:- WWfc-SS "S5 '' J2v< /rw S^$WV$ -igf & >^'J$ y- 5&j ? ^w^ -* ^>ri.S. ^^ n ^ *ps glXs- >^;: THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY r; >s*3rjA ^<^ ''X * Kdgfeff&fltegr*a ^^.^ ' Return this book on or before the / ' :*vV ".*** '! $^*sfc: Latest Date stamped below. University of Illinois Library U.H. i H I * L161 INI f . .'.f V .:K^ ^\p|' * v -><'*>s^ *.. .'^,1 ---^ m . ; i &; \S^^ma& . -*& PAPERS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE TWENTY-SECOND GENERAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION HELD AT MONTREAL, CANADA JUNE 7-12 IQOO PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 1900 CONTENTS. TITLE. Addressof the President Canadian libraries The prose writers of Canada Canadian poets and'poetry The Aberdeen Association Volumes and circulation The cost of preparing books in public libraries for the \ use of the public \ What classes of persons, if any, should have access tc the shelves in large libraries ? Character of permitted access to the shelves The standard library Access to a selected library : the Buffalo plan The duties and qualifications of assistants in open-shelf I libraries f The trustee The care of serial publications The college library vs. the university library Essentials of a good library law . . Lines of work which a state library comm profitably undertake , Co-operation of state librarians and state library com- missions State reports, digests, and statutes Methods of inducing care of books, I "II Children's books and periodicals : . . Picture work in children's libraries, I AUTHOR. Reuben Gold Thwaites . fames Bain PAGE; Dr. S. E. Dawson 1 1 W. D. Lighthall 25 Miss E. E. Laidlatv ' 27 A . E. Bostwick 29 B. C. Steiner S: S. Green 34 P. B. Wright 35 W: E. Foster . 36 H: L: Elmendorf A. E. Bostiuick 40 lission can \ T: L. Montgomery 42 J. T. Gerottld 44 Isabel Ely Lord 45 W: R. Eastman 49 II. Gratia A. Countryman 5 1 C. B. Galbreath 54 Dr. G. E. Wire 57 Mary E. Dousman 60 W: E. Foster 63 Abby L. Sargent 64 Clara W. Hunt ' . . 66 Evva L. Moore 67 Story telling, lectures, and other adjuncts of the dren's room Report of the Co-operation Committee .... Co-operative cataloging and the A. L. A. Rules . Co-operative cataloging : Estimate of cost . . . Report on adjustments and organization . . . Report of the Committee on Library Schools . . Report of tht A. L. A. Publishing Section . . . Report of Committee on Public Documents . . Report on gifts and bequests, 1899-1900 .... Proceedings First Session Secretary's repoit Treasurer's report and necrology Report of Trustees of Endowment Fund . . Report of Committee on Foreign Documents. Report on A. L. A. Exhibit at Paris Exposi- tion Report of Committee on Library Schools . . Report of Committee on Library Tracts . . Report of Committee on Providing Cheap Postage for Books Report on gifts and bequests Revised constitution Second Session : Public meeting President's address Address of Sir Melbourne Tail Brotherhood of English-speaking men. /. K. Hosmer , Work with children. Miss C. M. He-wins . . Travelling library movement. Johnson Brig- ham Third Session Report of Committee on Handbook of Ameri- can Libraries Library work with children : papers and dis- cussion Fourth Session: Joint meeting of Trustees' Sec- tion and Large Libraries Section .... Fifth Session Report of Committee on Public Documents . Report on Co-operation with Library Sec- tion of N. E. A chil- \ Frances J. Olcott 69 E. C. Richardson A lice B. Kroeger C. W. A ndreivs . W: C. Lane . . J: C. Dana . . ic6 106-117 106 107 no 113 112 112 J'3 II 4 114 "5 117-122 117 "7 117 119 121 I22-I3I 122 I23-I3I I 3 6 I 3 6 W: C. Lane R: R. Bo-wker Giorge Stock-well . Report of Committee on International Catalog of Scientific Literature Report of Committee on Transliteration of Slavic Languages Report of Committee on System of Library Examinations and Credentials Canadian library and literary topics : Papers and discussion Sixth Session Photographs and photo-prints. C: A. Cutter. Co-operative cataloging : Papers and discus- sion Seventh Session . . . ._ Amendment to constitution Invitation for 1903 Report of Committee on Resolutions . . . . Election of Officers College and Reference Section Large Libraries Section Round Table Meeting: Cataloging and cata- logers Round Table Meeting : Officers of State Library Associations Round Table Meeting: State Library Commis- sions. . . ' State and Law Library Section Trustees' Section The Social Side of the Montreal conference. Bes- sie S. Smith The Canadiana exhibit The Post-conference. Helen E. Haines. . . . Attendance register Attendance summaries 71 73 7* . 80 . 83 . 86 9i 92 138 138 138 138 138-142 138 I39-M2 142-144 142 M3 143 143 144-15 150-154 154-162 163-170 170 172 173 174 183 188 CONFERENCE OF LIBRARIANS. MONTREAL, CANADA, JUNE 7-12, 1900. TEN YEARS OF AMERICAN LIBRARY PROGRESS: ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. BY REUBEN GOLD THWAITES, Secretary and Superintendent of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. A T the close of a century, all of us become, ** in a measure, historians. Instinctively, the thoughtful man of affairs pauses upon the brink of the hundred years to review the status of his calling and its share in the progress of civilization, drawing from the past lessons either of warning or of inspiration. This is the key-note of the professional conferences of the present year. We librarians would surely be deemed eccentric were we not to take some account of ourselves on this occasion. For the sake of the historical record, and following the fashion of the year, I therefore devote my prescribed forty minutes to a consideration of library progress in America not, indeed, to the progress of a century, for that would lead us very far afield, but to the progress of the past ten years, which is quite within the ken of the youngest of our number. Scientists are fond of telling us that the science of to-day is not the science of ten years ago another way of saying that the science of to-day is the science of all the past, expand- ed by the growth of its last decade. It is equally true that the American public librarianship of to-day is the librarianship of 1890, corrected by better methods, plus the broadened possibilities developed in the busy decennial period which has passed since this Association met at Fabyan's. I think we will agree that public libraries were being, as a rule, most excellently con- ducted in America, previous to 1890. To assert otherwise would be stultifying the record of most of us. Nevertheless, in reviewing the progress of the remarkable decade now near- ing its close, we can but be surprised at the many striking features of present-day librari- anship which have either had their inception or been chiefly developed within these ten years. State library commissions, inter-state, state, and district associations; library training schools; travelling and branch libraries; travel- ling pictures; library advertising; children's rooms; rooms for the blind; access to shelves; co-operation with teachers; co-operative cata- loging; inter-library loans and exchanges; the general erection of superb library buildings; phenomenal gifts from philanthropists of li- brary buildings and endowments; compulsory library legislation; improved methods of bind- ing and issuing public documents all of these, which to-day so largely engross the attention of American librarians, in their conventions and professional journals, are practically the outgrowth of this brief period. For the most part, they are efforts towards popularizing the library; and this is clearly the especial charac- teristic of our recent professional growth. It was in 1890 that Massachusetts organ- ized the first state library commission. There are now 17 such commissions in the United States, New Jersey and Iowa being the last to enter the field.* Differing materially in composition and in methods, according to varying local conditions and standards, their common aim is to inspire communities with a desire for library service, to foster zeal in li- brary work, to aid by advice and example, to unify methods, and to act as an agency for the application of public spirit and private bounty in the direction of library interests. The re- sults have not been uniformly successful in all *State library commissions were formed as follows: Colorado 1899 Connecticut 1893 Georgia 1897 Indiana 1899 Iowa 1900 Kansas ... 1899 Maine 1899 Massachusetts 1890 Michigan 1899 Minnesota 1899 New Hampshire 1891 New Jersey 1900 New York 1897 Ohio 1896 Pennsylvania 1899 Vermont 1895 Wisconsin 1895 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. the states; for, like most library work, our commissions are still in the experimental stage. But in general it may be said that they have, in their brief service, done much good work, and methods are being bettered by experience. Although the American Library Association was established in 1876, it was 14 years before a state association was formed New York setting the example in July, 1890. There are now 20 state associations.* Within the past three years, in some of the commonwealths which are territorially large, it has been found that sectional organizations are useful as feed- ers to the state conference, just as the state conferences are feeders to this international body; and inter-state meetings, like the one recently held in Washington, are growing in favor. City clubs have not been uniformly successful; they doubtless will never prosper where one library largely dominates all others; In a community where there are several li- braries with strong individual characteristics, a club in which the social feature is made as prominent as the technical will surely win a place for itself. Over-organization is often decried by some of our conservative crafts- men; but the fact that so many subsidiary con- ferences are successfully conducted, argues that there is need for them in a country where distances are vast and local interests varied. Where not needed, such associations will soon wither, and thus over-organization cures itself. In organization lies power; from the commun- ion of kindred spirits are born better things a wider outlook, kindlier views, more catho- lic sympathies. The pioneer library training school was founded at Columbia University in 1887. It became the New York State Library School upon its removal to Albany, in 1889; but it was * Following are dates of establishment of state associa- tions: California (formerly Cen- Michigan. Minnesota , Nebraska 1895 tral Cal.) i Colorado i Connecticut i Georgia 1897 Illinois 1896 New Hampshire 1890 New Jersey 1890 New York 1890 Ohio 1895 Pennsylvania 1892 Vermont 1894 Wisconsin 1891 Indiana 1891 Iowa 1890 Kansas 1891 Maine 1891 Massachusetts (including Rhode Island) .1890 Sectional associations have been formed as follows: Central California (became Cal. in 1898) 1895 Southern California 1891 Bay Path (Massachusetts) 1898 Western Massachusetts 1898 Western Pennsylvania 1896 Fox River Valley (Wisconsin) 1898 North Wisconsin (travelling libraries) 1896 the following year before the school took upon itself the aspect which it wears to-day. Within the present decade have also been established other excellent schools at Pratt and Drexel institutes, and at the University of Illinois. f As with the training schools of all professions, they encounter more or less adverse criticism, from those wedded to older methods; but I think that our schools have fairly won the com- mendation of a large majority of our member- ship, and their continual improvement is evi- dent. The first summer school for librarians, who are too busy to go to the large schools, was opened in 1891, at Amherst College; and now, similar courses are offered in New York, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, with an annually-increasing interest and attendance. In these days, librarians are not content with possessing zeal and energy they demand special training, under well-equipped teachers; this they obtain most readily from the library schools, which are well supplemented by our two admirably edited journals,}: serving as free parliaments for the craft. In some respects, perhaps, the most hopeful of all forms of recent library popularization is the travelling library. New York first tried the experiment in February, 1893. To-day, it is a public institution, carrying on its mission in every state in the Union save Mississippi, Ar- kansas, and Oregon; neither does it exist in Alaska, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Indian Territories. In Canada it is thus far only known to British Columbia.! Perhaps nowhere on earth is human exist- ence more hopeless than in the numerous small, t Training classes were started at Pratt in 1890, but there were no entrance examinations until 1893. The first class at Drexel was formed in 1892. The library school at Armour Institute, Chicago, was opened in September. 1893, and removed to the University of Illinois in September, 1897. % The Library Jturnal was first issued in September, 1876; Public Libraries in May, 1896. i Following are the dates of the establishment of the various systems of travelling libraries in the United States and Canada: Alabama 1898 Minnesota 1898 Arizona 1900 Missouri 1898 California 1898 Montana 1899 Colorado 1896 Nebraska 1896 Connecticut 1898 New Jersey 1897 Georgia 1898 New York 1802 Idaho ....1899 Ohio 1896 Illinois 1896 Pennsylvania 1896 Indiana 1899 Tennessee . 1897 Iowa 1895 Texas 1899 Kansas 1898 Utah 1898 Kentucky 1896 Vermont 1899 Louisiana 1897 Virginia 1896 Maine 1899 Washington 1898 Maryland 1898 Wisconsin 1896 Massachusetts 1896 Wyoming Michigan 1895 British Columbia 1899 THWAITES. often decaying, hamlets of the United States, which are isolated from the strenuous life of more prosperous communities. The mental horizon of the majority of the people in such a village is narrow, their lives aimless, their as- pirations dwarfed. Even to the boy in the city slums, few more incentives are offered, to low thinking and to actual vice; for in the city, are at least enough other lads from whom to pick his company, whereas at the cross-roads the vicious and the good are necessarily thrown intimate'y together, with the gossip of the postoffice, the hotel-saloon, and the railway sta- tion as their sole mentalstimulus. The advent of a good travelling* library into such a com- munity, is a Godsend, bringing hope, inspira- tion, loftier ideals of life. Nothing more en- couraging in modern reforms has been witnessed than the marked change already wrought by this single and comparatively inexpensive agency, in scores of wretched villages which hitherto had been dead spots in our American civilization. The missionary of the travelling library sys- tem meets, in the more rural districts, some- what different conditions. Here, the farm- steads are widely separated. The boy, busied with his round of "chores," and dealing at first hand with nature, has more with which to oc- cupy his mind than has the somewhat pampered youth of the "corners," and is consequently less inclined to vice. But the adult rustic too often comes to find his toil a dreary task, and wastes his hours at the village, under pretense of trading; while his women-folk, with less re- laxation, bent to their burden of cookery, chick- ens, and churning, grow haggard before their allotted time, and in their social isolation fur- nish an undue proportion of inmates of bra ; n hospitals. It was a blessed thought, worthy of the last decade of our remarkable century, to carry to these unfortunate people the blessing of good books. When the heralds of this new gospel first went forth into the clearings of northwest Wisconsin, in the month of May, 1896, it was found that the need was greater than had been realized. Dwellers in cities, daily surfeited with reading matter of every description, find it difficult to comprehend the conditions which prevail in regions where a stray copy of a mag- azine, several years old, is worn to shreds in the passing about from neighbor to neighbor; where illustrated journals are seldom if ever seen; and the books which "everybody is talk- ing about" are as unknown as the Koran or the Mahabharata. Travelling libraries and travel- ling pictures have now revolutionized the life and thought of hundreds of such communities on the hills, amid the forests, and on the prai- ries, from one end to the other of our land. The contemplation of philanthrophy like this leads one to think more confidently of fnan's humanity to man. At almost any large American city library of the present day, the work of popularizing books is seen in its highest development. Public taste is met more than half-way; it is aroused, cultivated, fed. The clientele of the library has come to be as varied as the lives of the people old and young, grave and gay, from the boy of the slums to the president of the col- lege. Advertising its attractions in the hotels, the street-car, and the newspapers, publishing reading lists for special occasions, posting pros- pectuses, and attractively displaying its new books, the large public library is everywhere going out to the people, urging them to come, to see, to enjoy. Much of this energy in popularization is the product of the decennial period now drawing to a close; some of its most interesting features have but lately sprung from the brains of those strenu- ous " missionaries of thebook" who are members of the American Library Association. Promi- nent among recent innovations are distinct col- lections and reading-rooms for children and for the blind. A desire to strengthen the common- wealth, by educating its future citizens, is at the bottom of our common school system, and sentiments of both humanity and self-interest induce us to establish special schools for the defective classes. In our day the library has come to be recognized as no less important than the schoolhouse in the system of popular edu- cation; like the school, it has at last become a democratic institution, in which the needs of every class of the people must be regarded. The city branch library was not born of this decade, but it has herein reached its highest development. The idea of utilizing as branches the schools, hospitals, engine-houses, police- stations, and even shops and private houses, is distinctly novel ; so, also, the thought of intro- ducing neighborhood clubs, familiar talks upon books, art exhibits, and the loan of scientific collections, as features of branch library work. The spirit actuating these well-meaning efforts MONTREAL CONFERENCE. for the betterment of the people is that which gives life to missions, social settlements, and child-saving, municipal improvement, and good citizenship clubs. The problems are those which also confront the settlement workers. The books must be pushed, but diplomacy is necessary. Once, at Hull House, in Chicago' an attempt was being made to introduce hygienic principles into the cookery of the neighborhood. A poor woman at last came, in utter despair, to remonstrate to Miss Addams. " I don't want," she cried between her sobs, "to have to eat \nyg'enes; I'd ruther eat what I'd ruther! " Not only the librarian who works in the slums, but she who is trying to reform the reading of a vil- lage, must, to be successful, see to it that the " hyg'enes" are not only worthy but accept- able. Perhaps in none other of its manifold activi- ties has the American public library been so successful, within the ten years just past, as in its co-operation with the schools. This work was commenced at Worcester, Massa- chusetts, about twenty-five years ago, and was soon successfully adopted in a few other cities; but it is only within the past few years that it has come to be generally recognized as a nec- essary department of library administration. With its widened application, naturally have come important improvements and amplifica- tions; so that it is fair to claim that the methods of to-day are to all intents and purposes the product of this remarkable decade. The public librarian who would best serve the schools., visits them and gains the friendship and confi- dence of the teachers. She invites the teachers to hold meetings in the library, wherein the resources of the collection are examined, the indexes and books of reference explained and discussed, and the forthcoming term's work outlined; the teachers, on their part, informing the librarian in advance as to the lines of work along which they purpose to conduct their classes. The teachers occasionally bring their classes to the library, and the simpler methods of consultation are exemplified, so that the child should, by the time he enters the high school, understand how to consult many of the ordinary sources of reference. Boxes of books for instruction and entertain- ment, selected by the teachers, are sent to the schools sometimes classified by grades ; and travelling school libraries, to assist in certain courses of study, are not uncommon. Add to this, the posting in the schools of bulletins and classified lists, the children's room at the li- brary, the special card catalog of children's lit- erature, and the organization among pupils of "library leagues," whose members are pledged to read certain specified books, and to treat all books as if they were personal friends, and we Ivave a community of interests between school and library, which can but make for a higher intelligence in the generation which is to succeed us. The teachers themselves, bur- dened with often excessive curricula, and with the ever-increasing machinery of school admin- istration, undoubtedly were, as a profession, slow to recognize the practical utility of the library in their work ; and, even after the re- cognition became inevitable, there were many who looked askance at this new labor -making device. But the relationship between these two great factors in public education is at last firmly established, and has come to stay. It was in recognition of this relationship that New Hampshire, in 1895, placed both schools and libraries upon the same plane before the law, by making the establishment and maintenance of libraries compulsory. In 1896, the Wisconsin State Teachers' Asso- ciation first organized a library section ; and, the following year, the National Educational Association appointed a committee upon " the relations of public libraries to public schools," with instructions to propose "methods of co- operation by which the usefulness of both may be increased." The inquiry inaugurated by this committee has been continued as a perma- nent feature of the work of the National Coun- cil of Education.* Another interesting development of library work, peculiar to this decade, is the relation- ship between the library and the women's study clubs. Our land is still relatively new; Amer- ican men are yet busy laying the foundations for family fortunes ; many of their sons or grandsons will be men of cultivated leisure, men with time and inclination for carrying seri- ous studies into adult life. Meanwhile, the lamp of self-culture is, for the most part, being borne aloft by our women. To meet their mul- titudinous and omnivorous demands for infor- mation, the librarian is hard pushed; that he generally succeeds, speaks well for his re- sourcefulness and diplomacy. In many large * See the excellent Report of the committee, dated May 31, 1899. (Chicago: University Press, 1899. Pp. 80.) THWAITES. city libraries, the schools and the study clubs together absorb a large share of the time and energies of the reference staff. A few years ago, university extension centers were the chief patrons of the reference room ; but exten- sion lecturing has passed its prime the woman's club appears to have largely taken its place. What will succeed the club, none can foretell ; we may be well assured, however, that the tactful librarian will be ready to greet and to satisfy the new comer. Freedom of access to shelves is a distinctly recent innovation. A few large and many small city libraries now grant practically com- plete access, reserving only rare and costly books. Others give partial access for in- stance, in the children's room, the department of popular fiction, and the reference-room ; many such would be willing to allow full ac- cess, were their rooms suited for the purpose ; while a considerable proportion of the newest buildings, especially in small cities, have been designed with this end in view. It seems highly probable that, long before the close of another decade, open shelves will be the rule, not the exception. Inter-library loans, especially between refer- ence libraries, are now more frequent than ever before. Boards of trustees are gradually amending their rules, so as to permit their li- brarians, within certain obvious limitations, to both lend and borrow from sister institutions. Distances with us are so enormous, that the in- vestigator cannot readily pass from one center of research to another; by overcoming in some measure this barrier to free intercourse, a bless- ing is conferred upon American scholarship. Popular attention has been so strongly at- tracted by the evolution of the library as a municipal institution, conducted upon the most advanced principles in an age of audacious ex- periment, that many are apt to lose sight of the fact that the oldest type of library, that of the college and the learned society, has in America, at least, not remained stagnant amid the gen- eral advancement. Heirs of the old monastic institutions and the guilds of scholars, these bodies generally administer their libraries with cautious conservatism. Yet we find the best of them quite abreast of the age, growing rapidly in size, energy, and efficiency ; and, while not easily affected by fads, willing to accept im- provements, and to conduct experiments for the benefit of the craft. It is quite within the present decade that our finest American library buildings have been erected. The Library of Congress heads the list with a structure costing $6,300,000, the largest and most beautiful of its class in the world. The building which houses the Boston Public cost $2,300,000, and easily leads in size and come- liness the city libraries of the country. The new and stately home of the Chicago Public cost $2,000,000 : that of Columbia University, $1,200,000 ; of Princeton University, $650,000 ; of the Milwaukee Public and of the Wisconsin Historical Society, about $600,000 each ; and Newberry Library, Chicago, $500,000. In addi- tion to these, libraries costing from $100,000 to $200,000 each have, within the decade, been built in considerable numbers throughout the United States; and buildings averaging $50,000 each, have become fairly numerous. Many of these structures are the products of private bounty. In endowments and in gifts for books, also, our American libraries have been liberally treated within the past ten years. Unfortunately, accurate statistics have not been kept ; but, so far as is shown by the in- complete reports made to this Association and to the Library Journal, it appears that since 1890 the vast sum of approximately $24 000,000 has been bestowed upon American libraries for buildings, books, and maintenance. As this computation omits the many individual gifts which fell below $TOOO each, it is fair to assume that the total, as here given, falls 10 per cent below the actual figures. These private benefi- cences, together with correspondingly gen- erous expenditures of public money within the same period, aggregate a sum probably larger than the entire previous expenditure for libra- ries in the history of the United States. In what has thus far been said relative to American library progress in the closing decade of the nineteenth century, account has only been taken of the library in its relation to the people. No less remarkable has been the de- velopment of professional methods, the evi- dence of which is less obvious to the public, al- though the results make in a high degree for the economy and efficiency of our service in its behalf. Prominent in this department of growth has been the recent marvellous development of me- chanical contrivances, with which American libraries of the most modern type are now well equipped. 'Mention might also be made of rad- MONTREAL CONFERENCE. ical improvements which librarians have, in the last few years, brought about in the care and dis- tribution of the printed documents of the United States and of several of the state governments. But it is in the direction of professional technique that we are now chiefly concerned ; and herein it will probably be agreed that co-operation is the most distinguishing characteristic of the decade. I have already alluded to inter-library loans, and to exchange of duplicates, systems essen- tially of a co-operative character. With the ex- ception of " Poole's index," * which in its co op- erative form first appeared in 1882, practically all of this class of work has been inaugurated within the past ten years. Guides to reading, bibliographical bulletins, selected lists of books, all are in effect co-operative; for, although primarily intended for the use of the libraries issuing them, their general circulation as ex- changes, and their adoption by sister institu- tions, considerably lessen the necessity for others working out these problems for them- selves. The publication, under the auspices of this Association, of annotated lists, and of the "A. L. A. ca'talog," have been co-operative undertakings of the decade, and enterprises of this character will soon increase in number and importance. The Publishing Section itself, prac- tically the co-operative machinery of the Asso- ciation, was born only in 1886, and has contin- uously proved the necessity for its being. The Association's standing Committee on Co-operation has, conference by conference, done much to help along this missionary effort toward increasing library usefulness by avoid- ing needless repetition of effort. At this present conference the Committee will offer a scheme for co-operative cataloging, which gives fair promise of revolutionizing existing methods in the most costly department of library adminis- tration. It has for many years been commonly remarked among us that for each library labori- ously to cataloge its own books, is an appal- ling duplication of labor that might better be expended in other directions. The institution * The first edition was issued by Dr. Pooie in 1848 ; the second, in 1853. In 1876, at the first meeting of this As- sociation, the enterprise was broadened and made co-op- erative, the first volume resulting therefrom being pub- lished in 1882. From 1883 - 89, continuations were pub- lished as supplements to the Library Journal. The " First supplement," an independent volume, was issued ary index " (ir ing essays as well as magazine articles), first issued in 1893, has been continued to date. The "A. L. A. index " was published in 1893, and the Cleveland " Cumulative index " began in 1896. of a central cataloging bureau, and the sale at cost of printed cards to subscribing libraries, is an obvious solution of the problem. But when, in 1893, the Library Bureau entered upon this work, which was afterwards assumed by the Publishing Section,! practical difficulties arose, so that the number of subscribers has been pitifully small. Differences in systems of classi- fication and in catalogue rules were import- ant objections to a universal acceptance of the scheme; but the chief stumbling block has been the fact that few libraries could afford to sub- scribe for cards which represented books that they did not own, and the Section has not here- tofore thought it practicable to receive subscrip- tions for less than the entire output of the bureau. The Committee on Co-operation, work- ing in harmony with the Publishing Section, has at last, after much thought and labor, evolved a method which it is hoped may remove most of these objections. Should the proposed method, after full consideration from practical points of view, be so fortunate as to meet the approval of this conference, the decade would be crowned by the adoption of one of the most notable reforms in the history of librarian- ship. Until the sixth decade of this centuryj libra- ries for community use were practically divided into public or semi-public collections of tools for scholars, owned by states, colleges, and learned societies; and subscription libraries, mostly for light literature in other words, reference libraries, available only for scholars, and popular libraries for those who could afford to pay. While not supplanting these older types, there has been developed, almost within our own day, the municipal library, a combina- tion of both the reference-room for the scholar, the circulation-desk for the multitude. In this form the library has at last become a public institution: for the people, by the peo- ple. As yet, however, it is far from being universal in its application. Although growing rapidly, and ranging in every degree between the splendid collection in the palace on Copley Square and the little travelling library in some t The Publishing Section of this Association was estab- lished in 1886; for particulars, see Library Journal, v. n, p. 357; 382, 404. The Library Bureau, a commercial cor- poration, began the issue of printed catalog cards for current books. The work was transferred to the Pub- lishing Section in October, 1896, and since February, 1898, the work has included the printing of cards for selected periodicals and other literature. \ The oldest free library in the United States, the Bos- ton Public, was founded in 1852. BAIN, log-house in British Columbia, this new demo- cratic institution exists only in isolated spots. Many fields have yet to be worked before it be- comes the common heritage of all our people. But librarians have the temper of propagandists; the missionary spirit is strong within them. Meetings like this refresh and hearten them for their work. The progress of the next ten years will surely be as great as that of the decade now drawing to a close, for we are but on the thresh- old of the possibilities that await us. These possibilities will bring their attendant difficulties. The library problem differs but slightly from those of the schools and of phil- anthropy, and light is but beginning to shine upon those troublous paths. The city librarian, the village librarian, the custodian of the travel- ling library, has each his task before him, dif- fering only in degree how best to help his neighbors to a higher plane of thought; how best to carry forward, along his chosen path, the torch of civilization. In recognizing the dignity of our vocation as one of the agencies for human betterment, let us beware of overestimating our work. We have much to do, much to acquire. It is prob- able that many of the methods and even ideals of to-day will be rejected by the librarians of the morrow; this is inevitable, for we are ever progressing, and progress means change. If librarianship has in our day come to be recog- nized as a profession, it is because we have at last become imbued with the scientific spirit are mutually helpful, continually awake to new impressions, eagerly receptive of new ideas and new ideals, ever experimenting, ever learning, ever broadening, ever building on the founda- tions of the past. CANADIAN LIBRARIES. BY JAMES BAIN, JR., Librarian Tortnto (Can.) Public Library. A T a meeting of the Association held at the Thousand Islands in 1887 I had the honor of reading a paper on the past history and present condition of the libraries of Can- ada. My task on this occasion will be to con- tinue that paper, to report upon the progress made since that period, and upon the present condition of the libraries throughout the Do- minion. I trust that I will not be held presumptuous in pointing out to our American friends, that like the United States, Canada is a federation of self-governing provinces, to each of which has been assigned by the central government, certain specified subjects for local administra- tion. Among these is that of education, which of course, is inclusive of libraries. These prov- inces, extending from the Atlantic to the Pa- cific, have been settled or partially settled, in different ways, and at more or less recent pe- riods. That in which we this year meet, will soon celebrate its 4OOth anniversary, and still preserves the language and customs which it brought from the land of the " fleur de lis." It will be necessary, therefore, to take each in de- tail, and I propose to commence with the ex- treme east and pass them in review to the far west. Nova Scotia is the oldest of the English- speaking provinces, and is largely maritime. The population is scattered along the coast, and in it there are to be found few large towns. Hali- fax, its capital, engrosses most of the libraries. The first and largest of these is the Legislative Library, with which has been united that of the Nova Scotia Historical Society, and numbers in books and pamphlets 32,500. It is specially rich in its early official mss., journals, records, and papers relating to the difficulties with the Acadians, and the troubles to which the early settlers were exposed. Of these a catalog was prepared in 1886. Dalhousie University, the largest university in the maritime provinces, has in its Arts Library 11,760 volumes, and in the Law Library 8000 volumes. The Nova Scotian Institute of Science, which regularly publishes its valuable Transactions, has a collection of books, principally on science, amounting to 3700. Halifax is fortunate in possessing a public library, which is called the Citizens' Free Library, and which under the energetic manage- ment of Miss Warren is doing excellent work. It now contains 22,300 volumes, and has re- cently issued a subject catalog worthy of the city. There is also a circulating library which is not free, containing 15,000 volumes, known as the Garrison Library. In Antigonish the College of St. Francis Xavier has 2500 volumes, mainly theological, and in Windsor the venerable King's University, with its numerous gifts from England, has a library which, though not large in number, contains many treasures. The 8 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. author-subject catalog, prepared by Mr. Piers in 1893, catalogs 7500 volumes. In Wolfville, in the Evangeline country, Acadia College has 8500 volumes. Nova Scotia has thus nine libraries with a total of 90,020 volumes. The little island of Prince Edward, lying in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, has only one town of any size, Charlottetown. Itcontains two libra- riesthat of the Legislature, which has 4800 books and pamphlets, and that belonging to the Bar, consisting of 2700 law books making a total of 7500 volumes. To the west of Nova Scotia lies the province of New Brunswick, peopled principally by the descendants of the Loyalists. St. John, the chief commercial city, has an active public li- brary, containing 12,000 volumes, which is doing good work under Miss Martin's management. In the north end of the city a free library has been in operation for some years, containing 3000 volumes, and the Church of England In- stitute has thrown open its 2000 volumes to all subscribers of one dollar per annum. The legal profession has accumulated 3500 vol- umes. But the principal libraries of the province are to be found at the capital, Fredericlon, the largest of which is the Legislative Library, amounting to 15,000 volumes, and the next, that of the University of New Brunswick, 8500. The Barristers' Society has also 3030. In the town of Sackville, Mount Allison College has now 8500 volumes. The total for the province is eight libraries containing 55,530 volumes. Passing further west, we have the large pro- vince in which we now meet: Quebec contain- ing within its borders the wealthy and beauti- ful commercial capital of the Dominion, Mon- treal, and the picturesque and historic capital of the province, Quebec. Of the library of the richly endowed institution under whose aus- pices we are gathered and the results of the labors of Mr. Gould it is not necessary for me to speak further than to refer you to the figures which follow "Si monumentum requiris cir- cumspice." The libraries of the city number 31 and contain 413,025 volumes, as follows: Free public libraries. Fraser Institute, estab. 1870, opened 1885; 35,000 vol. and pamph. Has acquired the Mercantile Library and that of the Insiitut Canadien. Chateau de Ramezay estab. 1890, about 6000 vol. and pamph. Does not lend books and has no catalog. Montreal Free Library (under Jesuits' Church.) Estab. 1889 circulating only. English section, 8,000 vol.; French sec- ton, 12,000 vol. 20,000 vol. Managed as to English part by committee of three ladies; small printed catalog of English section only. Westmount Free Public Library, opened 1899, 2500 vol. Supported by town of Westmount, free to all as a reference library, circulating only to citizens of West- mount; dictionary card catalog. Subscription, Institutes, etc. Bibliotheque paroissiale de Notre-Dame, et du cercle Ville Marie. Belongs to Se- minary of St. Sulpice, 16,000 vol. Subscription oc. for six mos., which entitles to borrow one book at a time, on a deposit of sex;. Mechanics' Institute, estab. 1840; 14,162 and pamph. Now re-classifying on Cutter's expansive system; printed catalog. Grand Trunk Literary and Scientific Inst., 7150 vol. Printed catalog. Bibliotheque de 1'Immaculee Conception (Jes- uits' Parochial Library), 3000 vol. Bishops' College (medical), 579 vol. Ecole Normale Jacques Cartier, 12,500 vol. and pamph. Laval University (branch of Laval at Que- bec), Law, 8000; Medical, 4000 12,000. Has only law and medical books. McGill University, estab. 1856, 58,042 vol. Author and subject card catalog incomplete; class E. C. McGill Medical Library, 21,000. One of the most complete medical libraries on the continent. McGill University Affiliated Colleges. Presbyterian College of Montreal, 16,000 vol. Manuscript catalog. Congregational College of Montreal, 3500 vol. No catalog, book class E. C. Montreal Diocesan College (now includes Synod Library), 4700 vol. Dictionary card catalog; class E. C. Wesleyan College, 3000 vol. Montreal College, estab. 1800, 45,000 vol. Property of the Seminaire de Notre Dame. St. Mary's College (Jesuit), general library, 20,000 vol.; ref., 5000 vol.; St. Mary's Archives, students, 7000 32,000 vol. Seminary of St. Sulpice, 50,000 vol. With valuable archives. Library of the Seminary of Philosophy, 20,000 vol. Scientific and Special. Architectural Association of the Province of Quebec, 250 vol. Card dictionary catalog; class E. C. Art Association of Montreal, 650 vol. Printed catalog only. Canadian Society of Civil Engineers, 1750 vol. No catalog nor classification. Natural History Society incorporated 1827, abt. 6000 vol. No catalog nor classification. Provincial Board of Health, 1500 vol. Printed catalog. Y. M. C. Association founded 1854, 3800 vol. Printed subject and author catalog. BAIN. Y. M. C. Association reorganized 1899, 632 vol. Dictionary card catalog; class. E. C. Law. Advocates' Library estab. Mar. 27, 1828, In- corporated 1849, 17,010 vol. New York Life Law Library estab. 1889 for use of Tenants only, 6500 vol. Printed catalog. The largest university library in the Domin- ion is that of Laval at Quebec, unrivalled for its collection of early Canadian historical material. Vicar-General Hamel has charge of its 110,000 volumes. The Legislative Library for the Province, which is in the Parliament Buildings, Quebec, has about 50,000 volumes; the Depart- ment of Public Instruction 11,000; the Legal Library of the members of the bar 13,000, and the Literary and Historical Society 19,000 vol - umes. In 1890 a free Workman's Library was opened at St. Roch's, one of the divisions of Que- bec, which receives a subvention from the city and now contains 4000 volumes. In addition to these libraries in the city of Quebec, are to be found a town library in Sherbrooke containing 5000 volumes, and college libraries in St. Hya- cinthe, Sainte Anne de la Pocatiere and Three Rivers, respectively 25,000, 13,000, and 7000. The province has therefore 40 libraries con- taining 670,025 volumes. The wealthier and more homogeneous prov- ince of Ontario has had for the past 18 years a free library act among its statutes. Under this act six cities and towns with 65,367 volumes had, when I reported in 1887 availed themselves of its permissive powers, which number has now increased to 120. There were also at that time 125 Mechanics' Institutes, containing 206,146 volumes, scattered throughout the prov- ince. These were supported partly by Gov- ernment grant and partly by private annual subscriptions, but in 1895 the legislature passed an act converting them into public libraries. Permission was given to any municipal council to appoint a board of management, which was authorized to take over the Mechanics' Insti- tute Library of the town or village and to carry it on as a free public library the funds being provided by the Government and the municipality. When the municipality did not take over the library, power of incorpora- tion was given to not less than 10 persons to form a body for the purpose of providing a public library, financial assistance being given by the Government. Thus the policy of the administration of Ontario has been steadily directed to the municipal ownership of libraries and the putting them on a more permanent basis than can exist under associations of private individuals. As a consequence of this policy there are now in the province 406 public libraries, 120 of which are free and 286 par- tially so, these latter being almost entirely in the smaller towns and villages. The largest of these libraries, Toronto, contains 110,000 volumes and the smallest about 250. The united incomes for 1899 amounted to $193,421, their assets were valued at $935,976, they con- tained 862,047 volumes, and their issue of books for the year was 2,547,131. The library which is maintained by the Legis- lature for its own use has grown rapidly dur- ing the past few years, under the management of Mr. Avern Pardoe, and now contains 70,000 volumes, and the Educational Library in the department of the Minister of Education, which is freely opened to all students, has 19,690 v. From the number of higher educational in- stitutions in the province we might freely an- ticipate a proportionate number of libraries. The largest of these, the University of Toronto, numbers 60,000; Queen's University, Kingston, has 36,000; Ottawa University 35,000. The total number of books reported from the 18 universities and colleges is 230,300. The Law Society of Ontario is a corporation composed of the legal profession of the prov- ince, which among other duties provides for the training and examination of students-at- law, and has its library in Osgoode Hall, To- ronto, numbering 29,894 volumes. It also aids in the formation and maintenance of local law libraries in each county town. These number 24, and their libraries contain from a few hun- dred to 4000 volumes each. They are esti- mated to contain a total of 50,000 volumes which gives the number of law books in Ontario libra- ries as 79,894. There are also n scientific and other societies whose collections of books num- ber 25,736. Summarizing these we find this province con- tains 439 libraries which are more or less open for public use and which have on their shelves 1,287,667 volumes. Proceeding west, we have the province of Manitoba on the great prairie land in the center of the continent. Winnipeg almost entirely engrosses what libraries it has, and the largest of these is the Legislative Library, which in- herited whatever small collection of books were in the Red River before the formation of the province. It now contains 17,435 volumes, and 10 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. is rich in papers and documents pertaining to the early days. The Literary and Historical Society have arranged with the city authorities to maintain a free library and have thrown open for reference their own library, which now numbers about 15,000 volumes. The Univer- sity of Manitoba with its affiliated colleges has about 8000 and the Law Library of the Law Society 6000 volumes. These four libraries contain 46,435 volumes. The Northwest Territories have a library in connection with its Legislature, at Regina, which contains about 3500 volumes. Finally, facing the Pacific we have the prov- ince of British Columbia, which, though lim- ited in population, in library matters is one of the progressive provinces of the Dominion. Two years ago, finding that many mining camps and isolated agricultural districts were without means of instruction, they organized a series of travelling libraries. During the past year 24 such libraries of 100 volumes each were circulating through the province, and it is be- lieved were productive of much good. The Legislative Library, housed in the beautiful building at Victoria, contains nearly 6000 vol- umes, and the Law Library in the same place about 2000. In addition, Victoria contains a Public Library with 5000 volumes. The towns of Westminster and Vancouver have also free public libraries, the former containing 1500 vol- umes and the latter about 1000. Efforts are being made by the Legislative Librarian, Mr. Schol- field, to organize a Provincial Association which will do much to extend the library system within their borders. British Columbia has therefore five libraries containing 14,500 volumes and 2400 in its trav- elling libraries. I have not included in my estimate the libra- ries under the control of the Central Govern- ment at Ottawa. First among these is the principal library of the Dominion the Library of Parliament which now contains by estimate 200,000 volumes. Every one who has seen the beautiful building in which this collection is housed will regret that more space was not provided for accessions, and the problem of how to increase the available space without injury to the architectural effect is one which will soon have to be faced. The Library of the Geological and Natural History Survey is at- tached to the museum and contains 16,000 books and pamphlets. The Library of the Su- preme Court consists of 19,500 law books. The work of the Archivist of the Dominion, Dr. Douglas Brymner, is so well known that it is barely necessary to call attention to the re- markable collection of documents, original and copied, over which he exercises supervision. The library which is attached contains about 10,000 volumes, principally referring to Cana- dian history and topography. At the Meteorological Office at Toronto, the collection of books principally on meteorology and magnetism numbers 5000 volumes. These five Government libraries contain a total of 250,000 volumes. It is a matter of regret that the free library system has not yet made greater progress within the Dominion, and that the only prov- inces which have adopted it are those of Ontario and British Columbia. The prospects are, how- ever, encouraging. The fact that the cities of Halifax, St. John, Quebec, and Winnipeg have established libraries as part of their municipal organization, and that in Montreal the suburb of Westmount has made a commencement, shows that the necessity for them is being felt, and that the next stage of extending them throughout their respective provinces will fol- low in due course. In the meantime it will be seen from the figures given that the number of volumes within the Dominion has risen from 1,103,000 to 2,420,577; that special libraries are abundant, the larger cities being fully up to the average of American cities. The large num- ber of universities and colleges throughout the older parts of the Dominion are turning out a body of graduates who must ultimately mould public taste and guide their fellow citizens into reading habits; and the meeting of the Ameri- can Library Association in the principal com- mercial city of the Dominion will form no small factor in this educational work, empha- sizing, as it does, the influence and extent of the work on this continent and the professional requirements of those to whom it is committed. SUMMARY. Libs. Vols. Nova Scotia 9 90,020 Prince Edward Island 2 7, 500 New Brunswick 6 50.530 Quebec 41 670,025 Ontario 439 i ,287,667 Manitoba 4 46,435 Northwest Territories I 3, 500 British Columbia 5 16,900 General Government libraries. 