
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, June 26, 1990                   TAG: 9006260526
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: ROB EURE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

MISSING BOOK NO MYSTERY

Tom McCarthy was suspicious when a book on scientific evolutionary theory was missing from the city library the third time he tried to check it out.

"They couldn't even find records of it in the microfilms," McCarthy said.

Knowing that the book, "Blueprints," states a case for evolution "in variance with religion," McCarthy wondered what could be afoot and wrote a letter to the editor of the Roanoke Times & World-News.

The explanation, it turns out, is relatively simple, Roanoke assistant librarian Emily Keyser said today.

While the library was in the process of transferring its book files to microfiche last year, the company providing the service went out of business. "So the records on books that have come into the system since mid-1989 have been haphazard," she said. "But, we're happy to report, we will soon be on total automation."

Keyser said the library worker who helped McCarthy look for the book, written by Maitland Edey and Donald Johanson, forgot to check the old-fashioned files where new titles are kept.

McCarthy will be happy to hear that. He has already bought two copies of "Blueprints," which he describes as "the most complete book I've ever found on evolution" to give to his children.

"I want to read it again, but I don't want to have to buy another copy," he said.

by CNB