579 e. l9lZ Steams Essentials in Library Administration ■^^x:^ -*^^ THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES •••I -soai aaoiAy» .^ INnowOHin lESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION COMPILED BY MISS L. E. STEARNS IViscoiiain Free Library Commission SECOND EDITION m I American Hibvatp association ^ublis^ing 5ioatb T8 E. WASHINGTON STREET, CHICAGO 1912 •-,'ik,''- '.X'^^i: PUBLICATIONS OF THE American Jltbrarp Zssotiation PUBLISHING BOARD 78 E. Washington Street, Chicago A. L. A. Catalog, 1904. (For sale by Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C.) Cloth, $1.00. A. L. A. Portrait Index. (For sale by Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C.) Cloth, $3.00. A. L. A. Catalog, 1904-11. Cloth, $1.50. A. L. A. List of Subject Headings, 3d ed. revised. Cloth, reinforced, $2.50. Catalog Rule8,.,cpi3Qij)il,ed by cpna9aitt.ee of the A. L. A. and the British jgMn 2007 with funding from I Microsoft Corporatioi Literatuf Half mor., A. L. A. In(M^^^^^^^^^^^^^\1nde^6s'^^)(96Jications to 1900), edited 9li^B^^H|B> $<>-00. A. L. A. Guide to Reference Books, edited by AUce B. Krooger. Cloth, $1.50. Supplement, 1 909-1 fX ist of editions selected for economy in bookbuying, by Lo Roy Jeffer;?. Paper, 25 cents. Selected list of music and books about music, by Louisa M. Hooper. Cloth, 25 cents. http:7/www.archive.org/details/essentialsinlibr00steaiala LIBRARY HANDBOOK No. 1 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION COMPILED BY MISS L. E. STEARNS Wisconsin Free Library Commission SECOND EDITION JSmertcan JLihxsixp !Sl£(£eoctatton $ul)lts(i)tng iBoarll 78 E. WASHINGTON STREET. CHICAGO 1912 57fe. K INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION This tract is compiled, witli modifications and additions, from the Handbook of Library Organization of the Library Commissions of Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, permis- sion having been given by the oflScers of the Minnesota State Library Commission, editors, for which grateful ac- knowledgment is herewith tendered. Thanks are also due Miss Julia E. Elliott, Chicago, 111., and the staff of the Uni- versity of Illinois Library School for valuable assistance. The tract is intended to supplement two of the Library Tracts previously issued by the Publishing Board — "Why Do We Need a Public Library?" and "How to Start a Public Library," to which attention is invited. It is addressed primarily to the untrained librarian and to library trustees. For further information the librarian is referred to Hints to Small Libraries, by Mary W. Plummer. L. E. Steabns. Madison, Wisconsin April, 1912 70104(5 ORGANIZATION NECESSITY FOR FREE LIBRARIES If it is the duty of the state to give each future citizen an opportunity to learn to read, it is equally its duty to give each citizen an opportunity to use that power wisely for himself and the state. Wholesome literature can be furnished to all the readers in a community at a fraction of the cost necessary to teach them to read, and the power to read may then become a means to a life-long education. A library is an essential part of a broad system of educa- tion, and a community should think it as discreditable to be without a well-conducted free public library as to be without a good school. The books that a boy reads for pleasure do more to deter- mine his ideals and shape his character than the text-books he studies in the schools. Bad and indifferent literature is now so common that the boys will have some sort of read- ing. If they have a good public library they will read wholesome books and learn to admire Washington, Lincoln and other great men. Without a library many of them will gloat over the exploits of depraved men and women, and their earliest ambitions will be tainted. Each town needs a library to furnish more practice in reading for the little folks in school; it needs it to give the boys and girls who have learned to read a taste for whole- some literature that informs and inspires; it needs it as a center for an intellectual and spiritual activity that shall leaven the whole community and make healthful and inspir- ing themes the burden of the common thought — substitut- ing, by natural methods, clean conversation and literature 8 4 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION for petty gossip, scandal and oral and printed teachings In vice. Libraries are needed to furnish the incentive and the opportunity for wider study to the pupils of the schools; to teach them the science and art of reading for a purpose, to give the boy and girl with hidden talent the chance to discover and develop it; to give to the mechanic and arti- san a chance to know what their ambitious fellows are doing; to give to men and women, weary and worn from treading a narrow round, excursions in fresh and delightful fields; to give to clubs for study and amusement material for better work, and, last but not least, to give wholesome employment to all classes for those idle hours that wreck more lives than any other cause. HOW TO AROUSE AND USE LOCAL INTEREST The necessity of a library should be urged through the local press, upon the platform and by private appeals. In- clude in the canvass all citizens, irrespective of creed, busi- ness or politics, whether educated or illiterate. To ignore any class is to imply its indifference to education, and frequently to make its leaders hostile when they might be made enthusiastic friends. Enlist the support of the teach- ers, and, through them, of the children and parents. Liter- ary societies, Chautauqua circles, and debating clubs should be earnest champions of the movement. The local news- papers will be found to be a powerful agency in enlisting and sustaining interest in the measure. When the interest of the public is aroused, get a small meeting of influential workers, make a careful study of the law relating to libraries, and decide upon some definite plan of action. A free library, supported by taxation, must be maintained by the common council. Usually the members of such bodies are very willing to follow public sentiment in founding public enterprises, but, like all other human beings, they are governed somewhat by their prejudices, and should be approached by people whom they respect, ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 5 who have tact and good judgment. An enthusiastic but tactless hobby-rider may undo months of careful work. In most cities where libraries have been started the citizens have raised a fund or bought a collection of books and offered them to the public if the council would agree to found a permanent library. This is ordinarily the easiest way to secure one. BOARD OF DIRECTORS A library is usually governed by a board of trustees or directors, who outline the general policy, appoint the libra- rian and assistants, authorize expenditures, and sometimes select the books. There is a very general impression that directors of a library board should necessarily belong to some one of the learned professions whose members are presumed to be book lovers. The management of a public library involves the exercise of many kinds of intelligence and ability be- sides those used in the judgment of books. Directors may quite as wisely be selected — a part of the number, at least — because of eminence in executive ability, in business sagac- ity, in unblemished integrity, in political power, as for mere literary knowledge. The library, in fulfilling its high- est functions, will constantly be thrown into relations with the community which will bring each one of these, and other practical qualities into active use. In addition to qualifications along some of the lines mentioned, the pos- session of that tolerant temper which allows a man or woman to work harmoniously and effectively as a member of a board, where individual opinions and desires must always be balanced and modified by the will and wisdom of the majority, is also a very necessary endowment for such a position. Many library boards have women among their members. In some boards the women are the most eflScient members. The bane of many boards are the re- spectable citizens who are reappointed from term to term, and constantly neglect their duties. A member of a library board who cannot, or will not, attend its meetings and 6 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION give adequate time to its work should resign, or should not be reappointed when his term expires. BY-LAWS SUGGESTED FOB BOABDS OF DIBECTOBS OF SMALI. PUBLIC LIBEABIES By-Laws of the Board of Trustees of the Fiee Library of 1. Officebs — The officers of the board shall be a Presi- dent, Vice President and Secretary, who shall be elected annually from their own members. The President shall perform the duties generally per- taining to that office. The Vice President shall, in the absence or disability of the President, perform all the duties of the President. The Secretary shall record all the official actions of the board and have custody of all its official books, records and accounts except those in current use by another officer. 2. Meetings — The regular meetings of the board shall be on the (third Monday) of each month at p. m. at the library. The annual meeting shall be on the Special meetings shall be called by the President or by request of any two trustees for the transaction only of business stated in the call. members of the board and members of any standing committee shall constitute a quorum. 3. Committees — At the annual meeting the President shall appoint standing committees as follows : A committee of three members on library, a committee of three members on finance and a committee of four members on rooms. The committee on library shall supervise the selection, buying, exchange and binding of books and periodicals, and have general supervision of the administration of the library and reading room. Lists of books for purchase amounting to over $25 shall be submitted to a full meeting of the board for approval. The finance committee shall have charge of all library finances, examine and report upon all bills against the board, and make an annual investigation of and report upon the library fund in the hands of the City (or Village) Treasurer. The committee on rooms shall have general charge of the heating, lighting and arrangement of the rooms, and the care of the fixtures and furniture. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 7 4. Claims — All claims against the board must be pre- sented at a meeting of the board and referred to the com- mittee on finance for investigation and report. The Presi- dent and the Secretary shall draw orders upon the City (or Village) Treasurer for the payment of bills which the board orders paid. 5. Librarian — The Librarian shall have charge of the library and reading-room and be responsible for the care of the books and other library property; classify and ar- range all books and publications and keep the same cata- loged according to such plans as may be approved by the board; promptly report any delinquencies to the committee on library; keep exact account of all moneys received from fines and other sources and report the amounts to the board at its regular meetings in January, April, July and October and pay all balances to the Secretary at the designated meetings, and discharge such other duties as may be pre- scribed by the board, provided that in the performance of his duties he shall not incur debt or liability of any kind without express authority from the board. Notes — When the Librarian's receipts from fines are light he may be allowed to retain them for some time and to pay very small bills, for postage, etc., from them. When settling with the Secretary he may pay the full amounts and be given an order for the amount of his expenditures. The Secretary should pay the balance to the City Treasurer before the time for the annual meeting and report. When a library board receives considerable sums of money from subscription or other sources than public taxa- tion, it may be advisable for it to elect a Treasurer from its own members. In such cases that ofl5cer should give adequate bonds. The state library laws should be consulted that the above rules may not conflict therewith. THE LIBRARIAN The usefulness of the library will depend upon its libra- rian and the greatest care should be exercised in selecting that officer. She should be engaged even before the gen- eral character of the library and plan of administration have been determined. She should have culture, executive ability, tact, sympathy for children and some knowledge of library methods. Save money in other ways but never by employing a forceless man or woman as librarian. 8 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Trained librarians are the best, but if you have but little money and must be content to employ some local applicant without experience, insist that the appointee shall imme- diately make an intelligent study of library methods in some good library, in a summer school of library science or in a library school. She should become imbued with the "library spirit" and be keenly alive to the tremendous possibilities of her work. She should learn how to get help from other librarians, and from the vast store of library experience found in books, when she is puzzled by profes- sional problems. Few persons in a community have as great opportunities as the librarian. She may shape the reading, and so the thoughts, of hundreds of impressionable children. She should be a leader and a teacher, earnest, enthusiastic and intelligent. She should be able to win the confidence of children and wise to lead them by easy stages from good books to the best. Children and the best children's books should be her constant associates and friends. When a board of directors can secure such a librarian, they may wisely afford to employ her, even if her salary eats up a large proportion of the income. A librarian should be, in fact as well as in theory, the responsible head of the library, and should be consulted in all matters relating to its man- agement. Directors should impose responsibility, grant freedom and exact results. The position of librarian is one of dignity and responsi- bility, and should carry with it a proportionate amount of freedom and consideration. The salary of the librarian in smaller towns should correspond to that of the grade teach- ers, and in larger towns to those of the school principals. The librarian should be granted at least three weeks' vaca- tion each year, and if possible one month, and should have an occasional half-holiday in addition. She should not only be allowed the privilege of attending the meetings of the state association, but should be sent as a delegate with all expenses paid, and the time should be given her in addition to her regular vacation. The library should take copies of the Library journal and Public libraries for the librarian ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION g and board. The board will find that such courtesies which may seem like favors will bring large returns, in better service and increased usefulness. Anything which is an inspiration to the librarian is returned to the library ten- fold. LIBRARY ASSISTANTS The general qualifications of a library assistant are prac- tically the same as those of the librarian. While the assist- ant may not have the same opportunities to exercise her executive ability, her duties require that she should have at least a high school education, and should be intelligent, enthusiastic, tactful and courteous. Above all, she should be willing to perform cheerfully any task which may be assigned her, and to work harmoniously with her asso- ciates for the good of the whole. The assistants should be appointed by the board, but should be recommended by the librarian, and the board which has a competent librarian should show their confidence in her by accepting her rec- ommendations without reference to outside pressure. When the assistant is appointed, she should be responsible to the librarian only, and any dealings with the board should be carried on through the librarian. Many libraries have a system of civil service examina- tions for applicants. This is a great protection to boards and librarians who are besieged by poorly qualified appli- cants with influential friends. But applicants cannot al- ways be given positions solely on the results of their exami- nations, as personal qualifications are of so much impor- tance, and often those who can pass the best examinations have no fitness for library work. Those who pass the ex- amination should be required to serve on trial for three or four months, before a permanent appointment is made. It is essential that there should be a reserve force to draw upon in case of emergency, or vacancy, and there should be an understudy for every position. This is perhaps best accomplished by the apprentice system. 10 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION THE APPRENTICE SYSTEM Libraries ofttimes lose opportunities for useful work because they have not a suflBcient number of assistants and their librarians are burdened with petty details of work. A class of apprentices not only relieves the librarian of much routine work, but also furnishes a reserve force for emergencies, to supply vacancies and to fill new positions. In justice to the library profession, the standard should be made high. Apprentices should at least be graduates of high schools. Untrained librarians or those without years of experience should not undertake to conduct an apprentice class, as they can not give adequate return for the work demanded from the apprentices. Something definite should be given in return for appren- tice time. A simple course of study with regular daily hours for work and for instruction should be planned. A set of rules should be made, including the time of pro- bation and terms, the hours to be given in return for in- struction, the purchase of supplies for practice work, and the amount of compensation if extra work is required. Apprentice work gives the best preparation for library school or summer school, and the apprentice, besides gain- ing some knowledge of library methods, has an opportunity to make trial of her fitness for library work. VOLUNTEER SERVICE If possible, there should be a paid librarian, who feels the responsibility of the position. In some cases, however. It is out of the question to employ a librarian at the start, and the library miist depend upon volunteer service. When this is necessary, each volunteer should serve for a month or a week at a time, and then turn her work over to her successor in good condition. This is preferable to having different people day by day, a plan which causes confusion. Each assistant should also have a regular substitute to take her work when it is necessary. When there are a number who are giving their services, it is a good plan to have each one learn one technical process, such as classification, ac- ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION H cessioning, or shelf-listing, and be responsible for this throughout. The work will then be more uniform, and the results will be more satisfactory. LIBRARY TRAINING The work of the librarian is coming to be regarded as a distinct profession, and the training for this field of educa- tional work is regarded as just as necessary as the pre- liminary training for the public school teacher. The ideal librarian, however, should not only be equipped in techni- cal details, but filled with the broader knowledge of men and books which leads to that personal enrichment called culture. There are in this country several library schools that train young men and women of ability and education for library work. Besides these, the necessary conditions of library work in smaller libraries have led to the establish- ment of summer library schools and training classes for those who are unable to attend the regular library schools. In these schools only simple methods and elementary work are possible, the aim being to give the students a conception of library work as a whole, and an acquaintance with mod- ern methods within a short period of six or eight weeks. Such summer library schools are conducted by the State Library at Albany, N. Y., the University of Illinois and by the State Library Commissions of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minne- sota and Indiana. Admission requirements are pi'actical experience, a definite library position and a High School education or its equivalent. In some of the larger libraries apprentice classes are conducted in order to teach theyoung assistants the most simple methods of the daily routine. More and more library trustees are coming to realize that to expend public funds in the employment of an inefficient librarian is not just to either the taxpayer or the library. The following is a list of library schools: N. Y. State Li- brary School, Albany, N. Y. ; Pratt Institute Library School, Brooklyn, N. Y.; University of Illinois Library School, Urbana, 111.; Drexel Institute Library School, Philadelphia, 12 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Pa.; Western Reserve University, Cleveland, O.; New York Public Library School; Syracuse University Library School; University of Wisconsin Library School, Madison. THE LIBRARY: ITS LOCATION AND INTERIOR ARRANGEMENT In housing the books, the chief