"I wrote what I thought was a humorous letterto a friend at the library so that I would be surethat they knew about it, and that was that," hesaid.

Security Review

Derby said that the incident was being takenseriously by library security.

"Right after this injury happened, I ordered acomplete check to make sure all the safetyswitches on the movable stacks were workingproperly," he said yesterday. "We then contactedthe vendor of the stacks, and set a meeting forthis Thursday to discuss additional safetydevices."

Derby also said that library officials areconsidering additional means to keep the stackssafe, including putting more signs near the stacksinstructing patrons on proper usage.

"I want to make sure we are doing everythingreasonable to make sure people are safe," he said.

Fernald decided to tell his senior psychologyseminar how he broke his arm, saying that he feltthey might be curious about his cast.

He said that he gave his class three guesses asto what had happened to his arm. "First," he said,"I fell in the bathroom. Second, I hurt myself inthe library. Third, I hurt myself exercising."

Not surprisingly, none of his students guessesthe second option.

Fernald said that he returned to the stacks ofPusey the day after his injury to continue hisresearch