"L I B R.AR.Y OF THE. U N I VER.S ITY OF ILLINOIS O20.G AM 1881-85 The person charging this material is re- sponsible for its return on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. University of Illinois Library "" ' PAPERS AND PROCEEDINGS EKrffFH GENERAL MEETING ICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, LAKE GEORGE, SEPTEMBER 8 TO u, BOSTON: PRESS OF ROCKWELL AND CHURCHILL, 39 ARCH STREET. I88 5 . CONTENTS. Article. Author. Page. Some compensations in a librarian's life W: E. Foster 1-6 Note on printing the British Museum catalogue R: Garnett . . 6-12 Note on the card catalogue of Leiden University W. N. Du Rieu 12-14 King Leo's classification ; or, how the king of the beasts organized his kingdom E. C.Richardson '4-'7 Encyclopaedia and librarians E. C. Richardson 17-19 Cataloging anonymous works by known authors B: P. Mann 19 On the cost of catalogues J. L. Whitney 20-22 The college library R. A. Guild 22-27 Libraries of Young- Men's Christian Associations , R. B. Poole 27-29 Public libraries and the public, with special reference to the San Francisco Free Public Library F: B. Perkins 29-35 Libraries with museums H: A. Homes 35~37 The best use of duplicates E. M. Barton ........ 37-40 The probable intellectual and moral outcome of the rapid increase of public libraries B. K. Peirce United States government publications Note on the classes and printing of U.S. public documents Bibliothecal science and economy. Article 1 1. of the A. L. A. constitution . What should be done for an old library with a limited income? K. . R: R. Bowker . . . T. H. McKee . . . . E. C. Richardson . . G: T. Little . . 40-42 42-47 47-50 Chronological arrangement on shelves W. S. Biscoe 5 2 ~53 Note on the National Library of Mexico A. N. Brown . . . Small library buildings W. F. Poole . . . Report on classification, 1883-85 W: C. Lane .... Yearly report on cataloging C: A. Nelson . . . Yearly report on college libraries W. I. Fletcher . . First yearly report on theological libraries E. C. Richardson . Yearly report on library legislation C: C. Soule .... Yearly report on the reading of the young Miss H. P. yames Report of the Committee on the proposed School of Library Economy W: E. Foster . . . Proceedings 101-160 First Session 101-120 Address by Vice-President Poole . Secretary's report Treasurer's report Report of the Finance Committee Cooperation Committee Lake George meeting Essay index 107 Transliteration 100 Authority and influence of the A. L.A 115 School ot library economy 117 Librarians ... 117 Book-supports 117 Informal Session 118-120 Second Session 120-132 British Museum catalogue The Library journal The Leyden catalogue Chronological arrangement on the shelves . . Classification and notation Encyclopaedia and librarians Poole's index Yearly report on catalogues Book sizes Type-writers in libraries Library handwriting Authors' full names and the use of catalogues . 101 103 104 105 IS I2O 120 121 The cost of cataloguing Cataloguing pamphlets '23 I2 4 I2 4 126 127 127 129 The cost of cataloguing books Combining libraries with museums 131 A. L.A. catalog 132 Officers 132 Third Session '33-J34 Cataloging rules: Anonymous articles by known authors 133 College library 133 Yearly report on college libraries 133 Libraries of Young Men's Christian Associations, 133 Yearly report on theological libraries 133 Relations of a free library to its community . . Libraries and museums Fourth Session Outcome of the increase of public libraries . . Library legislation Reading of the young Fifth Session Library journal Small library buildings S4-SS , 56-62 , 63-68 69-73 73-75 75-S2 , 82-84 , 84-97 . 97-100 '34 '34 '34 >34 '34 134 '34 '34 '34 Shelves '34-'3 Galleries Stacks Iron stack system Twin stairs Yearly report on library architecture Nominations Electric lights '35 ' 3 * 136 "37 '39 '39 '39 Sixth Session 141-149 United States government publications Keport of the committee on the distribution of public documents Resolutions International exchanges Library journal Catalogue of the Library of Congress .... Colors in binding Time of the annual meeting , Seventh Session Lettering backs of books , Economy in binding periodicals Binding in the building . . . Binding in duck Endowment of special subjects Councillors Accession-books < Mexican libraries Art. 2 of A. L.A. constitution Library insurance Officers of the Association, 1885-86 List of persons present List of members of the A. L.A 141 141 '43 '43 '43 '44 '45 H7 149 149 '5' '5' '5* '53 '54 '54 '54 '54 '54 'S3 '55 iS7 CONFERENCE OF LIBRARIANS. LAKE GEORGE, SEPTEMBER, 1885. SOME COMPENSATIONS IN A LIBRARIAN'S LIFE. BY W: E. FOSTER, PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY. IF such compensations there are, they of course presuppose the existence of some- thing to be compensated for. We will begin, then, by an inquiry in this direction, and ascer- tain, if possible, some of the dfoadvantages of a librarian's life. First, and very obviously, the librarian's po- sition is like that of Tantalus. He is up to his eyes in books, but the reading of these books in any leisurely manner is not for him. Again, the librarian is like Sisyphus. He is all the time rolling the same stone up the same hill. His work is no nearer being "finished" on the last day of the year than it was on the first. In fact, his work like "woman's work" "is never done." Again, the librarian's work is one of infinite detail, often of painful detail, quite as often of obscure detail. In the eyes of others much of his work is of such a nature that it can never show for what it is worth. Once more, look at the hermit-like manner in which the librarian must cut himself off from all outside matters to prosecute his work. Withdrawing himself from association with the great world of life and thought around him, he is compelled to thread his way book- worm-like through the accumulated musti- ness of years, sometimes of centuries. And, then, think of the tendency to super- ficiality. From so many different directions do the demands upon his time and energies come that he cannot know all the topics of investiga- tion perfectly, perhaps none. Well, the indictment is certainly a formidable one. Let us slightly changing the order recapitulate the successive counts : (1) A librarian's duties allow him no time for the conventional method of reading. (2) They confine him to minute and petty details. (3) They withdraw him from the common concerns of life. (4) They are connected with a tendency to superficiality. (5) His work must, from the necessities of the case, always fall short of completeness. Who is there, in view of this state of things, who would be a librarian? We propose to examine these counts in suc- cession, and then to ask, " Who would not be a librarian? " (i) The first of these objections is that the librarian has no time for the conventional method of reading. It is true let us frankly acknowledge it that in the case of by far the greater part of his reading he knows nothing of the luxury of taking down from the shelf a book which strikes his fancy, of leisurely opening it, judicially making up his mind whether he really wants to read that book or not, calmly, and with utter obliviousness to time, making acquaintance with its main feat- ures, settling himself down, day after day, for the luxury of a taste of the book, a little at a time, until the unwelcome " Finis" is reached. No. Were the knowledge which he gains of the books under his care to be obtained in LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. this way, the librarian who reads would indeed be lost. Let us resort to a comparison to illustrate the difference between the conventional method and his method. The former is that of the free-hearted sportsman out for a day's shoot- ing in the marshes. The latter is that of the trained sharp-shooter, in the thick of an actual engagement, intent on doing the greatest amount of execution. One of these men means simply to pass away the time. The other means " business." Take another com- parison. The librarian's relation to his books is like that of the professional " taster," em- ployed by every large wine-merchant. On the other hand, the conventional reader's position is like that of a guest at the table, enjoying these same wines, and with no element of "busi- ness" intermingled. One might almost be justified, then, in designating as the " business method " of dealing with books, this acquired habit, which is at once expeditious, compre- hensive, and effective. Let us imagine an instance. You are intro- duced to a collection of books never before ex- amined. For the back of the book a single glance suffices. Unceremoniously opening it you devour at once such information about the book itself as is furnished by the title-page, the table of contents, the preface, the index, the foot-notes, the chronology, the bibliog- raphy, etc. What now remains to be known? Why, the book itself. Its text. Its kernel. Its meat. And yet not in every case is even this examination necessary. Let us say that 5,000 volumes per year come from the presses of American publishers. Perhaps 50 per cent, of these are deserving of a thorough examina- tion. Of the remainder a certain portion are merely reissues of an old book, or the un- scrupulous working-over of older materials, or the inadequate and valueless attempt of some writer to deal with a subject for which he is not fitted, or some other one of the almost infinite variety of unsuccessful, undesirable, unwelcome, worthless literature. These will not detain the librarian. His time is wanted for dealing with the works of real merit. It is something gained to have avoided this chaff; but the benefit is not merely negative it is also positive. The librarian must of necessity exercise his judgment. He must ask himself such questions as, " What is the essential purpose of the book? " " What does it really aim to do?" "Is this purpose one which is really worth the effort? " " And, even if it is, how successfully has the purpose been accom- plished?" "What great and striking merit, in the way of argument, has the book?" " Is the author's method a sound one?" "Does he inspire confidence by the manner in which he deals with the problems under considera- tion?" "And is his line of argument well chosen?" "Moreover, is the argument well developed, and convincingly handled? " Pass- ing now from the logical features of the book to its literary characteristics there are still other questions to be asked : "Does it exhibit any great literary merit? " " Or, on the other hand, any great literary defect? " " Are there not other books on the same subject? " " And does this one really add anything of impor- tance to the sum of human knowledge on the subject? " " And, if it does, just in what rela- tion does it stand to what has gone before ? " The habit of mind for which these inquiries stand is, in fact, inseparable from a mental dis- cipline of the highest value, and yet a signifi- cant feature of it is that, in its workings, it really becomes habit, or " second nature." The trained observation notes at once, and in- voluntarily, just the point which is of essential importance, without hunting for it. The trained judgment, striking its comparison of the book's characteristics with almost unerr- ing precision, places it in its exact relations to other literature. Nor is this all. The memory is cultivated. The mind, in the in- spection of a book, takes note rapidly, yet with the automatic precision of a piece of ma- chinery, of certain details. Long afterwards some question is asked, an answer to which is furnished by what the mind had then incident- ally noted. (2) The second charge is one of pettiness of detail. It is true that the librarian's duties require him to be familiar with many details which are unimportant enough, if considered by themselves. But they are not to be con- sidered by themselves. Does it ever come FOSTER. amiss to know a book, in all its different phases, moral, intellectual, physical, to know the book in its synthesis, in the combina- tion of various elements furnished you by the bookseller, but no less in its analysis, as it is laid open under the hands of the bookbinder, as so much paper, so much twine, so much glue, so much pasteboard, so much leather, to know the operations comprised in printing the paper, folding it, trimming it, sewing, la- cing, backing, lettering, gilding, and stamping it? Not less will the librarian desire to know the history of printing processes, the methods of type-setting, proof-reading and correction, and the various forms of type. Certainly, he needs to know the various book-publishing es- tablishments, at home and abroad, prices charged for printing, for binding, for the com- pleted book, both when sold by the trade and at auctions, and the various " nice points " which go to enhance or diminish the market value of a particular copy. Upon the subject of cataloguing we have no time to enter. One cannot fail, however, to see the exceptional necessity, which there rules, for taking note of the minutest details. These are minute details, it is true ; but the discipline afforded is rich. Take, for instance, the case of an anonymous book. The title- page yields no information. Somewhere, how- ever, in the body of the book, you find the author using language which makes him indis- putably by any logical train of reasoning the author of a certain other book. The next step is to turn to that other book. This also is anonymous. At least its title-page bears no author's name, but it does bear the entry perhaps in very small type, " By the author of ; " still a third book being here mentioned by title. By great good fortune, a sight of this third title-page reveals, in black and white, the very name in question. The logical inference is not difficult : x = y. y=.z. Therefore, x= z. But it is not always that this sequence oc- curs. We will suppose that you are cata- loguing a large library, and are just bringing together, in alphabetical order, the cards or slips on which the books have been catalogued as they came to hand. Lying here, side by side, like six sea-shells thrown up on the beach, are six cards, each one of which bears the same author-entry, "Miller, John H." When your catalogue, then, goes to press, will there be entered the first of these, printed in full, dashes following on the five succeeding lines, to show the common authorship? Well, not necessarily. Not until after a careful investi- gation and verification, in the course of which you find that in the case of three of the " John H. Millers, " the middle initial is incapable of solution. Still, you find that, of the three, one lives in England, and one in California. The middle initial in the other three cases is suc- cessfully solved, in each instance proving to stand for Henry. Yet, of these " John Henry Millers," one is a clergyman in Maine, and another is a lawyer in Kentucky. The six entries, therefore, are found to belong to as many as four separate authors. It is not safe, then, to conclude that entries apparently alike are really identical, x does not equal y, unless you have carefully verified all doubtful points. Information, moreover, of the kind which we have been considering, must be looked for outside the two covers of the book in question. Biographical dictionaries, literary dictionaries, encyclopaedias, must be sometimes consulted. So also must the catalogues of other libraries, and also review articles, general treatises, etc. Fortunate will you be if you do not meet with conflicting testimony, or, what is worse, state- ments which agre.e perfectly, but are equally unfounded. By experience you learn that x is not y, merely because some one has said that it is. In conflicting testimony there will sometimes be a decided preponderance of definitely appre- hended and recognized authority on one side or the other ; but sometimes, also, a hopeless ab- sence of any real basis for making a distinction as to the greater trustworthiness of this or that authority. In this latter instance all you can report is "no result." And we cannot learn too early that "no result" is infinitely prefer- able to a "false result," to a statement in which some one, coming after, will have to dis- cover the error, make a correction of, and ex- plain away for the benefit of other investigators. LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Very early also the librarian will learn that the statements of the title-page itself are not always to be taken without some grains of salt. Leaving the whole question of pseu- donyms out of the account, books come to us with names on their title-pages other than the correct one. Names, moreover, are not always given in full, and sometimes, even when the title-page apparently does aim at this, we may be misled. If initials occur care is constantly necessary, to avoid confounding the abbrevia- tions of titles or similar terms (such as "M." for " Monsieur") with abbreviations of names (as " M." for Matthew). In short, the critical frame of mind is the attitude not one whit less appropriate to the investigations of a librarian than to those of a naturalist. Not only do names need an inquisitorial inspection, but titles as well. We have by no means forgotten the showing made by our associate, Mr. Whitney, in his paper pre- sented at our last meeting, and since published in a little volume, as to the Proteus-like re- appearance of the same book under two or more different titles. An astonishingly small percentage, indeed, of the information em- bodied in a single page of any printed library catalogue, actually appeared on the surface when it was wanted, but it had to be searched for. And it is through just such channels as these that the habits of critical investigation and research become almost "second nature" to the librarian. The instances just cited have been enough they have been more than enough to show what results accrue from this enforced atten- tion to details on the part of the librarian. His observing powers are sharpened ; his ability to discriminate is developed ; the judi- cial habit of balancing evidence, of weighing authority, becomes almost involuntary; and the habit of reasoning with logical precision, from the known to the unknown, is formed. The mind finds itself able to reject a doubtful or untenable position with ease, and to confine itself to what is unquestionably known. Above all, a sense of accuracy, subtle but certain, is acquired. What greater benefit could one desire, from a mental process, or a series of mental proc- esses? The work of the librarian does, indeed, deal with things which are trifles in themselves ; but we doubtless shall not forget that " Trifles make up perfection, but perfection is no trifle." (3) Superficiality also is one of the charges against the work of the librarian. We shall have no difficulty in acknowledging, to begin with, that the librarian is not in the position of an investigator of some special line of physical phenomena. Such an investigator may, with utter obliviousness to all other possible ques- tions in the world, bring to the test of his question all the phenomena which in any way remotely or intimately bear upon it. With an eye single to the attainment of this ideal he pursues his researches, day after day, and week after week. His researches, let us say, are in the field of the lower Crustacea. Were he to tell us of his acquisitions he would, perhaps, modestly assure us that he knew little else but the lower Crustacea. But these he knows thoroughly. And surely, in that minute, accurate, comprehensive, searching, thorough, exhaustive knowledge he has his reward. But so has the librarian also his reward. Possibly he also has an interest in the lower Crustacea. But, while he is studying this sub- ject, here comes a reader who wants minute and comprehensive assistance on the music of the Chinese ; here is another who is studying the poetry of the French revolution ; a third who is in search of a representation of English costume in the time of the Black Prince ; and a fourth who wants a list of the best books for children of twelve years of age. But these are by no means all. Here is a reader whose field of research is industrial cooperation. Here is another seeking for the original sources of information as to the treason of Charles Lee. Here is another who is investigating all known methods of measuring heat. Another wishes to ascertain everything accessible with regard to the Venus of Melos. What is the librarian to do ? He must not refuse, for it is the function of a public library to forward all such inquiries as these, and to cooperate in every possible way. But the librarian is not to follow them out equally on all these diverging lines. If he did his mental operations would be as effectually drawn out as FOSTER. the particles of dynamite in an explosion, and as thoroughly scattered and dissipated. Nor is it desirable. In any serious study five topics exhaustively treated are better than ten ; two are better than five; and one is better than two. Nor is it necessary. The librarian can be an efficient cooperator in these instances, even though not himself entering into these researches in their fulness. What avail his trained observation, his facility in research, his accurate discrimination, if they do not serve him here? But what should be the librarian's attitude in relation to researches of his own? Let us listen to Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes on this subject. He was once giving some counsel to a young physician of his acquaintance, and he remarked in his characteristic way: "You will need to know all that there is to be known about some one thing, and at the same time keep respectably informed on a great many things." Good advice this for a physician ; but is it not immeasurably better for a libra- rian? The librarian needs this "some one thing," call it hobby, call it the preparation of a monograph, call it investigation, call it what you like. In this way only will he bring under full control and into complete mastery those disciplined mental powers whose exercise might otherwise be like a delicately adjusted machine, " running wild," without any definite task set for it. The practice thus acquired in the consultation, and comparison, and verifica- tion of authorities, the method of research acquired, the increased facility in turning to and dealing with the sources of information, all this reacts on the work of the librarian in other fields, on his assistance to other readers, and makes it more thorough, more certain, more helpful. So much for the " one thing." What about the "great many things"? From these the librarian could not isolate himself if he would. Moreover these limited and partial excursions into the highways and the forest-paths of knowledge are not only not exhaustive, but are not considered as exhaustive. Superficiality does not consist as it is sometimes repre- sented in a limited amount of knowledge on a given subject. It is, rather, a putting of this limited knowledge in the place of exhaustive knowledge, and letting it pass for that. Looked at in this light the bugbear of superficiality will vanish. Moreover, these other lines of research are the agencies which will, of sheer necessity, prevent the librarian from falling into intel- lectual narrowness, and thus becoming not only a less serviceable guide to his readers, but in every way less of a man. (4) And this brings us, by a natural step, to our fourth count in the indictment against the librarian's profession, namely, that it has a tendency to withdraw him from the great world of life and activity about him. This, we must be allowed to observe, is a good in- stance of the survival of earlier notions, after the object or process has itself undergone a transformation. If, for instance, there be any significance in the term " bookworm," it lies in this : the idea of forever prying and ex- ploring through volumes of forgotten rubbish, and never coming to the light and air, where things of present interest are to be found. How, then, can the modern librarian be a book- worm? Rather, is he not the very man, of all men in the world, who cannot thus isolate him- self? " Present interest" ! That is the very principle of research on which he renders the greater part of his assistance to the readers who visit his library. " The world of life and activ- ity " ! There are few departments of human activity the impulse of whose investigations the library does not feel. You have but to look at the uses made of any public library, during the past twelve months, to see that this is the case. Here is a group of readers study- ing the operations of England in the Soudan. Here is a physician visiting the library to compare the registration statistics of different cities. Here is a manufacturer of carriages consulting all that he can find on the recently proposed treaty with Mexico, and studying it in all its bearings. Another reader has had his interest awakened by the Afghanistan diffi- culties, and is tracing back, step by step, the successive relations in which England and Rus- sia have stood to each other. Pupils in the public schools, having had their interest and at- tention aroused by the death of Victor Hugo, or the death of General Grant, have been led LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. thereby into somewhat extended studies of French literature or American history. Surely, if there is any person who needs to keep his eyes open wide open to what is going on in every quarter of the globe, in every de- partment of human thought, under every variety of human conditions, it is the libra- rian. (5) The last of the indictments which we started out to consider was that the librarian's work is never done. Does this charge need any extended examination? It would certainly seem not. Of course it is never done. How can it be, with new avenues for thought and action suggesting themselves constantly? When the time comes that a student can speak of his education as " finished," or that any in- tellectual worker can complacently contemplate the fact that he has " stopped growing," then, no doubt, we shall find the work and develop- ment of a librarian degraded to a cast-iron rou- tine, a stereotyped formula. But not until then. Who, then, we would deliberately ask, would not be a librarian ? In what other occupation or profession are the necessary and inherent disadvantages attended by so many and so signal compensations? In what other line of work or study are there such opportunities for depth of culture, side by side with breadth of culture? In what other is the motive so strong to make one's self thoroughly master of some one line of research, while, side by side with it, is an imperative pressure to carry one's at- tention in other directions? The librarian would not be an idle or unscholarly man if he could. He could not be an embodiment of intellectual narrowness and one-sidedness if he would. The two tendencies, happiest of all ideal conditions, the two tendencies correct each other. Who would not be a librarian? NOTE ON PRINTING THE BRITISH MUSEUM CATALOGUE. BY RICHARD GARNETT, LL.D., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. MY friend Mr. Dewey's request, that I should prepare a paper on the printing of the British Museum Catalogue for the American Library Association, finds me enjoying vaca- tion in a little Cornish sea-side village, faraway from all facilities of reference. Considering, however, that the subject is familiar to me, and that the Association will not be interested in minute particulars, I have determined to comply with Mr. Dewey's wish, trusting to the indulgence of my audience to excuse any im- perfections or inconsistencies which may here- after be discovered in this statement. I am the rather inclined to appear before the Asso- ciation in the character of the author of a paper, since this gives me the opportunity of expressing on my own behalf, and that of Eng- lish librarians as a body, the deep regret we all feel that it should so rarely be possible for us to appear before it in person. We could not hope to repay any portion of the benefit conferred upon our own Association, and the cause of English librarianship in general, by the visit of the American deputation in 1877; but our gratification in the cordial reception we should encounter, and in witnessing the flourishing condition and practical arrange- ments of American libraries, would not be the less. I must pass briefly over the previous history of the Museum catalogue. A very imperfect one was published in 1787, when the library was relatively very small. The whole was comprised in two folio volumes ; it is true that the whole of the Thomason collection of tracts on the Civil War was comprehended under one title. Between 1813 and 1819 the new and greatly improved catalogue of Sir Henry Ellis and the Rev. H. H. Baber was published, in eight volumes. Many errors have been pointed out in this catalogue ; but on the whole, especially in Mr. Baber's por- tion, it is a creditable work, and I am bound to say that I have frequently derived much GARNETT. assistance in the reading-room from having a catalogue at hand not constructed upon highly scientific principles. The same remark applies to the fine catalogue of the Royal Library, added to the Museum in 1823. The expedi- ency of amalgamating these lists was evident from the first, and by 1834 the manuscript addi- tions to the former of these had become so numerous that the Trustees determined upon the compilation of a new catalogue. Mr. Baber and Mr. Panizzi reported upon the subject ; but various obstacles arose, and it was not un- til 1839 that Mr. Panizzi, who had in the interim become keeper of printed books, was formally intrusted with the work, and charged to pre- pare the rules under which it should be con- ducted. With the assistance of Mr. Winter Jones, Mr. Watts, Mr. Parry, and Mr. Ed- wards, he drew up the famous ninety-one rules, a rare example of a system of artless sim- plicity being superseded at once, without inter- mediate transition, by one of great complexity. The extreme fulness of these rules, combined with the unfortunate decision, adopted in spite of Mr. Panizzi's protests, that the catalogue should be printed letter by letter, instead of waiting till the whole should be ready for press, occasioned such delay in its preparation that no more was printed than the first volume, includ- ing letter A, which appeared in 1841. By and by the wise resolution to adopt Mr. Panizzi's plan of cataloguing the books shelf by shelf, instead of in strict alphabetical order, rendered any further publication in in- stalments impossible ; and as new books were being acquired very rapidly, and being regu- larly catalogued according to the new rules, the catalogue commenced in 1839 gradually became an appendix to the supplementary cata- logue, and was steadily amalgamated with the latter. When I entered the Museum, in 1851, the catalogue consisted of 150 manuscript volumes, recently laid down with movable slips, and containing all the new acquisitions that had been registered since 1838, and all such portions of the catalogue undertaken in 1839 as had been made available for refer- ence. These two operations, entering additions and completing and incorporating the 1839 catalogue, went on side by side for many years; and when at length the end of the latter task appeared in sight the idea of a general printed catalogue seemed to have been relinquished. It was revived from an un- expected quarter. The Treasury had observed the great expense incidental to keeping the cata- logue up in manuscript by a system of movable titles, and they several times suggested that print should be resorted to, on the ground of economy. One of these communications was made in October, 1875, shortly after I had become superintendent of the reading-room. I took the matter up from a new point of view, and demonstrated that, from the space oc- cupied by handwriting in comparison with print, and the necessity for leaving spaces for new in- sertions, the manuscript catalogue was grow- ing at such a rate that the reading-room would soon be unable to contain it. The Treasury's recommendation, it must be remembered, merely concerned the employment of print for the future, and in no way contemplated the pub- lication of a general printed catalogue. It would have put a strong curb upon the in- crease of the catalogue, but merely by retarda- tion of growth, not by actual diminution of bulk, and it would have done nothing towards meeting the desire of the public for a printed catalogue. I therefore proposed that not only should type be adopted for the future, but that extensive special articles, such as Bible, academies, Shakspere, should be published separately, which would have both reduced the size of the catalogue and prepared the way for printing the whole. Nothing came of these proposals at the time, nor when, upon a similar occasion, in January, 1878, I was enabled to state them much more fully, with the encour- agement of Mr. Newton, at that time acting as deputy principal librarian, who was strongly in favor of print. Mr. Winter Jones, the principal librarian, informed me privately, shortly before his resignation, that he himself intended to take up the question of introducing printing ; and I do not doubt that he would have done so but for the impaired condition of his health. No step was taken, however, until the appointment of his successor, Mr. Edward Augustus Bond, in October, 1878. As keeper of the manuscript department Mr. 8 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Bond brought a thoroughly fresh mind to the consideration of questions affecting the de- partment of printed books ; while at the same time his occupation had not been too remote from the latter to prevent his being practically conversant with them. He had long come to the conclusion that a printed catalogue, and not merely the printing of the additions, was required, and, with great tact and administra- tive skill, he set to work to get his proposals adopted by the Treasury. First, the Treasury's own scheme of printing accession titles was introduced with their sanction, the arrange- ments being supervised by Professor Douglas. Then it was represented that the catalogue abounded with volumes breaking down by their own weight, the rebinding and relaying of which was a continual source of expense ; and permission was sought and obtained to print them, the work being commenced in January, 1881. This accounts for the irregular publication of the first volumes of the work ; but after a while the Treasury, recognizing the importance of the undertaking, readily con- sented to the publication being made con- secutive, with some exceptions which I will explain further on. At the same time the grant available for the purpose was largely increased, and we have now as much as, with our present staff, we can undertake to expend. I believe it is pretty well known that the work has been edited by me since its commence- ment, and I wish it to be equally well known that no editor could have more efficient or zealous assistants. I should not omit to men- tion that the printing of the map catalogue was commenced at the same time, under the editorship of Professor Douglas. This im- portant work is now all but completed ; and the music catalogue will probably follow. I must now endeavor to give some account of what we are doing towards printing the cat- alogue, and what we may expect to do. The great object is, of course, to turn the manuscript catalogue into a printed one with the least possible delay. It may be approxi- matively estimated that, when the task was undertaken, the manuscript catalogue con- tained sufficient matter to fill 9,000 sheets, or 144,000 columns, which, at 21 entries to the column, would give, in round numbers, 3,000,- ooo of titles to be printed. But this is far from being the whole ; for the catalogue, unlike its predecessor of 1849, ' s no * confined to a list of books in the Museum at a particular date, but gathers up subsequent accessions within its sphere as it proceeds. As these ac- cessions afford about 40,000 new titles annually, it follows that in ten years the number of titles to be printed will be increased by 400,000 ; those only deducted which are kept out of the catalogue by the volumes which would have contained them having been printed already. It follows that the extent of the catalogue can- not be accurately stated, and must depend very much upon the rate of printing; and as all the new titles will have been printed twice, first as accessions, and again as a portion of the general catalogue, it is evident that the most rapid prosecution of the latter is the truest economy, by diminishing the amount of matter that goes to press. Last year 30 volumes were printed and published, containing, probably, about 150,000 titles. Supposing that we have to deal altogether with three millions and a half of titles, this rate of progress would insure the completion of the catalogue in about twenty-three years from the commencement, in 1 88 1. As, however, progress for the first two or three years was by no means so rapid, it would be safer to say twenty-five. I trust, however, that progress may in the future be accelerated, and that the work may be com- pleted by the end of the present century. I found this expectation on the liberality hitherto evinced by the Treasury, and on the incontest- able, though not immediately obvious, fact that acceleration is economy, inasmuch as it pre- vents the printing of titles twice over. You will perceive from what has been said that the progress of the work depends even more upon the Treasury than the Museum. It could serve no purpose for the latter to print more titles than it is doing, even were it able, since it could not pay for them. Last year it re- quired the greatest exertions to exhaust the Treasury grant, and, if the work is to be com- pleted with the speed desirable, some addition to the staff employed, as well as to the grant for printing, will be necessary. GARNETT. 9 That the printing of 150,000 titles should re- quire a year will surprise no one practically ac- quainted with cataloguing or printing. To carry so many entries, even of ordinary English books, through the press is no trifling under- taking ; how much more when the titles are in all kinds of languages, and the correct descrip- tion of books frequently involves literary and historical, as well as merely bibliographical, problems of great nicety. It must be remem- bered that the text at press has been prepared* during a period of forty years, by more than forty persons of various degrees of capacity and acquirement, who have frequently differed from each other, and occasionally from themselves. Hence Bacon, famous in Virginian history, was confounded with a less interesting namesake. Many points, too, which were unsettled when the catalogue of 1839 was commenced, have been cleared up during its progress. Greek scholars, previous to the opportune discovery of a manuscript, had failed to distinguish be- tween Babrius, the Greek fabulist, who wrote in scazons, and Gabrias, the writer in trochaic tetrameters ; it is not surprising that they should have been confused in the Museum catalogue. These are but instances of cases for research requiring much time, and generally the more in proportion to the insignificance of the matter to which they relate. Other arti- cles, not involving questions of this kind, have required the most careful preparation on ac- count of the nicety of the bibliographical points involved in them. Thus, the preparation of the article Bry took much longer than that of the article Brown. The greatest difficulty, however, has not been literary or biblio- graphical revision, but the arrangement of the articles. The system of arrangement adopted in manuscript catalogue has required to be remodelled in many respects, and numer- ous inconsistencies had inevitably crept into the incorporation of the additional titles, extending over a period of thirty years. It has been found necessary to have a thorough revision of every manuscript volume, with reference to this point alone, before it goes to press ; as corrections of this nature require transposition, and the expense of transposition in proof is very heavy. Who- ever will examine the article Academies, pre- pared by Mr. Miller, Horace, prepared by Mr. Martineau, or Aristotle, by Mr. Black- stone, will see what care and thought have been given to this question of arrangement. I feel more at liberty to speak of such cases, or of the articles requiring special bibliograph- ical knowledge, like Bry, as I myself have had very little to do with them. My business has been rather to provide for the regular delivery of copy to the printer, and the speedy return of proofs and revises, and to bestow such literary revision as I am able upon the whole ; partially and imperfectly before it goes to press, more fully and deliberately when it appears in the shape of revise. It is very rarely that more than one revise has been asked for. One principle has always governed my work : to prefer rapidity and regularity to minute accuracy, and to take the risk of error rather than encounter the certainty of accumu- lation and arrear in the contingency of the subscriber receiving less for his annual sub- scription than we desire to give him. The mistakes brought to light even by such revi- sion as I am able to give show that stricter revision would, per se, be very desirable. I feel, if I may parody Burns : " What mended is we can compute, but can't tell what's neg- lected." Outside criticism will find it all out some day ; but I have no fear of the critic's judgment upon the work as a whole, if he will consider, what is the fact, that this is neither a catalogue by nor for specialists. The care and nicety requisite in a monograph, such as Mr. Winsor's bibliography of Ptolemy, would be out of place in the catalogue of an enor- mous library, and positively mischievous as a hindrance to its progress. Let the specialist c6me afterwards, and, taking our titles as a basis, bring them up to his standard. At the same time, although the monographic ideal cannot be ours, we recognize the duty of approximating to it as far as circumstances permit. I have now to state what has actually been done towards the publication of a complete catalogue. As already mentioned, a commence- ment was made by printing the overgrown volumes of manuscript in various parts of the IO LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. catalogue, which would otherwise have re- quired rebinding and relaying. Letter A was then taken up ; but the latter part of the series, from Virgil to the end of Z, was undertaken simultaneously. The reason was, that the amalgamation of the titles written for the catalogue commenced iri 1839, with those for the books acquired since that date, had only been carried to the middle of letter V, and if the remaining titles had been printed sepa- rately they would all have required to be re- printed. Thus, for a sufficient reason, the end of the catalogue was published before the be- ginning. Since the completion of this portion almost undivided attention has been given to the preparation of letters A, B, and C. The articles Academies and Bible were for a while passed over on account of their great extent and special difficulty ; the former is now nearly completed, the latter has just been begun. It is difficult to say exactly what point the cata- logue has reached, as ground is broken at sev- eral different places. I have, however, just re- turned the revise of the article Calderon ; and, by the time this paper is read, that article may perhaps fairly be taken as the term of progress. The number of volumes hitherto printed in A-B and V-Z is as follows : A B Virgil-Z, Printed Vols. 23 35 20 78 MS. Vols. comprised in do. 99 132 295 The volumes selected from various parts of the catalogue, and those now at press or in various stages of preparation, will bring the total number up to 100 by the end of 1885. Averaging the contents of each at 5,000 titles, 500,000 titles will by that time have been printed, or about one-seventh of the total number. Seven times the time, trouble, and expense hitherto incurred does not seem by any means too high a price for the production of such a work. I must now say something respecting the circulation of the catalogue among the public. Deducting those reserved for Museum use, the total number of copies printed is 247. The number circulated does not, at present, exceed, I think, 75 ; and half of them are donations, chiefly to free libraries. It was never expected that the number of subscribers would be large, and it is satisfactory that it has constantly, though gradually, increased. This increase would probably be much more considerable, as the extraordinary cheapness of the catalogue came to be recognized, but for an obstacle which must be admitted to be serious, the large sum required all at once to purchase the back volumes. For the first year the subscription was fixed much higher than was subsequently found advisable, and formal difficulties have prevented its being brought down to the level of the others. There is, consequently, a heavy sum to be produced at the beginning of the subscription, unless the subscriber is willing to put up with an imper- fect catalogue. It is needless to point out how this must deter subscribers. Many a man and many an institution who would gladly pay the very low annual subscription of 3 pounds to be- come entitled to the catalogue is unable to pay this heavy entrance fee of more than 20 pounds. The difficulty unavoidably increases in propor- tion to the length of time that the catalogue has been in course of publication, and will soon become insuperable for all but richly en- dowed public institutions. I hope means will be found to evade it. Speaking for myself I would gladly give the back volumes to new sub- scribers for merely a nominal sum ; but if this were done we should soon encounter another difficulty. The number of copies printed for the first year or two was not so large as at present, and we should soon be unable to furnish com- plete sets. If the Museum possessed what it ought to have, and what I have strongly advo- cated, a photographic department as a portion of its organization, provided at the national expense like any other department, the diffi- culty would be solved in a moment. We should reproduce the back volumes by photography as fast as they were wanted, literally without spending a farthing. But this enormous im- provement remains for the future. Let me, however, at the same time, point out the ex- tremely liberal treatment which subscribers GARNETT. n have experienced from the Museum. When the terms of subscription were settled on their present footing, it was not supposed that more than 15 volumes could be issued annually, and the subscribers were so informed in the prospectus. From the increased liberality of the Treasury, however, we have lately been able to issue 30. The subscription remains the same. Fifteen volumes, at 3 pounds a year, would be equivalent to 4 shillings or something less than a dollar a volume. Thirty volumes a year represent 2 shillings a volume, so that the subscription has, in effect, been reduced 50 per cent. The volumes are of various dimensions, but may be taken to average 250 columns, containing about 5,000 titles. They are kept under 300 columns, because each is merely the nucleus of a volume prepared for library use, and intended to receive the titles of accessions which are con- tinually being added. A certain number are printed, for this special purpose, on one side only, and each column is pasted upon a separate page of thick vellum paper adapted to bear constant handling, the opposite column being left blank to receive the titles of future acquisitions. Guards are provided for inter- leaving when this shall become necessary. The volumes, consequently, must not be made too large, lest they should become unwieldy ; the average weight, as it is before any acces- sion titles have been inserted, is from 9 to 10 pounds. I may remark that the card cata- logue, which I understand is largely employed in the United States, would be wholly unsuit- able for the British Museum, where it is a great object that the catalogue should be easily movable. I doubt much whether it can ever be suitable for any large library, and I should advise any small library which may have adopted it, and which sees itself on the way to become a large one, to consider the expediency of a change of system. One other feature in the publication of our catalogue deserves brief notice : the issue of extra copies of special articles for separate sale. ALsop, ^Cschylus, America, Aristotle, Horace, Bacon, Byron, Swedenborg, Xeno- phon, may be mentioned as instances. The last four are already out of print. The great articles, Academies and Periodical publica- tions, are nearly completed, but will not be issued separately until they are quite finished. Bible is just commenced, and I hope that Shakspere, Homer, Liturgies, Dante, and others will follow at no distant date. It would not become me to say much about the importance of the publication of such a catalogue as that of the British Museum, which must, indeed, be sufficiently evident to an assembly of librarians. I may, however, just remark upon its special interest to Amer- icans from the enormous mass of English pamphlet literature which it contains and which cannot be found described anywhere else. The interest taken by Americans in everything relating to the old country, has deeply moved and gratified me when I have had the pleasure of receiving visitors from the United States in the Museum Reading-Room ; and it deserves to be recorded that the opu- lence of the Museum in pamphlet literature, so frequently neglected by librarians, is largely due to the exertions of an American citizen, Mr. Henry Stevens. To continental libra- rians the catalogue should be valuable for an opposite reason : a large proportion of the books are duplicates of those they already possess ; and they might do much to remedy the generally backward condition of their catalogue by putting their own press-mark against the books in the Museum list. In conclusion, I may draw or recall atten- tion to some special features of the Museum catalogue . 1. If completed it will be the largest printed catalogue in the world. Of this distinction it may be deprived if the Paris Library should print its catalogue on a scale of similar magni- tude ; or if the libraries of Europe or the United States should combine in a cooperative cata- logue. For the present, however, it seems likely to retain its present eminence in this respect. 2. Its bulk is due not so much to the number of books contained in it, as to the extreme fulness of analytical cataloguing, by means of cross-references from various forms of name, from titles and distinctions, from editors and translators, from authors com- 12 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. mented upon, from works contained in collec- tions, and from persons whose lives or actions form the subject of the book catalogued. This fulness of analysis, in some imperfect measure, supplies the great want of the Mu- seum Library, an index of subjects. Nothing like it had been dreamed of before Panizzi framed his rules, and now every catalogue that is made feels his influence in this partic- ular. I must say that this laudable principle of adequate cataloguing has been carried in some respects rather too far ; and that one of the advantages of printing has been that titles have been frequently abridged, and that the catalogue has been weeded of many super- fluous cross-references. 3. It is perhaps the only catalogue whose preparation is a part of the daily life of the establishment which has undertaken it, and which absorbs the accessions received during its prosecution. The former peculiarity in- sures, I trust, its continuance. If it were an extra work, dissociated from the ordinary routine of the establishment, it might be stopped, as other catalogues have been. But the Treasury have sanctioned it, not on literary grounds, not as an excrescence, however valuable, but something essential to the proper working of the Library, which was in danger of being mangled and strangled by the enor- mous growth of the manuscript catalogue. This being so, we are entitled to rely on the continual support of Government, while, at the same time, it will be clearly understood that we are entirely dependent upon Government, and have no remedy if the latter should ever restrict or refuse the appropriation. The in- terest which the work has aroused in the United States, evinced by the request made to me for this imperfect communication, is an additional guarantee that Government will never do so. The absorption of acquisitions into the work while it proceeds, while it ren- ders the catalogue much fuller and richer than if, like its predecessor, it had stopped at a determinate date, has one curious consequence. The authors under the later letters of the alphabet, as far at least as the middle of V, will be better represented than those under the earlier ones. Thucydides will be more nearly brought down to the date of final publication than Herodotus, and Jeremy Taylor than John Bunyan. The article Periodical publications, now being published out of strict alphabetical order for excellent reasons, will be compara- tively out of date by 1900. For this there is no remedy, and to the reader who can use the catalogue at the Museum the inconvenience is nil. It is much to be wished, however, that Government may see the advantage of, in due time, bringing out a new edition, incorporat- ing all the accessions necessarily omitted, and repeating the process at intervals of, say a quarter of a century, thus forming an in- valuable official record of the progress of the literature of the world. NOTE ON THE CARD CATALOGUE OF LEIDEN UNIVERSITY. BY DR. W. N. DU RIEU, LIBRARIAN OF THE UNIVERSITY. LEIDEN, 10 May, 1884. SIR: In No. 8 of your Journal of 1883, on page 152, I read a brief, and not very dis- tinct, description of the card catalogue of the library of the Leiden University. I have the honor to mail to you a specimen of one of our filled covers with titles, which we may call volume. We use this method already 13 years with great success, and we have not had an in- convenience. Til give you a brief description of our method of printing and fastening the titles on the cards ; but I beg you to explain for the readers of your Library journal the matter on such a manner as you will judge necessary for them who have not before their eyes a specimen of a volume of our catalogue. DU RIEU. When 150 titles are written of new entrances they are printed on a very thin leaf of paper at one side, in 5 columns of i r centimeter ; this work is done by two corrections, and costs for 25 copies on thin paper and 25 on better paper ii guilders, or $4.50. Each title is cut out by scissors, and fastened with very watery starch on thicker paper, as you see. The clerk writes the number of the shelves and the letter A, or B, C, D, E, F, G, and the place of the volume upon the board, i.e., D.I2, F.ig, and the card is ready. Our shelves are numbered, and each volume once placed is not put on another place ; the accessions being put always at the end of the justly arrived, and the systematical cata- logue giving always the indications wanted. We take a copy for the alphabetical catalogue of the administration, another for the system- atical catalogue of us, a third for the alphabeti- cal for the public, a fourth for the systematical catalogue of the public. For the journal the columns of the last printed sheet are fastened in a great folio book of this size, and the num- bers, with the name of the donor, and other in- dications if necessary, are written aside. The professors buy for some pences the sheets, and arrange for their private use the titles ; for other purposes serve the other copies. The cards used by the librarian and his clerks are not bound together ; they stay in a table with dracboards of the same size of the cards ; the table is one meter at large, and the drac- boards can be pushed on both sides of the table, which stays in the midst of the room. On this manner the dracboards almost totally can be filled, being a separation on 50 centimeter of the end or at the middle. The first part of the alphabet is to be found on this side of the table, and the other part on the other side. The dracboards can be tired for the half, while the other part prevents the whole to drop. I found on several libraries the cards placed in dracboards which tired out were not totally filled or dropped as they were used. I hope I have explained distinctly our very simple method. The visitors make use of our card catalogue, both the alphabetical and the systematical, be- cause the cards are bound together in volumes, as you see in the specimen mailed to you. This is done by a bookbinder, all our runners being bookbinders, on this manner: he pushes 150 or 200 cards ordered as it must be justly to- gether on the upper side and the leftside; he folds round the right end of the cards the parcel of parchment, which becomes the back of the volume ; he puts them between the two paste- boards ready for this purpose ; he puts all be- tween two wooden boards of the same size, and places this in a small bookbinder's press, such a one as the binders use when they are gilding the back of a book ; he makes, with a nice saw that cannot cut deeper than one centimeter, a slice on the just spot determined by two slices in the wooden boards at both sides of the right end of the cards ; he passes a little cord twice by these slices and knots twice the cord. On the back of the volume his number is fastened, and his content written, as you see. Once or twice a year the new accessions, which were placed in some boxes not bound, are arranged on their place on this manner. The cord is cut, the cards are placed, a new parcel of parchment is taken, folded at the right end, the two pasteboards put justly on their place, all put in the press ; the saw passes by the slices and cuts in the new entered cards a slice ; a new cord is taken and knotted in half a moment. If a great number of new cards enters in the same volume, this becomes too big. Then the volume is divided in two smaller volumes, which will serve at his place, and the whole series of volumes receives new num- bers on the back. Please explain to your read- ers how people take the volume in the right hand, and how the titles or leaves are turned up by the left hand, both the pasteboards being able to open the volume. This method has been followed by the librarian of the city library at Cassel (Hessen, Germania) ; he ordered the cards with the slices made ready on this manner. Then you don't want a saw, but little inconvenients are to be found. Secondly, he determines the thickness of each volume, and fills each of them with cards in bianco at the end after the cards with their titles, and when new titles enter so many bianco cards are taken out. By us there is some difference of thickness of the volumes, but some big articles (catalogue, Cicero, Aris- LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. toteles, Biblia) have influence on the division of the volumes. Perhaps both the methods may be used together. For the moment we are occupied to print the catalogue of the books of the Society of Dutch Literature. This becomes a volume, great octavo, in two columns. Some copies are printed on the same thin paper and fastened also on cards, but, the titles being smaller, we took another size for the cards, 1 1 c. at large, 19 of height; the shelf number is written at the left end, near the title. The cards will be bound on the same manner ; only the public shall using this catalogue take the volume at hand with the left or the right, the pasteboards fall and open from themselves the volume, and with the other hand people will turn up the cards. The experience will show what method is better. The volumes will be placed in a desk on the left side, a, b, justly as if they were used as the specimen sent. The method of fastening the printed slips is not new, but very easy, and cheaper than copy- ing forth the titles, and a printed title is easier to be read. This method of our library was seen by Mr. Leopold Delisle, of the Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris, who followed our example for the new entrances. The method of binding with a cord was in- vented by me. We perforated, firstly, the cards ; but paper is not the same matter as wood, and the piercer did not his duty with the new entered leaves. This method is better, is cheap, and is easily made by the binder. I hope that I explained our method on such a manner that it is for a librarian distinctly to be understood, and that you will be so kind to take notice of this letter in the Library journal. Believe me, yours most faithfully, DR. W. N. Du RIEU, Librarian of the University. KING LEO'S CLASSIFICATION; OR, HOW THE KING OF THE BEASTS ORGANIZED HIS KINGDOM. BY ERNEST C. RICHARDSON, LIBRARIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, HARTFORD, CONN. LEO, the younger, king of the beasts, one day, shortly after his accession to the throne, received a communication from the king of the birds, containing a simple request which was destined to cause no little perplex- ity. "Dr. Owl," it said, "is about to visit your court. He is engaged in a very important scientific investigation, and wishes to make in- quiries of certain of your subjects, who, it is said, have information, and of others who may, perhaps, know. ... Any favor shown to him etc., etc." Now, the lion's kingdom was in a sad state of disorganization from the neglect of his de- ceased parent, and, moreover, the young ruler was exceedingly anxious to keep on cordial terms with the neighboring powers. So he determined to gather all his subjects, great or small, in one great gathering for Dr. Owl, both to please King Eagle, and at the same time have opportunity for a much-needed examination and organization ; since it became very evident when he tried to think where Kayward, and Bellin, and others who were mentioned in the letter, were, that things were in a very bad state, and that almost the only ones whose whereabouts was known were the members of his own court and their servants. So the heralds went forth and summoned all to come to the appointed place " on or before " a given day, some time before the expected arrival of Dr. Owl. This was that they might be arranged beforehand, for Leo was a wise young beast, not at all like his father, and un- derstood that it is hard to find a needle in a haystack unless you know where it is. But, though he was wise, he was not so con- ceited as to despise advice ; so he called together his counsellors, Reynard, the fox, his father's prime-minister ; Tibert, the cat ; Isigrim, the RICHARDSON. wolf; Bruin, the bear ; Panther and Grimbard, all the company, good, bad, and indifferent, which his father had gathered and consulted and followed, all. Then he asked what their long experience had suggested to them as the best method of knowing what was what, and where it was, in a kingdom, and more espe- cially how to find for Dr. Owl those whom he wished to see. " Humph!" brayed the onager, beneath his breath, "the king ought to know where they are. It's his business." The others paid no attention. They knew more than that if not much except the mole, who was overwhelmed with sympathetic shame at this revealed igno- rance and incapacity of the king. The onager had thus destroyed the mole's respect for the king ! But the king was patient. He pitied the onager and the mole, though there was no time now to lead light into their minds. He thought he would like to try the experiment, but it was unhopeful at the best, and Tibert, the cat, was ready to speak. Smoothing his face once more, and straight- ening a stray whisker, the aged and self-com- placent creature said, " My lord, it suggests itself to me that the first thing is to produce a good impression on the owl and on other strangers as they enter the kingdom. I pro- pose that the best-looking ones be placed near- est the port. This is done in at least one of the neighboring kingdoms, and the effect is grand. How much better the impression if he shall see cats and antelopes and horses rather than apes or donkeys or hyenas ! " His compeers smiled compassionately, or maliciously, at the cat's well-known weakness, and some one sug- gested that, on the same principle, he supposed he would have them arranged according to length and height, so as to be symmetrical. "Yes," replied the cat, gravely, "that is a good idea." " But how about the little ones? If you carry out your principle I fear you will separate parent and children, perhaps husband and wife. To my mind the lamb looks better beside the sheep than between the wild-cat and the dog, and the baby-elephant even beside Jumbo than beside a cow." After they had settled this important contro- versy by deciding to have the children in front in as many lines as there were ages, the king managed to get in a word, saying that he couldn't see how this bore on the practical business of finding the animals when they were wanted. It was for use, not looks, primarily, that he wanted organization. This word " use" warmed to new life a mas- todon preserved in ice, and supposed to be dead, who said, while the others marvelled at his antique appearance and his unexpected resuscitation, that for his part he considered these new-fangled notions all nonsense. " Just number each animal and make a list of them. Then you can find what you want and go and get it." The mastodon did not hear the patient sug- gestion that, among other things, Dr. Owl wanted to see all the rodents, and that would take time and effort which might be saved, for he had already crumbled into dust, as all mas- todons do, when they are reckless enough to leave their icy case and try to live. Only the bones were left. " I think you have the right idea in seeking a useful plan," continued the beaver, taking up the thought ; " and I am convinced that the essence of a practical method is the division. The first thing to be decided on is the number of divisions which we will have. I prefer seven, as seven is the perfect number ; but some may think four is better, as we most of us have four legs ; or two, since we have two eyes ; or three, because we have two ears and a tail. It makes no especial difference, only decide on the number of divisions. Then there should be just the same number of kinds in each division as there are divisions." " Is there no danger of having too many or too few kinds?" asked the king. " No," said the beaver, " for if there are too many you can put two kinds together and call them one, or if there are too few you can divide and make two of it." The king was too polite to say that this seemed to be using the animals to illustrate a system rather than making a system which should arrange the animals. He did say that it seemed a bit like the mastodon's method, in that it needed a list to tell which division each one is in ; but he thought it an improve- i6 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. ment in that those animals who are something alike are brought somewheres near together. Meanwhile the sheep, overcoming his mod- esty, suggested that simplicity was the true usefulness. They seemed all agreed that the families ought not to be separated. " Now, the simplest way," he said, " is to arrange them alphabetically ; " and he offered in illustration a list of the animals alphabetically arranged. Reynard, examining the list, found that if Dr. Owl wanted the rodents he must gather them from beavers to squirrels, all the way along, and the dogs must be collected from dog, hound, mastiff, spaniel, greyhound, bull- dog, setter, etc., etc., etc. Wasn't there some way of bringing them together in the first place? he suggested. The scheme rather approved itself to Bruin. It was mnemonic. That was the chief thing. The principle was right, but he did not think it ought to be applied so simply. More of a kind ought to be brought together under a single head, and these heads arranged alphabetically, and the divisions under them alphabetically. This was more mnemonic, so to speak. Thus, e.g., he would bring together all the rodents in one class, and arrange beavers, covies, chinchillas, dormice, hares, etc. Then all dogs would come together and the kinds be arranged alphabetically. You might combine with this the excellences of the division plan, and have just twenty-six grand divisions, and just seven (or four or three or two) subdivisions for con- venience. The king thought that this had the disad- vantages of both the others, and, moreover, suggested that Dr. Owl, who was a foreigner, would be very much surprised to find a Hound under D, or an Eichhornchen under S. It was certainly not universal in its applicability. he discussion began to be tedious. One thought they ought to be arranged geographi- cally, where they happened to live ; another according to their ages ; others felt sure it should be by the languages they spoke ; and still others were convinced that it should be according to the places where they were born. The pointer said something about a logical method, and Curtise, the hound, looked up from the bones of the mastodon long enough to remark, with some asperity, that the best philosophers and logicians had decided that animals could not be classified logically. "What, for example," he said, "will you do with the mule in a logical system? Will you put him among the horses or the asses?" The pointer retired to think, and the dis- cussion went on, each strenuously insisting that his method was the best, could be applied to the largest number of animals, used better by the ignorant and learned, and certainly the most " practical." At length the pointer gained voice again, and suggested what he carefully called the natural method, that they be arranged according to resemblances. This was hailed as real truth. The beaver didn't care what the system was ; it could be accommodated to his divisions. The sheep saw the alphabetical resemblance, and said that was just what he had said. The bear said that was what mnemonic meant, and the others saw clearly that resemblance meant nearness of place or age or