thought to be kept con- stantly in mind is the practical service that is to be ren- dered to the community by means of this selection of books maintained at public expense. The library should be the Intellectual center of the town, and hence should be located in a convenient and accessible place. If it is to be patron- ized, it must in general be as centrally located as the post- office that serves the whole community. The most attrac- tive lot in town is none too good for the library, when we consider that the people of all ranks and conditions, young and old, will frequent it habitually and for years to come. The library should be made attractive in every way be- cause it in reality holds in trust the genuine and lasting pleasures of life which are chiefly those of the mind and are gained largely through books. The vices of life assume the guise of attraction in order to entice the youth. Why should not the genuine pleasures of life be presented with such attraction as to neutralize these influences which offer the artificial allurements? The library and reading room with brightness, good cheer, warmth and welcoine ought to stand as the most attractive spot outside the homes in every village, town and city. If a town is fortunate enough to erect a library building, a library architect who has given special study to the sub- ject should be employed, and the librarian and library board should carefully outline their general needs, including the rooms and conveniences necessary for the best administra- tion of the library. Confer with the State Library Commis- sion regarding this, or consult some librarian of established reputation who has given thought to the intricate questions of library architecture. In towns where there is no library building the question of interior arrangement of the room is of even more impor- ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 13 tance than when a library occupies its own building and must be met, no matter how small the beginning. If the beginning is made in one plain room, possibly a vacant store-room, there is no reason why it should not be made attractive and inviting. The decoration of the room should be harmonious and tasteful. Do not disfigure the walls with unnecessary signs. Signs demanding order and quiet should not be necessary. The only signs which are permissible are those giving in- formation, and these should be as unobtrusive as possible. If they are framed in a simple wood frame, they can be kept clean and in position. The pictures on the library walls should be chosen with great care. The library stands for the enrichment of its community, and pictures are to many a more potent influ- ence than books. Do not crowd the walls. Give each picture space enough to dignify it. Get not only good pic- tures, but good copies of pictures, and then give them good plain frames. The kind and number of pictures and the manner in which they are hung gives or takes from the character of the room. Some good pictures for the main reading room are Raphael — Sistine Madonna; Corot — Landscape; St. Gaudens — Lincoln; Stuart — Washington; Bonheur — Ploughing at Nivernais; Van Dyke — William II. Prince of Nassua; for the children's room: Watts — Sir Galahad; King Arthur (from bronze in Innsbruck); Luca Delia Robbia — Singing boys; Fremiet — St. George and the Dragon; Regnault — Automedon with the horses of Achilles; Corot — Dance of the Nymphs. The illustrations from the Walter Crane and the Boutet de Monvel picture books make very attractive friezes for the children's room. Wall shelving is greatly preferable to floor cases in a small library, and the shelving should not be too high for the average person to comfortably reach the top shelf from the floor. The exact dimensions of shelving are gfiven in the article on furniture and fittings. As the library grows beyond the capacity of the wall shelves, stacks or double-faced cases can be introduced, 14 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION standing about five feet apart and at right angles to a wall which has windows that will give light between the stacks. This arrangement of shelving is made on the assumption that the people shall have free access to the books. The best judgment of those who have given this subject the greatest thought and have tested it by actual experience is that access is most satisfactory both to librarian and public. The following extract from a paper by Mr W. H. Brett of Cleveland (Ohio) Public Library at the conference of the American Library Association at Atlanta, Ga., in 1899, gives the point of view of one who has tested the question thor- oughly. He says: "I am inclined to take the position that no argument for open shelves is necessary — that the burden of proof rests with those who would restrict. We have in the public library the people's books, paid for by their money, and deposited in libraries for their use. This use should not be restricted in any way which is not clearly necessary to guard the people's interests. It is not, there- fore, for the free library to defend its position; it is rather for the library which bars out the people from the books to defend itself — to give a reason for every hampering regu- lation which it enforces, every restriction which it imposes, every barrier it places between the people and their own books." There must, of course, be reasonable safeguards against the books being carried away through carelessness or otherwise, and the librarian's desk should be so situated that she has complete oversight of the room, preferably near the entrance, so that her desk must be passed on enter- ing and leaving the room. Reading tables should be located at convenient places In the room; and one corner, with a low book case and low tables, should be set aside for the use of children, in the small library where an entire room can not be placed at their disposal. A case for books of reference with a con- venient, well-lighted study table near should be provided for the student. The room should have an abundance of natural light, and windows which extend almost to the ceiling give a high ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Jg light which is especially desirahle. The artificial light also should be abundant, and the location of the fixtures for either gas (with Welsbach burners) or electric light should be carefully supervised by the librarian, so that every study and reading table and all book cases shall be provided with good light. This is of great importance, as in the winter season, when most reading and study are done, the evening use of the library is the greatest. The heating and ventilation should receive consideration, and if the city has a steam or hot water heating plant, the library should certainly receive the benefit of this. If there is no system of ventilation in the building, the windows should be adjusted to lower from the top, as a close atmos- phere is neither conducive to study nor to the pleasure of an hour's reading. The approach to a room or building is, of course, made as attractive as possible, and a sign outside the entrance should clearly state that it is a free public library, and should give library hours and days. An illuminated sign which would attract from the street at night is also desir- able. White enamel letters on the window may be used to advantage. If the library is on the second floor, it is very important that there should be signs at the street door; but a library should never be on the second floor when it is possible to have it on the ground floor. One much neglected feature in a library where funds are limited is the proper cleaning and care of the room and books. This is left largely to the librarian in the small library, and it is impossible for her to do it herself or to have it done without funds. It has proven to be a good method to put the small fund realized from fines, or such part of it as is necessary, at the disposal of the librarian for this purpose. No room can be made attractive unless it is clean, and the joy in handling a book may be changed to dismay when the grime and dust from the book and shelf are transferred to the hands. From a sanitary standpoint also, absolute cleanliness is essential. A janitor is a neces- sary part of the library force, when funds permit, whose 16 ES8ENTIAL8 IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION duty it is to keep the books dusted as well as the floor clean; but if a janitor is not employed, some one can be secured to come for an hour or more each library day for these important duties. Instead of an annual house-cleaning, it is better to have this work done from day to day. One section could be cleaned each morning. The books should be slapped to- gether under the cleaning-frame, as described in the article on library furniture, and then wiped off with a cloth, and the shelves and tops of cases should be washed. The floors should be scrubbed and cleaned thoroughly at least once a week, if the library is open every day. In sweeping use a soft brush which will not raise the dust, and never use a feather duster. The librarian should have a closet which can be locked, to be used for a wardrobe and for supplies. Toilet con- veniences should also be provided for her, and a wash bowl, concealed in a cabinet when not in use, to which the chil- dren can be sent to wash their hands, is a very great con- venience. All these homely matters which enter into the daily work of the library should be attended to as system- atically and thoroughly as possible, so that there will be no friction where the real work of the library, the bringing of the person and the book together, is concerned. To accom- plish this promptly and in a helpful spirit is the ambition of every earnest librarian. HOURS AND DAYS OF OPENING If the library has sufficient income, it should be open for circulation every day in the week except certain holidays, for consecutive hours, if possible, as these are more easily remembered by the general public. If there are two or more assistants, their time can be arranged so that this will be possible. The hours of opening must be adapted to local conditions, choosing the hours when people are pass- ing to and from their work, and those which will best ac- commodate all classes of people. The children's room should usually not be open after ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION yj seven o'clock, as the library should not afford an excuse for being away from home at night. In small towns where daily opening is not possible, the library should be open at least two or three days in the week. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and evenings are suggested as the most convenient days. The librarian should not be engaged solely for the hours of opening, as there are tasks, such as cataloging and the mechanical preparation of the books, which cannot be done during library hours. The board should decide upon the number of hours the librarian is to work, and should not require her to give extra time for the necessary mechanical and technical work. Time should also be allowed for mend- ing the books, as a great deal of this work can be done to advantage in the library, and considerable loss is involved if it is slighted. The librarian should be free during library hours to attend the loan desk and assist readers. In most towns, rural communities excepted, the reading room should be open on Sunday afternoon, as this day affords the only opportunity which many people have for visiting the library and enjoying the books and periodicals. Extra help should be employed for Sunday service and holidays or responsible volunteers should be secured. RULES AND REGULATIONS Rules should be as simple as possible and not designed to restrict liberty but to prevent encroachment and secure the greatest good to all. Rules should be printed on the book-pockets, but need not be printed on the borrower's cards. It is a good plan to have neat folders, the size of a card, printed with library hours and days, giving sug- gestions regarding the resources of the library, and the use of the catalog. The following rules are suggested as covering all impor- tant points. The two-book system and system of reserving books may not be practicable in a very small library. All rules must be adapted to local conditions. 18 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION BULES BoREOWEES — Adults living in the city or village of (Township, school district, or county limits are preferable) are entitled to draw books by filling out appli- cation blanks. Children under 16 must obtain the signature of parent or guardian. Boeroweb's Cabd — Each person entitled to draw books from the library will be given a card, which must be pre- sented whenever a book is taken, returned or renewed. If this card is lost, a new one will be given after seven days' notice or upon payment of five cents. Special Pbivilege Cabd — A special privilege non-fiction card will be given to each borrower upon request. This card will entitle the holder to draw from the library any volume not classified as fiction. Number of Volumes — Two books may be drawn at a time, one only of which is fiction. Two volumes of the same work are considered as one book. Time Kept — Books may be kept two weeks and once re- newed for the same time. Books marked Seven Day Book may be kept for that time only and cannot be renewed or transferred. OvEB-DUE Books — A fine of one cent a day will be imposed for books kept over time. Reserve Books — Any book, other than a seven-day book, may be reserved upon the payment of one cent for cost of notice which will be sent as soon as the book is returned to the library. A book will not be held longer than two library opening days, after which it will again be put into circulation. Tempoeary Residents — A temporary resident may obtain a borrower's card by filling out an application blank and obtaining the signature of a resident free-holder, or by a temporary deposit equal to the value of the book. Non-Resident — Any one living outside the limits noted above may obtain a borrower's card by paying the sum of 25 cents a year, signing an application card and obtaining the signature of a resident free-holder. LIBRARY BRANCHES AND STATIONS In parts of a town remote from the main library, it is often necessary to establish branches or delivery stations. School buildings may be used for branches in lieu of sepa- rate quarters; while storekeepers will be found willing to maintain stations where borrowers may leave books to ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION jg be exchanged for other volumes by messenger service from the main library. In some cases an assistant with books from the main library visits the station at popular hours and attends to the exchange and issuance of the volumes. THE LIBRARY AND THE CHILD The interests of the child should be one of the chief con- cerns of the librarian. Children's departments should be established in the larger libraries, in charge of trained assistants; while even the smallest library should have its "children's corner." This should be made bright and at- tractive by the use of pictures and flowers. All of the books should be within easy reach of the children, the picture books being placed on the lower shelves. The chil- dren's room should be open in the afternoon until 6:30 or 7 o'clock, but should not be made a means of attracting children from their homes at night. Arrangements should be made even in the small library for a special attendant in this department from the close of school hours until six o'clock. The children need help in selecting their books, and some one who knows the books and has sympathy with the children should be assigned to this work. Volunteer service can often be employed here with good results. The children should be taugl;t the proper care of books, how to turn the leaves of the dainty volumes without soiling them and how, through the use of temporary covers, to protect the bindings. They should also be taught the proper order of books on the shelves. There should be no age limit in the library, but even the youngest should have cards in their own names, under proper guarantee; and picture books should be provided for their use, so that in after life "there will be no distinction in the child's mind between reading as an art learned and reading as a delight discovered." The greatest care must be exercised in selecting books for young folks, and only the best of the great range of children's literature should be chosen. It is better to have duplicates of the best, rather than a variety of the mediocre in children's books. Fortunately there are 20 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 50 many books for them that are both wholesome and in- tensely interesting that a small library need have no third- rate volumes on its shelves. Libraries should have a good supply of the books for the young by such writers as James Baldwin, Howard Pyle, Kate Douglas Wiggin, Edward Eggleston, Sara Orne Jewett, and the best of the books by others like Louisa M. Alcott and Charles Carleton Coffin. Miss Kennedy's Suggestive List of Children's Books for a Small Library (Democrat Ptg. Co., Madison, Wis., 25 cents), lists issued by the State Superintendent's Office at Madison, Wis., and the A. L. A. Catalog and its continuation volume, 1904-11, will be found of value. It is better to choose only the best books and to have plenty of duplicates. Boys love and need stories of adventure, but when we have good biogra- phies of Washington, Lincoln, Paul Jones, Livingstone, and stirring narratives like those of Treasure island and Men of iron, it is not necessary to place indifferent books in the very small library, and in the larger ones even the best of such writers as Stoddard and Munroe may be used sparing- ly. An occasional book of an author who depends largely upon very exciting incidents to maintain interest may do no harm, may even serve a useful purpose, but a liberal course of such reading is detrimental. Personal interest should be taken in the children's needs by the librarian, and every effort made to supply them, ever bearing in mind that "it is always threugh the children that the best work is to be done for the uplifting of any community." LIBRARY LEAGUES AND LIBRARY TALKS Chief among the clubs for young people organized in connection with libraries is the Library League which had its inception in the Cleveland (O.) Public Library. To instill into the minds of the young respect for and care of public property, and to encourage the careful use of books were the chief reasons for its organization. The idea has been found adaptable to the needs of many public libraries, and in one way or another the League motto, "Clean hearts, clean hands, clean books," has been brought to the atten- ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 21 tion of many boys and girls who frequent our public libraries, much to the improvement of the condition of the books. The story hour is a feature which has been used with most success by the Pittsburgh (Pa.) Carnegie Library, for interesting young children in the world's classics. The simple narration of the "Once upon a time" stories, which never grow old, relating to myths and legend and romance that pervade literature, may arouse a new interest in the child that may prove to be a lifelong joy. These stories should be told, however, only to whet the appetite for books on the subject which should be at hand ready to be issued for home use. THE LIBRARY AND THE SCHOOL Another method of arousing interest in good books is by talks to the school children by the librarian. The librarian should visit the different grades of the school, or where the arrangement of the library room permits, the pupils should come to the library, where the classification of the books, the card catalog, the use of indexes and reference books and kindred matters are explained. Teachers find it very helpful in arousing interest in the studies to bring their classes to the library and have brought together a repre- sentative collection of books and pictures on the subjects treated in the class. The closest relations should obtain between the library and school authorities. To encourage co-operation, the superintendent of schools or the supervising principal of the high school, in the cities and towns of Wisconsin, is by virtue of his office a member of the library board. This arrangement promotes a close alliance between the two great educational agencies. For years past there has been a library section of the National Educational Association, attended by teachers and librarians, while at the meetings of the American Library Association the subject of libraries and schools receives much attention from year to year. The library should supplement the school at every point 22 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Books should be sent to the schools in the outlying wards, so that no child will be debarred by distance from library privileges. The librarian should keep informed of the work done in the several grades, and should set aside books on the various topics for the use of teachers and students. Debating and literary societies should be encouraged by assistance from the library staff. Special cards may be given to teachers upon which a number of books may be drawn for class-room use. Teachers should be encouraged to read wholesome