THE UNIVERSITY 

OF ILLINOIS 

LIBRARY 

0-2_O.C 

AM 
1917 



Return this book on or before the 
Latest Date stamped below. 

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are reasons for disciplinary action and may 
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L151 — O-1096 



BULLETIN 



OF THE 



AMERiCAj^ Library association 

Botered aa second-claas matter December 27, 1809, at the Post Office at Chicago, 111., under 
Act of Congress of July 16, 1894, 

Vol. 11, No. 4. CHICAGO, ILL. July, 1917 



CONTENTS 

Papers and Proceedings of the Louisville 
Conference 



OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION 
PRESIDENT 

Walter L. Brown .... Buffalo Public Library 

FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT 

Harrison VV. Graver Library of the Engineering Societies, N. Y. 

SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT 

George H. Locke .... Toronto Public Library 

TREASURER 

Garl B. Roden Chicago Public Library 

SECRETARY 

George B. Utley - - A. L. A. ExecuHve Office, Chicago 



PAPERS AND PROCEEDINGS 



THIRTY-NINTH ANNUAL ?.>^5 

MEETING *"^ 



AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 



LOUISVILLE, KY. 



JUNE 21-27, 1917 



AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 
CHICAGO, ILL. 
1917 



CONTENTS 



President's address: The changing public . . . Walter L. Brown 91 

Democracy and world politics Shailer Mathews 



Books in camp, trench and hospital 
Books for the Russian prisoners of war in Germany 
Cooperation in war work between the Young Men's 
Christian Association and the American Library 

Association _ 

The corporation school movement: Training men 
■during business hours J. IV. Diets 



Theodore Wesley Koch 
T. Hagberg Wright . 



Willia 



nd libraries 

: library service as operated at River- 



Chinese books 
The county f: 
side 

A program for library advertising 

The gist of the A. L. A. library publicity survey 
Library commission publicity 



Walter 
eph 



T. Swingle 121 



Daniels 125 

Carl Hunt 127 

Willis H. Kerr 130 

Elizabeth Claypool Earl 132 



157 



A publicity expert for libraries C. H. ComDton . ! 133 

Standardization of libraries and certification ol 

librarians . . . . ■■■ ■ ■ ■ -..• .■ P. L. Windsor . 135 

Agricultural extension work and the opportunities it 

offers to agricultural college librarians .... George A. Deveneau 140 

Secondary education in library work . . . . . Jessie Welles 148 

Preparedness to meet new educational demands . . Sarah C N Bogie . .... 153 

The library school of the future A::ariah S. Root 

The association of American library schools ... P. L. Windsor 

The reading of the adolescent girl /_om ' 

The Bookshop for boys and girls ,.j„„ 

The colored branches of the Louisville Free Public 

library' 

H'ow to raise the standard of literary appreciation in 

high schools 

Organizing a new high school library .... 
Problems met in reorganizing a high school library . 
Work accomplished by the high school library scrap- 

Til"'".!'^ -• -J • U-. -r -J •■ : • ,■ Mary E. Hall 

Ihe hows and whys of admission slips 4. Marie Har 

Classification making 
:iples of classificat 



Carroll Moore 168 

Bcrnice W. Bell 169 

'.■; r L. Hortnn 174 

Clara E. Howard 176 

Mary Helen Poolev 180 



Marie Hardy 
Law Voge 
W. Andrews . 



185 
190 
195 



Classification making Charles A. Flagg „ 

Classification • • •, /. Christian Bay 199 

'^'— problem and the theory of library classification Henry F. Bliss 200 

reference books of recent years . Linn R. Blanchard 203 



The . 

Some cataloger: 



Minni, 



Sear, 



Clement W. Andrews 
E. C. Richardson 
Edmund L. Craig 



The organization of a cataloging department 

Study of departmental libraries at the University of 

Chicago ... J. C. M. Hanson 

A plan for a census of research resources ... 

The return of cooperative indexing 

Library legislation 

Should libraries be under the general civil service of 
the state, or have a separate civil service organ- 
ization? 

The state as a unit for library extension .... 

The county as a unit for library extension . 

The library district as a unit for library extension . 

The townshin as a unit for library extension 

collection . . . . , . . . . >"c"}';7 



207 

211 
221 
222 
226 



A flexible bo__, 

The university press in relatio 
Social features of the Confe 
Exhibits 



to the library world 



W. Dawson Johnston 229 

Minnje W. Leatherman 230 

Harriet C. Long 232 

John A. Lowe 234 

C. Snipes 235 

Welles 237 



Post-Conference travel '.''.'.', 246 

Reports of officers and committees \ .............. 247 



Proceedings of general sessions 314 

Executive board 335 

Council 337 

Agricultural libraries section 339 

Catalog section 340 

Children's librarians' section 343 

College and reference section 346 

Professional training section 347 

School libraries section 348 

Trustees' section 349 

Public documents round table 350 



State library association presidents' round table 353 

Lending department round table .... 354 

Theological libraries round table .... 355 

League of library commissions 360 

National association of state libraries . . . 363 

American association of law libraries . . . 412 

Special libraries association 413 

Attendance summaries 415 

Attendance register 416 

Index 425 



An 

c^-- LOUISVILLE 



CONFERENCE 

JUNE 21-27, 1917 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS: THE CHANGING PUBLIC 
By Walter Ij. Brown, Librarian. Buffalo Public Library 



The history of library work in this 
country is one of continual advance since 
the first conference of the American Li- 
brary Association. The place of the free 
public circulating library in this advance 
has been the central one, not only by 
reason of its extent, but also because its 
idea and purpose is a new force in public 
life. The character of its work has changed 
and is changing with new conditions which 
have resulted from the expansion of the 
field of public library activity and the 
founding of new libraries to meet special 
needs. The greatest problems of the free 
circulating libraries come from the change 
in their public rather than from need for 
new methods of administration. 

The American Library Association was 
peculiarly fortunate in its founders. It is 
most remarkable that there was so much 
genius for detail in that body of pioneers 
of library cooperation. It was a scholarly 
body, hence its clear vision of the future 
wide use of books and its ability to lay 
the foundation of the structure of the 
public library as a civic institution is 
easily understood. Its skill in designing 
and so far perfecting the methods of con- 
ducting this new work of its dreams is 
more surprising. 

The development of library methods is 
not unlike that of the designing of the 
printed book, which has been described as 
having been "mature at birth." There has 
been little change in the ways of doing 
library work since the early years of the 
Association. Most of the contributions of 
later years have but filled in the outlines 
which were drawn at that time, to meet 
the requirements of the larger work, just 
as the schemes of classification devised at 
the same period have been elaborated to 



meet the need of a much greater number 
of books and subject headings. It is dif- 
ficult, without a thorough review, to realize 
how large a part of our professional knowl- 
edge we owe to the early conferences. 

The American Library Association 
brought together for the first time the 
library people of the country, who came 
mostly from university and reference li- 
braries, some from society libraries and 
others from the few public libraries of 
that time; who had, as individuals, worked 
upon many of the same problems and now 
found opportunity to compare experiences 
and to discuss questions of method. The 
early conferences were extremely effective. 
Classification, cataloging, arrangement, 
housing and storage of books, standards of 
materials and furniture, the training of 
library workers, the freedom and restric- 
tions of the use of libraries, the formation 
of public opinion as to the place of the 
library in education and in the social life 
of the community — all of these and many 
more questions of policy and method were 
discussed under the new-found stimulus of 
cooperation. 

The thoroughness of the early confer- 
ences In the discussion of these matters 
and the early standardization of details 
have had much to do with the rapid ex- 
pansion of library work, the extent of 
which is shown by the growth of the 
American Library Association from Its 
small beginnings to its present member- 
ship and its diversified interests. The 
original membership of the Association 
was made up, with few famous exceptions, 
from small libraries. The users of the 
libraries were from limited small groups 
of people having tastes and needs more or 
less analogous. This was almost as true 
of the few public libraries of that time 



47455, 



2 



92 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



as it was of the university and subscrip- 
tion libraries. 

The new enthusiasm aroused by the con- 
ferences awakened librarians to tremendous 
possibilities in the general use of books, 
and aroused in them an ambition to have 
as many as possible of the people of their 
communities counted among their readers, 
aiming from the first to supply "the best 
reading for the largest number at the least 
cost." The libraries became more and 
more of a social force, the value of their 
books being measured not so much by their 
numbers or by their rarity as by the service 
they might render to the community in 
which they are placed. 

In the development of the public library 
from the small collection of books in care 
of a very small staff, offering something to 
read to a very few people, to the large 
systems of today, with their many depart- 
ments and many libraries to meet the 
complex needs of the many-sided life of 
our big cities, is the evidence of a new 
public and new problems calling for special 
work by the public library and for special 
training for its workers. 

A large part of library training is at 
present given to matters which do not 
touch the most important work of the 
public library. Necessary as is the fasci- 
nating study of methods, the perfecting of 
classification and the making of catalogs, 
this is, after all, only a preparation for 
the making of the tools, only smoothing 
the way for doing public library work, 
rather than training for the real work It- 
self. The average reader using the public 
library has no interest whatever in library 
technique, and measures the excellence of 
the library only by the simplicity and 
quickness of its service in supplying his 
need. 

The most important training, so far as 
the public library service is concerned, is 
that which contributes toward an under- 
standing of the things of the spirit and of 
the activities of the world, a knowledge of 
the past, a knowledge of books, and above 
all a knowledge of and a liking for people. 
These, together with the ability to know 



people in their varied life and interests 
and to be able to help them, with broad 
sympathy, to choose the right book at the 
right time, are qualifications desired for a 
large part of the public library. 

The larger part of the work of the public 
library of today is work with the many 
as contrasted with its earlier work with 
the few. The original small group of li- 
brary borrowers was probably of the more 
intellectual members of the community. 
Although the public library of the present 
does not neglect the interests of the scholar, 
and, because of the system of inter-library 
loans, it is better able than ever to serve 
him, yet Its emphasis has changed as the 
circle of its Influence has been drawn larger 
and larger, bringing within its influence 
more and more of the less educated and 
less trained. The public library is thus 
becoming, year after year, the elementary, 
the secondary, and the part-time school, 
rather than the university of the people, 
as it used to be called. What the library 
offers must serve as the nearest approach 
to formal education that the larger propor- 
tion of the people who have had but a few 
years of school can ever hope to have, yet 
v.'e must admit that in large measure any 
real training by the use of books our read- 
ers may receive is, for the most part, a 
matter of chance. 

In his "Manual of drawing," W. W. 
Rawson says: "Throughout the course, I 
have taken it for granted that drawing is 
not studied in the elementary schools 
primarily as art, any more than reading, 
writing and composition are studied pri- 
marily as literature. We are not in the habit 
of supposing, when teaching a child 
through verbal means to think logically 
and express himself clearly, that we de- 
sign him to be a novelist." 

Something akin to this is the service of 
the public library to large numbers of its 
present public who, whatever their years, 
are elementary readers. Very many of 
them have a realization of an ill-deflned 
need — a need to know, a need to do, a long- 
ing for some foundation for hope, some 
expectation of satisfaction. They use 



BROWN 



93 



books, when they wake up to the possibility 
of help from them, as a means toward more 
abundant life — more intelligent, more ef- 
ficient, more powerful, more satisfying. 
Life and growth are the objects of their 
search, not the study of literature, not 
the appreciation of the beauty or perfec- 
tion of the medium through which they 
satisfy the need of definite knowledge and 
the indefinite hunger for a wider outlook 
and for the foundation for a more vivid 
hope. The very absence of the literary 
touch is sometimes an advantage in a 
book to be used with such elementary 
readers. 

Different libraries at work today could 
be used as a graphic exhibit of the inter- 
esting development of the public library in 
all its stages, from its simple beginnings 
to the largest library systems. In mo.st 
places, whether town, city or county, the 
public library is at the beginning not only 
wholly in one building, but it is without 
any division of its borrowers. Its organi- 
zation into departments for administrative 
purposes comes with its increase of use. 
One group after another is given special 
attention by being provided with a separate 
collection of books in a department under 
the care of an expert attendant or staff. 
The children's room is followed by the 
technical room, the art and music room, 
the civic room, and others organized to 
meet the special needs of the community. 
In time the library discovers that many 
possible readers, unconscious of the help 
which It offers, are really waiting to have 
the library brought to them, and library 
extension work is commenced. Library 
stations, depositories and branch libraries 
are opened, while traveling libraries are 
sent to readers in schools, shops and clubs, 
and book-wagons and parcel post bring 
many more individuals within touch of the 
public library. 

In some cities the work of the public 
library has been so completely organized 
that every section is within easy reach of 
some agency of distribution. Even where 
this Is accomplished, the use of the book 
continues to Increase and the possibilities 



of more intensive work are still far from 
being realized. 

Of late years there has come a new de- 
velopment which will not be without direct 
effect upon the work of the public library, 
we are witnessing the formation of new 
libraries, some possibly for the present 
merely as departments of older ones, but 
many of them entirely independent of the 
public library. We have libraries of civics, 
libraries of legislative reference, thor- 
oughly organized school libraries, special 
libraries in many large industrial plants 
and corporation offices, and libraries in 
business and professional clubs, many of 
them in charge of librarians trained for 
their special field. The public library has 
no feeling of rivalry or jealousy toward 
these independent libi-arles for special 
needs, but rather does it feel a sense of 
relief to have certain groups of readers 
better cared for and, at the same time, to 
have made available more time and means 
to broaden the usefulness of the public li- 
brary for the less specialized readers, thus 
bringing more of its resources to the 
service of its primary function — that of 
making better and more intelligent citizens, 
of raising the average of citizenship, and 
the Americanization of new Americans. 

Looking toward the more elementary 
work required by the larger part of its 
recruits gives to the free public library its 
widest vision for the future. It is far from 
having measured its possibilities for use- 
fulness, for the extent of its Influence 
reaches far into an undiscovered country 
which is very alluring. 

In addition to what the public library 
has been able to do to help the specific 
work of the school, it has found in the 
school one of the best and most fertile 
opportunities for creating a love of good 
reading. It should be remembered, how- 
ever, that, while the work of the library 
goes on in the school from year to year, 
the average individual child Is under the 
school's Influence a very brief period, after 
which the children become a part of the 
general public. To what extent the public 
library retains these former school children 



94 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



as library readers it is not possible for us 
to say. We do know that an ever-increas- 
ing number of them are finding after a 
few years that the brevity of their school 
period has proved a handicap in doing 
their work in the world and that they are 
eager to gain further training. 

Nearly every one of our cities has a few 
hundred, some many thousands, of people 
under an even greater handicap than the 
limited time pupils of our day schools, be- 
cause they are without the language of the 
country. We know the children of these 
people, with their eagerness for informa- 
tion concerning America and their quick- 
ness in picking up American ways, but 
comparatively few of the elders of these 
new Americans are as yet In touch with 
the public library. The reason for this 
may be because of their hesitation to enter 
a formal building doubtful of what their 
reception may be, rather than from any 
lack of appreciation of what the public li- 
brary has to offer them. 

A certain public library issued, a few 
weeks ago, a special invitation to the pupils 
of the English classes of the night schools 
to attend an evening reception. In prepara- 
tion for this evening the pupils were told 
about the public library, what it was and 
what they could find there, and were taught 
certain English phrases to facilitate their 
asking questions and making their needs 
known. 

As the acceptance of the public library 
invitation was optional, there was much 
speculation as to the number of these 
pupils who would be enough interested to 
expend an evening and carfare for the pur- 
pose. The supervisor of night schools 
estimated five hundred, while the librarian 
hoped that two hundred and fifty could be 
Induced to come. The fact was that more 
than one thousand men and women, repre- 
senting many nationalities, visited the li- 
brary building that night and evinced the 
greatest interest in the library and what 
It had to offer them as an educational in- 
stitution. It was a revelation of a large 
section of the public whlcli, through lack 
of some point of contact, was not getting 



the service which the public library should 
render. 

Many opportunities of informal educa- 
tion are now being offered to grown people 
and a natural question arises as to what 
extent they are finding any association or 
connection with the public library in these 
substitutes for formal schools. 

It would seem as though the public 
library had a duty fully as important, 
probably more important, toward the many 
out of school, who are seeking information, 
as the duty, fully recognized, which it 
renders to those still under educational 
guidance. 

In the phrase "Informal education" is 
included all the means of more or less 
systematic education other than the 
schools, such as the various industrial 
training classes In manufacturing plants, 
corporation schools, reading courses offered 
by the Chautauquas and similar institu- 
tions, movements like that of tlie Society 
for the Promotion of Engineering Educa- 
tion, the study work of business, social and 
trade clubs, lecture courses available to 
the public, university extension work, and 
the educational possibilities of art galleries, 
museums, public concerts, parks and other 
municipal activities. 

Some of these educational efforts do have 
close cooperation with the public library, 
but there are others which have very little 
or none at all. The public library might, 
for its own part, however, not only be 
familiar with all the educational agencies 
in its community, and what they offer, but 
might easily become a valuable supplemen- 
tary factor in all such work, and might, 
at the same time, bring to the pupils an 
acquaintance with the opportunities offered 
by the library itself. 

The students connected with such groups 
are, however, but tens of the hundreds and 
the thousands of readers who are finding 
their way among our books. 

Should the library assume any further 
responsibility toward aimless general read- 
ers? Library policy has provided them 
with open shelves upon which the books 
are grouped by subject, it makes small at- 



95 



tractive collections of books upon subjects 
of special or passing interest, it provides 
printed lists of annotated titles to induce 
the readers to select the better books and 
encourages in every way the use of good 
books^but is it neglecting an opportunity 
to help the individual? Every public li- 
brary can furnish illustrations of certain 
borrowers who have developed and ad- 
vanced under the sympathetic guidance of 
some library friend, and these borrowers 
are perhaps but representatives from a 
large class which might be helped if a 
way could be found to offer something 
more in the way of individual suggestion, 
if not individual training. 

Without formalizing in any way the 
work of the public library, without its be- 
coming less broad in its sympathies, it 
may find it possible to arrange courses of 
reading with guidance which would attract 
some of its many desultory readers. In 
some departments, at least, there would 
be little difficulty In finding the right 
people to cooperate with the library in this 
kind of work. 

A trained technical or vocational teacher 
would be of considerable value in the li- 
brary to help with personal counsel and 
advice in their difficulties many of those 
who are using books more or less blindly 
in the continuation of their elementary 
technical study in connection with their 
work, and to arrange and supervise read- 
ing courses for the workers in various 
trades, arts and occupations. 



It may sometime prove possible to have 
a teacher assigned by the school authorities 
for this duty, in the same manner as the 
library has often assigned an expert to 
help the library work in the schools. 

A library reading course might well be 
arranged in academic studies, as well as 
vocational, under volunteer inspectors or 
advisers. "To every workman there are 
eager apprentices who are hungry to know, 
not his way, but the way. Every work- 
man who does the best he can has a store 
of value for the younger ones, who are 
drawn, they know not why, to the produc- 
tion he represents. ... I would have 
my country call upon every man who shows 
vision or fineness in any work to serve for 
an hour or two each day . . . telling 
the mysteries of his daily work." — Will 
Levington Comfort. 

Is it not possible that the public library 
can use its wonderful medium as a link 
between those eager to learn and the skill- 
ful, intelligent workers who know? 

In the continued expansion of the work 
of the free public circulating library into 
that "untraveled world whose margin fades 
forever and forever," may it not go much 
further than it has yet gone toward sup- 
plying a need constantly apparent of many 
of our untrained readers? May it not 
think more seriously, broadly and sympa- 
thetically of responding to the definite 
needs of the individual, and make quantity 
in the circulation of books secondary to 
nourishing the more abundant life? 



DEMOCRACY AND WORLD POLITICS* 
By Shaileb M.4.tiiews, D. D., Dean, Divinity fSchool, University of Chicago 



Mr. President and Members of the Asso- 
ciation: In coming before you at this 
time I ask you to consider a message which 
I hope may be of some significance to you 
and through you to the world to whom you 

report of an extempora- 



minister. Day before yesterday I was at 
one of the great training camps of the Of- 
ficers' Reserve, where there were five thou- 
sand young men, the finest body of young 
men I ever saw together, and I have been 
with college students for thirty years. I 
saw their situation as I had never seen It 



96 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



before, and as one of the many fathers who 
have sons in those camps I realized the 
significance of the service which you can 
plan for these young men. When I think 
of the camps of five times the size of the 
Officers' Training Camp which are to be 
spread over this country, and realize the 
tremendous significance of those camps in 
Americanization, education in citizenship, 
strengthening of morale, I feel even more 
the significance of your service, which you 
can render as no other body of experts can 
render. 

In a time like this we must not "continue 
business as usual." We must continue 
business as if the nation were at war. And 
what is true of the nation must be true of 
the spiritual life of the community, for we 
live In a day and a moment which is the 
culminating point of cumulative forces 
which run back many years. And it is to 
the struggle between democracy and Prus- 
sianism that I would call your attention as 
a background of the need of our day for 
your service. 

If you go back to 1776 you see a world 
without constitutional government in any 
modern sense of the word. Even the con- 
stitutional life of England was a very im- 
perfect, embryonic constitutional life as 
compared with that of Great Britain today. 
There were, it might almost be said, two 
Englands. On the one hand there had 
gradually been shaped an idea of political 
rights which found expression among 
Englishmen both In England and in our 
colonies. On the other hand, there had 
been developing, also, very largely under 
the Influence of France and Prussia, a tory 
England with some attempt to reinvlgorate 
ancient privileges. When George III came 
to the throne his mother said to him, "Now, 
George, be a king," and between his fits of 
insanity he undertook to be a king. For- 
tunately for the Whigs he had several at- 
tacks of insanity and the constitutional life 
of England was preserved by the freer Eng- 
land that was then developing. In one of 
those attempts at establishing the Prussian 
conception of monarchy he went a little too 
far with the English people on this side of 



the water and there emerged the American 
Declaration of Independence and the 
American Revolution which gave birth to 
the United States of America. In the ap- 
pearance of the United States of America 
with a written constitution safeguarding 
and extending the Inherited rights of the 
English people to all citizens, there was 
saved not only freedom and independence 
and democracy in the United States, but 
democracy in England as well. For the 
battle between the insidious autocracy of 
the House of Hanover and the growing 
liberalism of Burke and his party really 
was fought at Yorktown, and the surrender 
at Yorktown not only gave us indepen- 
dence, it gave democracy to England. Now, 
in a very striking fashion, we stand before 
a similar situation. For one hundred years 
in Europe the crushing power of Prussian 
autocracy has been extended over German 
liberalism, and it is my hope and belief, 
in the light of history, that the victory of 
democracy which beats down Prussianism 
will be as significant to German liberalism 
as was the victory of democracy that beat 
down the House of Hanover in England. 
This war will do for the suppressed liber- 
alism of Germany what the American Rev- 
olution did for the endangered liberalism 
and democracy of England. And when we 
appeal to the German-born American to 
have a part In this emancipation we are 
making the same appeal to him that was 
made to the English-born American In the 
War of Independence. For our victory will 
mean as much for German democracy as 
Yorktown meant to English democracy. 

Two great tendencies have been in oper- 
ation ever since those momentous days. 
There has been the constant spread of the 
American Idea of democracy, a great fra- 
ternizing conception that has moved from 
state to state. We are thankful to France 
for what France did in assisting us in 
those dark days; but France gained from 
the American Revolution immeasurable 
benefits. The American Revolution led to 
the Republic of France, for among the 
prime movers In the French Revolution 
were those who had had experience on 



97 



American soil. Tliey beat down feudalism 
and absolutism in France, and when the 
Constituent Assembly in France drew 
up at last, in 1791, a constitution for 
France, the second great written constitu- 
tion in the world's history, it prefaced that 
constitution with the statement called 
"The declaration of the rights of man and 
the citizen." Whence came that immortal 
formulation? From the American colo- 
nies, who, gathering themselves together in 
little groups, dared to say, "We have 
rights not only as citizens, as Englishmen, 
but as church members;" and they pro- 
ceeded to organize themselves and to pro- 
mulgate "declarations of rights," such as 
the Virginia declaration of rights. From 
that great period there came a succession 
of declarations of rights, which flnai'y 
had as progeny this French declaration of 
rights. 

While this was going on in France, de- 
mocracy was growing in Great Britain and 
gradually there, too, developed the power 
of the people. Reform bill followed reform 
bill until, at last, in the late sixties, Eng- 
land became a democracy, with a king, it 
Is true, but a king who has no power of 
government except that permitted by a 
really sovereign Parliament. 

Social movements come in waves. The 
course of history is never steady, and after 
the movement in the middle of the nine- 
teenth century, a reaction occurred In 
nearly every country in Europe except 
Great Britain, until there came the mar- 
velous year of 1848. France had been a 
stubborn devotee to democracy. It had 
yielded of necessity to restorations and 
coups d' ('■tat. but in 1848 it again became a 
republic, driving out its citizen king. 
Europe was ablaze with democratic enthu- 
siasm. It spread over central Europe, went 
into Austria; it seized hold of crafty old 
Metternich, who had been the high priest 
of reaction for nearly forty years, and 
pitched him across where all ex-folks go, 
to England. Did it ever occur to you what 
a haven of refuge England Is for those who 
have been? You notice that when an au- 
tocrat loses his job, he does not go to au- 



tocracies for satisfaction, but he goes to 
democracies. It is a wonderful collection 
of ex-monarchs England has at the pres- 
ent time, and it Is within the possibility of 
imagination, at least, that we shall yet see 
Mr. Romanoff and Mrs. Romanoff and all 
the little Romanoffs in England. 

But in 1848 you find yourself confronting 
a sinister power that said democracy was 
going too tar, a power that forced out Carl 
Schurz and those other men who did so 
much for democracy in the United States, a 
power whicli imprisoned and prosecuted 
in 1848 and which still imprisons, hangs 
and mutilates today in the name of those 
who hate democracy. 

In 1848 we see this struggle intensifying. 
After the end of the wars of Napoleon, in 
1815, that amazing Congress of Vienna was 
summoned, to divide up the world, in a 
way I suppose highwaymen would divide 
up loot. They carved and recombined 
Europe in the interest of Austria, Prussia, 
Russia and Great Britain; and Prance and 
French possessions were the victims. You 
will, perhaps, recall that when the Repub- 
lic of Genoa had been tossed over to some 
king, the representatives of the republic 
complained to the czar, who was one of 
the most sentimental, beautiful souls that 
ever played the part of an iron-handed, 
bloody despot. The czar replied, "Repub- 
lics are no longer fashionable." One hun- 
dred and two years after that remark Rus- 
sia said to the czar, "Czars are no longer 
fashionable." The difference between those 
two fashions is the difference which meas- 
ures the development of American ideals 
in the spread of democracy throughout the 
world. This autocratic power which, in 
1815, was so firmly intrenched in Europe 
has gone down in a way that is hard to 
believe. 

I must confess that I am a sort of con- 
verted pacifist. I have run nearly the whole 
gamut of doubts during this war, but th« 
scales are at last removed from my eyes 
by facts. It Is an unpleasant awakening, 
the awakening that comes to a man when 
he finds he has mistaken things that he 
thought ought to be for the things that 



98 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



are. But now we must look with level eyes 
at the nation that has fought democracy. 

In 1815 all of Germany was ablaze with 
the enthusiasm of liberalism. It had 
aroused the heart of abased Prussia until, 
enabled to face Napoleon, there had come 
the Battle of the Nations; Napoleon had 
been conquered. Liberalism seemed as- 
sured of the future. In 1818 Bavaria and 
Baden got constitutions. Wurttemberg in 
1819; Hesse-Darmstadt in 1820. But Prus- 
sia was only told, "You shall have a con- 
stitution." The promise was not kept. 
The forces of reaction centering about Met- 
ternich of Austria forced Prussia into re- 
pressive action. A censorship was estab- 
lished over the press; a censorship was 
established in the universities. The li- 
brarians had to report what books pro- 
fessors took out over night to read. Prus- 
sia was kept in the grip of an autocratic 
government. There was no constitution. 
The conception of the State of Frederick 
the Great, which is that of a transcen- 
dental robbery, prevailed. Frederick the 
Great had built up his State by the loot of 
Silesia and Poland. His policy rules to- 
day. Prussia, not Germany, regards war 
as a part of politics. Prussia has grown 
by annexations and indemnities wrung 
from conquered nations. That is the way 
that Germany proposes to grow. That is 
what it is lighting for, to get annexations 
and indemnities. In 1851 a constitution 
was given Prussia. But it was a constitu- 
tion which recognized no responsible gov- 
ernment whatever, that assumed the king 
was called from heaven, that made the 
prime minister responsible to nobody ex- 
cept the king, that provided that the lower 
house should be elected by electors who 
are elected themselves by three groups of 
voters, each group being determined by 
those who pay a certain amount of taxes. 
A rich man may elect the elector from the 
first group, another rich man may do the 
same for the second group and all the rest 
of the voters elect the third elector. Then 
these electors choose the members of an 
assembly that has little power beyond de- 



bate. The real government of Prussia is 

the king. The people are ruled. 

The other day we read in the newspapers 
that the King of Prussia, who also is Em- 
peror of Germany, announced that in view 
of the fact that his people had acted so well 
in war, he thought there ought to be some 
modification of the electoral system in 
Prussia. As a Yankee, I "rather guess" 
there will be — and perhaps sooner than we 
expect. 

Then came Bismarck. You will recall 
the method he adopted, the straightaway 
method to get into war, to get territory and 
indemnities. First, he manipulated diplo- 
macy with Denmark concerning Schleswig- 
Holstein. He got Schleswig-Holstein in the 
grip of Prussia and Austria with the ex- 
press purpose of getting into war with Aus- 
tria so Prussia might supplant Austria as 
the leader of German affairs. To do that 
he had to make a secret treaty with Italy 
to the effect that Italy would declare war 
with Austria, provided that Austria and 
Prussia were at war within three months. 
Bismarck saw to it that the war came — 
one of Prussia's defensive wars. Within 
seven weeks Austria was defeated, and 
Prussia, enlarged by new territories, was 
established as the dominant force in Ger- 
many. Incidentally, Austria paid an in- 
demnity of which Bismarck is said to have 
received 400,000 thaler. 

Next came France, for France was too 
powerful. Deliberately Bismarck and von 
Moltke planned to have a war with France. 
Bismarck tells how in his autobiography. 
King Wilhelm did not want war. Bis- 
marck, Moltke and Roon were in Bis- 
marck's house awaiting word from the 
king as to the negotiations with France 
concerning the proposed establishment of 
a Hohenzollern as king of Spain. The 
king agreed to withdraw the nomination. 
Peace, till then threatened, seemed assured. 
The king telegraphed that the French am- 
bassador asked for an audience to ask that 
the assurance might be given that the plan 
of Hohenzollern control of Spain would 
never be revived. The telegram gave no in- 
timation of demand for that decision. The 



99 



three makers of modern Prussia were in 
despair. They wanted war. To quote Bis- 
marck's account, "they dropped their 
knives and forks upon the table and 
pushed back their chairs. There was a 
long silence. We were all profoundly de- 
pressed. We had the feeling that the af- 
fair was sinking in the sands." Bismarck 
found a way out of the difficulty. He mu- 
tilated the dispatch and gave it to the pa- 
pers. Then, says Bismarck, "We continued 
to eat with the best appetite." The de- 
spatch in its mutilated form made France 
believe Prussia was insulting France and 
Prussia believe that France was insult- 
ing Prussia. Therefore they went to war. 
Out of the war came luimiliation for 
France, the inevitable indemnity, this time 
$1,000,000,000, the annexation by Germany 
of Alsace-Lorraine and the establishment 
of the German Empire. And awful suf- 
fering In France. When one hears the 
German lamentations about the hypocrisy 
of England and the inhumanity of their 
blockade one's mind goes back to the Ger- 
man treatment of the French in 1870 and 
how they starved heroic Paris. Germany's 
lamentations are absurd in the light of 
German precedent. 

The next step was simple. By this time 
militaristic expansion had become a fixed 
practice in Prussia. It gained control of 
all Germany by the organization of the 
Reichstag and by the powers put into the 
hands of the Bundesrath. And back of 
Prussia's dominance is the army. There 
is no possibility of any of the federated 
states of Germany doing anything against 
the will of Prussia. In 1870 Prussia got 
control of all Germany. France was 
beaten. The new autocracy swept over 
Austria; it got control of Austria in the 
Triple Alliance. It thought it got control 
of Italy, but politics, if they sometimes 
make strange bedfellows, sometimes find 
bedfellows quarreling with each other. 
Italy has rebelled. Austria Is today a vas- 
sal state, with Germans determining its 
policy and commanding Its army — a situa- 
tion one may well watch. I am not com- 
menting upon facts, but simply giving an 



exposition of facts and the philosophy set 
forth in countless books and lectures of 
representative Germans. 

The next step was to control the Balkan 
states. They protected Austria in her seiz- 
ure of Bosnia and Herzegovina and backed 
her in the ultimatum to Serbia that led to 
the present war. Today Germany controls 
ruthlessly the Balkan states. In Serbia 
they have killed 750,000 people. And as to 
Bulgaria? I used to honor Bulgaria. A 
young Bulgarian told me of their struggle 
for liberty ten years ago; but today, after 
Austrian inspired treachery, Bulgaria first 
broke with Serbia after the first Balkan 
war and is a pawn in German politics. 

Germany wanted Turkey, and for an ob- 
vious reason. Germany wanted commer- 
cial expansion in the East and an approach 
to the Persian Gulf. The Kaiser proceeded 
to get control of Turkey. I was in Pales- 
tine a short time after he had been there. 
I saw the roads they made for him and I 
heard how he announced himself as the 
protector of Islam. Wlien the present war 
began the same Kaiser attempted to stir 
Mohammedans into a Holy War, and the 
same Kaiser has done nothing to stop the 
massacre of millions of Armenians. I have 
talked with men who saw parts of this 
massacre. I have read the accounts and 
I have seen pictures of the horrors in Ar- 
menia. One million Armenians killed! It 
is too horrible to think about were it not 
necessary to recall that horrors of the 
same kind — 750,000 Serbians slaughtered; 
4,000 Bohemians hanged; 30,000 Poles exe- 
cuted—are all a part of a national policy 
of terrorizatlon. God knows what has hap- 
pened in Belgium and northern France, too 
horrible to tell, accomplished systematic- 
ally by the same relentless militaristic 
power that today is fighting civilization. 
I was told a story of how a missionary 
heard a certain Moslem giving a lecture on 
the war to a Mohammedan brother, and 
he said, "Kaiser Wllhelm has become a 
Mohammedan and he Is waging war against 
the Christians, and all the Christians are 
waging war against him, and the evidence 
of it is here: He is destroying the churches 



100 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



of the Christians." And he showed photo- 
graphs of the cathedrals of northern France 
which had been ruined. 

With Turkey in the hands of the auto- 
cratic power, the work went straight for- 
ward down to Bagdad and on down toward 
the Persian Gulf. The erection of a great 
militaristic power in central Europe, 
reaching from the North sea to Mesopota- 
mia, if peace were to be declared today, 
would be an accomplished fact. The United 
States has nothing to say regarding the 
expansion of a state in an economic fash- 
ion, but when you see a great militaristic 
autocracy without a modern constitution, 
without representative control or respon- 
sible government, organizing 177,000,000 
people into its militaristic mould, then you 
see that an intervention is intended by 
God Almighty with such a power; that It 
means the conquest of the world by the 
power that has broken treaties, ravaged 
Belgium, crushed Serbia and comman- 
deered Austria. For the next step is clear. 
They announced it themselves. England 
was to be crushed. Somebody asked a rep- 
resentative of Germany In America why 
they thought they could Invade Belgium 
and he replied that the Germans thought 
Belgium would prefer peace to honor — the 
cynicism of it! — but neither Belgium nor 
England preferred peace to honor. Of 
course South America was also in- 
cluded in the plan. Colonies were placed 
in South America ready to rise. But they 
did not rise! Twice, at least, the Monroe 
Doctrine has brought us within striking 
distance of war because of the attitude 
of Germany, and we would have had 
war had it not been for England, who, al- 
most as much as we, is responsible for the 
Monroe Doctrine. 

And the United States was in this pro- 
gram of world-power. In 1903 a friend of 
mine went through all of Germany for the 
purpose of engaging prominent men to 
speak at one of the great meetings at the 
St. Louis Exposition. He was told at that 
time that Germany would have to fight 
America. He said he could not understand 
why, and the reply was this: "You are 



not a nation. You are today trade rivals 
with us and we have got to fight you." But 
Germans must conquer England before 
they can reach us. We always make al- 
lowances for that sort of a thing when we 
hear anybody bragging about America, and 
we could not take German boasts except 
In the same spirit. But today we see a psy- 
chological difference. When Germans are 
uncertain of success they brag; an En- 
glishman, when he is sure of success, 
grumbles. So today we listen alike to 
German boastfulness and English com- 
plaints hopefully. We know the bull dog. 
When he complains he is just setting his 
teeth a little harder! We are not fighting 
England's war. England is fighting democ- 
racy's war. 

I was in Japan a couple of years ago and 
Count Okuma told me, as he has told oth- 
ers, of the persistent efforts of Germany 
to make trouble between Japan and the 
United States over China. I reported this 
and people thought it was not true. After 
the Zimmermann note have you any doubt 
whether it was true? There is still a per- 
sistent, organized effort to create bad feel- 
ing between Japan and the United States. 
Yesterday a man who is in close touch with 
the whole propaganda against the United 
States told me of a German committee es- 
tablished in Tientsin at the present time. 
Do you see any connection between that 
and the distortion of a note which was 
sent to China by the United States? 

Pace this entire program of Germany. 
Could anything be clearer that it makes 
war the basis of the imperial program? It 
is autocracy's method of expansion. War, 
annexations, Indemnities. German autoc- 
racy is at work in Austria, the Balkan 
States, Serbia, Japan, China, India and 
South America. Germany is able to build 
up a state with overhead efficiency because 
it controls an army and builds the state 
on an army. This is not comment on my 
part, but is the express philosophy of Prus- 
sian writers. You will find pages to that 
effect not only in Bernhardi, but in almost 
every German treatise on politics and his- 
tory. 



MATHEWS 



101 



Let us now look at our own policy, at 
democracy's policy in international affairs: 
We started this great democratic movement 
in 1776 and we have extended it into inter- 
national relations. In consequence there has 
come from our international relations a new 
conception of the relationship of states. 
I wish it were possible to estimate this 
fact as it deserves. A few years ago 
thousands of people in Japan suspected 
the United States of trying to do to Japan 
what many in this country thought Japan 
was trying to do to the United States. In 
1915 I was able to show Japanese the 
contrary. I could point out things which 
were unique — Cuba, handed back to her- 
self twice. But today I could refer to 
that glorious bit of poetic justice, tha 
when we were going to war for our self- 
defence, one of the first countries to offer 
us her aid was little Cuba. That illus 
trates the power of democracy in inter 
national affairs. Democrary never has to 
coerce allies. Allies come contagiously 
to democracy. Look at Canada. Is there 
anything more glorious in history than 
Canada sending hundreds of thousands of 
troops across the ocean for the defence 
of democracy and the Empire? Canada is 
under no compulsion to do that. It is as 
free as the United States. But it is a part 
of British democracy. Then we have Au.s- 
tralia, New Zealand and the new republic 
of South Africa. There is nothing quite 
like their attitude in history except Amer- 
ican democracy, which, having split in 
civil war, came together in a closer union 
than ever before. The people of South 
Africa fought Great Britain and after they 
fought Great Britain and taught Great 
Britain how to fight, they succumbed, 
though not because they were any the 
less brave than Great Britain. They or- 
ganized a republic. Great Britain wel- 
comed to the control of the new govern- 
ment the very generals who had led the 
Boers. And when autocracy tried to crush 
Great Britain the republic of South Africa 
came forward as bravely as Canada or the 
New Zealanders to defend a former enemy 
who had become almost a mother country. 



Democracy makes friends because de- 
mocracy is a lesson in the recognition of 
the rights of others. When you have an 
empire bound together by a great ideal 
you have something more powerful than 
the German Empire. Look at the eflSciency 
of democracy! I am speaking about Eng- 
land, because there is a pro-German propa- 
ganda now on to discredit England. I 
know directly about the matter. Whenever 
you hear anyone talking against Great 
Britain, take him aside and say, privately 
tut very distinctly, "My friend, either 
consciously or unconsciously" — and em- 
phasize those words, because it will make 
him think — "consciously or unconsciously 
you are engaged in a pro-German propa- 
ganda." I think you will be interested to 
liuow I was told yesterday that under the 
stress of revelations which are being made 
regarding this propaganda the committee 
having it in charge left an American city 
and went to Mexico. Maybe Mexico will 
find them out. 

While I am speaking about Great Britain 
look at democracy's efficiency a moment. 
When this war broke, England had at its 
disposal no army to speak about. It had 
less than 100,000 men, who were sent to 
certain death. They fought all day with 
an army that had been preparing for forty 
years. They fought them by day and they 
retreated at night, they fought and they 
retreated practically an entire week, until 
at last— and this was no "strategic re- 
treat"— until at last "Papa" Joffre got his 
troops together and the Battle of the 
-Marne was fought. 

In passing I will say, in a recent book 
called "Hurrah and hallelujah" (Doran, 
New York, 1917) — doubtless you have 
given it out — there is a quotation from 
Adolph Harnack, the great historian, in 
which he describes the wonderful move- 
ment of German troops in 1914. He says, 
at the tail end of a sentence: "Then we 
withdrew to strengthen our line from such 
a place to such a place." That was his ac- 
count of the Battle of the Marne. Yet 
Germany says England started the war! 
Today Great Britain has 5,000,000 men 



102 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



under arms, holding 120 miles of line in 
the very storm center of the war. And 
instead of a single line of soldiers they 
have troops five or ten miles back; they 
have guns enough to stand wheel to wheel 
the whole 120 miles, and munitions enough 
to blow up an entire hill as part of the 
day's work. That is what democracy does 
when it actually begins to do things. • 

We were unprepared for this war be- 
cause we are democrats. We have been 
trying to live like gentlemen amongst 
nations. We could not believe that other 
nations were not doing likewise. We now 
see some of them were not. They have 
discovered that we have discovered the 
fact! 

Democracy has given liberty to every 
land it has conquered. Take the Philip- 
pines, for instance. As fast as we can 
educate the Filipinos in the affairs of self- 
government they are given a share in the 
conduct of their government. 

When democracy conquers it pays in- 
demnity. After we had taken an all but 
uninhabited territory from Mexico we paid 
her 115,000,000. After we had taken Guam 
and the Philippine Islands from Spain we 
paid Spain $20,000,000. Do you suppose 
the Prussian-German autocracy will pay 
indemnity if it conquers? During the 
Boxer uprising in China we went to China 
and protected China; and after the ter- 
rible Boxer business indemnities were de- 
manded of China to the amount of nearly 
half a billion dollars. Our share was ap- 
proximately $20,000,000. We could not 
stand for that, so we took a few hundred 
thousand dollars to rebuild the buildings 
the Boxers destroyed and settle other dam- 
ages, and then we turned back the re- 
mainder to China. And China uses it for 
educating Chinese youths in the United 
States. And we had a precedent for this 
action. For in 1868 we joined in a brief 
war against Japsin. When It was over 
Japan paid an indemnity. Our share was 
$800,000. But we never used the money. 
In 1883 we paid it back with Interest. 

This is the new attituie democracy has 
engendered toward the weaker nations. 



We have come to the place where de- 
mocracy, or a representative government 
of some sort that is really responsible, 
is established in every great nation of the 
world with the exception of Germany, 
Austria, Turkey and Bulgaria. Russia is 
becoming a republic, China is becoming a 
republic, and Japan, although it is not a 
republic yet, has an element of control 
over the cabinet that makes its govern- 
ment responsible. And now the two great 
movements have come across each other. 
We did not go into this war. The war 
went into us. We did not want the war. 
We tried to stave it off for more than two 
years. We have passed through various 
attitudes. We have passed through the 
scientific stage, setting forth facts. We 
have written theses about it, printed books 
about it; we have seen the geographic and 
economic background of it. We have said, 
"Here is a chance to get South American 
trade," and we have seen in it an oppor- 
tunity to aid the wounded and the un- 
fortunate. And then it burst upon us that 
it was we who were being attacked; that 
ihe great struggle in Europe was a strug- 
gle in which our own institutions were 
attacked; that the destruction by sub- 
marines was of our own future as well as 
of international law. 

Our war of 1776 was really a declaration 
of independence of the United States from 
the rest of the world. Our entrance into 
this war is a declaration of our inter- 
dependence on the whole movement of 
democracy. We are part and parcel of a 
world epoch. We are re-living the days 
I used to study and teach of the American 
Revolution, when liberty meant something 
— when people meant something— worth 
dying for. 

I see today the rise of a new American 
spirit of loyalty to the ideals of our con- 
stitution. Modern democracy Is our con- 
tribution to the world's history. When I 
see the British rolling back the Turks in 
the Tigris valley, refusing to stay beaten 
by Turkey and capturing Bagdad, I feel 
that the democracy of America is there. 
When I see the line of trenches running 



103 



from sea to sea and the resistless courage 
of those brave sons of Prance, I feel the 
democracy of America is at work. And I 
am glad that now our own sons, are to 
share in the crushing of autocracy. Our 
business Is not to enforce democracy on 
Germany, but to "make the world safe for 
democracy," as President Wilson so won- 
derfully said. We believe that after this 
war the democratic forces of Germany will 
be given an opportunity to release that 
liberal Germany that has been repressed 
since 1815; that liberal Germany will anew 
come to a sense of those splendid ideals 



which It used to teach the world; that the 
liberals of Germany will be able to estab- 
lish a constitution that shall be a fit com- 
panion of the English, the American and 
the French constitutions; that out of this 
awful world struggle will come for all the 
world — for Germany most of all — the vic- 
tory of those Ideals which our fathers or- 
ganized and defended, which we have em- 
bodied In our life, and which we and the 
British and the French have carried around 
the world — these Ideals of a "government 
of the people, by the people and for the 
people." 



BOOKS IN CAMP, TRENCH AND HOSPITAL* 

By Theodore Wesley Koch, Chief Order Division, Library of Congress 
ABRmcED BY Arthur E. Bostwick 



Books and magazines are being supplied 
in great numbers to the British troops 
through four agencies: (1) The British 
Red Cross and Order of St. John War Li- 
brary; (2) The Camps Library; (3) The 
Young Men's Christian Association, and 
(4) The British Prisoners of War Book 
Scheme (Educational). With this paper, 
I am sending an exhibit of specimens of 
the kind of books and magazines which 
have proved most useful in entertaining 
and instructing the men. I have not sent 
standard authors, but rather literature 
popular with Tommy Atkins and Jack Tar, 
but unknown to most Americans. 

No time should be lost in interesting 
those who have the means, the leisure and 
the executive ability to see that similar 
work is started at once in the United 



•Mr. Koch's paper, written in London, has 
been published there by J. M. Dent & Sons, 
with preface by Mr. J. T. W. MacAllster, 
president of the British Library Association, 
and a postscript by Dr. C. T. Hagberg 
Wright. (Svo. 48 pp. Is. 6d.) With the ex- 
ception of a few passages not received in 
time for insertion, Mr. Koch's paper was 
printed in the Library Journal, July, August, 
1917. Supplementary chapters appeared in 
the Library Journal for October, 1917. 



States. Co-operation or affiliation with the 
British organizations should be considered. 

1. The War Library 

The night after the war had been de- 
clared, Mrs. H. M. Gaskell lay awake won- 
dering how she could best help in the 
coming struggle. Recalling how much a 
certain book she had read during a recent 
illness had meant to her, she realized the 
value of providing literature for the sick 
and wounded. A few days later she dined 
with some friends and talked over this op- 
portunity for service, with the result that 
Lady Battersea decided to lend her splen- 
did mansion, Surrey House, Marble Arch, 
for the work. 

The call for books was the first appeal 
of the war, and newspapers were glad to 
give their space and support free. To the 
surprise of the organizers the overworked 
volunteers were soon unable to keep up 
with the unexpected volume of gifts. It 
was necessary to hire empty wagons to 
stand at the door for the refuse, for many 
people had seized this as an opportunity to 
clean out their rubbish piles. To offset 



104 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



this, however, there were over a million 
well selected books, including rare editions 
which were sold and the money invested 
in the kind of books most needed. 

The permanent hospitals were supplied 
with a library before the wounded arrived, 
and as the war area expanded the War 
Library followed with literature. Adver- 
tisements in American and Canadian news- 
papers brought gifts from across the 
water, and later, large consignments came 
from South Africa, Australia, Madeira, the 
Canary Islands and New Zealand. English 
publishers were more than generous. 

In November, 1914, the War Library or- 
ganization began to supply the sailors in 
the North Sea Fleet and boxes of books 
were sent to guards around the coasts. 
When the Camps Library was organized 
the originators of the War Library met 
with the promoters of the new scheme and 
discussed a division of labor. It was 
agreed that the War Library should look 
after the "unfit," while the new organiza- 
tion would take care of the "fit." This 
plan has worked well, but it has been hard 
to keep up with the demand. Relief came 
through the action of the Postmaster Gen- 
eral, by whose orders the Postoffice now 
forwards reading material free. In Octo- 
ber, 1915, the Red Cross and Order of St. 
John not only affiliated the War Library 
scheme with its organization, but became 
financially responsible for the undertaking. 
The library Is now supplying East Africa, 
Bombay, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Salonikl 
and Malta monthly with thousands of 
books and magazines. Fortnightly parcels 
go to hospitals in France. To-day the or- 
ganization is supplying approximately 1810 
hospitals in Great Britain, 262 in France, 
58 naval hospitals and hospital ships. 

At the suggestion of Mr. Rudyard Kip- 
ling scrapbooks are used for patients too 
weak to hold books. The pages are filled 
with pictures interspersed with jokes, 
anecdotes and very short stories or poems. 
Comic postcards are also used. Pictures 
are always placed straight before the eye 
so that the invalid may not have to turn 
the scrap-book around, for many a patient 



is too weak to lift his hand to know what 
the next page has in store for him. The 
books have been furnished In large num- 
bers by a generous public. A games de- 
partment has also been established. There 
is a never ceasing demand for playing- 
cards, dominos, draughts, and good jig- 
saw puzzles — even with a few pieces 
missing. Anything that can be packed 
flat is acceptable. 

As to the kind of books the soldiers ask 
for, Mrs. Gaskell says: "Perhaps your 
eyes will be opened, as mine were, to new 
worlds of literature. Detective stories are 
shouted for; so Is the bull dog breed, 
'The Red Seal' and 'The Adventure' series; 
and all sorts of penny novelettes. Of 
course, all sevenpenny, sixpenny and shill- 
ing editions are invaluable from their 
handy size and good print. And for the 
favorite authors — they are nearly all In 
the sixpenny and sevenpenny series. All 
detective stories are hailed with joy. 
Poetry is in demand. The first and second 
sixpenny series of the 'Hundred Best 
Poems' go out in generous instalments; so 
do the 'Hundred Best Love Poems.' 
Shakespeare is preferred in single plays. 

"There's a demand among the men for 
handbooks on trade-handicraft subjects; 
and maps are most acceptable. The offi- 
cers ask for new six shilling novels and all 
kinds of lighter biographies, what Robert 
Louis Stevenson calls 'heroic gossip.' 
Travel books of all sorts are acclaimed; 
so, too, are the light-to-hold editions of 
Thackeray, Dickens, Poe, Kipling and 
Meredith." 

An officer in charge of a casualty clear- 
ing hospital writes of the great joy in camp 
when he distributed the contents of a par- 
cel among the patients. A popular paper- 
bound novel by Nat Gould lasts less than 
a week — a writer probably unknown to 
American librarians, but of whose books 
we are told by the publishers, over ten 
million copies have been sold. According 
to the Athenaeum, he is the most popular 
of living writers, and among the great of 
the past, Dumas alone surpasses him. 

The routine handling of this material is 



105 



as follows: After unpacking, the books 
are stamped and sorted into various 
classes — like sevenpenny novels, sixpenny 
paper-bound novels, poetry, classics, relig- 
ious and miscellaneous — and placed on dif- 
ferent tables. Acknowledgements are 
made on a special card. The requests are 
entered in a daybook, with date, address 
and number of items to be sent. A label 
is written, consignment sheet made out, 
advice card attached, as well as a notice 
card to be hung up for reference in the 
hospital. These are all fastened together 
with a clip and placed in a box for the 
selectors. The selectors choose the books 
and magazines to be sent out, enclose the 
notice cards, fill in and address the advice 
card and place the selection, with the label, 
in a box for the packers. After the parcel 
is packed and addressed the label is at- 
tached, the address entered in the railway 
book, then advice card and consignment 
sheet are placed in a drawer until the rail- 
way company representative calls. When 
the parcels leave the library the advice 
cards are dated and posted, the consign- 
ment sheets filled and an index card is 
written for the hospital if one has not al- 
ready been made. The number of parcels 
sent and the date are entered in the day- 
book, and the book containing the original 
entry is checked. 

2, The Camps Library 
The Camps Library owes its origin to 
the desire of the English to prepare in 
every way for the arrival of their oversea 
brethren. Col. Sir Edward Ward sug- 
gested that, among other things needed for 
the colonial troops, libraries be estab- 
lished for their use. The War Office 
approved, and the Hon. Mrs. Anstruther 
undertook the organization of the work. 
An appeal to the public quickly brought 
30,000 books. Special tents fitted with 
rough shelving and tables were provided 
in the camps of the Canadian soldiers, and 
the chaplains undertook the care and the 
distribution of the books. Mrs. Gaskell 
comments on the curiously different appe- 
tite for books shown by the overseas con- 
tingent, remarking that the Canadians 



have an insatiable desire for books of ref- 
erence. 

Large quantities of books and magazines 
were forwarded to the Australians and 
New Zealanders in Egypt. Then a much 
larger enterprise was launched; the pro- 
vision of libraries for the camps of the 
Territorial and New Armies all over the 
United Kingdom. A large empty ware- 
house was equipped with shelves and 
tables and a further appeal was made to 
the public. The supply of books was ample 
at first, but with success came Increased 
demands. Then came the realization that 
the men in the trenches and in convales- 
cent and rest camps at the front also 
needed books. Consequently a system was 
organized by which, once a month, boxes 
were sent to every unit in the Expedi- 
tionary Force, 200 books to a battalion. 
Bales were also made up for the use of 
men on trains and transports. 

Then the post offices throughout the 
country became collecting depots. Those 
wishing to send books to soldiers or sail- 
ors need only hand them unaddressed, un- 
wrapped and unstamped, over the counter 
of any post office, and they are forwarded 
free of charge to headquarters for sorting, 
labeling and shipping to the troops. The 
literature sent in is distributed according 
to an agreed proportion of bags to the 
London Chamber of Commerce and the 
British and Foreign Sailors' Association 
for the use of the Navy; to the British Red 
Cross and Order of St. John War Library 
for the use of hospitals and hospital ships; 
the bulk goes to the Camps Library, which 
since the beginning of the war has dealt 
with over nine million publications. The 
Camps Library alone requires 75,000 pieces 
weekly. 

The following Is the system of distribu- 
tion: Any commanding officer can call 
upon the Camps Library for bound books, 
which are sent in lots of one hundred in 
the proportion of one book to every six 
men. Automatically, once a month, no 
application being necessary, boxes or bales 
of books and magazines are sent to all 
units, in proportion to their strength. 



106 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Monthly supplies of magazines are sent to 
the bases for the use of the men entrain- 
ing for the front. Chaplains receive on 
application a box once a fortnight or a 
bale once a month, and libraries have been 
formed at most of the prisoners' camps in 
Germany. 

If anyone has a doubt as to whether 
these books and magazines are appre- 
ciated, a glance through the hundreds of 
letters kept at headquarters will dispel it. 
"The men all ask for pre-war magazines," 
says one officer. "It is nice to get away 
from it for a time." Again: "The last 
parcel of your books came just as we had 
been relieved after the gas attack, and 
there is nothing like a book for taking 
one's mind off what one has seen and gone 
through." "The lads were never so 
pleased in their lives as when I told them 
I had some books for them," is the way 
one lance-corporal puts it. 

A regimental officer writes from Galli- 
poli that he considers it most important 
"to give the men some occupation in this 
monotonous and dull trench warfare." Men 
in Saloniki have requested a copy of a 
Greek history, their interest being awak- 
ened by the treasure of antiquity which 
they excavated while digging trenches. "It 
would give us great joy to get a few books 
on Syria and Palestine," says an army 
chaplain. "Men are hungry for informa- 
tion." 
3. The Young Men's Christian Association 

"Until the beginning of the war," writes 
F. A. McKenzie in the London Daily Mail, 
"the average citizen regarded the Y. M. C. 
A. as a somewhat milk-and-waterish organi- 
zation, run by elderly men, to preach to 
youth. It does not do much preaching 
nowadays. It is too busy serving." The 
organization has emerged from a position 
of comparative obscurity into one of na- 
tional prominence. Ever since the war 
broke out it has sent a constant stream of 
books and magazines to its huts at home 
and overseas. For nearly two years the 
Y. M. C. A. made its appeal through the 
Camps Library; but the demand increased 
so enormously that no single organization 



could cope with it, and the Y. M. C. A. 
agreed to enter upon a book campaign of 
its own. In certain parts of the country, 
Y. M. C. A. book-days have been held, when 
by the aid of Boy Scouts, or a collection 
taken on the tramways, thousands of vol- 
umes have been secured for local huts. 

The general libraries are intended to 
contain the best stories, poetry, travel, 
biography and essays, both classical and 
modern. Educational books are needed in 
every hut where lectures and classes are 
being carried on. A good devotional li- 
brary is wanted for every Quiet Room. 
The Y. M. C. A. has taken over the work 
hitherto carried on by the Fighting Forces 
Book Council to provide literature of solid 
and educational value. The authorities 
feel that they need large numbers, not so 
much of school books or textbooks, as of 
brightly written reliable modern mono- 
graphs like those in the "Home University 
Library." Notices were sent out in Febru- 
ary, 1917, calling attention to the need for 
small pocket editions of good novels by 
standard authors; books of history, biog- 
raphy and travel; manuals of science; 
religious books; illustrated magazines; 
really good literature of all kinds, but not 
large or heavy books, and no old out-of- 
date ones. 

Mr. A. St. John Adcock, the novelist 
and journalist, has described a visit he 
made to the Y. M. C. A. huts in France and 
in Flanders. "Wherever the troops go," 
said he, "the huts of the Y. M. C. A. spring 
up in the midst of them; or if you notice 
no huts it is because you are in the danger 
zone, and the Y. M. C. A. is carrying on its 
beneficent business as usual in dim cel- 
lars under shattered houses or in conveni- 
ent dug-outs among the trenches 

There is always a library and, perhaps 
because books happen to be my own prin- 
cipal form of enjoyment, I always think it 
adds just the last touch of homeliness to 
the hut. And you may depend that thou- 
sands of soldiers think so, too. For one 
has only to remember that our armies to- 
day are like no armies that ever went to 
battle for us before. Most of our soldiers 



107 



in the Napoleonic wars, even in the 
Crimean War, did not require books, be- 
cause they couldn't read; but the British, 
Canadian, Australasian and South African 
troops on service the world over are 
largely made up of men who were part of 
what we call the reading public at home." 

A sergeant was anxious to know if Mr. 
Adcock could send him half-a-dozen copies 
of Omar Khayyam, which he would like 
to give to some of his men as Christmas 
presents. There were several Dickens en- 
thusiasts in the camp. One who knew 
nothing of him before he went out, except 
the "Tale of Two Cities," had, since he had 
been in France, borrowed and read "David 
Copperfield" and "Great Expectations," and 
was now deep in "Our Mutual Friend." 
"He spoke of these stories," says Mr. Ad- 
cock, "as delightedly as a man might talk 
of the wonders of a newly discovered 
world." There is a surprising number of 
more serious readers who ask for Carlyle, 
^merson. Lamb, Greene, Ruskin, Shake- 
speare, Tennyson — books which frequently 
cannot be supplied. 

"I overtook a smart young soldier one 
afternoon on the fringe of one of the base 
camps," writes Mr. Adcock. "He limped 
slightly, and as we walked together I 
noticed a copy of Browning sticking out 
of his breast pocket, and remarked upon 
it. He drew the book from his pocket, 
and I noticed the Y. M. C. A. stamp on it. 
'Yes,' he said, 'they've got some fine little 
libraries in the huts. They are a godsend 
to the chaps here. But I haven't been able 
to come across a Shelley or a Francis 
Thompson yet. I would like to read 
Thompson.' " 

"The problem of dealing with conditions, 
at such a time, and under existing circum- 
stances, at the rest camps, has always been 
a most difficult one," wrote General French 
from Headquarters, "but the erection of 
huts by the Young Men's Christian Asso- 
ciation has made this far easier. The 
extra comfort thereby afforded to the men, 
and the opportunities for reading and writ- 
ing have been of incalculable service." In 
view of all that this organization is doing 



at the front, it is no wonder that the sol- 
diers interpret the Y. M. C. A. sign as 
meaning "You Make Christianity Attrac- 
tive." 

4. British Prisoners of War Book Scheme 
(educational) 

Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities, 
three Englishmen, held captive in the 
makeshift camp, formed out of the build- 
ings attached to the race-course at Ruhle- 
ben, near Berlin, sent identical letters to 
three friends in Great Britain asking that 
serious books be sent them for purposes 
of study. This led to a system of book 
supply for prisoners of war in Germany. 
The Camp Education Department was or- 
ganized, and an appeal to the public was 
sanctioned by the President of the Board 
of Education. Within the first year about 
9,000 educational books were forwarded to 
Ruhleben. The 200 lecturers and their 
pupils, gathered from the 4,000 civilians 
interned there, now have an excellent 
library to draw from. The foreign office 
then approved steps taken to extend the 
plan to other camps. 

This book scheme does not overlap the 
work of any other war organization. "It 
will be a matter of surprise to many," says 
Mr. Alfred T. Davies, "to learn that, for 
over a year and a half, some 200 lecturers 
and teachers and 1,500 students, organized 
in nine different departments of study, 
have been busily at work in the camp, and 
that there is perhaps as much solid work 
going on there as can be claimed to-day 
by any university in the British Empire." 

The educational work of the camp is 
suited to three classes: (1) Those whose 
internment has interrupted their prepara- 
tions for examinations; (2) Those who al- 
ready had entered upon a commercial or 
professional career; (3) Those who are 
pursuing some form of learning for learn- 
ing's sake. Interned men who attend 
classes may secure under certain condi- 
tions a recognition of their work when 
they return home. A record form has 
been drawn up for use in the camps, for 
the purpose of obtaining and preserving 



108 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



authenticated details of the courses of 
study pursued. If a man wants to become 
a master, mate, engineer in the mercantile 
marine, skipper or second hand of a fish- 
ing vessel, and is willing to devote a few 
hours a day to study in a camp he can thus 
have this work counted towards his cer- 
tificate. 

The Ruhleben Camp started a library of 
its own on Nov. 14, 1914, with 83 books. 
By July, 1915, there were 2,000 English 
and American magazines, 300 German 
books and 130 French books. On the aver- 
age 250 books a day were taken out. As 
they had a printer in camp, they decided 
to print a catalog. The demands that come 
in now at the enlarged library are varied 
and curious. Books in fourteen languages 
have been asked for and supplied. Dic- 
tionaries and books on electricity and 
engineering are constantly in demand. 
The aim of the organization is to provide 
every prisoner with exactly the book or 
books he may desire or need, on any sub- 
ject or in any language. Bishop Bury, 
who visited the camp officially, said that 
there was so much studying going on tha.t 
he called it the University of Ruhleben. 
The interned men publish a magazine "In 
Ruhleben Camp," in which are reflected 
the various currents of thought among the 
prisoners. 

The committee in charge of the British 
Prisoners of War Book Scheme is also 
considering a plan whereby released pris- 
oners in poor circumstances, and especially 
those living in rural districts and remote 
parts of the British Isles, will be able to 
obtain the loan, for the purposes of study, 
of books which they cannot afford to buy. 



and which they cannot borrow from a 

nearby public library. 

****** 

The foregoing is an account of the prin- 
cipal channels through which books are 
supplied to the troops, but books are also 
being printed for the fighting men and 
sent to them at the front by several relig- 
ious denominations and Bible societies. 
The secretary of the Religious Tract So- 
ciety informs me that their organization 
has supplied the troops with books in 
twenty-six languages. Thus, they printed 
selections from the Bible in Malagas! for 
the men called over by the French, and a 
book of prayers and songs in three lan- 
guages for the colored laborers from South 
Africa. As an illustration of the educa- 
tional work they have been able to do, 
mention may be trade of a grant they 
gave a chaplain in tl.e navy who was read- 
ing Greek with a stoker on his boat. At 
the outbreak of the war the stoker of to- 
day had been attending college with the 
idea of preparing himself for the noncon- 
formist ministry. To a German prisoner 
of war in the Isle of Man the Tract So- 
ciety had sent upon request some aids to 
the study of the New Testament. 

Another British organization exists 
solely for the purpose of supplying books 
to the Russian prisoners of war in Ger- 
many. But the story of what it has been 
able to accomplish had best be told by one 
of the leading spirits in all things con- 
nected with Russian literature in England 
— Dr. C. Hagberg Wright, librarian of the 
London Library — and he has kindly writ- 
ten a special article on this phase of the 
work. 



BOOKS FOR THE RUSSIAN PRISONERS OF WAR IN GERMANY 
By C. T. Hagbebg Wright. Librarian, London (Eng.) Library 



When a sleeper wakes from a Ion?, un- 
broken slumber to find himself in a strange 
environment he is usually slow to realize 
his novel surroundings. Escape being ini 
possible, he sets about fitting himself for 



the work in store, but he does so with mis- 
givings and manifold mistakes. So Eng- 
land, waking to a state of war and striv- 
ing to meet tlie demands of unforeseen 
and terrible conditions, has blundered, 



WRIGHT 



109 



stumbled, agonized, but still held on, while 
the nation has realized day by day and 
month by month, the penalties of unpre- 
paredness. 

Qulclsly, and on the whole efficiently, the 
new citizen army was supplied with equip- 
ment, munitions and commissariat. Next 
the wounded ashore and afloat became the 
objects of general thought and generosity. 
All manner of comforts and luxuries were 
showered on them and, lastly, the suffer- 
ings of the prisoners of war were relieved 
by public and private organizations. But 
throughout all this vast expenditure of 
money and of personal effort, there was a 
prevailing tendency to treat the needs of 
our forces, whether in the field, the hos- 
pital or the prisoners' camp, as essentially 
material needs. The feeding of their minds 
came as an afterthought and developed 
from the tentative efforts of a few civilians. 

The attitude of the average well-informed 
man towards such questions may be illus- 
trated by quoting the chairman of a com- 
mittee now sitting, who on a recent occa- 
sion enquired of the present writer, "And 
what is the London Library?" The aver- 
age soldier equally discounts the value of 
literature and ignores its importance In 
the national life. 

The cry for books, more books, made 
itself heard continually from all quarters 
and, lamentably late in the day, we began 
to realize the mental state of those who 
are doomed to a life empty of all intellec- 
tual occupations or interests. Not only 
England was remiss and laggard in this 
matter. The position of the Russian pris- 
oners of war in Germany called for the 
sympathy and help of all who had ears to 
hear and means of aiding them, and among 
their most timely and generous helpers 
America holds a leading place. 

In wartime particularly, the soldier finds 
scant leisure for books, and merely glances 
at newspapers and light fiction. Serious 
reading Is commonly confined to members 
of the War Intelligence department. But 
in hospital and in captivity it Is far other- 
wise. Debarred from normal employment, 
depressed by his position, it Is only between 



the covers of books that he can find relief 
and pleasure. He would be the first to be 
indignant with the officer who remarked 
that in these times "a hairdresser was 
more useful than a librarian." 

The first organized effort in this coun- 
try to provide Russian prisoners In Ger- 
many with Russian books, was a little com- 
mittee of four persons which I called to- 
gether in August, 1915. They were Pro- 
fessor VInogradoff of Oxford as chairman, 
two Russian ladies and myself. 

In October, 1916, in order to comply with 
Government regulations the committee was 
enlarged, but the work has been carried on 
as before. The committee now consists of 
Mr. Edmund Gosse, C. B., chairman (Pro- 
fessor VInogradoff having resigned, owing 
to his departure for Russia) ; secretary, C. 
J. Purnell; treasurer, C. T. Hagberg 
Wright; committee: Professor P. VIno- 
gradoff, Mme. Matheson, Mile. Ivanitsky; 
address: London Library, St. James's 
Square, S. W. 

A Russian committee in Holland imme- 
diately entered into negotiations with us, 
and pointed out that the demand for read- 
ing matter was quite as urgent as the de- 
mand for physical comforts. Through 
their agency we were first put in touch 
with many of the camps, and a little later. 
Countess Benckendorf's committee for 
supplying food to Russian prisoners also 
gave us useful information. Let me quote 
a few typical examples of the kind of let- 
ters addressed to us by prisoners, both 
civilian and military. 

The first Is from a young girl volunteer 
who is now a prisoner at Havelburg, who 
has written asking for a parcel of food. 
She says: "I am a schoolgirl of nineteen 
years, and have been a prisoner two and 
a half years, but what I want is to have 
some books to study English, if it is pos- 
sible. Please reply to me." 

Another letter from a young soldier is 
as follows: "I am a student of the Ori- 
ental Institute of Vladivostok where I 
was studying Chinese and Japanese, and 
now after eighteen months of captivity 1 
find that I have in part forgotten these 



110 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



languages. If it be possible I should so 
like to obtain something in these lan- 
guages, either in Russian or French, to 
enable me to continue my studies." 

A Russian lieutenant begs for some 
books on jurisprudence such as are now 
used in the courses of "our institute for 
the study of neurology and psychology." 

An officer in control of the Langensalza 
camp library says: "Our camp is very 
large, and there is a continual and ex- 
traordinary demand for books. Popular 
scientific books and books on social ques- 
tions are most in demand." 

Where no specific request has been 
made, we have sent books of a varied 
character. For the common soldiers, ele- 
mentary school books and simple reading 
books, scientific primers, books on agri- 
culture, and religious books and the works 
of great Russian writers have been se- 
lected. 

For the oflicers we have chosen books 
of a more advanced description, embrac- 
ing every conceivable branch of knowl- 
edge. A large number of grammars and 
dictionaries have also been sent, and are 
in continual request. Roughly, fifty gram- 
mars and dictionaries have been des- 
patched to Altdamm — but this is a mere 
drop in the ocean when one considers 
that many of the camps number over one 
thousand men. 

The demand for special books of study 
has as far as possible been complied with, 
but in a few cases great difficulty has been 
experienced in obtaining what is wanted 
in Russian. 

Not only have the librarians of various 
prisoners' camps sent requests for simple 
reading books for the instruction of the 
unlettered peasant soldiers, but for tech- 
nical works on agriculture, bee-keeping, 
the use of manures, the care of cattle. 
Russia is peculiarly rich in this type of 
technical literature. There is no other 
country with so large an output of pop- 
ular guides and textbooks of this descrip- 
tion, which owe their existence partly to 
the Zemstvos and partly to private enter- 
prise. Their circulation throughout Rus- 



sia is enormous and ever increasing, and 
a Russian pastor in Schneidemiihl, in the 
course of a letter of acknowledgment for 
presents of literature, remarks that the 
prisoners have been eagerly devouring the 
agricultural handbooks. This excellent 
man, like many of the educated Russians 
interned in Germany, is occupied in teach- 
ing his illiterate companions to read and 
write, and explaining to them such phrases 
and technical expressions as present dif- 
ficulties in the course of their studies. In 
this connection it may be said that Rus- 
sian primers and schoolbooks are among 
the best in the world. Their simplicity 
and clearness leave nothing to be desired, 
and the abundance of illustrations give 
valuable aid to the teacher, be his pupils 
native or foreign. 

It has been remarked that the bulk of 
the Russian prisoners desire books of in- 
struction rather than light literature, and 
this fact may be taken as an augury of 
the future of the great Slav race. The 
rapidly dawning desire of the mass of the 
population for education and enlighten- 
ment in regard to the world beyond their 
frontiers, is by its own energy daily ful- 
filling itself. 

The highly educated upper classes of 
Russia have given ear to the call of their 
peasant brothers and the gulf fixed be- 
tween the intellectuals and the illiterates 
is at' length being solidly bridged over. 
The peasant farmer in time to come may 
lose something of that childlike faith and 
obedience to authority which has distin- 
guished him, but he will gain instead, the 
self-reliance, the spirit of independence, 
the knowledge of himself and of others 
which are his birthright. He will realize 
that "there is no darkness but ignorance." 

It may also be mentioned that in ac- 
cordance with the regulations of the Hague 
Convention all parcels are sent free of 
cost. The work in connection with the 
packing and sending of parcels has been 
done voluntarily by the staff of the Lon- 
don Library in their spare time. 

We have been able to send one or more 
parcels to eighty-five camps in Germany, 



ORR 



111 



The committee have received very grate- 
ful acknowledgments from the Russian 
prisoners of war, of which I append two 
specimens: 

"I have received your invaluable par- 
cel of books, and I have seen the Light. 
I cannot tell you how grateful I am." 

"In the name of the pupils and masters 
of the school I send you our sincerest 
thanks. As one interested in natural his- 
tory and giving lectures on this subject 
here, I consider it my duty to thank you 
specially for the great number of valu- 
able books on natural history which we 
have received from you." 

We have employed the well-known firm 
of Messrs. Muir and Mirrielies, Petrovka, 
Moscow, for the purchase of books. This 
firm has acted with discriminating care, 
and the chief of their book department, 
to whom the task of selection was neces- 
sarily largely entrusted, has been most 
zealous in choosing appropriate literature. 
We have also been assisted occasionally 
by the advice of personal friends in Rus- 
sia. 



The difficulty, since February, 1917, of 
obtaining books for Russia has enormously 
increased, but nevertheless we have been 
able to send 178 parcels. From the begin- 
ning of our activities we have sent 2,1C4 
parcels. For the first quarter of 1917, 401 
parcels have been posted to Germany. 
Reckoned in weight, we have sent ap- 
proximately eight tons of books to Ger- 
many. Each parcel weighs on an average 
10% pounds, 11 pounds being the limit 
permissible by postal regulations. About 
2,000 Russian books were received from 
sympathizers in Great Britain. Contribu- 
tions of money have amounted in all to 
£1,365, of which £1,025 were received as 
a grant from the National Allied Relief 
Committee of America, for whose gener- 
osity and cooperation we are most grate- 
ful. Indeed, our small committee could 
hardly have undertaken the additional 
labor of making constant appeals to the 
public and to private friends. 



COOPERATION IN WAR WORK BETWEEN THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSO- 
CIATION AND THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 

By William Ork, Educational Secretary of the National War Work Council of the 
Y. M. C. A., Neic York City 



I suppose I can qualify under one of 
the counts of the indictment that was 
so good naturedly given on the make- 
up of the Young Men's Christian Associa- 
tion, but I believe that is the only count 
that can be made good against the As- 
sociation today. The British tell us that 
they learned how to do the job with 
the assistance of certain Young Men's 
Christian Association workers from this 
country who were so very practical in their 
suggestions as to be regarded as a little 
bit worldly. However this may be, the 
British associations were thoroughly pre- 
pared, so that when this tremendous task 
of the war confronted them they set about 
that work effectively. 

I appreciate the courtesy of your Asso- 



ciation giving me this opportunity to pre- 
sent to you a few of the ways whereby, I 
believe, we can be of assistance in this 
great work, because we must recognize 
frankly, if we are to do it effectively, how 
enormous it is. This requires some imag- 
ination. You can see from the report of 
Mr. Koch that the demands from the Brit- 
ish army and the Colonial troops prac- 
tically ran away with these people for a 
time, and I have something of that feeling 
today, as I contemplate the new demands 
being made upon us in connection with 
this particular type of service for our 
troops. So we should plan with care and 
judgment so that organization and admin- 
istration shall be such as to meet the de- 
mands. Money must be spent freely, even 



112 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



extravagantly, in an emergency, but ex- 
travagance does not mean waste, and while 
we spend profusely, generously, even ex- 
travagantly, our time and money, let us 
avoid as much as possible the waste of 
duplication from a conflict of interests. It 
it too big a cause for such embarrassments 
to be tolerated. 

Briefly, what has the Young Men's 
Christian Association to offer? Pardon me 
for two references to history. The Asso- 
ciation in the Spanish-American War be- 
gan to serve the troops with books in a 
somewhat desultory fashion. When the 
troops were sent to the Mexican border, 
the Association responded at once, set- 
ting up buildings and sending workers to 
the front. One of the obvious things was 
to provide material whereby letters could 
be written friends and relatives, and en- 
courage men to do so; a service that has 
won unqualified commendation from the 
army officers and that has been the means 
of comfort to many homes. Literature was 
called for and was sent. There was valu- 
able cooperation from the New York Pub- 
lic Library. V/hen the present war was 
imminent Dr. Mott saw at once that it was 
necessary to establish an organization 
capable of meeting the demands of the oc- 
casion. So a National War Work Council 
was formed, representing the International 
Committee and all Associations in this 
country. This Council is composed of 
over one hundred and fifty of the leading 
business and professional men of the coun- 
try from San Francisco to New York. 
Under the auspices of this Council steps 
were taken to raise a War Fund. One of 
the leading secretaries was called from 
his post and put in charge. In one month 
three million dollars was raised by contri- 
butions from associations, individuals and 
business firms. When it was seen that 
three million dollars was not enough, the 
order went out to make it four million 
dollars, and this will be done beyond 
doubt. On the 1st of June there was three 
million dollars on hand. Bureaus have been 
created under the War Work Council, one 



in charge of the building and construction, 
another in charge of selecting workers 
who are competent and fit. A bureau con- 
ducts the religious work, further looks 
after recreation and athletics, another is 
in charge of educational work. There is 
also a Bureau of Publicity. There are six 
geographical departments, each with an 
executive. The organization will repre- 
sent, when fully working, a force of care- 
fully trained men, specialists in selected 
fields, to the number of twelve or fifteen 
hundred. In addition there are contingents 
of sixty or one hundred men all told, who 
are to cross from an American port to 
"Somewhere in England" and "Somewhere 
in France," so that when our troops arrive 
these workers will be on the spot. I 
looked into the faces of a group of these 
men the other day and would challenge 
anyone to get together a group of finer 
tempered, more capable, devoted men. 
Some are going at great personal sacrifice. 
Buildings will be erected at Paris and 
Bordeaux and London. 

In this country for each brigade of six 
thousand or seven thousand men there is 
to be a building. That building will be 
provided with an auditorium. There will 
be moving picture apparatus, provisions 
for housing the secretarial staff, and four 
rooms for class purposes, and for meet- 
ings of groups of men for purposes for 
which the auditorium will not be conveni- 
ent, and space for books which we now 
realize, after consultation with the New 
York library people, is not adequate and 
for which extensions are to be made as 
rapidly as possible in the new buildings. 

May I say, as Dr. Putnam read his 
paper, I followed with great interest his 
analysis of the situation and the recom- 
mendations he makes with regard to ef- 
fective action? I can simply say on behalf 
of the men in principal charge of the Y. 
M. C. A. work that we stand ready to co- 
operate with you in every way. We are 
ready to take up and consider such 
changes in the plans of buildings as will 
provide for the adequate housing of books, 



ORU 



113 



The situation is not one concerning wliich 
I can make a statement that will be final, 
because the changes in the buildings will 
have to be made as required, but we do 
stand ready to provide additional library 
space. We stand ready to aid in getting 
the collection of books. We stand ready to 
organize expert service effectively. The 
men in charge of this great movement of 
the Y. M. C. A. stand ready to cooperate 
with the American Library Association in 
any comprehensive plans it may have for 
this undertaking. 

Now, one note of Dr. Putnam's in re- 
gard to the home base. He speaks of the 
disposition on the part of the municipal 
authorities to economize. Often economy 
comes at the expense of things we think 
most important, for example, public 
schools and the library. I remember, in 
Springfield, Massachusetts, during the 
Civil War, or just at its close, when people 
were feeling poor. Dr. William Rice, who 
built up that institution — developed later 
by John C. Dana and Hiller C. Wellman — 
the library consisted of a limited collec- 
tion of books, in two small rooms in the 
City Hall, and Dr. Rice had the temerity 
to ask that gas be installed. That was a 
challenge to the city government and a 
committee waited on Dr. Rice, and insisted 
that, instead of putting in gas, he should 
economize. He said, "Gentlemen, I did 
not call you here to talk about economiz- 
ing. Instead of economizing on gas I want 
this and this and this," and he got them. 

Now, we have in Springfield, Massachu- 
setts, that magnificent library, with a nota- 
ble art collection and a museum of natural 
history, representing a value of over two 
million dollars. That may have been a 
critical moment when the committee called 
on Dr. Rice, and were told, "This is not 
the time to economize, but to spend 
money," extravagantly. It you will. No 
city government is willing to go before the 
community when the issue Is made clear 
that It Is for the well-being of the com- 
munity. Make the Issue clear. 

(Mr. Orr, concluding his remarks at this 
point, wjts asked whether in equipping a 



library for soldiers in cooperation with the 
Y. M. C. A., the library books should be 
kept separate from the Y. M. C. A. or 
merged with the books of the Y. M. C. A., 
whether the expert service of librarians 
should be placed at the disposal of the Y. 
M. C. A., or whether librarians should keep 
their work separate and distinct.) 

Mr. Orr: I do not think it is quite time 
to decide a question like that. I think we 
must have a certain amount of experi- 
mentation, under proper control and ac- 
cept whatever seems best under the cir- 
cumstances. In Chicago there is effective 
cooperation. Apparently there is no diffi- 
culty there. In Massachusetts, last Sat- 
urday I made a tour of isolated posts be- 
tween Boston and Lowell, and saw service 
at first hand, in which the State Library 
Commission of Massachusetts is cooper- 
ating with the Y. M. C. A. Our outfit was 
an auto. We had to go quite rapidly at 
times. Traveling libraries are provided by 
the Commission to be left at posts where 
there are twenty or thirty men, to be kept 
until they are through with them, when 
they are taken to central headquarters and 
shipped to other posts. In New York 
State libraries are sent to the buildings 
of the Y. M. C. A., under the direction of 
our executive oflSces kept .intact. It may 
be desirable at places to establish branch 
libraries under the direction of the library 
authorities. In that case the Y. M. C. A. 
will aid in developing an interest in read- 
ing. It is a little early yet to lay down 
any hard and fast plan that shall be put 
in operation all over the country. The 
conditions are various and changing. 

I rarely had such an interesting experi- 
ence as I had last Saturday when visiting 
the camps. Here are three or four men 
guarding a railroad bridge; their tents are 
near a picturesque stream; here are men 
guarding a system of bridges; another 
group of men is at an armory, ready for 
summons to service; another post is in 
the midst of woods. I was interested by 
the homely good, simple, true-hearted char- 
acter of those soldier boys. They are 
clean-minded men, facing their duty in the 
spirit that does us honor; who crave above 



114 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



everything else something that shall keep 
them in touch with the great world of men 
and affairs, because they are lonely and 
isolated. It was a gratification to see how 
much that brief visit meant and the appre- 
ciation of the bundle of magazines or the 
package of books or the game of checkers 
or dominos. Most of all what appealed to 
these men was, not what was given, but 
the spirit in which it was given. 

I have been impressed at the New York 
office with the tremendous potential re- 
sources that we have for this undertaking. 
Every day I have to say to people, "Wait 



just a moment. We are trying to get this 
thing organized so it will be done effect- 
ively." I say, "Don't start this thing .going 
until the library people have decided how 
books shall be selected and transmitted 
and sent over the country, so each camp 
will have its proper share." Many, many 
people are interested who want to serve, 
and it rests with you to see that this genu- 
ine, earnest desire for service shall be put 
to the most effective use. That is a great 
undertaking and great shall be your re- 
ward in the future in the reading public 
that will come to you. 



THE CORPORATION SCHOOL MOVEMENT: TRAINING MEN DURING BUSINESS 

HOURS 



By J. W. DiETZ, Ediicational Director Western Electric Co., Chicago, and President 
of the Association of Corporation Schools 



There is a changing point of view in 
Industry on the matter of human relations 
and dealings with employees. I think the 
public schools have perhaps encouraged 
business men to feel that the whole edu- 
cational job is a public school job. We all 
agree that education is democracy's big- 
gest task. We all agree that the public 
educational system of which we are so 
proud in this country, is our biggest and 
most influential agency, but we believe, 
too, that they have a duty which is much 
broader than that of training people only 
for business or for industry. 

There has been a feeling on the part of 
some business men that perhaps it was 
good business to let the other fellow do 
the training, and after the men or women 
in his competitors' organization began to 
Bhow some prominence in the work, to buy 
them for his company. That does not 
work. That is a very shortsighted policy. 
Somebody comes along and buys them 
back. We must face the problem of devel- 
oping our own people in Industry. 
Education within industry 

This Is a different problem than educat- 



ing people for business or for industry. It 
is training adult workers after they are in 
business, as well as younger people. The 
difference is, I think, fundamentally, this: 
that we have an opportunity to hook up 
our educational problems, our problems of 
developing men with their everyday tasks 
in a real way, in a way that is impos- 
sible before an employee enters upon such 
active duties in business. These problems 
are being undertaken in a broad way. 
They affect not only the development of 
skill for particular tasks, but they are 
reaching out into matters which are very 
closely related to the whole welfare of 
public life, public education, matters of 
safety and of health, the prevention of 
sickness, vocational guidance — these are 
problems which are being undertaken by 
business men within business. As your 
president has pointed out, this is a new 
growth. 

The Western Electric Company, which I 
have the honor of serving, has for many 
years gone to the colleges to bring into its 
organization new blood, to bring in men 
from the best schools In the country to 



115 



learn the business. We haven't taken 
every college man who came to us and said, 
"I am a college graduate." We have gone 
out and tried to select the best men, the 
men who have shown, through their pre- 
vious training and activities in college, 
that they have the capacity for leadership. 
Other companies have been progressive 
in the training of their skilled workers. 
The Santa Fe Railway System, for in- 
stance, has at the present time thirty-seven 
school shops scattered over its territory, 
where they bring in the untrained boy and 
make of him in the four years of training, 
a skilled, all-around workman. If you are 
dealing with business men at all you know 
how scarce, good, all-around mechanics are 
these days. 

Cooperative association organized 
Other companies have developed other 
lines of work, such as training of office 
workers and salesmen. It was only about 
four years ago that some who were inter- 
ested in these matters in business, thought 
we had gone far enough alone. So a meet- 
ing was called in New York under the lead- 
ership of Mr. Henderschott of the New 
York Edison Company, in which there were 
some thirty-flve or forty companies repre- 
sented. Seventeen decided to join Inter- 
ests in a cooperative effort to exchange 
experience in this matter of dealing more 
intelligently and more wisely with the 
problems of personnel. Out of that move- 
ment has grown very gradually, and as 
your president has pointed out, very 
quietly, a movement which now takes in 
over one hundred progressive organiza- 
tions from the Pacific to the Atlantic 
Coast. Many of us who came into the 
movement at the start came with the feel- 
ing, "I don't know whether we are going 
to be able to get anything out of this or 
not, because, you know, our business is 
'different.' " That Is a very familiar cry in 
industry, "Our business is different." "I 
don't believe that will work with us," or 
"That may do all right with you, but our 
people don't need It or don't care tor it." 
But we have found that human nature is 



much the same; employees and people are 
much the same whether they are working 
for a railroad company or for an electric 
manufacturing company, a public service 
organization, or in a department store or 
a mail order house. So you see it is on 
that broad basis of the human factor in 
industry that we are working out our 
problems of cooperation. 

The Association's activities are cen- 
tralized in an executive office. A monthly 
bulletin is issued, special reports are made 
covering the investigations and recom- 
mendations of committees. The proceed- 
ings of the annual conventions are bound 
and published. These are available to 
libraries at reduced prices. 

A business administration problem 

The problem has never been at any time 
strictly an educational problem. Broadly, 
it is one of organization in business. Busi- 
ness in these days is being organized on 
the basis of functions. We have the func- 
tion of making things; we have the func- 
tion of selling things, of rendering finan- 
cial or clerical service. Pretty generally 
have been separated from the duties of the 
foreman and the department head the 
function of training and education. 

Teaching specific tasks 

Business is very much subdivided these 
days. There is a minute division of duties. 
One of our first duties is to adapt properly 
the new employee to a particular task. 
There is too the least skilled of our class 
of laborers who often must be taught 
English. 

Let me tell you briefly about some of 
the progressive plans which are being 
adopted by companies in breaking in office 
boys. Perhaps I shouldn't say "breaking 
in office boys." That is obsolete. We 
cannot throw oft these old-fashioned ideas 
in a few years. We are developing men 
these days. The office boy comes into the 
progressive organization and is under the 
supervision of someone who is in sympathy 
with office boys. He is considered as a 



116 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



potential executive (not a necessary evil) 
making the boy an important part of the 
organization. Those changes in point of 
view are very vital and our Association of 
Corporation Schools is very active in fos- 
tering that changed point of view. Take 
our own organization at Chicago which 
employs about twenty thousand people; 
we have over one hundred boys who are 
on office boy work. They are put under the 
supervision of a man who gives his whole 
time helping them get started right. We 
have about a dozen different routes over 
which the boys are sent. That is a two 
weeks' assignment, the boys being sent 
out with older boys to learn the geography 
of the plant. After that they are put to 
work on the first simple duties of an ofRce 
boy in a private office. They are instructed 
in matters of courtesy and deportment, 
answering the telephone properly, and 
some minor duties, such as filing of papers. 
We don't forget him after he is placed in 
his office-boy job. The arrangement is 
that no boy can be dismissed from the 
company's employ without being sent back 
to the educational department. Perhaps 
he has not hooked up well with the depart- 
ment to which he was assigned. That may 
have been the fault of the executive; 
nevertheless the adjustment has not been 
a good one. Perhaps he has not shown the 
proper aptitude for the work and he is sent 
to some other place to be tried out. Some 
boys do not make good with us, but we 
feel that we are eliminating much of the 
element of chance. 

The training of clerical helpers, office 
people, is carried on in pretty much the 
same way. One of the best examples is 
that done by the American Telephone & 
Telegraph Company and the Associated 
Operating Companies of the Bell System. 
They have, as perhaps many of you know, 
school equipments in their exchanges, with 
instructors whose sole duty Is to teach 
telephone operators properly to serve the 
public before they are called upon to 
render the service. They have dupli- 
cates of the equipment and the facilities 



which they are going to be called upon to 
use, and they are trained in that way. 
Some companies even have voice culture, 
so you get "the voice with a smile," which 
always wins. 

Training skilled workers 

The ideal in training in business is that 
of rendering a service, just as the progress- 
ive ideal in your work is rendering the 
community a service. We are not letting 
employees learn a business; we are help- 
ing them to learn the business, and that 
involves largely a matter of supervision. 

In training for skilled tasks, such as 
that of a machinist, we have two plans, 
one of bringing the boy in and putting him 
directly under the tutorship of a journey- 
man or the workman next to him. The 
usual practice is to take him four hours 
a week into the classroom where he learns 
the technical side of the business, how to 
read drawings, solve the ordinary shop 
problems, elements of physics and mechan- 
ics. The classes are held on company time 
and the apprentice receives pay while in 
the class room. 

Another plan is that of having a separate 
instruction shop, where there are dupli- 
cates of the equipment which is used in 
the big shop. Its arrangement is some- 
thing like this: a boy starts his four years 
training plan on one type of machine, say 
a milling machine; he learns how to use a 
milling machine. He is under the super- 
vision of a man whose sole idea is to teach- 
that boy his trade, not to get a certain 
amount of work out of him. That is abso- 
lutely fundamental. He is a man who has 
been relieved of supervising a great num- 
ber so that he can give proper attention to 
each individual, and the accepted practice 
now seems to be that there shall be one 
instructor tor every twelve or fifteen such 
apprentices in training. The boy Is broken 
in on one type of machine, and then he 
goes out Into the shop and uses his ac- 
quired knowledge under the conditions he 
will meet after he has finished his term of 
apprenticeship. He comes back from the 



117 



big shop, is instructed on another type of 
machine, and he is trained under the 
wholesome guidance of the men who have 
the ability to impart their knowledge 
rather than because of their ability to get 
out productive work. His work is produc- 
tive, but instruction, not production, is the 
goal sought. 

We have the job of teaching tasks, teach- 
ing trades, such as machinists, printers, 
plumbers, carpenters; then the broader 
problem of teaching a business. The 
problem of teaching a business as a whole 
involves the nature and uses of the com- 
pany's products, the company's facilities 
for manufacturing or distribution, a knowl- 
edge of the machinery required, a knowl- 
edge of the organization, and a knowledge 
of the personnel. These plans are carried 
out for more developed men, often college 
graduates who have no business experi- 
ence, who are taken directly into the 
plants. 

In another organization they have 
adopted the plan of putting their people on 
productive work, and, later bringing them 
under the influence of their educational 
organization. It is impossible in these 
days for a man to be a broad business 
man in an organization of any size without 
having the opportunity to get the view- 
point of other departments and of other 
branches of the organization. So you will 
find some companies like the American 
Steel & Wire Company, which says to its 
managers in distant cities, "We want 
thirty of you to come to our Worcester 
plant and spend four weeks In studying in 
a very intensive way, the whole business 
of the American Steel & Wire Company. 
Under such a plan they include trips to 
the mines, where they draw their raw ma- 
terial for manufacturing work. They fol- 
low that raw material all the way through 
their organization, fabricated into finished 
products. Such a man goes back, whether 
he be salesman, shop superintendent or de- 
partment manager, with an entirely new 
view point regarding his company and his 
share in the work. 



General education 

Another broad division and one which I 
think perhaps comes a bit more closely to 
your interest, is the problem of voluntary 
education; and I am mighty proud, as a 
business man, to stand here and say that 
business is taking a very far-sighted and 
broad view of the problem of cooperating 
with their people in developing themselves 
and in fitting themselves for advancement. 
You may find many good libraries within 
our plants. I am sorry to say that there 
are as yet but few trained librarians. We 
are waking up; we realize and are seeing 
the value of trained service in all lines. 

I was interested in studying your pro- 
gram to note the topics for discussion 
under the Special Libraries group, and I 
hope we may work out some cooperative 
means for making your service available in 
industry. 

You find in these plans for voluntary edu- 
cation such features as these: evening 
school, study plans within a plant. At our 
own plant last fall we had for example al- 
most nine hundred men and boys and 
young women meeting immediately after 
working hours. We have arranged our 
plans to meet the convenience of our peo- 
ple. It does not mean spending car fare 
and a lot of time to go to an educational 
institution. We bring the educational in- 
stitution to the plant. We do not in those 
courses make narrow plans to fit people 
to do a particular job, or for a particular 
task; but you will find men studying math- 
ematics, drawing or blue print reading; 
you will find the typist studying Knglish to 
undertake better the work ahead. We find 
some of our college men, perhaps technical 
men, who have not rounded themselves out 
so well on business problems, coming In 
and discussing problems in which they 
need additional direction. 

A further plan in that connection, and a 
far-sighted one, is that of cooperating with 
employees in refunding part of their tui- 
tion fee in educational Institutions, some 
public, some private. Many companies say 
to their employees, "Tome to us with your 



118 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



plans. We will talk them over with you 
for the purpose of assisting you in the 
matter of guidance, so that you are using 
your spare time profitably. If you finish 
the courses satisfactorily we will refund 
half of the tuition fee which you have 
paid." 

Many correspondence plans are being 
carried on in that way for people who have 
not access to local educational institutions. 
Some of the companies are lending pro- 
gressive employees money to round out 
their education in full time institutions for 
instruction. In other words, industrial 
scholarships are springing up, so that in- 
dustry is saying, "This is a democratic in- 
stitution; whether you started with an ele- 
mentary school education or with a high 
school education, we are going to recognize 
your worth and help you to make good." 
These are splendid indications of the 
progressive and far-sighted attitude of 
business men toward their people. 

Executive supervision 

Now, what are some of the types of ex- 
ecutive control which are making these 
plans effective? Some companies have 
delegated the responsibility to committees. 
It is diflacult for any one man in a large 
business to have the breadth of view neces- 
sary to lay plans which will be effective; 
so educational committees, call them 
school boards, if you will, within the busi- 
ness, are appointed to give guidance to 
these plans for better relations with the 
employees. Other companies reverse the 
process and have full time educational 
directors, with committees for guidance. 
Some companies cooperate with public 
institutions, such as the University of 
Cincinnati. One member of our Associa- 
tion, the National Cash Register Company, 
sends some of its employees from Dayton 
to Cincinnati for alternate periods of tech- 
nical instruction. That is still another 
means of cooperation. 

The splendid thing about all these plans 
Is that no one is insisting that there is only 
one right way. We are glad to have peo- 



ple go ahead and do these things which are 
recognized as good things today; In what- 
ever way they seem to get the best results, 
and gradually, by Interchanging experi- 
ence, we hope to evolve better and better 
methods. 

If you will pardon a personal reference, 
I can perhaps give you some hint of the 
kinds of problems educational directors 
are meeting in their everyday jobs — just 
a few examples from my experience in the 
last five or six days. A young Englishman 
came into my oflBce who had been with our 
company five years. He started in as a 
trucker, pushing boxes through the plant. 
He had been in before, asking for guid- 
ance. He had been enrolled in our even- 
ing classes for three years. He came in to 
find out it there were any evening schools 
in session during the summer. He wanted 
to work all summer on his educational 
problems. Unfortunately we were not able 
to direct him to any evening schools which 
would fit his needs during the summer. 
So our problem was a library problem, and 
we have given him some reading matter 
for the summer work. 

I spent a half a day in our Installation 
department school, where we are training 
boys to install telephone exchange equip- 
ments. There were eighty boys taking a 
two-weeks' course of instruction to fit them 
for their first task. In that same school 
there was a normal plan, a plan for teach- 
ing teachers to teach. There were in- 
structors from all over the country who 
were being taught to train people in the 
knowledge of their work. So we have got 
to the point where we are establishing our 
own normal schools within business as 
well as our own elementary, secondary and 
higher schools. 

Let me quote to you from the minutes of 
one of our Educational Committee meet- 
ings: 

"Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones were re- 
quested to give consideration to the ques- 
tion of the amount and kind of training in 
other departments which is desirable as 
preparation for service in their division" — 
"A broadening influence all the time" — 



119 



"There was discussion on tlie possibility 
of asliing other companies to take our peo- 
ple, to give them the point o£ view of their 
work, as making them more useful to us 
and exchanging experiences with other em- 
ployees." 

There is a method which, as yet, has not 
been attempted in an organized way. They 
were discussing, too, what the proper sal- 
ary starting basis was for people of differ- 
ent grades of education; what is fair for 
the boy who has finished the two years 
high school work; what rate of pay shall 
the high school graduate receive, and so 
on. 

Another conference was studying the 
problem of "How can we cooperate better 
with our employees in their voluntary edu- 
cation?" In other words, if an employee 
of our company goes to Lewis Institute 
or Armour Institute, how can we know 
that fact and how can we make it of most 
service to the company and to him? 

We are taking this view in business in 
these days — what is good for the employee 
is good for business and what is good for 
business is good for the employee, and we 
are trying to make our plans measure up 
to these tests. One of our foremen came 
to me and said: "We are facing this 
problem: our work is growing, we are tak- 
ing on a great many more men in this rush 
of business. We seem to be short of minor 
executives. What are we going to do 
about it?" It means that we will have to 
establish means for discovering executive 
talent and then develop it. These are real, 
everyday problems with us in business. 

We were called upon by the University 
of Illinois to furnish a speaker for a spe- 
cial government training school on the 
problem of storing of munitions. There 
is another example of how business and 
the state can cooperate. Just before I 
came away last night we were discussing 
whether or not we should put our educa- 
tional plans for college men on an entirely 
nonproductive basis. That is, shall we for- 
get entirely whether they can earn any- 
thing or not during the training period 
and put all of our attention on training? 



That is no reflection on the college man. 
He can learn as fast as anyone else, If 
you give him a chance. It was decided 
we must bear in mind, first and foremost, 
that for the best results and the widest 
usefulness we must make production dur- 
ing the training period absolutely second- 
ary. 

Now, what are some of our hopes and 
our prophecies for this type of work In 
the future? There are a lot of business 
men still to be converted on this problem, 
who insist that when an employee comes 
to them he must be able to deliver the 
goods at once. If you take a stenographer 
into your office, she must have a certain 
speed and ability to write letters. That 
is a very shortsighted, narrow policy. 
Unless they are looking for general intelli- 
gence, initiative and possibilities for 
growth they are never going to get the 
type of employees or build up the type 
of employees in their organization which 
will eventually enable their business to 
become a bigger business. 

Dr. Mann, of the Carnegie Foundation, 
has spent several years studying the 
problem of engineering education. One of 
his methods of approach was to ask prac- 
ticing engineers — thousands of them — 
what in their judgment were the essential 
features of an engineer's education; what 
were the necessary qualifications for suc- 
cess in the engineering profession. Much 
to the surprise of a lot of folks the 
answers were summarized, after six thou- 
sand replies had been tabulated, in this 
order: First, character; second, judg- 
ment; third, efiiciency; fourth, under- 
standing of men. The way these qualities 
were rated in the replies they totaled 
seventy-five per cent of the necessary 
qualifications; then comes knowledge of 
fundamentals, and, last of all, with only a 
value of ten per cent, technique or special 
skill. I think that is very illuminating and 
very significant, because commercial or- 
ganizations, in studying problems of train- 
ing in public schools, usually come back 
with that same sort of report. If we can 
get that view point in industry, I think 



120 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



we will have some hopeful signs for the 
future. 

Our ambitions are to malce the average 
business more efficient and a better and 
safer place for the development of human 
talents — not that I feel it is unsafe now, 
but we believe that there is room for im- 
provement. We believe there is a splen- 
did opportunity for vocational guidance 
and vocational selection, and we are very 
quietly feeling our way on the matter of 
applied psychology in the selection of em- 
ployees for different tasks, different edu- 
cational tests, for getting folks into the 
right lines of work. Of course, we are not 
saying much about that because a lot of 
business men are gun shy on the question 
of psychology. 

All in all, this is a problem which seems 
to me a bigger problem than industry 
itself. It is difficult to draw the line be- 
tween you and me as employees of a com- 
pany, and between you and me as citizens 
of this nation. So, we feel that in this 
present emergency we can render no better 
service than to take inventories of the 
human talents which are now in business 
and to develop those and use them to the 
best advantage of our employees, our com- 
panies and of our Nation. 

(The president inquired whether there 
were any questions anyone desired to ask 
the speaker. One of the audience asked 
how the public library may help the cor- 
poration school.) 

Mr. Dietz: Have you gone to the busi- 
ness man in your community and pointed 
out to him the service that you can ren- 
der, with some concrete suggestions? 
First, make a quiet study of his business 
and find out what he needs. Then say to 
him, "Would it be of value to your office 
people if they knew a little bit more about 
business organization, or if they knew a 
little more about fundamentals of English," 
or "Do you find them weak in this or that 
particular phase of their work?" "We 
have some good books that will enable 



them to strengthen themselves along 
those lines." I think it is solely a matter 
of getting together. The business man 
does not appreciate what kind of service 
the library can render him. 

(One of the members stated that ap- 
prentice boys do not seem to be a reading 
class of boys.) 

Mr. Dietz: I think in a general way that 
would be true. Boys from seventeen to 
twenty, who are working all day and who 
have perhaps in addition some home 
problems from their corporation school 
work, will not be active users of your 
library facilities. 

President Brown: I should like to speak 
of the encouragement which one of the 
members of your Association of Corpora- 
tion Schools is giving respecting the use 
of books in Buffalo. This corporation has 
a library in its office building, where there 
are about sixteen hundred girls looking 
after correspondence. They have a daily 
delivery from the plant to the library and 
every book which is requested by any one 
of the employees is delivered on the desk 
of that employee during the day from the 
public library. That is supplementary to 
their own library. It has also carried out 
a promise for two years to deliver a copy 
of any book which any employee will read 
twice and write a brief description or 
summary of, free to the employee, if that 
summary is turned in to the office. That 
has been subject during the past year to 
selection from a list prepared by the pub- 
lic library. That is one way in which this 
plant is cooperating with the library. In 
addition, in their manufacturing plant, 
they have a large traveling library from 
the public library, which is also added to 
in the same way as the library In the 
office building. 

Mr. Dietz: Many of the companies have 
branches of public libraries, and I think 
that is the most effective means of coop- 
erating with the employees and bringing 
the library to the plant. 



SWINGLE 



121 



CHINESE BOOKS AND LIBRARIES 



By Walter T. Swingle, Chairman Library Committee, U. 8. Depajtment of Agriculture, 
Washington, D. C. 



Printing from blocks Is said to have been 
invented In China in 592 A. D. However, 
although printing may have been invented 
as early as this, printed books did not 
compete with manuscripts until the middle 
of the tenth century, when the printing of 
the Nine Classics was completed. Possibly 
periods when old precedents could be safely 
broken favored the rise of revolutionary 
new inventions. It is worthy of note that 
the first invention of printing as well as 
its final successful application took place 
during unsettled periods of Chinese his- 
tory. 

From the middle of the tenth century 
block printing developed very rapidly, re- 
sulting In a wide diffusion of books and 
the decline of the copyist's trade. No doubt 
the rapid dissemination of learning this en- 
tailed had much to do with the great intel- 
lectual progress made in China during the 
Sung dynasty, from 960-1280 A. D., which 
has been called the "protracted Augustan 
age of Chinese literature." This was con- 
temporaneous with the darkest period of 
the Middle Ages of Europe, when western 
learning fell to its lowest ebb. Even the 
conquest of China by the illiterate Mon- 
gols did not lead to the extinction of learn- 
ing. During the purely Chinese Ming dy- 
nasty, 1368-1644 A. D., the writing and 
printing of books flourished anew, while 
the early Manchu emperors cultivated lit- 
erature with zeal and during the reigns 
of the enlightened Manchu emperors 
K'ang Hsi (1662-1723) and Ch'ien Lung 
(1736-1796) a series of great literary and 
encyclopedic works that would do credit to 
any country were published under imperial 
patronage. 

The nature of the Chinese printed lan- 
guage is not nearly so favorable to the use 
of movable type as the vastly simpler al- 
phabetic tongues of the west. Still, movable 



types, molded of clay, were invented in 
the eleventh century. Even metal types 
were made In Korea a half century before 
they were "invented" in Europe. 

Disregarding the manuscript works of 
the great T'ang dynasty (618-907 A. D.), 
which are doubtless tenfold more numerous 
and more important than the contempora- 
neous literary works of the whole western 
world, the Chinese printed books up to the 
middle of the fifteenth century have no 
counterpart at all in Europe. They ex- 
isted in countless thousands of volumes. 
In 1406, the Imperial Ming Library con- 
tained printed works to the extent of over 
300,000 books, and more than twice as many 
manuscripts, and already many printed 
works of the Sung dynasty had been lost 
during wars. 

It is probably no exaggeration to say 
that the number of printed books extant In 
China at the time of the "discovery" of 
printing in Europe exceeded those printed 
in Europe during the first century after 
Gutenberg. Printing became very wide- 
spread in China, and in addition to innum- 
erable privates presses, the provinces, dis- 
tricts and even townships had their offi- 
cial presses. Undoubtedly more books were 
printed in China than in all the rest of 
the world up to the middle of the seven- 
teenth or the beginning of the eighteenth 
century.* 

It Is thus evident that there exists In 
China a vast accumulation of printed books 
that have been piling up for well-nigh a 
thousand years. The pertinent question 
now is, what value, if any, do these Chinese 
works have? In answer to this query it 
must be said, first of all, that not only are 



rid 



to be fo 



of the largest printing presses 



Chi. 



The C 



al Press at Shanghai as a part of its work prints 
tor the new schools of China elementary textbooks 
which are often issued in editions of several 
millions. 



122 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



the Chinese literary standards very high, 
but there Is a strong prejudice against 
frivolous works of any character. The great 
bulk of Chinese works, aside from the 
Confucian classics, are historical or liter- 
ary, the latter being mostly essays, short 
poems or critiques. There exists also a 
vast Buddhistic literature and very many 
Taolst works. Novels are not even classed 
as literature, although famous ones exist 
and some of them have been translated Into 
European languages. There are also many 
famous dramas, but these, too, are excluded 
from literature proper by Chinese bibliog- 
raphers. 

The historical records of the Chinese are 
of vast bulk. Their study by western 
scholars cannot fail to yield results of 
great value to the whole world. In close 
connection with the historical records 
proper we should consider the great num- 
ber of geographic treatises and especially 
the so-called gazetteers. These latter are 
official publications issued by the Empire, 
as well as by every province, district and 
township and treat not only geography and 
topography proper, but are often volumin- 
ous works of general Information, of very 
direct interest today. No other country in 
the world has anything to compare with 
this branch of Chinese literature, either 
in extent or historical value. 

During the past year the writer has been 
studying the citrous fruits of China. In con- 
nection with this work there have been 
translated chapters bearing on citrous 
fruits from all the Chinese topographic 
works available in the Library of Con- 
gress and in the John Crerar Library at 
Chicago. These translations have proved 
the great value of the Chinese gazetteers 
in modern agricultural research. With- 
out doubt a great amount of valuable in- 
formation as to mines, mineral resources 
and local industrial products, etc., lies 
waiting in these same rich storehouses of 
information. 

The classified encyclopedias of China, 
though not so overwhelmingly superior 
to those of the western countries as are the 
gazetteers, are nevertheless so ancient, so 



numerous and so voluminous as fairly to 
stagger the imagination. For 750 years at 
least China has had excellently edited, well 
arranged and well printed encyclopedic 
works of reference covering well-nigh the 
whole range of human knowledge. Em- 
perors vied with one another in encourag- 
ing works of this character, and as a result 
no people in the world have so complete a 
series of encyclopedic works covering so 
long a period. 

One of these works, the "Yung lo ta 
tien" completed in 1409, aimed to contain 
all human knowledge then available in 
China. The equivalent of 8,000 years' 
man labor was expended on it and it 
filled some 23,000 folio volumes. It proved 
to be too bulky to print and was pre- 
served in manuscript until 1900, when It 
was burned during the Boxer insurrec- 
tion In Peking — a catastrophe second only 
to the burning of the Alexandrian Library. 

Another only less gigantic encyclopedia 
Is the "T'u shu chi ch'eng," printed in 1728, 
in 5,020 volumes, from large movable cop- 
per type. This is the largest printed book 
in the world and la still today Invaluable 
in the study of any phase of Chinese sci- 
ence, political economy or history, and i* 
constantly quoted by all sinologists. 
Scores upon scores of smaller encyclopedic 
works, some dating back 600 years or more, 
and some of the nineteenth century, are of 
the utmost value to the students of things 
Chinese. 

China has always been proud of her 
scholars, who have for ages outranked war- 
riors. Over twelve hundred years ago an 
examination system was devised that 
placed the highest administrative offices 
of the Empire within reach of the poorest 
peasant's son if only he had sufficient abil- 
ity. This and the absence of any heredi- 
tary nobility gave China the first efficient 
civil service and the first enlightened and 
pacific government. The arts and sciences 
were cultivated so assiduously under this 
favoring condition as to make the whole 
world a heavy debtor to the great Middle 
Kingdom. 

