Crimson ticket offers plan for library drop-box

The Crimson ticket, which is currently running in the upcoming IU Student Association election, has proposed a plan to help students return library books while avoiding costly parking tickets.\nAs a part of their "common sense" initiative, the Crimson ticket plans to achieve both feats by instituting a drive-up, drop-off box at the Main Library.\n"There's just not enough short-term parking," said Grant McFann, Crimson vice presidential candidate. "So if you need to drop off a book, you have to find a spot with a meter, which is rarely open."\nInstead of risking an expensive ticket by parking in a permit-restricted area, a simple box with a lock could be installed somewhere around the parking loop, allowing students to drop off their books and drive away, McFann said.\nAs junior Anne Eichengreen has found out, the risk of parking without a permit just to return a few books was not worth $35.\n"I was driving around and I was like 'Screw this I'm going to turn my book in,'" said Eichengreen, who is running for treasurer on the Crimson ticket. "Two or three minutes later, I came back and had a bright yellow ticket."\nCreating a temporary parking spot for those returning books would not suffice because people would abuse it, Eichengreen said.\n"It's so feasible for us to create a box just like public libraries have throughout the U.S.," said Eichengreen. "This would make the parking situation better so people dropping off books wouldn't take spots from those who need to study."\nEric Bartheld, the library's associate director of development, said this idea is indeed feasible. In fact, until a few years ago, a drop off box outside the library did exist.\n"There actually once was such a beast on the exterior of the library," said Bartheld. "The old one was removed because of the preservation of the books. We are concerned that books may have been damaged."\nThat concern will be an important factor in deciding whether the Crimson proposal becomes reality.\n"We want to provide services that make using the library convenient for students," said Bartheld. "But we also want to make sure the collections are preserved and protected for future students."\nBartheld also reminded students that the Main Library does have a 24-hour drop box inside the building and books can be returned at any of the 19 libraries on campus.