. 'Cxx >t ' ) ' - ~-^v s ^ . ; |^< P "v & :f : ' wmW, n% 1 ' r $' iS^X ^V,fe, Xfi% ils H . , \?i ^fT.:^ izy &\ ^^^-/v^ f**jsV\ f*?&t- 'ifr^ '< ^" .^i ^frrv<^T - >i- \ '.'^.v V N f&&H\ /' : ^.v .* ^r *t ' . '^*C^. - \ \^t7''Y- i$. "^fc^i V %??- -?X' ' -TV I- -. 25i - akvs lkW i -> j * *'i* r < '#v/w>> '^^7 ^*^'B ^V^ ;< ^x? ".":; ^T ^^Cf^ ^^ ' ^ f- "r " ' j " ""%r 1) :; A |fe&fi*Sfl :tfc^. ,M Sv ^S' r^cpii^ ^"w^^w **^*f ^fl: Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped below. A charge is made on all overdue books. University of Illinois Library 2.1 -6 Sv^v >e?v PAPERS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE & f's SIXTEENTH GENERAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION HELD AT LAKE PLACID, N. Y. SEPTEMBER 17-22 1894 PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 1894 CONTENTS. Title. Author. Page. President's address The present problem Home libraries Common novels in public libraries . Functions of a university library Selection of books Supplying of current daily newspapers in free library i . reading-rcoms ( . Periodical library bulletins Report on library progress Report on gifts and bequests to libraries Report on" university extension and public libraries . . . Report on local history collections in public libraries . . . Report on classification and catalogs Report on aids and guides Report on reading for the young Report on access to the shelves Report on library architecture On library floors and floor- coverings Work of the Publishing Section Law books for general libraries "Don't," warnings of experience Proceedings 109-173 First Session 109-122 Secretary's report 109-110 Treasurer's report 110-112 Necrology 112-114 Report of Executive Board 115 Report of Finance Committee 115 Report of Cooperation Committee .... 115-116 Report on Library School and Training Classes 116-120 Report of Endowment Fund 120 Report of Columbian Exposition Committee 120-121 Libraries in the South 121 Bureau of Education and A. L. A. Manual . 122 Second Session 123-126 Report on library legislation 123 Foreign documents 123-126 Third Session 126-136 Public documents 126-134 Selection of books 134-135 Place of next meeting 135-136 Fourth Session I 36-i37 Reading for the young 136 Common novels in public libraries .... 137 Fifth Session 137-146 Report of Executive Board 137 Index to subject headings 138-139 Library architecture 139-140 Library floors and floor-coverings .... 140-143 Daily newspapers in library reading-rooms 143-146 Sixth Session 146-154 Periodical library bulletins 146-147 J.N. Lamed x W. H. Brett 5 (157) C. W. Birtwell; Mils M. S. Cutler .... 9, 13 Miss C. H. Garland ; Miss E. P. Thurston . . 14,16 G. W. Cole: A. W. Whelpley ; Mist E. M. Coe 18, ax, 23 H . L Koopman 24(151) Miss E. M. Coe ; Miss C. M. Hewins .... 30, 32 W. E.Foster: D. V.R.Johnston 34,36 W. A. Bardwell; W. H. Brett 37, 38 H. M. Utley ; F, M. Crunden 39, 41 (134) A. W. Whelpley; H. M. Utley; F. M. Crunden 42, 44, 46 John Thomson ; James Sain, Jr 47, 49 (143) G. M.Jones : G. W. Cole : Miss C. M. Hewins 50, 51, 52 Jqhn Edmands; J. C. Dana ; W. H. Brett . 54, 55 (146) Frank P. Hill 56 Horace Kephart 61 T. L. Montgomery 64 (147) Henry J. Carr 67(154) C. Alex. Nelson 69 W.H.Austin 77 Miss L. E. Stearns 81 B.C. Steiner and S. H. Ranch 87(160) Miss T. H. West 96(139) William Beer 100 (140) W.I. Fletcher 102 C. C. Soule 103 Sundry contributors io4 Public libraries and university extension . . 147-151 Functions of a university library .... 151 Better editions of popular books 152-153 Dictionary of library economy 153 Nominations for officers 154 Seventh Session 154-157 Local history collections in public libraries . 154-156 Report of Executive Board 157 Eighth Session 157-163 The present problem 157-160 Law books for general libraries 160 Hart wig's project for manuscripts .... 160 Access to the shelves 160-162 W. C. Lane's communication 163 Ninth Session 163-165^ Place and time of next meeting 163 Election of officers 163-164 Bibliographical Society of London .... 164 Report of Committee on Resolutions . . . 164-165 Tenth Session '65-173 In memory of Dr. W. F. Poole 165-171 Invitation from L. A. U. K 171 Amendment to Constitution 171 Miscellaneous business 172 Adjournment 173 A. L. A. Publishing Section 173-175 College Library Section 175-176 Social side of the Conference 176-177 Post-Conference Excursion 178-186 Attendance register 186-189 Attendance summaries 190 '/ / CONFERENCE OF LIBRARIANS. LAKE PLACID, SEPT. 17-22, 1894. ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT, J. N. LARNED, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE BUFFALO LIBRARY. TT was my misfortune to be absent from the meeting at which you did me the honor to elect me to this place, and I had no opportunity, either to give my advice against that action, or to thank you for the distinc- tion with which it clothes me. The advice I would have given is now belated ; but my thanks have lost no warmth by the delay, and I pray you to accept them with belief in their sincerity. At the same time I shall venture to draw from the circumstances a certain claim upon your generosity. If it happens to me to be tripped in some of those tangles of procedure which, in such meetings as this, await the stumbling feet of an untrained presiding officer, be good enough to remember the warning I would have given you if I had had opportunity. We are gathered for the sixteenth meeting of the American Library Association, in the eighteenth year of its existence. Our league of the libraries is young ; its history is unpretentious ; but it is the history of a movement of higher importance to the world than many others that have marched with trumpets and drums. Eighteen years ago, the conception of the Library militant, of the Library as a moving force in the world, of the Librarian as a missionary of literature, was one which a few men only had grasped ; but with which those few had already begun the doing of a revolutionary work. To-day such ideals are being realized in most cor- ners of the American republic. The last generation, and the generations before the last, were satisfied with the school as an agent of popular education. In our time we have brought the library to the help of the school, and the world is just opening its eyes to per- ceive the enormous value of the reinforcement that is gained from this new power. And the discovery has come none too soon ; for a desperate need of more and stronger forces in the work of popular education is pressing on us. If we reflect on the social conditions of the present day, and review a little the working of the ferments in civilized society during a few years last past, we shall marvel, I think, at the timeliness of the movement which brings the public library, just now, to the front of action among the instruments and agencies of popular education. It is our fortune, good or ill as we may regard it, to be unmistak- ably passing through one of the greater crises of human history. In the last century, modern democracy got its political footing in the world. Its birth was older, and it had been cradled in divers nursing-places, Swiss, Dutch, English, and New English ; but last century it stepped into political history as the actor of the leading part ; as the sover- eign of the future, mounting his throne. From the moment it came on the stage, all wise men knew that its need above every other need was education. They made haste, in our country, to build school-houses and to set the school-master at work ; seeing plainly that all they might hope for and strive for in the future would depend on the intelligence that could be put into the brain of this omnipotent sovereign who had risen to rule the world. Well, the schools and the school -masters 299C LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. ^erved their purpose reasonably well for a season. Democracy was fairly equipped Vith a spelling-book and a quill-pen for the duties and responsibilities of a simple, slowly- moving time. The mass of its members, the every-day people of the farm and the shop, read the pamphlets and the weekly gazettes of their day, and were gently drawn, with unconfused minds, into one or the other of two straightly opposed political parties which sought their votes. If they lacked knowledge, there was a certain ingenuous- ness in their character which paid respect to the opinions of men who had more. If blundering in politics occurred, it was blunder- ing leadership, for the most part, and more easily corrected than perversity in the ranks. So the reign of democracy was successful enough while society kept the simpler state. But that simpler state is gone. We who are beyond middle age may say that we have seen it disappear. We have witnessed a miraculous transformation of the earth and of the people who dwell on it. We have seen the passing of Aladdin, who rubbed his magical electric lamp as he went, calling Afreets from the air to be the common ser- vants of man. A change has been wrought within fifty years that is measureless, not only in itself, but in its effects on the human race. The people who whisper in each other's ears across a continent ; who know at noon- time in Nebraska what happened in the morning at Samarcand ; the people to whom a hundred leagues are neighborhood, and a thousand but easy distance ; for whom there is little mystery left on the face of the earth, nor anything hidden from their eyes ; these people of our day are not in the likeness of the men and women who ambled horseback or rode in coaches from town to town, and who were content with a weekly mail. The fitting and furniture of mind that would make a safe member of society and a good citizen out of the man of small horizons, who lived the narrower life of a generation or two ago, are perilously scant for these times. It is true that all the wonderful quickening of life which has occurred carries something of education in itself, and that men learn even by living under the conditions of the present day; but the learning caught in that way is of the dangerous kind. It is the delusive knowledge of the surface of things ; the deceitful lore which breeds mischievous beliefs and makes them fanatical. It goes but a little way, if at all, toward the saving of soci- ety, as against the unrest, the discontent, the desire, which torment such an age of revolu- tion as ours. And the threatening fact is this : that igno- rant opinions have acquired at the present day a capacity for harm enormously increased over that of the elder times. They share the magnified potency that is given to all things, good or ill, by the science of the modern man. Its million tongues are lent to them for pro- pagation ; but that is a matter of small serious- ness compared with the boundless ease of com- bination which it offers to them at the same time. It is in that appalling facility of alliance and organization, which present conditions have given to men and women of every class and character, for every kind of aim and pur- pose, that the greatest peril of society lies in our day. A peril, that is to say, so long as society has no assurance that the leagues and confederacies formed within its bosom will be prevailingly well instructed and intelligently controlled. As a serious danger this is something quite new. It has come upon us within recent years. I can remember a state of things in which it was difficult for a man in common life to join himself with other men, much beyond his own neighborhood, in any effectual way, excepting as he did it on the lines of an old political party or an older church. But, to-day, leagues, unions, federations, associations, orders, rings, form themselves among the restless, unstable elements of the time as easily as clouds are formed in the atmosphere, and with kind- red lightning flashes and mutterings of thunder. Any boldly ignorant inventor of a new econom- ical theory or a new political doctrine, or a new corner-stone for the fabric of society, can set on foot a movement from Maine to California, between two equinoxes, if he handles his invention with dexterity. This is what invests popular ignorance with terrors which never appeared in it before, and it is this which has brought the real, respon- sible test of democracy, social and political, on our time, and on us. Democracy, in fact, has remained consider- ably, hitherto, an unworked theory of society, LARNED. even in communities which have supposed themselves to be democratically constituted. It has remained so through want of conditions that would give a clear sound to the individ- ual voice and free play to the individual will. Those conditions are now arriving in the world, and the democratic regime is consequently perfecting itself, not politically alone, but economically, and in all the social relations of mankind. So it is not exaggeration to say that we have come to a situation in which society must fight for its life against popular ignorance. The old agencies of education are inadequate, when the best has been made of them. The common school does not go far enough, and cannot. Its chief function is to prepare a soil in the young mind for the after seed-planting which will produce fruits of intelligence. Un- supplemented, it is well-nigh barren of true educational results. The higher schools and colleges reach too small a number to count for much in a problem which concerns the teaching of the universal millions. What agency, then, is there, that will prepare the democracy of the present and the future for its tremendous responsibilities ? Some may say, the newspaper press : and I would rejoice if we could accept that reply. For the press is an educating power that might transform the civilization of the world as swiftly in mind and morals as steam and elec- tricity have transformed its material aspects. There is nothing conceivable in the way of light and leading for mankind which a conscien- tious and cultivated newspaper press might not do within a single generation. But a press of that character and that effect seems possible only under circumstances of disinterestedness which are not likely to exist. The publication of a newspaper may sometimes be undertaken as a duty, but not often. As a rule, it is a busi- ness, like any other, with the mercenary objects of business ; and as a rule, too, the gain sought is more readily and more certainly found by pandering to popular ignorance than by striving against it. A few newspapers can secure a clientage which they please best by dignity, by cleanness, by sober truthfulness, and by thoughtful intelligence, in their col- umns ; but the many are tempted always, not merely to stoop to low tastes and vulgar sentiments, but to cultivate them ; because there is gravitation in the moral as well as the physical world, and culture in the down- ward way is easier than in the upward. The vulgarizing of the news press has been a late and rapid process, nearly coincident in cause and event with the evolution of this modern democracy which it makes more problematical. We need not be very old to have seen the beginnings : the first skimming of the rich daily news of the world for the scum and the froth of it ; the first invention of that disgusting brew, from public sewers and private drains, with which the popular newspapers of the day feed morbid appetites. We can recall the very routes by which it was carried from city to city, and taken up by journal after journal, as they discovered a latent, undevel- oped taste for such ferments of literature in the communities around them. The taste was latent, potential ; it did not exist as a fact ; it was not conscious of itself; it made no de- mands. The newspapers deliberately sought it out, delved for it, brought it to the surface ; fed it, stimulated it, made it what it is to-day, an appetite as diseased and as shamefully pandered to as the appetite for intoxicating drams. And, so far as I can perceive, this action and reaction between what is ignorant and vulgar in the public and what is mercenary and unscrupulous in the press will go on until popular education from other sources puts an end to it. For it is the saving fact that there are other sources ; and foremost among them are the public libraries. If it has been our privilege to see, and for some in our circle to bear a part in, the beginnings of the active educational work of the libraries, I am per- suaded that it is only the beginnings we have witnessed as yet. I am persuaded that the public library of the future will transcend our dreams in its penetrating influence. Consider for a moment what it is, and what it offers to the energies of education which a desperate necessity is awakening and organizing in the world ! It is a store, a reservoir, of the new knowledge of the latest day and the ripened wisdom of the long past. To carry into the" memory and into the thought of all the people who surround it, in a town, even some little part of what it holds of instructed reasoning and instructed feeling, would be to civilize that community beyond the highest experience LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. of civilization that mankind has yet attained to. There is nothing that stands equally beside it as a possible agent of common culture. It is the one fountain of intellectual life which can- not be exhausted ; which need not be channeled for any fortunate few ; which can be generously led to the filling of every cup, of every capacity, for old or young. There is little in it to tempt the befouling hand of the politician, and it offers no gain to the mercan- tile adventurer. For those who serve it on be- half of the public there are few allurements of money or fame. Its vast powers for good are so little exposed to seduction or corruption that it seems to give promises for the future which are safer and surer than any others that society can build hopes upon. In this view, those who serve the public libraries have a great responsibility laid on them. They hold in their hands what would give to civilization an ideal refinement if it could be distributed and communicated to all. As we know very well, that is impossible. There is a part of mankind, in every com- munity, which never will feel, never can be made to feel, the gentle attractiveness and influence of books. The fact is one not to be disputed or ignored. At the same time it is a fact to be treated practically as though it did not exist. It is our business to assume that the mission of good books, books of knowledge, books of thought, books of inspiration, books of right feeling, books of wholesome imagina- tion, can be pushed to every hearth, and to every child and parent who sits by it. And it is our business to labor unsparingly toward the making of that assumption good, without reckoning any fraction of hopelessness in it. That is the business to which we are appoint- ed in the world. Let us be careful that we do not misconceive it in one most important particular ! It is not the mission of books that we are charged with, but the mission of good books. And there lies a delicate, difficult, very grave duty in that discrimination. To judge books with adequate knowledge and sufficient hospitality of mind ; to exercise a just choice among them without offensive censorship ; to defend his shelves against the endless siege of vulgar literature, and yet not waste his strength in the resistance these are really the crucial demands made on every librarian. For the first condition of successful work is a good tool ; and our tools are not books, but good books. These given, then follow those demands on us which we sometimes discuss as though they came first of all : the demands, that is, for a perfected apparatus in the working library, for a tireless energy in its motive forces, and for a large intelligence in the directing of them. Not many years ago, our missionary under- takings from the library seemed to be bounded by its own walls. The improving, annotating, and popularizing of catalogues ; the printing and distributing of bulletins and reference lists ; the surrounding of readers and seekers in a library with willing help and competent suggestion ; these labors seemed, only a few years ago, to include almost everything that the librarian most zealous as a missionary could do. But see what doors have been opening in the last few years, and what illimitable fields of labor now invite him ! Through one, the great army of the teachers in the common schools is coming into co-operation with him. Through another, he steps into the movement of univer- sity extension, and finds in every one of its servants a true apostle of the library mission of good books. From a third, he spreads his beneficent snares about a city in branches and delivery stations ; and by a fourth he sends "traveling libraries " to the ends of his State. The arena of our work is large enough already to make claims on every faculty and power we can bring to it ; and yet our plainest duty is to enlarge it still. I think we may be sure that there are portals yet to open, agents yet to enlist, alliances yet to enter, conquests yet to make. And in the end what ? Those of us who have faith in the future ot democracy can only hold our faith fast by believing that the knowledge of the learned, the wisdom of the thoughtful, the conscience of the upright, will some day be common enough to prevail, always, over every factious folly and every mischievous movement that evil minds or ignorance can set astir. When that blessed time of victory shall have come, there will be many to share the glory of it ; but none among them will rank rightly before those who have led and inspired the work of the public libraries. BRETT. THE PRESENT PROBLEM. BY WM. H. BRETT, LIBRARIAN OF THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY. "'T'HE old order changeth, giving place to the new, and God fulfils himself in many ways." The period since the Civil War has been fraught with many changes in our own country. The United States of 1894 is not merely a greater and more populous, but a vastly different country from that of 1864. The reasons for this are manifold. The emancipation and enfranchisement of an enslaved race, the influx of a large foreign population, the settlement and development of the West, the concentration of business of all kinds into great establishments, the shifting of population from the abandoned farm and the depleting village to the congesting city, all conspire, not merely to alter the circumstances but to radically change the very texture of our national life. With these changes has come an increasing hardness of the conditions of life for many classes of workmen, produ- cing industrial discontent and growing antag- onism between employers and employed ; religious unrest evinced on the one hand by an apparently spreading skepticism, and on the other by the wonderful growth of the most earnest and enthusiastic associations for the spread of practical Christianity; political and social dissatisfaction leading to visionary political projects and the earnest advocacy of various social panaceas. Amid all this turmoil, the great danger to our country, the danger which is fundamental to all the rest, is the failure of a large portion of our citizens to appreciate the importance of the duties of citizenship, and in the corruption of the ballot due to ignorance and vice. The growing complexity of political questions increases the difficulty. The young man of to-day may well envy the young man of ''sixty- one" in that for him the issue was clearly made, the lines were sharply drawn, the path of duty was clearly marked. The voter of to-day has to decide and act upon questions of the functions of government, of finance, of the tariff, about which the wisest disagree ; and upon the decision of a voting " population which includes a formidable number of the corrupt, the venial and the ignorant, and a vast majority too meagrely informed, rests the welfare of our country. The remedy for this serious condition can only be found in more thorough and general education, with special emphasis upon the duties of citizenship and preparation for them. The first to recognize the necessity of this more thorough political education were our colleges. This recognition was coincident with, or followed hard upon the Civil War, raising as it did so many new national and international questions. Since that time schools of political science have been made a part of the leading universities and colleges. Their graduates, largely engaged in teaching, or in journalism, and scattered throughout the country, form a leaven of sound political opinion. The great Society of Christian Endeavor has paid especial attention to this subject and proposes as a most important part of its work during the coming year, while carefully avoid- ing any partizanship, to emphasize the im- portance of an intelligent and conscientious performance of civic duties. Clubs and asso- ciations are being formed throughout the country and journals published. While much of this effort is undoubtedly diverted from its legitimate purpose to the promotion of political schemes and the propaganda of new theories, it at least shows a widespread awakening to the importance of the subject. In view of this serious condition, this press- ing danger, this widespread interest, it is per- tinent to enquire what our libraries are doing, what more they can do to ameliorate this condition, to avert this danger, to promote good citizenship. The growth of libraries in America during the last twenty years is unprecedented. The figures as set forth in the report of the Commissioner of Education are familar to you. There were twelve millions of volumes in the libraries of the United States in 1876, thirty-two millions in 1892. It is diffi- cult to discriminate, in the figures given in LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. these reports, between those libraries which are supported solely by taxation and are abso- lutely free, and those whose support is derived wholly or partly from other sources. From what does appear, however, it is evident that the number of volumes in those libraries to which the term "public" may be applied in the same sense in which it is applied to our free schools, numbers several millions, and that their annual use is measured by an increasing number of tens of millions. The public school and the public library stand together. Together they form our pub- lic educational establishment, the equipment which is provided by the people acting collect- ively for the education of themselves and their children in the duties of citizenship. They are established for the same ends, supported by the same means, and must be judged by the same standards. If we are content in regard to the schools, with knowing that there are in this country tens of millions of dollars expended, tens of thousands of teachers employed and millions of pupils taught each year, and satisfy our- selves with the belief that in some way these pupils are the better for this instruction and that a vast amount of good is being done, if we go no farther than this we fail to arrive at the root of the matter, we do not apply the proper test. The public schools are established for a single purpose, all their work should tend to- ward that purpose, and by their failure or success in accomplishing that purpose, and by that alone can they be judged. Divested of every thing extraneous that purpose is a single and simple one. It is not that the pupil may enjoy the beauties of literature, that he may become familiar with the great events of history, that he may investigate the wonders of nature to the end that his own life may be richer and more enjoyable. He is not being educated for his own sake, but for the good of the com- munity of which he will form a part. The pur- pose of educating the child is that he may be kindly, honorable and serviceable in every social relation, wise and strenuous in the performance of every public duty, in short, a good citizen. It does not follow, by any means, that the course of study should necessarily consist of sociology and ethics and of such elementary studies as may lead to them. Literature and art should be studied in order that the taste may be cultivated, the sympathies quickened ; history, in order that the lessons of the past may throw light on present questions ; nature, that on the one hand the greatness of creation may strengthen faith in the Creator, on the other that the forces of nature may be still further developed for the benefit of man ; and thus every study may be properly introduced which serves to render the student a more valuable citizen, and for that purpose alone. True, these studies tend to make life broader, richer, sweeter and more enjoyable to each individual pursuing them ; but that result, to use a manufacturing phrase, is a by-product and not the main object, which is simply citizenship. It may seem that this is a distinc- tion without a difference and that I have been spending your time to arrive at an accepted truism. The distinction nevertheless is clear and important. Applied to our public schools it may reveal little to change. Applied to our public libraries it may reveal some things which should be eliminated, others which might be added. The reason why good citizenship is the only object of the schools is clear when we consider what the process of raising money by taxation and spending it for public schools really is. It consists mainly in taking the money of those who are able to educate their own children outside of the free schools, including those who actually do so, and spending it for the education of many who pay taxes sufficient to meet only a part of the expense and many others who pay nothing at all. It is simply taking one man's money to educate another man's child. This can only be justified on the ground of the public welfare, and the larger enforced contri- bution of the rich man on the ground that having a larger interest in the prosperity of the country, the stability of its institutions and the maintenance of order, he should be willing to pay more liberally toward that end. Now taxation and expenditure for the public library is essentially the same thing. It con- sists in taking the money of those who are able to buy their own books and using it to buy books for those who are not able to do so. Therefore, the only sufficient justification for this is that those using the library, become thereby better citizens. That individual lives BRETT. will thereby be enriched is happily true, but this is, in a strict analysis of the purposes of of the public library, not even a secondary consideration. I have said that the question of promoting good citizenship is an important one to libra- ries generally. It is not too much to say that for the public librarian it is the important question, the only question. All other ques- tions should be considered in their bearings on this. Every method should be devised, every department managed toward that end. Nor is the case especially different with many semi-public endowed libraries. The endow- ments are usually funds held in trust for the public good and the purposes essentially the same. The citizen in his public capacity as a voter or official, or as a student of public affairs, will of course be more directly reached and his opinions more definitely moulded by those classes of books which fall under the general head "sociology." No other department of the library needs wiser management, for in no other department is the possibility greater of doing evil as well as good. In no field of human investigation about which books are written, has so much been published that is worthless, so much that is misleading and injurious. The field is so broad, the -subjects so interesting, the difficulty of obtaining exact and full information so great, the temptations to theorize so strong, that an immense amount has been written and printed which is false in statement and visionary in theory. It is certainly better to exclude such and duplicate the better books. The person in charge of this department should be well in- formed of the important literature of the sub- jects, old and new, should keep up with the latest, should know the books of the most important writers holding different opinions upon the various subjects, even those most keenly controverted, and should use this in- formation and a discriminating judgment both in the selection of books for purchase and in the guidance of readers. All of this is quite consistent with an entire lack of partisanship or any attempt at propaganda. The work which is open in this field in any of our larger libraries requires equal ability and preparation, does not especially differ in kind, and I believe exceeds in importance that of a college professor in that department. Less directly other departments of the library may be made to bear upon education for civic duties. History, as past politics, may help to solve present political problems. Travel throws light upon social conditions in other lands. Even fiction is used to more vividly portray social conditions, to arouse sympathy for the wronged and oppressed, bring odium upon the wrong-doer and oppressor, to hold up for admiration and imitation the lovelier phases of character, and to work out with greater freedom social theories. To the education of the citizen in his private capacity, to stimulating his patriotism, to in- creasing his intelligence and capacity for affairs, to enhancing his value to society, the whole library is subservient. Its fitness for this end is the sole test of every method in use and of every volume on the shelves. To every department as well as to that of sociol- ogy, the same discriminating care in the selection or exclusion of books, the same judicious guidance of their use should be ap- plied. The experience of American librarians during the last twenty years, the free inter- change of opinion at the meetings of the Association and through the pages of the " Library Journal " have developed a scheme of library economy which is exceedingly valuable and has resulted in a practical agree- ment upon most important library methods. Permit me, however, to speak briefly of two questions upon which some difference of opinion and practice exists and which are ex- ceedingly important to the full performance of the function of the library. In the selection of books, no more fallacious or misleading idea can prevail than that a strong demand for a work constitutes a sufficient, or, indeed, in itself, any reason at all for placing it upon the shelves. It is said sometimes that this is the people's library and should contain the books which the people ask for. This is sheer sophistry. The people who clamor for books are not usually the people who pay for them, nor those whose opinions are best worth having. The critical opinion, the matured judgment, the valuable suggestion, is not ob- trusive, is not usually volunteered. It must be sought for and invited and may well be followed, but this is a very different thing from being controlled by clamor. It is the people's 8 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. library and should contain the books which they need, but it would be as reasonable to let the pupils in school select their own text- books as to follow much of the popular enquiry for books. To do this would load our shelves with the worthless and pernicious. We should have not merely the empty productions of some of our modern story-tellers but much else that is not merely valueless but absolutely harmful. In travels we would have the glib garrulity of sensational sight-seers. In litera- ture, in religion, in other departments, it leads to scarcely less dangerous absurdities. We must discriminate between a need and a mere want. The proper care of the books is an exceed- ingly important function of the librarian, but it is possible to pay so much attention to this as to seriously impede their use. The duties of a librarian in the Middle Ages were simple. Books were usually either heirlooms or gifts, were exceedingly costly, and used by few. He had little to do but take care of them and he guarded them as he would the relics of the saints. The stress still laid upon the care of books in some of our libraries is an uncon- scious survival of this mediaeval spirit and arises also from a failure to discern the dif- ferent amount of care necessary for a popular library and for a museum of curios like a library of first editions or other rare books. Other things being equal that library will do the best work which allows the most unrestricted use of its books. Good work is being done to-day in some of our smaller libraries. Given a col- lection of books which though not large is well selected, in charge of a librarian intelligent and devoted, who keeps in touch with teachers and the best readers, with energy and strength for boundless work and unlimited tact, and you have the ideal condition. To accomplish this work in a large library is vastly more difficult. It requires system, a more complete organization, effective and harmonious work in every department. The best-organized college libraries of to- day are doing most effective work and the greater public libraries may learn much from them. The college librarian is fortunate in having the assistance of a corps of educated men, each an expert in an important field, both for the selection of books and guidance to readers. He is also fortunate in that his readers are a selected group presumably above the average and are pursuing definite courses of study, which, though broad enough to in- clude almost everything about which books have been written, still connect their reading in some sort of logical sequence. Macchiavelli in "The Prince" says, "There are three generations of brains, those who can see a thing for themselves, those who see a thing if another doth show them, and those who can see a thing neither for themselves nor if another doth show them." The users of a college library are presumably drawn from the first two classes. The growth of both our schools and our libraries during the last third of a century has not been merely an increase in size, but has been accompanied by great modifications of method, and to some extent on the part of the library at least, by a change of its purpose, or rather by an awakening to the real purpose of its existence. While formerly the course of study in the schools was fixed and the work mainly confined to the text-books and recita- tion-room, greater latitude in the choice of studies is now allowed, and the laboratory and seminary inviting to original research and in- vestigation, form an important part of the course. The school is approaching nearer to that perfect freedom in study which is to be found at its best in the library. On the other hand the library is no longer content to remain passive, merely a magazine of information, but is more and more aiming to assist and guide the reader, and to become an active teaching force. The library and the school are approach- ing each other. The oft-quoted saying ofCarlyle, "The true university of these days is a collection of books," is true; but it contains but half the truth, except for those who, like Carlyle him- self, clearly belong to the first class designated by the Italian diplomatist. Garfield in his later days, at a reunion of his old Hiram teachers arid pupils, emphasized the import- ance of the work of the true teacher. He said that a pine bench in a log cabin with Mark Hopkins on one end of it and himself as a pupil on the other would be more than the greatest university with the most elaborate equipment. Here we have the other half-truth. A great collection of books with a man in it comes nearer, certainly, to the ideal of a university ; BIRTWELL. and it is the only university which is available to the less favored majority. During all these years of increasing unrest and turmoil, when it has seemed not merely that the old order was changing, but that all order was in danger of being swept away, this people's university, the library, has been grow- ing, quietly, steadily, and 'even now it is increasing in material strength more rapidly than ever. The possibility of its power for good or evil can hardly be estimated. Is it not, indeed, one of the ways in which God is fulfilling himself? HOME LIBRARIES. BY C. W. BIRTWELL, GENERAL SECRETARY, BOSTON CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY. T T OME libraries, as the name implies, are libraries in homes. I suppose every one here has a library in his home ; he therefore has a home library. I am asked to talk of one particular type of libraries in the home. Libraries have been established in the homes of poor people first in the city of Boston and later elsewhere. The scheme had a very natural and simple origin. Some six or seven years ago, while busy among the poorer children of Boston, I found myself now and then placing a good book in the hands of a boy or girl ; and after a time found it desirable that in some way I should be able to distribute books and multiply the personal work that I could do and economize time. I could not keep pace with the demands upon my time made by the children brought to my attention. So this thing occurred to me : to organize little groups, to arrange little sets of bogks, place them in the homes of poor children, have some reliable lad or young girl 12 or 13 or 14 years of age serve as librarian, and so get the books distributed by the children themselves. To make the thing somewhat shapely and tidy I designed a neat book-case, attractive enough so that it would be an adornment to a wall of a home rather than a disfigurement. I selected some sets of books and spoke to a few juveniles and asked them if they would not like a little library. All the children I spoke to were quite taken with the idea, so I simply took to one and another home this little book-case with a carefully selected set of 15 books and some juvenile periodicals ; placed the little case on the wall of the home and organized a group of 15 little boys and girls into a home library. We sometimes had to search rather hard to find a place on the wall that would hold the book-case with 15 books in it, but we always succeeded. The children sometimes wanted to put the books off in the chambers away from the living-rooms for fear harm would come to the books, but we always insisted on having the book-case where they had only to reach their hand up to take a book down. To be a genuine home library it must always be accessible to the family. Presently the demand became quite urgent for libraries here and there in different parts of the city. Benevolent associations, associated charities' agents and visitors, and people connected with different lines of benev- olent endeavor, and the children themselves were clamoring for libraries. So we put out one after another till the city became to be quite dotted with them. I found it was im- possible for me to attend to all of these li- braries, so I asked some of my friends to take each of them a library, and in this way the largely increasing load was carried more easily Then I found the work multiplying in the line of the exchange of the sets of books. When a group of children had read a set of books that set was returned to the office of the Children's Aid Society, and another, a fresh set, was sent in its place. The selection of books became quite a task, and so the whole thing called for a little further planning. The visitors also came to me with all manner of questions, so that these two new features were added. In the first place, we had a monthly conference of the visitors, so that the dozen or fifteen people who were 10 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. visiting each a group of children met with me once a month and spent an hour or so talking over the problems that arose in regard to the work. The second fresh development was the use of volunteer readers. I started it with the idea that I would not waste any of my time taking to poor children books that were not worth reading. I never could quite see any decided advantage in that. So I started out to choose good books, and if the children would read them they should have all they wanted of them. If they would not read them we could see some better way to use our time. We started out therefore with a high standard ; every book was to be read from cover to cover by competent people. Written reviews were submitted to me and I passed on the questions as to whether the book would be suitable in a home library group. Then came the necessity for a paid assistant. After the libraries had been running about two and a-half years the work in connection with them became sufficient to demand a paid assistant, and I emphasize that as a pretty im- portant item. I do not think you can get very much done in this world without having some one to devote himself or herself to a work and carry it as a definite responsibility ; and sal- aried officers are the ones who are apt to feel that responsibility. So I engaged from among the ladies who had served as volunteers a young lady who agreed to give her whole time to the work on salary. We pay that young lady $650 a year and we ought to pay her $1,000. Then we proceeded to put out libraries very rapidly, and the number has now grown to 69 in the different parts of Bos- ton and the immediate suburbs. From my merely going with a set of books came these 69 libraries, each with its group of 10 young readers, each library actually in the home of a poor family, each library provided with a volunteer visitor, and each library group and visitor meeting together once a week for an hour or more in the home of the librarian. Along with all that development had gone a very natural enrichment of the whole program of the libraries. In the first place, we had to develop, as is a melancholy necessity, a set of forms and some arrangement for keeping the facts in hand. First of all a little card on which each little child who wishes to join a group records that fact, and the parents sign, or more often merely make their cross, indi- cating a willingness that the child should join. Then we also planned a registration card, a rather elaborate one, on which a visitor should record the facts in regard to each member on the inception of the library, as to the character and occupations, ages and general conditions of the members of the family, and the family as a whole, and the reading that was found in the home when the library was first estab- lished ; and then later on, from time to time, any change in the circumstances or status of the family. These original statements of the conditions of these families, and the subsequent story, are full of interesting facts. Their object of course is to enable us always to know whether we are still keeping to our true pur- pose of working among the very poor, and also to note the effects of the libraries. Then we also arranged a form on which the children record their opinions of the books ; and it is one mark of the growth of a group that while they start out perhaps by saying "nice," and "very nice," gradually these opinions become more elaborate. Thus while the original adjectives still appear even in old groups we once in a while get "good," and "no good," "I like it," etc. ; and sometimes a lad with an element of fun and frankness in him says, " Pretty good, what I read of it." The boys and girls show themselves in these comments on the books. We test the books in that way and we also learn the difficulty of making children read intelligently and then digest what they read, and be able to talk about it. A word about the selection of books. I have said that we use volunteers in that connection, and I could not state too strongly my belief that on that hinges a great deal. It was very soon found that in connection with the books we could develop things of another sort. We urged the children to read to their parents and to each other. Some- times the hour of the meeting is devoted partly to reading by the children. Sometimes the visitor reads to the children, perhaps a book outside of the library. Then we found that we could touch a further need of the children of the poor ; the need of amusement, home amusement, an amusement that they do not have to run into the street or dime show to get. The parents of the. poor BIRTWELL. n are busy at work ; they are drudging from morning till night. We found the children very ignorant of the commonest games, so we added home amusements to the curriculum, so to speak, of the home libraries. It is now one of the duties of the visitors to learn all they can about games ; standing-up games, sitting-down games, noisy games, quiet games, games that tax the brain and games that do not ; and any visitor who discovers a new game places it on file for the use of all other visitors. Then we had festivities at Christmas time. The children began to enjoy their festivities together, and that was very admirable in pro- moting courtesy, kindness and real generosity and friendship among them. In the summer the groups take outings together. All through this summer the visitors and groups have been wending their way to the quiet little pleasure-grounds about Boston ; and again if anybody finds a new nook anywhere he or she reports it and we pass it along to all the rest. Three or four years ago we started a little plan of having sales of plants for club gardens. Every spring we sell three or four hundred plants. Then in the fall we have a festival and lunch, and all who can bring live plants. We are to have our fall festival within two or three weeks. Last fall 60 plants were brought in, some of them two years old. A good many other plants had lived, but some of the children worked and could not attend the day festivals. The visitors resort to various schemes for interesting and improving the children; in fact, the libraries afford unlimited scope for the visitors. In one group the children of a very poor locality made a plan to help out a poor old woman who kept a candy-store. One boy sawed her wood, others took turns attending to the store, etc. And then they have sewing- classes. The visitors follow out all suggestions that come to them as to the way of interesting children. Some make quite a point of music. Recently we had a little group going all to pieces. The children were losing their inter- est and the parents were rather adverse to keeping a library. We got them to keeping it for a time and then an earnest visitor started it up and made quite a use of music. Part of the time was given to songs and inside of a few months that was one of the most successful libraries in the whole list. Visitors were interested also in matters affecting the whole neighborhood. Over in South Boston an effort was made by a visitor to get electric lights put in streets that were dark and where things that were decidedly harmful were going on, as we learned through the children. In fact, the electric light is quite a moral item in some of these dark quarters. Visitors report cases of illegal liquor-selling to law-and-order leagues. We had a hand in stopping some gambling going on among the children. Some men were systematically working the poorer part of the west end of Boston principally among the poorer children. Cases of all sorts come to the notice of the visitors. They bring them up at the confer- ences or they come to the office and discuss them with myself and assistants. Cases of truancy have come up, and just now one of the visitors is working hard over a girl of 15 who is intemperate, and the girl is strongly and conscientiously endeavoring to overcome her taste for liquor. In another instance one of the worst cases came up, which was discovered by one of the visitors, a case of moral exposure that would be absolutely indescribable here. Now you see how our conferences may be loaded up with problems. We meet once a month, except in summer, and canvass these varjous subjects. Now you see also why we limit a group. At the beginning we started with 15 children, and later we decided that 10 was a sufficient num- ber. A visitor must go once a week to meet the group. Now and then she must go with the children with their savings to the bank. She needs (I say she ; some are men and some are women) to know the families of all the children who are members ; and at least once a month visitors aim to put in a forenoon or afternoon visiting among the families repre- sented in the library. As the children grow older they naturally still cling to their friend- ship with the visitors ; and to allow a margin of the time and strength among the graduates we hold the number down to 10. When a set of books has been read by a group the set is exchanged for a fresh one. That change is usually made once in 10 or 12 weeks, so that the children get of course the perennial supply of good literature. One temptation often comes to people to establish libraries in halls or rooms specially set apart for them. We 12 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. have persistently refused to establish anything but home libraries, and we find that by doing that we get the home libraries ; but if we should start the other plan our strength would go in that direction. Libraries have been established in various other cities within the last two or three years. Lynn has had successful ones, and their vis- itors attend our conferences. Indianapolis and Cincinnati have them, and the College Settlement in New York city has half a dozen. In Albany the library work has been started, and of course under peculiarly promising auspices. If there were time I should like to give a word as to the relation of this to public libra- ries. We buy all our books from the funds of the Boston Children's Aid Society ; but I see no reason why a public library should not honor the draft of a responsible group of children for a set of books, and it becomes merely a little administrative question as to how that demand may be best provided for and met. The books of course are read by the children, their parents, and lodgers and friends. We have had a book read by the child that took it out, by six or seven brothers and sisters, by the father and mother, and by six or seven lodgers. We have never yet asked the Boston Public Library to supply us with books, because that thought did not occur to us in the first few years of the enterprise, and by that time we had a pretty fair equipment of books. We always buy three copies of a book because it will go out of print rapidly. I think that when the Boston Public Library is housed in the new library building it will receive a petition from us and we will see if we can not establish a closer relation between this work and that of the public library. At present we are at work on a list of books for our grad- uates, and propose printing and placing against the names of the books the numbers that they bear at the public library and its branches. We mean to graduate children from the home libraries into an intelligent use of the public library. I am asked how young the children are ad- mitted to the libraries. They are admitted as early as they can read. That means anywhere from 8 to 16 or 17. I am asked what I mean by graduates. In time boys and girls do become young men and young women. They sometimes think they are young men and young women rather before they are. But you have to yield to the sense of increasing years and added import- ance on the part of boys and girls, and it is one of our standing problems how to have the work that has been done in the libraries con- tinue on into the later years, the later teens, when certainly the temptations and difficulties of lads and misses in the poorer quarters of the city are not apt to diminish. The visitors are urged to keep up their personal relations with the children. One visitor is now trying the experiment of letting the library group grow into a working boys' and girls' club. If the club should extend a little farther it is possible they might absorb some of our children. They have already in one or two instances. In one or two other cases little dramatic clubs are being formed, and we are waiting for some of our boys to be old enough to join the Wells Memorial Workingmen's In- stitute. An item that ought not to be overlooked is this : That the ideal library group is made up of boys and girls younger and older. In that way we strike the maximum range of rela- tions. There is hardly any problem that can arise in the life of a family that can not arise in the home library in such a way that a skillful visitor can do something about it. The rooms in which the children read are, many of them, very crowded ; being tenement-houses where every now and then there is a sick woman across the hallway and the children must go and come quietly, and not to bring dirt into the house of the poor old, hard-worked woman whose hos- pitality they are enjoying. The boys learn to be courteous to the girls, and the girls look upon the boys in the right way. We look upon this healthful association of the sexes in the libraries as one of its chief features. What do the parents think of this work and how do they look upon it ? Parents look upon it variously. Sometimes when a prospective librarian and a group of little children are very anxious to have a library go to a house, the important masculine head of the house not having been notified at the beginning by my assistant, who usually sees the people with whom we propose to place a library, thinks that it would be an intrusion ; that the children would be apt to come in while he is at supper, CUTLER. or that they will make a noise, or interfere with him and his pipe, and so on. Then I simply despatch my assistant to conquer the man. It can always be done. We simply acknowledge our grievous error in not having seen him first. We flatter his vanity, and usually inside of from 25 to 45 minutes we can make him cordial. What about the spreading of contagious diseases ? We have arrangements with the board of health by which the visitors learn through the librarian whether any child is suf- fering from a contagious disease. Then word goes from the librarian to the visitor and is reported to the board of health. In the same way the board of health reports to us any cases that break out in houses where we have libraries. We depend upon them to report to us the greater part of the time, but in case of an epidemic my assistant goes to the office of the board of health and scans their reports. Of course she is familiar with the situation of all the libraries. As to what shall be done with the books if a disease has broken out in a house ? The books that are out, stay out ; and the books that are in the family are treated according to the plan that has been outlined by the medical council of the Child- ren's Aid Society and the Boston Board of Health. So that, although the visitors are going week after week, and have been for years, to these various homes, we have never yet had any complaint or difficulty arise. We can not say what mischief we have done, but nothing has been charged against us. We burn books once in awhile to be on the safe side. HOME LIBRARIES. BY MARY S. CUTLER, VICE-DIRECTOR, NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY SCHOOL, ALBANY. TT seems to me a significant fact that the American Library Association has no mo- nopoly of the modern library idea. The association may be directly or indirectly responsible for it, but the idea at any rate is in the air. Impressed with this thought, I picked up a copy of the New York Herald and found it carried out under the heading of a platform adopted by certain labor organizations for the fall's campaign : " Resolved, That we demand that the city shall establish a central municipal library with branches." Another illustration came to me this summer in Troy, N. Y., where a children's library has been started by the pastor of a Unitarian church. The library is used by children of all classes and denominations in the city. It was opened in the spring and has had a very large circulation even during the summer months. I expressed my interest in the library and said that by all means it ought to be carried on till a public library could take up the work. The founder of the library said that would be all very well except that the public library would not have the missionary idea ; they would simply let out the books in a mechanical sort of a way; he wanted to help the children person- ally. I tried to show him that the ideal public 3 library as understood by the library association had a little bit of that spirit, and he seemed convinced ; but finally added, ' ' Well, at least it would not be an attractive place, and I want to make the children's library an attractive place." The point of this is simply that the plan was apparently worked out independently of any knowledge of the work that is being done by the librarians of the country. The founding of the Home Libraries is another marked illustration. Miss West, in a visit made to the Library School last winter, gave us an idea which is to be adopted in the home libraries of Albany. It is the circulation of framed pictures. It has not been carried out in Milwaukee, but is planned for the new building. You will see that it fits admirably the home library idea. The home libraries in Albany developed in about the same lines as the Boston libraries, and have been, for the two years in which they have been carried on, a decided success. This summer I had the pleasure of being for a little while a visitor in one of the libraries in order to get a more practical idea of the work, and this is the result of the experience. I was very much struck by the fact that the children needed exceedingly personal help ; LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. that although they were interested enough to take the book home many of them had not cared enough about it to read it through. Very often they brought it back saying they liked it very much ; that they read it almost through, at least they read so many pages. One of the most important considerations before the librarian to-day is the selection of books ; another is the infusion of a stronger human element into the work. It is not enough for us to circulate books, or to circulate good books ; we must in some way insure that the children and all those who need individual help get this help in some way or other. If we as librarians cannot provide it as fully as we wish, we should co-operate with home libraries, with clubs, and with various other agencies that can supply this personal element and make the books more useful. COMMON NOVELS IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES.* BY CAROLINE H. GARLAND, LIBRARIAN, DOVER PUBLIC LIBRARY. HPHE actual necessities'of life are very few. The physical life requires only eating, drinking, sleeping. The demands of spiritual life are also very simple, being love to God and love to fellow-man. The elements of mental life are also few, being something to think of and the process of thinking of it. It is the development and demands of taste that complicate life, and as the physical life may be developed so that the time, the material, and the manner of our eating may, and generally does, assume proportions of magnitude ; and as spiritual taste is devel- oped, not to say forced and distorted, until spiritual brothers make war upon one another and eminent scholars are expelled from the communion of their faith for telling the truth ; so mental taste may be fostered and forced until details are apotheosized and the aim of the public library (which I take to be the wel- fare of the individual and the best interests of the community) is lost sight of in the con- sideration of the different ways leading to that aim. It is a question of development of taste that we consider this evening. The question, as stated, reads: "Is a free public library jus- tified in supplying to its readers books which are neither for instruction nor for the cultiva- tion of taste ; which are not books of knowl- edge nor of ideas, nor of good literature ; which are books of entertainment only such, for example, as the ruck of common novels." The word ruck sent me to the dictionary ; it sounds formidable, but means only the common run, the commonplace. This ques- tion then, refers not to books that are pos- itively degrading, like Laura Jean Libbey and her ilk (indeed I cannot conceive any sane public library using that material); nor even to the mawkish sentimentalities of Mrs. South- worth, Mrs. Stephens, and Bertha Clay ; nor, of course, to works with any taint of unclean- ness, by any author whatever. But I take it to refer to those moral commonplace produc- tions, represented by Amanda Douglas, Rosa Carey, and Mrs. Holmes, possibly, but first and always by poor old Roe. Now the taste that, uncultivated, desires Roe, is the taste that, cultivated, desires Henry James. Neither author writes novels of ideas, nor of instruction, nor of knowledge. One, however, is called a writer of good literature, by reason of artistic merit, and the other is not. Yet as regards the presence of the two in our libraries, I do not think the arguments are all in favor of James. Take, for example, two types familiar in all public *A series of papers in discussion of the following questions : Is a free public library justified in supplying to its readers books which are neither for instruction nor for the cultivation of taste ; which are not books of knowledge, nor of ideas, nor of good literature ; which are books of entertainment only such, for example, as the ruck of common novels ? If so, what are the justifying considerations ? Do they differ essentially from the reasons which might be urged in favor of free theatres? GARLAND. libraries: One is the woman who married young, lives in a small house in a crowded street, has a family of children, and expends her mental energy and taste chiefly in making the most of life for her family on her husband's small income. She comes to the library in a home-made gown, waits patiently her turn in the line, and asks for a volume of Roe, from whose perusal she derives a commonplace but solid pleasure. The other is a woman who has not married so young, having waited for a husband who has money ; and she lives in a house so excellent in its sanitary arrange- ments that a microbe would not have a fight- ing chance of life in it. She has no children ; and she comes to the library in a tailor-made gown, wants to be served at once, no matter how many are waiting, and asks for the latest volume of Henry James, from the perusal of which she acquires an added analytical and critical self-consciousness. And I boldly avow that the welfare of the individual, and the interests of the community, are as highly sub- served by the circulation of that volume of Roe as by that volume of Henry James. If it be a problem with librarians why so many people in the world desire common- place books, I suspect the answer is found in the fact that so many persons are merely com- monplace people. This would be an appalling fact, were it not that outside of their own line of work librarians are often quite gloriously commonplace themselves, without feeling grieved about it. It is quite probable that if some great singer were to come walking into the room here, and offer to sing whatever we wanted to hear, some one might ask for "Old Folks at Home," instead of artistic opera. Fancy the feelings of a musical critic who is trying to elevate the popular taste in music, at such a choice as that ! Fancy, too, the feel- ings of the librarian if this same musical critic shall forbid to him the use of songs that are not songs of ideas, nor of knowledge, nor for the cultivation of taste ; but are songs of entertainment only ! In painting, too, some good librarian may not be quite what he ought. Quite possibly at the Fair he preferred Hovenden's " Break- ing Home Ties " to Zorn's "In the Omnibus." How sad for the artist, who is striving to bring the world up to the artistic heights of Im- pressionism, with no less conscientious zeal than librarians are using for fictional real- ism ! Now, just as I admit the right of existence for the merely entertaining in other branches of art, so I admit that right for fiction in a library. Otherwise. I think we would be in- sufferable prigs ; and, if that common argu- ment is made that all aching voids can be satisfied with artistic literature, I can only say that in my experience, readers of Roe are no mor,e satisfied with Henry James than readers of James are satisfied with Roe ; and their reasons, to me, seem often as well-founded. Any one who knows by experience just how agreeable it makes one feel to have what he wants taken away from him, and what some one else deems better for him, substituted, may put in practice his theory if he like. When we are not ourselves the persons to be operated upon, we all recognize the fact that advancement in taste is a thoroughly de- sirable thing, to be achieved by all possible means save that of deprivation ; and when one is the person operating, the same principle holds. Therefore, we lend vigorous hands to the forwarding of all movements for pushing good literature, remembering, too, that all things are possible to the young. Book lists, school work, newspaper items, clubs, univer- sity extension lectures, personal intercourse ; all these we cheerfully undertake, as a matter of course. But, personally, I would not de- prive readers of novels for entertainment only, provided, always, that they shall be clean and free from immoral taint ; although my obser- vation would testify that the commonplace reader does not desire and will not tolerate so much immorality as will the person of highly- cultivated literary taste. Moreover, there is the better and the best. If a librarian does not himself always read the highest fiction (it will be remembered that Paradise Lost is fiction), he should not cast a stone at him who is less advanced on the artistic road ; any more than he who smokes a cigar should cast a stone at him who smokes a pipe. There are, however, those who may throw a stone at readers of fiction for entertainment only. Number one is that woman who, with an hour to herself and some chosen friend, sits down and discusses, not the interesting details of recent happenings, but the tariff bill. She i6 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. may cast a stone at readers of Roe. Number two is that man who, clad in the garb of social functions and standing in the doorway of the lighted parlor to survey the array of beauty massed therein, passes by the pretty society girl about whom half his acquaintances are gathered, but whom his feminine friends declare to be quite commonplace, and seeks out with deliberate choice some woman of superior cultivation, who will elevate his mind. That man may cast a stone at readers of books for entertainment only. Number three is that librarian who, with a week to spend at the World's Fair last year, spent much of his time in the Anthropological Build- ing, studying improving statistics of charities and correction, and wasted no part of his time down the frivolous Midway. He may cast a stone ; but it is not probable that any one who went to Buffalo Bill will think of even picking up a stone. To the second part of the question, "Do these considerations differ from those justify- ing a free theatre?" the answer must be given, yes, decidedly. The matter of expense alone would differentiate the questions so de- cidedly that in a brief paper like this no other need be noted. A single dollar expended in the equipment and maintenance of a theatre could not be seen with a microscope. A single dollar expended in a library buys a book that lasts years, accommodates many people, and builds up the permanent value of the library. In conclusion then, it seems to me, a public library is justified in supplying to its readers, along with books of ideas, and books of knowledge, and books of instruction, some books that are for entertainment only ; just as I would say that a public library is justified in paying the expenses of its librarian to a meet- ing of the A. L. A., even though at that meet- ing the librarians not only consider questions of ideas, and of instruction, and of knowledge, but also indulge themselves in a few excur- sions and a little general hilarity that must be conceded to be for entertainment only. COMMON NOVELS IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES. BY ELIZABETH P. THURSTON, LIBRARIAN, NEWTON FREE LIBRARY. "PHE question whether novels shall be put into public libraries has now, I sup- pose, become rather a question of the past with the American Library Association, the matter having been practically settled, even if there is still theoretically a difference of opin- ion. In nearly every free library the public expects to find the good novels and to be denied the morally bad ones ; and, therefore, the form of our query to-day is, not shall we have novels, but shall we have those neither good nor bad, that mass of indifferent litera- ture which is now being poured upon the market in such quantities ? What can be said in favor of having it ? ist. The public demands it. Those readers who devour their seven books a week, must have " a new novel " each time ; that seems to be the only requisite of the book to be drawn author is of no consequence, subject of no consequence, the only important inquiry" Is it a new story that I have not read?" and their argument is that it is the money from their pockets that is supporting the library. Shall their wishes be considered ? ad. These are books that people in general do not care to buy for home libraries ; they only wish them for a few hours, and never care to see them again. If there is a common centre where they may be found and passed around to one and another, they are serving their turn, saving individual outlay, and grati- fying a desire to see and read what so many are talking about and discussing. 3d. We are dependent upon them for reach- ing a certain class of readers who will come to the library if they can find such material, other- wise not. In some communities especially, young boys who would be reading dime novels, police news, and the lowest form of literature might be led to a higher class of reading through these very books, which may be re- THURSTON. garded as neither instructive nor elevating, but merely entertaining. On the other hand, have we the right to en- courage our readers in their contentment with this trash ? Ought we not to lead them up to a better class of reading, and save them from the waste of time ; for is it not a waste of time to devote it to such use? Is there not enough that" is entertaining and restful among the fictitious works of the master writers, the classics of fiction, or at least the better class of stories? Can we not counteract the dime novel, and encourage the habit of reading without recourse to these ordinary novels ? We can find something several grades better to put before our readers, and we need not reason as did a great-uncle of mine, an old bachelor, who is reported to have said of a little visitor with unquestionably strong lungs, ' ' Why, give her some cake, the child cries for it!" It is not necessary to be wholly cast down by the indignant remarks we sometimes hear from our patrons. A lady assured me two or three years ago, that public libraries ought not to buy fiction, that it was not in their province and all wrong to do so ; and yet, as we have noted the class of books she has called for from that day to this, I think, with- out exaggeration, it has been nine-tenths fiction. After all, the great difficulty with regard to this question is in the definition. What novels shall we class as belonging to the ruck of common novels ? for one man's meat is another man's poison. The primer is better for one mind than Shakespeare, but we do not there- fore expel Shakespeare, and we must reach all classes. Some not finding trash will take what can be had, but we must be ready for those who, not finding trash, will not read at all ; and it is generally conceded that it is better to read something than not to read at all, in spite of statements occasionally met with in the magazines like the following: "The general diffusion of education, from which a generation ago, so much was expected, has utterly failed [to check the. increase of crime] ; for statistics show that literates contribute a larger percentage of their class to the criminal ranks than do the illiterates." What an alarming reflection upon librarians, who have as largely contributed towards this "general diffusion of education ! " Neverthless I think we do not need to close our library doors quite yet, nor to fear the in- fluence of books, if applied with moderation moderation, at least, as regards this trashy class ; not, perhaps, the moderation of the old Scotchman, who said : "I believe in temper- ance ; of course I like my glass before break- fast to begin the day right, and one with my breakfast ; but I don't believe in dram, dram, dramming ! I want one in the middle of the forenoon, and one with my dinner, and one after dinner; but none of your dram, dram, dramming ! I find I need a glass to set me up in the course of the afternoon, and at night I am tired and ought to have one with my sup- per, and I always take one before going to bed , but I don't believe in this constant dram, dram, dramming!" This is somewhat the sort of temperance many of our readers would be in danger of falling into, were we to present a too generous display of these frothy (c)glasses. We should be doing a good work if we could lead people to read fewer books and spend more time, or no less time, in the reading We shall probably have to compromise a little in this matter, as we are forced to do in almost all difficult positions. We can find enough that is. reasonably worth putting be- fore our readers, enough to attract the boys and girls, but we need not overstock our shelves with the poorer material ; and we may always choose, to the best of our judgment, the upper border of the "ruck," the higher grades of it, and let the rest go, watching all the time to plant the right seed. It is very distressing to see the children satisfied with the lighter class of books, when you feel they ought to be reading something better. There is one boy I have especially in mind who has come for years at Newton, day after day, wanting a fresh book who would have been satisfied with "Frank in the Mountains," or "Elsie's fioyhood," (really asked for once) a boy who read so voraciously that I felt he was almost a hopeless case ; but who is now, at seventeen years of age, just as rapacious for every new book on electricity or yachting. No need, perhaps, of discouragement ; he may come out all right in spite of his early appren- ticeship with the trash, although I cannot but sympathize with the grammar-school teacher who said to me recently: "Encourage my pupils to read ? I only wish I knew of some i8 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. means of stopping their reading ; they read too much." It is probably easier to influence the read- ing of boys than girls, to lead them away from the inane. We have doubtless all met the little girl of twelve years coming for a good book, a story, and a book for her brother of fourteen, please. "What does he want; a story, too?" "Oh.no! A history." So off she goes, with her story for her, history for him. We have it in our power to guide and in- fluence the choice of literature in many ways, directly and indirectly, and we are often doing it when we are quite unaware of it ourselves, and feel we have made a disappointing failure ; but perhaps we have as good reason to think we are making an impression in the right direction, as the minister's wife when her efforts for the moral advancement of her child were met with the announcement from the little girl that she did not believe there was any God, she knew there was not any God ; and answered as cause of her sudden attack of atheism, in response to her mother's remark that she thought she heard some one praying God last night to make her a good little girl, "Well, He didn't." I do not think public libraries in general are justified in attempting to meet the demand for every new book that appears ; the book that these indomitable readers have heard men- tioned by some friend, whose friend had read it, naming it often by a title as foreign to its real title as the book when bought (if ever found) would be to the wants of the library. Circulating libraries are fitter places for keep- ing this class of literature ; and then in our free libraries the children, the students, the knowledge-seekers may have just so much more chance of finding what you would have them read, and just so much less temptation to squander their time and the higher faculties of their minds in useless reading. Have not the librarians an opportunity I know the process must be gradual, very gradual in many communities of slowly elim- inating the worthless trash, so that the reader may oftener and oftener be able to say with Emerson, that "he shuts the book a richer FICTION IN LIBRARIES : A PLEA FOR THE MASSES. BY GEORGE WATSON COLE, LIBRARIAN, JERSEY CITY FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY. T^HIS question brings forward anew the old one as to the functions of the free public library. Shall it supply its patrons, to whom it owes its existence and support, what they ask for and demand in return for their sup- port? Members of mercantile libraries justly feel a sort of proprietary interest in them, and this feeling is recognized in giving them large num- bers of duplicate copies of current popular fiction. The public library, with a more gen- eral patronage, attempts to break away from this practice by purchasing only a limited number of duplicate copies. The question is virtually the same in both cases, except that in the public library the readers, who just as truly pay for its support as do the members of a mercantile library, are not brought into such close relationship with the library ; and hence are not able to bring that individual pressure to bear upon its management, by threats of withdrawing their support or otherwise, which can be done by a dissatisfied member in a mercantile library. He says, and with appar- ent reason and justice : "I want such or such novels. I joined this library to get such books to read as suit my tastes. If I cannot get them here, I will withdraw my support from this library and go where I can procure them." The reader in the public library has just as much right, and often more, to insist that the money he pays as taxes towards the library's support shall be expended to supply him with popular fiction. The library is in existence by the grace of the public, and it is its duty to cater to all the classes that go towards making up the community in which it is established. COLE. The late Dr. Poole, with his usual sound common-sense, has said upon this point : "In the public libraries which are growing up in our land, fully four-fifths of the money appro- priated for books is spent in works adapted to the wants of scholars. In the larger libraries the proportion is even greater. It is hardly becoming for scholars, who enjoy the lion's share, to object to the small proportional ex- penditure for books adapted to the wants of the masses who bear the burden of taxation." A word here may not be out of place as to the statistics of fiction-reading when compared with those of standard literature. They are not the true criteria by which to judge of the amount of solid reading, so-called, done in the community. In the first place it takes longer to read a book of the latter class than a work of fiction. The omnivorous reader will devour several novels while the studious reader is read- ing a single standard work. Then, again, it takes so much more time to read standard works that they are more frequently bought for the home library ; but it must be a good novel indeed that is welcome to these same shelves. For fiction in general such readers rely almost entirely upon the public library. No one, so far as I know, defends the ad- mission of impure or immoral fiction into the public library ; and few, scarcely any, I sur- mise, would exclude the works of the standard novelists. The whole question, then, hinges upon the admittance of works of inferior merit, so that it ceases to be one of the class of works to be admitted (as in the German- town Library, where fiction is with consistency entirely excluded), and becomes one entirely of degree. In this respect it differs intototrom the question of free theaters and other amuse- ments of a similar nature, about which we have, as yet, no generally accepted standard of dissent or approval. Much has already been written upon the subject now under discussion ; it is cropping out here and there almost constantly. Such being the case, it is hard to say anything new concerning it, and I may be pardoned if I quote at length from those writers whose opinions are entitled to weight on this point. The conditions remain unchanged from what they were twenty or thirty or more years ago. We are all familiar with the antipathy or prejudice which existed fifty or sixty years ago, especially in New England, when novel- reading was almost classed among the deadly sins. Time has wrought a great change in this sentiment, and, as we believe, for the bet- ter ; but the old prejudice dies hard, and every once in a while some one voices the argu- ments of years ago, now happily exploded. Even as far back as 1864 a writer in the Lon- don Spectator very wisely said : "On the whole, the verdict must, we think, be in favor of the novels, though with more reserves than it is quite the fashion to make. The objection rests, we think, upon the as- sumptions, neither of which is more than par- tially sound, that the evils produced by read- ing are confined to novels, and that there is no positive good to counterbalance the possible ill result. ... It is, however, pretty safe to say that novel-reading brings to the ordinary mind at least as much good as ill. . . . Reverie is of itself beneficial, and all that novel-reading can produce is 'reverie about characters and situations imagined by one's self." Mr. Samuel S. Green, a well-known mem- ber of this Association, in 1879 wrote a paper for the Boston Conference on the subject of "Sensational Fiction in Public Libraries," from which I make the following extract : " When called upon recently to select a few hundred dollars' worth of books for young persons in such a town" (meaning one that was well satisfied with all sensational novels left out of its library), "I did not put on the list a single book by Adams, Alger, Kellogg, Mayne Reid, Fosdick ("Castlemon "), or any other sensational writer for the young. Had there been a great shoe-shop or cotton-factory in the town for whose people I was providing books, and sensational works of a good quality had not been elsewhere accessible to operatives, I should have put a small sup- ply of the books of the authors just mentioned into the library." Dr. Poole was accustomed to take a thor- oughly practical and sensible view on all questions of library management that came to his attention. I think he never said more ap- propriate or truer words than he uttered upon this very subject in a paper which appeared in the second number of the Library Journal, entitled "Some Objections to Public Libra- ries." In answer to the objection, which "re- 20 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. lates to the kind and quality of books circu- lated," he said : "The mass of the community have very little literary and scholarly culture and need more of this culture, and the purpose of the library is to develop and increase it. This is done by placing in their hands such books as they can read with pleasure and appreciate, and by stimulating them to acquire the habit of reading. We must first interest the reader before we can educate him ; and, to this end, must commence at his own standard of intel- ligence. The scholar, in his pride of intellect, forgets the progressive steps he took in his own mental development, the stories read to him in the nursery, the boys' book of adven- ture in which he reveled with delight, and the sentimental novel over which he shed tears in his youth. Our objector supposes that the masses will read books of his standard if they are not supplied with the books to which he objects ; but he is mistaken. Shut up to this choice, they will read no books ; when the habit of reading is once acquired, the reader's taste, and hence the quality of his reading, progressively improves. . . . " If our objectors mourn over the standard of books which are read by the public, they may be consoled by the fact that, as a whole, people read books better than themselves, and hence are benefited by reading. A book of a lower intellectual or moral standard than the reader's is thrown aside in disgust, to be picked up and read by a person still lower in the scale of mental and moral development. . . . My observation, addressed to this point, and extending over a library experience of thirty years, has confirmed me in the belief that there is in the mental development of every person, who later attains to literary culture, a limited period when he craves novel-reading, and perhaps reads novels to excess ; but from which, if the desire be gratified, he passes safely out into broader fields of study, and this craving never returns to him in its original force." One more quotation and I am done. Mr. F. B. Perkins, in his article on "How to Make Town Libraries Successful," printed in the "Special Report on the Public Libraries of the United States," in 1876, says : "'Silly reading,' 'trash,' at least what is such to many persons, must to a considerable extent be supplied by the public library, and those who intend to organize a library for the public, for popular reading, and who intend to exclude 'trash,' might as well stop before they begin. But what is trash to some, is, if not nutriment, at least stimulus, to others. Readers improve ; if it were not so, reading would not be a particularly useful practice.* The habit of reading is the first indispensable step. That habit once established, it is a recognized fact that readers go from poor to better sorts of reading. No case has ever been cited where a reader, beginning with lofty philosophy, pure religion, profound science, and useful information, has gradually run down in his reading until his declining years were disreputably wasted on dime novels and story weeklies. The idea is ridiculous, even on the bare statement of it. But the experience of librarians is unanimous to the contrary, that those who begin with dime novels and story weeklies may be ex- pected to grow into a liking for a better sort of stories, then for the truer narrative of travels, of biography and history, then for essays and popular science, and so on upward. " If those who cannot make use of any bet- ter reading than novels and stories and jokes, are not furnished with these, they will not read at all, and this is a worse alternative ; and to exclude such reading from a public library will, in general, reduce the extent of its use to one-quarter of what it would otherwise be. The records of our libraries show that about three-quarters of the reading in them is light reading, and but little alteration in this pro- portion results from the greater or less pro- portion of novels and other light books to the whole collection." Libraries should be carried on just as we would conduct any other business ; the libra- rian should not carry his head so high in the clouds as to forget that the vast majority of people are bowed down by their cares and burdens, and care more for mental relaxation than instruction. The business maxim that favors quick sales even at small profits, * The continued high percentage of fiction, shown by a library's statistics year after year, does not disprove this assertion. New generations of readers rapidly arise, which take the place of the older ones, and these must go through the ascending grade of reading, from the lowest upward, as have their predecessors. WHELPLEY. 