Lamont Will Open Facilities to 'Cliffes

Lamont Library, one of the last all-male strongholds at Harvard, is planning to open its facilities to Radcliffe girls within the next two years, the Summer News learned last week.

Although Lamont admits girls during the Summer School session, in the winter the library is open only to men at Harvard College, Radcliffe has its own library at the Radcliffe Yard on Garden St., and women have for many years been admitted to the Widener reading room and stacks.

Authoritative library officials denied, however, that Lamont will become co-educational as early as January of 1963. They predict the switch over will occur closer to the end of the two year period.

Many changes will probably be necessary before women can be admitted to Lamont on a permanent basis. Among other things, as one official noted, "provision must be made for ladies rooms."

Lamont's director, Henry James Jr. will also have to find some way to handle the serious overcrowding which may result in the library, especially during Reading and Exam periods.

Harvard College students already make extensive use of Lamont at these times every year. During the final two weeks of each term, there are seldom study spaces available in the library, and reserve books are in constant demand.

The original decision to close Lamont to women was reportedly made at the request of the Radcliffe administration, which wanted to ensure use of the Radcliffe Library by girls at the college.

With the arrangement of the 'Cliffe dormitories into a House system, however, and President Bunting's plan to construct a modern new library in the House area, Cliffies may need library and study facilities closer to their classes in Harvard Yard. (The Radcliffe dorms are located about seven blocks from the Yard.)

Any plan to make Lamont co-ed is certain to meet some opposition form Harvard students who regard the library as "about the only place left for serious studying." Said one Harvard senior in Cambridge for the summer: "If girls start to use Lamont, nobody will be able to study there."