origin. " Now, certain ones who have made this a study say," continued the pointer, "that the members of the kingdoms around us, the birds, the reptiles, the fishes, and the amphibites, with ourselves, are distinguished from the mol- lusks and worms, and other farther lying king- doms, by having vertebra, and we in turn from the others by having four-celled hearts, warm blood, and hair, and by the structure of our jaws. Among us, too, some have naturally no front teeth, some two incisors, some four, and there are various other distinguishing marks ; and so they divide us off into toothless, or rodents, or carnivorous, or insectivorous, as there are found natural resemblances which characterize us. Now, if this is so, why not take what those who have especially studied the matter are agreed on as real resemblances and distinguishing marks ? " This raised a storm of indignation. "You are altogether too theoretical," said Isigrim, a little superciliously. "We must use resemblances which are readily recognizable by the ordinary visitors. The things ought to be together, but you must not be so deep. Use natural resemblances. Now, musk-deer. RICHARDSON.. musk-ox, and musk-rat, evidently ought to be together, and ant-bear and antelope, and cam- elopard and leopard ; " and so said all the kids. But the king thought there was something in it. "If there are real resemblances," he said, "this is the true mnemonic, and when you get all of a kind together then you can arrange the individuals according to their names, or ages, or place of residence or birth, or language, or size, or good looks, and find a way to num- ber them all for a directory ; " and so, as the first step, he called in those who had examined the matter to find if there were any real grounds of relation generally recognized, and finding that the pointer had spoken truly, he had all the assembled beasts arranged accord- ing to their real relationship rather than casual and apparent resemblances, and all were sur- prised to find how many evident resemblances there were corresponding to the real. So, on the arrival of the owl, accompanied by a friend from court, all the beasts were drawn up in classes, tribes, and families, the families arranged geographically or alphabeti- cally among the tribes, and according to ages among themselves. The arrangement was not theoretically per- fect. There was the mule. The courtier spoke of the lack of symmetry in size, and remarked on certain homely ones whose homeliness was more pronounced from the beauty of their neighbors, and thought it a very miscellaneous set ; but the owl knew at once where to find those whom he wanted, and a slight explanation showed the courtier the ground of the arrangement, so that he was so charmed with the beauty of a true relation that the things which he had first noticed seemed to fade out of prominence. Dr. Owl returned to the eagle much pleased with the facilities which he had found, and King Leo still finds his organization useful and practical, and, to an educated taste, orna- mental. This fable teaches that Anglo-American library classifiers have not yet called in the specialists in theology, and it is respectfully recommended that when they do, Zockler, and especially Hagenbach, be called in first, if the classifiers understand German ; and, if not, then Hagenbach disguised as Crooks and Hurst. ENCYCLOPEDIA AND LIBRARIANS. BY ERNEST C. RICHARDSON, LIBRARIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, HARTFORD, CONN. pLASSIFICATION is the art of constructing v/ a system of the sciences, i.e., arranging them on some principle, in view of their natural likeness or unlikeness to one another. Again : classification is the distribution into individuals, according to inherent differ- ences, and the grouping of these again accord- ing to inherent resemblances. Its result is a classification, an-exposition of all individuals of knowledge in definition (nomenclature) ac- cording to some universal resemblance. A classification in enlarged statement, or definition, is encyclopaedia. Encyclopaedia is, then, the exact statement of the nature of the unit, and its relation to the other units. An encyclopaedia of knowledge is, therefore, an exact statement of the nature of all the branches which have been investigated and their relation to one another. Encyclopaedia is the best product of classifi- cation at a given time fully stated. A classifi- cation gives the outline of knowledge, the con- tent of the branches being represented in a word and the relation by position. Encyclo- paedia tells what is included in the word and why it is placed in the given relation. This may be called encyclopaedia as a pure science. Encyclopaedia as a positive or applied or practical science varies according to the pur- pose proposed. There is, first, formal. The general survey of the meaning and relation of the various recognized branches of science. i8 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. This is, (a) for classifiers; () for those who have to arrange under an already determined classification ; (c) for those who have to arrange a curriculum of academic study ; (d) for those who would lay out for themselves a system of general culture. Its treatment includes usually, (i) the scien- tific disposition of subjects ; (2) the definition and explanation of each ; (3) the history of each ; (4) the method and literature of each. Second. Material encyclopaedia, the general survey of the meaning, relation, and compen- dious content of the various branches. This is, (a) for purposes of general culture ; (b) for review by students. Its treatment is the same, with addition of the contents, and usually a more selected liter- ature. Third. What we may call Individual En- cyclopaedia. There is the general survey of the meaning and content of the various branches, with little regard to the relation. This is what is ordinarily called Encyclopaedia in English, but is more properly a dictionary. This is for all who have occasion to examine a single subject whether for its nature, limits, contents, method, or literature. Its treatment is, naturally, alphabetical. The object of this five minutes is to urge on librarians the study of Encyclopaedia, and especially the recognition and use of the term. I am not antiquated, or scholastic, or ideal, or unpractical in urging it, but practical, con- vinced, direct, and, I hope, reasonable. Almost all treatises on Library science urge the study of Encyclopaedia. Most of us do not even know what the word means as a science. Some think it means to read Apple- ton. Others think it means universal knowl- edge. What it does mean I have stated above. In plain English, it means that the librarian must know something about everything, a slight and only slight extension of Dr. Holmes's suggestion (cited in Mr. Foster's paper of yesterday) of " a respectable amount of information about a great many things." Study Encyclopaedia means, being translated, to make this knowledge systematic and useful, rather than haphazard and imperfect. We librarians need to study Encyclopaedia : (1) To fix a nomenclature. A name is an expression in a word, or phrase, of a definite thing. What, e.g., is Classifica- tion? The British Library examiners make it, (a) History of Classification ; () Art of Classification. It includes these ; what more? Shall we use, with Kant, the term Architectonics for the Art of Classification ? These are some of the questions. I shall ask later what you mean by Library Science and Library Economy, what the difference is, and what each includes. (2) To unify classification. We go on, pouring out so-called classifica- tions, which have nothing whatever of perma- nent value, not because thought is not put on them, but because knowledge is imperfect ; results are not made use of. Every system ought to have some contribution to the ultimate, or, at least, embody all that has been attained. It is a marvel to me, as I look up at a couple of meters of books written by men who have given years to the study, that librarians go on making up systems on the basis of Webster's dictionary, and their own general impressions, utterly regardless of all this work. (3) To be able to classify books. You must know what a subject means before you know whether a book is to be put under it or not. Suppose you use a system which has the division History of Culture. What books will you place under it ? (4) To be able to buy books, i.e., to form a library. A man must have a systematic view of the whole field. If his cultivation is un- balanced, his purchases will be ; the books and things he knows about must be the things he acquires. If, e.g., a man knows nothing about the Science of Encyclopaedia he will acquire very little in this line. (5) To be able to aid readers. You must be able to understand what they are after; to know what subjects include its various shades and phases. In addition to this we may say that every one ought to get a general survey of knowledge for his own cultivation, as the best hook on which to hang his ideas. In conclusion, most of you will have to work up your systems for yourselves in accord- MANN. 1 9 ance with almost any of the current systems of classification. Classifiers will find abundant special literature in Theology, Law, and Medicine, at least, and some general. I fear I have not been clear, and have been too dry ; but this is the best I can do in five minutes, and I see it is all Russian to a good many of you. CATALOGING ANONYMOUS WORKS BY KNOWN AUTHORS. BY B: PICKMAN MANN, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, WASHINGTON. I ACCEPT Mr. Cutter's definition of an anonymous work. He says, " It is safest to treat it as anonymous if the author's name does not appear in the title." (Cutter's Rules, 1876, p. 10.) My subject is the entry of anonymous works in an author-catalog, when the author is known. Of course, this combination, an anony- mous work by a known author, implies that the authorship is known from external evi- dence, at least not from the title-page. How should such a work be entered in the catalog? A generally and properly accepted canon is, that anonymous works should be entered under the name of the author, whenever it is known. The object of this rule is to bring all the works of one author into one place in the catalog. The dictionary catalog makes the entry also under titles and subjects, and even, also, under catch-words in certain cases, but I speak now only of author-catalogs. As Mr. Cutter says, ' ' A catalog of authors alone finds the entry of its anonymous books a source of incongru- ity." Nevertheless, the entry must be made. If the author is known, the entry must be made under the author's name ; if the author is not known, the entry may be a first-word title entry. Canons are not all agreed upon this point, but that is of no consequence now ; some form of entry for anonymous works must be adopted in an author-catalog. As there are different degrees of anonymous- ness, so also there are different degrees of knowledge as to the authorship of professedly anonymous works. The cataloger may know the authorship of an anonymous work when the reader does not. I will imagine myself possessed of an anony- mous work of which I do not know the author, while the cataloger does. I wish to find whether this work is contained in a certain library; in other words, mentioned in a certain catalog. The cataloger has entered it where I cannot find it. Such cases should be provided against. In the rules which I have formulated for my work I have included one upon this subject, which, reduced to its simplest terms, is this : " Anony- mous works should be entered under the name of the author whenever it is known, and also as though the name of the author were not known." I have appended to this rule the following remark or note : '" Anonymous editions of works always remain bibliographically anonymous, even though earlier or later editions have been pub- lished authoritatively." It is not to be expected that in many cases library catalogs can be also bibliographies, and it may be urged that such a detail as I have mentioned is appropriate only to a bibliography. I beg to differ, however. It is not the bounden duty of the library cataloger to inform you that a work which he possesses in an anonymous edition has also been published in an edition under the author's name, or vice versa ; but it is his bounden duty to enable you to know, with- out recourse to a bibliography or a dictionary of anonyms and pseudonyms, if he has or has not in his library the work of which you hold a copy in your hand. The point upon which I insist is, thatalthough a knowledge of the authorship of a professedly anonymous work enables the cataloger to add to the usefulness of his catalog by including the work in the list of the known author's works, it should not induce him to neglect the entry of the work still, as if it were indecipherably anonymous. For the bibliographer the rule is still more imperative. The anonymousness of a work is an ineradicable peculiarity. 20 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. ON THE COST OF CATALOGUES. BY JAMES L. WHITNEY, BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY. T^HERE are confused notions current in* A regard to the expense of catalogues which might to advantage be considered at this time. Their latest and most definite expression may be found in a recently printed official report, which says : " To order, collate, catalogue, and shelve each volume of the annual accessions seems now to cost, on the average, about one dollar, a sum which does not differ much from the commonly received rough estimates of the con- bined cost of these various operations in other large libraries." Such estimates as these would appear to be made at least it is difficult to see how it could be otherwise by dividing the sum spent for the salaries of the catalogue and other de- partments mentioned by the number of volumes received during a year. It is not necessary to say to librarians that this would be an unfair method of computation, as it appears to confound two things which should be kept distinct : first, the expense of a new book in its passage from the bookseller to the library shelf; and, second, the cost for the proper care of the books already in a library and for making them known to the public. A bank commissioner, on the examination of a savings-bank, might report that it was extrav- agantly managed, because, while its deposits for the year had only been forty thousand dollars, its expenses had been ten thousand, forgetting that the care of the four or five million dollars held by the bank from the deposits of previous years had caused most of its expense. The expenses of a college might as properly be estimated on the basis of the number of new students received during the year, with this difference, that the books in a library never graduate, and, to make the comparison a fair one, the students should be gifted with per- petual youth and never leave the college walls. In that case how would it seem to you to obtain the average expense of each student by making the cost of the college for the year the dividend and the number of newly arrived freshmen the divisor? It is to be understood that large libraries are under consideration, the number of whose volumes has entered into the hundred thou- sands. The books in such a library will be in many languages, and often on abstruse subjects, and those which the dictionaries and other works of reference may not reach. Several thousand pamphlets will be added yearly, requiring at least as much time to arrange and catalogue as so many bound volumes. To these, as the poor relations of books, little consideration is often paid ; but all estimates of expense which do not make a generous allowance for pamphlets will be far from correct. Many books in such a library will require bibliographical descriptions or minute analysis. With each additional hundred thousand volumes added to a library the processes through which a book has to go before it can be given to the reader become, of necessity, more elaborate and expensive. It cannot be ordered from the bookseller until search has been made to see whether, under the same or another title, or form, it be already on the shelves. The exact title, the publisher, and the cost must be discovered, often no easy thing. The Boston Public Library receives every year nearly three thousand written re- quests for the purchase of books. Many of these contain every conceivable error and device to put the librarian on the wrong track, and to delay him in his search. New books must be catalogued with reference to other editions already in the library, and it will generally be necessary to examine the cards and books for all editions, adding greatly to the time necessary in smaller libraries. With the growth of a library the descriptions of authors and books must be more minute, and WHITNET. 21 the classification and shelving more labori- ous. The cost of these processes will be in pro- portion to the carefulness with which they are conducted. At the request of the Examining Committee of the Boston Public Library an estimate has recently been made by the Office Secretary of the cost of this work at that library during the past year, and it has been found to be 35! cents a volume, a moderate sum, when all the conditions of the case are taken into account. What will it cost to care for the accumula- tions of past years? As has been said, the labor of a custodian of shelves increases with the growth of a library, until it has to be shared with assistants, and the catalogue must be more minute. If there are catalogues in printed volumes they must be frequently sup- plemented, or replaced by entirely new ones. Here, before me, for example, is the recently published catalogue of English Fiction in the Lower Hall, so called, of the Boston Public Library. It is the seventh edition, six editions having been printed in eleven years. Other catalogues in the library are in their second and third editions. A card catalogue, with each additional hundred thousand volumes, needs to be largely recast. It will number perhaps a million cards, the preparation and care of which will involve great labor and ex- pense. It is not worth while to argue here the necessity of a card catalogue, notwithstanding its expense. An intelligent community demands it, and that it give, both under authors and sub- jects, the fullest information possible about books and their editions. The good effects of such a catalogue may, perhaps, nowhere be seen more strikingly than in the Bates Hall of the Boston Public Library, where the use of books, within a few years, since the card catalogue has taken the place of printed volumes, has in- creased from fifty thousand volumes a year to two hundred thousand. Every estimate of expense will be erroneous which does not take into account the demands often made upon those in charge of the cata- logue, as of the associate departments of a library, outside their own special work. Theirs may be the duty to help in the selection of books for purchase. This cannot be done off- hand ; and, in the case of foreign books, which cannot be examined beforehand, great care is needed. If an author is well known the new book may be ordered without hesitation; if little known, opinions expressed in foreign reviews must be obtained. These opinions may differ widely, so curious is the make-up of critics, and so diverse their standards, and to form a fair estimate of a book amid such ex- tremes of views may be difficult. To those in charge of the catalogue will naturally fall the duty of helping readers. In our own library many thousand persons seek aid every year in finding books and advice in their selection. Visitors come almost daily librarians, library committees, and others to examine into the system by which our library is conducted, and every mail brings some question to be answered. All this, and much other outside work, is sometimes charged to the account of catalogue expense. Beyond the work necessary in all large li- braries how far is it desirable to go in the direction of bibliographical cataloguing? That will depend on the number of books in a library deserving such treatment, and the means at hand for this purpose. Naturally, with the growth of a library, the character of its books changes. Foreign books are ordered with greater freedom, and expensive and rare ones find their way, by gift, or otherwise, to its shelves. These, from their intrinsic value, demand distinct and honorable treatment ; for princely guests must be received as such, and welcomed as befits their rank. Collections of priceless value have been given to the Boston Public Library, on the condition, implied or expressed, that they should be suitably cata- logued, and these catalogues have attracted many other generous gifts ; so that, as a matter of dollars and cents, there may have been a gain and no loss to the library, by reason of its expense on this account. The chief object, however, of the trustees and officers in their bibliographical work has been, going hand in hand with this Association, to develop a taste for good reading and help on the movement for establishing libraries in every community. Is not what a library has accomplished in these 22 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. directions a better test to apply to it than that of cost per volume, even if it were possible to make arithmetical estimates with any degree of accuracy ? A few words, in conclusion, as to town libra- ries. What the form and contents of their catalogues should be the writer has stated in a paper read before the Association at its meet- ing in Boston. It is encouraging to notice that a change is gradually taking place in the public mind, and that more liberal views are held among those who establish town libraries. The necessity of a good catalogue is appreci- ated, and the money required for its prepara- tion is generously given. The public are less impatient at the time spent in preparing a li- brary for use, and appreciate its benefits more intelligently. To the trustees of such libraries this advice may be given, that they procure experienced persons expensive ones, it may seem to them for the work of purchasing, arranging, and cataloguing books. It will prove a wise economy in the end. What this work will cost, others may be able to say. Mention may be made of a library of 3,000 volumes, which has recently been partially put in order, and its catalogue pre- pared and printed, all for less than $500. It would not be safe to promise that equal results could always be obtained. In this case the titles were brief, and the catalogue a simple one. A more elaborate manuscript card catalogue, finished within the past year, of a library of 33,000 volumes, has cost about $4,000, and another, for a collection of 3,000 volumes, has cost about $400. This last work was more minute than the others, the books deserving bibliographical treatment. THE COLLEGE LIBRARY. BY REUBEN A. GUILD, LIBRARIAN OF BROWN UNIVERSITY, OF PROVIDENCE, R.I. IN the older countries the essentials of a College or University, it is well known, are first a library, then able instructors, and, last of all, buildings. With us the case is too often reversed, and as a natural result many a stately pile of brick and mortar stands unoc- cupied, a monument of false progression and human folly. Warton, in his " Introduction to English Poetry," states that Theodosius the Younger, in the year 425, founded an academy at Con- stantinople, which he furnished with able pro- fessors of every science, intending it as a rival to the famous Academy of Rome. The basis of his undertaking was a noble library of 60,000 volumes, which had previously been established by Constantius and Valerius. This library, we are told, was committed to the custody of four Greek and three Latin anti- quaries or curators. The University of Gb'ttingen, the famous " Georgia Augusta," was founded in 1734. By means of a lavish liberality, wisely directed to its library and its professors, it soon became one of the most distinguished universities of Europe, numbering at one time nearly 2,000 students. In the year 1763 the control of the library, which then contained 60,000 volumes, was committed to the illustrious Heyne. From this date begins an era of extension and im- provement. Heyne took with him from Dres- den a thorough acquaintance with library economy. With this he united, says his biographer, Carlyle, great learning, consum- mate method, and an indefatigable activity. He established a system of manuscript cata- logues, which, I am told, are in use to-day, and which have hardly been excelled, even by the model cards, which constitute so important a part of our " American system." GUILD. 2 3 No small part of the estate which John Harvard left to the institution which has made his name immortal consisted, as the historian tells us, of his library of 320 volumes, which the young Puritan preacher had brought with him from the classic shades of Emmanuel College into the New England wilderness. And when those ten pastors assembled at Bradford, in the year of our Lord 1700, to make a formal beginning of the long projected college for Connecticut, each one laid down his dona- tion with the never-to-be-forgotten words : " I give these books for the founding of a College in this Colony." What a noble foundation for an institution of learning! These forty folios, I doubt not, have been carefully guarded and sacredly preserved, as the choicest treasures of the valuable collection at Yale. No such auspicious beginnings mark the his- tory of the library where thirty-eight years of my professional life as a librarian have been spent. The college with which it is connected, and of which it forms a prominent part, origi- nated in poverty and obscurity, having for years a bare existence, with no permanent location, no buildings, and no officer of instruction aside from the president, who taught at the same time a Latin school, and was the pastor of a church. For almost an entire year it had but a single student. The few books that were gathered together, and which afterwards formed the nucleus of the College Library, were kept in the pine table-drawer of one of the undergraduates, who acted as the librarian. Allow me to present some of the prominent features of this library as it was a century ago, and as it is to-day, in the hope that you may thus derive pleasure and profit. As a repre- sentative of its class, it has its counterpart in other libraries and other institutions, and so may serve to illustrate the progress and present position of the American College Library. The first president of Rhode Island College, now Brown University, was the Rev. James Manning, a graduate of Princeton, a wise and scholarly man for his time, and one who fully realized the importance of a good library in connection with a seat of learning. His cor- respondence throughout abounds in allusions to the subject, and during his entire administra- tion he was unwearied in his endeavors to secure from the affluent and the well-disposed contributions, both in money and in books, for the purpose of augmenting the literary treasures committed to his charge. It may provoke a smile to read in one of his letters to a wealthy clergyman of London, the suggestion that he present to the library the ' ' Works of good Mr. Bunyan," "than which," he adds, "none would be more acceptable." Notwithstanding all his exertions, the increase of the library was necessarily small, and, in accordance with the enlarged ideas of to-day, insignificant. In 1776 college studies were interrupted by the war, the students were dismissed to their homes, the library was sent into the country for safe-keeping, and the seat of the muses became for a time the habitation of Mars. Upon the resumption of studies in 1782, the library was brought back to the college, and transferred to a chamber on the second floor of what is now known as University Hall. Some idea of its condition at this time may be learned from a letter which President Manning addressed to the Rev. Dr. Stennett, of London. " Our library," he writes, "consists of about 500 volumes, most of which are both very ancient and very useless, as well as very ragged and unsightly." Yet among these " ragged and unsightly " books were Eliot's famous Indian Bible, Roger Williams' " Bloudy Tenent of Persecution," and other New England pub- lications, which now bring fabulous prices in the great central places for literary traffic. Three years later, through the vigorous exer- tions of members of the corporation, and a noble gift from the Bristol Education Society in England, the number of volumes was swelled to 2,000. Let us glance for a moment at some of the "Laws and Regulations" for their use. They show that the literary treasures of this small and unpretending collection of a century ago were thoroughly appreciated by its conservators, and guarded with jealous care. At a special meeting of the corporation, held on the 23d of December, 1785, as appears from the records, it was Voted and Resolved, " That, in addition to the former regulations for the College Library, the Librarian keep the library- room neat and clean, and, in delivering out 2 4 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. books, he shall suffer none of the students to derange or handle them on the shelves ; nor shall the students pass into the library-room beyond the table at which the librarian sits." The "former regulations," to which reference is here made, are found in the early laws of the college, a copy of which, in Manning's hand- writing, is preserved among the archives. Some of them read as follows : " The oldest Tutor shall be the Librarian, who shall open the Library once a week, at an hour appointed, and shall attend and deliver out such books as shall be called for, by such of the students as are permitted the use of them." " All the students shall be entitled to the use of the Library, except the FRESHMAN CLASS ; for which privilege each student so entitled shall pay four shillings and sixpence per quarter, to be charged in the quarter bills." A few years later it was enacted : " That the students shall come to the Library FOUR AT A TIME, when sent for by the Librarian, and they shall not enter the Library beyond the Librarian's table, on the penalty of three pence for every offence." " No student shall behave in a disorderly manner while receiving books, nor take down any book from the shelf. If any one transgress this law, he shall be fined from three pence to three shillings, as the case may be." In the early days, when books were few and costly, "free circulation " was a thing unknown, and even the Holy Bible was chained ; PRESER- VATION being the leading consideration in the minds of those to whom was intrusted the care and management of public collections. This is very evident from a perusal of the statutes of the famous Bodleian Library of Oxford. There, in the beginning of the seventeenth century, it was enacted, that the folios be chained to the bookcases, and that the quartos and octavos be kept in locked cases, and under the care of the librarian alone, lest they be spoilt by too much handling and turning of the leaves. Furthermore, no scholar could occupy a chained folio above two hours, lest others should be " hindered from the use of the same." "And since we abound," so read the statutes, " in a variety of examples of time past, as well in our own University, as in other parts of the kingdom, whereby we have been too well taught what ruin and destruction the frequent lending of books has introduced into most of the libraries of the highest repute, for that cause we enact and decree, nay, ordain in form of a perpetual and indispensable edict, that no person, henceforth, be he of what dignity and station he may, shall have as a gift or on loan any single volume, whether chained or loose, to whatever extent. Security or sureties may be tendered to return the book in good faith." I may be allowed, while on this subject, to quote yet further from these statutes, in regard especially to the accomplishments with which a college librarian ought to be gifted and adorned. Although enacted nearly three hun- dred years ago, and smacking of the cloister, they embody excellent counsel, and may not be wholly set aside, even in this rapidly pro- gressive age. "Among the other points of first account which make for the guardianship of a public library, and the advantage, utility, and assist- ance of those who are in the daily practice of resorting to it, it seems most expedient that the custody of it should be intrusted to a man of eminent celebrity, and of a good reputation amongst all men for truth, probity, and pru- dence ; furthermore, a person distinguished by some degree, and imbued with a fair knowl- edge of the tongues called learned, and with some of the spoken languages also, and FREE FROM THE CONJUGAL TIE, and not an incum- bent of any benefice with cure of souls, unless in the immediate neighborhood. For it can- not harmonize with piety to undertake so great a charge in combination with public employ- ments ; and wedlock is mostly so rife with domestic engagements as to be unable to afford leisure for a man's free disposal of himself day by day." The Oxford qualification of learning was, in a measure, secured, in the College Library of which I speak, by the appointment, it will be observed, of the oldest tutor, as librarian. I cannot, however, vouch for his celibacy. On the contrary, the librarian in 1785 (the late William Wilkinson), not only entered the matrimonial state, but actually brought his wife to college, the authorities having fitted up GUILD. rooms for their family use in the same building with the library. A single word in regard to the room and the catalogue. The former was small, low studded, without ventilation, and sufficiently dark to hide the imperfections of such books as were " ragged and unsightly." The latter was in manuscript, a copy of which has been pre- served. The classification consists of five grand divisions, after the manner of Brunet in form, although they differ somewhat in substance. They are, in brief, folios, quartos, octavos, duo- decimos, and other mos. No conflicting rules appear to have troubled the compiler in ar- ranging his titles. These are put down in alphabetical order, the first word furnishing the guide. Thus the title of a celebrated folio copy of the Scriptures I found recently, after patient search, in the letter T: The Only Bible. With the accession of Francis Wayland to the presidency of the University came a new era in the history of the Library. One of the early acts of his administration was to se- cure a permanent fund of $25,000, the income of which was to be forever appropriated for the purchase of books. This was in 1831. At a public meeting of the friends of the institution, called for the purpose of seconding him in his efforts, the president remarked, in substance, that all efforts for the intellectual improvement of mankind are comprehended under two classes : first, efforts for the advancement of science ; and, secondly, efforts for its universal diffusion. In the first instance we enter the dominion of knowledge, and discover the laws of the universe ; and, in the second, we put the knowledge thus attained within the reach of every grade of society. It is to the second of these purposes," the speaker continued, " that the labors of this country have been mainly directed. We have established schools in every portion of the older States, and by means of them the facilities for acquiring elementary education have become abundant. To the real advancement, however, of science we have done comparatively little. We IMPORT our learning from abroad. Our colleges and uni- versities are known principally by the magni- tude and number of their edifices. If the student wishes to push his inquiries into any science beyond the ordinary routine of instruc- tion, where, he asked, in our country, shall he go for the means of information? If he enter our college halls and ask for books, he is shown long rows of lodging-rooms. If he inquire for instruments for chemical and philosophical re- search he is pointed to large piles of brick and mortar." " And, besides," the speaker added in con- clusion, " instructors cannot furnish themselves with libraries. Their income does not admit of it, nor can a library, such as the cause of science demands, be collected in a single lifetime. It must be the accumulated wisdom of past ages added to the wisdom of our own. Such a library can be procured only by public munifi- cence, so directed as to collect from time to time the rich results of the intellectual labor of man." These common-sense remarks, coming from one of the ablest educators of his time, produced a profound impression. They are, in the main, as true to-day as when they were uttered half a century ago. The needs to which they refer were real, and not imaginary. Years before Fisher Ames had said that, " all our universities would not suffice to supply the authorities for such a work as Gibbon's." A remark of the same import was afterwards made by the late Judge Story, in an address before one of our literary socie- ties. Prof. Jewett (of blessed memory), in one of his annual reports, while connected with the Smithsonian Institution, asserts, after a careful examination, that " Mr. Wheaton's ' History of International Law ' could not have been written in this country from the materials contained in our public libraries." Similar assertions have been made respecting Mr. Ticknor's " History of Spanish Literature," and the historical works of Prescott and of Bancroft. Indeed, it is well known that these eminent authors were obliged to import from abroad expensive books, and to go to Europe themselves to collect materials for the composition of those works, which have shed so much lustre on our American literature. Happily this state of things no longer exists. Our literary wants in the direction of historical and scientific research are now, in a measure, supplied through the Boston Public Library ; the Boston Athenaeum ; the Massachusetts 26 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Historical Society ; the American Antiquarian Society, of Worcester ; the State Library, of Albany ; the Astor Library ; the Lenox Library ; the Historical Society, and the Mercantile Li- brary, of New York ; the Library Company, of Philadelphia ; the Peabody Institute Library, of Baltimore ; the Public Libraries of Brooklyn, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis, and the great National Library at Washington. Many of our colleges and universities have large and increasing collections worthy of the name they bear, notably Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Bow- doin, Dartmouth, Amherst, Williams, Prince- ton, Cornell, Rochester, Michigan, and the University of Vermont. During the half century that the income of the Library Fund, to which I have referred, has been available, the Library Committee, in- spired by the wisdom and zeal of my honored predecessor in office (Professor C. C. Jewett), have steadily pursued a uniform course in the purchase of books. They have endeavored to fur- nish the various departments of college instruc- tion with a complete apparatus, but they have especially aimed to make the Library of Brown, as rapidly as possible, a great repository of learning. Into its sacred enclosures have been gathered from the wide domains of literature, and, in the language of one of their annual reports, "are gradually to be gathered, all works which are of ultimate authority in every department of knowledge ; all works, whatever they may be, whether the minutest tract or the amplest folio, which can facilitate the progress of the future historian, or cast a sure and faith- ful light on his pathway." From the 2,000 volumes of a century ago, the Library, through purchase, gift, and bequest, has gradually and steadily increased, until it now numbers upon its ample shelves 63,000 bound volumes, and upwards of 17,000 unbound pamphlets. It is especially rich in bibliography, patristies, the Greek and Latin classics, phi- lology, and the great folio collections of history and antiquities, science, literature, and art. The significant remarks of Fisher Ames and of Judge Story, to which I have alluded, have already lost their force in their application to this particular collection ; and the hope is expressed, should the committee continue in the judicial course which they have commenced, " that the period is not far distant," quoting, again from their report, " when the writers of our own land and of other lands, who may aspire to rival in industry and in fame the Gibbons of former times, may find in the treasures here accumulated the amplest means for the attainment of their noble ends.'' This is neither the time nor the place for details. I cannot, however, omit to allude to the remark- able collection of bound pamphlets which the library contains, illustrative of the social, civil, and ecclesiastical history of New England, and which the late Judge Theron Metcalf, an honored graduate of the University, spent his life in collecting. Nor must I omit to mention the unique collection of American poetry, known as the " Harris Collection," consisting of 6,000 bound volumes, the bequest of the late Senator H. B. Anthony, also a graduate of the University. A word in regard to the library building, which was erected through a bequest of the late John Carter Brown, a life-long bene- factor of the library, and dedicated in February, 1878. It is fire-proof and costly, combining utility and beauty in happy proportion. The light throughout is ample, and the heating and ventilation are as nearly perfect as may be. The latter, which is known as the downward draft system, gives a constant change of air without perceptible currents, and secures an even temperature on the floor and in the two upper stories alike. A prominent feature of the library is the ar- rangement and use of the books. It was early my conviction, and an experience of more than forty years as a librarian has served to confirm it, that the books of a college library should be so arranged as to allow the professors and students to handle them freely. Catalogues, whether printed or otherwise, however neces- sary and accessible, and however carefully and skilfully prepared, can never, in an institution of learning, take the place of the books them- selves. It requires, moreover, no small degree of knowledge and patience to consult a manu- script catalogue of a large collection of books. Many of us remember the facetious remark of President Eliot, at a recent meeting of the As- POOLS. 27 sociation in Sanders Theatre at Harvard, that although he might claim to be as intelligent as the ordinary frequenters of a library, he did not know enough to use a CARD CATALOGUE. Entertaining such views in regard to the use of a college library, it was but natural that I should embody them, as I did, in the sugges- tions that I was requested to make to the archi- tects, previous to the erection of the building. The result is open shelves, where the books can be readily handled by all, and quite well- lighted alcoves, with convenient tables and seats, inviting to study and research. Do you ask for results? . After a trial of seven years, during which the use and circulation of the boolts has been more than doubled, we have lost but eight volumes, and those not especially valuable and easily replaced. Can anything like this be said of our safes and bank-vaults, the treasures of which are carefully guarded by day, and secured at night by ample bolts and locks ? Further details in regard to the building it- self, the classification and arrangement of the books, and the Card Catalogue, I need not give here. Those who may desire information on all these points are referred to my communica- tion in the Library journal for May, 1878, and also to a letter to Professor Bancroft, re- cently published in his little work on " English Composition." Allow me to apologize for the length of my paper, which I have not had time to condense, and in closing, to quote a few lines from an unknown author, embodying some of the ideas which I have endeavored to express, as singularly appropriate for a COL- LEGE LIBRARY, or a large and increasing PUBLIC COLLECTION : " But is there to be no end to this purchase of books? Oh, yes ; and let us see when it is. When there have been redeemed from time all the valuable intellectual bequests of former ages ; when there has been garnered up all that preceding generations had amassed as a sacred and imperishable inheritance, there will then remain no duty but to collect what the age pro- duces. And when literary ambition shall cease to be excited ; when genius is no longer be- stowed by the munificence of Heaven ; when industry no longer collects new facts respecting man and nature ; when the forming hand ceases to reproduce ; when the streams of human in- tellect no longer flow ; when the springs of in- telligence and thought are all dried up ; when the regions of science and of mind sleep in universal lethargy, then it will be time to give over buying books." LIBRARIES OF YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS. BY R. B. POOLE, YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, NEW YORK. "PORTY-ONE years ago the first Young 1 Men's Christian Association was organized in London. Seven years later, in 1851, an association was formed in Montreal, and in the same year and same month, only a few days later, the pioneer "Young Men's Christian Association " of this country was organized at Boston. To-day there are returned from the United States and British Provinces to the " Inter- national Committee " reports from 929 asso- ciations. Eight hundred and thirty-one [831], report an aggregate membership of 113,741. Eighty-two [82] own buildings, valued, with other property owned by them, at $4,353,000. The central object of these organizations from the beginning has been the spiritual culture and elevation of young men. Yet, while enthusiastic and earnest in this grand aim, they have not forgotten that they are dealing with young men possessed of ambi- tion, buoyant in spirits, social in their nature, in need of sympathy. The result of this per- ception and feeling has been the equipment of gymnasiums, establishment of evening classes, opening of employment bureaus, and the use of the various appliances now so successfully in operation in the various associations. The young men who form the strength of these institutions are from the warehouses, 28 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. workshops, and farms of our country. They form an army of workers in the various trades and industries. The hours of the day are filled up with toil. Evening brings leisure, and a time for wasting all the resources of a young manhood, or a period for recuperation and self-improvement. Just here the Young Men's Christian Association meets the needs of young men. It opens wide its doors for every young man who has an honest purpose to lead a noble life. He can exercise his mus- cles in the gymnasium, his brains in the athlet- ics of debate. The evening classes give him an opportunity to reclaim misspent time at school, or to enlarge his knowledge and fit himself for a higher station in business. The library is one adjunct of this many-sided work, and it is a most important one. Libra- ries of Young Men's Christian Associations have not as yet received that attention which their importance demands. The institution is yet young. Its present advancement has been largely attained since the close of the war. The raising of upwards of $4,000,000, the erection of eighty buildings, the organization of associations in colleges, among commercial travellers, railroad men, the Germans and the colored people, with all the individual appli- ances, have taxed the energies and purses of the many friends of these societies so heavily that the library has only had a small share of the bounty bestowed. Other things have taken the precedence of it. The reading-room has been provided for at the expense of the library. In these days the daily paper is read first, before breakfast, and not Milton, or Longfellow, Ma- caulay, or Prescott. Three hundred and twenty-six associations report 251,824 volumes. Three hundred and seventeen give the value of their collections as $265,703. Twenty-seven have 2,000 volumes and upwards, with a total of 106,591 volumes. These libraries have no endowment of im- portance, except the library of the New York Association, which was munificently provided for by the late William Niblo. His residuary legacy amounted to about $150,000, of which about $100,000 now remain. In the absence of a spinal-column of this sort, they depend on appropriations which are anything but ap- propriate. Book receptions have been resorted to with good results, and friends contribute books and money. It is believed that the library will yet be a conspicuous feature in this work for young men. The associations have the confidence of the community ; they are rapidly acquiring permanent buildings, where libraries can find a home, and there is a field for collections such as they gather. In some places the only library is the one belonging to the association, in other places where there are other libraries it can make prominent such de- partments as its workers require. The New York Library, when it took posses- sion of its new building, in 1870, had 2,000 volumes ; it now numbers 32,000 volumes. Such good fortune may not come to all who own fine buildings. Boston, Montreal, Buffalo, Baltimore, Brooklyn, Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis, San Francisco, and other cities of no mean distinction, have buildings, and are awaiting for some Niblo or Peabody to fill their spacious alcoves. The association library is not a theological library, as is sometimes supposed. Its pro- visions are liberal and its character diversified, when means are at hand to provide. Works on Bible-study and theology form a prominent feature. Fiction, far from being excluded, in many associations occupies a large place, judg- ing from the statistics of circulation. As we have intimated before, special attention should be given in these libraries to several classes of books, notably works pertaining to the study of the Bible, and to the various in- dustries in which young men are engaged, in given places. Ample material shduld be sup- plied for the study of the political and economic questions of the day. There are 115 literary societies connected with these institutions. Political questions form fruitful themes for discussion. In railroad associations special attention has been given to books on engineer- ing, the steam-engine, railway appliances, etc. Books are usually allowed to be taken home by members, while, generally, any young man can read in the library. There are 69 railroad libraries. In New York there are two branch railroad libraries, one at the 3oth street station and one at PERKINS. 29 the Grand Central station. A new plan is nearly ready to be inaugurated, by which railroad employes all along the line of the Central, from New York to Albany, can have the use of the library. The Harlem road to Chatham are sharers in this movable library. The station- masters act as assistant librarians. In the matter of library economy these libra- ries are not abreast of the progress that has been made in library work. It often happens that the librarian is the secretary, or assistant secretary, or the treasurer, or even the janitor (a suitable person enough for even a public library, some would say). His time is occu- pied with other work ; he is self-instructed, and "|_ the dimensions of his collection make him Somewhat indifferent as to library method. There are, however, hopeful signs of progress. Several have accession catalogues, some are adopting modern systems of classification, and are seeking for information as to meth- ods of charging, etc. The largest association library, excepting the New York, numbers 7,500 volumes, viz., Lancaster (Pa.) Associa- tion. The New York library, in richness and vari- ety, will compare favorably with any library in the city of its size. Special attention has been given to works in technology, decoration, and the fine arts generally. The library is, as yet, a consulting one, but it is the purpose of the libra- ry committee to make it circulating as soon as practicable. With its rapid growth there has been a corresponding increase in its use. The library must soon have ampler accommoda- tions ; books stand in double rows on the shelves, and an overflow-room is filled also. Its need now is an annex building, which should be completely fire-proof. We have briefly sketched these libraries as they are to-day. These are the beginnings of their history. They are doing a good and useful work ; may the future make their hundreds thousands, and their thousands tens of thou- sands, and their collections rich in literature, science, and religion \ PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND THE PUBLIC, WITH SPECIAL REFER- ENCE TO THE SAN FRANCISCO FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY. BY FREDERIC B. PERKINS, LIBRARIAN PUBLIC LIBRARY, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 'PHERE are in the United States about 5,000 1 public libraries of 300 volumes or more. Returns of their present condition are very imperfect, and must therefore be summed in the following crude way : The books in them are many more than 13,000,000 Books added yearly are many more than 500,000 Books used yearly are many more than 10,000,000 Annual cost much more than . $1,500,000 These institutions, therefore, represent a large money investment, and a very extensive and active educational agency. Not all of them by any means are "free public libraries," i.e., libraries supported by taxes or endowments for the use of all. But a considerable portion of them are. It may now be justly said that no town of importance is respectably complete without a free public library any more than any town whatever without a school. The San Francisco Free Public Library was founded in 1879, an d was advancing with creditable speed towards a size and usefulness corresponding to the position of San Francisco, among American cities, until the present city government suddenly cut down its annual appropriation to bare running expenses, leav- LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. ing no allowance for buying new books, or even for replacing old ones worn out. This library is not a collection of mummies of deceased learning, which will be no drier in a thousand years than they are now. It has thus far consisted of live books for live people. But a library of this practically useful kind, if it stops buying new books, quickly becomes deadstock, unattractive, obsolete, useless. In belles-lettres, literature, history, mechanic arts, engineering, applied science, all alike, it is equally indispensable to have the new books. The photographer, the druggist, the electrician, the machinist, the manufacturing chemist, as much as or more than the reader of novels, poetry, travels, or history, want this year's discoveries, for last year's are already obsolete. Next year it will not be Mr. Elaine's book that will be most called for, that will be a year old, but General Grant's book. But a thousand examples would not make the case clearer. This prohibition of new books, perhaps on pretence of economy, would be the natural first step of shrewd opponents intending to close the library entirely as soon as the books are dead enough. It is girdling the tree now, so as to destroy it more early next year. It is understood that at least two prominent members of the present city government (Supervisor Pond and Auditor Strother) are distinctly opposed to the library, and to free public libraries, on principle. It is not known that any member of it is a particularly energetic friend of the institution. The library staff is small in number (seven boys and eight adults) ; the salaries (omitting the librarian's) excep- tionally scanty, and even this small patronage and expenditure is wholly controlled by the Board of Trustees, and wholly out of reach of the Board of Supervisors. When this is re- membered it is easy to understand both the probable firmness of any opposition, and the probable lukewarmness of any friendship to the library in the latter body. This is perfectly natural. All governing bodies try to keep and increase their authority over persons and pay- ments. They never let go of them when they can help it. And, accordingly, the Supervisors insisted on controlling all the expenditure and management of the library, until a decision of the Supreme Court of the State forced the con- trol out of their hands. Whether the actual closing of the library is intended or not, the obvious first step towards it has been taken, and its closing will follow in due season, if the policy is continued. If the voters of San Francisco choose to have it so, there is no more to be said, for it is their li- brary. Probably they could lawfully divide up the books among themselves, and so close out the enterprise. The dividend, now, would be not far from one volume to each household in the city. But. if they wish the library to continue, this early notice is due them. Further : the custom here, in respect to the contents of municipal public documents, pre- vents such discussions of library questions as are usual in the annual reports of other city libraries ; so that, if a view of principles and practices in and about such institutions as a class, and of their application in this instance, is to be laid before the public at all, it must be submitted, as in this paper, unofficially. The following table shows the financial, and some of the literary, relations between public libraries and cities in San Francisco, in four other large cities, and in six small cities. The cases were taken promiscuously as they came to hand, of the latest dates available, but all are within a few years. New York has no free public library ; movements to establish one there have repeatedly been contemplated, but have been abandoned, because the men who could have set up the library would not encoun- ter the practical certainty of its becoming one more corruptionist engine in the hands of the city rulers. Philadelphia has none, for reasons not known to the present writer, but, very likely, the same as in New York. St. Louis has none now, although its excellent Public School Library may, very likely, become one. New Orleans has none, apparently, because it doesn't want any. Louisville has none, because the devil cannot set up a true church ; the enor- mous lottery swindle which was worked off there a few years ago was ostensibly to establish and endow one, but where did the money go? The six small cities tabulated are all in Massa- chusetts, because the latest and fullest reports came to hand from them. PERKINS. 3 1 Cfl p 3 15 2 3 O Worcester Taunton . . Springfield, Newburypo New Bedfor Milwaukee f 3 Cincinnati O cr o* P en? o Boston . .. O B en o g 7 Eh ! j CO CO ; | j \ ; u OJ OJ Ol 00 u -4 oj OJ hH OJ to ON M Ol OJ 00 to Ol Ol 00 OJ ON to g O C"3 J" vO Ol vO to vO to Oo OJ O Ol OJ ^r CO ^1 Oi Ol oo <* to -- 3 O OJ ^ ~J ON -yj ^ "to ON >H s| ^? Pi VO OJ vO M to 6 -. Ov OO O\ to a OJ ^J -f^ oo to to Ol 4^. Ol ^t 4k HH . 00 8 s 01 vO Oi co ^o OJ H M 85 -i On M co *a & ~~1 5f -- Ol to 4* OJ to Ol OJ M M IM 6 00 C H vO 4>- OJ to M Ol 9 vb o Oi ^1 MH Ol to ^4 ij VO OO CO OJ & to ^8 OJ OJ ^J OJ p Ol 4- -^ f % ii* 83,1 . **>ii ^* oo oo OJ OO 0^ vo ^i Cj VO OO to -a OO t-i lo ON 4> 4^ to O Ol to ON i- - 3 MR 8;-->]l 2-T3-5 * H " |gS " ^ M M JJ S t, Document-room of the House *4IT *399 440 *440 Office of the Clerk of the House *20 2O * 3 oS Sergeant-at-Arms of the Sen- *IOO _ . . *J ^4. Office of the Secretary of the 6 6 8 Folding-room of the Senate . 190 170 Secretary of the Treasury . . i I 10 10 i Public Printer 9 oSS Total number printed * . 1,900 1,900 924 9*4 Only those marked * can be used for distribution, and are always stitched and unbound. The remainder are used for a permanent file. The reserved documents are bound in vol- umes of appropriate size (in sheep and calf), and are distributed as follows : Where delivered. |3l I-SI House docu- ments. || Department of the Interior *Library of Congress , 420 <2 470 Library of the House of Representatives . 7 3 Public Printer oSS * Includes the 50 copies for international exchanges. Under this simple form : " Ordered to be printed,' 1 ' 1 only the stitched, unbound docu- ments, as shown by the foregoing table, are to be found in the Document-room of the House, and the Clerk's Document-room of the House, and the Senate Document-room (under the Sergeant-at-Arms). The real intention of all this class and distribution is for the public ser- vice in transacting public business, and not for public distribution throughout the country. The next order of publication is for public distribution, as will be noticed in the foilowing order, as an example : Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there be printed three hundred and ten thousand copies of the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for the year eighteen hundred and eighty-five ; two hundred thousand copies for the use of members of the House of Representatives, eighty thousand for the use of members of the Senate, and thirty thousand copies for the use of the Department of Agriculture; the illustrations for the same to be executed, under the supervision of the Public Printer, in accordance with directions of the Joint Committee on Printing, the work to be subject to the ap- proval of the Commissioner of Agriculture. Approved, March 3, 1885. This order, according to joint resolution of July 7, 1882, is understood also to include in addition the usual number (1,900) copies, subject to the preceding rules, making in all 311,900 copies. The whole number (310,000) are bound in cloth. Two hundred thousand copies for the House -are sent to the Folding-room, (not Document-room) of the House, where an equal distribution is made between the members thereof. The same rule applies to the Senate, the number (80,000) being sent to the Folding- room of the Senate. These books, or docu- ments, are held as the property of each mem- ber or senator, and can only be furnished upon the orders of the same. The 30,000 designated for the use of the Department of Agriculture are distributed by the Commissioner. The same rule applies to all documents ordered printed for distribution, and the desig- nation is when more than the usual number are ordered. There is another form of order of publica- tion, which is for additional copies. LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in addition to the authorized number, five thousand copies of the report of the Committee on Military Affairs on the investigation of the National Home for disabled volunteers be printed, one thousand for the use of the Senate, and four thousand for the use of the House of Representatives. Approved, March 3, 1885. This order does not include the usual num- ber (1,900) copies. They are usually bound in paper covers, and are sent to the Folding-rooms of the House and Senate, and are held subject to the order of Senators and Representatives. In addition to the foregoing it very often occurs, that a " Doc." or " Report" may be printed for the use of a committee. This is done under what is known as the Confidential Order. Copies cannot be obtained except through the committee so ordering, and usually but a few copies are ordered, which precludes any one getting possession of them until made public. Under this order the document has no number or heading, but is designated by the title, with the official notice, "Ordered Printed by the Committee on " An exception will be found to this rule in the case of Senate Report No. 2, ist Sess., 48th Cong., relating to the rules of the Senate, where only 200 copies were ordered, the pur- pose being to order another print of same re- port when the whole subject had been passed upon by the Senate. But the completion of the Senate Manual was deemed sufficient, and no further report was printed. It is therefore not found in the bound series of Pub. Docs., although the number appears in the index of same session. T. H. McKEE, Clerk U. S. Senate Document-room. Sept. i, 1885. BIBLIOTHECAL SCIENCE AND ECONOMY. ARTICLE II. OF A.L.A. CONSTITUTION. BY ERNEST C. RICHARDSON, LIBRARIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, HARTFORD, CONN. partments have been touched on ; (5) What results have been attained ; and (6) Where and how one shall find them. 1 1 has , of course , appropriated results of others and worked out problems itself. What is thus the present stage of "bibliothecal science and economy" in the conception of the A.L.A.? What are the defined departments and the un- defined, the solved problems and those being worked out, and the recognized problems to which no solution has been attempted? Are there hitherto unconsidered subjects? I am familiar with the Library journal, the "Aids and guides," the Government Report, and, of course, general bibliothecal literature to a greater or less degree, and suppose I could work out for myself an approximate result ; but I might misunderstand the meaning or misin- terpret the actions of the A.L.A., and would much prefer its authoritative statement as to I^HIS article, headed " Object," says : " Its object shall be exchanging views, reach- ing conclusions, and inducing cooperation in all departments of bibliothecal science and economy." I have been grateful for the A.L.A. in the past, am interested in its present, and sanguine for its future. The aims outlined for it this week are possible. There is little danger of aiming too high. I should be unwilling to look at it as aiming at less than becoming the authority in all matters relating to libra- ries. I should like to do my share of thinking how it can be useful. To this end I would like to know: (i) What "Library Science" is; (2) What " Library Economy "is; (3) What the "departments" of each are, since these consti- tute the field in which you have been working for nearly ten years ; also (4) Whether all de- LITTLE. what its field is, what has been done in it, what is to be done, and how? I think there are a great many in the same position, and I would suggest that a committee of those who will be most likely to be capable of recognizing or guessing at the A.L.A.'s opinions in the matter say Messrs. Winsor, Cutter, Poole, Whitney, and Dewey draw up such statement, and submit it to the Association next year to see if they have interpreted cor- rectly, that we may have before us a clear idea of what it was intended to do, what has been done, and what remains to be done. Such statement would naturally be systematic and include a clear exposition of what the sub- jects of interest are, a sketch of previous efforts at its consideration, indicating along what line future consideration of it will work, and, of course, the sources of information for such work. If I were to be technical I should say that it would include definition, history, method, and literature of each branch, and call the statement Encyclopaedia of Library Science, Library Economy, Librarianship, Book Arts, Bibliog- raphy, Bibliology, Bibliognosy, Bibliothecog- raphy, Bibliothecology, Bibliothecognosy, Bib- liothetics, or what not ; that is to say, if I knew what the words meant, and whether any one, or what one, described the thing which we are so interested in. But I would rather not be technical now. I hope this statement, if undertaken, will furnish an authority for the world in this afore- mentioned but undenominated field for science, and also that an authoritative dictionary of the aforementioned undenominated science is in the near future. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE FOR AN OLD LIBRARY WITH A LIMITED INCOME? BY PROF. GEO. T^ LITTLE, LIBRARIAN OF BOWDOIN COLLEGE. BY an old library I mean one in which the publications of the last twenty years are conspicuous by their absence ; one in which the books printed before 1860 outnumber those printed after that date to an extent which is unquestionably disproportionate and injurious to its usefulness. By a limited in- come I mean an income which barely suffices to continue periodicals already taken and to purchase such books as must be bought. Such, I think, is the condition of not a few college libraries which have been formed and increased by donations of books, with an occasional scanty appropriation, rather than by gifts of money and the agency of a pur- chasing-fund. Consider yourself for a moment in charge of such a library, and imagine your feelings when, with perhaps twenty thousand volumes on your shelves, you are obliged to say no to an enquiry for a book on Nihilism, or the Commune, or the Franco-Prussian War. You spend the rest of the day in making out a list of books which will supply these shameful deficiencies in the recent political history of Europe. But on the morrow the enquiries change. Your students want to know about the Atlantic cables, the electric light, or the telephone. The purchase list has to be doubled. Soon your wants in the line of recent archaeological research are brought to your attention, and you find that even to buy Dr. Schliemann's books alone will take all you can well spare from your appropriation. Then it dawns upon you, if, indeed, it has not been evident from the first, that to supply these deficiencies in the ordinary manner from the annual appropria- tion would be as slow as filling a tub with a teaspoon. Under these circumstances you had better desist from the attempt to meet these wants directly, and buy, instead, as many of the lead- ing periodicals for the period in which you feel your deficiencies are greatest, as your means LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. will permit. Fortunately bound volumes of many valuable periodicals can be secured by close watching at prices scarcely above the cost of binding, and not unfrequently some- what below. My experience leads me to be- lieve that the two hundred or so volumes of eight or ten English and American magazines published between 1870 and and 1880 will supply the deficiencies alluded to full better than thrice as many books procured at five times their cost. But it will not be sufficient to have merely obtained the periodicals. Every means must be taken to ensure their proper use. Your Poole's Index, if you do not already have it there, should be placed upon a reading stand- ard in a conspicuous part of the library-room ; close at hand should be a list with locations of all the periodicals mentioned therein which you possess ; and the volumes themselves should be arranged as far as possible on neigh- boring shelves, and above all else be accessible for consultation. Even then it will generally be necessary for the librarian, both by precept and example, to urge upon his students the importance of using this supplementary cata- logue of the library's resources. This bit of experience may be summed up thus : if your library is behind the times in its books buy back volumes of the leading periodicals. CHRONOLOGICAL ARRANGEMENT ON SHELVES. BY W. S. BISCOE, OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE LIBRARY. THE question has not prominently occupied the attention of librarians until recent years. Formerly each book had its fixed place on a fixed shelf. With the movable or relative location have come attempts to make the book as well as the class-number significant instead of arbi- trary. An alphabetical arrangement has been most frequently sought, and we have schemes for this devised by Cutter, and Edmands, and Schwartz. I want in a few words to explain a system which has been used with a fair meas- ure of success at the Columbia College Li- brary, by which the books in each section are arranged chronologically instead of alphabeti- cally. I would urge its use only after a minute division by subjects ; and its special value will be found in a library where a large amount of work is done by the readers directly at the shelves. A free library, where the public are carefully excluded from the alcoves, uses its numbers merely as a device to. call for the books, and its users know nothing and care nothing what the numbers may mean, or whether they have any significance at all. As long as they obtain the books they desire, speedily, their wants are wholly satisfied. It would be possible to arrange the whole library in one vast chronological arrangement; this would show the history of knowledge from the earliest times down to the present; but I have never heard of a library which did this, and it would be of doubtful value. But when the division by subjects is finished and we have 10, 20, 50, or 100 books on one topic we may still ask how shall these books be arranged ? At this point the chronological order seems to me to possess great advan- tages. As the reader stands before the shelves he has mapped out before him at a glance an historical review of the subject. At the left are the earliest books which were written upon it, and as it has grown in importance its literature has increased, and the shelves bear witness to this fact ; and at the right he finds the latest, the freshest, and presumably the most authentic treatises. This arrangement appeals most strongly to those who are study- ing a subject carefully, and they will almost unanimously prefer it to any other. It is in accordance with the historical method so largely adopted by all modern students. At Columbia science was selected as the subject in which to try this scheme, and here its value is most easily apparent. The new discoveries which are constantly being made BISCOE. 53 make the books of a few years back already out of date, and the reader is anxious for the latest work on organic chemistry, comets, earthquakes, or whatever the subject may be which he is investigating. Yet this order is of nearly equal value in other places. Take, as an example, England in the Anglo-Saxon times. At the left are the original authorities and early writers, Gildas, Nennius, Geoffrey of Monmouth, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and at the right Turner, Palgrave, Lappenberg, Kemble, Green, and Elton. In the Greek and Latin classics the editio firinceps is followed by the editions of the i6th and i/th centuries, and at the right are the latest results of the scholarships of the igth century. In religion we have first the writings of the church fa- thers, then the works of mediaeval theologians, and the controversies of the Reformers, ending with the latest theories of the modern German rationalist. These illustrations might be mul- tiplied without end. The problem of numbering these books so that they may be kept in this order still re- mains. The scheme for this must be simple yet comprehensive, and for the vast majority of books the number must be short and allow of indefinite interpolation. Like the alpha- betical translation scheme of Mr. Cutter this is best accomplished by a union of letters and figures. We have employed the following table at Columbia College. : A. B.C. I. 1820-1829 B. A.D.-ggg J. 1830-1839 C. 1000-1499 K. 1840-1849 D. 1500-1599 L. 1850-1859 E. 1600-1699 M. 1860-1869 F. 1700-1799 N. 1870-1879 G. 1800-1809 O. 1880-1889 H. 1810-1819 It is simple, a single initial letter followed by figures, and these, if need be, by letters ; comprehensive, capable of numbering the years from 1000 B.C. to 2000 A.D., and be- fore this limit is reached other and better sys- tems will be devised ; and, in short, a single letter followed by a single figure designates any year of the present century, and in this time a large proportion of our books belong. For the three preceding centuries a letter and two numbers are needed ; and it is only when we come back to the incunabula and to ancient writings that the numbers become long, a letter and three figures. The waste of char- acters for these early years, when few books were written, is reduced almost to its lowest terms, A, B, and C covering the years to the close of the I5th century. Thus a book written in 1472 is marked C 472; in 1743, F 43 ; and in 1829, I 9. There are, of course, difficulties in practical working as there will be in every scheme until the millennium is reached. The greatest labor is in finding the date of first publication. Yet this is more in imagination than in reality. The majority of books are plain ; the Ameri- can copyright date solves a number of cases, and the custom of giving, in all important books, the date of the first edition is gaining ground with authors and publishers. In the remaining books it is no more labor to learn the date than it is to find the full name which is implied by some obscure initial, and it is a point of considerable practical value as well as bibliographic interest and well deserves some recognition at the hands of catalogers. If in doubt an approximate date may be used and corrected later when further information is acquired. L alone would mean a book pub lished somewhere in the 50'$ of the present cen- tury, and F 9 one of the last'decade of the i8th, F 09 being the mark for 1709. This uncer- tainty is analogous to the case of anonymous and pseudonymous books in an author arrange- ment. Finally I urge that the chronological order gives additional knowledge, not duplicating information supplied elsewhere by the other catalogs. The accession catalog gives the order in which the books are received at the library ; the author catalog tells what each person has written ; the chronological arrange- ment shows us what each year has produced on the topic we are investigating. It adds a real value to the shelf-list, which is no longer arbitrary, but conveys knowledge peculiarly its own ; and the shelves are an object-lesson constantly before the eyes of every user of the library. 54 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. NOTE ON THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEXICO. BY ARTHUR NEWTON BROWN, COLUMBIA COLLEGE LIBRARY, N.Y. IN the race of civilization Mexico is seriously and undeservedly hampered by her un- fortunate past. Three hundred years of de- grading Spanish misrule and oppression sowed the seeds of local prejudice and sectional jeal- ousy which since her independence, gained in 1821, have borne so rich a harvest of political disturbance, wars, and revolutions that the transitory intervals of rest have been too brief and unstable for that peace and accompanying prosperity which allows money and thought to be directed to the collecting of books, whether for private or national libraries. The history of books in that country might be writ- tea in a single word Destruction. First the Aztecs destroyed or secreted their own records on the approach of the invaders ; then the Spaniards made bonfires of such Indian literature as from time to time came to light. After the period of Spanish ascendency and monastic duplication of Continental theological libraries came the turbulent epoch of the Independence, soon followed by the reform of 'S7 when all ecclesiastical properties were scattered to the winds. At length, wearied with continuous waVring, the nation now seems to be enjoying an era of peace, and the unob- trusive claims of literature are recognized. The science of biblothetics has not yet made a strong impression on Mexico. Her customs and institutions being based on Continental forms, she naturally turns to the Old World for leadership in new paths, and the Free Public Library, as developed in the United States, is not yet thought of; but attention is now turning to the founding of reference libraries, and plans are developing which will provide for the future. The first step toward the establishment of a National Library was the passage of an act, Oct. 24, 1833, setting apart rooms for the pur- pose in the building previously used as the convent of Santos. The same act gave, as a nucleus for the library, the books of the Univer- sidad Real y Pontifica. Before these provisions could be carried out came the political crisis of 1834, and the project slumbered. In 1846 it was revived and once more enacted, but this time the execution was delayed and the cause of education retarded by the invasion from the United States. In 1857 the Universidad was suppressed and its books, property, and funds turned over to form a National Library ; but then came the French Intervention which ended with the death of Maximilian in 1866. Home government being once more established an act was passed Nov. 30, 1867, appropriating the church of San Agnstin as a building for the National Library, and the books of the vari- ous convents of the Federal District, together with the library of the Cathedral of the City of Mexico. This time no political storm delayed the undertaking, and the project was steadily but slowly carried out. The building was one of the largest and finest churches near the cen- tre of the city. Though erected in 1676 it was still firm and sound; but to adapt it to its destined use extensive alterations of the inte- rior arrangement were begun in 1868 and com- pleted in 1882. The building as it stands to-day is one of the most beautiful and impos- ing in the City of Mexico. It is on the corner of two streets, and, contrary to the usual Mexi- can custom, is a little back from the sidewalk. The intervening plot of ground in front and at the side of the building is prettily laid out in winding paths and neat little flower-beds where the plants continually bloom and the bordering grass never withers under the smiling Mexican sky. The garden is enclosed by a handsome iron fence whose granite posts are crowned with busts of noted Mexican scholars. On entering the building a square vesti- bule leads directly to the main hall, the only room to which the general public is admit- ted. It is the old nave of the church and is about 160 feet long, 50 feet wide, and no high. The row of tables down the centre is well BROWN. 55 lighted by windows just under the frieze. Sym- metrically arranged against the wall of the hall are heroic-sized statues of the following per- sonages : Valmiky, Confucius, Isaiah, Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Virgil, St. Paul, Origen, Dante, Copernicus, Alarcon, Descartes, Cuvier, and Humboldt. Between these figures are high cases of books which close arches that formerly opened from the nave into the aisle on each side. The aisles have been made into small square rooms lighted by skylights. These rooms open into each other ; but only the room at one end opens into the main hall. While the repairs on the building were going on the bulk of the library was stored in cases, but some of the modern books and such works of reference as were constantly needed, were arranged and placed for the use of the public in the large chapel which communicated with the church, and now forms the working-room of the library. Upon the completion of the alterations, in 1882, the books which had been stored were transferred to the library. There were more than 800 boxes, whose contents were largely a matter of tradition, as they had not been opened since 1866. Further, the packing had been done without the least regard for order, so that when the cases were opened, in the finished building, the result was not a library, but a chaotic mass from which to select a library ; a task not easily described. The librarian, Senor Don Jose Maria Vigil, pushed the work vigorously on so that the library was arranged and publicly inaugurated on ad April, 1884. There are 150,000 volumes in the library, and they are arranged according to the decimal classification of Namur, viz. : 1. Introduction to knowledge. 2. Theology. 3. Philosophy. 4. Jurisprudence. 5. Mathematical, physical, and natural science. 6. Medicine. 7. Arts and trades. 8. Philology and belles lettres. 9. History. 10. Literary and critical miscellany, and collections. Periodicals. A catalogue is in preparation, and it is in- tended to assign fixed-location numbers, the classes being marked by a letter. A library with such a history cannot possess a great number of rarities. There are some incunabula and curiosities, including a few MSS. written by the early Spanish priests in the various Mexican languages. Considering the source of the library, it is not strange that two-thirds of it should be comprised in the class Theology. Indeed, the library might almost be called the monu- ment of the expelled monks, for as one walks through it the indications of the former owners are on every hand. It was the monkish custom to mark their books with a geometric device, or a cipher formed of the initials of the con- vent to which the book belonged. This sym- bol was either branded on the top edge or stained on the vellum back, so that it is easy to identify the books that formerly were the property of certain convents. The library is several blocks from the houses of Congress, and is not intended for their special use, since each has a small library of its own. The staff of the library is : I librarian, $2,500; 2 assistants; $1,000 each; 4 attendants, $480 each ; 8 cataloguers, $600 each ; janitor, $500, and 5 servants. The hours of opening are from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. daily throughout the year, Sundays and three legal holidays excepted. The annual appro- priation is: for books, $8,000; for printing, $2,000 ; building repairs, and incidentals, $800. LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. SMALL LIBRARY BUILDINGS. BY WILLIAM F. POOLE, LIBRARIAN OF .THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY. THE subject of Library Construction has been considered at every meeting of our Association ; and perhaps no topic has been discussed on which there has been a more general concurrence of opinion than that in favor of im- proved methods of construction. The discus- sion, however, which has been directed almost wholly to the requirements of large libraries, admits of a wider and more practical application. I purpose in this paper to treat the subject of "Small Library Buildings," of which a hun- dred are needed, where one is needed of the larger class. 1 One of the most puzzling questions which now arise in a new board of library directors, and in some old boards, is: "What sort of a building shall we construct?" The treatment of the subject in our Association has made the subject the more puzzling ; for it has unsettled old ideas, and has given little that is specific and definite to supply their place. It was for- merly the practice of directors to look around for a library building which had galleries and alcoves, and to reproduce its general plan, and as much of its details as they could pay for. They usually copied its worst features. It was enough if the building was architecturally pict- uresque. Whether it was adapted to the uses of a library was a matter of no consequence. The selection of a plan by this method was comparatively easy. The discussions which have occurred in our Association have checked 1 My earlier papers on the general subject are : (i) " On Library Construction," read at \Vashington in Feb., iSSi, and printed, with drawings, by the U.S. Bureau of Educa- tion (Circulars of Information, No. i, iSSi); also, with drawings, in the American Architect (v. 10, p. 131), and, without drawings, in the Library journal (v. 6, p. 69). (2) " Report on the Progress of Library Architecture," in the Library journal (v. 7, p. 130) ; and in a separate pamphlet, Boston, 1882, 16 p. (3) " Remarks on Library Construction ; to which is appended an examination of Mr. J. L. Smithmeyer's pamphlet entitled, ' Suggestions on Library Architecture, American and Foreign.' " Chi- cago, 1884, 34 p. The " Remarks " included in this pamphlet are in the Library journal (v. 8, p. 270). this mode of selection. The idea has gone abroad that the librarians of the country have condemned the old and conventional style as very faulty ; and have asserted that library buildings should be constructed with some reference to common-sense, utility, economy, the safety of the books, the convenience of the public in using them, and of the custodians of the library in doing their work. Every other class of structures dwelling-houses, stores, workshops, factories are planned and built with reference to the purpose for which they are to be used ; and in these latter days the principle has begun to be applied to library buildings. Very little, however, as I have remarked, has been done for the development of these common-sense ideas in specific plans. This is a work to which many librarians may contribute the results of their study and experience. The aid of skillful architects must also be sought, and it will be cheerfully given ; but the leading ideas which are to control the reform must come from the librarians themselves ; as they alone understand the administrative needs of a library, and all the conditions of the problem. If half the study and ingenuity which have been expended on the classification of books, and on cabalistic notation to express the class, had been devoted to the problem of library construction, some brilliant results in this department of library economy would have been reached, and any further discussion of the subject at this time might have been unnec- essary. Definite and varied plans, and many of them, are needed; for the conditions of libraries, as to size and financial resources, are so unlike that a design adapted to one library will, in its details, be unsuitable for another library. In this paper I can do little more than to lay before you a specific plan, based on certain assumed conditions, which will suggest what I deem to be correct princi- pies of construction. The details of the plan, POOLE. 57 however, can be modified to almost any extent in their application to other libraries where the conditions are different. In the construction of dwelling-houses an infinite variety in detail is admissible, each one of which, in its own place, will be gcfod ; yet there are essentials which in no instance may be neglected, such as providing sufficient light, proper drainage, safe heating, and health- ful ventilation. The omission of these requi- sites is not compensated for by an ornamental fa9ade which gives a pretty effect from the street. The number, size, and arrangement of the rooms in each instance will depend on the conditions of the family ; yet it is well that the kitchen have a proper relation to the dining- room, and the laundry be not an adjunct to the reception-room. A board of directors before discussing plans should decide how much money they can spend on a building. They should take into con- sideration not only the present number of vol- umes, but the probable growth of the library, and all its present and future conditions. Pro- vision should be made, in building, for the wants of the library for at least the next twenty years. It must also be understood that the building at some time in the future is to be enlarged ; and, in selecting plans, it is well, at the outset, to decide how and where the en- largement may be made. Any plan which does not admit of enlargement without dis- turbing the convenience and architectural sym- metry of the building should be rejected. The counsel of some experienced librarian will be of great assistance to the board in making or selecting designs. A location should be selected much larger than the present needs of the library require, and where light and air will be accessible on every side. It is a great mistake to put a library building on a cramped lot, or in a block where light is obstructed, the future growth is hampered, and the risks from fire are greatly increased. If it be necessary to take a loca- tion in a block, let it be on the corner of two streets, where light may be taken in on three sides. It is not possible to have too much light in a library, provided it be side-light. Sky-light should not be used unless it be neces- sary from the want of side-light. The north light is the most desirable; and hence the reading-rooms should be placed, if possible, so as to use that light. The choice of material to be used in the construction of a library building may depend on the cost, or the kind of material which is most accessible in the locality. Where stone, brick, and wood are equally available, stone is the best material, brick the next best, and wood the worst. Stone undressed and laid in irregu- lar rubble-work is very tasteful, and is not ex- pensive. In some localities where there are no stone quarries, there are bowlders or cobble- stones, which, when broken and laid in rubble- work, make a beautiful building material. If it can be afforded the interior should be finished in hard wood, and the floors, in any event, should be of well-seasoned maple laid in narrow strips. If any building should be practically fire- proof it is a library building. A perfectly fire- proof structure is expensive ; but there are now methods of making buildings practically incom- bustible by the use of porous terra-cotta in the ceilings and partitions, and laying the floors over a bed of mortar which are not expen- sive. These devices, though they are not a complete protection, delay the fire until it can be extinguished. A wooden library building without any of the modern fire-proof devices is a fire-trap, and its construction is a crime. For developing the plan I propose to lay before you we will assume that the directors of a library of 10,000 volumes propose to erect a library building. The annual rate of in- crease is 1,000 volumes, and hence in ten years they will have 20,000 volumes, and in twenty years 30,000 volumes. In all probabil- ity, when the books are housed in a safe and convenient building, the rate of growth will go on increasing, and the library will have 30,000 volumes in fifteen years ; for such a building attracts to itself donations. To erect a build- ing with a capacity of less than 30,000 volumes under such circumstances would be neither prudent nor economical. As to the style of the exterior elevations I have some opinions, but shall say nothing concerning them here ; for it is a matter of taste and expense which the LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. architect will treat when he has before him the limitation of cost which the directors will give him, and the plan of the interior which I propose to furnish. For the main floor the height of the ceiling should not be less than 15 feet, and need not be more than 16; and I recommend the follow- ing subdivisions or rooms : (i) A room for the storage of books, without alcoves or galleries (a description of the room I will give pres- ently) ; (2) the librarian's room, which opens directly into the book-room ; (3) the delivery- room, where applicants apply for and receive books for home use ; (4) the general refer- ence-room, where readers may use books for study on the premises, and which is in imme- diate connection with the library proper ; (5) a reading-room for periodicals and newspapers ; (6) a reading-room for ladies, if such a room be thought desirable by the directors ; and (7) the directors' room, which can also be used for the shelving of fine-art books and other works of especial value. I have spoken of these subdivisions as rooms ; yet, excepting the librarian's and directors' rooms, where talking must be done which had better not be overheard, they need not be sep- arated by partitions extending to the ceiling. Half partitions or screens are preferable, as they will allow a more equal distribution of light and give the whole floor the effect of one room. The basement, where will be the heating ap- paratus, water arrangements, bins for fuel, etc., should be mainly above ground, in order that it may be dry, and it should be well lighted by windows. There are many purposes some of them will be mentioned later for which such a basement will be found useful. A low, dark, damp basement has no function in library economy except to rust out the heating ap- paratus and water-pipes, and to be a general nuisance. A dry basement is also needed to protect the books from dampness. The two natural and most destructive enemies of books are dampness, on the one hand, and excessive heat on the other. The building we have thus far considered has only one story and basement. If this be all the directors can pay for they can stop here. A library, however, has wants which are not yet provided for. It should have a spacious room where classes from the public schools may come and receive instruction from the librarian and their teachers in the use of books and familiar lectures on special topics. Rooms are also needed for such collections as public documents, patent publications, and for the sorting and storage of pamphlets, news- papers, and duplicates. A second story will provide for these wants, and will give the build- ing a more symmetrical and tasteful appearance. A second story, as will be later explained, will furnish space for the reading and reference rooms when it becomes necessary to use these rooms on the first floor for books ; and by this means the enlargement of the building may for a time be postponed. In the meantime, an apartment in the second story can be used as an audience-room which will accommodate several hundred persons. Access to the second story will be by stairs in an outside tower, shown at " H " in the ground-plan before us. It will be seen that the outline of the plan is a cross. This form of ground-plan has not been taken for its mediaeval and ecclesiastical associations it being that of the old cathe- drals but for the reason that it gives the most convenient arrangement of the rooms, the most economical subdivision of the space, and the best distribution of light. It is a form of structure which can be enlarged in several directions without disturbing its archi- tectural symmetry, the convenience of the in- ternal arrangements, or obstructing the light. In breaking lines in the facade, it will commend itself to any tasteful architect. In speaking of its several parts, it will be convenient, if not strictly correct, to use the terms applied to a similar form in ecclesiastical architecture, namely, nave, transepts, and chancel. The nave, to its interception with the tran- septs, is a square, and the transepts and chancel are one-half of the same square. The right transept, however, in this instance, has been lengthened a few feet in order to give space for the tower. If the nave be thirty feet square, the transepts and chancel will each be thirty by fifteen feet. The actual size of the building, therefore, will depend on the size of this initial square in the subdivision marked POOLS. 59 "A," which will be used for the shelving of twenty feet square, the room " A," 20 X 26 feet books. The larger this measure the larger will shelve 12,500 volumes; if it be thirty feet will be the storage capacity of the room ; and square the capacity of the room will be 27,000 the size of all the other rooms will be increased volumes ; if it be forty feet square the capacity in the same proportion. There is, perhaps, no will be 46,000 volumes ; and if fifty feet square more equitable rule for adjusting the size of the capacity will be 70,000 volumes. If the the rooms than making them proportional to desk and counters be thrown forward twelve the storage capacity of the book-room. If the feet, instead of six, towards the centre, the nave, to the intersection of the transepts, be capacity will be 75,000 volumes. It is not 6o LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. practicable that a room for the storage of books, even if light be taken in on both sides, should be more than fifty feet wide ; for it is found that side-light, at a greater distance than twenty-five feet from the windows, becomes too feeble for library use. The rule by which the capacity of any room shelved in this manner may be estimated, is to multiply the area of the floor, in square feet, by twenty-five ; and the result will be the number of volumes the room will contain. It is assumed in this statement that the size of the volumes will con- form to the usual average of size found in general libraries of this class. The rule would need to be modified if applied to a library which had an unusual proportion of folios and quartos ; and, on the other hand, to one having only octavos, twelvemos, and sixteenmos. We will assume, for our purpose, thirty-two feet as the size of the initial square already described. The left transept and chancel would then be each 32 X 16 feet, and the right transept 40 X 16 feet. Six feet being added to the initial square, as shown on the plan, the book capacity of the room "A," by the rule just stated, would be in volumes as follows: 32 X 38 = I, i 86 X 25 = 29,650 volumes. The works in bibliography shelved in the librarian's room, and the choicer books shelved in the directors' room, will bring the capacity up to 30,000 volumes, which was the number we proposed to provide for. The librarian's room, 12 X 16 feet, is indi- cated on the plan by the letter " B" ; the refer- ence-room, 20 X 1 6 feet, by " C" ; the reading- room for periodicals and newspapers, 32 X 22 feet, by "D"; the delivery-room, 32 X 20 feet, by "E"; the ladies' reference-room, 16 X 12 feet, by "F"; and the directors' room, 20 X 10 feet, by " G." The light in the book-room, " A," is taken in by windows above a row of wall-cases which extend around the room. All the other win- dows of the building will be of the usual length. The wall-cases are eight feet high, have a ledge three feet six inches from the floor, are fifteen inches deep below the ledge, and nine inches deep above the ledge. The wall-cases are for shelving folios and quartos. Octavos (including royal octavos), twelvemos, and smaller volumes are shelved in cases stand- ing free of the walls, as indicated in the plan, open on both sides, and without doors or glass fronts. These cases are also eight feet high, and books on the upper shelf can be reached by a person of full stature without step or ladder. They are sixteen inches wide (the base, being two inches wider), and are divided lengthwise through the middle by a half-inch partition, which serves to stiffen the cases and prevents them from spreading laterally under the weight of books The depth of the shelves, therefore, is seven and a half inches, which is enough for a royal .octavo volume. It is a waste of expense and a waste of floor-space, to make double cases more than sixteen inches wide. Cases much wider may be seen at the branches of the Boston Public Library, the Roxbury Athenaeum, and elsewhere. The material of the cases and the shelves should be ash, or some wood harder than pine; and no paint should be used in the finish. The shelves, which should be three feet, and not be more than three and a half feet, in length, are movable, and are supported on pins made of hickory or other hard wood. The head of the pin is put out of the way- by being cut into the under side of the shelf. The sharp edges on the front of the shelves should be taken off; for if allowed to remain they will cut the bindings. Cases with movable shelves cost no more than cases with fixed shelves, if made by contractors who have machinery for boring the holes and making the pins. 1 In this plan the central bookcases are ten feet in length, and stand three feet apart. The side aisles between them and the wall cases are three feet wide, and the centre aisle is three and a half feet wide. Filling up the centre aisle by lengthening the cases would increase the shelving capacity of the room 3,700 volumes. The counters, where books are given out to borrowers, and the desk where books are re- turned, separate the delivery-room, " E," from the book-room, and cut off the public from 1 In my paper on the " Organization and Management of Public Libraries," in the U.S. Bureau of Education's " Report on Public Libraries," 1876, p. 485, will be found working drawings, and a full description of these cases. POOLE. 61 access to the bookcases. Thfc counters are two feet wide and the desk three feet wide and six feet long. In a library of this size one window, or opening in front of the desk, is enough for receiving books ; but in libraries of large circulation a double desk, twelve feet long, and two windows, are needed the men being served atone, and the women at the other. With this arrangement men re- ceive books at one counter and women at the other counter. The slips for the books they borrow are kept in separate boxes on the desk, so that two persons can work at the same time in receiving books. The slips are readily separated, as the registry number of men (which appears on the slip) is always an odd number, and the registry number of women is an even number. This is the system in use at the Chicago Public Library where the daily average circulation is about 2,000 volumes, and on some days runs up to 3,600. This number of books could not be taken in at one window. We have, besides, a juvenile desk and counter where the young people are served. With these facilities we are able to meet the largest de- mands made in the circulating department. It will be seen that the librarian's room, " B," communicates directly with the book- room. Here will be shelved the bibliographi- cal books, and here the cataloguing of the library will be done. In a larger library a separate room for cataloguing is needed ; but it is not required in a library of this size. A room which we call " the shop" is also needed, where books may be unpacked, .mended, re- labeled, scheduled for the binder, and, after being catalogued, prepared for the shelves. A room for this work may be fitted up in the basement, if it be light and dry ; and some of this work may be done at tables in the rear of the bookcases. It will not be necessary to put in all the bookcases shown in the plan until they are needed, and until that time ar- rives, there will be space for tables in the rear of the bookcases. The general reference-room, "C," where books may be studied on the premises, is adjacent to the book-room, and readers have easy access to the attendants. It is a question whether some books of reference, such as one or more ency- clopaedias, and a few dictionaries of biography, art, and science, may be shelved in the refer- ence-room, and made accessible to readers without application to the attendants. Will the books be safe? In some communities, where the readers are not many and are person- ally known to the attendants, they might be safe ; but in larger communities, where not one reader in ten is known by the attendants, the books will, if they are made thus accessible, mysteriously disappear. That has been our experience in Chicago, and hence we require a written application signed by the true name of the applicant, and giving his or her residence, for every book used at the reference tables. These applications are kept in pigeon-holes, as a voucher for the book or books, and are can- celed when the books are returned to the attendant's desk. The reading-room, "D," is for the use of periodicals and newspapers. It is still an open question whether it is advisable to furnish newspapers which give simply the current news of the day. The argument in favor of furnish- ing newspapers is that they bring many per- sons to the library who would not otherwise come ; and that these readers learn in time to make a better use of their opportunities. The argument against the custom is, that news- papers take up a good deal of space ; that they are so common in the community and cheap that libraries need not provide them ; and that in cities and large towns they bring a class of readers who, in their dress, manners, and habits of personal cleanliness are repulsive to the average frequenters of the library. Every library, however, should take and bind its local newspapers. The general practice, neverthe- less, in the Western States, is to furnish a liberal supply of newspapers. The best method of keeping them is on stands, and if the space be limited some of them must be kept on files. The current numbers of periodicals are safe in some libraries if they are kept in racks on the reading tables. In other libraries they would be stolen. If a large number of periodicals be taken and placed on the reading tables, it is difficult for a person to find the one he is look- ing for. In the larger libraries it is therefore the safest method, and the one most conven- 62 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. ient for readers, to keep periodicals in pigeon- holes behind the counter, which are numbered, and that they be applied for by their numbers, the applicant writing on the slip handed in his name and residence. The application slip is kept in the pigeon-hole from whence the peri- odical came, until it is returned, and then this slip is canceled. The delivery-room, " E," the ladies 1 refer- ence-room, " F," and the directors' room, "G," are so clearly shown on the plan as to require no further explanation. The light in the delivery-room will be ample, as the parti- tions or screens between it and the reading and reference rooms are only five and a half feet high. With nearly every 'new board of directors or trustees there is a feeling that a separate refer- ence-room for ladies is needed ; and it is in deference to this sentiment that I have desig- nated such a room. My experience teaches that this want, so far as it relates to any schol- arly purpose on the part of the ladies, is purely imaginary. Ladies who come to a library for study prefer to use the general reference-room, where they can be near the books and can con- sult with the employes of the library for the help they need. They have no objection to sitting at a table in a well-regulated room, even though a gentleman may be reading at a table near them. The class of ladies who would be especially accommodated by aseparate reference-room would use it for other purposes than study. Some years ago, in assigning rooms in the new Public Library building in Cincinnati, one was set aside as the ladies' reference-room. It soon became a rendezvous for social purposes, and was used by the per- sons who frequented it for talking over society matters and exhibiting the bargains they had made in their shopping excursions. The ex- periment of furnishing these accommodations was not thought to be a success, and the room was assigned to another purpose. At Chicago, by the wish of the directors, the experiment was again tried ; and, as the ladies who came for study did not use the room, it was given up. Whenever it is deemed advisable the space on the plan allotted to the ladies' reference- room can be added to the general reference- room. I have remarked that an essential feature in the plan of a library building is that it can be enlarged without disturbing its architectural symmetry, or requiring its internal arrangements to be changed. This plan admits of enlarge- ment by several methods which will suggest themselves to any competent architect. The book-room may be extended in length, say thirty-two feet, and this addition brought out to the right and left in line with the transepts. This addition will increase the capacity of the book-room threefold, and the aesthetic features of the building will be improved. Again, the left transept may be extended to any distance required, and, turning at a right angle, be ex- tended parallel to the book-room. Before, however, any addition is made to the structure the reading and reference rooms may be re- moved to the second story, and the space va- cated be given to bookcases. This change will increase the book capacity of the floor nearly 30,000 volumes. The desk and counters will be placed at a right angle to their present position the desk facing the main entrance, and the rear of the counters standing about ten feet from the line of the present reference-rooms. I shall speak only in general terms of the cost of a building erected on this plan. A stone building of two stories, with tasteful elevations, an interior of hard-wood finish and of practically fire-proof construction (as already explained), and with such details of taste, or- namentation, and convenience as belong to a first-class structure, will cost $50,000. A one-story stone building on this ground plan, without hard-wood finish or fire-proof construc- tion, can be built for $15,000. The size may be reduced, a cheaper material than stone may be adopted, some of the rooms may be left out, and other modifications be made in the details which will further reduce the cost. A local architect, who has all the conditions of the problem before him, is the person to be con- sulted with reference to cost. I will detain you no longer; and, if any points have been omitted upon which I ought to have spoken, they will appear in the discus- sion which is to follow. LANE. REPORT ON CLASSIFICATION, 1883-85. BY W. C. LANE, HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY. SINCE the last meeting of the Association two new systems of classification and no- tation have been proposed, in the pages of the Library journal, by Mr. Lamed and Mr. Schwartz respectively. I will attempt to point out briefly their main points, as they form the latest additions to the long list of proposed schemes of classification and notation. On Mr. Schwartz's system it is too soon to form a final judgment, as but seven of its main divisions are yet published, and further explana- tions and remarks may be expected from its author. Its general plan, however, is plain. A decimal system of division is employed, simi- lar to the Dewey notation ; the whole ground is mapped out into nine classes, and each of these is divided into nine sub-classes, the num- bers of the possible tenth sub-class being very ingeniously used for folios and quartos, with the disadvantage, however, of separating these widely from the corresponding smaller books. Each sub-class is divided into ten sections, the ultimate subdivisions, which are thus 810 in number. All subdivisions, great and small, stand in their own series in alphabetical order, and the names are so chosen, when possible, that the same initial letter shall be regularly represented by the same figure, thus introduc- ing a mnemonic element. Mr. Schwartz con- siders this an important part of his scheme, but it may be doubted whether it contributes any substantial advantage, while it can only increase the limitations on free classification inherent in a decimal system. In working out the details of his scheme Mr. Schwartz starts with the principle (in which every one will not agree with him) that the subdivisions should be " arranged everywhere to make propor- tioned and balanced divisions of books rather than of subjects," i.e., each section is to con- tain approximately the same number of books and cover the same amount of shelf-room, and subjects about which little has been written must be lumped together to make sections of sufficient size. The provision for book-num- bers permits of only a very imperfect alphabeti- cal arrangement within the sections, but this is a matter which many librarians consider unim- portant. For a small library, where no minute classification is desired, the system promises to be one easily managed, with well-chosen sub- divisions as far as they go, and a simple nota- tion ; but for a large library, or for one where a complete classification is wanted, it would be inadequate. Mr. Larned's proposed new system of nota- tion (it is not distinctly a new classification) uses only letters to make its class-numbers, and seems somewhat cumbrous to one who is used to a simpler figure-system. Such combinations of letters only are used as make definite syl- lables, thus giving them a familiar air, and making it possible to pronounce the signs, the advantage of which would be greater if our alphabet were more perfectly phonetic. Its chief merit, and the point wherein it differs from all other notations, is in providing two perfectly distinct series of letter-combinations. To one of these Mr. Lamed assigns a geo- graphical significance, each syllable always meaning the same country or place and having no other signification ; while the second series is used as the nomenclature for all the other sub- ject divisions. In combining the syllables of one series with those of the other either can be made subordinate to the other according to the order in which they are placed. In those departments of literature where a geographical division should predominate (in Mr. Larned's opinion, History and Geography in the widest sense, Language and Belles-Lettres}, the geo- graphical syllable is placed first in the combi- nation, and is successively followed by a regular sequence of syllables denoting the different sub- divisions of History and its related subjects, 6 4 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. and of Language and Belles-Lettres, thus bring- ing together everything in these classes con- nected with one country before passing on to another. In other classes, where a geographical division is a secondary matter, the subject- syllables are used, alone in those cases which admit of no geographical division, or with the country syllables added where a division by countries is desirable. The classes Society, Phi- losophy, and History are the only ones for which Mr. Lamed has published a detailed classifica- tion ; but Mr. Carr has worked out and published a scheme for the Book Arts on the same prin- ciple. It may, perhaps, be doubted whether the notation in just its present form will be actually adopted in any library ; indeed, Mr. Larned has published it as a preliminary sketch to be worked over and developed. Its main idea, however, is a very happy one and of dis- tinct value. A third important addition to the classifica- tion-literature of the year is Mr. Dewey's re- vised and enlarged edition of his " Decimal Classification." As the proof-sheets were handed to me only yesterday I cannot at- tempt to give any detailed account of it, or to point out its excellences and defects ; like every classification it has both. The new edition makes a book of over 300 pages, in- cluding an introduction of some 60 pages, and a very complete and elaborate index of over 80. As one looks over the pages one is im- pressed, first, and most of all, with the im- mense labor involved in its preparation; the patient seeking after all possible subjects in the attempt to cover the whole ground, and the admirable system and uniformity running through the whole. The enlargement which has been made over the first edition consists in further subdivision of the classification, by the addition of another figure throughout, and two or three figures in some parts, thus multiplying the subdivisions potentially by ten, one hundred, or a thousand. I would suggest but two criticisms, in passing. In looking over the pages it strikes one that, in general, all, or very nearly all, the subdivisions of each grade have had subjects assigned to them ; that is, that little room has been left for new subjects, or for such as have escaped the vigilance of the compiler, and there must be many such subjects, notwithstanding all pos- sible pains. The other criticism that I would make is on the predominance of the geographical arrange- ment over the alphabetical, in some cases where the latter would undoubtedly add much to convenience. This is perhaps a failing in- cident to the general plan. For example, the local histories of Massachusetts towns are di- vided by counties. Whether they are arranged alphabetically within the counties the scheme does not state : one would suppose that they would be. At any rate, if I want to find a history of Lenox, I shall be fortunate if I re- member what county it is in ; as, if I do not, I shall have to consult a gazetteer before looking in the catalogue, or going to the shelves. The case is still worse when we come to foreign countries, as there is scarcely one chance in a hundred that I shall know in what departement of France Bordeaux is situated ; yet this must be ascertained before I can discover whether the library has anything on its history. If some way could be found conveniently to combine an alphabetical distribution of minor topics in cer- tain cases of this kind, with the general plan of the classification, the inventor would greatly in- crease its efficiency and convenience. The index is very full, and arranged with ad- mirable clearness ; it includes all words or names used as subject-divisions, even personal and place names, and names of zoological and botanical orders. A few divisions of the classification have not yet been worked out, and the. index will be kept standing in type until these are completed, and in order that suggestions and additions can be received from outside. It is to be hoped that Mr. Dewey will give us some account of his methods of work in ex- panding his classification, and some idea of how far it has been in the hands and under the re- vision of specialists. ' I now pass on to speak of another subject closely connected with classification, and prop- erly included under it, namely, notation (i.e., the system of shelf-marks employed to number the books according to the subdivisions of the classification) and in particular of the diffi- LANE. culty of devising a satisfactory notation, which shall maintain on the shelves an orderly se- quence among the books within the separate sections of the classification, a difficulty which it seems to me has not yet been satisfactorily solved. The arrangement most frequently employed when a strict sequence is attempted is the alphabetical, by names of authors, the works of each author following one another in an alphabetical, or chronological order, and the different editions of the same work being brought together and arranged according to dates. An alphabetical arrangement by topics (as of persons in Biography or of places in Local History) is frequently desirable ; and means should also be provided for maintaining in certain classes a chronological sequence according to date of publication. Some librarians seem to think that all this is of little consequence. Mr. Perkins's direc- tions are to number the books i, 2, 3, simply in the order that they come to hand. Mr. Edmands and several others use a table of 9999 numbers distributed over the alphabet, but are not then able to separate all authors, and still less to keep their works in anything but a hap-hazard order. Mr. Schwartz accom- plishes still less than this. In his ordinary sections all authors between A and B will have one number, all beginning with H, I, J, K, or L will have another, and so on. With Mr. Cutter's notation it is entirely possible to keep up a strict orderly arrangement, and the same is true of any notation built on the decimal- fraction plan, but indefinite additions can only be made at the expense of complicating and expanding the book-number. Mr. Dewey ex- perimented with a book-number on a 150- base, which was a wonder to behold, but re- quired a special education to read and copy correctly. I am told that he has given up the plan, and now employs Mr. Cutter's method. The notation described in the Library journal for March, 1884, as applied to the collection of Greek and Latin authors in the Harvard College Library accomplishes its purpose perfectly, but is on the decimal-fraction plan, and as such open to objections. Because of the general difficulty which has attended this subject I am tempted to call your attention to another ex- periment in notation, recently tried at the same library, and which, though not accomplishing everything which could be desired, still promises good results. The collection of Dante literature in the library is a large one (over 800 volumes) , and is rapidly increasing. It was therefore desir- able to apply a system of numbering to it which should allow for indefinite additions, and yet keep everything strictly in proper order. The rest of the library is arranged on the fixed-location plan, so that in applying a mov- able-location number I had merely to prefix the letters Dn. to my shelf-marks to distin- guish them from everything else in the build- ing. The order to be established was : i . MSS. 2. Editions of the Divina Commedia and the Complete Works in chronological order, the folios and quartos being placed first. 3. Se- lections. 4. Translations, divided first by lan- guages alphabetically, and within each language alphabetically by translators. 5. Critical works, divided by languages and alphabetically by authors. 6. The editions, translations, and criticism of the Minor Works in the same order. 7. Biography and History. 8. Several minor divisions, as Dante Societies, Sixth Centennial, Bibliography, etc. In numbering these I have used a regular series of numbers in the same way that Mr. Perkins numbers the classes of his classification, except that where I have wanted to introduce an alphabetical arrangement I have devoted 25 numbers to the same division. This gives one number for each letter of the alphabet, and by combining X, Y, and Z on the twenty-fourth, the twenty-fifth is left for volumes made up of pamphlets by different authors on the same subject. Thus, Italian criticism on the " Divina Commedia" is numbered 125 to 149. 125.1 is the first book that comes along by a man whose name begins with A ; 125.2 is the second man ; 125.3 tne third. A second work by either of these three men would be 125.1.2, 125.2.2, or 125.3.2; a third would be 125.1.3, 125.2.3, I2 5-3-3> an d so on. In cases where a chronological arrangement is desired ten numbers are used, beginning in each case with a number ending in 4. Each 66 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. shelf-mark can then be made to indicate the date of its book. Numbers beginning with 24 are used for the octavo and smaller editions of the " Divine Comedy." The first small edition in the library being that of 1506, its shelf- mark is Dn. 25.6; a second edition of the same date is Dn. 25.6.2. The edition of 1568 is Dn. 25.68, that of 1830 is 28.30, two editions of 1869 are 28.69 an ^ 28.69.2. For the quartos the preceding figures from 14 to 23 are used in the same way, and for the folios 4 to 13, thus pro- viding numbers for the editions of the next 500 years, by which time some other scheme will probably have supplanted this one if we are to judge by the rapidity with which new systems are proposed. For the translations in each language where the arrangement is alphabetical by translators the 25 numbers are used, but not for those smaller divisions, such as Polish or Greek translations, where the arrangement of the two or three possible translations is not important. In brief, then, starting with a system of classi- fication in general plan like Mr. Perkins's, this modification provides a way of arranging the separate books in a strictly chronological order, where such is desired, and in cases where an alphabetical arrangement is required, it brings all the books of each author side by side, and arranges the authors alphabetically within certain limits. It does not accomplish everything, but it works, as far as it goes, very simply and per- fectly, and with the minimum trouble in assign- ing shelf-marks in the first place. In larger classes, such as fiction and poetry, where a closer alphabetical sequence is wanted, I think it could be modified so as to accomplish more. If we attempted to apply it to Mr. Perkins's scheme as it stands, it would probably run up the numbers too high, but this could be obviated by using two letters to begin with, to which there is by no means the same objection that there is to a shelf-mark made up of letters and figures mixed together. Two important catalogues have been pub- lished since the last meeting, the Subject Catalogue of the Library of the College of New Jersey (vulgarly called Princeton Col- ege) and the Catalogue of the Peabody In- stitute Library, of which but two volumes have appeared. Both are on the dictionary plan, but neither carries it to an extreme. I notice, for instance, in the Princeton catalogue that a monograph on the milk-cells of the Euphor- biaceae and other orders is not entered either under Euphorbiaceas, milk-cells, or lactiferous tissue, where one might expect to find it, under hard-and-fast "most specific subject" rules, but with general works on physiological botany. In many cases similar books are en- tered twice, under specific subject and general subject. Both catalogues are valuable additions to the list of good examples of classification. Two excellent articles on classification ap- peared last year in the " Centralblatt fur Bib- liothekswesen," one by Fbrstemann, of the Dresden Royal Library, on the relations of a systematic chronological and alphabetical ar- rangement, and the part which each should play in a library ; the other by Uhlirz, qf the " Stadtbibliothek," of Vienna, on the respec- tive advantages of chronological and alpha- betical arrangement of titles in the different subdivisions of a classed catalogue. Each writer describes the practice in his own li- brary, and the articles are clear and practical. Neither, unfortunately, says anything of the difficult subject of a notation to be employed to carry out these arrangements on the shelves. Fbrstemann favors a further classification of subjects within the usual systematic divisions, and says, " Its advantages lie in the direction of facilitating the use of the books ; and this in a library is the consideration of most im- portance. He who can take down, for a stu- dent, in one armful, and without consulting a catalogue, all that the library possesses on Richard Wagner, or on the siege of Vienna in 1683, or on the Jaundice, will not be likely to desire any other arrangement of his library." This is good, sound doctrine, which one is glad to see finding expression in Germany. The whole article, as well as that of Uhlirz, is well worth study. In closing it may be of interest to say a few words of the classification adopted in the Li- brary of the Harvard Law School, which moved into its new building and library-room just two years ago. LANE. 67 A purely alphabetical arrangement is adopted, similar in many ways to that described by Mr. Homes at the last meeting of the Association. The various sets of Reports stand first on the shelves, not arranged by countries or States, but alphabetically, according to the way they are most frequently cited : if usually cited under the reporter they stand under his name, if cited by the name of the State they are ar- ranged accordingly. After these come the treatises on various branches of law, all thrown into one alphabet, according to names of authors. A third divis- ion is the collection of statutes and digests, arranged alphabetically by States, and a fourth class includes Trials, alphabetically by cases. The French and German books make an- other division of the library, separate from the English and American law, and the books in Scotch law are also placed by themselves. The librarian of the law school considers this by far the best arrangement for a law- school library, because a student generally wants some special works or single volume of a set of reports which has been referred to by his text- book or some authority, and the book can be speedily brought by an attendant with the mini- mum of trouble and uncertainty. In fact they find that they do not need any shelf-marks or catalogue, except an official list of books re- ceived. In a law library, designed for the use of working lawyers, a systematic arrangement would have its advantages, as in the Social Law Library in Boston, where a man goes to hunt up the authorities on a subject and wants to find all treatises brought together; but for the special use of a law school the alphabetical arrangement seems well adapted. I append a list of articles on classification from periodicals during the last two years, as far as they have come to my notice. ARCHER, W. A paper introductory to a forthcoming scheme for a dictionary catalogue. Read at the 7th meeting of the L.A.U.K. (1884.) Not yet published. of the national library of Ireland. (Library j., Jan., 1885, 10 : 11-12.) Refers to his paper read before the L.A.U.K. He intends to publish a list of most specific subject-headings for the convenience of cata- logue-makers, with references from general headings, step by step to more specific, and with the addition of the Dewey number. CARR, H. J. Classification and notation of the book-arts. (Lib. j., Oct., 1884; 10: 172- I75-) Mr. Carr follows Mr. Cutter's order and division of subjects in general, with modifica- tions of his own, and uses Mr. Larned's method of syllabic notation. Mr. Cutter's notation is ' added by the side of Mr. Carr's, and a com- parison of the two in points of difference is made at the end. CUTTER, C : A. The arrangement of the parts of the United States in a historical and geographical system of classification. (Lib. j., Sept., 1883, 8: 205-208.) Read at the A.L.A. meeting, 1883. Provides a notation for the different States and sections and for the towns under each State arranged alphabetically. Arrangement and notation of Shaks- periana. (Lib. j., Aug., 1884, 9: 137-139.) Brings the editions of Shakspere and the criticism of his works side by side, an exception to the general plan of Mr. Cutter's scheme. The place of folk-lore in a classification. A problem. (Lib. j., Aug., 1884, 9 : 136.) Advocates making it a class by itself, and put- ting it among " Generals and Preliminaries." Classification of the recreative and athletic arts. (Lib. j., Jan., 1885, 10: 6-8.) and LARNED, J. Two classifications of philosophy. (Lib. j., Apr., 1885,10:79-82.) Mr. Cutter's scheme (dated 1879) with his figure-letter notation. Mr. Larned's with his syllabic system. On classification and the library building FORSTEMANN, E. Systematische, alpha- 68 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. betische, chronologische anordnung. (Cen- tralbl. f. bibliotheksw., Aug., 1884, 1 : 293-303.) An excellent article on the application of the chronological and alphabetical arrangement of titles in the subdivision of a systematic classifi- cation. GODDARD, E. N. Classification of fiction. (Lib. j., March, 1885, 10: 55-56.) A short note on a modification of Mr. Cut- ter's plan, with remarks by Mr. C. HOMES, H : A. The shelf-arrangement of books in the New York State library. (Lib. j., Sept., 1883, 8: 203-205.) Read at the A.L.A. meeting, 1883. The arrangement is a purely alphabetical one by authors corresponding, with a few unimportant exceptions, to the order of the titles in the catalogue. KAY, J. T. The classification of literature. (iQth century, Oct., 1884, 624-629.) Considers the Dewey system to be the best scheme yet devised, and wishes a commission to be appointed to settle upon a definitive sys- tem of classification. Answered by E. C. Thomas in Library chron., Nov., 1884. LANE, W : C. Plan of arrangement and numbering for Greek and Latin authors in Harvard College library. (Lib. j., Mar., 1884, 9: 50-51-) The arrangement of authors is alphabetical, critical works following directly the editions of each author. The author-number is a running number, preceded by significant letters, and the book-number a decimal, allowing indefinite intercalations so that the books may be kept strictly in their proper sequence. LARNED, J. N. A nomenclature of classifi- cation. (Lib. j., Apr., 1884, 9: 62-69.) Editorial note by Mr. Cutter, p. 1 15 ; note by Mr. Lamed, p. 156. Mr. H. J. Carr has worked out a classification of the book-arts on the same principle in the Oct., 1884, number, ix. 172 ; and Mr. Lamed a synopsis of philosophy in the April, 1885, number, x. 81. NOYES, S. B. Classifying folk-lore and Shakesperiana. (Lib. j., Sept., 1884,9: 156.) A brief note. RICHARDSON, E. C. Classification of the- ology. (Lib. j., Nov., 1883,8: 320-321.) A review of the different systems which have been proposed. Folk-lore again. (Lib. j., Oct., 1884, 9: 177.) Called out by Mr. Cutter's article in the Jour nal for Aug., 1884. SCHWARTZ, J. An alphabetico-mnemonic system of classifying and numbering books. (Lib. j., Feb., Apr., July, Aug., 1885, 10: 25, 77, 149.174 ) Not yet complete. THOMAS, E. C. On some recent schemes of classification. (Trans, and proc. of the 5th an- nual meeting of the L.A.U.K. in 1882.) The classification of literature. (Lib. chron. Nov., 1884, I : 181-183.) In answer to J. Taylor Kay's article in the igth cent, for Oct. Points out that the chief value of Dewey's system is in giving a quick refei'ence by number to any subject. Hopes that more will be done in working out ques- tions of classification in England. TOWRY, M. H. The arrangement of private libraries. (Bibliographer, May, Aug., 1884, 5 : 168; 6: 62.) Advocates a general natural arrangement on the shelves, but considers any kind of a classed catalog as useless. Seems never to have heard of the " dictionary" plan. UHLIRZ, K: Ueber die ordnung der biich- ertitel im syst. cataloge. (Centralbl. f. biblio- theksw., Dec., 1884, i : 461-467.) An excellent practical article on the details of title arrangement in the subject catalogue of the city library of Vienna. WHEATLEY, H. B. The place of folk-lore in a classification. (Lib. j., Nov., 1884, 9: 188-189.) NELSON. 