5 250,000 Total in 1900 512 2,420,577 In 1887 1,103,000 Increase i, 317,577 DA WSON. ii THE PROSE WRITERS OF CANADA. BY DR. S. E. DAWSON, Queen's Printer, Ottawa, Canada, TT is not possible, in the compass of one paper, to give an adequate account of the prose writers of Canada. In the first place there is the difficulty of dealing with a bi-lin- gual literature, and then there is the difficulty of separating that which deserves mention from the current mass of printed communication ; and when one is called upon in this age of newspapers and magazines to decide as to what is and what is not prose literature, the difficulty is enhanced by the fact that some of our best prose writers have never published a single detached volume. In a general review such as this, it will be profitable to inquire into the circumstances under which Canadian literature originated, and by which it was directed into its actual channels, when we will at once perceive that, with reference to the history of the other na- tions of America, Canada is both young and old. Jamestown, the first English settlement on this continent, was founded in 1607. It has been desolate for 200 years; but Quebec founded in 1608, only one year later is still flourishing. Besides being brave soldiers and skilful seamen, both Samuel de Champlain and Captain John Smith were authors, and led the way in English and French prose writing in America ; but there was a break in the contin- uity of development in the North, while in the South the colony of Massachusetts became the center of intellectual life, which, if it flowed in a narrow channel, was intense and uninter- rupted. Canadian literature and Canadian history open with the works of Samuel de Champlain. Champlain was an author in the fullest sense of the word ; for he even illustrated his own works and drew excellent maps, which he pub- lished with them. His works include not only his voyages in Acadia and Canada, but his pre- vious voyage to the West Indies and his de- scription of Mexico. He wrote also short trea- tises on navigation and map making, which are still useful to explain early cartography. The edition of his works published at Quebec in 1870, under the auspices of Laval University, is a monument of the scholarship of the Abbe Laverdiere, its editor, and of the generosity of its publisher. A librarian need not spend money upon original editions, for this is the most complete, and it is, besides, the most cred- itable specimen of the printer's art ever pub- lished in Canada. From the time of Champlain down to the con- quest of 1760 learned and cultivated men, ec- clesiastics for the most part, wrote in and about Canada, but their books were published in Europe. Marc Lescarbot, a companion of Champlain, wrote in French a History of New France, and enticed " Les Muses dela Nouvelle France " to sing beside the rushing tides of the Bay of Fundy. Then came the long series of Jesuit Relations, the books of Father Le Clerq, the Latin history of Du Creux, the learned work of Father Lafiteau, the letters of Marie Guyart, the Huron Dictionary and the History of Father Sagard, the Travels of Hennepin, the work of Bacqueville de la Potherie, and the works of Father Charlevoix, still the great re- source of writers on Canadian subjects. There were many others; there was de Tonty never since Jonathan was there friend so faith- ful as he was to La Salle. There was Denys, the capable and enterprising governor of Cape Breton; and Boucher, the plain colonist of the frontier post of Three Rivers who stood up be- fore the Great King and pleaded the cause of the despairing colony ; and then, lest we be- come too serious, we have that frivolous young officer, the Baron de Lahontan, who paid off the pious priests of Montreal for tearing leaves out of his naughty pagan books by telling slanderous stories of all the good people of Canada. But this literature, while considerable in ex- tent, was not indigenous to the soil ; although in quality it was, perhaps, superior to that of the English colonies. There were educational institutions and teaching orders and cultivated people ; but education did not reach the mass. A printing press was set up at Cambridge, 12 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. Massachusetts, in the year 1639 ; but, one hun- dred and twenty years later, when Canada passed under British rule, there was not one printing press in the whole of New France. Even the card money was handwritten, and the Ordonnances a sort of government de- bentures passing current as money were printed in France. There was in New France a polite and cultivated society, but the litera- ture which existed was a reflex of the culture of Old France of the France of the Bourbon kings. This jealousy of the press in Canada is very remarkable, because there was at least one printing press in Mexico in I53gand one in Peru in 1586. Upon a people thus socially organized the English conquest fell with great force for, after the capitulation and at the peace in 1763 when New France was definitively ceded, the majority of the educated laymen emi- grated to France and left the people, with- out their natural leaders. It is to the honor of the clergy that they did not abandon their charge. Bowing to circumstances beyond their control, they severed their connections with the Motherland ; and, if French literature in Canada now breathes with a national life all its own, it is due to the Church which sustained it in its time of sore discouragement. Literature could not flourish under such conditions ; moreover, French and English Canadians had yet both to undergo many trials and many political and military experiences. The English who first came to Canada did not come in pursuit of literature ; and, besides, the air was charged with electricity ; for the treaty of peace had scarcely been ratified when the Stamp Act was passed. In the ensuing struggle, after some hesitation, the new sub- jects of England sided with her ; for, in the much-maligned Quebec Act, she had dealt just- ly, and even kindly with them, and they rallied to her support. The war swept to the walls of Quebec and yet the Commissioners of the Con- tinental Congress could not sweep the province into the Continental union. Even the astute Franklin, in whose hands Oswald and Hartley and Lord Shelburne were as wax, and who was able to outwit even a statesman like Vergennes, was foiled at Montreal by the polite but inflex- ible resolution of the French Canadian clergy and gentry. The tide of invasion receded and peace came at last, but not repose ; for with peace came the sorrowful procession of proscribed refugees who laid the foundations of English Canada. United Empire Loyalists they were called and United Empire Loyalists are their descendants to the present day. Well is it for us that they were educated men ; for the institutions their fathers had helped to found had to be left be- hind, and they set their faces to the unbroken wilderness where the forest came down to the water's edge where the only roads were In- dian trails, or paths made by wild animals through the thickets. The time for literature had not come, for there were farms to be cleared and roads and bridges and churches and school houses to be built. All these lay behind them in the homes from which they had been driven. Clearly then, if we want original Canadian works for our libraries, we must pass over these years. But not yet was this people to find repose, for our grandparents had scant time to organize themselves into civil communities when war broke out again, and they again took up arms for the principles they held dear. The struggle was exhausting, for they had to fight almost alone. The Mother-country could give very little assistance, because she was engaged in a life-and- death conflict with a world in arms. In that " splendid isolation," which has more than once been the destiny of England, the little half French, half English dependency stood firm, but her frontiers were again swept by invasion, and the destruction of war and subsequent recovery from its effects postponed again the era of lit- erature ; for our land was all borderland and felt the scourge of war in its whole extent. At last came peace, and the Canadian people could settle down to the normal development of their own institutions; but long, long years had been lost, and it was not until 1825 or 1830 that any interest in the pursuit of literature began to be felt. And now that I have endeavored to make plain the circumstances which retarded the development of Canadian literature I will pass on to a short survey of the books of which it is composed, and you will find, as in fact might have been supposed, that our prose literature has naturally followed up those directions which had special reference to practical life. No one, I think, but Rich had been devoting himself to the bibliography of American books DA WSON. when Faribault published in 1837 at Quebec, in French, his " Catalogue of works on the history of America with special reference to those re- lating to Canada, Acadia, and Louisiana." He had served in the war, but when the Lit- erary and Historical Society was founded he became one of its most active members. He was president and then perpetual secretary, and in his time were published many reprints of scarce works. He had been chief adviser in collecting the Americana in the parliamentary library which was burned in 1849, and he was then sent to Europe to make purchases to re- place the loss. Faribault's catalog contains valuable notes, both original and extracted. It is now very scarce, a copy in the Menzies' sale bringing $8. Morgan's " Bibliotheca Canaden- sis " is the next catalog in order. It is a work of great industry and covers the whole period from the conquest down to the time of its ap- pearance in 1867. The same writer's "Cana- dian men and women of the time," published in 1898, practically continues the first work ; for, although it contains notices of a vast number of people who are not in the remotest way con- nected with letters, yet all the litterateurs are there all I said, inadvertently, for there are a few important names omitted. In 1886 the late Dr. Kingsford published a book called "Canadian archaeology," dealing with early printed Canadian books, and he supplemented it, in 1892, by another the " Early bibliography of Ontario" for the first had been written too hurriedly to be accurate. Sir John Bourinot has done excellent work in this field in his " Intellectual development of the Canadian people," Toronto, 1881, and in a monograph for the Royal Society of Canada, " Canada's intellectual strength and weakness," 1898. A work of great value on Canadian bibliography has been written by Phileas Gag- non, " Essaide bibliographic Canadienne " a handsome octavo of 722 pages, published by the author at Quebec in 1895. It contains valuable notes and facsimile reprints of rare title-pages. Besides these there is an exhaustive annotated Bibliography of books printed in New Bruns- wick by Macfarlane, St. John, 1895; Lareau's " Histoire de la litterature Canadienne," Mon- treal, 1874; and Haight's "Catalogue of Cana- dian books," Toronto, 1896. I can mention only these few; there are besides innumer- able monographs in French and English, sepa- rate and in magazines, for the subject is a favorite one with Canadians. The catalogs o* the parliamentary library at Ottawa and the public library at Toronto are also very useful to collectors and students. The English kings had no jealousy of the printing press. William Caxton had a good position at the court of Margaret Plantagenet, Duchess of Burgundy, and her brother, King Edward IV., received him with favor. In 1503 two of his apprentices were made King's Print- ers, and since that time there has always exist- ed by patent a royal printer (Regius Impressor) through whom alone the orders and proclama- tions of the government have been issued. The office of King's Printer became there- after an important factor in English adminis- tration, and it was introduced into all the colo- nies. No sooner, therefore, was Canada finally- ceded in 1763 than a printing office became a Government necessity at Quebec. In 1764 Brown and Gilmour published the Quebec Gazette by authority, and in 1767 a folio volume of Ordinances. William Brown con- tinued to print for the Crown, but the first imprint which appears to indicate the existence of a formal Royal patent, direct from the Crown, is that of William Vondenvelden in 1797. John Bennett was King's Printer in Upper Canada in 1801. Christopher Sower was King's Printer in New Brunswick in 1785, and John Bushell was King's Printer in Nova Scotia as early as 1752. In 1756 we find his name affixed to a proclamation offering 25 for every Micmac scalp. Settlers on the out- skirts of Halifax had been losing scalps; for the Micmacs made their collection a labor of love, and the Abbe le Loutre, who controlled the Micmacs, could buy 18 British scalps for only 1800 livres. Naturally they had to bid higher at Halifax. All this did not invite to literary pursuits; but the volumes of statutes and official documents were well printed, and, if literature did not flourish, it was not for want of a printing office. These volumes were books, but not literature, and cannot be noticed here. It will be of interest to say a few words about the first books the Canadian incunabula so precious to bibliophiles. The first book printed at Quebec was " Le catechisme du diocese de Sens," Brown & Gilmour, 1764 one year after the cession. Only one copy is now known. MONTREAL CONFERENCE. Then followed an "Abridgement of Christian doctrine," in Montagnais, by Father Labrosse, in 1767. Then Cugnet's " Trait6 de la loi des fiefs " and other branches of the old French law, for it was in four parts William Brown, 1775. Cugnet was a very able man. He was Clerk to the Council and assisted the English Government by advising them upon the old laws of Canada. The first book printed at Montreal was " Le reglement de la Confrerie de 1'adoration perpe- tuelle du Saint Sacrement," Mesplet & Berger, 1776. Then we have " Le jugeapaix" a translation of a portion of Burns' " Justice of the peace" by J. F. Perrault, a volume of 561 pages, 8vo, printed by Mesplets in 1789. Re- ligion and law are the two organizing factors of society, and this practical people were chiefly concerned with conduct in this world, not for- getting regard to the next in which every- body fully believed. Later on, in 1810, we find the imprint of Nathan Mower on a reprint of Bishop Porteous' "Evidences." In 1812 ap- peared Blyth's "Narrative of the death of Louis XVI.;" and, in 1816, a volume of Roman Catholic prayers in Iroquois. These are not all the books printed in those years, but the titles indicate the tendencies of the people. We have in Huston's " Repertoire nationale " (the first edition of which is very scarce, but which was reprinted in four vols. at Montreal in 1893) a collection of extracts in fact, a cyclo- paedia of native French Canadian literature from the earliest times down to 1848. One piece alone (a poem) bears date prior to the English period. It is dated 1734. From 1778 to 1802 there are only 12 articles. It was not until 1832 that the French national spirit be- came thoroughly awake, and from that year the extracts became increasingly numerous. The first books in general literature began to appear in 1830 and 1831, and, in 1832, the Leg- islative Assembly passed the first Copyright Act. That year, then, would be a convenient date from which to reckon the revival of litera- ture in Canada. The first book in general literature published in Upper Canada was a novel, "St. Ursula's Convent; or, the nun of Canada," printed at Kingston in 1824. There was also a press at Niagara (on the Lake) which did some reprint- ing; for we find that, in 1831, Southey's " Life of Nelson" and Gait's " Life of Byron " were printed there. The same press issued in 1832 an original work by David Thompson, a " His- tory of the War of 1812." I cannot pretend, in a paper like this, to give more than a general indication of the extent of publication in those days. There were books and pamphlets I have not mentioned; but there were very few books published in Lower Can- ada before 1833, an d in Upper Canada before 1841. During all that period, however, there were many prose writers, for the newspaper press was very active, and, in the times before telegraphs, the newspapers contained more original matter, compared with advertisements, than they do now. Newspapers were diligent- ly read and editorials were more valued than now. The political circumstances of Canada are so exceptional that almost every problem which can arise in the domain of politics has been, at some time or other, encountered by our states- men. Questions of race, of language, of re- ligion, of provincial autonomy, of federative union, of the relative obligations between an imperial central power and self-governing col- onies, have all been of necessity threshed out in the Dominion of Canada. Their underlying principles have not only been laid bare, but legislation has built firm social and political structures upon them. For this reason there has always been a great deal of political pam- phleteering in Canada which, in later days and in larger communities, would have expanded into books. I have a great respect for a pam- phlet upon a serious subject; because I feel sure the author did not write it for money, but because he had something to say. Pamphlets come hot from the brain of a man who cannot help writing. Great revolutions have been wrought by pamphlets falling, like burning coals, upon inflammable materials. Many of the pamphlets relate to the union of the col- onies. Many of them look forward to the or- ganization of the Empire, but able though many of them were, the times were not ripe. For the reasons cited above, the number of our prose writers who have devoted their labors to constitutional and parliamentary history and law is large. Two, however, stand out before all the others and have won high reputation throughout Britain and her colonies. Dr. Al- pheus Todd and Sir John Bourinot are known wherever parliamentary institutions are studied. DA WSON. Dr. Todd's chief work, " Parliamentary gov- ernment in England," is one of the great standard authorities. It has passed through two editions, and a condensed edition has been published by a leading English writer. It has also been translated into German and Italian. He wrote also a work, indispensable to the self-governing colonies of the empire, " Par- liamentary government in the British col- onies," in which is set forth, in clear detail and with abounding references, the mode of adap- tation of the British Parliamentary system to all the diverse colonies of the Empire. The name of Sir John Bourinot, the clerk of the House of Commons, must frequently be mentioned in any account of Canadian litera- ture. His literary work is large in extent and is valued throughout all English-speaking communities. His " Parliamentary procedure " is the accepted authority of our Parliament. His "Constitutional history of Canada" is the best manual on the subject. His two series of " Lectures on federal government in Canada " and " Local government in Canada " have been published in the Johns Hopkins " University studies," and his "Comparative study of the political systems of Canada and the United States," read before Harvard University and the Johns Hopkins School of Political Science, has been published in the " Annals " of the Ameri- can Academy of Political Science. On these and kindred subjects he has contributed largely not only to the periodicals of his native country, but to reviews in England and in the United States. Although I have specially mentioned these two writers, there are many others who have done important work in this field; as, for in- stance, Prof. Ashley, now of Harvard, whose " Lectures on the earlier constitutional history of Canada " are highly esteemed, and William H. Clement, whose volume on " Canadian con- stitutional law " is the text-book at Toronto University. The field was very wide and from the first the problems to be solved after the cession were complex and difficult. A people, alien in race, religion, and language, and im- mensely superior in numbers, were to be gov- erned, not as serfs, but as freemen and equals. It was a civilization and a system of law equal to their own with which the English had to reckon and with a religion which penetrated to the very foundation of society as deeply as did their own national church. The sub- ject is profoundly interesting and there is a mass of literature relating to it. The English who came in immediately after the conquest sought to govern the country without reference to the institutions of the conquered people, and the early English governors, General Murray and Lord Dorchester, were to the French Can- adians a wall of defence. The peribd may be studied in the works of Baron Maseres, a man of great ability, who was Attorney-General of the Province and afterward Baron of the Ex- chequer Court in England. He was of Hugue- not stock and had strong anti-Roman preju- dices though personally very amiable. He could not see why the French should not prefer the English civil and ecclesiastical laws and wrote a number of books to persuade them to it. He could not see, either, how there could be a negative quantity in algebra and wrote a quarto volume to demonstrate the absurdity of that notion. Later on came the discussions which led to the division of the province and the separation of Upper from Lower Canada. Then followed the agitations of Papineau in the Lower, and Gourlay and Mackenzie in the Upper Province, with an abundant crop of pamphlets leading up to the reunion. But while these were often party pamphlets, of no real value, there was also much writing by such men as the Howes, Sewells, Stuarts, Robinsons, Haliburtons, and others of refugee stock. These men were exponents of views of the destiny of the English race and the im- portance of an organization of the Empire which had been held by Shirley, Hutchinson, Dickenson, and even by Franklin himself in 1754 and down to a short time previous to the Revolution. The Loyalists had been, and these men were, as jealous of constitutional freedom as the leaders of the popular party. Their successors in our days, Col. Denison, Dr. Parkin, O. W. Howland, and the Imperial Federal League, are the heirs and representa- tives of the men who dreamed that great dream which Thomas Pownall (governor of the col- onies of South Carolina, New York, and Mas- sachusetts from 1753 to 1768) printed in capital letters in his " Administration of the Colonies" that " Great Britain might no more be consid- ered as the kingdom of this isle only, with many appendages of provinces, colonies, set- tlements and other extraneous parts, but as a i6 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. great marine dominion consisting of our pos- sessions in the Atlantic and in America united into a one Empire in a one centre where the seat of government is." The dream was shut up for many days, and even many years; for the times of the " Little Englanders " were to come; but it may be that, in the latter days, if not a pax Britannica a pax Anglicana may reach round the world a peace of justice, of freedom, of equality before the law and who can tell where the centre of the English-speak- ing world may then be. The history of Canada and of its separate provinces has been the favorite theme of our writers of prose. The histories written during the French regime were published in France; but, soon after the cession, a new movement towards the study of Canadian history com- menced. Heriot, Deputy Postmaster-General of Canada, wrote, in 1804, a " History of Can- ada " of which only one volume appeared, but it was published in London and had no original merit. The first really Canadian history was published by Neilson at Quebec in 1815. It is in two 8vo volumes and is very well printed. The author, William Smith, was clerk to the Legislative Assembly, and besides Charlevoix, of whose labors he made free use, he had the records of government at his service. Never- theless, the work is not of much historical value. It is very scarce and a good copy will bring about $40. Robert Christie, a Nova Sco- tian by birth, is the next in order of date and his literary work extends over a long life. He wrote a volume on the " Administration of Craig and Prevost," which was published in 1818, and the same year a " Review of the political state of Canada under Sir Gordon Drummond and Sir John Sherbrooke." He wrote also a " History of Lower Canada from 1791 to 1841," defective in literary form but valuable as a mine of documents and extracts. Michel Bibaud's volume of " Epitres, chan- sons, satires et epigrammes," published in 1830, marked the commencement of modern French Canadian literature. He wrote also a " History of Canada" in two vols., published in 1837 and 1844, now very scarce and little referred to. Garneau is the first French Cana- dian historian worthy of the name both for literary style and for original research. His " History " is a work of great merit and in many respects has not been surpassed. Garneau's " History " was written in French and the four octavo volumes of which it consists appeared between 1845 and 1852, a period of storm and stress in Canadian politics; hence it is animated by strong prejudices against his English com- patriots. There have been several editions in French and there is an English translation by Bell, with corrective foot notes like some of the orthodox annotated editions of Gibbon. Very different is the " Histoire du Canada " of the Abbe Ferland, published from 1861 to 1865 at Quebec. It consists of a course of lec- tures which, as professor of history, the author delivered at Laval University. The work, unfortunately, extends only as far as the ces- sion in 1763. It is the result of great labor and research, and is written with impartiality. The same period is covered in English by a carefully written work, in one Volume, by Dr. H. H. Miles. It was published in 1881, and is the most convenient manual of the history of the French domination. Benjamin Suite's "Histoire des Canadiens- Fransais," published in 1882-1884, in 8 vols., quarto, is a very valuable history, and, if it had been published in a more convenient form, would be known as widely as it deserves to be. The author's minute acquaintance with the life of the French Canadian people makes his work necessary for reference. Mr. Suite is one of our most prolific writers on historical subjects. His style is happy and his information accurate. Dr. William Kingsford's "History," in 10 vols., octavo, is the most important historical work which has hitherto been produced in Canada, and it extends from the discovery of the country down to the union of Upper and Lower Canada in 1841. He wrote with great independence of judgment, and he is the first of our writers to make extensive use of the precious collection of original papers collected by Dr. Brymner, the Dominion archivist. His industry was indefatigable his work is enduring; but his reward was inadequate, and the last years of his life were spent in labor which is now only after he is dead com- mencing to be appreciated. A notice of the prose writers of Canada is incomplete without mention of the Rev. Dr. Withrow, who has published a work on the catacombs of Rome which passed through several editions and met with favor among the reviewers of the United States. He has writ- DA WSON. ten on the " Romance of missions " and on the " Early history of the Methodist church," and a list of his works would be too long to give here. A " History of Canada" by him, pub- lished in 1880, is highly esteemed. Mr. Charles G. D. Roberts, better known for his poetry, wrote a small popular history of Canada for the Appletons; but the most convenient manual of the history of Canada is that written by Sir John Bourinot for the "Story of the nations " series and published in London and New York. A convenient volume of reference for the stu- dent is Houston's volume of " Documents illus- trative of the Canadian constitution with notes and appendices." It contains the foundation documents of the English period. The war of 1812 - 14 is the subject of a num- ber of narratives; but no connected work of special merit or research has appeared. One of the first volumes printed in Upper Canada was David Thompson's " History," published at Niagara in 1832. It is now very rare. There is also a book on that war by Major Richard- son, published at Brockville in 1842, now scarce, and one by Auchinleck, published in Toronto in 1855. Colonel Coffin commenced to write, but his work did not reach a second volume. McMullan's " History of Canada," the first edition of which was printed at Brockville in 1855, contained the best Canadian history of the war until the account in Dr. Kingsford's large work appeared. There are, however, in- numerable pamphlets and articles treating of episodes of this war published by local historical societies or in magazines. I now come to the more specialized histories, and what shall I say ? for the roll is long and time is fleeting. There are George Stewart's "Life and times of Frontenac" in Winsor's great work ; Gerald Hart's " Fall of New France"; the Abbe Verreau's collection of " Memoirs of the invasion of 1775 "; the Abbe Casgrain's works on " Montcalm and L6vis." There is the great work of the Abbe Faillon on the foundation of Montreal, published by the Gentlemen of the Seminary of St. Sulpice, and there are also a series of histories, bringing down to the present day the narratives of the general histories, such as Bedard's " Histoire decinqanteans, 1791 - 1841 "; Turcotte's " Can- ada sous 1'union, 1841-1867 "; David's "1'Union des deux Canadas." In Ontario there are a large number of corresponding works, such as Dent's " Last forty years " and his " Story of the Upper Canada rebellion." Such books are rich material for the future historian, when the calm comes, after the heat of political struggle has been dissipated. Then there are the histories of the separate provinces. Commencing, where so much com- mences, with the province by the sea, there is Haliburton's " History of Nova Scotia," in 2 vols., 8vo, published as early as 1829. It is a history based on original research, and a work of literature in every sense. Murdoch's " His- tory," in three vols., 8vo, is arranged more as annals, and is an important work as a quarry for succeeding writers. Dr. Akins has pub- lished valuable extracts from the archives of the province; and Sir John Bourinot's " Build- ers of Nova Scotia " (written last year for the Royal Society of Canada, but also published separately) will give the reader, not only in the letter-press, but by the numerous illustrations, a vivid picture of the early days of the colony. Cape Breton now a part of Nova Scotia an island interesting from its connection with the discovery of the continent and the eventful episode of Louisburg, has its histories. Robert Brown wrote a scholarly history of the island, and Sir John Bourinot's monograph, in the Transactions of the Royal Society, has left nothing to be desired. The first New Brunswick historian was the Rev. Robt. Cooney, who wrote the history of that province, printed at Halifax in 1832. There is also a volume by Alexander Munro, but the " History of Acadia," by James Hannay, is the most important work of this class emanating from New Brunswick. And then there is the Northwest, with its wild and romantic annals, and its literature of ex- ploration, adventure, and daring courage. For this you must consult Masson's " Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nordouest," Joseph Tass6's " Les Canadians de 1'Ouest," and Beckles Will- son's " History of the Hudson's Bay Company." Manitoba has a group of writers. Professor Bryce's work on Manitoba and his "Short his- tory of the Canadian people " were published in England, and are much esteemed. Alexander Begg's " History of the Northwest," in three vols. , is an important work, published in Toronto in 1894. Another writer of the same name has published a "History of British Columbia," a well-written and useful work. These works i8 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. (although there are many others I might name) cover the whole area of the continent west of Ontario to the green slopes of the western ocean and the ice-bound margin of the sluggish polar sea. A leading American author, in one of his early books, writing at Niagara, and standing on his own side of the river, said, with compassionate sententiousness, " I look across the cataract to a country without a history." He was looking into the emptiness of his own mind; for, at the very time, his countryman, Parkman, had com- menced the brilliant series of histories of this country which have won for him an enduring name. History! What country of the New World can unroll a record so varied and so vivid with notable deeds? From this very town went the men who opened up the continent to its inmost heart before the English had crossed the Alleghany mountains. The streets of the old city have been thronged with painted warriors of the far unknown West, with boisterous voy- ageurs, with the white-coated soldiers of the French king, and with the scarlet uniforms of the troops of the English crown; for Montreal, from the earliest times, has been the vortex of the conflicting currents of our national life. Few vestiges remain of the old town. The hand of the Philistine has been heavy. It is not so very long since I used to wander with Francis Parkman about the older streets, but landmark after landmark is gone or has suffered the last indignity of restoration. I remember taking Dean Stanley into the older part of the Semin- ary with a half apology for its being little more than two hundred years old, while his own abbey reached back for nearly a thousand. " I have learned," he replied, " to look upon two hundred years in America as equivalent to one thousand in Europe. They reach back to the origins of society." He had just come from Chicago, and they had shown him thousands of hogs marching to their doom, but the gentle scholar would not stay for an exposition of the amazing economies in the disposal of those hogs rendered possible by the advance of science, but started for the East by the next train. It is the mind which apprehends, for many have eyes and see not; but to men like Francis Parkman, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Dean Stanley, every vestige of the quaint old town brought back memories of a picturesque and adventur- ous life which in old times thronged the narrow streets. Narrow! yes, they were narrow, but just as passable after a snowstorm and just as clean, and the snow was whiter than now, for it was not mixed with coal smoke. But I have lost my way in the old town with companions of former years. They talked so well that I forgot. I only wanted to explain to my American friend across Niagara that this land has a history and we have matters of sur- passing interest to relate. There is the story of the Acadian exiles. Longfellow told it with- out ever visiting the locality or knowing much of the matter. If you wish to have the respon- sibility for the action brought home to the doors of the New England Colonies, read Richard's " Acadia" and the series of monographs by the Abbe Casgrain ; but if, on the other hand, you wish to know of the provocations the English suffered you will learn them from Dr. Akins and Lieut. Governor Archibald. The contro- versy is keen and from the conflicting writers the true motive (if you are clever) may be gath- ered. Many of the local histories are full of interest. Histories of Annapolis, Yarmouth, Pictou, and Queen's counties in Nova Scotia, of St. John, New Brunswick, of Huntingdon, and the East- ern Townships in Quebec ; of Peterborough, Dundas, Welland, and Wentworth in Ontario. Interesting also is the mass of historical and legendary lore, collected in numerous volumes by Sir J. M. Lemoine, about Quebec and the Lower St. Lawrence. Hawkins' " Picture of Quebec" and Bosworth's " Hochelaga Depicta, or picture of Montreal," are scholarly works now become very scarce, and Dr. Scadding, the learned antiquarian of Toronto, has written much upon that city and its surroundings. John Ross Robertson's " Landmarks of Toronto " and Graeme Mercer Adam's centennial volume "Toronto new and old" are continuous pic- tures of the growing life of the Queen City of the Canadian West. Even in the wilderness of Muskoka to the north of Toronto is a history written in blood ; for there the forest has grown over the sites of the Huron towns and obliter- ated the traces of a war, ruthless and horrible, but redeemed by the martyrdom of the saintly missionaries expiring under tortures with words of blessing and exhortation upon their lips. All these things have exercised the pens of the prose writers of Canada, but how can I at- DA WSON. tempt to enumerate all the books in which they are recorded ? Time is passing and you will soon weary of my theme, so I must hurry on and turn a deaf ear to these voices of the past. Much gdod prose writing exists in Canada under the kindred heading of Biography. The political history of the last 60 years may be found in such works as Lindsey's " Life of Wil- liam Lyon Mackenzie," in Mackenzie's " Life of George Brown," in Pope's " Life of Sir John A. MacDonald," in Sir Francis Hincks' "Auto- biography," and in Buckingham and Ross's " Life of Alexander Mackenzie." The stir of the political arena runs through these, but there are others, such as Read's " Lives of the Judges," his " Life and times of General Sim- coe " and of " Sir Isaac Brock " which are freer from politics. There is also much matter of historical interest interwoven in such biogra- phies as Bethune's "Life of Bishop Strachan," Hodgins's " Life of the Rev. Dr. Ryerson," Pat- terson's " Life of the Rev. Dr. McGregor." No I repeat it our writers had not to cross the ocean for their inspiration. They had subjects for song and story, full of heart-break and tears, which they have not yet exhausted and which some of your own writers, not- ably Lorenzo Sabine, of Maine, and Prof. Tyler, of Cornell, have treated with generous sympathy. What could be more tragical than the exile of the United Empire Loyalists. There had been nothing like it for many centu- ries, there was nothing like it in Alsace, or as a sequel to the late civil war. Whoever were rebels these were not; for they sided with the established existing government. There are not many books devoted specially to this sub- ject, but there is a wilderness of detached mon- ographs and the " transactions " of the literary societies are full of interesting matter concern- ing it. Canniff s " History of the settlements round the Bay of Quint6" relates the fortunes of the earliest group of refugees in Ontario. The principal work is, however, Dr. Egerton Ryerson's " Loyalists of America and their times," published at Toronto in 1880. Dr. Ryer- son was a strong writer, but deficient in literary skill, and his work is rather materials for his- tory than a finished historical treatise. Much valuable prose writing will be found in the Transactions of the learned societies of Canada, such as the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, the oldest of all, founded in 1824; the Historical Societies of Montreal, of Nova Scotia, of Manitoba, the Canadian Insti- tute of Toronto, and of the smaller societies. The University of Toronto prints an "annual review " of all literature relating specially to Canada and extending its survey to works treating of the discovery of the western world. It is made up of contributions by specialists upon the subjects of the books reviewed, and, being edited by the librarian and professor of history in the university, is an exceedingly interesting volume. Last, but not least, is the Royal Society of Canada, whose ' ' Annual trans- actions," now in their iyth year, contain mono- graphs, by leading writers of Canada, upon the history, literature, and natural history of the country. Of the invaluable services of Dr. Brymner, the Dominion archivist, I need not speak. Every librarian in America knows the value of his annual reports and the research and accuracy of his learned annotations. It would naturally follow, from what I have told you of the practical character of the Cana- dian people, that the literature of law is very extensive. This I cannot even touch upon, but would only remark that the variety which dis- tinguishes the Dominion in other matters ex- tends even to this branch of knowledge. While the English law prevails in Ontario and west- wards, and in the provinces by the sea, the Roman civil law rules the central province of Quebec. Law books, however, are of necessity limited in scope to our own country, but the military instincts of the people, arising perhaps from the constant alarm in which they have grown up, have given us a writer on military history whose reputation extends over Europe. Col- onel Denison, of Toronto, wrote in 1868 a work on "Modern cavalry;" and, in 1887, he pub- lished a " History of cavalry " which won the first prize in a competition instituted by the Emperor of Russia for the best work on that subject. It has been translated into Russian, German, and Hungarian, and is being trans- lated into Japanese. Colonel Denison recog- nized that, in the school of the American Civil War, new principles of cavalry service had arisen which were destined to sweep away all the maxims of the European schools. It would have been well if the British Staff College had studied this work, even though it was written by a colonel of colonial militia, for the prin- 20 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. ciples he laid down are those by which Roberts and Kitchener recently mobilized the army in South Africa. Among the first books published in Montreal was the " Travels " of Gabriel Franchere, a na- tive of this city, who was one of the founders of Astoria on the Columbia. The volume is now exceedingly scarce, but it was translated and printed in New York in 1853. This leads to the remark that the exploration and discov- ery of the north and west of this continent has been mainly done by Canadians and Hudson's Bay voyageurs, although the books have gen- erally been printed out of Canada. Sir Alex- ander Mackenzie was the first to reach the Pa- cific and Arctic oceans across the continent by land. His work has been printed in different editions. He was a partner in the Northwest Company of Montreal. Henry, whose adven- tures were published in New York in 1809, was a merchant of this city, and Harmon, whose travels were published at Andover in 1820, was also a member of the Northwest Company. The travels of Ross Cox, Maclean, Ogden, Long, and other officers of the great fur com- panies belong to our literature, though pub- lished in England. It was Dease and Simp- son and Rae and Hearne who traced out most of the Arctic coast of America. The work of these men is still being carried on by Tyrrell, McConnell, Low, Bell, and George Dawson, the writings of these last, and many more whom I cannot stop to name, whether published else- where or embodied in reports or contributed to foreign periodicals and learned societies, are yet the works of Canadian prose writers. Canadian writers have also done good work in the archaeology and languages of the Indian tribes. I have already said that among the incunabula of Canada are catechisms in Mon- tagnais and Iroquois. Among the chief work- ers in this field was Dr. Silas Rand. He wrote upon the " History, manners, and language of the Micmac tribe," and translated the Gospels and Epistles into Micmac. His dictionary, English and Micmac, was published at the cost of the government, and the other half, Micmac into English, is in manuscript at Ottawa, and will be printed before long. He wrote also a book on the " Legends of the Micmacs," which was published in New York and London in 1894. Canon O'Meara published the Common Prayer Book in Ojibway. Bishop Baraga is the author of an Ojibway dictionary, and Father Lacombe of one of the Cree language. The Abb6 Cuoq has published a dictionary of Iroquois and grammars of both Iroquois and Al- gonquin, besides his "Etudes philologiques " on both these languages. The Abbe Mayrault wrote a " History of the Abenakis"; the Rev. Peter Jones (an Ojibway by birth) wrote a his- tory of his people; and aWyandot, Peter Doo- yentate Clarke, wrote a book on the" Origin and traditional history of the Wyandots." We cannot count the late Horatio Hale as a Canadian writer, although he lived in Canada for the latter years of his life and contributed to the Transactions of the Royal Society, but we have the Rev. Dr. Maclean, a writer who has both the literary training and the actual experience to make anything from his hand upon Indian life valuable. His work, " Cana- dian savage folk, the native tribes of Canada," published in 1896 at Toronto, is of much value. He is, besides, a frequent contributor to period- ical literature on ethnological subjects. Sir Daniel Wilson, late principal of the Uni- versity of Toronto, although some of his works were written before he came to Canada, must be enrolled among Canadian prose writers, for he was a frequent contributor to the Cana- dian Journal and to the Royal Society on his favorite subjects archaeology and ethnology. Some very important works, notably his " Pre- historic man, or researches into the origin of civilization in the Old and New World," were written in Canada. Sir William Dawson also wrote much on kindred subjects, and in his book, "Fossil man," he employed the results of a life-long study of the Indians of Canada to illustrate the characters and condition of the pre-historic men of Europe. His son, Dr. George M. Dawson, has not only written mon- ographs of value upon the races and languages of the Pacific coast, but he has assisted in the publication of many excellent monographs by missionaries resident among the western tribes. I must not close without mention of the Rev. Prof. Campbell. His work on the Hittites is well known. His contributions on Phoenician, Egyptian, Mexican, and Indian ethnology and philology will be found in many Canadian transactions and periodicals. You will scarcely be surprised to learn that the soil of Canada has not proved productive in writers upon metaphysics and logic. I can DA WSON. 21 remember only two Prof. J. Clark Murray, of McGill, and Professor Watson, of Queen's Uni- versity. Their works have been published in England and the United States, and their con- tributions to leading reviews, in these coun- tries, as well as to Canadian periodicals of the higher class, have been frequent. Dr. Murray has written an " Exposition of Sir William Hamilton's philosophy," published in Boston, and a "Handbook of psychology," published in London (this last work was adopted as a text-book in several American colleges), and he has translated from the German " The auto- biography of Solomon Maimon " a pessimis- tic philosopher who preceded Schopenhauer by more than a hundred years. Professor Watson has written " Kant and his English critics," Glasgow, 1881; an "Exposition of Schelling," Chicago, 1882; and the " Philosophy of Kant," Glasgow and New York, 1892. Why commer- cial cities, like Chicago, St. Louis, and Glas- gow should be centers of philosophical publi- cation, and Montreal and Toronto are imper- vious to metaphysics, is a question worth con- sideration. While no very remarkable work in mathe- matics and physics has yet been done among us, in the natural sciences Canadian wri- ters are known and esteemed all over the world. Every standard book on geology, in America or in Europe, will be found to con- tain frequent references to Canadian writers and illustrations reproduced from their draw- ings. McGill University and the Geological Survey were the two centers of this strong eddy towards the study of natural history, and the dominant personalities of the princi- pal of one, Sir William Dawson, and the first director of the other, Sir William Logan, were the chief moving springs. Sir William Logan was not a writer of books, beyond his reports, although he was a contributor to the learned transactions and reviews; but Sir William Daw- son, during all his lifetime, was a most indus- trious writer of books, monographs, and occa- sional articles. His writings cover the whole area of geology, botany, and zoology, and be- yond these, the relations between natural sci- ence and religion were constantly the subject of his ready pen. I cannot begin to give you the names even of his works, but I have count- ed 107 important contributions to transactions of learned societies and reviews, and 20 sepa- rate volumes of note. These are but a portion of the total mass of his writings, and his accu- rate and extensive knowledge and easy style made his works popular throughout the Eng- lish-speaking world. The results of his labori- ous and self-sacrificing life are around you. Wherever you turn you will see them, and his influence for all that is wise and good and noble will endure in Canada for many genera- tions to come. Other workers in this field are not to be for- gotten. The pioneer, Abraham Gesner, of Nova Scotia, published a volume on the geol- ogy of that province as early as 1836. Prof. Henry Youle Hind published in 1860 the scien- tific results of the expedition of 1857 sent to find a practical immigrant route from Canada to Fort Garry, now Winnipeg, on the Red River. Three years later he published two volumes of " Explorations in Labrador." He has been a very frequent contributor to the Canadian Journal and to other scientific reviews here and in Europe. Nor should Elkanah Billings be forgotten, whose labors in palaeon- tology are met with in every text-book, nor G. F. Matthew, of St. John, nor Professor Bailey, of Fredericton. The officers of the Geologica. Survey are among our leading prose writers; the present Director, Dr. George M. Dawson, is known throughout Europe and America as the writer of important works on the geography, geology, and natural history of the Dominion, and he as well as Dr. Robert Bell, Dr. Whit- eaves, Professor Macoun, and others, have en- riched Canadian literature by their numberless contributions to scientific publications. The set towards the study of the natural sci- ences was not so dominant in the other cities of Canada, but Professor Chapman and Dr. Coleman, of Toronto, are among our writers on chemistry and geology, and Dr. James Douglas, now of New York, is a writer of au- thority on all questions of metallurgy and min- ing. We must count among our writers, though now connected with Harvard University, Mr. Montagu Chamberlin, a New Brunswicker.who has written extensively on the ornithology of Canada and on the Abenaki and Malicete Indians of his native province. Any notice of the prose writers of Canada would be very imperfect without mention of Dr. T. Sterry Hunt, who was not only a chemist, geologist, and mineralogist of wide reputation, 22 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. but a graceful and accurate master of English style. His contributions to these sciences ex- tend over the transactions of learned societies in Europe and America, and many of them were translated into French, German, and Italian. He was born in Connecticut and the last few years of his life were spent in New York, but all the strength of his manhood was spent in Canada and devoted to Canadian sub- jects. His chief works are " Mineral physiol- ogy and physiography," " Mineralogy accord- ing to a natural system," "A new basis for chemistry," and a volume of "Chemical and geological essays." His life work is stamped with rare originality and has left its impress on the sciences he followed. Almost while I write, a Canadian well known among you for his contributions to scientific periodicals and as a leader in the movement for the appraisal of literature, has stepped into the front rank of popular expositors of science. The handsome volume, "Flame, electricity, and the camera," is not merely a vivid expo- sition it is an original explanation of the ra- tionale of the rapid progress of science during the last years of the century and of the causes of the accelerating speed of its advance. I had hoped to say a few words about some of those strong prose writers who, in the greater newspapers, wield more influence over the Canadian mind than most of the writers of books; but time will not permit. Not all our newspapers have succumbed to the scrappiness of newsiness. Thoughtful and finished edi- torials in dignified style may yet be found, in number sufficient 'to send a note of sweeter reason through the din of political strife. It is in Canada as elsewhere; the sands are strewn with the wreck of ventures of purely literary papers, "free from the ties of party or sect." Such were the Week and the Nation, and many others; but, although it is abundantly clear that literature alone cannot support a news- paper, the greater newspapers have depart- ments, sacred from intrusion, where reviews are faithfully given and questions of pure lit- erature discussed. And here let me pause to regret the loss of the excellent literature which lies dead in our dead magazines. From 1824 literature has never been without a witness in our land. Some magazine, French or English, has stood as a living witness that we were not made to live by bread alone; and afterwards fallen as a dead witness that bread also is necessary in order to live. This is a subject by itself and would require a separate paper to elucidate it fully. Finally we reach the region oi belles-lettres, sometimes called " pure literature," and here we encounter a strong contrast between the English and French sides of our community. There are many volumes of " Causeries," " Melanges," " Revues," " Essais," in French, and all the French writers of note are repre- sented in this class. Such writing in English has seldom