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PAPERS AND PROCEEDINGS 






TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL MEETING 



OF THE 



AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 



HELD AT 



ASHEVILLE, N. C, 

MAY 23-29, 1907 



AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 
PUBLISHING BOARD 

34 NEWBURY STREET 

BOSTON 

1907 



CONTENTS 

PAG& 
General sessions 

Addresses of welcome ; Response 3 

Address of the President: The use of books. . . C. W. Andrews 7 

Reports of the Secretary; Treasurer; Endow- 
ment fund trustees 12 

Address W. P. Trent 24 

Bibliography (for the Bibliographical society 

of America) Andrew Keogh 35 

Reports of committees: Library work with the 

blind N. D. C. Hodges 39 

Library work amongst the blind John Thomson 46 

Catalog rules J. C. M. Hanson 47 

Conduct of headquarters D. P. Corey 52 

A. L. A. Publishing board W. C. Lane 53 

Bookbuying A. E. Bostwick 59 

Library movement in the South since 1899 Anne Wallace 62 

Virginia J. P. Kennedy 68 

North Carolina Annie Smith Ross 71 

South Carolina Mary Martin 72 

Florida G, B. Utley 73 

Alabama T. M. Owen 75 

Louisiana William Beer 76 

Texas P. L. Windsor 77 

Oklahoma Edith A. Phelps 78 

Tennessee Mary H. Johnson 79 

Kentucky W. P. Yust 82 

Library work in a Chinese city . Mary E. Wood 84 

Reports of committees: International relations. E. C. Richardson 87 

Cooperation with the N. E. A Mary E. Ahern 87 

Relations between libraries and schools. . . R. J. Tighe 90 

The law library (for the American ass'n of 

law libraries) F. B. Gilbert 92 

Phases of library extension (for the League of 

library commissions) H. E. Legler 96 

Alabama dep't of archives and history (for the 

National ass'n of state libraries) T. M. Owen 101 

Libraries In state institutions (for the National 

ass'n of state libraries) Miriam E. Carey 101 

Reports of committees: Library training Mary W. Plummer 108 

Bookbindings A. L. Bailey 110 

Social education congress H. G. Wadlin 116 

Executive officer E. C. Hovey^ 116 

Library architecture C. R. Dudley v 119 

Lessons of the San Francisco fire G. T. Clark 121 

Use of books: Natural history E. J. Nolan 123 

Science C. J. Barr 129 

Reports of committees: Public documents Adelaide R; Hasse 132 

Address W. L. Post 135 

Documents in the public library W. R. Reinick 146 

Documents in a depository library H. M. Gill 149 

Congressional bills and reports Willard Austen 153 

Documents in technical libraries C. H. Brown 156 

Title-pages to periodicals W. I. Fletcher 157 

Library post J. H. Canfleld 158 

Library administration W. R. Eastman 159 

Use of books: Technical books C. H. Brown 163 

Patents H. L. Prince 166 

Engineering books G. W. Lee 169 

Medical books S. H. Ranck 169 

Children's books Alice M. Jordan 175 

Art books Katherine Patten 179 

Fiction A. E. Bostwick 183 

Some bibliographic notes on historical com- 
position W. E. Foster 18.7 

Report of the Committee on resolutions W. C. Lane 190 

Report of the Tellers of election P. L. Windsor 191 

PAGE PAGE 

Affiliated organizations Bibliographical society of America 294 

National association of state libraries 193 . , .. , _, 

League of library commissions 231 Proceedings of Council and Executive board 29o 

American association of law libraries 246 Tne post-conference trip J. C. D. 303 

Se CoHege and reference 261 Report on gifts and bequests 306 

Trustees 278 Attendance register and summaries 310 

Library work with children 288 Index S21 



A v\ 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



MAY 23-29, J907 



THE Association and its hosts met in 
the Ball-room of the Battery Park 
Hotel on Thursday, May 23, 1907, at 9 
p. m. In behalf of the local committee, 
Judge Jeter C. Pritchard, of Asheville, took 
the chair. He called the meeting to order 
and introduced Hon. Z. T. WINSTON, 
Lieutenant-governor of North Carolina, 
who spoke as follows in welcome to the 
Association: 

GOV. WINSTON'S ADDRESS 

We regret the necessary absence of the 
Governor of the state. 

The constitution of North Carolina im- 
poses on the Lieutenant-governor the duty 
of acting in the absence of the Governor, 
in matters of state. I was doubtful if this 
occasion is embraced within that consti- 
tutional requirement. To be certain of my 
duty, I searched that much quoted instru- 
ment to find out if an address of welcome 
to the American Library Association is a 
duty imposed on me when his Excellency 
could not attend. I did not, however, find 
such a requirement in express terms, but 
I did find a warrant for my coming in 
Section 25, Article 1, in which is written 
in part: "The people have a right to as- 
semble together for the common good." 
(Laughter) 

And so, Mr Chairman, if I am not 
following the line of duty, I am at least 
responding to your gracious invitation, my 
own earnest inclination, and the spirit of 
genuine hospitality that prevails in our 
state. 

In the name of North Carolina I extend 
to this Association and to those who attend 
it a genuine, hearty welcome to our state. 
May be you do not know the extent of a 
North Carolina welcome. It is sui generi$. 
No man has a clear conception of what 
hospitality means until a North Carolinian 
has met him at the front gate, and grasped 



his extended hand with a hearty "Howdy 
Come in," thereby conferring on him abso- 
lute ownership of the premises. Your As- 
sociation meets on congenial soil, and in a 
propitious hour. The two contending 
forces planted in American life three cen- 
turies ago, the one at Jamestown and the 
other at Plymouth rock, have united on the 
basis of liberty for every man, and free 
education for every child. As long as 
these two streams diverged, no real sig- 
nificance could have been attached to this 
meeting. In fact such a meeting would 
not have been held here. The colony 
planted on the bleak, barren coast of Cape 
Cod grew rich and strong in educated 
labor, in labor saving machinery, -in com- 
merce, in trade, in manufactures, in do- 
mestic economy. It became the land of 
the steam engine, the steam boat, the 
mill, the factory, the railroad, the tele- 
graph. The basis of the Jamestown col- 
ony was not universal education. Its lead- 
ers were giants and heroes in intellect and 
in character. They planted a common- 
wealth unequalled in modern times for the 
patriotism, bravery and virtue of its men; 
for the beauty, purity and grace of its 
women; for the matchless eloquence of its 
orators, for the fortitude and gallantry of 
its soldiers and its unconquerable devo- 
tion to personal liberty and constitutional 
government. It was an agricultural colony 
of strong and simple life, without cities, 
without factories, with little commerce. 
Between thsse two colonies began a strug- 
gle for the possession of the continent. 
Universal education made the Puritan 
strong. The absence of it developed the 
great Cavalier leaders. The struggle 
closed in blood, and the two forces united 
on the only tenable ground, universal man- 
hood and educated labor. 

In New England the library was free to 
all the people. There were no free libra- 



(e 



1G8795 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



ries in the South. The leaders of the 
South were the best read Americans. 
Leisure and inclination gave them oppor- 
tunity for reading the best books. The 
free library, however, had no place in our 
patriarchal life. And the library as such, 
with its dusty shelves and its seclusion, 
has no place in American life; but as 
a working tool in our complex and ex- 
acting life, the library is of first im- 
portance. Recognizing this fact, the 
state of North Carolina is beginning 
to establish small libraries as a part of 
our public school system. It is a small 
beginning we are making and it may 
seem trifling to those of you who sit in 
the seclusion of your hundred thousand 
volumes. Remember that our scattered 
population still imposes on us the task of 
dealing with rural situations. With this 
fact in mind, it means much to know that 
within five years $55,000 have been 
spent in rural libraries in this state; that 
nearly two thousand rural libraries have 
been established, containing more than 
150,000 volumes. One mountain county 
has sixty-two such libraries and there is 
not a county in the state without a library 
of this kind. (Applause) North Carolina 
was interested in public libraries nearly 
two hundred years ago. At a general bien- 
nial assembly held at the house of Capt. 
Richard Sanderson at Little River, begun 
on the 17th day of November, 1715, and 
continued by several adjournments until 
the 19th of January, 1716, many public and 
private acts were passed for the peace and 
prosperity and happiness of the colony. 
Among them may be found "An Act for 
appointing a town in the county of Bath 
and for securing the public library belong- 
ing to St Thomas parish in Pamtico." 

It is a far cry from that date to the 
present. The spirit that prompted the 
passage of such an act has long slum- 
bered; but it was sure to wake; and after 
a repose of two centuries it has arisem in 
strength and power, with a determination 
to put a useful book in the hands of every 
North Carolinian. In performing the task 



assigned me, permit me to use the home- 
ly yet expressive and cordial language 
of North Carolina: "Howdy Come in." 
(Applause) 

Judge PRITCHARD then addressed the 
Association, welcoming it on behalf of the 
city of Asheville. 

JUDGE PRITCHARD'S ADDRESS 

Mr President, representatives of the 
American Library Association, ladies and 
gentlemen, we esteem it a great honor to 
have the American Library Association 
hold its annual session in our city. The 
Association has accomplished as much as, 
if not more than, any other agency for the 
cause of popular education. This is an 
age of organization and cooperation and 
without which it is well nigh impossible 
for any movement to succeed. 

While North Carolina has not made as 
much progress in library extension as some 
of the other states, at the same time, it 
is a source of gratification to be able to 
state that we have well equipped libraries 
in almost every town of any size, and the 
day it,' not far distant when our state may 
invite favorable comparison in this respect 
with her more fortunate sister states of the 
union. Under these circumstances, it is 
exceedingly gratifying to have this Associ- 
ation visit our city, feeling as we do, that 
its presence at this time will have a ten- 
dency to stimulate and encourage those 
who are interested in this great move- 
ment for the development of the intel- 
lectual man. 

The people of this vicinity have ever 
been noted for their hospitality. Our 
women are among the fairest, (Applause) 
our men are celebrated for their generos- 
ity, (Applause) and our magnificent moun- 
tain scenery is unsurpassed. (Applause) 

As a representative of the Asheville 
library association, as well as the city of 
Asheville, it affords me great pleasure to 
extend to you an old fashioned North Car- 
olina welcome, and in doing so, I employ 
the term in its broadest and best sense. 
(Applause) 



WILSON 



While, geographically speaking, Ashe- 
ville is a Southern city, and our people are 
proud of the South, her history and tra- 
ditions, nevertheless, we are Americans 
and are devoted to America and her insti- 
tutions, (Applause) and are ready to follow 
the lead of the stars and stripes whenever 
our country's honor is involved. (Ap- 
plause) Our people possess that love of 
country and patriotism which is character- 
istic of the mountaineers of every clime. 
Asheville is truly a cosmopolitan city and 
owing to her many attractions and advan- 
tages is fast becoming the leading con- 
vention city of the South. Our population 
is composed of representatives of almost 
every section of the union and under these 
circumstances it is peculiarly fitting that 
this body, composed as it is of representa- 
tives of the highest type of American citi- 
zenship, should assemble in our midst. 

Asheville is the capital of the county of 
Buncombe, and on every hand is to be 
found that spirit of hospitality which was 
expressed in the motto that was inscribed 
over the portals of the mansion of one of 
North Carolina's famous sons of former 
days: 

"To Buncombe Hall, Welcome All." 

However, I do not wish to be under- 
stood as talking for "buncomb" on this 
occasion, but rather for the good people 
of Buncombe. 1 am authorized to say that 
this welcome is not to be confined to the 
present occasion, but is continuing in its 
nature and that you will always find a 
cordial welcome awaiting you, and in the 
language of the old couplet, I will say: 

"Come in the evening, or come in the 

morning, 
Come when you are asked, come without 

warning, 
There will always be a glad welcome for 

you; 
And the oftener you come the more we 

will adore you." 
I thank you. (Applause) 

Judge PRITCHARD: It now becomes 
my pleasure to introduce Mr Louis R. 



Wilson, the Secretary of the State library 
association, who will deliver an address of 
welcome on behalf of that body. 

DR WILSON'S ADDRESS 

Seemingly, nothing can be added to the 
completeness of the welcome which his 
Excellency the Governor and his Honor 
Judge Pritchard have extended you, and I 
dare not attempt to add thereto; but 
whether an addition be possible or not, in 
behalf of the North Carolina Library Asso- 
ciation I want you to know how wonder- 
fully glad we, your fellow workers, are 
that you are sharing this great meeting 
with us, and that it is in your hearts to 
be at home with us and to allow us to 
enter into the richness and helpfulness of 
your experiences. And if I may be al- 
lowed to say, in a particular way, why 
the State Library Association hails your 
coming with such genuine pleasure, it may 
be founrt to be due to the two following 
causes: 

1 Since your meeting in Atlanta in 
1899, the library, as an institution making 
for broader culture and saner life, has 
entered upon a new, rapidly enlarging field 
of usefulness. From Maryland to Texas, 
this new power has been making itself 
felt, and to-night, through the influence of 
the Southern library school of Atlanta, the 
Department of libraries of the Southern 
educational association, and the individual 
working library, whatever its nature and 
wherever established, the great South 
stands ready to compare experiences with 
you and through this interchange of ideas 
to be stimulated to more effective endeavor. 

2 In North Carolina a vital library 
spirit dates back only ten years, and it Is 
really only since 1900 that definite results 
In library activity have been accomplished. 
But to-night 1600 rural school libraries, 
with a collection of 150,000 volumes, are 
placed at the disposal of the school chil- 
dren of the state, and the value of the 
open book in the hand of the child is being 
emphasized as it has never been before. 
A system of travelling libraries has been 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



established in several of the Eastern coun- 
ties and the problem of renewing interest 
in the book collection has been partially 
so'lved. Within just three years a State 
Library Association has been formed with 
a membership of seventy-five, and every- 
where in the state influences have been 
set in operation which will result, sooner 
or later, in the formation of a public senti- 
ment in favor of the library sufficiently 
strong to compel every community, what- 
ever its condition, to provide for itself 
some form of library facilities. 

It is for these reasons that we are most 
glad to have you with us, because we rec- 
ognize in you fellow workers who can aid 
us in our endeavor and can enter fully 
into the joy of our achievement. 

In the name of the North Carolina 
Library Association, I greet you. May val- 
ley, and stream, and peak, and the limitless 
blue above you, bring you inward happi- 
ness and joy, and may the warmth of 
heart which we feel in welcoming you, 
gladden and cheer you in the coming days. 

To these addresses of welcome the 
PRESIDENT of the Association responded 
as follows: 

Governor Winston, Judge Pritchard, Dr 
Wilson, ladies and gentlemen: In the 
name of the American Library Association, 
1 return to the state of North Carolina, to 
the city of Asheville, and to the North 
Carolina Library Association, the thanks 
of the American Library Association for 
their cordial greetings and for the very 
pleasant things which they have said in 
regard to our meeting here. We on our 
part are glad to be here. We have ex- 
perienced before this the hospitality of 
the South. Eight years ago we met at 
Atlanta Since that time we have watched 
with interest the development of the 
Southern library movement. We now have 
come to learn by direct observation its 
strength and to give our applause to those 
who have been leaders in it. North Caro- 
lina has the honor of having shown the 
way to its sister states in the declaration 
of its independence, of having shown many 



times since an independence of judgment 
rare among the communities of the union, 
and has sent out to the states in the West 
and in the North, men whom we have 
found to be citizens to be proud of and 
friends to cherish. We are sure that they 
who stay behind are of the same fibre, and 
we may look to them for an impartial and 
independent judgment of the claims of 
library work upon the consideration of the 
state and of the community, and given 
such, we shall be sure of their recognition 
of its benefits. 

To the city of Asheville, we give thanks 
likewise. The beauty of its situation, the 
healthfulness of its climate, are known to 
nearly every citizen of the union. They 
are knovra to many of us personally, but 
certainly to all of us by reputation, and 
we shall return sure to spread that repu- 
tation, glad that we have been here. We 
hope to give you some more personal and 
direct benefit from our meeting. The 
superintendent of your school system is 
the president of the Southern education 
association, and he is to talk to us and to 
take counsel with us as to the relation of 
the libraries to the schools, one of the 
most important topics in the whole pro- 
gram of the Association. 

To the North Carolina Association, Dr 
Wilson, we give fraternal greetings as well 
as thanks. You are responsible for our 
being here. You have asked us to come 
and help you, but knowing from our own 
members and others the progress made in 
North Carolina in the last five years, we 
feel that any suggestion that we come to 
help you is rather in the nature of an 
impertinence. We hope, indeed, that some 
of the communities of the South which 
have not yet awakened to the importance 
of library work may be strengthened in 
many ways, but more especially by the 
feeling of fellowship which is the great 
benefit of our meetings. We hope, too, 
that this meeting may be only one of a 
series of meetings in the South. The 
library development is becoming so diver- 
sified, the ways of working are multiplying 



ANDREWS 



so fast, that an occasional meeting of the 
Association in every section of the country 
is necessary in order that the whole coun- 
try may be kept in touch with the work. 
We hope, therefore, in the years to come 
that we shall meet the members of the 
North Carolina Association as guests, if 
not as hosts, but better still as fellow 
members of the American Library Asso- 
ciation. 

And in conclusion, I regret that I am 
unable to express more eloquently and 
fluently our thanks and appreciation of 
your hospitality. If this were a conven- 
tion of ministers, or lawyers, or teachers, 
you might reasonably expect more from its 
presiding officer, but I beg you to remem- 
ber that all librarians have acquired per- 
force a habit of silence. In this annual 
conference we have our one chance to 
unloosen our tongues, but unfortunately 
the practice will come too late for the 
present need. Again, gentlemen, 1 thank 
you in behalf of the American Library As- 
sociation for your cordial welcome and 
greetings. 

FIRST SESSION 

(Ball Boom, Battery Park Hotel, Friday 
Morning, May 24, 1907) 

The first general session of the Ashe- 
ville Conference was called to order by the 
president, Clement W. Andrews, at 9.50 
o'clock, and the twenty-ninth annual meet- 
ing of the American Library Asociation 
was declared open and ready for business. 

The PRESIDENT: The report of the pro- 
ceedings of the meeting of 1906 has been 
printed and distributed to members. Un- 
less objection is now made, it will stand 
approved. The Chair hears no objection, 
and the report is approved. 

The Executive board has arranged a pro- 
gram for this meeting, of which printed 
copies will be distributed. This program 
will be followed strictly except as the As- 
sociation may determine otherwise, and ex- 
cept also for such minor changes in order 
as may seem desirable. 

According to custom, an address from 



the president is placed first. Before be- 
ginning, however, I desire to repeat my 
congratulations of last night, and our 
thanks to our hosts that we meet under 
such pleasant circumstances. I would add 
congratulations that we meet in such good- 
ly numbers, and would especially express 
our profound thankfulness that our lessee 
since the time of the last meeting have 
been so few. 

The program includes two chief topics: 
the first, the Library movement in the 
South; and the second, the Use of books. 
The latter is the subject of my address. 

THE USE OF BOOKS. 

The "Use of books" is neither an equiv- 
alent of the whole subject of "Library 
work" nor is it a question solely of the 
information desk or reference department. 
It excludes on the one hand, many impor- 
tant problems of library administration, 
and includes, on the other hand, many 
which have to be considered in connection 
with nearly every department. It affects 
directly the planning of the building, the 
equipment of the rooms, the selection of 
the staff, the selection of the books, cata- 
loging them, bringing them to the notice 
of readers, influencing the choice for home 
reading as well as for use in the library, 
the granting of special privileges such aa 
Immediate access to the shelves, and the 
provision of special accommodations, such 
as rooms for photographic work, drafting, 
dictation and typewriting. 

These questions affect library adminis- 
tration fundamentally, and should be de- 
cided by the application of certain prin- 
ciples, though with due regard also to other 
factors, such as scope, location, and means, 
which will vary with each library. Many 
special applications and many of the con- 
fciderations affecting them will be brought 
out in the papers which are to follow, but 
the central idea should be that expressed 
so tersely and accurately by the motto 
of the Association: "The best reading for 
the greatest number at the least cost." 

Notwithstanding Dr Hale was my pastor 



8 



ASHBVILLE CONFERENCE 



for thirty years, I believe that it is neces- 
sary to look down as well as up, if we 
would not stumble; and that it is some- 
tiJiea well to look back in order to make 
sure that our view forward does not devi- 
ate- from the right direction. So from a 
review of the experience of the first thirty 
years of the A. L. A. some idea of the lines 
of progress in general use of books ought 
to be obtainable. In his presidential ad- 
dress at Montreal in J.900, Dr Thwaites 
made such a review. It is true that it 
professed to be limited to the developments 
of the preceding decade, but many of 
these developments began long before 1S90. 
Indeed it is always difficult to determine 
when or where the seed was sown or 
first sprouted. Many of the activities 
which Dr Thwaites chronicles deal directly 
or indirectly with our subject. The list 
includes the work of state library com- 
missions, of library schools and train- 
ing classes, library advertising, chil- 
dren's rooms, rooms for the blind, ac- 
cess to the shelves, cooperation with 
teachers, and inter-library loans. Look- 
ing over the field to-day we can add travel- 
ing libraries, lecture work, the work of 
women's clubs, that of the correspondence 
schools, the organization of a national bib- 
liographical society, cooperation with mu- 
seums, and last, but not least, the estab- 
lishment of A. L. A. headquarters. 

Surely with so many avenues of develop- 
ment opening before them, library authori- 
ties may well feel that guiding principles 
are necessary. One thing is certain, that 
the opinions, expectations, and demands 
of the public will furnish no such guide, 
for these manifest the utmost variance pos- 
sible. There are, for instance, those whose 
business interests are affected. Some pub- 
lishers and book sellers believe that the 
presence of a book in a library hinders its 
sale to individuals. The belief is natural 
and in some cases probably correct, though 
it is also most probably true that the book 
trade as a whole is helped rather than hurt 
by the multiplication of libraries. This 
personal view of the matter is not peculiar 



to publishers and book sellers. The same 
objection has been urged, and urged strong- 
ly, by a professional translator and biblio- 
grapher who insisted that public libraries 
should do gratuitously nothing which 
would furnish remunerative labor to citi- 
zens. 

On the other hand, and curiously enough, 
on the same day, the management of the 
John Crerar library was severely criticised 
because it would not furnish a translation 
of a business correspondence in Spanish. 
It was not a case of one or two letters re- 
ceived accidentally, but the regular corre- 
spondence of a month; and the translation 
was not asked as a favor, but in the belief, 
evidently held in good faith, that it was 
one of the proper functions of the staff of 
a public library to act as clerks for the 
citizens. 

Beliefs still more strange are sometimes 
held. I suppose that every large library 
can recall instances, though it may be that 
our experience has been peculiar. The 
necessity for the application of principles 
and the consideration of other factors has 
been stated, but it is not difficult to elimi- 
nate some of the functions proposed by the 
public, as for instance, when asked by a 
woman to begin in her behalf a suit for 
damages against a street railroad com- 
pany; or when asked by detectives, both 
amateur and professional, to assist in 
watching readers; or when asked by a 
man to help him in obtaining a wife. After 
eliminating such extremes, there are still 
left enough questions to perplex those in- 
terested in the increase of the general use 
of good books, and the proper development 
of libraries as aids to such use. 

The attitude of mind of a librarian to- 
wards a suggestion for any particular piece 
of library work should be expressed by the 
question, "Why not?" If something ia 
wanted by the public it should be furnish- 
ed, unless the reasons against doing so are 
stronger than those in favor. This state- 
ment may seem a mere platitude, for it ia 
assumed that this open-mindedness is a 
national characteristic, and that the an- 



ANDREWS 



9 



swer of a suggestion by the statement that 
"it never has been done" is peculiarly 
British or foreign. Is not the latter atti- 
tude, however, largely official rather than 
national? It can be observed in much of 
the public life of America, and as public 
institutions libraries should be on their 
guard against it. One of the greatest bene- 
fits of these annual conferences is the aid 
they give in keeping us out of ruts. 

Now there may be, of course, some very 
good, even unanswerable reasons, why not. 
These fall into two classes; those which 
are accidental and those which are essen- 
tial. The first class includes limitations 
imposed by the scope of the particular 
library, or by the means or by the extent 
of space at its command. These are al- 
ways present, but in such varying degrees 
as to make valueless any detailed treat- 
ment of them here: though the question, 
for instance, of how much time a library 
should give an individual reader is one 
which occurs constantly in practice, and 
so far as I know, has been very little dis- 
cussed; and thfc question of the duplication 
of books, though much discussed, is far 
from settled. 

The second class of limitations are those 
which are due to the character of books 
themselves. These limitations are often 
disregarded by the public, and sometimes 
overlooked by the library staff. Libraries 
are somewhat too apt to adopt as their 
motto the oft-quoted saying of Terence: 
"Homo sum; human! nihil a me alienum 
puto," whereas they should make it fit the 
case by altering it to "Bibliothecarius sum; 
nihil de libris, etc." 

The great value of books as records of 
human knowledge, as depositories of the 
best of human thought and feeling, is too 
apt to make us forget that they are only 
records and depositories, and not them- 
selves human knowledge and thought. In 
other words, they are books and not men: 
and yet many people treat them as human 
or rather superhuman. Let a man, how- 
ever expert, make a statement and our 
natural thought is "it is probably so, for 



he ought to know;" let the same man make 
the same statement in a book, and many 
say, "it is BO, for it is so written." To 
such the contradictions between printed 
statements are absolutely inexplicable. 

While conflicting, inaccurate, and er- 
roneous statements of fact are among the 
most obvious defects of books they are by 
no means the only ones that affect library 
work. However freely the heart of the 
poet is expressed in his works, or the de- 
votion of the saint, or the fervor of the 
reformer, we often feel that there has been 
the reservation or omission of something 
which could help to complete their mes- 
sage to us. Even if it were not so we 
would still miss that sense of companion- 
ship which can come only from personal 
intercourse. There are times for all of us 
when we are like the little girl who was 
not satisfied to have God and the angela 
watching her while going to sleep. She 
wanted "somebody with a skin face." Now 
a book may have a skin back, but it does 
not have a skin face. 

This lack of direct contact with the 
author when personal sympathy is needed 
is indeed one of the most serious limita- 
tions of the use of books, but after all in 
library work it is largely a personal mat- 
ter. The librarian should always have it 
in mind in his suggestions of books to 
readers, and undoubtedly the ability and 
readiness to sympathize with the feelings 
of those who consult him are among the 
most valuable traits of the ideal librarian, 
but even the ideal librarian is not expected 
to interpret all books to all men. On the 
other hand, the considerations advanced 
are not without their practical side. Much 
of the success of the special children's 
librarians is due to the combination of 
this personal element with reading. The 
work with the blind must offer similar 
opportunities, and it is quite possible that 
a development of lecture work in connec- 
tion with libraries, somewhat as in Eng- 
land, may furnish means of reaching wider 
circles of readers. 

With regard to other classes of litera- 



10 



ASIIBVILLE CONFERENCE 



ture the limitations caused by the char- 
acter of book knowledge affect library 
work much more directly. Many people 
believe that the law can be determined, an 
education acquired, diseases healed, and 
engines built from the information to be 
gained by a consultation of books. It Is 
possible that some of these things can be 
done by a careful study of books alone, but 
I for one should hesitate to consult a law- 
yer or physician, or to have my home built 
by an architect or builder so educated, 
and I am sure if I ever have an automo- 
bile I shall not employ a chauffeur who 
has to consult a book to find what to do 
in an emergency, or if I ever keep house, 
that I shall not employ a cook whose whole 
knowledge comes from cook-books. If the 
estimate of book-knowledge as sufficient 
in itself were held by the ignorant alone 
it would not require mention here. It is, 
however, wide-spread, held by persons of 
good education, and especially apt to es- 
tablish itself insidiously in the minds of 
those who have much to do with books. 
For instance, a recent critic of American 
library methods, amid much that was true 
in regard to the failure of the average 
public library to appeal to men, makes the 
statement that if the library furnished the 
books published by the various corre- 
spondence schools, the readers would be 
saved the payment of the school fees. I 
hold no brief for the correspondence 
schools, considering them unsatisfactory 
and expensive substitutes for real schools, 
but I am sure that tneir undeniable 
success is not due to their books, but 
tc the personal guidance which they fur- 
nish. Especially, however, in the daily 
work of the reference desk with the thou- 
sand and one questions of detail, are 
librarians in great danger of forgetting 
that man does not learn by books alone. 

The problem thus presented how to 
provide the personal assistance required 
for the proper interpretation of books, and 
necessary as their complement is one of 
the chief problems of library administra- 
tion. Among the factors to be considered 



are the different kinds of this assistance 
which may be necessary or useful, the 
amount of each, and their relations to the 
other branches of library work, more es- 
pecially to the cataloging staff. The 
latter are often accused, and sometimes 
with justice, of making a fetich of their 
system, and of forgetting the real purposes 
of a catalog. However carefully and skil- 
fully constructed, the best catalog is a tool 
which many readers have not learned to 
use, which some can never learn to use, 
and which, even in the hands of an ex- 
pert, cannot be made to do some kinds of 
work. On the other hand, there should 
never be among librarians discussion of 
the question whether a good catalog is to 
be preferred to a good reference librarian, 
or the reverse. Every library should have 
the best it can get of each. 

One of the most notable features of 
American libraries is their diversity. The 
twenty-eight preceding conferences of the 
A. L. A. have not brought about a deaden- 
ing uniformity of methods, nor even abso- 
lute identity of aims. It is not to be ex- 
pected that the twenty-ninth conference 
will have, nor do we want it to have, any 
more effect in those directions. The prob- 
lems just stated have been and will con- 
tinue to be solved by different libraries in 
different ways, or at least by different 
adaptations, if the ideas are the same. 

For instance, Dr Poole's solution, exem- 
plified in the Newberry library of Chicago, 
lay in the adaptation of the departmental 
system, so common in university and col- 
lege libraries, to the public library. There 
are, however, at least two serious objec- 
tions to it. It is possible, though not al- 
ways easy, to divide the books satisfac- 
torily into departments, but it is not pos- 
sible to divide the readers to correspond. 
The other objection is the excessive cost 
of the plan in comparison with the results 
obtained. To carry it out properly the person 
or persons in charge of each department 
should be specialists, competent to furnish 
the assistance needed by readers, and paid 
as such. Moreover, any such division into 



ANDREWS 



11 



departments cannot fail to be uneconom- 
ical, giving at times too much or too little 
assistance without a ready method of 
adjustment. 

Independently of the division of the 
library into departments, it is sometimes 
urged by readers that the regular library 
staff ought to include specialists who could 
give this assistance. The sufficient answer 
to this plan is that the number of the staff 
would be legion. You may remember that 
the specialist said to the Poet at the 
Breakfast Table that no man could be 
truly called an entomologist; the subject 
was too vast for any single human intelli- 
gence to grasp. He himself was often 
spoken of as a coleopterist, but he had no 
right to so comprehensive a name. If he 
could prove himself worthy of the name 
of scarabseist, his highest ambition would 
be more than satisfied. On this basis even 
eight assistant reference librarians for en- 
tomology and eighty for zoology would not 
be enough. If this calculation is thought 
entertaining rather than pertinent to the 
work of most public libraries, please con- 
sider if the difficulty does not exist in 
other branches of every day use. Is any 
library likely to obtain the services of a 
scholar of really expert knowledge in both 
French and English literature, or in Eng- 
lish literature of the periods both of Chau- 
cer and Tennyson, or even of Shakespeare 
and Pope; or in theology, in Catholic and 
Protestant literature, or in education, in 
primary, secondary and higher education? 
Though the departmental arrangement 
either of library or staff does not appear to 
offer a solution of the problem, it may be 
that this can be obtained by a develop- 
ment of the methods at present in use. 
In the first place, the regular staff should 
be so selected and trained that the cases 
requiring special assistance will be com- 
paratively few. This is much easier of ac- 
complishment than might be supposed. By 
far the greater number of readers are not 
lu need of the assistance of experts in- 
deed might easily be hindered by it but 
a large proportion do need the per- 



sonal assistance of experienced and sym- 
pathetic reference librarians. This work 
should be the first care of any public 
library. Even if it be granted that the 
special demands are the more important 
individually, or those of the delivery desk 
more important numerically, the principle 
of the best reading for the greatest number 
cslls for the consideration of the regular 
reference work first. The details will vary 
with the special conditions of each library. 
The essentials are that this regular work 
shall be considered of prime importance, 
put under the charge of the most compe- 
tent assistants, and concentrated so far as 
possible in one place. The chief librarian 
ought to know how it is being done, and 
should be prepared when necessary to 
superintend it or even to do some part 
of it. 

When the necessary attention has been 
given to the regular work with readers 
there will be found to occur cases where 
the resources of the staff or of the library 
or of both will be insufficient The first 
point, and an essential one, is that these 
cases shall be recognized when met. The 
justice of some of the criticisms of public 
library work is due to our failure to deter- 
mine when personal assistance rather than 
books is needed, and when the personal 
assistance cannot be obtained in the library. 
As a possible solution of the problem of 
these exceptional cases there may be sug- 
gested the formation of relations between 
the library and a number of scholars who 
will when needed serve the library as a 
corps of special reference librarians. Such 
a corps is at hand for college and refer- 
ence libraries, though it may be doubted 
if the relations of library and the corps of 
instructors are always as intimate or as 
useful as they might be made. Likewise 
a public library which has relations similar 
to those which the Carnegie library of 
Pittsburgh has with the Carnegie institute, 
has at hand such a staff, and all the public 
libraries which are officially connected 
with museums have at least a portion of 
one. 



12 



ASHEV1LLE CONFERENCE 



Most of us, however, are not so fortu- 
nate as to have these connections. Yet 
something can be done by all public libra- 
ries. Those which are in college towns 
ought to be able to enlist the services of 
the professors or instructors; the larger 
public libraries can afford to offer retain- 
ers to secure the advice of specialists, and 
In the future even the smallest can apply 
to A. L. A. headquarters. We may look 
forward to the time when the Association 
will be able to supply, so far as can be 
supplied by correspondence, the personal 
advice and criticism which the members 
may need for these special cases. 

That the solutions thus outlined are im- 
perfect is a matter of course. These sug- 
gestions are not put forward as a royal 
road to success, to be trod wthout effort 
and without deviation. While it would be 
unprofitable to dwell on the objections as 
they are apt to be magnified by contempla- 
tion, yet one or two may be stated briefly. 
Among the conditions of success which 
will be difficult to meet is the selection of 
the men. Then their personal equations 
must be known, and no cases submitted to 
them in which their prejudices would be 
involved too strongly, or at least, their 
advice must be considered with reference 
to their points of view. No one who has 
had to do with a college faculty will doubt 
the truth of this statement or the difficulty 
of meeting these conditions. Then the 
means must be found to pay for the rela- 
tion either in money or in privileges. Vol- 
unteer work is too uncertain to be relied 
on if it can possibly be avoided. 

These principles to which your attention 
has been called are very simple. Books 
cannot be used to the best advantage 
without personal assistance; the regular 
staff of the library should be competent to 
render by far the greater part of the as- 
sistance, and to recognize in special cases 
when it cannot do so; for these special 
cases special provision should be made. 
There is nothing novel about these princi- 
ples. They are laid down all through the 
literature of library economy. For in- 



stance, both the April and the May number 
of "Public Libraries" begins with an article 
on the subject. Yet it has seemed worth 
while to present them once more, partly 
because they are the keynote of the pro- 
gram of this Conference, and partly 
because though commonplaces of library 
theory, they are by no means common- 
places of library practice. May the papers 
and discussions which are to follow help 
us to put the theory into practice. 

Permit me as the librarian of a scientific 
library to close with a scientific illustration. 
Library work may be likened unto the dis- 
tribution of electrical energy. Just as the 
electric company is ready to furnish its 
current wherever, in whatever quantity 
and for whatever purpose its customers 
desire, so the public library should be 
ready to develop its work both in quantity 
and kind. Just as the electrical engineer 
is bound not to use insufficient conductors 
with their danger of short circuits, nor ex- 
cessively large ones with their unjustifia- 
ble cost, so the library staff should be 
carefully proportioned to the work it has 
to do. Finally, just as the wastage of the 
electric current is a most serious fault of 
an installation, so is the loss of energy in 
a library which attempts to do with books 
alone what they cannot do. 

The SECRETARY presented the 
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL 
(See Transactions of the Council, p. 298) 
J. I. WYER, Jr., read the 

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 

The regular reports of officers and com- 
mittees, which will be presented to the 
Association at this meeting, will be con- 
cerned as usual with special, separate sub- 
jects and departments of its work. It 
seems fitting that besides these numerous 
analytical and specialized presentations 
covering specific activities which the Asso- 
ciation has in hand, there should be each 
year, a supplementary and eclectic report, 
appropriately perhaps from the secretary, 
which in addition to narrating the transac- 



SECRETARY'S REPORT 



18 



tions of the Council and Executive board 
between annual conferences, shall touch 
upon the more general and significant 
matters of current library progress which 
are of interest to or directly fostered by 
the work of the Association. Such a re- 
port, while not repeating material noted 
by other officers or committees, shall feel 
free to comment upon its wider import- 
ance and relations, and to glean from all 
lields which are not precisely within the 
domains of any of them. 

Membership. The total membership in 
good standing on May 18th was 2019. 
While keenly appreciating the fact that the 
real strength of an association like the 
A. L. A. consists not alone in mere num- 
bers, but above all in their standards, 
ideals and spirit, it is nevertheless pleasant 
and encouraging to report, what has been 
true at the conference season for each of 
the past five years, that our membership 
is larger to-day than ever before. 

Affiliated organizations. The new pro- 
vision incorporated in section 17 of the 
constitution by final vote at the Narragan- 
sett Pier conference, which permits the 
Council under suitable conditions to affili- 
ate with the American Library Association 
other organizations kindred in purpose, 
has borne gratifying fruit. The League of 
library commissions, the National associa- 
tion of state libraries and the American 
association of law libraries have upon 
formal application been affiliated with the 
American Library Association under the 
provisions of this section. From every 
point of view this is a very fitting and 
welcome relation. There are still two 
similar bodies, the Bibliographical society 
of America and the American association 
of medical libraries, which we would be 
glad to see related to us in the same way. 
The former of these meets regularly with 
us year by year, the latter has never done 

so. 

Headquarters. The most important step 
taken by the Association during the past 
year has been the establishment of per- 
manent headquarters in Boston on Sept. 
1st, 1906. The successful launching of such 



an enterprise naturally was undertaken 
with considerable care and thought, and 
was fraught with no fewer difficulties than 
commonly attend an innovation, and the 
Committee on Conduct of headquarters and 
the Executive board have earnestly con- 
sidered the many problems presented by 
the various factors which made up a rather 
composite situation. The Publishing board 
of the Association has cooperated with zeal 
and generosity in consummating an Asso- 
ciation headquarters, and yet it is perhaps 
right to say that they are scarcely beyond 
the initial and somewhat experimental 
stage. No detailed account of their estab- 
lishment and conduct during the year will 
be attempted here, as full reports will be 
laid before you both by the Executive offi- 
cer and the Committee on Conduct of head- 
quarters. 

Representation at the Library Associa- 
tion. The American Library Association 
was represented at the regular annual 
meeting of the Library Association held at 
Bradford, England, September 3-7, 1906, by 
Mr Frank P. Hill, who was officially ac- 
credited by your Executive board. 

Copyright revision. Despite much ex- 
citement, the formation of a very active 
Copyright league, which temporarily di- 
vided American librarians in two camps, 
many sessions of sundry bodies and com- 
mittees, and particularly two very exhaus- 
tive and interesting hearings before the 
Joint Congressional committees on pat- 
ents on June 6-7 and December 7-11, 1906, 
the bill, compiling and revising the copy- 
right laws, with its several provisions of 
importance to libraries, was not passed by 
the 59th Congress which adjourned March 
4. The continuance of the status quo ia 
probably for libraries a more satisfactory 
ending to the agitation for copyright re- 
vision than would have been the bill as 
recommended or its form at any stage of 
its progress. 

Committees and work. The valuable 
work done for the Association by its stand- 
ing and special committees, a work which 
too often passes without due recognition 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



of its quality and extent, may appropri- 
ately claim special commendation at this 
meeting where an uncommon and well- 
merjted prominence is given on the pro- 
gram to certain committee reports. It is 
impossible to estimate the usefulness of 
such work as is furnished to the Associa- 
tion every year in the reports of such com- 
mittees as those on Library training, Gov- 
ernment documents, Book-buying and Co- 
operation with the National educational 
association. The work of the Library 
training committee has been judicious and 
effective. It seems much better for the 
Association to try to set standards for 
library training through the discussion and 
adoption of the recommendations and sug- 
gestions of a competent committee, than 
to attempt by specific legislation or definite 
action to fix official standards for itself and 
to create and administer within the Asso- 
ciation as is done in England, the ma- 
chinery for holding examinations and con- 
ferring credentials. The conditions in dif- 
ferent sections of our country are so dif- 
ferent, the facilities and locations of our 
various library schools so diverse, that it 
seems better to suggest and advise; to sup- 
port the findings of our Committee with 
the best library opinion, than to attempt 
to require or establish when standards for 
schools are under consideration. 

The report of the Committee on Govern- 
ment documents under its present chair- 
man is an exhaustive review of pertinent 
legislation and literature relating to both 
national and international official publica- 
tions, a mine of carefully compiled infor- 
mation, so important that it cannot be 
overlooked by even the most careless stu- 
dent of the subject. 

The committees named here are merely 
examples of many that are constantly at 
work for the Association, and it seems but 
just to bespeak for their reports a careful 
hearing and a grateful appreciation. 

Customs entry routine. The Executive 
board at Narragansett Pier voted that a 
committee, consisting of the first Vice- 
president and Secretary be instructed to 



prepare a memorial to be presented to the 
proper officer of the United States Treasury 
department, praying for the abolition of 
the receipt known as Form 38, required by 
the customs officials for all entries im- 
ported free by libraries. This Committee 
accordingly prepared a memorial addressed 
to the Secretary of the Treasury and 
signed by every member of the Executive 
board, setting forth the reasons in support 
of this request. In reply the Treasury de- 
partment stated that the matter, which 
had been considered before, was again 
taken up and that the Department was un- 
able to recede from its previous position 
and considered the receipt (Form 38) 
necessary for the proper safeguarding of 
the revenue. 

A. L. A. interest in library meetings. A 
significant action was taken by the 
Council at the Narragansett Pier confer- 
ence, looking toward the holding of dis- 
trict meetings of the A. L. A. in distant 
sections of the country or in regions where- 
libraries and library workers are relatively 
few, thus rendering the help and influence 
of the Association available in districts 
where library work is in need of special 
encouragement, more frequently than it is 
possible to carry to them the annual con- 
ference. In carrying into practical effect 
the recommendations of the Council, the 
Executive board found it scarcely feasible 
to arrange lor an actual meeting of the 
Association in regions where it would 
usiially be impossible to secure a constitu- 
tional quorum, and for this reason the Sec- 
retary was instructed to advise the officers 
of any state or district library association 
that the A. L. A. was prepared to accredit 
an official representative to any state or 
district meeting upon request from the 
proper officer of euch association. A copy 
of this action was sent to secretaries of 
all such associations and there are now on 
foot plans for a Southwestern district meet- 
ing to be held during the spring of 1908 
under the auspices of the Texas library 
association, and upon application from the 
promoters of this meeting the Executive 



SECRETARY'S REPORT 



15 



board have, definitely voted to accredit an 
official representative to such a meeting 
and to defray all expenses in connection 
with the visit of such a delegate. 

Of interest in this same connection is an 
effort which is now being made by the 
Secretary in cooperation with the proper 
officers of the associations concerned to fix 
the dates of six state library meetings in 
the central part of the country at such 
consecutive times as shall permit the visit 
to each meeting of a single speaker. The 
state meetings of the central and western 
states seem to fall into two cycles, the 
spring and the fall. Correspondence has 
developed a willingness in most of these 
states to arrange meetings on progressive 
and consecutive dates, so that it may be 
possible for each circuit to be made by a 
single speaker at a minimum of expense 
to each meeting. 

New commissions. The legislatures of 
the past winter have created library com- 
missions in Missouri, North Dakota and 
Alabama. The action taken in the last 
state, while not exactly forming a library 
commission, yet devolves upon the Depart- 
ment of archives and history certain 
functions analogous to those commonly as- 
signed to library commissions. This situa- 
tion will be described in detail at a later 
session by Dr Owen. The commissions in 
Missouri and in North Dakota seem to be 
constituted upon conventional lines. That 
In Missouri has a reasonable initial appro- 
priation; that in North Dakota is limited, 
to a very small annual sum, but which may 



be sufficient to start the work satisfac- 
torily in that State. It is significant that 
of the twenty or more states which have 
formally organized the library commission 
as an agent for library extension, not one 
has ever definitely abolished it. There 
have been one or two cases of temporarily 
suspended animation due to the discourag- 
ing vicissitudes of a precarious financial 
support, but in nearly all states the record 
has been uniformly one of efficient and 
useful work by the commissions and rea- 
sonably adequate and frequently increased 
appropriations by the legislatures. These 
new commissions are a reassuring testi- 
mony from the hands holding our official 
purse-strings, not only to the successful 
and satisfactory conduct of the earlier 
commissions which have served as ex- 
amples, but to the future of library work 
in our land, a work which is thus able to 
enlist the willing and constant support not 
only of our towns and cities but of our 
great States as well; a work, the advance 
of which as we review it from year to year 
in these inspiring annual meetings, brings 
us ever new records of encouraging results 
in the past, and opens to us new hopes and 
bright promises for the future. 

Voted, that the report be accepted and 
placed on file. 

On account of the serious illness of the 
TREASURER his annual report was not 
presented at this session, but is submitted 
below, together with the report of the 
Finance committee as a committee of audit 



II 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 
REPORT OF THE TREASURER, 1906 



Combining Report of Gardner M. Jones, Jan. 1 Sept. 4, and Report of George F. 

Bowerman, Sept. 4 Dec. 31. 



Balance on hand, Jan. 1, 1906 (Narragansett Pier Conference, p. 187) . . 



11797.73 



Receipts 
Dues 1904 

3 memberships at $2 $6.00 

Dues 1905 

127 memberships at $2 254.00 

2 library memberships at $5 10.00 

Dues 1906 

1480 memberships at $2 2960.00 

From 1 member, balance for 1908 1.00 

83 memberships at $3 249.00 

68 library memberships at $5 340.00 

Dues 1907 

15 memberships at $2 30.00 

11 memberships at $3 33.00 

6 library memberships at $5 30.00 

3913.00 
Life memberships 

Louisa M. Hooper, Alice G. Chandler, Thomas L. Montgomery, 
Helen Tutt, William J. James, John Ritchie, Jr., Mary E. 
Ahern, Caleb B. Tillinghast, George L. Hinckley, Isabel E 

Lord, 10 at $25 250.00 

From E. C. Hovey, subscriptions to Headquarters fund from 20 persons 2880.00 

From C. C. Soule, Treas. A. L. A. Publishing board to Headquarters 

fund, first quarter 125.00 

From Trustees of the Endowment fund for Headquarters fund 682.88 

Interest on current deposits in Merchants National Bank, Salem, Mass. 91.81 

Gross receipts $9740.42 

Payments 
Proceedings, 1906 

Oct. 20. R. R. Bowker, printing, postage and mailing $1560.75 

Dec. 5. R. R. Bowker, postage and mailing 57.42 

" $1618.17 
Stenographer 

July 5. C. H. Bailey, report Narragansett conference, on account 50.00 
Aug. 17. C. H. Bailey, balance 165.00 

215.00 
Handbook 

Oct. 20. Wright & Potter Printing Co., printing 219.60 

" 20. Carter, Rice & Co., envelopes 5.00 

" 20. E. C. Hovey, postage 53.21 

277.31 
Secretary's salary 

Mar. 14. J. I. Wyer, Jr 50.00 

July 4. J. T. Wyer, Jr 75.00 

Sept.20. J. I. Wyer, Jr 50.00 

Dec. 13. J. I. Wyer, Jr 75.00 

250.00 
Assistant Secretary's salary 

Jan. 5. E. C. Hovey, $114.53; Mar. 12, $62.50; Apr. 17, $38.30; 
May 30, $250.00; July 16. $125.00; July 28, $125.00; 
Sept. 1, $125.00 840.33 



TREASURER'S REPORT 



17 



Secretary's and conference expenses 

Mar. 5. Wright & Potter Printing Co., preliminary circulars . . . 57.25 

12. Wright & Potter Printing Co., note heads 3.25 

14. J. I. Wyer, Jr., sundry expenses 46.27 

May 21. J. I. Wyer, Jr., sundry expenses 43.10 

July 4. J. I. Wyer, Jr., sundry expenses 40.14 

" 5. E. M. Jenks, assistant at conference 21.80 

5. Mabel E. Leonard, assistant at conference 11.25 

" 5. Frank P. Hill, postage, etc 9.65 

16. Wright & Potter Printing Co., final announcement 64.25 

" 16. Wright & Potter Printing Co., advance registration... 57.44 

16. J. B. Lyon Co., program 75.00 

" 28. E. C. Hovey, conference expenses 66.18 

Aug. 17. J. I. Wyer, Jr., stationery, etc 42.46 

" 17. The Mathewson Co., entertaining speakers 24.50 

17. The Forman-Basset-Hatch Co., printing ballots 4.00 

17. A. G. Delaney, illustrating lecture 8.95 

Oct. 2. Whitehead & Hoag Co., buttons 21.00 

Dec. 13. J. I. Wyer, Jr., stenographer, postage 26.35 

Treasurer's expenses 622.84 

Mar. 12. Gardner M. Jones, stamped envelopes and postage 32.95 

July 16. Library Bureau, slips .85 

Aug. 17. Wright & Potter Printing Co., delinquent notices, and 

envelopes 4.75 

" 17. Gardner M. Jones, expenses attending conference 25.00 

Sept. 21. G. M. Jones 35.95 

Oct. 20. E. C. Hovey 50 

Nov. 2. G. F. Bowerman, stenographer, postage, etc 8.54 

Dec. 12. American Bonding Co., premium on treasurer's bond.. 9.00 

117.54 

Committees and sections 
Travel committee 

Mar. 5. E. C. Hovey, stationery, etc $17.11 

Apr. 17. E. C. Hovey, travelling expenses, etc 68.17 

May 30. E. C. Hovey, stamped envelopes 46.71 

July 16. E. C. Hovey, postage, etc 13.15 

16. Wright & Potter Printing Co., cards and tags. . 13.25 

Aug. 17. F. W. Faxon, sundry expenses 29.13 

Oct. 30. E. C. Hovey, one-half southern trip 40.62 

248.14 
Publicity committee 

Feb. 10. H. M. Hight, circulars 3.25 

July 16. J. C. Dana, postage, express, etc 50.00 

Aug. 17. J. C. Dana, telegrams, etc 3.59 

17. G. E. Wire, services 30.75 

87.59 
Reporter on gifts and bequests 

Mar. 5. C. D. Waldron, printing 13.00 

5. Drew B. Hall, postage 10.25 

23.25 
A. L. A. booklists 

Feb. 10. A. L. A. Publishing Board, postage and mailing 21.65 

July 16. A. L. A. Publishing Board 36.22 

Dec. 28. A. L. A. Publishing Board 29.20 

87.07 
Copyright conference committee 

Dec. 18. A. E. Bostwick (attendance Copyright com.) 16.20 

462.25 



18 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Committee on bookbuying 

Feb. 10. B. C. Steiner, expenses 10.00 

Apr. 17. Baker Printing Co., bulletins 16.75 

17. J. C. Dana, postage and express 3.04 

May 21. Library Bureau, mailing bulletins 30.08 

28. Baker Printing Co., bulletins 35.50 

" 28. J. C. Dana, postage and express 5.85 

July 16. Baker Printing Co., bulletins 21.00 

16. Library Bureau, mailing bulletins 15.12 

16. J. C. Dara, postage and express 6.92 

16. B. C. Steiner, expenses 10.00 

Aug. 17. Library Bureau, mailing bulletins 14.60 

Sept. 21. A. E. Bostwick, postage, etc 1.88 

Oct. 20. J. C. Dana, postage 1.59 

" 30. Baker Printing Co., printing 8.00 

Nov. 26. B. C. Steiner, travelling expenses 10.00 

Dec. 28. Jos. Laurier, stationery 5.00 

195.33 
Committee on book bindings and paper 

July 16. G. F. Bowerman, expenses 1.15 

16. A. L. Bailey, expenses 4.80 

" 16. Wilmington Institute Free Library, postage 3.24 

Dec. 18. Downing's Foreign Express, expressage on Cockerell's 

pamphlet 3.35 

12.54 
Headquarters fund 

Jan. 4. E. C. Hovey, travelling expenses soliciting funds 560.15 

Headquarters expenses, Sept.-Dec. 

Executive's salary 

E. C. Hovey, Sept.-Dec , 833.33 

Additional help 

E. C. Hovey, help moving $6.75 

Ella S. Waite. salary Sept.-Dec 110.00 

116.75 
Furniture 

Sept. 20. S.M.Taylor 13.75 

" 21. W. J. Keefe 12.00 

25.75 
Rent 

Annie S. Sullivan, Sept-Jan 416.66 

Stationery and postage 

Sept. 20. E. C. Hovey 12.43 

" 20. Wright & Potter 9.25 

Oct. 20. E. C. Hovey 5.99 

Nov. 22. E. C. Hovey 4.32 

Dec. 28. Wright & Potter 1.50 

33.49 
Travel and incidentals 

Sept. 20. E. C. Hovey, travel, $31.75; publicity 

$14.44 46.19 

21. H. C. Whitcomb & Co., electros 12.00 

Oct. 16. N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co., telephone 7.73 

20. E. C. Hovey, publicity 2.50 

30. E. C. Hovey, 1-2 southern trip 40.63 

Nov. 22. E. C. Hovey, travel, $48.92; incidentals, $4.74.. 53.66 

Dec. 13. N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co., telephone 8.50 

171.21 



TREASURER'S REPORT 



19 



Brought forward 171.21 

Advanced for contingent fund 100.00 

1697.19 
Trustees of the Endowment fund 

Life memberships for investment 250.00 

Total expenditures $7119.15 

Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1906 2621.27 

$9740.42 

SUPPLEMENTARY TREASURER'S REPORT, Jan. 1, 1907 -July 12, 1907 

Balance on hand, Jan. 1, 1907 $2621.27 

Balance on hand, headquarters contingent fund 100.00 

Receipts 

From 3 old members for 1905 at $2 $6.00 

5 old members for 1906 at $2 10.00 

906 old members for 1907 at $2 1812.00 

191 new members for 1907 at $3 753.00 

115 library members for 1907 at $5 575.00 

3 old members for 1908 at $2 6.00 

2982.00 

Fees for collection of checks, included in remittances 2.25 

Life memberships 

Mrs Gardner M. Jones, Henry E. Legler, Charles Wesley Smith, 
Phineas L. Windsor, Anderson H. Hopkins, W. F. Yust, and 

R. R. Bowker, 7 at $25 175.00 

Perpetual membership, G. E. Stochert & Co 100.00 

From Trustees of Endowment fund 200.00 

From A. L. A. Pub. Bd., Rent half year ending May 1, 1907 250.00 

Interest on current deposits, Merchants National Bank, Salem, Mass... 33.00 
Interest on current deposits, American Security & Trust Co., Sept 12, 

'06-July 1, '07 4.12 

Interest on current deposits, Boston bank .88 

Refund of expressage, Boston .25 

$6468.77 
Payments 
Stenographer 

C. L. McLean, services $109.55 

Battery Park Hotel, expenses C. L. McLean 25.75 

$135.30 
Secretary's salary 

Apr. 16. J. I, Wyer, Jr 50.00 

June 25. J. I. Wyer, Jr 55.00 

105.00 
Secretary's and conference expenses 

Jan. 22. R. R. Bowker, reprints 2.50 

Apr. 17. J. I. Wyer, postage 7.00 

May 6. Wright & Potter Pr. Co., reprints 2.50 

June 16. H. A. Chapman, stenographic work 37.87 

21. Brandow Printing Co 38.00 

25. Sundries 51.66 

139.53 



20 ASHBVILLE CONFERENCE 

Treasurer's expenses 

Mar. 1. Wright & Potter Pr. Co., postals 30.25 

May 6. Wright & Potter Pr. Co., reprint 1.25 

31.50 

Committees and sections 

Jan. 22. G. F. Bowerman, Executive Board luncheon 6.60 

" 22. R. R. Bowker, reprints (Committee on library archi- 
tecture, $2.50; library administration, $7.50; publicity, 

S5.50; Executive Board, $53.30) 68.80 

" 31. E C. Hovey, expenses attending Executive Board 

meeting 23.35 

Mar. 29. A. L. A. Publishing Board, mailing booklists 15.69 

May 6. Wright & Potter Printing Co., Public Documents com. 1.00 
'' 14. E. C. Hovey, Travel committee, arrangement Ashe- 
ville conference, $104.45; attendance Atlantic City 
meeting Executive Board, $44.55; Public Documents 

committee, $5.00 154.00 

June 12. W. P. Trent, Program committee 40.50 

" 21. Brandow Printing Co 19.50 

" 25. Battery Park Hotel, expenses W. P. Trent, Program 

committee 8.50 

" 25. E. C. Hovey, expenses attending Asheville conference, 

Travel committee . . 95.61 



433.55 
Committee on bookbuying 

Feb. 4. Library Bureau, mailing bulletins 15.15 

Mar. 1. J. C. Dana, expenses 7.36 

1. Baker Printing Co., printing bulletins 21.50 

29. B. C. Steiner, travel expenses 10.00 

29. Library Bureau, printing 30.25 

May 16. Library Bureau, mailing bulletins 15.15 

June 21. Baker Printing Co., 3 bulletins 32.50 

" 21. Library Bureau, mailing bulletins 15.15 

21. J. C. Dana, postage 5.37 

21. New Ycrk Public Library, postage, etc 1.26 



153.69 
Committee on bookbinding 

Mar. 6. C. L. Story, printing 8.15 

6. Wilmington Institute, postage , 17.00 

6. Helen M. Dobbin, mailing 2.25 

29. A. L. Bailey, travel expenses 17.50 

May 14. H. M. Dobbin, typewriting 3.00 



47.90 
Headquarters 

E. C. Hovey, salary, Jan.-June 1249.99 

Ella S. Waite, salary, Jan.-June 180.00 

Rent, Feb.-July 500.00 

N. E. Tel. & Tel. Co., telephone, Dec., Jan., Feb 12.75 

Jan. 31. E. C. Hovey, sundry expenses 6.04 

Feb. 4. F. W. Faxon, architectural plans 3.16 

Mar. 1. Boston Book Co., architectural plans 5.00 

" 29. A. A. Sullivan, laundry 4.95 

" 29. Lilian D. Powers, mimeograph 1.50 

May 14. E. C. Hovey, sundry expenses 35.39 

14. E. C. Hovey, architectural plans 11.56 

June 25. Miscellaneous expenses 62.26 

2072.60 



TREASURER'S REPORT 21 

Bulletin 

Mar. 1. Carter, Rice & Co., envelopes 5.30 

6. Wright & Potter Printing Co., printing first bulletin.. 75.60 

" 29. Carter, Rice & Co 4.75 

6. Carter, Rice & Co., envelopes 10.96 

6. Wright & Potter Printing Co., printing second bulletin 75.90 



172.51 

Trustees of Endowment fund 

Life memberships for investment 175.00 

Perpetual membership for investment 100.00 

275.00 
Total expenditures $3566.58 



Balance on hand July 12, 1907 

Deposit American Security & Trust Co., Washington 615.31 

Deposit in Merchants National Bank, Salem, Mass 2240.52 

Balance contingent fund in hands of E. C. Hovey 46.36 



2902.19 
$6468.77 



TREASURER'S STATEMENT 

STATE OF EACH APPROPRIATION, 1906-7 

July 12, 1907. 

Appropriated Expended Balance 

Proceedings $1600.00 $1600.00 

Stenographer 150.00 135.30 14.70 

Handbook 250.00 250.00 

Secretary's salary 250.00 105.00 145.00 

Secretary's and Conference expenses 600.00 165.88 434.12 

Treasurer's expenses 100.00 85.49 14.51 

Committees and sections 400.00 519.57 

Committee on bookbuying 200.00 180.16 19.84 

Committee on bookbinding 65.81 51.15 14.66 

Headquarters 5000.00 3769.79 1230.21 

Bulletin 172.51 



$8615.81 $5184.85 $3723.04 



Balance on hand $2855.83 

Balance in hands of E. C. Hovey 46.36 

$2902.19 
Respectfully submitted, 

GEORGE F. BOWERMAN, Treasurer. 



22 ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE ENDOWMENT FUND 
Carnegie and Endowment funds trustees in account with American Library Association 

^906 Dr. 

June 1. To balance on hand $6708.64 

To receipts from June 1, 1906, to Jan. 1, 1907 
Carnegie fund (Interest acct.) 

Interest on investments $2237.50 

Endowment fund (Principal acct.) 

Three life memberships 75.00 

Endoiement fund (Interest acct.) 

Interest on investments.. 125.00 2437.50 



$9146.14 
By disbursements 

Paid Gardner M. Jones, Treasurer, accumulated income. . $682.88 
Paid A. L. A. Publishing board from accumulated in- 
come of the Carnegie fund 1000.00 

Paid Parkinson & Burr for two (2) $1000 Five per cent 

U. S. Steel bonds at 1970 plus interest 2020.00 3702.88 

Balance on hand Jan. 1, 1907 5443.26 



$9146.14 
E. & O. E. 

Boston, Jan. 1, 1907. 

I have examined the above account and find the same properly cast, have been 
shown vouchers covering each payment and have compared the account with both the 
check book and the book of deposit. I find the balance on hand as represented above 
agrees with both the check book and the book of deposit. 
Boston, May 14, 1907. DREW B. HALL, 

Member of the A. L. A. Finance committee. 



Statement explaining discrepancy between cash balance ($3749.95) as published 
in the Proceedings of 1906 and the cash balance ($6708.64) as appears on the enclosed 
account as ol date June 1, 1906. 

Balance as printed $3749.95 

Cash (special deposit Brookline Savings Bank 4 per cent ) $616.67 

" ( " " " 4 per cent, ) 1280.82 

" ( " " Chelsea " " 4 per cent ) 1061.20 



2958.69 
$6708.64 

The explanation is that the statement as made at Narragansett Pier and as 
finally published in the Proceedings covered cash only that belonged to the two interests 
accounts. The amount added to make the two balances agree represents cash on in- 
terest belonging to the Principal account of both the Endowment and the Carnegie 
funds. 

Trial Balance 

Cash $5443.26 

Mortgage account 2500.00 

Securities 102000.00 

$109943.26 



ENDOWMENT FUND REPORT 23 

Carnegie fund 

Principal account $100000.00 

Interest account 2672.25 

Endowment Fund 

Principal account 6561.84 

Interest account 63.06 

Premium account.. 646.11 



$109943.26 

Cash on hand 

Carnegie fund 

Principal account $616.67 

Interest account 2672.25 

Endowment fund 

Principal account 2091.28 

Interest account 63.06 5443.26 



Condition of funds 

Carnegie fund 

Securities at cost 99383.33 

Cash on hand 616.67 100000.00 

Endowment fund 

Securities at cost 1970.00 

Invested in 5 per cent mortgage 2500.00 

Cash on deposit at 4 per cent 2091.84 6561.84 

I have examined the above account, have verified the figures and have been 
shown the securities mentioned therein. I certify that the securities are as represented 
and that I have seen the mortgage papers covering a loan on property in South Boston. 
I have likewise satisfied myself of the cash balances which figure in the statements 
covering the properties included in both the Carnegie and the Endowment funds. 
Boston, May 14, 1907. DREW B. HALL, 

E. & O. E. Member of the A. L. A. Finance committee. 

List of securities and other investments held by the Trustees of the A. L. A. 
Endowment and Carnegie funds. 

Carnegie fund 

Am. Tel. & Tel. 4 per cent Collateral Bonds due July 1929 $15000.00 

Cleveland Terminal & Valley R. R. 4 per cent first mortgage Gold 

Bonds, due November 1995 15000.00 

Missouri Pacific R. R. 5 per cent coupon Bonds, due Feb. 1908 15000.00 

Missouri Pacific R. R. 5 per cent Bonds, due Jan. 1917 15000.00 

N. Y. Central & Hudson River R. R. 3 1-2 per cent Lake Shore Col- 
lateral Coupon Bonds, due Feb. 1998 15000.00 

Seaboard Air Line R. R. 4 per cent Atlanta-Birmingham first 

mortgage Bonds, due May 1933 10000.00 

Western Union Telegraph Co. 5 per cent Collateral Trust Bonds, 

due Jan. 1938 15000.00 



$100000.00 

The above securities cost 99383.33 

Cash on deposit drawing 4 per cent 616.67 



$100000.00 

As at present invested Mr Carnegie's endowment, shows a net return of 4.40 
per cent. 



24 ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 

Endowment fund 

Mortgage on house in South Boston at 5 per cent $2500.00 

TJ. S. Steel Corporation 5 per cent Gold Bonds, due April 1963 (2000.00) 1970.56 

Deposit in Brookline Savings Bank drawing 4 per cent 1000.00 

Deposit in Chelsea Savings Bank drawing 4 per cent 1000.00 

Casli in bank (idle) 91.28 



$6561.84 



The investments of the Endowment fund show a net return of 4.71 per cent. 
Boston, Jan. 1, 1907. 



Supplementary report 

Boston, May 1, 1907. 
To the President and Executive board of 

the American Library Association. 

Dear Sirs. Our last report was submit- 
ted under the date of January 1, 1907. In 
order that you may have later figures on 
which to base your estimates for the com- 
ing year, we now report that we have on 
hand at this date available balances in 
trust as follows: 

1 A balance of the income of 

the Carnegie fund $3,838.35 

This balance is available only for the 
uses of the Publishing board. We expect 
an income from the same fund during the 
next twelve months of about $4,300, which 
may only be applied for the use of the 
Publishing board. 

2 A balance of the income of the 

A. L. A. Endowment fund . . $56.63 
We expect an income from the same 
fund during the next twelve months of 
about $250. 

The latter balance you have directed us 
to pay over for the support of the head- 
quarters, and we hold it subject to the 
demand of the Treasurer or the Committee 
on headquarters. 

There are no expenses attending the ad- 
ministration of our funds except that of 



forty dollars per annum for safe deposit 
boxes. 

Respectfully submitted. 
CHARLES C. SOULE. 
DELORAINE P. COREY. 
Trustees of A. L. A. Endowment fund. 

Voted, that the report be accepted and 
placed on file. 

The PRESIDENT: The Program com- 
mittee congratulate themselves and the 
Association that they have been able to 
secure for us the pleasure of listening to 
an address by Professor William P. Trent, 
of Columbia university. Professor Trent 
is a Southern man with Northern experi- 
ence, and we feel that he above all others 
is the kind of man to impress upon our 
hosts of the state of North Carolina and 
our friends of the Southern state in gen- 
eral, the importance of books as a source 
of culture, and the importance of the cus- 
todians of books to the welfare of the com- 
munity. I have great pleasure in intro- 
ducing Professor Trent. 

ADDRESS OF PROFESSOR TRENT 

I shall not tax your patience with pro- 
fuse thanks for the honor you have done 
me by inviting me to deliver this address. 
It is always an honor to be asked to talk 
to a gathering of men and women earnest 
in some good work; it is a special honor 
to be asked to talk to a national gathering 



TRENT 



25 



of men and women whose lives are de- 
voted to upholding one of the four institu- 
tions that may be fairly said to form 
the corners of the foundation of modern 
civilization. That the church and the 
court of law are essential to the mainte- 
nance of civilization is a commonplace, 
especially to the student of the constitu- 
tional history of the English-speaking 
races. That the school Is a third indispen- 
sable prop will be denied by none, yet I 
suspect that we Americans recognize more 
completely than most other nations do how 
noble and important an institutional entity 
it is, how fully worthy to be mentioned 
along with the church and the court. I 
doubt whether even we Americans as a 
people altogether appreciate how entirely 
worthy the public library is to stand beside 
the public school and with that beside the 
free church and the impartial court to 
form the stable basis of a democratic 
state. Clergymen and judges have played 
more conspicuous parts in history than 
teachers; and teachers, on the whole, 
despite the modest character of their sta- 
tion, have been more prominent in the 
world's eyes than librarians; hence the 
public, whose powers of discrimination are 
not, to put it mildly, conspicuously keen, 
has never, I think, adequately recognized 
the importance of the library, or even of 
the school, as a factor in civilization. The 
teacher seems to deal mainly with the 
young; the librarian with readers, whom 
many practical persons confound with 
dreamers; the clergyman and the lawyer, 
on the other hand, have relations with all 
sorts and conditions of people. The pub- 
lic forgets that the boy is the father of the 
man, that the reader is often the thinker, 
the inventor, the student, to whom a large 
1-art of the world's progress is due; and it 
is constantly impressed by the overt ac- 
tivity, not only of the preacher and the 
lawyer, but of the politician, the engineer, 
the physician, the financier, the man of 
business, the editor, the author, the actor, 
the artist. All these are so much more in 
evidence than the teacher in his class or 



lecture room, or the librarian at his 
desk. 

But the report of the eye Is one thing, 
the judgment of the inquiring mind is often 
quite another thing. It would seem to be 
time for intelligent people to recognize 
more fully than they appear to do the im- 
portance of professions and institutions 
which are all the more influential and 
useful because they do not play their parts 
right over the footlights. This does not 
mean, of course, that those persons who 
are connected with these somewhat clois- 
tered professions and institutions should 
not recognize in their turn that they them- 
selves suffer from the defects of their qual- 
ities, or that they should arrogate to them- 
selves superiority over those connected 
with the more active professions or with 
factors in civilization that are not some- 
what pompously designated as institutions. 
I have claimed here that the library is one 
of the four institutions that may be fairly 
said to bound and in considerable measure 
to constitute the foundation of modern civ- 
ilization. This does not mean that the fac- 
tory and the railroad are not also indis- 
pensable factors of civilization. It only 
means that, in my judgment, you librari- 
ans are following a very noble profession, 
of great historic importance, and that you 
are giving your lives to the maintenance 
and perfection of an institution second to 
none in beneficent influence. I do not be- 
lieve that the average citizen realizes this 
fact sufficiently, and I have no hesitation 
in telling him so, partly because I speak 
as a man who is not magnifying Ills own 
profession, although he knows enough 
about yours to speak with some authority. 

But you did not ask me here to pay you 
compliments, and, knowing how much any 
writer and student must depend on your 
good will, you doubtless presumed upon 
my sympathy with your aspirations and 
upon my appreciation of your achieve- 
ments. It behooves me, therefore, to say 
little about your past triumphs and your 
present merits and to be as practical as I 
can in suggesting lines of future usefulness. 



26 



ASHBVILLB CONFERENCE 



In one respect, however, I cannot leave the 
past entirely out of account, because I 
think that that constitutes in large meas- 
ure the vital principle of your existence. 
When in writing his beautiful poem on his 
library Southey began with the verse, "My 
days among the dead are passed," he stated 
an essential fact of your lives as well as 
of his life, and he touched upon a wonder- 
ful mystery the part played by the dead 
past in the living present. Perhaps it is a 
misnomer to speak of the dead past at all. 
Surely the past lives on in the buildings 
of which you are the custodians. It lives 
in the proper atmosphere of reverent 
silence, and, in a very true sense, it smells 
sweet and blossoms in its dust. Not merely 
the actions of the just, as Shirley put it, 
but the actions and thoughts of countless 
men and women of all nations and of all 
creeds, of all classes and of all shades of 
character the deeds of heroes and the 
songs of poets there they live under your 
protection ready to inspire and direct and 
warn the generation that now is and the 
generations that are to come. What other 
institution so completely links the past 
and the present as the library? In church, 
in court, in school the past is sufficiently 
dominant one would think; but clergyman 
and lawyer and teacher modify it con- 
sciously and unconsciously, and often mis- 
represent it. You alone do not alter in 
any way whatever value it has for us. You 
hand it out to us in the form of a book or 
document, and you do not come between 
its appeal and our receptive spirits any 
more than the perfumer comes between us 
and the distilled essence of the rose of 
summers gone. You are the most imper- 
sonal of intermediaries, and the dignity 
that this fact lends your profession is en- 
hanced by the dignity of the past itself, and 
by the silence that you enforce. We have 
few or no antiquities and ruins in this new 
land to aid in developing the dignity of 
the national character, but our public 
libraries are no despicable substitute for 
dilapidated castle and venerable cathedral. 
Nor can I leave another phase of this 
ubiquitous past out of account. The fact 



that this meeting is held in the South 
makes me, as a man born in that section 
in the very midst of the Civil War, re- 
flect upon the great changes that have 
taken place in these states within a genera- 
tion. Conventions were not unusual phen- 
omena in the antebellum South indeed in 
the decade before the war they were ex- 
traordinarily common but they were 
chiefly political and commercial and ec- 
clesiastical; they had little to do with the 
advancement of knowledge in any form. 
While the backwardness of the Old South 
in intellectual matters has undoubtedly 
been exaggerated, it is certainly true that 
the entire region had much to learn with 
respect to democratic cooperation for edu- 
cational purposes. The whole country had 
much to learn, to be sure, but the South 
had scarcely made a beginning, for the 
simple reason that the social structure was 
essentially aristocratic and the population 
a rural rather than an urban one. Even 
to-day it is not surprising, though it is 
regrettable, that there is not a library 
south of Washington that may properly 
be called great, or a university south of 
Baltimore that offers full facilities for post- 
graduate instruction in the arts and 
sciences. It is even less surprising that 
the Old South had few important colleges 
or libraries and nothing approaching an 
adequate system of primary and secondary 
public schools. 

Still, as I have said, it is easy to exag- 
gerate the intellectual backwardness of the 
Old South. There were some excellent 
colleges and several centers of charming 
urban culture. Richmond and Charleston, 
in particular, supported magazines which 
in their day held their own with any pub- 
lished elsewhere in the country, and in 
each city there were groups of literary men, 
who, as we look back upon them, seem no 
smaller than scores of the tiny poets and 
novelists then making reputations for 
themselves in more favored urban cen- 
ters. Indeed, the writer who of all our 
antebellum authors has won the most 
widespread fame for originality and artis- 
tic power, laid the basis of that fame in 



TRENT 



27 



the study and the writing he did in three 
cultural centers of the Old South the 
University of Virginia, Baltimore, and 
Richmond. And Poe, it must be remem- 
bered, had also seen Charleston. Whether 
a private in the army serving under an 
assumed name at Port Moultrie could have 
enjoyed the society of which such men as 
Hugh S. Legare and James L. Petigru 
were ornaments may well be doubted. I 
have no reason to think that he sought 
the help which that kindly and energetic 
man of letters William Gilmore Simms 
then just beginning his career would gladly 
have given him, or that he borrowed books 
from the good collection of the Charleston 
library society, which even eighty years 
ago had claims to be considered a vener- 
able institution. But his sensitive spirit 
was surely impressed by the old-world 
spirit of a town that must have stirred in 
him faint memories of the English scenes 
amid which his early schooldays were 
passed, and Poe, whom we all know so 
well, was but one of thousands of able men 
now forgotten who profited from the tradi- 
tions of English culture that dominated 
the older centers of population and wealth 
between Baltimore and New Orleans. The 
free schools were execrable, the collections 
of books to which the public had access 
were so small and so few as to be negli- 
gible; yet in her own way the South edu- 
cated those of her children who by the 
old order of things were set apart to gov- 
ern the State and to superintend the ex- 
ploitation of the soil. 

Now while education may come, at least 
to privileged classes, without well organ- 
ized schools and libraries, it does not, in 
the modern world come without books. 
The Old South had a fair stock of books 
and, what is equally as important, it used 
them. In the early part of the eighteenth 
century Colonel William Byrd of Westover 
had about 4000 volumes a collection ap- 
parently not surpass'ed by that of any other 
American of his time. Nor was his read- 
ing confined to old folios and quartos, for 
he seems to have quoted "Robinson Cru- 
soe" as familiarly as you or I would do, 



when that famous book was not ten years 
old. Other Virginians secured the latest 
works of Mr Pope and Dr Johnson by the 
simple expedient of having their factors 
buy $10 worth of new books out of the 
proceeds of every cargo of tobacco. They 
also, it is needless to add, had standing 
orders for pipes of Madeira wine. To 
these standing orders for books a few Vir- 
ginians of to-day owe the possession of 
first editions of some of the chief eight- 
eenth century classics; they do not care 
to inquire what they owe to the standing 
orders for Madeira. And it is worth while 
to remark that it was not the men or the 
ruling classes only that profited from the 
books imported into colonies where pub- 
lishers were almost non-existent. My own 
mother was taught to read out of "The 
Spectator" by a female slave. 

When the culture-history of the South 
comes to be written, I have no doubt that 
a great many interesting facts about books 
and libraries will be gathered together. 
Indeed a good beginning of such culture 
studies has already been made by Dr 
Stephen B. Weeks and others.* The story 
of the formation of the library of the 
South Carolina college, which has surpris- 
ingly large numbers of incunabula rank- 
ing next perhaps2 to the McKowan collec- 
tion at the Sophia Newcomb college, New 
Orleans is well worth reading, and I 
should think that a similar account of the 
growth of the Virginia state library would 
be equally valuable. Some private libra- 
ries, too, like that of Mr Jefferson, will 
furnish interesting material to the student. 
At a later period, I dare say that few men 
in the South had better libraries than the 
novelist Simms, who gathered together at 
"Woodlands" about 12,000 volumes, only 
to have them burned toward the end of 
the war. One at least of the books of that 
library inspired Simms to write one of the 
roost appreciative reviews of Robert 
Browning that was published anywhere be- 

1 See his "Libraries and literature in North 
Carolina in the 18th century." (1896) 

2 See "Bulletin of the University of South 
Carolina," no. 7, Oct. 1906. 



28 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



fore the days when Browning clubs became 
common. 

Many of Simms' books doubtless came to 
him in his capacity as editor of "The 
Southern quarterly review," and he should 
not therefore be reckoned a typical collec- 
tor. There were, however, in South Caro- 
lina devoted collectors, some of whom, I 
am sorry to say, had special cause to re- 
gret the fact that Sherman's army did not 
take another line of march. My friend, 
Prof. Yates Snowden of the University of 
South Carolina, upon whose minute knowl- 
edge of Southern history I am often privi- 
leged to draw, has kindly made out for me 
a list of 33 private collectors in South 
Carolina during the generation preceding 
the Civil War. This list, made on the spur 
of the moment, yet carefully excluding 
minor collections, could doubtless be 
easily increased, but it is amply sufficient 
for my present purposes. The largest 
library was that of the Rev. Dr Thomas 
Smyth of Charleston and consisted of 
25,000 volumes, in the main theological in 
character. The finest collection was that 
of the Hon. P. C. J. Weston of George- 
town county, rich in "tall" copies. His 
books were almost entirely destroyed by 
his slaves, to whom he had been notably 
humane; and many of his best prints went 
to adorn the walls of their cabins. Other 
collectors more fortunate than he were 
able to bequeath their volumes to such 
libraries as that of the College of Charles- 
ton. The classics, history, and French and 
English literature were naturally best 
represented, but there were some good 
collections of scientific books. Further de- 
tails are unnecessary, although it may 
be interesting to note that Mr John P. 
Thomas, Jr has made a list of over 50 
old-time South Carolinians who indulged 
in the luxury of a book-plate.' Nor ought 
I to omit to say that South Carolina is 
probably the only state in the Union in 
which a gentleman jockey club has volun- 
tarily disbanded and turned over its as- 



1 See his "Notes on the Origin and use of 
book-plates," Columbia, S. C. 1907. 



sets to a library for the annual purchase 
of books. I repeat the statement that the 
Old South had books, loved them, and 
knew how to use them. 

But you are meeting here in what is 
called the New South, and the Southern 
librarians among you will talk to you at a 
special session about problems raised by a 
series of changes and developments of 
which the Southern gentleman who quoted 
Horace and Pope had not the remotest 
anticipation. Why then do I continue to 
talk about the past? Simply because I 
think that in the culture of the Old South 
is to be found one of the best of reasons 
for believing that the near future will see 
a large increase of interest in public 
libraries throughout the New South, over 
and above the great intere&t shown since 
you met at Atlanta eight years ago. The 
example set by the rest of the country 
means, of course, a great deal and has 
already been very beneficent; but the 
seeds dropped by the winds of influence 
need a good soil if they are to ripen into 
grain. That soil I believe the Southern 
librarians have. Whatever the South may 
have suffered since the civil war, what- 
ever the anxiety with which she watches 
the darkest of dark clouds, whatever the 
changes her social structure has under- 
gone, whatever the preponderance of 
material over intellectual and spiritual 
matters that has been superinduced by the 
enormous growth of her commercial and 
manufacturing interests. 

I cannot believe that the New South has 
at all forgotten the truth of the maxim 
the Old South laid to heart the maxim 
that "Manners make the man," or that she 
is not aware of the fact that without cul- 
ture that is without education and books 
manners, whether in the large or in the 
narrow sense, cannot really exist. The 
tradition of culture which the Old South 
left to the New, may have been, through- 
out the generation that is just passing, a 
form of capital if I may employ a phrase 
not inappropriate to this businesslike age 
which it has been almost impossible to 



TRENT 



29 



realize adequately upon; but that capital 
has not been squandered and the day is at 
hand when it will yield ample returns. To 
put it less figuratively, the librarians of the 
New South have much to hope for from 
the fact that they are working among a 
people whose fathers and grandfathers 
knew the value of books. 

That this is not a chimerical hope that 
I am holding out may be shown, it seems 
to me, in a rather clear way. There has 
been no more conspicuous feature of the 
South's development within the past de- 
cade than the very great interest which 
has everywhere been shown in the cause of 
popular education. It is not merely a 
question of large conventions in which 
Northern philanthropists and Southern 
educators meet to discuss educational 
problems, it is not merely a matter of 
great benefactions a portion of which is 
being distributed to needy Southern in- 
stitutions. It is something more important. 
It is a kind of educational renaissance that 
exhibits itself in local educational associa- 
tions, in gatherings of school superinten- 
dents, in large teachers' institutes and sum- 
mer schools, in the establishment of new 
high schools, and in many other ways and 
forms. The educational advance made in 
the state in which we are now meeting 
has been, from all I can learn, truly ex- 
traordinary, and equally gratifying reports 
come from Virginia and other Southern 
states. Of course, the increased wealth of 
the South and the influence exerted by the 
rest of the country are in part responsible 
for this result, but I think we must also 
find an antecedent cause in the fact that 
the South was prepared to appreciate the 
value and need of the movement for more 
and better schools. That the preachers and 
the prophets of the new education have 
not had to address sealed ears is due in 
considerable measure to the fact that the 
traditions of the old culture have survived. 
And so it is that I venture to predict that 
the pioneers of the library movement in 
the South, though like all pioneers they 
will have obstacles to overcome and will 
profit from the tests to which their courage 



and their faith will be subjected, may ex- 
pect to receive from these same traditions 
of culture support that will be of inestim- 
able aid. 

There has been another sort of renais- 
sance in the South, less conspicuous but 
still important, one about which I happen 
to know something personally and one 
rather closely allied with the work the 
Southern librarians are undertaking. I re- 
fer to the renaissance of historical studies 
in the South. A good many years ago I 
had the honor to read a paper before the 
American historical association at Wash- 
ington on the subject of the work at that 
time being done in the South to preserve 
the materials for its history. It seems a 
long while back, not only because two 
great librarians who ceased their labors 
years ago were among my auditors, Wil- 
liam P. Poole and Justin Winsor, but also 
because I had so little material of import- 
ance to communicate. The burden of my 
paper was what the South ought to do and 
would do when it wakened to the duty of 
preserving and studying the memorials of 
its interesting past. Nearly twenty years 
have gone by, and, if I were to speak on 
the same theme today, I could legitimately 
devote half my time to showing how, in 
less than a generation, the cause of his- 
torical studies in the South has progressed 
far beyond even what in my optimistic 
youth I had dared to predict. I am sure 
I did not dare to predict that within two 
decades the state of Mississippi would send 
an archivist to England and Spain to 
gather documents relating to its past. But 
I met such an archivist in London last 
summer, and one of the reasons for my 
meeting him there is to be found in the 
fact that the Southern people of to-day 
set a store by the traditions of culture 
handed down to them. But obviously, 
where archivists like those of Mississippi 
and of her no less progressive neighbor 
Alabama can reap, there the librarian 
should stand ready with his sickle. 

To talk of harvests, however, is to talk 
of the future, which means that we have at 
last got away from that ever brooding 



30 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



topic the past not so very far perhaps 
for there is a suggestion of the obsolete in 
my use of the word "sickle," American 
harvests being accustomed to fall before 
more complicated and potent engines of 
prostration but sufficiently far for you 
to lay two flattering unctions to your souls 
first that possibly I may at last say 
something of present and practical value, 
and secondly that I may be entering upon 
the final stage of my address. The latter 
unction you may freely apply; with regard 
to the former I hesitate to be specific. 

It is becoming more and more difficult 
for an outsider to say anything of present 
and practical value to people engaged in 
a special profession or calling. Time was 
when the librarian and the scholar in the 
usual sense of that word could be united 
in the same charming but in the main 
rather ineffectual person. That day has 
passed to the regret of some of us, per- 
haps, but not, I believe, to the detriment 
of the world. The man who keeps books 
and the man who studies them cannot 
profitably be strangers, but they are prob- 
ably just as well off for not being Siamese 
twins. 

If this be true, it follows that I can 
have little to say about your chief objects 
of study. Problems of storing and cir- 
culating, of buying and cataloging, of sup- 
plying bibliographical information, of train- 
ing assistants, of developing departments, 
of giving momentum to traveling libraries 
these and such like important topics lie 
beyond my ken. I cannot prove to you that 
you have gone beyond your British 
brothers in most things which, I under- 
stand, is a matter they are discussing in a 
patriotically biassed way. I can sympa- 
thize with your difficulties, but I cannot 
lessen them. No words of mine will pre- 
vent school children told to write compo- 
sitions on the Pilgrim Fathers from keep- 
ing you busy supplying them with copies 
of the "Pilgrim's progress." The young 
lady who wants a copy of "Scott's emul- 
sion" will continue to make her well-meant 
request. The older woman who wants you 



to assist in establishing her noble pedigree 
will hang upon your words until the 
Daughters of the Revolution cease from 
wrangling and the weary are at rest. And 
fortunate are you if you show as much 
patience and acumen as a librarian friend 
of mine did, who, when an aged person 
asked him to give her a book written by 
an ancestor of hers named Tompsy 
Kempsy, a monk who lived five hundred 
years before Christ, gravely handed her out 
a copy of the "Imitation." 

However much I may admire your activ- 
ity and your competence, and however lit- 
tle I may trust my own ability to give you 
counsel, I must nevertheless keep my 
promise and, in order to prove myself 
practical, say a few words about your 
shortcomings. I do not think, in the first 
place, that you have developed the art of 
selecting books to the same extent that 
you have the more mechanical processes 
of storing, cataloging, and circulating them. 
With regard to your selection of current 
so-called light literature I have nothing to 
say. YO-J know the appetite of the public 
for fiction better than I want to know it, 
and you are as capable as I am of grap- 
pling with the important question now 
agitating the English library public, 
whether "Westward ho!" should be ex- 
cluded from libraries because it might en- 
courage some little boy to smoke. I am 
sure, however, from experiences which my 
students and I have had that it is very dif- 
ficult even in large libraries to obtain suf- 
ficient material for a thorough study of the 
evolution of American fiction. I have been 
told contemptuously by an influential libra- 
rian that he would not give old American 
novels a place on his shelves a statement 
which would have sounded better if it had 
come from the lips of a man who had 
charge only of what we know technically 
as a circulating library. I suspected, when 
I heard him make this scornful statement, 
that I should find many another book im- 
portant to the student of American literary 
history absent from his shelves, and my 
suspicion was speedily justified. Indeed, I 



TRENT 



31 



found to my regret that what was true of 
one library was true of the largest city in 
this country. Most of the time I was writ- 
ing my "History of American literature" 
I was living in the heart of New York 
City, yet I had to have scores of volumes 
sent to me from libraries outside the me- 
tropolis. I am not in the least surprised or 
put out when I fail to find in American 
libraries rare eighteenth century British 
pamphlets, the special objects of my 
search now-a-days; but I consider that I 
have a right to be surprised when our 
great libraries are not rich in the materials 
of our own literature and history. Our 
literature may not be one of the greatest, 
but it is growing in importance day by day, 
and not only are we taking more and more 
interest in it, but the outside world is be- 
ginning to ask what our critics and stu- 
dents have to tell about its evolution. 
Minute students of French and English 
literature may continue to go to Paris and 
to London; but I hope the day will soon 
come when the student of American litera- 
ture will rarely have to go farther afield 
than the chief city of his own state. 

But it is not alone the student of 
American literature who finds occasion to 
question the methods of selection employed 
by many of our librarians. I have a friend 
who is a specialist in ecclesiastical history, 
and he has just given me a leaf out of his 
experience that may be of some interest to 
you. It relates, I admit, to a class of books 
for which there is no great popular de- 
mand, but ecclesiastical history is surely a 
very important department of a great sub- 
ject, and my friend's experience differs 
from my own in that it has nothing to do 
with books that can be in any way re- 
garded as antiquated. Some months ago a 
German scholar who is perhaps the great- 
est living authority on ecclesiastical his- 
tory delivered a lecture which was printed 
and fell into my friend's hands. In it the 
great scholar reviewed the half dozen or 
more recent works which in his judgment 
had made the greatest contribution to his 
subject. My friend at once began to 



search the libraries of New York, including 
those of the theological seminaries, in 
order that he might examine copies of the 
books mentioned. He found not a single 
one. He subsequently learned that one of 
the number had been bought by the Con- 
gressional library. 

That I submit was not a good showing, 
and I do not think it an adequate answer 
to say that in time all those books would 
have found their way to our largest libra- 
ries and that my friend could have ordered 
copies for himself. He was writing a book, 
and he needed those volumes immediately; 
and it is the duty of the great libraries 
to supply as soon and as fully as possible 
the needs of the men who by teaching and 
writing are advancing the cause of the 
arts and the sciences in our midst. I ad- 
mit that, as the funds of our public libra- 
ries are supplied by the public, the in- 
terests of general readers are to be 
specially consulted, which means that much 
money and labor must be expended on de- 
partments of library work in which the 
scholar has little or no direct personal 
interest. But, on the other hand, the public 
at large is benefited by all the good work 
that scholars and scientists can do, and 
hence it is incumbent upon the public li- 
brary, especially in the great centers of 
population, to see that the interests of 
science and scholarship do not suffer. 
There is, to be sure, no need of extensive 
duplication. When, for example, the bar 
association of a town has a good law li- 
brary, the public library can afford to be 
sparing in its purchase of law-books, pro- 
vided access can be secured to the special 
library by worthy students, and provided, 
when it is possible, that the public library 
furnish information with regard to the 
range and contents of the special col- 
lection. All I wish to insist on is that the 
scholar's needs are in a sense the public's 
needs, and that, if a public library accepts, 
as practically all of them do, gifts of pri- 
vate collectors valuable only to scholars, 
the acceptance of such a gift in itself 
argues that the public library is willing to 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



assume obligations toward the scholar. If 
such obligations are not to be lived up to 
iii the fullest measure compatible with the 
library's resources and its other duties, 
then it would seem that any library re- 
ceiving a donation of books and documents 
useful only to scholars and by far the 
larger number of the books on the shelves 
of the great libraries fall under this head 
should accept such a donation only in 
trust until a special research library for 
scholars can be established in that com- 
munity. But how many librarians consider 
this matter of equity, and how many 
owners of valuable collections consider it 
sufficiently when they are making their 
bequests? 

I would not, however, have you fancy 
that I am complaining of the amount of 
attention you American librarians pay to 
the needs of scholars. When I realize how 
new this country is and how extraordi- 
narily the range of scholarly and scientific 
interests has broadened in the past fifty 
years, I feel much more like thanking you 
for the magnificent way in which you have 
applied yourselves to the task of furnish- 
ing materials to the scientist and the 
scholar than like finding fault with your 
methods and achievements. Still, as I 
have indicated, you have things to learn 
and to do, and I cannot help wondering 
whether there is as close a connection be- 
tween your Association and the various 
associations of scholars ana scientists as 
might profitably be formed. I notice, for 
example, that of late years it has become 
the rule for the scientific associations to 
meet in one city at one and the same 
time, and that this is true also of the gath- 
erings of the historians, the economists, 
and the students of political science. The 
students of the languages have not yet 
attained such unity, but I suspect that they 
would gain not only by gathering their 
scattered forces, but also by meeting with 
you and with the scientists and with the 
historians. This might tax the resources 
of some cities, and it would not after all 
be necessary to have such meetings every 



year; but I cannot help believing that large 
catholic gatherings held at intervals less 
wide than those between world-expositions 
would redound to the benefit of every edu- 
cational and cultural interest in this coun- 
try. And I should personally regard your 
Association as the keystone of the noble 
arch thus formed. You are, if I may change 
my figure, the center to which we all gravi- 
tate. Without your aid we cannot do our 
work effectively; but the converse is also 
true you cannot do your work well with- 
out our cooperation. Do you sufficiently 
exploit the other associations for biblio- 
graphical directions of the highest special 
value? Do you get out of them anything 
like a fair return for the benefits you con- 
fer upon them? If you do not, make your 
legitimate demands upon them and see if 
they will say you nay. There is an asso- 
ciation or a society for the study of ec- 
clesiastical history in this country. Does 
its secretary receive from the specialists 
who compose it information as to the in- 
dispensable books published each year in 
their special division of the field, does he 
digest such material and communicate the 
result to your secretary, and does your 
secretary forward the information thus re- 
ceived to each one of you? I ask this in 
entire ignorance of your methods, and with 
no personal malevolence either to your of- 
ficers or to those of the other associations, 
whose duties are doubtless absorbing. I 
may be suggesting what must be to-day a 
counsel of perfection only. But the coun- 
sels of perfection of one generation have 
a way of becoming, in this fast evolving 
world, the commonplace performances of 
another, and I am merely hinting at what 
I conceive to be some of the good results 
that may flow from the development of 
the closest comity between all the asso- 
ciations that represent the efforts this 
people of ours is making to advance the 
cause of the world's culture. 

As for the comity existing among the 
libraries you represent, it seems to me that 
only words of highest praise are needed. 
Doubtless you will go on developing and 



TRENT 



33 



improving the aid, bibliographical and 
other, that you furnish to one another 
and, in special instances, as in your ad- 
mirable "A. L. A. catalog," to the public 
at large. In view of the natural human 
tendency to emphasize whatever is most 
useful to us personally, you will not be 
surprised when I say that of all the serv- 
ices you perform for one another and the 
public none is more useful than the dis- 
tribution of books effected through your 
Inter-library loan system. Anyone who 
has been enabled as I have been within the 
past two years to consult at his home 
library fully one hundred and fifty rare 
volumes borrowed from other libraries for 
his special use ought surely to be willing to 
sing a paean to the resourcefulness and the 
spirit of cooperation so characteristic of 
American librarians. Last year, in ad- 
dressing a Slate historical society, I ex- 
pressed the hope that before long every 
serious student of local history living with- 
in the borders of that commonwealth would 
be able to consult at his home every book 
or document at least in facsimile that 
might be necessary for his researches. I 
do not consider that hope chimerical when 
I recall that it is not twenty years since 
I made a request for an inter-library loan 
from the librarian of an important South- 
ern collection of historical material and 
was greeted with a stare that ought to 
have petrified me, but did not. That 
librarian either thought me crazy, or was 
convinced that I had committed the un- 
pardonable sin. His library existed mainly 
for his own use; at any rate, it was kept 
in such disorder that he was the only per- 
son who could find a book in it. Now a 
days he would certainly have a glimmer- 
ing of an idea of what is meant by an in- 
ter-library loan, and, before many years are 
gone by that library will be of use to stu- 
dents living hundreds of miles away from 
the town in which it is situated. I have 
seen even greater changes than that oper- 
ated in the South, for one of the best col- 
lege libraries in the section to-day was a 
few years ago open to students only two 
or three afternoons a week, less than the 



one hour a day given to his library duties 
at Bowdoin by the poet-professor Long- 
fellow, and its destinies were in the hands 
of an exemplary gentleman who, when I 
mildly expostulated with him on the slight 
facilities afforded to his students for read- 
ing, exclaimed in a grieved tone "Why, 
if we let them have books, they would soon 
wear them out." The proverbial trustee 
who objects to spending additional money 
for books because the library already con- 
tains more volumes than any one man, 
even a professor, can read, will doubtless 
continue to hamper us for some time to 
come, but the librarian who doesn't want 
to have his books used will soon be as 
extinct as the dodo. Extinction will also 
soon be the fate, if it is not such already, 
of the man who has a document or a book 
of importance which he does not wish to 
keep or to sell, and yet cannot dispose of 
otherwise. I am fond of telling the story 
of how the executors of a certain Georgia 
gentleman who had written a chapter of 
local history solved the problem of what to 
do with it. Not being able to select the 
proper heir to receive it and having no 
public library in which to deposit it, they 
settled its business forever by burning it. 
I have never told before the story of how 
one day when I was working in a Southern 
library an indignant gentleman came and 
sat down beside me and asked me in tones 
which I thought would get us both into 
trouble, what in the world he could do with 
some letters, and I think newspapers, that 
dealt with a certain semi-political event 
not unknown to minute students of South- 
ern history. Neither the State historical 
society nor the State library would accept 
them, for alas! they proved that certain 
representatives of two old Southern families 
were after all only flesh and blood in their 
propensity to engage in personal encount- 
ers. My worthy friend was also flesh and 
blood for he was highly indignant, and I 
was no better for I laughed in my sleeve. 

But here I am back in the past again 
despite my promises. Only for a moment, 
however, for, while it is the past that gave 
us the varieties I am about to speak of, 



34 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



it is the future that must make them ac- 
cessible to students. I sincerely hope that 
you librarians will soon be prepared to take 
up on an extensive scale either the plan 
proposed a few years since by Professor 
Gayley for securing photographic reproduc- 
tions of rare volumes and documents, or 
some similar scheme. I understand that 
through an arrangement between the au- 
thorities of the Bodleian and those of the 
Clarendon press, it is now possible to se- 
cure a reproduction of let us say a very 
rare quarto at the trifling cost of about 
sixteen cents per page, that is, for about 
the price at which one could have a page 
copied, accurately or inaccurately. Certain 
scholars who are now editing English 
classics at Cambridge have practically 
ceased, I am told, to make journeys to the 
Bodleian, because, thanks to the new ar- 
rangement, they can do in their own cham- 
bers the necessary work of collating. How 
much this will mean to American scholars 
will appear from the fact that a few years 
since the editor of an early play was sub- 
jected to very unpleasant criticism because 
of gross deficiencies in his text due entirely 
to the fact that the copyist he employed 
had omitted a whole page. You will at 
once ask why he did not detect the hiatus, 
but a moment's thought will convince you 
that, while in some cases detection of such 
an error would follow as a matter of course, 
in other cases it could come only from a 
personal examination of the original. 
What would not that American editor have 
given for a photographic reproduction 
made under supervision that would have 
rendered a similar accident almost im- 
possible! I hope the day is not far distant 
when copyists will turn their well-mean- 
ing but often erring hands to other work, 
when librarians will order photographic 
reproductions as casually as they now or- 
der a book fresh from the press; when the 
most impecunious American scholar can 
feel at liberty to engage in almost any 
editorial task without having to consider 
first whether he can beg or borrow the 
money needful for a visit to Europe. 
The best of reproductions, however, will 



not satisfy some souls ardent for perfec- 
tion, and such is the wealth of biblio- 
graphical treasures now in the hands of 
American collectors, who are often very 
generous, that if scholars knew where to 
seek for what they want, they might often 
work to as great advantage here in America 
as in any library in the old world. What 
is needed is a catalog of these biblio- 
graphical treasures that can be consulted in 
practically any public library. To collect 
the information necessary for such a cata- 
log would be an expensive arid a difficult 
matter, but T fancy that if, in addition to 
the work now being undertaken by the 
bibliographical societies, personal and 
local pride were interested in the cause 
and you librarians individually and col- 
lectively lent your aid, the treasures in the 
great centers at least would be much more 
accessible to scholars than they are at 
present. I know of case after case in which 
students have found out entirely by acci- 
dent that books they thought accessible 
only in London might be consulted at the 
cost of a short trip by street car or rail- 
road. Two years ago while looking over 
the library of a collector in Boston, I dis- 
covered the best collection of the works of 
a modern writer on whom one of my stu- 
dents was writing a dissertation that could 
probably be found anywhere in the Eng- 
lish-speaking world. There they were; 
book upon book some of them copies 
OAvned by the writer himself and rendered 
unique by his manuscript annotations. It 
is needless to say that that student soon 
made a journey to Boston and was shown 
every courtesy by my collector friend; but 
why should the character of that disserta- 
tion have been partly dependent upon the 
accident of my having accepted a friendly 
invitation to look over those books? 

I feel that it is to you librarians that we 
who are students must look for the preven- 
tion of such accidents. We both know 
that bibliographical information is the in- 
dispensable foundation of almost every 
form of intellectual work. It seems im- 
possible to get this fact through some peo- 
ple's beads I have tried vainly to get it 



KEOGH 



35 



through some scientific skulls but to you 
it is axiomatic. It is equally axiomatic that 
you cannot do all you would for the scholar, 
and that he cannot do all he would for you 
without money, money, money. Each and 
all of us must confront hard-hearted prac- 
tical trustees and convince them of the 
wisdom and necessity of our demands. 
Perhaps it is quite as well that this is so. 
Struggle is just as much the spice of life 
as variety, and, if this is true, the life of 
the library or the university executive is 
certainly well seasoned. You need money 
to pay better salaries and thus to induce 
more men and women of high talents and 
ambitions and equipment to enter your 
ranks, you can spend the fortunes of a 
good many millionaires in new and en- 
larged library plants, and as for the books 
you ought to buy well, if you only stop 
buying them when we who study and write 
them stop making demands upon you, I 
think you will sing your "nunc dimittis" 
not one hour sooner than the day of judg- 
ment. In view, however, of all the work 
that lies before you and your successors 
beween now and that dread catastrophe, it 
is certainly fitting that I should consume 
no more of your precious time by dealing 
out these counsels of perfection. My last 
words shall be Remember that there are 
no men and women living who are doing 
better work for posterity than you are 
doing; be confident that the public will 
come more and more to realize this fact; 
and be assured that the teachers, the writ- 
ers, the scholars of America are ready to 
make common cause with you whenever 
they can be of service to you. 

The PRESIDENT: I am sure I but 
voice the sentiments of the Association in 
my thanks expressed to Mr Trent personal- 
ly as well as officially for the address to 
which we have just listened. It forms an 
admirable preface to all the work of the 
conference, and peculiarly and especially to 
the next paper on the printed program. I 
may say in introducing the speaker that it 
has been the desire of the Program commit- 
tee to call upon the affiliated societies to 



furnish some of their best thought for the 
consideration of the general session, believ- 
ing that they have many men whom we 
would like to hear, and that we could 
furnish them with a larger audience than 
their own membership. Therefore I have 
pleasure in presenting Mr Andrew Keogh, 
of Yale university library as the represent- 
ative of the Bibliographical society of 
America, to speak on the general subject 
of Bibliography. 

ADDRESS OF MR KEOGH 

On Tuesday, April 18, 1775, Samuel 
Johnson, James Boswell, and Sir Joshua 
Reynolds went to dine with the poet Cam- 
bridge at his villa on the banks of the 
Thames near Twickenham. 

"No sooner," says Boswell, "had we 
made our bow to Mr Cambridge, in his 
library, than Johnson ran eagerly to one 
side of the room, intent on poring over 
the backs of the books. Sir Joshua ob- 
served, (aside) 'He runs to the books, as 
I do to the pictures: but I have the advan- 
tage. I can see much more of the pictures 
than he can of the books.' Mr Cambridge, 
upon this, politely said, 'Dr Johnson, I am 
going, with your pardon, to accuse myself, 
for I have the same custom which I per- 
ceive you have. But it seems odd that one 
should have such a desire to look at the 
backs of books.' Johnson, ever ready for 
contest, instantly started from his reverie, 
wheeled about, and answered, 'Sir, the 
reason is very plain. Knowledge is of two 
kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or 
we know where we can find information 
upon it. "When we enquire into any sub- 
ject, the first thing we have to do is to 
know what books have treated of it.' " 

This saying of Johnson embodied an idea 
so striking in his day as to be thought 
worthy of record. To-day it is common- 
place. The acquisition of knowledge grows 
harder as books multiply and the bounda- 
ries of knowledge widen, and a mastery of 
methods of investigation is now the high- 
est aim in education. 

A similar shifting of the emphasis has 
taken place in the field of bibliographical 
endeavor. Bibliography has hitherto con- 
sidered books chiefly as relics of the past 
or as works of art. This form of bibliog- 



36 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



raphy has been of great historic and artis- 
tic value. Nevertheless, it has been com- 
plf*tely overshadowed by the recent growth 
of practical bibliography, whose function is 
to facilitate research. On every hand bib- 
liographers are now at work indexing and 
classifying knowledge, that men may have 
access to it without unnecessary toil. The 
time which an earlier investigator spent 
in seeking information is now devoted to 
making use of information, and the gain 
to science is great. 

Bibliographies differ first in their scope. 
They are all limited in one or more of 
three ways by territory, by period, and 
by subject. The best specimens of re- 
gional bibliography are the trade lists, 
whose aim is to record books published 
within a given territory. Trade lists are 
also good examples of periodical bibliog- 
raphy, for they usually have certain chron- 
ological limits. A bibliography of a 
country for a given period is the best ex- 
hibition of the intellectual interests of its 
people during that period; the 200,000 
titles in Fortescue's Subject index repre- 
sent the literary activity of the world dur- 
ing the last quarter of a century. Every 
bibliography has at least one date limit, 
namely, the date of publication. Some of 
the larger works, as, for example, the 
British Museum catalog, or Sonnenschein's 
Best books, incorporate entries up to the 
time of printing each sheet, so that the 
sections or classes are not co-terminous in 
date. As bibliographies in book form soon 
become antiquated, we have current bibliog- 
raphies which put material into our hands 
while it is still fresh and at its maximum of 
usefulness. The Germans have Jahresbe- 
richte for many different fields, and in this 
country we have current bibliographies of 
medicine, psychology, engineering, Ameri- 
can history and other topics. There is now 
an annual bibliography of bibliographies, 
but there is yet no way of finding what 
new bibliographies are in preparation. 
Courtney gave references to bibliographies 
in manuscript and to those in progress, and 
in 1901 Johnston gave a report on current 



bibliographical undertakings in the United 
States, but there has been nothing since. It 
is gratifying to learn that our Bibliographi- 
cal society plans to publish lists of biblio- 
graphies in preparation, at least so far as 
the United States is concerned. 

The most obvious difference in the scope 
of bibliographies is that of their subject 
matter. The subjects range from the bib- 
liography of bibliographies of biblio- 
graphies, which is surely the widest because 
the most inclusive class, down to the bib- 
liography of minute topics. They are as 
numerous and as varied as the heads in an 
ideal scheme of classification. One class 
of subject bibliography calling for special 
note is the catalogs of special libraries 
or collections. The Birmingham Shakes- 
peare catalog, the Ticknor Spanish cata- 
log, the Avery Architecture catalog, the 
Cornell Dante catalog and the Surgeon 
General's Index-catalog are well known ex- 
amples. The new List of special collections 
in American libraries will be of great ser- 
vice in indicating bibliographies of this 
kind. Some of the catalogs of auctions, 
and of the better class of dealers, are ex- 
cellent bibliographical tools. 

The second main difference in bibliogra- 
phies is their method of internal arrange- 
ment. The questions here are almost the 
same as in cataloging. The individual 
titles may be arranged under authors, as in 
Allibone, or Poggendorff; or in a logically 
classed order, like Gross or Muhlbrecht, or 
in an alphabetico-classed, like Fortescue; 
or in alphabetical subject order, like Rich- 
ardson and Morse; or in chronological 
order, like Cole's Church catalog; or in 
geographical order, like the York Gate 
catalog. For certain users or certain pur- 
poses one or other form is to be preferred, 
but so long as use is facilitated by the pro- 
vision of complementary indexes, the mode 
of disposition is unimportant. It is some- 
times possible through difference of method 
to make one bibliography complement an- 
other. Thus Vallee will serve as an 
author index to Stein; Fortescue's Subject 
index has its author list in the "Catalog of 



KEOGH 



37 



printed books." The duplication of work 
by the "Publishers' weekly" and the Wil- 
son company is not without advantages. 

The third great difference between 
bibliographies is in their completeness, ac- 
curacy and value. A bibliography is an 
exhibition of the literature of a subject, and 
its usefulness is primarily in proportion to 
its completeness. It is largely because the 
historians of earlier days did not employ 
all the documents, but only those on which 
they could lay their hands, that their works 
are without scholarly value. Even to-day 
the fullest bibliographies are only approxi- 
mately complete. The rule of the Biblio- 
graphia zoologica and the "Index medicus" 
is exhaustiveness in the inclusion of books ; 
but articles are excerpted only from such 
magazines as deal solely or chiefly with 
zoology or medicine. Then again the notes 
printed in small type in magazines are not 
usually indexed, although many of them 
are of importance to specialists. The Con- 
cilium bibliographicum, after hesitating for 
years, now publishes a supplementary 
bibliography of such notes. There is no 
reasonable objection to discrimination and 
exclusion, so long as the principles of selec- 
tion are stated and a complete list of 
sources is given. Whether exhaustive or 
select, a bibliography should at least be 
accurate. In common with other scholars 
of their age, the early bibliographers were 
neither full nor accurate, and they would 
be astonished at the careful collations 
given in such lists as Cole's Church Ameri- 
cana. We are all ready to overlook occa- 
sional errors, for De Morgan has shown us 
how difficult it is to describe books cor- 
rectly: but the man who compiles bib- 
liographies with the scissors should have 
no mercy. Many titles are screens and 
need explanation; others are inadequate 
or misleading, and require careful study 
of the text before the precise topic can be 
ascertained and recorded. There is a 
growing practice among European editors 
of indexing each article, and indicating its 
exact scope or object, at the time of its 
appearance. The general adoption of this 



practice would greatly reduce the trouble 
of indexing and the risk of error. 

A complete and accurate list of titles is, 
however, only the indispensable beginning 
of a bibliography. The user is still com- 
pelled to consult and analyze each work in 
order to discover the parts of value to him. 
If he merely chooses at random he may 
get the most worthless of the lot. As the 
benefit to be derived from a book depends 
largely upon the judgment with which it 
is selected, it follows that it is the duty 
of the bibliographer to give not merely 
a list of books, but also some indication as 
to their value. 

Value may be indicated, first, by a care- 
ful selection of titles. All bibliographies 
are selective; but they differ in the degree 
to which exclusion is carried. The "Index 
medicus' omits certain journals because 
they are trivial in character; the Engineer- 
ing index omits articles of casual or pas- 
sing interest and those based en false as- 
sumptions or leading to erroneous conclu- 
sions; Richardson excludes from his 
Fathers, the "too rhetorical and juvenile," 
and those that add nothing for critical 
study. In the case of many bibliographies 
it is of course selection, and not exhaustive- 
ness, that is the ruling principle. Sonnet 
schein, the "A. L. A. catalog," the lists 
issued by the A. L. A. and the New York 
state library, lists of best books like those 
of Lubbock and Canfield, the Pittsburgh 
and the Brooklyn juvenile lists, and the 
Newark list of novels, all aim at selecting 
books that are vital, significant or typical. 
The same is true of encyclopedias and 
other well-made books that append bib- 
liographies, with the double purpose of 
authenticating their statements and indica- 
ting the best books for further study. 

The second method of annotation is de- 
scription the doing for the contents of a 
book what the cataloger does for its mater- 
ial side. Those bibliographies are of the 
most use that give after each title a note 
explaining the scope, method, or conclu- 
sions of the work. The notes in college 
catalogs describing the courses of study, or 



38 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



the annotations on a musical program, 
might well serve as models. 

The third form of annotation is evalua- 
tion". A recent important recognition of 
this method is the ruling of the American 
historical association "that all monographs 
submitted hereafter for the Justin Winsor 
prize must be accompanied by a list of 
titles 'with critical comments and valua- 
tions.' " Critical annotations should tell the 
author's qualification for his task; his at- 
titude toward his subject; his defects, er- 
rors and limitations, with references to the 
necessary supplementary reading; and the 
particular purpose, and class of readers, to 
which a book is best suited. Model annota- 
tions, embodying sane judgments, are to be 
found in the A. L. A. lists. 

From this conception of bibliography, it 
follows that most of the lists now in use 
are not bibliographies at all, but only at- 
tempts towards bibliographies; and 
further, that librarians in general are not 
competent to make bibliographies. To per- 
sonally examine all the books in a field; to 
make a list which shall omit books once 
of repute but now obsolete, and shall in- 
clude old-fashioned books that are still val- 
uable for erudition or criticism; to know 
how far a book is original and how far an 
echo; to avoid hasty critical judgments, 
especially in current literature; to make 
judicious quotations; to suggest proper 
methods of use and the best order 
in which books should be read; to make 
a list which a scholar may be glad to con- 
sult and a beginner will find indispensable; 
these are tasks from which any of us might 
shrink. A good annotated bibliography is 
practically a brief critical history, involv- 
ing a complete mastery of the subject and 
an immense amount of labor. Any of us 
could, with care and perseverance, make a 
complete list of books on Rousseau, but if 
John Morley were to indicate the three 
most vital and significant of these works, 
he would do a hundredfold greater service 
to learning. It is one of the great advan- 
tages and delights of college library work 
that the librarian has constantly at hand 
a body of experts upon whom he can de- 



pend for critical selection. These experts 
are precisely the persons who ought to 
make bibliographies, but they are unfor- 
tunately the best able to dispense with 
them. Librarians should feel no compunc- 
tion in levying toll upon the knowledge of 
these specialists, either directly as in col- 
lege libraries or indirectly by using the 
books and reviews they write. 

A library should build up its bibliograph- 
ical collection as fully as possible, and see 
that readers use it constantly. It is a 
great mistake to place the bibliographies in 
the librarian's room, the catalog room or 
other out of the way place. The small 
library should display its Poole's Index, 
its A. L. A. lists, its Peabody catalog, as 
prominently as its own catalog, and the 
larger libraries should shelve their bib- 
liographies with other reference books. 

One of the chief uses of bibliography is 
in the buying of books. Pew libraries can 
have all the books on a subject, and the 
smaller the library the greater the need of 
selecting the best. A critical bibliography 
is the best working basis in building up 
a new collection or in discovering and 
remedying deficiencies in an old one. Some 
bibliographies are especially helpful be- 
cause they suggest books for first purchase 
or for small libraries. 

Another special use of bibliography is in 
the compilation of reading lists limited to 
the resources of a particular library. The 
making of carefully annotated reading lists 
on current topics is one of the most im- 
portant duties of the librarian,- educating 
both him and his public. The annotations, 
like the library's selection of books, 
should be made with a special eye to the 
local community, and the temporary pur- 
pose of the list. Every list should be 
dated, and if it is to be at all permanent it 
should be carefully revised at intervals. 

One ot the less obvious uses of a bib- 
liography is to give a preliminary survey 
of a field of study. A reader who becomes 
interested in a subject will there find the 
whole field mapped out and subdivided. He 
will get a just view of the relations be- 
tween his field and others, and between 



HODGES 



39 



the subordinate parts of his own field, and 
while following the paths that most at- 
tract him. will be saved from narrowness 
of outlook. 

Bibliography, finally, serves to indicate 
the parts of a field of knowledge that re- 
main untilled. When Winsor Jones was 
librarian of the British Museum, Justin 
Winsor once said to him: "How often does 
it happen that a special student, seeking 
the utmost recesses of his subject, can find 
all he desires in your collection?" Jones's 
answer was: "Not one such investigator 
in ten is satisfied." "Because you haven't 
the books he needs?" Winsor inquired. 
"Yes, partly for that reason," Jones re- 
plied, "but still in good part because the 
books he wishes do not exist. When you 
have been a librarian as long as I have," 
he added, "you will be convinced of the 
small margin of the bounds of knowledge 
as yet covered by printed books." It is in 
defining the boundaries of knowledge, ami 
determining the starting point of research, 
that bibliography serves its highest pur- 
pose 

The Association then passed to the con- 
sideration of reports of Committees and Mr 
N. D. C. HODGES presented the 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
LIBRARY WORK WITH THE BLIND 

Thrashing about for a proper opening to 
this report it seemed to the Chairman that 
nothing could serve better than a few terse 
paragraphs from a letter of Dr Steiner's. 
While not brief enough to serve as a for- 
mal text, they have that firmness and 
clean-cuttedness which make them suitable 
for a head to which may be attached such 
verbiage as may follow. 

Dr Steiner, of the Enoch Pratt free libra- 
ry of Baltimore, writes: 

"We have a department for the blind, 
containing 1025 volumes in New York point 
and line letter type, using these types in- 
asmuch as the New York point is that 
used by our two state schools for white 
and black pupils. The books are cata- 
loged in the same way as all other books 
in the library. Last year we circulated 



545 volumes for the blind. A year and a 
half ago, taking advantage of the free car- 
ria'ge through the mails of books for the 
blind, we began sending these books to the 
blind persons throughout the state, having 
made an agreement with the State library 
commission which body assumed respon- 
sibility for the safe return of the books, 
and agreed to pay us the sum of fifteen 
cents for each book circulated. 

"We do not have readings for the blind. 
Mr Frederick D. Morrison, for many years 
Superintendent of the Maryland school for 
the blind, was much opposed to these 
readings, and we have accepted the policy 
of the school as our own. I believe it is 
very important to be in close harmony 
with the instructors of the blind. We do 
not give instruction ourselves, nor do we 
believe it to be the proper function of the 
public library. Our funds for the purchase 
of books for the blind are taken from our 
regular book fund. 

"The public library has no business to 
visit the blind or aid in securing them 
work, any more than it has to render 
these services to any other class of the 
community. We should always bear in 
mind that we are libraries and that our 
business is to disseminate literature." 

In the summer of 1900 a blind girl, led 
by her sister, called upon the librarian of 
the Public library of Cincinnati and solici- 
ted his aid in starting some work for the 
blind of that city. The librarian, knowing 
that his trustees were soft-hearted and 
with all due deference believing them to 
be soft-headed, restrained the well-inten- 
tioned impulses of the board to take the 
work immediately under its patronage, buy 
embossed books and salary an attendant 
out of the public funds 

The librarian secured the board's ap- 
proval for the use of a room for the blind 
and aided in getting volunteers from among 
the good men and women of Cincinnati to 
read to the blind on stated days. He then 
urged this girl, Miss Georgia D. Trader, to 
go among the philanthropic people of the 
community and secure funds for the pur- 
chase of the needed books. 

That librarian informs us that he takes 
no little pride in all that heartless action 
and heartless advice. Nothing would have 
been easier than to have had in Cincinnati 
a room well filled with embossed books, an 



40 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



attendant seated in their midst, and all as 
smug and lifeless as only such a special 
collection can be the whole paid for out 
of the public purse. 

Jt is very likely true that a library 
should remain a library and do a library's 
work, and herein lies one reason why this 
work for the blind should be fostered not 
by the Public library directly but by some 
adjunct society which need place no re- 
strictions on its methods and on its pur- 
poses so long as those methods and those 
purposes are such as appeal to good people. 

There grew from that little seedling of a 
few volunteer readers work which was 
copied from that already under way in the 
Library of Congress and at the Free library 
in Philadelphia a library association for 
the blind, which had back of it the good 
will, the good services and the good money 
of several hundred Cincinnatians. Blind 
men and women were taught to read and 
write, and blind children were regularly 
instructed for the first time within the city 
limits, though the State at the institution 
in Columbus had previously cared for 
young people. When this schooling of the 
young had grown beyond the powers of the 
Association, the Board of education was 
persuaded to establish a school for the 
blind. And a second budding from the 
Society was a comfortable home for indi- 
gent blind women. 

That home, planned to accommodate a 
few blind women, has within a few weeks 
stretched its resources to accommodate a 
further development of the industrial train- 
ing of the blind a school of weaving, 
weaving of carpets and weaving of laces; 
and all the while there has been kept up 
at the Public library the work which was 
the primary purpose the readings for the 
blind, the entertainments for the blind, the 
instruction of the blind and the circulation 
of books. And the books, not being pur- 
chased though the public funds, can be 
sent as far as Uncle Sam's mails will carry 
them. 

It is not the intention of this report to 
mete out justice to each and all of those 
who have aided in developing this work. 



There is a little town not so far from Cin- 
cinnati the name of which all the library 
workers in the West utter with deference 
Dayton. Now Dayton has profited as usual 
by the errors of her bigger neighbors, and 
instead of the auxiliary society being called 
the "Library society for the blind," in 
Dayton that Society has been named the 
"Association for the promotion of the in- 
terests of the blind." This association is 
something of an infant. It was born only 
in March. Its pedigree runs along lines 
similar to that of the Cincinnati society. 
At first the work was cared for by the Pub- 
lic library, later personally by individuals 
on the library staff. Now what goes on 
at the Library is but one department of 
the above-named society. Cincinnati must 
prepare to be jealous as usual of her little 
neighbor. This Dayton society has already 
secured a fine office and clubrooms in one 
of the downtown buildings, and a stall in 
the Arcade for the sale of goods these the 
gift of one of Dayton's wealthy citizens. 

The President of the Society began by 
being interested in one blind girl, and then 
the library people showed her the group 
listening to readings at the Public library. 
The librarian talked with this lady, often 
suggesting the need of industrial training 
and means of exchange and sale of the 
blind's handiwork as well as the need of 
teaching. The result is the launching of a 
new enterprise which has secured plenty of 
interest and backing. The reading circle, 
which has become a department of the 
Society's activities, is all that remains at 
the Public library. 

Cleveland is doing what she can to foster 
the interests of the blind. Encouraged by 
her success with an initial effort at the 
Public library, Cleveland now rejoices in 
a society for promoting the interests of the 
blind, and Mr Brett informed the chair- 
man in a recent letter that the net receipts 
of a bazar, held a few weeks ago for the 
benefit of the Society, were over $800. 

Buffalo is following along on much the 
same path. A letter from the librarian, 
dated May 1, brings with it a newspaper 
clipping to the effect that fully 50 enthu- 



HODGES 



41 



siastic women, with a few equally zealous 
men, had attended a meeting for the pur- 
pose of discussing the project of organizing 
an association for the education of the 
blind in Buffalo and vicinity. Miss Wini- 
fred Holt of New York, Secretary of the 
New York association, was there to tell 
them what might be done. The result was 
a determination to hold another meeting 
for the formal organization of such an 
association. 

We have referred at some length to these 
outgrowths from that work for the blhjd 
most appropriately carried on at libraries, 
and we hope that there is justification for 
this apparent wandering from the imme- 
diate matter in hand. The chairman of 
this committee, during a visit to England 
five years ago, was interested in finding 
that the technical schools which it was 
urged ten or twenty years ago were so 
much needed in England, and which are 
now blooming out in many of the larger 
cities, owe their existence in some cases, 
to feeble efforts at technical education in 
basement rooms in public libraries. The 
Chamber of commerce of Cincinnati is a 
child of the Mercantile library. We should 
always "bear in mind that we are libraries 
and that our business is to disseminate 
literature," but may we not also bear in 
mind that we are intellectual centers from 
which naturally enough may start move- 
ments which shall mold the unformed 
protoplasm of public opinion, that our en- 
vironment may be the healthier and hap- 
pier. 

Before passing from the consideration of 
such local societies which care for the 
interests of the blind, we must stop a 
moment to bow with respect to two libra- 
ries in which pioneer efforts in this direc- 
tion were made. We refer to the Library 
of Congress and to the Free library of 
Philadelphia. In both of these libraries 
the work for the blind has been persistent- 
ly prosecuted and crowned with success. 
Thanks to an appropriation made by the 
legislature of Pennsylvania during the ses- 
sion of 1905 it became possible for the 



Philadelphia society to expand. That or- 
organizations that we must now give some 
home teaching society and free circulating 
library for the blind, and it is to such state 
orgnizations that we must now give some 
consideration. 

The revenues for the Pennsylvania so- 
ciety come from two sources: The Free li- 
brary of Philadelphia buys some of the 
books and provides a room, while more 
books and the traveling expenses and sal- 
aries of the teachers are paid for by the 
Society. The number of volumes is close 
to 2500, plus some duplicate stock in Moon 
type. The circulation during the year 
1906 came to 9829, which far outstrips the 
circulation of any other library for tlie 
blind. The catalog of books in Ameri- 
can Braille is now being embossed. Fifty 
copies will be printed. This will circu- 
late without charge, with a time limit of 
two weeks. It is hoped to have a simi- 
lar catalog for the books in other types. 
The State board of charities recommended 
to the legislature that $4000 be appropriat- 
ed for the n'ext two years. A bill to this 
effect has passed both the House of Rep- 
resentatives and the Senate, but it had not 
been signed by the Governor at the time 
of writing this report 

The State of Massachusetts has for a 
number of years appropriated $5000 an- 
nually for the home teaching of the blind. 
This appropriation has been ostensibly un- 
der the control of the State board of edu- 
cation, but the work has really devolved 
upon the Superintendent of the Perkins 
institution. There are four blind per- 
sons two men and two women who go 
about the State, each having his own dis- 
trict, teaching reading and writing and 
some small forms of handicraft to such 
blind as they can find who are willing to 
be instructed in their homes. 

A Commission with a membership of 
five was created by an act of the legisla- 
ture in May 1904. This Commission does 
not concern itself with library work it 
was created rather to look after the in- 
dustrial training of the blind. The well- 



42 



HODGES 



known Perkins institution, partly under 
state patronage, has for years covered the 
educational field. These two firmly estab- 
lished and adequately supported agencies 
are thought by some to render direct edu- 
cational work less necessary at the public 
libraries. 

The library work for the blind in Massa- 
chusetts, aside from that in the public 
libraries in Boston and Lynn has hitherto 
been slight. Persons interested in the 
blind in several cities as for instance Wor- 
cester, Brockton, and Fall River are be- 
ginning to stir in the matter and there is a 
prospect of improvement in the near fu- 
ture. 

At Lynn, the blind have received invi- 
tations to the regular entertainments of 
the Lynn educational society a full course 
of two each, month from October to June 
to the Oratorio society's rehearsals, to the 
entertainments given by six women's clubs, 
to the lecturers of the Lynn historical so- 
ciety, and also to occasional lawn parties. 
The work which centers in the Public li- 
brary, where there is a good collection of 
books well used, is fostered by a commit- 
tee of the Historical society and by the 
Every Day club composed of young ladies 
connected with one of the churches. The 
Public library of Worcester has helped to 
work up an interest in the blind which has 
resulted in the recent establishment of a 
home. 

In Michigan there is an employment in- 
stitution for the blind which requires the 
management to maintain a lending library 
and reading circle. It had long been felt 
desirable that somewhere in the state there 
should be a liberal collection of books, 
periodicals and sheet music in various 
styles of embossed characters and a li- 
brarian charged with the duty of caring for 
and distributing the same, and competent 
to give supervision, and assistance to the 
home teaching and home study movement. 
Now that books for the blind can be sent 
through the mails free of cost, it is be- 
lieved that the one fully equipped library 
of embossed reading matter at Saginaw 



might well serve all the sightless readers 
within the boundaries of the state. 

Mr A. M. Shotwell, Librarian of the 
Michigan employment institution for the 
blind writes: 

"Our needs and those of our sightless 
adult readers appear to include more 
humorous works, more good current 
fiction, more reference works (to be con- 
sulted at the library), an accurately 
printed American Braille edition of the 
Bible, a good Bible concordance, an up-to- 
date Braille edition of some good weekly 
news summary (similar to the opening 
pages and the "current events" of "The 
Literary digest") the President's annual 
messages, the quadrennial national party 
platforms and letters of acceptance, etc., 
publications worthy to be re-read and stud- 
ied, also leading papers pertaining to 
current work for the blind. The writer, 
having provided himself with the requisite 
embossing outfit, is doing what the means 
at his hands will permit in some of these 
directions, and has demonstrated the prac- 
ticability of employing competent blind 
persons as printers. 

"The libraries should cooperate with a 
state society or with some more general 
organization in the collection of statistics 
of the blind, and in placing necessary in- 
struction, literary and industrial, within 
their reach, and in extending their oppor- 
tunities for mental and manual employ- 
ment, and should encourage the principal 
readers of embossed publications to mas- 
ter more than one of the current puncto- 
graphic systems, as many interesting and 
valuable works have been embossed in 
each tactile system that have not been 
printed for their use in the other styles 
of raised print; and all should encourage 
the present movement, led by the Ameri- 
can association of workers for the blind, 
looking toward the more general adoption 
of a uniform, legible, and completely 
grammatical system or method of writing 
or printing for the blind of America or of 
all English speaking countries; and the 
librarians and attendants in charge who 
are interested in the work for the blind, 
are urged, both individually and through 
local or state organizations, to affiliate 
themselves with the general body of 
American workers for the blind, whose 
biennial convention is to be held in Boston 
in the latter part of August next." 

In California embossed books In four dif- 
ferent types are sent from the State library 
to any blind resident and a collection of 



HODGES 



43 



from ten to twenty-five embossed books 
are loaned to any public library that can 
vouch for at least five readers. The first 
book was loaned June 13, 1905. There are 
now 222 blind borrowers scattered from 
one end to the other of the state. 

In Rhode Island, the Public library of 
Providence was influential in having two 
state teachers of adult blind appointed a 
couple of years ago. In common with the 
experience of others, it is found that in 
addition to the teachers, visitors are need- 
ed. The library has no regular attendant 
for the blind but has been able to keep 
close to the work. As to the character of 
the books Mrs Mary E. S. Root, who is in 
immediate charge, writes that there is need 
of more delightful story books not school 
books. One of the readers, a man of fifty, 
said that he did not want to be educated, 
only to forget. As a natural outgrowth 
there is a prospect for the opening of a 
shop where goods made by the blind can 
be placed on sale. 

The New York state library has taken an 
active part in this work and has kept 
valuable records showing the character of 
the books called for as well as the number 
of volumes. This library has also had 
printed in New York point quite a number 
of books which otherwise would not be 
available. The library's methods of cata- 
loging are worthy of careful consideration, 
as also the means employed to convey in- 
struction to blind readers. 

In New York City an organization was 
chartered by the Regents of the University 
in 1895 under the name of the New York 
free circulating library for the blind. In 
1903 this was consolidated with the New 
York public library and has since been 
operated as a branch with quarters in one 
of the branch buildings. A teacher is em- 
ployed who gives all her time to the worK. 
Most of her instruction is in reading, a lit- 
tle in writing but none at all in arithmetic. 
The Library circulates books freely in the 
states of New York, New Jersey and Con- 
necticut, and elsewhere on special request 
on the approval of the Chairman of the 
circulation committee. There has recently 



been formed the New York association for 
promoting the interests of the adult blind. 
Of this Association Miss Winifred Holt, 
44 East 78th st, is secretary. 

In Illinois, writes Joseph H. Freeman, 
Superintendent of the Illinois school for the 
blind, they have applied to the General 
Assembly of Illinois for an appropriation 
of $2,000 to purchase embossed books for 
a library to be used by readers in the state 
outside the school. 

The blind collection at the Chicago public 
library numbers about 1,100 volumes, the 
circulation is annually in the neighborhood 
of 1,200 volumes, entirely within the city. 
The books are drawn chiefly through the 
delivery stations. Very few blind persons 
go to the main library. The Chicago 
woman's club has recently interested itself 
in the work and has employed an instruc- 
tor. 

In Delaware a bill providing for an ap- 
propriation of $1,200 per year for "home 
teaching" of the blind throughout the State 
has passed the House of Representatives 
and the Senate and has gone to the Gover- 
nor for his signature. There is no reason 
to suppose that he will veto it. Miss Anne 
M. Ward, a graduate of the Pennsylvania 
school for the blind, has been doing suc- 
cessful work as "home teacher" since July, 
1906. 

The Missouri school for the blind at St 
Louis has 2,500 books. These are circulated 
throughout the state. An association which 
will care for the interests of the blind was 
organized in February 1907 under the title 
of The Scotoic aid society. 

Miss Hattie E. Stevenson, assistant Li- 
brarian of the Department of public in- 
struction of Denver, reports that Colorado 
is the happy possessor of sixteen books in 
raised type. The General Assembly by a 
recent law has provided for a workshop 
which will soon be in working order in 
Denver. 

In Virginia the State library has a col- 
lection of 500 embossed books, and the 
circulation is given as 500. As is often the 
case, books are sent beyond the territorial 
limits of the library. 



A.SHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



In Indiana there is a collection of 440 
embossed books at the State library. The 
circulation amounts to 300. Books are not 
allowed to go beyond the state boundaries. 

The problem of serving the blind with 
reading matter is like every other social 
problem far from its complete solution. 
One member of this Committee, Mr Asa 
Don Dickinson, now Librarian of the Lea- 
venworth public library, and who unfortu- 
nately cannot be present at this meeting, 
wrote the chairman under date of May 6th 
as follows: 

"We should have a central library, where 
can be found in one place all the books 
that have ever been printed in raised type. 
Any one of these books should be avail- 
able to every blind person in the country, 
by means of free carriage through the 
United States mails. Under the present 
system (or want of system), each district 
has either no books at all, or an insuffi- 
cient collection which has largely outlived 
its usefulness in the immediate neighborhood, 
If our central library can have books 
enough to send traveling libraries to any 
institutions throughout the country which 
may be willing to make themselves local 
centers, so much the better. But at any 
rate let us have a central collection which 
may be drawn upon by individuals in all 
parts of the country. 

"It matters little whether this institu- 
tion is evolved from the Library of Con- 
gress, from the Pennsylvania home teach- 
ing society, or from some other established 
institution; or whether an entirely new 
organization is created. It matters little 
whether it be established by public funds 
or by private benevolence. But an insti- 
tution capable of doing this work we must 
have somehow, somewhere." 

Mr Samuel H. Ranck, Librarian of the 
Public library at Grand Rapids, has taken 
an active interest in work for the blind, 
having succeeded during the past year in 
starting a blind department in the Grand 
Rapids library, and from him the Chair- 
man has received a letter calling atten- 
tion to a difficulty in the delivery of em- 
bossed books. "These are delivered by the 
library to the homes of the readers and 
called for at a stated time, unless they 
are returned beforehand. The matter of 
calling for and delivering the books in 
this way is believed to be desirable, owing 



to the fact that, while books for the 
blind may be sent through the mails 
free, most of the packages are so large that 
they are not delivered by the carrier ser- 
vice of the post-office department. It would 
be just as easy, therefore, for blind readers 
to get the books at the Library as it 
would be at the post-office, and on this 
account the Library has undertaken the 
free delivery." 

Mr Ranck has an able lieutenant in Miss 
Roberta A: Griffith, the leading blind citi- 
zen of Grand Rapids, a graduate of the 
Western Reserve university. Miss Grif- 
fith would urge "upon printers of em- 
bossed literature the desirability of com- 
plying, so far as possible, with the usual 
typographical practice, and rules of English 
composition in punctuation, syllabication 
and capitalization; for, whatever may be 
said in excuse of the now too general dis- 
regard of those rules, it must be remem- 
bered that the blind reader cannot ordinar- 
ily consult books of reference as the sighted 
reader can, and that he is entirely depen- 
dent upon his embossed books for his 
knowledge of what is correct in such mat- 
ters." 

Miss Griffith further "sees the need of a 
uniform system of printing and writing for 
the blind to take the place of the British 
and the American Braille and the New 
York point; and, without taking any action 
either in favor of, or against any of these 
systems, would recommend the appoint- 
ment of a committee of the Library Asso- 
ciation to confer with and keep In touch 
with the uniform type commission of the 
American association of workers for the 
blind, which has this subject under con- 
sideration;" and urges that "the American 
Library Association send a delegate, or 
delegates, to the convention of the Ameri- 
can association of workers for the blind, 
to be held at Boston, August 27-30. This 
association is composed of both sighted 
and blind men and women who are devoted 
to the interests of the blind, and besides 
the report of the uniform type commission, 
other subjects in which librarians are di- 
rectly interested may be considered." 



HODGES 



45 



Mr Bledsoe, Superintendent of the Mary- 
land school for the blind, has also written 
us on this question of printing as follows: 

"The greatest need in regard to printing 
for the blind is more uniformity. For the 
last thirty years a controversy on this sub- 
ject has been carried on and has resulted 
in there being books in use printed in not 
less than five different kinds of type 
Moon, Boston line letter, English Braille, 
American Braille, and New York point. 

"The Moon type is very good for adults 
who find it impossible to use either of the 
other systems, and its maintenance is pro- 
vided for by a society organized for that 
purpose, so it needs no further comment. 
The number of books printed in English 
Braille is so small that it calls for no seri- 
ous consideration. The Boston line letter 
has been fast going out of use, having 
been kept up by the persistency of Mr 
Anagnos, who contended that it was just 
as easily read as either of the point sys- 
tems, but the consensus of opinion is that 
this is not the case, and the fact that all 
who use the point systems almost invari- 
ably discard the line would seem to indi- 
cate that the point is the more practical. 
You are aware that the most of the books 
now in use in the various schools in this 
country are printed in the two point sys- 
tems. 

"The controversy and lack of unity in 
the last twenty years has been due to a 
difference of opinion as to the better of 
these. 

"It would be well if we could do all of 
our printing in one or the other of these 
two systems, but there already exists so 
much literature printed in each that it 
would be almost impossible to induce those 
who control the matter of printing to dis- 
card either. In reality this is not at all 
necessary. What is needed, however, is 
cooperation between the various schools as 
to a thorough course of study outlined with 
texts and collateral reading based upon 
the books now printed in New York point 
and Braille in so far as this is possible, 
with recommendations for the printing of 
additional ones in these two systems, 
avoiding any duplications. These are the 
most practical and the one is not enough 
better than the other to authorize the dis- 
carding of either." 

Miss Emma R Neisser, of the Philadel- 
phia free library, from which there has 
been such a large circulation of books, 
writes of some of the problems as follows: 



"I believe there are many of the elderly 
blind who will never read any embossed 
type except the Moon. There are others 
who will not learn American Braille or 
New York point unless they first learn 
Moon. 

"No one knows better than I do the lim- 
itations of the supply of books in Moon 
type. I know that librarians look with im- 
patience and disdain over the meagre list 
of titles in the catalog of Moon's Soci- 
ety. In spite of all criticism I believe in 
Moon type for many blind persons, and 
have done what I could to help bring about 
a change for the better. The simplicity of 
the Moon characters and the ease with 
which even the elderly blind can learn it 
make it desirable for those who have lost 
their sight in adult life. 

"Librarians will do well not to overlook 
the fact that it is from this large class that 
they will draw their readers. If they pro- 
vide books for former pupils of schools 
only, they miss a large proportion of the 
blind population. 

"It seems to me that the most important 
feature in the work of libraries for the 
blind is the establishment of 'home teach- 
ing.' Whether this shall be done under 
the care of the public library, or a state 
commission, or the state school, or by 
women's clubs, or other private enter- 
prise, is immaterial; but unless this is 
done, no library of embossed books can 
hope to be of use to the greatest number 
of blind in its vicinity. Many of the blind 
may become readers if they have help and 
encouragement when first learning to read. 
I know of one library which has a collec- 
tion of embossed books which are never 
used. The Librarian herself told me the 
books were never called for. Undoubtedly 
if the blind in that city were trained to use 
embossed type, the books would circulate 
as in other cities. 

"I believe the home teacher should be 
a blind person or one with defective sight, 
and that the teacher should be chosen 
from among former pupils of the state 
school, thus cooperating with the library. 
Each large city should support at least 
one home teacher to visit the blind in the 
vicinity." 

In view of the increasing activity in the 
work for the blind and the evident expan- 
sion of this work into fields not properly 
belonging to libraries, we recommend that 
a Committee of this Association be ap- 
pointed to report on the progress of work 
for the blind strictly germane to libraries, 



46 



ASHEV1LLE CONFERENCE 



and to confer with such societies as shall 
foster the general interests of the blind. 
N. D. C. HODGES 
BERNARD C. STEINER 
EMMA R. NEISSER, 

Committee. 

Voted, That the report be accepted and 
placed on file and under the Constitution, 
the recommendations of the committee be 
referred to the Council. 

Miss Emma R. Neisser then read for Mr 
JOHN THOMSON of the Free library of 
Philadelphia, a paper on 

LIBRARY WORK AMONGST THE 
BLIND 

I desire to bring about an increased acti- 
vity on the part of the free public libraries 
of the United States amongst the blind. 
There are more than 60,000 suffering from 
blindness in the Union of whom only about 
18 per cent, (consisting of young people 
under 21 years of age) can be cared for by 
the magnificent schools in operation up 
and down throughout the states. Of the 
adults beyond the age limit for admittance 
into schools, it must be remembered that 
a very large proportion frequently become 
blind after the age of forty. I will not to- 
day discuss for one moment the relative 
values of the different kinds of embossed 
types. All are good; all are blessings to 
those physically and often mentally 
wrecked by the causes which have brought 
about their blindness. What I desire to 
advocate is that a well-planned scheme of 
cooperative work by the public libraries in 
each and every state of the Union be put 
into operation. Individual effort will do 
much; individual care by individual libra- 
rians will accomplish a great deal; but to 
get the best results, I think, the work 
should be undertaken on a systematic and 
cooperative method. It is most encouraging 
when you read the reports from different 
libraries to find how the work is gradu- 
ally being appreciated and attended to on 
an enlarged scale. 

