THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY 0-2_O.C AM 1917 Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutiloHon, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. University of Illinois Library S£P 28 IZ 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 158 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 192 LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 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 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 ■. 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.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■ 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- 332 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 LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 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 326 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- 328 LOUISVILLE CONFERENCE 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