been published in the form of books, but will be found abundantly in the contribu- tions to the Saturday editions of the leading newspapers of the large cities. Much of it is exceedingly good ; and while we read with pleasure the weekly contributions of Martin Griffin, John Reade, Bernard McEvoy, or George Murray, we feel regret that so much learning and cleverness should be in so epheme- ral a form. I am glad, however, to recall in this connection Dr. Alexander's "Introduction to the poetry of Robert Browning." For critical insight and appreciation this volume is worthy of remark. One name must always be remembered when we take account of Canadian letters, and that is the creator of the inimitable Yankee peddler, Sam Slick. Judge Haliburton unconsciously created a type to be as well known as Sam Weller; and, while he was intent only upon quizzing his fellow Nova Scotians in the col- umns of a Halifax paper, he woke up to find himself a favorite among the literary people of London. But literature, in the opinion of the majority of the present day, consists mainly of fiction, and the world in its old age is going back to the story-tellers. Nor are we able to endure the long novels which held our parents in rapt at- tention. The stories must be shorter, and the more pictures the better. This last phase of lit- erature is cultivated by all our younger writers, and, while the task is too extensive for any- thing but most imperfect performance, a few words on this branch of my subject are neces- sary. One remark only I venture to make in the way of criticism, that, while in science we have produced some few men who stand in the very front rank of their respective subjects, we cannot boast yet of a novelist who has taken DA WSON. rank with the great masters of the craft, and none, perhaps, who have attained to the very forefront of the second class; but then it is only a few years since we made a beginning. We cannot commence our review of Cana- dian fiction with the " History of Emily Montague," published in 1769, for though it was written at Quebec, the authoress was an Englishwoman, not a permanent resident; nor even with " St. Ursula's Convent," for, although that story was published at Kingston in 1824, no one seems to know who wrote it, nor does there appear to be a copy now in existence. We must commence with Major Richardson's " Flcart6," published in New York in 1829. In 1833 he published " Wacousta," a tale of Pon- tiac's war. It is really a good novel and con- tains an excellent picture of the siege of Detroit. The same author published at Montreal "The Canadian brothers," in 1840, and afterwards four or five novels in New York. In 1833 two members of the Strickland family, Mrs. Moodie and Mrs. Traill, came to Canada and settled near Peterborough. They kept up their literary activity during their lives. Mrs. Moodie wrote many books, and, from 1852 to 1860, she pro- duced a number of fair novels. At the same time Mrs. Leprohon was writing stories. Her first novel appeared in the Literary Garland in 1848, and she followed it with a number of others. The Hon. P. J. O. Chauveau, in 1852, led the way in French novel writing with Charles Guerin, and he was followed, in 1863, by Phi- lippe Aubert De Gasp6, in " Les anciens Cana- diens," a book which has recently been trans- lated and published in New York. It is thought to be the best French Canadian novel, although it was the author's first book and was written when he was past seventy. Then fol- lowed Bourassa, Marmette, Beaugrand, Gerin- Lajoie, and others, but no important work was produced. I do not recall anything in English of note until 1877, when William Kirby published " Le Chien d'Or." This was long thought to be, and perhaps still is, the best Canadian novel. It met with much favor outside of Canada. The story as given in the legend is one of very exceptional interest, and is told with much lit- erary skill. Since then the writers of stories have become numerous in Canada. It will be impossible to mention more than a few. Miss Machar, of Kingston, has written some capital novels of Canadian life. Mr. James Macdonald Oxley is fully equal to the best writers of books of ad- venture for boys. Since 1887 he has produced a surprising number of books, published usually out of Canada, though all upon Canadian life and history. Gilbert Parker is the chief name among Ca- nadian writers of fiction, and, though he now resides in England, his subjects are Canadian and his books abound with local color and in- cident. He stands now among the leading novelists of the day. During the last few years William McLennan has made a reputation far beyond the limits of Canada, not only by his dialect stories but by his charming book, "Spanish John," a novel without a woman and yet full of interest. This book is remarkable for its singularly pure English style. Miss Lily Dougall not long ago surprised the English public by a strong novel in an original vein, " Beggars all," published by Longman. The subject was not Canadian, but her later books deal with more familiar scenes. Nor should we omit to count Miss Blanche Mac- donald and Mrs. Harrison in the number of our lady novelists. Mrs. Coates, now of Calcutta, but then Sara Jeanette Duncan, of one of our Ontario cities, wrote three books, not only bright and in- teresting but with a vein of most charming humor. One was a volume of travels round the world, another " An American girl in Lon- don," an exceedingly clever story which ap- peared first in the Illustrated London News, and the third " A voyage of consolation." She has written other books, but these are her best. Robert Barr is a Canadian who has made a name among English novelists and is enrolled among English authors. His early books are on Canadian subjects and in scenes where his life was for the most part passed. Mr. William Lighthall is also among our writers of fiction. He is the author of two novels, " The young seigneur" and " The false Repentigny," which were well received. His books, as a poet or as a Canadian anthologist, do not fall within the scope of this paper. The latest development of modern literature is the short story, and E. W. Thomson, now on the staff of the Youth's Companion, is a master in that art. There are many others; among them MONTREAL CONFERENCE. Duncan Campbell Scott, better known as a poet; and Dr. Frechette (whose French poetry was crowned by the Academy of France) has achieved the success of writing a book of cap- ital short stories in English and so of winning laurels in two languages. The prospects for a distinctive Canadian school of literature are not bright, and, indeed, any provincial narrowness of literary effort is not desirable. Our writers can reflect lustre on their country only when they venture into the broad world of our language and conquer recognition in the great realm of Anglo-Saxon letters. The great centers of our race, where are to be won the great prizes of life, must always attract the brightest and most ambitious spirits. One of our own people a successful author now in London writes in the Canadian Magazine to reproach us for underestimating ourselves. It is a good fault, even if uncom- mon among English speakers. Our youth are unlearning it, but they will not grow great by self-assertion only by performance. I have tried to set forth in detail the reasons of our retarded commencement our growth of late years has been rapid. We have to guard against materialism and to watch lest literature be oppressed by the pursuit of practical science. We see the workers toiling and we hear their din, but the world is saved by the dreamers who keep the intellect of mankind sane and sweet by communion with the ideal. Canada must not regret her children if they achieve fame in other lands. John Bonner and Will- iam G. Sewell left Quebec long ago for the Herald and Harper and the New York 7"imes, Lanigan wrote "The Akhound of Swat " one night waiting for telegrams in the World office. Nova Scotia lost John Foster Kirk, who completed Prescott's great task, and.Simon New- comb, of the United States Navy Department, astronomer and mathematician. From New Brunswick went Professor De Mille, the brill- iant author of the "Dodge Club" and "A strange manuscript"; George Teall, the archi- vist and leading writer of South Africa; and May Agnes Fleming, a story writer who, for many years, earned with her pen in New York an income as large as that of a cabinet minister at Ottawa. From Kingston went Grant Allen and Prof. George Romanes a star of intellect in the regions of the higher science where it touches the realm of metaphysics. His prema- ture death was lamented as a loss to Cambridge University. I could tell of many others if there were time but I must close. We read that, in remote ages, the followers of Pythagoras, and, in mediaeval times, the adepts of the Rosy Cross, had the power of separating at will their souls from their bodies; and then their spirits would travel away with the speed of thought and hover in the sem- blance of stars over far-off lands. But always a long trail of faint phosphorescent light con- nected the shining spirit with the quiet body in which its light was born. So with us we follow with interest the for- tunes of our countrymen we rejoice in their advancement, and star after star may leave us, but still we feel that their success is ours and some faint lustre of their brilliance quickens with pride the heart of their motherland. LIGHTHALL. CANADIAN POETS AND POETRY. BY W. D. LIGHTHALL, M.A., F.K.S.L. \ 1 WHEREVER the world is, there is a place and use for world-literature that is to say everywhere. But also wherever there is a nation, there is a place and use for a national literature. The two literatures that of the world and that of the nation do not exclude each other. The national literature which aimed to exclude the world's would fail for cause of provinciality; and where the world- literature is supported as excluding that of the nation, thought loses much of its vitality and application. In a new country, distinctive writers grow up as naturally as distinctive plants and trees; regional poets as naturally as regional flowers; for thought too is a fruit of Nature, which she puts forth like leaves and pods, varied accord- ing to the sun and soil. Thus, in a land like Canada, among a people organized but yester- day, the work of those who first made studies of the beauties of the new world of objects around them, and began to divine the special sphere of colonial art the development of that new world's native store of the beautiful has an interest and a value of its own. Let one go with an Indian for guide far along some pri- meval chain of lakes and streams, and he will learn of a majesty and a loveliness which have not been touched by the literature of Europe. Let him become a reader of the quaint French chronicles of the early pioneers of New France, and he will find there a field of chivalry full of tempting subjects for the pen. Let him put his ear to the heart of a new nation, and he will discover a fountain of emotions ready for the poem and the novel. It is a curious fact that verse, not prose, is the usual early form of distinctive literary ex- pression; or, to state it differently, colonial literatures tend to begin with poetry. What is the reason? There seem to be two reasons. One, that verse does not, in its lyrical and simpler forms, demand as severe an effort as a long work of fiction; another, that it is the natural medium of incoherent feelings and thoughts, owing to its greater element of music. The motives now in question are incipient local patriotism and incipient perception of the local materials of art. Along these lines a new Canadian literature is growing up, which is chiefly thus far a school of poetry, of which I purpose to simply call at- tention to a few examples and let them speak for themselves without comment. The history of the movement may be dismissed in a few words. There were practically no Canadian poets before Charles Sangster, who in 1856 published his volume, " The St. Lawrence and the Sague- nay," a work by no means of the highest order and in fact in certain respects and portions exceedingly defective, yet in which consider- able descriptive power and love of the beauties of the country are shown. To him belongs the chief honor as a pioneer. In the same gen- eration as Sangster were a number of men who were true artists; most of them, in fact, far better artists in technique than he such as Charles Heavysege, the author of the stately drama, "Saul," and other plays and sonnets; John Reade, tender and sweet-toned, author of ' ' Merlin and other poems," Tennysonian in their general color; Alexander McLachlan, vigorous, popular, and Radical singer; George Martin, George Murray, and John Hunter Duvar, learned in old lore and quaint metres; Joseph Howe, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, and William Kirby; all (except Heavysege, who lived in mental solitude far away from the present in time and place) dealing more or less with the subjects and life of Canada. They have been succeeded by a second gen- eration, who have grown up under the influence of the great' fact which has welded the Prov- inces of Canada into a whole, the Confederation of 1866. Confederation has been to us what the union of the thirteen colonies was to you. I desire more particularly to describe the work of this second generation, because in them the distinctive characteristics in question are more completely developed, and it will be convenient to confine ourselves to a few of the best-known names. A very good list and representation of the others is to be found in the " Treasury of Canadian verse," just issued under the editor- ship of the late Dr. Theodore Rand, who died about the date of its publication. Archibald Lampman I mention first, because 26 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. his work is complete and he has gone to his rest. Born in 1861, he resided chiefly at Ottawa, where he was a clerk in the civil service, and died there on the roth of February, 1899. His was atouchingly modest, sincere, and beautiful character, and we who knew him all loved "the little brown bird that sings," as I used to call him. The music of his sonnet lines is like the strong, sure, exquisite bars of some master of the violin, and his intimacy with nature (of course under Canadian conditions) was most close. In 1888 he first collected his poems into one volume, entitled " Among the millet"; in 1893 his second book, " Lyrics of earth," was published; and finally, after his death, "The poems of Archibald Lampman " were, in 1900, judiciously collected and edited by his friend and fellow-poet, Duncan Campbell Scott. Worthy to stand with Lampman is another of the same age and generation, William Wilfred Campbell, also of the civil service, Ottawa. His volumes are: " Lake lyrics," 1889; "The dread voyage," 1893; " Mordred, a tragedy," 1895; " Hildebrand, a drama," 1895; "Be- yond the hills of dream," 1900. Campbell's versification and choice of words are not so perfect as Lampman's, nor is his communion with external nature so striking, but his aim is much wider, his dramatic quality is surprising, and he has a keener insight into the heart of humanity. In my humble judg- ment his poem, " The mother," has touched the high-water mark of Canadian poetry. Charles George Douglas Roberts is a repre- sentative once the most promising of the same school, and still strong and clear-toned. He was born in New Brunswick in 1860, and was till recently Professor of Literature at King's College, Windsor, Nova Scotia, but is now in New York. His volumes are " Orion," " In divers tones," "Songs of the common day," " New York nocturnes," and some prose works. His best and more distinctively Canadian work may be illustrated by the sonnet entitled " Burnt lands "; but he has also written one of the best expressions of a national aspiration in the lines addressed to Canada, beginning: " O Child of Nations; giant-limbed, Who stand'st among the nations now, Unheeded, unadored, unhymned, With unanointed brow." Bliss Carman is a companion of the three men last mentioned in fact, a first cousin of Roberts. His diction is more original, and has a melody quite his own, but the same color and the same impulses mark it, as theirs close communion with Nature, and the unconven- tional vigor of a young people wending to its own in the paths of thought. He was born in Nova Scotia in 1861 and is now living in New York. His principal works are " Low tide on Grand Pre," 1893; "Songs from Vagabondia," 1894; and " Behind the arras." Frederick George Scott is the last of the ex- amples I shall take, because time forbids con- sidering some others, such as Duncan Camp- bell Scott, Pauline Johnson, Isabella Valancey Crawford, Dr. W. H. Drummond, the humor- ist; Mrs. Frances Harrison, and others. The Rev. George Scott was born in Montreal in 1861, and is now rector of the largest Anglican church in Quebec. His volumes are, "The soul's quest," 1888; " My lattice," 1894. " The unnamed lake," 1896; and " Poems old and new," 1899. In these are contained poems of great force of description, thought, and feeling, with a worthy reminiscence of Tennysonian music. A contribution of interest to which I can do no more than refer here, is the small but highly characteristic contribution of French Canada in its native tongue; but that would require more than a paragraph. The new Canadian literature is thus chiefly a school of poetry. Into the same field writers of fiction are, however, following, and of them more is, perhaps, to be expected than of the poets, for their schemes of treatment and choice of subjects must necessarily be freer. The artis- tic phases of this immense and highly distinct- ive land have been hitherto but scratched upon the surface, like the ploughing of the settler on its great prairies, which goes but a couple of inches deep. There is room for a school like the Russian, and it will yet come. One has but to read Sladen's " Australian ballads " to see that Australasia is evidently going through an analogous process. Mankind wants whatever will sincerely add to its knowledge or delight, and the native wri- ters of these regions have in each case a large and rich special vein in which to mine treasure which the world, and especially their part of it, needs, and which no one else can supply. LAID LA W. THE ABERDEEN ASSOCIATION. BY Miss E. E. LAIDLAW, Recording Secretary, Montreal English Branch. TTHE object of the Aberdeen Association is to collect good and attractive periodicals and other literature, and to distribute it in monthly parcels to settlers who apply for it from outlying parts of Canada. ist. To those whose homes are so situated geographically that it is difficult for them to ob- tain literature. 2d. To those who from financial circum- stances might not be able to purchase it. 3d. To those who from want of interest might leave themselves and their children without good reading matter. The Association is strictly undenominational, and rigidly avoids any semblance of religious or political bias, and sends out such literature as suits the religion, and, as far as possible, the tastes of the readers. In 1890, at a meeting of ladies in Winnipeg, Lady Aberdeen, who had been struck, in com- mon with many others, by the terrible isolation of many of the settlers in the Canadian North* west during the severe winter months, threw out a suggestion for the distribution of reading matter among them. This was most heartily taken up by Lady Taylor (now President of the National Council of Women), Mrs. Scarth, Mrs. Kirby, and others, and on November 12, 1890, an association was formed at the Clarendon Hotel, in Winnipeg, which has literally been the mother of all the other branches. This parent branch struggled along under the burden of a dearth of literature, want of suitable rooms, and the necessity of getting enough money to pay the postage, but from all this have evolved a working system, which has been copied as closely as may be by each succeeding branch. They were in doubt as to how to reach the people they sought out; those for whom the Association was formed; those who, from poverty or extreme distance from a centre, were unable to procure a supply of sec- ular and religious literature for themselves and their children. Letters to missionaries, immigration agents, merchants, and others in such districts, an- nouncing that bundles of old books and mag- azines could be sent out, brought in applications " fast and furiously." To these applicants were sent a form to be filled in, so that with as much knowledge of the individual need as possible, a judicious selection might be put in each par- cel. The questions on the form adopted are: I. What is your religion and occupation ? 2 Are you married or single ? How many in household ? If children, state ages. 3. What kind of literature would you prefer? 4. Do you receive any literature from elsewhere? 5. Will you pass the literature on to others ? The almost invariable answer to the last question is "Yes," for, as those know who have lived in the outlying districts of our countries, books are treasures to be universally shared. The postage, as the work grew, became a serious matter, and though generous subscrip- tions made the outlay possible for a time, a very great relief was felt when the Honorable, the Postmaster General, saw his way to allow- ing the free carriage of Aberdeen Association matter. From Winnipeg the work soon spread to other communities, and branches were formed in the following order: Halifax, Ottawa, Cal- garry, Vancouver, Regina, Toronto, Montreal (English Branch), Montreal (French Branch), Hamilton, Victoria, Brandon, Kingston, Que- bec, St. John, N. B., Kamloops, B. C., and, this year, London, Ontario. In all these branches every possible local supply of liter- ature is drawn upon, personal and press ap- peals being most generously responded to. Moving and house-cleaning are harvest times for us, and we rejoice when our rooms are made the literary dumping ground f the weary householder. The establishment of a Central Board in Ottawa soon became a necessity. To the Cen- tral Secretary all new applications are sent by the local branches, to be compared with his lists. Thus no overlapping occurs, i.e., no one is supplied from two branches at once, and names in order of application are distributed to the branches where they can be taken on. MONTREAL CONFERENCE. The sources of supply are not confined to Canada alone. Lady Aberdeen having created much interest in its behalf in England and Scotland. The London (England) Branch has as its President, Lady Dufferin, and as its Sec- retary, Mrs. Gordon, of Ellon. The Imperial Institute gives the use of rooms where literature is received and sorted into cases. These are carried free to Canada by several steamship lines, and to Ottawa by the railways. Contributions are received from the Young Women's Guild of Ian Maclaren's Church, in Liverpool, from Lady Dufferin's Book Guild, from W. T. Stead and other pub- lishers, from the Alliance Fran9aise, in Paris, as well as from the Glasgow and other Scotch branches. Last year 86 cases were received from Great Britain, consisting roughly of 25,000 books, 23,000 magazines, 25,000 illustrated papers, etc. These were handled at the Central Office in Ottawa and distributed in 154 cases to the various branches. The mailing list at the last an- nual meeting, Hamilton, October, 1899, consisted of 1900 monthly parcels sent to 520 post-offices for nine months in the year. This made the output 20,000 parcels, averaging nearly five pounds each, and reaching more than 8000 people. Lady Aberdeen has also organized in London a scheme of collection from newspaper offices, etc., in whose editorial rooms boxes labelled "For the Aberdeen Association" are placed and called for by monthly vans, notification of whose arrival is duly sent. In this way many books sent for review find their way to the far off homes in the Northwest, there to bring a savor of new life to the snow-bound pioneers, who are laying the foundations of civilization for us and our children, and to whom surely our sympathy for loneliness and patient working and waiting must of necessity go forth. That this sympathy is appreciated is at once observed by those who receive more than the semi-an- nual letters which, by the Association's by-laws, must pass between the recipient of the monthly parcels and that working member on whose list the settler's name is placed. We are contin- ually being thanked most cordially for our let- ters and being taken into the joys and sorrows and home life of our correspondents, in a way that seems almost incredible. So much so, that when any move takes place into a large town or out of the country altogether, the " good- by " is that between friends, and letters are begged for when books must cease. It must be understood that this is no charity in the accepted sense of the word. It is a friend- ly care for friends, who gladly contribute, when they can, to the expenses of the Association, and who send on the books, often many weary miles, to less fortunate neighbors (save the mark). For the children we have an especial care, all bright pictures and books being carefully gathered and Branch life membership fees de- voted to the purchase of new literature, espe- cially at Christmas time, when we try to send them books to keep. Lady Aberdeen's thoughtfulness in sending out paint boxes and colored chalks proved a joy, not only to the little ones, but to many a bach- elor in his little shack. Flower seeds are sent out to brighten the little door yards, and an essay competition on a given subject (with liberal prizes) has had good results. It may amuse you to hear that one prize bought a pig for an enterprising woman. The better known the work of this Associa- tion the more cordial the support it receives from the public; and no better criterion of the results can be given you than those contained in the requests for literature and the settlers let- ters. Among the requests sent in we may quote a few examples: Farmer's wife, Methodist. Wants love stories and detective works. School teacher. Wants good solid reading. Good novels. Children's literature for distri- bution. Scientific reading for self. Farm hand, Catholic boy. Wants " Uncle Tom's cabin," " Little Lord Fauntleroy." Farmer's wife, Presbyterian, with 10 children. Wants music, school books, story books, in- struction in dancing, grace of deportment, and carriage. Fancy work. Late fashions. Even- ing amusements and entertainments. Manager lumber camp. Wants historical works and scientific literal ure for himself. Mis- cellaneous French and English for camps. Roman Catholic Indian teacher. Wants mag- azines, pictorials, and flute music. Lutheran farmer. Wants anything interest- ing and instructive. Reads English, French, and German. Carpenter, widower with eight children, Joseph, consumptive. Wants religious and moral, and easily read, especially for Joseph. BOSTWICK. 29 VOLUMES AND CIRCULATION : A STUDY OF PERCENTAGES. BY ARTHUR E. BOSTWICK, Librarian Brooklyn (N. Y.) Public Library. T\/I OST libraries report the percentage of cir- culation of each class of literature with respect to the total circulation. Very few re- port the corresponding class percentages of the volumes in the library. Yet, by comparison with the latter, the former become very much more valuable. For instance, an extreme case would be that of a library that should report no circu- lation of fiction at all. If this library contains no fiction, the percentage report tells us nothing whatever regarding the proclivities of its users for the reading of fiction. If it has on its shelves, say, 30 per cent, of fiction, the report certainly shows that its users care nothing for this class of literature. This, as has been said, is an imaginary extreme case. Now, suppose that a library reports an abnormally small cir- culation of juvenile fiction say 8 per cent. This may be due to the fact that the amount of fiction on the shelves is abnormally small or to some other cause. The circulation percentage gives us no information on this point. For this and other reasons it is desirable that both percentages be given and studied system- atically. One application of such study may be to the purchase of books. If the percentage of history circulation, we will say, largely exceeds that of the volumes of history on the shelves, this is an indication that the library needs more history. If, on the other hand, the circulation percentage falls far below the volume percentage in any class, the indication is that the library is properly supplied with books of this particular class, and that effort should be made toward in- creasing the use of those already on the shelves. These are but probabilities, of course; they may be negatived by a study of related statis- tics and conditions. Thus, the books in a given class, though their percentage is vastly larger than that of their circulation, may contain so great an amount of worthless material that the percentage of usable books is small. For in- stance, there might be a crying need for more science, although the library contained 12 per cent, of volumes of this class and was circulating only 7 per cent. Again, the circulation percent- age might be much smaller than the volume per- centage as a direct consequence of the abnor- mal smallness of the latter. Thus, if a library contained but one per cent, of juvenile fiction the chances are that the circulation percentage would be but a fraction of one per cent., for the books would have been so often read and re- read as to be no longer in demand. Enough has been said, however, to show that a compari- son of the two systems of percentages may be the starting point of a very fruitful series of investigations. There is mutual action and reaction between the relative number of books in any one class and the circulation in that class. All other things being equal, the larger the class the larger the circulation, while the larger the circulation the more books should be added to the class. The former action is automatic; the latter works through the agency of the book- purchasing power. When either ceases to re- spond to the other the increase stops must stop in the one case and should stop in the other. The book-buyer has power, on the one hand, by increasing or diminishing his stock of books in any class, to affect the circulation in that class, and, on the other hand, by stimulating the circulation in a class in any or all of the several ways in which this is possible, he may create a demand for an increase in the number of volumes belonging to that class. In all cases the person who decides what books are to be purchased must have information regarding the relation between the number of his books and their circulation, and this is most clearly ex- pressed by a single number the ratio between the circulation percentage and the volume per- centage in each class. This number I will refer to hereafter as the percentage-ratio. (See foot- note accompanying tables on page 31.) If it is desired to stimulate the circulation in any class, that ratio should be kept well below unity by increasing the purchases in the class. If the contrary is to be desired,- the ratio must be kept above unity. An examination of library reports will show that this result has generally been reached, although not in any systematic way, for there are noteworthy departures from it ; as a rule, in adult and juvenile fiction, the circula- tion percentage far exceeds the volume percent- MONTREAL CONFERENCE. age. while in the non-fiction classes the reverse is true, although the ratios do not vary much from unity. Of course the apparent use of fiction, in the usual manner of statement, is raised by the fact that the stock is " turned over" oftener in a given time. The percentages are much more favorable to non-fiction when the circula- tion is given in terms of time, as was shown in an article by the present writer in the Library Journal for 1896 (L. j.: 21 : '96.) Another way to get at it would be to give the average number of books outstanding in each class, from counts made at as many different times in the year as is convenient. This item of statistics the num- ber of books outstanding has been somewhat neglected by librarians. The total number is reported once a month at the New York Free Circulating Library and at the Brooklyn Public Library, and Mr. R P. Hayes tells me that at his subscription library in Chicago it is regarded as the most important statistical item. The standard method of keeping circulation statis- tics, however, is not likely to be altered, and its imperfection in this regard is an additional reason why the fiction percentage-ratio should be kept very far above unity. Of course, when I speak of keeping this ratio above or below unity, I refer only to what must be done by the purchase of books. In direct action on the cir- culation of course the librarian should strive to do precisely the opposite of this. In other words, while he is trying to lower his ratio in a given class by buying more books, he will at the same time try to raise it, as far as personal effort to increase his circulation in that class is concerned. It must also be remembered that a percentage may be raised or lowered not only by altering the corresponding number, but by altering other numbers of the series. It is very seldom desirable to lower the actual num- ber of books in a class or their actual circulation ; the lowering of the corresponding percentages should be effected by increasing those of other classes. The mathematical statement of the situation is somewhat complex. Without using other than elementary terms it may be made as fol- lows: We have fractions whose numerators and denominators belong respectively to two series of percentages. The value of the numerator in each case is dependent on that of the denomi- nator. The librarian has it in his power to alter the numbers corresponding to both these percentages and others in the series, although he has greater control of those of the denomi- nator. He desires, by such alteration, to maintain the fraction at a value near unity, but in some cases greater and in others smaller than unity, at the same time raising both terms of some of the fractions at the expense of others. An attempt to state all this in formal mathematical notation will throw further light on the complexity of the relations involved. Mathematicians may amuse themselves by try- ing it. Direct comparison of circulation with the number of books on the shelves is not infre- quent. The ratio of total circulation to total volumes is sometimes made a measure of the work done by a library most unjustly, it would seem, since this ratio must necessarily be largest in the smallest and most inadequate collections. A rrore logical method would be to take the ratio class by class, but even in this case it does us little good to know that every volume of history on the shelves circulated four times unless we also know the relationship of this rate to that which obtains in the other classes. In other words, the totals of volumes and circulation must enter into every ratio, and this result is attained by using the percentages as terms of the ratios, as already proposed. The first thing to note in an investigation of this kind is, therefore, the percentage-ratio. This may lead to an investigation of the com- ponent percentages of this ratio, this to the numbers corresponding to these percentages, and this again to an examination of the charac- ter of the books themselves in the class in question. The tables on the next page show the percent- age ratios, as defined above, in the different classes of books at several libraries, chiefly in New York City. They are neither exhaustive nor particularly typical and are presented simply as an example of the use of the meth- od. Taking them as a whole, it will be seen that every library represented has in general kept its ratio well above unity in the classes where a large circulation percentage is usually regarded as desirable, and well below in the other classes an indication that the purchase of books has generally been properly distrib- uted among the classes, but stimulation of non- fiction circulation has not kept pace with this purchase. Taking first the branches of the New York Free Circulating Library, some anomalies BOSTWICK. TABLE SHOWING PERCENTAGE-RATIOS IN NEW YORK FREE CIRCULATING, BROOKLYN PUBLIC, AND OTHER LIBRARIES.* N. Y. Free Circ. Lib'y. Juv. Fict. Hist. Biog. Trav. Lit. Per. Sci. Arts. Phil. For. Bond .6 1 7 7 3 5 5 3 :2 9 ,i 5 5 .1 .2 3 3 .0 9 4 1.2 '.8 .8 .6 7 7 I.O .8 i-4 5 :l .8 .6 '.6 '.& .6 .6 .6 .6 .8 .8 .6 ~6 .8 .8 .8 8 .8 5 9 '.6 .6 .6 '.& 7 9 7 9 7 S .2 Bruce '.6 .0 7 7 5 7 3 .0 4 '.6 .6 .6 .6 7 5 I.O .8 .6 .6 .6 5 '.% 5 7 3 5 5 3 7 5 5 S 7 3 .3 X.O I.O 3 is Jackson Sq.. .. Harlem Muhlenberg.. . Bloomingdale . Riverside 1 Yorkville 24th St Chatham Sq... Brooklyn P. L. Juv. Fict. Hist. Biog. Trav. Poet. Lit. Per. Sci. Arts. Phil. Ref. Bedford Bedford Pk.. East a 2 X O i 7 a o 4 a i 2.1 i-3 .1 1.9 1.6 I.O I.O I.O I.O .8 4 4 4 I.O 4 5 3 8 5 I 8 8 4 7 7 3 3 5 5 .8 I.O .6 4 .6 3 3 3 .2 '.6 5 5\ 3 2 .O -7 5 3 5 3 5 3 5 3 3 2 O 2 i 3 o S. Brooklyn.. Williamsburg Flatbush Phil. Rel. Soc. Philol. Sci. Use. Arts. Fine Arts. Lit. Hist. 1 Vav. Biog. Fict. Buffalo Public Library. 5 .2 .2 .2 5 -5 5 .8 .6 .6 5 2-3 F. Arts. Biog. Phil. Rel. Soc. Edu. Hist. Sci. Poet. Lit. U.Art Trav. Fu.F. Ad.F For. Cleveland P. L. Circ. Dept. .6 .3 5 .3 i.o 5 .6 .6 .6 . 9 S 5 1.6 2.0 7 Nat. Sci Pol. Sci. Theol. Arts . Lit. Trav. Hist. Bio{ f. Poet. Per. Fict. Juv. For. Toronto Pub. Lib Circ. Dept. 3 4 -3 .6 3 3 3 -2 3 I.O ? 1-5 .3 * These numbers, as explained in the text, are the ratios of circulation-percentage to volume-percentage ; that is, they are obtained in each class by dividing- the class-percentage of circulation by the class-percentage of volumes on shelves. For instance, the Brooklyn Public Library reports for its Bedford Branch a juvenile circulation of 22 per cent, and 10 per cent, of juvenile volumes on shelves. This gives a ratio of 2.2, as in the table. appear, as follows: Bond street and Ottendorfer branches have a very high ratio in juvenile fic- tion. On referring to the percentage tables in the library report (not given here) I find this to be due to low volume percentages. Neither of these two libraries has an abnormally small number of volumes in juvenile fiction, and the low volume percentage is due to a larger stock than the average in other classes. Thus the state of things in this class is not one that calls for change, in spite of the abnormally large ratio. It is different with the adult fiction ratios at Bond street, 34th street, and Chatham square, which are less than unity. It would appear that it is not necessary to purchase so much fiction for either of these libraries, since the percentage of fiction on the shelves is already in excess of that circulated. This is notably the case at Chatham square. Here the actual number of volumes in adult fiction and their circulation are both small. It was doubtless realized at the outset that the fiction circula- tion would be chiefly juvenile, but the result went further in this direction even than was anticipated. The Chatham square ratios in nearly all classes illustrate the fact that more abnormalities may be expected in a newly es- tablished library than in an old one. These ratios will repay study, but I have time now to note merely that they indicate that Bond street, Yorkville, and Chatham square need more history and Chatham square more sci- ence, and that Harlem and Muhlenberg should have a larger proportion of foreign works to satisfy the demand. This is shown in each case by the fact that the number indicating the corresponding ratio is greater than one. In the Brooklyn Public Library table the ra- tios run much less evenly than in that of the Free Circulating Library, the reason being that as most of the branches have been open only since October last the two series of percentages have not had time to adjust themselves mutually. The low juvenile fiction ratio at Bedford Park is MONTREAL CONFERENCE, due to large volume percentage and indicates that the fiction percentage of volumes should be lowered by proportionately smaller pur- chases in this class. The large Williamsburg ratio is caused by small volume percentage, and although this is due chiefly to large vol- ume percentages in other classes, as may be seen by the other ratios, additional purchases of juvenile fiction at this branch are needed. East and South Brooklyn branches are buying too much adult fiction, and the demand for history is in general exceeding the proportion- ate supply. The branch best supplied with works on science and the arts (proportionately to the demand) is Bedford, the worst is the East branch. At the former special effort should be made to stimulate the circulation in these two classes; at the latter the stock of books in the same classes should be made larger. These conclusions are all easily reached by applying to the tables the principles already laid down. Regarding the three libraries outside of New York City that have been added to the table, it will be seen that in general the ratios follow the same rules. Toronto's ratios are very low in the classes other than fiction, and the low circulation percentages, as shown in the library report (not given here) indicate that the demand in these classes should be stimulated. Neither of these three libraries, however, has too much fiction on the shelves, either juvenile or adult. In the column for "periodicals" in all the tables the ratios are unsafe bases for inference, as cur- rent periodicals are included in the percentage tables of circulation, while of course only bound volumes are accounted for in the tables of vol- ume percentages. This makes the dividend unduly large in the calculation, which explains the large ratios here. Still, if it is desirable to stimulate the reading of periodicals, as I believe it to be, on the whole, libraries should probably take more copies for separate circulation and bind more duplicate volumes than most of us do. I wish to say again, in closing, that this dis- cussion is merely to suggest a method, and that I have chosen the libraries represented in the tables partly on account of my own familiar- ity with their conditions and limitations, but chiefly because their statistics are so given as to minimize the labor of making the table of ratios. THK COST OF PREPARING BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES FOR THE USE OF THE PUBLIC. BY BERNARD C. STEINER, Librarian Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore. '"pHERE is probably no side of library man- agement less thought of by the general public than the expense of preparing books for their use. The proportion of the library's in- come that can be spent on the increase of the collection is much smaller than would be thought at first by an intelligent observer, be- cause so much expense must be added to the dealer's cost of the book before it is ready to be placed in the hands of the public. It would be an interesting inquiry to ascer- tain what the average cost per book of such preparation is in various libraries of the coun- try, and what proportion of these libraries' total expenditure should be charged to the prepara- tion of books for the use of the public, but the writing of this paper was undertaken too late to pursue such investigations. After all, it is doubtful whether they would have had much permanent value, for the elements to be taken into account are numerous and vary so much in different localities, that, probably, the intent of the discussion will be accomplished by stat- ing what elements of cost should be taken into account and by giving an approximate estimate of the expense in that library known best by the writer. Others, who join in the discussion, may give approximate figures for their institu- tions, or may indicate where elements of cost have been overlooked or placed at too high a figure. While the cost of books from the dealer is nearly the same throughout the country, rates of salary vary greatly and the cost of supplies varies also. Then, too, there are sev- eral uncertain quantities which would be as- signed different values in different places, as for example, how much of the librarian's salary goes to this account. We shall note, moreover, that certain items should come into our compu- tation, which are trifling in amount, and yet which swell the sum total, such as paste or glue to fasten tags on the backs of books. We must begin, of course, with the cost of the books themselves, and should add to this the cost of binding such as are issued in paper covers. But before we procure the books, we must STEINER. 33 have order clerks to examine the catalog, so as to ascertain whether the books hare already been bought or ordered elsewhere and to pre- pare lists of those to be procured. A part of the time of the librarian or his secretary is oc- cupied with the correspondence which arises in connection with the order of books, and should be debited to our account. So, too, postage on these letters, paper, pens, and ink must be charged in to the expense of preparation of books for the public. We shall find that one of the most difficult valuations to make is that of the portion of the librarian's own time spent in reading reviews, glancing over publishers' cir- culars and the new books themselves, deter- mining what books should be bought, and, it may be, discussing these books with the library committee or with specialists in various branches of literature and science. When the books have been supplied by dealers, they must be unpacked, placed on shelves, and the bills. must be checked off and audited. Some of these items are of small financial value, as for instance, the manual labor of janitors in re- moving books from boxes, yet an accurate ac- countant may not leave them out. The maxim, " De minimis non curat lex," does not hold true in finance. The cataloging department must now take hold of the books, and acces- sioning, shelf listing or classification, and writing of catalog cards must be done. If the library makes its own conspectus and does not trust to a ready-made classification, the cost of that should also be included. Of course, all salaries of catalogers and the money expended for supplies used by them must be noted, and it may even be queried whether the artificial light used by catalogers, the furniture of the cataloging rooms, and a fair interest on the capital expended in increasing the size of the library building, so as to provide quarters for the cataloging department, should not be charged to our account. If bulletins, finding lists, reading lists, or printed catalogs are prepared by the library, it would seem that the cost of these would form another item to swell the total quite materially. The time devoted by the librarian or his as- sistant to the supervision of the cataloging de- partment and of the preparation of the above mentioned printed or typewritten matter would form another item, hard to be estimated. At last the book is cataloged, and now comes the question whether we should not in- clude labor expended In connection with plac- ing it on the shelf and supplies procured, such as book pockets, book plates, tags, borrowers' cards, book slips, etc. From such an enumera- tion it will be seen that the sum total must be an approximation, and the chief gain to us and the public from such a discussion as this is a clearer conception of the multitudinousness of the items to be included. Further, any one year gives no fair answer to the question. Supplies bought in one year may last over three or 'four, and in any true bookkeeping should be divided that the proper amount be charged to each year. In the Enoch Pratt Free Library the amount spent for new books and binding was about f Sooo in the year 1899. In the same year the amount spent for salaries was $24,000, of which amount $6000 would not be an unfair amount to count in our reckoning. The miscellaneous expenses were $10,500, of which we should as- sign at least $1500 to our account. This gives us a sum total of $15,500 out of a total ex- penditure of $49,200, and had I not been con- servative in my estimate I could have made it much nearer $20,000. In other words, about a third of the annual expenses of the library is properly charged to the preparation of books for the use of the public, and this, too, without counting in several of the items which we saw might fairly be included in the reckon- ing. The cost per book is a fallacious test, for a large donation in any year will much dimin- ish the average. For example, in 1899 we received the gift of 1200 volumes for a new branch library. These books cost us noth- ing to order and we paid no booksellers' bill for them, so that the average per book would be less in such a year than in one where few donations were received. In 1899 we added about 8000 volumes, so that the cost was about $2 per volume, and the cost of the books from the dealer was only about half the amount spent in preparation for the public. Lastly, we should remember that the propor- tion of money expended on this account to the total expenditure will tend to diminish with the growth of the library. In the new library there is pressing need to create and to increase the collection of books, circulation is usually smaller than in later years, and there is no charge to be made to the replacement account, for wear and tear have not begun. 34 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. WHAT CLASSES OF PERSONS, IF ANY, SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE SHELVES IN LARGE LIBRARIES? BY SAMUEL SWETT GRIEN, Librarian Worcester (Mass.) Public Library. A LL classes of persons under supervision; no class without it. Again, it is not the size of the library but its value, owing to the cost or rarity of its books, which calls for careful supervision in its use. As libraries are now usually arranged, with all the books in a single collection, the wisest course seems to be to admit persons to sections under observation, and to provide in different rooms collections of new popular books, chil- dren's libraries and libraries of a few thousand volumes, containing standard and readable books on a large variety of subjects, for pur- poses of reference, which users may rummage among freely and yet under supervision. The problem is very much simplified by di- viding a library. I notice that in those large libraries where free access to the shelves is allowed, there is a collec- tion it may be quite small, however the use of which is restricted and enjoyed only under careful supervision. It seems to me that this principle will have to be applied more widely if access is to be allowed under slight supervision, and such access is certainly very desirable. The division of the library, in the use of which observation of users is to be close, must be of considerable size, unless the library, al- though large, is, as is the case in some of the great cities of the country, made up almost en- tirely of popular literature. I speak from experience in this matter, for the Free Public Library of Worcester, Massa- chusetts, besides having three collections of books for persons to rummage among, has from the beginning had two departments, a reference library and a circulating library. In the refer- ence library it is the custom to admit anybody who wishes to the shelves, accompanied by an attendant. The user may stay as long as he pleases, but he must not put back books which he takes down, and when he has rummaged long enough among the books of the class he is consulting, such books as he has selected for study are carried to a small study room and charged to him. The circulating library is un- dergoing classification at present. It is the in- tention to admit visitors to sections, under observation, but not under so close observation as in the case of the reference department, the books of which are generally expensive and often rare. It maybe remarked here, incidentally, that by having a department from which books are taken out with a little formality, the librarian is enabled to place choice editions of the more popular authors where they can be of use to students of literature because commonly to be found in when wanted and in a condition of wholeness and cleanness to render their use profitable and comfortable. While the greatest efforts should be made to be impartial in the conduct ol a library and while all portions should be unostentatiously looked after, it is evident that there are some users who will need to be watched more than others, but the persons who need watching will be found in all classes and where vigilance is relaxed it should be in the case of individuals and not of classes of persons. I wish, in conclusion, to dissent emphatically from the disposition which exists to look at the matter of access to the shelves solely from a pecuniary point of view. The moral side of the question is of the utmost importance. We must avoid making thieves by not making it too easy to steal. I am particularly distressed when I see shelves of books for children's use left unguarded. There should be sympathetic attendants in every children's room to help children and guard the property. Contrivances also should be adopted which will keep them under observation fora considerable time when leaving the room. It would be foolish to estab- lish reform schools for delinquents and at the same time engage in the work of making delin- quents. In the remarks which I have made I have not had proprietary or college libraries in mind, but only such libraries as the public has rights in. WRIGHT. 