If the A. L. A. admits that work amongst 
the blind is more than desirable, let me 



submit a few suggestions. The first thing 
is to collect sufficient funds to purchase 
a large number of embossed books and in 
this way to provide reading and music of a 
widely varied character for the blind of 
each state. I ask for consideration of the 
desirability of establishing an executive 
committee to be appointed by the President 
and Council of the Association with a few 
instructions from the Council by way of 
indicating how the work can be most 
effectively undertaken. The end to be 
struggled for would seem to be to have one 
public library in each state selected as the 
state headquarters for the distribution of 
books for the blind. 

Then to have a system of suggestions and 
rules prepared and sent to each library in 
which members of the A. L. A. are en- 
gaged as librarians. These rules and sug- 
gestions to include several vital points, 
such as: 

To obtain a complete list of the resident 
blind within the territorial scope of these 
libraries. These lists of the blind can be 
readily Qbtained if application is made to 
the mayor or chief officer of each town 
who, it may be taken for granted, will in- 
struct the police to give this information 
to the libraries. After their names and ad- 
dresses are so obtained, a circular to the 
blind would readily notify them of the 
library and experience has shown that the 
blind and their relations are more than 
ready to ask for the benefit of books. Each 
of the state depository libraries would be 
asked to keep in close communication with 
the Committee at the Headquarters of the 
A. L. A. so that the work may be systema- 
tized in an economical but far-reaching 
manner. 

Important as the above suggestions as 
to the circulation of books must prove, it 
should be suggested to the committee that 
above all a method should be provided to 
procure for the blind a system of homa 
teaching by teachers who can be sent to 
the homes of the blind. The above are no 
new suggestions to any of us and those 
who have tried some of the methods will 
probably be the first to advocate the adop- 



HANSON 



tion of an improved system of work. One 
or two illustrations may possibly be per- 
mitted. It is well known that the Govern- 
ment has recently granted free postage of 
embossed books so that one of the most 
expensive parts of the work has been 
eliminated. 

It is not so difficult to procure the aid 
of persons to print books as it might seem. 
At the Narragansett Pier meeting Miss 
Neisser and I advocated amongst some of 
the friends of the movement the printing 
of Lodge and Roosevelt's "Heroes of Ameri- 
can history." The Free library of Phila- 
delphia had only been able to print one 
of the four volumes which the embossed 
type demanded. Within a very few weeks 
$195 were subscribed by three members 
of one family and the entire work has now 
been printed. Inasmuch as this was printed 
in Moon type, it was only required of the 
Home teaching society in Pennsylvania to 
pay one-half of the cost, the other half 
being paid for by the Brighton (England) 
society. Encouraged by this, I advocated 
at the Atlantic City meeting of the Pennsyl- 
vania and New Jersey associations the 
printing of more embossed books. Two 
ladies were so interested they subscribed 
through Miss Neisser a certain sum of 
money and are trying to raise the balance 
to enable us to print Shakespeare's 
"Macbeth." One half is now finished and 
when we get a little more money the re- 
mainder will be printed. Let the work 
amongst the blind be a unit, but let it have 
as many limbs as there are states and in 
each state as many feeders for the supply 
of books to our unfortunate blind brethren 
as there are public libraries. 

If a committee is appointed which will 
undertake and resolve to carry into effect 
this great work, it will be inevitable that 
blind teachers must be provided and in 
hundreds of directions teach the blind how 
to read. Many of these unfortunate people 
learn to read in one, two and certainly in 
three lessons at their homes. The blind 
are a very nervous, sensitive class of peo- 
ple, but they can be reached effectively by 
teachers visiting them in their homes. 



It is a great work and I want to see it 
grow and grow, and I shall be very grate- 
ful if the grant to me of these ten minutes 
shall result in the furtherance of the great 
end that I have in my mind. 

Lastly, I think it may be well that the 
A. L. A. committee above suggested should 
take charge of all directions and instruc- 
tions to be given with a view to procure 
from the legislatures of each state an ap- 
propriation to carry on this work in its 
own state, and to the end that this work 
may be done in an orderly fashion it may 
possibly seem good to the Council to ap- 
point one of the librarians in each state 
as a kind of registrar to take charge of 
the introduction and, if possible, the pass- 
age of an appropriation for the develop- 
ment of the work for the blind. In Penn- 
sylvania, the free library has worked in 
cooperation with the Home teaching society 
for the blind and for the years 1905-1906 
the state appropriated the sum of $2000 
for the development of the home teaching 
work. The legislature just adjourned has 
appropriated the sum of $4000 for this pur- 
pose and the bill only awaits the signature 
of the governor to become law. I commend 
these suggestions to the best considera- 
tion of the Association and hope that a 
successful result will be obtained. 

Mr J. C. M. HANSON next read the 

REPORT OF THE CATALOG RULES 
COMMITTEE 

The Catalog rules committee has, since its 
organization in 1901, reported to the Pub- 
lishing board. At the meeting of the Coun- 
cil held in connection with 'the last annual 
conference of the Association at Narragan- 
sett Pier, it was constituted a special com- 
mittee of the A. L. A. and accordingly 
begs to submit, herewith, its first regular 
report to the Association. 

It will be recalled that the Library of 
Congress undertook to print and distribute, 
a revision of the old A. L. A. rules which 
had been prepared by this Committee in the 
form of an advance edition or draft code. 
This was in July, 1902. 



48 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



The issue of this advance edition served 
two purposes; first, to elicit criticism and 
suggestions; secondly, to serve as a tem- 
porary" guide for the many libraries which 
had begun to use the printed cards of the 
Library of Congress, and, therefore, re- 
quired some general directions to the rules 
which governed in the preparation of these 
cards. 

The criticisms and comments on the ad- 
vance edition were carefully summarized 
and submitted for discussion at three meet- 
ings of the Committee during 1903 and 
1904. The revision was thus advanced suf- 
ficiently to warrant the hope that a first 
edition might go to press during the winter 
of 1904-1905. In October, 1904, however, 
came the proposal from the Library Asso- 
ciation looking to the preparation of a joint 
code of cataloging rules. The acceptance 
of this invitation by the Executive beard 
gave a new aspect to the entire question 
of revision and all thought of printing 
was necessarily set aside pending the nego- 
tiations which were to follow. 

It is the purpose of this report to give a 
brief survey of the consultations between 
the two committees and their results. 

It may as well be stated at the outset 
that there have been so far, no opportun- 
ities for joint meetings. All negotiation 
has been carried on by means of corres- 
pondence. It should also be noted that 
the members of the American committee 
were widely separated and found it diffi- 
cult to meet more than once a year and 
that, usually, in connection with some con- 
ference where, frequently, other commit- 
tees and meetings demanded a share of 
their time and attention. Under these cir- 
cumstances, we feel that the progress made 
has been all that could be expected. 

The fact that the American draft code 
was issued already in July, 1902, and the 
corresponding British code in September, 
1904, has greatly facilitated a general 
agreement. Thirteen copies of the former 
code had been sent to England in 1902 for 
the use of the British committee. In 
formulating its own draft code, the latter 



was. therefore, in a position to decide on 
a certain number of rules which might be 
accepted without further question. 

It became apparent, also, at the meeting 
of your Committee in March, 1905, when 
for the first time, an opportunity for com- 
parison of the two codes was offered, that 
there were fewer points of serious disa- 
greement than might have been expected. 
With a ready willingness on both sides to 
make reasonable concessions, it was felt, 
even then, that prospects for a final agree- 
ment were promising. These hopes have, 
so far, been fully borne out by the results 
of the correspondence which has passed be- 
tween the two committees. 

Immediately after the above mentioned 
meeting, a full report of the proceedings 
was addressed to the Hon. chairman of the 
Catalog rules revision committee of the 
Library Association. It contained, mainly, 
decisions and suggestions on the 54 rules 
which composed the British draft code. 
In connection with it, a copy of the Amer- 
ican advance edition with annotations, em- 
bodying all changes, additions and modifi- 
cations adopted subsequent to March 1903, 
was prepared and forwarded for the use of 
the British committee. The hope was ex- 
pressed that when the time should be ripe 
for it, a conference might be arranged be- 
tween authorized representatives of the 
two committees for the purpose of con- 
sidering all details which could not well be 
settled by correspondence. 

The report of the 1905 meeting and like- 
wise of the meeting of 1906, at Narragan- 
sett Pier, together with the considerations 
on these reports by the British committee, 
have now resulted in the following mutual 
concessions which will give a fair idea of 
the points of difference which, at the out- 
set, separated the two committees. 

Of the 54 rules constituting the British 
draft code, it was found that with slight 
modifications or additions your committee 
could subscribe to 29 without further ques- 
tion. In the remaining rules, there were 
some points of difference of which the fol- 
lowing may be noted: 



HANSON 



1 (Brit. 4) Compound surnames in Eng- 
lish. In the course of the correspondence, 
it had been suggested by the British com- 
mittee that English names connected with 
a hyphen should be entered under the 
first name so connected. The American 
committee deemed this too radical a de- 
parture from the old rule of entering un- 
der the second name, but would permit 
the exception when it was clearly the au- 
thor's own usage and preference to enter 
under his first name. The Hon. secretary 
of the British committee has expressed his 
approval of this compromise, although the 
final decision of his committee has not 
reached us. As it stands, the rule is in 
agreement with the original wording of 
the British draft code. 

2 (Brit. 12) Joint authors. Of two or 
more joint authors, the British rule would 
give two names in the heading; if more 
than two, the first only, followed by the 
phrase "and others." The American rule, 
as given in the advance edition and still 
adhered to, calls for the first author only 
in the heading, the second and following 
authors to be given in the title or in a 
note. Added entries are, of course, to be 
made in all cases under the second and 
following authors. The compromise of- 
fered by your committee calls for the 
name of the first author only in the head- 
ing, a note, however, to state that in a 
written card catalog, or in a printed cata- 
log in book form, both of two names may 
be given in the heading in the form, Doe, 
John and Roe, Richard, the second name 
being disregarded in the arrangement. 
When there are more than two joint au- 
thors, the form prescribed in the British 
rule is to be given, viz., Doe, John, and 
uthcrs. According to a letter of the Hon. 
secretary of the British committee, the 
alternative suggested by the note has 
seemed to be satisfactory. We have, how- 
ever, as yet received no notice of definite 
action by their committee on this point. 

3 (Brit. 14) Commentaries. The Brit- 
ish code called for entry under author of 
the text in all cases, provided the text was 
given with a commentary. Your Commit- 
tee felt that an opportunity for an occa- 
sional exception should be provided and 
suggested the addition of the following 
note: "It may occasionally be preferable 
to enter under the author of the com- 
mentary when (a) the typographical dis- 
position of the text clearly indicates its 
intended secondary position, e.g., in small 
type at the foot of the page, in parenthe- 
ses, etc., to elucidate the commentary; (b) 
when the text is printed in a fragmentary 



manner or is distributed through the com- 
mentary in such manner that it cannot be 
readily distinguished from it." The rule 
is, therefore, practically that of the British 
code, the note, an adaptation from the 
American code. 

4 (Brit. 15) Dissertations. There was 
some difficulty in coming to an agreement 
here. The British committee presented a 
rule which was in accord with that of 
"Cutter." The latter had again been 
favored by a minority of the American 
Committee (Cutter being one of them). It 
called for entry under the respondent in 
the case of earlier dissertations provided 
the respondent was known to be the 
author. The present rule, which has 
finally prevailed in both committees, reads: 
"Enter dissertations published before 1800 
under the praeses as praeses. Make an 
added entry under the respondent when 
he is known to be the author. The word 
'praeses' or 'respondent' is to be added in 
the heading. Treat in the same way also 
the dissertations of certain universities at 
which the old custom continued after 1800 
(.e.g., the Swedish and Finnish, and of the 
German, particularly Tubingen). 

Enter dissertations after 1800 under the 
author, excepting those of the universities 
where the old custom was kept up after 
1800 (e.g., the Swedish and Finnish, and of 
the German particularly Tubingen). 

If two respondents are named without a 
praeses, and without designating the 
author, make entry under the first and 
added entry under the second. (Eclectic 
169-174)." 

5 (Brit. 17) Government departments 
and offices. The British committee pro- 
posed to enter all departments of the Brit- 
ish government under their names, others 
under the name of the country, town, etc. 
This exception was objected to by your 
Committee on the ground that the code 
was to serve for more than one country 
and it might be well to avoid, as far as 
possible, any rule or exception to a rule 
which had reference to only one of these 
countries. The point was conceded by the 
British committee and the departments of 
the British government are to be entered 
like those of other countries. 

6 (Brit. 18) Societies. Two main rules 
were suggested by the British draft code. 
The first called for entry of political, so- 
cial, religious or other bodies of a non- 
local character under the first word other 
than an article, of the name of the body. 
The second would enter local societies, 
library schools, universities, institutions, 
etc., under the name of the place con- 



50 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



cerned. The American code has provided 
one section of rules (71-80) for societies 
and associations, with entry under the 
name as the main rule, specifying certain 
exceptions. Another section of rules (81- 
98) provides for institutions or establish- 
ments which are intimately connected with 
a particular locality by buildings, plants, 
grounds, etc., prescribing entry under the 
place as a general rule, with specified ex- 
ceptions. Still a third section (99-110) 
provides for miscellaneous bodies which 
cannot well be classed either with govern- 
ment departments, societies or institutions. 
In the British draft code, nine rules were 
allotted to corporate entry as against 29 
in the A. L. A. advance edition. In the 
rules as they now stand, 52 out of 167 
rules are devoted to this troublesome ques- 
tion with good prospects for an increase 
in subsequent editions. 

7 (Brit. 26) Pseudonyms. There is no 
appreciable difference between the two 
committees on this point. Both would 
enter under the real names whenever they 
can be ascertained, otherwise under the 
pseudonyms. The American committee, 
however, has provided opportunity for an 
occasional exception by adding a note 
which states that a popular library may 
enter under the pseudonym when this is 
decidedly better known than the real 
name. It is not expected that the Library 
Association will object to the alternative 
here offered. 

8 (Brit. 27) Initials, asterisks, etc. 
A somewhat radical change from the 
American rule is here proposed. The 
British rule reads: "Initials, asterisks, or 
other typographical devices denoting au- 
thorship, but unidentified, are not to be 
adopted as headings, but the book treated 
as anonymous." To this we have agreed 
but have added the stipulation (since ac- 
cepted by the British committee) that 
added entry be made under the initial, as- 
terisk, or other typographical device used 
to denote authorship. 

9 (Brit. 30) Anonymous titles. It was 
agreed from the outset that anonymous 
works, the authors of which are not 
known, should be entered under the first 
word of the title other than an article. 
There are, however, some details on which 
we have differed. For instance, the British 
code contains a rule (30) which reads: 
"When the title of an anonymous work be- 
gins with a word indicating numerical se- 
quence, or defining its relation to another 
work, the work is to be entered under the 
heading of the principal work. A first 
word reference to be made in all cases." 



The American committee would treat these 
works like anonymous books and make a 
main entry under the first word, with 
added entry under the title of the original 
work. This is one of the few points on 
which we have as yet failed to reach an 
agreement. Similarly their rule 31 states: 
"When the first word of the title of an 
anonymous work may be spelled in more 
than one way, choose one spelling, and re- 
fer from the other." Here again your com- 
mittee has preferred to enter according to 
the spelling of the title-page, bringing the 
various editions together in one place by 
means of references or added entries. 
Agreed to by the British committee. 

10 (Brit. 32) Periodical publications. 
According to the British code, periodical 
publications other than those of societies, 
are to be considered as anonymous works 
and are to be entered accordingly, the last 
title to be used as the main heading. Your 
committee has suggested that added en- 
tries be made for editors. The A. L. A. 
rules also attempt to differentiate between 
the periodicals published by societies and 
institutions, and those that are not pub- 
lished by or under the auspices of any 
named body. 

11 (Brit. 34) Place names. To the 
British rule which calls for entry under 
the English form of the name, your com- 
mittee has suggested the following addi- 
tion: When both the English and the ver- 
nacular form are used in English works, 
the vernacular is to be preferred. The 
suggestion has been accepted. The Brit- 
ish committee would decide doubtful cases 
by reference to Longman's Gazetteer of 
the world. The American committee pre- 
fers the Decisions of the Board on geo- 
graphic names, the Century dictionary of 
names and the Century atlas. We also 
propose to add references to the gazet- 
teers of Lippincott and Longman. 

12 (Brit. 48) Size. The British com- 
mittee would give size either in inches or 
centimeters. The omission of "inches" 
has been suggested and agreed to. 

13 (Brit. 51) Arrangement. The only 
difference here is that the British rule 
calls for arrangement of names of places 
before similar names of persons, these in 
turn to be followed by similar first words 
of titles. Your Committee has adhered to 
the order given in Cutter, viz., (1) persons; 
(.2) places; (3) title. 

14 (Brit. 53) Capitals. In the British 
code is found a brief but comprehensive 
statement to which we have, in the main, 
agreed. In the copies of the rules sub- 
mitted with the present report, we have 



HANSON 



51 



offered, as an alternative, a fuller and 
more explicit rule. The latter is intended 
for the convenience of those libraries 
which prefer to have access to a more de- 
tailed statement than the one offered in 
the main rule. This alternative has not, 
as yet, been submitted to the British com- 
mittee. 

15 (Brit. 54) Figures. According to 
British rule 54, roman numerals are to be 
used after names of sovereigns. In other 
cases, arabic figures are to be used. Your 
Committee has not felt that arabic figures 
could be substituted for roman in all cases, 
while favoring the preference of arabic, 
would retain roman in the following in- 
stances: (a) when given in the main title; 
(b) in paging, when preliminary pages are 
distinguished from the rest of the volume 
by roman figures; (c) in contents, when 
roman figures have been used for the spe- 
cific purpose of distinguishing between 
parts, abtheilungen, lieferungen, etc. 
These suggestions have also been ac- 
cepted. 

As exhibits to accompany this report, we 
beg to submit the folowing: 

1 A copy of the rules proper as revised 
to date and printed by the Library of Con- 
gress "as manuscript."* 

2 A typewritten copy of the Introduc- 
tion to the rules and of the Appendices, 
covering Abbreviations, Definitions and the 
Transliteration rules.a 

3 A copy of the sample cards which it 
is proposed to print as an appendix.a 

We regret that time and expense did not 
permit the printing also of the Introduc- 
tion, Appendices and Index, and the final 
preparation of copies in pamphlet form. 
It is our belief, however, that the printed 
proofs which are submitted herewith for 
your inspection, will prove more conven- 
ient and serviceable than a corresponding 
number of typewritten copies. 

These exhibits, therefore, represent the 
rules as revised to date. 

It is estimated that the material in hand, 
together with the Index, will make a vol- 
ume of about 116 pages. In order that the 
rules may be printed on cards, if there 
should be demand for them in that form, 

a These will be printed with the Rules. 



the Committee recommends that a size of 
page be adopted sufficiently narrow to per- 
mit reprinting on cards without a reset- 
ting. 

The British committee had reported at 
Bradford in September, 1906, that their own 
draft code and that of the American com- 
mittee were now practically identical. They 
also recommended that a joint code be 
now printed and that they be authorized 
to proceed with and conclude such further 
negotiations as may be necessary for the 
issue of a joint code. The report and recom- 
mendation were agreed to by the Library 
Association. 

In answer to a letter addressed to the 
Hon. Secretary of the British committee 
after the meeting at Narragansett Pier in 
June, 1906, which letter contained an ac- 
count of the latest decisions of the Amer- 
ican committee and certain suggestions on 
the form in which the joint code might 
be published, a communication was re- 
ceived, dated Sept. 19th, 1906, from which 
the following is quoted: 

"My committee are of opinion that the 
two draft codes (English and American) 
have reached such a stage of agreement as 
to warrant printing as soon as possible, 
and we have been authorized by the Li- 
brary Association to proceed with and con- 
clude such further negotiations with your 
Committee as may be necessary for the is- 
sue of a joint code. 

"We think that the code should be printed 
in two editions (English and American) 
but that the editions should as far as 
possible be identical in arrangement and 
wording, and that where a divergence of 
opinion between the two committees ex- 
ists with respect to a particular rule that 
such difference of opinion should be ex- 
plained either in a note appended to the 
rule in question or by the printing of the 
two rules side by side, showing which is 
which. I trust however that we shall be 
able to arrive at practical unanimity on 
most points so that the cases where di- 
vergence of opinion exists may be very 
few indeed." 

In view of this action by the Library 



52 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Association, we would recommend that the 
American Library Association authorize 
the printing of a first American edition of 
the joint code, as revised to date, and 
further, that your Committee be instructed 
to proceed with such further negotiations 
as may be necessary in order to dispose of 
questions of detail, which are likely to 
come up in connection with the printing of 
the two editions, the American and the 
English. It is our belief that the action 
here recommended will mean the practical 
consummation of the agreement on a com- 
mon code of cataloging rules for the great 
majority of American and English libraries. 

To your Committee such action would 
be particularly gratifying as we feel that 
much of the success which has attended the 
negotiations is due to the open and gener- 
ous manner in which we have throughout 
been met by the British committee. 

Our appreciation of this friendly spirit 
can best be shown by action which will 
lead to a speedy and successful consumma- 
tion of their labors. 

The PRESIDENT: The report of the 
Committee on Catalog rules is certainly a 
most important one. It is an agreeable 
surprise to some of us and we thank them 
for the care which they have given to the 
matter. The report will be referred to the 
Catalog section for consideration and dis- 
cussion. 

Mr LEGLER: Mr President, I move that 
this report of the Committee on Catalog 
rules be formally received, that the recom- 
mendations made therein be referred to the 
Council and that the American Library 
Association here records its appreciation of 
the cooperation of the British library 
association which has made possible so 
great a measure of unity in catalog rules. 

Seconded by Mr Bowker and Carried. 

The first general session adjourned at 
12.55 p. m. 

SECOND SESSION 

(Ball Room, Battery Park Hotel, Saturday 
Morning, May 25th.) 

The PRESIDENT called the second gen- 
eral session to order at 9.30 o'clock, and 



the Association at once passed to the con- 
sideration of reports of committees. 
Mr D. P. COREY presented the 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON HEAD- 
QUARTERS 

Boston, May 1, 1907. 
To the American Library Association. 

Since making its first report, your Com- 
mittee has kept closely in touch with the 
work at the Headquarters in Boston and 
finds that it is constantly developing in 
usefulness as librarians get to understand 
that there is a place where they have a 
right to ask for information and advice. 
Two features of the work are most in evi- 
dence: 

1 The systematizing of the business 
that which may be called the sales de- 
partment, of the Publishing board as dis- 
tinguished from the editorial work which 
is, perhaps, the proper function of the 
board. 

2 The beginning of a collection of plans 
of library buildings, which has required 
much hard work, time, and correspondence 
in inducing librarians and architects to 
furnish full floor plans, and in devising 
methods of mounting, arranging, and in- 
dexing such plans when obtained. 

Of other departments of work, the labor 
of the making up and issue of the Bulletin 
has fallen mainly upon the Headquarters' 
force; and the number of callers and the 
amount of correspondence requiring atten- 
tion have steadily increased. 

Much might sincerely be said of the zeal, 
intelligent work, and constant application 
of Mr E. C. Hovey. If the Committee has 
any criticism to make in this connection, it 
is that he works too hard, night as well as 
day, for his health. In the settlement of 
the problems which have required atten- 
tion in the establishment of the Head- 
quarters and in the carrying out of de- 
tails for the advancement of the work and 
the interests of the Association he has been 
indefatigable. 

The members of your Committee sin- 
cerely hope that the Association will be 
able to continue and enlarge the work so 



A. L. A. PUBLISHING BOARD 



53 



well begun, and that Mr Hovey can oe 
retained in its charge. 

Respectfully submitted, 
D. P. COREY 
CHARLES C. SOULE 
GARDNER M. JONES, 
Committee on Headquarters. 
The PRESIDENT: According to cus- 
tom, the Report will be accepted and 
referred to the Council for consideration. 
Mr W. C. LANE read the 

REPORT OF THE A. L. A. PUBLISHING 
BOARD 

The figures and statistics in the follow- 
ing report refer to the calendar year 190G, 
but in other respects, it chronicles the work 
of the Board for the library year 1906- 
07. At the annual meeting of the Associa- 
tion in 1906, the Chairman and the Treas- 
urer of the Board, whose terms expired, 
were reappointed for the prescribed term 
of three years. At the same time Miss 
Electra C. Doren, who had been appointed 
a member of the Board a year previous, 
was compelled to resign on account of ill 
health. In accepting her resignation, the 
other members of the Board desire to ex- 
press their sense of the value of Miss 
Doren's services and regret that she could 
not continue to work with them, especially 
in the subjects in which she had taken a 
particular interest namely, in the new 
edition of the "List of subject headings," 
the index to library periodicals, and the 
project of issuing simplified catalog cards 
for smaller libraries. In her place, th'e 
Executive board appointed Mr H. C. Well- 
man, Librarian of the City library of 
Springfield, who had already served one 
term as a member of the Board. 

Meetings of the Board were held at Nar- 
ragansett Pier in July, at the A. L. A. 
headquarters in Boston in October, and 
again in Boston early in May. The origin- 
al intention of the Board had been to hold 
its regular meetings with the Association 
in the summer, at Lake Placid in the au- 
tumn and at Atlantic City in the spring, 
but it is likely to be more and more con- 



venient to hold the meetings of the Board 
in Boston, where the records and papers 
of the Board are at hand and where the 
undivided attention of its members can be 
given to business. 

Tables in regard to the financial opera- 
tions of the year, including the receipts 
and expenses on account of each of the 
Board's publications, are given in the usual 
form at the close of this report. It will 
be noticed that the figures on the whole 
are not very different from those of the 
previous year. We began the year with a 
balance on hand about $500 less than on 
January 1st, 1905, but we drew $500 more 
from the income of the endowment fund, 
so that our resources for the year were 
practically the same. Receipts from the 
sale of publications, and expenses on ac- 
count of cost of manufacture, both, in- 
creased a little, and in not far from the 
same proportion, leaving a net balance of 
profit on this account of $486.23, in place of 
$500.88. A more careful inspection, how- 
ever, of the table showing losses and gains 
on each separate publication, discovers that 
the largest less was on the "A. L. A. book- 
list" $1056.41 in place of $411.80 in 1905; 
also that $200 was spent toward the second 
edition of the "List of subject headings," 
to counterbalance which there can, of 
course, be as yet no corresponding gain. 
If these two items were thrown out from 
the figures of both years, we should have 
a net profit in 1905 of $1002.68, and in 1906, 
$1742.63. It should be noted, however, that 
during 1905, as recorded in last year's re- 
port, the valuation of the stock on hand 
increased by almost $2,000, but that dur- 
ing 1906, there has been a diminution in 
the stock on hand of about the same 
amount. The Board is content to show 
no larger profit than this on its publications 
at the end of the year, although the ordi- 
nary publishing house would be unable to 
continue business on the same basis, for 
the commercial house would have to pro- 
vide from the balance as given in this 
table all expenses for rent, salaries, and 
other items of administration. The Pub- 



54 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



lisbing board, having an endowment, can 
afford to issue publications which other 
publishers could not venture upon, and it 
is precisely such undertakings that lie most 
directly within its scope. 

Vhe chief event of the year has been the 
removal of the Board from the rooms it 
had so long occupied in the Boston Ath- 
enaeum to the new A. L. A. headquarters 
at 34 Newbury street. The new rooms as- 
signed to the use of the Board here have 
proved reasonably convenient, and the 
neighborhood is a pleasant one, the Public 
library and the libraries of the Institute 
of technology and of the American acad- 
emy of arts and sciences being easily ac- 
cessible. At present the Board contributes 
$500 toward the rent of the house, but it 
is hoped that, with the permanent estab- 
lishment of Headquarters, it may be pos- 
sible to relieve the Board of this charge. 
At the Boston Athenaeum it had the good 
fortune to be charged an almost nominal 
rent. 

The Board has been glad to take ad- 
vantage of Mr Hovey's business capacity 
and ready willingness to be of service, and 
has profited thereby in many ways. It 
is possible that too much of the daily bus- 
iness of the Board, in filling orders and re- 
plying to letters, has fallen to Mr Hovey's 
willing hands more, in fact, than the 
Board has a right to demand or than it 
expected to receive. When it becomes nec- 
essary, as it probably will in the autumn, 
to employ a second assistant or sten- 
ographer, it may be best for the Secretary 
of the Board to take up again the ordinary 
correspondence with customers, leaving 
only the care of the accounts and the larger 
dealings with business firms in Mr Hovey's 
hands. 

A. L. A. portrait index. The completion 
of the Index was mentioned in last year's 
report. The volume was not ready for final 
distribution until December. Instead of a 
volume of 1200 pages, as anticipated, it 
makes 3700 pages, yet the Government 
printing office has been able to keep the 
price down to the very moderate sum of 
$?..00. On the accounts of the Publishing 



board, the total cost of preparation stands 
at $4,880, a sum far in excess of what was 
anticipated when the work began, but not 
to be considered unreasonable when one 
examines the extent of the work actually 
done. Extra copies of the "List of books 
indexed" have been printed by the Library 
of Congress, and can be had by those who 
want them as a separate record. Up to 
April 1st, the Superintendent of documents 
reported the sale of 640 copies. The Board 
has tried to find some means by which to 
encourage the sale of the book abroad, 
where it ought to be of almost as much 
use as in this country, and it is hoped that 
some of the more enterprising book agents 
in England, France, and Germany will keep 
the work on sale and bring it to the at- 
tention of their customers. The one dis- 
advantage of publication by the Govern- 
ment is that the sale is necessarily some- 
what hampered by the rules which obtain 
in regard to payment in advance and by 
the fact that the Government does not 
place copies of its publications "on sale" 
with booksellers. 

A. L. A. booklist. At the Narragansett 
Pier meeting, it was arranged that Miss K. 
I. MacDonald, of the Wisconsin Free library 
commission, should assume the editorship 
of the Booklist. As first proposed, it was 
intended that Miss MacDonald should come 
to Boston and that her whole time should be 
given to the Publishing board, so that her 
services might be given to other matters, 
as well as to the Booklist, but it was sub- 
sequently agreed that Miss MacDonald 
should remain in Madison, should give 
half her time to the Wisconsin commis- 
sion, receiving half salary only from the 
Publishing board, and that the editorial 
work on the Booklist should be conducted 
in Madison. One advantage of this ar- 
rangement, in addition to the saving of 
expense, was that Miss MacDonald had 
already established useful relations with 
the professors in the State university of 
Wisconsin which would enable her to 
secure valuable help in the selection and 
annotation of titles. This expected ad- 
vantage has been realized, but it is evident 



A. L. A. PUBLISHING BOARD 



55 



that more than half of one person's time is 
needed for editorial work, and the Board 
hopes to able to make some more favor- 
able division of time in the future. Some 
changes in the typographical form and in 
the character and scope of the notes was 
made when Miss MacDonald assumed the 
editorship of the Booklist, with the object 
of making the titles and the items in re- 
gard to classification, shelfmarks, etc., use- 
ful to the small libraries in the same way 
in which the simplified catalog cards would 
have been, which the Ohio librarians have 
so strongly advocated. Titles of books 
published in new, improved, or cheaper 
editions have also been included, and 
with the December number was issued an 
index to the first two years of the publica- 
tion. Separate lists on special subjects of 
current interest have been included in 
almost every number, in the hope that, 
separately printed, they would be useful to 
libraries for distribution. Shorter lists, of 
20 or 30 titles each, have also been tried, 
such as could be printed separately on iit- 
tle cards to be used as book-marks. It 
must be confessed, however, that the de- 
mand for these separate lists and for the 
book-marks has not been so great as to 
encourage the Board in offering them 
frequently. 

On the establishment of a "Bulletin," to 
serve as an official medium of information 
for all members of the A. L. A., the Book- 
list was able, beginning January, 1907, to 
cut out its official section and to restrict 
itself again to the specific purpose for which 
it was originally established. So long as 
the Association had no other means of 
reaching its members, the Publishing board 
was glad to include in the Booklist com- 
munications from the Executive board and 
from the committees of the Association, 
and any other official information of in- 
terest; and having included this kind of 
material in the Booklist, the Board was 
glad to accede to the request of the 
Executive board that copies should be sent 
free to all members of the Association on 
a small payment by the Association, cover- 
Ing simply the additional expense for wrap- 



ping and postage. The Board strongly 
favored, however, the idea of issuing a 
separate bulletin for the purpose of keep- 
ing members of the Association informed 
in regard to the proceedings and the work 
of the Association and its committees a 
bulletin which should reach all members as 
a natural result of their membership; and 
when this bulletin was established, it was 
clear to the Board that the Booklist, being 
now restricted to Its original purpose, 
should not be distributed gratis, but should 
be placed on precisely the same basis as all 
the other publications of the Board. The 
Board thinks it right to draw upon the 
income of the Carnegie fund for all edi- 
torial expenses connected with the Book- 
list, but it believes that the bare cost of 
manufacture and distribution should be 
covered by sales. It sells the Booklist at 
as low a price as possible in quantities to 
Commissions for free distribution to libra- 
ries, but it must depend upon a fair num- 
ber of annual individual subscriptions to 
cover the incidental expenses connected 
with its publication. Even so, it was 
found necessary to increase the price -to 
Commissions from $2.00 to $2.50 per 100 
copies, and to increase the annual sub- 
scription from 50 cents to $1.00. With the 
issue of the January number which was, 
however, sent free to all members of the 
A. L. A., as the previous numbers had been 
it announced its purpose to discontinue 
distribution on this basis, and to require 
payment of a subscription, except from 
libraries which were members of the A. L. 
A. It was thought right to make this ex- 
ception, because libraries pay a member- 
ship fee of $5.00, instead of $2.00, and ought 
naturally to be entitled to some additional 
advantage. 

The Board is sorry to find that the Ex- 
ecutive board still considers that the free 
distribution, at least to members who 
specifically request it, is desirable. A 
study of the subscription list shows that 
many libraries which subscribed this year 
for the first time, or which received the 
Booklist this year as members of the A. L. 
A., would have continued to receive it 



66 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



through members of their staff, if the free 
distribution to members had continued. 
The Booklist is simply a tool of trade, like 
any other publication, and it is not asking 
too much of libraries that they should pay 
for it, instead of receiving it gratis through 
members of their staff who have paid for it 
in connection with their membership fees. 
Members of the Association, moreover, who 
need the Booklist in connection with their 
work should have it provided for them by 
their libraries, and not be compelled to pro- 
vide it themselves. If the free distribution 
were to be continued or resumed, it is evi- 
dent that our subscription list would fall 
off so considerably that we should again 
have to raise the price of the Booklist as 
sold to Commissions, a measure which the 
Board would extremely regret. 

List of subject headings. A detailed 
report as to the best method of procedure 
in compiling the new edition of the much- 
used "List, of subject headings" was made 
by Miss Doren at the Narragansett Pier 
meeting, and the work, which has since 
been begun, has been pursued on the lines 
laid down by Miss Doren. The services of 
Miss Esther Crawford, formerly of the 
University of Nebraska library have been 
secured as editor, and an advisory commit- 
tee has been appointed by the Board, with 
whom Miss Crawford may consult, consist- 
ing of Mssrs G. M. Jones of Salem (chair- 
man), J. C. M. Hanson of the library of 
Congress, A. G. S. Josephson of the John 
Crerar library, Misses Alice B. Kroeger of 
Drexel institute, Linda M. Clatworthy of 
Dayton, Margaret Mann of Pittsburgh, Har- 
riet B. Prescott of Columbia university, 
Nina E. Browne, secretary of the Publish- 
ing board. Miss Crawford began work on 
November 1st, 1906, and was advised 
to visit the more important libraries 
on her way East so as to collect as much 
useful information in the way of new head- 
ings, approved practices, and exact defini- 
tions as possible for use in compiling the 
new edition. She has found so much of 
this nature that is important, and so many 
new questions have opened up before her 
as to the scope and character of the new 



edition, that she is still gathering her ma- 
terial and has not yet reached Boston. It 
was at first expected that the new edition 
might be ready for the press early next 
fall, but the progress of the work so far 
shows that the proper preparation of the 
work will take much longer than was an- 
ticipated, and that we are not likely to see 
the new edition completed before next 
spring. The nature of the problems which 
Miss Crawford is studying may be seen 
from the list of questions proposed in the 
"Library Journal" for December, a list 
which has called forth a large number of 
interesting comments and answers. It 
must not be supposed, however, that be- 
cause a new subject or a modification of the 
present system was proposed in this list, 
that it will necessarily be adopted in the 
new edition. 

A. L. A. catalog rules. At the Narra- 
gansett Pier meeting, the chairman of the 
Committee on Catalog rules a committee 
appointed in the first place by the Publish- 
ing board several years ago, with a view 
primarily to recommending the best form 
of work tor printed catalog cards reported 
to the Publishing board that its material 
was now in such shape that it would be 
ready to print by November 1st. Later in 
the autumn, the Publishing board was 
asked whether it proposed to print the 
rules itself or to ask the Library of Con- 
gress to print them. It was the unanimous 
opinion of the Board that the rules would 
properly be issued by the Association, 
rather than by the Library of Congress, 
and that, on the whole, this arrangement 
would be to the advantage of librarians, 
inasmuch as the Library of Congress could 
not be expected to distribute them gratis. 
A study of the best form of page and typo- 
graphical arrangement was then 'entered 
upon, and results satisfactory to the Cat- 
alog rules committee were obtained. Ob- 
jection was made by some members of the 
Committee that, the Committee having at 
the last meeting of the Association been 
made a committee of the Association, the 
question of printing should have been re- 
ferred first to the Executive board, that 



A. L. A. PUBLISHING BOARD 



57 



the Executive board might have acted upon 
the question whether the Library of Con- 
gress or the Publishing board should have 
been asked to print The Publishing board 
is entirely ready to abide by the decision 
of the Association in this matter; but it 
feels that the code of catalog rules, like 
the "List of subject headings," is so es- 
sentially a library tool, and so distinctly 
the work of a committee of the Associa- 
tion, that it is altogether appropriate that 
it should be published by the Association 
itself. Fortunately, the question can be 
left open without delaying the progress 
of the work, for the Library of Congress, 
which has already printed one prelimin- 
ary edition of the rules for the sake of ad- 
vancing the work, has offered to put the 
rules as they stand into print, without 
prejudice to the question of final publica- 
tion. This generous action on the part 
of the Library of Congress makes it pos- 
sible to give a final revision to the rules 
under the most favorable circumstances, 
and will make the eventual publication of 
them far easier and less expensive. It is 
expected that proofs in this form will be 
on hand for criticism and discussion at 
the Asheville meeting. 

Tracts and handbooks. No new pub- 
lication in this series has been issued dur- 
ing the period covered by this report. Ex- 
penses on this account have been limited 
to reprinting Tracts 1, 4. 6 and 7, and 
sales have amounted to $-27.86, covering 
3073 copies. The Board was prepared to 
issue in this series the collection of library 
building plans compiled by Mr Eastman, of 
the New York state library, but that Li- 
brary decided itself to issue the paper as 
one of its Bulletins, and the Publishing 
board has been glad to take a number of 
copies and include them with its own pub- 
lications on sale. 

The next Tract or Handbook to be is- 
sued will be one on the management of 
traveling libraries, by Miss Edna D. Bul- 
lock, and the manuscript of another, on 
library buildings, by Miss Cornelia Marvin 
is already in our hands. A Tract on li- 
brary training, prepared by Miss Mary W. 



Plummer. will be presented at the present 
meeting as the report of the Committee on 
Library training. Other tracts on library 
by-laws, library advertising, and on book- 
buying are contemplated. 

Children's list. As reported last year 
the Children's list, which was to be pre- 
pared under the supervision of Miss Annie 
C. Moore, was given up on account of her 
illness, and it was thought best to enter in- 
to an agreement with the Carnegie library 
of Pittsburgh to establish a similar list 
which was in progress for that library, 
edited by Miss Olcott. It was hoped that 
the list would be ready to be printed before 
summer, but we are recently informed that 
it must be postponed until autumn. 

Mr A. H. Hopkins, of the Carnegie 
library, kindly allowed the Publishing 
board to take 500 copies of another list 
which had been lately prepared for that 
library, of somewhat similar scope, which 
the Board has issued under the title, 
"Children's reading; a catalog compiled 
for the home libraries and reading clubs 
conducted by the Children's department of 
the Carnegie library of Pittsburgh." This 
list will serve a useful purpose until the 
new Children's list shall be ready for use. 

Foreign lists. The Board intends to is- 
sue, from time to time, brief lists of foreign 
books, which may be helpful to librarians 
in communities where there is a consider- 
able foreign population. The manuscript 
for a German list is already in press. A 
brief Italian list has been prepared by Miss 
Mary Morison, of Boston, and will be ready 
in the autumn. A list of French books has 
been prepared by Professor J. C. Bracq, of 
Vassar college, and after having been sub- 
mitted to the Board, has been returned for 
a little further revision. Other lists in 
more unusual languages will follow. 

Guide to nature study. A guide to nature 
study, compiled by Mrs Professor Yerkes 
under the direction of Professor Bigelow. of 
Columbia university, has been offered to 
the Board and will probably be accepted 
for publication. It is admirably adapted 
for the use both of library assistants and 
of teachers in referring children to the 



58 ASHBVILLB CONFERENCE 

best common sources in regard to animals attained if members will enter into direct 

and plants and other objects of nature correspondence with the members of the 

study. Board and will give them the benefit of 

Index to economic material. The Index their advice and suggestion as to the best 

to economic material contained in state directions in which the work of the Board 

documents, prepared by Miss A. R. Hasse may develop and as to the best ways of 

for the Carnegie institution, was offered to conducting it. If the methods adopted by 

this Board for publication and had been the Board are open to criticism (and what 

accepted, the Board considering that it measures are not subject to improvement?) 

would be of real value to libraries. At the the Board will gladly hear directly from 

last moment, however, the Carnegie insti- those who disapprove the measures it may 

tution decided that it would prefer to have taken and will thus be greatly helped 

publish the indexes itself, and this Board, in the work committed to it. On the other 

of course, relinquished its plans. hand it ought not to be necessary to add 

In closing this report the Board would that it is a distinct encouragement to 

express their desire to keep in touch as hear also from those who approve and 

closely as possible with the needs and de- value one's work, yet this is a point that 

sires of the members of the Association is often forgotten or overlooked, so that 

and of libraries in general, and so to workers in any cause often miss thereby 

make their work as generally useful a really helpful kind of support, 
as possible. This result will be best 

Financial Statements 

Cash on hand Jan. 1, 1906 $ 880.11 

Bills receivable Jan. 1, 1906 1351.54 

$2231.65 

Bills payable Jan. 1, 1906 1463.59 

Available Jan. 1, 1906 ". .$ 768.06 

Receipts during year 1906: 

From Endowment fund trustees $3500.00 

From interest at bank 15.14 3515.14 

Total resources .$4283.20 

Sale of publications $6007.34 

Cost of publications $5521.11 

Profit $486.23 486.23 

$4769.43 
General expenses 

Addressngraph $ 181.46 

Advertising 110.00 

Express 12.28 

Insurance 34.71 

Moving 46.55 

Postage 116.86 

Post office 28.00 

Rent 215.00 

Salaries 2088.20 

Stamp account 2.03 

Stationery 30.26 

Sundries 31.53 

Telephone 31.15 

Travel 365.47 

Type-writer 45.00 

$3338.50 

Paid on account Portrait index 605.03 

Paid on account Catalog rules committee 9.90 $3953.43 

Balance 816.00 



BOOK-BUYING COMMITTEE 



59 



Brought forward $816.00 

Bills payable Jan. 1, 1907 733.41 

$1549.41 

Bills receivable Jan. 1, 1907 812.19 

Cash balance Jan. 1, 1907 $ 737.22 

Tabulated statement showing losses and gains for year ending Dec. 31, 1906: 

Cost Sales Loss Gain 

A. L. A. book-list $2104.60 $1048.19 $1056.41 

Special lists reprinted 

Arbor day list 19.75 5.03 14.72 

Bird list 20.50 11.15 9.35 

Christmas bulletin 10.88 10.88 

List of gift books 6.25 11.25 5.00 

Political economy .20 .20 

A. L. A. index 420.36 420.36 

A. L. A. proceedings 9.38 113.55 104.17 

Bibliographical cards 2.44 2.44 

Boys and girls 39.43 93.77 54.34 

English history 114.40 36.75 77.65 

Fine arts .20 .20 

French fiction 5.07 5.07 

Girls and women 38.53 38.05 .48 

Kroeger's guide 94.15 334.59 240.44 

Lamed 195.99 294.37 98.38 

Library tracts 78.61 227.86 149.25 

Mass, public documents 3.20 3.20 

Miscellaneous cards 765.44 776.87 11.43 

Periodical cards 1021.56 150S.52 486]96 

Reading for the young 21.15 21.15 

Reprints (1905) 239.93 133.43 106.50 

Reprints (1906) 3.65 3.65 

Subject headings (2) 135.78 879.70 743.92 

Subject headings (3) 200.00 200.00 

Sundries 5.76 5.76 

Wells' supplement 16.25 21.55 5.30 

5521.11 6007.34 1465.31 1951.54 

Balance gain 486.23 486.23 



$6007.34 



$6007.34 



$1951.54 



$1951.54 



The report was received and placed on 
file. 

The Chair announced in behalf of the 
Executive board, the appointment of a 
Committee on Resolutions consisting of 
Messrs W. C. Lane, C. H. Gould and Miss 
Mary E. Hazeltine, to which Committee, 
under section 8 of the By-laws, all resolu- 
tions of acknowledgements and thanks will 
be referred. The Chair announced the ap- 
pointment of Messrs P. L. Windsor and 
Chalmers Hadley as tellers in charge of the 
annual election of officers. 



Mr A. E. BOSTWICK of the New York 
public library presented the 



REPORT 



ON 



OF THE COMMITTEE 
BOOK-BUYING 

The work of this Committee has gone 
forward during the year on the lines 
marked out for it in the past by the Asso- 
ciation, with what seems to be at least a 
few results worth notice. We have issued 
seven bulletins in the usual card form, 
aggregating 19 pages, and containing 
selected lists of dealers and their catalogs, 



60 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



notices of special bargains in books, of 
special sales etc., and advice and news of 
all kinds calcTilated to be useful to the 
librarians of small libraries, especially such 
information as seemed to us unlikely to 
reach them through the ordinary channels. 
In answer to our list of out-of-print books 
tbat should be reprinted, sent out in June, 
1906, to 100 libraries, 52 reports of needed 
reprints were received, with statements of 
the number of copies that would probably 
be ordered, varying in the case of different 
titles from 82 to 19. The 14 publishers of 
these books were notified at once, and nine 
of them replied. As a result of these and 
later efforts several good books for some 
time unavailable may now be obtained 
both by libraries and by the general public. 
We feel that the usefulness of the Com- 
mittee along this line has only begun and 
that this direction of its activity is ex- 
ceedingly practical. Publishers are glad to 
second our efforts for the reprinting of de- 
sirable out-of-print books, provided they 
can see a reasonable chance of getting their 
money back. To this end it is absolutely 
necessary that we should be able to as- 
sure them of a reasonable number of or- 
ders. In the cases where we have been 
enabled to do this our percentage of suc- 
cess has been gratifyingly large, but other- 
wise the publishers are not enthusiastic, 
nor can they be blamed. If every library 
in the United States will report to us im- 
mediately all demands for out-of-print 
books to which they desire to respond by 
the actual purchase of copies when avail- 
able, we shall be able to do much toward 
making possible such purchase. In some 
cases, when publishers seemed apathetic, 
we have tried to interest third parties in 
the reprinting of books. The result in one 
case, which was somewhat unfortunate, 
may be cited here as an example of the 
difficulties attending work of this sort. An 
English author's books being largely out of 
print, we induced a New York publisher to 
issue certain reprints. Having made what 
he considered satisfactory arrangements in 
London for the use of the plates, he printed 
his books, only to find them anticipated 



in the New York market by copies re- 
printed by the publisher himself, and 
offered at a slightly lower price then he 
was able to quote. Our efforts here were 
evidently fruitful, though the wrong man 
seems likely to reap the profit. Evidently 
if we had been able to offer to the London 
publisher as substantial evidence of the 
demand for the reprints as he received from 
the American publisher's bargaining for 
the use of the plates, he could have been 
dealt with directly. All this emphasizes 
anew the desirability of cooperation among 
libraries, which holds good in all their 
fields of activity but perhaps most in that 
of book-buying. If we cannot make our 
purchases as a business unit, we should at, 
least pull together in any way that we can. 
This committee stands ready to do the 
necessary headquarters work in furthering 
such combined action, but although there 
have been notable exceptions, libraries in 
general have done little to indicate that 
they desire to act in any way except as 
unrelated units. Suggestions of great value 
have come to us from a few sources, but 
from only a few; and even these have 
generally been given in response to a 
definite request from us. Some of our most 
promising plans have miscarried because 
the data on which we must rely have not 
been forthcoming on demand. 

In spite of all this, however, we feel that 
librarians are justified in regarding the 
book-buying outlook with some satisfaction 
and with more hope. Evidence multiplies 
that the library book trade is no longer a 
negligible quantity with publishers and 
booksellers, and that many of these are 
beginning to realize our functions as ad- 
vertisers and popularizers of literature as 
well as mere consumers thereof. The sale 
of a book to a public library may possibly 
forestall the sale of that particular book 
to a dozen private purchasers, but if it is 
a good book, thousands will know of it 
through the library who would not other- 
wise have heard of it, and the chances 
are that more than a dozen of these 
will want to possess it. Besides this, 
the habit of reading and the love of 



BOOK-BUYING COMMITTEE 



61 



books, thus aroused, fostered and stimu- 
lated, lays the foundation for a vastly in- 
creased demand for books in the immedi- 
ate future, for the home as well as for the 
library. This has long been the librarian's 
view, and apparently it is becoming to 
some extent recognized, if not actually 
adopted, by the makers and sellers of 
books. This Committee has done and will 
do all in its power to help on this growing 
realization of our true relations to the 
book-trade. 

The rules of the Publishers association 
regarding net-book prices and their main- 
tenance, for so many years our Itete noir, 
have ceased to exist in mandatory form 
during the past year. Moved to this action 
by recent decisions of the courts, the 
Association has repealed its whole body of 
rules and re-enacted them as mere sugges- 
tions. Of course it would be futile to main- 
tain that this holds out much prospect of 
immediate practical relief. The individual 
publisher will still for the present sell his 
books to the dealer under such conditions 
as seem good to him, and although the 
other members of the Association no longer 
agree to boycott a dealer who violates his 
agreement, they will undoubtedly respond 
favorably to the "suggestion" that they 
take such action. Still, the existence of 
great pressure, with which we are all 
familiar, to break the rules of the Associa- 
tion while they remained real rules, sug- 
gests that any weakening of them will in- 
crease the opportunity for the break-down 
of the whole net-price system which some 
authorities predict. Meanwhile it is inter- 
esting to hear that our English brothers, 
who have been hit even harder than we 
by the system as it exists across the water, 
are agitating for a library discount a thing 
that does not now exist in Great Britain. 

As regards the importation privileges of 
American libraries, these remain as for- 
merly, since the Copyright bill somewhat 
impairing them did not pass during the re- 
cent session of Congress. The modifica- 
tions to which objection has been made by 
so many librarians were largely eliminated 
from the bill in committee, so that as it 



now stands, present opportunities of im- 
portation would be lessened by its passage, 
in only two respects, the prohibition of 
importation of pirated books (that is, un- 
authorized foreign reprints) and the re- 
striction of importations to one copy in 
each invoice, instead of two, as formerly. 
The unfortunate division of the library 
camp in regard to this bill serves to illus- 
trate what we have already said in regard 
to the lack of a united front among 
librarians, and must be regretted alike by 
advocates and opponents of the bill. 

With the inception of the new Bulletin 
of the A. L. A. there seemed to be a re- 
newed possibility that the publication of 
our own committee bulletins in separate 
form might cease. We find, however, that 
there are several objections to their dis- 
continuance (1) the necessary irregularity 
of their appearance, together with the long 
intervals between successive issues of the 
A. L. A. bulletin; (2) the fact that the lat- 
ter publication goes only to members of 
the Association, while our Book-buying bul- 
letins should reach a considerable number 
of outsiders; (3) the apparent liking of 
many librarians for the card form of pub- 
lication, as evinced by demand for the 
cards even when the same material has ap- 
peared in full in the library periodicals. 
There has therefore been no change in the 
form of the bulletins. A considerable num- 
ber are out-of-print and we renew our 
offer to reprint these in response to any 
considerable demand. 

The publication by this Association of 
official aids to book-selection and to book- 
purchase in separate form and under dif- 
ferent immediate control, makes necessary 
some careful differentiation of function. If 
the bulletins issued by this Committee may 
appear at times to trench on the preroga- 
tives of the Booklist by giving advice in 
the selection of books, it will usually be 
found on examination that this deviation 
is only apparent and that there Is a reason 
for it. This committee realizes that its 
business is to give to librarians all possible 
information and advice with regard to 
methods of expending their book-appropria- 



62 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



tions, which are always too small, and if 
this sometimes involves discrimination be- 
tween different titles, we intend to make 
it on the basis of economical administra- 
tion rather than of purely literary selec- 
tion. 

Librarians have learned more than one 
lesson in the past five years. They know 
now, as they never knew before, that 
economical book-purchase is a more com- 
plex matter than the mere dispatch of a 
list to a jobber. The selection of the best 
editions, the decision regarding the best 
time to wait, the culling of needed titles 
from the dealer's or the auctioneer's catalog, 
the careful discrimination between truth 
and fake in book circulars, the knowledge 
of when it is best to import and when not 
these and a score of other things involve 
knowledge and judgment. If the knowledge 
and judgment are those of the purchasing 
librarian, he or she need not pay for their 
exercise by someone else. This is the path 
of practical economy in book-purchase, and 
no librarian, be he great or small, can 
afford to stray from it. 

The PRESIDENT: We will now pass 
to the first subject of this morning's pro- 
gram, a consideration and review of the 
Southern library movement, and the chair 
has great pleasure in introducing Miss 
Anne Wallace, of the Carnegie library of 
Atlanta, who will give a general paper. 

Miss WALLACE: Before reading this 
paper. I would simply say in apology that 
it was written six weeks ago without the 
aid of any tools. I was on the beautiful 
Bay of Naples, three thousand miles away 
from a Carnegie library, and it was all 
done from memory and sent home to be 
corrected. I was in the hotel in which 
Wagner composed many of his operas, and 
Ibsen wrote Peer Gynt in the next room, 
and if I found it difficult to confine myself 
to technical matters instead of to music 
and poetry, you will understand the diffi- 
culty. 

THE SOUTHERN LIBRARY MOVEMENT 

Title. The history of the library move- 
ment in the South, or more precisely, the 



history of the free public library in the 
Southeastern states since the American 
Library Association meeting in Atlanta in 
1899 conveys to you the scope and the limi- 
tations of this record. To write a compre- 
hensive history of the public library move- 
ment in the United States the logical pro- 
cedure would be to compile the history of 
the movement in each section. Up to this 
period the history of the libraries of the 
New England and Middle states, which for 
many years past and years to come, have 
been and will continue to be the centre of 
library activity, would be the history of 
the movement in the United States. But 
for the last five years the percent of in- 
crease of new libraries has been greatest 
in the middle West and in the South. 
Both of these sections have equal prob- 
lems and many similar ones. Vastness of 
territory, absence of many large cities, 
together with a large rural population are 
facts common to both. I shall watch 
eagerly for the history of the West. It ia 
of the work in the South that this paper 
deals. 

Area and population. The section of 
the United States here covered extends 
from Virginia to Texas, and from Ken- 
tucky to Florida, a territory larger in area 
than that of the New England and Middle 
Atlantic states put together, and no one 
state that is not an empire in extent. In 
proportion to area the population is 
smaller and more widely distributed. The 
absence of large cities which act as 
centers of culture and means of expediting 
transportation makes all work of propa- 
ganda slower and more expensive.. 

Retarding influences. In addition to the 
large class of illiterate whites that every 
section has to carry, the South is burdened 
with the extra tax of the heaviest negro 
population of the United States. Climatic 
conditions that make life out of doors com- 
fortable for nine months of the year, do 
not tend to develop indoor recreations 
which are so necessary in the frozen North. 
It is well also to remember that a genera- 
tion is hardly a long enough period for a 
people to recover that material prosperity 



WALLACE 



63 



which creates the leisure which fosters 
culture, after having been the battle-field 
for two encamping armies in civil revolu- 
tion. 

In addition to these retarding influences 
the South has always preserved an English 
conservatism in politics, in business, in re- 
ligion, and in social customs, and an aver- 
sion to paternalism in state and Federal 
control which does, we must admit, in its 
centralizing of power advance the educa- 
tional, as well as the material advantages, 
of a state or a corporation. A thorough 
study of these historical and sociological 
conditions reveals a deeper insight than the 
superficial observer gathers from what he 
regards as an alarming apathy in the de- 
velopment of libraries in the South. On 
the contrary this conservatism has resulted 
in a homogeneity of race and interests that 
makes for a public sentiment that supports 
liberally any institutions for culture and 
learning when once established. This is best 
evidenced in the history of the first free 
public library supported by the people of a 
Southern city in the fact that the ten per 
cent, basis is ignored, and the city appro- 
priation has been more than trebled in five 
years. 

Conditions. Prior to the period we are 
considering there were in existence in the 
larger cities of the South, state and in- 
stitutional subscription and memorial libra- 
ries with and without endowment. Such 
collections were to be found in Richmond, 
Va., Louisville, Ky., Charleston, S. C., 
Savannah, and Atlanta, Ga., Montgomery, 
Ala., New Orleans, La., Nashville, Tenn., 
Chapel Hill, N. C., and at Austin, Houston 
and Galveston. Texas. 

In antebellum times many private libra- 
ries were to be found on plantations. These 
consisted chiefly of more or less valuable 
editions of the classics, imported from Eng- 
land, and some rare local histories and 
biographies, accounts of the Indians, and 
political pamphlets, but for authentic 
records of local happenings such as can be 
found in almost every New England town- 
ship there were none, partly because the 
Southern people are given to oral and tra- 



ditional legend rather than to note taking 
and record making. What there was of 
records has fared badly in the fires of 
revolutionary and civil wars, and to-day the 
volumes on Southern Americana are scarce. 
Of what books remained in the South, the 
enterprising second-hand book man has 
bought up the greater portions and sold 
them to Northern libraries, whose librarian 
has seen them cataloged and knew them to 
be valuable at any price. The best collection 
of Southern Americana is to be found in 
the British Museum and in English state 
papers. 

Pioneer work. The pioneer work then 
was in creating a public sentiment that 
would demand and support a free public 
library. The amount of missionary work 
that had to be done before one library 
could be established seems incredible now 
that the movement is well started. Un- 
fortunately the public library in the South 
was not coincident with the public schools, 
which antedated the library movemeut 
some 25 years. The same kind of advance 
work in preparing the public mind for the 
new system had to be done. The press, 
the women's clubs, and individual effort 
were employed to this purpose. 

To the trustees of the Young Men's 
Library Association of Atlanta too much 
credit cannot be given for their policy of 
preparing the way for the free public 
library to take the place of the old sub- 
scription or club library, and to their 
prompt and unselfish efforts to promote and 
consolidate library interests in Atlanta. 

In connection with this effort must be 
mentioned the "congress of women libra- 
rians" held at the woman's building of the 
Cotton States and International Exposition 
in 1895, which was one of the various con- 
gresses employed to advance educational 
ideas, and which resulted in the organiza- 
tion of the women's club movement in the 
South, a factor which has always been use- 
ful in the development of library work. 

The program and arrangements for the 
Library congress were placed in the hands 
of the librarian of the Young Men's 
Library Association. The success of that 



64: 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



program was and is still one of the mys- 
teries. A glance at the program shows 
subjects that are to-day being used on pro- 
grams of state meetings in new fields. 
These subjects were presented by such well 
known library workers as the late Hannah 
P. James, Alice B. Kroeger, Nina E. Browne 
and Mary E. Sargent. R. R. Bowker, and 
Mr and Mrs Henry J. Carr attended the 
meeting as a kind of honorary escort. The 
audience was not such a credit as the pro- 
gram. It consisted of myself and the 
librarian of the Young Men's library 
association of Mobile, who was unfor- 
tunately deaf, and who had brought her 
fourteen year old nephew to report the 
meeting to her, and that ever-shifting 
crowd of sight-seers who attend exposition 
conferences, and who promptly leave the 
room when the program begins. 

Nevertheless the printed report of the 
Congress was the initial step in pioneer li- 
brary work in Atlanta. It brought the 
needs of the section to the American Li- 
brary Association and it brought the Amer- 
ican Library Association to Atlanta in 
1899. This in itself acting as a great stim- 
ulus to the pioneer workers. 

The free public library as a municipal 
property in the South dates from the ac- 
ceptance of Mr Carnegie's first gift to the 
South in 1899. At this time the ten per 
cent, basis of support had not been formu- 
lated. Pittsburgh, Allegheny and Washing- 
ton, D. C., had already received Carnegie 
buildings, but each was on a separate con- 
dition. His gift to Atlanta of $100,000 was 
subsequently raised to $145,000 and only 
$5000 per annum was required of the city. 
As up to this time no state library law was 
in existence, the city charter had to be 
amended, the only other case on the sta- 
tute books being the act to incorporate the 
Savannah library society November 20, 
1801. (This act has never been repealed, but 
the Society was" incorporated with the 
Georgia historical society in 1847, and as- 
sumed the latter title) 

It was not until other cities were ready 
to establish libraries that the Georgia li- 
brary law was enacted (1901) In this 



State it was impossible to secure a direct 
tax for library support without calling a 
convention to amend the constitution. The 
code of Georgia to-day states, in concise 
English, that taxation shall be permitted 
for the "rudiments of an English educa- 
tion only." This is the reason the present 
Georgia law was based on the direct grant 
of the Massachusetts law rather than on 
the more satisfactory direct tax in use in 
many of the Western states. 

It has been the history of the move- 
ment in the South that after it was demon- 
strated that Atlanta was operating a free 
public library other cities followed her 
example and established libraries with and 
without city charter amendments. None 
waited for the passage of a state law. The 
Alabama and North Carolina laws are now 
under consideration, and both states are, 
and have been for some years, enjoying free 
public libraries. 

The force of example was never more 
keenly employed. While the Atlanta li- 
brary was in process of erection, the build- 
ing committee of the Nashville (Tenn.) 
library trustees visited Atlanta and were 
so much pleased that they chose the same 
architect. The Montgomery, Alabama, li- 
brary came next, and Charlotte, N. C., 
and Chattanooga, Tennessee followed in 
quick succession, and now the number 
of free libraries is increasing while 
you wait. The progress in Texas was 
at its height about this period, but as 
that stale is too distant to cooperate 
with the Southeastern Atlantic states we 
will have to depend entirely upon the re- 
port of the state representative. In this 
connection it might be stated that Texas 
might be grouped with the Southwestern 
states, which have already shown a rapid 
development and should receive the atten- 
tion of the A. L. A., as even ttis Asheville 
ireeting is still very distant from Texas. 

Agencies. In library progress in the 
South as elsowhere the same agencies for 
advancement have been employed. In ad- 
dition to the individual enthusiast, and the 
well organized city library, which always 
lends aid to its less prosperous neighbors, 



WALLACE 



65 



the work is being advanced by the state li- 
brary associations, library commissions 
and lastly, a well equipped technical library 
school. In this connection might also be 
mentioned the newly created library de- 
partment of the Southern educational as- 
sociation. 

State associations. With the establish- 
ment of a free public library on a modern 
basis in our midst, with the interest of 
neighboring cities, not all in one state, it 
was the natural result that cooperation 
should be desired. The Georgia library 
association had been organized at the old 
Young Men's library association building 
in Atlanta in May 1S97. Other state as- 
sociations were organized in quick succes- 
sion. Texas organized in 1901, Florida in 
1901, Tennessee in 1902. Alabama in 1904, 
North Carolina in 1904, Virginia in 1905, 
Kentucky 1907. In each of these states 
the same difficulties presented themselves, 
and so small was the strictly library fol- 
lowing that it was deemed best to call in 
all allied interests, the most natural allies 
being the club women and the educational 
institutions. Trustees of city libraries 
have proved good friends, often giving the 
time of the local librarian and personally 
contributing to the social expenses of the 
gatherings. 

In each Southern state endeavoring to 
marshall its library interests into coopera- 
tion were met the same difficulties. The 
same conditions prevailed, great area, 
small cities, poorly paid librarians, lack of 
assistants to substitute during absence of 
librarians, the same agencies were employ- 
ed, the press, and the efforts of the individ- 
ual worker trying to spread himself over 
too much space. 

Inter-state meeting. Having to watch 
these struggles and having noticed an apa- 
thy at the second and third meeting of the 
various state associations, due to the work 
falling on the same few each year, it was 
decided to hold an inter-state meeting of 
Southern librarians in Atlanta in December, 
1905, just ten years after the first "congress 
of women librarians" held in connection 
with the Cotton States and International 



Exposition of 1895. The result was grati- 
fying in the extreme, twelve states being 
represented by active library workers, in 
fact every Southern state, with the excep- 
tion of Texas. 

This meeting did much to unify Southern 
library interests, and for the first time 
brought together representatives of all the 
state associations (except Texas). Al- 
though it was deemed best not to organ- 
ize a Southern association it was the 
opinion of each present that inter-state 
meetings at intervals would be beneficial, 
in the South as in other sections, the state 
and national associations being the only 
organizations necessary. 

Library commissions. So far the work 
of library development in the South has 
been confined to the cities and towns. This 
growth with the town as the unit of expan- 
sion was rather from the nature of the 
Carnegie gift than from purpose. It would 
be preferable to have the county the ter- 
ritory instead of the corporate limits of 
the town. The annual appropriation for 
support should come from both the town 
and the county treasury. This would en- 
able the citizen of the county who comes 
to the town for supplies to draw library 
books as well. It would also entitle the 
man who lives in the country, but whose 
work is in the town, to the free use of the 
library. I understand that Mr Carnegie 
has no objection to this plan and would as 
soon give to the county as to the town. 
AVhether this cha.ng3 is made or not, the 
future of library development in the South 
lies in the establishment of the state com- 
mission to dispense state aid. 

A central distributing point would tend 
to cheapen administrative expenses and 
concentrate the work. As it is now in 
uiany states, indMitial Jbrarians are do- 
ing good work and altruistic work in help- 
ing the weaker libraries. This gratuitous 
labor is an additional tax and could be 
avoided if the state commissions were ac- 
tive. The force of the concentration of 
power has been felt in our state as the 
work of the association, the commission, 
the technical school are all focused in the 



66 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



largest public library of the state, and 
all act together. The expense of this 
work has fallen upon a city institution, 
whereas it should be a work of the state. 
If the twelve Southern states had each an 
active state commission, with even a small 
appropriation from the state, the progress 
in the section would equal, in one year, 
the results now obtained in ten by the 
present system. 

Technical training. The building of new 
libraries, and the organization of the frefe 
public library as a department of the city 
government created a demand for trained 
librarians and technical experts. As early 
as 1882 the Directors of the Young Men's 
library of Atlanta engaged the services of 
Miss Mary A. Bean, at that time an assist- 
ant in the Boston public library, to re- 
organize that library. In defense of the 
fixed location and printed catalog which 
Miss Bean employed it must be stated that 
technical library methods were still un- 
formulated at that early period, and Miss 
Bean took as her model the Boston public 
library, which is still, I understand, labor- 
ing under the disadvantage of an outgrown 
classification. This system was still in 
vogue in Atlanta until the consolidation 
and organization of the Carnegie library 
of Atlanta in 1899, which consummation 
was effected in the presence of the Ameri- 
can Library Association. In reorganizing, 
a graduate of a technical school was put in 
charge of the catalog department, but still 
untrained labor had to be employed as as- 
sistants. It was then an apprentice class 
was established, after the plan then being 
used at the Public library of Dayton, Ohio, 
which called for an entrance examination, 
and offered certain hours of instruction for 
required hours of service. The details of 
this plan had been worked out by Miss 
Doren, who in turn stated her indebtedness 
to the Los Angeles system which Miss 
Kelso had established. 

By the time the Carnegie library was 
finished a competent staff was trained. But 
here our troubles began. No sooner had 
we a model workshop, than our neighbor- 
ing cities began to call on us for trained 



assistants. Other Carnegie libraries were 
in process of erection, institutional and pri- 
vate libraries were being reorganized and 
a steady demand for better library service 
was created. Early in this demand were 
the libraries of Montgomery, Charlotte and 
Chattanooga. Their librarians came to 
study methods and each returned with one 
of our assistants tucked under her 
arm. Assistants were lent to the 
libraries of the Georgia school of tech- 
nology, Agnes Scott college, and to the Uni- 
versity of Georgia; to the public libraries 
of Dublin, Newnan, and Albany, Georgia; 
to Ensley, Selma, and Gadsden, Alabama. 
Assistance was claimed by the State libra- 
ries of Mississippi and Georgia, and by the 
projectors of newly planned buildings not 
yet erected. It is impossible to see now 
how we did it so as not to cripple our own 
library, but finally the demand reached 
even the limit of inter-municipal courtesy, 
and Mr Carnegie was appealed to. Again 
he came to the aid of the work in the 
South and established a technical library 
school, ae a part of the work of the Car- 
negie library of Atlanta, in May 1905. At 
this school the course of study is similar 
to that offered by the older library schools, 
with the addition of a special course on 
library administration, necessitated by the 
demand for librarians of small libraries in 
the South rather than for assistants for 
large libraries. The course of study, hours, 
instructors, length of term, and other de- 
tails are now in accordance with the rules 
prescribed by the special committee of the 
A. L. A., on library training. Results are 
already perceptible from the work being 
done by the ten graduates of the class of 
l')00. The demand for the members of the 
class, which will graduate in June 1%7. 
showr the supply of trained assistants in 
the South is far short. The good being 
done by these enthusiastic young women, 
who have received technical instruction and 
practical work in a well organized library 
as work shop will show in the improved 
quality of library service in this whole 
section. 

Publications. While the bibliographical 



BOWKER 



67 



output of the Southern library is still in- 
considerable quite an impetus has been 
given in the last few years. The publica- 
tions of the Virginia, and North Carolina 
state libraries are valuable contributions. 
The Department of history and archives of 
Alabama has made a fine record and even 
Georgia is awakening to the need of print- 
ing its records. Public libraries are begin- 
ning to see the necessity of collecting local 
material, and from time to time good work- 
ing lists are being printed. State associa- 
tions and commissions are issuing credit- 
able handbooks, and general activity is 
manifested in the matter of cooperative 
work. 

This report, incomplete though it is, will 
open the eyes of some as to what is being 
done, and will serve to encourage isolated 
workers by this showing of cumulative 
effort. It is impossible in this paper to 
speak of the indefatigable work of these 
isolated men and women who have given, 
and still are giving, the very best of their 
lives to the work we have under considera- 
tion. With no chance of promotion, with 
little cooperation, and with unselfish zeal 
they are making records which will be- 
come a part of the history of the section. 

In conclusion it will not be out of place 
to acknowledge to the libraries North, 
East and West, our indebtedness to them 
for suggestion, information and inspiration. 
No one appeal to another librarian for help 
has ever been denied, and it is this beau- 
tiful evidence of the library spirit that has 
enabled us to help and serve the new libra- 
ries in our section to the best of our ability. 
The compiling of this record has served to 
recall my own service to the cause, and 
whatever there is of thoroughness and tech- 
nical integrity in the record I beg to dedi- 
cate it to the memory of Hannah P. James, 
who was the first of the many who came 
to my aid, and whose life and work has 
always been to me the source of my best 
inspiration and initiative in the develop- 
ment of library work in the South. 

The PRESIDENT: We have listened to 
a story of remarkable progress told in Miss 



Wallace's inimitable way. We certainly 
can congratulate the Southern libraries on 
the work accomplished, but we must not 
fail and I am sure that no member of the 
Association who knows the history of the 
movement, will fail to give Miss Wallace 
credit for a very large share in the progress 
of the South. 

Mr R. R. BOWKER: Mr President, Miss 
Wallace and fellow members of the A. L. 
A. I am privileged to offer an interpola- 
tion in the morning's program. It is only 
those who knew the library South, or 
rather, the non-library South, twelve or 
fifteen years ago, to whom the full signifi- 
cance of this great gathering can be evi- 
dent. Those of us who hark back to the 
early and formative days of the American 
Library Association, can never under any 
circumstances forget the kindling enthu- 
siasm embodied in the inspiring and guid- 
ing work of the man who was the prophet 
of the golden age of the library dispensa- 
tion. But that kindling enthusiasm for 
years found no response in the South, 
which was almost a blank on the library 
map. The personal culture of the old 
South was only beginning to be replaced 
by the new education of the new South, 
which, as you have heard, had not then 
taken library shape. It was my good for- 
tune in a hap-hazard journey in the South 
to be in Atlanta, and to venture a library 
reconnoissance in that city, where I found 
at the desk of the Young Men's library 
association, then housed, I think, in a pri- 
vate dwelling turned to this purpose, a 
young woman, radiating sunshine, and hav- 
ing somehow an inborn library enthusiasm. 
I think that no other person in touch with 
the library world had then happened to 
visit that library. The Young Men's library 
proved, indeed, to be a young woman, and 
I suspect that it is not by every mail but 
through every female that library progress 
in the South is more and more heard from. 
A few years later twelve years ago came 
the Atlanta exposition, and the great Libra- 
ry congress. You must not suppose that 
all those who were represented on the pro- 
gram as reading papers were in attendance 



68 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



as members of this congress. It consisted, 
aside from Mr Carr and myself as escorts, 
of five ladies, and the participants still hope 
that as members of the Congress their su- 
perior aristocracy is recognized by all mem- 
bers of the A. L. A. If ever you see a badge 
of a happy little darkey on a cotton bale 
eating a slice of watermelon, you will recog- 
nize a member of that great Library con- 
gross, for this was the symbol of the 
Atlanta cotton states exposition. We met 
Miss Wallace a host in herself and the 
seven other members of the Congress, in 
the presence of that deaf lady librarian and 
her small-boy assistant and of the tramps 
of the Exposition, who found the empty 
benches a comfortable home until some- 
body began to read a paper, and that was 
the Library congress from which so much 
good work proceeded. Then came the 
Atlanta conference the American Library 
Association has held many conferences but 
only one Congress with a good attend- 
ance, but with sparse representation from 
the South. I think perhaps within a 
score whereas in this great gathering in 
Asheville, on which all the library forces 
have converged, there are, I suppose, some- 
thing like a hundred members from the 
South, representing the new library spirit, 
and among them under the leadership of 
this apostle of library progress, half a 
dozen from the Carnegie library of Atlanta, 
and the graduating class of the Southern 
library school who are to go forth as libra- 
ry missionaries in the spirit of their leader. 
What has been accomplished by the lady 
whose name is in the thoughts of you all, 
some of you know, but truly the paper 
which you have just heard is in a real way 
an autobiography. Indeed, since the early 
days of the Young Men's library, this one 
young woman of the South has been com- 
pelling all men to do her bidding, and hav- 
ing conquered even the iron rules of the 
iron master, who has indeed given over 
his tithes, is in such repute that in the 
hierarchy of library saints even St Andrew 
doffs his halo and surrenders to St Anne. 
(Laughter and applause). I have the honor 
to announce that the Library congress has 



held a session at Asheville, though we miss 
that first of gentlewomen, to whom allu- 
sion has been made so touchingly, for Miss 
James is no longer with us. But a majority 
of the Congress has met and has voted that 
in recognition of the work of this pioneer 
in the new South, a loving cup be pre- 
sented, and any of you who desire to join 
in that may do so by grace of the resolu- 
tion of the Congress, if you will give your 
name either to Mrs Carr or to Miss Nina 
Browne. I anv sure that all of you will join 
in spirit in that presentation when it 
comes. I am able only to make the an- 
nouncement now. But I know that now is 
the time to do one thing that ought to 
be done, for the whole body of the Ameri- 
can Library Association to recognize the 
debt it owes to the apostle, the missionary 
of library progress in the South, and I sug- 
gest therefore that those of us who believe 
in fairies, and know a real fairy when 
they see one, should rise and give the 
Peter Pan salute to Anne Wallace. (The 
entire audience arose) 

The PRESIDENT: Miss Wallace's very 
interesting and complete description of the 
movement in the South is a general paper. 
It still leaves the details of the work in 
the individual States to be described, and 
we have asked representatives of each 
State to complete her story and to give us 
the full account of the work. It is inter- 
esting to note that Miss Wallace has fol- 
lowed the Dewey decimal classification in 
determining the order in which the States 
shall be called. Under that arrangement, 
therefore, I call first upon Mr JOHN P. 
KENNEDY to present the details in regard 
to Virginia. 

VIRGINIA LIBRARIES 

There are 125 libraries in Virginia which 
contain in the neighborhood of 600,000 
volumes. Only 85 of these have reported 
to the Commissioner of education who 
classifies them in the following order: 2 
school, 2 colleges, 8 general, 5 law, 4 
Y. M. C. A., 3 historical, 2 theological, 1 
college society, i government, 1 state, 1 asy- 



KENNEDY 



69 



him, 1 masonic, 1 scientific, 1 garrison and 
1 society. The forty libraries not reporting 
in response to the circular issued by the 
Commissioner of education, are chiefly in 
schools and render little, if any, service to 
the general public. 

The great majority of Virginia libraries 
are located in the schools and colleges of 
the state, therefore cannot be reckoned as 
a factor in our public library movement. 
From this it will be seen that the building 
of public libraries in Virginia is in its in- 
fancy, as we have but six institutions of 
this kind in our state. Lynchburg and 
Winchester, however, will add two to this 
list within a short time, and it is to be 
hoped that the city of Richmond will also 
be represented. 

Where our public libraries do exist they 
are the equal of libraries of similar size 
and opportunities located elsewhere. The 
public library in Norfolk has greatly in- 
creased the prestige of that city during the 
past five years. Winchester and Lynch- 
burg will, no doubt, be equally as success- 
ful when their libraries are finally opened 
to the public. Unfortunately, however, cir- 
cumstances have prevented the opening of 
the Jones memorial library in the latter 
city. This library was given to the city 
a number of years ago by George M. Jones, 
one of its progressive citizens, though hia 
widow in contesting the will has greatly de- 
layed the wishes of the benefactor being 
carried into effect. Some three years ago 
she proposed a compromise which the city 
accepted with the understanding that when 
the library was completed she would turn 
it over to the public. This she has not 
done, though the building is finished and 
several thousand books have been pur- 
chased and placed upon the shelves. That 
the library has not been opened is due en- 
tirely to a decree issued by Mrs Jones to 
the effect that unless her ideas of the ar- 
rangement of the books are carried out, the 
institution will not be thrown open for 
public purposes. It is simply another case 
where the people are made to suffer as the 
result of the stubbornness of an individual 
who may mean well but lacks judgment in 



such matters. The library situation in 
that city is, therefore, to be deplored and 
every possible encouragement and sym- 
pathy of all library-loving people should 
be extended to that community. 

In Richmond where no free circulating 
library exists the people naturally depend 
upon the State library. This is an unfor- 
tunate condition of affairs, which the advo- 
cates of public libraries are now attempt- 
ing to overcome. Mr Carnegie has offered 
a $200,000 library building to the city un- 
der practically the same conditions that 
have characterized his gifts in other sec- 
tions. The offer, however, has not been 
accepted and probably will not be for 
some time to come. The fear of promoters 
of the project, at present, is that Richmond 
will defer action until it is too late to reap 
the benefits now held out to that city by 
the greatest promoter of library advance- 
ment the world has ever seen. 

Aside from the unfortunate conditions 
which exist in Richmond and Lynchburg, 
there is a very determined feeling on the 
part of the promoters for the advance- 
ment of public libraries throughout the 
commonwealth. This is due in no uncer- 
tain degree to the ambition of the student- 
body which has made demands for library 
facilities that must be met if the state is 
to prosper. We have a very liberal library 
law which permits any town or county to 
tax itself to maintain libraries, and it is 
confidently expected that at least three 
communities will avail themselves of such 
an opportunity at an early date. Library 
conditions in Virginia are, therefore, 
worthy of being judged in a favorable light 
and it is confidently believed that a per- 
manent and healthy growth will result. 

As already stated the great majority of 
the libraries of Virginia are in schools and 
this makes the State library the most prom- 
inent institution of its kind in the com- 
monwealth, and it is to this library that I 
wish to more particularly call your atten- 
tion to-day. Prior to 1903 the state owned 
43.500 books; employed a librarian and a 
janitor; kept the library open from nine 
until three o'clock and served, according to 



70 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



such records as can be found, about 990 
books a year to readers in general. This was 
for the years 1902-3, while in 1905-6 the at- 
tendance had increased from 1.000 in 1902-3 
to ^41.000 and the number of books served 
amounted to 87.146 This is due entirely 
to the liberality of the present library 
board, who have shown marked capacity 
and judgment in library administration. 
The growth herein recorded has made the 
State library the most important library 
factor in the state and the demands that 
have been made upon this institution for 
aid have been very great. As an illustra- 
tion it is interesting to note that at least 
6.000 letters were received annually and the 
services of four stenographers are needed 
to look after this feature of the work. 
There has been created during the past 
three years nine separate and distinct de- 
partments; namely, archives and history, 
serials, reference, cataloging and classi- 
fying, notes and queries, bibliography, 
traveling libraries, comparative legislation, 
and stenography and typewriting, whose 
facilities are exercised to the utmost to 
meet the demands made upon them by the 
people not only of Virginia but of other 
states. We likewise have all modern facili- 
ties of intercourse, such as inter-library 
loans, special collection of study clubs, etc., 
and it is estimated we will serve in the 
neighborhood of 75.000 books to readers 
during the present year. The force at pres- 
ent consists of twelve persons and the ap- 
propriations for the maintenance of the 
library, made by the last Assembly, aggre- 
gates over $30,000 which is exclusive of the 
$4,000 the library spends annually in pub- 
lishing the miscellaneous records of the 
state. 

In addition to what has been done it is 
a matter of pride with us to note that in 
spite of the duties we have to perform we 
are enabled to publish the Journals of the 
House of Burgesses at the rate of three 
volumes a year, and have also gotten out 
the Calendar of manuscripts and tran- 
scripts of the library, which contains about 
700 pages. We are also publishing state- 
ments of comparative legislation on indi- 



vidual subjects, and the heads of the var- 
ious departments of the library will here- 
after produce a monograph annually which 
will constitute a series of important pub- 
lications on important Virginia subjects. 
We have also well under way the first 
calendar of a newspaper that has ever been 
undertaken. The paper in question is the 
"Richmond Enquirer," the most noted of 
all Southern papers. These papers are be- 
ing digested and all important informa- 
tion contained therein arranged in the form 
of calendar entries and will be published 
on the general dictionary catalog plan. It 
will require at least two years more to 
finish this undertaking. 

In the department of archives and his- 
tory is being prepared a calendar of peti- 
tions which have been presented to the 
Assembly of Virginia since its formation. 
This undertaking will require at least two 
years to complete. In the meantime a 
calendar of colonial Virginiana will be pub- 
lished. This work is but a section of the 
bibliography of Virginia, which is also in 
the course of preparation by the library. 
In rendering such service to the people of 
our state we have received the greatest 
possible encouragement, which we calculate 
will result in reviving library interest in 
general throughout the commonwealth. 
Libraries have learned to use our books 
and we are using theirs, in fact we are 
creating a feeling that a pooling of our 
interest is the best possible assurance of 
a permanent success. 

That we have trained librarians to carry 
on our work is apparent. We are. there- 
fore, conducting a library school which 
turned out five graduates in 1905; ten in 
1906 and fifteen in 1907. In this particular 
work we have been very fortunate in secur- 
ing students who were ambitious and earn- 
est, and we have reason to believe that 
many of them will be a credit to the pro- 
fession. 

The traveling libraries of the state are 
also operated by the Virginia state library. 
This system was inaugurated in 1903, and 
within six months 21 libraries were placed 
in the field. These books were donated by 



ROSS 



71 



friends of education and it was not until 
the Assembly of 1906 that an appropriation 
was secured for this purpose. Since that 
time the number of libraries in the field 
has been increased to 150, being equally 
divided between the public and schools. It 
is hoped that an additional appropriation 
will be secured during the coming winter 
which will enable 500 libraries to be in cir- 
culation within the next two years. With 
these libraries in operation the absence of 
public libraries will not be so badly felt 
as at present, and it is believed that tho 
placing of these temporary libraries at 
different points throughout the state will 
result in public libraries being established. 
It will be seen, therefore, from the fore- 
going statements, that while the Virginia 
library movement is not what we would 
like to see it, it is, nevertheless, promising 
and bids fair to result in permanent good. 
Our various libraries are banded together 
for the promotion of library interests in 
general and particular for such develop- 
ment as we are capable of effecting in our 
own state. We look upon the individual 
library as a mere unit, and our belief is 
that concerted action is the best possible 
course for us to pursue to advance library 
interest throughout our commonwealth. 
This is shown by the fact that the aim of 
the Virginia library association is to assist 
communities that have library ambitions, 
by giving them such funds as are received 
in the form of annual dues. So it is we are 
striving among ourselves to better our con- 
ditions, and such of us as are fortunate 
enough to attend this meeting are here to 
be instructed as well as to attempt to merit 
your friendship and encouragement. We 
are beginners in the unworked field, and 
we are ambitious to create such results as 
will reflect credit upon our profession. In 
order to do this we seek to enlist aid and 
will strive to show by our actions in the 
future that we are grateful for such as- 
sistance as may be rendered us in our cam- 
paign for the betterment of libraries in 
Virginia. 

President ANDREWS: The next in order 
is the State which is our host, and its 



representative is in a special way our hos- 
tess. Mrs ANNIE SMITH ROSS, of the 
Carnegie library of Charlotte, will describe 
the condition of library work in North Car- 
olina. 

LIBRARY PROGRESS IN NORTH CARO- 
LINA SINCE 1899 

North Carolina was one of the first states 
to make constitutional provision for both 
the common and the higher education of 
her citizens. The heroes of 1776 recog- 
nized that liberty and enlightenment were 
complements of each other, and that the 
surest safeguard to democratic government 
is education. 

Except the State library and libraries 
of schools and colleges, but few public li- 
braries were established before 1899. A 
number of subscription libraries were in a 
few of the largest cities. The Asheville 
library association, founded in 1879, oc- 
cupies a handsome building given by Mr 
George Pack and valued at $40,000; it has 
an annual income of $3000, contains 8000 
volumes, and last year had a circulation 
of 16,249 volumes and 993 readers. 

In 1901, 1903 and 1905, the legislature 
made possible the rural libraries, the most 
Important step yet taken in public edu- 
cation. To-day there are more than 1400 
of these libraries, containing 137,536 vol- 
umes, accessible to about 120,000 people. 
North Carolina goes on record as furnish- 
ing 25 books to every 100 of her population, 
a number which, while very much less than 
that of some ether states of the Union, has 
the distinction of being twice as large as 
it was in 1900. For the last two years, 
two public school houses have gone up 
every day. 

One of the mightiest forces in our library 
extension work is the Federation of wom- 
en's clubs. There is hardly a club in the 
state which is not in some way connect- 
ed with some form of library work. At 
their recent annual meeting, they pledged 
their support to secure such legislation as 
will make possible a library commission. 
Last year from Gold&boro 38 collections of 



72 



ASKEVILLE CONFERENCE 



traveling libraries were sent out by the 
Woman's club. 

The development of the college library, 
so far, as the public is interested, has been 
in well equipped buildings. Trinity col- 
lege, at Durham, has a $60,000 building. 
The University of North Carolina, at 
Chapel Hill, has a $55,000 library with $55,- 
000 endowment. The State normal at 
Greensboro, a $20,000 building, and David- 
son college the promise of a similar one. 

At Durham, in 1897, was established the 
first public library, followed in 1900 by 
the Olivia Raney memorial library at 
Raleigh, the Greensboro public library in 
1902, Carnegie library of Charlotte in 1903, 
Winston-Salem, Gastonia, Wilmington, 
Goldsboro, Hickory, Wadesboro, in 1906, 
and the Page memorial library at Aberdeen 
In 1907. 

Charlotte has the only public library for 
negroes, supported by the city. The build- 
ing cost $2300, and receives an annual ap- 
propriation of $400. It was opened in July, 
1006, has 600 volumes, and 300 regular 
readers. The negro citizens have raised 
money for books. 

At their recent session, the legislature 
granted charters to High Point and States- 
ville for Carnegie gifts, authorized a vote 
in Charlotte for a tax of three cents for 
support of the Carnegie library, and the 
Board of education of Mecklenburg county 
to appropriate $750 to the Carnegie library 
of Charlotte annually. 

The North Carolina library association 
was organized in 1904, and has held three 
annual meetings, and has a membership of 
76. 

Miss MARY MARTIN, assistant libra- 
rian of Winthrop college library of Rock 
Hill, presented the statement for 

SOUTH CAROLINA 

Library legislation. The library law of 
1903 provides for the maintenance of pub- 
lic libraries by towns of over 5000 inhabi- 
tants. (Acts 1903. No. 45.) 

Under the school library law of 1904 about 
800 libraries have been established. The 



senior class of 60 at the State normal and 
industrial college was this year given a 
course of lectures on the selection and 
care of these libraries, by the college 
librarian, a graduate of Drexel. 

The town of Union has a special law 
incorporating the board of trustees. (Acts 
of 1906. No. 168.) 

College libraries. In an interesting hand- 
book issued last fall, the University of 
South Carolina claims that it was the first 
college in the United States to have a 
separate library building. It has taken 75 
years for the other colleges to follow suit. 
Within the last year, three Carnegie build- 
ings have been put into use. A fourth 
college has funds on hand for one. 

Two college libraries have been lately 
cataloged and classified by expert libra- 
rians. 

Public libraries. When we consider that 
five years ago there was no public library 
building in the state, the present outlook 
is very encouraging. Three towns have 
Carnegie buildings, two are now building. 
There are about a dozen small libraries in 
the siate partly supported by public funds. 

Special libraries. Charleston and Co- 
lumbia, the largest cities of the state, have 
only subscription libraries as yet. One 
of these, the Charleston library society, 
founded in 1748, is in a very flourishing 
condition. 35.000 volumes have been 
added since 1899. 

The South Carolina historical society 
and the Charleston museum have valuable 
reference libraries. 

Library association and Library commis- 
sion. We have neither of these aids to 
library organization. That the need is felt 
the following incident will show. 

A certain little town in our state wanted 
a public library. A Carnegie building was 
asked for and granted under the usual 
conditions. All at once the good people 
who were to give the only desirable lot, 
threatened to withdraw their offer unless 
assurance was given them in regard to 
the book selection. They wanted particu- 
larly to know whether Mr Carnegie had 



UTLEY 



73 



reserved the right to select the books. 
The people in authority knew that Mr 
Carnegie had made no such reservation. 
But they were decidedly of the opinion 
that, should he intimate a desire to select 
their books, courtesy would demand that 
he be allowed to do so. 

I was not told just why these people 
objected to Mr Carnegie's selection of 
their reading matter. Perhaps they thought 
his library gifts a canny scheme to in- 
crease the sale of his own books, or sus- 
pected him of deep laid designs to force 
reformed spelling or Scotch dialect upon 
an unwilling public. I only know that the 
library came to a stand-still for some time. 
Finally the matter was referred to a man 
who knew a man who lived in a town 
where there was a Carnegie library. In 
this roundabout way information was re- 
ceived from a librarian which effectually 
removed the difficulties. 

Mr GEO. B. UTLEY, Librarian of the 
Free public library, Jacksonville, presented 
a paper on 

LIBRARY CONDITIONS IN FLORIDA 

This brief paper on library conditions in 
Florida deals for the most part with begin- 
nings. When the A, L. A. last met in the 
south, in 1899, there was practically no 
library activity in Florida, but we are now 
able to report some awakening and progress 
since that time, and before another 'eight 
years have passed we believe a yet better 
statement can be made. At present Jack- 
sonville has the only free and municipally 
supported library in the state, but we feel 
confident in predicting that within a few 
years Tampa, Pensacola, and a number of 
smaller towns will be maintaining free li- 
braries. Efforts to establish libraries in 
these places are being made and we be- 
lieve that the indifference of the citizens 
and the opposition of the authorities will, 
in a short time, be overcome. 

The establishment of new libraries is 
handicapped by the lack of legislation on 
the subject, for at present there are no gen- 
eral library laws in Florida. Any town or 



city wishing to organize a municipally sup- 
ported library must obtain the consent of 
the state legislature in an act authorizing 
the levy of a tax for this purpose. Such 
an act was passed in 1901 for the benefit of 
the city of Jacksonville, and, adopting this 
as a pattern, we have recently framed a bill 
authorizing any city or town to levy a tax, 
or otherwise to provide by public money, 
for the support of a free library. This bill 
is before the legislature now in session at 
Tallahassee, and if it becomes a law, this 
will be the iirst step towards adequate li- 
brary legislation. 

During our two years' residence in 
Florida we have attempted in several direc- 
tions to awaksn interest in a library com- 
mission. At present there are but few li- 
brarians to be interested, and these, with 
certain teachers and public spirited citizens, 
are the only ones who care for such a meas- 
ure. No attempt has yet been made to se- 
cure legislation on this point, for the 
friends of the movement who are best ac- 
quainted with the political situation, believe 
that the opportune time has not yet arrived. 
We very much need traveling libraries to 
bring library privileges to the large but 
scattered rural population, but an attempt 
to secure money for carrying on this good 
work would undoubtedly be unsuccessful at 
the present time. 

A state library is much needed to agitate 
such a movement as this, but Florida has 
no state library, except theoretically. An 
act of the legislature of 1845 provided that 
the secretary of state should "collect all 
books and maps belonging to the state" and 
place one copy in what should be known as 
the "Legislative library," and a second 
copy in what should be known as the "State 
judicial library." The legislature in 1855 
provided that the legislative library should 
be placed under the care of the secretary 
of state, who was thereby declared ex- 
officio librarian of the state of Florida, and 
who should have a yearly salary of $200. 
A room in the state capitol was originally 
set apart for the purposes of the library, 
but it was soon needed for what the powers 
considered more important uses, and the 



74 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



books, maps and documents of all kinds 
were relegated to the basement, closets, or 
any places not suitable for other uses. Here, 
entirely inaccessible to the public, eaten by 
cock-roaches and subjected to mould and 
mildew, lie the books of the so-called state 
library. It is hoped that this condition of 
affairs will not much longer exist to be a 
disgrace to the state. The "State judicial 
library," originally so-called, has had a 
somewhat more fortunate experience. It 
has developed into the Supreme court li- 
brary, containing now about 12,000 volumes 
of law and reference books, well shelved in 
the capitol building, but not adequately 
cataloged. This collection is under the 
supervision of the clerk of the Supreme 
court, which official, very naturally, has had 
no special library training. 

A state historical society has been re- 
cently organized, a room in the Jackson- 
ville library has been loaned for its use, 
and a nucleus of about one hundred vol- 
umes of rare and desirable works relating 
to Florida has been gathered during the 
past eighteen months. The society is, as 
yet, entirely dependent upon donations and 
the annual membership fees, although ef- 
forts are now being made to secure an ap- 
propriation from the state legislature. 

A state library association was organized 
in 1901. with but two or three librarians as 
members, the remainder being teachers 
anxious to stir up some library enthu- 
siasm. For several years the association 
held merely business meetings at the time 
and place of the annual conference of the 
state teachers' association. The first meet- 
ing at which a pre-arranged program was 
presented was held at St Augustine, Decem- 
ber 28th and 29th. 1906. The association 
it is not yet strong enough to stand alone, 
is still dependent for membership largely 
upon interested teachers, and consequent- 
ly is obliged to hold its conferences in con- 
junction with those of the teachers of the 
state. 

Nearly every town of 1000 or more in- 
habitants has a small subscription circu- 
lating library. In most instances the col- 
lection is principally strong in fiction and 



government documents. The little library 
at Key West, containing about 1900 vol- 
umes, finds Mrs Holmes and Mrs South- 
worth the only authors whose popularity 
has warranted the securing of duplicate 
copies. A few of these subscription li- 
braries are enterprising, for example, De 
Funiak Springs, Tallahassee and Cocoanut 
Grove. These have a fairly good book 
selection, and the two latter own their own 
building. That at Cocoanut Grove has the 
distinction of being the most southerly sit- 
uated library building in the United States. 
This little library is the special protege of 
Mr Kirk Munroe, the author, and it would 
not be in its present prosperous condition 
except for his personal interest and over- 
sight. But a subscription library, by the 
very reason of its being a subscription li- 
brary, is seriously and almost hopelessly 
handicapped in trying to do any aggressive 
work in a community, particularly in reach- 
ing the children and the laboring classes. 

Jacksonville has a $50,000 Carnegie build- 
ing, well equipped, well supported, and ex- 
cellently patronized, over 86,000 volumes 
having been circulated in 1906. We are 
trying to set an example to the other towns 
and encourage them to go and do likewise, 
for at present this is the only free public 
library in Florida. Mr Carnegie has offered 
libraries to Tampa ($25,000), Pensacola 
($15,000), and Ocala ($5,000). (Since 
this was written, the prime movers in Ocala 
have applied for $10,000 from Mr Carnegie, 
and have circulated a paper which, has been 
signed by a majority of the tax payers in 
the town, authorizing the levying of a tax 
for $10,000 instead of $5000. Those who 
have been in correspondence with me are 
sure the measure will go through, not fall 
through.) In each town a few are work- 
ing for the movement, the majority are in- 
different, and the only authorities are op- 
posed to a library. 

John B. Stetson university, at De Land, 
and Rollins college, at Winter Park, each 
has a Carnegie building in course of con- 
struction, the cost being $40,000 and $20,000 
respectively. The University of Florida, 
at Gainesville, is most inadequately equip- 



OWEN 



75 



ped. the library being limited, and the ex- 
penditure for books and periodicals com- 
bined not exceedirg $75 annually. The 
Florida female college, at Tallahassee, has 
a fair working library of 6000 volumes, and 
a librarian who devotes her entire time to 
its duties. 

This is. in truth, a most unsatisfactory 
record for so large a state, but when the 
A. L. A. again accepts our Southern hos- 
pitality we trust Florida will have a bet- 
ter report, and perhaps the manifold 
charms of St Augustine will be potent 
enough to draw you to her "Ancient city by 
the sea." 

Dr T. M. OWEN reported for 

ALABAMA 

I want to talk to you very briefly 
upon library progress in Alabama in the 
last ten years. The condition in which 
we find ourselves is not at all what it 
should be, and yet, it is gratifying. Li- 
brary legislation in Alabama is not in al- 
together satisfactory condition. Briefly 
summarized, library associations can in- 
corporate themselves in any community in 
the same way that any literary or learned 
society or body of individuals can become 
incorporated; we have a few specific char- 
ters for libraries, as in the case of the 
Carnegie library in Montgomery; we have 
as one institution the State and supreme 
court library: and cities are permitted to 
support libraries in accordance with the 
terms of their charters-. In some cases the 
charters specifically prohibit the granting 
of support for other causes than those 
mentioned in the charter, while a greater 
degree of liberty exists in others. Now, 
it is one of our aims to secure a compre- 
hensive library law. By that I mean a 
law that will bring together the entire 
matter of charter, the incorporation and 
the support, either by taxation or by speci- 
fic appropriation, and I am satisfied that 
public opinion is in such condition that 
we will in a short time be able to compass 
that desire. 

In Alabama we have a library associa- 



tion which was organized in 1904, at which 
time it held its first meeting. It has held 
two meetings since then and the associa- 
tion is in healthy condition, with ninety- 
one members; and at our last meeting 
we had the rare pleasure of having with 
us a man who was present in the Centen- 
nial year at the organization of the Ameri- 
can Library Association, and whose name 
appears on the first page of the first issue 
of the "Library Journal." I refer to Mr 
Thomas Vickers, formerly librarian of 
the Cincinnati public library. We have in 
Alabama over 100 we had 95 reporting in 
the spring of 1906 we have over 100 free 
public and institutional libraries; we have 
11 Carnegie libraries three being school 
libraries, and eight of them free public 
libraries, Montgomery being the first. We 
have two others that have been granted, 
but the conditions for which have not yet 
been met. Our State and supreme court 
library, so the librarian tells me, has about 
30,000 books, about 5,000 of which are gen- 
eral literature, the rest being the reports 
of the courts, session laws, and the ex- 
changes with state libraries and other ex- 
changes. These books serve the supreme 
court and its bar, and at the same time 
are available to the people generally. The 
librarian has been in office some thirty 
years; he is a gentleman of the old school 
and an excellent man. 

I come now to what appears to me to 
be the most gratifying condition in Ala- 
bama, and that is with reference to our 
state supported work. In Alabama we 
found that it would not be well for us to 
undertake to establish a Library commis- 
sion. When our legislature, which met 
last winter, established four or five new 
offices, and raised the salaries of all the 
officers in the state, it was felt that it 
would not be possible, even with the spirit 
of enthusiasm and progress stirring that 
body, to attempt the establishment of a 
commission which involved a new office, 
trustees, etc. Now, what did we do? We 
called a conference of some of the leaders 
of the legislature, and it was decided that 



76 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



instead of creating a new office, we should 
engraft the work of a library commission 
upon the Department of archives and his- 
tory. - That was an institution that had 
been established six years, it had the con- 
fidence of the people and the legislature, 
the director of that Department was Presi- 
dent of the State library association, and 
otherwise in touch with the people, and 
it was thought that would probably be the 
best means of library promotion. So 
the legislature passed a short law of six 
or eight lines, which is found on page 203 
of the May number of the "Library Jour- 
nal," containing two provisions, one of 
which is as follows: "That in addition 
to the duties now required by law, the 
Department of archives and history shall 
do and perform the following: 

"1 It shall encourage and assist in the 
establishing of public and school libraries, 
and in the improvement and strengthening 
of those already in existence; it shall give 
advice and provide assistance to librarians 
and library workers in library administra- 
tion, methods and economy, and it shall 
conduct a system of traveling libraries." 

We wanted in a comprehensive way to 
state every duty, not counting the State 
library which is a phase of specific ac- 
tivity, every duty which the state owes 
to library promotion as such. We have 
been at work organizing our division of 
library extension. The head of that divi- 
sion has been selected, and on the first day 
of July we will begin our work. It has 
been divided or grouped somewhat in this 
way: Public library promotion, school li- 
brary promotion, instruction and supervi- 
sion, traveling libraries, magazine clear- 
ing house and publication. In every way 
we are going to undertake to promote, we 
are going to create public opinion, we are 
going to do that through press and pub- 
licity, and through lecture and appeal to 
the teachers and the people, we will be 
in the commercial associations and their 
institutes and their conventions, we will be 
at the gatherings of men in benevolent 
work and in church work, and every agency 



that will tend to develop a public opinion 
in a community that will result in crys- 
tallizing that opinion so that there will be 
started a public library there. Alabama 
is, I believe, the first State that has made 
an appropriation in support of such work 
in the South that is, to support a com- 
mission. 

I don't know that I could say more; but 
we have our work well in hand. We are 
healthy and strong. Our people are pros- 
perous and ambitious, and with your help, 
with the inspiration that we will gain 
from you, and your matured thought and 
your matured work, and as it comes to us 
through the publications which you put 
forth, like the "Library Journal" and the 
"Public Libraries," and your "Bulletins," 
and other things which we get, we are go- 
ing to do well. 

Before I close I want to render a little 
service here which I had intended to do 
just at the beginning. The unanimous ap- 
plause which greeted the appearance of 
Miss Wallace on the presentation of her 
paper, was most gratifying to the hundred 
or ' more delegates from the South. We 
have long looked to her as the leader in 
our work, and I cannot let the opportunity 
pa^ss with a tribute alone from Mr Bowker. 
I wish to give this public expression to 
her great helpfulness, to her leadership, to 
that advanced position which she has held 
in the movement, and which we hope she 
will hold for many, many years to come. 
We are satisfied that without her inspira- 
tion and guidance that we should be far 
behind our present position. In an indi- 
vidual way that is to say, in the helpful 
sense to the individual library, I do not 
know anywhere anyone to whom so much 
is due. 

Mr WILLIAM BEER of the Howard 
memorial library, New Orleans, presented 
the statement for 

LOUISIANA 

It is unfortunately only too easy to 
chronicle the advancement of Louisiana 



WINDSOR 



77- 



since the last meeting of the American 
Library Association in the South. At that 
time the only large free public library, 
that of the city of New Orleans, had been 
already started, and was rapidly wending 
its way to the unexpectedly large number 
of readers which make use of its resources 
at this time. 

The proportion of fiction to the entire 
number of books read has, however, con- 
siderably changed owing to the addition 
of large numbers of the latest, popular 
works on the arts and sciences. The posi- 
tion and prospects of the library to-day 
are, however, very different. In 1900 the 
total income from city appropriation and 
other sources was approximately $13,000, 
and the building was, in its then state, 
utterly inadequate. To-day, thanks to the 
gift of Mr Carnegie, the building fund 
amounts to $275,000, which is being spent 
on the handsome commodious library at 
the entrance of the best residence avenue 
of the city, and on three branches distri- 
buted to the best advantage of the outly- 
ing population. 

In other respects the library position in 
the city, viewed generally and not from 
the point of view of support by taxation, 
has greatly improved. 

The State library may look forward to 
ample accommodations in the new build- 
ing of the lower courts, for which a whole 
square of ground has been cleared within 
a short distance of Canal street. 

The Library of Tulane university is now 
placed in the well designed Tilton memorial 
building, which, with the annex recently 
opened, will accommodate 100,000 books. 
This collection is likely to become of ex- 
ceptional value from the gifts of individuals 
interested in the chairs of literature and 
history. 

The Library of Sophie Newcomb college, 
already large, will undoubtedly benefit from 
the $2,000,000 legacy of its founder. 

The Howard memorial library has large- 
ly increased its periodical and historical 
collections, so that in the city itself the 
provision may be said to be fairly good. 

The contrary is unfortunately the case 



with regard to the scattered communities 
in the state, in which, outside New Orleans, 
the best collection available for students is 
probably that at the University of Baton 
Rouge. 

There are only three tax supported libra- 
ries in the parishes, namely, the Carnegie 
libraries at Lake Charles and Jennings, and 
a library in Alexandria, founded by one 
of its philanthropic citizens. 

The Lake Charles library was opened on 
March 7th 1904, with 626 volumes. Its 
present condition is, total number of books 
3,300, circulation in 1906 18,862, present in- 
come $1,000 for expenses, provided by the 
city; the book fund is raised by public sub- 
scription. 

While no steps have been taken to pass 
legislation favorable to the formation of a 
library commission and to affording state 
aid to public libraries, the State superin- 
tendent of schools secured the passage of 
an act, in 1906, through which not less than 
257 school libraries have been created. 

I trust that the condition and prospects 
of libraries in Louisiana will have im- 
proved greatly before the next meeting of 
the Association in the South. 

Mr PHINEAS L. WINDSOR, Librarian 
of the University of Texas, read the fol- 
lowing paper on 

THE LIBRARY SITUATION IN TEXAS 

The modern library movement began in 
Texas in 1899-1900, the years of the largest 
four gifts to Texas cities by Mr Carnegie, 
and by the end of 1905 most of our present 
19 Carnegie library buildings were com- 
pleted and in use. Our successes are 
chiefly due to the persistent work of the 
women's clubs, and to the gifts of nearly 
half a million dollars from Mr Carnegie. 
We have not been aided by a library law, 
for Texas not only is without a general 
library law, but its state constitution is a 
hindrance rather than a help, being so 
worded as to require each city of less than 
10,000 population to secure from the legisla- 
ture a special charter amendment authoriz- 
ing it to support a public library. 



78 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



The Texas library association last month 
held its fifth annual meeting. Besides the 
esprit de corps arising as one result of 
these five meetings, the Association has, 
in conjunction with the Texas federation 
of women's clubs, drafted and had intro- 
duced into each of the last three legisla- 
tures bills creating a library commission, 
together with all the work incidental to 
such efforts; it issued, in 1904, with the 
financial help of the club women, a "Hand- 
book of Texas libraries" of 86 pages of text 
and 16 pages of illustrations; it has con- 
ducted one library institute. For the fu- 
ture it is planning to issue this year a 
supplement to the "Handbook of Texas libra- 
ries"; with the aid of A. L. A. it hopes 
to bring about a meeting of the library 
workers of the Southwest; it will continue 
its legislative efforts, and it will hold oc- 
casional library institutes. 

There are Carnegie library buildings in 
19 cities, each of the four most expensive 
ones costing $50,000, and one of these, San 
Antonio, has lately received an additional 
$20,000 for additions to the building. Three 
cities have buildings erected from funds 
left by Texas citizens: in Lockhart is the 
D,r Eugene Clark library; in Waxahachie is 
the N. P. Sims library, and in Galveston 
is the Rosenberg library. The two latter 
are endowed, and the Rosenberg library 
endowment Is so large as to warrant the 
confident expectation that it will become a 
leader among libraries of the Southwest. 
Besides these 22 public libraries there are, 
usually maintained by the club women, li- 
brary beginnings in scores of the smaller 
towns, and some have reached a surprising 
stage of effectiveness. The half dozen large 
public libraries each containing 15,000 to 
25,000 volumes have incomes of $5,000 to 
over $20,000, and circulate 45,000 to 80,000 
volumes a year. 

The principal college and university li- 
braries are at the University of Texas, at 
Baylor university and at Southwestern 
university, which contain 55,000, 18,000 and 
11,000 volumes respectively. Baylor uni- 
versity library occupies half of a $75,000 
building designed for a "library and 



chapel;" and the library of the Huntsville 
state normal school occupies the Peabody 
memorial library building, costing $12,500. 
Except these two, the libraries of Texas 
educational institutions are quartered but 
not housed. 

The state maintains two good libraries in 
the Capitol, the Supreme court library of 
14,000 volumes and the State library proper, 
which is under the jurisdiction of the De- 
partment of agriculture, insurance, statis- 
tics and history. 

The State library was completely de- 
stroyed in the burning of the Capitol in 
1881, and the collection now numbers 35,- 
000 volumes and 16,000 manuscripts. Most 
of the volumes are state and federal docu- 
ments; but the library has a notable col- 
lection of over 3,000 books and pamphlets 
relating to Texas and Southwestern his- 
tory. These 3,000 Texas books include 750 
bound volumes of newspapers, 150 being 
before 1880, and, with the more than 16,000 
Spanish and other manuscripts, give a real 
distinction to the library. The library has 
not been able however to extend its use- 
fulness so as to affect directly the libraries 
or the other educational institutions or 
the citizens of the state. 

The library bill introduced into the Texas 
legislature last winter provided for a libra- 
ry commission which should take charge 
of the State library, develop a legislative 
reference section, maintain a system of 
traveling libraries and perform the other 
duties commonly devolving upon library 
commissions. While this bill failed of pas- 
sage, it had promising legislative support, 
and with practically no changes, it will be 
introduced into the next legislature. 

Miss EDITH A. PHELPS of the Car- 
negie library, Oklahoma City, has pre- 
pared the following statement for 

OKLAHOMA 

The library movement in Oklahoma is 
recent; only eighteen years since she was 
opened to settlement by the white people, 
then not for ten years did she receive 
within her borders the better class and 



JOHNSON 



79 



educated people from the older states. 
The Southern states are more largely re- 
presented, although every state in the 
Union has contributed to her population. 

With the incoming of people, who are 
always in search of knowledge, soon de- 
veloped the need of books, and then, with 
the representatives sent to the legisla- 
ture, realizing this want there have been 
established a State library, a State uni- 
versity library. State historical associa- 
tion with a library, three State normal 
schools maintain libraries, and one in the 
Agricultural and mechanical college, all 
supported by the State. 

Two denominational colleges have be- 
tween them 3000 volumes and employ a 
librarian, one is planning to have its libra- 
rian attend one of the summer library 
schools during 1907. 

Five towns have Carnegie libraries, sev- 
eral others have an accumulation of books 
and hope to become beneficiaries of Mr 
Carnegie. 

Oklahoma City library is the oldest, hav- 
ing been established in 1901, by the zeal 
and perseverance of one faithful club 
woman. This library is supported by a one 
mill tax levied upon the city, but its 10,000 
volumes also furnish the reading matter 
for the surrounding rural section. 

A state library association has been or- 
ganized and the promptness with which 
the librarians responded to the call for the 
initial meeting is proof of a true and en- 
thusiastic library spirit, and all library 
workers willing to profit by suggestions 
toward making the institutions they rep- 
resent of more service to the people, re- 
sulted in ten libraries sending nineteen to 
adopt the constitution. 

In the absence of Miss MARY HANNAH 
JOHNSON, the following paper was read 
by Mr G. H. Baskette, President of the 
Board of trustees of the Carnegie library of 
Nashville: 

LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT IN TEN- 
NESSEE 

An investigation of library conditions in 
Tennessee discloses so much that would be 



of interest to the student of library devel- 
opment, my fear is that I cannot compass 
the situation with sufficient clearness and 
succinctness within the limit of time al- 
loted this paper. I will give as briefly as 
possible the general and statistical infor- 
mation in regard to Tennessee libraries, 
which is authentic as far as could be ob- 
tained, setting forth the present advance- 
ment and prospects and not disguising the 
weak phases and discouragements. 

While there are not many public libraries 
yet established in Tennessee the formative 
work that has been done has been based 
upon a policy which must prove a sure 
foundation for future upbuilding. This policy 
has been to emphasize the library as an 
essentially educational, as distinguished 
from a recreational institution; that it is 
a necessity and not a luxury; that it must 
go hand in hand with schools and colleges 
in such intimate and vital association that 
neither can do without the other, and that 
communities will eventually demand the 
library as necessary to their educational 
equipment. 

Library legislation. Those interested in 
library work in Tennessee endeavored to 
get several important bills passed by the 
General Assembly at its session in 1907. 
Though some of these bills did not pass, the 
effort to secure such legislation increased 
the general interest in it and reasonably 
insures the enactment of the needed 
library laws by the next legislature. The 
state has a general library law which ap- 
plies to cities of certain population, but it 
needs further amendment so as to apply to 
all incorporated towns. The existing law 
and amendments are appended. Some 
special acts for levying library taxes apply- 
ing to particular towns, have been passed. 
A bill to create a free library commission 
was introduced, which first failed because 
an appropriation was called for, and after- 
wards, through the narrowness of some 
legislators who thought it would benefit a 
few and not the people. The State school 
department and the State library hoped 
to secure the passage of a traveling school 
library law, with an appropriation to send 



80 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



carefully selected libraries to the county 
common schools throughout the state, these 
libraries to travel from county to county, 
the State library being the distributing 
center. Unfortunately this bill was not 
introduced, but another bill was introduced 
providing for an annual appropriation of 
$5,000 to assist rural schools to establish 
and maintain libraries. 

The State library. The Tennessee state 
library was founded in 1854. with 500 vol- 
umes. It now contains 60,000 volumes, 
which include a fine collection of law books 
with court reports and state documents. 
Within the past ten years this library has 
made remarkable advance in administra- 
tion, the librarians having become more 
trained in librarianship as a profession and 
the library itself further removed from 
mere political influence, the election of the 
librarian being now in the hands of a com- 
mission composed of the Governor, Attor- 
ney-General and the Chief Justice of the 
Supreme court. The State library is mak- 
ing a better impression throughout the 
state than ever before. It is cooperating 
with the state school department to secure 
a general law to provide for traveling 
school libraries. The need of such a law is 
evident, as a number of the counties have 
already realized the value of placing good 
reading before their children supplemental 
to their text-books and have made appro- 
priations from their County school funds 
for traveling school libraries. The State 
library is the depository for the Library 
of Congress cards. 

Public libraries. The public library 
movement in Tennessee has made marked 
advancement within the past five years. 
While many new libraries have not been 
established, those that, have been are or- 
ganized upon the most improved methods 
and standards of library work. The libra- 
rians and boards recognized the necessity 
for a thoroughly trained service, and most 
of the librarians and assistants are pro- 
fessionally equipped for this special work. 
I know of no public libraries doing more 
helpful work than the free libraries in 
Tennessee. They are not only powers in 



the communities in which they are situ- 
ated, but are instrumental in stimulating 
a general interest in library advancement 
throughout the state. If you will pardon 
me I will mention the institution I know 
most about, the Carnegie library of Nash- 
ville, as an example of library progression 
in Tennessee. This library is not only well 
equipped for its regular work in all depart- 
ments, but has been prominent in encour- 
aging the cooperation of schools and libra- 
ries, the promotion of the arts and crafts 
and aiding with counsel and information 
movements for the establishment of new 
libraries in the state. There are five free 
circulating libraries in Tennessee sup- 
ported by municipal tax or appropriation. 

Chattanooga. First library organized 
in 1887, subscription. Chattanooga public 
library organized in 1904; Carnegie build- 
ing cost $50,000; yearly appropriation, 
$5,000; assistants, 6; open on Sunday; vol- 
umes, 12,210. 

Jackson. First library organized 1883, 
subscription: Jackson free library organ- 
ized 1902; Carnegie building cost $35,000; 
yearly appropriation, $3,000; special tax of 
10 cents on every $100 worth of property; 
assistants, 1; open on Sunday; volumes, 
6,881. 

Memphis. First library organized 1847; 
subscription; Cossitt library established 
1888; Cossitt building cost $75,000; City 
built addition, $25,000; yearly appropria- 
tion, about $18,000; special tax of 3 cents 
on the $100; assistants, 7; open on Sun- 
day; volumes, 30,000; one branch library 
for negroes; two deposit stations. 

Nashville. Howard library organized in 
1885; a reference and then a subscription 
library; made a free circulating library in 
1901; merged into the Carnegie library of 
Nashville in 1901; Carnegie building cost 
$100,000; City appropriation yearly, $10,000; 
assistants, 8; open on Sunday; volumes, 
32,796; one deposit station; supplies 5,000 
books yearly for circulation in public 
schools. 

Paris. Paris free library organized in 
1902; building furnished by the City; 1,000 
volumes donated by E. W. Grove; yearly 



JOHNSON 



81 



appropriation, $200; assistants, 1; volumes, 
1.500. 

The Memphis library circulates books 
throughout the county but does not receive 
any county appropriation. The other libra- 
ries hope to get county appropriations to 
enable them to extend the circulation of 
books through the counties. Most of the 
towns in the state have subscription libra- 
ries more or less advanced. 

The city of Knoxville has a large and 
very successful subscription library, known 
as the Lawson-McGhee library. First li- 
brary organized 187:5, subscription; called 
the Public library. Lawson-McGhee li- 
brary, endowed 1886; no city appropriation; 
maintenance fund, $3,200; assistants, 2; 
open on Sundays; volumes, 13,264. 

The subscription library is a forerunner of 
the free library and through its influence a 
number of towns are now inaugurating 
movements to secure free public libraries. 

School, college and law libraries and 
special collections. Tennessee abounds in 
universities, colleges and schools and there 
are over 100 school libraries in the state, 
some of them comprising exceptionally 
large and fine collections. The college li- 
brary has become the center of activity in 
the college world and from many colleges 
in Tennessee I hear of new library build- 
ings being planned and increased funds be- 
ing appropriated for books. The negro uni- 
versities are also well equipped with libra- 
ries. Mention is made below of some of 
the principal university libraries: 

Cumberland university, Lebanon; library 
founded in 1842; volumes, 20,000; assistant 
librarians, 3. 

Grant university, Chattanooga; library 
founded in 1886; volumes, 5,500; as- 
sistants, 2. 

University of Tennessee, Knoxville; li- 
brary organized 1807; volumes, 22,000; as- 
sistants, 2. 

University of the South, Sewanee; li- 
brary organized 1874; volumes, 27,000; as- 
sistants, 1. 

Peabody college for teachers, Nashville; 
library organized 1806; volumes, 25,000; 
assistants, 1. 



Vanderbilt university, Nashville; library 
organized 1875; volumes, 33,700; as- 
sistants, 2. 

Nashville has four extensive law libra- 
ries, and there are large law libraries in 
Memphis, Chattanooga and Knoxville and 
smaller collections in many of the lesser 
cities of the State. There are not a few 
special collections of great value in Tennes- 
see, among which are the collection of the 
Tennessee historical society and the state 
archives collection at Nashville, and that 
of the Goodwin institute at Memphis which 
expends $5,000 annually for a reference 
library. The State library and the public 
libraries are making special collections on 
certain lines. 

State library association. The Tennes- 
see library association was organized in 
1902 and has held three annual meetings. 
The association has accomplished an ex- 
cellent work, enlisting not only the co- 
operation of the librarians but also that of 
men and women distinguished in other 
vocations. The papers read are not con- 
fined to technical library methods and sub- 
jects, but many of them have been rich 
with advanced ideas of educational progress 
and civic improvement. The libraries have 
paid the expenses of librarians to attend 
the sessions and each section of the state 
has been well represented. One of the 
paramount aims of the association has been 
to get in closer touch with the school peo- 
ple of the State and joint-meetings of the 
Association and the Public school officers' 
association of Tennessee have been held 
annually at which meetings the library in- 
terests are placed before the school officers 
and school interests are discussed with the 
librarians. By this means the library spirit 
has been promoted with the promise of rich 
results in the future. 

The Tennessee federation of women's 
clubs, which is backing the traveling libra- 
ry movement, having sent out several hun- 
dred libraries, cooperates with the Tennes- 
see library association and is a strong 
factor for advancing library interests in 
the state. The Tennessee library associa- 
tion, realizing the necessity for better 



62 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



means of disseminating the library spirit 
over the South and fostering the closer 
association of schools and libraries, co- 
operates with librarians and educators in 
the Southern states in forming a Depart- 
ment of libraries in the Southern educa- 
tional association at the annual meeting of 
that association at Montgomery in Decem- 
ber, 1906. This movement was enthusias- 
tically endorsed by the assembled educa- 
tors and by leading librarians in the South. 
The people must be given information 
about libraries and must be shown the need 
and benefit of the library before they can 
be induced to give it proper attention or 
call for its establishment. And I know of 
no better way to teach the people to call 
for the library than to couple it with the 
educational movement in the South. And 
it is hoped and believed by these enthu- 
siastic educators that in a few years a li- 
brary spirit will be engendered the like of 
which has never been here before. The 
library workers are few, but the prominent 
men and women belonging to the Southern 
educational association are many and they 
are going to take the library message to 
the people. 

In closing Mr Baskette expressed his 
pleasure at being present at this, his first 
meeting with the Association. He spoke 
in high appreciation of the work Miss 
Johnson had done, and of the inspiration 
she had been. He spoke further of the 
need of arousing public sentiment in favor 
of libraries and expressed his belief that 
before many years Tennessee would be 
dotted with them. 

Mr W. F. YUST, Librarian of the Free 
public library, Louisville, presented the 
following statement of 

LIBRARIES AND THE LIBRARY MOVE- 
MENT IN KENTUCKY 

Library development can not precede 
school development. Unless both take 
place at the same time, the library move- 
ment must come second. Where the public 
schools are poor, public libraries cannot 
flourish, which has long been the case 



in many parts of Kentucky. There are, 
however, many excellent private collec- 
tions of books, some of which have ex- 
erted a wide influence. At present there 
is a marked tendency toward the demo- 
cratizing of the library. 

The best obtainable statistics for the 
state give 79 libraries of 1,000 to 10,000 
volumes, six between 10 and 20 thousand, 
three between 20 and 30 thousand, one of 
50,000, one of 90,000 and one of 100,000 vol- 
umes. There are 21 free public libraries, 
12 subscription libraries, a state library, a 
law library, six college libraries of consid- 
erable size and value, several of which take 
the place of free circulating libraries in 
their vicinity, a few public school libraries 
that circulate books to the people and per- 
haps 50 small libraries of educational in- 
stitutions with 1,000 to 5,000 volumes which 
are free for reference in the towns where 
they are located. 

Ten, or almost half, of the free public 
libraries have Carnegie buildings. By far 
the largest part of the free public library 
work of the state is being done in Louis- 
ville where five Carnegie buildings are now 
being erected and where last year the ap- 
propriation of funds and the circulation 
of books were probably twice as large as 
in all the rest of the state. 

The State federation of women's clubs 
has collected the following statistics for 
the 119 counties of the state; there are 16 
counties with free libraries, 12 with sub- 
scription libraries and 71 without any libra- 
ries; 20 counties were not reported. The 
Traveling library committee of the 
Women's federation has for several years 
been circulating books and has also donated 
some to communities desiring to establish 
permanent libraries. At present the Fed- 
eration has 84 book cases averaging 55 vol- 
umes each which are circulated in 24 moun- 
tain counties. 

Berea college situated on the edge of the 
mountain district also has 60 traveling 
libraries of about 20 volumes each, or a 
total of 1312 volumes, in circulation 
among the mountain people. The books 
are sent almost entirely to the public 



YUST 



schools. Much good is thus being accom- 
plished by this college and the women's 
clubs. These are the only two efforts thus 
far made through traveling libraries or 
otherwise toward work for any consider- 
able portion of the state. 

The federal census of 1900 gives Kentucky 
a population of 2,147,174, of which 284,706, 
or 13 per cent, are negroes. For the latter 
no provision is made in libraries except 
in a very few cases, mainly because there 
is little or no demand. In the Carnegie 
library at Lexington, in the heart of the 
commonwealth, a reading room is set apart 
for them and they may draw books for 
home use at the same desk with all others. 
This privilege is used by so few that their 
presence is hardly noticed. In Louisville 
which has a population of 250,000 the trus- 
tees planned from the beginning to place 
the Public library on the same basis as 
the public schools and provide a separate 
branch for the 40,000 negroes. This branch 
is now in operation in rented quarters but 
a $30,000 Carnegie building is in process of 
construction and will be the first of its 
kind in existence. The library is in charge 
of two colored people and circulated in the 
last 12 months 23,969 volumes. The plan 
is a complete success. Although it is not 
1'ully approved by the extremists, it is 
acknowledged by all who understand the 
conditions to be the best solution of the 
problem. It commends itself to the judg- 
ment of all who are laboring most earnestly 
and wisely for the welfare of both races and 
it will probably be adopted wherever the 
question comes up for serious consideration. 

In 1902 three free public library laws 
were enacted, one for cities of classes three 
to six, one for cities of classes two to three, 
and one for cities of the first class, of 
which Louisville is the only city. There 
is also a law relating to county and school 
district libraries. These laws could be im- 
proved by consolidation and otherwise. 
The chief library need of the state how- 
ever is not legislation but education. 

The first meeting of the librarians of the 
state and others interested will be held in 
Louisville, June 26 and 27. One of the 



three sessions to be held will be devoted 
to the consideration of the library situation 
in the state, and it is hoped that one of the 
practical results of the meeting will be the 
organization of a permanent state library 
association. Responses to preliminary 
circulars indicate that most of the few 
public libraries in the state will be repre- 
sented and that the undertaking will re- 
ceive the sympathy and support of all who 
have the educational interests of the state 
at heart. 

Kentucky is enjoying her full share of 
the wonderful commercial development that 
is taking place throughout the South. At 
the same time there are hopeful and un- 
mistakable evidences of a great educational 
awakening such as is necessary before 
libraries will be either numerous or large. 
The few librarians and many teachers and 
club women are becoming aroused to the 
library needs of the state and will make 
their first concerted effort next month to 
inaugurate a forward movement. 

Following the symposium on Southern 
libraries Mr CHARLES F. LUMMIS, 
librarian of the Los Angeles (Cal.) public 
library spoke to the Association for a few 
minutes in the interest of that city and 
library as prospective hosts for the Con- 
ference in 1908. 

THIRD SESSION 

(Ball Room, Battery Park Hotel, Ashe- 
ville, May 27th.) 

The third general session was called to 
order at 9.30 a. m. by the PRESIDENT, 
who said: The Chair has been asked to 
present to the Association a very cordial 
invitation from the authorities of the 
Asheville library association to visit that 
institution. 

Dr B. C. STEINER: It has been evi- 
dent to most of the members of this As- 
sociation for quite a while that our old 
method of organization was unsatisfac- 
tory, with the growing membership and 
the complexity of the work. General 
headquarters have opened, and in the ad- 
dress of the President at the beginning of 



84 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



this convention, we were again reminded 
of the fact that volunteer service could 
no longer be a satisfactory permanent 
management of the Association. In order 
that the matter may be brought to a defi- 
nite discussion, I have drafted the follow- 
ing amendment to the Constitution of the 
American Library Association, which I de- 
sire to submit, with the object of substi- 
tuting a single paid official for our present 
Secretary, Treasurer, and Recorder, and 
changing the Constitution of the Execu- 
tive board, which change is thus made 
necessary. I would also say that my sole 
purpose is that the management of the 
Association may be made more efficient. 
I am not wedded to my own scheme, and 
that will be seen by the resolution which 
I shall read to you. I am perfectly will- 
ing to have the Constitution amended in 
any form that may be best in order to 
meet the ends desired: 

Resolved. That the following amendments be 
made to the Constitution of the American Li- 
brary Association: 

1 In Section 7, strike out the words "Sec- 
retary, Recorder, and Treasurer," and insert 
In lieu thereof the words "a Secretary-Treas- 
urer." 

2 In Section 7, strike out the words "to- 
gether with the President for the preceding 
term shall constitute an Executive board and 
they" and add to the section, at the end there- 
of, the following words: "There shall be an 
Executive board, composed of the President and 
six members of the Association, chosen at the 
annual meeting of the Council." 

3 Strike out Sections 9, 10, and 11. 

4 Insert a new Section 9, as follows: "There 
shall be a Secretary-Treasurer, appointed by the 
Executive board, who shall devote his whole 
time, or such part thereof as said Board may 
direct, to the interests of the Association, In 
cooperation with and under the authority of 
the Executive board and who shall receive at 
stated intervals a salary, the amount of which 
shall be fixed by the Council. He shall be the 
active executive officer of the Association, shall 
keep a record of the attendance and proceed- 
ings at each meeting of the Association, Coun- 
cil, and Executive board, shall record all re- 
ceipts and disbursements, and pay bills on writ- 
ten order of two members of the finance com- 
mittee, shall make an annual report to the As- 
sociation, and shall perform such other duties 
as may be assigned him by the Executive 
board or by the Council. 

5 Renumber the other sections, as may be 
made necessary by the above amendments. 

Resolved. That these proposed amendments 
be received, that they be referred, for consid- 
eration and report, to a special committee of 
five, consisting of the President and four oth- 
ers to be appointed by the President, and that 
the report of this committee be made a special 
order of business for Tuesday, May 28, at 
10.30 a. m. 



By unanimous consent this resolution 
was received and referred to the Council. 

Mr J. C. DANA: I wish to offer another 
amendment, which can well take the same 
course as the one just passed with refer- 
ence to possible change in method of 
amendment of the Constitution. Under 
the present Constitution, if an amendment 
is changed during the year's deliberation 
of it, by even so much as a comma, it is 
necessary to defer its adoption for still 
another year. I move that: 

In Section 26, the words "in their final 
form" be stricken out. 

The PRESIDENT: The motion has 
been duly seconded and unless objection 
is made, it will be received and referred 
to the Council. 

We will now proceed with the paper 
which should have been read Saturday by 
Miss MARY E. WOOD, of the library of 
Boone college, Wuchang, China, on 

LIBRARY WORK IN A CHINESE CITY 

The city of Wuchang, where we are 
starting this library work, is 600 miles up 
the Yangtze River. It is just opposite the 
city of Hankow, the largest tea port in 
the world, and the principal trading and 
railroad center of Middle China. From its 
commercial importance it is often spoken 
of as the "Chicago of China." 

Crossing over the Yangtze to Wuchang, 
one finds oneself in an entirely different 
atmosphere. The city is one of the great- 
est literary centers in the whole empire. 
It is frequently termed the "Boston of 
China," the "hub" of the Middle Kingdom. 
Wuchang is the home of one of the lead- 
ing progressive statesmen of the day, 
Chang Chih-tung, who is called by Min- 
ister Rockhill the greatest Chinese scholar 
in the country. He is the author of the 
book "China's only hope." This hope he 
believes lies in adopting Western educa- 
tion, and so he has made this city the 
capital of his Vice-royalty, a seat of the 
"New learning," as it is often called. Un- 
der the old regime Wuchang was a center 
of learning, for here one of the great ex- 



WOOD 



85 



animation halls was located, where some- 
times between 20 and 30 thousand com- 
petitors gathered from all over this sec- 
tion of China to try the great triennial 
examinations for Chinese degrees. Now 
by the Emperor's edict, this ancient sys- 
tem of examinations, which has existed 
ia some form since several centuries be- 
fore the Christian era, has been done away 
with for all time, and Western methods 
of teaching have been adopted in all the 
government schools of prominence 
throughout the empire. 

This change has all come about since 
the China-Japan War. The Chinese were 
then forced to see from their ignominious 
defeat that they were a very weak nation, 
and in looking about for the cause of it 
realized that it was owing to the fact that 
they had not kept up with the march of 
civilization. From this event dates the 
beginning of the great renaissance which 
marks this period of the country's history. 

In the city of Wuchang one can see in 
all its fullness the great educational 
changes through which this ancient coun- 
try is at present passing. The Viceroy 
has opened here about 100 schools. He 
has put up between 20 and 30 foreign 
buildings, and equipped them with school 
furnishings from Japan. Then, to meet 
this demand for education he has utilized 
private houses, granaries, etc. Even the 
historic old examination halls, to which I 
have just alluded, which in the past were 
held in such reverence that they were set 
apart and never used for any other pur- 
pose, now simply take rank as one of the 
many schools of Western learning. Tem- 
ples are not spared in this wholesale ap- 
propriation of buildings for educational 
purposes, and one sees student's desks in 
front of the unused dusty altars, with 
their discarded heathen gods and empty 
incense burners, and the teacher has taken 
the place of the Buddhist and Taoist 
priest. There are about 8,000 students in 
this city, and the place has the appear- 
ance of a university town. They come 
from all parts of Central China, and as 



far north as Peking, and as far south as 
Canton. The fact of Wuchang as a lit- 
erary center has been set forth in this 
article, but in order to understand the situ- 
ation here, its importance as a military 
station must also be shown. There are 
probably 20,000 soldiers here at present. 
Their barracks and parade grounds occupy 
prominent places in the city, and one is 
never away from the sound of the bugle. 
Chang Chih-tung is making a great effort 
to raise the standard of the army. There 
is a large military academy establishment 
here with the accommodations for 600 
students. Only those holding degrees are 
admitted. Then to improve the condition 
of the common soldier, who heretofore 
belonged to the most ignorant class, in- 
struction is being given each day in read- 
ing, writing, arithmetic, etc. 

In this Chinese city of ancient and mod- 
ern culture, the Episcopal mission has a 
large and flourishing educational work. 
Boone preparatory school, and college, was 
founded in the year 1871. In the early days 
it had to struggle to gain a foothold, as 
all mission schools had to do before the 
China-Japan War, for the Chinese could 
then see no good in any education outside 
their own classics. But after that event 
students have come to the school in such 
numbers that accommodations could only 
be given to a part of them, and there is 
always a long waiting list. A large per 
cent of the educational work here is in the 
English language, for that is what they 
come for principally. Centering around 
Boone college is a Divinity school, the 
students of which are taking an advanced 
course in theology, largely in our language. 
Also a Medical school, the course of which 
is entirely in English, owing to the fact 
that there is no Chinese nomenclature to 
express our ideas in medical science. The 
pupils in the several departments in Boone 
college come from all walks of life in 
China. There are representatives from 
the family of Viceroy Chang Chih-tung, 
and from that of a neighboring Viceroy 
equally as famous. Also sons of secre- 



86 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



taries from the Yamen, and those of other 
lesser officials in the vicinity. Many sons 
of merchants and teachers are on the rolls, 
besides a good number from the laboring 
classes. 

Connected with Boone college, and aid- 
ing it in all its departments, is the Boone 
college library. This was begun in a very 
humble way by gifts of books from the 
libraries of friends in America. Then spe- 
cial lists of new books desired were sent 
out and met with a response. Late 
text books were also solicited, which 
were sold at auction to the pupils, 
and the money expended for additions. 
So from these various sources, an English 
library of over 3,000 volumes has been 
built up. The students have made con- 
stant use of these books, both during the 
school term, and the vacations, and the 
traveling library has been made to play 
its part also whenever possible. The edu- 
cational work of the college would have 
been much impeded if this small library 
had not come into existence. We are now 
hoping to spread our influence beyond the 
confines of Boone college, and aid in this 
great educational movement in this im- 
portant literary and military center where 
we are located. In no way can we do this 
better than by establishing a large public 
library, which shall contain not only Eng- 
lish books, but Chinese literature as well. 
It is certain that the students of the gov- 
ernment schools and the Military academy, 
will welcome the privileges of a library, 
for whenever we have had anything educa- 
tional, as scientific lectures, etc., to offer 
them, they have been most anxious to 
avail themselves of the opportunity. Al- 
ready the experiment of a reading-room, 
containing Chinese periodicals, has been 
tried with great success. 

In all the country there is not now, since 
the burning of the Hanlin college in 
Peking during the Boxer year, a proper 
public library. Dr W. A. P. Martin, in 
speaking of this subject, said: 

"The circulating library, if it exists in 
this country at all, is an exotic. The very 
characters for library mean a place for 



hiding books. If a circulating library caa 
be started it will introduce a new force, 
which, like radium, will shine in the dark 
without being exhausted." 

The literature of China is large and 
varied, and if a collection of these books 
could be made and regularly classified, it 
would be of inestimable benefit. Some of 
the valuable old books in Chinese litera- 
ture are now in the possession of a few 
high officials and scholars, and are kept in 
their homes. It is hoped if such a library 
is started, some of such works may be 
given or loaned instead of being locked up 
as they now are in private collections 
where only a few have the privilege of 
reading them. In addition to the literature 
in the original, there are a great many 
translations into Chinese being made all 
the time from English, German, French, 
etc., in science, history, and general lit- 
erature. A great number of these trans- 
lations are issued in Japan, for it is esti- 
mated that about 13,000 Chinese students 
are at present pursuing courses in West- 
ern learning in the schools and colleges 
there. Then the Society for the diffusion 
of Christian and general knowledge, 
founded by missionaries some fifteen years 
ago, has already done a great work in 
spreading both Christian and secular lit- 
erature throughout the country. All trans- 
lations of value, of course, we wish to pur- 
chase as soon as the works are issued, and 
such translations will of themselves make 
a large department. 

Japan early in her transition stage recog- 
nized the importance of the public library, 
as a factor in education, and established 
them in two or three of her great centers. 
The Tokio Imperial public library has over 
400,000 volumes, and yet it is inadequate to 
meet the intellectual needs of the people, 
and the building is to be enlarged to twice 
its present size. Among those who eagerly 
seek the advantages of this library are the 
Chinese students who are taking courses 
in the schools and universities there. This 
is an indication of the appreciation these 
young men would have of a library in one 
of their own cities. 



AHERN 



87 



Dr Seth Low has helped to make this 
dream a reality by starting our library 
fund by a generous gift. He says, in speak- 
ing of this subject: 

"I believe Wuchang to be a center where 
a library of a high order will be a great 
benefit to China and the Chinese. It is 
in a sense a nerve center in the body 
politic from which impulses of every sort 
are disseminated through the great mul- 
titudes comprising the Chinese Empire. 
The recent awakening of China to the im- 
portance of Western learning has added 
new emphasis to the old importance of 
Wuchang; and I can think of nothing more 
sagacious on the part of those who wish 
China well than to do everything possible 
to strengthen there at Wuchang the in- 
fluences that make for good." 

Dr E. C. RICHARDSON then presented 
the 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 

The activity of this committee has been 
confined to routine matters, (1) transmit- 
ting the Narragansett Pier resolution as 
to the desirability of printed cards for 
German books to the administration of the 
Royal library at Berlin, (2) a little corres- 
pondence regarding an international index 
to periodicals in the social sciences, and 
(3) introducing to the attention of the 
Association, on reference from its Presi- 
dent, and by means of mention in this 
report, the intention of the Argentine 
Republic to establish a permanent educa- 
tional exposition to illustrate the aims and 
results of American education. The answer 
of the Berlin library was in effect that it 
was quite familiar with the advantages of 
printed cards but must look at the matter 
from the standpoint of relative need and 
the enterprises already undertaken. In 
the Argentine 'matter, it is hoped that the 
Council will authorize A. L. A. headquar- 
ters to cooperate. The representative of 
the Argentine government, Mr Ernesto Nel- 
son, will receive material for this purpose 
at the Manhattan Storage Warehouse, 
42nd Street and Lexington Avenue, New 
York City. The chief international event 
of the year is the completion of the work 



of the Committee on Catalog rules, already 
reported to this Association. 

