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- Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
- Path: sparky!uunet!paladin.american.edu!auvm!QMRELAY.MAIL.CORNELL.EDU!JOANNE_LEARY
- Message-ID: <CIRCPLUS%92072210061982@IDBSU.BITNET>
- Newsgroups: bit.listserv.circplus
- Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 11:56:17 U
- Sender: "CIRCPLUS@IDBSU - LIBRARY CIRCULATION ISSUES"
- <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
- From: Joanne Leary <joanne_leary@QMRELAY.MAIL.CORNELL.EDU>
- Subject: Re kickstools
- X-To: CIRCPLUS@idbsu.idbsu.edu
- Lines: 31
-
- Subject: Time:10:54 AM
- OFFICE MEMO Re kickstools Date:7/22/92
- Please do not skimp on kickstools -- one per every three ailses is probably OK
- for stacks 7 feet or under, but you should keep in mind that people will seldom
- bother to look for a stool if it's not immediately at hand. They will instead
- attempt to reach that great big book on the top shelf by either stretching and
- grabbing onto the very bottom sixteenth of an inch of the spine, or even
- scaling the lower shelves to extend their reach. As you know, this can be a
- real safety hazard.
-
- I learned the hard way that inadequate numbers of step stools can have terrible
- consequences when other less-than-ideal conditions exist. Recently, a patron
- attempted to get a large book down from the top shelf, lost his grip on the
- book; the book smashed into the overhead fluorescent light (yes, the
- unprotected light was actually several inches BELOW the top shelf of books) and
- miniscule glass shards flew all over. The patron got beaned, but was not
- otherwise hurt, because he closed his eyes and shielded his face when the book
- slipped from his hand. All this was bad enough, but when I got down to the
- scene of the accident a few minutes later, I saw the smashed ballast smoking
- and putting out sparks... we could have had a fire as well as a blinded patron.
-
- The stack area where this happened is asking for accidents: very tall, closely
- spaced stacks with large heavy books, insufficient lighting, unprotected
- fluorescents suspended from the top of the stacks rather than from the ceiling,
- etc. Needless to say, we have started planning a renovation project which will
- surely cost many thousands and take a good while to complete, but in the
- interim we have requested enough kick stools to place one in every aisle. Live
- and learn.
-
- Joanne Leary
- Cornell Engr Library
-