35 CHARACTER OF PERMITTED ACCESS TO THE SHELVES. BY PURD B. WRIGHT, Librarian St. Joseph (Mo.) Free Public Library. "T AM inclined to take the position that no argument for open shelves is necessary. We have in the public library the people's books, paid for by their money, and deposited in libraries for their use. This use should not be restricted in any way which is not clearly necessary to guard the people's interests." . . . These words are from Mr. Brett's paper, read at the Atlanta conference last year, and, it would seem, practically cover the entire situa- tion. From various causes all library workers may not be in a position to realize their ideals, and I take it that this discussion is intended as a means of developing a "second best," as it were of getting as close to ideals as possible. That there are "open shelves" and "open shelves " is plain to one who endeavors to keep up with library magazine and convention dis- cussions, and it is equally apparent that all unnecessary restrictions in the use of books in the public library by the public are being gradually removed. The rapid increase in the number of open-shelf children's rooms will possibly do more in the future toward increasing the number of open-shelf libra- ries than any other one thing, for it is not to be doubted that children who are educated and permitted to select their own reading matter after a personal examination will later insist on this privilege as grown people. The " selected library" (Buffalo), the "standard library" (Providence), the Denver open-shelf, (except fiction), the Newark method, and hosts of other plans, all good, are signs that it will not be many years before there will be many followers of the Philadelphia and Cleveland libraries in permitting access with the least possible restric- tion. It may not be out of place here to say that St. Joseph is to have a new library build- ing, and it has been determined that it shall be an open-shelf library. Aside from the question of room ground rent (the open-shelf library requiring more floor space) it does not seem to me that there is necessarily any difference as to freedom of ac- cess to shelves between the small library and the large library. Many of the so-called smaller libraries have a more extensive use, relatively, than some of the larger libraries, and it is pos- sibly susceptible of proof that as high a class of books are called for. It is true that in the average small library small only on account of a lack of means will not be found collec- tions valuable on account of their rarity or great cost, and it is not greatly troubled about glass cases, wire screens, or shelf permits. In the very large libraries there is no attempt to serve all the people from under one roof, and it is gratifying to see that in the separation of the volumes more than one restriction is removed. In the establishment of branches the idea is to take the books nearer to the people, to make them more readily accessible as in the smaller community with the smaller library and the second step is the removal of the last bar be- tween the public and the books it wants, the result being the open-shelf library. In the open-shelf library all volumes of a general nature should unquestionably be acces- sible to all. Special collections, such as the more expensive art books, rare manuscripts, local history, technical medical books, and those espe- cially valuable on account of their rarity, should be guarded by glass doors, and protected by such regulations as will give access to those who, in using them intelligently, will appreciate the value not only of the books but of the organ- ization which makes any use possible. Glass doors are preferred to wire screens, as they serve the double purpose of protection from unnecessary handling from a spirit of idle cu- riosity, and from dust. Collections of the so- called "inferno" nature should be behind dark doors. The student or other person entitled to their use will understand the necessity for any restrictions that may be deemed necessary, and will also be familiar with the card catalog and other devices of the up-to-date library which tell of its contents and the method of securing what is wanted. If, for lack of room or other sufficient reason, it is impossible, or not deemed advisable, to provide open shelves as thus described, the librarian has an important question to consider MONTREAL CONFERENCE. in the issuing of shelf permits. Circumstances must necessarily govern each case. The " standard " and " select " libraries have little trouble with the question, for either of these meet the wants of a majority of those who apply for special shelf permits. In the closed- shelf library, the first question arising, if the stack room is crowded, will be as to the number of people to be admitted to given departments at one time. If the stacks are but 18 inches apart, as they are in some departments of this library at this time, the question is a grave one. It is possible to issue shelf permits under these circumstances it is even advisable to do so. To all teachers in the schools of the city and county, all preachers, club program committees, club topic leaders, scholars, and special students in any line, this is an open-shelf library five days every week. Saturdays it is not, for the reason that the number of volumes issued on this day is so large, comparatively, that it taxes the re- sources of the library to supply them promptly, and nothing is permitted to stand in the way of giving the best service possible at the delivery desk. There are other cases in which it is found desirable to grant shelf permits, such as the urgent business man looking up some ques- tion in which he is temporarily interested, the campaign orator who wants an authority quickly, and instances of a like nature. The issue of shelf permits for the fiction de- partment other than to those already mentioned, unless under stringent restrictions, probably occasions more heart-burnings, petty jealousies, and criticism of the powers that be among a certain class of literary patrons than any other one thing. This is doubly true if this depart- ment is in full view of the masses, who are, per- force, kept on the outside. They see others "browsing" here and there, examining the books at their leisure, making selections after a per- sonal test a sampling, as it were while they themselves must select by title and number, and take what may happen to be found by the desk attendants or messengers. An attractive title in the catalog is often the most interest- ing thing about a book, in the opinion of the reader after he has read, or tried to read, it. The public is realizing this more and more every day ; and it is prone to resent, and justly, any privilege which it sees extended to appar- ent favorites, the select few. Even if this spe- cial access to fiction shelves may be permitted without those accorded the privilege being seen, it does not follow that it is not known. It may be kept a secret for a time, but before one real- izes it the issue of shelf permits is generally known. And it is, above all, in the fiction de- partment that the best results may be antici- pated from the open-shelf system. THE STANDARD LIBRARY. BY WILLIAM E. FOSTER, Librarian Providence (R. I.) Public Library. '"THE three fundamental requisites which we kept in mind, in our experiment of a Stand- ard Library at Providence, have been: (i) ideal quality, (2) inviting aspect, and (3) inspiring character. The shape of the room, long and narrow (41 x 12), was neither a makeshift, nor a survival, nor an after-thought, but was distinctly planned from the beginning. It gives, as will be readily seen, two parallel rows, one of books and one of seats. Upon the wall is the inscrip- tion: " The books invite you not to study, but to taste and read." Anything more " inviting " than the whole aspect of this room it would be hard to imagine. The capacity of the room is small, but so will always be a collection like this of nothing but the best, and solely in the field of the " literature of power," rather than the " literature of knowledge." These shelves will hold not more than 1200 volumes. The number of volumes actually on the shelves at present is only 970, and these represent 98 dif- ferent authors less than 100. The estimates of cost or value show a total of only $1150.35 (or but little more than $i per volume, that is, with the discount deducted), indicating conclusively that it is not primarily nor essentially a collection of "Editions de luxe." What has been aimed at has been the best of the editions in every essential particular, that is, the best as literature, not necessarily the best as technical criticism. Thus, the set of Boswell's Johnson is not Dr. George Birk- beck Hill's, but Augustine Birrell's; that of Keats not the Forman edition, but the little Golden Treasury volume. Nor is the Variorum Shakespeare of Dr. Furness here ^included, FOSTER. 37 though from several points of view that would be regarded as the best edition. On the con- trary, the "Temple Shakespeare" is included, as being the most attractive of the " one-play- a-volume " editions; and there is also, side by side with it, the Pickering edition in eleven volumes. The Spenser here included is not the sumptuous Muckley edition, but the Pickering edition, neat, accurate, and dignified, alike faultless in its typography and admirable in its text. The considerations which have been taken into account in deciding on the various editions are treated in detail in the Monthly Bulletin of the Providence Public Library for October, 1898, and are as follows: Text edition and editor, size, type, paper and ink, and bind- ing. The text must be had in its integrity if pos- sible. In the case of non-English authors, i.e., those in some other language than English, the consideration of integrity of the author's text makes it essential that the original should be placed on the shelves in the ideally perfect text, while the consideration of attractiveness makes it, perhaps, equally essential that the author should also be represented in the best available English translation. And yet our experience has been that a far greater per- centage of the public than is commonly sup- posed is ready to realize the fact that in the original alone is the real essence of the author's work. After all, who can reproduce in English all that there is in Theocritus, or in Horace, or in Montaigne ? And this leads us to the question, Who is bene- fited by such a collection of books ? Three classes of readers have thus far been chiefly observed to use it. First, the casual visitor, drawn to it at first by curiosity, and returning to it repeat- edly through stronger and stronger interest in it. The room which contains this collection fortunately stands next to the lecture-room, on the walls of which there is at all times an ex. hibit of pictures of some kind. It is well known that pictures draw more than books; but if these books will draw a visitor of this kind, they seem likely to continue to draw him. Second, persons of all ages and grades of advancement who are engaged in study, from a grammar school pupil to the graduate student in college. This use is large, but I pass over it now because it is necessarily very much smaller now than it is destined to become before long, with the definite development which teachersstand ready to make of it. In many instances teachers have said to me that here was the opportunity that they had been living in hope of. Now that it is available ready to their hand they will more and more send or bring the pupils, in order that they may familiarize themselves with the best that there is in literature. Third, the man or woman who buys as well as reads books. I need not say that here is one phase of this work which promises rich results in the future. We have strong hopes well-founded hopes, indeed of being able through this agency to develop private book-buying. It is a habit which, unfortunately, has fallen into a certain decline throughout the country. The reason is plain. The public has more and more drawn apart from an atmosphere of the best books and taken up with a leading atmosphere which represents the ephemeral and fragmentary. It cannot be called a " literary atmosphere." There is many a man who simply does not know and appreciate the best literature because he has not been brought in contact with it. Let him be brought in con- tact with it, as here, and it will make its appeal to him. That it does make this appeal we are already sure of, as we are sure that this experi- ment of a standard library is getting the best books actually read. Nor is the expectation in regard to development of private book-buy- ing by the readers an imaginary one. For years we have had the same experience with our readers, in a smaller way, at the old library. A reader would often return a book, saying that it is just the book which he must have for his own, and asking how to order it. Under these new conditions this tendency will at once be greatly facilitated. I have mentioned the fact that in our case the selection of books is confined strictly to the "literature of power," Instead of extending it to the "literature of knowledge." I do not need, at this late day, to quote in detail from those who have so lucidly given expression to this distinction. De Quincey, you remember, has thus stated it: " There is, first, the litera- ture of knowledge, and, second, the literature of power." "The function of the first is to teach; the function of the second is to move." In other words, the object of the first is infor- mation. The object of the second is inspiration. Surely, information is good; and why then have we not provided for it here ? For one reason, we have not done so at the present MONTREAL CONFERENCE. time, because this problem is by no means so simple as the other. In the literature of in- spiration, the matter is for the most part a settled question. Time, with its unerring fin- ger, has long ere this decided the rank of nearly every author admitted into this select company; and, as a consequence, no sweeping changes are likely to be necessary in future. In the literature of information, on the other hand, the best books of to-day are by no means the best books of to-morrow. The consequence is that such a collection would be in a constant state of flux and reflux. Nor would it be pos- sible to make the entries of the best books under certain headings without awakening serious challenge. To take an instance which I have already cited political economy the ideal treatment of a subject like this varies very much according as it is the work of Henry C. Carey, William G. Sumner, or Henry George, and the adherents of either one of the three would be likely to consider the work of the other two as merely rubbish. A word in regard to the choice of authors for this library, which has been made from the " literature of power." I have spoken of these names as relatively secure of their position, and in general it may be said that they are beyond question, in themselves, though a wide differ- ence of opinion may exist as to their relative claims as compared with each other. I had, however, expected a much wider difference of opinion in regard to their claims than has ac- tually been developed. I had thought that it would be well to start with some list the best list available as a basis, and then, taking into account the comments and criticisms made on that, shape it into such modified form as might be required. In reality, there has been very little suggestion of change; and that is perhaps because the list was subjected to so wide a range of criticism and suggestion, be- fore making it up. I have thus reported progress, so to speak, on this new feature of our library work, during its first three months. To gain a more accurate idea of it, however, you should ask me about it one or two years from now. ACCESS TO A SELECTED LIBRARY : THE BUFFALO PLAN. BY H. L. ELMENDORF, Superintendent Buffalo (IV. Y.) Public Library, A LMOST every plan or method in library affairs is the resultant of the meeting of two forces which tend in different directions, this resultant taking a new direction from that of either original force. The open shelf de- partment of the Buffalo Public Library is cer- tainly an instance of this kind. The two forces which met were, first, the ideal in the mind of the librarian, and, second, the preced- ing and existing conditions of the library, The ideal of the librarian was the freest possi- ble safe access of the public to the books it was taxed to buy, the justice of access by the owner to his own property. This ideal working alone with an entirely new library might have pro- duced an institution which would have given unrestricted access to all its books, but the sec- ond factor had to be dealt with. The Public Library was the heir of the great Buffalo Li- brary with its collection of 85,000 volumes, the accumulation of 60 years of growth. It is a matter of necessity that a large percentage of these 85,000 volumes, while immensely valuable and interesting for historic purposes, should be misleading rather than helpful to unskilled readers. Besides the character of the collec- tion of books, the beautiful building which held it had to be taken into account. The con- ventional stack existed, so arranged as to afford convenient storage for a large number of books, but presenting insuperable difficulties to the admission to its shelves of any large num- ber of people at one time. The character of both the books and the building thus appar- ently closed the door to the Cleveland-Denver- Philadelphia plan. A feature of the old library seemed to sug- gest another solution. The Buffalo Library, always a proprietary library, reserved the home use of its books to members of the association and holders of a thousand free school tickets, a clientage amounting in all to about 4000 per- sons. The Buffalo Library was. beyond this perfectly proper restriction as to home use, ex- tremely public-spirited, and allowed any well- behaved person the free use of its books ELMENDORF. 39 within the building, thus making itself a strong influence in the life of the city. Partly as a generous concession to the public, but more especially for the pleasure of its mem- bers, there was installed, during the later years of the old library, a department known as the " Nook." Here were placed, as they were published, one copy each of a small selection of the best and most attractive of the newest books. Books in the " Nook " were not issued for home use to anyone, but any person was at liberty to handle, examine, and read them. The experiment proved to be popular and helpful, but, for lack of money and suitable room, the collection was always small, never exceeding 100 volumes. Thus the " Nook " gave the idea of free access to a selected library for use in the building, but this idea was immediately modified in the open shelf department to free access to a selected library for home use. The transfer of some departments and the removal of several parti- tions gave space which could be converted into a large, beautiful room opening directly out of the circulating department. The physical dif- ficulties of the building were thus overcome and the resultant of the open shelf department more than realized the librarian's ideal, because it gave access to as many of the books as the public cared to handle and see, without the confusion of superseded or uninteresting vol- umes. The changes in the building gave a room 84 x 38 feet, well lighted and with wall space for shelving to hold 7700 volumes. The A. L. A. Library of 5000 volumes was taken as the basis for the first selection. Many modifica- cations and changes were, of course, necessary to bring the list up to date and to replace super- seded books. The open shelf library when opened numbered about 12,000 volumes, includ- ing duplicates. The shelves were comfortably filled with about 7000 volumes at the opening, the remainder being held in reserve. The re- serves were all used during the first week, and it was necessary to borrow from the stack to supply the demand. The collection has been increased until it now numbers 20,500 volumes, representing about 7000 titles. These books are duplicates of the regular collection in the stack and are marked with red stars to insure their being shelved properly when returned by bor- rowers. One case is reserved for new books, and another for books on topics of timely inter- est. The room serves as the main reading- room of the library, and is fitted with large tables and ordinary library chairs for the ac- commodation of readers. The inventory, completed in January of this year, showed 616 volumes missing. This cov- ers the losses of 28 months, a money value of about $600, while we figure the saving in sala- ries of assistants for the same period at $6,000. This calculation of money saved is made by taking the salaries of the number of assistants it requires to loan an equal number of books from the stack and deducting the salaries of the open shelf assistants, thus arriving at actual and not estimated figures. Some of these books may have been misplaced, but the greater number were undoubtedly stolen, most of them, we think, very soon after the opening of the library, before we had established cer- tain necessary safeguards. The system has passed the experimental stage, and we regard it as an assured success. The board of directors would as soon think of closing up any other department of the library as this one. The manifest advantages of the system are : ist. The great pleasure it gives, and the con- sequent popularity and increased usefulness and influence of the library. 2d. The marked improvement in the charac- ter of the public reading. We know that more than half of the books taken from the library are taken from a collection which we unre- servedly recommend as the best books ; if they are fiction, they are the best fiction ; if science, the best and most reliable books upon the sub- ject of which we know, and so on through all the different classes. We know of no way of recommending a book so good as to put an attractive edition of it where people can handle and examine it for themselves. Great care is taken in the matter of the editions and the appearance of the books, and also as to the quality of their illustrations. To be popular in this depart- ment, a book must be attractive as well as inter- esting, and we see to it that all the books here are good editions, clean and in good repair. The collection is not a fixed one, but the list is constantly being added to and revised. Books which do not prove popular are retired and others substituted. MONTREAL CONFERENCE. THE DUTIES AND QUALIFICATIONS OF ASSISTANTS IN OPEN- SHELF LIBRARIES. BY ARTHUR E. BOSTWICK, Librarian Brooklyn (N. Y.) Public Library. *~PHE granting of a privilege, or its extension, necessarily brings with it two disadvan- tages increased responsibility and the op- portunity for abuse. The former is felt by those to whom the privilege is granted; the lat- ter by its grantors. . . . From this rule the open-shelf library is not exempt. . . . If it is to do its work properly, it must acknowledge the disadvantages of its course and seek to minimize them. In the library the burden of palliating the evils of open access rests directly on the should- ers of the assistant who comes into direct con- tact with the public, and the duties of assistants in open-shelf libraries in addition to those that devolve upon those of libraries in general are chiefly connected with this burden. To repeat, the evils of an open system of dis- tribution are twofold. On the side of the pub- lic there is increased responsibility. In an open- shelf library the onus of choice falli more di- rectly on the users; they are called upon to dis- criminate between actual books instead of cat- alog entries between things instead of their names. The books are arranged in a somewhat unfamiliar order; this must be mastered and care must be taken that it is not disturbed by re- placing them wrongly. These are but a few of the responsibilities that are devolved on the public by this particular extension of privilege. On the other hand, the library has to suffer in many directions from failure of the public to live up to the measure of these responsibilities or from direct abuse of its increased privileges. The books are carelessly handled, replaced in confusion, carried away by mistake, stolen. The new duties of the attendants, therefore, like the evils they are designed to mitigate, must fall into two classes they must aid the public and they must guard the library. If the user of the library does not know what he wants the assistant must know more than this: the assistant must divine whether the user knows or not before he speaks, for an offer of aid where none is needed is by no means appreciated. Is the unaccustomed user mystified by the ar- rangement of books, in spite of all that can be told him by signs and shelf labels ? The assist- ant must patiently explain, and politely listen to his denunciations of the system of classifica- tion; for, whatever it may be, its vulnerable points will be sure to present themselves to one who is making its acquaintance. She must continually chide the person who is slipping a volume of biography in among the sociology, and must explain how much extra labor this means for the overworked library force. And as these efforts always fall short of perfect achievement she must at least once a day go over the portion of the shelving allotted to her, and see that the books are arranged in the proper order. All these duties, and plenty of others, fall under the head of aid to the public. But at the same time the assistant must safe- guard the interests of the library. She must see that in the necessary handling of the books there is no unnecessary roughness. She must watch constantly for dishonesty without doing so obtrusively. She must maintain order gently but firmly. In a small open-shelf library these multifari- ous duties, as well as the others pertaining to the work of the library, may have to be per- formed by one person, who must make light- ning changes from charging desk to shelves and then to mending-table without forgetting that she is at the same time public mentor and policeman. In larger libraries the duties will of course be divided. Whether this shall be done permanently or temporarily is a matter on which there may be difference of opinion, and the conclusion may vary with locality and other conditions, but in general, I believe that the best plan is assignment to each of them in turn for part of the working day. Thus, with a large staff, where there may be a somewhat minute sub-division, that part of the staff that is assigned to specifically open-shelf duty may consist of (i) shelf assistants, who go over the shelves constantly and see that the books BOSTWJCK. are in order, (2) information clerks, who aid the users in making selections, and (3) assist- ants whose duty it shall be to maintain order and prevent dishonesty. I do not believe that this division of duties is anywhere in actual employment. It is merely suggested here. In all open-shelf libraries with which I am familiar certain assistants are assigned to floor duty, which is a combination of the three kinds of work mentioned above; but in large libraries, I believe that specialization after some such plan would be an advantage. In particular, I feel that the duty of safeguarding the library police duties, if you will should receive a special assignment. The ease of theft in the open-shelf system is its one vulnerable point. It has been ignored too much, and this fact has been made the most of by some recent oppo- nents of the system. We must acknowledge that there is increased theft from open shelves, but instead of calmly regarding it as a law of nature, thus encouraging the public to look at it as a venial offence, we should strain every nerve to minimize it, even if we can not do away with it altogether. This, it seems to me, can be done only by special watchfulness. Whatever is necessary to prevent or detect theft should be done. If it can not be ac- complished without having a corps of special detectives scattered over the library, then such a corps should be employed, even if they cost the library ten times the value of the books stolen. There is more at stake in this matter than the money value of a few volumes. We do not refuse to police our parks properly be- cause the value, as hay, of the grass trampled under foot in one season does not equal the salary of a single policeman. My warrant for the introduction here of this question of theft from open shelves is that I believe that the po- lice function of public library assistants has not been sufficiently emphasized, and is not suf- ficiently realized by the assistants themselves. It will be seen that when the shelves of a library are opened to the public the duties of the assistants in certain directions are very much increased. In other directions they are decreased. For instance, there is no longer any running to and fro between book- stack and user. It is a general impression that this decrease in work so far exceeds any in- crease that there may be, that an open-shelf library may be operated at less expense than with closed shelves. This does not accord with my experience. Of course, we may neglect the duties of aiding the public and of protect- ing the library so that it remains simply to charge and discharge the books, but if these two classes of floor duty be properly attended to I believe that an open-shelf library requires a larger number of assistants than a closed- shelf library having the same circulation. But the open shelf has become a necessity and we should be glad to spend whatever is necessary to carry it on in the best possible manner. What special qualifications should be pos- sessed by an open- shelf assistant? Open ac- cess looked at from the standpoint of the pub- lic is the admission of the people into the library proper the place where the books are. From the librarian's point of view it is, or should be, the unchaining of the assistant and the sending her forth into the place where the people are. From both points of view the con- tact between librarians and public must be- come closer; and the assistant's qualifications should be such as to promote this result. All those qualities that are necessary to pleasant relations with the users of the library at the desk of a closed-shelf library she must possess in an enhanced degree patience, agreeable manners, good humor, a fund of general knowledge, the ability to think quickly and an- swer directly, a watchful eye, and, when neces- sity arises, the mien and action of one in au- thority. Whether a person possesses these qualifications or not can be told only by trial; they can be guaranteed neither by college di- ploma, library school certificate, or personal recommendation. Some form of apprentice- ship is probably the best method of sorting the wheat from the chaff, but to start off with, every applicant should have at least sound health, education, and good breeding. To sum up, the open shelf question is but one manifestation of a movement that has af- fected all kinds of economic distribution, and that has resulted in a closer connection be- tween the agents of distribution and the public. The modifications of duties and qualifications in the agents have been those naturally conse- quent on this closer relation, and include, first, greater readiness and ability to aid the public in selection, and. second, greater watchfulness in guarding against possible abuse of increased privileges. MONTREAL CONFERENCE. THE TRUSTEE. BY THOMAS L. MONTGOMERY, Trustee Free Library of Philadelphia. TT is an awkward matter for a librarian to speak about trustees, for any criticism that he may make may be considered as an experr ence with his own board.; It is probably due to this that each person who speaks on trustees announces that there is no literature on the subject. After all, there is very little to say. The genus is divided into two species, (i) good and (2) bad, with a plentiful supply of hybrids. Lucky is the librarian who has chosen as his basis of operations the habitat of the former. I had been a trustee for some years before I looked up a definition of the term. Here it is: "A person to whom property or funds have been committed in the belief and trust that he will hold and apply the same for the benefit of those who are entitled, according to an expressed in- tention, either by the parties themselves or by the deed, will, settlement or arrangement of another; also by extension a person held ac- countable as if he were expressly a trustee in law." This is very much worse than I supposed. I had previously asked Mr. Thomson, our libra- rian, for his definition and he had described a trustee as a necessary evil acting upon the librarian as a counter-irritant. Some years ago an article appeared in the Nation in which the suggestion was made that "Now that library schools were an accomplished fact it might be worth while to have a school for trustees as well as for librarians and their assistants. The ignorance of trustees about library matters is necessarily great. When ap- pointed they generally know nothing of library management and sometimes very little of liter- ature, and yet, because they have been elected by a town meeting, they feel themselves quali- fied to decide everything. If they are wise enough to secure a competent librarian and let him run the library under criticism, not as to details, but as to results, perhaps the less they know the better, for sometimes a little know- ledge in a trustee is a dangerous thing." This statement probably coincides with that of most professional librarians and there must be some reason for it. No doubt there are ignorant men who have been chosen for posi- tions on library boards who have considerably inconvenienced the perfectionist librarian, and yet what would be the lot of the librarian who had not such a member in his board ? How else could he account for the failures of experiments which he knew had been successful elsewhere, because he had seen it in the Library Journal ! How else could he dilate upon the results that would have followed had he been allowed to do as he wished unopposed at some clearly marked date in his library experience? Granting that bad selections are often made for s*uch positions I cannot but consider it a weakness in a librarian to say that his work has been minimized by his board of trustees. If he is sure of his ground and expresses himself clearly to his board and the board has confi- dence in him, I do not think that the work would be kept back for any length of time. But let us suppose that there are several men in the board who are opposed to the librarian on al- most every point. Is not this fact sure to bring out the very best qualities in him ? Will he not present his case much more rigorously under opposition and will not the result be better worth attaining after an honest opposition has been overcome? I am not now, of course, speaking of those cases where politics are brought into the considerations of the board and the librarian is tormented by those of other parties ; but of boards composed of a mixed gathering of lawyers, physicians, members of the city government, those who have served on the governing committees of organizations long- since-justly-defunct, and members of the com- munity who are included because they once wrote something or are possessed of a large library which the board looks at with covetous eyes. The first meetings of a board of this nature are apt to produce something resembling nervous prostration on the part of the librarian, especially if he is asked to act as secretary ex officio. This, by the way, is one of the most b erious mistakes that a librarian can make. In MONTGOMERY. 43 his care to get his minutes correct he misses many opportunities .of making the proper sug- gestion at the proper time. But the reason that he is troubled by the elements around him is that he is not the administrator'that he thinks he is, and has not shown the qualities that he would have to possess to be successful in any of the ordinary pursuits of life. He may in time improve in these respects by the exercise of ordinary common sense and may unite the warring elements. He will do this quite as often by not pressing the members of the board for an immediate decision as by any other course. If he is sure in his own mind that his suggestion is sound it will not be hurt by being laid over for another meeting until it has had time to percolate into the mind of the slow member, during which period the member who has made an impetuous speech against it may have cooled down. Some years ago a report was made to this organization concerning meetings of library boards, the extremes being one board of two members, representing a fairly large library, which met twice a year to pass a vote of confi- dence in the librarian, and another a board of 30 women, representing a library whose total receipts were $300 a year, which met once a week. Personally, I believe in frequent meet- ings of trustees, in order that they may be sat- isfied that good business methods prevail, and that the institution is living up to its charter and deed of trust. The danger in too many meetings is, of course, the entering into details which are more properly the duty of the libra- rian and his assistants. These, however, sel- dom result seriously, except in cases where the librarian has overburdened himself with de- tailed work, or has not provided himself with competent assistants, in which cases the board is justified in taking the matter up. To avoid meetings of the board or to use influence for the lessening of the number of meetings is an expression of weakness on the part of the libra- rian. In a very interesting paper by Mr. Soule on the trustees of free public libraries, small boards were advocated, but in this I cannot agree with him. The library of any town needs all the in- fluence that can be brought to bear in its be- half. The choosing of a certain number of men representing large business interests who cannot, by reason of the incessant calls made upon their time be regular attendants at meet- ing is, in my opinion, wise. The working com- mittee, generally called the library committee, might better be composed of men who know Something of library matters, and have some time to devote to them, who can act as the li- brarian's advisory board. This committee can have power to expend moneys within the ap- propriations made by the board, and thus elim- inate from the board meetings much that is not interesting to those not familiar with the de- tailed work. It is well f jr the library to have those who can be called upon to say a word in its favor when a single word from such a per- son can accomplish more than months of hard labor on the part of one or more energetically disposed, but not carrying the same weight in the community. Coming from a conservative city, I naturally object to the very modern conclusions of Mr. Soule that trustees should only be appointed for a stated term of years. Such a course may result in the prevention of stagnation, as he says. I have not the slightest objection to any library adopting the rule, provided that it is not the library in which I am interested, While it is best that the librarian should be in attendance at most meetings of the board and that the board should act in the capacity of adviser, or even take the initiative in certain parts of the work in which it finds the librarian deficient, it is not, in my opinion, wise for him to be present at all the board meetings. The trustees are legally responsible for the conduct of the institution, and the limitations of any in- dividual in the position of a librarian must be recogni-zed even by the profession. The more capable the librarian the less he need fear any action of the board in his absence. It certainly would be more courteous for the librarian to re- tire at certain times when his opinion as an ex- pert is not needed. Personally speaking, I am a trustee in order to help the librarian in every way in my power not because it is a duty, for that might be done perfunctorily, but because it is a pleasure, and as such it is to be taken seriously. As a librarian I am thoroughly opposed to the spasmodic attendance of trustees at the A. L. A. conferences. If they wish to study the subject thoroughly and attend the meetings regularly, well and good, otherwise attendance will generally result in pernicious activity. 44 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. THE CARE OF SERIAL PUBLICATIONS BY JAMES T. GEROULD, Columbia University Library. nPHERE seems to be no uniformity of prac- tice regarding the care of serial publica- tions in its relation to the general administra- tion of the library. In seme libraries a special department has been created ; in others they are in the charge of the order clerk, the loan clerk, or the assistant in charge of the reading-room. In the small library they must, of course, be cared for by some one who has other duties, but in any library of over 100,000 volumes there is, it seems to me, enough detail in the proper supervision of these publications to oc- cupy the entire time of one person. Such of- ficer should be made entirely responsible for the purchase, receipt, and care of all serials. He should see to it that those obtained by gift are received regularly, and that sets are made complete, and finally he should be prepared to do reference work and prepare reading lists on current events. Wherever possible, periodicals should be or- dered through some agent of recognized stand- ing. Better terms can be made, and better ser- vice, particularly in the case of foreign pe- riodicals, can be had in this way. Domestic publications should be sent by mail direct to the library. Foreign publications, except in the case of a few weeklies like Ihe Spectator, should, however, be collected by the agent at various centers in Europe, shipped by freight to his American office, and sent to the library in weekly packages. The delay, which ought not to be greater than a week, is more than counterbalanced by the facts that the periodi- cals arrive in better condition and that fewer are lost in transit. The record of receipt should be kept on cards, nx6i being a convenient size. The card should show, aside from the title and date of receipt of each number, the call number and state of completeness of the library set, fre- quency, and in case of weeklies, day of issue, number of issues per volume, and of volumes per year, address of publisher, name of agent through whom ordered, regular price, date of bill, date of expiration of subscription, cost, where the title-page and index are to b found, and date when volume was sent to binder. Such a record answers at a glance, practically, every question likely to be asked regarding the publication or the receipt of any periodical on the list. Subscriptions should be, wherever possible, conterminous with the fiscal year and should be paid as soon as possible after its opening. Supplemental bills, covering periodicals which appear at irregular intervals, single parts, etc., may be rendered monthly. Aside from the ledger account kept on the record card, the bills should be entered in de- tail in the fund book, for which a suggested ruling is: Agent, Date of bill, Title, Date of expiration of subscription, Price. Where space will permit, the best case for the display and preservation of unbound periodicals seems to me to be one having a top with a double slope, where the current numbers can be arranged, and having a series of drawers be- low for the reception of unbound numbers. If floor space is more limited, cases of drawers can be arranged about the walls of the room and current numbers of the more generally used periodicals only displayed on tables. At Columbia we have tried the plan of dis- ributing the current numbers of periodicals of a special nature to the departmental library most likely to use them. We have determined recently, however, that, as soon as a room of sufficient size is available, all the periodicals, with possibly a few exceptions, are to be brought together again. It is quite possible that the present system renders the use of the periodicals more intensive, but it has resulted in absolutely preventing a certain very valuable extensive use. Every library has in addition to the serial publications, which properly belong in the read- ing-room for periodicals, a large amount of un- bound reports, bulletins, and other publications of societies or of governmental offices which, unless properly indexed, are a source of con- stant annoyance. I have found that a very satisfactory method of handling these is to tie them up in packages, each title by itself, and LORD. 45 classify according to the regular system. These packages can be arranged on shelves in any unused corner of the library. A rough work- ing card catalog, for the use of the assistant in charge, is placed near them, in which is in- dicated the call number, title, and serial num- bers of the periodical indexed. In the lower left-hand corner, we record what part, if any, of the serial is bound and on the regular shelves. When a volume is made up for binding a line is drawn through the numbers included and the figure in the lower corner is changed. In addition to this catalog, the unbound parts are indexed in the main catalog on a printed card which follows the main entry, if there be one, and which reads, following the title: "The library has the following unbound parts of this periodical which may be obtained by ap- plying at the loan desk." Entries on this card are made in pencil, so that when a volume is bound the cataloger simply transfers the num- ber from the supplementary to the main card. As a method of keeping sets of the annual volumes of municipal, state, and other bodies, up to date, a rough card catalog may be kept indicating simply title and serial number. As volumes come in, their number is added to the card and the card itself transferred to a second drawer. At the end of the year the curds re- maining in the first drawer can be taken out and the missing volumes written for. For this pur- pose I have a blank form, but I am inclined to believe, however, that it is better economy to write a personal letter. No definite rule can be established regarding the circulation of unbound material. It is a question that each library must answer for it- self. The following rules are those in force at Columbia: "Except by special permission from the li- brarian, no monthly periodical shall be with- drawn from the periodical room within two weeks after its receipt; and no weekly periodi- cal until the next number shall have been re- ceived. After the time specified above, peri- odicals may be withdrawn for a limited time on application to the supervisor of the department. " The monthly periodicals known as standard or popular may not be withdrawn from the periodical room until the receipt of each suc- ceeding number. "No periodical may be withdrawn at any time for more than one week." THE COLLEGE LIBRARY VS. THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. BY ISABEL ELY LORD, Librarian Bryn Mawr College. TN these comparatively early days of the dif- ferentiation between the college and the university it is hard to find definitions of the two institutions on which all students of educa- tion would agree. It is but too well known that dozens of American colleges of no high rank call themselves universities, while a few that carry on what is ordinarily considered uni- versity work are still officially known as col- leges. We must, however, find a working definition of the distinction between the insti- tutions if we are to consider the question of the difference in their libraries. This distinction cannot be made for America by reference to history or to other countries. The college is not the German gymnasium or the French lycfr, nor yet is it the same as the English college. Geographic conditions are no small factor in deciding the educational system of a country, and in our own the immense tract over which our population is scattered has made impossible the gathering into a few great centers the work of the university, including within itself the work of the college. We have multiplied the numbers of the lesser institution far beyond those of the greater without having drawn the line between the two with any dis- tinctness. Let us begin with the broad statement that the college is the preparation for the university. It is also, assuredly, a preparation for life, and the great work of the modern college is to make men and women, not to make scholars. There are, however, but two means contribut- ing to this end, with one of which the com- munity life we are not dealing except in the most indirect way in considering our subject, while the other the academic work must 4 6 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. be carried on for its own sake, not subor- dinated to what are commonly called practical considerations, if it is to accomplish its end. We are, therefore, not losing sight of the broad aim of the college when we say that it is the preparation for the university. The college gives, then, the liberal culture whose sign manual is the degree of Bachelor of Arts. It prepares each of its students, by giving him a broad general education, and, what is much more important, by teaching him how to think and work for himself it prepares each of its students, I repeat, for any special work which he may wish to take up in the fu- ture. If he decides to carry on such work under academic guidance he must go to the university, or to an institution doing univer- sity work. The university of to-day almost invariably includes a college, but theoretically it need give no undergraduate work whatever to justify its existence. A college, on the other hand, remains a college, even though, as occa- sionally occurs, it gives the beginning of origi- nal work of the production of knowledge as against the acquisition of knowledge of the four college years. But if it gives enough of such work to enable its students to take any one of the higher degrees, whether that of Doctor of Philosophy or any special degree which implies three years work after the B.A., it is then in reality doing university work. As a matter of fact there are only two insti- tutions in the United States excluding the women's colleges affiliated to universities and not themselves granting degrees which, while doing graduate work of sufficient importance to win them membership in the Federation of Graduate Clubs, still call themselves colleges. These are Wellesley and Bryn Mawr. Per- haps the fact that the higher education of wom- en has been advocated and directed by the newer type of educator explains their modesty of title as a protest against the pretentiousness of the self-styled universities of high school rank. At least, if my distinction is the true one, Bryn Mawr, with a high standard and a graduate school which in 1898-99 made up one-sixth of its student body, is a university, though a limited one. This brings up the questions of those institu- tions giving graduate work in one or two spe- cial departments. Several of the great Euro- pean universities at one time gave instruction in but one subject or group of subjects. That of Bologna, for example, taught only law, that of Paris only theology. In the United States to-day Clark University confines itself to in- struction in five closely allied branches of science. If you remember the original mean- ing of the word under discussion, it is easy to deny the right to use it to an institution which gives nothing of the " general studies," nothing of the broad lines of scholarly work. No insti- tution can teach "all that is knowable," but surely it wins the right to call itself a university when it enables its students to pursue research work in the broad field of pure scholarship. It may add to the departments thus created any number of technical and professional schools, but if it omits the scholarly side it becomes only a group of such schools, not the true univer- sity. The work done by such a school or schools is university work, in the sense that it is special work for which the college training is the nec- essary preparation, but this last is not enough to create a university. The Massachusetts In- stitute of Technology is an excellent example of such a special school which is rightly named. It is not necessary, however, to settle the claims of such schools here. They are not to be considered as universities in a discussion of the scope of a university