The PRESIDENT: In preparing the 
program for this session, the Program com- 
mittee have invited our affiliated societies 
to present to us the best or the most gen- 
eral of their papers, believing that these 
subjects will be of interest to the Associa- 
tion. They propose to leave, however, the 
discussion, in any extended form, to the 
meetings of the sections or the affiliated 
organizations. The first matter is the Re- 
port of the Committee on Cooperation with 
the National educational association, pre- 
sented by Miss MARY E. AHERN, the 
chairman. 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON COOP- 
ERATION WITH THE NATIONAL 
EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION 

The past year, so far as the work of this 
committee is concerned, has been one of 
endeavor, rather than of accomplishment. 
The endeavor has been along three lines: 
(1) to bring, effectively, to the attention 
of the Normal schools of the country, the 
work of this committee as represented by 
the handbook on "Instruction in library 
administration in Normal schools" (2) to 
obtain more effective official recognition of 
the work of this committee, by the N. E. 
A. (3) to interest school teachers in the 
study of library tools. 

1 Library administration in normal 
schools. This committee made a report 
last year on the plans and purposes of the 
pamphlet, "Instruction in library adminis- 
tration in Normal schools," which had just 
been issued at that time. The effort to in- 
terest Normal schools has been continued, 
as it seems impossible to secure effective 
cooperation with the N. E. A. until the in- 
dividual teachers are interested. With this 
object in view, some 300 of the pamphlets 
were sent out last July to the principals 
and librarians of normal, training and 
high schools, throughout the country. In 
February a circular letter was sent to those 
to whom the pamphlet had gone, embody- 
ing detailed inquiries as to whether any 



88 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



instruction in library economy was given 
in the institution; if so, to what extent, if 
any, the school was able to make use of the 
pamphlet report, either as a text book, or 
in the hands of the instructors? If the 
school was now giving any library instruc- 
tion? If it was intending to do so, and to 
what extent? If not, why not? And ask- 
ing for frank criticisms and suggestions on 
the general purpose and report of the com- 
mittee. Only about 70, out of the 300, re- 
sponded to these inquiries. The replies 
show every sort of attitude towards the 
subject of library training in normal 
schools, from a cordial reception and ap- 
preciation of the work and the principles 
underlying it, down to the statement from 
a New York normal school, "I do not 
know what you mean by Library economy." 

2 Official recognition by the N. E. A. 
The Committee on cooperation has also 
had a very considerable discussion, both 
personally and through correspondence, 
with Dr N. C. Schaeffer and Mr Irwin 
Shepard, president and secretary, respec- 
tively, of the N. E. A., urging the appoint- 
ment of a special committee of that body 
to cooperate with this committee from the 
A. L. A. It seems to the committee that 
this would give a wider field from which to 
gather suggestions of work to be done, and 
a more comprehensive view of the work 
already done, the members of the A. L. A. 
committee being, in every case, librarians, 
although the majority of them are members 
of the N. E. A. The proposition received 
cordial attention from both President 
Schaeffer and Secretary Shepard, and their 
promise has been given that the matter 
shall come before the executive board of 
the N. E. A. at the Los Angeles meeting. 

Secretary Shepard also sent the following 
letter: 

As the time of the meeting of the American 
Library Association at Asheville approaches I 
am reminded of the relations which have for a 
number of years existed between the A. L. A. 
and the Library department of the N. E. A. 
You will doubtless remember that we owe the 
organization of the Library department of our 
association to the initiative of Mr Melvll 
Dewey, of Albany, and yourself, and others 
Interested in the relations of public libraries 
to public schools. There have been two very im- 
portant results from the cooperation between 



these two organizations, viz., the Report of the 
committee on the Relations of public libraries to 
public schools in 1899, and the recent Report of 
the committee on Instruction In library adminis- 
tration in normal schools. These two reports 
have been exceedingly helpful in the field for 
which they were designed. 

There has been a close cooperative spirit 
shown by each of the two organizations re- 
ferred to, since the establishment of our li- 
brary department In 1896. This cooperation 
has sometimes been exceedingly active and 
sometimes rather passive, but It has always 
been helpful. I wish especially at this time to 
recognize the devotion and efficiency which you 
showed as secretary of the Library department 
for several years, during which time a great 
deal was accomplished, especially In the direc- 
tion of improvement In library methods of ad- 
ministration in small towns and rural schools. 

However much has been accomplished, it is 
very clear to us all, as you have frequently 
said, that much more might be accomplished, 
and I hope that in this beginning year of the 
second half century of the work of the Nation- 
al Educational Association we may secure a 
closer union and more active cooperation be- 
tween this association and the American Li- 
brary Association. I am very sure that you 
will heartily respond to this suggestion, and I 
am writing to ask if you cannot enlist the 
support of your associates In the A. L. A. to 
this end. If I can be helpful In this direction 
I desire you to command me at any time. 

With the most sincere wishes for a successful 
meeting of your association at Asheville, 
Very cordially yours, 

IRWIN SHEPARD. 

Mr J. N. Wilkinson, president of the 
library department of the N. E. A. speaks 
of our relation as follows: 

As president of the library department of the 
National Educational Association, I feel warrant- 
ed in assuring the A. L. A. of the Increasing 
interest that professional educators manifest 
In regard to library work. The more the edu- 
cator becomes Impressed with the necessity of 
expert work In teaching, the more he must 
realize the necessity of expert work In the 
management of libraries. The more the edu- 
cator realizes that education is the work of a 
life time, the more he must realize that ex- 
pert guidance In the use of books should be 
received by the student throughout life. The 
post graduate courses that count for most are 
courses taken In years of work in the libraries; 
the librarians of the country are the faculty of 
the greatest post graduate university. 

As a member of the executive committee of 
the N. E. A., I take pleasure In reporting to 
you my desire to do all that can be done to 
secure closer cooperation between that organ- 
ization and the A. L. A. We appreciate the 
valuable service that has been rendered by the 
A. L. A. committee seeking to cooperate with 
the N. E. A. and we desire to reciprocate the 
courtesy and assistance of the A. L. A. com- 
mittee In every way possible. 

We hope to hear at Los Angeles a good re- 
port from the N. E. A. committee on coopera- 
tion appointed for the Asheville meeting and we 
especially invite all librarians to participate 
in the library department at Los Angoles. Li- 
brary specialists may feel assured that their 
help will be always desired In the N. E. A. and 
that such help will serve to insure coopera- 
tion between the A. L. A. and the N. E. A. 
J. N. WILKINSON 



AHERN 



89 



The A. L. A. committee has each year, 
for several years urged upon the 
executive board of the N. E. A. a 
request for a definite place on the 
program at one of the general meet- 
ings of that body, for discussion of library 
extension by a prominent librarian. It has 
not been possible to bring this about for 
several reasons, among which has always 
been the lack of an available person to 
present the matter properly. This does 
not mean that no librarian was prepared to 
present the subject, but time, distance and 
other reasons have always interfered to 
such an extent that the committee of the 
N. E. A. has not been disposed to grant 
the time and place on the program. For 
this year the committee has been able to 
secure from the president the appointment 
of Prof. J. W. Olson, state superintendent 
of Minnesota and a member of the library 
commission of that state, to a place on the 
general program, to present the claim of 
the library as an educational factor. 

The president of the N. E. A. has also 
requested representation at this convention 
by Mr R. J. Tighe, Asheville, N. C., presi- 
dent of the Southern educational associa- 
tion, President N. B. Johnson of Rock Hill, 
N. C., and State superintendent J. Y. Joy- 
ner, Raleigh, N. C. 

It has been arranged that Mr Tighe shall 
speak for the N. E. A. and I shall shortly 
have the pleasure of introducing him to 
you. 

3 Teachers and library tools. The 
committee has endeavored to bring to- 
gether in individual cases, public school 
teachers and public librarians, and can 
report successful attempts in nearly every 
instance. The librarian of Omaha in 
writing of it, illustrates the spirit of the 
work: 

"You possibly remember that some time 
ago you wrote to me regarding instruction 
to be given to teachers on the use of the 
library. I told you at that time that the 
schools have a training class for public 
school teachers of twenty students, and 
I wished to give them some library in- 
struction, and asked for suggestions, which 
you readily sent to me. I have just 



finished the course of twelve lessons of one 
lesson each week, and have found it most 
profitable for both the members of the 
class and for the library. I believe that 
we never have done anything which has 
brought the school and the library so close 
together because we have the hearty sup- 
port of the Superintendent. I think that 
he was doubtful at first as to the outcome 
of this work, but by his remarks yesterday 
to the class, I am sure that he was well 
pleased. I have been asked to repeat the 
work again next year and possibly to have 
an advanced class. You will see by all 
of this that I feel quite encouraged, and 
I wish to thank you for the assistance 
which you gave me last fall when I was 
altogether uncertain as to what to do." 

Your committee reports with gratification 
the undoubted fact that, in spite of much 
indifference and negligence and misinfor- 
mation and misunderstanding, on the part 
of both teachers and librarians, all of which 
is of course very discouraging, there has 
come to the general public a wide-spread 
and sincere acceptance of that fundamental 
proposition upon which your committee is 
basing all its labors that the public 
library is an integral part of the state 
system of public and free education. 

In closing this report the committee 
would make the following recommenda- 
tions: (1) That a closer relationship be 
attempted, between State library organiza- 
tions and departments of public instruc- 
tion, such as exists in Oregon, Rhode Island 
and some other states, the library depart- 
ment taking the initiative, if necessary; 
(2) That the A. L. A. program committee 
be encouraged to continue the policy of 
providing a place for representatives of the 
N. E. A. on the general program, at each 
succeeding meeting of the A. L. A. 
Respectively submitted, 
M. E. AHERN 
MELVIL DEWEY 
JAMES H. CANFIELD 
MARTIN HENSEL, 

Committee. 

The PRESIDENT: The Chair now has 
the pleasure of introducing Mr R. J. Tighe 
as the representative of the National edu- 
cational association, who will speak to us 



90 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



further on the topic suggested by the 
report. 

Mr TIGHE read a paper entitled 

RELATIONS BETWEEN LIBRARIES 

AND SCHOOLS FROM THE 

SCHOOL SIDE 

Response for the National Educational 
Association American Library Association 
Meeting, May 27, 1907. 

Ladies and gentlemen of the American 
Library Association, I have been asked by 
Pres. Nathan C. Schaeffer of the N. E. A. 
to speak on the subject of closer affiliation 
between the N. E. A. and the A. L. A. as re- 
gards the place of the public library in the 
educational system of this country. In this 
matter I am to supplement the excellent re- 
port just presented by the strong and per- 
sistent friend of this important movement, 
Miss Mary E. Ahern, editor of "Public 
Libraries." But the program states also 
that I am to discuss the "Relations be- 
tween libraries and schools from the school 
side." 

I ought to say at the beginning, I think, 
that while I have for a number of years 
realized the importance of the public li- 
brary in the community, my real study of 
the matter is of comparatively recent date. 
However, in the limited time allowed me 
I shall endeavor to say something on both 
of these aspects of the subject for in its 
larger sense it is but one subject. 

As you know from the report just made 
and from your relations with this associa- 
tion, an effort has been put forth for a 
number of years, chiefly by you, to bring 
these two great educational bodies into a 
closer union. Thus far, I regret to say, 
this movement has met with but indiffer- 
ent success, but I think the signs of the 
times point to an early solution of the 
problem. For about ten years the N. E. A. 
has had a library department, which doubt- 
less to most of its members has seemed 
sufficient so far as the teaching body of 
the country is concerned. But as the 
membership of this department has been 



anything but permanent, and as its work- 
ings during these years can hardly be said 
to have been systematic, and as the 
teachers of the United States are gradu- 
ally coming to realize the larger meaning 
of the library as an educative force, and 
of the librarian as a teacher, I feel that the 
chances for a much closer affiliation be- 
tween the two associations are becoming 
yearly more numerous. 

Pres. Schaeffer in a recent letter to me 
on this subject says: "I hope that you 
will occupy the time allotted to you in 
an earnest plea for a closer affiliation be- 
tween libraries and public schools in a 
work which promises great things for our 
country. The reading habit and the li- 
brary habit must be established in our 
children if they are to enjoy the things 
of the mind in their adult life." And 
speaking for myself and for the educators 
of the country who have given this mat- 
ter any consideration, I may say that these 
sentiments express our feelings. I feel, 
however, that if matters have been cor- 
rectly reported, it is hardly necessary for 
me to plead with this body for a closer 
relationship between teachers and libra- 
rians. It would seem that the pleading 
needs most to be done in the other house. 
This Association seems to have taken the 
initiative in the matter, and has from time 
to time sent missionaries to the N. E. A. 
in the persons of Miss Ahern, Mr Hopkins, 
and others. I remember especially a very 
earnest plea delivered by Mr Hopkins at 
the Minneapolis meeting of the N. E. A. in 
1902. So I feel that it is hardly necessary 
for me to emphasize further the necessity 
for a closer union before this meeting. It 
is not to be thought, however, that the 
efforts put forth by this Association have 
borne no fruit. Miss Ahern's report goes 
to prove the contrary of this, as does the 
following resolution passed at the last 
meeting of the Library department of the 
N. E. A.: 

"Resolved, that the members of this de- 
partment urge the officers of the A. L. A. 
and of the N. E. A. to take measures to 
secure either a joint meeting of the two 



TIGHE 



91 



associations or meetings which shall be 
so near each other as to time and place 
as to permit the interchange of members 
and programs in the interest of co-ordi- 
nating the public schools and the public 
libraries." 



While the proposals of this resolution 
are not being carried out as to a joint 
meeting, there is an interchange of mem- 
bers on the programs of the two Associa- 
tions. I note with pleasure that at the 
coming meeting of the N. B. A. at Los 
Angeles we shall have an address by a 
school man at the general session, the ad- 
dress to be entitled "The school and the 
library," and I am sure that Supt. Olsen, 
who is one of the leading educators of 
the country, will make the most of his 
subject. Such subjects as "Preparation of 
librarians for public school libraries," 
"Instruction of prospective teachers in the 
contents and uses of libraries with a view 
to direction of student energy in all grades 
of schools," "How the teacher may help 
the librarian," and "How the librarian may 
help the teacher," to be discussed at the 
Library department meetings at Los An- 
geles augurs well, and should encourage 
the friends of the movement for a closer 
sympathy between the library and the 
school. 

I may also add that since the establish- 
ment of the Department of libraries of the 
Southern educational association in Mont- 
gomery last December, and the closer bond 
established between that Association and 
the Library association of the South, the 
outlook for this section is much more pro- 
pitious, and I look for good results in the 
near future. 

Looking at this problem of making the 
library of greater utility to the school and 
the community, from the point of view of 
the school man, I realize that several 
things must come to pass before we shall 
see a close affiliation between the library 
and the public school, and I believe the 
first thing to be done is to make provision 
in teachers' training schools, teachers' in- 
stitutes, summer schools, and city school 



systems for the training of teachers in the 
use of the public library and of the school 
library as tools in the work of educating 
the youth of the land. 

I believe at the same time, that every 
public library, and perhaps every school 
library, should have a librarian trained to 
meet the needs of the schools, one who 
understands courses of study and how to 
correlate the work of the library with that 
of the school. Perhaps such a librarian 
should have had experience as a teacher 
in order to appreciate fully this problem, 
and to solve it. 

Another need, it would seem, is that of 
providing courses of instruction for high 
schools and colleges in how to use the 
library economically. Such a course need 
not be elaborate, nor require a great deal 
of time, and would, I believe, do much 
toward popularizing the library with the 
real workers of the community, and toward 
making it a working force. 

Then, the library should be brought 
closer to the great mass of the reading 
public. How may thousands of people 
never go into the public library, because 
they neither know what it contains, nor 
how to use it. If the library is the peo- 
ple's university in the larger sense, the 
people should be brought into such rela- 
tions with it as to make it such indeed. 
Our librarians should, therefore, be pre- 
pared to establish closer relations between 
the library and the masses of the people 
by public lecture courses, newspaper arti- 
cles, etc. The librarian should be indeed 
the president of this university for the 
people. 

I am happy to say that these good things 
are being brought about in many of the 
most progressive communities of the coun- 
try. What we need now is that such work 
be made more general. The outlook for 
the greater usefulness of the library 
grows better daily, and I believe that noth- 
ing will hasten the day when it is to ob- 
tain its proper sphere in the community 
more than will this united work of the 
librarian and the teacher. 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



I trust, therefore, that steps leading to 
a closer affiliation of the two Associations, 
such an affiliation as was outlined in the 
resolution passed at the Asbury Park 
meeting of the N. E. A., will be taken by 
the officers of both organizations when 
considering the time and place for the 
meetings a year hence. I believe that if 
the friends of this movement in both As- 
sociations get together, a joint meeting 
can be had next year, and I shall be glad 
to see this consummated. 

In conclusion I wish to thank you on be- 
half of the N. E. A. for your interest in 
the school work of the land, and I extend 
to you one and all a hearty invitation to 
attend the next meeting of the N. E. A. 
in Los Angeles, July 8-12. 

The PRESIDENT: The report of Miss 
Ahern and the response of Mr Tighe cer- 
tainly form a very interesting report of 
progress in our relations with our sister 
associations, and I know that I speak for 
this Association in echoing Mr Tighe's 
wishes. 

We now ask the youngest member of our 
family to be represented. The American 
association of law librarians has just joined 
us, and its president Mr Small has asked 
Mr F. B. Gilbert of the New York state 
library to present a paper to the Associa- 
tion on The Administration and use of a 
law library. 

Mr GILBERT: Mr President and mem- 
bers of the Association, I first wish to 
express the appreciation of the American 
Association of Law Libraries for this privil- 
ege of occupying so much of the valuable 
time of the American Library Association. 
Law librarians are necessarily specialists, 
and my experience with them at this meet- 
ing and the meeting at Narragansett Pier, 
where we organized the association, is that 
they are enthusiastic specialists. You may 
all know that the danger of enthusiasm in 
a specialist is that he will become more 
or less of a bore, and it is not unlikely that 
in reading this paper on the Law library, 
some of you will be tired exceedingly, but 
I hope that you will bear with the paper 
and with us. 



THE LAW LIBRARY 

There is no class of men, professional or 
otherwise, so dependent upon books as the 
lawyers. There is no library, of whatsoever 
kind or nature, which so directly pertains 
to the interests which it is designed to 
serve, as the law library. I am speaking 
with authority when I say that the lawyer's 
books are his tools, without which he would 
be unable to provide for himself and his 
family. Courts of last resort of good 
standing in our country have expressly 
classed law books with the brick mason's 
trowel and spirit level and declared that, 
like them, they could not be sold under an 
execution process issued to enforce the pay- 
ment of a judgment which even the astute 
lawyer debtor could not avoid. 

Lenoir v. Weeks, 20 Ga., 596. 

Lambeth v. Milton, 2 Robinson (La.) 81. 

The law library fitted with the tools es- 
sential to the lawyer's vocation, becomes 
therefore the lawyer's workshop. It is 
here that he solves the intricate problems 
which his more or less extended clientage 
has presented for his consideration, and 
precedents to do battle with a similarly 
equipped opponent. From the time when 
he first sees visions of courts and juries 
bending to the force of his matchless logic, 
he is the habitant of the law library, 
either in the office of his preceptor, in the 
college of his choice, or in the institution 
where he is privileged to read. The books 
contain the law which he is to practice and 
apply. His familiarity with them, his 
ability to absorb their contents and still 
retain his normal power of mental diges- 
tion, bespeaks for him the success which 
he hopes for and expects. 

I am not to speak of the law library that 
every lawyer must possess. There are 
many of these which in size, completeness 
and efficiency compare favorably with 
those supported by associated interests or 
at the expense of the public. The Ameri- 
can Association of Law Libraries, an or- 
ganization recently affiliated with this 
Association, and which I have the honor 
to represent at this meeting, is confined in 
its membership to those who have to do 



GILBERT 



with law libraries maintained and adminis- 
tered for the benefit of the bench, the bar 
and the school, at the expense of the public 
or of those who are entitled to the privi- 
leges afforded. These law libraries readily 
group themselves into five classes: (1) the 
state law library; (2) the court law 
library; (3) the association law library; 
(4) the law school library; (5) the law 
library maintained by private enterprise 
with privileges leased to lawyers at a 
fixed rental. Each class has its own pur- 
pose to serve, its own special objects .to 
attain: but the character of the books col- 
lected does not materially Differ. All of 
them have to do with the law, and the law, 
in its literature at least, is fixed and de- 
terminable. 

It may be appropriate at this point to 
consider in a somewhat elementary man- 
ner, the material which enters into the 
make up of a law library. The law has 
been classified as lex scripta and lex non 
scripta; that which is written and that 
which is unwritten. This classification is 
of little value to the law librarian. To him 
it is all written, printed and bound in 
much the same manner. To avoid confu- 
sion it is much better to discard this classi- 
fication and substitute for it the division 
of law into statute law and court made, 
or case law. The foundation of every law 
library is in the statute and the judicial 
decision. Every law book owes its exist- 
ence to either the one of the other, or both. 
Statute law finds expression in codes, com- 
piled statutes and sessional laws; judicial 
decisions are contained in law reports, and 
cataloged and classified in law digests; 
while both are made the subjects of dis- 
cussion and treatment in so called law 
treatises. 

In the time of Lord Bacon all English 
law was contained in sixty volumes of law 
reports and as many more of statutes; it 
is said that the industrious Bacon found 
these too burdensome and suggested to his 
Sovereign, King James the First, that a 
digest be compiled of all these laws, "and 
that these books should be purged and re- 
vised, whereby they may be reduced to 



fewer volumes and clearer resolutions." 
These days he would have been a fitting 
leader in a movement for reform in our 
system of law reporting. Nearly 300 years 
have passed since then; there has been fre- 
quent revision, many digests, but very little 
purging. 

Every law librarian will testify as to 
the almost unsurmountable obstacles in the 
way of acquiring a complete collection of 
the statute law of the several states and of 
the United States. Many of the earlier 
state sessional laws are exceedingly rare 
and expensive, while the colonial laws of 
the original 13 colonies are in many in- 
stances practically unobtainable. I have no 
means of ascertaining the exact number of 
volumes of American statute law, or how 
much they would cost. But a fairly com- 
plete collection would comprise nearly 3,000 
volumes. If a collection of the statute law 
of Great Britain and its colonies were ac- 
quired, at least 1,500 volumes more would 
be added. These collections are sought for 
by the larger law libraries, and are deemed 
indispensable in those maintaining legisla- 
tive reference departments. In libraries 
located in cosmopolitan centers, extensive 
collections of foreign continental statute 
law are also desirable. 

While the legislatures everywhere are ex- 
cessively busy in enacting innumerable 
laws, the courts are even busier in explain- 
ing what these laws mean, and in declaring 
what the law is as to subjects in respect to 
which legislatures have not seen fit to 
legislate. The written opinions of the fed- 
eral and state courts are reported, whether 
officially or unofficially. If the court is an 
appellate court of last resort, an official 
reporter is usually appointed whose duty 
it is to prepare the opinions of the judges 
for publication. Special series of reports 
are published by private enterprise con- 
taining selected cases on important sub- 
jects, or opinions of judges not officially 
reported. Law reports comprise the chief 
collection in every law library. The 
nucleus of this collection in every Ameri- 
can law library is the reports of cases de- 
cided in federal and state courts of the 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



United States. In the year 1850 these 
cases were reported in 980 volumes. In 
1865 there were 1820 of such volumes, an 
average yearly increase of about 55. In 
1880 this number had grown to 3230, there 
being an annual increase of 94. In 1895 the 
number of volumes of these reports had 
further increased to 6300, at the annual 
rate of 205. In the years from 1895 to the 
present time the annual rate of increase 
has been 260, so that at the present time 
there are 9300 volumes of American law 
reports. In addition to these reports law 
libraries are required to collect the reports 
of the courts of Great Britain and its colo- 
nies. The extent of this collection will 
vary according to the resources available. 
A complete collection of English, Irish and 
Scotch law reports comprises about 3400 
volumes, more than half of which were in 
existence in 1866, since which time the law 
reports have been regularly published un- 
der the authority of the Council of law re- 
porting, to the discouragement, though not 
exclusion, of special series of unofficial re- 
ports. A practically complete collection of 
Canadian law reports consists of about 800 
volumes. This collection is desirable for 
law libraries in the states because of the 
similar conditions existing in the Canadian 
provinces. About 1,000 volumes of the law 
reports of the other British colonies have 
been published. The total number of law 
reports in Great Britain and its provinces 
thus approximates 5,200 volumes, which 
added to the number of American reports 
already referred to, exceeds the grand 
total of 14,500 volumes of English written 
law reports. There may not be a single 
law library in this country which possesses 
all these reports; indeed some of them are 
now of little importance and have ceased 
to be of value as authorities. There are, 
however, a few law libraries in this country 
which have practically complete collections 
of them: many more have the reports of all 
the appellate courts of the several states, 
and the reports of common law courts of 
England, together with the law reports of 
the different divisions of the Supreme 
court of judicature. Even these are very 



numerous, so that it may be said that a 
law library which seeks practical efficiency 
must find a place for at least 7,000 volumes 
of these reports. 

Thus does the unwritten law find expres- 
sion in numberless volumes. The progres- 
sive ratio of the annual increase in the pub- 
lished law reports furnishes plenty of food 
for thought, and presents problems which 
must ultimately be solved by the courts and 
the lawyers. But law librarians are not 
much concerned therein. It is for them 10 
take the books as they are published, and 
so dispose of them as to make them readily 
available. 

But the effect of this constantly increas- 
ing accumulation of law material upon the 
future of law libraries will prove interest- 
ing. It is apparent that it will soon be be- 
yond the means of even the prosperous 
lawyer to collect for his individual use the 
reports of all the courts which are recog- 
nized as ruling authorities within the 
jurisdiction in which he practices. Al- 
ready in our populous centers the owners 
of buildings occupied by lawyers are sup- 
plying their tenants with the use of valu- 
able collections of law books. The in- 
creased cost of maintaining large private 
law libraries, with the expense attendant 
upon the shelving of the books contained 
therein, which is no inconsiderable item 
in cities where the annual rental value of 
suitable offices is frequently in excess of 
$3 a square foot of floor space, will soon 
force lawyers to pool their interests and 
establish in conveniently accessible quar- 
ters cooperative law libraries equipped 
with the most modern working tools of 
their trade, and manned by experts in the 
science of finding the law. Existing pub- 
licly supported and association law libra- 
ries will become more important adjuncts 
in the lawyer's professional life; and those 
in charge of them will become more essen- 
tial elements in the administration of the 
law. The day of the law librarian as a 
mere keeper of law books is now past. 
Knack of arrangement and classification 
with knowledge of the art of book binding 
are not now sufficient to constitute a com- 



GILBERT 



95 



petent law librarian. He must be a capa- 
ble guide to the user of his library; a well 
trained expert in the learned science of 
how to find the law. 

The lawyer of to-day is a case lawyer; 
he knows his facts and seeks to apply 
thereto the law as declared by some court 
of competent jurisdiction. In this im- 
mense maze of reported judicial deter- 
minations he may well think there is a case 
with facts like his which, if found, will be 
conclusive upon the tribunal which he 
seeks to convince. He starts on his hunt, 
and the law librarian must aid him in his 
search. In making the search every avail- 
able law tool is brought into use. Text 
books, digests, cyclopedias and tables of 
cited cases are to be consulted. These are 
for the most part the means to the end 
that the much sought for case may be 
found. 

Law text books or treatises, as now writ- 
ten are expositions of the law as found in 
statutes and reported cases. The modern 
law writer does not often state his in- 
dividual opinion as to what the law is or 
should be, and if he should, the lawyer who 
read would be inquisitive as to the author- 
ity upon which the statement was based. 
Kent, Story and Greenleaf are frequently 
cited as authorities equally as weighty as 
reported opinions of eminent judges; but 
they wrote after long service in judicial 
positions, at a time when reported cases 
were comparatively few. They declared the 
law as adjudicated and as they thought it 
should be, and did it so well that courts 
have often based their opinions upon what 
they said, thus giving their statements the 
mark of judicial approval. There are a 
few others who might be mentioned in the 
same class. But few of our modern law 
treatises are written with a view of declar- 
ing the law independent of statutory or 
judicial authority. Their only purpose is 
to point the way to the statute or de- 
cision with a bearing upon the chosen sub- 
ject. They are therefore in their effect 
nothing else than specialized digests, more 
or less carefully analyzed, of the decided 



cases, and are only cited to show what has 
been declared to be the law by court or 
legislature. It is not intended to belittle 
their importance or value. They are sub- 
stantial aids in tracing the cases which 
establish the principle desired to be as- 
serted or applied. They must be wisely 
selected with a view of promoting the in- 
terests which the law library is designed 
to serve. 

The million and a half or more cases 
reported in the 15,000 volumes of law re- 
ports would be of comparatively little 
value were it not for the commendable in- 
dustry of law editors in digesting those 
cases and classifying them under more 
or less arbitrary headings, alphabetically 
arranged. These digests are the law 
librarian's subject catalog of reported 
law cases, prepared fortunately for his use 
outside of the library by his enterprising 
friend, the law publisher. The increase in 
the number of cases has relatively in- 
creased the size of the digests. A digest 
of all the reported cases decided in state 
and federal courts down to and including 
the year 1896 is contained in 50 large royal 
octavo volumes of at least 1,500 pages 
each; 18 volumes of supplements to this 
edition have been issued covering the 
years from 1897 to 1906 inclusive. This is 
a comprehensive publication covering the 
whole field of American law reports; in 
addition to this, each state has its own 
digests of law cases, and every series of 
reports containing especially collected 
cases is supplemented at intervals by 
digests. 

The cyclopedic treatment of law is a 
comparatively new development in the 
realm of legal literature. This is an ex- 
ceedingly ambitious effort to classify the 
whole body of the law under appropriate 
heads, arranged alphabetically. The sev- 
eral subjects considered are more or less 
carefully analyzed with the co-relative 
principles grouped and stated concisely 
without editorial elaboration; the notes 
cite the cases upon which the statements 
of the text are based. The result pro- 



96 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



duced is a legal work occupying the field 
between that of the text book and the 
digest. Such a work, if accurately done, 
if at once full, precise and correct, will be 
of the greatest value. While not in any 
sense superseding special treatises upon 
different branches of the law, or digests of 
law reports, it will, by facilitating, save 
labor. As stated aptly by the late James 
C. Carter of the New York City bar, in 
describing the possibilities of such an un- 
dertaking: 

"It would refresh the failing memory, re- 
produce in the mind its forgotten acqui- 
sitions, exhibit the body of the law so as 
to enable a view to be had of the whole, 
and of the relations of the several parts, 
and tend to establish and make familiar 
a uniform nomenclature." 

Statutes, reports, digests, text books 
and cyclopedias are the books which com- 
prise the law library; how best to make 
them available and to promote such a use 
of them that the purposes for which they 
were created may be attained, is properly 
the law librarian's object in official life. 
The law library is almost in every sense 
a reference library. The use demands 
that the books be placed in open shelves, 
so that they may be accessible to all. 
Scientific classification, decimally or other- 
wise, is peculiarly inappropriate, because 
unnecessary and confusing. Law reports are 
published serially, each volume with a 
number; they are arranged on the shelves 
alphabetically, according to the state or 
country in which the courts are situated. 
Every text book professes on its label to 
be somebody's treatise on some important 
subject, thus inviting classification and 
citation by the name of the author, rather 
than the subject. A great English judge 
wrote learnedly on the law of bills and 
notes, so that Byles on Bills is a familiar 
title in the bibliography of every law li- 
brary, and needs no mystic number to 
bring it from the shelves. It may thus be 
seen that arrangment and classification of 
law books are not complex. The lawyers 
have troubles enough in finding what they 
want without adding to their burdens by 



compelling them to master the intricacies 
of an ingeniously devised system of classi- 
fication. 

There are law libraries whose chief aim 
is to make complete collections of law lit- 
erature without regard to practical use or 
adaptability. These have exhaustless re- 
sources at their command and are rapidly 
becoming the museums of rare and obso- 
lete law books. It is indeed fortunate that 
such institutions exist; their value as edu- 
cational factors must not be underesti- 
mated. But the working law librarian in 
charge of a library founded on a basis of 
utility and maintained to aid the court, 
the lawyer, the legislature or the student, 
has not the time or the means to indulge 
his longing to collect. He must get what 
his library needs to carry out the pur- 
poses for which it was organized. He 
must be familiar with the books upon his 
shelves, and know their uses, so that he 
may direct the search for the well hidden 
legal principles. He should be in touch 
with the trend of judicial and legislative 
thought. He may or he may not be a law- 
yer, but like the lawyer, he should know 
where to find the law. This is the science 
of the law librarian; if he is not expert 
in it. he is like the mountain guide who 
seeks to lead where he has not climbed. 

Mr HENRY E. LEGLER, secretary of 
the Wisconsin library commission and rep- 
resenting the League of library commis- 
sions then read the following paper: 

SOME PHASES OF LIBRARY EXTEN- 
SION 

Dreaming of Utopia, an English writer of 
romance evolved a plan for a people's 
palace, centering under one roof the 
pleasures and the interests and the hopes 
of democracy. Far away, if not improb- 
able, as seemed the fruition of his dream, 
he lived to see prophesy merge in realiza- 
tion. Were this lover of mankind still liv- 
ing, he would know that his concept, 
though he saw it carried into being, had 
not permanence in the form he gave it. 
Ideals cannot be bounded by the narrow 



LEGLER 



97 



confines of four walls. And yet he had 
the vision of the seer, for that which he 
pictured in local form with definite limita- 
tions has, in a direction little dreamed of 
then, assumed form and substance in a 
great world movement. Not only in great 
hives of industry, where thousands congre- 
gate in daily toil, but in the small indus- 
trial hamlets and in the rural towns that 
dot the land lie the possibilities for many 
such palaces of the people, and in many- 
very many of such communities to-day 
exist the beginnings that will combine and 
cement their many-sided interests. 

This great world movement which is 
gathering accelerated momentum with its 
own marvelous growth, we call library ex- 
tension. That term is perhaps sufficiently 
descriptive, though it gives name rather to 
the means used than to the results sought 
to be achieved. For certainly Its underly- 
ing principle is of the very essence of 
democracy. There is no other govern- 
mental enterprise not excepting the public 
schools, that so epitomizes the spirit of 
democracy. For democracy in its highest 
manifestation is not that equality that puts 
mediocrity and idleness on the same level 
with talent and genius and thrift, but that 
equality which gives all members of so- 
ciety an equal opportunity in life that 
yields to no individual as a birthright 
chances denied to his fellow. And surely 
if there is any institution that represents 
this fundamental principle and carries out 
a policy in consonance, it is the public 
library. Neither condition nor place of 
birth, nor age, nor sex, nor social position, 
serves as bar of exclusion from this house 
of the open door, of the cordial welcome, of 
the sympathetic aid freely rendered. In 
myriad ways not dreamed of at its incep- 
tion, library extension has sought channels 
of usefulness to reach all the people. The 
traveling library in rural regions, the 
branch stations in congested centers of 
population, the children's room, the depart- 
ment of technology are a few of these to 
mention the ones which occur most readily 
to mind. 

But these allied agencies do but touch 



the edge of opportunity. The immediate 
concern of those engaged in library exten- 
sion must be with the forces reaching the 
adult population, and specially the young 
men and women engaged in industrial pur- 
suits. For the mission of the public library 
is two-fold an aid to material progress of 
the individual and a cultural influence in 
the community through the individual. 
Perhaps it may be said more accurately 
that the one mission is essential to give- 
scope for the second. For, first of all, man 
must needs minister to his physical wants. 
Before there can be intellectual expansion 
and cultural development, there must be 
leisure, or at least conditions that free the 
mind from anxious care for the morrow. 
So the social structure after all must rest 
upon a bread-and-butter foundation. It fol- 
lows as a logical conclusion that society 
as a whole cannot reach a high stage of 
development until all its individual mem- 
bers are surrounded with conditions that 
permit the highest self-development. Until 
a better agency shall be found, it is the 
public library which must serve this need. 
And therein lies the most potent reason 
for the extension of its work into every 
field, whether intimatelv or remotely affili- 
ated, which can bring about these purposes. 
Its work with children is largely important 
to the extent that habits are formed and 
facility acquired in methods that shall be 
utilized in years succeeding school life. But 
its great problem is that of adult education. 
What an enormous field still lies untilled 
we learn with startling emphasis from 
figures compiled by the government. Des- 
pite the fact that provision is made by 
state an<l municipality to give to every in- 
dividual absolutely without cost an educa- 
tion embracing sixteen years of life, there 
are retarding circumstances that prevent all 
but a mere fraction of the population from 
enjoying these advantages in full measure. 

To quote a summary printed last year, 
"in the United States 16,511,024 were re- 
ceiving elementary education during the 
years 1902-03; only 776,635 attained to a 
secondary education, and only 251,819 to 
the higher education of the colleges, tech- 



98 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



nical schools, etc. Stated in simpler 
terms, this means that in the United 
States for one person who receives a 
higher education, or for three who receive 
the education of the secondary schools, 
there are sixty-five who receive only an 
elementary education, and that chiefly 
in the lowest grades of the elementary 
schools." 

What gives further meaning to this sta- 
tistical recital is the force of modern 
economic conditions. From an agricultural 
we are developing into a manufacturing 
people, with enormous influx from the rural 
into the urban communities. The tre- 
mendous expansion of our municipalities 
has brought new and important problems. 
Within the lifetime of men to-day a hun- 
dred cities have realized populations in ex- 
cess of that which New York City had when 
they were boys. Vast numbers of immi- 
grants differing radically in intelligence 
and in education from earlier comers are 
pouring into the country annually. It has 
been pointed out that some of the largest 
Irish. German and Bohemian cities in the 
world are located in the United States, not 
in their own countries. In one ward in the 
city of Chicago, forty languages are spoken 
by persons who prattled at their mother's 
knee one or the other of them. 

"The power of the public schools to as- 
similate different races to our own insti- 
tutions, through the education given to 
the younger generation, is doubtless one of 
the most remarkable exhibitions of vitality 
that the world has ever seen," says Dr 
John Dewey in an address on "The school 
as a social center." "But, after all, it 
leaves the older generation still untouched, 
and the assimilation of the younger can 
hardly be complete or certain as long as 
the homes of the parents remain compara- 
tively unaffected. Social, economic and in- 
tellectual conditions are changing at a rate 
undreamed of in past history. Now, unless 
the agencies of instruction are kept run- 
ning more or less parallel with these 
changes, a considerable body of men is 
bound to find itself without the training 
which will enable it to adapt itself to what 
is going on. It will be left stranded and 
become a burden for the community to 
carry. The youth at eighteen may be edu- 
cated so as to be ready for the conditions 
which will meet him at nineteen; but he 



can hardly be prepared for those which are 
to confront him when he is forty-five. If 
he is ready for the latter when they come, 
it is because his own education has been 
keeping pace in the intermediate years." 
And again: "The daily occupations and 
ordinary surroundings of life are much 
more in need of interpretation than ever 
they have been before. Life is getting so 
specialized, the divisions of labor are car- 
ried so far that nothing explains or in- 
terprets itself. The worker in a modern 
factory who is concerned with a fractional 
piece of a complex activity, presented to 
him only in a limited series of acts car- 
ried on with a distinct position of a ma- 
chine, is typical of much in our entire 
social life. Unless the lines of a large 
part of our wage earners are to be left 
to their own barren meagerness, the com- 
munity must see to it by some organized 
agency that they are instructed in the 
scientific foundation and social bearings 
of the things they see about them, and of 
the activities in which they are themselves 
engaging." 

Now if those who come in such limited 
numbers from the colleges and universities 
can keep step with the onward march of 
their fellows only by constantly adding to 
their additional equipment, what shall be 
said of that enormous army made up of 
conscripts from the ranks in the elementary 
schools? the tender hands that drop the 
spelling book and seize the workman's 
dinner pail? 

Thus we establish the duty of the state 
to its citizenship in providing means for 
adult education. And herein lies a great 
opportunty for library extension not, in- 
deed, in seeking to supplant agencies 
already existing; not in creating new ones 
that will parallel others, but in supplement- 
ing their work where such educational 
agencies do exist, in supplying channels for 
their activities through its own greater 
facilities for reaching the masses. Import- 
ant as are the public museum, the public 
art gallery, the popular lecture or lyceum 
feature, the public debate associated with 
or incorporated in the library, of as far- 
reaching importance is another and newer 
allied agency developed in university ex- 
tension. The response which has come in 
establishing correspondence study as part 



99 



of modern university extension is of tre- 
mendous significance. The enrollment in 
correspondence schools of a million grown- 
up men and women eager to continue their 
education and willing to expend more than 
50 million dollars a year in furtherance of 
that desire, is a factor that challenges at- 
tention. It is a new expression of an old 
impulse. Eighty years ago, the working 
people and artisan classes of Great Britain 
took part in a similar movement. Its be- 
ginning was prompted by a wish for tech- 
nical instruction. Soon these mechanics* 
institutes grew into social institutions, 
with collections of books as a secondary 
interest. The institutes increased enor- 
mously in number, until through their 
medium more than a million volumes a 
year were circulated. Charles Knight issued 
his "Penny encyclopedia," Robert and Will- 
iam Chambers led the way for inexpensive 
books, the Society for the diffusion of 
knowledge came Into existence. Industrial 
England for the time became the workshop 
of the world. And in the later university 
extension movement which, along new 
lines, is to make of universities having a 
state foundation, really the instrument of 
the state for the good of all the people 
in place of the few, the libraries have a 
great opportunity to become an important 
factor. Millions of the adult population 
will thus be given an opportunity to bring 
out in its best form whatever of talent and 
of intellectual gift they may possess. From 
a private letter written by Prof. McCona- 
chie of the University of Wisconsin, who 
has charge of the correspondence study in 
the department of science, are taken the 
following extracts: 

"Old ways of teaching are breaking 
down. Library study and written exercises 
are re-enforcing class room recitations and 
lectures. Each pupil of a term course 
studies one or two prescribed texts, reads 
and reports in detail a minimum of eight 
or nine hundred pages in a choice shelf 
collection of library books, takes and sub- 
mits notes, writes brief themes and pre- 
pares for weekly quizzes wherein the 
members of his class section helpfully in- 
terchange ideas and information. The 



post office is the medium for extension 
from the university to a vaster body of 
students everywhere throughout the state. 
The same materials, books, periodicals, 
newspapers and official documents that the 
student of politics uses under the personal 
oversight of the university instructor are 
scattered in vast abundance everywhere. 
The state is one great library. The larg- 
est single collection is paltry beside this 
magnificent and ever increasing supply of 
political literature that permeates every 
hamlet. Civic intelligence has thriven 
upon the mere haphazard and desultory 
reading of the people. Correspondence 
studies will put their scattered material 
into shape for them and systematize their 
use thereof." 

The library and the university may serve 
the citizen by giving unity and direction 
to his reading, helping him to hitherto hid- 
den worth and meaning in the humblest 
literary material at his hand, by quicken- 
ing his interest alike in the offices, institu- 
tions and activities that lie nearest to his 
daily life and in his world-wide relation- 
ship with his fellowmen. For the citizen 
on the farm, at the desk or in the factory, 
they point the way out of vague realizations 
into distinct and definite command of his 
political self, offer refreshing change from 
the narrowing viewpoint of individual in- 
terest to the broadening viewpoint of his 
town or state or country, and lead on to 
far international vistas of world-wide life 
and destiny. 

Society has an interest in this beyond 
the rights of the individual. The greatest 
waste to society is not that which comes 
from improvidence, but from undeveloped 
or unused opportunity. So it becomes the 
duty of every community to make its con- 
tribution to the world, whether it be in 
the realm of invention, scientific discovery 
or literature. And how is this to be done 
if genius and talent is allowed to die for 
lack of opportunity to grow? Wonderful 
as has been the progress of the world's 
knowledge during the last century of 
scientific research, who will venture to 
say that it constitutes more than a frac- 
tion of what might have been if all the 
genius that remained dormant and un- 
productive could have been utilized. From 



100 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



what we know of isolated instances where 
mere chance has saved to the world great 
forces that make for the progress of hu- 
manity, we can infer what might have 
been realized under happier conditions. 
Every librarian of experience, every ad- 
ministrator of traveling libraries will re- 
call such instances. One boy comes upon 
the right book, and the current of his life 
is changed; another reads a volume, and 
in his brain germinates the seed that 
blossoms into a great invention; in a 
chance hour of reading a third finds in a 
page, a phrase, a word, the inspiration 
whose expression sets aflame the world. 
A master pen has vividly described the 
process ("Middlemarch") : 

"Most of us who turn to any subject 
with love remember some morning or even- 
ing hour when we got on a high stool to 
reach down an untried volume. .. .When 
hot from play he would toss himself in a 
corner, and in five minutes be deep in any 
sort of book that he could lay his hands 
on; if it were Rasselas or Gulliver, so 
much the better, but Bailey's Dictionary 
would do, or the Bible with the Apocrypha 
in it. Something he must read when he 
was not riding the pony, or running and 
hunting, or listening to the talk of men. . . . 
But, one vacation, a wet day sent him to 
the small house library to hunt once more 
for a book which might have some fresh- 
ness for him. In vain! unless, indeed, he 
first took down a dusty row of volumes 
with gray paper backs and dingy labels 
the volumes of an old encyclopedia which 
he had never disturbed. It would at least 
be a novelty to disturb them. They were 
on the highest shelf, and he stood on a 
chair to get them down; but he opened 
the volume which he took first from the 
shelf: somehow, one is apt to read in a 
makeshift attitude just where it might 
seem inconvenient to do so. The page 
he opened on was under the head of 
anatomy, and the first passage that drew 
his eyes was on the valves of the heart. 
He was not much acquainted with valves 
of any sort, but he knew that valves were 
folding doors, and through this crevice 
came a sudden light startling him with his 
first vivid notion of a finely-adjusted 
mechanism in the human frame. A liberal 
education had, of course, left him free to 
read the indecent passages in the school 
classics, bxit beyond a general sense of 
secrecy and obscenity in connection with 



his internal structure, had left his imagi- 
nation quite unbiased, so that for anything 
he knew his brains lay in small bags at 
his temples, and he had no more thought 
of representing to himself how his blood 
circulated than how paper served instead 
of gold. But the moment of vacation had 
come, and before he got down from his 
chair the world was made new to him by 
a presentiment of endless processes fill- 
ing the vast spaces planked out of his 
sight by that wordy ignorance which he 
had supposed to be knowledge. From 
that hour he felt the growth of an intellec- 
tual passion." 

And in this wise the world gained a 
great physician. 

All this may be said without disparage- 
ment to that phase of library usefulness 
which may be termed the recreative. 
There has been undue and unreasoning 
criticism of the library tendency to min- 
ister to the novel-reading habit. Many 
good people are inclined to decry the pub- 
lic library because all its patrons do not 
confine their loans to books dealing with 
science, or with useful arts. In their judg- 
ment it is not the legitimate function of 
the public library to meet the public de- 
mand for fiction. These same good people 
would hardly urge that the freedom of the 
public parks should be limited to those 
who wish to make botanical studies. The 
pure joy in growing things and fresh air 
and the song of uncaged birds needs no 
knowledge of scientific terms in botany 
and ornithology. These privileges are pro- 
motive of the physical well-being of the 
people; correspondingly, healthy mental 
stimulus is to be found in "a sparkling 
and sprightly story which may be read in 
an hour and which will leave the reader 
with a good conscience and a sense of 
cheerfulness." Our own good friend, Mr 
John Cotton Dana, has admirably epito- 
mized the underlying philosophy: 

"A good story has created many an 
oasis in many an otherwise arid 
life. Many-sidedness of interest makes 
for good morals, and millions of 
our fellows step through the pages of 
a story book into broader world than their 
nature and their circumstances ever per- 
mit them to visit. If anything is to stay 



CAREY 



101 



the narrowing and hardening process 
which specialization of learning, specializa- 
tion of inquiry and of industry and swift 
accumulation of wealth are setting up 
among us, it is a return to romance, poetry, 
imagination, fancy, and the general culture 
we are now taught to despise. Of all these 
the novel is a part; rather, in the novel 
are all of these. But a race may surely 
find springing up in itself a fresh love of 
romance, in the high sense of that word, 
which can keep it active, hopeful, ardent, 
progressive. Perhaps the novel is to be, 
in the next few decades, part of the out- 
ward manifestation of a new birth of this 
love of breadth and happiness." 

There is, then, no limitation to the scope 
of library extension save that enforced by 
meagerness of resource and physical abil- 
ity to do. In the proper affiliation and cor- 
relation of all these forces which have 
been enumerated and of other suggested 
by them, will develop that process whereby 
the social betterment that to-day seems but 
a dream will be brought into reality. The 
form this combination will assume need 
give us no concern whether its local phy- 
sical expression shall be as in Boston a 
group of buildings maintained as separate 
institutions, or as in Pittsburgh a com- 
plete, related scheme of activities covered 
by one roof; as planned in Cleveland, a 
civic center with the public library giving 
it character and substance, or as in New 
York, where many institutions, remotely 
located but intimately associated, work 
toward a common end. Many roads lead 
to a common center. Which one the way- 
farer chooses is a matter of mere personal 
preference and of no importance so that 
he wends his way steadily onwards tow- 
ards the object of his attainment. In the 
evolution of these uplifting processes, the 
book shall stand as symbol and the 
printed page shall serve as instrument. 

The PRESIDENT: To do honor to the 
first of our affiliated organizations the Pro- 
gram committee now asks the American 
Library Association to go into joint ses- 
sion with the National association of state 
libraries, and I resign to Mr Thomas L. 
Montgomery, first vice-president of that 
Association, the conduct of the meeting. 



On taking the chair, Mr MONTGOMERY 
said: 

In no department of library work has 
there been a more satisfactory movement 
for the better during the last few years 
than in the care and the preservation of 
public records and historical papers. We 
are fortunate enough to have with us to- 
day one who can speak with authority on 
this subject, and I take great pleasure in 
introducing Dr THOMAS M. OWEN, who 
will make an address upon The Work and 
aspirations of the Alabama state depart- 
ment of archives and history.* 

Chairman MONTGOMERY: It is very 
evident, indeed, that in at least one of the 
activities of library work, the South has 
a representative in the advance guard. I 
congratulate very sincerely Dr Owen upon 
bis important work. 

The next paper on the program is that 
of Miss MIRIAM E. CAREY, librarian of 
state institutions of Iowa, who will speak 
upon 

LIBRARIES IN STATE INSTITUTIONS 

No intelligent purchase of a book by 
libraries is made without reference to 
what the book can do, for this fashion of 
the times has grown out of a belief that the 
book is an active agent, capable to get re- 
sults, both good and bad, and so strong is 
this belief, that the book has come to be 
regarded as a tool, to be used with the 
skill and precision that tools demand. 

Where is a book always a tool? In 
state institutions. There, what the book 
can do is the sole reason for its presence. 
Its various functions cover a wide field 
to entertain being as legitimate as to in- 
struct or inspire, but whatever its power 
to do may be, that power is the considera- 
tion to prompt its purchase. 

Although the published reports show 
that the placing of books in state institu- 
tions has not been general, yet it is hard 
to believe that, during a period when the 
purchase of books has been so universal, 



* This paper could not be supplied for pub- 
lication. 



102 



ASHBVILLE CONFERENCE 



they should not have been bought by the 
different states for use in the institutions. 
Doubtless when such book property shall 
have been examined in the whole country, 
it will be found that libraries are in exist- 
ence which have been overlooked or even 
forgotten. This is the conclusion reached 
after such books in one state have been 
overhauled. Various facts can be deduced 
from the character and condition of some 
of the libraries which have been in that 
state the longest. 

The oldest hospital for the insane in 
Iowa is located at Mt Pleasant, where it 
was established in 1853 1 . There is a col- 
lection of books there which tradition (for 
there are no permanent library records in 
the institutions) says was purchased by 
the man who planted the magnificent trees 
which are the pride and glory of the hos- 
pital. These books are imported editions 
of the standard authors, principally in fic- 
tion, poetry and essays. They are bound 
in morocco and calf, and were published 
by the most famous houses in London and 
Edinburgh. They are so beautiful that the 
ten commandments unless fortified by 
some visible symbol of the law, would lose 
their force if the books were to be ex- 
hibited at a meeting of the A. L. A, Yet 
their incongruity is almost grotesque from 
the standpoint of books as tools. Several 
things can be deduced from this collec- 
tion. First, the one who chose it was a 
"gentleman and a scholar." Second, he 
desired to get the best and believed that 
the best for him was the best for everyone, 
or, more probably, desiring to get the best, 
he had no knowledge of books to guide 
him except his own individual tastes. 

Ten years ago, at the Independence hos- 
pital, the second oldest in the state, some 
500 books were classified, accessioned and 
cataloged on cards by some person, evi- 
dently thoroughly trained, whose identity 
has been lost, though there is an impres- 
sion that the work was done by some pa- 
tient. .However, there was already a set of 
about 1,000 books in the institution before 
this work was done on the 500, which were 
evidently a new purchase at the time of 



the cataloging. The first purchase of 
books for the Independence hospital was 
doubtless made not long after its estab- 
lishment. The books thus chosen for this 
institution include several standard cyclo- 
pedias, sets of the standard authors in 
fiction, and collections such as the Warner 
library. 

The State orphan's home is located at 
Davenport. It was established for the or- 
phans of the soldiers of the civil war, but 
it is now open to any destitute child in the 
state. Many very small children and even 
babies are received here, who may remain 
till they are 16. The library provided for 
this institution has been the growth of 
years. It was classified by the Dewey 
classification about 10 years ago. It was 
very strong in history and biography, with 
plenty of reference books, and its juvenile 
collection, amounting to one third of the 
whole, made no provision for small readers. 

Another old collection of books is at the 
state college for the blind. Two libraries 
are provided here: one being what is called 
the seeing library. It is very strong in 
reference books and biography. The fic- 
tion includes sets of George MacDonald, 
Mrs Charles, and Miss Miihlbach, while the 
juvenile fiction is represented chiefly by 
Henty. 

These collections, which are doubtless 
typical of others made under similar cir- 
cumstances in other states, show that Iowa 
has owned for years, many good books, 
which were carefully selected by persons 
familiar with accepted standards in such 
matters. An open mind toward modern 
library methods is also shown by the class- 
ifying and cataloging that was done at 
several of the institutions. 

Other collections in the state show that 
through a wish to get as many good books 
as possible with a given sum of money, 
many in poor print and unattractive bind- 
ings were acquired. The desire to get all he 
can for his money is inherent in the Ameri- 
can, but in the purchase of books it some- 
times leads to the accumulation of a quan- 
tity of cheap reprints. 

If books in state institutions are tools 



CAREY 



103 



only, their selection must be made wholly 
with reference to the use to be made of 
them, and this use must be according to a 
well-defined plan, in the making of which 
this fact is to be remembered, that the use 
of the same tool varies with the object upon 
which it works and the result to be 
obtained. 

So the methods employed in the use of 
books in state institutions depend upon the 
character and peculiarities of each and on 
whether the object to be attained is to en- 
tertain, inspire and instruct, or to create 
and foster the reading habit. 

Each state provides a fund by taxation 
for the support of certain educational and 
eleemosynary institutions. The term State 
institution as used in this paper refers to 
the latter only and has nothing to do with 
universities and normal schools. 

These state institutions constitute a 
world by themselves of which those out- 
side are ignorant as far as the special re- 
quirements and purposes of each are con- 
cerned, and, as referred to in this paper, 
represent the provision made by the public 
funds for the care of the insane, the de- 
fective, the criminal and the unfortunate. 
In a few of the states, of which Iowa is 
one, the direct responsibility for this ex- 
penditure is vested in three men who are 
called a Board of control of state institu- 
tions. In Iowa there are at present four- 
teen such institutions: the purely benevo- 
lent include the soldiers' home, the 
orphans' home ; the correctional and reform- 
atory institutions are a penitentiary, a 
reformatory and two industrial schools. 
The defective classes are provided for in 
the college for the blind, the school for 
the deaf, and the institution for the feeble- 
minded. These, with the four hospitals for 
the insane and one for inebriates, complete 
the number supported by the state of 
Iowa and supervised by its Board of con- 
trol. 

The Iowa idea for the use of the book 
in these institutions is, that it is a tool 
to be used according to a plan varying 
with the needs and special problems of 
each. Of the 14 institutions, all contain 



schools except the hospitals and the sol- 
diers' home. The problem of the school 
group is the creation and fostering of the 
reading habit. The tool by means of which 
this habit is created is the easy book, the 
book told in simple language, printed in 
large, clear type, with plenty of pictures, 
and small in size rather than large. It is 
a mistake, however, to suppose that any 
cheap, small easy book will do. What is 
wanted is the right book. Cheap editions, 
unless they have the essential qualifica- 
tions for use, should not be purchased for 
state institutions. The best the market 
affords is available to a large buyer for a 
moderate price. By best is meant that 
book which each place can use with its 
special constituency. No book is cheap 
whatever its price, that is not readable. A 
book that stands idle is expensive. One 
that is read pays for itself. 

The reading habit once established in the 
school group, it is to be fostered by means 
of children's books, although outside the 
orphan's home the readers' ages range from 
16 to old age. 

Among the blind, the tendency to listen 
only is a hindrance, therefore a desire to 
read for themselves is to be cultivated, so 
that they will despise the mediocre and 
will look upon skill in reading Braille and 
New York point as an accomplishment, not 
a painful necessity. Ability to read their 
own books with ease and rapidity might 
well be one of the conditions for a diploma 
in schools for the blind. 

The most difficult phase of creating the 
reading habit is among the deaf. As a 
class, the deaf are keenly intelligent, and 
once aroused they are ambitious and ap- 
preciative. It is the boast of those who 
have spent a life-time among them, that 
a larger per cent of the deaf make good 
citizens than of any, other wards of the 
state. But to them the language is wholly 
unknown and must be learned word by 
word. Nowhere is the book more mani- 
festly a tool and nowhere must its selec- 
tion be made with more precision. The 
easy book is again absolutely essential, but 
it must not be so simple as to lack interest 



104 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



or cause mortification. The establishment 
of the reading habit among the deaf de- 
pends upon the most influential personality 
in school life, the teacher. Given the right 
books, selected and graded in a manner 
to stimulate the deaf pupil to press on, 
Btlll the teachers' technical skill and pro- 
fessional enthusiasm are necessary. 

The special tool then of the school group 
is the easy book for the first steps, and 
afterward the well-printed and illustrated 
book, while the one never to be purchased 
for a state institution is the cheap reprint 
of a standard work, unless it has the es- 
sential qualities of a working tool. Each 
collection should be miscellaneous in char- 
acter but have reference to the special re- 
quirements of its own readers. For ex- 
ample, the library of an orphans' home 
should consist of children's books, for a 
girls' reformatory school books of cut-door 
life and adventure should predominate, 
with as little as possible of the emotional. 

The boys' reformatory needs, in addi- 
tion to a good all-round collection, works 
on useful arts, especially those taught in 
school, and any institution which contains 
a school should provide any and all books 
which the teacher is willing to use. For, 
given the books at their best, what can 
they accomplish in and of themselves? 
There must always be a vital link between 
the book and the reader, and in the schools 
this link is the teacher, whose influence 
will go far towards accomplishing the 
great tasks of establishing and nourishing 
the reading habit, correcting emotional 
tendencies in one class, stimulating ambi- 
tion in another, and bringing entertain- 
ment and moral uplift to all. 

In the penitentiaries, soldiers' homes, 
and hospitals for the inebriates and con- 
sumptives, the problem is to get the right 
book to the right person. Miscellaneous 
collections are desirable. In the matter of 
providing books for the old soldiers, I 
have not the courage to state in this pres- 
ence just what I might or might not con- 
sider the right book. But I will ask you 
individually to suppose that you are an old 
soldier, and to recall some of the authors 



that had the greatest vogue when you 
were in your prime, and I ask you, may 
not the right book for you possibly be 
one written by one of those authors, who 
shall be nameless here, which you loved 
when you were young and which you still 
prefer? 

Each prison has in it a large number of 
men of limited education and small men- 
tality. For them, some easy books and so- 
called boys' books are essential. So are 
newspapers and periodicals, bound and un- 
bound. There are men of all grades 
among the prisoners, however, and in 
order to meet their requirements, the 
library should contain some samples, at 
least, of all classes of literature. In Iowa, 
each prison has its school department. 
Considering what it would mean to a man 
to acquire a taste for good books so that 
when he left prison he could avail himself 
of all the advantages offered by our pub- 
lic libraries, would it not be most de- 
sirable to have required courses of read- 
ing in prisons, and, in connection with the 
schools, to have required courses of study. 

The chaplain is the connecting link be- 
tween the book and the prisoner. In his 
weekly talk to each man in his cell there 
is an opportunity to guide the reading by 
helpful suggestion. There is in Iowa a 
prison where this painstaking service of 
the chaplain is supplemented by the sym- 
pathetic work of two men-convicts who 
have charge of the library. They manage 
an excellent collection of books and peri- 
odicals in admirable fashion, and there is 
as fine a library spirit within the walls of 
Anamosa as anywhere in the state. 

The foregoing statements would seem 
to show that books have important func- 
tions to perform in penitentiaries, refor- 
matories, and schools. The inmates of 
such institutions are, however, of normal 
mentality. In the hospitals for the insane 
there are hundreds of men and women 
whose minds are abnormal. What can 
the book do for them? 

It is the Iowa idea that among the in- 
sane the book can be used as a direct 
remedial agent, prescribed by the phy- 



CAREY 



105 



sician according to the needs of each 
patient. 

An annotated list of books recommended 
for this purpose has been begun. In it 
the most attractive editions will be speci- 
fied, and the range of the list will cover 
optimistic stories of real life, certain books 
of travel, a few biographies, and bound 
periodicals, with a sprinkling of out-door 
and nature books, and humorous works. 

Ultimately it is hoped that the tests 
of time will make it possible to use with 
the titles of the books a series of headings 
which will name the types of patients 
which certain books will help. 

In this way, or in some other which ex- 
perience may develop, it is hoped to shape 
for the doctors a tool to be used with the 
same confidence that they feel in giving a 
well-tested medicine. The making of this 
list will occupy time and demand discrimi- 
nation and withal an open mind on the 
part of those who work on it, for the field 
is new ground, and prejudices as well as 
theories may need to be discarded. 

Already it has been found that fairy 
tales will be of little use among the insane, 
for they <Jo not enjoy the imaginative as 
much as the realistic. At present the 
most useful books seem to be "plain, un- 
varnished tales" which appeal to knowl- 
edge of life acquired by real, and often bit- 
ter, experience. Adult fiction of a senti- 
mental type does not give as much satis- 
faction as works written for boys and 
girls in their teens. 

There are always a few educated per- 
sons among the insane patients, whose 
needs should have consideration, but mis- 
cellaneous collections of books are not 
desirable in hospitals for the insane, for 
there certain subjects must be tabooed. 
Hypnotism, spiritualism, and religious 
"books generally are harmful and even dan- 
gerous. Cheerful books, true to life, but 
not teaching any one moral lesson more 
than another, attractive in appearance, 
good type and illustrations being abso- 
lutely necessary, these constitute the kinds 
of material which promise good results. 



It is not probable that the insane will 
read many books in a year, but we believe 
that what they do read can be made as 
effective for their cure as any remedy em- 
ployed by the physician. 

Another Iowa idea with regard to the 
insane is, that some books should be 
placed in every ward of the hospital. 
Hitherto, this has not been done. Books 
have not yet been placed in what are 
called violent wards. If good results can 
be had from the use of books, then all the 
patients should have access to them and 
none should be debarred from the benefits 
to be derived therefrom, even though some 
books are destroyed in the process. 

The links between the books and the 
patients in the hospitals are the physi- 
cians and the attendants. The former can 
be relied upon to use any tool which 
promises to be valuable. The problem of 
library service in the hospital is the at- 
tendant. As are the teachers in the 
schools and the chaplains in the peniten- 
tiaries, so are the attendants in the hos- 
pitals, regarded from the standpoint of in- 
fluence. If books are tools, dangerous un- 
less handled with precision, then what 
more reasonable than to train the persons 
using them so that they may understand 
the hidden possibilities of their task? 
There are training schools for nurses con- 
nected with the hospitals in which lectures 
on books and reading for the insane can 
be added to the course of study to the ad- 
vantage of the entire hospital. 

Another phase of this question is the 
right of the attendants and other em- 
ployees to have books and periodicals and 
a room in which to enjoy them. Undoubt- 
edly the personnel of a hospital would im- 
prove in a ratio to make good extra ex- 
pense, if special reading facilities were 
provided. 

The importance of the "vital link" be- 
tween the book and the reader, and of any 
means which will tend to keep this link 
vitalized, may be shown by the experience 
of an institution for boys. Several years 
ago this really good collection of books 



106 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



was thoroughly organized on a modern 
basis, equipped with a card catalog and all 
accessories, and housed in a most attractive 
place which was well furnished for the pur- 
poses of a reading-room. For a time there 
was a vital link in the person of a lady 
who served con amore and devised and car- 
ried out many delightful plans for getting 
the books out to the cottages in which the 
boys live, and also for bringing the boys 
to the reading-room to have the benefit 
of her supervision in the use of the periodi- 
cals and in the choice of boofcs. But later 
the general charge fell upon a busy officer. 
The books are there, the machine is com- 
plete, but the link is no longer vitalized, 
and as long as this condition continues it 
will illustrate the need of the personal 
touch in institution work perhaps more 
than in any other, in order to get definite 
results. 

Other institutions have been more for- 
tunate than the beys' schools, as for in- 
stance, a hospital for the Insane, where a 
lady teacher of physical culture became in- 
terested in the books, gathered them in to 
a central place, made an alphabetical 
author list and took charge of the circula- 
tion. She organized classes in nature 
study, classes in reading, in which she read 
and the class read and memorized selec- 
tions and transcribed them in blank books 
provided for the purpose. 

This woman makes great use of books in 
her work among the insane and by means 
of them she has even made cures. The 
books alone could not have made these 
cures. Such is her unselfish and tactful 
persistence that it is said that she seldom 
meets a patient whom she cannot influence. 

Another example of good results brought 
about by disinterested service, is the libra- 
ry work at the Independence hospital, where 
the young son of the superiatendent gath- 
ered the books into one central place, ar- 
ranged them systematically by a scheme 
of his own devising, and prepared and pub- 
lished a printed finding list which is still 
in use. He went through the hospital and 
personally urged the use of the library and 
in other ways succeeded in placing the 



work on a firm basis so that the evening 
when the library is open always finds rep- 
resentatives from the different wards wait- 
ing to exchange their books. 

As the collections themselves are not 
new things in Iowa, neither is the use of 
the books a novelty. 

A system of book circulation has gradual- 
ly grown out of the circumstances peculiar 
to institution life. Rules and regulations 
are there a necessity and the library ad- 
ministration must conform to them. Far 
from restricting the use of books, this fact, 
that certain hours of each day must be 
passed either in solitude or under the eye 
of an officer in a room shared by others, in- 
tensifies the desire to read. What books 
mean to a person who is free to dispose 
of all his leisure hours as he chooses, can- 
not adequately indicate their value to one 
who is not so free, but is more or less shut 
out from much that is recreative. The 
constituency of an institution library must 
and will read. 

It is necessary and desirable in institu- 
tions to have some officer responsible for 
the library, but it is seldom practicable 
to have an official whose only duty is in 
connection with the books. However, the 
custom of having the detail work of the 
library performed by one or more of the 
inmates is one which has many things to 
commend it. This is the plan in force at 
several institutions of Iowa. At the girls' 
industrial school the official librarian is 
the institute matron, but each cottage has 
one of the girls for its special librarian 
while still another has the care of the cen- 
tral library and makes out the monthly sta- 
tistics. This is the system at the hospital 
for inebriates, where one of the patients is 
the acting librarian. 

In institutions it is seldom practicable for 
the readers to go in person to the library. 
In most places printed or typewritten cata- 
logs are freely distributed. From these 
the readers make out lists of the books 
they wish which are taken to the library 
by the matron, nurse or other official who 
is the vital link. There should, however, 
always be some one at the library to take 



CAREY 



107 



the initiative in guiding the choice of books 
and periodicals and in sending to the wards 
or cottages those that are suitable. 

At the hospital for inebriates each ward 
has a portable book-shelf of a size to fit 
the tops of the tables in the ward. These 
shelves are taken to the library to be filled 
according to the judgment of the librarian 
or from lists, and are then taken back to 
the wards, where they are accessible to 
any one who may wish to browse or to 
merely examine the books. Arrangements 
can be made to have books reserved for 
individual use. At Anamosa, the recently 
created Iowa reformatory, there are three 
grades of prisoners, first, second, and third. 
First, grade men may exchange books every 
morning; second grade, Tuesday and Fri- 
day; third grade, every Saturday. Each in- 
mate is furnished a catalog and a card on 
which he indicates by number the books he 
wishes to read. For magazines he is given 
a card containing a list of all the current 
magazines received at the prison. Each 
man may check on this card the five which 
he prefers to read. If possible he will be 
given these each month. The magazines 
may be kept two days, books, two weeks, 
but permission is given to keep them lon- 
ger. Reference books are issued on appli- 
cation. 

The following are the statistics for the 
use of books and periodicals at Anamosa 
during March, 1907. 

No. of inmates 389 

No. of readers 311 

Fiction 1420 

Non-fiction 691 

Unbound periodicals 3355 

Total 5466 

It is hoped that required reading courses 
will be adopted as part of the Anamosa 
system. As the reading habit is so firmly 
fixed there, by the nature and force of cir- 
cumstances, and as the chaplain has not 
only an adequate book fund and a bindery, 
but also the control of a weekly paper 
which all the prisoners see, there is a fine 
opportunity to show that by these means 



in the hands of a wise and devoted per- 
son the character of the reading will im- 
prove. 

Whether or not it is true that the placing 
of books in state institutions is uncommon 
in the United States, in Iowa the library 
movement of the state as a whole was 
ante-dated by activity in state institutions. 

The traveling library system was inaugu- 
rated by the state library board, two mem- 
bers of which were afterwards two of the 
three men appointed as the first Board of 
control of state institutions. It is to the 
initiative of this group of bookish men, 
for the third member was in sympathy with 
the others, that Iowa owes its present ad- 
vanced policy in this direction. In a letter 
to Mr Brigham, the late Judge Kinne, a 
member of Iowa's first Board of control, 
thus expressed himself: "We seek to pro- 
vide each institution with a good working 
library suited to the needs of its inmates. 
It is the policy of the Board to expend as 
far as the finances admit, any amount of 
money necessary or proper for the develop- 
ment of the libraries in all of the state 
institutions." 

By an act of the legislature in 1903, the 
money received for admissions to the 
penitentiaries was set aside as the library 
or book fund of the institutions, a fund 
which so far, appears sufficient to keep the 
collections fresh and attractive. 

The superintendents of the Iowa institu- 
tions at their quarterly conference with 
the Board of control in the fall of 1905, 
voted to create the office of supervising 
librarian, whose business it should be to 
pay regular visits to each library and to 
establish permanent records, introduce a 
uniform system of classification, provide 
statistics by means of charging systems as 
well as records, and stimulate reading by 
the selection of books suitable to each in- 
stitution. This is the first instance of the 
creation of such an office by a state. No 
precedents exist therefore to guide as to 
methods and standards. 

Work was begun the first of March, 1906, 
and is being steadily pushed by methods 
indicated in this paper, in which also an 



108 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



attempt has been made to outline the aims 
and policy for the immediate future. The 
right to change his mind is one always re- 
served by the wise, and we of Iowa desire 
to claim that privilege. 

From every stand-point this new depar- 
ture in library work seems worth while. 
As a business venture it is most reasona- 
ble, for accurate records of books as prop- 
erty are seldom kept by the untrained. 

The altruistic possibilities of the work 
are so great that we unite in feeling that 
here is a work of fascinating interest. For 
we all believe, with our whole hearts, in 
the mission of the book, in its power as a 
tool. But the tool must be guided by 
skilled hands to get the results we can 
picture to ourselves. 

Library commissions, where they exist, 
and state library associations have a call 
to take this matter in hand, and if possible 
to keep it in hand. That book selection 
must be guided by the character and needs 
of the readers, is almost a truism to libra- 
rians. So is the value of the easy book, 
nor is there anything startlingly novel in 
the claim that books can be used as reme- 
dies among the insane. But these ideas are 
Dew in state institutions. To carry them 
out calls for a certain amount of technical 
information and experience which is not 
found outside the library profession. If 
then, these things are essential to the effec- 
tual use of books in institutions, the task 
must be directed, at least, by trained 
workers. 

May not the book in state institutions be 
the tool to weld together warring elements 
and restore them to society reconciled! 

The PRESIDENT : In resuming the chair 
I feel sure that I express the feelings of the 
Association in thanking the National asso- 
ciation of state libraries and the other affil- 
iated organizations for the wide views 
of library work which they have opened 
up to us, and for the careful and inspiring 
presentations of State work. 

Miss I. E. Lord for Miss MARY W. 
PLUMMER read the following 



REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
LIBRARY TRAINING 

The chairman of the Committee was 
asked by one of the state commissioners 
in the fall of 1906 if the Committee would 
prepare a tract on the subject of training 
for librarianship, to be published by the 
Publishing board of the A. L. A. The 
question was submitted to the other mem- 
bers of the Committee, who expressed a 
willingness to cooperate, and was then re- 
ferred to the Publishing board and the 
Executive board. Authority being given 
by these bodies, the work of preparing 
such a tract has been carried almost to 
completion, and without doubt the matter 
will be in the hands of the Publishing 
board within a few weeks. The body of 
the tract was considered and changes sug- 
gested at a meeting held by this Commit- 
tee at Atlantic City in March. 

The Committee has learned since its 
last report of the following new attempts 
at training for librarianship, knowing 
nothing of the quality or success of the 
work attempted, but drawing unfavorable 
inferences from such reports as the one 
immediately following: 

1 The Intercontinental correspondence 
university, headquarters at Washington, 
D. C., Vice-President David J. Brewer, LL.D., 
with William T. Harris as chairman 
of the advisory faculty, advertises in the 
Yearbook for 1907. a course of twenty les- 
sons by mail in library science, which 
claims to be "a complete practical training 
to acceptably fill a position as librarian or 
library assistant in any public or private 
library." A letter to an inquirer states 
"Our instruction has been prepared by an 
acknowledged authority in the field of 
library methods and management." A re- 
cent letter from Washington states that 
this section is under the instruction of a 
teacher who has been connected for a 
number of years with the library of the 
U. S. geological survey. The price of the 
twenty lessons is $25 in advance or $30 
in monthly instalments. The subjects 
taught in the twenty lessons are Catalog- 



PLUMMER 



109 



ing documents, Library classifications, Re- 
ference works, Handwriting, List of peri- 
odicals and their classifications, Subject 
headings, Numbering of books, Shelflist- 
Ing, Work of special departments, Index- 
ing, Bibliographical bulletins, Accessions, 
Purchasing books, Requisitions, General 
management of libraries, Proof reading, 
Preparation of statistics. 

2 A course in Library economy is pro- 
jected by the Department of education of 
the city of New York, to be given in the 
Technical high school for girls in connec- 
tion with the regular high school course. 
This was first announced in 1905, I believe, 
but so far has not been given as the course 
is elective and not one has yet elected it. 
Recently examinations were given for the 
sake of securing an eligible list of instruc- 
tors for this course. 

The object of the course has been vari- 
ously stated to be: (7) the preparation 
of apprentices for the New York public 
library; (2) the preparation of students 
to enter the apprentice class of that 
library; (3) the preparation of students 
to enter upon the more advanced library 
courses elsewhere. It is in the third year 
that library economy first makes its ap- 
pearance, occupying fifteen periods of fifty 
minutes per week and in the fourth year, 
twelve periods per week. 

Certificates are to be given at the end 
of the course to satisfactory students. 

3 The State librarian of Virginia has 
been conducting for several years a class 
which, while "not incorporated," to use 
the words of the librarian, "is known as 
the School of library science," for a course 
in which diplomas or certificates will be 
given signed by the "several members of 
the State library board." 

4 The University of Texas asks to have 
its class in library training noticed in the 
report this year, although it is now in its 
fifth year. Eighteen students have been 
trained during these years, of whom ten 
are occupying library positions. Two 
years of work in the college of arts, or in 
another institution of equal standing, is 



the requirement, and with the work in 
library science a student is required to 
take one regular course in the University. 
The class is limited to four and the fee is 
$30 and $15 for supplies. The course lasts 
from September to June and does not 
count toward a degree. The work occu- 
pies three-fourths of the student's working 
time during the University year. The 
course in bibliography, elective for juniors 
and seniors in the academic department, 
consists of one hour a week during the 
year on trade and subject bibliography, 
and on books and libraries, the answering 
of test questions by the use of the library 
and the making of a bibliography. This 
course counts toward a degree. Students 
are advised to obtain a bachelor's degree 
before beginning the course, and are ad- 
vised to go if practicable to one of the 
library schools in the North, and shows an 
increasing tendency to have the class 
made up chiefly of seniors and graduates. 

5 The librarian of the Women's col- 
lege, Maryland, advertises a library train- 
ing class in the College, for students who 
intend "eventually to enter the field." 

No class had been formed at last ac- 
counts. The course had been mapped out 
with the assistance of Miss Elizabeth L. 
Foote, of the New York public library. 

6 Alabama university announced a 
library course at the summer school for 
1906. 

7 Lawrence university, Appleton, Wis., 
gives to those students who elect to take 
them two lectures a week and three hours 
of practical work per day in the library, 
giving no diploma and regarding the in- 
struction as preparatory to a year of li- 
brary school work. 

Probably there has been instruction 
newly offered in other places, but, if so, 
it has not come to the knowledge of the 
Committee. 

Winona technical institute now offers a 
correspondence course with six weeks 
resident work at the Summer school at 
Winona Lake, Ind., requiring also a month 
of practical work in some library in In- 



110 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



diana or an adjoining state, selected by the 
Director of the Library school. Candidates 
are required to pass an entrance examina- 
tion with a tuition fee of $50, textbooks 
and supplies costing $18. A graded certi- 
ficate is to be given on the satisfactory 
completion of the course. The course is 
open to any one who can meet the con- 
ditions mentioned, whether he or she be 
already in library work or not. 

Pratt Institute library school, in order 
to meet an increasing demand upon it for 
children's librarians, now offers a six 
months' paid apprenticeship at the end 
of the regular course to those of its gradu- 
ates who have a leaning toward the work 
for children and who, in the opinion of the 
faculty, will do such work creditably. 
Work in the children's rooms of various 
libraries will occupy half of the appren- 
tice's time, the other half being given to 
studying public playgrounds, vacation 
schools and other activities concerned 
with children, and in attending lectures 
bearing on the training and education of- 
children. Not until this apprenticeship 
has been successfully covered, can the 
School hereafter recommend students as 
children's librarians. 

Respectfully submitted, 
MARY W. PLUMMER, Chairman. 

The PRESIDENT: The last matter on 
the program for this morning is the Report 
of the Committee on bookbinding, by Mr 
A. L. BAILEY, of Wilmington (Del.) In- 
stitute free library. 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON BOOK- 
BINDING 

At the meeting of the A. L. A. last year 
the Committee on bookbinding presented a 
report which covered tentatively several 
different parts of the binding question, and 
suggested lines of work for the future. It 
called special attention to Mr Dana's book 
on binding for libraries and emphasized 
points in the book which were specially 
noteworthy. Since that report was presen- 
ted the Committee has seen no reason to 
change its opinion regarding Mr Dana's 



book, and desires in the present report 
again to emphasize the importance of this 
work of all libraries both large and small. 
Probably no one will agree with every- 
thing that Mr Dana has said, but there are 
few of us who cannot find in the book 
some suggestion that will aid us in making 
our yearly binding bills less and our books 
more durable. 

Importance of durability. In the case of 
rebound fiction and juvenile works too 
much emphasis cannot be placed on the 
point Mr Dana makes that the criterion of 
the value of a rebound book is the number 
of times the book circulates in proportion 
to the cost of binding. If a book is worth 
rebinding at all, it should be so strongly 
bound that it will last as long as possible 
before it has to be discarded and replaced 
with a new copy. Many librarians think 
they are fortunate if they can get their 
books rebound for 25 cents a volume. Few 
such bindings, however, will circulate on 
an average more than 25 or 30 times. At 
40 to 45 cents a volume the average book 
can be so strongly bound that it will circu- 
late 75 to 100 times. In one library, at 
least, a circulation of 150 is not uncommon. 
In such cases it is a self-evident fact that 
a 25-cent binding is the more expensive. 
The importance of keeping careful watch 
over the circulation of rebound books is 
generally overlooked with the result that 
the binding bills of most libraries are ex- 
cessive. 

Publisher's bindings. Of the several 
lines of work outlined last year the Com- 
mittee this year has confined itself practi- 
cally to only one, namely, that of inducing 
the publishers to issue library editions. 

From the standpoint of librarians the ad- 
vantages of such a binding are in the main 
self-evident, but are stated here for the 
sake of emphasis. 

1 A stronger original binding keeps the 
book in circulation at the time that it is 
most needed. It is the common experience 
of all of us that when a new book of fiction 
is the most popular it has to be withdrawn 
from circulation for a month at least while 
it is being rebound. This is an annoyance 



BAILEY 



111 



to the librarian and to the public. Any 
means of overcoming it ought to be eagerly 
accepted, even if the initial cost of the book 
is a little greater. 

2 The increased life of the book more 
than compensates for its increased cost. 

3 The stronger binding holds the book 
so firmly in its covers that the backs of the 
signatures do not become worn as is the 
case in the ordinary publisher's covers 
which soon get shaky, and the signatures 
become so worn that whipstitching is nec- 
essary when the book is rebound. 

The sole objection that has been made 
to a special library binding is that the 
attractive covers are eliminated and an 
unattractive buckram without ornamenta- 
tion substituted. This, especially in the 
case of jxivenile books, is a very real ob- 
jection. Undoubtedly, the covers of many 
books are artistic and have an educative 
value, and they should not be done away 
with. There is no real reason, however, 
why attractive covers should be discarded 
in these special bindings. It is entirely 
feasible to use exactly the same cloth on 
both editions, although the ordinary cloth 
will not wear as long as the buckram. 

As might be supposed the publishers 
have not looked with much favor on the 
attempt to induce them to put a certain 
number of copies of popular books in spec- 
ial bindings for library use. From thoir 
standpoint the disadvantages are many 
some of them doubtless more imaginary 
than real. The following have been the 
principal objections advanced by some one 
or all the publishers who have been asked 
to help in this matter. Some of these ob- 
jections may overlap but they are in the 
main quotations from publishers' state- 
ments. 

1 There is no means of knowing the 
number of copies that libraries would want 
in a special binding. 

2 It would mean more work in the stock 
room since the library edition would have to 
be kept separate from the regular edition. 

3 It would be a difficult matter to make 
sure that clerks would not fill regular 
orders with library copies and vice versa. 



4 Demand for books in the library edi- 
tion might be slight at the time when the 
publisher would need every available copy 
for the regular trade. 

5 Jobbing houses are unwilling to order 
library editions in any large number. 

6 In the experience of at least one pub- 
lisher, librarians as a whole are looking 
for cheap books, and when buying they 
take into consideration solely the price 
without regard to print, paper or binding. 
The Committee doubts if conditions are 
as bad as this publisher suggests, but it 
does know that there are many who con- 
sider only the initial cost of the book. 

7 It means one more item to look after 
all along the line from the time the book 
goes to the bindery until it is in the hands 
of the booksellers. 

8 An item of 1,500 or 2,000 volumes 
(which is about all that the publisher could 
expect to sell to libraries) is a very small 
matter to him and he does not want to be 
bothered with it. 

The objection that there is no means of 
knowing the number of copies that libra- 
ries would want in a special binding is the 
one advanced by all publishers, and the one 
which must be solved in some way or other 
before all publishers will take up the mat- 
ter. It is useless to expect a publisher to 
issue a library edition of all fiction that he 
publishes, for there are many books pub- 
lished during the year which sell well to 
individuals, but which the majority of li- 
braries leave severely alone. Even if the 
publisher should issue the library edition of 
every book published, he would have no 
means of knowing how many copies libra- 
ries would take except perhaps in the case 
of the works of eight or ten well-known 
authors, whose very names would be to 
the librarian a guarantee of good work 
and popularity. 

As librarians are the chief gainers the 
solving of the problem must come from 
them. In order to make a beginning along 
this line the Committee during the year 
has made an effort to discover the proba- 
ble demand for fiction which appears in 
the "A. L. A. booklist." Circular letters 



112 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



were sent to 1,500 public libraries asking 
for information along this line. 

Less than 450 answers out of the 1,500 
circulars sent out were received. Statistics 
gathered from these answers do not lead 
to definite conclusions except in answer 
to the question "Is there a demand for 
better-bound books?" but it does give some 
slight indication of the number of copies 
of a special edition that a publisher might 
expect to sell provided the books are rec- 
ommended by the Booklist. Out of the 
430 libraries replying, only nine said defi- 
nitely that they would not order a special 
library edition. Twenty librarians were 
doubtful principally because they did not 
care to commit themselves without con- 
sulting their trustees. All others said they 
would order such an edition. 

Most of those who refused to consider 
ordering a special edition did so because 
they could not afford the extra 10 cents a 
copy. This reason in the opinion of the 
Committee is not a good one, for it firmly 
believes that the special editions are really 
cheaper than the ordinary edition owing 
to greatly increased life of the book. 

Of those who said that they would order 
special library editions when available, 
many made a special point of expressing 
their approval of the scheme and of voic- 
ing a grievance against the ordinary pub- 
lisher's binding. Some librarians went so 
far as to say that they would wait for 
some length of time for such an edition. 
Altogether, answers to this question were 
very encouraging showing as they did that 
the Committee would be supported in its 
efforts to get better bindings from the pub- 
lishers. 

Answers to other questions were not con- 
clusive in establishing a minimum number 
of copies that would be taken by libraries. 
As was expected the difficulty came from 
the fact that although many libraries 
bought all the fiction recommended in the 
"Booklist," few waited till they received 
the "Booklist" before ordering. The fact 
that the "Booklist" ordinarily recommends 
books that have been published two months 
previous makes it impossible for the larger 



and medium-sized libraries to wait for its 
appearance before ordering. Only 92 libra- 
ries that ordered all the fiction recom- 
mended waited for the "Booklist" before 
ordering. Counting duplicate copies a sale 
of about 200 copies might be looked for to 
these few libraries. This is all that the 
Committee feels absolutely sure of. A sale 
of about 200 copies in a special library 
binding could almost be guaranteed for 
every work of fiction recommended by the 
"Booklist." Whether the answers received 
should be taken as a basis for judging the 
1,000 odd libraries that did not take in- 
terest enough to answer the questions is 
hard to tell. It seems fair to assume, how- 
ever, that a further sale of 300 copies might 
bfc assured, so that a publisher would be 
reasonably sure of disposing of an edition 
of 500 copies. This is the minimum num- 
ber which most publishers stipulate they 
must be reasonably sure of selling before 
they will give orders for such an edition. 
The actual work with the publishers ac- 
complished by the Committee is as follows: 
It was announced last year that Charles 
Scribner's sons would publish a library 
edition of F. Hopkinson Smith's Tides of 
Barnegat bound according to the following 
specifications prepared by this Committee: 

1 Sew on tapes. 

2 The first and last signatures guarded 
with muslin. 

3 Muslin instead of super used for 
casing in. 

4 The ordinary cover discarded and 
buckram substituted. 

The book appeared in August and the 
library edition was well advertised by the 
publishers. In the main it was a satisfac- 
tory piece of binding from the standpoint 
of the Committee. The main objection to 
it was that it was sewed so tightly that 
one had to make an effort to open it and 
it would not lie flat when opened. One 
thousand five hundred copies were bound 
in this way, and by December were practi- 
cally all sold. They were distributed wide- 
ly, copies going as far South as Texas, as 
far West as California. Only two com- 
plaints regarding the book have reached 



BAILEY 



113 



the ears of the Committee; one called at- 
tention to the tight sewing already noted 
and the other was to the fact that a local 
dealer had to wait a month before he could 
get this edition. On the other hand, many 
expressions of approval have been heard. 
The following statistics of circulation and 
condition of one copy each of "Tides of Bar- 
negat" in Chiver's binding, in the publish- 
ers' special library edition, and in the pub- 
lisher's regular binding have been given to 
the Committee by a library which put the 
three different copies into circulation at 
about the same time: 

Copy 1 (Chiver's binding) circulated 37 
times since put in circulation, Sept. 1.1, 
1906. No loose leaves. Very pliable, but 
has no signs of coming to pieces. Leaves 
getting soiled and back is a little scuffed. 

Copy 2 (Publisher's special library edi- 
tion, $1.10) circulated 31 times since 15th 
Sept., 1906. Cover warped a little and 
dirty. No loose leaves. Very pliable but 
O. K. 

Copy 3 (Publisher's regular binding, at $1 
net) circulated 20 times since Sept. 15, 1906. 
Good for five or six more before rebinding. 

So far as can be learned no particular 
complaint was made by the trade in hand- 
ling this edition. 

Through the courtesy of the editor of the 
"A. L. A. booklist," the Committee since 
January has been told two weeks before 
publication what titles would be included 
in the Booklist. In February all the New 
York publishers of fiction which was to 
appear in the March number of the Book- 
list were called upon and asked to put the 
books so listed in a special binding. The 
statistics gathered from the circulars al- 
ready referred to were used as an argu- 
ment to induce the publishers to grant 
this request. The net result of these in- 
terviews was that the following titles ap- 
pearing in February, March and April 
"Booklist" can be obtained in a special 
Library binding. 

Bindloss, Dust of conflict. Stokes. 

Brainerd, Bettina. Doubleday. 

De la Pasture, Lonely lady of Grosvenor 
square. Button. 



Hill, Pettison twins. McClure. 

Locke, Beloved vagabond. Lane. 

Mott, White darkness. Outing Co. 

White, Mystery. McClure. 

Some of these editions have been bound 
strictly according to the specifications of 
the Committee, while others have not. As 
yet it is too early to tell whether they will 
wear well or whether librarians have or- 
dered enough to encourage the publishers 
to continue to issue such editions. 

In addition Charles Scribner's sons an- 
nounce that the following books to be pub- 
lished during the summer and fall will 
have a special library edition similar in 
style to the special edition of their "Tides 
of Barnegat:" 

Mrs Wharton, Fruit of the tree. 

Henry Van Dyke, Days off. 

F. Hopkinson Smith, An old-flashioned 
gentleman. i .. ., i 

A. E. W. Mason, Broken road. 

Henry Holt and company announce that 
they will issue a special library edition of 
William De Morgan's Alice-for-short and 
Miss Plummer's Roy and Ray in Mexico. 

Besides these editions of current fiction, 
Doubleday, Page and company have issued 
one or two volumes of what they call a 
Large print edition of standard works. The 
first volume issued was "Wuthering 
heights," and if each succeeding volume 
is as attractive as this, the series should 
be well supported by all libraries. Double- 
day, Page and company advertised that the 
books would be bound according to the 
specifications of this Committee. The first 
volume, however, although very strongly 
bound and opening easily, departs from the 
specifications in one very important par- 
ticular. Instead of the first and last signa- 
tures being guarded with muslin, they 
were stitched, with the result that it will 
be very difficult to rebind the book in a 
satisfactory manner. With this exception 
the book was attractive in every way. 

A. C. McClurg and company announce 
that they will issue editions of standard 
fiction in a special binding some time dur- 
ing the summer or autumn of this year. 

The Century company will bind the 



114 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Brownie books according to the specifica- 
tions of this Committee on special orders 
from any library. It does not carry them 
in stock and does not care to consider 
small orders. 

The above represents the net results of 
the Committee's efforts to get better pub- 
lisher's bindings. If these editions are 
bought in sufficient quantities to satisfy 
the publishers that there is a real demand 
for them, further efforts of the Committee 
will be faciliated and will be much 
more successful. It may be possible in the 
future to get all books listed in the "A. L. A. 
Booklist" in a special library edition. 
If owing to the fact that a knowledge of 
the special editions is not gained until the 
booklist" in a special library edition, 
sold in any quantities, then the efforts of 
the Committee along this line will cease. 

Paper. In any investigation of binding 
it is soon apparent that much of the trouble 
is due to the poor paper used. Since the 
Leather and Paper laboratory at Washing- 
ton have been for many months investi- 
gating book-papers, the Committee has 
done nothing along this line. However, 
for the information of those who are inter- 
ested the following letter from Mr F. P. 
Veitch. Director of the Leather and Paper 
laboratory is quoted in full: 

The Leather and Paper laboratory is making 
Investigations to determine the suitability of 
different papers and bindings for various pur- 
poses. We are now closing a piece of work on 
book papers and expect to publish the results 
during the summer. Experience has pretty well 
demonstrated that the most durable papers, 
those that will last longest and stand the great- 
est amount of handling, are made from good 
rags. Less durable papers are made from mix- 
tures of rags with wood pulp, or esparto, and 
the more wood pulp they contain the less dur- 
able the papers are. In one sense therefore 
the problem Is simple, and If the paper used 
in publications for libraries were all well made 
rag papers nothing better could be desired; 
such papers, however, cost from two to six 
times as much as paper made from commoner 
materials and are rarely used in American pub- 
lications. Aside from the character of stock 
there are other properties of paper that affect 
its value. Thus it is customary to put from 
ten to thirty per cent of clay into book papers, 
a practice which appears very objectionable as 



the resistance of the paper to wear is dimin- 
ished and the weight of the volume needlessly 
increased In direct proportion to the quantity 
of clay used. This seems to us quite a serious 
matter in itself, particularly in large collec- 
tions where the total weight on the shelves 
and building may be fifteen to twenty per cent 
greater than it should be. Another question of 
considerable importance Is the thickness of 
paper. Books are often badly proportioned and 
much thicker than need be simply because 
printed on thick paper. Such volumes are ob- 
jectionable not only because of the space they 
occupy on the shelves, and the extra binding 
material required, but they are also difficult to 
consult, and subject to rapid wear. The color 
and surface of book papers are also of Impor- 
tance. While a very white paper is pleasing 
at first sight it is tiring to the eyes, is ob- 
tained at considerable extra cost, at the ex- 
pense of durability, and finally, the color is not 
permanent as the paper slowly darkens with 
age. Glazed and supercalendered papers are 
injurious to the eyes and should only be used 
In special cases. 

With reference to the leather bindings we are 
yet unable to add anything to the findings of 
the English society of arts report on the sub- 
ject. With reference to cloth bindings It has 
been our observation that those which contain 
dextrine, starch, etc., are subject to attacks 
by waterbugs, roaches and bacteria, particularly 
in damp places, and the binding soon presents 
a poor appearance. Further such bindings are 
not flexible and wear through rapidly at the 
joint. The durability is frequently controlled 
entirely by the way the binding is done rather 
than by the character of the material. The 
most common fault is to bind too tight in con- 
sequence of which the reader, in efforts to keep 
the volume open, breaks the cover or causes the 
thread to cut the sheets. All materials would 
last much longer if greater care were observed 
in binding. While we can state with consider- 
able confidence what are the best papers and 
binding materials, we cannot prognosticate the 
probable life of poorer papers and bindings as 
definitely as Is desirable. In order that we may 
rapidly accumulate data on this point that we 
may be in a position to advise intelligently 
and answer promptly questions which the libra- 
rian asks us, we are particularly anxious to 
secure from members of the Association 
samples of papers and bindings which have not 
stood service or which have proved exceptlon- 
ably durable, in order that we may determine 
to what the behavior of any paper or binding 
is due. The results of our examinations will 
be immediately communicated to the sender of 
the sample and the details of the work pub- 
lished from time to time for the information of 
all concerned. Samples forwarded for examina- 
tion should, in all cases, be accompanied by a 



DISCUSSION 



115 



detailed statement as to the service which they 
have had, and in what way the paper or bind- 
ing has failed or proved satisfactory. Direc- 
tions for taking and forwarding samples will 
be found In Circular No. 34 of the Bureau of 
chemistry, a copy of which will be supplied 
upon request. 

I feel quite confident that our work can be 
made of more value to your Association and to 
the public generally, if the members will keep 
us Informed of the difficulties which they have 
with papers and bindings and will suggest to 
us lines of investigations which they think 
would be helpful to them In their work. This 
laboratory was established to work out prob- 
lems connected with the value of leather and 
paper and I sincerely trust the Library associa- 
tion will feel free to call upon it at all times 
and for any Information It can supply. 

I should be pleased indeed to have the As- 
sociation or your committee discuss and suggest 
to us for investigation several of the more im- 
portant questions that arise In connection with 
the quality of papers and bindings. Each sug- 
gestion will receive prompt attention that the 
results may be available for the information of 
the public at an early date. 

Respectfully, 

F. VBITCH 
Chief, Leather and Paper Laboratory. 

Cockerell's note on bookbinding. Dur- 
ing the year the Committee received from 
Mr Douglas Cockerell, the well-known Eng- 
lish authority on binding, 250 copies of 
his pamphlet entitled "A note on book- 
binding," which were distributed to all 
members of the A. L. A. who applied for 
them. A few copies still remain. Mr 
Cockerell calls attention to one point that 
cannot be too greatly emphasized. Books 
that are bound for library use direct from 
the sheets are more economical in the 
long run than those bought in publisher's 
bindings and rebound. They always save 
repair work, loss of circulation when most 
needed and most of the cost of rebinding. 
The binding of Mr Chivers from the sheets 
is well-known to most librarians. Recently, 
Mr Frederick Schleuning, 256 W. 23d street, 
New York, has undertaken to bind books 
from the sheets, but these should be 
ordered through Baker & Taylor co. It is 
hoped that the other binders will make 
an effort to do this kind of work, for it is 
unquestionable that this is the best solu- 
tion of library binding problems. 



It may not be amiss in conclusion to 
state that the Committee believes its sole 
functions are to emphasize the necessity of 
durable bindings and to discover and re- 
commend all possible means of making 
them durable. Although the aesthetic 
side should not be entirely ignored, it is 
of secondary importance in any considera- 
tion of library binding. 

The PRESIDENT: It is refreshing to 
find a committee that not merely does the 
work assigned to them, but looks ahead 
and finds other ways in which it can be 
useful. If any of the members of the As- 
sociation want to ask Mr Bailey questions, 
I am sure he will be glad to answer. 

Mr L. B. GILMORE: Mr President, I 
came down here very largely to hear that 
report on binding. I regret very much 
that it is not a subject for discussion. I 
am in charge of the binding in one of our 
large libraries, and am continually meet- 
ing with difficulties that I hope somebody 
will be able to solve as I have not been. I 
hope that at the next meeting of the As- 
sociation there will be some way in which 
the Committee can make a full report and 
also give members of the Association a 
chance to thoroughly debate the best 
methods of binding, materials to be used, 
etc., that they as well as I may become 
thoroughly aware of the utter worthless- 
ness of the bindings we receive from many 
of the publishers, and the utter worthless- 
ness of some of the leathers and many of 
the cloth bindings, and the question is, 
which of the new materials that are of- 
fered to us are the best and may be used 
advantageously. Also as to the binding, 1 
think there is a wide difference of opinion 
whether you should have your bindery in 
a large library or not, the question is still 
a debatable one, and the experience of 
those in the Association who have had 
binderies would be a good thing for us to 
hear, both as to their successes and their 
failures. 

Miss KELSO: I am particularly inter- 
ested In this subject, and I wish that we 
might have a fuller report of the Commit- 
tee, and I would suggest if the Committee 



116 



A8HEVILLE CONFERENCE 



could visit New York and make a tour 
of the binderies which bind for the pub- 
lishers and the general public, it would 
give me the greatest pleasure to escort 
them to these various large binderies that 
do the work for the publishers, and hear 
their side of the story, with a practical 
demonstration of how the sheets, books 
and all are stored. I think it would add 
an amount of valuable data that they could 
then present to the Association and would 
clear the air in deciding, and I shall be 
most happy to make an engagement at any 
time with any member of the Committee 
to devote a day to seeing everything and 
having a plain practical demonstration 
from the other side of how the books ars 
handled, bound and stored, and I think it 
would help them very much, indeed, if 
they would come. I am interested in this 
subject. 

Miss ITASSE: I want to say for the In- 
formation of the Committee that a law was 
passed at the last session of Congress which 
changed the binding of public documents. 

Mr BAILEY: I am very glad to learn 
that. I understood it had not passed. 

Adjourned at 1 p. m. 

FOURTH SESSION 

(Battery Park Hotel Ball Room, Tuesday, 
May 28th) 

The Fourth general session was called to 
order at 9.30 a. m. by the PRESIDENT 
and the Association at once passed to the 
consideration of the reports of the Com- 
mittees. 

Mr H. G. WADLIN, of the Boston public 
library, presented the 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SO- 
CIAL EDUCATION CONGRESS 

A Social education congress, initiated by 
a local society interested in the discussion 
of questions relating to social progress, 
was held in Boston during December, 1906. 

An important program was presented, in- 
cluding speakers of national prominence, 
the sessions continuing several days. The 
American Library Association, through its 



president, was invited to cooperate and 
place was made upon the program for a 
session devoted to the public library move- 
ment. 

President Andrews responded by the ap- 
pointment of a Committee consisting of Mr 
Charles K. Bolton, of the Boston Athen- 
aeum; Mr S. W. Foss, of the Somerville 
(Mass.) public library, and myself, desig- 
nated as chairman. Miss Nina E. Browne 
assisted as secretary. Under the direction 
of this Committee the A. L. A. was repre- 
sented at the Congress in an interesting 
and, I, trust, profitable session, the general 
topic under discussion being "The rela- 
tion of the public library to social educa- 
tion." 

The chairman made an opening address 
on "The social ideal to-day: can the public 
library assist its advancement?" followed 
by J. C. Dana, of Newark, on "Many sided- 
ness of interest: How a library promotes 
it;" Miss Grace Blanchard, of Concord, 
N. H., on "The public library as a quarry;" 
and Mr A. E. Bostwick, of New York, on 
"The library as a conservative force." Dis- 
cussions upon these papers were led by Mr 
S. W. Foss, of Somerville, and Mr George 
H. Tripp, of New Bedford. 

The proceedings were fully reported in 
the local newspapers and in the "Library 
Journal" and "Public Libraries." 

Mr WADLIN: Mr President, I under- 
stand, although I am not officially informed 
tJiat it is the intention to continue sessions 
of this Congress, not necessarily at Boston 
but perhaps elsewhere, and it is the hope of 
the gentlemen who are interested in it, 
many of whom are connected with the 
Massachusetts institute of technology, that 
it will grow into one of the recognized as- 
sociations or conventions aiming to advance 
and unify the various institutions which 
are working toward a better social status. 

The PRESIDENT: We will pass to the 
Report of the Executive officer, Mr E. C. 
HOVEY. 

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

It seems proper that your Executive offi- 
cer should make a report as to what has 



HOVEY 



117 



been accomplished at Headquarters since 
they were opened eight months ago. 

Having taken over the entire business 
management of the Publishing board, 
the accounts of the Endowment fund 
trustees, most of the business of your 
Treasurer, not a little of the duties of 
the Secretary, opened communication 
and frequent correspondence with about 
sixty newspapers scattered throughout 
the country, collected together what 
may be safely named as the largest 
collection in the world of full drawing 
plans of libraries, Headquarters have been 
very busy. Having constantly in mind an 
increase of membership, no opportunity has 
been lost in daily correspondence to urge 
its great importance. 

I desire to refer to the question of pub- 
licity, which was turned over to the Execu- 
tive offices, the Committee on publicity 
having been discharged. It seemed to me 
that the best way of reaching the people of 
this country was to put myself In close 
touch with the Associated Press. Through 
them I got a list of sixty-two representa- 
tive newspapers, with whom I have been 
in correspondence. To them news items, 
reprints, tracts, etc., have been sent from 
time to time. I have also, on several oc- 
casions, furnished news to the Associated 
Press, which has been telegraphed to the 
press generally. 

Much correspondence has been had with 
libraries asking for assistance and informa- 
tion on many subjects. When such in- 
quiries could not be replied to by Head- 
quarters staff, the information was ob- 
tained elsewhere. We have had not a few 
inquiries from libraries and trustees seek- 
ing librarians or assistants. Librarians 
and assistants desiring to better their posi- 
tions have also written to us. The Execu- 
tive board voted that at this time it was 
not wise to organize a Bureau covering this 
branch of activity. Your Executive officer 
felt, however, that the vote of the Execu- 
tive board was not such as to prevent his 
doing what he could to give such assist- 
ance. We have done some successful work 
along those lines, and I feel this to be one 



of the activities of the Association which 
may very properly be developed helping 
trustees to secure a librarian or an as- 
sistant, and helping the librarian and the 
assistant to secure positions. 

The question of membership is one which 
is very close to my heart. I feel that the 
Association should increase its income from 
within. I know that this can be done. 
I have had some charts prepared to which 
I ask your attention. They show how 
easy it will be to reach a membership of 
three thousand regular members and a 
membership of five hundred among libra- 
ries. Starting on the 1st day of January, 
1906, we had thirty-four library members. 
On the 13th day of May, 1907, we had one 
hundred and fifteen members. One needs 
but to examine these charts to realize how 
easy it will be to jump from 115 library 
members to 500. The chart shows that 
Indiana has one library member, Illinois 
six, Michigan four, Missouri two, New York 
eight, Ohio ten, and Pennsylvania nine. 
These States alone should easily furnish 
200 such members. I have never yet been 
refused when I have asked a trustee to add 
his library to our rolls. We now offer to 
the trustees of a library the Bulletin, the 
Booklist and the Proceedings. The Book- 
list they can subscribe for, but, as I under- 
stand the policy of the Executive board, it 
will be impossible for anybody to secure a 
copy of the Bulletin, or a copy of the Pro- 
ceedings, the Proceedings being a part of 
the Bulletin, except through membership. 
Surely every library in this country that 
can spare five dollars, owes that much of 
support to an Association which has to a 
large extent made libraries possible. We 
have met with marked success through 
some members who have taken the matter 
very seriously and have brought about good 
results. I shall mention one lady alone, 
she standing at the head of the list of those 
who have interested themselves in the mat- 
ter. Miss Elizabeth L. Foote has brought 
in 12 members since the first day of Jan- 
uary. Will not others take up the work? 
It is a purely business proposition, ladies 
and gentlemen. The American Library As- 



118 



ASHPJVILLE CONFERENCE 



sociation has opened Headquarters. It has 
started new lines of development; further 
activities are awaiting our attention. They 
can be easily followed if the American Li- 
brary Association will but increase its mem- 
bership. Such is the situation of our finan- 
ces from within. While I am not person- 
ally in favor of going outside to raise any 
more money until the American Library 
Association has tried hard to provide an 
adequate income through membership, I 
stand ready, if the American Library Asso- 
ciation desires to continue the activities 
which have already been started, if the 
American Library Association desires to 
reach out into those other fields of activity 
which stare us in the face, to go into the 
open market and get more money, though 
I think that the Association should first 
make the effort to secure that membership 
which would mean an assured income suffi- 
cient to carry forward the work. I want to 
see 500 library members between now and 
the first day of January. If we can with- 
out concentrated effort grow in 17 months 
from 34 library members to 115, is there 
any question as to what the result would 
be if we all put our shoulders to the 
wheel? 

Mr President, I thank you for the privi- 
lege of addressing our members. I ask 
them once more to take this matter to 
heart. If they will give their Executive 
officer a hearty cooperation, he will surely 
be able to report to you on the first day 
of January next a membership which will 
mean an annual income of not less than 
$9,000. 

Mr DANA: If I am not mistaken, this 
matter of Headquarters is one of the most 
important subjects now before our Associa- 
tion. I am inclined to think that it is a 
mistake for us not to pause for at least 
a moment and consider it. The Executive 
board, after much deliberation and after 
much consultation with the Association it- 
self, finally decided that it would establish 
Headquarters and, as a special committee 
over that Headquarters, would appoint 
three of our most responsible members. 
After much deliberation they engaged a 



house in Boston, that being in their opinion 
the most advantageous place for a number 
of reasons. The Headquarters have been 
open for about eight months. From the 
report of the committee appointed especial- 
ly to look after the Headquarters, we learn 
that it has been conducted eminently to 
their satisfaction. I understand that there 
have been objections on the part of some 
members of the Association to the action 
of the Executive board in establishing this 
Headquarters and appointing to administer 
the same an Executive officer. (The Presi- 
dent requested that the speaker substitute 
"Council" for "Executive board.") I be- 
lieve that it would be not more than duly 
courteous in this Association, if it feels, as 
I certainly feel myself, that establishing 
Headquarters was a step that it was well 
worth while for the Association to take- 
it would be only courteous for our Asso- 
ciation to express by vote its approval 
of the action of its chief officials and of 
the committee on Headquarters, in estab- 
lishing and in conducting it as it has been 
conducted for the past eight months. I 
move that it is the sense of this Association 
that it approve the action of its officials 
in thus establishing and thus maintaining 
the Headquarters in Boston. 

The PRESIDENT: The Chair feels 
obliged, with regret, because he sym- 
pathizes very heartily with the motion, that 
under the Constitution any question of 
library policy, any resolution, any recom- 
mendation relating to library matters, must 
be promulgated by the Council, and can 
be done in no other way. 

Mr BOWKER: Mr President, may I 
make the suggestion that it is not a ques- 
tion of shaping a policy, but simply of 
giving a word of approval of and in sup- 
port of the Council, and therefore the As- 
sociation is not proposing to take any ac- 
tion directing the Council, but is approving 
the Council's action which certainly is 
within the province of the Association as 
a body. 

Mr DANA: I would have taken excep- 
tion to the ruling myself if others had not 
done it before me. My motion in the form 



DUDLEY 



119 



in which I made it does not promulgate any 
policy. We have had for our officials peo- 
ple whom we have selected, and they, after 
consultation and agitation of the subject, 
have decided to do this thing, and I sim- 
ply ask that this Association, if it feels so 
inclined, approve the action of its officials. 
I do not consider that this is promulgating 
any library policy in any sense of the 
phrase. 

The PRESIDENT: The Chair has uo 
desire to impress his views upon the Asso- 
ciation. Unless objection is made, he will 
put the motion of Mr Dana, which he un- 
derstands to have been seconded. 

Miss AHERN: I most heartily and most 
thoroughly agree with all that Mr Dana 
said, and I shall vote for the motion as it 
Is put. I think the work well deserves a 
vote of thanks and appreciation, but 1 
would like to add just two words to that 
motion, with the consent of the mover. I 
think it is pretty well understood what 
my position is on the Headquarters ques- 
tion from the first, and it is the local ques- 
tion that moves me to ask Mr Dana to add 
two words in his motion, and that is for 
establishing Headquarters in Boston "at 
present." 

The PRESIDENT: Will Mr Dana accept 
the amendment? The President of the As- 
sociation has no opinion to express, btit the 
Librarian of the John Crerar library has 
held that opinion for a long time. 

Mr BOWKER: May I say for the origi- 
nal Committee on headquarters that that 
Committee in proposing the larger plan had 
thought that the question of final head- 
quarters involved arrangements not now 
practicable, and I think it has been very 
satisfactory to that original Committee 
that the experiment has been made, or is 
being made, and we hope with success, 
without committing the Association to a 
final policy. I wish most heartily as a 
member of that Committee to say a word 
of approval of the experiment that has 
been started on a somewhat limited scale, 
and I hope that the results at Boston will 
be proof of the desirability of permanent 
Headquarters, whether they be located at 



Boston or Chicago, or even some minor 
city like New York. 

The PRESIDENT: If there is no further 
debate the Chair will put the question. The 
motion is essentially that it is the sense 
of this meeting that the Association ap- 
proves the action of its governing bodies 
and the Committee in charge of headquar- 
ters. 

Unanimously voted. 

The PRESIDENT: In behalf of the Ex- 
ecutive board and the Council, and also, I 
am sure, for Mr Hovey, I thank you. 

Mr C. R. DUDLEY of the Denver public 
library will present the 



Your committee on architecture herewith 
presents its report covering the period since 
the last annual conference. 

The appointment of the committee was 
not made until after the adjournment of 
the last session at Narragansett Pier, and 
it has not beeu possible to get a majority 
together for a meeting. There has been 
considerable correspondence and each 
member has done what he could to assist 
in carrying out the work assigned but as 
would naturally be expected Mr Hovey, the 
Executive officer being closely in touch 
with Mr Soule, the Vice-chairman, has per- 
formed most of the labor. He has fur- 
nished us a detailed statement of the re- 
sults which is the basis for this report. He 
has written extensively to architects and 
librarians but has accomplished more by 
personal interviews. There are now at 
headquarters the floor plans of more than 
100 library buildings which range from the 
smallest to the largest not only the main 
libraries of our large cities but what are 
more valuable, those of the branches. The 
latter will include, and many are already 
there, all in the cities of Brooklyn, Cleve- 
land, Cincinnati, New York and Philadel- 
phia. Of the large libraries these are repre- 
sented among others Chicago being the 
only large city having three great libraries, 
naturally comes first with its Public, New- 



120 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



berry and Crerar. Then there are those of 
Columbus, Grand Rapids, Nashville, Wash- 
ington, Atlanta, New Orleans, two from 
the base of the Rockies and two or three 
from the Pacific coast. College libraries 
are represented by Clark, Radcliffe and 
Tulane. Generally speaking all sections of 
the country have contributed. It goes 
without saying that the plans in the great- 
est demand, and so of the most value, will 
be those of small buildings costing from 
$10,000 to $50,000. Especial effort has been 
made to make this department cover a wide 
range and to have it as representative as 
possible. 

While the Association will have accom- 
plished much by securing plans and speci- 
fications of substantially all the latest 
buildings of all types, as Mr Soule pointed 
out in his paper a year ago, we shall still 
be only at the beginning of the enterprise. 
These will be doubly enhanced in value by 
explanations and criticisms on the merits 
and defects of each by the librarians who 
have used them. They should be full and 
explicit. They should at least give the 
population of the place and general char- 
acter of inhabitants including principal oc- 
cupations, the exact cost with and without 
furniture, the year in which erected and 
whether the money came from a public or 
a private source. As regards the utility of 
the building, they should state whether the 
open or closed-shelf system is in vogue, 
whether the rooms are in proper relation 
to each other, whether one is too large and 
another too small, whether they are so 
distributed as to admit of an economical 
administration and at the same time fur- 
nish the patrons the service and accom- 
modations to which they are entitled, 
whether the natural light is adequate and 
the artificial lighting system satisfactory 
both as regards distribution and cost, what 
method of heating is employed and whether 
the plant is so installed as to furnish a 
proper temperature through the seasons at 
a minimum expense for fuel and care in 
short a business-like report on the value 
of the building for its uses, with recom- 
mendations as to any changes for better- 



ment. There should also be photographs 
of the exterior and of each room taken 
during working hours when the average 
number of patrons are present. 

The Association's headquarters were not 
selected for the reason that they were am- 
ple for all purposes, but because they were 
the best that could be had for the money 
available. Mr Hovey has had much diffi- 
culty in planning for a satisfactory hous- 
ing of the collection, but has finally de- 
cided, after a consultation with several ar- 
chitects, that the wisest method is to have 
each set of drawings hung from the wall 
in one of the rooms. The ultimate capacity 
of that space is about 150 sets. He esti- 
mates that the expense of caring for them 
by this system will be $60. Some furniture 
will be needed in properly displaying them, 
principally a large table and several verti- 
cal files. Some of the best photographs 
should be framed. The whole will entail 
an expense of about $200. Your committee 
respectfully requests that the Executive 
committee allow that sum for this depart- 
ment. 

The question of how to protect from pla- 
giarists the architects, who have given 
sets of their designs, has not been con- 
sidered carefully by the committee. We 
believe, however, that they should have the 
support (if they need it) of the Associa- 
tion in preventing any one from using the 
drawings to avoid payment of architect's 
fees. There is another matter of import- 
ance and that is how much we should fur- 
nish without cost to applicants for informa- 
tion regarding plans. Your committee be- 
lieves that a charge should be made for 
any unusual clerical assistance rendered. 
In order to make this collection of the 
greatest value it will be necessary to have a 
card index of the plans, photographs and 
criticisms, with such subject analysis as 
will make it possible for any one to find 
the plans of and comments on the particu- 
lar feature of the type of library he wishes 
to examine. An enterprise of this magni- 
tude, if it is to attain marked success, must 
have the hearty cooperation of all mem- 
bers of the Association, particularly of 



CLARK 



121 



those connected with institutions which 
have recently erected buildings or have 
them now in process of construction. They 
should take a personal interest in aiding 
to collect plans and in furnishing expert 
opinions on their points of strength and 
weakness. In no other way can the pur- 
pose be accomplished. 

Mr BOWKER: I don't want to ask a 
question, b\it speaking as a Trustee of the 
Brooklyn public library, and in Mr Hill's 
absence, I wish to call the attention of 
the members of the Association to the very 
valuable work that has been done in this 
line for our new central building, by Mi- 
Hill, and to say that I am quite sure he will 
be willing to put any of his results at the 
disposal of members of the Association. 
Mr Hill, in planning for the new library, as 
some of you know, sent out some very in- 
teresting and careful inquiries, particularly 
with reference to mistakes, as to what 
should be avoided, and the information 
that we have before the Trustees of the 
Brooklyn public library has been of the ut- 
most value and interest. We are consider- 
ing one or two questions to which I think 
attention might be called here. For in- 
stance, some of the department stores have 
a method of heating which might prove to 
be particularly applicable in libraries. It 
is that of having the radiators put at the 
top of the rooms instead of below, and I 
understand that there is a scheme, which 
we have not yet investigated, for control- 
ling both the ventilation and the moisture 
In a building; that may be particularly de- 
sirable for stack rooms. I want to add that 
the Trustees of the library have been sur- 
prised at the extent and value of the infor- 
mation that Mr Hill has supplied, and I 
hope that any of you who have reason to 
ask questions will not hesitate to do so 
from Mr Hill. Of course, as we are plan- 
ning for a stack room for two million vol- 
umes' capacity, the problem is that of a 
large rather than a small library; at the 
same time, much is of value to any library. 

Mrs CARR: Miss Phelps of Oklahoma 
City, is here, and can speak about that 
heating operation from her own experience. 



Miss PHELPS: We have that heating 
apparatus at home on the ceiling and it is 
not satisfactory. We are figuring now on 
putting the boiler down 18 inches lower 
so that we can have the other kind of heat- 
ing apparatus. In one room the Woman's 
club meetings are held, and they always 
want more heat, more fire, and upstairs 
we are burning up with the heat while 
downstairs they are freezing. 

The PRESIDENT: The Program com- 
mittee felt that we should not pass such 
a catastrophe as that of the San Francisco 
fire, really unparalelled in modern times in 
its destruction of public libraries, without 
attempting to learn from it what it can 
teach us as to methods of construction and 
safeguards. Contrary to the belief of many 
people, the Boston, Chicago and Baltimore 
fires did not touch the collections of books 
in those cities. The San Francisco fire is 
the first time in modern times when large 
public libraries have been wiped out. 

Mr DUDLEY: This Report is by Mr 
George T. Clark, Librarian of the Public 
library, of San Francisco, and althought he 
is here, he requests that I read it, as it is a 
communication which he sent to the Com- 
mittee on Architecture at their request. 

Charles R Dudley 

Chairman A. L. A. architectural com- 
mittee 
Dear sir 

You ask for a report on the architectural 
lessons to be learned from the destruction 
last year of the San Francisco libraries. 
It is sincerely to he hoped that no other 
community will ever be visited by such a 
calamity as befell San Francisco on April 
18, 1906. But the work of destruction was 
done with such minute attention to detail 
and was accomplished with such complete- 
ness, that it would seem that no destroy- 
ing agency not then experienced need 
ever be feared or anticipated. The earth- 
quake prepared the way for the fire by 
cutting off the water supply, by demoraliz- 
ing the fire department and fatally injur- 
ing its chief, and by injuring many build- 
ings so that they were not in condition 
to resist encroachment by fire. Finally 
the earthquake was directly responsible 
for the 30 or more fires which were imme- 
diately started in various parts of the city. 
Hence if man's ingenuity can plan, erect 



12* 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



and equip buildings that will endure under 
similar conditions, the occupants of such 
building can think of the future with en- 
tire serenity of mind. 

The projected new building for the San 
Francisco public library not having been 
erected it was still housed in a portion of 
the City Hall, which although not of the 
modern steel frame type was a suppos- 
edly fire proof structure. Its fire resisting 
qualities, however, were seriously im- 
paired by the earthquake, and in the ab- 
sence of effective barriers within the 
building, such as metal doors, there was 
nothing to retard the progress of the fire 
after it once gained access. The building 
of the Mechanics institute was of a still 
older type and was not fire proof. It is 
obvious then that we must look to the 
more recent buildings embodying the 
latest improvements in design and con- 
struction, and from the manner in which 
they resisted the destructive agencies 
draw such lessons as may fruitfully be ob- 
served in the future. 

Earthquakes are of such rare occurrence 
over most of the habitable area of the 
United States that precautions against 
them will be regarded by many as need- 
less. However, the San Francisco expe- 
rience proves that buildings properly con- 
structed on good foundations need suffer 
little or no damage from that source. 
Charles D. Marx, professor of civil engi- 
neering at Leland Stanford Junior univer- 
sity writes: 

"In all probability brick walls laid in 
good cement mortar can be made as mono- 
lithic as concrete walls. That these lat- 
ter need no steel in the walls to resist 
shock has been shown in the case of 
Roble Hall and the Museum. That 
masonry structures built around struc- 
tural steel framing can be made to resist 
the shock of earthquake is shown by the 
dome of our library and by the many steel 
buildings standing in San Francisco." 

It is more particularly against the 
hazard of fire that precautions must be 
taken. According to a report made to the 
National board of fire underwriters there 
were in San Francisco 54 fire proof build- 
ings of varying types. With few excep- 
tions these were all completely gutted 
by the fire and many were so badly dam- 
aged structurally that they had to be 
taken down. A prominent architect was 
quoted as saying shortly after the fire that 
nothing was absolutely fire proof. It was 
merely a relative term. In probably every 
instance the fire did not originate in the 
building but was admitted from the out- 



side because of insufficient protection for 
openings. 

In one case a building was saved by 
reason of its windows being glazed with 
wire glass, set in metal frames. The ex- 
posed door openings were equipped with 
double metal-covered standard under- 
writer doors. The window glass was 
cracked by the heat but the wire netting 
held it in place and the flames were ef- 
fectively barred. The United States Mint 
was saved through being equipped with in- 
side iron shutters at window openings, 
and having an independent water supply 
with a force of employees and United 
States troops to use it. In still another 
case the flames penetrated the three lower 
floors of an eleven story office building 
but did not reach the upper stories be- 
cause of concrete floors with cement fin- 
ish and metal covered doors and trim. 

Without going too much into technical 
details I shall undertake to summarize 
from the reports of experts the established 
facts that may be applicable in the plan- 
ning and construction of library buildings. 

As a precaution against destruction by 
earthquake it is necessary that the foun- 
dation be adequate and stable, and of suf- 
ficient strength to enable the entire base 
of the building to move as a unit. For the 
superstructure a properly designed and 
executed steel frame would afford the 
greatest security. 

For protection against fire it is of ut- 
most importance that all exterior open- 
ings should be effectively guarded. Sev- 
eral devices are available for this pur- 
pose, such as metal or metal covered 
doors and door and window frames, metal 
sash windows, wire glass glazing and 
metal shutters. One architect has de- 
signed an automatic concrete shutter with 
a fusible link which will cause it to close 
on the approach of flames from the ex- 
terior. 

The San Francisco experience proved 
that for fagades pressed silica brick and 
terra cotta brick of the common size with- 
stand the intense heat better than granite, 
marble, sandstone or limestone. Granite 
in particular spalled severely even when 
not subjected to the highest temperature 
of the fire. When used as caps for piers 
or columns it has in many cases crumbled 
and gone to pieces. It goes without say- 
ing that roofs must be of some substance 
that will prevent the ingress of fire from 
that direction. Tin laid over boards 
proved inadequate. Copper, slate or some 
other material of greater refractory 
should be used. 



NOLAN 



123 



These are precautions against fire from 
the outside. It is wise also to take meas- 
ures to retard the progress of a fire should 
it get started within a building. Steel 
columns must be fireproofed or they will 
buckle from the heat. There are many 
column failures in San Francisco from the 
lack of proper fireproof ing, and for this 
purpose nothing proved superior to con- 
crete. Fire-proof partitions are necessary 
to prevent the spread of fire. As a ship 
is divided into a series of water-tight com- 
partments, so a building may be divided 
into a series of fire-proof compartments. 
For this purpose nothing gave more satis- 
factory results than reinforced concrete 
used for floors and partitions. It may not 
always be feasible to use many such par- 
titions in a library building, but the stack 
at least can be so separated and the en- 
trances to it can easily be equipped with 
automatic metal covered doors. In large 
libraries it would be wise to subdivide the 
stack likewise into fire proof compart- 
ments. Reinforced concrete could be 
used for every second or third stack floor, 
and in very large libraries vertical parti- 
tions of similar material would lessen the 
chances of total destruction in the event 
of a conflagration. 

Another precaution which should not be 
neglected is the provision of an indepen- 
dent water supply. There was evidence 
in the San Francisco fire of a temperature 
at certain points of about 2200 degrees 
Fahr., hence there is strong liability to 
ignition within a building even without 
direct access of the flames. But it may 
be possible with water available and a 
few men at hand to extinguish such fires 
in their incipiency. The writer knows of 
a dwelling house that was saved by having 
at hand a few siphon bottles of soda water 
when no other water was available. Where 
there is a possibility of earthquakes tanks 
on the roof are undesirable. There should 
be a well with a pump operated by some 
power installed on the premises. In the 
event of a conflagration power from an 
outside source is to be relied on. 

These are some of the lessons driven 
home by the San Francisco experience. 
Respectfully submitted 

GEORGE T. CLARK. 

The PRESIDENT: We now resume the 
program as set down for the day, and take 
up the second of our two chief topics, the 
use of books. Many other papers before 
this have had reference to this, but the 
papers which are to follow are expressly 
directed to this end, and I have great pleas- 



ure in calling first upon Dr Edward J. 
Nolan, of the Academy of natural sciences 
in Philadelphia, to tell us about the use of 
books on natural history. 

THE USE OF NATURAL HISTORY 
BOOKS 

The specialist in science should have an 
intimate knowledge of the books required 
by him the literature of his specialty, 
otherwise he is in constant danger of doing 
that again which has been done well 
enough already. The business of the libra- 
rian is to secure, arrange and catalog, in 
other words, place within convenient reach 
and in best shape to be used, the books 
which may be useful. He need not know 
much about their contents, but he must 
know something there anent, for if the 
library appropriation be not ample (and 
who ever heard of its being so) he must 
exercise his judgment in making up his 
purchase list so that even if the advice of 
the specialist be respected, the librarian 
should be able to select the most essential 
from the titles submitted. Hence special- 
ties in librarianship are found to be pro- 
ductive of good results. 

The division of great libraries into spec- 
ial collections is probably the solution of 
the ever increasing difficulties of library 
administration, but while the lawyer, the 
doctor, the priest, the historian, the engi- 
neer, the manufacturer, the physicist and 
the naturalist may thus have readiest ac- 
cess to what they most urgently need, all 
departments of knowledge are so related 
and such a vast amount of literature re- 
mains under general heads that the general 
librarian, whether a bibliophile or a busi- 
ness man, is not likely to be put out of 
commission. In the meantime the classi- 
fied catalog is invaluable in securing the 
desired end that is the specialists' easy 
access to the books that concern him. 

It is true that in many of our great li- 
braries, the larger divisions are adminis- 
tered by properly qualified sub-librarians, 
but the good to be secured by the separate 
housing and care of such collections is en- 
forced by the success of such libraries as 



124 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



those of colleges of physicians, historical 
societies, theological seminaries, law asso- 
ciations and scientific institutions, as well 
as by the practical necessity of duplicating 
portions of general libraries of universities 
for the convenient provision of special de- 
partments. 

The libraries of societies are, as a rule, 
determined by the character of the mem- 
bership. For example, while natural science 
embraces the study of all visible nature 
and of governing forces, the members of 
an Academy of natural sciences may con- 
sist almost entirely of naturalists as dis- 
tinguished from physicists, its library em- 
bracing consequently but a small percen- 
tage of books belonging to the division of 
physics, for the simple reason that the lat- 
ter are not called for. The distinction be- 
tween the two classes of students of science 
is undoubtedly an arbitrary one, but the 
naturalist may be defined as one who makes 
visible nature the object of his investiga- 
tions, while the physicist concerns himself 
with forces and laws, their manifestations, 
effects and applications. So vast is the 
sphere of natural knowledge that we rarely 
refer to an individual now as a naturalist or 
a physicist, but at once assign him to his 
specialty. We have zoologists, botanists, 
geologists, mineralogists, chemists, (inor- 
ganic and organic), metallurgists, electri- 
cians, etc., but even these terms are too gen- 
eral and we talk of psychologists, bacteriolo- 
gists, morphologists, embryologists, cytol- 
ogists, biometricians, thermatologists, pro- 
tistologists, ontologists and even a more 
minute division of specialties with appro- 
priate terminology, to merely look up the 
meanings of which, leads one to the thresh- 
hold of the sciences indicated by the 
appellations. As all these subjects, and 
many others, are branches of natural his- 
tory, it is indeed a very rash or a very 
vain man who now calls himself a natu- 
ralist. 

The students of many of these specialties 
have found it to their advantage to form 
themselves into societies, some with a local 
habitation as well as a name, others hold- 
ing periodical meetings either independent- 



ly or in conjunction with the sessions of 
the American association for the advance- 
ment of science, the result being that so 
much interest is taken from meetings of 
general societies as to make it in some 
cases scarcely worth while to hold them, 
so that, in the language of a recent writer 
"now that the daughters have grown the 
mother may die." 

It cannot be denied, however, that such 
close devotion to a limited specialty has 
been productive of fine results in science, 
witness such superb monographs as Bash- 
ford Dean's "Chimeroid fishes and their 
development" and Prof. Tower's "Evolu- 
tion of chrysomelid beetles or potato 
bugs," recently published by the Carnegie 
institute and our own Dr Peckham's work 
on the instincts and habits of the solitary 
wasps, a superb example of untiring, min- 
ute and purposeful study recorded with a 
literary art which makes it almost as in- 
teresting as a work of fiction. 

The wide difference between modern 
biology and the descriptive natural his- 
tory of half a century ago can be appre- 
ciated almost without reading a line, if the 
illustrations of the scientific literature of 
the two periods be glanced at. The earlier 
journals contain figures of animals and 
plants and macroanatomical plates, while 
the current issues are filled with refined il- 
lustrations of minute structure, studies in 
cytology and the secrets laid bare by the 
microtome. It is not now worth while 
to depict a mouse in habit as he lived, even 
though regarded as an undescribed form, 
but let the little animal be sliced into a 
mile or two of thin section and he becomes 
a contribution to biological knowledge, the 
brilliancy of the result depending on the 
length of the ribbon. 

Naturalists may be divided into two 
great groups the systematists and the bio- 
logists. In practice their provinces have 
no strictly defined boundaries, for while 
the worker in classification and nomencla- 
ture is not seldom entirely ignorant of the 
life-history of the organic forms studied by 
him, the biologist is generally informed as 
to the position in nature of his material. 



NOLAN 



In a general way it may be stated that 
the natural history literature of the pre- 
Linnean era has now merely an historical 
or bibliographical interest and is rarely 
consulted in connection with living prob- 
lems of biology or for the determination of 
forms. The recently published "Biblio- 
graphy of early natural history," issued by 
the British Museum as No. 1 of the "Spec- 
ial guides," contains references to many of 
the more interesting and useful of these 
issues, while No. 2 of the same series sup- 
plies a bibliography of the classification of 
plants. 

Much of the most important original re- 
search is reported to scientific societies and 
issued In their Proceedings and Transac- 
tions. In fact the one essential of a living 
scientific society is its publications, by 
means of which it makes its existence 
known to the rest of the world and through 
which it fulfils the primary object of its 
formation, to add to the sum total of hu- 
man knowledge. A society may be without 
a museum, it may have no library, it is 
quite conceivable that it may not hold 
meetings, but if it fittingly makes public the 
results of original investigation secured by 
its own members or those not directly con- 
nected with it, there is still good reason for 
its existence in the discreet administration 
of its Publication fund. 

This in no way lessens the value of the 
numerous proprietary scientific journals to 
which the working naturalist must have 
access. Every specialty has its organ; 
many have more than one; the interest in 
some cases being so narrow that it is amaz- 
ing how they can find support. To all 
such journals as well as to the publications 
of societies, recourse must be had for the 
material composing the most reliable mono- 
graphs and text-books, and to all of these 
the student must have access if he would 
avoid a repetition of labor. 

It is evident that, unassisted, no one can 
keep abreast of this flood of literature con- 
stantly flowing forth from laboratory and 
printing press. The task would be hopeless 
in the absence of indexes, guides and keys. 
Fortunately of these there are many. 



The bibliography of all the sciences ia 
elaborately classified in the new "Inter- 
national catalogue of scientific literature," 
the publication of which was begun under 
the auspices of the Royal society of Lon- 
don in 1903. It is issued both in card and 
book form. While it is a valuable aid it 
still exhibits the imperfections of imma- 
turity, but will no doubt improve as ex- 
perience is acquired. 

In the extensive field of zoology the most 
important bibliographic assistance is given 
by the Concilium bibliographicum, begun 
in Zurich by Dr H. H. Field in 1896. The 
work has steadily increased in efficiency 
and completeness until at the present time 
it supplies all that can be reasonably de- 
manded in its province. The classification, 
thought out in a scholarly manner, is com- 
plete and minutely subdivided under an 
elaborate system, so that it is possible to 
quickly ascertain the titles relating to any 
given zoological topic during the last ten 
years. The titles are published separately 
on cards of the standard library size with 
ample cross-references and can be easily 
arranged according to catch-numbers and 
other aids. Specialists can obtain the cards 
belonging to their own subjects. Fortu- 
nately for those unable to purchase the 
cards or unwilling to assume the no light 
task of keeping them in order, the entire 
output is printed as an appendix to the 
current numbers of the "Zoologischer An- 
zeiger." 

The publication of the "Zoological rec- 
ord" was begun in 1864 and was published 
under the auspices of the Zoological so- 
ciety of London. It was divided systemati- 
cally into several sections which may be 
secured separately. They are of very une- 
qual completeness, according to the ability 
and industry of the several compilers. It 
Is temporarily, at least, absorbed by the 
"International catalogue of scientific litera- 
ture," a provisional amalgamation for a 
period of five years having been announced 
in the preface to the last volume of the 
"Record." At the end of five years the 
Zoological society may resume its indepen- 
dent control if the union be not a success. 



126 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



In the preparation of scientific bib- 
liographies we are under the heaviest In- 
deptedness to the Germans, who not only 
do more of such work than the rest of the 
world combined but are unrivalled for 
thoroughness and accuracy. 

The "Zoologischer Anzeiger" is a most 
satisfactory illustration of the truth of this 
assertion. Begun in 1878 under the able 
editorship of Victor Carus it is supplied 
with annual and decennial indexes. In 
1896 it was combined with the Concilium 
bibliographicum. 

Owing to the admirable custom which 
arose in Germany and which has been 
generally adopted elsewhere, of supple- 
menting important communications with 
full lists of related bibliography, the 
student is often called on to consult only a 
few of the most recent papers, to be in pos- 
session of a fairly complete list of titles 
relating to his subject. Such lists can, of 
course, be enlarged and completed from 
time to time by reference to the general 
bibliographies already alluded to, and in 
the case of biological and morphological 
subjects to the "Anatomischer Anzeiger," 
edited by Prof. Bardeleben, and published 
in Jena since 1886, the "Zoologischer Jah- 
resbericht," begun under the auspices of 
the Zoological station at Naples in 1879, 
and "L'annee biologique," edited by Prof. 
Delage since 1895. 

Annual reviews of many of the special- 
ties are also within reach, a brilliant ex- 
ample being the "Ergebnisse der Ana- 
tomie und Entwickelungsgeschichte" of 
Merkel and Bonnet the last (XV) volume 
of which, covering the subjects for 1905, is 
a splendid work of 1000 pages the separate 
articles being frequently provided with 
copious bibliographies. 

Other periodicals such as the "Journal of 
the Royal microscopical society," the 
"Zoologisches Centralblatt," and Schwalbe's 
"Jahresbericht fiir Anatomie und Entwic- 
kelungsgeschichte" are largely devoted to 
abstracts of papers appearing elsewhere. 

Botanists depend on Just's "Botanischer 
Jahresbericht," begun in 1873, of which 33 
volumes have been published, Engler's 



"Botanische Jahrbiicher" appearing since 
1881, the "Botanisches Centralblatt" since 
1880 and the recently announced "Pro- 
gressus rei Botanicae." 

Very full abstracts of contributions to 
scientific microscopy are given in the 
"Zeitschrift fiir wissenschaftlichen Mikros- 
kopie" while the needs of the geologist 
and mineralogist are provided for by the 
"Neues Jahrbuch fiir Mineralogie, Geologic 
und Paleontologie" begun in 1830 and the 
"Geologiscber Centralblatt" since 1901. 

Then there is the "Centralblatt fiir 
Bakteriologie" covering that branch of 
science which has within recent years as- 
sumed such importance. Satisfactory lists 
of papers on cryptogamic botany with ex- 
tended notices of their scope and char- 
acter are given in "Headwegia" and 
other specialties are in like manner epito- 
mized and indexed. 

It must not be supposed, however, that 
the periodicals, although of first impor- 
tance, contain all that is required by the 
naturalist. Many of the text-books pub- 
lished in Berlin, Leipzig, Paris, London 
and elsewhere are prepared by men of un- 
questionable authority and are indispens- 
able to those who wish to keep abreast of 
scientific investigation. Many of these 
text-books are provided with ample biblio- 
graphies which alone are often sufficient 
to supply the specialist with all he needs. 
Entering on a new line of investigation, 
he must of course consult the latest mono- 
graphs on the subject, and of these he can 
gain a knowledge by reference to the 
records and reviews already referred to, 
and to the larger systematic text-books. 
First among these in zoology is Bronn's 
"Klassen und Ordnungen des Thierreichs" 
and the monumental "Thierreich" of the 
German Zoological society. The copious 
references in those works can be relied 
on by the zoological student for his biblio- 
graphy even though he have not access to 
the periodical records. 

A like service is rendered the botanists 
by Engler and Pratts' "Naturlichen Pflan- 
zenfamilien", De Candolle's "Prodromus" 
and Engler's "Pflanzenreich." 



NOLAN 



127 



The "Index Kewensis," an enumeration 
of the genera and species of flowering 
plants, begun under the auspices of the 
Kew Gardens in 1893, is indispensable to 
the phanerogamic botanist in determining 
questions of synonymy and places of pub- 
lication, while Gray's text-books, Britton 
and Brown's "Illustrated flora of the 
U. S.", "Canada and the British Posses- 
sions" and the monographs of separate 
families of the American flora, prepared 
for the New York botanical garden by 
competent botanists, are important in con- 
nection with the study of North American 
botany. 

In geology and paleontology, in addition 
to numerous text-books, there are several 
series of monographs, such as the "Paleon- 
tographica," of which 52 volumes have 
appeared since 1851, the "Beitriige zur 
Palaeontologie und Geologie Oesterreich 
Ungarns," begun in 1882, the "Geologische 
und paleontologische Abhandlungen," 10 
vols., and the superb series of the Paleon- 
tological society of London, dating back 
to 1830. 

The publications of the several national 
geological surveys, among which in extent 
and value the output of the United States 
geological survey easily holds first rank 
are, of course, indispensable to the stu- 
dent of geology. 

Fine monographs are also published in 
the serials "Botanica Zoologica" and in 
the superb "Fauna und Flora des Golfes 
von Neapel," issued by the Naples zoologi- 
cal station. 

The catalogs of the British Museum, that 
of the birds alone numbering 27 volumes, 
are of prime importance in systematic 
work. 

Conchology is specially rich in great 
monographs, such as Tryon's "Manual of 
conchology", Reeves' "Conchologia Icon- 
ica" and Kuster's "Systematisches Con- 
chylien Cabinet." Systematic work on the 
mollusca cannot be satisfactorily pursued 
without them. 

The official records of explorations and 
voyages, of which the reports of the 
Challenger expedition in 50 volumes is the 



most extensive and important, must be at 
the service of the student. 

It is the practice of many students to 
enter the titles which specially concern 
them on cards, properly provided with 
cross references and notes., If he have 
access to a living library such cards are 
easily kept up to date, thus performing for 
himself the work of the Concilium biblio- 
graphicum and securing a more immediate 
and intimate knowledge of the progress 
of his specialty than would otherwise be 
possible. 

Many titles of less important older 
works, not referred to in later monographs 
and covering the period from 1700 to the 
issue of the later bibliographies will be 
found in Engelmann's "Bibliotheca His- 
toria Naturalis," 1846; Carus and Engel- 
mann's "Bibliotheca Zoologica," 1860; 
Taschenberg's "Bibliotheca Zoologica," 
1887-1905, the five volumes of which cover 
the period for zoology and paleontology 
from 1861 to 1880. The two volumes of 
the "Catalogue of scientific papers" com- 
piled by the Royal society, with its sup- 
plements, is in constant use and is in- 
valuable in tracing sources and dates of 
publication when the author's name is 
known for communications published since 
1800. It is much to be regretted that this 
useful and easily consulted bibliography Is 
not to be continued, being superseded by 
the "International catalogue." 

