Schools combine library resources Wednesday, July 22, 1992 - The Mihgan Daily Summer Weekly - 3 by Hope Calati Daily Staff Reporter Libraries at the University, Michi- gan State University and Wayne State University are combining resoarces in the Michigan Research Libraies Tri- angle (MRIT). The progam focuses oncooperativc cottection development document dclivery and interlibrary loan and automation. University Library Dean Donald. Riggs said this collaboration will make the library systems of the three largest research libraries in the state of Michi- gan more effective and cost efficient. The libraries have previously col- laborated in interlibrary loans, Davis The MLRT is working on a coop- erative development of collections to spread access to resources in special- ized areas, Director of Michigan State University Libraries HiramDavis said. "Our focusisreally in thosespecial- ized areas," Davis said. "The Univer- sity of Michigan has a law library. We do not. Wayne State has some other areas of strength." An MLRT taskforce is working to increase computerized access to re- sources on the three campuses. The three universities operate their online catalogsusingNOTS software.NOTIS is developing and testing software, PacLink, to provide seamless links be- tween the online systems of the univer- sities. The software may be available by this fall. Wayne State University Directorof Library Automation Louis Ba . said she is not certain when the money will beavailable toimplement th - software, "If we can get this tink-ge done first, the next thing is to allow students and faculty to request that the items e sent to their campus," Bugg said. MRLT has reduced the amount of time to fulfill interlibrary loan requests from about two weeks to about two days, Riggs said. Wayne State University Libraries Dean Peter Spyers-Duran added,"That is not where the cooperation is going to end. We are looking at acquiring data- bases jointly." However, funding for this project hasnot been secured.Library members are in the process of writing a budget and proposing funding requests. "We are daily looking for outside help to accomplish this,"Spyers-Duran said. "The project willhelpnot only the universities but the state economy as well." Riggs projected the completion of these proiects within two to five years. The Ann Arbor Civic Band performs Sunday as part of the Huron River Day festivities held at Gallup Park. by Adam Hundley Once praised for being a business- man above party politics and Washing- ton bureaucracy, Ross Perot suffered a backlash in the Ann Arbor community last week after unexpectedly dropping out of the presidential race. 'There was a lot of irrational sup- port forhimbased on frustration," Ann Arbor resident Carry Jones said. "Now people realize he wasn't for real." Some students went so far as to assert that Perot was mentally unbal- anced. "Hewasunstablepsychologically," LSA seniorJohn Bradley said. "He was scary because he was like someone who's crazy with alot of money." Many students admired Perot's busi- ness skills but agreed Perot was not suited for the rigors of an election cam- paign. "His advisors said he either had to run a real campaign or he wouldn't have a chance of winning ... but Perot's a businessman. H1e's only going to do things if he thinks he can win," L.A sophomore Andrea Cousino said. sEo SPIT Cs eeved at- Perot But Jones believes Perot will still have a less immediate impact on the November elections. "He probably is rationalizing that he can exert some power without put- ting himself through the hassle of a campaign," Jones said. Jerry Case, who works for Property Administration at the University, ar- gued that Perot could not handle the outside pressure he was feeling from the press and other political party fac, tions. Most students said Perot could not have won the election but expressed disappointment that he did not stay in the race until the end. "People vote along party lines and Perot's independent ... but I'm kind of sad because I would have liked to see a three-way race," Cousino said, Cousino added, "He made things interesting," Caseagreed, "Itgoestoshow we're really only a two-party system in this country." Most students and Ann Arbor resi- dents interviewed said Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton - not current President George Bush -will benefitmost from Perot's absence. 'The way the economic system isin this country, there's too much unrest. People wantchange, and Clinton is the only one who will give it tothem,"Case said. Voicing similar concerns, Cousino said, "Perot was a protest candidate; now Clinton is the only alternative to Bush." Bradley however, argued that Bush will benefit most from the new two- man race. "If Perot had stayed in he would have thrown the election into the House of Representatives, which would have hurt Bush," he said. The House, whichis predominantly filled by Democrats, would have had the power to select the President if no clear winner emerged in the electoral college. Most students said they will wait until Bush and Clinton fully outline their new campaigns before deciding which candidate to support. WE NEED YOU ARE YOU A PLANNER? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN PROGR AMS? DO YOU WANT TO HAVE FUN? HERE IS A CHANCE TO BE INVOLVED IN RRAMSYOU WANT. M IC HICAN UNION PROORAMIN OMMiTTEE " OR YOU WE NEED P:EOPLE TO HELP US PLN GEORAMS IN THE UNION~ FOR MORE [NFORMATION. CALL ARTHUR MCVICCAR AT 764-6495 OR STOP BY ROOM 2211. Great balls of fire The Alpha Fire Company of Farmington Hills hurries to pass buckets of water as they compete in the "Bucket Brigade:" The race was one of several competitions at the Antique Fire Apparatus Association's 20th Annual Fire Engine Muster.