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THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA |
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26 February 2001 |
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Carolyn Colvin, President Faculty Senate N242 LC University of Iowa Dear President Colvin: |
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As University faculty members and parents of
small children, we are concerned about the University's withdrawal of support
for the 4Cs toy library. The
University has generously provided space for the library, rent-free, for the
past fifteen years. Because of the
change in the University's rental arrangement with the owner of the Old
Public Library (where the toy library is housed,) the toy library is facing
eviction. We hope that the Faculty
Senate will join us in encouraging Vice President Doug True, Associate Vice
President Robert Foldesi, and Family Issues Coordinator Jane Holland to find
a way to keep the toy library in its current location or in some nearby
downtown space. To fully appreciate the role the toy library
plays in the Iowa City Community, you need to visit with a small child so
that you see how the librarian, Ruth Rhoades, welcomes children and makes
sure (despite the constraints of a limited budget) that they have an inviting
selection of clean appealing toys available to borrow. Ms. Rhoades gets to know children's toy
preferences personally and calls their parents when something she knows they
will especially like has been returned to the shelves. People from all sectors of the Iowa City
community come together at the toy library --University faculty members,
graduate students, day care providers, and low-income families who could not
otherwise provide their children with the variety of play opportunities the
toy library makes possible. The toy library's current location is ideal
because it allows parents to visit the Iowa City public library and the 4Cs
toy library in one fell swoop, thereby increasing the chances that children
will benefit from both of the places. For faculty members with small children
as well as graduate and undergraduate student parents, the toy library serves
as an important gathering place, as well as a source of educational toys for
children. Support for the toy library is consistent with the University's
expressed interest in encouraging alternatives to alcohol consumption
downtown. The 4Cs Coordinator, Teresa Guither, is
beginning to consider a plan to move thc library to the 4Cs office on
Sycamore Street, a move that would necessitate the raising of money to cover
necessary construction, and the confinement of the toy library to a smaller
space. This is a default plan, but one that we hope can be avoided. Because the toy library is such a
worthwhile institution, because its current location is so ideal for its
purpose, and because the University's longstanding support has resulted in a
happy commingling of town and gown, we fervently hope that the University
will find a way to help the toy library stay in its current location or in a
site close by. Thank you very much for considering this
matter. Please do not hesitate to
contact Judith Pascoe (judith-pascpe@uiowa.edu) should the
Faculty Senate need further information in order to address the toy library's
plight. Yours sincerely, Judith Pascoe Associate Professor of English Bluford Adams Assistant Professor of English Kathleen Diffley Associate Professor of English Barbara Eckstein Associate Professor of English Eric Gidal Assistant Professor English Doris Witt Assistant Professor of English Cc: Teresa
Guither, 4Cs Coordinator Doug
True, Vice President, Finances and University Services Robert
Foldesi, Associate Vice President, Human Resources Jane
Holland, Human Resources and Family Services Phillip
Jones, Vice President for Student Services and Dean of Students Jan
Warren, Chair, Council on the Status of Women |
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