library. They are spe- cial schools with special libraries, and I shall not again refer to them. It is obvious that the giving of the beginnings of graduate work in no sense changes the type of the college. It is undoubtedly inadvisable for the small institution to give any except under press of circumstance, but the unimpor- tant amount of work that can be done does not affect the type of the institution. The college must equip any one of its students with the out- fit of the scholar, by giving him a thorough training in the humanities. Its work stops with the broad general culture, but if by chance cir- cumstances force it a little farther with a few students, it does not therefore change the sum total of its work and create for us a third type of institution. We have, then, but two the college and the university. The tool of the university or college is the library; this must, therefore, differ with differ- ing work. What shall the university library be ? With ample endowment and proper hous- ing how shall it develop? Theoretically the ideal university library is the complete library; LORD. 47 practically the complete library cannot exist, unless by some mighty co-operation of the golden future one such should be made possible. Since it cannot even aim at completeness, then, what shall the university library do ? Shall it struggle along in an endeavor to be as near complete in every direction as its limitations will allow ? In the day of co-operation we can- not consent to such a waste. The university li- braries of the future will, bes'des providing the efficient all-round working collection, choose each for itself some special line or lines on which to develop as fine and complete a col- lection as possible, We shall know one great university for its library in Semitics, let us say; another will constantly extend its famous col- lection on commercial geography. When a rare or an obscure book in any line is desired, the librarian will know where to send for it; the university library which has expended some of its energy and resources in getting the book will share it with any special student who needs it. I feel apologetic in stating thus in a brief and crude way what has been set forth so clearly and convincingly in the paper read by Dr. E. C. Richardson before the Pennsylvania Library Club in January 1899. It was neces- sary for me, however, to restate, although in- adequately, these propositions in order that I might ask the question which is the main one of this paper, Shall, then, the college library be planned on the same basis as that of the university ? Shall it spend its modest resources, its time and its care in building up one or two departments while the others are left be- hind in the race for advancement? I believe firmly that it should not. The college, accord- ing to my premise, exists to do the all-round work which prepares a man or woman for the special work of the future. It should therefore develop as evenly as possible in every line of scholarly work. It should aim to be a good working library for the regular college courses, with just enough of original sources and ma- terial for research work to be the skeleton at the feast for the undergraduate, reminding him at every turn: "Remember that you have but begun the path. You may stop, you may di- verge, but the path goes on to indefinite heights." It should be the library which will teach him how to use a university library, but not a university library in miniature, exactly as the college teaches him how to use the uni- versity, although it does not do university work. Let us consider for a moment the methods of building up such a library, and just what is in- volved. Two things must be kept carefully in mind inclusion and exclusion. The latter is much the more difficult problem. It requires at times a heroism that only a librarian can ap- preciate; it requires prayer and fasting to make it judicious and complete. But the former is first in order of time. What shall a college library include? First, then, the ordinary standard reference library of books and periodicals with which the university and the public library also begin. Next, a col- lection of high-grade text books and books of special reference in all departments. Here, too, we find no difference from the university. Next, sets of the most scholarly and most widely used of the periodicals in every branch of the college work. These, too, of course, the uni- versity has, but it adds to them the minor, the obscure, the old, and the very technical periodi- cals, endeavoring, in the lines of its special work, to have a complete periodical file. This, in my opinion, it would be folly for the college to do in any department. If, from time to time, it needs for consultation a volume from such a file, that volume may be borrowed from the nearest university possessing it. As a perti- nent aside, let me add here that, even if the col- lege should be forced to pay in expenses of carriage as much as the volume would cost if bought nay, even if, in the course of years, such expenses should mount up to the price of a set of the periodical in question, that is no convincing argument for the purchase of the set. The first cost is not the only thing to be considered. Time and room, both of which are to the librarian much more than money, are taken at the moment and afterward for each addition. The question whether the books are worth all three must be weighed carefully. And as my ideal college library gives free access to all shelves, there is for it, in such a purchase, the added disadvantage of putting before the stu- dent a file of books which is perhaps not advis- able for him. But to return from my wandering to my sheep. After reference books, text-books, and periodicals, we add a few original sources the main original sources, if I may speak thus in each department. In any good college a 4 8 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. certain amount of reference to these is, of course, given to the undergraduate, and the choice will depend very largely on specific col- lege courses. To the collection thus gathered we add a careful library of literary and histori- cal reference, in the wider sense of the last- named word, filling in thus with books which, perhaps, are not referred to in any college lec- ture, but which are a part of every gentleman's library, and certainly of every college li- brary. There is, then, nothing new for the college to attempt in the matter of inclusion. The university does all this and goes on. The col- lege, on the other hand, does this and stops. It adds, of course, as a living organism must, but it adds always evenly, always with an at- tempt to keep its collection a well-rounded one. Supposing, indeed, that it had the same re- sources as a great university which a college practically never has its library would be a different one. It not only does not, however, have the same resources: it should not. In that wise future of which we so often have oc- casion to speak, there will be a just distribution of material resources, and the university will get immensely the larger share. The college will not attempt to become great in numbers beyond a fixed and rather restricted limit. Its endowment will grow until sufficient for its needs; the surplus which may by chance come to it will be directed to the great university, whose needs are infinite. I have said nothing about the method of se- lection. That it should be done largely by or through the professors is the natural method, since the professors are a body of experts. Whether the decision be with the expert, each member of the faculty being assigned a definite amount of the library income, or whether the wise librarian buys only on consultation with the professor, makes little difference. That li- brarian must be a " man-of-infinite-resource- and-sagacity " in either case. To consider once more the size of the library. It must grow, I said; I believe that in certain di- rections it should grow less. A working library for the all-roui.d student does not contain dead material, yet such certainly exists in any col- lege library which does not vigorously practice exclusion by withdrawal. Books whose usefulness for the library is past fall under three heads superseded text- books, mistaken purchases remember, we are human ! and duplicates which are no longer used. I say boldly, withdraw them all. Be cautious, of course. The passion for exclusion may be quite as extreme as that for inclusion. I have not, however, found it as common ! Per- haps you think this is advocating too careful guarding of my undergraduate, with his free access to the shelves. I am, it is true, afraid that he will get more harm than good from in- accurate or out-of-date books, but there will be left all the inaccuracy and medievalism that he can digest. The exercise of his will and judg- ment on the best books we can give him will keep both healthy ! There remains one question of exclusion which always excites a smile and a groan from the librarian that of gifts. If a library is al- ready sufficiently provided with funds, it can usually refuse books it does not desire without any fatal consequences. If its resources are, like those of every college library I know, inade- quate to its needs, shall it run the risk of offend- ing benefactors? There is but one answer to such a question. The risk, as a matter of fact, is small, if the benefactor is a sensible person, but any risk whatever should be run rather than put on the shelves books that do not be- long there. The wise librarian can generally propitiate the donor in any case. Books which are duplicates can be put into the library with the gift book-plate and the original copy with- drawn for sale or exchange. Gifts may often be judiciously diverted to the nearest historical society. I do not need to say that these are usually genealogies. If the donor is unwilling that books not of use to the library should be sold or exchanged, then they should be returned or refused as tactfully as may be. The disposition of all these rejected books is not always easy. If the library is poor, ex- change or the sale to a second-hand book shop is the ordinary method. Duplicates may some- times be sold in the college itself. If the li- brary does not need the money value of the books, they should be presented to any uni- versity, state, or reference library that would like them. The Library Journal columns of "Who wants this book?" will be amusing reading in the days when this practise becomes general. If nobody wishes the books well, one hesitates to advise the burning of even a bad book, unless it be very bad indeed, but I EASTMAN. 49 would rather put it in a bonfire than on my li- brary shelves, and there is, it must be remem- bered, a limit to the storage space of the lar- gest cellar. Exclusion will hardly take the amount of time and thought inclusion demands. Yet it is probably true that the librarian will spend more of both on it proportionately, as it will be much easier to get help from the college faculty for the one than for the other. The average col- lege professor desires to build up his part of the library on the lines of that of the university where he took his highest degree, and the ex- clusion of any book which could possibly at any future date or under any imaginable con- ditions be of value historically is to him heresy especially when the book comes to the li- brary without cost to his department. The li- brarian's province is to guide and check this tendency of the professor in a judicious and tactful way for the good of the library, and thus for the good of the college. That there is a difference between a college and a university, as we use the terms in Amer- ica, is indisputable; that it lies, speaking broad- ly, in the fact that the college gives the broad general education which prepares a student both for life and for special work, while the university adds to this in special work, research work, original work, production as against the acquisition of knowledge that the distinction lies here will, I hope, commend itself to your judgment. It is an axiom that the difference of function of the institutions creates a necessity for a difference in the scope of their libraries. The claim of this paper is that this difference should be brought about by the co-operation of the col- lege and the university. While applauding and aiding the library of the greater body in its endeavor to supplement a working collection of books by one or more magnificent special col- lections, that of the smaller body the college should on its own part strive to preserve a perfect balance in all its branches. ESSENTIALS OF A GOOD LIBRARY LAW. BY WILLIAM R. EASTMAN, Public Libraries Division, University of the State of New York. I. Information. When the people of a com- munity begin to be interested in having a public library the first thing wanted is information. A knowledge of facts is the only proper basis of action. Their first call upon the state is that it shall tell them the latest results of library experience and advise them as to their course. Hence, the first point in library law is the crea- tion of a state board or commission whose official business it shall be to learn library facts, study library methods, answer inquiries and publish results and in every possible way in- terest the public, promote new library enter- prises, and enlarge the scope and value of those already existing. A commission of five, each one to serve five years with one new appointment each year, will have a desirable permanence. If appointed by the governor on the ground of personal fitness the results will be better than if each commissioner is to represent some interest or is added because he already holds some other office. The commission, receiving annually a report from every library in the state, should report a summary of all its facts, doings, and recom- mendations to each session of the legislature. The commission may very properly, and with advantage to the state, have charge of the state library, appointing the librarian and all needed assistants, and make it the center of the library movement. A strong, inspiring personal lead- ership is of the first importance and, if means can be supplied, every such commission should have a paid executive whose time will be given to its work. If libraries are aided by the state, either by grants of money or books or travel- ing libraries, distribution should )_be made through the commission in accordance with their rules. If the first legislation should stop with the creation of a commission instructed to report to the governor before the next session of the legislature a library law adapted to state con- ditions, it might lead to better results than those reached by any hasty action. 2. Founding. The law should provide for the founding of libraries by a method easily under- stood and readily followed. There are three ways of founding a library: by the gift of one MONTREAL CONFERENCE. person, by the combined gifts of many persons, or by the act of the community voting a public tax. The law does not concern itself very much with the initial proceedings in the first two cases, but is concerned with every step in the establishment of a tax supported library. In every state there is already a system of common schools. Libraries are also educa- tional and their relations to the schools are vital, and an important question to be settled at this point is whether the public libraries shall be placed in the hands of the school authori- ties. Since these authorities are already in active service under a well organized system, it seems a very simple solution of the problem to add one more item to their duties. But long experience in several states is opposed to this course. In a multitude of cases the school dis- trict is too small to maintain a good library; the care of a library calls for a special personal fitness on the part of its trustees not always possessed by those chosen to do a different service. It has been found that in the combination of school and library under one management the library is liable to suffer for lack of both atten- tion and funds and it also fails to arouse the same public interest that it might receive if standing by itself as a distinct enterprise in care of a board chosen to promote a public library and for no other purpose. But inasmuch as the school system is estab- lished and familiar to the people, the library system should be along lines parallel to it. Let any municipality or district, when holding its usual meeting to vote taxes for the year, have the power to establish a public library and to lay a tax to support it. If in a city or large village this tax levy for the school is commonly made by the common council or village board or by the school board, let the same course be taken for the library. Lest there should be some hesitation about bringing the subject before the meeting let the petition of 25 tax- payers be sufficient to require a vote. Let the principle of home rule be fully respected in this matter, and the power to found a library be as free as the power to start a public school. It will be convenient in preparing ballots for a library vote to include thereon the amount of yearly tax proposed, thus, on one ballot, " Li- brary tax of mills. Yes." Or, on another, " Library tax of .. .mills. No." A library so established by the voters or their representatives should be declared by law a body corporate. Free libraries founded by en- dowment or by associations should become in- corporated under general corporation law, and on application to and approval by the state commission should be registered as associate libraries. 3. Control. The control of the library will be determined by the choice of trustees. They will be chosen by the body that founds the li- brary, in cities, perhaps, on nomination of the mayor, from persons of recognized fitness. No one should be ineligible by reason of sex. The number should not be less than three nor more than seven. Five is a convenient number, al- lowing some division of labor, without impair- ing a sense of personal responsibility. Their terms of office should be not less than three nor, as a rule, more than five years. To secure a good degree of continuity in management their terms should be so arranged that only one or two will go out of office in any given year. Direct control by any outside body is not de- sirable, but if state aid is extended a proper standard should be fixed by the state commis- sion as a condition of state aid. 4. Support. The law should insure the sup- port of a library doing good work. At the time of establishment let a maximum rate of annual taxation for its support be fixed. After that the trustees should annually report to the body establishing the library the work done, the money spent, and the money needed for the next year. If this amount falls within the max- imum it should be levied without question or vote. The maximum rate should not be di- minished unless it is so voted at two consecu- tive annual elections. Some have preferred to fix in the law a max- imum rate for the whole state, but conditions vary so greatly that it seems better to leave this to local determination, and the very dis- cussion of this question may increase public in- terest in the enterprise. 5. Contract. The law should permit the mak- ing of contracts for library privileges. There are several different conditions in which a con- tract offers the simplest, most convenient, and satisfactory solution of the difficulty of concur- rent action. An established library, privately owned and controlled, may be glad to open its doors wide to the public if the public will pay the COUNTRYMAN. cost of the additional service required. The city will be better served by paying the cost to the pri- vate library than by founding a rival library of its own. On the other hand, many a community too small or too poor to maintain a good library may be glad to share the facilities of a neigh- boring library and to pay some small amount raised by taxation for the privilege. Another neighborhood would be greatly encouraged to found a library if it might hope to secure con- tracts with other districts. Combination for li- brary purposes may thus be effected without tedious formalities. Such contracts should be referred to the state commission for approval. They might provide for lending books to in- dividual borrowers in the contracting districts or for travelling libraries or for any other form of service deemed most convenient. 6. Travelling libraries. A state system of travelling libraries under charge of the state commission is desirable, not only to supply the best reading in distant districts, but to stir up a general library interest, give the commission tools to work with, supply an object lesson, and lead to local movement for permanent libra- ries. 7. Buildings. Municipalities or districts should have the same power to take land and erect buildings or rent rooms for libraries as for schools. 8. Exchanges. All public and associate libra- ries should have the privilege of exchanging books and duplicates with the state library and with each other under rules of the state com- mission. . 9. Permanence. The abolition of a public li- brary should be more difficult than its founda- tion, requiring at least the vote of two consecu- tive annual meetings of the body that estab- lished it. 10. Penalties. Penalties for injury or deten- tion of books should be named in the law. If wilful and continued they should be misde- meanors, punishable by fine and imprisonment. LINES OF WORK WHICH A STATE LIBRARY COMMISSION CAN PROFITABLY UNDERTAKE. BY GRATIA A. COUNTRYMAN, Secretary Minnesota State Library Commission. and the number of people who can be em- ployed to carry on such work. But the advisa- bility of doing this or that must depend partly upon the nature of the community and the re- sponse which the people themselves make. Some commissions have been able to do what other commissions could not possibly have done. So that the first thing which any com- mission should do, is to study the conditions in the state, know where libraries already exist, know the races composing the popula- tion, know the local industries, know the movements stirring in the state with which libraries can co-operate, and be ready to take advantage of favoring circumstances. Library development in the state and the extension of reading facilities is the object for which a li- brary commission exists. In the headings mentioned above, we have given the lines of work in the order of their im- portance, and will take them up in the same order. I. What can the commission do to establish permanent local libraries? '"THIS paper does not attempt any exhaustive study of the work being done by various existing commissions, but for the sake of dis- cussion tries to give a summary of the kinds of work which have been undertaken, and which from experience the writer believes can be ef- fectively and successfully carried out. The work of a library commission naturally falls into three divisions: 1. The establishment of permanent local li- braries. 2. The organization and improvement of ex- isting libraries, including the training of libra- rians in necessary technical knowledge. 3. The circulation of free reading matter in places which have no libraries, commonly in the shape of travelling libraries. These three divisions will cover almost, if not all, the work which a commission can do. Indeed they open a very wide field of useful- ness, especially in the south and west. How much can be done by the commission will de- pend upon the amount of money at its disposal, MONTREAL CONFERENCE. We put this as the chief work of a commis- sion, because it is better to put people to work for themselves than to make them recipients of outside aid. It arouses their local pride to have a library of their own and it is something permanent accomplished. All of our states have library laws according to which a village or town must proceed in es- tablishing a library. Many towns do not know the law, and do not know how to proceed, and if they are not especially interested they do not take the trouble to find out. If the commis- sion will publish the law, and point out the simplest way to go about it, many towns may be started into action. This spring four or five li- braries in Minnesota were started in this sim- ple way by the printing of the law and sim- ple directions. In many towns, public-spirited people need only to have the way pointed out by the com- mission, but in others this is not sufficient. Some enthusiastic person must be sent right into the field, must awaken interest by per- sonal work, must see the influential people or the town council, must perhaps give a public talk on libraries with lantern slides to draw, until the ball is set rolling, and the people go to work. From the experience of Wisconsin this personal work by a field secretary would seem to be the most telling way of helping to estab- lish libraries. The commission, if it is so empowered, can offer a small sum of money to each town that will establish a local library, as is done in Mas- sachusetts. This is undoubtedly very helpful to some of the small villages, and is an initial impetus toward establishing a library. It is not enough, however, to give help in the shape of money only, if the library is thereafter left to itself to live or die. Such help ought to be con- ditioned upon an annual town appropriation, which would ensure the perpetual support of the library, and such help should be followed up in other practical ways mentioned later. The presence of a travelling library in a town is an object lesson, which often creates the de- sire for a permanent library, and perhaps, on the whole, more local libraries have been estab- lished in the west through that agency than any other. The travelling library is the good right arm of a commission in more ways than one. The rivalry which exists between towns is often a healthy stimulus to good works. So we suggest that an annual list of the libraries of the state, with what they are doing, the new ones which have been established, and the towns which are agitating the matter, is good missionary material to send to towns which have no libraries. Some of the comments in country newspapers would lead one to this be- lief. " Jonesville has a library. We are a larger town than Jonesville. We must have a library." Such a list sent annually would certainly encourage healthy rivalry. Any method which is possible for a commis- sion to adopt, either by personal effort, or printed matter, which awakens civic pride and sets the people to work for themselves is more apt to result in permanent good than a gift of any size. The commission ought to emphasize at all times the free library, and to discourage sub- scription libraries which are for the few. It ought to urge support by general taxation. Even a gift from an individual is more valua- ble, if conditioned upon an annual tax. 2. What can the commission do to better those libraries which are already in existence? When a commission comes into existence, they find a number of libraries already started. Some of them are several years old and are laboring under heavy burdens, poor systems, and bad management. Many of them are nearly dead, and if they are subscription li- braries, they will probably be facing starva- tion. It is incumbent upon the commission to resuscitate and give new impetus to these li- braries wherever possible. In the case of sub- scription libraries, the first thing to do is to urge the necessity of a free library, upon a self sup- porting basis. That may be almost as hard as starting a new one, but it is the only way to re- vive a dead subscription library. If the library is already free, but for any reason the people have lost interest, that reason should be sought out. Perhaps they have not known what books to buy and have bought unwisely; perhaps they have not enough money to buy at all, and an effort should be made to increase their appropriation; perhaps the librarian takes no interest in her work, and is killing interest which others might take. There might be a dozen difficulties to be overcome. Begin with the librarian. Byjjvisits, or by correspondence, the librarian may be inspired to feel the dignity COUNTRYMAN. 53 and importance of her work. She might be urged to attend the state association meet- ings, until by contact with other librarians, and the constant encouragement which she receives from the commission, she grows to feel a pride in the results of her labor. I might sum up that the best help is to show an active, helpful interest in each library and its librarian, until the confidence of the board and librarian is gained, so that they naturally turn to the commission for advice. If the commission has funds enough, some one should be employed who could be sent out to catalog and classify small libraries upon de- mand, and could help them to use their re- sources to the best possible advantage. Many a dollar of useless expenditure could be saved them, if they had some one to call upon who could help them on the spot. They cannot afford to hire expert help. The commission ought, if possible, to furnish that for them. A summer library school conducted by the commission gives an opportunity for training many librarians, who never could go to the larger schools. This is not a great expense for the commission to undertake, and can be done at a nominal expense to the student. It is a much better way to teach systematic technical work, by regular classes, than to teach the librarians one by one in their home libraries. The results are better, and the expense no more. An esprit de corps is produced, a state unity of method and feeling. Many other effective ways of helping them have been tried : The making of suggestive lists of books for purchase, with publisher and price. Reference lists of material for Arbor Day, Memorial Day, special birthdays, etc. Best books for children. Suggestions for bulletins, etc., etc. All of these things give them new ideas, put freshness and life into the work, and make things go. The New Hampshire Commission has just started a new bulletin to be issued quarterly, which contains library articles and library news. Wisconsin has lately added library news and suggestions to their monthly birthday lists. In such bulletins the very things which small libraries need to know can be mentioned better than in a general library journal. Most small libraries throw away or at least do not bind their magazines, not realizing their value. The commission can correct this mis- take. In Minnesota we are endeavoring to collect sets of the best magazines for the last ten years, which will be given to any small library who will pay for the binding. If possi- ble, a card index will be given to them as a model for them to follow, for Poole's index will be out of the question. It seems also that it would be useful if the commission would collect plans of small library buildings and be ready to help whenever a town is ready to build. There is iust as much chance of blundering in a small library build- ing as in a large one. If the state commission is connected with the state library, there seems to us another opportunity of helping the town library. The state library is a rather expensive bit of ma- chinery if it can be used only at the capitol city. Why should not the state library be di- rectly connected with the local libraries and loan its books wherever needed in the state through the local library. Some states are doing this, we believe, but the commissions of other states might accomplish more along this line. 3. What can the commission do for com- munities which have no libraries ? This refers to small villages and country communities. It also refers to larger places where the time is not ripe for a local library, or where sentiment cannot be aroused. The trav- elling library has been the solution. It has not only supplied books and awakened reading instincts, but it has often been the most suc- cessful way of arousing local sentiment. Per- manent local libraries often follow the advent of the travelling library into the town. The com- mission either buys and directly circulates these libraries, or spends its energies in secur- ing private gifts of libraries. Private benevo- lence cannot always be depended upon, however, and a commission is safer if it has funds to buy libraries of its own. A state system of travel- ling libraries is in a position to treat every part of the state in the same way. But there is no reason why a combination is not even better. What can be done through the travelling library depends partly upon the community that borrows it, and there seems to be no end to the things that suggest themselves. The books themselves must be chosen so that they will ap- peal to all classes and various tastes. They 54 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. must give pleasure, and they must also be of educational value. The travelling library may be made the medium for distributing material issued by farmers' institutes and by the nation- al and state agricultural departments. The library may contain material which will encour- age reading circles and neighborhood classes. Books in foreign languages ought by all means to be included if there is the least demand for them. Magazines and illustrated papers are gladly welcomed. Travelling pictures are growing in favor and are surely going to be a feature in future travelling library work, espe- cially in foreign and uneducated communities. Reference libraries on special subjects, for club work, are a useful branch of travelling library work. Some of the women's clubs in little towns work under great disadvantages through lack of books, and their work is worth encour- aging by the commission. If the commission can do so, single volumes ought to be loaned as read- ily as travelling libraries. A large share of the books loaned in New York are loaned by the single volume. In other words, individual needs as well as community needs fall under the legitimate care of the state commission. We have not mentioned the institutes which Wisconsin has held for the librarians of travel- ling libraries. Minnesota is going to try a state institute this fall in connection with the state fair. This is only an attempt to make these country and village librarians realize that they are a part of a large work, not isolated work- ers, and to make them feel the importance and usefulness of what they are doing. Work in mining camps and lumber camps would certainly seem to be a useful field for some form of travelling library. We would suggest that the commission, in any or all of its work, should work in conjunction with other organized work. If the women's clubs are al- ready doing something it is better to help them than to start a new work. If missionary so- cieties, or temperance workers, or private individuals are trying to do work in lumber camps, etc., it is better to throw our work through the channels they have digged, than to make new ones. The commission ought to watch the various civilizing efforts that are going on in the state, and put itself in touch with them wherever there is hope of helping. New lines of work will constantly be under- taken as the work progresses, and the need shows itself, but the secret of real usefulness will always be in the personal care and helpful- ness which the commission and its assistants give to the work. CO-OPERATION OF STATE LIBRARIANS AND STATE LIBRARY COMMISSIONS. BY C. B. GALBREATH, State Librarian of Ohio. \17HAT may the state properly do for the general diffusion of knowledge through the agency of libraries, or, to particularize, through the agency of state librarians and library commissions, and how shall the two work together for the attainment of the results desired ? Among those who have given the subject in- telligent study we are warranted in assuming a consensus of opinion on the following points: I. The state should publish and preserve its official records. Money from the treasury of the state may properly be used to publish and keep in a con- venient place for reference its own official records and those of the territory from which it was formed. These usually include : jour- nals of both branches of the legislature ; legis- lative manuals ; senate and house bills ; state laws ; supreme and circuit court reports ; con- solidated reports of departments and institu- tions, known as " executive documents," "offi- cial documents," etc.; separate departmental and institutional reports, such as agriculture, attorney-general, auditor, institution for the blind, etc. Those interested in the official his- tory of the state should have the satisfaction of knowing that in one library at least these documents may be found systematically ar- ranged and accessible for reference. 2. The state should collect books that have espe- cial reference to itself. G ALB RE A TH. 55 Closely related to its official publications are the books about the state the literature of its religion, education, politics, science, and art; of its industries and resources ; of its societies and institutions, professional, benevolent and fraternal ; of its travel, geography and biogra- phy ; of its history, early and recent, general and local. Among the citizens of every state will be found those who are interested in such a collection. County histories and newspaper files, with all their delinquencies, inaccuracies, and other defects, are especially valuable in such a collection. They supplement, elucidate, and invest with life the cold and formal state- ments of the official records. The importance of keeping these, long acknowledged in theory, is now more generally recognized in systematic and efficient practice. 3. The state should receive and preserve U. S. government publications . That each state should have at least one col- lection of the publications of the general gov- ernment has the sanction of high authority. The general government has made the state library a depository of its documents ; and if the librarian has but faithfully exercised his ancient and all-important function as cus- todian, patrons will know with a reasonable degree of certainty that at the state capital may be found all the important official records of the general government. Most states have acknowl- edged an obligation in this matter by providing means for the preservation of this material. 4. The state shuld carry on a system of ex- changes with other states. In the United States a community of interests is continually recognized. The Constitution provides that " full faith shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state." It there- fore becomes the duty of the states as far as possible to collect and preserve for use these "acts," "records," and "proceedings." The Constitution is limited in its operations to the states, but intelligent investigation and research spurn artificial boundaries. For the purpose of bringing together these records, a system of exchanges has been de- vised that is carried on with varying degrees of success among the English-speaking states of America. It is superflous to say, in an assem- bly of state librarians, that this work cannot be too thoroughly done. 5. The state should aid in providing library facilities for its citizens. Duty invites to broader fields. The state pro- vides the rudiments of an education. When this work is well done, it sends the child from school with the ability to read and a taste for healthful literature. It is a mistake to presume that the educative period ends with the school age limit prescribed by law. The value of books and libraries as educators is attested by the lives of self-made men who have risen to useful- ness and eminence in the century just clos- ing. The work and mission of the free library is an inviting theme upon which we may not dwell. Pages might be written to emphasize the fact that the welfare of the state is sub- served in furnishing good literature to its cit- izens. 50 years ago this was attempted through the schools. The movement, in large measure successful, failed to reach the ideal of its friends because provision was not made for efficient administration. The school was then the great field of active operation. It is not to be abandoned now, nor are we to lose sight of the opportunities that it affords for the distribu- tion and use of good literature. It is the mis- sion of the library to cultivate a taste for read- ing, to help the public to books and the infor- mation that they contain; and in this work the state is directly and vitally interested. Every available agency is to be utilized the school, study clubs, the grange, and the travelling li- brary. County, township, and municipal organ- izations are to be interested, to the end that every community, in the good time coming, shall have its local library in charge of a live, efficient, and enthusiastic librarian. How is the state to aid in the accomplishment of all this ? An important part of the work is to be effected through the state librarian and the state library commission. How shall they divide it? What part is to be performed by each? That a properly constituted library commis- sion may render invaluable assistance to the library interests of the state will be admitted wherever such official body has been given a trial. In the state of Wisconsin we have an example of what it may accomplish along independent lines. Such a commission is a powerful factor in arousing the library spirit, in establishing and maintaining local libra- ries, in furnishing good literature to the peo- MONTREAL CONFERENCE. pie through modern agencies, prominent among which is, of course, the travelling library. How may such a commission co-operate with the state librarian, the head of a reference library for the citizens of the state and its pub- lic institutions ? 1. The library commission may aid the state librarian in his search for material relating to the state. In his search for local history, newspaper files, and early state documents, the state libra- rian may go to the commission for lists of cor- respondents in different sections of the state who are interested in these matters, and who will readily aid in securing the desired informa- tion. The commission by turning to its travel- ling library register and other records is able readily to furnish satisfactory names and ad- dresses. Through these avenues the state librarian comes into contact with a class of peo- ple naturally interested in his work, whose co- operation is most helpful. Those who have had experience in these matters well know that while much can be found in the second-hand book stores, additions to the early literature re- lating to the state must be made largely through systematic research within the state. 2. The library commission may furnish the state librarian useful information in regard to the public libraries of the state. When the state librarian has done his best to collect the material that should be found in the state library his work will still be incomplete. Books, papers, and manuscripts relating to the state will be found in other libraries that will not part with them. The commission in its missionary work becomes acquainted with the libraries of the state and learns something of what they contain. This information is fre- quently valuable to the state librarian. It enables him to supplement bulletins that he is preparing with matter of interest to his patrons actual and prospective. If he can not have all the rare and valuable works that should be found in his library, it is often a source of sat- isfaction to be able to tell where these may be consulted. The commission can assist him in co-operating with other libraries of the state where such co-operation would be feasible and advantageous. 3. The library commission can aid in popidar- izing the state library. Whether the state library be devoted exclu- sively to reference work or not, it should be made useful. Time was when such a statement would have been seriously challenged. The chief function of this institution in most cases was to furnish a job for the librarian, who was to be disturbed and annoyed as little as possible by the public. The state library was a sort of " ball of time" to be bandied by the hands of politicians. The thought of any obligation to the public was seldom seriously considered. When the librarian did awake to the real op- portunities of his position, for his pains he was usually thrust under the wheels of the political juggernaut on its next annual round. We are entering upon a better era. The people espe- cially the library people are demanding that the state library render some service in return for the expenditure of the people's money. The commission can herald abroad the fact that the state library exists and in its special field is ready to serve the public. In some states this will still be a matter of news. For such aid the live librarian may always be thankful. It will furnish excuse for his continued official exis- tence and ought to pave the way for better remuneration. 4. The state librarian can aid the commission in the distribution of government publications. The state librarian, as custodian of govern- ment publications, is supposed to know some- thing about their comparative value and the methods to be employed in their distribution. Through the library commissions he can send these where they will be preserved and educate the public to an appreciation of their value. The importance of this topic must not be measured by the brief paragraph devoted to it. When we take into consideration the vast sums of money devoted to government publications, their character, the reckless manner in which they are distributed, and the lack of informa- tion among the people in regard to their value, it must be admitted that one of the great library problems of the day is to be solved in regulat- ing the subject matter and distribution of these documents. 5. The state librarian may furnish reference matter for patrons of the commission. In its work the library commission is brought into contact with the great army of readers in the state. It is interested in every organized effort to supply them with literature. Friendly relations are to be established with study clubs, WIRE. 57 teachers' associations, the state grange, and other similar organizations. Every possible encouragement should be extended to these, for they are powerful auxiliaries in the work of the commission. Such organizations represent many grades of culture. In this brgad field many questions arise that may be satisfactorily answered by reference to a state library. A question may turn on some point of local history, some early state paper, a reference to some work not found in the local library, or a brief bibliography may be desired on some topic for future study. By co-operation the state library thus becomes to some extent an information bureau, and "citizens who are taxed for its sup- port learn that it is in fact as well as in theory a state institution. Nor does the opportunity for co-operation end here. The fields assigned to librarian and library commission may apparently be distinct, but they are never wholly separated. In Ohio the two unite, and the state librarian is ex- officio secretary of the library commission. This arrangement, due in part to local condi- tions, has thus far proven satisfactory. But whether the two are united or distinct in organi- zation, their spheres still touch in many points and their objects will continue to be sufficiently similar to open up ever recurring opportunity for helpful co-operation. STATE REPORTS, DIGESTS, AND STATUTES. BY DR. G. E. WIRE, Worcester County Law Library, Worcester, Mass. / T*HIS subject has often been discussed in the meetings of the American Bar Associa- tion but so far as I know has not been taken up in any meeting of the American Library Associ- ation. There are now in the United States some 50 states and territories publishing these reports, digests, and statutes, one or all, and no one has a rational system of so doing to which it adheres, while but few have any system as far as can be discerned. In this respect these publications are even worse than the state doc- uments, and especially in the matter of price. Most of the state documents are issued free, but for all of these law documents excessive prices must be paid. REPORTS. 