A. Restricted

     Librarians are placing books that might be stolen or mutilated on restricted reserve. Years ago, the restricted section consisted of works that were considered bawdy or licentious: James Joyce's Ulysses and the works of Henry Miller, Havelock Ellis and the Marquis de Sade. During the 1960s the locks came off and students could find de Sade's 120 Days of Sodom on the open shelves.
     Their place on the closed shelves was taken by valuable books that brought a high price on the used and rare book markets. Also, engravings were a target: Thieves would razor out the Winslow Homer engravings in old copies of Harper's Weekly, for example.
     In the 1990s, another group made it to the closed shelves, books deemed politically incorrect and thus likely to be mutilated. Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses was isolated. De Sade's works went back in the cupboard because they depict "violence against women," as one group put it.
     Interview the head librarian on the campus and in the community. What books are on the restricted shelves these days? (Obtain authors' names and book titles.) Why?

B. Canines

     Interview veterinarians and an official at the local American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or dog shelter for a story on the dog population and its characteristics.
     Do most people own mutts? What is the favorite breed? Is there a licensing regulation or leash law; if so, how well is it obeyed and how is it enforced?

C. Vox Populi

     How strong is the voice of the people in your community? Interview the editor of the editorial page of the local newspaper and the station managers of local broadcast stations. How many letters and telephone calls do they receive a day, a week? What are the subjects that move people to write or call? Select a recent local issue—have there been any letters or calls about it?

D. Emergency

     Visit the emergency clinic of a local hospital. Are the doctors and nurses overwhelmed? Why? How many patients do they see on a shift? Is there a peak—weekends, late evenings? What are the most common ailments? Who uses the clinic? Are there any proposals to alter the clinic's services?

E. Shoplifting

     Is shoplifting a problem for local merchants? If so, how do they cope with it? Is the situation better or worse than 10 or 15 years ago? Why? Are most shoplifters in one age group, of one sex? Do merchants prosecute? Consult the police and the district attorney's office to determine whether any shoplifters have gone to court; if so, learn what has happened to them. What is the usual charge (misdemeanor, felony) lodged against a shoplifter?

F. Fans

     Interview members of one of the local teams—college or professional—about local fans. Are the fans enthusiastic, tolerant of losses, fair-weather followers? Is the team treated better on the road? Does the attitude of fans affect play? How?
     Obtain attendance figures: total, season ticket holders. Up or down?
     Do winning and losing affect attendance?
     Do not settle for the usual quotes, but try to dig into the actual feelings of the athletes.