books to the children, thus creating a love for the good in literature. SCHOOL DUPLICATE COLLECTIONS In many larger libraries a special duplicate collection of books is added for use in the schools. These are kept en- tirely separate from the general library of children's books, and are sent to the outlying schools in groups which can be exchanged at regular intervals. These collections may be in the form of permanent groups or traveling libraries, or the teacher may choose from the general duplicate col- lection the books best adapted to the needs of her school. The books or group of books should be charged to the school at the library, and the teacher should be furnished with duplicate book-cards or blanks for keeping records, and should be required to keep an accurate record of the circulation. These books should be chosen not merely for supplementary reading to aid the teachers in their school work, but to give the children an opportunity to gain access to the best in literature. Excellent results can be obtained in this way, as the teacher becomes in reality a branch children's librarian, and can do much to guide the reading of the children. ILLUSTRATED BULLETINS The bulletin may chronicle current events, it may bring out special days, birthdays of authors or days of historic or local interest, or it may bring out lists of books on special topics. The best place for the bulletin board is ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 23 near the loan desk where it attracts the attention of all who come and go. The use of pictures has become very general and adds greatly to the attractions of the bulletin. For the bulletin must first of all attract and then having brought the people to a halt, it must give them something worth while. If an author's birthday is represented, the portrait selected must be the best to be obtained. There should be a list of books about and written by the author, if the library has such. There should also be some fact or facts of real interest written out on the bulletin. This applies to all bulletins. Have something on each one that can be taken away, so that the person who stops to look at the bulletin may feel that it is for him, even if he does not take away the books listed. Children have gone away from a very attractive animal bulletin without a book who would have read with interest a paragraph from Wilder- ness ways or the Jungle hook. Do not make too many bulletins. Have good ones, the result of time and thought, and then leave them long enough to be of value to the pub- lic. Never crowd on facts or pictures so that the mind is confused and nothing is carried away. In a bulletin on cathedrals do not include a picture of the Boston Public Library, for example. Make the bulletin a unit. The choice of backgrounds is an essential point. Black grounds and white ink bring out very well the black and white prints, and gray is good for black and white. Brown board and gold ink may be used for the brown prints, like the Elson ten cent prints. Some pictures are good on red boards. The physical make-up must be as carefully consid- ered as the list and the information. Material may be gathered from various sources: old magazines, publishers' catalogs and announcements; from railway guides and advertising matter issued by steamship companies and tourist agencies; magazine covers, and the paper covers which come on the new books, the Perry pictures, the Brown pictures, Hood's views of places, the colored pictures of birds, animals, etc., issued by the Nature Study Publishing Co. Chicago, and the Century gallery 24 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION of portraits. The illustrations from such books as the Walter Crane edition of the Wonder book may be very effectively used In bulletin work after the book is worn out. Many libraries mount pictures from the illustrated weeklies and other sources for circulation in the schools. SELECTION OP BOOKS If a public library, supported by tax, is to receive and merit public support, it must have books that give pleasure. If it is to hold the esteem of the community, and so win continued support, the books must be wholesome and must give sane views of life, inspiration and reliable information. It is not always wise to ask for gifts in starting a library, because so much useless material will be received, which it is difBcult to refuse without offending the donors. The book committee should pass upon all books received, and useless books should be rejected. The expense of handling and shelving is too great to allow poor, cheap, or out-of-date books to take up shelf room. No denominational or con- troversial books should be admitted. If this rule is estab- lished in the beginning, the committee will avoid a charge of personal prejudice. As to the works of standard authors, it is not necessary to buy complete sets. An in- complete set may be completed as opportunity arises or occasion requires. A very small library will need only a few of the best works of each author. When there is a choice of bindings, plain and substantial ones should be selected. Good cloth bindings will last for years, and when worn the books may be rebound in half-leather for less than the difference in price at the book stores between the cloth bound copy and the leather bound copy. When books fall into pieces sooner than they should on account of poor sewing, too heavy paper or on account of any defect of paper or binding, send a temperate, lucid statement of the fact and the causes to the publishers or to the Comniissions. The books should always be kept in good order by mend- ing and binding. Soiled or torn books should never be re- ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 25 turned to the shelves. It is demoralizing to put such books in the hands of patrons. They cannot be expected to keep new books clean and handle them carefully, if soiled and torn books are constantly being given to them. Soiled books and those which are torn beyond mending should be withdrawn. Some libraries send them to hos- pitals and other charitable institutions — a doubtful philan- thropy. It is better to destroy them, as there should be plenty of clean, fresh books for these places. Each new library must build up its own patronage by giving untrained readers the best of the most popular books, and then leading them gradually from good books to better. The reading habit must precede the habit of studying, and the librarian in a small town should be well satisfied if, in the first two years of the work, she can get the masses to come to her library habitually to get books to read for pleasure and if she has a few students. Fre- quent additions of new books will keep alive public interest in the library. The librarian should have the A. L. A. Book- list ($1 Chicago), the Publishers' Weekly ($4 Nev; York) or the Monthly Cumulative Book Index ($6 Minneapolis) to inform her of the publications of new books. Some good re- views should be taken, such as The Nation, Dial, New York Times Saturday Review, and Bookman. A very small library should have a somewhat large pro- portion of books by the older authors, commonly called "standard." As there are many editions of the best of such works, and as most of the cheap editions are very poor, book committees should be very careful in selecting the editions as well as in selecting the titles. To order simply Arabian nights in a cheap edition may bring a copy that is so poorly made as to be almost valueless, or a full trans- lation that is thoroughly objectionable. In buying copyrighted books there is usually no choice. In buying books in science, political and social economy, and the useful arts, book committees should buy recent books and the latest editions of standard works. The best existing guides in book selection are the A. L, A. Catalog (Supt. of Documents, Wash., D. C— $1.00) 26 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION published in 1904 and the A. L. A. Catalog, 1904-11 (A. L, A. Pub. Bd., $1.50). The first named is a list of 8,000 vol- umes, with notes, and is practically a revision and exten- sion of the 1893 Catalog of the A. L. A. Library of 5,000 vol- umes. The volume is in two parts, the first section being a Class list according to the Decimal system, and the second section according to the Dictionary plan. The Dewey Deci- mal and the Cutter Expansive Classification numbers are both given in the Dictionary section. A new library that buys this list of books, adopts the Decimal classification and is thus enabled to use the volume as its printed catalog, will have the nucleus of a better collection of books than most small libraries and will very greatly reduce the expense of library organization. The larger libraries, having most of the books in their collections, will find that this catalog will supply to some extent the ever present demand of the public for a printed catalog for home use. The A. L. A. Catalog, 1904-11, is the most important aid in book selection since the A. L. A. Catalog of 1904. It is an annotated list of about 3000 of the best books published since the Catalog was printed. Selections have been made through the votes of librarians and specialists in all parts of the country. Books are arranged by classes, with author, title and subject indexes. Children's books are listed separately. REFERENCE BOOKS The circulating department must of course be the first to be considered in starting a small library, but as the library grows, it will come to be recognized as the in- tellectual center of the town, and demands will be made upon it for information upon all sorts of topics. Refer- ence books are expensive, and this department should be built up with the utmost care. There are excellent lists of reference books in Hints to small libraries, by Mary W. Plummer, and the Guide to the study and use of reference hooks, by Alice B. Kroeger, and its Supplement (1909-10) compiled by Isadore G. Mudge. The librarian should study her reference books carefully, ascertain their scope and purpose, in order that she may be able to assist her students, and especially young people in using these tools. The use of indexes and the resources of the reference collection should be taught systematically to clubs and ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 27 schools. Teachers should be invited to come with their classes to make a study of them. A little systematic work in this direction will save much time in the end. BOOKS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES Many communities have a considerable proportion of people who read a foreign language more readily than English. These people are usually adults, and many of them are taxpayers. It is both just and politic to please them by providing books in their native languages. In selecting books for them it is rarely necessary to buy any but the more popular books of fiction with a few simple histories and biographies. In selecting and buying such books State Library Commissions can give effective help. Careful buyers may get as good discounts as are given on English books, though some well known jobbers give only short discounts. We advise librarians and trustees who are commencing this work to buy but few books in the first purchase and to rely largely upon the advice of librarians who have had long experience in this line of work. The A. L. A. has published catalogs of Hun- garian, German, French, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish books recommended for purchase. PERIODICALS— BOUND AND CURRENT Many of the most valuable contributions to modern lit- erature are found in the current periodicals, and they are therefore a very important part of the equipment of a pub- lic library. The general literary magazines should be chosen first, and afterwards technical periodicals and those relating to special subjects should be selected with reference to the local demand. The latest numbers of the current periodicals should be placed in open cases in the reading- room, and the preceding numbers should be carefully filed away until the volume is completed and ready for binding, but these unbound files should be kept where they may be easily accessible for reference. The magazines should 28 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION always be kept in good order on the tables. There are many good temporary binders which can be used for this purpose, a list of which is given under addresses of library supply houses. The value of the sets of bound periodicals for reference work can hardly be over-estimated. The Abridged Edition of Poole's Index will be found invaluable in connection with the bound volumes of periodicals, while the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature ($6 H. W. Wilson Co., Min- neapolis), issued monthly throughout the year, will prove of great assistance. The librarian should make a sys- tematic canvass of the town and collect everything pos- sible in the way of old magazines. These can be sorted and arranged, the valuable numbers bound, pictures cut from weeklies mounted, and the rest sent to hospitals and other institutions. As soon as funds permit, the library should take dupli- cate copies of the more popular magazines for circulation. If only one set is taken, it should always be kept for ref- erence in the library. For the inveterate magazine reader, who usually buys only the cheaper magazines, duplicate magazines for circulation are a great boon. The cover and the first page next to the cover may be lined with cheese- cloth or paper cambric, or they may be bound temporarily in a very cheap board cover. Their circulation should be limited to seven days. These magazines are not wasted even after the first demand is over, as the bound volumes can be used for circulation. PAMPHLETS The pamphlets which come to the library should be care- fully examined and everything which has to do with local history, which contains material not to be found elsewhere, or which promises to be of any value in the future should be saved. Those which are of most value may be bound singly or in groups according to subjects, and incorporated into the library. Others should be closely classified and put on the ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 29 shelves with the books, in manila folios (home-made), plainly lettered, or in wood pamphlet cases containing a number of pamphlets on one subject, and labeled with class number and contents. A shelf list and subject card should be made, and in case the pamphlet is valuable chiefly for its authorship, an author card may be made. Some very valuable material is found in pamphlet form, and it is important that the librarian should care for it so that it may be made accessible, and be kept clean. RENTING COLLECTIONS OF POPULAR BOOKS In the case of many popular books of the day, the librarian often finds it impossible to buy enough copies to supply the demand. This demand is often only temporary and it is not wise for the library to add many copies of a book of no permanent value. It has, therefore, been found practicable to purchase in addition to the one copy or num- ber of copies which the library could ordinarily afford, a number of extra copies which may be rented for 2 cents a day. This lessens the pressure on the regular copies and gives many borrowers who are willing to pay the extra fee an opportunity to obtain the desired book more promptly. The extra copies, if judiciously selected, will more than pay for themselves in a short time and may furnish a fund by which to add to this collection. These pay copies are issued on borrower's cards in the usual way. LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS All librarians who have in charge such treasures are aware of the general popular interest in old pamphlets, newspaper files, and other forms of local history. Every public library can and should make collections of this char- acter for its own community, and the library at the county seat should seek to cover, so far as may be, its own county. Newspaper files, the daily or weekly mirror of the com- munity's life, should, if possible, be made complete. All manner of published reports should be obtained — those of the common council, the county board of supervisors, 30 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION the various public institutions located in the community; the published memorial sermons, society year-books, printed rules and constitutions of local lodges, catalogs and pro- grams of local colleges and academies; published addresses of any sort; any manner of literature published by the churches, whether in the form of papers, membership lists, appeals for aid, or what not; programs of local musicals, concerts, veteran campfires, etc., would be found in time to have great interest to the local historian. Librarians should remember that this generation and its affairs are but passing phases of world-life; in due course what they have gathered of the literary drift-wood of to-day will be of priceless value to their successors in oflSce. PUBLIC DOCUMENTS Much valuable information is contained in city, state, or federal documents, which if wisely selected and intel- ligently used form a very important part of a library's re- sources. Many of these reports are prepared by experts, the information is authoritative, and represents thorough and scholarly research. The large number of these pub- lications, however, makes it necessary to exercise great care in selection to avoid filling valuable shelving space with books utterly useless in a small library. Town and City Reports. All reports and publications of the local city or town administrations should be secured. If reports are printed only in the local papers, clippings may be preserved; or if the local papers are bound, these reports may be indexed, and the references filed in the catalog. State Documents. Next in importance are the publica- tions of the state. States have different methods of dis- tribution. For information write to the Secretary of State or the Library Commission. The Wisconsin, Ohio, and Iowa Library Commissions issue lists of their respective state publications which are extremely useful. The blue books are mines of information and are indis- pensable. Other reports should be selected with care and ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 31 with regard to the needs of the community. When received they should be classified, cataloged and shelved with other books. Federal Documents. The annual report of the Superin- tendent of Documents gives full information in regard to the distribution of public documents. Each senator and representative is entitled to designate one library as a de- pository for publications of the U. S. government. De- pository libraries receive the volumes known as the Con- gressional documents, and practically all publications issued by the government. A library is usually a depository for documents re- ceived by private citizens in a community. The problem Is to weed out judiciously and to keep and secure only those strictly desirable. Any volumes not wanted may be returned to the Super- intendent of Documents, who will send franks to have them returned in mail bags through the post office, in the same manner in which they were received. It is undesirable for a small library to become a deposi- tory, as space will be too limited to accommodate the books, and time too valuable to arrange them. The best method for the small library is to apply to special departments for the current Issues of their publica- tions, and to the Superintendent of Documents for partic- ular publications and back files of Departmental reports that are desired. The Superintendent of Documents will furnish, "want blanks" with information as to the manner in which re- quests should be filed. Each library is assigned a special number to be used in all dealings with the Department. Every librarian should endeavor to secure the Monthly Catalog of U. S. Public Documents. The annual and special reports of the Department of Labor, Bureau of Education, Department of Agriculture, Smithsonian Institution, and National Museum, the Con- sular, and Census Reports, are especially valuable. The Congressional Record issued daily during each ses- sion contains the debates and proceedings of Congress, and 32 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION should be on file. The bound volumes will be sent at the end of the session if applied for through the local Con- gressman. These will be found of great usefulness to current topic clubs, high school debaters and the like. The Official Patent Gazette issued weekly contains a list of patents and descriptions. It may be secured through the representative of the district in which the library Is located. It is of little use to the small library unless there is some local demand. An effort should be made to secure complete files of re- ports that are desirable. Odd volumes have little value and are only a vexation unless upon some specific sub- ject of local importance or interest. Depository libraries will find it best to arrange their Congressional documents by serial numbers, and use the check list for a shelf record. Other documents should be classified and arranged with books of the same classes, and not relegated to out-of-the-way shelves where there is little likelihood of their being seen or used. For selecting documents The Monthly Catalog of Public Documents issued by the Superintendent of Documents is valuable. Since 1893 Document catalogs have been issued from the office of the Superintendent of Documents which index fully all Congressional documents and reports, and all departmental publications for that period. These should be secured and placed with the periodical indexes for reference. Students should be taught to use them, as the best material on current topics for themes and debates will often be found in government books or pamphlets, and may be had for the asking. An examination of these catalogs will reveal the wealth of information to be obtained from government publica- tions, and intelligent use of them will render invaluable, even to the small library, the hitherto despised public documents. The following catalogs cover the period from 1774 to date: Poore, Descriptive catalog, 1774-1881. Ames, Comprehensive index, 1881-1893. 