23 of the states and territories now employ official reporters or else publish official reports through the secretary of state, state librarian, or outside parties. Several of the big law book firms have contracts with one or more states to publish their reports. The official reports are printed, bound, and numbered with varying de- grees of excellence and cost from $2 a volume to $15 a volume. The rest still adhere to the old-fashioned way of private reporters, each man making what he can out of the work, and these reports cost from $2.25 to fio a volume. In the case of both official and unofficial re- ports the excellence of the printing, paper, and binding is generally in inverse ratio to the price. The best paper, printing, and binding are found in the cheapest official reports, those of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. They are done by large publishing houses in Boston and New York and show what can be done by them when under contract and obliged to cut down their figures. These books are quite as well done, in some cases better done than their own text-books issued at twice or thrice the price of the reports. The poorest paper, print- ing, and binding are found in some of the re- ports of the southern and western states or, in- deed, in all of these states. I use the words best printing, paper, and binding, and worst printing, paper, and binding in a relative man- ner only. These subjects will be considered more at length further on in this paper. In frequency of issue and number of volumes, practice varies, all the way from little Rhode Island, with her 2O-volume set, one volume in one and one-half years, and Idaho's 2-vol- ume set and a volume in 10 years, to New York's 19 volumes annually, and Pennsylvania's 10 volumes annually. New York has a Su- preme Court Appellate Division, Supreme Court, and several inferior reports grouped under the name Miscellaneous Reports. Penn- sylvania has besides its Supreme Court a sys- tem of District, Circuit, and County Courts all duly reported and counted in with the estimate MONTREAL CONFERENCE. given above. An increasing number of the Mississippi Valley states have a system of Ap- pellate courts to ease the strain on the Supreme Courts. This question of multiplicity of courts and of reports bothers the legal profession more than the matters of printing, paper, and bind- ing. Besides, are they not told by the law book men that they only use the best materials and that their sheep binding is the best binding known, and do not book men always tell the truth? The lawyers have struggled with this question of multiplicity of reports many a time and oft and have as yet arrived at no definite and concerted opinion as to what is to be done in the matter. Various expedients have been proposed, and some carried into effect, but none of them have discouraged the prolix opinion writers, some of whom feel called upon to go to the beginning and write a history of and treatise on their subject. Some states, notably Kentucky and Pennsyl- vania, do not print all of the opinions or decis- ions. These are taken by private publishers and issued in a periodical form, and in these two states certain periodicals are known and quoted as much as the reports. Pennsylvania, besides its elaborate system of official reports, has at least half a dozen periodicals, each published at high figures, which we are more or less obliged to take and keep because of the few cases found there not reported in the official re- ports. This seems to be a matter which is beyond the law-making and law-enforcing power of the government, inasmuch as it lies in the very law-enforcing power itself. Its settlement seems largely to be a matter of self-restraint on the part of the judges themselves. If they can resist the temptation to write and expound, and duplicate opinions they do more good than any quantity of legislation on the subject. In Massachusetts, especially, under Chief Justice Holmes, the opinions are short, to the point, and do not go over ground already old or familiar. But in many states, notably in the south (Texas for example), the opposite practice generally prevails. But little if anything can be done with]the re- ports as dicta of the bench. Much, however, can be done with them as issued from the press. Each state should have an official reporter, to be paid a sufficient salary, with sufficient cleri- cal assistance, and the reports issued at cost of printing and binding, plus perhaps io#, as is done with some United States documents. The reporters are usually paid a salary out of pro- portion to the quality of the output. I had al- ways supposed these reports, which are quoted as law, were made up from verbatim steno- graphic notes revised by the judges and the re. porter; but I find in many if not all cases they are made up from the printed briefs of plaintiff and defendant with the addition of some few longhand notes by the reporter and of course the opinion of the court. This seems to be a slipshod method, but it is the one generally in use. There is no reason why the reports as issued should cost us more than a dollar a vol- ume, if they are not sent free to libraries. United States documents are sent free to libra- ries and private persons have to pay for them. We hear no complaint about this. Why should there not be a similar library dis- tribution or special sale of state law reports? Reports of various United States bureaus and of various state commissions and departments involving much original work are annually given away; the law reports involve no original work on the part of the reporter, all the work put into them being done by counsel and judges. These government reports are fre- quently fully equipped with maps and plates; law reports are solid work, large type, and are "fat "work for the printer, and yet we have to pay from $2 to $15 for them. DIGESTS. Digests as a rule represent more faulty man- agement and poorer work if possible than do reports. No one state has an official digest maker, but so far as I know they are all made by private individuals, who secure the sanction if not approbation of the state, are published by private parties, and are put on the market at prices out of all comparison, figures running from $5 to $10 a volume. There is apparently no sort of method in their madness. You pay from $10 to $30 for a digest one year, and the next year another appears, as inadequate as the first, and you are expected to welcome this with eagerness. The digest, indeed, is generally inadequate, being too often the work of com- pilers who know little of the principles of indexing, of subject headings or cross refer- ences. In many cases it is next to impossible to use them satisfactorily; and they are often WIRE. 59 out of date before they are published, being evidently made on the old commonplace-book plan instead of from records kept on cards and printed from cards. I have stopped buying state digests, as a general thing, depending on the West Publishing Co. digest system. These digests have headlines, scope notes, cross refer- ences, and in short all the features of a good catalog. Each state should have a digesting force which should publish digests at cost. The annual index of session laws gotten out by New York State Library is a good example of what can be done in this direction. This is compiled on cards and comes out quite promptly at the beginning of the year. SESSION LAWS. Session laws are about the most unsatisfactory in printing and binding of any of the state doc- uments, and this is saying about all that can be said. Many are printed on pulp paper of the coarsest kind, which of course will not last, poorly printed, with cheap ink, the pages not registering, and bound in half or three-quar- ter sheep, generally of poor quality. A few come in paper, and still fewer in cloth. And they cost 5oc. to $5 apiece. I corre- sponded with the proper authorities of the states and territories last fall relative to putting us upon their free list and only 18 could do it. Many of the secretaries of state and state librarians expressed their entire will- ingness to do so but the laws forbade, the usual provision being that the session laws should be sent as exchanges to state libraries or sold. All of these states are publishing edu- cational, scientific, or sociological reports, better edited, better printed, better bound, and are giving them away by the thousands to libraries and private individuals, and paying transporta- tion on them at the same time, but the session laws are withheld from free distribution. This matter of distribution is one, I believe, sus- ceptible of change, and of change without any trouble, through a simple bill putting the whole matter of distribution in hands of the secretary of state or state librarian. Now, a few words on the subject of paper, printing, and binding. The reports are generally printed on fairly good book paper. Those published by certain law book firms are printed on good quality of pa- per ; those issued by some of the states are poorer in quality and some paper approaches closely to pulp paper. Not infrequently sev- eral different shades of paper appear in one volume, showing that no pains is taken to keep up stock in the printing house. The reports issued by private concerns, as dis- tinguished by those published by the state, are generally on poorer paper than the reports published by the state ; ink and presswork vary. The best work, as before said, is by a few law firms. As to the binding, all librarians know that law sheep is the worst binding put on the market to-day. The skin is a weak skin to begin with, as all wool-bearing skins are ; it is split and the inside is sold as chamois skin ; the outside is tanned by the use of strong mineral acids, and these are not properly "cleared " or neutralized, leaving a residuum which, uniting with the by-products of illumi- nating gas, eats the leather. So it disintegrates into powder. This degenerating process only takes from five to ten years, according to the condition of skin, and amount of gas used, dry- ness of air and heat of room. A heavy Hollis- ton cloth would be far better as to covering ; three-quarter cowskin, as used at New York State Law Library and University of Michigan, would be better still, and three-quarter Hauss- mann morocco would be best of all. These re- ports are hand-sewed two on, on three strings, one of these strings being cut off and only two laced on each side. The lace holes are even cut with a circular punch, leaving no hole for the twine at all. These two strings are gener- ally in the middle of the book, so placed that the hand may easily cover them for conveni- ence in forwarding, thus leaving an inch or inch and a half at top and bottom with no fas- tening at all. This tends to pry the book right out of the covers. Every year an increasing number of states are turning over the matter of distribution of state reports and session laws to the state library, and it is to state librarians that I appeal for reform of some of the conditions here noted. It is but a step from the distribution of these publications to their printing and bind- ing, and I am confident that by individual and concerted action much can be done toward bet- tering the publication of reports and statutes. As to digests, if one state could be prevailed on to abandon jobbing methods and to employ a competent person to make the digest, and offer it at a fair price, say not over $5 a volume, it would go far toward the dawn of a new era in this direction. 6o MONTREAL CONFERENCE. METHODS OF INDUCING CARE OF BOOKS. I. BY MARY ELLA DOUSMAN, Milwaukee, ( Wis.) Public Library. "JV/TR. BLADES in his comprehensive little work, "The enemies of books," enum- erates their foes as Fire, Water, Gas and Heat, Dust and Neglect, Ignorance, Bookworms and other vermin, Bookbinders, and Collectors. In modern times conditions have changed, and with the great improvements that have been made in library construction many of the serious menaces to the safety of books, in libra- ries, have been overcome. In the past, when books were housed in all sorts of buildings, there was constant danger from fire and damp- ness. In the present, buildings intended for library purposes are made as nearly fireproof as possible; electricity has superseded gas; books are dusted, occasionally, at least, and bookworms no longer flourish. Dr. Garnett, in his preface to Blades's treatise, says that all enemies of books might be summed up under the one head of Ignorance. Bookbinders can hardly be called ignorant, and yet in making research for causes of the ill-used condition of books in libraries, the bur- den of complaint may be laid upon the publish- ers. The number of books, with loose pages, worn and shabby covers, which pile up on the repair shelves is nothing short of alarming, es- pecially in small libraries where the appropria- tion is small and all the surplus is needed for new books and other essentials. The work of repairing, when done by the librarian, is an arduous task, beside taking her time from more vital matters. The books must be saved and she mends them, but not in a meek, submissive frame of mind. The time has passed when librarians submit to poor bind- ings without protest. At a meeting of the Wisconsin State Library Association, held in Milwaukee, February 22 and 23, 1899, resolutions were passed by which the association co-operated with the State Depart- ment of Public Instruction in measures to se- cure the better bindings of books purchased for the libraries of the state. In accordance with these resolutions letters were sent to the differ- ent libraries in the state asking them to prepare lists of the more poorly bound popular books of the day, together with the names of the pub- lishers, and forward them to Miss Biscoe, li- brarian of the Eau Claire Public Library, who would compile statistics on the subject. In summing up the matter Miss Biscoe says " that the trouble lies in poor sewing both of the sig- natures to each other and of the signatures to the super; in hinges made of nothing stronger than cheese cloth; in paper which is either not strong, or is wrongly imposed; in illustrations which are inserted last and come out first." The demand for illustrations may in some degree justify the publishers for the over-illus- tration of many books, but it does not justify them for the manner in which these illustra- tions are inserted, nor does it excuse them for poor sewing and light weight covers such as are used in Doubleday's " Boy's book of inven- tions" and numerous other books. Another cause for complaint is bindings too light in color. Publishers tell us as a reason for this that they sell. But the libraries throughout the country surely purchase a large enough per- centage of the books published to be entitled to a choice in the matter of binding. What can possibly be more unsuitable for use in a public library than the binding of " The story of little Jane and me"? How can we expect a little child from the street to keep such a cover clean? We want beautiful covers, but of suitable col- ors. Another serious cause for the soiled and dog- eared condition of books in libraries is due to the lack of training which children receive in the matter of respect for inanimate objects in general. In most children there seems to be an inherent destructive tendency which manifests itself very early in the misuse of toys and other playthings. Instead of checking or controlling this tendency to mutilate, children are given books or papers to tear or cut for amusement, and are also permitted to ruthlessly misuse household articles of various sorts. If all the poor abused toys had tongues what a babble of sounds their complaints would make ! This careless use of things grows upon a child, and when he enters school and his street career be- DOUSMAN. 61 gins, the soiled, defaced school books, the cut and mutilated desks, the chalk marks on build- ings, are evidences that he has not been taught " that every quality and kind of man's work is self-expression," and as such is worthy of his respect. He has not been taught that the ob- jects with which he is most familiar are made with infinite pains and care, whether it is the flagstone under his feet, a beautiful building, a monument, or a book in which the author has given with much thought and labor the best ex- pression of himself of which he is capable. The teaching of children to respect property, both private and public, has been much neg- lected, and to this neglect the misuse of books in libraries is largely due. Organizations such as the Audubon Society, the Village and Town Improvement Society, the Waring Street Clean- ing Brigade, have accomplished a wonderful work in developing the protective side of the child's nature. The annual observation of Ar- bor Day in the schools emphasizes the beauty of nature and teaches the lesson that the child is not to work for himself alone, but that he owes something to those who come after him. The beautifying of school rooms and school grounds develops a taste for order, neatness, and beauty, and has a direct bearing on the character of the child. The library, holding in its care a valuable public property, must do its part in developing among the children the protective spirit which is the foundation of good civic citizenship. The opportunities for inculcating this principle are limitless in chil- dren's departments. A sense of personal re- sponsibility and ownership develops among the children with the possession of a room of their own, and the better care of books results. The value of co-operation and the magic of " together " are silently but forcefully instilled in the children by teaching them to replace the books on the shelves. The order and arrange- ment is thus learned, the method of placing the books on the shelves, the use of the book support, to say nothing of the spirit of mutual helpfulness which is inculcated. Encouragement and commendation to induce care of books does more good than fault find- ing. The expression of satisfaction on the face of a child when he returns a book clean and whole as when he drew it, should call forth a word of praise, which may easily be spoken in a tone which will reach the ear of the chil- dren standing near. This arouses a spirit of emulation. Better care of books -will be induced bv the man- ner in which assistants handle them. When a book is returned it should be taken from a child in a courteous manner, and, if he is not expected to replace it on the shelf, it should be laid aside as quietly and gently as possible. The order of the shelves should not be neg- lected and frequent tours about the room to straighten the books will tend to make children more careful. A book should bt handed, not shoved at a child, when issued. Perfect courtesy and fairness in the admin- istration will have a marked influence on the behavior of the children. Books should be collated, injuries noted, and the children encouraged to report loose pages, pencil marks, or other defacements. Books should be discarded before they are too much soiled, as their use induces careless habits. Careful distinction should be made between malicious injury and natural wear and tear. The number of books which are mutilated with intent by children is comparatively small. It is the student and grown people who commit atrocities. During 18 months' experience in a children's room only one book marked with obscene writing has been discovered ; only a very few cut or marred. Sometimes the temp- tation to cut is too great, as in the case of Eggleston's " First book in American history," in which, as you will remember, the map of the United States is printed on several pages, show- ing on each successive page the states as they were admitted to the Union. To make the map complete certain dotted lines must be cut. On the lines is printed "cut here" and occa- sionally an investigating child will "cut here" to see how it looks, and we can hardly blame him. He merely wanted "to see the wheels go round." The marking of books with pencil is an ob- jectionable offense, but some toleration should be exercised with children as they are often too young to realize that it is wrong. If books marked are carefully cleaned and a sentiment aroused against such acts, the number marked will diminish. The turning down of pages to mark the place may be reduced to a minimum by the use of book-marks in the library. Book-marks such as the Maxson may be obtained free of cost 62 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. by using the reverse side for advertising pur- poses. A book-mark issued by the Wisconsin Free Library Commission is excellent. The tory from the Maxson book-mark is printed on one side with a little pledge below it, which the children are asked to sign when they have read the books printed on the rounds of a lad- der on the other side. The " climbing " list is intended for third and fourth grade children. A book-cover, also distributed by the commis- sion, has a story on one side in which the chil- dren are asked to put these little " overcoats" on the books while they are reading and car- rying them to and from the library. Twenty thousand copies made of strong manilla paper were furnished free by a railway company for the advertisement on the back cover. In the case of extreme carelessness or intentional misuse of books no method has been as effective as the making of an ob- ject lesson of the disfigured book by hang- ing it in a conspicuous place with a notice calling attention to the injury and asking the opinion of the boys and girls in regard to such offenses. The answers are sometimes most amusing, but they show disapproval in every instance. This method may be varied or elaborated as much as the occasion seems to re- quire. An old method was to post the name of the offender. A book well cared for might be posted with the name of the last borrower. Library leagues and pledges are powerful agents in arousing among children a sense of personal responsibility for the care of books. The organizing of leagues in the schools is do- ing good work in many places. In Evanston, Illinois, more than half of the school popula- tion belong to the league, and many other places could make an equally good showing. The co-operation of teachers is necessary for effective work and may be enlisted by visits to the schools by the librarian, or by sending a tactful and suggestive circular stating the meth- ods used in the library to induce care of books and asking for their adoption in the schools. Informal talks to the children in the library and the schools on the art of printing, paper making, binding, showing the manual labor in- volved in making books, will enhance their value ; call attention to their beauty and cost, and, most important of all, help them to realize that books contain the living thoughts of great men and women and are therefore en- titled to respect. Children should be shown (how to properly open a book, how to put it in an upright posi- tion on the shelf, use of the book support, how to take it out without breaking the back. Where the children visit the library by grades or classes this can be done and the results ac- complished would certainly pay for the time so spent. Open shelves and the freedom offered chil- dren is in one way a temptation to vandalism, and constant and unremitting efforts must be made to teach them to make right use of this freedom. Soiled books are the greatest trial and the teaching of cleanliness is difficult. A wash- room is a most necessary adjunct to a children's room. The children should be sent there when occasion requires, but in a tactful and quiet manner. The home surroundings and condi- tions should be taken into consideration and patience and forbearance shown the little waifs. It is part of the duty of children's librarian to teach the beauty of cleanliness. She must be heart and soul with every movement for the improvement of the surroundings of the young, for in this lies the solution of many of her prob- lems; as Plato so beautifully says : "Young citi- zens must not be allowed to grow up amongst images of evil lest their souls assimilate the ugliness of their surroundings. Rather they should be like men living in a beautiful and healthy place; from everything that they see and hear, loveliness like a breeze should pass into their souls and teach them without their knowing it the truth, of which beauty is the manifestation." FOSTER. METHODS OF INDUCING CARE OF BOOKS. II. BY W. E. FOSTER, Providence {R. /.) Public Library. / ~I~*HE program has most appropriately set down this subject as one of the sub-di- visions of the work with children. In our own library, as probably in every other, its bearings are not exclusively upon the use of the books by children, but are regarded as important in connection with every department of the libra- ry's work. Let me mention, however, one sig- nificant fact, which we have had occasion to ob- serve. Throughout every one of the ten open- shelf rooms in the building, with the single ex- ception of the children's quarters, we are obliged to put up a placard, reading as fol- lows: "Please leave the books on the tables for the attendant to replace." So little have we been able to depend on the ability of the aver- age adult reader to return the book toils proper place. In the children's library, on the other hand, it is now possible to trust the children themselves to place each book where it belongs. I cannot better describe the situation there than in the words of Mrs. Root, the children's librarian, who has written out her account of it for me: " The location of these rooms was selected with great care, so that they should profit by all the possible advantages of warm, bright sunshine and pure air, growing plants and ferns, and the five and no more choice copies of masterpieces of art on its walls. Into this children's library, with its 4000 books on open shelves, were turned loose on the opening day some two or three hundred children, who had never before had access to open shelves in this way. Their interest was intense, but the confusion among the books was indescribable, and suggested a possibility of spoiling the child by the very excess of privileges. We had heaid of Miss Eastman's " library league " at the Cleveland Public Library, and here seemed just the time and place to attempt such a work, by appealing to the protective instinct which is so strong in boys and girls. We say little about dirty hands, but ask, first of all, the boys and girls to help take care of the books, and this in- cludes keeping them in order on the shelves and keeping them from being soiled when in use. This responsibility presupposes trust; and it has worked admirably. To place signs on the walls 'A book must be returned to its place on the shelf,' or ' Books must be handled with care' is sometimes too strong a suggestion to a contrary boy-nature to do di. rectly otherwise, but if we can make these chil- dren feel that they are helpers indispensable helpers the battle is half won. Often our boys are seen going to shelves and straighten- ing out rows of books which some less careful child had displaced. Over and over again, be- fore a book had been charged, the boy or girl has called attention to some damage already done to the book. Pencil marks are thus erased, which if left in the book would have been a strong inducement to add still others. As included in the original plan, a convenient lavatory is connected with the children's rooms, with a set-bowl where dirty hands can be made clean, but it is now only rarely used, and for new recruits. When the books for these rooms were first moved over from the old quarters about one-half of them were covered with manila paper to keep them from soiling. Grad- ually, these paper covers are becoming discon- tinued, until now only about half of them re- main as they were when the removal was made. There is no apprehension now felt that we shall ever again be obliged to resort to covering paper for any such reason; and the book now makes a very much more direct and inviting ap- peal to the young readers who visit the shelves of this room. "Our strongest efforts, in these last three months, have been to familiarize the children with their room. We hope to make them feel that it is a place where they are always at home a place to love and also respect. We desire that these few pictures on the walls shall be old friends; and so we allow every League child to select his favorite from among them, in the shape of a " Perry picture," which he may take home and mount, and thus have for his own. The whole use of the children's quarters, by the children, has been an impres- sive testimony to the effectiveness of these ideal MONTREAL CONFERENCE. surroundings, in appealing to the best instincts of children. Not only have there been no dis- turbances or disorder, even on days when the rooms were crowded with almost twice as many children as there were accommodations for, but there has been only the very slightest tendency to disorder on any occaiion. The Library League enrollment (with as yet no canvass of the schools) has grown to 554 in the eight weeks from April 7 to June 2. "We never ask," says Mrs. Root, " the large boys or girls to join the League, yet they often ask to be allowed to join." The book-mark used in connection with the Library League work is the Maxson book- mark, which has become familiar in Cleveland and other cities, and is used only with the books which are issued from the Children's Library. A book-mark which embodies similar useful suggestions had already been used for several years, with much success, in the books issued to adult readers in the old building; and this embodied, for the most part, the items included in the "Suggestions" to readers on the care of books, published by the library in 1898. CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND PERIODICALS. By ABBY L. SARGENT, Librarian Medford (Mass.) Public Library. /~*ERMAN legend tells us of an enchanted ^"^ castle, overgrown with flowers, the door of which is opened by the little schliissel blume key flower our common primrose. Inside, the castle is filled with treasures of gold and precious stones, while on the wall is inscribed the motto, " take what you will, but be sure you choose the best." So we would have our chil- dren's rooms places of enchantment, but our motto should be " here is only the best." With these rooms springing up in all libraries, with the increased facilities and inducements we are offering, there is increased need for care and judgment in the selection of books. Men and women of literary tastes have some- times attributed their love of books to having tumbled about a library as children. But we find that, as a rule, they tumbled amongst very different books from those with which many of our libraries are flooded The Bible, Homer, Chaucer, Shakespeare, the "Arabian nights," "Pilgrim's progress," with much that Lowell would call the " literature suited to desolate islands." In a catalog of books for young people, issued by one of our leading libraries last year, may be counted 90 titles of Oliver Optic, 48 of Alger, 49 of Fosdick, n of Susan Warner. This is only one of many similar catalogs. It is to be feared that even the brains of a Lincoln, a Gladstone, a Darwin or a Spencer, would have softened on such literary manna. A taste for good reading cannot be developed on a daily diet of insipid twaddle of books that weaken and lower, rather than strengthen and elevate. It is the unconscious absorption of what is best which will have a lasting effect for good. There is no royal road to a knowledge of the good or evil in the books we are putting on our shelves ; no one of us is omniscient in these matters, nor can we lay claim to the essential demanded by Lord Curzon, "An intelligent ap- preciation of events before they occur." But have we a right to add to our libra- ries books which we know nothing about ? Should we not read and read carefully every book which we put before our younger patrons? Is it not better to cling to those which have stood the test of time, rather than to collect those books which at the least lower the stand- ard of taste, and may do incalculable harm ? By reading and re-reading a good book, it be- comes as much a part of a child's atmosphere as the air he breathes. Well-written books are not of necessity oppressively good and tiresome, nor loose and slipshod English witty and enter- taining. Illustrations like those in the recent edition of "Mrs. Leicester's school" go far toward re-introducing on their own merits some of the discarded classics. Many a book which seems dull and uninteresting may be made quite attractive, if we take the trouble to read from it to the children or to tell them a little of its story. This may be too much to expect in a library where one weary soul fulfils all its nu- merous duties; but no community is so forlorn that some cultured, sympathetic person can not SARGENT. be found who will gladly draw the children into a corner of the library and open to them the world of better literature. Unhappily we can not begin with the grandmothers as Dr. Holmes suggested, but it lies largely in our power to make good reading more attractive than bad. All this applies mainly to works of fiction, since we must of necessity be guided in our choice of science, art, and history by specialists. We are all agreed that purity of English, hu- man sympathy, high purpose, lessons of hero- ism and moral courage, with good illustrations, constitute qualities which we ought to demand in children's books. Purity of English is placed first intentionally the others will follow. I like to think that one of the never- ending charms of the old-fashioned fairy tales lies in their quaint and graceful diction. Can one imagine Jack of the beanstalk, giddy and thoughtless though he was, uttering the un- holy language of the little heroes of "The drums of the Fore and Aft," or the unwarrant- able vulgarity of "Stalky and Co."? Could either of these or any of their ilk have begun with those delicious words, "once upon a time"? The field of good literature is broader to-day, and more intelligent work is being done for children than ever before. We need only be sure to choose the best. Why should we encour- age the " book scorcher," by storing for him the grist that is annually turned out of the publish- er's hopper? The taste for what is good is destroyed by gratifying this insatiable desire for weak or highly spiced books. Everything of this sort should be conspicuous only by its absence, and no attendant should ever be per- mitted to say "we don't consider that good for children." If many of the books written for girls to-day are vapid and inane, chiefly filled up with ex- pletives and an exaggerated use of adjectives, or calculated to emulate the pious little frauds whom Miss Agnes Repplier describes in her essay on " Little pharisees in fiction," those for boys are too often lurid, slangy, crammed so thickly with events that their readers are im- patient of any well written story. The children of the present are very far away from those of Mrs. Sherwood and Miss Edgeworth. If these latter seem dull and priggish, at least they did not consider themselves the most important actors in the drama of life their elders merely supernumeraries. Juvenile periodicals also need the same careful scrutiny as do books. St. Nicholas, without the watchful care that Mrs. Dodge formerly gave, is deteriorating as toils literary contributions; other magazines that we have been accustomed to depend upon, are even worse. We need a carefully edited magazine which would reprint earlier and better literature. Such material as Charles Eliot Norton has collected in the " Heart of oak books " might easily be adapted to this use, and do away with the worse than useless stories so common and unfortunately so popular in the periodicals of to-day. Dr. Ed- ward R. Shaw, of New York University, has done excellent work in eliminating from some of the classics, what is not essential to the story, without detracting from its interest. Children do not need or crave so much fiction as older people. We can afford to go slowly for them here. Naturally receptive, the world of history, biography, and travel appeals as much or more to their imagination than a representa- tion of their own world. We are apt to under- estimate their capacity in assuming that they can not appreciate or understand what lies out- side their own experience. It is the verdict of all librarians who admit to the shelves, that young people will choose much better and ma- turer books than when obliged to select from a catalog. It is especially noticeable where access is given to the entire library, that they often choose those which require considerable study and puzzling over. More good can be accom- plished with fewer books well chosen than with a large number of this undesirable overwrought literature. We may perhaps lose a few patrons who ask in vain for " Peck's bad boy " or the sequel to " Elsie's grandchildren," but if such as these are all that a boy or a girl will read, is the library fulfilling its mission as an educa- tional institution in catering to the demand ? Were we united in our strength to condemn all books of weak and harmful tendencies, it would go far to discourage their publication. Our juvenile constituents will soon outgrow our leading strings; it is not a long look to the time when they will be the leaders in our town or city affairs. Now is our golden opportunity to shape their tastes, 'so that when they, too, have become Olympians (no doubt our trustees) they will endorse and encourage our endeavors, and help us to keep intact the motto of our associ- ation, " the &w/ reading for the largest number." 66 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. PICTURE WORK IN CHILDREN'S LIBRARIES. BY CLARA W. HUNT, Newark (N. /.) Public Library. TD EMEMBERING that the placid self assur- ance with which the dabbler in a subject is wont to proffer advice to the specialist in his field is a weakness common to all human na- ture, it will not surprise you to hear that one who cannot, yet, properly claim to be a chil- dren's librarian, and who has had no actnal experience in picture bulletin work, neverthe- less has decided opinions on the subject and even presumes to differ from most of those who have prepared such exhibits time after time. It is not the enjoyment of the sensation of being "contrary," but an honest belief that much of this work is a fruitless outlay of time, that puts me with a hopeless minority in the discussion of this question. To begin with, one can readily see, without having prepared a bulletin oneself, that they cost a great deal in time, thought, and labor, and more or less in money. For hunting up the pictures, cutting them out carefully, mount- ing them neatly, classifying and filing, looking up references and making lists, arranging pic- tures on the walls all use an amount of time which, if put down in black and white, would, I think, astonish the one who attempted the work. However, the cost would be unworthy of consideration if one could feel sure that the results obtained justified the expense. But do they? So far as I can discover the underlying aim of most picture bulletins is to entice the child away from his story books to carrying home biography, science, history, anything which will instruct the young person anything in short classed in a "hundred" rather than in plain " F." At least in the children's room we ought to cut loose from the idea that a book is better because it is not a story book ; for usually the contrary is true here. Those who have tried to make up a general list of thoroughly excellent books for young people know how difficult it is to find a large number of works of science, travel, biography, as good in their line as many of the juvenile story books. It takes very little paper for a list of books of information which are reliable, well written, interesting, and attractive in make-up. So, in order to make her list long enough for the temporary rush, the children's librarian must include many references for her bulletin, which are of doubtful value as information and perfectly worthless as literature. Now, I think this object is mistaken in the first place. If I were to use the picture bulle- tin as a bait, I should make it my aim to lure the boy from Stratemeyer and Tomlinson and Trowbridge to tasting such manly books as "Men of iron," "Cadet days," " We all," "Tom Paulding," " The boy emigrants." In the chil- dren's room our reports should be expressed in different terms than in the adult department. Instead of thinking it the acme of attainment when the "hundreds" per cent, is large, one should aspire to show that the percentage of use of the best books has increased. We could express more fairly the good that is being done by the children's department if it were feasible to classify all "j" books by grades of excel- lence so that our reports would show whether the child who used to read only third rate books is now choosing the best children's liter- ature. To accomplish this would be a greater triumph than to put into circulation some of the doggerel which is called 8n and the idiotic books on nature topics which we dignify by the name of science. The children's room should be a place of in- spiration, above all things. We should bend our efforts first to winning the enthusiastic loy- alty of the growing lads and lassies so that they will not drop out of the library as they drop out of school; and, second, to setting them on the road to a taste for good literature; and I think these ends are to be attained chiefly by means of the story books, fascinatingly inter- esting, well written, and of healthy, stimulat- ing, moral tone. But suppose this object of the picture bulletin is worth while, does it really accomplish what it sets out to do ? Is it not a fact that the interest in a certain line of books awakened by the pic- tures is of a most transient character ? If we were to put on the one side the amount of time MOORE. 67 and labor involved in getting up an exhibit, and over against it the results brought about, is it at all clear that the end justifies the out- lay ? I have another point against the very free use of the bulletin. To me, mounted scraps seem somewhat out of place as a decorative feature in a large, noble library room. They jar on one's sense of the fitness of things somewhat, as would crazy patchwork here and there in an otherwise dignified drawing room. I like better framed pictures, real works of art which are a permanent feature of the walls, with beautiful statuettes in the niches, and plants in the win- dows, reserving for bulletin purposes a modest board where notices, clippings, scrap-pictures or timely subjects, etc., may be posted. But there is something more serious than any of these things to be considered. When we say "Children's Department" or "Children's Room" of the library, we are apt to have stand out so strongly in our minds the first two words of the phrase that we forget the words "of the library" altogether. We should remember, first and al- ways, that this is a library, not a kindergarten, not a normal school practice department, neither is it an art gallery or an exhibition room. It is entirely contrary to library principles to make the reading-room a show place which will attract sightseers whose coming in distracts the students and readers. Because we, for the convenience of adults and the advantage to the children, put the latter in a separate room, we should stren- uously endeavor not to dissipate the library at- mosphere for the children by the separation. We should guard with jealous care the bookish spirit and influence of the place, and trusting to the charm of the books themselves, the beauty of the room, and the inspiration of the chil- dren's librarian to draw and keep the young people, I am confident that it is possible, with- out making the boys and girls feel under any irksome restraint, to realize the ideal library aroma here as in the main reading room. PICTURE-WORK IN CHILDREN'S LIBRARIES. II. BY EVVA L. MOORE, Librarian Scoville Institute, Oak Park, III. T^HE question that constantly forces itself upon the thoughtful library worker is: what place in the busy library, limited as to in- come and administrative force, has this subject of pictures ? At Scoville Institute, we direct our efforts as far as pictures are concerned along three defi- nite lines. The first object is to increase the children's appreciation and enjoyment of pictures them- selves, their main idea and their beauty; to help those who now find pleasure in a truly good picture to find still more pleasure; and what we particularly aim at and rejoice over when we succeed, is the creating of a love for and delight in some masterpiece which had been little cared for before. Pictures and plaster casts of real art value should have a permanent place upon our walls that the children may see them often and learn to care for and associate them with their room; but few of us can afford to buy them, as our funds are exhausted long before the necessary books are purchased and a hundred other wants supplied. This difficulty, however, may- be met in part at least, by asking the loan for a few weeks of a beautiful picture or statue belonging to some friend of the chil- dren's room. Care should be taken lest we unduly empha- size this side of the children's work and dis- play too many pictures at a time, which leads to confusion and to the idea that the library is nothing more than a picture gallery, where the children are to be entertained. Right here let me make a plea for more table books finely illustrated ones of which the children never grow tired. Pictures which are placed about a child will be a help or hindrance to him according as they are true or false to nature. Many children take it for granted that the pictures are true, and form their opinions of the subject from it, and this impression rarely fades from the memory. Maud Humphrey is a good example of the unnatural school her pictures do not hold the children and, although at- tracted to them at first by the color, they turn away after a moment's glance. Experience teaches us that repetition of a picture in a large 68 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. exhibit of any kind is a good feature, as it pleases a child to see again one that he had al- ready learned to recognize. The second use of our pictures is in the ex- hibit and bulletin work. We follow in the case of the bulletins the same method as adopted at Pratt the bulletin to present some one sub- ject and only one at a time to be definite in its purpose and not a jumble of ideas, and always combining with it, arranged in sqme unique way, a list of books. One bulletin board is changed a little very often, so that the little reader who comes fre- quently to the library will always find something new. The picture bulletin always creates a lively interest among the children, and this use of pictures is carried outside the library and into the schools which brings us to the third point the use of pictures in connection with school work. The value of pictures as an aid to instruction is now generally recognized, and teachers are beginning to realize this, and whenever it is possible are substituting a picture for an idea, a concrete for an abstract reality, and adapting the method of representing to the eye what it would take longer to teach by the ear. With this object in view that is, to supply teachers with pictures on special topics a large collection was gathered together from every available source, mounted on gray bristol board (two sizes are used gx n and n x 14 inches), and classified as the books (Dewey decimal classification). The teachers furnished us with outline of study, including lists of special sub- jects taken up in connection with the study of history, science and geography; these subjects were noted on slips and brought out prominent- ly in the card catalog and in the picture collec- tion. Preferring a numerical rather than alpha- betical arrangement of the pictures, we have as a key to this for use of teachers and children an alphabetical index with few cross-references, for these are bewildering to all but the initiated. Instead of cross-references a picture is brought out in the index under several head- ings that is, it is brought out under the sub- jects the picture suggests, considering all of the time the use to which the picture is to be put, with continual reference to our school subject index for suggestions as to subject headings already in the card catalog, so that as far as pos- sible there may be uniformity between the two. These pictures are especially useful in geog- raphy work by means of them the children gain correct ideas of the people and things that live in a world remote from their own. The picture bulletins, representing principally subjects of permanent interest, are used espe- cially in connection with the lower grades. As in the case of the mounted pictures they are of greater and more constant value in teaching geography, than any other subject. The sub- jects which may be illustrated, however, are numberless; for instance, every country in the world, authors, artists, etc. Great care must be taken in choosing head- ings for the bulletins. The headings must talk a bulletin of fa- mous characters might be introduced with, "Would you like to read about heroes of the olden time, brave engineers and sailors, beau- tiful princesses, and girls who could sing like birds. Here is a list of such books." The Holland bulletin is labelled " Land of pluck," the Eskimo bulletin the " Children of the cold," and this bulletin chronicles among other things " This most refrigerative folk Treat zero as a screaming joke," portraying pictures of a chubby little Eskimo, "All the way down from the pole he came," and a crowd of Eskimo boys and girls playing a game of pin and cup-ball ; Eskimo dolls, etc. Written accounts in prose or verse are com- bined with the pictures, and on each is placed a short list of book and magazine articles that bear on the particular topic, as the library on all occasions and in all connections should put forward its proper claim of the value and use of the book. Too long a bibliography is confusing to chil- dren and to the untrained public generally. To gain the best results for this work the librarian must make a careful and thoughtful study of the outlines of study and of the school curriculum and must be quick to seize opportunities for making bulletins which will be of timely inter- est and usefelness ; the object being to choose either a subject uppermost in the minds of the children, so that anything bearing on it will catch their eyes ; or, to make the subject of in- terest by the attractiveness of the bulletin, and in either case create a demand for the books to which attention is thus directed. OLCO TT. 69 STORY TELLING, LECTURES, AND OTHER ADJUNCTS OF THE CHILDREN'S ROOM. BY FRANCES JENKINS OLCOTT, Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh. \\ 7HEN a new children's room is opened, it takes no advertising for the first few months to fill the chairs and benches to over- flowing. After that the attendance gradually diminishes until only those are left who have an innate love of reading, and some few who come to idle away their time, to look at picture books, or to escape the disagreeable weather without this last is especially true of our over- populated slum districts. Meanwhile the chil- dren's librarian has learned to know the chil- dren, and has their interests individually and collectively at heart; but after the confusion of the opening is over she finds two problems con- fronting her: how shall she attract and hold the children until such a time as they will grad- uate by choice into adult reading, and how awaken the interest, curiosity, and fancy of the children so that they will take by choice the best the library can offer in other words, what means and ways can she devise-to subtly create a taste for the best literature. To do this successfully there must be no self con- sciousness on the part of the child, and he must do all by his own volition. She begins her work, always keeping in mind the child's imagination, tastes, and habits, which must be studied and appealed to. To this end the room is adorned with pictures and plants, and the children's sense of ownership is aroused; perhaps an adaptation of the motto of the chil- dren's room of the Milwaukee Public Library is frescoed on the wall, "This room is under the protection of the boys and girls of Milwaukee." A sense of pride and responsibility among the children invariably improves the atmosphere of the room. Besides the help and suggestions given spontaneously to individual children, which makes the work of a children's librarian vital, there are many other ways to awaken interest in books. It is impossible within the ten minutes' limit of this paper to go into the details of the organi- zation of these various schemes. I shall simply touch upon them pointing out possibilities. The story-telling lectures, however, I shall dwell on slightly, as they present to the librarian a new and broad field for action. Almost all of the following methods have been helpfully dis- cussed during the last five years in the volumes of the Library Journal and Public Libraries. A. study of these and the annual reports of the Boston, Buffalo, Pratt Institute (Brooklyn), Cleveland, and other libraries doing work with children, will prove of the utmost value to the children's librarian who is laying plans for the future work of her children's room. Exhibits of pictures, such as the exhibits of animal and hero pictures at the Pratt Institute Free Library (Brooklyn) and the exhibits of Burbank's Indians at the Toledo Public Li- brary, lectures to children from outside sources, and five minutes' talks on books, as at the Hartford Public Library, are most useful, and an effective way to arouse a sense of re- sponsibility among children, and at the same time direct their reading, lies in club work reading clubs and study clubs, organized into small chapters as at the Library of Cedar Rapids, or into a grand mass organization as at the Cleveland Public Library. This library League scheme has been adopted and modified by many libraries throughout the country. Closely akin to the library clubs is the home library work, which consists of sending books into the homes, in charge of a friendly visitor. This work is not" usually connected with the work of the children's room; but it is possible to train children in the home library circles to become intelligent users of the public library, and to teach them to fully appreciate their library privileges. The children's reference library is an impor- tant adjunct of the children's room. There is, however, a strong tendency to bring into the children's room the atmosphere of the school room. This danger lurks on all sides. The teachers not only send the children to the library to use the books for their school work, but they seem to feel responsible for the result of library work, or the appreciation and intelli- MONTREAL CONFERENCE. gence the children show when listening to our stories. They are constantly impressing upon the already burdened children that there is nothing which is not connected with their class studies. It is right that we should help the teachers and public in every way, but it is not the function of a children's room that it should become solely the work room of the schools. The Boston Public Library and the Brookline Library, in a way, solved the problem by set- ting aside reference books in rooms separate from the children's rooms, and, while giving teachers and pupils every privilege and all assistance in the power of the library, yet keeping the natural and gracious influence of the children's room intact. In small libraries the reference library for pupils must necessa- rily be a part of the children's room, and it needs eternal vigilance to keep out the school atmosphere, and yet heartily co-operate with the schools. We have found that even our weekly story-telling lectures are seized on by the teachers as material for compositions and tests of memory, which, if not prevented would defeat our main object in telling the stories. We aim to produce an unforced, nat- ural love for the best in literature, to lift the children's eyes from books written down to them, to the world of history and art and active life as presented in good literature, and to lead them gradually to pursue the subjects further. With this end in view the story teller conscientiously prepares the story beforehand. It is taken for granted that her understanding and sympathy with child nature will teach her to present the subject in the most attractive and intelligent form. Let us take as an exam- ple the preparation of the story of "Elizabeth, or the exiles of Siberia." A thorough under- standing of the plot of the story is not enough. The storyteller should carefully study the local color of life both in Russia and Siberia, should meet the children armed with pictures of these countries, with the Russian flag, with George Kennan's fully illustrated "Siberia and the ex- ile system," and be further fortified by a knowl- edge of the exile system from the point of view of other writers. The story becomes in- tensely interesting, the books and pictures are passed around, and not only a sympathy for Elizabeth's bravery is aroused, but interest in books of travel, and stories about Russia and Siberia. The story hour need not be sixty minutes in length. It should rather fit itself to the story, and the story in turn fit itself to its audience ; the story teller watching for the slightest signs of fatigue or flagging interest on the part of the children. A startling episode or stirring sentence directed at a child whose attention is wandering quickly revives its interest. The more informal the story hour, the greater the lack of selfconsciousness on the part of the children, and this is to be aimed at, as a perfect effacement of self makes a receptive audience. Clean hands, clean faces, and good manners should be the rules of admittance. The chil- dren appreciate the stories, for they return each week and are eager to take the books from the story hour shelf. For instance, between four weekly story hours devoted to Shakespeare stories, told at one of our branch libraries, the Shakespeare story books were drawn forty-four times, and if we had had more copies they also would have circulated. For the last few months we have experimented with a system- atic program which has enabled us to prepare our material before hand. It has shown its ad- vantages in every way, and our story telling next year will be worked out in the same way. Too much stress cannot be laid on the value of picture work in connection with the library clubs, school reference work, and to illustrate the story-telling lectures. In making them attractive one's ingenuity and originality are constantly called upon ; they may be worked out in all shapes and ways, care being taken not to overdo the matter lest they become an old story. Practically stated, the above is a brief survey of the methods of advertising the best litera- ture in the children's room in centra-distinction to the librarian's individual work which fits the right book to the right child. An ideal chil- dren's librarian will do no work haphazard, but will plan her campaign beforehand as care- fully as a general, choosing the most effective methods, and adapting them to existing cir- cumstances. She will proceed cautiously, so that nothing shall be begun and dropped, as spasmodic effort results in weakness. One good children's club, or one systematized course of story telling will produce more satisfactory results than a dozen showy schemes hastily adopted and superficially carried out. RICHARDSON. REPORT OF THE CO-OPERATION COMMITTEE. BY ERNEST GUSHING RICHARDSON, Chairman, Librarian of Princeton University. *THE policy of the Co-operation Committee of * the past year has been to try to settle on a few lines on which definite work might be un- dertaken with best prospect of practical success and to try to place these in form for definite recommendation to the Association. It has had before it for consideration during the year six special matters; most of which came up in the ordinary course of reference or communication: 1. Duplication of bibliographical work. 2. An American catalog. 