Greater demands are made on the sys- 
tematist for a thorough knowledge of the 
literature of his subject than upon the 
morphologist, whose work is less likely to 
depend for its value on that which has 
already been accomplished. In systematic 
work a correct record of dates is of much 
importance in establishing priority, and, 
therefore, the time of publication should 
be carefully indicated. So far is this true 
that in one instance at least, the author 
printed on his papers to the hour and min- 
ute the time of day they were supposed 
to have been issued, and some years ago, 
during a fierce struggle for priority in 
paleontological work, the description of a 
fossil vertebrate was telegraphed from the 



128 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



field to a learned society in Philadelphia, 
with the result that the communication, 
when published, had almost as many 
errors as words. 

Formerly the date of presentation of a 
memoir to a society even in the form of a 
sealed package was held to secure for the 
author priority of discovery of whatever 
might be claimed therein, but now the 
universal custom is to take the actual date 
of issue of the memoir as alone furnishing 
data for the determination of priority. 

To aid the student in his laudable de- 
sire to be accurate in this matter, it is 
therefore most important that the librarian 
should be careful to preserve the dated 
covers of all periodicals issued in numbers 
covering twelve months or a longer period 
of time, when, as frequently occurs, the 
bound volume contains no indication of the 
division into parts. The covers should 
either be left in place even to the detri- 
ment of the appearance of the book, or, 
as is usually all that is required, they may 
be bound in at the back, the tables of con- 
tents being sufficient indication of the divi- 
sion of the continuous text. Although curi- 
ous indifference is often manifested by 
editors, authors and publishing committees 
to this important subject of dates, the 
neglect is not as prevalent as formerly and 
the scrupulous searcher for synonyms is 
generally at no loss for his data. In many 
cases the dates of publication are recorded 
on separate issues of papers as in some of 
the government departments, the New 
York museum of natural history and other 
publishing concerns. These dates are pre- 
sumably those of delivery from the press 
and are not always to be relied on, as the 
publication is frequently distributed days 
or even weeks later, although it must be 
acknowledged that in most cases a reason- 
able degree of promptness in distribution 
has been secured. The practice of the 
Academy of natural sciences of Philadel- 
phia in the case of its Proceedings, it is 
believed, is the most reliable. A certain 
number of copies of each signature is 
mailed to corresponding societies and re- 
viewing journals. The dates of mailing 



are recorded by the editor and his 
official certificate is printed on the back 
of the title page when the volume is com- 
pleted. 

Students working in connection with this 
society are given an opportunity each week 
to compile their bibliographies. The ac- 
cessions record was formerly prepared and 
the accumulation of books placed on the 
library tables for inspection at the weekly 
meetings. Although the sessions are now 
held less frequently, the old practice is 
continued and the workers have access to 
the recent literature for 48 hours before it 
is distributed to the several sections of 
the library. 

As a supplement to this very cursory 
treatment of the use of books on natural 
history, something might be said of books 
that are of little or no use and those, such 
as the majority of huge illustrated folios, 
which are much more ornamental than use- 
ful. It will be noticed, also, that nothing 
has been said of the so-called Nature study 
books with which the market is now so 
well provided. In the majority of cases 
such works are of no importance in a 
library administered for the use of serious 
students of science and merely take up 
valuable room. They are in place in the 
more popular collections of the public 
library. The best that can be said of most 
of them is that they are no more perver- 
sions of science than are historical novels 
of past events and society romances of ex- 
isting conditions. 

It will be evident that no attempt has 
been made to deal exhaustively with the 
subject treated. To do so would be to pre- 
pare a catalogue raisonnge of a natural 
history library which would be neither 
desirable nor in the time allotted to the 
author, practicable. An attempt has merely 
been made to indicate to those not 
familiar with the specialties of the natura- 
list a few of the bibliographical aids to 
which he may have recourse in the con- 
scientious performance of his work. 

Mr C. J. BARE of The John Crerar libra- 
ry then read a paper on 



BARR 



129 



SOME BIBLIOGRAPHICAL AIDS TO 
THE USE OF THE CURRENT LIT- 
ERATURE OF SCIENCE 

That classic of American library litera- 
ture, the Bureau of education report on the 
"Public libraries of the United States," 
published in 1876, includes a summary of 
the available literature of science in this 
country by Professor Theodore Gill of the 
Smithsonian institution. This account can 
not fail to enlist the interest of librarians, 
as it throws into sharp contrast the condi- 
tions obtaining in 1876 and those of to-day. 
The growth has been little short of 
marvelous. 

In summarizing the facilities for scientific 
research Professor Gill mentions briefly the 
libraries of Washington, Philadelphia, 
Baltimore, New York, New Haven, and 
Boston and vicinity. For the scientific 
student of that time the rest of the United 
States was apparently a barren waste, 
save for an occasional scientific society or 
college library. What was true of pure 
science was even more true of applied. 
Since '76 has come the great development 
of the industrial resources of the country 
on a scientific basis. Before that time the 
gifts of a bountiful Nature had been found 
BO lavish that their adaptation to man's 
needs by economic processes had hardly 
occurred to manufacturers and engineers. 
The literature of these subjects was meagre 
as compared with to-day's. And in the de- 
velopment that has gone on during these 
forty years the South and the West have 
not lagged behind; there as well as in the 
East the scientist and the engineer and 
libraries ready to meet their needs. 

With the growth in the literature of 
science has gone hand in hand necessarily 
a growth in the tools for its use. Of the 
making of indexes there is no end. A 
writer in the columns of the Contributor's 
club in the May issue of the "Atlantic" 
comments facetiously on "that monument 
of patience and industry," the Index of 
periodical literature, as "a yearly record of 
the rise and fall of fads." However, he 
finds "consolation in the observation that 
the best and most prolific writers scarcely 



average one article a month in the best 
magazines." This is indeed a hopeful bit 
of statistics, if authentic. 

It Is impossible within the limits of the 
present paper to list even a fractional 
part of the bibliographical tools essential to 
successful reference work in science. Brief 
consideration will be given to a few of the 
recent indexes of serial publications. 

The paper by Professor Gill previously 
referred to, includes a list of valuable aids 
to scientific research, a considerable num- 
ber of which still continue publication. 
Among these are the numerous Jahrbiicher, 
epitomes of the year's progress in their 
respective sciences. There was in '76 no 
cooperative scheme for indexing the litera- 
ture of science comparable with the "Inter- 
national catalogue" of to-day. This has 
already proved its worth and when it shall 
have attained more nearly to its ideal, 
promises to become the ne plus ultra in its 
field. The plan and scope of this work 
have been heretofore described in some de- 
tail at these conferences, so it seems un- 
necessary to dwell upon them now. Suffice 
it to suggest some respects in which im- 
provement is vital to the highest usefulness 
of the work. 

In the first place it is much to be 
lamented that South Africa is not repre- 
sented, and in consequence the valuable 
literature of geology and mining emanating 
from that quarter is hardly accessible 
through any medium, unless it be through 
Friedlander's "Naturae novitates," which 
by the way repeatedly proves a friend in 
need with its excellent annual index to the 
monthly issues. As to promptness of pub- 
lication of the "International catalogue," 
most of the volumes of the fourth annual 
issue covering the seventeen sciences, have 
now been received. The first annual issue 
covered mainly the literature of 1901 and 
we judge the intention to have been that 
each volume should index the literature of 
a calndar year. If so, in this respect the 
undertaking has fallen woefully short of 
its intention. The introduction to the 
fourth volume of physics says: "The litera- 
ture indexed is mainly that of 1903 and 



180 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



1904 but includes those portions of the 
literature of 1901 and 1902 in regard to 
which the index slips were received too 
late for inclusion in the previous volumes. 
A few entries are dated 1905." This failure 
to draw more sharply the line of distinction 
between the successive volumes can but 
prove a serious short-coming. Each year's 
record should be as complete as it is possi- 
ble to make it by the most rigid system of 
administration, and thereby ease of con- 
sultation will result. The present deficiency 
in this regard is doubtless due to the delays 
in the work of the regional bureaus rather 
than of the central office. It would appear 
that the bureaus transmit their records to 
the central office on a given date, irrespec- 
tive of its completeness. Thus it comes 
that part of volume 64 of the Royal astro- 
nomical society Monthly notices is indexed 
in the third, and part in the fourth annual 
issue on astronomy. Such cases are puz- 
zling and annoying. In the case of the 
material furnished by the Smithsonian in- 
stitution, the delay is no doubt due to in- 
sufficient funds and consequent lack of 
clerical force to cover the field promptly. 
The importance of the undertaking cer- 
tainly calls for recognition by Congress iu 
the form of an appropriation that will in- 
sure the most satisfactory results. It is 
subject for congratulation that the inter- 
national convention saw its way to continue 
the catalog for a second term of five years. 
The period of experiment is past, the re- 
gional bureaus should be equipped to do 
prompt, accurate and complete work, and 
there should be provision for the perman- 
ent continuance of the catalog. 

It would seem a sin of omission to pass 
unnoticed the two forerunners of the "In- 
ternational catalogue," namely Reuss' 
"Repertorium commentationum," a general 
index to periodical and society publica- 
tions previous to 1800, a monument of 
scholarly and exact work; and the Royal 
society's "Catalogue of scientific papers," 
covering the nineteenth century literature. 
A less known work of great value is 
Dryander's catalog of the library of Joseph 
Banks. 



Proceeding to a consideration of the 
tools in some of the special sciences; 
"Science abstracts" is a concise and prac- 
tical monthly review and index to the 
literature of physics and electrical en- 
gineering appearing in 200 periodical and 
society publications. Its tenth volume is 
now current. Its arrangement is conveni- 
ent and its signed abstracts are especially 
useful to persons without facility in the 
use of French and German. It may be 
added that the index of physics in- 
cludes numerous references of interest to 
students of astronomy. 

It is hardly within the scope of this 
paper to consider the biological sciences 
but it seems fitting to call attention in 
passing to the so-called Zurich catalog or 
card index issued by the Concilium 
bibliographicum in Zurich. It is well to 
keep in mind the breadth of its scope, in- 
cluding as it does paleontology, biological 
microscopy, zoology and anatomy. Its 
promoters have in contemplation the in- 
clusion of botany and possibly other 
sciences. (Started in 1896, the index now 
contains approximately 200,000 cards). Its 
value lies not so much in the frequency of 
its use as in the fact that by its closely 
classified analytical work it furnishes 
references to topics not readily found 
elsewhere. 

Passing on to the applied sciences, the 
Engineering index is doubtless the most 
familiar and useful tool for American li- 
braries. It indexes some 250 periodicals, 
of which about 75 are in foreign languages. 
Volume four covers the literature of 1900 
to 1905 and contains more than 50,000 en- 
tries. It would add materially to the ease 
of its use if volume numbers as well as 
dates were given in its references. Its 
title-page announces the intention of the 
publishers to issue volumes annually here- 
after and it is a matter for rejoicing that 
this announcement is apparently to be 
lived up to. The volume for 1906 is ad- 
vertised in the "Engineering magazine" 
for May. The annual volume will prob- 
ably obviate the necessity of cutting and 
mounting the monthly issues of the index 



BARR 



131 



which appear with the "Engineering maga- 
zine." 

A new periodical, entitled "Technical 
literature," began publication in New 
York in January of this year; it bears the 
sub-title: "a monthly review of technical 
publications." It indexes about 300 peri- 
odicals. It is in the main much like the 
Engineering index, but it includes in addi- 
tion a key to the technicality of the arti- 
cles by grading them A, B, and C; also a 
book department and a list of new trade 
catalogs and pamphlets. It would seem 
somewhat premature to judge the value 
of this new publication from four or five 
issues; while it promises well, it is hardly 
likely to supercede those of longer stand- 
ing, especially a work of such excellence 
as the "Repertorium der technischen 
Journal-literatur", issued by the German 
patent office. This set began publication 
in 1881, and its first volumes indexed the 
literature from 1854 on. Its forerunner, 
a work of fundamental importance bearing 
a similar title, was edited by Dr Schubarth 
and covered the literature of 1823 to 1853. 
The "Repertorium" is now issued in an 
annual volume of 800 or more pages, in- 
dexing some 400 periodicals in all lan- 
guages. It is difficult to overestimate the 
value of this tool for students both of pure 
and of applied science, fully indexed as it 
is in three languages. It shows the char- 
acteristic German thoroughness and, in 
consequence of this and of its breadth of 
scope, is somewhat slow in issuing from 
the press. 

The effort to use the bibliographical part 
of the Brussels monthly periodical entitled 
"Revue de 1'ingenieur et index technique" 
Is a somewhat trying experience for one 
who can not possess his soul in patience. 
The volumes lack title-page and index and 
the references are arranged under an ex- 
pansion of the Decimal classification. 
They are issued also in card form 
and are doubtless thus more conveni- 
ent for use. 

The work of the Department of agri- 
culture in indexing its publications con- 
tinues to maintain its standard of ex- 



cellence. The cards, which have been 
printed and distributed by the Library of 
Congress for a year back, are obtainable 
at reasonable rates with subject headings 
already added at the top for secondary en- 
tries, so that the actual work necessary 
to make available the extraordinarily use- 
ful material in this department's publica- 
tions is reduced to the minimum. 

The subject index of agricultural experi- 
ment station literature issued in card form 
by the central office in Washington seems 
less satisfactory from the librarian's point 
of view. In spite of some inconvenience 
from lack of uniformity in the subject 
headings used with its classed arrange- 
ment, the index is nevertheless indispen- 
sable to the satisfactory use of these 
bulletins, which like those of the depart- 
ment contain a wealth of material. The 
cards are usually received in a single ship- 
ment each year. 

The American institute of architects is 
rendering a service of considerable im- 
portance to architects and to libraries in 
the publication of its quarterly bulletin, 
begun In 1900. Some alterations in the 
make-up of the bulletin would materially 
facilitate its use for references purposes. 
Something less than half of each issue is 
taken up with matter in no way related to 
the bibliography. The volumes lack gen- 
eral title-page and index and the refer- 
ences in each issue are grouped under 
broad and vague subject headings; for 
example, the heading "Historical" serves 
as the caption for such articles as the fol- 
lowing: 

Houses with a history. 

American renaissance steeples. 

Art of the American Indian. 

The periodicals indexed are confined ex- 
clusively to American and English. 

The writer disclaims any pretence of 
having covered exhaustively or adequately 
even the current bibliography of science 
and its applications. He can only hope 
that he may have given utterance to some 
suggestions that may lead those engaged 
in reference work to avail themselves 
more fully of the indexes at their disposal. 



132 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



The secretary then reported the action 
of the Council on the proposed amend- 
ments to the Constitution (see Council 
transactions.) 

The PRESIDENT: The Program com- 
mittee has assigned two hours for the 
Report of the Commitee on public docu- 
ments, and for the general discussion 
which so important a subject should call 
out. Mr E. H. Anderson, first vice-presi- 
dent of the Association, will now take the 
chair and this subject will at once be 
taken up. 

Mr Anderson thereupon took the chair, 
and Miss ADELAIDE R. HASSE of the 
New York public library presented the 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS 

In making this year's report to you the 
Committee on Public documents has taken 
the liberty of deviating from the conven- 
tional nature of a report, in order, more 
particularly, to take advantage of the op- 
portunity afforded by your Program com- 
mittee. 

This opportunity of being recognized in 
general session is one now granted to the 
subject of public documents for the first 
time by the Association whose 31st an- 
niversary we are celebrating. It is gratify- 
ing to be able to announce to you that on 
this occasion the authorities having in 
charge the printing and the distribution of 
documents, viz. the Public Printer and the 
Superintendent of documents are with us, 
and will do us the honor to address us. 

While librarians are, of course, inter- 
ested in the way in which public docu- 
ments are printed, I do not think we would 
know enough about that to worry us, if 
the present system of distribution had not 
been devised. That system has had the 
effect of making the document collection an 
appreciable asset in 500 different libraries 
throughout the Union. Instead of being a 
convertible asset, it is in a great many 
cases, a white elephant. These two facts, 
viz. the indiscriminate distribution of a 
public grant and the failure of the grantee 



to convert the asset into a negotiable fac- 
tor, have brought about what may, with- 
out exaggeration, be termed the present 
crisis. 

The system of depository distribution 
of public documents is, considering the 
rapid advance in other branches of library 
economy an ancient one. It is seventeen 
years the senior of this Association, and is 
itself the outgrowth of a resolution passed 
as long ago as 1828. A resolution of that 
year provided for the distribution of cer- 
tain documents by the librarian of Con- 
gress. In 1844 a joint resolution was 
passed which transferred this duty to the 
Department of state, and in 1857 a resolu- 
tion transferred the distribution to the 
Secretary of the interior. Up to this time 
the distribution had been made by these 
officials without congressional designation. 
That is, they made the assignments as 
their several judgments dictated. In 1858 
a joint resolution provided that the Sec- 
retary of the interior should make the 
distribution upon designation to him by 
congressmen and delegates of the terri- 
tories, and, by the printing law of the fol- 
lowing year, viz. 1,859 senators were added 
to the designators. That law, the law of 
1859, remained in force until superseded 
by the law of 1895. 

A survey of the records has led to the 
assumption that the original motive of this 
depository distribution was an amiable 
desire legitimately to benefit struggling 
and worthy institutions. There was at 
the time of its inception no organized 
labor interest to cause an inflated demand 
for these books. It may even be doubted 
whether the perpetuity of the scheme en- 
tered into the consideration of the benevo- 
lent gentlemen who promoted it. Certain 
it is, that the project was not stamped 
with permanence until, by the resolutions 
of 1858 and 1859, it was based on con- 
gressional designation. So soon as this 
change took place the basis became one of 
population. 

Public documents are used almost 
solely by specialists in some one of the 
natural, technical or historical sciences. 



HASSE 



133 



Yet according to the basis referred to, it 
is the natural and artificial increment of 
the whole population which determines 
both the number and the location of de- 
positories. The natural increment is not 
sufficiently diverse in the several states to 
affect our particular case; that is, the 
birth-rate of the whole population is not 
sufficiently fluctuating to affect it. The 
artificial increment is due to the influx of 
foreigners. This influx proceeds along a 
direct route, namely through the states of 
New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and In- 
diana to Illinois, where it disperses. Now 
as depository designation is determined 
by representation, and representation by 
density of population, it follows that the 
location as well as the number of deposi- 
tories is practically fixed by the intro- 
duced American. In Greater New York 
alone there are now 15 depositories. 

The change in the law which brought 
about this condition has had the effect of 
increasing the depositories from 12 in 1859 
to 500 in 1904. At the same time the' 
number of volumes subject to depository 
distribution has increased from 105 vol- 
umes per Congress in 1859 to 341 volumes 
per Congress in 1904. That is, the housing 
burden on the individual depository is 
more than three times greater to-day than 
it was in 1859, and there are a trifle less 
than 500 depositories to bear this burden 
as against 12 in 1859. That this increase 
in supplying a commodity is out of all pro- 
portion to the demand for it, is shown by 
the huge accumulation of not-wanted docu- 
ments in Washington. 

The fault lies in simple economic mis- 
calculation. On the one hand we have a 
producer supplying a commodity on the 
basis of the growth of the whole popula- 
tion. On the other hand we have the con- 
sumer, in this case a specialized group, 
the American student body. This con- 
sumer is numerically far in the minority, 
the ratio being about 1 to 750. In trying 
to get away with the supply there has 
been incurred on his part what amounts, 
in many cases, to chronic document indi- 
gestion. 



The result of this oversupply is the 
astounding spectacle of a producer forced 
to provide storage for his own unsalable 
goods at the same time that he is hiring 
an army of 3,000, more or less, to turn 
out more of the same kind of goods. 
What adds to the astonishing feature, is 
the fact that not private but public funds 
are being usurped. 

The incongruity of the whole thing has 
at last become apparent to the producer, 
as is shown by the attitude of the Print- 
ing investigation commission now sitting. 
This body has so far confined itself to 
strongly recommending retrenchment in 
the congressional quota, that is, in the 
number of documents allowed to each 
senator and member for his personal dis- 
tribution, as well as to legislation which 
affects the size and binding of individual 
documents. So far, I believe, nothing ef- 
fective has been accomplished in cutting 
down the congressional quota. In cutting 
down the size and binding of documents 
something has been done. But remedial 
legislation, unless it is very radical, which 
affects only the size and binding of in- 
dividual documents can hardly counteract 
the outside cost of an ever increasing 
mass. Remedial legislation such as this 
is not a fixed cut, for if the mass is in- 
creased, the cut simply becomes multi- 
plied. While the proportion of the ex- 
penditure for the particular item covered 
by this legislation may be decreased, the 
sum total will eventually remain the same. 
The items of increased cost for adminis- 
tration and transportation of this growing 
mass should not be overlooked in a con- 
sideration of this subject. The only ef- 
fective cut can be made in retrenchment 
in the congressional quota and in deposi- 
tory distribution. The former has already 
been suggested by the Printing commis- 
sion. The latter has not been broached 
by it. I do not think that the intention 
has been to overlook us, but I have a 
feeling that it has been because the pub- 
lic man is perhaps the keenest of all men 
to follow the maxim that it is well to let 
sleeping dogs lie. For until to-day, in all 



134 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



the 50 years that the depository system 
has been in operation Government and the 
depositories have never taken a single 
step to bring about a mutual hearing. I 
think legislators have all along felt that 
it was expedient to let us alone, and that 
in some way, they perhaps didn't see ex- 
actly how, they were accomplishing a 
great public good in maintaining this de- 
pository system. We have allowed them 
to remain entirely in the dark as to our 
perplexities. As these have become mul- 
tiplied we have been inclined to take it 
out on the officials appointed to carry out 
the law. We have seemed not to realize 
that the more strenuously these officials 
carried out the law, the greater the dis- 
aster they were creating for us. For a 
more loosely drawn law than the printing 
law of 1895 is probably not written upon 
the statute books. The only solution 
which suggests itself at present is that of 
placing a file of government publications 
in carefully selected libraries, able to care 
for such a file and which represent various 
parts of the country, and after that the 
withdrawal of all other documents from 
free distribution and their sale at a mini- 
mum cost price. You may not all agree 
with this suggestion, and it is by no means 
put out as an ultimatum. But if a change 
is expedient, if it is hoped for, if it is to 
be worked for, some one had to make the 
opening move. 

In the beginning of this paper reference 
was made to the failure of the depositories 
to convert the documents into a negotiable 
asset. There is a good deal of cant and 
more or less enthusiasm about the great 
amount of valuable information locked 
away in these documents. How do we 
know it? Or is it guessing? If we know 
it, who has convinced us? Not a librarian. 
For in all the 50 years in which these 
books have been freely dispensed to 
librarians, not one has prepared a tool 
which would unlock this storehouse of in- 
formation. But for laymen it would be 
as much locked up to-day as it was 50 years 
ago. This fact is significant to me as 
showing the unpreparedness of the average 



library to make use of this asset, for it 
furnishes ample material for both useful 
reference work as well as for bibliograph- 
ical sky rocketing. There is another point 
in the failure of librarians to properly use 
the documents. You and I, librarians, be- 
long, economically speaking, to a non-pro- 
ducing element of the population. As a 
class we are curators, conservers employed 
to exhibit materials for the benefit of a 
certain group of the producing element. 
Now if ever a work required an exceptional, 
a matured, an experienced intellect it is 
that of adequately preparing the display of 
a library's resources, technically known as 
the card catalog, for the benefit of the 
producing element. By that, do not for 
one moment mistake me as referring to the 
preparation of the individual card. It is 
the building of these cards into a rational, 
intelligent, related whole that makes a 
catalog differ from a collection of cards. 
As an instance of how we have failed 
properly to use documents, the following 
will do. 

During the reconstruction period a bitter 
tariff war was being waged. Both pro- 
tectionists and free traders were ably repre- 
sented, and we have the Henry C. Careys 
and Horace Greeleys, etc. of the time in 
our catalogs among our tariff literature. 
Their names appear on the title pages of 
their books. The most able, clearly the 
most disinterested man among both pro- 
tectionists and free traders was the man 
whose voice was raised most uncompromis- 
ingly, most fearlessly, in favor of revision, 
the then special commissioner of revenue. 
David Wells. The reports of this man are 
as able literature as any we have upon the 
tariff and upon taxation, yet I am perfectly 
willing to stake all I ever hope to own, 
that while many libraries may be well rep- 
resented in their catalogs by the protection- 
ist and the free trade pamphleteers, there 
is not one which is represented by the re- 
ports of special commissioner Wells among 
its tariff literature. His name does not ap- 
pear on the title page of his reports. That 
is one instance of what is meant by brain 
going to the making of a catalog, and also 



POST 



135 



by the statement that libraries have failed 
properly to use documents. 

But what is perhaps the very gravest 
thing about the preponderance which mere 
bulk has given to federal documents, is the 
entire elimination thereby of interest in 
local documents. There are comparatively 
few of us who have even gone so far as to 
express a lack of knowledge of state and 
city documents. In the time to come these 
will be of the greatest service to the his- 
torian, using that word in its widest mean- 
ing. To-day is the time to collect them, for 
to-day the institutions which they represent 
are in a formative period. There are those 
who believe these documents to be worth- 
less. It is true that they are mostly made 
up of figures, and that they do not contain 
to the extent that some federal documents 
do, what the foreigner calls preserved hot 
air. On the other hand it is true that it is 
just these figures which give local docu- 
ments their value. We have recently had 
over here the distinguished French statis- 
tician and economist, M. D'Avenel. It is said 
that in his work on the ante-19th century 
Industrial conditions of France, this gen- 
tleman examined hundreds upon hundreds 
of family budgets. As has been said, we 
are curators, with a duty not only for 
to-day, but towards yesterday and to-mor- 
row. It is this duty which requires that 
those of us who are librarians of public 
libraries should collect the documents of 
the city, town or state which pays for our 
support, for the use of some future Ameri- 
can D'Avenel. 

Chairman ANDERSON: We are fortun- 
ate this morning to hear from a represen- 
tative of the United States government, a 
government that has no more accom- 
plished representative than the Superinten- 
dent of Documents. It gives me, therefore, 
very great pleasure to introduce the Super- 
intendent of documents, Mr William L. 
Post, who, I hope, will tell us of some of 
our shortcomings. 

ADDRESS OF MR POST 
Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen: 
In the first place, I wish to express my 



thanks to our honored President, Mr An- 
drews, and to the Program committee, for 
permitting us this opportunity of meeting 
together on a subject which should inter- 
est all librarians. And let me say further 
that I am not going to deliver an address, 
although I have been kindly put down on 
the program for one. This is not the time 
nor place for the subject of public docu- 
ments to be presented in the form of an 
address. What is wanted is to bring to- 
gether the representatives of the Govern- 
ment and the libraries and find out what 
and how deep seated are our differences. 
From my experience with librarians, I am 
convinced that it is only a matter of mis- 
understanding and not one of great differ- 
ence of opinion regarding the output and 
distribution of Government publications. 

The Government expends over five mil- 
lion dollars every year for publishing, 
printing, and binding, alone, and perhaps 
three times as much in the compilation of 
the statistics and other matter which is in- 
cluded in these volumes. Of this five mil- 
lion dollar output, the libraries of the 
country receive their share. Perhaps you 
will say they receive more than their share. 

For 50 years under the generous patron- 
age of Congress the libraries of the 
country were made recipients of public 
documents. The books were printed and 
reprinted, distributed and redistributed, 
without any account being kept of where 
they went, or without any cataloging or 
indexing being done to provide tools for 
the use of the librarian. This sort of dis- 
tribution brought about a chaotic condition, 
which had to be taken note of by Congress 
eventually, and in order to provide a means 
for the better distribution of public docu- 
ments, and the preparing of catalogs and 
indexes for the use of the public and the 
libraries, an office was established in Wash- 
ington known as the Superintendent of 
documents office. The task imposed has 
not been an easy one. How far we have 
succeeded in remedying the difficulties, you 
all have evidence, and it is for the better 
solution of these questions that we come 
together to-day to talk over the matters of 



136 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



distribution and cataloging of Government 
publications. 

Speaking of cataloging, perhaps you 
wonder why we do not comply with ths 
law in sending you the catalogs more 
promptly. It is only just to my able and 
tireless assistants to say that it is not 
their fault that the catalogs do not come 
out on time. The Superintendent of docu- 
ments office has been evolving for many 
years and this evolution has resulted in a 
state of affairs almost as chaotic and dif- 
ficult of solution as the documents problem, 
itself. It became necessary to reorganize, 
and for this purpose the cataloging depart- 
ment, comprising as it did those who knew 
best about public documents, was taken 
from the work of cataloging to aid in more 
quickly bringing about this reorganization. 
Hence the delay in the catalogs, but as 
soon as possible they will be issued up to 
date. Right here let me call your attention 
to a great drawback in bringing out these 
catalogs, or in keeping up to date in the 
distribution of public documents. We can- 
not obtain help. The cataloging of public 
documents, as you may all know, is a very 
different matter from cataloging ordinary 
publications. It requires experience along 
a specified line. Should any of the mem- 
bers of the American Library Association 
who have no specialty, wish one, I suggest 
that they specialize along the lines of public 
document cataloging. Perhaps then, when 
we call upon the Civil service commission 
to supply the Superintendent's office with 
catalogers, we can make a better showing 
than we did at the last effort, when an ex- 
amination heralded from one coast to an- 
other brought forth thirty applicants, of 
whom ten passed, and we were then only 
able to get the services of eight of these 
people because we couldn't pay them 
enough to lure them from their other 
library positions. 

Regarding the distribution of public docu- 
ments, I would say that the provision in 
the law stating that we shall have a desig- 
nated depository in each congressional 
district, such depository to be named by the 
member of Congress representing that dis- 



trict, is to my sense the most absurd law 
that could possibly be conceived of. As 
an instance, I will quote one experience. A 
member of Congress from a Western dis- 
trict wrote to know if he was not entitled 
to name some library in his district to 
receive Government publications. In reply 
I informed him that he was allowed by law 
to designate one depository to receive a 
copy of each and every document printed 
by the United States government and 
"made for distribution," and that he was 
also empowered to name four libraries to 
receive the publications of the Geological 
survey. He designated a library and we 
wrote the librarian, stating that the only 
restriction which the law places is that 
the library shall have on its shelves at 
least one thousand books not Government 
publications. It has been the custom of 
the Superintendent of documents office 
merely to state this fact; but lately we have 
asked the librarian if he cared to receive 
the publications, for sometimes publica- 
tions have been returned with thanks. In 
this instance the librarian replied that they 
had one thousand books not Government 
publications, but they only had a very small 
room to devote to public documents. When 
I informed him that they would receive 
hundreds of volumes annually, he quickly 
declined. 

The member of Congress does not realize 
the magnitude of the distribution of Gov- 
ernment publications. Perhaps every one 
of you can hark back to the skeleton in 
your closet, your public document skeleton, 
and pray for the solution to this problem 
that confronts you. This distribution cf 
Government publications costs the Govern- 
ment of the United States on an average of 
$300,000 a year, and to say that this output 
is sent to the libraries gratis is the equiva- 
lent of saying that you might just as well 
take the books, in the majority of instan- 
ces, and pile them in the cellars, or mix 
them in the 4,000,000 accumulation which 
is stored in the office of the Superinten- 
dent of documents in Washington. They 
are not appreciated. Overworked libra- 
rians' assistants know public documents 



POST 



137 



only as a name, and consequently when a 
sack of documents is received, the books 
are put down upon the accession register, 
(as one librarian told me), as "Number 
so and so to Number so and so Miscellan- 
eous government publications." It is quite 
absurd to allow the Government of the 
United States to be so generous when its 
generosity is imposing upon the libraries 
of the, country a commodity which they 
do not want, or use, and at an expenditure 
of over $800,000 a year for the manufacture 
of the books and maintenance of the Super- 
intendent of documents office in Washing- 
ton to handle and catalog them. I would 
like to say more about the distribution of 
documents, but as I said I was not going 
to make an address, I will not. 

Now, I want to speak about the returning 
of the documents, in which you are all 
interested, and in which I am interested. 
I said at a session of the Narragansett Pier 
conference that it was a mistake to think 
that it did not cost the Government to get 
these books back. I will repeat this. It is 
a mistake to say that the Government gets 
free transportation for its books. It pays 
just the same as anybody else, and when a 
librarian writes us to send him all books 
published and then selects a few that have 
a pretty binding, or on subjects which he 
feels will be of interest to his patrons, and 
then says, "Please send me twenty sacks 
and labels for the return of the remainder," 
why, my dear friends, you know 
there is a point where even the Govern- 
ment of the United States is going to turn. 
If you all had 4,000,000 books piled away 
to accumulate vermin and dust, and you 
had 2,400 librarians in the country ask- 
ing you to take back more, perhaps you 
could appreciate the position of the Super- 
intendent of documents office. But that 
wouldn't be so bad if it were not for the 
lack of interest that the librarians take in 
the returns. I must say right here, as a 
member of the American Library Associa- 
tion and one who approves its methods, it 
can be said better than if I were an out- 
sider addressing you from the standpoint 
of the Government, that I certainly want 



to feel that librarians are careful of books, 
no matter whether they are Government 
publications or not. Now, my friends, we 
receive sacks of books from you, I don't 
say from you, but from libraries, where 
they take them and put all the boards in 
the bottom and chuck books on them, and 
tie up the sacks, and send them to us; and 
when we receive them, they are a mass of 
paper and board; they have to go in the 
waste paper; they can't be redistributed. 
One of the largest libraries in the United 
States returned us three sacks of books, 
and when they arrived they were in such 
condition that we had to consign them to 
waste paper. If the librarian is here, he 
will remember the incident. Now, we are 
endeavoring to establish a clearing house 
for Government publications, and in the 
near future we will circularize the libraries 
of the country, requesting them to inform 
us how many Government publications 
they have, how many they wish to keep, 
and how many they wish to send back, 
and then we will take these books from 
them, and we will have storage for them, 
and then we are going to send out lists of 
those books, and let you pick from the 
list such as you need to fill up sets. 

In return for all this, we are going to 
ask a favor. We are going to ask you to 
answer our questions. It should not be a 
very difficult matter to answer questions 
when they are printed on a sheet, and 
stated in good plain English. I want to 
give just one instance of a question that 
was answered, and see if you think it 
speaks well for the American Library 
Association or any member of it. In one 
of the circulars that I sent out some time 
ago, I made this inquiry: "Would you pre- 
fer to receive a simple priced list monthly 
(or monthly catalogue) and a comprehen- 
sive catalogue annually or biennially (docu- 
ment catalogue), or an extended monthly 
catalogue and no annual or biennial 
issue?" From a half dozen libraries in the 
country the answer came back, "\es." 
Those are interesting statistics to compile. 

I want to call your attention to the able 
Report of your Documents committee. All 



138 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



of you who are interested in public docu- 
ments and who want some information, 
will find it in that Report. Suggestions 
have been made there which you will find 
of value, and which I will say I believe in 
the future the American Library Associa- 
tion will be compelled to take up and act 
upon. 

You must remember that when we are 
distributing books for the United States 
Government, we are doing it under the 
process of law, please don't blame the 
Superintendent of documents; we didn't 
make the law; we are only acting under it. 
The law as it exists to-day is as illogical 
as it could possibly be, but we can not 
change the law. We can get it changed 
if we can obtain the cooperation of the 
libraries of the country, I believe, but the 
point to find out is, "What do we want," 
and then go about getting it. That is it. 
Don't sit down and write letters. It is very 
disagreeable to have to answer about 
twenty-four hundred inquiries every other 
day regarding some point of law, and we 
never seem to make ourselves plain. 

One point that I am sure will be brought 
up to-day is the loan of the books outside 
the institution. One would suppose that 
a librarian would know that that meant to 
treat all public documents exactly as you 
would every other reference work. That 
is the point we are trying to make. Treat 
them just as you do every other reference 
work in your library. Don't circulate 
them. Perhaps some libraries do circu- 
late their reference books; if so, circulate 
your public documents. The reason for 
quoting the law in the circular and de- 
manding that you abide by it, was that we 
found the public documents were circu- 
lated, and in a majority of cases where I 
investigated, they were very glad if the 
people never did return them. Now, re- 
member that these books are the prop- 
erty of the United States government. 
You are only depositories. They are only 
placed in your care for the use of the 
public, and the words, "Property of the 
United States government" are now 
stamped on every publication sent out by 



the Superintendent of documents office. 
I would like to ask, if I may, how many 
representatives of designated depositories 
are present? That is very gratifying, 
more gratifying than the answers we re- 
ceive to the questions. I hope you will 
excuse me if I seem to dwell upon that 
subject, but when you send out 50 ques- 
tions to the libraries of the country which 
are receiving the generous aid of Congress, 
just plain, simple questions, and not half 
of them reply, and you write and rewrite 
and they don't reply, then what are you 
going to do about it? It is a very dis- 
agreeable condition of affairs, because we 
want to compile statistics, we want to find 
out what you want, how you want them, 
and when you want them, and then we 
will do the best we can to supply you with 
what you want, when you want it, and 
how you want it. That is the best we 
can do. 

As to the new law, passed during the 
closing hours of the last session of Con- 
gress, I will say that it will do much for 
you as librarians. It removes from the 
sheep bound sets all the annual and serial 
publications, giving them to you in their 
first issues, and therefore you will not 
hereafter be forced to go through the 
sheep bound volumes to find them. As to 
the binding of the books in the future, I 
have nothing to say, because the matter 
is in the hands of the Joint Committee 
on printing, and it has not expressed 
its opinion as yet. But we want your 
own ideas. My idea would be voiced in the 
language of most librarians in this Associ- 
ation, that there could be nothing worse 
than sheep bindings, and if we can possi- 
bly change to a good class of cloth or 
buckram, we will be doing a good thing 
for the librarians, and will certainly be 
doing a good thing for Uncle Sam, be- 
cause we will be saving about $150,000 a 
year. 

Now, just a few more words, and then I 
will give way to discussion. As to the 
Superintendent of documents office, we are 
now engaged in compiling a check list of 
Government publications, which will cover 



DISCUSSION 



139 



supposedly every publication issued by 
the United States government. That Is 
only a supposition. We don't want to 
make any claims that we can't live up to. 
When you get these copies, if you are In- 
terested in Government publications, and 
if you find mistakes, which you will, or If 
you have additions, would it not be wise 
to cooperate with us in completing our 
check list and giving to the libraries a 
good manual of Government publications? 
Your corrections or suggestions are al- 
ways appreciated. 

We are now advertising Government 
publications in the newspapers, something 
that has never been done before. We 
have received from Congress an appropri- 
ation for this purpose, and I think you will 
find that these advertisements will do 
much toward popularizing Government 
publications and your calls for them will 
be increased. In order to keep pace with 
the progress being made by the Superin- 
tendent of documents office, you will have 
to have your books available, you can't 
keep them down in the cellar or up in the 
attics. I know that this condition exists 
in many places, because I have climbed 
up many dusty stairs and down many 
dingy cellars to look at the collections of 
Government publications. We are going 
to send you an attractive little poster, a 
very small thing, and ask you to put it up 
on your Bulletin Board. We are going to 
ask you in the future to interest the pub- 
lic in the fact that the Government litera- 
ture is available by the payment of the 
cost price from the office of the Superin- 
tendent of documents. We are going to 
ask you to segregate from the uninterest- 
ing material that which will be useful in 
your line and record it in your catalog 
for the use of your patrons. And further 
than that, we are going to ask you to 
answer a lot of questions in the very near 
future. Now, that means cooperation, and 
that is what we want. As I said before, 
we want to give you what you want, give 
It to you in the form in which you want 
it, if you will kindly let us know the par- 
ticulars. 1 hope that the discussion that 



follows will bring out facts as to what you 
want and how you want it, and I shall be 
glad, as the representative of the United 
States government, to answer the ques- 
tions as best I can. Please don't propound 
any questions of law. I am not a lawyer. 

Chairman ANDERSON: Mr Post's re- 
marks ought to prove provocative of use- 
ful discussion, and the Chairman of the 
Committee on Public documents has sug- 
gested that this address be followed by 
the discussion which is indicated at the 
bottom of the page of the program. I will 
therefore call upon Dr Steiner, of Balti- 
more. 

Dr STEINER: Mr Chairman, ladies and 
gentlemen: This subject of public docu- 
ments is an extremely important one, and 
I am glad it has been brought so clearly 
before us. I represent a depository li- 
brary, the date of whose beginning is lost 
in the mists of antiquity, for it took the 
place of an old library which gave up its 
depository collections, and the exact date 
of the transfer has been lost. From the 
foundation of our library some 22 years 
ago, we have been a depository of public 
documents and have received thousands 
of volumes as such a depository. One of 
the important things, it seems to me, with 
reference to public documents is the pro- 
per distribution of the depositories, which 
have been established in a very hap- 
hazard fashion. Libraries have been 
named as depositories according to 
the wishes or caprices of members of 
Congress. I believe there have been a few 
instances where they have been changed 
according to the wishes or caprices of 
members of Congress. In some states, 
there are important libraries which can 
not become depositories because the 
places are filled, and there are small li- 
braries which are depositories and where 
no care is taken of the books. One of 
the most important steps that can be 
made will be to have the depositories ar- 
ranged in some rational fashion. 

I was very glad, indeed, to hear Mr 
Post say that there should be union be- 
tween the American Library Association 



140 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



and the Documents office with reference 
to all these points. I believe that there 
should be a draft bill prepared which 
should be the basis of a bill to be intro- 
duced into Congress, that we ought to do 
a little political agitation in this matter, 
that we ought to come in contact with the 
Documents office, in cooperation with it 
and to achieve a good many changes 
which should be made. After our library 
came into existence and was opened in 
1886, we found that there were four de- 
pository libraries in Baltimore, the Mary- 
land historical society which had an old 
and very valuable set, as it had succeeded 
the Baltimore library company which was 
founded in 1796; the Johns Hopkins uni- 
versity and the Peabody institute library. 
It seemed, therefore, that one of the great- 
est services we could render the public is 
to make our public documents circulated 
as far as was needed to aid those who 
wish to take them from the library. We 
therefore classified those that were to be 
taken out in the ordinary classes of books 
leaving in the document class proper only 
such as were absolutely books of refer- 
ence and couldn't be used by anybody out 
of the library. This is rational, for why, 
for example, should the reports of the 
American historical association be consid- 
ered as reference books and not rather as 
monographs on historical subjects? They 
were cataloged, their titles were printed 
in our book list, they were used by the 
public and some of them considerably 
used, in the same way as any other books 
in the library's possession. We were 
legally wrong in doing this, but did so 
from the opening of our library. We 
should have abided by the law, but did 
not know this was the law. A year ago 
Mr Post commenced sending out the books 
In bags, and he called my attention to the 
fact by his circular that according to his 
interpretation of the law we had no right 
to circulate them. I looked up the statute, 
and think Mr Post is right. I haven't a 
word of complaint against Mr Post, but I 
have a very serious criticism upon the 
condition of things which is produced by 



the law, especially upon libraries in places 
where there are accessible to the people 
more than one depository. It may be wise 
to arrange so that books put in certain 
depository libraries be kept there, for 
reference so you will be sure if you go to 
that library to find the books, and that 
other libraries may be allowed to have the 
documents for circulation; in other words, 
that it may be desirable to have different 
rules for different depositories. 

We all desire books bound in something 
better than sheep binding, and we wish 
smaller volumes, each containing fewer 
documents. A volume of 3,000 or 4,000 
pages is too unwieldy to handle. If the 
same material were issued by the Govern- 
ment in more handy form, it would be 
more accessible to the people. I am also 
glad to hear that the Documents office is 
trying to do something to call the atten- 
tion of the people to the contents of pub- 
lic documents. I believe that we are ren- 
dering much less service to our patrons 
than we would render if we were able to 
call the people's attention more to what 
is in the public documents, but we must 
not forget a very serious question which 
is apt to be overlooked by the office, and 
that is, in all libraries especially those 
libraries with a small appropriation for 
cataloging and with a small shelving capa- 
city, the addition of several hundred vol- 
umes every year is a very serious problem 
Where shall we put those volumes which 
are supplied and how prepare them for 
use by the public? How shall we render 
them useful to the public when cataloged? 
That is something upon which much light 
is yet needed. There are many libraries, 
which will not be able to keep all the pub- 
lic documents in the coming years with 
the increased output of the Government 
printing office, and there will have to be 
more selection of documents, more partial 
depositories than there have been in the 
past. Some arrangement ought to be 
made whereby it shall be possible, that a 
library can select before the books are 
sent it the volumes which it wishes. I do 
not see why a law should not be enacted 



DISCUSSION 



that an advance list of documents shortly 
to be published be sent to the smaller li- 
braries, from which they may make selec- 
tion and avoid receiving documents they 
do not want, which they have neither 
place to keep, not force to catalog prop- 
erly, or, on the other hand, return them to 
Mr Post at the expense of the Government. 

Mr WADLIN: May I ask Mr Post a 
question? Did I understand him to say 
that if a library circulates its reference 
books, it may also treat its public docu- 
ments in the same way? 

Mr POST: Yes, sir, I said treat your 
public documents as you treat your refer- 
ence books. I think we can interpret the 
law as liberally as that. It says the books 
must be kept there. It says you must not 
loan your books, because we want them 
treated as you treat your reference books. 

Mr MONTGOMERY: Is that defined by 
law? I can't see how you put that inter- 
pretation upon it. I am willing to take 
your statement and propose to act accord- 
ingly, because we circulate all our refer- 
ence books, a large number of them, at 
least, and I should certainly wish to cir- 
culate the Government documents. We 
would have comparatively little use for 
them otherwise. 

Mr POST: What other interpretation 
can you possibly put upon the words, "and 
must not be removed?" You would be re- 
moving the public documents did you cir- 
culate them. 

Mr MONTGOMERY: You say if refer- 
ence books are sent out, these can be sent 
out. 

Mr POST: I am giving a liberal inter- 
pretation. I wouldn't circulate my refer- 
ence books, were I a librarian, but I would 
not drop a library from the list if its prac- 
tice was to circulate its reference books 
and it circulated its public documents also. 

Mr WADLIN: Another question. How 
is it your department can not send to its 
depositories reports as soon as they can 
be obtained from the departments? Why 
can't some arrangement be provided so you 
can do as rapid work as the Department 
can? 



Mr POST: Unfortunately, we are a 
branch of the Government printing office. 
The distributer and the producer should 
not be in the same office. The Departments 
receive their books first as a matter of 
courtesy, and the Superintendent of docu- 
ments always receives his last because he 
is a branch of the Government printing 
office. I will say further that if there is 
any shortage, he is the one who suffers. 
These reports have been sent to you bound 
in sheep and they were not bound until the 
other bindings were finished. We do not 
duplicate in the sending of books. If the 
books are to be sent to you in the Con- 
gressional set we do not send them in cloth 
also. Consequently, you can write to the 
Department and get a cloth bound copy 
quicker than you can get a sheep bound 
copy from us. But this new law does away 
with this delay. It says that the library 
edition shall be bound at the same time 
that the Department edition is bound. You 
will hereafter get your books in the future 
at just the same time that the Depart- 
ments get theirs. 

Mr WADLIN: That brings out another 
point, your binding your documents in dif- 
ferent forms, the Departments' in cloth, 
your binding in sheep. Now, we have long 
since been getting our books in black cloth 
and we want to keep that up. We can't 
get it through you. We write to the De- 
partment for a copy and ask them to give 
it to us in black cloth, as we are continuing 
that binding. They tell us to ask you, that 
as Government depositories we receive your 
copies, etc. There is only one way left, 
and that is to write our Senator, and ask 
him to put us on the list, and then we get 
it from the office at once and in the same 
form. 

Mr POST: Some librarian told me while 
here that arguing from the stamp, "Prop- 
erty of the United States government," 
which most of you don't like, he would 
write back and say, "The copy here be- 
longs to the United States government; I 
want a copy for the library." But now un- 
der the new law you will get the depart- 
ment edition, bound as the Joint committee 



U2 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



on printing shall direct. This committee 
is most interested in the libraries of the 
country. It is now operating as a Printing 
investigation commission, and, as such has 
obtained much remedial legislation. It 
stands ready to aid us in any way possible. 
No Congressional investigation commission 
on the subject of public printing has ever 
done one tenth the good which this Com- 
mission has accomplished, because in the 
first place its members are interested in 
the subject, and also because they enjoy 
the confidence of all their associates. You 
will hear more from this Commission in 
the future, as it is still at work. 

Mr BOSTWICK: Does the law say they 
shall not be removed from the library, or 
shall not be removed from the building? 

Mr POST: Where received, they shall 
not be removed from that place. 

Mr BOSTWICK: I should interpret that 
to mean, "from the library." When a book 
is circulated it is not removed from 
the library but removed from the 
building. 

Mr POST: I am afraid I should have to 
interpret it to mean that it shall not be 
removed from the building. 

Mr BOWKER: So long ago as the San 
Francisco conference, in 1891, this Associa- 
tion received and unanimously approved 
the report of the Government documents 
committee, of which I then happened to be 
Chairman, which outlined a better system 
of Government publications. It emphasized 
particularly the undesirability of the delay 
involved in the sheep series, and it is a 
matter of congratulation that the new law 
at last obviates that old difficulty, and ob- 
viates one of the difficulties of delay re- 
ferred to by Mr Wadlin. But I take the 
liberty of rising at this stage of the dis- ' 
cussion for a moment to emphasize ona 
thought brought out in that early report, 
the desirability of a graded system of de- 
positories. That of course involves a com- 
plete change in the present law, and a 
change in the method of designation by 
senators and representatives. The thought 
then was that there should be in each 
great section of the country one great 



library taking everything; that it ought 
to be possible then to have a selected list 
of documents which would be sent to other 
depositories, but that it ought also to be 
possible for each smaller depository to 
make its own individual selection of other 
documents. Of late years several of the 
Departments, or Bureaus, particularly the 
Forestry division and Census bureau, have 
adopted the system of a return post card, 
on which you are asked to say what par- 
ticular line of publications you desire, I 
speak not of libraries but of individuals 
or what specific volumes you wish, which 
saves the Government a great deal of 
money, and would save librarians a good 
deal of time, a system which I am quite 
sure under Mr Post's management the 
Superintendent of documents office will 
adopt as soon as the law authorizes it. 
What we have to do more and more in the 
years to come is to seek to cooperate with 
the Documents office, and bring Congress 
to a revision of the law which will at least 
make possible these improvements. I think 
perhaps there may be a misapprehension 
of something Miss Hasse said, for it should 
be remembered that ever since the creation 
of the office of Superintendent of docu- 
ments, first Mr Crandall and then Mr Fer- 
rell has met with us, and there has been a 
very hearty desire on both sides to co- 
operate. The whole difficulty has been not 
with the executive but with Congress. The 
executive officer is tied by the law, he 
can't do anything outside the law, no mat- 
ter how absurd the law. and what we have 
to work for now through our Committee on 
Public documents is a revision of the law 
itself. We want two things. We want a 
flexibility in the matter of depositories, so 
there will be depositories of several classes. 
We want also a flexibility in the handling 
of the documents themselves, which I am 
glad to say is largely made possible under 
the new law. When we get these two 
things we shall have a Government docu- 
ment system which will be most econom- 
ical from the point of view of the producer, 
and most useful from the point of view of 
the distributer. I will not re-emphasize 



DISCUSSION 



143 



the great value of the material locked up 
In Government and State and local docu- 
ments. They will become more and more 
valuable as the years go by. But a great 
burden is imposed both in the storing and 
the cataloging of public documents. I wish 
to add one more suggestion, that sooner 
or later there should be brought about a 
closer correlation between the card system 
of the Library of Congress and the office 
of the Superintendent of documents, so that 
simultaneously with the volume, and per- 
haps in the volume itself there may be sent 
to the libraries the proper analytic cards 
for the volume. I don't think there could 
be a greater saving to the libraries than a 
system of that sort. 

Mr S. S. GREEN: I am very much in- 
terested in the last suggestion of Mr Bow- 
ker. Although libraries which, like my 
own, make a large use of public documents, 
spend much time in cataloging them, this 
work would be better done and would 
serve for all libraries, if it is practicable 
for the Library of Congress to take hold 
of the matter, and send to libraries cards 
which are suitable for cataloging the dif- 
ferent issues of the Government. But there 
is one other thing which it seems to me 
would be of greater advantage, if it is prac- 
ticable, namely, that the Government should 
print a subject index of public docu- 
ments which have been issued already 
and keep it up to date. In a library 
where there is a large reference section, it 
Is only by long hunts that material can be 
unearthed which students desire; it would 
add immensely to ease in consulting docu- 
ments, and lead I believe to a very large 
popular use of documents as well as 
add greatly to the power of using them 
for purpose of reference, if a subject 
Index of the kind spoken of were printed, 
not only for documents as issued, which 
would be partially provided for by the 
adoption of the suggestion of Mr Bowker, 
but especially for the great mass of 
volumes which have already been issued. 
I want to ask Mr Post whether it would be 
practicable to do this work. He says there 
is soon to be issued a list of all documents 



that ever have been printed. We have 
had lists which proposed to do something 
very similar to that, before, in two cases, 
at least. Now, this large expenditure is 
to be made for another list of documents. 
1 should be very glad to have that list if 
thoroughly made and to have it perfected 
by the efforts of librarians, but I can not 
help thinking that the one pressing need is 
to open the contents of the documents that 
have been issued by a carefully prepared 
subject index, to be made not by some- 
body who wishes a job but by persons 
selected with especial regard to their com- 
petency to do good indexing. 

Mr POST: Let me say that the matter 
of completely cataloging United States Gov- 
ernment publications has many times been 
gone over. We have taken it under con- 
sideration, and made up statistics regard- 
ing it, and have come to the conclusion 
that the expenditure would be so enormous 
that we have not yet educated Congress to 
the point where they would make the ap- 
propriation. It would take probably ten 
competent catalogers ten years to make a 
catalog of the Government publications 
already printed. As far as a subject index 
is concerned, you will get that in the De- 
partmental lists, such as the Agricultural 
list which was issued some time ago; each 
Department being a book by itself and all 
the publications listed in the order in which 
they are classified in our library and in- 
dexed analytically. The books are all gone 
through. If you are familiar with the 
Agricultural list you know how thoroughly 
the work will be done, but that work will 
not be taken up until we have finished the 
simple check list of all the Government 
publications. This list will contain an In- 
dex to the titles of early Congressional 
papers as well as references to each of the 
series contained In the main part of the 
volumes, but the series themselves if num- 
bered will be listed only by number; If 
dated, by dates; a simple check list of Gov- 
ernment publications, and it will be a large 
volume. We have been, I should think, 
nearly three years working upon it, and 
Miss Hartwell, who has the work in charge, 



144 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



thinks she will be three years more before 
she gets through with it. 

Mr GREEN: Do you mean that the 
system which is adopted in the Agricultural 
department in regard to subject indexes 
will be adopted in all departments? 

Mr POST: The same thing in every de- 
partment as in the Agricultural. 

Mr GREEN: I understand that this work 
is to be done for documents to be issued. 
But is it not worth while, although it would 
take ten years and a large number of in- 
dexers, and cannot we bring pressure 
enough to bear on Congress (we will all 
help you) to have the thing done? Cer- 
tainly the work is worth doing. Consider 
the immense number of libraries through- 
out the country. Could the public docu- 
ments be made useful to the whole people 
through disclosing their treasures by means 
of a fine subject index, would not the 
benefits which would result be worth every- 
thing it will cost to make the subject 
index? 

Mr POST: They would, indeed, and the 
cooperation is just what we need. If you 
can interest your own representative in the 
fact that a general index or catalog to the 
United States government publications is 
what is desired, we can supply the expert 
assistance in time to do the work, and it 
would be certainly worth while. It would 
save its cost over and over again to the 
libraries of the country. 

Mr GREEN: How much appropriation a 
year do you want for ten years? 

Mr POST: I couldn't answer that off- 
hand. 

Mr BOWKER: Will Mr Post tell us as 
to this new check list, whether it will be 
chronological or numerical? 

Mr POST: It will be arranged accord- 
ing to departments first, and then accord- 
ing to the bureaus and series in the same 
order in which our books are classified. 
It will be arranged by this classification, 
and will give you for the first time the 
complete classification of Government pub- 
lications as worked out some years ago 
and applied to our library, which you all 
know is the largest collection of United 



States government publications in the 
world. As worked there it has been very 
satisfactory, and when we send out the 
check list containing the complete classifi- 
cation we shall recommend it to your use, 
so that in the future when the catalog of 
which Mr Bowker spoke is finally brought 
out, which it will be some day under the 
supervision of a central office; or when 
you get catalog cards for all Government 
publications instead of a selected few, 
then it will be possible to put the classi- 
fication numbers on the cards, and in that 
way aid greatly in the use of the catalog 
cards. This check list will be extended 
and reissued, for this is only to be a 
tentative affair, of which we invite your 
criticism. 

Chairman ANDERSON: I am afraid we 
shall have to postpone some of this dis- 
cussion. There are three or four impor- 
tant papers to come. Mr W. C. Lane, of 
Harvard university, will now speak to us. 

Mr LANE: I should like to emphasize 
one point, made by Mr Post, the relief 
it will be to have the annual reports 
withdrawn from the numbered series of 
Congressional documents. I suppose that 
the librarians of most large libraries have 
found it necessary to duplicate many of 
these annual reports for two reasons: (1) 
because the copies in the Congressional set 
are not received until long after publica- 
tion; (2) because they are scattered up and 
down through a chronological series of 
documents and so are not readily found. 
We get a second set in some other way, and 
we keep that set together and shelved ac- 
cording to its subject. If the numbered 
series includes these annual reports from 
year to year, we feel that we must keep our 
series complete. But if the series is to be 
broken up in this respect, we can select the 
sets that we want to keep up and disregard 
the others. Just so far as the Superin- 
tendent of documents can make it easy 
for libraries to do this, just so far he will 
be helping us out. 

Something has been said in regard to a 
provision of the new law that the smaller 
publications are to be distributed to libra- 



DISCUSSION 



145 



ries unbound. It seems to me that tills is a 
dangerous provision. If pamphlets come to 
us marked as the property of the United 
States Government, and if we are expected 
to exercise the same religious care toward 
them that is required of us in the case of 
volumes, we shall find it difficult to live 
up to the requirement. Yet if they come to 
us without that stamp, they are likely to 
be scattered, and not to be made easily ac- 
cessible. Certainly if they are to be cata- 
loged in the annual lists and indexed with 
the department publications, they ought to 
be bound up in volumes in such a way 
that they can be found when desired. 

I should like to bear witness to the truth 
of what Dr Steiner says in regard to cir- 
culation. Let us all try to get the text of 
the law changed in this respect. It is 
absurd to insist that libraries shall use 
only as reference books, books which are 
not reference books. Some of the govern- 
ment documents are properly reference 
books, and by reference books I suppose 
most of us mean books of the dictionary 
type which are subject to such constant 
call for immediate use that we keep them 
always at hand in the library. But the 
greater part of government documents are 
like other books, and ought to be lent just 
as freely as other books are lent. We 
shall value them more if they can be lent. 
If there is any one reason that diminishes 
their value in the eyes of the librarian, it is 
that they cannot be freely used. Perhaps 
the law should demand that, if they are 
lost or worn out, they shall be replaced at 
the expense of the library, but let us insist 
upon the point that we must be permitted 
to use them as freely and as effectually as 
any other books in our libraries. 

Mr POST: Documents "not of general 
public character" are not to be bound and 
sent to libraries. Libraries won't be ex- 
pected to keep them, that is, if they don't 
want to. 

Mr GREEN: What shall we do with 
them, return them, or what? 

Mr POST: We have tried to get out of 
the bound edition, things of local interest, 
like reports on the condemnation of can- 



non, which most libraries don't care for; 
we have taken them out of the binding so 
you can do what you please with them, and 
not lumber your shelves. We don't want 
unbound things like that back. 

Mr LANE: They are included In your 
annual index, of course? 

Mr POST: Yes, and most libraries want 
to keep them, but we won't hold you re- 
sponsible for them. 

Mr BOWKER: Are you obliged to send 
all of them to every library? 

Mr POST: Yes, at present. Some day I 
hope we can have a graduated distribution; 
but at present we do not allow librarians 
to discriminate. 

Dr STEINER: May I ask Mr Post why 
it is necessary to place the stamp "Prop- 
erty of the United States government" on 
things which we are allowed to throw 
away? It seems to me this gives a danger- 
ous discretion to the librarians. We re- 
ceive circulars from the Department of 
agriculture, for instance, with reference to 
the prevalence of Texas fever, one sheet 
stamped on one side "Property of the 
United States government." As long as 
that is so stamped, we have only a legal 
right to keep it or return it to Mr Post, 
and if you will omit the stamp on such 
things as you do not wish to be either re- 
turned or kept, it will relieve us from the 
exercise of a discretion which is dangerous 
and which I for one do not wish to be 
lodged in my hands. 

Mr POST: Dr Steiner is speaking of 
another class of literature. We expect the 
librarians to keep those you mention, not 
throw them away. We don't want him to 
return them. 

Being naturally of a retiring disposition 
myself, I don't like to go up to a librarian 
and suggest the subject of public docu- 
ments; but as I am here as the represen- 
tative of the Government, and the Docu- 
ments office, I shall be glad to see and talk 
with any librarian who wishes further 
light on the subject. 

There was next presented and read by 
title a paper by Mr W. R. REINICK on 



146 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



THE USE OF DOCUMENTS IN THE 
PUBLIC LIBRARY 

The work of some of the larger libraries 
has shown what can be done in this 
branch of library work, and there is no 
reason why any library should not collect 
what would be useful to their patrons. I 
know that if it is once started, the amount 
of work done will increase as they find 
the gold that is embedded beneath the 
dusty covers of documents. 

Now when the librarian has made up his 
mind to collect documents, the first thing 
is to consider how much space he can 
afford to allow. The weight is also a seri- 
ous question. Documents are generally 
printed on a heavy paper, and I think one 
shelf of documents would weigh two or 
three times as much as the books ordi- 
narily found in a library. 

Classes of documents to collect. The 
large library which does a large amount 
of reference work should collect all docu- 
ments, while in the case of the small li- 
brary, the librarian would have to use his 
judgment in selecting. Consideration 
should be given to the location of the li- 
brary and in what subjects the patrons of 
the library would be interested. Every 
library should collect the publications of 
the state and city in which it is located, 
especially those documents relating to the 
political history. 

It is the general opinion that a large 
edition of a document is always printed, 
and th.at at any time you want one, you 
can simply write for it. But when you 
write you generally find that you can only 
get reports for two or three years back, 
the rest having been disposed of. The 
reports of some of the geological surveys 
are sold at very high prices. Of course, 
the library will receive gifts of documents 
from time to time which will help to com- 
plete sets. In collecting United States 
government documents the librarian has 
the library designated as a depository, and 
by doing this believes that the library will 
receive all the publications of the govern- 
ment. But what a depository library re- 



ceives is only a part of the reports pub- 
lished, and he will only receive the pub- 
lications from the date that the library 
was so designated. The "Check-list" of 
public documents published in 1895 by the 
Superintendent of documents will give a 
useful list of publications issued before 
1895. Appendix 2 of this list gives a num- 
ber of catalogs of the different depart- 
ments and divisions of the government. 
After that date the "Catalogue of United 
States public documents", published 
monthly by the Superintendent of docu- 
ments, should be used, and until 1906 this 
list contained a cumulative index, after 
which date it was omitted. The only 
value of the "Monthly catalogue" to-day 
is to check up the publications which the 
library needs. The notes are very brief, 
and often when we write for a report we 
are asked to give more information. The 
catalog of the British Museum library 
gives about the best list of foreign publi- 
cations that I can think of. "State publi- 
cations", compiled by Mr R. R. Bowker, 
gives the most complete list of state docu- 
ments at present. I know of no publica- 
tion that would help with the publications 
of cities, except the catalog of the British 
Museum library. 

The foregoing will show how difficult It 
is for the librarian to know what docu- 
ments are being published. Now if we 
could only prevail upon the Library of 
Congress to publish a weekly or monthly 
bulletin of the publications of govern- 
ments, states and cities which they re- 
ceive, it would enable the librarian to 
know what has been published, and he 
could send for such publications as he 
thinks would suit the demands of his li- 
brary. This bulletin should also contain 
a list of papers contained in these reports, 
because the librarian would often pass by 
a report, which from its title did not seem 
to be of use to his library, but were the 
list of papers in each report given, he 
would often find a valuable addition to 
his library. I suggest that the Library of 
Congress take this up because I believe 
they receive documents from a larger 



REINICK 



147 



number of places than any other library, 
and in that way the list would be more 
complete. 

Classification. After the librarian has 
got a number of documents the question 
of classifying is brought up, and he con- 
eiders whether he should keep them to- 
gether or scatter them among the differ- 
ent classes into which his library is di- 
vided. When the Free library of Philadel- 
phia first started to collect documents 
they were scattered according to the 
Dewey classification, but it was not long 
before this was found inconvenient, and 
they were then collected in the Public 
documents department. By this arrange- 
ment the student or assistant did not have 
to go to two or three floors for the publica- 
tions that were wanted. A system of 
classification was then invented by which 
the publications were divided into States, 
Cities and National governments. In the 
case of the United States, on account of 
the larger number of publications, the 
names of the departments were used in- 
stead. By this simple arrangement the 
publications of each division are kept by 
themselves. 

Cataloging. In making use of docu- 
ments most libraries, instead of catalog- 
ing the reports, are apt to depend upon 
the numerous catalogs which are pub- 
lished by the different divisions of the 
governments. These, when published, are 
generally a number of years behind. Some 
have no indexes and in others the refer- 
ences are incorrect. I have found that 
very few persons will take the trouble to 
go through these lists, and if they do they 
are generally unable to understand the dif- 
ferent systems, and are also disappointed 
by the fact that the references that they 
do find are not up to date. After a few 
experiences of this kind they have no 
further use for documents. In the Free 
library of Philadelphia all the reports and 
important papers contained in them are 
cataloged under author, subject and also 
title when it seems necessary. If the li- 
brary has only a limited amount of money 
to spend upon the cataloging of docu- 



ments, I think that the labor could best be 
spent upon the "Subject catalog", as from 
personal experiences I find that the ma- 
jority of people ask for reports upon a 
specific subject. I also believe that it is 
a mistake in cataloging to write the en- 
tire title on a card; as for instance: 
"Message from the President of the 
United States, transmitting a report ac- 
cording to a Resolution of Congress, 
passed June 13, 1876, from the Secretary 
of the Treasury upon the frauds of the 
Alaska custom house". There are hun- 
dreds of reports upon the customs service 
of the United States, and a person would 
spend an hour looking over these cards 
for the particular report which he wanted, 
whereas if the card read "Alaska custom 
house frauds, June 13, 1876" he could 
have it in a few minutes. If he has to 
make use of the title in a report he will 
always look up the document. The pri- 
mary use of the catalog is for the public, 
and I think that the placing of such long 
titles as most documents have, tends to 
confuse rather than assist the public. 

We have never been ambitious enough 
to catalog the papers contained in the 
"Congressional globe" and "Congressional 
record". Hardly a day passes, without 
somebody trying to use them, but after 
one look at the number of indexes which 
they have to go through, they generally 
give it up. There are some valuable 
papers contained in these series, and they 
could be made of use if the Superinten- 
dent of documents or the Library of Con- 
gress would undertake to make an index 
for them. 

In making serial cards we tried to place 
the cards in the catalog and mark upon 
them the numbers received, but as we 
were receiving thousands of publications 
every month, it was found impossible to 
keep up with this work satisfactorily, and 
instead of that we placed a card for each 
serial in the catalog with the following 
upon it 

"A list of Annual reports of the United 
States Treasury department contained in 



148 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



the Free library may be referred to in the 
Public documents department." 

As this refers to our check-list which is 
always kept up to date the person would 
be able to find out the latest reports con- 
tained in the library in a few minutes. 
This check-list is also used to keep track 
of the dates when publications are re- 
ceived, and enables us to write for reports 
whenever we think they are due. The 
librarian must not think for a minute, that 
when he makes a request for his library 
to be placed upon the mailing list, that that 
is all there is to do. He will be surprised 
to see how soon the publications are not 
being received. Mailing lists are constantly 
being destroyed and revised. 

In cataloging we make two sets of cards, 
one being placed in the Main Library and 
the other in the Public documents depart- 
ment. 

Whenever the person has found out 
where the documents department is, he will 
always go there for documents. As the 
titles of Divisions and Boards are con- 
stantly changing, I think the most sensible 
way of making cards is as follows: Annual 
report of the Fish commissioners of Maine, 
1870-1875, and when there is a change of 
title made, mark on the same card "Con- 
tinued as the Annual report of the Fish 
commission," and so on with a cross refer- 
ence from these changes to the first title. 

Use. No reference work worth speaking 
of can be done without referring to docu- 
ments. Every compiler of an encyclopedia, 
year book, editor of a newspaper, etc. has 
to depend upon these reports as authority 
for the statement which they make. The 
manufacturer has to depend upon these re- 
ports for his prices, new discoveries, in- 
ventions, and in finding a market for his 
goods. Governments and states are con- 
stantly making investigations on numerous 
subjects, the cost of which would prohibit 
most people undertaking. The results of 
these investigations are then published in 
different reports, and the library that keeps 
its document collection up to date, is able 
to give the public more recent data than 
the reference book, as very often the refer- 



ence-book has hardly been published before 
there are later government reports made 
upon subjects contained in it. All the 
cataloging of the documents in the Free 
library is done by assistants in the de- 
partment in which the documents are kept. 
Besides cataloging, these assistants also 
do the reference work. I think that this 
combination of cataloging and reference 
work, gives the assistants a better knowl- 
edge of the documents in the library, and 
causes them to become of more value to the 
public. 

Irregularities. The following are some 
of the snags that the librarian strikes in 
collecting documents. 

A good many of the reports are con- 
stantly changing in size, one number 
being an octavo and the next a quarto and 
probably the next an oblong octavo, etc. 
This causes confusion in placing the books 
upon the shelves, as most libraries have 
their quartos separated from the octavo 
size. 

The manner of publishing revised bulle- 
tins Is also troublesome. It is generally 
given the same number as the original 
edition and marked revised, as in the case 
of the Farmer's bulletins of the United 
States Department of agriculture. The 
library that has bound up the first fifty 
numbers will soon commence to receive re- 
visions and will have to go to the expense 
of having the volume of bulletins rebound. 
There is no reason why these bulletins 
should not be numbered continuously, and 
simply state on them that it is a revision 
of a preceding bulletin number 43. 

The binding on the documents when re- 
ceived is another trouble. They are gener- 
ally bound in such a poor manner that they 
fall apart in a very short time, and in the 
case of the sheep leather which is used in 
a large number of documents, they soon 
rot. The lettering is bad or the title on the 
outside is different from that on the title 
page, especially when it relates to dates. 
The average collection of documents, un- 
less taken care of, will soon have a very 
bad appearance. The general appearance 
of most document collections have doubt- 



GILL 



H9 



less influenced other libraries from starting 
a collection. 

I have tried to do away with some of 
these troubles by putting all paper-bound 
reports in a cheap pamphlet box. The 
title is then typewritten for these boxes, 
pasted upon them and shellacked. A title 
is also made for the books when they have 
no title on the back, or if the title is in- 
correct or indistinct. By taking the extra 
time necessary in shellacking, the collection 
is given a neater appearance, and since we 
started to shellac a number of years ago, 
there has been no occasion to replace any 
of these labels on account of their being 
soiled. 

Newspapers frequently publish extracts, 
stating that some department of the gov- 
ernment has just Issued a report on a 
subject. Perhaps the same day a person 
comes in and wants to see this report. 
When you tell him that it is not in the col- 
lection, he naturally thinks that the work 
of the department is very badly managed. 
We then write to the department for the 
report, and most likely receive a polite let- 
ter stating that as we are a depository 
library it cannot give us a separate 
copy of this report, but that we shall 
receive it in due course of time from the 
Superintendent of documents, and the date 
of receiving this from the Superintendent 
of documents will be some months after 
the report was first published. There cer- 
tainly should be some manner of arrang- 
ing the distribution of documents, by 
which the library that is working in this 
line could receive the documents as soon 
as they are published. 

In conclusion I would state that the pub- 
lic would soon become interested in docu- 
ments if the librarian would do a little 
missionary work. Most libraries have a 
special place where all the latest additions 
to the library are placed. He could include 
with these, such documents as the Annual 
report of the Smithsonian institution, De- 
partment of commerce and labor, Depart- 
ment of agriculture, etc. By referring to 
documents whenever possible for refer- 
ence, the public would soon notice the im- 



portance of these publications in reference 
work and commence to use them. 

In the Free library of Philadelphia be- 
fore my cataloging work was done, about 
two or three persons a day asked to look 
at documents, but since the documents 
have been arranged and cataloged in a 
systematic manner, the number of persons 
using the department averages from 500 to 
900 a month, notwithstanding the fact that 
the department is in an inconvenient place 
and is not open in the evening. Besides 
this we are constantly receiving letters re- 
questing references. 

Chairman ANDERSON: We will next 
have the paper of Mr HENRY M. GILL of 
the New Orleans public library on 

OBSTACLES TO A PROPER USE OF 

DOCUMENTS BY DEPOSITORY 

LIBRARIES 

When Miss Hasse invited me to prepare 
this paper, she requested that I should to 
some extent show how the southern libra- 
ries had endeavored to solve the difficult 
document problem. I wrote to about 50 
libraries in the South, and received re- 
plies from every state. I was very much 
pleased to learn the faithfulness with 
which these libraries have endeavored to 
fulfill their trusts as depositories. The 
difficulties are, of course, not peculiar to 
any particular section of the country, but 
are more or less intensified according to 
the wealth or restricted financial condition 
of a community. 

Government documents present nearly 
all of the difficulties that other books do, 
and, in addition, many others that are 
characteristically their own. The .first 
difficulty that naturally suggests itself for 
consideration is that of acquisition. The 
serious and systematic collection of docu- 
ments for a specialized public documents 
library was begun but a few years ago. 
The gravity of the undertaking is shown 
by the fact that in the last ten years the 
New York public library has acquired 185,- 
000 pieces of documentary literature. It 
takes no small amount of research to 



150 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



ascertain what check-lists and bibliograph- 
ical lists that may be used as checklists 
have been published, and then consider- 
able labor and time to go through them 
and learn where one's library is deficient. 
Many pamphlets, such as the "Experiment 
station record," "Farmers' bulletin" and 
"Monthly weather review," are not later 
published, and, even with the greatest of 
care, some of them will be misplaced or 
lost. There is no provision for the regu- 
lar supply of reports and publications not 
included in the numbered series, and even 
the Superintendent of documents finds it 
hard to procure them for the Documents 
library. The Superintendent of docu- 
ments receives about 500 copies of docu- 
ments for distribution to depository libra- 
ries. If the records in his office show that 
a copy has been mailed to a library, al- 
though a clerk may have failed to send it, 
or may have misdirected it, or it may 
have been lost in the mail, there is no 
warrant in law for its replacement, and 
the unfortunate library will have to buy 
its copy. 

The numerous sources from which docu- 
ments are distributed are very confusing 
and result often in loading down a library 
with duplicates. In the last ten years one 
million duplicates have been returned or 
offered for return to the Superintendent of 
documents by libraries. In one of the re- 
ports of the Superintendent the statement 
is made that, by leaving the entire distri- 
bution of the Tenth census and the Mes- 
sages and papers of the Presidents to the 
Department of the Interior and the Super- 
intendent of documents respectively, dupli- 
cation between members of congress was 
prevented to the extent of 85,000 volumes. 
One of the odd features of this multiplex 
distribution is the sale of the same docu- 
ment at different prices by different agen- 
cies. Congress has attempted a mild re- 
form by providing that any office having 
documents for sale might, if it wished, 
turn them over to the Superintendent of 
documents; only one office has ever 
adopted that suggestion. The very make 
up of government documents furnishes a 



problem for solution. They are so uneven 
in size that many libraries for that reason 
are forced to separate books that natu- 
rally belong together. 

Prior to 1861 the printing and binding 
was done in a very unsystematic manner. 
Many documents were omitted in the bind- 
ing of them, and perhaps no complete set 
of documents exists. The Superintendent 
of documents is now taking the docu- 
ments from several volumes and binding 
together in the hope of securing a perfect 
collection. The title-pages of the earlier 
publications are very defective and in a 
number of cases are entirely missing. 
Titles have been used by offices when they 
had no authority for their employment. 
An instance of this latter is to be found 
in some of the earlier publications of the 
Commissioner of education. It is not un- 
common to find that the binder's title and 
the title-page do not correspond. Some 
title-pages indicate the most flagrant care- 
lessness. There is no excuse for a 
title announcing an "Index to Senate docu- 
ments in fourteen volumes." At present 
the greatest trouble with titles comes 
from their unnecessary elaborateness and 
their frequent changes. It may be useless 
to protest against the repeated exchange 
of powers and duties among existing bu- 
reaus and divisions, or the creation of 
new offices to assume the functions of pre- 
viously existing ones, but it seems to me 
that beyond meeting these changes the 
titles of a particular department should 
be made uniform. It is a little confusing 
to pick up a report of the Land office and 
find as title of the annual report of the 
Commissioner of the General land office 
"Annual reports of the Department of the 
Interior," with a sub title "Report of the 
Commissioner of the General land office"; 
and then to later find the bureau edition 
adding to these titles the words "Report 
of the Secretary of the Interior" and con- 
taining instead of 479 pages, as the other 
edition does, 484 pages with an added pre- 
face of cxlvii pages. 

Even the numbers of the reports 
have not been permitted to run along 



GILL 



smoothly. The "usual number" of reso- 
lutions, simple and concurrent, are no 
longer printed. This leaves gaps in 
the numbers in the bound volumes of 
House and Senate reports. Mr Ferrell re- 
commended that this hiatus be prevented 
by giving special numbers to these reports. 
When the act of Jan 12, 1895, was passed, 
and no provision was made for the distri- 
bution of House and Senate journals to 
depository libraries, the serial numbers 
were dropped. Beginning, however, with 
the second session of the 55th Congress 
the serials were restored. For years the 
division of volumes into numbers and 
parts has been objected to, but no better 
plan seems to have suggested itself. Mr 
Reinick's objections to classifying govern- 
ment documents by the Dewey system 
would, most of them, it seems to me, ap- 
ply equally to any of the other usual sys- 
tems of classification. The employment 
of the Dewey system, he says, "Would 
break up and scatter series such as the 
Smithsonian miscellaneous collections; (2) 
The same volume contains widely differ- 
ent subject matter; (3) Most people do 
not know the author or title but do know 
the series of public document wanted; (4) 
The number of decimal figures for state 
and municipal documents would be so 
numerous as to be clumsy." 

The arrangement of departmental sets 
by one continuous alphabet, or by depart- 
ments both have serious objections. I see 
no objection, however, to keeping the Gov- 
ernment documents in a collection by 
themselves, especially when the deposi- 
tory is a circulating library. In such a 
library we separate the reference collection 
and the children's books. A special ref- 
erence collection would not, therefore, seem 
so illogical. 

The greatest difficulty in the use 
of Government documents is found in 
indexing and cataloging them. Fault is 
found freely by librarians with nearly 
every bibliographical list, checklist and 
catalog from Greely and Poore to our pres- 
ent Document index and Document catalog. 
Indexes to sets and even to individual vol- 



umes are found defective and inadequate. 
In 1903 Mr Falkner selected the "Con- 
gressional record" as an example and rec- 
ommended that a better subject index be 
made. Mr Ames's "Comprehensive index" 
has been criticized for the same reason, 
"The subject headings," says one writer, 
"leave much to be desired; in fact the ab- 
sence of cross references or any corrella- 
tion of headings reduces the work to a 
mere catch-word title index. There is no 
heading "Bibliography," "Catalogs" or "In- 
dexes," any or all of which might have 
served a useful end." The different indexes 
are made still more difficult to use by lack 
of uniformity, in even such little matters 
as abbreviations Ames and Crandall differ. 
Far more aggravating than the defects of 
the individual lists and catalogs is the con- 
siderable number of them that one must 
go through before being convinced that the 
subject or topic looked for cannot be found. 
Mr Ferrell, in emphasizing this fact that 
there are many catalogs but none complete 
or correct, calls attention to the cost of 
publishing Government documents for the 
first hundred years of our history, and 
shows that though the expenditure amount- 
ed to 100 million dollars the Government 
did not, during all that time, make any 
attempt to publish an analytical catalog. 

Until recently the cataloging of Govern- 
ment documents has been considered chiefly 
with reference to author headings. The al- 
phabetical arrangement of authors widely 
separated kindred material and was un- 
satisfactory in other ways. The contro- 
versy over inversion or non-inversion is 
still undecided. Lately, far more atten- 
tion is being paid to the subject catalog. 
The usual subject headings are frequently 
unsatisfactory. The exceedingly technical 
character of public documents renders it 
difficult to always adapt them to headings 
that were adopted without much considera- 
tion of government literature. As one 
writer remarks, Miss Hasse's "Handbook 
for the cataloguer of the United States 
government publications" will help to sur- 
mount some of these difficulties, and then 
he adds facetiously, it may seem to some 



152 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



of you, but only too tragically true for 
most of us, "if you have the cataloger." 

A few nights ago I noticed a paragraph 
by Mr Roden. It was a psalm of rejoicing 
after a period of long suffering, "Only 
within the last few months have we been 
vouchsafed a glimpse of the promised land 
in the printed cards for the current docu- 
ments henceforth to be issued by the Docu- 
ment office In Washington, after a full 
forty years wandering in the wilderness 
which, unaided, we found ourselves so sad- 
ly unable to subdue." These words of tri- 
umph seem now to be surrounded by an 
atmosphere of mingled pathos and humor, 
for, hardly had they been uttered when 
the Document offioe, more cruel than the 
Amorites and the Canaanites, rudely 
thrust the singer back into his wilderness 
of despair. The cards that the Superin- 
tendent began to issue in full sets were 
found to be too expensive and the office 
could not sell them without the authoriza- 
tion of Congress. The government owes it 
to the depositories to furnish them with an 
ample supply of catalog cards. The money 
that is being spent by libraries in caring 
for public documents is a very considerable 
sum. Miss Hasse has calculated that at 
the rate estimated by the Superintendent 
of documents as the cost of properly cata- 
loging these publications, if there are only 
fifty depositories whose collections run 
back to 1817, they should have expended 
in cataloging alone seven and one quarter 
millions of dollars. To this must be added 
the cost of cataloging in the more recently 
created depositories. To this we must 
further add the expense of shelving, clean- 
ing, binding and attendants' salaries. The 
shelf room is no inconsiderable item, it 
takes each year 96 feet of shelving to hold 
a depository's supply of documents. 

The only way to remedy many of the 
evils above enumerated is to revolutionize 
the government publishing and distributing 
systems. The continued pressure of all the 
libraries in the country brought to bear on 
the Senators and Representatives might 
in the course of many years accomplish 
this. The Document office should be made 



the sole publisher of all the government 
works, with power to determine the size 
of the volumes, what shall be put in each 
volume, the system of paging and indexing, 
the numbering of documents and serials, 
the title pages and -binders' title and, in 
short, every detail concerning the physical 
make-up of all these books. If this change 
could be made the saving to the govern- 
ment would be enormous. There would no 
longer be need of separate sheep and cloth 
sets, but could be one cloth edition. Ma- 
terial that is now repeated in three or even 
four different places would then be printed 
once, thus, by reducing the bulk of the 
documents, saving money both for the 
government and the depository. The Su- 
perintendent of documents should be made 
the only distributing agent for Govern- 
ment publications and thus prevent indi- 
viduals and libraries from being burdened 
with duplicates as they now so frequently 
are. 

If no great change can be made in the 
present method of publication, we should 
make a united effort to secure for the Su- 
perintendent of documents the authority 
to have a given report, document, etc., 
printed but once. It would be a decided 
improvement if the volumes of Documents 
were each paged continuously and provided 
with a table of contents indicating on 
which page each document could be found. 
If this cannot be done, then the document 
number should be printed on each page as 
was formerly the practice. 

A hand-book of Government documents, 
printed by the government, would be of 
great assistance. It should contain a brief 
historical sketch of the various depart- 
ments, bureaus, divisions, offices, commis- 
sions, etc., together with a list of their 
present powers and duties; a digest of the 
several reports of the Superintendents of 
documents; a digest of the reports of the 
A. L. A. Committee on Public documents; 
a digest of the best magazine articles on 
the subject; a digest of such articles as 
Mr Lane's "Aids in the use of Govern- 
ment publications" and Mr Wyer's "U. S. 
Government documents;" all rules for cata- 



AUSTEN 



153 



loging that are departures from the usually 
accepted rules for general cataloging; a list 
of subject headings and other information 
that would seem to be necessary. Some 
lesser reforms, but all beneficial, would be 
to make the books 'more uniform in size; 
to bind together, as far as possible, only 
kindred subjects; to abandon the practice 
of dividing a title into volumes, these vol- 
umes into parts and the parts into vol- 
umes; to mark plainly as such all circulars 
of information or any other sheets that are 
not intended to be kept permanently, and 
to print "Not likely to be published In 
any other form" on all pamphlets that are 
not usually contained in other publications. 
We should endeavor to secure from the 
Superintendent of documents the authority, 
when a document sent to a depository has 
miscarried, to replace the lost copy. I 
hope that the Superintendent of documents 
will not be unmindful of his promise to 
hasten the publication of a new check-list. 
The great work, however, that the deposi- 
tories should take hold of as a united body 
is the securing from the government the 
means of cataloging their collections. Mr 
Ferrell recently reported that he had already 
collected data for nearly 4,000 documents, 
covering the period from 1789-1905, and that 
in the course of six years at a cost of about 
$27,000 per year he could complete an "Ana- 
lytical dictionary catalog of all Government 
publications, 1789-1893," and a "Topical in- 
dex to the proceedings and debates in Con- 
gress, 1789-1905." In spite of the cost, the 
publication of these works should be un- 
dertaken. Either this should be done or a 
card section should be created in the Docu- 
ment office to supply catalog cards in suffi- 
cient numbers to every depository library. 
At the very least cards should be supplied 
by the Superintendent for all current docu- 
ments. We should assist him in securing 
the authority from Congress to issue cards 
in sufficient numbers and if necessary 
charge for them. I believe that most de- 
pository libraries would realize that it 
would be cheaper to buy the cards than to 
try to do their own cataloging unaided. It 
would be impossible in a 15. minute paper to 



do more than touch lightly on the various 
phases of the document problem and I have, 
therefore, considered the subject without 
technical intricacy or detail. 

A paper was next read by Mr WILLARD 
AUSTEN, of Cornell university library, on 

CONGRESSIONAL BILLS AND RE- 
PORTS IN LIBRARIES 

I come to you to-day with the thought of 
getting into our program what seems to be 
a new idea in connection with Govern- 
ment documents that it may take root here. 
It is hard for one who comes from a library 
where the Government documents are so 
much used as they are with us to realize 
what a burden Government documents are 
to most libraries. And yet one must bo 
convinced after all one hears that that is 
the case. To be sure, Government docu- 
ments, even with us, are not used as 
much as they might be, for unfortunately 
there is but one Miss Hasse there are no 
duplicates we don't have a copy, and we 
can't do the work which she is able to do 
in her field. One of the thoughts that un- 
derlies her paper with reference to the need 
of documents, struck me with great force, 
and that is for those librarians that really 
have need for them to be able to buy them, 
and therefore to be able to use them just 
as they wish to without the restriction of 
their being the property of the government 
of the United States. When the Superin- 
tendent of documents began to send forth 
the documents with the words "Property of 
the U. S. government" stamped thereon, 
intending thereby to restrict their use to 
within the library, it struck consternation 
to us and to our users. We said, "We can't 
do this, it is going to interfere with the 
best use of the Government documents." 
Not that we wanted to circulate them in 
the way that we would novels. There was no 
very pressing demand on the part of fresh- 
men to take them home under their arms 
for Sunday reading, but one of the greatest 
uses that we make of the Government docu- 
ments is made in the laboratory of econo- 
mic and social sciences, and that is out 



154 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



of our library. Unfortunately, our library 
isn't large enough to contain all the de- 
partments that use our books. To be sure, 
it is not more than an eighth or a quarter 
of a mile away from the library, but we 
were not sure that we were allowed to use 
them in that way, so we asked Mr Post for 
a ruling on this, and with Mr Post's gen- 
erosity he held that that was a perfectly 
proper use. I was glad when he extended 
the use of Government documents to such 
uee as is made of other reference books, 
for I believe in being very generous with 
reference books, and while I wouldn't allow 
a volume of our "Encyclopaedia Britannica" 
to go out to remaia two weeks, I would 
if the occasion arose, allow it to go out 
to remain over night, or over Sunday, and 
I shall be glad to do that with Government 
documents. Now, in spite of the fact that 
documents are not used, not wanted, it 
devolves upon me to ask for more than we 
get. There is one class of Government 
documents, the bills and resolutions, which 
libraries do not get. So far as my informa- 
tion goes, but three libraries in the United 
States get these: the Congressional library, 
of course, and the John Crerar and the 
New York public in exchange. For many 
years I for one, and it seems that others 
also, have felt the need of copies of the 
bills and resolutions that were being dis- 
cussed before Congress. The law did not. 
provide for their distribution and we felt 
helpless. We didn't know that there was 
any way to get them, and so the matter 
had gone by without much consideration. 
In discussing this matter with the men who 
are most likely to use them, with us, I 
found a condition which made me some- 
what ashamed. In talking with Professor 
Jenks, whom many of you know and who 
Is a Government official to a certain ex- 
tent, and who has occasion to use this 
material, he said, "I have been using those 
for years." I asked, "How did you get 
them?" "I sent to Washington and got 
them." In talking to Director Bailey, of 
our Agricultural department, who likewise 
has occasion to use this material, he like- 
wise said, "Of course, I knew the library 



didn't have these things, and therefore 1 
send to Washington or go to Washington 
and get them." Many students who had 
been required to do certain work which 
required these things, did likewise. I was 
ashamed, because here was something 
which the library ought to have supplied 
to the people who were taking all this ex- 
tra effort to get the material themselves. 
This matter, as you know, first came very 
prominentlj T to public notice and to our 
notice as librarians through a communica- 
tion to the "Library Journal" by Dr 
Thwaites. I had some correspondence with 
Dr Thwaites, and he sent me this letter, 
which is a contribution to the need for this 
material, and which I will read to you at 
this time: 

Madison, WIs., April 13, 1907. 
Wlllard Austen, Esq. 

Ithaca, New York. 

My dear Mr Austen: I have your favor of the 
10th. There Is such a constant demand In our 
library for the general bills and resolutions of 
Congress, which are referred to in the "Con- 
gressional globe," but are not given, that last 
December I took up the matter with our Sena- 
tor Spooner. The Senator conferred with the 
Senate Committee on printing, but could get 
nothing out of them further than the fact that 
propositions to furnish these to libraries had 
"been before the committee previous to this, 
but that nothing had been done about them." 

The Senator then took up the matter with tht 
Librarian of Congress, who corresponded with, 
me directly about it, and a good many letters 
have passed between us since that date. It 
appears that there is no provision of law by 
which the bills and resolutions of Congress can 
be obtained by any library except by courtesy 
of some member of Congress, who will take 
the trouble to send to the document room for 
them and forward them under his frank. 

The Library of Congress receives by law five 
copies of each bill and resolution. Three of 
these it retains for its own use; the two re- 
maining sets, or rather, a selection from them 
of such as are of public interest, are sent to 
the John Crerar library and the New York 
public library on exchange account an arrange- 
ment made in 1901. David Thompson, Chief of 
the Division of documents in the Library of 
Congress, writes: "The great bulk of the series 
of bills for each congress consists of private 
bills, to grant or increase pensions, for the 
relief of various persons, to correct military or 
naval records, etc. which only are of interest to 
the beneficiary. The public bills are relatively 
few, and there is a growing public interest 
In them. I think it is desirable that they 
ehould be numbered in a separate series, dis- 
tributed to libraries, and' offered for subscrip- 
tion to individuals as in Great Britain." 

It appears that it takes a great deal of time 
at the Library of Congress to select the bills 
and resolutions of general interest from those 
of special character. 

My thought is that at the next session we 
might induce Congress to pass a resolution 



AUSTEN 



155 



authorizing the Library of Congress to send 
these selected bills and resolutions to subscrib- 
ing libraries who are already depositaries of 
public documents. I gathered from Dr Putnam, 
although he does not directly say so, that he 
would be favorable to such an arrangement. 

Very few of the depositary libraries really 
need this material. In our part of the country, 
at least, many of these depositaries practically 
waste their public documents and do not know 
what to do with them. In Wisconsin there ar 
but two libraries the Milwaukee public and 
our own that can properly use the bills and 
resolutions aforesaid. When I say "our library," 
I include, of course, the State university library, 
as In our scheme of differentiation we look after 
the public document side and the University 
does not. It is quite probable that not to ex- 
ceed thirty of the largest reference libraries in 
the country would care to subscribe for this 
material. It would be a very good way of sift- 
ing out, for this purpose, the unimportant de- 
positary libraries. 

This is the extent to which the correspondence 
has gone, so far as I am concerned. I had 
intended to interest Senator La Follette in the 
matter previous to the winter session, and one 
or two Congressmen from Wisconsin who might 
be particularly concerned in our behalf. 

This matter might well come up and be 
threshed out as fully as possible at the pro- 
posed conference relative to public documents, 
to be held at Asheville. I am exceedingly sorry 
that I cannot be present, as I spend the sum- 
mer in Europe. However, we all have a com- 
mon interest In this matter, and I feel quite 
sure that it will be looked after very thoroughly 
by those of you who are present. 
Yours very cordially, 

R. G. THWAITES, Sec. and Supt. 

Then another brief letter with reference 
to this matter I have from Mr Herbert 
Putnam, that throws a little additional 
light. He says: 

April 18, 1907. 
Dear Mr Austen: 

I cannot answer your inquiry of the 16th bet- 
ter than by enclosing to you a copy of part of 
a letter which I addressed to Senator Spooner 
on February 12th, in answer to Inquiry from 
him as to what might be done. 

I am a little puzzled by your understanding 
from Dr Thwaites that the Library of Congress 
could undertake to distribute the material to 
subscribing libraries. If the material is to be 
selected by or within the Library of Congress, 
the distribution could be made from here, but 
if the selection is to be outside and upon a 
subscription basis, the distribution would, of 
course, be naturally made outside, and I should 
question whether we could with propriety as- 
sume it. 

I have not, however, given any special con- 
sideration to the questions involved, nor shall I 
be able to at present, as I am going abroad next 
week and shall not be at the Conference at 
Asheville. If, however, the question be dis- 
cussed at Asheville, and methods proposed, I 
should be interested later to aid in further con- 
sideration of them and In the actual conduct 
of the work, in so far as the opportunity may 
seem open to this Library, to cooperate. 
Faithfully yours, 

HERBERT PUTNAM, 
Mr Wlllard Austen, Librarian Congress. 

Ref. Librarian, Cornell University, 
Ithaca, N. T. 



The letter from Senator Spooner I will 
just read in order to get before you as 
much as we are able at this time of what 
has been done thus far. This is the let- 
ter to Senator Spooner from Mr Putnam: 

February 12, 1907. 
My dear Senator Spooner: 

You referred to me yesterday a note receives 
by you from Dr R. G. Thwaites of the State 
historical society of Wisconsin. He asks 
whether there could be any arrangement 
which the principal libraries of the country 
could be supplied with a full set of the bills 
and resolutions of the Senate and House as 
they are printed from time to time. You ask 
whether I know of any way in which this deslra 
could be gratified. The following suggest them- 

(a) These documents might be by resolution 
added to the list of government publications 
now, under act of 1895, supplied to the deposi- 
tory libraries. 

The objection to this course would be that 
among the depository libraries (over 500 in num- 
ber) there are few indeed which could handle 
or accommodate these documents conveniently 
or put them to good use. 

(b) A Joint resolution might provide for th 
distribution of a full set to every State library 
in the United States. 

This would not in every state place the set 
In the largest library or perhaps the one most 
anxious to receive it. In New York state, for 
instance, it would omit the great libraries of 
New York City, in favor of the State library at 
Albany; in Illinois, it would place the set at 
Springfield instead of at Chicago; in Wisconsin, 
It would place the set at Madison, but at the 
State library instead of the Library for which 
Dr Thwaites particularly speaks. 

On the other hand, It is as they may interest 
legislators or the students, of pending or pro- 
jected legislation that the bills and resolutions 
would be useful, and while it is true that many, 
perhaps the majority, of the state libraries in 
this country, would not put them to the maxi- 
mum use of which they are capable, yet it is 
those libraries which in their functions are 
logically the proper custodians of such material. 

(c) A third course might be to authorize the 
Superintendent of Documents to supply the doc- 
uments, as he would supply ordinary public doc- 
uments, at prices fixed as are those of ordinary 
documents, that is, cost plus ten percentum. A 
library such as the "Wisconsin historical society 
could then become a subscriber to the full set. 

Or (d) there might be a free distribution to 
state libraries with a provision for sale to other 
libraries. 

I think that the number of documents In 
the course of a session of Congress may not be 
appreciated by your correspondent; nor the com- 
paratively small percentage among them of bills 
or resolutions of scientific or permanent Interest. 
Verv respectfully, 

'HERBERT PUTNAM, 

Librarian of Congress 
Hon. John C. Spooner 
United States Senate. 

Just one communication more. I maclo 
bold to write to Mr Thompson, of the Di- 
vision of documents of the Library of Con- 
gress, with reference to the amount of space 
which these documents took up. He says: 



156 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Washington, D. C., April 25, 1907. 
Dear Sir: 

In answer to query as to how many public 
bills there are, I am afraid that the only answer 
I can send to your query would be the equivalent 
of "solvitur ambulando," that is to say, the 
number of public bills of general interest would 
have to be counted in the indexes to the Con- 
gressional record for a whole session. I have 
absolutely no data by which I could form an es- 
timate. The whole collection of bills, both pri- 
vate and public, House and Senate, of the 58th 
Congress occupies, when bound, about 15 feet 
of shelves. I imagine that at least half of this 
bulk consists of private bills, perhaps more. 

It seems to me that it would be a great ad- 
vantage from every point of view to number 
the two classes separately, just in the same 
manner as they are numbered after they be- 
come laws, that it: as public and private acts. 
It would then be a small matter to print a 
larger edition of the public bills and offer them 
for subscription to Individuals or libraries. 
Bound collections of the public bills might be 
eent at the end of eacn congress to the larger 
depository libraries. It would be an embarrass- 
ment to send such a collection to the smaller 
depositories. 

Very truly yours, 

J. DAVID THOMPSON, 

Chief, Division of Documents. 
Mr Willard Austen, 

Cornell University Library, 
Ithaca, New York. 

That brings out the fact that of course 
few libraries, and we would be among 
them, would care for anything more than 
the public bills. The great number of 
private bills are, of course, not sent to any 
one else except those directly concerned, 
and on the estimate given by Mr Thompson 
the public bills will only consume about 
three feet of space, which is not a great 
deal for what it would give us for our use 
of this material. There have been other 
suggestions besides these which have come 
out as to methods to get this material, but 
it is not worth while to say more to-day 
in regard to it. Tbe principal thing which 
it seems to me ought to be done at this 
time is to make this a matter for our own 
Public documents committee to take in 
hand, and we have the assurances of a 
good many influential people who would 
help us to put the matter before Congress 
in order that we might get it in shape to 
accomplish our purpose. Prof. Jenks said 
to me, "I will do anything I can to help 
you," and Prof. Jenks is a man who has 
real weight with a great many men in Con- 
gress, and I feel that we have no cause for 
discouragement or no reason to expect 
other than that we shall be able to get 



this material which at least some of us 
have felt is so indispensable to the work 
of a reference library, that is doing the 
work that we are trying to do. 

There was then read by title a paper by 
C. H. BROWN, of the John Crerar library, 
entitled 

PUBLIC DOCUMENTS IN TECHNICAL 
LIBRARIES 

In its collections of public documents a 
large technical library is to some extent 
on the same basis as the larger public 
libraries. Both, as distinct from the 
smaller libraries, need all the public docu- 
ments; furthermore both need duplicate 
copies of such sets as the Census report, 
Bureau of education report, Mineral re- 
sources and Smithsonian report. It is a 
mistake to apply the same rule of distri- 
bution to all libraries. A distinction 
should be clearly drawn between larger 
libraries in centers of population and 
smaller collections. 

A librarian naturally from his profes- 
sion becomes a critic. He finds fault with 
authors for their statements, with publish- 
ers for their methods, with booksellers, 
and with the public. But he hesitates 
when it comes to finding fault with him- 
self. Yet the doubt continually arises in 
my mind whether we are not falling far 
short of using government publications to 
the best advantage. In one large and well- 
known library, two of the three regular 
attendants at the reference desk did not 
know even the meaning of the serial num- 
ber, much less the method of locating a 
given document. In another equally well- 
known library the reference attendant 
claimed the library did not possess a copy 
of the Smithsonian report; although after 
her attention was called to the fact that 
the library was a depository and there- 
fore must have the volume in its sheep- 
bound set; the report was produced in 
something less than an hour. 

From the standpoint of the reader it is 
a mistake to regard documents as a col- 
lection complete in itself, to be stored in 



FLETCHER 



157 



a special room some distance away from 
the main reading room, oftentimes on a 
different floor. This does little harm to 
the reader who knows he wants a govern- 
ment publication, but the case is different 
when he is searching for special informa- 
tion and cares not whether he obtains it 
from public documents or elsewhere. He 
goes to the main reading room, is given 
the regulation books available on his sub- 
ject and is very seldom referred to the 
documents, although they may contain 
the best material on his subject. Docu- 
ments should be considered as much part 
of the resources of the library as its bound 
periodicals. As they are of special value 
for reference use the attendants in the 
main reading room should have a thorough 
knowledge of the indices, the material con- 
tained in the various sets and availability 
of special volumes for special purposes. 

In exercising the privilege of my pro- 
fession, I cannot refrain from a criticism 
of the documents as supplied at present. 
The publication of Department indices, 
after the appearance in 1903 of the valu- 
able "List of publications of the Agricul- 
tural department," was discontinued; the 
cumulative index of the "Monthly cata- 
logue" has been omitted; the "Document 
index" is later than ever in reaching us this 
year. If it is worth while spending six mil- 
lions a year in printing the documents, is it 
not worth while to spend a few thousands 
for indices which are essential to make this 
material available for reference? 

The delay in the delivery of public docu- 
ments to libraries has been thoroughly 
discussed. Such publications as Mineral 
resources, Census abstracts, Labor re- 
ports, etc., lose a large proportion of their 
value, by the fact that much of the ma- 
terial is out of date when the volumes 
reach us. Furthermore the delay is a con- 
tinual source of complaint and results in 
an increase of individual calls upon the 
Superintendent of documents. Readers 
often reply to the statement that a volume 
has not yet been received: "I can get it 
myself, but did not want to bother my 
congressman." 



I would therefore urge (1) a better 
knowledge by reference librarians, of the 
public documents, including indices, con- 
tents and scope (2) the inclusion of the 
public documents among the available re- 
sources of the library (3) an extension by 
the government of the indexing so well 
begun and recently abandoned (4) a more 
prompt delivery of public documents to 
libraries. 

The PRESIDENT here resumed the 
Chair and said: The Chair has been 
rather surprised that Mr Austen has not 
included in his paper the consideration of 
an important class of public documents, 
that is, the reports of Committee hearings, 
unless he meant to include them under 
current reports. They are some of the 
most difficult to get, and even The John 
Crerar library which as you have just 
heard is one of the three libraries getting 
all the bills and reports, does not get the 
reports of the hearings, even where the 
information is not considered confidential. 
We have to apply to each Chairman, and 
very frequently only to find that the edi- 
tion is all exhausted and that we can not 
obtain a copy. 

Mr Ranck has been called away and It 
seems best to take his paper as read. If 
there is no obpection to that procedure, 
and if no one else wishes to speak on the 
general topic of public documents, the 
Fourth General Session is adjourned (at 
1.05 p. m.) 

FIFTH SESSION 

(Ball Room, Battery Park Hotel, Wednes- 
day Morning, May 29th.) 

The fifth general session was called to 
order at 9.30 o'clock by the PRESIDENT 
and the Association at once passed to the 
consideration of reports of committees. 
The Secretary read the 
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
TITLE-PAGES TO PERIODICALS 

As chairman of the Committee on title- 
pages of periodicals, I regret to say that 
the Committee has no report to present at 
this Conference. I wish to assume the re- 
sponsibility myself, exonerating the other 



158 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



members of the Committee, as they had 
reason to expect me to take the initiative 
in any action we might contemplate. 

Still I have made several endeavors, be- 
ginning early in the period intervening be- 
tween conferences, to secure efficient co- 
operation with the Association of periodical 
publishers. That Association has continued 
its Committee of one for conference with 
our Committee. I met this gentleman, Mr 
Joe Chappie, early in the year, and have 
continued in correspondence with him, the 
object being, as a first step, to get the As- 
sociation to join officially with us in the 
issue to all periodical publishers of the 
few canons of proper treatment of periodi- 
cals as to their being bound in volumes, 
agreed to by this Committee and endorsed 
last year by the A. L. A. Mr Chappie 
seems to be favorably impressed with the 
general idea and has taken steps to secure 
action by his Association but, at last ad- 
vices, had not succeeded in putting the 
matter through. Had our present confer- 
ence not been a full month less than a 
year from the one at Narragansett Pier, 
this action, at least, might have been re- 
ported as consummated. It is still my 
opinion that our most hopeful action is 
along this lins. For I am persuaded that 
most of the aberrations of which we com- 
plain are due to mere carelessness and 
thoughtlessness on the part of the pub- 
lishers, which might be largely corrected 
If there was, governing these matters, a 
recognized set of rules or principles backed 
by the authority of the Association of peri- 
odical publishers. 

It seems highly desirable that the A. L. A. 
should have a committee on this subject 
for the ensuing year who can be depended 
on to secure, by the means suggested 
above, or otherwise, some definite results. 
W. I. FLETCHER. 

The report was received and placed on 
file. The secretary then read the 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
LIBRARY POST 

The Library post committee has not been 
inactive during the current Association 



year, but cannot report progress, much 
less success. It has seemed impossible to 
make any headway with the Postal depart- 
ment until that Department shall have 
found time to get rid of much that is une- 
qual and burdensome and troublesome, and 
which seems to stand directly in the way 
of granting our requests. 

Your Committee was so much impressed 
with this view of the case that early in 
the spring it sent a formal report, to this 
general effect, to the Secretary of the Asso- 
ciation, as its report for the Asheville meet- 
ing asking to be discharged from further 
duty; and suggesting that a new commit- 
tee be appointed when the way might seem 
somewhat clearer. But the appointment of 
a new Postmaster General, and of a new 
Postal commission, soon after this report 
was filed, seemed to give some little prom- 
ise of better conditions, and the report to 
which reference has just been made was 
withdrawn. 

The entire question was taken up anew 
with the Postmaster General and with the 
new Postal commission, with the result 
that the Secretary of the latter promptly 
informed your Committee that there was 
practically no possibility of its getting a 
hearing, at present at least; and while the 
reply of the Postmaster General was some- 
what more kindly, the outlook seemed no 
better than before. Just at this moment 
came the very serious illness of Mr Bower- 
man, the Washington member of this Com- 
mittee; and it seems best therefore to sim- 
ply report these facts to the Association, 
and renew our suggestion that the matter 
remain entirely in abeyance until there is 
a more hopeful outlook. 
Respectfully, 

JAMES H. CANFIELD. 
W. C. LANE. 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON LI- 
BRARY ADMINISTRATION 

was submitted in print and placed in the 
hands of all members present. In the ab- 
sence of any member of the Committee the 
following brief statement concerning the 
report and of action desired was made by 



EASTMAN 



159 



The SECRETARY: The Report opens 
with a few pages of introduction as to the 
desirability of library economy, but as to 
the great difficulty of determining exactly 
economy in library administration by pro- 
cesses or the cost of each process, as is 
done in factories, for instance, the burden 
of this part of the report being that you 
cannot measure library efficiency nor esti- 
mate the cost of the different processes of 
the work, nor the success of a single de- 
partment, as for example, the circulation 
department, in dollars and cents. It then 
goes on to say that there are certain ques- 
tions propounded in the last six or eight 
pages of the Report that might, if consid- 
ered by the Committee, produce a compara- 
tive statistical report that would be useful 
and helpful in considering economics so far 
as they may be justly weighed and meas- 
ured on that basis. An instructive and 
suggestive list of questions is then submit- 
ted as a basis which it is hoped the Asso- 
ciation will approve for another report by 
the next Committee on Library administra- 
tion. They would take these questions and 
endeavor to get answers to them from se- 
lected libraries, which may reasonably be 
supposed to represent efficient administra- 
tion in these libraries. It is their desire 
that the Association adopt the report and 
that the Council, or Executive board, give 
them the authority to use these questions, 
or such of them as they may wish, as a 
basis for a future report. 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON LIBRARY 
ADMINISTRATION 

Ten copies of their report, including these 
proposed certain forms for annual library 
reports which were approved by the asso- 
ciation and the Committee was continued 
with authority to promulgate those recom- 
mendations. 

Ten copies of their report, including these 
forms, were sent to each of the state library 
commissions and their special attention 
was called to the value of a substantial 
uniformity. Some of the commissions have 
modified the forms previously used by them 



so as to conform to the general outline pro- 
posed. But we are unable to state how far 
such changes have prevailed. It has not 
seemed wise to try to hasten the matter. 

Copies of the above report were also 
sent to 100 prominent libraries and others 
have received copies on request in answer 
to notices in the library periodicals. While 
we cannot expect an identical scheme of 
returns in the future, we may confidently 
hope for a practical uniformity. 

Another point of pressing importance in 
library administration is that of economy 
in service. We can never get beyond the 
necessity of studying the way to secure the 
best results at the least cost. We have 
of late years given so much attention to 
completeness in our library methods and 
the cost of time and money necessary to 
keep up our high standards has become 
so great as to force upon us the question 
whether it pays. We have devised systems 
by which we can answer every possible 
question till we are confronted with the 
other question whether some of these ques- 
tions are worth answering and whether we 
might not be just as happy and far more 
useful if some questions should never be 
answered at all, affording us more time to 
be doing something worth while. It is 
easily possible to defeat our own ends by 
lavishing time and nerve power in per- 
fecting the detail of a catalog card to such 
a degree that the average borrower is con- 
fused more than he is enlightened, and 
henceforth learns to avoid the catalog and 
to find the book for himself. 

This subject of economy is so broad and 
many sided that we hesitate before deciding 
at what point we can lay hold of it to the 
best advantage. If the library were a fac- 
tory we could inquire into the cost and 
market price of the product and find out 
the cost of each process entering into 
production. We could then compare 
processes and learn where to economize. 
But who will tell us the market 
value of the library product? indeed 
It is not so easy to determine just what 
the library product is. The gains are 
large but they defy expression in dollars 



160 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



and cents. The dividends are real but not 
to be computed in terms of the market. 

Sometimes while we are trying to figure 
out something to show results, we seize 
upon almost the only thing we can really 
count and proceed to test a library by its 
circulation. We do it simply because there 
Is nothing else which we can so easily com- 
pute. We know positively that just so 
many books passed over the counter and 
were carried out at the door and in due 
time were brought back. Probably they 
were read, at least in part, though we do 
not know. We also know how much the 
library establishment cost for a year while 
this circulation was going on and how 
many persons were paid for the service. By 
comparing these known items we conclude 
that it cost the library just so much to 
circulate a book or that the library sent 
out so many thousand books for each per- 
son on its staff; and, if one library circu- 
lates 18.000 books for each employee and 
another only 6,000, we proceed to infer that 
one library is 3 times more economical 
than the other; which may or may not be 
true. That is the factory method. But 
economy in the library cannot be deter- 
mined by simple division of items like 
these. If one library is much larger than 
the other, if one is surrounded by city 
conditions and the other is not, and, above 
all, if the atmosphere of one library is 
such as to promote and encourage serious 
work while the other develops frivolity and 
exploits the latest sensation, the library 
with the largest circulation may be the 
most wasteful of public money. The prod- 
uct is not shown by the number of books 
circulated alone, but the quality of the 
books, their adaptation to their purpose 
and the use that is made of them enter also 
Into the account and the library work that 
Is so done as to secure the best quality, 
fitness and use may be far more economi- 
cal than that which piles up double the 
circulation. Quality is more than quantity. 
Reference use of books must also be con- 
sidered in connection with this inquiry 
as at once one of the most satisfactory 
and most expensive forms of activity if 



properly carried on, but one with which 
no false idea of economy should be allowed 
to interfere. 

Aid rendered by the library to an inven- 
tor, manufacturer or scholar may be of 
incalculable value. A recent library report 
calls attention to the saving of an item 
of $20,000 by a building contractor through 
information obtained in the public library 
on the subpect of hydrostatics and also to 
the library's supply of specific data used 
In the settlement of a serious labor dispute. 
The very impulses given to children in the 
direction of more intelligent study and of 
finer living are a public asset far beyond 
the statistical column. 

The true library product is found in the 
contact of mind with mind. 

When the word of the right book com- 
ing from some master mind touches the 
intellect, the feeling, the will of the reader 
and enters into the new life to inform, to 
mould and develop it, there is the library 
product and it is above price. The library 
is not a factory and the attempt to manage 
it as if it were and to test it by circula- 
tion which is only one of a number of 
necessary and partial processes is certain 
to injure the quality of the work. There 
is many a library which would be more 
useful and give better returns on the public 
outlay if it circulated fewer books and bet- 
ter ones. 

But it does not by any means follow that 
with these spiritual and intangible results 
in view the claims of economy are to be 
ignored. The hard fact remains that we 
each have a certain very limited sum of 
money with which to pursue our high aims 
and we must make the most of it. The 
root of economy lies in a clear recognition 
and definite statement of the library pur- 
pose and the test of every process will be 
found in the degree and extent of its con- 
tribution to that purpose, which will not 
always be ascertained by counting, but 
also by weighing and tasting its quality. 

Commercial and industrial rules will not 
wholly serve us because our product is not 
of a material sort. The comparison of one 
department of library work with another or 



EASTMAN 



161 



an attempt to fix the relative value of pro- 
cesses will not help us much, because each 
one depends upon the rest. The cost of 
buying and of cataloging is part of the 
cost of lending. No one process can de- 
teriorate without injury to all; but every 
process must be shorn of superfluous refine- 
ments, taking care that the loss of any 
item does not affect the quality or extent 
of the final result. We need to mark the 
essential thing in each process and learn 
to hit that mark in the simplest way and 
the shortest time. We shall also find that 
things essential to one library are not es- 
sential to another. The answer to the 
question, Does it pay? is not altogether in 
figures, but we ought to be able to show 
that each thing we do, the way in which 
we do it, the time we give to it and the 
money it costs are justified by its effect 
in promoting our main purpose. And 
here we can and ought to help one 
another. 

Your Committee accordingly offers the 
following schedule of questions bearing 
upon matters of economy in various de- 
partments of library work, with a view of 
obtaining the results of experience and ex- 
pressions of opinion from those most com- 
petent to advise. If these questions are 
approved by the association and by the 
committee of another year, they may be 
sent to representative libraries throughout 
the country and the returns will be availa- 
ble at the next annual meeting. 

These returns should furnish to the asso- 
ciation a body of valuable material which, 
when duly considered and summarized, will 
enable us to make the time and money at 
our disposal still more productive. A com- 
parison of the practice of many libraries 
and of the views of those who manage 
them will establish a recognized concen- 
sus of opinion in the direction of a better 
economy. 

Economy Questions for Libraries 

GENERAL 

Name of library 

Post office 

Populatllon of city or village 

Number of hound volumes in library 



USE 

Circulation of books for last year reported 
reckoned according to A. L. A. rules* 
fiction 

juvenile books 
Reference use of books 

bow reckoned 

Number of books sent to schools or In travel- 
Ing libraries. 
Other library activities 

COST 

Total cost of library for the last year, not in- 
cluding rent 

COST OF BOOKS 

Money spent for books for the year 

reference books 

fiction 

juvenile books 

magazines 

binding 

What proportion of worn books are rebound? 
Does It pay to use the best binding for all 

books? 
Have you tried new books specially bound 

for the library? 
What saving is effected? 

COST OF SERVICE 

Number of persons employed 

Total of salaries 

What vacations are allowed? 

What allowance for sick leave with pay? 

What time for attending library meetings? 

What expenses for attending library meet- 
Ings paid? 

How many hours per week required of each? 

How many evenings per week required of 
each? 

What arrangements, if any, for Sunday work? 

APPRENTICES 

Do you take apprentices? Does it pay? 
ACCESSION 

Do you keep an accession book? 
If so, what items do you fill In? 
Which of these have actually proved useful? 
If no accession book, what records take its 

place? 
Have you saved by doing away with the 

book? 

Do you keep a record of withdrawals? 
With what fulness of entry? 



*RULES FOR COUNTING CIRCULATION 

1. The circulation shall be accurately record- 
ed each day, counting one for each lending of a 
bound volume for home use. 

2. Renewal of a book under library rules at 
or near the end of regular terms of Issue may 
also be counted, but no Increase shall be made 
because books are read by others or for any 
other reason. 

3. Books lent directly through delivery sta- 
tions and branches will be Included, but the 
circulation from collections of books sent to 
schools or elsewhere for distribution will not 
be Included. A separate statement of such trav- 
eling libraries will be made. 

4. Books lent for pay may be Included In the 
circulation, but must also be reported separately. 

In these rules there Is no intent to determine 
the policy of any library as to the manner or 
terms of circulation, but only to place the 
count on a uniform basis which will render 
comparison possible. 



162 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



SHELF LIST 
Do you keep a shelf list on cards or on 

sheets? 

What Items are given and in what fulness? 
Have you found them all necessary? 
If not, specify unnecessary items 
If shelf list is on sheets, how much time per 

year is spent in rewriting? 
What advantages in the sheet form make up 

for time spent in re-writing? 

CATALOG 

With what fulness is author's name written? 
Have you found it to pay to hunt up au- 
thor's full name and dates? 
How full imprint do you give for 

(1) fiction 

(2) non-fiction 

Have you found all these items useful? 

If not, which would you drop? 

Have you ascertained the average cost of 

cataloging a book? 
How much do you reckon it to be? 
Does this include classifying it? 
Do you find close classification desirable? 
Does it pay to make many analytics? 
What per cent of new books are fiction and 

unclassified biography? 
Do you use Library of Congress cards? 
What is the estimated saving in materials 

and time resulting from the use of printed 

cards? 

Where do you buy supplies? 
What can you save by doing so? 
Do you print a catalog? How often? Does 

it pay? 
Do you print selected lists? 

BULLETINS 
Do you print a monthly or quarterly bulletin 

of additions? 

Does this include special subject lists.? 
How many copies are issued? 
At what cost per issue? 
Do special lists lead to a marked increase in 

the use of the books listed? 

CALL NUMBERS FOR FICTION 

Do you assign call numbers to fiction? 

If not, how are the books charged? 

Is time lost through want of call numbers 
which might offset time saved by not being 
obliged to find numbers and mark and re- 
mark books? 

In marking call numbers on the backs of 
books what do you find to be the most 
satisfactory and economical method? 

LOAN SYSTEM 

What registration records do you keep? 

Is a guarantor required? 

If so, how many guarantors have been called 
on to make good a loss in the past year? 

How many have done so? 

How many borrowers are now registered? 

How many or what per cent of these have 
taken a book in the past year? 

Have you any satisfactory method of keep- 
ing a live record of borrowers? 

Do you re-register borrowers at stated periods? 
Haw often? 

What advantage makes up for the labor re- 
quired and the annoyance to borrowers? 

Do you use printed call slips? Why? 

What income do you receive from fines? 

What is the charge per day for detention? 

Do you exact any penalty other than fines 
for detention or injury? 

How many days do you wait before sending 
notice that a book is due? 

Could not a saving in cost of service be made 
by lengthening this period? 



Is there any reason for not extending the 
time? 

OPEN SHELVES 

Have the public free access to the shelves? 
Does free access decrease or increase the cost 

of service? How much? 
Does free access modify the form or fulness 

of the catalog? 
In what particulars? 
How far is cost to the library increased by 

theft? 

WORK WITH SCHOOLS 

Do you send libraries into the schools? 
Do you plate, pocket and label these books? 
How do you charge them? 
What record, if any, of their use is kept? 

INVENTORY 

Do you take inventory? How often? 

Need it be taken so often? 

Is not the loss of needed books discovered 
in other ways? 

Is it important to find out quickly about 
unimportant books? 

How many books were missed at the last in- 
ventory? 

REPORT 

Do you issue a printed annual report? 

How many copies are printed? 

What is the cost of each issue? 

Is such a report necessary in its present 

fulness? 
Does it include city statistics to make the 

report more intelligible? 
Does it include items which have no real 

significance? 
Could the money be used to better purpose 

by printing several small reading lists? 
If your library is small would not a column 

in the newspaper answer every purpose? 
Do you print a list of all gifts for the year? 

Why? 

LABOR AND TIME SAVING DEVICES 
To what extent do you use labor and time 
saving devices and business methods, such 
as vertical filing system for bills, letters, 
etc., duplicating processes for records, lists, 
etc. (rapid roller copier, mimeograph, card 
duplicator, etc.) house telephone and tel- 
ephone service for borrowers? 

ADVERTISING 

How much do you spend for publicity in- 
cluding printing of bulletins and lists? 
What value do you place on this work? 
Please add any other suggestions of economy 
or remarks under each of the above heads or at 
the end. 

W. R. EASTMAN, 
CORNELIA MARVIN, 
H. C. WELLMAN, 

Committee. 

The PRESIDENT: The Report of the 
Committee on Library administration has 
been placed before you in print, and un- 
less objection is made, or some one wishes 
to speak on questions of detail of the Re- 
port or on the suggestions involved, it will 
stand as accepted, and will be referred to 
the Executive board. 

We now resume the consideration of 



BROWN 



163 



the topic of yesterday morning, the use 
of technical books. The first paper is that 
of Mr C. H. BROWN, Reference librarian 
of The John Crerar library, and in Mr 
Brown's absence the paper will be read 
by Mr P. L. Windsor. 

USE OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL 
BOOKS 

There are various phases of the use of 
scientific and technical books which have 
been discussed frequently and ably. We 
have heard of technical books in the small 
library, technical books for the working- 
man and even of scientific books in the 
children's room. But there are other uses 
which have been for the most part either 
neglected or discussed from one stand- 
point only. Some attention should be de- 
voted to such subjects as the value of 
technical books for the more serious refer- 
ence inquiries, the use of technical books 
as tools by the manufacturer, the journal- 
ist and the delegate of a labor union; the 
need of not only the latest but also the 
earlier editions in a large library, and the 
interrelation of the pure, the applied and 
the social sciences from the point of view 
of those who use a library. These are 
the topics which I would call to your 
notice. 

In an editorial in the "Independent" of 
June 15th, 1905, we find the following 
statements: "Public libraries are useful 
to the women and children but not so 
much so to the men. . . . The number 
of men who take books out of the town 
library or go to it for reference is very 
small. There are two reasons for this: 
first, the men have come to think 
that there is nothing in the library for 
them, and, second, they are usually right 
in thinking so. Women use books as 
playthings; men as tools." At the time 
this issue of the "Independent" was re- 
ceived at the John Crerar library, there 
were 48 men, 2 women and no children in 
its reading room, notwithstanding the fact 
that the library has in its collection 12 
shelves of cook-books and 30 shelves on 
domestic economy. Later we found that 



one of the two women was seeking infor- 
mation for her husband. 

In spite of collections on such subjects 
as market gardening, bee-keeping, French 
poodles and costume, the use of a technical 
collection by women and children is very 
small. A technical library is primarily a 
library for men. Its books are of value 
not only to the engineer, the contractor 
and the mechanic; they are serviceable 
almost equally to the politician, the jour- 
nalist, the lawyer and the college student; 
furthermore the value of a public library 
is not limited to the services rendered its 
visitors directly. All readers of books, 
magazines and newspapers are to some 
extent indebted to the library for the infor- 
mation given them. Take as a single ex- 
ample a recent Sunday issue of a Chicago 
daily of which nearly 2 pages were filled 
with material obtained directly from the 
public libraries of the city. The subjects 
varied from the use of cement in farm 
building, the latest developments in popu- 
lar science, to photographs of buildings 
damaged by earthquakes, answers to cor- 
respondents, cooking recipes, and horo- 
scopes. One Chicago journalist spends 
nearly all of her time in the public libra- 
ries of the city; other reporters use them 
continually for reference. It is true that 
the articles do not always reflect credit 
on the source, and that in some cases we 
cannot find the desired picture of the most 
beautiful woman in the United States, or 
the kind of pistols used by victims of "de- 
mentia Americana;" still it is to be as- 
sumed that the "Independent" did not re- 
fer to such material. 

The use of libraries by city officials is 
fully as varied as that by newspapers. 
The library enables a Telephone commis- 
sion not only to ascertain the capitaliza- 
tion of local companies and the excessive 
dividends, but also to study the increase 
or decrease in cost of materials as related 
to rates. Municipal ownership advocates 
call upon the library for material upon the 
much disputed question of the economy 
of municipal ownership; and for informa- 
tion as to the value of plants and the cost 



164 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



of replacement by the city. The library 
furnishes material to the Reform club 
enabling it to prove that smoke preven- 
tion is possible. Even the politician uses 
the library to ascertain the majority in 
his ward in previous elections, the effect 
of the increase of population upon the 
vote, of the ratio of foreign-born citizens, 
and the records of the opposing candi- 
dates. 

To the workingman a technical collec- 
tion is often a matter of dollars and cents. 
For instance, a union of locomotive fire- 
men of a western railway was urging re- 
cently an increase in wages. The brief 
that they submitted showed that, on ac- 
count of the increase in the size of loco- 
motives, they were shovelling more than 
double the amount of coal they were a 
few years ago, that the earnings and divi- 
dends of the railroad had increased, that 
in spite of this fact wages had remained 
stationary, while the cost of living had 
risen. The case was prepared by a com- 
mittee of the union from the material 
found in the technical books of a public 
library. The railroad granted the increase 
without a strike. 

To the lawyer also a technical collec- 
tion is a valuable tool. Here we find it 
necessary to qualify the oft repeated 
statement that only the latest scientific 
and technical books are valuable. In 
Drummond's "Greatest thing in the world" 
Professor Simpson is quoted as saying, 
when asked by the librarian to pick out 
the books on his subject that were no 
longer needed, "Take every text-book 
that is more than ten years old and put 
it down in the cellar." This seems to be 
an accepted article of faith in the libra- 
rian's creed. Yet the experience of at least 
two scientific and technical libraries has 
shown the contrary. A suit was recently 
brought for infringement of patent of a 
chemical process, granted in 1894. The 
defense showed that a certain part of that 
process was known and used in this coun- 
try previous to that date and therefore 
was not patentable. This could not have 
been demonstrated from Professor Simp- 



son's library. Another patent involving a 
special method of manufacturing rein- 
forced concrete, was seemingly infringed 
in one detail. In order to prove that this 
detail could not be patented, certain books 
which described the process and which 
were published before 1901, were produced 
in court; the records of the library were 
cited and even the date of filing the cata- 
log cards was required. In another case 
a leading law firm needed the 1877 edition 
of Schorlemmer and Roscoe's "Lehrbuch 
der Chemie" and found fault with the pub- 
lic library that could furnish the later 
edition, but not the earlier. Such cases 
are of frequent occurrence. In addition, 
the older scientific and technical books 
are necessary for those who are tracing 
the development of a subject; for those 
who wish to compare the old and the new, 
and occasionally for the manufacturers 
who have found the latest technical pro- 
cesses not altogether a success and wish to 
experiment with modifications of the 
older methods. Not so seriously, how- 
ever, can be taken the case of a reader, 
who, having mistaken the author for the 
subject catalog, complained that the 
library was so up-to-date that the only 
title she could find under horses was the 
Horseless age. 

Another popular idea is that a technical 
collection will be used independently of 
the other departments of a library and 
can be treated as complete in itself. For 
certain classes of readers this theory 
holds true; nevertheless a well rounded 
technical library should include in its 
scope both the pure and the social sci- 
ences. The relation between the manu- 
facturer of wire nails and the growth of 
plants seems somewhat remote; yet in 
the steel industry there is a by-product, 
sulphate of iron, until a few years ago 
considered of no commerical value. Two 
of the libraries of this country furnished 
the material by which it was discovered, 
through a study of physiological botany 
and conditions of soils, that sulphate of 
iron could be modified and used as a fer- 
tilizer. As a result several hundred thou- 



BROWN 



165 



sands of dollars a year were and are saved 
to the company; incidentally the discov- 
erer was promoted to the head of the by- 
products department. Take the analysis 
of soils and the most excellent surveys of 
the U. S. Bureau of soils, which are used 
not only by the chemist, but by the farmer 
looking for a new location, by the manu- 
facturer trying to find the best countries 
for the sale of his products, and even by 
the socialist in writing his articles on the 
economic history of the country from the 
standpoint of socialism. The dependence 
of the mining engineer upon geology, 
chemistry and paleontology is obvious. 
Neither can the social sciences be 
neglected. The electric manufacturer who 
is exporting incandescent lamps to Liver- 
pool needs the Municipal year book to 
tell him the voltage used in the city. It is 
worthy of note that the publications of 
the National board of fire underwriters 
on fire-protection a technical subject 
are largely devoted to a statement of the 
municipal government of the cities. The 
manufacture of school apparatus needs a 
knowledge of educational conditions in 
varioiis states. The relation of the vari- 
ous departments of scientific and social 
books to the technical section and the in- 
terdependence of the three should be 
worked out in detail; practically it 
is brought to the attention of the assis- 
tants of one library devoted to the three 
sciences, daily, and the service of the 
library to the technologist alone would be 
seriously crippled by the omission from 
its scope of either the social or the pure 
sciences. 

There are other needs of a technical 
library which may be mentioned briefly. 
Government documents are of the great- 
est importance, especially those of our 
own country. All documents received 
should be carefully examined by the refer- 
ence librarians and the more important 
articles should be indexed. The periodi- 
cals and proceedings and transactions of 
societies are the backbone of a scientific 
and technical collection and with the in- 
crease of indices they are becoming more 



and more valuable. The necessity of a 
free admission to the stacks is, in my 
opinion, more doubtful, especially if the 
library is well cataloged. Indeed in the 
John Crerar library many readers who 
are granted access to the shelves do not 
avail themselves of the privilege, prefer- 
ring the public reading room with its bib- 
liographies, card indices and attendants. 
Assistants have even been accused of 
shirking work in suggesting admission to 
the stacks. 

Another need of a technical library and 
to some extent of all public libraries, is a 
mind-reader in the reading room. Many 
complaints against public libraries are due 
to a failure of the attendant to understand 
what is really wanted. Take the case of 
the man who asked for "collections." The 
attendant tactfully asked if it was coin 
collections and being answered in the ar- 
finnative produced a shelf of books on 
numismatics. The reader finally ex- 
plained that he was a credit man and 
wanted to know how to make people pay 
their bills. 

An attempt has been made to show that 
a public technical collection is not mainly 
a "municipal amusement like the band 
playing in the park on summer evenings," 
that it is a "public servant for all the peo- 
ple in their daily work." It is possible 
that in this country we have neglected to 
some extent the more serious reference use 
in order to devote the greater attention to 
circulation and children's work; yet to my 
certain knowledge every type of question 
mentioned by the "Independent" has been 
answered satisfactorily by the public libra- 
ries. The farmer does "drop in to see 
what is the red bug that is eating his box- 
elder tree," the editor docs "telephone 
over for a map of Port Arthur," the in- 
ventor is able to "learn how many times 
before his non-fillable bottle has been 
patented." 

The PRESIDENT : The next paper is by 
Capt. Howard L. Prince, Librarian of the 
United States Patent office, on The use of 
patents. This paper will be read by the 
Secretary. 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



THE USE OF PATENTS 

In responding to an invitation to prepare 
a paper on the "Use of patents" I assume 
that my effort should be to set forth the 
manner in which a librarian may render 
the best service to his patrons, in providing 
facilities for expeditious and intelligent 
examination of the great and ever increas- 
ing mass of patent literature issuing from 
the capital cities of every civilized nation. 

The field is broad, the laborers are many, 
and in most cases the machinery inade- 
quate. 

The countries whose patent publications 
afford complete and easily understood in- 
formation concerning the subject can al- 
most be counted on the fingers of one hand ; 
the United States, with Great Britain, Ger- 
many and France, exceeding the output 
of all other countries combined, and the 
libraries whose shelves carry complete is- 
sues even of this quartette are few. 

That portion of the general public which 
is interested in patents, is divided into two 
camps, seeking different ends, but each de- 
pending on the same source for gaining the 
desired result. 

On the one side the inventor, often Im- 
practical and visionary, but fired with the 
hope of success and the rewards that come 
from an epoch making discovery, and 
scornfully rejecting any suspicion that the 
child of his brain could be only the rein- 
carnation of some earlier pioneer. On the 
other, the capitalist, the manufacturer, the 
owner of great plants founded on already 
existing patents, ever on the watch for new 
discoveries which may so cheapen and im- 
prove processes that he will be left behind 
in the race, the one placing his belief in 
the absolute certainty of the novelty of 
his invention, the other ready to pay lib- 
erally for the discovery of a patent which 
anticipates that of his rival and between 
these rival camps stand the great army 
of patent attorneys seeking to prove vali- 
dity for the one or an anticipation for the 
other each depending on the librarian to 
supply the ammunition needful for the con- 
test. 

The libraries which can in any adequate 



degree supply the information desired by 
this clientage are practically limited to the 
cities of Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, New 
York, Pittsburg, St Louis and Washington, 
the latter standing pre-eminent in its pos- 
session of the patent literature of all coun- 
tries, which publish their patents in full, 
and with few exceptions of those which 
publish in abstract or by title. 

The countries of the first class, 11 in 
number, have issued nearly 1,700,000 
patents which are available for searchers 
either in chronological order or classified 
in systems of more or less value and con- 
venience. In this class in the order of 
their importance are the United States, 
Great Britain, France, Germany, Hungary, 
Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, 
Russia and Denmark, only the first, four 
exceeding 100,000. 

The principal use made of this immense 
mass is for the purpose of finding anticipa- 
tion of patents in cases where, owing to 
the lack of time or the inadequate number 
of examiners, patents or claims have been 
passed to issue which ought to have been 
held up in the office; and in these searches 
a large number of people earn their liveli- 
hood, and fees sometimes exceeding $1,000 
have been paid for a single exhaustive 
search. 

The pre-eminent consideration for the 
patent profession is that of intelligent and 
available classification which can be seen 
and read, and in this England stands at 
the head, and I regret to say, the United 
States at the foot. This does not mean 
that the United States Patent office lacks a 
classification, but it is not available to the 
public, it cannot be read on the face of its 
patents, nor is there any place outside the 
Patent office itself where the searcher can 
find all the patents of a class or sub-class 
with certainty. 

This condition is due, not to the lethargy 
or neglect of the present officials but to 
the unprogressive spirit of former days and 
the lack of force since more enlightened 
methods have prevailed. 

The classification division of the Patent 
office was organized November 17, 1898, 



PRINCE 



167 



under order 1250 of tbe Commissioner of 
patents, the Hon. Charles H. Duell, and its 
work has been carried on to this time 
under the wise and skilful management of 
its chief, Frank C. Skinner, but in spite 
of his enthusiasm and energy, through lack 
of force, not more than one-third of the 
task has been accomplished 

Each of the 39 examining divisions re- 
ceives a copy of every patent, foreign or 
domestic, whose subject matter is handled 
by that division, and all these are classi- 
fied and arranged for convenient reference, 
but are not open to the public for consulta- 
tion, and searches must be made in tbe 
Scientific library which has the care of 
foreign patents, and in the attorneys' room 
where are kept the bound volumes of do- 
mestic patents 

The ideal library for patent searchers 
would contain two complete sets of the is- 
sues of the leading countries, one in chron- 
ological order, the other arranged in classes 
and sub-classes, but the considerations of 
expense and space put this desirable ar- 
rangement beyond the reach of most li- 
braries. 

Fifteen years ago the Scientific library 
of the Patent office bound a classified set 
of French patents covering the twenty-five 
years. 1860-1885, which has been used with 
very satisfactory results, and the office has 
triplicate copies of British and German 
patents from 1893 tc date which were ob- 
tained with the object of making a classi- 
fied set; but nothing in that direction can 
be accomplished in the near future for lack 
of shelving. 

Treading patent firms find it necessary to 
have representatives at Washington, where 
only an absolutely exhaustive search can 
be made, and this justifies me in making 
a more extended reference to the methods 
of the United States Patent office than 
would otherwise be necessary, since many 
libraries possess greater facilities in space 
and in financial resources. Searches in do- 
mestic patents are greatly facilitated by an 
arrangement on the floor of the lofty west 
hall, the alcove beneath the galleries beinq: 
fitted up with cases holding more than 



21.000 pigeou holes of suitable size to re- 
ceive text and drawings which are pasted 
on opposite faces of a light card 7 1-2x11 
inches in size. The patents in these cases 
are distributed bv classes and sub-classes, 
a placard at the top of the case indicating 
the class, and another in the pigeon hole 
showing the sub-class, in which the patents 
are arranged in numerical order of date. 

These sets of sub-classes can be taken 
from the cases by searchers and placed 
in boxes with flaring ends allowing con- 
venient examination, but must be deliv- 
ered to the attendants for return to their 
proper places. Fourteen desks accommo- 
dating in all 70 persons, are placed in the 
center of the hall beneath the skylight. 
This scheme affords a rapid and satisfactory 
method except for one weak point, the im- 
possibility of preventing the loss or mis- 
placement of patents by accident or delibe- 
rate intention. Such a loss it" known is 
easily repaired, but there is no certain way 
of detection and there always remains the 
haunting fear of its occurrence. There is 
a general belief among searchers that these 
losses are numerous, but the results of fre- 
quent checking by the classifiers do not 
confirm the charge. Moreover, so far as 
the classification has been completed, a 
record can be found in the classification 
division of the number of every patent 
in any class or sub-class, this record being 
open to the public. 

While Great Britain places no indication 
of class upon the face of its issues, it 
adopted many years ago a system of speci- 
fication abridgment by classes. An unil- 
lustrated series from 1617 to 1866. and an 
illustrated series in seven periods viz: 1855- 
1866. 1867-1876, 1877-1883, 1884-1888, and 
three four year periods from 1889-1900 in- 
clusive, is now completed, and the two per- 
iods 1901-1904 and 1905-1908 are in course 
of publication. It has also published an 
Abridgment class and Index key showing 
in one volume the whole scheme of classi- 
fication. The abridgment of each patent 
contains a short description with one or 
more drawings when necessary, with a 
number, date and name of patentee. 



168 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



An inquiry among leading patent search- 
ers leads to the conclusion that these 
abridgments have rendered a classified set 
of British patents unnecessary, for should 
the abstract fail to fully disclose the scope 
of the patent, the complete specification 
may always be referred to. Of course there 
will always be a gap between the quad- 
rennial issues which can only be bridged 
by referring to the information furnished 
by the Official journal. The same difficulty, 
greatly prolonged, would exist between the 
installments of a classified set. 

Coming now to the seven countries 
whose patents carry on their face the class 
mark, we find France, Hungary and Switz- 
erland each with an independent classifi- 
cation, while those of Germany, Austria, 
Denmark and Sweden are identical up to 
1900, when Germany adopted a new classifi- 
cation, the others continuing with the 
original plan. None of these patent offices 
has adopted the English plan of printed 
abridgments by classes. With the excep- 
tion of Sweden, each issues a weekly jour- 
nal. Those of Austria and Germany pub- 
lish brief abridgments, that of Germany 
being illustrated in order of class and sub- 
class. The others are also in order of 
classes but contain only title, date and 
name of patentee. 

The condition of French patents from 
1896-1901 inclusive, is a troublesome one 
to deal with. From the beginning there 
has always been a large number of these, 
from 30 to 50 per cent, of the issue, which 
were published by title only, and during 
these six years that office practically went 
to pieces. Only seven classes out of 20 
were printed in 1896, nothing whatever iu 
1897 or 1898, about one in ten in 1899, a 
half year issue from January to June in 
1900, and none in 1901. It is understood 
that this condition was due to lack of ap- 
propriations and that there is no intention 
to punish the patents of those years. In 
1902 the new law went into effect and all 
patents are published in full. 

Libraries have therefore the choice with 
these seven issues, of binding in classified 
or chronological sets, or possibly, of adopt- 



ing our patent office scheme of displaying 
patents by classes in open boxes and taking 
the chances of loss and mutilation. In 
either case it is to be noted that the patents 
of Austria, Denmark and Sweden being 
identical in classification can be bound or 
arranged together, or even classed with 
Germany, prior to 1900. If the system of 
bound classified sets is adopted, the prob- 
lem is at once presented of the disposition 
and use of the unbound copies during the 
accumulation of a sufficient number for 
binding, and this period will greatly vary 
with different classes, being in any case a 
question of years. 