2 v. U. S. Documents, Superintendent of. Comprehensive in- dex, 1893-1909. 9 V, ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 33 U. S. Documents, Superintendent of. Monthly catalog, U. S. public documents. 1895-date. Constant changes are being made in the rules govern- ing the allotment of documents and their distribution, with which the librarian should endeavor to keep Informed. BUSINESS SIDE OF A LIBRARY Public libraries are usually supported by public taxation, and the funds should be provided for in the annual tax levy. Before the tax roll is made up and the various city funds apportioned, the library board should submit a budget to the common council giving an itemized statement of needs for the ensuing year. If a perpetual income is assured by virtue of acceptance of a building as a gift, this will only be necessary in case an extra appropriation is needed. The funds when collected may remain in the hands of the city treasurer and be drawn upon by the order of the board; or, may be turned over to the library, in which case the board should elect a treasurer under bonds. The income of the library should be carefully apportioned to the various needs, and a check kept upon all expendi- tures. All bills should be signed by the librarian and approved by the finance committee before being audited by the board. Bills should be kept on file at the library in a safe provided for these and other important records; or, bills may be filed in the city treasurer's safe, in which case it will be convenient to have duplicate bills on file at the library. The vouchers necessary to draw the funds from the city treasury must be signed by the proper officers of the board. Blanks for this purpose may be arranged in the form of a printed order book, which serves as a simple method for keeping a record of expenditures. The following Is a convenient form: 34 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION G CO t^ o 0) bO Ih cd -s a 8. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 35 Each order is numbered, and each bill is paid by sepa- rate order and given the corresponding number. When the order is drawn, the account to which the bill is to be charged is indicated on the stub. From this record a table of expenditures to date can be quickly prepared at any time, or may be kept from month to month. The total footings may be carried forward from page to page. Larger libraries will keep ledger accounts under firm names and under Rent, Books, Binding, etc. A cash book should be kept by the librarian showing amount of fines collected, and bills paid from the petty cash fund. An itemized report of this fund should be made to the board accompanied by receipted bills for all amounts over $1.00. The librarian should have the authority to pay small bills from the petty cash fund, such as freight, express, postage, desk supplies, etc., but all bills for large amounts should be first audited by the board. A meeting of the library board should be held at least once a month that all bills may be audited and paid prompt- ly. The librarian or secretary should notify the members of the board a few days in advance and should be present for a part of the time, at least, at the board and committee meetings. The librarian should be prepared to give any information upon matters of administration, to make rec- ommendations, and to submit a report on the work of the library during the month, including statistics of circula- tion, borrower's cards issued, books purchased and cata- loged, and any special work undertaken or accomplished. The librarian may or may not act as secretary of the board, but records may properly be kept at the library for refer- ence. The librarian should be the virtual business manager of the library. The librarian should compile the book lists, and after approval or revision by the book committee, should send in the orders and receive them when filled. The various committees should consider and decide upon 36 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION plans for purchases, repairs or changes, and the librarian should see that they are executed. The annual inventory is essential and should be taken during the months when the circulation is lightest and the largest number of books in place. The library should never be closed for this purpose as the inventory may ex- tend over an indefinite period if done systematically. One class of books should be taken at a time. The books on the shelves should be compared with the shelf list; as each book is found, enter the date on the back of the shelf card in a position that will bring succeeding dates in even rows. Do not remove cards for missing books but make a note of them and compare later with book cards in charging tray, with bindery files, and with mending shelves. Books not found immediately should not be reported lost, but may be looked for at intervals for several weeks or months. If not found before the next inventory, the shelf list cards may then be withdrawn, thus forming the withdrawal record. Library property should be fully insured. If the library is located in a city building the premium may quite prop- erly be paid by the city with other furniture and fixtures insured in the building. If the library occupies its own or a rented building, the premium may reasonably be paid from the library funds. ADVERTISING THE LIBRARY The library should be kept prominently before the public by forms of judicious and dignified advertising. Lists of the new books, for example, with brief annotations when possible, should be printed in the daily or weekly press. When the list is sent to the newspaper, send with it a re- quest to have the type saved for further use. Ask the edi- tor to take the type composing the list to a small job press and have him strike off 250, 500 or 1,000 copies or more for your use. The only expense involved in this will be the cost of the paper and the pressman's services, which generally amount to about $1.50 per 1,000 copies. Many newspapers are willing to perform this service gratis for ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 37 the returns which it brings, if such a heading as the fol- lowing is used in the list: Milwaukee Public Library Call Slip. Furnished by the Courtesy of The Milwaukee Press. Watch the Press for Future Lists. Monthly and yearly statements of circulation should also be sent to the papers and other news notes from time to time. Appeal to current interest in some question of the day or matter of local importance by printing short lists of books showing the resources of the library on these topics. In a town of any size the library should have a standing notice in the amusement column, for the ben- efit of transient visitors. Tasteful announcement cards, 10x12 1/^ inches in size, suitably framed, should be placed in hotels, restaurants, stations, and stores, to show the loca- tion of the library and reading-room, hours of opening, and the fact that all are welcome to its privileges. When the library is centrally located and possessed of show windows on the ground floor, book and magazine posters, obtained from book dealers and publishers, may be used to advantage. Book marks bearing the words, "When in doubt consult the public library" have proved a talisman, while other printed devices that may occur to the librarian will still further inform the general public of the existence and importance of the library. REPORTS AND STATISTICS While the small library cannot spend time on elaborate statistics, a few are essential in order to know what the library is accomplishing, and how its growth and develop- ment compare with previous years and with other libraries. Not only as a matter of interest, but from a business standpoint it is important to know if the use of the library 38 BB8ENTIAL8 IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION is Increasing, the character of the reading is changing and why; whether the book purchases are well proportioned, the investment in maintenance is yielding an adequate return, or the funds suflBcient for the legitimate demands of a growing institution. All these items may be gathered from very simple records, and will prove of value in secur- ing appropriations from the council, in planning a wiser expenditure of the various funds, and in developing a taste for better literature. Reports of other libraries will contain helpful hints, and should be carefully studied. The Commissions of Wiscon- sin, Minnesota, and Iowa furnish to the libraries of their respective states, an annual report form, which the laws of each state require shall be filled out and sent, one to the common council, one to the State Library Commission, and one to be kept on file at the library. A decision should be made at the beginning of the year as to what statistics are essential. The records should be accurately kept, and form the basis for the monthly and annual reports to the board. The circulation statistics should be recorded by classes at the end of each day. For those using the Decimal classification, the blank form printed by the Democrat Printing Co., Madison, Wis. (five cents each) will be found convenient. The same form may be used for a record of accessions by classes, taken from the accession book or order cards each month. The regis- tration book will furnish the record of borrower's cards issued. The daily record of visitors to the reading and reference room, while it cannot be absolutely accurate, may be nearly so, and will be of value as a basis for comparison from year to year. The binding statistics may be taken from the bills as they are paid, or from the bindery record, and the withdrawals from the withdrawal record. These statistics should be kept up to date and should be complete each month. If this is done, the annual report will be very easy to prepare. The annual report is submitted by the retiring board to the council at the end of the fiscal year. It consists of ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 39 the president's report of the condition of the library, special improvements during the year, and special needs of the future; the secretary's report of finances, including the budget for the coming year; the librarian's report in de- tail, made to the board. The librarian's report should be something more than a collection of statistical tables. It should be an interesting history of the library for the period covered. It should give the number of the report and the exact dates cov- ered. Only summaries of the statistical tables should be included in the text, and the tables themselves be grouped together at the end. It is best to divide the report into distinct topics. Attention may be called to the total num- ber of books added, to the total circulation and any re- markable growth in special classes, or methods used to influence the character of the reading; to the increase in registration and any efforts put forth to attract read- ers. Gifts, school work, apprentice work, children's work, reference work, or any work along the lines of organ- ization or extension that have received special attention, will be of interest. The report as a whole should embody the aims and ideals of the librarian and her trustees, should record what has been accomplished in the past, and what is being planned for the future. The expense of printing the report as a separate pamphlet is too great for the average small library, unless it can be utilized to advantage for advertising purposes. It should, however, be printed in the local papers in full, and usually arrangements can be made to use the same type to reprint in pamphlet form at a nominal cost for paper and press work. ORDER ROUTINE When selecting books enter each title on a slip or order card. Order cards should be standard size (7.5x12.5 cm. or 3x5 in.) and may be cut from stiff white or manila paper. Printed order cards are convenient but not essential. The following form may be followed: 40 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION O bo a u 3 4> H bo S 3 Oh "d ** 0) o o O o a. Q Pi^ o U o •d 4) > 8 Pi ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 41 The simplest order slips should contain: author's name; title of book; publisher; number of volumes; edition; list price; date ordered; source; date received; cost. File order cards alphabetically by authors. Compare with catalog and outstanding orders to avoid duplicates; check on card if not in library; or, if an intentional dupli- cate, enter call number. Write order from slips and keep a duplicate in library. If written by hand, a pen carbon letter book is convenient and inexpensive. Enter date and name of agent on order cards. When books are received check books with bill to see that both are correct. Check bill with order cards, compare list prices, figure discounts, and enter net prices on order cards. Working from cards, compare editions and publishers ordered with title pages of books; and pencil date, source and cost on first recto following title page, one inch from the top and one inch from the inside margin, in a straight line. Avoid disfiguring title page with entries of any kind. Enter date of receipt on order card. Verify bill footings and sign bill with name and oflacial title. File order cards in index of orders received when call numbers have been entered upon them. Order cards may receive call-niunber and become the shelf-list. MECHANICAL PREPARATION OF BOOKS After books are checked they must be examined for im- perfections and must be carefully opened, cut, and stamped with some mark of ownership. To open a book: hold the book with its back on a smooth or covered table; let the front board down, then the other, holding the leaves in one hand while you open a few leaves at the back, then a few at the front, and so go on, alternate- ly opening front and back, gently pressing open the sections until you reach the centre of the volume. Do this two or three times and you will obtain the best results. Open the volume violently or carelessly in any one place, and you will likely break the back. Never force the back; if it does not 42 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION yield to gentle opening, rely upon it the back is too tightly or strongly lined. For uncut leaves use a flat bone or ivory cutter. Be careful to cut to corners but not into sections. A sharp knife or other instrument is likely to cut the margins and otherwise damage the book. Sandpaper the rough tops or edges. Books with misplaced or missing pages should be returned to the publisher, shopworn or damaged books to the agent. The mark of ownership may be a perforating, embossing, or rubber ink stamp. The perforating stamp is the best but most expensive; a rubber stamp is easily erased and unsightly; the embossing stamp is satisfactory, and not expensive. The stamp should contain the oflBcial name of library, place and state. Plain, business-like type, not too large, should be used, and ornamentation, curves, and sharp edges avoided, especially in the embossing stamp. Stamp the title page and one other selected for that purpose. Stamp important plates and illustrations if not paged in. If an embossing stamp is used, stamp at varying distances from the top of page to avoid too great thickness in any one place. Always stamp straight across the page. If a bookplate is used, place on inside of front cover in the center. A bookplate should always be used for gifts, containing the name of the library, and the words "Given by." The book pocket should be carefully folded over a book card, and creased with a bone folder. Paste on the edges only, and place on the inside of back cover in the center, or a little below, so that the book card will not project beyond the book. For labeling select a plain white gummed label, Denni- son's A 44 (round), or A 16 (oblong); separate the labels carefully as they are liable to stick together. Place labels at a uniform distance from the bottom of the books, say one inch, unless important print is thereby covered. To secure the best results cut from celluloid or photograph film a square with a diameter equal to two inches, plus the ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 43 diameter of the label. Cut a hole exactly in the center the size and shape of the label, and if the latter is round, the marker will be accurate no matter which edge is placed at the bottom of the book. Place the marker in position, and with a camel's hair brush dipped in strong ammonia, re- move the sizing from the place where the label is to go. The marker will also prevent the ammonia from discolor- ing the binding beyond the label. Allow it to dry, dip the label in warm water, press in place on the book, and rub firmly until every part has adhered. Mark the call number on the label in plain figures with India ink; allow the ink to dry thoroughly; varnish the label with white shellac, cover the label and extend one- eighth of an inch beyond. The varnished label may be washed when soiled. Book cards may now be written, and should contain call number on the top line, followed by surname of author, brief title, and accession number. To remove old labels, cut pieces of blotting paper the exact size of the labels, soak in water and press firmly upon the old labels; remove in ten minutes and the label will come off with the blotter. Never scrape the label with a knife as it is liable to injure the binding. If the labels have been varnished, an application of ammonia will re- move the varnish. Care must be taken not to discolor the binding beyond the place to be covered. Books with light or white covers may be varnished the same as labels, and washed when soiled. ACCESSIONING The accession record is a chronological list of the books added to the library, and should be absolutely accurate. It is a most important business record. Upon it is based the insurance, from it is found the number of volumes in the library, and if the usual accession book is used, a complete history of each book may be kept from entry to with- drawal. Two methods of keeping this record are in use: the com- 44 E88ENTIAL8 IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION mon method records volumes singly and gives to each an Individual accession number; the other method records the bills and gives to each book its special bill number. The inexperienced or untrained librarian is advised to adopt the former method. For this purpose secure from the Library Bureau a Condensed accession book containing from 1,000 to 5,000 lines according to the probable growth of the library. (1,000 lines, ?1.00; 2,000 lines, $3.00; 5,000 lines, ?5.00.) This book is ruled with columns as follows: Number Author Title (left hand page) Place and PnbUsher Year Pages Size Bind- ing Source C!o8t Class Book Vol. Re- marks - - (right hand page) ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 45 The lines are numbered consecutively and each volume requires a line; when the entry is made, the number of the line, called the accession numbers, is entered in the book above the date of receipt on the first recto following the title page, on page 31, on book card and book pocket. Great care must be taken to enter each book and give it an accession number before it is allowed to be taken from the library. Detailed rules for entering may be found in the front of the accession book, and should be carefully read and followed. A sample page filled out may be found in the Simplified Library School rules. (Library Bureau, $1.25.) If time is very limited, entries may be omitted for size, binding, pages and call number, in the order named. "When a book is rebound or withdrawn a note may be made in the remarks column of the accession book to make the history of the book complete. The second method records accessions by bills Instead of by volumes. Its chief claims to consideration are greater accuracy and speed. The accession book should be a strongly bound blank book ruled as follows: Date Bill No. Source Vols, Added by Total Addi- tions Pur- chase Gift Bind- ing Other Cost (left hand page) 46 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Vols. Withdrawn Bal- ance Remarks Pamphlets | Con- demn- ed Lost Paid for Lost not Paid for Miss- ing Dup. Total Reo'd With- drawn Bal- ance (right hand page) Bills of each dealer are numbered consecutively for the calendar year. The accession number consists of the initial or name of the dealer followed by the bill number and the last two figures of the current year. The 3d bill from McClurg in 1904, will read, M304 or McClurg 