21 applies just as surely to library work as to business. The merchant is well satisfied if he sees crowds thronging his place of business, although many of them are in search of a ten- cent bargain. It is much better for him to have his store filled with a crowd, eager for the ten-cent bargain, than to have only an occasional customer in search of his more costly wares. The comparison is obvious. The librarian in like manner enjoys seeing his library crowded even by those in search of novels. I know that it is now quite the fashion for the librarian who has a smaller circulation than a neighboring rival, to say that the amount of good a library does is not to be judged by the number of books it circulates. It seems to me that the matter reduces itself to a question of pure mathematics. It is generally con- ceded, I believe, that, whether large or small, the rate per cent, of library circulation is nearly uniform in all libraries, showing that, for every one hundred persons who come to the library, from twenty to thirty come for something better than fiction. Such being the case, at the end of the year, when you figure up your year's work, which of these two showings would you prefer? A circulation. of 100,000, with twenty per cent. (20,000) of standard reading ? Or a library which, by ex- cluding trash, has reduced its usefulness to one-fourth of what it might be which, Mr. Perkins says, will be the result and can show a circulation of 25,000, but with the same twenty per cent. (5,000) of solid reading? Time forbids that I should go further into the discussion of this subject. From what has already been said, it will be plainly seen that I favor the freest admission into our public libraries of all kinds of fiction, except that which is positively impure or immoral. To use a familiar quotation: "It is a condition and not a theory that confronts us." Say what we will, we cannot get rid of the facts as they exist. We are not called upon to apologize for the taste of the masses, which finds expression in the large percentage of fiction shown by our library statistics. The fact, unwelcome as it may be to the theorist, remains that, uniformly in all libraries, this percentage is high, and but one conclusion can be reached, namely, that there exists a craving or demand which must be satisfied, and which, if properly directed, will result in much good. If the public library is for the benefit of the general public, which supports it, and not for the benefit of a few scholarly men, who may happen to live in each com- munity where it is located, it must supply this demand, or the public will be perfectlyjustified in withholding its support from what ceases to be of the greatest good to the greatest num- ber. COMMON NOVELS IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES. BY A. W. WHELPLEY, PH. D., LIBRARIAN, CINCINNATI PUBLIC LIBRARY. " '"THE ruck of common novels," spoken of in the question under discussion, sug- gests another inquiry, namely, "Is the devil as black as he is painted ?" Modern opinions seem to agree that the devil is not half-way a bad fellow ; in fact, that he is sometimes quite a gentleman. And are the "ruck of common novels" quite as bad as the present somewhat fashionable idea prevailing would make them ? For one, I think they are not. I take it that it has to be a remarkably shallow book that has not some good in it for some one. It may be that the book would not suit my own taste ; it may be that it would not strike a responsive chord in the breasts of some of my learned and critical friends among the librarians ; but, somewhere, that book will find a place where it is appreciated. Take, as an extreme example, the books of the story-writer, Mrs. Holmes ; or the inter- minable volumes of the author of "The Gun- maker of Moscow," the late Sylvanus Cobb, Jr. These books have been constantly read and re-read, in the newspapers in which they were originally published, and in the collected book form, for at least a third of a century. 22 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. Their popularity, as I know, from testing the matter and keeping an account of their circu- lation, has not, in all these years, at all dimin- ished. The mothers, and then the daughters, the fathers, and after them, the sons, have been interested in them, to put it mildly ; and yet these books would fall under condemna- tion of the "ruck of common novels." In this library, it is not possible to keep any supply on the shelves. They are called for as fast as they are returned, and it would be necessary to purchase copies by the whole- sale, were we to endeavor to meet the demand for them ; and yet I feel that our novel-readers do not fall below the same class in other cities and other free libraries, and that their wants should be met. The class of novels I am instancing are very much to the liking of youths of both sexes, and this is made evident from the way they express their feelings on the blank leaves and the margins. These books have no vicious tendency, and while I acknowledge their lack of educational quali- ties, I know they have the merit of being entertaining. I wish to distinctly make it understood by those I have the honor of addressing, that I make open war on a class of novels, which are boldly displayed in shop-windows, which also disgrace the counters of many respectable book-stores, the contents of which outrage good taste, and decency. Their name is legion. And it seems as if the proper time had arrived to put such books under rigid censorship. These, I take it, every librarian avoids ; and if, once in a while, a book of this character finds its way into the library, it is by pure accident. I have that high opinion of all the librarians I have associated with to feel that it must be so. We put many dull novels in our lists that is hardly to be avoided but the bright, vicious ones let us beware of. And, in any well-regulated library thank fortune, there is little demand for them. But for the people who desire to read the average fairly-written novel, which, I frankly admit, is "not a book of knowledge, nor, generally, of ideas, nor of the higher class of literature," I feel that their wants should re- ceive attention at the public library. These books, in my estimation, do a good work. Only a certain class of people read them, yet to this class they open wide the doors of the great world. They suggest the noble deeds and noble thoughts of humanity, knightly daring, generous striving, honor and love. They have something to tell ; not, perhaps, of " antres vast and deserts idle," but they suggest them. At the worst they can do no harm. They are not vicious ; they are enter- taining. And what so large a part of the people in all great cities need, is something to entertain them, something to take them away from their own cares, and make them interested in other things than the petty matters of their every-day lives. And if the " ruck of common novels" can do this, I shall not object to see their circulation increase ; for I believe, in time, the reading of them, in a great number of cases, will lead to a want for literature of a higher order, other than fiction. As for free theatres why, there were free shows long before there were free libraries. We do not, I know, have them now, but why we should not have them is not altogether plain, except that they might be more expen- sive than the State could afford. But a free theatre would be apt to greatly purify the present condition of the drama. A free theatre, where a high style of drama could be acted, is a great want. The present state of the drama calls for reform, both in its litera- ture and its personators. I need not enlarge on this subject, but would merely direct your attention to the bills of the play throughout a season in our large cities. You will then readily see the application. The theatre as originally intended, is an expression of art and so many other forms of art are provided free for the edification of the public. There are free art-galleries, free schools, free concerts, free lectures, free exhibitions of one kind and another, and FREE LIBRARIES and there might, with no great fracture of the exist- ing order of things, be free THEATRES, too. COR COMMON NOVELS IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES. BY ELLEN M. COE, LIBRARIAN, NEW YORK FREE CIRCULATING LIBRARY. T AM very glad that I did not write this paper before coming to the conference, for now I have only, in answer to all arguments plead- ing the adoption of any other than the highest standard in the selection of novels for public libraries, for any politic or other reason what- soever, to refer to the stirring address of our President, which must have sunk deep into every earnest heart, and then to bid conscience speak for truth. Some phrases in the address still ring in my ears. Mr. Larned spoke of librarians as "missionaries of literature, " and said "the library mission is not the mission of books, but of good books." He charged us to "defend our shelves." He reminded us that ' ' in these troublous times popular ignor- ance is invested with terrors unknown be- fore ;" that "society must fight for its life against popular ignorance ; " " that democ- racy's need above every other need is educa- tion." I was constantly reminded, during the ad- dress, of the wise and patriotic words of Lowell and Curtis, and the heavenly host of Americans who saw clearly, and spoke bravely, and loved their country so well as to give their best for its purification in politics, in society, in education. I can have nothing more nor less to say than they have said. I remember Lowell's plea for fiction (but it was for pure fiction), and the phrase "we hold the best things of this life as tenants of the imagination." Certainly I feel that there is great force in the argument that for the unlettered, half- educated classes of our communities the pub- lic library must be made attractive first, educa- tional afterwards. The point I wish to press is, however, that a certain unmistakable good literary quality should be maintained, and that it is quite possible and easy to find suf- ficient number of books for even the largest libraries, which books are extremely light, entertaining, amusing, which the people will gladly, even eagerly, read, and which still unquestionably possess the desirable qualities of literary and moral excellence. The plea which often misleads those who, themselves loving good books, wish their fellow-men to love them too, is that by means of poor books, " the ruck of common novels," taste for the best may be created and devel- oped. This is doubtful and is experimentally most dangerous taste for the pure and good is by such food most often utterly destroyed. That it is a needless risk to take I am con- vinced from the experience of fourteen years in the lower part of New York city. If the age-limit for readers is withdrawn, as is suggested in Miss Stearns' excellent paper, all argument for the lowest grades of literature falls to the ground. Having the reading of children of the tenderest years almost entirely in the control of the library will give practically just the result desired. The second part of the proposition as stated in the program is "What are the justifying considerations? Do they differ essentially from the reasons which might be urged in favor of free theatres?" This turned my thoughts at once in the direction of the various ways in which knowledge of art, musical, graphic, and dramatic, as well as literary, may be brought into the lives of the working people, giving them "higher pleasures, nobler ideas, and a broader and more satisfying humanity." These considerations are not far from the lines laid down in the program. Our authors, Hall Caine, Robert Buchanan, and others, have just held an animated dis- cussion on the " Moral responsibility in the Novel and the Drama," in which many wise, thoughtful, and suggestive things have been said. Mr. Caine evidently has constantly be- fore him, in the writing of his wonderfully artistic studies of life and character as deveW- oped in the Isle of Man, the fine possibilities his dramatic incidents and situations afford for representation on the stage. Mr. Caine is right. His work will be as truly elevating in the one LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. presentation as in the other, and he is helping the world np. We Americans cherish mem- ories of Charlotte Cushman and other fine dramatic artists ; we have just buried Edwin Booth, whom posterity will name as one who blessed his fellow-men. Give the people farce, comedy, possibly melodrama (here would be room for discussion, its principles and methods being nearly always false), certainly tragedy these have their place on the stage as on the book-shelf. Let the people laugh and cry their fill over imaginary situations, and be by this means heartened up to "bear the ills we suffer." Let us have schools of dramatic art, too, and teach the approved standards, develop talent, and cultivate the critical faculty. I know many a bright, clever, interesting, wicked little rascal of a "Bowery Boy," who has learned ardently to love and eagerly to read his Shakespeare ; he has made a good beginning, and is doubtless the better able to appreciate and demand good acting at the "Thalia" and "London" theatres. Mr. Frank Damrosch is doing splendid work in his "People's Singing-Classes" and "Choral Union." He wisely places some of the light and popular airs of the street on his programs along with the works of classic and standard composers, but he teaches his pupils to discriminate and to judge according to the strict laws of musical composition and harmony. His circular for this season gives voice to sentiments inspiring and suggestive to us librarians : " We think your interest will be aroused to learn of such an educational movement in your city." . . . The Fine Arts exhibitions at the University Settlements, and the free days at the Metro- politan Museum of Art, have revealed among the people of lower New York unexpected love and appreciation of the best works in painting and sculpture. The author of "Art in America " has as his purpose, "to raise art to its rightful place in the scheme of education by educating the children, studying the new system of educa- tion, finding out what place art holds in it, and rounding out children according to God's plan." An earnest plea for art-education from the kindergarten up. Ah, yes ! The libraries are splendidly help- ing the good work in giving out art-studies, music-scores, etc., as books, in placing on their walls fine copies of the works of the masters of painting and sculpture, and, in many places, in connecting the libraries with art museums. Let us have all these institutions for popular education alongside our free libraries, but let us be always true to the highest standards of literary as of all other art. Let us follow Art for her own dear sake, for she leads up to the perfect life. THE FUNCTIONS OF A UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. BY HARRY LYMAN KOOPMAN, LIBRARIAN, BROWN UNIVERSITY. TN the following paper I shall attempt to discuss the functions, or kinds of service, fulfilled by a university library ; noticing at greatest length one function which is not yet recognized, and in regard to which I must appear in the character rather of advocate than expositor ; but which, I trust to show you, represents an educational potency as vast as any that has yet been drawn from the still unexhausted resources of the library. In the limits of this paper the historical develop- ment of these functions can only be hinted at. Suffice it to say that they have all arisen in response to the single demand of use, that principle which I take to be the rule of all sound library development. We all know how imperfectly it is still applied ; in how few libraries the searching challenge of utility is passed upon either the new books that come in or the old books that burden the shelves, or any other of the library's manifold prob- lems. The demand of utility is simply a de- mand for fitness, the principle according to which libraries as well as vertebrates have been evolved. What, now, are the functions that in the university library have grown out of the orig- inal simple service of displaying or lending KOOPMAN. books? A satisfactory university library of the present day must provide : 1. Reference-books of a temporary char- acter. These are represented by the current numbers of periodicals and the various year- books and annual indexes. 2. Reference-books of a permanent char- acter. These may be divided into direct and indirect helps, or epitomes and bibliographies, more familiarly known as reference-books proper, and catalogues ; the former contain- ing in condensed form the information sought, the latter telling us where to find it. Under the head of epitomes should be classed cyclo- paedias, and the various dictionaries, whether of language, literature, history, dates, biog- raphy, geography (including atlases), classical lore, theology, quotations, or synonyms. To these must be added concordances and indexes. Bibliographies are general, like library catalogues, or special, like catalogues of individual subjects. The works of this class are often found in manuscript, and rep- resent almost the only department of intel- lectual activity not yet subjugated by the printing-press. 3. Reserve books of a temporary character. These are familiar to us from the reserve shelves of most college libraries, but may per- haps best be illustrated by the collections in the reading-room of the Harvard University library, where books to the number of hundreds are reserved by the different depart- ments for periods varying from a week to a year or more. These books are reserved in connection with the current work of the classes, and have their own card-catalogue. But even in the largest departments they fill only a few shelves, or, at most, a case or two, often in- cluding several copies of the same work. Under this head belongs also the temporary display of new books. 4. Reserve books of a permanent character. These constitute the department libraries, which form so important a feature of the modern university. They should contain all books likely to be referred to with any fre- quency in the work of the department. The size of the collection will, of course, vary with the nature of the department. Five hundred volumes might represent, I should think, a full-sized department library in any of the exact sciences, while 5,000, or possibly 10,000 volumes, might be needed for a language de- partment ; though, I confess, the latter num- ber seems to me excessive. Frequency of use should be the test of a book's fitness for the collection, its importance otherwise being not in point. Books ceasing to be frequently used should be returned to the main library. For, the smaller a library is, the more useful it is, provided it contains the books needed. A collection of 1,000 books in frequent use will be much less available if mixed with 4,000 books never or seldom consulted. Unneces- sary duplication is certainly an evil, since it wastes both money and space. But duplica- tion has, nevertheless, a place in library management, which has hardly yet been appreciated. A department library is, in my judgment, most satisfactorily formed by duplication of appropriate portions of the university library. In other words, a book gains its admission to ths department library by being in sufficient demand to make a second copy of it desirable, the additional copy being placed for con- venience in the working-room of the depart- ment. This I should take to be the rule, without insisting upon its invariable observ- ance. To build up the department libraries at the expense of the university library is, of course, to deprive the latter of its most valuable reference-books on every subject. Moreover, there are many books which are of importance to several departments, and must either be duplicated in all or kept in the main library. There is a further consideration that in practice will be found to weigh heavily against the over-enlargement of department libraries ; and this is the fact that beyond a certain point they can no longer run themselves, or be managed with little or no extra effort on the part of the professor in charge ; but, in order to be manageable, require the services of a special attendant or librarian. Even with this functionary I doubt if the plan would be a success, because the enlargement would involve the dilution of much-used with little- used books ; which, as already pointed out, is simply to destroy the character of handiness and ready consultation that, next to its con- venience of situation, is the department library's chief excuse for being. 5. The great store-house of the library, 26 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. corresponding to the "stack" at Harvard, where all but the reference and temporarily- reserved books should be found. It is the building-up and management of this library that forms the chief task of the librarian and his directors. Around this collection cluster the great problems of library administration, such as that of selecting from current publica- tions the books of permanent value and only these, with the parallel task of supplying the library's deficiencies of this character in respect to past literature ; such, again, as the admission of the whole body of the students to the shelves (a question which, as our libra- ries increase, will, in my opinion, have more and more to be answered in the negative, and that for two purely mechanical reasons, lack of standing-room, and confusion caused by disarrangement); such a problem also as the disposal of wholly superseded books, which make up from one. to seven-tenths of every library, a problem which can be solved in one of only two ways, enlargement of the building, or "weeding out " of the books. 6. "The student's library;" or, a library for general culture specially designed for un- dergraduates. Such a library, so far as I know, does not exist ; but I think of four libraries that by their defects as well as their excellencies may serve to indicate what such a collection should be. It is still a source of gratification to me that my start in the scholarly use of books was made amid such favorable surroundings as those of the library of Colby University. When I entered college in 1876 the books under Professor Hall's charge numbered about 18,000, of which the less-used half was rele- gated to the second floor, leaving on the first floor one of the best working libraries for student use that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. This is not merely my undergraduate opinion. I have visited the library twice after intervals of work in great reference libraries, and each time the impression was only deep- ened. The elements which go to make up the excellence of this little collection are, in brief, the following : convenient size, not too great to prevent the studious students' ac- quiring a real knowledge of the library's con- tents ; good selection of books with reference to mere undergraduate work, and within the scanty means at the librarian's disposal ; entire accessibility, convenient arrangement, and a satisfactory catalogue ; above all, a skilled and helpful librarian. The faults are those of poverty, and such as a scholar will find in the best of "student's libraries," when he attempts to use them in research. For, such a collection, even for undergrad- uate work in a progressive institution, needs to be backed up by a genuine "scholars' library" of ten times its size. This is the more favorable situation of the Linonian and Brothers' Library of Yale University, which is a separate collection of some 30,000 volumes adjoining the main library, and having its own librarian, hours of opening, and general ad- ministration. This library is supported by a special tax on the undergraduates, its growth being about 1,000 volumes a year. The history of the collection is an interesting one, as the library represents the fusion of the libraries of the two public societies, the Linonian and the Brothers in Unity, which, after about ioo - years of usefulness, disbanded in 1871. Such libraries were found during this period in most Ameri- can colleges, and have usually either been scat- tered or turned into the college library. At Yale, it was the happier fate of two such libraries to be preserved and continued as one. The value of this collection to the students of Yale it would be hard to over- estimate. But the library is much larger than is necessary for its object, a fault which is due to the mistake of keeping all its old books after they have been superseded ; and, per- haps also, to a not sufficiently rigid selection in purchasing. But the Linonian and Brothers' Library comes, after all, nearer than any other that I know to what I have in mind for a "student's library." It has its own librarian and management, it is self-supporting, and is kept up to date. All that is needed to im- prove the collection as it now stands would be the exclusion of disused and unworthy books, and perhaps a more careful system of additions ; together with such an improved catalogue as I shall describe later. A third library, and one with which I am per- sonally acquainted, is the Phoenix collection in the Columbia College Library, which num- bers about seven thousand volumes. The collection contains many choice editions, and much elegant binding ; but it represents too many out-of-the-way subjects and is too un- KOOPMAN. 27 even for an ideal "student's library ;" but its size is not too great for familiarity, and it adds the educative value of good editions. The fourth library, which I may claim to know well, is the private library of the scholar and diplomat, George P. Marsh, now in the possession of the University of Vermont. This collection contains 12,500 volumes, gath- ered for purposes of self-culture by one of our noblest specimens of the cultivated American ; and therefore is, and for years will remain, a source of inspiration and culture to the students within reach of its privileges. But for their purposes the collection includes too many books in foreign languages, and is too exhaustive in special subjects, like physical geography and philology. The library enjoys a beautiful setting, a high and well-lighted room of its own, finished in oak, with an immense stone fire-place, opposite which is a large window looking out on the Green Mountains. The collection, however, is not intended to be increased, and, while it has been elaborately catalogued, it is not admin- istered as a student's library of general culture, though it has excellent material for the found- ation of one. But before I present more definitely my con- ception of an ideal "student's library," let me ask you first to consider some of the reasons why such a library is desirable in a modern university. There is first the general reason of the desirability of culture, and the fitness of such a library to promote it. But there are also three special reasons. One is the fact that the modern family library has by no means the standard character possessed by that of two generations ago. Any dealer in second-hand books will confirm this state- ment. As a result of this condition the boy of to-day comes to college with little of that educative experience of having "tumbled about in a library," which Dr. Holmes sets so much store by. Another reason is that the size of the university library, even if it does not forbid his access to the shelves, suf- ficiently bewilders the student to prevent him from picking out the books he needs for per- sonal culture. Where access to the shelves is denied, the difficulty of getting at books by means of the catalogue at once restricts the student's use of the library to reading for amusement or for production. The result is that a man can go through college and take high rank, and yet enter the world a thoroughly uncultivated man. I do not say that he might not do this with the best of all "student's libraries" within reach; but he would not have the same excuse. In fact, while we furnish opportunity for special re- search to the graduate or university student in the modern sense, if we provide no corre- sponding privilege for the undergraduate or college student, we are discriminating harshly against the college. Now, if those are right who hold that the two functions of higher education are best performed in concert, our institutions must beware lest, by a neglect of the college library as opposed to that of the university, they starve out the corresponding function of the institution itself. The third of the special reasons for the "student's library" is found in the character of the modern university curriculum ; which, to parody Shakespeare's Caesar, tells us rather what is to be learned than what we learn. In our larger institutions the elective studies offered are so numerous, that the most in- dustrious student finds a four years' course too short for more than a small fraction of them. In consequence of this, I prophesy that, while the courses chosen by different students will vary greatly, the wiser student will seek thoroughness rather than quantity ; will endeavor to gain at least the foundation of knowledge in what seem to him the most important subjects, and will relegate the rest to systematic general reading. The character of the library in question will be determined at every point by adaptation to its purpose ; and that purpose we have taken to be the supply of books for the furtherance of general culture in undergraduates. President Eliot has repeatedly asserted that he knows of no intellectual qualification essential to a lady or gentleman except the ability to use the mother-tongue correctly. The "student's library " will do much, will do more than a college course generally accomplishes, if it ensures this attainment. But it must obvious- ly attempt more than this. Let us take a hint from the German name for cyclopaedias, "dictionaries of conversation, " and set as the lower limit of our endeavor such intellectual furnishing as shall put the student at his ease in intelligent company, an attainment con- 28 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. spicuously greater than is achieved to-day by the average Bachelor of Arts. If there is such a thing as a college's duty to itself, or a student's duty to his college, it seems to me that the two obligations should combine to prevent any student from getting through college without an intelligent, all- round interest in the world he lives in, together with some satisfaction to that inter- est. I am not sure that the extent of our modern elective system has not somewhere near its sources a thought of this kind. But the elective system, so far as the individual student is concerned, breaks down by its own weight. What I offer has, it seems to me, at least the merit of being practicable, and may deserve consideration as complementing the inevitable deficiencies of the elective system. Even if the duty of the college to itself and the duty of the student to the college are ignored, it seems to me that the college owes it to the student to provide him the possibility of such training, whether or not he chooses to avail himself of it. But is not the standard we have set absurdly too low ? Is it not rather the obligation of the university to provide for the student such a fuller degree of culture as involves an intel- lectual rapport with the true and the fine in human attainment as recorded and expressed in the world's masterpieces of science and art ? The masterpieces of the world's science and art : this phrase furnishes the outline we have been seeking for our library ; or, to employ the familiar, but practical and suggestive, dis- tinction of DeQuincey, the literature of knowl- edge and the literature of power should' be made accessible to the student with such ful- ness and in such form as his capacities determine. The fittest size for such a library could be decided only by trial. Perhaps the most natural suggestion would be 10,000 volumes as the best number for experiment, though the actual number of volumes might be increased by additional copies of the works most in demand. Beginning with the literature of knowledge, the student should find in this library informa- tion, in its most authoritative form, in regard to the world of matter and of men, in which his lot has been cast. First, there should be at his disposal what- ever is known of the earth itself, with its two great divisions of life, and the inorganic basis of that life, all in their past no less than in their present conditions. In the course of this study he would find more than one link to bind him to the orbs of day and night that once seemed so remote from all connection with himself. Selecting for special study the highest form of life, his own species, he would find in the many-sidedness of this subject, in its present and its past history, the larger part of all the books before him. He would be confronted by the record of man on the material side, in all that is implied by the science of medicine, with an inclusion of higher elements in anthropology and eth- nology. Taking a still higher plane of obser- vation he would have unfolded to him man's social life, on the destructive side, in whatever pertains to war and its organized agencies, and on its constructive side, in the slow- development of that which is still so far from maturity, human civilization. Passing to the literature of power, the student would find as elements of this civilization the aesthetic unfolding of the race, with its results in art and literature; and, lastly, the parallel if not higher development of humanity represented by the words of the world's masters in philosophy, ethics, and religion. Even the sight of these books in plainly- marked arrangement would be in itself no slight education ; for it must not be forgotten that the ordinary student, especially in our larger colleges, never has an opportunity to see such a conspectus of human knowledge, and might even greet as a novelty the idea of a classification of the sciences. Viewed from the librarian's position rather than from that of the student or teacher, this means the ten thousand best books for readers of the degree of intelligence represented by the college student. But there are several matters that need to be further specified ; they are, to be sure, mainly concerned with the material side of the enterprise, but are of sufficient importance to make the difference between success and failure. First, the building. If the collection is so fortunate as to possess a room of its own, and is not perforce consigned to a corner of the university library, I should like to imagine for it a room high enough for easy ventilation, and sufficiently large to contain the 10,000 KOOPMAN. 29 volumes ot the library on wall-shelves, the highest of which should not be above the reach of a person of middle height. Such a room might most advantageously be lighted from above, and its generous floor space should be provided with large and small tables and con- venient chairs for readers. Here should be the desk of the librarian in charge, with a case for his most-used reference-books. In a well-lighted spot would be found the second matter of importance, the catalogue, which should differ from all existing catalogues by giving after the title of every work the reason for its presence in the library ; indicat- ing, if the work be one of pure literature, the author's school and relative standing ; and, if a work of information, the relation of the work to the subject, with reference in either case, where necessary, to the character of the edition. In other words, the whole catalogue should be an annotated bibliography. This plan would apply within the scope of the library, and with some extension, the "evalua- tion of literature" so strongly advocated in catalogue-making by Mr. George lies. In these notes commendation would be out of place, because the admission of the book to the library would be praise enough ; but they should give in terse form the author's attitude toward his subject, and his weak points should be indicated, with references in important cases to his opponents and defenders. Thirdly, as to the books themselves, per- haps their general character has been suf- ficiently indicated. But it should always be remembered that the collection is a living one, new tissues constantly replacing those that are worn out. Whenever a book appears on an important subject, new or old, it would be added, only to be displaced like all the rest when superceded ; so that the library would always represent the world's best books for the intellectual latitude and longitude of the college student. This should be equivalent to saying the best ten thousand books for the intelligent English reader not a specialist on any subject. It would be the privilege of the library to include a few of the first-class periodicals of the English world, like the Atlantic Monthly and the Nation in our own country, and the Nineteenth Century and Academy in England. The librarian would also have the grim 5 pleasure of barring out every made-to-order book, the mere response to market demand, literary slop-work ; likewise every cheap and unworthy reprint or other edition of books to be had in reputable shape. Of course, if the reprint were better than the original, it would be preferred. Editions de luxe would be ex- cluded, as tney emphasize mere externals, and do not represent for the purposes of such a collection a value corresponding to their cost. But the library should certainly offer an object-lesson in sound book-making. No wood-pulp-paper should 'be admitted if avoid- able, and if ever it had to be accepted, the catalogue should call attention to the cheat. The library would not attempt to make a dis- play of fine bindings. Books issued in cloth binding should be so acquired as thus clad most distinctively : but whenever re-binding becomes necessary an opportunity would arise for displaying sound and durable book- binding. What would be the cost of such a collection ? Perhaps ten or fifteen thousand dollars ; with an annual requirement, for purchase and binding, of from five hundred to a thousand dollars. A force of at least two persons would be required to run the library, as it would need to be open from eight in the morning until ten at night. The duties of the librarian would be to supplement his catalogue in every possible way, not necessarily confining his advice within the limits of his own collection. He should be the university's professor of books and reading, and should lecture to the students collectively as well as give personal advice. It might also be his province to offer an advanced course in bibliography, which would draw on the resources of the university lihrary ; but for his more primary lectures on the use of books the student's library would suffice, forming his own "department library." As I think of the work of such a librarian, I do not find it easy to overrate, nay, rather, difficult adequately to estimate, the educa- tional importauce of such a position. Including all that the old college librarian might have done, but never did, it supplements the almost purely administrative duties of the modern university librarian with a service, which, I say frankly, I do not believe the great univer- sities can afford to leave undone. There will always be men whom the work of direction LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. and management, without participation in the literary side of the librarianship, will attract ; and let us trust that they may be found in number and ability sufficient to the need of them. But another quality, which we may call the spirit and power of helpfulness, is required for the successful working of a "student's library ; " and I am not sure that this gift, when found in conjuction with the requisite training is not an even rarer occur- rence than the former. I am sure, at least, that if the " student's librarian " fills a posi- tion humbler in the eyes of the world than the university librarian, or the regular professor, as a wielder of power over future generations he need fear no rivalry from the occupant of any chair or throne. NOTE. The writer is pleased to add that the discussion following his paper called out the statements that the reading-room of the Cornell University library contains a collection corresponding in almost every particular with that here outlined; and that the new reading- room of the Harvard University library will contain a similar "student's library;" while,much the same idea is to be carried out at Columbia ; so that, had the presen- tation of the paper been delayed, the suggestions it offers must needs have assumed the form of history. The writer would also remark that the additional function of a university library specified by Mr. Austin of Cornell, namely, that of giving personal instruction to all the students in the use of reference books and cat- alogues, was in his own mind as one of the regular functions of the "student's librarian;" while he would express his obligations to Mr. Tillinghast of Harvard, for reminding him that he had failed to emphasize the important service of the "student's library" as a stim- ulus and guide to the students in the formation of their own private libraries. SELECTION OF BOOKS* a ELLEN M. COE, LIBRARIAN, NEW YORK FREE CIRCULATING LIBRARY. I. Methods employed for purchase or recom- mendation. My own reading of reviews, criticisms and book-lists, of course, constantly suggests books for purchase for each or sev- eral of our Branch Libraries (for it is an inter- esting fact that these libraries more and more differentiate the public of Bond Street de- siring quite different reading from that of Forty-second Street). My six librarians are also always considering the needs of their own special libraries, and meet with me once a month when the purchase-lists are made up. Readers also are encouraged to suggest books, and many give us really valuable assistance. Slips headed " Books called for" and "Books reserved" are used which slips give me information as to new books and duplicates needed. After the lists are made up they are submitted to some member of the library committee for approval. I make free use of the friendship of many literary people and specialists in the city who send me cuttings, criticisms, and suggestions most generously. The libraries have made most valuable friends who give much time and thought, as well as money, to their interests. In the matter of editions I am under great obligation to two of the best book-men of the city Mr. Morris, of D. Appleton & Co., and Mr. Wing, of Charles Scribner's Sons always deferring to their judgment in any case of doubt or difficulty. In the matter of selection and purchase I have tremendous advantage over most of my confreres in that my libraries are placed in the great book-centre. Besides the New York publishers there is hardly any prominent book-house of the United States, England, France or Germany that has not its branch house or special agency here where the books can be seen; and, after all, more judicial work can be done by an intelligent librarian in a half-day at a good book-store than by many hours tedious poring over re- views. 2. Guides most useful ; criticisms we place most confidence in. I cannot limit the reviews to so few as to make suggestion valuable since I use very many, most of which are doubtless within reacli of even the small libraries of rural towns, and are well known * A series of short papers by several librarians, setting forth the methods which they severally employ in the selection of books for purchase or recommendation ; the guides they find most useful ; the criticisms they place most confidence in ; the considerations which determine their expenditure in the various departments of literature, and classes of books, etc. COE. to you all. I suppose if I had to choose two or three they would be, Publishers' Weekly (for the fulness of its lists, not for its criticisms) ; Literary World; Current Literature; and possibly Publishers' Circular; this last is specially valuable because it gives so much news as to English books, etc., in advance of reprint or publication here. Of periodicals professedly critical (and pro- fessedly impartial), I use with most confidence the Nation, and Critic though both come too late to help in making up purchase-lists for libraries that keep strictly "up to date" because I know in whom I am confiding. Many reviews and criticisms, which are doubt- less fair and just, lose their value to me from being unsigned. Unless I know and trust my critic I must perforce review the book myself. This is what makes the task of book-selection so difficult. I suppose I read, or rather glance over, three books a day I think that average low. If it be 900 or 1,000 books a year that is a prodigious task, and one from which I should be relieved by trustworthy critical reviews. Besides in only a few classes of literature can I trust my own judgment. , I wish the A. L. A. would express itself strongly in some public manner as to the necessity for signature in all cases. I know and trust the fiction-editor of the Times, but she is one of the few whom I do know. Would it be possible to have a list of editors and reviewers, and the periodicals they represent, in order that uninformed librarians and book-committees might know to whom their selection of books is intrusted, for I imagine most are practically dependent on the reviews in this matter ? Many publishers send out admirable lists, and, as these are always signed, we gain the knowledge of our authorities. Of course, the best, most favorable criticism is always given ; but, on the whole, the lists are wonderfully air. Wanamaker's Book News is impartial in so far as is independent of the publishers, and I use it much. But, after all, it is from the literary columns of the (pernicious?) news- papers that I get most help ; Tribune, Times, Evening Post, Boston Transcript, etc., (sev- eral librarians have spoken highly of the Chicago Dial ). Criticisms from these are cut out and preserved, as well as criticisms from periodicals. My order-slip is much like that furnished by the Library Bureau, but varied to meet the need for indicating in which of the Branches any book is contained, as well as the number of copies. Criticisms are pasted on the back of the slips, sometimes several in number and of different estimate. Slips are made out for all books which are considered desirable ( either for purchase immediately or later as the book-fund will permit!, and are arranged in al- phabetical order as " Books desirable." As the books are ordered these slips are taken out and re-arranged in the package "Books ordered" (each one dated on the day of ordering). When the books arrive slips are filled out with date received, actual cost, num- ber of copies to each library 'indicated by initial of Branch), etc., and are finally placed in the trays which constitute my own official list of the "Books approved, ordered, and pur- chased." To this list are referred all questions as to date, publisher, price, purchase, etc., which may come up in reference to any book (not a gift), at any library ; as also, the de- cision regarding purchase of duplicates (re- corded on original slip). The great value of criticisms thus preserved will be at once seen. The purchase-list as sub- mitted to the Branch librarians and to the com- mittee is not thus wholly dependent on my judgment or my memory for good reasons for approval or disapproval to my assistants this is specially valuable and, in case annotations should be at anytime used in printed lists, the best material for these notes is already at hand. A friend has suggested, that, by clipping crit- icisms in this way I destroy the files of my journals, but I submit that the value of the criticisms as attached to the slip is vastly greater than as hidden away in the files of periodicals most often without index to assist in its discovery and that, if it is important to keep the files perfect, it will rather pay to sub- scribe for another copy than not to adopt this plan. 3. Considerations which determine expendi- ture in various classes of literature, classes of books, etc. Expenditures are regulated by the needs of the hour, though per cent of fiction is not allowed to exceed twenty. We have so many books "worn out" to replace each month that this often absorbs the larger part of the appropriation. As there is never half money enough, we (my librarians and I) go LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. over the cards and select such books as will not admit of delay in replacing ; then the few new and important books, and "books called for" are chosen ; and we are happy indeed if any money remains with which to purchase some few books to fill the gaps remaining in our class-lists of science, art, reference-books, etc. The slips for "books considered and ap- proved," only awaiting money to purchase, number many hundreds when some kind friend gives us a special gift of money for books these thin out a little but the addi- tions each month of "books wanted" far out-number "books purchased." Last year the largest number of volumes purchased (exclusive of fiction) was in the class History ; the greatest cost in the class Useful Arts. We buy direct from the publishers at special discounts, and derive other favors from the friendly interest felt for our libraries by the literary profession and trade generally. Book-auctions and sales are carefully watched of course, and most advantageous opportuni- ties are often obtained by this means. SELECTION OF BOOKS. BY CAROLINE M. HEWINS, LIBRARIAN, HARTFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY. HTHE Hartford Public Library buys most of its American books through a local firm at 30% discount. In the long run it is better to receive them every week, and oftener if necessary, at this reduction, than at the 33% which some firms in the large cities offer, with express paid, once in two or three weeks. Besides, the trouble of sending back imperfect copies is much less than that of mailing or expressing them to New York or Boston. Three of our twelve Directors form our library committee, and meet on Saturday afternoons. The new books of the week are sent us in the morning, and if there are any below our standard, too expensively bound and illustrated for circulation, or for other reasons not fit for our use, they are returned before the committee-meeting. Last year one of the members devised a blank form, headed "Attendant's Weekly Report." Below that heading and the date is printed : "In order to supply the demands of readers, the library needs more copies of the following books." All the desk-assistants keep a record on such blanks of the books which are " always out," old or new, of every class, from St. Elmo to Kidd's Social Evolution or Macaulay's His- tory. Every Thursday the reports are gathered up and brought to me to be formulated for Satur- day, on ruled sheets made to order for the library committee. If there is a difference in the estimates of committee and librarian as to the number of copies needed of a book, that decided on is written at the right of the "approved" column. The books when or- dered are checked on the left of the sheets. In addition to those suggested by the desk-assist- ants are the books sent from the bookseller every week which are worthy of approval, and also any others that I think should be ordered. If an auction or sale-catalogue offers anything attractive, a fair price for it is put in the esti- mate column. We buy in New York or Boston, at auction or from dealers, as occasion offers, and some- times in Philadelphia or Providence. The purchases are miscellaneous, to supply de- ficiencies in various departments. Every few months I spend a day or two in the smaller shops in New York or Boston, looking up second-hand copies of novels which have been worn out on our shelves and are hard to re- place. In this way I often find copies of others much below price, usually from thirty to thirty-five cents a volume. We also pick up many books of this kind at clearance sales in our own city, and at a second-hand shop where books are bought and sold with house- hold furniture. We find, both at this place and in New York, many books in perfectly- good condition, at about one-third the regular price, which come to second-hand shops from editors and reviewers who are glad to sell their copies for a small sum. We order our English, and sometimes our French books, through an agent in London. We make up our orders from the various HEWINS. 33 second-hand sale catalogues which he sends us, and buy many of our books from the London circulating libraries, Mudie's, the Grosvenor, or Smith's, often paying anywhere from three to ten shillings for books published at more than twice that amount. Our agent is instructed to have books bound if necessary, and sends them to us handsomely and sub- stantially clothed in half-morocco at an average cost of two shillings and sixpence. The French books, also from the second-hand circulating library catalogs, are well bound for a shilling and fourpence. Our last order, just at hand, has ^13 worth of binding to gj of books, not a disproportionate allowance. We have not yet begun to keep a standing order with an English agent, and therefore do not get English books, not republished in this country, until they are several months old. In making up our orders, we try to anticipate the needs of our best readers, especially the two or three hundred members of clubs for which the library makes reading-lists every year. The subjects for the winter are an- nounced as early as possible in the summer, and the library immediately sets to work to find out its weakness and strength, ordering if ne- cessary duplicates of important books and supplying deficiencies as far as possible. For example, last year a club studying the reign of Victoria expressed a wish to see Lady Sale's Journal of the Retreat from Cabul in 1843, quoted in McCarthy's History of our own Times ; and, although the book is fifty years old and not common, our agent was fortunate enough to find it at a moderate price. This year we are buying with reference to clubs studying The Reign of Victoria ; America be- fore 1600 ; four of Shakespeare's Comedies ; Napoleon ; Modern Novels ; Rome ; Social reforms in England during the nineteenth century, etc. We follow the advice of experts in buying books on scientific and technical subjects. Within a year, we have ordered books from lists prepared by the best organist and choir- master in the city, a veterinary surgeon of large experience, the American editor of Bagehot's works, an amateur astronomer, well-read in several departments of science, the principals of the Hartford schools, and the colonel of the best-drilled regiment in the state. Our proportion of expenditure for different classes of books is so peculiar that the reason for it must be briefly explained. There are three libraries in our building ; the Watkinson Library, an endowed library for reference alone, containing between forty and fifty thousand volumes ; the Library of the Connec- ticut Historical Society ; and our own. The Watkinson Library buys the publications of learned societies such as the Transactions of the Philosophical Society, or the reprints of the Chaucer and Early English Text Society, besides all the other rare and expensive books in the building, except those on genealogy and local history, which are to be found in the Historical Society's Library. The Watkinson Library is above all a library for students, who can work undisturbed in the well-lighted alcoves. We therefore buy almost no books for reference, and none that are too costly for circulation. We have a small reference-room with the few hundred volumes of encyclo- paedias, dictionaries and hand-books which every library needs as tools. They may be freely consulted by all our readers and are used to determine disputed points in pronunciation or history, and by pupils in the public schools. It is the intention of the three libraries not to buy duplicates of each others' books, except in a case where a book in the Watkinson Library is needed for the use of some club or class. Then, unless it is too costly, a duplicate (or more than one if necessary), is ordered by the Hartford Public Library. Copies of our mimeographed club-lists show how the three libraries in the building work together. The State Library in the Capitol has a large collection of books on jurisprudence and United States documents ; therefore we do not buy law-books or receive documents except Consular Reports and Offi- cial Reports of the Civil War, the Bureau of Ethnology, or Bureau of Education, etc., which we place in their respective classes. Trinity College makes a specialty of Greek inscriptions, higher mathematics, and certain departments of theology. The library of the Theological Seminary is especially rich in hymnology and original sources for the history of the Reforma- tion in France and Germany, and allows the free use of its books both in and out of the building to all who wish them. What is left for the Hartford Public Library to buy ? 34 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. Our last year's report shows that out of about 6,000 volumes, less than 200 of which were gifts, we received 330 of Magazines and Bibliography ; 50 of Philosophy ; 70 of Theol- ogy ; 200 of Sociology ; 100 of Science; 150 of Useful Arts ; 150 of Fine Arts ; 400 of Essays, Poetry, etc ; 50 of French ; 200 of Travel ; 200 of Biography ; 250 of History ; 2,000 of Novels and Short Stories ; 900 of Children's Stories ; 225 of other books for children ; 575 school duplicates. We also bought 20 books of reference, and received as gifts 30 volumes in raised type for our many blind readers. We buy freely of the best novels that our readers demand. We have twenty-five copies of some of Crawford's, for example, and any- where from six to twelve of Mrs. Barr's and Captain King's. One of our fads is for good his- torical novels, and we encourage reading such books as Conan Doyle's White Company, and Refugees, and Bynner's Begum's Daughter, and Zachary Phips, by buying half a dozen at first and more if necessary. Every few months we have to increase our stock of Charlotte Bronte's novels, and it was a long time before we could fill the demand for the Scarlet Letter. We keep our stock of Mary J. Holmes, the Duchess, Mrs. Southworth, and novelists of that grade, down to one copy of each novel, and do not often pay more than thirty-five cents for replacing it. Our other fad is books for children, and we have from six to twelve copies each of books by writers like Miss Alcott, Aldrich, Alden, Susan Coolidge, Henty, Kirk Munroe, Stoddard, and of the best fairy-tales, old and new. We have no age-limit, and find that many of our readers enjoy the little blue-covered books adapted and simplified from Andrew Lang's Blue, Red, and Green Fairy Books. We are so near what is usually known as " The Ward," that home-libraries are not needed in Hartford, for the children can come to us in five or ten minutes. We have a supply of duplicates of Mrs. Bolton's Girls who became Famous, and her other books, Rideing's Boyhood of Living Authors, Harris's Pleasant Authors, and other such books, for use in school, or to be taken out at the suggestion of teachers, but these are not on the regular school duplicate shelves. The book-reviews of the Spectator, Nation, Critic, Book-Buyer, Literary World and Atlantic Monthly are all useful for general liter- ature. Jt is not possible, however, for even the all-roundest librarian to buy books on every subject without consulting experts. There is nothing more helpful for a librarian than a "day off" among the shelves of some other library. This year, the libraries in Albany, Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, Springfield, New Haven, Bridgeport, Brooklyn, Jersey City and Newark, have all materially aided us in strengthening our weak spots, especially in Science and Useful Arts. SELECTION OF BOOKS. BY WILLIAM E. FOSTER, LIBRARIAN, PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY. HPHE subject of the selection of books covers ' the whole field which contributes the springs having their sources in different direc- tions and centering at the purchasing point in the library. The books which are added are partly books which have been nominated by a great body of readers, either verbally at the information desk or on the printed blanks which are supplied for that purpose ; but there are also books which we have directly sent requests to specialists for suggestions in re- gard to books which have been brought to our notice by the various official lists such as the weekly record in the Publishers' Weekly, or the various critical journals. A certain number, also, are sent on the authority of the bookseller, which we may not have personally asked for. The books are sent for examina- tion, so far as possible. It still remains true that we are thrown back to a much larger ex- tent than we wish to be on the testimony of printed matter the various reviews, etc. I am exceptionally fortunate in my pur- chasing committee, which consists not merely of men of wide intelligence but men who themselves read widely in the critical journals, FOSTER. 35 and 1 myself endeavor personally to cover that ground as far as I am able. But besides that I depend upon the additional assistance supplied by the members of my staff; and at the monthly staff meetings there is always a report from the various critical journals, one (such as the Spectator, the Nation, etc.) be- ing assigned to each member of the staff, to report noteworthy instances of books which have made their appearance but have escaped the line of our purchases. The subject of the guides found most useful brings one back to this question of the critical journals, and I do not know that I can sum up more briefly and perfectly what I have to say on that point than to express my very strong wish that the suggestions brought to a pre- vious meeting of the association by Mr. lies may still find some definite and regular and permanent embodiment. The critical journals, as I have said, we are obliged to make more or less use of, and every librarian of course comes to form his own conclusions as to the relative amount of dependence he can place on this or that one. After all is said, the per- sonal element is to be taken into account in these various reviews. A critical writer is none the less a man because he is a critic, and he writes as a man, expressing his own per- sonality in the review, though he may fight against it. We start the year with an entry in one of our record books, called a "Record of bills audited," with the total amount of money at our disposal for the purchase of books. Each successive purchase of books from a given bookseller through the year is subtracted from that, so that we know at any moment what our balance is for the remainder of the year. As regards distribution among different departments of literature, that is distinctly governed by several considerations. A cer- tain amount of it each year is applied to the purchase of what we call school duplicates. A certain less regular amount is applied to special books for industrial purposes and others, and the remainder we aim more or less carefully to distribute among the different departments of literature. I could not help being impressed, while Mi-.s Coe was giving an account of her method, with the fact that we had not so successfully solved the question of an exact settlement of a proportional amount as she seems to have done, in the case of current publications at least. Our method in standard literature is very similar to hers. We have full memoranda of deficiencies in the library which we are gradually filling out, as we are able to pick up here and there. In the matter of current literature it seems to me that her suggestion is worthy of very wide copying not living from hand to mouth, but of making memoranda that will cover the widest possible supply of actually desirable books and then making inroads into that as fast as the money will allow and opportunity offers. This whole subject has engaged the close attention of my purchasing committee and my- self, for several years ; and I must emphasize the point that while I have detailed these var- ious features in our method, it is a method that we do not regard ourselves as perfectly satisfied with. We consider that it has several obviously weak points. Three years ago many of the librarians here present received a set of questions from me, covering such points as these : The authority to whom the purchasing is committed ; Whether there is a separate purchasing committee or not ; How often it meets; The extent of the librarian's functions in purchasing ; The extent of the committee's functions ; The amount of de- pendence placed on reviews ; Whether the books themselves are examined ; How much dependence is placed on the reputation of the author ; How much on the reputation of the publisher ; How much on requests from read- ers ; How much on calculated demand ; How much on the general nature of the subject ; What attempt there is at discrimination ; W'hether aid is sought from outside to any extent ; Whether in specialties only ; etc. Those replies when received were tabulated with the expectation that they would at once furnish us some new light on the subject, and in this change our own method very much for the better. But I regret very much to say that we were disappointed. The weak point is that there are many classes of books which the purchasing committee themselves have no leisure to arrive at a satisfactory opinion about and which cannot be referred to specialists. Take, for instance, books on electricity. With such a matter, of course, there is no difficulty; instead of troubling over it yourself you refer LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. it to your specialist in whom you have confi- dence. But take as an instance of the other type, a work of fiction, or a volume of col- lected essays, or a work of travel. Those books can not be turned over and tested so readily as a work on history in which, even though you were not familiar with the subject as a specialist would be, you could soon weigh the merits of and the method of the author by examining the book here and there. Here you are quite as likely to purchase a book, on superficial examination, and later be disap- pointed and find that it is not by any means the book which you had in view. It seems to me that this matter of the pur- chase of books is analogous to the transfer of a given amount of water from one of two globes of equal size, to the other. One of the two may stand for the total volume of desirable books already represented in the library and the other for those not yet represented in the library. The problem for the librarian and his purchasing committee is to make that transfer as steadily and as successfully as he can. SELECTION OF BOOKS. BY D. V. R. JOHNSTON, REFERENCE LIBRARIAN, NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY. T N the New York State Library a selection of books is complicated by the fact that in reality we are buying books for more that one library. For the State Library proper our selection is a simple matter. We know very well along what lines purchases must go and in a general way how much money we have to spend in each class. Time has shown us much that we must do, and so our principal work is keeping posted on all the publications in certain branches of knowledge rather than in exercising much discrimination. To a cer- tain extent we commit the recommendation of books in special subjects to members of the staff charged with keeping track of the publi- cations in that subject. This is carried to an extreme in the department of law, to a limited extent in history and to a slight extent in some other subjects. If a library had the funds for extensive purchase of books in all departments, this system would be ideal and imperative. But for us it has been found to pay only in such departments as must be kept practically complete. In most cases the recommendation virtually vests in the reference librarian who must know what the public wants and who receives recom- mendations and criticisms from readers. It therefore becomes his duty to keep posted in all the general book reviews, in special pub- lications which will throw light on branches of knowledge specially important for us to keep strong, and to watch the second-hand and auction markets. All recommendations (with the exception of law), from whatsoever source received, are submitted to a book-board com- posed of five members of the staff, which passes on all purchases, balancing the recom- mendation with the state of funds. It is the duty of this book-board also to pass upon all bibliographic and critical notes which are to appear in our printed catalogs. In addition to the fund for additions to the State Library, the state makes a considerable annual appropriation for fostering public libraries and a good portion of this money is spent in books. With a portion of these funds we maintain a circulating library for the use of state employees, known as the Capitol Library; and for this, as well as for state library pur- poses, we have such of each week's publica- tions sent as in the opinion of our New York agent we may want. These books are placed on public inspection one night in each week and the opinion of any interested person is invited. As a matter of fact while many look over the books, we receive but few suggestions and are left to make up our own minds. Of course we can not find time to read or even closely examine all these books, but they are nevertheless a great help to us in making a choice and very few unworthy books find their way into the library. Sometimes books are rejected which, when their character is re- vealed later in reviews, w are glad to order. All the books for the Capitol Library are BARD WELL. 37 passed upon in the book-board, each member of the board having previously voted on each separate book, having in mind the wants of a well-selected circulating library made up al- most exclusively of new books. From the same funds are purchased the books sent out to the university extension centers. But these works are almost wholly selected by the lecturers and all the library does is to settle on the editions and value of the books to be sent. Somewhat allied in character to the university extension library- are the special subject collections sent out by the traveling library department. These collections are made up in different ways. If, for instance, we should wish to send out a library on bee-keeping, we should try to enlist the services of some specialist, bee- keeper, agricultural editor, or professor in some agricultural college. This list would be edited by us for bibliographic details and perhaps changed in some particulars ; but for all technical subjects in which biblio- graphies are not to be found we rely as much as possible on specialists. For libraries on more general topics such as history, eco- nomics, etc., we make our own lists, using such bibliographies, university extension syllabuses, etc., as we can find to supplement our own knowledge. But the chief work of selection comes in making up the traveling library of general interest and not for special study. As the number of volumes in each library is small and the object is to furnish the best reading for a community poor in library facilities, very care- ful treatment is required. Occasionally we have a list submitted by some one on whom we may depend, made up of old favorites ; but in the majority of cases the traveling libraries are composed of new or recent books and are chosen by the book-board. We have found it an advantage, for this purpose and also for making annotations to our catalogs, to keep an index of book-reviews, noting on the slips whether the criticism is favorable or not. With the aid of this list and from the know- ledge we have already obtained by buying many of the books for other purposes, we are able readily to select a tentative list of books for a traveling library. These books are then brought together and are carefully gone over by each member of the book-board, who marks his criticism and vote on each book, taking into consideration both its desirabilty in gen- eral and its adaptability to this special library. If there is any conflict of opinion the question is fully discussed in the board and a decision is reached on each library. All questions of purchase in all departments of the State Library when settled by the book- board are transmitted to the director for his approval, not only as head of the library, but as Secretary of the University, which stands to us in the relation of board of trustees. SELECTION OF BOOKS. BY WILLIS A. BARDWELL, LIBRARIAN, BROOKLYN LIBRARY. T N the Brooklyn Library the librarian attends personally to the selection and purchase of books. With costly works, or those of ques- tionable desirability, or whenever he prefers not to rely entirely on his own judgment, he can at any time confer with the library com- mittee. In the choice of new books the author- ship and the publisher are considerations which influence the acceptance or the rejection of a work. If a book is by such a writer as John Fiske, or if it is published by a house like Houghton, Mifflin & Co., there need be 6 no hesitation in buying it if the subject is of interest. But with many authors, known and unknown, and where title-pages bear the im- print of certain firms and publishing-houses, one feels that a careful examination should precede purchase. A daily inspection of the publishers' an- nouncements in the advertising columns of the newspapers keeps one informed regarding new books as they are issued. The New York Tribune usually contains, on Saturdays, a page (more or less) of advertisements of LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. new books and a compact list of "books of the week." The latter is found useful in making up order-lists. Titles of books that are desired are sometimes clipped from this list, pasted on a sheet and sent to our agent, after being copied in the order-book. This saves some of the copying necessary in mak- ing up order-lists. The Publishers' Weekly is found helpful as an aid in the selection of books. It frequently gives a brief notice of the contents of a book, or mentions prominent incidents in a story. . If a book is bad the Weekly does not hesitate to say so ; and if it has been previously pub- lished under a different title the fact is often stated, thus saving a duplication of books already on the shelves. The book-reviews in the daily papers, and in such periodicals as the Nation, the Critic, etc., are glanced over as time permits ; and nearly every periodical will contain a notice of something not found in the others. Bargains are often found in the auction cat- alogues. Many desirable and scarce books may be secured at auction sales and at prices not to be obtained elsewhere. The catalogue is marked, a list of the numbers wanted (with limit of price offered) is sent to the auctioneer, and he does the rest. As a rule we are treated very fairly, often buying at prices much below our limit. The Publishers' Circular is useful in the selection of recent English books. Longmans, Macmillan, and others send, periodically, lists of their own publications, which are always carefully inspected. Every mail brings its par- cel of the catalogues of second-hand dealers, American and foreign, which sometimes con- tain items that are wanted. In ordering from our agent in New York it is understood that any work that is found on examination to be unsuitable for our use can be returned if this be done promptly. The book-stores are occasionally visited. An hour's examination of the shelves of a well stocked store will usually bring to notice books that one has not seen advertised. In ordering duplicate copies of popular books the supply is largely regulated by the demand. It is, how- ever, thought better to buy many copies of books like "Marcella," or "The Prince of India, ' ' and to furnish a scant supply of litera- ture of the ' ' Dodo ' ' type. Suggestions from readers regarding the purchase of books are always welcome, and are usually acted upon. The advice of specialists on works in their own departments is especially helpful. At times certain very alert readers will fill out order-blanks with titles of books of which they have seen advance notices. No plan, how- ever, has yet been devised by which books can be put in circulation before they are published. Our library, while rather strong in Biog- raphy, History, Travel, Theology, and Fiction, is not planned to be especially strong in any one department. The additions of books new and old, that are being made almost daily, are designed to increase the collection symmet- . rically and to steadily improve what is al- ready a very good working library. While no effort is made to favor the growth of certain departments to the neglect of others, we have one small fund the income of which is devoted to the purchase of works on the Arts and Sciences, History, etc., but of no works of Fiction. The proportion of annual income applied to the purchase of books in all depart- ments is about 20 per cent, of the total receipts from all sources. SELECTION OF BOOKS. BY WILLIAM H. BRETT, LIBRARIAN, CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY. '"THE Cleveland Public Library is controlled by a Board of seven members. From this is appointed a book-committee of three. To that committee and to the librarian, all matters pertaining to the purchase of books are referred for consideration and report. The committee may purchase books during the month to the amount of $100.00 without reference to the board. This is used for the purchase of cur- rent books and others which are needed promptly. In the selection of new books the leading UTLEY. 39 critical journals are followed, although not always with safety and profit. All professional criticism is not of equal value. Much may be gathered from those journals which do not make a specialty of book-reviews. For in- stance : the current number of Life, apropos of a new book of "Ouida," points out clearly the merits and the weakness of "Ouida's" work, compares her with Bulwer and accom- panies this by a paragraph on the elements essential to the permanent popularity of fic- tion which touches the root of the matter. As to the selection of other books an en- deavor is made to consider the needs of the city. Having extensive manufacturing inter- ests special attention is paid to the department of useful arts, and expert opinion is obtained so far as possible. Some time since about three hundred circulars were sent out to manufacturing establishments in the city, invit- ing suggestions of books which might be of use in their several lines. The response was so small as not to encourage further attempt. The main reliance is upon the advice of a few specialists, who are interested in the li- brary and willing to give some time to it, and on the professional journals. Much attention is also paid to professional reading for teachers and the books most in. demand are largely duplicated. These are bought upon the recommendation of the depart- ment of instruction. In the selection of books for a new branch library the "A. L. A." catalogue of the model library at Chicago has been valuable, both as a guide to subjects and as suggesting books. The great weakness in the plan of selecting books practiced at Cleveland is that it leaves the work entirely in the hands of a board (which, though able and willing, is composed of those prominent in professional and busi- ness life who are among the busiest men in town), and of a librarian who has many other . duties. It has occurred to me that valuable assistance might be had by the formation of an advisory board. This should be large enough for division into a sufficient number of sub-committees to consider each general sec- tion of the library. It should be composed of those competent to pass a critical judgment upon the books submitted, and with leisure sufficient to give the necessary time to it. Ar- rangements might be made to procure new books promptly ; possibly advance copies might be procured from the publishers. Books reviewed, about which any doubt existed, would be sent to the proper sub-committee to be read, and returned promptly with a written opinion. Such a committee might render aid to the public library similar to that which the college faculty renders to the college library. Too much stress cannot be laid upon the care- ful selection of books. SELECTION OF BOOKS. BY H. M. UTLEY, LIBRARIAN, DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY. HPHE Detroit Public Library has had for several years a contract with a local dealer by virtue of which he undertakes to furnish on approval any book sold regularly in the American market, whether printed in Amer- ica or Great Britain. This he is bound to do when requested. But it is his practice to send twice a week to the library such books as have come into his hands. Knowing quite well from experience what books we would be likely to buy, he has an arrangement with publishers to send him immediately at least one copy of every such book. This plan brings into the library for inspection the great mass of new books, and the book committee of the Board devotes a portion of each Satur- day afternoon to an examination of the accumulation of the week. Thus the books are made ready for the catalogers with com- parative regularity and promptness. But we cannot rely on the local dealer altogether to send us everything wanted. It is necessary to watch the Publishers' Weekly, publishers' announcements in the current magazines and elsewhere, and to keep track quite generally of new publications. The dealer, from one cause or another, occasionally fails.to send over promptly a desired book, or LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. one that it is thought best to examine. So, once a month we give him a list of books to be furnished for inspection. Especially is it necessary to watch for books issued by out-of- the-way publishers, or privately printed, or subscription books. Incidentally I may say that I have never yet failed to get through this dealer any desired subscription book, and often at a good discount. I rarely if ever, deal with subscription agents, although they persist- ently declare that it is not possible to get what they offer in any other way. English publications not sold regularly in this country are specially ordered from an agent in London. It is necessary to watch London and Edinburgh announcements and reviews through publishers' circulars and the literary publications. So also of French and German new books, which may be got either in this country or abroad. On several occasions I have made up lists of out-of-print books and sent them to respon- sible dealers, with the understanding that the books were to be furnished at actual cost plus ten per cent, for trouble and expense of find- ing them. This is generally regarded as a fair bargain. But it is best to put such commis- sions into the hands of only persons of estab- lished reputation. My experience with Amer- ican, as distinguished from English, lists is that the former are much more expensive and difficult to fill than the latter. As an illustra- tion : checking the A. L. A. INDEX imme- diately after it was issued, I found that about 200 of the books there indexed were not in the library. A list of the English imprints, somewhat more than half of the shorts, was at once sent to London, and another of Amer- ican imprints to one of the best houses in New York. The former supplied 85 per cent, of the order at very reasonable prices ; the latter only 68 per cent, at very high prices. The printed catalogs and monthly or quar- terly lists of other libraries are useful in the way of suggestion and information. Great numbers of catalogs of second-hand dealers are constantly coming. These are all ex- amined with more or less care, and this work takes much of my time. More attention is given to auction catalogs than any others. The bids have been invariably sent to the auctioneers, with satisfactory results. The L. B. order-blanks are distributed about the library and everybody is encouraged to recommend books. There is extensive use of these blanks. The books recommended are bought, if possible, unless there is some good ground for refusal. Friends of the library or librarian have from time to time assisted in making up lists. Their services have been valuable, especially if they were expert in special subjects, such as architecture, music, industrial art, electricity, etc. Such aids have been especially grateful in the case of books in foreign languages, when educated natives of foreign countries have been disposed to lend a hand in the matter of selection. The policy which has thus far prevailed in the choosing of books has been to secure all books in English which, in the judgment of the librarian and the book committee, appeared to be good books and desirable for a general public library, and which could be bought at a reasonable price. Quite free purchases have been made in American local history and in the literature of our civil war. All the period- icals indexed in POOLE have been bought as they could be found. Nearly all the publica- tions of societies, clubs, etc., issued in series, especially those of a historical and literary character, have been secured, both in this country and in Great Britain. A special effort has been made to keep abreast of the times in all living subjects, sociological, political, in- dustrial, and scientific. To this end, the cata- logs and announcements of publishers of those classes of books have been carefully scanned. We have bought no technical, law, or medical books, and quite sparingly of theological lit- erature. Within the past year a considerable sum has been expended on books in the fine arts. This has been done, because there is a large and growing demand for works of that class, be- cause the library had hitherto been quite de- ficient in that respect, and because it has lately provided excellent conveniences for their use. These books were mostly chosen from a large number submitted by dealers and their agents for inspection and selection. In some special instances books known to be desirable and which could not be got in this country were ordered abroad. No definite apportionment of the income of the library has been made among the several classes of literature. We have felt free at all CRUNDEN. times to buy any and all good books that came to hand which would in our best judgment im- prove the character and add to the usefulness of the library. The fact has been kept in view that the library is maintained at public ex- pense, and that its officers are bound in faith- fulness to their trust to consider strictly the interests of the whole people therein. SELECTION OF BOOKS. BY FREDERICK M. CRUNDEN, LIBRARIAN, ST. LOUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY. '"pHE methods adopted for the selection of books for the St. Louis Public Library are, I presume, much the same as those used in all other public libraries. In the first place, we try to provide the books that people want not those we think they ought to read. To this end we invite all users of the library to recommend books for purchase ; and assistants are instructed to note books frequently called for that are not possessed by the library or are generally "out." Call-slips that fail to secure a book are kept and collated, to ascertain what books are wholly lacking or frequently "out." As- sistants engaged in reference-work are also expected to report the lack of books necessary to supply information called for. All books recommended are not, of course, purchased. Some are not worthy of a place in the collection ; and others are too costly, or of too limited interest, to justify the neces- sary outlay. This calls for the exercise of judgment on the part of the librarian and the book-committeejudgment based on knowl- edge of the conditions. With all possible care mistakes will sometimes be made and a book bought that is a clear waste of money except in so far as it satisfies the person who wants the book and thereby makes him a friend instead of an enemy of the institution. I remember an instance. Some ten years ago or more a prominent citizen, an ex-judge and a scholarly man, called persistently for a certain book which I had never heard of be- fore and could obtain no information about. After several oral requests he put in a written recommendation for its purchase. He knew nothing about author or publisher, but was most urgent that the library should get the book. With much trouble it was found and he drew it immediately on notification of its arrival. Shortly afterwards I asked him what he thought of it, whereupon he con- firmed the opinion I had formed at a glance, by saying he was sorry he had wasted his time on such a book. I doubt whether it has been read five times since then its ab- sence from the collection certainly would never have been noticed. Since then I have informed many people that the books they have recommended were not worth reading and would inevitably dis- appoint them. But unless there is a positive reason for not doing so the cost of the book, its worthlessness, or its extremely technical character combined with a high price a book recommended by a reader is bought. Next to the replacing books worn out these are the first to be considered ; and in times of the smallest expenditure they have constituted the sole purchases. However, as must be the case in all libraries, most of the purchases are of books selected by the librarian and submitted by him to the book-committee. St. Louis not being a good book-market, librarians there must depend almost entirely on book-reviews and the Pub- lishers' Weekly. I have found the Nation, the Literary World, and the Literary News the most useful guides the two latter because they are almost wholly given to book-reviews ; the Nation, because its "Notes" contain concise and positive statements concerning publications that often I do not find noticed elsewhere. I always feel safe in buying a book recom- mended by the Nation, because I know that its reviews are written by specialists and well- informed critics, and because it seldom, if ever, errs on the side of leniency. In my per- sonal copy I mark all notices of books that I think desirable for purchase, selecting 44 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. have many interests outside of their own com- There was a necessity for the reading-room in munity, bound files of local papers, while essential as matters of record, would be no good substitute for a newspaper reading-room. That has its place, and its sphere. It is, in Cincinnati at least, always crowded, and the time has passed when it could be abolished. the public library there will not come a time when it can be done away with without sensibly feeling the loss. The library would be doing only a half duty in binding its local files. SUPPLYING OF CURRENT DAILY NEWSPAPERS IN FREE LIBRARY READING-ROOMS. BY H. M. UTLEV, LIBRARIAN, DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY. TN the general reading-room of the Detroit Public Library there are only magazines, journals, and newspapers no books. Every reader gives a receipt for the periodical which he uses, so that it is possible to know exactly what is read. In the first four months of the present year there were 66,142 readers. Of these 15 per cent, read the six local dailies, 27 per cent, read the 28 other daily newspapers, leaving 58 per cent., or somewhat more than one half, of the reading to be distributed among the other 250 magazines and journals on file. This appears to me to indicate a demand for newspapers. There would now be a strong protest against a proposition to discard them altogether. There is no other place in the city where dailies of other cities are accessible to the public. The Board of Trade has a reading- room, but for the use of its members only. The daily newspapers on its tables are limited to the mercantile and marine interests which concern those who frequent the place, and to the newspapers of those cities with which the members have business relations. There is no ground, either in equity or policy, on which the business community could be called upon to supply a public demand for the free reading of the leading newspapers of the country. Their supply for their own use is in the direct line of their business. They serve their own specific purpose at their own expense. They are tax- payers and as such contribute to the support of the public library. If there is any public demand for daily newspapers which may be considered a pro- per and legitimate one, it appears to me that it is the province of the free public library, and not of the business community, to supply it. The Y. M. C. A. also maintains a reading-room for the convenience more especially of its members, though nominally free to the public. Comparatively few persons make use of it. The argument with reference to the Board of Trade applies equally to this organization, or to any other which might undertake to supply the public demand by private subscription. It is not worth while to discuss the value of newspaper-reading as compared with other kinds of reading. The same arguments apply to it which apply to any desultory reading. It is really no better, no worse. But the fact must be borne in mind that there are some people who have no time for any other kind. Wearied with toil, or anxious care, they find relief or relaxation in this temporary diversion of the mind. No one can say it is harmful in itself. There are, of course, good newspapers and bad newspapers, as there are good books and bad books ; and it may be taken for granted that the same care in the selection will be ex- ercised in the one case as in the other. No intelligent person would advocate the supply- ing of newspapers to free reading-rooms upon any other basis. Unfortunately there are many, too many, newspapers to which the scathing criticism made by the President in his address can be applied. They pander to a low and depraved appetite, not necessarily a low and depraved class ; but to a pleasant sensation which many persons who lay claim to good social standing and some culture experience when they discover the frailties and follies of others. It is apparently human .nature to derive UTLEY. 