The advent of the loose leaf binder ap- 
pears to be the solution of this question, 
subject to the limitations of expense for 
service and material in any particular li- 
brary. The United States Patent office is 
altogether too poor to enter on such a plan, 
and is obliged to store its extra copies and 
wait for the millenium of a new building 
and a more liberal appropriation for bind- 
ing. Happily, I believe, most of the libra- 
ries which make a specialty of patents are 
in better case. 

Methods of economy in the use of bind- 
ers, such as the placing of a number of 
classes in one binder, and shifting with 
growth, will doubtless suggest themselves. 

When all these questions are worked out 
and the United States prints the class 
number of its patents, then the curator of 
patents may recline sub tegmine fagi and 
the life of the searcher be one grand sweet 
song. 

Mr B. PICKMAN MANN: I would like 
to say, as a practical matter, although as 
Capt. Prince says, the classification of for- 
eign patents is inaccessible to the general 
searcher, many Divisions in the Patent 
office, out of good nature but contrary to 
rule, will give access to classified patents 
in the classes which they contain. 

The PRESIDENT: The Chair may add 
from his own knowledge that a demand for 
a classified arrangement of patents is not 
as uniform as might appear. Some patent 
lawyers apparently wish to facilitate their 
own researches, and some might fear that 



RANCK 



169 



the public would find their researches with 
too much facility and might be able to get 
along without the patent lawyer. 

Mr G. W. Lee, of the Stone and Webster 
library of Boston, has made a specialty of 
the application of the use of books to the 
business of an engineering and contracting 
firm. Mr Lee has prepared for the consid- 
eration of librarians a paper on the scope 
of his work which will be printed during 
July by the Stone and Webster Company. 
He has presented to the Association today 
the following synopsis of this paper which 
he will accompany with informal comments 
on a few of the many points treated. 

THE LIBRARY AND THE BUSINESS 

MAN 

Synopsis of a paper prepared for the 
Asheville meeting of the American Library 
Association, Tuesday, May 28, 1907. 

SCOPE OP THE BUSINESS. 

DEMANDS UPON THE LIBRARY: (a) en- 
gineering questions In general; (b) names and 
addresses; (c) spelling, rhetoric, etc.; (d) statis- 
tical; (e) costs and finance In general; (f) an- 
swered by almanacs, encyclopedias, guides, etc.; 
(g) unexpectedly difficult or unsuccessful; (h) 
answered through office cooperation; (1) referred 
to other libraries, clubs, societies, public depts., 
etc.; (j) referred to business houses and people 
In general; (k) affording food for thought; (1) 
need for better system; (m) boresome, time con- 
suming or likely to become side-tracked; (n) 
discouraging yet instigating; (o) personal; (p) 
personal equation, gumption, or rule of thumb, 
etc.; (q) elementary and other books of a par- 
ticular class; (r) supererogatory or over-an- 
awered. 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION: (a) document 
file; (b) books, pamphlets and periodicals; (c) 
maps, atlases, etc.; (d) Indexes, catalogues, lists, 
etc.; (e) other departments; (f) other libraries; 
(g) business undertakings, institutions and peo- 
ple in general; (h) miscellany; some unappreci- 
ated books; experience, telephone, etc. 

WORKING METHODS: (a) filing and classi- 
fication systems; (b) engineering Index; (c) Stone 
& Webster current literature; (d) other conven- 
iences and short cuts; memorandum methods, 
shorthand, etc. 

IMPROVEMENTS AND LIMITATIONS: (a) 
direction In which we are building; (b) Intangible 
value of library work; (c) the human equation; 
(d) handbook (to be made). 

SOME UNSOLVED PROBLEMS: (a) keeping 
In touch with new books and with book re- 
views, with topographic maps, public docu- 
ments, etc.; (b) disposal of old books and period- 
icals; (c) securing back copies of periodicals to 
complete volumes, etc.; (d) miscellany. 

INFORMATION BUREAU: (a) Bureau of Ap- 
plied Information; (b) the A. L. A. as a clear- 
ing-house; (c) plea for association of reference 
libraries. 

ESPERANTO AND ITS POSSIBILITIES; As 
an International language for technical liter- 
ature. 

MISCELLANY. 



Editor's Note The paper contains about 
10,000 words and is now available for gen- 
eral distribution in printed form. Applica- 
tion may be made to G. W. Lee, 84 State 
street, Boston, Mass. 

The PRESIDENT: Surely we can see 
how the library idea is penetrating circles 
which are supposed to be entirely closed 
to it and Mr Lee's exposition, I am sure, 
must be of interest to the Association from 
that point of view as well as from the sug- 
gestions which he makes as to the practical 
methods in which we can be of help to the 
people who come to us with similar prob- 
lems. 

I have great pleasure in calling to the 
chair for a part of this session our Second 
Vice-president, Miss Sharp. In so doing I 
know I give you pleasure and also an op- 
portunity to mark the regret with which 
we note her withdrawal from the Associa- 
tion as an officer, and still more her with- 
drawal for a time at least, from library 
work. 

Miss Sharp then took the Chair. 

Miss SHARP: In taking up the regular 
program for this morning, the first paper 
is that by Mr S. H. RANCK, of the Grand 
Rapids (Mich.) public library, on The Use 
of medical books. I understand Mr Ranck 
is not here, but his paper will be read by 
the Secretary. 

THE USE OF MEDICAL BOOKS 

With perhaps a single exception, the 
oldest professional literature in the world 
is the literature of medicine; and yet in 
the United States to-day the facilities for 
its public or semi-public use are poorer 
than for any other class of professional 
literature. The collections of medical books 
in this country which in their scope, their 
administration, and their use, are worthy 
of the name medical libraries, can be 
counted on the fingers of the hands. In 
Washington and a few other large cities 
ihere are medical collections that are real 
libraries; but outside of the Library of the 
Surgeon-General's office, nearly all are 
built up in connection with strong socie- 
ties. This is the case in Baltimore, Phila- 



170 



uelphia, New York and Boston. They are 
in cities where there are a few men, re- 
latively, whose interest is sufficient to 
maintain a respectable collection of books. 
In our smaller cities, however, the number 
of physicians who are interested in tech- 
nical literature, outside of the current 
periodicals, is so small that independent 
library associations have nearly always 
languished, and consequently many of 
these collections have drifted into the 
hands of the public library, the public 
library giving them a home, and the medi- 
cal library association disbanding, being 
well content to get rid of what they came 
to regard as a burden. Collections of this 
sort are in a number of the public libraries 
of our smaller cities; but I cannot recall 
a single medical department in a public 
library, owned and managed exclusively by 
the library, that can be regarded as a credit 
either to the medical profession or to the 
library of which it is a part. There may 
be a few genuine successes, but they are 
only a few. 

Why have such medical departments 
languished in our public libraries? First of 
all, this decay is due to the lack of suffici- 
ent income for the purchase of new books 
and current periodicals; second, the lack of 
sufficient knowledge on the part of the 
library with respect to the books to pur- 
chase, and the proper cataloging of them; 
and third, the lack of sufficient interest on 
the part of the average physician in the 
study of the literature of his profession. 
It may be added that a very large propor- 
tion of the students and workers in medi- 
cal libraries are men connected with 
medical colleges. 

To maintain anything like a respectable 
collection of medical works and a represen- 
tative collection of the best current 
periodical publications will require not 
less than $F.OO per year, and it ought to be 
$1000, if it is desired to have a real medi- 
cal library. Few of our public libraries 
can afford such a sum of money for the 
purchase of books of so special and tech- 
nical a nature, most of which are out of 
date in a very few years; and furthermore, 



there is a very decided objection on the 
part of many library boards to use public 
funds for such a small class of citizens, 
This feature of the problem has been 
solved in some of our cities, notably Spring- 
field, Mass., by the local medical associa- 
tion contributing regularly a sum of money 
for the purchase of books, and the library 
housing them and giving the service 
needed for the care of them. Another 
solution is for the local medical organiza- 
tion to deposit its collection and to main- 
tain its organization in keeping it up. This 
gives the public the use of a medical 
library without any expenditure for books 
and periodicals, the same as the Spring- 
field plan. This latter is the plan followed 
at Worcester, Mass. It may be remarked, 
however, that for the majority of users the 
current medical periodicals, with complete 
files of the more important ones are of 
the greatest value, since they are made 
available through the "Index medicus" and 
the great Catalogue of the Surgeon Gen- 
eral's office. 

The lack of sufficient knowledge in the 
selection, classification, and cataloging ot 
the books, can be obviated to a certain ex- 
tent by the local library enlisting the co- 
operation of a good committee of physicians 
to aid in this work. But few libraries have 
felt able to give the time that is necessary 
to do their share; for the classification and 
cataloging of medical books is a matter 
that requires much technical knowledge. 
Indeed, the head of such a department in 
a large library ought to be a graduate 
physician. At all events, he must be more 
than a care-taker or an office boy, too often 
the type of librarian in a medical library- 
Then, too, in our larger libraries there 
ought to be provision whereby physicians 
or special students could employ some 
competent, intelligent person to make an 
abstract of the literature on any special 
subject. Most physicians are busy men 
and they would gladly pay for such service. 
In other words, the best use of medical 
books requires the services of a trained 
specialist. 

So far as the average physician is con- 



RANCK 



171 



cerned there are few doctors who read or 
study much outside of current medical 
journals; and if one may judge from the 
condition of these publications which one 
can find in many doctors' offices, it is safe 
to say that in a good many cases even 
these are not followed as closely as might 
be. Then too, there are the doctors who 
don't believe in books; and I have so hear! 
them express themselves. They believe 
that all a practicing physician needs to read 
is the periodical. This, of course, is a 
very narrow view. 

Another difficulty in the way of interest- 
ing practicing physicians in the library, is 
the commercialism which fetters so many 
of them. Medicine to such men is a busi- 
ness rather than a science or art. I recall 
the instance of a leading physician in one 
of our cities who remarked to me, in dis- 
cussing the work of another physician 
whom I know: "What is his annual In- 
come from his practice? You see that is 
the only way we doctors have of guaging 
the standing of a man." So much for the 
difficulties which relate on the one hand to 
the library, and on the other to the medical 
profession. 

We come now to a larger question. Is 
the use of medical books on the part of 
the general public desirable? Many libra- 
ries and many physicians believe that it is 
not. This view is very clearly set forth in 
the following paragraph from a letter of a 
well-known librarian of a public library: 
"I wish first to record my opinion that a 
public library is no place for medical 
books. In every city of any size there 
should be a medical library open to physi- 
cians and students, and managed as best 
it may be by a medical library society. 
Managed as best it may be, simply signifies 
that the efficient organization and control 
of such a library are yet unsolved problems 
in most American cities." 

But whether the library has few or many 
medical books, most people are agreed 
that in a library which is used by the 
public generally there must be some re- 
striction in the use of such books. A work 
like Martin's "Human body" (the large 



edition) would not be given freely to a 
child. Nevertheless, some of our best 
medical periodicals contain a considerable 
number of articles that are of interest and 
profit to any man of ordinary intelligence. 
Why should not the library encourage the 
reading of such things? The reading of a 
work like Osier's "Principles and practice 
of medicine," will not make one a physi- 
cian, far from it, but it will be interesting, 
instructive, and profitable to every intelli- 
gent man and woman in the community. 
Yet there are doctors who would oppose 
our libraries giving the adult lay public 
the opportunity to read even such a work. 
Another difficulty in this connection is due 
to the hostility existing among the many 
schools of medicine. The Homeopaths, the 
Allopaths, and the Osteopaths are all ex- 
ceedingly jealous of each other, not to 
mention the devotees of Christian science, 
who generally object to having their works 
classified with medicine at all. 

But whatever the attitude as to the desir- 
ability or undesirability of having medical 
books in a general public library, there is 
no question of the fact that as a rule such 
collections in the libraries, where statis- 
tics are at all available, are used very lit- 
tle unless they are in our largest cities or 
towns where there are one or more strong 
medical colleges. For the needs of the 
student in the medical college, however, the 
medical college itself ought tc make some 
adequate provision something, by the way, 
that few of them do. 

In the preparation of this paper a cir- 
cular letter was sent for certain informa- 
tion with reference to the library condi- 
tions and practice as to medical books in a 
number of representative libraries. It was 
hoped that it would be possible to include 
some data with reference to the use of 
several independent medical libraries, but 
this has not been possible, inasmuch as the 
data which was sought from them has not 
been received. It should be remembered, 
of course, that a large proportion of the 
books which are included in most of these 
records of circulation from public libraries, 
are works on public health, hygiene, physi- 



172 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



ology, etc.. rather than for the professional 
student exclusively. 

Boston public library. This library 
contains 26,500 medical books, but no 
separate record is kept of their use. 
There is in Boston an Institution known 
as the Boston medical library which has 
a new building and this library and the 
public library are cooperating with each 
other in the purchase of books. The pub- 
lic library has ceased to buy strictly pro- 
fessional works and upon authorization of 
the trustees, an arrangement has been 
made with the medical library to make it 
a deposit station of the public library 
which involves a transfer from the public 
library of such volumes as may mutually 
be agreed upon. The same persons can 
use the books on deposit in the medcial 
library belonging to the public library as 
could use them in the public library. The 
books are subject to recall at any time 
and, of course, remain the property of 
the Boston public library. This policy 
avoids unnecessary duplication of pur- 
chases, and students are enabled to find 
the largest possible collection of books at 
one place, a matter of the greatest impor- 
tance to the investigator. 

Chicago, The John Crerar library. This 
library contains 41,000 volumes in its de- 
partment of medical sciences. About 
4,500 more will be added as soon as the 
department is consolidated with the main 
library which is expected to be done this 
summer. The 41,000 are for medical stu- 
dents, physicians and nurses. The other 
4,500 volumes are for the general public 
and bear largely on questions of hygiene 
and public health. The medical reading 
room is now in a different building, but it 
is proposed to maintain a separate medi- 
cal reading-room when they are consoli- 
dated. Although there are a number of 
medical colleges in Chicago, it is not ex- 
pected to furnish text-books for the stu- 
dents, but rather works for practitioners 
and teachers. Chicago has no medical 
library nor any considerable library in 
connection with the medical colleges. 
The recorded use of the department of 
the medical sciences in 1906 was 38,181. 
In addition to this, the department re- 
ceived currently nearly 500 medical peri- 
odicals of which no record of use is kept. 
The use of the medical books and periodi- 
cals in the main library was estimated to 
be about 8,400. 

Detroit (Mich.) public library. Includ- 
ing bound periodicals, this library has 
5,363 volumes of medical books which are 
permitted to be used only by medical practi- 



tioners and medical students. There are in 
addition a considerable number of books 
on public health, sanitation, etc., which are 
shelved with the general collection of the 
library and are used by the general public. 
There is no independent medical library in 
Detroit. The use of the medical books in 
the public library last year was 15,232. 

Minneapolis (Minn.) public library. The 
County medical society formerly held their 
meetings in the public library building and 
had a reading room with numerous pro- 
fessional journals. Recently, through a 
gift, this society has been enabled to open 
up a reading room of its own, and the pub- 
lic library sold it everything of a technical 
or professional nature, retaining only the 
more popular books on training, hygiene, 
etc. The public library reports that it was 
an immense relief when the medical de- 
partment was closed. It was a source of 
annoyance and required continual vigi- 
lance. Students borrowed books and 
never returned them. Many mutilated 
books, and altogether, an improper use 
was made of the department in spite of 
the best care. 

Providence (R. I.) public library. The 
Providence public library does not have 
a medical department but the Rhode Island 
medical society library is deposited in the 
library building, being the largest of the 
deposited collections of this institution. 
This collection contains 22,000 volumes, 
and the books are for medical students 
and for physicians. There is a separate 
medical reading room, the attendance to it 
for 1906 being 1,120. 

Worcester (Mass.) public library. There 
are 7,500 medical books in this library, 
mainly for the medical students and phy- 
sicians. There is a separate medical read- 
ing-room. This medical collection belongs 
to the Worcester district medical society. 
The library gives it the use of a large 
room and in return the society supplies 
the new books which are constantly being 
added, the society having an endowment 
for this purpose. Persons who are not 
members of the society can take out books 
and use the library the same as members 
of the organization. 

These brief summaries of conditions in 
a number of our cities, prove, I think, that 
the problem of the medical book and its 
use, except in a few of our largest cities, is 
still one that remains to be solved in a sat- 
isfactory way. If there is to be any 
marked improvement in the condition of 
the medical libraries and medical collec- 



RANCH 



173 



tions in public libraries, it must be brought 
about largely through the efforts of a few 
leading spirits among the local physicians; 
for there are always some doctors in every 
good sized town who feel that they owe 
certain duties to the public, regardless of 
any commercial results; and yet any doctor 
who does much toward enlightening the 
general public in matters relating to gen- 
eral health is likely to be looked upon 
with disfavor by some of his professional 
brethren. The problem of medical ethics 
(that indefinable something that seems to 
be interpreted in different ways in every 
community in the country) is one that must 
be reckoned with. No reputable doctor 
wants to be known as "unethical," a term 
which he dreads as much as the average 
working-man does the word "scab." What 
encouragement is there for the physician 
to aid in disseminating knowledge, when 
he knows that his local society will be ask- 
ing him for an explanation of every news 
item with which his name is used; for I 
have heard of medical societies which keep 
a scrap-book, in which all newspaper items 
relating to the members are kept, and then 
these members are expected to explain to 
the members of the Society how their 
names got into the papers. 

I think, however, that there are a num- 
ber of signs that this attitude on the part 
of the medical profession toward their 
duty to the public has been changing with- 
in the last few years, and in no respect 
perhaps is this more noticeable than in 
the efforts that are being put forth by the 
American medical association in the work 
which it has authorized Dr J. N. McCor- 
mack, of Kentucky, to do in its behalf, both 
for enlightening the public and in stimu- 
lating a greater desire on the part of the 
physician to continue his studies and to do 
more for disseminating medical knowledge. 
The lectures and talks which Dr McCor- 
mack has been giving in all parts of the 
country are contributing very much toward 
a better and a more enlightened under- 
standing of the work of a physician in a 
community. Dr McCormack believes that 
every physician ought to be a student, that 



the public ought to know more about mat- 
ters relating to health, sanitation, and pre- 
ventive medicine, for these after all, are 
matters of great public concern, and the 
doctor ought to be the natural teacher of 
the public in all such things. He believes, 
furthermore, that in most of our cities the 
local medical society can cooperate with 
the public library to the advantage of the 
whole community. This attitude on the 
part of the medical profession, is, I think, 
of recent growth, and it is one that is to 
be commended and encouraged. We as 
librarians ought to meet the physicians 
more than half way. 

When the future historian comes to 
write the history of civilization for ths 
latter part of the nineteenth and the earlier 
part of the twentieth century, nothing, it 
seems to me, will interest him more, noth- 
ing will be a better index to public regard 
(or rather, disregard) for scientific knowl- 
edge, than a study of the medical adver- 
tisements which appear in the average 
daily newspaper. Most of these advertise- 
ments are a shame and a disgrace to any 
civilization. Every intelligent force in the 
community ought to be utilized in dis- 
seminating knowledge which would curtail, 
if not exterminate, the nefarious traffic 
which can exist to a large extent only 
through the use of the press, and which 
appeals to and thrives on the prejudices, 
the fears, or the distress of the ignorant. 
There is not a city in this country where 
the amount of money spent for such adver- 
tisements alone is not vastly greater than 
that spent on the libraries of that cily, 
and indeed in some cities it would appear 
to be as great, if not greater, than the 
amount spent for public educational pur- 
poses of all kinds. Whether the building 
up of a medical department in a public 
library could do much toward breaking up 
this ghoulish traffic may be a question, 
but there can be no doubt that it can be 
broken up only by a dissemination of cor- 
rect scientific knowledge; and this is one 
of the fuuctions of the library. 

Medicine is a science and an art one of 
the oldest in the development of the race. 



174 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Its followers for 2000 years have included 
many of the noblest, bravest and most 
generous men who have ever lived. Its 
appeal is universal, for every soul born 
into the world must suffer from the ilia 
that befall the lot of mortals. Its litera- 
ture is world wide. Its mission is to pre- 
vent, to relieve, and to cure suffering; and 
the time has come when its principles 
ought not to be a sealed book to the great 
mass of men. 

I believe, therefore, that our public libra- 
ries in the cities and towns where there is 
no independent medical library, ought to 
put forth every effort to cooperate with the 
physicians in building up a working col- 
lection of medical books, both for the use 
of the physician and the specialist, and 
for the use of the general reader, and fur- 
thermore that it ought to put forth greater 
efforts to bring about a larger and more in- 
telligent use of such books. Because we 
as librarians know so little about medicine 
and medical literature, and because so few 
of our practising physicians are real 
students, these are the chief reasons for 
the failure of so many libraries in this re- 
gard in the past. A greater knowledge, 
one that will profit by the mistakes that 
have been made, would make possible a 
successful carrying on of such departments 
which serve to educate not only the 
physician, but the whole community on a 
subject of the first importance. 

Mr S. S. GREEN: I have been aston- 
ished at the large general use of the medi- 
cal library which is placed in our building, 
and which can be used exactly as the refer- 
ence part of our library is used. Books can 
be taken home on permission of the libra- 
rian, or proper assistant. There are large 
classes of nurses connected with the hos- 
pitals, and they are constantly desirous of 
using medical books while studying and 
afterwards when at work. There are a 
great many medical students, young men 
especially, studying in Boston, who live in 
Worcester, and need the medical books of 
the library. There is a University in the 
city and the University students in making 
investigations need the books in the medi- 



cal library. I would say also, although it 
is a library made up of books belonging to 
old school practitioners that, by being made 
practically a public library, it is open to 
physicians of other schools, who have not 
the same literary opportunities that are 
afforded in this library. I should add that 
the library is endowed, is able to buy and 
does buy large numbers of books. I do not 
contend that a public library should buy 
books for doctors and lawyers, but am 
sure that medical books can be made quite 
generally useful if their use can be had by 
arrangements with a medical library. 

Mr GILMORE: I had to do at one time 
in my life with the publication of a medi- 
cal journal, and am connected with a 
library which has a medical department. 
1 would say that if any of you are thinking 
of adding a medical department, don't. The 
ethics of a library association and the 
ethics of a physician are as far apart as 
the two poles. There was added to our 
library a medical department, formerly 
known as the medical society of our county. 
It consists of some thousands of volumes. 
A member of the medical profession was 
placed in charge and it was not very long 
before we found out that he and the 
assistants in our library were about as far 
apart as they could be as to what use 
should be made of the medical books. The 
books were in cases and locked, to be 
opened only by the medical attendant, or 
upon presentation of a permit from the 
librarian or his assistant. Even such a 
book as Chase's "Receipt book" was locked 
up on the ground that while not objection- 
able, it was not ethical. The profession 
was allotted special space for the depart- 
ment. A telephone was furnished by the 
medical society, and they were to subscribe 
for a number of medical periodicals sub- 
sequently to be bound by the library aud 
placed on the shelves. The scheme is 
practically a failure, very few of the peri- 
odicals are now furnished and most of 
them are incomplete and therefore useless. 
We have two medical colleges, one a very 
large one, and the students seldom come to 
the library. Their time is taken up with 



JORDAN 



175 



text-books. The busy doctor has no time 
to come there, and those who are not busy 
are staying at home hoping that they may 
have a patient. We had two physicians on 
our board, and have spent $500 in one year 
in buying new books, and several physi- 
cians have said it was money thrown away. 
I am not opposed to a medical library, but 
a medical library in a public library with 
the ethics of the profession as they are at 
present, if you allow them to have charge 
of it, is entirely out of place. The use 
spoken of by the gentleman who preceded 
me does not exist with us. A librarian of 
a public library thinks books are for the 
use of the public. The medical librarian 
thinks they are for the use of physicians 
and medical students only. If any libra- 
rian heie wishes a good selection of bound 
medical periodicals, I will say that the 
library I am in will be very happy to turn 
them over to you if you are willing to pay 
the freight. 

Mr GREEN: Don't these remarks simply 
show that we should consider carefully the 
wants of our constituency, and look out 
and see that proper arrangements are made 
with the owner of the medical library? I 
tell you from my experience that there is a 
large outside use of medical books and we 
have gradually made such arrangements 
with the medical society which owns such 
books that they can be used just as though 
they belonged to us. The society buys the 
books, pays for them, to a certain extent 
cares for them, and all our citizens have 
the use of them. They are valuable to 
them. Is it not well, when an opportunity 
occurs, to see if you can not make arrange- 
ments with a medical society which will 
make its library useful to citizens generally? 

Miss BROWNING: In the Indianapolis 
library we have a fine library of medical 
books that was given us, consisting of 
about 12,000 volumes, and the people use 
it just as they do other books. If the gen- 
tleman who has so many periodicals to 
give away will give me his name, I will 
be glad to take them off his hands. 

Mr GREEN: We also should be very 
glad to take the periodicals off his hands. 



Dr STEINER: Does the public library 
wish to furnish a professional library for 
any class of professional men? It does not. 
A public library should not furnish a pro- 
fessional library for the lawyer, nor fur- 
nish a professional library for the clergy- 
man, nor for the physician. It is entirely 
desirable that there should be a medical 
library, as there is a bar library, in every 
county seat, and it is especially desirable 
that there should be a large medical library 
in every state, which should send books 
to physicians in the counties. The books 
the physician needs are not books 
adapted to general circulation. Placing 
books which are specially adapted for the 
physician in a library is bound to lead to 
complications which are extremely dis- 
agreeable and in some cases very embarras- 
sing. The municipal public library should 
remember that it is for the whole people. 
There are certain medical books which are 
for the whole people, meaning by that 
term, not every man, woman and child, but 
the general body of borrowers, such books 
as certain standard ones on anatomy, 
physiology and hygiene, these books may 
well be included in a public library, but a 
technical medical collection should be left 
as a technical legal collection is left, to 
the professional library. We should in- 
clude neither sets of law reports, nor sets 
of technical medical journals. There is a 
certain differentiation of functions in li- 
braries, which must obtain if we are to 
secure the best results. 

Miss SHARP: The Chair regrets that 
it is necessary to proceed at once with 
the program of the morning. The next 
subject is that of "Books for children," 
from Miss ALICE M. JORDAN, of the Bos- 
ton public library. I take pleasure in in- 
troducing Miss Jordan. 

THE USE OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS 

Among the valuable statistics gathered 
last year for the report on library work 
with children a striking feature was the 
proportion of juvenile books issued to 
borrowers in sixty-seven of the largest 
cities of the land. This was given as 31 



176 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



per cent of the total circulation in the 
cities reporting. Assuming that these fig- 
ures are representative of conditions in 
the average library we are met with the 
probability that nearly one-third of the 
books taken for home use are children's 
books. So consideration of these books, 
of the use they are intended to serve and 
of the means employed to regulate that 
use, may consistently claim one-third of 
the attention bestowed on library work in 
general. 

The share which books have in the 
moral and mental development of an in- 
dividual is an eyer fascinating theme on 
which much has been written and said. 
Nor does America stand alone in this re- 
spect. Germany has formed the "Union 
of German committees for the criticism of 
children's books," which desires that "the 
art of reading should become not only an 
education in general knowledge, in science, 
in ethics, but also lead to the cultivation 
of a refined taste in subject-matter, lite- 
rary expression, and artistic illustration." 

This art of reading is an acquirement 
which means more than the pronunciation 
of words, more than repetition of sen- 
tences. If it indeed plays an important 
part in education itself and leads the way 
to a broad, deep culture, it is no art to be 
neglected or lightly regarded. Let us en- 
courage and direct it, let us count it 
worthy of devotion and sacrifice. 

But while we admit these ends, the 
ground for the existence of children's 
books is not proved thereby. Certain 
critics, appalled by the immense output 
of juvenile books, tell us that they are of 
no use, no real significance, that children 
should be given the same reading as their 
elders. Scott at eight, poring over Shakes- 
peare and the "Faerie Queene," Marjorie 
Fleming, with her varied list of favorite 
authors, these children of genius seem 
to justify such an opinion. Not for the 
first time is the contrast drawn between 
their reading and attainments and the pos- 
sible results of a course in Tomlinson and 
Barbour, in Hildegarde and Dotty Dimple. 
Yet even Pet Marjorie had her Lazy Law- 



rence and Tarlton and other of Miss Edge- 
worth's tales "adapted for youth." In the 
immoderate and unguided use of children's 
books harm is most likely to lie. We may 
not draw a line saying, on this side are 
children's books; on that, those for adults. 
One class merges into the other; a boy 
of nine may read the "Odyssey," a proper- 
ly-minded grown person loves his "Alice 
in wonderland." 

It is the accepted belief that the ideal 
up-bringing of children is in the home 
where young and old are closely united, 
where children are not thrown exclusively 
with their elders nor yet entirely with 
those of their own age. Admitting asso- 
ciation with their equals in study and play 
shall we deny to children the companion- 
ship of Heidi and Betty Leicester, of 
Mowgli and Tom Bailey and Master Sky- 
lark, a companionship as real and precious 
as that with the boy and girl across the 
street or in the same room at school? To 
follow Robin Hood on his hunts and ad- 
ventures in the merrie greenwood leaves a 
memory to be cherished long after a child 
has forgotten many of the lessons learned 
at school. And would he ever go thus 
a-hunting were it not for the singing pages 
of Howard Pyle, full of sunshine and 
fresh air and romance? 

Frankly, however, books like these are 
the golden grain amidst much that is chaff 
on the shelves of a children's library; their 
value is unquestioned. We all believe in 
providing them in as large numbers as the 
appropriation permits. There is also need 
and use for books which should not be 
called chaff but are in no wise classics. 
Among the necessary, though uninspired 
writings we may include those which serve 
as aids in acquiring the rudiments of the 
art of reading, that is, what is usually 
called learning to read. Primers and very 
elementary books have this definite use 
to supplement the work of the school and 
continue at home what has begun in the 
school room. Nothing else fills quite the 
same place as a reader, especially for the 
foreign children or the homes where books 
do not form a part of the furnishing. Many 



JORDAN 



177 



of the simplest books are enjoyed by the 
entire family in turn. A little girl lately 
came to a branch library and asked for 
something to read. "Why you have two 
books out now," was the reply. "Yes, but 
I've read them both. One is 'Fifty famous 
stories' and my father's reading that and 
he cries over all the sad ones. The other 
is 'Love songs of childhood' and my 
mother's reading that. She says she used 
to know them when she was a little girl, 
so I can't bring them back yet." Abundant 
should be the supply for like use, chosen 
with a view to providing wholesome ma- 
terial for thought with easy words in large 
type. 

Picture-books have a two-fold use; to 
help a child receive true and worthy ideas 
and to give primary training in the beauty 
of color and line. Owning photographs and 
half-tones is considered within the pro- 
vince of any public library which can afford 
it. With equal care the picture books which 
are to give a little child his first ideas of 
art. which are to correct the impressions 
of comic supplements and bill boards may 
be chosen. Better no picture books at all 
than poor ones, and yet we must remember 
that we do not buy them to please our- 
selves entirely. 

Fairy tales we require in answer to the 
need of a world of dreams, the fair crea- 
tion of the imagination, a need as old as 
human nature itself. Fairy tales have, too, 
an educational importance in widening the 
sympathy of children, in helping them 
realize unfamiliar situations and put them- 
selves in the place of others. Stories which 
form a part of our literary inheritance 
should not be garbled and mutilated in 
their presentation. The attempt to elimin- 
ate the savage element (as the prefaces 
say) from old folk and fairy tales marks 
a tendency to be deprecated. I am re- 
minded here of the little daughter of a 
well-known writer who was listening for 
the first time to "Red Riding Hood." Her 
father could not bear to tell of the final 
devouring of the grandmother, so he 
selected one of the other endings in which 
the huntsman appears at the crucial 



moment and kills the wolf. When he had 
finished the child moved restlessly and 
said, "Tell it again." He did so and was 
asked again for a repetition. The third time 
he had finished when she said, "Tell it 
again and tell it horrider." Such is the 
normal child's acceptance of many narra- 
tives from which we try to shield him. 
The savage element is a human, a natural 
element in most children, not to be 
strengthened and encouraged by feeding on 
the grotesque or horrible, but to be recog- 
nized as the manifestation of a certain 
stage of growth. Nervous, sensitive little 
ones must of course be protected from 
terrifying thoughts, but this fact need not 
fill all our vision and cause us to devitalize 
every folk story.. 

Since it seems to be true that the world- 
classics are read in original form by a 
constantly decreasing minority, the op- 
portunity of sharing the essential spirit of 
great books must be given by means of the 
best translations. Selection of master- 
pieces prepared for youth however, must 
be conducted with infinite care. An Eng- 
lish critic has recently aroused opposition 
and called forth warm argument by his 
strictures upon the reading of Shakespeare 
in elementary and secondary schools. His 
reason is that the keen appreciation which 
riper years bring to the understanding of 
a master is dulled by too great familiarity 
in immaturity. While we may not agree 
with William Archer in this judgment 
there may be sufficient truth in it to make 
us hesitate in choosing our written-over 
classics for the children's collection. Any 
attempt at simplifying or altering a work 
whose true meaning and riches are for an 
adult audience, in such a way as to dis- 
tort or falsify that meaning, should be dis- 
trusted. Not long ago there was published 
an attractive edition of the "Canterbury 
tales" retold, which at first sight seemed 
more desirable than any of its predecessors. 
But note the results of a closer examina- 
tion. Earlier versions omit altogether the 
tales which in their nature are unsuited for 
a child's reading. The book in question 
omits some it is true, but it so manipulates 



178 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



others that they step forth in a wholly 
proper form. Well and good, but is it 
Chaucer? Shall we not wait for the 
verse and rhythm which spell Chaucer and 
let the stories go for the present? Of the 
books which every boy and girl should read 
we may say the same. Why do we write 
over "Robinson Crusoe," "Water babies" 
and "The Heroes" for the youngest chil- 
dren and thus anticipate a delight which 
belongs to a later period? There are more 
legitimate introductions to literature than 
cutting and simplifying the simple. 

Beyond all else the power to enrich and 
uplift life is the gift which poetry brings 
to a child who early learns to love it. In 
childhood only can a genuine love for 
poetry be created and happy is the grown 
man or woman who keeps that joy and In- 
spiration through life. 

A typical children's library possesses not 
only imaginative writings, but has room 
also for books which concern themselves 
with instruction. Nature books, including 
animal stories serve to add new interests 
rather than to give scientific information. 
The history of an individual animal is 
usually more pleasing than a multitude of 
anecdotes about different animals. 
Nevertheless, this method is often carried 
too far and insects, worms, and birds, en- 
dowed with human attributes, talk, act and 
suffer like mankind. To interpret the great 
laws of nature by means of parables is one 
thing, to mingle fact and fiction in one in- 
extricable tangle is another. Sentimental- 
ity and a disregard for truth are fostered 
by the latter process. Enough that is 
wonderful appears in the growing and mov- 
ing world about us, enough that is true of 
flowers and birds and insects to make 
every walk or drive a delight without be- 
stowing humanity also upon these other 
animals. And the best nature books are 
those which give children the seeing eye 
and the sympathetic heart to keep them 
young as long as life lasts, but at the same 
time give them facts in their right propor- 
tion. 

Hero teles display ideals and stimulate 
love of country and of noble character. In 



them a little foreigner, be he "Malayan, 
Scythian, Teuton, Celt or Slav," may read 
of the heroic age of the country to which 
he has come as well as of that which his 
fathers knew. Well-written, they form a 
basis for further historical study and gen- 
eral knowledge. 

From travels, from books on useful arts, 
from biography, come also stimulating and 
broadening influences to be of help in char- 
acter-building. Each of these classes of 
books has a use easier to discern than that 
of the story book which children like best. 
Purchase of stories may be as small as we 
dare make it, but even the few must be 
thoughtfully sifted. Use governs selection 
to a certain extent. For home libraries 
and clubs in unlettered communities con- 
cessions, undesirable in other circumstan- 
ces, are made. We agree in the assertion 
that only the best books should be bought; 
we differ often markedly as to what con- 
stitute best books. Since there are no im- 
mutable rules, since the book for one pur- 
pose and place may not be the same as that 
fitting another, it remains for each library 
to shoulder its own responsibility for the 
choice of books. Yet none the less are 
there principles to act as guides. In the 
first place no one will dissent from the 
axiom that moral tone is more imperative 
than literary style. With the definition of 
moral tone lies often the root of our di- 
verse opinions regarding the merit of this 
book or that. Moral tone is lacking in the 
stories which supply false, artificial aims, 
the boarding-school stoi'ies in which girls 
live in an unnatural circle or mutual ad- 
miration or dislike; the home stories in 
which little girls are the centers of at- 
tention, indubitable heroines because they 
live and rule their elders. It is lacking in 
stories for boys which give the wrong con- 
tent to the word success. 

Three other qualities seem to us of 
moment in the choice of children's books, 
if they are to serve the best purpose, in- 
terest, imagination and a degree of literary 
power. Interest and imagination are the 
elements in the Wild West stories, not 
lawlessness, that appeal to a boy. He de- 



PATTEN 



179 



sires what we all so often desire, something 
that will take us out of ourselves and give 
us a glimpse of a world wholly unlike the 
every day one. We shall be wise not to 
ignore this longing, but to provide for 
boys and for girls some stories which are 
more than mere commonplaces of the life 
of an ordinary American child. Perhaps 
in our dread of sensationalism we some- 
times go to the opposite extreme and re- 
commend books whose very insipidity is 
destructive to feeling, to emotions and to 
imagination. 

As to style we may perforce lower our 
standard we need not furl it. We need 
not accept slangy exaggerated conversation 
nor illiterate provincialisms. Our mother 
tongue is too great an inheritance, the 
evils of careless slipshod usage are too real 
to be overlooked. Insistence upon the 
purity of the English employed in 
children's books might do much to promote 
an appreciation of the marvellous power 
and beauty of language. 

Beyond these principles a certain in- 
dependence of choice must be maintained 
by those who would fit books to the needs 
of a given constituency. And at all times 
let us put within a child's reach much that 
is beyond his grasp. More harm may be 
done by underrating than overrating a 
child's comprehension and it is by no 
meaas necessary that he should understand 
all that he reads. Growth, may proceed 
from the use of the children's books, but 
only so long as they provide mental 
stimulus. When that use is prolonged 
after a child is 13 or 14 years old we may 
well ask whether so long a pause on the 
step of juvenile reading will not make 
further ascent of the intellectual stair im- 
possible. 

Belief in an ideal use of children's books 
admits also the likelihood of abuses. Be- 
side the danger of too exclusive or too 
long-continued reading of books for the 
young there is danger also in too rapid 
reading. A book a day is by no means an 
unusual record for a child. The Section of 
Library work with children endorses a 
variety of methods as aids in improving 



the quality of book use. These include 
lists of good books, story hours, picture 
bulletins, school talks, restriction on num- 
ber and kind of books issued, but we agree 
in assigning greatest weight to the choice 
of books and wise administration of their 
use. Knowledge and love of the best litera- 
ture and an equal knowledge and love of 
children work together for better results 
than any number of lists and pictures. 

Miss Gratia A. Countryman then read a 
paper by Miss KATHERINE PATTEN, 
librarian of the Minneapolis Athenaeum on 

THE USE OF ART BOOKS 

In discussing the subject of the use of 
art books, the first thing to be considered 
is the class of people who will use them. 
In all our work, it is the student who is of 
the first importance. Without him there 
would be no need of books. It is to sup- 
ply his wants, or to create a want in him, 
if he has none, that the library exists; and 
it is in satisfying those needs intellli- 
gently and sympathetically that the art 
librarian finds her best opportunity to 
stimulate a further desire in him to know 
and understand the treasures which are 
under her charge. 

Let us consider for a moment some of 
the subjects for which those who come to 
the Art book-room will be searching. Art 
students may be divided into two classes: 
those who study the history of art and 
those who study its technique. Both have 
a broad field, yet they may often cross 
each other's paths. The student of art 
history may think to limit himself to one 
small branch of art, but inevitably he will 
find himself growing interested in the arts 
allied to his own, until at last he finds 
himself far from his starting point. For 
example, suppose one begins with archi- 
tecture, one must study first of all its con- 
structive principles, and the influence of 
climate and material upon design. One 
will watch its development, not only from 
age to age, but contemporaneously among 
different peoples. Then one becomes in- 
terested naturally in mosaics and mural 



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paintings, in stained glass and window 
tracery, in the art of the wood and stone 
carvers, and the metal workers. Wood 
carving suggests furniture, and metal 
work, jewelry. The whole subject of in- 
terior decoration and the history of orna- 
ment opens itself before one. There is no 
subject that has not its special literature. 
On all these matters the student will ex- 
pect to find material in the library, and if 
the library can not supply the informa- 
tion he is seeking, it has neglected a very 
important branch of the history of civiliza- 
tion. 

The other class of students, those who 
are themselves workers in the arts or 
crafts, will cover almost as wide a field, 
but in a different way. The technical stu- 
dent is more concerned with the way in 
which a thing is done than with the thing 
itself. He would rather see the sketches 
and studies which a great painter made 
for his masterpiece than the finished pic- 
ture, for it is the masterpiece he himself 
hopes to create which is ever before his 
eyes. He will learn if he can all that the 
old work can teach him, but it is his duty 
and his desire to express himself and his 
time in his own way. To meet the needs, 
therefore, of workers of this class, we 
must have handbooks of technical instruc- 
tion, in drawing, painting, modelling, art 
anatomy, composition and design, as well 
as collections of designs of all kinds, in- 
cluding the human figure, animal and plant 
form, and examples of the best work of 
all kinds in industrial art. The best art 
periodicals should be had, for they offer 
to the student in small cities the best sub- 
stitute for the Paris, London, or New 
York exhibitions, from which he is de- 
barred. There are others who will come 
to the art library for help, who do not fall 
under either of the above classes; the 
traveller who wishes to find a picture of 
some place which he has seen, or expects 
to see; the girl who wants a costume for 
a play or a fancy dress ball; and many 
who use the books merely for purposes of 
illustration, but their wants are simple 
and easily satisfied. 



Now that we have considered briefly the 
different people who will use art books, 
and their various points of view, let us 
turn for a moment to another phase of our 
subject; the ways in which art books 
should be protected, and the ways in which 
they should be made accessible. To meet 
all the demands upon the art library, a 
good collection of books and prints is es- 
sential. Nearly all books on art are illus- 
trated, but a collection of mounted photo- 
graphs is a great addition and saves much 
of the wear and tear of the books. 

Many art publications consist entirely of 
plates and come unbound. They are more 
easily consulted for that reason and are 
also more liable to injury and theft. The 
costliness of such books, and the manner 
in which they will be used by students, 
almost necessitate a special room, with a 
specially trained attendant to care for 
them, but if these are not to be had, there 
should be at least a table reserved for 
their use in the reading-room, where the 
attendant could keep an eye upon them. 
The question of tracing is one on which 
there are various opinions. I believe some 
libraries do not permit it at all. This 
would seem to limit the use of certain 
books. In the Minneapolis library, where 
we serve large classes of students of 
decorative design, we have always allowed 
tracing under certain conditions. We re- 
quire the use of a transparent gelatine 
plate which covers the book or plate, while 
in use. The question of ink is another 
mooted one. In crowded quarters, the dan- 
ger of accident is certainly great, and with 
valuable books one can not afford to take 
any chances. In other cases it may cause 
considerable inconvenience to the student 
to be obliged to make a double tracing, 
first in pencil and then in ink. Our own 
practice has been to require the ink bottle 
to be placed in a much larger vessel and 
to give the student plenty of table room. 
I do not think our books have ever be+n 
injured by ink spots in more than one or 
two instances, and never since these pre- 
cautions have been observed. Another way 
in which we try to protect our books, is 



PATTHN 



181 



by asking everyone to take off their gloves 
before opening the books. 

We also provide a lavatory in the art 
book room, so that there may be no excuse 
for dirty hands. All these simple rules are 
printed on a neat little placard and stand 
framed upon each table. In spite of this, 
the attendant is often obliged to call atten- 
tion to the rules with all the tact and firm- 
ness which she possesses. 

Having taken the proper means of pro- 
tecting the books from injury, it remains 
to make them as accessible and as useful 
to the public as possible. This may be 
done in a variety of ways. As I have said 
before, the best way is to have them in a 
room by themselves, where they may be 
freely examined, under the guidance of a 
trained attendant. I use the word guid- 
ance, advisedly. In a collection of books 
largely in foreign languages and on tech- 
nical subjects, the average untrained in- 
quirer would be utterly lost. The catalog, 
with its long and forbidding titles, is of 
very little use to him, and if he is to find 
what he wants he must consult the assist- 
ant in charge. She should therefore, know 
not only the outside of her books, but 
should be thoroughly familiar with the in- 
side of them. If possible she should know 
something of the technique of each art 
and craft, as well as their history, for she 
will often be asked for designs suitable for 
this or that kind of work. She must cul- 
tivate a kind of visual memory and train 
herself to remember plates, and to locate 
the study of a green dragon, or the picture 
of a carved chimney piece which some one 
had seen "in the large red book" which 
she used last week. In a collection of 
several thousand volumes, most of which 
are large, and many of which are red, this 
is not always an easy thing to do, but at 
least one should be able to produce other 
dragons and chimney pieces from the 
wealth of material at one's command. The 
assistant should also possess some knowl- 
edge of French and German, and perhaps 
a little Italian, in order to help those who 
have no language but their own. When 
I said a moment ago that the catalog was 



of little use to the ordinary untrained in- 
quirer, I should have added that it was of 
the utmost value to the real student, and 
especially to the assistant herself, and that 
in the matter of subject headings it could 
not well be too full. A very useful adjunct 
to the main catalog is the picture catalog, 
wherein are indexed briefly the most im- 
portant pictures in the art periodicals, the 
great galleries, and such other collections 
as are of a miscellaneous character. A 
brief entry under artist and subject is all 
that is necessary, and the picture catalog 
will pay for itself many times over in the 
labor saved in searching through heavy 
f olios, many of which have no indexes. 

Given a good collection of books, a com- 
petent assistant and a good catalog, the 
next thing is to get hold of the people 
whom we wish to help. The cultivated, 
art loving public will come as a matter of 
course, but there is a large class of people 
who would never find their way to the art 
department without a special invitation. 
The very word "art" seems to frighten 
them. They regard it as something whick 
they do not understand and which can 
have no interest for them. It is for these 
people that the exhibition will have value. 
When we first opened our new art book 
room in Minneapolis, we planned a number 
of exhibits. Our former quarters had been 
too small to admit of anything of the kind, 
but with a room 130 feet long, we could 
devote considerable space to the display of 
books and plates, without inconvenience to 
the regular students. Our first exhibit was 
of designs for embroidery and needle- 
work. It was held a few weeks before 
Christmas, and was chosen as a subject of 
common interest among girls and women 
at that season, and as a popular overture 
to the more serious matters to follow. 
Placards, advertising the exhibit, were 
placed in the fancy work departments of 
the large stores and in the other rooms of 
the library. All the books and magazines 
which the library had on the subject were 
gathered together on tables, while certain 
specially good plates were hung on a large 
screen. The exhibit was kept open a week, 



182 



ASHEV1LLE CONFERENCE 



and was fairly well attended. The ex- 
periment of keeping open one evening was 
tried. Only three or four people straggled 
in, but among them was a man. He ex- 
amined the designs in a rather shamefaced 
way, and upon my asking him a question 
or two, explained that he neither em- 
broidered nor crocheted, but was a worker 
in wrought iron. He said that he found 
such poor designs in his trade papers and 
journals that when he saw our advertise- 
ment it had occurred to him that even em- 
broidery patterns might offer some sugges- 
tions that were new. When I drew him 
away to the ntack where our books on 
metal work were shelved, and pulled down 
book after book of beautiful designs of 
every kind in wrought iron, his enthusiasm 
and gratitude were worth the trouble of 
the whole week's exhibit 

During Christmas week we had an ex- 
hibition of Madonnas. They were arranged 
according to the schools of painting and 
hung on a wire stretched the whole length 
of the stack on one side of the room. Many 
of them were simple prints, taken from 
"Masters in art," mounted with the name 
of the artist and the subject printed below. 
A good many of the colored prints in the 
"Alte Meister" series were very effective 
used in this way. This exhibit was visited 
by many teachers and school children and 
was much admired. Another very good ex- 
hibition was on furniture and woodcarving 
combined, and another on metal work, in- 
cluding jewelry. These were followed by 
Japanese prints. 

In the case of exhibts of designs for 
various handicrafts, I should always try to 
advertise them as much as possible among 
the workers in those lines; for instance, 
among the cabinet makers and furniture 
factories, the stained glass shops, the book 
binderies, etc. Such people are often the 
least in touch with the library and yet the 
very ones most in need of the inspiration 
to be found in books. The art collection is 
indeed more than a library, it is a museum, 
an art gallery, and a library combined, 
and rightly used, may be of much greater 
value than many a hurried trip in Europe. 



Art clubs and others to whom the col- 
lection of art books and photographs would 
be useful, should be encouraged to meet at 
the library, in order to have the fullest 
use of them. An easel to support the large 
folios, should be provided, to save the strain 
upon their bindings. Many of the finest 
publications come unbound in portfolios, 
and it is often a question whether to bind 
them, or not. There is no doubt that the 
binding protects the plates, but separate 
plates are much more easily used by the 
student, besides being more available for 
exhibition purposes. Certain classes of 
books we prefer to keep in portfolio form, 
but as a precaution against dust, we have 
strong linen flaps put on by our binder 
which make them comparatively dust 
proof. 

There are two lines in -which I think an 
art library should be of special use in a 
community, and along which its develop- 
ment should be pushed as rapidly as possi- 
ble. These are architecture and decorative 
design for industrial art. The influence of 
a good architectural library would be far 
reaching. It is not only for the architect 
and student that such books have value, 
but for the ordinary man or woman about 
to build, whether a house, a church, an 
office building, or an apartment house. The 
library should offer for comparison the best 
work of all periods, especially our own, 
and so set a standard of taste for the com- 
munity. There would then be no excuse 
for the commonplace, the ugly or grotesque 
buildings which have disfigured so many 
of our cities in the past. If people knew 
that they could find at the library collec- 
tions of good plans and interior views, they 
would be glad enough to examine them and 
to get some idea of what they want before 
consulting an architect. Draughtsmen and 
decorators would come, to find the details 
with which to carry out the architect's 
designs. If I may be pardoned another 
reference to the library which I know best. 
I will say that I think few houses of any 
pretensions to real architectural beauty or 
style have been built or furnished in Min- 
neapolis, during the last few years, with- 



BOSTWICK 



183 



out consultation of the art department by 
either owner, architect, or decorator. 

Next to architecture, I consider decora- 
tive design the most important line in 
which the art library should grow. The 
presence of a good collection of books of 
this kind I believe would assuredly lead to 
the formation of schools and classes for 
practical work, and the field of employ- 
ment for trained designers and craftsmen 
is constantly widening with the growth of 
manufactures and the industrial develop- 
ment of the country. Every one may not 
be interested in painting and sculpture, 
but we are all of us interested in the pat- 
tern of our wall paper and the style of 
our furniture, and take pleasure in the 
beauty and appropriateness of the common 
articles of daily use. 

The mission of the art library is there- 
fore two-fold: it trains the craftsman to 
produce beauty and the public to appreciate 
it. It has much the same effect upon the 
taste of the community that the Arts and 
crafts exhibitions have, with the advan- 
tage of being a permanent influence. I be- 
lieve also that the influence of the art 
library might be greatly increased by popti - 
lar lectures or talks upon art, given occa- 
sionally, at the library. This has been 
done in the large cities, and I think it 
could be done to advantage in the smaller 
towns, where opportunities are fewer, but 
where people are all the more appreciative 
of those offered them. In every community 
large enough to support a library of this 
kind, there must be some people who would 
be both competent and willing to give such 
informal talks, illustrating them freely 
with the books themselves. It would after 
all be only repaying the public in a small 
measure for the benefits which the public 
library has conferred upon them. And if 
we speak of benefits conferred, who is so 
greatly benefitted as the librarian herself, 
who is privileged to live among the books? 
It is her privilege more than anyone's else 
to help the public to know and love and 
use the books. 

Mr MANN: Miss President, one may 
sometimes apply from one line of work 



a good suggestion to another, and it ap- 
pears to me, in this matter of whether we 
shall mount art pictures or shall leave 
them loose in the portfolio, that the at- 
tachment of a narrow band to the edge of 
each sheet, with holes punched in it for 
temporary binding, will enable one to pro- 
tect all those things that come unbound, 
and at the same time if there is any call 
for separating them, just to slip the cords 
out. 

Miss SHARP: It is a pleasure to an- 
nounce that Mr A. B. Bostwick, of the 
New York public library, will present a 
paper on 

THE USES OF FICTION 
Literature is becoming daily more of a 
dynamic and less of a static phenomenon. 
In other days the great body of written 
records remained more or less stable and 
with its attendant body of tradition did 
its work by a sort of quiet pressure on 
that portion of the community just be- 
neath it on a special class peculiarly sub- 
ject to its influence. To-day we have 
added to this effect that of a moving multi- 
tude of more or less ephemeral books, 
which appear, do their work, and pass on 
out of sight. They are light, but they 
make up for their lack of weight by the 
speed and ease with which they move. 
Owing to them the use of books is be- 
coming less and less limited to a class, 
and more and more familiar to the masses. 
The book nowadays is in motion. Even 
the classics, the favorites of other days, 
have left their musty shelves and are mov- 
ing out among the people. Where one man 
knew and loved Shakespeare a century 
ago, a thousand know and love him to-day. 
The literary blood is circulating and in so 
doing is giving life to the body politic. In 
thus wearing itself out the book is creat- 
ing a public appreciation that makes itself 
felt in a demand for reprinting, hence 
worthy books are surer of perpetuation in 
this swirling current than they were in 
the old time reservoir. But besides these 
books whose literary life Is continuous, 
though their paper and binding may wear 



184 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



out, there are other books that vanish 
utterly. By the time that the material 
part of them needs renewing, the book 
itself has done its work. Its value at that 
moment is not enough, or is not sufficiently 
appreciated, to warrant reprinting. It 
drops out of sight and its place is taken 
by another, fresh from the press. This 
part of our moving literature is what is 
called ephemeral, and properly so; but no 
stigma necessarily attaches to the name. 
In the first place, it is impossible to draw 
a line between the ephemeral and the 
durable. "One storm in the world's his- 
tory has never cleared off," said the wit 
"the one we are having now." Yet the con- 
ditions of to-day, literary as well as mete- 
orological, are not necessarily lasting. 

We are accustomed to regard what we 
call standard literature as necessarily 
the standard of innumerable centuries to 
come, forgetful of the fact that other so- 
called standards have "had their day and 
ceased to be." Some literature lasts a cen- 
tury, some a year, some a week; where 
shall we draw the line below which all 
must be condemned as ephemeral? Is it 
not possible that all literary work that 
quickly achieves a useful purpose and hav- 
ing achieved it passes at once out of 
sight, may really count for as much as one 
that takes the course of years to produce 
its slow results? The most ephemeral of 
all our literary productions the daily 
paper is incalculably the most influential, 
and its influence largely depends on this 
dynamic quality that has been noted the 
penetrative power of a thing of light 
weight moving at a high speed. And this 
penetrative power effective literature 
must have to-day on account of the vastly 
increased mass of modern readers. 

Reading is no longer confined to a class, 
it is well-nigh universal, in our own coun- 
try, at least. And the habit of mind of the 
thoughtful and intent reader is not an 
affair of one generation but of many. New 
readers are young readers, and they have 
the characteristics of intellectual youth. 

Narrative the recapitulation of one's 
own or someone else's experience, the tell- 



ing of a story is the earliest form in 
which artistic effort of any kind is appre- 
ciated. The pictorial art that appeals to 
the young or the ignorant is the kind that 
tells a story perhaps historical painting 
on enormous canvasses, perhaps the small 
genre picture, possibly something sym- 
bolic or mythological; but at any rate it 
must embody a narrative, whether it is 
that of the signing of a treaty, a charge of 
dragoons, a declaration of love or the 
feeding of chickens. The same is true of 
music. The popular song tells something, 
almost without exception. Even in instru- 
mental music, outside of dance rhythms, 
whose suggestion of the delights of bodily 
motion is a reason of their popularity, the 
beginner likes program music of some 
kind, or at least its suggestion. So it is 
in literature. With those who are intel- 
lectually young, whether young in years 
or not, the narrative form of expression is 
all in all. It i-?, of course, in all the arts, 
a most important mode, even in advanced 
stages of development. We shall never 
be able to do without narrative in painting, 
sculpture, music and poetry ; but wherever, 
in a given community, the preference for 
this form of expression in any art is ex- 
cessive, we may be sure that appreciation 
of that form of art is newly aroused. This 
is an interesting symptom and a good sign. 
To be sure, apparent intellectual youth 
may be the result of intellectual deca- 
dence; there is a second as well as a first 
childhood, but it is not difficult to dis- 
tinguish between them. In general, if a 
large proportion of those in a community 
who like to look at pictures, prefer such 
as "tell a story," this fact, if the number 
of the appreciative is at the same time in- 
creasing, means a newly stimulated inter- 
est in art. And similarly, if a large pro- 
portion of those persons who enjoy read- 
ing prefer the narrative forms of litera- 
ture, while at the same time their total 
numbers are on the increase, this surely 
indicates a newly aroused interest in 
books. And this is precisely the situation 
in which we find ourselves to-day. A very 
large proportion of the literature that we 



BOSTWICK 



185 



circulate is in narrative form how large 
a proportion I daresay few of us realize. 
Not only all the fiction, adult and juvenile, 
but all the history, biography and travel, 
a large proportion of literature and peri- 
odicals, some of the sciences, including all 
reports of original research, and a lesser 
proportion of the arts, philosophy and re- 
ligion, are in this form. It may be inter- 
esting to estimate the percentage of narra- 
tive circulated by a large public library, 
a ad I have attempted this in the case of 
the New York public library for the year 
ending July 1, 1906. 



Class 



Per cent Estimated 



Fiction per cent of 

Juvenile 26 narrative 

Adult 32 58 58 

History 6 6 

Biography 3 3 

Travel 3 3 

Literature 7 3 

Periodicals 4 2 

Sciences 9 3 

Arts 3 1 

Philos. & Relig 2 1 

Foreign 5 4 

100 84 

In other words, if my estimates are not 
too much out of the way and I have tried 
to be conservative only 16 per cent, of our 
whoie circulation, and 38 per cent, of our 
non-fiction, is non-narrative, despite the 
fact that our total fiction percentage is 
low 

I attach little importance in this regard 
to any distinction between true and ficti- 
tious narrative. People who read novels 
do not enjoy them simply because the sub- 
ject matter is untrue. They enjoy the 
books because they are interesting. In 
fact, in most good fiction, little beside the 
actual sequence of the events in the plot 
and the names of the characters is untrue. 
The delineation of character, the descrip- 
tions of places and events and the state- 
ments of fact are intended to be true, and 
the further they depart from truth the 
less enjoyable they are. Indeed, when one 



looks closely into the matter, the dividing 
line between what we call truth and fic- 
tion in narrative grows more and more 
hazy. ' 

In pictorial art we do not attempt to 
make it at all. Our museums do not class- 
ify their pictures into true and imaginary. 
Our novels contain so much truth and our 
other narrative works so much fiction, that 
it is almost as difficult to draw the line 
in the literary as it is in the pictorial arts. 
And in any case objections to a work of 
fiction, as well as commendations, must 
be bas.ed on considerations apart from this 
classification. 

To represent a fictitious story as real or 
an imaginary portrait as a true one is, of 
course, a fault, but the story and the por- 
trait may both be of the highest ex- 
cellence when the subjects are wholly 
imaginary. It should be noted that the 
crime of false representation, when com- 
mitted with success, removes a work from 
library classification as fiction and places 
it in one of the other classes. Indeed, it 
is probable that much more lasting harm 
is done by false non-fiction than by fiction. 
The reader, provided he uses literature 
temperately, has much less need to be- 
ware of the novel, which he reads frankly 
for entertainment, than of the history full 
of "things that are not so," of the biased 
biography, of science "popularized" out of 
all likeness to nature, of absurd theories 
in sociology or cosmology, of silly and 
crude ideas masquerading as philosophy, 
of the out-and-out falsehood of fake travel- 
lers and pseudo-naturalists. 

In what has gone before it has been as- 
sumed that the reader is temperate. One 
may read to excess either in fiction or non- 
fiction, and the result is the same; mental 
over-stimulation, with the resulting re- 
action. One may thus intoxicate himself 
with history, psychology or mathematics 
the mathematics-drunkard is the worst of 
all literary debauchees when he does exist 
and the only reason why fiction-drunken- 
ness is more prevalent is that fiction ia 
more attractive to the average man. We 
do not liave to warn the reader against 



186 



over-indulgence in biography or art-criti- 
cism, any more than we have to put away 
the vichy bottle when a bibulous friend 
appears, or forbid the children to eat too 
many shredded-wheat biscuits. Fiction has 
the fatal gift of being too entertaining. 
The novel-writer must be interesting or he 
fails; the historian or the psychologist 
does not often regard it as necessary un- 
less he happens to be a Frenchman. 

But with this danger of literary surfeit 
or over-stimulation. I submit that the 
librarian has nothing to do; it is beyond 
his sphere, at least id so far as he deals 
with the adult reader. We furnish parks 
and playgrounds for our people; we police 
them and see that they contain nothing 
harmful, but we cannot guarantee that they 
will not be used to excess that a man 
may not, for example, be so enraptured 
with the trees and the squirrels that he 
will give up to their contemplation time 
that should be spent in supporting his 
family. So in the library we may and do 
see that harmful literature is excluded, but 
we cannot be expected to see that books 
which are not in themselves injurious are 
not sometimes used to excess. 

T venture to suggest that very much of 
our feeling of disquietude about the large 
use of fiction in the public library and else- 
where arises from our misapprehension of 
something that must always force itself 
upon the attention in a state of society 
where public education and public taste are 
on the increase. In this case the growth 
will necessarily be uneven in different de- 
partments of knowledge and taste, and in 
different localities; so that discrepancies 
frequently present themselves. We may ob- 
serve, for instance, a quietly and taste- 
fully dressed woman reading, we will say, 
Laura Jean Libbey. We are disconcerted, 
and the effect is depressing. But the dis- 
crepancy may arise in either of two ways. 
If we have here a person formerly possess- 
ing good taste both in dress and reading, 
whose taste in the latter regard has de- 
teriorated, we certainly have cause for sad- 
ness; but if. as is much more likely, we 
have one who had formerly bad taste of 



both kinds and whose taste in dress has 
improved, we should rather rejoice. The 
argument is the same whether the change 
has taken place in the same generation or 
in more than one. Our masses are moving 
upward and the progress along the more 
material lines is often more rapid than in 
matters of the intellect. Or, on the con- 
trary, intellectual progress may be in 
advance of manners. Such discrepancies 
are frequently commented upon by foreign 
travelers in the United States, who almost 
invariably misinterpret them in the same 
way. Can we blame them, when we make 
the same mistake ourselves? M. Jules 
Huret, in his recent interesting book "En 
Amerique," notes frequently the lapses in 
manners and taste of educated persons 
among us. He describes, for instance, the 
bad table-manners of a certain clergyman. 
His thought is evidently, "How shocking 
that a clergyman should act in this way!" 
But we might also put it: "How admirable 
that professional education in this country 
is so easily obtained that one of a class in 
which such manners prevail can secure it! 
How encouraging that he should desire to 
enter the ministry and succeed in doing 
so!" These are extreme standpoints; we 
need of course endorse neither of them. 
But when I find that on the upper west side 
of New York, where the patrons of our 
branch libraries are largely the wives and 
daughters of business men with good 
salaries, whose general scale of living is 
high, the percentage of fiction circulated 
is unduly great, I do not say, as I am 
tempted to do "How surprising and how 
discouraging that persons of such apparent 
cultivation should read nothing but fiction, 
and that not of the highest grade!" I say 
rather: "What an evidence it is of our 
great material prosperity that persons in 
an early stage of mental development, as 
evidenced by undue preference for narra- 
tive in literature, are living in such com- 
fort or even luxury!" 

Is not this the right way to look at it? 
I confess that I can see no reason for de- 
spairing of the American people because it 
reads more fiction than it used to read, so 



FOSTER 



187 



long as this is for the same reason that a 
ten year old boy reads more stories than 
a baby. Intellectual youth is at least an 
advance over mental infancy so long as it 
is flrst childhood not second. It is un- 
doubtedly our duty, as it is our pleasure, 
to help these people to grow, but we cannot 
force them, and should not try. Complete 
growth may take several generations. And 
even when full stature has been obtained, 
literature in its narrative modes, though 
not so exclusively as now, will still be 
loved and read. Romance will always serve 
as the desert in the feast of reason and 
we should recollect that sugar is now 
highly regarded as a food. It is a pro- 
ducer of energy in easily available form, 
and, thinking on some such novels as 
"Uncle Tom," "Die Waffen nieder" and 
shall we say "The jungle"? we realize that 
this thing is a parable, which the despiser 
of fiction may well read as he runs. 

The PRESIDENT then resumed the 
Chair, and there was read a paper by Mr 
W. E. FOSTER, of the Providence public 
library, on 

SOME BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES ON 
HISTORICAL COMPOSITION 

The following memoranda constitute a 
selection from notes which have been ac- 
cumulating in the course of several years 
of reference work, in connection with 
inquiries of historical students, and it has 
been thought that they may be of some 
service to other librarians. 

As a necessary preliminary to such a 
series of notes, some more general refer- 
ences should be cited. First of all, should 
be consulted the very useful list prepared 
b> the Secretary of the American Library 
Association, James Ingersoll Wyer, Jr., en- 
titled "Bibliography of the study and 
teaching of history." This was published 
in the "Annual report" of the American 
historical association for 1899, v. 1, p. 559- 
612. This very comprehensive bibliog- 
raphy is carefully classified and intelli- 
gently annotated. There are a few earlier 
and less comprehensive lists, including the 



references comprised at p. v-vii of Dr G. 
Stanley Hall's "Methods of teaching his- 
tory," (ed. 1886). Also those in Dr Will- 
iam Preston Johnston's paper on "Defini- 
tions of history," in the "Annual report" 
of the American historical association for 
1895, p. 45-53. There are also extended 
enumerations of writers who have defined 
history, (with characterizations of their 
point of view), in Dr Robert Flint's "His- 
tory of the philosophy of history," pt. 1, 
p. 8-12. New York: C. Scribner's sons, 
1894. When Lord Acton delivered his in- 
augural address at the University of Cam- 
bridge in 1895, as Regius Professor of 
modern history, his work was based 
largely on a comparative study of different 
points of view in history. These refer- 
ences are embodied in the more than one 
hundred citations, in the "Notes" ap- 
pended to his lecture as published, ("The 
study of history," p. 75-142, London: Mac- 
millan & co. 1895). Somewhat extended 
references are also found at the begin- 
ning of a paper by the present writer, on 
"The point of view in history," printed in 
the "Proceedings" of the American anti- 
quarian society, April 25, 1906, new series, 
v. 17, p. 349-52. This paper has also been 
separately published, (Worcester, Mass.. 
1906), and the present paper is largely 
based on it. 

There is also a somewhat recent volume, 
of much interest, and significance, on the 
teaching of history, written by nine Eng- 
lish teachers of history. These writers 
mainly Oxford and Cambridge men in- 
clude so eminent names as those of Mait- 
land, Poole, Cunningham, and Ashley. The 
work was projected by the late Lord 
Acton, and was published one year before 
his death in 1902. ("Essays on the teaching 
of history," edited by W. A. J. Archbold, 
Cambridge: University press, 1901. ) With- 
in recent years also, those who have oc- 
cupied important chairs of history, both in 
this country and in Great Britain, have 
published their views on the subject with 
more or less fullness. The inaugural ad- 
dresses of the men who have occupied the 
chair of Regius Professor of history, at 



188 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Oxford and at Cambridge, have almost in- 
variably been of commanding interest, (in- 
cluding in the last sixty years, those of 
Vaughan, Goldwin Smith, Stubbs, Freeman, 
and Firth, at Oxford; and Kingsley, See- 
ley, Lord Acton, and J. B. Bury, at Cam- 
bridge). The entries of these inaugural ad- 
dresses, and also of the annual addresses 
before the American historical association, 
1884-1905. will be found at p. 363-66 of the 
paper on "The point of view in history," 
by the present writer, already cited above. 
Besides including the precise dates, these 
enumerations include the full entries of the 
addresses, including such titles as "The 
office of the historical professor," 1 "A 
plea for the historical teaching of his- 
tory," 2 "The function of the historian as 
a judge of historic persons.." 3 "Subordina- 
tion in historical treatment," * etc. 

Since an address of less than an hour in 
duration can at best be only a bird's-eye 
view of the subject, though more effective, 
indeed, through its inevitable condensation 
it is not strange that there have ap- 
peared from time to time extended treatises 
which aim to cover the ground in a com- 
prehensive and systematic fashion. In 
1868 the German historian, Droysen, is- 
sued the first edition of his "Grundriss der 
Historik." This vauable work has been 
translated into English, by Dr E. Benja- 
min Andrews, under the title of "Outline 
of the principles of history," Boston: Ginn 
& co. 1893. In 1889 appeared a compre- 
hensive treatise by Ernst Bernheim, enti- 
tled "Lehrbuch der historischen Methode, 
mit Nachweis der wichtigsten Quellen und 
Hiilfsmittel zum Studium der Geschichte," 
published at Leipzig, by Duncker (2d edi- 
tion in 1894). An invaluable work and 
one which is even now the best accessible 
treatise of its kind appeared in 1893, 
namely, "Introduction aux etudes his- 
toriques," by C. V. Langlois and C. Seigno- 
bos, Paris: Hachette et Cie. An excellent 
translation into English, by G. G. Berry, 
appeared the same year, under the title 
of "Introduction to the study of history," 



1 B. A. Freeman. 2 C. H. Firth. 3 O. P. 
Fisher. 4 A. T. Mahan. 



New York: H. Holt & co. This English 
translation, moreover, has a preface of 
much value and suggestiveness, by the late 
Regius Professor of modern history at Ox- 
ford, Frederick York Powell. Still more 
recently there has been published "Die 
Wertschlitzung in der Geschichte; eine 
kritische Untersuchung," by Arvid Gro- 
tenfelt, Leipzig: Veit & co., 1903. The 
author (who writes in German), is a mem- 
ber of the faculty of the University of Hel- 
singfors, in Finland. In one of his chap- 
ters the historical method and point of 
view of Ranke, Lamprecht and other mod- 
ern historians are examined. 

Such an examination as this, of the point 
of view of individual historians, can sel- 
dom fail to be profitable, and references of 
this kind, in connection with Carlyle, 1 
Macaulay, 2 Froude, 3 Freeman, * Gardi- 
ner, 5 and other Nineteenth century English 
historians, will be found in the paper on 
"The point of view in history," by the pres- 
ent writer, and need not be repeated here. 
One or two somewhat recent contributions 
to the discussion of the subject, however, 
may be of interest. Some of these relate 
to the ever-recurring question, "literary" 
or "scientific"? The inaugural lecture at 
the University of Cambridge, in 1903, by 
Professor J. B. Bury, the present Regius 
Professor of modern history, was an ex- 
treme presentation of the doctrine, "that 
history is a science, no less and no more," 
("Inaugural lecture," Cambridge: Univer- 
sity press, 1903, p. 7.) Its positions have 
been controverted with much skill, by sev- 
eral other writers, as follows: "The latest 
view of history," by an English historical 
writer, George Macaulay Trevelyan, in the 
"Independent review," (London, 1903), re- 
printed in the "Living age" (Jan. 23) 1904, 
v. 240, p. 193-205. Also in the "Harvard 
lectures on Greek subjects," by Professor 
Samuel Henry Butcher, of the University of 
Cambridge, London: Macmillan & co. 1904, 
p. 251-52. Also in the article by C. Litton 
Falkiner, on "Literature and history," in 



1 "The point of view in history" (foot-notea), 
p. 392, 397. 2 Same, p. 375-76. 3 Same, p. 
376-79. 4 Same, 379, 413-14. 5 Same, p. 392. 



FOSTER 



189 



the "Monthly review" (London, 1904), re- 
printed in the "Living age" (June 4) 1904, 
v. 241, p. 621-28. See also a very trenchant 
article in the "New York Evening post," 
Dec. 19, 1903. A middle ground Is convinc- 
ingly advocated by Professor Charles Hard- 
ing Firth, the present Regius Professor of 
modern history at the University of Ox- 
ford, in his inaugural address, ("A plea for 
the historical teaching of history," Oxford, 
Clarendon press, 1905, p. 8). 

Mr Firth's predecessor, Frederick York 
Powell, was a strong upholder of the 
"scientific" view. His inaugural lecture, 
(delivered in 1894), is not accessible as a 
whole, in print, but his position on the 
subjects is made very plain, in the collec- 
tion of his writings, reprinted in the re- 
cent memoir of his life, by Oliver Elton. 
(Oxford: Clarendon press, 1906, 2 v.) There 
is a very illuminating study of Frederick 
York Powell's views, by Professor H. 
Morse Stephens, published as a review of 
Mr Elton's work, in the "American his- 
torical review" (April, 1907) v. 12, p. 648- 
52. Other noteworthy reviews of this work 
are to be found in the "Nation" (April 4, 
1907) v. 84, p. 311-12, and the "Athenaeum" 
(London), Dec. 29, 1906. 

Although no formal treatise on the sub- 
ject came from the hands of the great Ger- 
man historian, Ranke, few writers have 
so profoundly influenced writers of history 
everywhere. His dictum, "I will speak 
only of the thing as it actually was" (Teh 
will nur sagen wie es eigentlich gewesen 
ist"), is widely known, as is also that of 
Lord Acton, in advocating a position of 
complete "detachment," in historical treat- 
ment. Elsewhere in this same lecture of 
Lord Acton's, ("Lecture on the study of 
history," London: Macmillan & co., 1895, p. 
51), be commends in Ranke what MIchelet 
calls "le desinteressement des morts." 
Ranke's insistence on the avoidance of a 
"subjective" treatment is also admirably 
outlined by his pupil, Dr H. von Sybel, in 
;-;n article in the "Historische Zeitschrift." 
v. 56 (1886), p. 474. 

Yet, influential as has been the influence 
of Ranke among the historical writers of 



all countries, it seems plain that it did not 
sufficiently recognize the bearing upon his- 
torical methods, of the doctrine of evolu- 
tion. Indeed, it is precisely here, where 
Ranke failed of being so thorough-going 
as the conditions demanded, that Lam- 
precht has gained a wider recognition. 
Consequently, the revolution which has 
been going on .during the last quarter 
century in Germany, as to historical 
method, has come to be, in large part, a 
conflict between the ideas of Ranke and 
those of Lamprecht. This conflict is well 
depicted by Mr Earle W. Dow (in an arti- 
cle entitled "Features of the new history," 
in the "American historical review," 
April, 1898, v. 3, 448), who maintains 
that the new historical point of view asks 
not "Wie ist es eigentlich gewesen?" (as 
Ranke did), but rather "Wie ist es eigent- 
lich geworden?" Still further light on the 
commanding influence of Lamprecht on re- 
cent historical discussion in Germany may 
be had from W. E. Dodd's article, "Karl 
Lamprecht and Kulturgeschichte," in the 
"Popular science monthly" (Sept. 1903) v. 
63, p. 418-24. See also the reviews of Lam- 
precht's "Deutsche Geschichte," by James 
Tait, in the "English historical review" 
July, 1S92) v. 7, p. 547-50, and (Oct. 1893) 
v. 8, p. 748-50; and by Dr Camillo von 
Klenze, in the "American historical re- 
view" i April, 1907) v. 12, p. 633-36. Lam- 
precht's recent volume, ("Moderne 
GschichtsAvissenschaft," Freiburg in Breis- 
gau: H. Heyfelder, 1905), is translated into 
English by E. A. Andrews, under the title, 
"What is history? Five lectures on the 
modern science of history," New York: 
Macmillan co., 1905. This suggestive vol- 
ume, in which Lamprecht not only asks 
the question, but replies by pronouncing it 
"applied psychology," (p. 29), is reviewed 
(by "A. G.") in the "English historical re- 
view" (July, 1905) v. 20, p. 604, and by 
Dr A. C. Tilton, in the "American histori- 
cal review" (Oct., 1905) v. 11, p. 119-21. 

As already stated, the foregoing references 
are by no means intended to be exhaus- 
tive, but a selection only, from the mass of 
material to which the publications cited at 



190 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



the beginning of this paper will supply a 
clue. 

Mr W. C. LANE then presented the 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
RESOLUTIONS 

Ladies and gentlemen, the Committee on 
resolutions has two resolutions which have 
been referred to it from the floor, and it 
has other resolutions of its own to present 
in regard to the kindness which we have 
received at Asheville. The first resolu- 
tion referred to the Committee relates to 
copyright. The Committee has taken the 
liberty of re-wording this, and expects that, 
in its present form, it will be acceptable to 
all members of the Association, and will 
constitute a true expression of their opin- 
ion in regard to the present condition of 
the copyright bill. 

A bill having lately been reported to 
Congress which amends and codifies the 
existing law with respect to Copyright 
a subject of vital concern to all members 
of this Association, 

Resolved, that the members of the Ameri- 
can Library Association here present ex- 
press their approval of the provisions of 
the Copyright Bill in its present form so 
far as these provisions affect the interests 
of libraries, 

Resolved, that they record their thanks, 
(1) to the Committee appointed by the 
Executive board which represented the 
Association before the Copyright confer- 
ence and prevented the inclusion in the 
first draft of the bill of unfavorable re- 
strictions; (2) to the Library copyright 
league which took up the work at the point 
reached by the Committee, and in the hear- 
ings before the Joint Committee of Con- 
gress and by public discussion helped to 
make plain the justice of granting still 
greater freedom to libraries in the impor- 
tation of books, and contributed to secur- 
ing the provisions at present embodied in 
the Copyright Bill. 

Adopted. 

Mr LANE: We have all been pleased 
to hear good news from our old friend and 
senior ex-President, Mr F. M. Crunden, of 
St Louis. The Committee desires to find 
a means of sending Mr Crunden our good 
wishes. It therefore presents the follow- 
ing: 



The American Library Association in 
session at Asheville, N. C., 500 strong, 
sends cordial greetings to its senior ex- 
president, with assurances of keen grati- 
fication at the continued news of return- 
ing health, and expresses the hope for his 
speedy and complete recovery. 

Adopted unanimously by rising vote. 

Mr LANE: It is one of the pleasant 
duties at the close of a conference to say 
"Thank you" to those who have been hos- 
pitable and kind to us. Your Committee 
on Resolutions therefore proposes that the 
thanks of the Association be recorded in 
the following form: 

The American Library Association at 
the close of the Asheville conference of 
1907, desires to express its most hearty 
thanks for all the hospitality it has re- 
ceived, and its appreciation of the kind 
welcome that has been accorded to it. 

It would especially record the courtesies 
and attentions extended to it by its hosts, 
both official and private: 

The Asheville library association 

The North Carolina library association 
and its cordial President, Mrs Annie Smith 
Ross 

The Asheville board of trade and Mr 
W. F. Randolph, its Secretary 

The City of Asheville as represented by 
Judge J. C. Pritchard 

The State of North Carolina in the per- 
son of the Lieut. Governor, the Hon. F. T. 
Winston 

Mrs A. C. Bartlett 

and the proprietor and guests of the Manor 
Hotel whose hospitable receptions were 
greatly enjoyed by the many who attended 
them. 

It would also thank all those citizens 
who have manifested their good will by 
contributing to the comfort and pleasure 
of the Association. 

It cordially thanks the Asheville electric 
company for having afforded many mem- 
bers a most enjoyable glimpse of the de- 
lightful surroundings of Asheville. 

Nor does it forget the admirable reports 
of the sessions and meetings of the Con- 
ference supplied by the local press, by 
the "Asheville Citizen" in particular. 

To Professor W. P. Trent, of Columbia 
university, the Association owes a debt of 
gratitude for his kindness in delivering a 
most scholarly and suggestive address, as 
it does also to Miss Mary E. Wood, libra- 
rian of Boone college, Wuchang, China, 
for her interesting description of library 
work in that distant region. 



ELECTION OF OFFICERS 



191 



The several Affiliated associations have, 
by their presence and cooperation, con- 
tributed not a little to the interest and suc- 
cess of the Conference. To them, and to 
their members who have participated in 
the meetings, thanks are due. 

Finally, the Association acknowledges, 
with appreciation, the pains taken by the 
railroads to meet its desires in all prac- 
ticable ways, and to make the journey to 
Asheville, from whatever quarter, as agree- 
able as possible. 

Adopted. 

The PRESIDENT: I have to call for the 
report of the tellers of the election, by Mr 
P. L. Windsor. 

A. L. A. CONFERENCE 

Asheville, 1907. 

Your tellers, appointed to receive the 
ballots and to count the votes at the an- 
nual election of officers held yesterday, beg 
leave to report that the total number of 
ballots cast was 341, and that the follow- 
ing was the vote in detail: 

No. of 
For President: votes 

Arthur E. Bostwick 181 

N. D. C. Hodges 157 

For 1st Vice President: 

C. H. Gould 334 

For 2nd Vice President: 

Helen E. Haines 304 

Scattering 5 

For Secretary: 

James I. Wyer, Jr 186 

Bernard C. Steiner 151 

For Treasurer: 

Anderson H. Hopkins 197 

Drew B. Hall 139 

For Recorder: 

Lutie E. Stearns 277 

Beatrice Winser 35 

Scattering 3 

For Trustee of the Endowment fund: 

C. C. Soule 310 

For Members of the Council: 

Mary E. Ahern 297 

T. L. Montgomery 289 

R. R. Bowker 280 

Gardner M. Jones 275 

W. F. Yust 243 

Frank C. Patten 202 

H. E. Legler 19 

P. L, Windsor 6 

Signed 

P. L. WINDSOR, 
CHALMERS HADLBY, 

Tellers. 



The PRESIDENT: You have heard the 
Report of the tellers, and in accordance 
with it I declare 

Mr A. E. Bostwick, President, 

Mr C. H. Gould, First Vice-President, 

Miss H. E. Haines, Second Vice-Presi- 
dent. 

Mr J. I. Wyer, Secretary, 

Mr A. H. Hopkins, Treasurer, 

Miss L. E. Stearns, Recorder, 

Mr C. C. Soule, Trustee of Endowment 
Fund, 

Miss Ahern, Messrs Montgomery, Bow- 
ker, Jones and Yust, members of the Coun- 
cil for the ensuing year. 

Mrs ANNIE SMITH ROSS: As a mem- 
ber of the Library Association of the "Old 
North State," it is my pleasure and privi- 
lege to present to the American Library 
Association this gavel, in appreciation of 
your sojourn in the Sunny South. It is 
made of rhododendron, whose beautiful 
blossoms have smiled a welcome to you to 
this "Land of the brightest of skies." To- 
day it is chaste and white, symmetrical in 
outline, perfect in contour, but if with the 
advancement of years it becomes marred 
and discolored, and Time always leaves 
his scar, may it be chipped in a good 
cause, and subdue the turbulent sea of 
discontent into peace and harmony. At 
future sessions, when "attention is called," 
may it re-echo the pleasure of the Ashe- 
ville meeting of 1907. 

The PRESIDENT: Mrs Ross, and 
through you the North Carolina library 
association, I give my thanks in behalf of 
the American Library Association, and ac- 
cept for them this symbol of authority. I 
hope that your wishes may be fulfilled, and 
I hope that it may typify a new develop- 
ment and departure in the work of the 
Association. It is with regret that I find 
my own name is not to be inscribed upon 
the roll to be born on this instant, and yet 
I am proud, too, that my name completes 
the series on the old gavel, the one that 
began its career at Lakewood, which bears 
the names of Putnam, Lane, Billings. 
Thwaites, Carr, Hosmer, Richardson and 
Hill, with whom I have been proud to be 



192 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



associated. That old gavel will bving back 
to those who see it pleasant recollections 
of Lake wood, of Montreal, of Portland, and 
above all, of our first Southern and our 
second Southern meeting, Atlanta and 
Asheville. 

And now, ladies and gentlemen, before 
I lay down either or both of them, I have 
the pleasure of presenting the President- 
elect, Mr Arthur E. Bostwick, of the New 
York public library. He is a representa- 
tive of our largest public library, he is 
well known to all of us as an earnest, de- 
voted and interested member of this Asso- 
ciation, he Is even better known to some 
of us, as a pleasant companion and a most 
agreeable acquaintance. It is therefore 
with official, professional and personal re- 
gard that I greet you, Mr Bostwick, and 
that I shall in a very few minutes torn 
over to you the control of the Association's 
deliberations. 

Mr BOSTWICK: Ladies and gentlemen 
of the American Library Association, so 
much oratory has been inflicted upon the 
Association in the last week that I am sure 
you don't care to hear very much more, so 
I am not going to give you any oratory at 
all. I suppose I might well confine myself 
to the usual trite announcement that I 
consider my election to this position a great 



honor, and that I trust I shall be able to 
discharge my duties to the best advantage, 
but I cannot help saying in a few brief 
words how it has been borne in upon me 
by recent events that in an association like 
this all efforts are constructive and never 
destructive; that there Is no one who is 
working for anything in this Association 
who is not working toward the one end, 
the good of the Association and the prog- 
ress of library work, no matter how much 
our ideas may differ as to the means by 
which that object shall be attained. I am 
very sure that I am speaking for the other 
officers whom you have elected to-day when 
I say that we shall all have during the 
coming year only one object and I am 
sure that any other officer whom you might 
have elected would have had the same ob- 
ject the good of the Association and the 
advancement of library work. 

The PRESIDENT: If there is no other 
business to come before the Association, I 
thank you for the courtesy and the atten- 
tion and the consideration of my short- 
comings, which have made it possible for 
me to serve you, and I now declare as 
President of the American Library Associa- 
tion, its Twenty-ninth annual meeting ad- 
journed without day. 



NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE LIBRARIES 



Tenth Annual Convention, Asheville, N. G, May 24 and 28, J907 



FIRST SESSION 

In the absence of President Gillis, Mr 
THOMAS L. MONTGOMERY, vice-presi- 
dent, called the meeting to order and said: 
I will not attempt to address you as I 
had expected that Mr Gillis would be pres- 
ent and I have made no preparation what- 
ever. There is one incident that has hap- 
pened during the year that I must speak 
of, an incident which has given us all cause 
for disgust. I speak of the case in Vir- 
ginia, but a triumphant resxilt has been 
brought about by the investigation. We 
consider this a personal triumph. We 
should see that each and every member 
of the Association is supplied with publi- 
cations. I think the work of the next few 
years should be devoted to people who will 
not come up to time in their exchanges, and 
we should be considered as a committee of 
a whole in this. I take pleasure in intro- 
ducing to you Mr F. A. Sondley, who will 
give the address of welcome. 

Mr SONDLEY: Mr President, ladies 
and gentlemen, the invention of an al- 
phabet is the highest achievement of ter- 
restrial intelligence. The creation of a 
literature is the noblest accomplishment 
of a people. 

Without letters ideas died with their 
authors. Tradition was inadequate for 
their transmission. A newly-found truth 
might benefit its finder, but all recollection 
of it perished when he perished, or passed 
to others in a form perverted and mislead- 
ing. 

All the superstitions which have dis- 
graced their adherents are representations 
of truths corrupted in transmission; and 
all the pernicious and absurd beliefs, pre- 
judices and practices which have gained 
a lodgment in the public mind are frag- 
ments of fact mutilated by tradition. 

Without letters a discovery could rarely 
reach beyond the contracted circle of him 
who made it or prove of use to persons 



not of his acquaintance. Through the im- 
perfection of spoken language, the care- 
lessness and indifference of hearers and 
the fallibility of memory, each new revela- 
tion of nature lost its symmetry and ef- 
fectiveness in the process of impartation 
to the few by whom it was received, until 
what had been at first an important fact 
became a dangerous error or a ridiculous 
falsehood. Rumor, whose degrading touch 
is universally despised, was then the only 
vehicle for the diffusion of information. 

Without letters every generation began 
its pursuit of knowledge just where the 
generation preceding it began. Civiliza- 
tion could advance only in a single age; 
and when the impulse of that age had 
ceased, the pendulum swung back to its 
starting place to be sent forward over the 
same space by the age which succeeded 
and to end its course at the same point. 

Without letters cooperation in rational 
activity was impossible. There could be 
no division of labor in unrecorded thought, 
no union of sentiment in traditional ac- 
quisitions. Every person must work out 
for himself his limited attainment; and 
intellectual exertion lacked the encourage- 
ment of kindred inspiration and the as- 
sistance of combined endeavor. 

The advent of an alphabet changed all 
this. Now, a truth once known was known 
forever. Knowledge once obtained was 
open to all men. Every generation inher- 
ited the acquirements of all the genera- 
tions which had gone before and began its 
pursuit of knowledge at the point at which 
its predecessor had left off that pursuit. 
All people, voluntarily or involuntarily, 
consciously or unconsciously, united in 
one common struggle for the acquisition 
of wisdom, the advancement of science 
and the attainment of truth. Civilization 
began its unimpeded march; and men be- 
came, willingly or unwillingly, tools for 
the employment of the mighty instrumen- 



194 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



tality which they themselves had created, 
to push forward the cause of humanity. 
The world sprang onward in a new career 
and rushed towards its consummation with 
a speed before unknown and inconceivable. 
Henceforward no limit bounded the pos- 
sibility of mental achievement, no obstacle 
stopped the forward movement of learned 
enterprise. Human wisdom passed on- 
ward toward completion and its strength 
to a development that will last while time 
endures and he measured only in the scale 
of infinity. By the inestimable potency of 
alphabetic writing man emerged from a 
condition of superior brutality, and, 
through the agency of a literature pro- 
duced by himself, rose to a position whose 
wondrous exaltation his own enormous in- 
tellect can never comprehend. In the 
beneficence of that marvellous invention 
each person became the intellectual heir 
of all the past and joint owner of what 
enlightenment has revealed and energy ef- 
fected. 

Alphabetic writing seized the concep- 
tions which hitherto had vanished at their 
birth and made them the unfading treas- 
ures of the cycles. Thought, the most 
evanescent of sublunary things, was trans- 
ferred from the temporal to the eternal. 
Thus, through this device was realized 
the only immortality ever accomplished 
upon earth. 

Telegraphs, telephones, phonographs, 
electric light and heat and power, steam 
engines and all the other boasted inven- 
tions of the later times, are but weak ex- 
ponents of transcendent abilities when 
placed in contrast with that invention of 
the early years, an alphabet. To it they 
are indebted for their existence and pre- 
servation and with its aid they earn their 
titles to utility. By it revelations became 
dynamics and discoveries steps along the 
road of unceasing progression and knowl- 
edge was power. 

In recorded literature the reflections of 
a master mind are living, throbbing, burn- 
ing entities. Imprisoned in the lifeless 
form of books, they are instinct with a life 
which vitalizes all existence. The child 



of to-day can think the thoughts and 
breathe the inspirations of a Shakespeare 
who died three hundred years ago or of 
a Homer who went from earth ere Greece 
had had a nation or Rome had had a foun- 
der. 

Literature is the culmination of the pow- 
ers of alphabetic writing and the expres- 
sion of its results, while books are its 
physical embodiments. The literature of 
a nation is the measure of its greatness 
and the source of its worth. The books 
of a people disclose its culture and gauge 
its influence. 

The libraries of the world are the de- 
positories of the recorded opinions of the 
great intellects of all time. In these store- 
houses of wisdom, learning and beauty are 
laid away the concentrated experiences of 
the race. Here may be found accumulated 
all that has been learned or known on 
every subject, assorted, classified and 
ready to rebound into active usefulness at 
the bidding of the humblest investigator. 
The genie of the "Arabian nights," con- 
fined by the magic of the awful seal of 
Solomon, in a little vessel which a fisher- 
man caught in his net, was a dwarf in a 
spacious prison when compared with some 
titanic truth resting between the covers 
of a single volume. The pent-up forces of 
a sleeping volcano are but feeble types of 
the condensed energies reposing in the 
diminutive compass of a little book. In 
every library, tied up in small parcels of 
paper wrapped with cloth and leather, are 
the resistless incentives which dominate 
the continents and shape their fortunes. 
Comfortably seated in one of these treas- 
uries of learning, the student has at his 
direction all of worth that man has known 
or done. At his wish, he may accompany 
great explorers on their journey through 
the oceans toward the poles, wander with 
noted travelers over tropic sands, in equa- 
torial forests and among barbarian tribes, 
or mount with skilled astronomers to 
region empyrean and soar on wings of 
science far beyond the stars. Here, in 
safety, he may see the battles of the Tro- 
jan war and mingle with the actors in that 



STATE LIBRARIES 



195 



famous siege of prehistoric date, or watch 
the giant contests which, since medieval 
days, have deluged Europe in the blood of 
hostile armies. Here, at his leisure, he 
may examine the sublimest and profound- 
est productions of the sublimest and pro- 
foundest of thinkers, or sip, at pleasure, the 
refreshing sweets of those poetic spirits 
who have brightened life with their crea- 
tions of loveliness and joy. Time, the 
conqueror and destroyer, is here obedient 
to his command, and, in a few brief hours, 
he may master, with ease, what centuries 
of toil took thousands to complete. Here 
he may taste of erudition's springs and 
trace the streams of science as they flow 
or drink deep draughts of philosophic lore 
from the brilliant theories of Darwin 
back to the glorious dreams of Plato; or in 
lighter mood, may laugh at foolish fan- 
cies of the wise from the eccentricities 
and extravagances of some modern specu- 
lations back to the days when Diogenes 
rolled his tub about the streets of Athens. 

Here are the inexhaustible fountains of 
everlasting truth and the reservoirs into 
which, for centuries on centuries, have 
poured, in constant flow, the rivers and 
the rivulets of knowledge. Neglect these, 
and a night of barbarism would envelop 
all. Protect them, and imagination has 
never reached that height on which the 
race will rest in ultimate attainment. Dis- 
seminate their contents, and the ascension 
of humanity is lost in perfection. 

A philosopher has said: "On earth 
there is nothing great but man. In man 
there is nothing great but mind." The 
books of the world are the products of 
the minds of the world. 

It is the grand work of library associa- 
tions and librarians to collect these con- 
crete masses of unbounded might, these 
parcels of undying truth and beauty and 
render them accessible for pleasure and 
for profit, for use and for enjoyment to all. 
No nobler task was ever undertaken; no 
more important duties were ever per- 
formed; no greater benefaction was ever 
bestowed. 

To these unselfish workers in the cause 



of man are committed, in no small degree, 
the good of individuals, the fate of em- 
pires and the doom of peoples; and to 
them should be accorded the gratitude and 
obligations due to humanitarians and 
philanthropists. 

As such we welcome you within our bor- 
ders and extend to you a cordial apprecia- 
tion and wish you every pleasure and suc- 
cess in your deliberations. 

In behalf of your fellow toilers, the li- 
braries and library societies of the state 
of North Carolina, I bid you welcome to 
her mountains, which typify the majesty 
and massiveness of your labors and the 
grandeur and permanence of your work, 
and, swelling from the plains and towering 
above the clouds, rise toward that eleva- 
tion of purity and light to which, at last, 
your aspirations lead, and, like your own 
unfailing purposes, in day and night, in 
storm and calm, in sunshine and in shade, 
point ever upward to the higher spheres. 

Mr MONTGOMERY: We thank you 
very sincerely, Mr Sondley, for your kindly 
note of welcome. We are not here by rea- 
son of our own volition. We are simply 
here because Mrs Annie Smith Ross told 
us to come, and as long as the South sends 
such a fine representative it can control 
all library associations. 

Miss M. M. OAKLEY, Secretary and 
Treasurer, presented her report, as fol- 
lows: 

REPORT OF SECRETARY AND TREAS- 
URER 1906-7 

After explaining the details so far as 
known, of the loss of the stenographer's 
notes of the 1906 meeting in the mails, and 
the subsequent publishing of the proceed- 
ings minus the discussions of the papers, 
the following statements were made: The 
membership consists of 24 libraries repre- 
sented by their librarians and assistants; 
out of that number Ohio, Tennessee and 
Vermont were remiss in their dues for 1906; 
Alabama Department of archives and his- 
tory, and the Oregon state library have 
been added during the year. In an effort 
to get a complete and up-to-date list of 



196 



ASKEVILLE CONFERENCE 



librarians 37 return postals were sent out 
with the request for full and official names 
of librarian and library. Twenty-eight 
answers were received, making the ap- 
pended list reasonably correct. 
Dues were received as follows: 

Alabama state department of 

archives and history I 5.00 

California state library 15.00 

Connecticut state library 10.00 

Illinois state library 7.50 

Indiana state library 10.00 

Iowa state library 20.00 

John Crerar library 10.00 

Kansas historical library 5.00 

Kansas state library 5.00 

Maine state library 5.00 

Michigan state library 5.00 

Montana state library 50 

New Hampshire state library 5.00 

New York state library 25.00 

Oregon state library 5.00 

Pennsylvania state library 10.00 

Rhode Island state library 5.00 

Virginia state library 10.00 

Washington state library 5.00 

Wisconsin historical library . 5.00 

H. C. Buchanan, N. J. state library 

(personal) 5.00 

173.00 
Balance 58.28 

Total 1231.28 

Disbursements: 

Printing proceedings 119.04 

Telegrams 2.90 

Stenographer's services 13.45 

Expressage 3.89 

Stamps and post cards 14.50 

Printing bill-heads 1.75 

155.44 

Balance on hand $75.84 

Report accepted. 

Mr MONTGOMERY: I have just re- 
ceived a telegram from Mr Gillis in which 



he says that he regrets that he is unable 
to be with us. He has provided a substi- 
tute, Mr William R. Watson, who will make 
us an address. 

Mr WATSON: The library movement 
has made wonderful progress since the 
organization of the American Library As- 
sociation in 1876, and this progress has 
been made possible through the earnest 
cooperation of a large proportion of those 
engaged in the work. Cooperation has been 
the salvation of the library business as well 
as of many another. The idea of personal 
glory or gain has had very little place 
in the minds of library workers. The 
knowledge of each has been freely and 
gladly placed at the disposal of all the 
others, and it is largely due to this un- 
hampered interchange of ideas, and the 
comparative study of the methods of dif- 
ferent libraries that the work is so far ad- 
vanced and occupies so important a place 
in the educational life of the country as it 
does to-day. The tendency of the times 
in all branches of endeavor is increasingly 
toward combination and centralization, a 
bringing together of allied interests under 
one governing body. The reasons that lead 
to such action vary acording to individual 
cases, but in general it may be said that 
the main motives are the securing of 
greater efficiency due to a harmonious de- 
velopment and more intelligent direction 
of affairs which by their nature are closely 
related, and the curtailing of useless ex- 
pense and effort. The library interests 
pertaining to a state, and maintained by it, 
are in too many cases not conducted along 
the lines of an economical and efficient ad- 
ministration. There is a lesson to be 
learned from the combinations of the in- 
dustrial world which should be taken to 
heart by those responsible for the divided 
condition of state library enterprises. Why 
should not this plan of unification and cen- 
tralization be more generally adopted in 
the management of the library affairs of 
the state? We find the usage of different 
states widely at variance. In a few, of 
which New York is the most notable and 



STATE LIBRARIES 



197 



best known example, all the library inter- 
ests are directly under the supervision of 
one head, the state librarian, and it is sig- 
nificant to note that New York stands in 
the lead of all the states in the extent and 
management of her library activities. In 
many other states we not only find the 
difierent departments of the work entirely 
independent of each other, but in too many 
cases there are petty jealousies which pre- 
vent any kind of effective cooperation. 

There are cases, of course, in which 
under present conditions such a unifica- 
tion of all the library interests is impos- 
sible, but it is unfortunate for all con- 
cerned where such is the case. It is un- 
fortunate because it increases the cost of 
maintenance and tends to decrease the 
efficiency of the different departments. 
Take, for instance, the case of a state 
where there is a state library of general 
literature, a state law library, a state li- 
brary commission, and possibly, distinct 
from all of these, a state legislative refer- 
ence bureau or library. If these are all in- 
dependent of each other in management it 
will be necessary to have at the head of 
each someone having a certain degree of 
executive ability in addition to the pecu- 
liar qualifications required by the position, 
whereas if they were all under one man- 
agement, one executive officer would be 
sufficient for all, and the heads of the 
various departments could be chosen sole- 
ly for their qualifications for the work to 
be done. Moreover there would be a ma- 
terial saving in expense in the number 
of assistants required. There is also the 
question of efficiency to be considered. 
Combining the state library, the state li- 
brary commission and any other allied 
interests such as legislative reference bu- 
reau, state law library, etc. under one man- 
agement, benefits the people it serves by 
giving them a more comprehensive ser- 
vice. The borrowers of a traveling or 
study club library are made aware of the 
fact that there is a general library, and 
that they can make use of it through the 
agency of the traveling library. They come 
to realize that the state library is their 



library and they take an interest and 
pride in it. It becomes generally known 
as the headquarters for anything that may 
be wanted in the library line, and as a 
bureau of library information. 

On the other hand the various activities 
of the library through its different depart- 
ments, and especially the traveling library 
department, advertise it throughout the 
state. As a result the gifts of books, man- 
uscripts, maps, etc. are increased, and the 
number of the friends of the library is 
enlarged, making it easier to secure the 
necessary appropriations from the legis- 
lature because the members are made 
aware of the work of the library through 
their constituents. Where the depart- 
ments are maintained and managed sepa- 
rately they are unable to render the same 
assistance to each other that is possible 
where they are all parts of one institution. 
There may be occasion to use certain law 
books in the general library but they are 
not at hand; the law librarian may need 
a work on medicine which is in the gen- 
eral library; an employee of the commis- 
sion work may want to consult certain re- 
ports or books in the general library, or 
learn the outcome of some legal case af- 
fecting libraries; and as for the legislative 
reference librarian, he is liable to want 
anything in the realm of knowledge, and 
at once. Where all these departments of 
the work are housed together and are 
under one management it is an easy mat- 
ter to provide one department with ma- 
terial from another, but where they are 
widely separated, with perhaps a lack of 
esprit de corps between the different libra- 
rians or directors it becomes a very dif- 
ferent matter. It means in many cases 
that certain books must be duplicated, 
and where this is not done the constant 
borrowing from a practically distinct in- 
stitution is liable to create delay, confu- 
sion and dissatisfaction. The arrange- 
ment is unfortunate from the standpoint 
of a state officer or legislator, because the 
information he is in search of may be ill 
any one of three or four places, necessita- 
ting a journey from one to the other; and 



198 



ASHBVILLE CONFERENCE 



the legislators must be satisfied if appro- 
priations are to be asked for. 

There is probably no library undertak- 
ing dependant on the state for its appro- 
priation that has not had difficulty in se- 
curing sufficient funds for its needs. So 
boundless are the opportunities for extend- 
ing the library work of a state that almost 
universally the means are not sufficient to 
meet the needs. When it comes to the 
matter of securing appropriations for the 
work there can be no question that the 
single institution asking for a single ap- 
propriation stands a much better chance 
of securing what it wants and needs, than 
do several institutions each asking for a 
separate appropriation, even though the 
amounts asked for are much smaller. The 
average legislator is not likely to under- 
stand why it is necessary to make so 
many different appropriations for what is 
practically one work. If he is conscien- 
tious and wishes to safeguard the state's 
funds he is liable to think there is some- 
thing wrong with a system which requires 
separate appropriations for each of two, 
or three, or four departments as the case 
may be. We should not think of placing 
the different departments of a university 
under distinctly separate managements 
with separate appropriations, but that is 
virtually what is being done in library 
affairs in certain states to-day. Those of 
you who have had any experience trying 
to explain to a legislator what library work 
is, and why it is necessary to have money 
to maintain it, will appreciate the fact 
that it is hard enough to get one appro- 
priation bill through the legislature with- 
out attempting three or four. Librarians of 
state libraries particularly are obliged to 
carry on a constant campaign of educa- 
tion with the new members of incoming 
administrations and legislatures, in order 
to convince them of the needs of the li- 
brary interests of the state. The number 
of people, aside from librarians themselves, 
who have any adequate conception of the 
methods, the accomplishments and the 
needs of library work is exceedingly small, 
so that the united efforts of all are neces- 



sary for the advancement of library affairs 
in the state, and the securing of proper 
appropriations. It is exceedingly unfortu- 
nate, therefore, when this library senti- 
ment becomes split up into several fac- 
tions, each working independently of the 
others for its own interests, for though 
they may not be actually arrayed against 
each other yet by the very division of in- 
terests the whole cause is weakened. 

Still another undesirable feature of sepa- 
rate departments to carry on the library 
work of a state lies in the likelihood of 
some degree of friction between the dif- 
ferent workers. While it is not always 
possible to have a perfect esprit de corps 
in a library staff there is usually a way to 
correct the evil, but where there are two, 
or three, or four heads of separate insti- 
tutions more or less on their guard against 
each other, all opportunity for cooperation 
or mutual helpfulness is lost. It would 
be unjust and incorrect to create the im- 
pression that there is always a spirit of 
jealousy or ill-will between the heads or 
employees of those separate state institu- 
tions, but it undeniably has been the case 
in many instances, and the system readily 
lends itself to the creation of such a feel- 
ing. The appropriation of a certain de- 
partment may have been increased at the 
expense of the others, or its work magni- 
fied, advertised and aided beyond its true 
relative importance in comparison with 
the work of others, thus giving an excuse, 
if not a cause, for an unfriendly attitude. 

Undoubtedly in certain cases the crea- 
tion of a library commission separate from 
the state library has been necessary in or- 
der to carry on the work, it has been a 
case of work through a commission or not 
at all, but the people of every state where 
the library interests are thus divided into 
different institutions should make a united 
and determined effort to have the law so 
changed as to permit the combining of 
these interests under one head, and to pro- 
vide for their administration by those in 
sympathy with the library movement. The 
end sought may not be gained in the first 
campaign nor yet in the second, but the 



STATE LIBRARIES 



199 



Ideal of the unification of the library in- 
terests of a state under a single manage- 
ment is worth many campaigns. Illinois 
is striving for this ideal at the present 
time, and although as yet the effort to 
secure it is unsuccessful, it will he but a 
matter of time until the desired result Is 
gained if the library workers continue 
their efforts with unabated energy. 

It is doubtless true that in some cases 
the governing boards of state libraries are 
themselves to blame for the creation of 
separate commissions or bureaus. There 
may have been an unwillingness to shoul- 
der the added responsibility, or the boards 
may have been out of sympathy with the 
traveling library idea, or thought that the 
funds could be better invested in other 
ways. In many cases the laws governing 
state libraries have been made without 
adequate knowledge of their needs, or of 
the work that they should do, so that there 
has been no chance for expansion or the 
initiation of extensive work. Instead of 
endeavoring to change or make more com- 
prehensive the existing law governing the 
state library, too often the tendency has 
been to ask for a law establishing a com- 
mission as soon as the subject of library 
extension work has been broached in a 
state, without making any effort to have 
the existing library laws so altered that 
the work could be put in the charge of 
the state library authorities. 

The state library is naturally, and should 
be actually the center of all the library 
interests and activities of a state. To its 
governing board should be given the power 
to initiate and direct all the library work 
of whatever kind which is carried on with 
state funds. Where the laws are not com- 
prehensive enough they should be changed 
to meet the requirements, and so framed 
as to safeguard the library against the evil 
sometimes experienced from a change of 
administration. Where these conditions 
exist we may naturally expect to find a 
fulfillment of the motto of the American 
Library Association, "The best reading, for 
the largest number, at the least cost." 

Mr D. C. BROWN: I would like to ask 



a question about law libraries under con- 
trol of the Supreme court. I have hinted 
very broadily a number of times in connec- 
tion with other affairs of the state, that 
it would be a good idea to have the law 
librarian under the control of the Board. 
I have found universal opposition among 
lawyers and judges especially, to the law 
library under control of the general library 
or having anything to do with it. They 
do not give any specific reasons, but they 
do not want law books among general 
books and the opposition is so great that 
I have refrained from asking them to do 
so. How can we overcome it? 

Mr WATSON: In our particular case 
we have a separate library for the Su- 
preme court. The State law library is 
much larger and the judges very fre- 
quently avail themselves of any material 
they may not have in their own library. 
Each court has a small library, although 
they call on the main law library for books 
they do not have. I do not know what the 
sentiment would be if the judges were 
compelled to rely entirely upon the State 
law library because ordinarily they wish 
to have them at hand without the red 
tape, and object on that ground. It would 
be an expensive process to duplicate where 
the court sits in the same place, but I 
think they might have the necessary 
books and have the main body of the law 
invested in the State library. 

Mr SHERRILL: I want to state in re- 
gard to the matter in our state, that we 
have a Superior court library and a State 
library. They are separate, separate libra- 
rians. The State library has a library in 
the hall of the House and also in the Sen- 
ate and that is in charge of the State 
librarian. He is also the custodian of 
legislative documents, those that pass and 
those that do not pass. I keep a receipt 
book and put down what I send out and 
for the things that I get from other libra- 
ries I give them credit. I keep a book and 
put down what I send to the other libra- 
rians. We are in the same building. I 
take his receipt for those books. That law 
library has probably fifteen or twenty 



200 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



thousand volumes. They buy books and 
are getting a considerable library of their 
own. It is separate from ours and when 
they want to get books from ours they 
send and get them. They are one of the 
favored classes who are allowed to get 
them. The Superior court has control of 
those things. The State library is con- 
trolled by the board of trustees the gov- 
ernor, ex-officio secretary of state and su- 
perintendent of public instruction com- 
posing that board. We have a purchasing 
committee, of course; everything is left in 
their hands. They are buying other litera- 
ture, reference books, and everything. 
We have no difficulty about it there. But 
when you want an appropriation, look out 
then! 

Mr J. P. KENNEDY: Mr Brown, how 
long has the law librarian been in office 
in Indiana? A. Three years, I think. Mr 
KENNEDY. Is it a political office ? A. Yes, 
the Supreme court judges usually name 
the librarian of the law library. 

Mr KENNEDY: Is that the only patron- 
age they have? 

Mr BROWN: Stenographers. 

Q. Is it a trained librarian? A. No. 
Lawyer. 

Mr JOHNSON BRIGHAM. of Iowa, then 
addressed the association on the subject 

LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE WORK 

WITHOUT AN APPROPRIATION 
The Wisconsin and New York idea. New 

York and Wisconsin are the acknowledged 
pioneers and leaders in legislative refer- 
ence work. While each has the same gen- 
eral end in view, namely: assistance to 
legislators and legislative committees and 
Improvement in the quality and form of 
legislation, there is an interesting line of 
cleavage between the one and the other 
which we of the other states should care- 
fully consider. 

The Legislative reference section of New 
York's state library brings to legislators 
and legislative committees all available in- 
formation bearing upon proposed legisla- 
tion, but does not undertake to act for the 
legislator or the legislative committee, 



either in passing upon the relative value 
of the information given or in the draft- 
ing of bills for legislative action. 

The Legislative reference department of 
Wisconsin's library commission does not 
stop here. It not only collects, collates 
and supplies all needed information, but 
it also passes upon the relative value of 
the same. It also supplies legislators and 
legislative committees with briefs and ar- 
guments, and on request drafts bills. The 
legislator has only to press the button: the 
reference librarian and his assistants do 
the rest. 

In New York, every incoming legisla- 
ture through its two presiding officers ap- 
points a joint commission of three lawyers, 
presumably experienced in law and legisla- 
tion, who supervise and, when requested, 
prepare bills for legislators and commit- 
tees; this commission availing itself of all 
information at the command of the Legis- 
lative reference section of the State li- 
brary. 

In Wisconsin, the Legislative reference 
department serves as gatherer and dispen- 
ser of information, and as an expert com- 
mission in drawing bills, supplying briefs, 
etc. Dr McCarthy's assistant, Miss Ono 
M. Imhoff, writes me that at the time of 
drafting bills the department uses as many 
as thirty assistants, many of whom, how- 
ever, afford only stenographic help. 

In the opinion of Dr R. H. Whitten, ex- 
ecutive head of the Albany section, the 
activities of his section should be confined 
within the range of "library work," inter- 
preting the phrase with the utmost liber- 
ality; but, in his judgment, it should not, 
even indirectly undertake any function of 
the legislator, such as the final passing 
upon the weight of authorities, upon the 
relative value of testimony, upon the wis- 
dom or unwisdom of legislation in other 
states or countries; nor should it assume 
the responsibility of drafting bills which, 
if they become law, will be subject to 
future interpretation by the courts. 

Viewing these rival theories from an un- 
prejudiced outside standpoint, we of the 
other states can safely adopt the McCarthy 



STATE LIBRARIES 



201 



plan, "but," as the conservative Mr Brooks 
is wont to say in "Middlemarch," "only to 
a certain extent, you know." We can safe- 
ly endorse the "VVhitten plan as a whole, for 
so far as it goes, it is identical with the 
McCarthy plan and affords a safe goal to- 
wards which even that extreme conserva- 
tist, Mr Tillinghast of Massachusetts, has 
been working all these years without 
special legislative authority or special 
legislative appropriation. The question 
for us to settle, each for himself, 
is whether or not it is advisable for us as 
legislative reference librarians to take 
upon ourselves such legislative functions 
as the passing upon the relative merits 
of conflicting legislation in other states, 
the relative weight of conflicting authori- 
ties, the effect of previous legislation upon 
the legislation proposed, and the probable 
outcome of future court decisions upon pro- 
posed legislation. Can we safely turn over 
to any one man, however ably assisted, 
however astute, learned and conservative, 
the drafting of intricate measures travers- 
ing the subject matter of previous legis- 
lation and subject always to interpreta- 
tion by the courts? 

Legislative reference work in other 
states. The notable achievements of New 
York and Wisconsin have already been 
recounted before this body and in several 
of the periodicals of the country. With- 
out very close adherence to the title of 
this paper, let me undertake to tell in few 
words what the other states are doing, or 
trying to do, with legislative reference 
work a few with, but most without, spec- 
ial appropriation. 

Indiana. In Indiana, the legislative ref- 
erence department was instituted last sum- 
mer as an experiment, that the incoming 
legislature might take the measure of its 
practical value. Its work was so favorably 
received by last winter's legislature that it 
was made a department of the State libra- 
ry, with an annual appropriation of $4,000 
with $1,500 to finish out the present fiscal 
year. 

But bear in mind that the work was 
begun without other than the regular 



funds of the library. State librarian Brown 
placed the work in the hands of Mr Lester, 
who, last August began a collection of 
available material on the principal ques- 
tions likely to come before the legislature. 
Mr Lester wrote me that with so much 
to include he "could only hit the high 
places." In the fall, legislators were in- 
vited to avail themselves of the informa- 
tion collected. The collection included sta- 
tistical and comparative data covering a 
wide range of subjects, including authori- 
ties on legal and constitutional questions. 
The work undertaken developed into the 
preparation of bills under the direction of 
legislators de&iring such service. "In 
brief," says Mr Lester, "the department 
tried to serve as legislative secretary for 
every member who desired its service." 
The appropriation given near the end of 
the session enabled the librarian to lay out 
a long campaign for the classification and 
cataloging of the mass of material already 
collected, and future additions thereto. His 
present task, as he views it, is to lay the 
foundations for the more specific work 
which must follow the promulgation of the 
party platforms next spring. It is inter- 
esting to note the guarded approach made 
by the Indiana legislature toward the Wis- 
consin plan in the matter of drafting billa. 
It says: 

"It shall be prepared to furnish to mem- 
bers of the General assembly, and under 
their instructions, such assistance as may 
be demanded in the preparation and for- 
mulation of legislative bills." 

Nebraska. Nebraska makes no direct 
provision for legislative reference work, 
but in the general appropriation bill 
passed last winter that work is recognized 
as a branch of the State historical society. 
Dr Sheldon, director of field work for that 
Society, writes that no effort was made for 
a special appropriation lest it might distract 
attention from a bill for a new historical 
building. But, nevertheless, not a little 
legislative reference work was done by him 
during the recent session, and the work 
was such as to win general approval. Last 
May his Society set apart $350 for this 



202 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



work. After a month spent in Madison 
studying the methods and material used 
in the legislative reference library, Dr 
Sheldon prepared a Nebraska program 
which has proved eminently successful: 
(1) it includes a card catalog built upon 
the Wisconsin foundation, with the adop- 
tion of Wisconsin methods so far as they 
were found available with the small 
funds at command; (2) the appropriation 
of $200 from the funds of the State library 
to purchase the latest works on subjects 
likely to be before the legislature, the 
works to remain a part of the State library, 
but to be available for this special use; (3) 
the collection of clippings from current 
periodicals, pamphlets, official reports and 
other publications bearing upon live topics, 
the collection of party platforms, the mak- 
ing of a card index of all bills introduced 
in previous sessions and (here we have the 
ingrafting of a distinctively "Nebraska 
idea" as distinct from that of Wisconsin 
or New York) the classification and index- 
ing of matter relative to Nebraska and 
"Western history, not relatable to subjects 
of legislation this in anticipation of calls 
from public speakers, writers, clubs, col- 
leges and schools. To make the depart- 
ment's work more available during the ses- 
sion of the legislature, it was temporarily 
removed to accessible quarters in the state 
house. In Dr Sheldon's report on his de- 
partment, I find no reference to the as- 
sumption of legislative functions. 

Maryland. Maryland's legislative refer- 
ence law is unique in that it generously 
permits the city of Baltimore to provide 
at its own expense a legislative reference 
department for the benefit of the Capital 
city and the state. In accordance there- 
with the city council appropriates $1,200 
annually for the expenses of the depart- 
ment, and Dr Flack, executive head of 
the department, is of the opinion that the 
sum will be increased next year. Dr Flack's 
work is reported as progressing finely 
under his hand. Much material relating 
to municipal and state questions has been 
collected. In the Maryland law, I see no 
trace of an attempt to put upon the depart- 



ment responsibility for legislative func- 
tions. 

Rhode Island. Of the fourteen states 
b'eside Indiana in which legislative refer- 
ence work was the subject matter of new 
legislation last winter, Rhode Island was 
the only one in which the work found sub- 
stantial recognition in the form of a special 
appropriation. It should be noted that here 
as elsewhere recognition came as a re- 
sponse to the evident desire and purpose 
on the part of the State librarian to make 
the State library increasingly useful to 
legislators. An annual appropriation of 
$1,800 was made, most of which sum will 
be expended in salary. State librarian 
Brigham has placed the new bureau in 
the hands of Mr Wyman who is systemati- 
cally developing the work as fast as his 
limited means will permit. Prior to the 
appropriation the work was of a prepara- 
tory nature and consisted chiefly in placing 
on file copies of all Rihode Island acts and 
resolutions introduced during the preceding 
five years, whether the same were enacted 
or not; a collection of books and pamphlets 
relating to matter of legislation, also the 
codified and statute laws of other states, 
as complete as possible; also a collection 
of clippings from the principal newspa- 
pers of the East, and the indexing of all 
the material on hand, using Dr Whitten's 
classification with slight modifications. It 
is the hope of Librarian Brigham to secure 
a larger appropriation for Lhe new depart- 
ment next year. Hope springs eternal in 
the librarian's breast! It is noticeable that 
the Rhode Island legislature, by exclusion, 
limited the new department to reference 
work, pure and simple, giving no sugges- 
tion of needed help in preparing bills. 

South Dakota. South Dakota's small and 
unauthorized beginnings in legislative ref- 
erence work were approved and sanctioned 
by the passage of a law establishing a 
"division" of legislative reference in tbJe 
State library. The law carries with it 
abundant authority for the new work, but 
no direct appropriation. State librarian 
Robinson took up legislative reference 
work last fall, immediately after election, 



STATE LIBRARIES 



203 



not waiting for funds or statutory provision 
therefor. He carried on the work so vigor- 
ously before and during the session, and 
was of so much service to legislators in 
securing information and preparing bills 
that, when the session convened, in lieu 
of funds at his command the legislature 
gave his department a clerk; but Mr Rob- 
inson says, the members used the clerk's 
entire time in simply typewriting their 
bills. With no time for indexing, the li- 
brarian devoted his attention chiefly to 
securing specific information on subjects 
for legislative consideration. In the mat- 
ter of assuming legislative function, the 
South Dakota law goes no further than 
to require that the "division shall as re- 
quired, provide for the use of members of 
the legislature such information and as- 
sist in drafting bills and in every reasona- 
ble way make the division useful in the 
preparation of legislation." 

Iowa. The only other state in which 
the work found recognition is Iowa, in 
which state a legislative reference bill 
framed after the Wisconsin plan was in- 
troduced without consultation with the 
State librarian or any member of his 
board, or with any member of the State 
library commission. It was a reform legis- 
lature composed largely of new members, 
able men men with a mission, but in the 
main, especially in the lower house, un- 
used to legislation. Not even indirectly 
responsible for the bill, we felt that it had 
its origin in a real want and gave it 
hearty and substantial support, trusting to 
the future for the discovery of an Iowa 
McCarthy to round out the work to com- 
pleteness. The bill passed the House al- 
most unanimously, but was killed in the 
Senate" appropriations committee. Having 
already established a legislative reference 
branch in the State library with an effi- 
cient assistant at its head, and having 
plans for the future of the work which 
called for more time than my assistant 
could give it and perform her other duties, 
I went before the joint committee having 
in charge the so-called omnibus bill, the 
Committee on retrenchment and reform, 



(so named because its function seems to 
be to loosen the purse strings with becom- 
ing moderation!) and asked that a general 
and legislative reference assistant be given 
me independently of my regular force. 
After many mischances and tribulations, 
the item was included in the omnibus bill 
and in July next our legislative reference 
work will be turned over to the new as- 
sistant who is accorded a salary of $1,000. 
The expenses of the work will be borne 
by the library, and the work will be in no 
wise segregated from the general work of 
the library. The books purchased will be 
chiefly in what are known as the "three 
hundreds" and will be cataloged and 
shelved as books of the library. The new 
assistant will be expected to perform her 
share of the general work of the library 
as other assistants are. The intensely 
practical question for us of Iowa, as for 
a number of other states here represented, 
is shall we ask the next legislature for 
an appropriation large enough to enable 
us to employ a man capable of taking on 
legislative functions, serving as a trained 
legislative secretary, capable of passing 
upon legal and constitutional questions 
and drafting measures for the considera- 
tion of committees; or shall we concen- 
trate the work of this section upon the 
massing of information on all possible sub- 
jects of legislation, the new assistant co- 
operating to the fullest extent with the 
law branch of our State library? 

Let me briefly allude to the work done 
in our State library without a special ap- 
propriation and without anticipation of 
one. 

Soon after last fall's election, letters 
were sent to members of the incoming 
legislature, tendering the library's services 
in the gathering and collating of material 
on any subject, or subjects, on which they 
might be interested. The answers to this 
tender of assistance were numerous and 
satisfactory, many of them coming from 
leaders in the incoming body. A card in- 
dex was made of these answers, one set of 
cards was made for references upon the 
special subject of legislation mentioned in 



204 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



each letter; another giving simply the 
name of the legislator and the nature of 
his request for information. Prior there- 
to much material had been accumulated 
and digested. The requests of legislators 
gave a strong direction to the further 
work of collecting and arranging. This 
work was conducted throughout the ses- 
sion, and is kept down to date. We have 
found that the need of the legislator is 
somewhat different from that of the special 
student and general reader. The legis- 
lator has no time for leisurely study. He 
works under high pressure and must be 
given data and authority wherewith to 
answer questions AS they are put in the 
committee room and in debate. The 
simpler the form in which the data is given, 
the better. Our purpose has been to avoid 
technical terms, to make points clear, and 
to put them in few words. To make the 
work effective, we have found that the 
indexing must be extremely minute, in- 
cluding many cross references. Our card 
index is more than an index. It contains 
notes, short quotations, statistics, refer- 
ences to chapters in books and to pages in 
magazine articles; it also includes briefs 
specially prepared in response to previous 
inquiries, newspaper clippings, including 
speeches of public men, letters, editorials, 
etc., also references to U. S. and state 
documents, to laws in our own state and 
other states, leading cases growing out of 
these laws, opinions of public men on the 
working of laws, bills pending in other 
states, bills pending in Congress, directly 
or indirectly affecting state legislation, 
anything, everything, that will in the 
quickest way run down a given fact, or 
answer a given question. We use pam- 
phlet binders for unbound material, clip- 
pings, letters, etc., and these are placed 
with books on the subject. All material 
indexed on cards is kept together and close 
at hand, ready to be sent to the committee 
room or to the legislative chamber on a 
moment's notice. Speed in giving things 
to a committee or an individual is, next 
to the quality of material sent, the great 
desideratum. We use the Gaylord binders, 



familiar to most of you, and for our gen- 
eral clippings we have a large clipping 
case, patented by an Iowa ex-judge and 
ex-congressman, (M. J. Wade, Iowa City) 
which consists of about 150 large enve- 
lopes hung at a backward slant upon 
strong wires, the envelopes easily re- 
moved and replaced. 

We regard the thorough cooperation of 
the law branch of the State library as 
essential to the success of our legislative 
reference work, for experience shows us 
that a large part of our inquiries are refer- 
able to that department, and that much of 
the more laborious work put upon us by 
legislators falls upon that branch. I now 
feel that we have, without other special 
appropriation than for the salary of one 
assistant, an organization in aid of the 
legislator which goes a long way toward 
meeting the legislator's wants. The prin- 
cipal question being, as already stated, 
whether or not we can wisely extend the 
work beyond the limits of distinctively 
library work, taking on any share of the 
responsibility which prior to the Wiscon- 
sin experiment was regarded as distinc- 
tively a legislative function. 

California. California is a big subject 
viewed from any standpoint. With the 
characteristic "get-there" spirit of the Pa- 
cific slope, State librarian Gillis founded a 
legislative reference bureau without wait- 
ing for authority or an appropriation, 
other than the general authority accorded 
him and the large appropriation given his 
library. He established the Bureau's head- 
quarters in the law department and placed 
at its head Mr Bruncken, chief of his 
sociological department. Mr Bruncken di- 
vides his work into two branches: "Prepa- 
ration and performance." During the in- 
terval between sessions he posts himself 
up on everything that goes on regarding 
legislation and public affairs, actually go- 
ing so far as to read new books! all the 
time making copious notes and reference 
cards. While he freely uses printed in- 
dices, bibliographies and other mechanical 
aids, in his judgment, it is absolutely es- 
sential that the legislative reference li- 



STATE LIBRARIES 



206 



brarian himself shall keep well informed. 
His theory is that unless one has a per- 
sonal knowledge of the subject, he may 
prove to be a blind guide. Assistance 
v/ithout personal knowledge, he likens to 
writing a letter in a foreign language with 
the help of a dictionary. Between ses- 
sions, the bureau has been of assistance 
to hold-over committees and others who 
desire to prepare bills. It encourages the 
leisurely drawing of bills in advance as 
much as possible. When the legislature 
is in session, then "performance" is the 
word. The best members of the legislature 
have most appreciated and most liberally 
made use of his work, especially the data 
and information supplied. His system of 
reference notes enables him to respond 
quickly, and the response is keenly appre- 
ciated by busy legislators. Mr Bruncken 
urges that above all things the work should 
not be done in a mechanical way by one 
who takes no interest in it for its own 
sake. The legislative reference librarian 
should be an active force in the public 
life of the state, not merely a clerk with a 
large collection of indices. He describes 
the mission of the bureau as the bringing 
of expert skill within the reach of those 
charged with the business of legislation. 
While, in his judgment, the bureau should 
give expert advice as to the form and sub- 
ject matter of legislation, he would not 
claim for it ability to give expert counsel 
further than in giving to bills their proper 
technical form. He further says: "It is 
not at all the function of the bureau to 
give advice. It merely proposes to enable 
each legislator who wishes to do so to ob- 
tain such expert advice as has been laid 
down in writing, and such information as 
may throw light on the subject, as thor- 
oughly, quickly and conveniently as cir- 
cumstances may permit" His bureau does 
not enter into rivalry with the legislative 
committee or the large special interests 
that commit their proposed legislation to 
experts and competent lawyers. "On the 
contrary," he says, "it would aid and sup- 
plement them, offering its services in 
bringing together matter bearing upon 



proposed legislation." It will thus be seen 
that the California bureau comes straight 
up to the danger line, but halts on the 
safe side of the line. 

Connecticut. The conservatism of Con- 
necticut had free course and glorification 
last winter. The Governor's message fa- 
vored a legislative reference department 
or bureau; but, after visiting the State 
library and finding that Mr Godard had 
already practically created a legislative 
reference bureau without special appro- 
priation, and was arranging for larger fa- 
cilities and increased usefulness, and after 
discovering that the Connecticut legislature 
had already had for years a clerk for bills 
and an engrossing clerk, he became satis- 
fied that the state was already pretty well 
provided for, and concluded that no action 
should be taken in that direction. Mr 
Godard's legislative reference work in- 
cludes the legislative bulletins issued by 
the New York state library and others, 
the various finding lists in the periodicals, 
files of current legislation and proposed 
bills in the several states of the Union, 
these based chiefly upon Dr Whitten's In- 
dex bureau, all this and much more 
backed by the resources of a good law 
library. Connecticut seems to be pretty 
well satisfied with what Mr Godard is doing 
and is not clamoring for the exercise of 
legislative functions by its State librarian. 

Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's last legis- 
lature took up the question of legislative 
reference work and a bill was introduced 
placing the same with the Library com- 
mission, with a salary of $1,500 for the 
librarian. State librarian Montgomery 
took the position that the measure was 
wholly inadequate, as the conditions in 
Wisconsin did not appertain to Pennsyl- 
vania. He doubtless had in mind the fact 
that Wisconsin's state library was a few 
years ago totally destroyed by fire, and 
that in Wisconsin the Library commission 
was for that reason the better prepared to 
handle the service, and the fact that Dr 
McCarthy was not dependent altogether 
upon his salary as librarian, being also on 
the pay-roll of the University of Wisconsin. 



206 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



A second bill was prepared authorizing 
the State library to maintain a division for 
legislative reference. The bill went 
through the Senate, but failed in the House, 
some of the members regarding its pro- 
visions as too sweeping, especially object- 
ing to the title of librarian as tending to 
confusion of authority with others holding 
that title in the State. The House com- 
mittee, to which it was referred, touched 
it and it slept! Librarian Montgomery 
writes me that the next session of the 
legislature will witness another attempt at 
a legislative reference law, which will be 
worthier of success, embodying a more 
careful study of the subject in general and 
of the practical workings of various fea- 
tures of the plan, as for instance in pro- 
viding for officering the department, and 
in the vexed question of an assumption of 
initiative in legislative work. 

Illinois. The Illinois legislature consid- 
ered a bill authorizing legislative reference 
work in the State library, but appropriat- 
ing no money therefor, and adjourned with- 
out sending the same to the Governor for 
his signature. The bill simply directed the 
librarian to give members of the General 
assembly such aid and assistance in the 
drafting of bills and resolutions as may be 
requested. 

Michigan. Michigan had a legislative 
reference bill on one of the legislative 
dockets, but when last heard from the 
measure was peacfully reposing in the 
pigeon holes of the Judiciary committee. 
Mrs Spencer, State librarian, is not at all 
sanguine as to its success, nor is she quite 
certain such a department is necessary. 
Meantime, the State library is doing all in 
its power, and within its province, to aid 
and assist legislators and the legislature as 
a body, and its efforts are duly appreciated. 

Kansas. State librarian King of Kansas 
endeavored to secure the passage of a leg- 
islative reference law, but failed. Mr King 
is doing all he can find to do without an 
appropriation, but with limited resources, 
he finds it "impossible to gather and digest 
the legislation in other states and coun- 
tries without efficient help." 



Texas. Texas has no appropriation for 
legislative reference work. A law provid- 
ing for same was introduced last winter, 
but died of inanition. Librarian Raines 
hopes for success next time. The State 
library, which is separate from the Su- 
preme court library, has but two workers 
and they are doing all possible under the 
circumstances in the way of looking up in- 
formation requested by legislators. They 
lend books freely and even borrow books 
from other libraries to aid them in their 
researches. The Supreme court library also 
contributes from its resources. 

Oregon. The Legislative reference de- 
partment, the child of the Wisconsin li- 
brary commission, has very naturally been 
mothered by the Library commission of 
Oregon. Miss Marvin, secretary of that 
commission, informs me that its legisla- 
tive reference work has been done with- 
out special appropriation and without extra 
help. She writes: 

"Six months before the legislature we 
offered to do what we could for the mem- 
bers, particularly in looking up laws of 
other states on different points. Our offer 
was eagerly accepted and we were busy 
until the session. We had previously col- 
lected laws, reports, etc., bearing upon 
our state questions. We were busy con- 
stantly during the legislature. Our ses- 
sion is so short that there is not much 
time for investigation while the men are 
here. This probably accounts for the fact 
that we had so much to do before they 
came. We had the close cooperation of 
the State library, which is a law library. 
The material we have collected we use 
for our debate libraries, and it will be al- 
most constantly in use between sessions 
in the high school, grange, and other de- 
bating societies of the state. We intend 
to carry on the work as well as we can, 
and hope there will sometime be a special 
appropriation for it." 

It will be noted that between Wisconsin 
and the Pacific slope the child somewhere 
lost its cue in the matter of initiative in 
drafting legislation. 

Montana. Montana has no special ap- 
propriation for legislative reference work, 
but the law librarian, Mr Barbour, and the 
State librarian, Mrs Hovey, work in con- 
junction, drawing bills, collating the bills 



STATE LIBRARIES 



207 



of former sesssions for ready reference, 
copying bills of other states for the use 
of members. Last winter Mrs Hovey sub- 
scribed for the legislative reference cards 
issued at Albany, and in other ways as 
occasion offered did so far as she was able 
to do what other states with large appro- 
priations are doing in aid of legislation. 
Incidentally I have to report for the benefit 
of woman suffragists, and anti-woman suf- 
fragists, as well, that Mrs Hovey, an able, 
experienced and conscientious librarian, is 
to be retired to private life on the discov- 
ery of Montana's attorney-general that she 
cannot lawfully hold the office since, being 
a woman, she is not a qualified elector. 

Virginia. State librarian Kennedy of 
Virginia writes me that he is acting at 
present without any law except that which 
permits the library board to do what it 
pleases in the interest of education. The 
work is fairly well developed. The funds 
required for the department are taken 
out of the general library fund. The work 
includes the compilation of statements on 
comparative legislation, the writing of bills, 
"and in fact everything that is done in 
Wisconsin." Its only publication to date 
is a check-list on the Torrens system. 
During the session, Mr Kennedy conducts 
a special reference library for the con- 
venience and assistance of legislators. 

Minnesota. State librarian King did not 
respond to my request for information, but 
I learn, in a roundabout way, that a bill 
was introduced last winter for the creation 
of a Legislative reference department, but 
failed through a conflict of opinion as to 
whether that department should be han- 
dled by the Library commission or by the 
State library. Both the commission and 
the library are in touch with the legisla- 
ture, responding to calls for aid and in- 
formation to the extent of their ability. 

Ohio. Indirectly, I learn that State li- 
brarian Galbreath expects to make a spe- 
cialty of legislative reference work, and 
is hoping that a bill will pass next winter's 
session, providing funds for that work. 
Meanwhile he is preparing for what's com- 
ing. 



Alabama. Director Owen of the Ala- 
bama department of archives and history, 
has organized a Legislative reference de- 
partment that is doing as good work as can 
be expected without additional 'assistance 
and funds. 

Washington. State librarian Hitt has 
organized a Legislative reference depart- 
ment, but the bill introduced during the 
last session providing for the work failed 
to pass. It is his purpose, as I learn, to 
heap coals of fire on the heads of legis- 
lators, by doing all in his power to make 
them sorry they did not enable him to do 
more. 

Massachusetts. Last but not the least 
of my references is the conservative old 
commonwealth, Massachusetts. State li- 
brarian Tillinghast writes that a law was 
proposed creating this department, but not 
a single member of either branch voted 
for it. The new member who introduced it 
did not 'even know that the State library 
existed and that there were clerks in each 
branch of the legislature, specially dele- 
gated to assist members in the preparation 
of bills! In his judgment, the Legislative 
reference department exploitation is a lit- 
tle overdone, and the ultimate result can 
be only degrading to the State library, with- 
out elevating anything in its place. In his 
judgment, the State library exists as a 
legislative reference library, "nothing 
more, nothing less." He raises his warn- 
ing voice in these words: 

"We seem to be prone at the present 
time to listen to any new suggestion with- 
out much regard as to where the sugges- 
tion leads. I am very firmly of the opin- 
ion that the State library is, or should be, 
the reference library, and every volume in 
it should be accessible to every member of 
the Legislature through its librarian, who 
should be its reference librarian. I do 
not believe in delegating legislative serv- 
ices to a clerk. Such in brief is my opin- 
ion on the much-heralded legislative refer- 
ence department." 

Having brought down to date, in outline, 
the history of legislative reference work 
in the several states, I leave with you the 
question raised at the outset, as to the 



208 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



extent to which that work can wisely and 
safely be carried. 

Mr MONTGOMERY: I have in my hand 
an act which I prepared for a legislative 
reference librarianship. It was my pur- 
pose to put in the bill to create a depart- 
ment of legislative reference in connection 
with the State library. Almost at the open- 
ing of the legislature an act was introduced 
which was practically a copy, from Wis- 
consin, creating such an office, which 
would be appointed by the governor li- 
brarian appointed by the governor, but the 
governor was not to have the power of 
removal without full consent of the Senate. 
The salary attached to the office was $1,500, 
as in the case of the Wisconsin act. I 
went to the senator and said to him that 
it was impossible to get anyone to hold 
the place properly at such a salary, and 
that I would take the greatest interest in 
the bill and work for it if the salary could 
be changed. He then brought in a bill 
changing it to $5000 for an official who is 
not required to be learned in the law, ab- 
solutely independent of the State library, 
called the librarian, with full power to get 
materials from the State library without 
any responsibility thereof. When this 
came out I went to Senator Phillips and 
told him that I did not intend to hurt the 
act, as I was glad to see it taking shape, 
but as soon as it reached the House some 
of the people interested in my position in 
the matter took it up and promptly killed 
it and then it was too late to substitute my 
first bill. The act is here if anyone wishes 
to see It. 

Mr LEGLER: I wish to make a slight 
correction of the paper. The Wisconsin 
commission makes absolutely no attempt 
to influence legislature of any kind. That 
is a misapprehension. Two trained law- 
yers have been employed for the first time 
this year and they prepare bills entirely in 
accordance with the wishes of the people 
who come to them. The lawyers look 
up the court decisions and call the atten- 
tion of the one drawing the bill, but if a 
bill similar in nature has been declared 
unconstitutional he will tell him that such 



is the case. There is no attempt to give 
any bias to any legislation, merely to serve 
as an official source where they can secure 
information absolutely in the interest of 
the state. 

Mr RANCK: Is the legal part of the 
state called upon to draw bills? 

Mr LEGLER: The attorney-general is 
called upon sometimes, but he is so busy 
that it is impossible. He is called upon 
by the governor to pass upon the constitu- 
tionality. He would not wish to anticipate 
that. 

Mr GALBREATH: I have been very 
greatly interested in the legislative refer- 
ence work in the different states. I suppose 
after all that it is only giving a new impe- 
tus. I take it that we shall all agree that no 
live, wide-awake state librarian has ever 
let an opportunity pass to have a legisla- 
tive reference library; that is a part of his 
work. Among those who have rendered 
valuable services, we should all take off 
our hats to Mr Tillinghast. A number of 
state libraries have handled appropriations 
for additional help in this work, and if I 
remember rightly South Dakota has suc- 
ceeded in securing a stenographer. I wish 
that Mr Brigham had written directly to 
me in regard to the work. I don't know 
that it is very important. 

Mr BRIGHAM: Didn't you get a letter? 

A. No. 

Mr BRIGHAM: Two cents wasted. 

Mr GALBREATH: Our work is not so 
important. He might have got some in- 
formation in regard to the bill before the 
legislature. Our legislature was not in ses- 
sion last winter. The bill was introduced 
in the House for an appropriation of $3500 
for this legislative reference work, as we 
thought very properly, bringing the work 
under our present Board of library com- 
missioners that has complete control of 
the State library and all its agencies. The 
bill was entirely satisfactory to us, though 
we had nothing to do with this appropria- 
tion, and was introduced. It passed the 
House. It went to the Senate, and inad- 
vertently I fear we have damaged the 
prospect of the bill, but I hope, as Mr Brig- 



STATE LIBRARIES 



209 



ham stated, that it will yet pass. Before 
the last session of our legislature it had 
been our custom to send out the letter for 
Information, to which Mr Brigham re- 
ferred, to the members of the legislature. 
There were about four subjects of special 
interest in which nearly all the members 
of the General assembly took interest, that 
would likely come up at the session. We 
took these questions and prepared bibli- 
ographies of reference on them and had 
them printed in the forms of bulletins. We 
published a little bulletin monthly and we 
put it to that use for the purpose of the 
legislature. One member of the committee 
to whom it was referred in the Senate after 
passing the House, said with a slight wink 
that he half believed I was trying to get 
an additional appropriation for something 
we were already doing in the State library, 
so we spoilt it somewhat by what we did 
for the legislature. 

