In the News & Observer today, we have the story of Wilson Library, UNC Chapel Hill's historic keeper of so many state records.

The library is operating quite inefficiently these days, thanks to some severe restrictions placed upon it by the state fire marshal's office, which inspected last year and found a slew of violations of the current fire code.

Essentially, the building needs, at minimum, $12 million in retrofitting to get back up to speed, and given the current economy, that isn't likely.

So the building will remain, for the time being, in a very inefficient limbo.

Read all about it here.

The budget Deborah Jakubs oversees as head of Duke University’s library system generally goes up a bit each year, a result, she says, not of spending binges but the steadily rising costs of scholarly publications.

To keep up, she has asked for a seven percent budget hike for next year, but is under no illusions. Not only does Jakubs expect not to get any new money next year, she is one of the many division heads across the university plotting out what she would do if her budget was cut five percent. And 10 percent.

Just in case.

Across the nation, universities public and private are grappling with budget constraints. State universities get much of the attention, given that taxpayers foot the bill for at least a portion of their operating budgets. But private institutions too, even those that, like Duke, are bolstered by massive endowments, are feeling the pinch.

Last week I wrote this story about a decision by Sarah Michalak, who runs UNC Chapel Hill's library system, not to display two Christmas trees that for decades have greeted December visitors to two main campus libraries.

Well, I got plenty of feedback about that, as did UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp. In fact, a day or so later, Thorp released a statement explaining that plenty of places on campus do in fact display Christmas trees.

Now, the university has gone a step further, recording this short video and plunking it on its website. The 78-second video shows all the places on campus - the bookstore, Memorial Hall, the Carolina Inn, etc - where Christmas trees, wreaths, garland and the like are on display.

It's a lovely little video set to soothing music. Enjoy.

The folks over at UNC Chapel Hill have apparently gotten an earful today following the publication of this story about the university's chief librarian deciding not to display Christmas trees in library lobbies this year.

(I've gotten my fill of responses today as well, incidentally, and most folks writing are bothered — to put it quite mildly — with the librarian's decision in this regard).

Here's what Chancellor Holden Thorp has written in response to the more than 40 e-mails he has received today on the issue. 

 "I understand that the Library staff made the decision not to put up a Christmas tree this year after giving it a lot of thought. The university administration doesn’t get involved in decisions like that. Departments can choose to put up a tree or not. And if you take a walk across campus, I think you’ll see that.

The façade of Memorial Hall, our major performing venue, is fully decorated for the holiday, and The Nutcracker is its major December attraction. Student Stores is like any retailer this time of year. They have a tree decorated with Carolina ornaments in the window and, in the store, there is a mantle decorated with Carolina stockings. The Student Activities Fund Office has a Christmas tree in its window.

There’s a big Christmas wreath with a Carolina-blue ribbon on it in the Student Union. Our own Carolina Inn is again featuring its Twelve Days of Christmas displays throughout the hotel. And just as we have for the last 59 years, our Morehead Planetarium and Science Center is featuring The Star of Bethlehem.
 
So Christmas is recognized on this campus.
 
Thanks for your interest in Carolina, and have a joyous Christmas season.
 
Holden Thorp

The head librarian at UNC Chapel Hill decided this year that the university's two main libraries should not display Christmas trees in their lobbies.

She did so after years of complaints from library employees and patrons. But some on campus feel it's a case of out-of-control political correctness.

What do you think? Log in and comment below.