs from Au­
gust 1996 through 
December 1997 and 
will be available for $7.00 at the ALA stores at 
the 1996 Annual Conference and 1997 Midwin­
ter Meeting. Not attending the conference? Cop­
ies o f the calendar are available by mail for 
$9.00, which includes shipping and handling. 
To receive a copy send your check, made pay­
able to ACRL, to: ACRL Calendars, 50 E. Huron 
St., Chicago, IL 606 l l .

The paper albatross
Ed. note: A lthough c la im s  a r e  often  m a d e  a b o u t  th e p a p e r le s s society, in reality I  f i n d  th at e - m a il a n d  

th e e a s e  o f  p h o to co p y in g  a n d  p rin tin g  things o u t f r o m  m y  c o m p u ter h a v e  in c r e a s e d  th e a m o u n t o f  p a p e r  I  
live with. I  thou ght re a d e rs w o u ld  f i n d  this p i e c e  o f  interest. (R eprin ted with p er m issio n  f r o m  The Univer­
sity of Memphis Libraries News, sprin g 1996, vol.2. n o .1 .)

When we had the card catalog and relied 
exclusively upon printed indexes, we pro­
vided “P” slips for people to write down call 
numbers and citations. Today the card cata­
log and many of the printed indexes are on­
line, and our patrons use reams of paper and 
print citations, call numbers, and even full 
texts of articles. Instead of ordering boxes of 
“P” slips, we order truckloads o f paper. In 
FY94/95 we used 94 cases (940 reams) of 
paper. During this fiscal year, we project that 
we will use 150 cases (1,500 reams). At 
$3.00– $5.00 a ream, we will spend from $4,500 
to $7,500 just for paper. Printing also requires 
printer maintenance and a large supply of 
toner. At $90 per cartridge, we will spend 
about $1,800 this year for toner. We spend a 
lot of staff time loading paper and trouble­
shooting.

Much of what is printed is used by stu­
dents and faculty for their research, but too 
much is w asted. Unfortunately, printing 
through the libraries’ system is complicated 
and counterintuitive. There are at least five 
different print functions to learn, each pecu­

liar to a specific database or system. Because 
one printer services several computers, print 
commands go into a printer queue. Users who 
don’t understand this print sequence inadvert­
ently print multiple copies. Library staff have 
found 21 copies of a single printout, none of 
which were picked up. Other users print one 
citation (two lines) per page. Because of the 
networked situation, each printout has a sepa­
rate cover page, which is also wasted paper. 
In order to cut waste, we use both sides of 
the paper. That means that we have to gather 
and sort the paper. When both sides are used, 
we dump it in the recycle bin. O f course, all 
of this paper shuffling wastes staff time, too.

Printing costs may be justified when print­
ing is used in support o f the academic cur­
riculum and research. Not everything needs 
to be printed, however. Sometimes a “P” slip 
will still do to jot down a call number or a 
citation. The library staff asks that users care­
fully evaluate resources before printing, and 
help us conserve paper, money, and trees.—  
Betsy Park, head. Reference Department, Uni­
versity o f  Memphis Libraries