ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


April 1983 /  117

ARE YOU A 
BOOK BA TTER ER ?

T o commemorate their Care for Books cam ­
paign, the University of British Columbia Library 
published this quiz which supposedly appeared in 
the R ev iew  o f  Bibliotension.

Learn the truth about your attitudes to books. 
Do you harbor a deep resentment to printed forms 
of information? Do you long for a world pure and 
ignorant, free of all learning? Are you a pussycat in 
your relations with other people, but a tiger when 
handling books? Are you actively trying to reduce 
the amount of information in the world by abusing 
books? This short test will reveal your true attitude. 
Check the most appropriate response.

1. I remove books from the shelf by pulling the 
top of the spine and am pleased to hear the sound of 
tearing, especially with a new book.
____ always ____ frequently
____ sometimes ____ never

2. I eat or drink while reading and feel better 
when crumbs drop into the pages or when I spill 
coffee on them .
____ always ____ frequently
____ sometimes ____ never

3 . 1 push down hard on the spine of a book when 
I’m photocopying in order to break its spine.
____ always ____ frequently
____ sometimes ____ never

4. I mark my place in a book with a rusty paper­
clip or a wet lettuce leaf unless I have a slice of ba­
con handy.
____ always ____ frequently
____ sometimes ____ never

5 . 1 leave books on the radiator or in the sunlight, 
and am disappointed when the paper doesn’t yel­
low in a day or two.
____ always ____ frequently
____ sometimes ____ never

6 . 1 underline and annotate books with a pen, es­
pecially library books, so that others will have the 
benefit of what I believe the truth to be.
------ always ____ frequently
____ sometimes ____ never

7. I like to read while showering and store books 
in the bathroom because watching pages curl turns 
me on.
____ always ____ frequently
____ sometimes ____ never

8. When shelving books, I fill each shelf as full as 
possible and am gratified when I can jam that last 
volume into a space obviously too small for it.
------ always ____ frequently
____ sometimes ____ never

9. I like to stack books up in piles, putting the 
smallest and flimsiest books on the bottom and top­
ping the pile up with the largest, hoping that the

whole thing will go tumbling onto the floor.
____ always ____ frequently
____ sometimes ____ never

10. I razor or tear articles, pages, pictures out of 
library books, especially if I think something might 
be useful to others.
____ always ____ frequently
____ sometimes ____ never

1 1 .I give my dog a book to chew whenever I run 
out of Gaines burgerbits and call him “Bookcrun- 
cher” for short.
____ always ____ frequently
____ sometimes ____ never

S c o r i n g :

Give yourself 3 points for each “always,” 2 for 
“frequently,” 1 for “sometimes,” 0 for “never.” 
Add up the total.

2 6 -3 3  = unhealthy attitude to books and learn­
ing. Leave university and go to work as far from all 
information as possible. You should consider pro­
fessional treatment.

17-25 = you require immediate therapy if you 
intend to continue at university or work where 
printed information is handled. Ask your family 
doctor to refer you to your nearest bibliotherapist.

8 -1 6  = your attitude to inform ation is un­
healthy and you need actively to change it.

1 -7  = watch yourself. You could be developing 
a hostile attitude to books and learning. There is 
still time to redirect your potential hostility.

0 = congratulations. Your attitude towards 
p rinted  in fo rm a tio n  is very h e a lth y . Stay 
vigilant.— R ep rin ted  fr o m  th e University of British 
Columbia Library Bulletin a n d  written b y  Jocely n  
F oster, UB C  orien tation  librarian . ■ ■

Applications Invited for 
C & R L  Editor

Nominations and applications are invited for 
the position of editor of C o lleg e & R esearch  L i ­
braries. The editor is appointed for a three-year 
term which may be renewed for an additional 
three years. Applicants must be members of 
ALA and ACRL. Qualifications include experi­
ence in academic libraries, evidence of research 
and editing activity, and a broad knowledge of 
the issues confronting academic libraries.

A small honorarium for the editor and fund­
ing arrangements for editorial assistance are 
available.

Nominations or resumes with the names of 
three references may be sent to Larry W ilt, 
Chair, C o lle g e & R esea rch  L ib r a r ie s  Search 
Committee, Albin O. Kuhn Library and G al­
le ry , U niversity of M aryland B a ltim o re  
County, Catonsville, MD 21228. The deadline 
for applications is May 20, 1983.