As was to be expected from a nation of 



SWINGLE 



123 



scholars, we find in China an unrivaled 
series of historical records of all state mat- 
ters, and also the earliest comprehensive 
biographical and bibliographical works 
known. Besides this, we find every effort 
made to preserve the writings of famous 
scholars, usually in the form of collected 
works, so that as a result there awaits the 
student of almost every phase of human 
activity a wealth of authentic documentary 
material that has as yet been almost en- 
tirely neglected. 

China has been for millenniums a labora- 
tory wherein political, economic, agricul- 
tural, artistic and Industrial experimenta- 
tion has been carried on under unusually 
favorable circumstances. A wealth of ma- 
terial awaits the investigator competent to 
utilize these priceless records. Such inves- 
tigation should be done soon, before the 
Chinese become so westernized as to lose 
the power of interpreting the records of 
their own past. We are living in an age 
that bids fair to witness the complete 
transformation of the only remaining an- 
cient civilization. 

In China there are very few great libra- 
ries. The wide diffusion of learning and 
the complete decentralization of the print- 
ing and publishing Industries, and most of 
all the clan type of family organization, 
have favored the creation of large private 
or family libraries scattered all over China. 
No adequate survey of the library resources 
of China has ever been made, but there can 
be no doubt that they are of enormous ex- 
tent. 

The Chinese Imperial Court has always 
maintained a large library, and sometimes 
several at the various capitals, and there 
has recently been established in Peking a 
national library which a catalog pub- 
lished in 1912 shows to be rich in rare old 
Chinese books. 

Japan is rich in old Chinese works treas- 
ured in the private and public libraries dur- 
ing the many centuries when Chinese learn- 
ing was held in the highest reverence. 
Doubtless the Japanese libraries rank 
Becond only to those of China In their con- 
tent of Chinese books. 



In Europe there are a few good Chinese 
libraries. The oldest and best Is that of 
Paris, which includes a collection of an- 
cient Chinese manuscripts unsurpassed 
even in China. The collection at the Brit- 
ish Museum ranks second. There are also 
large collections at Berlin, Petrograd, 
Cambridge and Leiden. 

In America, the Library of Congress was 
the first to secure a notable Chinese collec- 
tion which now numbers close to 45,000 
volumes, Chinese style. It is by far the 
largest in the new world and probably 
ranks second or third among the Chinese 
libraries outside of China and Japan. The 
collection is not only pre-eminent In geo- 
graphical works and gazetteers, but also 
in treatises on agricultural, botanical and 
related subjects. It is very rich in bio- 
graphical and bibliographical literature and 
has a large and rapidly growing collection 
of works on Chinese art and archaeology 
It includes also a large number of Chinese 
Collectanea which often contain reprints 
of works no longer obtainable in the orig- 
inal. 

The second largest Chinese collection In 
America is that of the Newberry Library 
in Chicago, comprising over 600 works in 
about 18,000 volumes. The John Crerar 
Library in Chicago also has a Chinese col- 
lection, including about 600 works in about 
12,000 volumes. The two Chicago collec- 
tions so complement each other without 
duplication as to constitute together a 
very large and complete Chinese library of 
some 30,000 volumes, rivaling or even ex- 
celling that of the Library of Congress in 
many fields. 

The next largest Chinese library in 
America is the collection donated to the 
University of California, by Prof. S. C. 
Kiang. It is rich in belles-lettres, contain- 
ing many rare works, and comprises about 
1,600 works in 13,600 volumes. Unfor- 
tunately about one-fourth of the works 
are more or less imperfect, as the Kiang 
family library suffered greatly during the 
Boxer insurrection. 

The New York Public Library contalni 



124 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



a valuable Chinese library collected by 
Dr. James Legge, the famous translator of 
the Chinese classics. This special collec- 
tion is very rich in the Chinese classics 
and their commentaries, and contains val- 
uable manuscript concordances prepared 
by Dr. Legge in the course of his monu- 
mental translations. The library of Co- 
lumbia University is now cataloging its 
small but select collection of Chinese 
books, which it hopes to expand into a 
good Chinese reference library in the near 
future. The Metropolitan Museum of New 
York City has a good collection of works 
on Chinese art; and the libraries of Har- 
vard and Yale have some very valuable Chi- 
nese works, but none of these collections 
are as yet complete enough to be of more 
than very limited service to the student 
of Chinese books. 

The Library of Congress has originated 
and carried through a plan of classifying 
Chinese books in accordance with Ch'ien 
Lung's "Imperial catalog," using modern 
library notations for the various classes. 
Then, too, the works reprinted in the col- 
lectanea, amounting to nearly 10,000 in all, 
have been entered in the catalog in the 
place they would occupy m the classifica- 
tion if they were separate works. No other 
Chinese library has so many collectanea 
rendered accessible in this way. The re- 
sult is a systematic shelf list of all the 
Chinese works and reprints in the library, 
some 12,000 in all. A photostat reproduc- 
tion of the Chinese titles has been made 
up in the form of a compact small folio 
volume about an inch and a half thick, in- 
cluding the outline of the classification 
and forming a valuable guide to the col- 
lection. 

The hundred thousand or so volumes of 
Chinese works now in American libraries 
are only a small part of what should be 
secured in order to give any adequate idea 
of the stupendous intellectual activity of 
the greatest and oldest nation of the 
Orient. Revolutions, political reorganiza- 



tion, and the progress of western educa- 
tion alike threaten the literary treasures 
of China. If not purchased and stored 
in our fireproof and wormproof libraries 
many of them will be lost forever. The 
quantity of Chinese books now being 
thrown on the market is so large that no 
single library can hope to buy more than 
a tithe of what is offered. It would seem 
wise to follow here the old adage divide et 
impera. Each purchasing library, after se- 
curing such general works as needed for 
its own special requirements, could spe- 
cialize on some one field of Chinese liter- 
ature and become the leader in that 
branch. By a system of inter-library loans, 
based on a union catalog, it would be pos- 
sible to pool the resources of the whole 
country and thus accomplish by united 
effort what singly would be impossible. 
It should be remembered that so many Chi- 
nese students are attending our leading 
educational institutions that it is easy to 
secure expert help in the cataloging of 
Chinese books now that a workable system 
has been devised by the Library of Con- 
gress to classify the Chinese works merely 
by looking up the titles in the "Imperial 
catalog." 

Now, when the Chinese problem looms 
large, would seem to be a good time to 
learn something at first hand about China's 
history, her present needs, and her prob- 
able future development. Besides the com- 
mercial traveler and the missionary, we 
need another class in Chinese affairs — the 
scientifically trained scholar. We need a 
band of such men who shall make acces- 
sible for us the wonderful storehouses of 
Chinese learning available in the printed 
records. The effect of adequate investiga- 
tions would be to arouse general interest 
in the political, social, moral, religious and 
agricultural experiences of the most sta- 
ble nation on earth. It would become ap- 
parent that we have as much to learn 
from China as China has to learn from us. 



DANIELS 



125 



THE COUNTY FREE LIBRARY SERVICE AS OPERATED AT RIVERSIDE 
By Joseph F. Daniels, Librarian, Riverside (Cal.) Puhlic Library 



The California county free library law 
provides that Instead of establishing a 
separate county free library, the super- 
visors (county board) may contract with 
any existing public library within the 
county, whereby that public library as- 
sumes the functions of a county free li- 
brary. The Riverside Public Library has 
such a contract. 

The city of Riverside has a population 
of 20,000 and an assessed valuation of about 
$10,000,000. It covers 46 square miles. 

The county is Just about the area and 
dimensions of Massachusetts — a little less 
than 8,000 square miles; population 45,000, 
assessed valuation $30,000,000. We operate 
in 70 branches and stations and under a 
variety of conditions, but always adapted 
first and last to local autonomy and strict 
economy. 

Roughly there are two kinds of service, 
general public and schools. 

The general public is served at about 35 
places (called branches and stations) oper- 
ated through nine public libraries and sev- 
eral neighborhood branches supported by 
their communities. We have absolutely 
nothing to do with their management, ex- 
cept as we may give advice and exercise 
technical prestige, but we supply those nine 
public libraries and the branches with 
books and in many of them we own all the 
books. Sometimes several of these li- 
braries have each a thousand books of 
curs and they order them and return them 
pretty much at will. We urge them to 
turn back dead stock and to keep their 
shelves alive by frequent orders from the 
main library containing 70,000 volumes. 
There is no fixed time for return, there 
are no boxes, no graded collections and no 
system of exchange that will keep any 
collection an intact unit. We pay trans- 
portation both ways and use parcel post 
and express. 

We began the service through the exist- 



ing public libraries, and while we have 
developed an elaborate record system we 
have not changed the method of distribu- 
tion and of shipping. The whole plan is 
based on the idea of giving them what they 
ask for as well as we can. We supply 
them with order forms, envelopes and post- 
age and expect them to mail orders to us 
at any time. When we want a book re- 
turned for use elsewhere we write a form 
post card asking for the book or a good 
reason. We buy duplicates, of course, but 
only when actual service demands war- 
rant the purchase. 

The larger number of public branches 
are outside incorporated cities and are lo- 
cated in all sorts of convenient places out 
in the country. There is actually no money 
expenditure for maintenance in any of 
these country branches. The voluntary 
custodian costs nothing and there is no 
real service expense at the branch. We 
bring the service to their doors and they 
do the rest. In some places we suspend 
for a year or two because we find no 
person willing to act as custodian. We 
believe it best to have each community 
do its share in the service rather than the 
other plan of paying custodians and pay- 
ing rent, light, heat and incidentals from 
county funds. 

School libraries are operated under con- 
tracts with elementary school districts and 
high school districts. 

In the elementary school there is a school 
library fund; under contract we get the 
whole fund and supply general library 
service and supplementary readers. The 
state system of free textbooks has its own 
field and we have nothing to do with that. 
We do not know at this time just how far 
we may have to go in the supply of ap- 
paratus, maps, globes, charts, lanterns and 
slides, music discs and many inventions 
and devices of the schoolroom. Every ses- 
sion of the legislature shows some attempt 



126 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



to define the money In the school library 
fund or Its use. We do not know what is 
next In school service. 

The high schools and their junior col- 
leges do not have fixed library funds like 
those of the elementary school, so we make 
contracts with them for any sum agreed 
upon. With the high schools we are like- 
wise going through an attempt to define 
service. In the grammar, or elementary 
school, the question of apparatus is con- 
fused with book service, but In the high 
schools it is pretty well understood that 
our service is a book service exclusively. 
We may have to add apparatus service, but 
it will be clearly defined and paid for. 

There is, however, a difficulty in higli 
school service concerning expensive refer- 
ence books growing out of a recent list of 
the reference books for a high school li- 
brary. The list costs about $1,000 and, of 
course, cannot be furnished in contracts 
that pay from $50 to $400 a year. The 
solution offered Is an assessment outside 
the contract, say about $300 each year for 
tliree years from the school, in excess of 
the contract. The plan has the endorse- 
ment of several authorities but there is 
no legal authority for it at present and we 
do not know what will come. 

In Riverside County there are 89 elemen- 
tary school districts and we have contracts 
with 23. In addition we have contracts 
with four high schools including one junior 
college and our total number of school- 
houses Is 35. 

Our contract income is about $6,900, of 
which $5,000 is from the county and $1,900 
from schools. 
Our total income is, approximately: 

City $13,000 

Contracts, county and schools . . 6,900 

Library school 2,200 

Other collections 1,000 



$23,100 
The activities of our Institution are 
four: City, county, library school, exten- 
sion work. 
Under the plan of combined budgets, and 



with the four functions, the library has 
grown and prospered. It is a co5peratlon 
plan that works very well and should make 
a record for usefulness at a very low cost. 
However, this plan has the danger due to 
several governing bodies having more or 
less to do with our existence. 

Two items in county free library service 
show some variation from normal public 
library service. The first is book selec- 
tion. When this free service is brought 
to the door of a community there Is an 
implied invitation to ask for any book 
wanted. Nearly ninety per cent of our 
county free library book purchases are 
direct responses to definite requests from 
branches and some of them must be more 
closely studied for better results. That is 
where real extension work should begin. 
Then we have as the second abnormal 
item, the wear and tear resulting in large 
withdrawals and large bills for rebinding, 
on account of great reluctance to return 
books when they should be rebound. Our 
present method is to examine all books 
when we visit branches and to write fre- 
quent letters about the return of books 
that need repair. 

The topography of the county ranges 
from 128 ft. below sea level to 10,000 above 
and you can readily understand the agri- 
cultural and scientific range of requests 
coming to the library. 

Fortunately we began years ago to make 
a great collection in agriculture and horti- 
culture — a library about something in par- 
ticular — and now that the country is 
"doing its bit" by growing things, we are 
all ready with the information that will 
make us all richer and what is better still, 
it will make us all healthier and happier. 
To the men in the magnesite mine and 
to prospectors who drift into Palm Springs 
and other desert places we furnish books 
not to be returned — withdrawn books and 
bales of magazines. Even the Indians get 
the service and many of them who have 
been students at Sherman Institute have 
the book habit. 
We have hundreds of miles of cement 



HUNT 



127 



and macadam highways, but the real ex- 
periences are at the end of the rough roads 
In the deserts and In the mountains. 
The system of county free libraries does 



elsewhere, it brings to the remote reader 
nearly everything he wishes to read a little 
more quickly and at less unit cost than a 
traveling library or any other inTention 



what it set out to do in California and in book service. 



A PROGRAM FOR LIBRARY ADVERTISING 

Bt Carl Hunt, Editor of Associated Advertising, IndianapolU 



I do not think advertising is a panacea, 
that it will cure all the ills of the library, 
that it will make good librarians out of 
bad librarians. Of itself, it cannot, of 
course, accomplish any such result, al- 
though it may have that tendency. But I 
do think advertising and library work, 
which, after all, seek pretty much the 
same thing, can combine their efforts 
toward the promotion of civilization, and I 
hope that the American Library Associa- 
tion and the organization which I repre- 
sent, the Associated Advertising Clubs of 
the World, may find themselves joining in 
fact as well as in spirit. 

The organization which I represent is 
greatly interested in library work. A great 
deal of our work touches and dovetails 
with yours. It has been the experience of 
our Association — and I have no doubt that 
some of the librarians here have had the 
advantage of co-operation from local ad- 
vertising clubs — that the local advertising 
club, in every case where it has been called 
upon, is more than glad to co-operate in 
library advertising. And I may say for 
the Associated Advertising Clubs as a 
whole, having some 16,000 members, that 
we are interested in you and we would 
like to do what we can to help you. 

I should like to mention, parenthetically, 
a thought which has come to me, represent- 
ing to my mind the biggest opportunity 
which library work has in connection with 
advertising. I think we will wake up some 
day to see that there is running in this 
country a great national advertising cam- 
paign to advertise the service of the pub- 
lic library. I think we will find that some 



Andrew Carnegie has discovered that it is 
not all-sufBcient to have a beautiful library 
building and books and equipment; that 
it is quite as essential and quite as great 
a thing to educate the public to desire li- 
brary service. We in the advertising busi- 
ness know that markets are in human 
minds. Markets can quickly be made 
through what we may term, in a general 
way, salesmanship. Markets may be made 
through advertising; and a desire for li- 
brary service may be made through ad- 
vertising. So, I am in hope that the time 
will come when some person with a phil- 
anthropic motive will supply the where- 
withal to establish and carry forward a 
great national advertising campaign to put 
the library where it belongs, as the Great 
University of the Masses. 

There is one answer that seems to come 
to the mind of the average librarian when 
you say advertising would be good for his 
library. It is: "Yes, perhaps it would be 
a good thing, but we seem to be pretty busy 
as it is, and we are using all the money 
available now. How could we possibly ad- 
vertise? What would we do with the peo- 
ple when they come? Hadn't we better 
first get more money?" 

That seems a problem, and yet advertis- 
ing, or any force which would Increase 
the efficiency of the library would natur- 
ally bring more money to the library; and 
if I were a librarian, I don't believe I would 
worry very much about my library board 
and what it thought if I was quite sure I 
had the public with me. 

The way to get the public with you is to 
serve the public. Advertising does not get 



128 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



the public with you. Advertising does not 
help you very much of itself. It Is only 
the service which advertising will help 
your library to render which brings you 
public support; the kind of support which 
will bring more money. I have had some 
personal experiences along that line. I 
am interested in a charitable society at 
home. We began to wonder, two or three 
years ago, if we couldn't reach more peo- 
ple. It is an institution which serves 
babies. We began to wonder if we could 
not reach out and find a few more babies 
that needed the attention of the physicians 
and the nurses. So we began a campaign 
of education, with exhibits, newspaper ar- 
ticles, direct mail matter, and appeals 
through churches and the Sunday Schools 
of the city. One of the first objections was: 
"Yes, but where will the money come 
from?" I had faith in the thought that if 
we rendered the service the money would 
come. I said to the managing board: "Let's 
not worry about the money. Let's find the 
babies, and the money will come"— and 
the money did come. That is a funda- 
mental principle of business. The business 
man who renders a service has no occa- 
sion to worry whether the customers will 
come back or whether more customers will 
come. The real solution for many prob- 
lems is found in rendering service. If the 
librarian is not strong enough to make the 
library board see the advantages of a prop- 
er, well-rounded, popular public service, I 
should say that community needs another 
librarian. 

Advertising the library should have one 
specific, important purpose in view. That 
would be to increase the business of the li- 
brary without materially or proportionate- 
ly increasing Its expense. The libraries' 
general overhead expense, as it would be 
called in business, would not materially in- 
crease as the business of the library in- 
creased. The investment in buildings. In 
books, and in various equipment would not 
necessarily increase much. The only ma- 
terial increase would be in personal serv- 



ice. A few more people would be required 
to help do the work. 

I believe, It some statistics which I have 
seen on the subject of the number of peo- 
ple who avail themselves of library service 
are to be believed, that the number of peo- 
ple served by the average library could, 
with comparative ease, be doubled with the 
right kind of advertising. I don't mean 
this could be done instantly, because busi- 
ness does not grow that way. A merchant 
does not expect absolutely instant results 
from his advertising. He expects to build 
slowly, to reach this man today and serve 
him well, this man's friends next week or 
next month, and so, gradually, to build his 
business. The librarian must expect in 
like manner to build gradually. 

I should like to see the libraries of this 
country have a great library week about 
once a year. I think this patriotic move- 
ment that I have heard something about 
today, to make the library help win the 
war, is splendid, and I wish I had the 
power to congratulate this Association in 
the way it deserves for the thought of turn- 
ing the power of the public library to pa- 
triotic service. But I speak of another 
kind of library week, a week of library pub- 
licity, in which every element of your com- 
munity which ought to be interested in 
your library, would be given opportunity 
to become interested; a library week in 
which Monday would be, perhaps. Father's 
day or the business man's day, and when 
every element of the community would be 
mustered into a movement to make the pub- 
lic think of the library in its service to the 
wage-earner, the profit-maker. Tuesday, 
perhaps, would be Mother's day, or house- 
economics day; Wednesday, Chlldrens' 
day; Thursday, Church day or Club day, 
or some other well-named and carefully 
planned day, when every element of the 
community would think of the library as 
a service in that direction; and so on for 
tlie whole week. The week might be di- 
vided in any one of many ways. 

Perhaps the next Sunday would be 
Church day, and ministers of the gospel 
would preach on the civilizing influence 



129 



of this University of the Masses. Co-oper- 
ating, also, would be the Advertising Club, 
the Rotary Club, the schools — every ele- 
ment of the community which ought to be 
interested In the Public Library. 

The newspapers would help. The li- 
brarian would be making talks to the Wom- 
en's Clubs, the churches and at prayer 
meetings. The library would everywhere 
be made a leading topic of discussion. 

Another suggestion I would make is a 
personal one to librarians. When you go 
out and make a talk about the library and 
Its service, don't hide your light under a 
bushel. Write something about what you 
expect to say, and put it in newspaper lan- 
guage. Send it to the papers and say you 
are going to say it at a certain place and 
time, and when the editor puts it in the 
paper, instead of talking to two or three 
hundred people, you will be talking to 5,000 
or 100,000 people. Think of what that 
means! I think librarians are much too 
timid. The librarian should get his per- 
sonslity Into his work so thoroughly that 
everybody in the community would be ac- 
customed to seeing his name In the news- 
papers. It is remarkable what an advant- 
age that Is, both to the institution and to 
the person who stands for the institution. 
Elbert Hubbard once said that he desired 
all the publicity he could get, because the 
more the publicity, the more attention peo- 
ple would pay to what he said, did and 
wrote; that he felt that he had a mission 
on this earth that he wanted to fulfill and 
that the more people believed in him, the 
more quickly and easily could he fulfill 
that mission. That is a great thought, and 
while it smacks of a lack of modesty, it 
nevertheless is a thought that we can all 
adopt to our advantage. 

While speaking of library advertising 
mediums, I would like to emphasize par- 
ticularly the advantage of the library show 
window. I understand that this has been 
a frequent topic of discussion in the li- 
brary journals for some years; but if so, 
it does not seem to have received general 
recognition. At all events, some libraries 
don't use their show-windows. I have 



often wondered why so many libraries are 
built to resemble forts. It Is too bad li- 
braries are so built, because show-win- 
dows would be of great value. Some li- 
braries which have show-windows hang 
plush curtains over them! How much bet- 
ter it would be to have a display of books 
on gardening or a display of books useful 
to the Sunday School teachers of the neigh- 
borhood! 

Let us suppose the librarian does utilize 
all such means of publicity; does make a 
display for Sunday School teachers, that 
he gets in touch with three or four preach- 
ers and tells the preachers what he is do- 
ing; gets In touch with Sunday School 
superintendents; suggests to these Sunday 
School superintendents that they tell their 
teachers that the library can render them 
service; that he sends out circulars telling 
the people of the community that they can 
get Information that they need from the 
library — what an impression it would make 
on the people! 

You may say that this plan would In- 
terest only one type of persons, and in one 
phase only, of library service; but it would 
go further than that — it would show the 
people that the librarian was awake and 
alive to his opportunities. 

As in all advertising, a specific appeal 
may often be made to create a general im- 
pression. A merchant sometimes adver- 
tises an article or a department more ex- 
tensively than Immediate sales in that de- 
partment could possibly justify, because 
when he gives the people the impression 
that his store is headquarters for rugs, for 
example, they will naturally think he must 
have a similarly complete and important 
line of other merchandise. The librarian 
who is known to be active in one partic- 
ular, will thus show the people that he Is 
awake to his opportunities to serve them 
in any and every way he can. 

You are familiar with what Waco has 
done, with what Toledo, St. Paul and other 
cities have done, in connection with ad- 
vertising clubs. Every advertising club In 
this country wants to help the libraries. 
We are especially Interested in books for 



130 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



business men. In financing your library, 
you need the business man. You should 
serve him, to enlist his support of your 
plans. The advertising clubs are anxious 
to help the librarians, and we will be de- 
lighted to co-operate with you in any move- 
ment to interest the business man in books. 
I am here to suggest, in as definite a 
■way as possible, co-operation between our 
Association and your Association, in order 
that the 16,000 men in our organization 
may put their shoulders behind the wheel 
of your wagon and help you. Advertising, 
in these times, is rendering many a won- 
derful public service. We find advertising 
employed for the Red Cross, for the Lib- 
erty Loan. We find advertising employed 



in building up the church; and In every 
case where I have heard the statistics, 
church advertising, when it has been in- 
telligently used, has paid for itself in dol- 
lars and cents, and in all the advantages 
which come from having bigger congre- 
gations, from getting new people into the 
church and from interesting old people as 
they have not been interested before. Here, 
again, is a demonstrated fact that when 
you make people want a thing, they will 
gladly foot the bills. 

The advertising men of this country 
would like to help the library as they have 
helped all the other great causes which 
have recently applied advertising to their 
needs. 



THE GIST OP THE A. L. A. LIBRARY PUBLICITY SURVEY 
Bt Wiiiis H. Kerb, Emporia, Kansas; Chairman A. L. A. Ptihlicity Committee 



Recently the American Library Associa- terested in publicity? To look at it more 

tion Publicity Committee undertook a Li- comfortably, if thirty per cent is the aver- 

brary Publicity Survey. This is a brief age number of replies to any questionnaire, 

and informal resume of part of that survey. we are one-third interested. 
The full report, it is hoped, will be printed 

, . Reducing the figures to a minimum, we 

The part of the survey addressed to 11- ^^^^ ^he following averages for 24 "Large" 
braries was mailed to 3,500 American pub- P^^^ic libraries (annual expenditure of 
lie, college, and institution libraries a H<>MO and upwards) ; 44 "Medium" libra- 
little more than a month ago. To date, ries (expenditure from $10,000 to $40,000) ; 
294 replies have been received, or 8.4 per 100 "Small" libraries ($2,000 to $10,000 
cent. Obviously, one query is whether less annually), and 57 "Village" libraries (less 
than ten per cent of our libraries are in- than $2,000 annual expenditure) : 

Percentage Percentage Total Expended Fercentage for 
Population Reached Hoped for Expended for Publicity Publicity 

Large (24) 588,000 25.6 58. $179,150 $1,335.00 .0074 

Medium (44) 55,650 27.6 33. 16,400 176.00 .0107 

Small (100) 18,556 33.3 55. 5,004 37.74 .0068 

Village (57) 3,600 35. 77. 1,060 7.92 .0075 

Composite 121,146 30.4 56. $36,409 ■ $ 280.00 .0072 

It is frankly recognized these "averages," ture of $36,409, or about 33 cents per capita, 

and especially the "composite" American It is reaching 30.4 per cent of its popula- 

clty, do not exist. But using this as our tion, and with sufficient support and proper 

present means of looking at ourselves, the advertising it reasonably hopes to reach 56 

composite American library has a popula- per cent of its population. It is now spend- 

tlon of 121,146 to serve, an annual expendi- ing $280 per year on all forms of publicity. 



131 



labor cost not included. This is an average 
of 72/100 of one per cent of its total ex- 
penditure. 

Estimates were asked as to how large an 
income a library should have In order to 
afford an advertising department with a 
member of staff in charge. The replies 
vary from $5,000 to $500,000. 

There was a wide divergence of opinion 
as to whether libraries should advertise 
at all. Two or three statements on either 
side of the argument will suffice: 

From a large university library: "It is 
very wise indeed to emphasize the need 
of having something good to advertise be- 
fore you begin an advertising campaign. 
I believe that the motto of the Advertising 
Clubs of America has some rather definite 
relation to truth in advertising. If a li- 
brary has to apologize for its material, it 
is in a rather poor position to advertise." 

From a village library, with an income 
of $1,000 annually: "One librarian is all 
that can be afforded, and her salary is 
necessarily small, but her time is certainly 
well occupied with the checking of from 
1,300 to 1.500 books each month, together 
with cataloging, accessioning, mending, 
and reference work, which during the 
county high school session and months of 
club work forms no small part of the daily 
task. Under these circumstances we would 
not be justified in spending our limited 
funds for advertising." 

From a large eastern public library: 
"Publicity work, like classification, seems 
to us a very inexact science, in which 
definite results cannot usually be expected 
to follow. As I believe that millions are 
wasted annually on unnecessary and un- 
wise advertising, so I believe that thou- 
sands may be squandered by us librarians 
unless we keep our heads and decline to be 
stampeded into this publicity vortex. At 
the same time I think that a 'publicity 
agent' would be very useful in large libra- 
ries, provided she possessed common sense 
and did not try to supplant the librarian." 

From a medium sized library in Penn- 
sylvania: "I do not at all consider it a 
simple question of percentage of expendi- 
tures. A library that possessed material 
really adequate to the needs of its con- 
stituency, if not generally used, would be 
justified in spending a very high percent- 
age of its total income on publicity, till 
proper patronage was secured. On the 
other hand, a library that was daily forced 
to admit that its income was insufficient 



to purchase material its patrons were per- 
petually calling for would not be justified 
in spending on publicity much, if any, 
more than sufficient to print the monthly 
lists of accessions. ... If the pub- 
licity expenditures were made with a view 
of increasing the library's income rather 
than of advertising its present collection 
and for each dollar so spent a dollar and a 
half increased income was secured, most 
libraries would feel justified in spending 
this year on publicity a sum equal at 
least to their total receipts of last year." 

And this from a large library of New 
York state: "I don't believe there is any 
one answer to the publicity question. The 
fundamental thing about it is human in- 
terest. If the library is an interesting 
place it will get publicity in print and by 
word of mouth. The way to make a library 
interesting is to have it touch human 
nature and the spirit of the hour at as 
many points as possible. The bill for 
printing for this library will not be ma- 
terially greater this year than last, but we 
are showing an increase of from 25 to 35 
per cent In circulation over last year, 
month by month. Some of this is acci- 
dental, most of it I think is due to the 
fact that the newspapers and the public 
find that the library is an Interesting thing 
to talk about and an interesting place to 
go and that it has a smiling welcome for 
everybody." 

From a small library of the middle west: 
"Above all other factors I place personal 
contact with the people of a community. 
Our policy is to become identified in some 
way with every community movement, 
even to giving the time and personal serv- 
ices of the librarian in any good cause. 
We see to it that almost every community 
enterprise is worked out by committees 
which meet in the library building. It is 
Important to go out and work with peo- 
ple, but it is more important to bring the 
people Into the library building. The use 
of the library is then almost certain to 
lollow." 

From an eastern village library with an 
income of $450 per year: "I am just be- 
ginning to realize the duty and the privi- 
lege of systematic publicity in connection 
with our little library. It is a deplorable 
condition of things when so many books 
valuable in helpfulness in every line of 
work or study stand idle on the shelves." 

From an Oklahoma library: "I am a 
firm believer in advertising books as well 
as other needed commodities, and think 
public libraries should be built on down 
town streets where attractive window dis- 
plays would attract the attention of the 



132 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



public to something free for their mental 
and physical uplift." 

There you have the two sides of the 
crucial point of this whole publicity Idea. 
Your committee feels that It Is a test of 
our Ideals, a test of our willingness to trust 
the public to recognize and support libra- 
rianship that dares to render the service 
the public wants. 

Two or three statements of problems 
from individual libraries are examples of 
the service that a library publicity expert 
at A, L. A. headquarters should be giv- 
ing: 

" It would pay tlie state organizations to 
employ a good publicity expert to go from 
library to library and instruct the libra- 
rians how to reach the people." 

" What is to be done when the library 
Is some distance from the center of the 
city, so that it is an effort to people to 
visit it? Also, when the library building 
is so imposing and forbidding in aspect, 
both outside and inside, with its high 
granite steps, and almost overpowering 
marble interior, that people are actually 
uncomfortable when they enter and find 
they must traverse the long mosaic floor- 
ing to the loan desk, each footfall resound- 
ing....?" 

" How shall we get the business men to 
' sense ' the individual, commercial, and 
civic value of the public library? The lo- 
cal commercial club printed a poster call- 
ed 'Facts you should know about Our 
Town.' The public library was not in- 
cluded, although ' miles of paving ' and 
' miles of sewer ' were." 

" My chief problem Is the minds of the 
library committee. Have tried several 
years to get permission to print a new edi- 
tion of a technical list. Meanwhile several 
times the amount needed has been spent 
on ornamental shrubs." 

I venture to state the following conclu- 



sions somewhat categorically, because 
there is no time for any other method: 

1. There is no magic or mystery about 
library advertising. It is a science. It 
must be based upon our stock in trade. It 
must be accompanied by service. 

2. There is no hard and fast method 
to be followed, no fixed percentage to be 
spent on publicity. We must each study 
our conditions and lay out our compaign 
accordingly. 

3. State library commissions need to 
study and help more with the publicity 
problems of small village libraries. In 
many cases, I believe, it will be found to 
be a fundamental matter of librarianship, 
to be helped only by training. 

4. College and university libraries liave 
a publicity duty from which they are not 
excused by reason of their assured cli- 
entele. 

5. We are still playing with library ad- 
vertising. The American Library Associa- 
tion as an organization has not tackled 
the matter as seriously yet as the condi- 
tions warrant. We are not spending 
enough for conference publicity, and not 
anything approaching what we should for 
general library publicity. Individual 
libraries are not spending enough, or wise- 
ly enough. 

But we shall all spend more for library 
publicity, and that more judiciously. And 
we shall have a permanent A. L. A. pub- 
licity oflicer to lead in A. L. A. oflScial pub- 
licity and to advise in the publicity prob- 
lems of all libraries. These problems will 
be found to be matters of community serv- 
ice, of library finance, and of librarian- 
ship. 



LIBRARY COMMISSION PUBLICITY 
By Mrs. Elizabeth Clatpool Babl, President Indiana PuhUc Library Commission 



I find that state commissions who are 
doing things at all, work along about the 
same lines of publicity, through publica- 
tions of various sorts, exhibits at county 
and state fairs, club conventions, news- 



paper articles, addresses, distribution of 
helpful literature, etc., all of which is ex- 
cellent. But something more is needed, 
and I feel the time has come to weed out 
misfits through a constant presentation in 



COMPTON 



133 



public print of the ideal commissioner, 
trustee, and librarian. 

Several of the commissioa secretaries 
have informed me they do not dare to do 
much publicity worli, else they could not 
meet the demands with their appropria- 
tion. If the greatest handicap to progres- 
sive and constructive library work, is, as 
some think, lack of funds, it seems to me 
the easiest and most effective way to get 
more money is to publish your needs, your 
victories and your opportunities, keeping 
a whirlwind of ideas going to get public 
sentiment behind the big thing you are 
trying to do. Can you think of an easier 
and more effective bit of publicity work 
than to have a whole state clamoring for 
something they cannot get, and are en- 
titled to have? No legislature could with- 
stand such an argument for larger appro- 
priations. Another publicity opportunity 
largely overlooked by the commission 
secretaries is the getting of newspaper 
articles about their work into the daily 
papers, until every man, woman and child 
in the state knows there is a library com- 
mission and that through it every library 
interest of the state Is reached, nurtured 
and developed — that the library commis- 
sion is a dynamic force in the educational 
propaganda of the state. 

Perhaps the most needed publicity work 



commissions can do is to push the senti- 
ment that the library stands side by side 
with, if not a little ahead of, the educa- 
tional forces of the state, demanding for 
librarians professional recognition, with 
salaries in proportion to the dignity of 
their work, urging that the greatest priv- 
ilege and honor in any community is serv- 
ing with intelligence on a library board, 
no matter whether it is in a town of 2,000 
or a city of 200,000. 

Commissions can help the small library 
in a publicity way. 

By reporting in the commission bulletin 
effective methods tried in various libraries 
of the state. 

By preparing newspaper articles suit- 
able for publication in any local paper ad- 
vertising the library. 

By getting advance information from li- 
braries of lists to be published and ar- 
ranging for cooperation. 

By stimulating interest in and directing 
such things as library week, exhibits at 
county fairs, etc. 

By arranging for district meetings to ad- 
vertise the libraries. 

By giving talks on library service at 
dedications, library days, etc., to advertise 
the local library. 

By advising librarians as to publicity 
methods. 



A PUBLICITY EXPERT FOR LIBRARIES 
By C. H. Compto.n, Seattle Puhlic Library 



In presenting the proposition of a pub- 
licity expert for libraries, I should like to 
have what I say considered as a message 
from the Pacific Northwest Library Asso- 
ciation to the American Library Associa- 
tion. 

We librarians of the Pacific Nortliwest, 
some 150 strong, believe that a long step 
towards the solution of the publicity 
problem of libraries lies in the adoption 
of this idea. We have been fathering the 



idea for thrte years, and through the pub- 
licity committee of our association have 
been endeavoring to bring it to the atten- 
tion of libraries throughout the country. 
It already has the endorsement of a num- 
ber of state library associations, the hearty 
approval of many librarians and the sup- 
port of the publicity committee of the 
A. L. A. A plan for financing cooperatively a 
publicity expert was laid before the Execu- 
tive Board at its meeting in December by 



134 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Mr. Kerr, chairman of the publicity com- 
mittee of A. L. A. This is the progress 
made to date. 

In order that we may get a clear, fresh 
view of this proposition, I wish for a min- 
ute we might, if possible, forget that we 
are librarians, put aside our professional 
prejudices and set notions. Let us imag- 
ine that we are the directors of a big cor- 
poration and that we are here assembled 
to decide upon the best policy of adver- 
tising its business. This corporation has 
8,000 branches in cities, towns, villages 
and country districts, but whether large or 
small, they are all dealing in the same 
commodity. Do you think that after hav- 
ing considered the matter with due delib- 
eration we would recommend that each 
branch should advertise its wares as it 
saw fit, without assistance from any 
source? 1 do not believe there is a person 
here who would maintain that such a plan 
of advertising would be the most efficient. 
The natural way, the efficient way, the eco- 
nomical way, would be to have a central 
organization to direct the advertising for 
the whole corporation. But the problem 
of library advertising is much the same as 
that of this imaginary corporation, yet we 
find that we are following the hit and miss 
plan, every one of the over 8,000 libraries 
advertising for itself— no unity in it, and 
we have as a result just the kind of pub- 
licity we might expect from such a pro- 
cedure — largely ineffective, unattractive 
and extremely uneconomical. It seems to 
me that we will never remedy this condi- 
tion until we have a publicity man con- 
nected with A. L. A. headquarters to direct 
library publicity and to counsel and advise 
with librarians throughout the land. 

Now rapidly let me suggest a few things 
which a publicity expert could do. He 
could prepare advertising material, pla- 
cards, leaflets, etc., which could be used by 
different libraries throughout the country. 
A number of library supply firms are see- 
ing the commercial possibilities of this 



and are selling placards at three to four 
times the actual cost of printing. 

A publicity man could edit cooperative 
lists like Mr. Wheeler's — not compile them, 
but see to it that the lists were attractive 
from an advertising standpoint. A pub- 
licity expert could obtain national publicity 
for libraries through magazines and metro- 
politan newspapers. This would help all 
libraries. 

A publicity expert could well devote 
some of his publicity to the need of greater 
financial support for libraries. 

A publicity expert could, upon request, 
give advice and suggestions to librarians 
when meeting publicity problems peculiar 
to different communities. 

Now, just a word as to cooperative pub- 
licity which has been tried and proved 
successful. The lists compiled by Mr. 
Wheeler, being printed in large quantities 
(50,000) were sold at half the cost of 
printing in small quantities. 

The Publicity Committee of the Pacific 
Northwest Library Association sold pla- 
cards cooperatively in quantities of 25 or 
more at a cost of 4 cents each. The price 
of printing in small quantities would have 
been prohibitive and at the present time a 
library supply firm has copied them and is 
selling them at 10 cents each. 

Perhaps these two examples may indi- 
cate in a slight way what might be done 
with cooperative publicity under the di- 
rection of a paid publicity man. For the 
first year or two the salary of such a pub- 
licity man would have to be paid by 
contributions from cooperating libraries. 
After that I believe that the sale of pub- 
licity material would be sufficient to make 
the project self-supporting. 

In the last few years we have heard It 
asserted many times, Man is by nature a 
fighting animal. But the question I want 
to ask is this, "Is the genus librarian a 
cooperating animal?" The success of such 
a proposition as I have briefly outlined to 
you depends on the answer. Time will 
tell. 



STANDARDIZATION OP LIBRARIES AND CERTIFICATION OF LIBRARIANS 
By p. L. WirrDSOR. Chairman o1 Committee 



At the last Chicago mid-winter meeting 
of the Council, provision was made for a 
committee* of five to take up the question 
of the standardization of libraries and 
librarians, the certification of librarians 
and the definition of "assistant librarian," 
etc. The committee was completed in 
April, but the ' members being widely 
separated geographically, it has had no 
opportunity for a meeting until the time 
of this conference; however, the members 
have done a good deal of preliminary work 
by correspondence, and their statement, 
which follows, is to be considered not so 
much as a report with recommendations 
from the committee, but ratlier as a state- 
ment of such phases of the problem as 
have been brought out In this preliminary 
correspondence, and in previous discus- 
sions within the profession. The chief pur- 
pose in making the statement is to give 
publicity to the plans of the committee, to 
invite discussion of the various proposals 
which are sure to come before it, and to 
bring out suggestions concerning any angle 
of the problem which is not yet adequately 
before the committee. 

In addition to the discussions of this 
topic which have appeared in library peri- 
odicals, your committee has had the use 
of manuscript material gathered by the 
Ohio Library Association Committee on 
Standardization of Library Service, 1916, 
Miss Electra C. Doren, chairman; and has 
received suggestions from librarians, espe- 
cially from Mr. W. R. Eastman and Miss 
Clara Abernethy. 

In this statement we will consider chiefly 
the classification of libraries; nomencla- 
ture, or the title of positions; and certifi- 
cation of librarians. 

Taking up first that subdivision of our 
subject which may be called standardiza- 
tion of libraries, we know what a standard- 



•Mr 
Jessie 



Adam Strohm, Mi 
F. Hume, Mr. 
L. Windsor, chaii 



Electra C. Dor 
iller C. Welln 



Mi. 



and 



ized or approved college or high school is. 
For example, a college or university may 
be graded or classified into any one of two 
or three or even tour groups; class "A" 
meaning up to the prescribed standard; 
class "B" up to standard except for certain 
deficiencies; class "C" a somewhat lower 
grouping; and class "D" a group perhaps 
distinctly below grade. Medical schools 
were graded somewhat after this fashion a 
few years ago, with very positive and bene- 
ficial results to medical education. High 
schools are sometimes graded similarly. 
Libraries are a different sort of educational 
institution and some of us will question 
whether it is practicable to fix definite 
standards by which they can be classified. 
Nevertheless, libraries are an educational 
agency and though the task of grading is 
undoubtedly a diflScult one, it would be ad- 
vantageous from many points of view for a 
library to know that it was up to a gen- 
erally accepted standard. A library that 
was not up to the required standard would 
then have to face a professional and a local 
public opinion which would probably lead 
to an improvement in its standing. 

The University of the State of New York 
as long ago as 1894 adopted a statement 
of "Minimum requirements for (a) proper 
library standard." This statement was 
adopted originally by the regents as a 
test In the registering of free libraries 
seeking state aid. It was stated In general 
terms, and applied to large and small 
libraries alike, except that the required 
hours of service were moalfied according 
to population. Otherwise there was no 
"grading" or "classifying." The only words 
in this statement relating to the quality 
of the librarian was the requirement that 
the library be "in charge of , a competent 
attendant." 

If a State Library Commission, for ex- 
ample, desired to proceed further than New 
York has in grading its libraries, it would 



136 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



presumably proceed on some suet lines as 
these: First, cities or townships or coun- 
ties might be classified by population, or 
by population and taxable value considered 
together. This preliminary classification 
would throw libraries of cities of compara- 
ble size and wealth into one class; presum- 
ably the recommended standards of library 
service would be somewhat different for 
libraries In cities of these different classes. 

The value of a library to its community 
would be the principal basis of the classi- 
fication of that library, but some score 
card of definite "points" would have to 
be agreed upon as serving reasonably well 
as a measure or test of this value. For 
example, such information as the follow- 
ing might be called for and weighted on 
such a score card: The total income of 
the library in relation to tax values; the 
circulation of boolts in relation to the num- 
ber of volumes in the library, the popu- 
lation of the place, and the income of the 
library; the number of registered readers 
in relation to population; the recorded use 
of reference rooms, of special collections, 
exhibits, lectures, etc.; the open hours of 
the library; the number of people on the 
staff and their education, professional train- 
ing and personal fitness; the extent and 
character of special forms of worlc, as for 
example, work with the children and 
schools, or with city officials and business 
men. 

A weighted score card of this sort might 
be devised with the various points so plain- 
ly stated that librarians, trustees and 
others who are at all familiar with libra- 
ries could with reasonable accuracy arrive 
at a fair judgment concerning the relative 
standing of a library under examination. 
It would be necessary that the various 
points on this score card be stated clearly 
enough so that the librarian or the board 
of a library falling below standard would 
be easily able to see why. If, for example, 
a public library is deficient in its work 
with children, the score card or statement 
would have to be sufficiently definite and 
full to show exactly wherein it is de- 
ficient; for example, in the number or 
character of the books for children, or In 



the rules regulating the use of the library 
by children; or, the deficiency might He in 
poor quarters or poor general equipment; 
or, it might lie in the lack of competency 
of the children's librarian, or it might lie 
in any or all of such items as these. The 
only point I wish to make by this illustra- 
tion is that it would have to be sulBciently 
clear so that the local library would be dis- 
posed to accept the rating given it and 
would know definitely what would be need- 
ed to bring itself up to standard. 

The value of such a grading or stand- 
ardization of libraries would lie chiefly in 
its stimulating effect on librarians, boards 
and communities which, under present con- 
ditions, may not realize clearly what serv- 
ice and how much of it their library should 
give its public. It may be that the libra- 
rian is doing the best she can under pre- 
vailing local conditions; that is, the cause 
of the deficiency may lie in some policy of 
the board, or even in some condition which 
even the board cannot change. But most 
boards and communities prefer to have 
their local library rated high and the effect 
of any reasonable scheme of grading would 
be to improve conditions in the libraries 
given low ratings. 

In administering the work of a State 
Library Commission there might be other 
incidental advantages connected with such 
a system of standardization or grading, es- 
pecially if state aid to local libraries is 
given, but the chief consideration for us 
is its effect on the service given to the 
local public, and that seems likely to be 
good. 

Many communities under present condi- 
tions have libraries that give far better 
service than is likely to be required in any 
scheme of classification of the libraries of 
a whole state. It is quite possible that 
the effect of classification on these above 
par libraries would not be good; there 
would be the inevitable tendency to keep 
the library just "up to standard," and not 
much more. This danger might be some- 
what minimized, though not entirely done 
away with, by frequent revision of the 
points on the score card above mentioned, 
or of the weights given to particular points. 



WINDSOR 



137 



And in order to be of full value and in 
order also to be fair to all the libraries 
in the state, the Library Commission or 
whatever body fixes the standards and ap- 
plies them, would have to make frequent 
examination of the libraries within its 
jurisdiction so that any library slightly be- 
low standard could at almost any time be 
accorded a higher rank; and any library 
in a high rank, if it permits disorganiza- 
tion in its administration, ought to know 
that its rating will be lowered soon if the 
situation warrants it. 

The difiiculties of devising such a score 
card of "points," such a statement of 
standards, are obvious and need not be en- 
larged upon here; and after your Commit- 
tee works out such a score card, if it can 
do so with your help, you will find much 
work left to fit it to your own state con- 
ditions. And even if successfully applied, 
such a system of standardization carries 
with it the general drawbacks of a scheme 
for uniformity in the administration of any 
group of institutions; among these is, of 
course, the tendency to destroy individual- 
ity and initiative in work. However, in 
spite of this tendency most Institutions to- 
day are being subjected to standardiza- 
tion of one sort or another. Units of 
measurement are applied to their work; 
libraries will hardly wish to escape the 
test. 

Let us now turn to standardization of 
librarians. We find that the subject in- 
cludes a good many subdivisions; for ex- 
ample, nomenclature, or the titles of posi- 
tions in the service; the statement of duties 
pertaining to particular positions; the 
whole subject of grading library staffs and 
librarians, as has been done by several 
large libraries recently; the certification of 
librarians; efficiency records; hours of 
service; promotion schedules; salaries and 
pensions. 

The term "librarian" may mean any per- 
son regularly employed by a library to do 
its educational work and it often does 
mean this to your public; or. It may mean 
simply the "head" librarian, all others con- 
nected with that library being "library as- 
sistant," or "cataloger," or "reference libra- 



rian," etc. On the other hand the chief 
administrative head of a library may be 
called librarian, head librarian, director, 
or superintendent. Which is the better 
term? 

"Assistant librarian" may mean the one 
member of the staff next In rank to the 
librarian; the one who regularly acts for 
the librarian in his absence. Or "assistant 
librarian" may be a term applied to a 
group of several members of the staff, of 
approximately equal rank to the librarian. 
"Library assistant" is a more general term 
usually including nearly every member of 
the staff except the head librarian. But it 
sometimes is applied to an unclassified 
group of workers ranking below certain 
heads of departments. 

The terms used to designate department 
heads vary in different libraries; "assist- 
ant in charge," "chief," "head," principal," 
"superintendent," "supervisor," etc., are 
among the terms found. 

Other terms rather commonly found in 
the service are "assistant," "assistant cata- 
loger," "branch cataloger," "cataloger," 
"children's librarian," "classifier," "clerk," 
"junior library assistant," "order libra- 
rian," "reference librarian," "reviser," 
and "senior library assistant." In most of 
these cases the duties going with a title 
are indicated roughly by the title itself, 
but not always by any means. 

The question arises, do we all wish to 
be known to the public as "librarians," or 
do we wish that term to be restricted in 
its use and be applied to the "head libra- 
rian" only, and the public be expected to 
call other members of the staff "library as- 
sistant" or "assistant librarian," etc.? We 
will probably always have a variety of 
titles within any one library, the terms 
used locally Indicating roughly the charac- 
ter of the work or the rank of the person 
holding the title; but at present there does 
not seem to be even a reasonable uniform- 
ity. A certain clearness of thought might 
be gained if we came to an agreement re- 
specting the proper titles to apply to at 
least a few of the more important classes of 
positions, and certain misunderstandings 
avoided which occasionally arise when one 



138 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



of us is appointed to a certain type of posi- 
tion — the title being given, and finds that 
the title, while used with perfect honesty, 
nevertheless did not at all mean the per- 
formance of the sort of work we expected. 
If one were called upon to frame a law 
providing for pensions for librarians, for 
a civil service scheme, or almost any law 
which had to deal with librarians as a 
class in wliole or in part, it would be found 
difficult to use terms in the law which 
would clearly include everybody desired 
and exclude everybody else. 

Civil service systems as they are at pres- 
ent commonly found in this country have 
been generally unsatisfactory when applied 
to library service, though librarians believe 
in the principles underlying Civil Service 
laws and follow many of these principles 
voluntarily in administrating libraries. 
The tendency to bring public servants of 
all grades under a classified Civil Service 
is, however, strong, and librarians are fre- 
quently facing possible inclusion in a Civil 
Service system. Sometimes this possibility 
is the result of the passage of a general 
Civil Service law, permitting cities of a 
certain class in a state to adopt a Civil 
Service system for its employees; or it re- 
sults from the passage of a law establish- 
ing a Civil Service system in all state in- 
stitutions and departments. If a Civil 
Service system applicable to libraries and 
satisfactory to librarians can be devised, 
it may then be proposed to Civil Service 
Commissions for addition to their other 
schedules or to take the place of them, so 
far as libraries are concerned. The Civil 
Service authorities, if offered such a sched- 
ule, worked out by librarians and follow- 
ing Civil Service principles, would be likely 
to adopt it. 

If such a schedule for library service can 
be drawn up by your committee it could 
serve as a model or tentative scheme which 
could be modified to suit local needs, and 
to a certain extent adopted voluntarily by 
libraries not now under Civil Service; then, 
when Civil Service is threatened, the dan- 
ger in the situation is minimized. The 
mere existence of a well worked out 



scheme already in operation puts the 
library in a position of marked advantage. 

But certification of librarians has been 
proposed as likely to result in better 
library service than Civil Service systems 
in their present state of development. 

State certification of librarians involves 
the issuing of certificates, by a state board 
of library examiners or commissioners, for 
a term of years or for life, to such persons 
as are found to possess the requisite re- 
quirements; the certificates are, presum- 
ably, to be for different grades of library 
service and are to be valid and required 
in any library supported in whole or in 
part by public funds, or in any one of a 
certain grade of libraries within the state. 

Among the reasons given In favor of 
certification are these: 

1. The public library as a public Institu- 
tion should be carefully safeguarded; with- 
out some standards of service there is like- 
ly to be a waste of public money and much 
ineffective work. 

2. The public library is a part of the edu- 
cational system of the state and should 
have a very definite relation to all other 
public educational agencies; without defi- 
nite standards this relation is not likely 
to exist. 

3. Local boards of trustees need such 
help as a system of certificates would give; 
they often have too little idea of the edu- 
cational and special qualifications that are 
needed in a librarian. A system of cer- 
tificates required of librarians and assist- 
ants would limit the choice of boards to 
qualified people and protect them against 
the obviously incapable; would prevent the 
appointment for political and personal rea- 
sons of unprepared and incompetent libra- 
rians. Library boards desiring a staff with 
high standards of preparation for service 
would be upheld, and boards with low 
standards would be held to higher ones. 

4. Certification is in harmony with the 
practice in other professions and callings; 
it protection is needed against incompe- 
tency in these, is it not also needed against 
incompetency in those who aid in directing 
the reading of the public in libraries? A 
librarian now is simply one who has a job. 

5. Certification would probably forestall 
the enactment of further laws bringing 
libraries under general civil service. 

6. Either certification or civil service 
seems to be a prerequisite to any system 



WINDSOR 



13» 



of pensions for librarians In which support 
Is received from public funds. 
Against certification are the following: 

1. Local trustees should not be handi- 
capped In their rights In looking after the 
interests of the library; a board of trustees 
in charge of a library should have full con- 
trol and should have the right to determine 
the qualifications of their librarian. 

2. Too much authority would be given to 
a state department; some libraries even 
now are inclined to resent the authority ex- 
ercised by the state department. 

3. Standards of Individual libraries at 
present generally meet the local require- 
ments; why adopt something not easy to 
change when once established? In some 
cases the present requirements of boards 
are higher than will be the requirements 
for certificates. 

4. Too much time, labor and expense are 
involved in operating a system of certifica- 
tion; an elaborate system of tests and cre- 
dentials will be necessary. 

5. Requirement of even a minimum 
standard in small libraries where service 
receives small compensation will work a 
hardship, and an injury will be done to the 
cause of library extension. 

6. Even now, it is difficult to secure a 
large enough number of new librarians to 
supply the annual demand; a scheme of 
certification in so far as it raises standards 
may increase this difficulty. 

At the Narragansett Pier Conference, in 
1906, Miss Clara Baldwin read a paper be- 
fore the League of Library Commissions on 
"State examinations and state certifica- 
tions for librarians." This was in 1906 
and in that paper are briefly stated many 
of the points which have to be considered 
in any present day discussion. 

In 1908 a bill was approved by the Ohio 
Library Association providing for the ap- 
pointment of a State Board of Library Ex- 
aminers, for examination of libraries and 
library employees, and for the granting of 
grades of certificates. This bill provided 
that after one year from the organiza- 
tion of the Board any person employed in 
a library supported wholly or in part by 
money derived from public taxation must 
have a certificate, but it failed of passage. 
Four years later, in 1912, Ohio libraries 
were in danger of being included in the 
operation of the general Civil Service law 



of that state, and Mr. Brett drew up a bill 
amending sections of the Ohio general code 
so as to provide for examination and cer- 
tification of librarians. This bill was in- 
tended as a substitute for the proposed 
Civil Service amendment, but was dropped 
because the objectionable feature of the 
amendment to the Civil Service law was 
dropped and libraries were left free from 
Civil Service. 

In California county librarians have 
from the beginning been certified by a 
board of examiners consisting ex offlcio 
of the librarians of three of the principal 
libraries of the state. The certification of 
county librarians has evidently worked 
well in California and has been included 
in recent county library legislation in other 
states. 

In September, 1916, a committee of the 
New York Library Association on "The 
merit system in libraries" reported to that 
Association a tentative plan for the certifi- 
cation of librarians in New York. Com- 
menting on their recommendation the com- 
mittee in its report said: 

"Since we find that service is the ad- 
mitted test of quality and that observation 
gives the clearest evidence of fitness, this 
committee, in order to give point to Its 
conclusions, has undertaken to devise a 
plan for appointments, which it hereby of- 
fers. Leaving out written examinations, 
it would place all appointments on a basis 
of probation. Contrary to the usual rule, 
it puts appointment first and a certificate 
to come afterward when it has been earned. 

"According to the above plan, every ap- 
pointee not rejected would be on proba- 
tion till the desired certificate is issued. 
With the appointment of trained assistants 
by libraries of recognized standing there 
would be little or no delay in receiving cer- 
tificates. The results of written examina- 
tions elsewhere would be included under 
the head of 'credentials.' Large libraries 
would continue their present system of 
tests, if they so wish, reporting results, 
but the plan relies upon intelligent and ex- 
pert observation as to personality and fit- 
ness. It puts responsibility, too, upon the 
Educational Extension Division, where 
much of it belongs. It follows the lines of 
probation. 

"The regents have the right to carry out 
such a plan under the full sanction of law. 
No legislation is required except, possibly, 



140 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



to remove five or six libraries at the out- 
side from the operation of the civil service 
law, and that step need not be talcen If the 
libraries concerned do not wish it. The 
plan will not interfere with present con- 
ditions. For the great libraries, the task 
of reporting at Albany would be slight, and 
we believe, would be readily undertaken if 
they are satisfied that it will be for the 
good of the whole body." 

The report was favorably received and 
referred to a new committee for further 
consideration. 

Certain features of the New York pro- 
posal Immediately attract attention. For 
example, a person is appointed to a posi- 
tion and draws a salary, while she Is learn- 
ing, under the tutelage of the Extension 
Division, liow to do her work. No general 
standards are specified wliich are applica- 
ble to medium and large libraries; each 
of these determines and administers its 
own system, subject to approval by the ex- 
tension division. In small cities, after ap- 



pointing a person librarian, much local 
irritation would be caused by declining to 
certify her. 

Your committee realizes that it has but 
begun its work; it seeks suggestion, criti- 
cism and help, and, in conclusion, begs 
leave to offer the following recommenda- 
tions: 

1. That the committee be continued, and 
that the membership be increased to seven, 
so as to make feasible the inclusion of rep- 
resentatives of library trustees and of state 
library commission workers. 

2. That the committee be authorized to 
appoint auxiliary or sub-committees for the 
investigation and consideration of special 
divisions of the subject. 

3. That the committee be authorized to 
invite the assistance of representatives of 
other interests, as, e. g. Civil Service Com- 
missions, or Bureaus 'of EflBciency and 
Standardization. 



AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WORK AND THE OPPORTUNITIES IT OFFERS TO 
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE LIBRARIANS 



Bt George A. Deveneau, Librarian, College of Agriculture and Agricultural Experiment 
Station, University of Illinois, Urbana, III. 



The seriousness of the situation our na- 
tion is now facing is forcibly shown by 
President Wilson's appeal to the farmers: 

"The supreme need of our own nation 
and the nations witli which we are co- 
operating is an abundance of supplies, and 
especially of foodstuffs. The importance 
of an adequate food supply, especially for 
the present year, is superlative. Without 
abundant food, alike for the armies and 
the peoples now at war, the whole great 
enterprise upon which we have embarked 
will break down and fail. The world's food 
reserves are low. Not only during the 
present emergency but for some time after 
peace shall have come both our own people 
and a large proportion of the people of 
Europe must rely upon the harvests in 
America. Upon the farmers of this coun- 
try, therefore, in large measure rests the 
fate of the war and the fate of the nations." 

With the first issue of the Liberty Loan 



so generously oversubscribed, and with the 
selective service bill a law, and the ma- 
chinery already in motion for the selection 
of our army of 2,000,000 men, the most 
vital problem which now challenges us in 
our war for world peace and democracy 
is that of feeding ourselves and our allies. 

Behind us we have two lean years, oc- 
casioned by unfavorable climatic con- 
ditions and the withdrawal of thirty-nine 
millions of men, many of whom were farm- 
ers, from their normal pursuits. The fol- 
lowing brief quotation from Representative 
King's recent speech in Congress states an 
unpleasant truth: "We are at war witli 
starvation. They call it a war of democ- 
racy, but I say it is a war of the human 
race against starvation." 

Before sailing for America, Herbert C. 



DEVENEAU 



141 



Hoover cabled the following startling mes- 
sage to the American people: 

"I feel it my duty to emphasize that the 
food situation is one of the utmost gravity, 
which, unless it is solved, may possibly 
result in the collapse of everything we hold _ 
dear in civilization. ... 

"The only hope of providing the de- 
ficiency is by the elimination of waste, the 
actual and rigorous self-sacriiice on the 
part of the American people. . . . 

"We must also plant everything and 
everywhere it will grow, or this time next 
year the food problem will be absolutely 
unsolvable, and the world will face abso- 
lute starvation." — {Country Gentleman . 
June 9, 1917.) 

The thought which is now uppermost in 
the minds of each one of us is how we can 
in the most immediate and practical way 
prepare ourselves for war service. As 
agricultural librarians we are face to face 
with a rare opportunity, and as I shall en- 
deavor to sketch briefly the development in 
the past of the agricultural extension work 
and show the vital importance of this 
movement in the present time of national 
crisis, I trust that you will realize, if you 
have not already done so, the necessity of 
our responding to this call for service. 

Fifty-flve years ago in the midst of the 
destruction and despair of the Civil War, 
Abraham Lincoln signed a bill "creating 
the most magnificent endowment for higher 
education that the world has ever seen," 
and today we find these institutions keenly 
alive to the opportunity they are facing 
in the time of national crisis. Already 
through their military training depart- 
ments they have been able to respond to 
the call for men to organize and officer 
our military forces. Every other depart- 
ment of our land-grant colleges, however, Is 
mobilizing its resources and finding where 
it can be of service, and I do not believe 
that our libraries will be slow to see their 
opportunities. 

The same eventful year of 1862 in which 
provision was made for founding the land- 
grant colleges, also saw the organization 
of the Federal Department of Agriculture, 
which marked the realization of the long 
standing and widespread demand among 
the agricultural interests of the country 



tor governmental aid and cooperation in 
solving their problems. 

Twenty-five years later the Hatch Act 
was passed, establishing our agricultural 
experiment stations, which, according to 
the provision of the act, were designed "to 
aid in acquiring and diffusing among the 
people of the United States useful and 
practical information on subjects connected 
with agriculture, and to promote scientific 
investigation and experiment respecting 
the principles and applications of agricul- 
tural science." Today there are sixty of 
these agricultural experiment stations, and 
through their investigations and experi- 
ments the foundation of a better and more 
productive agriculture has been laid. 

Until recently the necessity of making 
adequate provision for taking their mes- 
sage of better agricultural practices to the 
farmer was not realized by the Federal 
Department of Agriculture and the agri- 
cultural colleges and experiment stations. 
From the beginning, however, of these in- 
stitutions, through the meetings of the 
farmers' institutes and granges, the teach- 
ers and investigators were afforded an op- 
portunity to come before the farmers them- 
selves and tell of their work and answer 
such practical questions as the farmers 
were interested in asking. This contact 
led in time to the establishment of exten- 
sion divisions in the agricultural colleges, 
and at the 1904 meeting of the Association 
of American Agricultural Colleges and Ex- 
periment Stations the constitution of the 
Association was amended to admit exten- 
sion work upon a par with teaching and 
research. 

In an effort to save the South from the 
ruin threatened by the Mexican cotton- 
boll weevil, Congress made an appropria- 
tion in 1903-1904 for this purpose. The 
work of conducting the campaign against 
the boll weevil was carried on through a 
system of district and county agents who 
worked with the farmers on their own 
farms and in small groups, demonstrating 
better methods of cotton cultivation and 
the necessity of diversified farming. The 
simplicity and directness ot this plan for 



142 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



reaching the farmer soon attracted the at- 
tention of the General Education Board of 
New York, and this board from 1905 to 
1914 by generous appropriations In co- 
operation with the Department of Agri- 
culture, laid the foundation of the present 
county agent system in the South. In 
1907 the first agent was appointed to work 
exclusively in one county, his salary being 
paid in part by the business men of the 
county and the United States Department 
of Agriculture. In the North the first 
county agent was appointed in 1911 for 
Broome County, New York, the cooperating 
parties in establishing this work being the 
U. S. Oflice of Farm Management and Bu- 
reau of Plant Industry, the New York State 
College of Agriculture, Binghamton Cham- 
ber of Commerce, and the Delaware, Lacka- 
wanna and Western R. R. From the first, 
this demonstration method of teaching was 
so successful that Congress in 1914 passed 
the Smith-Lever Agricultural Extension 
Act. When this act is in full operation it 
will be possible through the use of federal, 
state and local funds to place two county 
agents in each of the 2,850 rural counties 
of the nation. 

Writing in the 1916 Yearbook, Carl Vroo- 
man, Assistant Secretary of the United 
States Department of Agriculture, forcibly 
states the value of these agricultural ad- 
visers (U. S. Dept. of Agrl. Yearbook, 
1916, pp. 69-70). (See also County Agent, 
June, 1917, p. 4.) 

An Increase in average yield of corn of 
12.8 bushels per acre, of 8.4 bushels of 
wheat per acre, and 8.4 bushels of oats per 
acre as the result of the work of the county 
agents In the northern and western states 
is reported by Dr. A. C. True in his inter- 
esting article, in the February, 1917, Issue 
of the Banker-Farmer, entitled "How 469 
county agents in the North and West are 
helping the farmer." 

These illustrations could be indefinitely 
multiplied, but no greater proof of the vital 
Importance of these "captions of our farm 
army" could be given than the passage by 
the Senate on June 6 of the act "to provide 
further for the national security and de- 
fense by stimulating agriculture and facili- 
tating the distribution of agricultural 



products." Section 20 of this act provides 
an appropriation of 14,348,400 "for Increae- 
ing food production and eliminating waste 
and promoting conservation of food by edu- 
cational methods, through county, district, 
and urban agents and others." This means 
in other words that as an effective means 
of increasing crop production, cutting 
down waste and making more thoroughly 
eflicient the whole scheme of agriculture, 
the government will within a few months 
more than double the number of county 
agents. 

From the beginning of the extension 
work it has been the desire of the Federal 
Department of Agriculture that this county 
agent work should be carried on both in 
the farm fields and the farm homes. There 
are today upwards of 1,278 men agents and 
478 women agents working together in the 
splendid effort to make agriculture more 
profitable, and thus afford the best oppor- 
tunities to develop that high standard of 
life on the farm which shall In turn be- 
come the basis of a permanent and in- 
creasing national prosperity and greatness. 
The time for making provision for in- 
creasing our food supply this year by addi- 
tional planting has passed, and we must 
depend now largely on the success of the 
nation-wide campaign which is being 
waged through the Home Economics Dem- 
onstration Service to eliminate waste, and 
by canning, preserving, and drying to con- 
serve the great quantities of perishable 
vegetables and fruit which will otherwise 
be wasted. "We are the most wasteful 
people in the world in our ways of living. 
Our tastes and desires have been educated 
beyond our incomes. Almost as great a 
saving could be made by the more econo- 
mical manufacture, purchase and use of 
food as can be made by processes of In- 
creasing production which are Immediately 
feasible." Of the estimated annual waste 
of 5700,000,000 worth of food much could 
be saved by instruction In better methods 
of preparing, serving, and canning of foods. 
The home economics departments of our 
colleges and extension services are fully 
awake to this situation and already have 



DEVBNEAU 



143 



taken definite steps to meet the emergency. 

At our University during tlie montli of 
May a course was lield in canning for the 
purpose of training junior and senior girls 
who had volunteered to serve during the 
summer in canning schools to be organ- 
ized in their home communities in the 
theory and practice of canning. Fifty girls 
took the course and the thorough training 
they received will enable them to be of very 
practical assistance in the campaign which 
will be soon started under the provision of 
this recent act of Congress. A course was 
also given for the housekeepers of Cham- 
paign County who manifested great inter- 
est, there being an average of 75 women 
at each lecture and demonstration. That 
the libraries can take a definite part in this 
work is shown by the fact that Miss Mamie 
Bunch, our State Leader in Home Econom- 
ics, has already written to all the Public 
Libraries in Illinois telling them of these 
canning schools and enclosing a list of 
books and bulletins which she recommends 
that they provide in suiBcient quantity to 
answer their local needs. In cooperation 
with her and with Miss Naomi Newburn, 
who has charge of the canning school, we 
have prepared package libraries on canning 
which we will send at Miss Bunch's sugges- 
tion to such canning school leaders as have 
not at their command the services of a 
library. 

But to return to the organization of the 
extension work. There is, standing back 
of these men and women county agents a 
force of so-called extension specialists who 
are connected with the U. S. Department 
of Agriculture or with the various agri- 
cultural experiment stations and colleges. 
These specialists are men and women of 
recognized ability in special lines, and they 
supplement the work of the county agent 
dealing with difficult and scientific prob- 
lems which the county agent cannot be ex- 
pected to be able to cope with. 

In this great system of agricultural edu- 
cation the interests of the whole family 
have been considered and no work which 
is being done today is more important than 



that in the boys' and girls' clubs. (See 
Yearbook of Dept. of Agriculture, 1916, pp. 
471-2.) 

During the calendar year 1915 there 
were enrolled in these clubs in the North- 
ern and Western states 209,178 boys and 
girls, their work being directed by 11,478 
local leaders. A gross total of $509,325 
worth of food products was produced. 
Every effort is now being made to increase 
these clubs and It is probable that before 
the year is over 500,000 young people will 
have been set to work raising and canning 
food. 

The criticism that has so continually 
been made of the publications of the agri- 
cultural experiment stations that they are 
too technical and detailed for any but the 
specialist to understand and use is being 
satisfactorily met by the more popular 
material which is being issued by the ex- 
tension services of the various states. Not 
only are the publications of these exten- 
sion services increasing in volume, but they 
are showing a marked improvement in sub- 
ject matter and method of presentation. 
Such publications as Michigan Extension 
Division, Club Bulletin No. 9, "Garment 
making for girls," Pennsylvania Depart- 
ment of Agricultural Extension, Circular 
No. 48, "Children's clothing," Illinois Agri- 
cultural Extension Service, Extension cir- 
cular No. 4, "Rural school lunch," repre- 
sent a very significant and welcomed de- 
parture from the technical and detailing 
bulletins of most of the agricultural ex- 
periment stations. It is a source of consid- 
erable disappointment to us all that the 
States Relation Service has not yet been 
able to provide the proposed Extension 
Service Record for which Dr. True, in his 
address in 1915 before the Association of 
American Agricultural Colleges and Ex- 
periment Stations, sought recommenda- 
tions. Miss E. L. Ogden, in a recent letter, 
has informed me that she is engaged in 
making a title list of extension publica- 
tions which will, I feel sure, be of great 
value in guiding us to these valuable titles 
in these numerous series. We have re- 
cently completed such a list of the publica- 



144 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



tlons of our own Agricultural College Ex- 
tension and Agricultural Extension Serv- 
ice, copies of which we have 'available for 
distribution. It is with considerable pleas- 
ure that I note that the May number of the 
"Agricultural index" makes a beginning of 
Including extension publications. 

The picturesque term of "shorthorn" 
suggests to every one of you one of the 
most effective ways of our agricultural col- 
leges of making available their rich re- 
sources. Through the Farmers' Week and 
the short courses in agriculture and home 
economics and the longer courses, covering 
periods from two weeks to three months, 
the farmer, his wife and children are en- 
abled to share the benefits of our great 
state universities. The following quotation 
from the letter of a farmer is a tribute to 
the value of the short course as conducted 
in the Louisiana State University: 

"I think the Short Course of great value 
to anyone who has the cultivation of land 
and the growing of crops and live stock in 
charge. Anyone who takes one or more 
courses should be brought into the proper 
line of thought regarding liis chosen line 
and this alone would amount to thousands 
of dollars, depending somewhat upon the 
magnitude of his business. Had I taken a 
course when I first began farming some 
ten years ago, it would have saved me years 
of hard and unprofitable work and my bank 
account would have been much larger." — 
Henry M. Stewart, Laurel Hill. 

Many states, however, do not require the 
farmer to come to the state university, but 
through extension schools in agriculture 
and home economics which are held for 
three to five day periods in various com- 
munities throughout the state, they go di- 
rectly to the farmer. 

One of the most valuable methods of 
reaching individuals who are unable to 
come to the college is through correspond- 
ence and reading courses. The following 
quotation from the Kansas Home-Study 
Service shows the aim and scope of this 
service: 

"Realizing that the citizens of our state 
continue to be learners, even when their 
school days may be over, also believing that 
they would appreciate the information 
which their Agricultural College has been 
able to amass, the Kansas State Agricul- 



tural College maintains the Department of 
Home-Study Service for the purpose of of- 
fering in every way possible practical as- 
sistance, not only to the young men and 
women, but to all other citizens who care 
to take advantage of the opportunity for 
help in their home reading and study. 

"In order to meet the widely varying 
needs and conditions of the different 
classes of people, and to make it practicable 
for those who are not accustomed to regu- 
lar habits of study, as well as for those 
who are studiously inclined, the service is 
rendered by three different methods: 

"1. By Reading Courses, each of which 
is devoted to the discussion of a single sub- 
ject or problem in a simple, brief, and non- 
technical way. . . . 

"2. By Extension Courses, where com- 
plete comprehensive courses covering a 
number of related subjects are presented. 
This line of service is adapted to the needs 
of those who are ambitious for scientific 
training; it is the nearest possible home 
parallel to a college education . . . 

"3. By College Credit Courses, where col- 
lege subjects are offered by the correspond- 
ence method for regular credit. . . ." 

(Extension circular No. 6, Nov., 1915, of 
the Kansas State Agricultural College.) 

Similar correspondence courses are of- 
fered by the Extension Department of West 
Virginia University, together with a some- 
what different service known as the Farm- 
ers' Reading Circles. These circles con- 
sist of a group of five or more farmers, 
who meet to discuss their local farm prob- 
lems. Definite subjects for discussion, such 
as soil fertility or farm crops, are sug- 
gested by the Agricultural Extension De- 
partment, and suitable books and bulletins 
to read in connection with their discus- 
sions are recommended, but not provided. 
At the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical 
College the Extension Department is plan- 
ning to send out package libraries to their 
Farmers' Clubs. North Dakota Agricul- 
tural College, University of Wisconsin, In- 
diana University, through their depart- 
ments of public discussion, are already op- 
erating package library services. 

In a great many states where such defi- 
nite correspondence courses and reading 
circles are not organized, much work Is 
done through personal correspondence with 
the farmers. Colorado Extension Service 
during 1916 wrote 18,000 letters in answer 



DEVENEAU 



145 



to requests for information from Colorado 
people. Pennsylvania Department of Agri- 
cultural Extension wrote 50,000 letters, 
while the California Agricultural Exten- 
sion Division answered 103,000 letters dur- 
ing the same year. 

There are several other methods that are 
practiced in one state or another to get the 
message of better agriculture to the farmer. 
I have described enough, however, to give 
you some idea of the scope and significance 
of this nation-wide movement to project 
into the life of the country the resources 
of the Federal Department of Agriculture 
and of our agricultural colleges and ex- 
periment stations. 

In the face of this splendid movement 
what part are we, as agricultural librarians 
and library extension workers, going to 
take in developing the scope of this ex- 
tension work, which has already proved of 
such Immense value and which in the 
present national crisis is to assume such an 
important role. It is a matter of some 
chagrin to me to find so little recognition 
of libraries as a factor in agricultural ex- 
tension work. This failure of extension 
workers to realize the service libraries can 
give them is due in a large measure to 
our own inactivity. This lack of aggres- 
siveness on the part of the library forces 
can be explained in part by the internal 
problem we as agricultural librarians are 
facing in organizing our collections and 
completing the multitudinous sets of the 
publications which are reviewed in the Ex- 
periment Station Record. Our friends, the 
state extension commission workers, have 
in some cases been keenly alive to the 
wonderful possibilities of this movement, 
but in other cases have not had the proper 
sympathy for the farmer or the proper re- 
spect for his mentality. Other commissions 
have been so pathetically handicapped be- 
cause of lack of sufiicient funds that they 
have been unable to do adequately that 
most important of all commission work, 
organize new libraries and re-organize 
poorly organized ones, and therefore they 
have not been in a position to accept this 
new opportunity for extension work. The 



field is Indeed a large one and there need 
not be any conflict or duplication In the 
work of the commissions and the agricul- 
tural libraries. If we can work in harmony 
with one another we shall be able to win 
recognition of the place of the library in 
this great movement for rural education. 
One of the greatest dangers we are liable 
to meet in this connection is an attempt to 
specify rules and regulations or methods of 
procedure for any large number of states. 
In the remainder of my paper I will en- 
deavor to show what we are doing at Illi- 
nois, and will try to refrain from drawing 
any false generalities. 

A few months after I had been appointed 
librarian of the College of Agriculture of 
the University of Illinois, I received a let- 
ter from Mrs. Ida A. Kidder, of the Oregon 
Agricultural College, asking what work we 
were doing with the county agents and 
farmers, which brought a sharp realization 
to me of our shortsightedness in making no 
plans for this important and logical ex- 
tension of our work. We immediately Orew 
up a plan for the organization of a Library 
Extension Service, and through our Dean 
Davenport made an effort to obtain the ap- 
proval of purchase of books for this service 
from Smith-Lever funds. The project was 
a new one to Dr. True and for the time be- 
ing he ruled against the use of Smith-Lever 
funds for operating our proposed Library 
Extension Service. A few weeks later, July, 
1916, our Mr. J. H. Greene, State Club 
Leader of the Junior Extension Service, 
came to us with a request that we send 
package libraries to his boys' and girls' 
clubs. With his assistance an initial ap- 
propriation of $100.00 was obtained from 
college funds to carry out this work. We 
have during this school year sent our pack- 
age libraries composed of the best books 
and pamphlets available to the clubs study- 
ing corn, poultry, pigs, potatoes, vegetable 
gardening, and we now have collections on 
sewing and canning ready to send out to 
the clubs studying these subjects. The 
task of finding material suitable for these 
young people has been a difficult one, and 
we have continually depended upon the 



146 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



judgment of Mr. Greene and hla assistants 
and the college extension specialists for 
their approval of the material selected for 
use in these collections. We have available 
in our library over 600 series of agricul- 
tural publications, and over 10,000 agricul- 
tural books and bound periodicals, and it 
is from this large collection that we as- 
sembled the material which we submit to 
our experts for their examination and 
evaluation. We are in constant touch with 
these extension workers and thus can fol- 
low their suggestions and readily cooperate 
with them in many other ways. In under- 
taking this work we have regarded it as 
our opportunity and responsibility to give 
the same library service to our extension 
workers throughout the state as we do to 
the Agricultural Experiment Station staff, 
and the students and faculty of our College 
of Agriculture. This service is not that of 
a general library, however, and we feel 
that it is the work of the State Library 
Extension Commission to give to the ex- 
tension workers a more general library 
service than we are able to provide. 

It was understood when we undertook 
this service with the boys' and girls' clubs 
that it was in the nature of an experiment 
to be followed, if we were successful, in 
1917-1918, by more generous provisions for 
enlarging its scope and increasing its 
efficiency. The year has nearly gone and 
our program for next year calling for an 
appropriation for $2,500.00 to carry out 
this Library Extension Service has been 
approved by our College Library Committee 
and Dean Davenport and recommended to 
President James for his approval. 

In this time of emergency the severest 
economy is being practiced and only such 
new projects as express a real need can ex- 
pect to be recognized and provided for. In 
order to find out whether or not the county 
agents and the members of their associa- 
tion were interested in this proposed Li- 
brary Extension Service a letter signed by 
Dean Davenport, Professor Handschin and 
myself was addressed to our county agents. 
By letters and by personal calls the county 
advisers have heartily endorsed our pro- 



posed library service, and suggested spe- 
cific ways in which we could help them 
and the members of their associations. 

We also submitted our proposed plan to 
fifteen of the extension directors of other 
states who in many cases stated their inten- 
tion to inaugurate a similar service for 
their own state. The following digest from 
their replies Is significant. 

"We have not as yet made a practice of 
forwarding package libraries or collections 
of bulletins to our county agents or boys' 
and girls' clubs, but we have endeavored 
to furnish several sets of bulletins and 
small traveling libraries to home econom- 
ics clubs about the State. We have five 
complete sets of these libraries. . . . We 
are just now contemplating looking into 
the matter of a library service, and hope to 
work out some scheme whereby our field 
workers can be furnished this service dur- 
ing the coming year." — (Thos. Bradlee, Di- 
rector of Extension Service, University of 
Vermont and State Agricultural College.) 
"I fully agree with you that this Is an 
excellent line of work for the agricultural 
college libraries to undertake. I have 
talked the matter over with Miss Julia C. 
Gray, our school librarian, who has been 
doing some work In outlining a similar 
proposition for this institution. We hope 
to be able to do something along this line 
in the near future." — (R. L. Watts, Dean 
School of Agriculture, Pennsylvania State 
College.) 

"So far we have not been able to organ- 
ize a library extension service. The advis- 
ability of such a service has been dis- 
cussed at some length by the librarian with 
our force, and it Is probable that we will 
try to put in a service of this kind in the 
near future. We send publications direct 
to the agents to be distributed among their 
clubs, but I think your plan is more com- 
prehensive and more eflBcient." — (E. R. 
Lloyd, Director of Extension, Mississippi 
Agricultural and Mechanical College.) 

"We have not as yet done anything along 
the line of making up package libraries to 
send out, (and) I appreciate greatly the 
suggestion you have given me along this 
line. ... It seems that we ought to be 
able to work out something that would be 
very helpful to our Boys' and Girls' Club 
work and to other clubs of the state." — 
(R. K. Bliss, Director, Agricultural Exten- 
sion Department, Iowa State College of 
Agriculture and Mechanical Arts.) 

"Our library extension service is limited 
at present because of lack of equipment 
which we expect to be remedied by the erec- 



DEVENEAU 



147 



tlon of a new library building next year. 
It is our plan then to begin the package 
library service, making available material 
to all farmers' organizations that desire 
assistance in making up their programs. 
We have not made an effort to make our 
library available to the county agents, but 
many of them do make use of the library 
on the same basis that the resident work- 
ers are entitled to its use. We believe this 
should be developed and encouraged." — 
(R. J. Baldwin, Extension Director, Michi- 
gan Agricultural College.) 

"I am very much interested in the sug- 
gestions relative to the sending out of pack- 
age libraries or collections of bulletin mat- 
ter to our county agents. Our division has 
not done this up to the present time, but 
I think it is a plan that should be de- 
veloped. We now have in our state 65 
county agricultural agents and 44 women 
home demonstration agents. Each of these 
workers is in real need of library facilities. 
The plan suggested in your letter strikes 
me as being the one feasible way for 
handling that most difficult problem. 1 
should like very much indeed to know the 
results of your investigation of the possi- 
bilities of this plan of work, and would 
appreciate any suggestion you might have 
with reference to putting it into practice." 
— (W. C. Lassetter, acting director Exten- 
sion Division, College of Agriculture, Uni- 
versity of Arkansas.) 

"I certainly do think that it would be a 
great advantage for us to organize our re- 
sources so that we would be able to send 
our library material, not only to our county 
agents but to other people as well. The 
only reason we have not done this is due 
to a lack of funds. We are looking forward 
to a time when we will be able to do the 
very thing you suggest in your letter." — 
(A. C. Cooley, Director of Extension, New 
Mexico College of Agriculture.) 

Our experience with the county agents 
of our own state has shown us that they 
appreciate the need of the services of our 
agricultural library both for themselves 
and for the members of their associations, 
in whom they have been able to awaken a 
special interest in some specific agri- 
cultural subject. We believe that our 
county advisers are not unlike the agri- 
cultural advisers in other states and would 
urge every agricultural librarian to get in 
personal touch with these "minute men" of 
the nation and offer to serve them to the 
limit of his library resources. 

The letters and personal testimonials I 



have from the leaders of the boys' and 
girls' clubs of our state, who have during 
tlie year used our package libraries, en- 
courages me to believe that this service 
could be undertaken by the agricultural 
libraries or state library commissions in 
every other state with equally satisfying 
results. 

The interest our short course people 
manifested in our library and the special 
collections and lists we prepared for them 
furnishes ample evidence of the interest the 
farmers and their wives have in agri- 
cultural books and in our agricultural 
library. 

The canning schools which are now be- 
ing opened up in the various communities 
of our state offer the most immediate field 
for service. There is a definite need of 
supplying the leaders of these classes and 
demonstrations with the best books and 
bulletins on the various phases of the sub- 
ject of conservation for their own study. 
The public libraries should be roused to 
an appreciation of this great constructive 
educational movement and should be pro- 
vided with lists of the best and most 
authoritative literature on the subject of 
conservation. 

As agricultural librarians ours Is a 
splendid opportunity of bringing the in- 
vestigations and resources of our colleges 
and experiment stations to the people, by 
cooperating with the extension workers, 
the public libraries and public schools, our 
State Divisions of the Council of National 
Defense, and the many other agencies that 
are taking a definite part in this great 
educational campaign to teach conserva- 
tion. • ~ fj 

The appointment by the War Service 
Committee of a Committee on Food In- 
formation with Miss Claribel R. Barnett 
as chairman and with Miss Cornelia Mar- 
vin, Mr. J. L. Wheeler and myself as mem- 
bers, furnished you with an agency through 
which you can make available to the libra- 
ries outside of your own state any bibli- 
ographies which you may have prepared 
or give notice of any valuable publication 
of your college or experiment station. 



148 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



To help our nation win this war for 
democracy and permanent peace hy doing 
our part to increase and conserve our food 
supply, to support and follow up the cam- 
paign to teach food values and in this way 
show the women of the nation how they can 
render important services by practicing 
effective thrift in their homes, to bring to 



the farmers through the county agent thos« 
facts ascertained by long experimentation 
which shall now and hereafter increase the 
yield of crops: all these opportunities pre- 
sent themselves to us. It is with a quiet joy 
and determination that we accept our re- 
sponsibilities and opportunities and if we 
cooperate with one another we will not fail. 



SECONDARY EDUCATION IN LIBRARY WORK 
By Jessie Weli.es, Toledo PuMic Library 



In any plan which seeks to regulate and 
organize library work so that it may stand 
upon a firm basis and with dignity hold 
a place among the professions, the organi- 
zation of training is a first essential. In 
recognition of this library schools increase 
and multiply and by lively cooperation 
among themselves and close relations with 
librarians their leaders constantly strive 
to establish and maintain a uniform stand- 
ard and to adapt their training to the prac- 
tical needs of libraries throughout the 
country. The summer schools are receiv- 
ing their share of study and constructive 
criticism so that reasonable uniformity of 
standards in these important training 
units is assured, while both library school 
and summer school show a spirit of prog- 
ress in aims and methods which augurs 
well for our future. But from ocean to 
ocean a vast number of young Americans 
are being prepared for service in libraries 
by other means, outgrowths of the appren- 
tice system once found in all professions 
and trades. Had we statistics of the pro- 
portion of persons at this conference who 
were trained in the three ways we might 
find that apprentice trained people con- 
stitute the majority, while a census of 
library service in the United States would 
give them an overwhelming majority. Dis- 
cussion of methods in this field of train- 
ing has begun but recently and this paper 
is offered as a contribution toward such 
discussion with the hope that some con- 



certed plan of cooperation leading toward 
greater uniformity in standards may be 
found practicable in the near future. 

At present two librarians attempting to 
discuss apprentice training can hardly find 
themselves upon the same ground with- 
out first stating definitely what each means 
by that term. For purposes of present 
discussion, therefore, a form of nomen- 
clature must be adopted, and as an analogy 
with methods of training for other profes- 
sions will not carry us through the pres- 
ent varied phases of training in ours, an 
analogy with the American system of pub- 
lic education has been chosen as present- 
ing an understandable sequence of grades. 
Here we find parallels from university to 
the primary grades. We may class the 
library school, giving higher education in 
library work, with the college or uni- 
versity; the local apprentice class giving 
a goodly proportion of class Instruction, 
with the high school; the apprentice class 
in which the practice work largely ex- 
ceeds the class instruction, with the ele- 
mentary school ; while " taking on a green 
hand " and breaking her in by letting her 
watch others may well grade with kinder- 
garten or Montessori systems and some- 
times is only too reminiscent of old time 
apprenticeship in the rule of thumb. In 
order to distinguish between the apprentice 
courses corresponding respectively to high 
and elementary schools we may call the 
class receiving a high percentage of 



14» 



formal instruction a training class and 
that which gains most of its knowl- 
edge of library work through practical 
experience an apprentice class, while 
students who gain all their knowledge in 
this way may be termed apprentices but do 
not constitute a class at all. The place of 
the summer school in this classification is 
not easy to determine but would be worth 
considering in planning a comprehensive 
scheme of library training. 

In his able article upon librarian.ship as 
a profession Mr. W. E. Henry urges that 
we train no one " who shall have had less 
than four years above the high school 
graduation, or its equivalent in travel or 
reading or home environment or in library 
service," and feels that it would be still 
better if all training were built upon college 
graduation or its equivalent. To this we 
all say amen and let it come soon. But 
it cannot come soon. It must be reached by 
degrees and slowly and wisely we must es- 
tablish these degrees. We might begin 
now to classify more definitely those who 
enter library work by calling professional 
librarians only those who have completed 
satisfactorily a course of instruction in an 
accredited library school and have had a 
certain amount of experience in a library 
of good standing — for a graduate of a li- 
brary school who has had no experience has 
much to learn and does not always know 
it. For the wise solution of that question 
we all look to the committee on standard- 
ization of libraries and certification of 
librarians. It is taken up here because it 
is believed that such a practice, generally 
adopted, would have a vital influence upon 
policies in secondary and elementary li- 
brary training. Holding up professional 
librarianship as a goal, all secondary and 
elementary instruction should lead to- 
ward it very definitely, just as in general 
education part of the work of the lower 
school should be to select and prepare 
students for the higher courses. 

Since the American Library Association 
first took cognizance of the apprentice 
system it has stood firmly for certain prin- 



ciples, the first of which is that students 
shall be trained for the local library only. 
This is quite generally adhered to, al- 
though an occasional library issues cer- 
tificates which might carry undue weight. 
One may almost say that this is the only 
point in which apprentice courses are uni- 
form. The recent report of the subcom- 
mittee on apprentice classes and training 
classes, in the report of the Committee on 
library training, based upon a question- 
naire sent to fifty libraries, shows many 
divergencies, but an intensive study of 
three or four libraries of about the same 
size shows an even more surprising dif- 
ference in policies and methods. Local 
conditions in city and library affect lo- 
cal policies and quite naturally each libra- 
rian stands firmly upon his rights to con- 
duct a course of training for his institu- 
tion in the way which best meets his 
needs. It is surely to the advantage of 
our profession that some standard for lo- 
cal training be established. How can the 
first steps be taken to accomplish this 
with the least possible annoyance to the 
people involved? 

At this point we find ourselves, like the 
Neic ReputUc, a journal of opinion. Only 
by speaking as such can be assured the 
clash of wills which leads to action. The 
first opinion is that the desirable unit for 
local training is the one paralleling the 
high school and called a training class. 
Assuming this to be an ideal plan let us 
consider policies and methods which may 
be adopted in a large public library, at 
the same time comparing with divergent 
practices. 

Surely the first point to be considered 
is the purpose. Students are to be train- 
ed for work in the local library. If the 
more responsible positions are not filled 
by library school graduates some adminis- 
trative work must be taught, but the main 
purpose is to teach local methods and to 
strive to develop in each individual the 
qualities which are desirable in members 
of the staff. 

The applicant should be at least eight- 



160 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



een years ot age and liave had a high 
school education or Its equivalent. An 
examination should be given, and this ex- 
amination should be far simpler than that 
given for entrance to a library school. Col- 
lege entrance examinations are a fair 
basis it adapted to local high school stand- 
ards, and no technical library questions 
should be asked. One paper of one hun- 
dred points, forty on literature, thirty on 
history and thirty on general information 
is an adequate test. At this point a diver- 
gence occurs when a library is near a col- 
lege and many applicants have had some 
college work. Should that library raise 
its entrance requirements or conform to 
standards and accept the goods the gods 
provide? 

A month of practice work is sometimes 
required before examination so that the 
written test may be considered with one 
on personality and general adaptability 
to library work. 

In the first interview the applicant 
should be told about library schools and 
if fitted by education and personality, urg- 
ed to go to one, while in every case the 
difference between a library school and a 
training class should be made plain. At 
this time and all through the course, the 
advantage of a college education should be 
kept before every student wlio shows abil- 
ity and the right spirit. It is better to 
lead the best students toward college or 
library school than to hold them. 

For sucli a training class a fair pro- 
portion ot work is fifty per cent class 
work, including lectures and preparation 
of assigned work, and fifty per cent prac- 
tical work in the departments of the li- 
brary. When the proportion of class work 
drops much below this the course becomes 
an apprentice class, not a training class. 
The lengtli of the course should be not 
less than six nor more than eight months. 
Five hundred liours each of class and prac- 
tical work is adequate. An arrangement 
of schedule which begins with four days 
of class work and two of practice each 
week, shifting by degrees to one day of 
class work, and finally giving one whole 



month of practice at the end of the courie 
brings the best results. The total hours 
of work including study should not exceed 
the regular library schedule. The younger 
students are not as used to hard study aa 
are college women and the practice work 
is very fatiguing to the beginner, wlio has 
far more of it herj than in ti ; library 
school. It does not pay the library to 
wear out the students, as both study and 
practice suffer and interest flags. 

Shall students be paid? Not in this plan 
when instruction given balances the time 
spent in practice. It is a fair exchange. 
When practice work greatly exceeds class 
work there is some justification for pay- 
ing a student, but it is doubtful whether 
the work is done in as earnest a spirit. 
A divergence occurs here in cities where 
there is a strong competition for woman's 
work in all lines. In cases where it seems 
to be necessary to pay students in order to 
attract them the course is usually from 
eight to nine months long, only one or two 
mornings a week being given to class work 
so that the library may receive more serv- 
ice. This again throws the course into the 
apprentice class grade. In this case time 
given to lectures is usually included in 
paid time, but preparation of class work 
is almost always done in the students' free 
time. 

The subjects taught and the number of 
lectures on each must be regulated to a 
great extent by the organization of the 
library and its needs. In technique the 
fundamentals should be given, keeping 
in mind the work which members of the 
class will be called upon to do later. The 
main reference tools should be made fa- 
miliar to all in a course of not less than 
twelve lectures. Every student must know 
classification well enough to use the book 
collection with intelligence and subject 
headings well enough to make wise 
use of the catalog. These subjects may 
be given together and from fifteen to 
twenty lectures are necessary. The tend- 
ency of undertrained assistants is to use 
any knowledge of classification which they 
may have in looking up books on the 



151 



shelves without using the catalog, and 
proper coordination must be taught in 
this course. 

Only a small percentage of students will 
become cataloguers. All the class should 
be given a course of ten or more lessons 
on the use of the catalogue, twenty are 
not too many, and should do a little cata- 
loguing, while a picked few should be 
given detailed training in the catalogue 
department. The first month's work will 
show which students possess the qualities 
necessary in a cataloguer. 

Children's work should have a place in 
the class schedule of every week of the 
course, either discussion of children's 
books, the study of methods, or lectures 
by people engaged in the various forms of 
work with children. It is well to take the 
plunge the first week by a visit to the 
juvenile court, followed by weekly talks by 
the juvenile court judge or the chief proba- 
tion officer, the boy scout leader, the Y. M. 
C. A. secretary for work with boys, visits 
to children's institutions, and most cer- 
tainly a few talks on the psychology of 
the child. 

Loan work should cover about twelve 
class periods, the local practice being 
described and the underlying principles be- 
ing made very clear. Some comparison 
with practices in other libraries is desir- 
able. 

Periodicals must receive a good deal of 
attention, as most students have a very 
limited knowledge of them. They should 
be given eight or ten class periods. A 
group may be assigned for examination 
and evaluation each week and left upon a 
classroom table for that time. One or two 
students may report upon selected articles 
on present day standards and tendencies 
In periodical literature, while all should 
be prepared to enter into a discussion of 
the scope and value of the periodicals as- 
signed. This has been reported upon by 
one class as the most broadening technical 
course given. 

It is worth while to make the course on 
order work quite full, and to include in 
It general principles and practice in book 



selection. It should open the technical 
courses, for in training for a local library 
the aim is to give a vivid picture of the 
work of that library and it will not be vivid 
unless it is logical in arrangement. The 
student is conducted behind the scenes, 
and her first concern must be how to 
choose books and how to obtain them. A 
study of book reviews, for which we now 
have an excellent guide, followed by the 
use of tools published by libraries and li- 
brary serving publishers, should finally 
lead to a thorough drill in the use of the 
main trade bibliographies, omitting those 
which are seldom used except by the or- 
der clerk. This can be done in ten or 
twelve lecture periods, and may well be 
given two periods a week as it should be 
finished before catalogue and classification 
courses begin. 

Following the book from selection to 
shelves gives the student a clearer idea of 
the library as a unit than any other ar- 
rangement of courses can achieve. The 
technical courses may be arranged in this 
order: selection, ordering, accessioning 
and shelf listing, mechanical preparation 
for shelves, classifying, cataloguing, lend- 
ing and reference work, while the course 
in children's work parallels each general 
course. 

Some technical subjects covered by one 
or two lectures each must be given, such 
as the parts of a book and their use, 
bibliographies, and other minor subjects 
with which the future work of the stu- 
dents will demand some familiarity. 

Before taking up lectures or lecture 
courses other than technical we will con- 
sider for a moment the practical experi- 
ence called in some libraries practice 
work, in others, service. This should aim 
to illuminate the theory given in class as 
the latter should serve to interpret the 
practice. Lively cooperation between lec- 
turers and staff is Imperative, so that prac- 
tice in routine shall follow within a rea- 
sonable time the class Instruction In the 
subject. Sufficient Ingenuity should enter 
into the schedule making to insure prac- 
tice in every department for each student, 



152 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



so that she may show her special aptitude 
and gain a general view of the work of 
the library, to be coordinated in the class- 
room, while it is desirable that the last 
month be spent in practice in the kind of 
work for which she is best fitted. Each 
student should work under not less than 
three different chiefs, from whom frank 
and honest reports upon her work are 
essential to fair judgment. 

In discussing practice work with sever- 
al persons conducting training courses, 
two points have inevitably been brought 
up as difficulties to be deplored. First, a 
tendency to treat students as a sort of re- 
lief corps to assist in the day's work by 
doing all the odd and despised tasks such 
as putting up books and repairing, without 
a proper sense of the chief's responsibil- 
ity toward the student or the library for 
her part in the course of training. Sec- 
ond, the waste involved in training students 
in a branch system where the mere routine 
of daily work is not uniform. The stu- 
dent has to re-learn the routine at each 
branch, using time better spent in bigger 
things, and the irritation entailed wears 
upon the student's patience and does not 
develop in her a proper respect for the 
organization. 

The majority of the students entering 
training classes have but a slight knowl- 
edge of books, and one lecture period a 
week throughout the course is the least 
that should be devoted to the study of 
general literature and history. The meth- 
od of teaching this must be left to the in- 
structor, but as six months can give no 
more than an introduction to the subject, 
the aim should be to excite intellectual 
curiosity and supply a stimulus to future 
reading, as well as to train in critical ap- 
preciation of good books. Time spent in 
reading for this course should not be 
counted as study time. The students 
should be impressed with the fact that a 
librarian must be a reader, and that this 
course is for the purpose of guiding their 
reading while in the class. 

Although the training is local it must 
not be provincial, and talks upon all Im- 



portant phases of the library movement 
should be given and some reading requir- 
ed upon matters of interest to the pro- 
fession, including the work of important 
libraries. The students must feel them- 
selves a part of the great whole. 

With the general training in library 
work must go training as a citizen. The 
social and educational movements of the 
city, as well as those concerned with mu- 
sic, literature and art, should be brought 
before the students by the best speakers 
obtainable, who are always ready to give 
their services if they understand that they 
are instructing fellow workers for the 
city's welfare. The class hour immedi- 
ately preceding such a talk should be given 
to a seminar on the subject to be discussed, 
based upon reading previously assigned to 
a few students. For instance, before the 
probation oflScer speaks, reports may be 
made upon the juvenile court movement, 
the gang problem and Judge LIndsey and 
his work, so that the speaker enters an 
atmosphere charged, with interest in his 
subject. The result is absorbed attention 
on the part of the class and often a re- 
quest by the speaker to be asked to come 
again. 

The high school sends out graduates 
with heads full of partially digested In- 
formation usually wholly uncorrelated 
with life and life's problems. The library 
high school, or training class must focus 
all that information and give it vitality 
and meaning, it must develop the individu- 
al into a thoughtful, wide awake citizen. 
Do we want any other sort of people on 
our library staffs? The student is worth 
careful training in technique, along cul 
tural lines, worth giving some vision of 
life and work if she Is worth having at 
all. While a certain formality of organiza- 
tion should be maintained, the actual 
training should not be academic and the 
relations between class and instructor 
should be very personal. To broaden the 
student's outlook on life and human rela- 
tions, to awaken her social consciousness, 
to show her the relation of education to 



15S 



life, to help build her character are tasks 
which bring to the instructor and the li- 
brary rich returns. 

In a large library one person should 
give full time to the class while it is in 
session, and she should be a graduate of 
a library school, with several years' ex- 
perience. A recent graduate grafts upon 
the secondary school too many ideas and 
practices which belong to higher educa- 
tion and is often too immature herself 
to develop the students properly. Each 
department chief should give one talk up- 
on the work of his or her department, and 
one or two courses may well be carried 
by members of the staff to give variety In 
the classroom. 

The plan as outlined is suited to a large 
branch library system but it may be adapt- 
ed to a smaller library by simplification, 
retaining principles and proportions. It 
has been used in a medium sized library, 
to meet an immediate need, by employ- 
ing an experienced worker for the school 
term, the instructor's previous ignorance 
of the library system and the city in ques- 
tion proving no handicap. Given the will 
to do so, the small library can adapt the 
plan to Its purposes, for the time given 
in Instruction to the few students needed 
would soon be counterbalanced by their 
assistance, if originality and inventiveness 
entered into the planning. Two or three 
very small libraries, unable to give the 



time or employ an instructor, can co- 
operate in such training. This arrange- 
ment has not been tested but is about to 
be put into operation by two very small 
neighboring libraries. 

Factors which powerfully affect all local 
training and which have not been discussed 
in this paper are the library organization, 
the salary schedule, the use of a clerical 
force, the attitude of the library board 
and the ability of the librarian. An im- 
portant factor which has been mentioned 
is the availability of college students for 
training classes when the library is tar 
removed from library school. This usually 
raises the entrance requirements and the 
standard of the course, and it is right that 
it should do so, but would it not be bet- 
ter that library schools be established at 
these points? 

We look forward to a great increase in 
the number of library schools, but there 
will be for many, many years a need for 
local training, and it is time that library 
school and library join in a movement to- 
ward a fair adjustment of present highly 
diverse practices and work toward a stand- 
ard of secondary training which shall lay 
a foundation for higher training, be flexi- 
ble enough to adapt to every local condi- 
tion, and dignified enough to take its place 
in a plan of library education leading to 
professional standing and recognition. 



PREPAREDNESS TO MEET NEW EDUCATIONAL DEMANDS 
By Sabah C. N. Boole, Carnegie Library School, Pittsburgh, Pa. 



"Preparedness to Meet New Educational 
Demands" is the topic assigned me by the 
Chairman of this, the Children's Librarians 
Section of the A. L. A., and, therefore, I 
take it for granted that the educational 
demands which we are to consider are en- 
tirely those made for children, or at least 
In their interest. It is difficult to consider 
this as a separate and distinct topic, since 
we all know that education is a continuous 
process and ceases only with life itself. 



After all, what is the object of education? 
Is it not "to better enable the one educated 
to solve the world's problems, be they great 
or small, and this for the benefit and happi- 
ness of the Individual and also of humanity 
at large" (Humphrey. Founders' Day Re- 
port, 1914, p. 29). The much read, oft 
quoted Mr. Dewey tells us that "An edu- 
cational aim must be founded upon the 
intrinsic activities and needs (including 
original instincts and acquired habits) of 



154 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



the given individual to be educated," and 
that "an aim must be capable of translation 
Into a method of cooperating with the 
activities of those undergoing instruction." 

Here then is the first outline of the plan 
of preparedness to meet new educational 
demands: To recognize our object and our 
aim, to know the individual, both as an 
individual and in the mass, to be thorough- 
ly familiar with the systems of education 
which have become prevalent, orthodox or 
heterodox alike, and that our success or 
failure depends upon our capacity to 
unite. 

To know the new educational demands 
is one thing — to meet them is quite an- 
other. And in order to prepare for the 
future it is requisite and necessary to have 
first, a broad knowledge of the past; 
second, a concrete knowledge of the pres- 
ent, and, third, an ability to read the plan 
of the ages in terms of the future. The 
first two requisites may be acquired by any- 
one and while the third is a gift, yet it is 
granted to many and to all of us is given 
the opportunity to benefit from the prophe- 
cies of those fortunate chosen ones who do 
possess it. One possessing the gift in 
largest measure makes his vision useful 
to all when he tells us "We are at the be- 
ginning of an age in which it will be in- 
sisted that the same standards of conduct 
and of responsibility for wrong done shall 
be observed among nations and their gov- 
ernments that are observed among the in- 
dividual citizens of civilized states." 

The state, in order to protect its life, 
has established a public-school system. The 
Governor of one of our states, who is him- 
self well known in educational affairs, in 
speaking of compulsory education, has 
said: "In a pure democracy, the strength 
of the government is the average intelli- 
gence of the entire citizenry. To raise the 
standard of intelligence is the function of 
the public school. The state cannot exist 
without the school because intelligence 
would sink to such a low plane that par- 
ticipation by all the citizens in the common 
affairs of civic society would be impossible. 
Moreover there would be absent that essen- 



tial leadership in skill and insight which 
makes for stable economic conditions." 
(Brumbaugh.) 

So much for public schools — but what for 
public libraries? 

What shall be the preparedness neces- 
sary for securing a recognized place in the 
system of education? From the first mo- 
ment we enter library school or public 
library service, we hear it proudly claimed 
that the public library is an integral part 
of public education. Is this the truth? or 
can a proper preparedness to meet the new 
educational demands make it the truth? 
Have not the past and the present proved 
that every school or course of science must 
have its science laboratory? In a practical 
age theories must be proved and thus be- 
come facts. What laboratory has the Eng- 
lish Department, the History Department, 
the Romance Languages Department and 
all the various kindred departments but 
the library, which is an adjunct laboratory 
to every other laboratory. What Is the 
difference in a plan of preparedness 
whether such a library be under the Board 
of Education control or supported by the 
Public Library? Of course, you and I have 
our own opinions as to which way Is the 
better — but after all, it Is the existence of 
the library itself for which we plead. The 
child who has found the library an accepted 
part of his school days will be the man who 
gives "the library a place in his dally life." 
"No system of education does more than 
assist the individual to educate himself." 
If, as we believe, education is a continuous 
process, can the preparedness go further to 
meet the new educational demands than 
by giving every child of school age an op- 
portunity to form the library habit? 

In a time when world problems weigh 
so heavily, the danger Is great that libra- 
ries may be classed as luxuries and care- 
lessly allowed to perish for lack of sup- 
port. Whose is the fault? You know and I 
know guiltily and deep in our hearts that 
the fault does not lie entirely with a public, 
five-eighths of whom are indifferent, but 
that some blame attaches to a profession 
which has regarded itself, not as part of 



BOGLE 



165 



the accepted plan of education, but more 
as a missionary, ready to convert and save 
those of the common herd, or as an aris- 
tocracy which honors democracy by serving 
It. From the time of the Galilean to the 
present day, only that which was definitely 
of and for the people themselves ever 
formed a characteristic and persistent 
factor in social and national life or habits. 
Here then is one way to prepare to meet 
the new educational demands made upon 
the library — by being of and for the people, 
and by giving to the children a service 
which is theirs by right of need and so 
make the library a characteristic and per- 
sistent factor in social and national 
life and habit, and not a charitable Institu- 
tion dependent upon the whims of a politi- 
cal body generous or niggardly with the 
changes of political seasons. 

We hear much, and justly so, regarding 
the necessity of making the world safe 
for democracy and then more and more 
of democracy in the world, hopefully for- 
getting that nothing is more truly auto- 
cratic than democracy Itself. Very re- 
cently every loyal American pondered well 
the utterance: "It is not up to the United 
States to force democracy onto the world." 
Most of those here tonight are blessed in 
having to do with a universal democracy, 
which does not have to be forced onto the 
world, but which the world gladly recog- 
nizes and accepts — the absolute and com- 
plete democracy of childhood. 

Why should we reach out to prepare to 
meet new educational demands until we 
know whether those of an established 
democracy have been satisfactorily met. 
The troubled condition of the times has 
fortunately led us to consider minutely 
and exhaustively our present standards In 
child education In order that we may meet 
the present and the future faithfully and 
efficiently. The question which comes 
echoing from all sides, "What shall we do 
for the children In time of war?" finds the 
beginning of its answer in another ques- 
tion, "What have we done for them in 
times of peace?" Then follows the next 
query, "And what shall we do for them 



when the war of liberation Is finished and 
the world is made safe for democracy?" 
The first question cannot be answered to 
the satisfaction of one single Individual 
interested in humanity, in economic prog- 
ress, or in social advancement, until the 
other two have been considered carefully 
— and even prayerfully. 

To know the new educational demands 
is one thing, to meet them is quite another. 
Our men preparing to go to the front are 
busy learning the languages of the entente 
allies. Here Is our cue for preparedness to 
meet one new educational demand. To 
learn to speak and understand the 
language of our allies — the noble army of 
teachers, social workers, and all who serve 
to make the world safe for democracy. We 
speak glibly of Centralized administration 
of education. Vocational education, Tech- 
nical schools. Continuation schools. Schools 
for immigrants. Courses In civics. Courses 
in home economics. Courses In agriculture. 
Evening high schools — their needs and 
possibilities. Conservation of the teacher. 
Conservation of the pupil. Junior college or 
Six-Four-Four plan. Platoon plan, Six-Six 
plan. Junior and senior high school, and 
so on and on and on, and yet what does It 
all mean to us? To be prepared to meet 
the educational demands our knowledge 
must be clear and our language one com- 
mon to all the allies. We must know for 
instance that a junior high school is that 
portion or department of the public school 
system above the sixth elementary grade, 
including the seventh and eighth aqd 
usually the ninth also, which is organized 
under a distinctive Internal management 
with a special principal and teaching staff, 
or under a six-year secondary school de- 
partment divided Into a junior and senior 
high school of three years each with one 
general management. (Johnston, C. H., 
N. E. A. 1916, p. 146.) 

Teachers and librarians alike realize that 
new educational ideas combined with old 
traditions result in overloaded school cur- 
ricula — and educational neuritis! But this 
is one thing we may know and must not 
express in the spoken word, because It Is 



156 



I.OUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



merely a transition or intermediate state, 
the adolescent period of educational ad- 
vancement, the change from static to dy- 
namic education. 

It is almost a shame to speak of pre- 
paredness in a land where, if two large 
states may be considered typical, 80 per 
cent of the children of a larger growth are 
found physically unfit for military duty. 
We mtist know this fact, resultant as it is 
upon the past, before we can prepare for 
the future, or care for the present. If old 
laws have failed, new laws must be en- 
acted and American children must be pro- 
tected. No attempts to break down laws, 
educational laws or labor laws, which do 
protect the children, must be tolerated. Is 
this an educational need? New, alas! it is 
not — but old, very old, and also very pres- 
ent. Why speak of preparedness to meet 
new educational needs when over 5,000,000 
children under twelve years, but of school 
age, form an army of illiterates that would 
reach from coast to coast and will reach, 
more's the pity, from generation to gen- 
eration. What greater danger can menace 
democracy than the untrained mind? The 
toiler must learn to think, not alone that 
he may lead, but also that he may follow 
and toil the more intelligently. "A dif- 
fused education, like a diffused prosperity, 
is necessary to democracy. In a democ- 
racy the government can hardly rise above 
the intellectual level of the mass. Where, 
as in America, the majority are but little 
Inclined to submit their opinions to the 
judgment of a special intellectual class, it 
is absolutely essential that the mass of 
the people be intelligent. Never before 
was education so necessary." (Weyl. New 
democracy.) 