Mr BRIGHAM: If I conveyed the im- 
pression that Wisconsin was working in 
any way other than for the interests of 
those seeking information, I did not mean 
to. It prepares bills on request. All the 
facts are given and then the bill is drawn 
not as you want it, but as they want it. 

Mr LEGLER: There were a great many 
members of this last legislature vitally in- 
terested in a bill for state aid for roads. 
At least thirty members wanted it drawn. 
There happened to be a provision in the 
constitution prohibiting the rendering of 
aid for any such purpose. Their attention 
was called to it. About twenty had a 
conference as to this particular subject 
and a bill was drawn, not covering iden- 
tically what they had wanted, but to meet 
the provisions of the state constitution. 
There was one member who held out and 
said he didn't care anything about the 
constitution and wanted a bill drawn for 
him. The bill was drawn for him. 

Q. You drew two bills? A. Yes, sir. 

Mr GODARD: I would like to ask how 
many have a clerk of bills and also if they 
have in addition an engrossing clerk, so 
called, whose duty it is to see that it is 
properly engrossed, properly prepared for 



the governor, receives the signature of the 
governor, and so forth. I want to know 
first, simply the clerk of bills and engross- 
ing clerk. 

Mr KENNEDY: Every Southern state 
has that so far as I know. 

PRESIDENT: We will have a show of 
hands as to those states which have not. 

Hands raised by members from Iowa, 
Indiana, Ohio and California. 

Mr GALBREATH: Sometimes, but not 
always, we have a committee from one 
or both houses, who perform that duty. 
I wish to bring the list that we had up to 
date. 

Mr LEGLER: The bills are printed now. 
They are no longer engrossied. 

Mr GODARD: I do not make myself 
understood. No bill is printed until it is 
formally reported; it has a file number 
and whether Senate, House or Joint reso- 
lution, and so forth, and after being pre- 
pared by the clerk of bills then the en- 
grossing clerk takes it up and embodies 
the amendments and sees that it is all 
right and that that copy goes to the gov- 
ernor. That is his business. 

Mr OWEN: The problem of a legislative 
reference library faced us in Alabama just 
as it has done in other states, and in 
reaching a conclusion we were confronted 
by the same conditions that were con- 
fronted by them. When Dr McCarthy and 
Dr Whitten began this legislative work we 
thought we would have to drop in line 
and do something, as other states had done. 
It seems to me there is more divergence 
of opinion with reference to the consolida- 
tion of these departments so far as state 
libraries are concerned than to any other 
one subject. I studied the situation in New 
York and in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa 
and I found there was no union. I found 
that Dr McCarthy worked under the li- 
brary commission, which I do not think 
at all a good way. We are able to go on 
and act. I thought over this matter and 
I reached the conclusion that Mr Tilling- 
hast did. I acted in a different way. I 
reached the conclusion that the State li- 
brary ought to do the legislative work 



210 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



and that an ideal state library had been 
doing it all the time. I approached our 
State librarian and he said: "I don't 
think I will touch the proposition. Our 
books are here for the members of the 
legislature. They can come here and ex- 
amine the books and the collection that is 
here, but I don't intend to bother with it." 
I pondered the matter and I said: "Ala- 
bama ought to have just as good an op- 
portunity for her legislature to work as 
any other state, and while in a way they 
could get help in the State and Supreme 
Court library they couldn't get the very 
best sort of help, the card indexes, clip- 
pings, collections of pamphlets and so 
forth, and I determined to ask the legis- 
lature to give the Department of archives 
and history, which is a new phase, the 
right to do this work. We have had only 
two committees to render assistance to 
since the second of March. We have had 
two committees to sit. We have a late 
summer session in July. Through this new 
power given me I have been able to render 
material assistance to these two investi- 
gations. I furnished them the literature 
on the subjects the committees were to 
investigate, and I am satisfied that it has 
been of much practical use and brought my 
department nearer to the legislature than 
otherwise it would have been. 

In reference to the proposition as to just 
how far the legislative reference library 
should go in the matter of its helpfulness, 
I want it to be just as helpful as possible. 
Coming down to legislative affairs, we 
have no legislative clerk and our clerk of 
enrolled bills does the work in a certain 
specified way; the bill is engrossed when 
it has passed from the committee and then 
it is a small matter to transfer it, and 
after enrolment it goes to the governor 
for his action. The attorney-general passes 
on the law after it has received the sig- 
nature of the governor. The governor of 
Alabama has a legal expert to pass upon 
every bill before he puts his signature 
to it 

I wish to express my great pleasure 
in being here and being a member of this 



association. I was under the impression 
that the State libraries were the only ones 
that could be represented, but I am glad 
to find that I am mistaken about that. I 
am very glad to be here and Lo meet with 
you in this way. I am not the State lib- 
rarian of Alabama. I exchange no docu- 
ments. I say that for the benefit of Mr 
Godard, for he has asked me on that point 
several times. Our State librarian, who is 
quite busy with various duties, has not 
gotten up certain documents, and I, as 
secretary of the Alabama capital building 
committee, got about one-third of the new 
building for the conduct of the work with 
which I am entrusted, and one part con- 
sists in having a room set aside where all 
these docunents which have been floating 
around for the last forty years will be 
brought together, and I can help to fill 
up your files. The Department of archives 
and history is a department of records 
and history. We have a fine new place, 
fire proof, with steel doors and windows. 

Mr KENNEDY: I am not here to discuss 
the feasibility of creating laws in other 
states but I would like to say a word 
or two about Virginia. We have not found 
it necessary to create a law in Virginia. 
We feel as Mr Tillinghast did, that it is 
not only our duty, but our pleasure. 

During the last session of the General 
assembly I was told that we could have 
an appropriation for a department of that 
kind and I refused to accept it. I did it 
on the ground that that money could be 
better expended on other lines and with 
the understanding that we should expend 
it along other lines. I decided not to ask 
an appropriation on that special line and 
we do all the work that is done in Wis- 
consin. Possibly not on as large scale nor 
as well as others, but we follow the lines 
as closely as we can, do the main work 
there. I have found that a department 
of reference can be operated in Virginia, 
I am speaking of no other state, without 
appropriation. We have twelve 'em- 
ployes, so I not only established a legisla- 
tive department, but operated it for two 
years without assistance, and during the 



STATE LIBRARIES 



211 



last session of the legislature I detailed 
two stenographers for this particular work. 
We were able to increase our appropria- 
tion and were given nine additional assist- 
ants. I do not undertake to criticise or 
question whether a law of that kind should 
be enacted somewhere else, but it seems 
that in some states it could be done very 
well to begin with without an additional 
appropriation. We not only do that, but 
are promoting libraries, and have been 
able to put quite a number in the field by 
money given by friends of education. The 
legislature would have given us $75,000 for 
promoting libraries, but I would not accept. 

I am a great adherent to the principle 
that a man must know what he is to do, 
and until he can do so he should never call 
upon anyone to call for an appropriation 
that may prove a boomerang to his state. 

I don't think that any state should sac- 
rifice its interests to promote any special 
department. We wrote a goodly number 
of bills a year ago and we proceed just as 
far as they do in Wisconsin. As public 
servants we are supposed to do what is 
asked. We will publish a weekly statement 
giving the news of the week in the As- 
sembly, all the requests from certain mem- 
bers and what the requests were for. 

We never draw a bill unless a man out- 
lines what is wanted. If he has not sense 
enough for that then we tell him politely 
that that is his duty. We guarantee that 
if there has been any decision against it 
we will give it, with all information, and 
guarantee to draft a constitutional bill. 

Mr OWEN: Before this discussion closes 
I wish to bear testimony to what seems to 
me the very great debt we owe Dr Mc- 
Carthy. Whether in the state library or 
wherever this new work is to be carried 
on, it seems to me we all owe a very great 
debt of gratitude to him. 

Mr BROWN: I would like to express my 
appreciation not only to Dr McCarthy, but 
to Dr Whitten of New York. They are 
inseparable, so to speak, and one cannot 
stand by himself. These two men are first 
and foremost and should be recognized. 

Mr MONTGOMERY: I think that if there 



is work of this kind to be done it should 
be put in the hands of an expert. I would 
not leave a reference department to an or- 
dinary state librarian any more than I 
would be going to a dentist for the sore 
throat. I couldn't take any such ground 
and feel myself totally incompetent in any 
such position. If I could give a good sal- 
ary to a man who is fitted for this position 
the state will be all the better for such an 
official. 

Mr BROWN: It has been a matter of 
surprise to me that some have said that 
they have been doing this work and are 
doing it, and yet that they believe it a 
mistake to establish a department. I can- 
not fit that together at all. The work was 
done in Indiana in this way. We secured 
two years ago what was called a reorgani- 
zation fund to carry out the work separate 
and distinct from the other appropriations. 
There was enough to employ Mr Lester to 
make a test of this legislative department. 
That began last August and worked so 
satisfactorily that when the Assembly met 
the legislative visiting committee, in order 
to make my position entirely secure, intro- 
duced a bill fixing a regular salary in the 
State library for a legislative reference 
library. That made it a department of the 
State library. I couldn't get on with the 
State library staff without that. They 
were not equipped for that work. I had 
to have a sociologist, a regular man trained 
in that work, and could not do so without 
a special department The State library 
was there, yes, but never did that work 
before. I cannot get along without it if I 
am going to do that work. That official 
finds everything that a legislator wants if 
it can be found. A member came to me 
and asked me if I knew anything about 
ditches, and I said I didn't, but I had a 
man who could show him all the ditch laws 
of the other states. There he had it right 
before him and saw what the other states 
were. He didn't know how to draw a bill. 
Would we draw it for him? Yes, but he 
would have to tell us what to put in it. 
We did put in what he wanted. That is 
just an illustration. We hare indexes 



212 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



made for all this material. We will draw 
bills for those who ask us to. We will not 
pass any judgment on that bill at all. 

Q. Guarantee the wording? 

Mr BROWN: No, not guarantee. No 
man could guarantee it. The appropriation 
was $1500 from the first of April to the 
first of October. After that $4000 to pay 
salaries and to buy anything I want. That 
is a correction of that paper. 

Q. You propose to establish a library in 
a library? 

Mr BROWN: Yes. 

Mr KENNEDY: I wish to correct an 
Impression. We guarantee that our bills 
are constitutional from the standpoint of 
the Virginia constitution and guarantee 
that they are grammatical, but I have 
never known a bill during my four years 
in Virginia that has been prepared that 
has not been cut to pieces on the floor. 
We never draft a bill unless it is outlined 
to us. 

Mr GALBREATH: After all we are try- 
ing to do the same things in this legisla- 
tive reference work and in pretty much the 
same way so far as our peculiar circum- 
stances will permit I wish to bear tes- 
timony also to the helpful work of Mr 
McCarthy. In Wisconsin there is a law 
library that would not do this work. 

Mr BRIGHAM: We have a fine oppor- 
tunity to get an opinion. Our President 
has honored us by his presence. 

Mr ANDREWS: I think that Mr Gal- 
breath has expressed exactly my opinion. 
We have to do the work as we find condi- 
tions about us enable us to do it. This 
work should be done by the State librarian, 
but if he cannot or will not do it, then we 
are very grateful to anyone else who will 
do it My whole address this morning was 
on this idea. I couldn't help thinking how 
exactly the same problem was in your 
minds. I said then that 29 years of the 
A. L. A. have not made a union and I do 
not believe that 29 years move will make 
you any more united. 

Mr MONTGOMERY: There is one point 
that has not been distinctly brought out. 
That is the appointment of a legislative 



librarian. It is very hard to displace a 
man who has been put in that position. 
In the other case he is simply an officer 
subject to ejectment. 

Mr BRIGHAM: Not if the law is drawn 
correctly. 

Mr GREEN: I entered the room just as 
one of the gentlemen was paying Mr Til- 
linghast a compliment. He is probably 
my best friend and I tried hard to get him 
to attend this meeting. I would probably 
have succeeded in doing so had it not been 
that there were some important things be- 
fore the legislature ; while we cannot bring 
him to the mountain I will say that I have 
listened with the greatest pleasure and in- 
terest to this discussion and I will see that 
the points are communicated to him, and 
do what I can to bring tfle mountain to 
him. 

The reports of the committees were then 
called for. A. R. Hasse, chairman Clearing 
house for state publications, and E. W. 
Emery, chairman Exchange and distribu- 
tion of State documents, being absent from 
the meeting, the president called for the 
report of the chairman of the Committee 
on Extension of membership among the 
state libraries and advancement of activity. 
Mr Kennedy, chairman, being present, re- 
ported as follows: 

Your committee on Extension of mem- 
bership in state libraries and advancement 
of activity begs leave to submit the fol- 
lowing report: 

"We are of the opinion that it is not so 
much a question of increasing the mem- 
bership of the National Association of State 
Libraries as it is one of perfecting the 
Association along other lines. We main- 
tain that the first principle of the Asso- 
ciation stands for the betterment of library 
conditions, and we respectfully submit 
that this does not mean an increased mem- 
bership until such persons as are willing 
to join the Association are recognized as 
competent librarians. 

We have further to report that it is the 
belief of your committee that our Associa- 
tion is entirely too inactive, and that, 
should we succeed in increasing: the mem- 



STATE LIBRARIES 



218 



bership, this would not improve the Asso- 
ciation unless energy is exercised by those 
already embodying its membership. 

We are of the opinion that there is a 
great future ahead of the National Asso- 
ciation of State Libraries, but also strictly 
adhere to the belief that it is an infusion 
of prompt and interesting action upon 
which depends our prosperity as an Asso- 
ciation. There is an apparent lack of co- 
operation among our members that tends 
in no little degree to stifle the efforts of 
the ambitious among us, who are contin- 
ually striving to improve our standing. 

We submit in conclusion that a com- 
mittee should be formed and pledged to 
do active work during the ensuing year 
along such lines as create a living interest 
and a helping hand at all times. 

Respectfully submitted." 

The report was accepted, after which the 
meeting adjourned. 

SECOND SESSION 

Joint Session with the American Library Asso- 
ciation 

Monday, May 27, 9.30 a. m. 

The work and aspirations of the Alabama 
state department of archives and history. 
Thomas M. Owen, of Alabama. 

libraries in state institutions. Miss 
Miriam E. Carey, of Iowa. 

See A. L. A. Proceedings for report of 
this session. 

THIRD SESSION 

May 28, 2.30 p. m. 

The PRESIDENT: There is a Commit- 
tee on Systematic bibliography of state 
official literature, George S. Godard, chair- 
man. Mr Godard reported as follows: The 
committee has been reporting at each of 
our conferences regularly. We have re- 
ported it forwards and backwards and 
crossways and the work has been brought 
to that point by Miss Hasse where we are 
compelled now to do something definite, 
and rather than undertake to write out 
another report of the committee as has 



been done heretofore, Miss Hasee has con- 
sented to state just what her index is, what 
it will accomplish and how it is going to 
help us in the work we have in mind. I 
think it was agreed last year that the work 
to be any real work must be undertaken 
at the library where it will be carried to 
completion, and that seems to be the New 
York public library. I wish Miss Hasse 
to state just what she wants the state 
libraries to do to bring forth such a list 
as we want, so you will accept her words 
as the report of the committee. 

Miss A. R. HASSE: I will state just 
what has been done so far. I have some 
sheets here that I will pass round. These 
are simply for one state and it will be 
done in that way, with separate publica- 
tion for each state along the same plan. 
The work will be regularly put on the list 
of the publications at the publishing office 
of the Carnegie institution at a price which, 
will not be prohibitive. This is to be uni- 
form with the quarto size. 

Q. Reset? A. No, the pages cut down. 
Tne first part is being run off now and 
will be published some time early in June. 
New Hampshire is in type. The price will 
probably not be more than $1.50 for a state 
the size of Maine. 

Q. What is necessary for us to do in 
order to furnish you with the material 
necessary to make the bibliography which 
you have suggested in your report from 
time to time? This matter was taken up 
at former conventions. 

Miss HASSE: Nothing more than to 
make this material available. I don't know 
what you would want more than this. 

Q. How do you get it? 

Miss HASSE: What I have now I get 
from the State library. 

Q. How many states covered in this way? 

Miss HASSE: All the Eastern and all 
the Middle states, and California of the 
Western states. 

Q. This goes to what date? 

Miss HASSE: 1904. 

Q. It is your purpose if these publica- 
tions are sent regularly to continue this 
with supplements or cards? 



814 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Miss HASSE: I can promise you nothing 
more than this. 

Q. Would you be willing to continue the 
work if the publications of the state were 
sent you? 

Miss HASSE: I would be very glad to. 
If you can get material into my hands I 
think I can assure you a current issue. 

Q. This is certainly the kind of practical 
work we need. Have you had any trouble 
in dealing with any particular state? A. 
No, I have not; they have been very cour- 
teous and have loaned me material that 
it was impossible for me to get. They 
have sent material, but usually I would 
have to go there. 

Q. When do you commence? A. At the 
beginning of statehood. 

Q. That is 1776, or thereabouts, in the 
older states? A. Yes. 

Q. In what respect does this differ from 
Mr Beaver's work? A. This is analytical. 
That is not Mr Bowker is a generalist. 

Report accepted. 

Mr BOWKER: In the work which Mr 
Seaver is doing, we are making progress 
on the bibliography of the Southern states. 
I started a scheme for American publica- 
tions that did not seem to be covered at 
all. It seemed very desirable to go into 
the state bibliographies generally. I sup- 
posed we could make it up in two or three 
years for a cost of $1000 more than the 
expenses. I think it will be four or five 
thousand dollars. It is simply a check- 
list of documents from the beginning of 
statehood and to some extent of the colo- 
nial period. It is simply and solely a check- 
list arranged under the five divisions which 
seem most natural several periods being 
under that division. As Miss Hasse has 
stated, that is a general check-list, while 
hers is a specific list of economics. There 
is a large field outside of economics. I 
wish some one else would take up the 
other subjects. I was afraid that two 
people would be doing work in the same 
field, but was glad to find from Miss Hasse 
that the work is complementary. We have 
16 of the states and have had the greatest 
difficulty in the Southern state. From 



Arkansas we have no material yet. From 
others very little. Dr Owen has taken 
up the work and given us good material. 
The way we have done is this: We have 
taken the American catalog and Mr Seaver 
has worked in the Astor library and made 
up the first list. Mr Kennedy has un- 
dertaken to make a list of Virginia. I 
don't think anyone else has done just this 
and for the most part Mr Seaver has had 
to go and get what he could. I had hoped 
to make the same exhibit that Miss Hasse 
did. Delaware was the first en the list 
and I could not get anything. If we should 
ask one of these committees to correspond 
with real live librarians and have them 
print a check-list and then work in other 
states, work backwards, so that from 1900 
we could have a state bibliography, it 
seems that would be the only practical 
thing. That committee should certainly 
include Miss Hasse, and while I cannot be 
a member I would like Mr Seaver to be. 

The PRESIDENT: What action shall we 
take on it? Shall we refer it to Mr Godard 
and Miss Hasse and have them report 
on it? 

The Committee on Uniformity in prepa- 
ration of session laws made no report. 

The following letter from Mr CHARLES 
MCCARTHY, chairman, was read by the 
secretary, as the report of the Committee 
to investigate and formulate the subject 
of publishing a quarterly periodical: 

"As chairman of a committee upon the 
preparation of bibliographic data for the 
American political science association I 
have corresponded with many state li- 
brarians and with men in public life 
throughout the country. I am satisfied 
from the correspondence that a great and 
immediate need exists for some official or- 
gan to gather the data which just now 
would be of great use to both the state 
librarians and to men engaged in the work 
in which I am engaged. I think you will 
agree with me that there are two neces- 
sary elements which must be considered at 
once. First, the cost of the enterprise, 
and second, the question of who is to do 
the work of management and the editorial 



STATE LIBRARIES 



215 



work. Now, I believe that we should have 
no more duplication than possible. In the 
legislative field the new American political 
science association has just started a mag- 
azine. This magazine has a section in it 
which is devoted to legislative matters and 
matters of interest to the state librarians 
throughout this country. 

"One plan suggests itself to me at once 
and that is to have the National Associa- 
tion of State Libraries communicate at 
once with Professor Willoughby of Johns 
Hopkins university to the end that the 
Association cooperate with him in such 
matters as will be of mutual help. An- 
other plan is this: Mr Putnam of the 
Library of Congress, I understand, has the 
authority to publish data which is not 
primarily prepared by members of his 
staff. As I take it Mr Putnam would be 
glad to publish bibliographical data, espe- 
cially in this way. It may be that matters 
of more importance perhaps than bibli- 
ographical data could also be brought out 
The recent digests of school laws brought 
out by the Department of education at 
Washington has been of the greatest ser- 
vice to us here and data similar to that 
published by Mr Putnam would be inval- 
uable at this time. Mr Elliot of the Uni- 
versity of Wisconsin, who had charge of 
that piece of work, writes to me that he 
has two pieces of work on hand which 
he hopes to get out in the same manner. 
One is upon the city school systems and 
one dealing with state and local control 
of school buildings. He says also in h^s 
letter to me the following: 'I have in 
mind to begin the collection and arrange- 
ment of material relating to a number of 
phases of public education. Among others 
I might note the following: (a) Municipal 
charters and the organization of public ed- 
ucation; (b) The development of elemen- 
tary industries and technical education; 
(c) The organization and powers of state 
boards of education and state superinten- 
dents of public instruction.' It seems to 
me that data of this kind can be used by 
every state library in this country with the 
greatest advantage. It will no doubt help 



along the whole subject of uniform legis- 
tion and will be just the kind of data which 
will be of the greatest service to legis- 
lators and to the people who use the state 
libraries. It is evident, I think, that either 
through the Political science association 
or through an arrangement with Dr Put- 
nam some sort of a bulletin could be pre- 
pared which would represent the National 
Association of State Libraries. The harder 
question is who should prepare this? I 
confess that I do not see how such ma- 
terial can be prepared unless some one is 
hired and given a little salary to do this 
work. It may be that this plan is not 
practical. It may be that a little charge 
for the bulletins would secure a good editor 
for them. I believe the bulletins should 
be not only of bibliographical nature, but 
they should also have digests upon up-to- 
date questions similar to the digests pre- 
pared by Mr Whitten in New York, or 
prepared by Mr Elliot in his pamphlet to 
which I refer above. If somebody of abil- 
ity could be secured to do this work I 
think that the proper arrangements could 
be easily made with Dr Putnam and we 
should consequently have cooperation be- 
tween the American political science asso- 
ciation and this Association. This cooper- 
ation will certainly be mutually helpful. 

"If this person could be secured for this 
work I have no doubt that some publica- 
tion approximating a monthly bulletin 
could be ultimately secured. 

"The vital importance of such a thing 
would be understood at once by all those 
who have taken up work similar to the 
legislative reference work as now conduct- 
ed in Wisconsin. When one considers that 
all over this country thousands and thou- 
sands of laws are turned out every year 
from the different legislative bodies the 
necessity for keeping track of critical data 
upon such laws is at once apparent. You 
cannot get too much of it. Dr Whitten's 
splendid work in New York, it seems to 
me, is but the beginning of a greater work 
along this line. Ultimately for economy's 
sake every department formed like this in 
the country must take up some particular 



216 



ASHBVILLB CONFERENCE 



phase of legislation and be held responsible 
for it We are doing this at Wisconsin 
and because of the presence of Dr Ely's 
Bureau of industrial research we have 
been taking up legislation on labor condi- 
tions. I hope to see the day when each 
state librarian has some active wide-awake 
work upon some particular topic. In this 
way and with a magazine to keep track of 
such activities the work of the state li- 
brarian will be many times as effective 
as it is now. If the work becomes effec- 
tive then it will be appreciated by the 
legislators, and once appreciated by the 
legislators the whole question is settled. 
The legislators will supply the necessary 
sinews of war. 

"I deeply regret that I cannot go further 
into the matter. I have outlined the plan, 
however, or possibly two plans which 
would cost very little and which could be 
made effective. I suppose that such a 
bulletin could be edited for possibly $200 
a year." 

The following report by H. O. BRIGHAM 
was not read, but presented for printing. 

STATISTICS OF STATE LIBRARIES 

I herewith submit a study of the statis- 
tics relating to state libraries covering 
about four-fifths of the total number. The 
writer continues the work begun some 
years ago by Miss Roberts, formerly of the 
Michigan state library, who was succeeded 
by Mr Henry, formerly of the Indiana 
state library. In order to make clear the 
varying types of state libraries, the writer 
intends to state briefly a few facts relating 
to these libraries. 

In the 49 states and territories there are 
74 libraries which can be called in the 
broad sense state libraries. Of this num- 
ber 35 are state and territorial libraries, 
11 are designated as state libraries, but 
are law libraries in every sense of the 
word, and in addition there are in the sev- 
eral states 16 law libraries which are 
coordinate institutions. There should be 
added 2 legislative reference libraries, 3 
historical libraries and 7 historical socie- 
ties which are under state control. Owing 



to insufficient returns, the 16 law libraries 
have been omitted from the list. The his- 
torical libraries and the historical societies 
have been excluded and the legislative ref- 
erence libraries have been treated under a 
different head. For the purpose of com- 
parison the historical and miscellaneous 
libraries of Montana and Wisconsin and 
the law libraries of Hawaii and Idaho have 
been included in the total. 

The following states have failed to reply 
to the list of questions: Arkansas, Dela- 
ware, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ne- 
braska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Da- 
kota, Oklahoma, West Virginia. Two of 
these states apparently dislike to answer 
queries of this nature, as the United States 
government in 1902 failed to obtain any 
answer to their inquiries. The summaries 
include 50 libraries, of which 39 sent in 
returns. 

It is difficult to differentiate between the 
various kinds of state libraries. The 
writer has enumerated six different types 
and these arbitrary divisions merge into 
each other in such a way that it is some- 
what of a task to group them, for exam- 
ple: the state library in a given state may 
be a general library in every sense of the 
word, it may be a library devoted to the 
uses of the state legislature or a state 
library which is purely a law library. In 
addition 16 of the states maintain two or 
more distinct libraries under various titles. 
Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, North Caro- 
lina, Ohio. Rhode Island, South Carolina, 
South Dakota, Texas and Virginia, each 
support a separate state and law library 
which in every case is located in the cap- 
ital city. Idaho has two libraries situated 
respectively at Boise and Lewiston. 

In preparing the list of questions for 
submission to the various libraries, the 
queries were reduced to 20 in Dumber and 
an attempt made to ask as simple ques- 
tions as possible. In spite of this, certain 
questions seem to have caused quite a lit- 
tlp confusion. For example, the hours of 
service per week was meant to inquire into 
the hours rendered by the various em- 
ployees, but frequently the query was an- 



STATE LIBRARIES 



217 



swered by an enumeration of the hours 
during which the library was open. In the 
matter of expenditures, it was difficult to 
get the annual totals, as many of the 
appropriations were made by biennial terms 
and the funds were intermingled with 
other state accounts. In this connection 
the writer would welcome any suggestion 
in regard to questions submitted in the 
future. A notable omission from the 
blanks sent out both this year and in the 
year 1906 was the failure to ascertain the 
additions or accessions in each library for 
the current year. 

Volumes. The first and second ques- 
tions relating to the number of volumes 
and number of pamphlets merge into one 
another, as the answers to the latter ques- 
tion were very meager and in many cases 
were included in the total number of vol- 
umes. The comparative figures for the 
number of volumes include practically all 
the state libraries of the country, as the 
totals have been estimated from the United 
States Bureau of education tables for 1903 
when data was not supplied by the states. 
The number of volumes range from 8600 
in Hawaii to 343,000 in New York. Some 
of the larger collections are Wisconsin, 
150,000; California, 148,000; Massachusetts, 
140,000; Michigan, 130,000; Pennsylvania, 
125,800; Ohio, 116,000; New Hampshire, 
110,350; Kentucky, 100,000. Five libraries 
contain over 75,000 volumes; eight libra- 
ries between 50,000 and 75,000 volumes; 
fifteen between 30,000 and 50,000; seven be- 
tween 20,000 and 30,000 volumes; fifteen 
between 10,000 and 20,000, and six less than 
10,000. 

As has been mentioned the results from 
the pamphlet inquiry were so meager that 
comparative figures have not been noted. 
New York reports 158,825 pamphlets; Mas- 
sachusetts, 112,000; New Hampshire, 25,000, 
and North Carolina, 20,000. Oregon, Wis- 
consin and Colorado all report over 10,000 
pamphlets. 

In conclusion it may be of interest to 
note that these libraries contain a total 
of over 3,360,000 volumes, divided accord- 
Ing to geographical location as follows: 



North Atlantic, nine states, 1,041,555 vol- 
umes; South Atlantic, eight states, 349,719 
volumes; North Central, twelve states, 
1,071,684 volumes; South Central, eight 
states, 476,433 volumes; Western, twelve 
states, 415,575 volumes. These arbitrary 
divisions are based upon those selected by 
the United States census, but do not In- 
clude the Library of Congress, which, if 
included in the total, would show a pro- 
nounced preponderance in the South At- 
lantic states. 

Classification. The classification shows 
a preference for the decimal system, twen- 
ty-four reporting the full decimal or a 
modification, three indicating a preference 
for Cutter, three an arrangement by sub- 
ject, two a legal classification and six failed 
to reply to the question. 

The card catalog appears to be in use 
in 31 of the libraries. Five failed to an- 
swer the question and four report "no." 

Law library. The law library was sep- 
arated from the main collection in 14 cases. 
Twentynsix state that the law collection is 
a component part of 'the library and out 
of this number it is a well-known fact that 
in eight instances the collection in itself 
is purely legal in nature. 

Location. The state capitol in 30 cases 
shelters the library. In four instances the 
library is housed in connection with the 
Supreme court and in six, the library is in 
a building of its own. One correspondent 
failed to give the desired information. 

Library board. The trustees of the 
various libraries range in number from one 
to twelve. A governing board of three is 
considered most convenient by 12 states. 
A board of five is in control in nine states. 
In three instances the librarian is the only 
governing official. The Supreme court has 
supervision of the library in 12 states and 
one would naturally presume that the 
other 16 law libraries are under judicial 
control. The Governor of the state is an 
ex-oflicio member of the board in eight 
cases, the Secretary of state in six, the 
Superintendent of public instruction in 
five cases and the Attorney-general in 
three. Other state officials who participate 



218 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



in library boards are the State auditor, 
Chancellor, State comptroller and Court 
reporter. In North Dakota the President 
of the library association is ex-offlcio a 
trustee of the Educational reference library, 
and in Wisconsin the Free library com- 
mission controls the Legislative reference 
room. The Governor and Council constitute 
the library board in the state of Maine 
and the Board of education, 12 in number, 
supervise the State library of Indiana. In 
Colorado the State Superintendent of pub- 
lic instruction is ex-officio State librarian 
and apparently constitutes the Library 
board, and in Texas the Commissioner of 
agriculture, insurance, statistics and his- 
tory is ex-officio state librarian. The Ex- 
ecutive committee of the Wisconsin his- 
torical society control the historical li- 
brary at Madison, and the State education 
department, the State library in Albany. 
In six states the Governor appoints the 
trustees, in four instances naming three 
persons and in two instances naming five. 
In Connecticut the General assembly elect 
two trustees to act with the Governor and 
in Virginia the Board of education name 
the nine members of the Library board. 

Income and expenditures. The financial 
statistics are most difficult to tabulate. 
Different methods of naming a fund in 
appropriation bills, transfers and mergers 
with other state accounts make it impos- 
sible to give total figures for income and 
expenditures. Biennial sessions with ac- 
counts carried over year by year, endow- 
ment and trust funds, irregular income 
from fees, all contribute to cause this con- 
fusion of results. The questions inquired 
into the source and amount of income and 
increase, if any, for the current year. The 
expenditures were enumerated as follows: 

a) Salary, librarian? b) Salaries, assist- 
ants? c) Books? d) Supplies? e) Mis- 
cellaneous expenses? 

The usual source of income is the legis- 
lative appropriations which are the entire 
support of 33 libraries. Fees are an ad- 
ditional aid in two institutions. One West- 
ern library reports income from leasing 
of lands. Two libraries report no income, 



but in the one case this does not apply 
to the salary of the librarian, $1200 a year, 
and in the other the support comes from 
the educational department. The amount 
of income varies from $500 per year to 
$24,740. In one notable case the library 
funds are so interwoven with those of the 
educational department that it is impos- 
sible to give exact figures. Fifteen of the 
various libraries report increased income, 
20 give a negative answer, and the re- 
mainder failed to answer the question. 
This may be in part accounted for by the 
fact that it was the off year for the con- 
vening of state legislatures. Among the 
notable increases are Virginia with $9000 
and Washington with $7000. Rhode Island 
showed an increase of $2200 (1907), Ohio 
and Oregon both over $1500 and the other 
eleven libraries amounts varying from $300 
to $800. 

The amount expended for books ranges 
from $500 in North Carolina to $20,000 
in New York. Among some of the larger 
expenditures are nearly $12,000 in Cali- 
fornia, $8500 in Massachusetts and Penn- 
sylvania respectively, $7400 in Ohio, $6500 
in Washington, $6000 in Missouri and Wis- 
consin historical society respectively, $5000 
in New Hampshire. 

The information relating to supplies and 
miscellaneous expenses was too chaotic to 
be of any great value. California had ex- 
traordinary expenses relating to removal 
amounting to $11,000. Virginia expended 
$17,000, largely for the printing of the 
Virginia records, and Wisconsin $22,000 for 
miscellaneous expenses relating to care of 
buildings. 

Salaries of librarians vary from $900 to 
$5000, grouped as follows: One, $5000; 
three, $3000; four, $2500; one, $2400; six, 
$2000; four, $1800; one, $1600; ten, $1500; 
one, $1350; five, $1200; one, $1100; two, 
$900. The average is $1857.69. 

The expenditure for assistants ranges 
from $480 to $61,200. The following states 
expend over $8000 for assistants: Califor- 
nia, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia 
and Wisconsin, Indiana and Massachusetts. 
No attempt has been made to ascertain 



STATE LIBRARIES 



219 



the individual amounts paid the various 
assistants, as it is impossible to draw com- 
parisons. The assistants in the larger li- 
braries receive amounts running up to 
$2400 a year. 

Assistants. The assistants in the vari- 
ous libraries number 229. New York with 
its 68 employees holds first place. Cali- 
fornia contributes 20 to the quota; Wis- 
consin historical society, 18; Ohio, 14; 
Michigan, 12; and Iowa, 12. The remainder 
employ from one to seven assistants and 
four of the libraries manage to get along 
with the one official at its head. The ap- 
pointment of the assistants in 21 cases 
rests with the librarian and in 17 in- 
stances is determined by another official or 
board. 

Hours of service. The weekly hours of 
service rango from 24 to 60y 2 . The cus- 
tomary number of hours is 48; but as has 
been previously stated it is impossible to 
differentiate between library service and 
hours during which the library is open. 

Vacations. The vacations vary from ten 
days to one month, the usual stipulation 
being two weeks. One library reports 
26 days; another "legal holidays." Eight 
failed to answer the question and eight 
replied by the phrases "no" or "none." 

Circulation. In the reply to the ques- 
tion, "Do books circulate outside of the li- 
braries?" 13 states replied yes, 11 permitted 
Buch use under restrictions, 3 limited their 
use to the building and 12 answered 
"no." 

Departments. The establishment of de- 
partments by the libraries varied accord- 
ing to the type of the several libraries. In 
most cases a simple division into law li- 
brary and general and miscellaneous li- 
brary was deemed sufficient. Some libra- 
ries subdivide by enumerating the work- 
ing departments und'er the head of refer- 
ence, catalog, etc. A special department 
was made out of the historical books in 
Iowa and Montana. Traveling libraries 
are a separate department in California, 
Maine, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, 
"Virginia and Washington. The new legis- 
lative reference feature has caused the 



creation of new departments in several 
states. 

The libraries of California, New York, 
Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin his- 
torical society have more elaborate sys- 
tems of departments, due in large part to 
the multiplicity of work. The New York 
state library requires 13 sections to help 
perform its work. Among the special fea- 
tures are the legislative reference work in 
the sociology section and the library for 
the blind. The library school also is in- 
cluded as a special department. California 
maintains seven departments including an 
extension department with special divi- 
sions for traveling libraries, books for the 
blind, public libraries and study olubs. 
There is also a special department devoted 
to the history of California. Pennsylvania 
has six departments including public libra- 
ries, traveling libraries, education and 
zoology. The Wisconsin historical society 
has divisions devoted to maps, genealogy, 
patents, public documents and newspapers. 
Virginia has departments too numerous to 
mention in detail. 

New field of work. The answer to the 
18th question which related to any new 
field of work which the several libraries 
have attempted is the most valuable reflex 
on the actual activities of the several libra- 
ries. It is indicative of progress and while 
in no sense a reflection upon those libra- 
ries which are steadily maintaining well- 
organized departments and divisions, is a 
sure indication of growth in the state 
library movement. Of the various libra- 
ries that reported, over one half gave evi- 
dence of some new development. The 
legislative reference will be mentioned un- 
der the heading of aids to the legislature. 
Special lines of activities include de- 
velopment of the state archives in Con- 
necticut, Pennsylvania and Texas; publi- 
cations of records in Virginia; state biblio- 
graphical work in Connecticut; library 
commission work through its extension de- 
partment in California; magazine clearing 
houses in Kansas and Washington; docu- 
ment indexing and collecting in Maine, 
Oregon and Vermont; traveling libraries 



220 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



in Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin; 
and books for the blind in Colorado. Three 
new divisions have been established in 
Pennsylvania and the Washington state 
library has made wonderful progress by 
the establishment of seven distinctly new 
lines of work, including a summer library 
school, women's study clubs, school de- 
bates, public document distribution and 
others previously mentioned. 

Aids to the legislature. "In what way 
does the library aid the legislature" has 
brought forth most varied answers. The 
mere statement that "the members of the 
legislature can go into the library at all 
hours" and "that members are permitted 
to take books into the legislative chamber" 
is hardly an evidence of aid. Others an- 
swered "in every way possible," or "in any 
way that they may want information." 

This query indirectly ascertained the de- 
velopment of the legislative reference 
movement. This movement has spread 
from New York and Wisconsin to the vari- 
ous states and new departments have been 
organized in Indiana, Nebraska, Rhode 
Island, South Dakota and Washington. 
Active work without legislative enactment 
has been accomplished in California, Con- 
necticut, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, North 
Dakota and Virginia. Other states which 
report a direct aid to the legislature are 
Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, 
Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New 
Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, 
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and 
Vermont. 

In summarizing the answers, we find 
that seven libraries furnish information 
through a legislative reference depart- 
ment, that 14 give assistance when re- 
quested without a special service for that 
purpose. It is impossible to ascertain 
from these answers what proportion of the 
latter class actually give valuable aid, and 
the results can only show themselves 
through the value of the state collection of 
books and the efforts of the individual 
librarian. Undoubtedly this information 
in many cases is capably furnished with- 
out the aid of such a department and there 



are notable examples throughout the coun- 
try of libraries rendering direct service 
through the ability of the individual libra- 
rian. 

Conclusion. I am inclined to agree with 
the previous compiler, Mr Henry, that 
there is not a sufficient degree of unifor- 
mity among the state libraries either in 
their aims or contents to make any sta- 
tistical enquiry of real value in a compara- 
tive way. I hope that another year, hav- 
ing gained the experience and learned the 
lessons of the first year, I may be able to 
submit a study of the statistics which will 
be of some value to the association. If the 
recital of the progress of the year among 
the state libraries will cause any of the 
more inactive librarians to follow the ex- 
ample thus set and revivify their torpid 
libraries, the writer will feel well repaid 
for his trouble in compiling these statistics. 

The next paper was by G. S. GODARD 
on 

HOW SHALL STATES DELINQUENT 

IN THEIR EXCHANGES BE 

TREATED? 

I really wish I knew just what is the 
best thing to do all things considered, but 
I do not. I am not fully convinced in my 
own mind. When asked by our President 
to suggest a topic for discussion at this 
conference, as the question of states delin- 
quent in their exchanges had been, was, 
and is still before me, and desiring to 
have more light upon this vexing question, 
I suggested that it be one of the topics for 
our discussions at this time. Imagine my 
surprise and chagrin, however, when I re- 
ceived a request from the President asking 
me to present a paper upon the topic my- 
self. Accordingly to get the matter before 
us and to get those present to express 
their views, I venture to present a few 
thoughts upon the same. 

And here let me say that I feel it not 
only my privilege but my duty to acknowl- 
edge the help and inspiration I have re- 
ceived at the several meetings of this our 
National association. The papers read, the 



STATE LIBRARIES 



221 



reports presented, the accompanying dis- 
cussions, the mutual exchange of ideas and 
the good fellowship at those gatherings 
have all strengthened and encouraged me 
in my work and made easier and more 
pleasant my relations with the several 
state libraries. It is only by understand- 
ing the several lines of work in the 
various states and by understanding 
those who have charge of these several 
lines that we can understand what is 
needed both in method of approach and 
in method of service. I therefore venture 
the hop that we may freely discus the 
topic before us for our mutual welfare. 

Let me call attention to a few well 
known propositions, I may say axioms, by 
way of introduction. 

1 Every state and territory of necessity 
has a state or a territorial library. State 
libraries are naturally and necessarily the 
legal storehouses of knowledge for the use 
of the General assembly, the several de- 
partments of state and the public. This 
knowledge may be official and unofficial, 
good, bad and indifferent. As we know, 
most state libraries had their foundation 
in the several miscellaneous collections of 
books which had gradually accumulated 
in the offices of the several state officials 
through purchase, exchange and gift. How- 
ever, until these miscellaneous collections 
had been gathered together, arranged and 
some one made responsible for their proper 
arrangement, cataloging and safety, they 
were of very little service to any one. I 
doubt very much, however, if those re- 
sponsible for the legislative action estab- 
lishing that first regular state library ap- 
preciated what they were really doing. No 
live state library of to-day is any more 
like the early state library than the coun- 
try store of our grandfathers is like the 
modern department store. Unorganized 
and often inaccessible aggregations have 
been giving place to organized, convenient- 
ly arranged and easily accessible collec- 
tions where all interested are intelligently, 
quickly and pleasantly served. And the 
end is not yet for our state libraries are 
on the move. Our librarians and the peo- 



ple are awakening to the fact that the 
state library is not doing its duty unless it 
can render a prompt and intelligent as- 
sistance not only to the public, the court 
and the attorney, but also to the general 
assembly and its several committees in 
giving information along the several lines 
of proposed legislation. We know all state 
libraries were originally intended to be 
legislative reference libraries as well as de- 
partmental and general reference libraries. 
Our system of interstate and international 
exchange was inaugurated for that purpose 
and has been developed along those lines. 
As early as April 22, 1777, Congress evi- 
dently had this feature in mind when it 
passed the following resolution: 

"Resolved: That it be recommended to 
the several states to order their statute 
laws and the additions that may be made 
thereto to be sent to Congress and to each 
of the states." 

As the number of states increased and 
the number of their several official pub- 
lications multiplied, it became more and 
more difficult to obtain and keep available 
even the more important of these publica- 
tions so essential in framing new legisla- 
tion. Whatever pertains to the science of 
government, for the aid of those who are 
to administer government, and whatever 
illustrates the history, character, resources, 
development and institutions of a state or 
section are essential in our several state 
libraries. 

2 Public documents are necessary. Re- 
alizing that the best interests of a state re- 
quire that its citizens have easy access to 
the reports of the life and work of its sev- 
eral departments vast sums are now an- 
nually expended by our several state and 
national governments in compiling, print- 
ing and distributing departmental reports 
and other publications. The information 
contained in these official publications of 
our Union is of great value. This great 
mass of legal, historical, statistical, scien- 
tific and economic data for comparative 
purposes is of great importance and should 
find a ready and accessible place in our 
state libraries. By them one state may 



222 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



profit by the experience of other states. 
Thus through them ideas are exchanged 
and experiences are recorded which en- 
courage or discourage sister stateg in this 
or that line of legislation. To intelligent- 
ly administer government requires a clear 
statement of what government is. What 
the powers or functions of government are, 
is and will be determined by each age foi 
itself. A history which is based upon the 
same facts is read and written by each 
generation and interprets from its own 
point of view and in the light of its own 
civilization. So constitutions also are made 
and interpreted and the affairs of state 
administered in the light of the ever pres- 
ont to-day. Thus, what the interpreta- 
tion of our federal constitution has been, 
we know; what it is, we are discerning; 
but what it will be, we may prophesy, 
but we cannot now determine, go the 
work of interpretation and action is being 
enacted not only in the federal halls of 
legislation and and in our own but also in 
the several states of our Union, and each 
largely along its own lines. Our state li- 
braries therefore will not be what they 
should be until they have either upon their 
shelves, or access to the same through in- 
dexes, complete sets not only of the re- 
ports of the several state officials, commis- 
sioners and commissions of their own state 
but also of the several states together with 
their official registers, etc. If these publi- 
cations cannot be found in the state library, 
where shall th'ey be found? 

3 Interstate exchange is a long estab- 
lished custom and a necessity. When we 
consider the ever increasing fields of ac- 
tivity in government and state administra- 
tion and state supervision of industrial 
affairs and appreciate the vast amount of 
literature that is of necessity being printed 
by all the several departments throughout 
our land, and which ought to be sent regu- 
larly to the several state libraries, we 
ought not to expect nor permit, much less 
compel, the librarian of each state to go 
it blind and unaided in discovering and 
securing the official literature of our sev- 
eral states. He can't do it. The impracti- 



cability and impossibility of such an at- 
tempt was appreciated and anticipated in 
the exchange act passed in 1777 quoted 
above. If impossible then, how much more 
impossible now. For instance, Connecticut 
printed her first departmental report in 
1807 the Comptroller's report. In 1825 
she was printing three; in 1850 nine; in 
1875 twenty-three; in 1900 forty-one, and 
in 1907 fifty-one and several special re- 
ports by special committees. 

While Connecticut has been pushing for- 
ward in the number of her official pub- 
lications, legal and departmental, the other 
states have been doing the same and many 
of them even more so. It is therefore no 
longer possible for our librarians, apart 
from an honest, timely, intelligent inter- 
state exchange to attempt to discover and 
secure this official literature, nor no longer 
feasible for small libraries to attempt to 
keep up. Hence, I say, the state library 
finds itself placed between this sea of offi- 
cial publications and the individual, and it 
must meet the demand. As already stated, 
official courtesy between the states has re- 
quired, and now more than ever demands, 
that each state send its official publica- 
tions to the others for the use of the peo- 
plo of said sister states and for the use 
of its own citizens who may be in that 
section. 

About 1820 Connecticut began an ex- 
change of her Supreme court reports with 
the other states, but in 1844 South Carolina 
came forward and proposed to the several 
states that in addition to the laws already 
included in exchange the reports of the 
judicial decisions should also be included. 
This proposition was accepted, although 
some of the larger states hesitated before 
agreeing to 'exchange with the smaller ones 
because of the great inequality of the Lum- 
ber of volumes issued by each. Since then 
interstate exchange has been so extended 
as to include so far as possible not only 
tie laws and Supreme court reports but all 
of the separate or special reports made by 
state officers and boards. 

As timeliness of reports and promptness 
in transmitting adds greatly to the value 



STATE LIBRARIES 



'228 



of publications as well as to the vitality 
of the system of exchange, our state pub- 
lications should be placed upon the shelves 
of our several exchanges in the most com- 
plete and expeditious manner, bound and 
lettered in the most convenient and acces- 
sible form possible. It is only by careful 
attention to our exchange division that we 
can hope therefore to fulfill our obliga- 
tions or receive all to which we are en- 
titled. 

4 Interstate depositories are not only 
more economical but a mutual benefit. 
State officials are coming to realize that 
the placing of the publications of their 
own state in the several state libraries of 
our country is a duty next to that of keep- 
ing their own state library provided with 
the same. The large increase in the num- 
ber and cost of these publications in recent 
years has made regular depositories for the 
same almost a necessity. In these days of 
public libraries it is no longer necessary for 
an individual to go to the trouble and ex- 
pense of collecting and housing long series 
of departmental reports for his own tem- 
porary use. Neither is it necessary for the 
state to go to the expense of furnishing 
such series to go to individuals when one 
or two accessible sets centrally located 
will serve that community just as well or 
better. Much valuable material relating 
to the life and affairs at home and abroad 
is thus made accessible at the centers of the 
several states at comparatively little ex- 
pense. Thus 50 copies of a book may be 
made to serve at 50 capitals by placing 
the same in the state library, which does 
not discard them each year, as with indi- 
viduals, but retains them in a connected 
series for future reference. Let me em- 
phasize, however, that such a system of 
exchange assumes that each state will be 
true not only to itself but also to the sev- 
eral sister states and forward regularly and 
promptly as issued all of its publications. 

The Connecticut state library as the me- 
dium through which Connecticut ex- 
changes are made has endeavored to be 
true to its trust. Every effort has been 
made to meet every request received from 



a sister state or foreign government for 
official publications so far as the same are 
now available. In many instances much 
help has been received from the town offi- 
cials and individuals who have turned over 
to the state library such early laws, jour- 
nals and departmental reports as were of 
no service to them or they were willing to 
contribute. 

In order that the several departmental 
reports of Connecticut may be placed in the 
libraries of our several exchanges as soon 
as convenient after publication, our comp- 
troller has provided that the state libra- 
rian shall be supplied with 200 sets sub- 
stantially bound in buckram in volumes of 
convenient size, each volume to be bound 
and labeled in harmony with the regular 
&et sent out to the several towns, but each 
volume of these 200 sets to be bound and 
sent out as soon as possible after the 
printing of the reports belonging in that 
particular volume. This arrangement be- 
gan with the reports of 1902. Moreover, 
in order that each departmental report 
of the state of Connecticut for a series of 
years may be quickly located in the bound 
volumes of public documents, our comp- 
troller has also provided each report with 
a "binding number" by which its position 
in the bound volumes of public documents 
is permanently established, thus enabling 
each report to be found in the same posi- 
tion and volume from year to year. Be- 
ginning with the documents for 1900 he 
also assigned a document number to each 
departmental report. This number was de- 
termined by the chronological order of the 
first printed independent issue of such re- 
port and will in the future be retained by 
it, thus showing the relative chronological 
place it occupies in the printed reports of 
Connecticut. The fact that the report of 
the Connecticut state library is No. 13, at 
once indicates that it was the thirteenth 
child to be born into the present family 
of Connecticut printed departmental re- 
ports. 

5 While many states appreciate the im- 
portance of a systematic exchange with 
selected interstate depositories, there are 



224 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



some states which are delinquent in these 
exchanges. 

Apparently there are some state officials 
therefore who are not true to their trust. 
They are neither true to themselves, to 
their office, their state, nor their country. 
I say "apparently" as so far as many of 
us can learn there seems to be no good ex- 
cuse for this delinquency. I say "apparently" 
also because we all know there may be 
good and sufficient reasons why the officials 
of a state cannot send exchanges regularly, 
if at all. Thus, failure to print laws, su- 
preme court decisions and departmental 
reports is certainly a valid reason for not 
sending out exchanges. We know there 
have been such cases and we therefore 
send our exchanges to them just the same. 
We also know that editions of publications 
may have been destroyed by fire or other 
accident. We have known of such cases, 
which certainly is a good excuse for not 
sending exchanges out for that period. We 
are quick to appreciate the situation and 
act accordingly. Again an exchange offi- 
cial may not have been designated by law. 
While this may be true in some states, it 
is hardly a valid excuse in my opinion to 
permit any state librarian to do nothing 
but allow things to remain BO, if he can 
possibly do otherwise. Or a change in the 
office of an official legally in charge of ex- 
changes may be so frequent as to give such 
an official no opportunity to get intelli- 
gently acquainted with the duties of his 
office. Thus, to quote from a letter re- 
ceived, "I am not prepared to say whether 
or not these are all the volumes that have 

been received by the library from 

your state as my predecessor in office fur- 
nished me with m> list of exchanges and 
these are the only volumes found on our 
shelves when I took charge of the library." 
We infer, however, that in this case such 
an official would in general be unable to 
satisfactorily perform other duties of his 
office so that ultimately civil service may 
come in. 

What would you do in a case like this? 
I wrote requesting a copy of the last revi- 
sion and session laws which should have 



been sent without asking. No reply. A 
year later wrote again and after a while 
was referred to the secretary of state, who 
in turn referred me back to the state libra- 
ry. About one year later we received the 
revision then eight years old and after 
further correspondence received the session, 
laws. During all these years Connecticut 
had been faithful in her exchanges with 
this state. Here is another case. Not 
having received a copy of the revision in- 
cluded among official exchanges by act of 
the General assembly, although the same 
had been published some time and copies 
of the same had been offered by dealers, I 
wrote to the state librarian concerning the 
same. After waiting three months I wrote 
again. After waiting another three months 
and no reply a request was made to the 
governor and no reply. Three months 
later a request was made through our gov- 
ernor to the governor of said state for a 
copy of the desired revision. In response 
to this request there scon came, charges 
collect, from the secretary's office a copy 
of the session laws for that year. 

Here is another case. The following 
was received in reply to a request concern- 
ing a package which came charges collect: 
"I am sorry to state that our appropriation 
. . . has been exhausted, the same being 
entirely inadequate for the term ... I 
therefore sent to all the states without pre- 
paying the express. I regret this very much 
but owing to the newness of terri- 
tory and the necessary expenses of starting 
a library it has been impossible to get . . . 
such appropriation as would be necessary 
to properly take care of the interests of 
the institution. I trust, however, that the 
librarians who are now on our exchange 
list will not feel unkindly towards the 

library on this account." I am 

sure this librarian has our entire sym- 
pathy because she is doing the best she 
knows how and has the interests of her 
own state and the sister states at heart. 

While we may freely condone some if 
not all of the above conditions, I think 
none of us has any real patience with the 
official who just does not, who just will 



STATE LIBRARIES 



225 



not, although he has the authority and the 
publications. How shall we treat such a 
state? Personally I do not believe in cut- 
ting off an entire state because of the in- 
competency, carelessness or negligence of 
one individual. I think it is better for our 
Association to take definite and concerted 
action towards educating or cutting off 
that official and getting a proper person 
In his place. 

Conclusion. The problems of the state 
library must always be with us. Its 
duties, growth and development always 
have been, and must continue to be, large- 
ly influenced and governed by the growth 
and development of the several depart- 
ments of state inspection and supervision 
at home, in sister states and abroad. The 
slate librarian is not only the servant of 
his own state but the servant of the na- 
tion, of the world. He can be true to his 
state only when he serves all the citizens 
of his state, whether they live at home 
or abroad. It is his duty to make every 
other state library a branch or department 
of his own library and his own library a 
live branch of every other state library. 
We must stand together, 

States are like individuals. Not one lives 
to itself nor dies by itself. The success 
of one adds to the success of all and the 
failure or misfortune of one retards and 
glooms the union as a whole. As the 
several states have progressed in their 
several activities and wealth their several 
state libraries have been, or should have 
been, a faithful mirror and record not 
only of their own activity and develop- 
m'ent but also of the activities and devel- 
opment of the several sister states. This 
result could not be otherwise if those in 
charge of exchanges in the several states 
had been true to their trust with sister 
states and the local state librarian had 
been true to his trust and mindful of his 
opportunities and responsibilities at home. 

The PRESIDENT: Is there any discus- 
sion on this paper? It is a very interest- 
ing topic. I think Mr Godard has covered 
it very thoroughly. I don't feel 
quite so kindly as he does towards 



delinquents, and I believe if we treat 
them just as well as those who per- 
form their duties it will not make them 
do good. I think that we should not send 
them publications for in no other way will 
they feel their shortcomings. 

Mr BROWN: Would it be advisable for 
this Association to appoint a committee to 
draft a letter impressing the view of this 
Association on the desirability of having 
exchanges and also possibly cut off those 
who refuse to make exchanges, or at least 
express the view of the association. 

Mr GODARD: I wish members would 
express themselves. We have gone over 
and over this and we should take some 
action this year. It seems to me very 
undesirable that we should take the 
position of cutting off exchanges. Nearly 
all the documents that are sent out are 
plentifully supplied. They are to me and 
I suppose to most librarians. It seems to 
me that we should keep up our exchanges, 
that every state librarian should receive 
exchanges. We might take a step to ask 
the librarians that are delinquent to come 
forward and reciprocate, but I for one 
should be reluctant to stop exchanges even 
from librarians from whom I have not re- 
ceived for years. 

Mr MONTGOMERY: The only thing is 
that finally they will want some of your 
publications and will then write and open 
up the subject. We have had that experi- 
ence with one state in the west. I cut 
them off. They took the ground that the 
state librarian had no power to send us 
these publications. We had been sending 
our publications since the beginning and 
had received nothing since 1873. I found 
the power to send publications had been 
transferred to the State university. They 
said that unless we sent it to them as well 
as the State library they would not let us 
have the bound volumes we liked. I cut 
the whole state off and I have had two or 
three letters asking if they couldn't have 
one volume or another. I told them until 
they set the matter straight I wouldn't 
send. I do not think we should trouble to 
send to unappreciative people. They in 



226 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



time will want something and will have to 
come to us to get it. It does not seem 
right to me to pass it over and let them 
be as careless as they choose. 

Mr WATSON: If you cut off the sup- 
ply they will be brought to book very 
quickly. Some of the states are very slow 
about sending out reports. 

Mr GODARD: It seems to me that an 
official letter signed by the National As- 
sociation of State Libraries directed to 
the governor calling attention to the neces- 
sity or the great desirability of getting the 
departmental reports, and calling attention 
to the fact that we do not get them from 
his state might have some effect. My 
point is to keep at it until they wake up. 
Don't be satisfied with anything less than 
that. 

Mr COLE: I think Mr Godard's idea a 
good one and we might have the governor 
of one state say something to the governor 
of the other state. For instance, the gov- 
ernor of North Carolina might say to the 
governor of South Carolina "It's a long 
time between documents." 

Mr BRIGHAM: In the Southern states I 
have found when all else fails the second- 
hand dealer was the man to try. A man 
by the name of Smith of Raleigh is a very 
useful man, and we pick up odd volumes 
from Tennessee through the Atlanta book 
co. when we fail to get exchanges. I 
know that there has been some difficulty 
in Iowa owing to the fact that the distri- 
buter of our state documents is the Secre- 
tary of state, and it is sometimes two years 
before we can find time to send, as in the 
case of my friend Carver of Maine, who 
wrote me repeatedly, but when his letters 
would come I would turn them over to the 
Secretary of state and there they would 
rest, and if you would tell me some way to 
get the distribution of documents out of 
politics I would be glad to know it. I 
thought it would be an easy thing. I 
thought our Secretary of state would be 
glad to be relieved of a great burden, but 
I found that every document is sent out 
with the compliments of the Secretary of 
state and that it is regarded as a political 



perquisite and they resent the change, 
though I would be willing to take the bur- 
den of it. 

Mr MONTGOMERY: We have changed 
that in Pennsylvania by having 300 copies 
delivered to us personally and doing our 
own distributing. I do not believe it hard 
to have a law passed to that effect. 

Mr GODA.RD: There was a law passed 
last year that all documents should be de- 
livered from the printer to the state libra- 
rian, no matter what it is, leaflets and 
all. The state librarian is charged with 
the delivery. As a matter of fact the de- 
livery is usually made from the printer by 
lists furnished by the members of the de- 
partment. The state librarian is furnished 
with a list for distribution and the printer 
is directed to send out. The balance of 
the edition is sent to the library. There is 
no friction with the members of the de- 
partment in that way; the departments re- 
ceive all they ask for. They simply have 
to account for distribution. It brings it all 
under one head. 

Mr BRIGHAM: We send our Supreme 
court reports. 

Mrs COBB: As to Georgia we are situ- 
ated as Mr Brigham says Iowa is. The 
state librarian sends only session laws and 
the code. Whenever it has been suggested 
to change that it has been regarded with 
disfavor by the members of the depart- 
ment. 

Mr GODARD: Can you suggest any- 
thing that a committee could do to accom- 
plish this end? 

Mrs COBB: I think a letter to the gov- 
ernor might have some telling effect. 

Mr BRIGHAM: I second the suggestion 
that the governor embody in his message 
a recommendation that the documents be 
turned over to the State library. 

Mrs COBB: You will certainly have 
your hands full. They will say that no 
good can result. I have been working on 
it for some time. 

Mr MONTGOMERY: Before asking for 
the paper of Mr Brown I will ask Mr 
Godard to take the chair. 

Mr GODARD: Before Mr Montgomery 



STATE LIBRARIES 



227 



leaves I would like to make the report 
from the nominating committee. The 
committee reports the following nomina- 
tions of officers. 

President, Thomas L. Montgomery. 

1st Vice-President, Thomas M. Owen. 

2nd Vice-President, J. M. Hitt. 

Secretary and Treasurer, Minnie M. Oak- 
ley. 

Mr MONTGOMERY: I thank you very 
much for the honor. 

It was moved and carried that the meet- 
ing adjourn, owing to other engagements, 
and that another session be held at 8.30 
o'clock the same evening. 

ADJOURNED SESSION 

The meeting was called to order by act- 
ing president Mr Godard. 

Mr D. C. BROWN, of Indiana, read the 
following paper on 

THE SCOPE OF BOOK PURCHASES IN 
A STATE LIBRARY 

It seems necessary at the beginning of 
this discussion, to give a brief summary 
of the scope of state libraries in the United 
States. Some are almost exclusively law 
libraries with the addition of state docu- 
ments. What is called the State library 
in Wisconsin is of this character. Other 
states may be classed in the same way, as 
Kentucky, and possibly Illinois. Pennsyl- 
vania represents another class, general, 
law, Pennsylvania history. By general is 
meant literature, general history, science, 
etc. 

New York, in her library under control 
of the Department of education, includes 
almost everything. General books, law, 
medicine, documents, state history, and in 
a way, the traveling libraries. The field 
covered here is very large. 

Indiana, in its State library, has general 
books and state documents. The law li- 
brary is a part of the Supreme court, while 
the organization of libraries and the travel- 
ing libraries are under the Public library 
commission. 

Ohio has general books and the travel- 



ing libraries, while the Law library is dis- 
tinct; Iowa has both law and general 
books; Michigan covers all the field, 
traveling, general books, documents and 
law books; California has general books 
and traveling libraries; Rhode Island has 
general books and documents, while the 
Law library is separate. 

One fact stands out very prominently 
in this summary, namely, that the general 
book collection is large, and, more impor- 
tant still, is growing, in most of the state 
libraries. There seems to be a well 
grounded belief that as the state has un- 
dertaken education in the broadest sense, 
so there should be a general reference li- 
brary where all citizens, officials and socie- 
ties of every description may find what 
they want. Even the disposition to loan 
the state books, especially to libraries in 
the state, is growing noticeably, and right- 
ly, too. To the mind of the writer of this 
paper, this idea of the increase of books 
in all departments is the correct one. 
The entire people pay for the Library, and 
a collection of documents alone makes bar- 
ren material for the average reader, not 
to speak of the people of more scholarly 
Ideals. That the local state governments 
should assist in this great work Is an en- 
tirely natural result. 

I have lived neighbor to a state library 
all my life and have frequently wondered 
what the conception of the management 
of the library was, that caused it to be 
kept within very narrow limits, state and 
government documents and state history. 
Within ten years only has that feature 
changed, and the term "library" given its 
fuller meaning. 

Is it the understanding that the word 
"state" in the term "State library" means 
that the books in the collection are to be 
limited to the local matters of the one 
commonwealth in which the library is lo- 
cated to its reports of officials and his- 
tory or does the term signify that the 
books belong to the state as a whole, and 
that all the interests of the state and its 
citizens are to be taken into account? Is 
a city library limited to the city reports 



228 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



and history? The Boston public library, 
for instance: Shall it in the future, or 
has it in the past, ever been limited in 
any such way as the above? If so, was 
its work effective and far reaching? I like 
to think of a library or a museum as reach- 
ing out beyond the borders of a city or a 
state, just as a book, if of any consequence 
at all, is read and known by others than 
the personal friends of the author; other- 
wise it is so distinctly provincial that its 
influence reaches only a very small circle. 
The British Museum is not British, only 
in that it is owned by the British govern- 
ment. It is cosmopolitan in the most 
sweeping sense. Every investigator and 
reader is made to feel at home there. A 
British Museum in spirit in every state in 
the Union is an ideal not beyond the reach 
of the commonwealths of this country. If 
we limit our establishments and call them 
State law library, State medical library, 
etc., the question is an entirely different 
one. All the states have undertaken edu- 
cation, and the development of libraries 
follows naturally. Smaller communities 
can not have large libraries; naturally 
there must be some central point about 
which all revolve. I might put it in this 
way: just as there is a central board of 
education, so may there not be a central 
library in and for the state? All this sums 
up what I mean by the word "state" in 
the expression "State library," and I would 
make the purchase of books just as broad 
in scope as I would make the library. 

The situation of the State library makes 
reference its chief field of operation. It is 
a place where anyone who desires help of 
person or book in research may find a wel- 
come. I wish to maintain, too, that schol- 
ars should be placed at the head of the de- 
partments and as assistants, for that mat- 
ter. From the librarian down, everyone 
dealing with the public in its relations to 
books, should have scholarly training and 
instincts. No one else deserves a place. 
We are not merely keepers of books, but 
lovers of books, and, if you please, writers 
of them. The scholar can not be limited 
in the field of his work. He can serve the 



state by publications in literature, history, 
political science, works of art. His clien- 
tele is the whole public and every indivi- 
dual in it. Do not limit the scope of his 
book purchases. Reference work is ex- 
ceedingly broad; it covers everything. 
The Indiana state library, in a short time, 
has had calls for help from boys and girls 
writing school essays about Jamestown, to 
scholars asking for works in philosophy, 
and artists, for the latest and best on Jap- 
anese art. 

All classes of people use the State li- 
brary, all schools, all churches, societies, 
clubs, legislators, hoi polloi. Not merely 
women and children, as is so often charged 
against our public libraries. Personally, 
the charge, if true, is nothing against the 
library, but rather in its favor. The Amer- 
ican man does not read much; he is not 
altruistic; he is centered on success, in 
other words, dollars. The women do most 
of the good work in church, club, school 
and society, and they send the children to 
the libraries. Let them come. Go out and 
get them. Go into the highways and 
hedges. Bring them in, even without a 
wedding garment. The library is an edu- 
cator, a feeder, nourisher, and we are lost 
when it is no longer a helper to the demos. 
This service of the library attaches, in my 
opinion, just as much to the State library 
as to any library. 

The number of people who call for and 
use general books as compared with those 
using state publications, is easily ten to 
one. As far as the Indiana state library 
goes, one person besides the cataloger 
could attend to all the reference work if 
we had only state publications (as is ad- 
vocated by some), and have time to spare. 
The Indiana state library has calls regu- 
larly for books ranging from higher criti- 
cism and Egyptian archaeology to the ac- 
count of a certain hanging in southern In- 
diana three quarters of a century ago. 

The library can and should create a de- 
mand for its material. People have to be 
brought to what is good. They don't often 
or always come voluntarily. The city 
library does this by all kinds of public no- 



STATE LIBRARIES 



229 



tices not advertisements because there 
is not any commercial interest connected 
with this matter. The Indiana state library 
is buying books in all departments, and by 
a monthly bulletin is making this known, 
and asking to be of service to the school 
men all over the state. A generous re- 
sponse is received to this request. I can- 
not refrain from expressing my opinion on 
the qualifications of a chief librarian. (1) 
Executive ability and scholarship surely 
come first, perhaps scholarship is prim- 
ary. A head of a museum must know not 
merely how to arrange his material; a 
director of a gallery not merely how to 
hang the pictures. Both would be a fail- 
ure with these qualities only. They would 
be mere custodians janitors so to speak 
and I separate this duty from the trans- 
cendent qualities properly belonging to a 
librarian. They must know the material 
in the museum, the pictures in the gallery 
(and others) and the books of the world. I 
recall with delight the great help I have re- 
ceived from the heads of museums in Lon- 
don. (2) Knowledge of literature and his- 
tory, and sympathy with scholarship are 
absolute necessities. (3) A knowledge of 
good libraries by having worked in them 
is a prerequisite beyond even library train- 
ing. Executive ability, including the power 
to select a well trained staff and keep 
their loyal support. (4) Library training, 
which may be of great help in a small 
library particularly. With this equipment 
the purchase of books in a state library 
will not be far wrong. No ideal is too ad- 
vanced for the scholarly librarian. My 
predecessor used the expression "library 
university" for a state library, and I have 
always found it a happy and appropriate 
one. Just as all the departments of a col- 
lege center in the library, or of a city, 
in the city library, so of the state, people, 
officers and legislators make the State li- 
brary the center of reference when investi- 
gating any given subject. All the states 
should have a separate building for a li- 
brary and museum; each state deserves it. 
Public education demands it. Nothing is 
too good for the people of these common- 



wealths. The library's purchase of books 
would be more easily settled with a build- 
ing. Then the public would know that it 
is a library and not some rooms off in an- 
other building. And if a library, it must 
have books many of them, and on all sub- 
jects. Indiana's first appropriation of 
money for books was for history and sci- 
ence, though the claim is sometimes made 
in Indiana that the library should be a 
documentary deposit. A place to deposit 
documents and a library are different 
things. 

A state library needs all the pub- 
lications of the historical societies of 
all the states both for the purpose of 
history and to show the growth of histori- 
cal study. For the latter reason it must 
have the papers and publications of all the 
learned societies of every state and also of 
national societies. When a scholar wants 
such a paper he should find it in a state 
library. 

The conclusion is, from the standpoint 
of a complete library, unlimited either in 
name or in fact, that the state library must 
purchase books in all departments, not 
merely that we may have the satisfaction 
of having and seeing them on our shelves, 
but to enable any investigator or reader to 
find what he wants. Only in such a way 
can the state carry out its purpose of gen- 
eral education and of a library deserving 
the name of a "State library." 

I would not exclude any valuable books 
within my appropriation, from general dic- 
tionaries and encyclopedias to the various 
technical subjects, including periodicals, in 
the same complete way. 

I like the rather old-fashioned plan of 
large family libraries. They give an air of 
learning, refinement and culture not to be 
secured by the public library. But they 
are not and will not be very common. The 
crowd must be cared for must be refined 
and the public collections are to be their 
places of cultivation. 

Scientific books go quickly out of date 
nowadays and a good way to keep up with 
scientific thought is by means of the best 
periodicals. You are abreast of the times 



230 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



and also have the history of the science 
In this way. 

Certain departments may be emphasized 
for the time being, like comparative legis- 
lation, history, agriculture, etc., but let the 
collection be complete and worthy of the 
commonwealth. 



The President announced that the first 
business that would be considered would 
be the election of officers. The report of 
the Nominating committee having been put 
to an aye and no vote, was duly ratified. 
There being no further business the meet- 
ing adjourned, sine die. 

M. M. OAKLEY, Secretary. 



LEAGUE OF LIBRARY COMMISSIONS 



Fourth Annual Meeting at Asheville, N, C, May 24-27, J907 



The first session was called to order May 
24th at 8 p. m. by the President, Miss Alice 
S. Tyler. There were in attendance repre- 
sentatives of 14 Library Commissions, and 
a large and enthusiastic audience inter- 
ested in the various phases of library ex- 
tension. The President spoke a few words 
of appreciation of the work of Miss Clara 
F. Baldwin, Secretary of the League and 
compiler of the "Year-book" who was not 
present because of a trip abroad. To pro- 
vide for continuity in the records the chair 
appointed Mrs Karen M. Jacobson, Minne- 
sota, to act as secretary. 

Miss MARY EILEEN AHERN, editor of 
"Public Libraries," read a paper on 

SOME UNSOLVED PROBLEMS OF THE 
LIBRARY COMMISSIONS 

The incomparable Portia remarks: "I 
can easier teach twenty what were good 
to be done, than be one of the twenty to 
follow mine own teaching." We have felt, 
as we listened to the same instructions as 
they afterwards fell from her lips that it 
was an easy thing to follow such good 
advice when given by so charming an in- 
structor. I wish with all my heart, that 
the characteristics which made it seem 
fitting, nay, desirable that Portia should 
so speak, were with me to-day as I shall 
try to fulfill the request made by your 
President, to discuss some of the unsolved 
problems of the library commissions. In 
so doing I wish to disclaim from the first, 
any desire to be a mentor to those who 
are so splendidly doing pioneer work along 
commission lines. To-day, everyone even 
remotely connected with library work, owes 
a debt of deep gratitude to those men and 
women who are giving, not only of their 
professional and scholastic acquirements, 
but that more valuable and more greatly 
to be appreciated quality, their personality, 
in solving the problems that crowd upon 



each other in this development of library 
facilities for the state. 

As a matter of fact, when the subject 
was first given to me, I had but one feel- 
ing, and that was, that it were almost base 
to suggest such a topic. But on receiving 
the assurance that the commissions, them- 
selves, were aware that such facts as un- 
solved problems existed, I cast about to 
find the missing links and as a result I 
have set forth here a few things to which, 
it seems to me proper to call attention. 

In conversation with one of the leading 
commission workers sometime ago, I was 
struck by his remark, that he found the 
most trying and the hardest problem to 
meet in the fact that the administration 
of the commissions was, of necessity, so 
largely based on temporal and material 
interests, rather than on principles of 
equity and honor, and that out of this sit- 
uation grows most of the perplexity. 

Let us look at a few of the factors in 
the problems before us. 

It is a well established fact that the 
origin and early growth of the commissions 
were the fruit of active work of women's 
clubs. And in those days few interests in 
the community had th'eir attention fixed 
on the efforts of the commission, so that 
if the State federation of women's clubs 
was kept in a state of mollification, the 
problem of existence presented few diffi- 
culties. In the present development of the 
work, while not forgetting the influence 
and attitude of women's clubs and their 
help in the past, the situation is some- 
what embarrassing. This may be ac- 
counted for in several ways. In the first 
place the officers of the women's clubs, and 
particularly the committees, are transitory 
quantities and, while it is a valuable thing 
to have these factors going out somewhat 
enlightened in regard to the principles of 
library extension, it often proves that a lit- 
tle learning is a dangerous thing, and the 



232 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



work of educating, as it were, a uew com- 
munity biennially, is a considerable drain 
on the commission. Do not misunderstand 
me to mean that it is not a part of the 
commission's work to educate these mem- 
bers of the community, in the principles 
and purposes which underlie the work of 
the commissions. This is part of its legiti- 
mate duty, but the fact that the commis- 
sion is still in a place where it is often 
hindered from going forward in its work 
by the "feelings" of these members, is a 
factor in the unsolved problems of library 
commissions. If there are good library 
trustees who happen to be members of the 
state federation, they should be held to 
account for the education of the clubs, thus 
relieving the commissions. 

Still another factor in close relation with 
the work of the library commission, is the 
state department of education. 

It will be remembered that for centuries, 
that form of human development, which we 
call education, was in the hands of the 
church, and the history of the develop- 
ment of a system of formal education en- 
tirely outside of the expressed authority 
of the church, is an interesting recital with 
which we are all familiar in America. 
Practically, there has grown up what is, 
perhaps, the strongest factor in modern 
development, and which is known as a 
system of public instruction. That part 
of it which is termed the public school 
system, is the pride and the joy of the 
whole people, but most particularly, of 
those who are placed in charge of its ma- 
chinery. And it has seemed to some of us 
who are interested both in the develop- 
ment of libraries and the conduct of for- 
mal school education, that one of the un- 
solved problems, which we have to meet, 
is this same attitude towards library work 
on the part of school management, which 
was displayed by the church towards this 
same school management in its own earliest 
stages. In many states the state superin- 
tendents of public instruction are as loath 
to give into the hands of the library auth- 
orities any part of the work which hereto- 
fore they have claimed as their own, how- 



ever ineffectively they may have conducted 
it, they are as loath, I say, to give this into 
the hands of the library authorities as 
the church was to allow them to become 
custodians of the methods of instruction 
which had so long been part of the church 
machinery. It seems then, to an onlooker, 
that a large and important problem yet 
unsolved, is to bring to the minds of those 
in charge of school machinery, a realiza- 
tion of the fact that if they would turn 
over to the library commission, in a hearty, 
cooperative spirit, that part of the work 
they are attempting to do which concerns 
Itself with the choice of books, the main- 
tenance and distribution of books, and re- 
ceive in return the material which is the 
result of definite thought bearing on a 
particular situation, the keynote of a 
paeon of satisfaction will have been 
sound'ed. It has been suggested that still 
another bond of relation be established 
and, if the president of the state university 
and the superintendent of public instruc- 
tion are ex-officio members of the library 
commission, it might be equally beneficial 
to the schools to have the head of the libra- 
ry commission a member of their govern- 
ing boards. 

The commission's relation to school li- 
braries is not well defined. Most of the 
commissions have not been able to accom- 
plish much with school libraries and ther 
seems to be a great uncertainty as to what 
should be done. In Oregon the law pro- 
vides for the care of these libraries through 
the commission. In other states it is not 
done, and with all the library progress, 
school libraries seem to be just about as 
poorly off as they always have been. If in 
every state there was an intelligent, fra- 
ternally cordial relation between the libra- 
ry commission and the school organization, 
whereby each should do the particular 
work that it is best fitted to do in this 
matter of dealing with books, aside from 
the text; the correct solution would be 
found for, at least, one unsolved problem, 
which to-day confronts the library com- 
missions. 

An important question that seems to me 



LIBRARY COMMISSIONS 



233 



unsolved, is that of starting public libra- 
ries in communities unable to support 
them, or possibly not ready for them for 
local reasons. How far should the com- 
mission go in urging public libraries upon 
communities? How large a community 
should have a public library? I have no 
remedy to offer, this is one that can only 
be solved by local authority, but it is a 
problem which is calling for attention. 

Another problem of the library commis- 
sion, is that in which is involved the funds 
given for carrying on its work and the 
ramifications of nearly every other one of 
the unsolved problems meet in this. True, 
in this matter of funds for carrying on 
its work, the status of the library commis- 
sion is not unique; it is one which is 
shared with most of the higher state in- 
stitutions of learning, as well as the penal 
and charitable institutions of the country. 
But, like the sin of gossiping, that so many 
indulge in, it affords no extenuation of the 
undesirable condition. It would seem that 
an institution organized by the state, con- 
ducted under the state law, for the benefit 
of the people of the state, should have set 
aside for it, by right such a percent of the 
tax as shall raise sufficient funds to carry 
on its work, undisturbed, unhampered and 
unmoved by the uncertainty and unconcern 
of the average state legislature. Referring 
again for a precedent to the public school 
system, which has its definite amount al- 
lowed for school purposes, the commis- 
sion's problem of appropriations for libra- 
ry work, should be met by receiving from 
the state for library service, a definite 
appropriation, fixed on a basis, with which 
the fluctuations of the political situation 
or personal influence could make no pos- 
sible difference. At present there is too 
much in relation to library commissions, 
not only in this matter of appropriations, 
but in the attitude of the other organiza- 
tions of the state, that is in a very unstable 
condition. It is constantly interfering 
with the progress of the commission as 
well as with the progress of library mat- 
ters in the state. 

Of considerable weight are the unsolved 



problems of the library commissions in 
relation to the libraries, but the problems 
which fall under this head do not Beem 
to be as far from solution, or need the 
serious attention, as in the case of those 
which have already been mentioned. There 
is no question in the minds of all con- 
cerned, as to the desirability of a feeling 
of real relationship between the library 
boards of the state and the library com- 
missions. The library commission, as a 
rule, is desirous that library boards shall 
have a feeling of confidence in its good 
will and interest towards them. This de- 
sire of the library commission officers is 
often thwarted by the mutations of politi- 
cal appointments on both sides, but in this 
again, they are not different from many 
another organization. At first there was, 
in many instances, a feeling on the part 
of the boards, that the state library com- 
mission was disposed to intrude upon the 
prerogatives of the former, but except in 
rare cases, this feeling is passing away. 
Only the fact that there are occasional in- 
stances of it, places this probability among 
the unsolved problems. 

This same feeling, perhaps in a greater 
degree, exists in some cases between the 
commission and the librarian in charge of 
the library, and many of the commissions 
feel that this is one of their greatest prob- 
lems: How to overcome the feeling akin 
to animosity on the part of many librarians 
towards the disposition of the commissions 
to be of service? This lack of cordial 
fellowship is largely due to a lack of under- 
standing on the part of the librarian, as 
to the real purpose and true feeling of the 
commission. It must always bo remem- 
bered that a commission is strengthened 
or weakened according as the bond of fel- 
lowship between the library units of the 
state and itself is strengthened or weak- 
ened. Both librarians and commissions will 
profit by liberal doses of the potion once 
suggested by Miss Bunting of Philadelphia 
for reference librarians: 

"To five parts of the tree of knowledge 
add two of the flower of patience, one 
blossom of tact, and a large spoonful of 



23* 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



the effervescent spirit of 'happy to help 
you." Add a dash of humor, and a sprink- 
ling of humility and stew in a pot of de- 
sire-to-know. Cook over the fire of long 
suffering. If not satisfactory, add a little 
'pride in your work' and a fresh supply of 
the old ingredients." 

The factor of human nature is so largely 
an ingredient in this relation that any 
solution without taking into account indi- 
vidual characteristics of the persons con- 
cerned in a definite problem can only be 
suggested. 

The question of direct aid is one that is 
local in its application. It is given in 
some states but does not seem to be 
founded on any principle beyond the fact 
that it is easier to give money to help a 
thing than to give personal service. The 
Western commissions have never been 
committed to the subsidy policy but it is 
still an open question whether it is bet- 
ter to allow any direct aid for establish- 
ment or simply to give help and lend a 
traveling library. 

Shall the commission attempt to estab- 
lish any sort of a lending library outside 
of its traveling library system, and if so, 
what is left for the general state library? 

And this brings up the question of the 
relation of the commission and the state 
library which is an unsolved problem. It 
is not settled, and may I be pardoned, if I 
say that it is one which the library com- 
missions have not tried to settle, but from 
which nearly every one runs away, the 
ratio of speed being in proportion to the 
distance of each from the point of settle- 
ment. Some day, will have to be met the 
logical mind, that will point out duplica- 
tion, unnecessary, expensive, unwarranted 
by needs and largely a sign of weakness in 
organization and administration in those 
slates where there is complete separation 
between state library, law library, legisla- 
tive reference library, historical library, 
state university library, state normal school 
library and libraries in other state institu- 
tions and library commissions. 

A small experiment tried by "Public Li- 
braries" in 1906, showed that there is a 
need, widespread among librarians remote 



from library centers, librarians conscious 
of a lack of knowledge of professional lite- 
rature, librarians for whom it is too late 
or impossible to take advantage of the ex- 
isting sources of information. To meet 
such need the library commissions ought 
to make some provision. It may be re- 
membered that on various occasions, I have 
expressed myself on the impracticability of 
a correspondence course in library train- 
ing. 1 am still of the same opinion, as to 
actual technical knowledge, though my 
feeling has been somewhat shaken by the 
results from the experiment referred to. 
For the course of professional reading, the 
sole object of which was to widen the hori- 
zon of the library world for many readers 
of "Public Libraries," of whose limitations 
I had personal knowledge, but for whom 
I did not see an opportunity for better- 
ment, there was a registration of several 
hundred persons for many of whom there 
was no thought in the preparation, and 
most of whom kept up a very active inter- 
est in the reading throughout the course. 
This reading course was laid along the 
line of literature dealing with library devel- 
opment and library relations, rather than 
that part of library administration known 
as library technique. But a small fraction 
of those who registered offered themselves 
for examination. There was some reason 
for this, other than lack of interest, which 
need not be gone into here. It was plainly 
shown, that there is a need not being met 
by present conditions. A wider spirit, a 
more definite idea of the library activities 
of the work, a wider knowledge of the lit- 
erature of libraries, constitute a distinct 
want, unsupplied as yet in many librarians. 
And this is a distinct problem which should 
receive earnest attention from the library 
commissions. I doubt if there are many 
librarians, however, whose knowledge is 
so meager as that of a librarian in a state 
normal school of New York, who in re- 
sponse to a request for her opinion of the 
pamphlet on "Instruction in library econo- 
my for normal schools," replied, "I do not 
know what you mean by library economy." 
And now in taking another problem that 



LIBRARY COMMISSIONS 



285 



seeins to be still unsolved, again I must 
beg that you will not misunderstand my 
meaning or my attitude towards it, for 
there is absolutely no personal feeling in 
my statement. My semi-relations with the 
business world have taught me that so long 
as persons who are in the same line of 
business do the work well, act honorably 
in competition and regard their obliga- 
tions to the cause which they serve as 
sacredly binding, the efforts of each con- 
tribute to the upbuilding of all, and there 
is no cause or reason for backbiting or 
complaint. And so it has been my policy, 
since I have been connected with "Public 
Libraries," to give to those who have been 
engaged in the same work as myself, full 
measure, sometimes pressed down and run- 
ning over, the most respectful and cordial 
recognition and have steadfastly refused 
to recognize any necessity for unkind ex- 
pressions or uncivil treatment under any 
circumstance. I repeat this with emphasis, 
and ask you to bear it in mind with what 
I shall say now as to the problem at hand. 
I have been impressed, particularly during 
the past year, with the growing tendency 
of the bulletins of the various library com- 
missions, to develop into library journals. 
It seems to me that the library bulletins 
ought to be more nearly what the original 
meaning of the word would indicate, a 
brief statement of facts, issued by others 
for the information of the public, respect- 
ing some passing 'event in work. Instead 
of making them the vehicle for distribu- 
tion of long dissertations on library topics, 
they ought to contain definite utterances 
from library commissions, suggestive lists 
of new books, announcements of important 
events, references to sources of help with- 
in easy reach, and to be addressed as some 
of them are to the particular situation 
Vvithin the territory and supervision of the 
particular commission. Then too, there is 
duplication along the same lines in all 
these bulletins. If it seems necessary to 
present the literary productions dealing 
with general library topics, as is the case 
in nearly every instance, why not make 
this a cooperative work provided by the 



League once for all, releasing the money 
of the individual commissions bound up in 
publishing the bulletins in their present 
form (and right well I know from a per- 
sonal experience that this is not an in- 
considerable sum), and since the general 
matter of the bulletins is applicable alike 
to all, expend only such sums as will be 
required to add to the general bulletin, 
such items, announcements and such points 
of special interest, as each commission may 
dtsire to send out in the bulletin, designed 
for a particular locality? It has seemed 
recently as if the bulletins of the library 
commissions were about to usurp the posi- 
tion held by our old friend "classification" 
for so many years. A number of commis- 
sions in turn have reached the point of 
view that no publication at present issued 
quite meets their wants and that they have 
just the ideas of what such a publication 
should be that will meet the long felt want 
and overshadow every other effort that 
has been made, or else, that each follow 
the lead of another doing the same thing 
better or worse without sufficient indepen- 
dence or a real knowledge of the true situ- 
ation. Could not the "A. L. A. bulletin" 
serve this purpose? 

I do not mean this as a personal adverse 
criticism in any sense of the word. There 
certainly must be a feeling of the need of 
a commission bulletin or these efforts 
would not have been made. But it seems 
to me that the problem in its present pro- 
portions and factors, may be properly 
classed among those that are unsolved and 
deserving of closer and wise consideration 
before there is greater loss of money and 
power of concentration. 

And while speaking of publications, at 
this point, may I make a suggestion, which 
though it may not properly come in here, 
still has a thought in it that seems to be 
worth consideration, and that is, definite 
action on the part of the state library com- 
missions in distributing a wider knowledge 
of the publications of the Government 
among the less informed people in the var- 
ious states. Would it not come within the 
province of the library commission, sup- 



236 



ASHBVILLE CONFERENCE 



ported by the states, to be the agent to 
distribute this literature among its people? 

For instance, would it not be meet for 
the state library commission to send to 
the Department of agriculture and receive 
in quantities the very valuable publications 
issued by the various divisions of that de- 
partment and from a mailing list that 
may be easily prepared by the commission 
or in the various library centers, through- 
out the state, send to individual farmers 
or others interested the last and best that 
has been developed by experts on such sub- 
jects as the forests of Illinois, the value 
of swallows as insect destroyers, the ene- 
mies of shade trees, the timber supply of 
the United States, kind of trees to be 
planted in various parts of the country, and 
a thousand of like value to persons inter- 
ested in this and other topics which easily 
suggest themselves? Such activity as this 
might contribute to the solution of some 
other problems entirely belonging to the 
commissions not the least of which is the 
biennial appropriations, which must now 
be so ardently sued for. 

But I have already reached my limit in 
time and will desist from further specu- 
lative philosophy. I probably have con- 
vinced, at least, the chairman of this de- 
partment, that I knew what I was talking 
about on one subject at least when I said 
to him that I was not the proper person 
to present this topic of unsolved prob- 
lems of the library commissions. Per- 
haps I have pointed a way for someone 
who does know, and I will now give him 
an opportunity to be heard. 

In opening the discussion, Miss Char- 
lotte Templeton, Nebraska, gave by re- 
quest an account of the correspondence of 
the Nebraska library commission. 

Miss Hewins, Connecticut, spoke of the 
connection between the women's clubs and 
the commission, and also of the school 
work. 

Mr Hadley, Indiana, came to the defense 
of the commission bulletin not only as a 
means of communication between the com- 
mission and its libraries throughout the 



state, but also as an organ of local inter- 
est which the library periodicals could not 
furnish. 

Mr Bliss, Pennsylvania, said he believed 
that in time state commissions will be 
done away with and the work continued 
under the state libraries and this will come 
to pass when the state libraries are no 
longer political. 

He urged more cooperation among com- 
missions and not so much independent 
work by the different states along the same 
lines. There should be cooperation in pub- 
Ications, in the "A. L. A. booklist," and 
in the matter of summer schools. He fa- 
vored the commission bulletin, but thought 
it would be better to omit the longer arti- 
cles. 

Mr Legler spoke emphatically regarding 
Mr Bliss' suggestions and particularly as 
to the "A. L. A. booklist," knowing per- 
sonally how carefully the Booklist is com- 
piled. A large corps of readers report each 
month not only from commissions and the 
prominent libraries of the country, but the 
children's books are read by expert chil- 
dren's librarians and technical and scien- 
tific books put into the hands of known 
experts in their respective departments. 
The League has set other cooperative work 
in motion many times. 

Miss Price, Pennsylvania, suggested that 
the notes in the "A. L. A. booklist" be 
signed. This would mean much in select- 
ing a book without reading it, if recom- 
mended over a signature which is recog- 
nized. 

Mr Legler stated that for the very rea- 
son that the work is cooperative the anno- 
tations cannot be signed, for a title is not 
put in the Booklist unless it is recommend- 
ed by several of the corps of readers. Then, 
too, the Booklist belongs to all sections 
of the country and though signatures have 
a known value in the home locality they 
vvould mean nothing to other localities. The 
personality must be universally known to 
give weight to a signature. 

The report of the Committee on State 
examinations and certificates for librarians 
was given by Mr Chalmers Hadley of In- 



LIBRARY COMMISSIONS 



237 



diana and Mr C. B. Galbreath of Ohio in 
the absence of Miss Baldwin, chairman. 
Mr Hadley stated the pros and cons of the 
question and Mr Galbreath followed with 
definite suggestions as to examinations 
and grading, and with the draft of a bill 
for the appointment of a state board of 
library 'examiners. 

Miss Pluminer, director of Pratt Institute 
library school, led in the discussion and 
said in part that "The library schools are 
in favor of anything that will add to gen- 
eral library efficiency. If the provision 
of satisfactory tests, and the recommenda- 
tion in a formal way of experienced can- 
didates in actual work in libraries are 
going to contribute to this efficiency, It 
will mean a gain for the library schools 
as well as for the libraries. As to who 
is to prescribe the tests for the experienced 
librarian, it would seem to me best that 
the League of library commissions should 
do this, preserving a certain uniformity 
in all the states and allowing each com- 
mission to do its own examining and mark- 
ing. As to what the tests should consist 
of, it would seem fair to confine them to 
three things: (1) the candidates' general 
education; (2) his technical and adminis- 
trative knowledge; (3) the general charac- 
ter and reputation of the candidate's work. 
As to the credentials furnished, they should 
specify the nature and duration of the can- 
didate's library experience and the kind of 
position he or she is fitted for. The 
tests being the same, the markings 
should be sufficiently equal in the various 
states for the credentials of one state to 
pass in any other state belonging to the 
League." 

The President named as a nominating 
committee Mr Legler, Miss Askew, Misa 
Hoagland. 

The President welcomed Alabama to the 
League and introduced its representative, 
Mr Thomas M. Owen, who stated that al- 
though their department bore the title 
Archives and history, Division of library 
extension, their work was in every sense 
that of a commission. 

The President spoke of the new commis- 



sion in North Dakota which had been cre- 
ated during the recent legislative year, 
but no representative was present. 

Mr Purd B. Wright told of the new li- 
brary commission law of Missouri and 
hoped to see that state in the League be- 
fore another year. 

Because of the interest manifested, the 
meeting adjourned to meet in extra ses- 
sion Saturday evening, May 25, at 8.30. 

SECOND SESSION 

May 25, 8.15 p. m. 

Mr John Pendleton Kennedy, Virginia, 
having been called away, his paper on 
"The Librarian as a factor in securing 
library appropriations," was read by Mr 
Henry E. Legler, Wisconsin. 

In discussing this paper Mists Ahern 
spoke of the responsibility of a librarian 
to educate the community to an under- 
standing of what a librarian's salary should 
justly be. The local librarian should have 
much to do in securing an adequate ap- 
propriation. A librarian often is respon- 
sible for a false economy because she al- 
lows herself to "work for love." Libra- 
rians should awake to the business side 
of their work and take a broad view of 
the situation. The librarian who "thinks 
in hundreds" (dollars, not cents) appeals 
to the business men on his board who are 
themselves accustomed to this method. 

Mr Hadley spoke of the mistake com- 
missions make in their delay in stating 
their problem to legislators till too late. 
Efforts should be made to acquaint them 
with the library conditions in the state 
while they are in their respective com- 
munities before they meet in legislative 
session. The same is true of the city 
library in its relation to the city fathers. 

Miss Prentiss, California, spoke of the 
influence of the League of California mu- 
nicipalities, in which every department 
that belongs to the city is represented and 
discussed. They expect to have a library 
section of that League to emphasize the 
fact that the library belongs to the city. 

Mr Bliss, Pennsylvania, emphasized the 



238 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



duty of the community to advance local 
library conditions, to impress the import- 
ance of the library, and to decide upon 
its support. If the librarian makes the li- 
brary worth supporting, it will be sup- 
ported. 

Mr Green said that "Massachusetts towns 
are jealous of their local rights and it is 
best for our towns to manage their own 
affairs." 

The paper of Mr ASA WYNKOOP, New 
York, on "Where should state aid and a 
local responsibility begin in library exten- 
sion work," was read by Mr James I. 
Wyer, Jr. 

MR WYNKOOP'S PAPER 

Where shall State aid end and local re- 
sponsibility begin in library extension 
work? 

We have here one phase of a general 
problem that confronts us in all govern- 
mental activities, and indeed, in all cen- 
tralized efforts for human betterment. In 
its broadest aspect, it is the fundamental 
problem of all government and of all so- 
cial schemes. It is a question that must 
be asked in determining the wisdom of 
every piece of state legislation, whether 
relating to the moral, the intellectual or 
the industrial life of the community. In 
such matters as the public health, the 
promotion of temperance and education, 
the extension of good roads, the regula- 
tion of child labor, the care of the feeble 
and defective, the regulation of common 
carriers and a thousand other similar prob- 
lems, exactly the same question is involved 
as in the matter before us, what ought 
the state to do and what ought it to leave 
to local initiative? 

Now whatever our attitude towards any 
of these particular questions, I think we 
will all agree in the general proposition 
that whatever can and will be done just 
as well or nearly as well by local initiative 
as by action of the state, should be left 
to such initiative. The bearing of respon- 
sibility is the most essential condition of 
any true development, and for the state 
to assume any responsibility that belongs 



of right to either the individual or the 
community, is to do a grave social injury, 
even though it be done under the guise 
of beneficence. It is better even that a 
community should be left to suffer local 
evils than that the direct responsibility 
for removing those evils should be taken 
away by the state. Only a few days ago 
this principle was invoked in a vigorous 
veto message by Governor Hughes. The 
bill under consideration was aimed to pre- 
vent local corruption in the prosecution 
of an important public work, by putting 
the construction of the work in the hands 
of a state instead of a local board, where 
it naturally belonged. To the mind of the 
Governor, such a transfer of responsi- 
bility would in the end do the community 
more harm in its political and economic 
life than the corruption it aimed to pre- 
vent. Wise economists and philanthropists 
are coming to recognize more and more 
that the giving of help, either by an indi- 
vidual or by the state, is the most difficult 
and delicate of all human tasks, and often 
means an injury rather than a benefit. 

Applying this principle to the matter 
of library extension, we see that the ques- 
tion of state aid is not to be determined 
merely by the general merit of our work 
or by the direct benefits it may confer. 
A library in a community may be a very 
desirable thing, but is it therefore desira- 
ble that the state shall enact a law com- 
pelling every town to levy a tax for library 
support, regardless of local initiative, as 
in the case of New Hampishire? The 
stocking of a library with books of gen- 
uine merit and permanent value is doubt- 
less a thing greatly to be desired, but 
is it good policy for this reason to take 
from the local and incompetent commit- 
tee, the selection of books, and put that 
work into the hands of a state board? 
The supply of money wherewith to make 
frequent and generous purchases of new 
books is essential to a library's vitality, 
but ought money to be supplied from state 
funds for this purpose? A good system of 
classification and a good catalog are es- 
sential to efficiency, but is this a sufficient 



LIBRARY COMMISSIONS 



'239 



reason why the state should itself supply 
these library tools? Every one admits the 
.supreme importance of having the library 
in charge of a qualified librarian, but is it 
therefore the function of the state to pre- 
scribe the necessary qualifications? Not 
until we have considered in each case the 
effect that our action is likely to have 
on local initiative and the local sense of 
responsibility can we answer these ques- 
tions wisely. More important than that a 
town should have a library is it that the 
town shall have a full sense of responsi- 
bility for its own welfare. As stated by 
Mr Legler in his address before the Port- 
land conference two years ago, the ques- 
tion what not to do is quite as important 
as the question what to do, if the local 
libraries are to be brought to that degree 
of permanent efficiency to which initiative 
and independence are essential. "Better," 
he said, "that mistakes be made by the 
local library than that these be avoided 
by having the commission do for them 
what they should do for themselves." 
Where then shall we draw the line, and 
what are the limits of wise state aid? 

The question can hardly be answered 
without briefly considering the more funda- 
mental question, Why state aid at all? 
To this I would submit three general con- 
siderations: 

1 The intellectual and social condition of 
each locality of the state is a matter ol 
concern, not only to the people of that 
locality, but to the whole state. Condi- 
tions which foster illiteracy, degeneracy 
and crime in one part of the state affect 
the state as a whole in a very vital way. 
Apart from considerations of humanity, 
merely on economic grounds, the state 
owes it to itself to look after the welfare 
of its several parts. No more suggestive 
social analogy has ever been proposed 
than that of the Philosopher Hobbes, later 
so carefully elaborated by Spencer in his 
"Sociology," in which the state is likened 
to a living body, whereof, if one member 
suffer, all the members suffer with it. Re- 
cently this principle has been strongly 
urged before the British Parliament by 



representatives of the Library association 
of England in the advocacy of parliamen- 
tary grants to local libraries. If the li- 
brary be a means of promoting good cit- 
izenship, it was urged, then library exten- 
sion is a matter of national concern. To 
emphasize local responsibility is well, but 
there is a national responsibility as truly 
as a local one, and it is as bad to ignore 
the one as the other. 

2 In the second place, by its very con- 
stitution, the state can do many things 
which the individual community cannot 
do. For example, the state alone has the 
power to frame the laws under which the 
community is to express its will. These 
laws may be a very great aid to library 
extension or they may be a serious hin- 
drance. Again there are many forms of 
combined action which can be directed 
only by state agency. The state is the 
natural and logical agent for co-ordinating 
and systematizing the work of scattered 
libraries whereby each may strengthen and 
enrich the others. Initiative here surely 
belongs to the state. 

3 In the third place, we invoke the aid 
of the state in this work because the ac- 
tion of the state can be made the most 
efficient factor in arousing the sense of 
local responsibility and stimulating local 
initiative. Interest, enthusiasm, ambition, 
are not the result of a sporadic and spon- 
taneous generation, but of an intelligent 
systematic propaganda, and in a matter so 
closely related to civic welfare, the logical 
as well as the most efficient agent for this 
propaganda is the state. For one instance 
where local initiative has suffered from 
direct action of the state in its library 
propaganda, a hundred could be cited 
where such action has been the direct and 
only means of arousing such initiative. 
This indeed has been the main thought 
in the establishment of the state commis- 
sions, and the granting of state aid. In 
some states, practically the whole work of 
the commission is thus to create and guide 
looal interest, the only form of aid being 
moral and intellectual stimulus; and even 
in those where direct material benefits are 



240 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



conferred, the aim of these benefits is not 
primarily to give (something, but to call out 
something, and the benefits are conditioned 
on this response. Local responsibility is 
largely a reflex of the state's attitude. 

Such I conceive to be in brief the logic 
of state aid in library extension. The 
local library is a matter of state concern. 
The state can do what the locality cannot 
do. Local action awaits the stimulus of 
state action. What is involved in this logic? 
A good deal more, I believe, than has yet 
been realized or undertaken in any state. 

To mention a few of the things in which 
I think the logic of state aid has not yet 
been adequately applied, I would say, in 
the first place, in the matter of a general 
or state tax for the benefit of local li- 
braries, if the whole state must bear the 
burden of local vice and crime, by main- 
taining institutions and commissions ne- 
cessitated thereby, surely the state may 
wisely assume the burden of fostering local 
institutions which tend to check degen- 
eracy and crime. If the whole state may 
profitably be taxed for the promotion of 
good roads in a distant county, it surely 
may be taxed to promote good reading in 
that county. In New York state was ap- 
propriated this last year from state funds 
the sum of $4,093,266 as direct aid to local 
schools. In the judgment of expert edu- 
cators, it was a wise and profitable ex- 
penditure for the state; and no one who 
has studied the development of local 
schools in this state recently under the 
stimulus of such grants can doubt this; 
but in what essential respect does the 
claim of the local library differ from that 
of the local school? 

To some 'extent, the principle of a state 
tax for libraries has been accepted in 
most of our states, but in what a halting, 
apologetic, compromising way! The state 
which leads all others in the amount of 
public money appropriated for public li- 
brary extension and improvement, the 
state which last year gave more than 
$4,000,000 for direct aid to schools, gave 
$28,000 for direct aid to libraries, seven- 
tenths of one per cent, of the amount 



granted for schools! Just consider the 
sums appropriated by other great and 
wealthy states last year for library ex- 
tension: Wisconsin, $23,500; Pennsyl- 
vania, $12,000; Ohio, $9,500; Minnesota, 
$7,500; Kansas, $5,800; Nebraska, $3,000; 
New Jersey, $5,000; and BO on down to 
$300 and nothing, states which appro- 
priated at the same time for the most 
trivial and temporary purposes, sums 
which make these figures seem like a beg- 
garly pittance. The fact is, that judged 
by their appropriations, the states have 
hardly begun to treat the library cause 
seriously; and the blame for this I believe 
rests largely on our library representatives. 
They do not appear to be at all conscious 
of the strength, either of the logic of their 
position or of their cause with the voting 
population, and are too timid and apolo- 
getic by half in urging their claim. For 
which, do you suppose, an assemblyman 
from a remote county and his constituents 
care the more, for the supply of numerous 
and superfluous brass bands at the sum- 
mer encampment of the state's militia, or 
for the development of local libraries in 
his district? Yet that very assemblyman 
votes $30,000 for the former and $5000 for 
library extension in his state, chiefly, I 
am convinced, because of a lack of a bold, 
vigorous confident appeal in behalf of the 
latter cause. I have just read from the 
reports of one of the commissions of a 
unanimous resolution passed at a meeting 
of a farmers' grange, to the effect that a 
recent library law and grant had con- 
ferred more pleasure and profit on the 
rural communities of the state than had 
been conferred by any act in years. With 
what effect, do you think, such resolutions 
might be used before legislatures in en- 
forcing the appeal for library support? 
The commissions have no more important 
work now before them than the putting 
of the library cause before our legisla- 
tures in its true relations, not as an ob- 
ject of pity or compassion for which in a 
spirit of philanthropy they will vote a 
pittance of public money, but as an edu- 
cational work of the very first import- 



LIBRARY COMMISSIONS 



241 



ance to the state and as a social factor 
worthy of their most serious consideration. 
But fully as serious as is the general 
lack of adequate financial provision for 
library extension is the failure of the 
state fully to utilize the provisions which 
it does make. For example, in New York 
our present library law providing for state 
aid to local libraries, the supply of travel- 
Ing libraries, etc., was passed in 1892. I 
claim not to have been unusually lacking 
In public spirit or in library interest, yet 
It was not till 11 years later, when I went 
to the library school at Albany, that I 
learned of these state provisions. All that 
the state was ready to do was non existent 
so far as any action of mine was con- 
cerned, because I knew nothing of it. 
Since then I have spoken with many well 
Informed men in regard to this, a very 
large proportion of whom I have found 
as ignorant as I was. What then is the 
likelihood of people knowing of it in dis- 
tant and isolated communities? What the 
state does for libraries is largely neutral- 
ized by what it does not do. It provides 
a great State library and offers to loan 
books to people in all parts of the state, 
but leaves 99 men out of 100 in ignorance 
of this offer. It buys a great collection 
of books for the purpose of supplying 
small libraries to villages and rural com- 
munities, and lets the people of these 
villages find out by accident, if "at all, of 
these provisions. It offers a sum from the 
Btate treasury every year to each com- 
munity for the buying of books, but 
whether the news and conditions of this 
offer shall reach the community or not Is 
not its concern. How do you suppose 
this matter would be managed if the func- 
tions and facilities of the state were to be 
assumed by an aggressive business man, 
to whom personally library extension was 
to yield the same profit that it does to the 
state? I say, to whom personally, library 
extension were as important as it is to the 
state? Why, he would have agents and 
well paid and competent ones too, to visit 
every town, village and cross roads in the 
state and make a persistent and syste- 



matic effort to arouse interest in each. 
Lack of interest at the first proposal would 
not discourage him, but he would send 
again and again, men whose peculiar qual- 
ity it was to interest and convince. He 
would make a canvas of every school dis- 
trict in the state, and would regard every 
school house as a possible center for the 
distribution and use of his wares. At 
every meeting of teachers, farmers, im- 
provement societies and leagues, he would 
have an agent present to show how the 
library could help in their work. He would 
see to it that in every local paper having 
a constituency which he wished to reach, 
there was full notice given again and 
again of what he had to offer. 

And I venture to say that in a year's 
time he would add more new libraries 
to our roll than we have added in five, 
and multiply by ten, the number of places 
reached by our traveling libraries. Why, 
a business man would fail almost as soon 
as he had invested his capital who would 
conduct his business as most of our states 
are conducting this library business. "Tis 
true, in some states, much of the personal 
work here advocated, is already being 
done, notably in Wisconsin, California, 
Michigan and New Jersey, in some, li- 
brary periodicals are published specifically 
for this library propaganda, library or- 
ganizers are sent out by the state to in- 
form the public and arouse interest, ad- 
vertising columns of local papers are em- 
ployed to publish the work, but in no 
state will the commission admit that it 
has reached the limit of its possibilities in 
this work; in most states, it is only in its 
Initial stage. 

Again in the matter of the promotion 
and direction of cooperation among local 
libraries the states are far behind the pos- 
sibilities of effective state aid. Our great 
cities are pointing out the way in which 
this cooperation can be effected, and the 
benefits flowing from it. Take New York 
City as an example, with its thirty-five 
branches, each of which is in a sense a 
local library responding to local condi- 
tions and demands, while all are brought 



242 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



into such vital relations that the strength 
of the whole belongs to each. One branch 
builds up a German collection, another a 
Bohemian collection, another a collection 
of art, another of music, another of edu- 
cational works, and so throughout the 
system, and each reader of each branch 
has the whole collection at his disposal. 
Then in the matter of internal economy, 
in buying, in binding, in cataloging, and 
In a dozen other matters, what a saving of 
money and energy is effected. Suppose 
these branches were each unrelated to the 
others, with all its thirty-five Carnegie 
libraries, what chance would there be for 
real library development in New York 
City? The energy and funds of each would 
be exhausted in doing in 35 centers about 
the same work, in buying about the same 
books an I the whole would be hardly 
stronger than one of its parts. Now of 
course a state cannot bring its scattered 
libraries into any such close relation as 
are the branches in a city, but it can ac- 
complish far more in this direction than 
has yet been done in any state. Why 
should not a dozen village libraries lying 
within easy reach of each other by trolley 
or railroad, agree 'each to develop special 
features and to exchange with each other 
the works from these special collections 
occasionally needed, thus giving an indi- 
viduality to each library and making the 
whole region twice or thrice as rich in 
books as it would be were each library 
a duplicate of the others? Why should 
not the duplicates purchased by the large 
city library while the work was fresh 
in the public mind and much in demand, 
but now lying idle on the shelves, be avail- 
able for use in the distant rural library, 
where money for fresh supplies of books 
is so hard to raise? Why should not the 
village library through the agency of the 
state have the same advantage in the buy- 
ing and binding of books as the city li- 
brary? Why should not the state supply 
to its libraries a central agency whereby 
a library having superfluous duplicates, or 
books unsuited to its peculiar community 
and therefore of no use, could exchange 



these on an equitable basis for needed 
books in other libraries, which themselves 
are perhaps needing just these books? 
What means of state aid could we devise 
that would add more to the riches of 
local libraries at so slight a cost to the 
state as the maintenance of a central 
clearing house for duplicates? Again why 
should not every local library be so linked 
to the State library and the traveling 
library system that through them it should 
be able to supply at a nominal cost, its 
temporary neels, and J ~hus be enabled to 
use the greater part of its book money for 
works of a permanent value? These are 
just a few of the suggestions as to the 
possibility of a closer cooperation that 
may, and I believe ought to be brought 
about by the initiative of the state. If ex- 
ercised discreetly, such action by the state 
will open up the very largest possibilities 
for local initiative. 

Another matter in which the states ap- 
pear to be far behind the legitimate re- 
quirements of our work is the matter of 
library training. What state is there 
which does not maintain at public ex- 
pense, training schools for teachers, or 
require some educational qualification for 
taking charge of a school? Yet there are 
but three states which provide permanent 
schools for library training and none in 
which state credentials for library work 
are required. Is not the untrained li- 
brarian as much an anachronism as the 
untrained teacher? Does she not represent 
the same educational and economic waste 
both to the state and to the community? 
Indeed, is not the qualification of the local 
librarian the one condition of success in 
all the work of the state for library de- 
velopment? You and I could name cases 
where in the same community, with the 
same building and the same books, the work 
of the library has been multiplied by two 
and three, simply by the substitution of a 
qualified for an unqualified librarian. Do 
you say, this is a matter peculiarly for 
local action? But such action cannot sup- 
ply the training school, that, at least, the 
state must maintain, and would it not 



LIBRARY COMMISSIONS 



248 



enhance the value of the training there 
given in the public estimate, if a premium 
were to be put upon it in the form of a 
minimum requirement for library work? 
And further, would it not give to many 
a locality a freedom for the exercise of its 
initiative which it now lacks on account 
of local, persona], social or philanthropic 
considerations which hold sway? 

These are some of the directions in which 
it seems to me the states have yet far to 
go before reaching the point where state 
aid should end. 

In conclusion, it need hardly be said 
that in approaching this point it will be 
found to be a greatly varying one in dif- 
ferent states and in different sections of 
the same state. What may be a wise, legi- 
timate and much needed form of state aid 
in one community may be not only useless 
but offensive in another. This principle 
is specifically embodied in the laws of some 
states, notably in those of Massachusetts, 
where the commission is excluded from 
giving certain kinds of aid in towns having 
more than a specified tax valuation. Prac- 
tically all the commissions are acting 
more or less on this principle, even where 
there is no recognition of it in the law of 
the state. Theoretical objections have 
been made to it as a state policy on the 
ground that it is unjust to take the pro- 
ceeds of a general tax and apply them to 
favored communities, and further, that it 
made the library appropriation appear like 
an act of state charity. But the distribu- 
tion of public funds according to the pe- 
culiar needs of the different parts of the 
state is something that is seen in every 
form of public work. Thus, the state does 
for the roads of a rural community what 
it does not do for the streets of a city; 
for the schools in unpopulous districts, it 
distributes a ratio of public money de- 
cidedly greater than that which it supplies 
to wealthy and populous communities. In 
all its public improvements it recognizes 
the principle stated at the outset, that 
the state is an organism, a hod|/ politic, 
and that the well being of the whole is de- 
pendent on the well being of its several 



parts. In making special efforts to con- 
serve the health of its more feeble mem- 
bers, it is most effectively conserving th 
health of the whole body. 

Miss Stearns, Wisconsin, said that the 
community should take the initiative, but 
that the commissions should create the 
desire. The West is not ready for com- 
pulsory libraries, but the community 
works on its own initiative. In the selec- 
tion of books we believe in advising but 
not buying for libraries. Organizing should 
be done through instruction and personal 
visits. We do not believe in direct state 
aid, but aiding by traveling libraries. 

Miss Isom, Oregon, spoke of the success 
that had been attained in the first two 
years of the Oregon commission, of their 
increased appropriation and of the methods 
of sending out material to the granges. 
She paid a tribute to Miss Marvin's work 
in that state. 

Mr Bliss asked the opinion of the com- 
mission workers as to whether commis- 
sions should act as purchasing agents. 

Miss Askew, New Jersey, spoke in de- 
fense of this, showing how money had 
been saved for the small libraries by her 
personal visits to New York second-hand 
dealers. 

Miss Hewins told of Connecticut's plan 
as purchasing agent. 

Mr Legler explained for Wisconsin that 
they quote prices only on subscription 
books and expensive sets which they find 
offered at reduced prices, thus saving 
money for the small library. 

Miss Price, Pennsylvania, had also 
bought books at second-hand stores for 
local libraries. 

An expression of opinion by vote showed 
a sentiment unfavorable to the commis- 
sion acting as a purchasing agent 

THIRD SESSION 
May 27, 2.30 p. m. 

Owing to the meeting of the Children's 
librarians' section at this hour it was de- 
cided to postpone the papers for an ad- 
journed session in the 'evening. 



244 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Miss Hazeltine, chairman, gave the 
report of the Publication committee, 
which was accepted and its provisions 
adopted. 

Miss Kelso, New York, presented the 
League with a gavel of rhododendron 
root, as a souvenir of Asheville, and the 
President expressed on behalf of the 
League, appreciation of the gift. 

The President called upon Mrs Percival 
Sne'ed of Atlanta for a word from the 
Georgia library commission. She gave an 
encouraging report of the progress made 
without any state appropriation. 

In regard to the matter of library sta- 
tistics in states where no commission ex- 
ists and the statistics of the Bureau of 
education prove unsatisfactory, no report 
was sent by the Secretary regarding pro- 
gress of investigations. 

Mr Legler reported that in regard to a 
postal rate, he had tried to have commis- 
Bion bulletins considered as second class 
matter. The local postmaster had referred 
the matter to Washington and it had been 
refused. It was suggested that a commit- 
tee be appointed to take the matter up 
tactfully with the Postofflce department at 
Washington with the view of getting pound 
rates, the committee to act at such time as 
seems best Appointment deferred. 

Mr Bliss, Pennsylvania, called the at- 
tention of the League to the fact that cer- 
tain library terms are in use with dif- 
ferent meanings in various parts of the 
country, that in publishing statistics the 
terms are often puzzling. 

Mr Hadley suggested that a dictionary 
of terms be included in the "Year-book." 

Mr Bliss moved that the two terms, 
"Traveling library" and "Library station" 
be referred to the Publication committee 
for definition. 

The Treasurer's report was then read 
by the Secretary showing all bills paid and 
a balance on hand of $28.70. 

Miss Lord called attention to the Har- 
per's .black-and-white prints, that will 
prove of use for bulletin work, which had 
been purchased by the Pratt institute li- 
brary from the waste paper mill. Collec- 



tion of some 1600 subjects may be had for 
$5 from Pratt institute library. 

The Nominating committee reported as 
follows: President, Mr Chalmers Hadley, 
Indiana; 1st vice-president, Miss Caroline 
M. Hewins, Connecticut; 2nd vice-presi- 
dent, Mr Thomas M. Owen, Alabama; Sec- 
retary, Miss Clara F. Baldwin, Minnesota; 
Treasurer, Miss Sarah B. Askew, New Jer- 
sey. 

On motion, the Secretary was instructed 
to cast the ballot for the new officers. 
Carried. 

FOURTH SESSION 

May 27, 8.30 p. m. 

Miss Mary Emogene Hazeltine, Wiscon- 
sin, presiding. 

The first paper presented was "The Li- 
brary budget," by Mr Henry E. Legler, 
Wisconsin. The chief discussion was in 
regard to librarians' salary, Mr Legler 
stating that it should be on the basis with 
that of the high school teacher in the com- 
munity. He asserted that the salary 
should be the first item considered by the 
council, then additional assistance, books, 
fuel, light, janitor. The library budget 
should be carefully estimated and that Bum 
asked for; the sum should not be left to be 
suggested by the council. 

Mr Bliss of Pennsylvania said he was 
opposed to a fixed proportion for the li- 
brarian's salary. One ought to consider 
of what value a library is to the com- 
munity, therefore what a librarian Is 
worth, and not what some particular one 
is worth. The library should have the 
same footing as the school, no matter 
what the proportion of salary. With the 
right librarian, books and other necessities 
will come. 

Mr Hadley, Indiana, thought that one of 
the serious problems of the budget is the 
maintenance of too expensive buildings. 
The limit of taxation for years to come 
has been reached. The interiors are fre- 
quently not adapted to their purpose. If 
the buildings were simpler, there would be 
more money for salaries. 



LIBRARY COMMISSIONS 



245 



Miss Kelso, New York, asked if the 
commissions had ever addressed a com- 
munication to Mr Carnegie as to the diffi- 
culty of the maintenance of the libraries, 
thinking it likely that he could remedy the 
difficulty. 

Mr Brett, of Cleveland, agreed with Mr 
Legler that 10 per cent is not enough 
because the demands of the community 
are too great it is not that the building 
Is too large. The conclusion that gifts 
should be lessened is a mistake. Take 
what you can get. 

Miss Hoagland, Indiana, asked what 
would have been the result if a basis 
had been adopted of 15 rather than 10 
per cent. 

Mr Legler put Miss Kelso's suggestion 
into the form of a motion that the League 
present the difficulty to Mr Carnegie. 

An amendment was made that the Ex- 
ecutive board of the League communicate 
with Mr Carnegie as to the administration 
of libraries. Carried. 

The Round table of summer school prob- 
lems was opened by Miss Hazeltine with 
a few appropriate remarks. Miss Sarah 
B. Askew, of New Jersey, presented the 
subject of "Conditions of admission to 
summer library schools." 



Mrs Karen M. Jacobson, Minnesota, dis- 
cussed the topic "Subjects for the course 
and time required." 

"Equipment for practice work" was pre- 
sented by Miss Anna R. Phelps of Indiana, 
and this was followed by Miss Harriet E. 
Howe, who presented both sides of the 
question of "Final examinations." 

Mrs Karen M. Jacobson, Minnesota, dis- 
cussed the final topic, "Certificates in the 
Bummer school." 

Mr Legler moved that a representative 
committee of summer school interests be 
appointed as suggested in Mrs Jacobson's 
paper, to decide whether it would be wise 
for the League to have a uniform certifi- 
cate that might be adopted by commission 
and other summer schools and that such a 
committee be composed of one from every 
school represented in the meeting. Rep- 
resentatives from ten states met Tuesday 
evening for further discussion and it was 
decided that a committee be appointed to 
consider uniform certificates for summer 
schools and report to the director of eacli 
summer school not later than the mid- 
winter meeting of the League. Adjourned. 
MRS KAREN M. JACOBSON, 
Acting Secretary. 



AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF LAW LIBRARIES 



Second Annual Conference, Asheville, N* C., May 23-29, f 907 



The first session, May 24, 1907, at 8.30 
p. m., at the Battery Park Hotel, was called 
to order by President A. J. Small, with 27 
members present. 

An address of welcome was made by 
Hon. MILES O. SHERRILL, State libra- 
rian of North Carolina. 

ADDRESS OF MR SHERRILL 

Mr President, fellow librarians, ladies 
and gentlemen, .there is a time when we 
must act whether "Barkis is willing" or 
not. I first received a letter from my 
unknown friend, Mr A. J. Small, librarian 
of the law library of the "Hawkeye" state, 
and president of the American Association 
of Law Libraries, requesting me to make 
a speech of welcome to his Association, 
which was to meet here in Asheville in 
connection with the A. L. A. and other 
library organizations. I desired to be more 
courteous to my friend from Iowa than I 
was in the sarly sixties, when I aided and 
assisted in trying to prevent our friends 
from the "Hawkeye" state from making a 
visit to I'orth Carolina, so I accepted his 
invitation. About the next day I received 
a request from Mr J. L. Gillis, of Califor- 
nia, State librarian and President of the 
National Association of State Libraries, 
making a similar request. This brought 
to mind a circumstance where during a 
great drought the people assembled fr.r 
prayer and fasting, calling on the Lord 
for rain; U came in great abundance, a 
"regular gully washer and trash mover," 
doing much damage; and as they were 
leaving the church an old brother said, 
"Brethren, don't you think we overdid the 
thing in our asking for rain?" So when 
my friend Mrs iloss, President of the North 
Carolina library association, requested me 
to make a five minutes' speech in response 
to another address of welcome, I felt like 
the old brother, "My friends, don't you 
think you overdid the thing," in asking so 
much of me. However it does not make 



much difference. We are all here with 
one accord in this beautiful city to ex- 
change views, and help each other in li- 
brary work. 

I have a very kind feeling for the law- 
yers and their profession, and for this 
Association. For many years I was clerk 
of the Superior court, of Catawba county, 
and consequently intimately connected 
with the lawyers, and realized the great 
importance of law libraries. As a class 
they are a fine set of men. Of course there 
are some "scrubs" amcns; them, as in all 
other callings in life. I beliere it is con- 
ceded that as a class they can take care 
of themselves; at least I saw a few clay a 
ago where some school boys had for dis- 
cussion the subject, "Is it wrong to wrong, 
or cheat a lawyer?" After three hours' 
discussion the decision was, "It is not 
wrong to do so; but too difficult to pay 
for the trouble." According to that de- 
cision our lawyer friends can take care of 
themselves. 

The number of lawyers in the United 
States in 1900 was 114,703, and in North 
Carolina there were 1,263 licensed lawyers. 
What an army of men, what a blessing to 
them if they all had access to a good law 
library! What a blessing to the public if 
this vast multitude remember and keep 
the oath that they each one took when 
they entered upon the duties of their pro- 
fession! 

My friends you have been made wel- 
come to this beautiful city of fresh air, 
pure water and kind hospitality, which I 
trust will be the means of adding days to 
your life. But friends and fellow librarians, 
we want to give you a regular North Caro- 
lina welcome to the entire state. The time 
was when North Carolina was designated 
as "A strip of land between two states," 
when the state was noted for "tar, pitch, 
and turpentine," and that only. But these 
proverbs have become obsolete. Please 
excuse me, if I enumerate a few things 



LAW LIBRARIES 



247 



besides "tar, pitch and turpentine" that 
pertain to our state, for I feel that it is 
right and proper that you should know 
something of the state you are visiting, for 
we are a part of this great nation. 

We have water power, minerals and 
timber, and can raise cotton, rice, corn, 
wheat, buck-wheat, apples, peanuts, pota- 
toes, oranges, chestnuts, tobacco, berries 
of all kinds, Including "huckleberries" 
which grow spontaneously, also "tar, pitch 
and turpentine," and fish and oysters 
galore; and our State is noted for pretty 
women and gallant men; and if you all 
will make a trip down east some of you 
will get so much tar on your heels, that 
you will stick. Selah "So mote it be." 
When you stick, we will treat you royally 
as residents of North Carolina. North 
Carolina was the second state in the Union 
to establish a State university, which it 
did in 1789; and that of course meant a 
library and we have an excellent one there 
to-day. We have in North Carolina over 
550 manufacturing establishments, an in- 
crease in the year 1906 over 1905 of 113. 
Just think of it, at this rate, what will our 
state be at the end of the next two de- 
cades? My friends from the New England 
states, you better come down here and get 
on the "band (or manufacturing) wagon." 
We have numerous rich gold mines in our 
state, and "Uncle Sam" has a U. S. mint 
at Charlotte, where it is coined into money. 
We have in our state almost any mineral 
that can be named, in fact we have one 
kind that is only to be found in North 
Carolina viz: the "Hidenite," a mineral 
found in Alexander county, which Ex- 
congressman Linney declared is so rich 
and valuable that a "June bug" could carry 
one thousand dollars ($1,000) worth on his 
wings. 

My friends, there are so many things 
to be said of this land of Goshen, that It is 
hard for me to stop. I wanted you friends 
of the North and West to know that North 
Carolina can never again be called in deri- 
sion "Rip van Winkle," for she never sleeps. 
Yes, and I will state right here by way of 
parenthesis and for the benefit of my 



friends from Tennessee that our State has 
furnished three Presidents to our country, 
via (our daughter) Tennessee. 

Well, sir, your association has the honor 
of being in the regular line of succession, 
the Mosaic line; for Moses was the first 
librarian of which we have any record. 
When God established the first law library 
he appointed Moses librarian, and this 
meek man came down from the mountain 
carrying the whole library on his shoulder, 
but he was not as prudent as he waa 
meek, for he saw his people acting so 
foolishly that instead of laying down his 
library he threw it down and broke it, to 
pieces. Can you conceive of the increase 
of the library business since the time that 
Moses took charge of the first law library? 

You are not only welcome to Asheville, 
but to North Carolina; our doors are open 
to you, yes, our hearts are open to you, 
especially to the female part of the Associ- 
ation. I feel sure you all will be so de- 
lighted with this earthly Eden that you 
will wish to make Asheville the permanent 
meeting place for these Associations." 

Response by ANDREW H. METTEE, of 
the Library company of the Baltimore bar. 

Mr President, and ladies and gentle- 
men of the American Association of Law 
Libraries, I am sure I would perform a 
duty if I should be brief In my remarks 
on this occasion, and urge my co-workers 
on to results; but the welcome address of 
our friend, the Librarian of the state of 
North Carolina, causes me to pause, and 
as the mouthpiece of this Association, to 
reciprocate the greetings of the state of 
North Carolina and say "I thank you." 
It is a very pleasant duty, indeed, to re- 
spond to so cordial a welcome to so pic- 
turesque and hospitable place. It Is, in- 
deed, a luxury for this Association to work 
amid such surroundings as here afforded. 
It is well that Providence has designed so 
conducive a place, where an Association 
that knows no geographical divisions, may 
meet and eke out some good. Indeed, much 
good can be accomplished by these meet- 
ings. The law librarian is an index to the 



348 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



community. As time rolls on, his useful- 
ness becomes more pronounced. He is be- 
coming the adviser to the adviser, and if 
he is well trained and gives honest guidance, 
much delay and even failure to measure 
up, will be averted. He is called on to 
devise the means of imparting informa- 
tion to the profession, and a good law 
librarian is he who plods along and makes 
provision for the inquiring. It is the good 
work of such librarians which caused the 
eager to assemble here to learn and im- 
part. We have a multifarious task before 
us. It is not in my province to enumerate 
the various topics and phases for discus- 
sion which this Association should thresh 
out, nor the order in which they should 
be taken up; but it may be well for me 
to mention, in passing, a few of the pres- 
sing and ominous questions the larger and 
smaller libraries are now confronted with. 

Is a law library a storage house? 

If a law library is an educational func- 
tion of the public shall the voice of this 
Association remain silent while the laws 
of the United States impose an ad valorem 
duty on the importation of law books? 

Is it a part of the duty of a librarian to 
collate a biographical index, and, if so, to 
what extent? 

What books should be in every law 
library? 

Although excusable, I must not go too 
deeply into the list of problematic ques- 
tions confronting us, but must bear in mind 
my pleasant duty. The Association is ex- 
ceedingly grateful to those who have wel- 
comed us, as well as to those who have 
made the preparations for our entertain- 
ment. We trust that the time spent in 
this sojourn may be profitably spent, and 
that we may be caused to ponder at home 
of the many happy moments, and the pleas- 
ant associations here created. 

As in the season of our youth, 

We stand for friendship, love and truth, 

They ever live. 

And safe within their gentle thrall, 
We to the world at large to all, 

Our greeting give. 



I again thank you. 

The minutes of the preceding conference 
were read and approved. 

Mr A. J. SMALL then delivered the 

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS 

On the second day of July, 1906, a little 
company of law librarians met in one of 
the parlors of the Hotel Mathewson, at 
Narragansett Pier, and there laid the 
foundation and corner stone of the Ameri- 
can Association of Law Libraries. From 
that hour the success of the Association 
was assured. Your officers have ever been 
mindful as to its interests, and in a few 
brief months our Association has grown 
beyond expectations, and now has a mem- 
bership of over 75. Already, much good 
has been accomplished in the interests of 
law libraries, and we predict for the Asso- 
ciation a brilliant future. We do not see 
how it can be otherwise. 

In this age where libraries have become 
a public necessity it is important that li- 
brarians form themselves into a body, and 
thereby seek through united efforts the 
best methods of obtaining results. There 
has never been a time when there has been 
such a demand for better service and co- 
operative work and generalship in opening 
up and planning campaigns for more sys- 
tematic efforts than the present In every 
field of action there has been some one 
to marshal on the host to victory. In the 
general libraries they have their Poole, 
their Dewey and their Cutter. 

But who will be our leader? Who is he? 
You cannot tell nor can I; he may be in 
our presence to-day who knows? When 
he comes let us not declare him a heretic 
and charge him with false teachings before 
his works are proven. More than once 
have the aggressive leaders of other fields 
of library work, more matured than our 
own, been declared fanatics. Who knows 
the destiny and possibilities of librarian- 
bhip, even in the least favored branches? 

One thing is sure, the reformer is not 
the short term favorite of some governor, 
or some other official having appointive 



LAW LIBRARIES 



349 



power. Do not misunderstand me as say- 
Ing, that librarians thus appointed are not 
earnest and aggressive and are not 
doing all the work possible in the time 
they have. The fault lies in the fact that 
the favored administration ceases to exist 
long before the appointee has an opportu- 
nity to mature and develop reforms or 
make much improvement. I have in mind 
a library that had several short-termed 
librarians, and finally it took the present 
librarian six years to straighten out and 
make a uniform system. What we should 
stand for, and work for, is better librarian- 
ship, better facilities, and this can only be 
brought about by stability of organization 
and cooperation, and as far as possible, the 
removal of the librarian from the influence 
of politics and the library from the ban 
of short term service. Make the librarian's 
vocation a profession rather than a mere 
occupation; the librarian should fit himself 
for life's work, and he should be given 
encouragement and tools to work with, 
and expected to shape his library's destiny 
or step down and out of the service. 

We as law librarians have not hereto- 
fore been in as favored a position as we 
occupy to-day. We inherit from the 
mother association the general principles 
of library work; yet, we must solve many 
questions not applicable to ether branches 
of the A. L. A. organization. Our problems 
are necessarily peculiar to ourselves, but 
the principles are there and we may ap- 
ply and adapt those that do apply and 
build upon foundations already laid. The 
A. L. A. Is still struggling with its prob- 
lems; new methods and new avenues for 
better service are coming before them, and 
so it will be with us. 

Our program this year is fragmentary 
In the main, being mere outlines of our 
future development. We are undertaking 
but a few questions and it is not best 
that we should attempt more; for it may 
be said, that this is positively not our last 
appearance. It will take time to bring 
about the desired results, for we must 
overcome prejudice and custom of long 
standing. It is wise not to be radical, but 



gradually clear up the tares, fill up the 
ruts, drain the low places and scatter new 
seeds of progress as rapidly as is con- 
sistent to safe library administration. 

At the time of our organization It was 
the general feeling of those present (though 
no official action was taken) that our asso- 
ciation should become an auxiliary society 
of the A. L. A. Under the then existing 
laws of that association this was not pos- 
sible, except by becoming a section instead 
of a self governing body. To meet the 
wishes of several kindred organizations, 
the Executive board of the A. L. A. changed 
its laws and permitted us as well as others 
to become an affiliate body and yet be 
wholly independent so far as government 
is concerned, but remaining a part to the 
extent of being listed as an affiliate, being 
placed upon the official program, and meet- 
ing at the same time and place as the 
A. L. A. In order to avail ourselves of 
the advantages of advertising, rates, etc., 
the Executive committee of our Associa- 
tion affiliated with the A. L. A. and we 
are now enjoying the rights and privileges 
accorded an affiliate body. 

The question of law classification will 
be presented for your consideration in 
two papers. One by Mr Berry, of New 
York, upon the author arrangement, the 
other by Dr Wire, of Worcester, the sub- 
ject arrangement. This question is in my 
opinion, the most important for our con- 
sideration. It has been our purpose to 
give wide range of thought to the ques- 
tion and I trust we may discuss it from 
its various angles and arrive at a satis- 
factory basis of law classification. 

We will also have a carefully prepared 
report from the committee on indexing of 
legal periodicals. This too, is a very im- 
portant subject and I trust this conference 
will not close without giving it full consid- 
eration and the adoption of some plan 
whereby we may make the law literature 
available. 

An important report will be presented by 
the committee on legal bibliography. Also, 
a committee has given much thought to 
the exchange of legal works. And lastly, 



250 



I am sure it will be a pleasure to hear a 
paper by Mr C. H. Gould, of Montreal, on 
the Canadian law libraries. 

I would recommend the appointment of 
a committee to ccrifer with the Librarian 
of Congress, relative to obtaining aid in 
carrying out the purposes of our organiza- 
tion. That great institution has been and 
is doing a splendid work in the publishing 
of reference lists, cataloging cards, etc., 
for other branches of library work. I am 
informed that the Librarian of Congress 
has already undertaken some such work, 
especially for the law libraries. I believe 
he will be glad to confer with representa- 
tives of this association in regard to such 
matters. 

I would also recommend that our pro- 
ceedings be printed and distributed. Our 
membership being scattered over a vast 
territory, we can hardly hope that all 
will be present at our meetings. We should 
not live to ourselves alone, but spread the 
gospel. I doubt that our present revenues 
will meet such an expense and I would 
recommend consideration along that line. 

I would suggest that a committee be ap- 
pointed to gather statistics relative to the 
law libraries of the country, and report 
their findings at the next meeting of the 
association. This will, I am sure, be a 
valuable asset of knowledge, not only to 
our membership but to others. 

I believe we should make an attempt 
to persuade Congress to furnish Statutes 
at large and Revisions, and other legal 
publications to the distinctively law libra- 
ries, as is provided for, to the state libra- 
ries. 

In the brief period in which we have 
been banded together, we have been called 
upon to suffer the loss of one of our mem- 
bers. On February 2, 1907, Mr Alfred J. 
Hook, Librarian of the Law library in 
Brooklyn, died suddenly at his home of 
heart disease. Mr Hook, though not rugged 
in health, continued his work to the day 
of his demise. He became assistant libra- 
rian in 1878, and held that position until 
he became librarian, succeeding Mr Stephen 
C. Betts, at the time of his death in 1899. 



Mr Hook was loved and respected by all, 
and was a librarian in the truest sense. 
No member, in my opinion, labored more 
earnestly for the good of his library than 
did our deceased brother. Though dead, 
he still lives in the memory of his fellows, 
and his life's work is his most fitting 
monument. 

I feel sure I voice the expression of this 
association when I say that we sincerely 
regret the untimely death of our brother, 
and that we extend to his family our 
profound sympathy in their loss and 
sorrow. 

In closing I wish to express my high ap- 
preciation for the uniform courtesy I have 
received from officers and members alike. 
In my association with men I have never 
met or associated with a body more genial 
and having the interests of an association 
more at heart than those whom you se- 
lected to serve with me during the past 
year. 



REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-TREAS- 
URER 

The Association began its existence on 
July 2, 1906, with a charter membership of 
24, all of whom were regular members. 
There is now a membership of 77, of whom 
61 are regular members, 15 associate mem- 
bers and 1 honorary member. There has 
been one death during the past year, name- 
ly, Alfred J. Hook, Librarian of the Law 
library in Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Of the 78 members who under the con- 
stitution were required to pay dues, 73 
have paid. 

The receipts and expenditures have been 
as follows: 

Receipts 



Dues of 73 members for the 
year beginning July 2,1906 

For exchange on out of town 
checks 



146.00 

.30 

$146.30 



LAW LIBRARIES 



251 



Expenditures 

For postage 27.50 

For blank books 1.50 

For printing 77.75 

For expressaga 1.40 

For exchange on out of town 

checks 80 

For telegrams 2.10 111.05 



Balance 



35.25 



$146.30 



On motion the report of the Secretary- 
Treasurer was approved. 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
EXCHANGE OF LEGAL PUBLI- 
CATIONS 

Such a new feature as a clearing house 
of duplicates as are contained in the var- 
ious law libraries of the country presents 
a most perplexing problem. The Library 
of Congress with its "want" and "dupli- 
cate" lists hardly touches the spot for 
multifariousness and the lack of preci- 
sion, so far as the Bar libraries, or Law 
libraries, are concerned. The Committee 
has in view the general welfare of all the 
law libraries. It is difficult to conceive 
of a plan whereby all may be equally bene- 
fitted and none particularly. It must be 
conceded that every library has some odd 
or duplicate volumes which it desires to 
dispose of, or which are desired by another 
without inconveniencing the possessor. 
But the Committee wishes only to equita- 
bly dispose of, or disperse, such volumes. 

One way. would be to recommend an ex- 
change cover for cover, another at an ap- 
praised value, and another by gift But 
the means by which this exchange is pos- 
sible of consummation is to devise a plan 
Solomonly wise, or at least to be considered 
so. One way would be to sell off to some 
willing book dealer one's duplicate vol- 
umes and let him in turn expose for sale 
the accumulations at a fair profit for the 
trouble incident thereto. Another way 
would be the cumbersome and awkward 



and laborious method of correspondence 
often unsatisfactory, because of the pres- 
sure of other business, neglect, or sundry 
other excuses. Another and not the least, 
but presumably the most patent and com- 
mendable one, which your Committee rec- 
ommends to this Association, is the induce- 
ment of some law periodical of well es- 
tablished standing, with a wide circula- 
tion, which is disinterested in any law 
library, or law school, such, for instance, 
as the "American law review," to install 
a department especially beneficial to the 
members of this Association. With com- 
petition running high in the management 
of legal periodicals, we should consider 
ourselves fortunate indeed, to find the 
time so opportune and such ready means 
available. If it would be to our benefit 
to have such a department Installed, 
would not a benefit inure also to the man- 
agement of the periodical would it not 
implant itself more firmly with its sub- 
scribers? By having a disinterested party 
print our lists of wants and duplicates a 
two-fold purpose will be accomplished, the 
monetary consideration will be lightened, 
and secondly, and most important of all, 
all concerned will be treated fairly and 
share alike. Such we think to be to the 
best interests of this Association. There 
being neither envy nor discord in our As- 
sociation, we deem it best not to sow the 
seeds thereof for a harvest 

The Committee has been ready, and will 
ever be willing to receive suggestions as 
to plans or means whereby the objects 
sought may be realized. It is material to 
know that all the vocations of life have or- 
ganized or are organizing, and are attempt- 
Ing to solve the difficulties which beset their 
several branches. We find some consolation 
Jn the fact that a sister organization, which 
has made some inroads on the legal pro- 
fession by way of giving guidance and 
advice to the clientele In Investments: 
namely, the Bankers' association, still find 
It necessary and profitable to hold annual 
meetings and discuss methods of exchange 
and the perfection of methods of exchange. 
In perfecting plans and methods your Com- 



252 



A3HEVILLE CONFERENCE 



mittee recommends to the Association, and 
to its successors, that the Bankers' asso- 
ciation and similar organizations be con- 
sulted and studied, believing that you will 
be well rewarded for your pains. 

One item is still undisposed of, and that 
pertains to the dissemination of informa- 
tion of "other legal publications." As to 
just how every library can possess a copy 
of something locally printed, and many 
times gratuitously, your Committee does 
not perceive, except through the depart- 
ment heretofore mentioned, of some law pe- 
riodical, or through reprinting by this Asso- 
ciation when found to be generally in de- 
mand. Your Committee believes much legal 
literature is locked up in one manner or an- 
other, temporarily or limitedly published 
for reasons known only locally, which 
should be more widely known. But whether 
or not an essay or treatise is deserving of 
publication or has been unjustifiably sub- 
jected to the editor's blue pencil, your 
Committee is at a loss to devise any means 
of sitting in judgment; except to make 
a suggestion that a vote of a committee 
be taken, or the several members of this 
Association be sounded in the same way 
and manner as the "A. L. A. catalog" of 
1904 was compiled. Which method leads 
us up to the great and important subject 
of what constitutes an ideal law library, 
which the Bar, in general, is desirous 
of knowing. 

