I am responding with a clarification to the editorial entitled “Bird Library security changes protect students,” published in the Jan. 16 issue.

The rationale for the libraries’ decision to keep only the Waverly Avenue entrance to Bird Library open after 8 p.m. was based upon information provided by several University departments, including the Department of Public Safety. From them, we learned that we are required to keep the Waverly Avenue entrance open for emergency response units (police, fire, ambulance, etc.) that may need immediate access to the Bird facility. If needed, those units — whether from the University, the City of Syracuse, or Onondaga County — will arrive on the scene from Waverly Avenue, a public street, rather than University Place, which is not.

Therefore, in order to provide a more secure building by instituting the single entrance protocol from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., while simultaneously allowing emergency units to access Bird when necessary, the Waverly entrance must remain accessible.

In case of emergency, Bird Library occupants can exit from both the Waverly Avenue and University Place sides at all hours the building is open.

Dr. K. Matthew Dames

Interim Dean of Libraries and University Librarian