Owen R. Lovejoy gave us a significant 
message when he said in speaking of child 
labor and the children it ruined: "Those 
of us who have dedicated ourselves to the 
protection of these defenseless ones must 
keep our heads clear and our motives un- 
mixed, determining that whatever happens 
all other forms of treasure, all other forms 
of wealth, all other methods of defense 
shall be sacrificed before we compel the 



children of America to pass through the 
fire!" Is this a new educational demand? 

We have a bounden duty to perform, 
each one of us, in doing our bit to help 
make the world safe for the democracy of 
childhood. It is trite to say that a sound 
mind in a sound body is the rightful herit- 
age of every child. Would to God it were 
as trite to find the heritage an actual pos- 
session! Whether or not we can prepare 
to meet the new educational demands is 
not yet written, but we can at least meet 
one of our obligations to education when 
we present the child to the freedom of 
literature. You recall what Arnold Ben- 
nett says of the freedom of literature: "He 
who has not been 'presented to the free- 
dom' of literature has not wakened up out 
of his prenatal sleep. He is merely not 
born. He can't see; he can't hear; he 
can't feel in any sense. He can only eat 
his dinner. The spirit of literature is un- 
dying; it joins the candle and the star, and 
by the magic of an image, shows that the 
beauty of the greater is in the less." 

It is only our right to present friends of 
ours to each other. It would be presump- 
tuous in the extreme to present a child 
whom we knew slightly to a literature 
which we knew not at all. Does this pre- 
suppose preparedness? Yes, and in fullest 
measure! 

A few years ago at one of these meetings 
I listened to a brilliant discourse on the 
training of children's librarians and at the 
time I decided there was not time in all 
eternity to give the training as outlined. 
Now I feel sure that such training must 
begin centuries before the librarian is born 
and continue into infinity — that past, pres- 
ent and future must join forces to fashion 
a children's librarian equal to meet the 
new educational demands. 

Some of these nev/ educational demands 
are the harder to meet because they are 
unexpressed. In a scheme of education 
which recognizes only "the varied interests 
and activities of actual life," is there not 
left a very clearly defined demand upon 
children's librarians to supply the need for 
many of those things which strengthen and 
heal the soul? 



ROOT 



THE LIBRARY SCHOOL OP THE FUTURE 
By Azariah S. Hoot, Acting Principal, Library School, New York Public Library 



In attempting to point out two or three 
present tendencies which may possibly 
throw light on the future of the library 
school, it is absolutely essential that the 
whole field of preparation for librarianship 
be considered. The library school is only 
one of the smaller factors in this prepara- 
tion. There are at present ten library 
schools graduating an average of twenty- 
five pupils yearly, thus making available 
for the profession every year 250 trained 
workers. But in addition to this, there is 
a much larger number of training classes 
or apprentice classes in our larger public 
libraries doing a somewhat similar work. 
• From this source I think I am within 
bounds in assuming that about 500 more 
or less adequately trained persons are 
added to the profession yearly. If we add 
evening schools, high schools, teacher- 
librarian courses, and summer schools, 
we may perhaps assume that 950 people 
each year, with some sort of training, find 
themselves ready to take library positions, 
and of these the library schools have only 
prepared 250. To this 950 should be added 
the large number who enter library work 
through the gateway of practical experi- 
ence. I am making no account of those 
summer schools which take only persons 
already having library positions and whose 
aim is to prepare librarians to do better 
work. 

The library school, then, is only a part 
of the library training resources of the 
country and its future can be considered 
only when we consider what is likely to 
be the effect upon it of the development of 
these other forms of preparation for li- 
brary work. 

The training courses or apprentice 
courses are of comparatively recent growth 
and still rapidly developing. They are of 
all kinds and qualities; some amount to 
little more than the giving of occasional 



lectures intended to help beginners on the 
library staff whose main knowledge of 
library work is acquired in daily work. 
At the other extreme are training classes 
headed by library school graduates and 
scarcely in quality and methods of work 
to be distinguished from library schools. 
The distinction between a training class 
and a library school was sufficiently em- 
phasized at the meeting of this section 
last year at Asbury Park and I do not 
here need to go into it. Assuming that 
there is a difference, it seems to me clear 
that a part of the training classes, as they 
are now headed, are almost certain to 
enlarge their work until they become reg- 
ular library schools. The St. Louis train- 
ing class has during the past year decided 
to enlarge its scope and become a regular 
library school. The training class of the 
Los Angeles Public Library already has its 
application for admission before the Asso- 
ciation of American Library Schools. Mr. 
Henry of the University of Washington is 
doing work which seems to be headed in 
the same direction; and other examples of 
the same sort might be cited. 

In all this there is nothing but hopeful- 
ness for the library schools; tht more 
schools the better. There is ample room 
for them all and an increasing demand 
for the very best product they can turn 
out. Others of these training classes, how- 
ever, will not attempt so ambitious a pro- 
gram, and as these learn to differentiate 
themselves from library schools, in my 
opinion, their methods will undergo some 
modifications. They will confine them- 
selves to methods used in their particular 
library and to this, I hope, will add a con- 
siderable degree of cultural Instruction, 
helping to make their people better librar- 
ians by giving them an insight into and a 
love for the books themselves. Others of 
these schools when located where they can 



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LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



do so, I hope to see make themselves 
preparatory schools for the library schools, 
giving to their pupils not only practical 
library experience and a love of and insight 
into books, but instruction in history, liter- 
ature, current events and general informa- 
tion, which will prepare their pupils for 
the very severe examinations on these sub- 
jects offered by the library schools. 

The teacher-librarian courses in the nor- 
mal schools when fully developed will prob- 
ably prove to be competitors of the library 
schools, not only for school positions but 
also for the positions in the smallest li- 
braries whose salaries are so small as to 
make it difficult for them to obtain library 
school graduates. 

I look for much more development in the 
future in the way of competition from 
schools of business. Already the necessi- 
ties of business are causing the establish- 
ment of schools of filing and the introduc- 
tion of courses in indexing, filing, and ele- 
mentary library methods in some of the 
larger schools of business. This movement 
seems to be likely to develop still more 
until for business positions, and possibly 
for small library positions, the library 
school finds it has therein a very formi- 
dable competitor. 

The summer schools, so far as they do 
not limit themselves to people already in 
library work, seem to me to be likely more 
and more to develop along business lines, 
partly because this is the whole tendency 
in summer school work and partly because 
such opportunities offer more remunera- 
tive employment. 

Summing up, then, the library school in 
the future is likely to find that it has as 
competitors for the filling of business posi- 
tions, the business college and the summer 
school; for the filling of school positions 
and positions in the smaller libraries, the 
teacher-librarian courses and the summer 
schools; while for subordinate positions in 
the larger library systems of the country, 
it will have as competitors the business 
college, the teacher-librarian courses, the 
Bummer schools, and the training classes. 
Certain positions evidently will still be 



filled by the product of the library schools, 
namely, all college and university library 
positions, provided the schools adapt their 
curriculum to meet the needs of these 
libraries; and provided further, that such 
positions are adequately salaried; all posi- 
tions connected with the cataloging and the 
examination of rare books; provided, again, 
that the schools give instruction which 
equips their students for these positions; 
all the larger administrative positions in 
the large city libraries and the headships 
of small city libraries, provided again the 
schools give sufficient emphasis to the 
larger problems of administration; all spe- 
cial library positions in the various types 
of special libraries, provided again the 
schools equip themselves to prepare people 
for such work. 

The first suggestion I have to make is 
that this increasing competition among 
sources of training does not call for a les-' 
sening, but rather for a raising of the stand- 
ards of admission in library schools. The 
competition, it will be noticed, is almost 
exclusively competition for the lesser 
positions. There is at present no real 
competition from any quarter for the 
higher positions. Nay, one can go further 
and say that there is at present entirely 
inadequate preparation in most library 
schools for the filling of the higher posi- 
tions. The library schools are still trying to 
turn out catalogers, classifiers, delivery 
desk assistants, librarians of small li- 
braries and other persons for the lesser 
positions in library service, and for the 
present, at least until the growth of com- 
petition makes it necessary for them to 
vary their methods, they must still con- 
tinue to do this. They are faced, there- 
fore, with the difficult problem of adding 
new subjects to their curriculum while 
still trying to furnish assistants of all 
ranks to the library profession. This situ- 
ation now creates, and probably will create 
for some time, a very perplexing problem 
for the library school. Admitting, as these 
schools must do, so long as they meet this 
demand for people to fill the lesser posi- 
tions, people who have had only high school 



159 



education and, In some cases, no library 
experience, it is necessary for the schools 
to give much time to the fundamental and 
elementary parts of library work. In such 
a situation it is necessarily impossible 
within the compass of a single year to 
adequately touch the larger administrative 
problems, the larger problems of cataloging 
and classification, the larger problems of 
the exact bibliographical treatment of rare 
books or to give anything more than a 
mere smattering of the history of printing. 
The way out of this situation Is, to my 
mind, to be found first of all in the raising 
of the standard of admission through the 
requirement of at least one year's previous 
experience in an approved library. Such a 
requirement, while barring out or possibly 
delaying for a year the admission of some 
students, will make it possible to speed up 
the work during the year of library school 
training by devoting much less time to 
those parts of the work in which the stu- 
dents will have had previous experience. 
It will, perhaps, have an even greater ef- 
fect in speeding up the work for the stu- 
dents because they will have acquired a 
familiarity with library phraseology and 
so will understand more quickly what is 
expected. This greater rapidity of work 
will enable the schools to diminish mate- 
rially the portion of the first year which 
now goes into instruction about funda- 
mental but very elementary library meth- 
ods. This reduction of time will give op- 
portunity, therefore, for a proportionate 
increase of emphasis upon the higher sides 
of library service. In large public libraries 
having library schools such a requirement 
would quite likely work out so that the 
student upon graduation from high school 
would enter the apprentice class of the 
library, and after taking its course with 
the attendant experience and serving for 
a year in one of the subordinate positions 
of the library, would then pass on to the 
library school. In this development, the 
apprentice class would doubtless be better 
organized than at present and it is not 
impossible that more of the elementary and 



technical part of library economy could be 
transferred to it. In any case, however, 
previous experience is bound to greatly 
unify the classes by giving them a common 
'acquaintance with library methods and in- 
evitably better results will be obtained. 

What other advances in the standard of 
admission shall be made — whether, for ex- 
ample, graduation from college shall be a 
requirement — cannot now be conjectured, 
because such must largely depend upon the 
upward movement of salaries. Obviously, 
if a girl graduates from a library school 
and Is asked to begin at $40 or $50 per 
month, college graduation cannot be ex- 
pected as a preliminary for library school 
study. My own hope is that with the 
growth of the apprentice classes and as a 
result of previous library experience the 
graduates of one year library schools can 
receive more instruction fitting them for 
the higher positions, such as first assistant, 
branch librarian, department head, division 
chief, etc. When this day comes college 
graduation will be a perfectly reasonable 
thing to expect. 

With previous experience required, with 
the elementary work of the first year 
diminished, with instruction upon more 
advanced subjects emphasized and with 
the cultural element both in the apprentice 
class and in the library school enlarged, 
those schools which offer a second year of 
instruction, I believe, will find that this 
second year may be pretty definitely a year 
of specialized work, rather than of general 
training. Nearly all our schools are either 
located in large cities or are connected with 
large universities. A second year, there- 
fore, of liighly specialized work seems quite 
feasible for most of them. When the time 
comes, I hope that the year will prove to 
be a full year's work, not a year combined 
with full or part time practice. The year 
should require the entire time of the stu- 
dent and the practice should be in a library 
like that for which the student is prepar- 
ing, and there should be some course bear- 
ing on the subject matter which the stu- 
dent will handle, taken in a school of the 



160 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



type which the student is preparing to 
serve. 

Time does not permit me to anticipate 
the future further. Let me briefly sum up 
what I have thus far said. The library 
school In the immediate future is lilcely to 
unify its classes through the requirement 
of previous library experience. Upon the 
basis of this previous experience the ele- 
mentary instruction may be abridged, the 
cultural and the higher extended. Ulti- 
mately this process may force much of the 
elementary instruction into the apprentice 
class, leaving a hasty resume of the sub- 
ject from the comparative point of view 
for the first year of library school work, 
with an intensified program for the re- 
mainder of the year, dealing more exten- 
sively with the cultural side of library 
work and with the higher forms of library 
service. Following such a first year as 
this, there may evolve a highly specialized 
second year, preparing for specific types of 
positions, technical, scientific, economic. 



bibliographic, professional, in which the in- 
struction is divided between the library 
school and a school fitting for work in the 
field in which the student is to work. Ulti- 
mately, as salaries advance, a college edu- 
cation may well become a preliminary 
requisite. 

In some such way as that, I imagine, 
will be evolved the library school of the 
future; a school which will build upon the 
apprentice classes, but which will seek to 
prepare its students for the higher posi- 
tions of library service. It will constantly 
keep in mind as its ideal product a man 
or woman who shall be not only a master 
in the technique of the profp^sion, but also 
thoroughly in love with literature and in 
touch with its modern movements and one 
who, if preparing for a special type of li- 
brary work, shall have been trained not 
only in the technique of that work, but be 
thoroughly grounded in the fundamental 
principles of the subject matter with which 
he will work. 



THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN LIBRARY SCHOOLS 
By Phineas L. Windsor, Lilirarian, University 0/ Illinois 



A conference of library school faculties 
was held in Chicago, January 5, 1911, at 
the time of the other mid-winter library 
meetings. Sixteen representatives from 
nine schools were present, and the meet- 
ing was entirely unofficial and informal. 
A list of topics for discussion had been 
sent out with the call for the meeting and 
in general these topics were of a sort not 
likely to find a place in the programs of the 
Professional Training Section. The dis- 
cussions were felt to be so profitable that 
a similar meeting was arranged for the fol- 
lowing winter in Chicago. The meeting 
was not open to other than faculty mem- 
bers, and no account or abstract of the dis- 
cussions was published. 

The second meeting, January 3, 1912, 



was attended by twenty-seven people from 
twelve schools; the third meeting by 
twenty persons from seven schools, and 
the attendance has not since those years 
varied much from these figures. 

At the fifth meeting, held January, 1915, 
it was voted to organize the Association 
of American Library Schools, with a presi- 
dent chosen for one year and a secretary 
for three years, those officers and the re- 
tiring president to form an executive com- 
mittee. A formal constitution and by- 
laws were presented at a meeting of the 
Association held in Albany, June 29-30, 
1915, and approved. 

There have been held the five annual 
meetings of the informal round table of 
library school faculties, and three meet- 



161 



Ings of the Association of American Li- 
brary Schools; the more formal organiza- 
tion, however, has meant no change In the 
■character of the meetings, which have from 
the beginning been characterized by a 
frankness of discussion not likely to be 
found In a larger gathering; by discus- 
sions of distinctly Internal school prob- 
lems of much interest to schools, but of 
little concern to others; and by discussions 
from the school point of view of certain 
of the larger aspects of library training. 

The following topics were discussed at 
the last meeting and will indicate the scope 
of our program: On placing students. — 
Initiative and spontaneity. — Instruction 
In printing. — Instruction in magazines. — 
Should provision be made for "special stu- 
dents"?— What qualifications should be con- 
sidered essential In choosing members of 
a library school faculty? — What should he 
the requirements for a B. L. S. degree? 

A session has usually lasted from early 
forenoon to late afternoon, literally; for 
members eat luncheon together to make 
sure that no time is wasted. Full minutes 
of discussions and abstracts of papers are 
made by the secretary, mimeographed and 
sent to each member school. Only a meager 
report of the meetings is published, because 
the discussions are not Intended for pub- 
lication nor presented in a form suitable 
for that purpose. Only faculty people from 
member schools are admitted to the ses- 
sions; but former members and members 
of the library training committee of the 
A. L. A. are sometimes asked to be present. 

In addition to the help received from 
this frank and informal exchange of views, 
and comparison of the practices of the va- 
rious schools, one effect of the meetings 
is a much better personal acquaintance and 
understanding among the members of the 
faculties of the schools and the gradual 
development of an esprit de corps. 

In fixing standards for membership the 
Association naturally cannot set standards 
which the member schools themselves do 
not, each and all, possess. It Is quite 
likely that these standards will have their 



influence, along with other agencies, In 
maintaining if not advancing standards of 
training for librarianshlp. 

Membership in the Association Is lim- 
ited generally to those library schools re- 
quiring for entrance a four-year high school 
course or its equivalent; which offer at 
least one full academic year of technical 
and professional library courses; which 
prepare for general work In the profession 
rather than for positions in any specific 
library, and whose faculty has at least two 
full time instructors, at least two of the 
members having had one year of training 
in such a library school. 

A school which applies for admission to 
the Association will submit circulars or 
other statements giving full information 
In regard to its work, and in particular In- 
formation concerning such subjects and 
answers to such questions as the following: 

The basis and probable permanency of 
its financial support; Its budget. — Rooms 
and equipment primarily for school use; 
furniture; books. — Length of course In 
weeks, excluding vacations. — Requirements 
for admission to the school; requirements 
for admission of special students (1. e. 
those unable fully to meet entrance re- 
■qulrements). — Names and general descrip- 
tion of course, name of the Instructor for 
each course, the number of class hours or 
recitation hours for each course, and the 
average number of hours of preparation, or 
work on problems, required of students for 
each class or recitation hour. — Practice 
work required. Kinds of work given for 
practice. In what library or libraries 
performed. How much, if any. Is paid 
practice. — Names of members of the in- 
structional staff with the number of hours 
spent by each In instruction or revision, 
and with a statement of the academic and 
professional training and experience of 
each instructor. — Number of regular full 
time students enrolled each year during 
recent years; number of regular part time 
students; number of special students each 
year. — Present geographical distribution of 
recent graduates, including the number on 
the staff of the library with which the 
school is connected. 

The following schools are now members 
of the Association: Library School, Car- 
negie Library of Atlanta; Carnegie Li- 
brary School, Pittsburgh; New York State 



162 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Library School; Library School of the New- 
York Public Library; Pratt Institute, 
School of Library Science; Simmons Col- 
lege, Department of Library Science; Syra- 
cuse University Library School; University 
of Illinois Library School; University of 
Wisconsin Library School; Western Re- 
serve University Library School. 

It seems clear to the schools that there 
Is a distinct field for both the section and 



the Association, but what the relation of 
the Association should be to the section 
has never been publicly discussed so far as 
I know. The fields do overlap somewhat, 
and it may even be that strictly speaking 
the field of the Association's work is In- 
cluded in that of the section; but the As- 
sociation cultivates its particular part 
much more Intensively than the section 
can. 



THE READING OF THE ADOLESCENT GIRL 
By Mks. Louise M. Dunn, Supervisor of Clul>s, Cleveland, O. 



As we look throug'h our catalogs and see 
the growing list of scientists and educators 
who are making their contributions to the 
study of the adolescent girl, we appreciate 
how fully the fundamental importance of 
her place in our social economy is recog- 
nized. 

Possibly in no other land has she so 
rich and varied a heritage as here in 
America; possibly in no other land has she 
a more diflScult way to find. In this situa- 
tion lies much of the obligation to all who 
would serve her, and not least to those of 
us who seek to touch her life through read- 
ing. 

We all know her. She may be the Italian 
with her love of sunshine and color; the 
Russian girl who feels the coldness of our 
life in comparison with the warm neighbor- 
llness of her remembered village; the Slav 
girl with her love of fairy stories, or our 
own American girl with her less colorful 
background, often feeling most keenly the 
deep need of the thrill that the book may 
stir. These are a few of the many types. 

In that wonderful book, "The spirit of 
youth and the city streets," Miss Jane 
Addams has drawn aside the curtain and 
shown us how passionate Is this desire of 
youth for a fuller and richer life, and 
through her interpretation, that of a poet 
and artist, service to youth becomes our 
greatest opportunity for world service. 

The desire to read, we are told, implies 



discontent with our knowledge, with our 
ideas, and is an inner-urge for an enlarge- 
ment of our personality. Reading is a cre- 
ative act, especially In the adolescent 
period. 

In the adolescent period of girlhood, it is 
generally accepted, we have life's most 
subtle and turbulent emotional experience, 
an experience that girlhood itself is least 
capable of understanding. For this reason 
it seems no intrusion to consider her read- 
ing in its relation to this experience, to ob- 
serve by what means she seeks to gather 
from her reading the knowledge necessary 
for her development, how she proceeds to 
rearrange and adapt it to her innermost 
needs, how she crystallizes it into her 
moral life and by what strange alchemy she 
creates from It nutriment for later growth. 

Dismissing those well-known racial 
angles by which her reading is Influenced, 
such as her keen love for the simple folk 
tales if she has not had an opportunity to 
know them at an earlier period, let us first 
consider some of those spontaneous im- 
pulses that move her without reasoning 
toward the actions necessary for her exist- 
ence and development. Among the strong- 
est are, of course, the Instincts of home- 
making and personal adornment, the "naive 
indications of her desire to attract." How 
passionately she loves to adorn herself in 
things that are colorful and beautiful, al- 
though she may disregard all sense of fit- 



163 



ness, according to more mature standards. 
How wonderful, do you recall, was that 
book whose heroine still lives in your mem- 
ory, glorified in her blue satin; how you 
reveled in her jewels, and the luxury of 
her life. For what is the fairy given her 
magic wand, if it is not for making this 
glorious transformation, so dear to the 
heart of youth? 

"At this period," says Stanley Hall, 
"girls would love above all things to be- 
come milliners and dressmakers." May I 
read you some bits from a story written by 
a girl of thirteen, living in a very poor and 
congested part of our city? Carmella is of 
Austrian birth and came to America as a 
fairly young child. Her mother is an in- 
valid, her father a day laborer. The story 
tells of the deep friendship of two young 
girls and the adventures that befell them. 

In chapter one. Carmen Fair, the hero- 
ine, received an invitation to attend a 
party, and "she asks her mother, with a 
bright smile, 'What dress shall I wear?' 
'Well,' said Mrs. Fair, 'you might wear 
your pink silk or your blue silk, or the one 
like your pink one.' " Carmen gets up in 
the morning "full of spirit" and "puts on 
her dainty middy dress and tennis shoes 
and her white sporting hat and goes to the 
park to play tennis." Later, "she goes to 
her room, takes out her pink silk dress, 
puts it on, she takes out her pink silk stock- 
ings, patent-leather shoes, puts them on, 
and she dresses her hair in a new and be- 
coming way, with a big pink bow at the 
back." "She puts on her pink gloves and a 
beautiful wide pink hat." At the party her 
friends call her "Pinkie." Her friend, 
"Marjory, was dressed all in blue and 
Helen in white, and it was grand, grand." 

Can you realize what might be the trag- 
edy in the narrow life of a Carmella if she 
must depend upon a Laura Jean Libbey and 
her extravagant follov/ers for her inspira- 
tion? 

The story from which these selections 
were taken shows how keenly our adoles- 
cent girl is reaching out for materials to 
incorporate into her experience, and that 
instead of the colorless love story manu- 



factured for her especially, we could with 
profit supply finer materials to satisfy this 
desire for materially visualizing color and 
richness and to give her some insight into 
the finer conventions of our social inter- 
courses. 

Imitation also is strong at this period; 
she is constantly ruled by suggestion, and 
what to others may seem the most absurd 
affectation, to her may be the most satisfy- 
ing imitation. What an opportunity here 
for developing taste! 

Another instinct is her love of the som- 
ber or the minor note, and consequently, of 
the sad story, with its excuse for tears, 
which the psychologist tells us in a very 
technical language, is her "means of In- 
creasing and multiplying motivations." 
"By laughing and crying," he tells us, 
"good and evil are made to appear further 
apart, moral love and hate are given their 
bearings, and so life is aglow with color 
and zest." 

Another Instinct strong in this period is 
the sex Instinct. Our experience with girls 
who live in the congested districts of our 
cities where they have so little privacy In 
the home that few facts of life are un- 
known to them, inclines us to believe that 
they often come at an early age into a very 
mature knowledge of the sex relation on 
Its purely physical side. It is most inter- 
esting to find our most eminent psycholo- 
gists agreeing that the desire to know 
about her physical self comes to the girl at 
pre-adolescence and should be met at that 
time. It is, therefore, at the adolescent 
period, not so much sex knowledge that 
girls need, as it is books, which set before 
them high expressions of love and its nor- 
mal possibilities. In other words, instead 
of the sex knowledge which would come to 
her In the off-color book, she should have 
literature presenting one of these subli- 
mated love stories In dramatic form, tor 
it is such literature which makes the most 
vital connection with adolescent thought 
and emotion. The writer's feeling, more- 
over, is that the wholesome romance of 
fine plays is much intensified by its being 
shared, by being read in groups. What rich 



164 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



experience we have had as we have noted 
how keenly girls of twelve or more are in- 
terested in group reading of the "Taming 
of the shrew," "Romeo and Juliet," "As 
you like it," "She stoops to conquer." For 
example, the play which the Supervisor 
suggests is first read in a general way, 
then if it appeals to the group, it Is read 
with the characters assigned haphazard; 
the next step is to assign the role which 
especially appeals to each child, giving time 
and opportunity for all to compete in in- 
terpreting the more important roles. They 
go back often to the various scenes, and in 
the end the girls with deepest feeling com- 
municate something of their understanding 
to those who have brought least. In this 
way, girls can spend from six to ten meet- 
ings, each taking home between times the 
special club copies of the book for the pur- 
pose of re-reading, or reading ahead, or 
reading the play as a whole as her mood or 
interest suggests. 

Here then, we are on ground common in 
the natures of all adolescent girls, that is, 
in what may be classed as their love of the 
dramatic, romantic and mysterious. Their 
natures being keyed to ready sympathy, 
they naturally show ability in dramatic 
reading and the simplest forms of dramatic 
expression. "Drama provides a transition 
between the romantic conception which 
youth vainly tries to keep intact and life's 
cruelties and trivialities which It tries to 
Ignore." It is through these channels of 
dramatic reading and dramatic expression 
then, that the most liberal knowledge of 
character and variation of emotional pitch 
can be given, and it is this phase of the 
reading of the young girl that is empha- 
sized in this paper. 

The unforgettable art of the Irish Play- 
ers revealed how intensely youth craves to 
give personal expression to these varieties 
of deep emotion. Hull House Theater, The 
Educational Theater of New York, as well 
as the Irish Theater, have made us all real- 
ize the tragedy that lies between the oppor- 
tunity for expressive art, given at most to 
a few thousand, and the millions of our 
adolescent youth who sit long hours in our 



crowded movies. How gladly they attempt, 
when opportunity is afforded, the great 
roles of our greatest literature, and what 
sympathy and imagination they can bring 
into the reading of plays which are made 
available for them by the libraries. Gor- 
don Craig has said that the most satisfac- 
tory performance of "Mid-summer night's 
dream" he had ever seen was given by the 
children of the East End of London and 
that he was convinced that Shakespeare 
was meant for children. 

Here is an instance showing the love of 
the young girl for the dramatic and some- 
thing of how the book itself became a sym- 
bol of her experience. Jennie, a child of 
twelve years, was a member of a library 
club organized for the reading of plays. 
They had greatly enjoyed reading Maeter- 
linck's, "Blue Bird," in the manner already 
described, repeating its scenes, visualizing 
it and trying to realize its full meaning. 
Then they decided to dramatize tlie "Land 
of memory" scene from this play. They 
improvised their costumes and finally gave 
this as their part of an evening program of 
scenes from the various plays which repre- 
sented the winter's reading of the several 
clubs in one branch library. Jennie took 
the part of Tyltyl. After the play the book 
could not be found. Weeks passed, there 
was much questioning; finally a member of 
the club who had been visiting Jennie in 
her home reported that she had seen the 
book in Jennie's room and had asked her 
why she had not returned it. To this Jen- 
nie had replied that it was because she liked 
the book better than any other book in the 
world, since she had learned her part from 
it. The desire of this child to understand 
her role had been heightened by knowing 
that at the club anniversary she was to be 
given an opportunity to express this par- 
ticular character which she liked best, and 
which the club felt that she could do to its 
satisfaction. This incident gave us an in- 
sight into what she demanded from her 
reading. It must not only bring her color- 
ful romance, but something of the emo- 
tional fulfillment of it. The year following, 
her role, which was that of a diminutive 



165 



Juliet at the feast of old Capulet, admired 
by a very sincere and passionate Romeo, 
showed how deeply these emotions craved 
satisfaction. 

The pleasure-nurturing power of drama- 
tic reading for the adolescent period comes 
through power to stimulate to the point of 
active creation, the unfolding faculties of 
girlhood, permitting her imagination and 
her limited associations to work together 
to new conceptions of life and her relation 
to it. 

What greater pleasure is there for us 
who know and love books than to see this 
adolescent girl maturing in her power to 
choose wisely among the best that we may 
offer her and to see her reading become a 
means of satisfying her innermost needs. 
Through her we come again, with no least 
incident omitted, to some experience in our 
own lives, to the day and place and the 
memory of the way the sun shone when 
we came upon the book which made life 
"all a wonder and a wild desire." 

The two strong forces in dramatic read- 
ing that interest us then are how far it 
may become an elevating individual expe- 
rience and how far it may serve as a social 
force. As we try to analyze this incident 
of Jennie and her book, both factors are 
involved. She was one of the small group 
who "made the club." She had enjoyed its 
simple parliamentary formality, her occa- 
sional role as secretary or president. There 
had been many simple plays read and acted 
in the clubroom and these plays had passed 
on into the homes, the dining room in the 
winter evenings, the yards in the summer 
time. 

Reading and dramatic representation 
went hand in hand. Thus, in Tucker's 
"Historical plays of Colonial days," two 
chairs would serve as the railing of the 
Mayflower, and she and her friends were 
Pilgrims on their way to the new land. So 
her club reading had gone through the best 
we could suggest, the "House of the heart," 
"Master Skylark," the Greek stories, until 
finally she came to the "Blue bird." To- 
gether with her friends she had struggled 
to find her way back to the soul of Bread 



and Fire and Water. Finally had come the 
trying out for parts — and in the end she 
knew every part and knew what it meant 
to each of her friends. 

The possibilities of group reading and 
discussion as a social force making for emo- 
tional and intellectual development can be 
instanced by a group of Russian Jewish 
girls that had been meeting for three years 
as a Library Club, taking each year a new 
subject for study; plays, poetry, art, biog- 
raphy, and letters. This group acquired in 
their third year, when about thirteen and 
fourteen, the habit of expressing the im- 
pression made upon them by much of their 
reading. Their object was to discover points 
of difference and resemblance in English 
and Russian short stories. Their parents 
and older friends had rich contributions to 
make and much to gain as the girls carried 
home and read aloud to them Poe, Haw- 
thorne, Stockton, O. Henry, also their own 
literature, Gogol, Korolenko, and Pushkin 
and Gorky in the translations which the 
library could furnish. Great was their 
pleasure when they found in Hawthorne's 
Great stone face, the "feeling" of their 
Russian stories. 

An illustration of the social influence of 
the adolescent girl's reading is furnished 
by another group of Library Club girls who 
chose to give a play for their fourth club 
anniversary. Again the quest, pursued by 
reading and discussing, until a folk play 
was found, "Minka's wedding," rich in pos- 
sibilities. Here was a flne dramatic situa- 
tion ready at hand. Minka, whose grand- 
mother understands her wild blood, plans 
her escape from the hated lover during the 
revel of her wedding feast. The brave 
young Cossack will be waiting. Here was 
song and dance, the bard with strange 
tales to tell and prophecies to make. Ap- 
propriate costumes and properties must be 
found. The library could furnish beauti- 
fully illustrated books on Russian peasant 
art and post-cards for costume suggestions. 
The brass and rare old cross-stitch linens 
of their homes were loaned, the beautiful 
candlesticks and samovars. The many 
guests at the wedding meant an opportu- 



166 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



nity for younger sisters to take minor parts. 
For old costumes they consulted many o£ 
the older people. A professional Russian 
dancer, who heard of their play, volun- 
teered to dance and sing the old folk songs. 
All the love for personal adornment was 
satisfied by a wealth of bright beads and 
Bashes. Special Invitations were given to 
parents, friends, other library clubs and 
schools. The giving of the play then was 
a matter of vital interest to the whole com- 
munity. The enjoyment and enthusiasm of 
their audience instanced how far reaching 
in social influence the reading of adolescent 
girls may be, when given dramatic expres- 
sion. 

The pageant, a form of art which is 
fast developing among us, so social, so 
adolescent In spirit, so wide in range, 
has such a wealth of possible material, that 
it may become the occasion for stimulating 
adolescent girls into a further quest, in our 
best sources of reading, and may give her 
an opportunity for expressing many of her 
deep enthusiasms gained from books. 

We have considered chiefly heretofore 
reading, the source of which is the library. 
What of sources other than the library 
book? There come to the mind the hun- 
dreds of girls In the hurrying crowds at 
the busy street corners between five and 
six in the evening. Have you ever counted 
how many have the penny ready for the 
newspaper, and how eager they are for the 
evening paper whose woman's page editor 
most fully realizes their interests? These 
girls read a few headlines of the main part 
of the paper, but their conversation will 
tell that their interest is more often in its 
"Girls wanted" or in the "Advice and an- 
swers," or "serial" of the woman's page. If 
you would know how real and farreaching 
is this influence in the reading of adoles- 
cent girls, spend one hour with this same 
woman's page editor, and ask if you may 
read the letters in her waste basket. 

When the report of Dr. Meade's Chicago 
investigation appeared a few years ago 
showing how rapidly working children for- 
get what they have learned in school, edu- 



cators stood aghast. This fact, as well as 
the knowledge of the conditions under 
which the adolescent girl works, the eye- 
strain of her Job, the physical fatigue, 
ought to be carefully considered. However, 
in spite of all this, the ability of the im- 
aginative working girl to judge and find 
values is often amazing. Life gives her 
little time for dreaming, and many real 
contacts. She is held constantly and often 
mercilessly against the actual, neverthe- 
less she knows many things of life that 
her more sheltered sisters can never know, 
and consequently her judgment is often 
very keen and direct. A young girl comes 
to mind who lived in a small Russian vil- 
lage and came to America at the age of 
eleven. When scarcely fourteen she had 
begun to work in a candy factory at $2.00 
per week, then the paper box factories at 
a little more; she had later begun the 
round of the knitting factories and as she 
said, she had worked "by skirts," she had 
worked "by pants," and always held her- 
self ready to leave each job in the hope of 
finding something better. Finally, on the 
verge of a serious illness, she was sent to 
a vacation camp for working girls. One 
night there was a bonfire and cornroast on 
the beach. I wish I could make you see, as 
I saw, this heretofore slow, listless, dreamy 
failure of the world of work, as she danced 
around the fire, then plunged into the 
water, then danced about the fire again, 
like one possessed. With her black hair 
flying and her strange abandon, she was for 
the moment the Russian of our imagina- 
tion. As she grew tired she sat down to 
rest. In her slow, broken way she finally 
said, "You know that book on your table 
(Tolstoy's "Resurrection"). I've been 
reading It; I'd seen it in the movies and I 
just wanted to know more about that girl 
Katushka. She, too, always seemed to get 
in wrong." All summer long she read at 
the story of Katushka. This serves as an 
illustration not only of the intense need 
of the girl, but of the power of the book 
to make for her a powerful and true analy- 
sis of life, which by reason of a thousand 
limitations, she was not able to make for 



DUNN 



167 



herself. She had not only analyzed the 
story, but had worked out its theme to 
Illumine her own desperate situation. 

In this story of Beckie and her reading 
of "Resurrection," who of us would at- 
tempt to measure its influence In her 
tangled career? It proves for us that there 
Is a right book for each girl, each step of 
the way. It is not, however, the same book 
for every girl. The book must be suited to 
her tastes and situation and must add to 
her store of resource for her great needs 
— those of revery, those of deep expression, 
those for the gaining of vision, and for 
the power to clarify. 

In conclusion, we are Impressed by the 
great opportunity of the public library as 
it seems to be of service to this developing 
emotional girl. We wonder if there is any- 
one who sees the external conditions of her 
life In so broad a way as does the librarian, 
who knows her home, her parents and 
brothers and sisters, who knows her school. 
Its spirit, her teacher, who knows her 
friends, her neighborhood, the possible re- 
creations of the neighborhood, sometimes 
even knows something of her employment. 
With this knowledge at her command, can 
we do less than to challenge the difficulties 
and, with every art within us, to conspire, 
allure and incite, and, knowing her open- 
ness to suggestion, somehow stir a love of 
reading that will give her the rich materi- 
als necessary for her unfolding life; or on 
the other hand, and just as necessary, to 
guard her against the dangers of vora- 
ciousness. The Ideal is to work between 
these extremes in order to keep alive the 
Impulse of healthy growth, realizing how 
real a safeguard her reading may be 
against both repression and perversion of 
human power. To accomplish this Intel- 
lectual and social development and to give 



her as well the keenest satisfaction In her 
reading experiences, we must, as we have 
tried to say, use the great social instincts 
of adolescent girlhood; her instincts of 
homemaking and love of dress, her desire 
for sympathy that she kindles by the read- 
ing of the sad story, the awakening con- 
sciousness of her physical self, and, not 
least, her love of the dramatic and ro- 
mantic. 

The Reading Club, however closely it 
follows the unfolding tastes of the adoles- 
cent girl within its circle, however fully it 
understands and helps to unfold her social 
instincts, cannot in the nature of things 
reach large numbers of girls. 

But the librarian who has the knowledge 
of girl nature, gained through her direc- 
tion of girls' clubs, plus her special knowl- 
edge of the girl's friends and her home and 
social background, realizes that there is no 
such thing as the detached girl, that most 
of the Interests of the adolescent girl are 
group interests, whether these groups are 
organized into clubs or not. Thus, through 
the reading interest of one girl in the 
library, she can reach and influence the 
reading of the whole group in which that 
girl belongs. 

Knowing how deep-seated is her love of 
beauty, how strong her yearning for rich- 
ness and color, how deeply she craves the 
great experience of love, how passionately 
she seeks to enlarge her sympathy through 
the sad and tragic, how through her in 
stlnct for the dramatic, she tries to recreate 
all life into its noblest possibilities, and 
above all knowing how social is every im- 
pulse, our best service to the adolescent 
girl must be in making reading a never 
failing source of self-realization in the 
highest sense, and a source of pleasure and 
profit to all who may know her. 



168 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



THE BOOKSHOP FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 

By Annie Careoll Moore, Supervisor of Work with Children, the New York Public Lil)rary 



When Miss Jordan asked for suggestions 
for the program of the Children's Librar- 
ians Section, I said "By all means include 
the Bookshop for Boys and Girls and give 
me a place in the discussion." I then 
hoped to be with you at Louisville and to 
tell my Impressions of the Bookshop, 
which I look upon as a piece of idealism 
which has stood the test of realization in 
an era of educational experiments. 

I visited the Bookshop with Miss Hewins 
last December on the day before Christ- 
mas. I had been pleased with the form of 
the purchase list issued in November, with 
Its delightful preface on "Early juvenile 
bookstores" by Miss Caroline Hewins, its 
careful selection of books and Its regard 
for the individuality of tastes in children 
of different ages. This list had been 
placed in all of the children's rooms of the 
New York Public Library and I had rec- 
ommended it to many groups of parents 
and classes of students. 

But in spite of the attractive catalog 
and printed announcements I will confess 
that I felt a little fearful of the Bookshop 
itself lest it seem too "precious," to "edu- 
cational," too much of the "cult of the 
child." 

I had watched several experiments of 
book selling in the interests of children 
from prepared surroundings backed by ex- 
cellent intentions and varying degrees of 
skill. For many years I have visited gen- 
eral bookshops and department stores in 
the month of December, realizing their 
growing opportunities for better service, 
noting improvements and gathering sug- 
gestions for our holiday exhibits in li- 
braries and for my discussions of chil- 
dren's books with parents and those less 
mentioned relatives, the uncles and aunts. 

The holiday rush was over when Miss 
Hewins and I entered the Bookshop, but 
there were all the evidences of a succes- 
sion of busy days. 



Bright fires burned in the two fire-places 
and an atmosphere of coziness, of repose, 
and of appreciation — appreciation of books, 
of arrangement and of the visitor's mood — 
pervaded the place. The room felt as If 
it were being lived in. 

I stepped to the window overlooking the 
Public Garden for a last glimpse of the 
sunset and as I stood there — there flashed 
upon my memory a picture left in an hour 
spent in a bookshop in Princes Street, 
Edinburgh. I had looked from a window 
there upon gardens and beyond to the old 
castle and I had turned back to the pur- 
chase of "The heart of Midlothian," Bobble 
Burns, and a little book of Scottish bal- 
lads, when I had firmly resolved on enter- 
ing the shop to buy nothing except a guide 
book to Scotland. 

I had no notion of buying anything at 
the Bookshop. I had made all my pur- 
chases before leaving New York. But I 
found myself yielding to the lure of the 
place — assuring myself that there was no 
lack of books about Scotland and gather- 
ing up one after another as an aunt or a 
friend — Jacob's "English fairy tales" — a 
book for a boy — "The New England 
primer," "Peter Piper's alphabet," a "Book 
of Christmas carols," and several copies 
of the catalog to be sent as New Year's 
cards to fathers and mothers. 

Then I turned to the pictures on the 
wall, many of which had been taken from 
the best of the French, English, Swedish 
and Russian picture books for children, 
and again a picture flashed upon my mem- 
ory. This time I saw Miss Plummer 
bringing into the children's room of the 
Pratt Institute Free Library a little group 
of pictures taken from Boutet de Monvel's 
Illustrations for "Filles et garcons" and 
"Nos enfants," framed in passepartout to 
hang upon the wall. 

"The children may not pay much atten- 
tion to them now," she said, "but I bellere 



16S 



they will be remembered by some of them 
and it may lead them to want to know 
more of the children of other countrie3 
and perhaps to the reading of French." 

This was twenty-one years ago in the 
era of the first art wave which swept over 
American schools leaving a trail of the old 
masters in the form of Perry pictures and 
all sorts of prints. 

Seliool rooms and libraries were deco- 
rated with pictures and busts bearing little 
or no relation to the interests of children 
and contributing nothing to the atmos- 
phere of the place. Such a book as 
Boutet de Monvel's "Joan of Arc" was 
purchased by libraries for their art depart- 
ments rather than for their children's 
rooms, where it has so long been a favorite 
book that few remember how rash seemed 
the children's librarian who first ordered 
It for the use of children. 

"What do you think of the Bookshop?" 
asked Miss Hewins. "I think it is a 
dream come true and I wish every librar- 
ian might not merely see the room but 
realize what lies behind it," was my reply. 

For I believe that Miss Mahony has 
dramatized and produced in the Bookshop 
for Boys and Girls our old slogan for 
library work with children, "The right 
book for the right child at the right time," 
and that she has done it in a way to enlist 
the interest and inspire the confidence of 
a book-loving and book-buying public. The 
shop, like the catalog, is up-to-date, yet no 
good thing out of the past is missing. 

Neither a children's library nor a book- 
shop can long survive if it remains static 
or segregates books for boys and girls to 
the exclusion of great books for young and 



old — great thoughts out of the present as 
well as out of the past must find a place 
there in books and in pictures. So I am 
not surprised to note in the list of vaca- 
tion reading recently issued by the Book- 
shop the headings "Our allies," "The 
war," "Books for young and old." I 
should wish to add to the list "The letters 
of Victor Chapman," with the memoir by 
his father, John Jay Chapman, whose 
paper on "Children's reading," read at the 
Conference last year, was Miss Plummer's 
last gift to our work for children in public 
libraries. The book is one of those rare 
memorial tributes in which we feel a sure 
sense of life from childhood to the heroic 
aviator who met his death in France on 
June 24, 1916. 

May I, in closing, speak from the, first 
generation of children's librarians to those 
who are taking up the work In a new era — 
I believe far greater and richer opportuni- 
ties for service are to be yours in the next 
twenty years. You are living history from 
hour to hour. We were trying to bring in 
pictured fragments — bits of France, of 
England, of Germany, of Scandinavia, of 
Russia, of Japan and of China, with the 
hope that we might enlarge ever so little 
the world of the American boy and girl. 
We assumed that the great principles of 
freedom, liberty and human rights were 
assured by our democracy, we celebrated 
our Independence Day and the birthdays 
of Lincoln and Washington as day.<» of re- 
membrance. 

The call to you is to revive and recreate 
in your children's rooms feeble memories 
of great principles, of great ideas and 
great ideals and make sure that the chil- 
dren of today are in touch with them. 



THE COLORED BRANCHES OF THE LOUISVILLE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY 

By Bebnice W. Bell, Head Children's Department, Free Public Library, Louisville, Ky. 



The organization of the Louisville Free 
Public Library is unique owing to the fact 
that we have a library system within a 
system. Libraries exclusively for the col- 
ored citizens of Louisville conducted by 



colored librarians under the supervision 
of our librarian, Mr. George T. Settle, have 
passed the experimental stage and their 
value is recognized. 
The establishment of this library system 



170 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



tor colored people was begun in 1905 and 
the twelve years that have passed since 
its organization have been years of steady 
growth. The success of our experiment 
and the value of the Colored Branch libra- 
ries as laboratories for the study of the 
colored race have attracted the attention 
of other cities desiring to provide library 
facilities for their colored citizens. Hous- 
ton, Texas, Memphis, Tenn., and Evans- 
ville, Ind., have branches and their libra- 
rians have studied in the apprentice class 
conducted by the Louisville Free Public 
Library. 

At first it was difficult for our colored 
citizens to realize the fact that they were 
to have a library system of their own. In 
no other place in America was there such 
a system and there were only a few who 
realized the educational, civic and social 
advantage it would prove to the race in the 
years to come. Our colored children's 
librarian has made the following state- 
ment in regard to the advantage of colored 
libraries: "We know our own people; we 
know each teacher by name; we know the 
ministers, the doctors, the lawyers, the 
merchants and most of the others who fre- 
quent our libraries. Those of another race 
cannot know our wants, our habits, our 
likes- and our dislikes as we do. They are 
not thrown among us in the various walks 
of life and are therefore not as competent 
to deal with us as we ourselves are — if we 
are prepared. However much they might 
try It would be impossible for them to give 
us the service that one of our own race 
can give in an atmosphere where service 
and freedom are the predominant ele- 
ments; and this is surely the condition In 
the colored branches in Louisville." 

Although the colored people of our city 
were not a reading people, in this atmos- 
phere of "service and freedom" there has 
been a growing interest on their part which 
is very gratifying. This evening I shall 
confine myself to the children using the 
colored branches, as our interest is chiefly 
with them. 

When the library was opened the chil- 
dren responded readily to our school visit- 



ing and accepted joyously our invitation to 
attend the story hour. We have always 
made quite a feature of the story hour at 
both branches and it has meant much in 
the recreational and social life of the chil- 
dren. It has also been a means of directing 
their reading. Several years ago Prof. 
Joseph S. Cotter, principal of the S. Cole- 
ridge Taylor Colored Public School, sug- 
gested having at the close of the story hour 
season a Story Telling Contest among the 
children. He offered a prize to the child 
who could best reproduce a story heard 
at one of the story hours during the year. 
The popularity of this contest among both 
children and adults led to our organizing 
it as a permanent part of the work. The 
rules governing the contest are, in part, as 
follows: 

Rules Governing Contest 

"There shall be a story-telling contest 
at the Western and Eastern colored 
branches, and a final contest between the 
winners; with a first, second, third, etc., 
prize awarded to both the primary and in- 
termediate grades at both branches. The 
names of the winners in the final contest 
shall be placed on a loving cup, which is 
to be the property of the library and ex- 
hibited equally in both branches. The cup 
is to be known as the "Cotter Story-Telling 
Contest Cup." 

The number of children entering shall be 
limited to eight at each branch, four from 
the primary grades (1-4) and four from 
the intermediate grades (5-8). Each child 
entering shall have attended at least eight 
story hours during the year; shall be a 
registered borrower of the library and in 
good standing; shall be a regular attendant 
at school and the teacher's report may be 
required if necessary. 

"The story told at the contest must be 
one heard at the story hour during the 
year. The judges shall be selected from 
the 'principals and teachers of the public 
schools, ministers or other colored citizens 
interested in education." 

This year many more children than the 
limited number desired to enter. From 
among those applying sixteen children 
were chosen, eight using the Eastern Col- 
ored Branch and eight using the Western. 

The two first-prize children at each 
branch contested before the Kentucky 
Negro Educational Association {or the 



171 



honor of having their names engraved on 
the Cotter Story-Telling Contest Loving 
Cup. The loving cup was given by the 
library. At the close of this paper Blyden 
Jackson, aged six, who won the primary 
prize In the final contest this year, will tell 
the "Ginger bread boy," and Virginia 
Allen, aged 10, who won the Intermediate 
prize, will tell "The fisherman and his 
wife." 

Special entertainments, story hours and 
clubs mean far more In the life of the col- 
ored child than in the life of the average 
white child. He owns few toys or books; 
in fact, recreation In any form Is almost 
unknown to the large majority. 

For this reason we feel that one of the 
greatest services the library can render 
the colored people Is to develop the com- 
munity center Idea by giving them branch 
library buildings exclusively for their own 
use. They need It, as poverty, ignorance 
and a lack of race pride have prevented 
friendly cooperative Intercourse of the race. 
The auditoriums and classrooms In the 
colored branches of Louisville may be used 
at any time for non-political meetings. The 
club meetings held In the two branches 
last year numbered 498. 

We endorse all of these activities and 
believe that clubs among the adults foster 
civic pride, stimulate and encourage gen- 
eral education and elevate the social life 
of the colored people. Through clubs and 
story hours for the children we can to some 
extent direct their reading, but we feel 
that it is only when the schools take a 
deep interest in the subject that all the 
children, white and colored, can be led to 
form the right reading habits. 

In our city the interdependence of the 
school and the library is recognized by bo'th 
institutions. The head of the children's 
department meets frequently with the 
supervisors of the public schools to con- 
sider ways and means of Interesting white 
and colored parents and teachers In the 
children's reading and also the best way 
to encourage children to read the books 
suitable for their age and grade. 

One method we have used to Interest the 



parents and teachers in the children's read- 
ing has been to compile a booklet entitled 
"Reading according to school grading." 
This booklet, which contains lists of stories 
to tell, books to read aloud and books for 
the child's own reading, was compiled 
jointly by the supervisor of the kinder- 
garten and primary grades and the head 
of the children's department and printed 
by the library. It has been brought to the 
notice of parents through talks to Parent- 
Teacher Associations on juvenile literature 
and kindred subjects. The percentage of 
colored parents interested In this subject 
has been very small and we reach their 
children principally through the colored 
teachers. 

Another method was to take a survey of 
reading in the fourth and sixth grades 
throughout the city. We were impressed 
by the fact that the colored children who 
are reading are using library books. In 
taking this survey the children were given 
slip? of paper calling for the author and 
title of some book they enjoyed. We all 
were very anxious to see just what the chil- 
dren would write and in no instance was 
the child's choice influenced by supervisor, 
principal or teacher. The slips did not 
bear the library imprint and the children 
were not told that the library was inter- 
ested in their choice. 

A very small percentage of the slips, less 
than two, were illegible or not filled in at 
all and had to be cast aside. Those that 
could be used proved to be material for a 
study of what books children would select 
when given about fifteen minutes for 
thought on the subject. 

From the colored schools, out of 636 re- 
turns in the fourth and sixth grades there 
were only sixteen books mentioned not 
recommended by the library. You may be 
interested to know that these were Alger 
books. Out of one thousand eight hundred 
and ninety four (1,894) slips returned by 
the children In the fourth grade of tha 
white schools, twelve per cent were titles 
not recommended by the library. These 
were books in series like the Motor Boys 
and the Boy Aviators. The per cent in the 



172 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



sixth grade was slightly higher. Another 
Interesting and encouraging feature was 
the fact that not a child mentioned a 
vicious book. 

These results certainly seem to indicate 
that our colored staff was correct when 
they made the statement that Good Book 
Week, Christmas exhibits and lectures as 
a means of enlisting public opinion against 
certain types of mediocre and pernicious 
books need not be pushed among the col- 
ored people to the extent necessary among 
the white. Colored parents can buy few 
books, are not particularly interested in 
Sunday School libraries and trust without 
question the librarian's judgment in the 
selection of juvenile hooks. 

This is true in Louisville and very likely 
true throughout the South, where the 
schools and libraries are entirely separate. 
It is interesting to note in this connection 
that the proportion of fiction in the col- 
ored libraries varies according to the sea- 
son of the year from about twenty per cent 
to forty per cent, the average being thirty- 
seven. 

It is most necessary, though, to use some 
means of publicity to advertise the library 
among the many who think it is only for 
the best-educated colored people. There 
is only one way this idea can be uprooted 
and that is through making the children 
love the library. Very little can be done 
with the thousands of illiterate adults. 

Kentucky has one of the best child labor 
laws in the United States. Our children, 
white and colored, must attend school until 
they are fourteen. This law is strictly en- 
forced in Louisville. Here is our oppor- 
tunity to see and know the children and 
we make every possible use of it. They 
are visited regularly in the school and in- 
vited to the library. 

At a recent meeting of the supervisors 
of the schools and head of the children's 
department, it was decided that visits to 
the library during school hours by the 
children with their teachers would be an 
excellent plan to bring the library to the 
notice of all children, white and colored. 
Our superintendent of schools and our 



librarian were very much in favor of the 
children being taught the use of the cata- 
log. Mr. Reid, superintendent of schools, 
allows each class one hour of school time 
for this instruction. Since March 1, about 
4,000 children have come with their teach- 
ers for an hour's lesson in the use of the 
catalog. The lessons were outlined by the 
head of the children's department, and 
model lessons given at the main library. 
All the children were required to write a 
composition on their trip to the library. I 
have selected from many, one written by a 
little colored girl in grade six. 

"OtJB VISIT TO THE LIBEABY" 

On receiving permission from our prin- 
cipal last Friday, May 8, we were taken 
over to the library by our teacher just 
after the last recess and were over there 
one hour. The purpose of our going was 
that we might from this on know how to 
use the library as it should he used and 
know how to find a book and the name or 
author of the book, without the assistance 
of the librarians unless we positively could 
not get along without their aid. 

We all went over there prepared with a 
small piece of paper and our pencils ready 
to take a note of everything that was said 
so that we would not forget anything. 

On entering the library we were asked 
by our librarian what branch the library 
is and we told her it is the Eastern Colored 
Branch Library. She also asked us the 
meaning of "Free and Public," to which 
we all expressed our ideas of free and pub- 
lic as meaning that anyone could get books 
from the library without paying and go 
there and read at any time they wished, 
and anyone who desired to could go there 
and that the library was not built for any 
special persons. 

This being finished we were given infor- 
mation of call numbers. For example, the 
call number might happen to be j942 

T174 
The top number is the class number and 
the bottom number is the author number. 
The two together are the call number. The 
books are on the shelves numerically by 
the class number and alphabetically by the 
author number. Then we found books by 
their call numbers on the shelf. 

The last and best of all was the use of 
the catalog. It was very interesting and 
of the greatest importance r.s most of us 
scarcely knew what a catalog looked like, 
especially the one in the library. 

Besides the information given us we 



173 



were tested by each of us being given a 
drawer from the catalog and a small card 
bearing the name and initial of an author 
whose name was in the drawer and we 
were to find tlie autlior's name on a card 
in the drawer and the name of all the 
books that the same author had written. 
This was done without the least bit of 
trouble and she let many of us read our 
author's name and all the names of the 
books we found that he or she had written. 
Then we looked up a title and a subject 
the same way. Then we went to the 
shelves with our cards bearing call num- 
bers and hunted for the books, which we 
found without any trouble. 

I am sure we all enjoyed our visit to the 
library and we feel that we have been 
much benefited by it and that hereaftpr w" 
not only know how to go into the library 
but that we can go in without causing any 
trouble whatever, and also find any kind 
of a book or anything we may desire." 

We use the Western Colored Branch as 
the center from which all extension work 
for colored readers in the city of Louisville 
and Jefferson County is conducted. Graded 
classroom libraries are sent to the schools 
through the school division at this colored 
branch library. We require that these col- 
lections be circulated at least once a week 
for home reading. The teachers' interest 
In the class room libraries has been very 
much quickened recently through the intro- 
duction by the schools of a new method of 
reading known as "silent reading." In this 
system every child is required to have a 
different book. The library is the only 
institution equipped to supply this ma- 
terial. Interpretative reading instead of 
the old method of formal reading calls for 
the use of many books. Dramatization 
and story telling by the children as a 
means of teaching language and expres- 
sion also calls for the use of library books. 
These and other new methods in education 
are largely responsible for the teachers' 
growing respect for juvenile literature. 

The forming of accelerated classes, re- 



tarded classes, classes of motor-minded chil- 
dren, open air schools, prevocational 
schools, and continuation schools and also 
of special classes of various kinds for the 
colored children calls for the selection of 
books for individual classes and In many 
cases for individual children. Meeting the 
needs of the modern school system is be- 
coming a far more difficult task than awak- 
ening a sleeping school system. 

One question that is asked us more often 
than any other concerning our colored 
work Is "What do colored children like to 
read?" According to our statistics the 
percentages of circulation according to 
fiction, folklore and non-fiction for white 
and colored are as follows: 

White Colored 

Fiction 48 Fiction 39 

Folklore 16 Folklore 26 

Non-flction 38 Non-Sction 38 

The survey of reading in the fourth 
grade showed the following interesting re- 
sults as to the percentage of fiction and 
non-fiction : 

White Colored 

Fiction 32 Fiction 16 

Folklore 29 Folklore 50 

Non-fiction 39 Non-flction 34 

All of these facts have been collected 
from the city schools. We hope soon to 
have some interesting reports from the 
rural schools in Jefferson County. 

By action of the fiscal court in January 
the library has been given an appropriation 
for extension work in Jefferson County. 
Arrangements have been made to place class 
room libraries in the 77 white schools and 
21 colored county schools. 

In closing, let me say that we feel very 
much encouraged by the progress of our 
work with the colored readers. 



4 LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 

HOW TO RAISE THE STANDARD OF LITERARY APPRECIATION IN HIGH 

SCHOOLS 

By Makion L. Horton, Librarian, Fremont High School, Oalcland, Cat. 



We sometimes think that no American 
children have the literary taste of the 
boys and girls in Kenneth Grahame's 
"Golden age." You remember they had 
their specialties in knowledge that seemed 
simply uncanny to their elders. 

Possibly American high school students 
are more reticent about their enthusiasms. 
But I know one high school quite common- 
place in Its curriculum and student body 
where a Baconian, a believer in the fourth 
dimension, a paleontologist, a student of 
Anglo-Saxon law, a socialist, and a dozen 
other boys and girls haunt the library after 
school to discuss their pet theories and 
read everything on their own subjects that 
the librarian can borrow from the city li- 
brary or fetch from the university. I 
cannot remember that the Baconian ever 
convinced anyone and the socialist and the 
paleontologist never made converts, but 
their hobbies half amused and half con- 
vinced the other students, while their 
knowledge grew by what it fed on, until 
they were almost omniscient in their own 
fields. Each student has some interest 
and there is nothing in all the world more 
wonderful than to find the interest and 
relate it to literature. 

The most obvious way of inducing good 
reading is to require it as a part of some 
course. English teachers realize that the 
work cannot be done entirely in class and 
are laying great stress on supplemental or 
outside reading. The books chosen are 
sometimes closely connected with the work 
of the department, sometimes purely for 
recreation. Some of the printed lists is- 
sued by associations or by the city school 
department are most amusing In their 
broad inclusion. Their aim to meet the 
need of any school and any child ends by 
ranging from Mrs. Wiggs and Freckles to 
Walter Pater. Better results can be se- 



cured by making a list for the special 
school, adapted to the age and environ- 
ment of each class. This may be made by 
teacher or by librarian, but preferably by 
both. 

My own preference is for a distinct list 
of thirty or fifty books for each semester, 
classified by form, perhaps ten books of 
travel or adventure, ten of fiction, ten of 
poetry or plays and five biographies. Then 
the teacher may require each student to 
read any one of the biographies or any 
one of the books of travel, according to 
the needs of the class. It is really a per- 
fect reconciliation of the problem of free 
will and predestination, for the student 
can choose, and yet there is a standard of 
style and content behind each book placed 
on the list. The standard need not be 
lowered to the grade of the books that boys 
and girls read outside of school. Since 
the reading of one or two books is part of 
the semester's work, it is not necessary 
to make it too easy. If the books are in 
the library, and their reading is required, 
any good teacher or librarian can make 
the reading attractive. Of course if "Cin- 
derella Jane" and "Just David" stand be- 
side "David Copperfield" in the sophomore 
reading list, "Cinderella Jane" in her gay 
cover, with large type and wide margins, 
will be preferred to "Copperfield" in a 
depressing two volume edition, with a 
textbook cover, a long introduction and 
footnotes and fine print. But books like 
"Laddie" and "Pollyanna" should not be 
put on the required reading list. We do 
not need to draw attention to them In the 
hope of leading children slowly upward 
and onward. They will plunge headlong 
into real literature if they see other people 
enjoying it. In the elementary schools of 
New York state a certificate is given to 
each student who has read fifty books on 



17S 



the list made by the school library division 
of the state education department. 

Book notes written by their friends and 
filed in the catalog will be more tempting 
to high school students than any recom- 
mendation of teacher or librarian. Here is 
a student's annotation: "If you who read 
this story want to read a sad, beautiful 
tale, read 'King Lear.' You will love and 
pity Cordelia as long as you live. To 
write out all I want to say about this 
would take a whole book. All I can say 
Is 'Read this book.' " 

Quoted in the Bulletin of the Carnegie 
Library of Pittsburgh is one of more liter- 
ary merit: "Listen, boys and girls, too. 
Read 'Tales from Shakespeare' and you 
will not be sorry. Among the stories in 
it Is 'The Tempest,' which is about a girl 
and her father. She had never seen an- 
other man but her father. One day a man 
came and — well, if you want to know what 
happened go to the library and ask for 
'Tales from Shakespeare,' by Charles and 
Mary Lamb." 

There is something spontaneous in these 
annotations that the librarian's notes do 
not always have. 

Of course most of us cannot afford to 
circulate beautiful Illustrated editions, 
but we can have clear type and attractive 
binding in the books to be taken home, 
and a slowly growing collection of copies 
with entrancing pictures, not locked away 
for the occasional visitor's inspection, but 
ready always for loving use. These are 
even more attractive when they are the 
gift of some class, whose members point 
proudly to the bookplate inscribed with 
their names and feel a glow of pride in 
the volume much greater than in any pur- 
chased from an impersonal book fund. 

Pictures posted on the bulletin board 
with suggestive lists have varying results. 
It seems a mistake to me to spend much 
time In preparing these. Some of the ar- 
tistic gems make no appeal whatever, 
while others with no apparent reason are 
an Instant success and are recalled by the 
students months afterward. Here the 
teacher can help the librarian, not only by 



keeping her informed of the timely topics 
in the classroom but also by being re- 
sponsible for a bulletin board for her de- 
partment on which the pictures are 
changed each week. If the students help 
in planning and posting these the results 
are still better. I remember one fetching 
exhibit of illustrations for Greek myths 
made by a freshman English class, who 
had chosen their favorite stories and 
drawn pictures or cut figures from maga- 
zines and combined them into marvelous 
designs. The whole school was fascinated 
by the pictures and there was a special 
run on the books that told the story of 
Hero and Leander. The picture of her 
tower was so mysterious and the lovers 
dead upon the shore so heartbreaking that 
everyone wanted to read the story. 

Literary clubs are a wonderful incen- 
tive to good reading. Of course, the high 
school age is the best of all ages for club 
forming, and elections and office holding 
are a joy in themselves without the added 
delight of a definite object. In one club 
the object was stated in the constitution: 
"To educate our minds by reading, for 'a 
good book is the precious life-blood of a 
master-spirit, embalmed and treasured up 
on purpose to a life beyond life." " 

It is astonishing how wide is the read- 
ing of the girls in the poetry clubs (they 
are all girls there!) and how acute their 
criticism is. A program planned for fort- 
nightly meetings through the school year 
covers much good literature and the libra- 
rian or teacher needs only to suggest the 
subjects, while the girls report on the 
books read. Art and travel are fascinat- 
ing subjects and inexhaustible, when liter- 
ature and history are woven into the pro- 
gram. Boys enjoy these, too; they revel 
in anything definite that they can expound 
to their hearers. The most picturesque 
example of this Is found in the "Hat club" 
in one of the branches of the New York 
Public Library, where the boys draw from 
a hat a subject written on a slip of paper 
and discourse upon it for five minutes 
without preparation. 

Probably the guidance given In literary 



176 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



clubs and required reading lists has more 
direct results, but there is still greater 
opportunity in conversation with each boy 
and girl who asks for a good book to read. 
After all, it is personal interest that makes 
the work successful. 

In Arthur Christopher Benson's memoir 
ol Hugh Benson he describes a droll habit 
of his brother in nursery days. He would 
lock up his treasures^ in a box . . . unfas- 



tening It . . . and locking it again, In a way 
to provoke the most intense curiosity. 

The high school librarian's psychological 
principle is the same. She unlocks her 
box of treasures with delight in its con- 
tents and delight in provoking curiosity, 
but the boys and girls find more than a 
temporary glamour in the books they 
learn to appreciate. 



ORGANIZING A NEW HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY 
By Claba E. Howard, Liirarian, ScJienley High School, Pittsburgh 



Soon after the Carnegie Library of 
Pittsburgh was opened to the public in 
1895, small collections of books were lent 
to schools from the general collection. In 
1898 part of the book fund was set aside 
for a special collection for school use and 
a Schools division was definitely estab- 
lished as a part of the Children's depart- 
ment. Books are now lent to any school, 
public or private, within the city, for any 
time within the school year, and all mes- 
senger service is provided by the library. 

Library work with schools in Pittsburgh 
Is becoming more and more specialized, 
owing to the very rapid growth in high 
school equipment, the development of the 
vocational school idea and its varied ap- 
plication in elementary and high schools 
(both of which include evening schools), 
and the opening of the continuation 
schools required by the new state child 
labor law. Thus is created a demand for 
more and better trained library service. 
The opportunity for close cooperation be- 
tween the library and the school is unique, 
and if sufiicient funds can be provided the 
two can work together most effectively. 
The superintendent of schools, the princi- 
pals and teachers are in strong sympathy 
with the work and are anxious to assist 
In every possible way. 

Within recent years, special emphasis 
has been laid upon the extension of the 



use of books within the high schools. Col- 
lections on special subjects have been 
sent to teachers in many high schools, 
but the first definite step toward library 
rooms within school buildings was the 
opening of a deposit station in the Fifth 
Avenue High School in 1915, in charge of 
a trained children's librarian who was 
equally fitted for general library work. 

This station has been open two days 
a week from 3 p.m. to 4:30 during the 
school year, the room being available only 
after school hours. It does not give suf- 
ficient service, but serves as a direct point 
of contact between the library and the 
teachers and pupils. It continues to be 
supplemented by classroom collections. 

Early in 1916 a plan of cooperation be- 
tween the Pittsburgh Board of Education 
and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh 
was prepared and the Schenley High 
School Library is the first library to be 
established under this new system of ad- 
ministration. 

The terms of agreement between the li- 
brary and the Board of Education are, 
briefly, as follows: 

School libraries to be administered by 
teacher-librarians under supervision of the 
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh through 
its Schools division. 

The teacher-librarians and assistants to 
be recommended by the Carnegie Library, 
appointed and paid by the Board of Edu- 



177 



cation; to rank as members of the faculty. 

The number of assistants in each library 
to be determined by the average attend- 
ance per day, the basis to be one assistant 
per 200 students. 

Requirements for teacher-librarians: 
College degree; certificate or diploma 
from an accredited library school; teach- 
ing experience desirable, but not required; 
library experience of sufficient length and 
quality to meet the approval of the su- 
perintendent of public instruction and the 
librarian of the Carnegie Library. 

Salary of teacher-librarians to be deter- 
mined on the same basis as teachers of 
English; of assistants, on relative basis. 

Hours to be determined by the needs of 
the school, but not to exceed 42 hours per 
week. If school libraries are open special 
hours in connection with extension work, 
additional service to be provided by the 
Board of Education and the Carnegie Li- 
brary; this to be decided in accordance 
with the purpose of each library, whether 
planned as public deposit station or to 
meet school needs only. 

School libraries not to be open to the 
general public except where such rooms 
and equipment have been provided as will 
prevent interference with the purpose of 
the school library to serve pupils and the 
faculty. 

Permanent equipment, such as shelving, 
desk, tables, filing cases, etc., selected with 
the approval of the Carnegie Library and 
furnished by Board of Education; rooms, 
heat, light, janitor service to be provided 
by the Board of Education. 

All printed supplies uniform with Car- 
negie Library of Pittsburgh forms to be 
supplied by the library; those uniform 
with Board of Education forms to be sup- 
plied by that board. All supplies for or- 
dering, accessioning, shelf-listing, catalog- 
ing; mechanical preparation of books, and 
charging desk supplies to be supplied by 
the Carnegie Library; all small supplies 
carried in Board of Education stock to be 
furnished by said board. 

Book ownership to be indicated by book 
plate or other definite ownership mark, 
such as perforated stamp. 

Library business with contagious dis- 
ease cases to be attended to by the teach- 
er-librarian through the Carnegie Library. 

The Board of Education to transfer 
original collections and meet all extraor- 
dinary demands; the Carnegie Library to 
transport current collections and supply 
necessary messenger service. 

Delinquent book servlc to be handled 
by the Carnegie Library after all means 
available at school office have been used. 



Books on permanent deposit such as 
reference works or books in sets, to be 
purchased by the Board of Education, but 
prepared for the shelves by the Carnegie 
Library; periodicals and newspapers to be 
purchased by the Board of Education after 
approval by the Carnegie Library; gen- 
eral collections of books for home use, 
such as those used temporarily, to be lent 
or supplied by the Carnegie Library; pic- 
ture collections, lantern slides, Victrola 
records, to be purchased by the Board of 
Education; clippings, pamphlets and 
ephemeral material to be supplied by the 
Carnegie Library and Board of Education 
as consistent with policy of each. 

Book selection to be made by the teach- 
er-librarian from the recommendations of 
the school principal and approved by the 
Carnegie Library. 

Reports to be submitted monthly by 
teacher-librarian to the school principal 
and to the supervisor of the Schools divi- 
sion, Carnegie Library. 

Routine to conform as far as possible to 
the branch routine of the Carnegie Li- 
brary. Where the best interests of the 
school library require variations, these 
shall be decided by the teacher-librarian 
with the approval of the supervisor of the 
Schools division of the Carnegie Library. 

The Schenley High School building, 
which ranks among the first ten high 
schools of the United States, was opened 
in 1916. It represents an investment of 
about a million and a half dollars. No ex- 
pense has been spared to build the 
best possible structure, most modernly 
equipped, and the result is simplicity with 
the greatest efficiency. It seems especial- 
ly fitting that the first fully equipped 
school library to be established in Pitts- 
burgh under this new cooperative plan 
should be placed in this new school where 
there are no traditions and no precedents 
to follow. 

The Schenley High School Library is lo- 
cated on the second floor above the main 
entrance, which makes it accessible to all 
departments. The room (32x80 feet) has a 
western exposure with windows along the 
front, and is well lighted by natural or 
artificial light as required. The shelving 
capacity is for about ten thousand vol- 
umes, and is sufficient for present and fu- 
ture needs. The room is equipped with 



178 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Library Bureau furniture throughout. 
There are 28 tables (3x5) and 120 chairs. 
The charging desk is in the center, directly 
opposite the entrance. The librarian's 
desk is on the window side near the cata- 
log and an open book rack for special col- 
lections. This arrangement practically 
divides the room into halves, which aids 
supervision. Two cases, one for the pic 
ture collection, with racks for atlases, the 
other for clippings and an enclosed cup- 
board space, are placed on either side of 
the librarian's desk. Two magazine racks 
are in an alcove in one corner, and a file 
for post cards and lantern slides, and a 
bookcase with glass doors for choice edi- 
tions of the classics, are in an alcove at 
the opposite corner. Trucks, magazine 
covers and all small equipment have been 
generously provided. A small room across 
the corridor has been fitted up for a work- 
room with shelves for storage of books, 
and additional shelving has been provided 
in the stack room built for the textbook 
collection, which is in charge of a special 
clerk. 

After the library was opened it was 
found desirable to raise the height of the 
charging desk and to cover the hard 
wood floor with cork or corticine. When 
these corrections have been made the 
Schenley High School Library can well 
claim to be one of the best equipped in the 
country. The furnishing and decoration of 
the library room are consistent with its 
purpose — inviting and stimulating intel- 
lectual effort and the love of books. 

The Schenley High School absorbed sev- 
eral small high schools, the chief one be- 
ing the Central High School, erected in 
1872. From this school, a collection of 
books, which owing to the crowded condi- 
tion of the school had been boxed and 
stored In the attic, was transferred to the 
Carnegie Library, where a selection was 
made of titles suitable for use In the new 
school library. The greater part of the 
old collection consisted of books which 
were out of date, unattractive, or unsulted 
to a high school library, and careful revi- 



sion was necessary. In all, about 875 
books were selected to form the nucleus of 
a permanent collection. These were fully 
classified and cataloged and a printed card 
catalog was provided for the school li- 
brary. An order for additional books to 
supplement this collection was placed dur- 
ing the year. 

In making the selection the standard was 
kept high, presupposing an opportunity for 
the personal influence of the school libra- 
rians. Besides the usual general refer- 
ence books, good editions of the classics 
and many standard books along all lines 
were included, the plan being to have 
eventually a generous duplication of titles 
of standard and classic literature and a 
sufficient variety of good modern litera- 
ture to appeal to a diversity of tastes. 
Subscriptions for 52 newspapers and maga- 
zines were also placed, which gave a good 
working collection for reference use and 
general reading. Daily messenger serv- 
ice between the school library and the 
Carnegie Library has been established and 
the school is constantly supplemented by 
the larger collection with books for tem- 
porary use or by mediocre books which 
are used as stepping-stones. Direct tele- 
phone communication between the two 
libraries has been requested and when this 
is installed the Carnegie Library will be 
even more accessible. 

All pamphlets of permanent value are 
to be classified, cataloged and bound at 
the Carnegie Library and the ephemeral 
material is to be cared for in a vertical 
file. The picture collection as yet is very 
meager, but pictures are being gathered 
from all available sources. Pictures will 
also be ordered this summer to supple- 
ment the required reading as outlined in 
the new English syllabus which will be- 
come operative with the fall term of 
school. The Committee on visual instruc- 
tion, of which the librarian is a member, 
is at work on a collection of lantern slides 
on the subjects taken up in the different 
departments, and an effort will be made 
to standardize the lecture material which 



HOWARD 



17» 



■win accompany the slides kept on file in 
the library. The librarian is also the cus- 
todian of the collection of Victrola rec- 
ords, which are used constantly by the 
English department. 

In order that the pupils may be trained 
to use the public library for reference and 
for general reading after their school days 
are over, the system of registration in 
force in other agencies of the Carnegie 
Library was put into force here. To avoid 
confusion during the first week groups 
were taken from a few study rooms each 
day to be registered as new borrowers or 
to have records made of their transfer 
from other libraries. With each succeed- 
ing class, however, library registration will 
be a part of the school registration, so 
that each member of the freshman class 
will be registered for a new library card 
or a transfer, on his day of entrance to 
the school. He will have but one card, 
but this card can be used at either the 
school library or the public library or 
both. 

The library is used each period during 
the day for assigned reading or for read- 
ing for recreation. Transfer slips are 
filled out by the students and signed by 
the study room teacher. These are taken 
up as the pupil leaves the library room, 
at the end of the period. If for any reason 
it is necessary to send the pupil back to 
his study room before the end of the pe- 
riod the transfer slip is taken up, and the 
reason and time of dismissal written 
across the slip. All slips are returned at 
the end of the day to the study room teach- 
ers via mail boxes in the office to be 
checked by the study room teacher. 

When the school library was opened an 
arrangement was made to have the teach- 
ers send their reference questions to the 
library in advance of the assignment in 
order that the material could be reserved 
on special shelves and give time to send 
to the Carnegie Library for any additional 



books when needed. This assigned mate- 
rial is held for reference during the day, 
but may be issued between school sessions. 
For all other books the regular rules of the 
Carnegie Library are in force. 

Statistics are kept of the books added 
to the collection each month, books bor- 
rowed from the Carnegie Library, by pe- 
riod and by the day and month, including 
transfers from other city library agencies, 
circulation and fines collected. 

Systematic instruction in the use of 
books and libraries has been planned as a 
part of the regular instruction schedule, 
but these lectures have not been given 
this first year owing to lack of assistants 
and the pressure of routine duties occa- 
sioned by the breaking in of four classes 
in one year. However, special lessons in 
the use of Poole's "Index" and the Read- 
er's Guide were given to four groups of 
juniors at the request of a teacher in 
English. 

The use of the library during the first 
nine months has exceeded expectation. 
There has been an average attendance of 
500 pupils per day and a total attendance 
of nearly 85,000. 

It was anticipated before opening and 
proved soon after that two or more as- 
sistants would need to be provided or the 
attendance would have to be restricted. 
Until a regular trained assistant was pro- 
vided by the Board of Education, different 
members of the staff of the Schools divi- 
sion of the Carnegie Library were sched- 
uled. Students from the Carnegie Library 
School have also been assigned for prac- 
tice work in the afternoons throughout 
the school year. 

In general the beginning has been most 
gratifying. We have tried to build with 
a view to the future and the adjustments 
which have come are only those which 
would Inevitably result from lack of prece- 
dent and from the fact that the opening of 
the library had to be somewhat rushed. 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



PROBLEMS MET IN REORGANIZING A HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY 
By Mart Helen Pooley, Librarian Hughes High School, Cincinnati 



No branch of school activity portrays 
more vividly the change in educational 
ideas than the modern high school. It 
has grown phenomenally in the past fifteen 
years; the enrollment has almost doubled 
since 1900. Courses of study have been 
revolutionized; gardening, printing, milli- 
nery, arts and crafts are side by side with 
English, Latin and mathematics. With 
the development of these industrial, tech- 
nical subjects have come wonderful new 
buildings, costly equipment and corps of 
trained specialists. Pedagogical methods 
are constantly changing; the classroom is 
becoming vitalized, a new spirit Is at work. 
The high school is no longer merely a 
preparatory school for the few who go to 
college. The proportion of children who 
pass from the grades into the high school 
Increases every year. The American pub- 
lic has learned that the high school is 
now a training school in which young peo- 
ple may find opportunities to develop along 
different lines and prepare themselves for 
active participation in the civic and social 
life of the community. 

That the library, the people's university, 
should have failed to take a prominent 
place in a democratic educational scheme 
of this kind seems hardly possible. Yet 
the Instances are only too few where the 
library in its equipment and directing force 
Is equal to the laboratory, the shop and 
gymnasium. Why has the growth of the 
library been retarded in this way? In the 
first place the whole library movement, in 
its modern scientific aspects, is more recent 
than that of the school. Educating the 
public as to the real place and function of 
the library in the community has been slow 
work and educating the school authorities 
and teachers as to the corresponding place 
of the library in the life of the school 
seems to be still slower work. Then, too, 
the high school library, like the public li- 
brary, has suffered and still suffers from 



lack of advertising. It is only within very 
recent years that discussions of the high 
school library have crept into the educa- 
tional journals; and outside of library 
circles the high school library receives 
scant attention and almost no serious con- 
sideration. Only last year in a small Ken- 
tucky city a beautiful new high school 
building was erected with absolutely no pro- 
vision for a library. Why should educa.tors 
fully alive to modern tendencies and even 
fads, be so strangely blind about the li- 
brary? The librarian who undertakes to 
reorganize a school library must face these 
facts. The school world into which she is 
entering, pleasant as it may be, is not 
the library world. The library is indeed the 
"retarded child" in the educational family, 
and we are its guides and teachers. 

Of course the high school libraries in 
need of reorganization will be found in 
various states of development according to 
local progress and conditions. Let us sup- 
pose our librarian has been recently ap- 
pointed in a large city high school. If it is 
a city and school large enough to require 
the services of a full-time trained librarian 
the school may be somewhat of this type: 
A beautiful, perfectly equipped building, 
modern in every detail, with courses of 
study including everything from Greek to 
gardening, 1,500 to 2,000 pupils, 100 teach- 
ers, all sorts of clubs and student activities. 
It will not necessarily follow that the li- 
brary, even in equipment, will compare 
with the other school departments. The 
furnishings, while handsome enough, are 
often designed more for appearance than 
use — hard wood bookcases with leaded 
glass doors, polished tables and chairs too 
few in number. 

There may not be seating room for the 
pupils. We may do without a shelf-list, 
we may even worry along without a cata- 
log, but the children must have seats in the 
library. If the floor space is adequate. 



181 



tables and chairs may be added at little 
expense by cooperating witli tlie manual 
training department. This scheme has the 
added advantage of making the manual 
training boys feel a sense of ownership In 
the library. 

This sort of simple reorganization work 
may be done in a few weeks. It takes time 
to develop catalogs, but in a short time 
with the aid of bulletins, pictures, a fern 
or flowers, the old library may take on 
an inviting appearance. 

The book collection presents a series of 
problems. The librarian may be fortu- 
nate in inheriting a good reference col- 
lection, but the shelves are quite apt to be 
encumbered with numbers of old text- 
books. She will be wise, however, to re- 
strain her first impulse to discard on too 
large a scale until she has been over the 
course of study. Some books are alive, al- 
though they show no signs of life. The 
dingy old history of mathematics that she 
sends to the attic may prove to be the fa- 
vorite reference book of one of the teachers 
for a particular point. The selection of 
books must be worked out according to the 
particular school and kind of library. If 
the high school library is entirely under 
control of the board of education it may be 
necessary to buy books, like other school 
supplies, at stated times. In this case the 
librarian must watch carefully the course 
of study and arrange her book orders ac- 
cordingly, for in high school work a book 
that is a week behind the course of study 
is practically useless for the year. If the 
matter of book selection has been largely 
In the hands of principal and teachers It 
may be difBcult for the librarian to gain 
control without causing friction. If she 
can win the confidence of tlie principal she 
may find him very glad to transfer this 
responsibility to her. Lists from the teach- 
ers should be encouraged, although it is 
often necessary to follow them v.-ith dis- 
crimination. If approached in the right 
way teachers are usually glad of sugges- 
tions, for they feel the librarian is in a 
better position than they to keep up with 
new books. High school collections, espe- 



cially when the library has been running 
for several years, while strong in literature 
and history are quite often weak in art, 
science and applied science. While the 
most extended use of the library is apt to 
be by the English department, in the se- 
lection of books along the other lines the 
librarian has an opportunity to make these 
heads of departments and teachers under- 
stand that the library is not merely a place 
containing the encyclopedia and home read- 
ing books. 

How to catalog these new books and re- 
catalog the old ones is indeed a serious 
problem. Boards of education will some- 
times appropriate money for new books 
much more readily than for assistants to 
catalog them. The librarian who has vi- 
sions of a dictionary catalog in her first 
year of reorganization is doomed to disap- 
pointment unless she meets unusual condi- 
tions. With no assistant, it is impossible to 
catalog with one hand while stamping ad- 
mission slips and looking up references on 
famous shrines of history with the other. 
The admission slips must be taken care 
of, for, irksome as it is, the librarian can- 
not afford to deviate from school routine. 

In an unorganized library, half the pupils 
who come in each period require definite 
assistance. Messengers are constantly com- 
ing from the class rooms: "Miss Jones 
would like to have the victrola and all the 
'Midsummer night's dream' records." "Miss 
Smith wants that collection of poems she 
had last week." A point has come up in 
history or civics and the whole class waits 
while someone goes to the library to get 
the statistics necessary to settle it. The 
average period is forty-five minutes long, 
so it is easy to see that no cataloging can 
be done during the school day. The time 
after school is taken up with conferences 
with pupils and teachers, book ordering, 
and making lists, and allows very little 
time outside of these current things, for 
cataloging. In a small collection, new 
books in various stages of preparation 
may have to be pressed into service. With 
no protesting catalog department to con- 
sider, it is quite possible to do this al- 



182 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



though it means more work for the libra- 
rian. In my library I have shelf-listed and 
cataloged the new books and a few of the 
old ones in small groups to meet particular 
needs; not an ideal arrangement by any 
means, but a possible one where the li- 
brarian is the "cook and the captain bold 
and the mate of the Nancy brig." 

Another important matter that has to do 
with physical reorganization is that of 
keeping detailed records of work done. 
The librarian should keep a careful ac- 
count of the activities of the library aside 
from the usual records of attendance and 
circulation. It is difficult to jot down Items 
in busy periods and often the things seem 
toe unimportant to mention, but work that 
the librarian takes as a matter of course 
is not so to outsiders. This sort of ma- 
terial, incorporated into reports Is of great 
Interest to the school authorities and helps 
to drive home to them the importance of 
the library. 

Important as are these matters of physi- 
cal reorganization and equipment, all the 
catalogs and lists in the world cannot take 
the place of the personal work of the 
librarian. She supplies the motive power 
without which the other things would 
be lifeless. In no department of library 
service is the personality of the librarian 
of more importance than in school work. If 
the library has been allowed to sink into 
insigniiicance in the eyes of the faculty and 
students, the librarian must throw all the 
weight of her experience, training, tact and 
enthusiasm to restore the library to its 
proper place. The tie between library and 
classroom should be as close as possible. 
The librarian must be patient if the teach- 
ers do not get her point of view immedi- 
ately. The pre-formed pathways in the 
minds of the teachers, worn in by years 
of experience with the old library, are not 
to be easily broken down. While avoiding 
anything that suggests interference the 
librarian can make the teachers feel her 
intelligent and lively interest in their work 
and they will respond with increased In- 
terest in the library. Of course there is 



considerable apathy with regard to the 
library to be overcome with the great body 
of teachers, but once progress is made with 
a few, the library idea soon spreads. Many 
of our staunchest supporters are teachers. 
One teacher actually asked me if I con- 
sidered the high school library a worth 
while thing to which to devote my time. 
This attitude is largely due to misunder- 
standing of library aims and methods. To 
many people outside the teaching pro- 
fession, library work means clerical work. 
Sometimes the teacher is blamed for lack 
of interest when she is really suffering 
from lack of time. The modern teacher 
is a very busy person. The librarian must 
take the library to the teacher, if it is 
only across the hall. 

Increasing the motive power of the li- 
brary with the pupils presents a new set 
of problems. The new librarian in her 
anxiety to increase the use of the library 
and to welcome the boys and girls cannot 
afford to slight the matter of discipline. 
While avoiding the sometimes rigid atmos- 
phere of the study hall and the somewhat 
formal spirit of the classroom, pupils 
should be made to understand that the 
library is theirs for serious work and quiet 
enjoyment, but not a place in which to 
spend a period visiting with chums. The 
noisy, talkative pupils, troublesome though 
they are, often are uneasy because they are 
not interested in what they are doing. If 
the librarian can gain a point of contact 
through the right book early in the year 
the discipline problem disappears. She will 
sometimes be surprised to learn that some 
of her most quiet interested readers have 
unenviable reputations with the study hall 
teachers. Of course in a large school there 
are always those who construe liberty into 
license and who will be disorderly In spite 
of interesting magazines, attractive addi- 
tions and the best efforts of the librarian. 
With such as these the librarian has noth- 
ing to lose and everything to gain by In- 
sisting upon proper order. 

Training the pupils in the use of bookB 
and library tools is a field In which large 



HALL 



in 



contributions to the general cause of edu- 
cation can be made. We all feel that no 
branch of school work Is more important 
than the development of this book-using 
skill, but our particular task Is to bring 
teachers and school authorities to this 
point of view. In order to make a begin- 
ning with this work the librarian may have 
to beg the time from a library-wise teacher 
of English but she should work steadily 
until a course in the use of the library be- 
comes a regular part of the curriculum. If 
the librarian Is In close touch with the 
public library she can cooperate with the 
children's department, so the transition 
from the instruction given in the grades 
to the more advanced high school work 
can be made easily and naturally. Some 
librarians prefer to carry on the lessons 
In the classroom, believing that it gives the 
work more prestige as a regular curriculum 
study. This is often necessary where 
classes are large and the library is small 
and uncataloged. In my library the work 
was done in this way illustrated with lan- 
tern slides of the various forms of cards. 



and the children, made visual-minded by 
many moving pictures, responded readily. 

Each problem as it presents itself seems 
more important and interesting than the 
one before. The librarian who in her or- 
ganization dilemma spends most of her 
time the first year in this intensive work 
with pupils and teachers rather than In 
physical upbuilding of the library, has 
made a wise choice. I have no desire to 
disparage cataloging. No one appreciates 
a catalog more than one who has had to 
do without one after several years' experi- 
ence in an excellent library, but I do feel 
that if the library is to have a new status 
In the school it must lose no time In get- 
ting hold of its public. The pupils are 
there but four short years at most and 
every bit of time is precious. 

While we earnestly desire to see our li- 
braries good practical working labora- 
tories, we want them to be much more 
than that. The librarian who takes time 
from the personal work for anything else 
of whatever Importance may lose ground 
she can never regain. 



WORK ACCOMPLISHED BY THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY SCRAPBOOKS 
Bt Maby E. Hall, Librarian, Girls' High School, Brooklyn, N. Y. 



At the close of its first year of service, 
the loan collection of high school library 
scrapbooks has fully justified the time, 
labor and expense of its preparation. It 
has travelled east and west, north and 
eouth, everywhere giving a visible demon- 
stration of what we mean by the "twen- 
tieth century high school library," with 
Its possibilities as a dynamic force in the 
work of a modern high school. So great 
has been the demand for these scrapbooks 
that we feel the collection should be made 
much more comprehensive and more fully 
representative of the work of all the lead- 
ing high schools in different sections of 
the country. 

The collection had its origin in two high 



school library scrapbooks prepared for the 
school library exhibit of the American Li- 
brary Association at its meeting in Wash- 
ington in 1914. These two scrapbooks, 
one illustrating the work of the Cleveland 
high school libraries and the other the 
work of the Girls' High School in Brook- 
lyn, were found to be suggestive and help- 
ful to high school librarians just begin- 
ning school library work and eager to 
know something of the methods in use in 
other libraries and the scope of their work. 
These scrapbooks travelled about the 
country during 1914 and 1915 and were 
In such demand that the question arose, 
"Why not secure similar scrapbooks from 
other progessive high school libraries and 



184 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



have a permanent loan collection which 
shall belong to the American Library As- 
sociation and be controlled by the School 
library section?" 

In the spring of 1916 the chairman of 
the School library section of the A. L. A. 
sent out a circular letter to all the lead- 
ing high school libraries of the country, 
urging that each be represented by a 
scrapbook fully illustrating the work and 
methods of that library. In order that 
there might be some uniformity in the 
scope of these books, the following plan 
of contents was suggested as a basis, with 
permission to each high school librarian to 
add to this material whatever might make 
the book of interest to librarians, teach- 
ers or principals of high schools: 

1. The library room or rooms and equip- 
ment: 

This to include plan of room and key to 
plan showing the location of equipment; 
photographs of main reading room and 
other library rooms; data showing size of 
rooms, cost of equipment, etc. 

2. The use of library by the different 
departments: 

Required reading lists; suggestive read- 
ing; special topics for library research in 
connection with each department; vaca- 
tion reading lists, etc. 

3. General administration of the library: 
Library rules; statistics as to contents 

of library; statistics as to daily attend- 
ance for reference work, daily circulation 
of books, etc.; library budget; library 
blanks and forms; charging system illus- 
trated; changes in classification; reserve 
system; and anything in the management 
of the library that would be suggestive to 
other high school librarians. 

4. Instruction — training students in the 
use of books: 

Outlines of lessons; problems; forms and 
blanks. 

5. The library as a social center: 
Reading clubs; receptions; use by en- 
tire classes during a recitation period as 
a means of arousing interest in an author 
through illustrated editions, pictures, etc.; 
bulletin boards. 

6. The library and vocational guidance. 

7. Relations with the public library and 
use of public library resources. 

In response to the request seventeen 



librarians sent scrapbooks representing 
the following high school libraries: 

Chicago, University High School. ' 

Cleveland, High school branches of- Pub- 
lic Library. ' 

Decatur, 111., High School. 

Denver, North Side High School. 

East Orange, N. J., High School. 

Grand Rapids, Mich., Central High 
School. 

Minneapolis, South High School. 

New York City, Girls' High School 
(Brooklyn). 

New York City, Julia Richman High 
School. 

Newark, N. J., Barringer High School. 

Oakland, Cal., Fremont High School. 

Passaic, N. J., High School Branch of 
Public Library. 

Portland, Ore., High School Branches 
of Public Library. 

Spokane, North Central High School. 

Tyrone, Pa., High School. 

White Plains, N. Y., High School. 

Winsted, Conn., Gilbert School. 

These were on exhibition at the meeting 
of the A. L. A. in Asbury Park in 1916 
and also formed a part of the high school 
library exhibit at the meeting of the Na- 
tional Education Association in New York 
City the following week, July 3-10. 

At the Asbury Park meeting many high 
school librarians asked that the collec- 
tion be sent to library meetings planned 
for the fall, and at the N. E. A. meeting 
school superintendents and teachers urged 
that the collection be shown at state teach- 
ers' meetings to arouse interest in state 
campaigns for better high school libra- 
ries. 

The exhibit was used at Columbia Uni- 
versity at its summer school. It was 
given a room in the Horace Mann School 
and hundreds of teachers from the south 
and west examined the books with inter- 
est and made notes on their contents. 
Professors in the various subjects in the 
Teachers College urged visiting teachers, 
principals and school superintendents to 
inspect the collection. 

Prom the Teachers College and the 
summer work at Columbia University the 
collection went to the Board of Educa- 
tion and High School Library of Dallas, 
Tex. From there it was sent to Parkers- 



186 



hiiTg, W. Va., where a new high school 
building was to be opened and plans were 
under way for a modern high school li- 
brary and a trained librarian when the 
building should open. The librarian who 
was under appointment found these scrap- 
books of the greatest value in planning 
for the new high school library. 

During the school year the exhibit has 
been kept travelliag from place to place. 
As a rule the collection has been sent out 
as a whole and packed in the metal trunk 
prepared for it by the A. L. A. Borrowers 
have paid all charges of transportation 
and such care has been taken in packing 
that most of the scrapbooks are in excel- 
lent condition for another year of work. 

The results accomplished by this col- 
lection may be summed up as follows: 

1. The leaders in educational work in 
states where the scrapbooks were exhib- 
ited at state educational meetings have 
had a vision of what a center of influence 
the right kind of a library may be in a 
high school. 

2. School superintendents, principals, 
school architects and boards of education 
have found suggestions for planning and 
equipping high school library rooms in new 
buildings in process of building or to be 
planned in the near future, also for re- 
modelling old high school library rooms. 

3. Boards of education and high school 
principals have received suggestions as to 
what ought to be demanded of a city in 
the way of annual appropriations for the 
maintenance of the high school libraries. 
In the vast majority of cities no annual 
appropriation is made for this purpose In 
the school budget. 

4. Teachers of all subjects have found 
the scrapbooks suggestive of ways in 
which they may use their own libraries to 
better advantage. They have learned 



what they ought to demand of the school 
board in the way of library equipment for 
their own work, as they see how other 
high school libraries are serving teachers 
of the same subject. 

5. Librarians who are Just beginning 
work in a high school library have found 
the exhibit most helpful in deciding upon 
library rules, printed blanks and forms, 
methods of work, etc. They have also been 
given a vision of the large possibilities In 
their new work aside from the purely tech- 
nical duties of the librarian. 

6. Public libraries and high schools have 
found suggestions for closer cooperation In 
the work for high school teachers and 
students. 

This year the exhibit is strengthened by 
the addition of a scrapbook from the 
Albany, N. Y., High School, a school which 
was among the first to demand a high 
standard of qualifications in the librarian, 
namely, college graduation and graduation 
from a library school. The library Is one 
of the oldest school libraries in the country 
and is of especial Interest on account of its 
large, new room and equipment and Its 
large collection of books of rfeterence for 
all departments. 

Scrapbooks are promised from the Sta- 
dium High School, Tacoma; the high 
schools of Los Angeles, the Washington 
Irving High School, New York, and the 
Lincoln High School, Seattle. The School 
section would be glad of additions to the 
collection as high school librarians have 
time to prepare these books. We should 
like each section of the country well repre- 
sented so that the exhibit might be sent 
out in sections (the far western libraries 
kept as one section, those of the middle 
west as another, etc.), thus serving more 
educational gatherings than we can serve 
at present. 



THE "HOW'S" AND "WHY'S" OF ADMISSION SLIPS 
By A. Marie Haedy, Librarian, East Orange High School, East Orange, N. J. 



Our brothers and sisters In other 
branches of the library profession have 
long since settled their petty administra- 
tive problems, but we school librarians 
are still tinkering with the machinery, so 



to speak. Until It Is running smoothly 
we can never go as fast or as far as we 
should; and of course our hearts are set 
on going rather fast and quite far! 
My subject is, properly, only "admission 



186 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



sUps," but these slips are so often the 
means of checking attendance that I have 
secured data on that point also, and have 
considered the two together. That this 
problem in our dally routine is still un- 
settled enough to be interesting is shown 
by the fact that, in a questionnaire sent to 
one hundred high school librarians in all 
parts of the country, prompt, full and 
cordial responses were received from 
eighty-two. 

Of these eighty-two librarians, eight were 
working under conditions in which no 
permit system was possible or no special 
checking system necessary. In some cases 
the library was housed in the main study 
hall; in other cases crowded conditions 
made it necessary to use the library room 
as a study hall or even a recitation room. 
At the Emerson School in Gary, Ind., pu- 
pils are registered for regular library pe- 
riods, with a special teacher to check li- 
brary attendance. The Lincoln High 
School, Seattle, has a library directly ad- 
joining, but not in, the study hall. The 
attendance is taken in the study hall and 
students are upon their honor to come into 
the library only through the door con- 
necting the library and study hall. This 
arrangement does away with troublesome 
passes and noisy passing to the library, 
and gives the boy who comes in to use the 
dictionary no excuse for remaining the rest 
of the period to get his algebra lesson. At 
the same time, the library atmosphere is 
preserved and the connecting door stands 
as a constant invitation to those In the 
study hall to supplement mere textbook 
study with real reading. 

But most of us are not so ideally sit- 
uated. In the first place, instead of one 
study hall, the majority of these schools 
have anywhere from three to sixty rooms 
in use as study halls. In two-thirds of the 
schools students are expected to spend the 
whole period in the library, instead of re- 
turning to the study hall when they have 
finished their reference work. This plan 
is favored by "the powers that be" be- 
cause it obviates much confusion and keeps 



the corridors clear. But most librarians 
would prefer to have such students return 
at once and allow their places to be filled 
by others. 

Of the seventy-four librarians who wrote 
that they were using some system of ad- 
mission and attendance-checking, forty- 
eight expressed themselves as fairly well 
satisfied with the working of their meth- 
ods, while twenty-six were decidedly dis- 
satisfied. Naturally, the larger libraries 
(those having an average of fifty or more 
readers each study period) have more 
diflSculty than smaller ones in finding a 
plan to meet all requirements. Only half 
of the larger libraries had found suitable 
systems, as compared with three-fourths 
of the smaller ones. So this part of our 
school library machinery seems to be in 
need of some tinkering even yet. 

It may be well to look into the "why's" 
of the question of admission slips or passes 
before attempting to discuss the "how's." 
Why should a student be required to get 
permission from somebody before he may 
enter the library? Why so shackle him 
with red tape that often he Is discour- 
aged before he starts? Why not let who- 
soever will come whensoever he will and 
read whatsoever he will? 

Seven librarians wrote that they had 
tried the pass system and had discarded it 
as being too much red tape. Miss Hall, 
of the Brooklyn Girls' High School, says 
of their present system: "Some pupils do 
cut recitations, but we feel it is better 
than the old pass system, when it was a 
difficult thing for pupils to get passes 
though they had to have special library 
reading, and when they could not come just 
to browse." The librarian of a manual 
training school writes, "Our boys and girls 
are not of a bookish nature, so every ef- 
fort is made to encourage them to do gen- 
eral reading. We used to have a permit 
system and the library attendance dwin- 
dled to six or seven a period." Now, with 
a simpler system, the attendance averages 
forty-five a period. 

Out of the forty-three librarians now us- 



HARDY 



187 



Ing the pass system, fifteen have some 
fault to find with It. One says, "We try 
to make our library attractive — fortunately 
we have a beautiful room — but it seems to 
me we do all we can to keep pupils out." 
The student who makes bold to enter this 
library has to sign lists and get two 
signatures on a permit slip before he can 
rest in peace. 

Other librarians complain of the care- 
lessness and inevitable lack of uniformity 
in the method of Issuing passes in a fac- 
ulty of fifty or sixty teachers. Some stu- 
dents yield to the temptation to forge a 
teacher's signature, to substitute the name 
of another pupil, or to lie when giving 
their reasons for coming to the library. 

Then, too, the pass system becomes an- 
noying and burdensome to the teachers 
who must issue the permits and to the li- 
brarian who must collect, certify, count, 
return, or file them. Study hall teachers 
dislike the rush and confusion of signing 
so many passes at the beginning of the pe- 
riod, and home room teachers at the be- 
ginning of the day. One librarian says, "I 
can see no reason for the signing by the 
teacher. It Is a nuisance to him and ac- 
complishes nothing." Another says, "I 
very strongly disapprove of the slip meth- 
od in a high school of over five hundred" 
and complains of "the waste of time on 
the part of the librarian, standing at the 
door receiving slips, and the disorder and 
loss of time to waiting students whose 
work and questions must wait for the di- 
rection of the librarian. In a crowded pe- 
riod, this often means ten or fifteen min- 
utes." Another says, "The burden is on 
the librarian, who often stamps and re- 
turns eight hundred passes in a day." 

Neither are passes necessary as a means 
of checking attendance. Twenty-two of 
the thirty-one librarians not using the pass 
system have found some other satisfactory 
method of keeping track of the students. 
Several schools have student government 
monitors in halls and library to see that 
everyone is where he should be. Some 
school' are so small or have their halls so 



well patrolled that no other check is need- 
ed. In the DeWltt Clinton High School, 
New York City, they are considering ad- 
mitting the students simply by requiring 
fliem to show their program cards. "There 
is no method of checking attendance. One 
was instituted, but so tew tailed to use the 
library admit that it was not considered 
necessary to continue the system." 

Of course, when students come to the li- 
brary for only part of a period, they usu- 
ally bring an admit slip marked with the 
time of leaving the study hall and take it 
back marked with the time of arriving at 
and leaving the library. In the libraries 
of the Passaic (N. J.) High School and 
the Washington High School of Portland, 
Ore., the time of arriving and leaving is 
stamped on the slip by means of an auto- 
matic clock. 

In most cases where admission slips are 
not required. If the students spend the 
whole period In the library, the routine of 
checking attendance follows one of the 
three following methods: 

1. The student goes first to the study 
hall, where he signs his name on the black- 
board, on a slip or on a list. He then 
comes to the library and again signs his 
name on a slip or list provided by the li- 
brarian. These two records may be com- 
pared at the end of the period or at the 
close of the day. In many schools they 
are never compared except when suspicions 
are aroused concerning Individual students. 
If not checked, they are usually kept sev- 
eral days for reference. 

2. The student goes first to the study 
hall and leaves his name as above but does 
not sign again in the library. A 
teacher comes in from the study hall to 
check up or sends in the slips or list so 
that the librarian may do so. 

3. The student goes directly to the li- 
brary and there signs a slip or list pro- 
vided by the librarian. The record Is sent 
to the study hall or session room to be 
checked with the absence list there. It Is 
usually sent before the end of the period 
if there are only one or two study halls. 



188 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



If there are many rooms to use as study 
halls the slips are taken by the students 
to their respective rooms at, or near, the 
end of the period, or else they are put in 
the teachers' mail-boxes in the cfHce at the 
end of the day. 

Of course, none of these plans is abso- 
lutely perfect. Personally, I dislike any 
plan which places upon the students the re- 
sponsibility of notifying his study hall 
teacher of his whereabouts. It forces him 
to make an extra trip to the study hall, 
either before the period to leave his name, 
or after the period to return his slip. This 
makes for confusion in the study hall and 
tardiness in the library, besides shorten- 
ing the student's library period. Unscru- 
pulous students, if they find a teacher neg- 
ligent or careless about checking her slips, 
can easily cut periods or pass along their 
slips to friends who have been cutting. 
And unfortunately, some teachers consider 
the checking an extra burden which they 
have a right to shirk, especially if it has 
to be done at the end of the day when 
they are tired and anxious to get away 
early. But on the whole, all of these no- 
pass systems work very well if the teach- 
ers carry out their part faithfully. 

Then if the pass system discourages li- 
brary attendance, overburdens teachers, 
steals the librarian's time and is not neces- 
sary for checking attendance, why do for- 
ty-two librarians out of seventy-four still 
use it, twenty-eight of them with professed 
contentment? Surely it is not due to in- 
difference, or fondness for red tape, or re- 
spect for tradition. I believe the use of 
the pass system in two-thirds of the small- 
er libraries argues that it is a result of 
their small size as much as a cause of their 
small attendance, no matter what may be 
the reason of the no-pass system being 
used in two-thirds of the larger libraries. 
The "why" of admission slips seems to be 
the lack of room in the library for all the 
readers who would like to come, or, if 
there is room, the lack of adequate assist- 
ance in supervising their work. 

When the seating capacity of the room 



is limited there should be some process of 
sifting the would-be readers bafore the pe- 
riod begins. Otherwise students will use 
their own judgment about when they need 
to come and it is not always sound. Li- 
brarians in the smaller rooms know how 
unpleasant is the task of weeding out the 
least-desperately-in-earnest readers and 
sending them grumbling back to the study 
hall. ^ :.-. 

If a permit system must be used to cur- 
tail the number of readers, how can it be 
administered most efficiently and justly? 
This depends partly upon who issues the 
permits and partly upon their form. In 
about half of the libraries where passes 
are required they are issued by the study 
hall teachers. This really furnishes hard- 
ly any check at all. These teachers neither 
know or care whether or not Tom Brown 
needs to spend a period in the library. All 
they want to know is whether he is in the 
library if he is not in the study hall. To 
make sure of his whereabouts is all that 
should be asked of them. 

In a few schools the librarian herself 
issues the passes before school and during 
the noon hour. This provides a very ef- 
fective and definite check on the number 
of readers, but makes a great deal of work 
tor the librarian at a very busy time. 

Eight libraries have passes issued by 
the liome room teachers, with varying suc- 
cess. Several librarians wrote that these 
teachers considered this extra work quite 
a burden. Others complain that if a stu- 
dent forgets or does not have time to get 
a pass before school, or if an unexpected 
assignment is made, he cannot come to 
the library that day at all, since he does 
not meet his liome room teacher again 
until the close of school. One librarian 
says, "Tiie home room teacher, having no 
interest in the subject for which the stu- 
dent is supposed to use the library, signs 
the slip at random — consequently the li- 
brary is not used for reference work as it 
should be." 

Apparently all these objections are an- 
swered by the librarian of the Stadium 



189 



High School of Tacoma, where this system 
Is used with success. On the first point 
she says, "I think some teachers consider 
the extra work a burden. However, this 
method distributes the work into the small- 
est amount possible to each teacher." As 
to forgetful students she says, "One of the 
most valuable features of the arrangement 
is that it makes it necessary for pupils to 
plan their work, and does not allow them 
to drift in with the tide of their friends. 
Any extra slip for unexpected assignments 
must be obtained from the clerk in the 
school office." As to its effect on the use 
of the library she says, "The system of 
permits we are using was devised to limit 
the number of pupils using the library to 
those who had reference work or leisure 
for reading. Since no pupils may be sent 
back to study hall (by a rule of the school) 
It was essential tliat the weeding out be 
done before and not after pupils came to 
the library. According to this plan pupils 
fill out slips in their roll rooms before 
school and get the roll teacher's signature. 
This means that the teacher who presum- 
ably knows the pupil best, who has the rec- 
ord of his grades and his work with other 
teachers, signs her name as her 0. K. for 
the particular day and period named, for 
the study of a given subject. At any time 
the librarian may notify the roll teacher 
if the pupil is not carrying out the work 
he has laid down for himself, and the roll 
teacher then questions the pupil before 
signing more slips for him. This system 
has reduced the numbers from eighty or 
ninety per period to from forty to seventy, 
has dissolved groups, and practically elim- 
inated any discipline problem." 

Perhaps the most logical arrangement is 
to have the passes issued by the one who 
assigns the reference work for which the 
pass is granted — the teacher of the subject 
to be studied in the library. In this way 
the burden is distributed in due propor- 
tion to the very teachers who reap the 
benefits of the library in their pupils' work. 
It seems hardly fair for a study hall or 
roll teacher who may receive scarcely any 



help from the library in her class work to 
be called upon to sign library passes every 
day in the year. Out of thirteen libraries 
using this system only two had any fault 
to find, and that was due to clumsy meth- 
ods of checking attendance. At the Lin- 
coln Park High School in Tacoma "the roll 
teacher was given the sole privilege of is- 
suing the permit at first, but the teachers 
requested that the class teacher be also 
given the right, since the students meet 
the roll teacher but once a day. The time 
taken is negligible." Most subject teachers 
are willing to issue passes at any time 
when they are not teaching. But if they 
are wise they will fix certain times for 
this part of the day's work and will refuse 
to be bothered all day long. A good plan 
is to hand a pass to each member of the 
class during the class period in which the 
reference work is assigned — just as new 
textbooks would be given out, or paper for 
an examination. The day and period may 
be left for the student to choose at his 
convenience. The teacher should indicate 
on the pass the subject of study, making 
it as specific as possible, to aid the libra- 
rian in getting the right book into the 
pupil's hands. 

The pass issued by the subject teacher 
is just as effective In the weeding out 
process as that issued by the home room 
teacher. The subject teacher knows bet- 
ter than anyone else whether Tom Brown 
has any reference work to do for her, and 
she has direct evidence in his recitations 
and reports as to whether or not he makes 
good use of his periods in the library. 
Passes for general or recreational reading 
might be granted by home room teachers. 
In East Orange High School newspaper, 
magazine, or fiction reading is allowed on 
an English pass unless other work is 
specified by the teacher. 

No matter who issues the passes, they 
make the checking of attendance quite 
simple. Tliere is no need for the student 
to report to the study hall first. He may 
report directly to the library as promptly 
as to any class recitation. The passes are 



190 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



usually collected by the librarian and sent 
by her to the study hall or halls during 
the period. Her stamp or signature on 
each pass seems hardly essential. The 
fact that she has the pass to send certifies 
that the pupil must have come to the 
library. 

Several librarians use a double perfo- 
rated slip, usually issued by a home room 
or a subject teacher. The stub of the slip 
is left by the student in the study hall or 
session room where he Is due and the other 
part brought to the library. This part 
is stamped by the librarian and sent by her 
or taken by the student back to the room 
from which the student came, there to be 
compared with the stub. Good forms of 
this kind of passes are used in the high 
school libraries of Manchester, N. H., New 
Haven, Conn., and Jefferson High School, 
Portland, Ore. In the Hughes High School, 
of Cincinnati, both parts of the pass are 
brought directly to the library. One part 
Is kept by the librarian, the other sent by 
her to the study hall to be checked with 
the absence list there. This furnishes a 
permanent record for both study hall 
teacher and librarian, with the least pos- 
sible labor on their part. 