45 satisfaction from the thought that we ourselves are a little better at least no worse than some of our neighbors. It is not surprising, therefore, that publishers of newspapers, like publishers of books, having discovered this weak point in the average human being, are ready to pander to it, for revenue. But all newspaper publishers do not come within this category. There are some high-minded, con- scientious managers who exercise the utmost care to keep their columns clean and whole- some. It is not difficult to find in every city at least one such newspaper which you are willing to bring into your house for family reading, and which, therefore, you could not refuse on moral grounds to place on your library table. It is a fact which cannot be controverted that the progress of the newspaper has been quite as great as that of the magazine. The development and extension of the telegraph system has enabled it to furnish the daily cur- rent history of the whole world, not only in the domain of statecraft and politics, but also in science, literature, and the arts. No person can be well informed in these days who does not read the newspaper, and the person who reads nothing else is at least not altogether ignorant. Whether the 28,000 people who read news- papers, as mentioned above, would have read something else or would have stayed away from the library altogether, if there had been no newspapers on file, can only be conjectured. Probably some would not have come to the li- brary, others would have read something else, but whether they would thereby have been the gainers is an open question. The vagrant and mal-odorous class undoubt- edly takes to the newspaper. But the exclus- ion of the newspaper will not exclude it. It is a mistake to suppose these people are attracted by the newspaper. A warm, comfortable room in inclement weather, with easy chairs and 7 nothing to pay, is an invitation to the loafers which infest every community. So long as they violate no rule it is not easy to be rid of them. I believe in discouraging them as much as possible and rigidly enforce rules against lounging. But tramps will gather in a free public resort. If the newspapers are fastened to stand-up desks this class of gentry will be found preferring something which they can read sitting. In view of the fact, however, that newspaper readers are generally men, who are most interested in war, politics, and public affairs, I would, if possible, have a newspaper-room separate and apart from other reading-rooms. If planning a building with this in view, I would use a ground-floor room and have an entrance directly from the sidewalk. The room should be specially well ventilated, well lighted, and attractive in all respects, but not furnished with luxurious divans and rockers. Make it accessible and pleasant as possible and keep it open every day and evening, to counteract the attractions of the saloon and billiard-room. A library maintained at the public expense and for convenience of the public is in one sense educational. It justifies its existence on the ground that public enlightenment concerns the general welfare. But even if it were solely for pleasure and comfort its maintenance would be no more beyond a proper public purpose than is that of parks and city fountains, upon which hundreds of thousands of dollars are annually expended. True, the library should strive to educate and elevate the peo- ple. It cannot be proved that the reading of newspapers does not tend in that direction. At least, it will be conceded that such reading is not demoralizing. Then, if the public de- mands a newspaper reading-room and is willing to pay for it, and it serves a wholesome pur- pose, the library must supply it. LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. SUPPLYING OF CURRENT DAILY NEWSPAPERS IN FREE LIBRARY READING-ROOMS. BY FREDERICK M. CRUNDEN, LIBRARIAN, ST. LOUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY. "DEFORE coming I gave only a passing thought to this subject, and I think that the matter should take more the form of a free discussion than a paper. This certainly is a thing on which all must have views. I want to get at the consensus of opinion. I do not care to listen to papers by two or three people expressing their opinions, but I want to know what everybody's opinion is on the subject. I am free to confess that I am not entirely clear in my own mind ; and I shall not, therefore, speak dogmatically. My views I am afraid will not be popular ; they cer- tainly are contrary to what has been a pop- ular custom. It seems to be the proper thing to supply newspapers in abundance ; but I have always questioned whether it was ad- visable to spend so much money for a thing, which to-day is and morrow is cast into the fire. On taking my position in the library one of the first things I did was to cut down the ex- penditure for newspapers. I began by get- ting the city newspapers to give us their papers which formerly we had paid for. If we could obtain the papers all over the country gratuitously we could give them room. I de- cidedly object to spending, as we were at that time, about |i,ooo a year for newspapers. It certainly seems to me that that money could be put to better use. We have reduced the newspaper expenditure from, I think, $900, to about $150. Of course that does not please everybody. We have had some complaints about it. The only ones that deserved atten- tion were from visitors who thought it strange that a public library should not have a daily paper from their respective towns. If, how- ever you try to suppy that demand it will be very hard to draw the line. Everybody com- ing from the way-back corners wants to see his local paper. Let me take up the questions the President asks, which may, or may not, reflect his own opinions about it. The first question is : " Do the people who are attracted to a library by the current daily newspapers kept on file, ever read anything else ?" I should say, gen- erally, that people who come to a library and read the newspapers, who are attracted to the library by the newspapers, and who would not come otherwise, do not read anything else. We had a good chance to observe that in our old reading-room, where the news- papers were on a long file just in front of the assistant's desk. As a rule, the men who came to read the newspapers marched right into the reading-room door and went straight to the newspaper file ; and after spending more or less time there, from a quarter of an hour to six hours, marched straight out again. Of course there are exceptions. I remember one gentleman who came regularly to read the London Times and stayed to read magazines ; but generally speaking the newspaper readers constitute a distinct class. The second question : "Are they not for the most part, a vagrant and mal-odorous class, whose presence in the reading-room repels many who would receive more benefit from it?" I should say decidedly, yes, to that. They are, as a class, very objectionable, and moreover many of them use the newspapers as a mere pretext for coming to the place at all ; and unquestionably the presence of such people does repel other people. As soon as we got rid in the beginning of the distinctly tramp class there was a large increase in the attendance in the reading-room. I do not mean that we put out all the poor people and that rich people came in ; but we simply ex- clud^d tramps who used to come from the soup-house after getting their dinner there and sit down for the whole afternoon in the read- ing-room. We got rid of them, and their places were taken by respectable people, not necessarily well-dressed people, who came to read the Scientific American and other periodicals ; and then the room was made habitable by people of refined senses. We CRUNDEN. 47 have solved the problem pretty well now by having our newspaper reading-room on the second floor, and we do not take up the news- paper readers in elevators. They are expected to walk up the one flight of stairs. " If the greater part of the contents of the daily newspapers most in demand was put be- tween book-covers, would any library think of buying it, to place it in circulation?" I think that requires no answer. However, it is a very significant question. "Considering the functions of the public library as an educational institution, are there good and sufficient reasons for making it a purveyor of daily newspaper reading?" It would be hard, I think, to justifiy the outlay on that ground. " So far as concerns the business need in a community for some collection of current news- papers from many cities, should not that be met by a Board of Trade, or other commer- cial organization, rather than by the public library ? " There again we open up the ques- tion of what is the function of the public library ? It is being broadened continually so that it will very soon include everything. We had magic lanterns and games here the other night, and tennis racquets. If it is proper for the public library to supply tennis racquets and other games there can be no inconsistency in supplying newspapers. I do not object to having all these things in connection with the public library if you have the money. My ideal city would be arranged in this way : I would have, about every quarter of a mile in the city, five blocks set apart for community use. In the center block I would have a free bath-house and a public library. The other four blocks around this center block I would have laid out for pleasure-grounds. I would have one place in which the men could smoke their pipes and have no smoking allowed in the other three, one of which should be for women and children to enjoy the air in the evening, and the other two, for play-grounds for boys and girls, supplied with tennis-courts and every sort of games. I would thus make the library the center of wholesome influences. I consider that that would be the most effi- cient method of building up the social health of a community ; but I do not know that we are ready to do that. The question is, how can we best use the money that we have at our disposal along the lines that are recognized as the proper functions of the public library. If you have unlimited funds there is no reason why you should not have unlimited news- papers. This would seem to me, however, to be more nearly akin to the work of a Board of Trade. The legitimate use of the newspaper from all parts of the world seems to be to supply information on important commerical points which is wanted either by citizens or by travelers. " Is not the duty of the library done when it preserves files of local daily journals, with possibly some others, and binds them for reference?" It seems to me that it is. We preserve our local journals and we bind the London Times and the New York Tribune, as they have indexes. That money I do not consider wasted, but I think that a large part of the money that we used to spend for daily papers was wasted. SUPPLYING OF CURRENT DAILY NEWSPAPERS IN FREE LIBRARY READING-ROOMS. BY JOHN THOMSON, LIBRARIAN, FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA. A LL printed published matter ought to be ^* collected and preserved. The question is, by whom and in what places shall the collection be made ? How far free public libraries ought to be providers of daily newspapers for general readers is a difficult subject and one of grave importance. A difference of opinion may be looked for between the managers- of the libra- ries in large cities, and those situated in small places, which latter may, perhaps, be classed as the average free public library. The directors and librarians have two duties and these are as patent as the sun in a cloud- 4 8 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. less noonday sky. First, their duty towards those whose funds they administer, whether the funds are provided from municipal or pri- vate sources. Secondly, their duty towards their readers. Every person born is entitled to an educa- tion, and if unable to procure it otherwise is to be provided with one at the expense of the community. It would be impossible to deny that it must surely be the wisdom of a com- munity, even if not its imperative duty, to continue that which it is bound to begin. The admission of the public duty to provide schools almost of necessity involves the duty of free public libraries, so that every individual may have at hand the tools necessary to en- able him to intelligently pursue the studies which will make him a useful citizen and good head of a family. The trusteeship involved in the first duty requires that no free public library shall spend its funds except in the promotion of the edu- cational improvement of its readers. Hence arises the absolute duty of exercising a care- ful supervision over the printed matter placed in its rooms. The very form and construction of news- papers constitute the difficulty of deciding how far they consist of published matter that is required to be found in our free public libra- ries. They are daily records of daily events, many of which have no permanent interest; and as to a large part they are what may be desig- nated as advance-sheets of forthcoming books. The really valuable articles most worthy of preservation are almost invariably reproduced in volume form not long after their appearance in the daily column. The reports of the mag- nificent speeches made in the parliaments of the world are best searched for in the Con- gressional Record, Hansard, and other like volumes. Such addresses as that recently de- livered by Lord Salisbury before the British Association, and the similar weighty speeches addressed to the multitudes of Congresses that meet in every part of the world, form part of the periodical records of the societies before whom they are delivered. The earliest ac- counts of discoveries and inventions are only tentatively described in the newspapers and are very speedily reduced into the more carefully written text-books that form one of the back- bones of a free public library ; and a similar remark would dispose of almost every import- ant subject treated of in the daily papers. Newspapers are necessarily, to a large extent, repetitions one of another. The events of the world are told in each, and in given radii they have the same news to tell ; and it is only in matters of local progress, and in the record of local events, that the material differences are found. Nevertheless, when you consider how large a proportion of those for whom the free public libraries are established consist of per- sons anything but well off pecuniarily, there remains, after all the deductions I have alluded to, so much matter in the local papers to which they need to have access that I venture to sum up my opinion in the two or three following sentences. Every free public library should have copies of the local papers published in its own town, or city, on file for perusal ; and where there is a free public library in a town or city, an extra copy of the local paper should be obtained for binding and to be preserved on its shelves. There should, however, always be an assistant in charge of the reading-room ; and if per- sistent, aimless readers make it day after day a mere loafing-spot for hours at a time, they should be refused the right of entry except for limited periods. They will then either take themselves off or resort to the reference-room and perforce take to more useful reading. It cannot be overlooked that on many questions raised in the minds of readers by the articles in the daily press, desultory readers are perhaps for the first time in their lives led to use en- cyclopedias and dictionaries and so have im- planted in them a useful desire for knowledge. In large cities it is desirable to do more ; and gradually, as means and space permit, to have in these rooms not only the local papers but one or more of the leading papers from other great centres, unless the free library building is in close proximity to some other public read- ing-room to which inquirers can be directed. It may well and prudently be left to his- torical associations, and such institutions as the Boston Public Library (which has a sum of $ 50,000 bequeathed to it for this special pur- pose), the British Museum, the Bibliotheque Nationale of Paris, and so on, to collect and file all they can procure. The average free public library should restrict itself to binding, and preserving its local papers. BAIN. 49 SUPPLYING OF CURRENT DAILY NEWSPAPERS IN FREE LIBRARY READING-ROOMS. BY JAMES BAIN, JR., CHIEF LIBRARIAN, TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY. T FANCY the experience of most librarians is that no common rule can be laid down as to what extent reading-rooms should be maintained and what newspapers supplied. For a great many reasons a considerable number of people in every city want to see, regularly or irregularly, the daily papers. Some because of information or advertise- ments contained in those for which they do not subscribe ; others because they hope to see something which will interest them ; still others who cannot afford to buy all, and yet, as old citizens, are interested in the small items of local news. If there are no other more conveniently placed reading-rooms they naturally turn to the public library. These people have a right to demand that the daily papers be placed on open file. Unfortunately the comforts of heat, light, and rest which are found in our reading-rooms are such as to attract the tramp and loafer whose presence renders the room disagreeable and mal-odor- ous, and drives away the legitimate readers. The managing Boards have the choice of three ways of preventing this : ist. Exclude all tramps. This necessitates a door-keeper gifted with special powers of discrimination, and it is doubtful, in this dem- ocratic age, whether the working-class would permit it. 2d. Remove all daily and other papers likely to attract them. To this it may be said that apart from the legitimate claims of regular readers, the attraction in reading-rooms is not the reading-matter but the shelter, heat, and rest ; and that if you remove everything out of the rooms except the chairs and tables you would make little difference in the num- ber of loafers. Nothing shows this better than the fact that in summer this class of people are not found in any numbers about the library, but as soon as winter comes they gather from east, west, north, and south. 3. Entice them away. The tramp and loafer does not want to be in the presence of better- dressed people longer than he can help ; so that, if you can provide some special place for him where he can obtain shelter from the weather, sit down, be able to talk, and oc- casionally read, he won't trouble your reading- room. Call your room the reading-room for the unemployed not second-class reading- room to offend the false pride of the loafer unless you are prepared to acknowledge the fact that all citizens are equally clean and equally educated. Last year in Toronto we tried the experi- ment ; and, after consultation with the chief of police and city authorities, prepared and opened a room about 90 x 40 in the basement of our building. A table was placed the whole length of the room and on it were laid loosely a number of old newspapers and magazines utterly unfit for any other purpose ; and painted on the table were six draught-boards. We bought TOO common wooden chairs at 25C. each, which we afterwards increased to 200 to meet the demand. The chairs and rough table were our only first expense ; a member of the Board pre- sented them with a number of games of draughts, and the item for gas was not ex- travagant. A visit about once an hour from the janitor was quite sufficient, as there was nothing to steal. Every night after closing, the hose was turned on and the asphalt floor washed from end to end. The brick walls and ceiling were occasionally touched up with a little whitewash so that it always looked clean. Loafer and unemployed both found in it a congenial place to read and talk without being restricted by the rules of the reading-room. It remained open until April ist, and thus we succeeded in removing almost entirely the mal-odorous class from the reading-room. The public library is rather more than an educational institution, in that it is a reposi- tory of facts, and place of reference and, therefore, the necessity for the daily paper. Board of Trade reading-rooms and other similar institutions require cash subscriptions, and public libraries and reading-rooms have been organized for the very- class who cannot afford to pay annual fees. LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. PERIODICAL LIBRARY BULLETINS.* BY GARDNER MAYNARD JONES, LIBRARIAN, SALEM PUBLIC LIBRARY. Size and cost. The bulletin of the Salem Public Library is published monthly. Each number contains 8 pages, 25 x 17.5 cm. (9^x6^ in.); type 20.5x13.2 cm. (SxsXin.). The contents are an editorial (about one page) in long primer, and lists of new books and reading lists (6>p. ) in brevier, with notes in nonpareil. The leading word of each title (generally author's surname) and call-mark are in antique. Type is set solid, without in- dentation, as in the later issues of the Boston Public Library Bulletin. It would be better to indent all but the first line, as titles would stand out more clearly, and practically no space would be lost. We formerly printed 2,000 copies monthly at a cost of 134.84. Beginning with volume 2 the number was reduced to 1,500 at a con- tract price of 131.14, with a deduction of $2.00 per day for each day's delay beyond 12 work- ing days. Frequency. Monthly. This seems best in a library adding 2,000 to 3,000 volumes a year. Annotation is very desirable, as frequently a book's title does not show its character. It also serves to call attention to books of local or timely interest. Advertisements should be excluded if funds allow. Many merchants never advertise any- thing outside their own business, and the library should follow the same rule. It's dig- nity and self-respect demand this. Free distribution or sale. Free by all means . This is the only way to get it into the hands of all readers. 1,200 copies answer the ordinary demands in our city of 30,000 inhabitants and a home circulation of over 100,000 volumes. It might be well to fix a mailing price for copies sent by mail. Value to the public. A list which can be used at home leads to a more careful selection of books. A bulletin also gives opportunity for the publication of lists on subjects which are, or should be, of special interest to the public. The statistics of circulation may not indicate that much use is made of such lists, but they serve as a running advertisement of the educational intent of the library. Regularity, promptness, and uniformity are as desirable in a library bulletin as in any other periodical. A failure in either of these points indicates either a lack of funds or of consistent purpose in the management of the library. PERIODICAL LIBRARY BULLETINS. BY GEORGE WATSON COLE, LIBRARIAN, JERSEY CITY FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY. 1VT O public library that endeavors to keep up with the times can hope to succeed with- out furnishing its readers with information as to its most recent accessions. This may be done in several ways : by posting lists of new books ; by a card-catalogue for the public ; or by printed lists. The disadvantage of the first two methods lies in the fact that the readers must come to the library to consult them, whereas, printed lists can be carried away and consulted at all times and anywhere outside the library. It is safe then to say that the * On the publishing of library bulletins. A written presentation, by various librarians, of experience and opinion on questions connected with the publishing of library bulletins ; their cost, frequency of publication, expediency of annotation, admission of advertisements, free distribution or sale, value to the public, etc. COLE. printed list or bulletin supplies information to a greater number of people, with less incon- venience, and at a smaller cost, than can be done by any other means. It is presumed that as fast as new books are added to the library and catalogued they are put upon inspection shelves where the public can examine and handle them, under proper supervision, and that they are kept there until a bulletin is issued, or until they are crowded out by still newer books. This, in a measure, does away with the necessity of posting lists or of a public card-catalogue, which at best are but substi- tutes for the books themselves. In taking up the order of topics laid down for the discussion of this subject, we come first to their cost. It has been the policy of the Jersey City Free Public Library to issue its "Library Record" without expense to the library. In order to do this it has started out with the assumption that such a publication furnishes one of the best possible means for advertising to be found in the community ; for, unlike daily papers and other periodicals, which are read and then thrown away, this is preserved month after month for reference. We have therefore tried the plan of going to the printer or publisher and interesting him in the matter, by showing him the excellence of the sheet as an advertising medium, and en- gaging him to undertake its publication ; it being understood that he is to have all he can make, over and above the cost of production, from the amount paid him for advertisements. After several unsuccessful efforts, we have at last found an enterprising printer who is mak- ing it pay for itself and still give him some small profit for his labors. Before the outside cover was added to the " Library Record," the printers estimated that it cost them about $45.00 for an issue of 3,500 copies. It contained 8 pages of 3 columns each, measuring 10 x 8 inches excluding the running title. Our proposition to the printer was to reserve 12 columns of the inside, includ- ing the entire first page, for the use of the li- brary ; allowing him to use all the rest for advertising purposes. We supply reading- matter for any space which he is unable to fill with advertisements.. One of our former printers has given the following estimate of actual cost in getting up the sheet as at present issued : ESTIMATED ACTUAL COST TO PRINTER FOR AN EDITION OF 3,500 COPIES. Stock i. Cover, 48-lb. stock, . . . $10.00 2. Paper (inside) 6o-lb. stock, super- calendered, machine finished, . 12.60 Composition i. Catalogue and reading-matter, 12 columns brevier (including ist page) of 2,500 ems to column, 12.00 2. Advertising matter, 24 columns, (J inside and 4 pages of cover), . 24.00 Press Work i. Corrections, making ready for press, and locking up, . . . 4.00 2. Press work, .... 5.00 Binding Folding, binding with wire, and trim- ming, ...... 3.50 Total, $71.10 Item No. 2 of "Composition" appears to me to require some explanation ; as it is here given the printer's figures may be misleading. Matter supplied in stereotypes, as well as adver- tisements kept standing from month to month, and those leaving much blank space, or fat, as the printers call it, would all tend to lower these figures. The estimate, on the whole, I consider a fair one. If the library expects to secure its own ad- vertisements, and receive pay for them, an additional amount of $10 or $15 should be added to these figures for a reasonable profit to the printer. The estimate of printers will, of course, vary somewhat according to locality, competition, and capacity for turning out work. So much then in explanation of the expense connected with such a publication for those who have the problem yet to face. As to the frequency of appearance, it would seem that once a month is about a reasonable term. The Boston Public Library last year tried the experiment of issuing a weekly bul- letin of additions, but after a year's exper- ience, has given it up. No other library, to my knowledge, has attempted a weekly bul- letin. The Mercantile Library of Philadelphia, the Public Libraries of Milwaukee, Cincinnati, and Boston, and the libraries of Harvard and Cornell Universities all issue quarterly bul- letins. The Public Libraries of Newark, Springfield, Wilkes-Barre", Cleveland, and Jersey City, and a few others, issue monthly bulletins. The weekly period seems too short for most libraries to make up a list of respectable size, and in three months matter for too large a list is apt to accumulate ; so LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. that, upon the whole, the monthly bulletin seems to be a happy solution of the difficulty. The disadvantage of numerous alphabets, which is necessarily incident to periodical bulletins, is admirably solved by the Cin- cinnati and Milwaukee public libraries, where, at the end of one or two years, respectively, the bound volumes are provided with an alpha- betical index to their contents. There is no question as to the usefulness of annotations, if properly made, but as to their expediency, especially in a class of work which is necessarily so ephemeral in its character as the library bulletin, I have grave doubts. The bulletin at frequent intervals must be supple- mented by a catalog or a supplement to it. Again, annotations to be of the highest value, should be very carefully prepared, and this requires more time than the ever-busy librarian can give to the work, especially when a bul- letin must be put through the printer's hands every month. As a matter of expense, and in the interest of careful and valuable work in this line, I should say ' don't' throw your anno- tations away on the bulletin, but reserve them for the catalog. The question of admission of advertisements has been fully taken into consideration as far as our own practice in Jersey City is concerned, so that but a word further need be said. I should draw the line every time at the bul- letin, saying "thus far and no farther." As to free distribution, that question is also settled, for us, by our method of getting our ' ' Library Record ' ' printed. Even if we had to pay for its printing, I believe it would be politic to give it out freely to all patrons of the library. I cannot see how an equal amount of money can be better spent in popularizing the library, than in the free distribution of its lists of new books. Before closing I wish to say a word upon a point not down in the list of suggestive topics which have been given for our guidance in the discussion of this subject. It is one which, I hope, will give rise to a thorough discussion. I refer to the admission of such periodical pub- lications of libraries as second-class mail-mat- ter in the United States mails. I have made two applications to the post-office authorities to get our ' 'Library Record' ' entered as second- class matter, and the application has, in each case, been rejected. It is a positive disgrace that libraries cannot send these publications to other libraries upon their exchange lists, as well as to others, without being compelled to pay for them as third-rate matter. I should like to know how many of the libraries here represented, that issue periodical publications of this nature, have made application to have them carried at pound rates and with what success. I can see no good reason for ex- cluding this class of publications from the mail as second-class matter, especially when pub- lishers are permitted to enter their paper- bound novels, issued in series, in this class. I should much like to see some resolution, favoring the entry of all library periodical bul- letins as second-class mail-matter, passed be- fore the adjournment of this Conference. PERIODICAL LIBRARY BULLETINS. BY CAROLINE M. HEWINS, LIBRARIAN, HARTFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY. T^HE Hartford Library Association, stim- ulated by accounts of advertising bul- letins in the Library Journal and other peri- odicals, began to publish a i2mo quarterly in December, 1878. The advertisements were solicited by members of the Board of Direc- tors, and the receipts the first year were $104.12, and the second $156.40, which a little more than paid expenses. At the end of the second year, the Board decided that the time spent in seeking advertisements was worth more than the money received for them, and the expenses of the bulletin were paid out of the library receipts until 1887, when we began to charge ten cents a number, or twenty-five cents a year. The bulletin was printed by the same firm who bound books for the library, and there is no separate record of its cost in our printed reports. In 1887, the receipts, at ten cents a number, or twenty- five cents a year, were $26.75 ; in 1889, $14.10; in 1890, $35.33 ; in 1891, $25.89. Since opening the Hartford Public Library two years ago we have re- ceived a little more than $300, and our ex- HEWINS. 53 penses have been about |ioo more than that. We have therefore made no money on our bulletins. We have usually printed them once in three months, but have sometimes "doubled up" numbers, and have always kept the i2mo form with which we began, instead of the monthly 4to which has been adopted by many libraries. At one time we investigated the cost of manilla paper, but found the differ- ence in cost so slight that we never used it. We have always annotated our bulletins freely, and in almost every number have shown the public the resources of the library on some special subject. From 1878 to 1889 we printed notes on Art, Africa, Summer books, French and German books, English language, Chil- dren's vacation, United States government, Christmas holidays, Going abroad, Longfellow, English and American history for children, English literature, 1700-1750 (suggested by a course of lectures ), House-building and house-furnishing, Music, Architecture, An- atomy, physiology and hygiene (to illustrate "First aid to the injured " lectures), Mythology and folklore, History of Greece and Rome for boys and girls, French and English history, 1600-1800, India, Electricity, Education, Italy, Russia, Sociology, Spain, How to find quota- tions, Connecticut, Cookery and housekeep- ing, Books for teachers of geography, and Plays, charades and tableaux for home acting. In January, 1890, we began to print an au- thor-list of novels, in four numbers, with notes on those illustrating history or life in different countries. This list was sold out soon after we became a free library, and we reprinted it in one twenty-five cent number, in the spring of 1893, after suspending the publication of the bulletin for a year. It has been continued irregularly since then, one of the numbers containing in addition to new books, a list of all in the library upon science and useful arts, except those so old as to be useless to general readers ; others, all our books on education and fine arts. We have printed in every number the percentage of different classes of books circulated, and other items of library news, given tables of contents, and paid es- pecial attention to suggesting books leading out from or connected with our new ones, histories and biographies for verifying histor- ical novels, etc. When we opened the Hartford Public Li- brary we printed a classified and annotated list of books for boys and girls, which we sold for five cents, about half its cost. The edition of a thousand copies was soon exhausted, and we have printed a revised and enlarged one. One argument in favor of printing a month- ly or quarterly bulletin is that it prevents the public from demanding a full and expensive printed catalog. At a fair estimate, three- fourths of the readers who depend on a public library care for nothing but novels, and the simpler a list can be made, the better they like it. We do not even print book-numbers in our novel-list, and require only authors and titles to be written on the call-slips, as all our novels in English, whether translated or not, are arranged alphabetically under authors with the Cutter numbers. A second plea is that a bulletin keeps the pub- lic informed as to new books much better than a card catalog with manuscript or typewritten lists posted in the library. It is a medium for conveying knowledge of current books to read- ers, who are much more willing to study a pamphlet at home than to search for and copy titles in a card-catalog. Every number of a bulletin can be made to show the resources of the library on some special topic. It can direct attention to the best new books, and suggest for children's reading many things not written especially for them. If a printing or publishing firm will take it in hand as a business venture, it often adds materially to the funds of the library ; but if it has no advertisements it must be sold at a price far below cost in order to attract buyers, as in the Boston Public Library. I am in favor of a merely nominal sum, say five cents a num- ber, unless a library has to choose between spending money for printing or books. In that case, the advertising bulletin should be adopted. LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. PERIODICAL LIBRARY BULLETINS. BY JOHN EDMANDS, LIBRARIAN, MERCANTILE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA. T^OR some years it was the practice in the Mercantile Library of Philadelphia to in- sert, once a week, in a daily paper, a list of the principal additions to the library, with an occasional article of special interest to readers. These lists did not seem to attract much at- tention, and apparently did but little good ; their cost was about $200 a year. In October, 1882, we began the issue of a quarterly bulletin as a substitute for the week- ly lists. This bulletin has been continued to the present time. The number of pages has ranged from sixteen to twenty. The cost is about $225 a year. For several years the numbers were sold at 5 cents each, and mailed to subscribers at 20 cents a year. The num- ber of regular subscribers ranged from fifty to one hundred, in addition to those sold singly at the desk. We sent copies without charge to about seventy-five libraries. Since January, 1892, the bulletin has been distributed to members of the library without charge. The bulletin contains a brief title, with im- print, of nearly all the books added to the li- brary (including continuations), and with the shelf-marks appended. The titles, by authors only, are arranged alphabetically under the twenty-two main classes of the library. Of many books the contents are given. In many cases selected and original notes are inserted, to explain the scope or the purpose of the book, or to give some intimation of its merit. A considerable space in each number has been taken up with some special article. There have been Reading Notes, or prepared lists, on Spencer, Webster, Luther, Gothe, Wy- cliffe, and Columbus ; and on Education, Indexes, Catacombs, Electricity, Music, Cur- rency and Finance, Income Tax, and Ha- waii. The bibliographies of Dies Irae and of Junius, are the fullest that have appeared in print. The list of Historical Novels, which was continued through seventeen numbers, from 1885 to 1889, was the most extended that had been printed up to that time. The considerable time required for the preparation of those notes and those special articles is believed to have been well spent. A library is a great possibility for good. In order that it may actually be the good that is possible, there is need, besides a live librarian, of some printed guide or introduction to its contents. In view of the impossibility of hav- ing an up-to-date catalog of a growing library, some means of giving information as to new accessions, and as to special treasures, like the modern bulletin seems imperative. At one time our Board entertained a propo- sition made by an outsider for the insertion of advertisements interleaved in our bulletin, with the view of lessening the cost. The scheme did not materialize, and the Board has not thought fit to enter into the plan. It seems to me they have taken the right view of the matter. PERIODICAL LIBRARY BULLETINS. BY J. C. DANA, LIBRARIAN, DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY. \A7~E have no printed finding-list except for fiction. In our bulletin we print from time to time lists of additions, lists on special subjects, and complete lists of one and another department. Several of these we sometimes reprint in a small pamphlet which we sell for 5C. The expense of our bulletin to the library is, perhaps, about what it would be if we printed each month a book-list, with no read- ing-matter. The special lists, and the reading-matter about our library in particular, and about BRETT. 55 library work in general, and the continuance of something of the nature of a journal, are the results of considerations like these : The journal itself advertises the library in the community and especially in the schools. It is possibly a little more attractive than a bare list would be. The special lists, over and above the occasional lists of additions, aid in making attractive other lines than fiction and are especially useful in view of the fact that we have no complete printed catalog. The library notes, the descriptions of library work, the suggestions about books and meth- ods for village and school libraries aid, we think, in increasing library interest throughout the State. As yet there is no library commis- sion in Colorado. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction has no funds or facilities for doing anything, of note, in the way of library propagandism. Denver is Colorado, to a con- siderable extent. The Public Library, in Den- ver, is the only library there which is just now in a condition to put forth either money or energy in spreading the faith. It has seemed then, to us, very fitting that we should take this duty in small measure on ourselves. We send our bulletin each month to all high-school principals, librarians, and city and county superintendents throughout the State. We do a good deal of missionary work in other ways, and it is impossible to say how much of the increase of interest in libraries throughout the state and the increase has been very notable in the past few years is due to the circulation of our bulletin. We think it justifies the outlay in money and time. As I have intimated, the bulletin is not quite self-supporting. The management of the busi- ness side of it is not in the library's hands. The labor connected with it under this management is not very great. Under ordinary library conditions my expe- rience would lead me to think that the best thing in the way of a bulletin would be a series of leaflets, perferably small, containing each a short list of additions or special books ; annotated where possible, and so brief as not to confuse or discourage the humblest and most ignorant reader. The bulletin of the Salem Public Library seems about the ideal thing. PERIODICAL LIBRARY BULLETINS. BY WILLIAM H. BRETT, LIBRARIAN, CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY. T N regard to the publication of library bulle- tins, the experience of the Cleveland Pub- lic Library is about as follows : The library has not until recently attempted the publication of any regular bulletin or peri- odical. In January of the present year it be- gan the issue of a monthly book-list, "The Open Shelf." The expense of publication is a serious objection. The cost of this, the page being about 2^ by 6% inches, is $75.00 for an edition of 2,000 copies of 48 pages with a cover (making 52 pages in all), or a little less than 1.50 per page. As to the frequency of the publication, the librarian finds himself between the Scylla on the one hand, of having his bulletins issued long after many of the best books have been placed in the library, if he publish at too l(5ng intervals ; and Charybdis on the other, of a rapidly accumulating pile of lists increasingly inconvenient to consult. The choice proba- bly lies between a monthly and a quarterly issue. The Cleveland list is published each month, while an alphabetically arranged list of the books of the year is kept in a Rudolph In- dexer book. The value of annotations to the entries is not doubtful, and their admission can hardly be an open question except where the increased cost is too serious an objection. No part of our own bulletin has received so much favora- ble comment from our readers at home. The question of admitting advertisements is a difficult one. On the one hand they mater- ially lessen the cost of publication ; on the other they introduce a business element for- eign to the purpose of the publication and possibly distracting from it. The plan now adopted in Cleveland, and which is a com- promise, is to admit advertisements of books 54 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. PERIODICAL LIBRARY BULLETINS. BY JOHN KDMANDS, LIBRARIAN, MERCANTILE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA. "TJ*OR some years it was the practice in the Mercantile Library of Philadelphia to in- sert, once a week, in a daily paper, a list of the principal additions to the library, with an occasional article of special interest to readers. These lists did not seem to attract much at- tention, and apparently did but little good ; their cost was about $200 a year. In October, 1882, we began the issue of a quarterly bulletin as a substitute for the week- ly lists. This bulletin has been continued to the present time. The number of pages has ranged from sixteen to twenty. The cost is about $225 a year. For several years the numbers were sold at 5 cents each, and mailed to subscribers at 20 cents a year. The num- ber of regular subscribers ranged from fifty to one hundred, in addition to those sold singly at the desk. We sent copies without charge to about seventy-five libraries. Since January, 1892, the bulletin has been distributed to members of the library without charge. The bulletin contains a brief title, with im- print, of nearly all the books added to the li- brary (including continuations), and with the shelf-marks appended. The titles, by authors only, are arranged alphabetically under the twenty-two main classes of the library. Of many books the contents are given. In many cases selected and original notes are inserted, to explain the scope or the purpose of the book, or to give some intimation of its merit. A considerable space in each number has been taken up with some special article. There have been Reading Notes, or prepared lists, on Spencer, Webster, Luther, Gothe, Wy- cliffe, and Columbus ; and on Education, Indexes, Catacombs, Electricity, Music, Cur- rency and Finance, Income Tax, and Ha- waii. The bibliographies of Dies Irae and of Junius, are the fullest that have appeared in print. The list of Historical Novels, which was continued through seventeen numbers, from 1885 to 1889, was the most extended that had been printed up to that time. The considerable time required for the preparation of those notes and those special articles is believed to have been well spent. A library is a great possibility for good. In order that it may actually be the good that is possible, there is need, besides a live librarian, of some printed guide or introduction to its contents. In view of the impossibility of hav- ing an up-to-date catalog of a growing library, some means of giving information as to new accessions, and as to special treasures, like the modern bulletin seems imperative. At one time our Board entertained a propo- sition made by an outsider for the insertion of advertisements interleaved in our bulletin, with the view of lessening the cost. The scheme did not materialize, and the Board has not thought fit to enter into the plan. It seems to me they have taken the right view of the matter. PERIODICAL LIBRARY BULLETINS. BY J. C. DANA, LIBRARIAN, DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY. \A7"E have no printed finding-list except for fiction. In our bulletin we print from time to time lists of additions, lists on special subjects, and complete lists of one and an other department. Several of these we sometimes reprint in a small pamphlet which we sell for 5C. The expense of our bulletin to the library is, perhaps, about what it would be if we printed each month a book-list, with no read- ing-matter. The special lists, and the reading-matter about our library in particular, and about BRETT. 55 library work in general, and the continuance of something of the nature of a journal, are the results of considerations like these : The journal itself advertises the library in the community and especially in the schools. It is possibly a little more attractive than a bare list would be. The special lists, over and above the occasional lists of additions, aid in making attractive other lines than fiction and are especially useful in view of the fact that we have no complete printed catalog. The library notes, the descriptions of library work, the suggestions about books and meth- ods for village and school libraries aid, we think, in increasing library interest throughout the State. As yet there is no library commis- sion in Colorado. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction has no funds or facilities for doing anything, of note, in the way of library propagandism. Denver is Colorado, to a con- siderable extent. The Public Library, in Den- ver, is the only library there which is just now in a condition to put forth either money or energy in spreading the faith. It has seemed then, to us, very fitting that we should take this duty in small measure on ourselves. We send our bulletin each month to all high-school principals, librarians, and city and county superintendents throughout the State. We do a good deal of missionary work in other ways, and it is impossible to say how much of the increase of interest in libraries throughout the state and the increase has been very notable in the past few years is due to the circulation of our bulletin. We think it justifies the outlay in money and time. As I have intimated, the bulletin is not quite self-supporting. The management of the busi- ness side of it is not in the library's hands. The labor connected with it under this management is not very great. Under ordinary library conditions my expe- rience would lead me to think that the best thing in the way of a bulletin would be a series of leaflets, perferably small, containing each a short list of additions or special books ; annotated where possible, and so brief as not to confuse or discourage the humblest and most ignorant reader. The bulletin of the Salem Public Library seems about the ideal thing. PERIODICAL LIBRARY BULLETINS. BY WILLIAM H. BRETT, LIBRARIAN, CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY. T N regard to the publication of library bulle- tins, the experience of the Cleveland Pub- lic Library is about as follows : The library has not until recently attempted the publication of any regular bulletin or peri- odical. In January of the present year it be- gan the issue of a monthly book-list, "The Open Shelf." The expense of publication is a serious objection. The cost of this, the page being about 2^ by 6% inches, is $75.00 for an edition of 2,000 copies of 48 pages with a cover (making 52 pages in all), or a little less than $1.50 per page. As to the frequency of the publication, the librarian finds himself between the Scylla on the one hand, of having his bulletins issued long after many of the best books have been placed in the library, if he publish at too l(3ng intervals ; and Charybdis on the other, of a rapidly accumulating pile of lists increasingly inconvenient to consult. The choice proba- bly lies between a monthly and a quarterly issue. The Cleveland list is published each month, while an alphabetically arranged list of the books of the year is kept in a Rudolph In- dexer book. The value of annotations to the entries is not doubtful, and their admission can hardly be an open question except where the increased cost is too serious an objection. No part of our own bulletin has received so much favora- ble comment from our readers at home. The question of admitting advertisements is a difficult one. On the one hand they mater- ially lessen the cost of publication ; on the other they introduce a business element for- eign to the purpose of the publication and possibly distracting from it The plan now adopted in Cleveland, and which is a com- promise, is to admit advertisements of books LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. and of things pertaining to books and libraries, and no others. These may fairly be regarded as of interest in connection with the prime purpose of the publication. If a bulletin can- not be supported without the publication of the ruck of advertisements, possibly it had better be discontinued. As to their distribution, the plan adopted in Cleveland is to sell them at one cent per copy in the library, on the theory that a thing which costs nothing is not appreciated nor taken care of. To those receiving them by mail a price is charged which covers cost of mailing. The question of their value to the public is important. This consists principally in fur- nishing a list of additions to the library for the use of its readers, and also as forming a con- venient medium for announcements and news of any kind in regard to the library. Our ex- perience is so brief that it may be regarded as in the experimental stage. There is a question which is really a part of the last ; that is, the question of the right of the library to publish. To issue a periodical containing reading-matter and advertisements, as well as book-lists, is practically to go into the publishing business. The propriety of a library doing this depends entirely upon the purpose. If all other features are subordinated strictly to the purpose of rendering the library attractive and useful, there should be no ques- tion as to its propriety. If business purposes are allowed to control it, it is manifestly im- proper. REPORT ON LIBRARY PROGRESS. BY THE SECRETARY, FRANK P. HILL, LIBRARIAN, NEWARK FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY. '"PHIS is an outline presentation of library progress in the several states during the past year. By year is meant the time from Conference to Conference. Early in July the following circular was sent out : DEAR SIR : Will you kindly give me for use of the A. L. A., such matter relating to library affairs in your state as may be of interest to the fraternity at large? I particularly desire to obtain the following in- formation : 1. Is there a state commission? If so, give name, date of appointment and number of commissioners. 2. Is there a state association ? If so, give title. 3. Names of any clubs. 4. Membership of each. 5. Frequency of meetings. 6. What are these organizations doing to promote library interests? 7. Number and location of new libraries or old ones taking on new life (1893-1894). 8. Other state items of interest. The report which follows includes only those states from which items of interest and information have been received. It may be taken for granted that the omission of the name of a state means that library matters are at a stand-still in that state. ALABAMA. The Mobile Library has been started, and the Mobile Reading Club, with a membership of fifty, and meetings every two weeks, is doing all in its power to quicken li- brary interests. CALIFORNIA. While this state has no State Association strictly speaking it has the South- ern California Library Club, which has done much good work in the lower counties of the state. The club was organized November, 1891, and has a membership of forty. The efforts of the club have resulted in establishing closer relations between all libraries in Cal- ifornia, in raising the standard of library work, and in supplying trained help to new libraries. The state librarian "is collecting statistics of public libraries which will be published in [his] biennial report." COLORADO. The Colorado Library Asso- ciation, organized December 29, 1892 has not been a very successful affair. An effort will be made to start anew next winter. With regard to new libraries, Mr. Dana re- HILL. 57 ports that there are lots of little ones starting up all over the state. Apparently that is a true statement, inasmuch as the number of libraries has increased 75 per cent, since 1892. CONNECTICUT. Under the law relating to libraries, passed by the General Assembly of 1893, the State Board of Education must an- nually appoint five persons who shall be known as the Connecticut Public Library Committee. One good section provides that no person shall be ineligible to serve on this committee by reason of sex. The first committee, consisting of Chas. D. Hine, Chairman, Caroline M. Hewins, Secre- tary, S. O. Seymour, Nathan L. Bishop, and C. E. Graves, was appointed in September, 1893. As a result of the work of this com- mittee new libraries have been started in sev- eral towns. The report of the committee, to be published in January, 1895, will contain full statistics of libraries in the state. The Connecticut Library Association, organ- ized February 22, 1891, has a membership of seventy-eight. It meets three times a year, in February, May and October. Miss Hewins writes : "Besides promoting a friendly feel- ing among librarians, the association is of great use in stimulating the smaller libraries, and has been the means of forming the Li- brary Committee." A new library has been opened at Seymour ; and the Otis Library, Norwich, Suffield Pub- lic, and Wethersfield Public, have been made free. DELAWARE. From this state the only cheering bit of news comes from Wilmington, where the institute has been made a free li- brary. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. The Washington Library Association was organized June 15, 1894, with a membership of twenty-five. The constitution provides for monthly meetings, except during the summer. GEORGIA. Miss Wallace of Atlanta writes : " Library growth in the South has been slow owing to the impoverished condition of the country ; only in recent years has library in- fluence been felt." ILLINOIS. The Chicago Library Club, or- ganized December 17, 1891, has a member- ship of ninety. Meetings are held once a month from October to March. There is hope of a state association in the near future. INDIANA. The Library Association of In- diana was organized in the winter of 1891. It meets once a year and has a membership of thirty-eight. The meetings are not largely attended, ow- ing to the fact that, while every little cross- roads town in the state has a library of some sort, the librarian is usually a person who cannot afford the time and money to attend. The report says: "We have aroused in- terest, and are stimulating library spirit in the state ; we are helping the new librarians and encouraging the old." It would appear so, as seven new libraries at Bluffton, Anderson, Richmond, Kokomo, Fort Wayne, Logansport, and Frankfort were opened to the public during the year. Mr. Dunn's pamphlet on the libraries of In- diana is an interesting document, and con- tains valuable material. IOWA. The Iowa Library Society was or- ganized September 2, 1890, and has a mem- bership of thirty-three. It is attempting to bring the State Teachers' Association into closer and more harmonious relations with the Library Society, besides advancing general library interests throughout the state. "It has influenced legislation, and secured the adoption of a new library law which went into effect July i, 1894." New libraries have been founded at Boone, Independence, Keokuk, and Fairfield. Also a Y. M. C. A. library at Cedar Rapids, Public School Library of Marshalltown, Normal School Library, Woodbine, and Des Moines College. MAINE. Maine has a state association called the Maine Library Association, organ- ized March 19, 1891, membership twenty -two. It holds infrequent meetings. Several expensive library buildings have been erected during the year. A school for teaching library economy has been estab- lished at Orono, in connection with the State College of Agriculture. MARYLAND. Reports the opening of the Jacob Tome Institute at Port Deposit. MASSACHUSETTS. The work in this state is so important that it deserves a separate paper. LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. I will merely allude to the organization of the Free Public Library Commission, October 22, 1890, composed of five commissioners ; to the Massachusetts Library Club with a member- ship of two hundred ; and to the seven new libraries established during the year. The commission is doing splendid work. Besides the seven new libraries first mentioned seven others are ready to accept the law, and are only awaiting the completion of details. Out of 352 towns and cities in the state only 31 are without free public libraries. Mr. Til- linghast reports at length : " Vigorous effort, which will soon bear fruit, is being made in most of these [31] towns. All the spare time I can find is given to the immediate care of this work and I have never had the time to make anything more than the brief administrative statement contained in our annual reports. How far-reaching our work has been is known only to the members of the commission. It has involved corres- pondence in every state and territory of the Union, every Grand Division and nearly every civilized country of the globe. The private inquiry and conference in regard to the pro- posed erection of library buildings by bequest or otherwise, necessarily private in its nature, is very extensive." MICHIGAN. The Michigan Library Asso- ciation has a membership of fifty. It was or- ganized September i, 1891, and meets once a year. "The meetings are well attended and spirited, and doing much to instruct and en- courage the librarians of the smaller and weaker libraries. They also do a good work in awakening public opinion and strengthen- ing the hold of the library upon the commu- nity." " We expect to have the transactions of our State Library Association printed by the Supt. of Public Instruction in connection with his annual report and the transactions of the State Teachers' Association, and thus distributed throughout the state. We also have a scheme to be put through when the legislature meets, by which the State Library will be brought in- to closer relations with all the people, who will be permitted through the local libraries to borrow from the State library certain volumes not to be found in the local collection." " Handsome new buildings have been dedi- cated recently at Kalamazoo and Jackson, both gifts of public-spirited citizens. In ad- dition, bequests have been made to the li- brary of the State University, and to the City of Big Rapids." MINNESOTA. Minnesota has a State Li- brary Association (organized in December, 1891), which meets annually. A circular has been issued by this association calling atten- tion " to a plan by which every small town and village in Minnesota may be supplied with a circulating library." New libraries have been started at Anoka and Redwing ; and Mankato has just decided to establish one. The hard times have pre- vented any action, but a great amount of in- terest has been awakened in many localities. It is expected that the legislature to convene this coming winter will pass a law establishing a library commission. MISSOURI. Mr. Crunden writes that he knows of but one new library established under the state law. He says further : " There has been in Missouri, in the last two years, a movement for the establishment of school libraries, analogous to that of New York some generations ago. The state super- intendent, Mr. Wolf, is heartily in sympathy with the library movement. He has gone through the state and stirred up the farmers to establish district-school libraries. He told me that he had gathered and placed in small school libraries not less than 25,000 volumes." Incidentally Mr. Crunden mentions that the St. Louis Public Library, in becoming a free one, has entered upon a new career. In my opinion the change at St. Louis is one of the most important events in library history dur- ing the year, and Mr. Crunden is just the man to take advantage of such an opportunity. The report from his state is " of progress. " MONTANA. Cheering news comes from this state in the shape of two new libraries opened to the public one, at Butte, the other at Mis- soula ; the latter is supported by a tax of Y* mill on the dollar. The Bozeman library has changed from a private to a city library. An- aconda is to have a $50,000 building, and the library will be liberally endowed. Great Falls also has a new library. Better library legisla- HILL. 59 tion is needed, as the present law is inade- quate. NEBRASKA. New public libraries have been started in Beatrice, Plattsmouth, York, Te- cumseh, Webster, and South Omaha. Miss Allan writes : "On Library Day, as adopted by the Teachers' Association, hundreds of small school libraries were organized all over the state. There are undoubtedly a number of Library Clubs, but they all seem to be too lady-like to respond to my newspaper notices." To show just what Library Day means in Nebraska some extracts are given from a cir- cular of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction dated September 19, 1893 : ' ' In accordance with a resolution of the Nebraska State Teachers' Association, passed at its last annual meeting, a program has been prepared by the committee appointed for that purpose looking to the observance of the anni- versary of the discovery of America as Library Day in the schools of the state. " It will be remembered that October 2ist was celebrated all over the country last year as Columbus Day ; it is the thought of the promoters of Library Day that it would be well if Columbus Day could be perpetuated as an annual festival for awakening interest in the schools, and especially for the building up of school libraries in every district in Ne- braska. " It is well known that books of special in- terest and profit to children are no less inter- esting and profitable to adults, and that the books of the children are read with avidity by the teachers and by the parents of the chil- dren. ' ' Good books put into the school library soon find their way to the homes in the dis- trict ; they are read by both the school chil- dren and the home children ; a habit of read- ing is thereby encouraged, or engendered, and the good reading takes the place of no reading, or of bad reading, in the community. " It gives me pleasure to call the attention of the teachers and patrons of the schools to this matter and to recommend that Friday, October 2oth, or so much thereof as may be deemed expedient, be devoted to the per- formance of the program published in the September number of the North-Western Journal of Education, and to efforts to arouse an interest in the subject of school libraries among the children and the patrons. " I especially recommend that an effort be made in connection with this celebration to create a fund, be it ever so small, for the pur- chase of books for the school that may serve as a nucleus for a school library." NEW HAMPSHIRE. The legislature of 1891 passed a law establishing the Board of Library Commissioners. Four of the five commis- sioners are appointed by the Governor and Council, the fifth member is the State Librarian, ex-officio. The work of this commission has been of the most excellent character. About 60 new libraries have been started during the past year. Of the 233 cities and towns in the state there are not more than 60 without libraries owned and controlled by the town ; and many of the 60 so reported have excellent associa- tion libraries, to which all persons in the town have access. A good authority says that there are not more than 30 towns in the state unsupplied with libraries. (This compares favorably with Massachusetts. To those in- terested in state commissions I would suggest writing to Hon. J. H. Whittier, Secretary, East Rochester, N. H., for reports and other pamphlets. ) This state also has a Library Association organized in 1889, which meets three times a year, and has a membership of forty. The Cocheco Library Club, composed of librarians, trustees, and other persons interested in library matters, residing in the southeastern part of the state, has a membership of forty- five, and meets three times a year. It was formed at Dover, September, 1892. NEW JERSEY. Once upon a time there was a New Jerley Library Association with a membership of about forty. The organization was effected December 29, 1891. At the an- nual meeting in Oct. 1893, officers were elected, but the president declining to accept office nothing has been accomplished during the year. An effort will be made this fall to effect a working organization. No library commission can be established in New Jersey for some years to come. NEW YORK. Rev. W. R. Eastman reports : 6o LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. ' ' There is no state library commission in New York as in some other states, but library in- terests are cared for by the Public Libraries Department, which is a part of the state library and in charge of the regents of the University. The secretary of the University is director of the department, and it employs the whole time of an inspector with two trained assist- ants, besides clerks. Its work is, 1. To promote the organization and devel- opment of libraries. 2. To distribute the public library money appropriated by the legislature for buying ap- proved books. 3. To visit the libraries under state super- vision. 4. To select and buy books and prepare them for lending under the traveling library system. 5. To prepare annotated lists of traveling libraries and of best books on special sub- jects. 6. To send out traveling libraries of 50 or loo volumes each and receive them again, keeping full statistics of the use of books. 7. To obtain and publish annual statistics of all libraries in the state. " Some 30 libraries have been organized or reorganized under the University charter dur- ing the past year. Others have been regis- tered by the University as maintaining a proper standard and entitled to public money. ' ' The New York Library Association was organized July n, 1890. Its membership in- cludes all the prominent libraries in the state. The New York Library Club, organized June 18, 1885, has a membership of one hundred. Regular meetings are held on the second Thursday of November, January, February, March, and May. OREGON. An effort will be made at the next biennial session of the legislature to secure additional library legislation. PENNSYLVANIA. The Pennsylvania Library Club was organized January 29, 1892. It has thirty-eight active and seventy-five interested members. The club meets five times a year. Occasional papers have been published ; and it is in contemplation to issue a map of Penn- sylvania indicating the locations of public libraries. The Free Library of Philadelphia was opened March 12, 1894. RHODE ISLAND. So far as library associa- tions and clubs are concerned Rhode Island is satisfied to join hands with Massachusetts. " For the last two years Rhode Island libra- rians have been eligible to membership in the Massachusetts Library Club, and have availed themselves of this privilege to a considerable extent." Only one new library Willetteville Free Library, Saunderstown, North King- ston has been founded in the past year. TEXAS. As an item of interest, Mr. W. C. Felton, of. Galveston, writes that the only free library in the state is located at Galves- ton. It is also stated that Dallas and Deni- son are each about to establish free libraries. UTAH. This territory reports only one pub- lic library " worth mentioning " the Pioneer Library Association of Salt Lake City. WASHINGTON. There are two free public libraries in the state one at Seattle, the other at Tacoma. WISCONSIN. The Wisconsin State Library Association was organized March n, 1891. The twenty-four members encourage the im- provement of old libraries, and the founding of new. The towns of Chippewa Falls, and Belleville have opened new libraries this year. "A special clerk in the office of the State Superintendent of Schools is detailed to take charge of the district libraries ; being a specially well informed and conscientious man, he is decidedly a library missionary." SUMMARY. The returns show that three states have library commmissions ; in thirteen states, there are library associations ; and in four states there are what may be termed local organiza- tions. KEPHART. 61 REPORT ON GIFTS AND BEQUESTS TO LIBRARIES. BY HORACE KEPHART, LIBRARIAN, ST. LOUIS MERCANTILE LIBRARY. '"TO gather the data for this report, inquiries were sent to a thousand libraries, including nearly all of those within the United States which contain 5,000 volumes and upwards. A few items are taken from the Library Journal, as indicated. It was at first my intention to include men- tion of all the more noteworthy gifts of books, but when the returns came in I found that such gifts had been so numerous that the shortest practicable list of them would swell this re- port to undue dimensions, and I have reluc- tantly confined myself to gifts and bequests of money, or property yielding a revenue. The report aims to cover the year from August, 1893, to July, 1894, inclusive. In a few instances it was found impracticable to cover this period exactly, but they were of slight consequence. This year has been marked by one of the most serious commercial and industrial de- pressions that our country has suffered, and we could not expect that at such a time the gifts or bequests to public institutions would be many or great. Returns were received from over three hundred libraries, with the following result : CALIFORNIA. LELAND STANFORD, JR., UNIVERSITY, Palo Alto. Timothy Hopkins, $5,000 for purchase of works relating to railroads and for biologi- cal works. MERCED, etc. " By the will of the late John W. Mitchell, of Turlock, Cal., the towns of Merced, Modesto, Turlock, and Atwater each are given $5,000 for a public library." Lib. /., 19:29. NUEVO. ' ' Work has been begun on a pub- lic library building given to the town by a wealthy citizen. With the building, which will cost $10,000, will be given a library of 5,000 volumes." Lib. J., 18:443. SAN FRANCISCO MERCANTILE. A. B. McCreery, $1,000. CONNECTICUT. CASK MEMORIAL, Hartford. Aggregate gifts of money, $1,343. 9 CONN. HISTORICAL Soc., Hartford. Ag- gregate, $3,750 for purchase of library of the late D. W. Patterson. OTIS, Norwich. Bequest of Wm. W. Backus, $15,000. Popular one-dollar subscrip- tions for purchase of books, $150. SHELTON. Bequest of David W. Plumb, $25,000 for lot and library building. Lib.}., 18:443. WALLINGFORD. The Ladies' Library and Reading Room Assoc. received by will of the late Samuel Simpson $25,000 for a building and $20,000 as a permanent fund. Lib. J., 19:214. WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, Middletown. Al- umni, $400 towards a fund of $2,500, for the purchase of books. YALE UNIVERSITY, New Haven. Mrs. Azariah Eldridge, bequest of $15,000. ILLINOIS. ALTON PUBLIC. Aggregate, $280.95. CHICAGO UNIVERSITY. " It was announced on Jan. 2 that John D. Rockefeller had sent $50,000 to the University of Chicago Library to be spent at once for books. This gift is distinct from the $500,000 due after July next." Lib. /., 19:67 (Feb., '94). My two requests for information remain unanswered. EAST ST. Louis PUBLIC. J. T. McCasland, and others, $7,550 for site of new building. GAIL BORDEN PUBLIC, Elgin. A. B. Church and S. M. Church, $12,500 for site of new building. INDIANA. NEW HARMONY WORKINGMEN'S INST. Dr. Edward Murphy, $20,000. IOWA. CORNELL COLLEGE, Mt. Vernon. Willard Stuckslager, $200 for books. UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY, Fayette. Cash, $100. LOUISIANA. HOWARD MEMORIAL, N. O. R. E. Moon, $i,ooo. Mrs. Annie T. Howard, $600. Both for books. 62 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. MAINE. BANGOR PUBLIC. Nathan C. Ayer, lot cost- ing $7,500. DYER, Saco. Sarah C. Bradbury, building, furnishings, and lot, costing $24,000. HUBBARD, Hallowell. (Formerly Hallo- well Social Library.) Gen. Thos. Hubbard, $20,000. MARYLAND. MARYLAND HISTORICAL Soc., Baltimore. Bequest of J. Henry Stickney, $1,000. MASSACHUSETTS. BOSTON PUBLIC. " Wm. C. Todd of Atkin- son, N. H., has given to the trustees of the Boston Public Library the sum of $50,000 to be so invested as to secure a permanent an- nual income of $2,000, to be devoted to main- taining a newspaper reading-room in which newspapers representing every large city in the world may be obtained." Lib. J., 18:300. No answer to my inquiry. GARY, Lexington. Bequest of Geo. W. Robinson, $1,000. Lib J., 19:66. CONGREGATIONAL, Boston. Estate of Dr. L. P. Langworthy, former librarian, $10,000. Estate of J. H. Stickney, $5,000. GROTON PUBLIC. Bequest of Sarah P. Blood, $1,000, income for books. HAVERHILL PUBLIC. Hon. Jas. H.Carlton, legacy of $15,000, not available during lifetime of an only sister. LENOX. Prof. Thomas Egleston and others, $680. LEOMINSTER PUBLIC. Bequest of Alvah H. Burrage, $5,000. Lib. /., 18:522. LYNN PUBLIC. Bequest of Mrs. Elizabeth M. Shute, about $100,000 for new building. MANCHESTER PUBLIC. Mrs. Geo. D. Howe, $100. MELROSE PUBLIC. Bequest of Wm. Bailey, about $2,000. NEWBURYPORT PUBLIC. Bequest of Rev. Wm. O. Moseley, $10,000 for permanent fund. NEWTON THEOL. INST., Newton Centre. $50,000 for new library building, donor not named. No. ATTLEBOROUGH. Mrs. John A. Tweedy, Edmund Ira Richards, and Miss Hattie T. Richards, a building for memorial public li- brary, to cost about $25,000. Lib.J., 18:443. ROBBINS, Arlington. Henry Dexter, $100. SALEM PUBLIC. Hon. J. B. F. Osgood, $100. SOCIAL LAW, Boston. Bequest of Abbott Lawrence, $10,000. SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC. Bequest of Horace Smith, $50,000. Subscriptions for new build- ing. $71,000 (largest single donor, John Olmsted, $10,000). WALPOLE PUBLIC. Bequest of Francis W. Bird, $2,000 (and $30,000 prospectively). Lib. /., 19:246. WEST BROOKFIELD PUBLIC. Bequest of Henry Stickney, $500. WESTON PUBLIC. Bequest of Chas Hast- ings, $i,ooo. Francis Blake, $65. MICHIGAN. BIG RAPIDS. Bequest of Mrs. Fitch Phelps, $50,000 for a public library. Lib. J., 18:443. HILLSDALE COLLEGE. Bequest of Albion S. Jaquith, property valued at $60,000. SAGE, W. Bay City. Wm. Sage, $1,000 for books. West Bay City, $1,000. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, Ann Arbor. Bequest of Dr. Corydon L. Ford, $20,000. Bequest of Miss Jean L. Coyle, $10,000. Both for permanent library fund. MISSOURI. DRURY COLLEGE, Springfield. Mrs. M. G. Moen, $i,oco towards new library building. ST. Louis MERCANTILE. Robert S. Brook- ings, $1,200. Isaac W. Morton, $500. Both for electric lighting plant. ST. Louis PUBLIC. With McAnally collec- tion of books comes not less than $50 a year for maintenance. NEBRASKA. DOANE COLLEGE, Crete. Estate of W. H. Whitin, $5,000. Jacob Taft, $1,000. N. A. Slater, $1,000. Others, $3,000. All for new library building. NEW HAMPSHIRE. JAFFREY. Bequest of Susan B. Clay, $10,000 (and $10,000 more, prospectively). Bequest of Joel Parker, $10,000. Both for public li- brary. Lib.J., 19:214. MARLBOROUGH. Bequest of Rufus S. Frost, $5,000 conditionally. Lib.J., 19:145. NEW JERSEY. COLLEGE ^OF NEW JERSEY, Princeton. C. S. Green and C. E. Green, $3,500. Class of '83, $1,000. ORANGE. Bequest of Mrs. Pamela A. KEPHART. Butterfield, piece of land and $500, condition- ally, for free library. Lib. J., 19:67. PLAINFIELD PUBLIC. Bequest of Geo. H. Babcock, $10,000 for scientific and technical books, and real estate yielding $r,ooo a year for maintenance of this collection. NEW YORK. BROOKLYN. Cash donations aggregate $450. BUFFA o. Hon. James M. Smith, $5,000. BUFFALO HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Hon. James M. Smith, $5,000 to building fund. Be- quest of Michael Hutchinson, $500. CENTURY ASSOCIATION. Bequest of Rich- ard S. Ely, $10,000. COLUMBIA COLLEGE, N. Y. Samuel P. Avery, $10,284.69. H. T. Imbrie, $250. Wm. Ziegler, $1,000. Anonymous, $20,000. W. C. Schermerhorn, $5,000. A. C. Bernheim, $100. F. A. Schermerhorn, $500. Henry Adams, $1,000. CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Ithaca. W. H. Sage, $5,000 for purchase of Zarncke collec- tion. Geo. Wm. Harris, $1,000 fund for form- ing collection of Victorian poets. H. B. Lord, ISO- GEN. THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, N. Y. So- ciety for Promoting Religion and Learning in the State of N. Y., $1,500 for books. GLOVERSVILLE. D. Hays, $100. Bequest of A. J. Kasson, $25,000. HAMILTON COLLEGE. Aggregate, $495, be- sides trustees' appropriation. I LION PUBLIC. Clarence W. Seamans, $30,000 for new building. Citizens of Ilion, $6,000 for books. A. H. Kellogg, $469 for printing catalogues. N. Y. FREE CIRCULATING. Catherine Bruce, $10,000. Oswald Ottendorfer, $1,000. Thomas Baring, $200. Wm. Salomon, $200. N. Y. MERCANTILE. Bequest of Thos. Parsons, $100. N. Y. Y. W. C. A. Aggregate, $1,142. TROY Y. M. A. L. Mrs. Mary E. Hart, new building and site valued at $30,000. UNION COLLEGE, Schenectady. Aggregate, $580. VASSAR COLLEGE. John D. Rockefeller, $i,ooo. Class of '92, $75. Class of '93, $150. All for books. WESTFIELD. Bequest of Hannah W. Pat- terson, $100,000 for a public library. OHIO. HISTORICAL AND PHILOS. Soc. OF OHIO, Cincinnati. Aggregate, $547.55 WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, Cleve- land. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Mather, $2,180. Hon. John Hay, $1,000. Others, $320. PENNSYLVANIA,. BRYN MAVVR COLLEGE. Miss Mary Garrett, $i,ooo. Francis Cope, $500. Anonymous, $200. MEADVILLE THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL. Mrs. H. P. Kidder, $1,000 ; and collected by her, $2,000. Anonymous, $200. PHILADELPHIA COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. John D. Griscom, $5,000 for book fund. PHILADELPHIA CITY INSTITUTE. Aggre- gate, $1,159,92. RHODE ISLAND. PAWTUCKET PUBLIC. Bequest of Hon. Wm. F. Sayles, $100,000 for building. Lib. J., 19:214. PROVIDENCE PUBLIC. Mrs. Cornelia R. Thurston, $1,000 for books. Bequest of Miss Julia Bullock, $5,000. Others, $125. SOUTH CAROLINA. CHARLESTON LIBRARY SOCIETY. City council (donation), $500 for binding. Ladies' Committee of Columbian Exposition, $100 for same. Miss Elizabeth Ann Pinckney, $100 for Shaksperiana. VERMONT. ST. JOHNSBURY ATHEN/EUM. Mrs. Horace Fairbanks, $5,000 for books, $2,400 for en- largements, $4,000 in real estate for revenue. WINDSOR LIB. Assoc. Bequest of Mrs. Rebecca Harlow, real estate yielding $275 yearly. VIRGINIA. ROSEMARY PUBLIC, Richmond. Anony- mous, $5,000. SUMMARY. California, $ 36,000.00 Connecticut, 105,643.00 Illinois, .... 70,330.95 Indiana, . . . 20,000.00 Iowa, 300.00 Louisiana, . . . . 1,600.00 Maine, . . ... 51,500.00 Maryland 1,000.00 Massachusetts, i" 409,545-00 Michigan, .... 142,000.00 Missouri, . 3,700.00 Nebraska, 10,000.00 New Hampshire, 25,000.00 New Jersey, 35,000.00 New York, . . . 273,145.69 Ohio, . 4,047-55 Pennsylvania, . , . 11,059.92 Rhode Island, . ; . . 106,125.00 South Carolina, . 700.00 Vermont, i . 16,900.00 Virginia 5,000.00 Total, . $1,328,597-11 In the above table, the gifts of which capital is not stated are calculated on the basis of yielding 5 per cent, yearly. 6 4 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. REPORT ON PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND UNIVERSITY EXTENSION. BY T. L. MONTGOMERY, LIBRARIAN, WAGNER FREE INSTITUTE, AND PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC LIBRARY. A SERIES of questions concerning the re- lation of public libraries to University Extension was submitted to all the free public libraries having a circulation of 45,000 vols. and over, named in the list prepared by the Bureau of Education, and to certain other public libraries that were known to be equipped for University Extension work. The list com- prised some ninety libraries, and answers were received from sixty-three. Of the sixty-three answers, twenty-five re- port that their libraries are connected with the work, and thirty-eight report that they are not. In only five cases is the work carried on under the auspices of the library. Eight will provide class-rooms and lecture hall, and two will do so next year. Eight provide duplicate copies of books needed, six print lists of books, and ten furnish single copies and reserve them for the use of University Extension students. The lecturers come from a dozen universities and a college, and a few are editors or clergy- men. Two libraries report giving courses them- selves, but a course in Bibliography did not prove attractive. Eight libraries report that the courses were self-supporting, three say nay, and three are doubtful. Two libraries report that ten per cent, of the audiences did the class work and attended examinations, one from twenty to fifty per cent., and four say the percentage was very small. The aver- age number of courses given per year is three, while a considerable number have only tried one course and are doubtful about trying another. Thirteen libraries report constant use of li- brary by University Extension students, thirteen report marked effect upon the character of the reading, and five say the effect is not notice- able. To be frank in the matter I would say that the answers that have been received are of very little value in estimating the aid that has been given to the movement by the libraries. I have never been able to understand why the public librarian should be expected to act as the business manager of an educational movement in order that the books on certain shelves of his library should be appreciated. He is busy enough without this and some branch of his work will suffer if he becomes an enthusiast on the subject. It would be safe to conjecture that, in ninety per cent, of the cases where University Exten- sion has been successful in creating a real desire for study in the subjects covered by the lectures, the librarian has done all the hard work. The majority of the eight libraries that report the courses as self-supporting probably owe that result to the fact that the librarian devoted his attention to the business arrange- ments, and acted as advance agent without any remuneration except in the fact that the books on (say) Political Economy were being read. This, I regard as one of the chief objections to the public library being the instrument for the advancement of this work. It seems to me that the University Extension lectures are rather a development of the courses that used to be given in the Institutes, and that these are the proper authorities to provide facilities for the work, and so allow the public librarian to devote his superfluous energies to furnish- ing book-lists and seeing that students have a quiet place in which to consult the reference- books which relate to the subject they are working upon. In looking over the "remarks" made by librarians one cannot fail to notice the number who think it necessary to say ' ' We have no University Extension ( So-called ) here." They also use a capital S for so- called, which would indicate that they feel deeply on the subject ! Whether the name University Extension is a good one or not has very little to do with the merits of the movement. Experience has proved that very good work can be done, if the students are given an opportunity to attend courses arranged in sequence, and the least MONTGOMERY. that can be expected of librarians is that they should not discourage such an improvement over old methods without a better cause for complaint. Of the work done by libraries during the past year that at the Newark Free Public Library calls for especial mention. Three courses of twelve lectures each were given, the subjects being Painting, Literature, and Astronomy. The library furnished hall, du- plicate copies of books, and printed lists. The committee held themselves responsible for expenses to the extent of $25 each. A fee of $3 was charged for one course, $1.50 for second. The expenses were |i, 268.03 f r the three courses, and a balance of $190 is reported after two years' work. Literature paid well and covered deficit in other courses. From twenty to fifty per cent, of attendance did class-work, which is a very good showing. The Paterson Free Public Library furnished excellent lists for Extension students. The report states, however, that some of the lec- tures were not strictly of the University Exten- sion order, as no class-work was done. CALIFORNIA. The Los Angeles Public Library reports that the result of the courses was very satisfactory-. The town is 500 miles from the universities and professors can only be secured when they are examining high schools in that district. Special lists of books are provided . and a special attendant is deputed to assist the stu- dents. Miss Kelso adds that the influence of the courses is permanent, and the demand continues for books and lists of books on subjects considered two years ago. CONNECTICUT. The Bridgeport Public Library reports, "As is usual in such cases the Extension Lectures largely increased the number of readers of Political Economy. As is also usual, the de- mand for those special books ceased with the cessation of the lectures and has never since been renewed. This has been the invariable experience of this library with Chautauqua courses and all similar royal roads to learning. They create a demand for certain books as long as certain courses last, but they fail to make students . . . who are eager to read new books upon those subjects as soon as they are added to the library." New London Public Library reports that the lectures "Though called University Extension have been practically little more than popular lectures." ILLINOIS. Peoria Public Library reports, "Somebody wiser than young Ph. D.'s would be needed to make the name ' University ' respected here." INDIANA. Indianapolis Public Library reports, "Con- stant and thorough use of library by Extension students." LOUISIANA. Howard Memorial Library, New Orleans, reports that "Funds were provided by Tulane University ; three or four courses were given in a year, and the students used the library in considerable numbers." MARYLAND. Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore. Libra- rian Steiner remarks, " You know there hasn't a single (so-called) University Extension course been heard of in this town since the University of Pennsylvania stole all the thun- der thereof from H. B. Adams." MASSACHUSETTS. Springfield City Library Association reports that lecture-rooms will be furnished when new building is completed. Furnishes lists of books and reserves books for students. Libra- rian Rice says, " I will only add my most hearty approval of the University Extension idea." This is the only report from a Massa- chusetts library that is in any way favorable to University Extension, and the opinion of some of them seems to be summed up in the remark that " President Eliot is not in sympathy with University Extension under that name." MICHIGAN. Detroit Public Library reports that "The work has been very successful under the di- rection of Mr. C. K. Backus. The small num- ber of those who secure certificates is the most discouraging feature of the work ; the library is largely used by students." Grand Rapids Public Library. "The work has been dropped because it was not self-sup- porting ; while the lectures were being given the library was constantly used." MINNESOTA. Duluth Public Library. "The management is in entire sympathy with the work and would be glad to help." 66 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. Minneapolis Public Library states that " For several years courses have been carried on here, for the most part in the library building, with constant use of our books. For a year or two interest has languished, but for the coming fall and winter vigorous work is planned." St. Paul Public Library. "Work was car- ried on successfully one winter only." MISSOURI. Kansas City Public Library provides four to six courses of twelve lectures each. " About ten per cent, do class work." St. Louis Public Library. "Our experience is too limited to warrant conclusions except the general one that University Extension is a good thing, and that a library is the proper agent to carry it on." NEW HAMPSHIRE. Dover Public Library. " University Exten- sion is to be undertaken next year under au- spices of the library, which will furnish lecture- room and books." NEW YORK. Gloversville Public Library. Mr. Peck's letter is so interesting that I give it in full : "This being an inland town, we have not been able to secure lecturers, as the time wasted in coming and going is too great, and this would not only increase the expense for the lecturer but also make it inconvenient for him to accept a call in case one should be ex- tended. However, I am not so easily dis- couraged, and during the last three years I myself conducted these classes in the follow- ing manner : I generally organize two classes each winter. I select the subjects which I think would be of greatest interest to the largest number ; so, for example, last year we took up Monetary Science. I use the syllabus prepared by Prof. G. M. Forbes of the University of Rochester. Each student is provided with one copy of the syllabus and the books recommended are furnished by the library. We meet once every week, discuss the matter read, and the members prepare papers, and from time to time hand in some written work on the subject in hand, which papers are again discussed by the class. Our students being of older age are diffident in try- ing the Regents' examinations, but otherwise I think good results have been obtained. ' I try to interest the members of the legal frater- nity, and they have frequently taken hold of the subject and given brief talks before our classes. You see, though working under dis- advantages, I am not discouraged." Buffalo Public Library. "Our experience was at the very beginning of the introduction of University Extension in this country, and it only half applied the principles. It belongs to the past." PENNSYLVANIA. Carnegie Free Library, Allegheny. "Uni- versity Extension here was a failure from the lack of some public-spirited man to take the lead. There was no fund wherewith to hire lecturers. Last year the lectures were donated and were well attended." Mechanics' Library, Altoona. " Nearly self-supporting ; ten per cent, did class-work. An attempt was made to have courses in sequence, but lack of interest seemed to fol- low." Scranton Public Library. "'Barkis is willin', ' but University Extension does not seem to go here. ' ' Osterhout Free Library, Wilkes-Barre. " No work done last year." RHODE ISLAND. Providence Public Library. "The influ- ence of the University Extension movement is felt in every department of the library work." Pawtucket Public Library. "University Extension has not been the success that it would be under different management. The first year it was self-supporting ; the second it was a failure ; the third year funds were raised by the efforts of two ladies on the committee and the course was successful. Courses were discontinued last year owing to the financial depression, but another attempt will be made this winter." WISCONSIN. Milwaukee Public Library. "Generally self-supporting. The percentage of those at- tending lectures who do class-work is very small." The character of work done seems to vary very much in the same state, and in some cases certificates are given without any class work having been required. It is a mistake, in my opinion, to suppose that graded courses of study can be supported by the sale of tickets. There must be a fund on which the committee can depend, or else one of two things will CARR. happen. Either there will be a bewildering change from Electricity to Sculpture and thence to Economics, to attract audiences, or else the lectures will be attended by students only and financial disaster will follow. Very few centres have been able to extend these courses beyond the second series. If public libraries had a lecture fund at their disposal this work could be done well, but most of them are complaining that they have not enough money to carry on the work of the library- alone. Whether it is wise to maintain such work at the expense of the library funds is a question that admits of some argument. If the work is given up to the Institutes hav- ing a lecture fund the case becomes more hope- ful. When the University Extension movement was started in Philadelphia the Wagner Free Institute of Science was one of the first centres organized. (Courses of lectures in sequence had been given there, however, each year since 1855. ) At that time two of the Trustees were in favor of University Extension, two were opposed, and two didn't care anything about it as long as the lectures conducted by the trustees were not affected by it. We gave six courses, in two years, on English Literature, and Psychology, and at the end of that time the trustees were so much impressed with the success of the experiment that they ordered a syllabus to be prepared for each of the Insti- tute courses, and that a class be formed to meet the lecturer as in the Extension lectures. Now, forty lectures are given on each sub- ject extending over two years. The result has been that we have five students where we formerly had one and the audiences have in- creased slightly. No certificates are granted without the student has been regular in attend- ance and has done the work required. Forty lectures may not cover very much of the sub- ject, but it is a vast improvement over the "Sculpture, Music and Astronomy" arrange- ment. These courses are not given to "twenty- three private governesses, ten employes, four artisans and a house-maid, ' ' as were those on Greek Tragedy described by Charles Whibley in a paper in the Nineteenth Century called "The farce of University Extension." The people come because they cannot devote time during the day to college work. There are school-teachers and college-students in the classes, manual-training school boys, clerks and mechanics. If they are not able to do the work they soon drop out, and only qualified stu- dents remain. It is not a royal road to learn- ing by any means, and the young man who devotes his leisure time to these courses cer- tainly deserves some substantial acknowledge- ment. REPORT ON COLLECTIONS OF THE MINOR LITERATURE OF LOCAL HISTORY. BY HENRY J. CARR, LIBRARIAN, SCRANTON PUBLIC LIBRARY. '""PHE inquiry circulars sent out for the pur- pose of this report were aimed more large- ly at those public libraries which by reason of size, age, or location, might be supposed like- ly to have done something, directly or indi- rectly, in the line of work under consideration. For the sake of learning about the practice, or methods, of other institutions of a kindred nature, quite a number of proprietary, refer- ence, state, and some strictly historical libra- ries and societies were also included in the questioning. Circulars and query forms were sent to 350, and answers were received from 167, or 48 per cent. ; 108 of those came from the north Atlantic states. Of such replies 112 were from " public libraries " as that term is com- monly understood. Of those responding 122 indicate a disposi- tion to obtain and use these petty materials of local history. For the 45 who reply in the negative it may be said that, usually, some good reason or local circumstance to the con- trary was adduced. Such, for instance, as limited quarters or opportunity ; or, the fact that another institution near by already covered the same ground sufficiently. As regards the 183 who did not make any 68 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. reply, it is not safe to assume that none of them come within the category of libraries which might have answered yes. It is no easy matter (within the proper lim- its of this paper) to specify the various kinds of material sought and given place in our li- braries, etc., as constituting such minor litera- ture. "Everything in print, which comes into our possession," seems to be the rule of some ; but in more general terms it may be said that the subjoined list includes the chief items which usually receive any consideration other than in some exceptional cases : Annual reports of local societies, associa- tions, and institutions ; those of municipal and other corporations ; handbooks, manuals, and proceedings, of district, town, borough, city, and county executive, and governing bodies, or organizations ; newspapers ; local periodicals of every nature, however ephemer- al ; illustrated catalogs of local manufacturing or industrial establishments ; church-lists and their other publications ; club-lists ; school catalogs, circulars, and commencement pro- grams ; topic-lists, and reading-courses, of literary, scientific, or other clubs and classes ; programs of literary, musical, theatrical, or amateur entertainments ; sermons ; addresses; speeches in newspaper print as well as pamph- let ; newspaper accounts of important events, kept as scraps in envelopes, or made up into scrap-book pamphlets, or (sometimes, when extensive) into scrap-book volumes ; and bi- ographical and obituary notices treated in similar manner. The sources from which the material in question is usually obtained, and the methods of so doing, may vary according to local cir- cumstances. They chiefly resolve themselves, however, into a matter of close attention and continued efforts on the part of some one or more persons, together with repeated and per- sistent individual requests and searching. Varied phases of all such appear in the sundry replies received. Some more or less effective variations and supplementary measures have been applied, too, in the shape of circulars, advertisements in the local press, and special printed appeals. Eight especial instances of such were brought to the notice of the reporter, respectively, from Bowdoin College Library ; Historical Society of the State of Montana (Helena); Iowa Ma- sonic Library (Cedar Rapids); Jersey City Free Public Library ; Kansas State Historical Library (Topeka); Providence Public Li- brary ; Y. M. C. A. Library, of New York City ; and the Y. M. C. A. Historical Library at Springfield, Mass. Scarcely any of our older libraries have failed to receive from time to time, in a casual way, somewhat of this minor literature. Some- times it has been properly esteemed and pre- served and become the nucleus of collections now quite extensive and highly valued. In other cases it met with the neglect usually ac- corded to inexpensive productions and was counted as worthless lumber. In more recent years better ideas have be- gun to prevail and both our English cousins and our American libraries have awakened to a realization of the fruit which might be gathered from the hitherto neglected ephem- era. A few references and quotations may here be of interest and service in that connec- tion. Mr. Cutter, in his President's address at the St. Louis Conference (Lib.J., 14:151), laid down a good rule to follow in saying : " Every town library must collect exhaustively and preserve tenaciously every book, pamphlet, map, placard, poster, every scrap of written or printed matter relating to that town, and less exhaustively to the neighboring towns." Mr. Justin Winsor, at the dedication of a li- brary building at Somerville, said : "I think there is no more important purpose of a local library than to preserve its local literature, and the writings of its local authors. There is no other sure way of preserving such books. It is those books and tra*cts which are so in- significant in their day of freshness, because we are too near to them to discern their rela- tions, that are preserved in obscurity, to be- come in one time the treasures upon which the binder's skill is exhausted. The common- ness which makes us despise them now, gives the flavor which makes them representative then." In the Proceedings of the Catskill Confer- ence (Lib.J., 13:310-311), is reported an in- teresting and instructive discussion concern- ing the "Collection of local history by a li- brary." Mr. W. R. Cutter has given in Lib. J., 17:420-422 an interesting description of the NELSON. 69 formation of a local collection in the Woburn Public Library and of the practical manner in which it was treated. In connection with the report of a meeting of the Massachusetts Library Club (Lib. J., 17:428), is an account of the local collection of the Concord Free Public Library. That li- brary is credited with being, perhaps, the first to make an especial collection of its particular class. The " Lancastriana " of the Lancaster Town Library (brought together largely through the continued diligence of Hon. Henry S. Nourse of the Board of Trustees, with the painstaking care and continued as- sistance of Miss Alice G. Chandler, for seven- teen years the librarian), and referred to in Lib.]., 19:236, is a notable and model collec- tion of the kind. It is described at some length in the first report of the Massachusetts Free Library Commission (1891) That same Commission, in its report of 1894 (quoted in Lib. J., 19:198), gives good sugges- tions for the making, by town libraries, of col- lections of local historical or geographical in- terest. Also suggests utilizing the collec- tions in a practical way, when made, in a con- nection between libraries and schools. In conclusion it may be said that study of the various replies received seems to show that all through our country the chief difficulty in the way of due preservation of material for local history lies in the indifference and apathy of the very public that produces it and supplies it. Nor do such institutions as the historical societies, which exist almost solely for that very purpose, appear to fare materially better in that respect than mere public libraries, un- less some one person makes a specialty of continually urging and seeking for that which is wanted and may be had for the asking. There probably exists a greater need, there- fore, for educating all people into a disposi- tion for saving and placing the various ma- terial with some kind of an institution (library or other), than for spurring the librarians themselves into any efforts for making such useful. Genuine librarians may be trusted to do the latter, once they obtain possession of the desired material. Noi^t. Many persons having responded at some length, giving instructive experiences, the reporter had prepared, in narrative form, quite a number of abstracts from the more striking replies and illustrative letters re- ceived. Owing to considerations of space and expense, however, it seems best to omit such appendix in the present printing of this report. REPORT ON CLASSIFICATION AND CATALOGS. BY CHARLES ALEXANDER NELSON, COLUMBIA COLLEGE LIBRARY. j\/T R. Richard Bliss in his Report on Classifi- cation, read at the St. Louis Conference, 1889, discussed the question of classification so fully and clearly, and Mr. Kephart gave so admirable a summary of the subject in the abstract of his paper presented at Chicago last year, that your reporter does not deem it necessary to renew the discussion at this time. He will simply endeavor to collect what of major importance in this field has been noted in the Library Journal or has otherwise come to his attention since the report of 1889 was published. The Italian renaissance in bibliography gave the first important contribution in Dr. Giuliano Bonazzi's Schema di catalogo sistemalico per le bibliothece, Partna, 1890, of which Mr. XO Bliss gives a careful critical notice in Library Journal, 16 : 5. It is a strictly systematic clas- sification, Mr. Bliss says, with class-marks, suitable for libraries of moderate size, and, though Dr. Bonazzi is a believer in close classi- fication, and recognizes that it gives the most satisfactory results, he has not worked out his Schema with anything like minuteness, though he has carried it out on these lines. Mr. Bliss points out the limitations of a base of twenty- five capital letters to which Bonazzi confines his main divisions or classes using but one letter for each, in which respect he declares Bonazzi's device shows no advance on the schemes of twenty years ago. At the same time he com- mends some felicities of sub-classification and concludes that " Dr. Bonazzi has attained a fair LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. measure of success in his attempt to compile a logical and simple classification for a small library." His arrangement of classes is as follows : A, General works ; B, Ethnic religions, my- thology, etc. ; C, Christian religion ; D, Juris- prudence ; E, Sociology ; F, Philology ; G, Literature ; H, Philosophy ; I, Science, physi- cal and mathematical ; K, Chemistry ; L, Natural science ; M, Medicine ; N, Surgery ; O, Pharmacy ; P, Veterinary science ; Q, Ag- riculture ; R, Industry and manufactures ; S, Fine arts ; T, Music ; U, Recreative arts, sport, theatre ; V, Geography ; W, Voyages and travels ; X, Archaeology ; Y, Biography ; Z, History. The Classification of the Cornell University Library is briefly outlined by G. W. Harris in Lib. J., 16:138. He says: " Hardly a single professor whom I consulted about the arrange- ment of the books in his special line of work was willing to accept any of the printed classi- fications without more or less modification. The result is that ours is a classification based rather upon practical convenience than any strictly logical method. Our classes are asso- ciated rather than subordinated one to another. We begin our numeration with Language, followed by Literature ; History conies next, its arrangement and position largely the con- sequence of the terms of the gift of the White Library, which had to be placed in a separate room, and which we desired to bring into as close relation as possible with allied subjects in the General Library. After History comes Law, followed by a group comprising Political science, Political economy, Social life and Education. Next comes Philosophy, then Religion, followed by Ecclesiastical history. In the division Arts and Sciences, we have first the Fine arts, including here Music and Dramatic art. We make no general separa- tion of the Sciences from the Useful arts, as is done in most systems. The applications of any science are for the most part associated with the science itself, an arrangement the re- sult of consultation with the professors most interested in the various subjects. The ar- rangement is somewhat like this : "Mathematics, followed by Astronomy, Naval and Military science. Engineering, Civil and Mechanical. Technology and Domestic arts. Physics. Chemistry, followed by Chemical technology. Mineralogy, followed by Metallurgy. Geology and Petrography. Palaeontology. Botany, Forestry, Horticulture, Agriculture. Zoology, Anatomy, Physiology, Medicine. "Of Biography we have made no separate class except for dictionaries and collective biographical works, our biographies being distributed throughout the different classes, the life of an author with his works, lives of statesmen with the history of their time, etc. Travels too, are, for the most part, distributed in a similar way. Bibliography is placed next to general literature. Folklore we have de- cided to place with the books on Social life, between Political economy and Education. . . . Much of their work is done by our professors and advanced students among the books, and the arrangement of biographies and travels in separate classes would be extremely inconvenient to the students who wish to study the history or literature of a particular period, while it is, as we know by experience, a great convenience to our histor- ical students to have the lives of statesmen with the histories of their time. The same thing is true of our literary students, and so we have no separate class of Fiction. " The literature of a country we arrange chronologically by periods, sub-dividing, where it seems desirable, the literature of a period by classes, as Poetry, Drama, Fiction. For many libraries this would be, no doubt, a very inconvenient arrangement. For us it seems much the best. "As to notation we have adopted, in the main, an expansive system of press-numbers on the British Museum plan, taking the num- bers from loo to 9,999 for the presses in the stacks, and leaving gaps between the numbers actually used at present. A letter denotes the shelf, and to each shelf, we allot 99 numbers, leaving gaps to be filled by future additions. In this way we think we have combined many advantages of the fixed and relative location systems. Such is a brief outline of our scheme, which seems to suit our needs, though for another library with different needs and a different constituency it might not be found at all satisfactory. " This last sentence of Mr. Harris' brings us at once to C: H. Hull's notice (in Library Journal, 16:118) of Dr. Arnim Grasel's NELSON. Grundzfige der Bibliothekslehre mit biblio- graphischen und erlautemden Anmerkungen. NeubearbeitungvonJ. Petzholdts Katechismus der Bibliothekslehre, 1890 ; though not a clas- sification the point emphasized by Mr. Hull bears distinctly upon the relative merits of clas- sifications, and may well be brought out here. Referring to Dr. GrasePs notes Mr. Hull says : ' ' On account of the fulness with which they cite the literature, especially the American literature, of each subject discussed, they are, for American readers, not the least valuable part of the book. ' ' Much of value was buried, too, in the foreign literature. "Dr. Grasel attempts to be the needed miner . . . preserv- ing most of the gold and washing away most of the gravel. ... If we find in his book much to disagree with, we shall find much, perhaps more, that we can approve. Nor,, indeed, need dissent from some of the opinions advanced blind us to the force with which they are presented. Indeed, if we feel that library methods should be adapted to the library in which they are used, that they are relative, not absolute, we may profit most by the very passages from which we dissent. Dr. Grasel himself is fully convinced of the rela- tivity of library methods. He thinks 'that system the best which most appropriately and completely corresponds to the special pecu- liarities and real needs of the library.' His book is, therefore, rather suggestive than dogmatic. It is, perhaps, allowable to empha- size this one of Dr. Grasel's many merits be- cause the spirit which produces it seems to be vanishing from among us. The writer (Mr. Winsor) of the first paper ever printed in the Library Journal appreciated this relativity fully. But that was in the Dark Ages in 1876. Since our Renaissance we are prone to at- tempt the solution of all, or nearly all, problems without reference to their conditions. Hence the frequent advocacy of various schemes suited, perhaps, well enough to the ideals of the schemers, but without adaptability to any collection of existing facts in the heavens above or the earth beneath or the waters un- der the earth." Minute Classifications for Education are given in Lib. J., 16:329, one by Mr. Linder- felt, the other the Seventh scheme from C: A. Cutter's "Expansive classification," of which more will be said later on. W. A. Borden's Sub- classification for Pho- tographic collections (Lib. J., 17:195) is carried out to eighteen divisions which are very un- evenly sub-divided. For example, Arts and trades are sub-divided into General, Extrac- tive arts, Chemical arts, Fabricative arts, Con- structive arts, Commercial arts, Recording arts, Domestic arts and Miscellaneous, and these have forty-four additional sub-divisions providing special places for such peculiar sub- jects of the photographic art as lumber, chem- icals, bleaching and dyeing, beverages, busi- ness, book-keeping, stenography and type- writing. On the other hand, Medical science has no sub-divisions, and Fine arts but nine of the most general character, such as Sculp- ture and allied arts, Painting and decoration, Furniture and fabrics (decorative). Mr. John Parker, Assistant-Librarian, ex- plains the Peabody Institute system of press- marks (Lib. J., 17:233) which may be briefly condensed as follows : The stories are num- bered from i to 6 and the alcoves from i to 7, and on the wall of every alcove is placed its proper number. An alcove contains ten presses, each having seven shelves, except those on the first story, which have eight ; the presses are numbered from i to 10, and the shelves from i to 7 or 8, as the case may be. The books placed in these alcoves have corresponding numbers, and no press-mark exceeds four figures. A book marked 1436 (to be read one four three six) belongs on the first story, fourth alcove, third press, and sixth shelf. The same numbers are used for both sides of the library, the sign (minus) being placed before the press-marks of all books on the east side of the hall. Nothing is said about any other book -num- ber, the press-mark simply indicating the shelf on which the book maybe found, and it appears that the reader must give the title of the book wanted upon the call-slip. This somewhat resembles the fixed location shelf- number of the Astor Library. Mr. J. C. Rowell, Librarian of the University of California, prints (Lib. J., 17:447) the Clas- sification of pure mathematics devised for that library by Prof. Irving Stringham of the Uni- versity. Mr. Rowell says: "The new clas- sification and notation has a base of 999, lower- case letters being appended for sub-divisions and minor classes. The letters a, b, c, inva- LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. riably represent bibliography, dictionaries and cyclopaedias, and periodicals respectively. " The principle guiding the classification is to arrange the subjects in the ' natural order,' the natural,. consecutive order of study ; to place related subjects in proximity to each other, and theories, generals, history, etc., before applications, particulars. The numerals from i to 999 are distributed throughout to the end that no principal class shall have more than three figures as its class-mark. Author numbers are added to the class-marks for each book." Mr. C. R. Olin, Librarian of Buchtel College, Akron, O., has devised An order table for col- lective biography (Lib. J., 18:144). " I have made," he says, "a table to be used in con- nection with Cutter's, to bring together in any given class of biographies all of those works which treat of the lives of several persons, and at the same time to have them arranged al- phabetically by their authors, editors, or col- lectors, as the case may be, immediately pre- ceding the individual biographies of the same class (Decimal classification)." The use of this table does not seem neces- sarily to be limited to the Decimal classifica- tion. Miss Mary E. Hawley, of the Library School, in an admirable notice of Ed. Reyer's Entwicklung und Organisation der Volksbiblio- theken, 1893, (Lib. /., 19:97) condenses the author's observations on classification as fol- lows : " As to classification, in the interest ol international comparison a scheme should be adopted not too far differing from the English and American. The classes recommended are, in brief: i, Religion, philosophy, educa- tion ; 2, History and biography ; 3, Geog- raphy and travel ; 4, Political economy and sociology ; 5, Household or domestic matters (for the benefit of feminine readers); 6, Man- ufactures, technology ; 7, Natural science and mathematics ; 8, Art, including art indus- tries ; 9, Language and literature ; 10, Poetry and drama ; n, Fiction." Juveniles should be classified and distributed among the other books, but indicated by J. Periodicals also should be classified. Mr. W: I. Fletcher in his Public Libraries in America devotes chapter 5 to " Classification and catalogues," and submits in Appendix i, a Scheme of classification, which is also pub- lished separately as Library classification ; re- printed, with alterations, additions, and an index-, 1894. Both of these books are noticed in Lib. J., 19:237. Your reporter is inclined to the opinion of this critic when he says "it is perhaps to be regretted that librarians, especially younger librarians, should be con- fronted with still another 'system,' and that Mr. Fletcher's influence should add an additional perplexity to the troublesome decision as to whether 'Dewey,' 'Cutter,' or (now) 'Fletcher' shall be adopted in individual li- braries." Mr. Fletcher is somewhat dogmatic in his denunciation of the "'multitudes of schemes [of classification that] have been contrived which," he says, " have had more or less ac- ceptance, especially with librarians not qual- ified or not disposed to do independent work of this sort." Mr. Fletcher's own admissions that his first small alphabetical scheme will be changed in a larger library to one in which the classes will be numbered, and that "when the library has outgrown such a system and requires a more definite arrangement, a scheme of classes can be made out with reference to the books in hand and to those likely to be added," simply throw into the future an amount of work and expense which, in a rapidly growing library, can not be economically undertaken or met, and which can be wholly avoided by the adoption in the beginning of one of these ob- jectionable "schemes," in which the lesser needs of a small library are embraced without confusion in the provision made for the ever expanding and varying needs of the largest. It may be questioned, too, in what respect the "sub-divisions" in his own scheme of classification (as under Physics) and such other " as may be needed in any class " differ from "minor classes " subordinated " to more general ones, and these to others, as happens in the logical classifications." Verily the cacoethes classificandi seems to prevent Mr. Fletcher from seeing that since "no com- pletely satisfactory results can be obtained in the effort to apply to an individual library a scheme imported from without " his own scheme of classification necessarily falls into the same category with "all the classification schemes." If Mr. Fletcher had been less sweeping in NELSON. 73 objection to " all the classification schemes" his own would have been less open to attack from his own words against them. His classes and sub-divisions differ in order, though but very little in name, from those oi all the other schemes. His numerical nota- tion, awkwardly expansive as it is, is prefer- able to the simple " press-marks " which have proved satisfactory in instances referred to above, as it will allow of separate book-num- bers. Many town libraries will doubtless find his Library classification sufficient for their needs, as they would also find any other scheme or part of scheme of equal scope. Apropos to our subject a letter of Mr. Kephart's (Lib. J., 17:228) deserves reproduc- tion here: " For a long time I have not written about my struggles with the classification problem. This was not from lack of interest in the matter, but because I had vowed not to say anything about it until I had either adopted 'Cutter' or finished something more to my taste. Being of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, and consequently stubborn, I hammered away on my scheme, until at last it is fit to test side- by-side with 'Cutter.' The test has been made, and I am not sorry to say that 'Cutter' has won. My classification was really not bad (pardon the egotism), and my notation was good in many ways. But neither of them is an all-around improvement. They are sim- ply a little better in some ways and a good deal worse in others. " I do not regret the time and energy con- sumed. The disciplinary value of the work is worth what the fury cost me; and I can now appreciate the tremendous labor represented by cumulative classification the strain upon knowledge, skill, and common sense, that Mr. Cutter has borne with a smile all these years. Make any use of this confession you please." This brings us to a brief consideration of Mr. Cutter's Expansive classification, Part i: The first six- classifications, 1891-93. Of the Seventh classification the sections Philosophy, 15 p., part of Religion and religions, 48 p., and of History, 20 p., and the Local list, 35 p., have been received. Mr. Cutter's own words from his Introduction are moderate and to the point: "We must not expect too much from classification. It will never enable us to do away with either the author or subject catalogue. . . . But within the proper limits of its work, and in connection with the catalog, classification is of the greatest value as one of the keys that unlocks the treasure-house of knowledge. . . . However well a librarian may know the position of his books, however in- dependent he may be of catalog and classifi- cation, when he dies or resigns he will take away his knowledge with him. There is no way in which he can transmit part of it to his successor so quickly and so effectually as by leaving the books well classified." " Libraries might be arranged in an ascend- ing series, with reference to the need and gain of order. . . . The three factors, size, use and degree of shelf access enter in varying proportions into each library's character, and by the resulting product its managers can de- termine how minute shall be its classification." Referring to the necessity of changing the marks when change is made from a broad to a closer classification, he warns "against the inexpediency of selecting a too simple clas- sification for a fast-growing library. Always classify ahead of your stock of books. I am tempted to say the farther ahead the better." The first six classifications have a general index. Each division of the Seventh will have its own index. While a general library may find its needs fully met by the Fifth or Sixth, a special or sudden development in any one or more directions can be met by adopting the corresponding divisions from the Sixth or Seventh classifications. There is neither time nor space for your re- porter to mention all the catalogs and bulle- tins worthy of special mention that have been published since the report of 1890. The selec- tions made must therefore not be considered in any way invidious. Mr. Paul L. Ford reviews in terms of high praise in Lib. J., 16:14, The Charlemagne Tower Collection of American colonial laws (by C: R. Hildeburn), 1890, published for the Historical Soc. of Pa., and at p. 55 of the same volume the Catalogue of the N. Y. Southern So- ciety " Gat den library" of Southern Americana, 1891. A partial bibliography of the published works of members of the American Hist. Assoc. by Paul L. Ford, 1890, is given, p. 163-427 of the annual report of the Assoc., and is noticed Lib. /., 16:150, by W: I. Fletcher. Mrs. Mary. H. Miller's Biennial report of the LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. State Librarian to the Gov. of Iowa, July i, 1892, contains " a very creditable attempt to catalog the publications of the State govern- ment " in chronological order ; there are adeed a "Check list of Iowa laws, 1838-90," a " List of Iowa authors with their publica- tions," and a table of "Statistics relating to public, university, and school libraries in Iowa." Mr. Ford, Lib. J., 17 : 61, pronounces "A descriptive catalogue of the official publications of the Territory and State of Indiana from 1800 to 1890," by far the fullest and most care- ful list of State publications which has yet ap- peared, ' ' one which should serve as a model for other catalogs of the kind. In Lib. J., 16:54, 17:174 and 18:51, Mr. Ford reviews respectively the 2ist, 22d, and 23d annual Report of the State Librarian of New Hampshire, Arthur R. Kim- ball. These notices must be read or the reports themselves be examined to understand the amount of careful and valuable work they contain. The twenty-first gives : i . " The N. H. official publications, 1889-90," continued in the others ; 2. "A list of reports of depart- ments, etc., 1822 to 1889," extended to 1892 and indexed to 1891 ; 3. "A list of N. H. regimental historians and histories ;" 4. "A check-list of N. H. laws from 178910 1889," also extended to 1892 ; 5. " An author-list of N. H., 1685-1829." " An alphabetical classed list of all the libraries in N. H." is given in the twenty-third report, and other valuable mat- ter is also given in this as well as in the twenty-second report. Mr. J : G. Ames* ' ' List of Congressional doc- uments from the isth to the sist Congress, 1892, is or should be in the hands of every librarian, and is invaluable wherever government doc- uments are to be collected and preserved. Mr. J. C. Filling's Bibliography of the Al- gonquian languages, 1891, and his bibliogra- phies of other Indian languages are wonder- ful contributions " to our knowledge of Amer- ican literature as a whole." Mr. W: C. Lane's Index to recent reference lists ; No. 4, 1890, with its predecessors, fur- nishes a key to a vast amount of otherwise ab- solutely buried information, and adds greatly to our general indebtedness to the Harvard Bibliographical contributions, of which this is No. 40. No. 45, also, containing Notes on special collections in American libraries, by W: C. Lane and C: K. Bolton, will prove in- valuable to students in special lines of work. Mr. Ford, Lib.}., 17:461, has done good ser- vice in showing up, in his notice of the work, those libraries which neglected to make care- ful response to the circular letters of inquiry that were issued. A topical outline of the courses in con- stitutional and political history of the U. S. given at Harvard College, 1889-91, by Prof. A. B. Hart, though not a catalog, is of so great value to librarians in general as to call for mention here. Prof. H: Carrington Bolton deserves the gratitude of all librarians for his labor of love in compiling A select bibliography of chemistry, 1492-1892, published by the Smithsonian In- stitution, Miscel. coll. v. 36, no. 851. Mr. W: C. Lane, Lib. J., 16:148, reviews carefully and fully the Eclectic card-catalog rules by Karl A. Linderfelt, and makes the general criticism that "too many distinctions and special classes of books are made," but he adds "The book may advantageously be used as a text-book in connection with Cutter's for training assistants, and in all libraries as a record-book in which to set down the details and methods of work peculiar to each." The book is of value to every cataloger because in it are incorporated the rules of all the other systems of cataloging known to the compiler, thus making it "a digest of the accepted practices of the art and mystery of catalog- ing." The St. Louis Mercantile Library Catalogue: Sec. i, English prose fiction, 1892, is a catalog of 14,000 v. and was compiled in five months. " It reflects," says the late Miss H. E. Green, " the greatest credit both on the library, and on its compiler, Miss Kate E. Sanborn. It shows no sign either of haste, or of a ' 'prentice hand,' but is a model of clearness, conciseness, and economy of entry. The book-numbers are given for all titles, being the Cutter author- numbers, preceded by the number 7, denoting the class English prose fiction, and followed by the initial letter of the special book-title ; thus rendering the catalog doubly valuable for use in its own library, and taking nothing from its value to persons who wish to consult a thoroughly well-arranged fiction catalog." In the appendix is given a valuable chronological list (18 pages) of historical fiction. NELSON. The Association of the City of &. Y. Library catalogue, 1892, contains 1135 p. and includes nearly 40,000 v. ; is in two parts, an author cat- alog in large type, with medium titles and imprints ; and a subject-index with very short titles, compiled by W. J. C. Berry and J. H. Senter. The Catalogue of the Marsh library, Uni- versity of Vermont, 1893, complied by H. L. Koopman, is a handsome volume of 742 p. giving in a dictionary form the contents of that important philological collection of 13,000 volumes. The work has been carefully and admirably done. A subject-index of the modern works added to the Library of the British Museum in 1885- 90, by G. K. Fortescue, 1891, notwithstanding its high cost (ten dollars) is a volume of great value to the librarian who would keep his selec- tion of important books fully up to date, covering as it does the best of recent publica- tions of all lands arranged under the subjects of which they treat. An interesting paper on How to catalog books, byj. Taylor Kay, is reprinted Lib. J., 19: 125 from the Nineteenth Century for July, 1893- Librarians collecting works in the Italian language will welcome Imigliori libri Italiani, consigliati da cento illustri contemporanei, Hoepli, 1892, a volume of about 450 p., made up from lists selected by a hundred of the best known literary men and scholars of Italy, who were requested to name what they considered the best books in the various departments of Italian literature. It contains about 5,000 titles of ancient and modern works. Signora Giulia Sacconi-Ricci contributes a paper entitled "Observations on the. various forms of catalogues used in modern libraries, with special reference to a system of mechanical binding " to Lib, J., 18 423, which will interest most librarians, and deserves special mention here for its admirable state- ment of the points covered. The Harlem Library catalogue, 1893, in- cludes the 17,000 volumes in the library in a simple dictionary catalog of 948 p., compiled under the direction of Geo. M. Perry, librarian, by Rev. Albert Lee, formerly of Columbia College Library, and F. Weitenkampf of the Astor Library. Poolers Index to Periodical Literature : The second supplement from Jan. i, 1887, to Jan i, 1892 ; by W: I. Fletcher and others, 1893, needs only that its title be rcorded, as its value is familiar to all, and so also of the Annual literary index for 1892 and 1893, which every library should have. The A. L. A. Index to general literature, etc., 1893, may not, but should, be as well known as Poole's Index, for they belong side by side in every library. Indeed the A. L. A. Index should find a place in even the smallest library, where Poole's would not be needed because the sets of periodicals indexed by it might never find place on its shelves. While the list of those books indexed in the A. L. A. Index would be a constant reminder of the books to be bought for its small collection. Vol. 1 5 of the Index-catalogue of the Library of the Surgeon-General's Office, U. S. A., has recently been published, covering from Uni- versidad to Vzorotf. This volume includes 6,152 author-titles, representing 3,312 volumes and 4,235 pamphlets. It also includes 8,596 subject-titles of separate books and pamphlets and 35,667 titles of articles in periodicals. The fifteen volumes include 163,605 author- titles, representing 80,806 vols. and 139,891 pamphlets ; and also include 160,245 subject- titles of separate books and pamphlets and 497. 8 3 2 titles of articles in periodicals. The amount of labor involved in these figures can best be appreciated and understood by the catalog-librarian, who knows what analytical work means. The wonder is how Dr. Billings has been able to secure the appropriations needed to carry on this magnificent work, the completion of which seems to be clearly in sight. This is the work which a library trus- tee in New York once told your reporter "had turned the heads of all the librarians in the country." As in almost the same breath he said that "all librarians were cranks," the enormous amount of ' ' conservation of en- ergy" in this grand Index is evident. The vision of Dr. Billings transfusing some of his magic power into the library committees of Congress, and the staff of the Library of Con- gress, with the joined possibilities ol the co- operation of the ever-ready and ever-willing workers in this Association, rises in the ima- gination, with a promise of results that seem chimerical to us ; but why should a General subject-index to American libraries seem more 7 6 LAKE PL A C1D\ \ CONFERENCE. of a chimaera to us than this Index would have seemed to the librarians of twenty-five years ago? One of the handsomest catalogs yet pub- lished is the Catalogue of the Library of the Long Island Historical Society, 1863-93, l8 93- We quote from the preface: "The present catalogue makes no attempt to classify books by their subjects, or to give an index to the contents of them, but simply to present a list of those now possessed by the Society. It is strictly a catalogue of books, not a dic- tionary of the subjects treated in books ; and it assumes that those using it will know what authors they wish to consult, and on what sub- jects these have written. Each book has, therefore, commonly but one full title, under the name of its author. Almost the only ex- ception to this rule occurs in biographical and genealogical works, where the full title is given under the name of the person or the family with whom the book is concerned, with a cross-reference to or from the author. ' ' The catalog was made by Miss Jessie E. Prentice " with the utmost care, and, the Directors be- lieve, with an exact and elegant accuracy. ' ' It contains 801 p. in double columns of a very clear and distinct type the author's surname in a full-face type, and the contents, when given, in a smaller type than the regular titles. The pages average a little over 50 titles each. The book is beautifully printed, and bound in plain gray buckram with a white paper label. It may not be out of place to mention here the Catalog (now printing) of the Avery Me- morial Library, Columbia College, of archi- tectural and related works. The collection covered by the catalog embraces about 12,000 vols. presented to the Library by Samuel P. Avery, Esq. The catalog will contain 1,100 or more pages, large octavo. The type is small pica for titles of books, the authors' names in pica of De Vinne full-face, with con- tents and notes in nonpareil. The book-num- bers are printed on the right of the titles. The paper is a dead white and the page is re- markably clear and almost sumptuous in bril- liancy. The classification and notation were especially devised by Mr. Geo. H. Baker for the collection. The Catalog of the "A. L. A." Library, 1893, calls for mention only for the sake of record. Like good wine it needs no bush. Not that it is perfect ; each one of us could, of course (!), strike out a score of titles and replace them with better ones, and these would all be different. But the A. L. A. cat- alog stands as the model for the general li- brary of its size. Mention must be made, too, of the Los An- geles Public Library List of novels in the En- glish, French, German and Spanish lan- guages, 1894. It is an author-index of English and foreign writers, in one alphabet. "The main features of the catalog are the simple brevity of the entries author, title and call- number only the system of annotation, the list of books of criticism, and the arrangement of the subject-index." It was compiled by Miss Adelaide R. Hasse, assistant librarian, aided by members of one of the training- classes of 1893. It does not often fall to the lot of a reporter to include the romance of a library in his re- port, but the chance now offers in the case of the Guille-Altzs Library ; Encyclopedic cat- alogue of the lending department compiled un- der the direction of A. Cotgreave, Guernsey, 1893. This fat duodecmo volume contains an introduction of 47 p., an English section of 1220 p. and a Section Francaise of 273 p. It contains 8,000 author, 7,000 subject and 12,000 title entries ; 3,000 biographical and 2,000 explanatory notes ; 50,000 references to other works (or analytical) and the contents of 3,000 works have been given. Mr. Cot- greave 's claims for novel features are dis- posed of in the notice in Lib.J., 18:445. The romance comes in the history of the founding of the Library. In 1832 Thomas Guille, a lad of fourteen, left his home in Guernsey and came to New York as apprentice to Daniel Mauger, a car- penter and builder. The boy was fond of reading and his master's books were made free to him for use. Among them was Dr. Adam Clarke's Scripture Commentary and " it was through the Doctor's clever and striking explanations of several passages of Scripture by the aid of physical science, that the youth- ful student's taste for" the study of natural science was aroused. In 1834 he was intro- duced to the privileges of the Apprentices' Library. " Never shall I forget, " he writes, " the emotion of wonder and delight which AUSTIN. seized me, when, for the first time, I entered that Library. . . . Up to that evening I had never seed so many books gathered together, and what more especially surprised and de- lighted me was the assurance that they were all intended for the special benefit of young apprentices like myself." On his way home that night there flashed into his mind the need of just such a library as the Apprentices' for his native island. He re- solved to save every penny possible for the purchase of books which should form a nucleus for a future " Guernsey Library. " "Ere I had reached home," he says, a "tolerably com- prehensive outline of the projected institution was actually sketched in my mind . . . and to this early outline I have, as regards its main features, ever since adhered. ' ' The same year F. M. Alles, an old schoolmate, came from Guernsey also as apprentice to Mr. Mauger. They renewed their companionship and having similar tastes Alles joined in the plans of young Guille. The latter kept his book-case in his employer's office where his selection of books attracted the attention of Wm. C. Bryant, Horace Greeley, Dr. Draper and Francis Lieber. The young men worked together for years and as partners were afterwards successful in business and amassed fortunes. In 1856 Mr. Guille established the " Guille Library " and supported it for twenty-five years. In 1881 Mr. Alles joined him in the good work, and in Nov., 1888, the new and enlarged home of the Guille- Altes Library and Museum was thrown open. Just one hundred years earlier, in 1788, Adam Clarke, with a young bride, had settled in Guernsey and resumed his classical and scientific studies (which six years before had been relinquished at the bidding of a bigoted and ignorant brother-minister, who had per- suaded him that "the learned languages" were soul-destroying snares of the devil), little dreaming where the seeds of his sowing would fall or what fruit would ripen when a century had passed. REPORT ON AIDS AND GUIDES. BY WILLARD H. AUSTIN, REFERENCE LIBRARIAN, CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. 'T'HE reports on aids and guides that have thus far been given before the Associa- tion have not taken on any uniform character, or been based upon any one principle of se- lection. They have largely been the follow- ing out of that which seemed to the reporter to be the most important phase of the com- prehensive subject. This report, perhaps more than any other, ought to be from its very nature, one of the most important that is presented, since it contains something for every working librarian whether his field for usefulness be large or small. It ought to be a brief characterization of all the bibliographi- cal aids and guides that have appeared during the year, should define their exact scope, and call attention to their good and bad qualities. The difficulties attending the making ol anything like a satisfactory report of this na- ture must surely be realized by every one who has ever made the attempt. In the first place no one person is in the position even to know about all the bibliographical helps that appear, II much less to have a knowledge of their merits and defects that would make his opin- ion a safe guide for others to follow. Hun- dreds of titles of works of this character ap- pear in the various reviews and book journals every year, and the sight of them there is all the knowledge that many ever get of a large part of them. How unsatisfactory this is we all know. In so many cases the titles are misleading, giving one a right to expect more than the work actually gives, and in so many instances failing to indicate all that the books themselves do contain, that an opinion of a work based upon other than a personal ex- amination must be, necessarily, very unsatis- factory and not altogether a safe one to follow. For this reason any attempt at a selection from a great many titles as I have been forced to do is attended by a great liability to err on the side of keeping some which should be thrown out and omitting others which should be included. These difficulties forced me to conclude LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. that this is a report peculiar in itself, that never can be made satisfactorily by one per- son without the aid and assistance of many others. That it can and ought to be made an invaluable feature of these annual conferences no one doubts. Indeed, I cannot think of any one thing in the way of practical help, especially to librarians of libraries limited in resources, that would be more helpful than to get a reliable opinion of the exact scope and value of the principal helps that have appeared during the year, from persons who have ac- tually used such helps. But no one person is in a position to have used more than a small part of all that appear, nor consequently able to speak with authority of any but a limited number of such aids. Realizing this I have thought I might make a suggestion that would, theoretically at least, solve the problem. The suggestion is that this most important report be made coopera- tive. That the work of this report be done by a committee composed of members whose work familiarizes them with the value of some portion of all the helps that appear during the year. Under the direction of a chairman the work could be so apportioned that it would not fall heavily on any one save the chairman who would still be the person responsible for the results obtained. In this way, while it may not be possible to cover all the works issued, we would get valuable opinions of the worth of a large number from those who had actually used them. This committee, which should be large, could have its work in hand from the close of one conference to the open- ing of the next, and in this way gradually ac- cumulate its material for the report. When the force of this plan came to me, and I realized that I should add one more to the list of unsatisfactory reports, I thought that possibly I might secure something like the same results as would be obtained by the co- operative plan, which I have mentioned, by getting from the many specialists, which one finds at a university center, an opinion of the value and scope of the several bibliographies that had appeared in their line during the year. The thought, however, came too late for me to act upon it to any extent, since these men were already scattering for the summer, and I could therefore reach but very few, and not enough to appreciably change the char- acter of this report. There remained, therefore, nothing for me to do but to gather from the Publishers' Weekly, Literarische Centralblatt, Library Journal, and the various other publications of a like character, such information as it was possible to obtain, with the feeling that, however un- satisfactory it must be, it perhaps would be better than no report. In doing this I was confronted by such a mass of material as to cause me to realize that some limitations must be sought within which to confine the lists of works given, in order that they might not prove too large to come within the measure of such a report. This treatment was made particularly necessary in the present case, because of the fact that four years had elapsed since the last report of this character was made. It became a question whether it would be the better plan to cover the more important works of the whole peri- od, or to attempt to cover as far as possible all the works of the brief period of one year. The first of these two plans seemed to me to be the more desirable. In order to do this, however, I found it necessary to eliminate great classes of helps which seemed to be of less importance to the general reader and, for this reason, of corresponding less importance to the librarian in his work of assisting the general reader. The first large class of books that I thought it possible to omit was that of place biblio- graphies, which I have done ; not because these works are not important, but because their greatest usefulness is local in the main, and they are quite sure to be in the hands of those who want to make use of them. Another class which could be omitted was the biblio- graphies of special subjects confined to spe- cial collections, unless there was good reason for believing that such collections were un- usually full and complete. For purposes other than purely bibliographical, it seems of comparatively little importance to consult the bibliography of a subject contained in a special collection which is not accessible and which makes no claim to completeness. For similar reasons it was thought advisable to omit bibliographies of special subjects cover- ing only a short period of time, as such works are sure to be incorporated sooner or later in a more general bibliography of the subject. Also lists of works on special subjects cover- ing a long period of time, but restricted to AUSTIN. 79 some particular place, have been omitted, un- less the subject was one peculiar to the place. Again, catalogs of inaccessible libraries are of little practical use as aids and guides, un- less they are of such size and importance as to be really valuable contributions to the bib- liography of a subject such as the Peabody catalog, the catalog of the Surgeon General's Library, and similar works. Lest to many it may seem strange that all works on library economy and such works as a librarian uses for his professional growth have been omitted it must be said that for the most part such works are pretty sure to be known to all live librarians and it is safe to assume that this Association includes no dead ones. Readers of the Library Journal all know how very careful our official organ is to call attention to all works of this character, and it is only necessary to turn over its pages for the period of time covered by this report to get more than it would be possible to give here. Finally I have thought it safe to omit bibliographies of special subjects which are so technical in their nature as to be of little use to others than specialists, since those per- sons who are capable of making use of such works are sure to have a knowledge of them without the assistance of any librarian. After eliminating all these special classes that have been named there are yet remain- ing the great number of general and special bibliographies ; the indexes to periodical lit- erature, both general and technical ; together with the large number of general indexes to sets of periodicals and Society transactions and proceedings that have been issued. Dic- tionaries and encyclopedias, both general and special, and the miscellaneous helps which cannot be' grouped with any of the foregoing classes, complete the list of those which were deemed essentials in such a selection. The increasing tendency to issue subject catalogs of such portions of large collections as can really lay claim to a considerable degree of fulness is enriching the field of special sub- ject bibliographies. Worthy of mention in this class are the printed portions of the White Historical Library at Cornell Univer- sity, covering thus far the works in that col- lection on the Protestant Reformation and the French Revolution. The catalog of the most complete Dante collection given to Cor- nell University by Mr. Willard Fiske, which is now being prepared, will be the latest contribution of real value to that subject. A large number of the really good diction- aries, both biographical and of special sub- jects, that are now appearing, give full biblio- graphies at the end of each article. The "Dictionary of National Biography," begun by Leslie Stephen, which has now reached its 4oth volume, is very valuable for this fea- ture. Schaft's " History of the Christian Church" likewise gives very valuable biblio- graphical matter of the subjects of which it treats. Similarly many of the leading periodicals devoted to special fields of thought are follow- ing the very general disposition to .give com- prehensive bibliographies of the subjects treated. The Quarterly Journal of Econom- ics issues four times a year elaborate classed bibliographies which include both books and periodical articles. The Zeitschrift fur Lit- teratur und Geschichte der Staatswissen- schaft published at Leipzig contains in the January number for 1893, a classified biblio- graphy including books and selected peri- odical articles in all languages of Political economy, Statistics, Administrative law and administration, Constitutional law and politi- cal institutions, International law and treaties. It is the intention of the editor to issue from time to time exhaustive bibliographies of special subjects. Miiller's "Handbuch der klassischen Alter- tumswissenschaft ;" Paul's "Grundriss derGer- manischen Philologie," and Grober's "Grund- riss der Romanischen Philologie," all have valuable bibliographical contributions to their special subjects. In Ecclesiastical history two very excellent works have appeared : Thayer's "Books and their use," and Jack- son's "Bibliography of American Church History." Worthy of mention in the subject of history is the work of Lavisse and Rambaud, " Histoire ge"ne"rale der quatrieme siecle a nos jour," of which the first three volumes have appeared, and cover the Middle Ages. At the end of each chapter the several authors contributing to the work add a select biblio- graphy of the subject they treat, including both sources and modern authorities. Books in other languages than French receive ample 8o LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. recognition. Tourneaux's " Bibliographic de 1'histoire de Paris pendant la revolution Francaise," draws into its scope all the more important general works on the period, with admirable descriptive and critical notes. " Le Livre d'or de Jeanne d 1 Arc, "by Lanery d' Arc, is, probably, the most complete biblio- graphy of the subject ever issued. The In- ternational Congress of Geologists have de- clared their intention to issue a general bib- liography covering their field of work, as have also the Geological Survey of the U. S. ; the latter limiting the subject to the United States. Most excellent are the bibliographies ap- pended to the little volumes of the " Great writer series ;" they are to be recommended for editions of the works of, and periodical articles about, the authors included in the series. In the way of indexes to general periodical literature, a number have sprung up along- side of the annual edition of the continuation of Poole ; the most noteworthy, perhaps, be- ing that of the Review of Reviews, which has recently added an index to portraits. For technical literature, the Rcpertorium der technischen Journal - Litleratur is the most comprehensive. It covers a period from 1823 to 1893, indexing all the important technical journals. The special feature which makes it desirable to mention it here is that, beginning with the 1892 number, the index gives the German equivalent for the English technical terms, which practically serves for the use of English readers as a key to all the previous volumes. We are promised anew edition of the "Index to law periodicals," by L. A. Jones, the last of which appeared in 1887. A large number of special indexes to sets of periodicals, and Society transactions, and publications of a like nature, have appeared within the period cov- ered by this report. Closely allied to this class of works are J. G. Ames's "Lists of Con- gressional Documents" and "Finding- lists" which so materially aid the consultation of these most perplexing publications. What promises to be an exceedingly valuable con- tribution to this class is the subject-catalog of the scientific papers of the Royal Society which has been recently announced as among the probabilities. The index of these papers has been confined thus far to an author-index, which is of little use for the assistance of readers ; and all will hail with delight the key that unlocks this storehouse of knowledge. Some important works in the general class of cyclopedias and dictionaries have appeared. Kirk's "Supplement to Allibone's Diction- ary" is so well known that it needs no special mention. The supplement to the " Reference handbook of medical sciences," which brings the large work edited by Buck down to date, and adds a number of new articles not found in the original work, is of great value. The great English dictionary, edited by J. A. H. Murray on the historical principle, continues to grow, having reached the letter E, with D yet to make its appearance. Among the great many miscellaneous helps and aids few, if any, call for special mention here. A useful little manual is that called "Minerva," nowinits third year of publication. Matson's " References for literary workers" does not prove so helpful as at first it was thought it might, owing to its too general character ; but it is worth having at hand for the cases in which it does give just that in- formation which is wanted. NOTE. Owingpartly to the number of years covered by Mr. Austin's report, the several exhaustive lists compiled by him as an appendix number several hundred entries, notwithstanding the limitations which he has specified. The lists were not read to the Conference and the major portion of the titles included have been named in the Library Journal, from time to time, in its department of Bibliography. Many of the references also,*are to works in foreign languages. Considerations of space seem to require omission of the appendix here, as was the case in 1890 (White Mts. Conference) with that prepared by Mr. Beer in connec- tion with the last previous report on the same topic. Publication of the compilation in question, with possible additions, as a bibliographical contribution in one of the University library bulletins (such as that of Cornell or Harvard), would render it even more serviceable to probable users than its printing in this connection. STEARNS. 81 REPORT ON READING FOR THE YOUNG. BY LUTIE E. STEARNS, MILWAUKEE PUBLIC LIBRARY. T7OR the purposes of this report fifteen ques- tions, indicated by the headings below,' were sent to one hundred and ninety-five li- braries in the United States and Canada. Full and complete replies were received from one hundred and forty-five librarians to whom grateful acknowledgment is now made. i. At what age may children draw books? Why do you have an age limit ? Thirty per cent, of the libraries reporting, have no age limit, the seventy per cent, vary- ing from eight to sixteen years of age the average age requirement being thirteen years. Various reasons are given for an age restric- tion. " We must preserve our books " is oft repeated. Milwaukee has never had an age limit, and the first case of malicious destruction or injury is yet to be reported. No better recommenda- tion can possibly be given for a good book than to have it literally wear out. "We must draw the line somewhere," say other librarians. At the London Conference of 1877, Sir Redmond Barry, Librarian at Melbourne, said that if it were necessary to deprive people of seven years' reading, it would be better to strike off the seven years at the other end, and disqualify people at sixty-three ; adding, that that view of his was a very unprejudiced one, as such a one would exclude himself. "Our books are not suited to young people." Nothing is of more importance in education than furnishing young people with the best literature. Mr. Horace E. Scudder has said : "There can be no manner of question that between the ages of six and sixteen, a large part of the best literature of the world may be read, and that the man or woman who has failed to become acquainted with great litera- ture in some form during that time, is little likely to have a taste formed later." There has never been a time when a little money, judiciously expended, would go so far in the purchase of the best literature for chil- dren. Stories, fables, myths, and simple poems, which have been read with delight by countless generations, may be purchased in most durable cloth bindings, at, an average cost of thirty-two cents. Children will read ; if wholesome reading- matter is not furnished them, they will read what they can get of their own accord. Many libraries report that there is practically no limit, as children under fourteen use the parent's card ; but through this method the parent suffers from the restriction, as it is obvious that the parent and his son cannot use the card at the same time. The greatest complaint among the librarians is the lack of supervision of the children's reading, on the part of the parents ; and yet these same neglect- ful parents are entrusted with the task of taking out cards so that their children may receive books at the library ! The tendency among progressive libraries is toward the abolishment of the age restriction. J. C. Dana, of Denver, Col., writes : " We give a child a card as soon as he can read. Children too young to read, get cards for books to be read to them." Miss Perkins, Ilion (N. Y.) Free Public Library, writes : "We have no age limit, because we wish children trained to love books from their ear- liest recollection. Our library contains linen and pasteboard nursery books which are drawn on card in name of child, with parent for guarantor." (And this in a library of 6,000 volumes, in a city of 4,000 inhabitants.) Miss Hasse, Asst. Librarian of Los Angeles, writes : "We have an age limit of twelve years, for no other reason than because we are the vic- tims of an absurd library custom, adopted be- fore we knew better." Mr. Crunden, St. Louis, Mo., says : "No age limit. Don't believe in it. Let children take books as soon as they can read." Mrs. Wrigley, Richmond, Ind., says : 82 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. "A child may take a book when he can carry it home safely." Mrs. Sanders, Pawtucket, R. I. : " We have no age limit. Every pupil of the schools, either public or private, is expected to have a card." The librarian at Greeley, Col., writes : ."Children take books when they are old enough to know pictures usually at five years." The librarian of a Vermont library, who shall be nameless, for obvious reasons, writes : " Our trustees are not progressive, and not willing to change." Miss Hewins, Hartford, Conn., says : " We have no age limit. A child may draw a book as soon as he can write his name. I wish that the age limit might be abolished in all libraries." The librarian who studies school statistics cannot help being impressed with the grave necessity for the extension of library privileges unto the smallest child. In Milwaukee, out of 5,766 children who entered the schools in 1885, we find but 687 graduating eight years later. If we had an age limit in Milwaukee, we would reach but twelve per cent, of the number in school, to say nothing of the thousands out of school. In Jersey City (school census of 1891), we find more than half of those attending school in the first four grades, from six to ten years of age. San Francisco (census of 1892) has 87,000 children between five and seventeen years of age. Of this number, 40,000 attend school (less than half), and sixty-four per cent, of the number attending are found in the first five grades. Of Boston's school popula- tion, ninety-three per cent, are found in the primary and grammar departments. Minne- apolis has 25,000 school children 22,000 under fifteen years of age. St. Louis has 56,000 children under fourteen, each one of whom may have a card as soon as he can write his name. One library with an age limit of fourteen years, reports that not more than half a dozen children under twelve, use the library and this in the face of the fact that there are 41,000 children under fourteen in that city. Protect the library's interests by a proper form of guarantee, remove the age restriction, and bid every child welcome. In this age of trash and printed wickedness, when a professor in one of our western universities feels tempted to say that the youth of this country would grow up to better citizenship and stauncher virtue, were they not taught to read, and when Frederic Harrison sees on every side the poisonous inhalations of literary garbage, and bad men's worse thoughts, which drive him to exclaim that he could almost reckon the print- ing press as amongst the scourges of mankind when we hear all this, and see for ourselves, bad literature on every hand, is it not a pitiful spectacle to see this sign conspicuously dis- played in one of the circulating libraries in this country "CHILDREN NOT ALLOWED IN THIS LIBRARY." In opposition to such cruelty as this, let us quote the words of the late Dr. Poole of Chicago : " I could never see the propriety of exclud- ing young persons from a library, any more than from a church. From ten to fourteen is the formative period of their lives. If they ever become readers, and acquire a love of books, it is before the age of fourteen years. No persons return their books so promptly, give so little trouble, or seem to appreciate more highly the benefits of a library, as these youth of both sexes. "The young people are our best friends, and they serve the interests of the library by enlisting for it the sympathies of their parents, who are often too busy to read." No assistant should be employed in the cir- culating, reference, or reading-room depart- ments of a library, who will not give a child as courteous and considerate attention as she would a member of the Board of Trus- tees. ii. Do the children use the library to an ap- preciable extent ? This is answered in the affirmative in nearly every case ; variously stated as one-fifth, one- fourth, one-third, and one-half of membership under sixteen years of age. in. Is the number of books a child may take per week, restricted ? One hundred and fifteen libraries report no restriction. Oswego, N. Y., Portsmouth, N. H., Terre Haute, Ind., allow but one book per week. Hartford, Conn., and Cleveland, Ohio, issue but one story-book to children under fourteen, while schools are in session. STEARNS. Newburgh, N. Y., allows those under ten years, but one book per week. Two books per week Germantown, Penn., Memphis, Tenn., Grand Rapids, Mich., La Crosse, Wis., Richmond, Ind., Kalamazoo, Mich., Nashua, N. H., Hamilton, Ont, Evans- ville, Ind., Watertovvn, Mass. Three books Fond du Lac, Wis., Evans- ton, 111., Fitchburg, Mass., Springfield, Mass., San Francisco, Cal., Barry, 111. Twelve per week Elgin, 111. iv. What per cent, of your circulation, is children's fiction ? The average is about twenty per cent, of the entire circulation. v. Do you circulate Alger, Optic, Castle- mon, Trowbridge, and kindred authors ? Nine libraries report that they do not circu- late any of the above-named. Eighteen libraries are allowing the first three to wear out without replacing. Twenty-five libraries circulate Trowbridge only. There seems to be a great difference of opinion in regard to the relative value and worth of these authors. One librarian writes : "Our set of Alger and Trowbridge are worn out and not replaced. Poor, thin, much-abused Optic helps boys to read, and leads up to stronger books ; ' ' while another librarian says : " I consider that Alger and Castlemon have done irreparable injury to our boys, in their taste for more solid reading. Since their purchase, solid reading for children has fallen off ten per cent. ' ' Buffalo, N. Y., (partly subscription) re- ports : "One set of Alger, some of Optic and Cas- tlemon's issued on demand to holders of membership tickets, but their use is discour- aged, and hone given to holders of school tickets." Pawtucket, R. I., removed Castlemon from the shelves, two years ago, but circulates Trowbridge. Milwaukee, Wis., has Trow- bridge, only, for which there is but little de- mand. Trowbridge is not sent to schools, and we find, at the main library, that our boys prefer something better. vi. Do you have special lists or catalogues for children ? State price, if not free. The majority of libraries merely designate children's books by some sign in the main catalogue. Twenty-five libraries report special printed catalogues, varying in price from one cent to fifteen cents. Many are issued free. Many libraries use Sargent's and Hardy's lists, with numbers inserted. Four have special card-catalogues for children's use. Some designate a child's book by a colored card, while one librarian enters books for children under twelve, on yellow cards, and from twelve to eighteen years of age, on blue. Pough- keepsie, N. Y., has a set of nine small lists adapted to various ages. Miss Hewins' (Hartford, Conn.) catalogue is worthy of special commendation. The "List of books for Township Libraries," prepared by Mr. Frank A. Hutchins, State Superintendent's Office, Madison, Wis., is a model list, in every particular, and may be obtained for the asking. Milwaukee, Wis., has a children's catalogue, and also prints little lists of "150 good books for girls," and " 150 good books for boys," which are issued free, and used as call-slips by the children. The list is kept in the pocket of the book with the card. These lists are used by ninety-nine per cent, of the children. We thus direct the reading of the young by calling attention to the best books. (We shall be glad to send these lists to all who desire them. ) vii. Do you have Teachers' cards ? How many books may be drawn at a time ? Are these books issued by teachers to pupils, or used solely for reference ? One-third of those reporting make no distinc- tion between teachers and other borrowers. Others issue a card upon which teachers may take from two to twenty books the average being six. Some libraries restrict the use of these books to reference in the school-room, while others leave it optional with the teacher. If the object of this privilege is for purposes of reference, it is a wise one to follow ; but if its aim is to supply additional reading-matter to pupils, it is meagre in the extreme the tendency being to get books dealing with studies taught, rather than good literature for children. To " Let teachers have as many as they can use " is the rule in an increasing number of libraries. vni. Do you send books to schools in pro- portion to size of classes, i. e., fifty pupils fifty books, to be issued by teachers to pupils for home use ? 