The Telescope 62.3

Page 1

PALOMAR COLLEGE, SAN MARCOS, CALIF.

MONDAY SEPT. 22, 2008

FOCUSED ON PALOMAR

VOL. 62, NO. 3

the-telescope.com

Library prepares for disaster

Setting up for a spike

MAGGIE AVANTS THE TELESCOPE

Students got a chance to put the disaster skills they learned in their Library Technology 115 class into practice Sept. 10. The purpose of the exercise was to make the students aware of the importance of being prepared in the event a natural disaster strikes when they are working at a library, according to officials. To stage the event Katherine Gannett, Palomar library manager, saturated shelves of outdated books with water. “Ninety-nine percent of the time a disaster would involve water, whether it is pipes bursting from an earthquake, fire sprinklers going off, or most often, construction-related accidents,” Gannett said. “In cases of water damage there is a window of only 48 to 72 hours before the books become a total loss,” Gannett said. When it was time to get to work, each group of students began wrapping the wet books in freezer paper, put them in boxes and recorded the catalogue numbers. Gannet told the class that in a disaster, they might not have time to assess the value of each book and to attempt to save whatever they could, as fast as they could. Then, if it were a real disaster, the books would be loaded onto pallets and placed for storage in large freezers. “I did not know about putting books in the freezer to preserve them,” a student, Jennifer Closson, said. “I have worked in libraries for many years, but I still learn something new everyday.” According to Gannett, once the books are frozen it stops the water damage from becoming permanent. Then there are specialty companies that dry the books while helping to preserve their pages. “The key is to have a plan,” said Gannett, whose disaster plan focuses first on irreplaceable collections like Native American pieces, photography, art, microfilms and the college’s scrapbook collection. Gannett, an active member of San Diego/Imperial County TURN TO DISASTER PAGE 3

OPINION

Sprinter service lacks luster PAGE 4

ROB BACON | THE TELESCOPE

In the team’s second match of the season, the Palomar College women’s volleyball team suffered a tough loss as Fullerton College traveled to The Dome and beat the Comets 3533, 25-19, 25-18. Above, setter Laikin Miller (left) sets up teammates Stephanie Haley (No. 6) and Maria Cabrera (No. 10). Miller led the team with 18 assists and Courtney Tanner had 18 digs. The Comets next home match will be at 5 p.m. Sept. 26 versus Irvine Valley. For more on the game, see page 12.

Palomar parents have options MELISSA RAYMOND THE TELESCOPE

JEANETTE JOHNSON | THE TELESCOPE

Mike Bernett plays with his daughter and one of her friends at the Child Development Center.

ENTERTAINMENT

Jessica Simpson goes country PAGE 8

Palomar College parents face the challenges of balancing their children, school and work, but there are many resources available to them at Palomar in the form of the Child Development Center and the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services. “I would really love for people to know they too can go to school regardless of their circumstances,” said Stephanie Avilez, a Palomar nursing student and mother of a 4-year-old boy who has attended the center since he was 18 months old. “I couldn’t do it without this Child Development Center,” Avilez said. “I

FOCUS

Democrats and Republicans PAGE 11

was getting a divorce and getting back to school and had a 2-and-a-half-yearold and an 18-month-old. These people have become family to us.” Avilez, who has received financial aid to help cover the costs of both her schooling and her children’s tuition, said the Child Development Center gave her the opportunity to go back to school and have her children near. “We offer preschool programs for students who attend Palomar,” said Srsuda Luettringhaus, the site supervisor for the Child Development Center. “We have children from 18 months to 5 years old. We offer a pay scale for students and if they are income eligible they don’t have to pay a thing.” TURN TO PARENTS PAGE 3

SPORTS

Fullerton sweeps Comets

PAGE 12


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