69 YEARLY REPORT ON CATALOGING. BY C: ALEX. NELSON, ASTOR LIBRARY. TWO weeks before the date for the meeting of this conference, I received a card from our worthy secretary, stating that Mr. Savary could not present the report on catalogs that was expected from him, and that the program committee would look to me for this report. I was surprised into accepting the task, mainly because the next man to be appealed to, if I declined, would have so much the less time for preparation. But I was almost (nearly one- half) as badly situated as was Gail Hamilton when she wrote "Twelve Miles from a Lemon," for I was rusticating nine miles from a catalog, or a library, and two hundred and fifty miles from the shelves whereon stood the volumes of which I would like to say something in such a report. Under the most favoring circum- stances no one could hope, in so short a time, to prepare a fitting supplement to the able report presented to the Buffalo Conference, every line of which showed the skilled "touch of a vanished hand " of the master whose loss we deeply deplore. The library within my reach was that of Cornell University, and I there not only met with a most cordial reception, but was also granted the courtesy of -the freest access to all that it contained that would serve my purpose. I here found all that has been published of the great catalog that stands facile princeps among the printed catalogs of the world, that of the British Museum. Dr. Garnett's interesting " Note on the printing " of this catalog leaves but little to be here added concerning it. Some peculiarities of arrangement may be noted. All learned societies are classed under the general term " Academies," and are ar- ranged alphabetically by the names of the places where they are located, and again under these alphabetically by their several names, when there are more than one in a place. Three parts, or volumes, as they are called, have been published under this division, cov- ering Aarau-London, the 194 societies of the latter city filling the 98 pages of the third part. "Periodical Publications" are similarly ar- ranged under this general heading, and two parts covering Aarau-Lobau have been issued. A single part of 47 pages is devoted to the "Books printed in Iceland from A. D. 157810 1880" in the library of the Museum. This also contains a list of authorities, historical and bibliographical, a chronological list of printers in Iceland, 1530-1880, and a list of Icelandic post-reformation bishops with their dates. Ninety-eight parts in all have been received in this country, averaging about 116 double- column folio pages to each part, making in the aggregate 22,770 columns. The letter A, with the exception of Academies, is complete ; B nearly so ; W-Z complete ; V nearly so ; with scattering parts in C, D, F, G, H, M, and S. Taking Dr. Garnett's estimate of 4,400 titles to each volume, we have an aggregate of 421,- 200 titles already in print. The British Museum published, in 1884, a " Catalogue of the books in the library printed in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and of books in English printed abroad, to 1640; 3 v., 8." An excellent notice of this invaluable con- tribution to English bibliography, from the pen of Mr. W: E. A. Axon, may be found in Lib. /., v. 9, p. 194. The same year the third and last volume of the "Catalogue of Persian MSS." was pub- lished, " prepared," says the Library journal, " in a most thorough and scholarly manner." In 1883, the Museum issued the first volume of a " Catalogue of romances in the depart- ment of MSS.," containing nearly a thousand octavo pages, and, the same year, a " Catalogue of a selection from the Stowe MSS.," 83 p. with 45 plates in autolithographic fac-simile. The Statistical Society of London published, in 1884, a handsomely printed catalog of their library, of 573 pages, single column, in large type, by author and title with some subject- LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. entries, giving the contents of volumes that contain more than one distinct work or essay. In order to bring out the catalog in the fiftieth year of the existence of the society, " the pub- lication of the Index is for the present post- poned." A " Catalogue of the Library of the Reform Club, London, 1883," is of more than usual interest from the fact that Panizzi planned the library of the club, and that he drew up the rules upon which the catalog was compiled. It is an author catalog of 558 pages, with me- dium titles, followed by a list of pamphlets arranged in an alphabetical list of subjects, and a classified index. From Paris we have a superb specimen of catalog-making in " Catalogue des livres com- posant la bibliotheque de feu M. le baron James de Rothschild; torn. i er , 1884, 194-672 p., port., col. pi., and il, 8." Fac-similes of title- pages, wood-cuts, rubricated titles, and whole pages are freely given, and the volumes com- posing the collection are fully described. The colored plates are fac-similes of some of the choicest bindings. The divisions of Theologie, Jurisprudence, Sciences et Arts, and Belles- lettres are included in this first volume. The preface bears the signature of Emile Picot, who prepared the catalog under the supervision of its owner until his death. The Executive Council of the International Health Exhibition, London, 1884, thinking that visitors should have an opportunity of consulting the books contributed to the ex- hibition, on the topics it covered, prepared a catalog of these books in two divisions, health and education. We call attention to this catalog as the first attempt, we think, that has been made to bring the attention of visitors to an international exhibition to the literature of the subjects exhibited, by giving them free access to the books exhibited, an example well worthy to be followed, if not at general exhibitions, certainly at those covering special subjects, like this and the Fisheries Exhi- bition at London, and the recent Electrical Exhibition at Philadelphia. The Bureau of Ethnology of the Smithsonian Institution has issued "Proof-sheets of a bibli- ography of the languages of the North American Indians, by J. C. Pilling." The labor involved in the compilation of such a work is immense, and can only be successfully accomplished by cooperation. This tentative catalog is sent to collaborators in its original compilation for corrections and additions, and when final- ly completed will be published as volume 10 of " Contributions to North American eth- nology." In its present form it contains 1,090 quarto pages, with an additional complete in- dex of languages and dialects, and shows in what libraries the books recorded are to be found. When finished it will add another monument to the painstaking bibliographical work done by American librarians and their assistants, and be an honor to their unselfish and too frequently unrewarded labors in this great field. Let us hope that no pains will be spared on the part of the cooperators in their examination and correction of these proof- sheets. We are also indebted to the Smithsonian In- stitution for the publication of another valuable contribution to bibliography, "A catalogue of scientific and technical periodicals, 1665 to 1882 ; together with chronological tables and a library check-list, by Henry Carrington Bolton, 1885." This catalog is confined to scientific and technical "periodicals" proper, exclusive of society proceedings and transactions and medical periodicals, and hence covers a differ- ent ground from that of Mr. Scudder's " Cata- logue of Scientific Serials," which includes the transactions of learned societies in the natural, physical, and mathematical sciences, and but few technical journals. The arrangement in Mr. Bolton's catalog is alphabetical by the titles of the periodicals, 5,105 titles being given, in most instances very fully. Cross- references are also freely given from the later to the first title of a periodical the name of which has been changed ; from common and familiar short titles to the real title ; from names of editors to the journals conducted by them ; and from the places where observatories are located to the titles of periodicals issued by them. An index of subjects is also given. A prominent feature is the arrangement of the chronological tables, which immediately follow the main list, wherein is indicated the exact NELSON. year corresponding to each volume of some 500 of the leading journals, with an index to the journals contained in these tables. . The compiler claims that " librarians will find the tables of service in determining bibliographical data of series not in their collections.'" In the " Library Check-list" an attempt is made to show in what American libraries the periodi- cals in the catalog are to be found, but owing to the incompleteness of the returns made in response to the circulars of inquiry sent out by the Smithsonian Institution only about 2,150 periodicals are noted. We trust that every earnest American librarian will feel sufficient national pride in the perfection of this Check-list to carefully examine the catalog and report to Mr. Bolton the periodicals in his library, that a revised and complete edition of the Check-list may be published at an early date. Here is an admirable opportunity for every one, by generous cooperation, to aid ma- terially in perfecting the work so successfully accomplished by the faithful painstaking of the compiler. We know the great difficulty of securing the latest dates in all cases in a list covering so wide a field, but the number of current periodicals which have for their latest date '80 -j- (current in 1880) which might have been dated '82 -\- is much larger than it ought to be, especially as the Addenda covers many periodicals whose publication began in 1883. Among the library catalogs published in this country since 1883 we note the second volume of the catalog of the Peabody Institute of Balti- more, covering the letters D-G, containing 958 p. and 68,902 references ; 3 more volumes, of not less than 900 p. each, will be required to complete the work, which will embrace about 4,500 pages, and which must take rank as one of the most useful, and, therefore, valuable of catalogs. The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Mass., has issued a dictionary catalog, without im- prints, made under direction of Mr. J. M. Hub- bard ; the Boston Public Library has just ready a new catalog of fiction, a model of compact- ness, accuracy and typography, printed in clear type in double columns. Mr. Vinton's admirable " Subject-catalogue " of the College of New Jer- sey, so well described by Mr. Noyes, was pub- lished in 1884, and fills 898 pages. The Law- rence, Mass., Public Library issued in 1883 a "Catalogue and Supplement, 1873-1883," of 985 p., 8, on the dictionary plan, with short titles and imprints ; the same year the " Leeser Libra- ry," of Philadelphia, published a catalog, small in size (69 p.), but " of great interest," as the library " contains the material for surveying in outline the intellectual history of the Jews ; " the Southbridge, Mass., Public Library, issued a second supplementary catalog of 128 p. last year; the Stockton, Cal., Free Public Library published a " Catalogue " by authors and short titles of 119 pages, on the Dewey notation; and the Taunton, Mass., P. L. issued a second supplement with classified index. The "Cata- logue of additions to the library of the U.S. Patent Office, May i, i8;8-May i, 1883 [by Weston Flint] ," fills 452 p., 8. Three volumes of the unequalled and exhaustive " Index Cata- logue of the U.S. Surgeon-General's Office " have appeared since the last report : v. 4, E- Fizes ; 5, Flaccus-Hearth ; 6, Heastie-Insfeldt, the six volumes together occupying 6,037 p. and including 58,886 author-titles, for 33,265 vols. and 47,325 pamphlets, 64,142 book and subject titles, 219,154 references to articles in periodi- cals, and 4,335 portraits. The Windsor, Vt., Library Association opened their library June 23, 1883, issuing a short catalog on the Dewey system; the "Catalogue of the New York Free Circulating Library : Ottendorfer Branch," founded in 1884, was issued in November, in two divisions, German and English ; it is a dictionary catalog of short titles without im- prints, using the Dewey notation, carefully and compactly compiled by Miss E. M. Coe, and printed in very clear type. An exceedingly compact " Finding-list of history, politics, biography, geography, travel, and anthropology in the Young Men's Library at Buffalo," bears date August, 1885. It includes about 17,000 vols. ; " only surnames of authors are given, and titles are represented by scarcely more than such catch-words a.s will identify them ; there is a systematic arrangement of subjects, with an index, and an alphabetical arrangement of entries under each subject." The cost of printing such a finding-list is reduced to the minimum, and where the card catalog of full LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. titles is accessible, we agree with Mr. Larned when he says, " for ordinary occasions of use at home a finding-list will generally suffice." The Bulletins of the university and larger public libraries are too well known to require special mention ; the smaller libraries would do well to secure copies of them all. The Ames Free Library, at North Easton, Mass., issued in 1884 its " Bulletin no. i, of books March i, i883-Jan. I, 1884." The Astor Library publishes each July a list of " Recent acces- sions," covering the additions to the library for the preceding year. The " Maimonides Li- brary," New York City, issued its " Bulletin no. i, June, 1884." The "Apprentices' Li- brary," New York, published " Classified lists of the most popular books, no. i-io," May, i883-July, 1884. The second volume of Bigmore and Wyman's " Bibliography of printing, with notes and illustrations," 412 p., 8, appeared in 1884; it is carefully compiled and edited, and is a model of beautiful typography. A " Bibliography of Swinburne, by R. H. Shepherd," was published in London in 1883. The Library journal speaks in highest praise of C. H. Beck's " Bibliotheca Lutherana, Nordlingen, 1883," a bookseller's catalog of 1,236 nos. in 190 p., 8. The Literary world, Boston, has given us some very valuable bibliographies within the past two years. Mr. Edmands' bibliography of the "Dies irae," and his "Reading Notes on Luther " and "Wycliffe" deserve special mention. Mr. Vinton sent out from the Col- lege of New Jersey, in 1884, an " Index or sub- ject-catalogue : W. Shakespeare," covering only the works about Shakespeare in that library. The " Biennial report of the State librarian of Iowa" (Mrs. S. B. Maxwell), July i, 1885, contains a short historical sketch of the library, a catalog of the 5,606 volumes added during the two years previous, and an appendix of " Statistics of libraries in the State." The latter feature we specially commend to the attention of all State librarians. The present status of every library in the country, large and small, is what very many would be glad to learn, and if each State librarian would follow the excellent example set by Mrs. Maxwell, statistics of great importance could be pro- cured in a year or two, which some general editor would gladly tabulate and publish. The new edition of Mr. Dewey's " Decimal classification and relativ index," just pub- lished, is so largely expanded from the first edition, and the work upon it has been done, to our knowledge, so carefully, and by experts in several departments, that from long use of the system, we desire to commend it in its present form as a most practical and convenient basis for the making. of catalogs for libraries, private or public, large or small. A specially notable and expensively gotten up catalog of a private collection is that of "The library of George Gordon King: Part I. Books; 2. Prints; by Joseph Allan Nolan. Newport, 1885. 2 v., 432, 327 p., 1. p., 4." It is a dictionary catalog, carefully prepared, giving contents, notes, and the sizes of rare books in cm., using the A.L.A. letter desig- nation ; 200 copies only were printed, for pri- vate distribution. The use of smaller type, and a better arrangement of the descriptive matter, would have made a much handsomer, but perhaps less costly catalog. We are glad to notice a great improvement in the appearance of most of the auction-sale catalogs, that have been published within the last few years, over those of previous years. As this report goes to the printer there comes to hand a copy of " Initials and pseudo- nyms : a dictionary of literary disguises, by W: Gushing." This handsomely printed volume of 603 p. well deserves a place by the side of Querard and Halkett and Laing, at the librari- an's right hand. It is designed to cover Ameri- can and English pseudonyms used since the beginning of the i8th century. The initials and pseudonyms fill 314 p. with an unfortunate " Additions " of 10 p. more. The second part contains the real names of authors, followed by the initials and pseudonyms used by them, and brief biographical notices. About two thou- sand titles were added to Mr. Cushing's origi- nal compilation from the MS. of a similar work prepared by Mr. Albert R. Frey, of the Astor Library, who is responsible for the very complete and valuable article on "Junius," filling 10 p. of the first part. It is to be re- gretted that the scope of Mr. Cushing's plan FLETCHER. 73 excluded a large number of foreign initials and pseudonyms, especially German and Dutch, included in Mr. Frey's MS. The biographical list includes a large number of living writers, notices of whom are not easily to be found elsewhere, many nowhere else. This volume will prove an invaluable tool to every librarian. The new "American catalogue" is, or ought to be, well known to all librarians. Covering American books published from 1876-84, and prepared by practical bibliographers, it is in- dispensable for constant reference and in making up orders. The key to U.S. government publi- cations is specially noteworthy. In closing I may perhaps be allowed a word concerning the catalog of the Astor Library, now in course of printing. It is to be a con- tinuation of Dr. Cogswell's four- volume au- thor and title catalog, of the same size page and type. A change in the face of the type, the use of bourgeois type for contents and notes, and of shorter dashes, gives more matter to the page. Authors' names are printed in small capitals, in their vernacular and with full names where it was possible to learn them. The letter A fills 239 p. It is now expected that a first volume, covering A-C, of about 1,050 p., will be published early in 1886. YEARLY REPORT ON COLLEGE LIBRARIES. BY W. I. FLETCHER, LIBRARIAN OF AMHERST COLLEGE. W'HEN the question is gravely asked in an article in a prominent review, "Should a college educate? " it is evident that there are open questions in the field of college educa- tion. This is a time of reform and readjust- ment nowhere more than in the domain of the higher education ; and this disposition to re- examine and restate the very first principles in this field of effort is apparent in the new views being taken of the place and work of the college library. What is the college li- brary and what is it for? are questions worthy of consideration in this your first report on college libraries. Had such questions been put to the men who founded our first colleges, and who made the library an essential and impor- tant factor in them, they would doubtless have replied that the library was a storehouse of books for the use of the teachers. This seems to have been the view held during most of the time since, and till very recently, inmost of our colleges ; and in fact it is a view not much called in question even now. The college li- brary must yet be mainly for the professors rather than for the students. But a great change has taken place and is taking place in the methods of teaching. More and more teachers are referring to books rather than quoting from them. The modern spirit has for one of its best features a demand for truth and truthfulness. It discredits the sec- ond-hand use of statements of fact and opinion in an unverifiable form, and its influence is felt in the class-room, leading the professor to di- rect his students to the books which are to serve as authorities or furnish illustrations, rather than merely to quote them, or to in- corporate their statements in his lectures with- out quotation. If I am not mistaken, it is this new spirit and method in the class-room which is bringing the students in our colleges into the libraries for study and genuine work with first authorities, rather than any new departure in the libraries themselves. There is another view of the college library which has some acceptance, viz. : that the library is a great educating force, indepen- dently of its use in connection with the studies of the curriculum as directed by the professors. This is a true view of the library in a univer- sity or a college with an extensive elective system ; but it is a question whether in the American college, as it exists to-day, more than a very few students will go far with reading and study in any lines independent of the curriculum, especially if the professors work in accordance with the modern method which I have indicated. The present tendency with regard to the college library is, then, I should say, to make it 74 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. a laboratory for professors and for students under their direction, or, we might say, rather a collection of department libraries than one library having a systematic and unifying prin- ciple of growth and administration. This ten- dency manifests itself in such recent devel- opments of college library administration as these : the selection of the books for each department by the professor and instructors in that department ; the reserving on certain shelves, in the reading-room or elsewhere, of books indicated by the professors, and re- quired work with those books on the part of the students ; the purchase by the library of enough copies of certain books to furnish each member of a class with one, that the professor may require the simultaneous reading of a chapter of even forty or fifty pages by the whole class, these books to belong to the col- lege library and to be used in this manner by successive classes ; and admission of stu- dents to the shelves on permits given with greater or less freedom, facilities for the use of the books at the shelves being furnished throughout. These are the directions in which progress is now making in most of our colleges, and it is in connection with these new uses of the library that it is so rapidly coming to receive more attention from the college authorities, new buildings are being erected, librarianships in- dependent of professorships established, and money devoted in large sums to the purchase of books. With these general remarks I pass to a hasty review of the reports I have received from dif- ferent colleges : Amherst College reports book-funds yielding an income annually of $4,000, 2,000 vols. or more added annually, increased use of the books reserved in the reading-room, and nearly 3,000 permits for access to the shelves given to nine- tenths of the students. Bowdoin College reports the separation of the librarianship from professorships, and general progress in administration. Brown University reports increased use. Free access is given to the shelves. Library funds amount to $35,500. The library has lately received a gift of the famous "Harris Collection of American Poetry," consisting of 5,839 volumes. Colby University reports every student using the library, though the books are few and facil- ities small. Columbia College reports more done than I can even summarize. One systematically ar- ranged library made out of a cluster of depart- ment libraries, housed in a fine new building, opened to everybody at all hours, lighted throughout by electricity, administered by a large, well-trained force, and, best of all, thronged by the students for genuine work. Cornell University reports the adoption of various methods of making the library more useful : books placed on reference shelves ; permits for access to the alcoves given in an increasing number; the preparation and post- ing of the subjects given out for essays and orations, with lists of books and helps on each. Dartmouth College reports the completion of its fine new building, and the removal of the library into it quite recently. Harvard College reports good progress with the new classification, very large accessions, greatly increased use of the reserved books and of the cards of admission to the shelves. Johns Hopkins University reports that all students have free access to the shelves of the main library. The department libraries are under the charge of the heads of the depart- ments. The free access of the students to the shelves is offset by the requirement that each student shall leave with the cashier a deposit (amount not stated) of "caution-money/' to be returned only when his library account is clear. The University of Michigan reports the be- ginning of the use of its excellent new build- ing, and an intention now to put the library thoroughly at the command of readers. For five years past the librarian has given a course of lectures at the opening of the college year, designed to aid readers in the use of the library, and for two years past he has also given a course in the second term on general bibli- ography, the latter being one of the regular electives and the students being required to pass a satisfactory examination on it. RICHARDSON. 75 Oberlin College reports a new building in progress, and plans for great improvements in all facilities when it is completed. The Ohio State University reports that free access to the library has been given to the students in the past, but it has been greatly abused, and the privilege is no longer granted. It may be resumed, with some restrictions. The library is very small and not well organized. No separate librarianship exists. Princeton College reports its new subject-cata- logue printed (and it is a thoroughly well-done piece of work) , and great interest now taken in a subject-index of scientific essays and papers, on which some work has been done, but for which cooperation seems to be the desidera- tum. The University of Vermont has just dedicated an elegant new building, apparently not very well adapted interiorly to its uses. The re- moval is but just taking place, and when it is completed the library is expected to fill a much larger place in the college work. From Yale (..allege I have received no report, nor have I learned from any source what, if any, progress is there making. But President Porter, in his annual report, speaks of the need of $500,000 for a new library building, which in- dicates that the library is placed high in the plans and hopes of the college, at least. FIRST YEARLY REPORT ON THEOLOGICAL LIBRARIES. 1 BY ERNEST C. RICHARDSON, LIBRARIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, HARTFORD, CONN. r PHIS being the first annual report on Theo- 1 logical Libraries before the A.L.A., it 1 The sources of information for this report are: (i.) Answers to circulars sent to every known Theological Library or Institution in the United States, in the spring of 1884 and again in 1885. (2.) Official reports of denom- inations. (3.) Catalogues of institutions. (4.) Reports of the Commissioner of Education. (5.) Personal ob- servation. The response to the circulars was very gen- eral, a good many reporting who did not report to the Commissioners of Education. Those- from the last report of the Commissioners of Education are, of course, not quite up to date; but they are, almost without exception, small institutions, and the figures are late enough for generalization. From eight institutions mentioned by the report of 1881, and for nine of the additional mentioned in 1882-3, I have failed to get account from any source whether they have or have not libraries, or of what sort they are; but most of these are connected with colleges, and probably have no separate libraries. Some must have passed outof existence. In spite of every effort, however, some libraries falling properly under the heo,d of Public or Institutional Theological Libraries must have been overlooked. If any one knows of such he will confer a favor by mentioning to the reporter. In 1884 it was expected that the A.L.A. would meet at Toronto, and an effort was made to get statistics from the Canadian libraries; but the response was so meagre that the attempt was given up for this year. The reporter takes this opportunity to thank those who did respond, and, also, those who sent accounts of theological collec- tions in college libraries, which, he has found it necessary, all things considered, to omit. was intimated to the reporter that a somewhat full account of the present state of such libra- ries would be in order. He therefore submits statement of all public or institutional libraries in the United States, which are distinctly theo- logical in their aim, so far as he has been able to ascertain. The aim is made the basis rather than the contents. On any theistic conception all libraries are theological in their contents. If the conception is narrowed to technical The- ology, it is found that many of the most im- portant collections, notably that of Harvard, are included in so-called general libraries, and, in many libraries, the accident of formation has made a large majority of the books technical "Theology." These latter, in the course of years, will change their proportion, and so "Theological Libraries" must be limited to those whose aim is Theological. Again, and of necessity, the report is mainly of libraries of theological seminaries. There must be many others. There are quasi-public libraries connected with almost every mission board or denominational head-quarters. There are also historical societies which have such collections. 7 6 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. The report thus defined includes 115 libraries, having a total of 960,185 volumes, and 170,070 pamphlets, of which 52,448 volumes and 9,846 pamphlets added during the last reputed year fairly represent the average annual in- crease. These libraries take an aggregate of 1,185 periodicals. There are, among these, 7 libraries with over 30,000 volumes, as against 2 in 1876, 5 of these being over 40,000, and one (Union) 50,000 ; 5 have over 20,000, as against 3 in 1876; 9 against 8 are over 15,000, and 12 against 14 over 10,000. It will be noticed that the average is over 8,000 volumes. It is fair to say that the books in Theological libraries have increased at least one-third in the last 10 years. Catalogues. 73 libraries send returns. Of these 5 have no catalogues, 21 keep accession catalogues, 16 subject, 14 author, 18 author and subject (separate or together), and 5 "dic- tionary " catalogues. 26 libraries have card cata- logues, 16 MS. book, 3 printed, and the remain- der do not report. From which it appears that in general A.L.A. cataloguing has been taken homceopathi- cally by theological libraries. Shelf -arrangement. Of 66 reporting, all but 5 are classified ; 3 follow Dewey, 2 Winer, 8 (apparently) Hagenbach, i the Royal Li- brary at Munich, 2 are arranged "alphabeti- cally," i is "according to size and appear- ance," and the remainder by " subjects." This demonstrates what is, perhaps, already established, that self-classification is devel- oped as a practical necessity, even in small libraries. Uses. In general the libraries are intended mainly for the officers and students of the in- stitutions, but almost universally are accessible, at least for reading-room use, to all who may have reason. In 69 out of 77 libraries report- ing, books are lent. Buildings. The comparative prosperity of Theological Libraries is seen in the number of new buildings. Union ; Chicago ; The General Theological Seminary, New York ; and the Un- ion, Virginia, schools have new buildings, and Drew, Gettysburg, Philadelphia Episcopal, and Morgan Park are to have new ones at once. Lane, New Brunswick, Auburn, and Epis- copal School of Va., are satisfactorily provided with separate buildings. Andover and Hartford are overcrowded. Among all these, however, there is not one, so far as your reporter can find, which provides for an ambitious future, and not one on the stack system. Almost all are on the storied- alcove plan. Many, even of the new ones, are models of inconvenience. It is seen, from the facts summarized above and tabulated below, that "Theological libra- ries " form a very considerable class. Their proportion to Law School libraries is almost 3 to i, and in volumes 10 to i. Medical School libraries are about the same in number, and have about one-fifth as many volumes Law li- braries have one-third as many. There is a good deal of useless material in them, but a wonderfully large share of the books has been added during the last 10 years, and these in the main are works of permanent value. Andover has added 10,000; Princeton, 10,000; Hartford, 35,000; and Union, 15,000. The range, however, is so much greater, that Medical and Law libraries are much better off. The remark of the report of 1876, that prob- ably not one subject could be investigated as it needed to be in this land, though less true now than then, is still far from false. There is no Surgeon-General's library in Theology. The largest is Union, and this numbers but 50,000. 200,000, with an annual increase of six to ten thousand, would hardly meet the actual need of scholars. Your reporter, in working up a list on a subject in Reformation History, found a scanty score out of a list of three or four hun- dred in Boston, Cambridge, Andover, Hartford, and some New York libraries. It was not that the books could not be obtained. A collection of five or six hundred was made in a few months. The trouble is, there is no well-furnished or well-endowed theological library in this country. Theological libraries are. in the line of prog- ress, about where college libraries were a few years ago. Several have separate librarians ; some are approaching the conception of their equality of importance with the other depart- ments of seminary organization, but most are RICHARDSON. 77 forced by circumstances to make the librarian- ship a neglected fraction of some professor's duties. Custom causes others, which are not so forced, to do the same, and there is a strong flavor of the conception that the chief requisites for a librarian are bookishness and cheapness, still remaining. Some have not learned the difference between economy and cheapness. The most prevalent conception of the acqui- sition of books is, as it should be, that it should contain the books which the students need to read. A less prevalent conception is that it should contain anything else. Most add books of reference for students ; some think that after this the needs of the professors should be con- sidered as far as possible ; a few think they should be considered first, and a very few look to providing tools for special investigation. A good many have no principles of acquisi- tion. The libraries vary a good deal in quality naturally. Crozer, with less than 9,000, is of more value than some with twice that number. Many are very miscellaneous gift collections, but a very large number have some special gift of some specialist's library which is of great value. 1 Some are simply reference libraries, depending on larger libraries for general works. Yale is the best of these. Some have special reference libraries in connection with the general one. Union has an especially good one of this sort. Almost all admit readers to the shelves. In general, and in conclusion, as compared with 1876, there has been rather remarkable progress. Most of the larger libraries, at least, have now a good deal of scientific working ma- terial, which is generally, and, as far as the reasonably valuable 42,000 of the Hartford Theological Seminary is concerned, I can say cordially, placed at the disposal of scholars, who, especially in historical matters, will hardly be safe in overlooking Theological Libraries. Effort was made to get an indication of these for the use of scholars, but the response showed too little under- standing of the idea to make the tabulations worth while. 78 GEORGE CONFERENCE. RICHARDSON. tains its individual umes, 4,238; pam. Remarks. tA 1 k] V i New Building soon. O w jl juaj s^oog 1 5 5 J fi i Hi 1/1 t/t .a S IM W o* ti"5, tJ ffl'V =>' -5 .Si, .Ji, u .JJ, .Si, 5 j x u ' |r|l^l B~. ' i ; Cincinnati Pub tables. The lib Catalogue. ! " b "^ ' gV ' ' J 1^1 i-S| : | 2 i ii T3 ^ > IO fO VO VO VO PQ HP 1-H 8 til 3HS=g "vOODQQ '10 O 'OO g o >o O VO IT) ro f<5 U H pi saiunioA 8 | cJ8 ||| S, 8 a 8 O O CO v8 o -' 8 joqu,n N ~ rOfON_^..fO N Mf- ro N tO r THEOL iis 1 I c * V Q 1* 6 2 2^"- =" f e 1 W . *? | f u'S g > > 6 6 eitf"cj 6 S ci o o o ww ;j w w o. > rt H n 4 n O ^ tn _' . th- J3 ^ r 1-1 ^M _. p REPORT eological Libra lical Institute, nes, 692; pamph V rt S c "S S fe^si ^^ 5'o-5g g - w^ C3C^" ^ i -^t "u--i * S c/3 fc* E*O c/3cioc/}S S ^ ^ W Oo CJW O ^ S Morgan Park Robin's Nest, Rock Island, a u ' S. ' - '- ' -" ' a -< S ' a ' i * " >> '*S * 1) ^j O 1 \5 S*'.'. "w & g * ; > ; g>| 8 1 ; : C rs 5 1! . C ?** 3 fo/e. Mention should be made of existence. Returns from Gar phlets, 4,963. Last year addec , Name. 1 '^ : ^ : l 'K -2 l| 'i -i s '4'w| -|i : c^j^0j2^j^ p^rt o3 j^ js > x CJ js^Ic^' " r ^ rt t> ^ * ^H ^ c/3 c/2 '&* S ffi H H H H O ** W H cfl 1^ Baptist Union Theological Sem Augustana Theological Semina Concordia Seminary Theological Department of Sli s o JWr RICHARDSON. 79 fe X 1 5 VI VI VI V) : 1 llll I u v > > 01 * 13 C el c. 3 30 cn w . - <5 Author, Subj., rvrA ' |cn c g i; ro I I |1 J3 . ^< >. c'jj^ b o5 < Written Ace. coj/l CO . o r- oo CO . ? CO ! o 4 >oo s : : : fO " T IT 5, H 1 i I : 8v3 00 * 2- a 8O O O\ ^O IT) O l^ O fO ro r-vo 10 i 'Ir 8 >0 R IJ ***: CO 8 88 .- * j .... o 1 1 I: 1 a 1 828 1 <8 8 - o_ Cj " 8 8 !, - 1 8 8 8 88 O 10 00 8 O co voO O CO Si CO 00 *t- r -" o 00 O *O t^ fO *O Ov $$ * Jr COOO 1-1 l-l * 1010 - *^~ \s Meth. Ep. Christian . R. C. . . . Jsiji s t. W u J3 A . . d . . p. . . tS W . . B ,: *3 j hubBK,; r ; ,; Oo. Sco5 ( - )C - ) d o O : pll o. W 1 B 8 CO o o. fig it CM New Ch. . F.W.B'pt. Prot.Epis. Baptist . . . > c !- 'S. w , *o & 1 1 Greencastle, Ind. . Merom, Ind. . . . St. Meinrad, Ind. . Dubuque, Iowa . . Mt. Pleasant.lowa Danville, Ky. . . Lexington, Ky. . Louisville, Ky. . . . . ; H : i^ ^ ^' 1 M * . .M'.'* -^ 1 _r ju _ gg ^ r :SS s'S^oou g s I ^ 1 I 1 3-3 f If 1 1 1 oo o^ucjo _) _) J r?IW I-] B w Woodstock, Md. . Andover, Mass. . Boston, Mass. . . 1 it -3 3 S r: o Cambridge, Mass. Newton C'tre.Mass Waltham, Mass. . Hillsdale, Mich. . Faribault, Minn. . Natchez, Miss. . . Cape Girard'u, Mo St Louis, Mo. . . Crete, Neb Bloomfield, N.J. . Madison, N.J. . . New Brunswick, N.J Princeton, N.J. . . De Pauw University School of Theol- Theological Department of Union Christian College St. Meinrad's Ecclesiastical Seminary ~. 3 .J, j'g ' ' "S ' Pf a ! '^ Drew Theological Seminary Theological Seminary of the Reformed (Dutch) Church in America . Theological Seminary of the Presby- German Presbyterian Theologie School of the North-west .... Danville Theological Seminary . . . College of the Bible Kentucky Normal and Theologic Preston Park Theological Seminarj Southern Baptist Theological Sei Theological Seminary of the Prote ant Episcopal Church of Diocese of Ky Theological Department of Straig Bangor Theological Seminary . . Bates College Theological School Theological Seminary of St. Sulp St. Mary's Univ Schoolastlcate of the Cong, of the M< Holy Redeemer, Mt. St. Clement Woodstock College Andover Theological Seminary . Boston University School of Theolog 8 -p s K <*. s 1 3 CC 'S S Episcopal Theological School . . Newton Theological Institution . New Church Theological School . Theological Department of Hillsd. Seabury Divinity School St. Vincent's College and Theologk Seminary Concordia College (Seminary) . . German Cong. Theological Seminar German Theological school of Newa )>1O 80 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Remarks. nO -M fcil 2r CH bl .S S .5 Q F-- UJ T3 B g m l| IB Summer. New Building. Building. I 73 ,ua ls ,oo a o v o v a; a; C/3CO 1/J Subject . 3 * tjtj 3 3 WCfl ^ 3 t Catalogue. To'_r* -p T* o ^^O'^yr/J* OCQ U ^i ^ . u . ^ rt r . . ^ rt '-"-a "O ki O^ P Q C/3 | n ; e s m o ! Author-written ll 1 : I ^S25 ! *^ ! ! ! K O t** v 8 ** a 00 * i ; 'C ^ &4 0) U * * Ok .* * ft : 8 " o "5 8 <| | > . 00 OD fO . VI oo 1 t* 00 \T) O O - >0 8\O ** C Q o V M O O m ysjsa ^f . . . d t? : a : .' ; ! : I 1: 1 ' :! & ! jo aaqumjsj $& s 1 1 i 1 o o o op o 8 I 10 ^* 11 O oo ^*- o . 1 s O O Q xo O O 10 >ovo ^ tm t* S> 8" * oo n M vOMfO <*** B 'S a II B Q '.'..'. & B-g ' | si >"=(T i OH Congr'ga'l Ev. Luth. Reformed. Of.Mth.Ep a I Id ti *itJ " o- tl % I S > & ' o ' | ^ >< g > ^ ** >: s; w : : | ^. ^ ;& | 5 * c - if 2 *g c New York City Rochester, N.Y Stanfordville, N Suspension Brid N.Y * ' If g-j a . *O flJ Carthagena, Oh Cincinnati, Ohic Columbus, Ohio Dayton, Ohio Gombier, Ohio Oberlin, Ohio V K v JB * "3 ' ' ' JJ '- c "3 ' ' '"BO ' c ' ' o ' t- ' Seton Hall College St. Bonaventure's Seminary . . . Auburn Theological Seminary . . Canton Theological School .... De Lancey Divinity School .... Hartwick Seminary Theological E Newburgh Theological Seminary General Theological Seminary of 1 Prot. Episc. Church b cs C C Rochester Theological Seminary . Christian Biblical Institute .... College and Seminary of Our Lady St. Andrew's Divinity School . . St. Joseph's Provincial Seminary . Theological Department of Bide University Tlleologicaf Department of Shaw U versity Theological Department of Germa Wallace College St. Charles Borromeo Theologic Lane Theological Seminary . . . German Lutheran Seminary . . . Theological Seminary of the Protests Epsc. Church in the Diocese of Ohi Department of Theology Theological Department of Witte berg College Heidelberg Theological Seminary Theological Seminary of Wilberfoi United Presb. Theological Semina -j 1 IO VJ^O vO VO ^O vO ^O BB ^S^ RP.S. A K fc KR S > u u t ;> > j VVVV^U t - ^4 ail -jM pt . P^ )N ^ ;* ) It V O '> v t/ u ^x ~ ^ II B J S U 3 33 Cft COCO 3333 Cft Cft Cft Cft u c e W ? Cfi . Cft< X3333333 : jMCOCOCOtftCOCO C/ c & I <^ > >. 1?3? JEX}? 3 3 CftCft . I 5" IS g -a ij "o 0.2 . . S -3 D 3 jj T3 rt "O o < o ' W T3 * -J C AS y .. cj-C y Written . Author a Sub. Ace. . ^ CftCft Cft Cft CO ! ** S 10 . . "5 2 li i :<8 f *r^ * O o *o M | 8 i i O O \n ' . . > . . o I 18 as-s, ::f o> T o \o 1 p r : ! o o o " tf C O " "Qio 'OOJ'* CS B o n S S o Baptist . . Ev. Luth. Prot. Episc. Reformed. 'S'S. ] >' O . o o U *J U Cft .2 Cft c |.c ' CD d. ' ' oo ! 'AlleghanyCity.I AlleghanyCity, Beatty, Pa. . . Gettysburg, Pa. J *J ^ * .| ^ _ 2 - S" P.2 | jjj. 1 ll 1 1 g .s| s; 2 j _:?; o - Philadelphia, Ps Selingsgrove, ] Chester, Pa. . Villanova, Pa. cocn'^HhH -^l * r ,J ".r c ^ci | | gl | | |> E E e 'H I| J D -=" | | |1 % | lo O O iJZ Z ^ h * Richmond, Va. Salem, Va. . . Alexandria, Va. Franklin, Wis. Madison, Wis. Nashatab, Wis. St. Francis, Wis Washington, D. Washington, D. Boston, Mass. a . '5 . D . tery of St. Thomas IE !- . J'c 1*2 '.Is I ".C'n " ^ c " w ' c " 5 f the Ev. Lutheran South opal Theological Francis of Sales . tment of Howard I ij . 82 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. SUMMARIES. 7. German M. E 2 459 3 16,720 I. BY STATES. 9. Lutheran 13 52,446 No. Vols. 10. Methodist Episcopal 6 27,631 .... 3 2,684 II. " " South.. i 1,041 4 19,200 1 2. New Church I 1,000 3. Connecticut , 3 62,000 13. Non Sectarian 3 32,025 6. Illinois 2 i , .... 13 3,825 2,250 67,220 14. Presbyterian 1 6. Reformed Dutch 17 244,170 12 86,368 1 37,473 7. Indiana 3 8,950 1 7. Roman Catholic 17 179,307 2 1,909 18. Unitarian i 15,000 9. Kentucky 10. Louisiana 6 i 34,300 200 19. United Brethren 20. United Presbyterians i 708 3 10,500 1 1 . Maine 2 2O,OOO 21 . Universalist i 7,012 12. Maryland 13. Massachusetts 3 7 82.044 101,100 Totals . 115 960,185 14. Michigan i 1,228 , . . .. i 6,OOO III. TOTALS. 16. Mississippi i 300 Institutions .. . 115 2 10,325 Volumes ... 960,185 18. Nebraska , I 5 Pamphlets ... 1 70,070 19. New Jersey 5 107,001 Volumes last year 52,448 20. New York 13 141,269 Pamphlets last year ... 9,846 21. North Carolina 2 So 00 1,185 22. Ohio ..... II 44,676 23. Pennsylvania . 13 24. South Carolina ,.. .. 2 24,400 GROWTH OF THEOLOGICAL LI- 25. Tennessee 26. Texas 4 I 14,126 BRARIES. 27. Virginia 4 28,000 1876. 1885. 28. Wisconsin 4 24,380 34,000 50,000 2. Woodstock, Roman Catholic, 18,000 47,000 Totals "5 960,185 3. Princeton, Presbyterian .... 26,779 45,728 4. Andover, Congregational . . 34,000 43,000 II. BY DENOMINATIONS. 5. Hartford, Congregational . . 6. New Brunswick, Ref. Presby. 7,000 42,000 26,000 37,473 No. Vols. 7. Baptist Union, Baptist 15,000 32,000 I. African M. E. I 4,000 8. Western, Presbyterian 15,000 25,198 2. Baptist 14 105,311 9. St. Sulpice, Roman Catholic, 15,000 25,000 3. Christian 4 6,050 10. Columbia, S.C., Presbyterian, 18,884 23,000 4. Congregational 10 118,986 10,000 20,556 2 9,75 6. Free Will Baptist 2 4,238 219,663 390,955 YEARLY REPORT ON LIBRARY LEGISLATION. BY C. C. SOULE. I TAKE this subject, which has been as- signed to me, to cover only the new legis- lation of the States and territories, during the two years since the last session of this As- sociation, in relation to libraries of all kinds, except the State Libraries, which were made the subject of a separate paper. It might be imagined that the labor of look- ing through the published laws of the States, to discover library legislation, would be a light one. It would be if indexes were all con- structed on a perfect and uniform plan. Who- ever has examined, however, the index of the ordinary public document, will know that it is generally far from perfection, and is not even uniform with itself. The investigator who starts with the idea that looking under L for Libraries will be the key to all he wants to SOULE. get at, soon finds that he must seek under C for County Libraries and Common Schools, under D for District Libraries, under P for Public Libraries, under S for Schools and Supervisors, and under L again for Lyceums, if he wishes to excavate any legislation ; and, finally, he discovers, hidden under the general head of Municipal Corporations, some very important library legislation not elsewhere indexed. Nor is his search always adequately rewarded when he finds his catchword in the index, and turns to the page indicated. For instance, the somewhat barren hunt through several volumes is finally cheered, in the Kentucky Session laws of 1883-4, by the title " Librarian" in the index. When the law thus referred to is found, it proves to be "An Act to authorize the State Librarian to fill up a pool in the Capitol Grounds " ! When these inapt aids to investigation are exhausted the result is that there appears to have been no important legislation on the sub- ject of libraries except in four of the States and four of the territories. In Vermont (1884) the law allowing towns to establish and maintain free public libraries was amended by raising the legal limit of ex- penditure from one dollar to two dollars upon every poll for establishment, and from fifty cents to one dollar for maintenance. In New York an Act passed June 10, 1885, extends the provisions of an existing law au- thorizing the formation of free public libraries, to include also public reading-rooms, with or without libraries. In New Jersey three laws were passed, as follows : The Act passed April 8, 1884, empowers any three or more persons to organize a corporation for the purpose of establishing a free public library. The Act passed March 18, 1884, provides that, wherever an incorporated lyceum library now exists, the common council, or other proper authorities of any town having control of a free library, established and maintained by public moneys, shall have power to lend such free library to such lyceum, and to pay over to the lyceum whatever annual sums the coun- cil can lawfully levy for the free library; pro- vided, that the mayor and president of the council shall be made ex-officio trustees of the lyceum, and that the united library shall be free to the teachers and pupils of the public schools. [This Act is apparently intended to encour- age the union of weak, rival libraries. It sur- renders, however, the freedom of the public libraries except as regards the schools to the select membership and close corporation of the lyceums.] The Act passed April r, 1884, provides that upon vote of a majority of voters, at a special election, it shall be the duty of the authorities to lay a tax equal to one-third of a mill on the dollar of assessed valuation, as a free public library fund. The Board of Trustees of the library is to consist of seven members, the Mayor, the Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion, and five others to be appointed by the Mayor. They are constituted a corporate body, but receive no compensation. In Indiana an Act passed March 8, 1883, provided that, when the officers of any incor- porated library (lyceum, or subscription li- brary, would be the popular phrase for it) formed under an old law of 1852 shall offer to the board of trustees of the town in which it is located, to keep such library (if it is worth at least $750) free and open to all citizens, the trustees of the town may levy a tax of not less than one-quarter, nor more than three- quarters, of a mill upon the dollar of the assessed valuation of all taxable property, to be paid over to the officers of the library for the pur- chase of books. So long as this tax is prop- erly applied by the officers it shall be continued annually. In New Mexico, Section 76 of the Municipal Corporations Act, approved April i, 1884, says : " The establishment and maintenance of a free public library is hereby declared to be a proper and legitimate object of municipal expenditure, and the council or trustees of any city or in- corporated town may appropriate money there- for; provided, that the yearly appropriation shall not exceed one mill on the dollar of the assessed valuation, and that no appropriation be made until the proposition has been sub- mitted to a popular vote." 8 4 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. In Dakota the Act to Establish a Common School System, approved March 8, 1883, pro- vides (Sections 129 to 135) that the School Board of any township may buy a circulating library to the value of not more than $500, to be selected by them from a list forwarded or approved by the Superintendent of Public In- struction. These lists shall include publica- tions of not less than four different publishers. [It would be interesting to know from what unfortunate experience this provision arose !] The library so formed is to be kept open at least three hours every week ; and residents of the township may take out books under regula- tions prescribed by the School Board. In Arizona an Act to establish a Public School System (passed March 12, 1885) enacts that the school trustees, in districts containing 100 or more census children (so the law says, somewhat ambiguously), may use not exceed- ing $50 of the school fund, " and such moneys as may be added thereto by donation," for the purchase of books for school libraries, to be free to the use of teachers and pupils. Any resident of the district is to be allowed use of the library on payment of such monthly fee as may be prescribed by the trustees. In Montana an Act passed March 5, 1883, provides that the municipal authorities of any incorporated town or city may establish a free public library, and may levy a tax for its sup- port not exceeding one mill in the dollar of assessed valuation. But before any such ordi- nance shall be considered in force, or any levy is made, it shall first be submitted to the voters of the town for acceptance or rejection. Unless some Act, hidden in the labyrinths of an incompetent index, has eluded investiga- tion, this is the sum and substance of " Li- brary legislation " during the past two years. YEARLY REPORT ON THE READING OF THE YOUNG. BY MISS HANNAH P. JAMES, LIBRARIAN NEWTON FREE LIBRARY. IN making this third report, in order to render it as comprehensive as possible, I ad- dressed a printed circular to all the Public Libraries of the United States, containing over 4,000 volumes, whose names I could ascertain. The circular requested information upon the connection of the libraries with the schools ; their methods of influencing the young in their selection of books for home reading ; as to whether lists of books for the young had been prepared, and requested copies of the lists, if printed. In response to the 125 circulars sent, 75 replies were received from libraries in all states of existence. I have been rejoiced, however, to see how wide awake the majority of the libraries are, and how the enthusiasm for the good work is spreading. The lack of successful accomplish- ment seems chiefly to be owing to a lack of enthusiasm in the schools ; and that, again, is due to indifference on the part of the teachers, or, I might almost say, of ignorance on their part of the immense help the library is capable of becoming to the schools. The teachers do not know how much life and interest they could awaken in the scholars by illustrating and enlivening their studies with well-chosen books from the Public Library ; and they do not at all realize how great their influence might be in assisting them in a right choice of books for home reading, and so, in great measure, in the thought and conduct of their after life. Besides the answers to my circular I have gained considerable information from annual reports, and, in one instance, from a news- paper item. Two libraries returned answers to which neither name nor address was signed, and, as the postmarks were illegible, I failed to ascertain their source, and so cannot report them here. I have arranged the report alpha- betically, by States, and again by towns, and thus I begin with California and end with Wis- consin. JAMES. CALIFORNIA. OAKLAND. W. A. F. sends a leaflet entitled " A Short Reading List in U.S. History," to accompany a topical course of history in the public schools. The list is divided into periods, subdivided into classes, is well chosen, and well arranged. SAN FRANCISCO. (F. B. Perkins, Libra- rian.} "The state of the library and its staff has not thus far admitted of any endeavor to bring the work of the library into any or- ganic connection with the schools, to my re- gret, as it is a favorite idea of mine to do something like that which Mr. Green does at Worcester. In a few cases pupils from the Girls' High School apply for assistance in writ- ing compositions." CONNECTICUT. BRIDGEPORT. (Miss Agnes Hills, Librarian.} "Our library has no official connection with the schools, but is actively used by teachers and pupils. Children are sent for information bearing on their daily lessons. Many teachers superintend the read- ing of their pupils. I am always ' at home ' to the children, and think they know we are glad to help them. We make it a rule never to ' lecture ' them when they demand unsuit- able literature, but instead offer them the best and brightest specimens of healthy literature at our command. I post manuscript lists of books suitable for children, every week. In these I do not confine myself to juvenile books, but try to induce them to read works, or portions of works, of standard authors." HARTFORD. (Miss C. M. Hewins, Libra- rian.} "The North School has, since last October, had the use of ten or twelve books at a time to aid in the study of U.S. History ; the teaching being entirely by the topical method, with excellent results, and the pupils have used with interest nearly one hundred volumes of historical stories, biography, poetry, etc. I have given a talk to the older classes in the North School, and am going to give another to about twenty-five boys of High-School age." An excellent manuscript list of the books loaned accompanied the report, which it would be well to print for the use of other libraries. NORWICH. (Mrs. F. W. Robinson, Libra- rian.} Teachers and pupils use the library, and advice is given when desired. ILLINOIS. CHICAGO. ( IV. F. Poole, Libra- rian.} The Annual Report, of June, 1885, says : " The joint rules of the Library Board and Board of Education, under which princi- pals can draw books for the use of their pupils .in the study of special subjects, have been so modified as to enable teachers to draw books for their classes under the same condition. One High and fourteen Grammar Schools have drawn books under the rule, and 417 books borrowed have been carefully used and prompt- ly returned. Other principals have expressed the intention of taking books, but have not done so. Many have not sufficiently appreci- ated the benefits which a more zealous interest in, and a larger use of, the library would be to their pupils. It is intended the coming year to promote a more general interest in the subject. The work of bringing the pupils in contact with books, and giving them some knowledge of their use, must be done by the teachers themselves. The Public Library and its officers can do little more than give the teachers facili- ties for the work. Some labor, indeed, is re- quired, and intelligence needed in carrying it on ; but it is work which will be of the greatest advantage to the pupils in helping them to con- tinue their self-education by means of books after they leave the school. Five classes from the W. Div. High School and two from private schools have come to the library and had a lecture on some selected topic, illustrated by the library books. Other schools have been invited, and it is hoped they will accept the in- vitation the coming year." PEORIA. (F. J.Soldan, Librarian.} Writes: " Though I have not done much in the way of improving juvenile reading, I have done the little that I could, and am making efforts to do more. " What I have done is this : " I. Sent applications for memberships to the schools for distribution to the pupils. " 2. Urged superintendent and teachers to assist children in their selections. "3. Furnished short written lists to applicants. "4. Made lists published in School Report. " 5. Keep the best juvenile books, which hap- pen to be in, displayed where children can see them. LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. " 6. Try to keep as good a supply of the best books (Higginson, Coffin, etc.), and as many copies, as our very limited means will allow, of books which are wholesome, and, though per- haps not as high a grade as the first, more likely to supplant the Alger-Adams kind. "7. Have published a notice that we can supervise and control the reading of the children, and will be glad to do so if instructed by their parents. "8. Have sent enough good story-books to a school frequented principally by the lowest classes to supply each pupil with one to be read in school after lessons. "A list of best books for young people is to be published in the Peoria Journal, and also enough copies of the list printed to supply one to each child in the public schools. Shall pref- ace the list with advice about reading, and also recommend to teachers and parents that children be required to keep a list of books read, with a brief description ; and that teach- ers require a short essay to be written upon one book from each list." INDIANA. RICHMOND. {Morrison Libra- ry, Mrs. S. A. Wrigley, Librarian.) " Schools have no connection with the library other than a constant use of it by the children. We give all the help we can." LOUISIANA. NEW ORLEANS. (Charles B. Stafford, Librarian of Fisk Free Library and Tulane University.) Has introduced a Bul- letin Board for reference lists, and requested teachers to send notices of subjects chosen for compositions and exercises to him for the Board, and advised scholars to consult the ref- erences grven. The most important lists will be published in the Louisiana Journal of Education. A " Children's Section " is to be established this year, and Mr. Stafford asks for suggestions as to the best books for that de- partment. Mr. Stafford stands alone in his work in the South, and that such a work is begun is a promise of the dawn of better days, when the free library shall be no more a stranger in that part of our land, and the library and the schools shall be doing their great work there as here. In an article in the Louisiana Journal of Edu- cation Mr. Stafford says: "In San Antonio a library, after struggling for a few years, has been closed indefinitely ; and the books of the Mobile Library have been given to the Libra- rian, who is allowed all the fees she receives, a scanty allowance." The Fisk Free Library, after thirty years of existence, enduring be- cause of an endowment, has now come into the care of the Tulane University, and has awakened into new life that promises great good for the future. Mr. Stafford makes a strong appeal to " the teachers, whose influence is greatest in infusing a love of reading into the masses ; and to the teachers do the libra- rians look for aid." MAINE. PORTLAND. (S. M. Watson, Librarian.) "No connection with the pub- lic schools, and no especial privileges for youth different from others." MASSACHUSETTS. ARLINGTON. (Miss L. J. Newton, Librarian.) " We have no connection with the schools, but give what assistance we can. Two lists of books for young persons have been compiled by one of the trustees," and comprise some of the best. BARNSTABLE. (Miss L. S. Loring, Libra- rian.) Answers "None "to each of the four questions propounded in my circular. BOSTON. (Public Library, Lower Hall, Miss Mary A . Jenkins, A ssistant Librarian . ) " We are connected with the public schools, first and mainly, through the children themselves, and, in a secondary and more limited way, through the teachers. " From October until the end of May a large portion of my time is given to the personal assistance of the pupils in the upper classes of our Grammar Schools, who come seeking help on all subjects connected with their school work : American and English history, geog- raphy, and elocution bringing the largest de- mand. The children come before and after school, and I make special effort to be in the delivery hall during the hours that they fre- quent the library, and the work has been much simplified during the two past years, for, based upon the general school programme and plans of detail adopted by some of the teachers, topical reading has been arranged and advan- tageously used. JAMES, " We found, three years ago, that some of the pupils in the highest classes were too young to hold library cards, and in consequence were debarred from the assistance which their more fortunate companions received ; to afford them equal privileges with the others, the trustees, at my request, allowed the use of 'pupil cards' for such children, enabling them to use the library in connection with their lessons, but not permitting the use of story-books. To secure the proper use of these cards they are held in the library, the child when applying for a book stating that he uses a pupil card. " We do not encourage the use of the cata- logues by the pupils seeking supplementary reading, but prefer to meet each child directly, and to supply the personal want. About i ,000 books, including duplicates, are in active circu- lation during the thirty-seven weeks of the school year, in the hands of the children them- selves, and their attention has been directed to the various encyclopaedias, gazetteers, diction- aries, and other books of reference ; also to the index or table of contents of the book which they use, in pursuance of our plan of topical reading, while engravings, maps, pictures, relics, curiosities, etc., everything which the library contains that can illustrate or give reality to their reading or study, is freely shown to them, and explained when occasion requires. " Saturdays are full holidays in our schools, and on these days many interested teachers are in the library working up their various subjects, some consulting books and taking notes, others selecting books for home study ; much personal assistance from the librarians is sought and given, and also all possible access to the books themselves. " While the greater part of the pupils and teachers seek personal assistance there are often those who prefer to help themselves ; to aid these, manuscript lists are arranged for the hall, so placed that they can be freely con- sulted, and their frequent need of renewal shows their constant use. We have no printed lists for young people's reading. "The plan of supplementary reading arranged for the upper Grammar classes, several years since, by Dr. Mellen Chamberlain, our Librarian- in-chief, and for which he has personally sup- plied the sets of books used, is steadily pursued by many of our schools, and there is an attempt on the part of the school committee to supply the increasing demand from the teachers for additional sets of books to enable them to con- tinue or adopt the plan which has proved so beneficial. The sets in use from the library include historical biography, poetry, and fiction, and the plan is as follows : each scholar is pro- vided with a copy of the book to be used, and a certain portion assigned for home reading for both pupils and teacher; if the reading is poetry a certain portion is to be memorized ; the book is not to be used at the recitation. The class is required to give, first, the substance of what they have read, and additions and cor- rections are called for, or suggested by teacher and pupils, until the whole is fairly reproduced. Then attention is called to the meaning and the dominant idea or ideas by which it is ex- pressed, followed by criticisms of each other's language and interpretations ; skilfully con- ducted, it becomes a lesson in rhetoric, logic, and memorizing ; it compels almost perfect at- tention from teacher and pupils ; every one is alert and in training. The first lessons may be halting and timorous, but soon an increase of mental strength is felt in the eagerness expressed for the lesson, and each succeeding one shows the advance in power and choice of language, in clearness of comprehension, in fertility of ideas, in mental balance ; while careful con- siderations of the construction of the story, the delineation of characters, the fitness of their words and actions, and of the naturalness and congruity of the whole, induce, stimulate, and strengthen habits and powers of criticism, and elevate taste in the selection of all future read- ing. The teachers say that the hour for this recitation is always too short, and that the beneficial effects are felt in other recitations. The pupils, thus taught the importance and true significance of reading, are careful and discriminating in their after choice of books, making them a profit and delight; such, after several years' experience, is the testimony of pupils, teachers, and librarians. Two bits of personal experience may not be amiss here : two years ago half-a-dozen young school- girls, who were . among pur fiction readers, 88 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. asked me to form with them a reading club. I consented, stipulating that they should choose the book from one of their favorite authors, and allow me to plan the method of reading. We read one of the novels of a popu- lar sensational author, strictly after Dr. Chamber- lain's plan, and all were heartily sick of the book before it was finished. The girls wished to continue the club, but desired me to select the next book ; so we read ' A Noble Life,' by Mrs. Craik, after the same plan, and each suc- ceeding chapter was a fresh delight. The next book was Scott's ' Lady of the Lake,' and in these ' fresh fields and pastures new ' we spent delightful hours, while the girls were greatly surprised at the ease with which they memo- rized. Next we tried one of the girls' old author friends again ; after a few chapters they absolutely refused to finish the book. Other and better works of good authors, travels and poetry, have been the later selections, and the girls are now among our best readers. The second bit of personal experience to which I have alluded was an informal chat with two classes in a vacation school last week. There were about twenty girls in one class and half that number of boys in the other, all of them young. The talk in both classes was quite the same ; after a few minutes' chat we settled upon a book that most had read, and said that they liked, but a few only could give the story ; interest was aroused, and efforts more or less successful were made to remember. When questioned why they liked the story, reasons poured thick and fast. It was just like,' ' They felt that they saw the boys and girls.' ' I know a boy just like Joe.' ' Nan is a darling, she is so funny ;' and so we chattered on for a half an hour, finding in the end that a book could be enjoyed more if read slowly, if thought about, if talked over. The children were eager for 'more talk,' as they called it, and the teachers decided to give a little time each day to a similar talk, and next season to adopt the full plan. " For the supply and circulation of home reading all the old methods which I have described in former reports are still in use. Manuscript lists, including books in all classi- fications, are conspicuously placed in the hall. Children are allowed selection from several books at a time, and we are careful that attrac- tive travel, natural history, and elementary art and science shall mingle with the fiction ; and we find that many of the former are readily taken, and that requests follow for one and another book other than fiction which has been noticed. Short lists of books are constantly furnished to applicants, children, and older people seeking for reading for children ; hints and suggestions are given to those using catalogues, but the greater part of this work is done by personal selection, book by book, as the young people apply for ' something to read.' " With such a multitude of children as visit our library all cannot be controlled, but they may, in a great measure, be influenced, and to this point all our endeavors are directed ; by a constant offer of the best we seek to influence and elevate." BROCKTON. (Miss M. F. Southworth, Li- brarian.) " Public-school teachers are allowed twelve books at a time for school use and to retain them one month unless specially called for. Children frequently consult the libra- rian about books for school use or upon any subject in which they are interested. A manu- script list of books on science, history, bi- ography, and travels was made out some years ago for the use of teachers in the lower grades." BROOKLINE. (Miss M. A. Bean, Libra- rian.) " The library is in much the same attitude as poor Mr. Toots, always solicit- ing the pleasure of better acquaintance with the schools, and meeting similar reluctance. Still we are gaining ground slowly. Our list for the young, published in 1879, interleaved with the titles of later additions, is always accessible in the library, while hundreds of copies as printed are in the hands of the children. Teachers are allowed an extra num- ber of books for school use, and a circular calling attention to that privilege is sent to each teacher at the beginning of the school year." CAMBRIDGE. (Dana Library, Miss A. L. Hayivard, Librarian.) For home reading "I aid all in my power, which is not much at present. Our Superintendent of Schools has JAMES. 89 prepared a list, which I revised. He is now revising it, and adding recent books, etc. I regard it as one of the best, and it has been sought for by many at the West and in all sections where it is known. If I may suggest a paragraph for your report it is this : Too frequent undirected use of a public library may be an injury to many children. We have many who draw a book every day in the week. Of course they skim it, and thus acquire bad habits, and lose all power of mental appli- cation. I wish I could limit the use of the library, by such, to one or two days in the week." Personally I would like to add my testimony to the value of the list Miss Hayward mentions. We have ten copies of it in use, with our own book numbers inserted, and find it a most excellent selection. CLINTON. (Btgelow Library, F, M. Greene, Librarian.