304. This number is entered in the upper right corner of the bill, in the usual places in the book, in the accession book, on the shelf card, and on the order card, and takes the place of the usual accession number. If initials of dealers conflict, two letters may be used, or the full names. For gifts a memorandum may be made in the form of a bill, containing name of donor, brief author and title of book, and value if known, and is entered in the same way. Books added by binding are accessioned from the bind- ing bill. Unbound periodicals purchased are accessioned from the original bills, and the cost of binding added in cost column. With this method Library Bureau 33 1 cards should be used for shelf cards, and the name of publisher and place should be included in Imprint. All bills should be filed first alphabetically and second numerically, and should be carefully kept for reference, and insurance purposes. Whatever accession method is used, a record of books by classes should be kept. If the first method is in use then ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 47 statistics may be taken from the accession book, if the call number is entered, otherwise from the order cards or shelf cards. In the second case the order cards may be kept filed by bills until all books of a bill are classified. Statistics may then be taken from these cards and the total number of volumes must correspond with the number entered in the accession book from that bill. With this method the shelf cards can be filed promptly. It will save time and trouble to take these statistics frequently and keep them up to date rather than leave them until the end of the year. If statistics by classes have not been kept, an actual count of cards in the shelf list under each class will be necessary, and the total number must correspond to the number of accessions minus the withdrawals. Statistics of reference books should be kept separately. To change from the old to the new accession method, accession all books to date, by the old method, transfer the total number of accessions and the total withdrawals to the new book, and continue by the new method with bills re- ceived after that date. CLASSIFICATION For convenience books treating of the same subject should be arranged together on the shelves. Systems of classification have been devised for this pur- pose, and one of the best should be adopted and consistently followed. The two most widely used are the Dewey Decimal and the Cutter Expansive systems. The former is used largely by public libraries, and is recommended because of its simpler notation. The abridged edition will answer the needs of a small library. The class numbers having been assigned, books should be arranged under each class alphabetically by authors. The Cutter Alfabetic author tables should be used to assign book numbers. The call number, consisting of class and book number, is entered in the book on the first recto 48 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION following the title page, on page 31, and on the book card, book pocket and label, in the accession book, and on the shelf and catalog cards. The books are arranged on the shelves first in numeric order by class numbers, second in alphabetic order by book numbers. The call number on the catalog card directs the borrower to the exact place on the shelf where the book may be found. Children's books, fiction, biography, and travel should be shelved nearest the loan desk in the order named. The class number should be omitted for fiction, and the books arranged alphabetically by author numbers. In biog- raphy 920 may be used for collective and B or 921 for in- dividual biography. In individual biography book numbers should be assigned from the subject instead of from the author of the book, so that all biographies of one person may be found together under his name. Classification should not be attempted by one who has had neither instruction nor experience. Work not well done will eventually have to be done again, and reorganization later will cost more than good organization in the begin- ning. Till the work can be properly done, classify books by the Decimal system, use the first two figures only of the class and leave space for others wherever the call number is entered. The correct section number may be assigned later, and few erasures will be necessary. If not certain of the division number use only the first number of the class; i. e., a book on physics will be given the number 53, a book on botany 58, a book on science not clearly belonging to a specific division, or uncertain, will be given the number 5; the full classification may be added later with much less work than a change of figures will require. Omit book numbers, and arrange alphabetically under each class. For aid In classification the A. L. A. Catalog, A. L. A. Booldist, Carnegie (Pittsburgh) Catalog and Bulletins, Salem Public Library Bulletin, and the New York State Li- brary Bulletin of best books (annual), are the best. Book numbers must never be assigned from another ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 49 catalog. Numbers must be assigned from the tables and compared with the shelf list to avoid conflicts in the same class. Classification aids must be used with judgment with ref- erence to the kind of library and local needs. For children's books use the same system, with a plus sign or small "y" before the class number as in the A. L. A. Catalog. It is well to simplify the classification, and use only the broader class numbers. Three figures with a few exceptions will be sufficient. SIMPLIFIED DEWEY DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION 000 GENERAL WORKS— 010 Bibliography 020 Library economy 030 General cyclopedias 040 Philosophical systems 050 General periodicals 060 General societies 070 Newspapers 080 Special libraries. Polygraphy 090 Book rarities 100 PHILOSOPHY— 110 Metaphysics 120 Special metaphysical topics 130 Mind and body 140 Philosophical systems ■»— 150 Mental faculties. Psycliqlogy 160 Logic. Dialectics 170 Ethics 180 Ancient philosophers 190 Modern philosophers 200 RELIGION— 210 Natural theology -8«0 Bible 230 Doctrinal. Dogmatics. Theology 240 Devotional. Practical M ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 250 Homiletic. Pastoral. Parochial 260 Church. Institutions. Work 270 Religious history 280 Christian churches and sects 290 Ethnic. Non-Christian . 300 SOCIOLOGY— 310 Statistics 320 Political science 330 Political economy 340 Law 350 Administration 360 Associations and institutions —370 Education 380 Commerce. Communication 390 . Customs. Costumes. Folklore 400 PHILOLOGY— 410 Comparative «i420 English 430 German 440 French 450 Italian 460 Spanish 470 Latin 480 Greek 490 Minor languages 500 NATURAL SCIENCE— "^-SIO Mathematics c> / / 520 Astronomy 530 Physics 540 Chemistry 550 Geology 560 Paleontology 570 Biology ^ 580 Botany ^ 590 Zoology 600 USEFUL ARTS— 610 Medicine E88ENTIAL8 IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 51 620 Engineering 630 Agriculture — 640 Domestic economy 650 Communication. Commerce 660 Chemical technology 670 Manufactures 680 Mechanic trades 690 Building 700 FINE ARTS— 710 Landscape gardening 720 Architecture 730 Sculpture 740 Drawing. Decoration. Design 750 Painting 760 Engraving 770 Photography -^80 Music 790 Amusements 800 LITERATURE— 810 American 820 English 830 German 840 French 850 Italian 860 Spanish 870 Latin 880 Greek 890 Minor languages " 900 HISTORY— 910 Geography and travels 920 Biography 930 Ancient history Modern 940 Europe 950 Asia 960 Africa 970 North America 02 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 980 South America 990 Oceanica and polar regions CLASSIFICATION FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS FOR LIBRARIES WHICH USE THE DEWEY DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION 030 General reference books — Cyclopedias 050 Periodicals 100 Ethics 220 Bible stories 290 Mythology 320 Our government 395 Etiquette 398 Legends, folklore, fairy tales 400 Language 500 Science and nature (General works) 520 Sun, moon, and stars 530 Physics — Electricity 550 Earth 580 Trees, flowers 590 Animal life (Including animal stories) 595 Insects 598 Birds 600 Industries and inventions (How to make and do things) 700 Music and painting (Fine arts in general) 790 Sports and games 800 Literature (May put school readers here) 811 Poetry 812 Plays 910 Travel in general 914 Travel in Europe 915 Travel in Asia 916 Travel in Africa 917 Travel in North America 917.2 Travel in Mexico, Central America and the West Indies 917.3 Travel in U. S. ES8ENTIAL8 IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 53 918 Travel in South America 919 Travel in Australia, the Islands and Arctic Regions 920 Stories of famous people — Biography — collective 921 or B Individual biography Always take book number for individual biography from the name of the person written about. 930 Life in ancient countries — Ancient history 940 Europe — History, and General History (May extend this for large collections by using 942 for Eng- land, 943 for Germany, and 944 for France) 970 American Indians and stories of Indian life 973 U. S. History— General 973.2 Colonial times 973.3 Revolution 973.7 Civil War 973.8 Spanish-American War These sub-divisions should be used only when there are two or more books in each. 977 History of the middle west Take book numbers from the Cutter author table. CUTTER EXPANSIVE CLASSIFICATION ARRANGED FOR A SMALL LIBRARY A GENERAL WORKS Ap General periodicals Ar Reference works As General societies B PHILOSOPHY, including LOGIC Bm Ethics Br RELIGION and RELIGIONS, including FOLKLORE Ca Judaism Cb Bible Cc Christianity Cce Fathers Ce Evidences Of Doctrines Ck Ethical theology 54 EBSENTIAL8 IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION cp Church polity and ritual Cx Pastoral theology D Church history E BIOGRAPHY F HISTORY, ANTIQUITIES G GEOGRAPHY, TRAVELS, MAPS, MANNERS and CUSTOMS H SOCIAL SCIENCES Hb Statistics He Economics H£ Labor Hk Commerce Hm Money and private Finance Ht Taxation and public Finance I Crime, Charity, Providence Ik Education J Government K Law L NATURAL SCIENCES Lb Mathematics Lh Physics Lo Chemistry Lr Astronomy M Natural history Mg Geology My Biology N Botany Zoology Pw Anthropology, Ethnology, Ethnography Q MEDICINE R ARTS (General works, Exhibitions, Patents, Metric arts) Rd Mining and Metallurgy Rg Agriculture Rt Chemic and Electric arts Ry Domestic arts s Engineering and building T Manufactures and Handicrafts ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 55 V Military and Naval arts V Athletic and Recreative arts Vv MUSIC W GRAPHIC AND PLASTIC ARTS We Landscape gardening Wf Architecture Wj Sculpture Wp Painting and drawing Wq Engraving Wr Photography Ws Decorative arts (including Costume) X LANGtJAGE Y LITERATURE Yf Fiction Z Book arts Zp Libraries zt Bibliography Zy Literary history This can be shortened by including Ar in A; Bm in B; Ca in Br; Cce, Ce, Cf, Ck, Cp, and Cx in Cc; (or even put- ting Br, Ca, Cb, Cc together and marking them C) ; Hb, He, Hf, Hk, Hm, Ht, in H; Lo and Lr in Lh; Rd, Rg, Rt, Ry, S. T in R; We, Wf, Wj, Wp, Wq, Wr, Ws in W; and Zp, zt, Zy in Z. History and geography must be and many other subjects may be divided locally. Of the 505 distinct marks for coun- tries provided by the "local list" the most important are 13 Polar regions, 16 Pacific ocean and islands, 26 Atlantic ocean and islands, 30 Europe, 31 Greece and Rome, 36 Italy, 39 France, 45 England, 47 Germany, 53 Northern Europe, 60 Asia, 70 Africa, 80 America, 83 United States, 98 South America. (E. g., X39 French language, F47 German hiS: tory.) SHELF LIST The shelf list is a classified record of the books in the order in which they stand on the shelves, and ranks in importance next to the accession book. 56 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADallNISTRATION Its various uses are for inventory; to assist in classifica- tion, by showing what books have been assigned to certain classes; to serve as a list of book numbers and guard against conflicts; to aid in book buying, by showing which classes are well represented, and which need additions; to be used as a classed catalog until a dictionary catalog can be provided. The guides should contain subject words as well as numbers to indicate the various classes. When time and service are limited, the fiction shelf list may always be used as fiction catalog. The title cards may be filed with the author cards, or kept in a separate file, whichever Is more convenient. The card shelf list is the most convenient form in use. Each work and not each volume requires a card. Different volumes and copies of the same book are entered on the same card. The briefest entry should give the call number, author's name, brief title, date of publication, and acces- sion number. If the second accession method Is used, referred to in accessioning, the name of the publisher should be added to the imprint, and the source, bill num- ber, date and price be given in place of the accession num- ber. The record must be very accurate, and great care must be taken not to lose or misplace cards, as a card lost is a book record lost. A small (32 1) card is often used, but the larger (33 1) is recommended. If the shelf list is to be used as a catalog for any length of time, if the second accession method Is in use, or if the Library of Congress printed cards are to be used in the card catalog. The cards are filed by call numbers, and arranged in a tray exactly as the books are arranged on the shelves. Shelf cards should be filed promptly to have the record of book numbers always up to date. Children's and adult cards should be kept in separate files, just as the books are kept on separate shelves. Rules for a card shelf list will be found in the Simplified Library School rules. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 57 796 Cam p, Walter C15 374 8324 1901 Cop. 1 " 2 Book of college sports. Shelf list, first form. 796 Cam p, Walter C15 McClurg 304 Book of college sports. 1901. -1.17 Shelf list, second form. 58 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION THE CARD CATALOG A good catalog is essential in the intelligent use of a library. A vast amount of information may be contained in a small number of books, but it is valueless to the ordi- nary reader unless some key is provided. A good catalog is expensive, but it is money wisely invested. It is the one method of making each book yield the greatest possible value, and of making instantly available any information the library may contain. The opening of the library need never be delayed until the catalog is completed, or even commenced, but the catalog should be planned for, and made as soon as funds permit. A small number of books well cataloged is far more valuable than a large library without any guide to its contents. A printed catalog is out of date as soon as printed and too expensive to be considered by the small library. The dictionary catalog made on cards filed in trays in a cabinet may be kept strictly up to date, as cards may be inserted as fast as new books are cataloged. By this method each book is repre- sented by an author and title card and by as many subject cards as the contents of the book requires. These cards are filed alphabetically like words in a dictionary, hence the name — dictionary catalog. When correctly arranged they answer the questions, has the library a book by a given author? by a given title? on a given subject? while the call number on each card indicates where the book may be found on the shelves. The making of a catalog requires technical knowledge and skill, and familiarity with books and authors. It should not be undertaken by one who has had neither training nor experience. What to enter and how to enter it requires judgment and knowledge. Not only must each book be ex- amined, but the catalog must be considered as a whole. Forms of entry must be uniform, and the treatment of similar and related subject matter consistent. All the works of one author must be brought together in one place, and not scattered under his various pseudonyms. Subject headings must be selected with great care, preferably from ESBENTIAL8 IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 59 the A. L. A. list, synonymous words must be considered, the best one chosen and reference made from all others. The smaller the library the greater the need of making available every bit of information. Not only the general subject of the book must be considered, but chapters or parts of chapters may contain informatior not easily found elsewhere, and not indicated by the title or the general subject. Great judgment must be exercised in making this selection so that neither material of value shall be lost, nor useless cards cumber the catalog. Four cards to a book will be a low average for go©d analytical work. Poor work is poor economy. If good work can not be afforded at once it will be better to wait. In the meantime the shelf list may be used as suggested elsewhere, and the order cards may be filed alphabetically by authors to serve as an author catalog. Typewritten cards are the most satisfactory and far more easily read. The small library without a typewriter may make slips and send them out to be copied. The library itself may own a platen with a card attachment, and red and black record ribbons. If the cards are hand written, vertical writing or library hand writing is the most satis- factory. It is easily read, and if cards are written by several people, it is more uniform in appearance. Good stock should be selected for card work. All cards should be of exactly the same size and weight. If they vary in either respect the smaller ones are likely to be overlooked in turning the cards. Stock should be bought from a reliable supply house, and a good quality selected in the beginning and continued. Good ink that will not fade should also be used. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION SAMPLE CATALOG CARDS 796 Cam p. Walter CIS Book of college sports. New ed. rev. 298 p. illus. Century, N. Y. 1901 s Author card. 796 Book of college sports. C15 Cam p, Walter Title card. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 61 796 Sports. C15 Cam p, Walter Book of college sports. New ed. rev. 298 p. illus. Century, N. Y. 1901 Subject card. 796 Foot-ball. C15 Cam p, Walter Book of college sports. p. 88-163. Analytical subject card. 62 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Athletics, see Spor ts Cross reference from nearly synonymous term . 1 Games, see also Spor ts Cross reference from related sulDject. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 63 PRINTED CATALOG CARDS The smallest libraries will find it practical to use the printed cards issued by the Library of Congress. The handbook of card distribution may be obtained free from the Librarian of Congress, Card Distribution Section, Washington. D. C. In it will be found directions for or- dering the cards. The books bought by a small library will usually fall within the scope of the stock. The ma- jority of cards ordered will be received within ten days from the date of ordering. The printed cards have every advantage; they are pre- pared by expert catalogers, are uniform in entry, legible, and cost much less than the same work done in the library. The price of cards ordered by serial numbers arranged in consecutive order, is two cents for the first card for each book, and one-half cent for each additional card for the same book, if ordered at the same time. For author and title orders arranged alphabetically the first card costs two and one-half cents^ and additional cards for the same book one-half cent each. The usual aids for ordering by serial number are too expensive for the small library. Beginning with 1902 the N. Y. State Library Bulletin of best books (ten cents a copy) indicates the Library of Congress serial number in the left margin opposite each title. The A. L. A. Catalog, A. L. A. Booklist, and the Cumulative Book Index give the same information. Subject headings are indicated on the regular Library of Congress cards for specified classes, but it is not easy to determine in advance which cards contain headings. Cards for books selected from the A. L. A. Catalog may be ordered at the same time as the books, and may be used for the shelf list. For other cards it will be well to wait until the books are received, so that the num- ber of extra cards needed may be decided upon and ordered together. Books need not be held until cards arrive. Enter the call numbers on the order cards, and add any information necessary to identify editions; indi- cate subjects and analyticals, including pagings, on the 64 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION back of each order card. The several printed cards for one book are exactly alike; the call number must be inserted, and the title and subjects entered on the proper cards. On analytical cards the paging should be inserted on the face of the card in some place selected for that purpose. Series and cross reference cards must be made in addition, as they are not included in the Library of Congress cards. When cards arrive, this information may all be taken from the order cards without further reference to the books. The assigning of subject headings is at once the most difficult and the most important part of cataloging. Headings suit- able for the Library of Congress are not always desirable for the small library, and must be modified, while many of the cards do not contain suggestions for headings at all. Printed cards for the articles in about 250 current publi- cations are issued by the A. L. A. Publishing Board. While many on the list are for publications found only in the larger libraries, others are suitable for the small libraries, such as American Association for the Advancement of Science, Proceedings (addresses of the vice-presidents). American Historical Association. Reports. Modern Language Association of America. Publications. National Academy of Science, Memoirs. Old South Leaflets. Smithsonian Institution. Miscellaneous collections, quar- terly issue. U. S. Bureau of Ethnology. Reports. U. S. Geological Survey. Reports. U. S. National Museum. Reports. beside the journals and proceedings of many American scientific societies and colleges. These should be used as far as possible if analysis is desired. PRINTED LISTS FOR THE PUBLIC The demand for printed finding lists for distribution may be partly satisfied with printed lists on special topics. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 65 The weekly lists of new books inserted in the local paper may be clipped and preserved for reference. Lists on gardening, good books for girls, electricity, boys' heroes, biographies of great men, birds, and other popular subjects may be compiled and printed in the local paper. In the library bulletin, or on book marks. The library bulletin may consist of library notes and lists printed each week in the local paper, and reprinted at the end of the month in pamphlet form, with a few additions and elimi- nations. In the same manner the different classes may be printed, one or two at a time, making in the end a complete printed finding list. Book marks with lists of books are an excellent method to stimulate interest in something besides the last new book. LOAN SYSTEM The loaning of books is a business transaction between the library and the borrower. Some method must be adopted for keeping an accurate record of books loaned and returned, and of borrower's cards issued. A very sim- ple system will answer the questions, what books are out of the library? who has them? how many and what books were issued on a given day? when will they be due? what books are overdue? what fines are due? how many times has a given book circulated? does the circulation of the book warrant rebinding, or replacing if worn out? what classes of books are most read? of the books circulated, what percentage is children's books, what fiction? A book card containing call number, author, title, and accession number, is made for each volume in the library. On the inside of the back cover of the book is a book pocket on which are printed brief rules for borrowers. When the book is in the library the book card is in the pocket. When the book is loaned the card is removed, the date of issue is entered in the first column and the bor- rower's card number in the second, the borrower's card is gg ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION stamped with date of issue and put into the book pocket, and the book card is dropped temporarily into a tray or drawer. At the end of each day the cards for books issued that day are arranged by call numbers, statistics are taken by- classes, and cards are filed in a tray behind a guide con- taining date of issue. At the end of seven or fourteen days, the usual periods for which books are loaned, the cards re-' maining under those dates will show what books have not been returned. Fine slips are made for these, and are filed with the cards under a separate guide. If the books are not returned within five days after date due, a notice is sent to the borrower. When the book is returned, the fine is figured, the date of return is stamped on the borrower's card and on the book card, the book card is returned to the book pocket and the borrower's card to the borrower. If fines are not paid at once the amount due is stamped on the borrower's card, and the fine slips are filed by bor- rower's numbers in a place provided, until paid. A register of borrowers must be kept to know who have cards, and how many cards have been issued. Each bor- rower signs an application blank, his name is entered in a blank book with lines numbered consecutively. The num- ber of the line is entered on a card on which is written the borrower's name, address, and the date of issue or of ex- piration. The card is the borrower's title to the use of the library and must be presented whenever a book is taken or returned. The borrower's number is also entered on the application blank. The application blanks are then filed alphabetically in a tray or drawer, and constitute an index to the registration book. BLANKS AND FORMS All cards should be of standard size, 7.5 x 12.5 c. m., — about 3x5 in. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 67 APPLICATION FOR THE USE OF THE g^^^^^ Columbus Free Public Library No.. ColumbuM, Wis 190... Date. I, the undersigned, living In the city of Colnmbns, hereby apply for the privilege of borrowing books from the Columbus Free Public Library. I promise to take good care of the books I draw, to pay promptly all fines and damages charged against me, and to obey the rules of the Library. Name Age (~\ Read this pledge carefully before "(Ifaminor)"' ^-^ signing, cui out with inlc. (see othkk side) BOBBOWEB'S APFIilOATION' BliANK GUARANTOR'S PLEDGE o Minors must obtain signature of Parent or Ouardian I, the undersigned, a resident of the city of Columbus, desire that should have (FILL IN NAME OF APPLICANT) the use of the library and promise to be responsible for •! j^^^ | good conduct in the building and to make good any charges against | ^^ for loss, injury or over-detention of books. Naicb (sign in ink) (see otheb bids) SAUB. BEVEBSB 7 DAV BOOK Not to be renewed or transferred 68 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Special Privilege Non-Fiction Card No Is entitled to draw bcx^ks from the Columbus Free Public Library and is responsible for all books taken on this card which Bxplrea Loaned Ret'rn'd Loaned Ret'rn'd ::::::: No ' Is entitled to draw books from the Columbus Free Public Library and is responsible for all books taken on this card which Bxplrea Loaned Ret'rn'd Loaned Ret'rn'd Borrower's Cards. Full ruling on both sides. No Loaned Ret'rn'd Loaned Ret'rn'd Borrower's Card Reverse. Book or Charging Card. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION QQ Columbus Free Public Library Columbus, Wis., 190—. Please return Book No entitled drawn on 190 — Respectfully, LiailARIAN. Postal card fine notice. Borrower Book No. Date taken Date due Date returned 1st notice sent 2d notice sent Reported lost Messenger Total amount of fines. Paid Fine slip. 70 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Book Pocsbt. rv J V -^ Same Folded. Sahb Revessb. ACM> Pocsn. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION CIRCULATION STATISTICS 71 Month 1 2 3 Current per. 000 Bound per. 100 C Philosophy 200 C Religion A 300 C Sociology A 1 400 C Language 600 C Natural Science A 600 C Useful Arts A 700 C Fine Arts A '800 C Literature A 900-909 C 930-999 History A 910-919 C Trayel A B-920 C Biography A C Fiction A German Scandi- navian Daily Summary Special Classes 30 31 Monthly Statement Monthly Total The top of the page has the following items: Year. A— Adults' books. C— Children's books. Get statistics from a careful count of the book cards or slips. If the library is not open on Sunday , put weekly statistics in that space in red ink. 72 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION WITHDRAWAL RECORD A list should be kept of all books lost, worn out, or with- drawn for any reason, or the shelf-cards only may be filed as the withdrawal record. A special blank book ruled for this purpose may be purchased from the Democrat Printing Co., Madison, Wis., at a cost of 75 cents, or a well bound blank book will serve. The following form may be used: Date Number Author Title 21 Jnne '04 .51 Fiske, J. Discovery of Amorica 52 Harris, J. C. Gabriel Tolliver 53 * R4 (left hand page) Class No. Book No. F54 Vol. or Copy Accession Number Cause Amount Paid Bemarks 973.1 1 2172 Lost by *718 2 00 H24g 1375 Worn out - ♦Bor rowe r's c ard numb er. (right hand page) Withdrawals may be entered once a month, or the book cards may be filed and entries made once a year. Lines ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 73 should be numbered as in the accession book, and one volume entered to a line. After the record is made in the withdrawal book, enter in the remarks column of the accession book, the cause, date, and withdrawal number thus: Lost by 718, 21Je04-51. Enter on the shelf card opposite the accession number the withdrawal number, thus: w.d.51. Pile the shelf cards of withdrawn books alphabetically in a separate file as an index to the withdrawal book. If the library has more than one copy, make a duplicate shelf card for the withdrawal index, and make note of with- drawal on both cards. Note date and cause of withdrawal on book card. All book cards of books withdrawn and all book cards that have been filled should be preserved and kept filed. Make order slips for books that are to be replaced, and keep on file until they can be ordered. The withdrawal book sup- plements the accession book. From these two records a statement may be made at any time of the number of books received by purchase, gift, or exchange; the num- ber of books worn out, lost, sold or condemned; and the total number of books in the library at a given time. BINDING The first problem that confronts a library about to bind is the choice of a binder. It is desirable, of course, to get the best binding for the purpose, at the least possible cost. Several binders may be asked to make bids for the work and the binder who meets the requirements for good honest binding most satisfactorily must be chosen, not the one who may quote the lowest prices. It is agreed by all who have experience in the matter that there is no economy in cheap binding. The library cannot afford to experiment; good work costs least in the end. Local binderies should not receive the work unless able to do it as satisfactorily as it may be done elsewhere. For addresses of good bind- eries write to the commissions or to adjacent large libraries. Before sending to the bindery, each book should be ex- 74 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION amined to see that the paging is intact. The periodicals should be arranged by volume, not by year, because refer- ences are made to volume and page, and if the book is not so arranged it is practically worthless. The title page and index should be be placed with each volume, the title page in front, the index at the back unless paged to go else- where. Librarians should send to the publishers for title pages and indexes for all magazines lacking them. If they cannot be secured the binder must be directed to leave stubs that the pages may be tipped in when found. A slip should accompany every book, indicating the let- tering for the back, and the style of binding desired. The librarian should decide on this matter; it should never be left to the binder. Binding slips are furnished by library supply houses. There are many ways of keeping records of the books sent to the bindery. One of the most con- venient ways is to remove the book cards, and charge them to the bindery. A list of the books should accompany them to the bindery. The binder must enter the price of each book on its binding slip, and when his bill is received it should be checked with prices on the slips. In contracting with the binder, he should be required to quote terms for periodicals, of the ordinary she like the Century, and for the larger size like Youth's companion and Harper's weekly; also for rebinding, by size, of books not over 1% inches in height, and books not over 9% inches, of average and of extraordinary thickness. Speci- fication should also be made as to the style of binding, the sewing, lettering, and other details essential to good bind- ing. The binder should also send samples of leathers, papers and cloths numbered or lettered, that directions may be given by merely using the symbol of the sample of material desired. Periodicals and books of permanent value should be bound in the best materials the library can afford. The most important binding material is that cover- ing the back and corners because these parts suffer the most wear. Morocco is the most durable and beautiful of the leathers used for this purpose, but is too expensive for the ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 75 ordinary small library. Of the cheaper leather, red cow- hide makes a very durable binding for the larger and heav- ier of the magazines, and looks very well. Roan, with the grained, hard-finished surface (the smooth spongy kind mars easily and splits) is the cheapest leather that can be satisfactorily employed. Black is much used for bound sets of magazines, but it must be adriiitted that it grows purple at the edges with wear. The St. Nicholas and other maga- zines and books for children should be bound in bright colors, preferably in red buffing or roan. Calf and sheep are not to be used in any binding as they are both expen- sive and perishable. Marbled paper is ordinarily most sat- isfactory for the sides of the book, costing less and wear- ing almost, if not quite, as long as cloth, and being more easily replaced. Paper does not fray or curl at the edges, nor blister with moisture, as does cloth. Silk head bands should be used for all of the better class of work, as they add not only to the appearance but to the durability. The first essential of good binding is strength. The part of the book which bears the most strain is the joining line of the book with its cover, consequently every device which strengthens the fastenings at this line must be care- fully examined. The first and last signatures (or sections) should be whip-stitched, or sewed with the sewing machine. All books up to octavo size should be sewed on three bands, larger books on four or more. These bands are placed in saw cuts at regular intervals at the back of the signatures, each of which is sewed to the bands. The ends of the bands are laced firmly into the boards forming the cover. Hinges of stout cloth joining the book and cover under the end papers also add to the strength. Loose backs are recom- mended. In finishing, all tooling and ornamentation should be avoided, except plain gilt lines to divide the back into panels. The lettering should be in plain Roman capitals and Arabic numerals, large enough to be easily read. It is a great convenience to have the lettering placed in the same relative position, on all books, because it aids the eye in finding the book. The following order is recommended: 76 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION surname of author in top panel; brief title in second; vol- ume number in fourth, without prefixing v., or vol. On magazines it is well to add below the volume the year, and below the year the months covered. It is well to specify the time for binding. A fair time should be allowed that the books may not be turned out green. If sufficient time is not allowed the books to be thoroughly pressed and dried after they are finished the books will warp, spread and sag after standing on the shelves a short time. If the binder is hurried he will be tempted to neglect this part of the process. Objection is sometimes raised to the rebinding of old books. Why not let the books wear out and replace them with new? This question is easily answered by comparing the prices of rebinding and replacing. To rebind a book of average price, costing the library ?1.05, will cost 35 or 40 cents, that is, about a third of the cost of replacing it. Moreover the rebinding not only results in an economy of money, but the book will wear two or three times as long as it did in the publisher's covers. What to rebind is worthy consideration. Books of merely temporary interest, books undeserving a place in a good library, should not be rebound, nor replaced when worn out. Recent books in need of rebinding should be sent and returned promptly while patrons are anxious to read them. If a book has many pages missing, or has been defaced by stain, ink or soil that cannot be removed, it is not worth binding. It is impossible for one person to tell another exactly what determines good and bad binding. Study of the proc- ess in the bindery and examination of every book that comes to hand, are the best ways of acquiring judgment. Cost of binding varies so much in different places that only approximate figures can be given. The following prices are given for magazines of the average size, such as Cen- tury, Atlantic and Forum, with leather backs and corners and marbled paper sides: Turkey morocco |1.10 to |1.35 American morocco 85 to 1.10 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 77 Cowhide ? .70 to $ .85 Roan 65 to .80 Buffing 65 to .80 Good binding of fiction and children's books should be obtained for from 35 to 60 cents. BINDING SLIP TO ACCOMPANY BOOK Bd. No I cs Acc. No I «e Size •* e Price f Style (Underscore or outline proper word.) Color Light brown, dark brown, ^ black, blue, red, maroon, green. »- Back and comert Morocco, roan, buffing, buck- ^ ram, cloth, art vellum. c ■C Side* SL Paper, cloth. £ _. S Dtreetxont m Bind contents of magazines in front and indexes in back unless paged to go elsewhere. Insert stubs for missing pages. Betnm this slip with bound vol- ume. Lettering for Back. 78 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION MENDING It Is very important that the books of a library which need mending should be promptly and carefully repaired. Every book, when returned, should be looked over for loose leaves, tears, or marks, and nothing should be placed on shelves that needs the least attention. In putting in single leaves, or mending tears, thin onion skin paper (which is transparent) should be used with flour paste. Loose signatures should be sewed in, using linen thread and a curved needle and fastening the ends very carefully. Never use glue or mucilage in replacing loose leaves or signatures, and use paste very sparingly, and only for tipping in single leaves and illustrations. Too much paste on the inner margin of the leaves makes it impossible for the binder to make secure stitching when the book comes to him. The librarian should study the processes of binding at the local bindery, and learn what repairing may be done to advantage at the library. It is better to send books to the bindery in the early stages of disintegration, as a book is almost invariably stronger after rebinding than it was before, and if the book is allowed to circulate too long, leaves and sections become lost, and the book is not worth rebinding. MENDING MATERALS Onion skin paper (ofttimes obtained at the local bank); paper cambric — black and white; white linen thread; needles — No. 4 straight and a few curved; thimble; gummed linen strips or Multum in parvo binders No. 2 (624 Arch St., Philadelphia) ; paste — see Supplies for a 1.000-volume library. DISINFECTION OF BOOKS Although statistics go to prove that few cases of con- tagious diseases have been traced directly to infection from library books, it is still wise to exercise great care. If there were serious danger, library assistants would be the ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 79 first to suffer, whereas a case of a library assistant contract- ing disease in this manner has never been known. Arrangements should be made with the health officer to have every case of contagious disease reported promptly to the librarian. The library records should be examined at once to see if anyone residing in the quarantined house holds a library card, and if there is a book charged to it. Notice must then be sent to the owner of the card stating what disposal is to be made of the book. All cards be- longing to quarantined members of the family should be withheld until the librarian is notified by the health officer that the quarantine is lifted. Many libraries burn all books exposed to diphtheria, scarlet fever and smallpox. This should be done by the proper official or it may be neglected. Fines should be stopped on books in quarantine, and if necessary to destroy them the library usually bears the expense. If there is the slightest danger that the fumigating will be carelessly done, facilities should be provided for doing it at the library. Vapor of commercial formalin in a closed space Is the most effective disinfectant. One cubic centimeter of for- malin to 300 cubic centimeters of air is the formula, and will thoroughly disinfect in fifteen minutes. A longer ex- posure will not answer for a greater quantity of air per cubic centimeter. As a rule few books need disinfecting at the same time. A small box 2x2x2 feet inside measure, zinc lined, will re- quire about 1/5 of an ounce of formalin. A formaldehyde generator costs $1.00, including one-half ounce of formal- dehyde. The box should be fitted with one or two shelves made of slats from one to two inches apart. The first shelf must be high enough from the bottom to accommodate the generator, which is four inches high. The second shelf should be movable. The books should be spread open on the front edges of the covers, facing downward. The box must be closed during the exposure. In case of an epidemic It Is well to close the library. 