8 4 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. Some one has truly said, "In the work of popular education through libraries, it is, after all, not the few great libraries, but the thousand smaller ones that may do most for the peo- ple." Greatness of cities hampers individual work. The librarian knows, from the school census, that there are 34,000 children, between six and fourteen years of age, in his city. By abolishing the age requirement, he may reach those in the vicinity of the library ; but what of the thousands in the home districts many of whom have never heard of the existence of the library ? It seems to us that the teacher, the one who guides and educates, the one who knows best the individual preferences and capacities of her pupils it is the teacher who should di- rect the reading. The process is most simple. The teacher comes to the library and selects from the shelves a number of books, in pro- portion to the size of her class, i. e., fifty pupils fifty books. These are sent to the schools, and issued by the teachers for home use. The selection is made from all branches of literature mythology, science, useful arts, fine arts, poetry, history, travel, biography, fairy stories, stories of adventure, &c., &c. The books are not intended, primarily, to supplement the school work. They should be "books of inspiration" rather than those of information; for "knowledge alone can- not make character." Another great ob- ject should be to create a love for books ; for " What we make children love and desire is more important than what we make them learn." Each pupil should be provided with a library card with parent as guarantor thus reliev- ing the teacher's responsibility. Cleveland, Ohio, Los Angeles, Cal., Hart- ford, Conn., Grand Rapids, Mich., Bridgeport, Conn., Lancaster, Mass., Chicago, 111., Bur- lington, Vt., Dover, N. H., and Milwaukee, Wis., carry on this work to a greater or less extent. Los Angeles, Cal., sent 14,075 books to the schools from September 1893 to May 30, 1894, a remarkable showing. Grand Rapids, Mich., issued 3,415 books, which were circulated 15,905 times. Cleveland, Ohio, sent 4,708 volumes, the number of issues being 38,031, the books being kept at the school during the school year. (See "The Open Shelf" for June 1894, published by Cleveland Pub. Lib. for description of school circu- lation. ) A few statistics may demonstrate the growth of this plan in Milwaukee. In 1888 the year of its inauguration, 1,650 books were issued by teachers, 4,702 times. During the school year 1893-94, 14,990 books were is- sued 42,863 times the number of books sent being limited only by the supply at our command. The books were returned to the library at the expiration of eight weeks, when a new selection was made by the teacher. It must be understood that this represents the number of books read at homely the children. Much of the eighty per cent, increase in the circulation at the library, during the past win- ter, was due, not alone to the hard times, but to the advertising which the library received in the homes, through the schools. Many teachers select books for the parents and older brothers and sisters of their pupils. The system of school circulation is being gradually extended, until it will eventually embrace every grade of every school public, private, parochial and Sunday-school, which can be induced to avail themselves of the privilege. There are many methods of awakening the teachers' interest in the matter of school dis- tribution. We visit the class-rooms of the public schools and tell the children stories, thereby arousing a desire for books ; we urge upon the teachers the necessity of furnishing the young with the best literature. Our su- perintendent of schools gives our system the heartiest encouragement and support. That he deems the plan of the greatest importance, will be shown in an article by him on "The Public Library and Public Schools," in the Educational Review (Nov. 1894). ix. Do you send a number of copies of the same work to schools for supplemental reading ? Detroit, Jersey City, and St. Louis carry on this work extensively. St. Louis, Mo., has six sets of fifty copies each of Scudder's Folk Tales, Franklin's autobiography, &c., which are sent from one school to another. Jersey City, N. J., issued 11,844 volumes (twenty sets), in this manner, during the past year. The books are carefully graded, and meet with much favor. Detroit sent 17,290 books to the schools, for supplemental reading-mat- STEARNS. ter. The superintendent of schools of De- troit, in his annual report (1891) says : "The benefits to the higher grades, from the circulating library, furnished by the Public Library, are very decided, and there is a per- ceptible change for the better in the choice of selections made by the pupils ; and it is the universal testimony, that there is a growing taste for good reading, among our school children." This plan of school distribution has much to commend it. Educators are coming to realize that the modern school readers the "five inanities" are directly responsible for the habit of desultory reading. But we main- tain that the furnishing of supplemental read- ing-matter to be read in school lies wholly within the province of the school authorities of our cities. As Mr. Cowell, of Liverpool, says : "We leave the school-board to provide their own books, as they have more funds a their disposal than we have." But few libra- ries can afford to furnish such books, the de- mands of the individual tastes of the child being more than can be ordinarily supplied. x. Do you circulate pictures in schools and homes ? In what form issued ? Newton, Mass., Ilion, N. Y., Wilkes-Barre", Penn., and Milwaukee, Wis., circulate linen and pasteboard picture-books among the smallest children. Gloversville, N. Y., sends portfolios of photographs to teachers who wish to illustrate certain lessons. Los Angeles, Cal., Denver, Col., and Mil- waukee, Wis., select suitable pictures from Harper's Weekly and Bazar, Leslie's, Scien- tific American, &c. , &c. , which are mounted on manilla, gray bristol, or tag-board, and sent to the schools. In selecting pictures, it should be the aim to choose those of aesthetic value training the child's sense of beauty and imagination. Many, of course, may be used for language, geography, and history work. Teachers of Milwaukee organize "past- ing and cutting bees," thus relieving the library of much of the work. As an evidence of the popularity of the pictures, in Milwaukee, we have but to cite the fact that thirteen hundred pictures were cir- culated in the schools, during May and June. Los Angeles has fifteen hundred pictures at the disposal of teachers. (For "Pictures in Elementary Schools" see Health Exhibition 12 Literature, vol. 13, pp. 54-77, and Prang Edu- cational Papers, Nos. i and 4. ) xi. Do classes visit the library ? Forty-four libraries report visits of classes for the purpose of viewing art works, illus- trated books of travels, &c., &c. Lack of room, prevents many libraries from extending this privilege. Gloversville, N. Y., organizes children's reading circles, and prepares a list of books to be used in connection with the courses of reading. The topics selected are generally supplementary to the school work. At the weekly meetings of the circles in the class-room at the library, the current events of the week are also discussed in this way guiding the children in proper newspaper reading. xii. (a) Have you a children's reading- room? (b) Is there a special window in cir- culating department, for children ? (a) Minneapolis devotes the lower corridor to children. They are admitted to cases and tables containing their books books being charged by an attendant at the gate. Watertown, Mass., gives up one reading- room to children, placing therein periodicals, bound and current, and other books suited to the young. Cambridge, Mass., are adding a children's room, in which they intend to charge books. Cleveland, Ohio, has a special alcove for children. Omaha, Neb., has a special department, in its new building, for book and picture displays, special study rooms, and one "sample" room, in which will be placed the best books for children, and where chil- dren, parents and teachers may make selec- tions. Some libraries set aside a certain part of their reference and reading-rooms for chil- dren's use. (b) Special window for children : Los Angeles, Cal., "Disapproves decidedly of all such segregation." Dayton, Ohio, has special window for dis- play of children's literature. Aguilar Library (New York City) does not permit children to change books after six p. m. (How about boys and girls who work from seven a. m. to six p. m.?) Dover, N. H., "Have no such pernicious things as windows in our circulating depart- ment. We have an open counter across which human intercourse is easy." 86 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. xin. Have you a special supervisor of chil- dren's reading ? Many librarians report that they overlook the matter in a general way, some making it their specialty. St. Louis, Mo., has just en- gaged an experienced teacher for that purpose. Any one taking this work could find an exhaustless mine of opportunities some of which have been hinted at under the question of school circulation. xiv. What other important work are you doing for children, not included in these ques- tions ? Indianapolis, Ind., Cambridge, Mass., and San Diego, Cal., publish, each week, in one of the daily papers, a list of books for younger readers, on electricity, travel, stories, &c., or on some special topic of the times. These lists are very popular. Many libraries place books pertaining to school studies, on special shelves, to which children have free access. Bridgeport, Conn., and Fitchburg, Mass., have art departments with well-qualified assist- ants to show pictures to children, and adults. Medford, Mass., has had talks given to the children, upon various subjects, by friends of the librarian. Omaha, Neb., is planning delivery stations for the children. San Diego, Cal., "Turns children loose among the shelves on Sundays." Dover, N. H., issues student's cards, on which any student, old or young, may take out a number of books on any special topic. Peoria, 111., gives two cards to each child or adult one for fiction and another for purposes of study. Portland, Ore., Beaver Dam, Wis., Greeley, Col., and others allow children free access to the shelves. Free Circulating Libraries, of New York City, have "Children's Shelves" containing the best books, from which parents and the young may make selections. Many libraries report special assistance rendered to Youths' Debating societies, essay writing, &c. Gloversville, N. Y., organizes reading circles (to which reference has already been made). The library classes at Pratt Institute, Brook- lyn, and Armour Institute, Chicago, are start- ing home libraries in slum neighborhoods. Miss James, of Wilkes-Barre', has organized a boys' and young men's reading-room in a similar locality. Brookline, Mass , places college and school catalogues in reference- room at the end of each school year. xv. What ideas would you like to see de- veloped in connection with the broad subject of Reading for the Young ? Miss James, of Wilkes-Barre\ voices the sentiments of many, when she says : "I would like to educate the grandparents for three generations back ditto, the teachers." Twenty-five per cent, of the librarians deplore lack of interest and supervision of the child's reading, on the part of the parents. "Over- reading" on the part of many children is another cause for complaint. The idea may have its objections, but we think that a kindly, tactful letter to the parent, might have its in- fluence. Great care should be exercised in the se- lection of books for the young. Purity of English is a primary consideration. Books "written down" to children should be avoided, also those books which do not, at once, fix the attention of the child. What the boy world needs, are books of incident, of lively action, of absorbing interest, wholesome, interesting, attractive, in good English, and yet free from the ghastliness and vulgarity of the alluring dime novel. Many librarians advocate courses of read- ing in connection with the school work; certain books to be read at home, by the children, and then discussed in the school room. Much latitude should be given children in the choice of books to read thus not making it a task but encouraging a love of reading. By addressing Teachers' Institutes and meetings, the librarian or supervisor of chil- dren's reading can do much in the way of enlisting the aid and support of teachers. We think the work done by the State Normal School, and Public Library, of Milwaukee, is unique in this particular. A course of library reading of the best authors is required of the Normal students, thus cultivating the tastes of the future teachers and bringing them in contact with the resources of the library. Hundreds of copies of the best books for children are sent to the Normal school, and there read and criticised by the students. Lists STEINER AND RANCK. of the best books are printed for future refer- ence. Children in neighboring schools send in lists of books they prefer, thus giving the students knowledge of what children really like to read. By talks to the students at the Nor- mal school, we emphasize the importance of the work from the librarian's, teacher's and child's point of view. We believe there are many fields still un- explored in the provinces of children's read- ing. Some mgans, for example, should be devised, in the large cities, to send books to factories where children are employed. Reading rooms should be opened, evenings, in school buildings. They should be supplied with the best periodicals for old and young, and if possible, interesting books adapted to all ages. Besides study and class rooms, the modern library should contain a hall, to which children may come for instructive and entertaining lec- tures. That this plan is feasible is shown by the course of free lectures given in the reading room of the library at Alameda, Cal., during the past winter, to which extended reference is made in the August (1894) Library Journal. The circulation of lanterns and lantern slides, tennis and croquet sets and the best indoor games a plan advocated by Miss Kelso (Los Angeles, Cal.) meets with the wannest approbation from all lovers of chil- dren ; for if "Books of Refreshment," why not " Games of Refreshment " ? That the child is a volume to be studied, ap- plies as well to library as pedagogical science. We deprecate the spirit which prompts a librarian to say, "We prefer to transact business with older persons, as we lose time in making infants understand." As opposed to this are the words of another who writes, "Each assistant has instruction by no means to neg- lect the children for the adults." The modern library spirit may be expressed in the words of Miss Perkins of Ilion, N. Y., who says : " We always treat children with the same consideration and courtesy as grown people. We make them love to come and stay here, and keep in touch with them in every way possible." In closing our report, we desire to submit five questions for consideration : How may we induce parents to oversee their children's reading? How may we make the guiding of her pupils' reading a part of the teacher's work ? What can be done to help a boy to like good books after he has fallen into the dime novel habit ? What methods have been used with success in developing the taste of children ? What form of catalogue, if any, is of interest and value to children ? A full discussion of these questions will be helpful to many librarians who have the best interests of their child patrons close at heart. REPORT ON ACCESS TO THE SHELVES. BY BERNARD C. STEINER AND SAMUEL H. RANCK, ENOCH PKATT FREE LIBRARY OF BALTIMORE CITY. A \J"E beg to submit the following report on access of the public to the shelves in li- braries. A series of sixteen questions was prepared, which we believed would cover the field, and these were sent to about 135 of the representative libraries of the English-speak- ing world. From 105 of those libraries re- plies have been received most of them very promptly. The experience of libraries is such that it is impossible to present the results, with any de- gree of satisfaction, in tabular form. There- fore, abstracts of the reports of libraries, for the most part those that have had some ex- perience in granting access to shelves, are given in detail. On only one point are libraries generally agreed : The public will misplace books, not only occasionally, but always, or at least, " whenever they get the chance." Only four report that books are not misplaced, and in these there are special reasons ; one of which is that the rule is obeyed, forbidding the pub- lic to return books to the shelves. In some li- 88 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. braries the misplacement is reported to be of no serious consequence, though it occurs fre- quently ; and it is interesting to note that even library attendants occasionally put books where they do not belong. Most libraries restrict access to certain classes of books, and some, to certain hours. Access to fiction and juvenile books is very generally denied, at least during the busiest hours. Nearly all libraries grant access to a few, and many, to all, or nearly all, reference books. As to the desirability of such access almost all are agreed. The practical difficul- ties in the way often prevent it. Of the li- braries allowing access to the circulating de- partment the general verdict is against access to fiction and juvenile books, which usually comprise from 75 to 80 per cent, of the total circulation. In this connection it is interest- ing to note that three libraries ( Alamada, Cal. ; Ames Free Library, North Easton, Mass. ; and Worcester, Mass.) report an increased per- centage in the reading of books of the better class, and a corresponding decrease in the reading of fiction, as a result of allowing ac- cess to the shelves. Six libraries that have tried access to the shelves in some of its forms have discontinued it. They are the following: Bangor, Me.; Kansas City, Mo.; Liverpool, Eng.; Lynn, Mass.; Rochester, N. Y.; and Springfield, 111. To this list might be added the Mercantile Li- brary of Philadelphia which has restricted the freedom of former years. The experience of each may be found in the detailed reports. Twenty-seven libraries report access by permit of the librarian or board of officers. The greatest variety in the extent of this priv- ilege is found, no two following exactly the same practice. Thirteen libraries allow free access and ten restricted access to the refer- ence department. Of the thirty libraries re- porting "no access" three have stated their reason to be "lack of room ;" three "don't believe in it ;" two cannot on account of the "present arrangement;" one, each, on ac- count of "increased expense," "insufficient help," "misplacing of books," and because " it does not seem possible." But one large library (Cleveland, Ohio) re- ports unrestricted access of all persons, to all books, at all times, with the exception of a few medical and special books. The Appren- tices' Library, of Philadelphia and the library of Galveston, Texas, report the same. We learn from annual reports, and know from per- sonal observation, that there are others. For interesting opinions on the matter of access we would call attention to the detailed reports of Jersey City and Salem. As to types of li- braries and forms of access the following re- ports may be mentioned : Alameda, Cal. ; Auckland, New Zealand ; Boston Athen- aeum ; Carnegie, Braddock, ^Pa.; Clerk en- well, Eng.; Denver, Colo.; Hamilton, On- tario ; Minneapolis, Minn.; Newark, N. J.; Princeton College ; and Stockton, Cal. The verdict of experience is that for the suc- cessful operation of general access, the stack system is not suited. Some form of the al- cove arrangement is the only one that is satis- factory. Those libraries having general ac- cess have been obliged to adopt this arrange- ment, or at least find it most advisable to do so. High shelves, also, are found unsuited for general access. In other words, access to shelves demands more space. There is the greatest diversity of experience on the labor question. Some libraries find they can save the salaries of several attend- ants, while others find that more attendants are needed. The saving in salaries justifies the increased space and loss of books, in the opinion of some, and the greater satisfaction to the public counterbalances added cost of labor, in the opinion of others. In a large library the labor involved in keeping books in their proper places is no small matter. The shelving now in use in the Central library building alone, of the Enoch Pratt Free Library is more than two miles in length. The expense and time involved make it practically impossible to verify the order of those two miles of books every day, much less "every morning while dusting." This library allows free access to nearly 200 dic- tionaries, encyclopaedias, etc., in the reading- room. These must be placed in order every morning, and sometimes again during the day, by the attendant in charge. Though the room is visited by hundreds of people daily, but one or two books have been lost in the history of the library. To the other parts of the library, persons desiring to consult a great number of books may have access, by ob- taining permission from the librarian. The STEINER AND RANCK. 89 cases of access, however, are rare, as we prefer to send an almost unlimited number of books to the reading-room. With us the great disad- vantage is the narrow space between the stacks, which prevents an attendant from pass- ing through if any one is there at work. The loss of books, while considerable in many instances, is not so general as always to be a serious objection. It depends on the community and the arrangement of the books. The same is true of the increased wear and tear. The advantages claimed are : (a) The pub- lic better served, because they get the books they want and do it in less time; (b) the economy in administration, requiring fewer attendants; (c) a better class of reading. The disadvantages claimed are : (a) More space for books and consequently a larger and more expensive building ; () misplace- ment of books ; (c] loss of books ; (d) in- creased wear and tear of books ; (e) expense in administration, requiring more attendants ; (f) general confusion in the alcoves, loitering, etc. From the detailed reports it will be noticed that, as a rule, the time of trial in most of the larger libraries granting access is comparative- ly short, much less than the time of trial of those libraries that have discarded the system. The facts brought forth by this report seem to indicate that satisfactory results of access to the shelves depend almost entirely on two factors: (a) Arrangement of books so that a large number of people may move about free- ly without causing confusion ; (d) the charac- ter of the users of the library, which must include honesty and the exercise of a reason- able amount of care and good sense. It is obvious that these factors can be dealt with much more easily in a small, than in a large library ; and each library must deal with them in its own way. The library must be ad- ministered for the good of all its patrons, and we believe that while good results would be obtained in some instances by extending the freedom of access, in others the usefulness of the library would suffer. ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS. ALAMEDA (Cal.) Free Library. 16,724 v. The I5th annual report of this library contains the most glowing account of free access we have seen. The number of volumes issued for home use for the year ending May 31, 1891, was 45,645 ; 1892, 51,332 ; 1893, 57,949 ; 1894, 101,404. The last year the library had free access, and most of the time the entire desk work was performed by one assistant. The year showed a decrease in the demand for fiction. Of the total issue of books for the year 48.3 per cent, was fiction, 18.4 per cent, juvenile, 33.3 per cent, other classes. The preceding year, under the old system of de- livery, the figures were as follows : Fiction, 62.8 per cent., juvenile, 26.3 per cent., and other classes 10.9 per cent. "The public has shown its appreciation of the confidence re- posed in it, and of the great and undoubted advantages of the new system over the old, by seeing to it that out of over 100,000 books issued for home use, 39 only were missing." AMES Free Library, North Easton, Mass. JS^S 1 v - Access has been granted to a very limited extent since its opening in 1882. More freedom given since the fall of 1892. Permis- sion of librarian required ; usually desired by students. ' ' Would certainly need more clerks if it were often applied for." Replacing books on shelves generally forbidden, be- cause books are so often misplaced by those of the public having access to them. It seems to encourage the public to read a better class of books, but at the same time increases work for the librarian. APPRENTICES' Library Co., Philadelphia. 16,200 v. For eleven years this library has granted access to the shelves. There is abso- lute freedom. Books are misplaced and shelves must be gone over twice a day for fiction, and 2 or 3 times a week for the rest of the library, to get books in order. On the whole, open shelves are most desirable. AUCKLAND (New Zealand) Free Public Li- bra'ry. 28,000 v. A reference, with lending library attached. Incunabula and large art works only are kept under lock and key to be given out when asked for. The public for- bidden to replace books on the shelves, which are roughly scanned over every morning for one hour by two assistants, to keep the books in order. The increased wear is about 2 per cent, for books in leather and 5 per cent, for cloth. 40 to 50 shillings would cover the yearly loss. " Every inducement is given here to the people to enter the library. There are 9 o LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. no barriers in the way, not even compelled to sign the visitors book. We have not found the library abused in any way by its free and open facilities to all." BANGOR (Maine) Public Library. 36,408 v. Access granted only in case of books too large to be carried to the reading-room. "The loss of 500 books in 2^ years by theft, and disarrangement of books on the shelves, caused the closing of the shelves to the public in 1876. We have not since thought it ad- visable to repeat the experiment." BERKSHIRE Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Mass. 23,000 v. Access granted under favor or by request. "Those who request access to the shelves are almost invariably those of suffi- cient intelligence to use books properly. To such persons the utility of the library is im- measurably enhanced by free access to the shelves." BOSTON Athenaeum, Boston, Mass. 183,000 v. Unrestricted access to the shelves is granted to all persons who have a right to use the library, the families of the owners of the 1049 shares and, in addition to these, about 800 persons who have cards of admission from the proprietors. Free access has been the practice since the foundation of the library. The only exception is the collection of news- papers and one locked room where particu- larly valuable books are kept. Access to the shelves has no necessary effect on the capacity of the library, but it makes high shelves most undesirable, and a stack system less conven- ient than an alcove system. The number of delivery clerks and runners for books is much less, as most people prefer to go to the shelves themselves and pick out what they want. Readers are requested not to return books to the shelves, but they are just as likely not to observe this as to do so. The misplacement of books is not such as to produce any seri- ous inconvenience. The shelves are gone over carefully with the shelf-list every year, but the attendants are always on the lookout for misplaced books and put them right. The privilege of going to the shelves directly is considered the distinguishing and principal advantage of this library, and the withdrawal of it would be considered by the proprietors as taking away what is half the advantage of owning a share here. People can be helped much more effectually in this way to find what they want than if they had the catalogue alone to consult. BRIDGEPORT (Conn.) Public Library. Ac- cess not allowed. " The subscription library which was the parent of the present free li- brary permitted unrestricted access, and the results \vere altogether disastrous. In con- sequence of this, I think public feeling wonld be against open shelves, and with us there is no demand for them." BROOKLYN Library, Brooklyn, N. Y. 116,- 090 v. Access in special cases has been granted for 25 years or longer. Books are quite often misplaced and the shelves "should be examined every time they are used by an outsider." BUFFALO Library, Buffalo, N. Y. 73,000 v. For seven years some 2,000 reference books have been open to everybody. Access to other shelves is allowed to any person who has a good reason for examining a considera- ble number of books. " I think that if our library was constructed with reference to it, I should wish to make the admission to shelves more general, but I doubt the expediency of throwing them entirely open." CAMBRIDGE (Mass.) Public Library. 42,000 v. Grants access now and then, but general- ly sends an attendant with the reader. Were the practice general it would require a re- arrangement of the library. CARNEGIE Free Library, Alleghany, Pa. 26,000 v. Shelf-permits are issued on appli- cation to all who are in search of solid read- ing. No shelf-permits for fiction. The con- struction of the stacks will not permit general admission. CARNEGIE Free Library, Braddock, Pa. 10,000 v. Books in cases with glass doors, which trustworthy people may have unlocked so as to go to the books at any time. " The special advantage of our system is that it al- lows our readers to see the outside of the books and get some idea of size, etc., which seems to give them an indefinable satisfaction ; that it exhibits, as it were, a classed catalogue of the books which are in ; that it protects the books from dirt in an exceedingly dirty town ; that it serves as an indicator to show whether the book wanted is in or out, and this saves the time of the attendants." CHICAGO (111.) Public Library. 200,000 v. Access not granted. In the new library build- STEIN ER AND RANCK. ing it is proposed to have a large number of reference-books accessible to readers, but no access to the stacks. CLERKENWELL Public Library, London, Eng. 14,000 v. So far as we know this is the only public library in England that permits public access to its shelves in both the lending and reference departments. It has been tried in the reference department since 1890 and in the lending department since May i, 1894. Jn the lending department admission to the shelves is "only allowed to borrowers who hold ticket .vouchers ;" reference unrestricted, though the reference access is confined to directories, annuals, &c., "but will likely be thrown open all over, soon." It was necessary to change the arrangement of the shelves. The salary of one assistant saved, which will go a long way toward covering losses and additional wear and tear. The public may return books to the shelves and the misplacing of books is " hardly worth reckoning ; but this is due to our special method of marking." Shelves are gone over morning, afternoon and night (ten minutes each time suffices) to get misplaced books in order. No loss dis- covered from May i, to Aug. 4, the date of the report. CLEVELAND (Ohio) Public Library. 80,000 v. This library has granted access for more than four years ; there are no restrictions, save that the medical cases and a special collection of about loo volumes are not not open to boys and girls. It requires more room, but fewer assistants. Very few books misplaced ; loss of books "more than double in four years." It is an economy. It increases the use of the library and renders it much more satisfactory to users, and more valuable. It is superior in every respect to the old plan. COLUMBUS (Ohio) Public Library. 20,000 v. Access has been tried five years, but not permitted to fiction cases, nor on Saturdays or busy hours. Scientific and historical books rearranged. Increases the use of the li- brary and calls for more clerks. The public will misplace books eight times out of ten. No noticeable increase in loss, or wear and tear of books. Deem it a wise policy for as- sisting students and special workers. CONCORD (Mass.) Free Public Library. 26,000 v. Free access to the reference de- partment since 1873, and the past two years new books are kept on shelves open to the public, about three months. "Our loss is very small, but fully half of it comes from free access to the shelves." DENVER (Col.) Public Library. 20,000 v. "To every one if clean and quiet," the library grants access to all books except fiction (for lack of room), and " a few nice books." Re- quires more space and adds to the work. The public forbidden to return books to the shelves, but they do, and misplace them. Shelves should be looked after constantly to keep books in order, but manage to get along by going over them about once a month. Ac- cess is popular and "to keep the public away from the books is not one of the best ways of increasing the usefulness of the library." DETROIT (Mich. ) Public Library. 125,000 v. The arrangement of the main portion of the library makes it impossible to admit the pub- lic freely on account of lack of space. Last November the reference-room, containing in addition to strictly reference-books, all Poole sets, patent specifications, &c., was opened freely to the public. Visitors instructed to leave books on the tables after using them. Always one or two attendants about the room watching. The privilege greatly appre- ciated, and, as far as known, no books have been stolen or damaged. FISK Free Library, New Orleans, La. 14,000 v. A reference library ; reports small increase in loss on account of access to the shelves, but lessens library force. FRIENDS Free Library, Germantown, Pa. 17,500 v. Access to shelves not restricted ex- cept to cases containing valuable books. Ju- venile shelves must be looked after weekly, to keep books in order. " Rather a decrease " in loss of books. Disadvantage arises from young persons who are not earnestly looking for information, but advantages outbalance disadvantages. GAIL BORDEN Public Library, Elgin, 111. 15,000 v. This library does not grant access and the librarian says : "We have the vanity to believe that we can suit our patrons better than they could do it themselves and I think that might\)& true generally of small libraries. " GENERAL Society of Mechanics and Trades- men (Apprentices' Library), New York City. 100,000 v. For more than 31 years this library has granted access "to any who has a good 9 2 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. reason that commends itself to the librarian." Books often misplaced by employes. Of in- estimable advantage to students "decidedly opposed to allowing the general reader to use it as an excuse for laziness." GRAND RAPIDS (Mich.) Public School Li- brary. 38,500 v. Access granted oply to teachers, except reference department, where any one may have access to the shelves. Ar- rangement of circulating department makes free access impossible. HAMILTON (Ontario, Canada) Public Library. 21,175 v. Access to all books, except fiction and juvenile, to those who ask for it. General admission would require more space. Access requires less force. Books occasionally mis- placed, but no increased loss. The librarian is a strong advocate of access, with proper restrictions. "Experience leads me to state that a comparatively small library, if carefully classed and with fairly free access to the shelves, will confer as much practical good on the community and give greater satisfaction to readers, than a library twice its size which is not classified, and in which access to the shelves is practically prohibited." Extract from notice : ' ' Take only one book at a time from the shelf, and replace it in its proper place, or give to library attendant to replace. Be very particular about this." HARTFORD (Conn.) Public Library. 40,000 v. Access granted since opening as a free library, Sept., 1892, to all shelves except novels and children's books. "Our boys misplace more books than the public. ' ' Never publicly announced, but practically any one may go to the shelves for purposes of study. HOWARD Memorial Library, New Orleans, La. 22,000 v. Access granted whenever it will be useful to readers, only about 30 per cent, of whom are students ; the rest enter to fill up time. Public forbidden to put books back on the shelves, because they misplace them "whenever they have the chance." INDIANAPOLIS (Ind.) Public Library. 55,513 v. Access granted upon application to libra- rian, to any books except fiction. "Our plan benefits those who really need to use the shelves, while the other people are deterred from seeking the privilege simply because they have to ask permission." JERSEY CITY (N. J.) Free Public Library. 42,051 v. "In rare cases, where the privilege is asked, we allow the applicant to visit the shelves under the guidance of an attendant." Free access is given to all books in the refer- ence room. The whole library is inspected for misplaced books every Wednesday. At- tendants are instructed to show borrowers as many books as they desire to see at the de- livery counter. "A library's efficiency is de- termined by the rapidity with which any one of its. thousands of books can be produced, and placed before the applicant at the delivery counter or in the reference room, and this can only exist where every book is in its proper place on the shelves." A great many people know what they want when they come to the library and they will suffer from the delay. KANSAS CITY (Mo.) Public Library. 20,000 v. "We tried the experiment, for a few months last winter, of placing the new books on a table in the delivery room, for the public to see and handle. The experiment was not a success, as we had about thirty books stolen during that time." LIVERPOOL (Eng. ) Free Public Library. 105,280 v. "Some years ago, in the reference library, a number of shelves were stored with dictionaries and other books of reference to which the public had access ; but after some eighteen months' trial the privilege was with- drawn, owing to thefts, to people loitering before the shelves, and to the misplacing ol the books after consulting them." Los ANGELES (Cal.) Public Library. 36,000 v. Access granted to teachers and specialists, except on Saturday afternoon. Use is limited to some 500 people. Want ol space between stacks prevents general access "the only plan if one has space," but would not have access to fiction. LYNN (Mass.) Free Public Library. 49,000 v. For three years the library has granted access to the shelves in the reference rooms. Shelves are inspected daily for misplaced books. Increased wear and tear is considera- ble, 15 per cent, at least. A great accommo- dation to people who wish to examine books without reading them. Do not believe in ad- mitting the general public to fiction and juve- niles. MILWAUKEE (Wis.) Public Library. 74,077 v. Access allowed in reference library only. "We shall hope to try, at least for certain hours of the day, access to shelves when our STEfNER AND RANCK. 93 rooms permit." Arrangement not suited for general access. MINNEAPOLIS (Minn.) Public Library. 70,000 v. The library was built for access to the shelves. A shelf-permit is given to every mature person having a library purpose. 677 such permits issued for 1893, twice as many as in 1892. Fiction alcoves open to public only at slack times. The public not allowed to put books back on the shelves, which are constantly watched to keep books in order. No increase in loss of books, and wear and tear rather diminished by doing away with carrying a long distance to the reference room. " Great advantages no disadvantages." NEWARK (N. J.) Free Public Library. 46,319 v. Access to the shelves of the reference department has been in operation five years ; other departments (except fiction) two years. The privilege is denied on Saturdays from i to 8:30 p. m. The arrangement, capacity of the library and number of delivery clerks, has not been affected by granting access. The public may return books to the shelves and they do "not very often" misplace them. No increase in loss or in wear and tear of books. The books are placed in order "every morning by messengers while doing the general dusting." "The system is a great advantage to readers." NEW BRUNSWICK (N. J.) Free Public Li- brary. 12,471 v. Access within certain lim- its has been in operation one year. Readers excluded from fiction shelves. Slight changes in arrangement were necessary. Public may return books to the shelves. As to loss and wear and tear, "cannot tell till longer trial is given." "All departments, and all classes of books except fiction, should be open to the citizens. It has given much satisfaction here." NEW YORK City Y. M. C. A. Library. 42,000 v. Access granted at discretion of libra- rian, to persons known or introduced, for a period of thirty years or more. Hight of shelves should be reduced for public access. Some increase in wear and tear, but little or no increased loss. "Access to shelves must be modified by circumstances, location, class of readers, object of library, etc. No general rule can be given." OAKLAND (Cal.) Free Public Library. 25,000 v. This library has wire doors to the 13 cases. The public can see the books, but not handle them. It has been in operation ij years and it has increased the patronage of the library, as well as the force. OTIS Library, Norwich, Conn. 19,181 v. Access to the shelves since 1891, to all classes except fiction. No additional capacity or ser- vice needed. The public misplace books sometimes, but not very often. Shelves looked after about once a week. " The ad- vantages to special students, teachers, and even general readers seem to me too obvious to need explanation. The disadvantages are trifling in comparison, being only displace- ment of books, slight additional risk of loss, and possibly a little more wear and tear." PHILADELPHIA (Pa.) City Institute. 42d Annual Report, March 26th, 1894. "We again commend to all free libraries the prac- tice of keeping the doors of the book-cases wide open and unobstructed by wire netting or wooden fences, so that visitors or readers may have free access to the books during the hours the libraries are open, and have the privilege of selecting books, they may desire to examine, without being obliged to call up- on the librarian. This privilege to the reader is a great convenience and makes him feel that to some extent he is the custodian of the books and responsible for their safe return to the shelves. No library without this privi- lege can really be called a free one." PHILADELPHIA (Pa.) Mercantile Library. 172,000 v. "Until three years ago all mem- bers had unrestricted access, at all hours, to the cases, excepting a few that contained books of special value. Now, regular mem- bers have such access on depositing 25 cts. for a key." Free access requires more room. " Since the railing was put up three years ago the same force has kept the books in better order." Some time every day is devoted to putting books in order, which are often mis- placed. "A great advantage to students, but of little to the general reader. I think the damage outweighs the good." PHILADELPHIA (Pa. ) Public Library. (Four branches.) 45,000 v. "Does the library- grant access to the shelves ?" " YES ! ! ! ah initio!!" Some books withheld from chil- dren, the only restriction. " Would require at least three more assistants in each branch, if shelves were closed. Books are often mis- 94 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. placed, hence the shelves are inspected "at least once a day." " Increases wear and tear very much." " People read what they choose from the shelves. They are attracted by look- ing over a book which they would never think of choosing from a list." PRINCETON College Library, Princeton, N. J. 95,000 v. For the last three years all regis- tered borrowers have access to the shelves on signing a "blue" alcove admission slip and leaving it at the desk. Something of the kind has been in use "off and on" for twenty years. Users often misplace books and the library thinks of forbidding them to put books back on the shelves. The "boys" when not otherwise occupied are straightening books on the shelves. PROVIDENCE (R. I.) Public Library. 63,355 v. " We do not supply the privilege of access to the shelves, in the full sense. How- ever, we place several thousand volumes, which are works of reference, on open shelves in the portion of the public room outside the counter, where access is free. We also place on open shelves in the same part of the room all the new books, for 12 weeks back ; putting in a new lot each week and taking out a lot 12 weeks back. These begin to circulate as soon as they are placed there. We also several years ago, began trying the experiment of making access to the shelves in one department of the library fine art free. This has worked well ; it has a room by itself. In all three of the above instances we have to ' verify the shelves ' each morning, to see that the books are in the right order. In the new building which we are planning to erect soon, we hope to embody as much of the Newberry library principle as is practicable under our condi- tions." ROCHESTER (N. Y.) Central Library. 23,000 v. Access only to encyclopaedias, dic- tionaries, etc. "Until 1892 the public had access to the shelves. We were losing books, books were misplaced, which were almost the same as lost. We reorganized the library, adopted the Dewey classification, catalogue cards, etc., and put up railings around book- cases, alcoves, etc. The books on the shelves are kept in perfect order, and the people do not complain. We no longer lose books off the shelves." ST. Louis (Mo.) Mercantile Library. 88, ooo v. ' 'Access to main book collection only granted to those engaged in serious research. Our membership does not include many ad- vanced students or thorough-going scholars. If possible, would have a selected library of perhaps 20,000 vols. in a public room, alcove system, with free access. This collection would be constantly weeded out and added to, the object being to give unrestricted access to the 20,000 books 'best' for our readers. The other books to be kept in stacks no access." ST. Louis (Mo.) Public Library. 92,000 v. Access granted to about 30,000 vols. in the several reference-rooms and to the juvenile" collection. " During school term juvenile col- lection restricted to the hours from 3 to 6 p. m., and from 9 a. m. to 6 p. m. during vacation." Any one giving a good reason may go to the shelves of the circulating-department. Little or no friction ; plan not tried long enough to draw conclusions. SALEM (Mass.) Public Library. 30,000 v. Access allowed only in the reference depart- ment. " I think, in the ideal system, readers at a library will be served as are customers in a store, by clerks thoroughly posted as to the stock on hand. There is no reason why the public should be allowed to pull over the general stock. They do not in that way come any nearer to having their real needs sup- plied. They are as apt to get hold of the antiquated, or unsuitable, as much as when they select from the catalogue. One librarian who admits to the shelves tells me that read- ers select the dirtiest books. There may be bargain-counters of new books and those to which the librarian wishes to call special atten- tion ; and here the public may be allowed to handle freely." SCRANTON (Pa.) Public Library. 22,000 v. Free access to about 4,000 vols. in reference department and reading-room. Books for circulation are in stack-rooms. Individuals specially desirous are granted the privilege of going to the stacks, exceptionally. Narrow aisles would not admit general public. In the reference department books are misplaced more often than correctly placed ; shelves verified weekly ; an occasional theft ; and in- creased wear and tear, "perhaps one or two percent." " Would gladly grant free access to the circulating department if our quarters STEfNER AND RANCK. 95 could be so arranged as to admit of it. I believe, however, that such would not decrease number of attendants, but rather require more, if anything. It entails endless work in going over the shelves day by day, if the de- sired freedom of access is granted." SPRINGFIELD (111.) Public Library. 24,437 v. Access not granted " except to pastors of the city churches." " Years ago the library lost too many books by giving free access, to try the plan again." SPRINGFIELD ( Mass. ) Public Library. 87,000 v. For several years access has been granted to some extent, for special purposes. "We place all new books, when ready for circulation, where they are accessible to all our readers. Very many who visit the library are accustomed to make their selections mainly from the shelves." (33d Annual Report, May, 1894.) "The free use of books for purpose of special investigation, and the free use of reference books, we regard as exceedingly desirable." SPRINGFIELD (Ohio) Public Library. 16,000 v. Card-holders have free access to the shelves from 9 A. M. log P. M., others can have access to the reference books on permis- sion. " Free access to this department should continue, but there is need of such restrictions as will protect valuable books from careless handling, and prevent interruptions from those who through mere pretext use it to promote their social pleasure." (226 Annual Report, May, 1894.) "We have tall stacks very much against our convenience; are desirous to change to the alcove plan." The increased wear and tear is very little more than the in- creased circulation would naturally give. "I am decidedly in favor of bringing books of the library close to the people; have advocated it for 17 years, and for 13 it has been tried with success in this library. The day for storing up useful books from the people should pass into ancient history; nothing good should be re- stricted, futher than order and proper records require." STOCKTON (Cal.) Free Public Library. 20,000 v. Access allowed to all books, except art works, for four years. Increased loss of books covered by about $35 per year. The library can do with one assistant less, which affords a net saving of $385 per year. The public is better satisfied and "the general handling of books is good for them gives them fresh air." "The disadvantages are: Crowding about the cases, with the noise at- tendant thereon; and disarrangement of books which is hard on lazy assistants." " A library that can have a separate room for fiction and juvenile works, and a good finding list, would do well to close it up and allow none to those cases. . . . The novel-reader and the juvenile person are the ones that make most trouble." SYRACUSE (N. Y.) Central Library. "We do not allow the multitude to go to the shelves, but those whom we know, and can trust, we allow to come in. Our help is inadequate to doing what I could wish, but with proper oversight, the more people that can be admit- ted to the shelves the better the results to the readers." TAUNTON (Mass.) Public Library. 37, 257 v. Access to reference department and new books. " I see no advantages, but apprehend the re- verse. Better make the catalogue serve at- tendants and readers." TOLEDO (Ohio) Public Library. 36,000 v. Access to the shelves in the reference depart- ment. Would be absolutely necessary to change the present arrangement of cases for general free access, requiring about twice the room and twice the number of assistants. "I have not found the general public to know what they want." VICTORIA Public Library, Melbourne, Vic- toria, Australia. 133,301 v. Since its founda- tion, in 1854, this library has granted access to the shelves. There is " no restriction, except in regard to medical and art books. A per- mit from the librarian is required, but once a visitor is admitted to the medical and art gal- leries he has free access to the shelves during the hours the library is open, viz., 10 a. m. to 10 p. m." "Upon the principle upon which this library is constructed access to the shelves involves a great loss of space, so much so that accommodation cannot be provided for the books if the present system is continued for many years. The trustees have decided, when a new library is being erected, to give access only to a portion of the books, and to store the rest in cases about three feet apart. The cost of administration is seriously in- creased by the present system." Books must not be returned to the shelves by the public, still they are often misplaced. For misplaced 9 6 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. books " a portion of the library is gone over every morning, the whole circuit of the library being completed in a month." No serious loss of books only about 75 a year and these are of small value. The tear and wear is increased. No doubt the public consider ac- cess to the shelves a great advantage, but I think they would be better served by a good subject catalogue. The advantage is more imaginary than real." WOBURN (Mass.) Public Library. 34,000 v. All persons, properly introduced, may have access to all classes of books, except fiction and juveniles. "The general objection, besides danger of theft is the temporary loss by mis- placement of books. " WORCESTER (Mass.) Free Public Library. The 34th annual report states that new books are placed on shelves outside of the counter. " It is the belief of the officers of the library that solid reading is much promoted by thus displaying additions to the library." REPORT ON LIBRARY ARCHITECTURE. BY THERESA H. WEST, LIBRARIAN, MILWAUKEE PUBLIC LIBRARY. INSTEAD of the usual annual report on library buildings, I have ventured to offer to the Association a paper somewhat elementary in character. It is founded on observations made while acting as secretary to the trustees of the Public Library and of the Public Mu- seum of Milwaukee during a competition which decided the choice of an architect for their joint building. It certainly is not necessary, before the A. L. A., to dwell on the fact that during the building of a library the whole function of the librarian is advisory ; he is never the deciding power. Sometimes, indeed, his opinion is not once consulted ; but most librarians believe that it is common sense that the executive officer of an institution should be an influential advisor. Unless a librarian has taken pains, however, to make his knowledge of the subject in hand broader and more sound than that of any other person connected with the project, there is no real reason to expect or desire that he should be consulted. It should not be thought in the least disloyal to the craft to say that a very good librarian may yet have no great fitness for the task of planning a building. Little in his training and less in his daily life tends toward education in this direction. Usually there is a long preliminary talk about a new building, and during this time of air-castle building the librarian is able, has time at least, to put foundations under his knowledge of the subject. He has a chance to consider carefully, once more, the character of his library and its consequent policy, and from that to conclude the probable growth for which it is the part of wisdom to provide. He will look far for a building wholly satis- factory even to those who built it, but by com- parison of what exists in various places he may form a fairly trustworthy ideal toward which to work. He will learn almost as much from the failures of others as from their suc- cesses. In all this study and thought he has been making his advice worth asking, and certainly this is the surest course to cause it to be asked and followed. A librarian's opinion will often be consulted when it is not worth regarding ; but an end soon comes to such asking, just as it should. Knowledge is power here as else- where. Trustees usually face this problem of a library building as new to the task as the librarian ; and, if he has been wise, with not half his preparation. Boards of trustees are usually made up of men each of whom has a life-work of his own. He has succeeded in this life-work because to it his time is given, and in it his attention centers. As a rule trustees do not, comparatively speaking, give much time or thought to the institution which they govern. It is not, and cannot be, ex- pected that they should. They do wish, how- ever, that the institution should be a distinct success ; that it should be a recognized power in the communitv. This wish is rooted not WEST. alone in their interest in the institution, but also in a wholesome desire for public ap- proval. A well-managed institution is the best proof of the wisdom of its trustees. A librarian usually comes into office with the confidence of at least a majority of his board. If, as the months go by, they find him quietly equal to every emergency, if they find his policy steadily wise and trustworthy, he is likely to be given all the latitude which he can possibly desire. Such freedom ought not to be granted if these tests are not so ful- filled. In library-building, the experience of others is the most available help to a wise policy. Under such circumstances that debt which every man owes to his profession demands that each one of us should frankly record the results of his own experience for the common good. Former papers and reports on the subject of library architecture from some of the most revered members of the A. L. A. give many sound principles and much practical sugges- tion. In my own need I found little or no help on a difficulty which is met at the very threshold of the subject. Any discussion of the ways by which the architect may at first come into re- lation with the trustees and the librarian, has been almost wholly omitted. This is an im- portant matter. The choice of an architect involves much more than the selection of that technical skill which produces good plans and a fine design. The well-being of the enter- prise depends almost as much upon the char- acter and integrity of the architect as upon his professional ability. This choice of the architect is usually the first public step after the necessary funds are in hand or, at least, in sight. It is not pos- sible to say what is abstractly the best course in all cases. It would have been useful to us to have had the fact placed clearly before us that there were not only different roads to our goal, but that there were in each road certain rocks and ruts. To change the metaphor, it is well to keep in mind that in avoiding Scylla it is also necessary not to fall into Charybdis. A public library is usually a relatively large building in a town. Its erection is, therefore, a piece of work likely to be sought, or at least desired, by all the architects of the town. In case the town is a city the work will be sought too by architects of other places. How, from among these candidates, shall the architect be chosen ? There are three common methods : First. The board of trustees may select out- right a man whom they have reason to believe competent and trustworthy and instruct him to prepare plans. Second. The board of trustees may select a number of men, all of whom they believe to have the wished-for qualifications, and invite each of them to prepare plans in competition with one another. Third. The board of trustees may inaugur- ate what is known as an open competition ; /. e., they may advertise in the public press and in the architectural journals that they are ready to receive plans for such and such a building. There are various possible modifi- cations of the method, but it is, practically, a free for-all. It may as well be accepted from the outset that some criticism will be incurred by those having the enterprise in charge, whatever method of choice is adopted. "Public office is a public trust " and, in common with other trusts, is apt to be regarded with doubt by those on the outside. Under the first two methods, criticism is encountered from the first. Under the third it is usually deferred until a decision is reached ; it does npt there- by lose. I have yet to find record of the modern public building which has not in some way provoked criticism. It is certainly worth while to take every care to forestall just crit- icism. No other to be dreaded. The first method, the choice of the architect outright, has much to commend it. It is by far the simplest, most direct solution of the problem. If honesty and intelligence go to the choice, perhaps the chances for mistake are not greater than by any other method. The individual man usually acts in this way when he has a building to erect and this is a fair argument for its practical good sense. When a man conducts his public duties on the lines upon which he does his private business, he is apt to be using the best sense that he has. The glitter of a famous name is apt, under these circumstances, to attract the eyes which govern the choice. Unfortunately a famous 9 8 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. name is not an unfailing mascotte for suc- cess. The board of trustees, under this method, will have the ideas, suggestions and resources of but one man, or firm, to draw on. But on the other hand, this man will be able to go directly and hopefully at the prob- lem, sure of the cordial co-operation of all concerned. The plans first submitted by an architect so chosen will be sketch-plans, without working drawings or specifications for building. These sketch-plans are, of course, simply the archi- tect's solution of the problem and are suscep- tible of modification to any extent that the desires of those concerned may indicate and the capacity of the architect work out. If, however, the architect is unable to pro- duce a satisfactory scheme, the experiment proves an expensive one. Even if his design is entirely rejected he has earned and can col- lect his fee. This fee is somewhat of the nature of a lawyer's retainer, and is usually reckoned as one per cent, on the proposed cost of the building. If the plans are accepted this fee is merged in the commission, which varies from three per cent, to seven and one- half per cent, on the cost of the building, ac- cording to the fame of the architect and the locality. The American Institute of Archi- tects recognizes as just and right five per cent, as a minimum charge for full services. Almost all of the famous Richardson libra- ries, the Newberry library, and the beautiful and practical new Albright memorial building at Scranton, were designed by architects thus chosen. The second method, the limited competi- tion, gives an opportunity for a somewhat wider range of choice. Men eminent for their treatment of various styles of architecture may be chosen and thus a comparison of the rel- ative adaptation of the style to the problem may be had. Each man knows his compet- itors and is thus spurred to do his best. In the selection of six competitors, which is a common number, the standing of all the men may be such that the enterprise will be safe in the hands of any one of them. In this, as under the first method, the man with the very best ideas for the work in hand may be overlooked. But there is small chance that a real incompetent will be chosen. It is usual under this form of com- petition to offer a series of prizes, graduated in value according to the adjudged merit of the designs submitted. The value of the premiums is, of course, dependent upon the proposed cost of the building. The architects of the Buffalo library, the Minneapolis public library and the new Chicago public library were chosen after this form of competition. The third method, the free-for-all, is very common in the erection of public buildings of all sorts. It is eyed askance by architects. It is less than thirty years since the discussion of the subject of competitions was admitted to the professional papers. Some able men will not enter an open competition however fair the conditions may seem to be. There is probably reason for this feeling in the profes- sion, for many of the scandals about public buildings have arisen under competitions of this kind. And yet a revered and much-loved profes- sor of architecture defended the custom by saying that few men had opportunity to de- sign more than three or four great buildings, at most, in the course of their professional career. The open competition, he said, gave the op- portunity to attempt such designs under ac- tual conditions, and whether successful or not the education of the attempt was secured. Whatever may be the truth of the matter from the architect's point of view, the prac- tice involves some serious considerations from the layman's side. In the first place, in order to attract competitors of a high order of talent the conditions must be favorable, must promise a reasonable degree of fairness. A competition which does not succeed in at- tracting such competitors is a dreary waste indeed. If, however, the conditions are such as to be satisfactory, there will be submitted a great mass of mediocre drawings which are of no possible value to the enterprise. That is, if a large, well-baited net is spread, along with the big fishes will be gathered a great num- ber of little, useless, ones which add seriously to the weight of the net. A few figures will demonstrate clearly how considerable the burden of drawings in an open competition may prove. The design of a large building cannot be adequately set forth in less than eight drawings to the set. In many cases it WEST. 99 is necessary to call for more. The drawings to be clear must be of large scale, making them awkward to handle. The Milwaukee competition, not a specially attractive one, contained seventy-four sets of plans. The reception, care, exhibition and return of five hundred and ninety-two drawings is not a task to be desired. Still another consideration is that, for this style of competition, the architects are de- pendent for guidance upon a printed scheme called, usually, the ' ' Instructions to Archi- tects." The conditions of the competition and the needs of the building must be plainly set forth. In order to do this some one must have the scheme very clearly in mind. It may seem very easy to know what you want ; it does not prove so easy to say it so that there is no chance for serious misunderstand- ing, by those whose only information is gained from a printed description. Moreover, it is next to impossible to make a printed scheme which cannot be supplemented, to the great advantage of the enterprise, by word-of-mouth interviews between the archi- tects and those to be served. The trained, perceptive minds of the architects see possi- bilities and difficulties of which the layman would never think. Practical alternatives can usually be arranged by discussion. To fore- go these discussions is a great loss to the en- terprise. On the other hand, however, if some competitors have this advantage and others do not, an inequality of conditions re- sults, which justly enough makes dissatisfac- tion. It must be faced, too, that it is not possible for any board of laymen, however honest and intelligent, to form a just judgment, architect- urally, of a large number of plans. The lay- man thinks that he knows what he likes. What he likes may very possibly be as far as possible from bearing any relation to the real merits of the case. The question is not a matter of taste, it is a matter of knowledge. The layman is not versed in the laws which govern this realm. The resource is to take the verdict of a pro- fessional expert ; but here again there may be danger. An unprejudiced professional man will probably know nothing of the in- dividual needs, or ideals, of the given institu- tion. He may give the wisest possible judgment from the architectural point view of and yet leave out of consideration items of the utmost practical importance. One horn of the dilemma is not much more comforta- ble than the other. If the expert is so quick, so open-minded, so kindly-courteous as to be ready to hear and weigh with patience the comments of the librarian, the resulting judg- ment is likely to be a wise one. There is one consoling fact which may be considered when in fear of the neglect of in- terior convenience for exterior beauty, or vice versa ; an architect who is capable of working out a simple, convenient, symmetrical plan for the interior is usually able to clothe it in a reasonably effective and correct design. The matter of expense is also to be consid- ered under the open competition. The pre- miums, prizes, or price, of the best plans (the charters of some cities forbid the payment of prizes) are a part of the necessary attractiveness of the conditions. They are proportioned, as in the limited competition, to the magnitude of the building. An unwise economy in this direction defeats itself ; the prizes must be ad- equate, or desirable competitors will not enter. The expense does not end with the prizes, however. The advertising for plans ; the printing of instructions, with the necessary plats, etc. ; the reception, care, exhibition and return of the drawings ; and the professional expert's fee form no inconsiderable items. To these actual money outlays will be added a voluminous correspondence and innumerable interviews for the librarian ; and interminable meetings, not to mention inexhaustible lobby- ing for the trustees. Some modifications of the open competition might do much to obviate, or at least amelior- ate, some of the most trying and dangerous conditions. First. The board of trustees may select at the very outset an adviser in whom the archi- tects of the country have confidence. The name of this adviser, will form a part of the official advertisement. This first modification is by far the most important of all because nearly all the rest will come as natural sug- gestions from him. A wise adviser not only ensures a just judg- ment of the plans in the end but gives the dignity of his name as a guarantee of the good faith of those having the enterprise in charge. ioo LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. The advertising of the fact of the willingness of a board to call such wisdom to their help will go far toward encouraging just the talent that is desired to enter the competition. Many minor difficulties disappear at once by the help of his counsel. For example, a board of laymen will find it difficult to know just how to specify the drawings which are required to perfectly reveal the merits and defects of a design. Uniformity of size of drawings, of the point of view of perspectives, of the finish of drawings, greatly aid a just comparison of de- signs. All these things a thoughtful, experi- enced adviser makes perfectly plain. Second. The competition should be abso- lutely anonymous. It is hard to be unbiassed in judgment when the names, characters, and previous records of the architects are known. The professional adviser will find an easy way to obviate the only honest objections to this plan. Third. The name and address of the person from whom any additional information or ex- planation may be had should be printed plainly in the advertisement. It might be wise for the committee to announce that no inquiries ad- dressed to individual members of the committee would be answered. Fourth. The imperative instructions to ar- chitects should be few. The general descrip- tion of the accommodations required should be headed by a most explicit statement that the description is intended to be suggestive, not imperative. The really imperative require- ments should be grouped by themselves. With this understood the explanations may wisely be quite voluminous. All the benefit that the experience and ideals of the librarian can give may thus be brought to the help of the architect without crippling him unnecessarily. Fifth. In cases where it is believed that cer- tain arrangements are very desirable, or neces- sary, it is wise to give brief reasons. An able architect will see and often concede a practical point even when it conflicts with an effect which he would like to produce. Sometimes he will reach the same end by another course. The architect is anxious not only to make a fine building but one that is esteemed a practical success. It is immensely for his interest to so succeed, as well as for his pride and pleasure. Finally it may be conceded that, as the open competition is still interesting and still popular, in spite of any and all objections, there are likely to be many more as time goes on. Un- der such circumstances it is wise to use every possible means to promote cordial relation- between architects and librarians. If there is any lack of mutual appreciation the cause may- be illustrated by a story told of Charles Lamb. Lamb said one day to a friend, "Oh ! I hate So-and-So ! " "Why, Charles," said his friend, "you don't know him !" "No, I don't," said Lamb, "that's why I hate him." ON LIBRARY FLOORS AND FLOOR-COVERINGS. BY WILLIAM BEER, LIBRARIAN, HOWARD MEMORIAL LIBRARY, NEW ORLEANS. T IBRARY floors are not often beautiful. Few, it is hoped, possess that element of beauty which Ruskin found in the floor of the Duomo of Venice. To him, it recalled the rippling surface of the Adriatic, on whose waters the warlike Venetians had gathered the treasures they lavished on their Cathedral. Except in a few monumental buildings, the intrinsic beauty of a flooring is a secondary consideration. To most of us, that floor on which the footprints of time and of the ever- increasing c rowd of readers shall make no change, and in the cleaning of which no dust shall be raised, is the best. It is the object of my paper to bring out in discussion the varied experience of those who hear it. In order to leave as much time as possible I shall merely lay before you a few general considerations and give the result of five years' wear on the flooring of my own library. The following letter from the architects of our building sufficiently describes our flooring : BEER. 101 " If we were building another library we do not know of any more satisfactory floor than a Georgia pine, rift-sawed, floor. Any wooden floor will show wear, where the crowds pass over it, provided it is not repolished every year. Of course, a floor of marble could be put down which would not show the wear, but it would be very uncomfortable for people to stand on. In order to keep your floor in good condition the hard oil finish should be renewed once a year ; or, if it is desired to re- new it more frequently, orange shellac which dries very rapidly, may be used." After five years, in which the repolishing has been neglected, we find in the reading- room, the floor of which is unprotected by covering, that the frequented paths have not only lost their polish, but have become indelibly stained black from the quantity of soot and acid in the air, coming from the smoke of a neighboring brewery. The un- trodden parts retain their pristine beauty. By the use of soda and ammonia we have brought about a not very beautiful uniform- ity ; but, by those who know the beauty of the room, it will be easily understood that this floor will not be allowed to remain in this condition the question is, what had best be done? The local architect recommends planing off an eighth of an inch and putting on fresh oil- polish. Experience shows that in a shorter time than before a repetition, and shortly a new floor, would be needed. As there is no way of restoring the color of the surface we have to choose between painting, which would in that room be a crime, waxing with a colored wax so as to bring the whole to a uniform but deeper color, and a new depart- ure covering with some textile fabric. The use of fiber matting in libraries is, I think, wrong from the two most important points of view those regarding sanitation 14 and dust. On fibre matting every footstep sends into the air an impalpable and, occa- sionally deadly, dust which either enters the lungs of the unsuspecting reader or adds to the already too large quantity of dust on the books. The following letter from Mr. Hos- mer of the Minneapolis Public Library gives an admirable answer to the question "What shall we use as a cover to library floors ?' ' " As you remark, our building is handsome ; it is also, I believe, in every way well con- structed. The floors are primarily of iron and masonry upon which has been put, for con- venience, a layer of maple. This in our more frequented rooms, again, is covered with corticine or linoleum the difference is small, I believe, between the articles. The corticine we find thoroughly satisfactory'. It deadens noise, is easily cleaned, and wears like iron. "The spots most trodden wear best. In nearly five years hard and constant service we see no signs of wearing out. Our floors are entirely satisfactory. The maple layer has in one of the rooms of the basement, to some extent, rotted out ; but it was exposed in a peculiar way to dampness. Elsewhere it is sound ; it does not make the building any less fire-proof, and, when covered by the lin- oleum, with the substruction of iron and mas- onry, gives us something very firm, quiet and safe." There is one other matter on which I will touch it is of importance to all. The Use of the dry bristle brush for sweeping ought to be absolutely prohibited in a library. The mop, or damp cloth, dragged in a holder, or else damp saw dust, is the only means where- by dust can be removed from floors, covered or uncovered, varnished or painted, without sending the larger proportion into fresh circu- lation, generally to rest on the books. 102 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. THE WORK OF THE PUBLISHING SECTION. BY W. I. FLETCHER, LIBRARIAN, AMHERST COLLEGE. '"PHE Publishing Section was organized in * 1886, so that we have eight years of its work under review. In that time much less has been accomplished than some of us hoped, but enough has been done to show the need and use of its efforts. Financially the Section has been a success, having to-day a small bal- ance in its treasury over all claims against it, and owning some valuable copyrights and other property. Of Sargent's "Reading for the Young," which was its first publication, several editions have been published, and it is still much in demand. The editors have material in hand for a supplement to bring the work down to date. The "A. L. A. Index," the most important work yet brought out by the Section, has met all the expenses of publication and is beginning to yield a profit ; of which, by the original arrangement, the editor is to re- ceive the first $750. This work, while it is far from being as complete and accurate as it should be, is finding a place in most libraries and can hardly be dispensed with. Material for an extensive supplement is being accumu- lated which should be published before long, and will add greatly to the value of the book. The "List of Subject Headings" prepared by a committee of the A. L. A., of which sam- ple pages have been distributed at this meeting, should be issued at once, and an edition of 500 copies, if sold at $1.00, will cover the expense and more. A carefully annotated list of select books for girls' and women's clubs is in preparation by Miss Ellen M. Coe, of New York, with the col- laboration of several very competent persons. This list will be useful not only to the clubs, but to all libraries where the reading of the young is an object of attention, and is a very appropriate publication for the Section. In order to carry out the wish often ex- pressed for large editions of some of the im- portant papers (such as President Larned's address) presented to the A. L. A. meetings, it seems quite feasible for the Section to se- cure electrotype plates from the types set up for the Proceedings, for the pages containing such papers, and thus be prepared to fill orders for them in large or small quantities. When the Section was started it was hoped that it might secure electrotype plates or at least special editions (paying the cost or a little more) of many valuable pieces of index or bibliographical work done by individual libraries for their own benefit as, e. g., in the bulletins of some of the leading libraries and so extend the usefulness of these pub- lications far beyond the small circle of libra- ries to which they are likely to be sent as a gift. No success has as yet attended efforts in this direction, but there are evidently great possibilities here if the larger libraries can be induced to co-operate. With all these openings for valuable work before the Section, it is highly desirable that its membership be increased, and that all who are interested in seeing the. good work de- scribed in this paper go forward should lend the aid of their subscriptions, and of their per- sonal help, in advancing this most practical and effective agency for library co-operation. It cannot be doubted that there is sufficient enterprise and intelligent skill, in the American Library Association, to make this work much more effective and useful if it were fairly brought to bear upon it. SOULE. 103 LAW BOOKS FOR GENERAL LIBRARIES. BY CHARLES C. SOULE, TRUSTEE OF THE BROOKLINE PUBLIC LIBRARY. paper fulfils a promise made several years ago to the Association the ex- ecution of which has been deferred by illness and absence. It is intended to suggest a prac- tical answer to the question pressing on many libraries : " How far shall we yield to the de- mand of lawyers or law students, in putting law books on our shelves ?" If an intelligible rule or principle can be found, to solve this problem, it may serve further to simplify simi- lar problems as to other technical literature. The embarrassment in considering the purchase of law books for general libraries lies in the fact that the topics included under the phrase, " Law and jurisprudence," border upon, or interweave with History, Sociology, and Political Science. Is there any definite line of demarcation between those law books which most interest the general reader, and those which have only, or mainly, professional application ? A rule of exclusion suggests itself first, which may be thus stated: No law book should be bought for a general library, which is merely a tool for the practising lawyer. This rule is easy of application by lawyer and layman alike. If adopted, it rules out nearly all the reports, text books, and digests which constitute the bulk of legal literature. A proper rule of inclusion cannot be so con- cisely or definitely stated. Certain groups of law books however, can be included as the means and shelf-room of a library allow. Even a small library may properly contain: 1 . One or two of the classic summaries of law, such as Blackstone and Kent ; with such pop- ular compendiums as Parsons' Laws of Busi- ness, and a few of the best general introduc- tory or review books for students. 2. A good law dictionary, defining legal terms. 3. Histories of the law in its different branches. 4. The Statutes of the State in which the library is situated, and of the United States; with a digest of the Statutes of the other States. This feature, in a large library, may properly be expanded to include all the session-laws, older compilations, and legislative journals of the State in which the library is situated which are in the nature of historic material. 5. The best and latest books on Constitu- tional law. 6. The best books on International law. For large libraries there is a narrow range of legal bibliography, a wide range of legal biography and humor, a number of entertain- ing special reports of trials (the raw material of romance), and a few works on the philos- ophy of law and the science of jurisprudence. If it is considered desirable to go further, there are certain topics of every day business such as Wills, Patents, Landlord and Ten- ant, Municipal law, etc., which the reader might like to look up for himself, without the intervention of a lawyer, and which may therefore properly be represented on the shelves by a selection of the best and least- technical text-books. For the largest libraries, those series of law magazines which contain biographical, socio- logical, political, and critical articles, will be found to be of general interest especially since they have been rendered accessible by Jones' Index to Legal Periodicals. In the larger libraries, also, it might possi- bly be interesting to include the early editions of the English statutes, the Year-Books, and those old Abridgments and treatises which are so ancient as to fall as much under the head of history, as of law. There are also old books on Civil, Feudal, and Ecclesiastical IO4 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. law, which are interesting historical material. The choice among these will be governed by the circumstances of the library, and the scholarly tastes of the librarian and trus- tees. Even if all these classes were accepted, they do not include five per cent, of the entire mass of legal literature ; and the rules of exclusion and inclusion here outlined may therefore suggest to librarians a practical line of pur- chase, not only in regard to law, but also, by analogy, as to other sciences.* *NOTB. By vote of the Conference, Mr. Soule was requested to furnish, for publication with the above paper, a list of one hundred best law books for general libraries. Being suddenly called away, afterwards, and pressed with other duties upon his return, he was unable to fully prepare the list in time for its printing here. It is hoped that this list may be given subsequently in the Library Journal. "DON'T;" WARNINGS OF EXPERIENCE.* COMMUNICATED BY A NUMBER OF LIBRARIANS.* T^ON'T attempt to go on with your work without a high " ideal" towards which you can constantly approach, even if you cannot quite reach it. Don't forget that the chief aim in library work is usefulness therefore don't be care- less in the choice of books for purchase. Don't be satisfied with anything less than full systematic records. Don't have much " red tape." Don't waste time and money in rebinding old books that can be dispensed with or re- placed by new copies of the same. Don't lose sight of the "golden rule" in your dealings with the public ; and Don't fail to impress the same spirit upon book-takers, old and young, and upon all per- sons who are employed with or by you in the library service. Put your dont's, if possible, into the Gen- eral Rules of the library, and don't say "don't" too often. IF you are librarian of a library which changes hands every three or four years, and whose income is not large "Don't " hamper your successor with subscriptions to works issued in parts and at long intervals. DON'T apply number-tags, nor place gilded call-numbers or class-marks upon books for public circulation, at or near the lower part of the backs. At all events not within a hand's width of the under edge, if possible to avoid doing so. Don't try to make the open, public rooms of a library an awful tomb of silence, and there- by chill or drive away the very persons who most need the influences of the library. In other words, except for marked reasons or in case of special study-rooms, such signs as, "Silence is the law of this room," had bet- ter be relegated to the attic or the stack- rooms. DON'T buy any books issued by those pub- lishers who resort to the cheap, nasty, spongy, and altogether objectionable quality of paper now so frequently used in this country since the days of wood-pulp prevail. The best print and paper attainable at this time from our American publishers, are none too good or too durable for library use ; and if a bookmaking concern begins to sin by using anything else, then it is liable to apply such to all of its issues, sooner or later. "Shoddy" is evidently in vogue among the publishers as among other manufacturers, and with a similar result. Happily the question of excluding poor or objectionable fiction from library shelves may thus meet its solution in a certain degree, since the publishers of much of the trashy and *To Miss Ellen M. Chandler, of the Buffalo Library, credit should be given for the happy suggestions which led to the collection of these interesting and varied expressions from individual contributors. As some of the writers preferred not to be named, while others had no objections, it seemed best to treat them all as anonymous and thus avoid making any invidious distinction. DON'TSr 105 least desirable writings are seemingly the most prone to take advantage of the cheapening of quality in manufacture. Whatever may have been the reasons for retaining Southworth, Stephens, Dupuy, and the like, among library lists in the past, the present material used for their production certainly removes all excuse for continuing the practice. DON'T rush into print with your experi- ments directly you begin them. Many things appear to succeed at first. Wait a year. Don't change the library routine too often. It is bad for the library staff, and worse for the public. Don't imagine that elaborate catalogs can take the place of educated attendants. Spend less in machinery and more for brains. DON'T fill up the catalog with references which are in the A. L. A. index. Keep the index near the catalog case, and have library numbers written against the references. Don't waste time pasting labels on new books, if these are placed where patrons can handle them. When the books are old enough to be placed on the shelf is time enough ; and time and trouble have been saved. DON'T employ a binder because his prices are lower than any one else's. Don't let readers come to your library in vain, if you can possibly help it. If you haven't the special book they inquire for, you may have what will answer their inquiries. Don't make purchases too hastily, and fill your shelves with what will soon be dead wood. Don't hesitate too long about buying cer- tain limited editions. DON'T answer to-day' s letters to-morrow. Don't fail to ask for what you need nor to be thankful for what you have ! DON'T pay too much attention to other people's Don'ts. Many a person makes a success of what another has failed on. If you have a plan to try go ahead and try it, and very likely you can make a success of it, even f some one else hasn't. DON'T employ young ladies who are too good-looking, or young ladies with marriage anticipations ; they become uneasy and soon leave, or have callers of the male persuasion who take up their attention in working-hours, and hence follows a row. Besides, such young ladies expect too much and need too many favors. Women of middle life are preferable, and having no unreasonable expectations devote themselves more thoroughly to their work, and for the amount they accomplish are worth three to one of the susceptible young girl. Young girls, also, are apt to be too conceited, especially if trained in some theoretical school of instruction. A busy librarian has no time to explain the why and wherefore of what he does. DON'T employ a boy or young man who is old enough for sentiment, and not old enough for sense. DON'T withhold a borrower's card for one unpaid fine. Let him take a book and pay the fine next time. If not paid then, withhold card. Don't use a double charging system if you have a large circulation and a small force. Don't have a single rule that you will be un- willing to break for a reasonable patron. DON'T transfer books from one person to another. Don't, out of the kindness of your heart, make exceptions to rules unless you wish to be imposed upon. DON'T publish a monthly magazine in connection with a library, unless you have time to spare and money to spend. DON'T separate volumes, when there are but two ; especially in the case of the pre- vailing two-volume novels. There is no gain ; and there is frequently the great annoyance of a long waiting for the second part of a work that should have been in one set of covers. Don't require .the return of books to the library when a renewal is desired. If but one renewal be permitted, as is usually the case, there is little gain, and unnecessary risk of in- jury or wetting is constantly incurred. Don't make renewals or the getting of io6 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. books needlessly difficult. Simplify every- thing possible, keep up with the times, and popularize your library in every possible way. Don't confuse new copies, or new pur- chases, with new publications. This besetting sin of the now popular "bulletins" causes needless and constant trouble to readers who really want the most recent works in their line of research. Therefore: Don't fail to give the true date of publica- tion in bulletins as well as in catalogs. Don't use a for A, capital. In a new Find- ing List, just issued, two of the most aggra- vating blunders in the shelf-marks were caused by this fault. The A, N, and M, that resemble printed capitals are in every way preferable to those that resemble enlarged lower-case letters. Don't fail to remember that a library is as much a business house as is a bank, and that a borrower or reader's' time may be of great value to him. Therefore be courteous and expeditious in all things, so that time, pa- tience, and temper may be saved to both visitor and attendant. WHEN you are asked for a communication by the President of the A. L. A. don't put off answering, thinking that you will get time to do it later. Don't fail to attend the A. L. A. meetings unless you have good reasons for staying away. Don't kick against the goad. For myself I am fortunate in having a driver whose goad one would have to kick in order to reach, but I have seen librarians pricked and kicking when they might much better pick up their feet "for business " and break the yoke. Don't allow too much kicking in your own team. Feed well. House well. Don't over- work, and do as you would be done by on kicking. Don't get a (too) cheap typewriter. Don't economize on labor-saving apparatus. Don't hesitate to waste a penny and save a pound in discarding one instrument or system for one clearly better. It is hardly necessary to say that this law needs the greatest care in its operation. The rule is, don't change un- less the gain is clear, but hesitation often invites great loss when a stitch in time would save nine. Finally there are two great don'ts : Don't do yourself, anything which one poorer paid can do as well, and so on through the whole organization. This is the bottom principle common to all business organiza- tions and one a good deal violated in library administrations. " Don't bite off more than you can chew." One must, in a library, keep a vast number of jobs going. There must be many unfinished lines all the time, but everything must be clearly " in hand," and a good bit of time put on thinking down the work in hand is well spent. On the other hand, one must not over- time, push, and worry himself and his force and produce general dissatisfaction in the public, in his force and in himself, and in the end have less substantial results, if he over-plans his time and strength. DON'T, in arranging the rooms of a library, put your administration rooms, especially the rooms for the catalogers, at any distance from the reference or circulating rooms. They should be adjoining, with the catalog between. . . . Isolate the catalogers, give them quiet and absolute freedom from disturbance, but do not place distance between them and the readers who want the same reference-books and the same catalog. Don't systematize so much as to render your helpers entirely ignorant of any branch of work in the library except their own, unless you intend to employ none but those trained in all departments by a library training-school. Workers work so much better to have variety in their work, and to know their part in the grand total. DON'T erect a barrier between your cata- logers and your desk-attendants. Draw on your cataloging force during busy times at the desk ; and, when they can be spared, borrow from the force at the desk for office-work. The change of work is pleasant for all, enables one set to see the catalog from the reader's side and the other to keep in touch with the newly arrived and ordered books, and pro- vides you with substitutes in case of absence. By keeping your force flexible you can con- centrate it where needed and save in numbers. IF the librarian who reads is lost, don't fail to lose yourselves. "DON'TS." 107 Don't make your cataloging^mill grind so fine that the newness of new books is worn off in the hopper. Don't distribute your orders among more booksellers than you are obliged to. Don't lavish hospitality on the books of those writers who rub some French nastiness into their ink and spatter it as an offering to " Art for Art's sake." Don't try to find a convenient form of ar- rangement for maps. There is none. DON'T arrange dissected maps on rollers unless you have need of a corrugated roof. Don't open a ladies' reading-room unless you can provide an attendant for it ; unless, indeed, it is near enough the desk or office to be under general supervision. It will only attract picnickers. DON'T ornament your lobby with statues or busts, for boys to hang their hats on. Don't screen thieves and mutilators of mag- azines by placing high cases of pigeon-holes in the center of your periodical room. Don't employ cheap labor unless you have enough work of the kind it can do, to keep it busy all the time. If it is not sufficiently in- telligent to learn you will waste an amazing amount of time trying to teach or providing work. Don't omit to enter date of ordering, on your order-list, even though this item is not included in the list given in the excellent "Hints to Small Libraries" recently issued by Pratt Institute. Don't invest in the Van Everen adjustable book-covers called " Fitsanybook." There is more tear than wear in them. DON'T allow your attendants to tell readers that the library does not possess or has not yet received a certain book, especially if it be a new one, without inquiring in the catalog department, after consulting catalog and bul- letins. The reader will gladly wait ten or fifteen minutes for a newly arrived book to be made ready, rather than go without it. Our motto is " Cataloging done while you wait." Don't have your cataloging department so far away from the desk that this is impossible. DON'T expect to reform, all at once, sub- jects you are laboring with. Don't recommend your favorite books and pet passages miscellaneously. Only rarely one finds a kindred soul. Don't do too much searching, especially for scholars. Help them wisely to help them- selves. Don't expect the boy who has been indulg- ing in Alger one day, even though a bright boy, to take up the study of bacteria the next. Don't allow people with soiled hands to use your books Germs ! DON'T allow books to go to branches with- out charging at the central library. IF any one is planning to introduce the Leyden book catalog as used at Harvard College, don't do so without first communicat- ing with that library. DON'T begin to print your catalog till the whole is ready for the printer. DON'T try to re-dlassify a library, especially one of 35,000 volumes, while it is lying on the floor of a large room with a leaky ceiling. If the books have to be moved to keep them out of the wet, volumes get separated, and are sometimes found after a year or two in differ- ent classes. DON'T buy incomplete sets, especially of periodicals, hoping to complete them at a trivial cost. Ten to one the missing volumes are those most rare and difficult to procure. Don't fail to put the accession number on the book-card, if your charging system makes use of the latter ; especially so in the case of duplicate copies. Don't send personal mail-matter to librarians under their official addresses. PROCEEDINGS. 109 THE PROCEEDINGS. LAKE PLACID, N. Y., MONDAY SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17-22, 1894. FIRST SESSION. (GRAND VIEW HOTEL, MONDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER 17.) President J. N. LARNED called the meeting to order at 9. 50, and announced the following committees : Reception. Mrs. Henry J. Carr, Mary S. Cutler, Katherine L. Sharp, Mary E. Sargent, Melvil Dewey, F: M. Crunden, C: C. Soule, Frank P. Hill. Place of next meeting. C: A. Cutter, C: C. Soule, H : M. Utley, Theresa H. West, G : E. Wire. Social evening. New York State Library School, Mary S. Cutler, chairman. Resolutions. James K. Hosmer, G: H. Baker, W: H. Brett, Edith E. Clarke, Caroline H. Garland. CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF LAST MEETING. Voted. That the report of the Chicago meeting be approved and adopted as printed. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. After expressing his regret at not being able to attend the Chicago meeting, and thanking the Association for his election to the presi- dency, President LARNED read his address. . (See p. /.) Secretary HILL read his SECRETARY'S REPORT. Without interfering with the reports of the various committees, the Secretary has attempted to give a rough outline of library progress in the several States since the last Conference. (.See Report on Library Progress, p. 56.) Last year every effort was put forth to make the Chicago meeting the most eventful one in the history of the Association. By the assi- duity of the then President the conference was indeed a success. The attendance was larger than at any previous meeting, and the interest manifested at each session was as marked as though no World's Columbian Exposition offered its many attractions to our members. Undoubtedly much of this interest was occa- sioned by the fact that it was to be "review year;" the time when we were to learn from competent reporters just what was best in li- brary science. Were we not preparing for that great A. L. A. manual ? Indeed we were. Some one asked me the other day where that long-looked-for manual was, and I replied that I knew nothing about it, except that it was still long-looked-for. "Well," she said, "please remember that we are looking longingly for it." And I remembered. But I am not going to tell you anything about it, for at some later session you will hear from Mr. Dewey all the various reasons for its non-appearance. Changes in the library profession are of in- frequent occurrence. At the time of making this report the great Boston Public Library is still without a head ; the Crerar has no librarian ; and the Tilden remains an unknown quantity. The death of Dr. William F. Poole (to whose memory the A. L. A. gives up one session) created a vacancy at the Newberry, not yet rilled. Dr. Reuben A. Guild, who resigned his position as librarian of Brown University, after a continuous service of forty-six years, has re- cently been made librarian emeritus. A merited recognition, we all say. We note, with pleasure, that Mr. Charles K. Bolton (Miss Bean's successor, at Brookline, Mass.) is taking up the work with vigor, en- thusiasm, and ability. His scheme for issuing two books on the same card has attracted de- served attention, and has served to stir up some of the older librarians, who are ever no LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. ready to accept a good, though new thing, for move, that when the type is set up, extra free public libraries. copies be stricken off and sold at cost price. Mr. Charles A. Cutter is once more a full- The motion of Mr. Crunden was supported, fledged librarian, having assumed his duties and Mr. S: S. Green moved, as a substitute, as head of the Forbes Library, at Northamp- that the whole matter be referred to the execu- ton. tive board, to report at a later period. Finally, the A. L. A. Library has been Mr. Crunden accepted the substitute offered ordered by at least three libraries. by Mr. Green. Secretary Hill put the question, DISTRIBUTION OF PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. an & ** was carried unanimously. F: M. CRUNDEN. I think that the address of F: M. CRUNDEN. -I suggest that the Secre- our President was such an able one, will be so tary, if possible, send a copy to the New York valuable as an educational document, was so papers. broad, and took such high ground, and, as a SEC'Y HILL. We have with us a representa- whole, is of such general interest, that we tive of the Associated Press, and a representa- ought to take measures to circulate it as widely tive of the United Press, and each on e has as possible. It ought to go beyond the bounds requested the paper for the purpose of making of our Proceedings, and I would suggest, and extracts. TREASURER'S REPORT. GEORGE WATSON COLE read his report, which was referred to the Finance Committee. A. HENRY J. CARR, Treasurer, tn account with the AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. 1893. DR. July ID. To old balance (Chicago Conference, p. 3) $181 72 July 10 to Sept. 7, 1893: To fees from Annual Memberships, at $2.00 each: Dues for 1891, 2; for 1892, 2; for 1893, 171 ; = 175 350 oo To fees of Fellows additional, at $3 . oo each : For 1892, i ; for 1893, 25 = 3 9 oo To fees from Library Memberships, at $5 . oo each : For 1893, i 5 oo Total $545 72 1893. CR. July 1 8. Paid Frank T. Boland, Stenographer, bill of July 22, for reporting Chicago Conference $i 1 1 35 July 20. Paid Frank P. Hill, bill of July 18, expenses of Secretary's office, 1892-93 34 05 Sept. 4. Paid A. C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, bill of July 10, 360 badges for Chicago Conference 33 oo Sept. 13. Paid Frank T. Boland, Stenographer, bill of July 8, transcript of Proceedings, Chicago Conference no 75 July 14 to Sept. 9. Expenses of Treasurer's office, viz. : July 14. Express on money to bank $ 35 July 20. Telegram (Secretary to President) 25 Aug. 7. Postage stamps 2 oo Sept 9. " " 25 Sept. 9. Blank Book 75 3 60 $292 75 Sept. 13. Balance transferred to Geo. Watson Cole, Treasurer 252 97 Total $545 72 Attest: HENRY J. CARR, Treasurer. FIRS T SESSION. 1 1 1 B. GEORGE WATSON COLE, Treasurer, in account with the AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. 1893. DR. Sept. 18. To balance received from Henry J. Carr, Treasurer $ 252 97 Sept. 18, 1893, to Sept. 12, 1894: To fees from Annual Memberships, at $2.00 each: For 1891, i $ 200 For 1892, 2 4 oo For 1893, 172 344 oo For 1894, 394 788 oo For 1895, 3 600 For 1895, i (part payment) i oo To fees for Annual Fellowships, at $5.00 each: $i.i45 oo For 1893, ii $ 55 oo For 1893, 6 (balance of $3 . oo each) 1800 For 1894, 18 90 oo To fees from Library Memberships, at $5.00 each: $ x ^3 oo For 1892, 5 (balance of $3.00 each) $ 15 oo For 1893, 20 loo oo For 1 894, 26 130 oo To 3 Life Memberships, viz. : ~ $ 245 oo George lies $ 25 oo Weston Flint 25 oo Mrs. Frederick M. Crunden (balance) 23 oo To i Life Membership, increased to Life Fellowship, viz. : $ 73 (Melvil Dewey) 75 oo To Interest on deposit, Sept. 18. 1893, to date 15 54 Total $1,969 51 1893. CR. Oct. 17. By Grover Brothers, Newark; bill for 1,500 envelopes, leaflets, and tags for Secretary $ 12 25 Oct. 28. By L. J. Hardman, Newark ; bill for 300 circulars and stamped envelopes for Secretary 1025 1894. Feb. i. By Publishers' Weekly; bill for printing 550 copies Chicago Proceedings (106 pages) and postage on same 385 49 Feb. 13. By same ; bill for additional postage on Proceedings i 35 Feb. 13. By A. L. A. Endowment Fund; transferred to E. C. Hovey, Treasurer, amount of Life Membership of George lies 25 oo Feb. 21. By Library Bureau; bill for 250 letter-heads for President 3 50 Feb. 24. By same ; bills for 250 letter-heads for Treasurer, and 500 letter-heads for Secretary 8 15 March 2. By A. L. A. Endowment Fund; transferred to E. C. Hovey, Treasurer, amount of Life Membership of Weston Flint 25 oo May 23. By C. F. Williams, Albany ; bill for 4,500 Year Books for 1894 86 50 Aug. i. By same; bill for printing 11,000 Year Books 1893, 1,000 Programmes of Chicago Conference, 4,500 envelopes, circulars, slips, etc., for Mr. Dewey. 258 85 Aug. 4. By Melvil Dewey ; cash paid by him for various printing bills 13 47 Aug. 8. By A. L. A. Endowment Fund; transferred to E. C. Hovey, Treasurer, balance of Life Fellowship of Melvil Dewey 75 oo Aug. 14. By F. P. Hill ; bill for postage on circulars of Lake Placid meeting 9 oo Aug. 27. By John E. Rowe & Son, Newark; bill for 500 Membership cards and 100 solicitation slips, for Secretary 4 oo Aug. 27. By W. B. Morningstern, Newark : bill for clerical help for Secretary 4 35 Sept. 12. By Matthias Plum, Newark; bill for 1,000 envelopes, for Secretary 3 oo Sept. 12. By A. L. A. Endowment Fund; transferred to E. C. Hovey, Treasurer, amount of Life Membership of Mrs. Frederick M. Crunden 25 oo Sept. 12. By Treasurer's office ; current expenses, Sept. 18, 1893, to Sept. 12, 1894, as per detailed voucher 55 25 Aggregate payments $1,005 41 Sept. 12. Balance on deposit with the N. J. Title Guarantee and Trust Company. . . . 964 10 Total , $1,969 51 112 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. The present status of membership (Sept. 12, 1894) is as follows : Honorary Member (Dr. Henry Barnard). . . i Life Fellowships 2 Life Memberships 29 Annual Fellowships, paid for 1894 18 Annual Memberships, paid for 1894 394 Library Memberships, paid for 1894 26 Total 470 During the period covered by this report, 54 new members have joined the Association, 38 have resigned, and death has removed 8 from our ranks. Three have become life members, and one life member has become a life fellow. Your Treasurer has put forth every effort in his power to collect all outstanding dues, yet there remain unpaid on his books : 28 Annual Memberships for 1893, 78 Annual Memberships for 1894, 2 Annual Fellowships for 1894, 2 Library Memberships for 1894, representing a total of $232 still due. There is reason to believe that little of this amount will ever find its way into the treasury of the A. L. A. , as most of those in arrears seem to take but slight interest in the cause which this Association represents. Certainly no future financial policy should be adopted which calls for the expenditure of a larger amount than is now in the treasury. No sales of the papers and proceedings of prior years have been made during the year. Several copies have been sent to members who have rejoined the Association ; to those who have reported gaps in their series ; to re- place several lost in the mails ; and to complete the set in the Secretary's office. There are now on hand the following : 4 copies of Milwaukee Conference (1886). 36 " " Thousand Islands Conference (1887). 79 '' "St. Louis Conference (1889). 22 " " White Mountains Conference (1890). 25 " ' San Francisco Conference (1891). 7 " " Lakewood Conference (1892). 1 8 " " Chicago Conference (1893). NECROLOGY. During the year just passed the Treasurer has learned of the death of eight member? of the Association. With two of these he was for a time most pleasantly associated in the Newberry Library, at Chicago, and it is with sincere sorrow that he now finds it his duty to here chronicle their lamented deaths. He de- sires to acknowledge his indebtedness to Mr. Frederick M. Crunden, Librarian of the Public Library of St. Louis, Mo. ; Mr. Addison Van Name, Librarian of Yale University; Presi- dent James H. Baker, LL. D., of the Univer- sity of Colorado, Boulder, Col. ; the June (1884) number of The Library; and the Library Journal, for several of the appended sketches. They have been arranged in the order in which the deaths took place. I. Miss MARY ABBIE BEAN, Librarian of the Public Library of Brookline, Mass. , died Sep- tember 4, 1893, at her home in Brookline, after a painful illness of eight weeks She joined the Association in 1876 (registration No. 87). She had been Librarian of the Brookline Library for 22 years, and by her enthusiasm, capability, and unselfish devotion to her work, had raised the library to an exceptionally high standard of efficiency. Miss Bean was born in Laconia, N. H., March 23, 1840, and entered her chosen career of library work at the age of fifteen, when, after graduation from the schools of Boston, she became an assistant in the Boston Athenaeum, where, under the guidance of Dr. William F. Poole and Mr. Charles Russell Lowell, she acquired a good knowledge of library work. After nine years' connection with the Boston Athenseum she re- signed, and with Miss Ames, also a graduate of the Athenaeum, catalogued the Naval Academy Library, at Annapolis; the Fairbanks Library, at St. Johnsbury ; the, private library of Henry Probasco, of Cincinnati; and the Public Library of Brookline. In the autumn of 1871, she was appointed librarian of the Brookline Library, which posi- tion she held until her death. She was of the older race of librarians, and clung to the tradi- tions of time-honored practice, but acquiesced cheerfully in changes which she found to be inevitable. She was very proud of her library and her profession, and had many friends among library workers generally. She was a member of the Massachusetts Library Club. (Library Journal, 18: 443.) FIRST SESSION. II. Miss BESSIE LANNING, an Assistant of the Free Public Library of Paterson, N. J., died of consumption, December 3, 1893. She joined the Association at the Lakewood Conference, May 17, 1892 (registration No. 1,069). She was connected with the Paterson Free Public Li- brary for about two years, until she was obliged to relinquish her position in June, 1893, because of failing health. She was a bright and talented young lady, and by her sunny and social disposition had endeared her- self to a large circle of friends. III. REV. JOHN C. LEARNED, who died De- cember 8, 1893, was born in Dublin, N. H., August 7, 1834. He joined the Association in 1890 (registration No. 879). He prepared for Dartmouth College in 1853, but was pre- vented from entering that institution. He went to Missouri about 1856 and taught school at Ozark for several years. Returning to the East, he entered the Divinity School at Har- vard University in 1859-60, remained three years, and then spent a few months in Europe. He received his first call as a Unitarian minis- ter to the church at Exeter, N. H., in 1863 ; was married to Miss Lucelia Wakefield in 1864, and in April, 1870, removed to St. Louis and became the first pastor of the Church of the Unity, which position he retained till death removed him. His wife and three children survive. For eight years, from 1884-92, Mr. Learned was a member of the Board of Managers of the St. Louis Public Library, serving half the time as Vice- President and the remainder as President, with two years as Chairman of the Book Committee. (Frederick M. Crunden.) IV. DR. WILLIAM FREDERICK POOLE, LL. D., Librarian of the Newberry Library of Chicago, died at his home in Evanston, 111., March i, 1894. He joined the Association in 1876 (regis- tration No. 45). He was one of the original founders of this Association, and a regular at- tendant at nearly all, if not all, of its meetings. So prominent has been his connection with this Association that it is unnecessary here to recall in succession the meetings he attended, the offices he held, or the papers he read. His death has left a gap among American libra- rians that cannot be readily filled. He digni- fied the library profession of this country by his profound learning and extended expe- rience, and honored this Association by his timely counsels which always displayed his practical good sense. Now that he is no more, the members of his profession, here assembled, consider it a privilege to set apart a portion of the time allotted to this conference, for a me- morial exercise in his honor. It is unneces- sary to say more, at this time, as an apprecia- tive and timely tribute to Dr. Poole, written by Mr. William I. Fletcher, appeared in the March number of the Library Journal, to which those desiring full biographical details of Dr. Poole' s extended career are referred. V. MRS. JOHN W. NOBLE, Library Trustee of the St. Louis Free Public Library, died March 18, 1894. She joined the Association in 1893 (registration No. 1134). Mrs. Noble, prior to her marriage, was Miss Elizabeth Halsted, and was born at Northampton, Mass., in 1837. She was one of a family of six sisters, four of whom survive her. She was married to Gen- eral Noble in 1864. He was then at the front, but came home on a furlough to be married, his bride accompanying him on his return. Mrs. Noble was well known for her great work in behalf of the poorer classes, especially of her own sex ; and her death came as a great blow to the many enterprises with which she was connected for bettering the condition of her unfortunate sisters. She was the only woman on the first Board of Trustees of the St. Louis Free Public Library and did not live to serve out her term. (Frederick M. Crunden. ) VI. W. J. HAGGERSTON, Librarian of the Free Public Library of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Eng., died May 6, 1894. He joined the Association in 1877 (registration No. 105). He had been ill for the last two years, and the Library Com- mittee had on several occasions given him pro- longed leave of absence, but no permanent good ensued. He was born in 1848 at Brecon, Wales. In 1861 his parents removed to New- castle-upon-Tyne, and in 1867 young Haggers- ton was appointed junior assistant in the library of the Library and Philosophical Society. Five years afterwards he obtained the position of librarian of the new public library at South Shields, which was opened in 1873; and in 1879 ne was appointed first librarian of the Newcastle Public Library. This library was LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. opened in 1880 with 20,000 volumes, a number which has increased in fourteen years to nearly 80,000, a result greatly due to the marked ability with which he advised the pur- chases of the Books Committee. Mr. Haggerston was present at the Library Conference held in London in 1877, and was for many years a member of the Council of the L. A. U. K. , but he had not attended an annual meeting since that of Dublin in 1884. ( The Library, 6 : 1 89. ) VII. EDWARD J. F. WERDER, for the past four years assistant in the catalogue depart- ment of Yale University, died May 26, 1894, at the Yale Infirmary, of heart failure, following an operation for appendicitis. He joined this Association, April 2, 1889 (registration No. 745), and attended the St. Louis and Fabyans Conferences. He was born February 2, 1846, at Sagan, Silesia, where he also pursued his gymnasial studies. At the outbreak of the Prussian-Austrian War of 1866, he entered the army, and in 1868, after the prescribed course of study in a military school, was appointed lieutenant in the Sixth Battalion of Prussian Rifles. He remained in service until the close of the Franco-German War, when he resigned his commission, and in 1872 came to New York. Here he lived for sixteen years, em- ployed at first as a private tutor, and later in the study and practice of law, having received the degree of LL.B. from the University of the City of New York, in 1880. Becoming in- terested in library work, he secured, in 1888, a position in the Newberry Library, which he held until his removal to New Haven. In both libraries he rendered most faithful and efficient service, and in both he gained, by his character and attainments, the respect and es- teem of his associates. (Addtson Van Name.) VIII. PROF. CHARLES EMMET LOWREY, Libra- rian of the University of Colorado, at Boulder, Col., died August 18, 1894. He joined the Asso- ciation in 1891 (registration No. 904 . Prof. Lowrey was born at Hackettstown, Warren Co., N. J., July 6, 1855, and received his prep- aration for college in the academy of that place. In 1873 he entered the University of Michigan, and after four years was graduated A. B. From 1877-79 he taught at Anderson, N. J., and privately prepared two young men for the sophomore class at Lafayette. During the following two years he was Principal of the Calumet, Mich., high school. In the au- tumn of 1881 Mr. Lowrey returned to Ann Ar- bor for advanced studies, supporting himself by private tutoring and engaging in various literary enterprises. Hundreds of students came under the influence of his thorough in- struction, and received inspiration from his enthusiastic scholarship and noble life. In 1882 he received, on examination, the Master's degree, and in 1884 became Doctor of Philos- ophy, presenting as his dissertation "The Philosophy of Ralph Cudworth," published by Phillips & Hunt. Dr. Lowrey enjoyed for many years the in- timate friendship of Drs. Cocker and Morris. He had a decidedly philosophical turn of mind, idealistic in tendency, and was a great admirer of Plato and Aristotle, being thoroughly con- versant with the Greek originals. He re- mained at Ann Arbor until the fall of 1886, be- ing associated with Dr. Wm. H. Payne in editing and translating pedagogical literature, when suddenly his greatly impaired health compelled him to seek relief in the climate of Wyoming and Colorado. In 1889 he had suffi- ciently recovered to take charge of the library' of the University of Colorado, and in 1890 was duly elected librarian. He at once applied himself with the same conscientiousness, so characteristic of his mind, to his new field of labor, and for five years the university was the beneficiary of his systematic mind and broad scholarship. He always manifested intense in- terest in all educational matters, and fre- quently contributed valuable articles to var- ious prominent periodicals. In 1893 he was ranked as full professor, and delivered, during two semesters, lectures on " Library Technics" and ' ' Systematic Bibliography." But the close confinement of his literary duties gradually undermined his constitution, and on Sunday evening, August 18, 1894, he quietly passed away at Gold Hill, whither he had gone for temporary relief. He made an heroic struggle for life, and nothing but his indomitable will sustained him so long. His body rests in Boulder Hill Cemetery. {Dr. James H. Baker.) All of which is respectfully submitted. GEORGE WATSON COLE, Treasurer. JERSEY CITY, N. J., Sept 12, 1894. FIRST SESSION. REPORT OF EXECUTIVE BOARD. Pres. LARNED. The single meeting of the executive board was held in November last, and was reported in the Library Journal. I think it is sufficient to refer to that report as printed, and say nothing further about the subject. C: C. SOULE read the REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. Section 14 of the constitution prescribes that "The finance committee shall make all needed appropriations, audit bills, and give orders on the treasurer for payment; and no expense shall be incurred on behalf of the Association by any officer or committee, in excess of the appropriation made for the purpose by the finance committee." The committee, during the last year, has discharged its duties so far as auditing bills is concerned, and has been ready to make appro- priations when applied to, either formally or informally. It has been somewhat embarrassed by the inattention of officers and committees to this provision of the constitution, and by the presentation of a large number of bills for expenses for which no appropriation had been asked. In such cases the committee has only considered whether the expenses were incurred prudently, and in good faith, and has given audit and ordered payment on all bills which appeared to come within these limits. It ven- tures to suggest, however, that the officers and committees appointed for the coming year should read section 14, and comply with its requirements. The treasurer's report gives evidence of assiduity in collections, and of a healthy state of the treasury. The Association should bear in mind, however, that the present balance of nearly a thousand dollars is subject to drafts for the expenses of this Conference, and the printing of its proceedings. Over $600 will be required for these purposes, which will leave $300, or less, as the actual cash on hand at the end of the financial year. This is far better than some former experiences, when Confer- ence expenses have drawn on the income of the following year ; but the balance is not large enough to justify extravagance. The committee has audited the treasurer's accounts as presented to this Conference, and finds them to be correctly cast, with proper vouchers, and bank book showing balance on hand as reported. Respectfully submitted, JAMES L. WHITNEY, \ CHARLES C. SOULE, v Committee. A. W. WHELPLEY, ) Voted. That the report of the finance committee be received and placed on file. REPORT OF COOPERATION COMMITTEE. JAMES K. HOSMER, Chairman, made the fol- lowing verbal statement : It has been felt that the way in which statistics were presented in annual reports was not convenient. It seems to me, and I think that the committee are with me in the matter, that it is quite im- possible there should be a uniform scheme of statistics. The libraries which we represent are exceedingly varied in their character. Some are state libraries, some city libraries, some proprietary libraries, while others are school and college libraries. The conditions in each case require a different scheme of statistics. It is quite impossible that there should be anything like a uniform scheme. However, it has seemed to the committee possible to make the matter of comparison somewhat more convenient by providing at the end of the detailed scheme of statistics, a summary in which the more salient things could be given. In the case of the library at Minneapolis, my predecessor, Mr. Herbert Putnam, was in the habit, in his annual reports, of presenting his statistics in that way. He gave in the first place the scheme in detail such as the conditions of the situation de- manded. Then he gave in the space of one page, a summary. The plan has been con- tinued by me. The aim in the summary is to present the most essential things, and any librarian wishing to make comparisons, if he has before him in each annual report such a summary, will not need to search long to hit upon the item which he requires. It has been impossible for the committee to meet until this morning, when our conference was very brief; but I believe I am right in saying they recommend that in the statistics, in the annual reports, there should be in the first place a detailed statement, and after that a summary; the summary to consist of the n6 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. essential things given in the shortest and briefest form. As we talked about the sum- mary these points came up : in the first place, an itemized financial statement; under that would come salaries, binding, insurance, and books. Then, second, a head relating to cir- culation ; book issue might be a general title, subdivided into issue for home use, and issue for library use. Then there might be a gen- eral heading relating to the number and con- dition of books. The committee have not agreed upon what the essential things are for such a summary, and perhaps the matter had better be recommitted. I am not able, Mr. President, to make any more coherent or satisfactory report than this. Voted. That this matter be recommitted to the present committee for a printed report of what this summary should be. The following is the subsequent written report of that committee, in accordance with the vote. The cooperation committee report concern- ing a proper form for a scheme of statistics, as follows : That inasmuch as libraries vary widely in their character, and inasmuch as the demands of constituencies as regards statistics also vary widely, it is impossible to settle upon any one form which all may adopt. We recommend the scheme suggested by the cooperation com- mittee of 1877, and published in the Library Journal for that year, as a good example of a form of statistics, though it will undoubtedly need to be modified wherever used, as the conditions of each case may require. We further recommend : That at the end of the detailed scheme of statistics, a summary of statistics be supplied, in which the information previously given shall be repeated in a form as condensed as possible, and in the following order: i st. Number of books in the library; acces- sions; losses, etc. 2d. Circulation; number of cards issued; home issue for Central and Branches; library issue for Central and Branches (a careful dis- tinction to be made here between home and library use). 3d. Receipts: From appropriations; from special funds; from fines; from sale of cata- logues ; from fees ; from other sources. 4th. Expenses: Salaries; janitorial; books; building; repairs; binding, etc. We believe that in such a summary, an approach may be made to uniformity, how- ever varying the conditions, and that thereby the task of comparison will be much alleviated. Respectfully submitted, JAMES K. HOSMER, For the Cooperation Committee. G: T. LITTLE read the report of the com- mittee on LIBRARY SCHOOL AND TRAINING CLASSES.* In presenting the seventh annual report on the Library School, your committee are com- pelled to devote less space than usual to this admirably conducted institution in order to briefly characterize the various training classes which are for the first time included in the province of this report. The fact, however, that four out of the eight other places in which formal instruction in library economy is now given, are under the direction of graduates of the New York State Library School, indicates clearly the important and widespread influ- ence exerted by its curriculum and its in- structors. The members of your committee, who were able to visit the school, selected a day when it was in its ordinary running order, so that a typical day's work might be seen. No day can be more profitably spent by a librarian . The school is magnificently housed. The state capitol is set on a hill, and there is a sense of dignity in the very approach. The visitor is conducted through long corridors, past marble columns, along arched passages to a large cor- ner room, where sit the faculty and members of the Library School. The room is a very handsome one. The ceiling is rich, the walls handsomely panelled in oak, the carpets soft, the view from the windows delightful. Fireplaces, upholstered chairs.hassocks, give the impression of physical comfort. But while the eye is gratified by all this, the mind of the librarian is turning towards utility. Here again it is at once satis- fied. Every member of the faculty and every * The statistics and material of this report were collected previous to the appearance of an article on the same subject in the Library Journal for Sep- tember. FIRST SESSION. 117 pupil in the school is provided with a desk of ample size, and the desks are well littered. Around the room appliances of every kind abound. Lifts, speaking tubes, pigeon holes, bulletin boards, memorandum trays, all are in active use, and accustom the librarian-in-train- ing to use and devise for himself and others those minor conveniences that add greatly to the efficiency of library service. There were, in June, twenty -three pupils in the school. A list of the faculty and statistics as to expenses and the curriculum are given in the little hand-book which the school issues, entitled, Course and Expenses. A complete list of the students, from the first, is printed in the Library Journal for September. It is, there- fore, unnecessary to summarize that material here. Former reports, too, have given so full an account of the work of the school, that it will be best to notice, especially at this time, the changes and additions that have been made the last year. The requirements for entrance have been advanced, as, indeed, has been the case each year, and new details added to the curricu- lum. In order to receive a diploma, it is now necessary, besides passing satisfactory exam- inations in each of sixteen subjects, for each pupil to obtain from his teachers in the respec- tive subjects, a pass card, stating that the class work has been done satisfactorily. No pass card, no diploma despite good examinations. This adds importance to the regular daily work, and makes it impossible for the one who can pass good examinations to have an undue advantage over the one who can live up to good standards in daily work. Another new feature is the encouragement of the collecting of sample cards and blanks from different libraries. A good collection would count towards a degree. The notes taken of lectures are also inspected by the teachers, who require the notes of the two years' course to be preserved in convenient form for future reference. The classes have had reading seminars once a week since 1889, the subject being settled by the vote of the class. This year, however, a systematic course has been pursued. For the first half of the first year American authors are considered ; the second half, foreign authors, except French and English ; for the first two-thirds of the second year, English authors ; the last third, French. One of the most useful of the new features is the establishment of physical culture as a part of the regular course. This practical study made its way into the curriculum by force of its own merits, and has evidently come to stay. Three years ago the class took up a course voluntarily, the members uniting to pay the necessary expenses. The next year the alumni clubbed together, and each one gave an amount equivalent to that received for a day's work, so that a regular teacher was se- cured. It is now a part of the regular course, one lesson a week being given. Excellent language work is done under the direction of Miss Hawley. Reyer's Entwick- lung, a history of the library movement in Germany, is used as a text-book, in German, so that the information gained, as well as the work of translation, is of value. This course belongs to the senior year, but many juniors elect it. A good working vocabulary is ac- quired even by one previously unacquainted with the language, and this vocabulary, pre- served on slips, forms part of the equipment each pupil carries away with him. In Latin, the work consists largely of translating title pages. In Italian, instruction is given by Miss Edith Fuller. There have been improvements also in the accommodations. A gallery newly built around the room gives space for enough additional desks to accommodate the pupils, and electric lights have been added. The Hammond Type- writer Company have put in five machines, so that all may become familiar with their use. A library has been established for the benefit of the hundreds of workmen in the capitol. No one who visits the school can fail to be impressed with the active, workful purpose that pervades the place. As late as six, that June afternoon, everything was in full opera- tion. Yet, recreation is insisted upon. Bicy- cles are rampant. Pupils and faculty ride; to- gether, separately, on different makes, in varying ways. The bicycle house, on a neigh- boring street, to which all piiptls are made welcome, and from which they may ride at their pleasure, is a curiosity. It is also a strik- ing example of the open hand and heart of the director of the school. n8 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. In 1 890 the Pratt Institute of Brooklyn be- gan a training class in library work to meet the need of those who could not afford the time or the money necessary to attend the New York State School. The courses in cata- loguing and in library economy have from year to year been supplemented by courses in American and English literature, in composi- tion and in German, until the class entering this fall will have before it a well-arranged course of three terms, extending from October to June. The total tuition charges are sixteen dollars a term. The total number of pupils has been ninety-five, and forty-four of these have subse- quently entered upon library work. A class of more than twenty-five persons is not desired. The Drexel Institute of Philadelphia, in Oc- tober, 1892, and the Armour Institute of Chi- cago, the following September, organized simi- lar library classes, which have been success- fully conducted. At the former, twenty-four pupils have been enrolled, of whom twelve have found positions as library assistants. The tuition for each of the two terms which make up the course, is twenty dollars. At the Armour Institute the school year is divided into three terms, and the tuition fees amount to sixty -dol- lars. The course can be supplemented, if de- sired, by a second year of advanced work. The first class consisted of twelve, of whom eight have already secured positions in libraries. In these three Institutes the requirements for admission are essentially the same, a good ed- ucation, equivalent to that afforded by a high school course, and examinations to test the candidate's knowledge of literature, history and current topics The Drexel Institute gives a fine course of lectures by its president, James MacAlister, LL. D., and other eminent special- ists, on bibliography and general literature, besides its well mapped out course of instruc- tion in English literature given by the librarian and her assistant. The Armour Institute has also made excellent progress during the first year of its existence, in the arrangement of its lecture courses on bibliography and general library topics. The curriculum in library economy at all three present no striking points of difference, and to enlarge upon their com- parative merit as far as differences do appear, would be as unwise as unjust. Each seems well adapted to enable a high school graduate of industry and natural aptitude for library work, to prepare himself or herself as an effi- cient library assistant. In each, the experience of succeeding years is constantly changing and improving the curriculum pursued. The Los Angeles Public Library Training Class, as its name indicates, is a modification of the apprentice system of making librarians. It was started primarily for the advantage of the library itself, as a method of training ap- plicants for library positions, before, rather than after they began to receive a salary, and of avoiding all danger of political or personal influence by making appointments depend solely on individual merit. The systematic curriculum, the number of those who have completed it, the character of the instruction as indicated by the examination papers, estab- lish clearly its right to be ranked as a school of library economy. The first class was organized in November, 1891. Of thirty-three pupils, seventeen have completed the course and fourteen have en- tered upon library work. The class is limited to six young women, who must be at least seventeen years of age, and satisfy the com- mittee of examination that by previous educa- tion and natural adaptability they possess qualifications sufficient to warrant their under- taking library work. Five or more classes may be conducted at one time. After giving three hours daily for six months to the first course, presenting a thesis upon some ap- proved subject of library economy, and passing satisfactorily a technical examination in acces- sion, reference, shelf and loan department work, the pupil is entitled to a place on the list of substitutes, and to enter upon the second course. This is of the same length as the first, and is devoted to cataloguing and to theoret- ical work in library administration. There is no charge for tuition, and the attainment of eighty-five per cent, in examinations, ensures the pupil six months' half-day service at the rate of ten dollars a month. Somewhat similar in purpose and in certain details is the Denver Public Library Training Class, which was organized last September, with five pupils and which is described in the current number of the Library Journal. The Amherst Summer School of Library Economy, organized in 1891, has had four well FIRST SESSION. 119 attended sessions, the total registration amounting to ninety-eight, of whom over one- half have entered upon library work. In- struction is given entirely by the well known librarian of Amherst College. The aim is to afford as complete and thorough a course in the theory and practice of library work as can be given in five weeks. ' ' The course of study is as follows: Two hours daily of instruction, and two hours of practice work. Of the first two hours, one throughout the course is de- voted to Cutter's rules [running exposition and explanation] ; and in the other, the following subjects are taken up successively: library hand, selection and purchase of books, pre- paring new books, accession catalogue, shelf list, charging systems, reference work, bind- ing and repairs. Of the practice time, about one-half is devoted to actual cataloguing, and the other half to the review of the same by the instructor, with constant use of the black- board." It is obvious that so brief a course is best adapted to those who have had either some ac- quaintance with library work, or are possessed of especially well trained and receptive minds. To the many custodians of small libraries, who have come to feel their ignorance, and to quick witted men and women, who need a basis for future study and self instruction, this course offers special advantages at a slight expenditure of time and money. The latest additions to the facilities for for- mal instruction in library science, that have come to the knowledge of your committee, are in widely separated states, but in somewhat similar surroundings. They are conducted by college librarians in connection with their reg- ular work, and the technical courses are sup- plemented by instruction in the college classes. The course offered at the Maine State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, at Orono, is described in the August number of the Library Journal, and no further informa- tion is necessary, save to remark that it has already attracted pupils. The last catalogue of the University of Colorado, at Boulder, de- scribes two courses : one in library technics, the other in systematic bibliography, which to- gether extend throughout the academic year, and are conducted by the librarian of the Uni- versity. Though intended primarily for the general student, a limited number of those who take them have the privilege of learning the practical details of library administration un- der the personal supervision of the librarian.* When the founder of the Library School brought his project before the Association in 1883, a prominent librarian expressed his be- lief " that practical work in a library based on a good previous education in the schools was the only proper way to train good librarians." To ascertain how far it is possible at the present time to enter the profession in this way, your committee have written to one hundred libra- ries throughout the country, selecting those that from their size or circumstances could be supposed to offer facilities for training in library work. Out of eighty replies, only seven express a willingness to receive appren- tices. These seven, however, represent libra- ries in large cities, where this pathway to the librarian's vocation will surely find some to walk in it. The following, from the librarian of the Minneapolis Public Library, indicates at once the advantages and the limitations of this method of learning library work: "We have in this library a system of apprenticeship which is working satisfactorily. Last January an examination was held, at which forty can- didates appeared. Out of this number eight were successful. One received an appoint- ment, two resigned, five are now connected with us as substitutes. They are given an op- portunity to learn library work, but receive no pay, except when serving as substitutes for regular members of the staff. They are then paid at a low rate, twenty cents per hour for day work, twenty-five cents an hour for even- ing and Sunday work. Any vacancy in the staff will be filled by the appointment of the most promising apprentice. We do not care to have our class of apprentices larger than it is at present, and should admit to it only such as have passed our examinations." Of the seventy-three libraries that did not care to receive apprentices, a majority said that they trained their own assistants. This circumstance shows if, indeed, any one doubted it that despite the growing demand for trained assistants and librarians, most po- * The recent death of Dr. Lowrey will probably lead to the discontinuance of this course. 120 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. sitions continue to be filled, so to speak, with raw material. The report on Library School and Training Classes was accepted and placed on file. S: S. GREEN. At the University of Mich- igan there is a good deal of bibliography in- struction by Mr. Davis, and I understand that at several other colleges instruction is given. I would suggest that in future reports cf this committee, that kind of library instruction be also considered, and the place mentioned where it is given. Treasurer COLE read the REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF THE ENDOWMENT FUND. E. C. HOVEY, Treasurer, in account with A. L. A. ENDOWMENT FUND. 1893. DR. July 19. To balance old account $199 63 To Life membership fees received from Mr. Cole, Treas. American Library Assoc'n $125 oo To Interest received on bank balance and investments. . . 380 95 $505*95 $705 58 CR. By amount invested in bond and mortgage $400 oo By accrued interest on said mortgage 25 oo By amount paid for rent of safe. . 10 oo $435 oo By balance 270 58 $705 58 E. & O. E. Sept. ist, 1894. E. C. HOVEY? Treas. Examined and approved. JAMES L. WHITNEY, CHARLES C. SOULE, A. W. WHELPLEY, Of Finance Committee. E. C. HOVEY, Treasurer, in account "with A. L. A. ENDOWMENT FUND. DR. To subscriptions received . . $4, 540 50 To Life memberships 747 47 To interest on bank balances and from investments 658 93 CR. By amount invested $4, 800 oo By note of publishing section 650 oo By printing bills 135 10 By accrued interest 71 22 By rent of vault 20 oo By balance . $5,676 32 270 58 $5,946 90 E. & O. E. Sept. ist, 1894. E. C. HOVEY, Treas. FINANCIAL CONDITION. ASSETS. Invested in mortgage $4, 800 oo Note of publishing section. . 650 oo Cash in bank 270 58 There are no Liabilities. MARY S. CUTLER read the 5,720 58 E. C. HOVEY. $5,946 90 FINAL REPORT OF THE A. L. A. COLUMBIAN EXPO- SITION COMMITTEE. Your committee reported in July, 1893, the remarkable interest displayed by visitors con- cerning the library exhibit. This interest was kept up till the close of the Exposition. At the time of that report, parts i and 2 of the cata- log were in type. They were completed and a partial distribution made July 25. The printing of part 3, the dictionary catalog, still remained. Owing to the press of work in the Government printing office, caused by the special session of Congress, this was not com- pleted till the middle of February, 1894, and then 20,000 copies were printed. Many letters of appreciation and commendation have been received by the chairman. The A. L. A. Library is deposited with the Bureau of Education, Washington, where visit- ors are made welcome by the officials of the department. The comparative exhibit is ar- ranged in ample and convenient quarters, in the New York State Library, and awaits the inspection and study of all interested in library methods, during every week day in the year. A complete report is given below of the emergency fund which was raised to finish the work of the A. L. A. catalog, owing to the unexpected reductions in the appropriations of the Bureau of Education. Vouchers for the expenditure of the entire amount are deposited with the treasurer of the Association. FIRST SESSION. 121 CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED. nected with the exhibit were defrayed by the Massachusetts World's Fair Com- Bureau of Education, through its regular mittee, through B.C. Hovey. . . $1,000 33 agent. R. R. Bowker 100 oo The committee desires to thank the Asso- Hannah P. James 50 oo ciation for its very sincere and hearty appre- psterhout Free Library 50 oo ciad fa . k John M. Glenn 25 oo Anonymous donor 100 oo Respectfully submitted, Mary S. Cutler 14 36 MARY S. CUTLER, Chairman. FRANK P. HILL, $1 ' 33 9 6 9 C. ALEX. NELSON, PAID OUT FOR SERVICES ON A. L. A. CATALOG. WESTON FLINT, Louisa S. Cutler, March, April and CHARLES A " CuTTER ' May, 1893 $300 oo FREDERICK H. HILD, Bessie Baker, March i to April 15, HANNAH P. JAMES. Henrietta Church; March, Aprii and A The ^airman added : I wish to remind the May 1803 150 oo Association that to Mr. Frank P. Hill belongs John G. Moulton, 100 hours special the honor of conceiving the idea of a library work 20 oo exhibit, and of first presenting it; also, that on William S. Burns, April, 1893, to Jt fi presentation, September, 1890, Col. January, 1894 516 40 Helen G. Sheldon 66 oo Weston P lint immediately suggested the coop- Mary E. Fair 14 oo eration between the Bureau of Education and Mary L. Jones, special work 6 25 the American Library Association, which was John McDonald, special work, 23 so happily carried out. hours 2 30 The report was accepted and placed on file. EXPENSES OF COMMITTEE. WILLIAM BEER made a verbal report on Frank P. Hill 49 50 TRP ARTFS IN THF SOUTH Charles A. Cutter 24 50 )UTH ' Hannah P. James 20 50 When I was asked to make this report I Mary S. Cutler 62 50 wished to bring up to date the statistics given in the report of the Bureau of Education. I PRINTING. think every one present who received those C. F. Williams 6 90 statistics has recognized in them that many 2 5 libraries were not named, and that a great " Q 40 many others that were named should not have MISCELLANEOUS. been there as public libraries. The statistics, too, were statistics of a very ancient date. I Supplies 10 64 h to comp ji e a complete list for the southern Sign for A. L. A. Library 375 T^TT- j t. : states. I have seen Dr. Harris, and he is pre- $1,339 69 pared to publish corrected statistics in leaflets ~, r ... , . for distribution. The following money transaction was also ... . .. , T carried out by the chairman: In speaking of the libraries of the South, I have particularly examined those which are Received from Com. W. T. Harris.. $100 oo concentra ted almost entirely in New Orleans. There is one thing that has recently occurred PAID OUT, SERVICES FEBRUARY 15 TO MARCH I, , ' there that will help very much the cause or education in the state and in the city. The Louisa S. Cutler > . . $ 50 oo Tj n i ve rsity of Tulane, which occupies the old Bessie Baker 25 oo , ,, . . / Henrietta Church 25 oo buildings in the heart of the city, has recently built some very handsome buildings, and two $100 oo of the libraries which were in the same build- Vouchers for the same are also deposited ing the library of Tulane University, and the with the treasurer. All other expenses con- Fisk Free Library have been separated. They 122 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. now start out each one free to build itself up : the Fisk Free Library on popular lines, and the Tulane University on the lines of the chairs on which lectures are given in the University Therefore, instead of their being two half libraries, fitting one into another, there will now be created two separate libraries for the good of the city. There is one other thing in the South that is very encouraging. A gentleman in Galveston has recently left a sum of money, the residue of which will amount to over $500,000, and this will be used in Galveston to found a great free library. My paper on The Libraries of the South will really consist of statistics which are not adapted for reading here, but will be very interesting, and will appear in due course in a leaflet furnished by the Bureau of Education. MELVIL DEWEY. May I say a word about the Bureau of Education ? Those of you who know how that is organized, know that the annual report comes out two, three, and almost four years behind time, on account of pressure of work in the office. Our arrangements in regard to getting out the library volume were made with Commissioner Harris last year. He wrote me a letter some time ago, asking that it be confidential, and in it explained to me what had happened. The appropriation to the Interior Department had been used up by the Patent Office and some others of the de- partment, so that the Bureau of Education was stranded, but he did not care to have the matter made public. He was very anxious to publish our volume. The committee said to him that unless he could publish it we would find means of publishing it otherwise, and we felt the Association would be with us in the matter. It was very desirable to have it published by the government, because that would give it a large circulation. We could thus put it in every library in the United States, and make exchanges abroad, which would be infinitely more desirable than to have a publishing house issue it. I told Dr. Harris that there were publishers who would take it, and that some of the states were willing to publish it, but that it was of vital interest that it should be printed by the government. He felt a keen interest, but the matter was deferred every little while. I wrote him two or three months ago that we must have the thing de- cided at this meeting as to bow it should be published. He expressed the hope that he mfght manage it, and sent on for the manu- script. He wrote me after going over that, that he was more than pleased with it, and that it was much better, even, than he expect- ed, and he hoped that it could be carried through. I wrote him some two weeks ago asking him to write, and if he were out of town . to telegraph us, before the close of this meet- ing the strongest assurance he was able to give as to the time when he would be able to publish it. The delay is exasperating, but the gain is so great that I am sure we will all be patient. I ought to say, that of the people who con- tributed to the work at Chicago, nine-tenths of them got their manuscript in in time. Dr. Harris said that he would probably be able to take it in October, and the two or three who were delayed in the matter held themselves in readiness, if the work was begun, to push it through; so I notified Dr. Harris that the manuscript was ready for him any time that he would give us two weeks' notice, and then I would be able to telegraph those people who were crowded with work when we began to print it. I hope in this way that it will be printed. Dr. Harris did not know for some time whether he would be continued in the office or not, and that delayed matters. My last letter from him was the most encouraging that I have had for nearly a year. I hope we will have the telegram before the end of the week, and if not, we must decide how long we will wait, and if it cannot be done there, how we will get it in shape. S: S. GREEN. I would ask whether the pa- pers read at the International Congress are to be printed or not. MELVIL DEWEY. Mr. Hild had charge of that. Their plan was to bring out a library volume. I do not know whether that is to go through or not. It would be a very good idea, if that fails, to include it in the government volume. You understand, of course, that of all the papers read at Chicago, each author revised his paper in the light of the discussion that was held there ; and it might be possible, if the Commissioner should say to us that he could print this, that that might allow each man to read his manuscript still again, touch- SECOND SESSION. 123 ing anything that has arisen since he saw it, so that when it is printed it will be up to date as the best thing we can do as an Association. Adjourned at 12.30 P.M. till Monday evening. SECOND SESSION. (GRAND VIEW HOTEL, MONDAY EVENING, SEP- TEMBER 17.) President LARNED called the meeting to order at 8.00 P. M. C: W. BIRTWELL, general secretary, Boston Children's Aid Society, spoke upon HOME LIBRARIES. (Seep. 9.) Miss MARY S. CUTLER spoke upon the same topic. (See p. 13.) MELVIL DEWEY gave orally his REPORT ON LIBRARY LEGISLATION. It was in the main a chronological summary of the legislation of the past four years, point- ing out the steady trend toward recognizing libraries as an essential part of the educational system; the establishment of state commis- sions, or departments, to promote the forma- tion and development of public libraries ; the increase in salaries; the assignment to state libraries, of various function sin regard to state publications, exchange of duplicates and allied duties, which formerly were in the hands of other officials; and, in short, a steady incor- poration in the statute laws of the various states of the spirit that underlies the modern library movement. The record of the library legislation for all the states is published in a summary of com- parative legislation issued by the New York State Library on January i of each year ; and as this record, with comments, is shortly to be printed in a bulletin on library legislation, the report of Mr. Dewey's remarks is omitted in these proceedings. W: H. BRETT read the REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN DOCU- MENTS. The committee on the official publications of foreign governments begs to report that during the year it has endeavored to ascertain what is being done in this country to procure their publications, a consensus of opinion as to what is advisable, and information as to what is possible to do. They regret that the information which they are able to lay before the Association is so meagre. Many libraries are doing nothing. Some even doubt the use- fulness of it. The general opinion, however, coming from the larger libraries is that a sys- tematic effort to procure them is desirable, though the opinion is expressed that the reports of the English-speaking countries are the most important. Buffalo, Detroit, Cleve- land, and Yale are receiving the Canadian publications very fully. Detroit is receiving the British abstracts of patents, and has a set of Hansard's Parliamentary reports (which is of interest in this connection, though not a government publication). Several other libra- ries note that they buy such as are of special interest to them. Among the subjects noted are patents, labor, hygiene, and education. As is well known, the Smithsonian Institu- tion has been engaged for several years past, through the international exchange service, in distributing to foreign governments the publications of the United States, and receiv- ing in return similar publications of other governments, and depositing these in the Library of Congress. The United States is under treaty to maintain this exchange with several of these countries, while with others special agreements are made to that end. The Smithsonian Institution is informed that a number of state libraries are engaged in negotiations looking to the establishment of similar exchanges. The Smithsonian Institu- tion assures the American Library Association that it will co-operate in any way practicable. From the Library of Congress it is learned, that the documents received in this manner are at present packed away and inaccessible for lack of room to handle them. From the Smithsonian Institution we also learn, indirectly, that any detailed information in regard to this subject has never been col- lected. That they recognize its desirability, but, owing to their limited clerical force, have never been able to undertake it. For much of the information received from Washington we -are indebted to Mr. Francis H. Parsons, late librarian of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. Mr. Parsons also makes a suggestion, which we think it well to adopt, 124 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. and therefore make it part of our report. It is as follows: We would recommend that this Association pass a resolution asking the Secre- tary of State to obtain from the United States legations abroad full information upon this subject ; and that this resolution be trans- mitted to the Secretary of State by the secre- tary of the Association. Possibly it would be well to secure the co- operation of the Bureau of Education and the Smithsonian Institution. The questions should be carefully drafted to cover the ground fully. The results of our own attempts to collect the information have been very meagre. We are, however able to give some details as to the following countries : Austria publishes nearly all through the government printer. These can be purchased, and, to some extent, are distributed free. Costa Rica, published by the government, and distributed by the various departments issuing them. France, partly by government and partly by private enterprise. The government pub- lications are difficult to obtain, the private ones can be purchased. Germany, same as France, except that more are published privately. Great Britain, published entirely through Her Majesty's Stationery office. Free distri- bution limited, but they can be purchased at cost. They publish a quarterly list. Newfoundland, published privately and sold. Victoria, New South Wales, and New Zea- land, are distributed free. Servia, printed at the government printing office, can be obtained through booksellers; free distribution limited. Sweden, published by a private house and distributed by the authorities issuing them. Switzerland, published by the government, which exchanges with foreign governments, and publishes an annual list. Uruguay, distributed free ; has a ' ' Bureau de Depot, Distribution et Echanges Interna- tionaux de Publications." The Argentine Republic, Bermuda and Denmark appear to publish through private houses. All others, so far as ascertained, publish through government houses. Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM H. BRETT, CLEMENT W. ANDREWS, JAMES BAIN, JR., Committee. W. P. CUTTER. I may say that in a great many libraries there are sets of publications from foreign governments. In the Bureau of Labor at Washington, they have an almost complete set of the reports from every country. In the Bureau of Education they have com- plete sets of the educational reports of other countries. It is the same in the Patent Office. In the Surgeon-General's Office they have com- plete sets of the reports of the medical depart- ments and surgical departments of every country. In the Department of Agriculture I have sets of almost all of the agricultural reports. In the Bureau of Statistics and in the Treasury Department they have sets of the statistical publications of other countries. I think that any one coming to Washington will find in the various libraries there all the publications of almost every country, separated in this way by subjects. I might say that almost all of these are ob- tained by exchanges. Of course, the govern- ment is more able to exchange than a private library, but I should think that state libraries might be able to carry out the same scheme. I have always found that the foreign govern- ments were very glad to exchange publica- tions. They are very kind indeed in sending complete sets of their publications. C. W. ANDREWS. I think, so far as private libraries are concerned, that the experience in procuring public documents from foreign countries is entirely against the possibility of obtaining them by exchange, or gratis. I am speaking largely from the experience of the state librarian of Massachusetts, with whom I had a long conversation on this subject ; and certainly he can approach a foreign govern- ment much better than any one else except an official of the United States government. I have not any doubt that what has been said just now is perfectly true of an official of the United States government, but when it comes to us, who are not, then, I say, it might go under the head of " Don'ts." Don't try to get foreign publications by exchange. It is wear- ing on your temper, and it is very expensive in time and stationery. Mr. Tillinghast has a collection of replies from the various governments which is ex- tremely instructive, and closely confirms the results of my own experience. In one case I SECOND SESSION. 125 mentioned to him the fact that I had written twice, and sent the publications of the Insti- tute to a minister of public instruction, think- ing that the Massachusetts Institute of Tech- nology could claim some consideration from such an official. There was no reply to the letter, and I was inclined to consider it some fault of the mails, till my talk with Mr. Tillinghast. He said : " Did you get an answer to this ? I ask, because that minister wrote to me for certain documents which I sent to him, requesting something in return ; but I have never received the slightest an- swer." I doubt if any of us would be more successful. I should like very much to obtain official in- formation as to where government publications can be obtained by purchase. I do not think that the Institute cares to become a beggar in the matter. As it happens now, we can not get publications in any way. G: H. BAKER. We have been paying some attention to foreign documents, in our library ; and in some respects our experience has not been so unfortunate. It is very true that the public documents of some of the European states cannot be obtained usually by gift. The German publications, I think, can all be ob- tained in the regular book trade. They are not very voluminous, nor are they particularly expensive. The most expensive publications in Germany are the reports of the Reichstag. Executive reports, like those which make up the great bulk of our public documents at Washington, are comparatively small in their volume, in Germany. It is difficult to get the English public docu- ments. I suppose a set comes to Washington, and to one or two other places ; but, so far as I know, no private library gets blue books with- out paying for them. The subscription is about $90 a year for all the blue books, and about $28 or $30 for the debates, besides the cost of binding. The country that has been the most liberal with us is Italy. I think the Italian public documents can be obtained by those libraries that will go rightly about it, and show that they have need of them here, and that they will be of use. My opinion is that there are very few libraries in the country that will find it worth while to go very largely into the matter of foreign public documen s. We have bought for our library, during the last few months, one immense set of public documents, the French legislative debates from the French Revolution down to the pres- ent time. I do not know whether this could be gotten by request, or not ; but my impres- sion has been that a library which can ap- proach the French authorities carefully, per- haps through our minister or otherwise, might get them. We have never done it, nor have we anything except this one set. R. G. THWAITES. Last winter in the inves- tigation of the railway question in Wisconsin, I sent to the railway bureaus of the leading countries for reports. I must say that in sev- eral instances we were accorded the utmost courtesy in England, France, and Germany. We were told that they were printed by pri- vate firms, but the commissioners offered to get them for us on receipt of the price. From all the other countries the documents were sent very promptly, and in some cases a great many more than we requested. We asked for the documents of the past five years, and in some cases we got them for the last ten ; amongst all the rest, I think, Italy, Belgium, and the various provinces of Australia, and the Central American countries were most generous. Our experience in getting railway reports was so interesting that it has quite en- couraged us to go into other fields. F: M. CRUNDEN. I should like to know how many members receive sets of the British patents. H: M. UTLEY. There are two forms of the British patents : an abridgment, and the full specifications. I think that in the Chicago Public Library they have the full specifica- tions. In my library we have the abridgment, which, to all practical intents and purposes, proves quite as satisfactory and can be easily gotten. I doubt whether the full specifications could be so readily obtained. S: S. GREEN. I think the British govern- ment has a strict rule in regard to giving sets of the patent reports to localities m the United States. They are ready to give one set to a state, to be deposited at the capital; and, in case the capital is not the largest city, they are willing to give two sets one for the largest city and another for the capital. In Massachusetts, Boston is the largest city, and 126 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. is also the capital, so that it is the only city in the state that gets a set. J. K. HOSMER. The question I was about to ask has been largely answered. Minneapolis, like Worcester, is a centre of invention. It would be of great value in my library if we had a set of the British patent reports. I have not known how to go to work to obtain them. I know that in Chicago, as Mr. Utley has said, they have a complete set of the specifica- tions. I would like to know what they cost. R. G. THWAITES. We have a full set of those specifications, and also of the abridgment. We get them for nothing, but upon agreement to bind them in half calf. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS. MELVIL DEWEY presented an invitation from the manager of the Mirror Lake Hotel, invit- ing the Association to a social evening at that place, on Friday evening. Sec. HILL. I move that the social meeting be held at the Grand View Hotel. MELVIL DEWEY. I move that this matter be referred to the executive board. Voted, Sec. Hill having withdrawn his mo- tion. Adjourned at 10.15 P. M. THIRD SESSION. (GRAND VIEW HOTEL, TUESDAY MORNING, SEP- TEMBER 18.) Pres. LARNED called the meeting to order at 9.45 A. M. Sec. HILL. I have an amendment to offer to the constitution, viz. : That the recorder be made a member of the executive board, and be an elective officer. It will necessitate in ser ting the word "recorder" after "secretary" n article 9 of the constitution. He is at pres- ent chosen by the executive board, not by the Association. W: I. FLETCHER. I second the motion. MELVIL DEWEY. I think we ought to pass that resolution, for if we are going to elect the treasurer, and the vice-presidents, and secre- tary by ballot, the recorder certainly ought to be in. I vote for it heartily, but suggest that we all observe the working of this new consti- tution. We are entering on a new plan. Twenty different people said to me last year that they should like to change their votes, after the new constitution was adopted, which reversed the practice of the Association in electing officers. The recorder certainly be- longs on the board. The question next year will probably be, whether we shall vote to have the president elected by the Australian ballot, and have the recorder, treasurer, and perhaps others, elected by the executive board. I should say, vote for it, now ; but bear in mind to consider next year, whether we shall pass the whole amendment, or put the treasurer with the recorder, in respect to election by the board. Sec'y HILL'S motion was carried. D. V. R. JOHNSTON, in the absence of chair- man R. R. Bowker, read the REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC DOCU- MENTS. The public documents committee has, as usual, acted chiefly by correspondence and by the individual efforts of members, rather than by formal meeting ; the chairman of the com- mittee has twice visited Washington with refer- ence to the passage of the bill. The public documents bill was prepared under a concurrent resolution of the two houses of Congress, passed on the last day of the fifty- first Congress ; chiefly under the direction of Senator Manderson, then chairman of the joint- committee on printing. In the fifty-second Congress, the bill passed the Senate, and was considered and passed with some amendments in the House. But the House amendments were not considered by the Senate and it did not then become a law. The same bill, with some modifications, was introduced into the present Congress ; and under the leadership of Mr. Richardson of the House, passed the House in December, 1893. The political com- plexion of the Senate having meanwhile changed, Senator Manderson, the former chair- man of the joint committee on printing, be- came the minority member; and Senator Gorman, formerly the minority member, be- came chairman, with Senator Ransom as his associate. Senator Manderson, though the father of the bill, was no longer charged with its progress in the Senate, the responsibility for which came into the hands of Senator Gorman. Endeavors were made to bring the bill to passage in the Senate previous to the THIRD SESSION. 127 tariff debate, but Senator Gorman did not find opportunity to formulate the amendments which he desired to offer, until too late in the session for that purpose. After the tariff de- bate in the Senate, the bill was brought to a vote and passed in August last, with the amendments submitted by Senator Gorman. It was then returned to the House with the amendments for consideration and for ap- proval or conference. The objection was raised, however, by Representative Warner in the House, who was in general a friend of the bill, supported by other friends of the bill, that the amendments introduced in the Senate, while not curtailing the library privileges, put into the bill provis- ion for a political machine in connection with the Government Printing Office, and with the distribution of documents outside the civil service rales, and decidedly objectionable as a ' ' rider " on this bill. Under the circumstances, Representative Warner insisted that the amendments should be duly considered by the House, and declined to assent to its passage with the Senate amendments. Mr. Richard- son offered to modify one of the obnoxious amendments, but others remained. The con- sequence was that for a second time Congress adjourned, both houses having acted favorably on the bill without its final passage. As the December session will be a continua- tion of the present Congress, the bill is in a favorable position for action, and it is to be hoped can be passed before March 4, 1895, when the present Congress comes to an end. In other words, the bill is in a more favorable position than ever before," and there is good hope of its passage. Doubtless, librarians who, perhaps more than any one class, have reason to emphasize the importance of sepa- rating business administration from political control, will agree that the postponement of the bill is preferable to accepting it with objection- able provisions of the kind indicated. The essential portions of the bill as origi- nally reported by Senator Manderson, January 12, 1892, are given in the Library Journal for January, 1892 (17:8-17), and the amendments of that session are given in the February num- ber of the Journal (17:53-54). A circular let- ler from the president of the American Library Association and Mr. Bynum's substitute bill were given in the number for April, 1892 (17:123-124), and further amendments are printed in the May number (17:165). The bill, as amended and passed by the House during the recent session, was, as stated, much the same as the bill of the previous session ; but the important amendments are given in the Library Journal for December, 1893 (18:507-8), as also the amendments suggested by Mr. Dunn and Miss Ahern, of the Indiana State Library. The amendments offered and passed in the Senate have not been given in the Journal, as they related to the administrative rather than to the library side of the bill. The postpone- ment of the passage of the bill to the next ses- sion of the present Congress will give oppor- tunity, doubtless, for some modification sin the library interest; and it is gratifying to note thot both in the Senate and in the House, a large majority of members desired the passage of the bill, and are cordially willing to accept, as far as practicable, the suggestions of the American Library Association towards its perfection. It is probable, however, that not everything desired by the library interest can be had in the bill, and it would seem to be the policy of your committee to labor for the pas- sage of the bill, even in an imperfect shape, but not with provisions that would deteriorate the distribution of public documents by mak- ing the personnel a political machine. In regard to state publications there is little to report, the present year. The chairman of the committee has visited several state libra- ries, particularly in the Northwest, and some progress has been made both toward making state libraries, in general, repositories of the historical documents concerning the state as well as of a complete set of state publications, and toward more careful record and better bibliography of state publications. It is pro- posed to continue in the American Catalogue for 1890-1895 the record of state publications, inaugurated in the previous volume as one of the appendixes. Advantage will be taken of this opportunity to endeavor to obtain as nearly complete lists, as practicable, of the publications of the several states from the beginning ; with a view of making these a fea- ture of the catalogue of books from 1800-1876, 128 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. not otherwise recorded. The increase of in- terest in bibliographical work among state librarians, since the efforts of the American Library Association were turned in that direc- tion, has been very satisfactory and creditable. Very respectfully, R. R. BOWKER, ) D. V. R. JOHNSTON, \ Committee. MR. JOHNSTON also read a set of resolutions relating to the distribution of United States documents, and bill H. R. 2,650. DR. JOHN G. AMES, Superintendent of Docu- ments, Washington, D. C., following there- port of the committee, and its resolutions, spoke on PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. Before addressing myself to the subject un- der discussion, I wish to say that it gives me very great pleasure to meet so large a number of the members of the American Library Asso- ciation, with many of whom I have been in correspondence for years, and with whose au- tographs, therefore, I am very familiar. I de- sire also to express my great obligation to the members of the Association, for their cordial and generous support, and encouragement in the efforts I have been making, especially in behalf of public and college libraries, in the matter of the distribution of public documents, and also for their very warm and liberal com- mendation of my work. Turning now to the subject of public docu- ments, I cannot attempt to discuss this, in its general features, in the time that it will be proper for me to take here this morning. I should want the whole day for that. There- fore, my remarks will be limited chiefly to the present status of legislation in regard to doc- uments, and to certain suggestions as to what, in my view, ought to be done by the members of this Association towards securing such ac- tion on the part of Congress as will be satis- factory. You all know that the efforts for some reform in the matter of printing and distribution of public documents has been a very protracted one, both on the part of members of this Asso- ciation and among the friends of libraries at Washington. We have been laboring for the last ten or fifteen years to secure some legisla- tion more favorable to public libraries than now exists, but have all along encountered obstacles and met with frequent opposition from quarters where we did not expect it. Accordingly, this legislation, though proposed from time to time in Congress, has never been consummated. I suppose that few of the members of this Association have any adequate conception of the difficulties which beset a question of this character when presented for consideration to a body composed of 400 men from all sections of the country, many of whom feel very little interest in the subject, while some, at least, are always ready persistently to oppose favorable action. These efforts, as has been stated in the report just read by Mr. Johnston, culminated about three years ago in the preparation of a com- prehensive bill, formulated chiefly by Mr. Manderson of the Senate and Mr. Richardson of the House. This bill contained, to all intents and purposes, what the librarians desire, and was presented in the Senate and in the House at the same time during the fifty-second Con- gress. After it had been very briefly discussed in the House, a member from a distant part of the country moved that the bill be laid upon the table. As I was afterwards informed, he remarked to a friend that he had never read the thing and never intended to read it. Never- theless, on his motion, the bill was laid upon the table. This is a sample of the difficulties which a bill of this character has to meet. Afterwards, however, it came up in the Senate and passed that body, and so came over to the House as a Senate measure, thereby securing another opportunity for being con- sidered. This time, in virtue of what had been heard from friends of the bill at home, it was fully discussed and passed with sundry amend- ments. It then went into conference six weeks before the expiration of the fifty -second Con- gress. There was, therefore, an abundance of time for its full consideration by the conference committee, but the six weeks passed and no conference was held, and so the bill was al- lowed to die in the house of its friends. It is a matter of conjecture why this was permitted. I merely state the facts. This rendered it necessary to begin de novo. Accordingly, the same bill in substance was introduced in both houses early in the present THIRD SESSION. 129 Congress, and was first taken up for considera- tion in the House of Representatives, which it passed during the first session, and then went to the Senate. The silver and tariff bills oc- cupied the attention of that body so exclusively that it was not until near the termination of the second session that the printing bill was reported, with sundry amendments, by the committee, and after brief debate was passed. It then went back to the House, and Mr. Rich- ardson, the chairman of the committee, re- ported it at once, with the recommendation that all the Senate amendments be accepted in bulk. Immediately objections were urged against this on the ground that some of the Senate amendments interfered with the rights of certain executive departments in the matter of appointments: and accordingly, after some discussion, the bill was referred back to the joint committee, as a committee on conference, in order that Senator Gorman and Mr. Rich- ardson, having heard these criticisms, might together eliminate the objectionable features and secure a bill that would pass the House. The conference was duly held. Mr. Richard- son informed me that the Senate committee had receded from certain of its amendments, notably the one giving the joint committee on printing the control of the appointment of chief clerk and other officers of the printing office, but they had insisted upon retaining that clause of the bill which puts the office of superintendent of documents under the public printer on the nomination of the joint commit- tee. Mr. Richardson was ready to report the bill, but unfortunately, before he could call it up, the tariff bill again intervened, and made it necessary to defer final action till the next session. He can therefore report the results of the conference immediately upon the conven- ing of Congress in December. Such is the present status of the bill. It is the central portion of the bill in which we are all specially interested. This relates chiefly to the distribution and to the catalog- ing and indexing of public documents. What advantages does the bill give to public libra- ries that they do not riow enjoy ? I reply, first, it increases the number of depositories. These cannot at present exceed 420. This bill in- creases the number to 500. So, by its provis- ions, a larger number of libraries can be regularly supplied with government publica- tions. In the second place, it adds to the set that shall hereafter go to depositories a great many valuable documents. Depositories are now receiving a copy, each, of what is known as the congressional set ; that is, the journals, the reports of committees, the executive and miscellaneous documents of the two houses of Congress bound in leather. There, existing provisions stop. You will see at once that there are many documents which are not now being sent to depositories. This defect is remedied by the present bill. For instance, it puts the Congressional Record, which is perhaps the most valuable of all the publica- tions of the government, upon the list. This is true, also, of the pamphlet edition of the laws passed at each session ; and of the Sta- tutes at Large, a biennial publication, contain- ing all the laws, proclamations, etc. , of the entire Congress. It puts on the list, also, a large number of the special publications of the different execu- tive departments, that are now received only by virtue of the courtesy of the heads of these departments or bureaus ; as, for instance, the circulars of information of the Bureau of Education, certain publications of the War De- partment, and of the Navy and other depart- ments. All these are added to the documents to be sent to the 500 depositories, so that there is to be a large increase in the number of government publications received by them. This, I think, is a very great gain over any- thing which we have had before, and it is one of the special things for which the librarians have been asking, for the last 10 or 15 years. If this bill, therefore, becomes a law, there will be comparatively few valuable publica- tions of the government that will not go to depositories. Certain documents, however, are still omitted. I call attention to one which is referred to in one of the resolutions just re- ported by the committee ; namely, the journals of the two houses of Congress. The House bill contained a provision that 500 copies of the journals should be sent to the superintendent of public documents for transmission to depos- itories. The Senate struck that out, and, therefore, if the bill becomes a law with the Senate amendment, depositories will hence- forth not receive the journals. I regard this 130 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. as a very serious omission. I think that per- haps depositories would prefer to have some other document left out. The resolution referred to is designed to bring about the re- cession of the Senate from that amendment. I call attention to another provision which passed the House and was cut out by the Sen- ate, namely, that providing that depositories should be supplied with bills, and joint and concurrent resolutions. It is the wish of some depositories, at least, that immediately upon the introduction of bills into the two houses of Congress they shall be supplied with copies in order that- their patrons may examine them at once I think that is a very important pro- vision. Not more than one-quarter of the de- positories might desire these bills, but those who do wish them should have the privilege of securing them. It is not mandatory ; it simply says that upon application of the depositories, they shall be supplied. I think if the influence of this Association is brought to bear upon Congress in the matter of these bills, and of the journals, there will be very little difficulty in securing the desired provisions in the bill. The additional expense would be very trifling compared with the advantages that would be secured. You will all be glad to know that one sec- tion of the bill authorizes and directs the public printer to give precedence, in the matter of binding, to the volumes that are to be dis- tributed to depositories. Heretofore these " reserve" documents have been put away in the storehouse, to be bound whenever most convenient for the public printer. This might be one or two years after the document had been printed. Hereafter, if the bill becomes a law, they will be the first to be bound. So far we have dealt only with depositories, but, unfortunately, not all depositories are first- class libraries. The designation of deposi- tories in the several States and Congressional districts is made exclusively by Senators and Representatives, who sometimes name inferior libraries for this purpose. The executive de- partments have no authority over this matter. There are, therefore, many important libraries which can find no place in this list. The needs of these libraries are in a meagre and altogether insufficient measure met by that section of the bill which provides for the distribution of the surplusage assigned to the Senate and House. Under our methods of doing business in Washington, resolutions authorizing the printing of documents gener- ally provide a definite number for the Senate and tor the House, and often for the depart- ment or bureau from which the document emanates. In dividing those assigned to the two Houses of Congress, there is almost always a number of copies of each document left over. This surplusage sometimes amounts to 50,000 volumes per Congress. The new bill provides for the turning over of all these publications to the superintendent of docu- ments for the benefit of libraries, thus secur- ing their proper distribution. A much more satisfactory provision for libraries, not depositories, is found in section 66 of the bill as it passed the House, to the effect that when a document is ordered for the use of Congress, one-tenth of the edition, the entire number of which does not exceed 5,000, shall be delivered to the superintendent of documents, to be distributed to said libraries. This was intended to secure to nearly 500 libraries, additional to those known as deposi- tories, nearly all the most valuable publica- tions of the government. Unfortunately this section was struck out in the Senate, and if not restored the libraries in question will be left as heretofore, to depend upon the inter- mittent courtesy of Senators and Representa- tives. There is a further provision which will accrue to the benefit of libraries, if libra- rians will -take heed to the matter. I refer to that section which turns over to members of Congress the accumulations of past years, which are supposed to amount in the aggre- gate to nearly 1,000,000 volumes. These are stored about the basement of the Capitol, and in other places, many of them old documents running back thirty or forty years. Some of these are very valuable, and especially so for filling gaps in libraries. I endeavored to secure all these documents for libraries, but when the matter came up for discussion it was decided that all these publications should be assigned to Senators and Representative for distribution, rather than turned over to any officer of the government, even for the benefit of libraries. However, you can secure some of them if, when the bill becomes a law, you THIRD SESSION. apply to your Senators and Representatives for your portion. This should not be forgotten. These are the principal provisions of the bill redounding to the advantage of the libra- ries in the matter of the distribution of public documents. While I am on this point, I may remark that the bill makes no change in the general sys- tem of distribution. This system is in an ex- treme degree unbusiness-like, wasteful and un- satisfactory. The propositions which, as many of you know, I have from time to time made in my reports, for the consolidation of the whole business of the distribution of docu- ments in a single bureau, so as to simplify, unify and economize the business, and which were, in a large measure, embodied in the first draft of the bill presented to the two houses of Congress, did not prove acceptable to those bodies. Such arrangement would, I think, commend itself to the approval of any business man, and also to that of almost all members of Con- gress as individuals; but when it comes to be presented in Congress there is always a suf- ficient number opposing it to prevent its adoption. 