} "Each teacher is furnished with a prepared list of books on educational sub- jects, and has a right to select three books a week therefrom, and keep them a month if nec- essary. I publish, monthly, a list in the local papers on some subject of general interest in some one of the schools. This week's Courant contains a list on the Civil War, divided and subdivided into General Works, Particular Campaigns, Battles, Lives of Generals, and Historical Fiction. Mr. Foster's Reference-Lists are of great use to me, both in helping pupils to books and in making my lists. For home reading I find the newspaper the best means of reaching young people, and in fact everybody. Have been in the habit, for two years past, of publishing lists (taking those of Miss Hewins as a model) in one of the weekly papers. One last week was on Gardening. These lists are cut out, classified, indexed in a Scrap Book, labelled ' Books for Young People,' and are in constant use on library reading-tables. They will before long be published in book form. I find a good many young people have made books for themselves, taking mine as a pattern. I succeeded in interesting the young in our last course of lectures by printing lists of books on all the topics in the programme. The first one on U.S. History was made especially for the children of the Grammar Schools, but I was surprised to find that children between 10 and 12 years old, secured nearly every book on the list, on the day following its appearance in the paper." CONCORD. (Miss E. F. Whitney, Libra- rian.') " Teachers are allowed a school card, on which they can draw any number of books for school use, or for home use by the pupils, the teachers being responsible for them. The High School is the only one making much use of the privilege. We use Miss Hewins' and Miss Bean's lists." DEDHAM. (Miss F. M. Mann, Librarian.) The library is used freely by the pupils, but no special methods are employed. FALL RIVER. (W. R. Ballard, Librarian.) " A few years ago special classified lists for schools were prepared, but as they were not used by the teachers the matter was dropped. A juvenile list is now being prepared. ' Hints and Notes on Reading ' are published in the daily papers. The Trustees, in their report, lay the responsibility for aimless reading by the young, ' next to the home, upon the school. Teachers, as well as parents, have a responsibility in the matter. Their position is one in which, by timely suggestion and intelli- gent advice,' they may do a most efficient work.' " FITCHBURG. Section 7 of the Rules of the Public Library is : " For teachers in public schools teachers' cards shall be issued, on which three books at a time may be taken. Pupils' cards shall also be issued, one for each teacher, on which six books at a time may be taken. These books shall be on subjects connected with the studies of the school, and maybe retained four weeks. Teachers shall be responsible for all books so taken, and shall return any such book imme- diately upon the written notification of the librarian, that the book is desired by another person." FRAMINGHAM. (Miss E. M. Kendall, Libra- rian.') Teachers are allowed to take an extra number of books to aid them in any special work. The pupils use the library freely. HIXGHAM. Teachers can take ten books at a time for school use. HOLBROOK. (Z. A. French, Librarian.) 9 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. The trustees, in their Report, say, " We have observed, with pleasure, that several teachers have made attempts to direct the young in their reading, and that whenever the library has been used as an adjunct to the schools there has been a marked improvement in the amount of solid literature taken." LANCASTER. (Miss A. G. Chandler, Libra- rian.) Assists with advice, but the library has no special connection with the schools. LAWRENCE. (F: H: Hedge, Jr. , Librarian .) In the latter part of 1884 a conference was held between the Library Committee, the Superin- tendent of Schools, and a Grammar-school teacher, at which the subject was discussed, and the Superintendent requested to devise some plan by which the schools might derive more benefit from the library than at present. The librarian writes: "I would undertake the task of attempting to guide the home-reading of the young, did not other duties occupy all my time. A list of books was prepared for young people five years ago, but I do not think it is in use now." LINCOLN. (Miss M. L. Pierce, Librarian.') "Our Library has been used to some extent in connection with the schools, and is growing to be increasingly so used. All possible assistance is given in the choice of books for home read- ing." LOWELL. (Frank P. Hill, Librarian.) "Ow- ing to the fact that our library has been in a rather chaotic condition for some months past but little has been attempted. Three teachers are quite interested, and at the present time (March, 1885), I send about twenty -five books to these teachers, who distribute and are per- sonally responsible for the books. One teacher writes : ' I am happily surprised to find what good books my scholars will read. I am quite encouraged, and like your plan.' " LYNN. (J. C.Houghton, Librarian.) "We have no special connection with our schools as schools, but are in very close relations with them through the teachers and individual pupils. So far as the teachers are concerned all our usual restrictions are suspended. They take and exchange books as often as they choose to do so, and we are generally able to supply them with all books which thev need in their school- work. We have a fine collection of works upon education in general, and upon the teacher's profession in particular, and are ready at all times to purchase new books of this class for those who are engaged in the work of education among us. Pupils over 14 years of age are book-takers. We limit them to one volume per week, and so try to cut down novel-reading to a reasonable allowance. In our new catalogue I intend to have a department for our young folks." MALDEN. (H: L. Moody, Librarian.') No direct connection between the library and schools. Advice is often asked by the teach- ers, but much more freely by the pupils, and the utmost care is taken that their demands shall be met. To me the teachers are the dis- couraging circumstance. I do not find that their interest is of the vital, abiding sort. Some there are who follow a substantial course of reading ; but, as a rule, they neglect the advantages the library offers them. Of the pupils an entirely different story can be told. They come to me constantly for advice and assistance. But one method of assisting them in their home reading seems to me practicable, and that is, lists upon the plan of Miss Hewins'. These I would give to every child that uses the library." MARLBORO'. (Miss S. E. Cotting, Libra- rian.) " Each teacher is entitled to books for school use. We have also a student's room connected with the library, where pupils from the High and Grammar schools are admitted during any part of the day." A catalogue of selected books for the young has been issued by the library. MIDDLETON. No connection with the schools, but advice is given when asked. MILTON. (J. E. Emerson, Librarian.) " Our library is used freely by pupils from the High down to the Primary schools. The teach- ers are supplied with catalogues, and certain books are recommended for use in connection with the school." A list of books selected by the teachers for young people was published in the School Report for 1883. NATICK. (Amos P. Cheney, Librarian.) " The teachers of the schools influence their pupils to use the library freely, and give them JAMES. topics for investigation, and questions to an- swer, to be studied up at the library, the libra- rians cooperating as much as possible. Writ- ten lists of juvenile books are kept at the library to aid in home selections." NEWBURYPORT. (H.A. Tenney, Librarian.} " No direct connection with the schools. For home reading give personal help, selecting the best of the kind wanted." NEWTON. (Miss H. P. James, Librarian.') "As regards a closer connection between the library and the schools, I can still quote those melancholy lines : " ' This is the way I long have sought, And mourned because I found it not.' Not but that the library is used very largely by some teachers, and many pupils from all the schools, within a reasonable distance. But New- ton is so peculiarly situated with its widely separated wards that the library is not per- sonally accessible to a large proportion of its inhabitants, and communication can be had only by means of our daily distributing agency. " The High School is a mile and a half dis- tant with railroad connection but a part of the way. Still many of its students do visit the library daily for purposes of study, and many send written requests for aid. It must have been one of their number who, wanting a ' pony ' for his Latin exercise, wrote down for ' a copy of Ovid's Metap-horses.' Con- sultation with our Superintendent of Schools, who is steadily aiming towards a closer con- nection between the schools and the library, convinces me that it is better for the School Board to supply the extra copies of books needed for auxiliary reading in the Grammar and lower grades ; but for the High School he hopes soon to establish a very close relation with the library, and to be able to have all re- quisitions upon it fully met. I propose this autumn to visit every Grammar School in the city, and talk with the teachers upon the subject of influencing the home reading of their pupils, at the same time supplying each teacher with a number of application slips to distribute to those pupils who would like to take books, and asking them to promise assistance in making suitable selections. Later I hope to have a meeting of the Superintendent and all the teachers at the library, for consultation, and thus bring the matter persistently before them. For the present we would be obliged to depend upon the very excellent lists of Miss Hewins and the Dana Library ; but, before long, with the advice and assistance of the teachers, I hope to have a list prepared especially with a view to our own needs." NORTH E ASTON. (Ames Library, C. R. Bal- lard, Librarian.) " No connection as yet. The matter is under consideration. We take extra pains to see that pupils get suitable books and try to accommodate teachers in their special researches." PITTSFIELD. (Berkshire Athenceum, E. G. Hiibbel, Librarian.) " We endeavor with our large Reference Library to make it auxiliary to all our schools, especially the High School. Have no especial methods to influence home reading, excepting some advice. No lists." QUINCY. (Thomas Crane Public Library.) The Board of Trustees passed the following vote : Voted, That, under the supervision of the Superintendent of Schools, the principals of the High and A and B Grammar Schools be au- thorized to borrow from the library, not to exceed ten volumes at any one time, relating strictly to subjects included within the educa- tional courses in said schools. No book bor- rowed shall be retained more than one month without being returned for inspection. SHELBURNE FALLS. (Flora A. Hallagan, Librarian.) Pupils use the library for refer- ence. A juvenile catalogue is in preparation. SOMERVILLE. (H. A. Adams, Librarian.} The Trustees, in their Annual Reports for 1883-4, tell of an increased use of the library by pupils. " Our circulation steadily increases, and there is also a great gain in the intelligent use of books." The want of systematic action in connection with the schools is felt, as also the need of a well-prepared manual to be used by the teachers in selecting books for the young. SPRINGFIELD. (William Rice, Librarian.) In his Annual Report for 1885 suggests to teachers that " in view of the largely increased use of the library in connection with school- 9 2 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. work they would do well to furnish the librarian, in advance, lists of topics to which the attention of the pupil is to be directed ; thus gaining more order and system in the investigation of subjects, and securing broader and better re- sults." STONEHAM. (W. H. Boyce, Librarian.) Teachers are allowed four books at a time for school use, retaining them for one month. A list of books for the young, selected by a mem- ber of the School Committee, and printed on a large sheet, is posted in the schools. TAUNTON. (E. C. Arnold, Librarian.) No connection with the schools ; and no privileges granted to them not accorded to others. Books are selected with care, but no advice about the selection of reading is given unasked, " not wishing to interfere with the province of par- ents and teachers in that regard." WALTHAM. (A. J. Lathrop, Librarian.) " The library purchases a number of copies of some useful book, and loans them to one school after another, as, for instance, 25 copies of Towle's ' Pizarro,' or ' Raleigh.' The libra- rian has taken Audubon's large book of Birds into some of the schools on days of general exercises, and shown and explained the plates. Teachers have special privileges in drawing books, and pupils are encouraged to use the Reference Library, and are assisted in their researches." To aid in the choice of books for home reading " we publish lists of books in the local papers, on such subjects, for in- stance, as Botany, Comets, Ancient Greece, Star-gazing, Elocution, and Gesture, books about Boston, Electricity and its applications," etc. WARREN. (Jesse F. Forbes, Librarian.) " Special cards are issued, on which each pupil is entitled to draw five books at a time con- nected with school work. Teachers take any books they need." For home reading reliance is placed " on instruction by parents and coun- sel of librarian. The responsibility must rest with the parents, although much may be done in the way of suggestion." WATERTOWN. (S. F. Whitney, Librarian.) " The library grants ' Teachers' Cards,' on which six books can be taken for school use. We think also of granting to the teachers cards on which more books may be taken for the use of pupils. The librarian meets teach- ers and Superintendent of Schools to explain, and obtain cooperation in assisting children of the schools to a better use of better books. We are thinking of preparing lists for the schools on different subjects. Have received teachers with classes at the library, and shown them illustrated works on special topics." WAYLAND. (J. S. Draper, Librarian.) "No method has been adopted to utilize our library books in the schools. The classes of one of the Grammar Schools were sent to the library during one school term, with lists pre- pared by the teachers for reference and consul- tation. Have called attention to the matter in my last report." WELLESLEY. (Miss Jennings, Librarian.) " The number of juvenile books in the library is small. Teachers are requested to examine them, and make note of such as may be read with advantage. Some of the books are read aloud in the divisions, and may remain at the schools as long as desired. Teachers advise in the selections for home reading, some using Miss Hewins 1 list." WESTON. (J. Coburn, Librarian.) " No connection with the schools. I give advice when I think it is needed." WEYMOUTH. (Tufts Library, Miss Carrie A. Blanchard, Librarian.) " Special cards are allowed teachers, drawing three books at a time. Have no particular method for home reading, but try to interest children in the better class of books, and they are often willing to take books upon subjects that have been made interesting by their studies." WOBURN. (IV. R. Cutter, Librarian.) " Children are sent to the library by their teachers to study. High-School classes are entitled to the special privilege of being admitted to the interior precincts of the library to study and use any book suitable to their purpose. Class lists of juvenile books are printed in the yearly bulletins. A manuscript list has been prepared and is in use, as are also lists prepared by others." WORCESTER. (S. S. Green, Librarian.) What Mr. Green is doing we all know, or we all ought to, even though it well-nigh works JAMES. 93 despair in the hearts of some of us. His paper entitled " Public Schools and Libraries," pre- pared at the request of the Massachusetts Board of Education, is his last word upon the subject, and is so full of help and stimulus that, at the risk of repeating what doubtless is familiar to many of you, I will quote from the last page of it, " for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." " It is feasible for libraries in all towns, however small, to be of great assistance to schools if they are ready to spend a portion of their income, even a very small amount of money, with particular reference to the wants of teachers and scholars. In places where the work described in this paper is under- taken librarians must have time allowed them to superintend it, and aid in carrying it on, or be provided with well-educated assistants, whose special office it is to meet inquirers cordially, and help them, by whatever expenditure of time is necessary, to obtain such information as they may wish for. Teachers and librarians must meet, too, as co-educators ; as men and women having at heart the common object of adding to the facilities of education available for the benefit of children. In order to do the work well officers of libraries must be enthusiastic, intelligent, and thoughtful. Their methods, too, must be elastic. If they move in ruts, and the work becomes mechanical, much of its value will be lost. It should be borne in mind, how- ever, that no uncommon powers are needed in the librarian. Nor does he need, as has been sometimes surmised, to be a ready lecturer. The things he really needs are interest in the work, knowledge of books, a good education, good manners, and good sense." MICHIGAN. BAY CITY. (Miss Julia A. Robinson, Librarian.') " Last year the Super- intendent of Schools caused lists to be issued, one for each school grade from number 5, up to the graduating class, embracing standard works in every department of literature suitable for the young. There is no compulsion in the matter, but each pupil will receive, at the end of the school year, a certain addition to his percentage if he has understandingly read any, or all, of the books in his grade. Direct invi- tation has been sent by the librarian to the pupils to visit the library, and make use, within the building, of such rare and valuable works as are not permitted to circulate. We have, by such means, been raising the percentage of profitable reading." DETROIT. (Henry Gillman, Librarian:) The Superintendent of Schools and librarian cooperate in various ways to advance the standard of reading, and to advise with the teachers the books to be read by the pupils in connection with their studies. They use the Hartford list and one prepared by Rev. Mr. Henderson, of Detroit. Mr. Gill- man " especially recommends that ' Courses of Reading ' be prepared and printed for both young and adult readers and posted in the library. I am sure that many adult readers would be grateful for such help, which other- wise they would be ashamed to ask for." MINNESOTA. ST. PAUL. (Mrs. Helen J. McCaine, Librarian.') "I can say that we have at least made a beginning in establishing closer relations between the library and the schools. The main result has been an increased confi- dence in the library shown by both teachers and pupils, some of the teachers sending their pupils every week for help in their studies. Many books valuable in school work have been duplicated, and it is the intention in future to take into special consideration this department of library work." For assistance in home reading " we depend upon such personal in- tercourse with the young as will enable us to suit their tastes and capabilities." MISSOURI. ST. Louis. (Frederick M. Crunden, Librarian.) The St. Louis Public School Library, though a subscription library, " is controlled by the Board of Public Schools, but no special privileges are given to teachers and pupils, excepting free memberships to gradu- ates of the polytechnic evening schools. Last summer, for the first time, free tickets were dis- tributed through the schools for the vacation, 772 in all, on which 5,132 books were drawn. A larger number will probably be given this year. A graded list of books for the young was published last year, a copy of which was sent to each school. When the first edition of 500, at .10 each, was exhausted, a cheaper re- print, at .05, was issued. Brief notices of new books appear once a week in the Republican, 94 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. in which special attention is given to juve- niles." NEW HAMPSHIRE. MANCHESTER. (Mrs. M. J. Buncher, Librarian.) " No special steps have been taken towards a closer connection between the library and the schools, as in other cities. I am always ready to assist in the search for information, but my very limited time out- side my necessary duties restricts me greatly in this department of work." NEW JERSEY. NEWTON. (Dennis Li- brary, E. Foster, Librarian.} The Dennis Li- brary is a subscription library, but the schools are allowed to use it freely for reference, and the trustees of the public schools have in their possession thirteen "Dennis Library Prizes,'' which are granted for scholarship and deport- ment. NEW YORK. BUFFALO. (7. W. Ward, Librarian.) The library is not a circulating library, but is used by pupils for reference. GENESEO. (Wadsworth Library, Miss R. C. Shepard, Librarian.) "The library has no particular connection with the schools, but is of inestimable benefit to the students of the State Normal School in this place." NEWBURGH. (C. Estabrook, Librarian.} " Our library is under the charge of the Board of Education, and, therefore, intimately con- nected with the schools." OSWEGO. (City School Library, B: Stock, Librarian.) "The library is a State institu- tion, as are the schools, but seems to have no connection with the schools." POUGHK.EEPSIE. (J: C. Sickley, Librarian.} " The library is under the charge of the Board of Education. Catalogues are placed in the schools. Teachers are allowed three books at a time for use in school work. Any class or reading club desiring to investigate any subject can have the necessary books for their use with- drawn from circulation during the time required, to be used in the library. The librarian is authorized to obtain from teachers a list of such books as will be of use to them in educational work, aside from ordinary text-books." SYRACUSE. (E. W. Mundy, Librarian.) "Organized by the Board of Education. No systematic methods used, but advice is given by the librarian." A well-selected, but poorly arranged, list of books has been published for the young. OHIO. CINCINNATI. (Chester W. Merrill, Librarian.) " We have sought to wake up the teachers as to the importance of the subject and to induce them to attempt the direction of the reading of their pupils. Classes have been brought to the library, shown authorities upon particular subjects, and received advice from teachers and librarian. My observation is, that there has been a decided improvement in the reading of young people in the last few years. Have used Miss Hewins 1 and Mr. Larned's lists, with our numbers attached. I have recom- mended the publication of a selected catalogue, to be prepared by a committee of teachers and the librarian. The matter is likely to be pushed soon." CLEVELAND. (W: H. Brett, Librarian.} "For several months teachers have had the privilege of drawing six books at a time for school work, either for their own or their pupils 1 use. It has been used by the hard-working teachers, and been valuable to them. I hope as soon as possible to arrange it so that one of the young ladies in the library may spend as much of her time as is advisable in chatting with the young about books, advising them and helping them in their selections. I should re- gard such a position as one of the most impor- tant and desirable in the library." TOLEDO. (Mrs. F. D. Jennain, Librarian.) "There is a very close relation between the schools and the library. Our teachers take up the subjects topically, as history, biography, science, etc., sending pupils to the library for various works on subjects under consideration, some of which, as the encyclopaedias, etc., are studied here, while others are carried away for further reference. Many of the teachers send me lists of subjects beforehand, so that I can make the best selections for studies. Our reference work is very important, and developing in all directions. For aid in home reading the lists of Miss Hewins, Mr. Larned, and Miss Bean are at hand for constant reference, and are suggested as helps to young readers. I shall prepare a classified list of books soon, much fuller than those referred to. I would like further to say that I try to encourage in every JAMES. 95 way the habit in the young of coming to the library, hoping that, when the work of the schools is over, the work of the library may go on indefinitely." RHODE ISLAND. BRISTOL. (G: U. Arnold, Librarian.') " The Library is used largely by pupils of the High and Grammar schools for reference and to read up essays." NEWPORT. The library has a separate cata- logue of juvenile books, and the Superintend- ent of Schools prepared a list for the use of schools in 1882. PAWTUCKET. (Mrs. M. A. Sanders, Li- brarian.') " Our work is largely with the schools and the young, for we deem it among the most important, and in its results the most satisfactory, of all library work. " Each teacher may take six books for use in his school ; it is understood that we are always ready to assist them in their work. We request teachers to send us in advance lists of subjects to be considered, thus gaining time for ourselves and the scholars. 'This work is not confined to the higher grades ; it would be a matter of surprise to one unaccustomed to it to see the number of scholars of all ages who daily frequent the library in search of aids for real work on given subjects ; many of these are too young to know the use of reference-books, but very readily take notes with a little assistance. We have their confidence, and they ask for help unhesitatingly. "The Superintendent of Schools in his Report for 1884 says: 'The work of the schools has been supplemented by frequent use of the Free Public Library ; thanks are due for the purchase of reference-books in the interest of the schools, and also for repeated favors and attention to teachers and scholars ; a more important and more widely extended use of the library is in furnishing such reading as shall develop a correct taste in children ; the great interest of the librarian in this matter is shown in her calling the attention of the trustees to the necessity for greater facilities for teachers, for rendering the library available for their schools.' " We supply four tables, 15X3, with picture- books, magazines, and papers, exclusively for children from five years to fourteen, thus in- ducing them to come in, and training them from the earliest years to the use and love of books. "Cleanliness and orderly conduct are the re- quirements, and it is not often that there is not a regular progression from these tables on- ward till they are able to appreciate the litera- ture supplied for adults. " Though these tables seat seventy children, and are generally full, such is the quiet that adults are not disturbed and often bring friends with them to see such an unusual sight. "A few of the boys have been inclined to abuse their privileges by concealing dime- novels in the leaves of a book, and reading them while apparently reading the books pro- vided. " After remonstrating with them in vain we have adopted a novel plan of cure, suggested by our secretary, William R. Sayles. " A Mark-Twain scrap-book is provided, and in it are fastened cuttings from the daily papers of accounts of the crimes committed by boys instigated by reading dime-novels. " Boys found reading such literature are re- quested to read the articles contained in the scrap-book. They seem to grasp the idea quickly, and, without an exception, pass their papers to us, and seem glad to accept some- thing better in exchange. We have had no occasion to use the book for several months. "This plan was printed at length in the Library journal of May. " In a word, we look upon the mission of the library as something greater than merely to supply the demand for a passing fancy for amusement. " It is to create, develop, and satisfy a taste for such reading and such pursuits as will promote a laudable ambition, strengthen and purify the character, and give thinking men and women to the community ; and to do this we must begin with the children." PROVIDENCE. (IV: E. Foster, Librarian.') In his Report for 1883 Mr. Foster alludes to the fact that " from the very opening of the library, in 1878, the attempt was made to cooperate in the fullest manner with teachers and pupils of the various schools. Very grati- fying progress was made, and the cooperation 9 6 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE: has-4reen continued with the most beneficial results up to the present time." In his Report for 1884 he further says : " During the closing four months of the year additional facilities have been furnished the schools of the city. Beginning with September I it was announced that all pupils of the public and private schools of Providence, whether residing within the city limits or not, shall share equally in their use of the library ; and every teacher in the public and private schools of Providence, whether residing within the city limits or not, shall be entitled to a teacher's card and a pupil's card. On the former the teacher may take one book at a time, and on the latter six books at a time, for use in school work. During these four months 98 non-resident cards were issued and 104 school cards, and on the latter 628 volumes were issued during the last three months of the year. ' It should be added that this step is one, of whose importance those in charge of the li- brary have long been convinced ; but the re- sources at their command have not until now warranted their taking this action. The plan has now been long enough in operation to make apparent the benefits which are thus made possible." VERMONT. BURLINGTON. (Miss Sarah C. Hagar, Librarian.) " The influence of the public-school teachers is our great help in directing the reading of the children. The pupils come to us for aid upon subjects given out in school. Encyclopaedias, reviews, his- tories, books of travel, are consulted in the hall or taken home for study. Shabbily- dressed children are eager for histories and travels, influenced, I know, by their teachers. The library provides a number of books for each school for use by the teachers, and for circulation among the pupils ; more than a hundred volumes having just been bought for this purpose." VERGENXES. (Miss Mary P. Tucker, Librarian.) "The library, though small, is a constant source of reference in all questions that are at issue historically, etc., in the schools. I aid in selections for home reading by suggesting books to young readers that are both healthful and entertaining, as Miss Yonge's and Abbott's Histories, Fosdick's and Farrar's Series ; and, as a general rale, after being so far influenced in their selections, they will rely mostly on the librarian for future advice." WISCONSIN. MILWAUKEE. (K. A: Lin- derfelt, Librarian.') " We have been so thor- oughly occupied with re-arrangement, cata- loguing and printing, we have been unable to pay much attention to this important matter. What we have done I reported on in my An- nual two years ago, and nothing of any account has been added except giving the principals of our schools opportunity to draw an unlimited number of books on a given subject, for the use of their schools. The High-School princi- pal particularly has availed himself of this priv- ilege largely, and has frequently taken out 25 to 50 books, and distributed them among the members of a class in such a way as has seemed best to him, a redistribution being frequently made of the same books. That the pupils in this way have become accustomed to rely on the library for collateral reading on their stud- ies is evident from the fact that it has some- times happened, when a subject to be specially studied has been announced in the class before collecting the library books required, that most of the books have been taken out by members of the class before the teacher has had a chance to get them. Our reference-room is always open as long as any other part of the library, and access to it, and the books it contains, is entirely unrestricted. During the winter months, when the schools are in session, it is generally filled with school children, and the time of a competent attendant is largely taken in attend- ing to requests for assistance and suggestion. It is our intention to extend this service to the general lending-room, as soo'n as other pressing work on hand will permit. A special list for children's reading, with notes and suggestions, is contemplated, and will be pushed through to completion immediately after we have fin- ished printing our general catalogue, which is now in press." In listening to these various reports you will have noticed certain pertinent and valuable sug- gestions concerning the work of bringing the FOSTER. 97 libraries and schools together, and of teaching the young the true use of books. I will briefly, in conclusion, mention some of the most prac- tical of these in order to emphasize them more fully, and to give, in some sort, an outline of what may be attempted in a greater or less de- gree by every library in the land. First. The librarians should confer per- sonally with the teachers, and convince them that they are both willing and able to assist them greatly in their work. Second. The teachers should be allowed to take any suitable number of books for use in school work. Third. The teachers should be supplied with registration slips to distribute among those pupils who desire to take books, thus bringing the subject directly to their notice. Fourth. The teachers should be induced to inform the librarian as to the courses of study to be pursued, in order that lists of useful and interesting books may be made for the use of the schools. Fifth. The lists can be printed and dis- tributed among the pupils, or posted in the library and schools. Sixth. Lists of juvenile reading arranged in attractive general courses can be posted in the library and printed in the newspapers. Seventh. Collections of wholesome books can be sent to schools composed of children of the poorest classes, and allowed to be read after the tasks are over. Eighth. Lists of books in connection with courses of lectures can be published in the papers. Ninth. Offers to supervise the reading of the young can be made if authority to do so is given by parents. Tenth. If possible, the number of books allowed to school-children should be limited to one, or at least two, a week. And now one word more by way of personal suggestion. Many libraries use Miss Hewins 1 admirable "Books for the Young" as a hand-book. If the next edition could be printed on larger paper, and with the price omitted, room would be left for the insertion of library numbers, and its value would be more than doubled. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PROPOSED SCHOOL OF LIBRARY ECONOMY. AT the Buffalo Conference in 1883, after ex- tended discussion, 1 "the president was directed" (we quote from the record 2 ) "to ap- point a committee to take into consideration during the year all projects and schemes for the education of librarians, and to report in detail at our next meeting." Since it is scarcely five weeks ago that some of the members of the committee just referred to received a notification of their appointment, any lack of comprehensiveness or of complete- ness in the report will no doubt be overlooked. Two years, instead of one, have elapsed since the date of the last meeting. Nowhere, how- 1 Printed in Library journal. 8 : 285-91, 293-94. 2 Library journal, 8 : 294. ever, within that period, have any " projects and schemes for the education of librarians" been actually put in operation, to the knowledge of the members of this committee. The only instance, moreover, of any scheme of this kind, in a stage of advancement at all definite, is that announced ' by the trustees of Columbia Col- lege, to go into operation in 1886. Of necessity, therefore, the present report is limited to a con- sideration of the Columbia College plan. Its successive steps may be briefly detailed. May 7, 1883, there was submitted to the Board of Trustees of Columbia College, an outline plan for such a school, which was thereupon 1 See the pamphlet entitled "Columbia College. Li- brary. School of Library Economy. Circular of infor mation, 1885." LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. referred to the library committee of the Board. 1 Meanwhile, August 16 and 17, 1883, the matter was brought to the attention of the American Li- brary Association, at the meeting already referred to. A vote was passed (one only in the negative), "That this Association desires to express its gratification that the trustees of Columbia Col- lege are considering the propriety of giving instruction in library work, and hopes that the experiment may be tried." 2 May 5, 1884, the library committee of Columbia College made its report to the full Board, on the matter sub- mitted to it one year before. It unanimously recommended the establishment of the pro- posed "school for the instruction of persons desiring to qualify themselves to take charge of libraries, or for cataloguing, or other library or bibliographical work." 3 On the same day the full Board voted " That there be established, in connection with the college, a school in which instruction may be given in the principles of library management, and in which learners may qualify themselves to discharge the duties of professional librarians ; such school to be called the Columbia College School of Library Econ- omy." 4 This vote names as the date at which instruction shall begin, "The first Monday of October, i886." 6 There are two questions which are likely to occur to the mind of any librarian to whose notice such a scheme is brought. One is, " What portions of a college course, as ordina- rily understood, would have been of greatest service to me, in preparation for my duties as librarian?" The other is, " What has my observation of the actual workings of a library shown me to be indispensable in the way of training? " So far as the first of these considerations is concerned we shall most of us agree, probably, that the most important departments of college instruction for us were (and are) the courses in 1 " Circular of information," pp. 22-24. * Library journal, 8 : 294. 3 " Circular of information," pp. 24, 25. Compare a portion of the annual report of President Barnard, relat- ing to this matter, presented on the same date, and printed at PP- 35-40 of the " first annual report of the chief libra- rian, 1884." 4 " Circular of information," p. 25. 6 Ibid., p. 26. Later fixed at " January, 1887." language, literature, and history. That is to say, we find it of greatest service to make our- selves familiar, first, with the tongues in which the books under our charge were written ; second, with the published accounts of the books themselves ; third, with the record of the events to which the books relate. Beyond this the demand is less pressing. It is well, to be sure, for the librarian to know as much as he well may of the principles of other de- partments which do not so intimately connect themselves with the business of dealing with books, as do language, literature, and history. At the same time, and in connection with these three, there must be the opportunity of using and referring to a large library, of familiarizing one's self, in fact, with the books themselves, at first hand. It is gratifying to notice that, in the Columbia College library committee's Re- port of May 5, 1884, this fact is recognized; and although the citation there made, of " a considerable library," and a "prominent col- lege having the facilities and experience needed in any school," 1 as important factors in the problem, undoubtedly has reference to studies pursued throughout at its own institution, yet the principle is none the less applicable in the case of students who have pursued at other colleges their studies in all but the more tech- nical details of library training. In this latter case they would come to the proposed " school of library economy " simply for training in these technical details. What has just been, said, however, does not render any less true the fact that by far the greater part of the librarians in actual service have not enjoyed, and will not in the future enjoy, the benefits of a college training, and yet they prove most admirable librarians. Turning now to the second of these consid- erations, namely, the technical training requi- site, we are conscious at once of the necessity for dividing the subject. The work in any large library is partly mechanical, partly bib- liographical, and partly administrative. The most of those who are likely to present them- selves for enrolment in the proposed " School of library economy " will probably have in view sooner or later this latter phase of the JM Circular of information," pp. 24, 25. FOSTER. 99 work, namely, the administrative. l It is none the less true, however, that successful and efficient administrative work is most securely based on such a previous familiarity with the details of both the mechanical and the bib- liographical work, as comes only by personal participation in it; from an apprenticeship to it, in fact. In an employe who is to be set at work mainly on the mechanical portions of the work, there are needed a sense of order, neatness, industry, and fidelity. But as a no less indispensable requisite, familiarity with the work and facility in its performance are needed. In one who is to be engaged on the bibliographical side of the work, moreover, while there are needed a sense of accuracy, application, thorough knowledge of literature, and wide acquaintance with foreign languages, as no less indispensable there are needed the familiarity and the facility just referred to above. In addition to these points there are the questions connected with the contact of the public with the library as a public institution. It is in these particulars that the scheme now under consideration is especially likely to be serviceable. The preliminary " Circular of information," from which we have already quoted, enumerates as among the proposed methods in contemplation courses of lect- ures, reading, seminars, clubs, conferences, visits to libraries, practical test-problems, and actual work in a library. It does more, how- ever, than enumerate them, and specifies, with more or less detail, what is proposed under these respective heads. In these respects we have just remarked, this Columbia College plan is especially likely to be serviceable. We may go farther. We may say that it is likely to be more serviceable in this line than is any other agency at present available in the country. It is true that, as was suggested during the dis- cussion of the subject at our last meeting, any other one of our large colleges might, with 1 Since this report was made we are informed, by the director of the school, that the plans all contemplate special facilities and inducements for cataloguers, and assistants who do not expect or desire the first place. Special attention will be given to the training of assist- ants, cataloguers, and indexers, without diminishing in any degree the efforts for chief librarians and those who expect to become such. Editor of Library journal. equal propriety, have moved in this matter. 1 The fact remains, however, that this is the only one of them which has thus moved. It is likewise true (as was also suggested in the dis- cussion referred to) that some of our large libraries have constituted (and will continue to do so) admirable " institutions for educating librarians." 2 The difficulty is, however (and it is becoming more and more serious), that time can ill be spared for this work of " education." To quote from one representative of a large library (Mr. Whitney): "It is an endless trouble to instruct volunteers, one at a time." 3 To quote from another (Mr. Poole) : " Scarcely a day passes in which one or more of these tyros does not come." 4 Some relief must be provided " or these demands will prove quite too embarrassing." To judge with perfect accuracy of a scheme like this proposed at Columbia College, one would, of course, need to be in possession of more definite details than are yet obtainable. About the specific items of the scheme there is still much to be learned. Tuition fees are to be charged. The amounts are not yet named, yet it is stated that they will be small. 5 A regular term of a specific number of weeks will be prescribed, and there will be a pre- scribed number of years for the course of study, or, rather, the courses ; 6 but of these matters the details are not yet determined. Certificates or degrees are to be conferred on the successful completion of the course ; 7 but regarding these no definite announcements can as yet be made. 8 1 Library journal, 8 : 290, 294. 1 Library journal, 8 : 288, 289. * Ibid., 8 : 289. * Ibid., 8: 288. * " Circular of information," pp. 25, 26. e " Circular of information," p. 26. * Ibid., p. 25. 8 Through the courtesy of a gentleman attached to the staff of the Columbia College Library, as a pupil-assistant, the members of the committee have been placed in pos- session of interesting facts in relation to the plan now and for the past few years existing at that library, which may, in fact, be regarded as the preparatory stage for the proposed school. During the latter part of 1884 nine persons were thus received, as "pupil-assistants." They were employed on such work as the needs of the library required, generally beginning with the card-catalogue work. A certain number of hours was made " a year's IOO LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. The committee, in view of the present aspect of affairs, would report the following resolution : Resolved, That this Association has observed work." Two days in the week were generally observed as " lecturerday," the lectures being given in the latter part of the afternoon. On these occasions, also, ques- tions arising in the work were brought up, discussed, and settled. A " library club " also was organized early in 1885, and this also tended to further among the mem- bers of the staff a greater interest and more serious study. with satisfaction the progress made since 1883 in the direction of a School of Library Economy at Columbia College, and that it trusts a plan more definite in its details may be ready for consideration at its next meeting. C: A. CUTTER. W: E. FOSTER, Reporter. S: S. GREEN. Miss M. A. BEAN. Miss H. P, JAMES. PR O CE ED INGS. 101 THE PROCEEDINGS. FIRST SESSION. (TUESDAY AFTERNOON.) Mr. W. F. POOLE, on taking the chair, said : In the absence of our President it becomes my duty, as one of the Vice-Presidents, to call this meeting to order. We all regret the detention of Mr. Winsor at Saratoga, in order to fulfil an engagement with the American Historical Association ; and no one regrets the circumstance so much as myself. These duties come upon me without warning, and with no preparation for an address which is expected of the presiding officer on this occasion. Mr. Winsor has doubtless made such preparation, and we hope to listen to his paper before the close of our sessions. Without presuming to make a formal address I may, however, be permitted to express our mutual congratulations in meeting, for the seventh general conference of our Association, on this secluded and romantic spot, and in these spacious and elegant quarters. It has been my good fortune to attend all the meetings of our organization, from the first held at Philadelphia, in 1876; and at none of them have we had a larger attendance, or more prom- ising indications of an interesting and profit- able meeting. As regards our habitat and surroundings we were never better " fixed " as we say at the West for an enjoyable session than now. From no meetings have I derived more pleasure and benefit, or do I retain more pleasing recollections, than those of this Asso- ciation. It was eight years ago this day since a goodly number of us sailed from New York, to attend the International Conference of Librarians in London. The incidents of that visit, and the courteous hospitalities we re- ceived, as American librarians, from our pro- fessional brethren in England, Scotland, and France, and from civic bodies, can never fade from our memories. This Association has already accomplished much. It has created a literature on the sub- ject of library administration which is accepted as the highest authority in this country, as well as in England, and on the continent. Its methods of cataloguing, classification, and of library economy in general are everywhere regarded as the best ; and yet they are capable of being still further improved. In the matter of cooperative work this Association has no rival. The "Library Association of the United Kingdom " was modelled after the American Association, and the zeal with which its work is carried on should be an inspiration to us. In the organization of new libraries the ques- tion asked by its board of directors in deciding upon a line of policy is: "What do the pro- ceedings of the American Library Association say on this subject?" Every library in our country feels the influence of our Association, although many of them are not in official rela- tions with us, and are conducted on methods which are far below its standard. Perhaps one of the most interesting indica- tions of intellectual development in our time is the large number of new libraries which are springing up, and the larger appropriations which are being made for the support of libra- ries already established. A library has now come to be recognized as a necessary adjunct to a system of public education ; and the most flourishing libraries in the land are the Public Libraries, which are supported by the same method of municipal taxation as are the public schools. This Association, by its meetings, its printed proceedings, and the Library journal, has largely contributed to the development of this new interest in public libraries. In all the Western States there is a great and growing in- terest in their establishment and liberal support. In the North-western States, with which I am more particularly acquainted, there is not an enterprising city or town which does not have, or is not intending to have, its public library. The idea has got into the minds of the people that the free library is as necessary in the educational system as the common school. The idea has found a lodgment in the statutes of all these States. In the State of Illinois there are twenty-nine public libraries, of which five were organized the past year. They are all thrifty, and are supported by a strong public sentiment in their favor. There is a similar and growing interest in libraries in Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska. IO2 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. The time is not far distant when Massachu- setts and the New England States must share with the West the laurels won for the liberal support of public libraries. I am sorry to say that there are Northern States concerning which the statement I have made would not apply. In the three Middle States in this great State of New York, where we are assembled to-day, and where we have held three of our general meetings there seems to be no interest in the establishment of public libraries, and it is a phenomenon I am not able to explain. In no one of the Middle States has a statute been enacted which enables a city or town to levy a tax for the support of a public library, and to me it is a stranger cir- cumstance that I never saw or heard of any indications of interest in those States that such a law should be enacted. I hope that some of our New York, Pennsylvania, or New Jersey librarians will explain this riddle. Our friend, Mr. Bowker, who is interested in education, and is a writer on social and political subjects, may be able to throw light on this dark sub- ject. We are told by Dr. Homes that, in his antiquarian researches, he has found in the statute books of New York, a law by which a public library could be organized, provided the petition was signed by one-half of the voters. It is needless to say that no library was ever organized under that statute. Just think of what is implied in getting one-half the voters of the cities of New York or Brooklyn to sign a petition for any purpose ! The most cultured men of New York whom I have met seem never to have given the subject any consideration. A year ago last winter President White, of Cornell University, visited Chicago, and was entertained by a literary club of which I am a member. In an address, with which we were favored, President White spoke of the good work which was being done by societies in the cities and towns of central New York, where were discussed social questions and topics re- lating to political science. These discussions, he said, had resulted most beneficially in rais- ing the standard of political and social ethics in the State. The address, of course, was very interesting; and later, in conversation with him, I asked why, as New York has so many good institutions, it had no public libraries? With a look of surprise he replied, " But we have public libraries," and mentioned as one the Astor Library. I explained that I used the term "public library" as one supported by municipal taxation and administered as a public trust, and stated that there was no law in New York by which such an institution could be maintained. He was not aware of this fact, and did not seem to understand fully the function and work of a public library, and how it was organized and administered. I invited him to call and inspect our Chicago library, which he did the next day. He spent an hour or more looking through it, and was greatly interested in what he saw, the crowd of visitors, the books they took, and in the general administra- tion of the library, all of which was evidently new to him. He asked to be furnished with our reports, and such printed matter as I could give him, as he intended to recommend similar libraries for his own State. I have heard since I have been here that it would be impossible to maintain a public library in the city of New York because it has so many socialists, communists, anarchists, and persons of foreign birth who are not in- terested in libraries. We have these same classes in Chicago, and, perhaps, in larger proportion than in New York, and they give us no trouble. The public library has no bet- ter friends than the foreigners, for we give them the books they want to read in their own languages. The socialists and communists are all friends of the library, for we give them the books they want, and they hold that it is not only the duty of government to educate the people, but to furnish them with reading. If the library ever shall have enemies they will be the rich, who do not enjoy being taxed for the benefit of the public, and have libraries of their own. Its defenders will be men of broad views, like the late Peter Cooper, scholarly people, and behind them, with votes, the mid- dle and poorer classes. If the experiment be tried in New York the results will be the same as in Boston, Chicago, and Cincinnati. The public library will be the most popular institu- tion in the city, and nobody who has an ambi- tion for office will dare to oppose it. We have a long program before us, and I have taken more of your time than I intended. My purpose was simply to express a few words of congratulation on our coming together again under these pleasant circumstances, and on the prospects before us of an interesting and profit- PROCEEDINGS. 103 able meeting. My only regret is that the duties of the chair fall upon me ; yet with your forbearance and charity I hope not wholly to fail in their performance. SECRETARY'S REPORT. Mr. MELVIL DEWEY, Secretary. I have no formal report to offer, except to speak in a general way of our interests. None of us ex- pected a great legacy, and it has not come. We are finishing the first ten years of our exist- ence. Ten years ago it was an experiment whether we should have a Library Association or not, and it seems to me as we are about to begin the second decade we ought not only to repeat what we have done, but to do a great deal more. We have a body heartily interested, and ready to give time, strength, and money to library progress. As the chairman was speaking I noted some points which merit our attention. The first is Cooperative Cataloguing. We have talked of this for the past ten years, but nothing very practical has yet been done. A dozen plans have been suggested, not one of which has been satisfactory. Certain kinds of analytical work are done in two or three libraries, by librarians and special assistants, at an enormous cost compared with the resources of the library. How shall we reduce this cost by cooperation ? What could be done has been shown in Poole's Index, which marked our first great advance in util- izing each other's labors. A second thought. For these ten years we have drifted along, electing the same officers year after year. Is it time to think of rotating our officers, putting a new set at work each year? We might put the same person, as a matter of routine, on some committee to look after certain matters, where experience in pre- vious years is important. We have found but one treasurer who could make people pay up. (Laughter.) I doubt whether it would be well to risk a change here. President Winsor sent me some months ago his resignation, but I held it back until this meeting, when I told him I should also resign. He shares my feelings that there should be opportunity to break in new workers each year. If this is the better plan, now, at the close of our first decade, is the fit time to begin the new system. New men on commit- tees and in offices ought to beget new inter- est and ideas, and our veterans will, of course, retain all their old enthusiasm. We need to increase our membership. We made a slight special effort at the time of the Boston meeting, and our numbers were easily doubled. If each of you will think over his home community he will probably recall at least half a dozen who could be induced to join us, and a large number of valuable members could thus be added. It is a happy feature that we are drawing in presidents and trustees of libra- ries, men not engaged actively in library work, and more of the assistants. I think a vigorous committee, utilizing the interest of the press, could increase our membership dur- ing the coming year by a thousand. It may possibly be wise to alter the amount of annual dues, but we have never done our duty in mak- ing our claims known to the great number scattered through our country who are known to be interested in such educational and philan- thropic work. Every little while we have a case of politics in libraries, which makes us angry and sick at heart. Some one to whom we have looked for specially good library work is ousted from his position in order that it may be given to some incompetent political hanger-on. Could not our Association inaugurate a general campaign to get libraries out of politics? When everything is working satisfactorily is the time to take active measures that will remove entirely from the field of political patronage every appoint- ment, from chief librarian to janitor. After a case has arisen at any point it is too late for the Association to interfere, as it would be, more or less, a personal matter. A general revision of local and general laws and rules seems the only remedy for this growing abuse. Dr. Homes, at our Washington meeting, suggested a permanent paid officer for our growing work. Either the government should have a suitable man at Washington, or else this Association should employ one, to give his whole time and strength to general library interests. The time is not quite ripe for it now, but is soon coming. As for publications.the Library journal, as our official organ, is much better and cheaper than any other plan. It is really a small monthly conference, and these ten volumes are vastly more satisfactory as our record, than seven pamphlets labelled " Proceedings." But there 104 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. is one thing to which we should wake up, viz. : our personal responsibility in contributing to our official organ. It is the most common thing in the world to spend eight or ten months on an experiment, and then sit down and enjoy it selfishly, instead of sharing the results. There is an unintentional, but none the less reprehensible, meanness about it. It ought to be a matter of personal shame if a brother librarian finds us using an improved method or labor-saving device which we have not re- ported as soon as duly tested in the columns of our official Journal. It is no matter that it is ours, and we have worked it out. Every one of us ought to feel in good conscience bound to send to the Journal everything of value to even a limited class of librarians, to a constit- uency of ten or a dozen other people who may want to use it. Without going into details, the sum of my report is this : the year has gone on with the usual routine. An increasing number of questions have come to the Library Associa- tion, even in these barren and desolate middle States, and we have larger responsibilities and duties. The ten years we have been to- gether have more than justified our organiza- tion, and all the time and strength and means we have given to it. With our organization perfected, and the momentum now acquired, we can, if we will, in the ten years to come, do fivefold as much. TREASURER'S REPORT. Mr. J. L. WHITNEY, Treasurer, presented his report. The Treasurer has sent the usual notices to members, and has been gratified at the speedy and hearty response received. In accordance with the vote of the last Con- vention a new list of members has been printed, including only those who have paid until the end of the year 1882. The idea is, first, that the Association may know more clearly who are its quick, active members; and, second, that those who, for various reasons, have fallen behind in their payments, may come back more easily by the payment of the dues for the current year, than if burdened with the arrearages of past years. All are to feel free to come and go, as they may choose. The fable teaches that those institutions are to be avoided where the tracks all point in and none out. If any one wishes to join the As- sociation no vote is taken, and when he retires he need break down no enclosures. The Treasurer has received for distribution, from Elizabeth P. Peabody, the unsold copies of the "^Esthetic papers," edited by her, in the year 1849, anc ^ interesting from containing articles by Emerson, Hawthorne, and others, in their earliest form. He has sent about sixty copies to libraries and librarians, members of the Association, on application. If any one knows of the remainders of editions of other books, to be had on similar terms, the Treas- urer will be glad to attend to their distribution. They prove excellent bait. JAMES L. WHITNEY, Treasurer. In account with the AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIA- 1883. DR. Aug. 10. To balance on hand, as by the- report at the Buffalo Convention $435 32 1883-1885. To amount received from sale of Proceedings of last Convention (extra copies ordered by mem- bers) 6 75 To interest received to June i, 1885 .... 32 51 To membership dues, re- ceived August 10, 1883- September i, 1885 708 99 $1,183 57 1883. CR. Aug. 14. By cash paid S. S. Green, for Committee for Dis- tribution of Public Doc- uments Oct. 29. By A. A. Kingman, print- ing bill-heads .... 1884. Feb. 29. By Rockwell & Churchill, bill for omissions in bill October 13, 1882 . . . " 29. By Rockwell & Churchill, bill printing Proceedings of Convention of 1883 . Amount carried forward, $2 76 i 50 16 75 418 20 $429 21 PROCEEDINGS. 105 Amount brought forward, $42921 Sept. 30. By Library Bureau, sta- tionery for Secretary . 8 30 Oct. 22. By Melvil Dewey, Secre- tary, various expenses . 18 09 1885. July I. By A. A. Kingman, print- ing bill-heads .... 2 oo " ii. By Eugene E. Adams, sta- tionery for Secretary . 3 75 Aug. 17. By J. M. Whittemore, two blank books for Treas- urer 3 75 " 25. By stationery for Treas- urer 2 oo " 31. By postage on letters and Proceedings of Conven- tion, and expressage, for Treasurer 27 25 August 10, 1883, to Sep- tember, 1885, Balance . 679 22 1885. DR. Sept. 2. To balance on hand $1,183 57 $679 22 All of which is deposited at the Middlesex Institution for Savings, Concord, Massachu- setts. JAMES L. WHITNEY, Treasurer. CONCORD, September 2, 1885. Voted that it be referred to the Finance Com- mittee, with authority to approve. Mr. Larned read the REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee has a very short re- port to make. So long as the Association is able to retain the services of so faithful, accurate, and ener- getic a man as Mr. Whitney in the office of treasurer, the work of the committee will be light. Still it has large powers conferred on it, and care should always be taken to have it con- stituted of members of the Association who have, in a marked degree, the qualities of con- servative men of business. The importance of the duties assigned to it can be best brought to the attention of the Association by quoting Sections 4 and 5 of Article IV. of our Constitution ; the portions of that instrument, namely, which define the obligations of the Treasurer and the Finance Committee. The sections to be considered are in the fol- lowing words : " SECTION 4. The Treasurer shall keep a full and accurate record of all receipts and dis- bursements, with date, purpose, and amount; shall pay no money without written order of two members of the Finance Committee, and shall make an annual report. " SECTION 5. The Finance Committee shall have control of all receipts from donations or assessments ; shall solicit and receive contribu- tions for carrying on the work of the Associa- tion ; and shall make appropriations, audit bills, and give orders on the Treasurer for payment." SAMUEL S. GREEN, J. N. LARNED, Finance Committee of the American Library Association. SAGAMORE HOUSE, BOLTON LANDING, N.Y. We, the undersigned, members of the Fi- nance Committee of the American Library Association, have examined the accounts of Mr. James L. Whitney, Treasurer of the Asso- ciation, for the period between August 10, 1883, and September i, 1885, with vouchers, and find them to be correct. SAMUEL S. GREEN, J. N. LARNED, Members of Finance Committee. SEPT. 10, 1885. COOPERATION COMMITTEE. Mr. CUTTER reported : Your committee have little to report, al- though their account covers two years. The chief cooperative work of the Association, Poole's Index, when happily completed, was continued for some time in monthly supple- ments. This frequent appearance was found to be difficult to prepare and inconvenient to use. The trouble of consulting many alphabets was not compensated by the good of having the Index kept closely up to date, because this advantage is very slight. It is easy to look io6 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. over the magazines of one or two months to find a desired article, or all the articles, on a given subject, especially as, when the article is so recent, one generally knows within narrow limits where to look for it. After three months, however, the task becomes appalling; and it is just at this point that Mr. Fletcher's new quar- terly index comes in with its help. In one other cooperative work the index to obituaries I can only report that the Index Society has issued one more index, that for 1882, and have promised the speedy issue of the volume for 1883. An objection has been made, during the last few months, to some of the past work of this committee. In 1877, at New York {Library journal, 2 : 30), a committee was appointed to consider "the subject of uniform title entries, with power to digest a code which shall stand as the recommendation of this Association until otherwise ordered." The committee, taking into account the discussions at Phila- delphia {Library journal, i: 106-9, 1 18-21), and New York (Library journal, 2: 28-31), and the replies which they received to a circular sent to the chief cataloguers, published a code in the Library journal, 3: 12-19. A Sub-Committee on Sizes had reported the following rule: "Give the outside height in centimeters, using fractions (decimals) where extreme accuracy is desired." .... For those preferring to use the common designation the following rule was unanimously recom- mended: "Designate each size by its initial letter or letters, assigning the size by the fol- lowing table: Give the exact measurement of all size curiosities, whether very large or very small." The table indicated the limits of each size, F.Q^O.D., etc., in cms. The last sentence of the report was : "The committee therefore recommends the plan of indicating the size by giving the size." But the Rule Committee, to which this report was made, taking into account the tone of the discussion on sizes at Philadelphia, did not believe that the time was ripe for measurement, and thought that such a rule would be simply inoperative, because it involved a greater change than the slow-going body of cataloguers were prepared to accept, and so they made this rule: "After the title are to be given . . . . either the approximate size designated by letter, according to the list given in the report of the Size Joint Committee or the exact size in centimeters." The Co- operation Committee, to whom the A.L.A. rules were referred for revision in 1882 (Library journal, 7: 205), made no change in this one, and it appears in the same words in their report published as an appen- dix to the Buffalo proceedings (Library journal, 8: 253, rule 4th.). When the code of 1878 was published, the Library journal had already for more than a year been following the first of these recommendations, that is, it used Q^for 4, O for 8, D for 12, and did not give exacter measurements. It has used the letters ever since ; and the habit has grown up, of considering the Q.O.D. notation to be the favorite notation of this Association. Of this, Mr. E. A. Mac, of New York, who prefers measurements, complains, appealing to the sentence in the Sub-Committee's report : "The committee recommends the plan of indicating the size by giving the size." We have thought it best to refer the question to this meeting, to see whether the Association is yet ready to adopt measurement as its sole recommenda- tion. LAKE GEORGE MEETING. Mr. DEWEY reported for the committee on Lake George meeting : It is with a certain sense of solemnity that I rise to make this report. Before the steamer reached her dock I had at least six different notifications shouted to me from the decks, that I was to be drowned because of the date at which this meeting was fixed. (Laughter.) We went through a series of efforts to get a date to satisfy every one. The proposed Toronto meeting gave us no end of trouble. We were assured that a fine delegation, probably fifteen or twenty, would come from England, and we agitated our souls over that; but as the time came nearer we found a hopeless muddle with the British meeting at Montreal and the American meeting at Philadelphia, and a score, or more, prominent members notified us of in- ability to attend at that time. Finally we got a cablegram that there was no assurance of a single English librarian coming. We thought we had better postpone the meeting rather than have the poorest meeting of our series out of our own country. The committee, in consulta- tion with the Executive Board, with a single PROCEEDINGS. 