These perforated slips are also useful 
when students come to the library for 
only part of a period. The high school of 
Wichita, Kas., has a good form. Both 
parts are marked with the time of the 
student's leaving the study hall and one 
part is left with the study hall teacher. 
The other part is brought to the library, 
and the time of entering and leaving the 
library is marked on it. The two parts 
are compared when the student re-enters 
the study hall. 



Permanent passes are such time-savers 
for all concerned, I was rather surprised 
to find only eleven libraries using them. 
In most of these libraries permanent 
passes were issued only to library assist- 
ants, student government officers, post- 
graduates or seniors. In one they were 
Issued to all history classes. Usually 
these students were registered in the li- 
brary for certain days and periods, and 
absences were noted by the librarian, the 
same as in a study hall. 

In the high school of East Orange, N. J., 
permanent passes are issued by any sub- 
ject teacher whose assignments require 
almost daily use of the library for any 
considerable period — perhaps for a month, 
usually for the whole term. They are good 
for any day or period, but for only one 
subject of study. Students come direct- 
ly to the library and the librarian sends 
to the study-hall a list of the names of 
those present. While collecting the tem- 
porary passes and copying names from the 
permanent passes the librarian notes 
whether each student is doing the kind of 
work Indicated on his pass, and if he is 
not she sets him right or sends him back 
to the study hall. In a large library all 
this would take too much time, but there 
the attendance is never over forty and 
the students' work is not interrupted or 
kept waiting, so the system works very 
well. 

Let us hope that soon we shall all have 
such large library rooms, so many assist- 
ants and so many books that not one stu- 
dent shall ever be turned away by us for 
lack of a mere scrap of paper! 



CLASSIFICATION MAKING 
By a. Law Voce, Reference Lihrarian, Mechanics' -Mercantile Library, San Francisco 



Surprisingly little has been written on 
practical classification. Up to this time it 
seems to have been a one-man game; each 
hacking his own way through the wilder- 
ness of ignorance as best he could and 



leaving to the investigator who follows him 
a rough trail. Yet the investigator could 
not have made the trail himself. 

But the time has arrived when coopera- 
tion is permanently established in many 



191 



walks of life — and cataloging and classifi- 
cation and many other phases of library 
endeavor will reap benefit therefrom. We 
must have a primer for cooperative classi- 
fication making, and that has prompted 
this paper. Cannon's wonderfully helpful 
"Bibliography of library economy" cites 
not one article on classification making. 
Sayers in his "Canons of classification" has 
presented some valuable theoretic consid- 
erations and gives a very select bibliog- 
raphy on classification, in which he admits 
that Richardson's "Classification" is the 
only textbook on the subject, and that, too, 
is largely theoretic. 

James Duff Brown also formulates some 
theoretic principles in his several works 
on classification (largely the classification 
of books, not subjects), but except as he 
explains some special characteristics of his 
own scheme, omits practical considerations. 
On specific details of classification mak- 
ing I know not a single article. I make 
this statement, half hoping, half expecting 
to be humiliated by having more learned 
colleagues produce several. 

Classifying of books may mean arrange- 
ment by color, by size, alphabetically, or 
by some other single characteristic. The 
word classification will be used in this 
paper, however, in the Spencerian sense: 
"to include in each class those objects (or 
subjects) which have more characteristics 
in common with one another than any of 
them have in common with any objects ex- 
cluded from the class." 

It is unnecessary to explain the need of 
classification. In these days of open 
shelves it is unnecessary to defend the 
value of close classification. 

The distinction between classification 
making and classifying should be clearly 
borne in mind. They are quite as different 
as making a pie and eating a pie. Classifi- 
cation making is the creation of a tool, the 
classification; classifying is the use of that 
tool. The formulation of rules for classi- 
fying has been entrusted by the Association 
to a competent committee of which Mr. 
William Stetson Merrill is the chairman. 
They have already published quite an ex- 



tensive list of tentative rules. We should 
all of us test them and advise Mr. Merrill 
of desirable changes. That work falls en- 
tirely without the scope of classification 
making and of this symposium. 

It may be superfluous to say that the 
perfect classification has never been made. 
When human knowledge of a subject be- 
comes perfect, then and only then will its 
classification become perfect. But should 
that time ever come, the service of the 
classification would in all probability be 
at an end, for Interest in the subject would 
have ceased. 
"Whoever hopes a perfect thing to see 
Hopes what ne'er was, nor is, nor e'er 
shall he." 
We must evidently be content with an 
imperfect classification. 

How are we to go about making a classi- 
fication? Classification may be considered 
from many standpoints; from that of the 
user, from that of the abuser, from that of 
the theoretic scientist, from that of the 
indexer, the specialist, or the librarian. 

Classification from the point of view of 
the user has never to my knowledge been 
carried out on any large scale. I know of 
no classification constructed on the funda- 
mental principle of following the point of 
view of the author. Take for instance a 
book entitled "Organic chemistry for 
medical students." Almost every classifi- 
cation maker seems to have been content 
to provide "Organic chemistry" for such a 
book, assuming that anything on organic 
chemistry belongs there. Had the assump- 
tion been that under organic chemistry 
should be placed only material in which the 
user, the organic chemist, is primarily in- 
terested, other provision for such a title 
as "Organic chemistry for medical stu- 
dents" would have been made. Where? 
Where medical students would be likely to 
find it, among medical books. 

This is a fundamental and farreachlng 
principle In classification that is only now 
beginning to come into prominence with 
the coming of the open shelf. 

Classification making from the stand- 
point of the abuser is illustrated by the 



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commcKi practice of gathering subjects Into 
tlie maw of tlie main class which are not 
of prime Importance to it. This is a re- 
sult of smallness of vision and has fre- 
quently proved an embarrassment for those 
who have followed the resultant classifica- 
tion too implicitly. Even in large general 
libraries where breadth of vision generally 
resides, striliing illustrations of this weak- 
ness are found. I recall one where the 
scientist in charge had a pronounced lean- 
ing toward physics. He not only classed 
most of the works on physical chemistry 
under subdivisions of physics, he wished 
the subject of physical chemistry incor- 
porated in physics, although ninety-five per 
cent of the experimenters and users are 
chemists and the subject belongs under 
chemistry. It is a seliish tendency which 
every classification maker sooner or later 
finds he must resist. 

Classification making from the stand- 
point of the theoretic scientist is done to 
defend a certain theory, to clarify the ex- 
istence of certain relationships. It has 
sometimes proved the crowning glory of 
the greatest minds. Mendeleef's classifi- 
cation of the chemic elements and Linnaeus' 
classification of botanic families and gen- 
era will serve as illustrations. 

The indexer uses classification extensive- 
ly; the more conscientious his publication, 
the more detailed his classification, for an 
index is eminently adapted to the closest 
classification, much more so than Is the 
greatest collection of books. So that from 
the indexer's standpoint classification can 
scarcely be too detailed. 

Classification making from the stand- 
point of the specialist can be undertaken 
without his entering the class of abuser. 
He must recognize and should indicate that 
certain subjects which are of interest with- 
in his class and for which he claims a 
place, are of greater interest in general 
outside of his class. A specialist's classi- 
fication so constructed seems to me legiti- 
mate from all points of view. 

And finally we have the librarian's classi- 
fication. This should invariably be an 
empiric classification, based if you will 



upon some theoretic classification but never 
adopted solely as such and nothing more. 
It must aim to be a pragmatic classifica- 
tion and can reach that happy condition 
in no other way than through the labor of 
testing. Theoretically there is no such 
entity in Europe as Poland, and has not 
been for a hundred years. A geographic 
or political classification made in the nine- 
teenth century would ignore it, and yet the 
literature of it today is very definite and 
very real. It is not Germany, it is not 
Austria, it is not Russia, it is a combina- 
tion of portions of all of them. 

More striking is another chemic illustra- 
tion. Mendeleef, to carry out his theory, 
was compelled to class manganese with the 
halogen gases — and yet no chemist studies 
these elements together, so that for a 
library to adopt this classification would 
be eminently InefiBcient. 

Nor can the chapter headings of even 
the greatest treatises be adopted as subject 
headings in a library classification. This, 
too, has been tried, but I have never seen 
it succeed. Treatises offer a very rich 
source of first rough tentative classifica- 
tions, but they should never be considered 
more than that. 

To repeat, then, the librarian's classifi- 
cation must be a pragmatic one, the result 
of tireless test, worked out in the spirit 
of: How can I better it? not. It surely is 
perfection. 

There are certain fundamental requisites 
for every efficient library classification. 

In general: It must classify accurately 
the greatest number of titles of books and 
articles (articles as well as books, for the 
articles of today are the books of tomor- 
row. If our classification can cope with 
these articles today, it will be able to cope 
with the books of tomorrow). With the 
classification we must be able to segregate 
all the material on a subject. For instance, 
to throw tennis and croquet and cycling 
and swimming all under one head without 
subdivision is a makeshift and not a classi- 
fication. It is unfortunately often true that 
a classification must be evolved through 
such makeshifts, largely because the classi- 



193 



fier Is not prepared to say, conscientiously, 
"these subjects and no others belong in this 
class." 

In detail the fundamentals of an efficient 
library classification are several. 

1. The general heading is perhaps the 
foremost requisite. It sounds too self- 
evident to mention. How can one make a 
classification of music, for instance, with- 
out a general heading for vocal music fol- 
lowed by its subdivisions? Yet in our 
greatest classification such general head- 
ings are not infrequently wanting. We 
may find a general heading for Science but 
none for Natural science or the Physical 
sciences. We may find a heading for En- 
gineering but none for Civil engineering. 
In another great classification we find a 
general heading for Inorganic chemistry, 
but none for the Halogens or the Alkali 
metals. I cannot emphasize too strongly 
the value of such general and semi-general 
subject headings to any classification. It 
is not enough to have the general head 
which covers eight or ten or more subjects; 
the general heading which covers two or 
three subjects is almost equally useful. 

2. Provision should always be made for 
Jorm divisions, such as dictionaries, peri- 
odicals, etc. This follows logically imme- 
diately after the general heading of the 
class. 

3. There must be provision for the gen- 
eral suiject (that is, the subject studied 
from all points of view). This has fre- 
quently been neglected In classifications. 
We have Interior decoration from the point 
of view of the householder, which belongs 
in Domestic science; we have it from the 
point of view of the designer, which be- 
longs under Designing, and we have it 
from the point of view of the architect 
under Architecture. Of course we may cut 
the Gordian knot, say "pigs is pigs," and 
throw it all together In only one place, and 
suppress the other places. This will make 
several enemies to every friend, and invari- 
ably place before each type of user ma- 
terial which he does not want and which 
annoys him. Though It complicates classi- 
fying and demands more education on the 



part of the classifier, I am convinced that 
not a point of view should be neglected or 
suppressed. Then frequently we encounter 
the type of book that covers all points of 
view. It is often for the general reader — 
a so-called popular book, but usually very 
far from popular with the classifier. A 
general work on Transportation covering 
the engineering, business and economic as- 
pects is illustrative of the problem. It Is 
best for the classification maker to decide, 
though generally It must be an arbitrary 
decision, under which of the several special 
points of view provision for the general 
point of view must be made. In any event 
the provision should always be made. The 
Negro, the Child, where will you class such 
general books in any classification today? 

4. Conversely, provision must be made 
for the subject from all special points of 
view. Most of these will He outside of the 
special classification In course of construc- 
tion, but in all those cases cross references 
to them should be made, under the point 
of view covered by the classification In con- 
struction. 

5. The main divisions of the subject must 
be determined and arranged In the sequence 
that will bring those most nearly related 
in closest proximity. And the best index 
of degree of relationship is the frequency 
with which two subjects are studied to- 
gether. This Is essential to permit the 
logical assignment of the semi-general 
headings. If Botany and Zoology are not 
neighbors, how can one logically locate 
General biology or Physiology that studies 
both animal and vegetable life? 

6. No two divisions should overlap. This 
requires no elucidation. 

7. Of great value Is the provision for 
titles which cover most If not all of the 
main divisions of the subject and yet are 
not general works — to provide for Special 
generalities, as they can be conveniently 
called. Frequently this heading cannot be 
thoroughly developed, as the scope of re- 
lationships It may Include is apt to be very 
wide. Nevertheless provision for It should 
seldom be omitted. To illustrate: In Dewey 
under the classification of Zoology the sys- 



194 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



tematic classification according to families 
and species begins with the second sub- 
division, Invertebrates. The first sub- 
division has been reserved for generalities 
that may refer to all the families and yet 
are very special, such as Respiration, 
Habits, Hibernation, etc. Had only the 
classification of Zoology by families been 
considered and Invertebrates assigned as 
the first subdivision, how difiicult would 
have been the classification of a work on 
Respiration of animals. I cannot empha- 
size too strongly the importance of always 
providing for such Special generalities 
under every subject. The fitting location is 
usually directly following the general head- 
ing and preceding the main divisions of the 
subject. 

8. Provision should be made for the in- 
clusion of certain subjects which the spe- 
cialist prefers in the class in question, but 
which in a general collection should be lo- 
cated outside the class. For example, a 
special engineering collection may best 
class all subject matter on materials of 
construction under Engineering and with 
Strength of materials, and a place should 
be provided for that purpose; while a gen- 
eral collection would wish to class that 
part of it relating to structures under 
Building. 

9. Cross references to related subjects 
outside the scope of the classification 
should always be made. It is chiefly 
through careful testing and indexes that 
any degree of completeness in this respect 
can be attained. 

10. Catchwords should be used for the 
subject heading In preference to phrases, 
even though the latter are more explana- 
tory, for the catchword is more easily fixed 
in the memory. Generally it is good prac- 
tice beneath such a catchword to explain 
the scope of the heading, what it includes 
and excludes. Examples of a typical book 
or two classed under the heading would 
frequently be an aid to the user. 

11. Notation is distinct from classifica- 
tion making and yet most closely related. 
No library classification can be applied 
without notation. Notation will be con- 



sidered here, only as it directly Influences 
classification making. The notation should 
not chain the classification but leave It free 
to expand indefinitely. The necessity for 
this requires no explanation. Wherever it 
is at all convenient the mnemonic principle 
of notation should be followed; that Is, 
where a certain notation symbolizes a cer- 
tain subject, a notation with the same ter- 
mination should, where convenient, sym- 
bolize a similar subject in another part of 
the classification. For instance, in the 
D. C. under Physics, the seventh sub- 
division, symbolized by 537, is Electricity 
and mnemonically under Physical chemis- 
try, the seventh subdivision, 541.37, is Elec- 
trochemistry. 

12. A summary of the principal divisions 
should — if the classification is at all ex- 
tended — precede it; while a thorough In- 
dex, covering all synonyms and with the 
subjects uniformly alphabeted under nouns 
and not the modifying adjectives, should 
invariably be provided. 

These are the fundamentals of the theory 
of classification making. 

What are the fundamentals of the prac- 
tice of classification making? 

1. Determination of what has already 
been done. 

This means searching the literature, both 
of library science and of the special subject 
in hand, to locate all classifications, theo- 
retic and empiric, that have been made. 

2. Construction of the tentative classifi- 
cation from comparison and study of all 
the classifications that have been located, 
if any classifications exist; if not, from 
comparison of chapter headings of the 
largest and most authoritative treatises on 
the subject. In the construction of this 
tentative scheme the fundamentals of 
theory that have been described, should, of 
course, be applied. 

3. All large and exhaustive indexes and 
bibliographies of the subject should be de- 
termined and made accessible. 

4. Slips should be written for the thou- 
sands of titles of articles and books referred 
to In these compilations. For the purpose 
in hand the bare title Is sufficient and 



195 



doubtful titles where the meaning Is ob- 
scure may be ignored. Thousands of such 
slips should be written if titles are avail- 
able. 

5. The classification of these slips ac- 
cording to the tentative scheme Is next in 
order. Pencil should invariably be used 
and the notation for the main subject 
omitted, — only the notation for the sub- 
divisions of the class in process of con- 
struction being written. 

6. Alteration of the tentative scheme 
during the classification of the slips by add- 
ing new subjects, rearranging those already 
Incorporated, adding cross references, and 
in short, following out all of the funda- 
mentals of theory as suggested by the 
titles on the cards. 

If when say 10,000 titles have been so 
classed, it is found that 5,000 fall within 



one of say eight main divisions, it Is proof 
that the main divisions have not been effi- 
ciently chosen for securing the shortest 
notation; and the division containing fifty 
per cent of the titles should, if possible, be 
subdivided and assigned the symbols of 
four or five main divisions, compressing 
the less used divisions under fewer 
symbols. 

7. The final scheme is thus evolved and 
after it is re-typed with wide spaces be- 
tween the lines, it is polished by the addi- 
tion of explanatory notes, cross references 
and illustrations. 

8. The index is then compiled from 
the classification and from treatises on the 
subject. This should be prepared, of course, 
on slips, preferably of half-card size, the 
noun preceding, followed by the limiting 
adjective and the notation. 



PRINCIPLES OF CLASSIFICATION 
By C. W. Andrews, Librarian, The John Crerar Library, Chicago 



The principles of classification should 
strictly speaking, include the theory of 
grouping all objects or subjects of human 
knowledge or interest. But we meet as 
librarians and the problems which concern 
us are the arrangement of the books and 
pamphlets on the shelves and of their 
titles in a classed catalog. 

An American library should adopt one 
of the three systems most generally used 
In this country and it would be a woeful 
waste of time and energy to attempt to 
construct a new one in the hope of avoiding 
the many defects of the existing systems. 
Our efforts, therefore, should be devoted 
to the expansion and improvement of these 
systems. I do not propose to enter into a 
discussion of their relative merits and 
shall only record my opinion that the 
simplicity of notation of the decimal 
classification greatly outweighs all its in- 
conveniences, deficiencies, and errors; and 
my belief that many of Its Inconveniences 



may be avoided and most of its deficiencies 
made good by well-advised treatment. 

The best treatment of the subject ac- 
cessible in print is Dr. Richardson's work 
on classification. In it he enumerates 
fourteen different principles which have 
been or might be employed, namely, logical, 
alphabetical author, alphabetical subject, 
chronological, geographical, size, color, 
binding, orthodoxy, form, literary value or 
interest, linguistic, chronological by acces- 
sion, breadth, thickness, weight, financial 
value. Many of these principles have been 
used as the chief factor, and most of them 
have been or might well be used as 
subordinate factors. The problems of their 
combination and of the expression of the 
result by convenient symbols are the real 
classification problems of the day. 

After selecting one of these principles 
as the basic one for any library, the others 
will have to be divided into two classes, 
those which will involve a physical segre- 



196 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



gallon ot tlie books and therefore parallel 
the main classification and those which in- 
volve merely the subdivision of it. 

The nearly universal practice of Ameri- 
can libraries is to make a logical arrange- 
ment of the subjects the first principle. 
Assuming this, the factors that necessarily 
produce parallel classification are size, in- 
terest, orthodoxy or suitability for general 
use, financial value and conditional gifts. 
Those which are most often used to produce 
subdivisions of the main classification are 
alphabetical author, alphabetical subject, 
chronological, form. The geographical 
principle is used in some libraries as one 
of the determining factors, but in most 
as a subordinate one. 

The different sizes of books may well be 
considered first. The correct solution will 
depend upon two factors; first the greater 
or less necessity for an economical utiliza- 
tion of the storage space and second the 
number of books larger or smaller than the 
range selected as the most economical. 

Interest is used in practically every li- 
brary to some extent. This determines 
the choice of the collections shelved in the 
various reading rooms and near the de- 
livery desk. 

Orthodoxy or suitability for general use 
must be a determining factor in all li- 
braries which admit to the shelves but may 
well be adopted for all independently of 
this factor, in order to guard against un- 
restricted use through the catalogs and im- 
proper use by the employees. 

All the larger American libraries now 
possess books which are too valuable to be 
subjected to the chances of loss or theft 
necessarily involved in regular routine 
treatment. This involves their segregation 
and logically the establishment of another 
parallel classification, though we have 
found it possible in practice to put those 
of regular size v/ith the books segregated 
because of their character, and the over- 
size books of both classes with the flat 
atlases. 

As to the conditional gifts which neces- 
sitate segregation and parallel classificar 



tion I can only repeat the statements of 
all the authorities that such are to be ac- 
cepted only when the advantages outweigh 
the many disadvantages. 

If the usual system of call slips and call 
numbers is used by a library, it is evi- 
dent that the most logical and convenient 
symbol will indicate these parallel classifi- 
cations first, and it is right here that the 
simplicity of the notation of the decimal 
classification provides by far the most 
convenient method by the prefixing of a 
single letter. The two other systems con- 
sidered cannot do this without producing 
a very awkward combination. 

Taking up now those principles which 
in the usual practice are used to subdivide 
the main classifi-cation, I wish to emphasize 
the importance of the chronological and to 
express my belief that it is not used gen- 
erally enough. There are four great ad- 
vantages not sufficiently considered. First, 
the convenience to the reader admitted to 
the shelves who finds easily the books ar- 
ranged in the order which most nearly 
meets his probable object of securing a 
logical view of his subject, and certainly 
gives him the easiest way of keeping up 
with the additions made since his last vis- 
it. Second, the great advantage to the 
reader consulting the catalog in securing 
the same advantages. This is still more 
evident if the arrangement in the catalog 
is the inverse one by which the reader 
meets the latest first. Moreover, if he 
Is interested in any particular period of the 
development of a subject, he is most easily 
enabled to determine what the library has. 
This advantage is only poorly secured by 
the alternative adopted by the Library of 
Congress of dividing some of its subject 
headings by periods. Third, in limiting 
the necessity of minute subdivisions in 
many subjects. For instance, it is not 
necessary to divide city transit by the meth- 
ods employed, for a chronological sub-ar- 
rangement will give exactly the same re- 
sults. Fourth, this sub-arrangement pro- 
vides a most convenient method of divid- 
ing scientific and technical books Into 
those little used and those more used, In 



ANDREWS 



197 



order to give the latter the more accessi- 
ble shelves. 

The geographical principle is decidedly- 
more orthodox and yet I doubt if its full 
value has been recognized by those apply- 
ing the classification. The Library of Con- 
gress relegates this principle almost wholly 
to the alphabetical subject catalog where 
it is awkward for the reader. The John 
Crerar Library, on the other hand, has 
magnified it with great success In its cata- 
logs, in the development of its topo- 
graphical index, which is explained in the 
Handbook of the library, and in a few 
cases has found it to provide a very satis- 
factory substitute for a logical subdivi- 
sion. For instance, we consider that most 
books in American libraries on the negro 
question are really studies of the social 
condition of the South and find 309.75 a 
most convenient place to shelve general 
books on this subject. 

Form is provided for by the Library ot 
Congress chiefly in the subdivision of its 
subject headings but in all libraries ad- 
mitting to the shelves it would be recog- 
nized as a convenient principle in subdi- 
viding the books on the shelves. Some 
have even used it as a factor determining 
a parallel classification in the cases of peri- 
odicals and dictionaries, but to me the 
disadvantages of this use seem to out- 
weigh the advantages. 

Most American libraries use the alpha- 
betical author as the controlling factor ot 
sub-arrangement but as I have just said, 
the comparative advantages of the chron- 
ological have not been duly considered, and 
the author arrangement should be much 
more limited than at present. 

There is left one other principle which 
also has in my opinion not been sufficient- 
ly considered or adopted, and that Is the 
alphabetical subject. Dewey in his pre- 
face to the D. C. clearly states its ad- 
vantages and in the case of biographies 
the principle is generally followed. We 



have found that in many other cases it 
can be adopted to advantage. Not a few 
subjects provided for by the D. C. com- 
prise within their scope many objects 
which are not capable of any subdivision 
into really logical categories and these 
can be, as Dewey has pointed out, best 
treated by a purely alphabetical arrange- 
ment. We simplify the notation of this 
by translating the alphabetical arrange- 
ment into numbers, in accordance with a 
table worked out by Mr. Merrill of the 
Newberry Library. We find that this 
simplifies the call number materially, 
avoiding chance of mistakes due to a dou- 
ble combination of letters and figures and 
thus simplifying the work of the delivery 
desk. 

The advantages of the alphabetical ar- 
rangement are especially evident in the 
arrangement of the main classification on 
geography and history. Here we have lim- 
ited the logical divisions to countries and 
provinces, not carrying out, for instance, 
the division of the American states into 
sections or counties. We hold that we may 
reasonably expect any reader to know that 
literature on Lynn will be found under 
Massachusetts, but that it is not reasona- 
ble to expect him to know that it should 
be found under Essex county. We think 
that he will be better pleased on the whole 
to have the works on the counties of the 
states arranged in strictly alphabetical 
order with the cities of the state, and we 
have had no suggestion to the contrary 
from readers. 

You may ha.ve heard of the good wom- 
an who was asked to address the Sunday 
School, but who found that all she could say 
was " Be good, children, be good." My 
advice to classifiers in applying these prin- 
ciples is very nearly as simple. It is only 
"Consider the user rather than the sub- 
ject; record your decisions; and follow 
them." 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



CLASSIFICATION MAKING 



By Charles A. Flagg, Librarian, Bangor (Me.) Public Library 



In classification malting, as In all 
varieties of one's mental output, a clear 
and logical outline or plan of develop- 
ment is essential, but amateur classifica- 
tion makers seem too prone to rest satis- 
fied in the belief that logical outline is 
everything, to assume that they are 
classifying ideas and not books. Ideas 
can be labeled and marshaled into a beau- 
tiful array to the satisfaction of almost 
any one who will devote the time to It; 
work with books is not equally conducive 
to self-complacency. 

I do not know whether the question 
before us means the making of an en- 
tirely new classification or the recasting 
or expansion of an existing one. The 
problems are somewhat different, but as 
the one concerns very few of us while 
the other meets most libraries first or 
last, I shall devote myself to the latter. 

We must assume that the worker has a 
fairly good idea of the subject to be cov- 
ered and a recognition both of the general 
principles of the scheme he is enlarging 
and of the importance of making the new 
development harmonize with them. He 
should gain a clear view of his subject from 
as many angles as possible, while simul- 
taneously gathering classifications and 
bibliographies of it already worked out 
(and surprisingly few of us ever have the 
opportunity to do actual pioneer work). 
If, by this time, he has found a scheme 
whose logical arrangement and degree of 
minuteness appeal to him as approximating 
his need, he should adopt that for test pur- 
poses, freely altering wherever there ap- 
pears a chance for improvement. If no 
scheme is offered that seems satisfactory 
he should now be able to draw up a rough 
one to start with. 

The first test is a very careful applica- 
tion of his outline to a small collection of 
popular literature of the subject. If the 
subject is one possessed of an older litera- 



ture, provision should be made for obsolete 
theories, ancient terminology, etc. We 
cannot sacrifice the knowledge of hypoth- 
eses accepted today, but the scheme must 
provide for at least these two varieties of 
the unscientific literature — popular and 
obsolete works. 

Above all, the classification maker should 
keep his mind open and discard every 
scrap of the original outline if another line 
of subdivision seems really better, remem- 
bering that the supreme test usually will 
not be Right and Wrong, but Expediency. 

Now the worker should be ready for the 
great and final test — the application of the 
scheme to the largest collection on the sub- 
ject available, for the purpose of checking 
and improving the outline as it stands, of 
expanding it to meet the needs of the 
library, and of providing, as far as possible, 
for the future development of the subject. 
Finally there remains the work of compar- 
ing the arrangement with schemes in hand, 
and of conferring with their makers and 
others interested. 

If I may be permitted to add a few gen- 
eral criticisms of my own on classification 
makers of the past, from the standpoint of 
a classifier of today, the first would be that 
they are inclined to let the notation speak 
too much for itself. I believe that the 
maker should not aim at brevity, but 
rather, from the fulness of his experience 
in testing, should so define the class that 
the classifier will not need to refer to 
precedent. There Is no real advantage in 
the apparent symmetry of balancing one 
class number against one pithy word or 
expression as exact equivalents. Some- 
times we can most easily show what we 
mean to Include under a given number by 
pointing out what aspects of the subject 
or what closely allied subjects go elsewhere. 

I am not unmindful of possible defenses 
of the policy of having broad general 
classes and principles, for two distinct 



BAY 



199 



reasons: that a certain amount of In- 
definiteness Is desirable for future develop- 
ment, and that one line of cleavage might 
suit one library while It would not appeal 
to another. No matter how carefully a 
scheme is prepared, development is bound 
to be needed in unexpected places, and 
these must be provided for by the indi- 
vidual libraries or through some central 
organization. Clearly it is in the interest 
of uniformity that such decisions should 
be made in advance whenever possible. I 
freely admit that different types of li- 
braries prefer different treatment of ma- 
terial, but even here it seems to me better 
to express a preference for one plan over 
the other. 

I may sum up by asking that a scheme 
of classification include its own com- 



mentary. The eagerness with which 
classifiers welcome an authoritative list of 
works classed under the scheme they favor, 
and the diversity discovered when usage 
of various libraries is compared, proves the 
need of this, if it is granted that a na- 
tional or widely used scheme of classifica- 
tion is desirable at all. 

Another general criticism: Shall we 
classify by topics or by aspects? Classifica- 
tions, as found in use, are ill provided with 
general numbers for subjects where the 
general popular works and the encyclopedic 
treatises may go without forcing us to 
weigh each contribution of the sort care- 
fully in order to discover which side re- 
ceives the fullest treatment in that par- 
ticular instance. 



CLASSIFICATION 
By J. Christian Bay, Chief Classifier, The John Crerar Library, Chicago 



To build a classification system requires 
a mental activity and a practical sense 
similar to what is required in the plan- 
ning and building of a house. Both struc- 
tures are aimed to be used by live human- 
ity. The books at our elbow contain the 
first suggestion for their systematic ar- 
rangement. A second suggestion is con- 
tained in the history of the subjects of 
which they treat. Another helpful hint is 
contained in the purpose and the actual 
use of that library through which the books 
are offered for public use. 

Time was when the patrons of a library 
seemed quite unconcerned about the pro- 
fessional art of the librarian. We have 
Inherited from that time a system of cat- 
aloging which fails much in conveying an 
adequate impression of the books to the 
minds of the readers. In the building of 
classification schemes, we now are awake 
to the fact that books can be arranged so 
that readers endowed with good will and 
ordinary intelligence can comprehend the 
result. But the use of a library contains 



many a valuable suggestion for the classi- 
fication scheme. 

This suggestion serves as a useful coun- 
ter-irritant to that tendency toward a 
hermetic and sacred exclusiveness which 
develops in almost any profession. Many 
of us undoubtedly have constructed classi- 
fication schemes in the spirit that we were 
organizing the science, or subject, and put- 
ting its literary monuments in order, as 
if we were arranging a bibliography. This 
Is a noble ambition, but it may mislead us 
entirely. Even the most systematic ar- 
rangement of subjects within a science or 
an art may fail to locate properly many 
of the very books we are striving to ac- 
commodate. 

One of the first requisites in classifica- 
tion building seems to be determining the 
natural place of the library's books as 
viewed by the relative locality of the sub- 
ject and the use of the books. This means 
a logical balance between a scientifically 
defensible arrangement and the anticipat- 
ed use. This balance can be struck only 



200 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



by an experiment, or a series of experi- 
ments. The logical sequence of subjects 
usually is easy to attain and needs no ex- 
periment, but the experiment brings out 
all the natural groups of books not an- 
ticipated by logic, history, or system. 

Another advantage of experimental de- 
velopment of classification schemes lies in 
the recognition of identical forms of books 
under varying names. It is possible to 
recognize this in the classification, but 
frequently we may find that the cata- 
log, or shelf list, will admit of historical 
grouping far better than the shelf arrange- 
ment will. 

Close classification has its great advan- 
tages, but also leaves the door open for 
interminable minor changes and modifica- 
tions, — and, worse yet, for a minuteness 
so intricate that it defies even good will 
and average intelligence. It also brings 
into prominence the notation. There is a 
growing and justified tendency to discard 
unnecessarily elaborate notation schemes, 
and to Insist on a call number which will 
reduce, instead of increase, the forced at- 
tention of readers and attendants to mi- 
nute details not of first importance in the 
working of the library. 



We are approaching an age when, In 
many classes of literature, the author en- 
try is secondary in importance to the 
classification entry or to the subject head- 
ing. It is of less consequence, from a so- 
cial point of view, who did the work than 
how it was done. In classification, similar- 
ly, it is more important, as Mr. Campbell 
once put it, that everything pertaining to 
a certain subject is kept in one pigeonhole 
and that pigeonhole is numbered, — this Is 
relatively more important than that the 
last word on the subject, in the philosophy 
of science, has been heard. For the last 
word in philosophy of science may be re- 
called to-morrow, and a new consensus 
asked; but libraries cannot, and should 
not, change their classification schemes 
with every change in the philosophic 
points of view. None of us has faith in 
indiscriminate pigeonholing; but each and 
all will see the advantage of experimental 
development of classification groups based 
upon the balance between logical locality 
and practical use. As this is done more 
and more, it will be seen that the catalog- 
ing and the classification scheme may in- 
teract in such a way that an adequate 
presentation of books will result. 



THE PROBLEM AND THE THEORY OF LIBRARY CLASSIFICATION 
Bt Henby E. Buss, Librarian, College of the City of New York 



Where there is an unsolved problem of 
practical interest there is need for an 
applicable theory. A theory is a generalized 
statement of principles adduced from the 
facts comprehended. A problem arises in 
any undertaking to handle or control a 
complex thing in complicated relations. A 
problem is a question how; a theory is a 
first answer; a complete answer is a solu- 
tion. In a diflJcult problem there is seldom 
a solution without an applicable theory. 
So problem and theory cannot well be 
treated separately. This you all know and 



this you mean when you speak of going 
about a matter intelligently. 

Now, that the problem of library classifi- 
cation has not yet been solved for present 
tendencies and probable developments even 
the votaries of systems in vogue are recog- 
nizing. No applicable theory has as yet 
been set forth clearly; no embodiment of 
sound principles has been established. With 
due regard to those present and past who 
have constructed serviceable systems or 
contributed well in their writings, this is 
said to emphasize the purpose with which 



BLISS 



201 



dlgcusslon is reopened today, that funda- 
mentals may again be stated and methods 
reconsidered. A definite canon we may 
hardly expect to bring forth; but let ub 
hope tliat certain aspects of the problem 
may to some extent be mentally cleared, 
even if all cobwebs be not swept from our 
professional minds. 

Krst let us re-state our problem. How 
shall books In libraries be arranged eco- 
nomically and conveniently? The books 
are as various as the Interests served and 
are needed in as many groupings, with 
little delay in service, little shifting on the 
shelves, and little alteration of shelf marks. 
We grimly face the question of economy; 
for the world's immense waste in other 
fields will necessitate economy in these 
fields. But the problem of system we also 
face; for as organization based on knowl- 
edge becomes prevalent, the knowledge in 
books becomes increasingly valuable, and 
so does system in libraries. For economy 
and convenience, then, into how many 
groups should a hundred thousand volumes 
be divided, and how many of these should 
be permanent, relatively; and how should 
these groups be related, collocated, and 
designated? 

Before attempting to answer these ques- 
tions it is well to state the distinction and 
the relation between group and class. A 
group of things is as concrete as the things 
are, real, complete, and numerically definite. 
A class is the totality of particular things, 
both existent and potential, whether they 
be grouped or distributed, that may be com- 
prised by Its definition and named by its 
name. Things may be classed with regard 
to some external characteristic or with 
regard to some internal trait or may be 
classed by some external relation of in- 
terest to the classifier. The names and 
their definitions are the correlates of the 
classes and the classes comprise not only 
the existent things that may be so grouped 
but all that may properly be so defined and 
possibly so classed. This is our first prin- 
ciple, the correlation of class to concejit. 

To class a thing Is to assign it to some 



class. To classify is to arrange things, or 
classes, with regard to some system, pur- 
pose, or interest. A classification Is a sys- 
tem of classes, or a method of art of classi- 
fying. Things, having many characters 
and qualities, may be classed in various 
ways, whether by single characters or com- 
bination of characteristics. In other words, 
things regarded as like in some respects 
may be again likened in other respects, 
may be regarded now in one class now tn 
another. This, our second principle, is the 
relativity of classes. 

But a library should not undertake to 
provide for all possible classes. It is our 
problem to systematize a selection of 
classes corresponding to the branches of 
knowledge and the various interests and 
studies of life and thought that are likely 
to be embodied in books. By this system 
the books of a growing collection are to 
be classified with regard to utility, con- 
venience, and economy. Well subordinated 
and well collocated, fewer classes suffice. 
For new or for more specific subjects and 
new relations there should be ample pro- 
vision. Unlimited expansibility is possible 
through subordination. But in practice ex- 
pansion should be elastic rather than 
elaborate. This is the principle of economy 
of classification with expansibility and 
adaptation. -i 

Expansion depends mainly upon subor- 
dination of new and more specific subjects 
to older and more generic classes. In 
nature and in knowledge the consequent 
develops from the antecedent. From 
analysis and definition are derived newer 
or more specific classes. By comparison 
and synthesis, specific characters may be 
found like, and more generic classes may 
be defined, more general theories stated, 
and more comprehensive knowledge at- 
tained. 

In so far as things In nature are discov- 
ered to be not only related but determined 
by relations, actions, or purposes, there Is 
a casual order. Thus each particular ob- 
ject, action, or event is found immeshed 
in relations, or composite of them, or de- 
pendent on some of them. Things are com- 



202 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



ponents of more and more extensive and 
complex systems. Thus our world of en- 
tangled realities is conceived as the co- 
herent universe. The "natural order" is 
this conceptual system, correlative to the 
classliication of the real, causal, historical, 
and genetic order of things. 

The so-called natural classification of 
knowledge embodies this truth, albeit im- 
perfectly as knowledge is incomplete. We 
study things in their relations and, while 
we unveil the more specific, we reveal the 
more comprehensive relations. Each of the 
special sciences is distinguished from its 
next of kin as being less extensive in 
synthesis or scope and more specific in 
analysis and definition. The sciences may 
therefore be arranged in a series consistent 
with the natural order. This is the true 
basis of their classification and of scien- 
tific classification for libraries. For the 
main classes at least this permanent and 
coherent classification is feasible and has 
been set forth. This classification must be 
relatively permanent in its main classes 
and divisions. The principle here adduced 
is the relative permanence of generic 
classes and the mutability of specific. 

For libraries, subdivisions may need 
readjustment, but alteration of notation 
is an obstacle hard to surmount. The nota- 
tion should be the servant, not the master 
of the classification. Either subdivisions 
should not have notation or this should be 
conveniently alterable, at least for mutable 
subjects, and applied in some temporary 
way on inserted cards or labels. I sug- 
gest a marked disk visible at the top 
of the book's back and attached there by a 
flat tongue inserted easily into the book. 
When the books are in use, the disks may 
be fastened to a strip on the shelf or put 



into an indicator such as one college 
library has provided. 

In bibliographic classification the main 
classes often regarded as "coordinate," are 
naturally subordinate to the more general 
as their scope is more and more specific. 
Where several divisions or subdivisions of 
main classes may be regarded as of equal 
importance in their relations, the subjects 
may be termed coordinate. Beyond this, 
coordination, as a principle of classifica- 
tion, hardly extends. 

On collocation of classes and subjects, 
whether in subordination or in coordina- 
tion, the serviceability of a classification 
chiefly depends, for it should bring to- 
gether the groups of books most often 
wanted together. Though no serial arrange- 
ment of classes can conform perfectly with 
the natural order nor with the complicated 
relations of things, yet that classification 
which is most consistent with the natural 
order and which has most scientific subor- 
dinations and most useful collocations will 
prove most efficient in serving students in 
libraries. This may well be termed the 
principle of maximum efficiency in service. 

A system embodying the foregoing prin- 
ciples, being desirable and feasible, should 
be developed, adopted by a consensus, and 
published in unexpanded form. For large 
and for specialized libraries expansions 
could be elaborated on this basis, or special 
classifications could be made consistently 
with these principles. 

Under the dominating tendency termed 
"organization," the world Is now intent 
upon classification, extending it to many 
fields where disorganization has proved in- 
adequate or disastrous. For such an or- 
ganized world libraries should be classified 
with better regard for the relations and 
divisions of the sciences and industries. 



BLANCHARD 



203 



SOME CATALOGERS' REFERENCE BOOKS OP RECENT YEARS 
By Linn R. Blanchard, Head Cataloger, New'berry Library, Chicago 



One of the first essentials of every cat- 
alog department is a well selected group of 
reference books. Though the printed cards 
of the Library of Congress and a few other 
libraries have greatly lessened the burden 
and expense of cataloging, there remains a 
certain percentage of books in every li- 
brary for which printed cards are not avail- 
able. These books require original cat- 
aloging, and for this work even a trained 
cataloger Is absolutely at a loss without 
bibliographical aids. 

It is the duty of every head cataloger 
to endeavor to make his collection of ref- 
erence books comprehensive, by recom- 
mending for purchase any books which 
seem to him to suggest possibilities for 
more efficient work in his department. In 
making this selection, frequency of use 
is by no means the criterion. If a book 
is used only five or six times during the 
year, but is the one place where certain 
out of the way information is made avail- 
able, it is decidedly worth while. There 
are various familiar aids which can be 
used in checking up our collections, such 
as the "Selection of cataloguers' reference 
books in New York State Library" (Al- 
bany, 1903), which was Intended for class- 
room use and so is not annotated, and Miss 
Kroeger's annotated "Guide to the study 
and use of reference books" (2d ed., Chi- 
cago, 1908), of which a new edition by Miss 
Isadore G. Mudge is soon to be published. 
For current books of interest to the cat- 
alog department, the busy cataloger will 
rarely have time to do any extensive check- 
ing, but he can at least make use of the 
important list of reference books of the 
year by Miss Mudge, which appears an- 
nually in the Library Journal, and to 
which I am greatly indebted in the prepa- 
ration of this paper. 

In making a selection of some of the 

'Published in August, 1917 — EDITOR. 



most useful reference books published 
within tlie last few years, it is obvious that 
the personal element enters largely into 
that selection, and that the choice is nat- 
urally guided by the type of library with 
which one is connected. Because of this 
personal element no two lists would be 
exactly the same, but it is possible that 
any one of them would be suggestive, at 
least in some small way. The present list 
is merely a brief record of a few of the 
books which have proved useful to us in 
the catalog department of the Newberry 
Library. It is accordingly limited to books 
within the scope of that library, which, as 
you know, is devoted to the humanities. 
Again, the list is limited almost entirely 
to the author side, giving only reference 
books which will help in identifying auth- 
ors and their works, leaving it to the 
classifiers to tell us something of the re 
cent books of use to them in their work. 
I have also found it necessary to interpret 
the word "recent" from a relative point of 
view, and so I find it convenient to assume 
that a recent reference book is one that 
has been published within the last ten 
years. This will account for some old 
friends in the list. 

While the alert cataloger will think of 
the whole library as his workshop, and will 
often find occasion to use reference books 
in other departments, nine times out of 
ten he will find that his queries will be 
confined to the fields of biography and bib- 
liography, and it is to these two groups 
that I now wish to call attention. 

Dictionaries of universal biography are 
rarely satisfactory to the cataloger, except 
for quick reference, and must be checked 
with some other authority, but a most use- 
ful volume for the head cataloger or re- 
viser to have at hand to verify authors' 
names and dates is "A dictionary of uni- 
versal biography of all ages and of all 



204 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



peoples," by Albert M. Hyamson (London, 
Routledge; New York, Dutton, 1916. $7.50). 
The information is limited as nearly as 
possible to the "one person, one line" ar- 
rangement, and gives only authors' names, 
dates of birth and death, and a brief dis- 
tinguishing phrase. It is a small volume, 
easy to handle, and a rough estimate shows 
that the surprising number of 95,000 names 
is included. 

There has been no new work of im- 
portance dealing with general American 
biography. The American Historical So- 
ciety (not to be confused with the Amer- 
ican Historical Association) lias published 
two volumes of its "American biography, 
a new cyclopedia," compiled under the edi- 
torial supervision of William Richard Cut- 
ter (New York, 1916-17). The period to 
be covered begins with the restoration of 
the Union, and a letter from the society 
states that "special attention will be given 
to biographical material since 1900." Each 
volume contains less than 650 biographies, 
and there seems to be very little informa- 
tion of use to catalogers which cannot be 
found elsewhere. 

General English biography was repre- 
sented by the second supplement to the 
"Dictionary of national biography" (Lon- 
don, Smith, Elder, 1912. 3v. 15s. ea.). The 
supplement increases the value of this 
standard English work by the addition of 
1,660 sketches. 

Two volumes of the supplement to "Mod- 
ern English biography," by Frederic 
Boase (Truro, Netherton and Worth, For 
the author, 1908-12. 2 v. 30s. ea.) have 
been published, bringing the biographies 
through "Kortright, Frances." This work 
includes many thousand names of persons 
who died during the years 1851-1900, and 
is especially useful in giving the names of 
less known authors who cannot be found 
elsewhere. It is seldom that a complete 
list of works is given, however. It Is 
exasperating to feel that the work you are 
looking for may be one of the "other 
books" which Boase mentions as having 
been written by your author. An interest- 



ing feature, often overlooked, is the list 
of pseudonyms which is given in the index 
to each volume. 

"Notable Welshmen (1700-1900)" by the 
Rev. T. Mardy Rees (Carnavon, the Herald 
office, 1908. $2.75) is an excellent bio- 
graphical dictionary, which also includes 
notable Welsh women. The chronological 
arrangement by date of death, with an 
alphabetical index, is rather unusual. Spe- 
cial attention is given to Welshmen who 
distinguished themselves in England, 
America and the colonies. Comparatively 
few of the 1,800 names will be found in 
the "Dictionary of national biography." 

A new Dutch biography of importance is 
the "Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woor- 
denboek," by P. C. Molhuysen and P. J. 
Blok. 1.-3. deel. (Leiden, Sijthoff, 1911-14. 
3v. lOf. ea., unb.; ll.SOf. ea., bound). 
This will be complete in about twelve 
volumes, with an index volume similar to 
the "Index and epitome" of the "Dictionary 
of national hiography." Each volume is 
arranged alphabetically and beginning with 
volume 2 has a cumulative index to the set. 
The biographies, which are signed, are 
brief, but references to further authorities 
are given. Living men are not included. 

An unusual number of biographical dic- 
tionaries of contemporaries, similar in 
scope to "Who's who," have been pub- 
lished within the last ten years. The 
English annual "Who's who" had been in 
existence for over fifty years before its 
American counterpart "Who's who in Amer- 
ica" was begun in 1899, soon to be fol- 
lowed by "Who's who in New York city 
and state." Since then, national and spe- 
cial biographical dictionaries of contem- 
poraries have been published in ever in- 
creasing numbers. It may be of interest 
to mention a few which have come to my 
notice, without making any attempt to 
give bibliographical details, and with lit- 
tle critical comment. Some of them have 
started bravely out as annual or biennial 
publications, or with the promise of later 
editions, but have been discontinued. 
Among the national or regional biographies 
.'n the Who's who class have been "Qui 



BLANCHARD 



205 



etes-vous?" (French) ; "Wer its's?" (Ger- 
man) ; "Chi 6?" (Italian); "Vem ar det?" 
(Swedish); "Hvem erhvem" (Norwegian); 
"Kraks hlaa bog" (Danish); and "Wle Is 
dat?" (Dutch), which was published as 
far back as 1902, but Is included here to 
complete the list. "The Canadian men and 
women of the time," with nearly 8,000 bi- 
ographies, is decidedly more important 
than the "Canadian who's who," which has 
less than 2,200. The text of "Who's who 
in Japan" Is in English, but the first edi- 
tion does not include foreigners resident in 
Japan. On the other hand, "Who's who in 
the Far East," with about 2,100 biographies, 
includes some natives, but is largely a bi- 
ographical dictionary of foreigners resi- 
dent in the Far East. "Who's who In In- 
dia," also in English, is devoted entirely 
to natives of India. Australians and New 
Zealanders will be found in "Fred John's 
annual." Sections of the United States are 
represented by a number of aids, such as 
"Who's who in New England"; "Who's who 
In Pennsylvania"; "Who's who in the 
Northwest" (with only BOO biographies) 
and "Who's who on the Pacific coast" (with 
more than 3,700 biographies). The pub- 
lishers of "Who's who in America" also 
publish the "Book of Chlcagoans," "Book 
of Detroiters," "Book of Minnesotans," and 
"Book of St. Louisans." Among the biog- 
raphies of special classes, probably the 
most useful is the "Woman's who's who 
of America" (with about 10,000 concise 
biographies). Others which often give 
information not to be found elsewhere are 
"Who's who in art"; "Who's who in music" 
(by Wyndham and L'Epine) ; "Who's who 
In American Methodism" and the "Amer- 
ican Catholic who's who," both of which 
have English counterparts; and "Who's 
who in finance" and "Who's who in sci- 
ence (international)." 

The most useful bibliography of bib- 
liographies which we have purchased in 
recent years is the "Register of national 
bibliography, with a selection of the chief 
bibliographical books and articles printed 
In other countries," by William Prldeaux 



Courtney (London, Constable, 1905-12. 3v. 
46s. 6d.). Volume 3, a supplementary vol- 
ume, was published in 1912, which makes 
it possible for me to Include the set In 
my list. A strong feature is the great 
amount of analytical work that has been 
done, and while it has been our experience 
that we have sometimes been guided to 
bibliographies that were decidedly unim- 
portant, this has been the exception rather 
than the rule. Although originally in- 
tended as a guide to the literature of Eng- 
land, the scope was greatly extended and 
other countries (especially the United 
States) are well represented. 

In trade bibliography the "American bib- 
liography," by Charles Evans, which is too 
well known to require comment, has been 
brought down through the year 1792. 

Falconer Madan's standard work on the 
printed literature of Oxford has been con- 
tinued by a second volume: "Oxford 
books, a bibliography of printed works re- 
lating to the university and city of Ox- 
ford, or printed or published there. Vol. 
2. Oxford literature, 1450-1640 and 1641- 
1650" (Oxford, Clarendon press, 1912. 25s.; 
V. 1-2 together, 36s.). Volume 1 (Oxford, 
1895) covered the early Oxford press, 1468- 
1640, and this is supplemented in volume 
2 by a bibliography of books about Oxford, 
printed elsewhere from 1450-1640, in addi- 
tion to a bibliography of the books of 1641- 
1650. Volume 2 records 2,065 titles, giving 
full collation and full historical and bib- 
liographical notes. There are two indexes, 
one of persons and places and one of catch 
titles. A third volume will cover the years 
1651-1800. 

A new catalog of a special collection of 
Irish books is made available in "A cat- 
alogue of the Bradshaw collection of Irish 
books in the University Library, Cam- 
bridge" (Cambridge, Printed for the Uni- 
versity Library and to be had of Bernard 
Quaritch, London, 1916. 3v. 42s.). There 
are 8,743 titles listed, usually with full col- 
lation, and with many important bibli- 
ographical notes. Roughly speaking, the 
collection falls into three divisions: (1) 



206 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Books printed in Ireland, (2) Books writ- 
ten by Irishmen, and (3) Books relating to 
Ireland. The entire first volume and part 
of the second are devoted to books printed 
in Dublin. The arrangement is so varied 
that the elaborate index, which forms vol- 
ume 3, is quite essential to a rapid use of 
the set. 

Of the many library catalogs which we 
have, the "British Museum Catalogue" of 
course holds first place, but next to this 
monumental work the catalog most fre- 
quently in use is the "Catalogue of the 
London Library," by C. T. Hagberg Wright 
and C. J. Purnell (London, 1913-14. 2v. 
84s.). This is a revised and enlarged edi- 
tion of the catalog issued in 1903, incor- 
porating the eight annual supplements. It 
'is an alphabetical author and catchword 
title catalog of a collection of 250,000 vol- 
umes, representing all departments of lit- 
erature and philosophy and all languages. 
The individual entries are necessarily 
brief. Christian names are not given in 
full, as a rule, unless they appear on the 
title-pages, dates of birth and death are 
rarely given, and full collation is not in- 
cluded, but the amount of bibliographical 
information that can be obtained from 
these two volumes is surprising. The bib- 
liographical notes, although brief, are ade- 
quate. The headings were checked by 
the "British Museum Catalogue," and where 
the two differ we often prefer the London 
Library form. We use the catalog con- 
tinually for all classes of books within our 
field, but have found it especially helpful in 
cataloging epics, anonymous works, works 
by Oriental writers, and writers of the mid- 
dle ages. We find it useful in the trans- 
literation of Russian names. Cross refer- 
ences are liberally given, and one feature 
especially commends itself to the cataloger. 
I refer to the practice of giving variations 
of a name within brackets directly after 
the main entry, so that one may tell at a 
glance what cross references are neces- 
sary. The "Subject index" (London, Wil- 
liams & Norgate, 1909. 31s. 6d.) Is a most 
useful tool for classifiers. 

Another catalog which has proved its 



utility In many libraries is "A catalog of 
the printed books in the library of the 
honourable Society of the Middle Temple, 
alphabetically arranged, with an index of 
subjects," by C. E. A. Bedwell (Glasgow, 
Printed for the Society by Maclehose, 1914. 
3v. 10s. to non-members). Primarily a 
law library, the collection of modern works 
is largely made up of legal literature, but 
the particular feature to note is that the 
library is especially rich in sixteenth and 
seventeenth century literature. 

In literature "The Cambridge history of 
English literature," ed. by Sir A. W. Ward 
and A. R. Waller (Cambridge, University 
press, 1907-16. 14v. 9s. ea.) Is the most 
important work that has been published. 
We use it constantly for the older litera- 
ture in establishing the relationship of 
one work to another, and the extensive bib- 
liographies are often suggestive. 

In cataloging our Carpenter collection of 
English fiction before 1740, a useful guide 
was "A list of English tales and prose ro- 
mances printed before 1740," by Arundell 
Esdaile (London, Printed for the Bibli- 
ographical Society, by Blades, East & 
Blades, 1912. 10s. 6d. to members only). 
It gives no help in author headings, neither 
is full collation given, but the grouping of 
the 2,500 diflferent editions, versions, and 
abridgments is often suggestive. 

Of the many valuable lists published by 
the Library of Congress, probably the one 
which has been used by us most frequently 
is its "List of geographical atlases in the 
Library of Congress, with bibliographical 
notes," compiled under the direction of 
Philip Lee Phillips (Washington, Govern- 
ment printing office, 1909-14. 3v. $3.60). 
There are 4,087 numbered titles, although 
the additions entered only in the author 
list of the third volume bring the total 
number to about 4,100. It is helpful in 
many ways. The author lists give full 
names and dates of birth and death when 
known. The bibliographical notes are com- 
plete, often listing editions known to have 
been published, but not in the Library of 
Congress collection, and It is probably the 



207 



best source for Identifying detached maps. 

In re-cataloging our music collection, 
no one set has helped us more than the 
"Catalogue of the Allen A. Brown collection 
of music in the public library of the city 
of Boston" (Boston, Published by the trus- 
tees, 1910-16. 4v.). Volume 4 is a supple- 
mentary volume, including additions from 
190S-1916. Full names of authors are us- 
ually given, but not dates of birth and 
death. Every form of music is more or 
less represented, the special feature being 
orchestral scores. The arrangement is a 
dictionary arrangement by author, title 
and subject, with many useful cross ref- 
erences and bibliographical notes. 

In religion there is no question that the 
"Catholic encyclopedia" (New York, Robert 
Appleton Company, "1907-14, 16v. $6 ea.) 
Is the most important work which has been 
published within the decade. Unlike the 
general encyclopedia It omits all informa- 
tion and facts having no relation to the 
church, and is of course the acknowledged 
authority for Catholic biography, and for 
all questions relating to Catholic interests, 
action and doctrine. It has the same 
standing in Its special field that the "En- 
cyclopaedia Brltannica" has as a general 
encyclopedia. 

Second in importance is the "Historical 



catalogue of the printed editions of Holy 
Scripture in the library of the British and 
Foreign Bible Society," complied by T. H. 
Darlow and H. F. Moule (London, The 
Bible House, 1903-11. 2v. in 4. £3 3s.) 
Volume 1 is a catalog of English Bibles, 
and volume 2 includes polyglots and Bibles 
in languages other than English. There 
are as many as 9,848 numbered titles, and 
several different copies, with notes as to 
variations, may be given under the same 
number. Full collation is given, with 
elaborate historical and bibliographical 
notes. 

A reference work in an entirely new 
field is the "Bibliography of unfinished 
books in the English language, with anno- 
tations," by Albert R. Corns and Archi- 
bald Sparke (London, Quaritch, 1915. 10s 
6d.) Although their references show that 
by far the greater part of their informa- 
tion was drawn from the "British Museum 
catalogue" and the "Dictionary of na- 
tional biography," there are, on the other 
hand, many references to out of the way 
places which would not suggest themselves 
even to the most vigilant cataloger. A 
rough estimate shows that they have re- 
corded over 2,000 unfinished books, which 
makes the work a distinct contribution to 
bibliography. 



THE ORGANIZATION OF A CATALOGING DEPARTMENT 

By Minnie E. Sears, 'Neio York Pu'blic Library 



In an attempt to state what I understand 
the purpose of cataloging organization to 
be, what some of its guiding principles are, 
and especially what definite questions are 
raised in any attempt to work out such an 
organization, I have had in mind the 
medium sized library only. The small li- 
brary with a catalog department of one 
person naturally has not the problem of 
organization, while the catalog department 
of the very large library has many 



problems of its own which differ greatly 
from those of the average library. 

The purpose of cataloging organization 
in any library is to provide for the orderly 
progress of a book through all cataloging 
processes in such a way that no record is 
omitted or wrongly made, that the book ia 
not lost or sidetracked in the course and 
that the work is done at the cost of the 
least time and money necessary to attain 
ilie standards of accuracy and thoroughness 



208 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



which the library has set for Itself. "What, 
then, are some of the principles Involved 
and the questions raised In working out 
the organization necessary to effect this 
purpose? The fundamental principles have 
been admirably stated by Mr. Bishop in his 
"Practical handbook of modern library 
cataloging," and all interested will naturally 
consult his chapter on this subject. Neces- 
sarily, however, details are omitted In his 
discussion. 

Some of the more important questions 
which are fundamental and therefore de- 
serving of discussion are: 

1. Economical arrangement of the work- 
ing quarters, and adequate equipment for 
the cataloging. 

2. Determination of the duties of the 
head cataloger both within and outside 
the department. 

3. Grading of members of the depart- 
ment and the division of work according to 
some definite system. 

4. Distribution of work according to 
the determined system of division. 

5. Provision for guarding against the 
evils of too great subdivision of work. 

6. Revision. 

7. Formation and maintenance of de- 
partment morale and esprit de corps. 

Quarters and equipment. The organiza- 
tion and equipment of the cataloging work 
room vitally affect both the kind and the 
amount of the work turned out. That the 
working quarters should be comfortable 
and light and the ventilation of the best is 
axiomatic. Equally obvious is the need for 
proper equipment — comfortable and not too 
crowded desks, so arranged with reference 
to each other and to the necessary records 
that there is a minimufc, of "lost motions," 
and, especially, a prope. supply of catalog- 
ers' reference books and such arrangement 
and supervision of these books as will make 
them most useful. The organization of 
these aids may well go one step beyond 
the workroom and cover also the catalog- 
ers' use of the reference equipment of 
other parts of the library. Right organiza- 
tion can make the use of reference works 



more a matter of course by providing lists 
such as the New York State Library 
"Selection of catalogers' reference books" 
and the Kroeger "Guide," checked to indi- 
cate books found elsewhere In the library, 
and by systematic cooperation with the 
reference department, by which the refer- 
ence librarian passes on bits of Informa- 
tion about new books, special features, 
etc., which may prove helpful. 

An important part of workroom equip- 
ment is some sort of adequate provision 
for record of rules and decisions. A new 
decision is sometimes merely communi- 
cated orally to the reviser or cataloger 
and no written record made of it. This 
may do for a time, but, as the staff 
changes, important decisions are often 
overlooked or the reasons for making them 
forgotten. Efficient organization will 
adopt a code of rules, probably the A. L. A., 
will put in writing each variation and 
subsequent decision, and will see to it that 
each cataloger concerned keeps and uses 
a slip file of such decisions, while the head 
cataloger keeps also a file of the decisions 
with dates and reasons for making them. 
Equipment should include also a working 
file of sample cards for each cataloger. 

Head cataloger. The work of the head 
calls for careful organization. Be the 
library large or small the head of the de- 
partment must Intelligently plan and 
supervise all the work. If the department 
Is fairly large, however, there is danger 
of one of two extremes. Is the head to be 
an administrative officer only, or is he to 
give all his time to revision and other 
detailed work? If entire time is given to 
executive duties there is danger of losing 
that close touch with the detailed work, 
and knowledge of individual capacities, 
which is so desirable. If, on the other 
hand, the head acts as chief reviser and 
allows this work to absorb an undue pro- 
portion of time and strength, he loses 
grasp upon the general problems of the 
department and, what is fatal to the best 
work, may lose touch with other depart- 
ments or with the library as a whole. 
There are distinctly two questions of or- 



209 



ganlzation involved here and perhaps only 
local conditions can determine just where 
the happy mean lies. But in any case It 
is most important that the head cataloger 
should plan his own work so as to create 
and maintain close relations with other 
departments, especially the reference de- 
partment. 

Division of work. In any department 
consisting of several people, intelligent 
organization will provide for division of 
work and specialization. This division 
will necessarily be determined largely by 
the grade and character of the assistants 
themselves. Among several people equally 
well trained and assigned to the same 
work, one may be temperamentally fitted 
for certain parts of the work or specially 
interested in certain subjects and at the 
same time unfitted for certain other things 
in her assigned work. Good planning will 
take such individual differences into ac- 
count and utilize them in the division of 
work. 

The need of specialization having been 
admitted, its form remains to be deter- 
mined. Is it to be by subject, by language, 
or by process? In the subdivision of work 
by subject, one cataloger will be given 
technology, another history, etc., the cata- 
logers usually classifying, assigning sub- 
ject headings, and otherwise cataloging 
the books in their subjects. Columbia 
University offers a good example of this 
subject organization and a very clear de- 
scription of the way In which such an 
organization works out is found in its re- 
port for the year 1913-14. In subdivision 
by language, the subject division is ig- 
nored and the cataloger who knows Span- 
ish, for example, catalogs all books in 
Spanish irrespective of their subjects. 
This system, I believe, is followed in cata- 
loging the foreign books in the Cleveland 
Public Library. In actual practice a 
combination of the subject and language 
division is sometimes followed to good 
advantage. In subdivision by process, one 
person classifies and perhaps assigns all 
subject headings, another looks up author 
entries and assigns both main and added 



entries, another types the cards, shelf list- 
ing may be done by another, and so on 
The John Crerar library is one of the 
best examples of this kind of organization. 
In the very large library, a combination of 
all three forms may result, but whichever 
of these forms of specialization is adopted 
there is need of careful organization and 
correlation of the work. Perhaps repre- 
sentatives here from libraries using these 
different types will explain their systems 
more in detail than is possible within the 
limits of this paper. 

Distribution of work. Whatever system 
is followed. If the division of work has 
been made at all on the basis of individual 
ability, there arises the question of the 
daily distribution of work. In some li- 
braries each cataloger is allowed to choose 
her own books from the daily supply, but 
a well organized department of any size 
usually provides for some systematic dis- 
tribution either by the head cataloger or 
by someone in the department who can 
estimate the relative difficulty of the 
books, and assign them to the catalogers 
best fitted to handle them. The head cata- 
loger will undoubtedly prefer to do this 
when possible, as it is one of the ways 
of keeping in touch with the work of in- 
dividuals. 

Evils of too great subdivision. The en- 
thusiast for efficient subdivision of work 
often overlooks two very real dangers to 
the efficiency of the department, which 
may result from too great subdivision. 
The first is that a cataloger may come to 
see only her own little part of the work 
and lose sight of the interrelation of all 
parts and of the work as a whole, and 
thus do her own part less intelligently. 
The second and more serious danger is 
that too minute subdivision may result in 
a monotony which causes a cataloger to 
lose interest and so become less efficient 
or perhaps ask to be transferred to some 
other branch of the service. In any de- 
tailed work some monotony is inevitable, 
but this should be reduced to a minimum. 
A remedy commonly advocated is giving 
catalogers part time work in some other 



210 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



department, preferably reference or desk 
work. In this connection one Immediately 
thinks of the Cincinnati Public Library, 
where the reference and catalog depart- 
ments are combined. While such a trans- 
fer or combination presents certain 
undoubted advantages, it is also open to 
some objections from the point of view of 
department routine, and there are not, 
moreover, many workers who can do 
equally well two such difficult and differ- 
ent things as cataloging and reference 
work. Where catalogers give all their 
time to cataloging cannot the monotony 
be varied within the department? One 
suggestion is to make each cataloger, in 
addition to her own part of the cataloging 
process, responsible for some one piece of 
work which is hers alone. There are many 
tasks which in the ordinary library are 
not sufficient to take the full time of a 
cataloger, but which, distributed among the 
different members of the department, will 
serve to lend variety to the work. One 
assistant may have the responsibility for 
certain parts of the filing, another may 
have entire charge of the cataloging of 
some special collection, another may order 
Library of Congress cards, etc. This fix- 
ing of responsibility not only lends interest 
but often means better work. For both 
of these reasons, then, a certain variety 
of work must be planned for if the depart- 
ment Is to retain a permanent staff of 
anything except incompetents. 

Too much monotony will result either 
in a constantly changing staff or In a fixed 
staff of undesirables. The latter no one 
wants, and as for the former there is noth- 
ing that is more expensive or more fatal to 
the continuity of work of the department. 

Revision. The question of revision 
raises some interesting points of organiza- 
tion. While the necessity of adequate 
revision Is admitted by all, its application 
varies in different systems. In the smaller 
library the head of the department will 
probably do all the revision and the 
problem is then simplified. Where there 
are several revisers questions arise. Shall 
each reviser revise any work which is at 



hand, or shall she have a regular group of 
catalogers for whom she is responsible and 
to whom she then becomes instructor as 
well as reviser? In case this group sys- 
tem is followed, shall each group be mis- 
cellaneous or shall it be by subject, the 
reviser then becoming to a certain extent 
a language or subject specialist? An argu- 
ment for subject grouping is that it offers 
in the case of revisers who are capable of 
more than mechanical revision, a certain 
chance for individual study and growth, 
and may thus increase both the revisers' 
own interest in their work and their value 
to the library. This, of course, applies to 
the catalogers also. 

The method of correcting mistakes 
found by the revisers presents another 
problem. Shall the purpose of revision be 
merely the correcting of mistakes with the 
least possible expenditure of time, in 
which case the reviser will make the cor- 
rections and send the work on without 
referring it back to the cataloger; or Is the 
education of the cataloger to be kept in 
mind, in which case she must see all her 
mistakes? Where the pressure of the 
work is great, it is undoubtedly a tempta- 
tion to adopt the first method as being the 
more immediately economical of time, but 
the true economy of such a course is ques- 
tionable. It is undoubtedly true that the 
cataloger who does not see her mistakes 
will not realize what they are, and will go 
on making the same ones, whereas if she 
sees them she may outgrow them. If she 
is not held responsible for all her own 
mistakes she may come to depend too 
much upon the reviser's correcting all 
errors and grow careless when she sees 
no immediately unpleasant results from 
bad work. Personally I am a firm believer 
in fixing responsibility for error, and I 
doubt whether the system of sending back 
mistakes loses any time in the end. The 
most expensive of all work is the work 
which has to be done over again, or done 
by two people, and If the sending back of 
work will train catalogers to turn out work 
which needs less revision it is a saving of 
time in the end, is preferred by catalogers 



211 



who are Interested In their work, and may 
have the effect of discouraging unpromis- 
ing material. 

Department morale. The question of 
morale and esprit de corps enters Into de- 
partment organization. The cataloger 
needs to respect her worl£ and to realize 
that it Is both an important branch of the 
library service and one in which she can 
develop and can remain to advantage. 
This is particularly important in view of 
the present tendency to cry down catalog- 
ing, and exalt other branches of the serv- 
ice at its expense. An organization which 
provides for Informal department staff 
meetings In which each member has a 
chance to learn something about the de- 
partment as a whole and to see how her 
own little piece of work fits into the 
department and also into the service of the 
public may be made to help greatly. The 
larger the department the more the need 
of disseminating such Information. Cata- 
logers are prone to get Into a rut since 
they are especially shut off from outside 
information, and need to be encouraged to 
keep up with the broader aspects of the 
work, both in their own libraries and In 
other libraries as well. 

Some reference to the A. L. A. catalog- 



ing test may not be amiss here. This test 
dealt primarily with the cost of cataloging 
and furnished little Information, except 
incidentally, about departmental organiza- 
tion. An inspection both of the earlier 
questionnaire reports and the later record 
cards indicates a pretty general agreement, 
or at least a majority practice, on a few 
points. These are; (1) Systematic use 
of Library of Congress cards; (2) a ma- 
jority practice of full time work within the 
department and little scheduling of cata- 
log assistants in other departments (with 
certain notable exceptions, such as Cin- 
cinnati and Yale) ; (3) the existence in 
larger libraries of some type of graded 
service. In actual practice the libraries 
participating in the test may be in agree- 
ment on many other points of organization 
not brought out in the test. 

In suggesting the foregoing points of 
organization the writer has, in general, 
tried to present them as questions rather 
than as conclusions, in the hope that so 
presented they will be more likely to draw 
out discussion and statements of practice 
from well organized departments. Definite 
statements of this sort will be most help- 
ful, even though in the end they go to 
show that no one standard form of organi- 
zation Is applicable to all types of libraries. 



STUDY OF DEPARTMENTAL LIBRARIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, 
1912-1917— OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES 



By J. C. M. Hanson, Associate Director, University of Chicago Libraries 



Whatever the writer may have to say 
on this occasion will be supplementary to 
his statements before the College and 
Reference Section, 1912, and printed in the 
A. L. A. Bulletin, Conference number, of 
that year. 

There is little to add to the summary 
then outlined. One who has for six years 
been struggling with unsatisfactory condi- 
tions resulting from twenty years of unre- 
stricted development of departmental 



libraries without adequate coordination, 
supervision, equipment or force, may be In 
some danger of emphasizing the disad- 
vantages of the system rather than the 
reverse. Among the more serious draw- 
backs may be noted the following: Neces- 
sarily inadequate catalogs supplied for 
departmental libraries; lack of reference 
books, and in general, insufficient help and 
equipment, usually a necessary accompani- 
ment of extreme decentralization. The in- 



212 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



creasing difficulties of administration, the 
greater expenditure of money witliout 
commensurate returns where many and 
extensive departmental libraries must be 
maintained, represent obvious additional 
weaknesses. 

The loss to departments disposed to rely 
almost entirely on their departmental li- 
braries, in not having access to the 
catalogs and reference collections of the 
general library, naturally increases in pro- 
portion as these catalogs and collections 
are developed and perfected. 

In this connection the writer may as 
well state at the outset that he has not so 
far been able to discover any specific 
which will influence the professor, accus- 
tomed for the better part of a generation 
to work only in his department, toward 
utilizing the resources of the central li- 
brary. The same holds true in general 
also of students. Occasionally, of late, 
graduate students from certain depart- 
ments have discovered that there is some- 
thing for them also in the general library 
building. A steady increase has been 
noted in the number of applications for 
stack permits coming from such students. 
Perhaps this is an indication that the mem- 
bers of the departments are gradually 
awakening to the fact that the central 
library may after all have something to 
offer which shall merit an occasional visit, 
and that this may in time produce a more 
general appreciation of the advantages of- 
fered by a large general collection ade- 
quately cataloged and classified, reason- 
ably well administered, and with a 
somewhat modern library equipment. 

The writer begs to call attention to a 
report on the departmental library condi- 
tions at the University of Chicago now be- 
ing printed. This report is in the main 
the result of investigation and study of 
the problems by a subcommittee of the 
library board, consisting of Professor 
Manly, head of the English Department, 
Professor Parker, of the School of Educa- 
tion, and the undersigned, representing 
the University Libraries and acting as 



secretary of the committee and the editor 
of its report. 

The main part of the publication re- 
ferred to is based on a questionnaire ad- 
dressed to twenty-five American university 
libraries, of which twenty-four responded. 
The report, which will be distributed 
freely to those interested, will give a bet- 
ter idea of the conditions of the depart- 
mental libraries at The University of 
Chicago, and to some extent also in the 
universities responding, than any state- 
ment which might be presented here. 
Reference to existing conditions will there- 
fore, for the most part, be omitted from 
the present paper; so also discussion of 
the general history of departmental book 
collections, and the theories and ideas un- 
derlying their development. 

The questions put to the twenty-five 
university libraries cover the following 
points: 

1. Number of departmental libraries, 
and the number of volumes in each or all 
of them. 

2. Control of assignment of books to 
such libraries. 

3. Distribution of book funds by depart- 
ment or subject. 

4. Regulations governing withdrawal of 
books from the general library for the use 
of a departmental library, also transfer of 
books from one library to another. 

5. Return of books withdrawn for use 
of a departmental library. 

6. Method of paying for books ordered 
by a department outside of its own field 
of study. 

7. Location of books ordered by a de- 
partment outside of its field of study. 

8. Separation of the different editions 
of the same work, or the various parts or 
series of the same set or publication. 

9. Limitations as to size of a depart- 
mental library. 

10. Admission to departmental libraries. 

11. Representation of books in depart- 
mental libraries in the catalogs of the gen- 
eral library. 

12. Classification of departmental li- 
braries. 



213 



13. Supervision and staff. 
A summary of the answers received 
gives the following results: 

1. Of twenty-four libraries responding, 
the great majority hold the bulk of their 
books in the general library, only small, 
selected collections being kept in depart- 
ments. In addition to the University of 
Chicago, Johns Hopkins, Illinois, Indiana 
and Texas seem to have the major part of 
their book resources distributed to depart- 
ments. While Columbia and Harvard 
house in departmental or professional li- 
braries 200,000 and 350,000 volumes re- 
spectively, more than two-thirds of their 
collections remain in the general library. 

2. In the majority of libraries the as- 
signment of books to departmental li- 
braries is under control of the librarian, 
usually working in connection with the 
library committee or library council. 

3. The division and allotment of book 
funds is usually under central control — in 
most cases of a library committee of which 
the librarian may be chairman or secre- 
tary. The funds are allotted by subjects 
rather than by departments. In some univer- 
sities, e. g. Iowa and Nebraska, there is no 
division either by subjects or departments, 
the understanding being that each depart- 
ment submits orders for all books wanted, 
purchases being made as far as the funds 
permit, care always being taken that the 
expenditure for any one department does 
not reach an unreasonable amount. In 
addition to Chicago, Indiana and Texas 
seem to be the universities in which dis- 
tribution by departments is still favored. 

4. Withdrawal of books from general 
library for use of departments, and trans- 
fers from one department to another, are 
usually arranged by the librarian in con- 
sultation with the department concerned, 
the library committee being called upon 
to settle difficult cases. 

5. Books are usually returned to the 
genera! library when not much used, the 
matter being arranged by the librarian in 
consultation with the department. There 
seems to be no definite rule as to the time 
for return of books loaned to departments. 
Presumably, if not called for by other de- 
partments or individuals, they are allowed 
to remain in the departmental library for 
an indefinite period. In a few instances, 
books are returned to the general library 
once a year. 

6. The cost of a book is usually charged 
against the department which orders it, or 
against the subject covered by the book, 



unless there is a special fund for the sub- 
ject or department. Most answers indicate 
that the department which orders pays, 
provided always that there is a depart- 
mental book fund. 

7. The fact that a book is purchased on 
recommendation of a department and paid 
for out of its appropriation does not, in a 
majority of libraries, decide the location 
of the book. Such books are, when of 
general interest, usually shelved In the 
general library. 

8. Different editions of the same book 
and different books on exactly the same 
subject or the same phase of the same 
subject are usually kept together in one 
library, exceptions being few and the sep- 
aration in these cases usually temporary. 
Sets of the same periodical or of the pro- 
ceedings and transactions of the same 
society are not separated. 

9. Space and funds available usually 
determine the size of the departmental li- 
brary. In one case the limit is reported as 
200 volumes; in others, there is a general 
regulation that the collections in depart- 
ments shall be limited strictly to working 
books; in still others, the size is regulated 
by the library committee, the librarian and 
the president. 

10. Access is usually free to all stu- 
dents without distinction. In some cases 
it is granted only to graduate students; in 
others, to graduate students of the depart- 
ment and to all members of the faculty. 
In some cases, the librarian issues cards to 
individuals. Again, the matter may be ar- 
ranged with the department concerned. 

11-12. The aim is in general to have all 
books 'in departmental libraries repre- 
sented in all catalogs of the general 
library and to have a uniform system of 
classification for all libraries. 

13. The largest and most important de- 
partmental libraries usually have regular 
trained assistants. The others are looked 
after by members of the faculty, the secre- 
tary of the head of the department, or by 
student help, as the case may be. 

After careful study of the answers and 
such other material as came to hand, the 
subcommittee formulated a series of rec- 
ommendations which, after much discus- 
sion and rather severe handling by the 
rest of the board, were finally trimmed 
down into a number of general recom- 
mendations and specific resolutions duly 
adopted and incorporated in the Rules and 
Regulations of the Libraries, printed in 



214 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



April, 1917. A copy ol these rules will be 
sent to anyone Interested. 

The resolutions emphasize the following 
points: 

1. All the libraries of the university 
constitute the University Libraries, under 
the general administration of the director. 

2. The departmental libraries contain 
books especially needed in connection 
with the work of investigation and In- 
struction of a particular department, group 
of departments, school or college of the 
university. In case of difference of opin- 
ion the field of each departmental library 
is defined by the library board. Libraries 
which require books outside their special 
field use the general library or other de- 
partmental libraries and do not attempt 
the development of a general library. The 
collections of such libraries are confined to 
the subjects determined upon, and such 
reference books as are needed frequently 
enough to warrant their duplication. Any 
departmental library may borrow books 
from the general library and from other 
departmental libraries as needed. 

3. All books in all libraries of the uni- 
versity are the property of the university 
and belong to the University Libraries. 
Books acquired by gift or exchange are 
assigned by the director to the general 
library or to a departmental library, sub- 
ject, In the case of gifts, to the conditions 
under which they have been accepted from 
the donor. Appeal may be made from the 
decision of the director to the board of 
libraries. 

(a) All books belonging to the libraries 
are as far as practicable located where 
they are likely to be of most service, 
whether In the general library or In a 
departmental library. 

(b) Books of interest to several depart- 
ments, by whatever departments recom- 
mended or to whatever account charged, 
are assigned by the director to the general 
library or other library in which it is 
judged that they will be of the greatest 
service. The department that has recom- 
mended the purchase Is notified of the lo- 
cation of the book, provided It Is assigned 
to another library. When cataloged, a 
printed or multigraphed card Is supplied 
for the library of the department which 
has recommended the purchase. In no 
case of such diversion of a new book to a 
library other than the one from which the 
order came is the cost of the book charged 
against the appropriation of the depart- 
ment originally ordering it, unless by 
agreement of that department. 

(c) The first or only set of a given 



periodical, or of the reports, proceedings, 
or transactions of a society, institution, or 
government office, is not in general divided 
between libraries, but, after consultation 
with the libraries concerned, assigned as a 
whole to that library in which It is Judged 
that it will be of the greatest service. In 
cases in which broken sets already exist, 
the director has authority to locate them 
in the general library or other library in 
which they are likely to be of the greatest 
service. Appeal from the director's deci- 
sion may be made to the board of libraries. 

(d) Duplicates may be located in differ- 
ent libraries according to need. Different 
editions of the same book, different lives 
of the same individual, etc., are as far as 
possible shelved together. Only in special 
cases to be decided by the director may 
lives of the same person or different edi- 
tions of the same book be separated. 

(e) Books no longer needed In a de- 
partmental library are returned to the gen- 
eral library. 

(f) Books are temporarily transferred 
from one library to another on agreement 
of the representatives of the libraries im- 
mediately concerned, and approved by the 
director, and charged as in the case of 
other loans. 

Distribution of book funds by subject 
rather than by department, urged by the 
subcommittee, was not adopted. 

What more perhaps than any action of 
the library board has tended to Improve 
conditions somewhat is the fact that the 
departments of the Historical Group and 
of Philosophy, and the Modern Languages, 
are now housed in the same building with 
the general library. As the collections of 
these departments have been gradually 
recataloged and reclassified, there has 
come to pass a merging of their book re- 
sources which has tended to enlarge the 
number of subjects with which their stu- 
dents come into contact during their 
researches in the library. 

Unfortunately, the main library build- 
ing is too small even for the collections 
which It now contains. Some day History 
and the Modern Languages, perhaps also 
Philosophy, will move into adjoining build- 
ings of their own. Connecting with these 
buildings, and with the general library, 
will be that of the Classic and Oriental 
departments already erected, also the new 



HANSON 



216 



building planned for the Divinity School. 
Whether the departmental spirit of seclu- 
sion and exclusion will tend to reassert 
itself under these new conditions remains 
to be seen. It is hoped that the reorgani- 
zation of the library, now under way, will 
by that time have advanced far enough to 
demonstrate the usefulness of having the 
book resources of a given subject in one 
place, not scattered about in eight or nine 
different buildings or libraries as was the 
case, for instance, with books on the fine 
arts, under the old order. 

One department likely to remain outside 
of the group here referred to is Geography. 
If that department were included, it would 
be possible to look forward to a somewhat 
homogeneous development of libraries, at 
any rate for the departments which consti- 
tute the so-called humanities. Including 
as It does economic, historical, military, 
commercial, mathematical and scientific 
geography, economic and natural re- 
sources, commerce, agriculture, history, 
description, social life and the like, the 
separation of this library from the above 
group is likely to give trouble and lead to 
extensive duplication. 

The experience of the University of 
Chicago since 1911 points to the fact that 
departments whose collections are brought 
together in the same building are likely to 
favor a consolidation of all the resources 
on the same subject, provided always that 
an orderly system of classification and 
cataloging is applied in a reasonably 
scholarly and scientific manner. In other 
words, no department whose library has 
so far been recataloged and merged with 
that of other departments and the general 
library is likely, after a year's test of the 
new plan, to look with favor on a return 
to the old order. On the other hand, de- 
partments located in other buildings, even 
though the distance from the central li- 
brary may be less than a hundred feet, 
show as yet little tendency to recede from 
the position held for so many years. Only 
in isolated cases have such departments 
expressed a willingness to have books pur- 



chased for their departments, but on sub- 
jects obviously outside of their special 
field, located In the general library build- 
ing. 

The writer is, however, inclined to view 
the situation with considerable optimism. 
He feels that there cannot fail to be a 
gradual change of heart on the part of 
many departments. The spirit of the 
times calls for cooperation, coordination 
and correlation of resources, economy and 
efficiency of management, and the best 
possible results for the least expenditure 
of money. No one can deny that the 
development and upkeep of separate li- 
braries, covering almost identically the 
same field of knowledge, in different build- 
ings barely a stone's throw apart, means 
greater cost and less efficiency than where 
such collections are merged into one. It 
represents a situation, the continuance of 
which is not likely to be looked upon with 
favor by university administrators who 
have noted the tendency of the times and 
have come to see the importance of a 
strong central library. 

In Washington, the Federal Government 
has long recognized the fact that libraries 
of government departments and oflBces 
must rely on the Library of Congress or 
other departmental libraries for most of 
the material outside of their own indi- 
vidual fields of investigation, and this in 
spite of the fact that they are in many in 
stances located two miles or more awa; 
from the Library of Congress or other li 
braries likely to be of assistance. Sim 
ilarly, the various sections and depart- 
ments of a large city government do not 
to-day attempt the development each of 
its own separate bureau of legislative 
experts. The wisdom of centralization 
and coordination of library resources on 
the same or related subjects is so obvious 
to the experienced librarian, that it seems 
almost unnecessary to devote time to it at 
a conference like the present one. 

To illustrate the possible saving through 
centralization, it may not be out of place 
to cite here a concrete example from the 



216 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



reorganization now being carried out at 
llie University of Chicago. 

Under the old order, the Historical 
Group library, numbering in 1911 about 
59,000 volumes, had a staff consisting of 
four regular assistants on full time, the 
salaries ranging from $50 to ?70 per 
month, and in addition, a large number of 
student assistants working on part time, 
usually ten hours a weels. In 1917, with 
the Historical Group library fully reclassi- 
fied and recataloged, and merged with that 
of the general library, and in part also 
with that of the Modern Languages, 
Philosophy and Education, a conservative 
estimate places the bound volumes stand- 
ing under subjects properly belonging to 
this Group at 130,000, and in addition an 
unknown number of pamphlets. While the 
number of volumes has therefore more 
than doubled, one attendant at a salary of 
|45 per month handles the delivery desk 
and reading room of this group with rea- 
sonable efficiency. Of the former assist- 
ants, two are now on the staff of the gen- 
eral library, and two have resigned. The 
explanation of this reduction in force is of 
course that the staff of the general library 
has been able to take over the cataloging, 
classification and shelving of the books ob- 
tained for these departments, and also a 
considerable part of the reference work. It 
is no doubt true that hundreds of volumes 
on art, literature, law and similar subjects, 
originally purchased for the Historical 
Group library, have been detached from its 
collections and placed with their proper 
subjects in other parts of the building; 
but these losses have been made up sev- 
eral times over by additions, mainly from 
the general library, of books on history, 
geography, and the social sciences. No 
one can deny that all this has meant a 
great increase in the working efficiency of 
the group, and I dare say that there is no 
member of the faculties of these depart- 
ments who would now vote for a return to 
the old system, were that possible. There 
is no reason to suppose that other groups 
or departments which in turn may have to 



undergo the same experience as History 
will not, on emerging from the ordeal, find 
themselves similarly benefited. 

The writer has been informed that his 
criticism in 1912 of certain features of de- 
partmental libraries as developed at the 
University of Chicago has led some to 
think that he was opposed to all depart- 
mental libraries. Nothing could be farther 
from the truth. In his opinion, depart- 
mental collections, larger or smaller, ac- 
cording to the needs and conditions govern- 
ing each particular case, have come to stay. 
Especially in large universities, where dis- 
tances from one department to another, or 
between the department and the general li- 
brary, are sometimes sufficient to render the 
use of a central collection difficult, and 
particularly where the books needed in the 
department are not likely to duplicate or 
overlap with those required by other de- 
partments, it is no doubt right and proper 
that a departmental library should be estab- 
lished and maintained. It may likewise be 
granted that in such cases the departmental 
library should be given some latitude and 
freedom of development. Where, on the 
other hand, only a scant hundred feet 
separates the departmental building from 
the general library, and particularly where 
work of the department is in fields likely 
to overlap or parallel those of other de- 
partments, the situation becomes quite dif- 
ferent. The writer grants that even here 
there should be a reference library and 
reading room, provided always that the 
university can stand the expense, the ref- 
erence books in this case, however, to 
consist largely of duplicate copies of books 
already in the possession of the general 
library. To permit such a department to 
build up a library of from 10,000 to 50,000 
volumes or more, can be justified solely on 
the ground that the subjects taught in the 
department will not require the removal 
or detachment from the general library of 
large numbers of books wanted also by 
other departments. It may be permitted, 
for instance, for a divinity library to have 
in its departmental building the main col- 



217 



lections of books dealing with religion and 
theoloev. nr pvph In certain cases boolis 
on the description and history of coun- 
tries or sections of paramount interest to 
the missionary student; but to allow the 
same library to build up also large collec- 
tions on general history, sociology, ethics, 
education, philology and literature, when 
there are far better libraries on these sub- 
jects within fifty yards of the Divinity 
building, the latter perhaps, as at the Uni- 
versity of Chicago, connecting directly 
with the general library building, seems 
utterly wasteful and indefensible. It rep- 
resents an expenditure of funds wholly 
unwarranted by the slight advantage of 
convenience to a small group of instructors 
and students, an advantage which is more- 
over largely offset by the distinct loss to 
these same students in not being brought 
into contact with and not learning to uti- 
lize the larger and more comprehensive 
collections in the general library. Natur- 
ally there is also to be reckoned the loss 
to other students causea by the with- 
drawal from the general library of sections 
of books which might reasonably be looked 
for in that library rather than in a de- 
partment. 

These arguments for centralization of 
book resources on the same or related 
subjects will usually appeal to the uni- 
versity administrator, provided always 
that they are backed up by clear and defi- 
nite proofs, which show a distinct saving 
of money, provided also that the traditions 
of independence and solidarity of depart- 
ments have not become so deeply rooted 
that attempts at forcing a change are 
likely to cause unpleasant feelings among 
members of departments most directly 
affected. 

It Is unfortunately not always an easy 
matter to demonstrate to busy men, not 
specialists in library administration, that 
centralization really represents a saving. 
Often the departmental libraries have been 
built up and administered by student help, 
without trained or salaried assistants, 
cataloging, shelving and binding expenses 
having been cut to the lowest possible 



minimum. When such collections are 
taken over for the purpose of reorganiza- 
tion on modern and stable lines by a pro- 
fessional force, the cost of administration 
is at first likely to rise. Moreover, the 
administrator may not readily see that it 
is infinitely more difficult to reorganize 
such a library than to deal with an entirely 
new collection of equal size. 

Basing his remarks in part on his ex- 
periences in connection with the reorganiza- 
tion on which he has been engaged for the 
last five years the writer will call attention 
to a few of the results likely to obtain, 
whenever large departmental collections 
are permitted to develop somewhat inde- 
pendently, without adequate help or ex- 
perienced supervision. 

The reclassification and recataloging of 
such departmental libraries, and the neces- 
sary investigation into the somewhat varied 
collections of books brought together during 
the several years of their existence, are sure 
to reveal conditions which it is believed 
are likely to be repeated whenever depart- 
mental libraries are built up under simi- 
lar conditions. 

Even where such libraries have adopted 
for their catalogs cards of the so-called 
international size, three by five inches, the 
cataloging Is pretty sure to have been car- 
ried on for the most part by students with- 
out experience, working without super- 
vision or general control and with no spe- 
cial attempt at coordination of the results. 
As may be expected, the catalogs will be 
found so defective as to render them practi- 
cally useless in connection with a possible 
reorganization. As for classification, some 
libraries may have adopted, say the 
decimal classification without any modifi- 
cation, using perhaps one of the older 
editions. Other libraries may have modified 
the "decimal" to suit their individual 
needs, and while in many respects the 
modification may represent an improvement 
on the original, the fact that the numbers 
have been given a totally different meaning 
from that of the regular classification will 
make it dicult to utilize the "Decimal" In 
the reorganization. Other libraries, again 



218 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



will have adopted a letter or letters to 
designate classes, but without consulting 
other libraries also using letters, the result 
being that the same letter may stand for 
Political Economy in one department, for 
Mineralogy in another. 

In the purchase of books there will be 
evident lack of cooperation, several li- 
braries developing collections of books on 
the same subjects without any effective 
check on duplication. 

Sets of the same periodicals may be 
taken by different libraries without assur- 
ance of a complete set except through 
consolidation of two or three of them. 
Systematic efforts to fill gaps or even to 
keep up current sets are sure to be lacking. 
Publications of societies and institutions, 
reports of government departments and 
bureaus will be found to be incomplete. 
Lives of the same individual by different 
authors will turn up in three to four differ- 
ent libraries, various editions of the same 
book in different departments. 

Books have often been permitted to ac- 
cumulate without being bound or cataloged, 
the result being that signatures, title-pages, 
indexes, entire parts or numbers and even 
volumes, are lost. Libraries have outgrown 
their quarters, leading to methods of 
shelving and storage which must cause 
damage to the books. 

Owing to the large number of libraries 
requiring separate reading rooms, attend- 
ants and equipment, the funds appropri- 
ated may not have been sufficient to go 
around, the result being employment of 
Inadequate and inexperienced help, inferior 
and Insufficient equipment, and conse- 
quently inefficient service. 

One of the most serious aspects of the 
situation will, however, be the difficulty 
under existing conditions, first of finding 
what material may be available on a given 
subject, and finally of bringing that ma- 
terial together for the use of a given 
student or body of students. 

The departments, while realizing, no 
doubt, the need of some reorganization and 
readjustments, will, at least in some cases, 



be rather reluctant to give up anything 
purchased on their appropriations or once 
installed as part of their libraries. Par- 
ticularly the scientific departments are 
prone to look on their libraries as quite as 
necessary for their work as laboratories 
and similar equipment, and are opposed 
to the removal of any considerable section 
of them to the general library. 

No doubt all the departments may have 
begun their work with a general under- 
standing that purchases were to be kept 
within certain limits, e. g. History to de- 
velop history, not agriculture and art, etc. 
Without a strong central check the depart- 
ments, however, are likely to buy in gen- 
eral what an instructor in the department 
has occasion to refer to in connection with 
his classes or lectures, the only real check 
being the limits of the departmental book 
appropriation. 

To the experienced librarian it may 
seem clear enough that the mistakes in- 
volved in the building of department li- 
braries in the manner here indicated are 
twofold, first, the development of depart- 
mental libraries by inexperienced and in- 
sufficient help prior to the institution of a 
strong central library; second, giving the 
departments a free hand and not appoint- 
ing a competent body to act as a check on 
purchases. In other words, the mistakes 
made are not likely to be repeated. At the 
same time, it seems to the writer, by no 
means unlikely that there is danger of a 
similar situation resulting whenever a 
university has on Its faculty aggressive 
and ambitious heads of departments not 
familiar with the technical side of library 
administration, men who have difficulty, 
therefore, in seeing any danger in the 
acquisition by their particular library of 
publications which, strictly speaking, are 
either too general for a departmental li- 
brary, or touch the field of some other de- 
partment rather than their own. The 
natural tendency is to give in to a strong 
and emphatic demand that such exceptions 
be made, and when the door has once been 
opened, it is difficult to refuse a second 



HANSON 



219 



and a third request. The result is that In 
the course of twenty or thirty years we 
have a departmental library whose chief 
strength is as yet, no doubt, represented by 
the subject for which the department 
stands, but which has gradually branched 
out also into other subjects until it is 
more and more usurping the functions of 
the general library. 

With this branching out has come the 
unavoidable demand for additional funds 
for books, for equipment and force, for 
space in which to house its collections. 
With ten to twenty departments all en- 
gaged in healthy rivalry, it is not difficult 
to see that expenditures for books and 
libraries are under such circumstances 
likely to rise to a point where the authori- 
ties must call a halt. With retrenchments 
in the appropriations come various ques- 
tionable economies of administration, some 
of which have been incidentally alluded to 
above. Experience shows that the depart- 
ment is loath to cut down its purchases. 
It prefers to economize by omitting the 
binding of books, by hiring cheaper help 
and adding cheaper equipment, the inevi- 
table result of which is loss of books, 
deterioration in service and a general low- 
ering of efficiency. 

Having pointed out the dangers of inde- 
pendent development of departmental li- 
braries, it may be in order to consider the 
practical working out of various attempts 
at coordination of the libraries and their 
administration by central authority. 

The Prussian universities were the first 
to take up in some systematic manner the 
relations of the central and the depart- 
mental libraries. Among the German uni- 
versity librarians who have contributed to 
the discussion is Dr. Milkau, director of the 
University Library at Breslau. In his 
opinion, the final solution lies in setting a 
definite limit to the number of volumes 
■which a departmental library can have on 
its shelves. Some such arbitrary rule as 
this may be possible of application in a 
German university under government con- 
trol. Whether departmental heads in 
American universities could be persuaded 



to abide by a similar ruling would prob- 
ably depend not a little on tradition or the 
habits of the particular university com- 
munity. At best, one familiar with Amer- 
ican character is likely to be a little skep- 
tical as regards its successful enforcement. 

Speaking, then, from the standpoint of 
the American university, it would seem 
better, at least for the present, not to 
attempt any arbitrary limitation of the 
development of a departmental library, 
Instead, efforts might be directed towards 
the coordination of their book resources. 
A uniform system of classification and 
catalogs is naturally one of the first essen- 
tials of such coordination; so also a clear 
demarcation of the field of knowledge and 
a specification of subjects allotted to a 
given department with clear indication of 
exceptions to be permitted. 

How tar may a library duplicate its cen- 
tral catalog for the use of a department? 
Unfortunately, a full printed catalog, 
author and subject, kept up to date by fre- 
quent cumulative supplements, is today 
beyond the reach of even the wealthiest 
institution. Our reliance must, as a rule, 
be the card or manuscript catalog, and 
here again it is difficult to make the head 
of a department see the great difficulties 
connected with a duplication of the cen- 
tral catalog, or at any rate those sections 
of it likely to interest his particular de- 
partment. 

A number of American universities have 
tended towards the development of the 
departmental catalog by transfer to it of 
certain classes of entries previously added 
to the central catalog, e. g., analytical 
entries for collections and serial publica- 
tions of particular interest to the depart- 
ment. In other words, a catalog of the 
departmental library is to be developed, 
to some extent at least, at the expense of 
the central or main catalog. This would 
seem to be a questionable policy. It means 
that the dispersion of the book resources 
is to be followed by the disruption also of 
the catalog, the last link, as it were, be- 
tween the general library and the depart- 
ments. The attitude of the librarian is 



220 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



naturally favorable to the full and com- 
plete development of every catalog; but 
when this has to be accomplished at the 
expense of the central catalog, it becomes 
a question of policy to which most careful 
consideration must be given. To the 
writer it would seem of prime Importance 
that there should be at least one place on 
the campus where information might be 
obtained in regard to all the book re- 
sources of the university, and the logical 
place for such a center should be the gen- 
eral library, rather than the departments. 

Another point in the cataloging practice 
on which more light is needed, is the ex- 
tent to which cne can and should go in 
attempting to represent in the general 
catalog books located in the departments, 
and vice versa, how far entries for books 
In the general library or in another de- 
partmental library should be made to ap- 
pear in the catalog of a particular depart- 
ment. 

We may grant that a union catalog to 
contain at least one author or title entry 
for every book in departmental libraries is 
a desideratum or even a necessity; also 
that the proper place for this catalog is the 
general library. There may be differences 
of opinion, however, as regards the advisa- 
bility of extending the scope of the catalog 
so as to include also subject entries for 
all books in the university. Furthermore, 
it is doubtful whether it will be found pos- 
sible to carry over into a series of depart- 
mental catalogs much information about 
books In other libraries. It is no doubt a 
satisfaction to know that books on a given 
subject may be found in nearby libraries 
whence they can be brought within a rea- 
sonable time, but there are great difficul- 
ties connected with this plan. For in- 
stance, experience has shown that the 
public in consulting a catalog does not 
readily distinguish between books located 
in departmental libraries and those found 
in the main library or vice versa, and as 
a result there is dissatisfaction. Then 
again, the expense involved in this whole- 
sale duplication of cataloging records Is 



one of which only the few who have had 
practical experience with it can have any 
i^dcquate idea. 

Aside from actual duplication of records 
one must take into account the frequent 
change of location of books assigned to 
departments, and the consequent cost of 
recording these changes on the various 
entries in the central and departmental 
catalogs. Tests have shown that when 
many copies of the entry must be dealt 
with, the cost of this item alone runs from 
twenty-flve to thirty-five cents per title. 
The alternative of omitting from the cata- 
log entry all indication of the department 
in which the book is located and relying 
upon the charging card to furnish the in- 
formation, has also its obvious drawbacks. 
In the library with which the writer is 
connected the plan so far followed has 
been to catalog in full a book located in a 
departmental library and indicate its loca- 
tion on author and subject cards in the 
public catalogs (both a dictionary and a 
classed catalog being in process of com- 
pilation). Although it is foreseen that the 
day may come when thousands of books 
will be turned back to the central library 
by departments pressed for space, it has 
not as yet seemed advisable to limit the 
number of entries in the main catalog or 
to omit note of location from all or a part 
of them. 

Such then are some of the problems to 
be reckoned with in the expansion and 
increase of departmental libraries. De- 
partments must and will have books. 
They cannot wait for buildings, catalogs, 
trained help or other essentials of sound 
library management. Nowhere, therefore, 
does it seem more important than in a 
large university, that there should be at 
the outset a central library strong enough 
to care for current accessions. Most, per- 
haps, all, university librarians agree in the 
main with Mr. Lyster's resolution before 
the Congress at Brussels in 1910,* which 
in free translation reads as follows: 



•Congr^s de Bruxelles, 1910. Actes, 
724-726. 



221 



"It Is not desirable to dismember a large 
general library and deprive it of one or 
more of its sections; a large general li- 
brary resembles a university and differs 
from the small special library as does a 
university from a school of technology. Its 
usefulness is lost if it Is dismembered." 

At the same time we know that, as al- 
ready stated in this paper, a large uni- 
versity must have its departmental libra- 
ries, consisting of larger or smaller col- 
lections of books, according to the needs 
of each particular case. The existence of 
this need, however, does not justify a de- 
partment In proceeding to build its library 
as if this particular department and its 
library constituted the entire university, 
with no other library or department within 
a radius of a hundred miles. 

Willie there are no doubt many, even 
among those here present, who believe that 
a strict adherence to the idea conveyed 
by Mr. Lyster's resolution — to permit no 
separation or detachment of any section 
of a university library from its regular 
place in the central building — would yield 
the best results for the least money, the 
demands of the teaching and research de- 
partments of our large universities are 
coming to be such that it would probably 
prove impossible for any institution, in the 
long run, to hold strictly to this principle. 
Theoretically it may well be the ideal to- 
wards which each university library should 
strive. No doubt all the books should as 
far as possible be classified and cataloged 



as though parts of one single harmonious 
unit. In pr.ictice, however, some portion 
of them are likely to be loaned for definite 
or indefinite periods, to form more or less 
extensive departmental libraries. 

Possibly mechanical or other technical 
devices may in time facilitate and simplify 
connection and communication between a 
distinct department and the central Li- 
brary to such an extent that all the prob- 
lems with which the present paper has en- 
deavored to deal shall be solved; but until 
that has come to pass, the writer, know 
ing that the ideal — a large general library 
with strong departmental libraries consist- 
ing solely of duplicates, each library with 
its building, and up-to-date catalog — is Im- 
possible of attainment, would be highly 
pleased to see realized as a second choice, 
a large central library from which books 
may be borrowed for longer or shorter per- 
iods to supply the more urgent needs of a 
department. A third alternative which 
might be mentioned would call for the 
second plan, but with the privilege of loan 
extended to Include, especially in the case 
cf certain scientific departments, also the 
main classes of books representing the 
subjects taught in these departments. 

Whether the first plan, to which the sys- 
tem of the Clark University library most 
nearly approximates; the second or third, 
or some compromise between the three, is 
to be adopted, becomes an administrative 
matter to be settled by each university ac- 
cording to Its lights and its means. 



A PLAN FOR A CENSUS OF RESEARCH RESOURCES 
By Clement W. Andkews, Librarian the John Crerar Library, Chicago 



It is evident that the fact that a collec- 
tion is called special by the library, pos- 
sessing it, is no guarantee that it is of 
special value to a scholar. On the other 
hand, a list of these special collections is 
by no means exhaustive of any subject, for 
even If the holdings of all special libraries 
— for example, those of natural history so- 



cieties and the me;lical societies — were list- 
ed, there would still remain those of the 
larger public libraries, the general refer- 
ence libraries and above all, the libraries 
in Washington. The proposition I submit, 
therefore, is that a census be taken of all 
these resources, so that scholars may be 
able to ascertain all the places where con- 



222 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



siderable amounts of material in their lines 
are to be found. 

For this purpose some uniform method 
of estimating the size of the holdings 
should be agreed upon. The usual one of 
stating that a library contains so many 
volumes and so many pamphlets, as pro- 
vided for by the rules of the A. L. A., is 
better than nothing, but it is not entirely 
satisfactory. Mr. Currier has pointed out 
that the older libraries have many vol- 
umes of bound pamphlets, the value of 
which is not adequately measured by the 
number of the volumes. On the other hand, 
the number of titles is also inadequate, be- 
cause a collection may be rich in volumes 
of periodicals or other serials. Is there not 
wanted a term which will signify the total 
of pamphlets, whether bound or unbound, 
and bound volumes, except those made up 
of pamphlets? Would "pieces" be satisfac- 
tory? The name is not very important be- 
cause the term would be defined in the 
beginning and only numbers given in the 
body of the work. A single number would 
be clearer to the users of the list than 
two or more, as well as more economical. 

The arrangement should be a classed one. 
For instance, special collections on coleop- 
tera should follow those on entomology and 
those again on zoology. With such an ar- 
rangement an index will refer to all the 
Information available, whereas an alpha- 
beted arrangement of the subjects would 
require many cross references and still not 
Insure this comprehensiveness. Moreover, 
a considerable economy in printing and a 



greater legibility of the page could be se- 
cured by varying the degree of division of 
the classes in accordance with the number 
of entries on them. For instance, under 
English drama, Shakespeare would of 
course be treated separately, but most of 
the minor dramatists would be included 
under the general heading, stating of 
course the name of the author or authors 
to which each collection is devoted. 

The system of classification should be 
one in print and in fairly general use; in 
other words, either the Decimal or that of 
the Library of Congress. 

It is not proposed to take a census of the 
library resources of the country, which in- 
deed would be a formidable undertaking, 
but one of special research material. It 
would therefore take no account of mod- 
erate sized general collections containing 
few unusual books and so would exclude 
most of the holdings of most libraries and 
include all the holdings of very few, if any. 

Many interesting and important details 
could be determined only by investigation 
and after careful consideration, but the ob- 
ject appears to me both desirable and feas- 
ible and I would suggest the appointment 
of a committee to take it up. 

(In the discussion which followed a gen- 
eral approval of the plan was expressed. 
Several units in which the size of the col- 
lection could be stated were proposed, 
among them "titles" and "titles and num- 
bers." One member of the section called 
attention to the desirability of giving the 
dates covered by the collection whenever 
these could be stated definitely.] 



THE RETURN OF COOPERATIVE INDEXING 
By E. C. Richardson, Librarian, Princeton University 



The huge increase in the output of 
books since the cheapening of printing and 
paper, together with the increasing tend- 
ency to produce In the form of collective 
monographs by various authors; period- 
icals, transactions, festschriften, and even 



encyclopedias with long signed articles, 
make the matter of analytical cataloging, 
or whole-article indexing, one of the most 
urgent of library problems. Literature has 
become a labyrinth and the need of a 
clue to it imperative. The vast waste of 



RICHARDSON 



223 



research time Involved in the present sit- 
uation, and the still vaster failure of re- 
search students to reach their material, 
has become intolerable. 

Of course, it is not a new problem and 
attempts at its solution have been many. 
These may be distinguished into three 
main forms, (1) an analytical catalog ot 
the contents of a library; (2) analytical 
whole-article indexes to a given class of 
periodicals or other polygraphic works; 
(3) special bibliographies containing ana- 
lytical references to a given subject. 

The catalogs of the Boston Athenaeum, 
Brooklyn Public Library and Peabody In- 
stitute are types of the analytical printed 
catalog of a general library, but the type 
Is obsolete. If all American libraries of 
the size of these libraries should prepare 
and publish such catalogs, millions of dol- 
lars worth of purely duplicate cataloging 
would be involved. There is a certain 
tiny advantage in having a catalog which 
represents only books which can be found 
in a certain library, but it is an advantage 
gained at undue expense. 

What is true of the printed analytical 
catalog is true also in part of the analyt- 
ical card catalog. Individual analysis of 
periodicals and transactions is now rare, 
but there are still sporadic attempts even 
at this, sometimes from mere lack of judg- 
ment and sometimes from despair over 
the lack of general indexes. This is most 
true of very specialized collections where 
the index need is most felt. In the larger 
libraries It has become not only a matter 
of clerical expense but of overloading the 
card catalog. A few libraries still dare 
to include A. L. A. cards, but most li- 
braries are bent on weeding analyticals 
rather than multiplying them. Many li- 
braries practically eliminate from their 
catalogs all periodical, transaction and en- 
cyclopedia references, but most continue 
the analysis of non-serial polygraphy and 
the duplicate cost which results from the 
Independent analyzing of tens ot thou- 
sands of sets Is something tremendous. 
The temptation to this cataloging extrava- 
gance comes from the inexhaustive and un- 



systematic character of existing biblio- 
graphical aids and the paucity of whole- 
article indexes. 

It cannot be denied that the help of the 
bibliographies is very great. Works such 
as those of Chevalier, Potthast and other 
historical handbooks, the "Index medicus," 
the "Catalog of scientific literature," and 
so on, are incredible time savers, but they 
are far from covering the whole field sys- 
tematically. V 

Whatever may be true from the stand- 
point of special students as to bibliogra- 
phies, the ideal solution of the polygraphy 
problem from the library standpoint (i. e., 
the greatest good of the greatest number 
of students and of those who make bib- 
liographies for these special students), is 
the whole-article index, exhaustive as to 
each work included. 

Like the bibliography, the whole-article 
index does not show that a given title Is 
in a particular library, but on the other 
hand it has two by-products of value, (1) 
it shows the purchase department of a li- 
brary what is lacking and (2) in these 
days of inter-library lending and joint 
lists, it shows that an article can be found 
in other libraries and perhaps in what 
libraries. Therefore librarians will pretty 
generally agree that the right solution of 
the huge problem of modern polygraphic 
literature is the exhaustive, analytical, 
whole-article index. 

It is generally agreed also that the ideal 
form for such indexes is triple — author, 
alphabetical subject and classed. There is 
still discussion as to the relative merits 
of alphabetical subject and classed for va- 
rious kinds of use, in case one form only 
can be had, but there is no dispute as to 
the ideal. It is quite generally agreed too 
that the alphabetical subject index is the 
most practical and most fruitful first aid. 
The problem is chiefly how to get enough 
of it 

The modern history of practical whole- 
article indexing begins with the index to 
periodicals by Poole, first alone and then 
by cooperation. It is true that there were 
whole-article Indexes before his day, but 



224 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



he began the modern era. Poole's was an 
alphabetical subject whole-article index, 
printed in pages, forming a book, sold at 
a uniform price. It was an index of gen- 
eral periodicals, shading from the popular 
to the semi-professional, but distinctly not 
an index to research periodicals, and in- 
cluding only periodicals in English. Begun 
as an individual enterprise, it outgrew the 
powers of one man and cooperation was 
then introduced successfully, thanks large- 
ly to the indefatigable editing of Mr. 
Fletcher. 

For many years the Poole compilation 
was conducted on the cooperative basis. 
Many of us contended all along that this 
was only a makeshift, and necessarily a 
makeshift. The best cooperation, we said, 
was not voluntary, but from an organized 
and paid clerical force. 

Alongside indexes to general periodicals, 
there have appeared a number of special 
indexes; indexes to law periodicals, to sci- 
entific periodicals, to religious periodicals, 
etc. Some of these have been in the alpha- 
betical form, some classified, some page- 
printed, others printed on cards, some vol- 
untary and some commercial. 