80 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Before opening again it should be thoroughly fumigated under the supervision of the health officer. FURNITURE AND FITTINGS The small library should offer a radical departure from the formal plan of arrangement of tables, chairs, and fixtures. Books should be placed on shelves around the walls, book stacks being added only as a last resort from overcrowding. A fire should be kept on the hearth on wintry days, and the entire equipment should invite patrons to enter and to stay. Flooes, Floors should be as noiseless as possible. Mat tings and carpets collect dust and are very insanitary. Hardwood is noisy and undesirable. The best floor cov- ering is corticine over pine flooring. It costs from 90 cents to $1.10 per square yard, and may be cleaned the same as a hardwopd floor. Corticine is sometimes oiled with a mixture of boiled linseed oil and turpentine In equal parts. Tiling is the noisiest kind of flooring and should never be selected for places where there is much passing or moving of chairs. It should be covered with corticine where traveled. Walls. Decorations should be in soft colors. The buffs, greens, terra cottas and deep reds are the most pleasing. Spaces back of the wall shelving should be painted to har- monize with the finish of the cases. Pillars and all exposed wall surface between cases should have a hard finish, that the paint can be washed or they should be boxed in with wood panels when constructed of iron. The wood panels should correspond with the wood-work of the building. Projections from the bases of pillars or cases should be avoided, as they quickly become rubbed or marred. Mouldings should be provided in all rooms where there is wall space; if ceilings are low, cornice mouldings are best ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 81 Lighting. Tungsten lights, suspended from the ceiling, are best for general lighting. Sufficient ceiling lights should do away with the necessity for table lights or side lights over cases. Table lights, requiring additional wiring and permanent location of tables, should be avoided. It is economy to have sufficient wiring or piping done in the beginning, and add fixtures as needed. The delivery desk should be well lighted; a table or a low chandelier may be used for this purpose. A good light should also be provided at the entrance. Fixtures should be without ornamentations, which only serve as dust catchers. All electric light switches should center at the delivery desk if possible. SHEI,^^NG: Wall cases. Wall spaces in the reading rooms and book room should be shelved first. Until these are filled floor cases will be unnecessary. Cases should be made standard height. The average, 7 feet 2 inches, allows for a 4-inch cornice, 6-inch base, 7 spaces 10 inches in the clear, and 6 shelves 1 inch in thickness. Uprights should be from one and a half to two-inch lumber. Shelves may be 30 inches, never more than 36 inches, long by 8 inches deep, and should be adjustable. Metal pins for shelf supports are best. Drill a row of holes one and a half inches from each edge of upright, an inch apart, into which the pins will fit. On the under side of the shelves cut slots to fit the projecting ends of the pins, so that when the shelves rest upon them the under surface will be perfectly smooth. The base of the cases may be finished in cement, which will not be injured in cleaning floors, and may itself be easily cleaned. Backing for wall cases is a needless expense. Walls back of cases may be painted to match woodwork. If backing is used, one-half inch lumber grooved and fitted will answer. Sheoing: Floor cases. Floor cases should be double faced with standard dimensions for each case. A partition between is unnecessary, but cross pieces without sharp edges should be provided to prevent books from slipping into opposite sections. Five feet at least should be allowed 82 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION between cases. Cases should not be more than four sec- tions in length, with aisles at both ends. Every alternate case may be a ledge case, or one case may be suflBcient for over size books. The ledge case will be standard height with a fixed ledge 36 inches above the floor, four 10-inch spaces above the ledge, and one each 14 and 15-inch space below. Lower shelves will be 12 inches, upper shelves will be 9 inches, and the ledge will be 15 inches deep. Shelving for heavy books should never be longer than 30 inches. Very heavy books should lie flat upon the shelves. Alcoves between floor cases may be provided with small round tables and chairs. Shelving: Reference shelves. Sloping shelves against the walls should be built for atlases and dictionaries, and roller shelves for very heavy books. The latter have two long rollers or four short ones inserted in open spaces in the shelf. These rollers project above the shelf and the books rest upon them. At least one ledge case should be built in the reference room. Shelving: Children's shelves. Cases in the children's room should not be over 6 feet 3 inches high. Base 6 inches, cornice 4 inches, shelves 5 inches, 6 spaces 10 inches in clear. If the room or corner for children's books is only temporary, the standard size may be built, and the vacant space above covered with burlap or corticine for picture bulletins. If great economy must be practised, the shelving in the children's room and fiction cases may be made sta- tionary, allowing always 10 inches in the clear for each shelf. Wooden pins may be substituted for metal, but will not prove as satisfactory in wear or convenience. Larger libraries may afford patent metal shelving. The State Library Commissions will be able to furnish infor- mation concerning the best kinds. If temporary shelving is being put up, with the prospect of moving into a new building in a short time, it will be good economy to have boxes made in the rough, 30 inches long, 8 inches deep, and 10 inches high, with a few higher and deeper to accommodate the larger books, and placed ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 33 one above another in the form of shelving. They may be fastened together with a narrow upright at either end. When ready to move, the upright can be removed, papers can be paclved in the boxes to prevent the boolcs from shifting, and the boxes can be transferred to the new build- ing and the books to the shelves with a minimum amount of labor and confusion. The boxes will be useful later for transferring books to schools or branches. Shelving: Estimate of capacity. Find the number of books to be shelved. Allow at least one-third of the space for growth. A full estimate is ten books of fiction to the running foot, or eight books including all classes. A tier with seven shelves, 36 inches long, will hold 210 ordinary books, or 168 average books, not allowing for growth. Books should never be crowded on the shelves. In arrang- ing them, leave one-third of each shelf vacant to avoid shifting as books are added. Tables. Very long tables should be avoided. Round tables seating four or six people are the most desirable and convenient. A good size for long tables is 6 feet long, 3 feet wide, 30 inches high. Allow at least 30 inches seating capacity for each person, and aisles from 3 to 5 feet be- tween tables. Tables should be plain and substantial, with- out ornamentation. Avoid low side pieces, foot rails, and drawers which are sure to be used as waste baskets. Slop- ing tables are not desirable. Children's tables. One table the same height as for adult readers may be provided. The other tables may be in two sizes, 22 and 26 inches high. The round tables are to be preferred in this room also. The long table should not be more than 6 feet long by 3 feet wide. Chaibs. All chairs should be light in weight and strongly made, and must not be easily overbalanced. Cane seats wear out quickly and are undesirable. Bent wood chairs are the most satisfactory for weight and wear. It is well to have a few arm chairs for other than table use. Chairs should be fitted with rubber tips unless cork carpet is used. Tips that screw into the legs are the best. Avoid the cup- 84 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION shaped tips and those that require holes to be drilled in the chair legs. Childben's chairs. Chairs for the children's room should be in three sizes to fit the tables, with seats 14, 16 and 17^ inches high. Rungs on all chairs should be high, so they cannot be used for foot rests. Desks. A flat top office desk will answer the purpose of a loan desk in the small library. The drawers may be fitted with partitions at small expense to form compart- ments the correct size for filing application blanks, bor- rower's cards, or other library blanks. If a larger desk is needed it may be built by a local carpenter. A flat top desk in the form of an octagon is convenient. It should be 40 inches high and the top not wider than 24 inches. An opening directly at the back, or preferably one at each side may be provided. The desk inside should be fitted at the most convenient points with shelves for books returned, with drawers planned to hold borrower's cards, application blanks, postal cards, and miscellaneous blanks, with cup- boards to hold loan desk supplies, and with a sliding shelf. This shelf should be 26 inches from the floor, and a space of three inches must be allowed above it to accommodate ink bottles, etc., when it is closed. A half-inch moulding around the three outer edges will prevent pens and pencils from rolling to the floor. A cash drawer with lock and key should be convenient to the place where the charging tray is to stand. The charging tray will stand on top of the desk, or be partly sunken, and should be of the same wood and finish as the desk proper. If on the desk, pieces of felt pasted on the under side will prevent the tray from scratching the desk when moved about. A low chair for the sliding shelf, and a high bent wood revolving chair should be provided. A foot rest at a con- venient height under the desk near the charging tray will be needed. "Wire screens or glass partitions around the loan desk are objectionable. A flat-top desk for the librarian will be very convenient in larger libraries, aside from the charging desk. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 85 Cabd catalog case. The patent card cabinet, although ex- pensive, is the best economy in the end. The trays must be made to fit the cards exactly, and to be interchangeable in the cabinet; a local carpenter will not be able to do the work satisfactorily, or if he is, it will cost more than the patent one. A cabinet with single trays holding 1,000 cards of the weight used by the average library is preferable to a cabinet with drawers, two trays to a drawer. Cases con- taining 2, 4 or 6 trays, ranging in price from $5 to $12, may be obtained from library supply houses. If cards have not been ordered separately, outfits including cabinet, cards and bristol guides may be obtained complete. In buying stocK of cards needed, estimate at least three cards to each book, and buy enough cards to last at least a year. If a cabinet cannot be afforded at once, the cards may be filed in the boxes in which they are sent, or wooden trays may be made to fit cards. These trays should have partitions or movable wooden blocks to hold the cards in an upright position, and can afterward be used for filing other cards. Card trays should be fitted with covers to protect the cards, and with rods to lock them in. Cataloging is too expen- sive to risk injury to cards from dust or accidents. The cabinets may stand on a table, or on a base specially provided. The base may contain drawers designed for mounted photographs, bulletin material, or supplies, or it may be fitted with shelves for heavy books. An explana- tion of how to use the catalog should be found on or near the catalog cabinet. Directions should be simple and should include information about how to find the books on the shelves. Periodical case. A case may be built into the wall for current periodicals, consisting of pigeon holes 4 inches high, 8 inches deep, and 10 inches long, above a ledge 36 inches from the floor. Below the ledge the shelves may be divided to accommodate the larger magazines. This case may be used for the recent unbound files, and a sloping rack be provided for current numbers. The rack may be built into or against the wall, and may consist of steps 6 inches high g6 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION and 2^ inches deep, with slats 3 inches wide across the face, the tops of the slats on a level with the steps, allow- ing a space 2 inches between. The library supply houses furnish sloping periodical cases with drawers of different sizes in the base for back files. Book tkuck. A book truck may be convenient even for a small library, but is usually too expensive to be consid- ered. It consists of three strongly built shelves on wheels. It saves labor in carting books from the loan desk to the shelves, and is convenient for holding new books while being cataloged, for bindery books when being prepared for the bindery, and similar uses. When distances are short, however, it is a needless expense, and unwieldy to handle. If used it should have rubber tires. Prices may be found in library supply catalogs. Sloping cases. Sloping cases are very convenient for displaying new books, and books on special topics, and for receiving books returned to the loan desk. Such a case will be more convenient than a truck for the cataloger in a small library, and can be made by the local carpenter. Newspaper back. Holders should be provided if news- papers are received at the library, and a rack or hooks to hold them fastened into the wall if space can be spared. Photogkaph case. The base of the catalog may be fitted with drawers, or a separate case may be provided for mounted pictures. Sometimes a wide partition between rooms may be fitted up for this purpose. Two sizes of drawers will be needed to accommodate the standard sizes of mounting boards, 8i/4xll and 11x14. In addition one or two shallow drawers at the bottom, the entire width of the case, may be planned for the large pictures and bulletin boards. The pictures stand on end in these drawers, and are numbered, arranged and used like cards in a catalog. If a case is too expensive, ordinary filing cases may be used. Screens and Bulletin boards. Unused shelves at the tops of cases may be covered with burlap, corticine, billiard cloth or other material for bulletin boards. A frame may be fitted into an unused section of a book case, or into a ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 87 vacant wall space for the same purpose. A frame 5 feet high and 4 feet wide on standards may be covered in the same manner, and is convenient because movable. It may be used to screen a table or corner as well as to display posters and pictures. A four-leaved screen 6 feet high will serve the purpose of bulletin board and partition if needed. If wall screens are backed with soft wood, thumb tacks may be used for posting lists and pictures. Dennison's ticket pins nos. 25 and 37 may be used in burlap and bil- liard cloth without injuring the wall behind it. A bulletin frame enclosed in glass, with lock and key, will be found convenient in the hall. Book supports. Book supports are necessary to keep books upright on the shelves. The appearance of the library is thus improved and the books are kept from injury. The covers of books not kept upright will be quickly strained, the threads will break, and rebinding soon be necessary. A home-made support costing 3 or 4 cents apiece may be made from tin. The edges should be rolled over copper wire to remove sharp corners. The support will have a 4-inch upright and a 4-inch flange, and should be strong and firm enough not to be over-balanced by the books. A good japanned tin support costing 10 cents each, or $7.50 per hundred, is furnished by the Library Bureau. The Art Metal Construction Co. supplies an excellent support for its shelving, which fits into grooves underneath the shelf above. They are also sold for 10 cents. Sharp corners or edges that may injure books or shelves must be avoided in all book supports. Shelf label holders. Labels of some kind should be provided for all shelves. Fiction labels should contain the names of authors, and be placed beneath the books by those authors. Class labels contain the names of subjects. Books are shifted from place to place as the library grows, hence the labels must be moved, and movable label holders are necessary. Library supply houses furnish label holders at 10 cents each, or a tin label holder may be made locally at 88 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION less cost. In ordering from supply houses, the exact width of the shelf must be given. Shelf boom or coenee. A work room or corner where books are cataloged, mended and prepared for the bindery should be provided with shelves for books and filing cases, drawers for catalog supplies and order cards, and cupboards for supplies. If a corner, it should be screened from sight. A table should be provided, neatly covered with oilcloth, or, if possible, with a glass or marble top. This table may be made very convenient with rows of drawers on either side fitted to hold mending and other supplies, and a small cupboard for paste, etc. Cloak booms. If possible a small room should be pro- vided for the librarian and assistants, with toilet facilities, a locker for hats and cloaks and other conveniences. If this is out of the question, a wardrobe should certainly be provided for wraps and hats, as they are very unsightly if left about the room. There should be hooks, or hat racks, and umbrella stands in a convenient place for the public, within sight of the loan desk. If a separate public cloak room is planned for, it will need a special attendant, other- wise many articles will be lost. SUPPLIES FOR A 1,000 VOLUME LIBRARY Secure catalogs from firms from whom you order, and order by numbers or symbols given in the catalog. Obdeb boutine Slips size and shape of catalog cards. May have a printed form or write necessary items on blank cards. Mechanical pbepabation Flat bone or ivory paper knife. 25-50c. Embossing stamp or ink stamp for mark of ownership. $2.50-$4.50. Dennison gummed labels, plain white. (2,000.) No. A 44, a round label, is suggested. 20c per 1,000. Celluloid label marker. (May be bought by the inch.) Strong ammonia. 5c. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION gg Higgins Eternal Ink. (1 bottle.) 25c. White shellac varnish. 10c. Camel's hair brushes for ammonia, shellac (^ inch) and for paste (14 inch). Paste. The following receipt is for a library paste, easily made and very satisfactory: One tablespoonful of alum. One quart of water. One-half pint of flour. Mix the flour with a small quantity of water, and stir into a cream. Cook for 20 minutes. Dissolve the alum in the water and bring to a boil; stir in the cream three minutes before it is through cook- ing. Stir while cooking, strain, and add 20 drops of oil of cloves. Accession becobd 2,000-line condensed accession book. Library Bureau. 13.00. Withdraw Ai. becobd Withdrawal book. (Democrat Printing Co., Madison, Wis. 75c.) or Blank book. Classification Dewey decimal classification. Abridged. Paper, $1.00. Cloth, n.50. Cutter's decimal author table. Library Bureau. $1.25. Cutter expansive classification. Library Bureau. $5.00. Shelf list Shelf cards of standard size. (2,000), $1.25-$1.60 per 1,000. Punched and ruled like catalog cards; specify typewriter ruling if machine is to be used. If or- dering from Library Bureau, get 32 1 cards, or catalog cards of standard size. (2,000), $1.75-32.25 per 1,000. Buff bristol guide cards in 3rds for shelf cards. (100), 40-50C per 100. 90 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Tray for shelf list. The shelf list may be kept in unused drawers of the catalog case, in the boxes in which cards are shipped, or in a wooden tray made by local car- penter. Cards must be securely locked into the tray. Cabd catai-oq Catalog cards of standard size. (4,000), $1.75-$2.25 per 1,000. Specify typewriter ruling if desired. Quality must be of the best. If ordering from the Library Bureau, order 33 1 cards, from the Democrat Print- ing Co., standard catalog card No. 3. Most dealers allow liberal discount for quantities of 5,000 and upwards. 4 tray catalog case. $8.00. Buff bristol guide cards. (200), 50-GOc per 100. Library school rules. Simplified edition, paper, $1.00; cloth, $1.25. List of subject headings. $2.50. May be omitted until subject cards are made. Loan system Book pockets. (2,000), $2.25-$4.00 per 1,000. Printed with rules for borrowers and name of library. Charging or book cards of manila, ruled. (2,000), 75c- $1.50 per 1,000. Borrowers' cards of yellow board. (Quantity deter- mined by size of town), ?1.50-$2.50 per 1,000. Borrowers' special privilege non-fiction cards, of pink board. Statistics sheets. (6), 5c each. (Supplied by some Commissions without charge.) Borrowers' application blank, manila, printed to order, $1.75-$2.50 per 1,000. Registration book (well-bound blank book). 1,000 line, $1.75. Charging tray. (2), 35-50c each. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 91 Date guides (1-31) in buff bristol (1 set), 25c. Rubber library dates (1 set) 1 Pencil dater |- G5-80c for outfit. Ink stamp pad J Fine slips, for fine record in library. (500), 10c. Plain slips 3x4 inches. 7 day slips. Shelves Book supports, tin. (50) Shelf label holders, tin. (50) Printed case labels for each large class. Binding Printed binding slips. 10c per 100. Stationery and desk supplies Carter's "Koal black" ink. Carter's fast red ink. Full cork penholders. (2) Half cork penholders. (3) King's No. 9 pen, or any good long stub. Covered glass ink well with opening wide enough to admit cork penholder. Desk blotters. Hand blotters. Hard pencils. (2) Medium pencils. (6) Best knife edge steel eraser. 50c. Rubber eraser. Shears. Mending cloths, hemmed, 18 inches square. (6) 92 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION PERIODICAL RECORD Vols, per yr. Year Vol. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Reg. price Net price. Source Publisher Ed T. P. and Ind. Form 1 ADDRESSES OF LIBRARY SUPPLY HOUSES Library Bureau, 230 Atlantic Ave., Boston, Mass. All library supplies. Democrat Printing Co., Madison, Wis. All library supplies. Leslie Paper Co. Minneapolis, Minn. Acme pockets. Clarke & Baker, N. Y. City. Catalog cases, cards, etc. The Globe-Wernicke Co., 231 South Wabash Ave., Chicago, 111. Catalog cases and cards. Heinn Specialty Co. 133-135 Michigan St. Milwaukee, Wis. Temporary binders for weekly papers. Multum in Parvo Binder Co. 624 Arch St. Philadelphia, Pa. Mending materials. E88ENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 93 A. H. Abbott, 46 Madison St. Chicago, 111. Onion skin paper for mending. Wm. G. Johnston & Co. Pittsburgh, Pa. Spring back binders. The Dennison Manufacturing Co. 90 Wabash Ave. Chicago, 111. Labels, pins, card holders and mending materials. LIBRARY LITERATURE GENERAL WOBKS A. L. A. Manual of library economy. The following chapters, each forming a separate pamphlet, are now ready. Price, 10 cents each; 4 cents each in lots of 50 or more. A. L. A. Publishing Board, 78 E. Washington Street, Chicago, 111. 1 American library history, by C. K. Bolton. 2 Library of Congress, by W. W. Bishop. 4 College and university library, by J. I. Wyer, Jr. 9 Library legislation, by W. F. Yust. 12 Administration of a public library, by A. E. Bostwick. 15 Branch libraries and other distributing agencies, by Linda A. Eastman. 17 Order and accession department, by F. F. Hopper. 20 Shelf department, by Josephine A. Rathbone. 22 Reference department, by E. C. Richardson. 26 Bookbinding, by A. L. Bailey, Plummer, Mary W. Hints to small libraries A. L. A. Publishing Board, net, $0.75 Contents. Receiving and entering books; Book numbers and cataloging; Shelf list and inventory; Mechanical prep- aration of books for shelves; Binding; Relations with the public; Charging system; Reading room and reference work; Selecting and ordering books; Rooms and fixtures; Library tools. U. S. Education Bureau. Papers prepared for the World's Library Congress, 1893. No charge. Practical papers covering the whole field of library econ- omy. 94 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION TECHNICAL WORKS American Library Association. List of subject head- ings for use in dictionary catalogs, 3rd edition A. L. A. Publishing Board $2.50 American Library Association. Catalog rules; au- thor and title entry. Compiled by committee of the A. L, A. and the British Library Association A. L. A. Publishing Board .60 Crawford. Cataloging Library Bureau, nc^, .15 Cutter. Rules for a dictionary catalog. Edition 4. U. S. Bureau of Education. No charge. Decimal author table Library Bureau 1.25 A scheme for giving to each work its own exclusive book number, so contrived that the books stand on the shelves alphabeted by authors under each subject. Expansive classification Library Bureau 5.00 Dewey. Abridged decimal classification Library Bureau 1.50 Simplified library school rules — Library Bureau 1.25 A. L. A. catalog of 8,000 volumes for a popular library. 1904. Supt. of Documents 1.00 A. L. A. Catalog, 1904-1911. Selection of 3,000 books printed since 1904 A. L. A. Publishing Board 1.50 Hitchler, Theresa. Cataloging for small libraries . . . A. L. A. Publishing Board .15 Kroeger. Guide for the study and use of reference books A. L. A. Publishing Board 1.50 Supplement, 1909-10 by Isadore G. Mudge A. L. A. Publishing Board .25 PERIODICALS Library journal (monthly) New York Per year 4.00 Public libraries (10 months a year), Chicago Per year 2.00 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 95 LIBRARY COMMISSIONS The first State Library Commission was organized in Massachusetts in 1890, for the purpose of promoting the establishment and efficiency of free public libraries. The value of having some sort of a state board to advance the library interests of the state has been steadily shown by the excellent results accomplished, and Library Commis- sions have now been created in twenty-one states. Although the Commissions in various parts of the coun- try differ materially in their methods and organization, owing to variety of local conditions and needs, they all have as a common aim the spread of the free library movement as a department of public education and making good books accessible to all communities. The most important work of a Library Commission is the establishment of free public libraries under existing state laws. This is done in some of the older states by means of direct state aid, but in the western states more often by arousing interest and encour- aging the towns to go to work for themselves. The Com- missions further assist in the organization and administra- tion of libraries, giving advice as to selection of books, cataloging, and other details of library management, in- cluding also the training of librarians in technical knowl- edge, either in a training school for librarians, or by visits to the library itself. They seek in every possible way to give encouragement and help, and to increase the efficiency of public libraries. Through systems of traveling libraries some of the Commissions also endeavor to reach the farm- ing communities and small villages which cannot afford to maintain a public library, with frequent accessions of books, and small and struggling libraries have often been given a new lease of life through the frequent additions of the fresh books furnished by the traveling library. 06 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION ADDRESSES Alabama, Department of Archives and History, Division of Library Extension — Thomas M. Owen, director, Montgomery, Ala. California State Library, Extension Department — James L. Gillis, state librarian, Sacramento. Colorado — George M. Lee, secretary, Denver. Colorado, Trav. Lib. Commission — Mrs. Julia V. "Welles, president, Denver. Connecticut — Miss C. M. Hewins, secretary, Public Library, Hartford. Delaware — H. R. Harrington, secretary, Dover. Georgia — Miss Katharine H. Wootten, secretary, Carnegie Library, Atlanta. Idaho — Miss Margaret Roberts, secretary, Boise. Illinois — Miss Eugenia Allin, organizer, Decatur. Indiana — Carl H. Milam, secretary, State House, Indianap- olis. Iowa — Miss Alice S. Tyler, secretary. State Historical Building, Des Moines. Kansas — Mrs. Adrian Greene, secretary. State Library, Topeka. Kentucky — Miss Fannie C. Rawson, secretary, Frankfort. Maine — H. C. Prince, secretary. State Library, Augusta. Maryland State Library Commission — B. C. Steiner, secre- tary, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore. Massachusetts — C. F. D. Belden, chairman, State Library, Boston. Michigan — Mrs. M. C. Spencer, secretary, State Library, Lansing. Minnesota — Miss Clara F. Baldwin, secretary, State Cap- itol, St. Paul. Missouri — Miss Elizabeth B. Wales, secretary, Jefferson City. Nebraska — Miss Charlotte Templeton, secretary, Lincoln. New Hampshire — ^A. H. Chase, secretary. State Library, Concord. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Q^ New Jersey — H. C. Buchanan, secretary, State Library, Trenton. New York Educational Department: Educational exten- sion division — W, R. Eastman, chief, State Library, Albany. North Carolina — Minnie W. Leatherman, secretary, Raleigh. North Dakota — Mrs. Minnie C. Budlong, secretary, Bis- marck. Ohio — John H. Newman, secretary. State Library, Colum- bus. Oregon — Miss Cornelia Marvin, secretary, Salem. Pennsylvania — T. L. Montgomery, secretary, State Library, Harrisburg. Tennessee — Mrs. Pearl W. Kelley, organizer, Nashville. Texas — E. W. Winkler, secretary. State Library, Austin. Utah — H. R. Driggs, secretary, Salt Lake City. Vermont — Miss Rebecca W. Wright, secretary, Montpelier. Washington — J. H. Hitt, secretary, Olympia. Wisconsin — M. S. Dudgeon, secretary, Madison. LIBRARY ASSOCIATIONS The American Library Association. The American Li- brary Association was organized in Philadelphia in 1876. It purposes are "the formation of library interests, the interchange of experiences and opinion, the obtaining of larger results from library labor and expenditure, and the advancement of the profession of librarianship. The Asso- ciation also aims: (1) By organization and force of num- bers to effect needed reforms and improvements, most of which could not be brought about by individual effort; (2) By co-operation, to lessen labor and expense of library ad- ministration; (3) By discussion and comparison to utilize the combined experiments and experience of the profes- sion in perfecting plans and methods and in solving dif- ficulties; (4) By meetings and correspondence, to pro- mote acquaintance and esprit de corps." In addition to benefits derived from the formal proceed- ings and the papers presented at the various sessions, 98 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION those in attendance find a direct, practical value in the Informal discussions and individual conferences made pos- sible by the intervals between sessions. Similar opportu- nities are given by the necessity for traveling together to and from places of meeting and at the various social occa- sions connected with the conferences. The Association has a membership of over two thousand, and the place of its annual meeting is purposely varied to reach different sections of the country. Every effort should be made by librarians to attend this gathering. The annual fee for membership is two dollars ($3 the first year). This fee entitles members to the bi-monthly Bulletin of the Association, one number of which consists of the pro- ceedings of the annual conference and which are from year to year a veritable compendium of library progress. The headquarters oflQlces are at 78 East Washington Street, Chicago. State Associations. The State Associations are in a measure the outgrowth of the American Library Associa- tion, and each aims to do for its own state what the Ameri- can Library Association does for the entire country. It Is an impossibility for the majority of librarians in small towns to attend the meetings of the American Library As- sociation, and it is all the more important that they should attend the state meetings. These meetings are of the greatest value both to trustees and librarians. Library boards should always send their librarian, and pay her expenses, and the trustees themselves should attend as far as possible. Local Associations. It is often wise to hold occasional meetings of people interested in library work in different parts of the state for the people who find It difficult to attend the larger gatherings. In this way the needs of special localities may receive consideration. Where the local library staff is large, staff-meetings are held for mutual helpfulness and inspiration. INDEX Abbott, A. H., 93. Access to shelves, 14. Accession record, 43-47, 89. Acme pocket, 70, 92. Advertising the library, 36-37. Age limit for borrowers, 19. Agreement blank, 66, 67. A. L. A. Booklist, 25, 48. A. L. A. Catalog, (1904) 20, 25, 26, 48. A. L. A. Catalog, (1904-1911) 20, 26. A. L. A. Catalog rules, 94. A. L. A. Manual of library economy, 93. A. L. A. Publishing Board, 64. American Library Association,97 . Ames' Comprehensive index, 32. Ammonia, 43, 88. Analytical subject card, 61. Annual report, 37-39. Application blanlc, 66, 67, 90. Apprentice system, 10. Architect, 12. Assistants, 9. Associations, 97-98. Author card, 60. Author number, 47, 48. Author table, Cutter, 47, 89, 94. Bills, 33, 46. Binders, periodical, 93. Binding, 73-77. Blanks and forms, 66-73. Blotters, 91. Blue Books, 30. Board of directors, 5-7. Book binding, 73-77. Book buying, 24-26, 39-41. Book card, 65, 90. Book cases, 13, 81-83, 86. Book committee, 24, Book-keeping, 33-36. Booklist, A. L. A., 25. Bookman, 25. Book marks, 37. Book numbers, 48. Book plate, 42. Book pocket, 42, 70, 90. . Book reviews, 25. Book selection, 19-20, 24-27. Book supports, 87, 91. Book truck, 86. Books for boys and girls, 19-20. Borrowers, cards, 65, 68, 90. guarantee, 67. non-fiction, 68, 90. non-resident, 18. registration, 18, 38. rules, 18. special privilege, 68, 90. Branches and stations, 18-19. Brett, W. H., Open shelf ques- tion, 14. Brushes, 43, 89. Budget, library, 33. Building, 12. Bulletin boards, 86-87. Bulletins, illustrated, 22-24. Bulletins, printed, 64-65. Business side of a library, 33. By-laws for boards of director8,6. 100 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Call number, 43, 47, 48. Card catalog, 58-64, 90. Cases, see Book cases; Cata- log case. Cash book, 35. Cash drawer, 84. Catalog, card, 58-64, 90. printed, 63, 64. typewritten, 58. written, 69. Catalog case, 85, 90. Catalog rules, 94. Cataloging, Crawford, 94. Cataloging for small libraries, Hitchler, 94. Chairs, 83-84. Charging tray, 84, 90. Children's books, 3, 19, 20, 49. comer, 19. hours, 16. reading, 3, 19. room, 19. Circulation statistics, 71. City reports, 30. Civil service examinations, 9. Clarke and Baker, 92. Classification, 47-55. Cleaning frame, 16. Cleaning the library, 15, 16. Cleveland Public Library, li- brary league, 20. Cloak rooms, 16, 88. Closet, 16. Commissions, library, 95-97. Committees of Ubrary boards, 6. Comprehensive index, U. S. documents, 32. Contagious diseases, 78-80. Corticine, 80. Crawford, E., Cataloging, 94. Cross reference cards, 62. Cumulative Book iodex, 25. Cutter, C. A., Author table, 47, 94. Cutter Expansive classification, 47, 53-55, 94. Rules for dictionary catalog,94. Date guides, 91. Daters, 91. Decoration of library rooms, 13, 80. Delivery desk, 84. Democrat Printing Co., 38, 90, 92. Dennison labels, 42, 88, 93. Desks, 84. Dewey, Melvil. Decimal clas- sification, 49-52, 89, 94. Dial, 25. Dictionary catalog, 58. Directors, 6-7. Disinfection of books, 78. library, 79. Documents, pubUc, 30-33. Docvunents, state, 30 Drexel Institute Library school, 11. Embossing stamp, 42, 88. Erasers, 91. Expansive classification, 47, 53-55, 94. Fines, 7, 66, 69. Floors, 80. Foreign books, 27. Formahn, 79. Furniture and fittings, 80-88. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 101 Gifts, 42, 46. Globe-Wernicke Co., 92. Guarantor's pledge, 66, 67. Guide cards, 89, 90. Guide to reference books, Kroeger, 26, 94. Supplement, Mudge, 26. Heating, 15. Heinn Co., 92. Hints to small libraries, Plum- mer, 1, 26, 93. Holiday opening, 17. Hours and days of opening, 16-17. Illinois University Library school, 11. Indiana Summer Library school, 11. Ink, 91. India ink, 43, 89. Ink weU, 91. Insurance, 36. Inventory, 36 Iowa Summer Library school, 11. Janitor, 15. Johnston, W. G. & Co., 93. Kroeger, A. B. Guide to refer- ence books, 26, 94. Labels, book, 42, 88. shelf, 87. League, library, 20. Leslie Paper Co., 92. Librarian, 7-9, 11-12. Library, arrangement, 12. establishment, 4. Library, local interest, 4-5. location, 12. necessity for, 3. organization of, 3, 93. Library and the child, 3, 19-20. Library and the school, 21. Library architect, 12. Library assistants, 9. Library associations, 96-98. Library branches, 18. Library budget, 33. Library building, 12. Library Bureau, 44, 45, 46, 90, 92. Library commissions, 95-97. Library index, 28. Library journal, 8, 94. Library leagues, 20. Library literature, 93. Library of Congress printed catalog cards, 56, 63-64. Library school rules for cata- loging, 56, 90, 94. Library schools, 11, 12. Library stations, 18. Library talks, 20. Library training, 11. Library trxistees, 5-6. Lighting, 14-15, 81. Loan system, 65-66, 71, 90. Local history collections, 29. Lost cards, 18. Macey-Wemicke Co., 92. Magazine binders, 93 Magazines, 27-28, 75, 92-93. Mechanical preparation of books, 41-43, 88-89. Mending, 24, 78, 91. 102 ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Minnesota Summer Library school, 11. Monthly catalog of public documents, 32, 33. Multum in Parvo Binder Co., 78, 92. Nation, 25. National Educational Associa- tion, library section, 21. Necessity for free libraries, 3. Newspaper lists, 36. Newspaper rack, 86. New York Public Library school, 12. New York State Library, Bul- letin of best books, 48, 63. New York State Library school, 11. New York Times Saturday Review, 25. Non-residents, 18. Onion skin paper, 78, 93. Open shelves, 14. Opening a book, 41. Order routine, 39-41, 88. Over-due books, 18. Pad, stamp, 91. Pamphlets, 28-29. Paper knife, 42, 88. Paste, 89. Pencil daters, 91. Pencils, 91. Penholders, 91. Pens, 91. Perforating stamp, 42. Periodical case, 85. Periodical record, 92. Periodicals, 27-28, 75. Photograph case, 86. Picture bulletins, 22. Pictures, wall, 13. Pittsburgh, bulletin, 48. Carnegie Public Library, 21, 48. Story hour, 21. Plummer, M. W. Hints to small libraries, 1, 26, 93. Poole's Index, abridged edition, 28. Poore's Descriptive catalog, 32. Pratt Institute Library school, 11. Printed binding slips, 91. Printed case labels, 91. Printed catalog cards, 63-64. Printed lists, 36, 64. Pubhc documents, 30-33. Public libraries, (monthly) 8, 94. Publishers' weekly, 25. Reader's guide to periodical literature, 28. Reading habits, 25. Reference books, 26-27. Reference books. Guide, Kroe- ger, 26, 94. Reference work, 26. Registration book, 38, 66, 90. Renewal of borrowed book, 18. Renting collections of popular books, 29. Reports, library, 37-39. Reports, town and city, 30. Reserve books, 18. Reviews, 25. Roller shelves, 82. Rubber date sets, 91. ESSENTIALS IN LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION 103 Rubber eraser, 91. Rubber stamp, 42. Rubber tips, 83-84. Rules and regulations, 17-18. Salaries, 8. Salem Public Library Bulletin, 48. School duplicate collections, 22. Schools, hbrary, 11-12. Schools and libraries, 21. Screen, 86. Selection of books, 19-20, 24-27. Seven day book rule, 18, 67. slips, 67, 91. Shears, 91. Shelf label holder, 87, 91. Shelf list, 55-57, 63, 89. Shellac varnish for labels, 43, 89. Shelving, 13, 81-83. Signs, 13, 15. Simplified library school rules for cataloging, 45, 56. Sloping cases, 86. Special privilege cards, 18, 68. Stacks, 13. Stamps, 42. State documents, 30. State library associations, 97. State library commissions, 94-96. Stations, 18. Statistics, 38-39, '47, 71. Statistics sheets, 90. Steel eraser, 91. Story hour, 21. Subject card, 61. Subject headings, 58, 90, 94. Summer schools for library training, 11. Sunday opening, 17. Supplies, 88-93. Syracuse University I^ibrary school, 12. Tables, 14, 83. Teachers' cards, 22. Teachers, co-operation of, 21. Temporary residents, 18. Time limit for borrowing, 18. Title card, 60. Toilet conveniences, 16. Training, Library, 11-12. Trays, 84, 90. Truck, book, 86. Trustees, 5, 6. Two-book system, 17- Typewriter, 69. Vacations, 8. Ventilation, 15. Volimteer service, 10, Vouchers, 33, 34. Walls, decoration, 80. Wash bowl, 16. Western Reserve Library school, 12. Windows, 15. Wisconsin Smnmer Library school, 11. Wisconsin University Library school, 12. Withdrawal record, 36, 72, 73, 89. Women on library boards, 5. World's Library Congress pa- pers, 93. 5.C. FOREIGN BOOK LISTS French, by Jean Charlemagne Bracq, 25 cents, French fiction, by Sophie Corau and William Beer. 5 cents. German, by Emma Gattiker, 50 cents. Hungarian, by J. Maud Campbell, 15 cents. Xorwegian and Danish, by Arne Kildal, 25 cents. Swwli.sh, by Valfrid Palmgren, 25 ceut.s. LIBRARY HANDBOOKS Paper, 15 cent.s each 1. Essentittls in library' adminir^^r.i M;ss ] , E. Steams. 2. Cataloging for small libraries, by Theresa liitchler. 3. Management of traveling hbraries, by Edna D. Bullock. 5. Binding for email libraries, prepared by the A. I-. A. Committee on Bookbinding. 6. Mending and repair of books, by Margaret W. Brown. 7. U. S. Government documents in small Ubraries, by .J, I. Wypr, .Tr. A. L. A. MANUAL OF LIBRARY ECONOMY The following chapters, each forming a separate pamphlet, are now rea<^ly. Price 10 cents each; 4 cents each in lots of 50 or more: 1. American hbrary history, by C. K. Bolioii. 2. Library of Congress, by W. W. Bishop. 4. College and university library, by J. T. W v Tr 9. Library legislation, by W. F. Yust. 12 Administration of a pubKc library, by A. E. Bostwick. 15. Branch Ubraries and oijvr di.stributing agencies, by Linda .\. Eastman. 17 Order and accession department, by F. F. Hopper. 20. Shelf department, by Josephine A. Rathbone. 22. Reference department, by E. C. Richardson. 2G. Bookbinding, I\v A L. n.iilfv. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. NOV 1 9 1954, WAK 2 1959 Form L9-50TO-11, '50 (2554)444 570 454 9