Purdue Departments Clash
over Removal of Book Stacks
A planned renovation of Purdue University’s Krannert Graduate School of Management building has triggered a dispute between two departments that share book stacks in the school’s management and economics library.
Management faculty want to get rid of the stacks, arguing most materials they need are available electronically. But the department of agricultural economics insists they still need access to printed works, especially since statistics are digitized only for recent years.
The stacks’ removal was suggested by a committee of faculty and staff who recommended retaining journal holdings on-site and placing books in storage for retrieval as needed. Students “don’t use the books. Nor do we want them to,” assistant professor of management John W. Hatcher said in the May 18 Chronicle of Higher Education.
Library Dean Emily R. Mobley said the real question is not if, but when, the stacks will be eliminated; the libraries have a 10-year goal to reduce the amount of campus space they occupy, and the Krannert renovation offers the chance to accelerate that schedule.
Posted May 29, 2000.
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