tents of every press and every shelf. These tell the source and date of every addition, and enable all the books to be checked at any time. A novel form of accessions-catalogue is that of the Liverpool Free Public Library, which is a sort of large photographic album to show printed titles of accessions in alphabetical order; loose sheets are laced into the body of the catalogue to provide for any number of additions as quickly as possible. In the same library the titles of new books are also pasted upon blocks arranged in a frame for the information of readers.
Administration.Administration.—In any library which manages its own financial matters, however small, all accounts should be as carefully kept as those of a trading establishment. In the same way a periodical stock-taking should be made by means of the shelf-catalogue. It is a great convenience to display recent accessions for a short time in some place put apart for the purpose. A recommendation and complaint-book are both useful. The rapid and efficient supply of books is greatly promoted by requiring that all demands should be made in writing and not verbally. The books should be carefully dusted from time to time by experienced persons; and the leaves of all new books, &c., should be cut by the library staff.
In issuing and taking note of books lent, either the ledger or the slip-system may be used, or a combination of the two, something like a shelf-catalogue. Accounts are kept either against the borrower, against the book, or against time; the first, with the ledger system, may be well for small libraries, but in larger institutions the slip-system must be resorted to, and it is better to keep the accounts against the books, with perhaps a ledger-index of borrowers. Where more than one volume is lent at a time a small card is sometimes placed in a pocket in each book; the card, whether marked with borrower's name, &c., or not, being retained as a voucher, as in the " card-ledger " spoken of on p. 537, which is on the slip-system with the account against the borrower. The special feature of the " card-ledger " is that no writing whatever is required. It is necessary to introduce some device for overdrawn or reserved books.
Besides furnishing the materials for reading, it is now recognized that a popular library has also the function of indicating the method of reading and study. A collection of well-chosen books suitable for girls and boys is now a good feature in many English free libraries. At the Providence Public Library, Rhode Island, Mr W. E. Foster issues daily notes on current topics and events, with detailed references by which the subject maybe illustrated by the resources of the library; more complete special lists, e.g., on Herbert Spencer, Irish landlord and tenant, &c., are also issued from time to time. Library lectures are now given at several free libraries in Engand, but, to make these efforts distinctly useful in adding to the good work of the institution, they should be restricted to lectures on books and courses of reading, so that, by illustrating certain works or departments of the library, these lectures may gradually lead readers to a more careful consideration of literature. Aimless and purposeless reading is the bane of a free public library, and it should be the desire of its authorities to do what can be done to induce people to use with due circumspection books of a higher class and of a more useful and informing character. The admirable catalogue of history, biography, and travel of the Boston Public Library, with its suggestive notes and illustrations, had the effect of lowering the reading of fiction from 74 per cent, to 69 per cent. In the same library even the reading of novels has been elevated by the catalogue of English prose fiction arranged on the same plan.
Experience shows that in all that relates to such questions as preliminary forms, age of readers, days and hours of admission, Sunday-opening, access to catalogues, shelves, and librarians, fines, loans of books, guarantees, number of volumes allowed, time of reading, &c., a liberal tendency is always beneficial both to the library and the public.
Precautions against fire.In view of an outbreak of fire, some well considered plan should be fixed upon. Extincteurs and hand-pumps should be kept ready for use in central positions. The means for extinguishing fire should be familiar to the members of the staff, who should all be practised in fire-drill, in order that each may know his proper place and duty in case of emergency. Full directions should be suspended in conspicuous places. In the case of fire breaking out after library hours, it should be thoroughly understood where the keys are to be found, what officials should be sent for, and what apparatus is ready for use within the building.
Librarians.Librarians.—Without insisting upon quite so wide a range of subjects as did F. A. Ebert in his Bildung des Bibliothekars (Leipsic, 1820), one may expect the librarian of a great library to be a man of liberal education, and specially endowed with sympathy with books and reading; a practical acquaintance with bibliography, including palæography, and bibliology, is also necessary, as well as with the theory and practice of library management. To be thoroughly qualified, a librarian should have had the practical experience of library-work which it is impossible to obtain from any amount of book reading. Besides this, he ought to be a man of business habits and a good administrator.
