At Victoria, everybody's getting it. The cuts, that is. In line with a decision made at University Council in late May, our share is being divided up among nearly all areas of university expenditure. Broadly speaking, it's a sensible policy. But in some circumstances it has meant that the particular importance or needs of an area have not been fully acknowledged. The library is such a case.

The library loses $15,000 from its grant and $10,000 from salaries through the non-appointment of staff. The salaries figure comes on top of the previous freezing of a number of positions, so that the library is now operating with notably less staff than it considers desirable.

The $15,000 from the grant is an even more dubious saving. At last week's Council meeting the Acting Vice Chancellor (John Tomlinson) described it as a "devaluation hedge." The library, as a large scale importer of books, needs that hedge. Now the university has removed it and the Budget has announced a 5% devaluation. By the end of the year, that figure is likely to be considerably higher.

This can only mean a significant reduction in the amount of books and periodicals the library will be able to buy for next year. Already, our library is the worst financed (per effective full-time student) of all university libraries. Clearly, the blanket cuts imposed on the whole university will have an unjustifiably severe affect on this area.

The Students Association has policy stating that the library, as the university's central resource centre, should have special priority status. This view is not shared by the university administration. The Library Committee has passed a motion alone the lines of VUWSA policy but the Committee of Vice Chancellor and Deans has not responded favourably.

To be fair to Tomlinson, the $15,000 has not been simply removed: it has been "placed on reserve." The idea is that if need for the money becomes particularly pressing, or if it is found that enough has been saved in other areas, it will be freed up.

The problem is, most of the savings this university was required to make have been made in this way. If the money is "freed up", we won't save enough. What a way with concepts these academics have.

At the forum on Wednesday (12 noon) and the Organising Meeting that will follow it, action on the library will be discussed. Come along and make your views known.