107 exception, were unanimous in voting post- ponement. After this year's date had been fixed for June, 1885, it was again reported that an English delegation would come if the date could be made September; and we again changed. But I think the committee are unanimous in the conclusion not to postpone any other Ameri- can meetings on account of large prospective foreign delegations. Some of the letters I received say, "If the purpose had been to make us stay at home, the committee could not have selected a better date." Others, in same mail, say, "This is the best date in the year." So they have gone on through an extended correspondence. It is just the opening of the city schools, and I am convinced from this laborious experience that for many people this is a particularly bad time of year, to be avoided in the future. Some questions came up before the com- mittee in regard to coming to summer resorts. We must come before .the first of July, or after the tenth of September, in order to get the necessary accommodations for so many at low rates. The proprietors, as a rule, prefer to have us in the beginning of the season, and there is an advantage in having everything new and clean. The only point is the" liability of colli- sions with college commencements. I wish to urge that the Association make up its mind to have an annual meeting, and do away with this jumping and jogging from spring to fall. If we know the date in advance we can plan for it, and it would save a great deal of correspondence and labor and criti- cism. The committee settled this date at the most inconvenient time for themselves, and spared no pains to try and suit the largest number. A number have been much pleased, and an unusual number have been very much inconvenienced. I hope to spare future com- mittees the thankless task of fixing dates of our meetings. There are a number of letters of regrets, congratulations, etc., from Rev. Wm. Rice, Springfield, Mass. ; E. C. Arnold, Taunton, Mass. ; Mrs.F.D. Jermain, Toledo, O. ; Guy A. Brown, Lincoln, Neb. ; Geo. Hamnah, L.I. Hist. Soc. ; John Savary, Library of Con- gress; John N. Dyer, St. Louis Merc.; Presi- dent Winsor, A. R. Spofford, Lloyd P. Smith, and several others, unavoidably detained at home. The committee have introduced in the pro- gramme many subjects, without assigning any special to speakers, the object being to call attention to them, and to get the results of ex- perience. When these subjects are called off, instead of sitting quiet it is hoped the mem- bers will say what they have to say or ask what questions they have to ask, and not go away and complain that these topics were not taken up. Notes and queries are put at the end of every session, to occupy any time left before the hour of adjournment. It is desirable that the new appliances, blanks, etc., should be brought up at an early session, so that there will be ample opportunity, before the conference closes, to ask questions and investigate them by those who may be specially interested. This even- ing will be devoted to an informal discussion, when the various devices will be explained and opportunity given for questions. Mr. DEWEY then read letters of regret from several persons who were unable to attend the meeting, among others from Mr. Lloyd P. Smith, of Philadelphia : " PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 4, 1885. " I regret that I cannot meet the Library Asso- ciation this year, and beg that you will kindly convey to each of the members my best wishes for higher salaries for them, and larger appro- priations from the Book Committee. I see I am set down for two papers, so that my absence will be a blessing in disguise, for, as I under- stand it, these annual gatherings are meetings where everybody wants to speak, and nobody wants to listen. " As Nestor No. 2 of the profession I have in my mind a good deal of valuable advice to give, but it may be condensed into four words : 'Above all, no zeal!' "LLOYD P. SMITH." ESSAY INDEX. Mr. FLETCHER (in Mr. Edmands' absence) said, for the Essay Committee : I have no re- port to make on the Essay Index, except that it would be impossible for me, with new duties taken up since the Buffalo meeting, to take the laboring oar in such an undertaking. Mr. DEWEY. I am much interested in this Essay Index. The matter came up at Buffalo, and a special committee was appointed, which loS LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. had one or two meetings there, and reported, before adjournment, that it was practicable to have such an index, and the plan proposed by Mr. Poole was approved, viz., to find the right man to take hold of it, and give him proper cooperative support, and let him manage it as he thinks best. The hope was very strong that Mr. Fletcher would undertake the work a little later, and for that we waited. Mr. Fletcher is doing his full share of this un- remunerative indexing, and finds it now im- possible to add this. Mr. Poole having declined before, we are left with a felt want and a practicable plan, only lacking the right man. A great deal of the work is already done in the Athenaeum and in other catalogues, and competent copyists could extract from those works instead of going over the indexing anew. It is the feeling of Mr. Edmands and myself, and I think of Messrs. Poole and Fletcher, that the sooner we can get the right man or woman in charge of this work the better. Mr. POOLE. We have come now to look to the ladies to do this sort of work, and the lady who undertakes it will find it one that will connect her name with bibliography and litera- ture for all time. The trouble is just now we do not know who he or she is. Perhaps the person is in training. He is not an old fellow. The execution of this project in successive edi- tions is something to grow up with, and make a life work, and I regard the editor, who is to be, with something of the friendly interest with which the young man, of whom Mr. Tupper wrote, regarded the young woman he was to marry. He did not know who she was; but she lived, and he would pray for her. (Laugh- ter.) I feel like praying for the editor who will take charge of and carry through this work. I think our best plan is to leave the matter open, and wait for the right person to appear, as he or she surely will. Another plan has come up within a few weeks. Mr. Vinton has an idea of making a scientific index, in which Mr. Mann's work will be included. I do not think it will be made on the plan Mr. Vinton sug- gests; but it is going to be made. Mr. NELSON. In the expectation that the scientific index is to come, and come speedily I hope, in preparing the catalogue of the Astor library we have made a point to omit analyz- ing and distributing the contents of the pro- ceedings of scientific societies and contents of periodicals. Mr. DEWEY. To test the feeling of the- Association I move that the Committee on Essay Index be continued, with the power to arrange for the work when they find a suitable person. Voted. TRANSLITERATION. Mr. CUTTER read the report of the Trans- literation Committee : Prof. Toy, of Harvard University, has fur- nished a transliteration table for Semitic lan- guages; Prof. Lanman, of the same University, one for Sanskrit, and Mr. Heilprin, of the committee, one for Russian. To these we will simply prefix a few general remarks. In determining the principles of translitera- tion it must be remembered that a catalogue is not a learned treatise intended for special schol- ars, and bound to an erudite consistency, at what- ever cost of convenience. It is simply a key to open the doors of knowledge to a partly ignorant and partly learned public, and it is very important that such a key should turn easily. A good catalogue, therefore, will be a compromise between the claims of learn- ing and logic on the one hand, and of ignorance, error, and custom on the other. Speaking generally, that form of name must be chosen with which people now are, and in the future will be, most familiar. This reference to the future is important. The catalogue must not be in advance of its age ; but, on the other hand, it will not be well that it should be behind the next generation. If, therefore, there is an evi- dent current of progress in any direction the makers of the catalogue will do well to be a little before the present practice, in the hope that the world will soon catch up with them, not to pass them before the catalogue itself has been superseded by another. The larger the catalogue, therefore, and the less likely to be soon reprinted, the more may it venture to be ahead of the times. Nevertheless the maker will do well to remember that the future is very uncertain. One evident current of progress there is, in favor of adopting the continental value of the vowels, representing the ou sound, for instance, not by ou nor by oo (as does Dr. Thomas), but by u writing, therefore, Butan, not Boutan, nor PROCEEDINGS. 109 Bootan, Turgenef and not Tourgueneff ; using also a and not ah for the sound of a in father, papa (I speak as a NewTSnglander) ; using the /' for the English e sound ; and giving what are unfortunately called the corresponding short sounds by doubling the following consonant, thus Nana would be spelt with one n, but Nanny with two. This tendency, which has been gathering strength for some time, has at last received the sanction of an influential body, the Royal Geographical Society, and can be followed with safety. The following notes are taken mostly from Mr. Heilprin's articles in the Nation : 1. For ancient Greek names use the Latin forms, e.g., Homerus not Homeros, Plato not Platon, Philippus not Philippos. But where two forms are in common use choose that which is nearest the Greek. 2. For Egyptian names known to us" through the Greek, both the Greek and the Egyptian form (as Cheops and Shufu) should be given with a reference, from the one which is not chosen for the main entry. 3. Biblical names are to be written as we find them in the English Bible, and the names of post-Biblical Jews, if derived from the Script- ures, should retain their Anglicized form. On the other hand, a strict transliteration is demanded of rabbinical and other more or less pure Hebrew names which are not taken from Scriptures, and therefore have no popular English forms, to which, again, there is an exception in the case of a few celebrated Jew- ish authors, as Maimonides, where an un- Hebrew form has been fully adopted in Eng- lish literature. East Indian names have such long accepted forms that it might well be doubted whether it will do to use any others. Cashmere, Mooltan, Jelaleddin, Punjaub, have taken their place in literature and in the popular mind. Neverthe- less, as the better system, which writes Kash- mir, Multan, Jalal ud Din, Panjab, is now adopted in most histories, in all official docu- ments, among others in Hunter's great statis- tical dictionary of Bengal, it is evident that it is the coming method, and, in accordance with the principles already laid down, we are inclined to recommend this spelling rather than the clumsy English fashion of the last generation. All other Asiatic and African names should be transliterated according to the rules of the Royal Geographical Society, which we quote here from their Proceedings for August (PP- 535. 6). The Council of the Royal Geographical So- ciety have adopted the following rules for such geographical names as are not, in the countries to which they belong, written in the Roman character. These rules are identical with those adopted for the Admiralty charts, and will henceforth be used in all publications of the society : 1. No change will be made in the orthog- raphy of foreign names in countries which use Roman letters : thus Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, etc., names will be spelt as by the re- spective nations. 2. Neither will any change be made in the spelling of such names in languages which are not written in Roman character as have become by long usage familiar to English readers : thus, Calcutta, Cutch, Celebes, Mecca, etc., will be retained in their present form. 3. The true sound of the word, as locally pronounced, will be taken as the basis of the spelling. 4. An approximation, however, to the sound is alone aimed at. A system which would attempt to represent the more delicate inflec- tions of sound and accent would be so com- plicated as only to defeat itself. 5. The broad features of the system are, that vowels are pronounced as in Italian and con- sonants as in English. 6. One accent only is used the acute to denote the syllable on which stress is laid. 7. Every letter is pronounced. When two vowels come together each one is sounded, though the result, when spoken quickly, is sometimes scarcely to be distinguished from a single sound, as in at, au, ei. 8. Indian names are accepted as spelt in Hunter's Gazetteer. The amplification of the rules is given below : i Pronunciation and Remarks. Examples. a e a/i, a as in father . . eh, e as in benefit . . Java, Banana Tel-el-Kebi'r, O- leMeh, Yezo, Medina, Levii- ka, Peru no LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Letters. Pronunciation and Remarks. Examples. i English e ; i as in ra- vine ; the sound of ee in beet. Thus, not Feejee, but Fiji, Hindi o o as in mote .... Tokio u ong u as in flute; the sound of oo in boot. Thus, not Zooloo, but Zulu, Sumatra All vowels are shortened Yarra, Tanna, in sound by doubling Mecca, Jidda, the following conso- Bonny nant Doubling of a vowel is Muuliia, Oosima only necessary where there is a distinct repe- tition of the single sound ai English *' as in ice . Shanghai au OTV as in how. Thus noifoochotv, but Fuchau ao is slightly different from Macao above ei is the sound of the two Beirut, Beilul Italian vowels, but is frequently slurred over, when it is scarce- ly to be distinguished from ey in the English they b English b. c is always soft, but is so Celebes nearly the sound of s that it should be sel- dom used. (If Celebes were not already rec- ognized it would be written Selebes.} ch is always soft as in church Chingchin d English d. f English f. j>h should not be used for the sound of f. Thus, not Haiphong, but Haifong, Nafa g is always hard. (Soft g Galapagos is given by/) h is always pronounced when inserted. j English j. Dj should Japan, Jinchuen never be put for this sound k English k. It should always be put for the hard c. Thus, not Corea, but Korea kh the Oriental guttural . Khan gh is another guttural, as Dagh, Ghazi in the Turkish 1 m Pronunciation and Remarks. as in English. las two separate sounds, the one hard as in the English word finger, the other as in singer. As these two sounds are rarely employed in the same locality, no attempt is made to distinguish between them. as in English. should never be em- ployed ; qu is given as kw as in English J is always a consonant, as in yard, and there- fore should never be used as a terminal, /' or e being substituted. Thus, not Mikinddny, Examples. tCwangtung Sawdkin not Kwaly, but English z . . . , Accents should not gen- erally be used, but where there is a very decided emphatic syl- lable or stress, which affects the sound of the word, it should be marked by an acute accent. but Mikinddni Kwale Zulu Tonga tabu, Gala- pagos, Paid- wan, Sardwak A few points need to be emphasized. Of course the consonantal sound in itch should never be expressed in transliteration by the Polish cz, nor by the German tsch. Teh has been much used for this sound; but the t is hardly necessary if, as the Geographical Society recommend, ch is always used with this sound only and never with the sound 5^. Of course there is no reason why ch should be used in foreign names with the sound s/t any more than/ with the sound zh. All that was needed to prevent ambiguity was for some competent authority to make a rule ; and these rules of PROCEEDINGS. in the Geographical Society will no doubt, soon be copied into all manuals and followed by the majority. In this connection we express our regret that a new edition of Dr. Thomas's excellent Dictionary of Biography continues to give his support to what we believe is an ob- solescent system of transliteration. Nor should the consonantal sound in judge be rendered by the English dg, nor the French dj, nor the German dsch, but by/ alone. Like- wise the consonantal sound in she is not to be written after the French style, ch, or as the Germans do, sch. The sound which the French transliterate by/ we must express by zh (e.g., Nizhni Novgorod). Tz is best to use in Semitic and Slavic names, and ts in Japanese and Chinese. For the Semitic "yod" y is the proper equivalent, and not the German j. But after a consonant in the same syllable it is usual to change the y to i (Biela not Byela), and in Russian names ai, ei, oi, ui are used in- stead of ay, ey, oy, uy (Alexei not Alexey). After / the y is dropped (Dobni not Dobniy). W is to be used rather than i in Arabic names (e.g., Moawiyah). But the Russian, Serb, Bulgarian, and Wallach contain no such sound or letter as TV, and we must write Paskevitch, Vasili, not as do the Germans, Paskewitch, Wasili. In the last syllable of names of places (Azov, Kiev) ev and ov are to be used, because the Russians used the corresponding letter, though they pronounce ef and of (in the nominative cases). But in the last syllable of family names, similarly pronounced, of and ef may be used, because the Russians sign their names off and eff when using Roman char- acters. The last f, which they use, may be omitted as being plainly not required to express the sound, and not corresponding to the Rus- sian character. Kh represents the full guttural, which the Germans make ch and the Spanish/ in Slavic and Oriental names. H answers to the softer guttural as well as to the Hebrew he. K answers to the Semitic Kaph and Koph. The use of ei for the sound of a in fate, ea in great, at in trait, is not altogether satisfactory. It is not easy to see why e was not used to represent this sound, and the short e, like the short a. /', o, and , indicated by doubling the following consonant, as Yeddo, Meddina. The general rule, then, is to use the con- sonants with their English value, the vowels with their continental, or, to speak more exactly, their German and Italian value, for the French value of should never be used, and the short French a requires of us a doubled consonant after it. Their ou and our oo is quite un- necessary to express the sound of the last syl- lable of Timbuctu or Khartum. C: A. CUTTER, C. B. TlLLINGHAST, W: C. LANE, MICHAEL HEILPRIN. Prof. LANMAN remarks on his table : 1. It will be observed that each of the five rows numbered i to 5 consists of five letters ; the second and fourth in each, i.e., the aspi- rates, are often written, especially in older works, thus, k', g, c',j', f, , f,d",p', b'; that is, the rough breathing takes the place of the h. 2. Write long vowels with a macron, thus, a, I, u, ?, and not with a circumflex. 3. Wherever you find the combination ri, with a dot under the r, reduce it to simple r t since it is a simple unitary sound. 4. The palatals (row 2) are often written by means of the gutturals and an accent : thus, we find k' k'h g' g'h ; for c ch j jh and in some German books c (which has the sound of ch in church) is written tsch, and / ( / \njudge) in like manner dsch. Further, c and ch are written in some English works as ch and cch, a useless waste of labor. 5. When the third palatal is written by^, it is common among the Germans to write the first semi-vowel by /. The last semi-vowel is often written TV (instead of v). 6. The transliteration of the first two sibi- lants is very fluctuating. My f, is written s by Monier Williams in his dictionary. The second sibilant is often written sh, some- times s, by me as s, like the other linguals. 7. Finally an s at the end of a Sanskrit word is converted into an aspiration called visarga, and written thus :, and in transliteration is written in this manner, h. The nasality of a vowel is marked by or in which appears in the Sanskrit as a dot above the body of the consonant. For a brief and lucid discussion of these mat- ters and a defence of the system of Professor Whitney, of Yale, which is followed in his grammar and in Lanman's Reader, see The Proceedings of the American Oriental Society, October, 1880, p. xvii. 112 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE, 3 *< 3* ^. TT T f } 1 a i T "$ T B /6 /5 K TT ^ 71 IT Z TC t tl. ' ''V *() * a n j * * " r < *. " 4 ^tfc * ^ ^ v- I t 1 M % tv > ; ^ >t> D xz> ft -5 e it u 4 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE- B , E.e, ^ **e S TV~S*. /^ ' i, ( tvt tf ; ri ) CC, ss , t J& / a*>e*V>. & ( '(fiesy4 } hi. ( tt+^^t ( PR O CEEDINGS. Mr. WHITNEY illustrated the difficulties and confusion in transliterating Russian by the different forms to be found of the name of the novelist Turgenef, as Tourgeneff, Turgenef, Toorgenef, Turgenev, Turgenjeff, Tourgueneff, Tourgue"nef, Turgenjew, Turgenieff, Turghen- eff, Tourgenieff, Turgenuv, etc. He con- tinued : It is hardly an exaggeration to say that no two persons, even in the same library, will agree in any particular case as to the best form of transliterating Russian, and whichever form may be chosen, the Russian student, especially if Russian born, will hold up his hands in horror and despair as becomes to the card catalogue. It is, doubtless, best to print titles with Rus- sian type, if such can be obtained. The Ger- man printers have fonts ; if any are to be found in this country, elsewhere than at Cambridge, this Association would be glad to know it. Lacking type, the next choice is to imitate the Russian character with a pen. In either case the original difficulty is encountered. How are you to alphabetize the title in your card catalogue so that, having once let it pass from your sight, you can ever hope to find it again? If the Committee on Transliteration can settle these questions the Association will build them a monument covered over with inscriptions, in terms of oriental extravagance, and not printed in oriental characters. Mr. CUTTER. A question has been sub- mitted to the committee on which they desire some expression of opinion by the meeting, whether it is best to transliterate by sounds or by letters. Mr. NELSON. I may state that I have fol- lowed in every instance the British Museum catalogue. I put in pencil in the margin the transliteration of the British Museum names. Mr. WHITNEY. The only way is to take some good authority and stick to it through thick and thin. After further general discussion, all speakers favoring letters rather than sound as the better basis for the committee to use in making its code of rules, Mr. Dewey said : Personally I know little of this question, having given it no special study. I moved, two years ago, that this committee be appointed, because I wished a set of rules for my own cataloguers, and was dis- heartened with the diversity of practice. All my prejudices favor the phonetic rather than the literal plan ; but practically I know our alphabet is not now equal to representing the sounds of even our own language. Then very few of us or our cataloguers know the pronun- ciation of these odd languages or have time to learn them. We can mechanically write a certain letter for another character without knowing the sound or meaning of either. While the phonetic method is the ideal method I am convinced that it is not practicable, and if tried would lead to endless blunders and diver- sities. The committee asks on which plan it shall base its rules. As every speaker has favored letters I think we may safely express that as our opinion and go on with our crowded program. I therefore move that in the opinion of the Association the better plan would be to transliterate the letters. AUTHORITY AND INFLUENCE OF THE A.L.A. Mr. POOLE. I question the policy of ex- pressing by vote the opinion of the Association on a matter like that of transliteration, and especially when so few of us have given it at- tention, and there seems to be a difference of views. The value of these meetings is not in the votes we pass, but in the statements of fact and the expressions of opinion by individual members, which are to be taken for what they are worth. In order that a vote of the Associ- ation, as a body, may have authority, we ought to be careful as to what we are voting upon. I am free to say that I do not know enough about the principles of transliteration to vote upon it intelligently, and do not believe there are half- a-dozen persons present who are better qualified than I am. What authority will any opinion have which we may express ? We do too much voting. I have never asked the Association to indorse by vote any of my hobbies in meth- ods of library work. It is enough that we have an opportunity of stating our views. For the opinions of members who have given special attention to a subject, I have much respect. I will accept Mr. Dewey's opinion on some sub- jects (laughter) ; but these opinions will not be strengthened by a vote of the Association. We accept Mr. Cutter's opinion in the matter of cataloguing as the highest authority; but when advised by him, through the cooperative committee, to write my Christian names " W: F: " (with two colons) I have not brought my- self to do it, and never shall; nor do I use the n6 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. colon abbreviations in cataloguing. Again, we have been officially advised, through another committee, perhaps by a vote of the Asso- ciation, to express the sizes of books by " F. Q^O. D." I am, nevertheless, using the old forms for expressing folios, quartos, twelve- mos., and sixteenmos., and am happy. I shall never be reformed. I hope the Association will pass no vote for or against any rule for transliteration, if for no other reason, because no one seems to know much about it. Mr. DEWEY. I feel constrained to appeal from Mr. Poole as cataloguer to Mr. Poole as orator, for in his eloquent opening address he assured us that the first question which libra- ries asked when difficulties arose was, "What does the A.L.A. say on this point?" But now he assures us that it is useless for us to give any opinion on difficult points. This brings us to a question on which I have before expressed strong feeling. As secretary during the past ten years I have had the best opportunity to judge the kind of inquiries that are oftenest made, and the kind of advice and help that is most wanted. Mr. Poole was right when he said, in his opening address, that the first thought of new libraries and of old ones reorganizing was to get the opinion of the A.L.A. on the questions they were considering. What else can they do? They inquire of neigh- boring libraries, and find each following, and of course recommending, a different plan. Their only resource is to get the average judgment of the best libraries, which is expressed only by the votes at our conferences. Suppose those votes are not always the wisest possible. Is there anything else that will have as much value as these ? This is true in theory, and practice only emphasizes it. Hundreds of libraries have adopted recommendations we have made, and thus secured uniformity and a good system, and I venture to say the best system in the vast majority of cases. We have done nothing more practical in advancing library interests than in formulating our gen- eral opinions on various subjects. When we degenerate into a mere debating society, in which to make speeches, and never dare to express our present opinion, for fear that in the future we may learn more and wish to alter it, we shall take away the chief value to the libraries at large. The old and experienced libraries are not the ones to whom these meet- ings are most useful. Some of them will never alter the plans they used in their younger days, however great improvements may be made. But there are hundreds of the smaller libraries who wait to learn the result of these meetings, and they will be sorely disappointed to find that the net result is a series of speeches, with no means of knowing what the general judg- ment of the meeting is. It is folly for us to take time to record the individual opinion of each member when a vote will show so quickly the number favoring either side. I should favor recording the number voting each way; but we should remember that nine-tenths of the questions we have discussed, after they have been fully considered, have been voted unanimously one way, and the results of those votes have been eminently satisfactory to the very large number who have been guided by them. Mr. MERRILL. I think it would be better to get the full report of the committee next year, and, so far as I am concerned, I cannot see why it is necessary to have an absolute rule about it. It frequently happens that some name has been -transliterated a great many times, and I do not suppose it has been trans- literated in two catalogues exactly alike ; but there are cases where two catalogues have agreed. I think the last name I looked up I found fourteen different ways. I move that the consideration of Mr. Dewey's motion be post- poned until the next meeting. Mr. DEWEY. The Committee on Transliter- ation asked for instructions ; there has been discussion, and we ought to dispose of the business in some form. They ask, as I under- stand it, whether we want rules for translitera- tion by sound or by letters. Many of us are waiting for these rules, and do not want to wait another year. It is hardly fair to ask our committee to work out a set of rules on one plan at great labor, only to be told that we want rules for the other plan. With our pres- ent light it is clear that most of us want rules for letters, not sounds. This very diversity which Mr. Merrill mentions is the reason why I asked the expression. The views of the Association are very largely adopted by the smaller and the new libraries, and it is impor- tant that they may have some idea what the general sentiment of this representative meet- ing is. PROCEEDINGS. 117 Mr. MAC. I had occasion to look up the records of the British Library Association, in which the matter was indefinitely laid over. It has gone into the papers on this side of the ocean in a way which makes the Association stand in a certain position on a subject which was not acted on at all. It seems to me that whatever is done ought to be done in such a way that the records would show what action was and was not taken. Mr. RICHARDSON. If the Association takes an acknowledged position on this subject as it has on a number of others, a good many people cannot follow, and yet the Library Association has committed itself, and a great many will follow implicitly. Has this been dis- cussed enough to give us a fair expression of careful thought? There have been a number of things that have been rushed through and not thoroughly considered by us. I think the subject should be deferred to some future time. Mr. LARNED. Mr. Dewey -is trying to get some opinion out of us who haven't any opin- ion. I want the committee to tell me what I do want. For me and others are in the same predicament it is impossible to vote on this motion. Mr. HARRIS. I understand the object of Mr. Dewey's motion was to bring the matter before the House, and secure an expression. I think it matters very little what is done with the question, if such an expression is secured. Mr. LANE. The object of the motion had already been served in drawing out the opinions of the members ; and, this being done, I hope it will be postponed until next year. The question of transliteration by letters or sounds has special application in the Greek, where the pronunciation has changed very much from the Greek of old times. Mr. MANN. If we find no one to defend the opposite side I think we have no reason for any vote. I would like to hear from Mr. Cutter the reasons why he would adopt that method. Mr. CUTTER. I brought the question before the meeting to get an expression of opinion, such as we have had, and also to interest mem- bers in the question. . I do not myself feel that I know anything about it. (Laughter.) I do not think either that the Association knows anything about it. (Laughter.) And I do not think that a definite vote at this time is desir- able. Mr. NELSON. I am happy to find that Mr. Whitney and Mr. Cutter and Mr. Lane don't know anymore about it than I do. (Laughter.) I have studied this thing until my head ached, and I want the committee to make a report that I can follow instead of struggling with it alone. Mr. DEWEY withdrew the motion. Mr. FOSTER read the report on the SCHOOL OF LIBRARY ECONOMY. Mr. NELSON inquired if any other library was known in which a club has been established like that at Columbia. No one knew of any. (See p. 97.) LIBRARIANS. Mr. FOSTER read his paper on " Some Com- pensations of a Librarian's Life." (Seep. I.) BOOK-SUPPORTS. Mr. G. W. HARRIS. I am sorry we have not a sample of the book-support we use in the Cornell University. It is a block of wood, about 8 by 5 inches, i% inches thick, and one inch of that is rounded. On the edge is fast- ened an iron, bent at right angles underneath, and curving slightly upwards, so as to give a little spring. This strip of iron is held by two screws, and a strip of cloth is fastened to it, so there is no danger of injury to the books by sharp edges. On the front edge can be placed a letter signifying the classification of books on that shelf. As to the cost of these book-sup- ports I cannot give definite information. The wood and iron cost about five cents, and the sup- ports we use were put together by the janitor. They cost us really nothing but the first cost of the materials. We have found them very satis- factory. Mr. FOSTER called attention to another book- support made of a bit of sheet-iron, with a thin block of wood ; two screws pass through it, and it has the spring which Mr. Harris refers to. The support was not one in which he had any special interest. They cost $12.50 per hun- dred, and may be ordered in two different sizes. Mr. DAVIS. Can Mr. Harris' support be used on shelves in iron cases, and are they suffi- ciently strong for tall volumes? n8 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Mr. HARRIS. The i^-inch iron would give a very strong support. Mr. DEWEY. Tell us how they work. Every little while I find some new support, and being determined to have the best, and give all candidates a fair trial, I buy a sample-lot, but after a week's trial I want to sell them out for half price. (Laughter.) Mrs. SANDERS said the support shown by Mr. Foster held the books firmly and perfectly well, but cut into the wood shelves badly. Mr. BORDEN. If you put a book back on the shelf hastily, and push it on both sides this support at once, it injures the book seriously. This was confirmed by two other speakers. Mr. FLETCHER. The difficulty with that support is that it costs too much. Mr. HEDGE. The Cornell support would have to be much larger for the bound folios or heavy quartos, and I do not see how they are to be efficient. Mr. WHITNEY. The only thing suitable is to put in a permanent support, but those ver- tical partitions take up room. There ought to be some means of supporting books of the size of Harper's Weekly. Mr. GUILD. What is the matter with the Japanned iron support made by the Library Bureau ? We have used these for many years. I have never seen anything better. Mr. DEWEY. I have tried a half-dozen kinds that reached above and below the shelves and did not find any that worked in a wholly satisfactory way. The three-cornered block, which I copied from Mr. Winsor at Boston, was costly, took a great deal of room, and would hold up only light books. We tried the coiled wire Lowell book-support for a little while. In fact, we make it a rule to try two or three dozen of each new kind invented by putting them in use in a tier of books largely used, so we can study practical results and compare them with our older styles. The brick covered with paper I found cost about as much if a pressed brick was used, and the others were so uneven that they would not stand upright. They had the faults of the blocks, with a new one of their own. Being so heavy, they endangered corns, and in falling were liable to break. (A Voice. I tried these till I got my toes smashed.) We have had five or six devices that hug the shelves by a spring, but I have found none that fitted various shelves and worked so I should care to accept a supply as a gift. The only thing that has stood the test of trial with us is the L.B. support, which Mr. Guild re- ports as so satisfactory. We have rejected all others in favor of that. The only fault in it is that careless boys may crowd a book astride the iron plate, thus injuring the leaves. {Mr. Guild. You should not have careless boys in the library.) Then, sometimes,' its very compactness is an evil, as they get pushed back out of sight. As it never wears out or breaks, or comes to pieces, being a single piece of iron, we find it cheapest and best, but would like to find one with its merits, without its faults. Mr. POOLE. Those of the coil device are not stiff enough to support a book. Mr. DEWEY. I have been experimenting with an attachment to the L.B. support, which hooks over the front edge of the shelf and prevents its getting pushed back, and also shows so plainly that there is no excuse for crowding a book on it. This hook we have also had made so as to hold the regular shell label. It can be used well only on the thick- ness of shelf for which it was made, but it seems to be the most compact that I have seen. Mr. HEDGE. What is the expense of it? Mr. DEWEY. I cannot remember exactly, but it adds to the cost of the complete support the expense of the hook or shelf-label holder. The Library Bureau charges me only actual cost for such additions. Adjourned from 6 to 8 P.M. for an informal evening session, for the examination and dis- cussion of the new devices, etc., which had been brought by various members. INFORMAL SESSION. (TUESDAY EVENING.) The informal session was held in the upper parlor, which was crowded to its utmost ca- pacity. The discussions cannot be reported, as three or four were often going on at once. Those present considered it one of the most profitable sessions ever held ; those who stayed at home must content themselves with their great loss, and hereafter come to the annual meetings. The reports of the formal ses- PROCEEDINGS. 119 sions are incomplete and meagre compared to the meetings themselves; but the chief value of the conferences has ever been just those parts that cannot be reported. It is this fact that explains why those who come once are so sure to come regularly thereafter, if really interested in library progress. Mr. WHITNEY submitted samples of his new card-catalogue guides, and of the printed cards now used in the Boston Public Library. Mr. LANE submitted the printed cards now used at Harvard ; and several others gave samples, prices, and experience. As a result of discus- sion it was found that the time had already come when it was practicable to have printed cards for the leading books, prepared promptly top. Each one of the smaller sticks binds the middle of each paper against the other sticks, holding it securely and keeping it sepa- rate from the other papers. Figure i in the illustration represents this file filled with papers. Figure 2 shows about the usual condition of papers in many other styles of files, in which pins or spurs are depended on for holding the papers in position. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the end of the file and the group of seven small rods surrounding the central rod, each small rod holding one paper. Figure 4 represents the file drawn to a larger scale without papers. Mr. Borden claimed the following merits for it: on publication, and sent to subscribing libra- ries at an actual saving of money. Twelve libraries represented, after the plan had been developed, gave their names as wish- ing to subscribe for such cards at a pro rata share of cost, and Mr. BOWKER being asked to cooperate agreed to consider doing the work at the Library journal office and distributing the cards, if the cooperating libraries would bear the actual expense. It was agreed that a statement of the plan, with estimates of cost, should be printed and sent to all enough interested to apply to Mr. Bowker's office, 31 Park Row, N.Y. Mr. W. A. BORDEN, librarian of the Reynolds Library of Rochester, showed his invention, the Athenasum Newspaper File. It consists of a centre stick, around which are arranged seven smaller sticks, which are kept in place by the rubber handle at the bottom and a common rubber umbrella ring at the 3 1. It is light and yet strong. 2. It holds seven dailies (all that most peo- ple care to refer to) and no more ; conse- quently no neglect in taking off the old papers can make the file heavy and tiresome to handle. 3. All the pages of a paper are together and not separated by a dozen or more papers of another date, so that one is not obliged, to his great disgust, to hunt through the whole file for the fifth page of his paper, and after he has found it to " flop " over all the intervening papers, to the great annoyance of those about him. 4. The papers themselves are arranged con- secutively as well as their individual pages, giving the file all the advantages of a bound volume without its weight. 5. On the top of each of the small sticks is printed the day of the week, so that the papers, when on the file, are completely indexed, and I2O LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. one turns immediately to the date and page he wants. 6. Any paper can be removed without dis- turbing the others. There are no adjustable or intricate parts which each user feels called upon to experi- ment with and to arrange to suit his own fancy, to the great bother of the curator of the room. SECOND SESSION. (WEDNESDAY MORNING.) Vice-President POOLE called the Association to order, and announced that he had appointed as Committee on Nominations: Mr. Larned, of Buffalo; Mr. Linderfelt, of Milwaukee; Mr. Merrill, of Cincinnati ; Mr.Barton, of Worcester ; Mr. Soule, of Boston ; and as Committee on Resolutions : Dr. Homes, of Albany ; Miss Coe, of New York ; Miss Wallbridge, of Springfield, 111.; Mr. Foster, of Providence; Mr. Fletcher, of Amherst. Mr. A. N. BROWN read Mr. Garnett's paper on the BRITISH MUSEUM CATALOGUE. (Seep. 6.) Mr. DEWEY. Let us stop and think that this paper, with these astounding statements, is not a theory, but recites simply the history of what conservative England is actually doing. Sup- pose, without this fact before us, any member of the A.L.A. had risen, and proposed such a plan as they are more than successfully carry- ing out. He would have been voted an imprac- ticable day-dreamer. As I urged in my report yesterday, the time has come when we must take in hand the ques- tion of cooperative cataloguing, and there is much encouragement when we read of thirty volumes per year coming from the press of a single library. I wish also to note the trend towards printer's type. Ten years ago it was sound doctrine that no great library would ever again think of printing a catalogue. Written cards had wholly displaced the older forms. But on all sides we find to-day that economy and utility are both leading us back to printer's type as the best means of making our catalogues either in books or on cards. Mr. BOWKER. It may be of interest to call the attention of the Association to another mat- ter. The British Museum catalogue is practical- ly the foundation of the universal catalogue, and it is nearly a universal catalogue. Almost on the completion of this work there should come a record from other libraries of books that are not in the British Museum. I suppose in this or that library there are comparatively few books of the sort ; but if you add all together there will be a large supplement. In this quiet way we shall finally have practically a universal catalogue. THE LIBRARY JOURNAL. Mr. CUTTER. I was much pleased to hear Mr. Dewey, in his report, urging all who have new ideas to send them to the Library journal. The Journal was originally started as a means of intercommunication among librarians. It was to be a sort of "Notes and queries ;" and it has always had that character, to a certain ex- tent. But it cannot do such work successfully unless you send your notes and queries to the editor. There is also another point in which I want your cooperation. I have lately intro- duced a new department, intended to contain records of events in the lives of librarians, their births, deaths, marriages, no, I suppose births could not be given. Of course libra- rians are born, not made ; but there are no ear- marks about babies to show that they are going to be librarians. A MEMBER. We should be sorry to en- courage marriage, especially at our library. (Laughter.) Mr. CUTTER. We ought to record resigna- tions, and in the town libraries we ought to record dismissals, for dismissals there will be, I am afraid. And this reminds me of a case in point, showing the need of your assistance in the purveying of news. There was a city li- brarian who was " bounced," I must use that word, because it was done with such injustice, entirely from political motives. He was natu- rally very angry, and sent a full account of the affair to the Library journal, which noticed it editorially at some length. They appointed a liquor-seller in his place ; but the man was found to be so unsuited to the work that they discharged him and reappointed the librarian. The librarian, no longer stirred up by a griev- ance, did not send me word of his restoration, and it was not till six months after that I learned of it. Yet it was a fact most interest- ing to the whole profession. Do not follow his PROCEEDINGS. 121 example. If any of you know of any fact relat- ing to a librarian, either yourself or anybody else, let him send a postal card with, as far as possible, full names and dates. THE LEYDEN CATALOGUE. (See p. 12.) Mr. CUTTER then read the paper of Prof. W. N. Du Rieu, prefacing it with the explanation that it was a letter to the Library journal, which he had not printed there because he thought it better suited to be read at a meeting of the Association, where the specimen volume sent by Dr. Du Rieu could be exhibited. Mr. WHITNEY. I remember to have heard an address before the American Philological Association by Professor Frederic D. Allen, of Harvard College, giving an account of our indebtedness to the University of Leyden in classical studies. I think in the matter of cata- loguing, also, we owe more to this University than we are aware of. If I remember correctly, Prof. Jillson went abroad in the early days of the Boston Public Librarj' to gain what infor- mation he could to help on its organization and management, and made copious notes in the libraries of Europe, and among them in the University of Leyden. Some time ago, perhaps in 1871, when we were casting about to get away from the printed catalogues in volumes to a card catalogue, which should contain everything in the library, Mr. Winsor found at Leyden this method which has just been described. Our first experiments were exactly in the same direction. We printed about one hundred titles, more or less, on sheets of paper like this one of the University of Leyden which I hold up, and had them pasted on cards. These were found satisfactory in many ways, but not in all. Of course the pasting of these titles on cards was very dis- agreeable work, and, as you know, to paste on card curls the card-board. Then we tried very heavy, thick board, but we found that the cards took up too much room and were easily split and soiled, and so we found a card which we use now, which is very compact and thin. We could not make these work very satis- factorily till we purchased a rolling machine to roll the card-board through. We afterward tried the experiment of printing directly on the card, and now we print six cards to the sheet, and these are cut up. This we find very much more economical and more satisfactory than the old way. I think if Mr. Garnett had ex- amined the catalogue at the University of Leyden and at our library, he would have modified his expression. The British Museum is doing a great work in making a printed volume to embody all the books they possess, which is a large part of the literature of the world ; but when their catalogue is finished there will be in the library perhaps a quarter of a million volumes which will not appear in it. And, judging from experiments which I have made in our own library, these late published books not to be found in that cata- logue will be asked after more than those in- cluded in it. After the completion of the catalogue of the Boston Athenasum, when the subject was under discussion of a printed volume for the catalogue of the Boston Public Library, I had a memorandum made of the number of books called for by readers in our Library which had been added to the collec- tion since the date at which entries for the Athenasum catalogue ceased, and I found the number to be three and one-half out of five ; that is, the proportion of the books asked for would not be found in a printed catalogue on its completion, if we should make one, and even a larger proportion later. I am very clearly of the opinion that, for large libraries in this country, a card catalogue of authors and subjects is of much greater value than catalogues printed from time to time in volumes, and especially if they are only author catalogues. I think we owe the thanks of our Association to the librarian of the University of Leyden for his interesting com- munication to us. Mr. MERRILL. In our library we use similar sheets. I rose to say, regarding the criticism of the card catalogue method from the librarian of the British Museum, as the president of the Association is not here, that he gives it as his experience in the Boston and Cambridge libraries, that he would not, if starting anew in a great library, adopt the card catalogue, but would follow the system of the British Museum. Dr. HOMES. I think that the new catalogue of the British Museum in 3 volumes of the early printed books in English down to 1640, as stated by the reviewer, was not supposed to contain more than 60% of the titles of books known to have been written and printed in 122 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. the English language. This shows how far catalogues will be from embodying all the titles of books which have been printed. Dr. GUILD. When I was at Glasgcw, a few years ago, they used these slips. Instead of cards they had a folio volume. At Oxford they showed me a similar catalogue. They print from the manuscript catalogue, and never use the card but in these forms. Everywhere I have gone abroad, they are disposed to laugh a little at our system of card catalogues. Mr. MANN illustrated by means of the Ley- den book, held in the right hand, how in open- ing the book, the headings written on the left- hand margin could more easily be found. Be- ginning to turn from the back of the book he could find the heading without much trouble. He stated that he arranged his working manu- scripts in that way. CLASSIFICATION AND NOTATION. Mr. LANE then read the yearly report on CLASSIFICATION, 1883-85. (See i>. 63.) Mr. DEWEY. Mr. Lane's reference to the 150 base merits a word. If time allows I shall ex- plain this notation, by which we can number 23,000 volumes with only two characters, at a later session. I have given some special atten- tion to this subject for over ten years, and long ago decided that most of the plans proposed for enlarged bases were not practicable. The 150 base was devised as the utmost that was safe to try to use. I distinctly announced before trying it for a temporary numbering which we were compelled to make while awaiting the new edition of our classification, that I did not believe it would be simple enough to use, and that in any case it was only temporary. It worked rather better than I expected, and if one has use for so great compactness as num- bering nearly 4,000,000 with only three char- acters, I can strongly recommend this 150 base as the simplest plan. Mr. FLETCHER. It seems to me that there is one thing, in regard to this matter of nota- tion, that tends to make the whole thing a delusion. All that has yet been said or pub- lished on the subject of notation goes very far to convince the practical librarian that there is not yet any substitute for the simple numbering of the books. Whatever may be said of the method of classification adopted, the one point that makes the whole thing a snare and delu- sion [laughter] is the different sizes of the books. If it is going to be necessary to put folios, quartoSj and i6mos. on the same shelf there will be confusion, and if you are going to separate them, what better system of nota- tion can you have than to number consecutively those standing on the same shelf? As to clas- sification that is a question in which size comes in very largely. Unless we are to give up a different shelf to each class we shall find it im- possible to carry out a minute subdivision. Experience teaches us that the best that can be attained is through large subdivisions and a numerical notation in each subdivision. Mr. HEDGE. In a public library the aver- age intelligence of consulters must have the simplest method of notation. However excel- lent for large libraries the systems of classifica- tion referred to, for working public libraries they are often a snare and a delusion. You must have the simplest method of numbering, so that those who consult libraries shall make no mistakes, and the books must be arranged economically with regard to size. Mr. MANN. I have been trying to arrange the books of which I have control, using three signs: one for classification, one for size, and the third for the book, and I can arrange my books without waste of space. Books can be arranged by sizes without waste. I got a sug- gestion from Mr. Cutter about using this size mark, and the only objection to it is that books of different sizes on one subject may not come together. Mr. LARNED. I have been working on this plan for several years, and I do not see any difficulty. We have our library classified, and have it assorted in sizes. We can carry the different sizes in the same classes, or we can carry them in different classes. There is no waste of space whatever caused by classifying, and at the same time assorting in sizes. Mr. R. B. POOLE. On the lower part of the label I write the book number. The book numbers are arranged according to Mr. Cut- ter's system. The classification is Mr. Dewey's. The books in each subdivision can in this way be kept in alphabetical order. Mr. DEWEY. In regard to the matter of size I began by using the method Mr. Flet- cher advocates. Later I abandoned this, and PROCEEDINGS. 123 adopted Mr. Cutter's system, and we are now using also the chronological arrangement. There are at least three different and entirely practicable methods of getting over the size difficulties. As a result of a good deal of atten- tion I now recommend that the shelves be set to hold the largest octavo by the American Library Association method, i.e., twenty-five centimeters apart, and all books not higher than twenty-five centimeters put inexact place. The great mass of large books, like transac- tions of societies, etc., go in blocks together. For the occasional extra large book we use a thin wood dummy. I think this the simplest method, but there are two or three others that have been used. Without entering into a discussion I wish to correct a misapprehension in regard to our classification, which arises because Mr. Lane has not seen the explanations to be bound up with this edition, which point out the solution to the difficulties suggested. We recommend the alphabet for final arrangement in many cases, and the geographical in others, giving each user both plans from which to select. As nothing needs to be printed when the alphabet is the guide, while the geographical divisions are indicated, a casual examination gives the impression that the country division is much more prominent than it really is. In no part of the plan of subdivision do we expect the user to know in advance what our method is. A glance at the index gives him all needed help. Town histories we arrange alphabet- ically, but geographical divisions would have decided advantages in many cases where loca- tion on the earth is vastly more important than in the alphabet. In each case we try to select the more practical method. Mr. FLETCHER. This index is a snare, un- less we can obtain a complete bibliographical dictionary of all the sciences. Mr. DKWEY. We put in our index all topics that appear in the full tables, and as many more as were thought useful. It is not a biographical dictionary. The moment you allow that prin- ciple there is no place to draw the line till we include every man since Adam who can be found in any of the great national biographies, directories, etc. The same holds true of animals, plants, etc., and it is clear that an index that con- formed to the rule Mr. Fletcher has proposed would be larger than the British Museum cata- logue. [Mr. FLETCHER. That is why I object to a plan which requires an index.] We have given over 10,000 of the most im- portant topics we could find in ten years' work. Our first index of 2,000 heads has been more widely adopted than any other, and has been of great practical utility. We trust this one, five times as large, will not be Avholly worth- less because it is so small. Mr. BISCOE described the CHRONOLOGICAL ARRANGEMENT ON THE SHELVES. (See p. 52.) CLASSIFICATION. Mr. RICHARDSON read "King Leo's Classi- fication." (Seep. 14.) At the conclusion some one asked what be- came of the mule. (Laughter.) Mr. BOWKER. Perhaps they could not get near enough to him to classify him. (Laugh- ter.) Mr. RICHARDSON read his paper on ENCYCLOPAEDIA AND LIBRARIANS. (Seep. 17.) Mr. POOLE gave his report on POOLE'S INDEX. I have some delicacy in speaking of the work of others, and shall speak only of my own. The five-year supplement will appear in the course of the year 1887. We had projected an annual index. In order to meet the bills we devised the plan of issuing 300 copies by subscription, each subscriber paying the actual cost of paper and press-work and nothing for doing the work. The cost of the Annual In- dex was $6.50, and circulars were sent through this country and England, and we got very few subscribers. This showed that an Annual Index was not wanted, and I presume that the objection was that it made too many alphabets. As the five-year supplement was coming out, librarians were satisfied to wait for that. The work of the five-year index is now going on under the care of Mr. Fletcher. Previous to this year monthly indexes were published in the Library journal, which now are changed to quarterly indexes. I am happy to say that all the cooperation that can be used 124 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. has been tendered, and when the time comes for the issue of the five-year supplement the matter is ready to go to the press, and it is sure to be done. The publication of the index has been a great expense to me, and I have put money in the plates which I see at present no prospect of getting back. There is something left, however, in the locker for the publication of the five-year supplements, as promised in my preface of 1882. The statement comes from the British Mu- seum and many foreign libraries, that the index is there used more than any other book; and this is the experience, so far as I learn, in all the American libraries which possess it. It is a singular fact that not more than 300 of the 4,000 libraries, large and small, in this country, have as yet procured the work, perhaps be- cause of the expense. The Boston Public Li- brary, Mr. Whitney informs me, has twelve copies in constant use, and two, three, or four copies are required in each of the larger libra- ries in the United States. In Chicago, which is not a literary city, a hundred copies have gone, without canvassing, into private libraries ; and yet, on the other hand, the report comes from the publishers that the owners of private libraries in Boston and New York, while ap- preciating its great value, do not buy it because they can use it by going to the public libraries. I do not state these facts as matter of com- plaint, but as bearing on the question : " Will the publication of indexes, and other biblio- graphical helps, which are so much needed, repay the outlay of money required, to say nothing of compensation for the literary labor bestowed upon them?" I am not disposed to take a discouraging view of the situation. My index, with reference to the purpose and motive with which it was begun, has been a success. It was not projected as a money-making enter- prise, but as something which ought to be done, and somebody must do. The lot fell upon me to be that somebody. It has furnished a most interesting, and the best practical illustration ever shown, of what can be done by literary cooperation. It has met with the kindest and most appreciating comment by the librarians and critics who have used it, and are most com- petent to judge of its merits. More than a thousand copies have been sold without can- vassing, or any attempt to push its sale on the part of the publishers. I am confident, from the experience I have had, that another work of similar character and quality, if put upon the market in a proper way, will pay its cost and something more. My index was a new implement which literary men had done their work without, and many of them have not yet learned to use. We are to have more, I be- lieve, of these helpful indexes in science, in general literature, and in all the professional studies. The more we have the better will they be appreciated, and the better will they remunerate their makers and publishers. Mr. NELSON apologized for not having fin- ished his YEARLY REPORT ON CATALOGUES. (See p. 69.) He said that he had been notified of his ap- pointment as substitute only two weeks before ; but he promised to complete the work in time to be printed. BOOK SIZES. Mr. E. A. MAC, of New York. The study of the subject for two years convinces me that the use of the common terms, folio, quarto, octavo, etc., to designate exact size, will have to be abandoned. These term's do not intrinsically mean size at all, but folio, and they are used in too many widely varying senses by such men as Mr. Bigelow, of the University Press, Boston, and Mr. Theodore L. DeVinne, the highest au- thority on book-printing in New York, to be pos- sibly restricted to any reasonable limits. I have compiled a dictionary of all the exact sizes ascribed to these terms, and the manuscript, as you see, makes nearly a hundred foolscap pages. I do not propose to inflict its reading upon you, but may give a single extract or two. (He here read some figures said to be the equiva- lents of the common terms showing the varia- tions in the scales of high authorities.) If we abandon the common terms and desig- nate the size by the Arabic numerals, which I believe to be the only common-sense way, we must determine upon the limit of measure that we shall use first. If we use the metric system (as Mr. Dewey insists that we must), I think the decimeter much better than the centimeter for ordinary use. Such a unit, being nearly equivalent to four inches, would be the best to use, except with very rare books, when close measures are im- portant. PROCEEDINGS. 125 To indicate position on the shelves, the prac- tically most important use of size notation, too small a unit of measurement makes needlessly long numbers. It may be all well enough to say that he who makes two blades of grass grow where one grew before is a public benefactor; but in bib- liography, exactly the reverse is the greater truth. Whoever can suggest methods for abridging the descriptions of books without indefiniteness should be duly honored. If the common English measures are used, as is needful if anything understandable by the public is to be presented to them, then the inch is the only possible unit. This will compel us to use two figures for all books over nine inches in height. In reply to a question as to how the figures indicating size were to be distinguished from figures indicating number of pages, etc., Mr. Mac said : I would always give number of pages followed by p., not pp., as in the printed card I hold in my hand. Mr. DEWEY. That card is not an example of A.L.A. cataloguing, although by a member of the Association. Mr. MAC. The position of the figures indi- cating size would always sufficiently distinguish them from figures indicating number of pages, etc., though if at first use it was thought need- ful by any one, the abbreviations in, for inches or dm. for decimeters, might be written or printed after the figures, to make assurance doubly sure. A prefatory note to any list or catalogue should always explain which unit of measurement was used. In answer to another question as to how odd sizes should be noted, Mr. Mac said : I would only give the outside height except in cases where the width or thickness was very unusual. The multiplication mark or x be- tween the different measures in such instances would be needful, but the proportion of cases in which this extended form of notation would have to be used is not great. I shall be glad at any time to communicate with any members of the Association as to the literature of this subject, or the best course to be pursued in any case. The unfortunate un- certainty as to what the rules of the Association, as to book size notation, really are, and the varied practice of different members, is lamenta- ble. I hope a better understanding of the matter may speedily obtain, and that we may have practical examples of the best methods. Mr. RICHARDSON. For several years I used the American Library Association designa- tions of height. About three years ago I worked over the old systems and methods, and had an exhibition of books, octavos, quartos, etc., in which octavos would be bigger than quartos, and quartos larger than folios, show- ing that anything you could get at in the way of folding would not convey any definite idea. It was simply an artificial designation ; the old nomenclature had nothing left of it, and I began to mark everything by actual measure- ment, measuring in centimeters and tenths of centimeters, but having a decimal point after the centimeters. Mr. DEWEY. This confusion we considered ten years ago. Two or three committees went over it very thoroughly. The question arose as to how extensively the system was used, and it was not purposed to discuss the old difficul- ties, but to see if we could go a step further. The size rule was made and sent out. How largely it is represented here I do not know. I should like to know how extensively the Q^O.D. system is used. Nineteen hands were raised of those who used the system. One member stated that he believed in the system, but his superior was opposed to it; another that he used it, but did not believe in it. Mr. NELSON stated that he used the old form, but also used the Q^O.D. Mr. HEDGE stated that he used the old form. In response to a question by Mr. Dewey as to how many used actual measurements four members raised their hands. Mr. SOULE. As a matter of accurate detail the measurement of the outside of the cover should be given, not only in height, but in breadth, just as the exact number of pages are put in, with the preliminary pages separately. Mr. NELSON. I am thoroughly in favor of the measurement by the thirty centimeter rule; but I do not think the public are ready to take actual measurement. I have adopted that rule and the divisions, and used the old figures. Every man who handles a book outside of the librarians themselves, has a general idea what an octavo is; but, if you put it in centimeters, he does not understand. 126 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Mr. BOWKER. I do not know whether the distinction made in the Publisher's -weekly is understood. We have not all the books to cata- logue directly. That happens in many bibliog- raphies. We use the letters meaning the exact measurement, according to the rules of this Association, where we have accurate informa- tion, or where we have a book to measure from, and we use the 8, and so on, to give the pub- lisher's designation. The difficulty with Mr. Nelson's plan is that it confuses the two things. You are not certain whether you are getting the exact measurement or the measurement of the old system. I think the letter gives the general public a little more of a picture than they would get from 23 X 15 centimeters. It is easier for the reader to get the maximum size of a book than to think out what twenty- three centimeters, or fifteen centimeters, mean. Mr. RICHARDSON. In some periodicals, especially the ones with which I am most familiar the theological, the sizes are now given by actual measure in inches and frac- tions of an inch. I notice, too, that in the description of mss. the use of exact measure- ment is becoming universal. In response to a call by Mr. Dewey fifteen held up their hands to indicate a desire to adopt a system of measuring by giving actual heights. TYPE-WRITERS IN LIBRARIES. Mr. DEWEY. I have been experimenting in type-writers, and have tried the Remington, the Caligraph, the Hall, the Columbia, the Sun, and the Hammond. Mr. Richardson has got' some good results from the Hall. I did not get very satisfactory results on catalogue cards until I got the Hammond. I still have two Hall machines, slow, but that is not a serious consideration in cataloguing, as it would be in commercial matters. The Hammond has an action somewhat like the Remington, but in- stead of working over a cylinder, it works against a flat surface, thus allowing the best of work on flat, stiff cards. Another peculiarity is, that the whole set of type can be changed in thirty seconds. You can have a special type cut for library purposes, and the manufacturers have now agreed to make for the Library Bureau a special form of machine, containing our special characters, etc., and called the Card Cataloguer. It is very perfect in its action, and gives excellent results. This is one of the library machines that we ought to utilize. The cost is the same as of the Remington. Mr. MAC. I saw the proprietor the day before I left New York, and he said that he had perfected an attachment by which you could write a full card, i.e., could write clear out to the margins on all four edges. Mr. CARR. I was led to experiment with a type-writer, because my handwriting is very unsatisfactory. I commenced with the Rem- ington. The first objection which arose is that you are limited to the space that the ma- chine gives. It starts out with three methods of spacing. There are also three spaces in the Hammond. The Hall is slow, but in ordinary catalogue work, I think, will work as fast as ordinary penmanship. For correspond- ence the others are way ahead of it. Time is lost every time you insert a card, and to work correctly you have to figure to get each card in the place occupied by the previous one. I speak without having practical knowledge of the Hammond. Mr. DEWEY. In the Special Library Ham- mond you can throw the card right in, and it is held in the exact place by special guides, so all time of adjustment is saved. Mr. CARR. You cannot do that with the Remington. For good work the Hall is su- perior, and it will write on a continuous strip of paper, in which it has the advantage over other machines. The cost of the Hall is less than the others. I have found that from type-writers you cannot get the advantages you can from print you get all your work in one set of type. You cannot get the smaller type. You are limited for emphasis to the caps and lower case, and must go through your work and mark it. All these machines, except the Hammond, are defective in not having the less usual points. We need, among others, the bracket. Mr. DEWEY. In the Hammond Library machine all these points are supplied. Mr. CARR. The Hall is unsatisfactory for other reasons: e.g., where it is desirable to make rapid impressions of the same character. I have seen the Caligraph, the Remington, the People's, but not the Columbia or Hammond. The Hall, so far, has answered the best of any- thing I have found, and I think its type is the best. PROCEEDINGS. 