The University of California Libraries: A Plan for Development (1977)

198 The University of California Libraries
area as necessary to maintain the present ratio of library users to staff.
Housing the Library System (pages 147-185). No funds for construction
of library facilities have been approved for several years, and by
standard formulas the University libraries are now deficient in space by
almost 250,000 square feet. Assuming continuation of the present methods
of housing library collections, this deficiency will grow to over three
quarters of a million square feet by the end of another ten years. Considering
the magnitude of the problem and the fact that construction costs
continue to escalate, it is obvious that all reasonable alternatives to
present housing methods should be explored.
To accomplish this task, data was collected on the size and characteristics
of each library, the patterns of recorded use of materials, and
other information related directly or indirectly to the space problem. A
computerized simulation model was then designed to calculate the effect,
in both space and funds required, of each of a number of alternatives,
singly and in combination. Based on the results, the plan rejects the
alternatives of large-scale weeding and microfilming of existing collections
as unfeasible and not cost-effective. It does appear, however, that
the use of compact shelving techniques on a regional basis would offer
significant economies, and could be implemented in such a way that service
to users would not be seriously degraded--and might in fact be improved.
As noted in Chapter IV, not all material is needed immediately, and material
needed only within two days (the regional goal) might be provided
more efficiently from a regional facility than from individual campuses.
Some additional construction of traditional open-stack library facilities
on campuses will still be necessary to accommodate the material likely
to be used frequently, but the amount of such construction will be much
less than without the regional facilities. The regional facilities
could also be used by CSUC and other institutions on a cost-sharing
basis.
More extensive use of microforms under one set of circumstances
also appears to be advisable. If a microform edition of a current journal
is available, and is suitable for research use in microform, several
benefits resulting from procuring the microform edition and retaining it
in lieu of binding the originals. Space is saved; binding costs are
eliminated; the possibility of theft is sharply reduced; the material