No Space Heaters in MU Libraries

As a follow up to my announcement during the recent all-staff meeting, I want to remind you that space heaters are not to be used in MU Libraries.

Along with the obvious fire hazard that they present, individual space heaters create a strain on electrical resources and undermine campus-wide efforts to conserve energy.

During the recent spell of cold weather in the area, most everyone who works for MU Libraries experienced colder-than-usual work areas.  Now that more normal temperatures have returned, I encourage you to contact your building coordinator if temperatures are still uncomfortable in your workplace.  By working with Campus Facilities, your building coordinator should be able to make adjustments to the heat settings in your specific work area or to make other accommodations to deal with the cold temperature.  Caulking of windows or improved insulation may improve your workspace  while also conserving the energy resources.  In some cases, it may be necessary to reposition workstations to relieve the problem.

For safety and liability reasons, library employees should not keep space heaters in work areas, even if not currently in use.

In Ellis Library, the building coordinator is Pat Jones. You may contact her at 882-4220 or by emailing JonesPA@missouri.edu

In the branch libraries, please contact your building coordinator or contact Mark Ellis at 882-9169 or via email: EllisMW@missouri.edu

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Jim Cogswell

From Campus Facilities Newsletter
Avoid using space heaters.  Space heaters use a lot of energy, often cause breakers to trip, and are dangerous when left unattended.  One space heater can consume the same amount of power that it takes to run fifty-six (56) four-foot fluorescent lamps!  The average space heater consumes about 93% of the load a 20-amp circuit breaker can handle.  Combined with the use of another appliance, such as a PC, the circuit breaker can trip.  If not properly safe-guarded, such sudden power outages can damage electronic equipment and cause data loss. Please avoid using space heaters on campus.  If your space is cold, call 882-8211 and we will do our best to help make you more comfortable.