When "Poole's index" graduated into the 
"Cumulative index," it seemed that the 
principle of indexing on the ordinary com- 
mercial basis of book production and pur- 
chase had won out. The principle of vol- 
untary cooperation had, it seemed, been 
finally merged in a proper business sys- 
tem. The problem was, however, no 
sooner solved than it reappeared. More 
periodicals were wanted, and the com- 
mercial publishers devised a service 
charge in proportion to the number of 
periodicals taken by a given library and 
included In the list. The method was 
plausible but there was an instinctive re- 
sentment of it. The idea that one library 
should pay $250 for a book which another 
library could get for $10, seemed prima 
facie, unfair. The publishers, however, 
were convinced of its reasonableness. Why 
should not a library which has twenty-five 
times as many periodicals pay twenty-five 
times as much for indexing? It would cost 



this library twenty-five times as much as 
the other if it were to index for itself. 
Why not pay tor service? However, it is 
evident that very many of the small li- 
braries use this index, not merely as a 
guide to the contents of their own period- 
icals, but as a bibliographical guide to 
their readers who find the periodicals 
where they can in other public libraries, 
naturally, and on the average, in the near- 
est big public library. It therefore serves 
the small library in many ways; it reduces 
the number of periodicals that it needs 
to take, it enables its natural constituents 
to get the major benefit from the other 
libraries. 

On the other hand, the benefit of the 
large library is chiefly as a guide for its 
own natural constituents to its own col- 
lections. The service by it to the constit- 
uents of smaller libraries in remoter places 
is only an additional weight. However 
useful to the world and desirable on gen- 
eral principles, it is an additional pull on 
the particular administrative force of the 
library, which means, of course, on the 
funds available for indexing as well as 
other matters. It may, therefore, be ar- 
gued that its use to the small library, or 
at least to a certain class of medium sized 
libraries, well situated as to other libra- 
ries, is certainly greater in proportion to 
size and general usefulness than the use 
to a larger library. This becomes an a for- 
tiori matter for the hundreds of public 
libraries, large or small, in the suburbs of 
New York. The value of the "Cumulative 
index" to these libraries may conceivably 
be more for the use of New York collec- 
tions than for their own collections. 

Again and still more to the point is the 
fact that small libraries get 100 per cent 
service where large ones may get, perhaps, 
not more than 10 per cent. Every period- 
ical in a small library is indexed. Further 
than this, the actual service rendered in 
a research library is, magazine for maga- 
zine, less than in the popular library. 

On the whole the trouble seems to lie 
not 60 much in the principle of the service 
charge as in the fact that the "Index" 



RICHARDSON 



225 



gives a thorough service to small libraries 
only. 

The long and short of the matter seems 
to be that commercial indexiilg is strictly- 
applicable only to the popular periodicals 
for the popular libraries — a few hundred 
at most. For the vastly greater problem 
of research libraries with their thousands 
of serials, other means must be devised. 

Such means are twofold; endowment 
and cooperation. Undoubtedly the most 
consistent and economical results would be 
had from support such as the "Index med- 
icus" and the "Catalog of scientific litera- 
ture" have had, but the problem is grow- 
ing more pressing to the research libra- 
ries every day and it would seem as if 
libraries would be forced to take up old 
fashioned cooperation again. 

A very extensive experiment in this di- 
rection has been made through the A. L. A. 
periodical cards, which have been pre- 
pared cooperatively. Many of us have sub- 
scribed to these with joy as a great deal 
less than half a loaf, but much better than 
nothing. Even these, however, are now 
languishing.' 

The very suggestion of a return to co- 
operative methods raises again the ques- 
tion whether the best cooperation after all 
is not through money exchange rather than 
the barter of labor. Is the Wilson service 
system not perhaps, after all, sound in 
principle, however unjust in its applica- 
tions? 

Take the obvious, clean-cut matter of 
the analysis of current non-serial polyg- 
raphy. It seems clear enough that by a 
proper distribution of this material among 
the forty or fifty libraries which take the 
books every forty or fifty sets might be 
done one each by the libraries and all have 
results of this doing. Granted all the ex 
penses of postage and editing, there is evi- 
dently a very wide margin of saving. 

Take again the situation and unite with 
it the idea of which Dr. C. W. Andrews 
is so ardent a champion, that all new 



'Due of course to the war, which makes it ir 
possible to secure the periodicals to be indexed.- 

Editor. 



books, imported or native, needed for re- 
search libraries and not to be cataloged 
by the Library of Congress, should be cat- 
aloged upon cards in New York, and we 
have the possibility of also analyzing these 
books there and paying a proportionate 
share of cost. 

There is a very practical psychological 
difiiculty at this point in getting trustees 
to put up advance cash for such an enter- 
prise. It is something like a service 
charge in this respect, but the proposition 
is a clear one and it might be possible 
to work it on this or some combination of 
a more commercial character. It might 
be possible, for example, for a number of 
libraries to guarantee the cost of publica- 
tion, or guarantee the sale of a certain 
number of copies, copies themselves being 
sold however, at a uniform price to all. 
If the work were organized to be done, 
say by the Wilson Company itself, since 
it is in New York, they might either take 
it up as a simple matter of printing and 
publishing after the material contributed 
by various libraries and edited was ready 
for the press, or they might undertake also 
the editing of the material, or they might 
undertake the analysis as well, in every 
event, however, on a guarantee or a fixed 
volume price. An attempt might be made 
to get the support of some of the en- 
dowments for research and education, and 
if this failed it ought to be not only pos- 
sible, but an obvious duty for the libraries 
to take up the matter definitely and to ex- 
tend it not only to non-serial material, but 
also to periodicals and transactions, in 
fields not now cared for, and especially In 
the fields of history, language and the 
social sciences. 

In the worst event, the forty or fifty li- 
braries concerned in this matter can af- 
ford to return to the plain, old, Poole 
method for various definite large classes 
of books and should do so, unless in the 
near future, an "Index medicus" and "Sur- 
geon General's catalog" can be provided 
for the other branches of learning. 

The "Cumulative index" serves the pop- 



226 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



ular library admirably — it hardly touches 
the needs of research libraries. Efforts 
to mix the functions have resulted in 
small gain and much irritation. The need 



is to distinguish and fill the research want 
as the popular need is now filled — and the 
only method in sight seems a return to 
Poole cooperation. 



LIBRARY LEGISLATION 

By Edmund L. Ckaig, Trustee, Evansville (Ind.) PuMic Library 



The events of the immediate past have 
thrust upon the attention of all mankind 
the world-wide question of the education 
and enlightenment of the masses. When 
the czar of all the Russias is hurled from 
his throne in a night; when Spain's sol- 
diery attempt to take upon themselves the 
adjustment of national affairs; when we 
see in action the great fighting machine 
which we are told the kaiser has taken 
years to build; when we are startled by the 
quick-moving events of a Sinn Fein rebel- 
lion; when, in fact, we hear of any of the 
events of world-wide importance, the news 
of which we have grown accustomed late- 
ly to expect with each issue of our daily 
paper, we unconsciously think of the mass- 
es back of these great movements, and the 
effect which the enlightenment or unen- 
lightenment of these masses has and will 
have upon each particular movement, and 
upon the world at large. 

We who believe "that all power Is In- 
herent in the people; and that all free gov- 
ernments are, and of right ought to be, 
founded on their authority, and instituted 
for their peace, safety and well-being," 
are of course elated at the democratic 
tendency of the times, but on the other 
hand for some of the nations we can only 
hope that the enlightened leaders may suc- 
ceed In steering the ship of state through 
these turbulent times without disaster. 

As trustees we are entrusted with this 
enlightenment of the people through the 
agency of the public library, and we are 
certainly blind to the world of affairs if 
the crises through which the nations are 



passing have not brought us to a full real- 
ization of the supreme importance of our 
work and the necessity for Its early ex- 
tension to every unit of society. 

If knowledge is essential to the preserva- 
tion of a free government, any means by 
whicli learning can be generally diffused 
should have the unqualified support of 
every believer in true democracy. That 
public libraries furnish one of the potent 
means of enlightening the people has been 
recognized by the law making body of 
every state in the union. 

We were told last year by Mr. Brett, that 
tlie several states in forming a federal 
Union retained the right and duty of edu- 
cating the people. In fulfilling this duty 
the state necessarily passes laws. The 
question of what is the most efficient li- 
brary legislation, and the more practical 
question of how to obtain such legislation, 
has engaged the thought of the best minds 
in the library field. Every side and phase 
of the question has been studied and dis- 
cussed and I cannot hope to add anything 
new, other than some personal observa- 
tions based upon the working of our In- 
diana law, in the hope that they may be 
of assistance to some while we are waiting 
for the model law to crystallize. 

In the excellent address by Mr. Hicks 
before the Asbury Park Conference last 
year, he stated that in only one state, 
Michigan, do we find a definite constitu- 
tional provision concerning public libra- 
ries. While the word "library" is not 
found in our Indiana constitution we have 
a provision therein, which our supreme 



227 



court says is a sufficient provision for a 
public library system. 

The Indiana general library law pro- 
vides that three members of the library 
board shall be appointed by the Judge of 
the circuit court, two by the common coun- 
cil, and two by the school board, and to 
the board thus appointed is delegated the 
power of levying a tax for library pur- 
poses. 

In 1903 our legislature passed a law 
which in its legal aspects coincides with 
our present general library law. A case 
testing the constitutionality of this law 
reached the Supreme Court in 1906. The 
principal contention was that the law is 
unconstitutional for the reason that it in- 
volves an unlawful delegation of the power 
of taxation, in that it authorizes the ap- 
pointees of the common council to exer- 
cise such authority. The opinion uphold- 
ing the law, based the court's decision on 
a previous decision upholding the school 
law. 

If our law-making bodies are not ex- 
pressly denied the right in their respective 
constitutions, it seems the power to levy 
the library tax may be delegated to the 
library board. I feel that this is highly 
to be desired and I am quite sure that 
no one who has ever been connected with 
a library where the library board levied 
the tax, is anxious to try any other plan. 
The library board is better informed in 
regard to library matters than any other 
tax levying unit; they serve without pay 
and are, therefore, not financially inter- 
ested; if the board is appointed as in our 
state they are as nearly out of politics as 
can well be, and the political fortunes of 
the local unit does not affect their action. 

Our local school boards levy the school 
tax and our school system is an acknowl- 
edged success. If the library tax is levied 
by the library board I feel that a number 
of the librarian's troubles will be mini- 
mized, if not ended. The terror will be re- 
moved from budget making, we will no 
longer fear that the minimums of our 
state law will also be made maximums, 
and a reasonable amount will always be 



available for library purposes. In this con- 
nection, however, I feel that we trustees 
who have the tax levying power should 
study carefully local and general condi- 
tions as they affect our trust and not al- 
low our enthusiasm for library affairs to 
warp our judgment. In my opinion no li- 
brary tax should be levied which does not 
meet the approval of the thinking people 
of the community. Their approval is nec- 
essary to the success of our work. 

Of the making of laws there is no end. 
By a careful examination of our Indiana 
Statutes in 1914 I found in the books 
twenty-eight distinct acts relating to pub- 
lic libraries. Seven of these were special 
— applying only to some particular city 
or town. If we are to have more legisla- 
tion, and I feel that such is necessary, 
let one law be passed providing for a pub- 
lic library system and leaving to the local 
units the working out of the minor details 
as applied to their particular situation. It 
would be at least impracticable for the 
legislatures to do more than provide by 
law for a general and uniform system of 
public libraries. 

Inasmuch as the public library is a part 
of our educational system I feel that any 
general library law should provide for the 
cooperation of our libraries with our 
schools. Our Indiana law provides that 
two members of the library board shall 
be appointed by the school board and we 
find that this provision of the law works 
out very satisfactorily. The closer the 
relation between the schools and the li- 
brary, the management of each remaining 
separate and distinct, the easier it will be 
to secure the confidence and support of 
the people. 

Another thing much to be desired in li- 
brary administration is the removal of the 
library board as far as possible from po- 
litical control. If this can be accomplished 
in the general library law of the state the 
success of that state's library system is 
assured. Just in proportion as the library 
is affected by politics is its efficiency de- 
stroyed. 

While in my opinion women are a neces- 



228 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



sary part of every library board, I do not 
believe it necessary or desirable that the 
library law should indicate the sex of 
those who are to compose the local boards. 
A few years ago it was thought necessary 
to write into the laws that a certain num- 
ber of the members of the board must be 
women. I know of several communities 
where this law is being violated. A few 
years hence some of us men may thinli it 
necessary to provide by law that a part 
of the board must be of the male persua- 
sion. It seems to me that this is one of 
the questions which can best be handled 
by each particular unit as its problems 
arise, and that mentioning the question in 
a general law is unduly emphasizing a mat- 
ter that is rapidly adjusting itself. 

We of the library world are striving to 
have the public library given equal recog- 
nition with the public school as an edu- 
cational factor. If our hope is to be real- 
ized the public librarian must take her 
place alongside the public school teacher 
and with her enjoy the confidence of her 
patrons. Until the librarian is licensed by 
the state I do not believe this possible, 
and for this reason a board of examiners 
should be provided by law, and all libra- 
rians, in libraries receiving over a certain 
fixed income, should be required to hold a 
certificate of qualifications. By beginning 
with the larger libraries we can gradually 
reach the desired ideal. 

One of these days the resources of our 
Carnegles may become exhausted, or be 
withdrawn, or, for other reasons, it may 
be desired to build library buildings 
where the maximum tax will not allow. If a 
provision is contained in the library law al- 
lowing the levying board, with the consent 
of the city council, town board or board of 
county commissioners, as the case may be, 
to issue bonds for building purposes, it 



may furnish a way out of this difficulty. 
Finally, it is very desirable, inasmuch as 
library support is mainly derived from tax- 
ation, that the treasurer of the city, town, 
county or other tax receiving unit shall 
be ex officio treasurer of the library board. 
He can be made liable under liis official 
bond for the library funds, and required to 
keep such funds separate from other funds. 
This relieves the library board of the han- 
dling of funds and is otherwise desirable. 
Inasmuch as such treasurer is an ofl^cial 
of the political unit which he serves, the 
general library law should make provision 
for his being a member of the local li- 
brary board. 

In conclusion, let me say that In my opin- 
ion the work of obtaining proper library 
legislation is resting primarily upon the 
shoulders of the library trustee. He is a 
citizen of the state and resident of the 
community which he serves. He is in 
touch with his neighbors who are sent to 
the state capital to make the laws. In 
most Instances he is identified with the 
political and governmental affairs of his 
state. The librarian, to be sure, can as- 
sist in building up sentiment and obtaining 
the good will of his patrons for his library, 
but he is not in the law making business. 
When the library trustees of the country 
become thoroughly aroused to the impor- 
tance and necessity of their work, when 
they, through Interchange of ideas at meet- 
ings of their state associations, become 
acquainted with the problems and needs of 
every part of their commonwealth, then, 
and not until then, will proper library leg- 
islation be put upon our statute books; 
then, and not until then will the public li- 
brary be recognized, along with the pub- 
lic school, as one of the two great coor- 
dinate systems working for the enlighten- 
ment of mankind. 



JOHNSTON 



SHOULD LIBRARIES BE UNDER THE GENERAL CIVIL SERVICE OF THE STATE, 
OR HAVE A SEPARATE CIVIL SERVICE ORGANIZATION?* 



By W. Dawson Johnston, Librarian, St. Paul Public Library 



The form of this question indicates that 
the only alternative to control of libraries 
by the general civil service of the state is 
control by a separate civil service organi- 
zation. 

There is at present a state civil service 
commission in only ten out of forty-eight 
states, and in only one of these states 
(New Jersey) has the commission assumed 
responsibility for civil service conditions 
In libraries other than state libraries. In 
only one state, California, has an effort 
been made by state library authorities to 
provide for the certification of libraries. 
Under these conditions both civil service 
reformers and those most interested in li- 
braries are bound to believe that much re- 
mains to be done in the direction of stand- 
ardizing library service. The only ques- 
tion is who should do it, and how should 
it be done? The ordinary civil service 
commission does not realize that the li- 
brarian can be of assistance to him; the 
majority of library boards and librarians 
are similarly slow to seek the assistance 
of civil service authorities in the selection 
of the clerical and building staff of the 
library. 

The attitude of indifference to those to 
be served on the part of civil service 
authorities is well illustrated in New 
Jersey, where despite the dissatisfaction of 
librarians with the civil service conditions, 
a state investigation committee appointed 
in 1916 made no recommendations what- 
ever affecting libraries, either from Ignor- 
ance of the feeling of librarians or from 
inability to discover ways and means of 
Improving the state civil service. 

The attitude of librarians toward civil 
service authorities, on the other hand, has 
been shown in Washington, where libra- 
rians secured exemption for libraries from 

•Abstract. 



the civil service law; and In Ohio and 
Massachusetts, where they defeated efforts 
of the civil service authorities to extend 
their service to libraries. 

That relations of a very different kind 
are not only desirable but possible is 
shown by the activity of the Wisconsin 
civil service commission, which, through 
its educational and welfare service, and in 
cooperation with the state library com- 
mission, recently provided for a series of 
six conferences of departmental librarians. 
The discussions were led by ofHcers of the 
library commission who had visited the 
different state departments and noted con- 
ditions. 

The possibility of more helpful relations 
is shown also in the history of the civil 
service reform movement itself, which has 
passed through a negative stage aimed at 
keeping undesirables out of the service, 
into a positive stage directed toward rais- 
ing standards and promoting efficiency. 

The latter movement was inaugurated In 
1908 by the organization of the National 
Assembly of Civil Service Commissions. 

An important and significant step for 
ward in the work of this assembly was the 
appointment in 1915 of a committee on Co- 
operation among commissioners on ex- 
amination standards, which committee, In 
1916, suggested the assignment of not more 
than two examination subjects at most, to 
sub-committees or to various civil service 
commissions for special Investigation and 
study, and recommended that the results 
be made available to all civil service com- 
missions through a Topic committee on 
examination standards. 

In view of the unhappy condition of a 
number of libraries under civil service con- 
trol, the desire of progressive civil service 
authorities to Improve the civil service, 
and the movement among librarians to 
standardize library service, is it not de- 



230 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



sirable that there should be agreement 
between civil service and library author- 
ities with regard to the application of civil 
service principles to library administra- 
tion, and particularly agreement upon the 
following questions? 

(1) Should not civil service principles 
be applied to the selection of civil service 
oflBcials, especially examiners, and if not, 
why not? Some of the opposition to the 
extension of civil service among libraries 
arises from the fact that some civil service 
commissioners are simply political ap- 
pointees and some from the fact that gen- 
eral examiners are not only unable to give 
any but general examinations, but are 
sometimes unable even to recognize this 
limitation. It there are any reasons why 
civil service officials should be exempt from 
the rules governing other public officials 
they should be made known. 

(2) Should not the service of different 
civil service commissions be coordinated 
and examinations standardized? There Is 
much distrust of civil service administra- 
tion due to the failure of civil authorities 
to agree among themselves as to the proper 
classification of the service and the proper 
standards of examination. This lack of 
mutual confidence among civil service 
authorities begets lack of confidence among 
those whom it is their desire to serve. 
There can be little hope of greater respect 
for the decisions of civil service officials 
until they have greater respect for their 
own decisions. 

(3) Should not civil service commis- 
sions cooperate with other professional 



bodies in the elevation and maintenance 
of professional standards? There may well 
be lack of confidence in the local civil 
service examiner on the part of the li- 
brarian or other expert, and the local ex- 
aminer may in turn distrust the local li- 
brarian, but between state and national 
organizations representing civil service 
authorities on the one hand and library 
authorities on the other there should be 
cooperation, and, indeed, must be if sub- 
stantial progress is to be made. 

(4) Ought we not to recognize the im- 
possibility of always securing the best can- 
didates through formal examinations? The 
best that such an examination can do, even 
when personality and experience are care- 
fully rated, is to eliminate the least ca- 
pable; it must be left to the appointing 
officer to determine who of those certified 
is best fitted for a particular position. 

I hope that the time will come when 
there may be agreement between the Na- 
tional Assembly of Civil Service Commis- 
sions and the American Library Associa- 
tion with regard to these and all other 
points in which civil service and library 
authorities have a common interest. 

In the meantime we can only seek for 
the improvement of civil service condi- 
tions in those few states in which civil 
service has already been extended to li- 
braries, and endeavor to organize library 
civil service or provide for the certifica- 
tion of librarians in the numerous states 
in which there has been no standardiza- 
tion of the service either by civil service 
or library authorities. 



THE STATE AS A UNIT FOR LIBRARY EXTENSION 
By Minnie W. Leatheeman, Secretary North Carolina Library Commission 



While I believe firmly that state super- 
vision, state direction, and state encour- 
agement are absolutely essential, I do not 
think that state centralization precludes 
other forms or lesser units for library ex- 
tension. Hence, I certainly am not ad- 



vocating the state as the best and only 
unit for library extension, but as the great- 
er unit which includes and necessitates 
the county, the township, or the district, 
as the case may be. 
It cannot be claimed that library com- 



LEATHERMAN 



231 



missions or other state agencies have been 
entirely responsible for the remarkable 
library development that has taken place 
in the United States in recent years, but 
even a brief review of the work of the 
several commissions shows what an im- 
portant and necessary part they have 
played in this development. A compari- 
son of library conditions twenty or twenty- 
five years ago in New York, Minnesota, 
Indiana, Wisconsin, to mention only a few, 
with conditions in those same states at 
the present time, demonstrates beyond 
question that the state itself is the logical 
head for library extension activities. 

In the second place, the larger unit for 
library extension is advisable, is necessary, 
to carry on the educational campaign in 
those states in which the library move- 
ment is still in its infancy. Take states 
like Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina. 
I mention southern states because I am 
more familiar with conditions there than 
in other parts of the country, but condi- 
tions would probably be similar in other 
sections. But take any state which now 
has no library commission or other state 
agency engaged in library extension work. 
An ideal county library law might be 
placed upon the statute books, but would 
such a law give library privileges to all 
the people in every county in the state? 
Counties having strong public libraries 
would probably take advantage of the law 
and establish some kind of county library 
extension, because the public library 
would be the agency which would take 
the initiative, carry on the educational 
campaign, and finally secure the needed 
appropriation or tax. But what would hap- 
pen in those counties which have no good 
public library within their borders? And 
there are many such counties. What 
agency would take the initiative if the 
state were entirely eliminated? In North 
Carolina, for instance, there are 45 
counties in which the largest town has 
less than 2,000 people and 11 counties in 
which the largest town has less than 500 
population. It is evident that there are 
no large public libraries in those counties, 



but that, you say, is the best argument 
for the county library — that it is in such 
places that county libraries are most 
needed. It is, provided there is a state 
agency to promote the establishment of 
such libraries. 

Would it be possible for you to suppose 
for a moment that you had never been in 
a public library, that you had never heard 
of public ownership and distribution of 
books, and probably that you had never 
read a half dozen books in your life? 
Would you or anyone else under similar 
circumstances be likely to vote a tax for 
a county library? If, however, the state 
sent traveling libraries throughout the 
county for several years, lent encourage- 
ment and assistance in the establishment 
of two or three small public libraries, and 
in other ways carried on an educational 
campaign, teaching the value of books, we 
believe the county library could and should 
eventually be established. 

In the third place, the state exercises a 
very important function in promoting help- 
ful coordination and cooperation between 
the several county or township library 
systems, the public library and the school 
and college library as well as in rendering 
direct assistance. Unnecessary duplica- 
tion of work is minimized and efficiency in- 
creased when there is close cooperation 
with a state agency. Moreover, the state 
unit in collecting and distributing informa- 
tion and statistics renders a service which 
could not be as well done by a smaller 
unit. 

And, finally, there is a certain dignity, 
influence and authority, which seem to be 
inherent in a state office. People in every 
county and in every section respect the 
function of the state. 

Inasmuch as reports show that library 
commissions and other state agencies have 
been most successful in promoting the es- 
tablishment of libraries, and in increasing 
library efficiency even though they have 
not brought about a library millennium; 
inasmuch as the state agency is necessary 
for carrying on the library campaign in 



232 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



those states, counties and sections where 
the library movement is still in a primi- 
tive state of development, and inasmuch 
as the state is the best unit for collecting 
and distributing Information and statistics 
and for securing proper coordination and 
cooperation of all library activities, we 
claim, not that the state is the best and 
only unit for library extension, but that 
the best library system like the best 
school system is one in which the state, 
the county, and the township are closely 
coordinated. 

The time may come when it will no 
longer be necessary for the state to pro- 
mote new libraries or to circulate travel- 



ing libraries, but of one thing I am as- 
sured, it will be a long time before it 
comes in the South, but to whatever de- 
gree of development library extension ac- 
tivities may attain, there will always be 
need, as has been pointed out by Mr. 
Wynkoop, of a central agency to bring and 
to hold all these library activities into a 
working system, to serve as headquarters 
for information and suggestion, to prevent 
unnecessary duplication, to maintain stand- 
ards and professional schools where such 
standards may be realized, and in general 
to provide such coordination and coopera- 
tion as are ever needed for the best econ- 
omy and efficiency. 



THE COUNTY AS A UNIT FOR LIBRARY EXTENSION 
By Haebiet C. Long, Librarian, Brumiack Library, Yan Wert, 0. 



The best unit for library extension Is 
unquestionably that unit which most near- 
ly fulfills that ideal of service embodied 
in our familiar A. L. A. slogan — "The best 
reading, for the largest number, at the 
least cost." Let us apply this ideal to the 
county library system, and see how nearly 
this method of library extension ap- 
proaches our recognized ideal. 

To provide the "best reading" for a peo- 
ple scattered over town and countryside, 
is no easy matter. One of the first es- 
sentials to providing the best reading for 
any people is familiarity with the people. 
We must live among them, sharing their 
interests and enthusiasms and coming in 
touch with their daily life. If we adopt 
the county as the unit over which our li- 
brary service is to spread, we find defi- 
nitely organized work in a variety of 
county-wide movements. These organiza- 
tions offer a splendid opportunity for co- 
operation, and for becoming acquainted 
with people. Visits from the county li- 
brarian result in mutual acquaintanceship. 
The librarian is able to act as publicity 
agent for the library, as well as to find out 



more of the people's interests. The peo- 
ple, knowing the librarian, feel a more 
definite share in the library. The cus- 
todian at each branch receives inspiration 
from the visit, and feels more really a part 
of library work, and the responsibilities it 
entails. All these things that tend to a 
closer relation between branch or station 
and the central library are a vital factor 
in "bringing to the people the books that 
belong to them," for which the county is 
a convenient and practical unit. 

But mere acquaintanceship with people 
will not of itself result in the best reading. 
The librarian must, as we know, be famil- 
iar with books — with the contents of books 
and the making of books as well as their 
purchase. It requires technique, too, to 
make the books available to the people, 
and to make the best use of books. There- 
fore, a trained librarian, one who possesses 
a liberal education as well as actual li- 
brary training should be at the head of 
the library which hopes to provide the best 
reading for any people. We are told that 
the average county contains but 18,000 
people, and that probably more than half 



233 



the counties contain no town of more than 
2,500 people. The taxable property of 
small communities of 2,500 people, of 
school districts, and even of townships, is 
insufficient to enable them to support a 
trained librarian. The only way to provide 
sufficient revenue to properly conduct a 
library, with a trained librarian at its 
head, is to adopt the county plan, and to 
have a library supported by taxes levied 
on all the taxable property of the county. 
What is the county, anyway? The county 
is a union of town and country for the per- 
formance of that work which can be car- 
ried on more economically and effectively 
in concert than separately. And the peo- 
ple of the whole county, supporting one 
library, are cooperating In the manner 
which must ultimately result in giving 
them the best reading. 

If we are to fulfill our ideal of library 
service, we must reach "the largest num- 
ber of people." One of the supreme tests 
of the value of the county library system 
is that it leaves no portion of the county 
without library service. A network of 
branch libraries and deposit stations 
reaches out over the entire county, serv- 
ing the people at every trading point and 
rural school, and serving them with the 
enlarged resources which are the direct 
result of the pooling of library interests. 
One of the great objections to choosing a 
smaller unit than a county for library ex- 
tension, is that it leaves some portions of 
the county without library privileges. Of 
course, the more progressive townships 
or school districts would immediately avail 
themselves of library opportunities; but 
what of their more backward neighbors 
who live in another township or school 
district just over the way? These less 
progressive communities are the very ones 
which most need the development which 
library service brings, and yet they would 
be the very last to secure for themselves 
a township or school district library, 
whereas the county-wide service extends 
to all parts of the county, for the will of 
the more progressive people gives to all 
the benefits which they are quick to ap- 



preciate. The county library plan, then, 
is more likely to secure library service for 
all the people, and, consequently. Is reach- 
ing the largest number of people — that 
second factor which our ideal of service 
requires. Furthermore, we are eliminat- 
ing the necessity for more than one cam- 
paign for library service, an ordeal through 
which each township or school district 
would be required to pass individually, if 
the smaller unit be adopted for library 
service. 

Our ideal of service requires also that 
this best reading be provided to the larg- 
est number of people at the least cost. 
And in the matter of economy, the county 
as a unit has unquestionable advantages. 
We have the one main library building, 
which may serve as a storehouse for the 
library resources of the whole county, lo- 
cated at the county-seat, probably. In 
addition to the cost of erection and of 
maintenance of this one county library 
building, we must provide reading rooms 
for the larger communities of the county, 
as well as deposit stations for smaller 
communities, but the cost of maintaining 
these is small compared to the expense in- 
volved if each township or school district 
were to erect and maintain a building 
equipped completely for all phases of li- 
brary work. Then, too, all the technical 
preparation of the books may be done at 
the central library at one time, by an 
efficient corps of library workers, and 
with first-class library equipment and 
tools, since the fund realized from a 
county-wide tax is sufficient to provide 
these things. Ordinarily, fewer copies of 
one book would do equally good service 
through the general county library, and 
would be in most constant use, instead of 
lying idle on the shelves of a number of 
different libraries, a silent proof of un- 
necessary duplication. The library, or- 
ganized to cover a unit smaller than a 
county, has an exceedingly limited book 
fund, and but few volumes can be added 
each year. Libraries, like stores, are more 
profitable and efficient, if the capital in- 
vested is constantly moving. By the co- 



234 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



operative method of a county library, the 
larger resources of the whole county are 
available to everyone in the county. The 
central library is the storehouse from 
which may be called any of the special 
books, which by reason of their limited 
use, are expensive, and therefore Impos- 
sible, to the library which is meagerly sup- 
ported. The enlarged book resources, the 
best of library tools and equipment, made 
possible by eliminating useless duplication, 
constitute an economy and efficiency which 
is not possible to extension work as car- 
ried on through a smaller unit than the 
county. We have one county library, large 
enough and efficient enough to command 
the respect and loyalty of all the people of 
the county, rather than a number of strug- 
gling libraries. This one county library, 
too, can serve effectively as the storehouse 
for material of county historical interest, 
building up one really worth while collec- 
tion, rather than a number of incomplete 
ones. 

Let us consider the general adaptability 
of the plan. California offers a glorious 
example of a state, where, with counties 
of all sizes and conditions, some of the 
counties scattered over an area as large as 



eastern states, the county library plan has 
proved a marked success. They are reach- 
ing the people in all parts of the county; 
and instead of the paltry sum for travel- 
ing library work formerly appropriated by 
the state legislature, the income in thirty- 
five counties in that state for the present 
year is more than $415,000. County sup- 
port has been whole hearted and generous, 
and it has been so because of the efficiency 
of the work done. 

The county is a large enough unit to 
yield ample funds for the support of an 
effective library; and yet it is a unit near 
enough to the people to command their 
interest, and become a really definite part 
of their lives. The smaller unit, which 
permits an even closer commingling of in- 
terest than does the county, can yield but 
insuflScient revenue. This revenue would 
necessarily be spent in duplicating to a 
large extent the work and the resources 
of the other libraries within its immediate 
territory; but withal, would result in an 
incomplete service as compared with the 
county. Therefore, it seems that the county 
is the unit for library extension through 
which we can most nearly approach that 
ideal of service for which we are all 
striving. 



THE LIBRARY DISTRICT AS A UNIT FOR LIBRARY EXTENSION 
By John A. Lowe, Agent Massachusetts Free Library Commission 



Many of the difficulties and problems of 
the small country library would be solved 
if the librarian question were settled. An 
active, intelligent community; a well or- 
ganized and completely equipped plant; 
even a well chosen collection of books 
often fails to call with sufficient appeal to 
the librarian so that her service to the 
town is anything more than mediocre at 
best. Cooperation from educational so- 
cieties, and even state aid is a serious 
problem in many towns because of the fact 
that the trustees are not able to employ a 



trained librarian. Educational influence 
and plans for social betterment in a com- 
munity can be obtained only through the 
library where up-to-date methods of or- 
ganization and administration are in force. 

Obviously, sufficient funds and popular 
desire for better library conditions will 
bring about a demand for trained libra- 
rians, even as they have brought about a 
condition which will permit only trained 
school teachers. 

Briefly, this is the problem which faces 
the profession in Massachusetts rural 11- 



236 



brarles. How shall efficient, trained or ex- 
perienced librarians be supplied in towns 
in which the library is open only two days 
a week, and the average librarian's annual 
salary amounts to $150? 

Because of existing conditions, the Free 
Public Library Commission of Massachu- 
setts decided to try an experiment of a 
supervising librarian for a group of li- 
braries in neighboring towns. The finan- 
cial cooperation of the local library boards 
was sought. The commission's part was 
authorized by the law permitting direct 
aid to libraries in small towns. The 
scheme was similar in form to that of the 
Massachusetts Board of Education plan 
for district superintendents. 

The commission's plan provided that a 
trained and wholly competent librarian be 
engaged to oversee the activities of li- 
brarians in a given neighborhood. She 
would work with full approval and in 
harmony with the boards of trustees, carry 
on library publicity work with teachers 
and pupils, clubs, societies, churches and 
seek to bring about closer relations be- 
tween the libraries under their direction. 
Her efforts outside the library would be 
stressed quite as much as those inside and 
would be equally important. 

This plan has worked out satisfactorily 
in some respects. The trustee of a large 
city library took three days each week of 
the time of the supervising librarian. At 
that library she gave instruction to the 
members of the staff in modern library 
methods, directed the work of recatalog- 
Ing and gave weekly instruction to school 



children in the use of the library. She 
conducted classes for adults in literature 
and travel. The other days of the week 
were similarly occupied at small town li- 
braries. 

Some of the difficulties which come up 
in practice in trying to introduce such a 
system are these: It is our experience 
that in the small towns funds are so small 
for libraries that even if the salaries now 
being received by the several librarians 
were all put together they would not be 
enough to secure the quality of trained 
directorship which we have been giving. 
Again, many of the librarians have been in 
their positions for fifteen or twenty years, 
do not readily take to new methods, and 
still their removal is often a matter of 
great delicacy. Town politics are very in- 
dividual and voters often manifest unwill- 
ingness to cooperate with outsiders, and 
there is an evident spirit of suspicion re- 
garding attempts of this sort. In the case 
of supervising librarians it might be well 
worth while to find some bright local talent 
and train it up until such time as the 
supervising librarian shall be no longer 
needed. 

Nevertheless it is hoped that the super- 
vising librarian will supply the needed 
leaven in making the library of greater 
usefulness. If the scheme is worked out 
on a proper working basis, there is no 
reason why the number of such librarians 
should not be increased so that all sec- 
tions of the state would be covered, and a 
noticeable upbuilding of library interests 
and work be felt. 



THE TOWNSHIP AS A UNIT FOR LIBRARY EXTENSION 
By Matme C. Snipes, Librarian, Plainfield (Ind.) Puilic Library 



The Plainfield Public Library has al- 
ways been open to the township. In the 
early history of the library the tax was 
so meager that all the library could do 
for the rural patron was to encourage his 
patronage and to meet his needs as best it 
could whenever he came to the library. 



But when the township law was amend- 
ed and the minimum tax was raised to 
5/10 of a mill, this gave new impetus for 
aiding the rural districts. Prom this time 
on rural extension began in earnest. Not 
the extension that we thought was ideal 
and most effective, for at this time house 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



to house service by means of a book-wagon 
was only a dream, a goal towards which 
we were striving. And until we could 
aCord to make this dream a realization, 
deposit stations were maintained, using the 
home and school as the distributing 
centers. 

This dream of ours kept coming before 
us. And the knowledge that the service 
through the deposit stations was not fully 
touching every home and never could, and 
the fact that the library was soon to open 
its doors to another township, caused the 
Board to consider the auto book service 
seriously. 

Just a little over a year ago the auto 
service was put into action. We purchased 
a Ford chassis, equipped it with an electric 
starter, special horn, and other accessories. 
The special body was made by a local 
wagon-maker. The body is constructed 
with shelves on the sides, leaving a run- 
way through the center for storage; a 
drop leaf is arranged on either side for 
writing and for charging and discharging 
the books. The body is entirely enclosed, 
glass being used in the doors. The capac- 
ity of the shelves is 200 books, but many 
more can be stored in the runway. The 
specials, or the books that have been asked 
for, are placed here. Also pictures and 
magazines which are loaned to families 
and to the schools. 

The upkeep for this year has been very 
small, amounting only to $83. The second 
year's expense will no doubt be very much 
greater, but it it should run as high as 
$300 or $400 the service will far overbal- 
ance the cost. 

"We are covering 78 square miles of 
territory, in July we add another township 
which will increase our territory to 128 
square miles. We are reaching 66 per 
cent of the families and hope to increase 
the percentage this year. The total loan 
of books for this first year is 7,500, cir- 
culating on an average 135 books a trip. 

We have six routes, making one trip 
a week, reaching every family every six 
weeks. In the meantime the neighbors 
may exchange books, always getting the 



books back to the original borrower by the 
time the auto comes again. If the bor- 
rower wishes to return his books to the 
library in person or by parcel post and 
take others or have them sent, these being 
taken up at the end of the six weeks, he 
may do so. 

Our plan is to use the book-wagon for all 
rural service. In reaching every family, 
delivering books to the schools and sta- 
tions, and in every way possible making it 
useful to the people. 

In organizing the service we made pre- 
liminary trips to familiarize ourselves with 
the roads and the people living on the main 
and cross roads, in order to plan perma- 
nent routes, numbering the houses on the 
map and entering the names of the families 
in the notebook. It took more time to 
tell the people about the service on the first 
trip than on any other. It was a new 
thing, if there is anything new under the 
sun. And since it has recently been re- 
vealed to us by Dr. Stephen Langdon that 
in 2,300 B. C. there were at Nippur parcel 
post and circulating libraries, we doubt 
there being anything new and believe that 
the old has just been buried a few centuries 
and has come to light again through the 
minds of men. But these folks had never 
heard of this kind of service and some 
were indifferent, some were too busy to 
read, and others would take books later. 
One woman's husband warned her to have 
nothing to do with the book-wagon for 
he knew there was a catch somewhere. 
He knew it could not be a something for 
nothing game. I agree with him on this 
point. It is only fair that the people 
should know who is paying for the service 
and the part they have in it. One man 
said that "if he was paying, he guessed 
he would use it." The majority thought 
to have books brought to their very doors 
every few weeks was going to be the very 
best thing that had come to the rural 
people. One woman told us that next to 
her boys, the library was the best thing 
in her life. 

In July when we begin the organiza- 



237 



tlon of another township, we will not have 
to go through the roll of explaining the 
how and why. They understand and the 
popularity of the service has spread like 
wildfire. 

We are learning in our experience on 
the "open road" "how the other half lives." 
The folks seem to have a propensity for 
migrating every six weeks. We have never 
gone on a route a second time that we 
did not meet up with this condition. These 
folk are tenants and move from one farm 
to another, sometimes we find them on one 
route, other times on another, and again 
perhaps they have moved into the other 
township, or they have entirely disap- 
peared. On the other hand, the majority 
of the patrons are wide awake, progressive 
people. 

We urge the patrons to indicate to us 
the books they wish, either when we call, 
or by phone, or by post. The books are 
taken on the next trip, or if the want is 
urgent the books are sent immediately by 
mail and can reach the patron within 
twenty-four hours. 

We have made every trip scheduled this 
year with the exception of six weeks in 
the middle of the winter. At this time the 
books wore sent and returned by mail. 



It is always a great disappointment if we 
do not arrive on the date planned. How- 
ever, the patrons know if the weather Is 
inclement v.e will arrive on the next fair 
day following date. 

There are four very active country cluba 
in our community. We either make up a 
library on the subjects covering the year's 
work and place this collection in the hands 
of the president of the club for distribu- 
tion and to be held until the end of the 
club year, or serve each member of the 
club directly from the library, the member 
notifying us ahead of time. The material 
is either taken to them on a regular trip 
or sent by mail. The library is largely 
responsible for the splendid cooperation 
there is between the town and country 
clubs, all working together for the best 
interests of the entire community. 

The work with the rural schools has 
barely been mentioned, but for lack of 
time It will suffice to say that we do all 
we can to meet the needs and demand. 
This year we will have work with eighteen 
rural schools. 

We are still dreaming dreams and see- 
ing visions and will never rest until our 
entire county has the advantages of li- 
brary extension. 



A FLEXIBLE BOOK COLLECTION 



By Jessie Weixes, Toledo Public Library 



In our endeavor to reduce complexities, 
to study methods of reaching a desired 
end by the simplest, most direct means, 
the book collection is receiving its share of 
attention. Here the purpose or desired 
end is to meet the demands of a variety of 
patrons in a manner highly satisfactory 
to them by a system involving no unneces- 
sary expenditure of time or service, which 
last two factors we estimate in terms of 
dollars. In short we strive to combine 
ideal service with practical economy. It 
is essential to keep both these points in 
view when planning short cuts and money- 



saving schemes, for there Is danger of rob- 
bing Peter to pay Paul. Simplification In 
the routine of the catalog or order depart- 
ment easily yields statistics of time saved, 
but who can calculate the prestige lost 
when such economies lead to slow or in- 
accurate service in the circulating depart- 
ment? Who can measure how many de- 
grees the quality of library service drops 
when borrower and staff are irritated daily 
by a time-saving-in-the-catalog-room econ- 
omy? 

Early in this century the discussion of 
book collection problems involved ques- 



238 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



tions of open or closed shelf collections 
and their relation to each other when ap- 
pearing in one library or of the treatment 
of dead wood and its elimination by stor- 
age. With the growth of branch systems, 
of stations, school libraries, and the many 
forms of library extension, new questions 
have arisen and the problem has taken a 
new form. We ask ourselves now: 

(1) How shall we choose the initial 
book collection for a branch and how in- 
crease, supplement, or weed out that stock 
thereafter? 

(2) What lending collections shall we 
maintain at the main library, serving what 
groups or communities and through what 
agencies? 

These questions are answered in divers 
ways and any suggestions here given are 
designed to serve as a basis for discus- 
sion. They represent the usage or ten- 
dencies of a few of our large branch 
■systems. 

In considering the first question, how 
shall we choose the initial book collection 
for a branch, we take issue primarily with 
the time honored idea that It shall be 
based upon the "books wnlch should be 
found in every library." The Bible, certain 
reference books, a large group of children's 
books are universal in their use and use- 
fulness, but for the stock of books to lend 
to grown people let us throw aside stand- 
ard lists and nineteenth century policies 
and think In twentieth century terms. 
Stocking a branch is not analogous to 
stocking a small library. The branch of 
today borrows continually from the main 
library by means of a delivery system un- 
dreamed of twenty years ago, making the 
books in the main collection available to 
all the city for the asking. If a librarian, 
as Mr. Kerfoot has expressed it, "regards 
literature as a plucked bouquet, not as a 
blossoming plant," he may place upon his 
branch shelves scores of cut flowers, 
plucked by various list compilers, and 
send his readers to the main library to 
watch the plant blossom. Is it economy to 
place in the branch books which people 
should want to read or those which ex- 



perience tells us people are reading? It 
takes less time to check a list than to call 
together a committee of two or three peo- 
ple who are serving the public in the main 
library, or other branches and select from 
titles old and new a group of books which 
are being read in the city in question, but 
counterbalancing the time spent is the sat- 
isfaction to the reader and the saving of 
money which would be spent upon books 
fated to stand on the shelves and gather 
dust. The fiction order may be quite 
complete including a generous selection 
from the works of Scott, Dickens and other 
great novelists whose writings are read, 
but not Besant and George MacDonald and 
William Black, whose works were read, 
unless experience shows that they still 
are popular in the city served. 

The first months of service will show 
the tastes of the community at which we 
can only guess beforehand, and we may 
well lend from the main library a number 
of books which we think the people should 
read but perhaps will not, and find out 
whether it is economy to buy branch 
copies. Long time loans from other 
branches are undesirable as questions rise 
later in regard to rebinding, discard, re- 
placement and catalog records and the 
routine becomes unwieldy and difficult to 
conduct with accuracy. 

After the opening of the branch the 
daily requests for books which must be 
borrowed from the main library indicate 
definitely the subjects and titles in demand 
and orders based upon them and upon gen- 
eral demand should be placed at least 
every three months. At the end of a year 
the branch will be stocked with an active 
working collection, constantly increased 
by regular weekly orders of current books. 

Before taking up the rest of this 
problem, — how to increase, supplement or 
weed out the branch stock of books, — we 
must turn our attention to the organiza- 
tion at the main library. Here one finds, 
variously, in addition to the main lending 
collection. Independent groups of books 
for use in stations, in schools, for branch 
loans and for other agencies. Does this 



WELLES 



plan serve the borrower well and is it 
economical? 

The borrower who comes to the loan 
desk for "The Life of the Spider" and 
learns that it is out, turns away patiently 
to come another time, while in the sta- 
tions or schools collections under the 
same roof stand idle copies. Is this good 
service? If he expresses an urgent desire 
for the title it is sometimes looked up in 
other collections, while requests from 
branches are often looked up in this way 
or borrowed from other branches. It is the 
borrower who comes to the main library 
and who makes no fuss who loses. To 
look up in other departments every book 
reported out would be manifestly impos- 
sible. 

With this system of independent collec- 
tions the selection for a given agency is 
hampered by a limited stock. The station 
or school librarian cuts her coat by her 
cloth and a certain sameness prevails from 
year to year in her individual collections. 
Is this serving the borrower well? In some 
libraries the stations and schools librarians 
supplement their agency collections by 
loans from the main lending collection, but 
such loans are seldom unlimited as to 
time, a handicap to their usefulness. Why 
not make the main lending collection com- 
prehensive enough to care for all these de- 
mands, merging the various groups into 
one? This is a practical plan having the 
elements of elasticity, of allowance for 
contraction or expansion, a plan which 
adapts itself easily to the ebb and flow in 
circulation which baffles us all. It gives 
economy of service in that there is but 
one place to look for a book, economy in 
ordering, for orders are grouped, economy 
in cataloging which every cataloger recog- 
nizes. It has been tried and it works, and 
the tendency of the day in progressive li- 
braries is towards unification. 

Duplication in such a collection must be 
based upon practice rather than theory. 
The collection must serve the main library 
borrower satisfactorily, but other depart- 
ments drawing from it must not be limited 
as to choice or time. This may be accom- 



plished by submitting for the inspection of 
the librarian in charge of the main library 
circulating department all collections 
chosen for long time loans to other depart- 
ments, and placing in her hands the re- 
sponsibility for duplication. She should 
duplicate at once books chosen for other 
agencies which she needs for her borrow- 
ers, and be free to hold the copy in stock 
until the duplicate arrives if she feels that 
It is necessary. 

The effect of the plan upon various 
phases of the work is along the line of 
good service and economy. Order depart- 
ment chiefs welcome it and one well-known 
chief advocates an organization which 
combines in one head the supervision of 
branches and order work. This is a bit too 
radical to receive the endorsement of 
many, but it is a straw which shows the 
way the wind blows — towards a greater 
unification of orders for purposes of econ- 
omy in buying. 

Taking up in detail the effect upon book 
orders we find that the plan reduces the 
number of copies of new titles needed. 
These are selected in weekly or bi-weekly 
meetings, the orders for all departments 
and branches being combined on one card, 
the destination of copies being indicated. 
A branch needing a book for a limited num- 
ber of borrowers is served by an added 
copy ordered for the main collection and 
lent to the branch for a period defined by 
its actual need. Such an order may be 
made to serve two or three branches in 
succession, the book finally reaching the 
main library shelves where it serves the 
various agencies or the main library bor- 
rower. This plan cuts down very mate- 
rially the number of copies ordered for 
branches. 

As it is far easier to decide upon a new 
title for a large collection than for a small 
one, this must be taken into consideration 
in devising a system for ordering. If the 
books under discussion are obtainable on 
approval, the branch librarians may exam- 
ine them after the book order meeting and 
hold their orders until they have looked 
over their branch collections on subjects 



240 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



treated. This gives the highest efficiency. 
If the books are not available, a branch li- 
brarian when doubtful about a title may 
request that the main copy be held for 
inspection when it is received. Both sys- 
tems have been tested and found practical. 
It is especially important that time be 
given the branch librarian to consider the 
book in relation to her collection before 
ordering, whether this be based upon ad- 
vance lists of books ordered for the main 
library or upon examination of the books 
themselves. 

An essential in this plan is that the per- 
son in charge of the main circulating de- 
partment shall be guided as to the num- 
ber of copies ordered by the orders of 
other departments and branches, duplicat- 
ing to meet the probable demand which 
she soon learns to estimate. When possi- 
ble, orders for added copies of a book al- 
ready in a collection are held until the 
nest book meeting so that forthcoming 
orders from all points may be combined or 
perhaps the order made unnecessary by a 
i)roffered loan of the title. The final order 
should be subject to the approval of a per- 
son who is familiar with the book collec- 
tions of the different agencies and the de- 
mands upon them. Replacements may 
often be filled by lending main library 
copies no longer in demand, a saving in 
cost of book and overhead expense and 
one of the important economic factors of 
the plan. 

Having disposed of new titles, added 
copies and replacements we come to 
withdrawals, one of the important points 
In a plan for flexible branch collections. 
Withdrawals from branches have been and 
still are regarded by some catalogers and 
others not serving the public directly as 
an indication of earlier bad judgment. 
With this also we take issue. The main 
library serves a diversified public, and it 
draws all real students and scholars who 
invariably seek the largest book collection. 
The branch serves a limited community 
where population and interests change 
from year to year. If there can accumu- 
late dead wood in the collection serving a 



large and diversified group, how much 
more quickly will the small collection 
cease to interest the smaller shifting 
group. The new books are never on the 
shelves, which eventually present a pat- 
tern, to use the term of the day, and the 
set pattern bores the reader. Because 
those shelves look the same, day in, day 
out, he loses interest. "I have read all 
those books in the open shelf room," said 
a bookish, intelligent man. To the reply 
"you know you haven't," he said, "of 
course, but I feel as though I had. It al- 
ways looks the same" — and in that room 
a high salaried staff was spending hours 
daily to keep on its shelves copies of the 
carefully selected titles which formed the 
really ideal collection. To quote Amy 
Lowell, "What are patterns for?" 

Once convinced of the wisdom of sys- 
tematic withdrawal from branches, it be- 
comes part of inventory, and the branch 
librarian is urged to send to the main li- 
brary annually all the titles which have 
not been used within a given period, this 
period varying in different cities accord- 
ing to experience. When cancelled from 
branch records and sent to the main li- 
brary the other branch librarians select 
from the withdrawals such titles as they 
need and the chief of the circulating de- 
partment, consulting with the chiefs of the 
schools and stations departments, takes 
most of the remainder, looking forward to 
loans throughout the system. 

It is desirable with this system that 
there be but one series of accession and 
copy numbers, using a letter to indicate 
that a given copy has been placed in a 
branch collection, as this greatly simplifies 
transfers. 

The discussion of temporary loans from 
the main collection to individual borrow- 
ers at branches or any other agency for 
the usual lending period of tour weeks, 
has been omitted as too well established a 
practice to interest this audience. The in- 
finite possibilities of the practice of long 
time loans of groups of books from the 
main collection to branches present a fer- 
tile field for discussion. This method 



WINSHIP 



241 



meets special demands in branches ad- 
mirably, is generally used for books in 
foreign languages, and more or less used 
for technical and other expensive books. 

To sum up, the claim is made that a li- 
brary serves the reader more satisfactorily 
and economically by flexible book collec- 
tions in branches and a unified lending 
collection at the main library, combined 
with a good delivery service to all agen- 
cies. To this may be added the opinion 
that the plan develops rather than dulls 
the initiative of the branch librarian to 
whom the principles of natural selection 
and the survival of the fittest prove a spur 
to intensive study of her books and the 
needs of her community. She has absolute 
freedom to fit the one to the other, and 



her success depends upon her knowledge 
of both and her own judgment and energy. 

The chief of the circulating department 
at the main library carries a large respon- 
sibility, for upon her wisdom and patience 
much of the success of the one collection 
system depends. By wise manipulation 
the books wear out more evenly and copies 
of titles whose popularity has waned shift 
from the main library to replace discarded 
copies in branches until the title dies down 
to a few copies or is eliminated altogether. 

The whole scheme is based upon coordi- 
nation and can succeed only when carried 
through in a spirit of hearty, broad-minded 
cooperation with a big vision of the pur- 
pose of the library in the community. 
According to the spirit which animates the 
workers it stands or falls. 



THE UNIVERSITY PRESS IN RELATION TO THE LIBRARY WORLD 
By George Parker Winship, Widener Librarian, Harvard University 



The numerous university presses which 
have started during the past thirty years 
are supported largely by, the libraries. A 
considerable proportion of them entered 
the publishing business because it is well 
known that a sufficient number of libraries 
can be relied on to buy anything that Is 
issued under respectable auspices. They 
are kept going by the larger number of 
librarians who are unable if they once 
.secure a volume in a series, to refuse to 
purchase v/hatever else comes out in the 
same form. The result has been that a 
great many things have been printed for 
which there never was any demand either 
from readers or investigators of anything 
except academic statistics. The librarians, 
being largely responsible for this, have only 
themselves to blame if they find their 
shelves filling with books whose impres- 
sive titles make their uselessness more 
pitiful. The remedy is in their own hands. 

Two reasons account in large part for 
the present vogue of "presses" under uni- 



versity patronage. One is the great 
prestige of the Clarendon or Oxford Uni- 
versity Press. This more than any other 
single thing, except the achievements of its 
graduates, has made Oxford the best 
known institution of learning in the world. 
The other reason is the tradition accepted 
from continental practice, that a Doctor of 
Philosophy should be required to show his 
name on the titlepage of a printed thesis. 
The theory on which this requirement is 
founded is admirable, but the dreary piles 
of uncataloged German doctoral disserta- 
tions in some, at least, of those American 
libraries that have felt obliged to collect 
them, prove that the theory has not pro- 
duced any better results in the past than 
in the New World. 

Each university desires, quite properly, 
to get as much credit as it can for the work 
done under its roofs, and the widespread 
circulation of its name on printed title- 
pages setting forth the results of that 
work ought to assure this. The desire to 



242 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



advertise, in an entirely legitimate way, 
made the university executives welcome 
the idea of a special press by which its 
name should be kept before the reading 
public. There is some evidence that very 
few, if any, of those who projected the idea 
or were responsible for its adoption in this 
country, knew precisely what a "press" is 
or ought to be. The establishments that go 
by the name of university press in America 
range all the way from the perfectly proper 
little private printing shop which Is con- 
ducted as a sort of plaything for those who 
secured its endowment, to the very or- 
dinary commercial publishing office which 
does its printing by contract and seeks a 
chance to exploit any author or public from 
whom money can be obtained. Few of 
them have approached anywhere near the 
elementary requirement of a plant equipped 
with an adequate outfit for the production 
of well-printed books of high scholarly 
character. 

Neither the public at large nor the small 
part of it that has to buy books for li- 
braries has a right to object to anything 
that university officials think it is wise to 
do. The right to complain comes when 
the book buying world is pestered with 
circulars and other advertising devices de- 
signed to create a market for goods of less 
than average merit by trading on the name 
of worthy educational Institutions. Ef- 
fective protest is called for when the field 
of the regular commercial publishing 
houses is invaded by subsidized competi- 
tion, lacking experience, organization or 
established Ideals. 

The closely allied businesses of print- 
ing and publishing books are highly spe- 
cialized branches of industry, calling for 
large capital, expert management and an 



unusual sort of judgment if they are to 
be conducted profitably. A successful 
publisher of books depends very largely 
upon the good opinion of the reading pub- 
lic. The public is even more dependent 
upon the publisher for a continuing supply 
of the kind of books that it wants to read. 
This is particularly true of what are 
known as "serious" books, with preten- 
sions to literary merit of permanent value. 
A publisher who makes money, as several 
do, out of the legitimate production and 
distribution of books of this character, has 
to guarantee the purchasing public against 
casual aberrations and ill-considered no- 
tions and every kind of sham. The 
editorial service which this implies is as 
much higher in quality than the best 
magazine editing, as the latter is superior, 
by similar standards, to the editing of a 
daily paper. Authors submit to the pub- 
lisher's suggestions, and welcome them 
after they acquire experience, because 
they know that the underlying guiding 
purpose is to produce a book of which 
enough copies can be sold to make it 
profitable for all concerned. 

It is this editorial service which the 
university presses, like the other concerns 
which depend upon subsidized books, do 
not give. It is this which accounts for 
the larger part of the criticism to which 
their output has been subjected. Until 
these presses put the books which they 
issue through as careful and impersonal a 
probationary preparation as is given to 
those that come out with the imprints of 
the commercial houses that have secured 
the confidence of well-informed readers, 
librarians will be justified in looking with 
suspicion rather than with implicit confi- 
dence upon publications with university 
imprints. 



SOCIAL FEATURES 

SOCIAL FEATURES OF THE CONFERENCE 

(Reprinted from Library Journal, August, 1917.) 



On Sunday the Association was formally 
invited to participate In public worship at 
the First Christian Church where its elo- 
quent pastor. Rev. Edward L. Powell, 
preached a sermon on "Education and 
morals," which was much appreciated by 
his A. L. A. auditors. In the late afternoon 
a sacred concert was tendered to the asso- 
ciation by a male chorus of Louisville and 
other artists, the floor being especially re- 
served for A. L. A. members, and this en- 
tertainment was greatly enjoyed by those 
who were not discouraged from attendance 
by the Sunday heat. 

On Monday afternoon at 2:45 the con- 
ference gathered officially on the bleachers 
Improvised at the back of the library, 
where the official group photograph was 
taken by the Royal Photograph Co., of 
Louisville. The stage setting, so to speak, 
with the library in the background, was an 
interesting one, and the multitude was 
kept in cheerful good humor, despite the 
heat, by the spectacle of the endeavors of 
her chief to capture Miss Hitchler, who 
was evidently intending to escape, and 
bring her Into the picture. The picture 
proved one of the most interesting ever 
taken of an A. L. A. convention. Proofs 
were promptly shown and duly admired on 
the succeeding morning. 

At 3:30 the start for the automobile 
drive was made from Library place and 
other streets surrounding the Public Li- 
brary, where nearly three hundred auto- 
mobiles had been commandeered for the 
purpose. A large portion of these were 
driven by their owners, and almost all the 
members from out of town took part in a 
drive of nearly thirty miles, in the course 
of which they were shown especially the 
three beautiful and characteristic parks of 
Louisville, soon to be united by parkways 
into an encircling system. The parks were 
especially interesting for their geological 



differences: Cherokee Park, an example 
of the limestone rolling country of the blue 
grass, which here approaches Louisville; 
Iroquois Park, of the sandstone "knob" out- 
cropping in this region, rising to a height 
of five hundred feet about seven miles dis- 
tant from the city; and Shawnee Park, of 
the flat alluvial plain and characteristic 
vegetation of the river bottom. Among 
those who were leaders of the automobile 
trip were General Castleman, no longer 
"the man without a country," for the exile 
on parole to which he was sentenced at 
the close of the Civil War was annulled 
by President Johnson, and he took a lead- 
ing part as a citizen and patriot in the 
Spanish-American War; and Mrs. Mande- 
ville, sister of Congressman Shirley, whose 
skillful and dashing driving aroused the 
wonder and admiration of her guests. 
General Castleman's services on behalf of 
the park system are commemorated by one 
of the few monuments made for a living 
man, the equestrian statue at the park 
entrance showing him mounted on his 
favorite steed, California, and the com- 
parison of the effigy with the live man 
was extremely interesting. 

The unique and most enjoyable feature 
of the conference was the evening of read- 
ings and music tendered by literary and 
artistic Louisville at the theater on Tues- 
day evening, June 26, which filled the 
house with members of the A. L. A. and 
Louisville people, the floor being reserved 
for the former. President Edgar Young 
Mullins, D. D., of the Southern Baptist 
Theological Seminary, presided and opened 
the entertainment with a brief and delight- 
ful account all too short of literary Louis- 
ville, referring specifically to the lists of 
Louisville authors present and recent, 
given in the bibliography which formed a 
feature of the evening's program. 

Mrs. Alice Hegan Rice then delighted 



244 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



the audience with a reading of a chapter 
from her "Mrs. Wiggs of the cabbage 
patch." The next reader was Mrs. George 
Madden Martin, v/ho gave some account of 
her "Emmy Lou," and a brief reading 
from a chapter of her biography of that 
young person, now eminent in educational 
circles. Cale Young Rice then read a se- 
lection of his remarkable dramatic lyrics, 
including "The wife of Judas Iscariot" and 
"The Inystic," in strilcing contrast with the 
characteristic reading by his wife, which 
had opened the evening. The last partici- 
pant was Mrs. Annie Fellows Johnston, 
who instead of a reading from "The little 
colonel," made a captivating address to her 
library audience in pleasant protest against 
the exclusion of her books from some li- 
braries of which she had heard, and a de- 
lightful defense of "Prince Charming" as 
a natural and necessary element in books 
for girls. The good humor and the good 
taste of this clever bit of literature were 
cordially enjoyed. 

These readings were interspersed by 
music, largely by Louisville composers, 
played and sung by Louisville artists and 
effectively complementing the authors' 
readings. The musical numbers included 
the singing by Miss Flora Marguerite 
Bertelle of "A perfect day," (words by 
Jean Wright Swope and music by Mildred 
J. Hill) and "Pierrot," music by Mrs. New- 
ton G. Crawford, Mrs. Crawford being at 
the piano. Charles J. Letzler gave a violin 
solo, "Romanza," by Patrick O'Sullivan, 
with Mr. O'Sullivan at the piano. Clar- 
ence E. Wolff sang "Duna," music by 



Josephine McGlll, and "O, Mother-My- 
Love," music by Carl Shackleton, with 
Miss McGill at the piano. The recitative 
and air from "Lady of the lake," arranged 
for 'cello solo with viola obligate by Karl 
Schmidt, was rendered by Mr. Schmidt on 
the 'cello and Charles J. Letzler on the 
violin, with Mrs. Schmidt at the piano. 
The program was brought to a close by the 
singing of "The Star-spangled banner" by 
the audience, led by Miss Bertelle. 

The literary portion of the evening was 
concluded by the reading of a number of 
letters and telegrams in brief and the 
presentation of a communication from the 
veteran editor of the Louisi^ille Courier- 
Journal, Henry Watterson. Mr. Watter- 
son's regret at his enforced absence was 
certainly shared by all present. After this 
Mr. Bowker, speaking from a stage box 
and addressing President Brown in the 
opposite box, moved a vote of thanks, 
saying substantially that it would not be 
right to omit thanks to Louisville for the 
most remarkable reception which the 
American Library Association in its wan- 
derings of forty years had ever enjoyed. 

Besides the authors and musicians, the 
artists of Louisville did their share in the 
entertainment of the conference through an 
exhibition of their works in the library 
building, which was enjoyed as a pleasant 
incident as the busy members of the con- 
ference found time to visit the library and 
enjoy the general hospitality of Mr. 
Settle and his staff in their beautiful 
building. 



EXHIBITS 

(Reprinted from Library Journal, August, 1917.) 



The official exhibits of the association 
were particularly interesting and well 
timed, fitting in with the mood and pur- 
poses of the organization. The display of 
posters under the charge of Joseph L. 
Wheeler, for the purposes of illustrating 
possibilities in library publicity, was re- 



markable for the logical development of 
an argument intended to show why li- 
braries advertise. 

Commencing with two posters present- 
ing the proposition that libraries advertise, 
as business organizations do, to increase 
distribution and to lower the cost of the 



EXHIBITS 



245 



same, there followed cards illustrating 
many methods of general and particular 
appeal thru the use of most of the me- 
diums known to commercial institutions — 
the card, the letter, the list, the window, 
the street car, the newspaper, etc. Other 
posters pointed out the value and the 
make-up of good attractive "copy" thru 
care in the choice of color, type and illus- 
tration; still others urged economy that 
comes from knowledge, proper instruments 
and coooperation, and finally placards 
called to the attention the fact that dis- 
tribution, and there must be distribution, 
should be timely and well placed. These 
many posters were in themselves samples 
of effective card advertising that spoke 
volumes. 

The Model Business Library, loaned 
thru the courtesy of the Associated Ad- 
vertising Clubs of the World and in 
charge of Guy E. Marion, consisted of more 
than 1,000 volumes, approximately 200 of 
which were directories, lists and schedules 
of use in ordinary business administration. 
These books covered all the departments 
of business organization that are common 
to every progressive activity. As a library 
they were properly listed and indexed with 
reference to the phases of business with 
which they deal, whether advertising, in- 
surance or what not. This collection was 
intended to be a workable list of titles — 
books which hold between their boards 
material of value to any active organiza- 
tion. 

That business in print Is not confined 
to books from a Model Business Library, 
but is supplemented and brought up to the 
minute by the literature of the trade press, 
was brought out by the juxtaposition of 
the exhibit of trade journals. This dis- 
play, arranged by Adelaide R. Hasse, drove 
home this fact at least: that the periodical 
literature of business is tremendous in its 
size and unlimited in its ramifications. 
No active industry of mankind is there 
which is not served by timely and valu- 
able printed matter that deals with the 
facts and ideals of that industry in all 
parts of the world. Of the grand total 



of trade periodicals this exhibit showed 
about one-half of the leading journals and 
almost all of the various trades. By com- 
parison with a model business library It 
showed that the authors of the books of 
one were often the active workers and 
writers in the pages of the other. This 
exhibit was arranged to inspire librarians 
with the possibilities of service to the 
industries of their respective communities 
thru a knowledge of the publications of 
the trade paper press. 

To help in the work of binding and re- 
pairing books, there was shown another 
splendid array of posters which displayed 
samples of effective binding and the meth- 
ods by which it is secured; samples of 
poor binding and its attendant results; the 
value and purpose of binding and repairing 
as contrasted with discarding and when 
the one should be done as opposed to the 
other; the equipment and materials nec- 
essary for ordinary purposes of repair. 
This array of posters was supplemented 
and enhanced by a demonstration of actual 
work in binding and repairing carried out 
by Gertrude Stiles of the Cleveland Public 
Library. 

"What Tommy Atkins reads" was one 
of the most interesting of all the exhibits. 
Books and magazines popular with Tommy 
Atkins in the trenches, many of them 
unknown to American readers, were col- 
lected and sent to the conference by Theo- 
dore W. Koch, chief of the order division 
of the Library of Congress, who has been 
in London for several months. The books 
were sent to this country in six packages 
(of which five were received), by parcel 
post. The Christian Herald and the British 
Y. M. C. A. Weekly lay beside Nick Carter's 
Magazine and Punch. A decidedly English 
flavor was given by "Blighty, a budget of 
fun from home." Then there was a cor- 
respondence roll, filled with paper and 
postcards and envelopes which some boy 
from London or Whitehill or Dublin used 
to write back home. Dozens of paper-back 
novels, sport magazines, and many tech- 
nical journals rubbed shoulders with Dick- 
ens, English translations of Balzac and 



246 



LOUISVILLK CONFERENCE 



de Maupassant, Jack London, a deck of 
playing cards, a little pocket Bible sucli 
as the Y. M. C. A. furnishes the soldiers 
of the king, and Catholic translations of 
the Bible, prayer books, catechisms, medi- 
tations and guides for a holy life even 
amidst the temptations of the army. 
There were also song books, and a group 
of conversation manuals for those who 
do not speak French or German. Y. M. 
C. A. posters made from charcoal draw- 
ings and showing various scenes in camp 
and trench were a part of this exhibit. A 
detail of Boy Scouts was on hand at all 
hours to prevent the souvenir craze from 
depleting the unusual collection. 

A number of commercial exhibits were 
shown on the tenth floor of the Hotel Seel- 
bach. Gaylord Brothers brought to this 



exhibit their new publicity aids and their 
new work table for holding books for 
labeling purposes. Borden Bookstack Co. 
displayed a section of the new cantilever 
construction stack, illustrating an upper 
story of one and the lower story of an- 
other and their constructive relationship. 
Albert Bonnier displayed a new list of 
literature and titles of translations from 
the Scandinavian, and some pieces of 
Scandinavian art. John R. Anderson sup- 
plemented the Model Business Library 
with a large collection of timely business 
books, and McDevitt-Wilson brought an 
interesting little library of business litera- 
ture. The Library Bureau exhibited a 
number of their library products and the 
H. W. Wilson Co. showed their full line 
of library aids. 



POST-CONFERENCE TRAVEL 

(Reprinted from Library Journal, August, 1917.) 



Owing doubtless to war conditions, the 
number registered for the proposed post- 
conference trip across the Alleghanies and 
down the James river was so small that 
no official trip was arranged, with the 
exception of that to the Mammoth Cave. 
This proved to be, in the estimation of 
the excursionists, one of the most satis- 
factory outings the association has had, 
altho made under difficult conditions, the 
hotel at the Mammoth Cave having been 
burned last season. As a consequence, the 
one hundred and thirty people who left 
Louisville Wednesday were variously 
homed in tents and minor buildings, two 
in a bed and five beds in a tent, with the 
additional joy of going to the "office" for 
water for ablutions in the morning. The 
party was divided into three squads of 
about forty each and made two excursions 
into the cave, taking trip number two, 
which was about three miles, Wednesday 
evening, and trip number one, which was 
about five miles, in the morning on Thurs- 
day, in time to start back about noon and 



reach Louisville for the afternoon train. 
There were no mishaps and no grumbling, 
and the party felt abundanly rewarded for 
any hardships by the sight of the wonder- 
ful phenomena, being quite content to 
refrain from exploring the one hundred 
and five miles which have been mapped. 
The costumes were effective if not becom- 
ing, and the regulation jests of the guides 
were appreciated. The party brought back 
one new by-word "Huddle-up," which pre- 
ceded the call for silence, as the guide 
was about to make an announcement or 
get off a joke. So "huddle-up" will 
doubtless become a feature of A. L. A. 
language hereafter. 

During the conference, a number visited 
Lexington by train, and a few Frankfort, 
the capital of Kentucky, situated by com- 
promise between Louisville and Lexington, 
between which cities the rivalry for the 
capital has been an occasion for heart 
burning. The few who visited Frankfort 
Wednesday afternoon after the close of 
the conference were personally received 



REPORTS 



247 



by Frank K. Kavanaugh at the Capitol, 
first occupied in 1910, in wliicli the whole 
rear portion is given over to the state 
library from basement to attic. The state 
archives we understood to be stored on 
this upper floor, but it is hoped they may 
be made more accessible later. Governor 
Stanley received his visitors most affably 
and was induced to tell the story of his 
remarkable achievement at Murray last 
January, where he went unarmed and 
without troops to stay a lynching. . . . 
The small delegation which visited Lex- 
ington on Thursday morning were most 
hospitably received by Denny B. Goode, 
secretary of the local Board of Commerce, 
who personally conducted them about the 
bustling and enterprising little city, whose 
well-paved streets and air of thrift were 
most appreciated. The Hotel Phoenix 
there proved surprisingly excellent, and 
thence the visitors were taken to the court- 
house with the statues near by of famous 
Southerners; to the delightful Public Li- 
brary, with the park playground adjoining 
at the rear; to the Transylvania College, 
with which Henry Clay was associated; to 
one of the trotting farms and the historic 
trotting track of the Kentucky Racing 
Association; to the warehouses for the 



storage of loose leaf tobacco, of which 
Lexington exports $7,000,000 worth a year; 
thence to the Colleges of Agriculture and 
Engineering and other buildings. The 
visitors were equally delighted with the 
city and its homes and surroundings, and 
with the hospitality offered them, and 
chiefly regret that no more of the A. L. A. 
members could enjoy this happy experi- 
ence. 

Some fourteen or fifteen made a stop- 
over, though by different trains at the 
Greenbrier, in White Sulphur Springs, on 
the Chesapeake & Ohio main line, and en- 
joyed the spacious and delightful hostelry, 
the motor ride over the divide of the Alle- 
ghanies from West Virginia into Virginia, 
and the park and golf links, which are an 
adjunct to the hotel. Mr. Faxon was one 
of this party and it was unanimously voted, 
that as the Greenbrier and its adjunct the 
old White Hotel could accommodate at 
least 1,000 persons with numerous spacious 
meeting rooms, the A. L. A. should some 
day arrange for its conference 2,000 feet 
up in this heart of the Virginia Allegha- 
nies. From this point, the remainder of 
the conference dispersed to their respec- 
tive homes. 



REPORTS OF SECRETARY, TREASURER, TRUSTEES OF ENDOWMENT FUNDS, 
PUBLISHING BOARD AND COMMITTEES 



SECRETARY'S REPORT 

The past year has been a busy but un- 
eventful one at the executive office. The 
usual routine work has been performed 
and its accomplishment calls for no detailed 
recital. The work grows in bulk with the 
years; we are busier each year than the 
year before. This however is proper and 
we should be sorry to report conditions 
otherwise. 

Chicago Headquarters — The association 
continues to be the recipient of the gen- 
erosity of the board of directors and libra- 
rian of the Chicago Public Library. For 
another twelve months we have been pro- 



vided with commodious, comfortable and 
altogether adequate quarters in the main 
library building, and as the years increase 
in which we report this truly magnanimous 
treatment the appreciation of all members 
of the Association must increase in pro- 
portion. 1 

Membership — When the 1916 Handbook 
went to press there were 3,188 members of 
the Association. Since then there have 
been additions as follows: New personal 
members, 150; former personal members 
rejoining, 24; new institutional members, 
37; former institutional members rejoin- 
ing, 3; total, 214 (as against 152 for same 



248 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



period last year). Six personal members 
became life members (same number as 
last year). An extensive campaign for new 
members, especially Institutional, was con- 
ducted during the winter with fairly satis- 
factory results. Many libraries and libra- 
rians are not yet members of the national 
association who should be, but it seems a 
slow and tedious process to persuade a very 
large number of these that it is distinctly 
to their advantage to join. The new mem- 
bers acquired each year have to counter- 
balance a large number who for one reason 
or another allow their membership to lapse, 
so that the net growth is disappointingly 
slow. More money is needed, especially by 
the various standing and special commit- 
tees and the only way to meet these needs 
seems to be through increased membership 
revenue. Chief librarians who are already 
members can render a great service by 
recommending membership to their heads 
of departments and other staff members 
who are not members, but whose salaries 
are such as to warrant them in becoming 
such. We also need more library trustees 
in the Association, both for the financial 
assistance rendered through dues and for 
their counsel and interest in national li- 
brary affairs. Here, too, the chief libra- 
rians can render a service by urging mem- 
bership to the members of their boards. 

Routine — The routine work of the of- 
fice remains much the same as reported in 
previous years, although, as already stated 
it is steadily Increasing in bulk. It seems 
unnecessary, therefore, to restate it here, 
especially as the attempt is being made to 
compass this report in the fewest possible 
words. Those with curiosity to know what 
the ofl3ce finds to do are referred to the 
reports of the past three or four years. 

Recommendations for Positions — A fea- 
ture of the work at headquarters this year, 
as heretofore, has been to recommend li- 
brarians and library assistants to positions 
on request of the appointing authorities. 
Although many are helped in the course of 
the year the number is small compared with 
what it should be. As on several previous 



occasions we want to remind librarians and 
trustees of this agency at their disposal to 
help them find competent assistance. The 
library schools and the state library com- 
missions are largely utilized, but we wish 
to call attention to the A. L. A. office as, in 
the phrase of the reference department, 
"one more place to look." 

Uniform Library Statistics — In Febru- 
ary a questionnaire to secure library sta- 
tistics was sent to about 950 libraries. 
Returns have been received from about 400. 
Statistics furnished by a few were too 
meager to print, but those from about 375 
libraries, public, high and normal school, 
college and university, and various types 
of special libraries, are appended to and 
made a part of the secretary's report. The 
form, drawn by the chairman of the com- 
mittee on library administration and the 
secretary, which was used last year is again 
used here. As the chairman of the A. L. A. 
Publishing Board and the chairman of the 
committee on library administration state 
in their respective reports, it Is expected 
that a library yearbook, issued by the United 
States Bureau of Education will soon as- 
sume definite shape. Uniform library sta- 
tistics will very properly form a conspic- 
uous part of such a publication. In the May 
Bulletin the secretary asked the member- 
ship for suggestions as to what such a 
yearbook should contain. What are the 
thirty or forty most important statistical 
items which should be included? What 
features not statistical should be com- 
prised? Very few suggestions have as yet 
been received. We hope for more. Surely 
the lack of response does not Indicate that 
librarians would not welcome such a li- 
brary yearbook. 

Committee of One Hundred — The sec- 
retary has been appointed by the United 
States Commissioner of Education a mem- 
ber of the Committee of One Hundred to 
study the Americanization problem, par- 
ticularly how foreigners may be helped to 
understand American conditions and in- 
stitutions through the evening schools. The 
committee wishes to study the problem of 
effective evening schools for foreigners and 



REPORTS 



249 



how best to Induce non-English speaking 
people to attend these schools. The secre- 
tary would like to collect information how 
librarians are assisting the schools in this 
work, and will be glad to receive any re- 
ports, posters, announcements or Informa- 
tion of any kind. 

Publishing Board — The secretary of the 
A. L. A. is also secretary of the A. L. A. 
Publishing Board, and as such devotes a 
considerable part of his time and efforts 
to the activities of the Board. The same 
applies also to other members of the head- 
quarters staff. These facts are set forth 
in sufficient detail in the report of the 
Publishing Board presented elsewhere In 
print and need not be reiterated here. 

Library plans and photographs — The 
collection of library plans and photographs, 
referred to several times in previous re- 
ports and Bulletins continues to grow both 
in size and usefulness. Although not large 
it is capable of considerable service and we 
cordially invite librarians to avail them- 
selves of it whether in planning of new 
buildings, in assembling material for a 
library exhibit or for any other purpose. 

Japanese art panels — At the close of the 
Panama-Pacific International E.xposition 
the Imperial Japanese Government pre- 
sented to the American Library Association 
twenty-three very beautiful art panels 
which were among the objects exhibited at 
San Francisco. These panels were water 
color paintings on silk with ebony frame. 
They were the work of advanced students 
in the Tokyo School of Art. Since last 
October the collection has formed a travel- 
ing exhibit, an itinerary covering eighteen 
libraries of the north-central states having 
been worked out, each library retaining the 
exhibit two weeks. The paintings have 
been highly praised and appreciated where 
they have been shown. An itinerary cover- 
ing Eastern libraries will be begun In 
October of the present year. 

Publicity — In addition to assisting the 
Publicity Committee wherever possible, 
the secretary has furnislied frequent 
"stories" to the Associated Press, and has 



prepared articles for the Philadelphia Pub- 
lic Ledger, Survey, Social Service Review, 
Wisconsin Library Bulletin, Texas news- 
papers, and for various yearbooks. The 
Association and libraries generally need a 
trained publicity expert who will devote all 
or a large part of his time to the publicity 
problems of libraries. Steps to procure 
such an individual have been considered by 
the publicity committee, the Executive 
Board, and other librarians, but no favor- 
able result has yet been reached. A li- 
brary publicity and advertising conference 
under the auspices of the Advertising As- 
sociation of Chicago was held in Chicago, 
May 25. This was, we believe, the first 
meeting of this kind in the history of libra- 
ries. The executive office was able to assist 
the committee in charge in a number of 
respects. Mr. Kerr, chairman, and Mr. 
Rush, member of the A. L. A. publicity 
committee, and the secretary were among 
tliose on the program. 

Field work — During the past year the 
secretary has addressed the following li- 
brary schools: Atlanta, Illinois, Pittsburgh, 
Pratt, Simmons and Western Reserve. He 
attended and participated in the program 
of the state library association meetings 
of Alabama, Kansas-Oklahoma (joint meet- 
ing) and Illinois. He addressed the staff 
of the Public Library of the District of 
Columbia, the Birmingham (Ala.) Rotary 
Club, spoke at a "Library Week" meeting 
at Decatur, the Woman's Club of Elmhurst, 
Illinois, and attended the spring confer- 
ence at Atlantic City. 

Mr. Carl H. Milam, librarian of the Birm- 
ingham Public Library, was appointed ofiB- 
cial representative of the Association to the 
meeting of the Mississippi Library Associa- 
tion at Columbus, May 3-4. He delivered 
an address on "Library service — a look 
ahead." 

The Association was invited to send a 
delegate to the inauguration of Dr. W. A. 
Jessup, as president of the University of 
Iowa, and the president appointed Miss 
Julia A. Robinson, secretary of the Iowa 
Library Commission. 

Necrology — During the past year, since 



250 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



we met at Asbury Park, the Association has 
lost by the hand of death sixteen o£ its 
members. This by a strange coincidence 
is the same number as the year before. 

The number includes two library trus- 
tees, one of whom having reached the ven- 
erable age of ninety-six, was probably the 
oldest member of our Association; four 
active heads of libraries; a former treas- 
urer of the Association and for many years 
active and prominent as a library adminis- 
trator; and two ex-presidents of the Asso- 
ciation, one cut off in what seemed her pro- 
fessional prime, the other passing in the 
fullness of years after seeing his life work 
appreciated and its continuity assured; and 
others who in their respective places of 
responsibility had performed their duty 
faithfully and well. 

The list is as follows: 

Babbitt, Grace E., reference librarian of 
the Public Library of the District of Colum- 
bia, until failing health compelled her 
resignation a few months ago, died Octo- 
ber 29, 1916. She joined the association in 
1907 (No. 4,121) and attended the confer- 
ences of 1907, '13 and '14. 

CuBRAN, Mrs. Mary H., associate libra- 
rian of the Bangor (Me.) Public Library 
since 1913, died February 19, 1917. She 
had been connected with the Bangor library 
since 1876, and was librarian from 1888 to 
1913. She joined the A. L. A. in 1887 
(No. 637) and attended the conferences of 
1887, '94, '96, '99, 1901-03, '06, '09-10 and 
London International, 1897. 

Camp, David N., president of the New 
Britain (Conn.) Institute Library, died Oc- 
tober 19, 1916, at the age of 96. He was 
one of the best known educators of the 
state, and had twice served as mayor of 
New Britain. He joined the Association in 
1892 (No. 964) and attended the confer- 
ences of 1892, 1902, 1909 and 1913. 

Custer, Florence B., librarian of the 
Passyunk Branch of the Philadelphia Free 
Library, died June SO, 1916. She joined 
tue Association in 1913 (No. 5841) and at- 
tended the conference of that year. 

Gat, Ernest L., of Boston, librarian of the 
Society for the Preservation of New Eng- 



land Antiquities, died November 25, 1916. 
He joined the A. L. A. in 1902 (No. 2,476) 
and attended the conference of that year. 

Griswold, Alice Stanton, librarian of the 
Hartford (Conn.) Medical Society Library, 
died November 27, 1916. She joined the 
A. L. A. in 1897 (No. 1,612), but had not 
been a member continuously from that 
date. She attended the conferences of 1897 
and 1916. 

Hopkins, Anderson Hoyt, for many years 
prominent in library work, died March 21, 
1917. He was successively assistant in the 
University of Michigan Library, assistant 
librarian of the John Crerar Library, libra- 
rian of the Louisville Free Public Library, 
and of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. 
Mr. Hopkins was obliged by ill health to 
retire from library work in 1908. He joined 
the A. L. A. in 1893 (No. 1,187) and be- 
came a life member in 1907. He was a 
member of the Council, 1905-09, and treas- 
urer in 1907-08. He attended the confer- 
ences of 1893-94, '96, 1900-07. See Public 
Libraries 22:193; Library Journal 42:371. 

Lindsay, Mary Boyden, librarian of the 
Evanston (111.) Public Library since 1894, 
died January 25, 1917. She joined the 
A. L. A. in 1893 (No. 1,207) and attended 
the conferences of 1893, '96-1905, '07-08, '10 
and '16. See Public Libraries, 22:107; 
Library Journal 42:303. 

Mann, Mrs. Louisa van de Sande, wife 
pf Benjamin Pickman Mann, died at her 
home in Washington, D. C, October 19, 
1916. She joined the Association in 1879 
(No. 300) and later, with her husband, be- 
came a life member. She attended the 
conferences of 1879, '85, '87, '90, '92, '93, 
'98, 1906, '07, '09, '12-14, thirteen in all. 

Mori SON, Mary, trustee of the Peter- 
borough (N. H.) Town Library, and prom- 
inent in state social service affairs, died 
Jan. 7, 1917. She joined the A. L. A. in 
1902 (No. 2,607) and attended the con- 
ference of 1902. 

Plummer, Mary Wright, principal of the 
library school of the New York Public Li- 
brary, president of the A. L. A. for the 
year 191516, a pioneer In library training, 
and one of the most prominent library 



REPORTS 



251 



figures of the country, died September 21, 
1916. She had at various times been on 
important committees, especially in con- 
nection with library training, was a mem- 
ber of the Executive Board previous to her 
term as president, and was second vice- 
president 1899-1900 and 1911-12. She was 
elected president of the Association in 1915 
and notwithstanding pain and extreme phy- 
sical weakness performed all the duties of 
the office for the entire term, even to ar- 
ranging the Asbury Park Conference pro- 
gram in all its details. Her lowered vital- 
ity, however, made it impossible for her to 
be present and preside at the conference, 
the success of which was so largely hers. 
Miss Plummer joined the Association in 
1887 (No. 602) and attended the confer- 
ences of 1887, '89-93, '96-1905, '07-08, and 
'12-14, twenty-three altogether. See Library 
Journal 41:727 (editorial), 756-57; and 
Public Libraries, 21:3" 3. 

Rosenthal, Herman, chief of the Slav- 
onic division of the New York Public Li- 
brary, died January 27, 1917. He joined 
the A. L. A. in 1916 (No.7,228) and attended 
the conference of that year. 

Sargeant, William Henry, librarian of 
the Norfolk (Va.) Public Library, died 
March 23, 1917. He joined the A. L. A. in 
1905 (No. 3,269) and attended the confer- 
ences of 1906 and '14. 

SouTHWORTH, Myra Frances, librarian of 
the Brockton (Mass.) Public Library from 
1874 to 1897, died December 15, 1916. She 
joined the A. L. A. in 1878 (No. 179) and 
attended the conferences of 1879, '87, '89, 
'92, '95-96, 1900 and the London Interna- 
tional of 1897. 

Utley, Henry Munson, librarian of the 



Detroit Public Library from 1885 to 1913 
and librarian-emeritus from the latter date, 
died February 16, 1917, in his eighty-first 
year. He joined the A. L. A. in 1885 (No. 
502) and later became a life member. He 
was a councillor of the Association from 
1887 to '90; a vice-president in 1891; re- 
corder in 1892; a vice-president again In 
1893; and president, 1894-95, presiding at 
the Denver Conference in 1895. He held 
numerous committee appointments and con- 
tributed many papers to various confer- 
ences. He attended the following twenty- 
three conferences: 1885-87, '89-98, 1900-01, 
'03-06, '08-11, and the London International, 
1897. See Library Journal 42:190; Public 
Libraries 22:106. 

WiiiTTiEE, Florence, for several years 
past and until failing health compelled her 
resignation, assistant librarian of the Uni- 
versity of Missouri, died in Los Angeles, 
September 11, 1916. From September, 1909, 
to September, 1910, she was assistant secre- 
tary of the A. L. A., in the newly estab- 
lished office in Chicago. She joined the 
Association In 1902 (No. 2,547) and at- 
tended the conferences of 1902, '05 and '10. 



The secretary desires to express his sin- 
cere appreciation of the unfailing courtesy 
and support of every member of the Execu- 
tive Board and the Publishing Board. He 
wishes to go further and include the mem- 
bers of the various committees, standing 
and special, and the membership of the 
Association as a body. It is a pleasure to 
serve in such an atmosphere of comrade- 
ship and good fellowship. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Geobge B. Utlet, Secretary. 



STATISTICS OF LIBRARIES 



The following tables, covering a library 
year ending some time in 1916 or early in 
1917, record statistical information under 
such headings as seem most nearly to apply 
to the items submitted by the various li- 
braries. For lack of space, there is given 



only the maximum number of hours dur- 
ing which the libraries are open each week, 
shorter hours often prevailing during some 
portion of the year. In the financial re- 
ports, fractional parts of a dollar have been 

Continued on page 270. 



252 

An asterisk (*) indicates that the figures given are e 
A dagger (t) indicates that the amount expended 
tures for binding. 


LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 

stiraated or approximate. STATISTICS O' 

for books includes the expendi* 

(Accordintr to form aaopted liy the Coui 


City or tovirn 

and 

name of library 


1 

ll 


11 
H.S.t: 


e2 


St; 

■O u 
CM 

^ s 


Hrs. open 

each 

week 

(central 

library) 


c "■ 

1 » 

te'c 


> 

a 
t 

3 


c 
'3 

> 

6 ^ 

So 


> 

6 
fS'o 


1 

e 

S. 

■a 
H1S 


Total recorded use (no 
of vols, lent for homi 
use and no. used ir 
building) 


3 

°i 


a 
<a 

> 
0' 

•A- 




t« 


K 


Aberdeen, S. D. Mitchell I 


♦ 14 


F. 


1 


312 


11 1 11 


2 


26,677 


7,600 


7,927 






28,642 


•'4 














Alameda, Cal. F. p. 1 


•29 


F. 


2 




72 


72 


6 


45,000 


46,470 


48,982 






157,311 


117 








Albany, N. Y. State 1 




F.l.c. 


9,971' 


310 


81 


81 


104 




409,982 


425,768 


•150,000 




44,5441 















Alfred, N Y. Alfred Univ. 1... 


1 








40 


54 


2 




30,000 


30,450 






5,100 






















•65 


F. 


3 


308 


72 


72 


5 


50,000 


8,268 


10,374 






81,907 


58 











Alma, Mich. Alma Coll. 1 




F.l.c. 














25,743 


26,437 






4,292 































F 1 c 








84 


8 




110,844 


113,554 




55,930 


15,327 



















Amherst, Mass. Agr. Coll. 1 




F. 




348 


87 


87 






48,411 


52,928 






10,295 















Annapolis, Md. Naval Acad. 1. . 




F.i.c. 




305 


54 


54 






55,744 


56,214 






10,899 
















•16 


F. 


2 


343 


75 


75 


3 


57,000 


21,743 


23,003 






59,146 












Arlington, Mass. Robbins 1.... 


14 


F. 


2 


304 


66 


69 


6 


140,782 


28,435 


29,131 






54,034 


39 








Asbury Park, N. J. P. I 


*14 


F. 


2 


313 


72 


72 


4 




14,000 


15,041 






55,729 












Athens, O. Carn. I. of Ohio U 




F. 




330 


53 


65 


5 


135,000 


42,333 


43,938 


20,000 




18,636 










Atlanta, Ga. Carnegie 1 


*131 


F. 


41 


307 


75 


79 


25 


583,986 


73,711 


83,616 


3,360 




422,058 


270, 










F.I.C. 






66 


66 




•25,000 


10,289 


10,941 






3,745 














15 


F. 


1 


306 




3 


35,000 


19,829 


20,838 


2,737 




53,476 


41, 










Auburn, N. Y. Seymour 1 


37 


F. 


13 


308 


72 


72 


5 


50,000 


27,626 


28,653 




103,845 


71,097 


55, 


Aurora, N. Y. Wells Coll. 1... 




F.I.C. 




238 


75 


98 


3 


58,000 


26,433 


28.182 






















558 


F. 


70 


345 


69 


83 


132 




334,366 


346,104 


•6,000 


711,499 


644,188 


280, 








Baltimore, Md. Johns Hopkins. 




F.l.c. 




303 


54 


54 


17 




190,814 


196,864 






















•600 


F.r. 


1 


302 




81 


11 




187,139 


191,824 


32,435 




















•25 


F. 


5 


305 


72 


72 


13 


271,800 


433,323 


50,498 






84,382 


56 










Beaver Falls, Pa. Carnegie f. 1. 


♦13 


F. 




307 


11 


11 


3 


94,000 


12,335 


13,035 






37,002 










Belfast, Me. F. 1 


4 


F. 




306 


18 


28 


3 


12,000 


17,462 


17,769 






26,422 


16, 










Berkeley, Cal. P. 1 


•65 


F. 




362 


78 


78 


21 




55,188 


60,470 






343,339 


197, 












Berkeley, Cal. Univ. of Cal. 1.. 




F.l.c. 








92 


37 




305,110 


332,884 




307,555 


90,892 


















Binghamton, N. Y. P. 1 


60 


F. 




305 


66 


72 


12 


100,000 


38,995 


41,719 




205,135 


189,128 


141, 


Birmingham, Ala. P. 1 


195 


F. 




365 


75 


75 


14 


88,000 


44,638 


50,096 


16,097 




256,503 


166, 










Blacksburg, Va. Va. Poly. Inst. 1. 




F. 




229 


63 «.1 


4 




26,072 


27,463 


76,966 




3,829 














Bloomfield, N. J. Jarvie mem. 1 . 




F.r. 




308 


39 


39 


2 




18,125 


18,769 






44,663 


30,( 












7 


F. 






60 


60 


2 




7,417 


7,913 






26.705 


20,' 














8 


F. 




347 


63 


66 


3 


20,000 


7,573 


8,757 


1,460 




39,040 


24,S 










S. 




304 


48 


48 


2 




12,997 


13,046 
























Boston, Mass. P. 1 


•757 


F. 


31 


358 


81 


88 




•8,000,000 


1,121,747 


1,139,682 


<- 




2,050,238 








F.l.c. 




310 


45 


45 


4 




24,26.' 


25,974 






29,418 














Boulder, Col. Univ. of Col. 1 




F.l.c. 




302 


82 


82 


9 


238,000 


91,9Sf- 


102,719 


30,000 




27,662 










Bradford, Pa. Carnegie p. 1 


14 


F. 




308 


72 


72 


4 


65,450 




20,325 


21,391 




100,333 


74,9 








62 


F. 


34 


306 


72 


78 


12 


175,000 


71,416 


73,882 






231,925 


157,4 










Brookings, S. D. State Coll. 1. 




F.l.c. 




320 


14 


14 


4 


20,000 


18,866 


20,333 


5,000 














Brookline, Mass. P. I 


•34 


F. 


9 


357 


82 


82 


20 


258,500 


89,663 


92,649 






231,691 


142,9 



REPORTS 



IBRARIES 

the American Iiibrary Association) 



An arrow (-V or -<-) in place of an item indicates that the omitted item is included 

in the next column toward which the arrow points. 

The superimposed small figures refer to notes appended to the table. 



, 


_ s 


Recorded reading room 
use (total no. of vols 
used in building) 








•a 

(5 


No. of 

papers 
and 

oSi^t^ls 
currently 




Receipts 


1 


Ebcpend 


tures for maintenance 


Si M 

c n 
S3 
v'a 




g 


Registration 


1 


t3 

'5 


Salaries 




f« 




2 
1 

1 

c 







3s 


•^-> 






■5 

5 


> 
a 


H 




- 


H 


Q. 

u 


H 






1 




3,032 




53 


53 




2,500 




2,567 


326 


12s 


1,247 


420 




2 868 


























12,981 




164 


197 




12,985 


17,796 


4,084 


584 


4,090 


1,050 




11,950 














'TA 














4,683 


13,676 




175,983 


192,697 


t34,S26 


^ 


75 fiqn 














































•100 


•100 




100 


536 


4,27'f 


512 


153 


1,200 


345 




2,811 




























11,103 3 


74 


74 




5,000 




8,030 


1,607 


120 


2,617 


520 


1,293 


6,996 






























97 


97 




905 


92 


2,242 


617 


194 


680 


50 




1,877 






















34,138 










469 


469 






7,375 




3,499 


2,027 


8,840 




250,000 




































679 


679 




6,728 


540 


7,269 


2,292 


2,165 








7,270 






































83 


83 
























































738 










4,716 




78 


78 




4,000 


849 


5,859 


787 


175 


2,009 


624 


383 


5,280 












171 










•8,900 


24 


124 


124 


39,269 


4.000 


2,694 


7,80r 


694 


304 


3,408 


800 





7,689 






















4,304 




191 


191 



























2,161 


265 


2,427 




194 


194 




2,000 




2,03r 


1,266 


407 








2,000 















258 1 ins -ion 






69,752 


5 


265 


265 


108,300 


37,702 




37,70: 


11,000 





18,848 


1,527 




37,702 























100 


100 


28,328 


2,955 




3,112 


930 


■<r- 


1,747 


120 





3,066 




.... 




















•5, 000 


5 


90 


90 


•57,957 


3,250 


166 


4,09.' 


1,121 


120 


1,190 


360 




3,603 











008 










5,808 




110 


110 


10,916 


6,300 


1,835 


8.96r 


1,610 


273 


3,040 


900 




8,960 












j 










1.-7 


157 






1 


2,214 


487 


2,707 


346 




6.590 


■ * 'I 














1 


1541 fi7.111 






44,795 




543 


543 




52.000 


50.000 


105,114 


16,530 


3,098 


58,345 


<- 








































1 


4,988 


5,571 


14,257 






30,549 






















1 










94,548 
















22.229 


22.488 


8,610 


■<r- 


11.072 






































3,819 


1,314 


5,133 


1 


278 


278 




13,830 


8.825 


36.55- 


2,172 


508 


7,899 


1,472 


6,130 


20,657 


















2,822|... 


103 


103 


22.983 


4,439 




4,43" 


816 


214 


1,979 


669 




4,439 












SQ"" 


704 








1,868 


1 


52 


52 




93 




2,69f 


337 


109 


710 


180 




1,728 














2,851 








13,010 


2 


353 


646 




27,084 




38,545 


6,547 


928 


15,626 


1,852 




32 419 




























1 








79,02r 


































3,453 












299| 3,506 


47,104 


17,920 


4,924 


22,844 




131 


131 


63,111 


14.200 




IS.llF 


479 


6,378 


720 




13,979 


165 










29,986 




453 


696 


144,674 


1.532.954 


|2,125.53- 


6,144 


735| 9,645 


736 




20,597 


. 










116 














187 


187 


29,652 






l,54r 


195 


195 









1,382 



























... 2,780 


1 











. ..1 __ .( 1 


3,086 


5.02- 


1,606 


■<- 1,260 


431 


444 


4,676 


' 





















1 






3,663 




52 


52 




1,00c 


132 


3.01 ' 


397 


51 1,120 


10 




2,340 


1 








537 


\ 






3,439 




93 


93 


15,460 


5.415 


1 7,79f 


854 


170 2,097 


288 




4.355 


























23 


23 






1,181 


1 9.82f 


1.311 


1,194 




435 


5,624 
























\ 


56,690 


47,6351104.325 


2 


1.697 


2,886 


1 


409.080 


21,542 


1 471, OO-' 


37,919 


8.4621212,801 


50,957 


89,715 


506,988 































182 


182 


1 1.528 


3,000| 1 


2.600 


■<r- 








'l 










840 


840| 


15.248 




j 15.87.1 


6.337 


1,270 6,389 






15,143 


|| 


5,426 


1,709 


7.135 




121 


126 




5.000 




J 5,848 


895 


237 








5,788 




j 






13.881 




207 


1 354 




24.500 


185 


1 24.685 


4.716 


861 


10,058 


2,021 


6SC 


24,676 















150 


1 150 




3.O80 


1 


822 


358 1,620 






3,080 


954I 4,648| 


8,784 


2,13ol 10,914 




~220 


1 37a 


1 


33.400 


496 


1 34,637 


5,353 


998 18,023i 3,30! 




34,636 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



An asterisk (*) Indicates that tlie 
A dagger (t) indicates tiiat tiie 
tures ior binding. 



ligTires given are estimated or approximate, 
amount expended for boolcs includes tiie 



xpendi- 



STATISTICS OFi 

(According' to form adopted by the Cotmc 



City or town 

and 

name of library 


T3 O 

W.S 


3 

SIM'S 

H.S.t; 




If 
z >. 


Hrs. open 

each 

week 

(central 

library) 




> 

a 

3 


'c 
c 

> 


> 
He 


i 

a, 
"o 3 


■a 

■gSg 
o- 

H > 2 

Ho =5 


3 

H.° 


K 




be 
c 
-3 


*5 


■oi 
1,2 


Broolclyn, N. Y. Com. H. S. 1.. 




F.I.c. 


j 193 


39 


39 






4,500 


4,954 


570 




5,256 












Broolclyn, N. Y. Pratt Inst. f. 1. 




F. 




307 


75 


75 


22 




109,098 


112,244 






226,859 












'" 


Brooklyn, N. Y. P. 1 


'1,928 


F. 


465 


366 


875^ 


91 


385 




862,112 


873,792 






5,349,3821 3,603,( 










Brunswick, Me. Bowdoin Coll. 1. 




F.I.c. 




347 


69 


75 


5 


532,698 


113,418 


115,789 




















BrynMawr, Pa. B. M. Coll. I... 




F.I.c. 




341 


92 


92 


S 




77,221 


80,778 


4,025 


24,811 






Buffalo, N.y. Grosvenor I 


468 


F.r. 




356 




82 


IC 





101,091 


105,711 


19,500 


















Buffalo, N. Y. P. 1 


468 


F. 




72 


82 


97 


1,565,000 


342,144 


355,021 


40,824 




1,720.494 


918.! 










24 


F. 


10 


306 


72 


72 


5 


105,000 


39,278 


40,714 






112,116 


64.9 








Butte, Mont. F. p. 1 


*90 


F. 


18 


356 


72 


84 


10 


200,000 


52,278 


54,137 






164,584 












Cairo, 111. P. 1 


17 


F. 


2 


327 


72 


81 


2 


50,000 


19,842 


20,577 






58,582 


36.6 








Calumet, Mich. C. & H. Mfg. Co. 




F. 


2 


355 


48 


60 


11 




42,120 


44,319 






160,371 


95.8 










Cambridge, Mass. Epis. Th. Sch. 




F.I.c. 










2 


35,000 


17,980 


18,754 




1,562 






















Cambridge, Mass. P.! 




F. 


6 


355 


72 


79 


34 




102,905 








385,169 


















Cambridge, Mass. Radcliffe Coll. 




F.I.c. 




.... 


55'^ 


55/. 






35,323 


37,859 






36,580 
















Cape Girardeau, Mo. State Nor. 




F. 




288 


60 


60 


3 




11,974 


12,539 


12,270 




34,600 












Carlisle, Ind. P. I 


3 


F. 


1 


309 


37 


37 






1,817 


2,009 


912 




7,887 


4,0 








Carnegie, Pa. A. Carnegie f. 1.. 


•15 


F. 


5 


362 


72 


75 


4 


225,000 


14,301 


16,062 






39,761 












Carthage, Mo. P. 1 


9 


F. 


1 




72 


72 


3 




9,079 


9,675 






45,974 


33,2 










Cedar Rapids, la. P. 1 


*43 


F. 


44 


364 


72 


84 


9 


110,000 


35,252 


37,103 






216.722 


131,1 










Charleston, S. C. L. Society... 




S. 




3121 10I-; 


10^ 


4 




•46,000 


47,207 


•12,851 




41,989 


















Charlotte, N. C. Carnegie 1 


34 


F. 


1| 309 


54 


58 


3 


80,000 


8.216 


9,087 






54,069 


42 5 










Chelsea, Mass. P. I 


43 


F. 


1 302 


66 


66 


7 


73,000 


17,524 


18,334 




101,893 


98,521 


75,0 




Chester, Pa. Crozer Theol. Sem. 




F. 


1 304 


64 


64 


2 






•28,000 




7,271 


3,150 














14 


F. 


1 


344 


60 


64 


3 


50,000 


14,000 


14,842 






39,951 


33,5 














F.r. 


1 


313 




78 


56 


5,453,867 


353,394 


368. SOS 


133,704 


184,800 


1,621 














F.r. 


1 


308 




78 


29 




358.028 


365.054 


<- 




















Chicago, III. P. 1 


•2,500 


F. 




87 


452 




627,619 


701,0591 


1 




5,585,8351 


















Chicopee, Mass. P. 1 


30 


F. 


4 306 


48 


48 


8 


75,000 


35.805 


38,821 






99,186 






. 






Chillicothe, O. P. 1 


*40 


F. 


10 309 


72 


72 


4 


61,000 


•35,000 


•36,400 






90,144 


39,2 












F.I.c. 





306 


78 


78 


3 




20,101 


24,658 


7,127 




1,416 
















*50C 


F. 


224 


358 


65 




155 


1.600,000 


487,088 


510,138 


106,404 




1,713,134 










Cleveland, O. P. 1 


674 


F. 


294 


365 


81 


S9;-< 


382 


1,341,791 


542,992 


555,064 






3,244,908 


1,392,7 








Cleveland, O. West. Res. Un. 1. 




F.I.c. 





307 


60 


60 


9 




83,951 


87,137 






11,908 














Clinton, la. F. p. 1 


26 


F. 




364 


72 


75 


6 


45,000 


20,180 


23,447 






106,062 


64,6< 










Colo. Springs, Colo. Colo. Coll. 




F.I.c. 





30O 


60 


60 




50,000 


69,912 


72,495 


♦40,000 


190,000 


14,400 




Colo. Springs, Colo. P. 1 


29 


F. 


3 


355 






5 


70.000 


28,002 


29,471 






106,135 


68 38 


















F. 





350 


795^ 


S2'A 


15 




148,116 


153,738 


•20,500 






37,0C 
















F. 





306 


54 


54 


18 




179,285 


187,867 






102,755 




















F. 


2 


•i04 


72 


72 


3 




44,249 


45,373 






49,992 


33,56 
















31 


F. 


12| 305 


75 


79 


8 


100,000 


29,914 


32,608 






170,923 


96,3 










Dallas, Tex. P. 1 


*120 


F. 


201 365 


66 


83 


18 


350,000 


51,972 


54,469 






161,058 


111,2C 








The Dalles, Ore. Wasco Co. 1.1 


16 


F. 


611 360 


66 


70 


4 


10,000 


9,967 


11,715 






58,423 





REPORTS 



255 



BRARIES 

he American Iilbrary ASBOclatloii) 



An arrow (->- or -<-) In place of an item indicates that the omitted item is 

in the next column toward which the arrow points. 

The superimposed small figures refer to notes appended to the table. 





1 3 

3 

ti 

6 6 


0- 

£ > 

Id" 








a 

a 
c 


No. of 
papers 


c S 
3 u 

^ 3 

^51 


Receipts 


2 


Expenditures for maintenance 


" Si 

c c 

P 

5 3 

■5 "^ « 






Registration 


and 

peri- 
odicals 
currently 
received 


n 


-5 
1 


Salaries 






^ o 


c 

E 
1 








■z"? 






*5 

< 


> 

3 


1 






H 


O 













1,992 




25 


25 29,620 








372 




2,355 
































8,741 








54,020 


2 


418 


418 RO.RIR 








6,138 


903 


25,314 











































348,631 




889 






470,600 


4,055 


644,473 92,514 


8,846 


251,206 


35,133 




513,651 






























4,900 


4,726 


9,661 3,194 


807 


3,793 


671 




9,661 




























723 


725 




5,000 


552 


7,699 4,557 


1,720 







































358 


358 




30,100 


1,237 


101,019 5,151 


655 


10,969 


1,200 
































134,875 


3 








120,600 


4,194 


139,275 29,213 


2,352 


67,051 


7,767 




133,071 


























3,918 


2,917 6,835 


4 


127 


131 




9,759 


180 


10,245 


2,629 


220 


4,106 


744 




9,810 
















8,178 


4,520 12,698 ... 


286 


286 




27,502 




43,374 


4,358 


964 


12,593 


3,692 





28,347 














13,943 


2,803... 


90 


90 




4,275 




6,136 


587 


158 


1,919 


514 


1,097 


5,909 











9,022 






9,600|... 


166 


333 


84,304 












































..\ \ 




1... 


26 26 




421 


901 


1,334 


1,300 




































I 








4 






39,030 




39,030 


8.567 


961 


20,199 






38,577 




















'l 








2,000 




4,187 


2,052 


248 





































61,003 






1,599 ... 


250 250 






























































3 


211 211 


1,364 




1,66? 


40 


40 


740 


180 


39 

























4,062 5 


113 


113| 92,065| 


9,700 


io,oor 


1,591 


319 


3,115 


800 


























87 


«'l 


3,522 




5,849 


tl,041 


-i- 


1,765 






3,576 


















IS 


764 


9,591 


3.306 


12,897 4 


210 


210 




16,308 




20,724 


4,141 


374 


7,485 


1,089 


16 878 




















755). .. 


89 


89 






2,454 


5,380 


t2,270 


■<- 


2,100 


300 































7,495 5 


72 


72 27-037 


4,333 




4,890 


975 


158 


2,130 


500 




4,835 




















3,556 








5 


125 


125 




8,009 


471 


9,515 


1,059 


211 


5.061 


■<- 




9 010 
























204 




154 


154 


1 






533 


270 


2,979 




























\ .'l 











76 


76 


1 5,500 




6,53? 


1,570 


179 


2,165 


840 


60 


5.749 


















183,179 








^882 


3.914 


158,834| 


233.291 


234.644 


13,860 


5,008 


63,408 


4,540 


18.000 


195.412 


. .... 











..'l 


112,111 








7771 777 


63,1891 


118. 04S 


118,048 


16,874 


1,662 


42.437 


^ 


6,291 


109,441 

























289,5041 3 






570,412 




577,394 


93,987 


9,652 


312,319 






552,658 































7,50C| 5 






8.500 


200 


8,70r 


2,276 


455 


3,501 


374 




8,700 


















..\ __ 








10,128)... 


95 95 


1 2.9661 


4,160 


944 


154 


2,332 






4,030 
























) j... 


243 243 


5,525 






































1 






251fi';')-521 




68,589 


33,S42J102,431 


3 


1.414'2,354 




182,936 


2,745 


199,173 


35,045 


<- 


93,673 


30,620 


1,920 


198,664 


To 








1 8.626 


1109,849 


70,2251180,104 


3 


1.294 3,056] 2,059,853 


[ 413,807 




2,642,709 


45,076 


7,533il95,959 
1 


60,090 


37,15l|459,124 






1 




477 477| 


I 12,581 


876 


14,039 


t5,388 


-<- 


6,531 






12,310 




i' 












11,434 








10,122 


5 


154 154 




9,993 




16,381 


3,442 


240 


3,967 


787 




12,258 

























1,000 




230 2301 148,550 








1.484 


870 


3.400 


600 








,•••■••-• 












1 








1.099 






1 




225 22S| 


9,200 




9,200 


1,354 


546 


3,943 


950 




8,645 

















\ \ 










1.400 1,400 






1 




8.000 


2,500 


12,705 


840 








^ 


























1 






17,615 




330 330 




33.838[ 


33,838 


9.000 


-<- 


19,700 


1,300 




33.838 














1 








2,246 




109 109 




4,947 


2,996 


8,237 


2,102 


168 


2,450 


476 


10,184 


17,139 


)8S 












1 








11,338 


3 


135 135 




1 14,802 




22,575 


3,563 


243 


6,352 


1,010 




2,304 


/ 















) 








25,609 


5 


250 250 


1 ( 19.500l 


21,574 


2,490 


469 6.729 


947 


6,132 


21,552 


..1 1 






3,392 


3 


90 901 18.974 


1 4,675 


1 


6,382 


1,493 


159 2,981 


480 




6,745 



256 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



An asterisk {•) indicates that the figures given are estimated or approximate. 
A dagger (t) indicates that the amount expended for books includes the expendi- 
tures ior binding. 