1 have therefore given up all hope of securing, at present, any improvement in the system of distributing documents. Turning now to another point, I am glad to say that this bill contains adequate and satis- factory provision for cataloging and indexing public documents, as it authorizes and directs the superintendent of documents to prepare at the close of each regular session, a com- prehensive index of government publications issued during such session. He is further- more required to prepare and print a consoli- dated index of Congressional documents, and, in addition, to publish a monthly catalog of government publications, of which an edition of 2,000 copies is authorized for distribution. Should this bill, therefore, become a law, we will have secured what many regard, and that justly, as the most important desideratum in connection with public documents. In my judgment, the bill contains no provision more important than these. In this connection I would say that I have been working for the last two or three years as opportunity offered, upon a comprehensive index of the publications of the last four years the four years covered by the fifty-first and fifty-second Congresses. It will be published about the first of December. Of this index, which will contain about 500 quarto pages, the libraries represented here will receive each a copy. If any desire additional copies, they will have to secure them through their Senators or Representatives. . Any one who has considered the subject of indexing will understand, at once, that a satis- factory index of public documents cannot be made on any plan or system that would be applicable to an ordinary series of documents. Their classification is so complicated, and edi- tions so multiplied, that a form peculiar to itself must be adopted. I have endeavored in this index to cite, under its proper title, every document published during those four years. In the first column is indicated the origin of every document, the department of the government from which it emanates, and in most cases the author. The second column is the index proper, in alphabetical arrangement. This column shows the subject of the docu- ment and its date. If it is a report of a com- mittee of Congress the serial number of the bill of the Senate or House upon which the re- port is based is given, so that the discussion of the subject in Congress can be readily traced by referring to the history of the bill in the Congressional Record. If the bill becomes a law, a reference to the law as found in the Statutes at Large is also added. In the last column the Congressional classification of the document is shown ; i.e., whether it is a Senate or House executive, or miscellaneous docu- ment, or report of committee, together with the Congress and session to which it appertains, the volume in which it is found, the serial number of the document, and the number of pages it contains. If the document is published in two or three editions, reference to the other editions is found in the main column, and whenever it is published in a separate edition, as an extract from a larger work, this is shown by the abbreviation " sep." When this index is published I shall be very glad to receive your criticisms, for the purpose of embodying in a final edition anything that may be wisely said in the way of suggestion. Provision is made in the printing bill for the future indexing of documents. No provision, LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. however, is made for those prior to the fifty- first Congress. This ought to be done, and it might very appropriately have been added as an amendment to this bill. A bill, how- ever, was reported in the Senate by the com- mittee on printing, and passed that body dur- ing the last days of the session, providing for a catalogue and index similar to Major Poore's catalogue, covering the forty-eighth to fifty- second Congresses, inclusive. This work is to be done under the direction of the joint com- mittee on printing, and $2,500 is appropriated for the same. The bill went to the House, and Mr. Richardson reported it favorably on the second day before adjournment. This gave rise to a brief discussion, which is found in the Congressional Record of August 25th, from which I read: A member says, "Who is to prepare this list ?" to which Mr. Richardson replied: "It has been prepared, as I under- stand, under direction of the Senate com- mittee, and by the clerk of said committee." A member asks, ' ' Does the bill provide for paying him for preparing it ?" On being as- sured that it does, he then objects to the bill. Another prominent member of the House rises and asks: "What is the necessity for this work anyway ? I never saw any good in a publication of this kind," adding, " I have heard a great deal about these catalogues, and have seen some of them. I believe that about the only utility they have is to inform the junk shop dealers what publications we are making, so that they may get hold of them. I think we ought to discountenance this whole business, and ought to repeal any law which authorizes it. I object to the consideration of the resolution." And so the bill went over to the next session. This is a fair and forcible illustration of the difficulties encountered in our efforts to secure any adequate legislation on this subject. Let me refer now, for a moment, to the mat- ter of the exchange of documents. You all know somewhat of the work I have been doing in making my office a clearing house for libra- ries. This work is going on, interrupted occa- sionally because I have not the time to give to it. We shall resume it as soon as I return, and I want to ask the cooperation of all the librarians here. Let us have your duplicates, and we will turn over the publications that are accumulating, supplying, as far as possible, deficiencies reported by you. My last point is this: The bill which has been the basis of most of my remarks will come up for final action on the convening of Congress in December. I would therefore sug- gest that you appoint a committee of at least three, who will make it their business, without fail, to come to Washington at that time to in- terview the committee on printing of the two houses, and to do missionary work among members of Congress in advocacy of this bill. This must be done. It will not do for this committee to stay at home and write letters. The committees of the two houses are very anxious that the bill pass. They will, I am sure, be glad to meet a committee of this body and to have the aid of its influence in securing its passage. I hope, furthermore, that the resolutions which have just been presented by our com- mittee on public documents will meet the unanimous approval of this body, so that the secretary can communicate them to Congress as the united voice of the American Library Association. Such an expression of the wishes of this body will have large influence ; for, as Representative Cooper, of Indiana, said, it is only the librarians that can get this bill through. Then I would suggest that each individual member of this body use his influence with Senators and Representatives in this matter. Some can reach them personally and others by letter, urging the passage of this bill in the in- terest of libraries. It is the best bill we have ever gotten or are likely to get. MissM. E. AHERN. When I talked with Mr. Cooper about the document bill once, he said: ' ' What is it you want ? I have heard about this distribution, but what is it you want ?" That suggested to me that the reason why there has been such an utter failure to get something that was definite and in shape, was, perhaps, that we did not know definitely what we wanted. I have not the least desire to criticise the committee appointed by the A. L. A. ; but when we said to our Representatives that we wanted to have certain amendments made in the House bill, although it was a machine letter, it stated just what was wanted, and through the combined efforts of the Represent- THIRD SESSION. '33 alives from the several states backing up those of Mr. Cooper, we got this amendment that Dr. Ames thinks will be stricken out. That was the only thing I wanted. There was a number of other librarians asking for it, and not the committee appointed by the American Library Association. Librarians are intelli- gent enough to know what they want, and the point that Dr. Ames made in his closing state- ment seems to me the key to the whole situa- tion. The thing that we want we must ask from the man that goes from our own neigh- borhood, and if we want any extra help we must rely on the committee appointed by the Association. F: M. CRUNDEN. There is nothing in my experience that has been more aggravating than this public document matter. It seems so absurd for a great country like ours to be spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in printing matter which finds its way back to the paper mill, and in the meantime has served no particular purpose. In farm houses through- out the West you can find public documents used for scrap-books. A few years ago a member of the school board (who by virtue of his office in the school board was also a member of the Library board, and who was also a saloon keeper) came into the library one day with a report of the Commissioner of Education, and wanted to know if I would not like to have it. He said a hack driver brought it over to him and asked him if he wanted it. So he took it, having the library in mind. That document had been sent to the hack driver by a member of Con- gress in recognition of his services at the last election. Let me give you another illustration. There was an important document that I had in vain tried to get through the department, and through the three Representatives from St. Louis and the two Senators from Missouri, receiving word from those men that their quota had been already distributed. Finally I secured it through a personal friend of Senator Evarts, of New York. All talk about expense is ridiculous in view of the enormous waste and extravagance that goes on in the printing and distribution of public documents. Therefore I would like the Association to speak out plainly and tell what it believes on this subject, and let Congress then do as it pleases about it. In all my let- ters to our Senators and Representatives, I have always argued that these documents were printed at the expense of the people, and for the information of the people, and that people therefore had the right of access to them ; and that access could be obtained only in one way, by sending them out freely and promptly to public libraries. Therefore, while Mr. Ames was talking, I jotted down this reso- lution, which I would suggest as an amend- ment: Whereas, All government documents are printed at the expense, and for the informa- tion, of the people of the United States; and Whereas, The present method of distribu- tion is extravagant and wasteful, and fails to accomplish the purpose of such distribution ; and Whereas, The only practicable method to make the information contained in public documents accessible to the people is to place them in the libraries of the country ; therefore be it Resolved, That a copy of every volume, pamphlet, bill or broadside not of a confiden- tial character, should be sent promptly to 1,000 libraries of the country, to be selected accord- ing to their size, character and location. W: I. FLETCHER. It seems to me that Mr. Crunden is a little up in the clouds, and while such a thing as he speaks of is ideal, and I should go for it every time, yet it seems to me for all practical purposes it is in the clouds. I do not care what becomes of any such resolu- tion as that. It does not seem to me that it would ever do any good. I was going to speak entirely on another line. I myself occupy a very hopeful attitude in regard to this matter of public documents, in connection with the bill in its present state. I am hopeful that there is going to be a great improvement accomplished through that bill, and that is all we can expect, I think. We ought to appreciate the fact that a good many members of Congress have taken a great deal of pains to help the libraries of the country. We owe them our thanks, and I should not like to see the Association seem to go before Congress in a scolding attitude, representing that we know a great deal more about the matter than they do, and altogether that we '34 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. are in an attitude of disrespect and contempt for Congress in the matter. We ought to recognize the great services that have been rendered to the public in connection with this movement, and I can speak with special sig- nificance as to the Congressman from my own district, and the Senators from my own state. I should like to suggest that we have these resolutions, if adopted, printed in such shape that every librarian who cares to do so might send them to his member of Congress, incor- porating them in a letter explanatory of his own ideas on the subject. It seems to me that that would be of great value. I want to say a word about this index. It seems to me that we ought most heartily to approve such an admirable index of documents as this of Dr. Ames. If this index can be out and in use for a while before any measure has been passed in Congress to get out another index like Major Poore's, it seems to me that men of sense in Washington would understand that if any model was to be taken his should be the one. S: S. GREEN. I think we ought to bring this discussion to a close, and I am going to ask Mr. Crunden if he will withdraw that amend- ment. It is very important that we should be united in our action. We have before us the bill that is now in Congress, and it seems to me that the wise thing now is to second the movement already on foot. J: G. AMES. Lest a misapprehension may exist in the minds of any as to the attitude of members of Congress in general towards the legislation desired by this Association, I wish to say that I believe a large majority of both houses are favorable to nearly all the pro- visions of the bill which we have been con- sidering. It is only here and there a member that will urge any general opposition to i. If a few of the amendments which were at- tached to the bill in the Senate were with- drawn, it would, in my judgment, pass with- out any serious opposition and with little delay. I should, therefore, advise the association to accept the bill as it is, with the few amend- ments suggested in the resolutions proposed by our committee. We shall then have secured nearly all that we have been urgently seeking for years. Afterwards, if further action is de- sired, I think we shall find Congress ready to pass such supplemental legislation as the librarians will unite in requesting. W: I. FLETCHER. I move that the resolu- tions, read by Mr. Johnston, be referred to the committee on resolutions. Voted. Successive papers were read, by those named below, on THE SELECTION OF BOOKS. Miss ELLEN M. COE (see p. 30); Miss CARO- LINE M. HEWINS (see p. 32); W: E. FOSTER (see p. 34) ; D. V. R. JOHNSTON (see p. j6) ; W. A. BARDWELL, by title only, in his absence (see p. 37); W: H. BRETT (see p. 38); H: M. UTLEY ( see p. 39) ; F : M. CRUNDEN (see p. 41). J. K. HOSMER. My own methods do not differ essentially from those which have been described. It has occurred to me, as I have listened to the discussion of the subject by my predecessors, that one or two points might be dwelt upon. As regards the book committee, I think it is an excellent thing if a library has an effi- cient one ; and, as I look back upon my St. Louis days, I remember with great interest my service on Mr. Crunden's book committee. I think that as Mr. Crunden managed the mat- ter, we approached the ideal state of things in that book committee. It consisted of a clergy- man of the city, who was noted as a scholar and as a man of the finest intellectual tastes ; of a strong business man; of two strong women who were among the best teachers of the city ; and of myself, then a professor in the university of St. Louis. We met every fort- night on Saturday afternoon. Mr. Crunden had prepared, before each meeting, a list of books which he presented to us, and each title was discussed. We spent hours in that way, each one of us reading as he had oppor- tunity. The work was faithfully done, and I do not know how it could have been better or more effectively done than it was by that committee. Since I have been in Minneapolis, I have often wished that my own book com- mittee would take a similar interest, but the selection is left almost entirely to me, and I feel that the responsibility is very great. I receive quantities of books on approval, which I examine. The only books which I carefully read are novels. All the novels that come to us are carefully read, not necessarily by my- THIRD SESSION. self, but by people in whom I have confidence. If not carefully read, they are so far examined that their character can be thoroughly ascer- tained. We have a feeling that that is a mat- ter of considerable importance. No novel comes into the library whose character we do not know fully about. With regard to critical aids, I have been accustomed to depend upon the authorities which have been so frequently mentioned by my predecessors in this discussion. I would like to say this: That I dissent from what seems to be the almost universal feeling of the Association, with regard to the plan which Mr. lies presented at Chicago last year. It does not seem to me at all likely that we should get any better criticisms, than we have now in the best critical reviews. Take the Nation, which Mr. Crunden has spoken of in so nattering a manner. Whatever may be the character of the Nation, politically many of us, no doubt, differ from it very much there we must ad- mit that, as regards its literary articles, it is a publication of the very highest character, and that those who write the articles are experts and men of scholarship and ability. Is it at all likely that in any periodical that could be established by the Library Association, we should have any better state of things than when we have at hand the present aids ? I have no reason to believe that any better thing would come out of the proposition which was submitted last year by Mr. lies. Miss ELLEN M. COE. I am under commission from Mr. lies to say a word. Since his plan of annotation has been alluded to twice, I feel that it is right for me to make the communica- tion here. I have been in constant communication with Mr. lies this year, in the work of preparing a list of 1,000 volumes best suited to working- girls' clubs. He has given a great deal of time to it, and is being aided by experts. Mr. lies asked me to say to the publication committee that he had further promises of immediate help. I want to say, just now, that with the anno- tations which we are making we use these criticisms, which, as Mr. Hosmer says, can not be bettered. It is not intended that the experts shall in all, or in many cases, give their own opinions. I wish I had here the list on zoology which Olive Thorne Miller has just sent me. She does not use her own words. I wish, also, that I had the list on kindergartening sent me by Miss Brooks of the Teachers college, and the list on self-culture from the same college. They almost always give their authority, per- haps Ruskin or the Nation. These experts have each undertaken the criticism of perhaps one hundred volumes. They would not admit anything that had not commendation from these reliable critical journals. They would only use, I think, their own words if others failed to express the purport of the book. I believe that this terrific problem that is before libraries, as to the selection of books, can be solved in no other way than that which Mr. lies so ably presented. F:M. CRUNDEN. Miss Coe has already said what I had a mind to say. Dr. Hosmer over- looks the time-saving feature of this, which is one of the great considerations with us. You take a long book review in the Nafion it may be four or five columns. All that I care to know about it is the little extract of four or five lines. That will be a great saving to us. If we can get the work Miss Coe has outlined, done and presented to us in that size and form, it will save us a great deal of time. W: I. FLETCHER. I would ask Mr. Utley how much he has to pay for getting books twice a week ? H: M. UTLEY. The discount on regular American books is 34 per cent., and the dis- count on educational books and other special books varies from 12 j to 15 and 20 per cent. But on the great mass of books the discount is 34 per cent. ; and that, I think, is as favorable an offer as librarians usually get. It has not cost us any more to have the privilege of look- ing at these books, because the booksellers can sell them to some one else if we do not want them. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON MEETING. PLACE OF NEXT C: A. CUTTER. It is very appropriate that our report should come immediately after this discussion, for the selection of a place of meet- ing is quite as hard as the selection of books. I will divide this report into two parts: the news department and the editorial. The news department is simply this: We i 3 6 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. have been favored with two invitations and one suggestion, which I will give in the order in which they came. The first is the Chau- tauqua region, and the arguments urged in favor of our going there are, that we can do good missionary work in Jamestown ; that it is easy of access; and that the railroads and hotels are accustomed to handling large crowds of people. The second is Denver, where we were in- vited by both librarians, and the arguments in favor of our going there are, that we can do good missionary work, which is very much needed; and that we shall meet a reception only second to that which we received in Cali- fornia. Their words were more modest than that, but I fancy their intention w r as, probably, less modest. Furthermore, that all the librarians in the Mississippi valley are immensely desir- ous that the Association should meet there, and would be very glad to have us go there. Also, that we can have a very good post-conference trip, as we who were to California well know. I should mention, also, that that was one of the advantages urged in favor of the Chautauqua invitation, because the country around there is attractive and pleasing. The third, which is merely a suggestion, for we have received no invitation, is that we should meet next year in some seaboard city, and afterwards make a post-conference trip to England. It is said that we can do that in five weeks at a moderate expense, or for not much more than the excursion to Denver would cost. So much for news. For the editorial remarks, it is no part of the committee's duties to give advice to the Asso- ciation, and they will not attempt it. They have been warned what would happen if they did attempt it. They have been sufficiently supplied with coffee at the regular meals of the hotel, and they have no pistols, not even pocket pistols. But we do desire to remind the Association of the traditional practice, which, probably, is a very good one, and has gradually grown up like the constitution of England. It has been our wont to go first to the West, and then to the East ; to meet first in a city where we can do missionary work and see libraries and the ladies can do shopping, and then to go to a summer resort where we can attend to busi- ness and have a good time and talk shop. We want to call your attention to the fact that a seaboard city and Denver are both cities, and that we met this year at a summer resort ; that we are not doing any missionary work here, and that we can do missionary work at Chau- tauqua and Denver. As to the seaboard city it would depend a great deal on where it was, and as to whether our missionary work would be likely to be effectual. MELVIL DEWEY read a telegram from George E. Vincent, of Chautauqua, inviting the Asso- ciation to meet there next year, in either the first week in July or the last week in August. Recess was declared till 7.15 P.M. FO UR TH SESSION. (GRAND VIEW HOTEL, TUESDAY EVENING, SEP- TEMBER 1 8.) Pres. LARNED called the meeting to order at 7.30 P. M. Sec. HILL announced that the meetings of the Association, commencing with Thursday morning, would be held at the Mirror Lake Hotel. W: R. EASTMAN read his paper on TRAVELING LIBRARIES OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. (Mr. Eastman's paper appears, subsequently, in the forum for January, 1895, and is not printed in the Conference report. Copies of the paper can be obtained on application to the Public Libraries Department, Albany, N. Y.) Miss LUTIE E. STEARNS read her report on READING FOR THE YOUNG. (Seep. been tried for centuries, still we have learned the lesson that it is not enough. By it the masses can learn only to read and write before they must earn their bread. What is to be done ? The public library came as a partial answer to that question, but we SIXTH SESSION. 149 are doing only a part of our work. It is a great work, and the world is recognizing what we are doing, but we have a great deal more to do. The educational people of the world (I am not speaking from a library standpoint now), the best educators, not only of this country but abroad, all recognize that the time has come when we must distinctively recognize educa- tion in two parts, the old education of the schools and the new, or home education; the education that is not only in the institutions but in the home ; not only for youth but from boyhood to the grave. That education is divided into five parts : 1. The library. That takes all reading, the periodical, the press, reading-room, refer- ence, and circulating libraries. 2. The museum. It has been the fashion to decry associating the museum with the library, but it is an essential part and belongs in the same building, and should be associated with it, not only in the great city but in the little village. In Lake Placid, for instance, if some one has something of general interest he has in our little public library the best place to put it. If the town grows into a large one, the library and the museum grow together. By the museum I mean not only a collection of pictures, works of nature, or works of art, but all education, except reading, that comes through the eye. 3. Then there is the great field of extension teaching, by which we mean all teaching done outside ordinary schools ; teaching by corre- spondence and by lectures ; that class of help that comes from the older brother, or friend, or that help that comes from any wiser or more experienced person outside the ordinary teach- ing of the schools. 4. Then there is what comes from associa- tion, clubs, reading circles, anything that brings people together, where a subtle mental chemistry helps people to think and say and do things, that they never would attain to other- wise. We get it in Chautauqua, we get it here in this meeting, 5. Finally, the tests of examinations and credentials showing what has been already ac- complished and stimulating to new endeavor. The library is the corner stone of the whole movement. It is the easiest institution to start. It is the cheapest method by which to advance popular education. The ideal library will no longer content itself with being a mere dis- tributer of books, but will feel that it is re- sponsible for the education of the community outside the schools, and yet will always be in hearty cooperation with the schools. Without expecting to do wonderful things in the first one, or two, or three years, bear in mind that this extension movement is no longer a fad or experiment. It has been going on for 20 years. It has been studied by the most care- ful men, and the people who know about it are the people who believe in it ; the people who write doubtful articles on it are the superficial observers who have fluent pens, perhaps, but competent men read the articles and see that the writers have not studied the question deeply. I do not know a competent educa- tor who has really studied this question thoroughly in this country or in Europe, who is not clear that it is a permanent movement. In England I find growth in the cities and towns, a steady growth, and the people are united in recognition of this great educational force. There was, the other day, an inter- national conference on university extension in London, to which we sent over a delegate. He came home with a new outlook and a broader idea of what the movement is. He said that there had seldom been a meeting in the metrop- olis of the world that was so representative of the greatest interests. The best men from the different European universities and the best men in the government, the richest and the poorest, came together in recognition of the fact that this work was a permanent move- ment of the first importance. It is no longer an experiment, but after 20 years' of trial it has forced its way till Oxford and Cambridge, and other conservative institutions of the Old World, are vying with each other in offering freely to the artisan and laborer, to the son and daughter of the poor, the best that they have. Be not discouraged because some writer tries the experiment and says that the first year it was a success, and the second year a failure. Some of the strongest institutions in the world have had that experience, but year after year the strong, splendid work has gone on. Miss M. E. AHERN. I have been worrying for fear that I should go away from this con- ference without getting very much encourage- LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. ment. I can now go home with the feeling that I obtained some satisfaction from this ses- sion, at all events. In Indiana our library movement is at a low ebb, but I can give a glowing report of our university extension. It not only is so-called, but it really is university teaching extended to our teachers, to our professions, to our arti- sans and mechanics, and to every other class. We have in that state seven centers of univer- sity extension in a flourishing condition. We are entering the fourth year of it in Indian- apolis, and for three years the gatherings have been compelled to move from one build- ing to another, because the audiences were so large that they could not be accommodated. I may say, however, that they have been organized and carried on without very much help from the librarians, except in so much as the public library and the state library have placed at their disposal the books Vhich they needed, and extra sets, so that those who were interested in the university extension move- ment could have access to the books without purchasing them. Mr. Montgomery asked the question, I believe, if any one had gone be- yond the second year. We are entering now on the fourth year. F: M. CRUNDEN. It is a far cry from Lon- don to St. Louis, and a great falling off from the well organized university extension move- ment in England, to the one sporadic attempt made under the auspices of the St. Louis Public Library. The one fact that I want to call atten- tion to is, that seeming failure, or rather lack of success, is not always a real failure. At the close of that course I had a feeling of disap- pointment. Not everything had come up to my expectations. There were not nearly so many people in attendance as I had hoped. Moreover, I had a considerable deficit to face. But the work did not stop there ; it has gone on ever since. I have been able to trace it from one channel to another, and have contin- ually seen it crop out in various places. The following year a small class was organ- ized that met every second week in my office. The course was on economics. It was com- posed of two or three lawyers, four or five business men, and five or six mechanics. The mechanics were always regular in attendance ; they missed scarcely a meeting. Among the business men was one who told me, not long ago, that he has since become quite active in the study of economics. He said he had be- fore simply followed out the economic ideas connected with his political party, without giv- ing them any thought, but that since then he has become a very close student of economics. So then, if you try a course, and it does not meet your expectations, does not result in a grand movement that upheaves the entire community, do not be discouraged. It may work silently and quietly, but the work is going on. J: C. DANA. Some one asks why people object to university extension. I do not like the term, or the thing itself, for several reasons. It is Walter Bagehot, I believe, who speaks often in his essay on politics about the " cake of custom," and of the danger there is that a community of intelligent people should, in the course of their development, stiffen into a cake; that they should cease to be plastic, cease to have that flexibility of mind to which Matthew Arnold is fond of alluding. Uni- versity extension, one feels, goes against plasticity and makes toward the "cake." The university extension scheme, again, is in direct opposition to the spirit of a remark that a friend of mine is fond of making, to the effect that we shall not have true education in this or any other country until we have utterly eliminated the teacher. There is a grain of truth, perhaps more than a grain, in his para- dox. We are in danger of being overtaught. We are always in danger of submitting too much to authority. There is a growing tend- ency in this country, as in others, to unify all systems of education ; so far to unify them that the child shall be, from the beginning to the very end of his school life, though he graduate from university or technical school, in the hands of people of one mind and one thought as regards what constitutes education, and what are the proper and axiomatic views on all questions. I question if this tendency is altogether desirable. The trend of it goes naturally with the trend towards socialism which we have in this country to-day; with the wider and wider acceptance of the thought of a general supervision of all people, and so of all education, by a comparatively few heads of departments. SIXTH SESSION. If this university extension work can be kept, in the main, apart from the universities, and be work of the kind of which Mr. Crunden speaks, in which he and a few other men sit down and discuss things frankly and freely, with no thought of subjection to text-books, teachers, university degrees, or accepted canons, each one putting forth heartily his own ideas, it would be difficult to offer any objec- tion to it. But for a man from an old established university (which is, in all likelihood, a part of the great systematized and unified educa- tional system of a given state or of the United States), to go from one community to another, and attempt to fasten onto those communities the ideas dominant in that university, is to some extent an injurious thing. You can have one student, and another student with him, and even students by the scores and the thousands ; but the moment one of them steps out of the student world and into the teachers' world, you have handicapped the student spirit, and love of learning is diluted with the egotism of teaching. The university has enough to do at home, and though it stay at home its influ- ence will be as potent as, if we are wise, we shall permit it to be. H. L. KOOPMAN read his paper on THE FUNCTIONS OF A UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. (See p. 24.} W. H. AUSTIN. Mr. Koopman was formerly of Cornell, but has not been there recently enough to know what we are now doing. I have followed the outline of his plans as closely as I was able to do, and think that we have exactly that kind of a library of which he speaks. It will eventually be 10,000 volumes as he said. Mr. Koopman and I have ex- changed not a word on this question, but our figures and everything else seem to agree. We do not call it a student library. We call it a reference library and reading-room. That takes in a great deal, reading-room meaning that this room is not for periodicals. We do not have a special catalog that is in form to be consulted by the students. This library is but three years old. Eventually when the shelves shall become pretty well filled, when we shall approach the number of 10,000 volumes, we shall print a catalog. At present we designate in our general catalog, by a certain device, what books are to be found in this library. We do just as he recommends to do. We supplement the books there by new books as fast as they come out. Books that are later may take the place of books that were there before. I want to add a word on the general subject of the duty and position of the university library, which seems to me of very great im- portance and of which Mr. Koopman did not speak at any length ; and that is, the manner of instructing the students in the university, in the use of catalogs and helps, and those things. A large part of my work is person- ally teaching the students how to use the catalog and on what principles the catalog is constructed. W; H. TILLINGHAST. Mr. Koopman's sug- gestion of a student's library needs no praise. It is very evident that Cornell has in this re- spect considerable advantage over Harvard at present. But when our longed for and hitherto illusive reading-room becomes a fact, we shall have a library on those lines. It will, I hope, fill one need which has not been mentioned, to meet which should be one function of the university library. There is no doubt that a private library is not esteemed as it used to be, although its value is quite as great to-day as it ever was. There is a vast difference between owning books and borrow- ing them, even on the most approved system. Any one who turns from his work to take up a book for relaxation takes it with the most satisfaction from his own collection. Another privilege the public library cannot give the tired student : I am not ashamed to say that I have spent sometimes an hour, after work, in deciding what book I would read for rest and enjoyment, and then found that it was too late to read any. But that hour, if given to looking over the shelves and considering the character of the books, was, I maintain, not wasted; certainly it was not unpleasantly spent. A university library might do much worse than to devote a part of its strength to urging and to aiding students to buy books of their own and to keep them after they are bought. A great many students acquire the books necessary to their work, and at the end of four years sell them for what they can get. They used to get 10 cents a volume. I sold mine, and 152 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. have been buying them back ever since and paying from 40 to 50 cents a volume for them. The university library can do much to induce students not only to keep their text-books, but to buy more freely than they do in general literature and on a well-considered plan, and can aid them, also, in selecting the proper edi- tions and the proper authors to meet each case. I think such a library as Mr. Koopman out- lines, would be a very good object-lesson, and help in that work. W : E. FOSTER. I am not a university libra- rian, but it has occurred to me, in listening to this paper, that it becomes a librarian of a public library to reflect whether there may not be in it something which he can turn to advan- tage in his own field. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS. C: R. DUDLEY. There was a distinct under- standing between my colleague, Mr. Dana, and myself before coming here, that I should not speak at any of the meetings. I was to pre- pare the addresses and he was to deliver them. As he has taken up so much valuable time talking about unimportant matters, I feel justi- fied in breaking the agreement. There is one thing that I think this Associa- tion ought to consider which has, so far as I know, never received any attention, and that is obtaining better editions of popular books. There was printed in the Library Journal of May, 1893, a letter written to me by the chair- man of our library committee, asking if it were not possible to induce publishers to issue substantial editions of popular and standard works, and thus reduce the losses to libraries from worn-out books. I sent the letter to Mr. Dewey, and he forwarded it to the Library Journal with a note added, saying that he thought the suggestion had merit and would be a good subject for discussion at the next meeting of the Association. Nothing was done with it, as I understand, at the meeting last year. The idea as it occurs to me is, that this Association with the combined efforts of the libraries of the country, can force publishers to issue editions of books for library purposes that will outwear one usage. Take, for in- stance, the popular juvenile books. Every one knows what miserable paper they are printed on. The works of Mayne Reid are printed on paper that will haraly hold together for one opening. It is almost impossible to have the books rebound on account of the pulp-paper from which they are made. The covers come off after one or two usings. It seems to me that a library edition of the books that are most used could be provided for, by the publishers, and would be if the thing were brought to their notice by the Library Association, and if asked that they publish a certain number of their popular books on paper, say, something like that used in the Oxford Bible, a very tough and a very flexible paper that does not tear the bind- ing to pieces every time the book is opened. Those books should be sewed on tapes and more substantially bound than the average cloth binding. The expense for paper and the extra binding, it seems to me, would not be more than 25 per cent, of the present price of the books, and they would wear four or five times as long as the editions issued to-day. Miss THERESA H. WEST. The office of the State Superintendent, in Wisconsin, has car- ried on a system of district libraries under the charge of a clerk, who is called the library clerk. This district library business is calling for a great many books, and it is found that many publishers are paying more or less atten- tion to the contracts which are to be let by the state in that way. I can give you some instances of changes in books, that have resulted from it: The Bird's Christmas Carol has been changed in cover en- tirely. The design for the Riverside Young Folks' library was submitted to Mr. Hutchins before it was adopted, and the new edition of Stoddard's Little Smoke has been changed to suit Mr. Hutchins' views. You will find that most of the books in that list are supplied in reasonable bindings and on reasonable paper ; and Mr. Hutchins is of the opinion that if we will all combine in this matter we might have a very wholesome influence on our book pub- lishers. He will not put into that list a book that he believes is unworthy of the place, ex- cept in very rare instances when he cannot help himself. J : C. DANA introduced the following resolu- tion: SIXTH SESSION. Resolved, That the Publishing Section be requested to look into the matter of library editions of certain popular books; that it be requested further, after having obtained such information as necessary, to send to all libraries of any consequence in the country a circular making a general statement in regard to the possibilities of library editions, and asking which of these libraries will agree to purchase hereafter the library editions of certain books that may be published by any given publishing house; and then that the Publishing Section proceed to do what next it can. MELVIL DEWEY. I rise to second the reso- lution. Five or six leading publishers have sent their representatives to our office to see if we would tell them what we wanted, and said they were prepared to make any kind of an edition that there was a demand for. They send out these cheap books to meet the bargain counter trade. If the libraries want good books they will make them . If the Publishing Section will take the matter up and carry out Mr. Dana's suggestion, saying that there are so many libraries wishing a certain form, with the understanding that that edition is made as the fruit of the effort of the librarians, they would be very glad to bring out a special library edition at a somewhat higher price. J. N. WING. This is a matter purely of dollars and cents. You will remember that most of the libraries have been already sup- plied with these cheap books. The plates have become worn, and were publishers to now print them on better paper there would be but little improvement. The only way to get good books and good type is to set them up again, and that, I assure you, is a very expensive operation. If you can make the publishers believe that it will prove a financial success for them to set those books up again, they will do it for you. With the new books I do not think you have so much cause for complaint ; I mean the new editions, coming out fresh from the press. You must remember that editions are soon ex- hausted or the demand ceases for those books, and they soon go out of fashion. If you can arrange with publishers to send you word when they are prepared to publish a new edition, and then let them know how many you will take, they certainly will print an edition such as you want, every time, provided you can make it an object for them to do so. The resolution was adopted. INVITATION FROM CLEVELAND. W: H. BRETT presented an invitation from the board of the Cleveland Public Library for the Association to meet in Cleveland in 1895. DICTIONARY OF LIBRARY ECONOMY. J: C. DANA. I would like to refer to the Publishing Section the question of the possi- bility of the Association's compiling, within a few years, a dictionary of library economy. This would not be exactly the book which is to be published by the Bureau of Education, nor would it be a library handbook. It would be arranged on some such plan as that admirable dictionary of electricity you are all familiar with, giving briefly, each under its proper entry, directions in regard to the minor details as well as the more important subjects in library work. I would like to make another suggestion. We come a long distance, some of us, to attend this meeting, and the greatest benefit we get from it, if I may judge from my own experi- ence, is from personal contact with the mem- bers of the Association, and from listening to their views as struck out in the heat of dis- cussion and enforced by personal presence. It is sometimes, by no means always, a bit of a disappointment to us that so much time is taken up with the reading of a paper. This matter has been spoken of before. Of course 1 know that the element of personal presence adds to the value of a paper, as it does to the impromptu expression of opinion or statement of experience. But the plan suggested at the San Francisco Conference and carried out last year might be adopted ; let all papers be pre- viously printed and distributed to all members of the Association ; and then, at the meeting, let there be presented, as I understand was done at Chicago last year, merely the briefest syllabus of the contents of the papers, and thus let the rest of the time be given up to dis- cussion. Such papers as would be; in the opinion of the proper committee, better fitted to be read to us in full by the writer at the Association meeting, could and should be so read. 154 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. NOMINATION OF OFFICERS. For the office of president there were placed in nomination : H : M. Utley, of Detroit ; Miss Theresa H. West, of Milwaukee; W: H. Brett, of Cleveland. For vice-presidents: F: H. Hild, of Chicago; Miss Ellen M. Coe, of New York; A. W. Whelpley, of Cincinnati; W: E. Foster, of Providence ; Miss Mary S. Cutler, of Albany. For secretary : Frank P. Hill, of Newark. For treasurer: Geo. Watson Cole, of Jersey City. For trustee of the endowment fund : J : M. Glenn, of Baltimore, for a term of three years, to succeed himself. For A. L. A. Council, its committee pre- sented eight nominations, from which to elect four, for a term of five years: H: M. Utley, of Detroit; W: C. Lane, of Boston; Miss Caro- line M. Hewins, of Hartford; Miss Theresa H. West, of Milwaukee; G: T. Little, of Brunswick; Miss Caroline H. Garland, of Dover; George lies, of New York City; G: W: Harris, of Ithaca. Sec. HILL gave an explanation of the Australian ballot form, which had been pre- pared for the purposes of the election of officers at this Conference. Voted. That there be three ballots, one for president, one for the three vice-presidents, and one for the remaining officers. The matter of ballot box, hours for deposit- ing votes, and of counting and reporting the same, was referred to the executive board. Session adjourned at 5.45 p. M. SEVENTH SESSION. (MIRROR LAKE HOTEL, THURSDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 20, 1894.) Pres. LARNED called the meeting to order at 11.35 A - M HENRY J. CARR read his REPORT ON LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES. (Seep. 67.) G. M. JONES. Perhaps you know about the old school system of Massachusetts, where the town was divided into districts and each dis- trict had its record book. One of the trustees of our public library has succeeded in getting a complete set of the record books of these various school districts. In running them through I found most interesting material; not especially for the history of education, but concerning economical matters, such as the rate of pay and the rate of board for school teachers. I was very much interested early in this year by an article of Mr. Cole's in the Library Journal on the limits of local bibliography, and I had hoped that somebody might take up the subject and carry it through. The question is: What ought to be its limitations ? If we should include everything that some people might wish, it would make a very large book. I hope that at some meeting of the Associa- tion the subject may be thoroughly talked out. C: C. SOULE. At a previous meeting I was reported to have said that the town of Brook- line had adopted the system which I described. I said, on the contrary, that it had not been adopted. I would like to say again what I said then. We were considering the matter in the town of Brookline, and we found that as much work as could be done in two or three years, bad already been planned out for the librarian. When this question came up there was a great deal more material than we could handle, and it was suggested that it should be done with the aid of a local historical society, formed and conducted as an adjunct to the library. Our plan was to organize a society in which we should enlist every one in the community who, we thought, would be willing to do any of the work. We should ask rich men to become paying members, charging them $5 a year. We should invite other people to become mem - bers, as a class to subscribe material other than money. Then we proposed to enlist another and still more important class of the community in the way of active workers who should pay for their membership by personal services ; and here is where the strong point of this plan comes. There is so much that you want to preserve (especially if you include as you ought to include cuttings from newspapers of the neighboring cities and counties of the state, and if you include an index of the new and old material), that you have an im- mense amount of work to be done. The way we proposed to get it done was to harness in SEVENTH SESSION. the "antiquarian cranks" in their specialty, and also pupils of the public schools. I am very confident that in every high school there will be found a number of intelligent scholars who will be very glad to devote an hour or two a day to that kind of work. Our plan was to assign the clipping and the pasting of the ma- terial to these young people, who should be assessed nothing in the way of material or money, but only in the way of work. C : K. BOLTON. Late in the spring we suc- ceeded in getting a number of the high school boys together and I told them of our collections. I succeeded in getting a sufficient number promised, to take each a volume of the Brook- line papers and make an index, so eventually we hope to have an index of subjects of all of the home newspapers. It seems to me that the papers, after all, are one of the chief sources of local history. WILLIAM IVES. A few years ago there were deposited in the Buffalo Library the first vol- umes of a newspaper covering a number of years. I had copied from those volumes the marriage notices running all through those years, and indexed them, giving the maiden's name and the priest or squire doing the job. A few years after a pension agent came in to see if we had the notice of such-and-such a marriage. I turned to the date and found to my amazement that the wedding notice was cut out. 1 told the agent I had a copy of that. I went to my book and found it, and he took my sworn statement as to the truth of it, and got a pension for the widow of an 1812 soldier. H: J. CARR. I am satisfied from the answers I have received that if one could make a proper sort of inquiry, probably enough information, similar to that of Mr. Ives' showing the value of this material to individual persons through- out the country, could be obtained to fill a very large book. I had one strong reply from a gentleman who has had experience in handling these matters. He urges making the material use- ful as you go along, unless the expense is very large, and not to attempt anything more than index. To not catalog it, but thoroughly index it, from the very beginning. The application of the term index might vary with different people. R. B. POOLE. I had a volume of pamphlets relating to the Northwest territory, and also another pamphlet in regard to a convention which was held in the State of Ohio. One day a librarian came in from the law library (he S, O had been in some time previous) and said he would give me $50 for the book if I would sell it. I got permission from my board to make a disposition of the book, but first inquired of some experts as to its value, and found it was worth a great deal more money. It resulted in my getting $275 from a dealer. It is now in the Lenox Library. The library with which I am connected is engaged in collecting the reports of societies in New York City, and some of those of state and national societies, and preserving them. There are some pamphlets that come in that I think should be bound and put into the library at once ; but the question is, as to how much money should be spent upon them. I find I can get them done for 12 cents by getting a cheap board, or manila paper, and writing the title on the backs. We then put them into the library, and when cataloged they are ready for immediate use. F. B. GAY. I had some experience last spring in the line of which Mr. Poole speaks. I had a number of pamphlets that needed to go on to the shelves immediately, and we bound them for fifteen cents in a board cover, cloth sewed, and then used the Dennison shipping tag for the title. I would like to ask if that is a fair price to pay for pamphlets put up in that condition ? W: I. FLETCHER. I think it is worth three cents more to put in cloth than paper, as Mr. Poole does. S. H. BERRY. As to the price of binding pamphlets, I have seen in the Long Island Historical Society (which binds up everything in the way of pamphlets, each one in a sepa- rate cover) a great many pamphlets done at fifteen cents apiece, sewed and laced in cloth covers, with a straight line of gilding length- wise with the back of the book. Miss MARY MEDLICOTT. May I say a word on the line of national history collections? Within the course of a few months we hope to be able to move into the new building that has just been completed, to be used for the art museum and also a natural history museum. 156 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. In the museum local collections are to be kept distinct from those of more general interest. In one of our late monthly bulletins is an v s^ N article prepared by the science teacher in the high school, who is going to take special charge of this natural history museum, and he has outlined a brief plan not merely a de- scription of the building, but has given the floor plan in the way in which the cases are to be divided between the different collec- tions. Being so near our high school, the mu- seum will be used as a laboratory for science work in that school, and will be so closely con- nected, also, with our library, that they can have access to all the books. I think it will lead in a short time to having duplicate copies of books or, at least, to having a library more specially in connection with their science work in the museum. The way I thought the connection came with the topic under discussion was the way in which we hope to increase our collections of local interest. Dr. Rice told me, just before I left, that he had made arrangements with the ornithological society to obtain a collec- tion of the birds in our neighborhood ; also with the botanical society that they should procure specimens and place them there. Nothing has been done, as yet, to bring the high school scholars directly into the work, but I hope that that will grow out of it. R. G. THWAITES. It is so delightful to hear my genial friend from Massachusetts speak of members of historical societies as "antiquarian cranks " ! What interests me very largely in this discussion, is the matter of local collec- tions. We do a great deal of that sort of thing, in the library of the Wisconsin Historical So- ciety. I do not like to hear the constant stress, laid by so many librarians who have spoken this morning, on the immense amount of time it takes on the part of the librarian to make these local .collections. The librarian, if he amounts to anything, must expect to work, and to work hard. It seems to me that if the thing is systematically done, it can be accom- plished without very great addition to the amount of labor which is already placed upon the librarian. Let me speak for a moment, merely upon our treatment of newspaper clip- pings, as one of many means to this desirable end. A bright young lady has charge of our de- livery counter. Occasionally there are days when, for an hour or two at a time, especially in the morning, when the State University students are in at their classes and lectures, she has a little time to spare. We take every important local paper in Wisconsin, perhaps 325 weeklies and a dozen dailies in all. Be- sides these Wisconsin papers we take from other parts of the country, for binding, possi- bly 175 reputable news journals, many of them dailies. It is the business of this young lady to scan all these newspapers. Sometimes we have from 100 to 125 students and professors in the reading-room of an afternoon, and it is busy times at the delivery desk. Yet this young lady does it all, and very well, too. Being an old newspaper man myself, I trained her somewhat as to the manner of rapidly reading the papers. The country papers are, for the most part, "patent insides." In Wis- consin papers our "exchange editor," as we call her, looks out for pioneer reminiscences ; sometimes there is an account of a pioneer picnic, at which speeches have been made ; or there may be obituary notices of more or less distinguished pioneers. She marks such arti- cles and items with a colored lead pencil, and lays them aside. We use blanks, whenever they can be used. She sends out a blank to the publisher, asking for an extra copy of the paper. If the article runs on to two pages she gets two copies; when it comes she clips it. She mounts all these clippings in pamphlet form, save in some cases, when indexed scrap- books of manila paper are used. If the mounted clippings, done into pamphlet form, are large enough to be cataloged, they are promptly cataloged and placed in their various alcoves. In the papers outside of Wisconsin she is looking for historical items of a unique character that are not likely to soon get into books: for instance, something new on archaeology, something new about our Indian races, reminiscences brought out by notable events or anniversaries, etc. As an example, when Jefferson Davis died, we sent for all the leading newspapers in his section of the country, that were likely to mention him in detail. We sent to seventy-five representative papers of the South for two copies of each, until the funeral had occurred. These EIGHTH SESSION. papers were brim full of excellent material, which we mounted and made up into a con- siderable volume : " The Opinions of the South- ern Press on Jefferson Davis." We did the same with General Lee, with General Sheridan, with General Grant, and with others of our distinguished men ; and shall keep on doing it for others yet to come. When systematically done, this sort of thing does not take so much time as one is apt to suppose, who never did it. In any event, it is, in my estimation, well worth doing. W: I. FLETCHER read his paper on THE WORK OF THE PUBLISHING SECTION. (See p, 102.) Sec. HILL read the following REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD. The board recommends that the vote for president of A. L. A. be taken at 10 A. M. Fri- day ; for vice-presidents, at 10. 30 A. M. ; for other officers, at n A. M. That members in attendance and duly reg- istered, but unable to be present at those hours, be permitted to leave endorsed ballots with the tellers. That H: J. Carr and F: M. Crunden act as tellers. Also recommends the adoption of the A. L. A. badge in form of pin or button. Miss Nina E. Browne, assistant secretary, is prepared to take subscriptions at $2. 50 each. It further recommends that the A. L. A. subscribe for the Library Journal. Also recommends that the Publishing Section be requested to take subscriptions for copies of the president's address and such other papers as may be requested by members, and to formulate some scheme by which papers, in a uniform and numbered series, may be printed as called for by interested members. And further recommends adoption of the following by-law : The executive board shall provide a printed ballot containing not less than three nominees for each office, including any names filed with the secretary 48 hours before the election by five members of the Association. The report of the executive board, as a whole, was unanimously adopted. Recess taken at i p. M. EIGHTH SESSION. (MIRROR LAKE HOTEL, THURSDAY AFTERNOON, SEPTEMBER 20.) The meeting was called to order at 2.45 p. M. by the president. W: H. BRETT read his paper on THE PRESENT PROBLEM. (Seep.j.) W: I. FLETCHER. I am not at all prepared to enter upon any discussion of this paper, which would demand preparation to do it any justice. I would like, however, to call attention to certain features of the paper which seem to me ought not to pass with a mere approval such as I should most heartily give to the whole paper. All human thought passes on by action and reaction ; we seem now to be at the top wave of that opinion with regard to the func- tions and value of the work of the public library, which may be expressed by saying that its object is education. We have been climb- ing that wave, and it is hard to see how we can be nearer to the top of it than we are in the paper now presented. I heartily agree with what has been said, so far as it is true that the function of the library is an educational one. The paper has dealt largely in analogies. We are often reminded that analogies are dangerous. They are well in their place, but likely to lead us astray. Are there good grounds for making a complete analogy be- tween the library and our educational institu- tions ? If that were granted the paper seems to be absolutely true. But it seems to me that that is an analogy that can be followed too far. Supposing I, for instance, should take another analogy, which would lead to quite different conclusions that of the public park and museum ? The library has numerous func- tions, as the park and museum have, and it requires better thought than I could give, even if I had time, to define and limit those func- tions. I should, at least, say that to make the func- tion of the library strictly educational, in the sense in which we apply the word to our schools, is seriously to narrow it. Beyond the merely educational influence of the library it has a large mission to enrich the individual life and mind, the end being the greatest good to '58 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. the greatest number. Utilitarianism seems to be the central principle of this paper, and I prefer a different and a higher idea as the watchword of the public library movement. J. K. HOSMER. I have found the paper of Mr. Brett very suggestive. I wish to address what I have to say to one point which he con- sidered in the paper only briefly, and that is the matter of unrestricted access to books. I am a great advocate of making the re- strictions just as slight as they possibly can be. I am glad to make that statement, because I judge from some things that have been said to me here, that a wrong impression prevails in regard to the library with which I am con- nected. I have been asked if it is not the case that the Minneapolis Public Library has intro- duced restrictions, and whether it does not find that the policy which it has pursued is a bad policy. I wish to say emphatically, no; that with us the tendency is all in the other direc- tion. My impression is that the library world shows a general tendency to do away with restrictions. A few months ago the Library, the organ of the Library Association of the United Kingdom, contained a crisp article, which ad- vocated putting the public inside of the library, and the staff outside. We do that to some extent. For instance, our children's de- partment is, as was stated in the paper of Miss Stearns, in the lower corridor of our building. The greater part of the space is railed in. Within the railed space are racks, in which are plated all the children's books that the library contains. The children are admitted to these racks, which slope up, the books being all within easy reach. The children go in and help themselves to these books, having free- dom within the railed space. There is only one way of getting out of the railed space, and at that one egress sits an attendant ; but within the space the children are free. To that ex- tent the public is inside the library and the attendant is at the outside. Again, at the right-hand end of our issue- desk there is a railed space within which stand six large racks. Into those racks go all the new books as soon as they enter the library. Two racks are given up to novels, the other four to books of other classes. There is only one way of getting into the space, and only one way of getting out. The public have freedom within the space, but at the one egress sits an attendant, and no book can go out of this space till it is charged. It is in contemplation with us to make a still farther extension of this idea. If I can get my board to allow me to do so, I propose, when our new building is completed, to take one large room for fiction. I should have a room fitted up, not with ordinary cases but with racks, such as I have described. Upon these racks the books of fiction should be displayed within easy reach of the hand. To that room there should be only one place of ingress, and one of egress. The public should be admitted freely to the room ; while in the room they should have freedom of handling, reading, and consulting ; but nothing could be taken out of the room without being charged, for at the door would sit an attendant. At present, in our library, there is granted to every mature person making application for it, who has an earnest literary purpose, a permit for admis- sion among the alcoves ; but full freedom exists as regards the departments that I have men- tioned the children's department and the de- partment for new books. In a late number of the Library an account is given of the opening of the library at Clerk- enwell, which is said to be administered upon the principle I have endeavored to outline, and which is described as going forward, so far, with entire success. I feel that in allow- ing this freedom we are doing a great thing for our readers. Our book issue this year will be close upon 500,000; and although the num- ber is large, we have had no excessive loss and no great inconvenience. At least, the loss and inconvenience which we have suffered are very much counterbalanced, we think, by the advantages which have resulted. F: M. CRUNDEN. It seems to me there is a little bit of false premise on one point, and that is the statement that was rather dwelt on, that there are some people who are paying for privileges that other people enjoy. We are, to a certain extent, a cooperative community, but it is not right to assume that we are collecting taxes from A for B's benefit; for A gets just as much benefit as B does. Edward Everett Hale said it was just as important that your neighbor's children should read good books as EIGHTH SESSION. '59 your own. I think you will all agree with that. And he said, too, " I would advise any man or woman to give time and money to the building up of a library for the community or neighbor- hood, rather than his private library." As a cooperative community, it is a perfectly legitimate thing for us to combine for any- thing which may be considered to inure to the general benefit. Under this head come parks, and the music in the parks, and the lighted streets. It may be said with regard to that that we are collecting from A for the benefit of B. The rich man may be one who goes to bed early and has no need for street lamps, and can have his own premises surrounded by lamps ; but he has to pay for lighting up the premises where poor people live. Yet it is for his benefit that all the city should be illumi- nated. It is the same with the light of in- telligence that flows from the public library. J: C. DANA. I would like to call Mr. Crunden's attention to the fact that there is a great difference between cooperations. There is voluntary cooperation, and there is com- pulsory cooperation; and the running of a public library is the outcome of compulsory cooperation. You introduce the element of force when you collect the taxes for a public library. I was pleased to hear Mr. Brett offer the opinion that if you do introduce the ele- ment of force into the collecting of books for a public library, you must be careful to justify yourself by the results. So far as I understand the doctrine of pessi- mism I am a thorough going pessimist ; but as regards the present social condition of the people of this part of the world, I am by no means so. The very things that have been cited here as reasons for a pessimistic view of the present social condition, are the things that should give us comfort. The president in his address, and, as I understood him, Mr. Brett again in his paper, alluded to the social unrest, and to the wild and ignorant theories, and to the strikes and disturbances of one kind and another, that are continually taking place in this country, as themselves ills, and as omens of greater ills. It takes, however, only half a thought to gather from these things comfort and consolation. May we not believe that the fact that the people are in a state of unrest is a good thing rather than a bad one ? It assures us to a degree, of the continuance of the pro- gress we think we have been making in the last 200 years. Toward this belief in new doctrines, toward this acceptance of the latest startling fad in sociology, toward all these things factors in the general unrest the public library happily does its part. It does its part in this way, that it is not an institution in which the ac- cepted canons alone are taught. It is not the university extension, it is not the extension of any set system of instruction. It is the exten- sion into every man's home of the possibility of knowledge, of the opportunity of wisdom. It is the extension to the humblest of the chance of learning the latest thing that is being taught and being said. The average man will go wrong at first, no doubt. But if the world is to go on, its units must at least " go." Wrong views are the steps to the right views. No views are not even the beginnings of wis- dom. So, the public library is, above all things, educating the individual, educating for per- sonality, educating for the one thing that it seems to me is to be desired, .and is above all others essential for the continued progress of the human race, that there shall be a multitude of differing opinions. From this point of view, you see, it is not altogether correct to consider that the public library is primarily a great engine for creating good citizens. It is primarily a great engine for creating good individuals. Let us bear in mind the remark that a good man will not obey the laws too well. We should rejoice that we have in our hands an instrument by means of which we may create, perhaps, not the man who fits exactly into the social order to-day, but possibly here and there the man who does not fit into the social order to-day, but may, none the less, prove to be the man who will give the world a fillip on its way. F: M. CRUNDEN. I want to back up what Mr. Dana said, heartily. Especially his last statement, that it is the man who does not fit into the social order of the day that is likely to be the man who is working the most for progress. In so far as Mr. Brett's paper deprecated the use of the library in exploiting new opinions, I disagree with him. I welcome to the library all sorts of opinions, on all sorts of subjects. Some of them are perfectly ridiculous, it seems i6o LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. to me, and yet they may be the opinions that fifty years from now will be accepted. W: H. BRETT. I do not see that any of the comments touch the pith of the paper at all. Mr. Crunden furnished me two or three further anolagies: one, in quoting the remark of Ed- ward Everett Hale, in which he said that it was just as important that my neighbor's children should read a good book, as that my own child should. That is true ; but for this reason, that my neighbor's child will therefore become a better neighbor and more valuable, not only to me and my child, but to all the other families in the community ; and unless my neighbor's child was going to be bettered by reading a good book, I do not see why I should pay any money to have it do so. We have no right to spend money for public libraries unless the community is thereby benefited by it. F: M. CRUNDEN. The reason why a com- munity can support a public library is because it chooses to do it. It says we want a public library; we want a place where we can go and get the new books that come out without each of us having to. buy them ourselves. It is a general principle of cooperation. We want a public library for the same reason that we want a public reservoir. So far as compulsory co- operation is concerned, all governmental co- operation is compulsory ; that is, it is the law of the majority expressed in governmental or- ganization, even against the will of the mi- nority. C : C. SOULE read his paper on LAW BOOKS FOR GENERAL LIBRARIES. (See p. foj.) Request was voted that Mr. Soule add, for publication, a list of one hundred best law books, within the scope indicated by his paper. DR. O. HARTWIG'S project for the REPRODUCTION AND INTERCHANGE OF SCRIPTS was to have been presented by Justin Winsor. It was necessarily omitted, both on account of his absence and because the paper itself was not at hand. Pres. LARNED. It is estimated that, at a cost of 100 francs to as many libraries as might reasonably be expected to take part in this scheme, there can be an extensive reproduc- tion of certain rare manuscripts. The feeling of my trustees is that we should not hesitate for a moment to become subscribers to this, and for two reasons. If it is not done now it will not be proposed again for a long time to come. It might afford librarians the only opportunity they may have for a century, to get copies of these manuscripts. In the second place, even if we are poor, we ought to be willing to give at least $20 a year for the en- couragement of such a proposition as this of Dr. Hartwig's. WiI. FLETCHER. What sort of manuscripts were referred to ? Are they those of a literary value or historical value; more one or the other ? Pres. LARNED. It is my impression that they refer more to the manuscripts of literary value. As I remember the paper I do not think that there was a very definite statement as to the character. The idea, generally, was that libraries would be able in that way to get copies of manuscripts which scholars wanted and could not borrow. R. B. POOLE. I do not think we can do very much without more" exact information. Some would like one class of manuscripts and some another, and the question would arise what number of manuscripts we should get. It de- pends very much on the character of the manu- scripts. Some of us might like Biblical manu- scripts, and others might like those of a historical nature. Sec. HILL. I move that this matter be refer- red to the cooperation committee, with the request to investigate and get as much informa- tion on the subject as they can. Voted. B. C. STEINER and S: H. RANCK being absent Recorder CARR read their REPORT ON ACCESS TO THE SHELVES. (See p. 87.) W: H. BRETT. As to the displacement of books on the shelves, it is a slight objection, but not at all a serious one. In our library we are doing our work with not more than three- fourths the attendants and are saving not less than $3,000 in salaries every year. As to the question of more room, it should be borne in mind that all floor space in the alcoves is so much space added to the public room. If you shut the books up you must still provide EIGHTH SESSION. 161 sufficient public room. The difference is not so large as might appear at first thought. As to its being experimental, the plan has been in operation in Cleveland for four and a half years, and the circulation of the library has considerably more than doubled. I think it is beyond the experimental stage there. Miss THERESA H. WEST. I should like to ask what is the definition of access to shelves. Can a library be said to grant access to shelves when it has glass doors in front of its cases ? W: H. BRETT. The Cleveland Public Library has glass doors. They serve the very useful purpose df protecting the books from dust while the janitor is sweeping. They are thrown open with the utmost freedom, and left open during the day. Sec. HILL. The Newark Free Public Li- brary grants access to shelves in all depart- ments except fiction. It would be very glad to open the fiction department if the books were easily accessible, but if three or four persons get into the passageway it blocks it up so that we can not get at the books to issue them from -the delivery desk. We have had this open privilege for some two years and a half. The reference depart- ment has been free for five years, or ever since we started. Our total loss from home issues and the use of books in the library in the ref- erence department', and with free shelves, has amounted to 32 in a year, which I think is say- ing a good word for the free use of the library or access to shelves. A quotation is made in Dr. Steiner's report in regard to looking over the shelves every morn- ing, when the dusting is done. That quota- tion, I presume, is from a letter which I wrote Dr. Steiner. When he sent his paper to me he said that he did not think it could be done. I did not mean to state that every book was taken down every morning, and carefully dusted and put back in its place and the shelf list verified at the same time. What I did mean to say was, that the six or seven messen- gers and the three or four delivery clerks do go over the shelves with dust cloth, etc., and read the shelves as they go along and put the books up in their places. They do that every morning, and we have very little trouble with the books being out of place. We are very well satisfied with our experiment with open shelves, and if we had plenty of room, lack of which is the only drawback, we would open our fiction department to the public absolutely free. Miss THERESA H. WEST. It seems to me there is one point in favor of free access that has not been brought out, which is that our assistants have certain rights we ought to re- gard. If assistants are given the charge of certain classes of literature they can fit them- selves to know about and assist users of each class. They can make themselves specialists in history, sociology, or science. They cannot well spread themselves all over the library, but can know fully the one class that they have charge of. J : C. DANA. I think that question might be put personally, like this: Which of these two plans would any of you prefer if you were students, or wanted to be students, or thought you were students ? Suppose you go to a pub- lic library, or any other library, and are inter- ested in the money question. You may say you would like to read something on the sub- ject, or that you are preparing a paper on that subject. This special librarian who is familiar with books on social science, and perhaps with books on finance, may say to you, " I made for several years a study of familiarizing myself with books on finance. I can tell you all you want to know about it." You then say, " Well, tell me what kind of books I ought to read." She tells you. She brings one or two or three books to you. Are you satisfied ? I think not. But supposing she shows you the shelves of books on finance. She stands beside you and says: " This book is now out of date, but here are fifteen books written recently on the finance question. Sit down here and look them over, and when satisfied what you want, you can take it away with you." G. M. JONES. Mr. Dana has given the best possible explanation of the practical working of my idea. The readers who come to the library are of two classes first, the readers that want a particular book; second, those that do not know what they want, and, unless the attendant knows something about the sub- ject, are more likely to get the wrong book than the right one. This work requires a higher class of attendants than we usually have. Mr. Green, of Worcester, in a letter to 162 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. me in regard to the number of attendants, pay, etc., spoke of having the very best class of attendants and paying them well. I think he partly applies that plan in his library. J: C. DANA. When I go to a drygoods store I stand on the outside of the counter. I ask you again if, when you to go to a library to make investigations, you want to stay on the outside of the counter ? I do not pretend to say that we have in the libraries of Denver assistants who can tell anybody what is the right book to read in finance, but we do have somebody in the library who can say : ' ' We have not a great many books on finance, but we have a few here. We have Bowker and lies' "Reader's Guide;" take this guide and pick out what you wish." This differs, accord- ing to my observation, from the personal feel- ing of being fed with the books through a hole in a wire fence. H: J. CARR. I think that if Mr. Dana will take a little broader view he will find three of us here in accord. It depends on the cus- tomer, the kind of stock, and what he wants. I have frequent occasion to buy hardware, and it's a matter I know something about, yet I go to the store, sometimes, and say % "I want to accomplish such and such things; what is there that will fit my purpose ? " The clerk produces an article that answers my purpose, and I take it and go away. I go into the store another time and he starts to show me some goods. I say, " Can't I go in there to the shelves and see those things ? " He serves me that way. Again, I go to the store, and desiring something not commonly in stock, I ask to see the catalog. We look over the catalog together, and he helps me about it. I think that if we take a broad view of it we will find there are several ways of arriving at the same result. J. K. HOSMER. Mr. Carr says he knows something about hardware, and so he describes what he would like to do if he went into a hardware store. People who come to us know something about books; they know a good deal about books, too, and it seems to me such a course as would be congenial to him would be congenial to the borrowers who are search- ing for books. I think I may have been mis- apprehended, perhaps, in what I said about putting the public inside, and the staff outside of the library. I would by no means have only an attendant at the gate. It seems to me that there should be intelligent guidance among the alcoves and about the racks wherever they are. In our own library, at Minneapolis, when a person makes application for books the catalog is first put at his dis- posal; then the reference librarian, or some one of the attendants, or myself, is in the habit of going to the shelves with the applicant and doing what we can towards pointing out what is a good book and what is an undesirable one. Then we leave the individual free to choose. W. H. AUSTIN. It seems to me that at Cornell we have arrived at a solution of the problem that is quite as near as we can hope for. We put out in the reading-room the best books on all subjects and let users go to the books freely, and make them feel that we give the best general selection of the latest books. It is only a specialist wanting to get at the whole literature, good, bad, or indifferent, of any subject, that needs to go into the large reservoir of books kept in the stack-room s. To such persons, of course, we do as you all do, grant free admission. But those books that are put out where they can get to them freely, in most cases answer all purposes. R. G. THWAITES. My own library is prac- tically a college library; 90 per cent, of our users are college students. I have somewhat the same experience as the speaker preceding me. We put in our reading-room all ency- clopaedias, and all the special handbooks, and everything of that sort. We find that the students in the freshman and sophomore classes are not benefited at all by being let into the reservoir, as he says, of general literature. Their researches are of a very limited char- acter. They state to the attendant what they want, and as we are fortunate in having a grad- uate of Brown University for an attendant, who is very competent indeed, we find that the students are much better served by letting him select their books for them. The professors, and the students who are doing more serious work, are allowed the utmost liberty of the shelves. They get whatever assistance we can give them in the alcoves; but, certainly, with the lower-class men an intelligent at- tendant at the counter will be of more use than NINTH SESSION. 163 to allow them to ramble among the shelves. Many a young freshman has come back to the attendant saying, " I don't know what I want, give me something." We practically let every- body go to the shelves who can use them properly and understandingly. Miss ELLEN M. CHANDLER read the general contribution of " DON'TS." (See p, 104.) Sec. HILL read the various items and queries which were found in the QUESTION BOX. W: C. LANE'S letter of September 12, 1894, was read by the secretary. It described with considerable detail certain experiments in li- brary work at the Boston Athenaeum, now communicated by Mr. Lane as suggestions, as well as furnishing, perhaps, a basis for some cooperative work on the part of other libraries. The points which he named included more particularly : 1. A plan of using a special card with a printed scheme upon it, for cataloging portraits and other illustrations, including photographs separately mounted or in albums, and engrav- ings and other plates in book's. Samples of the various cards accompanied the letter. 2. A method of consolidating and making most useful the various reading lists and spe- cial bibliographies published in library bulletins or in separate pamphlet form. Mainly by cutting out the sundry items and mounting them on sheets of manila, six by nine inches in size, bearing the name of the subject on upper margin and placed alphabetically in boxes for consultation. Brief descriptive no- tices of new books, also treated in a similar manner, and arranged alphabetically in a box kept in the same room where new books are exposed for inspection, taking the place, in some respects, of the notes formerly inserted in printed " Lists of Additions." Adjourned at 5:55 P.M. NINTH SESSION. (MIRROR LAKE HOTEL, FRIDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 21.) Pres. LARNED called the meeting to order at 9.45 A.M. PLACE OF NEXT MEETING. Advice came by cable through the Library Bureau that there had been mailed by Secretary MAcALisTER^of the L. A. U. K., an invitation to meet with that association in International Conference in London, in 1895. That invitation, bearing date Sept. 10, 1894, was subsequently received and read at the loth session. W: R. EASTMAN read a telegram from the mayor of Jamestown inviting the Association to hold its 1895 meeting in that city. R. B. POOLE. As we have met in New York state this year, I move that we omit Chautau- qua from the list of places under consideration. Voted. C: C. SOULE. I move that the executive board arrange for a conference at the seaside, to be followed by an excursion to England to attend the proposed International Conference ; the time to be determined by later information in regard to the date of that meeting. Lost. W: I. FLETCHER. I move that we take an informal ballot for place of next meeting as between Denver and Cleveland. Voted. The secretary and recorder were appointed tellers, and the result of the informal ballot showed a majority for Denver. R. G. THWAITES. I move that the informal ballot be declared formal. Voted. W: H. BRETT. I move that the vote be made unanimous. Voted. MELVIL DEWEY. I move that the invitation for a meeting in England be accepted for 1896, if agreeable to the L. A. U. K., and practicable to do so ; and that otherwise it be left to the executive board wkh power. Voted. On motion of Mr. Utley, and amendment by Mr. Jones, it was Voted That it is the opinion of the Association that the next meeting should be held about the middle of June, but that the whole matter be referred to the exec- utive board. ELECTION OF PRESIDENT. First ballot. Number of votes cast, 138 ; of which H : M. Utley received 64, W: H. Brett 43, Theresa H. West 29, Caroline M. Hewins 2. The name of Miss West was withdrawn. Second ballot. Number of votes cast, 108 ; of which H: M. Utley received 64, W: H. Brett 42, Caroline M. Hewins 2. (The first 164 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. ballot contained many endorsed votes left with the tellers on the part of those going away before the hour set for close of the voting as authorized; and those absentees had no par- ticipation in the second ballot.) W: H. Brett moved that the election of Mr. Utley be made unanimous. Voted. FURTHER NOMINATIONS. J: C. DANA, W: C. LANE, W: H. BRETT, and THERESA H. WEST were put in nomination for vice-president. C: C. SOULE was nominated for trustee of the endowment fund. Sec. HILL. I move that in the vote for vice- president the three highest on the list shall be declared elected. Amended to the effect that the same rule be applied in the case of the other officers. Voted. ELECTION OF OTHER OFFICERS. Vice-President J: C. Dana, 70; Mary S. Cutler, 58; Ellen M. Coe, 44 (seven others received votes varying from 2 to 41). Secretary Frank P. Hill, 77 (eight others scattering). Treasurer George Watson Cole, 89 (two others scattering). Trustee of Endowment Fund C: C. Soule, 48 (38 votes were cast for J: M. Glenn). Council W: C. Lane, 72; Theresa H. West, 61; Caroline M. Hewins, 57; Caroline H. Gar- land, 48 (four others received votes from 28 to 35 each). Voted. That the above be declared elected unanimously. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS. J. N. WING explained the work of the Book- sellers and Stationers' Provident Association, and presented a resolution recommending said Association to librarians as a desirable, safe and economical means of life insurance. MELVIL DEWEY. There is a provision in our constitution which forbids this Association promulgating any recommendation in regard to library administration till approved by the council. I therefore move that we refer the resolution to the council. I do it as a friend of the movement, but think we ought to act in this matter as individuals, not as an Asso- ciation. Voted. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. GEO. WATSON COLE. Early in April or May it came to my knowledge that the Bibliograph- ical Society of London had determined to close their list of membership and I immediately sent on my subscription. Since then the mem- bership has been extended and fifty members have been allotted to America. I understand that fifteen vacancies have occurred, and it seems to me that this is in the line of our work. This society was formed in 1892. Its objects are stated to be: 1. The acquisition of information upon sub- jects connected with bibliography. 2. The promotion and encouragement of bibliographical studies and researches. 3. Printing and publishing of works con- nected with bibliography, and the formation of a bibliographical library. There were eight meetings held this year, and they have already issued their first volume of transactions. One of the works which this society proposes to undertake is a bibliography of English literature; also monographs on other bibliographical subjects. The edition of their publications is restricted to the number of members. That number is limited, and the librarians in this country ought to be well represented. The price of membership is a guinea a year; and the publications which have already been prepared, including the volume of transactions, the annual year book, and other papers, can be supplied for $7. 