Over the past few weeks I have noticed that the library (second floor in particular) has been very dirty. I was in the children’s section on Friday afternoon and it was filthy. Spoiled food under chairs, goopy residue on tables, oily/wet/dirty upholstery on chairs, and very smelly. There were also several people sleeping up there, adding to the smell. I thought that maybe the dirtiness was from a busy week and that the issue would be resolved over the weekend. Today I came in to study and found a seat by the window after passing by several seats that were too dirty to sit on because they were covered in hair or dirt (actual dirt, like a plant would grow in). When I sat down I noticed a rotting apple core (actually rotting, it had definitely been there for several days) in the windowsill and debris all around. It just seems “trashy.” It smells and I feel like I have to wipe off the tables before I can set my computer down because it is so dirty and I don’t even have high standards of cleanliness! I try and pick up trash when I see it and I know that the janitorial staff has been cut with the furloughs but the library is becoming a very gross place. Thanks for listening to my concern. I love the library, just not the grime

We are sorry that the Library has not been as clean as any of us would prefer recently. The Library has been in ongoing discussion with the custodial supervisor in Plant Operations over the need for more janitorial help in the Library and will share your concerns with him. Two contributing factors are working against us at this point: 1) the State-mandated staff furlough days which you have already mentioned, and 2) the change in the work schedules of the campus custodial team from a daytime shift to a nighttime shift. Please continue to report issues that you might have in this regard, which will help us make our case for more daytime assistance in maintaining a clean and healthy Library environment.

Wayne Perryman
Library Dean

Hello, In a recent National Geographic I found a picture from your Erickson collection about loggers in the Redwoods. I have since found the picture on your link to that collection on the internet. Do you offer prints for any such images? If so, how much do they cost? Thank you.

I’m glad you found the picture from the Library’s Ericson collection in the current National Geographic and then on the Humboldt Room website! We do not offer prints for these images, but we do encourage you to download the images and print them yourself, assuming this is for personal and/or study use. If you wish to use the images for commercial purposes, then you can fill out our application form and submit the use fee of $50/image. Here is the link to the application form: http://library.humboldt.edu/humco/services/appldupl.htm. Let me know if you have further questions.

Joan Berman
Special Collections Librarian