3. An index of theological periodical litera- ture. 4. An index of architectural periodical litera- ture. 5. International co-operation. 6. Co-operative cataloging. I. Mrs. Fairchild's suggestion as to the pro- viding of some method for the avoidance of duplication of bibliographical work was re- ferred to this committee by the Atlanta Confer- ence. The committee recommends that it be under- stood that all definite plans for bibliographical work whether co-operative or otherwise may be reported to this committee and shall be publish- ed by them in their annual report. The only announcement under this head at this time is a Bibliography of Psychology, 1860- 1899, by Prof. Leuba of Bryn Mawr College, which, it has been suggested, might be continued on cumulative sheets. a. The proposal by Mr. A. G. S. Josephson for an American catalog was presented to the committee directly and was also referred to them by the American Historical Association, to which it was also presented. This proposal involves the establishment of an endowed bu- reau and the selection of some one library as a working basis. At the meeting of the committee held March 9th. it was voted that the committee recognize the importance of such a catalog and that they hope that the plans for co-operative catalog- ing now under consideration may open the way also to its preparation. 3. A letter from the Rev. Olin H. Gates called attention again to a matter which has been frequently mooted the need of a co-oper- ative index to theological periodicals. The matter was referred to the chairman with a request that he would investigate the question and report to the committee. One of the features of Mr. Gates' proposal was that the work should be edited by some one theological seminary. The chairman found that the Hart- ford Theological Seminary, which has one of the best collections of such periodicals, if not the best, in the United States, was willing to under- take the editing under the direction of the present chairman of the committee, who hap- pens himself to have considerable collections in this line. A circular was issued inquiring whether it was felt by the seminaries and libra- ries that such an index was really needed, with the idea that if enough subscriptions could be secured to pay the actual cost of printing and. publishing, a work including the publications of the last ten years at least would be undertaken. Returns enough have not yet been received to give definite assurance that the undertaking can be carried out, but it is recommended that the Association express its approval of the un- dertaking, urge libraries to support it, and recommend to the Publishing Section its publi- cation if sufficient support is forthcoming. 4. The matter of an index of architectural literature was also referred to the chairman, to try and ascertain whether anything has been accomplished in this line. The chairman finds that Mr. Howard Butler, who is now studying abroad, made such a manuscript index to archi- tectural periodicals a few years since, while fellow at Columbia. He has been unable to learn as yet whether there is an intention of publishing this. A plan for the co-operative in- dexing of architectural illustrations was adopted three years ago by the Boston Athenaeum, Bos- ton Public Library, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University Library, but circumstances have prevented its being carried out as yet on any large scale. 5. A communication from the Institut Inter- national de Bibliographic to the secretary of the A. L. A. was referred to the committee. MONTREAL CONFERENCE. Its tenor was: That they consider their work to be sufficiently established to justify asking the active co-operation of our Association, and the careful consideration of their work; also to call the attention of the Association to the advan- tage to libraries of having card bibliographies independent of the library catalogs, and formed according to the rules prescribed in their annual. Request is also made that the Institut be allowed to register the Association as one of those affiliated with it. The committee recommends: (1) That we express our interest in the work which is being undertaken by the Institut, and extend our congratulations for the measure of success with which it has met, and the excellent results which it has achieved, and that we ex- press our sympathy with the idea of forming card bibliographies, as being a matter which is already extensively practiced by American li- braries. (2) That any official affiliation or registration with this or any other foreign association is inadvisable without a careful examination as to what the nature of this affiliation will be and the machinery for making it effective. (3) That the Executive Board of the Associa- tion appoint a committee on international co- operation, which shall make special inquiries into the possibilities of such co-operation, par- ticularly with reference to the matter of uni- formity in essentials. 6. The matter to which the committee has given special time and attention during the year has been that of co-operative cataloging. This has been up before the Association so often as to make it unnecessary to call especial attention to the fact of the economic wastefulness of duplicate cataloging. There are, e.g., on an average not less than 30 copies of every impor- tant scientific work published abroad imported for use in American libraries, and cataloged at an average expense of from 30 to 45 cents for each library. The experiment of the Publish- ing Section under Mr. Lane having developed many admirable features looking towards ex- tension of co-operative cataloging, and the ingenious electrotype plate devised by Mr. Andrews, together with the improvements in the linotype, having made the old Jewett plan of preserving titles practicable, the committee felt that the time was ripe for developing some definite plan for eliminating this wastefulness of duplicate cataloging. Details of this plan will be given at the co-operation session by various members of the committee, and the proceedings of that session, including the general sketch of the plan, the reports of Mr. Lane on adjustments and reorganization, of Mr. Andrews on financial details, and of Miss Kroeger on cataloging rules, together with the prepared remarks of Mr. Solberg and Miss Browne, are hereby offered as an exhibit to this report. Before any formal action as to recommenda- tions was taken the whole matter was discussed extensively by correspondence and in informal meetings notably at a meeting of the Libra- rian of Congress and the librarians of Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, University of Penn- sylvania and Princeton, called by Dr. Canfield and held at President Low's house in New York. At a meeting of the committee held at Co- lumbia University Library on March 9, at which, in addition to the committee, Messrs. Thwaites, Carr, Harris, Van Name, Jastrow and Canfield were present, the general lines of the plan were approved with practical unanimity, and the fol- lowing recommendations to the A. L. A. with reference to it were adopted : (1) That the A. L. A. appoint a committee on cataloging rules (including subject headings). (2) That it form under the direction of its Publishing Section a bureau for the co-opera- tive cataloging and printing of cards under guarantee, which bureau shall undertake to catalog promptly or to provide for the cata- loging of all books referred to it by co-oper- ating libraries, shall print cards for the same and also any titles sent to it by co-oper- ating libraries, shall keep on file electrotypes of these titles for printing titles to order for libraries in general, shall publish regularly or from time to time a list of the titles in type or to be printed, and may print other material as it may seem fit, and shall be under the direct administration of an officer of the Publishing Section and the librarians of the guaranteeing libraries. The plan of co-operative cataloging recom- mended by the Co-operation Committee of the A. L. A. contains the following elements : (i) A moderately full printed title and im- print, cataloged according to the rules of the American Library Association, supplemented by a fine type note giving subject headings ac- KROEGER. 73 cording to the A. L. A. method, and any other cataloging directions such as author numbers or classification numbers, as may seem best. It is intended to give in this note the essen- tial information in such a form that on receipt of cards the numbers and subject headings can be written on by the local cataloger, practically without further search. It is proposed to furnish for each book cata- loged a set of cards containingenough cardsforall necessary entries, but with all the cards identical in form, leaving all the details, on which there is liable to be very much diversity of usage among the libraries, to be written on. In this way the machinery is reduced to a simple card unit. (2) It is proposed that these titles shall be electrotyped individually, provided with a con- secutive accessions number for ordering pur- poses, and kept filed in this order. (3) It is proposed farther that a cumulative linotype index of these titles shall be pub- lished, so that any title may be ordered at any time. This index would probably be sent out every week or two weeks as a regular periodi- cal and at periodical postage rates. Libraries would thus be able to limit their orders to titles actually wanted. (4) Other possible rather than actual features are: (a) The titles stored by consecutive num- bers might be printed from time to time, say every 10,000 titles, as volumes, cumulative in- dex serving an index for same, and the net result being in itself an important bibliograph- ical work, (b) Special bibliographies could be printed from time to time by selecting titles. (5) The organization recommended for car- rying out this work is a special bureau working under the guarantee of certain co-operating libraries, this bureau to consist of an officer of the Publishing Section of the A. L. A. and the librarians of the guaranteeing libraries. (6) The plan contemplates as wide and gen- eral use as can possibly be developed, but for the sake of practicality it starts with adapting itself primarily to the needs of a certain limited number of co-operating libraries, but it is de- sired to offer the results to all libraries, large and small, in such a way and at such a price that each may take whatever will be serviceable to it. And if the cataloging of current Ameri- can books now done by the Publishing Section can be combined with this work, it will the better serve the interests of libraries in general. It is also hoped that with a considerable accu- mulation of titles the work may be so arranged that a newly formed public library, e.g., or any small library needing reorganization, may be able to find a large portion of the whole catalog ready printed at a very great reduction over what it would cost to card privately. Any plan for co-operation in cataloging evi- dently involves many questions. It is of course essential, e.g., that the whole plan should be brought closely in line with the recommenda- tions of the American Library Association; but the prevailing rules for cataloging taught by the library schools differ slightly from those authorized by the American Library Associa- tion. Moreover, details of administration and adjustment of form, and especially details of cost have to be considered. These various matters have been specially investigated by various members of the Co-operation Commit- tee, and their reports follow. These reports, together with what has just now been said, are regarded as exhibits to the annual report of the committee. CO-OPERATIVE CATALOGING AND THE A. L. A. RULES. BY ALICE B. KROEGER, Drexel Institute Library. TN the formation of any plan for co-operative cataloging the rules under which books should be cataloged are a most important con sideration, involving as they do a variety of opinion on many points. If co-operative cata- loging should be undertaken by the A. L. A. to the extent desired by the members of the Co- operation Committee, it follows that some code of rules must be adopted by the libraries con- cerned and that such code should have the approval of the Association, in order that uni- formity of entry and of style of card may be secured. At present the cataloging rules authorized by the A. L. A. exist in a brief form in the " Con- densed rules for an author and title catalog " 74 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. which were formulated in 1883 and are to be found in the Library Journal, 8: 251-254, and as an appendix to Cutter's "Rules for a dic- tionary catalog." In order to obtain in a concise form the opinions of the librarians who are likely to be most interested in the plan undei consideration, a circular was sent to about 30 librarians, asking for an expression of opinion as well as for their practice in regard to vari- ous disputed points in these rules. A report on somewhat similar lines was made in 1893 by Mr. Lane and is to be found in the A. L. A. World's Congress papers. Since 1893, however, there has been some change of opinion regarding several of these disputed points, and besides the recent circular naturally includes more detai! of cataloging than the former report. Co-operative cataloging which will benefit the large perhaps more than the small library, but which will also be of very great value to both requires that a fuller code of rules should be adopted by the Association and also that such changes be made in the existing rules as will conform with the present usage of the majority of libraries interested. In reply to the ques- tion concerning codes at present used by libra- ries, 27 libraries replied, and of these 8 use Cutter's Rules alone, sometimes with modifica- tions; 14 use Cutter's Rules alone or in conjunc- tion with the Library School Rules or Linder- felt; 4 use the Library School Rules alone, while 10 use this code with either Cutter or Linderfelt; Linderfelt's rules are adopted as their code by two of the libraries reporting. Only three libraries follow the A. L. A. Rules without using any other code. Of the two codes most in use, Cutter's Rules is followed by more libraries than any other, for one reason because they are designed for a dictionary catalog which is the form most in use in these libraries (only two reporting classed catalogs, either logical or alphabetical, although a few of the libraries have both a dictionary and a classed catalog). Dewey's Library School Rules although made primarily for a classed catalog are nevertheless useful for any form of catalog on account of the rules for author entry which are very definitely stated as well as on account of excellent sample cards. The rules arc, how- ever, not as full as those in Cutter and lack the explanations and numerous illustrations which make Cutter's Rules so indispensable to the cataloger of a library of any considerable number of volumes. The third code in favor, Linderfelt's Eclectic Card Catalog Rules, is most important, because here also as in Cutter the rules are fully explained and illustrated; but as it does not include rules for subject entry, it is open to the same objection as the Library School Rules. From the answers to the circular it seems to be the practice as well as the preference of most catalogers to use more than one code of rules and in most cases not to follow the A. L. A. Rules alone. This is chiefly because they are so condensed that they give only the general principle and seldom any exceptions. The cataloger finds, however, that in cataloging, as in grammar, the exceptions often outnumber the rules. If we take for example the point probably most in dispute, that of corporate entry for societies, we shall find that there are very few libraries that follow literally the rule as given in the Condensed Rules. Again, in the case of names beginning with a prefix, the A. L. A. Rule is limited to one brief sentence while in the Eclectic Card Catalog Rules we find one and one-half pages devoted to the various phases of this rule. The library schools teach in general accord- ing to the Library School Rules, which are based on those of the A. L. A., but which make several important exceptions, while they use Cutter's Rules especially for instruction in dic- tionary cataloging. We therefore see each year a larger number of libraries adopting similar rules of entry and details of imprint informa- tion which results in more uniformity in cata- loging. Even among the library schools, how- ever, we see differences of opinion, and their teachings sometimes disagree with the rules of the A. L. A. It is practically impossible to draw up a code of rules which can be followed by all libraries without variation. In printing cards for use in libraries of all kinds and sizes, several means can be consid- ered for allowing for this difference of opinion. Small points regarding imprint information must perhaps be overlooked, as only one form can be printed. But when libraries are at vari- ance on rules relating to headings, it will be possible to arrange the card so that the pre- ferred form can be used. Mr. Lane suggests the possibility of printing one heading below the other (as, in the case of English noblemen to have the family name printed below the titles) and one or the other can be crossed off, accord- ing to the usage of the library. Another way would be to print two cards for all disputed points, in the above case printing one card KROEGER. 75 under the title and another under the family name. This report has been made to serve as a basis for future revision of the A. L. A. Rules, with the idea in view of furnishing a code which will be as nearly as possible where such a differ- ence of opinion exists a working code for co-operative cataloging on a larger scale than has been done heretofore. It maybe necessary for us to give up long cherished thoughts of uniformity in our catalogs, but that is an unes- sential matter, and one that is more easily over- come than we imagine. The advantages to be gained from well printed cards will surely out- weigh all minor considerations, especially when they can be secured at so much less cost to the library than the ordinary written cards. The catalog is, after all, more for the public than for the librarian (perhaps this may be another dis- puted point), and anything that helps to make it more easily read and understood should be regarded as of the first importance. And this printed catalog cards will surely do, even should the indication of the paging and size or the position of the series note not agree with our favorite ideas in regard to them. The points most in dispute relate to pseu- donyms, societies, noblemen, Oriental writers, the fulness of author's name, Latin writers, names of places, use of capitals in German nouns, order of imprint and some details of im- print such as size mark, series note, the Ger- man umlaut, etc. The following is a summary of the reports from 27 libraries : * iq. Pseudonyms. Usage is fairly equally divided between entry under pseudonym and entry in all cases under real name, with a slight preference toward entry under the pseudonym when better known than the real name. Those libraries entering under real name almost al- ways except George Eliot and make entry in that case under the pseudonym. ir. Societies. The rule is in general fol- lowed. But many libraries report exceptions. Several follow Cutter's 5th plan, section 56, for society publications, which covers various spe- cific kinds, such as churches, local societies, so- cieties not local, academies (English and for- eign), colleges, universities, libraries, galleries, museums having an individual name and those not having an individual name business firms, etc. A few libraries follow Library School Rules, which, however, is not so full as Cutter, but fuller than the A. L. A. rule. A * The numbers given are those of the A. L. A. Rules. few others follow Linderfelt, which is very full in regard to all the points relating to societies. The criticism regarding the present rule would seem to be that it is too general and makes no allowance for various kinds of socie. ties, local societies and those not local. In any co-operative cataloging this rule would be an important one and would need most care- ful consideration. im. Noblemen. In this regard opinion is again divided, but the larger number of libra- ries prefer to follow the rule rather than to enter under family names. The points for consideration here would be : the question of adding the word "highest" before "titles"; whether the number of the peerage should be prefixed to designate the rank of English noble- men, as, 8th earl of ; and what, if any, distinc- tion should be made between English and foreign noblemen. 10. Sovereigns, etc. Oriental writers. The entry of Oriental writers, according to this rule, is questioned by two or three libraries, and Mr. Lane recommends that this part be omitted from the rule. The entry of popes and saints as here treated is also questioned. 2a. Author's name in f till and in the vernacu- lar. Only four libraries report using this rule without qualification. On examination of the numerous exceptions and opinions regarding it there is found to be a strong growing tendency towards not looking up unused names. Even the large libraries, such as Harvard and John Crerar, recommend a change in this rule to that effect. Mr. Lane recommends that instead of in full, it should read "at least for modern authors in the form customarily used by the authors on title-page, etc., except that initials should be filled out, and in the case of noble- men, etc., not using forenames, the names have to be supplied." Mr. Andrews proposes for discussion the advisability of filling out, (i) first name only; (2) all initials used; (3) all names ever used. Another librarian thinks the rule as it reads is not clear and should be made clearer. With regard to the part relating to entry in the vernacular form of the name, there is gen- eral agreement except as to Latin names, which may need some discussion. There is a general tendency to omit "the vernacular form being added in parentheses" in Latin names. 2f. A'anifs of places. While the majority report that they follow this rule, there seem to be several libraries that omit the second MONTREAL CONFERENCE. sentence : " When both an English and a ver- nacular form are used in English works, prefer the vernacular," as they prefer the English form always for names of places. This rule, of course, applies to the name of the place in the heading. The Library School Rules gives names of cities and towns in vernacular, larger political divisions in English. This is followed by some libraries. 3a. The title of books. In copying the title of books there is practical agreement as to mak- ing the title an exact transcript of the title-page, omitting matter of any kind not essential. There are a few libraries that do not use (. . .) for omission, but a large number always use the dots for that purpose. As to the part which applies to rare books, the rule allows but does not require titles " in full, with all practical precision." This is not definitely answered by libraries, so that the custom can not be stated. There is almost unanimous agreement as to the use of brackets for supplying any additions to the title. 3d-i. Capitals. The answers concerning rules for the use of capitals show a preference for small letters for noted events and periods, a difference of opinion as to the capitalizing of titles of honor, and a small majority only in favor of capitals for nouns in German. There is disagreement as to capitals for names of bodies, several libraries preferring capitals only for the first word, others use capitals for all words not articles, conjunctions, and prepositions. An- other rule for capitals relating " to adjectives and other derivatives from proper names, etc.," has exceptions made to it by libraries, especially as regards foreign languages. Only one li- brary inclines to use of capitals in doubtful cases the majority agreeing with the rule to use as few capitals as possible. More specific rules for capitals are recom- mended by Mr. Green. 4a-k. Imprint. The answers relating to the order of imprint information were not sufficiently clear in all cases to make a satisfactory sum- mary of the usage. Two arrangements of detail of imprint seem to be most in use, that of the A. L. A., the order of which is: edition, place, publisher, date, vols. or pages, maps, portraits, illustrations, size, series; and that of the Library School Rules: edition, vols. or pages, illustrations, portraits, plates, fac-similes, maps, tables, size, place, publisher, date, copy- right date. The order of the Library School Rules is followed by six libraries, the A. L. A. by four. The tendency to follow the order of the Library School Rules may be accounted for by the excellent sample cards which have been used by so many libraries and especially by graduates of Library Schools who have been responsible in recent years for a large amount of cataloging. A discussion of the order of imprint information is recommended. Of the detail relating to imprint, there is nat- urally a diversity of opinion. Some of the sug- gested changes to the rules as they stand are : Edition. Two of the large libraries (Boston Public and Harvard) consider the edition as part of the title instead of the imprint, and the John Crerar Library recommends this change. Publisher s name. This is given as optional in the rules as they stand, and the general practice until recently seems to favor its omis- sion. Several libraries omitting it in practice think the addition of the publisher's name desirable. Mr. Andrews recommends discus- sion of the insertion of place and name of printer when no publisher is given, and also of American reprints. In printed cards it will be desirable to include the publisher's name in imprint. Year (as given on the title-page). The only question here relates to giving the year always in Arabic figures, the exception being for in- cunabula, rare and curious books, and books with French revolutionary dates. Copyright date. The addition of the " year of copyright or of actual publication, if known to be different" is not made by all. Some li- braries give the copyright date when differing more than one year (or five years), others omit it altogether. It is doubtful whether the " date of actual publication " is much used and this might well be omitted from the rule. Paging. As might be expected there is no agreement to this, the custom varying from the most exact collation to no paging at all. Main paging is used by some, others note paging only when a book has above or below a certain number of pages, and this varies with each library. The use of the + is not general, some of the largest libraries giving most exact pagination use commas instead. Illustrations, maps, etc. In this rule the phrase "number of" should be omitted, as very few libraries specify the number of plates, maps, and then only when important or easily ascertainable. The rule does not name plates as part of imprint, yet the followers of the Li- brary School Rules distinguish plates when KROEGER. 77 not paged with text. There is also a noticeable difference in the abbreviations used for these items of imprint. Size. The size is usually given by the A. L. A. size letter, all omitting the "exact size by centimeters," which, however, the Library of Congress prefers. Only eight libraries re- port that they use the fold symbol, but whether this stands for the measurement by fold or for approximate size is not made clear. Only one lib- rary omits size mark altogether, while another gives it only for very large or very small books. Series. That the series should follow the other imprint information is the general prac- tice, and only two report placing the name of series between title and imprint. This latter order seems to be preferred by the A. L. A. Publishing Section, Harvard, Boston Athe- naeum, Buffalo, and John Crerar libraries. The point is one that needs discussion. Place of printing, Since many libraries have but few rare and old books this rule is not gen- erally followed, but the large libraries usually adopt it. Arabic figures. The use of Arabic figures in the title when the title-page gives Roman is questioned. The use of large capitals instead of small capitals for the names of sovereigns, princes, and popes has been suggested. Abbreviations. The tendency now is to use as few abbreviations as possible in order to make titles clear to the public, and to omit them except for imprint information. The ab- breviations for forenames are generally disre- garded, although some libraries use only the colon abbreviations for forenames. 7g. The modified a, o, u, in German. Usage varies in regard to this, from the libraries (12 in number) that follow the rule, to the libraries that always write ae, oe, ue in the entry word and arrange as written. One library (Cornell) writes as found and arranges as a, o, u. The A. L. A. Publishing Section, Boston Athenaeum, Boston Public Library, Harvard and Library of Congress follow the title-page or the author's use of his name and arrange always as ae, oe, ue. John Crerar Library writes and arranges as on title-page. Salem Public Library, which follows the A. L. A. Rules, advocates ae, oe, ue, on account of difficulties involved in the other arrangement. Series. The added entry for series is usually made under the name of the series, only one library entering under editor. ftint authors. The difference of opinion comes in using more than two names as joint authors. Some make two, others three authors the limit, writing "& others" after the first in- stead of the names. Library of Congress sug- gests changing the rule to read ' ' shorter entry " (not reference) " from each of the others." Periodicals and Serials. As to form and style of periodical cards and transactions of societies, which are in the nature of serials, it is difficult to make any satisfactory report. The follow- ing is offered for discussion : How to express the contents of each library as to volumes of sets; whether it is best to enumerate the volumes, or to give inclusive volumes and dates, using the expression "to date " for current serial publications. The latter follows the Library School Rules. The former is given in the simplified Library School Rules. Subject headings. This has been so recently discussed by the Association that it is not neces- sary to go into detail concerning it. On printed cards the top line will be left blank so that each library can supply its own headings. It may be interesting to know that the "A. L. A. List of subject headings " and the recommendations of the Committee on Subject Headings are very generally followed. Other disputed points suggested for discussion. The following have been submitted for dis- cussion by Harvard University, Princeton Uni- versity, and the John Crerar libraries, and the Library of Congress. Married women's names. Joint editors for cards the form. Shall all editors be given in case of periodicals? Use of dates of birth and death. Anonymous works about persons and places. Names of editors of collections (id). Library of Congress suggests "only when the editor is responsible for or ' originator of ' the collection, and the collection is not one to be continued indefinitely, and the original editor therefore likely to be succeeded by others. In the latter case enter under title, especially if significant." Theses (ij). Library of Congress would add " modern only (since 1800)." References (it-x). Library of Congress would substitute instead of "references" "short entry." Compound names (zc). Library of Congress here would add, "except the first part of the English or the last part of the foreign name be really the author's name." Transliteration (3J). Oriental only (not Rus- sian). 7 8 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. CO-OPERATIVE CATALOGING: ESTIMATE OF COST. BY C. W. ANDREWS, Librarian John Crerar Library, Chicago, III. 'T'HE cost of the proposed system of co-oper- ative cataloging depends upon two fac- tors: first, the total cost of the titles as a divi- dend, and, second, the extent to which libraries enter into the plan as a divisor. It is evi- dent, therefore, that even if the first factor could be determined with reasonable accuracy, the second, and so the final cost, can be deter- mined only by experiment. The only safe way is to estimate all expenses liberally and all in- come conservatively. This has been done in the brief statement which follows, and it is hoped that even so the advantages of co-opera- tion will be evident. If the total cost of the titles is analyzed it will be found to divide into three parts: first, the preparation of the titles; second, their print- ing; third, their distribution. Each of the parts is composed of several items, of which some have been estimated with fair accuracy from past experience and others allowed for with great liberality. The part standing first in logical order, the preparation of the titles, is both the largest in amount and the most difficult to estimate. It includes the preliminary working up of infor- mation as to full names of authors, peculiarities of edition and imprint, treatment of similar works, etc., the actual writing of the titles, the revision by the editor, either the assignment of subject headings, or better, in my opinion, the annotation of all misleading or insufficient titles, and the reading of proof. How much this will cost depends upon how it is done, and by whom. I believe that it will not pay to have it done cheaply, but that it should be done as well as, or if possible better than, the best bibliographical work now done in any Ameri- can library. The estimates made include the whole time of two catalogers at $1000 a year; two-thirds of the time of an editor at $1500; one-fifth that of a director at $2500; a total of $3500. This force should be able to prepare 10,000 titles per year, making a cost per title of 35c. In confirmation of the reasonableness of these figures I would refer to the figures quoted in the printed report of the committee which were obtained directly from the librarians of some of the largest university and reference li- braries. Still this cost might be reduced con- siderably, for it ought to be possible for us to take advantage of the work done by the Li- brary of Congress or to work in union with the Publishers' Weekly, or with the leading publish- ing houses, so as to obtain titles for American publications at very much less cost. If the Committee on Cataloging Rules should decide to follow title pages exclusively or generally, making unnecessary the expensive searching for full names, real names, authors of anonyma, etc., the cost would be still further and very materially reduced. Assuming, however, that the methods of the leading libraries are to be followed, the esti- mate seems to me liberal but not excessive. No allowance for supplies used by the catalogers is made here, because though logically belonging here it can be included more conveniently under the head of office expenses in the distri- bution of the titles. The next part of the work is the printing of the titles, Here it is possible to present definite figures. At least six American libraries now print practically all their catalog cards. Two of these, however, the Library of Congress and Harvard University Library do so under con- ditions which do not permit comparison with the others; two, Boston Public Library and Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh, print in their own buildings and with their own employes; two, the New York Public Library and the John Crerar Library, make use, under contract, of commercial establishments. Eliminating the factor of the cost of stock, which varies both in quality and quantity, and including for the Boston Public Library and the Carnegie Li- brary, Pittsburgh, their own computation for rent, interest, and depreciation, the cost of composition, correction, and presswork seems to be per title as follows: Boston Public Li- ANDREWS. 79 brary, 10 cents; Carnegie Library, n cents; New York Public Library, 12 cents ; John Crerar Library, 13 cents. The agreement is so close that it is evidently not worth while to consider at the present time the question of the establishment of a printing office for the co-operative work. Whether done in one way or the other it would seem that after making due allowance for an increase in the presswork, because of the greater number of copies to be printed, the expense of composi- tion and printing need not exceed 1 5 cents a title. The committee are of the opinion that the plan must provide for subscription, not only at the time of printing but also at any later time. This condition could be met by printing com- paratively large numbers of cards for each title and resetting when those are exhausted, but difficulties of storage and the very great first cost of the investment in stock renders this impracticable. The same objections are still stronger against retaining the type, but it is quite possible to meet the condition by keeping linotype slugs, electroplates, or cellutypes, which are stereotypes made of celluloid. The two latter are very much more convenient to handle, easier to store, and, if the plates are to be kept indefinitely, the cellutype is decidedly cheaper. I am inclined for several reasons to favor the cellutype, but as its use would be ex- perimental, think it safer to estimate for elec- troplates at eight cents a title, with two cents for storage a total of 10 cents. The third part of the work is that of distribu- tion. Here but few data have been found on which to base an estimate. The clerical work will be quite considerable and will require ac- curacy. The cost per title will vary with the number of subscribers. It will vary also with the number of copies of each title taken by any library, but this cost, in the opinion of the com- mittee, together with that of postage and any others which like that increase in direct propor- tion to the number of cards, should be com- bined with the cost of stock and charged for at a price per thousand cards in addition to the charge per title. Estimating (perhaps guessing would be a better word) that the clerical work might in- volve the receipt, checking, filling, and bill- ing of 60,000 orders annually, i.e., 225 daily or 30 hourly, and supposing that the orders received are arranged in the order of the numbers of the titles or else in alphabetical order, it would seem that $1500 should furnish sufficient clerical assistance, and also supply the necessary stationery and other supplies for this work and that of the catalogers. There still remains the cost of rent of rooms for office work and for storage of cards and electrotypes. If this charge and an allowance for incidentals be put at $500, the probable cost per title of 10,000 titles prepared, printed, electrotyped, and dis- tributed to 30 libraries would be as follows: Preparation $o 35 Composition and presswork.... 15 Electrotypes made and stored. . 10 Distribution and supplies 15 Rent and incidentals 5 Total fo 80 This is the dividend, but the other factor, the divisor or the amount of co-operation will have to be determined by experience. All that can be done now is to make certain assumptions and see if the results are satisfactory. We can assume that all the subscribers take at least one copy of every title. In that case the price per title would be five cents if there were 16 subscribers; four cents, if 20; and three cents, if 27. The charge for cards, postage, etc., ought not to exceed $3 per M, so that the full sub- scription for one copy of each title would be in the case of 16 subscribers $530, and for 27 sub- scribers $330, with all extra cards wanted at $3 per M. To many libraries this will appear a per- fectly reasonable price for a card bibliography of the best current literature, but to others it will be prohibitive, especially as the 10,000 titles might be exceeded, so that it seems best to consider the alternative of each subscriber ordering only the titles of those books which it intends to buy. Let us suppose that 30 libraries subscribe and that the average of their orders is 2000 titles; then the total orders are 60.000, equal to six complete subscriptions, and flic cost per title is to be divided by six so th College graduates . . Public librarians Subscription lib'ns. State librarians College librarians. . . Pupils ist year Admission H. S. & 2 yr.col. 1520 54 2 3 So 807 298 139 47 39 *53 l"3i 946 1027 365 20 250 80 25 H. S. ed'n. & exam. 1400 560 40 16 784 96 5 6 22 22 $37 20 250 80 20 Hours in school year . . Cataloging Classification Book-making All other topics Students to date Employed in libraries. . B Librarians BCatalogers Other lib. positions .. Av. salary of librarians, catalogers " " assistants. Cost per year Materials Tuition Visits Of the schools in general we would say that, as far as our investigations go, they seem to be worthy of the praise that has been given them in previous reports, as regards courses of study, distribution of work, technical equipment, strict attention to business, and enthusiasm of both instructors and pupils with one excep- tion. We believe that too much attention, rel- atively, is given to the subjects of cataloging and classification. The preponderating atten- tion given to these topics is probably due to the fact that they are among the few things in library management which are so formulated that they can be taught. Apprentices and library school students almost invariably think * (Albany) Includes one branch librarian, 20 first assist- ants, 13 reference librarians, two heads of loan depart- ment, two in charge of selection of books, two children's librarians, 13 other important positions. t (Drexel) The fact that none of the Drexel instructors have been in charge of any kind of a library, as shown in this table, does not indicate that they are without ex- perience. On the contrary, the experience of several of the instructors has been wide and varied. $ (Pratt) Including outside lecturers of whom four are college graduates. I Classification of employment not exact. 8 4 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. cataloging the most important part of library work, because it is most technical, and the time given to it in the schools encourages them in this thought. The situation, as to education for library work, is completely reversed from what it was when library schools first opened. Then the question was whether preparation for library work could be obtained in a library school ; now it seems to be, in the minds of library school people, whether training for library work can be obtained anywhere else. This is due to several causes; but chiefly to the natural tendency of educational institutions to grow into the thought that such formal edu- cation as they impart is of more importance, relatively to native ability and the education of daily life, than it really is. Then, from any worthy school, and our library schools are all worthy, there go out graduates who are united in their efforts to exalt their own alma mater and insist daily and hourly on its value and the value of like schools generally. Again, the little halo which surrounds organizations ex- tends to schools of almost any sort. Again, the graduate of a technical school has usually, no doubt, as compared with average non-schooled people, a little more enthusiasm, a little wider acquaintance with the literature of her profes- sion and a certain glibness in the use of the pat- ter of her calling which she sometimes mistakes for breadth, and others not initiated sometimes take for depth. This is not saying that formal education for library work is not a good thing. It is suggesting simply that it is often not as much of a good thing as those who impart it and those who receive it assume. In our consideration of library education we have been led to the conclusion that breadth of vision and general zeal are two of the more im- portant of the things imparted by library schools to their pupils, and to the further conclusion that a much smaller number of libraries than we had supposed endeavor to give these two very important things to their assistants. If we are right in our conclusion here is some- thing which the library-education committee, which we suggest, should take into considera- tion and try to correct. Every library should be a library school. Every assistant capable of growth should be encouraged to grow, in knowl- edge, breadth and zeal. Comparisons are often made between libra- rianship and other learned professions, the law, medicine, etc. The comparison is usually ac- companied with the statement that librarianship is not usually put in the same rank with these callings. Can we expect it? When we chal- lenge public recognition of librarianship we must be prepared to have it considered as se- riously as are those professions with which we invite comparison. Are we prepared to do so? We are aware, of course, that the general practitioner in law or medicine, and the libra- rian, work under widely different circumstances, and that those circumstances, in a comparison, have to be taken into consideration. We do not forget this, but we wish to point out very plain- ly the impropriety on the part of the library profession of assuming for itself a rank equal to that of the established professions. While we should not arrogate to ourselves a rank equal to that of the established professions, it should be our constant aim to insist on such scholastic and professional training as will eventually lead to the universal recognition of librarianship as a learned profession. We place great emphasis on previous scholastic training as a necessary foundation for such recognition. It is often claimed that the apprentice system affects the general scale of wages for library work, and that in the competition of trained with untrained workers the former suffer. Your committee has made no investigation bearing upon this question; but from general observation it would draw this conclusion: that the average worker, a library school graduate, of no independent experience, who is fitted to take (i) a secondary place in a large library, or (2) the position at the head of a department in a medium library, or (3) the librarianship of a small library, finds that her school training in the two former cases does not increase her value to the library above that of a trained ap- prentice, and that only in the latter case does she have a comparatively undisputed field. By far the larger number of positions to be filled are those of the two former classes; and if her training does not increase her value to the li- brary for these positions above that of an ap- prentice, it is not the apprentice system but the want of superior training, scholastic and pro- fessional, that affects the scale of wages for li- brary work. Furthermore, the larger part of school training is concentrated upon cataloging and the manipulation of the various record de- DANA. vices. Naturally the market gradually tends to become glutted with trained workers, all having the same accomplishments, and it is this congested condition of the market which regu- lates wages. This is more particularly notice- able in eastern communities where the larger number of positions to be filled are of the first and second classes previously named. On the other hand, the librarian of the large library, having incorporated within it special depart- ments each requiring the care of a specialist, cannot goto the schools and select from among the graduates a trained worker. He must make his selections from persons who have fit- ted themselves for special work without the aid of school training, because the special branches in which they desire to engage themselves are not taught in the schools. We have not yet fully recognized the differen- tiation in library administration. It is essential in library instruction to give due consideration to this differentiation, which is becoming more and more well defined. For instance, the sub- ject of the administration of the state library is much neglected and that of the college library is hardly more than hinted at. It is the admin- istration of the free circulating library which has thus far chiefly received attention. An organized school, with its graduates as its friends, with the prestige of its name, its courses, etc., can and does have great influence in the matter of securing positions for its stu- dents. As the figures we give show, the library schools have been very successful in placing their graduates. We cannot, therefore, con- clude that the schools are doing first-class edu- cational work unless we know how much edu- cation an>1 experience their graduates had be- fore they went to the school; how long after their graduation they spent in apprenticeship work before they achieved their success; and how their general ability compares with that of the people who enter the library as ap- prentices or as untrained employes. If the library school raises the level of library work- ers by keeping up a high entrance standard, thus selecting the more intelligent and more ex- perienced of applicants, as of course they do, then they are doing a good thing. But libraries with training classes are doing the same thing, if they hold, as they nearly all do, competitive examinations for admissions to their classes. Every librarian tries to get the best available material. The opinion is common that any- body can work in a library. Young people look at the records of library school graduates and note what they have achieved after a year of study in a school and conclude that getting a good job in a library is a comparatively simple thing. They will not be persuaded to the con- trary for a long time to come. Only by uniting in keeping the standard of admission high to li- brary and school alike can we bring this about, and slowly at the best. Library schools cannot be considered with- out taking up the whole subject of library train- ing, however acquired. We believe that it i still true that most librarians, were they asked this question "Other things being equal (health, appearance, formal education, etc.), would you choose for an assistant a person who had worked two years in a library like your own, or one who had spent two years in a library school and no time as a library assist- ant ? " would answer " The former." They would be quite sure so to answer if the person of library experience had had opportunities for all 'round work and general observation. Again, This is not a condemnation of the school. Some will say it is a condemnation of librarians. To us, it is an indication that the art and science of library work are not yet suf- ficiently formulated to be capable of full pres- entation in any school; that a few persons fairly well-experienced in library economy do not necessarily make of themselves a better teaching force by calling themselves a school than do a like set of people who are simply united as the staff of a library; and that in a profession which, like librarianship, is in its formative stage, daily contact with actual con- ditions brains and some experience of life being presupposed is the one thing essential to the progress of wisdom. Library work can be learned, but as yet it is something that can't be taught in all its fulness. But we believe the schools are good things, that they are doing good work. They have made librarianship more professional. They have helped to magnify our calling. They in the main deserve their success. The A. L. A. should help them to elevate their standards. But doing this it should not overestimate their present worth, and should not forget that, while in some libraries the assistants become 86 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. machines if not fossils, a good many librarians train assistants as well as do the schools them- selves. We believe, as we have already stated, that there are many librarians who prefer to train new assistants into the local methods of a library rather than to Untrain trained workers. We recommend : 1. That the Committee on Library Schools be changed into a Committee on Instruction in Librarianship ; 2. That this committee include not less than five members, and that each member thereof serve for at least three years. 