127 Mr. DEWEY. The Hammond aligns more perfectly than the Remington. Mr. CARR. I think the Hall the best for indexing work. I think these slips show the best impression - that taken by the Hall. You do not lose any time in changing the work from one slip to another. I am purposing to try the Hammond. Perhaps that will answer better. Except in correspondence, very little type-writing comes into my hands, and never has a specimen of the Hammond come to my hands yet. I do not think it has been experi- mented with to any extent. Mr. RICHARDSON. I have used the Cali- graph for three years. The Hall does very slow work, but it is better than nothing. After seeing it at Columbia College I made up my mind to have the Hammond at once for the simple card catalogue. If you write Russian or Roumanian or Syriac, as I often do [laughter], it can be done with the Hammond. The Ham- mond is decidedly better for a simple card cata- logue. I like it better than the Caligraph. LIBRARY HANDWRITING. Mr. BORDEN. I object to library handwrit- ing made with a fine pen. If you are looking at a card catalogue where the lines are fine you have to get into an uncomfortable position in order to read the letters. The handwriting should be as near print as possible, and I have used lately the round writing pens. They are made in Germany, I think. They give a light up line but a very heavy down line, so that the resemblance to print is about as close as letters will admit of. I have some specimens of the writing. The usual form of letters is sufficient. Mr. NELSON. I saw in a recent number of "Science," 1 in a sketch of T. A. Edison, the inventor, the statement that Edison had "ex- perimented to devise the best style of penman- ship for telegraph operators, selecting finally a slight back- hand, with regular round letters apart from each other, and not shaded, attain- ing himself by its means a speed of forty-five words a minute." He thought that this hand might prove suitable for cards, by reason of its clearness, and the speed claimed for it. Mr. DEWEY. This question of library hand- writing is an exceedingly practical one, and I am conducting a series of experiments to find 1 Number for August 21 ; 6 : 46. out what is really most legible in catalogue drawers for the average reader in average cir- cumstances. Some of the handwriting is very condensed, some very extended ; some write too fine lines, and there is a lack of uniformity in some hands ; so it becomes very hard reading. We ought to find out what is the most legible handwriting, and the Spencerian publishers have agreed to engrave such a hand if we will tell them which is best for library use. Dr. HOMES. There was a magnificent well- known English hand, the round hand of forty to eighty years ago. In Paris the writing- masters advertised it as " Ecriture anglaise," and it was popular. The account-books of those days are full of specimens. Spencer and modern men have introduced a pointed hand, one which allows of constant confusion of sev- eral letters, i, m, w, n, u, r, s, t, and doubt- less others. The modern final s of the writing- masters is constantly liable to be mistaken for a final r or t. Why should they intrude a change ? Mr. DEWEY. They print over one hundred different alphabets, and Dr. Homes refers to their fine and not very legible school writing- books. Prof. POLLENS. We want a handwriting that approaches as near to type as possible, that will do away with individual character- istics, will be legible, and will allow of a fair amount of rapidity and uniformity. Mr. WHITNEY. The trouble in handwrit- ing is that there is apt to be too much flourish- ing, and that while the up stroke is made so light as not to be seen, the down one is apt to be as black as Erebus. Mr. FOSTER. I hope that if a system is rec- ommended it will include numerals as well as letters. Mr. NELSON moved that the matter be re- ferred to the Cooperation Committee. Carried. AUTHOR'S FULL NAMES AND THE USE OF PRINTED CATALOGUES. Mr. NELSON. In the Astor catalogue we have taken special pains to get full names. Foreign names we have endeavored to give in the ver- nacular. Confusion is very evident in the bibliographies, and I have come to be a decided skeptic on all bibliographical work my own included. In one case I found thirteen or four- teen French dictionaries to be correct with re- 128 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. spect to a noted French author, and as many giving it differently. In utilizing printed catalogues I think the smaller libraries can save themselves a good deal of trouble by buying the Boston Athenaeum Catalogue, and the bulletins of libraries as now issued, which would enable them to put before their readers at once the books in their li- braries, by marking them with a star in these catalogues. Particularly monographs can be so placed before your readers by checking on the margin the books that you have and checking others as they come in. I am indebted to Mr. J: H. Baker, of Columbia, for some of the sug- gestions on this subject. Mr. BOWKER. One catalogue, I think, would be specially valuable for this use, that is Mr. Foster's recent References to the History of Presidential Administrations, issued by the Society for Political Education. Mr. POOLE. In passing through England, in 1877, our librarians found this system which Mr. Nelson speaks of, taking one catalogue and putting a star or cross against the books owned. I think we saw it at Glasgow and several other places. Mr. FLETCHER. In avoiding giving initials only of authors do not let us rush to the other extreme. There was once a man named Dickens, and no one is in any such danger of mistaking the man who is intended that we must call him in our catalogues Charles John Huffam. There ought to be care to designate the individual where there is any danger of his being con- founded with any one else, but not otherwise. Mr. NELSON. I have heard a distinguished officer say that there is but one Champollion, and that any reader who did not know that ought not to be admitted to a library. A VOICE. There are two Charles Dickens. Mr. FLETCHER. I think common-sense should be the guide in most of our smaller libraries. Most names can be safely left with- out specification. Almost anybody turning to a catalogue and seeing Dickens, Charles John Huffam, would think he could not be the Dickens he desires. A MEMBER. I do not see how vou are going to do in some cases with initials only. There are two Jonathan Edwards, and both Reverend Jonathan Edwards, and two or three Benjamin Franklin Butlers (laughter). Mr. WHITNEY. Some one fished out the name of the President as being Stephen Grover Cleveland. We made about forty or fifty en- tries giving his name as Grover Cleveland, and then a book came along called the Life of Stephen Grover Cleveland, and we had to go back and do the work over again. Mr. FLETCHER. It don't seem to me that what has been said makes any difference. What harm is done by putting down Jonathan Edwards? Of course, when other names come in we ought to distinguish by a distinguishing mark. Distinguish by titles or other well-known marks, rather than by introducing the full name. Mr. NELSON. I admit for the ordinary small library catalogue you can get along very well with the initials in most cases, because you want short titles ; but for a catalogue like that of the Astor Library, where so many names come before us, there is difficulty in distinguish- ing them. We have frequently found three or four men of precisely the same name, and have distinguished them by the date of birth, pro- fessions, residence, etc. Mr. WHITNEY. The catalogues of the Bos- ton Public Library were at first in printed vol- umes. Only the initials of Christian names were given. In a card catalogue of a large library full names should be given and some description to distinguish the author from others of the same name. Let this be done from the very start and it will save time and trouble later. In cataloguing the first book by a William Allen, for instance, it would hardly be realized that the library is to have books by more than a dozen persons of the same name. The figures which I gave [p. 215] include all the processes through which a new book passes between its reception and location on the shelf. It does not include work on our class-lists and bulletins. This, as I have explained, is old work done over again, bibliographical work, which a library will do as much of as it chooses and judges that it is to get a return for in monev, books, or, better still, in reputation. Our library has this advantage over other libraries of the same rank in that, having sev- eral branch libraries, eight or ten copies are bought of popular books. These are catalogued at the same time and by the same person, and, of course, much cheaper than eight different books. The cost mentioned includes what is paid for PROCEEDINGS. 129 printing. After much experiment and many mistakes we have found exactly what we want in the matter of cards and printing. The titles are in large print, which is very desirable in a card catalogue, and the printing is done with extreme cheapness. Our printing is confined to the books for the Bates Hall collection. Where the book needs no references the card is written, because in this case it is much cheaper than printing. In our Lower Hall and Branches a large pro- portion of the books received, such as fiction, poetry, and drama, needs only a brief title- entry, which it is better to write. Mr. BOWKER. I should like to ask Mr. Whitney why, when eight copies of a card are to be made for the eight Branch libraries, they are written instead of printed? Mr. WHITNEY. Were the eight copies to come to the library always at the same time it would probably be cheaper to print the cards. In our case often only two or three copies are purchased of a new book, and, if it proves to be desirable and popular, more are ordered. In this case it would be inconvenient to print and keep the type standing. Unfortunately the Branch libraries use a smaller-sized card than the Central Library, for which the type used would not be suitable. Failing in the experiment of printing these cards I thought that it would serve the pur- pose to use some one of the duplicating proc- esses fashionable not along ago. This worked well at first, but the horrible smellfungus stuff [laughter] in the pan was constantly getting out of order, and the impression on the card was faint and streaked, and we were obliged to give it up. Mr. DEWEY. The best duplicating appa- ratus is the new cyclostyle. Mr. Whitney's smellfungus is the hektograph. Mr. SOULE. The cyclostyle is far better than any othe.r duplicating process I have ever tried. Mr. PEOPLES. I should like to add my tes- timony in favor of the cyclostyle. Mr. DEWEY. The impression is like that of the electric pen, but instead of an electric en- gine it has a sharp roller at the end of a holder which perforates the paper making the stencil. If you try to be a little careful in writing you are apt to shy off one side ; but if you will write right along naturally there is no trouble. It cuts through the thin paper, and you make a simple stencil. The electric pen was superior to the papyrograph, and is the best of the old processes. Mr. FLETCHER. I would like to report on one thing which is not a snare. (Laughter.) I will bear my testimony to the value of the cyclostyle. THE COST OF CATALOGUIXG. Mr. DEWEY. I think the honest way of making up the cost of cataloguing is to find out how much the library has paid out in sala- ries and expenses compared to what it would have paid if there had been no catalogue- I think we should all be very much surprised to find out what it costs. When a cataloguer spends two or three hours to find out one odd initial he very soon spends two or three dollars in looking up a name. I rather enjoyed the dressing down that Mr. Fletcher got, but to tell the honest truth I would have got the same thing if I had chanced to get the floor first. (Laughter. ) A man gets into library work and goes wild over the charms of accuracy, but does not figure up what it costs, and I think it is just as well to see whether the game is worth the candle. When a man sends in a lot of old volumes that not one of us would buy at the rate of a hundred for a dollar, and you put them through the regular processes at a cost of thirty-five cents each, I think there is food for thought. When these books come in as gifts we treat them just as we do valuable works. I think some of them should be treated as we treat pamphlets. A majority of libraries will take pamphlets and give them a simple mark. Still, a man may be introducing a censorship that will get him into no end of trouble if he attempts to decide upon the value of works of unknown authors. In buying fifty books there may be one that is worth the whole fifty, and I should say that the thing to do in that case is to push them aside to go among the pamphlets ; the one may be fished out and catalogued when it is found to be of value. COST OF CATALOGUING PAMPHLETS. Mr. WHITNEY. I think you cannot be a respecter of persons. You must sooner or later do the work thoroughly, and it seems to be better to do it in the beginning. You must be even more thorough with pamphlets than books. Besides, their average value is full as great. 130 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Mr. GUILD. The amount spent in cata- oguing pamphlets is altogether out of proper proportion. Perhaps ten per cent, might have been worth something, but all sorts of things are coming in, old medical almanacs, etc., and all have to be catalogued. Mr. NELSON. I wish to call attention to the point made this morning, that one of the valu- able features of the British Museum catalogue is the fact that it contains a great many titles of pamphlets. A pamphlet which might be worth little to-day may be worth one hundred dollars twenty-five years from to-day. A quack medicine almanac would go into my waste- paper basket. Mr. CUTTER. To some inquirers the only value of the Boston Athenaeum catalogue has been in the early American pamphlets that it includes. Mr. LARNED. I should like to ask whether putting a book in a library without cataloguing is not the same as putting it in the waste- paper basket ? Mr. DEWEY. Not at all. We mark pam- phlets on Free Trade and Protection, 337, and put them on the shelves with our books on 337, and if readers want anything on those .sub- jects they send or go to these shelves for it. We say some things are worth keeping, but not worth cataloguing. The librarian does not remember such pamphlets, and does not try to. A man comes into the library and wants some- thing on the subject of Free Trade, and an assistant, in sixty seconds, brings him a pack- age of pamphlets. When a pamphlet comes in, I recognize what the subject is, and mark its class number on the cover and throw it in a pile, from which a boy takes it to the shelves. We have given only a moment's time, and yet a century later, by means of our index, a novice can get that pamphlet again in a few seconds. This is quite a different matter from throwing it in the waste-basket. When you decide that you will catalogue the valuable ones there comes up the old difficulty of de- ciding as to value. THE COST OF CATALOGUING BOOKS. Mrs. SANDERS. We had 8,000 volumes in our library, and made a finding-list, or dictionary catalogue. A lady and two gentlemen, if I re- member rightly, assisted us in cataloguing. We put in some subjects, but did not follow them out very fully. We had 1,000 copies printed, and they cost us a dollar apiece, or for the whole work $1,000, including cataloguers' and printer's bill. Mr. BOWKER. I would like to add a few facts which are peculiarly significant with ref- erence to the actual cost of the American Catalogue. About 20,000 titles were entered in the last volume, and its cost for compiler's and assistants' services (about a year's work), and for composition, paper, and presswork (not in- cluding binding, except in paper), was some- thing over $6,000, and you will remember that the primary work of cataloguing from the books or their substitutes had already been done. When the work was put into Miss Appleton's hands she had the printed slips of the Publisher's -weekly to work from. The cost, then, was from 20 to 30 cents a title. It seems to me that this fact is very significant. The bills of Miss Appleton were exceedingly low ; the paper alone was dear, for we wanted to make a book worth $10. There is no charge whatever for the editorial work which I gave to it. I think we shall see only the great libraries in the future doing the careful, accurate biblio- graphical work. We shall probably find that it will be necessary for the middle class, cer- tainly for the small libraries, to leave that kind of work to them, and I want to say this now because I think it has a great bearing in holding the public confidence. If small communities find that their library is spending an inade- quate amount for books, and more than an adequate amount for treating the books, I think there will be reaction. We must be careful that the expense does not appear to the public in a way that interferes with the public sup- port. The money is wanted for the supply of books and the salaries of librarians, and, to pay these expenses, it seems to me, this kind of detail of library administration must be kept down. There must be a great restraint in the bibliographical embroidery, as I may say, of the smaller libraries. (Laughter.) Dr. HOMES. The views suggested by Mr. Bowker it is well to keep before us. But it is a fact that the libraries that are spending much money on catalogues are the endowed libraries. They have funds for the purpose, and those that have not do not spend the money. I will merely give an illustration of the New PROCEEDINGS. York State Library. It does not have the funds, although it is the library of a great State. During the half of the last thirty years there have been two individuals connected with the general library to do the work, and during a portion of the time, three individuals to do all the work of purchasing, cataloguing, attend- ing to visitors, and what you know to be the work of a library; and they have catalogued on cards, and have printed 5,000 pages of cata- logues in that short space of time. I am sure that nothing can be said of any great waste on catalogues, except so far as the State has been willing to have them printed. Miss COE. - My library is a small one. The list is a finding-list, and the work on it was done with rapidity. We have 10,000 volumes, 5,000 English and 5,000 German, and we got them ready for the shelves in exactly six months. Mr. Nelson knows something of the rapidity with which the work was done. One cataloguer and myself and two assistants were engaged on it, and the salaries' in that time were $1,260, and other expenses brought the cost to $2,125. The cost of each catalogue was 70 cents. I have sold $250 worth of them. Mr. MERRILL. The Cincinnati Library con- tains 135,000 volumes. The actual cost of cata- loguing was $4,194; but the cost for services, in addition to those regularly engaged, was only about $400. Miss Coe has added in the cost of her cataloguing the full salaries. I do not think that was fair. A librarian would have to be employed in any event. Miss COE. In this case I gave my time to this work, and had one or two extra assistants ; and when I was on my vacation Mr. Nelson took my place. We divided the catalogue for sale into an English and German part, and Mr. Ottendorfer took a large number of these for distribution, thus helping us in the returns from sales. Mrs. SANDERS. I worked for about two months. I think the work occupied four months. The figure I gave of $1,000 does not include my own work. Mr. DEWEY. When a man puts a part of the time on the catalogue that part should be charged. Let us look at the thing in the face, and be honest with ourselves. Let us not say, as did the makers of a recent catalogue, that it cost $20,000, when it really cost $35,000, because the librarian did really nothing else for five years and drew $3,000 per year salary. Mr. BOWKER. I request librarians to send to the Library journal a statement of the cost of catalogues, including the cost of outside assistance, the time the library staff puts on it, and the cost of composition and presswork. In that way I think we may get at something val- uable. The great part of the cost of the Amer- ican Catalogue was owing to the imperfection of the records and the time lost in completing titles, and on small points I suppose the cata- logue would not have cost $5,000 if we had not gone into accuracies no, I won't say accura- cies, but the avoidance of inaccuracies. A dif- ference of 20% will make a great difference in public feeling about a library. Mr. HEDGE moved that a printed form be sent to librarians, for statistics of cost of cata- loguing. Mr. DEWEY said a uniform standard of mak- ing outthe statistics should be ensured by blanks with explicit directions. The cost of the order department, the accession department, and the amount of work put on the card catalogue, should be given. It is worth our doing it, to get at general results, and then we have some data to work from, and we can judge better in each case whether it is worth the labor be- stowed. I say to my assistants that any one who points out how we may save a tenth of a cent on a volume has done a great service. In passing this resolution I hope it will be with the understanding that those present will make the report full and accurate. A MEMBER. I am told that the Bureau of Education is about to publish some statistics on this point. Mr. DEWEY. The new report will not help us in the least. It is too general on this point. The resolution providing for the issue of a circular was carried unanimously. Mrs. MAXWELL. When a librarian does all the purchasing of books, and stops to give her time to visitors, how can an estimate be made? Mr. DEWEY. The nearest practicable esti- mate should be made of the amount of time spent in cataloguing. The blank will give us rules for such cases. Dr. HOMES then read a paper on COMBINING LIBRARIES WITH MUSEUMS. (Seep. 35-) 132 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. A.L.A. CATALOG. Mr. DEWEY reported on the final working plans of the A.L.A. Catalog. There is very little advance work to report. After the Buffalo Conference the committee intrusted with the matter arranged with Gen. Eaton that the U.S. Bureau of Education should under- take the publication, as no one better qualified would assume the labor. I undertook the general charge, agreeing to begin work as soon as my new classification was out. Instead of getting it out in one year, as I hoped, it has just gone to press last week, and I am a whole year late. I have now to begin on the A.L.A. Catalog. The work that has been done has been only to get ready. Gen. Eaton came up this afternoon from Saratoga, and we had a long talk on the subject. The machinery is ready for work. The general circulars, givingdirections to collaborators, will soon be sent out. The Government is ready to go ahead. An encouraging number of libra- rians have offered their cooperation. The plan is to give both general notes and notes on individual books. Notes that apply to scientific books as a whole will go at the head, for if put under an individual title it would be necessary to repeat. At the beginning of each class there will be a brief bibliographical note on that class. Gen. Eaton is to print a circu- lar shortly which will give details and illustra- tions. We propose, instead of waiting till we can prepare the whole book, to select some needed topic to prepare first, e.g., geography, description, and travels, and give, with notes, the best books on each country. We will pre- pare that first list without waiting to complete the others, and print it. As soon as we get it in type we will send proof-sheets to all who are willing to check them up, then print the tentative edition. We are now prepared to receive anything bearing on the A.L.A. Cata- log, though it may not be on the topic on which we are specially at work. I want to ask, at this meeting, what subject we had better start with first. (Mr. Dewey read letters from various interested librarians, showing their spirit and enthusiasm.) The report, then, is, that the preliminary ar- rangements have all been made; Gen. Eaton is ready to issue the circulars and print and dis- tribute the book, but all the other work must be done by the cooperation of the Association. Mr. CARR. Geography and travels should be one of the first topics taken up. OFFICERS OF THE A.L.A. Mr. LARNED. It was suggested in the re- port of the secretary that a feeling existed that there should be a change in the officers of the Association. I believe the Nominating Com- mittee has nothing to do with presenting names, but, as I understand it, we are simply to make nominations for the Executive Com- mittee, and the Executive Committee after- wards elects the officers. I think the Association at large should give us an expression of opin- ion whether there should be a change in the personnel of the Executive Committee. Here- tofore the view has been maintained that it was necessary, in order to have meetings of the Executive Committee, that the committee should be composed, in the main, of those in Boston and vicinity, as there was the greatest amount of excellent material to be found there. Now, shall that view still control, or is it best to undertake the organization of an Executive Committee drawn more largely from the membership of the Association? I think the Nominating Committee, as a whole, would like an expression of opinion on that subject. Mr. DEWEY. It looks a little queer that we should elect the same old committee in a rou- tine way, and, naturally, some are impressed with the view that it is time to change. My own notion would be to make a standing rule that officers should not be eligible for reelec- tion. The matter should be decided in some way to show that the change is made not be- cause of a lack of confidence in our old officers. By constitution the Executive Committee of five add to their own numbers and select the officers from this enlarged committee. We started off with a committee of five. It is a question whether it would not be wiser to re- duce the Executive Committee to three. I think we ought to rotate the officers, and should not get into the idea that if we drop a name on the list of officers it is because of lack of confidence. Mr. MANN. We cannot provide that this Committee shall be otherwise constituted with- out changing the constitution. The Commit- tee must meet at the current session of the Conference, or I do not see how we are to get over the practical difficulty. Nominations PROCEEDINGS. 133 cannot be made by a committee scattered all over the country, for they will not get to- gether. Mr. DEWEY. Instead of repeating the old names the Association might elect each year by ballot. Mr. MANN moved that it is the wish of this meeting that the committee should not pro- pose the same names this year; but that changes from the old list should be reported in the nominations made. Mr. Mann stated that although he offered the resolution he should vote against it. The resolution was carried by 21 to 12. THIRD SESSION. (WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.) The Conference was called to order at 3.30 P.M. Mr. MANN read a paper on CATALOGUING RULES : ANONYMOUS ARTICLES BY KNOWN AUTHORS. (See p. 19.) Dr. HOMES. The rule he suggests is worthy of adoption in all catalogues, large and small. Have anonymous authors no rights which we are bound to respect? If an author has re- mained for five years concealed have we the right to give the name to the public in spite of this wish for concealment? Have we the right to give the names, when the authors have not seen fit to make themselves known? Mr. POOLE. We have. Mr. WHITNEY It has been our custom to send out circulars to the publishers of anony- mous books asking permission to give the authors' names, and the authors generally suc- cumb. Every anonymous title should have a reference back to the author, when known. Searchers will thank you for the information, and it will prevent the buying of duplicates. Dr. GUILD read his paper on THE COLLEGE LIBRARY. (Sec p. 22.) Mrs. DEWEY, alluding to the " chained books." Some of the London party will per- haps remember that at Oxford, as Dr. Coxe, of the Bodleian, was showing us through the old Corpus Christi College Library, our attention was attracted by some curious iron fixtures on the shelves, and asking what they were for, he answered, "Oh! that is Locke, 'On the Understanding.'" Mr. FLETCHER read the YEARLY REPORT ON COLLEGE LIBRARIES. (Seep. 73.) Mr. R. B. POOLE read his paper on LIBRARIES OF YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS. (See p. 27.) Mr. NELSON read a letter from Mr. Gushing, of Cambridge to Mr. Dewey : CAMBRIDGE, MASS., Sept. 5, 1885. I regret that I could not get my " Initials and Pseudonyms " out before the meeting of your Association, so that its members could judge from it the quality of my work, but it was im- possible to do so. I think it will be ready for delivery some time in the course of October. I have for some time had in preparation a book of Anonyms, and have already collected the titles of about 10,000 works. I shall probably be able to add to them 5,000 more, making a volume of 500 8 pages. Such a compilation will have no popular interest, but will be in- valuable to librarians. No publisher would take it up ; but I have thought that your Asso- ciation might be sufficiently interested to aid me in publishing it myself. If 300 copies could be engaged at $5 a copy, I could probably issue an edition of 500, which would be likely to supply the demand, the sale of any beyond the 300 affording me a slight compensation for the vast labor incurred, the $1,500 received for the 300 copies being barely sufficient to pay the cost. If your Association gives me the required aid, I think the work can be completed and issued in the course of a year. Yours truly, WILLIAM GUSHING. Mr. RICHARDSON read the YEARLY REPORT ON THEOLOGICAL LIBRARIES. (See p. 75-) '34 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Mr. BROWN read Mr. Perkins' paper on THE RELATIONS OF A FREE LIBRARY TO ITS COMMUNITY. {See p. 29.) Dr. HOMES read his paper on LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS. (.See p.^.} FOURTH SESSION. (WEDNESDAY EVENING.) Dr. BRADFORD K. PIERCE read his paper on THE OUTCOME OF THE INCREASE OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES. (See p. 40.) Mr. SOULE submitted his report on LIBRARY LEGISLATION, and asked leave to print without reading, as other matters were pressing. (See p. 82.) Miss JAMES read a paper on READING OF THE YOUNG. (See p. 84-) In regard to Mrs. Sanders' account of Mr. Sayles' scrap-book Mr. Foster said, I have been disturbed by the constant assignment of this experiment to the Providence Public Library. The story had been communicated to the Provi- dence Journal, under the head of " Pawtucket Items," and other newspapers copied it, as- suming it was a Providence item. FIFTH SESSION. (THURSDAY MORNING.) Mr. W. F. POOLE read a paper on SMALL LIBRARY BUILDINGS. (Seep. 56.) Mr. FLETCHER. Has any building been constructed on this plan? Mr. POOLE. The city of Dayton, Ohio, is now erecting a building for its public library on this plan, at a cost of $75,000, the dimen- sions of which are larger than those I have given, and with some additional features. The plan has also been accepted by another West- ern library, and its construction will cost $50,000. THE LIBRARY JOURNAL. Mr. FOSTER I hope that the Library journal, in printing this paper, will reproduce the plan before us. Mr. BOWKER. We certainly desire to do so; and I understand the nod of Mr. Poole to mean that he will furnish us the plan with his manuscript. I want to take the opportunity to say that every member of the Library Association ought to consider himself an as- sociate editor of the Library journal. It is meant to be a perpetual talk on library topics. We find we have twice as much to say as we can say in the limits of the Conference. We may say what we wish the year around if each one can put on a postal-card what he de- sires to say. If those who have anything to say by drawing will make an outline sketch we would be glad to have it photo-engraved and put in the Journal. SHELVES. Mr. COLE. I notice that you give a less depth to the shelves in the wall-cases than in your paper in the Bureau of Education's Re- port of 1876, where, I think, you gave the depth of the shelves below the ledge at sixteen and one-half inches, and above the ledge as ten and a half inches. Mr. POOLE. I have forgotten what my measures were at that time. (Laughter.) I now think that fifteen inches in depth is enough for the class of folios such a library would be likely to have, and nine inches is enough for quartos. Every library will have a few volumes of exceptionally large size, such as atlases, charts, illustrated works, and news- papers, for which special bookcases must be provided. A MEMBER. Do you think it necessary to have the shelves movable? Could not a con- venient scale of distances between the shelves be devised, and the cases be made with fixed shelves cheaper than with movable shelves? Mr. POOLE. I would have no bookcases whose shelves were not movable. It is not possible to make a scale of distances between fixed shelves which would not occasion serious embarrassment in the system which I use, and which is in general use, of arranging books on the shelves in relative, and not in absolute, PROCEEDINGS. '35 positions. Books which are on the lower shelves to-day, may a month hence be on the upper shelves. If the shelves be fixed, the distances between them must be uniform and enough to receive the tallest books. Much space will hence be wasted. Cases with mov- able shelves, if made by hand, are more ex- pensive than those with fixed shelves; but a contractor who has the proper machinery for making the pins and boring the holes will furnish them at the same price. Miss JAMES. We had wooden pins to sup- port the shelves when our library first started, and we gave them up because they broke. Our pins were of ash, and our cases were made under your supervision. (Laughter.) Mr. POOLE. I am rather surprised to hear this report from the Newton library, which was fitted up under my care nearly twenty years ago. I never knew a hard-wood pin or an ash pin to break. I have often brought my whole weight upon a single pin, my weight is nearly two hundred pounds, and it gave no signs of weakness. Ash, when it is first worked, is not a very hard wood, but it grows harder in time, and in years gets to be nearly as hard as hickory. I shall be glad to get one of those Newton pins which break, and to experi- ment with it. Mr. DEWEY. The best form of shelf-sup- port which I have seen is a metal pin with an elbow, which enables the height of the shelf to be more nicely adjusted than it can be by common pins in holes occurring at regular distances. We often have a book which is a trifle too tall for the shelf. By revolving the pins, without removing them, we get the small additional height which is needed. The pins are made of bronze or iron, and are of moderate cost. Mr. POOLE. In the British Museum the shelves are supported on brass pins such as Mr. Dewey has described, which, by turning, give a small elevation or depression to the shelf. To fit up bookcases with these pins, of which I have specimens, would be expen- sive. I have had no trouble with wooden pins and use them because they are effective and inexpensive. The machinery which makes the revolving window-blind slat will turn them out by the bushel, each being perfectly uniform in size. Mr. GUILD. I have used the pins of which Mr. Poole speaks, for eight years, and find them strong and durable. GALLERIES. A MEMBER. I notice that you make an earnest protest against shelving books in gal- leries. What are your objections to galleries? Mr. POOLE. I object to galleries for a good many reasons ; and the first I will mention is the toil and trouble of climbing stairs to get into the galleries. It is not a difficult thing to go once into a gallery ten feet high; but suppose you had to do it fifty times a day; would you enjoy the exercise? Suppose that, in your morning walk to the library, you meet an obstacle on the street ten feet high. How much extra distance on a level would you be willing to walk in order to avoid it? You would walk fifty, yes a hundred, feet further, rather than surmount it. If you did not make this choice the first day, you would the second day. Suppose the obstacle were twenty feet high, you would go a whole block, or four hundred feet, out of your way to avoid it. If it were fifty feet high (and there is much of this sort of climbing required in our first-class library buildings), you would walk four blocks out of your direct route to escape it. (Laugh- ter.) It is a common idea that books in the alcove directly overhead are very near. I have seen a classification of books continued from one alcove to the one above it, because it brings the books of the same class "so near." What does this mean? It means that the books in the gallery directly overhead are practically on a level a hundred feet distant; and in the fifth or sixth gallery are four blocks away, somewhere in the next ward. " So near and yet so far." About a hundred years ago somebody in charge of one of the penal institutions of Eng- land conceived the idea of utilizing the phys- ical energies of his prisoners by introducing the tread-mill. By putting them upon it, the laziest of them would have to keep step, and a very economical motive power was thus furnished. After the experiment had been tried a while, it was found that the health of the prisoners gave way, and they had trouble with the heart, with the lungs, and from sci- atica. The directors of the prison then began to investigate scientifically the cause of this uniform physical disturbance in those who 136 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. indulged in recreation upon the tread-mill, and it was found, in the results of the inquiry, that no form of physical labor is so injurious to health, and uneconomical, as climbing stairs, for that is the principle of the tread-mill. The tread-mill was therefore banished, as a species of barbarism, from penal institutions ; and it ought to be banished from our libraries. Compared with the physical effort expended in walking on a level, it was found that only eleven per cent, of that effort could be utilized on a tread-mill. Every one knows the painful sensations experienced in mounting, even at a slow pace, several flights of stairs, a rapid action of the heart, a difficulty in breathing, and a stifled feeling in the lungs. The health of women in our cities, who live in narrow houses, very little on the ground floor, and a good deal in the air, we are told by physi- cians, is being ruined by climbing stairs. Another objection I have to galleries is ex- cessive heat found there, which is destructive to the bindings of books. In a gallery ten feet high, the temperature is ten degrees higher than at the floor; and in one twenty feet high, there is twenty degrees more of temperature. The leather of bindings under such conditions turns into powder crashes, in some instances slowly, in others rapidly. I can give other reasons for my objections to galleries, but these will be sufficient at this time. STACKS. My objections to what is called the " stack system," which has been adopted at the Harvard University Library, and more re- cently at the Amherst College and Dartmouth College libraries, and, I understand, is to be adopted in some of its features in the new Boston Public Library building, are similar to those I have already expressed. We have in it the tread-mill, the climbing to four, five or six stories. We have in it the heat problem ; and, to overcome the excess of tem- perature in the upper stories, it is proposed not to heat the stack-room, which will be very inconvenient to persons who have occasion to consult the books during the winter season. I cannot understand why, on the campus at Harvard, as well as at Amherst and Dart- mouth, where there is plenty of land, it is necessary or convenient to pile books in ex- pensive iron stacks so many stories from the ground. When 250,000 volumes can be shelved on a level in a square 100 X 100 feet in the manner I have described, I cannot see why it is necessary to have so much tread-mill in our library economy. What is the utility in going into stacks, except that it saves ground space? If ground space be limited (which is not the fact in a single instance where the system is used), and one floor is not enough, I would have a second, third, and fourth floor, as many as are needed, and that access to these floors be by an elevator. I would also bring the classes of books related to each other into as many departments as there are floors, and place one department on each floor. As an instance of the convenience of con- sulting books arranged in the manner I de- scribed in my paper, I may mention that our bound periodicals more than 11,000 volumes are arranged alphabetically by titles in a series of cases by themselves. In correcting proof on my Index to periodical literature, I could rise from my desk, and, within thirty feet, without step or ladder, take any volume I wished to consult. We have with us the librarians of Amherst College and Dartmouth College, and we should like to hear from them their experience with the stack system which they have used. IRON-STACK SYSTEM. Mr. FLETCHER. My object in saying any- thing of the iron-stack system is that it may serve the purpose of cautioning those who are about building to avoid such dangers as there are in it; but I shall not go over the ground in regard to the stack. The ground floor at Am- herst is made capable of containing 20,000 volumes, and a stack is built six stories high to accommodate prospectively 120,000 vol- umes. There are one or two details in re- gard to this iron-stack arrangement, and they are these : First, we have been led to doubt whether this cast-iron structure can be made accurate enough by casting and rolling to secure evenness of length of shelf. All through the library shelves have been length- ened out, by nailing strips on the ends, and if we are going to move a shelf we have got to fit it. Another difficulty is that the shelves are hung in the slots in the iron with this Z hook. I suppose most of the libraries will find them I was going to say a snare and PROCEEDINGS. a delusion. (Laughter.) The trouble about the iron is that it warps in cooling, and I doubt if cast-iron can be prevented from doing so. This destroys the interchangeableness of shelves, which is a sine qua non in library con- struction. They have already found that diffi- culty at Dartmouth, and they have run bolts through to prevent the warping. The point of the suggestion is that it is not safe for any- body who is going to put up a building to copy the latest and most highly advertised style of library building. Prof. POLLENS. In my experience, the trouble in the bulging out is almost exclu- sively in the outside uprights. I presume that the carpenters, when they had a shelf not quite short enough for their purpose, drove it in, and while the inside uprights were kept from bulging out because other shelves kept them in their places, the outside ones were thrown out of plumb. We find, also, a good deal of trouble in the lack of steadiness of the shelves. The original iron supports furnished us were a delusion and a snare, and ought to be condemned. We have devised supports that we are now substituting for the old ones ; they are wider and longer. Mr. FLETCHER. I have not heretofore been led to fear that the cast-iron would give after be- ing put in place. I have not thought they would give from pressure. If these cast-iron uprights will give, where is the safety of our building? Prof. POLLENS. Whenever you have a stack building, the outside uprights should be twice as heavy and strong as the others. Mr. LANE. The stack system has been used for Harvard College library for eight years, and I do not think any trouble whatever has been caused by the bulging of the supports. They seem to have been perfectly rigid and the shelves are entirely interchangeable. We never have any difficulty. One very good practice which has been carried out in the new library of the law school is to make the upper shelves less deep than the lower ones. The lower shelves must be a foot, and the upper about eight inches in depth. It gives more light and elbow-room without in- creasing the width of the passage-way below. Mr. POOLE. How is the light in the mid- dle of the stack ? Mr. LANE. The light is good except in the lower story, where the windows are low. There it is almost impossible to see anything. Mr. POOLE. Do you get as much light as you want? Mr. LANE. We don't get anywhere as much light as we want except at the window. The width of the passage-way in the stack is two feet four inches. The windows are as continuous as they can be and always opposite the passage-ways. Mr. FLETCHER. I want to say about this perpendicular arrangement, is it not a very singular thing that, in this climate, we should be carrying a structure for library purposes into the roof? On the upper floor of our Amherst building, where we are supposed to keep one- sixth part of our books, we can touch the roof. But nobody wants to touch it in the summer. Mr. LINDERFELT. A new form of shelves has been sent to my library for trial. They are of sheet-iron, and are made perfectly rigid by bending over the edges. They are inter- changeable, and are secured by screws at the ends in such a manner that a simple turn or the hand will loosen the screw, which, when fastened, binds the supports together so as to make the stack rigid. The stack can be added to at any time, and made higher or longer, ii desired, without interfering with the old part. Mr. FLETCHER. There is one other little defect about the iron-work. If there is a row of books on the top shelf, the first and last must be turned down, because the iron, in order to gain strength, cuts into part of the shelf. The moral of it is, don't let anybody cast these irons for you until you have the thing arranged for putting up your books. Mr. DEWEY. I have been conducting a series of experiments for the past two years, trying to see what improvements were possible in the prevailing style of shelving. I have had full-sized models cast of the different styles, and had parts of them laid out for this meet- ing, but they have not arrived, so I will try to make my remarks clear by these drawings. In uprights the common pattern as used at Harvard and Amherst is well known. I have three other forms, which have been used for one or more rooms, and others that are as yet only under consideration. In my own building we adopt different forms for very many fixtures and supplies, in order '38 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. to have them in actual use for comparative study in our coming school, e.g., in uprights, no confusion results from having each room shelved on a different plan, and it gives us op- portunities for studying the comparative merits of different patterns, impossible where they can be found in use, if at all, only in different build- ings and under different circumstances. Beside our wood uprights we have three styleo of iron in use: one is a thin-ribbed cast- ing, solid, except for the holes for shelf-pins. It is more like the common wood upright than any other, and avoids all trouble from books falling through the open ends of the skeleton. The objections to it are : it obstructs the light more than the skeleton, and costs more, because of greater weight, and because the holes for shelf-pins cannot be cast accurately enough, and have to be drilled separately, thus adding greatly to the cost. We shall make no more of this pattern. Our second upright is skeleton, with ladder- like openings on each side. The shelf is sup- ported by small Z hooks. This is lighter and cheaper, and allows of very close adjustment, while the centre of the upright has X bars which prevent books from falling through, and the hooks are so made that they cannot fall out. The third pattern has four iron pegs solidly inserted in the ends of the shelf. The uprights are similar to the last-mentioned in the centre. On the side a perpendicular groove allows the shelf-pins to run up and down to any point wished, and slots, on an angle of about 30, sloping down towards the back of the shelf, receive the shelf-pins and hold the shelf firmly in place. The diagram makes this plain. This shelf can be adjusted at every 2% c.m. without removing the books. By placing the hands under it and drawing it forward and upward into the perpendicular groove, it can be dropped back at any height wished. I think this perhaps the best form yet developed in uprights. I have tried an iron shelf, but cannot get anything I care to recommend. We made a shelf of light open-work, as shown in this diagram, put it on supports, loaded it with the heaviest books, and left it there four months. There was no perceptible sagging of the shelf. The trouble is the extra cost above wood and the difficulties of getting the edges of the open- ings smooth enough so bindings will not be injured. I do not believe the gain in fire-proof material amounts to enough in the shelves, and in many cases in the uprights, to pay for the extra cost. Our experiments on length resulted in fixing one metre (40 in.) as the longest shelf that it is wise to use. Beyond that length even heavy oak shelves sag in the centre under a heavy load. Our own building was shelved before I was elected, and we had many shelves over a meter long. Within two years the sag- ging was so marked, looked so badly, and beside was so inconvenient from the tendency of books to tip over towards the centre, that we have been compelled to have all of them supported by iron brackets in the centre. This bracket is only a make-shift, and prevents us from moving the shelf without altering the bracket; but to introduce new oak uprights like the others we found would cost $11 each. Shorter shelves and more frequent uprights have a considerable advantage in supporting the books, and in close classification, but we make the limit 75 c.m. (30 in.), beyond which the added cost of more uprights is greater than any gain. In width our experiments vary from 20 to 30 c.m. (8 to 12 in.); 20 c.m. is the narrowest I should dare use, and 25 (10 in.) the widest I should be willing to have put in. We shelved our fourth floor w'ith 22}^ X TOO c.m. ; the fifth floor with 20 X 75 c.m., and the sixth with 223-3 X 75 c.m., the last suiting us best. When Mr. Linderfelt was describing his sheet-iron shelf I had in mind a sheet-iron shelf which is on the suspension principle, like a bicycle wheel, its rigidity coming from the ten- sion, just as a drum-head is made firm. This allows a thin shelf but requires stiff uprights. TWIN STAIRS. Mr. DEWEY also explained, with several draw- ings, the twin stair which he had just put into the Columbia library, on the sixth floor, and found a very good thing, as it occupies so much less space than the spiral or ordinary stair, in fact, only as much as a ladder. The idea was a ladder with hand-rails and with one-half of each round flattened out into a tread. The treads are alternated on left and right, so the foot readily passes from one tread by the nar- PROCEEDINGS. 139 row round of the step above to the next broad tread on the second step above. A MEMBER. Which hand do you take hold of the rail with ? Mr. BAKER, of Columbia, had found it a very convenient stairway. The only difficulty is that if one goes up two steps at a time he will get into trouble. Mr. DEWEY. Go up two or three times and you will find it works all right. Mr. FLETCHER. It is going to make it quite possible to stand a library on its small end. YEARLY REPORT ON LIBRARY ARCHITECTURE. Mr. DEWEY then gave, orally, with a large collection of drawings, the annual report on Library Architecture, with a summary of sta- tistics collected on the subject. The reporter was unable to record the hour's rapid discussion, in an intelligible manner, without the many drawings which were used in illustration of the remarks. The tables of statistics submitted are being largely increased in extent for separate publication, and, there- fore, are not given here. In the course of Mr. Dewey's remarks, which occupied an hour, Mr. POOLE stated that his catalogues were where the public did not have access to them ; but he gave the public finding- lists, which was something better. Mr. LARKED. In a building which is con- structed to be fire-proof is there any important question of safety in having iron bookcases instead of wood? Mr. DEWEY. In a fire-proof building the gain in safety, which is small, from having iron uprights instead of hard-wood, does not, in my opinion, pay for the extra cost, which is large, and the wood can be made much more accurate and handsome, and is pleasanter to use and less prison-like in appearance. Mr. LARNED. We have not contemplated a book-stack in the proper sense of the word. We have plenty of real estate without having to resort to aerial estate. (Laughter.) We have contemplated the possibility of using two stages in a book-room, and it is in reference to that I am exercising my mind on the problem of iron or wood construction, whether we should have a stack provided with two stages and constructed of iron, or whether we should have a wood structure. NOMINATIONS. Mr. LARNED (from the Committee on Nomi- nations). We have concluded that it will be better to bring forward entirely new names, and that those names should be made repre- sentative of the different sections or different portions of the library interests of the country. I think I speak for the full committee in saying that if the matter of nomination of officers had been in its hands it would have recommended the reelection of the secretary and the treas- urer. The matter is not in its hands ; but we trust the same view will be taken by the execu- tive committee. We have nominated Messrs. Poole, Bowker, Foster, Fletcher, and Mann as members of the executive committee. Mr. BOWKER. I ask the withdrawal of my name as the New York member, and I would suggest the substitution of Mr. Dewey on the committee. On motion of Mr. GREEN the report of the committee was accepted, and its recommenda- tions carried unanimously. ELECTRIC LIGHTS. Mr. DEWEY. In "73, when we came to the question of lighting our building, though gas- pipes were all in place, we feared the bad ef- fects of gas on the books, and dreaded the heat and products of combustion given off. Our trustees are very careful, conservative men, and when the electric light was recommended they ordered a searching investigation by ex- pert engineers, architects, oculists, and pro- fessors. As a result of thorough examination, it seemed clear that the Edison incandescent light was the best artificial light at present known. We had the building wired, and the Edison company managed, without disfigure- ment, to get wires wherever wanted, though our walls and floors and partitions are all fire- proof. The problem of library requirements was new, and we had to work it out. The emi- nent oculist, Dr. C. R. Agnew, is one of our most active trustees, and gave his supervision to our experiments with a view to getting the best possible light for readers' eyes. I will say nothing of the regular machinery, which we can all see in operation here in this hotel. All understand that the turn of the key gives per- fect light or shuts it off instantly; that the lamp is an air-tight globe, so there is abso- lutely no contamination of the air, however 140 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. many lights are burning ; that the tongue can be safely touched to the wires, thus showing how free it is from danger ; that switches can be cheaply placed wherever wanted, so that entire rooms or parts of rooms can have their lamps lighted or turned off with a single touch at the switch. There are hundreds of styles of fixtures, chandeliers (or electroliers, I sup- pose I should say), suited to all kinds of rooms and peculiar wants. Some special things we had made for our library. In our stacks a narrow oak strip was laid on the tops, crossing each aisle at short intervals. From these we hung a flexible cord with a lamp on the end, and two light chains or cords, with balls on the ends, hang beside the lamp so that it can be turned on or oif, as one passes through the aisle, without stopping. If these lamps are hit by the head of a tall person, or as one steps up on the stirrup to reach the top shelf, no harm is done. It sim- ply swings like a pendulum. We often take the lamp in the hand like a torch and put it in back of the shelves or near an imperfectly lettered book, thus using it as a lantern. This plan is used over the tables in our private reading-rooms on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors. Here a paper shade protects the eyes, and, when the lamp is taken in the hand, serves as a reflector to throw the light on neighboring shelves. To light the shelves we have standards in the galleries, and below the galleries brass pendant rods with a lamp on the end. Here, after protracted experiments, we devised a bronze shade, with silver lining, cut in the shape of a quarter egg-shell. These throw all the lights on the backs of the books, producing the warm, ruddy look that comes from a blaz- ing open fire, while the shade covers all direct rays of light from the eye. A reader looking up from his work sees only the backs of the books lighted. The general light is thus made singularly soft and pleasing. It is almost literally true that we had a wagon- load of sample fixtures on which to experiment. We finally settled on inexpensive and very satisfactory fixtures. We wanted an electric student-lamp on each table. Our floors were already laid in cement on fire-proof arches, and how to do it was a puzzling question ; but we devised the plan of burrowing through the surface of the oak top floor, and it was not difficult to carry wires to tables wherever we wanted them. The student-lamp we had manu- factured for the tables is movable and adjust- able up and down. The shade is simply paper, green outside and white inside, light, cheap, not fragile, like porcelain. It protects the eyes completely. The electric light costs us some- thing less than gas ; but we already had boilers and engines for ventilating purposes. I suppose it would cost more thaji gas counting the boil- ers and plant if they had to be put in, and run for light alone. If an electric main runs near a library, and no plant is required, the cost is again reduced. Our whole experience is strongly in favor of going to the expense of the incandescent light. Mr. MERRILL. The cost of gas in Cincin- nati is only one dollar sixty, and the Edison Company have proposed to put the light in our library, and run it for five-ninths of the cost of gas, and then we are to pay for the plant if we choose. That would cost about $9,000. They agree to prove that we can run it at less cost than gas. Mr. GREEN. The company which intro- duced the incandescent light in Worcester agreed to furnish it to citizens at the same cost as for lighting their establishments by gas. It is reported in our paper that a New York com- pany is to establish in the city a central plant, and is to do the same thing in Lowell and one or two other places in Massachusetts. They are to have the Edison light, and establish this plant, perhaps, with the object of interesting citizens, and selling their stock to them after- wards, and it is understood to be a part of their plan that they agree to furnish the Edison light at the same price that has been paid for lighting buildings with gas. I had supposed that the incandescent light would cost more. Mr. DEWEY. They will doubtless meet the reduction in gas. In New York the Edison company recently reduced the price of lamps from $i to 85 cents each, and I suppose the elements of cost can be further reduced. The light is wholly satisfactory to readers. Mr. GREEN. Do you know of any other library than your own where the incandescent light has been successfully introduced? Mr. HEDGE. We have used the incandes- cent light in Lawrence for three years. They promised, if we would introduce it in the li- brary, they would furnish the fixtures, and PROCEEDINGS. 141 light free for three months, and then would take out the fixtures if not satisfactory. Al- though we had an agent of the gas company on our Board of Trustees, the Trustees voted unanimously, with the exception of this mem- ber, to accept the offer, and they agreed to furnish it at the price paid for gas. The gas companies lowered their price, and the Edison company lowered its price. The city has adopted the Edison light, and we take our light from the main lines. I do not think any one would consent to restore the gas, and take out the Edison light. We paid $500 for the gas, and we get the electric light now for $400. Mr. GREEN. Has anybody had a late re- port from the great reading-room in Liverpool? They started there with the arc light. Mr. DEWEY. The arc light is so different that it should not be compared with the incan- descent. Its flickering seemed to us fatal to any claims for library use. I do not think of any improvement which I could recommend in our fixtures. Adjourned. SIXTH SESSION. (THURSDAY EVENING.) President WINSOR occupied the chair. The report of the Finance Committee was read by Mr. Green, certifying to the correct- ness of the Treasurer's accounts (see p. 105). It was on motion accepted and put on file. Mr. BOWKER read his paper on UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. (Seep. 42.) He first said : This is not a report, as the report of a committee will follow it. In the first place it is designed to inform this Associa- tion as to the many difficulties, with a view of getting practical help from the Association, and with a view of having the difficulties cleared up, and then to suggest to the smaller libraries a way by which they may procure these publications. I hoped that Mr. Solberg would carry out a request to present some notes on the system of foreign governments ; and he was expected to do so in this Conference ; he has been un- able to do so, but will next year. The British Government, in its Blue Book, prints the title of publications on the first and last page of the cover, and almost always gives a price at which the public may buy, and, besides, the Hansards issue from month to month a list of important government publications. The government of Norway, I understand, has a useful clas- sification of the government bibliography in each department. Mr. MAC. I have been in correspondence with Mr. Hickcox, of Washington, in respect to his work in cataloguing government publica- tions, and have seen the importance of the work Mr. H. had undertaken. He feels that he has not been supported by the librarians as he ought to have been ; and I think the Library Association ought to take some action or pass some resolution in respect to the matter. Mr. GREEN read the report of the Com- mittee on the Distribution of Documents. He first said : I would say, in regard to the report which Congress ordered Messrs. Spofford, Baird, and Ames to prepare (which has been referred to by Mr. Bowker), that the committee which I represent, with the excep- tion of a single member, recommended to the Association, at the Buffalo meeting, to advocate its adoption by Congress. The Association, however, decided not to do so, and directed the committee to seek for the passage of the resolutions to be referred to in the report now to be read, thinking that such action was the best to take under circumstances then existing. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE DISTRI- BUTION OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. At one of the meetings of the American Li- brary Association, held in Buffalo, in August, 1883, this committee was instructed to labor for the passage by Congress of a joint resolu- tion containing the following provision : " Any State or Territorial library, or any one of the libraries designated by a senator or representa- tive, according to law, to receive sets of public documents, shall, on the payment of $25 to the Public Printer, before the beginning of a ses- sion of Congress, have sent to it by the said Public Printer a copy of every document, as soon as it is stitched, that Congress has ordered to be printed during the session." The committee delegated to Dr. Billings, one of its Washington members, the duty of call- ing the attention of members of Congress to the resolution, and of enlisting some of their 142 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE, number to aid in securing the passage of the resolution ; but circumstances prevented effec- tive work on his part, and the resolution has never been introduced into Congress. If the Association still thinks it desirable to urge its passage the matter can be attended to at the coming session of Congress. The chair- man of the committee is of the opinion that its efforts could be better exerted in trying to secure legislation to provide for needs of libra- ries that are more imperative than those which the above-cited resolution, should it be passed by Congress, is intended to supply. The concluding paragraph of the Sundry Civil Service bill, approved July 7, 1884, pro- vided for a report to be made to Congress at the session beginning in December last by the Joint Committee on Public Printing, to contain the results of investigations to be undertaken for the purpose of finding out how the expenses of government printing might be reduced. Among other matters to be covered by the re- port was a statement of the views of the com- mittee as to what " changes and reductions " might be introduced in the interests of economy in " the distribution " of public documents. No report was made at the last session of Congress in obedience to these instructions; presumably, on account of the death of Mr. Anthony, the Chairman of the Senate Com- mittee on Printing. Of the legislation of Congress during the last few years that which has been of the great- est advantage to libraries is the following joint resolution, passed at the ist session of the 47th Congress : " Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives, etc., That whenever any document or report shall be ordered to be printed by Congress, there shall be, in addition to the number in each case stated, the ' usual number' of copies for binding and distribution among those entitled to receive them ; and this shall apply to all unexecuted orders now in the office of the Public Printer." Under the requirements of this resolution many documents have been annually sent to such libraries as are Depositories of Public Documents which they did not receive before its passage. The Public Printer, however, in his interpretation of the resolution of Con- gress, excludes from the list of documents to be distributed to Depositories the Congres- sional Record, the Statutes at Large, the Offi- cial Gazette of the Patent-Office, and some other publications of the government which it would seem should be furnished with other publications sent to libraries designated as Depositories. The Secretary of the Interior has written to the Public Printer to ascertain his reasons for the interpretation he adopts. No answer has yet been received from him ; but he will soon be pressed for a reply. At the last session* of Congress there was no legislation respecting the distribution of docu- ments. It seems to the committee that the efforts of the Association should be directed, in the first place, to securing legislation that will cause all public documents, including those issued by Departments and Bureaus, to be sent to Deposi- tories, and a selected list of the publications of the government to be sent to smaller libraries ; for example, to such public libraries as have 5,000 volumes on their shelves. It is thought by many persons that public documents should be put on sale after their issue, and that lists should be published by the government monthly and annually, and freely distributed to libraries, giving an account of publications as they appear from month to month. These wants do not appear to the committee to be of so immediate importance as those mentioned above, since valuable lists of publications are now printed by private enter- prise, and easily procurable without any pay- ment of money, and because nearly all public documents can be bought at reasonable prices of certain large dealers in Washington, and elsewhere, who make it a specialty to buy and sell this class of books. The committee is of the opinion that it would be desirable, with the concurrence of the Superintendent of Documents, to make that officer's head-quarters in Washington a sort of clearing-house for public documents, that is to say, a receptacle for the duplicates in the possession of libraries and individuals who do not want them, and a depot from which documents thus received should be distributed to such libraries as need them to complete sets of government publications. Mr. Ames, the Superintendent of Docu- ments, has been trying an experiment, which is of interest in this connection. A large number of odd volumes of the Con- PROCEEDINGS. gressional Globe and Record, in accordance with a law of Congress, were recently placed in the hands of that officer, to be distributed to such libraries as need them to complete sets of the issues of the government which contain an account of the proceedings of Congress. He also wrote letters to many librarians, offering to send franks to them for transmitting to him such duplicate Globes and Records as they might have and be willing to give him to aid in filling up gaps in the sets of public libraries. Mr. Ames writes to me that, in addition to the Globes and Records received from the Public Printer he has had turned over to him, at his suggestion, about 2,000 odd volumes of these publications by different libraries throughout the country, from which odd vol- umes he will be able to complete quite a number of sets that would otherwise have remained forever incomplete. He adds : " I hope when the distribution of these Globes and Records is finished it will be found that more than 100 sets have been com- pleted in the different libraries of the country." This example shows what might be done by cooperation were the libraries and the Super- intendent of Documents to unite in a plan for the establishment in Washington of a central office for the reception and distribution of duplicates of government publications gen- erally. SAMUEL S. GREEN, Chairman, for the Committee. (For the votes of the Association, see p. 149.) RESOLUTIONS. Mr. FLETCHER offered a resolution of respect to the memory of Stephen B. Noyes, of the Brooklyn Library : Resolved, That, in the recent death of Mr. Stephen B. Noyes, Librarian of the Brooklyn Library, the American Library Association has lost one of its most valued members, and de- sires to put on record its sense of his many noble qualities as man and as librarian, and- of the immense indebtedness to him of the whole library interest of the country for his unrivalled catalogue, which is one of the most useful books of reference in nearly all the larger libraries. Carried unanimously. Mr. MAC offered a resolution of thanks to Mr. Hickcox, which was referred to the Committee on Government Publications. Mr. MANN seconded the resolution, stating that Mr. Hickcox had informed him that he was very desirous of perfecting his catalogue, and receiving suggestions of improvements. INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES. Mr. NELSON. Complaint was recently made to me by an officer of a large library that a package of documents, sent to that library from a foreign government, quite important docu- ments, was opened at the Bureau of Inter- national Exchanges, and some of the documents taken out, and the balance forwarded to the library. It seems to me that if we have a Bureau of Exchanges, they have no right to in- terfere with packages addressed to a particular library. I would like to make the statement, and to ask whether any other library has had the same experience. No one knew of a similar case. LIBRARY JOURNAL. Mr. CUTTER. I have four matters to pre- sent to you. First. Mr. Ben: Perley Poor advised me to apply at once for the catalogue he has been preparing. Each Representative and Senator has ten copies. There will be a great demand, and no others will be obtaina- ble. Second. Mr. Vinton has sent to me his sub- ject catalogue of the Library of the College of New Jersey, asking me to bring it to the atten- tion of the Association, and then to use it as I judged best for the advantage of the Association, or of some member thereof. It is a very careful piece of work. I gave it to the library of the Middlesex Mechanic's Association, of Lowell, because I know what excellent use the libra- rian, Miss M.. E. Sargent, makes of the library aids which she already has. Third. I wish to ask the cooperation of all the members of the Association with the Library journal, with reference to items of library interest, as well as in regard to events in the lives of librarians. Send me notes of anything that is going on in the library world. Fourth. I want very much to know what you find most useful in the Library journal, not what you theoretically like, but what you see profits you most. LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Thirty members sent in ballots, as follows : Editorials .... 1st 2 2d 3d 4th 5th Library economy and history 2 I i Library management Librarians (personal I 4 2 i Cataloguing . . . Full names .... 6 i 2 2 Classification and no- tation i I 2 Bibliography . Anon, and pseudon. Notes and queries on library appliances . General notes . Practical articles . 5 2 I 2 4 I I I 2 I I Four did "not like to single out any depart- ment;" found "the Journal useful gener- ally ; " found " the Journal immensely useful ; " got " most sometimes from one and some- times from another, but always something valuable;" and three preferred "all the de- partments." One called for " information concerning the contents, treasures, scope, and resources of our important libraries;" another wrote: "As to the Library journal, I think it an excellent publication, but it seems to me too 'practical,' too technical, I mean too exclusively so. You do not often enough give us juicy articles on rare books; on odd- ities in bibliography; on the scholarship of library work as distinguished from its mechan- ism. Of course the amount of space at your disposal is limited, and most of it must be taken up with " help " articles. But inspiration brings help, and sometimes entertainment fur- nishes a good deal of it. Excuse this fault- finding. You asked for a frank expression, and, of course, you wished for it. I would not change your Journal so much as I would add to it. When attending the convention I asked myself once or twice, oftener, to be honest, 'Are librarians too busy to think of books in any other respect than commodities to be labelled and circulated? ' It was foolish in me to be disappointed, no doubt, but I must acknowledge that I was." Another wrote : " As it is somewhat cramped for room, prac- tical library questions should be the main feat- ure. Articles on shelf arrangement, catalogu- ing, charging, devices for abridging labor and the like, should receive preference over merely theoretical and literary topics. The special departments at end are all that can be desired, and I think they are all indispensable." CATALOGUE OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Mr. POOLE. While we are on the subject of public documents, I would like to speak of one document issued at Washington, the Author catalogue of the Congressional Library. That catalogue is printed with public money, and it is the only catalogue printed in the United States that we cannot get for our libraries. I have not been able to get it for the Chicago Public Library. The PRESIDENT. We have certain portions of it in Harvard. Mr. WHITNEY. Our library has received two volumes of this most valuable catalogue. It is desirable that there should be the greatest liberality possible in the distribution of the catalogues of the Library of Congress, which contains many books to be found in no other library. I have been obliged to pay for all the catalogues I have received from this library, although I have needed them for use in the public service ; and I have been discouraged about asking for recent volumes. Let other libraries get all the good possible from the labors of the accomplished persons who com- pose the catalogue staff of the Library of Con- gress. A MEMBER. They are making a new cata- logue, are they? Mr. POOLE. Certainly they are. It has been in progress for years. Two large vol- umes [covering A to C in the alphabet] were printed as early as 1881 ; for Mr. SpofFord speaks of them in his annual report of Jan., 1882, and recommends that some method of distribution be authorized by the joint com- mittee on the library, by which this extensive work may be acquired [by the libraries of the country?] without subjecting the government to the cost of gratuitous supply." After failing to procure these volumes by direct application, I wrote to one of our members of Congress, stating that I was unable to understand why the great libraries of the country could not have that catalogue. He said he would get it for us. He tried. He made a personal applica- PROCEEDINGS. H5 tion to Mr. Spofford, who said that he would send it to the Chicago Public Library as soon as he could get a wrapper on it. He has not got a wrapper on it yet. (Laughter.) That was nine months ago. While we are asking for public documents it seems to me that the American Library Association ought to ask for the distribution of this document. Will the chairman draw a resolution for that pur- pose ? A MEMBER. Make the resolution apply to libraries of 10,000 volumes. Mr. POOLE. I say 100,000. I only ask for libraries of a hundred thousand. (Laughter.) While the President was drawing the resolu- tion, Mr. Dewey read a letter from Mr. R. C. Davis about the new library building of the University of Michigan. The President read the resolution. Mr. POOLE suggested substituting the word "important" for ''considerable." Mr. DEWEY. It is twice the fun to make another fellow write your resolution, and then pitch into him for it. (Laughter.) The resolution as amended was read and adopted : Resolved, That, in the opinion of the Ameri- can Library Association', the new author cata- logue of the Library of Congress should be transmitted to all important libraries in the country applying for it ; and that the Secretary transmit this resolution to the Librarian of Congress, asking an explanation if the cata- logue cannot be supplied. COLORS IN BINDING. Mr. DEWEY. I found, on inquiry, that it was the rule to allow the binder to put such color as he could buy cheapest, or had most of, on the books ; except where the color of a set was to be matched. In one case, I know a librarianess who looked at each book, and its possible surroundings, and determined the color exactly as she trimmed a bonnet. The British Museum plan of assigning red to history, green to science, blue to theology, etc., is thoroughly bad, as, all libraries being grouped by subjects on the shelves, it gives great solid tiers of one color, tiresome to the eye and inconvenient in use, as it is so much more difficult to pick out any given book where all are disguised in a uniform. The only thing that seemed of the slightest use was to bind by languages, and I amused myself with an investigation to get the best distribution of the most durable colors among the leading languages, consulting ex- perienced binders and librarians. The browns seemed the best, and we gave these light to American and dark to English books. The black, so largely used by German binders, seemed best for German, while the blue fitted the minor Teutonic languages,thus giving to the solid Teutonic group, brown, black, and blue. To the bright Romanic group we give the bright colors ; red, so largely used for French, and itself so good a color, to the French ; maroon to Italian, and olive to Spanish. The greens were left for the classics (as browns for English) dark green to Greek, and light green to Latin. When we started the plan it' was without realizing how convenient it would be found. We secure diversity on the shelves ; for in litera- ture all translations, comments, etc., take the color of the language of the notes instead of the original, and dictionaries take the color of the language of the definitions. American editions of English books are in the American color, and vice versa. We find it a decided convenience, in getting books, to recognize at a glance their language. Our new books are all ordered in proper color, and as fast as we rebind the new colors are used. The practical convenience of the plan is such that we have thought of using, on old bindings in wrong color, a wafer, or tag, of proper color, so that the old books, as well as the new, shall be thus marked. I submit samples of the leather and colors we use, with the query whether any one present has found in experience that certain colors wear better than others. I had always sup- posed that black was an inferior skin, dyed black to cover imperfections, and that the dye tended to rot the leather, but while this is so in some leathers, I am not satisfied that this is true in goat. Besides the testimony of other binders, I wrote to the old and well-known house of Case, Lockwood, & Brainard, in Hartford, ask- ing some questions. They have unusually fine and complete facilities, and a very long and large experience in binding. It will also in- terest this body to know that the Mr. Case, of the firm, is the man who has so nobly given of his means in building up the library of the 146 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Hartford Theological Seminary to its present high rank. The answer is as follows : " It is well known by all binders that black sheep and skivers (which are split sheep) are usually tender, and many times so rotten as to be useless, and the longer they are kept the worse they get. The cause is supposed to be the acid which is used to set the color. We have had the same trouble in black calf, but have no recollection of any trouble with black goat-skins. It is also true that there are very few black goat-skins used. Where leather is colored black for bookbinders and pocket-book use, it is generally burnished, and the treatment of the color, to give the best effect to the burn- ishing,we apprehend, kills the life of the leather. We do not think that a poorer quality of leather is used for dark-colored skins; but they are able to sell the dark colors cheaper, because there is less liability to damage from stains in coloring, and where failures have been made in more delicate colors, they can be turned into a darker shade and saved ; there being less demand for those darker shades, the market price is apt to be rather less, and the loss has to be made up by an increased price on the more popular shades. We have occasionally come across a tender lot of goat-skins in other colors, green for one, and a maroon; but it was exceptional, and grew out of some mis- treatment that was wholly unnecessary. "The question of the durability of different colors of leather is one that we are not often called upon to test, as it is not a governing influence in those who order binding, as they are generally influenced more by what suits their taste. " Split cowhide has become a standard and popular leather for many styles of binding, for pocket-memorandum covers and bags. It is worked into imitation goat, seal, and alligator, and makes a very attractive leather. Its strength and durability depend upon the thickness. It runs all the way from about the thickness of paper, and about the same strength, up to the thickness of the ordinary russia skins which are used for blank-work. We enclose a piece of seal-grain cowhide in which we have re- cently bound an edition of hardware catalogues. I cannot give you a list of current prices of goat-skins that I think would be much help. They vary according to thickness and size of the skins, the perfectness of the grain, and evenness of color, as well as for the color itself. We have used more or less of canvas in binding certain kinds of books. It is very durable and strong, but we have used little buckram, not enough to give any opinion upon it. " Very truly, " L. BRAINARD, "Secretary." Mr. WHITNEY. I have noticed a difference in the wear of dark and light leather. I am in- clined to think that the dark leather has worn the better. Certain colors which are light fade. The red, the purple, and the blue fade ; the green stands pretty well. On the whole I think brown is the best. Mr. DEWEY. I am glad to see among the interested listeners at this Conference one of the best of our New York binders. Mr. Neumann will, I am sure, be glad to give us the benefit of his technical knowledge as to the compara- tive merits of leathers. Mr. NEUMANN. Bock is an inferior ma- terial. It is a smaller animal and has not got the grease. That is what they call bock. The bock costs about two-thirds what a goat-skin would cost, and it is less durable than roan. Cowhide is a very good material for a large book. Russia is cow-hide. The chemicals used in producing this smell upon it causes the russia to crack; but if the cowhide was used without the smell it would be all right. (Laughter.) The gentleman who spoke of the acid alludes to the odor, but we have a prepa- ration which produces this smell of russia as long as the book is in the bindery and about two weeks after; then it disappears. I am sorry to see that I am giving away more of the trade secrets than I ought to do. Some people say, "It keeps insects out of my case; I want you to bind in russia." I say, "Russia?" " Yes ; russia." I say, " $10 a volume." He says, " I can buy it for $2 a volume." I say, " I can give you American russia." He says, "Does it have the smell?" "Yes; it smells." He takes it, and the next day I receive a note saying it is very satisfactory. He comes again six months afterwards. He has had some company at the house, has ex- hibited his books, expecting to get all this smell, and it was not there. (Laughter.) He comes to the bindery and says that is not what PROCEEDINGS. 147 I wanted. I say I am sorry you didn't get it, you didn't want to pay for it. If you want to pay for it, I will give you all the smell you want. (Laughter.) He has not complained about the bad binding, but that this is losing the odor. (Laughter.) Mr. POOLE. I was brought up in a leather community, and am myself a bit of an expert in the matter of leather. I have noticed this fact, that the best skins are laid aside to be put in the lighter colors, and the poorest skins are colored black, because black conceals spots and imperfections in the grain and body of the skin, which can be seen through the lighter colors. I do not mean to say that all skins in very dark colors are of poor quality ; but they are likely to be, and hence black and very dark colors for binding-stock should nob be selected ; and also for another reason, that black bind- ings give the library a too sombre appearance. On the other hand, the very light colors should not be selected, as they soil so readily. The colors in this parcel of samples shown by Mr. Neumann which, I infer, is English stock are all excellent. The English binders have admirable taste and judgment in the selection of colors, and the quality of their work is first- class. For that reason we have as many of our books as possible put into substantial morocco binding in London; and it is work which never comes to rebinding. I give no directions as to colors, as they are unnecessary. A shipment of English books will come with as great a variety of colors as appears in this parcel of samples, and every book has an ap- propriate color. I do not favor the practice of putting an English book in one color, and a French book in another; of putting botany in green, astronomy in blue, and politics in red. I see no advantages resulting from the practice which will compensate for the loss of the pleasing effect a variety of tasteful colors gives to the bookcases. These remarks also apply in general to the binding we have had done in Paris. Our experience as to binding done in Leipzig is quite different. The worst leather I ever knew used in bookbinding was a black shagreen put upon a large invoice of books in Leipzig about ten years ago. It looked well when new ; but now it can be picked to pieces with the fingers. There is, probably, good binding done in Leipzig, but I never was so fortunate as to find it, except in the Tauchnitz books, which are bound by Baron Tauchnitz himself. I have been much entertained by the remarks of Mr. Neumann, the New York book- binder. I am not sure that we employ work- men who know as much of the tricks of the art as he. Russia that smells! (Laughter.) I know most of these tricks, because I was a leather-man before I was a librarian. The Committee on Government Publications reported a resolution of thanks to J: G. Ames. Carried unanimously. Resolved, That the thanks of the American Library Association be extended to J. G. Ames, Superintendent of Documents, in the Interior Department, for the carefulness with which, so far as practicable under the imperfections of the present system of printing and distri- bution of government publications, he has provided for the interests of the libraries des- ignated as public depositories. Mr. GREEN. In regard to the resolution referred to the committee introduced by Mr. Mac, the committee would state that the Asso- ciation has always been unwilling to take action in the way of recommending private enter- prises. I do not know that they have in any instance recommended private enterprises, and in this instance there is a certain amount of competition. Mr. Anglim, in Washington, is getting out lists. The committee are unani- mously of the opinion that it is not best to pass any such resolution, but in an informal way to say to the librarians that they think the work of Mr. Hickcox an excellent one, and that the librarians had better subscribe for it and help Mr. Hickcox in any way they can. A new Committee on Government Publica- tions was elected, Messrs. Green, Merrill, and Bowker. TIME OF THE ANNUAL MEETING. Mr. DEWEY referred to his report at the first session about a regular time for annual meet- ings and moved that the Association hereafter meet annually during the week of , the time of meeting being subject to altera- tion by a four-fifths vote of the Executive Board. Mr. MERRILL. I move that the resolution be laid on the table. If you come to Cincinnati you must come in May. If you go to Bar Harbor you must go in some other month. The course of travel in the summer months is 148 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. from the West to the East, and in other months from the East to West. Mr. GUILD. If we have an Executive Com- mittee we should acquiesce, and not grumble, and we ought to resolve not to grumble. Mr. DEWEY. There are many places where the Association can meet in one month as well as another. When there is any special reason for changing the regular time it can be done without difficulty by getting consent of four- fifths of the Executive Board. I suppose I have had as much to do with the selection of the time of these meetings as any one, and I know it has caused a great deal of embarrass- ment. Mr. MERRILL. We will take back all the grumbling as to this meeting. Mr. DEWEY. That is very like taking back a kick after giving it. Mr. FLETCHER. I am in favor of a standing rule for meetings. It is more important on the question of time than of place. Mr. MAC suggested fixing the place first, and then fixing both the day and the year in ad- vance. To decide whether the last of June or the first of September was preferred, Mr. Nelson moved that the Association meet the second week in September. Mr. Dewey's resolution was divided, and it was voted " that the Association hereafter meet annually." Mr. LINDERFELT. As it seems to be the general opinion of the members that the next meeting should be held in the West somewhere, I offer a cordial invitation to the Association to make Milwaukee the next place of meeting. I can assure the members that, as far as lies in our power, we shall do all we can to make their visit pleasant ; and, as to making it profitable, that will depend on yourselves. Mr. BOWKER. I should like to say, as one of the committee having to do with this meet- ing, that it seems to me eminently desirable that for once we Easterners should put our- selves at inconvenience instead of asking our Western brothers to come here and meet us, and that we should recognize the fact that there is a large and growing interest in library mat- ters in the West. I move that the invitation to Milwaukee be accepted by the Conference. Voted unanimously. Mr. MERRILL. Before the motion to meet the first week in September is put, I would like to hear from Mr. Linderfelt. Mr. LINDERFELT. I should greatly prefer June if I were to be permitted to make a sug- gestion as to time. If I am not mistaken our National Sangerfest meets at Milwaukee in that month, and if we could make our Association come immediately before or after, I think that would prove an inducement for some of the members to attend the meeting. Mr. DEWEY. If we go to Milwaukee the committee will wish the local committee to suit themselves as to date. Some members have suggested Saratoga and other summer re- sorts. I have no choice. The first of Septem- ber, as far as I can judge, is about as bad a week as we can get in a year. It runs pretty closely on the opening of the public schools and college terms. Mr. Linderfelt would doubtless be glad to know what our preference would be. Mr. NELSON. From the attendance we have had here it does not seem to be so bad a date. Mr. MERRILL. I would lay the motion on the table. It seems to be the spirit of Mr. Dewey's resolution that we must have a fixed time; if so, I am strongly opposed to June. It is the end of the fiscal year, and then libra- rians have to be at home. On suggestion of the Secretary, a series of recorded votes were taken to get at the senti- ment of the meeting. Those who preferred June were counted, and numbered fifteen. Fifteen preferred the first week in September. Three preferred the last week in September. Fifteen preferred some time in July or Au- gust. Twenty-one had no particular choice as to time. Fifteen preferred summer resorts as a place of meeting, instead of cities with libraries. Fifteen preferred to go about to library centres in different parts of the country. [A MEMBER. As a kind of missionary cir- cus.] A large majority, by a show of hands, pre- ferred to alternate the places of meeting be- tween summer resorts and library centres. Mr. MERRILL moved that the next meeting be held in June of next year, at a time to be selected by the local committee. Carried. Mr. POOLE, of Chicago. The climate of Milwaukee is a good deal like that of Chi- PROCEEDINGS. cago. We do not really get comfortable weather until July. The last week in June would be much pleasanter than before that time. Our law requires that annual reports shall be brought up to June, and they are not made until the middle of June, and it is a busy time with me. I could not go until the last week in June. Our college commencements come about the 24th and 25th, and the last week in June is a leisure time with us. I know that Mr. Linderfelt will accommodate us and accommodate you. Mr. WHITNEY. We think that the matter of college commencements is quite serious. At my college it is my twenty-fifth or thirtieth class-meeting, and I have to be there. I think it is the last Wednesday in June. I do not know but that others may be affected in that way. Mr. GUILD. Very few college librarians could be away in the middle of June. By a show of hands only eight were in favor of meeting just before the Sangerfest, as an extra inducement to attend. A large majority were found to prefer the first week in July. Mr. MANN moved to meet on Tuesday, the 6th of July. Mr. MERRILL said the Eastern people would not be accommodated if Tuesday were fixed. A motion to reconsider the vote for June, and to meet at Milwaukee on July 7, was finally adopted. Mr. POOLE, of New York, reported regarding photographing the members of the Conference. It was moved and carried that the Associ- ation finally adjourn at 12 o'clock, on Friday, and proceed at once in a body to the photog- rapher's for a group. Adjourned. SEVENTH SESSION. (FRIDAY MORNING.) Voted, That it is the opinion of the American Library Association that a copy of every gov- ernment publication, including all documents printed by the departments and bureaus of the United States government, should be sent to every depository designated by law, and that, in the case of government publications printed by departments and bureaus without order from Congress, a sufficient number to supply one copy to every depository should be printed in addition, at the expense of Congress, and distributed to the depositories. Voted, That a selection of government pub- lications of the greatest general interest should be sent to a large number of such of the smaller libraries of the country as in the opinion of the distributing 'officer would preserve them care- fully and make them accessible to the public. Mr. GREEN made an amendment to the res- olution brought up last evening, after which the resolution was passed. The second resolu- tion was also passed. Mr. FLETCHER, from the Committee on Resolutions, reported the following resolutions of thanks : Resolved, That the American Library Asso- ciation extend its thanks to Mr. Richard Gar- nett for his paper on the printing of the British Museum catalogue, and its congratulations to the authorities of the British Museum on the progress of a work of so great service to the English-speaking world. Resolved, That the thanks of this Association be hereby tendered to Professor De Rieu, of Leyden, for his interesting account of his card catalogue submitted to the attention of this As- sociation ; also to the Smithsonian Institute for its service in publishing indexes of great value to libraries ; also to the various railroads, steamboat lines, and hotels which have fur- nished reduced rates for the members of the Association in attendance upon this Confer- ence. Carried. Mr. DEWEY moved that, till otherwise ordered by the Association, the proceedings of each annual meeting be published in the Library journal on the same terms as last year. Voted unanimously. LETTERING BACKS OF BOOKS. Mr. DEWEY. I have been making some special studies on the subject which Mr. Ed- mands was to have discussed, and as he wrote me to report for him on the Essay Index, per- haps I can substitute also on this. The best practice seems to be pretty well settled as to regular lettering, like this : author's name in top panel, clear title in second panel in ordi- nary place of title. If there is editor or trans- lator to be given, in third panel under title. In LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. periodicals, transactions, etc., where date and volume occur they go in next to the bottom panel, in this order: year, whole number of volume, series, if any, series volume, each item having a line. 5 cm. from the bottom are the class and book numbers, if a relative sys- tem is used so that these are permanent, and at the very bottom the name of the library, so that it shows clearly as a library book when on private shelves. No German or fancy type, or Roman letters, nor unnecessary tooling which distracts the attention and makes the title and numbers less clear at a glance. Useless verbi- age, like vol., and anything that adds nothing to the clear description are rigorously excluded, and the type, beside being clear-cut, is large enough, especially in all the figures, to be read with the greatest ease. The matter more specially interesting is the lettering done in the library, where the book- numbers are gilded on the back. This practice grows rapidly with tRe relative location. Num- bers that are never to be changed are worthy something better than a bit of paper that soils and peels off. The objection to gilding is chiefly its cost, next the difficulty of getting first-class work, and sometimes that on certain light colors the gold does not show as plainly as the printed Van Everen numbers. The last difficulty is met by putting on a dark tag of title-leather, which will show the gold well, pains being taken to have this carefully put on so it shall not peel off. About cost : I have taken pains to get esti- mates from fifteen or twenty binders, actually trying the work of almost as many. Prices charged varied from twenty-five cents per vol- ume down to three cents for a class-number of three to six figures, followed by a book-number of about three figures on an average, with now and then a volume-number to be added. Twenty- five cents is, of course, absurdly high, but is the common charge by binders for doing a single book. Ten to fifteen cents was the price set by most binders who really figured on the work. At Wellesley College we had a binder come out from Boston, paying his car-fare, and fur- nishing gas for heating the tools, who furnished his tools, type, gold, and labels where needed, and did the work at three cents per volume with labels, and two cents without. This price was low, and barely paid day-wages for hard work. I doubt if good work can be done quite as low. This work was better than any I had seen done in other libraries where gilding was done on the premises, and of course the ex- pense and trouble of sending books to the bindery are too great, except for small lots. In Columbia I tried a dozen different finishers, wlio failed, in a few days' trial, to do the work good enough and fast enough so they could go on. Our standard set was high, for we insisted on the clear-cut letters which our binder, Mr. Neumann, gave us, and we found only one finisher, out of the dozen recommended to us, who could do it. This man, Mr. Walter Roche, we engaged on salary, and secured better work than I have elsewhere seen. After a month's experience in doing this one thing he gained in speed and learned various economies which reduced the cost. By employing a bright ap- prentice as assistant to get the books all ready for the impression, we doubled the number per day, while adding only one-half to the wages. I believe now that we have the cost reduced to the lowest point for miscellaneous library work, viz., three cents per volume. Without the special training which our two men have had it would cost nearly double this sum. I en- couraged Mr. Roche to give up his place as finisher on fine bindings, and devote himself to this special work, on the ground that, when our library was done, some other that had adopted permanent numbers would be anxious to secure his services, and that by going from one library to another he might have steady work of this peculiar kind. Of course libraries within reasonable distance would find it greater economy and secure much better work to get a man thus thoroughly trained, though it would not pay to send 1,000 miles to get him for a few hundred books. At more distant points my experience must be repeated till a competent man is found and trained to do the work fast and well. Till then a high price must be paid. The cataloguers finish numbering our books on the inside, and put them in place on the shelves. The binder's boy has then simply to take them down and gild on the back the num- ber found on the book-plate, and return them to the shelves without the supervision of the librarian, except to see that the gilding is up to standard. Mr. CUTTER. I began lettering our books PROCEEDINGS. with the class numbers five or six years ago, and went through the same experience that Mr. Dewey has since had. The bids from binders were almost as high, from twelve to five cents a volume. I finally contracted with a man and a boy to do the work at three cents, and, after a time, at two cents, a volume ; but he could not work long at the latter price. I now have it done by a salaried man, and it costs us nearly four cents a volume. ECONOMY IN BINDING PERIODICALS. Mr. FLETCHER. I would call attention to the possibilities of economy in binding sets of periodicals. We found last year our binding cost us $300 at Amherst, the larger proportion being for periodicals. I am trying to reduce the expense by not binding the periodicals in certain cases. It goes without saying that if we can keep our periodicals unbound for twenty years we can save the expense of twenty years' binding. It is a great economy to bind many things at once. BINDING IN THE BUILDING. Mr. DEWEY. It is my impression that having a binder in the building is not a meas- ure of economy. It would cost quite as much as to contract with the binder, who has every facility for doing his work, and we have the expenses of the plant and the labor of super- vision. I have found many cases where this has been investigated, and, except in very large libraries, this decision has generally been reached. Some have tried the experiment for years, and then been glad to sell their machin- ery at a low price and go out of business. To do work cheaply in a bindery, as in any shop, a close division of labor is necessary. Each person has one small part of the work which he can do quickly and well. Unless a library is large enough to employ a full gang of workmen it loses at once this advan- tage. A woman sews quicker and cheaper than the finisher who gets three times as much wages ; but the woman cannot forward nor letter the backs, and so on. Then in the bindery the master looks more sharply for every item of waste, and to get the lowest prices for stock, etc., than any binder on salary is apt to do. We must look such questions fairly in the face in making up estimates of cost. Rent and gas, and chiefly the labor of supervision, must be taken into account, and it is mere sophistry to say that these things really cost nothing extra. There is only so much energy and work in any man, and whatever he puts into running a bindery must come out of something else, unless he be a man who puts only half his strength and interest and time in his legitimate work. Of that sort of man I have nothing to say ; but the modern librarian never has any waste time that costs nothing, i.e., is worth nothing. I should like best an arrangement with a good binder, with a shop in or adjoining the library building, who would bind by the piece; thus giving the advantages of quick work in or near the building, without the cares and cost of running the bindery. I have had an interesting experience in law- books. When the Columbia law library came into my hands I debated what to do. All librarians and binders agreed that the half goat wore longer for the money than any other material. The traditional full law sheep cost more than the much better half goat. But there were all the traditions of that profession, which is based on precedents, and I felt that any effort to change the style of binding would result in serious criticism. But it was plain that there could be no better time to change, and unless some one bore the onus the expen- sive fashion would go on forever. I therefore submitted the facts to Dr. Dwight, the Warden of the Law School, and several others, showing them clearly that, except for tradition, the goat was much better and cheaper, and would outwear two to one the same money invested in the old way. To my surprise every man said " Make the change. It is the wise thing to do." From that day on we have bound all our law books as we do other books in the A.L.A. binding. We bind odd volumes, when they go to pieces, in the same way, and not to match the old set, for in most of our long legal sets, one by one they have to bs rebound, and if we kept on matching the old binding we should never introduce the new. I doubt not that lawyers think they look strange ; but when they understand the facts they agree that we are right. Mr. SOULE stated that he should have about 10,000 law books to bind, and he felt much inter- est in the matter. Mr. BAKER. I have not found a single 152 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. lawyerin all my experience who does notthink it is an illegal and immoral binding. (Laughter.) It does not look right to them. Mr. SOULE. I agree with Mr. Baker as to the impression it gives. I think Mr. Dewey is wrong in regard to binding single volumes. If the whole set needed binding it might do, but this would not apply to single volumes. Binding in the best sheep will crumble in a very short time, and what we call law sheep is not a good binding for books. The bookseller is in a different position from the librarian; but I have thought very seriously, in the inter- ests of good binding of trying the experiment on a large scale, and I may do it of my own accord in the next year or two. I made up my mind long ago that the morocco binding was better than any form of sheep we can get in this country. BINDING IN DUCK. Mr. PEOPLES. We only recently began to rebind our old files of newspapers. We began binding them in duck. I suggested this topic to see if we coujd learn something. I do not know that I can give any information on the matter, except that we find it is expensive to bind in full duck. Mr. CUTTER. I have been binding news- papers in white duck for some two years. The expense is less than that of leather, and I think it will last longer, much longer. It could not be worse than the leather binding, which pre- ceded it, which crumbles to pieces. Mr. NELSON. We have done the same thing in the Astor library with buckram, not duck. I think that duck is entirely cotton, and real buckram is linen. We do not find that it wears well. Mr. SCHWARTZ. We have been binding our books in buckram, imported from England, and we find it a great deal cheaper and lasting longer than leather, which we formerly used. We employ our own binder. Mr. WINSOR. We letter directly on the buckram. There is buckram and buckram. I found some of ours did not wear, but on im- porting the genuine buckram from England we got good results. Mr. NEUMANN. If the dye affects the leather why should it not affect the colored duck, and why should this be better than the original color? I should think the dye would affect the cotton and linen more than leather. Buckram will cost about ten cents per octavo volume for material. Mr. LARNED. I have been binding in full duck during the last year. I cannot tell how it would wear, but it appears to be a substantial binding, and our binder offered to do it at the same price he had been charging for half- sheep binding. Mr. BROWN. Four years ago, when the question of binding began to be agitated, a circulating library tried the experiment of binding with buckram. I think it was the kind of buckram recommended by the Associa- tion, and it was tried on juveniles. It did not wear as well as half sheep. It broke on the hinge, and the binder said it was as expensive as half sheep. It might have been cotton buckram, and probably was. Mr. PEOPLES. I have bound only news- papers in duck. Mr. WINSOR. I started fifteen years ago, in the Public Library of Boston, to do our own binding. I do not know that any other large library has its own bindery, working exclusively for it. We watched the matter very closely for a number of years, and the conclusion I reached was that we gained not much in di- minishing cost but much in convenience and safety. Mr. CHAMBERLAIN. While on the matter of cost it is difficult to speak, as a matter of general policy it is much better for the library. Mr. PEOPLES. Our library established a bindery of its own, and continued it twelve years. The convenience was very great; but I came to the conclusion that we had squandered a good deal of money, and closed our bindery and sold our machinery. Mr. GREEN. I made up my mind we should lose a great deal of money by having our own bindery. Mr. SCHWARTZ. We used to give our work out to be done by the piece, and before we em- ployed a binder by the year it cost us nearly $1,200 a year to bind and rebind our books. Since we have emploj-ed a binder in the build- ing the cost has been $100 less a year. Mr. NEUMANN. Does that include gas and rent of room? Mr. SCHWARTZ. We do not use gas. The room could not be put to any better use at present. We do no lettering. PROCEEDINGS. '53 Mr. SOULE. My situation is very much that of a small library. It is difficult to find a binder who will do ordinary job-work at a cheap rate; but if a good workman, willing to go around from place to place to do repair- ing and work that accumulates from time to time, could be found, I think it would be an excellent plan. Mr. DEWEY. It would not pay to keep volumes out of circulation waiting for one peripatetic binder; for the books worn out and needing repairs are just the ones which cannot be spared from the shelves an hour longer than necessary. It is the chief advantage of a binder in the building, or very near, that re- pairs can be done within a few hours at longest. ENDOWMENT OF SPECIAL SUBJECTS. Mr. DEWEY. One specially interested in any subject can often be induced to endow that subject with a sum, of which the income shall each year buy all the best books that appear in it. Let me illustrate by our own scheme. If John Doe is specially interested in the opera, the library says to him, " Give us $1,000 as an endowment of 782, and we will call it the Doe Library of Dramatic Music. We will put in it all that we now have on that subject, and each year the total income of your endowment shall be spent on the best books obtainable on your subject. The name will appear on each book-plate, and on the classed catalogue at the head of the collection, and on a fitting label or tablet over it on the shelves. There will be found every book, pamphlet, newspaper clip- ping, or MS. that the library has or can get on this subject. Gifts from others will be placed in the Doe Library, the donor's name being given on the book-plate, and for gen- erations to come every person interested in the opera will be grateful for your foundation." In this way 782 Dramatic Music is assigned to John Doe, and his pride is stimulated in devel- oping it. If another man, with larger means and interest, will endow the whole subject of Music 780, there is no difficulty or impropriety in in- cluding 782, the Doe Dramatic Music Library, as the second section of 780, the Roe Music Library. This suggests one of the most prom- ising fields for development ; for almost every library has among its readers some specially interested, who, if properly approached, would endow some topic, even if a small one. Mr. MANN. A man left a large amount of money to us on the condition that it should be devoted to the purchase of books devoted to home industry, with certain other provisions which made it possible to defeat the gift, if any one chose to make any trouble. We thought it best to compromise, and get a less sum. The list of officers for the next year was then read, as follows : OFFICERS OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSO- CIATION. President. W. F. Poole, Librarian Chicago Public Li- brary. Vice-Presidents. A. R. Spofford, Librarian of Congress. H: A. Homes, Librarian N.Y. State Library. C: A. Cutter, Librarian Boston Athenaeum. W: E. Foster, Librarian Providence Public Library. Secretary. Melvil Dewey, Chief Librarian Columbia College. Asst. Secretary. E. C. Richardson, Librarian Hartford Theol. Seminary. Treasurer. Jas. L. Whitney, Boston Public Library. Finance Committee. C: C. Soule, Law Publisher, Boston. J. N. Larned, Librarian Young Men's Li- brary, Buffalo. G: W. Harris, Asst. Librarian Cornell Uni- versity, Ithaca, N.Y. Cooperation Committee. W: I. Fletcher, Librarian Amherst College. B: P. Mann, Bibliographer, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. W. S. Biscoe, Catalog Librarian, Columbia College. C: Alex. Nelson, The Astor Library, New York. Miss E. M. Coe, Librarian New York Free Public Library. Standing Committee. R: R. Bowker, of the Library journal. W: T. Peoples, Librarian Mercantile Library, New York. R. B. Poole, Librarian Y.M.C.A., New York. (With authority to add to their number.) LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. Committee on Next Meeting. K. A: Linderfeldt, Librarian Milwaukee Pub- lic Library. C. W. Merrill, Librarian Cincinnati Public Library. F. J. Soldan, Librarian Public Library, Peoria, 111. A. N. Brown, Asst. Librarian Columbia Col- lege. H. E. Davidson, Library Bureau, Boston. (With authority to appoint sub-committees.) Councillors. Justin Winsor, Librarian Harvard University, President A.L.A., 1876-85. E. M. Barton, Librarian American Antiqua- rian Soc., Worcester. Miss Mary A. Bean, Librarian Public Li- brary, Brookline, Mass. J: S. Billings, Librarian National Medical Library. M. Chamberlain, Librarian Boston Public Library. J: N. Dyer, Librarian St. Louis Mercantile Library. J: Eaton, U.S. Commissioner of Education. J: Edmands, Librarian Mercantile Library, Philadelphia. D: C. Oilman, President Johns Hopkins Uni- versity. S: S. Green, Librarian Worcester Free Pub- lic Library. R. A. Guild, Librarian Brown University. Miss C. M. Hewins, Librarian Hartford Li- brary. Miss H. P. James, Librarian Free Public Library, Newton, Mass. K: A. Linderfeldt, Librarian Milwaukee Public Library. C. W. Merrill, Librarian Cincinnati Public Library. Lloyd P. Smith, Librarian Philadelphia Li- brary Co. Addison Van Name, Librarian Yale College. The following resolution was passed by standing vote unanimously: Resolved, That, in allowing President Win- sor to withdraw from the position he has so acceptably filled during the whole history of this Association, the members desire to unite in a hearty expression of their appreciation of, and thanks for, his valuable services to the Association as its President. Mr. DEWEY moved that hereafter the list ot councillors be headed by the names of the ex. Presidents, with dates of service. Carried. Mr. LINDERFELT described his new scheme of ACCESSION-BOOKS. Mr. BROWN read his paper on MEXICAN LIBRARIES. (See p. 54.) Mr. RICHARDSON read his paper on ART. 2 OF A.L.A. CONSTITUTION. (See p. 50.) LIBRARY INSURANCE. Mr. LARNED. We have a special policy under which definite lists of books are in- sured by title, and the value of those books is to be proved in case of loss, and then the policy proceeds to state that, in case of loss of other books, they should be paid for at the rate of $1.25 per volume. Mr. R. B. POOLE. The agent wanted us to have a duplicate accession catalogue kept out- side the building, though our catalogues are kept in the safes of the building. Mr. POOLE, of Chicago. We have a special policy to which the insurance companies agree. We have a complete accession catalogue giving the value of every book. We do not anticipate any loss or trouble. We are insured for about $100,000. We have no way of raising money except under the State law, and unless the library was insured, in case of fire, the restora- tion would be delayed many years. Mr. WINSOR. Large corporations find it cheaper not to insure. The Harvard University does not insure its buildings. If we burn up we are dependent on the subscriptions of the rich men of Boston. My opinion is that no respectable insurance company would refuse to settle to the satisfaction of any respectable library. Mr. WINSOR. The moment for the adjourn- ment of the seventh meeting of the American Library Association has come. I have sat in this chair for ten years. I took the presidency when the Association was an untried experi- PROCEEDINGS. '55 ment, with great uncertainty as to the result. It has grown to what you see it. I believe, in all those ten years, until this meeting, I have never failed to be present at the opening of your session. Certain circumstances rendered it necessary for me to be absent from the early part of this meeting, and with some embarrass- ment I broke away from the Historical Asso- ciation yesterday for the purpose of coming here. I cannot leave the chair and resign it to my successor without thanking you heartily for your kindly sympathy during these years of service. If there is no objection I pro- nounce the seventh annual meeting of the As- sociation closed. Adjourned. LIST OF PERSONS PRESENT. Owing 1 to the neglect of many who were present to sign the roll their names are not included in the following list. The editor has supplied the omissions, so far as was possible, from other sources. When a library is mentioned in connection with any one's name he is the librarian, unless otherwise designated. ABBREVIATIONS. Ln., Librarian; L., Library; P.L., Public Library. Joseph Anderson, D.D., Waterbury, Conn. Mrs. Joseph Anderson. G: Hall Baker, Reference Ln. Columbia Col- lege L., New York. Edmund Mills Barton, Ln. Amer. Antiquarian Soc., Worcester, Mass. Walter Stanley Biscoe, Catalog Ln. Columbia College L., New York. W: A. Borden, Ln. Reynolds L., Rochester, N.Y. R: R. Bowker, Libr. journal, 31-32 Park row, N.Y. W: H. Brett, Ln. P.L., Cleveland, O. Arthur Newto'n Brown, Asst. Ln. Columbia College L., N.Y. Miss Martha A. Bullard, Ln. Seymour L., Au- burn, N.Y. Irvin H. Cammack, Ln. Wilmington Inst., Wil- mington, Del. H: J. Carr, Grand Rapids, Mich. Hon. Mellen Chamberlain, Ln. P.L., Boston. Dwight Parker Clapp, Belchertown, Mass. Miss Ellen M. Coe, Ln. Free P.L., New York. G: W: Cole, Cataloger, Fitchburg P.L. Joshua E. Crane, Ln. Young Men's L. Assoc., Albany, N.Y. Miss M.. S. Cutler, Asst. Columbia College L., New York. C: A. Cutter, Ln. Boston Athenaeum. Herbert E. Davidson, Library Bureau, Boston. Mrs. H: E. Davidson. Olin Sylvester Davis, Asst. Columbia College L., New York. C: Deane, Cambridge, Mass. Melvil Dewey, Secretary, Chief Ln. Columbia College L., New York. Mrs. Melvil Dewey, ex-Ln. Wellesley College, 48 W. 59th St., New York. Katherine S. Dodd, Cincinnati, O. J: Eaton, U.S. Com. Education, Washington, D.C. W: I. Fletcher, Ln. Amherst College, Amherst, Mass. W: E. Foster, Ln. P.L., Providence, R.I. C: Ripley Gillett, Ln. Un. Theol. Sem., N.Y. G: W. Gilmore, Asst. Ln. Un. Theol. Sem., N.Y. City. E: N. Goddard, Ln. L. Assoc., Windsor, Vt. S: S. Green, Ln. P.L., Worcester, Mass. Reuben A. Guild, Ln. Brown Univ., Provi- dence, R.I. Mrs. R. A. Guild. Miss Sara C. Hagar, Ln. Fletcher F.L., Bur- lington, Vt. G: W. Harris, Acting Ln. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N.Y. Miss A. L. Hayward, Ln. P.L., Cambridge, Mass. F: H. Hedge, Ln. P.L., Lawrence, Mass. Miss Anna C. Hitchcock, Easthampton, Mass. H: A. Homes, LL.D., Ln. State L., Albany, N.Y. R. C. Ingraham, Ln. P.L., New Bedford, Mass. Miss Hannah P. James, Ln. Free L., Newton, Mass. Rev. H: F. Jenks, Canton, Mass. W: C. Lane, Asst. in charge of catalog, Hai vard College, Cambridge. i 5 6 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. J: N. Larned, Supt. Young Men's Assoc., Buf- falo, N.Y. W: E. Layton, Newark L. Assn., NJ. Klas A: Linderfeldt, Ln. Milwaukee P.L. Prof. G: T. Little, Ln. Bowdoin College L., Brunswick, Me. E. A. Mac, Commission Book-buyer, 732 Broad- way, New York. D. C. MacMillan, Stenographer, New York. B. Pickman Mann, Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Mrs. Louisa Mann, Washington, D.C. Mrs. S. B. Maxwell, Ln. State L., Des Moines, Iowa. Chester W. Merrill, Ln. Cincinnati P.L. Miss Dorcas C. Miller, Ln. P.L., Easthampton, Mass. C: Alex. Nelson, Asst. Secretary, Cataloger, Astor Library, N.Y. C: G. Neumann, Binder, 76 E. gth St., N.Y. E: J. Nolan, Ln. Acad. Nat. Sciences, Phila. Nathaniel Paine, Worcester, Mass. A. L. Peck, Ln. Levi Parsons L., Gloversville, N.Y. Rev. Bradford K. Peirce, D.D., Supt. Newton Free L., Newton Centre, Mass. W: T. Peoples, Ln. Mercantile L., N.Y. Mrs. W: T. Peoples. Prof. Louis Pollens, Ln. Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H. Reuben B. Poole, Ln. Young Men's Christian Association, New York. William Frederick Poole, LL.D., Ln. P.L., Chicago. Rev. Ernest C. Richardson, Ln. Hartford Theol. Sem. Mrs. Minerva A. Sanders, Ln. Pawtucket Free L., Pawtucket, R.I. MissM.. E. Sargent, Ln. Middlesex Mechanics' Association L., Lowell, Mass. Jacob Schwartz, Ln. Apprentices' L., New York. J: C. Sickley, Ln. Poughkeepsie City L., Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Mrs. J. C. Sickley. Miss Medora J. Simpson, Ln. P.L., Chelsea, Mass. C: C. Soule, Law Publisher, Boston. Miss Helen Sperry, Asst. Ln. Bronson L., Waterbury, Conn. Gustav E. Stechert, Publisher and Importer, 766 Broadway, N.Y. Miss Lucy Stevens, ex-Ln. P.L., Toledo, O. H: Munson Utley, Ln. F.P.L., Detroit, Mich. Margaret Van Zandt, Asst. Columbia College, L., New York. Miss Edith Wallbridge, State L., Springfield, 111. W: A: White, Prest. Brooklyn Lib. James Lyman Whitney, Treasurer, Asst. Ln. Boston P.L. Miss Lizzie A. Williams, Asst. Ln. P.L., Cambridge, Mass. Justin Winsor, President, Ln. Harvard College. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, LIST OF MEMBERS. 1885. (The figures in parentheses show the year of joining the Association.) ABBREVIATIONS. Ctlgr., Cataloger; Ln., Librarian; L., Library; P. L., Public Library. CORRECTIONS in this list should be sent promptly to the Secretary, Melvil Dewey, Columbia College, New York. LIFE MEMBERS. (A payment of $25 at any one time constitutes a Life member of the Association.) James G. Barnwell (1876), Ln. Univ. of Penn- sylvania, Phila. Edmund Mills Barton (1876), Ln. Amer. Anti- quarian Soc., Worcester, Mass. Daniel Beckwith (1878), Ln. Providence Athe- naeum. Arthur N. Brown (1879), Library Bureau, Bos- ton. Edward Capen (1876), Ln. P. L., Haverhill, Mass. James R. Chadwick, M.D. (1876), Ln. Medical L. A., Boston. Hon. Mellen Chamberlain, LL.D. (1879), Ln. P. L., Boston. George B. Chase (1879), 234 Beacon St., Boston. Eckley B. Coxe (1876), Drifton, Jeddo P.O., Penn. Charles A. Cutter (i876),Ln. Boston Athenaeum, editor of Library journal. Melvil Dewey (1876), Secretary, Chief Ln. Co- lumbia College L., New York. Mrs. Melvil Dewey (1876), ex-Ln. Wellesley College, 48 W. 59th St., New York. Samuel S. Green (1876), Ln. P. L., Worcester, Mass. Frederick Jackson (1876), 225 East 4th St., St. Paul, Minn. Robbins Little (1880), Supt. Astor L., New York. B. Pickman Mann (1879), Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Reuben B. Poole (1876), Ln. Young Men's Chris- tian Association, New York. Ernest Steiger (1878), Publisher and Importer, 25 Park Place, New York. James L. Whitney (1876), Treasurer, Boston P. L. Justin Winsor (1876), President, Ln. Harvard College. Dr. Robert W. Wood (1879), Jamaica Plain, Mass. The Mayor of Boston, ex officio (1879). The President of Harvard College, ex officio (1879). ANNUAL MEMBERS. (The yearly membership fee is $2.) Abbot Library (1876), Marblehead, Mass. Miss Harriet A. Adams (1879), Ln. P.L., Somer- ville, Mass. Dr. Edward Aiken (1882), Amherst, N.H. Miss H. H. Ames (1879), Cataloger, Brookline, Mass. George F. Arnold (1879), Formerly Asst. Ln. Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass. Prof. William P. Atkinson (1879), Mass. Inst. Technology, Boston. Rev. Dr. H. M. Bacon (1881), Toledo, O. James Bain (1883), Ln. P. L., Toronto, Canada. George H. Baker (1885), Reference Ln. Colum- bia College L., New York. Rev. John H. Barbour (1876), Ln. Trinity Col- lege, Hartford, Conn. Pres't Frederick A. P. Barnard (1883), Columbia College, New York. T. Attwater Barnes (1879), Director, Y. M. Insti- tute, New Haven, Ct. W. E. Barnwell (1882), Asst. Ln. P. L., Cincin- nati, O. Homer F. Bassett (1877), Ln. Bronson L., Waterbury, Conn. Bay City, Michigan, P. L. (1877). Miss Mary A. Bean (1877), Ln. P. L., Brook- line, Mass. i 5 8 LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. I. L. Beardsley (1880), ex-Ln. P. L., Cleve- land, O. Dr. John S. Billings (1881), Ln. Surgeon- General's office, Washington, D.C. Walter S. Biscoe (1877), Catalog Ln. Colum- bia College L., N.Y. Eliphalet W. Blatchford (1878), 375 No. L'a Salle St., Chicago. Rev. W. E. Bogardus (1884), Oakland, N.J. William A. Borden (1885), Ln. Reynolds L., Rochester, N.Y. Bowdoin College L. (1878), Brunswick, Me. R: R. Bowker (1879), Libr. journal, 31.32 Park Row, N.Y. Harriet M. Brackett (1885), Asst. Columbia College L., N.Y. William H. Brett (1885), Ln. P. L., Cleve- land, O. Miss Martha A. Bullard (1876), Ln. Seymour L., Auburn, N.Y. Irvin H. Cammack (1885), Ln. Wilmington Inst., Wilmington, Del. Henry J. Carr (1879), Grand Rapids, Mich. Josd F. Garret (1882), Asst. Ln. Boston P. L. Central Library (1876), Syracuse, N.Y. Miss Alice G. Chandler (1878), Ln. P. L., Lan- caster, Mass. Amos P. Cheney (1884), Ln. Morse Inst., Natick, Mass. C. P. Cheney (1885), Methodist Book Concern, N.Y. F: W. Christern (1876), Foreign Bookseller, 27 W. 23d St., New York. City Library (1885), Lowell, Mass. Dwight P. Clapp (1885), Trustee Clapp Memorial L., Belchertown, Mass. Robert Clarke (1882), Bookseller, Cincinnati. William B. Clarke (1879), Bookseller, Boston. Emery Cleaves (1876), Bookseller, Temple pi., Boston. Miss Ellen M. Coe (1885), Ln. N.Y. Free Circ. L., Bond St., N.Y. Geo. W. Cole (1885), Ctlgr. Fitchburg (Mass.) P. L. College of Physicians, Philadelphia, Library ( 1 879) . Reuben Colton (1881), Asst. Ln. American Anti- quarian Soc., Worcester, Mass. Joshua E. Crane (1885), Ln. Y.M.L., Albany, N.Y. Frederick M. Crunden (1878), Ln. St. Louis P. L. Mary S. Cutler (1885), Asst. Columbia College L., New York. - H. E. Davidson (1883), Library Bureau, Boston. John F. Davies (1883), St. Louis P. L. Olin Sylvester Davis (1885), Asst. Columbia Col- lege L., New York. R. C. Davis (1878), Ln. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. Thomas K. Davis (1882), Ln. Univ. of Wooster, Wooster, O. Anna K. Dimmock (1880), Cambridge, Mass. George Dimmock (1878), Cambridge, Mass. District Medical Library (1878), Worcester, Mass. Mrs. J. E. Dixson (1885), Cataloger, Columbia College L., N.Y. Miss Katherine S. Dodd (1882), Cincinnati, O. John N. Dyer (1876), Ln. Mercantile L., St. Louis. Miss Sarah Folger Earle (1879), ex- Asst. Ln. P. L., Cataloger, Worcester, Mass. John Eaton, U.S. Comr. Education, Washington, D.C. John Edmands (1876), Ln. Mercantile L., Phila- delphia, Pa. Charles Evans (1876), Asst. Ln. Enoch Pratt L., Baltimore, Md. Rev. Luther Farnham (1879), Ln. Gen'l Theo- logical L., Boston. Prof. Willard Fiske (1881), ex-Ln. Cornell Univ. Florence, Italy. William I. Fletcher (1877), Ln. Amherst College, Amherst, Mass. Weston Flint (1878), ex-Ln. U. S. Patent Office, Washington, D.C. William E. Foster (1876), Ln. P. L., Providence, R.I. Mrs. E. N. Fuller (1882), Asst. Ln. P. L., Cin- cinnati, O. Mrs. R. Galliner (1878), Ln. L. Assoc., Bloom- ington, 111. Charles R. Gillett (1885), Ln. Union Theol. Sem., N.Y. Henry Gillman (1882), Ln. Detroit P. L. Geo. W. Gilmore (1885), Asst. Ln. Union Theol. Sem., N.Y. Rev. Edward N. Goddard (1884), Ln. L. Assoc., Windsor, Vt. Miss Lydia B. Godfrey, Ph.B. (1885), Ctlgr. Wellesley Col. L., Mass. William M. Griswold (1881), Asst. Ln. L. of Congress, Washington, D.C. Reuben A. Guild, LL.D (1876), Ln. Brown Univ. Providence, R.I. Miss Sarah C. Hagar (1885), Ln. Fletcher F. L., Burlington, Vt. Prof. Edward W. Hall (1877), Ln. Colby Univ., Waterville, Me. LIST OF MEMBERS. 1 59 George Hannah (1882), Ln. Long Island Hist. Soc., Brooklyn, N.Y. Miss Mary Harbaugh (1876), Asst. Ln. State L., Columbus, O. William Harden (1876), Ln. Hist. Soc., Savan- nah, Ga. George W. Harris (1880), Acting Ln. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N.Y. Miss A. L. Hayward (1877), Ln. P. L., Cam- bridge, Mass. Frederick H. Hedge (1879), Ln. P. L., Law- rence, Mass. Miss C. M. Hewins (1879), Ln. Hartford L. Assoc., Hartford, Conn. Frank P. Hill (1883), Ln. P. L., Paterson, NJ. Mrs. Agnes Hills (1883), Ln. P. L., Bridgeport, Conn. W. J. Hills (1883), Ln. 2d, P. L., Bridgeport, Conn. Henry A. Homes, LL.D. (1876), Ln. State L., Albany, N.Y. John C. Houghton (1878), Ln. P. L., Lynn, Mass. Houghton, Mifflin, & Co. (1878), Publishers, Park St., Boston. Rev. John Clare Hudson (1876), Thornton Vicar- age, Horncastle, Eng. David Hutcheson (1876), Asst. Ln. L. Congress, Washington, D.C. R. C. Ingraham (1876), Ln. P. L., New Bed- ford, Mass. Iowa College (1883), Grinnell, Iowa. William Ives (1877), Ln. Young Men's Assoc., Buffalo, N.Y. Miss H. P. James (1879), Ln. Free L., Newton, Mass J. J. Janney (1882), Ln. P. L. and Reading Room, Ohio State Univ., Farm dept., Colum- bus, O. Rev. Henry F. Jenks (1879), Canton, Mass. Mrs. Fannie D. Jermain (1882), Ln. P. L., Toledo, O. John Jordan, Jr. (1876), Historical Soc., Phila. Harry Watson Kent (1885), Asst. Columbia College L., New York. Thomas J. Kiernan (1879), Asst. Ln. Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass. A. G. Kimberley (1883), Ln. Y. M. C. A., Ber- wick, Penn. William Kite (1876), Ln. Friends' F. L., Ger- mantown, Pa. Harry L. Koopman (1885), Asst. Columbia College L., New York. William C. Lane (1884), Asst. Ln. in charge of catalog, Harvard College, Cambridge. Louise Penfield Langford (1885), Asst. Columbia College L. , New York. J. N. Larned (1877), Supt. Young Men's Assoc., Buffalo, N.Y. Wm. E. Layton (1885), Ln. Newark (N.J.) L. Assn. John W. M. Lee (1876), ex-Ln. Mercantile L., Baltimore, Md. Library Association ( 1 878) , Topeka, Kansas. Klas August Linderfelt (1880), Ln. Milwaukee P. L. Prof. George T. Little (1883), Ln. Bowdoin College L., Brunswick, Me. Colonel John S. Lockwood (1879), Bookseller, Boston. Lynn, Mass., P. L. (1878). E. A. Mac (1885), 732 Broadway, N.Y. Mrs. Louisa Mann (1879), Washington, D.C. A. P. Massey (1876), ex-Ln. Case L., Cleveland, O. Mrs. S. B. Maxwell (1879), Ln. State L., Des Moines, Iowa. Chester W. Merrill (1881), Ln. Cincinnati P. L. Henry C. Meyer (1882), Asst. Ln., Cincinnati P. L. Miss Dorcas C. Miller (1879), Ln. P. L., East- hampton, Mass. William D. Moffat (1885), Asst. Columbia College L., New York. Charles Alex. Nelson (1879), Cataloger, Astor Library, N.Y. C. G. Neumann (1885), Binder, 76 E. 9th St., N.Y. New-England Historic Genealogical Soc., Boston (1877). Mrs. J. P. Nicholas (1885), Asst, Columbia College L., New York. Hon. Nathaniel Niles (1879), Madison, N.J. Edward J. Nolan (1876), Ln. Acad. Nat. Sciences, Phila. Mrs. Ada North (1878), Ln. State Univ., Iowa City, Iowa. Miss M. O. Nutting (1878), Ln. Mt. Holyoke Seminary, South Hadley, Mass. Eugene L. Oatley (1883), Ln. City and School District L., Utica, N.Y. Otis Library (1877), Norwich, Conn. Nellie F. Page (1885), Asst. Columbia College L., New York. Nathaniel Paine (1879), Treas. Amer. Antiqua- rian Soc., Worcester, Mass. Peabody Institute (1878), Baltimore, Md. i6o LAKE GEORGE CONFERENCE. A. L. Peck (1883), Ln. Levi Parsons L., Glovers- ville, N.Y. Rev. Bradford K. Peirce, D.D. (1881), Supt. Newton Free L., Newton Centre, Mass. William T. Peoples (1876), Ln. Mercantile L., N.Y. Frederic B. Perkins (1876), Ln. P. L., Slan Francisco, Cal. Prof. Louis Pollens (1879), Ln. Dartmouth Col- lege, Hanover, N.H. William F. Poole, LL.D. (1876), Ln. P. L., Chicago, 111. Henry Probasco (1878), Clifton, Ohio. John K. Randall (1885), Ln. Baltimore Merc. L. Rev. William Rice (1879), Ln. City L., Spring- field, Mass. Ernest C. Richardson (1880), Ln. Theological Seminary, Hartford. T. P. W. Rogers (1876), ex-Ln. Fletcher L., Bur- lington, Vt. Rev. William L. Ropes (1878), Ln. Theological Seminary, Andover, Mass. Saint Louis Public L., St. Louis (1878). Mrs. Minerva A. Sanders, Ln. Pawtucket (R. I.) F. P. L. Miss Mary E. Sargent (1879), Ln. Middlesex Mechanics' Assoc., Lowell, Mass. Miss Lou Scantlin (1882), Ln. Evansville, Ind., P.L. Jacob Schwartz (1876), Ln. Apprentices' L.,New York. Samuel H. Scudder (1879), editor Science, Cam- bridge, Mass. J. Herbert Senter (1885), Asst. Ln. Astor L., N.Y. John C. Sickley (1883), Ln. Poughkeepsie City L., Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Miss Medora J. Simpson (1880), Ln. Chelsea, Mass., P. L. Lloyd P. Smith (1876), Ln. Phila. Library Co. Frederick J. Soldan (1881), Ln. P. L., Peoria, 111. Charles C. Soule (1879). Law Publisher, Boston. Southbridge, Mass., P. L. (1879). Miss Myra F. Southworth (1878), Ln. P. L., Brockton, Mass. Miss Helen Sperry (1885), Asst. Ln. Silas Bronson L., Waterbury, Conn. Ainsworth R. Spofford (1876), Ln. of Congress, Washington, D.C. G. E. Stechert (1878), Publisher and Importer, 766 Broadway, New York. W. K. Stetson (1883), Ln. Wesleyan Univ., Mid- dletown, Conn. Dr. J. A. Steven (1885), 164 High St., Hartford, Conn. Miss Lucy Stevens (1876), ex-Ln. P. L., 495 Sum- mit St., Toledo, O. James C. Strout (1876), Asst. Ln. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Mrs. H. A. Tenney (1878), Ln. State L., Lan- sing, Mich. C. B. Tillinghast (1879), Ln. State L. of Mass- achusetts, Boston. Topeka L. Association, Topeka, Kansas (1878). Arthur W. Tyler (1876), 22 W. 3ist St., New York. Philip R. Uhler (1879), Ln. Peabody Inst, Balti- more, Md. William P. Upham (1877), Ln. Essex Inst., Salem, Mass. Henry M. Utley (1885), Ln. Detroit (Mich.) P. L. Addison Van Name (1876), Ln. Yale College, New Haven, Conn. Margaret Van Zandt (1885), Asst. Columbia Col- lege L., New York. Francis W. Vaughan (1878), Ln. Social Law L., Boston, Mass. Frederick Vinton (1876), Ln. College of New Jersey, Princeton, N.J. Miss Edith Walbridge (1882), State L., Spring- field, 111. James W. Ward (1876), Ln. Grosvenor L., Buf- falo, N.Y. Charles E. Ware, M.D. (1878), 41 Brimmer street, Boston. Miss Theresa West (1882), Asst. Ln. P. L., Mil- waukee, Wis. C. A. Wheelock (1880), P. L., Uxbridge, Mass. W: Aug. White, Prest. Brooklyn L. Miss E.Fanny Whitney (1876), Ln. Free P. L., Concord, Mass. Solon F. Whitney (1877), Ln. Watertown, Mass., P. L. Miss L. A. Williams, Asst. L. Cambridge (Mass.) P. L. George F. Winchester (1884), Ln. Russell L., Middletown, Conn. Mrs. E. A. Winsor (1882), Ln. State L., Indianap- olis, Ind. Woman's Christian Natl. L. Assoc. (1883), Hot Springs, Ark. R. C. Woodward (1882), Ln. P. L., Springfield, Ohio. James Yates (1876), Ln. Free L., Leeds, Eng- land. Young Men's L. Association (1876), Ware, Mass. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOI8-URBANA 30112051214556