Your Committee hopes that what little 
is herein contained of suggestion will be 
amplified and serve to lay a foundation for 
a greater work to be performed. 

A. H. METTEE, 
E. W. EMERY, 
C. H. GOULD, 

Committee. 

On motion the report of the Committee 
was approved. 

The Committee on indexing legal periodi- 
cals then presented the following report: 

AVAILABLE PUBLISHED INDICES OF 
LEGAL PERIODICAL LITERATURE 

Various methods have been devised to 
rescue from oblivion the monographs 



which, have appeared in legal periodical 
literature. 

In !Sb2, Mr Stephen B. Griswold, Law 
librarian of the New York state library, 
added references to periodicals to the well- 
prepared subject-index of law books. Let 
me quote from the preface: "References 
to leading articles contained in 725 volumes 
of American, English, Irish, Scotch and 
Canadian law periodicals have been noted 
"under their respective subjects." In the 
supplementary volume which appeared in 
1893, 477 additional volumes of periodicals 
were indexed. In the second supplemen- 
tary volume which appeared in 1903, 650 
volumes of periodicals were indexed, in- 
cluding some hundred colonial periodicals. 

In 1888 Judge Leonard A. Jones pre- 
pared and published an index to periodi- 
cal literature. For its scope, let me quote 
from his preface: "This volume includes 
articles, papers fete.], in legal journals 
of America, England, Scotland, Ireland and 
the English colonies, and to such articles 
in the principal literary reviews ... of 
these countries as seemed to belong prop- 
erly to legal literature; also references to 
the papers and proceedings of the Ameri- 
can bar associations, and of the various 
state bar associations, and to such of the 
papers and transactions of the English and 
American social science associations, and 
Statistical society, as come within the 
scope of this Index. Moreover all the re- 
ports of the American courts have been 
examined in order to make references to 
the proceedings in court and eulogies upon 
the occasion of the decease of eminent 
judges and lawyers. One hundred and 
fifty-eight different law-journals . . . have 
been indexed, and articles relating to ... 
law and legislation ... in 113 ... literary 
magazines and reviews. The number of 
volumes of law periodicals indexed is 1373 
. . . and 4400 volumes of literary and his- 
torical periodicals." 

In 1899 Judge Jones prepared and pub- 
lished a supplementary volume. The pre- 
face says in regards to its scope: "In one 
respect, however, this volume differs, not 
In plan, but in result, from the former; 



LAW LIBRARIES 



253 



and that is it contains many more refer- 
ences to articles relating to legal science 
in general. . . . The present index is 
therefore somewhat wider than that of the 
first volum'e. It includes articles upon law, 
legislation, political science, economics, 
sociology and legal biography in all jour- 
nals in the English language published 
since the beginning of the year 1887 down 
to the beginning of the present year." 

In 1895 the Law library association of 
St Louis published an author catalog, and 
in the subject index added references to 
about 40 different American law journals. 

In 1904 the Wisconsin state library is- 
sued a subject index of volumes in their 
library, and added references to periodi- 
cals. Let me quote from the preface by 
Mr Berry man, State librarian: "Besides 
collecting all the treatises, digests, leading 
cases and reports, treating of a particular 
branch of the law under their proper heads, 
an effort has been made to indicate the 
leading articles and principal notes to im- 
portant cases in the periodicals which the 
library contains and which were published 
between the beginning of the year 1887 
and November 10, 1904." The index of this 
library covers in the vicinity of 105 differ- 
ent law periodicals. 

Several of the leading law journals de- 
vote space to indexing and reviewing the 
leading articles and notes which appear in 
the contemporary periodicals for the 
previous month, but the indexing is inade- 
quate and no attempt is made to index 
the articles under uniform subject heads. 

By referring to the bibliographical works 
which index periodicals it will be noted 
that they index only periodicals in the 
English language. It is true that articles 
on English and American jurisprudence 
seldom appear in foreign periodicals, but 
our growing commercial relations, require 
that lawyers, legal writers, political scien- 
tists and economists bo familiar with the 
continental laws, their interpretation and 
application, also the interpretation of for- 
eign writers of the principles of private 
and public international law. 

Libraries supplementing the available 



published indices. It may be well to con- 
sider at this point what individual libra- 
ries are doing to supplement the printed 
bibliographical references to legal periodi- 
cal literature. 

The Harvard law library indexes the 
periodicals regularly, and the editorial 
force of the "Harvard law review" selects 
the leading articles and comments upon 
them in that publication, 
cago law library are also keeping a card 
index of current articles in the periodicals 
taken by the library. 

The Wisconsin state library is keeping 
a card index of about 40 periodicals since 
the publication of their subject-index in 
1904. 

The Iowa state law library, the Chicago 
law institute and the University of Chi- 
cago law library are also keeping a card 
index, the latter library having an index 
from November, 1904, and which supple- 
ments the Wisconsin state library index. 

Recommendation that the Association 
compile and publish a supplementary vol- 
ume to Jones' Index. To formulate some 
uniform plan for the indexing of articles 
in current legal periodical literature, and 
to report on some form of publication was 
the duty of your Committee. 

At a meeting of your Committee at Nar- 
ragansett Pier, it was agreed that a sup- 
plementary volume of Jones' "Index to 
legal periodicals" should be arranged for. 
The Chairman of your Committee corres- 
ponded with the compiler and publisher of 
this publication, and was informed that 
the sale of the original work, and supple- 
mentary volumes did not warrant the pub- 
lication of a second supplementary volume. 
"Your Committee was further advisied that 
the American law book company contem- 
plated the publication of a second supple- 
mentary volume. Their reply to a letter 
was to the effect that they did not care 
to publish a supplementary volume at this 
time. 

Finding that the compilation of a sup- 
plementary volume would not be under- 
taken by a publishing house, inasmuch as 
the sale would not provide remuneration 



254 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



for both the compiler and publisher, your 
Committee decided that the following plan 
should be adopted and which they recom- 
mend: 

That the American Association of Law 
Libraries undertake the compiling and pub- 
lication of a supplementary volume of 
Jones' Index, to include articles, etc., in 
American, English and foreign periodicals 
to January 1, 1908. 

That the compiling of this supplemen- 
tary volume be undertaken cooperatively 
by members of this Association, each 
member assuming the responsibility for in- 
dexiiig certain periodicals under the direc- 
tion of a committee of three, to which all 
of the entries are to be sent for compila- 
tion and revision; that the volume con- 
tain: (1) an alphabetical arrangement by 
authors of all the signed articles or arti- 
cles in which the author's name may be 
ascertained; (2) all articles, notes, editori- 
als and book reviews arranged according to 
subjects, the classification of these subjects 
to follow the American digest classification. 
This division into author and subject seems 
to your Committee to be superior to the 
dictionary form, inasmuch as it empha- 
sizes the subject index, and the scheme of 
classification is one which has become 
known to members of the legal profession, 
and one which has been used in the prepa- 
ration of the American digest, a number 
of state digests and indices to legal 
treatises. 

To compile this index will take some 
time, and your Committee further recom- 
mends that after the entries have been 
revised by the Committee, that they be 
mimeographed on standard size cards and 
sold to libraries who desire them at the 
cost of reproducing. When the compila- 
tion is completed, a volume to be published 
under the auspices of this Association, pro- 
vided enough advance subscriptions cau be 
secured to warrant the outlay. 

Recommendation to establish a quarterly 
journal, to contain a quarterly index to 
legal periodicals. In the recommendation 
for the compiling and publishing a supple- 
mentary volume, you will note that the 



volume planned contains an index to arti- 
cles, etc., to January 1, 1908. Your Com- 
mittee, after investigation, further recom- 
mends that the Association undertake the 
publication of a quarterly journal, to be 
published on the first of January, April, 
July and October, to contain, one article of 
interest to law librarians, reviews and 
notices of new legal publications, wants 
and exchange lists, and a quarterly index 
to current legal periodical literature, cumu- 
lating at the end of each year, and at the 
end of five years cumulating the yearly 
volumes: the funds for publishing this 
quarterly to be secured from advertise- 
ments and subscriptions, the subscription 
price to members $3 per year, and to non- 
members $4, provided that not less than 
200 subscribers are secured. When the sub- 
scription list reaches 350 the price to be $2 
to members and $3 to non-members. 

To your Committee it appears that the 
advantage of publishing a quarterly is 
four-fold; (1) it establishes a medium 
whereby members of the Association can 
discuss subjects of interest; provides (2) a 
clearing house for duplicates and legal bib- 
liographical information; (3) a quarterly 
index to legal periodicals, and (4) through 
the publication of this index, means 
whereby suggestions may be secured which 
will aid in bringing the supplementary vol- 
ume of Jones' Index to a higher standard. 

Your Committee has conferred with libra- 
rians, lawyers, legal writers, students, 
political scientists, economists and pub- 
lishers, and all agree that there is a de- 
mand for a quarterly publication of this 
Mad. F. W. SCHENK, 

F. B. GILBERT, 

G. G. GLAISIER, 

Committee. 

On motion, the report was approved, 
consideration of the details to be taken 
up at a later session. 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE 
CONSTITUTION. 

The Committee recommended that sec- 
tions 11 and 13 of the constitution be 
amended to read as follows: 



255 



"Sec. 11. Vacancies through non-ac- 
ceptance, resignation or death shall be 
filled by the Executive committee. 

"Sec. 13. An annual meeting of the As- 
sociation shall be held at the same time 
and place as the annual meeting of the 
American Library Association, unless there 
are special reasons for holding it else- 
where; and in that event, the call for the 
meeting shall be issued in the same man- 
ner as provided in section 14 for special 
meetings." 

On motion, sections 11 and 13 were re- 
pealed, and the sections as reported and 
recommended by the Committee were 
adopted. Further, the Committee was con- 
tinued, and requested to report at a subse- 
quent session on certain proposed modifi- 
cations of section 16. 

Mr Mettee made the following motion: 

"Resolved: That only the latest edition 
of a text book be retained on the shelves 
of a law library as a means conducive to 
an honest guidance to the bar and a proper 
foundation for a decision by the court, 
save such treatises of a general nature 
which are truly handbooks of historical 
research." 

On motion, the resolution was referred 
to the Executive committee, with instruc- 
tions to report at the session to be held 
on May 27th. 

On motion, the thanks of the Associa- 
tion were tendered to Hon Miles O. Sher- 
rill for his kindness in being present and 
giving the Association the cordial welcome 
to Asheville and to North Carolina. 

The President announced a nominating 
committee, to consist of Messrs Gilbert 
and King. 

It was, on motion, voted to adjourn until 
May 25th, at 9.30 a. m. 

SECOND SESSION 

(First informal meeting) May 25th, at 
9.30 a. m. at the Battery Park Hotel. 
President A. J. Small in the chair. 

Mr Schenk made a detailed state- 
ment in explanation of the Report of 



the Committee on indexing legal periodi- 
cals. 

On motion, it was voted that the Execu- 
tive committee appoint a committee of the 
Association to undertake the compiling 
and publication of a volume supplementary 
to Jones's "Index to legal periodical lit- 
erature," and to include references to arti- 
cles in American, English and foreign peri- 
odicals to as late a date as possible, along 
the lines suggested in the report of the 
committee. 

Oil motion, it was further voted that the 
Executive committee appoint another com- 
mittee to undertake the publication of a 
quarterly along the lines suggested in the 
same report. 

The Executive committee, to whom had 
been referred the resolution with refer- 
ence to old text books, reported, recom- 
mending that the President inquire of the 
members present, in turn, as to the cus- 
tom of their libraries in the matter. This 
having been done, it developed that a 
large majority of the librarians present 
retained old editions. 

Mr Hastings, of the Library of Congress, 
explained the method of distribution of 
catalog cards printed in the Library of 
Congress. 

On motion, the President was directed 
to appoint a committee to cooperate with 
Dr Scott in the preparation of the report 
on the proposed classification of law 
books. 

On motion, it was resolved that It was 
the sense of the American Association of 
Law Libraries that the Bureau of Ameri- 
can republics be authorized and directed 
by Congress to procure for American law 
libraries willing to pay for the same, 
copies of the law publications of the Latin- 
American republics. 

Resolved further, that Mr Kearney be 
requested to present this resolution to the 
Director of the Bureau, and that the mem- 
bers of this Association make similar rep- 
resentations to the congressmen of their 
respective localities. 

On motion, it was voted to adjourn until 
8.30 a. m. 



266 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



THIRD SESSION 

(Second informal meeting) May 25, 1907, 
at 8.30 p. m. at the Battery Park Hotel. 
President A. J. Small in the chair. 

This session was devoted to a confer- 
ence with law-book men. 

Mr C. Willard Smith, of the West pub- 
lishing company, addressed the Association 
touching upon the necessity of careful 
study on the part of law librarians of the 
facilities afforded by the many annotated 
reports issued by the several law pub- 
lishing firms for assisting students, 
lawyers and judges in looking up law 
points. 

Mr Harold L. Butler, of the American 
law book company, spoke along similar 
lines. 

As a result of the remarks and discus- 
sion which followed, it was, on motion, 
resolved that at the next annual meeting, 
a session be devoted to the use of law 
books, and that Professor Roger W. 
Cooley, of St Paul, be asked to address the 
Association. 

It was, on motion, voted that 

Whereas many law libraries, both public 
and private, prefer to have their law 
books bound in buckram or canvas instead 
of sheep, and 

Whereas very few volumes are now being 
so bound; therefore 

Be it Resolved, that the several publish- 
ers of the current state and federal re- 
ports, digests, statutes, laws and text- 
books, be requested to bind in such buck- 
ram or canvas, for sale and distribution, 
such a number of the several law publica- 
tions as may be sufficient to supply the 
needs of the libraries signifying a prefer- 
ence for such binding, and further, that a 
copy of this resolution be sent to the vari- 
ous publishers and librarians. 

It was voted to refer to the Executive 
committee the preparation of the program 
for the next annual meeting. 

On motion, an adjournment was taken 
until May 27th, at 8.30 p. m. 



FOURTH SESSION 

(Second regular meeting) May 27th, at 
8.30 p. m., at the Battery Park Hotel. 
President A. J. Small in the chair. In the 
absence of the regular secretary the pres- 
ident appointed Mr H. L. Butler secretary 
pro tern. 

On behalf of the Committee on Legal 
bibliography Messrs Gilbert, Crossley, 
Wire, Mr Crossley made a verbal report. 

On motion, it was Resolved, that this 
Association endorse the application of va- 
rious universities for the establishment of 
a department of legal science in the Car- 
negie institution, and the appointment of 
an advisory committee therefor, and the 
continuance of the Bibliography committee 
of this Association for the purpose of pre- 
paring papers and letters necessary to 
bring this matter to the attention of the 
proper authorities. 

The Committee on the constitution rec- 
ommended that section 16 be amended to 
read as follows: 

"This constitution may be amended in 
the manner herein provided. Notice of 
any amendment shall be filed with the 
Secretary-Treasurer at least sixty days 
before a regular meeting of the Associa- 
tion, and notice thereof shall be sent by 
the Secretary-Treasurer to the members 
of the Association at least thirty days 
prior to said meeting. Such amendments 
shall be submitted at an annual meeting 
of the Association, and any member not 
present thereat may file his vote thereon 
with the Secretary-Treasurer, and the 
same shall be counted as though he were 
present and voting. If three-quarters of 
the votes of the members present and vot- 
ing at such meeting, and of the votes filed 
as above provided, be in favor of such 
amendment, it shall stand adopted." 

On motion, Sec. 16 of the constitution 
was repealed, and the section as recom- 
mended by the committee was adopted. 

On motion, a committee was appointed 
by the President, consisting of Messrs 
Feazel, Schenk and Kearney, to draft a 



LAW LIBRARIES 



257 



resolution expressing the sympathy of the 
Association in the bereavement of the Sec- 
retary-Treasurer, the death of whose father 
made it necessary for him to be absent. 

Mr T. L. Cole then read a paper by Mr 
W. J. C. BERRY, on 

LAW CLASSIFICATION UNDER THE 
AUTHOR ARRANGEMENT 

The principles on which law libraries are 
classified and cataloged are quite different 
in most important particulars from those 
upon which public libraries are adminis- 
tered. The ordinary law library is a busy 
workshop, and law books are regarded as 
working tools to be kept in constant use. 
Hence it follows that law books should be 
arranged on the shelves and cataloged as 
will best suit and be most convenient for 
the busy lawyer or law student. 

After an experience of more than 30 
years in a busy law library, open from 8 
o'clock in the morning until 12 o'clock 
midnight, 365 days in the year, the writer 
has become convinced that text-books and 
treatises should be arranged on the shelves 
alphabetically by authors, and not by sub- 
jects. It will readily be seen that the 
most serious difficulty to be met with in 
the shelf classification of law books is to 
properly place books containing two or 
more subjects, as for example, Brice on 
Ultra vires, which should be placed under 
Corporation law, as also under Ultra vires. 
Or, take the following extreme cases: (1) 
Spelling on Injunctions and other extraor- 
dinary remedies. It would be necessary 
to place this under Injunctions, Extraor- 
dinary remedies, Habeas corpus, Manda- 
mus, Prohibition, Quo warranto, and Cer- 
tiorari. (2) Schouler on Domestic rela- 
tions, which includes Husband and wife, 
Parent and child, Guardian and ward, In- 
fancy, and Master and servant. 

The writer has also found another seri- 
ous objection to this arrangement to be 
the difficulty and labor of educating the 
attendants up to the proper working of 
the classification system on the shelves. 
This would become especially burdensome 



in a library where the boys are constantly 
changing, as they are in most of the large 
law libraries. 

Again. Where the library is equipped 
with a full and complete subject index 
of titles, and unlimited cross references in 
the catalog, such an arrangement on the 
shelves would seem to be entirely un- 
necessary. 

In arranging the books alphabetically 
by authors on the shelves, the word 
"author" should be construed strictly, to- 
wit.: Green's Brice on Ultra vires, to be 
placed under Brice, Chitty's Blackstone 
to be placed under Blackstone, and these 
again to be arranged alphabetically, viz.: 
Blackstone by Chitty, Cooley, Sharswood, 
Tucker, Wendell, etc. 

The arrangement of the American re- 
ports on the shelves should be alphabet- 
ically by states. If the library is used by 
students, such as a law school library, the 
reports of each state should be arranged 
alphabetically by the reporters' names. 
If, however, the library is used mainly 
by lawyers, then the reports of each state 
should be arranged chronologically. 

In each instance the reports of a state 
should be followed by the digests of said 
reports, the last revision or compilation 
of statutes, and all session laws subse- 
quent to that revision; also by all codes 
and works of a purely local nature relat- 
ing to that state where no author's name 
appears on the book. 

Thus brought together, this arrange- 
ment enables a lawyer or student to con- 
sult the whole body of the law of any one 
state with little or no difficulty, as would 
not be the case if the reports, digests and 
statutes were each arranged on the shelves 
by themselves in different parts of the 
library. All session laws prior to the last 
compilation or revision of statutes, and all 
old editions of statutes may be shelved in 
the stack rooms. The reports of the Fed- 
eral courts should precede the State re- 
ports, the Supreme court to be arranged 
chronologically and the various Circuit, 
District and other reports to be thrown 
together and arranged alphabetically by 



258 



the reporters' names. The Federal di- 
gests, statutes, etc., should follow in order 
after said reports. All American digests 
of a general nature, such for instance, as 
the Century digest, and all encyclopedias 
of law should be placed after the Federal 
books. All British and other foreign re- 
ports should be arranged on the shelves 
alphabetically by the reporters' names, to 
be followed by their respective digests, 
statutes, etc. 

The main index should be by authors, 
this word to be used in a liberal sense, 
and the various reports and other publica- 
tions to be grouped according to the usual 
methods as well as by the name of the 
reporters or authors. 

There should also be a very full subject 
index of titles, under each of which vari- 
ous works should be arranged alphabeti- 
cally with date and place of publication, 
thus enabling one to readily ascertain the 
latest American or foreign work on any 
subject. 

The statute law should be arranged in 
tabular form, setting forth in minute de- 
tail the various annual, biennial, called 
and special sessions, thus enabling one to 
see at a glance what constitutes a com- 
plete set. The value of this must be ap- 
parent to every one who has ever had 
occasion to consult the state or territorial 
laws. 

In every instance where reports or legal 
periodicals have died In infancy, or publi- 
cation has ceased, leaving an incomplete 
volume, a note should be made of that 
fact, giving the numbers and pages as 
far as issued. 

Paper by Dr G. E. WIRE on 

SUBJECT CLASSIFICATION OF TEXT- 
BOOKS 

The advantages of a subject classifica- 
tion of law may be briefly stated under 
five heads, as follows: 

1 It brings and keeps together all 
works of one subject. Generally a reader 
wants the latest references on a given 
subject and these are found in the latest 



text-book on that subject. Classification 
by subject gives you at once a start on 
the subject and puts your hand on the 
latest book. 

2 It keeps together in order the vari- 
ous editions of one author like Greenleaf 
on Evidence. 

3 It answers almost mechanically 95 
per cent, of the text-book inquiries in an 
ordinary law library. You do not have to 
depend on your memory, look in any cat- 
alog or trouble anyone. The books are 
there already to your hand. It is an 
artificial memory which never gets tired, 
takes a vacation, or has a headache. 

4 It does away with the trade idea of 
keeping all knowledge of the books your- 
selves for fear someone else will know 
something or anything about your library. 
One type of law librarian loves the pet 
phrase "to render themselves indispensa- 
ble." This is a false conception of libra- 
rians' duties and position. 

5 It puts law in line with all other 
modern library progress. Law libraries 
are about where public and college libra- 
ries were 30 years ago when the Ameri- 
can Library Association was started. Law 
is the last to come into the organized 
library field. As an association, we need 
all the modern library improvement, the 
result of helpful and mutual cooperation 
of over 30 years of the parent associa- 
tion. These may be placed under the 
following general heads: binding, build- 
ing, buying, cataloging, classification, 
management, organization and reference 
work. For that reason, and as a scien- 
tific necessity, I advocate subject classi- 
fication in law libraries. 

An elaborate discussion on the classi- 
fication of text-books, led by Mr Luther 
E. Hewitt, followed. 

Mr HEWITT: It is long since lawyers 
began the scientific classification of law, 
first crudely, then more fully, as in Black- 
stone's Commentaries. The system of 
pleading, in the old days, trained their 
minds to the acutest forms of classifica- 
tion of principles, and it would be a mar- 
vellous thing were these experts in classi- 



LAW LIBRARIES 



259 



flcation forgetful of their principles when 
placing the books upon their library 
shelves. As a matter of fact, they have 
not been forgetful. Many boards and 
many law librarians have given the sub- 
ject thought, only to reject the physical 
grouping of text-books by classes as im- 
practicable. They could hardly avoid the 
subject, even should they fail to remem- 
ber their legal training. Members of the 
bar frequent the general libraries. Many 
of them are upon the boards of those 
libraries. They have been familiar from 
the first with the classification principle 
for the shelves in the general libraries. 

If then the lawyers adopted the alpha- 
betical arrangement of the text books upon 
the shelves at a time when they were 
even so over-trained in their classification 
that the legislature had to intervene to 
modify their rules of pleading; if again 
they rejected the idea of grouping their 
books on the shelves, by subject, when 
they saw the general libraries adopting the 
group system, there must have existed 
some restraining reasons controlling them. 
There were, 

1 The delivery of the books, at many 
of the law libraries, would be retarded 
by the group system. A system of classi- 
fication, if adopted, would either be so 
broad and comprehensive as to lose the 
advantage of the system; or it would be 
in such detail as to be difficult to carry 
in mind. Library attendants are constant- 
ly changing. For many of the calls they 
would need to consult the catalog. A 
man might call for a book giving both 
author's name and subject, and yet it 
could not be obtained for him until the 
catalog had been consulted to see where, 
in the discretion of the librarian, the 
books had been placed. Multiply the one 
call by twenty, forty, or a hundred, in a 
library in a large city during some busy 
hour! Here we have a serious objection 
to the plan suggested. Under the alpha- 
betical arrangement, the location Is 
known at once, without a preliminary 
examination of Lists. 

2 It is impossible, as a matter of fact, 



to group together the books upon a sub- 
ject. Law text books overlap; nor do law- 
yers examine all the books of one class. 
They take generally the last one or two 
good treatises. If these do not satisfy, the 
next recourse is to the most recent good 
book of another class. Suppose a man to 
look up the law of Good will. Under the 
group system, the librarian would have 
a section, perhaps, on that subject, and 
what would be there? One book, and a 
good one, too, by Allan; but it is an Eng- 
lish book. The attorney must then seek 
additional light elsewhere. He turns to 
Equity. Perhaps he finds what he needs 
in a book on that subject. Perhaps he 
turns to Stewart's American and English 
decisions in equity, and finds there an 
able treatment from the standpoint of 
equity. He does not find it, however, 
through the group system, but through the 
catalog, or else through his trained per- 
ception and knowledge as a lawyer. Or 
he turns to a leading book on Partner- 
ships, Injunctions, Trade marks, Contracts, 
or to some work on Damages. What 
good has the group system done him? 
None whatever. Suppose the subject- 
matter is a building contract. The li- 
brarian places a dozen books together, 
some American, some English, and calls 
this collection his section on Building 
law. It comprises, however, only some 
of the books treating that subject. He 
may find what he needs in some other 
section. In books on Municipal corpora- 
tions, he will find able and exhaustive 
treatments; and so in some books upon 
Railroad companies. In the "Federal re- 
porter digest," he will find collected the 
decisions of the Federal courts, under the 
title, United States. What good has the 
group system done him? He has not 
found these treatments through it, but 
by means of the catalog, or through his 
own perceptions. The illustrations are 
suggestions. The thought can be extend- 
ed throughout the catalog. No one class 
of treatises contains all the studies of a 
question within that class. In books 
falling within other classifications, the 



260 



ASFIEVILLE CONFERENCE 



same questions are found treated. If a 
librarian makes a classification on the 
shelves, it must then be an imperfect one, 
and herein is a danger in that it may be 
thought to be complete. Under the au- 
thor arrangement, recourse to the catalog 
is necessary, only where the attorney 
does not know the books. Under the 
group system, such recourse is almost in- 
dispensable. Moreover, there is sure to 
be confusion under the subject arrange- 
ment, and this for two reasons. There 
are books which cover several subjects. 
We have Williams on Executors; but this 
includes Wills. . We have Wood on Man- 
damus; but this includes Quo warranto. 
So there are Pingrey on Extraordinary 
industrial and interstate contracts; Spell- 
ing on Extraordinary remedies, inclusive 
of several subjects. These are mentioned 
not as all the books of this character, 
but only by way of illustration. There 
are many books which might be entitled 
by either of two or more subject-titles. 
To mention books on infancy respecting 
this, several titles spring to mind In- 
fancy, Guardian and ward, Parent and 
child, Domestic relations. No two libra- 
rians would agree on the classification; 
nor would the lawyers recognize a libra- 
rian's system as the appropriate one. 
This would work great confusion in those 
libraries where open-shelves prevail. The 
classification exists in the catalog. This 
is the central point, governing the library. 
The spirit of the day is simplicity, and 
thf avoidance of complicated machinery. 
On motion, it was voted that the matter 
of the share of this Association in the pre- 
liminary expenses of the American Li- 
brary Association convention be referred 
to the Executive committee. 



The Nominating committee reported the 
following candidates for the various offices 
during the year 1907-8: 

A. J. Small, President. 

Andrew H. Mettee, Vice-president. 

Franklin O. Poole, Secretary-Treasurer. 

Elective members of the Executive com- 
mittee: E. A. Feazel, Frederick W. 
Schenk, George Kearney. 

A motion that the nominations be closed 
was carried. 

On motion, the secretary pro tern was 
directed to cast one ballot for the candi- 
dates nominated, which was done. 

On motion, the thanks of the Associa- 
tion were tendered those who prepared 
papers to be read at this convention. 

A motion to adjourn being carried, the 
president declared the second annual con- 
ference at an end. 

The Executive committee announce the 
following committees: 

On the publication of the "Quarterly": 
Messrs Small, Poole, Gilbert, Mettee, 
Schenk. 

On the exchange of duplicates: Messrs 
Mettee, Hewitt and Mrs Cobb. 

On matters to be taken up with the Li- 
brary of Congress: Messrs Kearney, Dean 
and Mrs Klingelsmith. 

On bibliography: Messrs Gilbert and 
Crossley. 

On the indexing of legal periodicals: 
Messrs Schenk, Belden, Gilbert, Butler and 
Feazel. 

On matters to be taken up with the 
American bar association: Messrs Bel- 
den, Holden and Emery. 

On matters pertaining to the extension 
of interest in the Association: Messrs 
Feazel, Dean and King, Miss Smith and 
Mrs Bond. 



COLLEGE AND REFERENCE SECTION 



Two sessions were held by the College 
and Reference section, with large attend- 
ance, on Friday evening, May 24, and on 
the afternoon of Tuesday, May 29. Theo- 
dore W. Koch, University of Michigan, 
presided, as chairman, at both sessions. 

FIRST SESSION 

The following preliminary report was 
presented by the Committee on College 
and university library statistics: 

At the Narragansett Pier meeting of the 
Section, a paper was read by Mr James T. 
Gerould, Librarian of the University of 
Minnesota, in which he advocated the col- 
lecting of statistics relating to questions 
in regard to the administration of college 
and university libraries. (See "Library 
Journal," November, 1906, p. 761-763.) 
The aim of such work was to give the col- 
lege and university librarians of the coun- 
try the benefit of the experience of their 
colleagues, to furnish the librarians of the 
neglected and backward libraries with 
facts and precedents which might help 
them to get larger appropriations and 
more assistants. A committee was ap- 
pointed to draft a circular of inquiry, and 
to submit a report at the next meeting of 
the Section, based on the data secured. 

A blank form for the recording of such 
facts as seemed to be of the greatest in- 
terest was sent to a selected list of one 
hundred college and university libraries. 
Up to date, replies have been received 
from eighty of these, and from the latter 
I have attempted to gather a few facts of 
general interest. 

The replies themselves are here for 
your study and investigation, and anyone 
who has a special administrative problem 
may be able to draw some help from the 
statements of other librarians on the mat- 
ter in question. 

All that I can do this evening is to 
present to you a composite picture of the 
American college and university library. 



Let me begin then by saying that the 
average collegiate library is housed in its 
own building, or to be more specific, 50 
out of the 80 institutions in question have 
separate library buildings. 

Planning the building. In planning the 
library buildings, the librarian was con- 
sulted in only 23 cases. In 14 instances 
he was wholly ignored or his suggestions 
were not given full weight. In half a 
dozen instances the building was planned 
when there was no regular librarian. 

One librarian reports that he was con- 
sulted, but that his suggestions were not 
considered by the architect until it was 
too late to benefit by them; another that 
when appointed he was consulted but that 
the plan was to a great extent fixed by 
that time. Still another was consulted 
only in regard to the furnishings, but not 
in regard to the building. In the building 
of the original part of one college library 
the librarian was not consulted, but when 
the addition was made to it ten years later 
he was taken into the counsel of the wise. 
So in the case of a college where a new 
library is being built (Oberlin). 

Stacks. Of the libraries having stacks, 
nine have used in part or whole the Art 
metal construction company's stack, nine 
have installed various styles of Library 
Bureau stacks, three the Stikeman, two 
the Snead, two the Westervelt, and one 
the Fenton. Three have homemade stacks 
where gas-piping is used for the standards, 
and four have stacks patterned after the 
original Harvard stack of 1876. Special 
designs and locally planned stacks are 
used in three or four other libraries. 

Income. Twenty-five librarians make no 
report as to the income of their libraries; 
if we are allowed to draw inferences from 
other statements made in regard to these 
libraries I should say that the incomes 
must be among the smallest. Of those re- 
porting incomes for books and administra- 
tion 



262 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Four have less than $500 

Eight have between 1,000 and $2,000 

Five " " 2,000 " 3,000 

Three " " 3,000 " 5,000 

Eighteen " " 5,000 " 10,000 

Ten " " 10,000 " 20,000 

Three " " 20,000 " 30,000 

Four " " 30,000 " 40,000 

Four report incomes of $40,000 or more 
and two other libraries not heard from are 
believed to have incomes in this neighbor- 
hood. From the replies received it Is im- 
possible to make any statement as to what 
proportion of thsse incomes usually goes 
for books and what for administration. 

The relation of library income to the 
total income of the institution averages 
about one to twenty. Some 30 libraries 
have endowments, varying from small 
funds for the purchase of books along spe- 
cial lines to generous provision for the in- 
crease and administration of the library. 
One librarian confesses to not knowing 
what the income of his library is, nor how 
much is spent per year for books, periodi- 
cals, binding, etc. This is not a case of 
failure to answer, but a definite reply of 
"don't know" to each of these queries. 
Another librarian says that he has "no 
idea" of how much has been spent for 
books. Still another, who has recently 
gone to a Western state university, says: 
"The business management of this library 
is so poor that it would be impossible to 
give any data that would be reliable. The 
librarian knows no more of the financial 
affairs of the library than he knows about 
athletics or the chemistry department." 

Book funds. The book funds of 30 li- 
braries are apportioned among the dif- 
ferent departments of instruction by li- 
brary committees, but in several of these 
cases the matter of final adjustment is left 
to the librarian. In two other instances 
the allotment is left to the librarian, after 
advising with members of the faculty, and 
a third librarian says that after this year 
this method of procedure will be followed 
in his institution. In three colleges the 
division of library funds is made by the 



president and librarian, and in two other 
institutions by the president alone. In 
four cases the apportionment is made by 
the trustees or regents, and in one state 
university the matter is decided by the 
legislature. The current needs of the de- 
partments are said to be the deciding fac- 
tors in five universities, but the replies 
fail to say who passes judgment upon these 
needs. In four Institutions the total 
amount is divided equally among the dif- 
ferent departments, and In five other 
places there is no formal allotment. One 
librarian reports that the library funds 
are allotted by the president and board of 
regents and then spent by them for other 
purposes! 

Supply of popular books. A dozen li- 
braries attempt to supply both faculty and 
students with fiction or popular books for 
general reading, while fifteen more report 
that they do this to a very limited extent, 
some only when such reading falls in with 
the work of the English department. The 
answer in most cases was a decided "no," 
in one instance coupled with an expressed 
sigh of regret. With some college libra- 
ries, such provision is not necessary owing 
to their situation in towns and cities where 
there are good public libraries. 

Library fee. Only one out of every four 
libraries charges a library fee, which 
varies from $1.00 to $15.00 per year. In 
some cases a library fee is charged, but 
the library does not get it directly; In 
other cases it figures as an incidental in 
the term bill or is added to the yearly fees. 
The question arises as to whether the pay- 
ment of a library fee is not apt to make 
the student feel that he owns the library. 

Librarian. Forty-five librarians have 
seats in the faculty, while one more says 
that he "might have," were he so minded. 
Twenty-one have the advantage of the 
sabbatical system. Several others think 
they might have but have not tested it, 
and in a few cases librarians have had 
leave of absence with pay. 

The librarian is recognized in the pen- 
sion or retirement system of 15 academic 
institutions, and three come under the 



COLLEGE AND REFERENCE 



263 



Carnegie foundation. One librarian is un- 
informed on this point as he writes that 
he "has not yet reached the pension age." 

Twenty-nine give instruction. Of these 
22 offer courses in bibliography or library 
economy, and the other seven give instruc- 
tion in different lines. A few have occa- 
sional classes or have had in previous 
years, but for various reasons have not 
this year. 

Twenty-six librarians have power to dis- 
miss and appoint subordinates; nine others 
have power to do it with consent of the 
library committee, while others have 
only partial power or the right of recom- 
mendation. 

Nine librarians confess to buying no 
books on their own initiative, but one of 
them qualifies this statement by adding 
that this holds true only in theory. 
Twenty-five confine their purchases to 
reference works, bibliography and books 
of general interest, 15 buy in all classes, 
half a dozen buy in classes not covered 
by the departments of instruction. One 
loyal member of the A. L. A. limits herself 
to "A. L. A. publications." Whether this 
refers to the books in the A. L. A. lists is 
not clear. 

Library committee. Only ten of the li- 
braries are without faculty library com- 
mittees. The librarian of one of the larg- 
est university libraries in the country con- 
fesses to having had one meeting of the 
library committee shortly after taking 
office, eight years ago, after which the 
committee adjourned sine die. Another 
librarian confessed (not in these reports) 
to having allowed six years to lapse with- 
out calling a meeting of the library com- 
mittee, and I know of still another who 
uniformly congratulates the individual 
members of the committee upon their 
election, but adds that he does not think 
that he will call a meeting that year. 
Many librarians, however, recognize the 
value of having a library committee as a 
safeguard against too importunate book- 
agents or professors. Requests with which 
the librarian does not sympathize, pur- 
chases of which he does not approve, and 



other matters which he might find difficult 
to treat with a categoric "yes" or "no" can 
be so easily "referred to the committee." 

Assistants. Thirty librarians train their 
own assistants, and 62 make use of stu- 
dent help. More than half of the librarians 
making use of student help find it both 
economical and satisfactory. 

Thirty-eight librarians allow their staff 
a weekly half holiday, two allow one day 
off per week, and two do so during vacation. 

Vacations. Some librarians take no reg- 
ular vacation and only rest when they are 
tired; a score of them take the full col- 
lege vacation, and at least two absent 
themselves for four months each summer. 
One month is allowed the staff by 19 li- 
braries, six weeks by 10 libraries, and from 
two to three months by half a dozen 
libraries. 

Binding and printing. Only two univer- 
sity libraries report binderies, Michigan 
and Princeton. Columbia gilds and re- 
pairs books in the library but does not 
bind them. California reports one as in 
prospect, Oklahoma expects to put one in 
next year and Syracuse may equip one in 
the new building. Michigan and Princeton 
are also the only two libraries equipped 
with printing presses. 

Orders and Accessions. The office rec- 
ords and business methods recorded are 
about as diverse as the number of libra- 
rians reporting. Of the 80 blanks ex- 
amined, 73 reported some kind of an ac- 
cessions book in use. Fifty-three of these 
libraries use the Library Bureau accession 
books. The "Standard" is the favored 
pattern, although the "Condensed" Is a 
close second. Five libraries report a mod- 
ified form of the L. B. book, one of the 
five using sheets, ruled and marked like 
the pages of a book, which are bound into 
volumes. Other libraries use record books 
or folios devised for local conditions, some 
of which are reported as unsatisfactory. 
One college expresses a suspicion that the 
accession book is superfluous where an 
official catalog is kept, while five libraries 
do not use such a book. For full descrip- 
tions of the substitutes for an accessions 



264 



ASHBVILLE CONFERENCE 



book used by Harvard and other libraries, 
allow me to refer you to the files of the 
"Library Journal" and "Public Libraries." 

In addition to the accessions records 37 
libraries report some kind of an order file. 
For the most part the order cards are 
filed as outstanding orders and later as 
orders filled. Others file the order sheets, 
while several libraries keep both the 
sheets and the cards. Only eight libraries 
report letter files and only six a bill file. 
Other records noted are the periodical 
list, continuation list, gift list, binding 
list, shelf list, supply list. Four keep a 
file of Quotations and desiderata, but only 
one reports an exchange list 

It Is difficult to give a review of the 
bookkeeping methods of these 80 libraries, 
or rather the 32 who endeavored to ex- 
plain their systems. In many cases the 
actual records are kept in the general 
office of the institution and the librarian, 
keeps only a day book or a card index 
record of bills, and dealers' accounts. 
When there are various funds to be 
watched and different departmental ac- 
counts to be kept, a loose leaf ledger 
or system of large cards seems to be 
preferred, although several keep such ac- 
counts in an ordinary ledger. 

Forty-five libraries report that they have 
a regular agent for American books, 
while 25 say that they have no such 
agent. Thirteen libraries purchase their 
foreign books through foreign agents, 
while 41 avail themselves of the services 
of some agent here in America. Seven- 
teen libraries buy their imported books 
partly through foreign agents and partly 
through American houses. The librarians 
in 35 cases are allowed the privilege of 
selecting the buying agents, in six cases 
the library committee makes the decision, 
while only one library seems compelled to 
advertise for bids in order to receive the 
best service. 

Catalogs. The replies in regard to cat- 
aloging were not altogether satisfactory, 
partly owing to a misunderstanding of 
the question concerning the form of the 
catalog. Under this head some described 



the style of catalog case and others the 
kind of cards used. One librarian said 
that his was a decimal catalog. Thirty- 
two report dictionary catalogs as con- 
trasted with 13 author and subject and 
four classed catalogs. Several author and 
subject catalogs are being converted into 
the dictionary form. Library of Congress 
cards are used more or less in 45 of the 
libraries and A. L. A. cards in 42 of them. 
Fourteen report having an official catalog 
aa contrasted with 45 who definitely state 
that they do not have such an adjunct 
to the equipment. Nineteen report de- 
partmental catalogs as contrasted with 
33 who confess to being without them. 
Half a dozen libraries have departmental 
catalogs to some extent, while a few 
others have either begun making them or 
expect to do so in the near future. 

Reference library. Forty of the libra- 
ries have separate reference collections, 
of which about a fourth are changeable. 
Fifty-six have free access to the shelves, 
but of these nearly half might be classed 
as small colleges where the problems are 
different from those in large universities. 
The average annual loss reported from 
the reference collection is six volumes, 
and 28 from the general shelves. 

Thirty-five of these libraries have an 
annual inventory; eight more have a bi- 
ennial stock-taking, covering one-half of 
the library each year, and others vary 
from seini-annual to triennial, while a few 
have not had any for five years or more. 
Two libraries have a continuous inven- 
tory going on constantly. New books and re- 
cent accessions are exhibited in 54 libraries, 
and in all but three cases students have 
access to these exhibition shelves. 

In 24 institutions lectures are given pri- 
marily for the benefit of new students. 
Some of these lectures form regular 
courses in bibliography. In a few libraries 
freshmen have been taken around in groups 
and the use of the catalog and of the stan- 
dard reference books explained to them. 

Loans. It is interesting to note that all 
the libraries on the list loan books to all 
students, with but one qualification where 



COLLEGE AND REFERENCE 



265 



a written permit is required, without 
which the student can borrow books only 
for over night. 

There is a great range in the system 
of fines in vogue. Five libraries charge 
students one cent a day for books over- 
due, 23 charge two cents, two charge 
three cents, 15 charge five cents, while 
one charges 20 cents a day. For failure 
to return "over night" reserved books on 
time ten libraries have a fine of 25 cents, 
while others charge so much per hour or 
fraction thereof, varying from five cents 
per hour to 25 cents per quarter hour. 

Sixteen libraries claim to restrict fac- 
ulty loans, although they give no details 
as to their methods of curbing the inor- 
dinately prolonged loans and securing 
the return of the volumes to the library. 

Periodicals. Thirty-seven libraries have 
separate periodical rooms. Forty-four li- 
brarians consider "Poole sets" of great 
value in reference work with students; 11 
intend to fill out the list as far as possible, 
and 28 to do so partially. Fifty-three libra- 
ries take on an average a dozen newspapers 
each, of which they bind two or three. 

Seminary collections and Departmental 
libraries. Thirty-two libraries have sem- 
inary rooms in the library building, six 
rooms on the average. Only six libraries 
have special custodians for these rooms. 
In addition to this equipment several of 
the libraries have study rooms for ad- 
vanced students. 

In a score of institutions the books in 
the seminary collections are not duplicated 
in the main collection, while in about the 
same number they are duplicated to a 
small extent. Two librarians report that 
the books are frequently duplicated and 
two others that duplication is the rule. 

Departmental libraries are in nearly all 
cases cared for by the departments con- 
cerned, after the books have been pur- 
chased, accessioned and cataloged in the 
main library. In some instances a special 
instructor Is detailed to look after the 
library, while in a few institutions the 
department clerk or stenographer Is re- 
sponsible for the books. 



Janitor service. The janitor question is 
a vexed one in many institutions and for 
various reasons, one of which is that this 
functionary is sometimes not responsible 
to the librarian but to the superintendent 
of buildings. A score of libraries rejoice 
in the possession of the full time of one 
janitor, four of two janitors and one of 
three janitors, but in the latter case the 
janitors return all books to the shelves, 
put in book plates, paste on tags, etc. Of 
course most library janitors do more or 
less messenger service, packing, and 
minor repairs, but under the latter head 
one librarian lists electric light wiring, 
fixing the telephone, etc. Stanford uni- 
versity employs Japanese boys as janitors, 
Mills college has two Chinese women for 
the service, while many small college li- 
braries have students take care of the 
building. In most cases the cost of the 
janitor service is not separable from the 
cost of the maintenance of the buildings. 
The score of libraries which list the cost 
of janitor service as a separate item, 
spend on it an average of $600 per year. 

Salaries. In lieu of any special report 
at this time on the amount paid for sal- 
aries in college and university libraries, 
I beg leave to quote from the "Nation" of 
Dec. 13, 1906, p. 510: 

"The following table, made up from the re- 
ports submitted to the Department of educa- 
tion at Albany, shows the number of volumes 
in each of the more important of the university 
and college libraries in this State, the amount 
spent for books and the amount paid for sal- 
aries during the last year for which reports 
are at hand: 

Annual Annual 

No. vols. In amount amount 

Institution library, for b'ks. for sal. 

Columbia university.. 375,525 $28,052 $56,389 

Cornell university... 311,897 18,368 14,485 

New York university 

(gen. library) 56,078 1,318 1,397 

Syracuse university... 54,177 2,191 3,547 

Vassar college 50,276 4,845 3,228 

Hamilton college 45,333 956 1,000 

Colgate university... 45,298 2,798 

Hobart college 43,799 918 1,240 

Rochester university.. 42,048 1,956 1,260 

Union college 38,490 701 825 

College of City of New 

York 36,481 2,053 2250 

Alfred university 19,421 1,235 710 

St Lawrence Univer- 
sity 15,710 99 275 

Wells college 12,188 2,045 1,075 

Elmira female college. 6,28ft 50 800 

Outside of Columbia and Cornell, which are In 
a class quite by themselves, the largest sum 



266 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



pent per year for books (Inclusive of periodi- 
cals and bindings) Is $4,845, and the largest 
amount paid lor salaries of library staff Im 
$8,547, while such old and well-known Institu- 
tions as Hamilton and Union spend respectively 
$956 and $701 for books, and $1,000 and $825 
for salaries. Many small and obscure village 
libraries In the State are receiving better sup- 
port than this. Including Columbia and Cor- 
nell, the total amount spent by the 15 libra- 
ries named above was $67,587 for books and 
$67,981 for salaries. The former of these 
items Is less by $20,000 than the amount spant 
for the same purpose by the Brooklyn public 
library; while the total salaries paid Is less by 
$4,000 than the amount paid In the New York 
state library alone; it Is less than half that 
paid In the Brooklyn public library, and less 
than one-third the amount paid In. the Boston 
public library. A comparison of the figures la 
the above table with those submitted by th 
athletic committees of the Institutions nund, 
would be Instructive. 

The results of a special investigation 
in regard to Sunday opening of college 
and university libraries is appended to 
this report. 

In conclusion the Committee asks that 
it be continued another year. Meanwhile 
we would call the attention of librarians 
to the fact that we have had a duplicate 
copy of these replies made which can be 
borrowed by any librarian who may wish 
to make a particular study of the ques- 
tions covered. 



Statements from College Librarians, Who, 

While Not Having Sunday 

Opening, Favor It. 

Indiana university: "We are much in- 
terested in the question of Sunday open- 
ing and shall probably take it up." 

Oberlin: "I have rather expected that 
there would have developed, before now, 
a demand for Sunday opening, and, when 
such demand comes, we shall meet It, I 
imagine." 

Simmons college: "I thoroughly believe 
in Sunday opening, but as more than 
three-quarters of our students live out of 
town it has not seemed necessary, as yet, 
to keep our library open on that day. Just 
as soon as the need arises we shall do 
so." 

University of Alabama: "We do not 
open our library on Sundays, but are con- 
sidering the advisability of doing so an- 
other year." 



University of Georgia: "It is our in- 
tention to ask the Board of Trustees to 
provide for the opening of the library 
here for three hours on Sunday after- 
noons: for reading and reference." 

University of Idaho: "It is probable 
that it would have been open both even- 
ings and Sunday afternoons this year, had 
it not been for the fire which destroyed 
our library about a year ago." 

University of Michigan: "We are plan- 
ning to ask the Board of Regents to au- 
thorize Sunday opening for the next year, 
feeling sure that many of our four thou- 
sand students who have lectures and reci- 
tations throughout the week, would ap- 
preciate the privilege of doing some cul- 
tural reading in the library on Sunday 
afternoons." 

University of Minnesota: "I believe in 
keeping the library open Just as many 
hours out of the year as possible, and 
while I do not think that we shall have 
Sunday opening immediately, I am quite 
sure that it will come." 

Ohio state university: "When a new 
building makes it possible, we will un- 
doubtedly have the periodical and general 
literature departments open on Sunday 
afternoons." 

University of Oklahoma: "We are 
considering the matter." 

University of Wisconsin: "Theoreti- 
cally, I believe that we ought to be open 
Sunday afternoons and possibly Sunday 
evenings, but owing to the arrangement 
of our library I am not at all sure how 
it would work with us. ... My own 
feeling for some time has been that we 
must come, sooner or later, to Sunday 
opening." 

LOUIS R. WILSON, Librarian of the 
University of North Carolina, then read a 
paper on 

THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES OF VIR- 
GINIA, THE CAROLINAS AND 
GEORGIA 

A study of the university libraries of 
Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia will 



COLLEGE AND REFERENCE 



267 



West Virginia university 
Williams college 


University of California 
University of Illinois 
University of Maine 
University of Missouri 
University of North Carolina 
University of North Dakota 
University of Vermont 
Vassar college 
Wellesley college 
Wells college 


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Ohio university, Athens 
Pennsylvania state college 
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Swarthmore college 
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LIGHT AND HEAT 



268 



ASHBVILLE CONFERENCE 



lead U3 to keen appreciation and interest, 
if we could but linger over their long, 
varying history and stand, even for only 
a short time, in the presence of their 
treasures of book, and painting, and curio 
with which a generous past has enriched 
them. For, as compared with the uni- 
versity libraries of other states, they pos- 
sess for the inqurer or visitor that which 
possibly the newer libraries do not 
the peculiar, indefinable interest and 
charm which spring from a ripe old age 
and an experience which embraces in its 
extent events occurring in parts of three 
consecutive centuries. But a running 
outline of their past and a mere sugges- 
tion of their interest as museums will 
have to suffice, for it is my purpose to 
treat of them not as objects of historical 
interest or as curio galleries, but of their 
achievement in the immediate past and 
of the part they are to play as active 
departments in their respective institu- 
tions. 

Stated more definitely, it may be said 
that beginning with the year 1795, the 
University of North Carolina, in connec- 
tion with its two literary societies, laid 
the foundation for the first university 
library in the South, and that since that 
date, in all four of the universities, the 
library, as a distinct part of university 
life, has received attention and has grown 
in usefulness and influence. At the Uni- 
versity of Virginia, the library was found- 
ed in 182 G by none other than Jefferson 
himself. Within three years a collection 
numbering about 6,860 volumes and cost- 
ing approximately $24,100 had been re- 
ceived and was classified and cataloged 
according to a scheme originated by Jef- 
ferson and followed at the University 
until recently. By 1895, this collection, 
augmented by the gift of parts of the pri- 
vate libraries of Jefferson, Madison and 
others, and by purchases made possible 
by legislative appropriations, had grown 
to 56,733 volumes, of which only 17,194 
volumes escaped destruction by fire in 
1895. Since 1896, additions have been se- 
cured through gifts and otherwise until 



at present the library numbers 62,000 
volumes, being the largest college library 
in the Southeast. From the very begin- 
ning in 1826, the library has had its own 
special home, the splendid Parthenon-like 
rotunda, the restoration of which in 1895, 
along with that of the beautiful terraces 
surrounding it, cost $147,000. 

At the University of North Carolina, 
the library has developed in an entirely 
different way from that of the Universtiy 
of Virginia. From its earliest beginning 
in 1795 until 1885, it was composed of 
three collections, or rather, it consisted 
of three libraries, of which two were the 
cherished possessions of the Dialectic and 
Philanthropic literary societies, and the 
third was that of the University itself. 
In 1885, the three were merged into one, 
duplicates were sold, and the general ad- 
ministration was entrusted to the Univer- 
sity, though the title of possession held 
by the societies was not formally sur- 
rendered until 1906. Thus, through a 
period of 112 years, the societies have 
been interested owners, in part, of the 
library and as generous endowers of their 
own institution stand ready to aid it in 
all of its activities. Since 1852, the books 
have been housed in a beautifully propor- 
tioned brick structure of the Corinthian 
Greek temple type, from which the 46,000 
volumes will be moved by September first 
into a splendid new $55,000 home which 
is now rapidly nearing completion. 

The first grant for the establishment 
of the library of the University of South 
Carolina was made in 1802 when the Gen- 
eral assembly appropriated $6,000 for li- 
brary and other purposes. Of this 
amount, $3,000 was spent for books by 
the end of the year 1805. Between that 
date and 1836, regular appropriations had 
been set aside for the purchase of books 
to the extent that a new building, costing 
$23,000, had to be provided, and the col- 
lection, representing an expenditure of 
$30,000, had to be moved into what for 
70 years has been its most delightful 
home. Throughout its entire history, the 
library has been a source of genuine ser- 



COLLEGE AND REFERENCE 



269 



vice and just pride to the South Caro- 
linian and to-day its collection of 45,000 
volumes contains more local history and 
rare incunabula than any other library in 
the Southeast. 

In Georgia, the initiatory steps leading 
to the founding of the University library 
were taken about the year 1804. In gen- 
eral, they were similar to those taken 
by Virginia and South Carolina. But be- 
fore the first decade of the library's his- 
tory was complete something unique had 
transpired in its otherwise modest, regu- 
lar life. On Sunday, July 6, 1810, at 8 
a. m., the trustees met and voted to es- 
tablish a lottery in order to raise a fund 
of $3,000 for the purchase of books. How- 
ever, when this plan was submitted to the 
Legislature for confirmation, it was set 
aside, not because of any wrong attach- 
ing to the lottery as an institution, but 
because the meeting providing for its es- 
tablishment had been held on Sunday 
morning! Whether this be history or not, 
other means were resorted to and by 1830 
a goodly number of volumes had been 
gathered together only to be destroyed 
in that year by fire. The work of replac- 
ing was immediately begun. By 1860, it 
was found necessary to seek new quar- 
ters on account of the large accumula- 
tions and in 1905 even more adequate 
provision for the 40,000 volumes became 
necessary, and was secured by the gift 
of an alumnus of a fine $50,000 building. 

It is the immediate past, however, and 
the significant present which offer most 
interest in a study of these libraries, be- 
cause it has been only within the past ten 
years that they have responded to the 
stimulus of modern library spirit and have 
begun to play their full part in the uni- 
versity. In Virgina, the most potent force 
In calling attention to library needs was 
the great fire of 1895, which destroyed 
practically all of the book collection and 
left the University without its most es- 
sential laboratory. There the loss affect- 
ed every branch of university life, to re- 
pair which vigorous action was immedi- 
ately taken. A definite library policy was 



inaugurated, the first object of which was 
to obtain a new collection of books. In 
this respect success has been achieved; 
for in the 11 years since the fire, 50,000 
volumes have been acquired. The sec- 
ond object has been the classification and 
cataloging of this collection, a task which 
was begun in 1903 and has been con- 
tinued until, of the entire collection, 47,000 
volumes have been rendered thoroughly, 
and 15,000 volumes partially accessible. 
In 1905-6, a third object, the filling out of 
gaps, was begun. One thousand three 
hundred and ninety-one volumes were 
added for this purpose in 1906, and to-day 
the library is committed to this policy 
until a proper relation is established be- 
tween all of its various divisions. 

At the University of North Carolina, 
the library has also been making history 
recently. Stimulated by the Dialectic 
and Philanthropic literary societies, it be- 
gan, in 1901, to catalog thoroughly its ma- 
terial. The Decimal classification was 
adopted and the work was commenced. 
At present the greater part of the live 
books has been re-cataloged. In 1904-5, 
plans were formed to secure a new build- 
ing and a permanent library endowment 
fund. Both plans have resulted splendid- 
ly, in that $55,000 has been raised for each 
purpose. By September, the new build- 
ing, thoroughly equipped with stack, ref- 
erence, reading, cataloging, and seminar 
rooms, will be in use and a steady an- 
nual income of $7,500 will be available 
for library purposes. A library force, con- 
sisting of a librarian, a cataloger, two 
university library fellowship men, and 
two undergraduate desk attendants, will 
be entrusted with the administration of 
the library and, in connection with a book 
committee from the faculty, will put forth 
every effort to place the library in the 
fore front of university activities. 

In South Carolina and Georgia, the ad- 
vance has been similar. Increased col- 
lections have been obtained; modern 
methods of classification and cataloging 
have been adopted; and the questions of 
expansion and better service have been 



270 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



considered. In Georgia, a $50,000 building 
has been erected, and although South 
Carolina has not yet been so successful, 
the need for more commodious quarters 
has been clearly shown, the fulfillment 
of which is merely a matter of time. Both 
libraries have begun to receive regular, 
though still inadequate appropriations, 
and the institutions to which they belong 
have recognized how indispensable their 
proper growth is to all university en- 
deavor. 

But it is not to the distant past of these 
four libraries, however rich in history or 
tradition, nor to the immediate past, how- 
ever significant by reason of achievement, 
that I wish to call your attention in con- 
clusion, but rather to their present and the 
part which they are yet to play in the life 
of their respective institutions and the 
South. As already indicated, they have, 
with reasonably good success, formulated 
and carried out a three-fold policy. They 
have increased their collections, they have 
rendered them serviceable through classi- 
fication and catalog; and they have gained 
for themselves fairly adequate quarters 
for future growth. And while doing this, 
they have emerged from the uncertain 
state of university dependencies to the 
more satisfactory and influential one of 
university departments. And it is in this 
capacity that they are to affect the educa- . 
tional life of the South most significantly. 
Finally, they have found themselves. Their 
task is before them and they have actively 
set about the accomplishment of it. From 
this time on, they propose to advance 
along the following definite lines: 

1 From the standpoint of university ad- 
ministration, (a) to employ the same care 
in choosing members of the library staff as 
is taken in the selection of members of 
other university departments; (b) to pro- 
vide adequate funds for all legitimate 
forms of library work; (c) to bestow upon 
those who direct library affairs such 
honors and privileges as are accorded 
those administering other departments. 

2 From the standpoint of special serv- 
ice, (a) to place all their resources at the 



disposal of the university, and (b) to fur- 
nish material to workers through the State 
to such an extent as may be in keeping 
with a correct administrative policy. 

3 From the standpoint of general serv- 
ice, (a) to take an active part in all forms 
of library extension work, and (b) to aid in 
the formation of a public sentiment suffi- 
ciently strong to compel every community, 
whatever its condition, to provide itself 
with some form of library facilities. 

Such, in brief, has been the history of 
the libraries under consideration, and such 
is the present out of which their future, 
rich in energy and achievement, is to arise. 
Fortunate by reason of the facts that they 
represent the wise thought and care of 
generations gone, that they are organic 
parts of institutions rich in tradition and 
influence, and that based as they are upon 
an intelligent, safe foundation, they have 
found their peculiar work fortunate by 
reason of these facts, the university li- 
braries of Virginia, the Carolinas, and 
Georgia, reach out eager hands for no 
mean share in whatever work there may 
be to do in giving the modern library, 
whether school, or public, or what not, to 
every community throughout the South 
and making it an incalculable force for 
good in all Southern educational life. 

NORMAN S. PATTON, architect, of Chi- 
cago, then read a paper on 

DESIGNING OF A COLLEGE LIBRARY 

Within the past few years there has been 
a revolution in the methods of conducting 
public libraries, which has led to a corre- 
sponding revolution in the designing of 
library buildings. The erection of a large 
number of buildings during this period has 
:esulted in the development of recognized 
types of plans, that meet the needs of 
libraries as at present conducted. 

During this time there have been also 
radical changes in the methods of admin- 
istration of college libraries, which call 
for corresponding modifications of the li- 
brary buildings. It is recognized that the 
old college library buildings are out of 



COLLEGE AND REFERENCE 



271 



date, but there has been no such general 
building of libraries by colleges as to 
develop recognized new types. 

Therefore a discussion of the college 
library problem is specially opportune at 
the present time. The solution of this 
problem will bo worked out by the library 
and architectural professions jointly, and 
I will begin my paper by an inquiry into 
tne special fields of the librarian and the 
architect. 

Work of the librarian. The first work 
must be done by the librarian and should 
consist in reducing to writing a descrip- 
tion of the purpose and scope of the 
college library. If I were a librarian 
preparing such a description, I would 
first write out my own conception of 
a college library. The study required to 
formulate and classify my own ideas would 
doubtless lead me into Borne new concep- 
tions of the purpose of the library. I 
would consider the future as well as the 
present, and since the development of the 
library must be coincident with and in- 
fluenced by the development of the col- 
lege as a whole, I would consult the Pres- 
ident in regard to his plans for the fu- 
ture of the institution. My consultations 
would include also the professors in the 
departments that use the library. 

Finally when I had exhausted all sources 
of information in our institution and had 
evolved a conception of a library to meet 
the special needs of our college, I would 
visit other colleges and consult with other 
college librarians, holding my mind open 
for new impressions, and ready to graft 
auy improved ideas upon my own stock. 

Work of the architect. This beginning 
being made by the librarian, what now 
will the architect do with the material 
furnished him? The answers to that ques- 
tion will be as numerous as the architects 
considered. 

I can only say what, from my point of 
view, the architect should do. 

First, the architect should put himself 
in sympathetic touch with the problem and 
learn to appreciate the value of each sug- 
gestion. Special experience in this line of 



work ought to give an architect this quali- 
ty of sympathy, but if he lacks it, you 
cannot put it into him. 

Next, the architect should plan the build- 
ing from the inside. The plan should 
govern the design, never the reverse. This 
is an axiom of architectural design, that 
will unquestionably be approved by libra- 
rians, and is mentioned that you may 
know, on the authority of an architect, 
that it can be carried out in practice. 

Next, and above all, the architect should 
take complete charge of the designing of 
the library from the time when the sug- 
gestions of the librarian are put into his 
hands. The architect is not to assist the 
librarian in designing the library, he is 
to design it. The work of a librarian is 
primarily with books. The problem of a 
building comes to him perhaps once in a 
lifetime. He ought not to be burdened 
with the responsibility of the planning of 
a building. He should put into definite 
shape the needs of his library and be the 
adviser, but the architect should take upon 
his own shoulders the burden of the prob- 
lem. 

It is an architect's business to be famil- 
iar with every question that pertains to 
the building in hand, so as to make the 
building successful from every point of 
view, the practical, the economical and the 
artistic. It is impossible for any one man 
to cover with this thoroughness the whole 
field of building, and hence there comes 
the necessity of specialization. Each ar- 
chitect finds his work growing in the direc- 
tion in which he has already achieved 
success, and if he is wise, he accepts the 
field that is mapped out for him by the 
natural evolution of his professional 
career. 

The architect is aided not only by spe- 
cialization but by combination. The city 
architect's office of to-day is not an indi- 
vidual, but an establishment, consisting of 
partners and able assistants, each with his 
own specialty, selected and organized so 
as to cover jointly a wider field, than 
would be possible for an individual. 

Therefore the architect may most com- 



872 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



monly be spoken of in the plural, as the 
architects. Having in view a well-equipped 
city architect's office, it seems to me that 
the function of such an office is far beyond 
the mere technical planning and designing 
of a building. The architects must of 
necessity be skillful in planning, constmc- 
tion and design. They must manage the 
important business details of building 
operations, but beyond these, they should 
be of sound judgment to advise their clients 
on all matters connected with building. 

Where there is no librarian. The im- 
portance of this will appear when we con- 
sider that the ideal combination of a col- 
lege librarian and an architect does not 
always exist. 

A library is often built at a time when 
the college is taking on a new develop- 
ment. Up to this time, there has been no 
librarian of sufficient experience to be of 
assistance in the planning of the new build- 
ing, and the part of client is taken perhaps 
by the college president. In such a case, 
we may grant that the president Is com- 
petent to lay out such a detailed program 
as the architect would like; but it is almost 
equally certain that he is too busy to do 
such a task. 

To illustrate the situation, I will refer to 
a case in which, a college president said to 
me: "You may as well begin on the 
sketches for our library. You know the 
amount of money available." "All right, 
Mr President. Please give me a memoran- 
dum of any special features you have in 
mind." To which the President replied, 
"Oh, we depend on you entirely to plan 
such a building as we need." 

This places the architect in a new light 
as being, as it were, temporarily a member 
of the college faculty, entrusted by the 
president with the planning and erection 
of the college library building. 

This case may seem an extreme one, but 
the architect must be prepared to meet it. 
In any case, the erection of a library build- 
ing is an event outside of the regular 
routine of college work. The president, 
the librarian and other college officials 
have their regular duties to perform, and 



the architects will make their services 
doubly appreciated, if they can shoulder as 
much as possible of the responsibility of 
planning and building operations. 

In the preparation of sketches the archi- 
tect should be allowed plenty of time. The 
ferection of a building may be hastened by 
putting on a larger force of workmen, not 
BO the designing, especially in the pre- 
liminary stages. The librarian also should 
take time to study the sketches, 

College library problem. An architect 
would naturally come to a convention of 
librarians to learn rather than tell what 
accommodations should be put into a col- 
lege library, and yet this paper can hardly 
serve its purpose unless it takes up the 
details of library arrangement sufficiently 
to form the basis for a discussion. 

College library simpler. In one respect 
the college library problem is a simpler 
one than that of the public library and 
the building may be simpler in its ar- 
rangement, viz. the college library deals 
with only one class of readers. The 
public library must provide for children 
as well as adults and sometimes other 
distinctions are mad'e. The college library 
is for students only and is almost exclu- 
sively a reference library. Therefore, in 
the simplest form we may dispense with 
children's and delivery rooms and place on 
the main floor only a large reading-room, 
stack room and administration rooms. The 
public library usually has a basement and 
second story arranged with rooms for lec- 
tures, museum, art gallery, etc. The Col- 
lege library has these stories divided into 
seminar rooms or rooms for special pur- 
poses, perhaps more in number but smaller 
In size. 

In general, then, the college library is 
likely to have fewer rooms on the main 
floor and more rooms on the other floors. 

Reading-room. The reading space in a 
college library, as I have said, may be in 
one large room. A simple arrangement of 
long tables is usually employed, and if the 
entrance is near the desk, books may be 
delivered in this room. Book shelves are 
placed around all walls, and to increase 



COLLEGE AND REFERENCE 



273 



the wall space it is well to keep the win- 
dow sills high, except that a few windows 
should be arranged to give a view. 

Alcoves. But librarians, like doctors, 
differ and some prefer to have the reading 
space divided into parts, much as in a pub- 
lic library; a central delivery room with 
reading-room on each side and these read- 
ing-rooms further sub-divided into alcoves. 

There is certainly a great attraction in 
a cozy alcove surrounded with books and 
there is perhaps more reason for this fea- 
ture in a college than a public library. 

Supervision. In designing a public li- 
brary the most important point in the in- 
terior arrangement is effective supervision 
from the desk. In the case of a college, it 
ought to be practicable to trust the stu- 
dents to conduct themselves and treat the 
books properly without direct oversight 
from the desk. If we adopt this theory we 
may plan alcoves and cozy corners in the 
reading-room. 

Stack. The college library stack is not 
essentially different from any other except 
that there should be reading spaces suffi- 
cient for short examination of books. This 
can be accomplished by omitting the other 
end section of each alternate stack. 

Seminar rooms. It would be useless to 
discuss the exact purpose of a seminar 
room for the facts are that the rooms thus 
labeled on the architects' plans are used 
for a variety of purposes, and the purposes 
are likely to be changed with the growth 
and development of the institution. A pro- 
fessor having a class investigating a cer- 
tain line of study requiring the use of 
many books will find it more convenient 
to use a room in the library to which the 
books can be brought easily from the stack. 
Such a room should be provided with ample 
wall shelving and with a large table or 
tables, and should have convenient connec- 
tion with the stack. For this reason the 
floor levels should correspond exactly 
with certain stack levels, or if this is not 
practicable, make the connections by long 
inclined planes up or down which book 
trucks may be rolled. 

Special collections. The seminar rooms 



instead of being used for changing selec- 
tions of books may be the depository of 
special permanent collections and thus be- 
come an extension of the storage and read- 
ing space at the same time. 

Newspapers. Bound newspapers of pulp 
paper will not stand daylight and are so 
bulky that steel shelves are too expen- 
sive. They may be stored on cheap 
wooden shelves, in dark spaces commu- 
nicating with some seminar room. 

Expansion. We must provide as in a 
public library for two kinds of expansion. 
The collection of books, etc. will increase 
with the years even though the institution 
does not increase in number of students. 
Such expansion will be provided for almost 
entirely in the stack room. If the college 
grows also, we must add also to reading 
space, administration and seminar rooms. 

It is not easy to design the main reading- 
room so that it can be extended as a whole, 
but alcoves or connecting rooms may be 
added. 

Location. A college library should be 
located conveniently to those departments 
that have most use for it, but a location 
that must present architectural facades on 
all sides is unfavorable to extension. It is 
better to have a distinct front and rear. 
A down hill-slope is advantageous for prac- 
tical reasons as giving a chance for a high 
basement at the rear for seminar rooms 
with two stack levels below the main floor. 

On such a site a building can be erected 
with the principal facade complete, in- 
cluding the complete reading-room and 
administration, stack and seminar rooms, 
sufficient for the immediate needs of the 
institutions. Additions may be made on the 
rear in a manner to increase all depart- 
ments proportionally. 

In conclusion it is safe to predict that 
the architectural profession will design 
buildings adapted to the needs of college 
libraries as rapidly as the library profes- 
sion formulates the problems to be solved. 
I say problems, in the plural, advisedly be- 
cause each institution has its special needs 
and each librarian has his own ideas. 
There can be no one solution but many 



274 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



particular solutions of the problem of 
designing a college library. 

WILLARD AUSTEN, reference libra- 
rian of Cornell University then read a 
paper on 

EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF REFER- 
ENCE ROOM TRAINING FOR 
STUDENTS 

The latest conclusions of "higher criti- 
cism" as applied to the aims and objects 
of education is that the development of 
the individual is paramount, as thereby 
"we leaven the t whole lump" of humanity. 
Methods in early education seem to find 
it still necessary to inject a few common- 
place facts into the potential mind to 
form a working basis, but the surest kind 
of education comes from early training 
the mental machinery to reason and re- 
flect upon the facts gleaned through ob- 
servation or reading. A little personal 
contact with students in a college or uni- 
versity will enable one to distinguish be- 
tween those supposed to be educated by 
the process of stuffing with facts, at least 
enough to enable them to pass the re- 
quired examinations, and those who have 
developed the power of thinking and 
using facts as a means to an end. 

Libraries, if they are to be a part of 
the educational forces of our country, and 
not to remain as some I fear still are pur- 
veyors of entertainment, the highest pur- 
pose of which is fulfilled by keeping the 
largest number of people entertained with 
stirring novels, must have for their ob- 
ject the development of the individual. 
We all know the difficulties of dealing 
with individuals when they crowd into the 
library en masse, and great is the tempta- 
tion to serve them just as expeditiously 
as possible and send them on their way 
rejoicing. The next visit paid to the li- 
brary is dealt with in the same way, and 
no matter how many times the same bor- 
rower returns he is just as helpless, 
knows just as little about what he wants 
to read, or what there is to be read as 
he did the first time he entered the li- 



brary. The large force found necessary 
in some libraries to assist readers is not 
so much due to the increasing number 
of readers as to this continuous demand 
for assistance, which demand ought in 
the nature of things to diminish, unless 
the number of readers greatly increase. 

We all know how grateful readers are 
when met halfway, their wants antici- 
pated, the very books that are most to 
the point laid open before them. All 
very commendable for persons incapaci- 
tated by age or other causes, but all 
wrong for the growing mind that in all 
probability will be using books all its 
life. 

Now what and how much can be done 
to develop the individual in so far as he 
uses the library for educational purposes? 
The first step in individual development 
is the ability to use the knowledge al- 
ready acquired, in other words to help 
himself, to be self dependent just as far 
as one's limitation will permit. And there 
is no place in the world among civilized 
beings better than a library to practice 
self-reliance if only one can be allowed to. 

For those who are so undeveloped in 
their reading habits as to have no definite 
idea of what they want to read, or should 
read next, some stimulus is needed. The 
open shelf library is the first stimulus 
that quickens their sluggish mind to at 
least choose between two books that look 
equally attractive. So the open shelves 
should be the nursery ground for all such 
readers. And the university and college li- 
brary has need for just such means to an 
end, although the proportion of helpless 
readers is perhaps less than in a public li- 
brary constituency. The open shelf li- 
brary needs not to be so large in actual 
titles nor so wide in its scope, as many 
think, since the taste of such a class of 
readers is not so catholic as to require 
a very wide range of reading. 

A dozen copies of a thoroughly good 
attractive book are of more service than 
a dozen single books of less worth. The 
number of books in such a collection 
must of course be in proportion to the 



COLLEGE AND REFERENCE 



275 



number of users, large enough that there 
will always be attractive material stand- 
ing on the shelves. 

The new-book shelf, is a special form 
of stimulus that has great value as a 
stimulant. It serves to arouse interest in 
untrained readers, who while they have 
not read the older and time-tried books, 
being indifferent oftentimes to books they 
familiarly see the backs of day after day, 
may be led to do so by references made 
in the new books. 

The next step towards stimulating the 
individual to use his native or acquired 
capacity is to arouse his interest in some 
subject about which books can be given 
him. It is just hei'e that the public libra- 
ries not attached to collegiate institutions 
are doing &ome of the very best work in 
an educational way. University libraries 
find little need for this form of stimulus 
since the whole teaching force are sup- 
plying just this need in their daily work 
and if the teaching is what it should be, 
it includes recommendations for reading 
from a specialist that is of course much 
more valuable than any a librarian can 
give. 

A third step in the process lies along 
the line of developing a capacity of seek- 
ing for himself books wanted, either spe- 
cifically or on some subject. This opens 
up the whole field of bibliographies cata- 
logs, indexes, etc. The obvious duty of 
a library in dealing with the individual 
is to instruct him in the use of the biblio- 
graphical materials, beginning with those 
most obvious the library catalogs. This 
may be attempted, I can't say done, in 
several ways. General lectures illus- 
trated by showing the catalog, will at- 
tract a few, usually those who know a lit- 
tle and want to know more. The diffi- 
culty is to arouse an interest in those 
who have never felt a need of knowing 
anything about how to get at books. Per- 
haps it isn't worth while to try until the 
need arises. At least it's of little use to 
instruct a man how to do something he 
has no occasion to do, for the instruction 
is soon forgotten. 



The next method and perhaps the most 
effective is to catch the reader just in 
the act of wanting to find something and 
not quite sure how to do it. Frequently 
an error is made by the one assisting 
him at just this point, if the object is to 
train the reader to help himself. The 
temptation is great to quickly turn to 
The card wanted in the catalog while the 
reader looks on amazed as to how easily 
and quickly you can do it, without being 
aroused to the point of realizing how to 
do it for himself. 

A little effort on the part of the reader 
is necessary to start the flow of ideas that 
enables him to grasp the fundamental laws 
of bibliography. This effort conies when 
he is allowed to help himself so far as he 
is able. The danger lies in letting him 
try so long that he becomes discouraged 
and gives it up and goes away. 

The other extreme is when a teacher not 
merely refers his students to books, but 
gives them the call number thus rendering 
it unnecessary to use a catalog at all, 
overlooking the fact that it is often more 
worth while that a student get practice 
in bibliographical self-help than to acquire 
the facts after he gets the books. This, of 
course, will be promptly disputed by the 
teacher. The average teacher's idea of 
the importance of a knowledge of bib- 
liographical science is naturally measured 
by the amount of his own knowledge of 
the subject, and any one whose experience 
is large knows how many teachers there 
are whose use of a library reveals how 
deficient they are in this subject, and how 
often their bibliographical attempts work 
great hardship to others using their work. 
The process of dealing with each reader 
separately and a sufficient number of times 
to cover the fundamental principles, since 
but one or two points can be brought to 
his notice during any one effort at the 
catalog, is of course great and reaches but 
comparatively few, although it reaches 
them just at the time when they realize 
the importance of what is given them. An 
ever ready means of helping a reader at 
the time he most needs help as well as put- 



276 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



ting into his hands a permanent source of 
reference is to print in small form, 3x5 
inches, so as to go conveniently with note 
slips, the main points about the use of the 
catalog, the indexes, and other suggestions 
pertinent to the average reader's needs. 
Many readers will take in ideas this way 
better than by personal instruction. An 
effort to reach a larger number at one 
time is sometimes made by taking students 
in groups and personally couductitg them 
through the maze, but here again the ab- 
stract principles without the application 
are so prone to slip away before the need 
arises. A more effective method is to give 
such students as are sufficiently aroused 
to its importance to elect the subject, a 
systematic course of instruction, not theory 
alone but actual practice, that crystallizes 
their ideas sufficiently to enable them to 
be applied. When once the foundation is 
laid the problem is solved. Those that 
have need of the more advanced bib- 
liographical knowledge will acquire it by 
exercising that which they have. 

The great problem then is to apply the 
stimulus to arouse an interest in, or to 
realize the need for, a knowledge of bib- 
liographical laws, then to assist them 
along, what to most readers is an unknown 
way, far enough to give the confidence nec- 
essary to lead them to pursue their way 
with only now and then assistance from an 
expert. 

Bibliography stands almost alone in being 
the one tool that all persons working with 
books must have a knowledge of. Mathe- 
matics, dead languages, physics, chemistry, 
fete., can all at times be dispensed with 
without seriously handicapping the literary 
workers, but bibliography must be ever 
reckoned with so long as books are being 
used. With the increase of literary ma- 
terials the problem grows more complex 
until to-day we have the sad spectacle of 
hundreds of students wasting hours daily 
because of their own or another's lack of 
bibliographical laws. 

To sum up. Granting it is worth while 
to create a desire where none exists, and 
missionary work in library fields seems 



to have decided that it is, how shall it 
bcit be done that the individual will be a 
little more self reliant, a little more de- 
veloped in the use of his faculties, tending 
towards the ultimate ability to use books 
without the necessity for constant assist- 
ance. 

In a university community the first form 
of stimulus comes from the teachers in 
arousing interest in their several subjects. 
This sends the students to the library 
where the librarian's work begins. There 
is a growing realization on the part of the 
teachers that the slight contact of a lec- 
turer does not always arouse sufficient in- 
terest to lead students to read beyond the 
required amount, which is small in most 
cases. This defect is met in two ways, 
by increasing the required amount and by 
having an assistant in the several depart- 
ments of instruction devote more or less 
time directing the reading of the students 
of the department. A still further develop- 
ment of this personal stimulus and super- 
vision is seen in the Preceptor system at 
Princeton where the range of supervised 
reading is not confined to any one depart- 
ment of study. This provision no doubt is 
the most effective stimulus to supplement 
the lecture. Such assistants and preceptors 
should have had some bibliographical 
training to do their best work and should 
realize that the student must be taught 
to help himself bibliographically or he is 
again helpless when no longer assisted. 

The stimulus emanating from the li- 
brary may take the form of one or more 
general talks to the students to arouse, if 
possible, an interest in books supplemen- 
ted by printed directions of a definite plan 
to take the students in groups for a little 
more personal introduction to things bib 
liographical, and of definite systematic in- 
struction, with practice, to the few suffi- 
ciently aroused to elect such instruction. 
The time is past when students can be re- 
quired to do certain work, especially such 
work as few realize the need for. 

After all there is a comfort in realizing 
that all persons do not need to use books to 
live a happy life any more than that all need 



COLLEGE AND REFERENCE 



*77 



to embrace the same religion to be saved. 
The man or woman that spends time out 
of doors observing and communing with 
nature may be developing just as truly 
and rapidly as the one who uses the li- 
brary, and individual development is after 
all the highest aim of man. 

SECOND SESSION 

PHINEAS L. WINDSOR, Librarian of 
the University of Texas, presented the fol- 
lowing brief statement aa to 

COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY LIBRA- 
RIES IN THE SOUTHWEST 

At this meeting in the South, it seemed 
desirable that some account of the work 
of Southern libraries be presented and 



institutions and they have not yet come 
into their heritage. 

Most of our 27 degree conferring insti- 
tutions are co-educational, only three, Bay- 
lor university at Waco, 1845; St Mary's 
university at Galveston, 1854; Austin col- 
lege at Sherman, 1850; were founded be- 
fore the war, and true to the example set 
by most of our sister states, many are 
church schools. There is no organized 
graduate school, though the master's de- 
gree and professional degrees are given at 
several. 

As will be seen in the following table, 
only 9 of these 27 degree conferring In- 
stitutions have libraries of 10,000 volumes 
or over, and the largest, the University 
of Texas, has barely one-fourth as many 
volumes as the University of Michigan: 



Vols. 



University of Texas 55,000 

Baylor university 13,800 

University of Oklahoma 15,000 

Texas agricultural and mechanical college 12,500 

University of Arizona 11.000 

Southwestern university 11,000 

New Mexico agricultural and mech. college 11,000 

University of Arkansas 10,480 

Oklahoma agricultural and mech. college . 10,000 



Vols. added 

last year 

4,600 

1,100 

1,680 



1,000 



700 



Book fund Salaries 



$5,500 

550 

6,800 

1,600 
1,630 

2,040 



$4,220 
1,320 
1,825 

500 
550 

1,075 



any treatment of those of the Southwest 
must, of course, be made primarily in 
order to add a certain geographical com- 
pleteness to the presentation. We are 
followers afar off, not leaders in library 
work. 

The Southwest is an indefinite term, but 
in this paper it will mean Arkansas, Okla- 
homa, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. 
Most of this country is still sparsely set- 
tled, if settled at all; consequently col- 
leges and universities in this region rep- 
resent educational aspirations and plans 
rather than achievement. The life of a 
college in such a new country is familiar. 
It is not necessary to repeat the common 
story of the struggle with poverty and 
other untoward conditions. All of our in- 
stitutions are still poor except the state 



The University of Oklahoma library oc- 
cupies a building costing $30,000; at Bay- 
lor university the library and the chapel 
occupy together a building costing $75,- 
000; and at the University of Arizona the 
library and the museum occupy together 
a building costing $30,000. The other li- 
braries are quartered in buildings not 
specially designed for the purpose. 

In at least two institutions, the univer- 
sities of Texas and Oklahoma, the libra- 
rian has professional rank. Instruction to 
students by the librarian in the use of the 
library is a part of the regular course in 
English at Baylor university, where the 
work is conducted with conspicuous suc- 
cess; and is given to occasional classes in 
several of the other institutions. The Uni- 
versity of New Mexico offers instruction 



378 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



in library science two hours a week for 3 
semesters. The University of Texas of- 
fers a course in bibliography open to jun- 
iors and seniors in the college of arts 1 
hour a week for 1 year; and also main- 
tains a library training class open to a 
limited number of juniors, seniors and 
graduates. No credit for degree is given 
for this training class. 

The University of Texas is probably the 
only one that has been able to purchase 
any considerable number of the books and 
expensive sets of journals, which go to 
make a library adequate for a beginning 
in graduate and research work. 

Mr Austin then led in a discussion of 
"University branch libraries," followed by 
Mr Briggs, Mr Hepburn and others on 
various aspects of the administration of 
departmental collections as related to the 
central library. 



A paper on "The indeterminate functions 
of the college library," by J. F. Daniels, li- 
brarian of the Agricultural college, Fort 
Collins, Colorado, set forth with up-to-date 
frankness the college library's general in- 
effective and inefficient service to its con- 
stituency. 

"Reference work in public and in col- 
lege libraries" was considered by Walter 
B. Briggs, Brooklyn public library, who 
compared and contrasted the differing as- 
pects of what is essentially the same ser- 
vice, dwelling especially upon the matter 
of personal contact and sympathy be- 
tween the reference librarian and the col- 
lege student. 

Officers of the section for the ensuing 
year were elected as follows: chairman, 
Willard Austen, Cornell university library ; 
secretary, Charles J. Barr, John Crerar li- 
brary, Chicago, 111. 



TRUSTEES' SECTION 



A meeting of the Trustees' section was 
held on the evening of Friday, May 24, in 
the ball room of the Battery Park Hotel, 
W. T. Porter, of Cincinnati, presiding, as 
chairman. 

Mr D. P. COREY, of Maiden, Mass., read 
a paper on 

SOME TRUSTEES 

It is not my intention to speak of the 
ideal trustee. We each and all have our 
ideas of him, as we have of the ideal libra- 
rian, varied by our individual degrees of 
temperament and enthusiasm. Little of 
what I have to say may apply to the able 
und carsfully selected boards of many of 
the large libraries, but in some of those 
and in many of the boards of the cities 
and towns may be found examples, more 
or less approaching perfection, of that 
which is worst in library trusteeship. Un- 
fortunately, such trustees, by their lack 
of a genuine living interest in the work 



which we are endeavoring to do and in 
vvhich by their positions they should labor, 
are beyond the reach of any voice which 
may be heard here and beyond the influ- 
ence of this section and this association; 
and until some means may be devised, 
or may come of itself to break down the 
wall which surrounds them there, they 
will remain. 

You who are here as trustees are here 
because you have an interest in your work 
and in that of your librarians and you 
need not take to yourselves any portion 
of what may be said, except as your own 
consciousness may accuse or justify you. 
Self conviction in this matter may be bet- 
ter than the judgment of any court. But 
if you may not personally profit either 
by justification or conviction, you may be 
induced to give your influence as you may 
to raise the standard of library trustee- 
ship and to give it that living and potent 
force in library work to which in many 
cases it has not attained. 



TRUSTEES' SECTION 



279 



I am aware that the subject is an old 
one, time-worn, speech-worn; but it is, 
like the question of the open shelf or that 
of the use and misuse of fiction, likely 
to remain for the immediate, perhaps the 
distant, future. Even if it is old and in 
its discussion little oi 1 nothing of that 
which is new may appear, a reconsidera- 
tion of it may not be amiss. You will 
remember that Dr Johnson said, in effect, 
that we need more often to be reminded 
than informed. 

There are two classes of trustees which 
are so differentiated that they stand out 
clearly from their fellows and invite criti- 
cism and evaluation. But before we con- 
sider these classes let us remember that 
many, nay, most of the weaknesses and 
evils worse than the weaknesses in library 
boards have their roots in the methods 
by which such boards are chosen and will 
not be eliminated until the appointing or 
electing powers have a better knowledge 
of libraries, their aims and proper meth- 
ods, and allow that knowledge to in- 
fluence their action. If the ordaining power 
is just and intelligent, then the board will 
be selected with justice and intelligence. 
If the ordaining power is otherwise, then 
we may look for an uncertain result, with 
a fair possibility that its judgment may 
fail in part or in the whole. This state- 
ment if followed out would lead us into 
a discussion of the demoralizing effects 
of political influence, which might be profit- 
able but which our present purpose for- 
bids. 1 may, however, digress and men- 
tion in illustration two cases out of several 
of which I have knowledge. 

In an Eastern city, a valuable member 
of a library board failed of reelection as 
a punishment for an act performed as a 
member of the school board which did not 
meet with the approval of a clique in the 
city council. In another Eastern city, an 
unexpired term in the library board was 
filled by the election of a member of the 
city council on the score of good fellow- 
ship and political service. At the expira- 
tion of the term he was complimented by 
a ret-lection for a full term. Yet, at the 



time I received my information he was 
unknown, except by name, at the library, 
and he had never attended a meeting of 
the board. 

In the first class which I have chosen 
to consider is the trustee who is elected 
by an incompetent or a partisan power in 
recognition of some party service or be- 
cause he is a good fellow, as in the case 
just cited, such an election being re- 
garded as conferring an honor rather than 
as imposing a duty. If he is alone, his 
influence in the board may be nugatory; 
but if he has his fellows, he and they 
may dominate the board, even if it is not 
entirely composed of material of their 
class. If not chosen for the reasons men- 
tioned, he may be, and sometimes is, a 
professional man, a lawyer, perhaps a doc- 
tor or a clergyman; and an ostensible rea- 
son for his selection may be that his ed- 
ucation has made him a lover and a judge 
of books, an opinion which is common in 
the popular mind but which is dubitable, 
as some of us have learned by observa- 
tion. If the opinion which has induced 
his election is justified, he may bring 
some life and strength into the service if 
not hindered by the inertness of his asso- 
ciates, otherwise he becomes a coefficient 
of the other and with him brings stagna- 
tion into the board by perfunctory ways. 
I do not deprecate the election of profes- 
sional men, for they furnish some of the 
wisest and most active of our trustees. 
I am speaking only of those who are 
weighed and found wanting. 

Of whatever differing but still incom- 
petent material an indiscriminate choice 
may form a board, its elements, however 
varied in their unfitness, will soon merge 
into an harmonious and inefficient whole. 
The list of prominent and honorable cit- 
izens forming such a board may look well 
in the printed city or town report, espe- 
cially if it is appended to a text of retro- 
spective statements and apparently wise 
recommendations which may satisfy the 
popular mind, if the real conditions are 
unknown. I have the remembrance of 
such a report, signed by the full names 



280 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



of all the members of a large board, which 
included a slight general history of pub- 
lic libraries from remote ancient times 
and was apparently intended to impress 
the townspeople with the magnitude and 
importance of the work of the board. 
Putting aside the historical portion, the 
report, with its few general statements 
and some recommendations of no great 
importance, might have seemed proper 
and have been acceptable to the com- 
munity to which it was addressed, al- 
though its style was somewhat inflated; 
but fortunately, or unfortunately, the 
librarian was allowed to make a brief 
and, as it proved, ingenuous statement 
which wiped out all the rhetoric of her 
superiors. In her simplicity she showed 
that the library was without many desir- 
able standard works, that there was a 
dearth of books for the children, and that 
the supply of popular reading was inad- 
equate for the demand. Moreover, the 
library room, with other inconveniences, 
was poorly lighted and was at times in- 
sufficiently heated. This may have been 
an extreme case; but I have found not a 
few in which like conditions in a lesser 
degree have appeared. Sometimes such 
conditions are temporary and disappear 
with the advent of one who is not inferior 
to his position; but they are more likely 
to become chronic. 

However much the units of this class 
may differ, the result is the same and its 
expression is found in the existence of an 
inactive board of trustees. We may with 
propriety, certainly with convenience, 
ignore the diversity of individuals and 
consider them as one class under the 
generic name of the do-little trustee. 

We have determined sufficiently for our 
purpose the character of this class and its 
influence upon the work of the trustees' 
board. As I have enjoyed to some extent 
the confidence of librarians and have 
gained information from trustees, I have 
been able to note quite clearly its influ- 
ence upon the librarian. Under the con- 
ditions which it brings, one of two things 
is likely to happen. (1) The librarian, 



whether he is naturally efficient or inef- 
ficient, without the encouragement and 
support of his board may become a mere 
receiver and deliverer of books; or if he 
is impelled to some semblance of action, 
his efforts are weak and fall short of the 
results which, in a spiritless way, he has 
tried to reach. The average librarian, as 
well as the average man, is strengthened 
by the sympathy and support of his asso- 
ciates; and we cannot blame the librarian 
if, lacking that which incites to effort, he 
becomes as inefficient as the board which, 
in theory, is supposed to direct him. 
(2) On the other hand, the librarian may 
choose to ride his own hobby horse and 
take to himself the charge of affairs, 
which the trustees may be quite ready to 
relinquish while they retain the honorable 
distinction of trusteeship with the privi- 
lege of making a congratulatory and com- 
plimentary report at the end of the year. 
If he has had experience and a good judg- 
ment with some capacity for business, he 
may enjoy some measure of success; but 
many times will he miss the aid of those 
to whom he has a right to look for sup- 
port. If, however, his capacity is of an 
inferior order and he has ambition without 
judgment, finding that all the activities of 
the library are in his hands to appoint, 
order, and execute, he may run a free 
course, trying this and that new thing 
without regard to its adaptability to his 
own peculiar conditions, and taking up the 
fads that now and then appear in library 
work until becoming overworked and in 
confusion from his own injudicious courses 
he begins to neglect the essentials for the 
non-essentials and the service of the 
library declines. A recent case is a fair 
illustration here, in which, if the reports 
are not exaggerated, upon a change of 
management a condition of neglect and 
confusion was found which had apparent- 
ly continued without the knowledge of the 
trustees and was unsuspected by the pub- 
lic. If the facts are as has been reported, 
the conditions may imply a lack of over- 
sight on the part of the trustees and, on 
the part of the librarian, a lack of execu- 



TRUSTEES' SECTION 



281 



tive ability or a condition of discourage- 
ment caused by overwork and the magni- 
tude of the service to be performed. Per- 
haps, in justice this should be presented 
as an hypothetical case; but, however 
that may be, it is an apt illustration of my 
statement. 

In another instance, an uncontrolled 
librarian with a capacity for unbusiness- 
like activities found at the near approach 
of the end of the year that the city appro- 
priation had not been exhausted by about 
$1200. I think that was the amount. If 
unexpended, the balance would be turned 
back into the city treasury. There was 
an opportunity for a stroke of business 
that was not to be neglected. A hurried 
order for $1200 worth of books, dealer's 
selection, was made. The library got the 
books; and it is said that much of the 
usual debris of slow and unsalable books 
upon the dealer's shelves was noticeable 
by its absence. 

Having considered one class of trustees, 
I will pass to consider more briefly a 
second class. The individual of this class 
may be chosen for party or personal rea- 
sons, or he may come into his position by 
reason of his apparent ability and a sup- 
posed fitness for the office. He is of the 
busy, bustling kind; and in the slang lan- 
guage which we all disapprove, but which 
often lends itself to a clear expression of 
our ideas, "he knows it all." Unless he 
is repressed by the influence of his asso- 
ciates or has a kind of judgment that 
holds him as in a leash, he takes himself 
so seriously that he aims to interfere and 
lead in all matters whether they are of 
trusteeship or of those things which prop- 
erly come within the scope of librarian- 
ship. He takes up his intentions without 
a question of their expediency or of their 
influence in preventing other objects. If 
it is a question of trusteeship, he urges 
it upon his associates with assertions 
rather than arguments and may carry it 
by mere verbal force in the face of an 
easy board. He concerns himself with 
the details of the librarian's work by dic- 
tation and not by conference and sugges- 



tion; for in his estimation the librarian is 
a servant and not a co-worker of the 
board, whose authority he has taken upon 
himself. Under such conditions the libra- 
rian is constrained in his work, or he finds 
himself repressed if he takes upon him- 
self some freedom of action. Uncertain 
of the approval of his trustees and know- 
ing that he can look for no efficient aid 
from them, he wearily works to carry out 
prescribed methods, which often do not 
appeal to his judgment and as often prom- 
ise but meager results. 

This type of trustees is not imaginary. 
It exists, but it is not of such numerical 
strength as the first class which has been 
considered. Especially is it in evidence 
when it is combined with the first claw 
the do-littles, in which position it acts 
with power. I have not met it at close 
range by the contact of personal acquaint- 
ance; but I have observed it at a distance 
by the complaints of suffering librarians. 
In one instance a librarian of natural abil- 
ity, of education, and with a good knowl- 
edge of the details of library work is un- 
fortunately subordinate to a board which 
is dominated by an individual of this type. 
Under his directions wise methods are 
ignored, and sometimes inexpedient ones 
are urged. Little progress can be made 
there except as it may be forced by the 
personality and energy of the librarian. 
There is no incentive to such action as 
may induce a larger usefulness by an ex- 
tension of the library work, for such action 
may be hindered if it be not absolutely 
prohibited. 

With a strong board that is faithful to 
its duties, even a weak librarian may be 
strengthened; but the most efficient man 
or woman may be weakened or, perhaps, 
utterly broken by the do-little trustee, the 
autocratic trustee, or the unpractical 
board. 

It has sometimes appeared to me that 
the papers which are read at the annual 
conferences of this Association, both in 
the general sessions and in the meetings 
of the sections, have more of self-gratula- 
tion than of self-examination. Considera- 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



lions of conditions that retard progress or 
limit usefulness and discussions of their 
remedies may be of more real value than 
statements of theories and enthusiastic 
presentations of the results of depart- 
ments which in reality are the fringes only 
of the drapery of library service. We hear 
all about the value of new and improved 
methods and the success which they are 
bringing. We are given glimpses of ideal 
conditions which sooner or later are to 
pervade the library world. This is well in 
its place; but how about the imperfec- 
tions of our system and the failures which 
come from unwise methods, or methods 
good in themselves, imperfectly applied? 
When some method fails, its failure should 
be acknowledged as broadly as its advent 
was proclaimed, so that its further course 
may be prevented. We hear little of those 
failures; and the useless experiments may 
continue unchecked by the experience of 
those in whose hands they have been 
found unsound. 

We are apt to forget that there were 
errors or imperfections inherent in an 
organization, imperfect at first, which still 
exist and are hindrances to the best de- 
velopment of our work. The skilful en- 
gineer is attentive in finding and correct- 
ing the danger points in his machinery; 
and he who trusts his life to a cable fears 
the weak link which may be in that chain 
and thinks less of those that are perfect. 

These considerations have prompted the 
presentation of this paper which presents, 
inadequately, I fear, the results of a some- 



what prolonged observation of a condition 
which lies at the root of library adminis- 
tration and is detrimental wherever it 
exists. Like the family physician, I have 
made a diagnosis, have found an organic 
trouble and its cause, and have fixed its 
location. It belongs to the skilful special- 
ist to find a remedy. It may be that the 
cure can come only by evolution, and that 
the appointing powers of the future by 
that may be brought to act wisely and 
with intelligence in the choice of trustees. 
I can only suggest a remedy which is 
limited in the possibilities of its applica- 
tion. The incorporation of library boards 
in a number of instances has resulted in 
a removal from political influences and in 
most cases in the establishment and con- 
tinuance of efficient boards. Objections 
may develop in time. I hardly think they 
will be serious; and at present the ex- 
istence of a corporate body, having in 
itself the powers of election, seems most 
beneficial. 

The subject of "Branch libraries, with 
suggestions to trustees," was presented by 
W. H. Brett and Mr Hodges, in the form 
of descriptive comment upon a series of 
stereopticon views illustrating branch 
buildings, in Cleveland, Cincinnati and 
elsewhere. 

The officers of the section were re- 
elected for the ensuing year, as follows: 
W. T. Porter, Cincinnati, chairman; 
Thomas L. Montgomery, Harrisburg, sec- 
retary. 



CATALOG SECTION 



FIRST SESSION 

In the absence of both chairman and 
secretary, Dr E. C. Richardson called the 
Catalog section to order May 24 at 8.30 
p. m. Miss Sula Wagner acted as sec- 
retary. 

Mr Hanson, chairman of the Committee 
on rules, gave a brief survey of the his- 



tory of the committee. He read a few of 
the points brought out in the preface to 
the proposed code, such as entry under 
pseudonym for public libraries and under 
real names for reference libraries with 
references from other form in each case, 
entry of societies under first word not an 
article, etc. 
Dr Richardson pointed out that any dis- 



CATALOG SECTION 



2*3 



cussion tending to change the rules which 
had been so carefully worked out was un- 
necessary, but that it might be profitable 
in instruction and might eventually assist 
in the preparation of a new edition. 

Mr Hopkins, of the Carnegie library of 
Pittsburgh, recommended that the rules be 
printed as soon as possible, that they be 
printed at Washington, and that an edition 
be printed also on cards in accordance 
with the recommendation of the com- 
mittee. 

Dr Richardson mentioned that it had 
also been suggested that an abbreviated 
code be printed for the use of small 
libraries. 

Mr Gould, of McGill university, Montreal, 
advocated an abbreviated edition in addi- 
tion to the complete code. It should 
amount to a selection from these rules 
and should be made by the committee. 

Mr Lane suggested instead a revision or 
rewriting of one of the handbooks, such as 
Miss Hitchler's or Miss Plummer's, which 
would present the matter in a more in- 
formal manner than would be possible in 
a formal code of rules. 

Dr Richardson called for a discussion of 
points likely to interest the section which 
had been suggested by Mr Bishop. A dis- 
cussion followed on English compound 
names, married women, English noblemen, 
pseudonyms, periodicals, joint author 
entry, a collection of essays by various 
authors, etc. Mr Hanson asked that sug- 
gestions be written and handed to mem- 
bers of the committee. 

Then followed a short discussion of the 
revised "List of subject headings" being 
prepared by Miss Crawford. 

On suggestion of Dr Richardson, Mr 
Gould moved that the Catalog section 
tender its heartiest thanks to the com- 
mittee on rules for its work. The motion 
was seconded by Dr Little, Bowdoin col- 
lege, and unanimously carried. 

SECOND SESSION 

The second session was held on the 
evening of May 28. Dr Richardson being 



obliged to leave, the president of the 
A. L. A. appointed Mr Carl Roden, of the 
Chicago public library, as chairman. Mr 
Roden accordingly called the section to 
order. He appointed as nominating com- 
mittee Mr Gardner M. Jones, Salem, Mass., 
and Miss Parham, Bloomington, 111. 

A discussion followed on the amount of 
detail necessary for the catalog of a small 
library. The general opinion among libra- 
rians of small libraries seemed to be that 
pagination was of little or no use. It 
seemed to be the consensus of opinion 
that the particular class with which re- 
cataloging should begin depended on the 
needs of the particular library. Mr Hast- 
ings, Library of Congress, pointed out that 
it might be well to begin with those 
classes already recataloged by the Library 
of Congress in case the L. C. cards were 
to be used, as by the time those classes 
were finished the Library of Congress 
would probably have completed others 
and more cards would thus be available. 

Miss Harriet B. Gooch, Public library, 
Louisville, Kentucky, then read a paper on 

THE NEW CATALOG 

Knowing that you will soon discover in 
this new catalog an old friend in a slightly 
different dress, I will say that in this 
paper, which is introductory to the practi- 
cal use of the Library of Congress cards, 
the expression "new catalog" is used to 
designate the catalogs which are being 
formed from these cards all over the 
country. 

That the library is no longer set apart 
for a few favored souls who seek it has 
not come about suddenly, but is the result 
of striving and great effort on the part of 
those seers who saw before them the pos- 
sibilities of the library to the masses, in 
every day life. We, as library workers, 
are in the open, in the struggle, we are 
shoulder to shoulder with the child as he 
develops, the adult in the practical work- 
ing out of his life, and with the student 
who carries before the beacon light of 
civilization. The popularizing of the li- 



284 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



brary shows most plainly in the establish- 
ment of numerous public libraries, but it 
is also, no doubt, felt in the use of col- 
lege and more scholarly libraries. 

How has cataloging kept pace with these 
changes? Are we removing all the useless 
gilt edge albums and melancholy hair 
wreaths from this now open and hospit- 
able apartment? 

The use of the card catalog indicates 
one of the first changes towards modern 
methods. No doubt we would have to go 
back farther than a century to find the 
first use of slips for a catalog, and we 
know that they were used in the Harvard 
college library and the Boston public li- 
brary more than half a century ago. The 
card catalog may be only a transitory 
stage in the evolution of the catalog, for 
there are some annoyances and disadvan- 
tages connected with it, but it is, at the 
present stage, absolutely necessary. With 
the rapid printing of not only the new novel 
so greatly in demand, but of more solid 
works showing the rapid development of 
countries, sciences, etc., we must keep our 
catalog up to date. This is the one indis- 
putable advantage of the card catalog. 

With the card catalog as a basis the next 
great factor is cooperation, that catalogers 
all over the country may not be duplicating 
work which might be done once for all. A 
universal printed catalog, in which each 
library could indicate its possessions, has 
been discussed, at intervals, since 1600. 
The A. L. A. catalogs of 1893 and 1904 
were compiled partly with the idea that 
small libraries would find them useful as 
catalogs of their own collections. Any 
one who has attempted to use either of 
these A. L. A. catalogs as even a basis for 
a catalog of his library knows how impos- 
sible it is to state that all the books in 
the catalog are in the library or that all 
the books in the library are in the catalog, 
or to have the patrons of the library un- 
derstand the impossibility. These catalogs 
manifest in a small way the disadvantages 
to be found in a universal book catalog 
for large libraries. No, cooperation in 
cataloging could not come through a book 



cataloging, but by way of the printed 
cards. 

In 1893 the Library Bureau began to 
print catalog cards for a selected number 
of new books. This work the Library 
Bureau continued until September 1896, 
printing in that time over 12,000 cards for 
each subscriber, at a cost to the less than 
100 subscribers of from $37.00 to $45.00 per 
year. The printing was then transferred 
to the Publishing section of the A. L. A., 
and continued until 1901. Libraries using 
the cards issued by the L. B. or A. L. A. 
were obliged to subscribe for the whole set 
whether or no they added the books to 
their collection. On the other hand they 
could not expect cards for all the books 
added. 

Meanwhile the Library of Congress, un- 
der its able leader, was solving for us 
the problem of cooperation in cataloging. 
In October, 1901, a circular was sent to 
libraries throughout the country, stating 
that the Library of Congress would furnish 
duplicates of any of its own printed cards 
to any library wishing to purchase them. 

It is needless for me to enumerate the 
advantages of the L. C. cards to those 
who have used them. To the small library 
with small income, and a librarian with 
"plenty of time to write cards," let me say, 
by all means send for the L. C. cards even 
for your few additions. If, as a librarian 
of a small library, you have plenty of 
time, bestir yourself, for, as in housekeep- 
ing, there is no end to the duties of the 
librarian. The mechanical work of writ- 
ing cards, although necessary, is criminal 
if we do it by hand when we can have it 
done by a machine. Spend our time in- 
stead, in giving assistance to some one 
who does not know what to read. The 
cost of 4 blank cards is lc., the cost of 4 
cards cataloging a book is 3 1-2 cts., and 
the work is as accurate as an expert can 
make it. The accuracy of the work seems 
to me to far outbalance any hair splitting 
considerations as to the expense. 

Has all this mechanical as well as men- 
tal assistance in our cataloging affected 
the form of the catalog? Surely this part 



CATALOG SECTION 



286 



or' the work must need readjustment, and 
we should be alive every moment to the 
opportunities of adapting our work to the 
change. The great heart of our cataloging 
is accuracy a constant, permanent qual- 
ity. The next important quality is uni- 
formity, and this is the pivot on which we 
must swing for readjustment uniformity 
where possible, where the lack of it would 
be confusing to the user of the catalog, 
but never for appearance, made at the sac- 
rifice of economy. It matters little to the 
majority of users whether or no the au- 
thor's name is repeated in the title, or the 
imprint before or after the collation. The 
person for whom the L. C. bibliographical 
information is too long will probably never 
read it or puzzle it out. 

For each book, with few exceptions, the 
L. C. prints a single form of card, and this 
must be adapted with as little work as 
possible to the various uses of cards in the 
library. This will lead to our dispensing 
with many varied forms of cards. Entries 
under title, subject, editor, illustrator, 
translator, secondary authors, etc., can all 
be made by writing the required entry in 
the upper margin of the L. C. card. Un- 
derscore if possible the part to which you 
wish to call attention in the body of the 
title, in the contents, or in the note. The 
including pages may be added after the 
collation for an analytical reference. In 
analyticals other than title some libraries 
also write the title of the part analyzed 
in the upper margin, if it is not otherwise 
mentioned on the card. I should do this 
in exceptional cases and not as a rule. 
When the title of subject analytical calls 
for an author other than that of the main 
entry of the book, write the name just 
above the main author. Usually this will 
mean only two lines in the upper margin. 
If the author of the analytical is distinct- 
ly mentioned on the printed card the name 
can often be underscored and used for 
alphabeting without writing it again at 
the top. It is surprising when we once put 
behind us the spendthrifty temptation of 
uniformity how easily the unit form of the 
L. C. card can be adapted to our needs. 



Series and reference cards and many 
analyticals must still be made by the in- 
dividual library. 

Many large libraries have found the col- 
ored cards for bibliography, biography and 
criticism useful. In order to use the L. C. 
cards and still have the bibliography, bio- 
graphy and criticism cards file together in 
our library, we stamp For biography of, 
etc., at the top of the card over the subject. 
In most libraries the L. C. card can be 
used for the shelf list. In the union shelf 
list of large libraries with many branches, 
especially in fiction, such shelf list cards 
as are in the Buffalo and Cleveland libra- 
ries, seem to be preferable. 

Have we come to a unit or one-fonn-of- 
card system of cataloging? I am not pre- 
pared to say we have, although the ten- 
dency is in that direction. If we must 
write our own cards, an analytical card 
of the usual form generally conveys much 
more clearly and in a shorter form, the- 
information we wish to impart. 

In recataloging an old library, in whole 
or part, there is the great advantage of 
knowing just what editions of the books 
are to be cataloged. The library may pos- 
sess an old book or card catalog which 
can be used in sending the order to the 
Library of Congress. If there is a list in 
alphabetical order, check up on it the 
books in the library. Cross off all but 
main entries, and also all the entries for 
books published before 1898. Leave all 
entries, even before 1898, for work in the 
classes completely cataloged at the Li- 
brary of Congress. An estimate of the 
number of cards necessary can be made as 
the list is checked. I would not advise 
giving either subject headings or class 
numbers at this time, for the L. C. cards 
may give you valuable assistance on both 
points. Check each book showing that 
L. C. cards have been ordered. Send the 
list, that is the revised printed catalog, 
to the Library of Congress, pay all pen- 
alties for irregularity of entries and lack 
of serial numbers, and be thankful that 
you live in the age of L. C. cards. On re- 
ceipt of the L. C. cards it will be advisable, 



.286 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



where the L. C. entry of a book differs 
from the entry under which the order was 
sent, to alphabet the cards waiting to be 
used under the order entry or to make a 
reference from it to the L. C. entry. This 
will save many a long search. 

Usually in recataloging, none of the old 
records can be used, and it is necessary 
to go through the shelves writing a slip 
for every book published after 1898, or 
checking the "A. L. A. catalog" if the 
entries are found there. 

In recataloging the old library of some 
50,000 volumes which formed the nucleus 
of the Louisville free public library, it was 
necessary to catalog the fiction before the 
library could be open to the public. Works 
of fiction were checked up, as described 
above, but instead of writing slips we took 
from our old card catalog the author en- 
tries, stamped them with the name of the 
library, sent them to the L. C., ordering 
three cards in each case. The same old 
catalog cards were afterwards used in our 
official catalog. In a month and a half 
a force of six entirely untrained assistants, 
with the head of the cataloging depart- 
ment, had 5,000 volumes of fiction ready 
for circulation. About one half of the num- 
ber was provided with L. C. cards, without 
which the work could never have been ac- 
complished in that time. Then we sought 
through the whole library for books in 
the "A. L. A. catalog," or copyrighted after 
1898, omitting American history. For 
American history we secured the travel- 
ing library of L. C. cards on this subject. 
The books were collated with the cards 
ordered by serial number. Our experience 
with the traveling catalog was not as 
great a success as we had anticipated, as 
this catalog, which is very large, is ex- 
pensive to transport. It fell to our lot, 
being at the end of the circuit, to pay 
transportation both ways. There was 
some saving in both time and money, but 
the number of cards ordered must be large 
to make a traveling catalog of this size 
pay. 

Now that we have thoroughly tested the 
value of the L. C. cards let us recall the 



prophecy of one of our pioneer librarians, 
who said, when the L. C. plan of card dis- 
tribution was first introduced, "This will 
make for all of us less drudgery and more 
inspiration; it will relieve us of a consider- 
able burden; it will produce economy and 
increase efficiency and it appeals strongly 
to our trustess and the business men." All 
this it has done. 

Miss JULIA T. RANKIN, Carnegie li- 
brary, Atlanta, Georgia, then read a 
paper on 

PRINTED CARDS FROM THE LIBRARY 
OF CONGRESS 

How to order them. The first step to be 
taken toward getting L. C. cards, is to 
write to the Library of Congress, Card sec- 
tion, for all printed information concern- 
ing distribution of cards. This "Handbook 
of card distribution" should be read care- 
fully, particularly that part pertaining to 
the scope of the stock. To avoid ordering 
cards which are not within the scope of 
the stock, it is absolutely necessary to 
read all the bulletins issued by the card 
section. 

After having read the handbook, the 
next step is to deposit with the Library of 
Congress, a certain amount against which 
the cards purchased are charged. I would 
recommend sending not less than $5. 
When this amount has been used the Li- 
brary of Congress notifies the library, and 
another deposit is made. 

After relations have been established, 
the actual ordering can begin. The hand- 
book tells you this can be done in two 
ways on cards or on sheets. The former 
1 would recommend, using standard size 
slips. These slips can be made out in two 
ways by author and title (see p. 28 of the 
Handbook), and by number. The latter 
costs less. If any of the books for which 
cards are wanted are in the "A. L. A. 
catalog," the number can be found beside 
the entry in the catalog. Right here let 
me say that there is a conflict between 
the A. L. A. numbers as printed in the 
"A. L. A. catalog," and the numbers in the 



CATALOG SECTION 



287 



consecutive series for copyright books 
printed in 1898. This conflict results in 
confusion in very few cases, as it only 
runs up to no. 398; and in ordering from 
the "A. L. A. catalog," A. L. A. can be 
added to the number to avoid trouble. 
Put the serial number in the center of the 
slip, followed by the number of cards 
wanted, thus: 5 25875/3 

The L. C. numbers for current books can 
be found in the "A. L. A. booklist" and 
"Book review digest," and in making order 
slips for new books these L. C. numbers 
can be copied, and when the book comes, 
the order sent to the Library of Congress 
for cards. Cards should not be ordered 
until books are actually in the library. 
When in Montgomery, organizing the li- 
brary there, I had very little time, and in 
order to expedite matters, I ordered cards 
when the books were ordered, and re- 
gretted it when the list of "shorts" came 
back from the publisher. 

When ordering by author and title, the 
directions given in the "Handbook" should 
be followed for author, title, etc., followed 
by number of cards wanted, indicated as 
in the other method. When the slips have 
been made out they should be stamped at 
the bottom with the name of the library, 
arranged alphabetically by author, or nu- 
merically, as the case may be, (there is an 
extra charge when this is not done) then 
sent to the Library of Congress, using the 
frank provided for the purpose. When the 
cards come, they are accompanied by a 
bill, which should be carefully checked. 
The cost is two cents for the first card, 
and a half cent for each additional card. 

It has always been a marvel to me how 
accurate the Library of Congress is in 
matters of the merest detail. We have 
found but one error in the amount charged, 
and that was for a trifling sum two cents 
I think and after considerable corre- 
spondence, the mistake was proved on the 
Library of Congress, and the amount re- 
funded. 

Not only should the bill be checked, but 
the cards must be compared carefully with 
the original slips which are returned with 



them; and if the wrong cards have been 
sent, return them with the slip attached, 
and with a brief note. All mistakes made 
by the Library of Congress will be gladly 
corrected, but the subscribing library 
must stand for all careless mistakes made 
in the order. The charge slip shows extra 
charges made on account of these errors, 
such as omitting author's forename, date 
of publication; an extra charge is also 
made for sending in slips unarranged. 

When relations are first established with 
the Library of Congress, a slip is sent to 
the subscribing library, on which the li- 
brary indicates what variations in edition 
will be accepted. This slip is kept by the 
Library of Congress, and is used in filling 
orders, because there are many times when 
cards varying from the order can be sent 
and will be accepted and used, making the 
necessary changes on them, of course. 
Frequently the slips are returned without 
cards, and with check marks explaining 
the reason (p. 30 of Handbook). One soon 
learns that n. p. means "No prospect," and 
that C followed by a question mark means 
practically the same thing. 

How to use them. Now for a word con- 
cerning the actual use of the cards; one 
should be used for author, one for title 
when necessary, and one for subject. If 
the type-writer is used (and I think it is 
an excellent investment for even very 
small libraries) the additional information 
to be filled in on the card is not so notice- 
able, and makes a very neat looking card. 
In the Carnegie library of Atlanta, we use 
all capitals (in red) for subject headings, 
and fill in call numbers in upper left hand 
corner. I do not think it is advisable to 
accept cards when the edition differs to 
any considerable extent; if it is only the 
publisher and place, the type-writer can 
run a line through that part of imprint on 
the card, and supply it below. 

The form of name adopted by the Li- 
brary of Congress should be used when- 
ever it is possible, and here the new li- 
brary has the advantage of the older ones, 
because there are no old cards to be used 
as a guide. The invariable rule adopted 



288 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



by the Library of Congress, to use the 
real name, is sometimes unfortunate as 
in the case of Mark Twain, and Susan 
Coolidge (Woolsey); but I think the li- 
brary just starting a catalog, should follow 
the Library of Congress just as far as 
possible, for form of name. 

It seems to me that for current fiction 
it is just as well to make the cards on the 
type-writer, if an author slip has to be 
made, because sending for cards causes 
some delay in getting the books out. The 
Carnegie library of Atlanta uses no num- 
bers for fiction, so, the cards do not take 
much time in the making. 

We use the cards very extensively for 
subject analytics. The subject is filled in 



in red, and just following publisher's date 
in imprint, the inclusive paging for ma- 
terial analyzed can be found. We use 
L. C. cards for the shelf-list. 

After some further discussion on the 
size of card to be used, color of ink for 
subject headings, etc., the chairman asked 
for a report of the Nominating committee. 
Mr Jones reported for chairman Miss 
Agnes Van Valkenburgh, Milwaukee pub- 
lic library; for secretary, Miss Faith E. 
Smith, Sedalia (Mo.) public library, who 
were unanimously elected. The section 
then adjourned, to meet at the next annual 
meeting of the Association. 

SULA WAGNER, Secretary. 



CHILDREN'S LIBRARIANS' SECTION 



The meeting of the Children's Libra- 
rians' Section was presided over by Miss 
Alice M. Jordan, of Boston. The opening 
paper was given by Miss H. E. Hassler of 
Portland, Oregon, on the subject "Rules 
and regulations." The sub-topics were 
Registration, Age limit, and Fines. The 
speaker noted the importance of wise 
rules. The first time that the child really 
assumes any formal responsibility of citi- 
zenship is when he signs the register and 
agrees to obey the rules of the library; 
hence, whatever else the rules are not, 
they must be just. In the Portland library, 
when a child makes application for a card 
the librarian writes a personal note to the 
parent in order to come into friendly co- 
operation. A book register is kept, which 
the applicant signs, after his simple obli- 
gations have been explained to him. The 
name of the school is a useful item on 
the register. Membership in a children's 
department needs to be renewed at not too 
long intervals, possibly once a year, in 
order that track may be kept of the chil- 
dren. In charging books, it is important 
to put the book number on the card, other- 
wise the librarian has no record of the 
individual child's reading; she cannot 



carry such records in her memory and 
cannot without them guide children's read- 
ing intelligently. The speaker advocated 
granting a card as soon as children could 
sign the register and use books. She dis- 
cussed also the matter of leaving the chil- 
dren's room for the main library. At about 
15 years of age a child may be considered 
old enough to be transferred. This is done 
somewhat formally in Portland. The last 
Friday of each month is designated for 
graduating members from the children's 
room. At that time each graduating mem- 
ber is introduced by Miss Hassler to the 
Chief of the circulating department, who 
explains location of books, lists, rules, etc., 
governing the main library. Fines should 
not be remitted except for some extraordi- 
nary reason. The librarian should not be 
a respecter of persons, but should some- 
times give the borrower the benefit of the 
doubt. Rules must be made for the best 
good of the larger number. 

Miss Hassler's paper was discussed by 
Miss C. S. Allen of Milton, Mass., who 
spoke on Registration. In Milton an alpha- 
betical file of registration slips is kept in- 
stead of a book register. Instead of a let- 
ter to parents, a minor's certificate is used, 



CHILDREN'S LIBRARIANS' SECTION 



289 



which must be signed by parent or guar- 
dian before card is issued. The registra- 
tion slip records name of school, as well 
as name of parent, street, age, etc. 

Miss H. U. Price, state organizer for 
Pennsylvania, discussed Age limit. In re- 
gard to the age for leaving the children's 
room, she advocated a gradual and partial 
transfer rather than a complete one, for 
two reasons: (1) otherwise many books 
must be duplicated in the general library 
and the children's room if an interchange 
of books is not allowed for, since a boy or 
girl under 15 years would want some adult 
books, and after that age would still enjoy 
some juvenile favorites; (2) if the transfer 
is gradual, the children's librarian can 
continue to exercise friendly supervision 
at a critical age. 

Miss S. B. Askew, state organizer for 
New Jersey, spoke briefly on Fines, refer- 
ring to the custom in some libraries of al- 
lowing the children to work out fines by 
doing errands, putting books in order, etc. 

Miss Hewins said that in the Hartford 
library fines were not remitted, for even 
poor children had pennies for candy and 
similar uses. There, also, a parent must 
sign at the Library the child's application 
for a card. 

Miss Jordan stated that in Boston the 
borrower's card was held for six months 
if a fine was unpaid. At the end of that 
time the fine was remitted. 

In the second paper of the programme, 
Miss Mary DeBure McCurdy, Supervisor 
of library work with schools in Pittsburg, 
Pa., spoke of 

METHODS TO BE USED BY LIBRARIES 
WORKING WITH SCHOOLS TO EN- 
COURAGE THE USE OF REAL 
LITERATURE 

The library and the school are cooperat- 
ing. That this fact is true is best proven 
by a glance at the library publications 
of recent date. 

There are certain well recognized meth- 
ods of procedure which all agree to be 
conducive to the best results and success 



of this movement. Classroom libraries 
and miscellaneous collections of books are 
sent to schools, pictures are loaned, stories 
are told and books are read by library 
visitors, lists of desirable books for boys 
and girls and lists for collateral reading 
are printed, bulletins and posters give all 
possible information concerning new books, 
there are teachers' reading lists, talks to 
principals and teachers, exhibits of school 
work at libraries, special talks on library 
methods, card catalogs, and reference 
books, at the school or library; branch li- 
braries have been established in the 
schools, special help is given to the chil- 
dren in the reference room as an aid to 
school work, systematic training in li- 
brary methods and courses in children's 
literature are offered in the normal 
schools. Time would fail me to recount 
the devices that have been and are em- 
ployed to beguile teachers and pupils to 
come with us that we may do them good. 
Yet, the subject assigned me for this 
hour indicates that "there remaineth yet 
much land to be possessed." 

As a result of the widely differing sys- 
tems of instruction and no systems fol- 
lowed by the schools in the United States, 
there must be wide difference in the meth- 
ods of work employed by libraries in their 
efforts to reach the schools of their cities. 
To be effective this work must be adapted 
to the peculiar needs and conditions, not 
only of each place, but of each separate 
school, for the schools of a single city 
may present every degree of advancement 
from the school of poor equipment and 
worse teaching force, to that which is all 
that can be desired in the excellency of 
its management and in its equipment. 

Inasmuch as we all are more or less 
conversant with these orthodox lines of 
work, it has seemed best not to discuss 
them in this paper, but to pass on to the 
general educational principles that are the 
basis of the work and toward which our 
methods should tend. What are the boys 
and girls, especially the girls, reading be- 
sides the popular new fiction that finds 
its way into their homes very frequently 



290 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



from the counter of "latest books" in the 
department store? It is true, that some 
children do read widely and well, but I 
refer now to the mass of children who are 
in the library's sphere of influence in the 
school. Fiction will be read, girls oftimes 
read nothing else, but shall we make .no 
effort to develop taste for aught beyond 
this? Do we find that even a small pro- 
portion of school children leave the grade 
schools with any real decided love for 
books aside from a good story? Not that 
this love of a good story is to be decried, 
by no means would we be so understood. 
Much of the best literature for children is 
fiction, but are we doing all that can be 
done during the formative period of school 
life when conditions present the best op- 
portunities for influencing young people? 

It is a fact that since this library has 
been working in the schools pupils of the 
fourth and fifth grades are reading what 
nine years ago were treasures open to the 
seventh and eighth grades. When boys 
and girls reach this limit, what are we to 
give them? It is a problem, but it is an 
inspiring one. Surely we are reaping the 
harvest of years gone by. Scott, Cooper, 
Dickens, Hawthorne, Irving, and the poets 
of America; these have been called for 
during the past year as never before. Many 
of the best things of the English poets have 
been read, though there yet remains the 
teacher who devotes her time and energy 
to "only American books, written by Amer- 
ican authors born on American soil, fired 
with American fire, and kindled by Amer- 
ican oil (petroleum)." 

Juvenile fiction is not sufficient. The 
range of adult fiction is limited and the 
feeling grows that this, probably, is the 
time and place to develop and secure a 
taste for biography, history, travel, and 
poetry, for which, alas, so few have taste 
and inclination. The question is, is the 
library work in the schools accomplishing 
for these upper grades what we should ex- 
pect in view of the definite work done from 
the primary grade through the entire 
course? Courses of study generally re- 
quire several poems and a single book of 



the representative American and English 
poets and authors. The average pupil 
reads these because he must, often with 
little interest and less enjoyment. It is a 
part of the woe to be endured and under- 
gone in order that he may be educated. 

How can this taste for literature be cul- 
tivated except through interest and where 
can such interest better be awakened than 
in the classroom where history is studied, 
where geography must be taught and 
where, alas, with all our talk of methods, 
too often is committed the crime of hum- 
drum recite 1 of detail, when there should 
be active interest and wholesome pleasure 
which tend to profit? Pleasure and profit 
can be secured through the intelligent use 
of library books of travel, stories of men 
and places, biographies, and histories that 
are the choicest examples of literary style, 
books which are not in the province of the 
school to buy but which it is the duty of 
the library to provide for its reading pub- 
Mc; biographies and essays, political 
speeches and letters, that impress the per- 
sonality of the nation's leaders and give 
breadth of knowledge of historical and geo- 
graphical facts, and most important of all, 
create in the minds of the children, an ear- 
nest desire for and a lively appreciation of 
literature. Let it be clearly understood 
that this use of literature is not to take 
the place of the actual teaching of the 
truths of the subjects as taught by text 
books, but that there may be introduced, 
wherever it is possible in the studies of 
the course, books of distinct literary merit 
which bear upon the subject, these to be 
used entirely for their literary value. I 
would correlate literature with every in- 
terest of the child, that is, "wise correla- 
tion that allows literature to be treated 
primarily as such and only secondarily as 
aiding other studies." Some one says, 
"When used for literary purposes they (the 
works) must make their appeal to the im- 
agination and the sympathies. Nothing 
should be done to weaken or destroy these 
effects." I do not mean to use Tennyson's 
"Brook" to teach geography or to arouse 
geographical interest, but I would teach 



CHILDREN'S LIBRARIANS' SECTION 



291 



the period of the civil war and the events 
leading up thereto from the biographies of 
Lincoln, his letters and addresses and state 
papers, because they give the subject vital 
interest and at the same time acquaint 
the students with literary masterpieces. I 
would bave every boy and girl find the 
story of the French and Indian war as 
thrilling and romantic as any novel and en- 
able him to share his delight in Cooper's 
red man with Pontiac and "The Oregon 
trail." A teacher recently remarked, "Park- 
man is attractive to seventh and eighth 
grades. I have tried it." 

Pupils have both the ability and the in- 
terest for such work. It is done in many 
schools, but sad to say, the teacher of one 
text-book is yet in the land. The library 
in the school has the opportunity to lay the 
foundation of such character that it will 
bear the superstructure that the man may 
wish to build. It requires pupils of or- 
dinary intelligence, the library books, a 
well ordered course of study and teachers 
who know and love good literature. When 
credit is given at school for books read in 
connection with lessons, an advance has 
been made against the old and all prevail- 
ing notion that studying lessons and read- 
ing books, other than text books, must be 
frowned upon by the zealous teacher. A 
list of books asked for by a teacher of 
science, includes Wordsworth's Poems, 
Burroughs' "Ways of nature," Quayle's 
"God's out of doors/' Torrey's "A rambler's 
lease," Skinner's "With feet to earth," 
Mabie's "Under the trees," "The Kentucky 
cardinal" and "Aftermath," "Little rivers," 
"The song of the cardinal" and Thoreau's 
"Walden," "Summer" and "Winter." 
These books furnished by the library are 
intended for the general reading of the 
class in connection with the technical 
work and the pupils read them. Payne 
in his recent book on the "Education of 
teachers", says, "The studies whose spe- 
cial value lies in the fact that they are 
catholic, or breadth-giving, are geography, 
history and literature, hence, the teacher 
who would endow himself with a proper 
frame or attitude of mind should addict 



himself in an especial manner to these 
three subjects." 

Here, then, is the place for our strong- 
est effort, to awaken to life the teacher 
who neither knows nor cares to know 
books, least of all, children's books, for 
unfortunately such teachers do cumber the 
ground. I believe that what library work 
with schools needs most of all is the 
active interest of the individual teacher in 
every school. It is not sufficient for a 
teacher to know about books she must 
know the books. 

About three weeks ago a teacher re- 
quested me to send her story books for 
her pupils, "not histories of Ireland and 
such." For two years past, books had 
been refused by this teacher because of 
her difficulty in taking care of them. She 
experienced a change of heart because In 
an examination asking for titles or books 
that were desirable to read, great was her 
dismay to find that names of books had 
been invented by those boys and girls who 
read nothing and hence knew nothing 
about real books. The nearest approach 
to a genuine title was "Mrs Wigg and the 
cabbage." I am of the opinion that this 
teacher has been won for all time to the 
library cause. A writer on education 
says, "It is just as important for the 
teacher to know the education value of 
literature as for a physician to know the 
therapeutic value of quinine. Under the 
conception that education is a process of 
growth taking place through nurture and 
exercise, studies become food and dis- 
cipline, and to prescribe them wisely, one 
needs to know their several values." 

It is announced as the aim of a certain 
high school in its literary course to read 
for pleasure and wide acquaintance with 
authors, the purpose not to fix a pupil's 
attention upon details of style but to 
broaden bis knowledge of authors and to 
enlarge his enjoyment of books: to read 
widely and swiftly, to interest him in lit- 
erature. Why should not this be the aim 
of the elementary schools in the study of 
English? No hard and fast line can be 
drawn between works especially suited for 



292 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



either the elementary schools or the high 
schools. We know that pupils in the 
grades read early in their course the 
classics required in college entrance ex- 
aminations. It is this wider knowledge of 
literature from the standpoint of pleasure, 
before pupils begin the critical study in 
secondary schools that we should seek to 
bring about. There is a tendency to fall 
away in the upper grades owing to pres- 
sure of other studies. Inasmuch as the 
excessive demands of the college entrance 
examinations in foreign languages oblige 
a large proportion of students in secondary 
schools to take, a modified course in Eng- 
lish, is it not possible to aid the pupils 
in the higher grades of the elementary 
schools to wider acquaintance with the 
best books and their authors? It is the 
opinion of an authority on English, that 
the attempt to reform English studies has 
begun at the top. There is complaint on 
the part of the college against the high 
school. The real source of the trouble is 
to be found in the primary and elementary 
grades. The years spent in these grades 
are vital in making or marring a child's 
literary taste. There must be first, appre- 
ciative reading which, through sympathy, 
will bring the reader into closest possible 
contact with the mind of the writer. 
Later, the critical study, but without the 
former, the appreciation of literature will 
be formal rather than genuine and vital. 
It is a mistake to substitute the remarks 
of critics for acquaintance with the works 
themselves. It must be remembered that 
the large proportion of students do not 
enter the secondary schools, hence, it is 
imperative that the widest opportunity be 
given them in their preparation for life 
while they are in the elementary school. 

Hear what prominent educators have to 
say to us. "The uplifting of the demo- 
cratic masses depends upon the implanting 
at schools the taste for good reading." 
"The work in each grade is to be done by 
the teacher in the light of the course as a 
whole and according to the final ends 
aimed at." "The supreme aim of literary 
and linguistic training is the formation of 



character. This includes and transcends 
all other aims, and it is because it is an 
aim which can be more effectively realized 
by Literature and Language than by any 
other study, that Literature by almost 
common consent must hold the central and 
dominating place in our school curricu- 
lum." "Make happiness one of the dis- 
tinct aims of education, and to this end 
the mind must be supplied with knowledge 
which will yield mental satisfaction or in- 
tellectual delight." "The teacher who 
would guide her pupils in the fields of 
literature, must herself frequent the 
paths in which she desires other feet to 
tread." "Books well chosen are next in 
importance to the teacher in the equip- 
ment of the school." Our books then are 
secondary the sine qua non is the teacher. 
"How can an inanimate mechanical gerund 
grinder foster the growth of anything; 
much more mind which grows, not like a 
vegetable (by having its roots littered with 
etymological compost) but like a spirit; 
through kindling itself at the fire of living 
thought? How shall he give kindling in 
vhose inward man there is no live coal 
but all is burnt out to a dead grammatical 
cinder?" Personal work with teachers, 
then, is the essential for library success 
in the schools. To keep burning the live 
coal, as well as to kindle the fire that 
burns not. No one needs incentive and 
inspiration more than the teacher who is 
zealous in this work. It is ours to bring 
to him all that we can to the end that he 
may become "noble and gracious, the 
friend of truth, justice, courage, temper- 
ance." To make ourselves familiar with 
the work of teachers and to be conversant 
with all their interests, especially along 
professional lines. Payne's "Education of 
teachers," Chubb's "The Teaching of Eng- 
lish" and a similar book by Carpenter, 
Baker and Scott, are full of suggestions 
to one who is engaged in work with teach- 
ers. To put ourselves on .the teacher's 
side is to achieve our purpose. To make 
each teacher through a lifting of the intel- 
ligent horizon "the spectator of all time 
and of all existence" that through his zeal 



CHILDREN'S LIBRARIANS' SECTION 



298 



m learning the youth of the land be made 
"curious to learn and never satisfied." 
There is an old Grecian story to the ef- 
fect that the great ones of a certain place 
were once presenting themselves before 
Zeus that the greatest one should be 
crowned. In the company that had as- 
sembled to witness the honor bestowed, 
their teacher was also present following 
up with interest the fortunes of his pu- 
pils. To the surprise of all and most to 
himself, who was not a candidate for the 
honor. Zeus announced, "Crown the faith- 
ful teacher, for he is the greatest of all, 
for he made them all great." Were a simi- 
lar decision to be made to-day, in the light 
of modern methods of education would 
not the all wise Zeus bestow the laurel 
chaplet upon the librarian for he is mak- 
ing possible the teacher's greatness? 

Miss Effle Power, Library instructor in 
the Cleveland normal school, emphasized 
the need of instructing the teachers them- 



selves in children's books and in the uae 
of the library. 

An interesting paper on "Poetry for 
children" was prepared by Miss Mary W. 
Plummer of Pratt Institute, and in her 
absence was read by Miss Jordan.* 

At the business meeting of the Section, 
officers chosen for the coming year were 
Miss Hannah Ellis of Madison, Chairman, 
and Miss Mary Dousman, of Milwaukee, 
Secretary. The Chair appointed two per- 
sons to fill vacancies on the Advisory 
board; Miss L. E. Stearns, of Wisconsin, 
and Mrs A. S. Ross, of North Carolina. 

The paper read at the general meeting 
of the Association on behalf of the Chil- 
dren's librarians' section by Miss Alice M. 
Jordan on "The Use of Children's books" 
is printed on p. 175. 



Published in volume 9 of "Self-culture foi 
young people" edited by Dr A. S. Draper. 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 



The semi-annual meeting of the Bibli- 
ographical Society of America was held in 
conjunction with the American Library 
Association at Asheville, May 25-28, 1907. 
This first visit of the Society to the South 
was made the occasion of a series of 
papers on the history of printing in that 
section. The first presses of Florida, Mis- 
sissippi, and Alabama were described by 
Dr Thomas M. Owen, those of South Caro- 
lina by A. S. Salley, Jr., of Tennessee by 
Edwin Wiley. An essay on early printing 
in North Carolina also, by Dr Stephen B. 
Weeks, was read by title. 

The second session was devoted to the 
discussion of two questions in practical 
bibliography, "The bibliographical work of 
state libraries" and "A handbook of 
special collections in American libraries." 
The bibliographical work of the Cali- 
fornia state library, especially its indexing 
of California newspapers, was described 
by W. R. Watson, and the coopera- 
tion between the Connecticut state li- 
brary and other libraries of the state in 
the preparation of a Connecticut bibli- 
ography was described by G. S. Godard. 



These two types of state bibliographical 
activity were discussed at some length by 
D. C. Brown, Dr T. M. Owen and others. 

The scope of "A handbook of special col- 
lections in American libraries" and the 
methods to be followed in its preparation 
were considered from various points of 
view. The discussion was opened by 
C. W. Andrews; N. D. C. Hodges presented 
letters from prominent scientists, which 
raised some doubts as to the utility of such 
a handbook to men of science. A lively 
debate followed, in which Dr E. C. Rich- 
ardson, Victor H. Paltsits, and others 
pointed out the value of such a bibli- 
ographical tool, especially in the different 
branches of historical research, and in the 
development of library collections. 

Reports were presented by the Commit- 
tee on incunabula and by the Committee 
on colonial laws. The officers of the 
Society were re-elected for the ensuing 
year, T. L. Cole of Washington being 
added to the Council. 

W. DAWSON JOHNSTON, 

Secretary. 



MINUTES OF EXECUTIVE BOARD AND COUNCIL, 
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 



Asheville, May 24-29, J907 



MINUTES OF EXECUTIVE BOARD 

At a meeting of the Executive board of 
the American Library Association, held at 
Asheville, N. C., on Monday, May 27, 1907, 
there were present Messrs C. W. Andrews, 
E. H. Anderson, J. I. Wyer, Jr., and Miss 
Katharine L. Sharp, also the Executive of- 
ficer, Mr E. C. Hovey. 

Committee on Resolutions. A commit- 
tee on resolutions, consisting of Mr W. 
C. Lane, Miss Mary E. Hazeltine, and Mr 
C. H. Gould, was appointed. 

Verein Deutscher Bibliothekare. The 
interim appointment of Dr Herbert Put- 
nam as representative of the American 
Library Association at the coming meet- 
ing of the Verein Deutscher Bibliothekare, 
which had been initiated by correspond- 
ence, was now confirmed by formal vote. 

Southwestern district meeting. The sec- 
retary reported progress in the matter of 
arrangements for a Southwestern district 
library meeting, to be held in the spring 
of 1908, under the auspices of the Texas 
library association. In the same connec- 
tion the secretary described arrangements 
now under way between his office and the 
library associations of six central states 
looking towards fixing the dates of their 
annual meetings at such times as to per- 
mit the visit to them of a single speaker. 
Also that Mr A. E. Bostwick had promised 
to visit such a circuit of meetings. 

Jamestown exhibit. The secretary re- 
ported for the Committee on a Library ex- 
hibit at the Jamestown Exposition that it 
lias been impossible to arrange a satis- 
factory exhibit for the exposition. 

Publication of Proceedings. The report 
of the committee on the publication of 
Proceedings, appointed at Atlantic City, 
was submitted, adopted, and referred to 
the Council. 



Communication from the Publishing 
board. A letter from the chairman of the 
Publishing board was read relating to the 
request from the Executive board that the 
Publishing board distribute the "A. L. A. 
booklist" to all members of the Associa- 
tion who make specific request for it, and 
for each annual subscription thus distri- 
buted the treasury of the general Asso- 
ciation would pay to the Publishing board 
the sum of 10 cents per annum. The Pub- 
lishing board explained that this price 
would be below cost, that it would ma- 
terially decrease the present paid sub- 
scription list of the "Booklist," that a price 
of 25c. or 50c. per annual subscription 
would be in its judgment far more nearly 
reasonable and adequate, and requested 
the Executive board to reconsider its of- 
fer. There was a discussion, which de- 
veloped the opinion on the part of all mem- 
bers that the price of the "Booklist" as 
above to members of the Association, 
should not be more than that charged to 
state library commissions for quantities; 
that library members should be more gen- 
erously remembered with publications free 
or at special discount than individual 
members; that it would probably be un- 
wise to enter into this engagement in this 
matter if likely to involve more than an 
expense of $150 per annum. The matter 
was then left to the president and the sec- 
retary as a committee to confer with rep- 
resentatives from the Publishing board, to 
attempt to reach a definite agreement as 
to a satisfactory price. 

Non-library members. A list of 23 per- 
sons not engaged in library work, who 
have recently joined the Association, was 
presented by the Executive officer, and 
upon motion they were definitely voted 
into membership in accordance witb 
section 2 of the constitution. 



296 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



Committee reports. The Executive of- 
ficer reported the preparation of the re- 
ports on gifts and bequests and the an- 
nual necrology. These were referred to 
the Program committee for consideration 
as to inclusion in the Proceedings. 

J. I. WYER, Jr., Secretary. 

Proceedings of Executive board at a reg- 
ular meeting, held in Asheville, May 29, 
1907: 

Present: President, A. E. Bostwick; 1st 
vice-president, C. H. Gould; 2d vice-presi- 
dent, Helen E. Raines; secretary, J. I. 
Wyer, Jr.; recorder, Lutie E. Stearns; 
treasurer, A. H. Hopkins; ex-president, C. 
W. Andrews, and by invitation E. C. 
Hovey, executive officer. 