STATISTICS 01 



(Aocordlner to form adopted by the Conn 



City or town 

and 

name of library 




Si"Sw 

f-.5 ^ 


B 


c 

CO 

^ s 


Hrs. open 

each 

week 

(central 

library) 


ta'c 


> 

0. 

>, 


'c 

XI 

> 

6 ^ 

IZ"o 


c 

"o 
> 

6 
H"o 


1 

° 


3 O 3 
u «*§ M 

*^ ^ 2 
H"S3.3 


> 

3 

HO 


g 
•g 3 




J 




•oi 


Dalton, Mass. F. p. I 


3 


F. 





306 


36 


36 


3 




11,203 


11,608 






31,163 














23 


F. 





306 


72 


75 


4 


161,226 


22,778 


23,906 






84,528 


69,1 












48 


F. 


18 


363 


72 


76 


11 


150,000 


42,669 


46,991 






225,008 


142,1 












150 


F. 


232 


304 


75 


75 


55 


165,000 


74,682 


84,915 






284,840 


147,! 










Decatur, 111. F. p. 1.^ 


•40 


F. 




281 


72 


76 


9 


100,000 


35,650 


37,168 




117,836 


107,828 


74,; 






F.I.C. 




.... 


S3'4\ 53 W 


1 




3,363 


5,149 


























Denver Colo P. I 


266 


F. 


32 


360 


76 


79 


38 




177,370 


186,748 


4,767 


1,111,357 


720,621 


397,' 










9 


F. 


2 


303 


72 


75 






18,510 


19,285 






56,034 


36,4 















Des Moines, la. P. 1 


105 


F. 


55 


363 


72 


76 


29 




87,086 


94,089 


7,151 


528,404 


349,421 


114,5 










♦740 


F. 


101 363 


72 


72 


128 


1,422,310 


329,675 


350,492 


2,473 




1,504,000 


801,4 










•4 


F. 


2 .... 


35 


35 


2 




12,539 


12,831 






26,672 


22,8 













Dubuque, la. Carnegie-Stout 1. 




F. 


17 307 


72 


75 


7 




37,786 


36,691 




107,781 


94,334 


63,1 








*100 


F. 


34 363 


79 


82 


20 


246,498 


67,623 


70,630 






236,166 


147,1 












IS 


F. 


21 Mf, 


66 


66 


3 


90,000 


12.653 


12,998 






63,163 


13,3 


















F.I.C. 






65 


78 






31,793 


32,946 





28,145 


14,675 














East Orange, N. J. F. p. 1 




F. 




309 


72 


72 


21 


206,133 


46.836 


48,411 


2,778 




223,847 


146,7 






El Paso, Tex. P. 1 


70 


F. 


4 306 


72 


76 


4 


63,531 


11,786 


12,044 





74,154 


52,743 


10,3 










Elkhart, Ind. Carnegie p. 1 


•23 


F. 


10 


308 


72 


66 


5 


•60,000 


24,401 


25,977 


3,573 




90,214 


63,5 








40 


F. 


21 


306 


66 


66 


3 


35,000 


- 21,834 


22,947 


447 




79,668 


63,3 










12 


F. 


16 


296 


69'A 


71 K 


2 


34,000 


12,794 


13,007 






43,455 


32,9 












15 


F. 


2 


348 


72 


76 


4 




14,800 


15,800 






47,109 














Endicott, N. Y. F. 1 


*8 


F. 


1 


334 


45!^ 


48^ 


2 


4,000 


1,939 


2,823 






32,595 


22,8 










Englewood, N. J. F. p. I 


11 


F. 


21 303 


57 


57 


4 


45,000 


15,200 


16,074 


♦500 




43,285 


26,1 












♦90 


F. 


19 


363 


60 


78 


11 




54,463 


59,176 




200,698 


199,172 










Evanston, 111. N. W. Univ. 1... 




F.l.c. 


j 309 


84 


84 


15 




102,874 


107,565 


73,700 




10,164 














28 


F. 


2j 348 


75 


82 


9 


165,000 


52,056 


53,553 




115,716 


109,198 


68 8 






Evansville Ind PI 


♦100 


F. 





364 


76 


76 


17 


♦85,000 


24,480 


34,327 


117 




236,784 


127 










♦13 


F. 


1 


359 


70 


74 


2 


30,000 


7,084 


8,501 


620 




41,667 








Eugene, Ore. Univ. of Ore. 1.. 




F. 




311 


81 H 


81^ 






58,389 


67,969 




92,829 




30,0 








Exeter, N H. P. 1 


34 


F. 


1 




36 


36 


3 


21,500 


18,910 


19,563 






34,061 


18,3 










Fairhaven, Mass. Millicent 1... 


6 


F. 


4 


366 


84 


84 


6 


125,000 


22,596 


22,909 






54,081 


35,2 












124 


F. 


4 


305 


72 


72 


21 




94,289 


96,880 






231,189 


105,6 










Fargo, N. D. N. D. Ag. Coll. 1. 




F. 




256 






3 


25,000 


25,280 


26,842 


1,969 




















39 


F. 


12 


349 


72 


75!4 


5 


188,436 


58,565 


59,835 





93,644 


90,832 


57,8 






Flagstaff, Ariz. No. Ariz. N. S. 




F.l.c. 




278 


43 43 


2 


4,000 


3,673 


3,969 


711 






9 










♦20 


F. 


3 


293 


72 75 






23,090 


20,769 


2,245 




67,859 


48 3 












Fort Collins, Colo. P. 1 


11 


F. 


1 


354 


66 


695^ 


2 


27,800 


11,088 


11,717 




46,017 


39,217 


29,9 


Fort Dodge, la. F. p. 1 




F. 


8 


307 


7'S 


78 


4 


50,000 


16,334 


17,504 






62,559 


43,3 










18 


F. 


1 358 


72 


81 


6 




_ 17,632 


20,091 






89,167 


57,3 










Fox Lake, Wis. P. 1 


1 


F. 


1 178 


18 


18 


1 




2,545 


2,706 




10,205 


6,0 



.IBRARIES 

: tbe American Zilbrary Association) 






An 
Th 


REPORTS 

arrow (->- or -<-) in plac 
the next column toward wh 
2 superimposed small figure 


of an item indicates that the omitted 
ich the arrow points, 
s refer to notes appended to the table. 


tem is 


25 

included 


1 


u 3 

3 

C 


Ej5 

s > 

■ B 60 

"^ 6 s 
3 =2 

« S 3 


Registration 




No. of 

papers 
and 

oSfrais 
currently 
received 


go 

i/t'O 


Receipts 


H 


Expenditures for maintenanc 








1 

(2 


Sa 


aries 




c 






•S E 


11 




i 


1 


H 




H 


U 


H 






1,466 


2 


1 *' 


67 


32,185 


2,316 


200 


2,792 


368 






46: 


2.782 








* 


1,794 285 3,943 


97. 


4,918 


4 


115 


115 




788 


1,972 


11,111 


1,374 


150 


2, 60S 


701 




10.151 






5,3431 5,953 9,23C 


3,01f 


12,246 




301 


227 




26,014 




46,100 


5,223 


500 


8,06S 


1,819 




24,924 








},173| '. 81,055 18,639 


9,39 


28,036 


2 441 


679 




48,688 




55,053 


11,595 


■<- 


21,29. 


3,234 




54,505 






1,022 


1 


) 5,77C 


2,66f 


8,436 


4 


260 


260 




11,200 




13,244 


1,909 


393 


4,314 


605 




9,592 







....i 1 ) 


1 




89 


89 




4,500 




4,500 


2,500 


■<- 










1 1 .. 


















M89 *390,736 






58,618 


2 


497 


497 


•200,365 


70,250 




82.616 


12,714 


1,925 


29,596 


10,035 




74,070 


1 




1 




6,446 




65 


75 




4,000 


87 


6,950 


825 


144 


2,443 


600 




5.079 


/ 






S.SOO 178,983 






18,360 




56.<! 


568 


88,069 


32,868 




36,850 


5,829 


1,061 


17,358 


2,879 




34,674 









t,7621 5,8671 ) 68,687 


40,5261109,213 


3 


904 


1,560 




248,935 




486,271 


40,341 


3,746 


130,638 


16,295 


138,092 


370,047 


'[ 






1,760 . . . 


32 


32 




1,420 


225 


1,787 


320 


49 


540 


225 




1,787 


1 








,447 








8,565 5 


161 


161 




10,410 




11,465 


1,214 


347 


5,633 


<- 




10,613 




1 1 




,018 


'l 


16,300] 7,910 


24,210 5 


160 


251 




24,844 




26,242 


4,946 


681 


11,416 


2,419 




26,149 




....1 'I 'l 1 


3,602 










3,100 




4,409 


538 


115 


1,437 


480 




3.655 


1 1 1 










....1 1 


13,470 


\ 




238 


238 




3,308 




3,414 


tl,517 


<- 


1,350 


114 




3,039 














1 








3 


296 


296 


28,281 


22,500 




24,550 


3,681 


<- 


12,826 


2,212 




24.048 










....I 


6,53l) 1,611 


8,142 ... 


89 


89 




7,200 




7,410 


1,179 


470 


4,052 






7.201 










,7601 1 L . i 


8,432 ... 


171 


171 




8,311 




11,430 


1,221 


349 


3,299 


745 


825 


7.732 


1 1 1 




619 




7 8101 7- 951 


10,731 3 


72 


72 




4,600 


3,096 


9,313 


1,349 


153 


2,555 


350 




8,797 











,870 








5,771 ... 


104 


104 




4,119 




5,523 


604 


203 


1,475 


420 




4,271 







.. 




500 






4,047 


1 


114 


114 




4,077 


600 


4,960 


1,200 


220 


2,560 


-<- 




4,960 










...) 'I 




2,673 




50 


50 




600 




3,665 


510 


66 


1,589 


158 




3.504 


i 







.. .1 ) 


3,111 




74 


74 




4,200 


174 


7,197 


810 


160 


2,600 


625 




5,225 








,5001 1,526 11,229 


4,260 


15,489 


4 






42,680 










9,875 


1,260 




20,000 


















...i 


1 












7,400 


8,767 


5,633 


■<- 


9,269 


3,759 




20.782 


f 
















,518 






10,932 


5 


205 


205 


42,240 


17.789 


700 


26,739 


1,111 


246 


7,164 


1,167 




. . . 






io.i^i. 


40lj ] 7,007 


10,659 


17,666 


3 


130 


351 


27,731 


25,787 




36,528 


7,862 


971 


9,197 


1,426 


2,358 


25.310 








6,024 


5 


83 


83 




1,859 




5,116 


1,344 


173 


1,523 


240 




3.870 









'i... ; ': 


















7,958 


2,427 


1,294 


900 




24.139 




1 




















7,611 




66 


66 




2,350 


461 


3,700 


682 


168 


1,172 


256 


341 


3.251 


. 

l' 






513 








2,511 


3 


118 


156 






8,350 


11,903 


1,532 


373 4,059 


810 


1,766 


10.619 




i' 
















15,996 










34,999 




36,301 


4,354 


1,029 


15,556 


2,997 




36,301 


























336 


336 










1,140 


553 


3,180 


250 


































6,235 


3 


107 


107 




8,914 


699 


11,992 


1,790 


381 


4,546 


945 




9,582 










...1 






362 


1 


60 


60 




2,000 




2,000 


535 


156 


1,218 






1,974 
















2,818 


1,733 


4,551 


2 


62 


62 




6,500 




10,488 


899 


212 


2,929 


732 


1,198 


10,488 






S40I ' 




4,200 


3 


114 


120 


25,072 


3,101 




3,537 


613 


273 


1,450 


153 




3,407 




1 1 






050 


' 






6,435 ... 


73 


73 




5.860 




9,103 


1,129 


201 


2,922 


562 




6.550 
























4,781 ... 


165 


165 




10,447 




12,527 


1,837 


417 


4,031 


1,321 


2,448 


12.332 
















1. 




427 


184 


611 1 


20 


20 


1 225( 




1,475 


228 


50 1221' (. 




498 



258 

An asterisk (*) indicates that th 
A dagger (t). indicates that th 
tures for binding. 


LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 

e figures given are estimated or approximate. 3lMli3llw3 %Jr' 
c amount expended for books includes the expendi- 

rAccorOtn? to form adoptea l>y the Connc 


City or town 

and 

name of library 


£-5 


i.i 

E 

few's 

H.S.t; 






Hrs. open 

week 
(central 
library) 


its'E 


a 
a 

2 


> 


2 >j 

He 


i 

a 


■Co 

'H - c 
H0S.5 


1 

_3 

= S 
_ 

It 

H° 


a 
J! 

c 

■5 ' 

> u 

d u 
Z£ 




S 

n 




Fresno, Cal. F. p. I 


45 


F. 


13 360 


72 


75 


10 




19,868 


23,106 






124,311 


89,3: 








Galesburg, III. F. p. 1 


22 


F. 


306 


72 


72 


10 


125,000 


46,025 


47,361 


29,199 


171,144 


104,332 


66,1; 


Galveston, Tex. Rosenberg 1... 


*50 


F. 


10 303 


72 


75 


11 


895,922 


56,564 


59,327 


35,500 




80,375 


41,8. 


Gardner, Mass. Heywood mem. 


16 


F. 


12 309 


52 


60 


4 




16,401 


16,269 






79,464 


56 0' 












*5S 


F. 


42 363 


85 


85 


19 


126,000 


53,566 


64,043 






411,294 


149,4; 












F. 


309 


69 


69 






29,585 


30,392 






18,928 
















Glencoe III P 1 


3 


F. 


3| 247 


24 


24 


1 




3,807 


4,280 






11,825 


8,9! 










Goshen NY L & Hist. Soc 




F. 


1 


303 


1754 


17'A 


1 




3,526 


3,849 






15,564 


11 1' 












Gouverneur, N. Y. Rdg. R. As. 


*4 


F. 


1 


304 


36 


36 


1 


10,000 


5,951 


6,217 






22,828 


18,4; 






Grand Forks, N D Un. of N. D. 




F.l.c. 






75 


78 


4 




55,843 


58,915 


29,700 


















Grand Rapids, Mich. P. 1 


112 


F. 


107 


363 


75 


79 


63 


541,417 


160,308 


171,259 


4,933 


500,414 


457,737 


222,31 






F. 


5 




36 


36 


1 


127,500 


6,205 


6,403 






121,883 














Greenfield, Mass. P. 1 


12 


F. 


9 


358 


72 


76 


4 


40,000 


32,800 


33,703 






77,294 


53, 1( 












F. 




245 


47 


47 


1 


6,779 


5,971 


7,043 


2,500 




9,924 
















F. 


1 


360 


72 


76 


2 




8,219 


8,421 






16,724 


8,2C 












Hammond Ind P 1 


20 


F. 


13 


359 






5 


50,000 


17,295 


19,667 






66,800 


35,71 












Hanover, N. H. Dart. Coll. 1. 




F.l.c. 




362 


84 


87 


9 


225,000 


•134,000 


•138,500 






15,972 












Hanover N H. Howe 1 


2 


F. 


6 


299 


48 


48 


3 




6,173 


7,317 


68 




26,038 


20,13 












*90 


F. 


7 308 


62 


62 


9 


172,738 


15,380 


18,505 






122,889 


93,27 










•50 


F. 





332 


76 


76 


14 




•105,000 


109,362 






202,059 














Homestead, Pa. Carnegie! 


30 


F. 





339 


90 


90 


6 


175,000 


46,374 


45,669 


500 


135,214 


101,214 




Honolulu, H. T. L. of Hawaii. 


♦237 


F. 


133 


302 


72 


79 


10 


185,932 


26,632 


30,404 




94,734 


88,279 


52,79 


Honolulu H T Oahu Coll 1 




F. 


1 


278 


44 !4 


47 


2 




17,180 


17,984 






10,986 














Houston, Tex. Lye. and Carn. 1. 


*148 


F. 


26 


361 


76 


76 




142,649 


43,293 


47,357 






150,955 


105,17 









6 


F. 


1 


359 


37 


40 


2 


20,500 


11,419 


11,861 






46,694 


37,30 










*300 


F. 


39 


365 


54 


70 


58 




195,143 


202,798 






701,049 


















F. 






54 


54 






61,162 


73,158 


75,000 




11,959 





















7 


F. 


1 


358 


72 


75 






6,789 


7,473 






30,231 




















F. 


4 


360 


72 


75 K 


3 




15,580 


16,723 






54,403 
















Irvington, N. J. F. p. 1 


*2C 


F. 


1 


305 


72 


72 


2 




3,519 


6,415 






48,309 












Ithaca N Y Cornell Univ. 1 




F.l.c. 




309 


ssyi 


88K 


20 




460,265 


474,382 




137,139 


35,507 










Jackson Mich P 1 


•40 


F. 


11 


307 


72 


76 


11 


•100,000 


46,816 


48,423 






170,983 












Jamestown, N. Y. Prendergast 1. 


•37 


F. 


1 








5 




24,707 


25,500 






85,217 


63,25 















Jamestown, N. D. P. 1 


7 


F. 










2 




5,515 


6,038 






17,002 


13,96 
















Jersey City, N. J. F. p. 1 


270 


F. 


77 


364 


69 


85 


65 


476,310 


169,951 


179,225 




1,038,200 


911,264 


549,94 




35 


F. 




339 


72 


76 


8 




41.549 


42,664 


5,858 




















4 


F. 




360 


64 


98 


1 




1,550 


2,446 






70,906 


67,8<l 












Kalamazoo Mich West S Nor 





F.l.c. 




231 


51 


51 


4 




14,076 


15,414 
























16 


F. 


1 


307 


72 


72 


3 


30,000 


11,658 


10,885 






39,347 


18 87 










Kansas City, Kas. P. 1 


91 


F. 


21 


359 


72 


75 


7 




25,496 


27,434 


•500 




151,446 










Kansas City, Mo. P.I 


•300 


F. 




362 


91 


91 


82 




187,020 


211,471 






720,375 


438,47 



JBRARIES 

the American Iilbrary AsBOClatloii) 






REPORTS 

An arrow (->■ or -<-) in place 
in tile next column toward wiii 
The superimposed small figures 


259 

of an item indicates that the omitted item is includad 
ch the arrow points, 
refer to notes appended to the table. 


1 




d o 


£ > 

111 


Registration 


•a 

1 


No. of 
news- 
papers 
and 

odioals 
currently 
received 


no 

gs 

° >* 


Receipts 


1 


EJxpenditures for maintenance 


C 

".a 






1 


Salaries 




« 






[o 


a .2 


B 

E 
1 




11 








1 


H 




'1 


H 


U 


1 




'i 




10,563 


3 


167 


167 


166,966 


14,134 




16,939 


2,839 


410 


5,040 


1,133 


















66,812 






6,483 


4 


206 


220 


178,202 


8,372 




10,378 


1,429 


486 


4,217 


917 




9,056 








2,228 




9,995 


9,157 


19,152 




399 


467 






29,159 




2,916 


710 


11,249 


2,940 




26,440 
















4,377 


5 


99 


132 




4,586 


2,080 


8,041 


1,058 


294 


2,351 


335' 




7,963 












.... 22,339 




9,095 


6,659 


15,754 




270 


496 


160,469 


30,303 




40,941 


7,182 


1,104 


13,647 


1,911 


2,520 


32,199 










3,121 




110 


110 






2,488 


5,669 


1,149 


318 


1,860 


99 




4,422 













68 




463 


316 


779 


2 


41 


41 


4,876 


1,697 




4,889 


513 


80 


730 


144 




2,177 





....i \ 






1,195 


5 


35 


35 




500 




710 


256 


52 


170 


22 




785 






















1,831 


4 


62 


62 


4,723 


1,000 


214 


2,170 


507 


90 


424 


46 






















t 
















2,391 


<- 


5,340 


847 












' 




















9,183) 7341 22,7601 12,361 


15,711 


28,072 


4 


1,067 


1,539 


472,475 


65,210 




85,073 


9,408 


2,567 


35,538 


2,879 




62,718 


347 


1 






3 






5,747 


lOO 


2,224 


3,703 


247 


66 


823 


468 






/ / 












496 


1 'i 


4,827 


1,206 


5,033 


3 


126 


139 




7,000 




8,100 


1,455 


849 


2,55"t 


758 




















) 




110 


110 








2,489 


910 


136 


1,250 














/ 
























2,312 




60 


60 




1,973 




2,146 


320 


<- 


945 


300 








1 












1,474 


3,382 


4,856 


3 


149 


149 


33,129 


8,289 




11,525 


2,551 


324 


2,561 


774 


351 


7,859 






















618 


618 








23,728 


5,216 


2,279 


10,325 


332 




21 193 


























1,307).. . 


58 


58 






















. 


























10,014 


3,880 


13,8941 5 


114 


114 


39,315 


4,999 


5,268 


14,218 


3,077 


<- 


5,577 


660 


1,142 


12,831 


. . 




....\ 27,725 


1 




26,948( 9 


274 


378 




15,599 


6,759 


24,262 


4,130 


878 


9,728 


1,110 




23,875 


: 






3,000 






12,528) 5 


129 


129 






16,000 




2,533 


275 


4,660 


600 




8,700 




1 










2,787 


1 'i 


4,027 


2,840 


6,867)... 


157 


157 


46,955 


12,195 


4,117 


17,503 


4,769 


384 


8,282 


980 


472 


17,433 








....I 70 








520|... 


84 


84 

















































2,146 




14,793 


4,894 


19,677) 5 


189 


189 




12,000 


250 


14,140 


3,361 


484 


5,844 


815 




13,589 


. 






... 1 'l 'l 




2,957) 3 


102 


102 




1,900 




2,333 


354 


97 


875 


320 




2,333 












1 






40,388 


3 








96,809 






21,077 


<- 


33,911 


<- 


1,268 


78,021 




















1 




) 




350 


350 


8,305 


22,900 




22,906 


t6,005 


-^ ) 15,000 


■<- 




22,906 














1,554 


725 


2,279 








14,297 


3,445 




3,697 


664 


1161 1.456 






3,103 


. 


















364 


\ 




5,781 




97 


97 




5,806 






1,312 


423 


2,339 


660 




6,162 
























3,514 


3 


31 


31 




4,800 




5,527 


2,089 


<- 


1,183 


■<- 




4,370 


















1 














24,064 












24,048 






































1,050 










9,340 










12,479 




13,847 


2,624 


394 


6,559 


865 




13,347 























1. 


6,200 


2,600 


8,800 


... 


104 


104 


14,759 


100 


8,374 


8,956 


862 


218 


3,720 






7,154 












i 'l 






3,297)... 


50 


50 




2,217J 


2,585 


829 


109 


954 






2,217 




1 1 
















109,865 






9.,173|... 


182 


456 


210,755 


65,095 




81,547 


14,280 


1,532 


2S,331 


6,600 


12,720 


80,664 












....I I 






9,762|... 


98 


98 




9,235 


1,374 


16,602 


1,909 


239 


5,334 


1,445 




12,025 


















1,570) 2 


50 


50 




















2,100 




























' 




■■ 1 ..1 


197 


208 










2,450 


475 


5,530 














/ 1 





















1,277 


770 


2,047) 2 


67 


70 




3,000 




5,250 


527 


145 


1,318 


840 




4,393 


3,100 


, 'i 






9,274 3 


160 


160 










2,338 


267 


4,800 


1,871 
























....i i 


35,787 


32,258 


68,045 . . . 


1,620 


1,620 










27,655 


■<- 


51,985 





39,830 


150,052 



260 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



An asterisk (*) indicates that the 
A dagger (t) indicates that the 
tures for binding. 



figures given are estimated or approximate, 
amount expended for books includes the 



STATISTICS OF 



(According to form adopted tiy tlie Conncl; 



City or town 

and 

name of library 


s 

13 O 

S.5 

0.0. 


H.H.ti 




it 


Hrs. open 

each 

week 

(central 

library) 


c if 
ie'c 


3 

> 


J2 
> 


T3 
C 

"o 
Ho 


1 

H « 


sS-oSl 


It 


"3 ^ 






(2 




Kenosha, Wis. Simmons 1 


*33 


F. 


22 


362 


75 


83 


9 




30,144 


31,775 


915 




149,424 


85,93 






15 


F. 


11 


356 


69yi 


69^ 


3 




23,948 


24,768 






88,685 
















•15 


F. 


19 


365 


57 


60 


3 


75,000 


15,363 


16,221 






74,987 


41,58 








Kingston, N. Y. City 1 


26 


F. 


3 


346 


69 


69 


2 


45,300 


8,775 


9,914 






51,089 










Knoxville, Tenn. Univ. of Tenn. 




F.l.c. 




250 


60 


60 


3 




33,990 


35,584 


•18,000 


27,569 


8,697 












F. 


1 


306 


66 


72 


3 


15,000 


27,781 


29,015 






59,966 
















'6 


F. 


1 


358 


42 


46 


1 


16,700 


2,763 


3,026 






20,158 












La Grange, III. F. p. 1 


*8 


F. 


1 


293 


32 


32 


1 




7,836 


8,080 






32,167 


1,02 










*12 


F. 


1 


326 


76 


76 


2 




19,594 


20,908 






54,088 


43,22 












•13 


F. 


3 


303 


72 


72 


6 


•100,000 


22,499 


23,565 


23,831 




40,775 


32,78, 




. 




•52 


F. 


2 


303 


72 


72 


4 




13,504 


14,737 


286 




75,385 


41,75 








Laramie, Wyo. Univ. of Wyo. 




F. 





277 


44 


44 


3 


100,000 


36,300 


39,268 




















12 


F. 


1 


307 


63 


66 


2 


28,500 


13,834 


14,158 






52,087 


39,63 










*7 


F. 


1 


362 


45 


49 


2 




6,171 


6,437 


445 




25,667 


12,97 










19 


F. 


13 


362 


72 


76 


3 


60,000 


24,549 


25,619 






74,539 
















F. 


1 


307 






2 




24,442 


24,683 






23,558 





















Lexington, Ky. Univ. of Ky. 1. 




F.I.C. 






M'A 


BA'A 


2 


24,327 


13,530 


15,018 


•2,500 




2,683 


















48/. 


48 >4 


4 


500,000 


71,490 


72,991 




























Lincoln, Neb. Univ. of Neb. 1. 




F.l.c. 





309 


83 


83 


19 


320,000 


119,489 


126,687 


•33,000 
















Long Beach, Cal. P. 1 


32 


F. 


15 


364 


72 


79 


16 


49,000 


36,934 


40,819 






324,743 










Los Angeles, Cal. Los A. Co. 1. 


•150 


F. 


129 




46 


46 


107 


90,739 


65,477 


98,766 


1,942 




546,165 










•555 


F. 


114 


363 


80 


80 


134 


171,250 


247,523 


277,634 


29,702 




2,027,673 


1,164,90 




Louisville Ky P 1 


237 


F. 


1161 3(;3 


82 


82 


59 




179,345 


195,424 


56,599 




1,074,360 


608,54 










Lyndonville, Vt. Cobleigh p. I. 


3 


F. 


6 


305 


38 


38 


1 




5,049 


5,290 






23,945 


17,71 








Lynn Mass. P. 1 


•102 


F. 


23 


304 


72 


76 


18 




102,302 


105,719 


21,537 


307,203 


251,085 


152,69 






Macomb. 111. West. 111. S. Nor. 




F.l.c. 




?40 


48 


48 


2 




15,013 


16,202 




31,920 








' 








Madison, Wis. F. 1 




F. 


1 342 


72 


72 


11 


90,000 


35,779 


36,489 






193,074 


105,45 














Maiden, Mass. P. I 


48 


F. 


2o 


304 


66 


66 


14 


669,951 


68,238 


69,604 






209,635 


147,31 










13 


F. 


5 


305 


30 


33 


4 




12,338 


13,148 






50,640 


38 87 













Manchester, N. H. City I 


70 


F. 


4 


304 


72 


76^ 


17 


357,000 


•77,000 


•79,000 






149,494 


88,52 












•10 


F. 


1 


360 


50 


54 


2 


•15,000 


7,676 


8,170 






25,580 


20,15 








Marlborough, Mass. P. 1 


15 


F. 


1 


305 


40 


60 


4 


60,000 


31,000 


31,784 






40,166 










Marshalltown, la. P. 1 


16 


F. 




350 


71 


71 


5 


82,055 


16,783 


18,150 


4,024 




78,393 


41,37 


Martinsville, Ind. P. 1 


•6 


F. 


13 


307 


72 


72 


2 


16,500 


6,102 


6,925 






34,583 


26 86 










Mason City, la. P. 1 


17 


F. 


9 


360 


72 


78 


5 


80,150 


14,670 


16,316 






75,112 


41 59 










Masslllon, O. McCIymonds p. I. 




F. 


7 


306 


56^ 


561^ 


2 




20,627 


21,005 






73,075 
















Mauch Chunk, Pa. Dimmick 1.. 


8 


F. 


2 


305 


60 


60 


3 




12,961 


12,855 




30,293 


















F.l.c. 





252 


43 


43 


1 




6,049 


6,361 


•550 




12,832 


1,23 








Memphis, Tenn. Cossitt I 


•150 


F. 





365 


75 


85 


26 




120,263 


131,532 






504,763 


320,54< 








Memphis, Tenn. Goodwyn Inst. 


•143 


F.r. 


1 


313 





75 


4 




12,747 


13,865 


9,391 









REPORTS 



261 



.IBRARIES 

r the American Ubrary Association) 



An arrow (->- or -<-) in place of an item indicates that 
in the next column toward which the arrow points. 
The superimposed small figures refer to notes appended 



the omitted item is included 
to the table. 



. 


u 3 

u 


hi 


Registration 


■o 


No. of 
news- 
papers 


c o 

^ s 

Si ^ 

° >, 


Receipts 


h 


?xpendi 


tures for maintenance 


Si Z 
c c 

««« 

I'll 




3 K, 


and 

peri- 
oSicals 
currently 
received 


g 


Ch 


Sala 


ies 




* rt 


t- o 

a g 
S a 


E 
i 

c 

w 




5g 


.•IE 


*c £ 






•a 

< 


c 


H 




'e 


H 


U 


f2 








6,836 2.725 


9,561 


' 






46,292 


32,330 




46,873 


2,211 


308 


5,983 


<- 




11,285 




















1,264 








5,583 .. . 


84 


84 




4,273 




6,13C 


1,091 


128 1,860 


600 




5,435 











— 










3,645 


2,164 


S,809 


80 


SO 




8,721 




9,54i 


1,398 


154 


2.405 


934 


1,136 


9,657 
























21,788 .'■ 


98 


98 




3,100 




4,37C 


tl,349 


<- 


2,329 


-(- 




4,501 














4 
















1,132 


295 


295 




2,000 


2,302 


6,337 


1,235 


289 


2,840 


500 




6,337 





























3,011 ... 


94 


94 








7,50C 


1,948 


251 


2,300 


600 
































3,437 4 


54 


56 


29,016 


2.507 




3,353 


504 


140l 920 


301 




2,567 




















1,481 775 


2,256 5 


30 


30 




1,250 




2,347 


423 




835 


-<- 




















2,690 2 


112 


112 




4,431 




9,007 


1,081 


168 


1.440 


720 




5,011 












1,559 








7,337 ... 


166 


189 




2,750 


3,489 


6,657 


1,086 


228 


3,189 






6,521 


















5,034 1.633 


6,667 


IM 


56 


56 


14,762 


3,000 


50 


4,634 


593 


44 


1.550 






3,273 









































3,000 




2.500 










































3,787 


784 


4,571 2 








3,950 


60 


4,379 


395 


2361 1.504 


480 


525 


4 802 
















'l . .'l 






1,137 2 


58 


58 




1,469 




3,022 


181 


118 


1,215 


280 




2,358 










1,100 










4,749j 3 


113 


121 




6,933 




7,763 


1,181 


190 


2,406 






51,867 



















\ \ \ 




1,306 
















568 


<- 


1.900 


<- 




2,962 


























'l 








253 


253 




2,774 




2,774 


593 


592 


1,340 


100 




2,729 


















'l 








106 


106 




4,750 




4,750 








































1 








900 


900 










17,075 


<- 


11,921 






28.997 




1 
























1 44,089 





20,903 


3,154 


24,057) 2 


300 


300 




23,582 




25.155 


3.925 


801 


12,714 


1,004 


1,066 


23,581 
















31,348|3i/$ 


159 


1,147 




38,800 




?2,827 


24,042 


2,150 


28,546 






65,785 






















35,383 








110,388 3 


2,139 


2,139 




168,016 




197,680 


32,389 


4.196 


99.073 


-<- 


57,183 


246,458 










,i 1 . 




2,138 






26,529 26,361 


52,890 ... 


554 


1,226 




64,400 




103,655 


18,962 


1.936 


41,738 


7.149 


15.925 


103,355 












1 






1,396 ... 


60 


60{ 


983 


222 


1,747 


325 


59 


430 


79 




1,553 










1,719 


1 






20,667 . . . 


343 


363 




27,964 




29,064 


4,243 


776 


12,781 


4,558 




29,064 






















181 


181 




4,257 




4,257 


877 


380 


2,257 






3,845 


1 / 1 1 1 /•■" 












1 9,929 





11,547J 4,074 


13,621 4 


221 


221 




14,408 


150 


22,235 


1,935 


425 
























1 149 








12,089 3 


245 


245 




10,50C 


12,495 




4,095 


486 


9,958 


1,608 




23,207 













\ \ 


2,048 


1,100 


3,148 3 


80 


80 






















■■■■ 1 / 
























1 3,157 








13,445 .. . 


344 


385 




19,00C 


1,476 


21,824 


2,949 


794 


10.506 


1,738 




20,827 















1 1 






4,950 4 


95 


95 


20,303 


2,364 





3,048 


487 


126 1.049 


340 




2,670 
















8,574 11 


116 


116 




4,7S< 


576 


5,379 


704 


250 


2,712 


475 




5,295 


1 t 










1,20C 


1 


1 . .. 






5,698 ... 


128 


129 




5,68S 


30 


6,740 


1,311 


144 


2,510 


480 




6,081 














93S 


1 •• ■ 








2,430 5 


51 


51 


37,679 


2,57 




4,268 


922 


126 


985 


300 


305 


3,339 














1 425 


1 






7,708 . . . 


113 


113 





9,24i 





13,019 


1,541 


422 


4,336 


360 




8,486 














1 i 






4,708 . . 


104 


104 




1,60 


i 1,400 


7,486 


1,168 


225 


1,560 


264 




3,642 














) 






2,050 . . 


64 


64 


6,155 


5 


5,014 


5,041 


t83« 


-<- 


2,195 


-<- 


6C 


3,614 













80 


8C 










194 


13« 


1,650 










1 






20,530 3 








38,74 


5 


50,629 


6,46( 


1,006 19,605 


3,072 


1.00( 


42,608 


1 \ 45,69 


) 




■1 














t2,77S 


■4- 3,780 









262 LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 

An asterisk (*) indicates tliat the figures given are estimated or approximate. 3 1 M 1 19 1 Iw9 \JF 
A dagger (t) indicates that the amount expended for books includes the expendi- 
tures for binding. (According to form adopted hj the ConncU 


City or town 

and 

name of library 


•a 
1 

|l 
|1 


i.i 

H.S.t: 


s 




Hrs 

(c 
lib 


. oper 

each 

veek 

entral 

rary) 




3 

> 

a 


'a 

2*0 


> 

e2^ 


a 

e 


"Eg ° 

n > 2 

f2-0 3.§ 


1 

> 

3 

s2° 


1 

§ 
1 

•5 3 

> V 

Ji 
Z£ 




•5 


Menominee, Mich. Spies p. I... 


10 


F. 




338 


72 


75 


3 




12,406 


12,819 






46,891 


28,50 













4 


F. 


1 


305 


54 


54 






12,642 


12,918 


2,865 




40,876 


28,31 














*S01 


F. 






80 


80 






302,651 


322,334 


20,453 




1,300,324 


843,82 












Minneapolis, Minn. P. 1 


335 


F. 


169 


364 


81 


89 






302,389 


319,233 






1,508,339 










Minneapolis, Minn. U. of Minn. 




F. 




307 


84 


84 


30 




207,406 


230,842 




168,774 


41,153 









Minot, N. D. F. p. 1 


10 


F. 




308 


66 


69 


2 


35,000 


4,784 


5,396 






24,279 


16,05 








Mitchell, S. D. Carnegie 1 


7 


F. 




308 


72 


72 


2 


20,000 


6,788 


7,634 






26,958 


17,32 








Montclair, N. J. F. p. 1 


25 


F. 


17 


362 


72 


76 


11 


85,673 


38,801 


40,937 






176,025 


127,41 








Muscatine, la. Musser p. 1 


16 


F. 


1 


362 


63/2 


75 


' 


65,000 


14,763 


15,418 






55,682 










Muskegon, Mich. Hackley p. 1. 


*45 


F- 




363 


77 


87/2 


9 


200,000 


54,174 


55,784 


20,848 




109,086 


39,01 




Napa, Cal. Goodman 1 


•37 


F. 




350 


72 


75 


3 




13,969 


14,829 






47,297 


24,93 








New Bedford, Mass. F. p. 1... 


109 


F. 


56 


366 


72 


79 


22 


551,400 


154,511 


157,805 


•31,596 




407,830 


162,70 


New Britain, Conn. Institute.. . 


52 


F. 


19 


340 


72 


75 


11 


150,000 


59,000 


62,514 






206,237 








New Brunswick, N. J. F. p. 1. . 




F. 




333 


72 


76 


4 




34,700 


35,731 






75,021 


54,24 








New Haven, Conn. F. p. 1 


♦160 


F. 


44 


307 


72 


72 


35 


575,000 


125,000 


131,357 






190,384 


126,13 






New Haven, Conn. Yale Univ. . 




F.l.c. 




336 


81 


85 


65 


2,334,500 




•1,000,000 






43,445 








New London, Conn. P. 1 


*20 


F. 




303 


66 


66 


7 




30,137 


31,318 




98,557 












New Rochelle, N. Y. P. 1 


31 


F. 




361 


72 


76 


10 


100,000 


36,894 


38,929 


2,481 


•120,898 


118,162 


70,33. 






F.r. 




363 


87 


87 


7 




101,593 


105,504 


63,767 




3,921 















S. 




366 




112 


19 




114,437 


118,344 




























F.l.c. 




268 


58 


58 


5= 




8,409 


10,556 


1,808 




5,328 


















S. 




303 






8 




249,083 


253,651 




81,603 


77,105 


60,35! 












New York. Metropolitan Mus.. 




F.r. 




303 




42 






29,891 


31,568 






















New York P. I.* 


3,497 


F. 


906 


365 


82 


82 


676 




1,100,952 


1,109,547 




13,302,183 


10,128,682 


5,563,09( 








New York. Queens Bor. p. 1.. 


396 


F. 


91 


310 


72 


72 


112 


256,763 


214,916 


229,335 






1,444,264 


872,031 








New York. Russell Sage F'n 1. 




F. 




306 


40 


40 


6 




13,570 


14,763 


28,807 




8,958 










Newark, N. J. F. p. 1 


•400 


F. 


11 


363 


75 


82 


90 


940,000 


226,897 


245,607 






1,123,926 












27 


F. 




350 


72 


72 


3 




44,486 


39,859 






79,748 














Newport, R. I. Redwood 1 


30 


S. 




304 


48 


48 


4 




61,556 


63,192 






17,325 


I0,S2< 










Newport, R. I. Nav. War Coll. . 




F.l.c. 




305 


45 


98 






10,879 


12,579 


2,476 




1,878 














43 


F. 


135 


351 


82 


82 


22 




93,825 


96,302 






347,102 


189,25« 












Niagara Falls, N. Y. P. 1 


42 


F. 


13 


308 


72 


76 


6 


63,700 


24,886 


24,929 






99,469 


65,33« 








Niles, O. P. 1 


*10 


F. 




274 


69 


69 


2 




5,294 


5,720 






26,152 


16,84! 












Norfolk, Va. P. 1 


89 


F. 


2 


302 


72 


72 






24,163 


24,759 




81,716 


75,148 


71,13" 










North Adams, Mass. P. 1 


22 


F. 


12 




70 


70 


4 




37.382 


38,219 




87,886 


73,514 


33,48( 








Oak Park, 111. Tp. High Sch... 




F.l.c. 






37 


37 


1 




3,945 


4,321 






















♦525 


F. 


65 


303 


72 


75 


117 


351,647 


125,985 


139,570 


12,553 




896,188 


550,635 










4 






305 


79^ 


79 J^ 


21 


247,800 


154,538 


164,628 


121,508 




63,184 














Ogden, Utah. Carnegie f. 1 


25 


F. 


12 


357 


66 


76 


4 


•60,000 


13,272 


16,226 






77,798 


55,415 








Omaha, Neb. P.I 


•166 


F. 


52 362 


69 


82 


24 


460,000 


117,873 


123,573 






389,174 


181,914 

































REPORTS 



263 



LIBRARIES 

of the American Zill)rary Association) 



An arrow (->- or -<-) in place of an item indicates that the omitted item iB included 

in the next column toward which the arrow points. 

The superimposed small figures refer to notes appended to the table. 



? 


" 3 

3 

■ti 

c 


Recorded reading room 
use (total no. of vols 
used in building) 


Registration 


C 

(5 


No. 


of 


c 


Recei 


pts 


H 


Expenditures for mair 


tcnance 


p 

".a 
I"? 

WW'S 




£ c 


and 

o§fcT.s 
currently 
received 




1 


Salaries 






1- 


1 




°o 


3s 


•r'> 




z^ 


< 






H 


u 


s 











3,863 


3 107 


107 




5,634 




7,397 


1,063 


134 


1,965 


366 




4,804 


















' 






2,503 . . . 


65 


65 


9,544 


1,500 


233 


1,930 


444 


127 


950 


66 




1,93S 






















72,395 3 


666 






141,025 




147,709 


27,113 


<- 


61,740 


15,410 


3,782 


133.86S 




















59,153 








94,429 5 


747 


747 




171,017 




197,117 


24,605 


5,075 


98,959 


15,104 




209,506 






















1,191 


1,191 










40,076 


<- 


33,330 







































1,610 


1,089 2,699j 3 


84 


84 


20,025 


4,628 




8,739 


824 


144 


1,860 


533 




4,857 


















•3,570 3 


69 


69 




3,000 




4,211 


312 


99 


1,285 




1,229 


3 472 


















3,404 








12,279 




152 


214 




16,000 




25,509 


2,531 


544 


9,418 


<- 




16,488 
























4,473 


4 


86 


86 




6,647 




7,346 


1,079 


158 


2,584 


660 




6.494 
















1,092 








6,079 


3 


223 


223 


43,376 


338 


13,134 


14,235 


1,674 


425 


4,816 


1,276 




9.939 






















2,278 


4 


78 


78 




4,228 




8,156 


1,096 


<- 


2,250 


438 




4.404 


















105,078 




15,307 


6,582 


21,889 


5 


422 


634 




29,731 


13,781 


47,664 


6,659 


1,801 


17,808 


9,940 




44.192 




11,631 












178 


203 




13,000 


4,882 


19,027 


5,052 


476 


6,383 


1,109 


1,400 


19,027 


























8,290 


6 


114 


114 




6,000 


50 


7,504 


989 


291 


2,701 


860 




6,774 


























26,422 


2 


341 


341 




40,100 


3,850 


50,396 


8,708 


1,193 


20,896 


2,594 


5,000 


47,546 


























3,893 


1 


9,000 


9,000 






49,800 


95,558 


34,391 


<- 


42,578 


2,892 




92,416 
























4,754 


4,920 


9,674 


3 


90 


90 


















































90 




10,425 


4,256 


14,681 


5 


160 


160 


15,600 


10,509 




12,980 


1,227 


315 


5,971 


1,056 


1,378 


12,349 




















27,203 




6,669 


9,185 


1,955 


2,059 


13,853 


<- 























































10,715 


<- 








14.350 




1 












































202 


202 






240 




177 


39 


1,330 










































3,339 




151 


151 








25,801 


5,331 


460 


10,380 






22.320 






































210 


210 


15,802 


































































515 


4,033 


4,121,436 


749,108 


40,072 


845,060 


161,859 


10,411 


466,929 


41,988 




845.060 






















146,541 


112,977 


259,518 




177 


1,199 




158,966 




175,872 


29,842 


2,392 


66,263 


20,339 




159.815 






















1,368 




250 


250 


16,170 






















































41,246 


23 2931 64 ';.1Q 










130,957 




150,539 


23,580 


3,450 


67,836 


13,937 




150.538 




































93 


93 




3,540 




5,771 


890 


227 


2,776 


300 




5.493 






























444 




188 


188 


19,253 




5,760 


12,660 


2,544 


■<- 


3,898 


■<- 


648 


8,685 




























104 


106 








4,410 


1,110 


360 


2,750 






4.410 












(■"" 
























15,555 


3 


551 


551 




33,158 


1,700 


35,775 


7,768 


1,187 


14,595 


2,286 




34,838 


























22,403 


n 


105 


105 




9,100 




10,136 


1,508 


245 


3,590 


890 




8,783 












' f 
















3,159 








9,306 


2,734 




2,963 


382 


122 


1,282 


144 




2,566 
























19,324 






14,400 


3 


94 


94 




7,000 


60 


8,043 


1,204 


238 








7,787 




























7,525 


5 


164 


164 




7,000 


143 


7,703 


1.821 


336 


2,872 


648 




7.703 






























41 


65 










500 


78 


1,100 






1.675 




19,396 








49,661 


2 


1,631 


1,769 


1,090,167 


119,339 




122,315 


19,316 


4,100 


60,479 


11,151 


35,000 


157,150 






201,130 
















18,565 


9,437 


28,626 


4,969 


-<- 


13,023 


1,203 




27.484 




1,199 








10,583 


3 


167 


167 




7,345 




8,903 


2,242 


433 


2,550 


630 




7.218 
























27,580 


3 


324| 436 




40,000 


452 


42,173 


9,022 


-<- 


18,542 


3,467 




42.173 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



An asterisk (') indicates tliat ti 
A dagger Ct) indicates that tl 
tures for binding. 


eflgii 


es given are estima 
unt expended for 


ted or 
Dooks 


approximate, 
includes the expendi- 




STATISTICS OF 

According' to form adopted ^sy the CouncU j 


City or town 

and 

name of library 




tsii-S 


H 


■St 

^ 5 


Hrs. open 

week 
(central 
library) 


-' c 


3 


Zo 


> 

C u 


1 

a 

0. 


T3 a c 

H'o 3 J 


_ 3 


c 

> V 1 

•si i' 
>° 1 

^0 j 




•5 
c 

2 


•5 


Oradell, N. J. Delford 1. ass'n. 


H 


F. 


1 


151 


7V2 


7'A 






2,316 


2,656 






8,345 














Oshkosh Wis P 1 


•39 


F. 


IS 


309 


72 


76 


7 


78,000 


30,135 


31,794 






170,651 


58,335 








Oskaloosa, la. F. p. 1 


10 


F. 


3 


307 


66 


66 


4 




11,336 


12,476 


1,150 




68,315 


41,303 , 




Ottawa III Reddick's 1 ^ 


*12 


F. 


1 




72 


72 


3 




16,445 


17,358 






38,872 


31,586 










Paducah, Ky. Carnegie p. 1. ... 


•28 


F. 


4 


306 


72 


72 


3 


80,000 


17,885 


18,542 


1,125 




76,741 


13,100 i 






•3 


F. 


5 


362 


54 


77 


5 




6,965 


7,158 






28,704 














12 


F. 


1 


357 


66 


69 


2 




8,818 


9,020 






47,275 

















45 


F. 


6 


356 


72 


75 


23 


•50,000 


49,051 


54,841 






232,013 


142,678 










61 


F. 


11 


307 


72 


76 


12 


260,000 


37,841 


40,099 






281,976 


150,013 








Paterson, N. J. F. p. 1 


124 


F. 


5 


302 


67 


79 




325,000 


60,765 


63,925 




276,872 


266,014 


179,152 


Pawtucket, R. I. Sayles p. 1... 


55 


F. 


16 


308 


72 


72 


9 


225,746 


38,543 


33,904 






170,761 


116,109 








5 


F. 


6 


307 


36 


72 


2 




15,024 


15,292 


354 




26,986 


20,776 








Pendleton, Ore. Umatilla Co. 1. 


•27 


F. 


56 


361 


57 


60 






9,694 


12,096 






60,114 














Peterborough, Ont. P. 1 


•21 


F. 






72 


78 


3 


47,802 


13,615 


14,200 




53,430 


8,894 






Philadelphia, Pa. Franklin Inst. 




F.I.C. 




300 


57 


57 


4 




67,436 


69,151 


28,250 






2,060 










1,549 


F. 


133 


304 


72 


72 


309 


2,103,522 


494,992 


515,925 


244,328 




2,767,310 


1,920,029 




Pierre, S. D. Carnegie 1 


3 


F. 




305 


45^ 


45/. 






5,185 


5,635 






13,608 


10,051 










Pittsfield, Mass. Berk. Athen.. 


•39 


F. 




336 


67 


81 


12 




63,724 


65,657 






100,896 














24 


F. 




363 


76 


76 


8 


•69,000 


52,580 


54,924 






100,320 


64,620 








Pocatello, Id. Id. Tech. Inst.. . 


•IS 


F. 




262 


46M 


46J^ 


2 


6,884 


6,536 


7,408 


14,802 




3,468 










14 


F. 




355 


72 


75 


8 


•55,000 


27,780 


30,661 


•5,600 




104,502 


72,173 






Portland, Ore. L. ass'n 


•275 


F. 


212 


364 


75 


82J^ 


131 


876,743 


225,560 


245,370 


20,499 




1,468,793 


584,914 





Pottsville, Pa. F. p. 1 


22 


F. 




311 


72 


72 


4 




10,531 


11,186 






90,365 


58,777 








Princeton, N. J. Prince. Univ. 




F.l.c. 




347 


84 


89 


46 


1,000,000 


373,224 


383,674 




79,316 


52,861 


6,307 


Providence, R. I. Brown Univ. 




F.l.c. 




348 


89 


89 


14 




230,000 


236,513 






11,518 














274 


F. 




361 


72 


86 


38 


666,000 


180,030 


170,825 






293,065 


138,580 








Pueblo, Colo. McClelland p. 1.. 


•50 


F. 




305 


72 


78 


4 




28,417. 


29,215 






100,098 














•5 


F. 




361 


30 


33 


2 


•2,500 


4,605 


5,290 






20,117 


12,864 










6 


F. 




260 


16 


16 


2 




9,122 


9,364 






26,423 














Redlands, Cal. Smiley p. 1 


10 


F. 




363 


84 


84 






27,759 


29,388 


10,249 




115,591 


75,706 








Reno, Nev. Univ. of Nev. 1.... 




F.I.C. 




307 


60 


60 


2 


55,000 


28,268 


29,400 






13,695 












22 


F. 




356 


77 


77 


8 


41,500 


10,998 


13,765 


845 




101,827 


67,998 






River Falls, Wis. State Normal 




F.I.C. 




247 




45 


2 




9,115 


9,773 


3,000 




26,828 












248 


F. 














52,706 


68,519 






741,865 


























Rochester, N. Y. Reynolds I.. 


248 


F. 




344 


72 


76 


7 




78,021 


80,005 


6,321 


63,761 


46,597 


27,779 





Rochester, N. Y. Univ. of Roch. 




F.l.c. 




309 


84 


84 


6 


228,513 


66,157 


69,675 






12,632 


3,008 






Rock Hill, S. C. Winthrop Nor. 




F.l.c. 






59 H 


59H 


3 


•75,000 


16,640 


16,797 






16,930 











Rutherford, N. J. F. p. 1 


8 


F. 




303 


30 


30 


3 


28,153 


8,274 


8,851 






44,336 


24,769 






Saginaw, Mich. East Side p. I. 


30 


F. 




307 


60 








20,018 


19,660 






82,530 
















St. Joseph, Mo. P. 1 


•80 


F. 


35 


358 


72 


76 


24 




71,778 


77,022 






285,290 


196,386 



REPORTS 



265 



IBRAR9ES 

the American Iitbrary Association) 



An arrow (->■ or -<-) in place of an item indicates that the omitted item is included 

in the next column toward which the arrow points. 

The superimposed small figures refer to notes appended to the table. 



.5 


&Z 


Ej2 

£ > 

5 ^"5 


Registration 




No. of 
papers 


Ml 


Receipts 


H 


Expend 


tures for maintenance 


".5 

C ^ 
I'll 




£ 


and 

peri- 
odicals 
currently 
received 


§ 


•5 


Salaries 




Id 




1 

C 









■-'? 






< 


3 


H 




- 


H 


CJ 


1 




) 




5,940 














569 


180 




204 


19 




537 




























7,465 3,221 


10,6S6J 3 


110 


116 


65,787 


7,268 


3,320 


12,099 


2,150 


269 


4.196 


1,520 


287 


10,337 






'l 




2,865 


982 


3,847 3 


124 


124 




5,131 




6,243 


1,208 


183 


2.250 


420 




5,478 


> .. 














2,132 


1,285 


3,417 2 


44 44 




2,000 


5,885 


8,965 


1,268 


137 


2.687 


562 




6,208 














ion 










13,45l| 5 


92 


92 


41,331 


5,000 




5,790 


1,630 


173 


1.895 


720 




5,243 


















343 


921 


1,264 


1 


42 


42 






























4,175 


2 















507 


115 


2.007 






3,606 










































234 


436 




33,075 




34,587 


8,648 


1.060 


16,109 


1,269 




33,056 




















1,072 








17,342 


5 








16,700 


911 


19,907 


3,073 


386 


7,268 


1,023 


832 


19,262 


























22,968 


3 


365 


365 




32,000 




34,117 


5,428 


1.189 


16.716 


3,528 




34,117 
























9,768 


3 


218 


218 




17,672 




17,672 


3,130 


500 


7.678 


2,158 




17,671 
























1,689 


5 


74 


74 




200 


1,537 


1,801 


277 


140 


1.025 






1,840 


















7SQ 










7,166 


5 


93 


93 





6,863 




11,318 


2,092 


163 


3,497 


168 


35,000 


42,802 


























6,169 


6 


84 


84 




4,560 


313 


5,78S 


885 


273 


2,200 





193 


5,436 
























783 


783 


4,479 





















683 


1654,607 






167,652 


3 


1,292 


1,695 




285,550 


13,171 


354,747 


43.496 


-<- 


189,711 


<- 




306,838 









572 


398 


970 


2 


65 


65 


5,900 


1,450 




2,142 


314 


88 


600 


240 




1,842 


















115 


138 




6,000 




21,506 


1,387 


296 


8,324 


-<- 




12,956 


























7,040 


3 


253 


4,480 





11.756 


1,730 


23,044 


2,740 


1,014 


4,631 


1,089 




13.186 



























93 


93 




2,000 




2,019 


SO 


130 


1,625 






2,005 




13,015 








6,012 


3 


140 


161 




11,949 




17,935 


2,168 


329 


6,132 


720 




12,118 











,160 


26,14S| 


67,174 16,213 


83,387 


5 


1,001 


1,875 


410,190 


95,795 


7,267 


157,864 


19,662 


3,323 


87,465 


14,174 




156,308 




247 






6,720 


4 


54 


54 




3,000 




6,922 


985 


126 


2,665 


216 




6,199 


























40,792 


13,226 


88,027 


34,631 


-<- 


32,664 






83,723 






































11,715 


5,850 


17,929 


4,229 


1.487 








17,492 
























IRS 








36,444 


3 


1,190 


1,250 




33,200 


30,360 


77,772 


11,191 


1.864 


35,726 


8,220 


3,659 


77,211 




















9,000 


3 


100 


100 




7,000 




7,652 


1,683 


316 


3,305 


840 




7,613 






. . . 













1,358 745 


2,103 




48 


48 




2,500 




4,246 


561 


81 


1,385 


120 








1 






....'l 'l \ 




1,693 










2,322 




2,427 


382 


77 


534 


<- 






•• l' ' f 




















5,7091... 


215 


215 




9,997 




16,555 


1,458 


544 


4,545 


900 




10.464 














) 1 




( 







5,476 


t2,323 




3,085 






5,475 






















,121 




2,266 


1,433 


3,699| 2 


120 


120 




13,106 




14,584 


3,041 


302 


5,402 


850 




13,401 







I 






745 
















750 


235 


1,970 


































I 


23,505 


10,585 


34,090J 3 








60,400 




63,263 


16,328 


922 


23,518 


2,350 


2,658 


63,128 


'**',' 








....1 1 








^ 


233 


233 


103,643 






12,000 


2,471 


693 


5.577 


950 






•• t' 














1 1 _ 






257 


257 






2,600 


10,816 


3.823 


1,043 


3,699 






10 124 
































131 


131 










12.000 


-<- 


2,000 








































2,383) 3 


86 


86 


9,036 


2,983 


71 


5,028 


693 


-<- 


1,344 


324 


1.010 


4,300 




















5,050j 3 








4,999 




5,383 


549 




2,106 


432 


1,074 


5,381 
























18,6561 3 








26,358 




27.805 


4,444 


1,096 


13,933 


2,496| 1,054 


27,805 



266 



An asterisk {*) indicates that the 
A dagger (t) indicates that the 
lures. lor binding. 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



figures g-iven are estimated or approximate, 
amount expended for books includes the 



xpendi- 



STATISTICS OF 

(AccordlnfT to form adopted Tjy the Connc 



City or town 

and 

name of library 


3 

s.s 

oX 


1.1 

B 
H.S.s 


fS 


.3 >» 

CD 


Hrs. open 

each 

week 

(central 

library) 




a 
a 

3 


c 
.o 

"o 3 
Z'o 


> 

o 
d 

fS-o 


a. 
E 
a 

"oS 


11" 

3 o 3 

•s = § 

o— 

e2oS5 


c 
s 

e2° 


c 

■f 3 
W.E 


= 




2 


CO 




St. Louis, Mo. P. 1 


•750 


F. 


204| 365 


72 85 






414,623 


443,181 


133,434 




1,832,272 


1,043,^ 


- 













St. Paul, Minn. P. 1 


*247 


F. 


55 


....\ 1 


80 


1,710,000 


31,689 


90,304 






600,324 





- 
















Salem, Mass. P. I 


37 


F. 


4 


304 


72 


78 






63,545 


64,987 






150,955 


102, ! 


- 
















•17 


F. 


11 


360 


72 


74 


3 




11,292 


11,879 


193 




53,202 


36,1 


- 






Salt Lake City, Utah. P. 1 


*117 


F. 


27 


364 


66 


79 


18 


170,000 


62,331 


69,658 


6,664 


537,439 


328,947 


175, 5 


Salt Lake City, Utah. U. of Utah 




F.I.C. 




272 


77 


77 


5 






48,712 


19,225 




30,000 














F. 


2 


358 


72 


76 


10 


200,000 


40,829 


43,905 


♦7,141 




125,713 


71 1 










San Bernardino, Cal, County 1.. 


56 


F. 


58 




42 






♦9,500 


7,072 


13,094 


189 




70,285 


.; L 










^ 




92 


F. 


34 


363 


72 


78 


26 


250,000 


♦54,000 


62,325 


11,478 




403,517 


200,1 






San Francisco, Cal. P. 1 


452 


F. 


22 


357 


75'A 


75/, 


57 




159,763 


176,167 






1.157,523 


880,1 















San Jose, Cal. Santa Clara Co. 


40 


F. 


40 




48 


48 


20 




4,717 


9,964 






86,989 




, 












38 


F. 


36 


304 


69 


69 


4 




20,995 


23,116 






97,014 


51, 
















*3 


F. 


1 363 


48 


51 


2 




5,860 


6,580 






20,941 














Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Carn. 1. 


12 


F. 


1 305 


63 


66 


4 


♦40,000 


11,431 


12,213 




79,817 


49,167 


29, 






•147 


F. 


9 


302 


72 


72 


11 




78,506 


80,289 




166,434 


160,408 


87, 










Seattle, Wash. P. I 


348 


F. 


138 


366 


78 


86 


133 


1,597,000 


254,636 


268,320 






1,405,655 


841, 












Sedalia, Mo. F. p. 1 


»27 


F. 


8 


308 


69 


76 


5 


62,500 


17,897 


18,961 






80,641 


59, 








: 




4 


F. 


2 


299 


66 


66 


2 




12,438 


13,132 




66,57: 


35,729 


22, 








Sherman, Tex. P. 1 


•18 


F. 


1 


358 


54 


64 


1 


21,300 


4,006 


5,063 






27,317 


22,: 












Shrewsbury, Mass. F. p. 1 


•1 


F. 


7 


306 


24 


24 


3 


31,100 


10,932 


11,657 






16,618 


9,- 










Spokane, Wash. Lew. & C. H. S. 




F.l.c. 




200 




40 


1 




3,881 


4,290 


2,247 






















Spokane, Wash. N. Cent. H. S. 




F.l.c. 




175 


40 


40 


1 




3,871 


4,058 


1,393 




9,152 














Spokane Wash. P. 1 


♦120 


F. 


48 


359 


72 


79 


30 


329,768 


68,118 


73,668 






382,336 


221,'. 












Springfield, Mass. Int.Y.M.C.A. 




F.l.c. 




365 


97J^ 


97/, 


3 


104,825 


11,907 


12,685 


♦26,000 




















Stockton, Cal. F. p. 1 


*70 


F. 


34 


357 


72 


76 


14 


330,000 


69,510 


70,380 


37,861 




177,368 
















F. 




104 


U 


11 


2 


4,000 


4,986 


5,153 






2,976 


2,; 














Summit, N. J. F. p. I 


•9 


F. 


1 


308 


63 


63 


3 


51,000 


12,446 


13,191 






40,4S9 


32,( 












•ISO 


F. 


24 


350 


76 


76 


28 


387,000 


121,166 


120,693 


3,823 




429,700 










i 


Tacoma, Wash. P. 1 


♦112 


F. 


83 


358 


76'^ 


83K 


35 


198,000 


75,508 


75,733 






403,981 












F. 


11 


365 


47 


51 


12 




46,272 


48,762 






331,029 


20:,! 
















F.I.C. 




282 


56 


56 






67,892 


70,926 


11,163 


89,911 
















Toledo O P. I 




F. 


10 




75 


81 


17 




98,345 


102,613 






379,362 


170,E 














♦500 


F. 


16 




84 


80/, 


136 


904,000 


2S7,411 


285,215 


21,868 


1,407,048 


936,844 


457,5 




Traverse City, Mich. P. 1 


12 


F. 


' 


357 


72 


72 


2 


20,212 


14,853 


15,963 


3,471 




44,184 


35,-1 


Trenton, N. J. F. p. 1 




F. 


9 


307 


72 


72 


22 




69,972 


75,688 






296,067 


205,3 








Troy, N. Y. P. 1 


75 


F. 




351 


72 


76 


8 




49,486 


50,328 




104,201 


98,779 


70,8 






Troy, N. Y. Renss. Poly. Inst. 




F.l.c. 




307 


53 


S3 


2 




11,341 


11,903 


12,892 


7,004 


2,585 










Tyler Tex. P 1 


12 


F. 


1 


306 


61/. 


65/, 


3 


20,000 


8,193 


9,030 


975 




31,552 


23,6 






Union Springs, Als. L. 


•5 


F. 


151 310 


42 


42 


1 


14,340 


2,285 


2,460 






6,800 


4,6 

































.IBRARIES 

t the American labrary Association) 






REPORTS 

An arrow (->■ or ■<-) in place of an item indicates that the omitted item is 

in the next column toward which the arrow points. 

The superimposed small figures refer to notes appended to the table. 


267 

ncluded 


« 


li 

d u 


Recorded reading room 
use (total no. of vols, 
used in building) 


Registration 




No. of 

papers 
and_ 

o§fc"'ls 

received 


No. of persons using 
library for reading oi 
study 


Receipts 


[-1 


Expend 


tures for maintenance 


c c 




> M 


n 


•5 


Salaries 




c 

Is 


1 




° O 




II 




o 


3 


1 


E-. 




- c 


.965 


U 
2^ 


1 


6,408 


7,482 




' 




281,900 




463,76; 


49,098 


4,221 


121,356 


28,728 




265,964 


' ■'^r°.-"''^i '"•*•<> "i • 






L 


'i 'i 


41,2091 . 


740 
163 


954 
163 










36,899 


6,071 


43,511 




46,748 


156,694 


' 










3 






















16,700 


1,736 


22,66. 


2,814 


483 


8,897 


2,064 




18,326 






















5,818 4 


134 

Its 


134 
501 


22,019 


5,500 




5,77. 


1,336 


163 


2,146 


600 




5,772 











3,428 


1,806 


\ 


26,883 5 




57,347 




63,133 


7,074 


1,022 


15,174 


2,453 


21,053 


60,680 


i' 










' )... 


344 


344 






13,212 




3,002 


1,535 


3,825 






8,954 






/ 

















13,167 3 








15,881 


80G 


22,062 


6,540 


578 


6,190 


1,249 




19,099 


r' i 










1,624 





1 




6,494 2 


29 


103 




7,576 




12,25S 


3,215 


129 


4,732 






9,833 
















2,141 


1,702 






18,913 2 


303 


517 




33,673 




37,434 


6,966 


1,106 


17,886 


3,582 


2,414 


37,43 « 








1 


1 


53,513 2 


375 


676 




96,990 




136,918 


27,012 


2,363 


55,299 


-<- 




107,038 


1 










\ 








5,610 ... 


26 


33 




10,418 




12,221 


3,741 


70 


3,997 






9,046 


f 














6,956 






5,530 


l,630j 7,160| 3 


114 


114 


35,828 


8,522 


182 


11,289 


2,591 


269 


3,990 




421 


9,532 















1,368 


510 


1,878 


2 


75 


75 




3,321 




4,40.'^ 


526 


158 


1,245 


715 




3,346 














29,251 






4,403 


4 


84 


84 




4,153 




5,038 


1,108 


192 


1,745 


360 


631 


4,865 






















14,786 


2 


108 


129 




20,880 


50 


23,42: 


2,597 


316 


9,740 


1,325 


396 


22,025 
















25,106 




51,020 


16,077 


67,097 


2 


954 


1,604 




176,108 




178,440 


20,990 


3,268 


85,307 


19,673 


7,450 


166,573 
















4,376 


3 


141 


141 




6,128 




8,677 


1,069 


253 


2,446 


540 




5,761 


















25,843 






2,651 




56 


56 


26,626 


3,210 




3,373 


903 


135 


2,160 






3,373 




















2,634 




55' 


55 


5,959 


2,084 




2,343 


919 


81 


914 






2,336 


























3,392 


44 


69 


69 


4,119 


942 


1,292 


2,878 


450 


150 


816 


325 


565 


2,878 



























46 


46 




500 




516 


402 


99 








502 






































43 


43 




175 




204 


129 


75 


1,400 










49,754 








37,431 




891 


1,169 




45,226 




50,152 


10,024 


1,827 


21,462 


3,760 


1,840 


48,179 
























147 


147 




4,224 




5,951 


1,639 


<- 


3,160 


460 




5,951 





















72,706 






5,389 




352 


352 


72,706 


15,926 




28,507 


2,091 


813 


14,481 


1,706 


2,031 


25,765 


















364 


15 


39 


39 




150 


122 


359 


80 


75 


100 


30 




359 





















2,950 


852 


3,802 




115 


115 


•32,000 


4,540 




6,050 


527 


134 


2,140 


360 




5,162 


















23,981 




544 


544 




50,200 




51,952 


9,553 


1,170 


23,220 


4,922 


1,588 


50,187 
















1,602 








18,184 




363 


476 




35,860 




38,878 


5,029 


717 


20,686 


2,893 




36,765 












1,000 










24,996 


2 


250 


250 




17,871 




25,398 


2,877 


659 


9,007 


1,930 


490 


19,264 



























317 


317 




8,730 




27,994 


6,029 


792 


7,950 


780 


250 


17,433 
























18,339 


9,964 


28,363 




279 


349 




15,127 




33,447 


3,044 


640 


16,088 


3,398 




30,416 




















81,393 




378 


778 


•100,300 


148,697 




187,428 


30,075 


2,684 


75,486 


9,682 


46,839 


204,829 






















4,171 




109 


109 


18,620 


3,500 




5,830 


1,132 


169 


1,483 


612 




4,412 


















16,806 


6,623 


23,429 




238 


238 




27,218 


2,206 


35,305 


8,070 


619 


13,973 


<- 




30,873 














5,422 


5,928 4.152 


10,080 




139 


141 




8,600 


2.439 


12,682 


1,147 


391 


7,293 


-<- 




12,418 




















851 




127 


127 


18,724 


























































4,770 




51 


51 


•12,745 


2,426 




2,922 


790 


93 


1,055 


273 


98 


2,966 






















1,193 




18 


18 


10,621 


1,030 




1,211 


61 


29 


506 


93 


149 


1,073 



268 



An asterisk (*) indicates that the 
A dagger (t) indicates that the 
tares lor binding. 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



figures gfiven are estimated or approximate, 
amount expended for books includes the expendi- 



STATISTICS Ol|] 

(Accordlngr to form adopted by tha Conn 



City or town 

and 

name of library 



Upland, Cal. P. 1. , 



III. Univ. of 111. 1., 



Utica, N. Y. P. 1.. 



F. p. 1. 



Valley City, N. D. State Nor, 



Valparaiso, Ind. P. 1. . 



Van Wert, O. Brumback 1., 



47,289 
13,135 



Vermilion, S. D. Un 



Visalia, Cal. Tulare County f. 1. 
Waco, Tex. Baylor Univ. 1.... 



Wakefield, Mass. Beebe Town I. 



Walla Walla, Wash. F. p. 1.... 



Waltham, Mass. P. 1., 



Washington, D. C. P. 1. of D. C. 



Washington, D. C. Dept. of Ag 



Washington, Pa. Citizen f. 1. 



Waterloo, la. P. 1. 



137,703 
17,299 



127,885 
37,690 



Waverley, Mass. McLean Hosp. 



Wellesley, Mass. F. 1.. 



2 303 



Wellesley, Mas; 



Westlield, N. Y. Patterson 1.. 



Weymouth. Mass. Tufts 1. . 



Whitewater, Wis. State Nor., 



. .. 322 
2J 303 
15| 303 



14,477 
19.' 



290 



Whiting, Ind. P. 1. 



Wichita, Kas. City 1., 



Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Osterhout 1. 



Williamsport, Pa. J. V. Brown 1. 



Williamstown, Mass. Will'ms C. 



Williston, N. D. James mem. 1. 



Willows, Cal. Glenn Co. f. 1. 



Wilmington, Del. Wilm. Inst. 



Winchester, Va. Handley 1. . . 



5 150,000 



7054 



royi 



306 
II 304 



Winsted, Conn. Gilbert Sch. 1. 



Winthrop, Mass. P. 1. 



Woodstock, Vt. N. Willi: 



Worcester, Mass. F. p. 1. 



1,402 
83,908 



41,500 
175,000 



19,360 
227,843 







34,951 


23, 


30.938 




23,668 


17, 


58,693 


40, 


21.505 




39,372 





REPORTS 



IBRARIES 

the American Iiibrary Association) 



An arrow (->- or -<-) in place of an 
in the next column toward wriich the 
The superimposed small figures refer 



;m indicates that the omitted item 
row points, 
notes appended to the table. 



s 


3 

d u 


0- 

£> 

lLc'o_^ 

■- . 5? 
•SC.5 

« 33 








c 


No. of 

papers 


No. of persons using 
library for reading oi 
study 


Receipts 


H 


Expend 


turcs for maintenance 


c c 




no 


Registration 


and 
peri- 
odicals 
currency 


n 


a. 


Salaries 




^1 


n 

s 
1 

•a 
c 




o 




u it 
■3'> 






< 


3 


t-i 




^ 


H 


U 


1 


' '[ 


1 


1,344 


3 


32 


32 


19,168 


1,600 




1,636 


199 


45 


630 


150 




1 636 


1 












15,786 











4,503 


4,503 










t54,603 


^- 


61,093 






115,696 




























1W 










17,997 


3 


255 


255 


59,178 


37,379 


1,735 


41,144 


6,399 


667 


19,072 


3,161 




37,052 




















1,364 




52 


52 


5,520 


2,313 


654 


6,439 


205 


80 


800 




800 




• 


















160 


160 










564 


172 


2.5S0 
































isn 




20,648 






3,233 




89 


89 




2,950 




4,935 


64 


170 


970 


158 


1,224 


3,801 












91 








13,258 




121 


121 




12,702 





12,864 


1,357 


241 


2,952 


1,535 


5,337 


12,864 












\ 














6,500 




6,500 






2,570 


































7S9 










10,253 




41 


562 


12,91! 




14,737 


3,930 


644 


5,763 






13,050 




































5,064 




5,190 


1,051 


350 


3,091 






5,190 































4,803 


5 


65 


65 




3,026 


280 


3,306 


821 


156 


1,504 


26 




3,306 
























4,962 


2 


111 


111 




4,900 




5,573 


752 


259 


2,759 


424 




5,410 





















8,263 


2,7471 11,010 


3 


165 


165 




13,659 


271 


14,372 


3,126 


■<- 


5,757 


1,158 




13,881 


' 








7f,f 


110,930 


33,871 


32,914 


16,534 49,488 


3 


449 


633 




72,100 


90 


78,3Sf 


11,918 


1,151 


43,769 


6,480 




77,335 

















2,2SO 


3,015 




55,682 




55,68." 


7,017 


4,154 


31,278 






55,488 






















17,344 






4,596 




137 


137 




1,900 


120 


3,39' 


639 


211 


1,680 






2,928 






















7,825 


3 


233 


253) 


16,579 




16,87' 


1,664 


525 


8,483 


1,189 




15,263 



















8,589 


4 








3,900 




4,59f 


1,208 


172 


1,842 


202 










































745 




79? 


404 


388 








1.629 











































2,500 


860 


4,619 


604 


-^ 


1,576 


413 


600 


4.019' 

































320 


320 




























































2,325 


3 


73 73 




lOO 


5,535 


7,43r 


688 


140 


1,440 


720 





3,810 










IQQ 








4,072 




108 


108 




3,255 


655 


5,13f 


1.045 


226 


1,581 


441 




5,127 












1,121 


















2,76* 




2,774 


50O 


225 


1.800 


































229 












151 


151 




5,966 




12,243 


1,126 


149 


2,097 


1,017 




















1 








7,825 


3 


167 






7,500 




8,334 


2,225 


287 


3,371 


889 


8,348 












.. .1 _ . 




14,223 


6,0581 20,281 




150 150 


51,089 










































108 







4,973 


1,8531 6.826 


3 


103 


103 


17,688 




8,424 


9,807 


1,682 


257 


4,729 


941 




9,718 


. 1 ..i j 










( 


12,934 




12,934 


6,363 


6,363 


5,134 






12,934 


1 i' 1 


























826 


445 


1,271 


3 


46 


46 




3,600 




4,242 


288 


83 


1,096 


780 






■■■( ( 












2,207J... 


38 


38 


1 '•''' 




5,691 


2,293 


94 


2,124 


123 


5,216 




1 1 








,538 


5,414 




10,430 


7.6061 18.0361 3 


288 


350 




15,895 




30,832 


5,211 


932 


13,924 


555 


19 309 4.9 945 




1 


















2,000| 3 


81 


81 


58.148 


























































2,210 ... 


49 


49 
























r 
































2,630 


829 


3.459 2 








4,892 




4,892 


778 


191 


1,709 


600 




4,852 









1 
















2,458 


1,3461 3,8041... 


107 


108 


\ 


5,700 


2,735 


8,615 


1,421 


261 


3,446 


685 




8,540 

















. \ .. j 




9,848 


32 




1 1 










I 















\ 1 










1 






...1 1 1 


1 33,174 


3 


5941 594 


1 


66,850 


4,034 


79,903 


14,907 


2,434 


41,502 


-<- 




75,802 



270 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



disregarded. The entries of total valuation 
of library property usually refer to real 
estate values or values of buildings alone. 

The statistics furnished by certain libra- 
ries have been omitted from these tables 
for the reason that only very meager re- 
ports could be recorded in conformity with 
the specific headings; also, in the case of 
some libraries included in the tables, cer- 
tain items have been omitted if the same 
appeared unconformable or obscure. The 
complete file of statistical sheets received 
will be preserved at headquarters for ref- 
erence during the year. 



1. Albany, N. Y. New York State Li- 
brary. The agencies include 576 libraries, 
400 study clubs, 749 high schools, 207 acad- 
emies, 39 colleges, over 8,000 district schools 
and many other institutions, all registered 
with the university of the state of New 
York, and in effect borrowing branches of 
the state library. The number of volumes 
recorded as having been sent to agencies Is 
the number in traveling libraries. 

2. Decatur, 111. Free public library. Re- 
port is for eleven months only. 

3. New York City. Bible Teachers' Train- 
ing School. Staff consists of four students 
and one paid assistant. 

4. New York City. Public library. Re- 
port is for circulation department only, 
the reference department forming a sep- 
arate library in itself. 

5. Ottawa, 111. Report is for eleven 
months only. 

6. Vlsalia, Cal. Tulare County free li- 
brary. The record of volumes lent for 
home use covers merely sixty-nine sta- 
tions reporting. 

7. Wellesley, Mass. Free library. Ex- 
penses of branch ($1,299) not included in 
financial report. 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL 
AND STATE RELATIONS 

Your Committee has to report that the 
St. Louis Post Office is advertising that 
it will transmit books to and from the li- 
brary of that city by parcel post. The 



Post Office took the Initiative In the mat- 
ter. 

The important work of the year for the 
Committee occurred in connection with the 
proposed War Taxation Bill, two of the 
provisions of which were such as material- 
ly to affect public libraries. The first of 
these provided that periodical publications 
should pay a rate of postage based upon 
the distance from the point of publication 
to the destination. Believing that this 
would be detrimental to public libraries, 
especially those in parts of the country 
distant from the points of publication, in- 
asmuch as it would render the price of 
magazines greater to them and would have 
a tendency to diminish the circulation of 
periodicals whose subscription list was 
nation wide, a formal protest was filed 
with the chairmen of the appropriate 
Committees. 

Another proposed provision placed a 10 
per cent import duty upon all articles now 
upon the free list, in which free list books 
for public libraries are included. Inas- 
much as state and municipal libraries are 
among the agencies of such governments, 
it seems that a tax upon books imported 
for such libraries is indirectly in contra- 
vention of the right of such state and local 
governments, to be free from federal tax- 
ation, and while the tax may not be con- 
trary to the letter of the constitution, it 
is clearly against its spirit. A more im- 
portant argument, however, is that such a 
tax, by diminishing the amount available 
for the purchase of books printed without 
the boundaries of the United States ren- 
ders the libraries of the country less able 
to do their part in preparing the people 
to meet the educational emergencies of 
present and future years. The libraries 
cannot do their part toward that pre- 
paredness which is so much urged upon 
every one at present, if they have their 
income cut in any avoidable way. 

At the present time, and in connection 
with the present war, books are printed, 
for example, in Canada, Great Britain, and 
France, which should be on the shelves of 
many libraries. Surely an educational in- 



REPORTS 



271 



stitution, such as a library, ought to be 
able to provide for the people books 
printed in every land, so as to give Amer- 
icans the benefit of advances in knowledge 
made and published in any language. 

In a vigorous protest against this pro- 
vision, your Committee had the co-opera- 
tion of the Bookbuying Committee. It is 
pleasant to be able to add that, at the 
present writing, the Senate Committee 
upon Finance has voted to remove from 
the bill both of the provisions to which 
objection was made. Our share in this 
action may not have been a large one, but 
we may felicitate ourselves that our ef- 
forts contributed in some measure to this 
result. 

Bebnabd C. Steineb, Chairman. 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON LIBRARY 
ADMINISTRATION 

The report of the Committee is simply 
one of progress. 

The Committee has co-operated with the 
secretary in making an arrangement with 
the United States Commissioner of Edu- 
cation by which the Bureau of Education 
will hereafter publish the long hoped for 
Library Yearbook. The backbone of such 
an annual will be the statistics, according 
to the form prepared by this Committee, 
that have for the last two years been pub- 
lished in the A. L. A. Conference pro- 
ceedings. The annual to be published by 
the Government will naturally cover a 
larger number of libraries than have been 
represented in the tables published in our 
proceedings. As announced in the May 
number of the Bulletin (p. 86) sugges- 
tions are now being invited as to which 
particular items of statistics are generally 
considered most important for comparative 
purposes and what other features are most 
desired to form regular or recurring parts 
of such a library annual. While awaiting 
such suggestions, the plans for the year- 
book are incomplete, and the tables of 
statistics will again this year be published 
in the proceedings. 

As reported to the Council last winter 
(January Bulletin, p. 29-30) the Commit- 



tee has followed a policy of watchful wait- 
ing with respect to the statistical forms, 
contenting itself with receiving and at- 
tempting to answer criticisms. In view of 
the comparatively small number of such 
criticisms received, the Committee is led 
to conclude that the forms are proving 
reasonably satisfactory. 

On the subject of labor-saving devices 
the following statement has been furnished 
by Mr. C. Seymour Thompson, who has 
the work in hand: 

"The committee hopes that it will be 
possible in the near future to commence 
the preparation of the manuscript of the 
work on labor-saving devices and equip- 
ment, the publication of which, subject to 
the approval of the Publishing Board, was 
authorized by the Council in December, 
1915. The preparation of this work will 
require considerable time, for not only will 
great care have to be taken to verify from 
the manufacturers all information concern- 
ing their articles, but it is planned to sub- 
mit different sections to various librarians 
who may have made special investigation 
of certain devices, for their criticisms and 
suggestions." 

In fairness to Mr. Thompson it should be 
explained that the task of reorganizing a 
library and of occupying a new building 
have interfered with the progress of this 
work. 

For the Committee, 

Geoege F. Boweeman, 

Chairman. 

CODE OF PRACTICE FOR INTER- 
LIBRARY LOANS 

(Constituting Report for 1917 of the Com- 
mittee on Co-ordination, C. H. 
Gould, Chairman) 
Preliminabt Remaeks: This Code may 
be taken to embody the more essential 
points in the actual practice of those li- 
braries in North America which are now 
the chief lenders to other libraries. Ac- 
cordingly, compliance with its recommen- 
dations will entail no departure from well 
recognized procedure, while it will as a 
rule prove convenient to both applicant 
and lender. Although it is not to be ex- 
pected that any Code of Practice could be 
devised which would meet, without modi- 



272 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



flcatlon, the requirements of every library, 
nevertheless, it remains true that greater 
and very helpful uniformity might easily 
be attained in certain directions where 
mere confusion now reigns. The present 
Code of Practice has been compiled in the 
hope of conducing to such uniformity, and, 
at the same time, of offering suggestions 
and recommendations on points which 
every library must consider when drawing 
up or revising its own Code of Rules. 

A word of explanation is perhaps due in 
regard to Section 11. The stipulation that 
a book, if lent, shall be used only in the 
building of the borrowing library is often 
demanded less "in the interest of safety" 
than to enable the borrowing library to 
make sure of its ability to return the book 
punctually. By college libraries, for in- 
stance, when borrowing books for profes- 
sors, the stipulation might be welcomed as 
tending to produce this result. 

Finally, before applying to a library for 
a loan, one should consider what that li- 
brary is, and what it is doing. To quote 
one of the contributors to the Code: "The 
nature and purpose of the loan system will 
vary with the character of the lending in- 
stitution. No library can be expected to 
send its books a thousand miles for a 
reader whom it would not feel called upon 
to serve at its own door." Now, the na- 
ture and scope of public libraries, state 
libraries, university libraries, libraries 
which exist solely for research, and so on, 
differ from each other in important re- 
spects; and there is a corresponding dif- 
ference in the nature and purpose of the 
loans each class of library may be ex- 
pected to make. For example, public li- 
braries can hardly ever spare, and re- 
search libraries would hardly feel it their 
duty to lend, current publications that can 
readily be purchased and for which there 



is a natural demand in a public library. 
State libraries would, on the other hand, 
usually be prepared to lend such material. 

1. Purpose 

The purpose of inter-library loans is 
(a) to aid research calculated to advance 
the boundaries of knowledge, by the 
loan of unusual books not readily acces- 
sible elsewhere, (b) to augment the sup- 
ply of the average book to the average 
reader*; subject, in both cases, to making 
due provision for the rights and conveni- 
ence of the immediate constituents of the 
lending library, and for safeguarding the 
material which is desired as a loan. 

2. Scope or Extent 

Almost any material po'fesessed by a li- 
brary, unless it has been acquired on terms 
which entirely preclude its loan, may be 
lent upon occasion to another library; and 
it may be assumed that all libraries are 
prepared to go as far as they reasonably 
can, or as their regulations permit, in 
lending to others. Still, the lender alone 
must decide, in each case, whether a par- 
ticular loan should, or should not, be made. 

When applying for a loan, if a photo- 
graphic reproduction would be a satisfac- 
tory substitute, librarians should always 
state the fact. Reproductions can fre- 
quently be obtained at small cost, and have 
an advantage over an actual loan, in that 
they become the property of the borrower. 

3. Material Which Should Not Be Ap- 
plied for 

Current fiction; any book requested for 
a trivial purpose, or which is available in 
other libraries more readily accessible to 
the applicant; also, if applying to a public 
library, current publications that can 
readily be purchased and for which there 
is a natural demand in a public library. 



•The graduate student who has a thesis 
to prepare stands midway between these two 
extremes. It is often taken for granted that 
the needs of the graduate student should 
be met as a matter of course. But it would 
seem at least equally reasonable that the 
graduate student should choose his subject 



of study largely according to the means he 
has at hand. Not that he should be pre- 
vented from making use of an occasional 
inter-library loan, but that his choice of a 
subject ought not to be such as to Involve 
securing a large part of his material from a 
distant library. 



REPORTS 



27S 



4. Material Which Should Be Lent Only 
Under Exceptional Circumstances 
Material in constant use or request in 
the library applied to; books of reference; 
books that are not to be taken from the 
library applied to except under special 
permission; material which by reason of 
its size or character requires expensive 
packing, or high insurance; material 
which by reason of age, delicate texture, 
or fragile condition, is likely to suffer from 
being sent by mail or express. 

5. Music 

Music is lent on the same conditions as 
books, but, if copyrighted, must not be 
used for public performances, except as 
permission for such use be secured from 
the copyright proprietor. 

6. How Effected 

By libraries of standing, which will ap- 
ply to others expected to possess the de- 
sired material, in order of their relative 
distance from, or relative duty to, the com- 
munity in which any particular requests 
originate; the nearest library, whether in 
respect of distance, or of duty, to be ap- 
proached first. 

Applications for loans should give the 
author's full name, or at least, surname 
correctly spelled, with Initials; title, ac- 
curately stated; date; publisher, or place 
of publication; edition, if a particular edi- 
tion is needed. Applications should be 
typed or written legibly, preferably on a 
card of standard library size. 

7. Limit of Number of Volumes 
Each library must fix a limit for itself. 

8. Duration of Loan 
This will vary with the nature and pur- 
pose of the loan. The time allowed will 
be stated in each case by the lender 
when the loan is made. Four weeks is, 
perhaps, a fair average period. The 
period is counted from the day the book 
leaves the lender to the day it is returned 
by the borrower. An extension of time 
may usually be obtained for good reasons. 
Application for such extension must be 



made early enough to permit an answer 
from the lending library to be received 
before the book's return is due. The 
lender always reserves the right of sum- 
mary recall. 

9. Notice of Receipt and Return 
Receipt of books borrowed must be ac- 
knowledged at once; and when books are 
returned, notice must be sent by mail at 
the same time. Promptness in this re- 
spect is necessary to permit books to be 
traced if they go astray. 

Notice of return should state: Titles 
of books sent (with call numbers) ; date 
of return; conveyance, e. g., insured parcel 
post, prepaid express, etc., in the latter 
case, naming the express company. 
10. Expenses In Connection With Loan 
All expenses of carriage (both ways) 
and insurance, when effected, must be 
borne by the borrowing library. 

11. Safeguards 
The borrowing library is bound by the 
conditions imposed by the lender. These 
it may not vary, although a good deal will 
usually be left to the discretion of the 
borrowing library. In such a case, the 
borrowing library will safeguard borrowed 
material as carefully as it would its own; 
and its librarian will require to be used 
within its own building whatever material 
would be so treated, in the interest of 
safety, were the borrowing library its 
possessor. 

12. Responsibility of Borrower 
The borrowing library must assume 
complete responsibility for the safe-keep- 
ing and due return of all material bor- 
rowed. 

In cases of actual loss in transit, the 
borrowing library should not merely meet 
the cost of replacement, but should charge 
itself with the trouble of making the re- 
placement, unless the owner prefers to 
attend to the matter. 

It should be remembered, too, that while 
if a single volume of a set be lost, it is 
usually necessary to buy the whole set 
or a large part of it in order to obtain the 



274 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



missing volume, the Post Office or express 
company is seldom willing to refund tlie 
full cost of such replacement. In two re- 
cent cases it was possible to collect only 
the proportional cost of the volumes ac- 
tually lost as compared with the original 
cost of the full set — a sum by no means 
sufficient to make good the loss. 

13. General Provisions and Suggestions 
Disregard of any of the foregoing rules, 
injury to books from use, careless packing, 
or detention of books beyond the time 
specified for the loan, will be considered 
good ground for declining to lend in future. 
The borrowing library should inform in- 
dividuals of the conditions attached to 
each particular loan. 

REPORT OF THE BOOKBINDING 
COIVIIVIITTEE 

Owing to the resignation of Mr. Bailey 
as chairman of the Bookbinding Commit- 
tee, the present chairman has thought it 
best not to attempt the development of 
the bookbinding work along the lines of 
technical discovery and experiments, but 
to spend the next year or two in popular- 
izing the knowledge already at hand, so 
that both large and small libraries through- 
out the country may be induced to take a 
larger interest in the subject of bookbind- 
ing in its more elementary phases. The 
interest shown by small libraries in the 
subject of bookbinding has been disap- 
pointing at all times. Accordingly the Com- 
mittee has planned to prepare an exhibit 
of library bookbinding and its principles, 
with examples of good and bad practice, 
and to show this at the Louisville confer- 
ence of the Association. The plans will 
include a demonstration of book repair- 
ing and mending, something of direct value 
to every library. It is hoped to prepare 
the exhibit In such a manner that it may 
be transported from Louisville to various 
state library meetings during the next 
year. 

A number of bookbinding inquiries from 
libraries in various parts of the country 
have been answered by the chairman of 



the Committee, and specifications have 
been submitted for the forthcoming new 
edition of the Encyclopedia Americana. 
Likewise considerable correspondence has 
been carried on with one of the large man- 
ufacturing companies which publishes a 
heavy catalog volume which it desired to 
have bound in the most approved form. 

It is felt by the Committee that too much 
emphasis cannot be placed at this time on 
presenting very forcibly to small libraries 
the necessity of having bookbinding done 
in approved manner, without reference to 
the location of the bindery. It has been 
found that in hundreds of cases libraries 
are having their work done by so-called 
library binderies, which are turning out 
very unsatisfactory work. Every book so 
bound means a financial loss to the library, 
and the efforts of the Committee may well 
be directed to remedying this wide-spread 
condition, either by exhibits or other 
methods. 

Joseph L. Wheeler, Chairman. 

REPORT OF COMIVIITTEE ON PUBLIC 
DOCUIVIENTS 

The statement which Mr. George H. 
Carter, clerk of the Joint Congressional 
Committee on Printing, made at the As- 
bury Park meeting fully sets forth the 
status of the printing bill which the House 
of Representatives had under considera- 
tion at that time. Mr. Barnhart of Indiana, 
chairman of the House Committee on 
Printing, was unable to get that bill be- 
fore the House again during the remainder 
of the Sixty-fourth Congress, and it con- 
sequently died with the Congress. The 
Committee was much encouraged, how- 
ever, over the fact that the House had ap- 
proved of substantially one-half of the 
Barnhart bill during the two days it was 
under consideration. The similar bill in 
the Senate advanced no farther than a fa- 
vorable report from the Senate Commit- 
tee on Printing, the calendar of the Senate, 
like that of the House, being filled with 
more important legislation which crowded 
out everything else from consideration by 



REPORTS 



276 



either body during the Sixty-fourth Con- 
gress. 

Toward the close of the last session of 
Congress, the Senate Committee on Print- 
ing made another effort to have some 
printing legislation enacted by Congress 
so as to insure the immediate adoption of 
certain economies proposed in the original 
printing bill. An abridgment was made of 
the old bill by taking from it those sec- 
tions which related particularly to print- 
ing and binding and the distribution of 
publications for Congress, leaving out 
those provisions which related more es- 
pecially to the Government Printing Of- 
fice and the various departments. This 
abridged bill made only 28 pages while 
the original bill consisted of 129 pages. 
The new bill was generally called the 
"congressional" printing bill. It was re- 
ported from the Senate Committee on 
Printing by Senator Chilton, the new chair- 
man of that Committee, on January 11, 
1917, as "Bill No. 7795.'*" It met with no 
opposition whatever and was passed 
unanimously by the Senate without amend- 
ment on February 6, 1917. This new bill 
also met with the approval of the House 
Committee on Printing and Mr. Barnhart, 
chairman of that Committee, made sev- 
eral efforts to have It considered by the 
House before the adjournment of Con- 
gress, but in this he was unsuccessful, 
and the congressional printing bill, like 
many of its illustrious predecessors, died 
with the Congress. 

Even in this new and abridged bill the 
Committee did not, however, lose interest 
in the depository libraries, for it con- 
tained substantially all of the provisions of 
the old bill that are of especial interest 
to those libraries. 

In its report (S. Report No. 910, Sixty- 
fourth Congress) on the new printing bill, 
the Committee thus explained the intent 
and purposes of the provisions relating 
to depository libraries: 

"It is intended to make available for 
depository libraries every publication of 
the Government that is printed for the in- 
formation of the public or the use of Gov- 
ernment officials in the transaction of the 



public business, especially committee hear- 
ings, and publications that are not ordered 
withheld by the committee itself as con- 
fidential." 

It will thus be seen that it is now the 
Intention of the Committee to have the 
selective plan for distribution of publica- 
tions to depository libraries controlled by 
regulations rather than the more rigid pro- 
visions of the old bill. 

No new printing bill has been introduced 
at the present session of Congress and it 
does not seem likely that one will be un- 
less Congress enters the field of general 
legislation, which seems improbable at 
this time. Nothing will be gained by rein- 
troducing the bill until there seems to be 
an opportunity for its consideration in 
either House. 

The bill will probably be amplified some- 
what along that line so as to make it 
more complete than was the bill which 
passed the Senate at the last session of 
Congress. 

Geo. S. Godakd, Chairman. 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
LIBRARY TRAINING 

The Committee has held one formal 
meeting during the year, in connection 
with the meeting of the A. L. A. Council 
in Chicago, in December. This meeting 
was devoted to reports from the various 
sub-committees as to the progress of their 
work and to a general discussion of the 
whole situation. There has been, in addi- 
tion, much correspondence throughout the 
entire year on particular questions. The 
main work of the year, however, has been 
in investigations carried on by the sub- 
committees. These sub-committees are as 
follows: Summer schools, Mr. Chalmers 
Hadley; Apprentice classes and training 
classes. Miss Alice S. Tyler; Library in- 
struction in colleges and universities. Miss 
Charlotte Templeton; Instruction in nor- 
mal schools, Mr. W. Dawson Johnston. 

Summer Schools 
Mr. Hadley has submitted an extremely 
interesting report upon the subject of sum- 
mer library schools, containing the results 



276 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



obtained by a questionnaire sent out by 
him and also embodying in part the results 
of an Investigation made by a Committee 
of the League of Library Commissions. 
The report will be printed in the Proceed- 
ings as an appendix to this report, but 
is too long to be included in this prelim- 
inary report. In the main Mr. Hadley's 
investigations establish the fact that the 
standards laid down by the Committee in 
1905 and 1908 for summer library schools 
are adhered to by all schools, the ten- 
dency being to overemphasize rather than 
underemphasize the subjects suggested by 
the Committee. Demands for assistance 
to workers in school libraries, which is of 
quite recent origin, have caused some 
variations in the subjects of instruction in 
order to provide for this type of work. 
Among other interesting points brought 
out by IMr. Hadley's report is the develop- 
ment which has taken place in recent 
years as to offering of summer school 
courses in alternate series, thereby enab- 
ling a student in two successive years to 
cover a more extensive field. A very good 
example of this is the work which has 
been done by the library school of the New 
York State Library in its summer courses. 
In other schools the plan has been adopted 
of offering alternate courses for shorter 
periods of two or three weeks, one course 
following the other, so that the student 
might have three, six, or even nine weeks 
of study and yet be constantly working 
over new ground. Both these developments 
raise the question as to whether this policy 
might not be still more widely extended; 
whether, for example, adjoining states 
might not co-operate by arranging a three 
or four summer cycle, each state offering 
either one particular subject through the 
entire cycle or taking up in succession the 
various groups of topics covered by the 
entire cycle. This would make it possible 
for the student to find in some one of the 
three or four co-operating states a course 
suited to his stage of library experience. 
A librarian who had taken the elementary 
course could on the following year and for 
one or two other years cover new ground. 



eventually receiving what would be the 
equivalent of the one-year library school 
course, without the necessity of losing her 
position or the consequent loss of income 
for the entire year. There are difficulties 
in the way of working out any such 
scheme, but they do not seem insurmount- 
able. Such a proposition would go counter 
to the tendency which has developed in 
some states to limit attendance to those 
pupils who are from the state and would 
require a somewhat generous attitude in 
accepting work done under the direction of 
other commissions, but it would make pos- 
sible the advantages of library training to 
many who otherwise could never hope to 
attain it and whose limited salaries and 
unstinted service deserve some such op 
portunity. 

There is also the possibility that some 
one of the existing summer schools might 
be able to offer more than one course each 
summer. If some^school could be found 
with resources and equipment sufficient to 
enable it to offer two, three or four paral- 
lel courses which might be taken in suc- 
cessive years until the equivalent of a 
year's library school training was secured, 
this too would aid in the solution of the 
problem of training those already in the 
profession who could not in any other way 
than through the use of vacations take the 
time or spend the money necessary for a 
full year of training. It would seem that 
for either of these ways it ought to be pos- 
sible to obtain legislation which would 
authorize commissions and boards of trus- 
tees to give financial aid to such worthy 
applicants. 

Another interesting development is the 
growing number of supplementary courses 
intended to provide additional work for 
those who have had' the customary summer 
school instruction. The very existence of 
these courses in such numbers as is shown 
by iVlr. Hadley's report, is evidence that 
there is a demand for further summer 
work, and It Is the sincere hope of the 
Committee that either in the ways above 
suggested or by the further development 
of these supplementary courses, additional 



REPORTS 



277 



facilities may be furnished to those al- 
leady in the profession who desire more 
training. 

Question was raised in the discussion at 
the meeting of library commissions in Chi- 
cago last December as to the wisdom of 
the policy recommended by the Commit- 
tee and heretofore generally followed by 
the summer schools limiting attendance at 
these schools to those already in library 
work or under appointment to some par- 
ticular position. This policy was originally 
recommended by the Committee in order 
to prevent the summer schools from be- 
ing made a short cut into library service 
by would-be librarians. Obviously, if any- 
body who wished could take a summer 
course and then pose as a library trained 
person, an opening into the profession 
would be made which would seriously 
lower the standards which have hitherto 
been maintained. I think the Committee 
is entirely agreed in feeling that this pol- 
icy must be maintained and that there is 
still a very considerable desire by would- 
be librarians to utilize these summer 
schools as a means of entrance into the 
profession. If such a policy is not main- 
tained, the schools which do not insist 
upon this requirement should place the 
standard of entrance so high as practically 
to eliminate the unfit. This is likely to be 
the case in schools connected with our 
great state universities which, as a rule, 
insist upon the equivalent of college en- 
trance requirements for admission to sum- 
mer school. Where such a policy is main- 
tained, the danger is greatly reduced, but 
not entirely eliminated. It is the judgment 
of the Committee that it would be better 
to maintain the rule hitherto followed, but 
if the exigencies of university require- 
ments seem to make this inadvisable, there 
should be rigid scrutiny and selection 
among applicants not having previous li- 
brary experience. 

Normal Schools 
Mr. W. Dawson Johnston, sub-committee 
on library instruction given in normal 
schools, has found it impossible to get the 



results of his Investigation in form for the 
present conference, but suggests the de- 
sirability of the following action: That 
the American Library Association recom- 
mend to the Carnegie Foundation Commis- 
sion on standardization of courses in state 
normal schools, the consideration of the 
importance of instruction in library meth- 
ods in normal scliools, and particularly 
the desirability of (1) correlation of the 
results of inquiries of the Committees on 
library courses in normal schools of the 
N. E. A. and the A. L. A. published in 1915; 
(2) recommendations regarding the min- 
imum of instruction desirable in the dif- 
ferent classes of normal schools; and (3) 
recommendations regarding the weight to 
be attached to questions on library meth- 
ods and state examinations for teachers' 
certificates. This recommendation is re- 
ferred by the Committee to the A. L. A. 
Council for consideration. 

Training Classes 

Miss Alice S. Tyler, sub-committee on 
apprentice classes and training classes, has 
submitted a very full report on this sub- 
ject. This report will also be printed In 
full in the Proceedings, but can only be 
summarized here. The report is based on 
the answers received in reply to a ques- 
tionnaire in regard to apprentice and staff 
training sent out to fifty large and medium- 
sized public libraries. The questions and 
summarized replies are as follows: 

(1) Name of library. Of the 50 libraries 
to whom questions were sent, 44 replied 
and G gave no answer. 

(2) Is an entrance examination required 
for admission to your library service? 39 
libraries replied yes; 5, no. 

(2a) If so, in what subjects? Literature, 
27; history, 25; general information, 23; 
current events, 8; library work, 7; foreign 
languages, 6; civics, 2; bibliography, 1; 
science, 1; a general examination, 2. 

(3) Is this examination a distinctly li- 
brary service examination or are you under 
municipal civil service? Distinctly library 
service, 28; municipal civil service exam- 
ination, 10; In several cases, however, the 



278 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



libraries cooperate witli the civil service 
commlssioii In preparing the examination 
questions. 

(4) If you do not require an entrance 
examination, how are appointments made 
and what are the standards by which ap- 
plicants are measured? 2 require gradua- 
tion from library schools; 3 require a high 
school diploma. 

(5) Do you provide formal class instruc- 
tion for those admitted to the service? 
27 reply yes; 12, no; 2, somewhat informal 
instruction. 

(5a) It is hardly practical to summarize 
the answers to 5a — How frequently and in 
what subjects? — The answers, however, 
will be printed in full in the Proceedings. 

(6) Are those who take this training 
graded and placed in regular salaried posi- 
tions at the end of a definite period? 8 
reply yes; 2, no; 7, place on the eligible 
list; 5, place on the substitute list; 6, re- 
quire a further examination; 5, reply yes, 
"if needed"; and 4, place in regular sal- 
aried positions after a probationary period 
of six months. 

(7) Is there a distinction in your library 
service between clerical assistants and as- 
sistants who have had this staff training? 
20 reply yes; 15, no. 

(8) Do those who have had this staff 
training fill positions that would otherwise 
be filled by library school graduates? 12 
reply yes; 8, no; 15, "possibly." 

(9) Do you recommend such assistants 
to other libraries as trained helpers? 8 
reply yes; 18, no; 10, "possibly." 

(10) Are specific designations used for 
groups of service such as page, cadet, ap- 
prentice or assistant, to specify the posi- 
tions? If so, please characterize each. The 
replies to this question are too various to 
make possibly a summary, but will be 
printed in full in the Proceedings, as the 
subject is one which head librarians will 
find of special Interest. 

Questions 2 and 5 seem fundamental In 
connection with this investigation as they 
have to do with the cliaracter of the ex- 
amination for entrance to the service and 
the kind of instruction given after appli- 



cants have satisfied the examination re- 
quired. The subjects in which examina- 
tions are given are indicated in the answer 
to the questions. Several libraries state 
that the examination presupposes a high 
school education. A personality grading 
is required by a number of those replying 
and in a few libraries a physical examina- 
tion is required. In the Grand Rapids Li- 
brary a service analysis of personal qual- 
ities has been instituted that is full of in- 
terest and possibilities. The question as to 
the nature of the entrance examination for 
local library service has such an important 
bearing upon the question of examinations 
for entrance to library schools that it 
seems to the Committee highly desirable 
that the question should be discussed in 
the Professional Training Section of the 
A. L. A. The Committee suggests that it 
is timely to consider whether there should 
not be more radical differences than now 
exist between the examinations required of 
candidates for general staff service in a 
local library and those examinations which 
are to be given for candidates to be ad- 
mitted to a library school. A glance at the 
subjects now named for the local service 
examinations would seem to suggest that 
these examinations have been modelled too 
largely upon library school examinations 
and that probably such examinations might 
be more wisely based upon the standards 
of the local high school and cover only 
the general subjects of history, literature 
and general information. The library 
schools may reasonably expect more from 
their applicants. Their questions may as- 
sume that more extended reading has been 
the privilege of the candidate, that mod- 
ern languages have been mastered, that 
educational work has been carried suffi- 
ciently beyond the high school period to 
develop an appreciation of literature, an 
understanding of the different types of lit- 
erature, and more independent and crit- 
ical evaluation of literature. The subject 
is an important one in library training 
and the Committee believes that a very 
full discussion which shall distinguish be- 
tween the local library service examination 



279 



and the library school examination would 
tend to simplify materially the problem of 
the training and apprentice classes and 
make still more definite the tasli set before 
the library schools. They, therefore, ven- 
ture to suggest, so far as they may have 
any right to do so, that this subject be 
considered next year by the Professional 
Training Section. 

A study of the data brought together by 
this questionnaire also raises the question 
whether it would not be profitable to have 
in connection with the A. L. A. meeting a 
round table meeting of the heads and 
the instructors of apprentice and training 
classes for discussion of the problems com- 
mon to such classes. The Committee in- 
vites correspondence from the heads of 
such classes indicating their feeling in this 
matter and if a sufficiently favorable re- 
sponse is indicated, the Committee will 
endeavor to arrange such a round table. 

Another interesting question raised by 
the data gathered by Miss Tyler is the 
possibility of more closely relating the 
work of training classes to the entrance 
requirements of the library schools. An 
important question in connection with 
large city systems is the problem of se- 
curing from the training classes assistants 
who will develop beyond comparatively 
unimportant service to positions of de- 
partmental responsibility. A large per- 
centage of those who take apprentice or 
training class work find themselves after 
a few years of service in a blind alley with 
no prospect for advancement or for in- 
crease of salary. If the apprentice class 
work could be so related to the entrance 
requirements of the library schools as to 
prepare students to pass those examina- 
tions and if the libraries could then de- 
vise some method by which the financially 
limited could be given part time work or 
direct financial assistance to cover their 
necessities while taking the library school 
course, the opportunities for development 
would be greatly extended. This also is a 
subject which might well be considered 
either by the Professional Training Sec- 



tion or in a general session of the Ameri- 
can Library Association. 

AzABiAH S. Root, Chairman. 

Appendix A 

Report of Sub-Committee on Summer 
Schools 

The importance of summer library 
schools has been recognized from the 
start by the committee on library training. 
Attention to this field of training was given 
particular consideration in 1905 when the 
standards of entrance requirements, sub- 
jects for instruction, tests and credentials 
were established. 

Inquiries as to the success of these 
standards and their observance by the 
summer schools have followed, and In this 
the committee has had the co-operation of 
the league of library commissions. A 
special round table was held on summer 
library schools by the league in 1907 and 
there have been repeated conferences at 
annual and mid-winter meetings. At its 
last meeting, held in Chicago, December, 
1916, a report on summer library school 
training was submitted by Clara F. Bald- 
win, secretary of the Minnesota public 
library commission and much information 
here given is from this report. 

At present seven summer schools are 
conducted by library commissions, includ- 
ing the summer schools of the New York 
State and Wisconsin library schools. Two 
other regular library schools, Simmons 
College and the University of Illinois, offer 
summer courses, and library courses are 
provided by seven universities, two of 
which, Iowa and Missouri, are conducted 
in close co-operation with the state's 
library officers. The schools at Chautau- 
qua and Riverside are independent of any 
state supervision. 

The varied authority in which the con- 
duct of the summer schools is vested, and 
the different phases of work emphasized 
by the library commissions and universi- 
ties have affected somewhat the unity of 
purpose in the various courses which for- 
merly prevailed. A deviation also exists 



280 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



in the courses themselves, particularly In 
summer schools conducted In the universi- 
ties, where entrance requirements and 
credentials conform to the usual regula- 
tions of the institution. 

An examination of summer library 
schools seems to show, however, that the 
spirit of the standards set by the commit- 
tee on library training In 1905 is main- 
tained. When deviation exists it Is usu- 
ally to be found in over rather than under 
emphasis, with the result that many sum- 
mer schools now feel the need of some 
elimination in courses of work. The other 
deviation results in the emphasis on cer- 
tain work made necessary by local needs. 
The demand for assistance to school work- 
ers in school library problems seems most 
Insistent and library commissions as well 
as the university courses show increasing 
attention to this phase of library work. 

The Minnesota public library commis- 
sion reports, "Since the State department 
of education has established a standard for 
school library service, tne training of 
teacher-librarians is the largest problem. 
This Is raising the standard of preparation, 
and consequently the grade of work done. 
Differentiation is made in courses in book 
selection, reference work and administra- 
tion for school librarians." 

In making this investigation of summer 
library schools, the basis of requirements 
was the report of the committee on library 
training printed in the A. L. A. Papers 
and proceedings, 1905, pages 122-23. 

It Is difficult to make an exact compari- 
son of subjects offered and hours devoted 
to each, owing to differences In classifica- 
tion of subjects and arrangements of 
courses and indefinite answers, but it is 
apparent that the usual standard is three 
hours a day devoted to lectures, with an 
average of two hours preparation or prac- 
tice work in each subject. 

The number of hours devoted to catalog- 
ing and classification in the sis-weeks 
courses varies from 25 to 40, the 
usual course being 30 to 32 hours, while 



the seven-weeks course at Riverside gives 
50 hours. 

The number of hours devoted to book 
selection and reference varies from 20 to 
31. Apparently the recommendation of one 
hour per day for book selection. Including 
bibliography, periodicals and binding Is too 
high a standard to be reached, as no school 
reports so much time given to this subject, 
even including children's work, of which 
so large a part is book selection. 

The lectures on library economy and 
general subjects vary so greatly that it 
seems practically impossible to make com- 
parisons. 

The reports and announcements of 
schools indicate an increase in the amount 
of work done, and the danger seems to lie 
in the direction of overcrowding the 
courses rather than otherwise. 

Some special features of work which 
may be noted are the following: In the 
New York state library school summer 
session the courses vary In alternative 
years; e. g., in 1916, two elementary 
courses of three weeks each were offered, 
one in reference work. Including trade 
and subject bibliography, and govern- 
ment documents, and the other dealing 
with the technical subjects of classifi- 
cation and cataloging. In 1917, as in 
1915, a general six-weeks' course will 
be given. Including reference, book-selec- 
tion and book buying, cataloging and clas- 
sification and miscellaneous features of 
library organization. At Simmons College, 
classes are so arranged that different 
courses may be taken In two three-weeks 
periods. There are three distinct courses 
of thirty periods each: (1) Cataloging and 
classification, (2) Reference and library 
economy and (3) Children's work. Students 
are expected to devote their entire time 
to the latter course, which is also open to 
kindergarten and primary teachers. 