These acquirements imply qualifications of a somewhat higher character than may perhaps be necessary in all public libraries; but some knowledge of languages and literatures, bibliography, bibliology, and general library management should be possessed by any person holding the chief position in the administration of any library, however small. As regards the qualifications of the librarian of a popular institution or of library-assistants, it may be useful to give the outline of a plan recently proposed by a committee of the Library Association for their examination (see Monthly Notes, vol. ii. ). There should be a preliminary examination, chiefly in the subjects of a sound English education, special attention being paid to English literature; proficiency in the elements of one or more classical or modern languages would be specially indorsed upon the certificate, one language to be necessary. The suggested subjects for the preliminary examination are—arithmetic, English grammar and composition, English history, geography, and English literature. After having been engaged in library work for not less than one year, a second-class certificate might be awarded to any librarian or assistant who should pass a satisfactory examination in English literature, especially of the last hundred years, some one other European literature, principles of the classification of the sciences, elements of bibliography, including cataloguing and library management,—a cataloguing knowledge of at least two languages besides English to be necessary. A first-class certificate would be given, after a satisfactory examination, to a librarian or assistant of at least two years' experience, for an advanced knowledge of the subjects last mentioned, with the addition of general literary history. A cataloguing knowledge of at least three languages would be necessary for the higher certificate,—an acquaintance with any others, as well as proficiency in any subjects (not more than two in number) offered by the candidate, being specially indorsed.
Women are gradually making their way in libraries. At Manchester and elsewhere they are successfully employed as assistants; and in several other places in England the chief charge of the library is maintained in a very efficient manner by a lady. In the United States the majority of the librarians are ladies (at the Boston Public Library no less than two-thirds of the staff), and many of the most accomplished cataloguers are of the same sex.
The first general meeting of librarians took place at New York, September 15 to 17, 1853, upon an invitation signed by Professor C. C. Jewett, Mr W. F. Poole, and others "for the purpose of conferring together upon the means of advancing the prosperity and usefulness of public libraries, and for the suggestion and discussion of topics of importance to book collectors and readers." About eighty persons attended, many questions were debated, and the suggestion to form a permanent association met with considerable favour. Nothing came of it, however, and twenty-three years had elapsed when, having in view the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, a second meeting was convened on October 4 to 6, at Philadelphia, which was attended by one hundred and two Americans and one English representative. At the Philadelphia conference of 1876, the American Library Association, which has since done so much good work in practical librarianship, was founded. In October 1877 a conference of librarians was held in London, under the presidency of the late Mr J. Winter Jones, and attended by two hundred and sixteen librarians and others, including representatives of the French, German, and Greek Governments, all the chief libraries of the United Kingdom, as well as certain of those of the United States, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, and Australia. Altogether one hundred and forty different libraries sent representatives, and nearly the whole field of library-science was reviewed at the different sittings. The Transactions and Proceedings of the Conference of Librarians (London, 1878) is the title of the official report of the meeting. The chief result of the conference was perhaps the foundation of the Library Association of the United Kingdom, of which the "main object shall be to unite all persons engaged or interested in library work, for the purpose of promoting the best possible administration of libraries; it shall also aim at the encouragement of bibliographical research." Monthly meetings of the association take place at the London Institution, and the members hold an annual conference in some one or other locality, where the different libraries are inspected, various questions of library economy are discussed, and new library appliances are exhibited. Full reports of these meetings have been published; Monthly Notes are also issued. Every important British library is now represented in the association, which numbers over 360 members.
Selection.Guides to Selection of Books.—As it is not only necessary to find out the best treatises on given subjects, but also to decide upon the respective merits of different editions and even of different states or copies of the same edition, an acquaintance with bibliography, or the science dealing with the technical features of books and MSS., and with bibliology, or that which deals more especially with their literary aspect, is to be expected in those forming a library.[1]
- ↑ The article Bibliography (vol. iii. p. 651 sq.) will afford a general idea of the immense extent of this literature; in addition to the special works there mentioned, reference may be made to Sabin's Bibliography of Bibliography, New York, 1877.