Committees. Appointments to standing 
committees were made as follows: 

Finance. George A. Macbeth, Pitts- 
burgh, Pa,; W. H. Brett, Cleveland, Ohio; 

D. B. Hall, Fairhaven, Mass. 

Library administration. Corinne Bacon, 
Albany, N. Y.; Sula Wagner, St Louis, Mo.; 
H. C. Wellman, Springfield, Mass. 

Public documents. A. R. Hasse, New 
York City, chairman, who is to advise with 
the Board as to additional members. 

Cooperation with Library department of 
National educational association. Mary 

E. Ahern, Chicago, chairman, who is to 
advise with the Board as to additional 
members. 

A. L. A. Publishing board. Mrs H. L. 
Ehnendorf, Buffalo; W. C. Lane, Cam- 
bridge, Mass.; H. E. Legler, Madison, 
Wis.; C. C. Soule, Boston; H. C. Well- 
man, Springfield, Mass. 

Library training. Mary W. Plummer, 
Brooklyn; Mrs H. L. Elmendorf, Buffalo; 
W. C. Kimball, Passaic, N. J.; H. E. Leg- 
ler, Madison, Wis.; I. E. Lord, Brooklyn; 
A. S. Root, Oberlin, O.; Grace D. Rose, 
Davenport, la.; Caroline M. Underbill, 
Utica, N. Y. 

International relations. E. C. Richard- 
son, Princeton, N. J.; Cyrus Adler, Wash- 
ington; J. S. Billings, New York City; W. 
C. Lane, Cambridge, Mass.; Herbert Put- 
nam, Washington. 

Book-buying. J. C. Dana, Newark, N. J.; 



W. P. Cutter, Northampton, Mass.; B. C. 
Steiner, Baltimore, Md. 

Publicity. Discontinued and duties as- 
signed to executive offices. 

Registrar. Nina E. Browne, Boston. 

Special committees. Appointments to 
special committees were made as follows: 

Gifts and bequests. Executive offices. 

Travel. F. W. Faxon, Boston; Gratia A. 
Countryman, Minneapolis, Minn., E. C. 
Hovey, Boston, with power to add two 
members. 

Title-pages to periodicals. W. I. Fletch- 
er, Amherst, Mass.; A. E. Bostwick, New 
York City; Ernest Lemcke, New York City. 

Bookbindings and book papers. A. L. 
Bailey, Wilmington, Del.; W. P. Cutter, 
Northampton, Mass.; G. E. Wire, Worces- 
ter, Mass. 

Program. A. E. Bostwick, Helen E. 
Haines, J. I. Wyer, Jr. 

Social education conference. Discontin- 
ued. 

Library architecture. C. R. Dudley, 
Denver; W. H. Brett, Cleveland; G. T. 
Clark, San Francisco; W. R. Eastman, Al- 
bany; F. P. Hill, Brooklyn; C. C. Soule, 
Boston; John Thomson, Philadelphia. 

Advisory committee on headquarters. D. 
P. Corey, Maiden, Mass.; G. M. Jones, 
Salem, Mass.; C. C. Soule, Boston. 

Library work with the blind. N. D. C. 
Hodges, Cincinnati; A. D. Dickinson, 
Leavenworth, Kan.; Mrs E. M. Fairchild, 
Albany; Esther J. Giffln, Washington; 
Emma R. Neisser, Philadelphia. 

Library post. Committee as such dis- 
continued. Work placed under new com- 
mittee, to be known as 

Relations of libraries to federal and state 
governments, B. C. Steiner, Baltimore; 
James Bain, Jr., Toronto; R. R. Bowker, 
New York City; H. G. Wadlin, Boston; R. 
H. Whitten, Albany. 

(The above committee will consider 
questions of library post, copyright, and 
all matters involving legislation or action 
affecting libraries not within the province 
of other committees of the Association, or 
which may be referred to it by other com- 
mittees.) 



EXECUTIVE BOARD 



297 



Commercial advertising. Discontinued. 

Voted, That the Executive officer be 
instructed to see that no improper use be 
made of the Association's name in the 
printed matter of local committees. 

Catalog rules. J. C. M. Hanson, Wash- 
ington; W. S. Biscoe, Albany; Nina E. 
Browne, Boston; T. F. Currier, Cambridge, 
Mass.; A. H. Hopkins, Pittsburgh; Alice 
B. Kroeger, Philadelphia; E. C. Richard- 
son, Princeton, N. J. 

Voted, That the Committee on Catalog 
rules be authorized, if in their judgment 
it is feasible, to prepare for the use of 
small libraries an abridgment of the code 
now in preparation, and that they have 
power for this purpose to avail themselves 
of the services of such other persons as 
they desire. 

Voted, That the Committee on Catalog 
rules be authorized to proceed with ne- 
gotiations with the Library of Congress re- 
lative to the printing of the code and also 
to see if a limited free distribution may 
be possible. 

Mr Andrews offered as a substitute for 
the above the following resolution: 

Resolved, That the Committee on Catalog 
rules be requested to submit to the Execu- 
tive board a detailed report as to what 
they consider the best method for the 
printing and distribution of the code; and 

Be it further resolved, That the Publish- 
ing board be requested to submit to the 
Executive board an estimate of the cost 
of executing the work in conformity with 
the requirements of the committee. Car- 
ried. 

A. L. A. Bulletin. Voted, That the Pub- 
lishing board be requested to re-enter the 
"Bulletin" as a bimonthly publication; 
that they prepare the "Handbook" of the 
Association for publication as an early 
number of the "Bulletin," and that the 
program committee be instructed to re- 
vise the material for the "Proceedings" for 
publication as the next number of the 
"Bulletin" if possible. 

Proceedings of affiliated organizations. 
Voted, That the interpretation of the 
term "reasonable amount of space" in the 



minutes of the Executive board for the 
Portland meeting relating to the publica- 
tion of proceedings of affiliated organiza- 
tions, be 15 pages of the contents. 

A. L. A. publications to members. Re- 
ferring to a communication from the Pub- 
lishing board anent terms upon which li- 
brary members of the A. L. A. might se- 
cure publications it was 

Voted, That the Publishing board be re- 
quested to inform the Executive board 
whether it would be possible to offer to 
the library members a special discount 
on the publications of the board, and if so 
how great. 

Mr Hovey, at his request, was excused 
from further attendance upon this meeting. 

Buenos Ayres library exhibit. Voted, 
That the executive offices be authorized 
to assist as far as practicable the special 
Commissioner of education from the Ar- 
gentine Republic, Mr Ernesto Nelson, 50 
West 45th street, New York City, to pre- 
pare an exhibit for the permanent ex- 
hibit of American library methods at 
Buenos Ayres. 

Maintenance of headquarters. Moved 
by Mr Gould that unless some means of 
support other than those at present avail- 
able be acquired for the maintenance of 
Headquarters, the present arrangement 
with the Executive officer must be termi- 
nated on Oct. 1, 1907; and that the Execu- 
tive officer be notified at once to this ef- 
fect by the president; that Mr Andrews be 
requested as a special committee of this 
board to ascertain whether the Publishing 
board may not be able to contribute to the 
support of Headquarters to such an ex- 
tent as to carry it forward until Jan. 1, 
1908, and in the event of his success that 
the president be authorized to extend to 
Jan. 1, 1908, the limit stated to the Execu- 
tive officer; that the Executive officer be 
requested to report definitely by Septem- 
ber 15, 1907, regarding the prospect of se- 
curing further practical support for carry- 
ing on Headquarters. Carried unanimously, 
the chair being recorded in the affirmative. 

Moved to adjourn. Carried. 

LUTIE E. STEARNS, Recorder. 



298 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL 

Minutes of the meeting of the Council 
of the American Library Association, held 
at Asheville, May 23, 1907. 

Present: E. H. Anderson, C. W. An- 
drews, G. A. Countryman, L. A. Eastman, 
G. S. Godard, A. H. Hopkins, N. D. C. 
Hodges, M. F. Isom, W. C. Kimball, T. W. 
Koch, G. T. Little, E. C. Richardson, K. 
L. Sharp, L. E. Steams, A. S. Tyler, Anne 
Wallace, H. C. Wellman, P. B. Wright, J. 
I. Wyer, Jr., in all 19, representing libra- 
ries from Maine to Oregon and from Min- 
nesota to Georgia. 

Nominations. The report of the Com- 
mittee on Nominations was read by E. C. 
Richardson, chairman, offering to the 
Council the following ticket for officers of 
the Association for the year 1907-8: presi- 
dent, N. D. C. Hodges, Cincinnati; 1st vice- 
president, C. H. Gould, Montreal; 2d vice- 
president, Helen E. Haines, New York; 
secretary, J. I. Wyer, Jr., New York; 
treasurer, E. C. Hovey, Massachusetts; re- 
corder, Lutie E. Stearns, Wisconsin; trus- 
tee of Endowment fund, C. C. Soule, Mas- 
sachusetts. Councillors (5) : Mary E. 
Ahern, Illinois; R. R. Bowker, New York; 
T. L. Montgomery, Pennsylvania; Frank 
C. Patten, Texas; William F. Yust, Ken- 
tucky. 

Miss Gratia Countryman, of the com- 
mittee, offered a minority report objecting 
to the name of E. C. Hovey for treasurer, 
for the reasons that the executive officer 
of the Association should not be a member 
of the board which elects him, and that it 
is questionable business propriety to put 
the collection of the revenues of the Asso- 
ciation fully into the hands of the office 
which spends the larger part of them. E. 
H. Anderson moved to amend the report 
in the substitution of the name of A. H. 
Hopkins for E. C. Hovey. The president 
presented a letter from Mr C. C. Soule, 
who is absent in Europe, written as a 
member of the committee on conduct of 
Headquarters, expressing approval of the 
work done by the Executive officer and of 
his nomination as treasurer. The amend- 
ment to the committee report was agreed 



to. The question then recurred upon the 
adoption of the report as a whole as 
amended, which was thereupon adopted. 

Rooming at conference. After discus- 
sion the Council voted that hereafter quar- 
ters should be reserved at the headquarters 
hotel for all officers and the Council of the 
Association. It was suggested that a 
block of 20 rooms should be held in ad- 
vance for this purpose, and that each of- 
ficer and councillor should be notified in 
advance and given an opportunity to se- 
cure one of them. 

Geographic attendance register. The 
suggestion was made that at future con- 
ferences a geographic attendance register 
should be prepared and printed. 

Mid-year meetings of Council. Consid- 
erable discussion ensued as to mid-year 
meetings of the Council, and it was moved 
and seconded that it is the sense of this 
meeting that no intermediate meetings of 
the Council shall be held, and that the 
Executive board use sparingly the power 
conferred upon it by the constitution to 
call interim meetings of the Council. This 
motion, after discussion, was lost. 

Minutes of the meeting of the Council 
of the American Library Association held 
at Asheville, May 27-28, 1907. 

Present: E. H. Anderson, C. W. An- 
drews, G. T. Clark, G. A. Countryman, C. 
R. Dudley, L. A. Eastman, G. S. Godard, N. 
D. C. Hodges, A. H. Hopkins, M. F. Isom, 
W. C. Kimball, T. W. Koch, K. L. Sharp, 
L. E. Stearns, A. S. Tyler, Anne Wallace, 
H. C. Wellman, P. B. Wright. J. I. Wyer, 
Jr. 

Correction of minutes: Cost of Proceed- 
ings. The minutes of the meeting of the 
Council at Atlantic City, March 16, 1907, 
as printed in the "Library Journal," May, 
1907, p. 218, were corrected by substituting 
for the words "not exceed $1000," the 
words "be made less." 

Place of next meeting. The secretary 
reported invitations for the 1908 meeting 
from Ottawa, Canada; Lake Minnetonka, 
Minn.; Colorado Springs, Col.; Los An- 
geles, Cal.; Asbury Park and Atlantic City, 
N. J. f and for 1909 from Seattle, Wash. 



COUNCIL 



299 



These invitations were received and the 
secretary was instructed to make suitable 
acknowledgment of each, expressing the 
thanks of the Council. 

L. J. Burpee for Ottawa, Charles F. Lum- 
rais for Los Angeles, and Gratia Country- 
man for Lake Minnetonka were each ac- 
corded five minutes in which to present to 
the Council the claims of these places. It 
was thereupon Voted, That the Council ac- 
cept the invitation of Lake Minnetonka 
tendered by the municipal and library au- 
thorities of the cities of Minneapolis and 
St Paul, and empower the Executive board 
to complete suitable arrangements, pro- 
vided satisfactory railroad and hotel rates 
can be secured 

The invitation from Seattle for 1909 was 
referred to the Council at the 1908 meet- 
ing. 

Publication of Proceedings. The follow- 
ing report of a committee on the publica- 
tion of "Proceedings," appointed by the 
Executive board in compliance with action 
or the Council at Atlantic City, came up, 
on reference from the Executive board: 

Report of Committee on Publication of 
"Proceedings" 

To the Executive board: 

The Committee on Publications respect- 
fully submit the following plan in accord- 
ance with the vote of the Council at 
Atlantic City, and what they understood to 
be the sense of that meeting. 

The general form should be that of a 
periodical bulletin, containing as one num- 
ber the "Proceedings" of the annual meet- 
ing, and as another the "Handbook." The 
entry under which the present "Bulletin" 
is admitted to second-class mail rates 
specifies the number of issues per annum 
as four, but the committee are advised 
that an indeterminate number can be is- 
sued provided the extra numbers are 
called special editions of preceding num- 
bers. The committee regard such irreg- 
ularity in numbering as highly undesir- 
able, and recommend that a new entry be 
made with the number of issues fixed at 
six per annum. 



The committee recommend that the title 
be as at present, and that its scope be 
limited to official communications to and 
from officers and committees and articles 
in regard to the Association. It might 
possibly include correspondence in regard 
to the Association, and, more doubtfully, 
news notes in regard to its members, but 
no attempt should be made at present to 
develop a general library periodical. 

General advertising is barred by the pro- 
visions of the section of the act admitting 
such publications to second-class rates. 
The committee are advised that the Pub- 
lishing board might advertise its publica- 
tions and that Headquarters might adver- 
tise its ability to furnish candidates for 
specified positions, arrange for exchanges 
of duplicates in specified lines, etc. The 
development of these possibilities should 
be left to the Publishing board, subject to 
the approval of the Executive board, with 
the proviso that it should be made at least 
without cost to the general treasury. 

The committee agree in recommending 
that the financial reports, which are for 
the calendar year, should be published in 
the January number of the "Bulletin." and 
that any other reports which the commit- 
tee concerned desire to present in print 
should be printed in one of the issues pre- 
ceding the annual meeting, and that all 
material of a \ r alue to claim inclusion in 
the "Proceedings" shall be held in type 
for that purpose. The committee also 
think that those reports which are likely 
to provoke discussion should be read at 
the annual meeting and printed in connec- 
tion with the discussion, and that those 
of permanent reference value would be 
found more conveniently in the "Proceed- 
ings." 

The Publishing board is to be responsi- 
ble for the editing and publication of the 
"Bulletin," subject to the provision of the 
constitution and by-laws, by which the 
selection of material for the "Proceedings" 
must be determined by the Executive 
board upon recommendation of the Pro- 
gram committee. It is understood that 
the Publishing board may delegate the 



300 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



editing of the other "Bulletins," including 
the "Handbook," to the executive officer. 

Details as to form and style should be 
left to the Publishing board, to be deter- 
mined in accordance with their regular 
usage. The size, however, should be es- 
sentially that of previous years, and pro- 
vision should be made for a proper in- 
dex, title-pages (with a separate title-page 
for the "Proceedings") and table of con- 
tents. 

The Publishing board should submit 
each year an estimate of the cost per page, 
together with an estimate from the execu- 
tive officer of the number of pages needed, 
including the "Handbook," but excluding 
the "Proceedings." Separate appropria- 
tions for the "Proceedings" and the other 
"Bulletins" should be made by the board 
after consideration of these data. 

In regard to the printing of the proceed- 
ings of affiliated organizations, the com- 
mittee recommend that the principle of the 
arrangement made by the Executive board 
at Portland in the case of the National 
association of state libraries be approved 
as the policy of the Association. 
Respectfully submitted, 

C. W. ANDREWS. 
J. I. WYER, JR. 
E. C. HOVEY. 



the general Association to the Council now 
came up for consideration. 



Resolved, That the following amendments 
be made to the constitution of the American 
Library Association: 

1 In section 7, strike out the words "secre- 
tary, recorder, and treasurer," and Insert In lieu 
thereof the words "a secretary-treasurer." 

2 In section 7, strike out the words "together 
with the president for the preceding term shall 
constitute an executive board and they" and add 
to the section, at the end thereof, the follow- 
ing words: "There shall be an executive board, 
composed of the president and six members of 
the Association, chosen at the annual meeting 
by the Council." 

3 Strike out sections 9, 10 and 11. 

4 Insert a new section 9, as follows: "Thero 
shall be a secretary-treasurer, appointed by the 
executive board, who shall devote his whole 
time, or such part thereof as said board may 
direct, to the Interests of the Association, In co 
operation with and under the authority of the 
executive board, and who shall receive at stated 
Intervals a salary, the amount of which shall be 
fixed by the Council. He shall be the active 
executive officer of the Association, shall keep 
a record of the attendance and proceedings at 
each meeting of the Association, Council and 
Executive board; shall record all receipts and 
disbursements, and pay bills on written order 
of two members of the finance committee; shall 
make an annual report to the Association and 
shall perform such other duties as may be as- 
signed him by the executive board or by the 
Council. 

5 Renumber the other sections, as may b 
necessary by the above amendments. 

Resolved, That these proposed amendments 
be received, that they be referred for consider- 
ation and report to a special committee of five, 
consisting of the president and four others to 
be appointed by the president, and that the 
report of this committee be made a special 
order of business for Tuesday, May 28, at 10.30 
a. m. 



After discussion of relation of "Library 
Journal" to plan proposed by the commit- 
tee and of in extenso vs. selective publica- 
tion of "Proceedings," the former being 
favored by Miss Stearns and Mr Wyer, the 
latter by Mr Wellman, it was moved to 
adopt the report and agree to the procedure 
outlined therein, with selective publication 
not unauthorized abridgment, at the dis- 
cretion of the Program committee. This 
motion brought on so much discussion and 
called out so many differing views that it 
was replaced by a substitute motion that 
the report do lie upon the table until the 
next meeting; the substitute prevailed. 

Constitutional amendments. The follow- 
ing amendments to the constitution offered 
in open meeting at the third general ses- 
sion by Bernard C. Steiner and referred by 



It was Voted, That the Council recog- 
nizes the importance of modifications of 
the constitution, but believing that they 
should not be passed without careful con- 
sideration, refers the matter in hand to a 
committee of five to consider the revision 
of the constitution and report. 

A further amendment to the constitu- 
tion, offered by J. C. Dana, striking out the 
words "in their final form" from section 
26, having been referred by the general 
session to the Council, was upon motion 
referred to the new committee on revision 
of the constitution. 

Delegate to Library Association. Voted, 
That the president and secretary be em- 
powered to accredit J. C. M. Hanson as the 
official representative of the A. L. A. at 
the meeting of the Library Association of 



COUNCIL 



801 



the United Kingdom at Glasgow in Sep- 
tember. 

Copyright. Voted, That the incoming 
president appoint a committee to watch 
copyright legislation at the next session of 
Congress, the committee to be instructed 
to protest against any less liberal provis- 
ions as regards libraries than the bill re- 
ported by the committees on patents of 
the last Congress. 

Status of members of affiliated organiza- 
tions. Voted, That a committee of three 
be appointed to report at the next meet- 
ing of the Council on the status of mem- 
bers of affiliated organizations at annual 
conferences. The president thereupon 
named as this committee E. H. Anderson, 
Katharine L. Sharp, J. I. Wyer, Jr. 

Uniform library statistics. The secre- 
tary read a letter from the U. S. Commis- 
sioner of education, suggesting that the 
A. L. A. should cooperate with the commis- 
sioner in the compilation of statistics re- 
garding libraries in the United States. It 
was Voted, That the letter be referred to 
the League of library commissions for 
consideration, with the request that they 
report to the Council a plan for the prep- 
aration by the Bureau of education of uni- 
form library statistics, indicating items of 
first importance and a method of cooper- 
ation by which the library commissions in 
states where they exist may be utilized to 
furnish late figures. 

The Council then adjourned. 

Meeting of Council held May 28, 1907. 

Publication of "Proceedings." The re- 
port of the committee on the publication 
of "Proceedings" was taken from the table, 
and at the suggestion of the president each 
member present gave an informal expres- 
sion of opinion. It was then Voted, That 
the question be divided and the Council 
authorize the publication of a "Bulletin," 
with the "Handbook" as one number, in 
accordance with the plan proposed by the 
committee of the Executive board. Voted 
further, That the Council approve the pub- 
lication of the "Proceedings" by the Pub- 
lishing board in accordance with the plan 



proposed by the committee of the Execu- 
tive board. 

Resignation of official organ. The sec- 
retary read a letter from Mr R. R. Bowker, 
proffering the formal resignation of the 
"Library Journal" as the official organ of 
the Association. It was Voted, To accept 
the resignation, and the secretary was 
instructed to convey to the "Library Jour- 
nal" the expression (on behalf of the Asso- 
ciation) of the warmest appreciation of the 
services rendered by the "Journal" for 30 
years as the official organ of the A. L. A. 

[This action, except so far as it relates 
to the publication of the "Proceedings" of 
the annual meeting, has been modified by 
the new Executive board, which will rec- 
ommend a reconsideration of the Council 
vote. J. I. WYER, Secretary.] 

Status of members of affiliated organiza- 
tions. "To the Council: 

"Your Committee appointed to consider 
the status of members of affiliated organi- 
zations and non-members of the American 
Library Association engaged in library 
work offer the following report: 

"Members of affiliated organizations and 
of entertaining associations and no others 
shall be entitled to all privileges in the 
way of railroad and hotel rates and con- 
ference hospitalities that are enjoyed by 
members of the A, L. A. 

"Respectfully submitted, 

E. H. ANDERSON. 

K. L. SHARP. 

J. I. WYER, JR." 

Committee on Library work with blind. 
The report of this Committee, referred to 
the Council from the first general session, 
contained the following recommendation: 
"That a committee of this Association be 
appointed to report on the progress of 
work for the blind strictly germane to 
libraries, and to confer with such societies 
as shall foster the general interests of 
the blind." Voted, That the recommenda- 
tion be adopted and the new committee 
on library work with the blind be author- 
ized to undertake the work named therein. 



302 



ASHBVILLE CONFERENCE 



Committee on International relations. 
Voted, That in accord with recommenda- 
tions in the report of the Committee on In- 
ternational relations, the executive officer 
be authorized to assist the Minister of ed- 
ucation for Argentine Republic in forming 
a library exhibit at Buenos Ayres. 

Committee on Catalog rules. The fol- 
lowing recommendation from the Commit- 
tee on Catalog rules now came up on ref- 
erence from the general Association: "We 
would recommend that the American 
Library Association authorize the print- 
ing of a first American edition of the joint 
cede, as revised, to date, and further that 
your Committee be instructed to proceed 
with such further negotiations as may be 
necessary in order to dispose of questions 
ol detail which are likely to come up in 
connection with the printing of the two 
editions, the American and the English." 

A statement made by Mr Hopkins for 
the Committee indicated the indifference 
of the members of the Committee as to 
where the rules were printed, if only the 
wishes and plans of the Committee could 
be strictly observed. 

The following letters from the chairman 
of the Publishing board were read: 

"Cambridge, Mass., April 10, 1907. 
"Mr. J. I. Wyer, Jr., 

Secretary American Library Association, 
New York State Library, Albany, N Y. 

"Dear Mr Wyer: It seemed to the Board, 
when the question was submitted to it, the most 
natural thing In the world (being the publication 
agency of the Association), to publish these 
rules without assistance from the Library of 
Congress. 

"We have done all the preliminary work and 
have decided upon a form of page, style of 
type, etc., which is satisfactory to the com- 
mittee; but objection having been made to the 
method of publication, it seems best to refer 
the matter to the Executive Board for Its action, 
even though the progress of the work is un- 
fortunately stopped. If you can obtain a satis- 
factory expression of opinion from the Board 
on the question whether the rules should be 
printed by the Publishing Board or by the 
Library of Congress, we should be glad to be 
guided by their decision, since the question 
ought properly to have come before the Ex- 
ecutive Board in the first place. 

"It is impossible at the present time to make 
any definite statement as to the price at which 
the rules would be sold. The composition and 
the management of the proofs will doubtless 
be expensive, considering the comparatively 
small size of the work. On the other hand, 
the sale will be large, and the Board would 
make the price as small as possible. I should 
suppose it might be as little as 50 cents, but 



I have no sure data to base an estimate on. 
I suppose the Superintendent of Documents 
could probably sell the work at a still lower 
price, but, on the other hand, it is probable 
that the Publishing Board can make the pur- 
chase more convenient to libraries than the 
Superintendent of Documents can, and can sell 
In quantities at a discount, which the buperin- 
tendent of Documents cannot do. I do not un- 
derstand that there is any thought of the 
Library of Congress making any general dis- 
tribution of the rules gratis. 

"As to Mr Hanson's convenience in reading 
proof, etc., I think we can make It almost as 
easy for him if the work Is done In Boston as 
If it were done In Washington. 

"If the Executive Board is disposed to take 
any immediate action on this question, we can 
still hope to crowd the work through, or a con- 
siderable part of it, before the Ashevllle meet- 
ing, but every day's delay makes the problem 
more difficult. 

Yours very truly, 

(Signed) WM. C. LANE." 

Asheville, N. C., May 25, 190T. 

"Dear Mr Wyer: You asked me for some 
estimate in regard to the new Code of the 
A. L. A. catalog rules as a guide to the Council 
or Executive Board in determining the best 
method of publication. Figures just received 
from the printers based on Mr Hanson's report 
make it plain that the Publishing Board would 
be able to sell the Rules in a good cloth binding 
at not more than 50 cents, and perhaps as low 
as 30 cents, but not less than this I should 
think. The Superintendent of Documents might 
perhaps list it at 25 cents. 

"We have no reason to think that the Library 
of Congress would distribute it gratis, and I 
may point out that whatever Is sold by the 
Superintendent of Documents can be bought 
only at his office. He does not place copies on 
sale with other agents. Buying of the Docu- 
ment Office Is In most cases, I believe, and for 
most persons less convenient than buying of a 
bookseller, of the Library Bureau, or of the 
Publishing Board. I think, too, it should be 
a point of some pride with us to publish our 
rules ourselves. When Cutter's Rules were 
printed the A. L. A. had no Publishing Board 
and It was necessary to fall back on the Bureau 
of Education. Now we can take up a publica- 
tion of this kind without the least difficulty, 
having all the machinery; in operation to put 
it through, and we can sell It at a moderate 
price. Moreover, even at this price, it will be 
after two or three years at least, a source of 
some income. I should not urge this point if 
the profit went into private pockets, but since 
every cent is devoted to library Interests it IB 
proper to take this into consideration. Mr 
Hanson assures me that he will be quite as 
well pleased to have the Rules Issued by the 
Publishing Board. So far as convenience to 
him goes he is, he tells me, entirely indifferent. 
The Library of Congress has been very gener- 
ous in putting the whole into print for us, but 
this was done on the distinct understanding 
that it had no bearing on the question of ultim- 
ate publication. The Board will print the new 
'List of subject headings.' The Rules is a com- 
panion tool used in the same way, and it would 
be a pity that both should not be published by 
the same body. 

"The Publishing Board will be obliged If you 
will see that the statements In this letter are 
laid before the proper body for its information 
in deciding the question of publication. 
Very truly yours, 

(Signed) WM. C. LANE." 



COUNCIL 



303 



Mr Wellman for the Publishing board 
then made a verbal statement confirming 
the attitude of the Board as expressed in 
the foregoing letters. After discussion it 
was Voted, That the Council adopt the code 
of rules as submitted, and that the Cata- 
log rules committee be authorized to pro- 
ceed with such further negotiations as may 
be necessary in order to harmonize any 
differences as to details still existing be- 
tween the British and American commit- 
tees, and to definitely formulate the rules 
in final form. Voted further, That the 
printing and publication of the rules be 
referred to the incoming Executive board. 

Committee on Public documents. A com- 
munication from the chairman of the Com- 
mittee on Public documents, recommend- 
ing the formation of a Committee on 
Federal legislation, was referred to the 
Executive board with power. 

Financial reports. Voted, That the an- 
nual report of the treasurer shall be pre- 
pared and placed in the hands of all mem- 



bers of the Council two weeks before each 
annual meeting. Voted, That the full 
financial reports of the Association, includ- 
ing detailed list of all investments, be 
published in the "A. L. A. Bulletin" in the 
number preceding the conference. 

Term of president. Voted, That it is the 
sense of the Council that the term of the 
president should be at least two years. 

Rooming. Voted, That at the next con- 
ference the rooming be in charge of the 
local committee. 

Program. Voted, That the Program com- 
mittee be instructed to limit the length of 
papers read in meetings of sections of the 
Association to 1500 words. Voted, That 
the incoming president be instructed to 
appoint four ushers to look after details 
of arrangement, comfort of members, 
meeting rooms, etc., at the next confer- 
ence. 

Council adjourned. 

J. I. WYER, JR., Secretary. 



POST-CONFERENCE 



It's little they know of the Blue Ridge 
who did not go to Toxaway! 

From the south porch of Battery Park 
hotel we saw the worthy peak of Pisgah, 
with the Rat gnawing at its Dase. As the 
crow flies it is 16 miles to its summit. 
Another 25 miles beyond it, straight on to 
the southwest, is the great Hog-Back, the 
tip of which has been named Toxaway 
Red Bird mountain. At Toxaway's foot 
lies the lake, and by the lake is the Inn 
and there we were. 

The journey is four hours by train up 
the French Broad and its tributaries, the 
last few miles in a narrow valley which 
ends in a picturesque gorge. Leaving this, 
the train rolls out to the margin of a broad 
lake, and we are on the Atlantic instead of 
the Mississippi slope, and at Toxaway Inn, 
3,000 feet above the sea. 

A few years ago a company of men of 
means, moved by the spirit of the Blue 
mountains, bought 40,000 acres of land in 
this region. For those who are slow in 
arithmetic let me say that this is about 
60 square miles; and that the Biltmore 
tract is more than three times this area. 
The mountains here are not properly built 
for lakes; but the industrious promoters 
provided the conditions nature had denied, 
and made three lakes of which Toxaway is 
the largest. It has no air of artificiality; 
but seems to fit the landscape to perfec- 
tion. 

Then the company built three inns, one 
on each of the lakes. Of these Toxaway 
is the largest, holding over 400 guests. 
Then they built new roads, and improved 
the old ones, and laid out trails, and 
stocked lakes and streams with fish, and 
patrolled the forests, and preserved the 
game. 

The Inn is most attractive. In two great 
rooms, connected by a broad hall, are huge 
fireplaces. Here fires of four foot logs 
were always burning, and here our party 
of 70 frequently gathered; by day when it 



rained hard, and it did rain and always 
for the long evenings. 

On top of Toxaway mountain is a hunt- 
ing lodge of good proportions; from the 
lodge's roof rises a proper chimney; upon 
this chimney in triumphal state and royal 
solitude at 5 p. m. on a certain post- 
conference day, sat the editor from Chi- 
cago, in her right mind and a sun bonnet 
This editorial domination of chimney, 
lodge and Toxaway mountain was easily 
the one foremost and memorable event of 
our Iliad of the Blue Ridge. 

Mount Toxaway stands alone, and from 
it we learned more of all that the Blue 
Ridge can tell a hasty visitor than many 
score miles of walk and drive along its 
valleys could convey to us. For the facts 
consult Charles Egbert Craddock; for at- 
tempts to report impressions, consult her 
also. The mountains are abrupt, and again 
gently sloping; the valleys are here deep 
and narrow gulfs, there broad and peace- 
ful meadows; the cloud-shadows and the 
sunlight chase one another across the 
scene and make the view now sombre, and 
then gay; the blues of the successive 
ranges are of shades most exquisite; and 
the most distant hills are like walls of 
opalescent glass. All these things are 
true and many others equally gracious to 
the eyes, are also true of the southern end 
of the Blue Ridge; and all are too fine in 
quality to bear translation into a mere 
librarian's words. Which confession of 
weakness in words brings us back at once 
to the editor, still ruling all her eye sur- 
veys from a chimney-top in the wilder- 
ness. 

You climb Mount Toxaway on foot, un- 
less you are feeble or lazy, and then you 
are drawn there by a pair of mules, or are 
ingloriously carried up on a horse. No 
mention need be made of the unimagina- 
tive ones, if there were such, who drove 
or went on horseback; the glory of the 
day and the joy of acquisition all belong- 



POST-CONFERENCE 



305 



Ing to that large majority which went on 
foot. 

A little naphtha launch took us across 
the lake to a landing at the foot of the 
mountain. A strong man, his mind set 
simply on achievement and with no 
thought of joy, can climb the two miles, 
with its two thousand feet of rise, to the 
mountain top in an hour. One of the 
legends of St Joseph says he did it in less; 
but this story was subjected, much to its 
detriment, to higher criticism by the sage 
of Baltimore. A few took their mid-day 
meal and umbrellas in their hands and 
went in the morning. Let all others do 
the same. The marvellously varied vege- 
tation of the forest; the laurel bushes, 
which are truly trees, smothered in 
blooms; the huge azalias and rhododen- 
drons, also more like trees than shrubs; 
the beeches, tulip trees, walnut and scores 
of others unfamiliar to northern eyes; the 
pauses by the way to rest at spots too fas- 
cinating to pass in haste; and the views 
through the trees of the valleys, lake and 
mountains as the path led upward, all 
these were fully seen and properly appre- 
ciated only by the few who begun their 
mountain day in the morning, and did not 
begrudge the upward climb the three 
hours which are its due. 

Later came the throng. For all of the 
party this was the Post-Conference event. 
And last of all came the editor, bristling 
with determination, but lacking wind; say- 
ing often, "How far?", but also "I will!" 

She did; she was hailed as victor; she 
was placed on the chimney-top; and she 
safely returned; part of her walking and 
part of her carried by an angel from Wis- 
consin. 

Other scenes, other adventures, by other 
persons, must also be noted. 

The mountains abound in falls; leading 
to these falls are roads or trails. Some 
collected these falls much as the be-cat- 
aloged visitor collects paintings in art 
gallery. These only bumped over the 
needed miles of frightful roads, checked 
off the falls as they came in view and 
ehouted, "Next." The writer has prepared 



a little brochure on "How not to rush 
'round at a Post-Conference," which he 
will send on request to those who would 
see sights for the sight's sake. Still, there 
are excuses to be made for the seeing 
habit. At Toxaway, beautiful as is the 
Inn, delightful as were the great open fires, 
attractive as were the bowling alleys, far 
more beautiful still were lake, woods, and 
mountains; and so, in spite of much rain, 
"going somewhere" was the unescapable 
determination. 

The Executive promised to eaten fish for 
our breakfasts, but found the rains were 
too wet even at that altitude. An ardent 
Library Spirit tried to improve the literary 
taste of one of the local children, and was 
promptly told that she "Can't get that child 
to read any Elsie books." The zeal of the 
Social Settler and general uplifter was 
checked by the discovery that her first 
object was a college graduate studying 
forestry in the hills. The western sociol* 
ogist who wanted a little moonshine whis- 
key to give verisimilitude to his conclu- 
sions, found that the blue-eyed native on 
whom he began his search was the sheriff 
of the region. And so joy and disappoint- 
ment were mixed for us all. 

Of Toxaway's waterfalls, the best are 
the Horse pasture, 175 feet high, abundant, 
and set in a glorious rocky glen. The 
Amazonian Jehu who drove a pair of 
mules, to a wagon carrying six, over the 
road to these falls, holds a prize for 
achievement second only to the editor's. 
Lacking both the Maryland Pathfinder and 
the Chicago Scientist, the party naturally 
lost their way. The decision to turn 
round and look elsewhere was reached at 
a point where the road was just the width 
of the wagon with a hill on one side much 
too steep to climb, and on the other too 
steep to slide. How that turn was made 
shall never be told. It was a function, a 
masterpiece of mechanics, and an exhibi- 
tion of piloting by Jehu and of response 
by mules the which, if told, would mark 
the teller as another nature-fakir. It is 
not true that one of the mules helped the 
other to climb a tree. 



806 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Soon after this, and just as the party 
had learned that the proper place to turn 
was only a hundred yards beyond, they 
met the Chicago Scientist travelling by 
map as is his wont, and on the proper 
road to Horse pasture, or course. He will 
now understand the little feeling of discon- 
tent which led the lost ones to urge him 
to "drive on and ask no questions." 

J. C. D. 

REPORT ON GIFTS AND BEQUESTS 
TO AMERICAN LIBRARIES, 1906. 

ARKANSAS 

Fort Smith. $25,000 from Andrew Carne- 
gie. 

Little Rock. $50,000 from Andrew Car- 
negie. 

CALIFORNIA 

Santa Paula. Public library. $10,000 for 
a public library building from Nathan 
W. Blanchard on condition that $5000 
more be raised. 

CONNECTICUT 

Darien. $5000 from Andrew Carnegie. 
Not accepted. 

Deep River. $15,000 from Andrew Car- 
negie. 

New Haven. Public library. $300,000 for 
library building from Mrs Mary B. Ives. 

Yale university library. Library of 

Prof. James M. Hoppin. 

New London. Public library. $40,000 be- 
quest of Mrs Henry Cecil Haven avail- 
able on death of her husband and sister. 

Norwalk. Public library. One of 6 bronze 
replicas of the Pompeiian bust of 
Homer, from Gen. A. Homer Bylngton. 

Tolland. Tolland library. $10,000 by will 
of Ratcliffe Hicks. 

GEORGIA 

Atlanta. Georgia school of technology. 
$20,000 for library building from Andrew 
Carnegie. 

Carnegie library. Collection of works 

of southern poets made by Jennie Thorn- 
ley Clarke. 



Mi Hedge ville. Georgia normal and indus- 
trial college. $15,000 from Andrew Car- 
negie on condition that an equal sum be 
raised for maintenance. 

ILLINOIS 

Clinton. Col. V. Warner has offered to 
give a site and build a $10,000 library 
provided the city will maintain it. 

Decatur. Y. M. C. A. $23,000 from Betz- 
ner estate for library purposes. 

Galena. $12,500 from citizen of the town 
to meet the gift of Andrew Carnegie 
recorded in 1905. 

Genoa. $1000 for public library and read- 
ing room from Samuel Stiles. 

Monmouth. Warren County library asso- 
ciation. $40,000 for library building of- 
fered by executors of estate of late Dr 
Henry Tubbs on condition that the As- 
sociation shall raise $10,000. 

$2,086.73 by will of William P. Press- 

iy. 

Quincy. Public library. Electric lights 
from C. H. Fosgate, proprietor of the 
Newcomb hotel, wires attached to the 
current of electricity supplied the hotel. 

INDIAN TERRITORY 

South Manchester. $15,000 from Andrew 
Carnegie. 

INDIANA 

Cambridge City. Rev. Mr Caldwell of 
Dublin has offered to furnish funds to 
support a library and reading room for 
the benefit of young men if the Helen 
Hunt Club will agree to manage same. 

Frankfort. $5,000 additional from Andrew 
Carnegie. 

Kendallville. Flint and Walling, wind-mill 
manufacturers, will provide a mechanics' 
free library. 

Rochester. $5,000 additional from Andrew 
Carnegie. 

IOWA 

Ames. Iowa State college. 500 volumes, 
the economic library of George N. Catt 
from Mrs Catt. 



GIFTS AND BEQUESTS 



307 



iowa City. Public library. $1000 for books 
from the heirs of the late L. B. Patter- 
son. 

Iowa Falls. Ellsworth college. $10,000 
from Andrew Carnegie. 

Muscat inc. Public library. Collection of 
curios from heirs of James Weir valued 
at $100,000. 

Pallas. $10,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

Pel la. $10,000 from Andrew Carnegie, for 
a public library. 

Stuart. $6,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

KANSAS 

Arkansas City. $16,000 from Andrew Car- 
negie. 

Baldwin. Baker college. $25,000 from An- 
drew Carnegie to complete library build- 
ing provided $75,000 be raised for en- 
dowment. 

Great Bend. $12,500 from Andrew Carne- 
gie. 

McPherson. $2,000 additional from An- 
drew Carnegie. 

KENTUCKY 

Louisville. Free public library. $200,000 
from Andrew Carnegie for 8 branch 
library buildings. 

MAINE 

Biddeford. McArthur free public library. 
$1,000 toward the permanent fund from 
Thomas Wigglesworth of Boston. 

Lliot. $50,000 from Dr J. S. H. Fogg, for 
a library building to cost, exclusive of 
furnishings, $10,000. and his private li- 
brary valued at $10,000. 

Ellsworth. City library. $3,000 from John 
DeLaitre of Minneapolis. 

Waterville. Free library. $500 and a large 
number of books by will of Miss Alice 
Getchell of Cambridge, Mass. 

MARYLAND. 

Baltimore. Enoch Pratt free library. $500,- 
000 from Andrew Carnegie for 20 branch 
libraries. 

Sites for four of them from Francis 
A. White, Mortimer W. West, the For- 
est Park Improvement Assoc. and Rob- 
ert S. Carswell. 



Johns Hopkins university library. 944 

volumes, being the old Warrington dis- 
pensary library of Liverpool, from Wil- 
liam S. Marburg. 

936 volumes, the library of Frederick 
Ahlfeld, of Marburg university, Ger- 
many, from Francis M. Jencks. 

MASSACHUSETTS 

Andover. $25,000 for library and memo- 
rial hall by will of Mrs Helen G. Co- 
burn. 

Ash by. Public library. $3,000 by will of 
Mrs Mary R. Hall of Keene, N. H. 

Boston. Diocesan library. Half of estate 
of Rev. Edmund F. Slafter. 

Mass, historical society. $500 by will 

of Rev. Edmund F. Slafter. 

New England historical and genealo- 
cal society. $500 by will of Rev. Ed- 
mund F. Slafter. 

Cambridge. Episcopal theological school. 
One-half net income of a trust fund 
created from estate of Rev. Edmund F. 
Slafter. 

East Douglas. Public library. $6000 by 
will of James Smith. 

Foxboro. Boyden library. $500 for books 
by will of Mrs S. Almira Alden on death 
of her son. 

Lee. $500 from Curtis Judd of Dwight, 
111., toward the new library building. 

Leominster. Public library. $500 from es- 
tate of John C. Stratton. 

Oakham. $6000 for a public library from 
Mrs Celia E. Fobes and her daughter 
Mrs Harriet F. Gifford. 

Stoneham. Free public library. Bequest 
of Georgiana M. Dike. 

Warren. Public library. $1,000 by will 
of Mary G. Hitchcock after the death 
of Mr and Mrs D. G. Hitchcock. 

Westboro. Public library. $2,000 by will 
of Ellen M. B. Winch. $2,500 toward 
building fund from Melvin H. Walker. 

MICHIGAN 

Hillsdale. Mitchell homestead valued at 
$20,000 for a public library by will of 
Charles L. Mitchell. 



808 



ASHEVILLE -CONFERENCE 



$10,000 also for purchase of books and 
maintenance. 

Ho well. $15,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 
Quincy. $10,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

MINNESOTA 

St Paul. Hamline university. $30,000 
from Andrew Carnegie provided a like 
sum be raised for endowment. 

Zumbrota. $5,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

NEBRASKA 

Geneva. A 21 years' lease on the old 
postofflce room from Dr H. L. Smith, 
to be used for the H. L. Smith library. 

Tecumseh. $6,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

NEW HAMPSHIRE 

Hanover. Dartmouth college library. $1,000 
for a library fund by will of Rev. Ed- 
mund P. Slafter. 

Lancaster. $15,000 for library building 
from John W. Weeks. 

Nashua. Public library. $15,000 from a 
bequest of $50,000 made in 1904 from 
Daniel Hussey. 

New Ipswich. Public library. $10,000 by 
will of Mary M. B. Whitman of Wash- 
ington, D. C. 

NEW JERSEY 

Bernardville. Bernardville library. $200 
for purchase of books from F. P. Olcott. 

Bridgeton. Library association. $500 by 
will of Percival Nichols. 

East Orange. Free public library. $20,- 
000 from Andrew Carnegie for two 
branch library buildings. 

Flemington. $10,000 to establish a public 
library by will of Dr William H. Bartles. 
Site from Hyman E. Deats. 

Kearney. $25,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

Morristown. $20,000 library by will of late 
William B. Skidmore. 

Perth Amboy. Public library. $450 ad- 
ditional from Andrew Carnegie for in- 
stalling seats in auditorium. 

Rahway. Public library. $28,000 from 
Miss Lucy H. Eddy died in 1879 and 
Mrs Polluck died 1903, after legal con- 
tests since 1903. 



Union Hill. Free public library. $500 
from estate of Dr A. W. Warden. 

NEW YORK. 

Auburn. Case memorial library. Portraits 
in marble of T. P. Case and wife in 
whose memory the library was erected. 

Geneseo. Wadsworth library. 5,000 vol- 
umes valued at $50,000 by will of Martin 
Brimmer. Also case of Arundel prints 
and a Barye bronze. 

Jamestown. James Prendergast free li- 
brary. $1,000 in trust by will of Eliah 
F. Hall to purchase books. 

McGrawville. Mrs Daniel S. Lamont has 
offered to fit up and store with books a 
library, located in the Lamont residence 
and will meet all expenses for the first 
year. 

New York. Columbia university library. 
Musical library of the late Anton Seidl 
valued at $10,000. 

$500 for purchase of books from 
Isaac N. Seligman. 

Public library. 41 impressions of 

plates by J. AWen Weir and his recent 
line engraving Arcturus. 

New York historical society library. 

5247 volumes, the library of Rufus King 
from Mrs Charles Ray King and daugh- 
ter Mary Rhinelander King. 

Olson. $25,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

Poughkeepsie. Adriance memorial library. 
3000 volumes from Miss Elizabeth M. 
Weeks and Miss Caroline B. Weeks, 
being the private library of their father 
James M. Weeks. 

Riverhead. $5000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

Seneca Falls. Library association. $5000 
by will of Wilhelmus Myndersee. 

$500 by will of Miss Eliza A. Pollard. 

NORTH CAROLINA 

Charlotte. Carnegie library. 1000 vol- 
umes from Judge W. P. Bynum's private 
library. 

High Point. $15,000 from Andrew Car- 
negie. 

NORTH DAKOTA 

University. University of No. Dakota. 
$30,000 from Andrew Carnegie on con- 



GIFTS AND BEQUESTS 



309 



dition that $5,000 is appropriated annu- 
ally for maintenance. 

OHIO 

Canal Dover. Amer. Sheet Steel Co. gives 
the books and fixtures in its reading 
room and library which has been main- 
tained by the company for 3 years. 
Value $2500. 

Findlay. $35,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

Lebanon. Public library. $3500 from Wm. 
E. Harmon of New York of which $2500 
is to be used to complete new Carnegie 
building and $1000 for books and peri- 
odicals. 

Millersburg. $15,000 and a site for a 
county public library from Dr S. P. 
Wise. 

Newark. Denison university. $40,000 for 
a library building from Andrew Carnegie 
provided an equal amount be raised for 
endowment. 

Oberlin. Oberlin college. $34,000 from 
Dr C. N. Lyman of Wadsworth towards 
$100,000 endowment required by Andrew 
Carnegie as a condition of his gift of 
$125,000. 

Shelby. Marvin memorial library. $2000. 

Toledo. Public library. 218 medical 
works from the library of the late Dr 
Harrison Hathaway. 

PENNSYLVANIA 

Pennsburg. Perkiomen seminary. $20,000 
from Andrew Carnegie for library build- 
ing provided an equal amount be raised 
for endowment fund. 

Pittsburg. $150,000 from Andrew Carne- 
gie for branch library at Homewood. 

Swarthmore. Swarthmore college library. 
$50,000 from Andrew Carnegie provided 
an equal amount is raised for endow- 
ment. 

York. 9000 volumes, the library of Rev. 
Charles James Woods to be converted 
into a city library. 

RHODE ISLAND 

North Stonington. Wheeler high school. 
$100,000 by will of Henry Dwight 



Wheeler to be used in part for library 
purposes. 

Providence. Brown university library. 
800-900 volumes from Lester F. Ward. 

3000 volumes from George W. Harris 
in memory of his father Luther M. Har- 
ris, Brown '61. Also lot of paintings, 
pieces of sculpture, pottery, glass and 
bronze. 

106 autograph letters of George Henry 
Calvert from Hortense Webster. 

Public library. $5000 from estate of 

late Alfred Metcalf through his widow, 
Mrs Rose C. Metcalf. 

SOUTH DAKOTA 

Madison. $10,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

Redfield. Redfield college. $15,000 from 
Andrew Carnegie for library building 
when college endowment of $50,00* 
reaches $100,000. 

TEXAS 
Abilene. $25,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

VERMONT 

Hardwick. $10,000 by will of Mrs Jene- 

vine. 
Northfield. $20,000 library built by George 

W. Brown. 

Rockingham. $15,000 from Andrew Carne- 
gie accepted and then vote to accept 

rescinded. 
Waterbury. Public library. $10,000 trust 

fund by will of Mrs Horace Fales. 
Thetford. Latham library. $599 by will 

of Rev. Edmund F. Slafter. 
White River Junction. $12,000 and site 

from Amos Barnes. 

VIRGINIA 

Lexington. Washington & Lee university 
library. $5000 from the Rockefeller 
fund of the General Education Fund. 

Norfolk. Public library. $1000 from es- 
tate of Edward W. James. 

Richmond. $200,000 from Andrew Carne- 
gie. 



810 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



Williamsburg. William and Mary college. 
$2000 for library by will of Edward W. 
James. 

WASHINGTON 
Aberdeen. $15,000 from Andrew Carnegie. 

WISCONSIN 

Janesville. Public library. $500 by will 
of Stanley Smith. 

Stoughton. $3000 additional from Andrew 
Carnegie. 

Appleton. Lawrence university. $4000 ad- 
ditional from Andrew Carnegie. 

ATTENDANCE REGISTER.* 

Abbreviations: P., Free; P., Public; L., Li- 
brary; Ln., Librarian; As., Assistant; Tr., 
Trustee; Ref., Reference; Cat., Cataloger; 
Br., Branch; Sen., School. 

Adams, Miss 8. H., As. P. L., Charlotte, 

N. C. 

t Ahern, Mary E., Editor Public Libraries, 
Chicago, 111. 

Allen, Carrie S., As. Children's Ln., P. L., 
Milton, Mass. 

Anderson, Edwin H., Director State L., 

Albany, N. Y. 

t Andrews, Clement W., Ln. The John Cre- 
rar L., Chicago, 111. 

Andrews, Elsie V., As. State Normal 

Coll., Ypsilanti, Mich, 
t Askew, Sarah B., Organizer P. L. Com- 
mission, Trenton, N. J. 

Austen, Willard H., Ref. Ln. Cornell 
Univ. L., Ithaca, N. Y. 

Babbitt, Grace E., As. P. L., Washington, 
D. C. 

Babine, Alexis V., L. of Congress, Wash- 
ington, D. C. 

Bailey, Arthur L., Ln. Wilmington Inst. 
F. L., Wilmington, Del. 

Baldwin, Annie N., Asheville, N. C. 

*t Went to Lake Toxaway. 



t Baldwin, Elizabeth G., Ln. Teachers' 
Coll. L., N. Y. City. 

Bardwell, Willis A., As. Ln. P. L., Brook- 
lyn, N. Y. 

Bardwell, Mrs Willis A., Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Barnwell, James G., Ln. Library Co. of 

Phila., Philadelphia, Pa. 
t Barr, Charles J., As. Ln. The John Cre- 
rar L., Chicago, 111. 

Bartlett, Mrs A. C., Tr. L. Assoc., Ashe- 
ville, N. C. 

Baskette, G. H., Tr. Carnegie L., Nash- 
ville, Tenn. 

Bates, Margaret, As. P. L., Chattanooga, 
Tenu. 

Bath, Eva M., Boston, Mass. 

Baugham, Mary M., Ln. Kennedy F. L., 
Spartensburg, S. C. 

Belden, Charles F. D., As. Ln. Harvard 
Law L., Cambridge, Mass. 

Berglund, Emma, Moline, 111. 

Bliss, Robert P., F. L. Commission, Har- 
risburg, Pa. 

Bond, Mrs Carrie W., Ln. State L., Chey- 
enne, Wyoming. 

Bostwick, Arthur E., Chief Circulating 
Dept. P. L., N. Y. City. 

Bowker, Richard R., Editor Library Jour- 
nal, N. Y. City. 

Bowker, Mrs Richard R., Stockbridge, 
Mass. 

Bradley, Isaac S., Ln. and As. Supt. State 
Hist. Soc., Madison, Wis. 

Breedlove, Joseph P., Ln. Trinity Coll. L., 
Durham, N. C. 

Brett, William H., Ln. P. L., Cleveland, 
Ohio. 

Briggs, Walter B., Ref. Ln. P. L., Brook- 
lyn, N. Y. 

Brigham, Johnson, Ln. State L., Des 

Moines, la. 

t Brinkmann, Edith, Ln. Widener Br. F. L., 
Philadelphia, Pa. 

Brooks, Charles C., 425 E. 15th St., N. Y. 
City. 

Brown, Mrs Alice H., As. P. L., N. Y. 
City. 

Brown, Charles H., Ref. Ln. The John 
Crerar L., Chicago, 111. 

Brown, Demarchus C., Ln. State L., In- 
dianapolis, Ind. 



ATTENDANCE 



311 



Brown, Nellie B., As. P. L., Washington, 
D. C. 

Brown, Walter L., Ln. P. L., Buffalo, 

N. Y. 

t Browne, Nina E., Sec'y A. L. A. Publish- 
ing Board, 34 Newbury St., Boston, 
Mass. 

t Browning, Eliza G., Ln. P. L., Indianap- 
olis, Ind. 

Budington, Ethel, Supt. Periodical Dept. 
Columbia Univ. L., N. Y. City. 

Bullock, Edna D., Cat. Theological Sem- 
inary, Rochester, N. Y. 

Burdick, Esther E., Ln. F. P. L., Jersey 
City, N. J. 

Burnet, Duncan, Ln. Univ. of Georgia L., 

Athens, Ga. 

t Burns, William S., 1424 llth St., Wash- 
ington, D. C. 

Burpee, Lawrence J., Ln. P. L., Ottawa, 
Ont. 

Butler, Harold L., Ln. American Law L., 
N. Y. City. 

Caldwell, Bettie D., Ln. P. L., Greens- 
boro, N. C. 

Carey, Miriam E., Ln. State Institutions, 
Iowa Board of Control, Des Moines, la. 

Cargill, Joseph V., Supt. Circulating Dept. 

P. L., Milwaukee, Wis. 
t Carr, Henry J., Ln. P. L., Scranton, Pa. 
t Carr, Mrs Henry J., Scranton, Pa. 

Carson, Ann C., As. Univ. of Pa. L., Phil- 
adelphia, Pa. 

Chapin, Artena M., Ln. P. L., Muncie, 
Ind. 

Chenev, John V., Ln. Newberry L., Chi- 
cago, 111. 

Chivers, Cedric, Bookbinder, Brooklyn, 
N. Y. 

Clark, George T.. Ln. P. L., San Francis- 
co, Cal. 

Cloud, Josephine P., Supt. of Circulation 
P. L , Minneapolis, Minn. 

Cobb, Mrs M. B., As. Ln. State L., At- 
lanta, Ga. 

Coffin, Jennie H., Olivia Raney L., Ral- 
eigh, N. C. 

Colt, Bertha, As. Ln. Bloomingdale Br. 
P. L., N. Y. City. 

Cole, Theodore L., Law Bookseller, 
Washington, D. C. 



t Comstock, Mrs C. H., Indianapolis, Ind. 

Cooley, Genevieve S., As. L. of Congress, 
Washington, D. C. 

Coolidge, Elsie W., Cat. P. L., Boston, 

Mass. 

t Corey, Deloraine P., Member F. P. L. 
Commission of Mass, and Tr. P. L., 
Maiden, Mass, 
t Corey, Mrs Deloraine P., Maiden, Mass. 

Corwin, Euphemia K., Ln. Berea Coll. L., 
Berea, Ky. 

Countryman, Gratia A., Ln. P. L., Minne- 
apolis, Minn. 

Crampton, Susan C., As. Ref. Dept. Car- 
negie L., Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Crossley, Frederic B., Ln. Northwest- 
ern Univ. Law Sch. L., Evanston, 111. 

Cutter, William P., Ln. Forbes L., North- 
ampton, Mass. 

Dacus, Mrs J., Ln. Carnegie L., Rock 
Hill, S. C. 

Daggett, Caroline M., Head Cat. P. L., 

Syracuse, N. Y. 

t Dana, John C., Ln. F. P. L., Newark, 
N. J. 

Daniels, George C., Agent Southern R. R., 
Boston, Mass. 

Daniels, Joseph F., Ln. State Agricul- 
tural Coll. L., Fort Collins, Col. 
t Darlington, Genevieve, As. The John Cre- 
rar L., Chicago, 111. 

Davidson, Mrs T. F., Asheville, N. C. 

Davis, Edna, As. Syracuse Univ. L., Syr- 
acuse, N. Y. 

Davis, T. W., Ln. Agricultural and Me- 
chanical Coll. L., Agricultural College, 
Miss. 

Dean, Claude M., Ln. U. S. Circuit Court 

of Appeals, Richmond, Va. 
t Dickinson, Sarah S., As. The John Crerar 

L., Chicago, 111. 
t Dickinson, Mrs William C., Chicago, 111. 

Dignan, Frank W., Univ. of Chicago 
Press, Chicago, 111. 

Dill, Minnie A., Cat. F. P. L., Decatur, 111. 

Dissette, Blanche J., As. P. L., Cleveland, 
Ohio. 

Dobbins, Elizabeth V., Elmhurst Br. 
Queens Borough L., Long Island, N. Y. 
t Dougherty, Anna R., As. P. L., Philadel- 
phia, Pa. 



312 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Downey, Mary E., Ln. P. L., Ottumwa, la. 

Drake, Jeannette M., Ln. P. L., Jackson- 
ville, 111. 

Drury, Francis K. W., Order Ln. Univ. 
of 111. L., Urbana, 111. 

Dudley, Charles R., Ln. P. L., Denver, 
Col. 

Dugger, Alice B., Ln. State Female Nor- 
mal Sch., Farmville, Va. 

Dunlap, Margaret, Ln. P. L., Chattanoo- 
ga, Tenn. 

Du Pr6, Mary S., Ln. Wafford Coll. L., 
Spartansburg, S. C. 

Durlin, Maud, Ln. P. L., Oshkosh, Wis. 

Durnett, Mrs J. E., Ln. Port Richmond 

Br. P. L., N. Y. City, 
t Dyer, Margaret C., Aid In Charge of 
Reading Room, U. S. National Museum, 
Washington, D. C. 

t Earl, Mrs Elizabeth C., P. L. Commis- 
sion of Indiana, Connersville, Ind. 

Eastman, Linda A., Vice Ln. P. L., Cleve- 
land, Ohio. 

Eger, Bertha, Cat. Astor Br. P. L., N. Y. 
City. 

Eggers, Edward E., Ln. Carnegie F. L., 
Allegheny, Pa. 

Elliott, Julia E., Instructor F. L. Commis- 
sion, Madison, Wis. 

Elmore, Laura M., Ln. L. Assoc., Mont- 
gomery, Ala. 

Erwin, Ann T., As. Ln. L. Assoc., Ashe- 
ville, N. C. 

Evans, Mrs Alice G., Ln. P. L., Decatur, 
111. 

Evans, Edward S., As. Ln. State L., Rich- 
mond, Va. 

Everhart, Elfrida, As. Ref. Dept. Carne- 
gie L., Atlanta, Ga. 

Everhart, Ethel, Student Southern L. 
Sch., Atlanta, Ga. 

Farr, Mary P., L. Organizer, Philadel- 
phia, Pa. 
t Faxon, Frederick W.. Manager L. Dept., 

Boston Book Co., Boston, Mass, 
t Faxon, Mrs Frederick W., Jamaica Plain. 
Mass. 

Feazel, Ernest A., Ln. Cleveland Law L. 
Assoc., Cleveland, O. 

Fichtenkam, Alice C., Cat. Office Supt. of 
Documents. Washington, N. C. 



Field, Mrs A- M., Secy. L. Assoc., Ashe- 
ville, N. C. 

Fitz Simons, Ellen M., Ln. L. Soc., 
Charleston, S. C. 

Fleming, Esther M., Student Winona 
Technical Inst., Indianapolis, Ind. 

Flexner, Jennie M., As. P. L., Louisville, 
Ky. 

Foote, Elizabeth L., Instructor of Train- 
ing Class, P. L., N. Y. City, 
t Forstall, Gertrude, As. The John Crerar 
L., Chicago, 111. 

Forsyth, Walter G., As. P. L., Boston, 
Mass. 

Foster, Mary S., As. State Hist. Soc., 
Madison, Wis. 

Fox, Nelly, As. L. Assoc., Portland, Ore. 
t Foye, Charlotte H., As. The John Crerar 

L., Chicago, 111. 

t Fritz, Rozilla G., 520 Madison Ave., 
Scranton, Pa. 

Galbreath, Charles B., Ln. State L., Co- 
lumbus, O. 

Galbreath, Mrs Ida K., Ln. Traveling L. 
Dept State L., Columbus, O. 

Ganley, Marie, Cat. P. L., Detroit, Mich. 

Gawthrop, Edith N., Head Circulation 

Dept., flniv. of Pa., Philadelphia, Pa. 
t Gay, Alice M., As. Conn. Hist. Soc., Hart- 
ford, Conn. 

Gerould, James T., Ln. Univ. of Minne- 
sota L., Minneapolis, Minn. 

Gilbert, Frank B., Law Ln. State L., Al- 
bany, N. Y. 

Gilbert, Lucy B., Attendant Art Gallery, 
P. L., Minneapolis, Minn. 

Gill, Henry M., Ln. P. L., New Orleans, 
La. 

Gillis, Donald, Vice-Pros. L. Assoc., Ashe- 
ville, N. C. 

Gilmore, Lucian B., As. Ln. P. L., Detroit, 
Mich. 

Gilmore, Mrs Lucian B., Detroit, Mich. 

Godard, George S., Ln. State L., Hart- 
ford, Conn. 

Godard, Mrs George S., Hartford, Conn. 

Goddard, Edward M., As. Ln. State L., 
Montpelier, Vt. 

Goddard, Mrs Edward M., Montpelier, Vt. 
t Goding, Sarah E., 1st As. F. L., Philadel- 
phia, Pa. 



ATTENDANCE 



SIS 



Gooch, Harriet B., Head Cat. Dept. F. P. 
L., Louisville, Ky. 

Goode, Rose, As. State L., Richmond, Va. 

Gould, Charles H., Ln. McGill Univ. L., 
Montreal, P. Q., Canada. 

Gould, H. A., L. Dept. A. C. McClurg & 
Co., Chicago, 111. 

Grant, Mrs F. Rogers, Asheville, N. C. 

Green, Samuel S., Ln. F. P. L. Worces- 
ter, Mass. 

t Greene, Frances Nimmo, Sec'y L. Div. 
Southern Education Assoc., Montgom- 
ery, Ala. 

Guittard, Claude B., Chief Periodical 
Division, L. of Congress, Washington, 
D. C. 

t Hackett, Irene A., Ln. American Book 
Co., N. Y. City. 

Hadley, Chalmers R., State L. Commis- 
sion, Indianapolis, Ind. 

Hafner, Alfred, Bookseller, N. Y. City. 

Hafner, Mrs Alfred, N. Y. City. 

Haines, Helen E., Managing Editor 
Library Journal, N. Y. City. 

Hammond, Laura, Ln. Georgia Sch. of 
Technology, Atlanta, Ga. 

Hanson, James C. M., Chief Cat. Division, 

L. of Congress, Washington, D. C. 
t Hartwell, Mary A., Cat. Office Supt of 
Documents, Washington, D. C. 

Hasse, Adelaide R., As. P. L., N. Y. City. 

Hassler, Harriot E., Children's Ln. L. 
Assoc., Portland, Ore. 

Hastings, Charles H., As. in Charge of 
Card Section L. of Congress, Wash- 
ington, D. C. 

Hawkins, Eleanor E., Cat. P. L., Buffalo, 
N. Y. 

Hawkins, Emma J., As. State L., Albany, 
N. Y. 

Hawley, Mary E., Cat. The John Crerar 
L., Chicago, 111. 

Hayes, Rutherford P., Asheville, N. C. 

Hayes, Mrs Rutherford P., Asheville, 
N. C. 

Hazeltine, Mary E., F. L. Commission, 
Madison, Wis. 

Hedrick, Ellen A., Cat. U. S. Geological 
Survey, Washington, D. C. 

Helm, James S.. J. M. Hanson's Maga- 
zine Agency, Lexington, Ky. 



Helm, Mrs James S., J. M. Hanson's 
Magazine Agency, Lexington, Ky. 

Henneman, John Bell, Prof, and Chair- 
man L. Committee Univ. of The South, 
Sewanee, Tenn. 

Hepburn, William M., Ln. Purdue Univ. 
L., Lafayette, Ind. 

Hewins, Caroline M., Ln. P. L., Hartford, 
Conn. 

Hewitt, Luther E., Ln. Law Assoc. of 
Phila., Philadelphia, Pa. 

Hild, Frederick H., Ln. P. L., Chicago, 
111. 

Hill, Mrs Frank P., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
t Hoagland, Merica, Director L. Sch. Wi- 
nona Technical Inst., Indianapolis, Ind. 

Hobart, Mrs Amy S., As. P. L., Cleve- 
land, O. 

Hodges, Nathaniel D. C., Ln. P. L., Cin- 
cinnati, O. 

Hodges, Mrs Nathaniel D. C., Cincinnati, 
O. 

Holderby, Lena, Student Southern L. 

Sch., Atlanta, Ga. 

t Holderman, Harriet, As. The John Cre- 
rar L., Chicago, 111. 

Hopkins, Anderson H., Ln. Carnegie L., 
Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Hopkins, Mrs Anderson H., Pittsburgh, 
Pa. 

Home, Hortense D., Student Southern 
L. Sch., Atlanta, Ga. 

Houghtelin, W. Clarence, As. Ln. Law L. 

Dept. of Justice, Washington, D. C. 
t Hovey, E. Clarence, Executive Office 
A. L. A., 34 Newbury St., Boston, Mass. 

Howe, Harriet E., Head Cat. State Univ. 
L., Iowa City, la. 

Howell, Elizabeth S., As. Princeton Univ., 
Princeton, N. J. 

Hubbard, Anna G., Ln. Broadway Br. P. 
L., Cleveland, O. 

Hubbell, Jane P., Ln. P. L., Rockford, 111. 

Hughes, Mrs Sallie C., Ln. Fairbanks 
Memorial L., Terre Haute, Ind. 

Hulce, Jennie A., As. The John Crerar 
L., Chicago, 111. 

Hume, Jessie F., Ln. Queens Borough L., 
Long Island City, N. Y. 

Humphrey, Gertrude P., Ln. P. Sch L., 
Lansing, Mich. 



814 



ASHEVILLB CONFERENCE 



Humphrey, Mary B., As. P. P. L., Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

Hurter, Florence D., As. P. L., Somer- 
ville, Mass. 

Hutcheson, David, Supt. Reading Room 
L. of Congress, Washington, D. C. 

Hyde, Sara G., As. U. S. Geological Sur- 
vey, Washington, D. C. 
t Hyde, Sophie G., As. The John Crerar L., 

Chicago, 111. 
t Ideson, Julia, Ln. P. L., Houston, Tex. 

Isom, Mary F., Ln. L. Assoc., Portland, 
Ore. 

Jacobson, Mrs Karen M., As. Ln. P. L. 
Commission, St. Paul, Minn. 

Jarvis, Mrs K. M., Ln. Carnegie L., Sel- 
ma, Ala. 

Jenkins, Frederick W., Care Charles 
Scribner's Sons, N. Y. City. 

Jessup, Mrs Jennie B., Ln. P. L., La 
Porte, Ind. 

Jessup, Luella W., Stenographer and 
Bookkeeper P. L., Grand Rapids, Mich. 

Johns, W. S., Washington, D. C. 

Johnson, Miss V. S., As. L. of Congress, 
Washington, D. C. 

Johnston, Charles D., Ln. Cossitt L., 
Memphis, Tenn. 

Johnston, W. Dawson, Division of Bibli- 
ography, L. of Congress, Washington, 
D. C. 

Jones, Ada A., Head Cat. State L., Al- 
bany, N. Y. 

Jones, Cecil K., Cat. Division L. of Con- 
gress, Washington, D. C. 

Jones, Gardner M., Ln. P. L., Salem, Mass. 

Jones, Mrs Gardner M., Salem, Mass. 

Jones, Grace M., Ln. L. Assoc., Asheville, 
N. C. 

Jones, Mrs Homer V., Norcross, Ga. 
t Jones. Mary E., Ln. Elizabeth Br. Car- 
negie F. L., Braddock, Pa. 

Jones, Ralph K., Ln. Univ. of Maine, 
Orono, Me. 

Jordan, Alice M., Custodian Children's 
Dept, Boston, Mass. 

Kearney, George, Ln. Dept. of Justice, 
Washington, D. C. 

Kelker, Luther R., Custodian Division 
Public Records, State L., Harrisburg, 
Pa. 



Kellam, Florence L., As. Carnegie L., 
Nashville, Tenn. 

Kelso, Tessa L., Care Baker and Taylor 
Co., N. Y. City. 

Kennedy, John P., Ln. State L., Rich- 
mond, Va. 

Keogh, Andrew, Ref. Ln. Yale Univ. L., 
New Haven, Conn. 

Kercheval, Margaret M., 1st As. Carnegie 
L., Nashville, Tenn. 

Kerschner, Constance, Student Southern 
L. Sch., Atlanta, Ga. 

Kimball, William C., Pres. New Jersey 
P. L. Commission and Tr. P. L., Pas- 
saic, N. J. 

King, John E., Ln. State L., St. Paul, 
Minn. 

King, Katherine, South Windsor, Ct. 

Kinsley, Lydla E., F. L. Commission L. 
Sch., Madison, Wis. 

Klingelsinith, Mrs Margaret C., Biddle 
Law L., Univ. of Pa., Philadelphia, Pa. 

Koch, Theodore W., Ln. Univ. of Michi- 
gan, Ann Arbor, Mich. 

Kohler, Minnie M., Ln. P. L., Moline, 111. 

Lambie, Mary, Student Southern L. Sch., 
Atlanta, Ga. 

Lancaster, Susan, Student Southern L. 

Sch., Atlanta, Ga. 

t Lane, Mrs Caroline M., Cambridge, Mass, 
t Lane, William C., Ln. Harvard Univ. L., 
Cambridge, Mass. 

Langworthy, Caroline V., Ref. Ln. State 
Univ. L., Iowa City, la. 

Lasky, Julia H., As. P. L., Washington, 
D. C. 

Latham, Calhoun, Ln. & Supt. P. L., 
Bridgeport, Conn. 

Laws, Anna A., As. L. of Congress, 
Washington, D. C. 

Lee, George W., Research Ln. Stone & 

Webster, Boston, Mass. 
t Legler, Henry E., Secy. F. L. Commis- 
sion, Madison, Wis. 

Lemcke, Ernst, Bookseller, N. Y. City. 

Letherman, Minnie W., As. F. P. L., Lou- 
isville, Ky. 

Leupp, H. L., Univ. of Chicago Press, 
Chicago, 111. 

Lindspy, Mary B., Ln. F. P. L., Evanston, 
111. 



ATTENDANCE 



815 



Little, George T., Ln. Bowdoin Coll. L., 
Brunswick, Me. 

Lord, Isabel Ely, Ln. Pratt Inst. L., 
Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Lummis, Charles F., Ln. P. L., Los 
Angeles, Cal. 

Lyman, Edna, Story teller, Oak Park, 111. 

McCain e, Mrs Helen J., Ln. P. L., St 
Paul, Minn. 

McCollough, Ethel F., Ln. P. L., Elwood, 
Ind. 

McCollough, Mrs W. B., Elwood, Ind. 

McCurdy, Mary de Bure, Supervisor of 
Work with Schools, Carnegie L., Pitts- 
burgh, Pa. 

McDonald, Annie, Missionary Work in 
Madison Co., N. C., Teddo, Mich. 

MacDonald, Katharine I., F. L. Commis- 
sion, Madison, Wis. 

McGuffey, Margaret D., Secy, to Ln. L. 
of Congress, Washington, D. C. 

Mclver, Maud, Student Southern L. Sen., 
Atlanta, Ga. 

McLean, Carrie, Official Stenographer, 
Charlotte, N. C. 

McLoney, Ella M., Ln. P. L., Des Moines, 

la. 
t McWilliams, Lucy B., Ensley, Ala. 

Mann, B. P., Bibliographer, Washington, 
D. C. 

Mann, Mrs B. P., Washington, D. C. 
t Martin, Lena, Ln. P. L., Gadsden, Ala. 

Martin, Mary E., Winthrop Normal and 
Industrial Coll., Rock Hill, S. C. 

Matthews, Harriet L., Ln. F. P. L., Lynn, 

Mass. 

t Maxey, Louise, Children's Ln. Carnegie 
F. L., Duquesnes, Pa. 

Melcher, Mary M., As. L. of Congress, 
Washington, D. C. 

Meleney, George B., 119 Monroe St., Chi- 
cago, 111. 

Merrill, Julia W., As. P. L., Cincinnati, O. 

Mettee, Andrew H., Ln. L. Co. of the 
Baltimore Bar, Baltimore, Md. 

Meyer, Hermann H. B., Chief Order Dept. 

L. of Congress, Washington, D. C. 
t Miller, Miss A. L., As. Columbia Univ. 
L., N. Y. City. 

Miller, Zana K., Instructor F. L. Com- 
mission, Madison, Wis. 



t Moffat, Mary, Ref. Ln. State L., Indian- 
apolis, Ind. 

Montgomery, Thomas L., Ln. State L., 
Harrisburg, Pa. 

Moran, Claire, Student Southern L. Sch. t 
Atlanta, Ga. 

Morris, Thomas J., Vice-Pres. Enoch 
Pratt F. L., Baltimore, Md. 

Morrison, Hugh A., As. in Charge of 
Reading Room L. of Congress, Wash- 
ington, D. C. 

Morse, Anna L., Ln. Reuben McMillan 
F. L., Youngstown, O. 

Moulton, John G., Ln. P. L., Haverhill, 
Mass. 

Mudge, Isadore G., Ln. Bryn Mawr Coll. 

L., Bryn Mawr, Pa. 

t Mulligan, Emily A., Ln. P. L., Perth Am- 
boy, N. J. 

Mumford, Rosalie, Classifier F. P. L., 

Louisville, Ky. 

t Neisser, Emma R., Dept. for the Blind 
and Traveling Libraries F. L., Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Netherwood, Annie, Madison, Wis. 

Netherwood, H. C., Bookkeeper Democrat 
Printing Co., Madison, Wis. 

Niles, Cornelia, McGhee, Tenn. 

Nolan, Dr Edward J., Ln. Academy of 
Natural Sciences L., Philadelphia, Pa. 

Oakley, Minnie M., As. Ln., State Hist. 
Soc., Madison, Wis. 

Olcott, Frances J., Chief Children's Dept, 

Carnegie L., Pittsburgh, Pa. 
t O'Meara, Ellen M., As. P. L., N. Y. City. 
t O'Meara, Mary C., As. P. L., N. Y. City. 

Orr, Charles, Member State L. Commis- 
sion, Cleveland, O. 

Overton, Florence, Ln. in Charge York- 
ville Br. P. L., N. Y. City. 

Owen, Thomas M., Director Dept. of Ar- 
chives and History, Montgomery, Ala. 

Owen, Mrs Thomas M., Montgomery, Ala. 

Palsits, Victor H., As. Ln. Lenox L. P. L., 
N. Y. City. 

Parham, Nellie E., Ln. Withers P. L., 
Bloomington, 111. 

Parker, Fanny L., As. Dept. of Agricul- 
ture, Washington, D. C. 

Parker, Glen, Care Baker & Taylor Co.,. 
N. Y. City. 



816 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Parsons, Henry S., Cat. Office Supt. of 
Documents, Washington, D. C. 

Patton, Norman L., Architect, Chicago, 
111. 

Pearson, Edmund L., As. L. of Congress, 
Washington, D. C. 

Peckham, George W., Ln. P. L., Milwau- 
kee, Wis. 

Penland, Anne, As. L. Assoc., Asheville, 
N. C. 

Penland, Margaret, As. L. Assoc., Ashe- 
ville, N. C. 

Peters, Orpha M., Ln. P. L., Alexandria, 
Ind. 

Petty, Annie F., Ln. State Normal Sch., 
Greensboro, N. C. 

Phelps, Anna R., Instructor Winona Tech- 
nical Inst., Indianapolis, Ind. 

Phelps, Edith A., Ln. Carnegie L., Okla- 
homa City, Okla. 

Phillips, Julia E., Principal Borland Inst, 
Hot Springs, N. C. 

Phillips, Mary E., Oneonta, N. Y. 

Pierce, Annie, As. Ln. Carnegie L., Char- 
lotte, N. C. 

Plummer, Mary W., Director Pratt Inst. 
L. S., Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Pollard, Annie A., 2d As. Ln. P. L., Grand 
Rapids, Mich. 

Pollock, Gura, As. P. L., Washington, 
D. C. 

Poole, Franklin O., Ln. Assoc. of the Bar 
L., N. Y. City. 

Porter, Felicia G., As. Carnegie L., Nash- 
ville, Tenn. 

Porter, Washington T., Tr. P. L., Cincin- 
nati, O. 

Post, William L., Supt. of Documents, 
Washington, D. C. 

Powell, Mrs George S., Asheville, N. C. 

Power, Effle L., Instructor City Normal 
Training Sch., Cleveland, O. 

Pratt, Mary B., As. F. P. L., Louisville, 
Ky. 

Prentiss, Mabel E., Organizer State L., 
Sacramento, Cal. 

Preston, Miss C. A., Ionia, Mich. 

Preston, Nina K., Ln. Hall-Fowler Me- 
morial L., Ionia, Mich. 

Price, Helen TL, State L. Commission, 
Harrisburg, Pa. 



Pritchard, Judge J. C., Pres. L. Assoc., 
Asheville, N. C. 

Pritchard, Mrs J. C., Asheville, N. C. 

Quimby, Cora A., Ln. P. L., Winchester, 
Mass. 

Ranck, Samuel H., Ln. P. L., Grand Rap- 
ids, Mich. 

Randall, Mrs E., St. Paul, Minn. 

Randolph, Mabel, As. L. Assoc., Ashe- 
ville, N. C. 

Randolph, W. F., Secy. Board of Trade, 
Asheville, N. C. 

Rankin, Julia T., As. Ln. Carnegie L., At- 
lanta, Ga. 

Ranwell, Mrs S. P., Asheville, N. C. 

Rathbone, Josephine A., Instructor Pratt 
Inst. L. S., Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Read, Albert C., Ln. P. L., El Paso, Tex. 

Reinick, William R., Chief P. Documents 
Dept. F. L., Philadelphia, Pa. 

Reynolds, Margaret B., Student Wiscon- 
sin L. S., Madison, Wis. 

Richardson, Ernest C., Ln. Princeton 
Univ. L., Princeton, N. J. 

Riggs, Winifred, Ln. Lawrenceville Br. 
Carnegie L., Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Rion, Margaret H., Ln. S. C. Coll. L., 
Columbia, S. C. 

Rison, Carrie G., As. State L., Richmond, 
Va. 

Roberts, Flora B., Ln. State Normal Sch., 
Warrensburg, Mo. 

Roberts, Kate L., Ref. Ln. F. P. L., New- 
ark, N. J. 

Robinson, Rev. Lucien M., Ln. Divinity 
Sch., Philadelphia, Pa. 

Robinson, Mabel F., As. Osterhout F. L., 
Wilkesbarre, Pa. 

Roden, Carl B., Supt. Ordering Dept. 
P. L., Chicago, 111. 

Rosenthal, Bertha, Raleigh, N. C. 
t Ross, Mrs Annie S., Ln. Carnegie L., 

Charlotte, N. C. 

t Ross, Mrs F. A., Tr. P. L., Rensslaer, 
Ind. 

Rowell, W. C., Care H. W. Wilson Co., 
N. Y. City. 

Russell, Etta L., Head As. P. L., Cam- 
bridge, Mass. 

Sawyer, Ella L., As. F. P. L., Worcester, 
Mass. 



ATTENDANCE 



317 



Schenck, Frederick W., Law Ln. Univ. 

of Chicago, Chicago, 111. 
Schenck, Mrs Frederick W., Chicago, 111. 
Scoville, George A., Supt. of Supplies, 

P. Li., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
t Seaman, Dr William H., Examiner Patent 

Office, Washington, D. C. 
t Seaman, Mrs William H., Ln. Anthropo- 
logical Soc., Washington, D. C. 
Sears, Minnie E., As. Bryn Mawr Coll. L., 

Bryn Mawr, Pa. 

Seemann, Samuel, Pittsburgh, Pa. 
Sellers, Mary S., As. P. L., Washington, 

D. C. 
Sette, Myrtle E., Student Wisconsin L. 

Sch., Madison, Wis. 
Sewall, Willis F., Ln. P. L., Toledo, O. 
Sharp, Katharine L., Head Ln. and Di- 
rector L. Sch. Univ. of Illinois, Ur- 

hana, 111. 
t Sheaf, Edith M., Ln. F. L., Herkimer, 

N. Y. 
Sherman, Caroline B., As. Ln. U. S. Dept. 

of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 
Sherrill, Miles O., Ln. State L., Raleigh, 

N. C. 
Shryock, Mabel, Ln. Mt. Washington Br. 

Carnegie L., Pittsburgh, Pa. 
t Sibley, Mrs Mary J., Ln. Syracuse Univ. 

L., Syracuse, N. Y. 
Sillirnan, Helen C., Cat. Office Supt. of 

Documents, Washington, D. C. 
Simonton, Susan R., Student Southern 

L. Sch., Atlanta, Ga. 
Skinner, Mrs R. E., Norcross, Ga. 
Small, A. J., Curator Law Dept. State L., 

Des Moines, la. 
Smith, C. Willard, West Publishing Co., 

St Paul, Minn. 
Smith, Ciaribel H., Ln. Hampden Co. 

Law L., Springfield, Mass, 
t Smith, Ellen G., As. The John Crerar L., 

Chicago, 111. 
Smith, Esther A., Cat. Univ. of Michigan, 

Ann Arbor, Mich. 
Smith, Faith E., Ln. P. L., Sedalla, 

Mo. 

Smith, Jessie G., As. F. P. L., East Or- 
ange, N. J. 
Smith; Martha P., Ln. P. L., Beverly, 

Mass. 



Smith, Maud M., Cat. Dept. P. L., St. 
Paul, Minn. 

Smith, Ora I., Belton, S. C. 

Snead, Mrs Delia F., Southern L. Sch., 
Atlanta, Ga. 

Sondley, F. A., Asheville, N. C. 

Sornborger, Harriet B., Ln. Bancroft Me- 
morial L., Hopedale, Mass. 

Speck, Mrs Laura, As. P. L., St. Louis, 

Mo. 

t Sperry, Helen, Ln. Silas Bronson L., 
Waterbury, Conn. 

Spilman, Emily A., Head Cat. P. L., 
Washington, D. C. 

Spofford, Edith F., As. L. of Congress, 
Washington, D. C. 

Sprague, Joanna H., Ln. F. P. L., Salt 
Lake City, Utah. 

Stanley, Harriet H., Sch. Ref. Ln. P. L., 
Brookline, Mass. 

Stearns, Helen J., Ref. Ln. P. L., Cleve- 
land, Ohio. 

Stearns, Lutie E., L. Visitor F. L. Com- 
mission, Madison, Wis. 

Stechert, Mrs Emma, Brooklyn, N. Y. 
t Steiner, Bernard C., Ln. Enoch Pratt F. 

L., Baltimore, Md. 
t Steiner, Mrs Lewis H., Baltimore, Md. 

Stetson, Willis K., Ln. F. P. L., New 
Haven, Ct. 

Stevens, Anna M., As. Carnegie L., At- 
lanta, Ga. 

t Stewart, Rose G., Cat. F. L., Philadel- 
phia, Pa. 

Stoek, Faith G., As. P. L., Washington, 
D. C. 

Strudwick, Nan S., As. Ln. Univ. of N. 

C., Chapel Hill, N. C. 
t Stuart, Mrs Charles B., Lafayette, Ind. 

Taylor, Elisha E. L., Manager L. Dept. 
Library Bureau, Boston, Mass. 

Taylor, Jessie M., As. F. P. L., Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

Taylor, William B. A., Ln. Young Men's 
Mercantile L., Cincinnati, O. 

Temple, Mabel, Ln. P. L., North Adams, 
Mass. 

Templeton, Charlotte, Secy. Neb. L. Com- 
mission, Lincoln, Neb. 

Thayer, Maude, Ln. State L., Springfield, 
111. 



318 



ASHEVILLE CONFERENCE 



Thomas, Geraldine, As. Carnegie L., 
Westraount, P. Q., Canada. 

Thompson, Florence M., As. Dept. of Ag- 
riculture, Washington, D. C. 

Thompson, Helen M., Cat. Dept. of Agri- 
culture, Washington, D. C. 
t Thompson, Louise, Ln. P. L., Ensley, 
Ala. 

Tighe, R. J., Pres. Southern Education 
Association, Asheville, N. C. 

Trent, Prof. W. P., Columbia Univ., N. 
Y. City. 

Turner, Mrs Frances B., As. P. L., Grand 
Rapids, Mich. 

Tyler, Alice S., Secy. Iowa L. Commis- 
sion, Des Moines, la. 

Underbill, Adelaide, Ref. Ln. Vassar Coll. 

L., Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
t Utley, George B., Ln. P. L., Jacksonville, 

Fla. 
t Utley, Mrs George B., Jacksonville, Fla. 

Van Buren, Maude, Ln. P. L., Mankato, 
Minn. 

Van Noppen, Charles L., Greensboro, N. 
C. 

Van Noppen, Mrs Charles L., Greensboro, 
N. C. 

Vought, Sabra W., Ln. Univ. of Tennes- 
see, Knoxville, Tenn 

Wadlin, Horace G., Ln. P. L., Boston, 
Mass. 

Wadlin, Mrs Horace G., Boston, Mass. 
t Wagner, Sula, Chief Cat. P. L., St Louis, 
Mo. 

Wales, Elizabeth B., Ln. P. L., Carthage, 
Mo. 

Walker, Ella K., As. L. of Congress, 
Washington, D. C. 

Wallace, Anne, Ln. Carnegie L., Atlan- 
ta, Ga. 

Walton, Genevieve M., Ln. State Normal 
Sch., Ypsilanti, Mich. 

Warner, Marjorie F., As. Office of Botan- 
ical Investigations, Dept. of Agricul- 
ture, Washington, D. C. 

Waters, Willard O., As. L. of Congress, 
Washington, D. C. 

Watkins, Sloan D., Greenville, S. C. 

Watron, D. S., Asheville, N. C. 

Watson, William R., As. Ln. State L., 
Sacramento, Cal. 



Webster, Caroline, Ln. Wadsworth L., 
Geneseo, N. Y. 

Weil, Mrs Sarah, Goldsboro, N. C. 

Weir, J. Harvey, Care of McDevitt-Wil- 
son, N. Y. City. 

Wellman, Hiller C., Ln. City L., Spring- 
Held, Mass. 

White, Alice G., Cat. Thomas Crane P. L., 
Quincy, Mass. 

White, Julia S., Ln. Guilford Coll. L., 
Guilford College, N. C. 

Whitmore, F. H., Ln. P. L., Brockton, 
Mass. 

Whittlesey, Julia M., Director Western 
Reserve Univ. L. Sch., Cleveland, O. 

Wilde, Alice, Ln. in Charge Washington 
Heights Br. P. L., N. Y. City. 

Wiley, Edwin, Ln. Vanderbilt Univ. L., 
Nashville, Tenn. 

Wilkerson, Elizabeth B., As. Cossitt L., 
Memphis, Tenn. 

Wilkes, J. Frank, Tr. Carnegie L., Char- 
lotte, N. C. 

Williams, Annie C., Asheville, N. C. 
t Williams, Lizzie A., Ln. P. L., Maiden, 
Mass. 

Williamson, W. B., Treas. L. Assoc., 

Asheville, N. C. 

t Wilson, Halsey W., Publisher, Minneap- 
olis, Minn. 

Wilson, Louis R., Ln. Univ. of N. C., 
Chapel Hill, N. C. 

Wilson, Martha, Cat. P. L., Cleveland, O. 

Wilson, Mary H., Cat. P. L., Syracuse, 
N. Y. 

Windsor, Phineas L., Ln. Univ. of Texas, 

Austin, Tex. 

t Winser, Beatrice, As. Ln. F. P. L., New- 
ark, N. J. 

Winston, Lieut. Gov. F. D., Windsor, 
N. C. 

Wire, George E., Deputy Ln. Worcester 
Co. Law L., Worcester, Mass., 

Wire, Mrs George E., Worcester, Mass. 

Wood, J. H., Asheville, N. C. 

Wood, Mary E., Boone College, Wuchaug, 
China. 

Woolf, Leila, As. Children's Dept. Carne- 
gie L., Atlanta, Ga. 

t Wright, Purd B., Ln. F. P. L., St Joseph, 
Mo. 



SUMMARIES 



819 



Wrigley, Eva, Student Southern L. Sen., 
Atlanta, Ga. 

Wyche, Benjamin, Ln. Carnegie L., San 
Antonio, Tex. 

Wyer, James I., Jr., Ref. Ln. State L., 
and Vice Director N. Y. State L. Sen., 
Albany, N. Y. 

Yust, William F., Ln. F. P. L., Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

Zachert, Adeline, Head Children's Dept. 
F. P. L., Louisville, Ky. 



ATTENDANCE SUMMARIES 

By Nina E. Browne, Registrar; 
Secretary A. L. A. Publishing Board 

By position and sex 

Men Women Total 

Trustees 10 3 13 

Commissioners 6 9 15 

Chief librarians 79 78 157 

Assistants 37 138 175 

Library school students 

and instructors 1 24 25 

Commercial agents 23 6 29 

Teachers, professors, etc. 325 

Others . . 11 53 64 



By states 



Total 170 

Deduct those counted 
twice . 2 



313 483 
3 5 
168 310 478 



By geographical sections 

7 of the 9 No. Atlantic states sent . . 

8 " 9 So. Atlantic states " 

7 " 9 So. Central states " . . 

8 " 8 No. Central states " 
3 " 8 Western states " 

3 " 8 Pacific states " . . 

Canada " . . 

China " . 



Me 


2 


Tenn 


... 12 


Vt .. . 


2 


Ky. 


... 12 


Mass 


41 


Ohio 


... 20 


Conn 


9 


Ind 


... 18 


N Y 


59 


Ill 


... 37 


Penn . . . . 


35 


Mich 


... 15 


N. J 


10 


Wis 


... 17 


Del 


1 


Minn 


... 12 


Md 


4 


la 


8 


D. C 


47 


Mo 


6 


Va 


. . . 6 


Neb 


1 


N. C . . 


43 


Col 


2 


s. c 


8 


Utah 


1 


Ga 


21 


Cal 


4 


Fla 


2 


Ore 


3 


Ala 


8 


Wyo 


1 


Miss 


1 


Canada . . . 


3 


La . . . . 


1 


China 


1 


Tex 


4 






Okla. 


1 


Total . 


. 478 



478 



Representation of library members 

Mem- 
bers. 

Ala. Library Assoc. represented by 3 

Asheville Library Assoc. 10 

Boston P. L. " 4 

Brookline P. L. " 1 

Brooklyn, N. Y., P. L. " 5 

California State L. " 1 

Cambridge, Mass., P. L. 1 

Charlotte, N. C., Carnegie L. " 4 

Chicago, 111., John Crerar L. " 12 

Newberry L. 1 

Public L. 2 

Cincinnati, O., P. L. " 8 

Cleveland, O., P. L. " 9 

Decatur, II., F. P. L. 2 

Denver, Col., P. L. 1 

Evanston, 111 , F. P. L. " 1 

Grand Rapids, Mich., P. L. " 3 

Greensboro, N. C., P. L. " 2 

Haverhill, Mass., P. L. " 1 

Harvard College Library 2 

Houston, Tex., P. L. 1 

Indiana State L. Com. 3 

Jersey City, N. J., F. P. L. " 1 

Library of Congress 18 

Los Angeles, Cal., P. L. " 1 



320 



ASHBVILLE CONFERENCE 



Mem- 
bers. 

Lynn, Mass., P. L. represented by 1 

Memphis, Tenn., Cossitt L. " 2 

Milton, Mass., P. L. 1 

Milwaukee, Wis., P. L. " 1 

New Orleans, La., P. L. " 1 

Newark, N. J., F. P. L. " 3 

No. Adams, Mass., P. L. " 1 

Penn. State L. " 3 

Philadelphia F. L. " 8 

Pittsburgh, Carnegie L. 6 

Portland, Ore., L. Assoc. 3 

Princeton University L. 2 

Queens Borough L. 2 

St. Louis P. L. 2 

Salem, Mass., P. L. " 1 



Mem- 
bers. 

San Francisco, Cal., P. L. represented by 1 
Sedalia, Mo., P. L. " 1 

Soinerville, Mass., P. L. " 1 

Southern Library School " 13 

Springfield, Mass., City L. " 1 

Syracuse, N. Y., P. L. 2 

University of Penn. L. 3 

University of Illinois L. 2 

Vermont State L. 1 

Washington, D. C., P. L. 21 

Westmount, Can., P. L. 1 

Wilmington, Del., Inst. F. L. " 1 

Worcester, Mass., F. P. L. 2 

Youngstown, O., McMillan L. " 1 



IN DEX 



Adams, Miss S. II. 310. 

Adler, Cyrus, com. 011 internat. 
relations, 296. 

Affiliated organizations, pro- 
ceedings of, to be included 
in A. L. A. proceedings, 297; 
status of, 301. 

Ahem, Mary E. 310; rpt. of 
com. on cooperation with N. 
E. A. 87-89; on approval of 
establishment of A. L. A. 
headquarters, 119; councillor 
A. L. A. 191; some unsolved 
problems of the library com- 
missions, 231-236; com. on co- 
op, with N. E. A. 296. 

Allen, Carrie S. 310; registra- 
tion, 288-289. 

American Association of Law 
Libraries, address (Gilbert) 
92-96; proceedings, 246-260; 
publication of a quarterly, 
254, 256; rpt. of com. on con- 
stitution, 254-255; appoint- 
ment of committees, 255, 260; 
recommendation of com. on 
constitution, 256; officers, 
1907-8, 260. 

American Library Association, 
president's address (Andrews) 
5-12; secretary's rpt. 12-15; 
treasurer's rpt. 16-21; rpt. of 
trustees of endowment fund, 
22-24; rpt. of executive officer 
(Hovey) 116-118; rpt. of com. 
on resolutions, 190-191; elec- 
tion of officers, 191; presenta- 
tion of gavel to (Ross) 191; 
minutes of executive board 
and council, 295-303; district 
meeting in Texas, 1908, 295; 
non-library membership, 295; 
necrology, 296; registrar ap- 
pointed, 296; geographic at' 
tendance register proposed, 
298; Lake Minnetonka, place 
of 1908 meeting, 299; resigna- 
tion of Library Journal as of- 
ficial organ, 301; votes re- 
garding financial reports, 303; 
rooming at conference, 298, 
303; term of president, 303; 
post-conference (Dana) 304- 
306; attendance register and 
summaries, 310-320. 

A. L. A. booklist, rpt. of Pub- 
lishing Board, 54-56; distribu- 
tion of, to A. L. A. members, 
295; cooperation in selection 
of titles (Legler) 236. 

A. L. A. bulletin, reentered as 
a bimonthly, 297. 

A. L. A. catalog rules, rpt. of 
Publishing Board, 56-57; rpt. 
of com. on (Hanson) 47-52; 
discussion in Catalog section, 
282-283; com. on, 297; com. 
authorized to prepare abridg- 
ment of, 297; authorized to 
negotiate with Lib. of Con- 
gress for printing, 297; in- 
structions to com. on, 297; 
recommendation of com. on, 
302. 

A. L. A. Catalog Section, pro- 
ceedings, 282-288. 



A. L. A. Children's Librarians' 

Section, proceedings, 288-293. 

A. L. A. College and Reference 

Section, proceedings, 261-278. 

A. L. A. committees 011 

advertising, discontinued, 297. 
bookbinding. See Bookbind- 
ing. 

book-buying. See Book-buy- 
ing, 
catalog rules. See A. L. A. 

catalog rules. 

cooperation with N. E. A. 
See National Educalional 
Association. 

copyright. See Copyright, 
exhibit at Jamestown, 295. 
finance, appointments to, 

296. 
gifts and bequests. See Gifts 

and bequests, 
headquarters. See A. L. A. 

headquarters, 
international relations. See 

International relations, 
library adminstration. See 

Library administration. . 
library architecture. See 

Buildings, library, 
library post, discontinued, 

296. 

library training. See Libra- 
ry training, 
library work with the blind. 

See Blind. 

nominations, rpt. of com. 298. 
program, appointment of, 

296; instructions to, 303. 
public documents. See Pub- 
lic documents. 

publication of Proceedings. 
See A. L. A. proceedings, 
publicity, discontinued, 269. 
relations of libraries to feder- 
al and state governments. 
See Government relations, 
resolutions, appointment of, 

295; rpt. of com. 190-191. 
revision of constitution. See 

A. L. A. constitution. 
Social education congress, 

discontinued, 296. 
status of members of affil- 
iated organizations. See Af- 
filiated organizations, 
title-pages to periodicals. See 

Periodicals. 

travel, appointment of, 296. 
A. L. A. constitution, resolu- 
tion for change of (Steiner) 
83-84; amendments proposed, 
300. 

A. L. A. Council, minutes of, 
12, 298-303; mid-year meetings 
discussed, 298. 

A. L. A. district meetings, ar- 
rangements for, in Texas, 295. 
A. L. A. exhibit, at Buenos 
Ayres, 297; at Jamestown, 
rpt. of com. 295. 
A. L. A. headquarters, rpt. of 
com. on (Corey) 52-53; rpt. 
on, 116-118; (Dana) 118-119; 
(Bowker) 118-119; (Ahern) 119; 
appointment of advisory com. 
on, 296; maintenance of, 297. 



A. L. A. list of subject head- 
ings, rpt. of Publishing 
Board, 56. 

A. L. A. Publishing Board, rpt. 
of (Lane) 53-59; communica- 
tion to executive board re- 
garding distribution of A. L. 
A. booklist, 295; appointments 
to, 296; publications of, -to 
A. L. A. members, 297. 

A. L. A. proceedings, rpt. of 
com. on publication of, 205, 
299-300; to include proceed- 
ings of affiliated organiza- 
tions, 297; cost of, correction 
of minutes, 298; publication 
of, 301. 

A. L. A. Trustees' Section, pro- 
ceedings, 278-282. 

Anderson, Edwin H. 310; com. 
on status of members of af- 
filiated organizations, 361; 
rpt. of com. 301. 

Andrews, Clement W. 310; use 
of books (president's address) 
7-12; rpt. of com. on publica- 
tion of Proceedings, 299-300. 

Andrews, Elsie V. 310. 

Appropriations, library, the li- 
brary as a factor in securing, 
237-238. 

Art books, use of (Patten) 179- 

183. 

Ashing Park, N. J. invitation 
from, for A. L. A. meeting 
place in 1908, 298. 

Askew, Sarah B. 310; treasurer 
League of lib. commissions, 
244; fines, 289. 

Atlantic City, N. J. invitation 
from, for A. L. A. meeting 
place in 1908, 298. 

Austen, Willard, 310; congres- 
sional bills and reports in li- 
braries, 153-156; educational 
value of reference room train- 
ing for students, 274-277; 
chairman, College and refer- 
ence section, 278. 

Babbitt, Grace E. 310. 

Babine, Alexis V. 310. 

Bacon, Corinne, com. on lib. 
administration, 296. 

Bailey, Arthur L. 310; rpt. of 
com. on bookbinding, 110-115; 
com. on bookbinding, 296. 

Bain, James, jr. com. on rela- 
tions of lib. to federal and 
state governments, 296. 

Baldwin, Annie N. 310. 

Baldwin, Clara P. secretary 
League of lib. commissions, 
244. 

Baldwin, Elizabeth G. 310. 

Bardwell, Willis A. 310. 

Bardwell, Mrs. Willis A. 310. 

Barnwell, James G. 310. 

Barr, Charles J. 310; some bib- 
liographical aids to the use 
of current literature of sci- 
ence, 129-131; 

Bartlett, Mrs. A. C. 310. 

Baskette, G. H. 810. 

Bates, Margaret, 310. 

Bath, Eva M. 310. 

Baugham, Mary M. 310. 



322 



INDEX 



Beer, William, Louisiana libra- 
ries, 76-77. 

Belden, Charles F. D. 310; com. 
Am. assoc. law. lib. on Index- 
ing legal periodical^, 260; 
com. on matters to be taken 
up with Arner. bar assoc. 260. 

Berglund, Emma, 310. 

Berry, W. J. C. law classifica- 
tion under authors, 257-258. 

Bibliographical Society of Am- 
erica, proceedings, 294; ad- 
dress before A. L. A. (Keogh) 
35-39. 

Billings, John S. com. on in- 
ternational relations, 296. 

Biscoe, Walter S. com. on cat- 
alog rules, 297. 

Blind, library work with (Hodg- 
es) 39-46; (Thomson) 46-47; 
com. on, 296; rpt. of com. on, 
301. 

Bliss, Robert P. 310. 

Bond, Mrs , Carrie W. 310; 
com. Am. assoc. law lib. on 
matters pertaining to exten- 
sion of interest in the Assoc. 
260. 

Bookbinding, publishers' bind- 
ings, 110-114; rpt. of com. on, 
110-115; (Gilmore) 115; Cock- 
erell's note on, 115; paper a 
factor in, 114-115; (Kelso) 115- 
116; com. on, 296. 

Book-buying, rpt. of com. on, 
(Bostwick) 59-62; com. on, 296. 

Books, use of (Andrews) 7-12; 
use of, on natural history, 
(Nolan) 123-128; use of scien- 
tific and technical books, 
(Brown) 163-165; use of med- 
ical books (Ranck) 169-174; 
use of children's books (Jor- 
dan) 175-179; use of art books 
(Patten) 179-183; bibliograph- 
ical notes on hist, composi- 
tion (Foster) 187-190; scope of 
purchases in a state lib. 
(Brown) 227-230. 

Bostwick, Arthur E. 310; rpt. 
of com. on book-buying, 59- 
62; uses of fiction, 183-187; 
president A. L. A. 191; com. 
on title-pages and indexes to 
periodicals, 296; program com. 
296. 

Bowerman, George F. A. L. A. 
treasurer's rpt. 16-21. 

Bowker, Richard R. 310; praise 
of Anne Wallace, 67-68; ap- 
proval of establishment of 
A. L. A. headquarters, 118- 
119; Hill's work OH plans for 
Brooklyn pub. lib. 121; dis- 
tribution and indexing of pub. 
documents, 142-143; councillor 
A. L. A. 191; bibliography of 
state publications, 214; com. 
on relations of lib. to federal 
and state governments, 296. 

Bowker, Mrs Richard R. 310. 

Bradley, Isaac S. 310. 

Breedlove, Joseph P. 310. 

Bratt, William H. 310; branch 
libraries with suggestions to 
trustees, 282; finance com. 
296; com. OH lib. architecture, 
296. 

Briggs, Walter B. 310; reference 
work in public and in college 
lib. 278. 



Brigham, Herbert O. statistics 
of state lib. 216-220. 

Brigham, Johnson, 310; legis- 
lative reference work without 
an appropriation, 200-208. 

Brinkmauu, Edith, 310. 

Brooks, Charles C. 310. 

Brown, Mrs Alice H. 310. 

Brown, Charles H. 310; public 
documents in technical lib. 
156-157; use of scientific and 
technical books, 163-165. 

Brown, Demarchus C. 310; leg- 
islative reference work in In- 
diana, 211-212; scope of book 
purchases in a state lib. 227- 
230. 

Brown, Nellie B. 311. 

Brown, Walter L. 311. 

Browne, Nina E. 311; registrar, 
296; com. on catalog rules, 
297; attendance register and 
summaries, 310-320. 

Browning, Eliza G. 311. 

Budington, Ethel, 311. 

Buenos Ayres lib. exhibit, 297. 

Buildings, library, rpt. of com. 
on architecture (Dudley) 119- 
121; A. L. A. collection of 
plans of, 119-120; heating of 
(Bowker) 121; (Phelps) 121; 
com. on lib. architecture, 296. 

Bullock, Edna D. 311. 

Burdick, Esther E. 311. 

Burnet, Duncan, 311. 

Burns, William S. 311. 

Burpee, Lawrence J. 311. 

Butler, Harold L. 311. 

Caldwell, Bettie D. 311. 

Canfield, James H. rpt. of com. 
on coop, with N. E. A. 89; 
rpt. of com. on library post, 
158 

Carey, Miriam E. 311; libraries 
in state institutions, 101-108, 
213. 

Cargill, Joseph V. 31JL. 

Carnegie, Andrew, League of 
lib. commissions to commun- 
icate with, as to administra- 
tion of libraries, 245. 

Carr, Henry J. $L1. 

Carr, Mrs Henry J. 311. 

Carson, Ann C. 311. 

Cataloging, the new catalog 
(Gooch) 283-286. See also Li- 
brary of Congress, printed 
catalog cards; A. L. A. cat- 
alog rules; A. L. A. Catalog 
Section. 

Chapin, Artena M. 311. 

Cheney, JohH V. 311. 

Children, use of chil. books 
(Jordan) 175-179; poetry for 
(Plummerl. 293. 

Chivers, Cedric, 311. 

Clark, George T. 311; lessons 
of the lib. destruction in San 
Francisco, 121-123; com. on 
lib. architecture, 296. 

Classification, law class, under 
authors, 257-258; subject class, 
of law text-books, 258; of law 
text-books (Hewitt) 258-260. 

Cloud, Josephine P. 311. 

Cobb, Mrs M. B. 311; com. Am. 
assoc. law lib. on exchange of 
duplicates, 260. 

CofBn, Jennie H. 311. 

Coit, Bertha, 311. 

Cole, Theodore L. 311; council- 



lor Bibliographical soc.- of 
America. 

College libraries, rpt. ef com. 
on statistics of, 261-267; of 
Virginia, the Caroliuas and 
Georgia, 267-270; designing of 
(Patton) 270-274; in the 
Southwest (Windsor) 277-278. 

Colorado Springs, Col. invita- 
tion from, for A. L. A. meet- 
ing place in 1908, 298. 

Comstock, Mrs C. H. 311. 

Congressional bills and reports 
in libraries (Austen) 153-156. 

Cooley, Genevieve S. 311. 

Coolidge, Elsie W. 311. 

Copyright bill, present condi- 
tion, 190; vote to appoint 
COM. on, 301. 

Corey, Deloraine P. 311; rpt. 
of trustees of endowment 
fund, 22-24; rpt. of corn, on 
headquarters, 52-53; some 
trustees, 278-282; com. on con- 
duct of headquarters, 296. 

Corey, Mrs Deloraine P. 311. 

Corwin, Euphemia K. 311. 

Countryman, Gratia A. 311; 
travel com. 296. 

Crampton, Susan C. 311. 

Crossley, Frederic B. 311; com. 
Am. assoc. law lib. on legal 
bibliography, 260. 

Crunden, F. M. message to, 190. 

Currier, T. F. com. on catalog 
rules, 297. 

Cutter, William P. 311; com. on 
book-buying, 296; com. on 
bookbinding, 296. 

Dacus, Mrs J. 311. 

Daggett, Caroline M. 311. 

Dana, John C. 311; suggests ap- 
proval of establishment of 
A. L. A. headquarters, 118- 
119; com. on book-buying, 
296; account of post-confer- 
ence, 304-306. 

Daniels, George C. 311. 

Daniels, Joseph F. 311; indeter- 
minate functions of a college 
library, 278. 

Darlington, Genevieve, 311. 

Davidson, Mrs T. F. 311. 

Davis, Edna, 311. 

Davis, T. W. 311. 

Dean, Claude M. 311; com. Am. 
assoc. law lib. on matters to 
be taken up with Lib. of Con- 
gress, 260; com. on matters 
pertaining to extension of in- 
terest in assoc. 260. 

Dewey, Melvll, rpt. of com. on 
coop, with N. E. A. 89. 

Dickinson, Asa D. com. on lib. 
work with the blind, 296. 

Dickinson, Sarah S. 311. 

Dickinson, Mrs William C. 311. 

Dignan, Frank W. 311. 

Dill, Minnie A. 311. 

Dissette, Blanche J. 311. 

Dobbins, Elizabeth V. 311. 

Dougherty, Anna R. 311. 

Dousman, Mary, secretary Chil- 
dren's librarians' section, 293. 

Downey, Mary E. 312. 

Drake, Jeannette M. 312. 

Drury, Francis K. W. 312. 

Dudley, Charles R. 312; rpt. of 
com. on architecture, 119-121; 
com. on lib. architecture, 296. 

Dugger, Alice B. 312. 



INDEX 



323 



Dunlap, Margaret, 312. 

Da Pre, Mary S. 312. 

Durlin, Maud, 312. 

Burnett, Mrs J. E. 312. 

Dyer, Margaret C. 312. 

Earl, Mrs Elizabeth C. 312. 

Eastman, Linda A. 312. 

Eastman, William R. rpt. of 
com. on lib. administration, 
158-162; com. on lib. architec- 
ture, 296. 

Eger, Bertha, 312. 

Eggers, Edward E. 312. 

Elliott, Julia E. 312. 

Ellis, Hannah, chairman Chil- 
dren's librarians' section, 293. 

Elmendorf, Mrs H. L. member 
Publishing board, 296; com. 
on lib. training, 296. 

Elmore, Laura M. 312. 

Emery, E. W. rpt. of com. on 
exchange of legal publica- 
tions, 251-252; com. Am. as- 
soc. law lib. on matters to 
be taken up with Amer. bar 
assoc. 260. 

Erwln, Ann T. 312. 

Evans, Mrs Alice G. 312. 

Evans, Edward S. 312. 

Everhart, Elfrida, 312. 

Everhart, Ethel, 312. 

Examinations for librarians, by 
the state, 236-237. 

Exchange, library, how shall 
states delinquent in exchanges 
be treated (Godard) 220-225; 
discussion, 225-227; of law 
publications, rpt. of com. on 
(Mettee) 251-252. 

Fairchild, Mrs E. M. com. on 
lib. work with blind, 296. 

Farr, Mary F. 312. 

Faxon, Frederick W. 312; trav- 
el com. 296. 

Faxon, Mrs Frederick W. 312. 

Feazel, Ernest A. 312; execu- 
tive com. of Amer. assoc. law 
lib. 260; com. on matters per- 
taining to extension of inter- 
est in the Assoc. 260; com. on 
indexing legal periodicals, 260. 

Fichtenkam, Alice C. 312. 

Fiction, uses of (Bostwick) 183- 
187. 

Field, Mrs A. M. 312. 

FltzSimons, Ellen M. 312. 

Fleming, Esther M. 312. 

Fletcher, W. I. rpt. of com. on 
title-pages to periodicals, 157- 
158; com. on title-pages and 
indexes to periodicals, 296. 

Flexner. Jennie M. 312. 

Foote, Elizabeth L. 312. 

Forstall, Gertrude, 312. 

Forsyth, Walter G. 312. 

Foster, Mary S. 312. 

Foster, William E. bibliograph- 
ical notes on historical com- 
position, 187-190. 

Fox, Nelly, 312. 

Foye, Charlotte H. 312. 

Fritz, Rozilla G. 312. 

Galbreath, Charles B. 312. 

Galbreath, Mrs Ida K. 312. 

Ganley, Marie, 312. 

Gawthrop, Edith N. 312. 

Gay, Alice M. 312. 

Gerould, James T. 312. 

Giffon, Esther J. com. on lib. 
work with blind, 296. 



Gifts find bequests, 296; rpt. 
on, 306-310. 

Gilbert, Frank B. 312; the law 
library, 92-96; available pub- 
lished indices of legal period- 
ical literature, rpt. of com. 
252-254; com. Amer. assoc. 
law lib. on publication of 
the quarterly, 260; com. on 
legal bibliography, 260; com. 
on indexing legal periodicals, 
260. 

Gilbert, Lucy B. 812. 

Gill, Henry M. 312; obstacles 
to a proper use of documents 
by depository libraries, 149- 
153. 

Gillis, Donald. 313. 

Gilmore, Luclan B. 312; book- 
binding, 115. 

Gilmore, Mrs Lucian B. 312. 

Glasier, G. G. available pub- 
lished indices of legal period- 
ical literature, rpt. of com. 
252-254. 

Godard, George S. 312; rpt. of 
com. on systematic bibliog- 
raphy of state official liter- 
ature. 213; how shall states 
delinquent in their exchanges 
be treated, 220-225; coop, be- 
tween Connecticut state lib. 
and other lib. of state in pre- 
paring Conn, bibliography, 294. 

Godard. Mrs George S. 312. 

Goddard, Edward M. 312. 

Goddard, Mrs Edward M. 312. 

Coding, Sarah E. 312. 

Gooch, Harriet B. 313; the new 
catalog, 283-286. 

Goode, Rose, 313. 

Gould, Charles H. 313: 1st vice- 
pres. A. L. A. 191; rpt. of 
com. on exchange of legal 
publications, 251-252; com. on 
resolutions, 295. 

Gould, H. A. 313. 

Government relations, com. on 
relations of lib. to federal 
and state governments, 296. 

Grant, Mrs F. Rogers, 313. 

Green Samuel S. 313. 

Greene, Frances Nimmo, 313. 

Gulttard, Claude B. 313. 

Hackett, Irene A. 318. 

Hadley. Chalmers R. 313; rpt. 
of com. on state examina- 
tions and certificates for li- 
brarians, 236-237; pres. 
League of lib. commissions, 
244. 

Hafner, Alfred. 313. 

Hafner, Mrs Alfred, 313. 

Haines, Helen E. 313; 2d vlce- 
pres. A. L. A. 191; program 
com. 296. 

Hall, Drew B. finance com. 296. 

Hammond. Laura, 313. 

Hanson, James C. M. 313; rpt. 
of com. on catalog rules, 47- 
52: com. on catalog rules, 297; 
delegate to L. A. U. K. 300. 

Hart well, Mary A. 313. 

Hasse, Adelaide R. 313; rpt. of 
com. on public documents, 
132-135; index to economic 
material in state documents, 
213-214: com. on public docu- 
ments, 296. 

Hassler, Harriot E. 313; rules 
and regulations, 288. 



Hastings, Charles II. 312. 

Hawkins, Eleanor E. 313. 

Hawkins, Emma J. 313. 

Mawley, Mary E. 313. 

Hayes, Rutherford P. 313. 

Hayes, Mrs Rutherford P. 313. 

Hazeltine, Mary E. 313; com. 
on resolutions, 295. 

Hedrick, Ellen A. 313. 

Holm, James S. 313. 

Helm, Mrs James S. 313. 

Henneman, John Bell, 313. 

Hensel, Martin, rpt. of com. on 
coop, with N. E. A. 89. 

Hepburn, William M. 313. 

Hewlns, Caroline M. 313; 1st 
Tlce-pres. League of lib. com- 
missions, 244. 

Hewitt, Luther E. 313; classi- 
fication of law text-books, 
258-260; com. Am. assoc. law 
lib. on exchange of duplicates, 
260. 

Hild, Frederick H. 260. 

Hill, Frank P. com. on lib. 
architecture, 29R. 

Hill, Mrs Frank P. 313. 

History, bibliographical nctes 
on hist, composition (Foster) 
187-190. 

Hitt, J. M. 2d vice-pres. Na- 
tional assoc. state lib. 227. 

Hoagland, Merica, 313. 

Hobart, Mrs Amy S. 313. 

Hodges, N. D. C. 313; rpt. of 
com. on lib. work with blind, 
39-46; com. on lib. work with 
blind, 296. 

Hodges, Mrs N. D. C. 313. 

Holderby, Lena, 313. 

Holden, com. Am. assoc. law 
lib. on matters to be taken 
up with Amer. bar assoc. 260. 

Holdennan, Harriet, 313. 

Hopkins, Anderson H. 313; 
treasurer A. L. A. 191; com. 
on catalog rules, 297. 

Hopkins, Mrs Anderson H. 313. 

Home, Hortense D. 313. 

Houghtelin, W. Clarence, 313. 

Hovey, E. Clarence, 313; rpt. 
of executive officer. 116-118; 
travel com. 296; rpt. of com. 
on publication of proceed- 
ings, 299-300. 

Howe, Harriet E. 313. 

Howell, Elizabeth S. 313. 

Hubbard, Anna G. 313. 

Hubbell, Jane P. 313. 

Hughes, Mrs Sallie C. 313. 

Hulce, Jennie A. 318. 

Hume, Jessie F. 313. 

Humphrey, Gertrude P. 313. 

Humphrey, Mary B. 314. 

Hurter, Florence D. 314. 

Hutcheson, David, 314. 

Hyde, Sara G. 314. 

Hyde, Sophie G. 314. 

Ideson, Julia, 314. 

International relations, rpt. of 
com. on, 87; com. on, 296; 
vote, 302. 

Isom, Mary F. 314. 

Jacobson, Mrs Karen M. 314. 

Jamestown. Va. See A. L. A. 
exhibit, 295. 

Jarvls, Mrs K. M. 314. 

Jenkins, Frederick W. 314. 

Jessup, Mrs Jennie B. 314. 

Jessup, Luella W. 3*4. 

Johns, W. S. 314. 



824 



INDEX 



Johnson, Mary H. library de- 
velopment in Tennesee, 79-82. 

Johnson, Miss V. S. 314. 

Johnston, Charles D. 314. 

Johnston, W. Dawson, 314. 

Jones, Ada A. 314. 

Jones, Cecil K. 314. 

Jones, Gardner M. 314; A. L. A. 
treasurer's rpt. 16-19; rpt. of 
com. on headquarters, 52-53; 
councillor A. L. A. 191; com. 
on conduct of headquarters, 296. 

Jones, Mrs Gardner M. 34. 

Jones, Grace M. 314. 

Jones, Mrs Homer V. 34. 

Jones, Mary E. 314. 

Jones, Ralph K. 314. 

Jordan, Alice M. 314; use of 
children's books, 175-179, 293. 

Kearney, George, 314; executive 
com. of Am. assoc. of law 
lib. 260; com. on matters to 
be taken up with Lib. of Con- 
gress, 260. 

Kelker, Luther R. 314. 

Kellain, Florence L. 314. 

Kelso, Tessa L. 314; bookbind- 
ing, 115-116. 

Kennedy, John P. 314; Virginia 
lib. 68-71 ; legislative reference 
work in Virginia, 210-211; rpt. 
of com. on extension of mem- 
bership among state libra- 
ries, 213; librarian as a factor 
in securing library appropria- 
tions, 237. 

Keogh, Andrew, 314; address on 
bibliography, 35-39. 

Kcrcheval, Margaret M. 314 

Kerschner, .Constance, 314. 

Kimball, William C. il4; <:<>m. 
on lib. training, 296. 

King, John E. 314; com. on 
matters pertaining to exten- 
sion of interest in the assoc. 
law lib. 260. 

King, Katherine, 314. 

Kinsley, Lydia E. 314. 

Klingelsmith, Mrs Margaret C. 
314; com. Am. assoc. law lib. 
on matters to be taken up 
with Library of Congress, 260. 

Koch, Theodore W. 314. 

Kohler, Minnie M. 314. 

Kroeger, Alice B. com. on cat- 
alog rules, 397. 

Lambie, Mary, 314. 

Lancaster, Susan, 314. 

Lane, Mrs Caroline M. 314. 

Lane, William C. 314; r-pt. of 
Publishing Board, 53-59; num- 
bering and circulation of pub- 
lic documents, 144-145; rpt. of 
com. on library post, 158; rpt. 
of com. on resolutions, 190- 
191; com. on resolutions, 295; 
member Publishing Board, 
296; com. on internat. rela- 
tions, 296. 

Langworthy, Caroline V. 334. 

Lasky, Julia H. 314. 

Latham, Calhoun, 314. 

Law bibliography, 249, 256. 

Law classification. Sue Clas- 
sification. 

Law libraries (Gilbert) 92-96 
See also American associa- 
tion of law libraries. 

Law publications, rpt. of com. 
on exchange of legal pub. 
(Mettee) 251-252. 



Laws, Anna A. 314. 

League of Library Commissions, 
proceedings, 231-245. 

Lee, George W. 314; library 
and the business man, 1G9. 

Legislative reference work 
without an appropriation 
(Brigham) 200-208; in Alabama 
(Owen) 209-210; in Virginia 
(Kennedy) 210-211; in Indiana 
(Brown) 211-212. 

Legler, Henry E. 314; some 
phases of library extension, 
96-101; the library budget, 
244; member Publishing 
Board, 296; com. on library 
training, 296. 

Lemcke, Ernst, 314; com. on 
title-pages and indices to pe- 
riodicals,296. 

Letherman, Minnie W. 314. 

Leupp, H. L. 314. 

Libraries, in the South 62-83; 
in Virginia (Kennedy) 68-71; 
in North Carolina (Ross) 71- 
72; in South Carolina (Mar- 
tin) 72-73; in Florida (TJtley) 
73-75; in Alabama (Owen) 75- 
76; in Louisiana (Beer) 76-77; 
in Texas (Windsor) 77-78; in 
Oklahoma (Phelps) 78-79; in 
Tennessee (Johnson) 79-82; in 
Kentucky (Yust) 82-83; in 
Wuchang, China (Wood) 84- 
87; relations with schools 
(Tighe) 90-92; phases of lib. 
extension (Legler) 96-101; in 
state institutions (Carey) 101- 
108; and the business man 
(Lee) 169; states' interest in 
(Watson) 196-199; state aid 
and local responsibility in lib. 
extension work (Wynkoop) 
238-243; the library budget, 
244-245; rules and regulations 
(Hassler) 288; registration (Al- 
len) 288-289; age limit (Price) 
289; fines (Askew) 289; meth- 
ods to be used by libraries 
working with schools to en- 
courage the use of real liter- 
ature (McCnrdy) 289-293. See 
also Law libraries; State li- 
braries. 

Library administration, rpt. on, 
158-162; com. on, 296. 

Library Association of the Unit- 
ed Kingdom, delegate to, 300. 

Library commissions. See State 
library commissions. 

Library Journal, resignation of, 
as official organ of A. L. A. 801. 

Library post, rpt. of com. on, 
158; com. on, changed to 
com. on relations of lib. 
to federal and state govern- 
ments, 296. 

Library training, rpt. of com. 
on, 108-110; summer schools, 
245; com. on, 296. 

Library of Congress, printed 
catalog cards, the new cat- 
alog (Gooch) 283-286; use of 
(Rankin) 286-288. 

Lindsay. Mary B. 314. 

Little, George T. 3] 5. 

Lord, Isabel TO. 315: com. on 
library training. 296. 

Los Angeles, Cal. invitntion 
from, for A. L. A. meeting 
place in 1908, SH, 298. 



Lummis, Charles F. 315. 

Lyman, Edna, 315. 

Macbeth, George A. finance 
com. 296. 

McCaine, Mrs Helen J. 315. 

McCarthy, Charles, rpt. of com. 
on publishing a quarterly pe- 
riodical by the Nat. assoc. of 
state lib. 214-216. 

McCoIlough, Mrs W. B. 315. 

McCurdy, Mary de Bure, 315; 
methods to be used by li- 
braries working with schools 
to encourage the use of real 
literature, 289-293. 

McDonald, Annie, 315. 

MacDonald, Katharine I. 315. 

McGuffey, Margaret D. 315. 

Mclver, Maud, 315. 

McLean, Carrie, 315. 

McLoney, Ella M. 315. 

Me Williams, Lucy B. ai5. 

Mann, B. P. 315. 

Mann, Mrs B. P. 315. 

Martin, Lena, 315. 

Martin, Mary E. 315; South 
Carolina libraries, 72-73. 

Marvin, Cornelia, rpt. of com. 
on library administration, 158- 
162. 

Matthews, Harriet L. 315. 

Maxey, Louise, 315. 

Medical books, use of (Ranck) 
169-174. 

Melcher, Mary M. 315. 

Meleney, George B. 315. 

Merrill, Julia W. 315. 

Mettee, Andrew H. 315; re- 
sponse to address of welcome, 
Am. assoc. law lib. 247-248; 
vice-pres. Am. assoc. law. lib. 
260; com. on publication of 
the Quarterly, 260; com. on 
exchange of duplicates, 260. 

Meyer, Hermann H. B. 315. 

Miller, Miss A. L. 315. 

Miller, Zana K. 315. 

Minnetonka, Lake, Minn, iruet- 
ing place of A. L. A. for 1008, 
299. 

Missouri, new lib. commission, 
law in, 237. 

Moffat, Mary, 315. 

MontgomeiTi Thomas L. 315; 
councillor A. L. A. 191; pres. 
National assoc. state lib. 227; 
secretary Trustees' section, 
282. 

Moran, Claire, 315. 

Morris, Thomas J. 313. 

Morrison, Hugh A. 315. 

Morse, Anna L. 315. 

Moulton, John G. 315. 

Mudge, Isadore G. 315. 

Mulligan, Emily A. .'U5. 

Mumford, Rosalie, 315. 

National Association of State 
Libraries, proceedings, 193- 
230; secretary's and treasur- 
er's rpt. 195-196. 

National Educational Associa- 
tion, rpt. of com. on coop, 
with, 87-89; A. L. A. com. on 
coop, with, 296. 

Natural historv, use of boots 
on (Nolan) 123-128 

Neisser, Emma R. o!5; rpt. of 
com. on lib. work with blind, 
39-46; com. on lib. work with 
blind, 296. 

Netherwopd, Annie, 315. 



INDEX 



325 



Netherwood, H. C. 315. 

Niles, Cornelia, 315. 

Nolan, Dr Edward J. 315; use 
of natural history books, 123- 
128. 

North Dakota, new libriry cora- 
uiisplm created, 237. 

Oakley, Minnie M. 315: secre- 
tary's and treasurer's rpt. 
Nat. assoc. state lib. 195-190; 
secretary and treasurer, 227. 

Olcott, Francis J. 315. 

O'Meara, Ellen M. 315. 

O'Meara, Mary C. 315. 

Orr, Charles, 315. 

Ottawa, Can. invitation from, 
for A. L. A. meeting place in 
1908, 298. 

Overtoil, Florence, 315. 

Owen, Thomas M. 315; Alabama 
libraries, 75-76; legislative 
reference work in Alabama, 
209-210; address Nat. assoc. 
state lib. 101, 213; 1st vice- 
pres. Nat. assoc. state lib. 
227; 2d vice-pres. League of 
lib. commissions, 244; 1st 
presses of Florida, Mississip- 
pi and Alabama, 284. 

Owen, Mrs Thomas M. 315. 

Palsits, Victor H. 315. 

Parham, Nellie E. 315. 

Parker, Fanny L. 315. 

Parker, Glen, 315. 

Parsons, Henry S. 316. 

Patents, use of (Prince) 166- 
168. 

Patten, Katherine, use of art 
books, 179-183. 

Patton, Norman S. 316; design- 
ing of a college library, 270- 
274. 

Pearson, Edmund L. 316. 

Peckham, George W. 316. 

Penland, Anne, 316. 

F (-11 land, Margaret, 316. 

Periodicals, rpt. of com. on 
title-pages to, 157-158; period- 
ical proposed by Nat. assoc. 
state lib. {McCarthy) 214-216; 
rpt. of com. on indexing law 
periodicals (Schenk) 252-254, 
255; com. Am. assoc. law lib. 
on publication of Quarterly, 
260; com. on title-pages to, 
296. 

Peters, Orpha M. 316. 

Petty, Annie F. 316. 

Phelps, Anna R. 316. 

Phelps, Edith A. 316; Okla- 
homa libraries, 78-79. 

Phillips, Julia E. 316. 

Phillips, Mary E. 316. 

Pierce, Annie, 316. 

Plummer, Mary W. 316; rpt. of 
com. on library training, 108- 
110; poetry for children, 293; 
com. on lib. training. 296. 

Poetry for children (Plummer) 
293. 

Pollard, Annie A. 316. 

Pollock, Gura, 316. 

Poole, Franklin O. 316; secre- 
tary-treasurer Amer. assoc. 
state lib. 260; com. on pub- 
lication of Quarterly, 260. 

Porter, Felicia G. 316. 

Porter, "Washington T. 316; 
chairman Trustees' section, 
282. 

Post, William L, 316; address, 



135-139; Indexing of public 
documents, 143. 

Powell, Mrs George S. 316. 

Power, Effle L. 316. 

Pratt. Mary B. 316. 

Fr:itiss, Mabel E. 316. 

Preston, Miss C. A. 316. 

Preston, Nina K. 316. 

Price, Helen U. 316; age limit, 
289. 

Prince, Howard L. use of pa- 
tents, 166-168. 

Pritchard, Judge Jeter C. 316; 
address of welcome for Ashe- 
ville, 4-5. 

Pritchard, Mrs. J. C. 316. 

Public documents, rpt. of com. 
on (Hasse) 132-135; address 
(Post) 135-139; discussion, 139- 
145: depositories of (Steiner) 
139-140; binding of, 141-142; 
graded system of depositories 
(Bowker) 142, circulation 
of, by libraries, ; 141-142; 
(Lane) 145; cataloging of 
(Steiner) 140; (Bowker) 
142-143; (Green) 143; (Post) 
143: discussion, 144; num- 
bering of (Lane) 144; use 
of in public libraries (Reinick) 
146-149; obstacles to use of 
by depository libraries (Gill) 
149-153; Congressional bills 
and reports in libraries (Aus- 
ten) 153-156; in technical li- 
braries (Brown) 156-157; com. 
on, 296; recommendation of 
com. on, 303. 

Putnam, Herbert, representa- 
tive of A. L. A. at meeting of 
Verein Deutscher Bibliothe- 
kare, 295; com. on interna- 
tional relations, 296. 

Quimby, Cora A. 316. 

Ranck, Samuel H. 316; use of 
medical books, 169-174. 

Randall, Mrs E. 316. 

Randolph, Mabel, 316. 

Randolph, W. F. 316. 

Rankin, Julia T. 316; printed 
cards from Lib. of Congress, 
286-288. 

Ranwell, Mrs S. P. 316. 

Rathbone, Josephine A. 816. 

Read, Albert C. 316. 

Reference work, educational 
value of reference room train- 
ing for students (Austen) 274- 
277. 

Reinick, William R. 316; use of 
documents in the public libra- 
ry, 146-149. 

Reynolds, Margaret B. 316. 

Ri<hardson, Ernest C. 316; rpt. 
of com. on international rela- 
tions, 87: com. on internation- 
al relations. 296; com. on cat- 
alog rules, 297. 

Riggs, Winifred, 316. 

Rion, Margaret H. 316. 

Risou, Carrie G. 316. 

Roberts, Flora B. 316. 

Roberts, Kate L. 316. 

Robinson, Rev. Lucien M. 316. 

Robinson, Mabel F. 316. 

Roden, Carl B. 316. 

Root, A. S. com. on litrary 
training, 296. 

Rose, Grace D. com. on library 
training, 296. 

Rosenthal, Bertha, 316. 



Ross, Mrs Annie S. 316; library 
progress in North Carolina 
since 1899, 71-72; presentation 
of gavel to A. L. A. 191; 
member advisory board Chil- 
dren's librarians' section, 293. 

Ross, Mrs F. A. 316. 

Rowell, W. C. 316. 

Russell, Etta L. 316. 

Salley, A. S. jr. 1st presses of 
South Carolina, 294. 

San Francisco libraries, lessons 
to be learned from destruction 
of, 121-123. 

Sawyer, Ella L. 316. 

Schenk, Frederick W. 317; 
available published Indices of 
legal periodical literature, rpt. 
of com. 252-254; executive 
com. of Am. assoc. law lib. 
260; com. on publication of 
the Quarterly, 260; com. on 
Indexing legal periodicals, 260. 

Schenk, Mrs Frederick W. 317. 

Science, literature of (Barr) 
129-131. 

Scientific books, use of (Brown) 
1C-3-165. 

Scoville, George A. 317. 

Seaman, Dr William H. 317. 

Seaman, Mrs William II. 317. 

Sears, Minnie E. 317. 

Seattle, Wash, invitation from, 
for A. L. A. meeting place 
in 1909, 298. 

Seeman, Samuel, 317. 

Sellers, Mary S. 317. 

Sctte, Myrtle E. 317. 

Sewall, Willis F. 317. 

Sharp, Katharine L. 317; com. 
on status of members of af- 
filiated organizations, 301; 
rpt. of com. on status of mem- 
bers of affiliated organiza- 
tions, 301. 

Steaf Edith M. 317. 

Sherman, Caroline B. 317. 

Sherrill, Miles O. 317; address 
of welcome to Amer. assoc. 
law lib. 246-247. 

Shryock, Mabel, 317. 

Sibley, Mrs Mary J. 317. 

Silliman, Helen C. 317. 

Simonton, Susan R. 317. 

Skinner, Mrs R. E. 317. 

Small, A. J. 317; president's ad- 
dress to Amer. assoc. law lib. 
248-250; pres. Amer. assoc. 
law. lib. 260; com. on publica- 
tion of the Quarterly, 260. 

Smith, C. Wlllard, 317. 

Smith, Claribel H. 317; com. on 
matters pertaining to exten- 
sion of interest in assoc. law 
lib. 260. 

frmith, Ellen G. 317. 

Smith, Esther A. 317. 

Smith, Faith E. 317; secretary 
Catalog section, 288. 

Smith, Jessie G. 317. 

SmMh, Martha P. 317. 

Smith, Maud M. 317. 

Smith, Ora I. 317. 

Snead, Mrs Delia, 317. 

Social Education Congress, rpt. 
of com. on, 116. 

Sondley, F. A. 317; address of 
welcome to National assoc. 
state lib. 193-195. 

Soule, Charles C. rpt. of trus- 
tees of endowment fund, 22- 



326 



INDEX 



-24; rpt. of com. on headquar- 
ters; 52-53; trustee of A. L. A. 
endowment fund, 191; mem- 
ber Publishing Board, 296; 
com. on conduct of head- 
quarters, 296. 

Sornborger, Harriet B. 317. 

Speck, Mrs Laura, 317. 

Sperry, Helen, 317. 

Spilman, Emily A. 317. 

Spofford, Edith F. 317. 

Sprague, Joanna H. 317. 

Stanley, Harriet H. 317. 

State documents, rpt. of ccoj. 
on systematic bibliography of 
state official literature (God- 
ard) 213; (Bowker) 214; 
Hasse's index to economic 
material in, 213-214. 

State libraries, rpt. on statis- 
tics of (Brighain) 216-220; 
scope of book purchases in 
(Brown) 227-230. See also 
National Association of State 
Libraries. 

State library commissions, some 
unsolved problems of (Ahern) 
231-236. See also League of 
Library Commissions, Mis- 
souri, North Dakota. 

Statistics, of state libraries 
(Brigham) 216-220; unifonn 
lib. statistics, 301. 

Stearns, Helen J. 317. 

Stearns, Lutie E. 317; recorder, 
191; member advisory board 
Children's librarians' section, 
293. 

Stcchert, Mrs Emma, 317. 

Steiner, Bernard C. 317; rpt. 
of com. on lib. work with 
blind, 39-46; resolution for 
change of constitution, 83-84; 
depositories and cataloging of 
public documents, 139-140; 
com. on book-buying, 296; 
com. on relations of libraries 
to federal and state govern- 
ments, 296. 

Steiner, Mrs Lewis H. 317. 

Stetson, Willis K. 317. 

Stevens, Anna M. 317. 

Stewart, Rose G. 317. 

Stoek, Faith G. 317. 

Strudwick, Nan S. 317. 

Stuart, Mrs Charles B. 317. 

Taylor, Elisha E. L. 317. 

Taylor, Jessie M. 317. 

Taylor, William B. A. M7. 

Technical books, use of (Brown) 
163-165. 

Temple, Mabel, 317. 

Templeton, Charlotte, 317. 

Thayer, Maude, 317. 

Thomas, Geraldine, 318. 

Thompson, Florence, 318. 

Thompson, Helen M. 313. 



Thompson, Louise, 318. 

Thomson, John, library work 
amongst the blind, 46-47; com. 
on lib. architecture, 296. 

Tighe, R. J. 318; relations be- 
tween libraries and schools 
from the school side, 90-92. 

Title-pages. See Periodicals, 

Trent, Prof. W. P. 318; ad- 
dress 24-35. 

Trustees' Section, proceedings, 
278-282. 

Turner, Mrs Francis B. 318. 

Tyler, Alice S. 318. 

Underbill, Adelaide, 318. 

Underbill, Caroline M. com. on 
lib. training, 296. 

U. S. Leather and paper lab- 
oratory, 114-115. 

University libraries. See Col- 
lege libraries. 

Utley, George B. 318; library 
conditions in Florida, 73-75. 

Utley, Mrs George B. 318. 

Van Buren, Maude, 318. 

Van Noppen, Charles L. 318. 

Van Noppen, Mrs Charles L. 
318. 

Van Valkenburg, Agnes, chair- 
man Catalog section, 288. 

Verein Deutscher Bibliotheknre, 
H. Putnam, A. L. A. repre- 
sentative to, 295. 

Vought, Sabra W. 318. 

Wadlin, Horace G. 318; rpt. of 
com. on Social Education Con- 
gress, 116; circulation and 
binding of public documents, 
141; com. on relations of libra- 
ries to federal and state gov- 
ernments, 296. 

Wadlin, Mrs Horace G. 318. 

Wagner. Sula, 318: com. on lib. 
administration, 296. 

Walejs, Elizabeth B. 318. 

Walker, Ella K. 318. 

Wallace, Anne, 318; Southern 
library movement, 62-67; 
praise of, by R. R. Bowker, 
67-68. 

Walton, Genevieve M. 318. 

Warner, Marjorie F. 318. 

Waters, Willard O. 318. 

Watkins, Sloan D. 31S. 

Watron, D. S. 3^8. 

Watson. William R. 318; library 
interests of a state, 196-199; 
bibliographical work of Cal- 
ifornia state library. 294. 

Webster, Caroline, 318. " 

Weeks. Stephen B early print- 
ing in North Carolina, 294. 

Weil, Mrs Sarah, 318. 

Weir, J. Harvey, 318. 

Wellman. Hiller C. 318: rpt. of 
com. on lib. administration, 



158-162; member Publishing 
Board, 296; com. on <ib. ad- 
ministration, 296. 

White, Alice G. 318. 

White, Julia S. 318. 

Whitmore, F. H. 318. 

Whitten, R. H. com. on rela- 
tions of libraries to federal 
and state governments, 296. 

Whittlesey, Julia M. 318. 

Wilde, Alice, 318. 

Wiley, Edwin, 318; 1st presses 
of Tennessee, 294. 

Wilkerson, Elizabeth B. 318. 

Wilkes, J. Frank, 318. 

Williams, Annie C. 318. 

Williams, Lizzie A. 318. 

Williamson, W. B. 318. 

Wilson, Halsey W. 318. 

Wilson, Louis R. 318; address 
of welcome for N. C. lib. 
assoc. 5-7; univ. lib. of Vir- 
ginia, the Carolinas and 
Georgia, 267-270. 

Wilson, Martha, 318. 

Wilson, Mary H. 318. 

Windsor, Phineas L. 318; li- 
brary situation in Texas, 77- 
78; college and univ. lib. In 
the Southwest, 277-278. 

Winser, Beatrice, 318. 

Winston, Lieut. Gov. F. D. 318; 
address of welcome, 3-4. 

Wire, George E. 318; subject 
classification of law text- 
books, 258; com. on book- 
binding, 296. 

Wire, Mrs George E. 318. 

Wood, J. H. 318. 

Wood, Mary E. 318; library 
work in a Chinese city, 84-87. 

Woolf, Leila, 318. 

Wright, Purd B. 318. 

Wrigley, Eva, 319. 

Wuchang, China, lib. work in 
(Wood) 84-87. 

Wyche, Benjamin, 319. 

Wyer, James I. jr. 319; secre- 
tary's rpt. 12-15; secretary 
A. L. A. 191; program com. 
2!)6; rpt. of com. on publica- 
tion of Proceedings, 299-300; 
com. on status of members ff 
affiliated organizations, 301; 
rpt. of com. on status of 
members of affiliated organiz- 
ations, 301. 

Wynkoop, Asa, where shall 
state aid end and local re- 
sponsibility begin in library 
extension, 238-243. 

Yust, William F. 319; libraries 
and the lib. movement in 
Kentucky, 82-83; councillor 
A. L. A. 191. 

Zachert, Adeline, 319. 



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