In Columbia five separate courses are 
offered, each consisting of five hours a 
week lecture work, with problems to be 
done outside of the class. A student may 
take six points or two courses in any de- 
partment. The cataloging is restricted to 



REPORTS 



281 



librarians, library assistants or librarians 
under appointment. The courses are as 
follows: Bibliography, including reference 
books; school library administration; gov- 
ernment documents; indexing and filing 
the business library; cataloging and clas- 
sification. 

At Illinois there are round table discus- 
sions of students' problems, led by instruc- 
tors. In 1916 a three days series of round 
tables was combined with a district meet- 
ing for Eastern Illinois. 

Pennsylvania reports five hours each de- 
voted to fiction reviewing, magazine re- 
viewing, and current topics as a profitable 
feature. 

Supplementary courses have been given 
as follows: 

Indiana. A two-weeks' course in catalog- 
ing for those who have already taken the 
summer course. 

Iowa. Lectures of a more general and 
inspirational character are concentrated in 
one week, when a special effort is made to 
secure attendance of librarians throughout 
the state. 

Minnesota. A two weeks' course in 
children's literature was offered last sum- 
mer as supplementary work to former 
students. 

Missouri. An advanced course in classi- 
fication, cataloging and administration for 
those who have taken the elementary 
course. This is a two weeks' course of 
three lectures daily. 

New Jersey. The fourth week is given 
to special lectures to which a general invi- 
tation is extended. Librarians come from 
all parts of the state for one or more lec- 
tures. One year they specialized in chil- 
dren's work, and another year there was 
specialization on work with schools, with 
lectures by school-librarians. 

Riverside. A special course for library 
boards has been given and a course in 
office filing and Indexing was offered this 
winter. 

Wisconsin. A special conference of two 
weeks was held in 1911, and another of 
about ten days in 1915 attended by many 



former students as well as librarians from 
other states. 

The training of school-librarians is claim- 
ing much attention and a variety of courses 
are offered to meet this demand. A six 
weeks' course in school library administra- 
tion is given at Columbia university. 

Teachers who are to have actual charge 
of high-school libraries are admitted to the 
schools in Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and 
Minnesota. In Minnesota for the last two 
years, the large majority of the class have 
been school-librarians who are given spe- 
cial courses in book-selection, reference 
and school library administration. 

At Missouri a non-technical course of 
three hours a week for eight weeks is 
offered to teachers. 

North Dakota university gives a six 
weeks' course in library methods for 
teachers in charge of school libraries. 

The Michigan board of library commis- 
sioners gives courses in each of three nor- 
mal schools intended for teachers in rural 
schools who have charge of libraries. Any 
teacher may take this course. The attend- 
ance in one school last year was ten, in 
another eighteen, and in another seventy- 
one. The course consists of thirty lessons, 
including twelve on children's literature, 
nine on library records, and nine on refer- 
ence work and trade bibliography. 

New York has held a two weeks' insti- 
tute for high school librarians for the last 
two years. In 1915 the course covered 
bibliography and library use two hours per 
day, and in 1916 cataloging, classification 
and subject-headings three hours per day. 

North Carolina is planning a brief course 
on school library methods at the next 
meeting of the Teachers' assembly, begin- 
ning a few days prior to the opening of the 
assembly and continuing a day or two after 
the close of the regular sessions. 

As to number of students, classes are 
increasing in size, although four commis- 
sion schools are limiting attendance to 
students from their own state. The A. L. A. 
standard of one instructor to every fifteen 
students has been more than reached by 
every school reporting. 



282 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Examinations or tests are given by 
twelve schools. Five report no examina- 
tion. Twelve schools give certificates or 
passcards, two university schools report 
grades to the registrar. Seven schools con- 
nected with universities are allowed uni- 
versity credits under certain restrictions. 

The passcards or certificates submitted 
conform to the standards in effect, al- 
though there is considerable variation as 
to form, doubtless for the reason that the 
certificates issued by certain institutions 
must be uniform with those in other de- 
partments. However, the usual form is a 
statement that the student has completed 
the course, and that records of work may 
be had upon application. Some give the 
grades on the back of the card. There 
seems to be more or less danger in issuing 
any kind of a certificate and no very sure 
way of safe-guarding the profession from 
the pretensions of Inefficient people so long 
as the public generally and library trustees 
in many cases remain ignorant of what 
library training Implies. To the uniniti- 
ated, a "library course" is sufficient, its 
strength or thoroughness, or the prepara- 
tion of the candidate signifies little. 

Many summer library schools call par- 
ticular attention In their printed circulars 
to the fact that summer school training is 
in no way equivalent to regular library 
school training. This statement is made 
by Indiana, and Minnesota announces: 
"The object of the summer school is to 
prepare the students for better work in 
their present positions, and not to provide 
a substitute for regular library school 
training." Similar statements are made 
by the New York and University of Mich- 
igan schools, although entrance to the lat- 
ter school is not limited to those already 
filling library positions. 

All the schools which offer six-weeks 
courses, with the exception of the Uni- 
versity of Michigan, now require applicants 
to have library positions or to be under 
definite appointment to such, as a require- 
ment for admission. The director of the 
University of Michigan summer library 
school states, "The aim of the UnlversHy 



of Michigan library in conducting its sum- 
mer courses in library methods, is funda- 
mentally different from that of the commis- 
sions in conducting their schools. The 
commissions endeavor first of all to assist 
in a very concrete and practical way, per- 
sons in library work who are confessedly 
not prepared to carry out duties which they 
either are performing or are soon to under- 
take. Our primary aim is to assist students 
and teachers to gain a working knowledge 
of library processes, both as an aid to 
their ovra studies here and to future work 
which will bring them in touch with libra- 
ries. Our second object is to assist per- 
sons who have had some library experience 
and wish for a modicum of training, and 
our third is to provide a certain amount of 
training for persons whom we wish to take 
into our employ. To attain these ends we 
conform to a standard of academic training 
rather than to a standard of occupation." 

Aside from insistence on the employ- 
ment or definite appointment of a candi- 
date to a library position, summer library 
schools differ considerably as to other 
qualifications for entrance. 

Missouri has no age limit, and those in 
the 1916 class ranged from twenty-one to 
eighty-one years. Age limits do not exist 
in Pennsylvania, New York, or Minnesota. 
The University of Michigan reports that no 
one was admitted in 1916 who had not 
completed the work required for entrance 
to the university. 

Indiana has Insisted on high school 
graduation or its equivalent, but "strict 
adherence to high school graduation will 
hereafter be adhered to, as departure from 
this requirement has led to difliculties." 
High school graduation as a minimum is 
also required in Wisconsin. 

Illinois states: "Our instructors are 
unanimous in their belief that high school 
graduation should be the minimum educa- 
tional requirement. The librarian should 
at least have the general educational 
qualifications required of school teachers 
in the same community." 

In New York, "Candidates from libraries 
outside of New York state are required to 



REPORTS 



have completed a four-year high school 
course or its full equivalent, and no candi- 
date with less than this minimum of edu- 
cation can profitably attempt either 
course." 

Practice work before entering the sum- 
mer school is strongly urged by several 
schools of candidates who are under ap- 
pointment, but who lack library experience. 
A year's actual work in a library is recom- 
mended in Pennsylvania. 

Wisconsin does not mean to admit any- 
one who has not some knowledge of library 
activities and a library vocabulary got from 
experience. Candidates under appoint- 
ment but lacking experience are urged to 
work a year before entering the Wisconsin 
summer school. 

Indiana requires inexperienced candi- 
dates to spend at least one month In some 
approved library previous to the summer 
course. 

Several schools have attempted to solve 
the difficulty in a class composed of ex- 
perienced and inexperienced, backward and 
advanced students. Illinois has depended 
on the needs of the class and divided it 
into two groups, those able to go fast and 
those who are slower. This has not re- 
sulted in two separate classes, except in 
that marked difference in problems and 
required work has followed. 

New York gives personal and individual 
work to the slower students. In Wisconsin 
personal help is given backward students 
and they are advised to drop the catalog- 
ing for the year, since that course is 
usually the stumbling block. Indiana 
recommends dividing the class at the end 
of the first two weeks in the course in two 
groups, the basis of division being ability. 

Summer school directors in several 
states, including Missouri, Pennsylvania, 
Chautauqua and Iowa, urge library boards 
to grant leaves of absence with pay to their 
library employes while in attendance at 
the schools. Indiana recommends this for 
librarians of small libraries. Minnesota 
makes this recommendation only when the 
student's ability seems to warrant this. 



Wisconsin has urged this in about fifty 
per cent of the students. New York pre- 
fers to let librarians make such arrange- 
ments directly with their trustees. 

In the Indiana, Michigan and Chautauqua 
schools, definite provision is made for 
students to visit and see in operation suc- 
cessful library work in nearby institutions. 
Missouri reports this as its greatest need. 
At the Illinois school, librarians are 
brought from neighboring public libraries 
for the purpose of conferring with the 
students. 

Directors of the Minnesota and Chautau- 
qua schools recommend that library trus- 
tees make successful work done at the 
school by the librarian the basis of pro- 
motion in position for salary. This is 
done in Wisconsin when feasible. New 
York prefers that the initiative in this be 
taken by the trustees. 

.Definite "follow up" work is attempted 
by most of the schools with students whose 
weak points in their work have been dis- 
covered during the summer course. This 
has been done by Illinois, New Jersey, 
Pennsylvania, Michigan, Chautauqua, Iowa 
and Minnesota. It will be done for the 
first time this year by Missouri and On- 
tario. In addition, Wisconsin and Indiana 
visit the libraries where their students 
are in charge and revise the work done 
after the summer library course. The 
University of Michigan and New York re- 
port that "follow up" work is not done. 

Recommendations for certain changes in 
the standards outlined by the A. L. A. com- 
mittee on library training, with deviations 
resulting from special needs, are seen in 
the following statements: 

New York. We observe all the stand- 
ards recommended by the committee in 
1905, except "Instruction 4," which, as in- 
timated by two of the committee, is not 
practicable nor in our judgment desirable. 
We observe all the stipulations except that 
we do not give a general six weeks course 
every year and our certificate is combined 
with a passcard. 

Wisconsin. We follow the standards 



284 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



practically. Changes made are for local 
conditions and to raise the requirements. 

Illinois. We follow the standards set by 
the committee, but also require gradua- 
tion from a four years' high school for 
entrance. 

Missouri. We follow the general outline 
of other summer library schools. Stand- 
ards and qualifications for entrance must 
be kept at a minimum so long as the un- 
trained worker is in the majority. Stan- 
dards in school work should be high to 
balance the ease of entrance. 

Pennsylvania. Our work is based on the 
suggested standards. We believe summer 
library school work should be limited 
strictly to the essentials. 

Chautauqua. The committee's recom- 
mendations have proved practical. 

University of Michigan. The commit- 
tee's suggested standards are practical, but 
adaptations for the needs of our own in- 
stitution are made. 

Minnesota. We have found the A. L. A. 
standards practical and have followed in 
general the course recommended by the 
league of library commissions. 

Iowa. The A. L. A. suggestions are gen- 
erally followed with a variation in the 
number of hours. 

Indiana. We have followed closely the 
standards set in 1905 and 1908. We be- 
lieve we have too greatly expanded the 
number of lectures and should reduce the 
number devoted to children's work and 
other activities. 

Chatiiebs Hadlet, 
Sub-Committee on Summer Schools. 

Appendix B 

Report of Sub-Committee on Apprentice 
and Training Classes 

The investigation regarding apprentice 
and staff training in a selected list of 
fifty large and medium sized public libra- 
ries, was assigned to me as a member 
of the A. L, A. committee on library train- 
ing. 

The questionnaire was sent out at two 
nerlods, with several intervening months, 



but the results shown in their report have 
been gathered within a period of one year. 
The questionnaire was as follows: 

1. Name of library. 

2. Is an entrance examination required 
for admission to your Library Service? If 
so, in what subjects? 

3. Is this examination a distinctly Li- 
brary Service examination, or are you under 
Municipal Civil Service? 

i. It you do not require an entrance ex- 
amination, how are appointments made, and 
what are the standards by which applicants 
are measured? 

5. Do you provide formal class instruc- 
tions for those admitted to the Service? 
How frequently and in what subjects? 

6. Are those who take this training 
graded and placed in regular salaried posi- 
tions at the end of a definite period? 

7. Is there a distinction in your Library 
Service between clerical assistants and as- 
.sistants who have had this staff training? 

S. Do those who have had this staff train- 
ing fill positions that would otherwise be 
filled by Library School graduates? 

9. Do you recommend such assistants to 
other libraries as trained helpers? 

10. Are specific designations used for 
grades of service, such as page, cadet, ap- 
prentice or assistant to specify the posi- 
tions? If so, please characterize each. 

The replies have been tabulated under 
the questions and are submitted herewith, 
also list of libraries numbered, so that 
references are made to each report by 
number from the tabulated list. 

The replies to Questions 2, 3 and 4 re- 
garding entrance requirements for local 
library service, show that 44 require and 
five do not require entrance examinations; 
but of these last three accept local high 
school diplomas, namely, Dayton, O., Gal- 
veston, Tex., and Gary, Ind., and Seattle 
requires at least one year in a library 
school or two years' experience in a library. 
Twenty-eight libraries give a distinctly 
library service examination, while munic- 
ipal civil service examinations are given 
for ten libraries; these are Birmingham, 
Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, 
Minneapolis, New Haven, New Orleans, 
Rochester and St. Paul. Several of these 
libraries cooperate with civil service by 
preparing examination questions. Formal 
class instruction is given to those meeting 
the entrance requirements by 32 libraries. 

The practice is varied regarding the 
placing of apprentices in permanent posi- 
tions at the end of the training period. 
Nineteen report that there is a distinction 
made in their library service between 



REPORTS 



285 



clerical assistants and assistants who have 
had staff training. The practice of filling 
responsible positions in the library by 
local training, that might otherwise be 
filled by library school graduates, is an- 
swered In the affirmative by 12; while the 
majority of the others replying state that 
they may do so. Only eight libraries reply 
that they recommend such locally trained 
assistants to other libraries as trained 
lielpers. 

The question as to designation of grades 
of service was replied to in many cases 
by the sending of the printed scheme of 
library service, the details of which are 
difficult to include in this report. Some 
of these are definite contributions to the 
whole matter of library service and might 
very properly serve as the basis for a 
general scheme. Thirty-three report the 
acceptance of those with regular library 
school training for responsible positions, 
without requiring entrance examinations. 
Summer school training as a substitute for 
staff training is utilized by Des Moines, 
Gary and Indianapolis. 

Questions 2 and 5 seem fundamental in 
connection with this investigation, viz.: 
What is the character of the examinations 
for entrance to the service; and what in- 
struction is given after applicants have 
fulfilled entrance requirements? The sub- 
jects in which examinations are given and 
the number requiring them are: 27 Litera- 
ture, 25 History, 2 Civics, 23 General In- 
formation, 8 Current Events, 7 Library 
Work, 6 Foreign Languages; one each in 
Bibliography and Science, and two report 
a general examination. Several state that 
the examination presupposes a high school 
education. A personality grading is re- 
quired in a somewhat indefinite manner by 
a number of those replying, and in a few 
libraries a physical test is required. In the 
Grand Rapids Library a service analysis 
of personal qualities has been instituted 
that Is full of interest and possibilities. 
Reasonable facility in the use of the type- 
writer Is named as a requisite by a few 
libraries. 

The subjects for the entrance examina- 



tions and the character of the questions for 
local library service and the instruction 
given by the library after admission are 
matters of such importance to library ser- 
vice in general that these seem to be topics 
especially suited for discussion by the 
Professional Training Section of the A. L. 
A. The committee suggests that it is timely 
to consider differences in the requirements 
of candidates for general staff service in 
the local library, who will receive a limited 
amount of training in the library, and 
candidates for admission to the library 
schools. In both cases the minimum might 
be a high school course or its equivalent 
and certain personal qualities, with pos- 
sibly the ability to use the typewriter. 

In the first case, the examinations would 
probably be gauged by the standards of 
the local high school, including the general 
subjects of Literature, History and Gen- 
eral Information, bearing in mind that this 
is to be supplemented by staff instruction, 
and that for general library service under 
direction, the acquaintance with books, 
agreeable personal relations with patrons, 
ability to intelligently use the technical 
records already existing in the library and 
a growing knowledge of the general ar- 
rangements and policies of that particular 
library are essentials. The library schools 
having undertaken to give Instruction in 
the theory and details of technical records 
and in bibliographic and administrative 
subjects, may reasonably require more pre- 
liminary preparation for their applicants. 
Extended reading, a knowledge of modern 
languages, a college course, experience in 
a library or other educational experience 
should have been possible as supplement- 
ing the high school course. The respons- 
ible library positions for which such 
students should be prepared would seem to 
justify a considerable difference in the en- 
trance tests of the schools and those of 
the local libraries. The staff instruction 
should certainly deal with the immediate 
local organization, departments and con- 
ditions, with a constant study of books, 
both of reference and general literature; 
but it does not appear to the committee 



286 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



that outlines and lectures used in library 
school are well suited to such use, as the 
purposes to be accomplished are not the 
same. Valuable service might be rendered 
to many librarians who are planning for 
some systematic training for their staffs 
if there could be brought together for com- 
parison and discussion the courses given 
in a few of the large libraries, giving care- 
fully prepared courses, such as Brooklyn, 
Chicago, Denver, New York, Portland, Los 
Angeles, Toledo, St. Louis, Springfield 
(Mass.), and Washington, D. C. In Los 
Angeles and St. Louis the training classes 
have taken on the function and more re- 
cently the name of library schools. 

A phase of this subject of growing in- 
terest and importance is the possibility of 
relating staff training to the entrance re- 
quirements of library schools, leading to 
more advanced professional training. Cer- 
tain library schools existing in close rela- 
tions with city libraries, such as those of 
New York, Cleveland and St. Louis, have 
opportunity for first hand study of this 
problem. The New York school, having 
evolved a recent basis for ^uch relation- 
ship, may possibly be the forerunner of a 
plan that may be a contribution to the 
general scheme of coordination. 
ALICE S. TYLER, 
Sub-Committee on Apprentice and 
Training Classes. 



Questionnaire Sent by A. L. A. Committee 

on Library Training 

Public Libraries 

1. Baltimore, Md. 

2. Birmingham, Ala. 

3. Boston, Mass. 

4. Brooklyn, N. T. 

5. Buffalo, N. T. 

6. Cambridge, Mass. 

7. Chicago. 111. 

S. Cincinnati, Ohio. 

9. Cleveland, Ohio. 

10. Davenport, Iowa. 

11. Dayton, Ohio. 

12. Denver, Colo. 

13. Des Moines, la. 

14. Detroit, Mich. 

15. District of Columbia. 

16. Galveston, Texas. 

17. Gary, Ind. 

IS. Grand Rapids, Mich. 

19. Haverhill, Mass. 

20. Indianapolis, Ind. 

21. Kansas City, Mo. 

22. Los Angeles, Cal. 

23. Louisville, Ky. 

24. Milwaukee, Wis. 

25. Minneapolis, Minn. 

26. Nashville, Tenn. 

27. New Haven, Conn. 

28. New Orleans, La. 

29. New York City. 

30. New York City, Queens Borough 

31. Oak Park, III. 

32. Oakland, Cal. 

33. Omaha, Neb. 

34. Philadelphia, Pa. 

35. Pittsburgh, Pa. 

36. Portland, Ore. 

37. Rochester, N. Y. 

38. St. Joseph, Mo. 

39. St. Louis, Mo. 

40. St. Paul. Minn. 

41. San Francisco, Cal. 

42. Savannah, Ga. 
4 3. Seattle, Wash. 

44. Sioux City, Iowa. 

45. Spokane, Wash. 

46. Springfield, Mass. 

47. Tacoma, Wash. 

48. Toledo, Ohio. 

49. Utica, N. Y. 

50. Worcester, Mass. 

51. Youngstown, Ohio. 



REPORTS 



TABULATION 



Questionnaire on Training Classes in Public Libraries. 
Question 2 and 2a 

Is an entrance examination required for admission to your library service? If so, 
in what subjects f 



Literature IHistory 


General Current 1 Library- 


Foreign Blbllog- 


Sci- 


Civics 


Gen- 




Information Events [Work 


Language 


raphy 


ence 




eral 


2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 2, 4.7,8, 


4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 2, 4, 7,11, 7, 12, 


* * 3, 


40. 


18. 


2. 


21. 


10, 13, 14, 


9, 10, 13, 


14, 15, 18, 23, 10, 13, ,22, 27, 


8, 9, 20, 








28. 


15, 18, 20, 


14, 15, 


24?, 25?, 27, 14, 15, 37, 40. 


25?, 39. 










21?, 24?, 


18, 24?, 


29, 30, 35, 36, 20, 24?, 












25?, 28, 30, 


25?, 28, 


38, 40, 42, 46, 25?, 32, 












32, 33, 35, 


30, 33, 


48, 49, 50, 133, 36, ' 












36, 38, 39, 


35, 36, 


39, 46, ! 












42, 46, 48, 


38, 39, 


48, 49, 














49, 41, i 42, 46, 


|41. 














48, 49, 


1 














50, 41. 


1 















No entrance examinations required in 11, 16, 17, 31, 43, 51. 



Question 3 
/* this examination a distinctly Library Service examination or are you under 
Municipal Service? 



Library 



Neither 



2. 7, 12, *, 22, 24, 25, 27, 
28, 32?, 37, 40. 



1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 

14, 15. 18, 20, 21, 23, 29, 

30, 32?, 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 
42, 46, 48, 49. 50, 41. 



11, 16, 17, 19, 31, 43, 51. 



Question 4 

If you do not require an entrance examination, how are appointments made, and 
what are the standards hy which applicants are measured? 



Entrance 1 Entrance 



by exam. |Without ex. Lib. Sch. 
only ion experience work 



Entrance on Entrance 



Entrance 
on sum. 
sch. class 



1, 3, 6. 7,15, 9, 10, 16,12?, 4, 5, 8, 9, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 
20, 22, 24, 18, 25, 27, ilO, 11, 12, 13,i7, 8, 9, 10, 13?,|35, 
28, 37, 40, 29, 30, 32, 33, 14, 15, 16, 17, 14, 15, 18, 20,!49, 
48, 49?, 41. 35, 36, 39, 42, 28, 21, 23, 25, 21, 23, 24, 25, 
43, 46, 50, 51.127, 29, 31, 32, 29, 30, 31, 32, 
!33, 35, 36, 38,, 33, 35, 36, 38, 
39, 42?, 43,39, 42, 46, 48, 
46, 48?, 49?,:49, 50. 
150, 51. 




13, 17, 

20. 



Question 5 
Do you provide formal class instruction for those admitted to the service? 



4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13?, 
14, 15, 18. 20, 21, 22, 
23, 24, 25?, 29, 30, 31, 
32, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 
42, 46, 48, 49. 



3, 5. 6, 11, 17, 27, 28, 
33, 37, 50, 51, 41. 



1, 2. 



288 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Question 5a 

Do you, provide formal class instruction 
for those admitted to the service? Hoic 
frequently and in what subjects? 

1 Baltimore. 

Partly. Conference once a week. 
The rest of the work is taken individ- 
ually in various departments. 

2 Birmingham, Alabama. 

More or less. About half an hour 
each day in technical library subjects 
and literature. 

3 Boston. 

No. 

4 Brooklyn. 

Yes. Seven months course (thirty 
weeks) 700 liours class work; 500 
hours practice work in branch li- 
braries. Classification, cataloging, ref- 
erence work, history of libraries, 
bibliograpliy, work with children, cur- 
rent events, fiction, classed books, 
library economy. 

5 Buffalo. 

The only formal instruction which 
Is given is that of the Round Tables, 
and by the Heads of different Depart- 
ments, who require more or less 
preparation. Young people without 
training are transferred to different 
departments for experience. 

6 Cambridge, Mass. 

We do not provide formal class in- 
struction but aim rather at thorough- 
ness in a particular line and flexibility 
and adaptability in many departments. 

7 Chicago. 

Yes. Library technique, literary 
subjects, and current events. 

8 Cincinnati. 

Class instruction 5 days, practical 
work 6 days each week. Subjects: 
library writing; alphabeting; acces- 
sioning; shelf listing; classfying; cat- 
aloging; reference books; trade bib- 
liography; evaluation of literature; 
preparation of reading lists; children's 
work; registration; charging; mend- 
ing; typewriting; library economy. 

9 Cleveland. 

Yes. Apprentice class meets once 
or twice a week for six or eight 
months each year; elementary instruc- 
tion is given in loan work, use of the 
catalog, reference work and book se- 
lection, with lectures on all the 
various phases of the work of this 
system; methods taught are confined 
to those used in this library. 

The Training Class for Children's 
Librarians is confined to applicants 



who have had a year's general train- 
ing at a regular Library School, or 
several years successful experience in 
library work. The students give flve- 
sixths of their time to paid practice 
work in the children's rooms and one- 
sixth to specialized instruction in 
work with children. Only the number 
of students needed for practical work 
are admitted each year. 

10 Davenport, Iowa. 

Yes. Three times a week. Tech- 
nical library work and book criticism. 

11 Dayton, Ohio. 

No. 

12 Denver. 

Formal class instruction is required 
of all applicants for the general serv- 
ice. The library training course 
covers 8 months with lectures 5 days 
a week and practice work 6 afternoons 
a week. Subjects: accession; shelf 
list; shelf list accession; book num- 
bers; classification; cataloging; ref- 
erence; bibliography; children's work; 
public documents; miscellaneous lec- 
tures. 

13 Des Moines, Iowa. 

Expect to. Every day — 5 days a 
week — 8 months — all departments of 
the library. 

14 Detroit. 

Yes. 6 hours a week; in a general 
way the course covers the curriculum 
of the library school. 

15 District of Columbia. 

Two and one-half weeks preliminary 
instruction and 2 days weekly for 
class work, lectures and study. Sub- 
jects covered; foreign literature, book 
selection, children's literature, tech- 
nical work of the different depart- 
ments and administrative problems. 
See circular. 

16 Galveston, Texas. 

We do not in this library do such 
training as the questionnaire seems 
to contemplate; we take from time to 
time high school graduates as ap- 
prentices, who work for three months 
without pay. 

17 Gary, Ind. 

No. 

18 Grand Rapids. 

We find it advisable for substitutes 
and others who come into the service 
from elsewhere to take some of the 
instruction in our apprentice class 
work. Persons passing this (entrance) 
examination are placed in our ap- 
prentice class, where they get three 



289 



months instruction and practice in 
our work, designed to equip tiiem to 
be of service (here). 

19 Haverhill, Mass. 

No report. 

20 Indianapolis, Ind. 

Yes. They are taught the classifi- 
cation methods, etc., in use in this 
library. After an attendant has been 
here three years we excuse her (with 
pay) to attend our Public Library 
Commission Summer School. We send 
4 each year, etc. 

21 Kansas City, Mo. 

Yes. Classes 3 times a week, morn- 
ings devoted to class or preparation. 
Afternoons to practical work. Sub- 
jects: typewriting, library handwrit- 
ing, cataloging, (brief course) chil- 
dren's literature, and story telling, 
classification, reference work, govern- 
ment documents, book selection. Also 
lectures from the Heads of Depart- 
ments. 

22 Los Angeles, Calif. 

We have here a training school 
whicli is being rapidly developed into a 
regular library school. It offers a nine 
months' course, examinations being 
held in all the courses. 

23 Louisville, Ky. 

Yes. 15 weeks of 7 hours, 6 days 
each week and 3% hours Saturday. 
Two lectures are given, 2 hours are 
spent in reviewing lectures and 3 
hours are given in actual work in dif- 
ferent departments and branch li- 
braries. 

24 Milwaukee, Wis. 

Yes. Equivalent of one semester 
academic. 

25 Minneapolis, Minn. 

We are about to start a training 
class of a year's course based on the 
system in use at St. Louis. 

26 Nashville, Tenn. 

No report. 

27 New Haven, Conn. 

No. 

28 New Orleans, La. 

No. 

29 New York City. 

Yes. Two hours twice a week. Sub- 
jects: literature, social topics, tech- 
nique N Y P L. 

30 New York City, Queens Borough Pub- 

lic Library. 

Yes. 6 months, two or three morn- 
ings each week in class. Same as 
above [literature, history, and general 



information], library economy re- 
quired for promotion to higher grades. 

31 Oak Park, 111. 

Yes. Differs according to needs of 
apprentices. 

32 Oakland, Calif. 

Yes. 6 weeks 2 liours a day lectures 
to new substitutes. 

33 Omaha, Neb. 

Not in all cases. 

34 Philadelphia. 

No report. 

35 Pittsburgh, Penn. 

Class instruction is given in classi- 
fication, cataloging, order work, refer- 
ence work, mending routine, literature, 
and history. The total amounts to 
about 200 hours for the course. 

36 Portland, Ore. 

No, but have training course for 
non-library school applicants before 
entering service; the course Is nine 
months including 2 weeks preliminary 
practice in the library. Instruction Is 
given along technical lines and as 
much practical work as possible. 

37 Rochester, N. Y. 

No. 

38 St. Joseph, Mo. 

Yes. Training class established 
when there is an expected need for 
assistance. 

39 St. Louis, Mo. 

Yes. 9 months course. Subjects: 
those found in the curriculum of any 
accredited library school but are 
adapted to meet the especial use 
[here]; classification, cataloging, ref- 
erence work, children's work, loan 
systems, book selection, trade bibliog- 
raphy, public documents, book order- 
ing, binding, typewriting. Practice 
work for a given number of hours 
each week. 

40 St. Paul. Minn. 

Training class for apprentices con- 
ducted each year. 

41 San Francisco 

No. Individual instruction is given 
in the various departments. 

42 Savannah, Ga. 

Yes. Six months course is given the 
training class. This is not necessarily 
an annual class. Organized each 
year if eligibles are likely to be needed. 

43 Seattle, Wash. 

No. 

44 Sioux City, Iowa. 

No report. 



290 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Spokane, Wash. 

No report. 
Springfield, Mass. 

Yes. For the apprentice class one 
hour daily. Brooke's English litera- 
ture; Steam's Essentials of Library 
Administration; general bibliography; 
reference work; cataloging and classi- 
fication; oral book reviews; public 
documents. 
Tacoma, Wash. 

No report. 
Toledo, Ohio. 

Yes. Two or three hours a day 5 
days a week for 6 months. Subjects: 
usual ones in library apprentice 
classes, following in general the Wis- 
consin outline. 
Utica, N. Y. 

The time of student work covers 
one year. Class work continues dur- 



ing the first 6 months; students give 
from 30^35 hours per week. Half of 
this time is spent in class work, in- 
cluding lectures and preparation, and 
the other half is assigned to various 
departments where instruction is 
given in details of the work. Classes 
are held 3 times a week. Subjects: 
reference work, children's work, classi- 
fication and cataloging, printing and 
binding, literature. Second 6 months 
students paid nominal sum. 
Worcester, Mass. 

No. 
Youngstown, Ohio. 

No. Not at present, but we hope 
to. We do have a weekly class for 
the younger members of the staff. 
These have been on the subject of 
children's work to date and we expect 
to commence next month with about a 
dozen lectures on reference work. 



Question 6 

Are those who take this training graded and placed in regular salaried positions at 
the end of a definite period? 



No. 


Yes 


Eligible 
List 


Substitute 
List 


Examination 


If 
needed 


After 
Period 
6 mos. 


13, 31. 


2, 20, 24, 25, 
30, 33?, 38, 41. 


4, 9, 15, 36, 

40, 46, 
40. 


1, 

1, 11, 32, 35, 
48. 


7, 12, 22, 39, 
40, 49. 


10, 12, 
14, 18 
23, 42. 


5, 8, 
21, 29. 



Question 7 

Is there a distinction in your library service between clerical assistants and assistants 
who have had this staff training? 





Yes 






No 






2, 7 


, 8, 9 


10 1, 


3, 5, 


15, 




13. 


14, 


17,120, 


22, 


31, 




18, 


21, 


23,132, 


33, 


35, 




24, 


25, 


28,136, 


38, 


42, 




29, 


30, 


39, 46, 


48, 






40, 


49, 


41. 









Question 8 

Do those who have had this staff training fill positions that would otherwise be filled 
by Library School graduates? 



1, 3, 5, 8, 18, 22, 23, 24, 28, 
30, 36, 41. 



4, 20, 29, 31, 35, 38, 49, 
20. 



2, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 21, 26, 
32, 33, 39, 40, 42, 48. 



REPORTS 



291 



Question 9 
Do you recommend such assistants to other libraries as trained helpers? 



Yes 


No 


Possibly 


1, 5, 18, 22, 36, 
46, 49. 


41, 


2, 3, 4, 
14, 15, 
35, 38, 
48. 


7, 9, 11, 
20, 31, 
39, 40, 


13, 
33, 
42, 


8, 10, 12, 21, 24, 25, 28. 29, 30, 32. 



Question 10 

Are specific designations used for grades 
of service, such as page, cadet, apprentice, 
or assistant to specify the positions? If so 
please characterize each. 

1 Baltimore, Md. 

Yes. List too long to Insert. See 
annual report. 

2 Birmingham, Ala. 

Yes. Director, Vice-Director, Heads 
of Departments, Assistants, Attend- 
ants, and Apprentices. Assistants 
are the branch librarians and general 
assistants whose salaries range from 
$50.00 up, and who are not in charge 
of any department; includes stenog- 
raphers. Attendants are those who 
have finished the apprentice course 
but still receive less than $50.00. Ap- 
prentices are those not yet on the pay 
roll and who have not yet completed 
their 6 months training. 

3 Boston, Mass. 

The grades are E — the lowest; C — 
the medium; B — the highest. The 
grades were formerly 5 in number, 
A, B, C, D, E, but A and D have been 
eliminated. Places are grouped under 
the appropriate grade letter according 
to qualification considered essential. 
For example pages (called by us 
"runners") under grade E. Expert 
catalogers, first assistants, assistants 
in charge of branches (branch li- 
brarians), etc., under grade B. And 
so on. Promotions are made from 
grade to grade, but the candidate for 
promotion must have passed the ex- 
amination for the higher grade. 

4 Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Yes. See printed scheme of library 
service. 
B Buffalo, N. Y. 

Our staff Is not graded. The names 
of the positions are given in the list 
of the staff In our annual reports. 
6 Cambridge, Mass. 

The only specific designations which 
we use are page and assistant. 



7 Chicago, 111. 

Yes. See printed schedule. 

8 Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Our service is graded into clerks, 
apprentices, attendants, catalogers, 
and reference librarians; there are 
also pages. 

9 Cleveland, Ohio. 

Yes. Pages, student pages, assist- 
ants; the latter are graded in five 
grades, not including Heads of Depart- 
ments and Branches, and those filling 
other positions of special importance. 
(See circular of information.) 

10 Davenport, Iowa. 

Heads of departments, assistants, 
and apprentices are all the designa- 
tions used. 

11 Dayton, Ohio. 

Page, clerical, junior and senior as- 
sistants and Heads of Departments. 
See annual report. 

12 Denver, Colo. 

Yes. The designations used for 
grades of service in this library are 
page, general assistant and depart- 
mental head. The term apprentice Is 
assigned only for those doing prelim- 
inary practice for entrance to Library 
schools. 

13 Des Moines, Iowa. 

No. 

14 Detroit, Mich. 

Page — paid by the hour; runs er- 
rands, puts up books, etc. Apprentice 
— students in training class. Assist- 
ant — trained library workers holding 
regular appointments. 

15 District of Columbia. 

During the training members of the 
class are called students and are ap- 
pointed as junior assistants. 

16 Galveston, Texas. 

Apprentices (who work for three 
months without pay) If at the end of 
this time there Is need for an appoint- 
ment the apprentice Is made a substi- 
tute assistant for a time and not con- 
sidered as a regularly employed as- 



292 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



sistant until her success in her work 
has been thoroughly proved. 

17 Gary, Ind. 

See schedule. 

18 Grand Rapids, Mich. 

Our service below the Heads of De- 
partments is divided Into 2 classes, 
senior assistants and junior assistants. 
There are also pages, and book mend- 
ers who do not enter by examination; 
stenographers and bookkeepers. 

19 Haverhill, Mass. 

No report. 

20 Indianapolis, Ind. 

Page, apprentice, attendant. Assist- 
ants are those who have had library 
school training or been long In the 
service. 

21 Kansas City, Mo. 

No. 

22 Los Angeles, Calif. 

Yes. Page, attendant. 

23 Louisville, Ky. 

Yes. The staff is divided into five 
grades, third, second, first, branch li- 
brarian, head of department. Substi- 
tutes on the eligible list are used in 
third grade service and pages are 
without grade. 

24 Milwaukee, Wis. 

Substitutes and from that to assist- 
ants. 

25 Minneapolis, Minn. 

Page is used to mean boy clerks and 
shelvers. Apprentices, those In course 
of training. Assistants, those who be- 
long to the regularly appointed trained 
staff. 

26 Nashville, Tenn. 

No report. 

27 New Haven, Conn. 

Yes. See schedule. 

28 New Orleans, La. 

Page, substitute, library assistant 
(including department in which she 
works) and assistant librarians. 

29 New York City. 

See scheme of service of the New 
York Public Library. 

30 New York City, Queens Borough. 

Apprentice; grades C, B, A, also cat- 
aloged children's librarian, and trav- 
eling librarian. 

31 Oak Park, 111. 

Apprentice (unpaid) and assistant. 

32 Oakland, Calif. 

Substitutes, assistants, first assist- 
ants, heads of departments. 

33 Omaha, Neb. 

No. 

34 Philadelphia, Penn. 

No report. 

35 Pittsburgh, Penn. 



Except in administrative positions 
staff is divided into assistants and 
pages. No distinction is made by 
grades. 

36 Portland, Ore. 

Page — ungraded assistant who pastes, 
does errands and various things not 
requiring special training. Assistant 
— member of regular library staff. 

37 Rochester, N. Y. 

Heads of departments; assistants — 
all who have taken civil service ex- 
amination; attendants — registered ac- 
cording to civil service formality; 
typists; pages. Under the main as- 
sistants are included branch librarians 
and first and second assistants in 
branches and first and second assist- 
ants to heads of departments. 

38 St. Joseph, Mo. 

No. 

39 St. Louis, Mo. 

See booklet. P. 4-6. 

40 St. Paul, Minn. 

Junior library assistant — clerical as- 
sistants and pages. Second library 
assistant — general assistants in posi- 
tions requiring general library train- 
ing. Cataloger, reference librarian, 
children's librarian — assistants with 
special training and experience. First 
assistant to division chief. Chief of 
division. 

41 San Francisco, Cal. 

See schedule. 

42 Savannah, Ga. 

Page — boy for shelving, errands, 
etc.; Apprentice — member of training 
class; Assistant — member of profes- 
sional staff. 

43 Seattle, Wash. 

See booklet. 

44 Sioux City, Iowa. 

No report. 

45 Spokane, Wash. 

No report. 

46 Springfield, Mass. 

No. 

47 Tacoma, Wash. 

No report. 

48 Toledo, Ohio. 

Page or book boy; apprentice — term 
used after acceptance and before ap- 
pointment as substitute; substitute; 
assistant — after regular appointment. 

49 Utica, N. Y. 

The terms page, student, junior and 
senior assistant are used to designate 
grades of service. 

50 Worcester, Mass. 

See library rules. 

51 Youngstown, Ohio. 

No. 



29S 



REPORT OF PROGRESS OF THE DECI- 
MAL CLASSIFICATION AD- 
VISORY COMMITTEE 

During this first year's work most o£ tlie 
committee-members could not be very 
active, as the worli of determining the 
classification-needs of libraries in general 
and of organizing the sub-committees, 
which fell almost wholly on the secretary, 
has been arduous and long. The com- 
ing year should show many positive results 
of general applicability. 

A circular was first sent to about 700 
libraries asking where the Decimal Classi- 
fication needed Improvement. About 200 
replied. These replies were carded on 
about 5,000 cards. They deal with classes 
requiring expansion or change, with sub- 
jects requiring classification and assign- 
ment to symbols, etc. 

The classes shown to be most in need of 
expansion are: 

63 Agriculture 

658 Business 

79 Amusements 

15 Psychology 

656 Transportation 
38 Transportation 

659 Advertising 
629.2 Automobiles 

657 Business 

66 Chemical technology 
940.913 European War 

Only 26 per cent of those responding 
wished an abridged edition of the D. C. 
82 per cent of those responding subscribed 
to the proposed L C — D C equivalents, be- 
ing equivalent to 116 copies. 

The sub-committee appointed at the 
Asbury Park meeting to expand the Euro- 
pean War classification has written and 
classed over 7,000 titles and the tentative 
scheme has practically reached its final 
form. The first ten main divisions of the 
subject will be presented at the Louisville 
meeting. The chief problem now Is to de- 
cide with the editors of the D. C. on the 
root-number. The editors are willing to 
acquiesce to our request to change from 
940.913 of the 9th edition to 940.92. We 
are further considering with them the pos- 
sibilities of securing a 4-figure number 



either at 909.9 or in 940.1-8, as the war, 
being prolonged and extended, makes its 
literature enormous. 

Sub-committees have been formed, each 
of seven members — all experienced classi- 
fiers of large D. C. libraries and each with 
a chairman who is a member of the main 
committee. Three of these expanding 658, 
Business, 659, Advertising, and 15, Psy- 
chology have begun work. The others ap- 
pointed to expand the classes mentioned 
above (except Agriculture, which the D. C. 
editors have already expanded), will have 
begun work before the Louisville meeting. 

Some 30 volunteers have been secured 
to co-operate with the sub-committees by 
writing slips for the titles by means of 
which the classifications are tested. 

Mr. G. W. Lee of Boston has been ap- 
pointed by the President as an additional 
member of our main committee and the 
President will be asked to appoint one 
more member. 

It is to be the practice of the committee 
to ask reports of progress, monthly from 
its sub-committees and to publish monthly 
its circular indicating what the progress 
has been and asking advice of the com- 
mittee-members on the questions that 
arise. The first of these has been pub- 
lished asking for classificattion and D. C. 
numbers for 29 important, but at present 
unclassified, subjects. 

The secretary has also answered a num- 
ber of communications from libraries ad- 
dressed to him directly or through the 
secretary of the A. L. A. This practice 
will probably increase. 

Respectfully submitted, 

C. W. Andrews, Chairman. 

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE 

CARNEGIE AND ENDOWMENT 

FUNDS 

The Trustees of the Endowment Fund 
beg leave to submit the following state- 
ment of the accounts of their trust for the 
fiscal year ending January 15, 1917: 

The only change in investments during 
the year occurred through the calling of 
one $1,000 United States Steel Corpora- 



294 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



tlon Sinking Fund 5% Gold Bond due 
April 1, 1963 on May 1st, at 110, and the 
reinvestment of the proceeds in another 
$1,000 bond of the same Issue at 105% plus 
commission. All interest on investments 
has been promptly paid. As set forth in 
our report of last year, there were in- 
cluded in the securities taken over by us 
upon our appointment as Trustees $15,- 
000, par value, Missouri Pacific Railway 
Company Collateral Trust 5% Bonds due 
January 1, 1917. Default having occurred 
in the payment of the semi-annual inter- 
est on these bonds which matured Sep- 
tember 1, 1915, the bonds held by us were 
deposited with the Columbia Trust Com- 
pany, of this city, as depositary of a com- 
mittee formed to protect the interests of 
the holders of that issue of bonds, and 
this committee thereafter advanced the 
amount of the successive coupons attached 
to the deposited bonds. The reorganiza- 
tion of the Missouri Pacific Railway Com- 
pany has since been proceeding and is ex- 



pected to be completed in the near future. 
Under this plan the holders of the 5% 
bonds maturing January 1, 1917, are en- 
titled to receive the same amount in par 
value of first and refunding mortgage 5% 
bonds of the new company maturing Janu- 
ary 1, 1923. If this plan is carried out, it 
is believed that there will be no loss to the 
Endowment Fund either in principal or in- 
terest, by reason of this Missouri Pacific 
investment. 

The usual audit of the investments and 
accounts of the trust was, at the request of 
the chairman of the Finance Committee 
of the American Library Association, made 
by Mr. Franklin O. Poole, librarian of the 
Association of the Bar of the City of New 
York. 

Respectfully submitted, 

M. Taylor Ptne, 
Edwaed W. Sheldon, 
Wm. W. Appleton. 
Trustees, Carnegie and Endowment Funds. 

April 17, 1917. 



CARNEGIE FUND, PRINCIPAL ACCOUNT 

Cash donated by Mr. Andrew Carnegie $100,000.00 

Invested as follows: 

Date of Purchase Cost Book Value 

June 1, 1908 5,000 American Telephone & Telegraph Com- 
pany i% Bonds due July 1, 1929, inter- 
est January and July 96% | 4,825.00 

June 1, 1908 10,000 American Telephone & Telegraph Com- 
pany 4% Bonds due July 1, 1929, inter- 
est January and July 94% 9,437.50 

June 1, 1908 15,000 Cleveland Terminal & Valley Railroad 
Company First Mortgage 4% Bonds due 
November 1, 1995, interest May and 
November 100 15,000.00 

June 1, 1908 10,000 Seaboard Air Line Railway (Atlanta-Bir- 
mingham Division) First Mortgage 4% 
Bonds due May 1, 1933, interest March 
and September 95% 9,550.00 

June 1, 1908 15,000 Western Union Telegraph Company Col- 
lateral Trust 5% Bonds due January 1, 
1938, interest January and July 108%. 15,000.00 

June 1, 1908 15,000 New York Central & Hudson River 
Railroad Company, Lake Shore Collat- 
eral 3%% Bonds were exchanged Feb- 
ruary 10, 1916, for 
15,000 New York Central Railroad Company 
Consolidation Mortgage Gold 4% Bonds, 
Series "A," due February 1, 1998, inter- 
est February and August 90 13,500.00 



REPORTS 295 

June 1, 1908 15,000 Missouri Pacific Railroad Company Col- 
lateral Trust 5% Bonds due January 1, 
1917, interest March and September, 
Columbia Trust Company certificate of 
deposit 10478 15,000.00 

May 3, 1909 14,000 United States Steel Corporation Sinking 
Fund Gold 5% Bonds due April 1, 1963 
interest May and November 104 14,000.00 

Aug. 6, 1909 1,500 United States Steel Corporation Sink- 
ing Fund Gold 5% Bonds due April 1, 
1963, interest May and November 10678 1,500.00 

July 27,1910 1,000 United States Steel Corporation Sinking 
Fund Gold 5% Bonds due April 1, 1963, 
interest May and November 102% 1,000.00 

May 11, 1916 1,000 United States Steel Corporation Sinking 
Fund Gold 5% Bonds due April 1, 1963, 
interest May and November 105% 1,000.00 



102,500 99,812.50 

Jan. 16, 1917 United Stales Trust Company on deposit 187.50 



$100,000.00 



The surplus account was increased $100.00 during 1916 by Premium received on one 
United States Steel Corporation Sinking Fund Gold 5% Bond called in at 110, making 
Surplus Account $250.00. 



CARNEGIE FUND, INCOME ACCOUNT 

1916 

January 15 Balance $1,423.60 

February 2 Int. New York Central 262.50 

February 10 Int. New York Exchange 75.00 

March 1 Int. Seaboard Air Line 200.00 

March 6 Int. Missouri Pacific 375.00 

May 1 Int. Cleveland Terminal 300.00 

May 1 Int. United States Steel 437.50 

July 1 Int. Western Union 375.00 

July 1 Int. American Telephone & Telegraph 300.00 

August 1 Int. New York Central 300.00 

September 1 Int. Seaboard Air Line 200.00 

September 7 Int. Missouri Pacific 375.00 

November 1 Int. Cleveland Terminal 300.00 

November 1 Int. United States Steel 437.50 

December 1 Int. On deposit 66.06 

1917 

January 2 Int. Western Union 375.00 

January 2 Int. American Telephone & Telegraph 300.00 



$6,102.16 



Disbursements 

1916 

May 11 Premium United States Steel Bond bought $ 52.50 

May 11 Accrued interest 1.39 

June 6 Carl B. Roden, Treasurer 2,000.00 

September 22 Carl B. Roden, Treasurer 1,500.00 

December 4 United States Trust Co. Commission 75.00 

December 13 Carl B. Roden, Treasurer 1,000.00 

January 15, 1917 Cash on hand 1,473.27 



6,102.16 



296 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



ENDOWMENT FUND, PRINCIPAL ACCOUNT 
1916 

January 15 On hand, bonds and cash $8,061.84 

February 3 Life Membership, F. R. Castor 25.00 

February 3 Life Membership, L. N. Peipel 25.00 

March 4 Life Membership, T. Sachs 25.00 

March 4 Life Membership, L. R. Gibbs 25.00 

April 7 Life Membership, J. R. Donnelly 25.00 

April 7 Life Membership, M. B. Hazeltine 25.00 

September 11 Life Membership, M. Johnson 25.00 

September 11 Life Membership, W. L. Brown 25.00 



Invested as follows: 

Date of purchase Cost 

1908 

June 1 2 U. S. Steel Corporation Sinking Fund Gold 5% 

Bonds 98% $1,970.00 

October 19 2 U. S. Steel Corporation Sinking Fund Gold 5% 

Bonds 102% 2,000.00 

November 5 1% U. S. Steel Corporation Sinking Fund Gold 

5% Bonds 101 1,500.00 

1910 

July 27 IVz U. S. Steel Corporation Sinking Fund Gold 

5% Bonds 102% 1,500.00 

1913 

December 8 1 U. S. Steel Corporation Sinking Fund Gold 5% 

Bond 991/8 991.25 

January 15, 1917 Cash on hand, U. S. Trust Co 300.59 



$8,261.84 



$8,261.84 



ENDOWMENT FUND, INCOME ACCOUNT 



1916 

May 1 Int. U. S. 

November 1 Int. U. S. 



Steel Bonds $200.00 

Steel Bonds 200.00 



$400.00 



Disbursements 
1916 

April 8 Exchange on check $ 0.10 

June 6 Carl B. Roden, Treasurer 199.90 

December 13 Carl B. Roden, Treasurer 200.00 



$400.00 



REPORT OF THE TREASURER 
January-May, 1917 



Receipts 

Balance, Union Trust Company, Chicago, Jan. 1, 1917 .- $ 4,267.13 

G. B, Utley, Secretary, Membership Dues 7,108.50 

G. B. Utley, Secretary, Life Memberships 150.00 

Trustees Carnegie Fund, income 2,000.00 

Trustees Endowment Fund, income 200.00 

Interest on Bank Balance, January-May 40.60 

$13,756.23 



REPORTS tn 

Expenditures 

Checks No. 96-102 (Vouchers No. 1474-1574 incl.) $4,509.58 

Distributed as follows: 

Bulletin $ 515.09 

Conference 44.05 

Committees 378.27 



Headquarters: 

Salaries 2,383.30 

Additional services 357.41 

Supplies 137.74 

Postage and tel 156.42 

Miscellaneous 151.35 

Contingencies 36.39 

Travel 199.56 

Trustees Endowment Fund 150.00 

A. L. A. Publishing Board, Carnegie Fund income. . 2,000.00 6,509.58 



Balance, Union Trust Co., Chicago $7,246.65 

G. B. Utley, Bal., National Bank of the Republic 250.00 

Total balance $7,496.65 

James L. Whitney Fund 

Principal and interest, Dec. 31, 1916 $281.98 

Interest, Jan. 1, 1917 4.15 

Eighth Installment, Feb. 2, 1917 26.24 

Total $312.37 

Respectfully submitted, 
Chicago, June 5th, 1917. C. B. Rodex, Treasurer. 



REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE adopted by the Executive Board, and are 

To the American Library Association: for this reason not given here. 

In accordance with the provisions of Dr. C. W. Andrews has audited for the 

Section 12 of the Constitution, your committee the accounts of the treasurer 

Finance committee submits the following and of the secretary as assistant treasurer, 

report: He found that the receipts as stated by 

The probable income of the association the treasurer agree with the transfers of 

for 1917 has been estimated as $24,480.00, the assistant treasurer, with the cash ac- 

and the Executive Board has been author- counts of the latter, and with the state- 

ized to make appropriations to this menta of transfers in the accounts of the 

amount. The details of the estimated in- trustees. The expenditures as stated are 

come were published In the Bulletin for accounted for by properly approved vouch- 

January, 1917, together with the budget ers, and the balance shown as that in the 



298 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Union Trust Company of Chicago agrees 
with the bank statement of December 31, 
1916. The bank balances and petty cash 
of the assistant treasurer agree with the 
bank books and petty cash balances. The 
accounts of the assistant treasurer are 
correct as cash accounts. 

The securities now in the custody of 
the trustees have been checked for the 
committee by Mr. F. 0. Poole, who certi- 
fies that their figures are correct. He 
found that the bonds and other securities 
amount, at par value, to $102,500.00 for 
the Carnegie fund, and to $8,261.84 for 
the endowment fund. 

The accounts of the James L. Whitney 
fund, which are in the hands of the treas- 
urer, have been examined and found to 
be as stated by him in his annual report. 
Respectfully submitted, 

H. W. Ceaveb, 

Chairman. 

A. L. A. PUBLISHING BOARD 

New Publications — No new publication 
important in size or of wide circulation has 
been issued during the past year. In the 
report for 1915-16 we called attention to 
the revised edition of the Kroeger "Guide 
to the study and use of reference books" in 
preparation by Miss Isadore G. Mudge and 
were obliged to explain that serious delay 
in its appearance had resulted from the 
illness of the compiler. We confidently 
expected, however, that the book would 
be issued before the library schools opened 
in the fall. Owing to Miss Mudge's con- 
tinued inability to furnish manuscript and 
read proof as rapidly and as promptly as 
we could wish, the book is not yet pub- 
lished. Nearly all the book is now in page 
proof and the index is being made. A 
small amount of manuscript remains, how- 
ever, to be furnished by Miss Mudge, which 
we hope shortly to receive. Surely the 
book will be ready for distribution within 
the next two or three months, but we fear 
not in time for the summer schools, great- 
ly to their Inconvenience and disappoint- 
ment. 

As a makeshift for the new edition, the 



secretary had sets of galley proof of such 
parts as had been set up, pulled and wired 
together and distributed for the use of the 
library schools. This was an inconvenient 
form in which to use the material, but en- 
abled instructors in reference work to 
have the benefit of the new text. 

The selected list of Russian books, com- 
piled by Miss Campbell, and the list of 
recent French literature by Mrs. Bower- 
man, have found distinct usefulness in 
many public libraries. Neither of the 
lists has, however, as yet paid for itself. 
It has been the experience of the Board 
that although the foreign lists meet a real 
need and are appreciated by those who 
buy them, yet it is difficult to dispose of 
a sufliciently large number to pay the cost 
of production without charging a retail 
price out of proportion to their size. As 
many of these foreign lists should be is- 
sued as financial and editorial resources 
will permit, but they have to be balanced 
by other publications having a wider ap- 
peal and consequently a better pecuniary 
return. 

The new publications of the year are as 
follows : 

Selected list of Russian books, compiled 
by J. Maud Campbell. (Foreign book list 
7.) 1,500 copies. 

Recent French Literature, compiled by 
Sarah Graham (Mrs. George F.) Bower- 
man. (Plates.) 1,000 copies. 

Mending and repair of books, by 
Margaret W. Brown, revised by Gertrude 
Stiles. (Handbook 6.) (Plates.) 2,000 
copies. 

League of library commissions hand- 
book, 1916, compiled by Henry N. Sanborn. 
2,000 copies. 

Manual for institution libraries, com- 
piled by Carrie E. Scott. (Handbook 10.) 
1,000 copies. 

A. L. A. Manual of library economy: 

Chap. 17, Order and accession depart- 
ment, by F. F. Hopper. (Edition 2, re- 
vised.) 2,500 copies. 

Reprints — The following publications 
have been reprinted: 



REPORTS 



299 



Books for boys and girls, by Caroline M. 
Hewins. 1,000 copies. 

Government documents in small libra- 
ries, by J. I. Wyer, Jr. (Handbook 7.) 1,000 
copies. 

From A. L. A. Proceedings, 1916: 

Library statistics, compiled by the Amer- 
ican Library Association. 300 copies. 

Making maps available, by Beatrice Win- 
ser. 300 copies. 

Forthcoming Publications — Last year we 
announced that arrangements had been 
made with Mr. H. G. T. Cannons, author 
of the "Bibliography of library economy," 
to publish a supplement 1910-1915 of this 
work. Mr. Cannons writes us from Eng- 
land that the work is completed and the 
manuscript is being typewritten. We hope, 
notwithstanding the present difficulties of 
ocean transportation, to receive a copy of 
the manuscript before long and to ar- 
range for its printing and the publication 
of the book. 

Analytical cards for Warner's Library of 
the world's best literature are being re- 
printed in response to a considerable de- 
mand. Advance orders for over one hun- 
dred sets have already been received. 
There are about one thousand cards in the 
set. 

Tables showing equivalents in the Dec- 
imal Classification and the Library of 
Congress Classification are being compiled 
by Mr. A. Law Voge, of the Mechanics- 
Mercantile Library, San Francisco. The 
tables will be issued in independent parts. 
"Technology," the first group to be under- 
taken, is nearly ready for printing. This 
publication will, it is believed, be of con- 
siderable service as a labor saver in the 
classification department, and In connec- 
tion with the use of the L. C. cards, and 
will enable untrained assistants to do 
much of the actual classifying. 

The Board has now in press a short list 
of indexes of special subjects which va- 
rious libraries have made primarily for 
their own use. The suggestion leading to 
its preparatiton was made some months 
ago by one of the members of the Board. 
It is believed that such a list in the hands 



of reference librarians will open up 
sources of information not previously 
known. The list is short and far from 
satisfactory, but we hope its appearance 
will lead other libraries to report special 
indexes which will warrant a revised and 
enlarged edition. 

Efforts are being made to ascertain 
whether an "Index to songs," which has 
been discussed on several occasions by the 
Board, would obtain sufficient support if 
compiled and published. Thus far returns 
have been very discouraging, although we 
can but believe that such an index if ac- 
tually on the market would be bought by 
a fairly large number of libraries. The 
expense of preparing and printing would 
be so great, however, that the Board feels 
procedure would be unwise until more as- 
surance of its favorable reception is re- 
ceived. 

Chapter XXV of the Manual of library 
economy, dealing with pamphlets, clip- 
pings, broadsides, prints, pictures, music, 
bookplates and maps, and bearing the ti- 
tle "Pamphlets and minor library mate- 
rial," is now in press and will probably be 
published before the appearance of this 
report. 

Three chapters remain to be printed: 

Cataloging — In preparation by Miss 
Sophie K. Hiss. 

Library work with schools — In prepara- 
tion by Mr. W. H. Kerr. 

Museums and libraries — In preparation 
by Mr. P. M. Rea. 

Mr. Harold A. Mattice, of the Library 
of Congress, reports that the list of de- 
tective, mystery and ghost stories which 
he and Miss Laws, of the same Library, 
are compiling is making progress and they 
hope to have it done in a reasonable time. 

Library Annual — The question of the 
publication of a library annual containing 
carefully compiled statistics, but also con- 
taining features other than statistics, has 
been discussed for several years by groups 
of librarians and in the pages of library 
periodicals. The subject received consid- 
erable attention at the last mid-winter 
meeting of the Council and also of the 



300 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Publishing Board. (See Bulletin, January, 
1917, p. 12-13, 38.) As a result of recent 
negotiations the United States Bureau of 
Education has agreed, through the Com- 
missioner, Dr. P. P. Claxton, to print and 
publish, as a Bulletin of the Bureau, such 
a library annual provided manuscript 
ready for the printer can be furnished free 
of expense. The Bureau will also permit 
the use of its frank in sending out the 
necessary questionnaires to libraries. Steps 
are now being talsen to determine what 
should be comprised in such a publica- 
tion, and when a decision relative to the 
contents of the volume is reached, the 
collection and arrangement of material 
will be begun and pushed as energetically 
as conditions will permit. 

A. L. A. Booklist — The total subscrip- 
tions to the Booklist now are as follows: 
Bulk to commissions and libraries, 2,604; 
retail subscriptions, 2,168; sent to library 
members and affiliated state associations 
as part of their membership perquisites, 
517; free list, 112; total, 5,401 (as against 
a total of 5,134 reported last year). 

Hereto are appended brief reports from 
Miss Massee, editor of the A. L. A. Book- 
list, and Mr. Merrill, editor of A. L. A. 
Periodical cards. 

Respectfully, 
Henry E. Leglek, Chairman. 

A. L. A. BOOKLIST 

Except for changes in its staff the Book- 
list has had an uneventful year. The reg- 
ular edition now numbers 5,600 copies. 

The Dial proposed to reprint the list 
each month but it developed in the course 
of negotiations that this could not be ac- 
complished without losing our identity as 
an individual publication. The Dial wished 
to become the official publisher of the 
Booklist as the Athenaeum is the official 
publisher of the list for The Library As- 
sociation. 

The contributors to the Booklist seemed 
to think that this would be a regrettable 
loss of individuality, that the natural in- 
ference on the part of casual readers 



would be that the Dial made the Booklist 
and that it would lose its power as a co- 
operative list formed from the consensus 
of library opinion. 

The subscription price would be difficult 
to adjust as the Dial could not afford to 
add the Booklist subscription list at its 
present rate and the Booklist could not 
afford to lose its individual subscribers. 

The discussion gave rise to many ex- 
pressions of loyalty both to the Booklist 
and the Dial. The question of collabora- 
tion has not been decided as we go to 
press but will come before the Publishing 
Board and be definitely settled there. 

Miss Clark left in October to take work 
in the School of Civics, and Miss Hawks 
left in May to take a position as librarian 
of Penn College, Oskaloosa, Iowa. 

Miss Birge and Miss Van Arsdale are 
busy trying to absorb and express Booklist 
ideas. 

Naturally these changes in a small staff 
make the work more difficult and the Book- 
list needs book notes more than ever, as 
it is not easy for inexperienced people to 
write good book notes. 

In January the editor visited Boston and 
New York to talk with publishers. This 
annual visit promotes a mutual under- 
standing which is valuable to the Booklist 
and it is gratifying to see the interest with 
which the publishers follow Booklist de- 
cisions. 

The editor has talked book selection, in- 
cidentally the Booklist, before the Michi- 
gan State Library Association, members of 
the library staff in Detroit, the Indiana 
Summer School, the meeting of the Indiana 
librarians and trustees, the New York 
State Library School, the Western Reserve 
Library School, the Highland Park Parents 
and Teachers Association, the Chicago 
Public Library Training Class, a Mothers' 
Club in Evanston, Conference of the Chi- 
cago Library District. 

We made a list of fiction representing 
phases of city life which is being used in 
the University of Chicago with a course on 
municipal sociology. We wish we could 



REPORTS 301 

do more of this sort of work. Our files A. L. A. PERIODICAL CARDS 

notes make it a natural development. During the year ending April 30, 1917, 

The Booklist sent sample copies for dis- only three shipments of cards have been 

tribution to the meeting of the High School sent out, numbered 329, 330, and 331. 

Teachers at the N. E. A. and to the Book- These shipments included 480 new titles 

sellers' convention in New York City. The and 45 reprints, making a total of 525 titles, 

returns in subscriptions were very slight. The number of cards printed was 40,895, of 

We have printed a leaflet explaining the which 29,851 were distributed and 11,044 

purpose and working of the Booklist which (or 37 per cent) were surplus, 

we shall use for advertising and for an The remarkable falling off in the num- 

introduction to new publishers when we ber of titles is due, of course, to the war, 

wish to ask for books. Copies of this leaf- which has almost cut off the supply of 

let will be sent to any library on request. German serials; and has interfered with 

We hoped to be able to announce that the production and transmission of other 

we should print monthly a short list of foreign serials. Our contract with the 

French books to supplement the A. L. A. printers calls for a minimum of 165 titles 

list published this winter. This has been to a shipment; and while the printers have 

postponed but will undoubtedly be possible not insisted upon this figure, yet we have 

later on. We hope some day to have a had to wait three months or more for 

regular supplement listing books from sev- enough titles to accumulate to make a re- 

eral European countries. spectable shipment. 

Mat Massee. Wm. Stetsox Merrili.. 

A. L. A. PUBLISHING BOARD— FINANCIAL REPORT 
Cash Receipts May 1, 1916, to April 30, 1917 

Balance, May 1, 1916 $ 364.03 

Interest on Carnegie Fund (June, 1916— $2,000.00) 

(Oct., 1916— 1,500.00) 

(Dec., 1916— 1,000.00) 4,500.00 

Receipts from publications 10,451.25 

Interest on bank deposits 10.61 .$15,325.89 

Payments May 1, 1916, to April 30, 1917 
Cost of publications: 

A. L. A. Booklist $2,501.32 

A. L. A. Publishing Board reports 33.92 

Bibliography of library economy, supplement (typing 

manuscript) 50.00 

Book lists (4), reprint 29.26 

Books for boys and girl, reprint 99.30 

Guide to reference books — Proof sheets to new edition 

(for use in library schools) 128.21 

League of Library Commissions Handbook, 1916 332.40 

Manual for institution libraries. Handbook 10 (including 

plates) 117.05 

Manual of library economy: Chaps. 11, 17 (revised ed.), 

18 294.88 

Mending and repair of books, Handbook 6, revised ed. (in- 
cluding plates) 75.17 

Periodical cards 323.16 

Press proof proposed new form for A. L. A. Booklist 11^75 

Recent French literature 125.25 

Reprints from A. L. A. Proceedings, 1916: 

Library statistics 16.38 

Making maps available . 5^95 

Selected list of Russian books 330.00 

U. S. Government documents in small libraries. Hand- 
book, 7, reprint 40.61 $4,514.61 



302 LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 

Addressograph supplies 22.02 

Advertising 264.80 

Editing publications 96.20 

Expense, headquarters (1916— a/c) 2,500.00 

Postage and express 649.15 

Publications — as agent: 
New types of library buildings, Wisconsin Free Library 

Commission 7.00 

Royalties 8.90 

Salaries 4,754.09 

Supplies and incidentals 847.19 

Travel 286.82 

Balance on hand April 30, 1917 1,375.11 $15,325.89 



SALES OF A. L. A. PUBLISHING BOARD PUBLICATIONS 
April 1, 1916, to March 31, 1917 

A. L. A. Booklist, regular subscriptions 1,915 $1,915.00 

Additional subscriptions at reduced rate of 50c 253 126.50 

Bulk subscriptions 1,101.85 

Extra copies 1,020 150.20 $3,293.55 

Handbook 1, Essentials in library administration 483 102.17 

Handbook 5, Binding for libraries, revised ed 469 60.22 

Handbook 6, Mending and repair of books, revised ed 1,042 111.01 

Handbook 7, U. S. Government documents in small libraries 364 48.12 

Handbook 8, How to choose editions 103 14.31 

Handbook 9, Normal library budget 151 20.43 

Handbook 10, Manual for institutional libraries 274 67.24 423.50 

Tract 2, How to start a library 145 6.25 

Tract 4, Library rooms and buildings 132 11.76 

Tract 5, Notes from the art section 14 .70 

Tract 8, A village library 37 2.00 

Tract 9, Library school training 36 1.75 

Tract 10, Why do we need a public library 327 12.72 35.18 

Foreign lists, French 22 5.33 

Foreign lists, French fiction 17 .85 

Foreign lists, French literature. Recent 201 48.29 

Foreign lists, German 20 9.48 

Foreign lists, Hungarian 22 3.23 

Foreign lists, Italian 17 5.80 

Foreign lists, Norwegian 15 3.60 

Foreign lists, Polish 14 3.41 

Foreign lists, Swedish 15 3.64 

Foreign lists. Russian 939 244.01 327.64 

Reprints, Bostwick, Public library and public school 15 1.47 

Reprints, Inspirational influence of books in the life of children 31 1.45 

Reprints, Library statistics 51 2.51 

Reprints, Making maps available 75 3.73 

Reprints, N. E. A. — List of books for rural school libraries. . 2 .19 
Reprints, N. E. A. — Report of Committee on rural school li- 
braries 118 4.69 

Reprints, Some recent features in library architecture 19 .95 14.99 

Periodical cards, subscriptions 465.42 

Periodical cards. Reed's Modern eloquence 1 set 2.50 467.92 



REPORTS SOS 

League publications: 

Aids in library work with foreigners 151 12.87 

Directions for the librarian of a small library 78 6.92 

League Handbook, 1910 5 1.13 

League Handbook, 1916 418 181.29 

League Yearbook, 1912 5 1.13 203.34 

A. L. A. Manual of library economy: 

Chap. 1, American library history 211 13.88 

Chap. 2, Library of Congress 75 6.58 

Chap. 3, The State library 166 11.95 

Chap. 4, College and university library 155 11.38 

Chap. 5, Proprietary and subscription libraries 129 9.91 

Chap. 6, The free public library 115 10.51 

Chap. 7, The high school library 388 29.02 

Chap. 8, Special libraries 177 11.11 

Chap. 9, Library legislation (now out of print) 74 6.39 

Chap. 10, The library building 328 22.05 

Chap. 11, Furniture, fixtures and equipment 642 50.83 

Chap. 12, Library administration 310 20.70 

Chap. 13, Training for librarianship 184 16.86 

Chap. 14, Library service 275 17.39 

Chap. 15, Branch libraries 162 11.06 

Chap. 16, Book selection 463 29.38 

Chap. 17, Order and accession department (revised ed.) 472 38.63 

Chap. 18, Classification 725 61.73 

Chap. 20, Shelf department 299 19.59 

Chap. 21, Loan work 345 22.97 

Chap. 22, Reference department 182 13.73 

Chap. 23, Government documents (state and city) 334 22.60 

Chap. 24, Bibliography 314 21.08 

Chap. 27, Commissions, state aid, etc 200 12.79 

Chap. 29, Library work with children 306 20.78 

Chap. 30, Library work with the blind 288 27.26 

Chap. 32, Library printing 284 17.95 558.11 

A. L. A. Catalog, 1904-11 315 432.01 

A. L. A. Index to General Literature 14 79.20 

A. L. A. Index to General Literature, Supplement 1900-10 17 62.80 

Book lists (4) 10,000 29.50 

Books for bovs and girls 667 109.08 

Catalog rules 484 262.78 

Cataloging for small libraries , 432 495.45 

Collection of social survey material 326 23.23 

Geography list (now out of print) 33 3.29 

Graded list of stories for reading aloud 484 38.05 

Guide to reference books, Kroeger (now out of print) 146 195.30 

Guide to reference books (Mudge), Proof sheets to new edition 315 62.17 

Guide to reference books. Supplement 1909-10 116 25.74 

Guide to reference books, Supplement 1911-13 144 50.92 

High school list 188 84.74 

Hints to small libraries 89 57.55 

Hospital list 64 15.30 

Index to kindergarten songs 18 24.75 

Index to library reports 13 12.20 

Library buildings 71 6.18 

List of economical editions 37 8.15 

List of music and books about music 22 5.33 

List of subject headings, 3rd edition 455 1,025.88 

List of 550 children's books 88 11.99 

Lists of material to be obtained free or at small cost 833 145.89 

Periodicals for the small library 311 27.61 



304 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Scientific management, List of books on 1,527 19.34 

Shakespeare, Brief guide to the literature of 164 76.10 

Subject headings for catalogs of juvenile books 206 273.38 

Subject Index to A. L. A. Booklist 37 8.85 

Subject Index to A. L. A. Booklist, Supplement 27 2.75 

Vocational guidance through the library 149 13.84 

A. L. A. Bulletin and Proceedings 211 76.05 3,765.40 

Total sale of publications $9,089.63 



REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON 
IMPORTATIONS 

This Special committee was formed by 
the Executive Board early last November 
in order to facilitate proper German im- 
portations for our libraries. 

The effect of the British Orders-in-Coun- 
cil of March, 1915, establishing blockade 
of the German coast, had been to stop 
shipment of books therefrom, as of other 
commodities. But in season tliere had 
been promulgated an arrangement, where- 
by upon certification by the Librarian of 
Congress, American "universities, colleges 
and public bodies," might continue to re- 
ceive from Germany publications, "phil- 
osophical, scientific, technical or educa- 
tional," in character. The arrangement, 
however, was hardly on its feet before it 
stumbled over serious difficulties and fell 
practically useless. At this point the com- 
mittee began its prescribed work of coop- 
eration with the librarian of Congress in 
an effort to clear the road. 

The committee proceeded to Washing- 
ton and conferred at length with Dr. Put- 
nam, who put generous facilities at their 
disposal, including transcripts of the docu- 
ments in his possession; consulted with 
the foreign trade adviser of the Depart- 
ment of State, and, under his conduct, were 
courteously received by the trade adviser 
of the British Embassy. The committee 
subsequently repaired to New York, and, 
after interviewing importing agencies, 
prepared and forwarded to the Department 
of State for presentation to the British 
authorities a detailed memorandum. This 
document outlined the difficulties and of- 
fered remedies. It strove in particular to 
set forth the inadequacy of the present 



system, as conceived, to cover back orders, 
exchanges and serials, since lists in appli- 
cation could not be made to correspond to 
shipments, and orders could not be filled 
within the limits of time prescribed. Their 
suggestion was that an approved title stand 
approved till fully supplied; that accumu- 
lations at Rotterdam and London be re- 
leased after simple inspection; that, under 
proper safeguards of control, the usual 
machinery of book agencies be employed, 
especially in the matter of serials, and 
most especially those of 1917. 

The committee then sought out support 
both here and abroad — inspiring action by 
the Association of American Universities 
in annual session, and appealing to Sir 
William Osier, Regius professor of medi- 
cine at Oxford and long resident in Amer- 
ica, and to Mr. John Y. W. MacAlister, his 
associate in the British Society of Medi- 
cine and president of the Library Associa- 
tion. Our program was not only wholly 
endorsed and energetically forwarded by 
them time and time again, but Mr. Mac- 
Alister had in advance of our appeal taken 
up the cudgels in our behalf on his own 
initiative, joined by Ambassador Page, 
though the latter's action fell outside offi- 
cial requirement. The American Library 
Association stands indebted to Mr. Mac- 
Alister for his well directed efforts in our 
behalf. He wrote a particularly strong 
letter to Mr. Balfour, as the latter sailed 
for America, and such solution as we have 
here to report today is doubtless due In 
no small measure to that timely communi- 
cation. 

In the meantime Dr. Putnam came for- 
ward with a proposal that as he was to 
dispatch a prominent member of his staff 



REPORTS 



to London, and if occasion offered, to Rot- 
terdam, he might press the case on the 
spot, especially regarding release of 
material in detention. The four libraries 
presided over by the members of the com- 
mittee were glad also to commit funds to 
his hands for special service thought pos- 
sible. And so, for nearly six months Mr. 
Theodore Wesley Koch, chief of the order 
division of the Library of Congress, has 
been in London, with an assistant. As 
time from his regular duties permitted, he 
has conferred with authorities, corre- 
sponded with The Hague, examined rec- 
ords and parcels in London and reported 
fully to Washington. It is unfortunate 
that he has not returned in time to give 
the Association in person an account of his 
most interesting stewardship. 

The first answer of the foreign office 
(handed Ambassador Page Dec. 23, though 
for some unexplained reason, not reaching 
the Department of State until April) was 
a proposal that H. M. Stationery Office 
place German orders in behalf of the Lon- 
don agents of American institutions, noth- 
ing being said about release of material 
detained. 

The case repeatedly stated by all of us 
at work on it, especially in regard to ma- 
terial at Rotterdam and in London, took 
on a new phase, of course, with our entry 
into the war. Tliis the British Embassy 
recognized. So that, upon a spirited ap- 
peal for clearance, addressed to Mr. Bal- 
four by Mr. MacAlister within a week after 
our declaration of a state of war, coupled 
with a covering note to the embassy by 
Dr. Putnam, urging action in advance of 
this Conference, this committee is happy 
to report the following paragraphs from a 
communication of June 5 from the British 
Embassy to Mr. Marion Letcher, acting 
foreign trade adviser of the Department 
of State: 

"I have now received telegraphic advice 
from them [i. e. the Foreign Office] to the 
effect that His Majesty's Government 
agree to the termination of the existing 
arrangement under which the exportation 
of books of enemy origin has been author- 
ized from Holland to the United States of 



America, and in order satisfactorily to 
close the business they are prepared to 
adopt the suggestion put forward by Dr. 
Putnam, viz., to grant a permit for the 
shipment from Rotterdam to the United 
States of America direct of the 115 cases 
of books and 14 bales periodicals which 
are reported to be lying in Rotterdam. 

"His Majesty's Government will be glad 
if the Librarian of Congress will be good 
enough to arrange for the examination of 
the books and periodicals as suggested by 
him, and. in the interest of both govern- 
ments, see that all undesirable matter Is 
eliminated. In the event of his being pre- 
pared to undertake this work the goods 
can be consigned direct to him." 

The material at Rotterdam is therefore 
being cleared, some having been received, 
and other possibly en route, though ves- 
sels leaving Holland with cargo are infre- 
quent. The proper and expected reversal 
of attitude regarding post packets detained 
in London is not yet secured, though in- 
spection of individual parcels appears to 
be going forward and many are released. 

Save to press further on this point, the 
committee must now mark time till the 
pending Trading with the Enemy Act is 
disposed of by Congress. While, under its 
terms as now drawn, trading is forbidden, 
yet power of license is left in the hands 
of the Department of Commerce. If such 
provision remain, it would then be the 
duty of the committee to work out in con- 
ference provision for such limited opera- 
tion under it as should seem expedient for 
it to recommend. 

So much for orders. A word about ex- 
changes: Late in 1916 the Bureau of In- 
ternational Exchanges of the Smithsonian 
Institution succeeded in effecting a re- 
pstablishment of relations with the Cen- 
tral Powers. Four shipments were made, 
and as many (totaling 65 cases) received. 
The last of these, numbering 15 cases, is 
now in Washington ready for distribution 
within a few days. The Bureau's opinion 
is that this about disposes of accumula- 
tions down to the opening of the war, in 
1914. Since our entry into the conflict it 
expects no further shipments during its 
course to or from enemy countries. 
Furthermore, it is now circularizing corre- 



306 liOUlSVILLE CONFERENCE 

spondents to the effect that further limi- draw a contract which will meet the needs 

tation of export is now necessary, seven- of the situation, 

teen countries at present being barred, Books and Their Value 

Great Britain, and in consequence, India, , „ ,. . ^ 

together with Norway, Sweden, Denmark " has been quite generally estimated 

and Holland, constituting the new addi- that the value of the books in an ordinary 

tions, all owing to the necessity of devoting P^Wic library for purposes o^ ^'^^'^rance 

available tonnage to more necessary com- '^ substantially $1.00 per volume. This is 

modities. While the British Government only a general rule, the accuracy of 

has prohibited the importation into the ^^^'^'^ ^'^^ ^^^"^ ^^^",'"^'1 '^'"'Z '^^J" 

TT . I r^ A f v,„„t= ,„ Knit it .inpo established, and it is, of course, subject to 

United Kingdom of books in bulk, it does ■ 

, J i_ 1 ■_ « i^A :„ c■•,r,„^^ many variations and exceptions. 

not exclude books imported in single ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^ .^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ 

copies through the post. ^^^.^^ p^^^.^ ^.^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ .^^^^^. 
In conclusion, the committee desire to g^ji^^^ ^j^gy estimated that this was a fair 
acknowledge the courteous reception ac- gt^^tg^g^t of value, and that wear, tear, 
corded its representations at the British ^^^ obsoleteness were approximately off- 
Embassy, and to recommend (1) its own ^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^j ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^g^ jjj 
continuance, since it will doubtless have ordering, preparing for circulation, etc. 
work to do as long as the war lasts, and ^jj. g^.^^^ reports a somewhat more de- 
after; (2) the conveyance of the Associa- ^^jjg^ method, which, however, differs 
tion's appreciation of the gracious and jj^^jg j^ ^^g g^^j i-ggun^ jn the Cleveland 
efficient cooperation given by Sir William pubiic Library the books were divided for 
Osier, and the President of the Library purposes of insurance Into five classes: 
Association, Mr. J. Y. W. MacAlister. ^^^ 

Respectfully submitted, , „ ,...,, Volume 

Juvenile books throughout the 

Frank P. Hill, Chairman. gj(,y $0.60 

Clement W. Andkews. The circulating books in the 

E. H. Anderson. branches 80 

M. Llewellyn Raney, Secretary. The circulating books at the main 

library i.uu 

The branch reference books 1.50 

The reference books in the main 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FIRE library 2.00 

INSURANCE AND PREVENTION Records, Card Catalogs, Indexes, and 

Their Value 

The committee regrets its inability to ,,<,-„„„ „„,„ 

^. . t. -t It is a general rule of insurance com- 

follow out all the suggestions given to it ^^^.^^ ^^ .^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^^ _ ^^^ ^^^^.^^ 

at various times as to the subjects that ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ material upon 

would be of interest. To follow these sug- ^^.^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^ recorded. The 

gestions would involve almost an unending ^^^.^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^.^^^^^ records, card cata- 

discussion of the many intricacies and j^^^^ indexes, etc., is difficult to estimate. 

technicalities connected with fire insur- ,pjjg ^^-^^^ ^^ ^^g tangible material upon 

ance, fire prevention, etc. which they are Inscribed is absurdly small 

It has assumed that if the committee in comparison with the value of the com- 

suggests phases of the problem peculiar to pleted record. On the other hand, it would 

library insurance as distinguished from be difficult to estimate the consequential 

other forms of Insurance, and gives warn- damages that might result to the library 

Ings as to mistakes which have been made from the destruction of the card catalogs, 

and may be made again, library authorities and the loss resulting is probably one 

assisted by an Insurance agent of ability against which the Insurance companies 

and integrity, will be able in each case to would not care to insure. It seems to the 



REPORTS 



307 



committee that for purposes of insurance, 
the value of the card catalog should be 
either its original cost or the cost of re- 
producing it. In any event, it would seem 
to be the wiser course to enumerate in 
the written portion of the policy that 
the records, card catalogs, shelf lists. In- 
dexes, etc., were included in the insured 
property and to stipulate that in case of 
loss, their value should be considered to 
be the original cost, the cost of replace- 
ment, or a stated sura, as may be deemed 
wise. 

Miscellaneous Property — Valuation 
There seems to be absolutely no rule ap- 
plicable in any detail to all libraries by 
which manuscripts, maps, pictures, clip- 
pings, and the various miscellaneous prop- 
erty ordinarily kept in a library can be 
valued. Each library must fix the value 
of its own property out of the complete 
knowledge which it must have. 

Valuation Generally 
It is the experience of libraries generally 
that when premiums have been paid upon 
a certain basis of valuation, the insurance 
companies are not at all disposed to ques- 
tion the basis after a loss. 

Property Which Must Be Expressly 
Mentioned 

In the standard form of policy which is 
quite generally used, there is a paragraph 
which excludes, unless the liability be 
specifically assumed in the policy, all loss 
on awnings, casts, curiosities, drawings, 
dies, implements, manuscripts, medals, 
models, patterns, pictures, scientific ap- 
paratus, signs, store or office furniture or 
fixtures, sculpture, tools, or property held 
on storage or for repairs. 

It is therefore necessary that the policy 
should contain in its written portion a 
specific enumeration of these articles. 
Form of Policy 

Two suggestions have been made: First, 
that the committee approve a complete 
policy for use in insuring library buildings 
and contents; and. Second, that the com- 
mittee formulate language recommended 



to be used as the written portion of a 
regular or standard policy. 

It seems as impractical to provide a 
general policy as it would be to provide 
general rules for library borrowers: in 
both cases local conditions will vary the 
needs. 

The policy upon the building itself would 
not differ materially from that upon any 
other public building. It might be noted 
ill passing, however, that it is considered 
good business in insuring public build- 
ings to exclude from consideration "the 
cost of excavation, foundation walls and 
sub-basement, platforms and steps of 
masonry, etc., etc.," since these parts are 
not likely to be injured in a fire and prem- 
ium is reduced by excluding them. 

The committee has, however, formulated 
language which is recommended to the ir- 
telligent consideration of those seeking to 
effect fire insurance upon the contents of 
a library building. 

On contents of every description, in- 
cluding casts, curiosities, drawings, dies, 
jewels, manuscripts, medals, models, pat- 
terns, pictures, scientific apparatus, office 
and library furniture, equipment and fix- 
tures not a part of the building, sculpture, 
tools, paintings and engravings and their 
frames, printed material of every char- 
acter, books bound and unbound, pam- 
phlets and periodicals, records, documents, 
manuscripts, reports, catalogs and indices, 
completed or in process of preparation, in- 
cluding the value of all labor and work 
thereon; carpets, rugs, and floor coverings 
of every kind; typewriters, adding-ma- 
chines and all other equipment and prop- 
erty which belongs to the insured and is 
contained in said building whether of a 
nature similar to those enumerated or 
otherwise; all while contained in the (in- 
sert description of building). 

Proof of Loss 
Much of the property of a library is 
likely to be out of the building when a 
fire occurs. While library records show 
all the property which has been acquired 
and what has been temporarily removed, 
it will sometimes occur that the records 
are burnt with the property. While this 
would leave the library unable to prove 
to the last detail the whereabouts of each 
piece of property and possibly make it Im- 



308 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



possible for the library even to prove fully 
the property which it had acquired, the 
library Is in no virorse condition than is the 
owner of a mercantile establishment under 
a similar situation. In such cases the in- 
surance companies will usually accept an 
estimate. Should the matter be contested, 
the courts will be inclined to adjust the 
loss upon the best estimate obtainable. 
We apprehend, therefore, that libraries in 
general encounter no difficulty in adjust- 
ing their damages because of their loss 
of accurate records. At the same time, if 
inventories, shelf lists, etc., could be pre- 
served in a vault the library would be in 
a much better position in case of damage 
by fire. 

Rates 

The questionnaire returned to the com- 
mittee indicates that there is a surprising 
difference in rates in different cities. In 
some cases the rate is very low and in 
others it is almost impossibly high. These 
apparently vary from 25 cents per hundred 
for five year terms to $4-92 per hundred 
for three year terms. The committee does 
not care to draw conclusions until these 
figures are verified and investigated. 

In some cities the rate is higher than 
the rate on other business houses, while 
in other cities it is much lower. In some 
cities the rates and regulations fixed by 
the Board of Underwriters has been ac- 
cepted by the library without question. 
In one city, however, the library author- 
ities took the position that the library as 
a public institution and because of its 
character was a special and a desirable 
risk, and that the insurance companies 
were not bound by the rules, regulations 
and rates of the Board of Underwriters. 
As a result, the library got very favorable 
concessions. 

The committee can only recommend that 
each library investigate very carefully the 
rates, having in mind the possibilities that 
they have for many reasons a risk espe- 
cially attractive to the insurance com- 
panies, and also holding in mind the fact 
that It has sometimes been possible to 



obtain concessions from the Board of 
Underwriters, because of the nature of the 
risk and the public character of the insti- 
tution. 

Mutual Insurance: The suggestion has 
been made that library authorities ought 
to institute a scheme of mutual insurance. 
It has been argued that where such insur- 
ance companies have been established in 
any particular line they have in most cases 
resulted in considerable savings. 

The committee, however, is not ready at 
this time to advise such a step. The 
multiple duties of the librarians seem to 
be such at present as to engage their at- 
tention, and it does not seem clear that 
the advantages to be gained are sufficiently 
great to make it advisable to consider the 
matter at this time. 

Class Insurance: The committee sug- 
gests the possibility that some method of 
class insurance might be arranged through 
an existing company whereby those in the 
class would pay the present rates to ac- 
cumulate a certain definite surplus, after 
which the rates would either be lowered or 
a dividend declared on the amounts not 
used, to those participating in the plan. 
If the Association deems it wise to look 
into this phase of the matter farther, there 
should either be another committee ap- 
pointed, or this committee continued to 
look into the possibility for arranging for 
this kind of insurance. This would Involve 
correspondence, and probably Interviews 
with representatives of the companies, and 
would deal to a certain extent with matters 
more or less technical. 

Co-Insurance 

The attention of library authorities 
should be directed to the possibility of se- 
curing reduced rates by the insertion of a 
co-insurance clause. The saving may be 
as great as 60% In some cases. In view of 
the fact, however, that many library losses 
are partial losses due to interior fires, it 
should he employed with caution, and only 
after it has been fully investigated and Is 
fully understood. The effect of the co-in- 



REPORTS 



surance clause has been well stated as 
follows : 

KEDUCED BATE CO-IXSTTEAiS'CF CLAUSE 
EXPLAINED 

(Using the 80% Clause) 
It has no effect whatever when insurance 
is carried to the amount of 80 per cent of 
value or more. In this case insurance pays 
the entire loss not exceeding the amount 
of policy. 

Example: 
Value Insurance Loss Ins. Pays 

$100,000 $80,000 $60,000 $60,000 

100,000 80,000 80,000 80,000 

100,000 80,000 90,000 80,000 

It has no effect whatever when the loss 
equals or exceeds eighty per cent of value, 
no matter what the insurance is. In this 
case, also. Insurance pays entire loss not 
exceeding amount of policy. 
Example: 
Value Insurance Loss Ins. Pays 
$100,000 $60,000 $80,000 $60,000 

When both insurance and the loss fall 
below eighty per cent of the value, the as- 
sured becomes a contributor (that is, 
stands as an insurance company) to the 
amount of the difference between eighty 
per cent of the value and the actual insur- 
ance in force at the time of fire. 

Example: 
Value Insurance Loss 
$100,000 $70,000 $50,000 
Eighty per cent value if $80,000— insur- 
ance being $10,000 less than this sum, 
owner is a contributor to that amount and 
contributes to the loss in that proportion. 
Insurance ($70,000) pays seven- 
eighths of loss ($50,000) $43,750 

Owner contributes one-eighth of 

loss ($50,000) 6,250 

Total amount of loss $50,000 

City Insurance 
In some cities the municipal property 
including the public library is not insured 
since the city, because it owns so consider- 
able an amount of property, "carries its 
own insurance" as the phrase runs. From 
the standpoint of the entire city this is 
doubtless satisfactory, since the premiums 
paid for all city property would in the end 
amount to more than the sum necessary to 
replace any burned building. We call at- 
tention to the fact, however, that it may 
prove a most unsatisfactory situation so 
far as the library is concerned unless the 
city charges each department with an an- 
nual insurance premium and creates and 



carries an insurance fund. Otherwise the 
mere fact that the city carries its own in- 
surance may not work to the direct ad- 
vantage of the library, since there would, 
in such case, be no fund automatically 
available for the reconstruction of a li- 
brary. Neither would there ordinarily be 
in the city treasury any funds out of which 
an appropriation could be met. The result 
would be that the library authorities would 
be compelled to enter into a campaign to 
cultivate public sentiment and to secure an 
appropriation for a library building much 
as though no insurance was carried. In 
other words, for practical purposes, the 
plan in vogue in some cities by which the 
city carries its own insurance without ac- 
cumulating a special fund amounts to no 
insurance at all. 

It should be remarked, however, that 
where a city has deliberately and probably 
wisely adopted the plan of "carrying its 
own insurance," it may be unwise to enter 
even though the library authorities may be 
conicious that in case of a fire, they would 
find it embarrassing to secure money for 
rebuilding or replacing. 

It has been suggested also that it is 
easier to get money from a city to make 
good losses on the building than it is to 
replace books and that therefore it is more 
important in such cities to carry insur- 
ance upon the books than it is to carry in- 
surance upon the building itself. 

Fire Prevention and Protection 

Proper professional standards seem to 
call for a systematic effort on the part of 
library authorities to prevent fires and to 
protect from loss of life in case of fires. 
The committee has therefore asked Mr. 
Sidney J. Williams of the Wisconsin In- 
dustrial Commission, who is an expert on 
fire prevention and protection of life in 
public buildings, to prepare a code for 
public library buildings. 

This code has been printed and sub- 
mitted to a large number of librarians for 
correction and suggestion. Some of these 
corrections and suggestions have been In- 
corporated into the code, which is attached 
hereto and made a part of this report. 



310 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Fire and Accident Prevention Day 
The National Fire Prevention Associa- 
tion and the National Safety Council have 
appointed October 9, 1917, as Fire and Ac- 
cident Prevention Day. 

A special committee appointed by these 
organizations has voted to ask the active 
co-operation of the A. L. A. in this matter, 
and they have communicated tlie request to 
your committee, asking it to bring it to 
the attention of the A. L. A. They have 
also said that they have prepared posters 
and other publicity material which can 
be used by the libraries of the country. 

Your committee, therefore, recommends, 
that the American Library Association co- 
operate in the observance of this day, and 
communicate with these organizations sug- 
gesting that their literature be sent to the 
various public libraries of the country, ac- 
companied, if deemed advisable, by a state- 
ment that the A. L. A. sanctions a co- 
operative effort. 

M. S. DuDGEOJf, Chairman. 

APPENDIX 

Proposed Fire Peevention and Protection 

Code 
Formulated by Sidney J. Williams of the 

Wisconsin Industrial Commission 
I. Inflammable Material. 

1. Waste paper basket, preferably of 
metal, should be kept as nearly empty as 
possible. Do not keep one near a gas 
burner or other flame. 

2. Do not permit accumulations of waste 
paper or other ruibish in the basement or 
elsewhere, unless in a fireproof room. Keep 
all such rubbisli at a safe distance from 
the furnace. 

3. Old furniture, books, etc., should not 
be stored in an open attic or in the base- 
ment, except in a closed room with masonry 
walls and tin-cover door; the ceiling also 
should be protected if possible. 

4. Closets below stairways, unless fire- 
proof, should not be used for storage; under 
no conditions should gasoline, oils or 
paints be kept below or near stairway. 

5. Gasoline, benzine, etc., should be kept 



in metal safety cans, and then only in small 
quantities. 

6. If necessary to keep oil or paint in 
the building, keep it in a metal or metal- 
lined cabinet, remote from other combust- 
ible material. 

7. Floor sweepings and oily rags are 
subject to spontaneous combustion and 
should be burned at once in the furnace. 
Sweeping compounds should be kept in a 
metal container, covered. 

8. Keep the janitor's room clean and 
orderly. It must not be a catch-all for 
old furniture, paper, oils and paints. 

9. Smoking should be prohibited, ex- 
cept in smoking rooms. 

II. Heating and Lighting Equipment. 

10. No shades of paper or cloth should 
be put over an electric light or lamp. 

11. Do not hang electric light ^vires on 
nails or hooks. All wiring should be done 
by an electrician. 

12. Use no matches in the library, except 
for lighting gas burners. Use only safety 
matches. Never throw a lighted match in 
a waste basket or on the floor. 

13. Keep an electric flash light for use 
in dark corners. 

14. Use no rubber hose for connecting 
gas stoves or burners, but use instead flex- 
ible metal covered tubing. 

15. Do not place a gas stove or hot plate 
on a wooden table or shelf unless protected 
by asbestos board covered with sheet metal. 
The wall near the plate should be similarly 
protected. 

16. The gas service main should have a 
stop-cock at the curb. 

17. Sivinging gas brackets are dangerous 
and should be fastened rigidly at right 
angles with the wall. Gas lights near 
ceiling should have metal hood. 

18. All steam coils, radiators or pipes 
in wardrobes should be protected by a 
screen or wire netting so that clothing may 
not come in contact therewith. 

19. All woodwork less than 2 feet from 
a boiler or furnace should be protected with 
heavy asbestos paper covered with sheet 
metal. The same is true of woodwork near 
a smoke pipe or hot air pipe. Any wood- 



REPORTS 



3U 



work which is so near that It becomes un- 
comfortably warm to the hand should be so 
protected. 

20. Ashes should be kept in metal cans 
or piled in a brick or concrete bin, not in a 
wooden bin or on wooden floors against 
wooden partitions. 

21. A water connection with hose at- 
tached should be placed in the furnace 
room. 

III. Fire Extinguishers. 

22. Provide one standard fire extin- 
puisher for each 3,000 (preferably 2,000) 
square feet of floor area, on each floor, in- 
cluding the basement. Use only extin- 
guishers which bear the label of the Under- 
writers' Laboratories. 

There are two standard types of ex- 
tinguishers : 

(1) The 2% gallon soda-acid type, 
generally operated by turning upside 
down, throws a jet of water which is 
most effective in fighting a small fire, but 
is very damaging to books and papers. 
One or more of these extinguishers 
should be provided in the basement. 

(2) The one quart pump extinguisher 
contains a liquid which vaporizes when 
heated, forming a gas which will effect- 
ively smother an incipient fire. This ex- 
tinguisher tvill not injure books, can be 
easily handled by a woman, and is there- 
fore suitable for use in the library. 

23. Hang all extinguishers in a con- 
spicuous place. If placed on floor they 
may be tipped over and will then fail to 
discharge when needed. 

24. Librarians and janitors should have 
actual practice in handling both types of 
extinguishers. All extinguishers must be 
recharged after using; the soda-acid type 
must be recharged once a year whether 
used or not. (Consult the fire chief.) 

25. With either type, direct the liquid 
at the base of the flames. 

Note. — An automatic sprinkler system is 
the best fire extinguisher and results in 
a reduced insurance rate. 



IV. Exits. 

26. Keep all passageways, stairways, fire 
escapes and doors unobstructed at all times. 

27. Exit doors should open outward. 

28. In closing the building at night, 
lock all outer doors, but leave all inner 
doors unlocked, so that when the building 
has been entered all rooms will be ac- 
cessible. 

29. All stairs should have at least one 
handrail; if wide or steep, two handrails. 

30. Every library more than one story 
high must have an outside stainoay fire- 
( scape, unless there are two separate inside 
stairways leading to separate exit doors. 
If three stories high, it must have a fire- 
escape, regardless of the number of inside 
stairs, unless the building is of fireproof 
construction. Ladder fire-escapes are not 
accepted. 

31. All fire escapes must reach to the 
ground and must be kept free from snow 
and ice in the winter. 

32. If loindotvs are used as exits, steps 
should be provided inside. 

33. If the library contains an assembly 
room, it should have at least two separate 
exits. 

34. Basement sZointaj/s should preferably 
be enclosed with fire-resisting partitions 
and doors. 

35. All new library buildings in Wiscon- 
sin must comply with the state building 
code. Plans should be sent to the Indus- 
trial Commission, Madison. 

V. In Case of Fire. 

36. When fire is discovered; 

First. .Get everyone out of the building. 

Second. Telephone the Fire Depart- 
ment. The department's number should 
be posted at the telephone. 

Third. After doing these two things 
(not before) try to put out the fire with 
extinguishers. Do not approach the fire 
until you have an extinguisher ready for 
use. Do not throw water until you know 
Just where the fire is. 

Fourth. If the fire is beyond control, 
close all doors and windows and wait for 
the fire department. 



312 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



VI. Fire Drill. 

37. Each member of the staff should be 
made to understand exactly what to do i7i 
case of fire. The plan ■will differ In different 
libraries. For example, the librarian may 
supervise the emptying of the building, an 
assistant send in the alarm and then save 
records, and the janitor use the extin- 
guisher. A schedule may be posted and 
occasionally practiced. It should be defi- 
nitely understood what things are to be 
saved first. 

38. The janitor should be instructed 
what to do if a fire occurs while he is alone 
In the building. 

39. These suggestions are equally ap- 
plicable to the small library where there is 
but one librarian with no assistants. In 
such a case the librarian should carefully 
plan exactly what to do in case of fire, 
anticipating as far as possible all obstacles 
that may arise, and thus minimizing the 
danger of panic. 

Note. — The foregoing constitutes a tenta- 
tive code. If there are omissions or if the 
suggested rules are not sound or wise we 
will be glad to receive comment. Our pur- 
pose is ultimately to formulate a simple yet 
inclusive code that will be of definite value 
to libraries large and small. — Editor. 
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 

LIBRARIES IN HOSPITALS AND 
CHARITABLE AND CORREC- 
TIONAL INSTITUTIONS 

A committee on Libraries in institutions 
for dependents, defectives and delinquents 
was authorized by your honorable body 
early in 1915 in response to a petition 
presented by Miss Julia A. Robinson, sec- 
retary of the Iowa library commission. 

By February, 1915, the organization of 
the committee was completed with the fol- 
lowing assignments: Miriam E. Carey, 
chairman; Julia A. Robinson, chief of sub- 
committee on library work in prisons, 
Florence R. Curtis and Mary B. Eastwood, 
associates; E. Kathleen Jones, chief of li- 
brary work In hospitals; Carrie E. Scott 
and Florence Waugh, work in reforma- 
tories and institutions for children. 

After a period of consultation the com- 



mittee agreed to take up the publication 
and distribution of material already in de- 
mand; namely, (1) A survey or dlret'tory 
of institution libraries; (2) A manual on 
arrangement and care of institution li- 
braries; (3) A syllabus of a course of lec- 
tures on books and reading suitable for use 
in training schools for nurses; (4) A bib- 
liography of books and pamphlets on occu- 
pational work in hospitals; (5) "campaign 
material" — statements of reasons for de- 
veloping and maintaining libraries in hos- 
pitals, prisons, reformatories, etc. 

Throughout 1915-16, articles on various 
phases of institutional library work were 
contributed to the Modern Hospital. From 
January to June, 1916, Miss Jones edited 
in this periodical a page which was de- 
voted to institution libraries. To this page 
Miss Jones contributed annotated book 
lists of current publications, which sup- 
plied information in advance of the evalu- 
ated lists needed by public libraries. In 
the fall of 1915 reprints of Miss Jones' 
article on "The Hospital Library" were 
distributed by the committee, which previ- 
ously had sent out over the country the 
notices calling attention to a league of 
hospital librarians which was formed 
through the columns of the Modern Hos- 
pital. This league is still in existence, 
though it has not been formally organized. 

In October, 1915, the American Journal 
of Insanity published an outline of a 
course of lectures for nurses in hospitals 
by Miss Jones, entitled "On Books and 
Reading." The committee distributed re- 
prints of this article, which were donated 
by McLean Hospital, Waverley, Mass. 

The survey of Institution libraries was in 
charge of Miss Curtis, who prepared the 
questionnaire and also a mailing list of 
institutions. The latter was a contribution 
to the work which the committee hoped it 
would be able to print, but it was obliged 
to confine its efforts merely to the distri- 
bution of the questionnaire, which was 
done during March, 1916. 

Meantime an opportunity had come for 
the presentation of the subject of libraries 
in institutions at the annual meeting of 



313 



the National Conference of Charities and 
Correction at Indianapolis in May, 1916. 
Under the auspices of the section on public 
charities. Miss Curtis presented a report 
of the survey which the committee had un- 
dertaken. Miss Jones and Miss Scott also 
were speakers on this occasion and Miss 
Carey presided. 

This committee assisted the Public Li- 
brary Commission of Indiana in the prep- 
aration of an exhibit showing the devel- 
opment of library work in institution li- 
braries, for the National Conference of 
Charities and Correction held in Indianap- 
olis, May, 1916. During tills conference 
this exhibit attracted a great deal of at- 
tention and was a good publicity agency 
for presenting the library work. 

The "Manual for institution libraries" 
was in charge of Miss Scott. It was ready 
for the press by the fall of 1916 and was 
published by the American Library Asso- 
ciation publishing board and is distrib- 
uted by them for twenty-five cents a copy. 
This manual aims to provide a guide for 
librarians in hospitals, prisons, reforma- 
tories, schools for the deaf, blind, feeble- 
minded and children who are wards of the 
state. It supplements the second edition 
of "Essentials in library administration," 
by Miss L. E. Stearns, with methods and 
forms especially adapted for use in insti- 
tution libraries. 

In January, 1916, the New York State 
Library published the "List of books for 
prison libraries, Part 1, Fiction, a list of 
500 good stories." This list was compiled 
under the editorship of Miss Mary East- 
wood. The list was designed not only to 
help the prison librarian select suitable 
fiction for purchase but also to help pris- 
oners in their cells select their own books 
for reading, and it was hoped that a copy 
would be bought in each prison for each 
cell. "Part 2, Non-fiction" is also ready for 
printing, but prison conditions in each 
state do not warrant the expense of print- 
ing at present. 

Three of the five objects which the com- 
mittee set out to accomplish have already 
been put through. The bibliography on 



occupational work in hospitals has not 
been prepared owing to pressure of other 
work. The committee hopes to be able to 
publish it during this year. 

The. "campaign material" will be ready 
for use during the fall of 1917, when the 
committee liope to go before the country 
at the meetings of the several state con- 
ferences of charities and correction. Miss 
Curtis has provided the committee with 
a collection of pictures showing libraries 
in different institutions throughout the 
United States. The committee owns this 
collection and places it at headquarters in 
Chicago tor general use. 

In July the committee took charge of a 
meeting devoted to libraries in hospitals, 
which was held in Chicago under the aus- 
pices of the Society of Alienists and Neu- 
rologists. 

The personnel of the committee remains 
unchanged with one exception: Miss Nellie 
Williams succeeded Miss Waugh of Ne- 
braska upon the latter's marriage. 
Respectfully submitted, 

Miriam E. Caret, 

Chairman. 

REPORT OF COMMlTThE ON CODE 
FOR CLASSIFIERS 

The committee on Code for classifiers 
submits, through its chairman, a report of 
progress and asks to be continued for an- 
other year. Two members, appointed by 
the Board a year ago, have kindly volun- 
teered their aid and are now engaged in 
compiling data to be utilized in the finaJ 
issue of the code. An interesting pro- 
posal to print the code on cards, made 
some time ago by Mr. Martel, is under 
consideration. The advantages of this 
plan would be to place in the hands of 
classifiers an elastic and up-to-date set of 
rules of practice for current work, and 
would afford a medium for exchange of 
views between classifiers all over the 
country. The committee will welcome an 
expression of opinion upon this plan from 
any persons interested. 

Wm Stetson Mebrill, 

Chairman. 



314 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



PROCEEDINGS 

June 21-27, 1917 



FIRST GENERAL SESSION 

(Thursday evening, June 21) 
The Thikty-ninth Annual Meeting of 
the American Library Association was 
called to order by the president, WALTER 
L. BROWN, librarian of the Buffalo Public 
Library, in Macauley's Theatre, Louisville, 
Kentucky, on Thursday evening, June 21, 
1917. 

Hon. BENNETT H. YOUNG, vice-presi- 
dent of the Board of Trustees of the Louis- 
ville Free Public Library, and chairman of 
the local committee on arrangements, took 
the chair. 

Prayer was offered by the Rev. FRANK 
M. THOMPSON, pastor of the Fourth Ave- 
nue Methodist Episcopal Church, Louis- 
ville. 

Hon. AUGUSTUS O. STANLEY, Gover- 
nor of Kentucky, was introduced, and wel- 
comed the Association on behalf of the 
State of Kentucky. 

Hon. JOHN H. BUSCHBMEYER, Mayor 
of Louisville, extended the welcome to the 
City of Louisville. 

General YOUNG at this point, in a happy 
vein, presented to President Brown a gavel 
made of wood from the birthplace of Abra- 
ham Lincoln, and a base for the gavel 
made of wood from the birthplace of Jef- 
ferson Davis. 

President BROWN, after responding to 
the presentation of the gavel, took the 
chair and introduced the speaker of the 
evening, Dr. SHAILER MATHEWS, dean 
of the Divinity School of the University of 
Chicago, who delivered an address on 

DEMOCEACY AND WORLD POLITICS 

(See p. 95) 

At the close of this address the session 
was adjourned. 



SECOND GENERAL SESSION 
(Friday morning, June 22, in Macauley's 
Theatre) 
President BROWN presided. 
The first number on the program was 
the reading of the President's address, 
President Brown taking for his subject 

THE CHANGING PUBLIC 

(See p. 91) 
The PRESIDENT reminded the Confer- 
ence that since its last annual gathering at 
Asbury Park, the Association had lost by 
the hand of death the president of the 
previous year. Miss Mary W. Plummer, and 
called upon Miss Josephine A. Rathbone to 
present on behalf of a specially appointed 
committee a memorial minute. 

MARY WRIGHT PLUMMER 

A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSO- 
CIATION, 1887-1916. ITS PRESIDENT 

1915-1916. 

The American Library Association re- 
cords its deep sense of loss to the profes- 
sion by the death of Mary Wright Plum- 
mer. For thirty years she brought 
inspiration and leadership to the councils 
of this body by her broad vision, her high 
ideals, her administrative ability and her 
strong and delightful personality. With 
international interests and possessing the 
gift of tongues. Miss Plummer was In 
touch with European librarians and library 
movements from Italy to Scandinavia, and 
on several notable occasions she repre- 
sented this Association abroad. A li- 
brarian of significant achievement, a wise 
leader in professional training, a guiding 
spirit in her chosen calling, an inspiration 
to all with whom she came in contact. 
Miss Plummer's life was a high and noble 
influence on her fellow workers. She up- 
held the highest professional standards in 
the two library schools which she admin- 
istered, and profoundly Influenced the 
theory and practice of library training. To 
hundreds of students her wisdom and her 
vision of service are a priceless treasure. 
Possessed of wide and intimate knowledge 
and firsthand appreciation of literature, 



PROCEEDINGS 



316 



her valuation of books was keen, penetrat- 
ing and sound. Whatever she wrote 
Bhowed the sincerity, restraint and charm 
that characterized her own personality. A 
quiet spirit, high ideals of work and serv- 
ice, applied with unhurried zeal and sin- 
cerity, a great and kindly interest in her 
fellows, a genius for friendship that bred 
devotion in those who knew her, these 
traits were hers in full measure, and will 
make her memory an abiding ideal for 
those who shall come after. 
r. r. bowker, 
Franklin F. Hoppeb, 
Josephine A. Rathbone, 

Committee. 

The above minute was, on motion of Mr. 
Bowker, unanimously adopted by a rising 
vote. 

The remainder of the session was de- 
voted to a consideration of what libraries 
and the American Library Association 
could do in connection with the war. Dr. 
HERBERT PUTNAM, chairman of the 
Special preliminary war library committee, 
which had Jseen appointed by President 
Brown soon after the entrance of the 
United States into the war, presented the 
following committee report: 

OUR LIBRARIES AND THE WAR 

Report of Preliminary War Library 
Committee 

This committee — appointed by the Ex- 
ecutive Board a little over a month ago— 
was in terms temporary and preliminary. 
Its object was "to assemble the various 
suggestions which have been made [for 
such service] and to bring them before 
the conference with some sense of propor- 
tion, possibly with recommendations as to 
what might be most practical and most 
helpful to the government." It was as- 
sumed that the result might be the crea- 
tion of a "Working committee" that might 
represent the Association in the activities 
actually determined upon. 

At the outset a distinction may be drawn' 
between the services suggested for libra- 
ries individually or in co-operation with 
the local authorities, city and state, and 
those suggested for our national Associa- 
tion as such. The former would include 



numerous measures to Inform and Btlm- 
ulate the local community, to register its 
potential energies for service of various 
sorts, and to aid in correlating these, so 
as to secure the maximum of efficiency, 
with the least duplication and waste. It 
would of course include the record for 
history of the actual participation of the 
community in every phase of its war time 
activities. The latter — the service for the 
A. L. A. as an organization — would Involve 
a close touch, through a specially consti- 
tuted committee, with the policies and 
plans of the federal authorities, the acqui- 
sition of information which those author- 
ities desire to diffuse, and a systematic 
method of diffusing it through our libra- 
ries, which, next to the newspapers and 
periodicals and by means of them, are the 
best agencies for diffusing it generally. 