3. That one or more members of the commit- tee be required to visit, during each year, such library schools and training classes as the Asso- ciation shall specify, the travelling expenses of each member to be paid by the Associa- tion. 4. That each year the committee make a re- port on such library schools and classes as the Association may designate, with special refer- ence to the character of the students who are admitted to the school, the courses of study therein, and the grade of instructors and the character of instruction. 5. Thatthe committee make to the Association such recommendations in regard to these schools and classes as may, under the circumstances, be warranted. REPORT OF THE A. L. A. PUBLISHING SECTION. BY WILLIAM C. LANE, Treasurer, Librarian of Harvard University. 'T'HE Publishing Section presents herewith its customary statement of accounts, sum- marizing the business affairs of the Section for the year 1899, and showing in regard to each publication the net balance for or against it at the beginning of the year, the receipts and ex- penses of the year, and the balance standing to debit or credit at the close of the year. The number of copies sold of each publication and the number of copies remaining on hand is also given. The most striking point to be noticed in regard to the year is the small number of copies sold of our various bibliographical book publications. This may be in some measure due to the circumstance that during the last half of the year a change in the arrangements for handling our publications was in progress, but the principal cause must be that, most libraries that cared to own them being already supplied, our method of sale failed to bring our books to the attention of the ordinary book- buyer through the trade. On January i, 1900, our larger book publica- tions were transferred to Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., of Boston, who will in future act as our publishers. The Library Bureau retains the "List of subject headings," since the demand for that comes almost exclusively from libraries. The cards for current books are also issued for us by the Library Bureau, but the other card publications, though manufactured for us by the Library Bureau, should be ordered directly of the Publishing Section, to which also the bills for them are to be paid. The little books, " List of French fiction," " Books for boys and girls," etc. .also remain in the hands of the Pub- lishing Section. It is evident that our book publications have had only a moderate degree of success, and with the exception of the "A. L. A. index" and the " List of subject headings" they have not brought back the money put into them. All our card publications, however, have been successful from the beginning and the profit on them has more than made up for the deficit on the books, for it should be noticed that, although the statement shows on all the publication accounts taken together an ex- cess of expenditures over receipts of $697.48, yet the sum of $971.78 has now been spent in preparatory work on the second edition of the "A. L. A. index" and the " Portrait index," works which have as yet had no opportunity to bring us any income. Throwing out these two items, the total receipts on our publications ex- ceed the expense by $274.30. It should be remembered, however, that the expense of " Books for girls and women" and of " French fiction" and the cost of editorial work on the "Fine art bibliography" were met by private generosity, e'se the story told by our accounts would be very different. A few notes of explanation in regard to cer- LANE. tain items will be of general interest. The sale of the List of subject headings having proved so good, and the receipts being substantially in excess of the cost, the Section voted to pay over from time to time to Mr. G. M.Jones who had done, without remuneration, most of the work of editing the List, 2O# of the net profits; and the treasurer accordingly had the pleasure of making a first payment to Mr. Jones of $56.96 on account of sales up to December 31, 1899. The preparation of the new edition of the A. L. A. index has been rapidly pushed forward under Mr. Fletcher's supervision, and a portion of it is already in the printer's hands. The work on the Portrait index also still pro- gresses without interruption. Several collab- orators in different parts of the country are still at work, and since August, 1899, Mr. C. W. Plympton has been continuously in the employ of the Publishing Section engaged in indexing material accesible in the libraries of Boston and Cambridge and not already provided for. In this way a very considerable addition has been made to the material in hand which now amounts to some 60,000 cards, and the work of arranging this material in one alphabet has just been begun. The printed cards for current books have re- corded 1340 titles for the year, almost the same number as that cataloged last year (1330). Our thanks are due to the publishers who have sent us their publications and have thus made the continuance of this work possible, but it is difficult to keep the publishers inter- ested in this undertaking, and it seems to be difficult for them to supply us with the books promptly, yet prompt service is absolutely es- sential to the usefulness of the cards. If the plans for co-operative cataloging which the Co-operation Committee has to propose are car- ried out some general reorganization of this work may prove desirable. The subscription list of the Annotated cards on English, history does not increase from year to year as we had hoped it would, but remains practically stationary at about 100 subscribers, 59 sets of the cards and 50 copies of the pam- phlet being subscribed for in the case of the 1899 titles. This only barely covers the coit of printing and leaves nothing to pay the editor. For 1898 a moderate payment was made to Mr. Johnston, but this payment was only about equal to the value of the sets of 1896 cards which were turned over by him to the Section in the first place. The total expenses and re- ceipts for the 1896, 1897, and 1898 cards taken together were $216 and $223.67 respectively, showing a balance of profit of $7.67, not a very encouraging outlook for the editor, yet the work that is put into these cards calls for the best qualities of judgment and scholarship; and such work should not remain without remune- ration. The criticisms on the cards that have come to the notice of the Publishing Section in- dicate that too large a number of the titles re- corded are not such as the popular library is likely to buy. That is to say, the libraries do not seem to care to record in this form informa- tion in regard to books which they may not have on their own shelves, but might be able to get for their readers elsewhere. With the further exten- sion of the practice of inter-library loaning this opportunity may come to be better appreciated, but at present such information is not in de- mand. Under these circumstances the question of continuing the publication of these annotated cards or of extending the plan to other fields is one that deserves careful consideration. It has been suggested to the Publishing Sec- tion that the field now covered might be ex- tended to cover all historical publications in English, but that the books treated should be limited to those of more popular interest. The Section would be glad to hear expressions of opinion in regard to this suggestion from the members of the Association. One unexpected use of these titles has ap- peared. The attention of the American Histor- ical Association having been called to them, the association offered to print the titles and anno- tations with our permission in their annual vol- ume provided the notes should be so modified as to express no opinions of absolute or relative value, but to become purely descriptive. This change the Historical Association considered essential on account of the relations of the asso- ciation to the government and the publication of its proceedings as government documents. The Publishing Section consented to this being done on condition that an explicit statement should be introduced setting forth the character of the annotations as printed on the cards, and the character of the change which had been made in them. The printed cards for periodical publications have covered 2916 titles in the year 1899, against 88 MONTREAL CONFERENCE. 2645 in the n months of the previous year. A suggested subject heading is printed at the foot of each card according to the system begun in March, 1899, and mentioned in the last report, and probably repays the slight trouble and ex- pense involved, provided subscribers remember that these headings are only suggestions made by one or another of the five co-operating libra- ries that furnish the printer's copy, and do not pretend to set forth such a consistent system of subject headings that they can be followed without constant watchfulness and modification. The subscribers, both complete and partial, re- main practically the same in number as last year. The price was reduced from $3 per hun- dred titles (two cards to each title) to $2.50 on January i, 1899, but the Publishing Section has not felt justified in making a further reduction, the receipts for the year exceeding the expenses by only $89.50, and the previous reduction not having caused any noticeable increase in num- ber of subscribers. If the Section had a stronger financial backing it would be interesting to re- duce the prices for all our card publications 50 %, and see whether a much larger sale could not be obtained. Our present prices, stating them all in terms of the hundred cards, vary from $1.31 for the English history annotations, where the compo- sition is a larger item and we give an extra set of titles on paper slips, and print a larger num- ber of cards and pamphlets than we sell, $1.25 and $1.50 for the periodical cards, and 90 cents for the current book cards, down to 60 cents and 45 cents respectively for the " Warner library " and the Massachusetts documents cards where a larger number of sets were printed, and, in the latter case, nothing had to be allowed for the expense of cataloging and distribution. The prices for similar work done in connection with the International Institute at Brussels are much less, varying from 15 to 40 cents a hundred cards, and some reduction in our prices is clear- ly desirable. The linotype promises help in this direction, but the card stock which we use is doubtless more expensive and perhaps pro- portionately better than the European. On the cards for miscellaneous sets (returning to a consideration of the tabular statement) the balance noted seems to show a slight loss, but this is only temporary and will be soon wiped out by further sales from stock on hand. Cards for five different works were issued in 1899. These five works were the annual reports of the U. S. National Museum from 1886-1894 (173 cards), the annual reports of the Bureau of Ethnology from 1879-1895 (173 cards), De- pew's "One hundred years of American com- merce" (203 cards), Bulletin and Memoirs of the New York State Museum, 1887-1898 (54 cards), and the "Liber scriptorum " of the Authors Club (152 cards). Of each from 20 to 60 sets of cards were printed, and from 12 to 38 sets had been sold before January i, 1900. Since January I the Proceedings of the American As- sociation for the Advancement of Science and the Annual reports of the Smithsonian Insti- tution have been analyzed. A somewhat com- prehensive list of works adapted to analyzing jn this way was sent out in December, 1899, with a request that librarians should indi- cate which they would prefer to have done, and on the basis of the replies received ten have been selected to be analyzed, if possible, this year. These include the publications of the American Historical Association, the Con- tributions and Miscellaneous collections of the Smithsonian Institution, the Circulars of infor- mation of the Bureau of Education, the Special consular reports, the Collections of the Massa- chusetts Historical Society, etc., and in addition a selection from the English Blue-books, the selection of titles being made and the cata- loging done by the John Crerar Library. A detailed list is given in the Library Journal for February, 1900. The demand for the cards for the Warner library proved unexpectedly large and we made a mistake in not printing more than the hun- dred sets which the publishers of thii work bought from us outright to be sold at a stipu- lated price through their own agents. The proposal of the Massachusetts Library Club to prepare printed cards for the Massachu- setts public documents was accepted in part by the librarian of the state library, and at the ex- pense of the state cards were printed for the monographs contained in the state documents for 1898. The same material was also printed in pamphlet form and either cards or pamphlet were sent to every library in the state free of charge. The printing was done under the su- pervision of the Publishing Section, the cata- loging being done at the expense of the Mass- achusetts Library Club. The series of Library tracts projected last LANE, 89 year finds no place on the statement of ac- counts, since none were ready for the press till the spring of the present year. We are now able to present to the Association, however, three tracts, the first, " Why should we have a public library ? " a collection of interesting and appropriate extracts compiled by the com- mittee ; the second, " How to start a public library," by Dr. G. E. Wire ; and the third, on " Travelling libraries," by F. A. Hutchins. We have not been obliged to draw heavily upon the income of the Endowment Fund, and have received from that source only $70.97 (in February, 1899), a portion of the $100 which the Council in 1898 directed the Trustees to ap- propriate to the use of the Publishing Section. The second half of the table shows the rela- tion of the general balance on the publication accounts ($697.48) to our general financial con- dition. $1960.48 is the balance remaining from former appropriations of the Endowment Fund trustees, gifts, and other sources of in- come not directly connected with a publication. $49.25 is the sum of several small balances still standing uncancelled on our old members' accounts. These two sums taken together ($2009.73) may be considered our working capital. $697.48 (the sum that is still sunk in our publications) is the difference between this and the sum which we actually have in hand to work with, namely, the cash balance plus the sub- scriptions and bills due us ($1100.66 plus $736= $1836.66), diminished by the sums which we owe ($69.41 plus $455 = $524.41), that is $1312.25. Capital ($1960.48 plus $49.25) $2009.73 Sunk in publications 697.48 Available, January i, 1900 $1312.25 In regard to work on hand or proposed a few words must be added. The second edition of the "A. L. A. index " and the "Portrait index " have already been mentioned. The " Supplement to the A. L. A. catalog " which the New York State Library undertook to print has unfortunately been delayed. Larned's "Annotated bibliography of American his- tory " is nearly ready for the printer, but has also been delayed by Mr. Larned's illness. Miss M. S. R. James and Miss A. L. Sargent have undertaken to make a general index to the articles in library periodicals and have begun the collection of material. The index when ready will probably be issued in conjunc- tion with the L. A. U. K. Mr. W. Dawson Johnston has the material for an annotated bibliography of English history which it is hoped can be completed on the lines of Mr. Larned's bibliography and published. Mr. Josephson, of the John Crerar Library, suggests the issue of printed cards for the articles in some 20 current bibliographical periodicals and is ready to furnish the titles carefully anno- tated. The board has this proposal under con- sideration. Professor Leuba, of Bryn Mawr, has a ms. bibliography of periodical literature relating to psychology, covering the last 40 years and indexing the contents of some 42 periodicals. The Publishing Section has been in correspondence with him in regard to the possibility of publishing his bibliography, the best form for it, and the relation it should bear to the excellent annual bibliography issued by the Psychological Review. No substantial progress has been made since the last meeting of the association toward put- ting the work of the Publishing Section on a broader and stronger basis, but the desirability of taking some definite steps in this direction is as evident as ever. We have for over three years enjoyed and profited by the hospitality of the Boston Athenaeum, but the space that can be allowed us there is really insufficient for our needs, and our expectation that we might be able to hire a room such as we needed in another part of the building has been disappointed. In addition to the efficient service rendered by the assistant secretary, the Publishing Section could with advantage employ a portion, say half, of the time of a capable man who should combine business judgment and alertness with biblio- graphical tastes and knowledge of library in- terests. Such a man acting as treasurer of the Publishing Section could do for it far more than the present treasurer has been able to accom- plish, who has been able to give it only a small portion of the time and thought which the im- portance of the work and the variety of inter- ests involved now demands. In fact the time has come when both for its own sake and in justice to those who serve it the Publishing Section should have salaried officers, and should no longer depend on volunteer and unpaid service. To make the change successfully, however, re- quires a better financial foundation than the Publishing Section yet has. The outcome of the year 1899 has been favorable financially, 9 o MONTREAL CONFERENCE. but it must be remembered that no new work has been entered upon involving any consider- able outlay such as is likely to be needed during the next two or three years if the various under- takings in progress or proposed are carried out. The plans under discussion for the use of printed cards on a larger scale than heretofore for ordinary cataloging, if adopted, may point the way to some desirable reorganization of the Publishing Section, or afford the opportunity of carrying out the improvements toward which we have been working. In conclusion the treasurer desires to recog- nize the efficient administration of the office of the Publishing Section by the assistant secre- tary, a place requiring the rapid handling of a great variety of details. The treasurer also wishes to thank Mr. H. C. Wellman, of the Brookline Public Library, who has taken up the correspondence in regard to certain sub- jects under a vote of the Section appointing him deputy treasurer. The Section also voted to em- ploy outside help for bookkeeping and thus re- lieve Miss Browne of this duty. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS JANUARY I TO DECEMBER 31, 1899. Publications. Copies sold in 1899. Copies on hand Dec. 31, 1899. Balances, Jan. i, 1899, being excess of expenditures or receipts to date. Operations, Jan. i to Dec. 31, 1899. Balances, Dec. 31, 1899, being excess of expenditures or receipts to date. Spent. Received. Expenses. Receipts. Spent. Received. 6 299 61 59 30 * ' 2S $25-50 451-97 $q.8i $5-56 Books for boys and girls 831 293 i,43i 581 I AM.B9 $22.43 $18.15 4-23 8.51 Books for girls and women . . . . ! 22 ptS. 4 8 10 65 287 4,282 pts f 559 Orig. 32 suppl. 931 compl. 29 35i 6.99 498.79 88.84 364-17 .. 1 1 *6.6s 80.21 363-4 418.58 List of subject headings 85.01 22O.56 227.85 Portrait index prelim, ex 364-77 897.07 157-66 1,461.76 224.17 593.00 87.50 322.16 109.17 348.87 1,042.28 64.90 1,551.26 182.32 593.00 87.50 467-37 16.41 438.37 41.85 180,857 118 sets. 8,748 73 sets. Misc. sets, 1-5. Totals $1,436.51 $887.64 548.87 $4,195.80 $4,046.19 149.61 $1,861.55 $1,164.07 697.48 General balance $1,436.51 $1,436.51 $4,195.80 $4,195.80 $1,861.55 $1.861.55 * Balance charged to general expenses to close account. Other Accounts. Bal. Jan. i, 1899. Operations of 1899. Bal. Dec. 31, 1899. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. $1,896.19 53-93 70.60 $6.68 4.68 70.60 $70.97 $1,960.48 49- 2 5 Due George lies Charges unpaid 69.41 Balance of cash Library Bureau account Due on bills and subscriptions $419-25 30.10 1,022.50 .!.'!..!... 3,738.44 1,641.74 2,203.34 3,057-03 2,126.84 2,489.84 $1,100 66 736.00 455-00 Totals Balances $1,471.85 548.87 $2,020.72 $1,836.66 697.48 $2,534- '4 $2,020.72 $2,020.72 82.^4.14 $2.<;34.I4 BOWKER. 9 1 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. BY R. R. BOWKER, Chairman, Editor Library Journal. 'T'HE Committee on Public Documents has to report that a bill for the printing, bind- ing, and distribution of public documents, amen- datory of the law of 1895, and submitted by the Public Printer, as the result of the work of a committee from his department including the Superintendent of Documents, has been favor- ably acted upon by the Joint Committee on Printing. The amendatory act is printed in full in the Library Journal for February, as presented to the committee, and comes before the Senate in that shape, with the addition of an amendment including among designated de- positories the Colleges of the Mechanic Arts and Agriculture established, one in each state, under acts of 1862 and 1890, and of one or two minor amendments. Senator Platt, of New York, the present chairman of the Printing Committee, gave courteous attention to the rep- resentative of the American Library Associa- tion, and a formal statement was filed with the committee, expressing the approval of the A. L. A. for the general principles of the measure, in accordance with the resolution passed at a previous conference. The bill was duly brought before the Senate, but not before the House. This committee regrets to report that the session closes without consideration and passage of the bill, and it can only reiterate the hope that this useful measure may become a law at the succeeding session. Additional issues have been made of two out of the three kinds of catalogs provided for by the law of 1895. The "Monthly catalogue" has been continued, though somewhat delayed by the press of the great number of documents put forward by the present Congress, through March, 1900, with extension of its index on the cumulative method, to cover a six months' period, beginning with 1900. The "Docu- ment (consolidated) index " for the second ses- sion of the 55th Congress, Dec. 6, 1897, to July 8, 1898 (fourth in the series), at the time of the last report in the printers' hands, was issued in the autumn of 1899, and the volume for the first session of the 56th Congress, Dec. 4, 1899, to June 7, 1900, is in course of preparation. No issue of the "Document catalogue (comprehensive index)" has been made during the year of this report, but that covering the second year of the 54th Congress, July i, 1896, to June 30, 1897, was sent to the printer in October, 1899, and the revised proof was completed in April, so that publication may be expected shortly; and the like work, covering the first, second and third sessions of the 55th Congress, March 15, 1897, to March 3, 1899, is in preparation, these last to make one volume instead of a volume for each session a change in method particularly ac- ceptable in view of the belated appearance of this index. Substantial progress has been made in the Office of Superintendent of Docu- ments on the revised check-list of Government publications, which will be of the greatest prac- tical value when issued. Improvement is to be noted in promptness on the part of the Government Printing Office and bindery in supplying Government publications. The full set of Congressional documents for the 54th Congress, excepting two volumes not ready for binding, and part of the set for the 55th Congress, have been distributed to the depositories, and it is expected that the set of the 55th Congress may be completely in the hands of the depositories by October next. A bibliography of " Reports of explorations printed in the documents of the U. S. Govern- ment," prepared by Miss A. R. Hasse, was issued in the summer of 1899 from the office of the Superintendent of Documents ; the bibli- ography of U. S. documents relating to Inter- oceanic communication, prepared in the office of the Superintendent of Documents in 1899, has been reprinted as an appendix to the general " List of works and articles relating to interoceanic routes " by Mr. Hugh Morrison, of the Library of Congresi; and the Department of Agriculture has begun the issue of printed cards for its current publications. Of the bibliography of " State publications," long promised, part first, covering the New Eng- land states, was published in the autumn of 1899, and progress has been made toward the second part, covering the "central" and mid- west states. The Massachusetts Library Club has made an interesting departure in issuing, through the A. L, A. Publishing Section, a card MONTREAL CONFERENCE. index to certain of the Massachusetts state docu- ments. At a meeting of the National Association of State Librarians in Indianapolis, October, 1899, the program included several papers on state documents and bibliography, and a com- mittee was appointed, with Mr. H. G. McClain, of the Supreme Court of Indiana, as chairman, to promote uniformity in the exchange of state publications and in the labelling of volumes. A resolution is submitted in favor of the prin- ciple of the measure now before Congress, and asking the passage of the bill, but the com- mittee emphasizes to librarians the importance of communicating directly with their senators and representatives, on proper occasion, by per- sonal letters, urging them to promote the bill. The proper time for such communications is usually indicated in the Library Journal, and individual letters sent from two or three hundred librarians over the country would be most effective in calling the attention of Con- gress to a measure apt to be overlooked be- cause of the press of matters that command larger public attention : "Resolved, That the American Library Asso- ciation, in conference at Montreal, recognizes, with full appreciation, the favorable attention given to the public documents bill by Senator T. C. Platt, of New York, and Representative J. P. Heatwole, respectively chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Printing, and of their colleagues on the Joint Committee; and that it urges upon members of the Senate and House of Representatives the importance of prompt passage of the measure taking further steps in providing for the better publication and distribution of Government documents, in which the law of 1895 has already effected important and desirable changes." REPORT ON GIFTS AND BEQUESTS, 1899-1900. BY GEORGE STOCKWELL, Librarian Westficld (Mass.) Athentum. A S the report on gifts and bequests was omitted at the Atlanta conference, this report covers two years instead of one. In preparing the report it was found that the lists of gifts published in the library periodicals were not complete and considerable inquiry had to be made elsewhere. Several of the li- brary commissioners and the library associa- tions have aided me, with the result that some states are more fully reported than others. In the report for 1896, Miss Hewins suggests "the appointment of a librarian, or a library trustee, in every state who will be responsible for the news of that state, concerning gifts and be- quests to libraries, and send all items collected during the year at least three months before the annual meeting of the A. L. A. to the per- son appointed by the executive committee to report upon them" a suggestion which every- one who has prepared a report on this subject will heartily endorse. 458 separate gifts are reported since May, 1898, amounting to over $10,500,000; of these about $1,000,000 has been given in sums of less than $10,000. 123 new buildings are reported, worth over $4,500,000. The value of many of the buildings is not stated. It is impossible to make an accurate report on the number of vol- umes given during these two years. Nearly every library has books given it, but until some such plan as Miss Hewins suggests is adopted it will be impossible to know the exact number. Princeton University has had a sum given it for re-classifying the library, and card catalogs have been given to Lancaster, Mass., and North Easton, Mass. The conditions attached to the gifts have been reasonable in nearly every case. The report opens with a gift of $4000, made to Prescott, Ariz., by Andrew Carnegie, it closes with a gift of a building worth $50,000 to Cheyenne, Wyo. , by Mr. Carnegie, and Mr. Carnegie's name occurs repeatedly throughout the report. During the two years he has aided 51 libraries to the amount of $4,560,450, in the majority of cases the money to be used for a building. Mr. Carnegie generally makes it a condition that the city shall furnish the site, and guarantee an appropriation, in many cases naming the sum to be appropriated. His largest gifts during these two years have been made to Pittsburgh, Pa., Washington, D. C., Atlanta, Ga., and Homestead, Pa. One of his most important gifts was that made to Lincoln, Neb., after the destruction of their building by fire. Mr. Carnegie's total gifts to libraries amount to $9,600,000, of which $900,000 has been given to libraries outside the United States. At one time and another he has aided 87 libraries, of which 67 are in the United States, 17 in Scotland, two in England, and one in Ireland. The 64 libraries in the United States are located in 21 states. CONDITIONS OR REMARKS. j For building, provided $4000 more | is raised. 1 City must furnish site and appro- I priate $2000 a year. Toward building fund. Memorial to E. F. Beale. . City must furnish site and appro- priate f 4000 a year. Toward library site. Toward library site. Toward building fund. Medical books. j City must furnish site and guaran- 1 tee appropriation. For library and recreation building. j Second endowment to the library | built by him. J Bequest of her husband made a vail- ) able by her death. John Gould's works on birds. Memorial to E. C. Scranton. For books. | Volumes include valuable books of < autographs. Income of money to be 1 used for purchasing books. For books, i Several hundred volumes German ) works. Town furnishes site. J Made available by death of Mrs. 1 A. H. Colton. Toward building fund. ( The $25,000 is for endowment. 1 Value of books will be $15,000. j Congress must furnish site and t guarantee appropriation. (A rare and perfect copy of John Smith's "Historic of Virginia"; copies of same edition have sold for $1800 and $1900. ) Collection of clippings, notes, etc., 1 relating to Civil War. WHf : | : : : i 8 1 i ! . . * oti : ' ; -O : : o : '.y. i ii i ! a : i : 4v m r- : : : :-v~ '. '. ' '. PUB s^oog UI 'SIOA 'OM : i :.:!::.: O oo 1 * 1 : . : 8 * i ^ w ' Ort t ] ui innomy | ; | ; HI ill 8 : a" : JO Q O O Q O O Q O O O O '' : - -A_ | ___*___J : 9 1 X 28 | SOURCB. r. So "Sc S) "So * S u "So c t) TJ p -a ""^OH go "a Q 03 . Mrs. F. C. Wetmore. . J. P. Morgan E. H. Buc^bee... . Mary E. Scranton. ., . Women's clubs . Judge Coe. . . A. S. Hunt . Adams Express Co. . . . A. L. Ripley . Rebecca D. Beach... . C. P.Huntington **" c fe^* u i * K ^ Q ! M g.s t **. > < -- wi iJ(3 ::: *-*-**-' 5 55 8 : : 8 : : oa o o sis o o c S 5 NAME OP LIBRARY. i i U Hi i ;l ! ; j if f j ! { | i j I * ^ ^^ ' {> * >^ rt O s if c j2 .- u u uoa u u < S ^ . Public Library Coe Library Association . . . 2 i : fc j j * : * : | : : 8 | '^ts 2 ! 3 & & * f t tf f o >> 2 o 1 " '2 3 t S fc I 1 1 1 d a 31 1 a 2 2 S|.-S^ J "S & H ! S l 3 2 2 S & j"3-s^ g s i ! g & ^B5t-!z;Otf3 fa^toau o o o > U Madison Meriden Middlefield : i : : : : : : : : ' ' S : : : : i I g ; J * I i 1 H ^ "aj^s.H'S ga^-S-s : i g_ .11 HI o 5 | 1 1 1 | SS5 S5!z o : : . : : : : ^ o a ** 3 TJ s o 2 5 : ; S" o " : :l |g?|| | .8 Is; ; ntiil O '. '. 4J g.. . o 4- C rt : : : i : 8 :;:::: : puB ssioog ui "fliOA 'OR i : : : : Ooo * cT : : 8 8 ::::::: 8 8 ui junotov c '.'Z a o o o o i O Q Q O ! o o o o \** . 10 H M^ 5 K5|Si " g" 1 OS S a l IS R H M SOURCE. T. . Andrew Carnegie I R Prif.,.o PV.f. T ihr-inr : : : : : :^ ' : '" ' ' -8 ! ! ! : : >-> : : ::::::::.: o ; :;!.? : : >. :2 i : 3 S : u * >,o rtisSjr'fts (S2^i3 33SI|3l .H.H w ^."5 23.-S.S "3^ (2iS^u(S<: ^ fc" "(2 '5 ' ' ' : 5 . >> "" ; ! ( o oPou-SsSoUoouuP .^ -. T*.-...- o. y fl. . .^.^ u ^-> ^~ a*""" '^3> tfl ^^G'~"~'^-'- l O "B * " t :2 < ^"b ""S C? J, 3 ' v ^ S ; a^0< B '^ Jh 3 3 H : S "3 jS'-'oaS t^wjj ^,5 >,2 ^ ^ ID >. " > ~'tey>J'urt hJ '5Q-'^ !3>J >>J *^[2 , 6B j^U S'SllSB^" oPnOf o O 'icB-SuoSS^jJgrt . 3u3 3 3 rt j U 4iJK Ok/3 6cnO 0-fc,(l,5C CL, CL, J 1 H H O h U Atlanta : :I j : : H j : : : : : '1 Ho | j ^ 2 ^^^'SS^-c S u.i." rt > S o "o S -Jj j t . 1 i 1 STATE. rt J rt f 1 s i 1 a c ' g o o 6 jj 3 i o a'"''* ^ * s f I ' f f 11 f i" Pi .ti 1 1 1 ! I-P ^ 111 'Mil -* S .S.Q g x a > a >^ S^-a 15 >>4>^,a >>o >>>< > lL>> < u -2 ~ 3 ^^ a g i- g.tj rt- .2 x 1 . --Si; -{- '-> <3 * .0 " o ~-o I |Jg u i s v -* s-*S 1 5|a^!3^|i u 's- 1 1 1 j?| LlDrary site. j Also library site. Income to be "( used for books. Income to be used. ) Also $400 annually for books, and ) promises to leave a legacy of $10,000. I Will probably be devoted to new ) building. Toward building fund. 6" '. I i : 8 1 I I 8 i 8 i V Not less . . 1 J than 1 i O tn in oo jlTI . . . M , . . . " . \ l 1 II o '.'.<* mtTrt ' '. '. '. '. o o M t :* ^"a 222 1 c 1 < C. A. Spilkee Edward Murphy 1U, UnhKorH Hunt ! j i IM! U U j.j J J 1 J 1 ! I : S 1 "1 g"^ g ' = '" - ' '" ** " * " ^ g a-~ n S K c^"5;-- rtS) c 'C at 5C C a> "'SHO S'Crtj^csOa.SrtSrtrtrt rt rt ^.-^! 1 ! j2 g a u O >;> uj= s u <;u u u o u x g ^pu, c .S ntkt.iie.Sekkkfe fe S^h * 3 ^ .< uS-Ct/jrtc/jKiuJUti S 2 u S , fe O U ' u < 2 v ai CL < u< < < < < -v- 2^- ^ o 1 i 2 * u S J f- ^. P M (4 K, u* & 6 M W 2 3 L S I ' M M t t .4) . .v 4) 4) ! *! S. ' g. g. g. U ^3 C ^ S3 % ff IS O 03 O O CO CQ COO . . Public Library . . Workingmen's Institute Pu lie Library ! ! H ..M ] UN ! ; ! ^'^ : 1 P : 1 ^ P Ju uuejo'3^ rtjf o'| B * I ^ 1 ^ 3^ U lijill ii 1 3 1 S * |a S a S a *J| 3 g 5 tt "9 3 fi ^4)4*4) 4J 4) 4)^4) te"^ So ff So ^'hi S) '& Si ttf F^" 4>S .ySj^ a ' !E V ** Baa S) " - -S 1 " g ^S S 3 rt u - 3 rt Wclrtrt rt ft ff m t .* fi_O_fi Ou U tdu U U U U fr-H iJ b Muncie New Harmony. : : : : : : & : 3 : : S d : i r' 81 : . : u : o ej : 8 : 5:. jSurtfcSsES- rt [Si 1! v 1 1 *. 11 i 1 1 i r * 11 i-a i s i M 11 i 1 8 M 5 S 1 =5 >< CQ a b. so ^w J O J ^ ^ < <__ca jj ] 1 $::: CO CQ U Q Q t 3 ^ o 1 1 >> rt M 3 '8 > CONDITIONS OR REMARKS. . Toward building fund, oo To include town hall and opera house. For Woodbury branch, including site. | A $20,000 building must be erected . . < and city must appropriate $2500 a ( year. ( $10,000 outright; income for books . 1 and expenses $17,600 as residuary | legatee. . . Available 1900. ( Made available by death of Mrs. ' 1 Caroline A. Billings. .. Not stated. . . For books. I For books on American history . . < and literature in the Beverly Farms / Branch. ( Statistical matter in the library . . -< must be kept together and collection | open to members of the Association. . . For books in Galatea collection. . . For books on landscape gardening. j Collection of letters and papers be- ' ' 1 longing to Garrison. .. Collection of manuscripts, j Valuable collection of John Brown's 1 letters. . . Collection of Stevensoniana. . . For military and patriotic books. . . Bust of Wendell Phillips. . . Valuable books and manuscripts. . . op acres of woodland. .. Caleb Stetson fund; for books. . . Books on Crusades. { Kenneth Matherson Taylor fund . . < income to be used for books on Eng- ( lish literature. j Valuable collection of paintings and 1 1 1 works of art. auipjmg m : : ::::::::: : : : : PUB sj(oog UI 'SJOA 'OH ;: i 1 ; liiii i ii i Hiii I 8 : : ! ui junotny i i 1 : S 3 ? Q O Q Q Q O O C 1 . ' H y Q O < ; J I " ft | C . : 8 ' i : '. "" . I : : " 10 : - c SOURCE. Various individuals. . . . . C. M. Cumston... . Robert Poole R. F. Newcomer. . . . Mary A. Barnard . L.E. Fowler . Hannah C. Hubbard . . . L. F. Billinc's... 1 s : : -*- :-* :-*- : ' : : B ' : : :-*- : : . j je trt'f v g E u rt 9 'o /",_< T si || 2 ^|| c a '~ iJticS OO'^'^E^CJC* C H 9 y; U.H"fl.M^tf)_*^(rfC J. L. Gardner j Archibald Coolidg* | and father . Mrs. F. T. Phillips.. . Caroline T. Downes . Rose S. Whiting fcj Q H Q n 3 3 5 v 5 v v I HI* tS mm m c '. '. '. ">..... . '. '. a> '. to '. '. , 1 g| i T3 .y*^ J u ** U P < J p* III s OQ PL, 0? J j : S Is^ <- OJ3 3" 2 03HO< H H O E u a| e' i t III 1 \ * a '* c ,jS CQ S < u * v be Concord :: 5* 03 Is 1 . 5 n at* 3 5 : S I g 03 U U 8 fe " CQ 03 o En P30303 STATE. j 1 o a u rt u .5 C- <2 rt S S S S ,-U-W-U -U-QT3 t> b, ,oBa aac of <5<22 ^2S ^ 3 .2 S S22 ^ 22*^ 2 "rtSrs 3 '3 '3 $ '3 '5 '"3 '3 'g'5-H 835 t X1X1JO t ! 5f i^i^^rz; >>{> IF S*^ O O O D O O O O O 03 HHH H -^fc, :'2'S . 'cortrtw-H d 1 t 3 : 3 "hi 6 [i ; : . 8 : oS . s i- ; BilS 2 M sit; . bo a ~ : U c? '^ L : o : e? o bo rt <-" a Zy. hi 5 r recatal r technic 500 prin nd reshi ome for enlarge d catalo ji 1 :g o < IS v > S* j u CONDITIONS OR REMARKS. 1 $1500 for immediate purchase of j books and $3500 endowment. f His private library; also condition- I ally to City Library Association, Har- -f vard Universitv. and Williams Col- "3 " g- ? o .a ,2 . . : 'o 4) S S 33: .2 1 1 ': S ff . 1 1 1 1 S f : 5 j: 45 : -a o ***. c SH MH "'O . 4) H . o o : a <* \ \ v 8fi* b :'ow -o :-Q o cms VH O u b V. IH 'fe 3 O a - , . r r , : r o H W v-fc^fefo fo .fc, Y ( Money for remodelling residence, < which is to be used for library and ( city offices, j Town must provide site and guar- 1 antee appropriation. For addition to building. lege, his residuary estate in e 1 parts. For a public library. Addition to library building. Also building site. Toward building fund. I Bates fund ; to be used for boo -< history, poetry, literature, and ( toric fiction. IB psniBA Saipljng 'SiamdtDBj ! Ml * 1 ^ ! *" s ; ? 1 2< v It C . ..... -V- ui -SPA 'ON XauojAj uj junom v || 2*--2''2S9 2 S XX s c ::::::: ::::: %| : : : inoooooooo ~S2 " 22 2 M ! i : : : :: SOURCE. Howard school pupils C. S. Marsh n A WHis.. : .a :::::: :"o :: :J3 : : : 8 1 : : : : : : :& : : -? : : : 4 Withheld S. M. Stephenson. B. G. Stout ... : : c : u "| : : : : |p|^|K(|o| ! ijJJ j jiniliV ;i* j i ^ Scji-; H H -fU< CL.CJ u ^ H a. o 1 = li lliltll 1 - .' I 3 : till > jl H si 4 1 r '"tfl--tn ^-Q-= ^uPrtZJ-s O S O->< nJrtrtvflJflj W wr3n3.t3 S O 3 9 4 g Q r Marquette Menommcc Pontiac.. STATE. A U S s j City must furnish site, and guar- ) antee appropriation. (For library building $10,000, pay- ment of old debt $5000 and endow- ments $5000; city must appropriate $5000. I Town must appropriate $1000 for < books within six months. Offered, ' ( May, 1900. i City must furnish *ite and appro- "j priate $3000 a year. j City must furnish site and appro- ( priate $4000 a year. 3 j Will contain gymnasium, and town 3 1 must guarantee appropriation. . To establish a library. To rebuild burned building. City :> must furnish site and guarantee ap- propriation. For building site. Site cost 17250, balance to be used for books. > ... :ag^ : 3 Q 3 t A residence for library, lecture-hall, | and museum. For books. f Income only to be used; also fur- J nished reading-room with papers and I magazines, and gave a paid insur- l_ ance policy for five years. J Minnie DayJackman fund; incc to be used for papers and magaz: in reading-room, on condition it kept open two evening a week, or books. i i j Napoleonic literature; library m 1 erect fireproof building. Harriet M. Merrill fund. ., j Memorial to Mr. and Mrs. B. | Howe and son. e S 5' o Q o q^ *o 'i U) 1 i i i i : . : 8 o ^ c 0) 55 1; : : : : : : o" '.'.', * '* 8 ' 8 8 O 10 C o" : o> d H . O Q O S, ft | H IT) 2 : : : : ::::.:::: -*- : " 10 8 1O H I : i : 3 ^ * : i -3 ai v " a ^ *** "*"* o at *3 ^ * O -*-< Jd '' sT O bo a c two M o^ hi> &a -3s |s a 1 S 'J-glri S 1 | H Q . I I g I-I'J | 1 -i "O 06 SC *O TJ ^""* w *O 'Col C .00* ! a rt <5 S fa 2 | | . Mrs. E. H. Jaques. . . Mrs. H. P. Farnham. Hamilton Smith E. P. Rice... A. S. Merrill Mrs. E. F. Eastman.. Mrs. C. A. Weeks.... . J. T. Brown . Mrs. Susan Brown. .. . Emily H.Rowe . Ira Whitcher . . . b> .3 jj x 5 S 2 i P j'S as s . to O v u rt w *. . * " e U -v~ ^ 5! . Ladies' Social Circle. . Moody Currier . A. P. Frost . . . J. H. Dickey.... . C: L. Jackman.. . Frederick Smyth Not stated . . O^trt >cd ,*^ rt .m H n ... .V ... M 3 J *J *J J 3 PQ 3335 2 : : 3 14 il 03 O O CC 1 i 1 * v a u s n O a c : :8 : : : : : 8 S || SSooas 53 35o o ^3 5 pa 3 5 3335 C M I in I ? 1 1 1 3 j g j j 3 '> o .a '> '> '-^ Wi rt f3 H fl - *C^ 9 3 5J 3 u. rt rt rt * U OH ft, U U OH ^ f ee Public Library brary hrarv . . . j Js s : iS i If-'Ilij itiii : 5 '- f = : f 2:^:1 fi 6:5: ^ S : S! ' ' -c o fc> " b o u fa g a 5 & Ja - Citv Lihrarv Frost Free Library ly 1 XI > 1 & : Z s 3 J ^ : >. io-S 3 ^ - ; pS 3 : u PUW PU t/ u 2 y "d. v? o t %o-i o" " " 3 jSSSSx 3 - 1 - 1 3J3- 3 3 GO U PU K 04 CU CH CH Weeks L 1 Public L Dartmou Town L Woodsvi -> 3 I 1 ' | : A > S : : 3 W 5 : m .g >, o .<* M II 11 1 1 Q O - t c f l_ 5J J : S : : : : : : j i^ 3 : j{ S d hXuouuu>^ S fc*" - o s n i ci 1 C 1 u u t> IB 55 in 555555 c *- C 55 c e : : : : ::::::::: :$ : 5 55 5 55535555555n 5 NAME OF LIBRARY. a J 1 : : : : : : r i 2 : : i & . Steele Memorial Library : : : : . : : I > 1 1 '1 " I j . Carnegie Library . Public Library . Hackensack Library Assc . Free Library EWa Pnhli,- T.ihron- jrary ersity Libi :------- l> o a t> in A oa 1 V Z JS 'i CAj 1 ^ J s 1 nr : i : : '.2 fr 3 S?E? S= b , 2.a22- ss; ,62i 5 ' ^ ' ij 3 3!j * J - o CU o o J2 o * 1 1 1 11 S S ' " 1* 1 j o. b at a_JK__t . Free Public Li . Princeton Univ I c 1 T d z M o (1 u o : 1 111 1 " 1 1 1 : : : i i : in i iiusunarr. 0< P ::S2a|35| a : id | Q 2 f rtS ? z i ' : C Money in railway stock ; to be t 1 known as Case library for electricity ted "i and chemistf y. and kept in separate | alcove. Building memorial to his [father. J Including library furniture worth 1 $100,000. For books. {Dr. John Lloyd Zabriskie memorial trust fund. Memorial to Wilhelmena D. C. Dol- man for books on music. [i For books. For books. | 3000 geology and paleontology, < looo scientific papers, also large col- ( lection of maps. | To pay excess beyond his original < gift of $1,000,000 for a library build- (ing. . For books on naval history. In Moon type. a-S -S -s <^ B s > o .5 g o g S - o .2 | J g-n|^ |J"S* gt- $ '3g 1, 11! Ji :::::: : : ; : ; i i MS in * O : : : : I : : : rn '. '. '.'.'. IM c? | aj o CQ ^ ' f 8 888 S, 8 3 O\ 8 O m a cT cf &? C 8 S O O O O 00 O O ||8 I " 8 2 ' cT *O MOM n w" O O 3 * W ? i- 1 & c I \ I (0 en v i i .. Heirs of Jules Marcom. . . Herbert Steward . . : : : : : * -* : : a : : : : : i i : a M \l > "8 "8 "S S : i 1 i j *j w *j 7! O -O 55 X 55 1 N Cc j ^ S ; j : .. Helen Gould... .. Not stated .. H. C. Rew... s c 3 e S S 03 03 3 3 3 Si. 53 S :8 ffl3ffl (] * ._ B 9 >8 B fi & 3 - O CQ O OOQBQ O O 1 G 8 : : :8 : (S 3 3 SfflSS 5 3 55 Brooklyn Uhrarv :$ : :: ' '& 2 : > : --2 -*J iii 1 g |"5 : I * !S 3 :g = IS ! >\- 3 'u : ^ z *> :<* 1 ii ii Teachers' College, Brys Librarv. . . University of City of N Washington Heights Free brary Medical Society of the C of Kings Y. W. C. A. Library... Free Library Reading-room Associat Daniel Pierce Library. Peck Memorial Library Mexico Academy Libra American Geographica cietv Librarv... a2.-a 1 u u-gls- 7 U.MV.OO H ~ .SSJ3 ^ EK BW "o "s HM " < < U b b S P. j i 1 ! < 03 : : : : : : : : : : : :;:::::: '-'- '- ill 111 g s s WOOKSSZ ^ CONDITIONS OR REMARKS. I Offered to duplicate whatever - amount was raised if library was ( named for Didymus Thomas. a a 3 >> 1 i! i Musical books. His residence. Classical library of Karl Gittl. j City must furnish site and guarantee | appropriation. Became available in 1899. j To start a fund for memorial build- | ing to P. K. Spencer. j Association must provide site and j city appropriate $3000 a year. j City must provide site and guar- j antee appropriatioR. In property. ( City must provide site and appro ) priate $2000 a year. j City must provide site and appro- 1 priate $2000 a year. To include a town hall. Endowment for public library. Medical books. Site valued at $35,000. Nucleus to new library building To be maintained by them. For endowment of college snd 1 For endowment fund. Deed of site worth $10,000. For establishment of children's I Private library of Robert ( ) to be known as Clarke library 3u;p[ing . * . H : : : 8 i o '. o '. ' 5J " " ;ll 1 1 :'S i : '. ^^ pUC S5)00f[ ui 'SJOA 'ON : m ' ' in '. i ::::: : '.'.'.'. '. '. * : Z-S5 N ; ; ; ; ; ; u; junocay 1 rt p fctS !c c 'f 1 > t> : : : U o ; ; : ; . . H . ?n : : : : * ._ A _ . ,_ _* _A_ :- *~ SOURCE. . Mrs. Wallace Francis Thnmas Tones . a \ 1 i > __ > I * *- : a : : c t* : . rt . .no . 5 v. * ii oi- ' m S2 o > & . d<^ u ^ fcj 0^^ 3 ' feoi . a jj 2 I ~^ ' jg , , a p . Andrew Carnegie Tamps Pnrtpr . W. W. Clark F. B. Wyborg . W. A Proctor . Asa Van Wormer . . . . j Samuel Mather and 1 wife . And rew Carnegie. .. . P. P. Mast. . . 2Uw|D-> "C -> U pi -3 j O ^ . ca a S * v uQ a . v , 'C 4) : 1 1 co tr 4) . . 41 5 5 oa 5 5 5 5 5ca5 5 5 t. NAME OF LIBRARY. t-i t ; ; . . Trinity College Library . . Olivia Raney Library . . Memorial Library . Public Library . . Public Library Association . . Public Library , . University of Cincinnati L brary . . University of Cincinnati L brary . . Western Reserve Universit T ihrarv 1 i . Public Library .. Ohio Wesleyan Universit; Stiirjres Linrarv. . . . | ! | |. ! i Ml D M !C S < bi.-2 3 <* , & 1 S u r>o > u ""^S rt- ^rtO- 1 1 1 8 | 1 f.Hsl - S ii S 2 S >j 3^ u ia w" a, u u cu3^ . . Carnegie Library .. Didymus Thomas Libra sociation . . Jervis Library Associati . . Public Library o H H O H U C l OJ C 01 Cl j B 8; I 4) Of 06 Ot fr- . . . . ... . o .... : : i ? i : i :J : : i i i i i i ; i 5 : i i J " 1 * *B *O*J4> ft 3 tek & * * t : " Sjg Sici^ J 3 a 53 ^ rt '""S Sog^-i I s JJfflsi 1 JIT 1 1 1 1 1 Illll Oklahoma City Alexandria. . . 1 jj 1 North Carolina. Ohio Oklahoma Pennsvlvania.. t For remodelling library, and for a ~) new stack-room. For books. j Town must provide site and appro- | priate $3000 a year. Building site. j City must furnish site and guar- j antee appropriation. j City must provide site and appro- 1 priate $3000 a year. IP 5.1 1 i n p s-s ~i ! s *: is, H41I! Hist l^lll ! *i P fl ajjll'Sij l^b's* i|iiMilI| ?"l|Os,||*s;gs:I=-Ss a. a". u< oj ^ o. Si! uU Residence. iTown must provide site and appro- priate $3000 a year. Building will include library, music hall, and gym- nasium, o establish library. ) City must provide site and appro- 1 priate $3000 a year. For books. For books. (Incunabula, for which he paid f 28,000. Fine residence, to be known as Josephine Widener branch of free library. (Unbound vols. of the report of the English commission on the Venezue- la boundary; only copy in U. S. Original provincial letters of au- I thority to Provost William Smith and -{ John Jay, bearing signatures of Arch- bishop of Canterbury and Bishop of [ Winchester. il i . o i \ 1 , i i I * i 8 : : : 8 : a i j i i ii ft to 10 10 8 a 8 )< ' *O * I >A . C CO ?|j -^v" o c >o ( 10 '. '.CX . O 11 : : '. '. ! ! U ! | !J S .** ' " -2 . . Andrew Carnegie. . . . . . Andrew Carneeie . . . ' L < o o o o o ?b bio bo 'be 'be 4) 1> U V c c c a c t. V. V, V, V. u u u u u f V V V U V o 13 -a -a -o j c c c c a ' < < < 4) 4> C3 Ui LH U UH rj OJ * a a c o c . . Earl of Salisbury S W Mitchell... S f| i 1 1 u u u t! u u i *O *O t3 2 *O *O ^ < ^ ^ ^S < < ft : i i il i i i i 3333(n35 55 C - i 5335 5 5 C 3 55 5 35 3 3 L : .5 x S . Carnegie Library . Public Library . Carnegie Library . Carnegie Library . . Library Association f . . Carnegie Library bib b b H i 2 .g g" 5 J j^ ij H a M J J w JJ J .Si .SJ .Si Ojj-~ ho .. bo bo bo .-3 9 w 4j w *> . w .Jj.JJ 'C i 1 II s 1 Ji ' rt oi rt O. u U UU < fa . . Philadelphia Law Librar . . University of Pennsylv T IK,-./ % 1 ! [ li : : Ml g ^ e 3 "S be _2oo be g > u E S |l| =5 3 1 2 < < CQ P3 CO 03 V V >> p U u -" ft - U t Coal Center... JH ' * 9 *9 T3 I > *j O rt Wt 3 :0 g 4) V ^- I -a 1 2 i UNO EC EC J t i i i -2 Q. *-> t " CU O rt^3 * IS S (DO CONDITIONS OR REMARKS. I Library of D. G. Brinton; includ- 4 ing his manuscripts and his own ( works. {Enlargement of building; city must furnish additional ground necessary. Mr. Carnegie is ready to give $3,600,- ooo for enlargement, t For extension of special reference 1 technical department. J Painting, for which he paid $100,- 1 ooo, for art gallery. For books. ( State must appropriate $10,000 a < year for maintaining library and mu- ( seum. J City must provide site and guar- 1 antee to appropriate $3000 a year. j s-acre tract of land, worth $5000, j for building site. i Building erected, equipped, and en- r do wed; also gave site, j City must provide site and appro- 1 priate $5000 a year. j In memory of Deborah C. Sayles 1 site cost $22,500 co o> o ),*. " *- Is ^4 Ui Q bCji 2 .M 4; VH u: *T* O ^ I 595-75- To be paid in three years. I In real estate, bonds, and cash, a | an endowment fund. Formerly used as a church. Business building. In trust. City must appropriate $4000 a year. Toward book fund. I City must provide site and appro- 1 priate $4000 a year. Available in 1890. j City must furnish site and guar- I antee appropriation. JB panjBA | i i : ::;; \ * * j j|| i : i 111* j*j* en SPA 'N u; junom v 8 8 : 8 ' '88: 10,000 . . . . 2t 23595-75 .... o o o o o o o o 8 B o o o fo 8 28 : : 8 : : 8* : 5 8 -o- -co- & 8 i : : & \ \ ^2 I : : : _, ^_ SOURCE. c j 1 i 1 ^ v v jj . .s .s ' .i ' ** : '& '5 '& '5 '& '3> : 3 --a 1 1 -i< : 1 % i I II s' u 3 I o o a o :| I o g f, ^ ^^s K I H S 1 %i ^ a .: ji ii . ffl . s ^ g "| o ^UTS-O 3&cU o cs--c3a ac* 'o.o. < - : v v v si v :S l1 i iff j fit &* Mti g s g 5 fr-o e rt pUU g U u -5-3 St^** * * t; o . v.. v v a v >> v rfJ'NHlHIIJ ill .. * .,- C C U C . ' o : : : : t >, -3 x p; 55 :c/5 S 13 5 * ir.s i i j . Jl 33 1 4) ij &" .SJ .Ji So o"^2 '5b SB > ----Si? * g lla e s itf 3 P*"" M U OcO. U U u it . . J. B. Brown Libra . . Carnegie Library . . Redwood Library . . Free Public Libn . . Brown University .. Public Library... ' S : '5 ' cT & * 2 t 1 o g ;^- .0 j a i ^.-2 : *J J he I 3 w-* LJ w . | | 2 1 :S: ' & ! u a. 2u '-u u oJ O t u Philadelphia. . . : . >L>XI a - ^i : S ! '% s ; : ' s jj C ^J ^ -g w & H j3 | : : : ti * * s a o a 1 -2 1= 1 ? $ <2 Providence .... 3-2 I ' -^ ! o "3 v o.c pgii rt 3 S B 'Sa; C 5 ^ o M t s'rt" o "t3 u 1/5 /> o 10 i u S !* fe X $ a ylj j|lj j (73 fe pc/) (/) P 2 c 81 -9 w 1 t z. t J.D. Witter Andrew Carnegie. ' a " : * 'lit 1 ta U o - S o o o J OS BB 55 55 <( w5 - J. E. Hubbard J. G. Smith. . Ann E. Porter Andrew Carnej i . ::::: 8 S S ::::: 4- *. i I 1 'S 8" S O 03 . a a a :o : 1 '$. ' : j :s : : * j 1 ] Andrew Carnegie Lit S :g g g :g : ^ r"S "o "3 "S Florence Memorial L Keilogg-Hubbard Li Town Library Seaboard Air-line Travelling Library Virginia Mechanics 1 Librarv . . i 3 > u Gilbert M. Simmons Lorenzo D. Fargo . . . James Library Associ Public Library Mabel Tainter Public Free Public Library. Public Librarv... Public Library Carnegie Library. . . . Pittsburgh i i i S s SJ -' ' vi>i, ' 1 ' ^udr /4^^--j-K^ /r "" /- . fS^^&iiSI .".v^/ x .-;m> ^W^^^ v ^^^^-^7 ; '^i I ^*y-">- *5f ^^."^ \& s--''~ '""' ^J S^^^V ^^J^M, fctifi w %x~ , - * 4 %tfv * V f^ " -tf J* >*L ^- # ^- ^J .r^^ ^ i^v; ?^w ^ S^i>-^ Sy ^" "' * B^^ ' ^^i^l S'TfOr ' ^/*5^ - * V^. '. i 1. 'A &*. * I /^J^ MBK^VS- . j 9? ?% \ Ad^^ /^& : ^ VM&\ \$$& ^vj^ ;&fe ol^li^ ^S^-figfc UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 30112051214671