Talk:University of Massachusetts Amherst

I've seen quite a few references that the W.E.B. Dubois library is the tallest library in the world. Can anyone confirm or deny this? Anthony DiPierro 20:50, 15 Jan 2004 (UTC)

As a student at UMass I can confirm this. Interesting facts: the library is sinking, bit by bit, because of its weight and the land that it was built upon. Also, every other floor of the library is sort of useless -- they cannot be used for books because the architects did not factor in the weight of the books when the library was built (the library started to slowly collapse under its own weight -- bricks began to pop out of the building; there is now a metal fence keeping students away from the side of the library in case any more bricks fall). See [1] and [2]. Matthew McVickar 11:18, Mar 1, 2004 (UTC)

Seems as though this myth has been sufficiently repudiated below, but as anyone who has actually visited this library will tell you, regardless of their enrollment at UMass, there is no such absense of books every other floor. In fact there are books on every floor except those that are used for offices and computer labs.--Ian 05:56, 20 Aug 2004 (UTC)

I'm a former student from there myself, and I can confirm that it's a tall library. I'm just surprised there isn't another library out there taller than 28 stories. In any case, your second story is an urban legend. [3] Anthony DiPierro 13:43, 1 Mar 2004 (UTC)

I've been told that a university in Texas built one bigger, so now we are only the tallest BRICK library in the world. (heard from one of the tour guides) ~Adam Marquis

In my experience, "library sinking from the weight of the books" is a common urban legend at Universities. I am currently at UMass, and formerly was at Alfred University and I have heard the same story at both schools. The Alfred version was that the library was sliding down the side of the hill and had to be anchored by 3-foot wide steel cables to the cafeteria higher up the hill than it. The UMass version I heard also included that the bricks were popping out from the sides of the building due to deformation of the building from the weight of the books. Both cases cited an architect whom overlooked the weight of the books when designing it. While they both make nice stories, the large number of coindicent "facts" makes me doubt both. Do you have a good source to confirm that this is what's REALLY happening to the DuBois Library? --zandperl 23:58, 12 Mar 2004 (UTC)

Got more info here [4]. Apparently it's a common urban/campus legend. Sorry to burst your bubble! However, we could still include it on the UMass page, just say that it's a popular story. --zandperl 15:09, 16 Mar 2004 (UTC)

Heh, I already gave that reference. See my comment above :). Anthony DiPierro 15:54, 16 Mar 2004 (UTC)

I'm a current ugrad POLSCI major at UMass, have been for five years, and I can confirm that the W.E.B. Du Bois Library is not sinking. The Library has problems, however. Apparently, during the 1970s, when the Library was built, a corrupt contractor failed to take proper building practices into account. As such, the Library has a brick spallation problem. If you closely observe the external structure of the Library, you will see a big line of concrete every three floors. This concrete reinforcement was supposed to be at least 2' in width; however, the contractor at the time decided to skimp on reinforcement, and each 3rd floor reinforcement is approximately 1' 6" in width. This has resulted in the unfortunate brick spallation problem. The weight of the books (without the reinforcements) causes bricks to occasionally fall out of the brick lattice that is the external structure of the library. As a result, a fence, at least 12' away from the face of the library, has been constructed to prevent persons from entering an area where they can be exposed to spallated brick(s) or brick fragment(s). A partial result of the corrupt contractor and subsequent scandal was the creation of the Ward Commission, which reviewed the process of building construction and contracting within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1979.

This comment is quite clearly nonsensical. Glad you've chosen political science as your major. You should fit right in :). - Anthony

Regardless of the controversy over falling bricks or lack thereof, there is indeed a fence a significant distance from the side of the building, which keeps people (who do not jump over it -- it's low) away from the building. Also, the entryway is covered. --neurophyre 5:47, 26 July 2004 (UTC)

Yes, the presence of the fence does suggest that being next to the library could be dangerous. They don't have fences around Lederle or the Southwest highrises, so it's probably not bureaucratic nonsense. I've heard both stories many times, about the library sinking or the bricks falling out, and I've always doubted them. But there has to be some reason for the fence, right? They even made a big deal about it when they replaced the ugly chain-link fence with an ugly black guardrail. And the answer is...

Spalling chips [5], pieces of brick that break off of the library and fall to the ground, are the culprit. They're not whole bricks, but it's true that pieces of the library have broken off and fallen to the ground.

On a side note, would anyone be terribly offended if I replaced the campus picture? Or added another one? Rhobite 13:55, Jul 26, 2004 (UTC)

Please do replace it. The picture I uploaded isn't very good. Matthew McVickar 17:11, Aug 1, 2004 (UTC)

Yes, please replace it. On top of not being very good, there is no source or licensing information on it. anthony (see warning) 17:27, 1 Aug 2004 (UTC)

The campus is literally covered in rent-a-fences. I'll still try to get some shots in the next couple days. Rhobite 03:56, Aug 3, 2004 (UTC)