75. If any would like to become members of the society they can communicate with Mr. Wing or with me, and we shall be glad to forward their names to the secretary in New York. J. K. HOSMER, chairman, presented the fol- lowing as the REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS. Resolved, That the A. L. A. hereby expresses grateful appreciation of the consideration given by the committee on printing of the Senate and House of Representatives to requests for more favorable legislation in the matter of distributing public documents to the libraries of the country, as shown by the incorporation in the printing bill H. R. 2,650, now pending in Congress, of a provision for supplying de- positories of documents with many publications not hitherto regularly furnished them, and for cataloging and indexing documents hereafter to be issued ; which bill the Association most earnestly hopes may become a law. TENTH SESSION. 165 Resolved, That inasmuch as regular de- positories are limited in number to 500 (or less than one-tenth of the libraries of the country), and therefore many important libraries cannot be placed upon the list of depositories, the Association respectfully urges that original Sec. 66 of the bef orementioned bill be retained, to the end at least 500 additional libraries may be regularly, and in virtue of statutory enact- ments, supplied with the more valuable publi- cations of the government. Resolved, That in view of the utility of satisfactory indexes of public documents and of the great need of a comprehensive index of all documents heretofore published, the Asso- ciation most earnestly recommends that pro- vision be made by Congress for the early prep- aration of a complete alphabetic index of said documents ; or, at least, of all documents issued since the publication of the catalog prepared by the late Major Poore. Resolved, That it is the judgment of this Association, that depositories should by all means be supplied with the journals of the Senate and House of Representatives, and it therefore requests the Senate to recede from its amendment No. 85, and allow the original provision of the bill to stand; also, that the Senate likewise recede from its amendment No. 77, and substitute therefor a provision for supplying such depositories as may desire them with copies of all bills and resolutions. Whereas, The libraries of the United States find it difficult to procure desirable official pub- lications of foreign governments, owing to lack of full and definite information in regard to them, Resolved, That the A. L. A. request the Secretary of State of the United States to pro- cure, if possible, through the accredited agents of the diplomatic service abroad, such detailed information as shall furnish the material for a list of the official publications of foreign gov- ernments. A I so, That the secretary of this Association forward a copy of this request to the Secretary of State, and that the Bureau of Education be requested to cooperate. Also, That the matter be referred to a spe- cial committee, which, in the event of the Sec- retary of State acceding to this request, shall furnish full details of the information desired. Resolved, That the A. L. A. requests that all periodical library publications issued to give information on new books and kindred sub- jects, even though distributed gratuitously, be permitted to be entered as second-class mail matter by the United States Postal authorities. Also, That a copy of this Resolution be sent by the secretary of this Association to the Post Master General. Resolved, That the A. L. A. desires and will encourage by every means in its power the use of strong paper and substantial binding in book publishing, and that it urges all publishers to supply good library editions fulfilling these re- quirements. Resolved, That the A. L. A. requests pub- lishers of magazines, who do not fold title pages and indexes with their publications, to forward to all libraries on their mailing lists title pages and indexes as soon as published. Resolved, That it is with sorrow this Associa- tion learns of the death of one of its members, Charles E. Lowrey, librarian of the University of Colorado, a man distinguished among his co-workers for the deep interest he took in his profession and for his high scholarship, and tenders its earnest sympathy to the family of the deceased. Resolved, That the executive board be in- structed to obtain, when possible, all papers to be read at an A. L. A. meeting, at least one month before the meeting ; that they cause to be printed and distributed to all members of the Association such of those papers as in their opinion it would be advisable to have read at the meeting in abstract only, and that such papers be so read. Resolved, That the A. L. A. greets with pleasure the publication of a compend of liter- ary routine, such as " Hints to small libraries," prepared by Miss Plummer and published by the Pratt Institute, and recognizes it as a useful and timely addition to library science. The several resolutions were all adopted ex- cept the last one, and that was accepted and referred to the council. The matter of the appointment of a committee to visit Washington at the proper time to aid in the passage of the bill relating to public documents, was referred to the executive board. Adjourned at 12.55 p - M - TENTH SESSION. (MIRROR LAKE HOTEL, SATURDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 22.) The meeting was called to order by Pres. LARNED at 9.45 A. M. The session was chiefly devoted to remarks by various speakers IN MEMORY OF THE LATE WILLIAM FREDERICK POOLE, LL.D. W: I. FLETCHER. I have been asked to speak to-day of "Dr. Poole as an indexer," but 1 am unwilling that the inference should i66 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. be drawn by those not familiar with the circumstances, that my acquaintance with Dr. Poole was mainly in connection with the index, on which we collaborated for years. On the contrary, this was but one of the ways, and not the chief one, in which I had been asso- ciated with him. Beginning in my boyhood, I was in daily association with him for five years, as his assistant in the Boston Athenaeum library, and then it was that I came to love and honor him as a man and a friend. He was one of God's noblemen, and while he was highly ap- preciated and honored by the great world in which he came to be so well known, there was a tender and intimate phase of his character which only those who were privileged to know him well could rightly estimate. To have known him well, to have felt the sweetness of his loving disposition, was a blessing for a lifetime . How much those of us who grew up under his guidance and thought- ful oversight owe to him we shall probably never know ; but we do know that the world seems empty with him no longer here. There are some things about Dr. Poole' s work as an indexer which it may be interest- ing to recount. The origin of his index work is significant. It grew out of the demands of his work as a librarian, and not from any desire to figure as an author or editor. Find- ing that there was a mine of wealth hidden away in the sets of old periodicals which were accumulating dust on the shelves of the college society's library, of which he had charge, he began a manuscript index to them, without thought of printing it. But by his indefati- gable industry, his index was soon so complete, and it became so useful, that its printing was demanded. The first edition was printed in 1848, while he was yet a junior in college. [Mr. Fletcher exhibited a copy of this first edition, which was passed about the room.] Dr. Poole's method as an indexer is worth noting. He always had a definite idea of the superiority of purely alphabetical arrangement, and would never hear of any form of classi- fied list to be substituted for the alphabetical. If you will look at this first edition, you will observe that while some of the details are different, the same general methods and prin- ciples are employed that appear in the latest edition. That this junior in Yale College should have been able to decide upon the arrangement of this index so well that in all these years it has not been found expedient to make any radical change, is an indication of his clear-headed appreciation of library wants, and how to meet them. As collaborator with Dr. Poole in this work for many years, I have to testify that in nearly every case where I differed from him as to a question of arrangement or style, I became satisfied that he was right. He was so self- reliant a man that he was impatient of rules when they became a restraint. I venture to say, however, that from the standpoint of practical utility his decisions of most points, even against well-accepted catalogue rules, will be generally accepted. I remember when the question arose about the different St. Thomas's, and I was in favor of a simple adherence to the rule that all per- sons canonized should be entered under the Christian name. But the Doctor would not allow Becket to follow this rule. As between Aquinas and Becket, he offered to compromise with me, I to take Aquinas for the Thomas's, he to take Becket. A strange way, this, to settle such a ques- tion ! the martinet in indexing would say. But, as I have already intimated, Dr. Poole's common sense taught him when rules should be broken in the interest of intelligent readers, unfamiliar with technicalities, and it can hardly be doubted that his index is more useful than it would be without these departures from established usage. As the principal collaborator with Dr. Poole in his index-work, I am glad of this opportunity to testify to my admiration for his qualities, not only as a man and a friend, but as a literary workman, especially as an indexer. To him, mainly, still belongs the credit for whatever is good and useful in the great work which will always be his chief monument. Dr. G: E. WIRE. Mr. Fletcher has just given you some reminiscences of Dr. Poole, particularly of his earlier years. He has also spoken quite at length as to his characteristics and his peculiarities. Mr. Fletcher had known him for many years, and been associated with him at an earlier period of his life. I am to make some remarks on the later years of his TENTH SESSION. 167 life, when I was thrown into daily contact with him in the library. We also lived in the same suburb, and frequently used to be on the same train, either going or coming. My acquaintance with Dr. Poole dates from 1887, when I first met him in the Chicago Pub- lic Library. I had the pleasure, too, of being in the office when he announced to us that he had been elected librarian of the Newberry Library, and of being one of the first to congratulate him on his appointment. I remember with what eagerness and with how much enthu- siasm he entered on this work, which he be- lieved to be, and which was, the crowning work of his life. In 1890 I entered the New- berry Library, and for three and a half years was associated with him very closely, as I have remarked. My impressions of him will, of course, be those of one whom time has already touched, gently and lightly, but none the less surely of one who was ripening to good old age. Born of sturdy New England stock, blessed with splendid physique and always gifted with good health, it was amazing to see him at his work of building up a great reference library. I have just alluded to the eagerness and enthusiasm with which he entered on this work. He, of course, realized that his days were fast numbering, and that what he did must be done quickly. Those of us who were with him know how hard he worked, bending all his energies and exerting all his strength to this pleasing task. All the immense bibliographical knowledge which he had gained in his long life as a libra- rian, all the knowledge of details, was available and freely used to further his aim. His eye was as bright, his brain as active and his wit as keen as it had ever been. There still remained all of his old versatility to give flavor and piquancy to his conversations, and it was gratifying to see the zest with which he entered into a dis- cussion on some of his favorite topics, with any of his friends. He had the advice and assistance of scores of people whom he had made his friends dur- ing the long years of his varied career. His friends were warm friends, and he loved them dearly. He was never too tired nor too busy to greet them. I remember, particularly, his habit of taking their hand in both of his while his handsome brown eyes would gleam and his face light up with a benignant smile. As to his enemies, I know not whether he had any. His criticisms were sharp and pun- gent and awakened hostility in some quarters, I believe, but I am not aware that the hos- tility extended to him personally. It was im- possible that a man living as he did and think- ing as he did, a man of positive convictions and extreme opinions on so many subjects, should not excite opposition. As a historian he pricked more than one historic bubble. It will be remembered that his solution of the witchcraft delusion was one of the first, if not the first, rational explanations of that strange and unfortunate phenomenon. His work in other fields was equally important, but we know him best as an all-round librarian, combining many qualities in one man. He gained his knowledge by experience, and came to be known as a library expert, so that his advice on matters of library economy was much sought after. He was constantly con- sulted on these subjects by architects, college presidents and librarians ; and many of those in the Association will bear witness to the patience and kindness with which he dealt with persons seeking his advice. As a coun- selor of the newly elected librarian the person who wanted to know all about the craft in one short morning he was unique. During the time that I knew him, however, he did not pay so much attention to details of adminis- tration, having able assistants in the library, to whom were left many of the details. This gave him more time for his own particular work, which he alone could do, the selection of books for this great reference library. Outside of library hours he was no less in- dustrious. He invariably read on the trains, both night and morning, and usually carried a bundle of books home for evening work. Not only his evenings, but a good share of his nights, were devoted to this work, which he used to call play. In fact, most of his work on the third edition of his index was done after the hours of evening were over; and sometimes his work went far into the night. He was, in no sense of the word, a society man, and preferred his home to all the allurements of a social life. He was not only an indefatigable worker, but always on hand when the library opened 1 68 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. in the morning. Few men of his age could, or would, work as he did. He took no long vacations, and sometimes no vacation at all. His family often begged him to spare himself ; but his heart was in his work, and he was happy only when at work. The year of the World's Fair he took no vacation, and did not, I believe, visit the Fair, except to attend some A. L. A. meetings. Holidays, when the library was closed, were generally spent at the library, and he used to say they were his best times for work. I have before alluded to his splendid physique. The strength of his constitution was seen in his recovery from a fall, which broke his right arm and dislocated his right shoulder, besides bruising and jarring him generally. He sustained this injury the day before election, in November, 1892, yet he per- sisted in going out the next day to vote the straight Republican ticket, as if nothing had happened to him. He was at his desk again by New Year's time, but never fully recovered from that accident. Although, as I have said, he continued to work all through 1893, it was evident to those of us who saw him daily and watched him closely, that he was failing. Those who met him at the Chicago Confer- ence must have noticed the change which was then apparent. It was touching to see the mellowing effects of time on him. He seemed more kindly than ever, if possible, in greeting his friends, and loved especially to meet those who, like him, were in the autumn of life. He did not say anything to either his family or to his assistants about himself, as was his wont ; yet they could see that the accident of a year before was but the beginning of the end. He continued at his work until within a couple of weeks of his death. For a few days his illness was not serious, but soon symptoms of the disease common to elderly people, atheroma of the blood vessels, set in. It is a comfort to know that his end was peaceful, and that without any pain whatever he sank to his long rest. S: S. GREEN. Mr. Ward Poole, the father of William Frederick Poole, resided in Worcester, Mass. , at the time when William went to col- lege. The records of Yale College state that the latter was a resident of Worcester when he entered college in 1842. When eleven years old, William gave up the idea of becoming a student, and he told the writer the following anecdote to show how he was induced to change his plans. In 1839 he was acting as a teamster for a tannery in Salem or Danvers. His mother was unwilling that he should not pursue his education further, and went from Worcester to the house of a friend in Danvers, past which she knew that her son often had to drive, to await his appearance. While he was passing the house she had him stopped, and in a conference pleaded with him to go home to Worcester and go to school. He yielded, and in the autumn of 1839 entered Leicester Academy, graduating in 1842. In the latter year, as stated above, he entered Yale College. Dr. Poole, as is well known, when in his junior year in college, 1848, published the first edition of his famous index. He told the writer of this notice that after he had prepared the manuscript of this edition for the printer he carried it from Boston to his home in Wor- cester one afternoon in 1848, and, as the late Hon. Charles Allen was to speak in the evening in the City Hall, waited in the centre of the town to hear him before returning home. He left the manuscript in a buggy near the hall while he went in to listen to Mr. Allen. On coming out he found that it was gone, and had to do the work over again, aided in doing it only by unsatisfactory memoranda. Several persons in Worcester remember Mr. Ward Poole, the father of William F. Poole. Not long after the occurrences mentioned above he moved, with his family, away from Worcester, and went back to Salem or Danvers.* Pres. J. N. LARNED. I think it is difficult for those of us who were intimately acquainted with Dr. Poole only in his later years, when the library movement of our generation had overtaken him, to realize how much of a pio- neer and leader he really had been in that movement. It seems to me that, more than any other man of his time, he imparted to the library movement its character and purpose at the beginning. * NOTE. Mr. Green was not present at this session, but submitted his remarks, as above, in writing after- wards, having been so requested at a previous session upon announcing that he would unavoidably be away at the time set for the memorial session. TENTH SESSION. 169 If there is one thing more than another which differentiates the American librarians from those of other countries, it is the eager- ness and earnestness with which they dig for buried treasures in the "tells" and dust-heaps of literature to find what there is out of sight that can be brought into sight and made valu- able. There were librarians before Dr. Poole who had done a great deal in the way of per- fecting catalogs and cataloging systems, but all that was rather a continuation of older work. Dr. Poole's undertaking to index peri- odical literature, was more an origination of what has since distinguished the work of the American librarians. He was not only a pioneer and a leader in that direction, but, more than any other man, he popularized the idea of librarianship as a profession. There were others, like Dr. Jewett, who had made it a profession in the understanding of the more learned part of the community, but it was Dr. Poole who brought librarianship as a profession distinctly before the public. I can remember the impression to that effect which was made on my mind in the first instance of my hearing of Dr. Poole. It was in connection with a discussion that arose in my city concerning the library that was then known as the library of the Young Men's Association, now called the Buffalo Library. There had grown up much discontent with the mode in which it was being formed, and a good deal of discussion as to what could be done to better that mode by those who were then in charge of the library. Among the managers were some who happened to know Dr. Poole, and he was called into consultation. He came among us in Buffalo, and there was considerable talk with reference to his becom- ing temporarily connected with the library for the purpose of organizing some system in it. I can remember very well the new impression that was made upon me at that time the reve- lation, as it were, that the librarian was some- thing more than we had been accustomed to consider him. It was just as though in a country town an architect had been called in to take part in the discussion of plans for a new church, and had given to the people for the first time the idea that the village carpen- ter was not sufficient for all that ought to be done. I think that Dr. Poole carried that idea into many places, and did much in this country to lift the profession of the librarian to a new height. Then again he did another great work, and that was to break the antique type of what he called "cathedral architecture" for libraries. We may not all of us agree with the ideas of library architecture which he promoted and advocated for so long a time, but we certainly can recognize the fact that he did break the old type, and that he cleared the ground for the construction of library buildings of a new character and of newusefulness.inour country. These alone would be great distinctions, and I think that they all belonged to Dr. Poole, along with very much besides, that was noble and dignified and most interesting and lovable in his character. Miss THERESA WEST. Possibly it may be well to add, from the immediate neighborhood in which Dr. Poole worked, a word as to the patience and kindness with which he always treated those of us who were starting the work, and of the solid foundation he gave us to build on. Our circumstances might make us change our methods from those originally devised by him, but we have all of us very great occasion to be grateful for that first help, for that first wise and trustworthy foundation which he gave us. MELVIL DEWEY. Mr. President, I want to say what I so often have said to the students in the Library School about Dr. Poole, and what you have already said here to-day, that this later generation did not realize how much Dr. William F. Poole had been and done in the American library movement a quarter of a century ago. He was the man that stood most for the stimulating element in organizing new libraries and giving them some tangible method, and a great many who knew him in these last years after he had worked for so many years as the leader and recognized expert (he said some- times in our meetings with more frankness than modesty, that he thought he knew all that was worth knowing about librarianship), forgot that for many years he stood for as much as almost all the rest of the librarians together . Another thing is to me a very delightful memory ; his best friends were those who knew him best. His associates were his most loyal and enthusiastic friends. He was a born 170 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. fighter. Nothing would bring him to his feet so quickly as a chance to attack something. When we. were in England seventeen years ago, we were all proud when Dr. Poole took the floor to make an address. With his fine presence, his strong voice and earnest manner, there was no man in either Association that made so splendid an impression as he. Those of us who used to have frequent tussles with him have always retained our affection for the man, though we may have differed on some question of policy. I remember well my first meeting with Dr. Poole. He brought out his index the year that I was born, and I had from boyhood known his name as the great librarian. When coming out of college in 1876 the notion took possession of me that we should have a library asso- ciation, but I was very shy about the first approaches for calling a meeting. The same was true of Mr. Winsor. The one man who from the first, through the whole history of the Association, has always had faith, not only said, "I think it can be done," but also "I will help," and did help, was Charles A. Cutter of the Boston Athenaeum. The other older librarians were often in doubt, but Mr. Cutter never failed to join heartily in every advance movement. In the early years, especially, as some of you know, there was a great deal of distrust as to what we should accomplish, and Dr. Poole was very shy in- deed. At first he withheld his name entirely, but, at the last, consented to have it appear on the organizing committee with that of Mr. Winsor, Mr. Lloyd P. Smith of Philadelphia, and myself. We met first in Mr. Smith's house, and it was the first time I ever saw Dr. Poole' s face. As I came into the parlor late in the evening, he came across the room and drawing himself to his full height burst out laughing. " Well," he said, " Dewey, you are a better looking man than I thought you were. I had a clear picture in mind of you as about 70 years old, with white hair and glasses and round shoulders." In fact I was then the youngest man in the association. My picture of our Nestor was equally wide of the mark. Dr. Poole's soldierly bearing gave me the im- pression of a generation younger than I had been prepared to meet. The surprise was a most delightful one to me, and from that time till he died I always enjoyed very much my relations with Dr. Poole. When an issue came up you did not lose your affection for him if you voted on the other side or differed from him. If the people who work with a man and know him intimately like him best, it is a very good sign. I am afraid of the man who is liked best by those who know him least. William F. Poole, far above all others, was the apostle of the modern library movement for many years. Nearly a quarter of a cen- tury ago he stood almost alone in his active and earnest efforts for library advancement. As I have dipped here and there into the his- tory of American libraries this fact has con- tinually come back to me, as I have found traces of his work in stimulating and shaping their growth. No other man deserves so much credit for those early years as our dear friend, Dr. William F. Poole. R. B. POOLE. We as librarians knew Dr. Poole as a librarian and as an architect. He was known in wider circles, perhaps, as a writer, but he was known in a still wider sense for his Index. Every day, as I am in my library, I hear expressons of appreciation of that work. A young man comes in and says, " Where can I get some information to prepare a debate on such-and-such a question," and I refer him to Poole's Index. An old gentle- man comes in and he is referred to Poole's Index. Constantly we are referring people to Poole's Index, and they are delighted with the fund of information that they obtain through this great work. Dr. Poole's name is, I think, going down to posterity through this great work of his more than in any other way. I am proud to have in my library the small volume which Mr. Fletcher showed us, indicat- ing how from this small beginning in college his work has grown to be of such magnitude and to be of such public importance. The man who does not know Poole's Index is cer- tainly far behind the times. Everybody has heard of it and everybody is using it. W: H. BRETT. 1 had not so good an oppor- tunity to know Dr. Poole as those older in the profession, but I shall never forget the one visit he paid to the Cleveland Public Library since I have been connected with it. It was on the occasion of the meeting of the Mission- TENTH SESSION. 171 ary Society in Cleveland. He came into the library with his usual dignified and leisurely air and spent an hour, perhaps, and his kindly interest in the work I was attempting to do, and his wise comments and advice on some points, and his general interest in the work going on, made an impression on me that I shall never forget. The advice that he gave me on some points was a help to me, and it has been an inspiration, I think. I saw very little of Dr. Poole after that. I met him at nearly every meeting of the Association, and always took him by the hand and had a few words with him. Though I never had a chance to see him much, his influence on me has been great. Mrs. MELVIL DEWEY. I remember a pleasing incident that occurred in our library confer- ence trip abroad in 1877. I think it was in one of the Scotch libraries in Edinburgh. As the party were introduced to the librarian he stepped to the shelf and took down a well worn copy of Poole's Index. I remember exactly how the book looked, and the expression of pleasure and pride that came over Dr. Poole's face as the book was placed in his hands. Pres. LARNARD. Miss Hewins asked me to say on this occasion that she owed to Dr. Poole her first introduction into library work. In her girlhood she was engaged during one winter in some work of study or investigation in the Boston Athenaeum, and became exceed- ingly fond of the place, and exceedingly unwilling to surrender the privilege which had been temporarily conceded to her. She mustered courage one morning to say to Dr.' Poole that if there should be a vacancy in the library which she could fill she would be very glad to have the opportunity. He asked her name and address, and about a month later she received notice of her appointment to a place. This was the beginning of the library career of Miss Hewins, and there she received her first education in library work. I think Dr. Poole was the teacher of many who have risen to prominent places in the library world. INVITATION AND RESOLUTIONS. Pres. LARNED read the following invitation from the Library Association of the United Kingdom, dated London, Sept. 10, 1894: "At the seventeenth annual meeting of the Library Association, which has just been held at Belfast, it was unanimously resolved that the next annual meeting should be held in London ; and that the American Library Asso- ciation should be cordially invited to hold its next annual meeting at the same time and place. Permit me to say on behalf of my fellow-members that a large delegation from your body would be most heartily welcomed ; and if at your present meeting you resolve to accept our invitation, I shall endeavor to secure the adhesion of librarians from France, Ger- many and Italy, and thus make our joint meet- ing an International Conference." W: H. BRETT, from the committee on reso- lutions, submitted a resolution expressing the cordial appreciation of this Association for the courtesy extended to it by the invitation from the L. A. U. K. W: I. FLETCHER. I move that this resolu- tion be referred to the executive board with power. MELVIL DEWEY. I move to amend the mo- tion to the effect that we instruct the board to say that we have received with great pleasure the invitation of the L. A. U. K. to an Interna- tional meeting to be held in London. That as the invitation arrived just at the adjournment of this conference we are unable to accept it for 1895 because arrangements had been defi- nitely completed to meet in Denver, but that a large delegation have signified their intention of attending a meeting in London if it can be fixed for 1 896. And, furthermore, that our re- sponse be a cordial acceptance, without any tinge of regret. Voted. W: H. BRETT read the following resolution of thanks to the hotel proprietors, which was adopted unanimously : Whereas, Appreciating the courtesy and kindness which the members of the A. L. A. have received during their stay at Lake Placid, and realizing also that the managers have done much which is not required by the ordinary relations of guest and hotel proprietor to render that stay a pleasant one, Resolved, That a vote of thanks be hereby tendered to the proprietors of the Mirror Lake and Grand View Hotels. AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION. F: M. CRUNDEN. I desire an amendment to the constitution, so that we may return to the former way of electing officers. These two years' experience have shown that the old way was the better one, and the result, it seems to me, is about the same. I feel certain that last year at Chicago our present president would 172 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. have been elected under the old method. Also, that under our old method Mr. Utley, as now, would have been elected just the same, this year. The net result is the same, but the machinery is much more complicated, cum- brous, and wasteful of our time. Mrs. H: J. CARR. I, for one, want to go back to the old way, and I should like to see an amendment, such as Mr. Crunden mentions, voted on this year. MELVIL DEWEY. I think that over 20 mem- bers of the Association have said to me, since last year, just what Mrs. Carr has said now. I was heartily opposed to that change, but having done it, let us stick to it long enough to try it. Mr. Hill arose once yesterday to offer an amendment to the same effect. The election next year would be taken on the pres- ent system. After we have tried three years by the ballot system the Association can see whether it likes that better. That would give us a chance to perfect the ballot system, and then perhaps we would be satisfied with it. It seems bad practice to be dodging back and forth, yet I should vote in favor of an amendment now. You can not always, by the ballot system, fit the right people into the right office. A man nominated for an office, who is singularly unfit for it, may yet be elected, if he is a popular man. The point that was forgotten last year was that we can have our Australian ballot system apply on electing five members of the executive board. I think I would have the president elected by direct ballot, too. If you elect a president, and then elect five men by ballot, those people can after- wards take all day long in canvassing further matters. They can best decide where we should meet, and would be guided in the selection of officers by the place of next meeing. W: I. FLETCHER. I am entirely in agree- ment with all that Mr. Dewey has said upon the subject. F: M. CRUNDEN. I move that the executive board be instructed to prepare an amendment to the constitution to that effect, and have it printed a month before the next meeting, so that all members can have it ; and that it be considered at the next meeting, at which the first vote will be taken. Voted. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS. F: M. CRUNDEN. I hesitated during the memorial session in regard to Dr. Poole to offer any undigested remarks. I might have said something on one topic, if I had not been an- ticipated and what I had in mind been said much better than I could have said it, regard- ing the debt which the Association owes Dr. Poole for what he has done to give a recogni- tion to the profession and make the work enjoyable. What I have now to say, at the close of this, which I consider the most successful convention of the Association, is what leads out from that. In preparing my paper for the Chicago confer- ence last year, I was struck with the amount of work that had been done by a few men, by half a dozen men, perhaps, towards creating a library science creating a science on which our profession was based. I was struck by the amount of writing that had been done by Dr. Poole, Mr. Dewey, Mr. Cutter, Mr. Green, Mr. Fletcher, and Mr. Foster, and I felt a sense of gratitude towards those men for the pioneer work that they had done, by which I, in com- mon with others, was profiting. It seems to me, that never before has there been such an outlook. The pleasing thing is to see the young men and young women coming in who are going to raise the profession to still greater heights. On those of us who occupy, as it Were, the middle position, it is incumbent to hand down augmented the contributions which we have gratefully received from Dr. Poole and our earlier contemporaries. Espe- cially am I pleased to see so many young men and young women fitting themselves in their youth for this work. That was one of the causes, I think, of Dr. Poole's success, that he began in his youth to fit himself for his pro- fession. In the case of many of us we did not start out to be librarians. I am pleased, too, to see an increasing num- ber of young men. It was to be expected that young women would take advantage of the new field opened to them ; but the particularly gratifying thing is that young men at the out- set of their careers are fitting themselves for this profession. This promises a success that heretofore none of us have attained, for I think that the ideal librarian is yet to come. I congratulate the Association on the success PUBLISHING SECTION. of this meeting, and I think that great thanks are due to the president for his admirable management. J. N. WING. First of all I am a librarian. I used Dr. Poole's Index a great deal, and use it at the present time. It has occurred to me that it would be a suitable thing for this Asso- ciation, in recognition of Dr. Poole's great ser- vices, to erect either a monument or a tablet in some appropriate institution, college or library of this country, which would be known as the monument or tablet erected by the A. L. A. in memory of Dr. Poole. I, for one, would be willing to subscribe. I make a mo- tion to this effect, and you may put me down for $5. F: M. CRUNDEN. I second the motion and make the same contribution. I suggest that the most appropriate place would be the New- berry Library. G: W. COLE. It seems to me that it would be well to add an amendment that a committee be appointed to carry this through. I move such an amendment. Mr. WING asked to be excused from acting as a member of that committee. (Neither the recorder's notes nor the stenog- rapher's report shows any vote or further action to have been taken upon the above motions.) MELVIL DEWEY. I had another scheme to suggest which I think will approve itself to the members. I move that the Publishing Section be directed to prepare a suitable inscription for one of its principal works, as a memorial to Dr. Poole's distinguished services. Voted. Pres. LARNED. Before we adjourn I beg leave to thank the Association for the great considerateness with which my inexperience has been borne, the kindness with which my duties have been made easy, and the very happy memory which I shall keep of what I anticipated as a serious trial. MELVIL DEWEY. I move that we now take a recess, and that final adjournment be made at the close of the post-conference excursion. Voted, 11.30 A. M. Final adjournment was made at Caldwell, Lake George, Friday, September 28, 1894. A. L. A. PUBLISHING SECTION. The Publishing Section met in the parlor of the Mirror Lake Hotel on Friday, Sept. 21, at 2.30 P.M. President DEWEY in the chair. In the absence of the secretary, W. I. FLETCHER was chosen secretary pro tern. The secre- tary's report, including a statement of the financial condition of the Section, was read as follows : The executive board of the Publishing Sec- tion having held no meetings since the Chicago session of the A. L. A., the secretary is obliged to report in its behalf that no progress has been made during the past year in developing the future work of the Section. Several changes were made in the membership of the board last year, but none of the members, espe- cially the older members, have found time that they could take from other engrossing duties to set the wheels in motion. At the last meeting the annual fee of mem- bership in the Section was set at $5.00 instead of $10.00, with the understanding that the money should be collected annually ; and that the members should receive in return one copy of every publication issued, and might take the balance, if any, of what was due them in addi- tional copies at their pleasure. It was the in- tention also to issue immediately a small hand- book giving information about the Section, what it had done and what it intended to do ; and by distribution of this handbook and in other ways to enlarge the membership of the Section. The handbook has not been made, but it continues to be the first need of the Section. The secretary has many times during the past year received enquiries in regard to the Section, and its publications, to which he has had to reply by hand, and necessarily in brief form, not giving as satisfactory information as could be conveyed in a few printed pages. Before any respectable attempt can be made to increase the membership, one other thing in addition to the handbook is equally necessary, viz., some more definite plan for the future work of the body. Libraries and bibliogra- phers cannot fairly be asked to subscribe five dollars a year toward the work of a society or board without being told somewhat definitely what the board wants to accomplish, and with- out being assured that there is some proba- bility that what they want they have the means to bring to pass. 174 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. The financial condition of the Section is ex- cellent. The treasurer states, with satisfac- tion, that the A. L. A. Index has already paid for all its expenses of publication, and that we were able to pay over to the editor on the first of September the sum of $127.77 as a first in- stalment of the payments to be made him under his agreement with the board. The items of expense of publication have been as follows: Expenses of preparation under Mr, Fletcher $750 oo Composition and electrotyping 1,029 4 1 Printing and paper 219 65 Binding 371 03 Distribution, etc 98 37 Advertising* 106 37 Total $2,574 83 644 copies out of 750 printed have been sold; 254 of these by the treasurer of the Section directly to members, and on advance orders to others, bringing in $1,303.90; and 390 through Houghton, Mifflin & Co. after pub- lication, from which the Section has received $1,398.70; making the total receipts to August 31, 1894, $2,702.60, and giving us a balance of $127.77 to pay to the editor. Our arrangement with Houghton, Mifflin & Co. for the sale of the work after publication is a reasonable and customary one, but it is in- teresting to remark that a very considerable saving has been made by keeping the original distribution of members' copies, and those ordered in advance, in the hands of the Section. The 254 copies distributed by the treasurer directly, brought in $1,303.90; de- ducting from this $98.37, expense of wrapping, express, etc., leaves us $1,205.53 as the net re- ceipts from these copies. If, however, they had been sold by an agent on the same terms as the copies distributed later we should have received only $909.32; which shows that $296.21 has been saved in the distribution. Only 77 copies remain unsold. It is there- fore evident that the work will before very long go out of print, and it is not likely that we should want to reprint the book in its pres- ent form, or be able at present to print an en- larged edition. In spite of its many short- comings, which have been repeatedly pointed out, and which the executive board is quite ready to acknowledge beforehand, it is a book of reference which no well-equipped library should be without. Those libraries which have not yet purchased it should take warning that they will soon be unable to do so, and should order it promptly. The financial result of the publication of " Reading for the Young" is not so good, but still not unsatisfactory. A new edition, of a thousand copies, was needed a little more than a year ago, and of the whole number of 4,250 copies printed, 3,464 have been sold, from which the receipts have been $1,572.02. The expenses to date have been $1,729.16, so that a balance of $157.14 still remains to be made up by sales before the expenses will be covered. The sales of the twelve months, July, 1893, to June, 1894, have been 117 copies, netting $84. 62. The expense for stationary and postage since January i, 1892, has been but $12.22, and the interest received from money on deposit, $8.91. For the publication of the A. L. A. Index $650 was borrowed from the Endowment Fund. The cash on hand in the Charles River Bank, Cambridge, and the Cambridge Savings Bank, amounts to $613.82, while $55. 77 is due from the Library Bureau. It will be seen therefore that the larger part of the money borrowed might be now repaid to the Endowment Fund if it is desirable for either party that it should be, and as far as the Publishing Section is con- cerned, this depends upon whether any plans which it is about to set on foot will require the immediate expenditure of money or not. If the sum is simply kept as an investment, it is better off in the hands of the Endowment Fund's trustees and should be returned to them. All the financial operations of the Section are comprised in the above statements, and make any more formal treasurer's report unneces- sary. The treasurer's journal and ledger, with a trial-balance, and the corresponding bills and vouchers since January i, 1892, are presented herewith to be audited. Respectfully submitted on behalf of the ex- ecutive board, WM. C. LANE, Secretary and Treasurer. Voted, That the secretary's report be re- ceived and placed on file. COLLEGE LIBRARY SECTION. Voted, That a committee to audit the treas- urer's accounts be appointed, to act under direction of the executive board, and to con- tinue in office through the year, in order that next year's report and accounts may be audited before the annual meeting. Commit- tee : Gardner M. Jones, J. N.Wing, A.L. Peck. Voted, That the treasurer be instructed to pay to W. I. Fletcher the balance of $127.77 due him under the agreement as to the prepar- ation of the A. L. A. Index. Voted, To refer to the executive board with power, that part of the secretary's report re- lating to the Endowment Fund and its loan to the Section. Voted, That the executive board be in- structed to proceed at once with the publica- tion of 'the Index of Subject Headings, reported as nearly ready by the committee, G. M. Jones, chairman, charged by the A. L. A. with the preparation of such a list. Voted, That a committee of three be ap- pointed by the chair to submit to the executive board a revised scheme for the various publi- cations of the Publishing Section, including for each series, name, size, paper, type and other mechanical features. [This committee, appointed later, was J. N. Lamed, R. R. Bow- ker, Miss Ellen M. Coe.] Voted, That the executive board print a schedule of leaflets, or minor publications issued or prepared by the Section, if the de- mand warrants; such schedules to be dis- tributed to libraries as an order-list. Mr. lies of the executive board, being unable to attend, sent a letter relative to the annotated list of books for girls' and women's clubs, in preparation by collaboration under direction of Miss Ellen M. Coe. Voted, That the executive board be in- structed to publish this work by sections as fast as completed, and in the form of leaflets for each subject. The subject of a new edition of " Reading for the Young " was discussed, and it was Voted, That a Supplement to " Reading for the Young" be issued, including an index to the leading children's periodicals. Voted, That arrangements be made for bringing out a brief selected list of children's reading that can be distributed at a cost of about five cents, so that libraries can use them very freely. Voted, That a circular be sent to libraries inviting notice to the Section of" suitable manu- script material which the Section ought to publish. Voted, That the executive board be rec- ommended to establish as a part of their work a distributing agency for gifts, if found practicable. Voted, That the executive board prepare for private circulation an annotated list of un- desirable fiction. On motion of Mr. Lamed it was Voted, That the officers of the Section for the past year be re-elected for the year to come, as follows : President, Melvil Dewey ; Secretary and Treasurer, W. C. Lane; Ex- ecutive Board, in addition to the above, W. I. Fletcher, R. R. Bowker, George lies. Adjourned. W. I. FLETCHER, Secretary pro tempore. COLLEGE LIBRARY SECTION. At the preliminary meeting, Wednesday, September 19, in the absence of Professor Harris, Mr. W. I. Fletcher, of Amherst College, was asked to act as chairman at the meetings of the Section. Two regular meetings were held, on the afternoons of Thursday and Friday, Septem- ber 20 and 21. At these meetings no formal papers were read, but the time was occupied by brief statements of the practice of the institutions represented, on some points of particular interest to the Section. At the first meeting, in the absence of the secretary, Mr. Austin, of Cornell University, acted as secretary pro tern. The subject dis- cussed was "Departmental and Seminary Libraries." Amherst and Bowdoin colleges have no such libraries ; the other institutions, so far as reported, all have them, though in varying numbers and under varying conditions of use and control. Opinions on the advis- ability of their establishment were divided, but^heir especial usefulness to those depart- ments in which the instruction is given in special laboratories was generally admitted. It was also agreed that it is difficult to obtain i 7 6 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. satisfactory supervision without having an attendant in each library. At the second meeting the subject-catalogue of a college library, access to the shelves, and instruction in the use of the library*, were dis- cussed. As to the second point it was found that Amherst College, the Illinois State Normal University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology give free access to all students, and Harvard and Cornell to all graduate stu- dents and to specially recommended under- graduates. In regard to the third point, the opinion of those who had tried class instruction in the use of the library by lectures was against the method and in favor of instruction of in- dividuals or of small sections in the library itself. The chairman's suggestion that the subject of ' ' Specialization in college libraries, is or is it not made at the expense of general culture ?' be considered at the meeting of the Section next year, was approved. The Section voted that the Executive board of the A. L A. be requested to assign to some one session those subjects which are not particularly interesting to the College Section, and to allow the latter to hold its meeting at the time of that session. On motion of Miss Milner it was voted that the Executive board be requested to consider, when determining the time for the next con- ference, the facts that the vacations of school and college librarians begin in the very last of June, and that the first two weeks in Septem- ber are the most convenient for them. Mr. Clement W. Andrews, of the Massachu- setts Institute of Technology, was chosen chair- man, and Mr. W. H. Austin, of Cornell Uni- versity, secretary, for the ensuing year. The Section then adjourned. CLEMENT W. ANDREWS, Secretary. Libraries of the following institutions were represented: Amherst College, Armour Insti- tute, Bowdoin College, Brown University, Columbia College, Cornell University, Uni- versity of Colorado, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mc- Gill University, Illinois State Normal Univer- sity, University of Nebraska, Teachers' College, N. Y., University of Vermont, Wellesley College, Wesleyan University, and University of Wisconsin. THE SOCIAL SIDE OF THE CONFERENCE. There was abundant liberality displayed in planning the social features of the Conference of 1894. Three entire evenings were given up to enjoyment. On Wednesday evening, Sep- tember 19, there was " a social meeting under the auspices of the Library School ;" Thursday evening was the occasion of the annual dinner; and Friday evening was given up to a dance and "social" arranged by the entertainment committee. Lack of space forbids even brief mention of the many pleasant details of these three evenings. A bare outline of the whole must suffice enough, it is hoped, to revive and freshen pleasant memories. Chronologically, the social evening conducted by " the" Library School deserves first place. At half -past eight on Wednesday evening the members, some 200 strong, gathered in the big hall of the Grand View Hotel, about the great open fireplace, where a cheery fire burned. Mr. Crunden made an effective master of ceremonies. The evening opened with a little music ; then came a ' ' fagot party," when various persons were called upon to amuse the company while their "fagots" burned on the hearth. The fagots, by the way, were fragrant bundles of fir branches. Among those who contributed fagots to the social blaze were Mr. Dewey, Mr. Cutter, Mr. W. I. Fletcher, Mr. Soule, Mr. Bolton, Miss McMillan, Miss McGuffey and Miss Browning. An interesting debate was held on the ques- tion, "Did Mr. Cutter ascend Whiteface?" Mr. Dewey taking the negative, Mr. Fletcher the affirmative ; after which, Mr. Crunden gave, in inimitable French-English, a Frenchman's views on " Hamlet." Then followed the sing- ing of college glees and choruses by the whole gathering, given with hearty good will, for by this time every one was at ease and " went in" with enthusiasm. " America" was sung, standing, as a finale, and then refreshments were served, consisting of crackers and cheese, doughnuts and cider, peanuts and maple SOCIAL FEATURES. 177 sugar a regular mountain Hallowe'en spread. This closed a program that was not only enjoyable but delightfully original and un- expected. The annual dinner on Thursday evening differed little from its predecessors of former conferences. It was served in the dining- rooms of the Grand View Hotel, and the menu "d la Dewey and Cutter" deserves to be commemorated in the records of the A. L. A. It consisted of: 613.28 plus 536.42 a la 396.923.144 RN phis MJB a la e u 3 614.324 of 583.32 a la 944.36 RNC of RGP a la 39 974.16 597.5 0944.270 8 4 iK PBS D 18 583.32 a la 944 RGP a la 39 636.2591.49 a la G 54 RM a la G 54 583.79 944.36 RGP 39 P 957 621.96 RRLP 65 598.6 plus 614.132 plus 536.46 RJND plus RZQ 583.55 plus 665.3 Plus 664.5 RGL plus RRBV plus RRBO 945.73 642 RZU 35 N 613.19^1641 MHJ RZT 634 613.38 RH and R. 2 B. C. Fortunately, a " key " was appended, where- by the poetry of Dewey and Cutter was ren- dered into plain English prose. After the dinner came the toasts and speeches. Find- ing, however, that it was impossible, as the tables were arranged, for all to hear, the diners carried their chairs into the spacious parlors, where they settled themselves for "the feast of reason and the flow of soul " that ac- company all A. L. A. festivities. Mr. Soule presided, and made the first speech of the evening, tendering to Pres. Larned the con- gratulations of the Association on the comple- tion of his great work, "History for Ready Reference." Mr. Larned's happy response was followed by brief and witty speeches from Mr. Crunden, Dr. Wire, Miss Ahern, Major McClintock, Mr. Thomson, Mr. Cutter, Mr. Thwaites, Mr. Gould, and others. Mr. H. L. Koopman read an original poem, and the fol- lowing verses, by Miss Almira L. Hayward, were listened to with interest and amusement : " A Larned company met one day Upon a Hill not far away, Each having first his views expressed By Carrs they came, from east and West, From Dewey Lane and lies so Green, From Glenns where Garlands Gay are seen, From quiet Pools where Clouds look down To Seymour clear where they will drown. On Mundy Sharp these wise ones met, The King had called, the time was set. The Faxon which they then debated, Each Bill they passed, opinion stated, Are they not entered in his book Who'll Dana 'nother year to brook The Pecks and frowns of thankless men, And be our secretary again ? This lesson learn, if you would Winsor, Keep watch and Ward o'er every Mann, sir; Maintain the Chase by Wing and Wire, And time will bring your heart's desire. The memory of this time we'll treasure, And Foster well these springs of pleasure; Each Little Cole of fire we'll cover As tenderly as bashful lover; Thus keeping each, within his Soule, The fire of loyalty and truth. Indeed so abundant was the supply of wit and wisdom, that it was "all hours" when the sixteenth annual dinner of the A. L. A. was declared finis. As if one social evening was not enough, the entertainment committee had arranged that Friday evening, September 21, should be given up to festivity at the Mirror Lake Hotel. Large placards conveyed the information that this was "A LAst night;" but even this fact could not cast a gloom upon the evening. There was dancing from 9 till u, followed by a "sing." The fascinations of an "Art gallery" and a "Hall of curios" combined, attracted those who were not disciples of Terpsichore, and when the dancing was over, refreshments were served in the pleasant dining-room of the hotel. A vote of thanks was unanimously tendered to Mr. Martin, proprietor of the Mirror Lake Hotel, and of course there were more speeches, recitations and toasts. Among those who thus helped to speed the hours of the "A LAst night" were Messrs. Crunden, Thwaites, Soule, Dudley and Dana. Then the "good nights " were said, and the social features of the Conference were at an end, save as they should be continued, in modi- fied form, during the Post-Conference week. 7 8 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. THE POST-CONFERENCE EXCURSION. SATURDAY-WEDNESDAY, BY HELEN E. HAINES. First, it was one of the largest parties that has ever taken a Post-Conference trip; secondly, the Weather Bureau had frowned upon frivolity and had so arranged that the Conference week proper was kept clear (indoors) for business, with but few pleasure trips, so that when play- time came all were ready for it; lastly, the sentiments of the party were fitly expressed by a member when she said, " When I am at play I play just as hard as I can; when I am at work I work just as hard as I play and you see how hard I play!" Therefore, the Post- Conference was a SUCCESS, in big capitals. Q. E. D. It began on Saturday, September 22, when at 2.30 P. M., the members gathered about the Mirror Lake and Grand View Hotels, ex- changed adieus with their friends, old and new, who were not "in it," mounted tally- hos, ensconced themselves in carryalls and mountain wagons, and were driven through the September sunshine to the little Lake Placid railway station, bidding a regretful farewell to the beautiful twin lakes, to Little Cobble, Big Cobble, and Old Whiteface, for by this time we "Hailed in each crag a friend's familiar face, And clasped the mountains in our mind's embrace." Then came the rapid run by the Chateaugay R. R. to Saranac Lake. Here all emerged; bags, portmanteaus and " sich " were stowed away in the waiting wagons, more farewells were exchanged with those whom unkind fate sent homeward, and the Post-Conferrees, numbering sixty-odd, again piled into tallyhos and coaches and were conveyed along the winding road to the hotels Ampersand and Algonquin. But fifteen were quartered at the latter house ; the others nocked into the Ampersand, pre- empted all available rooms, and overflowed into tents, cabins and "annexed districts," whence after some sprucing up they emerged ready for supper and plenty of it. What befell after supper this chronicle saith not. It is rumored that there was dancing ; but this is not credited, as the Mountain Climber and Devotee of Terp- sichore is known to have retired at 8. 30. Most of the members soon followed his example and sought repose some in prosaic hotel chambers, some in airy tents, where the wind whistled, the canvas flapped, and all was eerie, queery and skeery ; some in quaint little cabins hidden in the birch grove, and some in the humble "annex" over the woodshed. On Sunday the librarians followed their own sweet wills. They walked and talked, and ex- plored the woods and shore, they held learned discourse upon the raison d'etre of the word "ampersand" (&) as applied to the adjacent lakes and mountain ; some went to church a morning service was held in the hotel parlors and a few lucky mortals spent the day in a never-to-be-forgotten trip up the Lower Sar- anac, through the Saranac River, across Round Lake, to Saranac Club Inn and back again. Just a word for this trip: it deserves more than a brief title entry. The parties, two boat- loads, left at 9.30 A. M., were rowed by the guides to Saranac Club Inn, where they dined (and such a dinner!), and returned, reaching " home" at six. Literally, the day was far from perfect, but practically it was better than per- fect, for it showed the lakes under the varying aspects of storm and quiet, sunshine and cloud, wind, rain and calm. On the homeward way there came a smart shower ; but then the setting sun shone out, and that sunset was, in truth, as though our eyes had ' ' seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." There was no warmth of color, no red glow, but all the world was bathed in paly gold, lighting up the brown and olive storm clouds, turning the hills into a glory of greens and browns and reds, casting myriad halos upon the dancing water, while to the east shone steadily the bow of promise. The Weather Sharp said it meant rain. Anp it did. That night we could say with Long- fellow : " The wind is rising, it seizes and shakes The doors and window-blinds, and makes Mysterious meanings in the halls " and especially in the tents. As the wind rose the temperature fell, and the warm wraps which Mr. Dewey had so emphasized, and which had until now been a delusion and a snare, were rummaged out and donned three deep. POST-CONFERENCE EXCURSION. 179 On Monday morning, fortified by a good breakfast and well wrapped, the party set forth for the ten-mile drive by tallyho to Paul Smith's. It was arranged that those who rode outside in the morning should ride inside in the afternoon, during the drive from Paul Smith's to Bloomingdale, and it proved that the self-sacrificing ones who gave up first place chose literally " the better part." The coaches were full, outside and inside, and the on- toppers packed themselves in so closely that it was hinted that the roof of one coach was weakening, in which case, some one said, there would be a fine mess of library jelly. That morning's drive was not hilarious. The coaches rattled over the " thank-you-marm's," through the pines, over the hills and far away ; but the wind and the rain and the cold had apparently a soothing effect on the spirits of the party. But when will we forget the blazing wood fires in Paul Smith's hospitable parlors ? How we stood around them and revelled in their warmth, thawing by degrees, relaxing stiffened muscles, and deciding that life was worth living after all, and that the half-hour before dinner had best be spent in exploring. Out then the clans trooped, by twos and threes and half-dozens, rambling among the big pines, along the lake, past the charming log cabins summer homes available only for capitalists down the wooded knolls to the lake shore, and then doing it all over again. There was but one little rift within the lute. This was no lodge in a vast wilderness, but a civilized, expensive summer hotel, with modern improvements, and the untamed librarians yearned for forest solitudes, for wilderness and " b'ars." But civilization has its compen- sations : " All human history attests That happiness for man the hungry sinner Since Eve ate apples, much depends on dinner," and that dinner at Paul Smith's reconciled us to Nineteenth Century existence, as demon- strated in fried chicken, venison a la chasseur, Neapolitan macaroni, and accompaniments. Then came the eight mile drive to Blooming- dale station, when the former outsiders went inside and the insiders came out. By this time the storm had cleared, the sun smiled in a wintry way but with signs of relenting, and the wind had subsided. It was a very jolly drive among the pines, first going up, up, up, then coming down, down, downy, and, in the words of the poet, " There was music in the air as the A. L. A. went by, And clear their voices rang in the gray September sky!" By the time the coaches reached Blooming- dale station the star spangled banner had waved, the gem of the ocean had sparkled, Bonnie had been brought back several times, Nellie had been seen home assiduously, and the yearnings of the librarians had found vent in musical appeals for " Mush, mush, mush ! " Bloomingdale station was taken by a strategic movement, and the host rested on their arms and entertained "the lively shadow-world of song," to the edification (?) of the natives, until the Loon Lake train appeared, and was promptly carried by assault. From Loon Lake station to Loon Lake House was a three mile drive through the lengthening shadows, among the loveliest surroundings, each woodsy vista revealing fresh beauties of tinted foliage, purple hills and glimpses of the hidden lake. Loon Lake House "is chiefly noted for" its supper and those members who expatiate, instead, upon the attractions of the charming views, the wooded hills and the lakeside paths, are to be regarded with distrust. After supper the party gathered in the delightful main hall and office, around the blazing open fires, where some wrote letters, but the majority talked and talked and talked again. It is the opinion of the Outsider that libra- rians are distinctively a Gregarious Species, and it is another opinion of the same observer that had an American librarian participated in the famous talking match between the French- man, the Englishman and the German, the re- sult of that contest would have been different. It was amusing to listen to the babble of con- versation and to note how "shop" was omni- present even in playtime, and how, though the talk might stray far afield from shelf-lists, fixed location, catalogs and stacks, it was sure to return anon to those mysterious library realms. It has been intimated that the spirits of the party were high ; but how unrestrained those spirits were was not known until that evening at Loon Lake House, when they (the spirits) performed weird antics of table-tipping, and i8o LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. even sent a solemn grand piano curveting about the room, much to the delectation of the guests of the hotel, who in common with the ordinary folk at most of our stopping-places seemed to regard the A. L. A. party as a "sideshow" provided for their special enter- tainment. At nine o'clock on Tuesday morning, in a misty rain, the tribes left Loon Lake for Plattsburgh, the indefatigable secretary being reenforced by the courteous agent of the D. & H. C. Co., who was to "personally conduct" us as far as Lake George. The trip from Loon Lake to Plattsburgh occupied about two hours, and was chiefly given up to watching the mag- nificent mountain panorama that was unrolled as the train rushed up the steep grades, " way up on the mountain top, tip-top," or swung around sharp curves that left one breathless. A few enterprising spirits stationed them- selves on the rear platform of the train and drank in the wonderful view, imbibing at the same time a plentiful modicum of coal dust and cinders. Specially interesting were the deserted villages, formerly thriving charcoal- burning or iron-mining settlements, now bare and desolate, the cabins, workshops and general store shuttered up or gaping forlornly. Dan- nemora, too, was interesting, with the battle- mented walls of the prison, which, a small boy informed us, contained "more'n a thousand men." During the trip the mist cleared away and the sun shone fair and promising, turning the hills into wonderful kaleidoscopes of greens, bronzes and reds. Plattsburgh was reached at noon, and the company trooped into Paul Smith's Fouquet House, whence some made their way to the town and invested in "rub- bers," "goloshes" and "gums" according to where they were "raised" with which to brave the slipperiness of Au Sable Chasm, and which, parenthetically, were quite unnecessary. Dinner over, the train was boarded for the Chasm, stopping by the way at Bluff Point, where all baggage was left, to be taken to the Hotel Champlain. The Chasm was reached at three o'clock, and the party made their way to the little pa- goda, the entrance to the gorge, where they peered through the panes of blue and yellow glass and exclaimed at the wonderful color effects cast upon the rocks and the river below. Then down the winding stairway to the Chasm they filed, enthusiastic at first, exclaiming over the coloring, the rocks, the sky, the sun- light and the river, but gradually growing silent as the full beauty of the scene made it- self felt. Frederika Bremer once said that " a visit to the Chasm would reward a voyage from Europe," and this afternoon was undoubtedly the crown and climax of our trip. Turn for a moment to the guide-book: ' ' Near Keeseville the Au Sable River flows over the Alice Falls, and then descends, a line of swirling rapids, to the Birmingham Falls. Below it grows narrower and deeper, and rushes through Au Sable Chasm, where, at the narrowest point, a wedged bowlder cramps the channel to the width of six or eight feet. Still lower down, the walls stand about fifty feet apart, and are more than one hundred feet high, descending to the water's edge in sheer perpendicular line." For nearly two miles the river makes its way within these rocky walls, breaking out into wonderful fissures, clefts and gullies; now fretting and storming in a foaming torrent; now hardly moving, a waveless, inky pool ; while on either side the sheer cliffs rise like piers of masonry, crowned with cedars, and fringed and garlanded with moss and evergreens. There was no order in our wanderings. By twos and threes we visited the deep cave, peered down the great pot-hole known as "Jacob's Well," clambered over the rocks, and mounted the winding galleries and stair- ways. The Western Antiquarian and the Mountain Climber held sage 'ological discus- sions upon Potsdam sandstone, volcanic forma- tions and friable rock; some grosser souls were not above the charms of peanuts, and others loaded themselves with stone "relics" of the trip. Then came the gathering on Table Rock, where the boat landing is, and where photographs and "soft" drinks are obtainable; then, the too short "boat ride," the shooting of the rapids; and then 'twas over, and the librarians stowed themselves into the waiting wagons, and were driven in hilarious mood to the little Au Sable station, whence the train was to convey them to Hotel Champlain. Here, in the rustic shed that served as depot, the meeting was called to order, and the closing POS T- CONFERENCE EXCURSION. 181 exercises of " Au Sable Day" were held, Secretary Hill reading the following communi- cation, which had reached him that morning and been held in reserve all day : Au SABLE CHASM, September 23, 1894. This comes to inform you, O dear A. L. A.. Who are just in the midst of a week's holiday, That we two, who cut across country, instead Of following where the Post-Conference led, Are here at this chasm, which some people label Au Sahble, some Ossible, others Au Sable. We left the hotels in most excellent style, And went without stopping for nearly a mile, When we paused to take on summer boarders and trunks (The latter might well have been fitted with bunks, And each used for a cottage, so bulky were they, But at last on a buckboard they hied them away). Then we stopped for a bundle. "This side up, with care, Leave at Toby's old tenant-haouse, I'll pay the fare." After this nothing happened till Wilmington Notch, Where a strap badly fastened created a botch, For just as we came to the foot of the hill, A passenger cried, " Look behind ! There's a spill ! " And suddenly, with a dull, sickening thud, Down went the librarian's trunk in the mud ; This being recovered, we saw a fresh trail On Whiteface's eastern side scarred and pale. 'Twas a serpentine path, made in order to guide A party of six through waltz, polka and glide, Led on by one Cutter, of catalog fame, To keep up their spirits, as downward they came, Wet and chilled, but still dancing with zeal ever new, Over ten miles of road, till they found the Grand View. At noontide, we halted at Baldwin's good inn, Where everything's tidy, and neat as a pin. 'Twas there we changed horses, and sped to the town, Where Au Sable's two branches come rapidly down. We had brought such a thirst from the top of the mountain, That we instantly looked for a near soda fountain; In the shop where we found it, were watches and drugs, Huyler's candy (not fresh) and some gilt cups and mugs. And Miss Garland will doubtless be happy to know, Books by Mary J. Holmes, and our friend, "poor old Roe." Lest this statement should give any A. L. A. pain, Let me say that beside them were Scott and Montaigne. It was just five o'clock when we drove to the door Of the quiet "Lake View," close to Champlain's west shore; To-day we have come to the Chasm with speed, For "the better the day, the better the deed." And we think, as we sit in a cave in the wall, And hear the wild roar of the river and fall, 'Tis a bit of the Rockies, a canon that we Only wish our " Arapahoe " friends here to see. C. M. H. | X their M. F. j X marks. It was a very merry party that boarded the train at Au Sable. The half-hour's wait had been employed in scrambling about, taking last looks at the Chasm, and gathering " weeds" ; indeed, almost every one was more or less decorated with goldenrod, asters and bitter- sweet berries, and laden down with ferns, vines and autumn leaves. At Port Kent there was a wait of three-quarters of an hour, chiefly given over to a musicale, the crowning feature of which was "John Brown's Body," "cur- tailed" in good, old-fashioned style. A small boy with a big basket full of apples, pears and plums, wandered into the Port Kent station while it was in the hands of the library horde ; in less time than it takes to write it his basket was empty, and the youth, in a state of happy bewilderment, was counting over the ' ' thirty- nine or forty cents," which was, he said, the most he had ever made " 'cept once two weeks ago, When he'd made mor'n thirty-five cents off n 'nother lot o' people." Bluff Point was reached at 6.50; there was a short drive to the hotel, and soon all, clothed and in their right minds, were doing justice to the elaborate menu of the Hotel Champlain, which stated in a footnote, ' ' Hotel Champlain will close September 26, after breakfast." It was a pleasant surprise, at supper time, to be greeted by the Arapahoe and the Lady from Milwaukee, who were bound for Burlington by Wednesday's steamer. The Arapahoe, being a sceptic as well as a pessimist, had travelled down from Lake Placid for the express purpose of disproving and confounding the table-tippers. So that evening the " spirits" had another ses- sion, which was satisfactory in that it confirmed both parties in their previous convictions . After supper there was a display of fireworks on the hotel grounds, which the A. L. A. ac- cepted, perhaps mistakenly, as a tribute to their presence. There was also a concert, the sixth number being "March: American Library Association," and then an informal meeting was held in the white parlor, where resolutions were passed thanking the proprietors for their courtesy in keeping the hotel open for the special accommodation of the A. L. A. Let us draw a veil over Wednesday morning. It is not a pleasant memory. It recalls the stentorian voice of the porter, as he thundered at each door "Five-thirty!" " Five -thirty !" LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. But five-thirty it was, perforce, so the unwilling ones arose, donned their clothes, and went in search of the magnificent view, which had been ingeniously used as a reason for this early reveille. And it was magnificent, that glo- rious morning, from the observatory of the hotel, to gaze upon the beautiful lake, the wooded shores, the distant hills, and to feel the intoxication of the sunshine and the fresh, invigorating air. Breakfast was at 6. 30, and all was business and activity, for the hotel force were intent upon the closing that was to follow. Then came a brisk walk to the dock, and soon the whole party, with bag and bag- gage, were on board the Vermont, bound for the Sagamore, Lake George. That lake trip is another " white day" which will long remain a delightful memory. It was glorious "A. L. A. weather," the scenery, the company, each was perfect what more could one desire ? For hours the white hotel was in view, overlooking the beautiful expanse of the lake, and all the morning Mount Mansfield bore us company, glistening with the first snow of the season. Nor did we simply gaze and admire. Being "a literary lot," we sought in- formation likewise. The Western Antiquarian, being naturally at home upon an historic waterway, was all that morning the centre of an animated "history group" devoted to the discussion of the War of Independence, the French and Indian Wars, the early voyageurs and pioneers, and the historic episodes brought to mind by the region through which we were passing. At Burlington we said farewell to the Arapahoe and his companion, but here there was a pleasant surprise as well, for two members who had been left behind at Saranac station made their appearance, to accompany the party as far as the Sagamore. Dinner was served on the steamer, and at noon Fort Ticonderoga was reached, whence the train bore us to Baldwin and Lake George. What can be said of that voyage down Lake George on the Hortcon ? It is reiteration to say that this was the loveliest of all; never- theless it was. Every one was forward on the upper deck, giving themselves up to rapt en- joyment of the glorious day, the beautiful shores, the islands, the glittering expanse of sunlit water. Here, too, we had a cicerone. The captain, animated by a laudable desire to "beat the Adirondacks," pointed out the features of the route. He showed us Rogers' Slide and told its story ; he told the tale of Sabbath-day Point; he showed us Anthony's Nose, the Elephant, sunning himself lazily upon the mountain side, the Old Man, with his magic transformations, the Shanghai Cock, precariously perched upon the rock wall; he told the history of the lake steamers, pointed out Black Mountain and the Sugar Loaf, and showed us an eagle, idly resting on a ragged pine tree. Three o'clock came all too soon. Hasty farewells were exchanged with the two we left behind us, and with our kindly "personal conductor," to whom was tendered an informal but hearty resolution of thanks. Then the cohorts trooped from the steamer to the Saga- more, where they were quartered in luxurious rooms with open fireplaces and long French windows opening on broad verandas. After removing an upper layer of dust the visitors hurried down and out to explore the beautiful island, and the rest of the afternoon was given up to a lovely ramble along the shore, over the rustic bridge, out to the summer-house on the furthermost point, and then to the hotel by a charming path through the woods, bordered with ferns, with moss and scarlet partridge- berries. Then, to come down to material needs, how good the supper was, in the big dining-room, and how heartily every one ap- preciated the skill of the Sagamore's chefs, especially as illustrated in milk-toast and pota- toes hashed in cream. After dinner the tribes separated. Some gathered about the great wood fires, toasted their toes, and talked. Four indefatigable dancers, who had been denied their favorite pastime till patience was no longer a virtue, assembled in the great dancing hall, illuminated with a few melancholy jets, and while one played and one looked on and waited " turns," the solitary couple had a solitary but satisfac- tory dance. Then all gathered for a meeting, held in the deserted dining-room, where Pres. Larned presented for discussion the history division of Miss Coe's list of books for work- ing girls' clubs, which was amended, criti- cised and dissected until fatigue conquered and the session was declared adjourned. POST-CONFERENCE EXCURSION. 183 THURSDAY-SATURDAY. BY CAROLINE HARWOOD GARLAND. Thursday was the one day for which no pro- gram had been arranged, the itinerary reading modestly: " Thursday, at Sagamore House." There were those who believed that simple legend, and having been told that the Saga- more was the most delightful place in the world, innocently supposed that the day was to be devoted to a quiet and peaceful contem- plation of its delights. In point of fact, the company had hardly arrived before a stalwart Appalachian was in active circulation inciting a party to go off and climb Black Mountain, over on the other side of the lake. Incredible to say, he found ardent supporters, and on the morning of Thursday twenty-five persons, goaded by evil consciences or some other cause of restless activity, turned their backs on the most delightful place in the world and set sail in a steamer for the foot of Black Mountain. The clouds were threatening and the wind was chilly, but nothing venture, nothing have. So the weather, taken by the horns if the figure may be permitted capitulated. The clouds broke up into masses of white on a clear, blue sky. The wind came out west- erly. The view of the heavens, as well as of the earth that day from the mountain, was something to see but not to describe. There were fourteen people who climbed the mountain. The other eleven kept on in the steamer, went around Paradise Bay, landed, explored, lunched mostly on sorrel and de- clared, on their return, that their day had been the best day of all. Those who did not leave the Sagamore hotly disputed this, con- tending that no day could be so fine as theirs. The president, who had resisted all tempta- tions to drive, or walk or climb, boldly declar- ing that on this one day he wanted to loaf and invite his soul, lent the dignity of his sanc- tion to a similar verdict. Those who followed Artist's Brook a little ways above the saw-mill, and sitting down quietly in an opening of the woods, let the picture before them imprint itself slowly and indelibly upon their minds those are more than content to believe that the best was theirs. As for that vain-glorious fourteen who scaled the mountain heights, they were so sure that they were to be envied of all men, that they sat down on the summit and begged the Antiquarian to write some verses, with the fol- lowing result: A HILL-TOP MEDLEY IN DOGGEREL. Top of Blackface Mt., Lake George, I i P. M., Thursday, Sept. 27, 1894. ) TO THE FAINT-HEARTS WHO TURNED BACK FROM WHITEFACE : I. Here on top of Blackface Mountain, Which for hours we have been mounting, Our thoughts are fondly with you, far away; For though Whiteface not ascending, You have been most condescending, To praise the toilsome effort of that day. H. There had spread a queer impression, During the labors of the session, That Whiteface was the fable of a day ; Mayhap there was apparent reason, In that very gruesome season, For misbelief in even Cutter's say. in. But very sad this harsh reflection, On the mountaineering section Of the worthy A. L. A.; Hence to save its reputation, Eat we here a slight collation In the middle of the day. IV. We have clambered to the top, Into limping verse to drop, As we our bones are resting on the way ; For we wish you all to know That we are in the land of snow, And find our mountaineering only play. ENSEMBLE. In the distance, clouded Whiteface, Finest mountain of the chain, And here about us Blackface, With^nary a drop of rain, Which hill is the grander, "Pis not for us to choose. Just as an Ampersander Would his bottom dollar lose, Than express a cold opinion On tents or annex sheds, Or whether neck or pinion Is better than chicken legs. 184 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCE. Over there, is Loon Lake Station; Just beyond, the Singing Sand, And the warriors of the nation On Plattsburg's glist'ning strand. Paul Smith's a trifle yonder, With his white-horse tally-ho, Which makes the yokels wonder That a man can ride below. At our feet the limpid George, And the turreted Sagamore, All by the mountain gorge, And lovers' leaps galore. But why linger here much longer, Courting the muse on lofty plane, When we are beset with hunger, And to have more lunch would fane. No Grand View sandwich doth regale The heroes of this limping tale : They naught but oxygen inhale, Lacking "The Bottle of Kinsale." Oh, how can Muse her lovers 'thuse, When famine dread doth rear its head ? 'Tis enough to create defection E'en in the mountaineering section. From all quarters of the globe, the parties returned with singular unanimity for dinner ; and the short afternoon was spent in driving happy were they who took the magnificent drive over Federal Hill in walking a little, in talking a good deal and in being photographed. Then there was the sunset, with the shadows creeping upward on the mountain sides, the warm flush, pink, and then fading to tender gray, and later the soft, bright after glow. And who that came walking up that woodland road from the little rustic observatory to the hotel, can ever forget it ? the gathering shadows ; the stately trees almost meeting far overhead ; the springy loam, yielding to the foot at every step; the air laden with fra- grance of balsam and pine ; and at the end, a rocker and an open fire. That evening was devoted to social features. At the supper tables a more or less suppressed excitement made itself felt. Certain import- ant personages " wanted to see" somebody in the little parlor, in the writing room, in the room at the head of the stairs. The result was that everybody went to everybody else's room, which did not mix matters up at all, but only made them more entertaining. Once gathered in the parlor, charades were an- nounced, in the course of which were dis- played several clever bits of impromptu act- ing. The audience was equal to the demands upon it and guessed successively, Catalogue, Periodical, Cross-reference, Poole's Index, but had to be assisted to Bibliography. Charades gave way to characters, and after these were guessed, divers dignified members of the party got down on their knees before the open fire and popped corn and roasted chestnuts. It had been planned that at this point the Recorder of the A. L. A. and his wife should present the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet the Sagamore being the place of tender memory to them but they were not to be found, so the evening wound up with a Virginia reel, after which some folks went to bed immediately and some folks didn't. On Friday morning that which had befallen us at Hotel Champlain again befel us. Be- ing the last guests of the season we saw the shrouding of the carpets and furniture, and the ghostly array of white served to lessen the sorrow with which the pilgrims took a farewell of the house and went out to be photographed. From the lawn to the steamer landing was only a step ; a reluctant step at the time, yet once embarked there was no occasion for lin- gering regret. The morning was royal. Clear fine air, bright sunlight, blue water. Two little steam- ers placed themselves on either side a great scow, and the pilgrims were invited to the steamers, and the trunks were rolled into the scow. It required but a glance to windward to see that the scow was a more excellent place for view, and presently every trunk had a pil- grim sitting on it. Caldwell is only ten miles from the Saga- more, so there was only about an hour's sail. But what an hour! The lake lay blue and sparkling in the sunlight. On the east rose Buck Mountain, lofty and fair, and Pilot, with its divided peak. Behind was Black Mountain, gaunt and rocky. Away to the south stretched French Mountain. By turning our heads we could stiil see Dome Island, its slopes covered with the greens of many varieties of tree. Further on the Three Sisters greeted us, as had, down the lake, the Three Brothers. For miles along the shore line no house would be seen, and then an opening in the woods would reveal a group of summer cottages, more or POST-CONFERENCE EXCURSION. 185 less pretentious. But these did not seem so much a part of it all as did the little village of Hillville, sitting close to the water's edge at the westerly base of the hills, its one little church sending a white spire heavenward. Of all the company who took that beautiful ride no two saw or heard or felt the same things. One, remembers the hawk that sailed over. One, will say that never was blue like unto the blue of the water that morning. Another, will close his eyes and feel again on his face the keen freshness of that September air. But no one of us all can have had that hour of nature without being the better for it. It was a chattering throng that scrambled off the trunks and out of the boats and clambered up on to the wharf to identify bag- gage. In the midst of it all a business meeting was called. And here, on the morning of the 28th, with trunks thumping in the hands of sprightly baggagemen, an engine puffing on the track, amid the amazement of the small boys and the mild curiosity of the dignified guests of the great Fort William Henry House the A. L. A. adjourned sine die, and President Lamed turned over the reponsibilities to Presi- dent Utley. From Caldwell to Saratoga the car ride was not particularly interesting. Moreover the shadow of coming farewells made itself felt. A procession of autograph seekers and souvenir collectors filed through the car. One or two began counting up to see how much money they had left, with very gloomy results. Here, too, a calamity befell us. This was no less than the loss to the company of Mr. Reuben Gold Thwaites, who elected to "go right on." Even in a company where eaeh member contributed to the general fund of entertainment, it will be cheerfully conceded that to his ready tongue and fertile mind there was a special indebtedness. At Saratoga colored porters took us in charge, led us through the dreary, magnificent courtyard of the United States Hotel, and de- posited us in the office, where our arrival, important as it was, produced not a ripple of excitement among the blase bell boys. A large Unitarian conference had that morning left the house. The librarians were quickly stowed away in their vacant rooms, and find- ing there was still an hour before dinner time, scattered to see the sights. It was evident that city influences made themselves felt at once. The men furtively bought newspapers. The women began to wear gloves. All talked in subdued tones, and nobody whistled. After the fashion of the place, we loitered about the office, strolled out along the broad pavements, and gazed at the marvels in ^.' f m -_aL*i- ^v%^ -" s * ' "f^Ni' $'Sr '&*$$!%% ^v^Z- '. } &&s&Sit* i \ ; *V"* :&&*$!&* K'-^l^ : \7g$&J fc;?W "\ j^r ^^'-t^- , ^\^\ ~*t <-****. l*ff -s**^ Ti^v ^-c^~. / ^^r^^fr. i't^F/^:^- ^ -'^<1? : **&&*/* jjj ^%^^ ^^w^^io^^^- 1 ?-^ ^^^S"$^S?^^ ^ ^^-"fo^ .^^^^t'^.^'^c-r^' ? ,'.,&t;h i*>s vt- , /-"-".t^ftX f . StW ! J ^PH ^g*^ .->fe.\ UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS- URBAN A