But there is another form of service 
which makes a special appeal to us as an 
organization: — the supply of reading mat- 
ter to the troops. Such a service was early 
instituted in Germany, and is performed 
there by "traveling libraries" for the va- 
rious army corps, each library consisting 
of from 1,500 to 2,000 volumes, fitted up 
on shelves in a car of its own, equipped 
and sent out from the Royal Library in 
Berlin. It has been undertaken for the 
British troops through no less than four 
volunteer organizations, a description of 
which, by Mr. Koch, will be summarized to 
you by Dr. Bostwick. It was attempted 
last year in a very imperfect measure for 
our troops at the border. That it will be 
desirable now, and on a vast scale, is 
obvious. For within a few months we shall 
have over a half million men in canton 
ment, training camp, or at the front. 
Among them will be men hitherto depend- 
ent upon books, men trained to the use 
of books, men untrained to their use but 
who might, under the unusual conditions, 
be brought to it, men taken from profes- 
sions, arts, and trades in which the books 
supplied might later benefit them, and men 
of all sorts to whom the inactive hours of 
camp or field bring depressing tedium and 
dangerous temptation, and to whom mere- 



316 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



ly recreative reading would be a saving 
resource. 

Note — To librarians these prospects and 
what they imply scarcely need exposition. 
They were outlined by Mr. Gilchrist in an 
article in the Library Journal for May; 
and they are summarized in a statement 
by Miss Martha Wilson so compact that 
we append a copy of it. 

They include still some uncertainties: 
For instance, as to how much leisure for 
reading and how much energy the men 
here will have, after the arduous drill of 
each day; or indeed how much interest in 
any but tactical books during the novelty 
of these first exercises aand experiences. 
[The situation of the seasoned troops on 
the actual front during the past three 
years affords no parallel.] It is uncer- 
tain also how long any particular group 
of men will remain in training here before 
going to the front. But as fast as they 
go their places will be taken by others, 
as long as the war lasts, and the chief 
uncertainty is as to how long the war it- 
self will last. But we must prepare as if 
it were likely to last for several years. 

Here, then, seems an extraordinary op- 
portunity — for a service distinctly appro- 
priate, of undoubted value to the govern- 
ment, and of permanent effect. Can the 
Association undertake it? If not complete- 
ly, can the Association contribute to It? 

There are individual libraries already 
undertaking it for small units within their 
vicinity. There is, we hear, a prospect 
that it may be finely undertaken by Louis- 
ville, for the large unit here. There are 
some states, notably New York, where 
the State Library, or the State Library 
Commission has undertaken it for train- 
ing camps and guard outposts within their 
Jurisdictions. The great concentration of 
men — in the sixteen main cantonments — 
will, however, for the most part, be in 
areas little likely to be served by such 
means. And there will be the men abroad, 
and the men on the ships. For all of these 
the supply must be vast — thousands of 
volumes; the work of gathering these 
must be nation wide, of selecting and dis- 
criminating them — especially those which 



are to be Informing and stimulating — must 
be expert; and the means of gathering, 
forwarding, accommodating and adminis- 
tering them will require ample, thorough 
and intelligent organization. Books will 
have to be bought, large expenses met. 
The mere housing of the collections at the 
camp units will require a building, or 
rooms in an appropriate building, recog- 
nized by the authorities. Funds as well as 
books will have to be solicited. An appeal 
for them must carry authority. If facilities 
are to be asked from the government, 
from railroads or from express companies 
for forwarding them, the appeal for these 
also must carry authority. 

To undertake such a service indepen- 
dently might prove within the abilities of 
the A. L. A. To accomplish it success- 
fully would add notably to the prestige of 
the Association. But, just as in other mat- 
ters tempting to duplication of organiza- 
tion and thus waste of effort, it is our duty 
to avoid this by co-ordination, so in this 
matter it would seem wise for us, before 
deciding to organize such a service inde- 
pendently, to consider whether there are 
not other agencies already existing with 
which we might as efficiently and more 
economically co-operate. 

Now there are three such agencies 
which would welcome our co-operation: 
one governmental, one quasi-governmental, 
the third private. The first is the Com- 
mission on Training Camp Activities — an 
auxiliary of the War Department; the sec- 
ond is the American Red Cross; the third 
is the Young Men's Christian Association. 
The second and third are two of the four 
great agencies in Great Britain. The Red 
Cross there limits its service of reading 
matter to the men in the hospitals. This 
may prove an especial concern of the Red 
Cross here, though our Red Cross also dis- 
tributes some books with the soldiers' 
kits. It also gives away other books and 
periodicals given to it for the purpose. It 
does not propose to maintain libraries or 
lending collections. 

The Commission on Camp Activities 
also expects to gather reading matter, and. 



PROCEEDINGS 



S17 



if funds prove available, to purchase some. 
Its plan is, however, to turn all of this 
over to the Y. M. C. A. to be administered 
by it. The buildings maintained by the 
Commission will be primarily auditoriums 
for lectures and entertainments. 

The Y. M. C. A. expects not merely to 
solicit and to buy material, but to ad- 
minister it from its headquarters in camp 
and field — amplifying in this respect the 
work it did at the border. The buildings 
proposed provide for shelving and reading 
space; inadequately, to be sure, in the in- 
itial plans, but doubtless capable of exten- 
sion, if the need can be shown. [A full 
statement by Mr. Orr himself, of what the 
Y. M. C. A. proposes will appear in the 
July Library Journal.] 

These various intentions, ascertained by 
representatives of our committee in con- 
ferences with authorized representatives 
of the three agencies, in particular Mr. 
Hanmer of the Commission, and Mr. Orr 
of the Y. M. C. A., have not yet been 
formulated into definite plans. And certain 
details remain yet to be determined; for 
instance, what funds will be available for 
the purchase of material; whether such of 
it as is gathered locally shall be sent to a 
central or to regional headquarters, for 
classification prior to distribution; and the 
means and method of transportation. But 
the representatives made clear that in any 
case they would welcome and value highly 
the aid which our Association and our in- 
dividual libraries might render. 

The obvious forms of aid would be these: 
By the Association, through its special com- 
mittee, in the compilation of lists of books 
desirable for purchase or to be sought as 
gifts. [An example of the latter, under- 
taken locally, is that issued by the Syra- 
cuse Public Library. Experience proves 
the need of such if a mass of proffered 
material likely to prove futile is to be 
avoided. In addition to specific lists there 
are needed also categories of the general 
type of literature desired, especially in the 
informing and stimulating groups. The 
two needs have been recognized by the 
Y. M. C. A. in requesting assistance from 



a committee of New York librarians of 
which Mr. Adams is chairman.] The com- 
mittee could also aid in giving wide pub- 
licity to the project, could inform and ad- 
vise libraries in their relation with it, 
could give added authority to the appeal 
for funds and material, and could advise 
with the representatives of the agencies 
as to the developing details in the adminis- 
tration. 

The important services of the individual 
library, besides aiding in the publicity, and 
in the appeal for funds and material would 
be to receive and sift the latter, and to 
forward it. In England the local postmas- 
ters receive any proffered for the purpose 
and forward it without charge. No such 
arrangement offers here. But one or two 
railroads have undertaken it locally; and 
an inquiry is before the Railroad Board as 
to whether our railroad systems might not 
undertake it generally. Should they agree 
to they must be safeguarded against the 
burden of carrying what may not be 
wanted; and the inquiry was coupled with 
the suggestion that the local agents need 
only be authorized to accept for trans- 
mission shipments examined and certified 
by the librarian of the local library. [See 
a memorandum, appended, from Mr. Johns- 
ton of the Bureau of Railway Economics. 
It is the Bureau which has addressed the 
Railroad Board in the matter.] 

Finally, there is possible a major serv- 
ice which, organized by the A. L. A. com- 
mittee, would have to be recruited from 
individual libraries. This is the supply of 
trained library workers to aid in the actual 
adminstration of the collections in the 
camps. The advantage — indeed from our 
point of view, the need — of such expert 
service is obvious, if the most is to be 
made of the opportunity. And it seems 
probable that a number of volunteers 
could be secured sufficient to provide at 
least one for each cantonment, and per- 
haps one for each unit building. They 
would have to be men — as the determined 
policy of these camp agencies requires 
this; and, of course, men not subject to 



318 



LOUISVILLrB CONFERENCE 



draft.* They would have to serve without 
pay, except as their present salaries might 
be continued by their respective libraries. 
But the Y. M. C. A. and the Official Com- 
mission are to consider whether their 
maintenance expenses might be met by 
them. 

Such being the possible forms of co- 
operation, if the service of the libraries is 
to be co-operative, it is for the Association 
to determine whether it shall adopt them, 
or attempt a service wholly independent; 
or, perhaps, adopt them in certain connec- 
tions and certain localities, yet undertake 
an additional and distinct service of its 
own. 

The latter must imply funds for four 
major items of expense: (1) The purchase 
of [selected] books; (2) [probably] trans- 
portation; (3) the erection of independent 
buildings, and (4) the maintenance of 
those buildings and of the administration 
within them. Were the service to be com- 
plete, to attempt to reach every unit 
reached by the Y. M. C. A., for instance, 
the sum necessary could scarcely be hoped 
tor. If, however, it should be limited to 
this country, and if, here, it should be lim- 
ited to one building at each main center — 
say one to each of the sixteen cantonments 
— very possibly funds might be secured for 
both buildings and maintenance. Any so- 
licitation of them should be accompanied 
by a clear statement of the project, a clear 
distinction between it and the projects of 
the other agencies, well considered plans 
for the buildings and careful estimates of 
cost. The service on the ships and abroad 
win involve administrative problems which 
it seems to your committee unwise for 
the Association to undertake independ- 
ently. 

The supply of reading matter to the 
patrol boats on our own coasts — a much 
needed service — will doubtless be taken 
care of by the seaboard states under the 
initiative of their library commissions. 

One element in the general prospect 



•Or in part men (from libraries) actually 
under training — volunteering for this service 
during certain hours fre? from military 
duties 



Clearly requires attention. There are al- 
ready three agencies making appeals for 
funds and material. According to a recent 
announcement the Knights of Columbus 
may be a fourth. [It has just appropriated 
a million dollars for camp "recreation" for 
Roman Catholics.] The Young Men's He- 
brew Association might conceivably be a 
fifth. If the A. L. A. is to be a sixth its 
appeal must be discriminated. Indeed they 
all should be, for a multiplicity of ap- 
peals to an apparently identical purpose is 
confusing. The public should be assured 
that the several services will at least be 
effectively correlated. And if the appeal 
could be from a single agency in the joint 
behalf it would undoubtedly be most con- 
vincing. 

We have dealt first with this question of 
reading matter for the troops because it 
seems to have the largest and most general 
interest for the Association as an organi- 
zation. Within their respective jurisdic- 
tions, however, state library commissions 
and individual libraries will have duties 
and opportunities special to themselves. 

As to those of the state commissions, 
Mr. Dudgeon, of our committee, has 
drafted a memorandum which we attach as 
part of our report. Assuming the function 
of the commission to be to see that every 
library under its jurisdiction performs to 
the full its duties in the exigency, the 
memorandum emphasizes the primary duty 
of each library to act "as an agency of 
patriotic publicity," as well as a center 
for and an active aid in the organization 
of practical economic and relief work. 
The commission must urge this publicity 
service, supply material for it and comple- 
ment it by direct efforts of Its own. It 
should furnish lists of books on topics 
timely to the exigency, and where neces- 
sary provide the books themselves. 

It will especially secure in quantities, 
and distribute, publications of the federal 
bureaus and commissions explaining their 
activities and intended to promote produc- 
tion and conservation of food and other 
resources. 

A prime duty of a state commission 



PROCEEDINGS 



319 



will be to inform libraries, as well as the 
public, of the various state agencies, gov- 
ernmental and other, available for, or ap- 
plying themselves, to war time service; 
and, aiding in the correlation of these, 
avoid unnecessary duplication, as well as 
direct the volunteer to his appropriate 
task. Mr. Wyer, also of our committee, 
is preparing a statement showing that 
such agencies for state-wide service now 
exist in New York, and so far as defined, 
the relation between them. A similar 
statement prepared, published and dis- 
tributed by every library commission for 
its particular area would be obviously use- 
ful. 

One exhibiting the agencies national in 
scope has been prepared and published by 
the Library of Congress and copies of it 
— which will, of course, be sent to its 
mailing list — are also available here. 

As in the nation so in the state, new 
or subsidiary agencies are constantly being 
created, new relations established. The 
first such bulletin should therefore be fol- 
lowed by others, bringing the statement to 
date. And for the national organizations 
the "Official Bulletin," issued by the gov- 
ernmental Committee on Public Informa- 
tion, should be carefully followed for views 
of new agencies, and the developing plans 
of the existing ones. 

The Individual Library. For this, deal- 
ing directly and intimately with the public, 
there is a duty to inform, an opportunity 
to stimulate, and a possible participation, 
through its staff and facilities, in the 
actual conduct of certain activities. It will 
endeavor to inform its public as to why the 
United States is engaged in the war, what 
Is to be its participation, what is being 
done by various agencies — national, state 
and local — and what is the opportunity 
(for service) of the latter, and of the in- 
dividual citizen. In pursuance of this pur- 
pose, and in aid of every legitimate stim- 
ulus, it will employ all of its resources 
for publicity: its bulletin boards, its pub- 
lications, its exhibits, its influence with 
the local press. It will secure for its own 
collections and exhibits, and also for dis- 



tribution to its readers, copies of all publi- 
cations issued by federal, state or other 
agencies (for instance, agriculture and 
food administration) which describe what 
they are trying to do and wish to interest 
the public in. It will freely lend its rooms 
for lectures, talks and organization. It 
will make prominent collections of selected 
books — expository, narrative, descriptive, 
hortatory; and it will issue reading lists, 
informing and patriotic. And the collec- 
tions and lists will by no means be limited 
to the political, still less to the martial, 
aspects or incidents of the war. They will, 
even more especially, illustrate and pro- 
mote the service open to the ordinary 
citizen in industry, home economics and 
relief-work. It may, as in places it already 
does, aid directly In the registration of re- 
cruits, or agencies, for various forms of 
service. It will, as in cases it has already 
done, widen its actual loans of books and 
periodicals to include nearby army posts 
or outposts; this, independently of the 
service it may be asked to do in relation 
to any national effort of this sort. It may 
even, as in the case of Dayton, proffer 
the services of members of its staff, with- 
out loss of pay, in productive or relief 
work. 

And on the historical side it will have 
a distinct duty: to gather and preserve 
every evidence of the participation of its 
community and of the citizens composing 
it. The importance of this need is recog- 
nized by the creation of a committee of 
historians which among other efforts will 
prepare for circulation among our libraries 
pamphlets describing the material to be 
preserved most solicitously. [See lettei 
from the secretary of the American His 
torical Association to the secretary of the 
A. L. A. appended.] 

All these various activities are such as 
would occur to any trained librarian, and 
need no argument. As illustrations, how- 
ever, of the actual initiation of some of 
them by typical libraries, we attach ex- 
tracts from statements invited from five 
libraries as to what they are already doing 
or planning [St. Louis, Springfield, Min- 



320 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



neapolis, Dayton and Washington]. Var- 
ious otiier forms of services will doubtless 
develop; and from time to time be com- 
mended to libraries by the state library 
commissions. 

Useful in themselves for the exigency 
at hand these services may incidentally 
strengthen each library with its com- 
munity by proof that it is something more 
than a building and a collection of books 
for normal times; that it is in fact an 
organism, sensitive to new sprung im- 
pulses and emergency needs of the com- 
munity, and not merely responsive to 
them, but with potential energies within 
itself, capable of invigorating and guiding 
the effort to meet them. It should show 
that our library system, now an accepted 
axiom in times of peace, is also an indis- 
pensable equipment in time of war, and 
that the provision for its maintenance and 
enlargement should be enhanced rather 
than diminished during the present ex- 
igency; as, indeed, its opportunities are, 
not merely for war time service proper, 
but for the sort of service that it renders 
at all times. There is a disposition to 
forego various social activities and amuse- 
ments. In proportion as they forego them 
people will have greater leisure for read- 
ing. Numbers of them will be eager to 
improve their efficiency for "war work" 
by the study of books of a practical sort. 
But there will be other cravings also. The 
gravity of the time tends to seriousness of 
thought and of purpose, and this to the 
reading of serious books. Any thoughtful 
consideration of the present issues must 
take people back into the past, any sus- 
ceptibility to the times must take them 
away from the trivial. They will be moved 
to consider the "philosophy" of things, and 
in a mood to be affected by the expressions 
of man in his deeper and his most artistic 
moments. They will be, therefore, peculi- 
arly in need of just what we most rejoice 
to give them. And they should not be 
prevented from having it, nor we, In the 
amplest measure, from giving it. 

Your committee concludes with this 
emphasis not because you have any doubts 



requiring it, but because there is fear 
that municipalities may be disposed to 
curtail appropriations for our libraries, as 
a measure of war time economy. We can 
scarcely believe such an intention to exist; 
but if it does it must be resisted, strenu- 
ously. 

It would be most illogical. In calling 
our citizens into its service the state asks 
them to perfect themselves for it. In 
certain essentials our libraries offer the 
best means of perfecting them; and the 
means they offer are direct, simple, and 
familiar. They are free. They reach all 
classes, every community, continuously; 
yet they are organized in a system which 
assures them the guidance of a central 
intelligence and authority. They are the 
only agency which combines these 
elements. 

Our people are urged to refrain from 
waste in recreation and luxuries. Our li- 
braries offer them a welcomed substitute. 
They will be called upon for sacrifice, 
bereavement; to many of them books will 
yield the best solace. 

And meantime they are cautioned 
against hysteria. The best resistent is 
books. And a library which furnishes 
them, profusely yet discriminatingly, is a 
great "stabilizer," aiding to keep us aloft 
and erect in a vortex of dizzying currents 
and counter currents. 

But it is also, with the school system, a 
fundamental institution of our democracy. 
It is an essential part of the apparatus 
which gives our democracy such efficiency 
as it has. With democracy itself on trial, 
we cannot afford to have it appear that in 
a crisis such as this its fundamental in- 
stitutions are set aside, their normal pro- 
cesses suspended, their normal activities 
curtailed. Rather should such a crisis 
bring them into greater relief, a more 
active operation, and a more evident 
utility. 

Recommendations: The recommenda- 
tions of your committee are these: 

1. That a War committee be appointed 
to continue the investigation of this sub- 
ject in its various phases, and under gen- 



PROCEEDINGS 



321 



eral direction of the Executive Board, to 
represent the Association in the various 
relations which it involves. 

2. That as such a committee should 
take benefit of the discussions of this con- 
ference, it be appointed immediately, by 
the present Executive, instead of by the 
next incoming Board. 

3. That for convenience and efficiency 
in the executive part of its duties its 
membership be limited to seven; but that 
it have power to create a larger com- 
mittee, advisory and auxiliary to itself, 
also sub-committees from within or with- 
out its membership. 

4. That for its guidance and that of 
the incoming Board upon one important 
prospective activity, there be discussion 
by the Association as to the participation 
of libraries and of the Association in the 
supply of reading matter to the troops, 
and such an expression as shall enable the 
committee to speak authoritatively for the 
Association in any appeal that it issues, or 
undertaking that it enters into. 

5. As a basis for such a discussion and 
expression we recommend consideration of 
the following resolution: 

(a) That the American Library Associa- 
tion welcomes the information reported as 
to the aims of various agencies in the sup- 
ply of reading matter to the troops; and 
that it will gladly aid to develop and espe- 
cially to co-ordinate the service proposed 
by them; assisting as an Association and 
through libraries individually in the prep- 
aration of lists and in the collection, 
scrutiny and organization of material. 

(b) That it assumes that the efforts 
of the several agencies may by conference 
be so differentiated as to avoid both con- 
fusing competition and unnecessary dupli- 
cation. It assumes also that consistently 
with their organization and aims in other 
respects, they will especially welcome 
such a co-operation on the part of the As- 
sociation as shall insure skilled service in 
the actual administration of the collec- 
tions, without which, in the judgment of 
the Association, full advantage cannot be 
taken of the opportunity. 



6. If, in addition to various measures 
of co-operation with other agencies con- 
cerned In the supply of reading matter to 
the troops, there shall appear to the A. L. 
A. War Committee a prospect of funds for 
the erection, equipment and maintenance, 
under the auspices of the Association, of 
distinct libary buildings with suitable col- 
lections and expert service in each of the 
sixteen main cantonments, the committee 
is especially authorized to represent the 
Association in soliciting the necessary 
funds, material and service, in all meas- 
ures of organization, and in the actual ad- 
ministration of the libraries themselves. 
Hebbebt Putnam, Chairman, 

ABTHTTB E. BOSTWICK, 
R. R. BOWKEB, 

Gratia A. Countryman, 
Matthew S. Dudgeon, 
Alice S. Tyler, 
J. I. Wyer, Jr. 

APPENDICES TO REPORT OF PRELIM- 
INARY WAR LIBRARY COMMITTEE 

Library Military Auxiliary 

A plan to assist in the training, education 
and recreation of American soldiers on 
sea and land. In camps and hospitals. 
By Martha Wilson, State Department of 

Education, St. Paul, Minn. 

Need for books. 1. Young men are giv- 
ing up their educational and professional 
training to serve their country. The coun- 
try should help them to continue their 
studies as far as may be. 

2. Many young men will seek advance- 
ment while in the service. Books should 
be provided to help in this preparation. 

3. The entrance of the United States 
into the war is based on an idea. We can 
help foster ideas by books. 

4. Every soldier has some leisure time. 
Books are needed to help him make profit- 
able and interesting use of this margin. 

5. Reports from American soldiers now 
in the trenches state that the men are 
suffering mental deterioration from lack 
of diversion and stimulation of thought. 

6. The value of a library in a com- 
munity in increasing the comfort and effi- 



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LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



clency of individuals is a proven fact in 
American life today. 

To soldiers on sea and land; to nurses 
in camp and hospital, carefully chosen 
books would be of highest service in pro- 
viding direct aid in work, opportunity for 
profitable employment of leisure time, and 
wholesome recreation. 

Need for a library auxiliary. Trained li- 
brary service is needed to organize and 
direct the work, that it may become an 
educational and efficient recreational 
factor. 

Miscellaneous contributions of books and 
magazines to camps are of slight value at 
best, and are often impediments. 

The Y. M. C. A. workers state tha 
books, as part of their recreational activi 
ties, have not reached their fullest useful 
ness, for lack of organization and direction, 

Suggested plan of organization for a I 
brary auxiliary. Appointment by the Pres 
ident of a Chief of the Library Auxiliary 
who would be empowered to organize the 
work, employ necessary assistants, in- 
augurate a campaign for securing volun- 
teer aid, books and magazines, designate 
regional distributing agencies, enlist man- 
ual training departments in work of mak- 
ing traveling library boxes, formulate rules 
for distribution, transportation and use of 
books, organize publicity work and out- 
line all other details. 

The Library Auxiliary would work with 
all other army and navy agencies, the Red 
Cross and the Y. M. C. A., and help their 
work at every point. 

Maintenance. The work may be put on 
a stable and efficient basis by a contribu- 
tion from the General War Maintenance 
Fund. The Chief of the Library Auxiliary 
would augment this amount by contribu- 
tions of books and magazines, and by use 
of volunteer service. 

Resources. The American Library Asso- 
ciation has a permanent organization and 
a considerable membership. This organi- 
zation should be drawn upon for service. 

Libraries throughout the country, and 
library commissions should be used as 
regional distributing stations, and should 



be asked to furnish service to adjacent 
camps and hospitals. 

Kind of books needed. 1. Educational 
books, including some modern texts when 
requested. 

2. Books of information covering mili- 
tary science and tactics, popular mechan- 
ics, engineering, submarine warfare, aero- 
nautics, and other subjects of practical 
value. 

3. Recreative reading, including fiction, 
interesting biography, travel, modern his- 
tory, popular discussions of modern sub- 
jects, inspirational books, some essays and 
books of high literary merit, and books of 
easy French. 

Books would be bought and supplied on 
a utility and educational basis, keeping in 
mind the needs to be met; and only those 
books furnished which were live, of known 
value and interest. 

Distribution. The Chief of the Library 
Auxiliary would designate regional distrib- 
uting agencies, and library stations would 
be established in all camps, training ships 
and hospitals. 

As far as possible, the needs of each 
place would be considered, and the desired 
books furnished. Traveling libraries would 
be furnished to all troop transports. 

Wherever Y. M. C. A. activities are car- 
ried on, the local distribution of the books 
would be assigned to them, or if possible 
a library field worker would be sent. 

Publicity work outlined by the library 
auxiliary would be carried on to bring the 
books into fullest use. 

Memorandum relative to collection and 

distribution of books and periodicals 

for the mobilization camps 

By R. H. Johnston, librarian of the Bu- 
reau of Railway Economics, Washington, 
D. C. 

Assuming cooperation on the part of the 
railway companies and on the part of the 
War Department: 

In general, collection should be taken 
care of by a local librarian, designated by 



PROCEEDINGS 



323 



the A. L. A. committee, and the material 
placed In the hands of the soldiers under 
the supervision of regimental chaplains 
or the Y. M. C. A., in cooperation with a 
librarian in the vicinity, also designated 
by the A. L. A. committee. 

First: Headquarters should be estab- 
lished, preferably at Washington, and de- 
partment headquarters in charge of a li- 
brarian designated by the A. L. A. commit- 
tee established for: 

Northeastern Department, Boston (?) 
Eastern Department, New York (?) 
Southeastern Department, Atlanta (?) 
Central Department, Chicago (?) 
Southern Department, Kansas City (?) 
Western Department, San Francisco (?) 
Second: Donations in bulk from pub- 
lishers and such sources should be re- 
quested by and forwarded to headquarters 
at Washington, and subsequently distrib- 
uted to department headquarters. General 
donations from the public should be for- 
warded to the department headquarters. 
Communication between librarians in 
charge of department headquarters should 
arrange for distribution of excess material. 
Third: Collection in each department 
should be made by the local librarian in 
charge. Notices posted in the libraries, 
local notes in the newspapers and a card 
in the railway station should call attention 
to the work the A. L. A. is doing. A no- 
tice could be carried by the various em- 
ployees' magazines published by the rail- 
way companies and the employees' organi- 
zations. The notice in the railway station 
should call attention to either a receptacle 
furnished by a local benefactor or possibly 
by the individual railway company, or fail- 
ing this, state that the station agent will 
accept any material handed into his cus- 
tody for the soldiers. The accumulations 
should be collected by the local library 
which would also prepare packages for 
shipment under a frank acceptable to the 
railway company and bearing the address 
of the department headquarters. These 
packages should be delivered to the bag- 
gageman at the station. 

Fourth: Department headquarters 



should withdraw unsuitable and excess ma- 
terial, endeavoring to locate the latter with 
other department headquarters, and, under 
a similar frank addressed to the mobiliza- 
tion camps, deliver the packages to the 
proper railway company. 

Fifth: The librarian in charge at near- 
est point to mobilization camp should then 
be advised of shipment and get in touch 
with the regimental chaplain or the Y. M. 
C. A., as may be arranged with the War 
Department. 

Sixth: This local librarian should keep 
close watch on the special needs of the 
camp, requesting from the department 
headquarters extra copies of books or 
periodicals specifically wanted and take 
reasonable care to observe that losses of 
important material be repaired. 

Seventh: While this procedure would 
tall into natural routine, the initial work 
of knitting together the librarian and the 
railway company at the point of collection, 
and the librarian and the War Department 
at the actual point of contact, would re- 
quire a certain amount of inspection. An 
occasional lapse in cooperation as the 
work proceeded might also require per- 
sonal attention. If possible two or three 
men should be designated for such work. 

Eighth: Such Inspection might reason- 
ably be relied on through the agencies of 
the Santa F6 Reading Rooms, the Balti- 
more and Ohio Traveling Libraries, the 
Seaboard Air Line Traveling Libraries, and 
the library of the Bureau of Railway Eco- 
nomics. The staff of the library of the 
Bureau of Railway Economics can be 
counted upon for such service. 

Ninth: Reasonable care should be taken 
at the original collecting points to avoid 
the transmission of material that would be 
classed as unsuitable. The committee 
should give rather definite instructions to 
the local librarian to prevent waste of ef- 
fort further along the line. Similar care 
should be taken between the department 
headquarters to prevent overloading with 
material such as the Saturday Evening 
Post, of which enough is plenty. 

It is assumed that as little as possible 



324 



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of cataloging and other routine library 
methods will be employed and that it la 
not expected that any of the material will 
ever be returned from the camps. It 
would nevertheless seem advisable that 
each book or periodical bear a mark of 
ownership with a view to securing its use 
to the greatest number. The librarian in 
charge of the department library should 
watch closely for any lack of literature 
deemed suitable for the camps in his de- 
partment and make demands on the other 
departments or Washington headquarters 
for such literature, but it would not be con- 
sidered necessary that he should maintain 
an official record other than by number of 
the material passing through his hands. 

It is also assumed, as the railway com- 
panies carry both the express and the mail, 
that little would be gained by supplement- 
ing the service of the railway companies 
by a request for the use of a frank from 
the Post Office Department or tlie express 
companies, but it might be possible to se- 
cure from the Post Office Department he 
use of a frank for correspondence between 
Washington headquarters and the depart- 
ment headquarters. 

Function of the State Library Commission 
in war time 

By Matthew S. Dudgeon, Secretary, 
Wisconsin Free Library Commission. 

I. General function. Primarily it is the 
function of each state library commission, 
as supervising executive of all the public 
libraries of the state, to see that every 
public library under its jurisdiction 
promptly and effectively performs all the 
functions which are agreed upon as the 
war time functions of the public library. 

II. Communications, suggestions, and 
appeals to the public libraries. It Is the 
function of the state commission in per- 
forming its supervisory duties: 

1. To send out an appeal to each of the 
libraries of the state urging that it act as 
an agency of patriotic publicity, and by 
posting and free distribution promulgate 
the special literature of the war, such as: 



(a) President's messages and proclama- 
tions; (b) Federal acts, such as the regis- 
tration act, etc.; (c) Governor's proclama- 
tion as to economy, as to food products, as 
to registration day, etc.; (d) Bulletins and 
posters and other communications bearing 
on the war issued by the United States de- 
partment of agriculture, and other federal 
departments; (e) Bulletins and posters is- 
sued by state agricultural authorities; (f) 
Pamphlets, leaflets, posters, bulletins, fed- 
eral and state, from the Red Cross Society, 
and from voluntary associations dealing 
with all subjects relating directly or indi- 
rectly to war economy, food products, etc. 
(In Wisconsin it has been necessary for 
the commission itself to send out some of 
the materials that are listed in order to 
be sure that the small libraries receive this 
material. The material which we have 
found it necessary to send directly to the 
libraries includes: The Governor's procla- 
mation relative to organizing local councils 
of defense, etc.; governor's proclamation 
relative to registration; copy of registra- 
tion regulations, copy of federal act provid- 
ing for registration; posters urging the 
purchase of Liberty Bonds, etc., etc., etc.) 

2. To suggest that each public library 
open the library building as an assembly 
place for every meeting having a patriotic 
purpose, such as Red Cross societies, 
nurses' associations, councils for defense, 
etc. 

3. To suggest that the librarian offer 
her own services or the services of some 
of her staff to assist in organizing, filing, 
recording and indexing systems involved 
in the work of Red Cross societies, and 
other local organizations, needing such 
help, etc. 

4. To suggest the purchase of books 
and other material for the circulating de- 
partment of the public library and to fur- 
nish this by sending lists of timely books 
and other material on such subjects as 
patriotism and the flag, military and naval 
training. United States and the war, etc., 
checked for first choice by small libraries, 
etc. 

5. Suggestions for the accumulation of 



PROCEEDINGS 



326 



hlstorioally valuable material growing out 
of the war. 

III. Every traveling library station 
should be a publicity agency and be put 
upon the mailing list for state publications, 
or, If this is impractical, each station 
should be furnished with the important 
bulletins, posters, etc., such as are sent to 
the public libraries. 

IV. Circulation of books and material 
timely In character. 1. By offering to the 
public libraries smaller groups of the best 
books upon current subjects. (This to give 
special aid to the small library which is 
not able to make purchase of current books 
at this time.) 

2. To place in traveling library stations 
and send to traveling library stations 
books of special timely interest. 

V. Circulation of books in military 
mobilization camps, training camps, army 
posts, etc. All agree that there is definite 
need for circulation of books among the 
Individuals centered in military units in 
various places. During the Mexican bor- 
der troubles and since the mobilization of 
troops of the present war, this commission 
has not succeeded in getting sufficient re- 
sponse from military authorities to make 
this circulation a success. The difficulty 
is that there seems to be no officer, organi- 
zation, or individual, who is willing to take 
the responsibility for the custody of the 
books. Possibly the Army Y. M. C. A. may 
work out this problem. 

Recommendations. It seems to be nec- 
essary to take up with some controlling 
authority or organization and thrash out a 
method of cooperation by which the re- 
sources of the various states which the 
state authorities are ready and anxious to 
devote to the use of the soldiers can be 
made available. 

The Libraries and history 

W. G. Leland, Secretary American His- 
torical Association, to Secretary TJtley, 
May 3, 1917. 

Last week a group of pretty representa- 
tive history mea met in Washington to 



discuss the problem of what members of 
our profession could do for the country 
at the present time. Our deliberations 
resulted in establishing a National Board 
for Historical Service. I enclose a copy 
of the resolutions which sum up the work 
of the conference. We are not yet ready 
to give the matter full publicity, for we 
are busy in securing the support of other 
members of our profession throughout the 
country. We expect, however, that a 
majority of the board will spend the sum- 
mer in Washington engaged In such activi- 
ties as may seem useful. It has seemed 
to us in the discussions we have had thus 
far that we should join hands with the 
libraries in two Important activities. One 
of these is the collection and preservation 
of material that will be of service to the 
future historian; the other is the prepara- 
tion of critical and descriptive reading lists 
for the use of libraries of various kinds, 
of reading circles, of women's clubs and 
of individuals. 

With regard to the first of these activi- 
ties, I have written to a number of libraries 
and historical societies asking what they 
are doing to collect and preserve war ma- 
terial. The replies we have thus far re- 
ceived show that few libraries are making 
systematic effort to collect the fugitive 
material of local Interest that will be of 
special value later on. Most of them con- 
tent themselves with taking what is sent 
to them from the various publicity bureaus 
and securing some of the more important 
published works. We are thinking of pre- 
paring a circular of suggestions having 
especially in mind what historical societies 
ought to do, and I wonder if we could not 
cooperate with the Library Association in 
considering the question from the point of 
view of the general library. 

Dr. Bowerman has suggested to me that 
it might be possible for us to cooperate 
with the A. L. A. in the preparation of 
critical and descriptive reading lists, vary- 
ing in length and character according to 
the usage to which they would be destined. 
He thought that possibly the Library Asso- 
ciation might be willing to issue imprint 
editions of such reading lists, which would, 
of course, afford a very effective method of 
distributing them. 

I shall be very grateful if you can give 
me your opinion with regard to these two 
matters. 

There is one other matter on which I 
should like also to have your opinion. Wo 
are planning a series of small pamphlets 
dealing with the historical phases of pres- 
ent issues. These pamphlets will probably 
sell for five or ten cents each. We shall 



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LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



have little trouble in making arrangements 
with the publishers if we can get reason- 
able assurance of defraying the cost of 
manufacture. Do you imagine that any 
considerable number of libraries would be 
willing to subscribe to the series, and 
would some of the larger libraries be likely 
to want several copies of each pamphlet? 
I am anxious to have your opinion on this 
before I take any steps to canvass the li- 
braries for subscriptions. 

Yours very sincerely, 

W. G. LELAND. 

Resolutions adopted at Washington, April 
29, 1917, for the establishment of a Na- 
tional Board for Historical Service. 

As an emergency measure, to serve un- 
til action by the American Historical 
Association, the undersigned, meeting in 
Washington upon invitation by the Car- 
negie Institution of Washington through 
its Department of Historical Research, 
have adopted the following resolutions: 

Resolved: 

I. That there be formed a National 
Board for Historical Service. 

n. That the headquarters of the board 
shall be in Washington, D. C. 

HI. That the purpose of the National 
Board for Historical Service shall be: 

(a) To facilitate the coordination and 
development of historical activities in the 
United States in such a way as to aid the 
federal and the state governments through 
direct personal service or through affilia- 
tion with their various branches. 

(b) To aid in supplying the public with 
trustworthy information of historical or 
similar character through the preparation 
of reading lists and bibliographies, through 
the collection of historical material, and 
through the giving of lectures and of sys- 
tematic instruction, and in other ways. 

(c) To aid, encourage, and organize 
state, regional, and local committees, as 
well as special committees for the further- 
ance of the above ends, and to cooperate 
with other agencies and organizations, es- 
pecially in the general field of social 
studies. 

IV. That the board shall be composed 
of at least nine members who shall select 
a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, and 
treasurer from their own number, and that 
the said board shall have power to add to 
Its membership, to fill vacancies, to ap- 
point advisory and associate members, to 
organize affiliated or subsidiary boards of 



committees, to receive and disburse 
moneys, and to perform such other acts 
as may be necessary for the accomplish- 
ment of the purposes herein stated. 

V. That the board, until further action 
by itself in conformity with these resolu- 
tions, shall be composed of the following: 

Victor S. Clark, of Washington; Robert 
D. W. Connor, of Raleigh, N. C; Carl Rus- 
sell Fish, of Madison, Wisconsin; Chas. D. 
Hazen, of New York City; Chas. H. Hull, 
of Ithaca, N. Y.; Gaillard Hunt, of Wash- 
ington; Waldo G. Leland, of Washington; 
James T. Shotwell, of New York City; 
Frederick J. Turner, of Cambridge, Mass. 

Adopted at Washington, D. C, April 29, 
1917: Henry E. Bourne, Edmund C. Bur- 
nett, Victor S. Clark, George M. Dutcher, 
Guy S. Ford, Chas. D. Hazen, Charles H. 
Hull, Gaillard Hunt, J. Franklin Jameson, 
H. Barrett Learned, Waldo G. Leland, Al- 
bert E. McKinley, Andrew C. McLaughlin, 
Thomas Walker Page, Frederic L. Paxson, 
James T. Shotwell, Frederick J. Turner. 

After the reading of the report and sup- 
plementary remarks by Dr. Putnam, In 
which he spoke of suggestions of coopera- 
tion received from the office of Mr. Herbert 
Hoover, from Mr. Raymond B. Fosdick, 
chairman of the Committee on Camp 
Activities of the War Department, from 
the Playground and Recreation Association 
of America, the Boy Scouts of America, the 
Young Men's Christian Association, and 
other organizations. Dr. Frank P. Hill 
moved the acceptance of the report and the 
adoption of the recommendations and the 
resolutions as presented, which motion was 
after the discussion unanimously passed. 
The president called for full discussion for 
the benefit of the working committee. 

Mr. J. RITCHIE PATTERSON, of the 
Chicago Public Library, described the work 
done by the library he represented, how 
that more than twelve thousand books had 
been donated by the citizens of Chicago, 
collected by the Chicago Public Library, as- 
sorted, prepared and distributed to the 
soldiers and sailors at Fort Sheridan, the 
Great Lakes Naval Training Station, and 
other camps. 

Mr. THEODORE WESLEY KOCH, chief 
of the order division of the Library of 



PROCEEDINGS 



327 



Congress, who had been in England for 
Bcveral months, had prepared a paper for 
the Conference on 

BOOKS IN CAMP, TRENCH AND HOSPITAL 

(See p. 103) 
which was at this point called for, and 
which In the absence of the writer was 
read (In an abridged form, as the full 
paper was too long for the time available) 
by Dr. Arthur E. Bostwick, of the St. Louis 
Public Library. 

The following letter, addressed to Mr. 
Koch, was read by the secretary: 
"Avalon" 

Princeton, New Jersey, 
June 5, 1917. 
My dear Mr. Koch: 

Your letter of May 5th, with Its en- 
closure, reached me in London just before 
we sailed for America. There was no time 
to answer it then, and there has been no 
time for writing really since I got back. 
I have read with much care and interest 
your typewritten statement in regard to 
"Books in Camp, Trench and Hos- 
pital." It needs no introduction. All the 
arguments for giving a supply of good 
reading to soldiers as a part of the spir- 
itual munitions of war are lucidly and 
strongly put in your paper. One thing this 
war has certainly taught the world, and 
that is that victory does not depend solely 
upon "big battalions," but upon large and 
strong and brave hearts and minds in the 
battalions. The morale of the army is the 
hidden force which uses the weapons of 
war to the best advantage, and nothing Is 
more important in keeping up this morale 
than a supply of really good reading for 
the men in their hours of enforced inactiv- 
ity, whether they are in campaign prepar- 
ing for the battle, or in the trench waiting 
to renew the battle again, or in hospital 
wounded and trying to regain strength of 
body and mind to go back to the battle for 
which they have been enlisted. Human 
fellowship, good books, and music are three 
of the best medicines and tonics in the 
world. I believe these things very thor- 
oughly, and you can use this expression of 
belief in any way which may seem to you 
helpful. I should like to do all that I can 
for the good cause. . . 

Faithfully yours, 

Henry Van Dtke. 

Mr. Theodore Wesley Koch. 
Mr. WILLIAM ORR, educational secre- 
tary of the National War Work Council of 



the Young Men's Christian Association, 
who had been so good as to leave his press- 
ing duties and come to the Conference on 
the invitation of the president, was here 
introduced and spoke of 

COOPEBATION IN THE WAR WORK BETWEEN THE 
Y. M. 0. A. AND THE A. L. A. 

(See p. Ill) 

Discussion of various aspects of war 
work which libraries might properly under- 
take here became general, Mr. M. S. Dud- 
geon, R. P. Bliss, J. F. Daniels, C. H. Milam, 
G. A. Deveneau, H. 0. Severance, G. F. Bow- 
erman, R. R. Bowker, and others partici- 
pating. 

[Inasmuch as many of the plans and 
measures proposed and discussed have 
since been adopted by the A. L. A. War 
service committee, who will as a part of 
its duties report in detail In due time, It 
has been thought unnecessary to report 
here in full the discussion. — Editor.] 

Following the discussion and the adop- 
tion of the report of the Preliminary war 
committee, together with the accompany- 
ing recommendations, the president ap- 
pointed the following as the A. L. A. War 
service committee: J. I. Wyer, Jr.; 
E. H. Anderson, A. E. Bostwick, F. P. Hill, 
M. S. Dudgeon, Alice S. Tyler and Gratia 
A. Countryman. Miss Tyler was unable to 
serve, and Miss Electra C. Doren was ap- 
pointed in her place. 

Miss THERESA HITCHLER proposed 
that the Association members contribute to 
an ambulance fund for the purchase and 
operation of an "A. L. A. War Ambulance." 

The PRESIDENT appointed her as a 
committee of one to solicit funds for such 
an ambulance, and stated that a certain 
member of the Association, understanding 
that such a proposal would be brought be- 
fore the members of the Association, 
wished to contribute ?500 thereto. 

The session adjourned at 12:45 p. m. 

THIRD GENERAL SESSION 

(Saturday morning, June 23, in 

Macauley's Theatre) 

President BROWN presided. 

The PRESIDENT called attention to the 

reports of officers and committees which 

had been printed in advance of the Con- 



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ference and distributed to members. These 
reports included those of the secretary, 
treasurer, trustees of the endowment funds, 
the A. L. A. Publishing Board, and the 
following standing committees: Library 
administration. Library training. Public 
documents, Federal and state relations. Co- 
ordination, and Bookbinding; and of the 
special committee, the Decimal Classifica- 
tion advisory committee. The report of 
the committee on Work with the blind was 
read by title. All of the above reports were 
accepted and ordered printed as a part 
of the Conference proceedings. 

(For these reports, see p. 247 and fol- 
lowing.) 

At the request of Mr. C. H. Gould, chair- 
man of the committee on Coordination, 
who was unable to be present. Secretary 
Utley moved that the code of rules for 
inter-library loans, which constituted the 
report of the committee on Coordination, 
be adopted by the Association. The motion 
was seconded and carried. 

The report of the Finance committee 
was read by the Secretary. 
(See p. 297) 

The Secretary read the report of the 
Nominating committee, in which was pre- 
sented the list of nominees for officers for 
the coming year,* and announced that the 
election would be held on the following 
Tuesday. 

The PRESIDENT announced the com- 
mittee on Resolutions, as follows: George F. 
Bowerman, Washington, D. C; Marilla W. 
Freeman, Memphis, Tenn., and John E. 
Goodwin, Austin, Tex. 

Mr. J. W. DIETZ, educational director 
of the Western Electric Company, Chicago, 
and president of the Association of Cor- 
poration Schools, gave an address on 

TRAINING MEN DUBINO BUSINESS HOURS 

(See p. 114) 
Dr. W. T. SWINGLE, of the U. S. Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, was detained in 
Washington by war work, and his paper, 



•This report Is printed In the Bulletin for 
May, 1917. Miss Underbill declined nomina- 
tion as second vice-president and Linda A. 
Eastman, Cleveland Public Library, was 
nominated in her stead. 



CHINESE BOOKS AND LIBRARIES 

(See p. 121) 
was read by title only and ordered printed. 
Mr. JOSEPH F. DANIELS, librarian of 
the public library at Riverside, California, 
delivered an address on 

THE COUNTY FREE LIBRARY SERVICE AS OPER- 
ATED AT RIVERSIDE 

(See p. 125) 
Left over from the previous session was 
a paper sent from England, through Mr. 
Koch, which had been written by Dr. C. T. 
HAGBERG WRIGHT, librarian of the Lon- 
don Library, describing in detail the origin 
and progress of the supplying of 

BOOKS FOR RUSSIAN PRISONERS OF WAB 
IN OEBMANY 

(See p. 108) 

The reading of this paper supplemented 
Mr. Koch's account of the four distributing 
organizations in Great Britain. 

Mb. R. R. Bowkeb, editor of Library 
Journal, gave an address on "Russia," 
closing with the motion that a message 
of greeting and good will be sent by the 
Association to the executive officials of 
Russia. The motion was seconded by Dr. 
Putnam, as chairman of the Committee 
on International Relations, and adopted 
by a unanimous rising vote. 

The message as later prepared and sent 
by letter In the care of the United States 
Ambassador to Russia, was as follows: 

MESSAGE TO RUSSIA 

The American Library Association in 
conference at Louisville sends greetings 
to those in the new republic of Russia 
who, having held true to the democratic 
faith, are now beginning to realize their 
hopes for the future of their great coun- 
try. The building up of a National Library 
during the past century to the third place 
in the library world was a notable achieve- 
ment under old conditions, and the pioneer 
spirit shown in the recent foundation of 
a library school at Moscow and in the 
library enterprise of the Trans-Siberian 
railway gives promise that under the new 
conditions of freedom Russia will make 
the development of public libraries an im- 
portant factor in the education of the 
people. In a new world made safe for 
democracy, America and Russia should go 



PROCEEDINGS 



329 



hand in hand In this great work, and the 
American Library Association, mindful of 
the indebtedness of this country and of the 
world to Russian literature as an inspira- 
tion of democracy, pledges its aid to Its 
Russian brethren In paralleling in Russia 
the library progress which in the last half 
century has done so much for America. 

Mr. Bowlcer's address is printed in full 
in Library Journal for August, 1917. 
Speaking of library conditions in Russia, 
he said: 

"It was only one hundred years before 
1914 that the Imperial Library, which 
celebrated its centenary in that year, be- 
gan; yet it is the third largest library in 
the world, with which the Library of Con- 
gress is now making a close race. It is 
second only to the Paris National Library 
and the British Museum. There they 
accomplish the remarkable feat of count- 
ing the 2,600,000 books in a single attack 
by an organization which was carefully 
planned in advance. That is the center 
of library Russia, but not a center in our 
sense, because very little goes out from 
It in the way of national stimulus. Nor 
does that come from the great university 
libraries of Moscow, Kiev, nor from such 
book collections as has Odessa, but it 
radiates rather from the humble begin- 
nings of the new University of Moscow, 
a liberal vocation institution, founded by 
a private citizen of wealth, who assured 
through It a welcome to professors and 
students of liberal faith driven from the 
ancient university by government tyranny. 
It corresponds somewhat to our city col- 
leges. That is the home of the progress- 
ives; and here there has been started under 
the guidance of our friend, Madame Haff- 
kln-Hamburger, a library school which 
should prove a radiating center for library 
progress throughout Russia. 

"In Siberia the Trans-Siberian railway 
has developed a unique library system. 
Starting from Irkutsk, where there is a 
central library of 40,000 volumes, two 
library cars go, one east and one west, 
along the railway. These are traveling 
library cars, equipped with a library stack, 
a berth room for the librarian, a tiny read- 



ing room and other facilities. These cars 
go from station to station, showing the 
local people what a library is and may 
be, and from that may come a great li- 
brary development in Siberia. We think 
of Siberia as a place of exile for political 
prisoners, the place of the "pole of cold," 
a frozen waste; but as a matter of fact it 
is the Canada of Russia. You will recall 
that the Canadian authorities at Ottawa, 
In conjunction with our Department of 
Agriculture, developed a new wheat, which 
extended the wheat belt of Canada fifty 
miles to the north; and with such develop- 
ment as that Siberia is to become one of 
the greatest granaries of the world. With 
tlie new political development In Russia 
and Siberia and the education of the people 
that will follow, will come, I am sure, the 
greatest opportunity for library develop- 
ment that presents itself in the world 
today." 

Following this address the session was 
adjourned. 

FOURTH GENERAL SESSION 

(Saturday evening, June 23, 
iMacauley's Theatre) 
President BROWN presided. 
The 

REPORT or THE COMMITTEE ON IMPORTATION 
OF BOOKS 

(See p. 304) 
was read by the secretary of the committee. 
Dr. M. L. RANEY, of Johns Hopkins Uni- 
versity Library, and on motion of Mr. 
Bowker was accepted, together with the 
recommendations contained therein, and a 
special vote of thanks was tendered to the 
committee for their work. A motion that 
the committee be continued was also 
unanimously agreed to. 

Mr. P. L. WINDSOR, chairman of the 
committee, presented a preliminary com- 
mittee report on 

STANDARDIZATION OF LIBRARIES AND CERTIFI- 
CATIOX OF LIBRARIANS 

(See p. 135) 
On motion of Mr. Ranck the report 



330 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



was accepted and the recommendations 
adopted. 

Mr. WILLIAM F. YUST, of Rochester, 
spoke of the activities of a committee of the 
New York Library Association to secure 
certification and standardization in tlie 
State of New York and outlined briefly the 
proposed legislation which it has been 
suggested to the regents should be secured. 

Mr. W. T. PORTER, of Cincinnati, spoke 
of certain recently attempted legislation 
in Ohio. 

The president was obliged at this point 
to announce that time did not permit fur- 
ther discussion on tliis subject, as part 
of the evening had been set apart for re- 
ports from members of the War service 
committee. 

Dr. PUTNAM at this point requested that 
he might rise to a question of personal 
privilege. He thought it had doubtless 
been noticed that most of the members of 
the War service committee had been ap- 
pointed from the preliminary committee, 
and that it did not look well for the two 
who were left off, Mr. Bowker and himself. 

"Having served with complacency," he 
said, "on the committee which outlined op- 
portunities, we seem to be shirking the 
committee which is to do the work. I 
would like to say in our behalf that we 
were not so craven as that and we expect 
to do work which, in the judgment of those 
who have it in prospect for us, can be bet- 
ter done it we are off of the committee 
rather than on it. In regard to the two 
places on the committee which we had oc- 
cupied on tlie preliminary committee, it 
had been foreseen from the outset that 
tlieir service would be indispensable to the 
working of the committee; but there is no 
one of us who expects to escape work. If 
I might interpret the intention or expec- 
tation of the administration, this initial 
committee, called the working committee, 
is only an overhead committee. The plan 
recommended by the preliminary commit- 
tee assumes auxiliary committees every- 
where, in every relation. The executive 
working committee had to be small; the 
personnel had to be selected with refer- 



ence to prompt communication and prompt 
action by the committee. It also had to be 
selected with reference to the possibility 
of grouping part of it for consultation and 
action on certain phases of the activity. 
The work actually to be done will require 
almost every person who can be brought 
into effective relation to it. In the mean- 
time Mr. Bowker and I beg to extend to 
you our services." 

The president called upon Mr. J. I. 
WYER, Jr., chairman of the War service 
committee, who made a short report on 
what the committee had already accom- 
plished and what they had planned. 

Dr. ARTHUR E. BOSTWICK, chairman 
of the sub-committee on publicity, read a 
statement which had been prepared on 
library war work for the press. 

The session was then adjourned. 

FIFTH GENERAL SESSION 

(Monday evening, June 25, in Macauley's 
Theatre) 

Mr. HARRISON W. CRAVER, first vice- 
president, presided. 

Mr. WYER was called on to give a report 
of the activities of the War service com- 
mittee during the two preceding days. 
After briefly outlining the steps taken, and 
naming the special committees and sub- 
committees which the main committee had 
appointed, he called in turn for reports 
from several of these sub-committees. 

Dr. FRANK P. HILL, chairman of the 
sub-committee on finance, outlined briefly 
financial plans and had "One Dollar a 
Month" subscription blanks distributed, 
which scheme, suggested, he said, by Miss 
Rathbone, permitted every member of the 
Association to have a part in the library 
war work. 

Mr. GEORGE A. DEVENEAU, of the 
University of Illinois, displayed some post- 
ers of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
relating to food conservation, and com- 
mented briefly upon them. 

Mr. CARL H. MILAM, of Birmingham, 
outlined plans for a library war work, 
which it was intended would be observed 



PROCEEDINGS 



some time iii the autumn by every library 
in the country, and which would give a 
better conception of the public library and 
library service to every man, woman and 
child in the land. 

Mr. M. S. DUDGEON, of the Wisconsin 
Free Library Commission, chairman of a 
subcommittee on state organizations, spoke 
on behalf of his own committee and of the 
subcommittee on local organizations, 
Gratia A. Countryman, chairman. He em- 
phasized the desire of these subcommittees 
to mobilize the book resources of the entire 
country so that they would produce suflR- 
cient books for the training camps. 

Dr. GEORGE F. BOWERMAN, of Wash- 
ington, chairman of a subcommittee to pre- 
pare a library war manual or handbook, 
outlined plans for this publication, the pur- 
pose of which would be to detail those 
things which libraries and librarians can 
do to help in the war work. 

The desirability of wider circulation of 
the "Official Bulletin" of the Federal Gov- 
ernment among public and university li- 
braries was discussed and a resolution was 
referred to the Executive Board to the ef- 
fect that it was the sense of the Association 
that the "Official Bulletin" should be dis- 
tributed to all libraries of the United States 
and that the subcommittee on publicity of 
the War service committee do its utmost 
to have this action carried into effect. 

LIBBABY PUBLICITY 

The remainder of the program was de- 
voted to the subject of library publicity. 

Mr. W. H. KERR, chairman of the 
A. L. A. Publicity committee, presented the 
following report on its recent survey of li- 
brary publicity: 

THE GIST OF THE A. L. A. PUBLICITY SUBVEY 

(See p. 130) 

The publicity work of state library com- 
missions was considered by MRS. ELIZA- 
BETH CLAYPOOL EARL, president of the 
Indiana Public Library Commission, in a 
paper entitled 

LIBBABY COMMISSION PUBLICITY 

(See p. 132) 



Mr. C. H. COMPTON, of the Seattle Pub- 
lic Library, spoke on 

A PUBLICITY EXPEBT FOB LIBBABIES 

(See p. 133) 
Mr. CARL HUNT, of Indianapolis, editor 
of Associated Advertising, the official organ 
of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the 
World, gave an address on 

A PROGBAM FOB LIBBABY AD\'EETISINQ 

(See p. 127) 
After Mr. HUNT, at the conclusion of his 
address, had very kindly answered a num- 
ber of questions, the session was adjourned. 

SIXTH GENERAL SESSION 

(Wednesday morning, June 27, in 
Macauley's Theatre) 
President BROWN presided. 
Memorials for three recently deceased 
former officers of the Association, which 
had been prepared by specially appointed 
committees, were read at this time and 
adopted by a rising vote. The text of these 
memorials here follows: 



WILLIAM I. FLETCHER 

Member of the American Library Associa- 
tion 1878-1917, President 1892-1893. 
The death of William I. Fletcher, which 
has been communicated to us since the 
meeting of this conference, has removed 
from the library profession one of its 
earliest, most active and most useful mem- 
bers. Born at Burlington, Vt., in 1844, he 
devoted a long life to library work of the 
highest standard of excellence and he con- 
tributed in large measure to making 11- 
brarianship a profession. As chairman of 
the Publishing Board, he had much to do 
with shaping the early and the permanent 
work of the board. Through his attend- 
ance at twenty-three A. L. A. Conferences 
beginning with that of 1877, as by his 
bibliographical work, he came to know and 
be known by great numbers of library 
workers and his sympathy and helpfulness 
expressed in his characteristically gra- 
cious manner, were as much at the dis- 
posal of the humblest as of the most emi- 



332 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



nent of his associates. He had a keen 
and eager mind, an affectionate nature, an 
unremitting patience in bibliographical 
detail, a marvelous capacity for work. He 
lived to become librarian emeritus of Am- 
herst College, to see his son installed as 
his successor and to witness In Its early 
stages the growth of the new library build- 
ing which his work as librarian helped to 
earn for the college. As health failed, his 
affection for his library colleagues contin- 
ued undimmed and while he faced with 
faith the long journey which he knew 
would soon come, it was his earnest hope 
that he might once more greet his old 
friends and make new friends at this 
Louisville Conference. His last days were 
solaced by the devotion of a loving daugh- 
ter who had dedicated herself to the serv- 
ice of his declining years and he left be- 
hind to his children, to the college he had 
served and to the library profession an 
unblemished name and a life's service 
which cannot soon be forgotten. 

R. R. BOWKEB, 

C. W. Andrews, 
Committee. 

HENRY MUNSON UTLEY 

With the passing of Mr. Henry Munson 
Utley, late librarian of the Detroit Public 
Library, the organized library world lost 
one of its sturdiest and most faithful ad- 
herents, one of its pioneer members. 

Graduating from the University of Mich- 
igan in the year of 1861, when the nation 
faced a great crisis, he enlisted quickly in 
the service for public welfare by entering 
upon a journalistic career In Detroit, 
where his sober judgment and sincerity 
were rewarded with the editorship of a 
local influential paper. 

In 1881 he became secretary of the De- 
troit Board of Education, followed by his 
appointment as chief librarian of the 
Detroit Library In 1885. 

Mr. Utley entered upon this new field of 
service with a valuable knowledge of the 
municipal life of his city and the ripened 
judgment of a man whose energy had 



reached beyond the experimental stage and 
was ready for constructive work. 

Mr. Utley identified himself at once with 
the American Library Association and ap- 
plied its progressive principles In the or- 
ganization of his own institution which 
quickly gained ground in usefulness and 
public support. He remained at the head 
of the Detroit Library for over a quarter of 
a century and his service was one of ex- 
traordinary devotion, patience and mod- 
esty. 

Equally unstinted was his loyalty to the 
library profession at large, and he was 
honored accordingly. He served as pres- 
ident of the national body and his mem- 
bership on the various American Library 
Association committees testifies to the high 
esteem in which his judgment and counsel 
were held. 

His name stands first on the honor roll 
of those who labored for the organization 
and success of the Michigan Library Asso- 
ciation, whose first president he was and 
whose chief officer he continued to be for 
many years. 

With the rapid, almost revolutionary 
changes in public service and educational 
standards of our day, the record and con- 
tribution of the individual may soon be 
forgotten, but the rugged figure of Mr. 
Utley as he appeared among us — his kindly 
personality, will long be treasured among 
those who came to know his reserved, yet 
lovable, nature. He was one of "the old 
guard," and in paying tribute to his mem- 
ory, we honor one whose sympathy and 
tolerance with human society in all its 
variations never faltered, and one whose 
career was singularly free from egotisms 
and self-exploitations. 

Adam Stbohm, 
Frank P. Hill, 
Mart C. Spencer, 
Committee. 

ANDERSON HOYT HOPKINS 

The Association has learned with pro- 
found regret that Anderson Hoyt Hopkins 
died on March 21st, 1917. Mr. Hopkins was 



PROCEEDINGS 



333 



one of its life members, and for many 
years an active participant in its labors. 
He entered on library worlc wliile a student 
at the University of Michigan, was assist- 
ant librarian of that university after his 
graduation in 1892, and later assistant li- 
brarian of The John Crerar Library of 
Chicago at the time of its organization. 
In 1904 he became librarian of the newly 
organized public library of Louisville, 
Kentucky, and less than two years later 
was called to the librarianship of the Car- 
negie Library of Pittsburgh, where he con- 
tinued until compelled by illness to retire 
from active duty in June, 1908. 

At the time of his retirement he was 
treasurer of the A. L. A., and for some 
years had been a valued member of the 
Catalog Rules Committee. Although re- 
moved from daily contact with library af- 
fairs, he was by no means forgotten by his 
former associates. We treasure his mem- 
ory as a broad-minded, sane, warm-hearted, 
and wise colleague, a faithful friend, and a 
farseeing pioneer in library development. 
W. W. Bishop, 

Committee. 



Mr. BOWKER presented the following 
resolution and moved that it be referred 
to the Council: 

Resolved, That the President be author- 
ized and requested to appoint a Committee 
on Civil Service Relations to confer with 
the National Assembly of Civil Service 
Commissions and the Council of the Na- 
tional Civil Service Reform League and 
cognate organizations and to report if prac- 
ticable at the mid-winter meeting of the 
Council or at the ensuing conference. 

The motion was passed and the resolu- 
tion referred to the Council. 

It was also moved, seconded and voted 
that the following resolution be referred 
to the Council: 

Resolved, That the Council of the Amer- 
ican Library Association, in accordance 
with the recommendation of the Govern- 
ment Documents Round Table, expresses 
to the Committee on Printing its gratifica- 
tion at the progress toward a better system 
of printing and distributing public docu- 
ments embodied in the interests of econ- 
omy and efiflciency in proposed legislative 



measures, and resolved that the Round 
Table specifically expresses Its apprecia- 
tion of the courteous and sympathetic in- 
terest of Mr. George H. Carter, clerk of 
the committee in obtaining consideration 
for the needs of libraries. 

Dr. GEORGE F. BOWERMAN presented 
the following report of the committee 
on Resolutions, which was unanimously 
adopted: 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
RESOLUTIONS 

The American Library Association de- 
sires to express its cordial thanks for the 
gracious courtesies and attentions its mem- 
bers have enjoyed during its Thirty-Ninth 
Annual Conference. Louisville has given 
us of her bounty with such prodigality as 
to make proverbial Kentucky hospitality 
a delightful reality. The hospitalities we 
have received at the hands of the local 
Executive Committee representing the 
Louisville Free Public Library, the Louis- 
ville Convention and Publicity League and 
other bodies have been so many and so 
varied as to make particular mention of 
all difficult. 

We cannot here attempt to recount the 
tale of all that Louisville has provided 
with such charming and spontaneous gen- 
erosity — entertainments arranged for our 
profit and enjoyment that will remain 
among the pleasurable memories of a 
lifetime. Certain salient features which 
make this conference in a southern city 
unique we cannot refrain from noting: 

The warm welcome to the South for- 
mally extended by Governor Stanley of 
Kentucky and by Mayor Buschemeyer of 
Louisville at the opening session, the 
spirit of which was made to pervade the 
entire conference through the assiduous 
and courteous attentions of General Ben- 
nett H. Young, chairman of the local com- 
mittee, and of Mr. George T. Settle, sec- 
retary of the committee and librarian of 
the Louisville Free Public Library; the 
exceptional genius of literary, artistic and 
musical Louisville as so delightfully re- 
vealed to us in the sacred concert, in the 
exhibit of the Louisville Artists' League 
at the Public Library, and in the brilliant 



334 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



program provided by Louisville authors 
and musicians; the special reception given 
us through the hospitality of the Womans' 
Club, and the two receptions in the Seel- 
bach Auditorium; the scholarly and inspir- 
ing sermon by Rev. Dr. Edward L. Powell; 
the revelation of the unusual beauties of 
the city of Louisville, its attractive library 
and its notable park system in the enjoy- 
able automobile drive; for all these the 
Association expresses grateful appreciation 
to Louisville in the persons of the Local 
Committee. 

To the speakers not members of the 
Association who have added to the inter- 
est and value of our program by their in- 
forming and inspiring addresses, our cor- 
dial thanks are also due, particularly to 
Dr. Shailer Mathews, Mr. J. W. Dietz, and 
Mr. Carl Hunt, who have come to us from 
a distance, and to Mrs. Alice Hegan Rice, 
Mrs. George Madden Martin, Mr. Cale 
Young Rice, Mrs. Annie Fellows Johnston 
and to others of Louisville's distinguished 
authors and musicians who have added 
for us to their published works, already 
ours, the charm of their personalities. 

The Association also desires to express 
its high appreciation of the courtesy of 
the Associated Advertising Clubs of the 
World for its loan of the valuable exhibit 
of business books. 

We wish also to thank most heartily the 
press of Louisville for its generous atti- 
tude and its able and satisfactory reporting 
of the proceedings and discussions of the 
conference. 

Much of our comfort in attending the 
conference has been due to the perfection 
of the plans of Mr. Settle, and to the re- 
markable and tireless attention to details 
shown by him, by the entire library staff 
and by the citizens of Louisville who 
served upon the local committee. To all 
of them, not forgetting their efficient first 
aids, the Boy Scouts, we wish to offer our 
most sincere thanks. 

GeOEQE F. BOWEBltAN, 

Marilla W. Freeman, 
John E. Goodwin, 

Committee on Resolutions. 



The following cablegram was received 
signed jointly by Mr. MacAlister, the presi- 
dent of the British Library Association, 
and Mr. Koch, of the Library of Congress, 
who was In England: 

London, June 21. 

Cordial greetings from brothers in arms. 

Hope you appoint Louvain committee. 

Look forward to International Congress at 

Inauguration of restored Louvain Library. 

J. Y. W. MacAlisteb. 

T. W. Koch. 

The subject was subsequently referred 
to the committee on Cooperation with 
European libraries, Mr. E. H. Anderson, 
chairman. 

The SECRETARY read the report of the 
tellers of election, showing that the fol- 
lowing officers had been elected: 

REPORT OF THE TELLERS OF 
ELECTION 

Total number of votes cast, 225. 

President 
Thomas L. Montgomery, librarian Penn- 
sylvania State Library, Harrisburg, Pa. 
216 votes. 

First Vice-President 
Judson T. Jennings, librarian Seattle 
Public Library. 222 votes. 

Second Vice-President 
Linda A. Eastman, vice-librarian Cleve- 
land Public Library. 221 votes. 

Members of Executive Board 

(for three years) 

Herbert Putnam, librarian Library of 
Congress, Washington, D. C. 222 votes. 

Electra C. Doren, librarian Dayton Pub- 
lic Library. 218 votes. 

Members of Council 

(for five years) 

Edna B. Pratt, organizer New Jersey 
Public Library Commission, Trenton, N. J. 
219 votes. 

Louisa M. Hooper, librarian Public Li- 
brary, Brookline, Mass. 217 votes. 

Mary Emogene Hazeltine, preceptor 
University of Wisconsin Library School, 
Madison, Wis. 219 votes. 



PROCEEDINGS 



33B 



Willis K. Stetson, librarian Free Public 
Library, New Haven, Conn. 217 votes. 

Malcolm G. Wyer, librarian University 
of Nebraska, Lincoln. 218 votes. 

Trustee of Endowment Fund 

William W. Appleton, trustee New York 
Public Library. 216 votes. 

President-elect Montgomery was called 
to the platform. 

Mr. BROWN: Mr. President, we believe 
that never before has a Conference placed 
upon its oflScers so many responsibilities. 
We believe that never before has the mem- 
bership shown its loyalty and willingness 
to work for the Association more than now. 
I congratulate you, sir, upon your election 
and congratulate the Association upon my 
being able to pass this gavel to you. 

President-elect MONTGOMERY: Before 
saying a word to the Association I wish to 
extend my heartiest congratulations to the 
retiring president. He has conducted this 
meeting with a quiet dignity that has made 
it, to my mind, one of the most successful 
meetings we have ever held. That makes 
it more difficult for his successor to follow 



such successful performance. I am not 
going to say anything to you in the way 
of making an address. I am simply going 
to thank you from the bottom of my heart 
for the great honor you have done me in 
electing me president of this Association. 
I consider it one of the greatest honors 
which has ever come to me, and I fully 
realize the responsibilities connected with 
it. It was 27 years ago that I came into 
your midst, that is, I came into the midst 
of a few of you, because I saw the other 
day, when counting the register, that there 
are eight members at the present Con- 
ference who were members when I came 
into the Association. 

I am only going to ask you that in this 
very busy year — and we are going to have 
a very busy year indeed — that you will, one 
and all, give your earnest cooperation, 
force and character to the splendid pro- 
gram that is to be laid out before you and 
that you will act with your officers in mak- 
ing this one of the most noteworthy, active 
years the Association has ever had. 

The Conference is now adjourned sine 
die. 



EXECUTIVE BOARD 



FIRST SESSION 

The Executive Board met in the Hotel 
Seelbach, Louisville, on June 21, 1917, 4 
p. m. 

Present: President Brown, Messrs. 
Dudgeon, Jennings, Bostwick, Ranck and 
Bailey. 

The committee on Resolutions was ap- 
pointed as follows: George P. Bowerman, 
chairman; Marilla W. Freeman and John 
E. Goodwin. 

It was voted that the election of officers 
be held on Tuesday, June 26, that the polls 
be open 9 a. m. to 2:30 p. m., and that 
William Teal and Anne Coldewey serve as 
tellers o£ election. 

It was voted that the proposal to amend 



Section 1 of the By-laws to the Constitu- 
tion, so that the term of service of the 
Finance committee be for the fiscal year 
of the association, be laid on the table. 

Reports of progress were received from 
the committee on Libraries in hospitals 
and charitable and correctional institu- 
tions, and from the committee on Code 
for classifiers. (These reports are printed 
elsewhere in Proceedings of the Confer- 
ence.) 

SECOND SESSION 
Macauley's Theatre, Louisville, Ky. 
June 27, 1917 
Present: President Montgomery, Vice- 
President Jennings, Misses Rathbone and 



336 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Doren, and Messrs. Ranck, Dudgeon and 
Bailey. 

"Official Bulletin" of the Government 

The subject ot the distribution of the 
"Official Bulletin" of the Government to 
the libraries of the country, having been 
referred to the Board by the Association, 
on June 25, in compliance with the terms 
of a resolution submitted by Mr. J. I. 
Wyer, Jr., the Board imanimously adopted 
the following resolution prepared by Miss 
Rathbone and Mr. Ranck: 

Whereas, the public libraries of the 
country now serve communities contain- 
ing more than one-half of the population 
of the United States, and therefore may be 
made most efficient agents of publicity for 
the distribution of information, therefore, 

The American Library Association rec- 
ommends that the "Official Bulletin" as a 
medium of authentic information be sent 
to every public library of the United 
States, if consistent with the general poli- 
cies of the Government. 

Farmers' parcel post book rates 

Mr. A. L. Spencer, of South Canisteo, N. Y., 
appeared by invitation before the Board 
for the purpose of submitting the question 
of proposed legislation by Congress regard- 
ing rates on books delivered by parcel post 
to farmers and others in outlying districts. 
After discussion of a resolution adopted by 
the New York State Grange and a corol- 
lary, which were read by Mr. Spencer, on 
motion of Mr. Dudgeon, duly seconded and 
carried, the Board approved the following: 
RESOLVED, That the Executive Board 
of the American Library Association, in 
session at Louisville, Kentucky, June 27, 
1917, endorses the resolution passed by the 
New York State Grange, at its last annual 
session, as presented before this body by 
A. L. Spencer, which reads as follows: 
The New York State Grange favors 
a flat parcel post rate for public li- 
brary books ot two pounds for a cent, 
restricted to the rural delivery routes 
of each local zone. 

We believe this measure for rural bet- 
terment most desirable in every part of 
the United States where local libraries ex- 
ist or may be established, and we welcome 
the aid of the Grange as an organization in 



the solving of the vital problem of library 
advantages for the farm people. 

It is the belief of this Board, however, 
that no rate should thus be requested 
which will in its practical working impose 
an appreciable burden on the Federal 
treasury, but in view of the fact that the 
rural delivery system throughout the coun- 
try is carrying a load far below its normal 
capacity we feel that for this vital measure 
the lowest special rate that will be self- 
paying should be granted. 

The secretary was directed to transmit 
the resolution and corollary to Mr. 
Spencer. 

Committe to Investigate manner in which 
municipalities are meeting obligations 
to donors 

On behalf of the above committee 
(Messrs. Brett, Dudgeon and Utley) the 
secretary submitted a report from the 
chairman, which was accepted as a report 
of progress. 

Committee on Work with the foreign-born 

A committee on Work with the foreign- 
born having been recommended to the 
Board, the following resolution, on motion 
of Mr. Bailey, was adopted: 

Resolved, that a committee of five on 
Work with the foreign-born be appointed 
to collect from libraries and supply to 
them information on the desirable meth- 
ods of assisting in the education of the 
foreign-born in American ideals and cus- 
toms and the English language. 

Standing committees 

On motion of Mr. Jennings it was voted 
that the appointment of standing commit- 
tees be conducted by correspondence. 

Committee on International co-operation 

A letter was read from Mr. E. H. Ander- 
son, chairman of the committee on Inter- 
national co-operation, to assist in promot- 
ing library extension in Europe after the 
war, recommending that in view of the 
changed national conditions, and the fact 
that a War service cemmittee is now in 
existence, the committee on International 
co-operation be discharged. After In- 
formal discussion it was taken as the sense 



COUNCIL 



337 



of the Board that the committee be not 
discharged at this time, but remain for 
the time being in abeyance. 

Committee on Compilation of reading list 
on home economics 

This committee in a letter to the Secre- 
tary recommended that it be discharged 
until such time as the Home Economics 
Association committee asks for its co-op- 
eration. It was taken as the sense of the 
Board, however, that the committee be not 
discharged, but remain also in abeyance. 
Conference of 1919 

A letter was read from Dr. Arthur E. 
Bostwick, in which, on behalf of the Board 
of Directors of the St. Louis Public Li- 
brary he invited the American Library As- 
sociation to hold its conference in 1919 in 
St. Louis. The Secretary was directed to 
acknowledge the letter with the thanks of 
the Executive Board and with the assur- 
ance that the invitation would at the 
proper time receive due consideration. 



Place of next conference 

The Secretary reported that invitations 
for the next conference had been received 
from the Convention Bureaus of Buffalo, 
Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, San Fran- 
cisco and Springfield, the latter invitation 
being seconded by many New England 
members of the Association. An invitation 
to meet in Burlington, Vermont, had been 
extended by the Vermont Free Public Li- 
brary Commission, the Vermont Library 
Association, the State Legislature by joint 
resolution, the University of Vermont, the 
Green Mountain Club and other state or- 
ganizations. Saratoga, New York, was 
also discussed as a possible place of meet- 
ing. After discussion on motion of Mr. 
Dudgeon it was voted that the Secretary 
be instructed to investigate the advantages 
offered by Saratoga, Burlington and 
Springfield, and to make a report thereon 
to the Board. 

The meeting of the Board was then ad- 
journed. 



COUNCIL 



FIRST SESSION 

The Council met Saturday evening, June 
23, in Macauley's Theatre, Louisville, im- 
mediately after the adjournment of the 
general session. The meeting was called 
to order by President Brown. The fol- 
lowing twenty-flve members were present: 
C. W. Andrews, Willard Austen, Arthur E. 
Bostwick, George F. Bowerman, R. R. 
Bowker, W. H. Brett, W. L. Brown, Henry 
J. Carr, Gratia A. Countryman, J. C. Dana, 
M. S. Dudgeon, Mrs. Elizabeth Claypool 
Earl, Frank P. Hill, Charles D. Johnston, 
Margaret Mann, Edith A. Phelps, W. T. 
Porter, Herbert Putnam, Samuel H. Ranck, 
Josephine A. Rathbone, A. S. Root, Mrs. 
Harriet P. Sawyer, Mrs. J. A. Thompson, 
Alice S. Tyler, J. I. Wyer, Jr. 

A Nominating committee for nomination 
of five members of the Council was ap- 
pointed as follows: Arthur L. Bailey, 



chairman; Carl H. Milam, Sarah C. N. 
Bogle, Edith A. Phelps, Willard Austen. 

Mr. G. W. Lee presented the following 
resolution on behalf of the committee on 
Sponsorship for knowledge: 

Resolved, That the committee on Spon- 
sorship for knowledge be requested to 
adopt working plans as soon as practicable 
and report to the mid-winter meeting on 
the undertaking in its actual operation. 

The resolution was adopted. 

Dr. C. W. Andrews presented a report 
on union list of periodicals, which on 
motion was accepted and ordered filed: 

Report on union list of periodicals 

Your committee on Union lists submits 
for your information and as a report of 
progress the following statement: 

The American Mathematical Society has 
appointed a committee, of which Dr. 



338 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



David Eugene Smith is chairman, to pre- 
pare a union list ot mathematical periodi- 
cals. Considerable progress has been 
made and it is hoped that the list will be 
ready for publication before long. 

A committee of the libraries of the 
universities ot the Central States has un- 
dertaken the preparation of a check list 
of these states. The Chicago libraries 
have been invited to join and arrangements 
have been practically completed with 
Messrs. H. W. Wilson and Company for 
the publication. It is not proposed to 
make it as extensive in scope as the 
Chicago lists. Nevertheless, it will prob- 
ably amount to at least some 20,000 titles 
and 5,000 cross references. 

Very recently there has come to the 
attention of the committee a proposition 
of Mr. William Abbatt, of New York, to 
publish a bibliography of American period- 
icals. This is limited in date, as it does 
not extend beyond 1900 and omits very 
large classes, including all medical jour- 
nals and all "transactions." Even with 

f'e limitations he expects to have l.'',000 
entries. This is not only a bibliography 
of magazines, but a check list of the rarer 
ones, including- the holdings of sixty-five 
libraries. 

Respectfully submitted, 

CuEiiENT W. Andrews, 
For the Committee. 

Fire insurance rates 

The committee on Fire insurance rates 
presented a report (see p. 306) (which had 
been printed in advance and distributed 
to members of the Council by mail), which 
was read by title only, action on it being 
deferred to a future meeting. 

The meeting was then adjourned. 

SECOND SESSION 

June 27, 1917 

A meeting of the Council was called 
in Macauley's Theatre immediately on 
adjournment of the last general session of 
the Thirty-ninth Annual Conference. 

President Montgomery presided. Twen- 
ty-four members were present. 

Mr. A. L. Bailey, as chairman of the 



Nominating committee, presented the fol- 
lowing nominations as members ot the 
Council for a term of five years: George 
T. Settle, librarian Louisville Free Public 
Library; Marilla W. Freeman, librarian 
Goodwyn Institute, Memphis; George W. 
Fuller, librarian Spokane Public Library; 
Frances E. Earhart, librarian Duluth Pub- 
lic Library; Walter M. Smith, librarian 
University of Wisconsin, Madison. 

The secretary, upon motion duly made, 
seconded and carried, cast a ballot on 
behalf of the Council declaring these nomi- 
nees elected. 

Committee on civil service relations 
Mr. Bowker moved the adoption of the 
following resolution relative to the ap- 
pointment of a committee on Civil service 
relations. Carried. 

Resolved, That the president be author- 
ized and requested to appoint a committee 
on Civil service relations to confer with 
the National Assembly ot Civil Service 
Commissions and the Council of the Na- 
tional Civil Service Reform League and 
cognate organizations, and to report, if 
practicable, at the mid-winter meeting of 
the Council or at the ensuing conference. 

Mr. Purd B. Wright said that Mr. Peters, 
the assistant counselor of the Civil Service 
Commissions, was desirous of having the 
co-operation of libraries; that he wished 
to send bulletins to them so the librarians 
could disseminate information as to gov- 
ernment needs. 

On motion of Mr. Bowker, the Council 
approved the following resolution which 
had been adopted by the Public Documents 
Round Table: 

Resolved, That the Council ot the Ameri- 
can Library Association, in accordance 
with the recommendation of the Public 
Documents Round Table, expresses to 
the Committee on Printing its gratifica- 
tion at the progress toward a better system 
of printing and distributing public docu- 
ments embodied in the interests of econ- 
omy and efficiency in proposed legislative 
measures; and, 

Resolved, That the Round Table specifi- 
cally expresses its appreciation of the cour- 
teous and sympathetic interest of Mr. 
George H. Carter, clerk of the committee, 



AGRICULTURAL LIBRARIES SECTION 



339 



in obtaining consideration for the needs 
o£ litjraries. 

Mr. Bowker said that the resolution re- 
garding civil service relations was sug- 
gested by a paper read by Mr. W. Dawson 
Johnston before the trustees' section, and 
speaks for itself. The other resolution is 
sent over to the Council from the Public 
Documents Round Table and resulted from 
a letter read by Mr. Godard from Mr. 
Carter, clerk of the Joint Committee on 
Printing. It was emphasized at that meet- 
ing that the association should not depart 
from Its recorded decision favoring only 
one form of government document, which 
meant that the executive department's 
reports should not be included in the long 
congressional series, but it was desired to 
express appreciation of progress toward 
the ideal, in view of the proposed reintro- 



duction of the bill, somewhat modified, at 
the ensuing congressional session. 

Speaking of this resolution Mr. Bowker 
said: "The first of these matters (resolu- 
tion favoring only one form of any one 
Government document) was the result of 
a paper before the Trustees' Section; the 
second was the result of a letter from 
Mr. Carter, read by Mr. Godard at the 
Government Documents Round Table. It 
was emphasized at that meeting that the 
Association should not depart from its 
original resolution favoring only one form 
of Government documents; that the Ex- 
ecutive Department Documents should 
not be in series, but to express apprecia- 
tion of the progress being made. That 
means that a new bill will be offered em- 
bodying this form at the ensuing session." 

On motion the Council then adjourned. 



AGRICULTURAL LIBRARIES SECTION 



FIRST SESSION 

In the absence of Mr. Charles R. Green, 
chairman for the year, Mr. William M. 
Hepburn acted as chairman. 

Mr. George A. Deveneau, librarian of tlie 
College of Agriculture, University of Illi- 
nois, presented a paper on 

AGBICTJLTUR-W:, COIXKGE LIBR-VBIES AND EX- 
TENSION WOEK 

(See p. 140) 

It was announced that on the recom- 
mendation of members of the section a 
special committee on Food information 
would be appointed by the A. L. A. War 
service committee. Mr. Severance of Mis- 
souri described their plan of sending col- 
lections of books of from fifty to sixty 
volumes each to county agents who qualify 
for them by providing proper accommoda- 
tions. They now have eighteen such li- 
braries. 

The Handbook committee reported prog- 
ress. Miss Ogden read the outline of the 
chapters already planned, and said that 
only a small part of the material had as 
yet been prepared. 



The distribution of experiment station 
publications was discussed. It was the 
opinion of those present that each station 
should keep a reserve stock of its bulletins 
and should be willing to receive duplicates 
returned by other stations and libraries 
and preserve them to supply the needs of 
libraries in the future. A resolution was 
adopted that a committee be appointed to 
confer with the American Association of 
Agricultural College and Experiment Sta- 
tions at their October meeting and to 
recommend to them that each station ar- 
range to keep a reserve supply of not less 
than 1.50 copies of each publication issued. 

SECOND SESSION 

Dr. H. E. Horton, agricultural commis- 
sioner of the American Steel and Wire 
Company, Chicago, presented a paper on 
"Agricultural Research," and also read por- 
tions of his bibliography of research ma- 
terial which he had grouped by subject. 
There followed a spirited discussion and 
Dr. Horton answered numerous questions. 

Mr. Deveneau, for the Pood information 
committee, reported that reading lists were 



340 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



wanted on canning, drying, food storage 
and other related subjects, and requested 
that members of the section willing to 
prepare such lists offer their services at 
once for that purpose. 

The Nominating committee, consisting 
of Miss Ogden, Miss Galloway and Miss 
Derby, nominated the following ofl5cers for 



the coming year, and on motion they were 
elected: 

Chairman, George A. Deveneau, librarian 
College of Agriculture, University of Il- 
linois. 

Secretary, Mary C. Lacy, Library of the 
Department of Agriculture, Washington, 
D. C. 



CATALOG SECTION 



Miss Edna L. Goss, of the University of 
Minnesota Library, chairman of the Cat- 
alog Section, was unable to attend the con- 
ference, and Miss Margaret Mann, of the 
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, acted as 
chairman of both sessions. 

FIRST SESSION 

For the first meeting, held on Friday 
evening, June 22, a program for a sym- 
posium on classification making had been 
arranged by Mr. A. Law Voge, Mechanics'- 
Mercantile Library, San Francisco, secre- 
tary of the Decimal classification advisory 
committee, the subject being presented at 
this time especially to foster the interest 
of the subcommittees working on classifi- 
cation expansion and revision. 

Dr. C. W. Andrews, librarian of the John 
Crerar Library, Chicago, read the first 
paper, on 

PRINCIPLES OF CLASSIFICATION MAKING 

(See p. 195) 
Mr. J. Christian Bay, of the John Crerar 
Library, followed with a paper on 

CLASSIFICATION 

(See p. 199) 
The subject of a paper by Mr. Henry B. 
Bliss, Of the College of the City of New 
York, was 

THE PBOBLEM AND THEOBT OF LIBRART 
CLASSIFICATION 

(See p. 200) 
Mr. Charles A. Flagg, librarian of the 
Bangor (Me.) Public Library, presented a 
paper on 

CLASSIFICATION MARINO 

(See p. 198) 



Mr. A. Law Voge, of the Mechanics'- 
Mercantlle Library, San Francisco, also 
had as the subject of his paper 

CLASSIFICATION MAKING 

(See p. 190) 

"Some notes on classification," by Mr. 
W. I. Fletcher, librarian emeritus of Am- 
herst College Library, form his last con- 
tribution to library science, as word of 
his death was received during the Con- 
ference. The notes, read by the secretary, 
are as follows: 

"Almost 'sixty years after' I find myself 
favoring a simple classification, by which 
I mean one with few subdivisions, as op- 
posed to the elaborate schemes with their 
careful provision of a separate place on the 
shelves and in the notation for every mi- 
nutest change in subject. 

"The almost universal adoption of the 
Cutter author-table suggests the making 
of fewer classes and the exact alphabetical 
placing of the books in the resultant large 
classes. Most of our libraries have already 
applied this principle to fiction and to bi- 
ography; I would advise carrying it much 
further. History, for example, may have 
period divisions only for the larger and 
more important countries, and in local 
history, in libraries outside New England, 
for example. New England may form one 
class, with exact alphabetical arrangement. 
This view is submitted in the belief that 
there is something in it. 

"I have given much thought to the di- 
lemma in which libraries are being caught 
by the rapid progress of knowledge in all 
departments. Either they must be con- 
tent a few years hence, to live under a sys- 
tem rapidly becoming antiquated, or they 
must find some way to introduce a certain 
fluidity into their systems, so that there 
may be a change from time to time to 
meet the demands of a new day. I don't 
know how this is to be done; it is for the 



CATALOG SECTION 



341 



new generation of librarians now coming 
on the stage to devise. I do feel confident, 
however, that one great help In the solu- 
tion of this difficulty will be found in the 
idea advocated in my first paragraph." 

Mr. George W. Lee, of Stone and Web- 
ster, Boston, expressed the opinion that an 
existing classification should be used it 
possible, and offered five tentative sugges- 
tions for "beginners or the uninitiated" 
in forming a new system. He emphasized 
the necessity of a "sponsorship" for classi- 
fication, where all questions on classifica- 
tion and of Interest and import to classi- 
fiers should be sent, and suggested the 
Decimal classification advisory committee 
as such sponsor. 

A humorous skit against close classifica- 
tion and elaborate notation, by Mr. Joseph 
C. Rowell, University of California Library, 
afforded a bit of merriment In the serious 
discussion. 

In a paper by Mr. W. S. Merrill of the 
Newberry Library, Chicago (privately 
printed), on "Printing the headings of a 
system of classification on guide cards," 
the writer told of the experiment, started 
at the Newberry Library three years ago, 
of multigraphlng classification headings 
and class numbers upon tabbed guide 
cards. These guides are filed before the 
subject cards grouped under their respec- 
tive subjects in the classed catalog and 
all subject headings omitted upon the sub- 
ject cards. This omission saves looking 
up the precise form of heading to be typed 
on each card, the labor of typing and its 
revision. His mention of this at this time 
was to suggest that the Decimal classifica- 
tion advisory committee should issue sets 
of tabbed guide cards corresponding to the 
headings that appear in the printed classi- 
fication and sell these to libraries using 
this scheme. 

These guides could be inserted at once 
in the classed catalog and no future sub- 
ject headings at all need be typed on sub- 
ject cards. A further consideration was 
that by printed guides issued by the pro- 
prietor of a system of classification, new 
headings could be promptly supplied to 
users of that system and thus classifiers 



be provided with facilities for keeping 
their work abreast of the literature they 
are called upon to handle. Much interest 
was shown in Mr. Merrill's sample guide 
cards. 

Dr. C. W. Andrews, chairman of the Dec- 
imal classification advisory committee, 
read extracts from his report of that com- 
mittee which has been printed in the A. 
L. A. Report of Committees, for 1916-17. 
In supplementing his report Dr. Andrews 
said it was the intention of the committee 
to issue lists showing questions submitted 
with the committee's decisions based upon 
recommendations. He stated it was sur- 
prising to see how the committee members 
differed, and that those submitting ques- 
tions should bear this in mind when an- 
swers are slow in coming. 

Mr. Voge asked for volunteers to help in 
the work of the committees formed to 
bring in classifications this year. 

The meeting then adjourned. 

SECOND SESSION 
The second session devoted to cataloging 
was held Monday morning, June 25, and 
was opened by a paper by Mr. Linn R. 
Blanchard, of the Newberry Library, Chi- 
cago, on 

SOME CATALOGEns' REFERENCE BOOKS OF RE- 
CENT TEARS 

(See p. 203) 
Miss Theresa Hltchler, of the Brooklyr 
Public Library, read a paper by Miss Mit 
nie E. Sears, of the New York Public Li- 
brary, on 

THE ORGANIZATION OF A CATALOGINO DEPART- 
MENT 

(See p. 207) 
In the discussion Miss Hltchler said she 
was glad the human side of cataloging was 
at last being considered, since the effi- 
ciency of the library depends upon the cat- 
alog and the efficiency of the catalogers de- 
pends upon their happiness. She told of 
the esprit de corps of her department, of 
how her staff works with her and not for 
her, and of the Importance of discovering 
potentialities which when encouraged are 
to the best advantage of the entire system. 



342 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Miss Julia Pettee, of the Union Tlieolog- 
ical Seminary, mentioned that that insti- 
tution encouraged catalogers to take col- 
lege courses on library time. 

In continuing this subject by statements 
of the actual organization of work in sev- 
eral libraries, Miss Hitchler spoke of the 
Brooklyn Public Library, Miss Mann of the 
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Miss 
Sophie K. Hiss of the Cleveland Public Li- 
brary, and Miss Mary E. Baker of the Uni- 
versity of Missouri Library. The papers 
were exhaustive and illuminating and espe- 
cially vital from their showing that in the 
main the same routine is followed in all li- 
braries and that processes differ only slight- 
ly. The three libraries reported that all 
use printed cards (one printing its own) 
and centralize the cataloging for branches 
and other agencies at the main library, 
from which cards are sent. The head cat- 
aloger has the executive control of the de- 
partment and is responsible for all the 
work. 

All particularly emphasized the necessity 
for cordial cooperation between the cat- 
aloging, reference and order departments, 
and the desirability of inviting criticism 
and suggestions from other departments 
and the public. The staff is divided into 
trained experts and clerical assistants, and 
change of work is allowed in each group 
to avoid monotony and foster interest as 
well as to keep the staff flexible. The sense 
of the importance of the cataloger's place 
in the library's organization and of her in- 
spiration through work with the public 
was urged as a means of keeping catalog- 
ers from seeking other fields of library 
work as being more attractive. 

The last part of the program was given 
to a discussion on "Cooperative catalog- 
ing," introduced by Mr. Philip S. Goulding, 
of the University of Illinois Library. Mr. 
Goulding said: 

"Cooperative cataloging, in its stricter 
sense, of course means the working to- 
gether of various libraries on their cat- 
aloging, but it has come of late to mean the 
preparation and distribution of cards by 



some central bureau. The need for some 
improved methods of cooperative catalog- 
ing is quite evident, as head catalogers and 
librarians all know how nearly impossible 
it is to secure good catalogers at any price 
whatever. This will in time lead to an 
extension of the present methods of co- 
operative work. 

"At present there is very little coopera- 
tive cataloging in the stricter sense, the 
only notable example being the A. L. A. 
periodical cards, copy for which is fur- 
nished by some half a dozen cooperating 
libraries, and the cards printed and dis- 
tributed by a central bureau. In the more 
usual sense the only considerable instances 
are the Library of Congress and the John 
Crerar Library, whose output is so inval- 
uable to most libraries, large and small, 
throughout the country. Other large li- 
braries have started a distribution similar 
to these, notably the Harvard College Li- 
brary, which still continues, but covers a 
limited field and holds stock not over 
thirty days; such also was the work of 
the University of Chicago Library and the 
University of California Library, both of 
which now have discontinued it, to the re- 
gret of many besides ourselves. Many still 
print or multigraph cards, as for example 
the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the 
New York Public Library, the University 
of Michigan Library, the St. Louis Public 
Library, and others, including my own li- 
brary in Illinois; but these are mainly for 
the use of the library making them, and 
are not sold to other libraries nor made 
available for actual use in other catalogs, 
although exchanges are carried on between 
many of these libraries and others I have 
mentioned, chiefly for the purpose of in- 
ter-library loans. 

"In the Library Journal, October, 1915, 
plans for cooperative cataloging were sug- 
gested by Mr. Blease, an English librarian, 
and may be worth a few remarks here. He 
outlined three plans: First, the making 
of a union catalog by the cooperating li- 
braries. This of course would not at all 
serve the purposes we are now considering 
and so needs no further discussion. Sec- 
ond, cooperative work by means of ex- 
change of slips, each library to be respon- 
sible for a certain class or section which 
it has developed and in which it has spe- 
cialized. This would involve some care in 
outlining a routine for such exchange ot 
slips, as well as many compromises in the 
forms to be used and in the distribution of 
costs for the printing and distribution of 
the finished cards among the cooperating 
libraries, but some modification of it might 
possibly be worked out that would in the 



CHILDREN'S LIBRARIANS' SECTION 



343 



end prove feasible. Third, a combination 
of the Boolclist and the Library of Con- 
gress, by which a central bureau would 
select books thought desirable for pur- 
chase by the cooperating libraries, send out 
lists to those libraries, and proceed forth- 
with to the cataloging and preparation of 
printed cards. These lists would be checked 
for purchase by each library, returned to 
the central bureau and cards furnished 
accordingly. The expenses of the bureau 
would be met by assessing each library a 
sum based on its expenditures for books 
per annum, and the books secured would, 
I suppose, become its property, although 
I am not sure on this point. This plan 
might be excellent for the smaller and the 
public libraries, but I doubt its value for 
the larger, reference or university libra- 
ries, owing to the large proportion of tech- 
nical, foreign and similar material pur- 
chased by this class. 

"Mr. R. H. Johnston, of the Bureau of 
Railway Economics, outlined in a recent 
number of the Library Jotirnal a plan for 
cooperative work that might bear serious 
consideration. He proposes to furnish any 
library wishing them with stenciled cards 
for analytics of his railway engineering 
periodicals, at cost or perhaps free of all 
charge. This stencil plan might very eas- 
ily be used in other large and highly spe- 
cialized libraries, and much helpful work 
accomplished thereby." 



Continuing this discussion Mr. Charles 
Martel, of the Library of Congress, said 
that the Library of Congress was trying to 
make cards more useful by simplifying the 
headings. He said that there was much 
interest shown in reference cards and the 
desire was expressed that they be printed 
and also that open entries be reprinted. 
Time did not permit of further discussion 
of this most important problem and the 
desire was expressed that it be included 
in next year's program of this section. 

Mr. J. C. M. Hanson, of the University 
of Chicago Library, announced that the 
A. L. A. Catalog committee would meet in 
January, and that its chairman, Mr. W. W. 
Bishop, of the University of Michigan Li- 
brary, wanted suggestions for the work of 
Iiis committee. 

The Nominating committee, through Its 
chairman, Mr. Voge, proposed Miss Ade- 
laide F. Evans, of the Detroit Public Li- 
brary, as chairman for the coming year, 
and Miss Mary E. Baker, University of 
Missouri, secretary. They were elected 
and the meeting adjourned. 

Bessie Goldberg, 
Secretary. 



CHILDREN'S LIBRARIANS' SECTION 



The first meeting of the Children's 
Librarian's Section was held in the Audi- 
torium of the Seelbach Hotel, Friday even- 
ing, June 22. Miss Alice M. Jordan, Boston 
Public Library, presided and introduced 
Miss Sarah C. N. Bogle, principal of the 
Carnegie Library School, who struck the 
keynote of the meeting in her paper, 

PREPAREDNE.SS TO MEET NEW EDUCATIONAL 
DEMANDS 

(See p. 153) 
Miss Bernice Bell, Louisville Free Pub- 
lic Library, considered the subject of pre- 
paredness to meet racial problems, in a 
paper entitled 

THE COLORED BRANCHES OF THE LOUISVILIE 
FREE LIBRARY 

(See p. 169) 



She gave an account of the work done 
in the colored branches of Louisville, 
dwelling particularly on the reading inter- 
ests of colored children and their joy in 
the dramatic expression afforded them by 
the story hour. Opportunity was given at 
once to test the last statement, when Vir- 
ginia Allen, aged 10, winner of the inter- 
mediate story-telling contest, told "The 
fisherman and his wife," and Blyden Jack- 
son, aged 6, winner of the primary story- 
telling contest, told "The ginger-bread 
boy." The children had not been trained 
for the occasion, being allowed to tell the 
stories in their own way, which they did 
with great naturalness and keen enjoyment 
of the situations. 

Miss Bertha E. Mahony, director of the 



344 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



Bookshop for boys and girls, Boston, read 
a delightful paper on the history, aims and 
results of this unique bookshop. As this 
Is substantially the same paper which she 
read before the American Booksellers' As- 
sociation in May, and which appeared in 
the Publishers' Weekly for May 26, 1917, 
p. 1701, it has been omitted with regret 
from the Proceedings because of lack of 
space. Miss Annie Carroll Moore, super- 
visor of work with cliildren. New York 
Public Library, was unable to be present, 
but sent an article in appreciation of the 
service rendered by the Bookshop, whicli 
was read by Mr. John A. Lowe, Massachu- 
setts Free Public Library Commission, 
under the title 

THE BOOKSHOP FOE BOYS AXD GIRLS 

(See p. 168) 

Miss Zachert then read the report of the 
committee on the Production of children's 
books (see p. 345), after which the meet- 
ing adjourned. 

The second meeting was held Friday 
morning, June 25, in the same place. Mrs. 
Louise M. Dunn's paper, 

THE READING OF THE ADOLESCENT GIRL 

was read by Miss Mary R. Cochran, of the 
Cleveland Public Library. 

(See p. 162) 

The discussion aroused by this thought- 
ful contribution to a difficult and perplex- 
ing subject was opened by Miss Mary 
Brown Humphrey, librarian of the Girls' 
High School Branch, Louisville Free Pub- 
lic Library, who agreed with Mrs. Dunn 
that there should be the right kind of 
book for every girl, but the difficulty lay 
in deciding the age of the adolescent girl 
— in knowing just where to place her. 
Instances were cited of the tremendous 
variation in the age of the girl at this 
period of development, showing how nec- 
essary it is to know the girls Individually 
in order to give them the right sort of 
help. Miss Ellen C. Warren, Louisville 
Free Public Library, told how the problem 
of the boys' and girls' reading was met 
in that library by a carefully selected list 



of intermediate books kept in the adult 
room, which was freshened from time to 
time by the addition of new and suitable 
titles. Miss Emma Grauman, librarian of 
the Eastern Departmental School, gave an 
interesting account of the development of 
the children's interest in reading through 
the appeal made to their dramatic feeling. 
Miss Annie S. Anderson, principal of the 
Kentucky Home School, Louisville, ex- 
pressed her conviction, based on observa- 
tion as well as experience, that the reading 
interests of children could be successfully 
directed only through a very close and 
sympathetic cooperation between the 
school and the library. She emphasized 
the importance of using "books of the 
spirit" in cultivating the ideals of young 
people. Mrs. W. H. Henry of Louisville 
treated the problem of the reading of boys 
and girls from tlie parents' point of view, 
mentioning the danger lying in the fact 
that few parents realize the importance 
of this period in their children's lives. 
In speaking of the demand for sensational 
stories, she said it should be met by 
giving both boys and girls heroic litera- 
ture. The discussion from the floor was 
brisk and to the point, for the most part 
either taking the form of personal experi- 
ence in directing the reading of boys and 
girls, or in stating individual problems that 
had arisen in this connection, and how 
they had been met. Among others who 
contributed to this discussion were: Miss 
Emma R. Engle, Philadelphia Free Li- 
brary; Miss Adeline B. Zachert, Rochester 
Public Library; Miss Jennie M. Flexner 
and Miss Bernice W. Bell, Louisville Free 
Public Library; Miss Jessie H. Millard, 
Portland Library Association, and Miss 
Helen F. Ingersoll, Denver Public Library. 

At the business meeting which followed 
the minutes of the preceding meeting and 
the financial report were read and ap- 
proved. Miss Zachert then read for the 
second time the report of the committee 
on the Production of children's books. It 
was moved and seconded that the report 
be approved as it stood and a committee 
of five be appointed. This committee con- 



CHILDREN'S LIBRARIANS' SECTION 



345 



fiista of: Mr. Dudgeon, the three members 
of the 1916 committee, Miss Burnite, Miss 
Zachert and Miss Hazeltine; and a fifth 
member to be appointed by the Chairman 
of the A. L. A. Bookbinding committee. The 
report was as follows: 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 

PRODUCTION OF CHILDREN'S 

BOOKS 

At the 1916 business meeting of the 
Children's Librarians' Section, a proposed 
communication to the American Booksell- 
ers' Association on the undesirable phys- 
ical features of children's books was read 
and a committee appointed to consider 
such action. The committee makes the 
following report: 

It is the general experience of librarians 
that certain features of numbers of chil- 
dren's books render them either not de- 
sirable and consequently expensive for 
library use, or unattractive to their read- 
ers, or even physically harmful to them. 
Many of these features the dealers or 
manufacturers are working to solve, but it 
is obviously the duty of librarians to keep 
them fully informed upon such points and 
make suggestions as far as their experi- 
ence justifies. 

In the matter of durability of books, 
librarians know that the paper, binding, 
etc., often lessens by half the life of a book 
for library use, and with the increased cost 
of books it is highly probable that librar- 
ians will feel that they must strike from 
their order lists books which cannot stand 
a reasonable amount of wear. 

In the matter of the attractiveness of 
a book and the comfort and convenience 
of the reader, there are many instances 
of serious offenses in typography, particu- 
larly in the size of type, length of line, 
and the distance between lines. Also, 
standard books are often very unattract- 
ively bound, books are of awkward sizes, 
and books for quite little children are 
often much too large for them to turn the 
pages correctly and conveniently, thus 
tending to form bad habits in the children 
and causing undue wear on the books. 

In addition to these matters, publishers 
often issue standard books rewritten or 
adapted in ways which lessen their value 
or even render them undesirable. On the 
other hand, some standard books might be 
abridged to advantage, if judiciously done, 
and a number of standard books might be 
published in more attractive editions. 

In some of these matters, certain pub- 



lishers have taken pains to learn the 
opinion of librarians, and librarians have 
often given freely of their time in answer- 
ing letters and working out suggestions. 
It is important, however, that such prac- 
tical knowledge should be utilized In the 
way which will bring about the largest 
results. For this reason, the committee 
feels that a standing committee on the 
production of children's books is desirable 
and that the formation of such a commit- 
tee is the first step rather than a general 
letter to the Booksellers' Association 
from the Children's Librarians' Section. 
Viewed by and large, the function of such 
a committee would be to gather from 
librarians information regarding the un- 
satisfactory features of books, with spe- 
cific instances thereof, and to take up 
such matters with the particular publishers 
involved. The committee should accept, 
after due consideration, the decisions of 
some authority on proper type, size of 
type, etc., for children in general and 
for children of varying ages, and should 
give information to librarians regarding 
books which do not meet such a standard. 
It should be ready to advise with any pub- 
lisher who so desires it, regarding new 
editions of standard books and other mat- 
ters which relate to making good books 
more attractive to children. 

Such a committee would need to notify 
each publisher of its existence, general 
scope, and desire to be of practical serv- 
ice; it should ask through the library 
periodicals for information and suggestions 
from librarians, requesting that librarians 
who correspond with publishers regarding 
these matters keep this committee in- 
formed of the nature of the correspond- 
ence. 

Although the Booksellers' Association 
cannot answer for the publishers to any 
considerable extent in matters of book 
production, they need to know the experi- 
ence and needs of the librarians, and a 
plan should be worked out for keeping 
them apprised of needs and seeking their 
cooperation. 

We recommend, therefore, the appoint- 
ment of a standing committee on the pro- 
duction of children's books, this commit- 
tep to be composed of five members, one 
of whom should be a member appointed by 
the chairman of tlie A. L. A. lioolvbinding 
Committee, three members of the Section 
of the Children's Librarians, appointed by 
the present chairman, and one chief li- 
brarian, appointed by the present chair- 
man. Three of these appointments should 



346 



LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 



be for two years, and two for one year. 
The succeeding appointments should be 
for two years each. 

Caroline Buenite, 
For the Committee. 
Officers elected for 1918 are: Chairman, 
Sarah C. N. Bogle, principal of the Car- 
negie Library School; vice-chairman, Helen 



F. Ingersoll, Denver Public Library; sec- 
retary, Elisabeth Knapp, Detroit Public 
Library; advisory board, Margaret M. 
Colerick, Port Wayne Public Library. The 
session then adjourned. 

RosiNA C. Gymeb, 
Secretary. 



COLLEGE AND REFERENCE SECTION 



The section was called to order at 2:30 
p. m. in the Hotel Seelbach, Louisville, by 
Mr. H. M. Lydenberg, chairman. 

In the absence of Dr. E. C. Richardson, 
the chairman read an abstract of his paper 
on 

THE RETTJKN OF COOPEBATIVE INDEXING 

(See p. 222) 
Mr. J. C. M. Hanson, associate director 
of the University of Chicago Libraries, 
read a paper on 

DEPABTMENTAL LIBBAItlES AT THE UNIVERSITY 
OF CHICAGO 

(See p. 211) 
Mr. George Parker Winship, Widener 
librarian. Harvard University, gave a talk 
on 

THE UNIVERSITY PRESS IN RELATION TO THE 
LIBRARY WORLD 

(See p. 241) 
In the discussion that followed. Dr. 
Raney, of the Johns Hopkins University 
Library, emphasized the point that the 
founding of the Johns Hopkins University 
press was due solely to the fact that when 
the university was founded there existed 
In this country no press capable of han- 
dling the printing their needs required. 
He spoke also of the successful solution 
of the problem of departmental libraries 
in a university collection by the arrange- 



ment of book stacks and study rooms in 
the new building for the Johns Hopkins 
University Library. 

The question was discussed further by 
Messrs. Bishop of Michigan, and Smith of 
Wisconsin. 

Dr. C. W. Andrews, of the John Crerar 
Library, read a paper entitled 

A PLAN FOR A CENSUS OF IIBBABY RESOURCES 

(See p. 221) 

Mr. G. W. Lee, of the Stone & Webster 
library, Boston, in discussing the latter 
paper urged the need of a census of 
sponsors for knowledge. 

The Nominating committee. Prof. A. S. 
Root of Oberlin and Mr. W. M. Smith of 
Wisconsin, made the following recom- 
mendations, which were unanimously 
adopted: For chairman, 1917-1918, Mr. W. 
W. Bishop of the University of Michigan; 
Mr. Malcolm G. Wyer of the University of 
Nebraska, secretary; Mr. George Parker 
Winship of Harvard, for member of com- 
mittee on Arrangements, for the three 
year term. 

It was voted to ask the incoming execu- 
tive committee to consider the advisability 
of changing the name of the section to 
"College and Reference Library Section." 

The meeting adjourned at 5:00 p. m. 
P. L. WINDSOR, 
Acting Secretary. 



PROFESSIONAL TRAINING SECTION 



PROFESSIONAL TRAINING SECTION 



The eighth annual meeting was called to 
order by the chairman, Miss Sarah C. N. 
Bogle, on Tuesday, June 6, at 9:30 a. m. 
Minutes of the preceding meeting were 
read and approved. 

A Nominating committee consisting of 
Carrie E. Scott, Helen Turvlll, and Adah 
F. Whitcomb was appointed to report at 
the close of the meeting. 

The first speaker on the program. Miss 
Jessie Welles, instructor of the Toledo 
Public Library training class, presented a 
paper on 

SECONDABT EDUCATION IN LIBRARY WORK 

(See p. 148) 
Prof. Azariah S. Root, temporary prin- 
cipal of the library school of the New 
York Public Library, followed with a pre- 
sentation of the subject of 

THE LIBRARY SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE 

(See p. 157) 
Mr. Phineas L. Windsor, librarian of the 
University of Illinois Library, read the 
third and last paper, entitled 

THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN LIBRARY 
SCHOOLS 

(See p. 160) 

A general discussion followed the read- 
ing of these papers. Miss Alice S. Tyler, 
director of the Western Reserve Library 
School, said the time had come when con- 
nection and differentiation between train- 
ing class and library school should be dis- 
cussed to the end that some basic training 
be decided upon for the training class, the 
subjects, amount of time spent on each, 
and the character of the training in order 
to lead up to the library school training. 

Professor Root spoke of the undesirability 
of giving students courses in work already 
covered by practical experience. 

Mr. Windsor reported that examinations 
In junior work for advanced standing were 
given by the library schools of the New 
York Public Libraries, New York State 
Library and University of Illinois. 

Miss Theresa Hitchler, of the Brooklyn 



Public Library, criticised the amount of 
time spent in the schools on "dots and 
dashes." More emphasis should be placed 
on personality and wide general knowledge 
of books and men. 

Miss Lura C. Hutchinson, in charge of 
the Minneapolis Public Library apprentice 
class, suggested that it would be a great 
help if the Association of Library Schools 
would map out a course for the training 
of apprentices.* 

Miss Mary E. Downey, state organizer 
for Utah, asked how new library schools 
could develop if the training class were not 
allowed to progress. The time was coming 
when each state should have a library 
school. 

Dr. George F. Bowerman, librarian of 
the Public Library of Washington, D. C, 
emphasized the need of a standardized 
curriculum for the training class, with 
post-graduate instruction for the members 
of the staff, to stimulate cultural reading 
and the desire for higher standards In the 
library profession. 

Miss Hitchler said that every assistant 
must go on reading and broadening. A 
long term of years does not count unless 
one advances. 

Miss Jennie E. Doran, of the Denver 
Public Library, felt that the educational 
equipment should come before the tech- 
nical because appointments to the higher 
positions depend upon college training, li- 
brary school training or both. 

Miss Ethel R. Sawyer, training class di- 
rector of the Library Association of Port- 
land, spoke of a survey of the conditions 
in the country where there are no library 
schools, certain training classes to be