/^ THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES ^'«. 2(oaAA^'^. Public Library Hand-book $ $ ^ $ DENVER "By THE PUBLIC LIBRARY of DENVER Denver The Carson-Harper Co. iSgs Committee on Library John J. Smith lONE T. Hanna Librarian : J. C. Dana Accession and Catalogue Department : Frank D. Tandy George M. I^ee Information Desk : Hyla Long Circulating Department : John Parsons William Stephens Irene Smith Children's Department : LiLA E. Van Periodical 'Department : Viva Van Library Class, i8g4-i8g^ : Charlotte Agnes Baker Farnie Burlingame ZoE Guernsey Myrtle McKissick Eva L. Simmons 564841 (preface ^^^ HIS book has been compiled with our ^^ . own needs chiefly in view. We receive ^^ many requests for information and sug- gestions in regard to starting libraries, and selecting, buying and lending books. To answer fully each one of these inquiries takes more time than can well be spared. The open- ing chapters of this book will serve as a general answer in most instances. In special cases, information and suggestions will gladly be given to the extent of our knowledge, as here- tofore. In training assistants, and especially pupils in the library class, in the several branches of library work, it will be helpful to have at hand in print a body of our library doctrine, to which the learner can be again and again referred. With the method of procedure before them in black and white it will be proper, as it will undoubtedly be expedient, to hold each worker in the library responsible for sins of omission and commission. The references and suggestions found in this book which are not directly pertinent either to the beginnings of small libraries in these parts, or to the work actually done in this library, will perhaps make the book more acceptable to the few eastern libraries into which it may find its way. This ground is already occupied by the most admirable "Hints to Small Libraries" of Miss Plummer. But we think no apology is necessary for entering the field in this humble way. In our observation there is not yet a promise of too much literature on the minor details — what may be called the free-masonry part — of library work. If the book prove useful to us and to learners in the profession in Colorado, our end will have been reached. If others also now and again find it helpful, we shall be gratified. John Parsons prepared the chapters on counter work, Frank D. Tandy those on the work in the accession and cata- logue departments. THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. Denver, 1894. Contmte The Hand-book has grown far beyond our original plans. Certain members of the library staff have given to their contributions to the book so much care and labor that it was thought best to give them full credit in the table of contents which follows. Criticisms of the book should be directed against J. C. Dana, who planned it, and edited and revised all MS.— The Public Library. February, i8gs- Chap. Pack I. Starting a Library 7 J. C. Dana II. Advertising a Library 12 J. C. Dana III. Selecting Books 16 /. C. Dana IV. Books Suggested for a School Library 24 J. C. Dana V. Buying Books 29 /. C. Dana VI. Periodicals 34 J. C. Dana VII. Some Periodicals Suitable for a Small Library /. C.Dana 42 VIII. Lending Books : Directions to the Public J. Parsons 46 IX. Catalogues : Information for the Public J. Pa rsons 58 X. Charging Books : Information for the Public /. Parsons 62 XI. Suggestions TO Assistants: In General 65 J. Parsons CONTENTS XII. Suggestions to Assistants : Issuing Cards /. Parsons 72 XIII. Suggestions to Assistants : Charging Books . . . . " /. Paisons 75 XIV. Suggestions to Assistants : Sending Notices /. Parsotis 81 XV. IvENDiNG Systems for Small Libraries 86 J. C. Dana XVI. Accession Work 91 F. D. Tandy XVII. Routine Work 97 F. D. Tandy XVIII. Cataloguing and Classifying a Small Library J- C. Dana 108 XIX. Classifying Books 124 F. D. Tandy XX. Cataloguing Books 130 F. D. Tandy XXI. Binding, Re-binding and Discarding Books F. D. Tandy 144 XXII. Taking Account of Stock, etc 153 F. D. Tandy XXIII. Colorado Library Law 156 G. M. Lee XXIV. Books on Library Work 162 J. C. Dana and F. D. Tandy XXV. A Few Definitions 166 J. C. Dana and F. D. Tandy Index 171 F. D. Tandy •-yr»b^^ Chapter I ^farftng a fetBrarg >l^(^UBLIC LIBRARIES come into being I I V in many different ways. Some of the \^^r oldest in the country had their begin- \" nings as subscription libraries. One or two public spirited citizens persuaded others to join with them in an agreement to give each year a certain sum for the purchase and care of a few books. Outsiders were perhaps permitted to use the books on the payment of a small annual, monthly, weekly or daily fee. Read- ing, debating and literary clubs have been the starting points of not a few valuable collec- tions. Magazine clubs have often grown into library clubs. In the magazine club, in its commonest form, a few neighbors each put in yearly enough money to pay for one of tl.e leading popular periodicals. As these come month by month they are received by one mem- ber appointed for the purpose. He covers them with manilla paper or puts them in temporary binders— if this is necessary or advisable — ar.d attaches to every one a printed list of the mem- bers. To each member he sends a certain mag- azine on its arrival, and every week all are changed, generally by the members themselves; each calling for his magazine from the one whose name stands next above his on the list. STARTING A LIBRARY The magazines in this way pass from hand to hand among all. In a club of twelve for instance, every member gets in twelve weeks the reading of twelve magazines for the price of one. Books are often added, circulating in the same way. The books and magazines, when read, may be sold, or, as often happens, may be kept at some central place, and form the nucleus of a public library. The school library has often developed into an institution for public use. The school refer- ence library, begun, perhaps, with a dictionary and an atlas, increases with the growing inter- est in education. Encyclopaedias and general reference works, books for supplementary reading and collateral study are added. The collection becomes so large that volumes can be occasionally lent to the children to take home. Entertainments add a few dollars, private contributions of money and books come in, public interest is aroused, the village paper keeps the subject of a library in its readers' minds, and eventually it becomes the regular thing for the collection to be opened a few hours in the week for reference or lending. In many cases a wise citizen gives the money necessary to establish a library. Sometimes he erects a building and supplies an endowment fund. The town or village often votes to open and support a library by public taxes. A special public income, like the dog-tax or court fines, is often diverted to library uses. With some or all of these and many other methods at hand, it is generally possible for the smallest communitv to get together a collection of books STARTIXt; A LIBRARY for public use. The neighborhood may be small and remote from town or city, — all the more valuable, then, will the library be to it, and all the greater the benefits that will come from the efforts put forth to keep itself in touch through books and journals, with the wider and fuller life without. All over Colorado school districts are availing themselves of the statute permitting the levy of a tax of one tenth of a mill for the purchase of books for a public library. In most cases the income is small ; but it makes the beginning, and the begin- ning once made the growth is almost sure. The library commission of some states devotes itself to encouraging the library spirit, espec- ially in the smaller communities, and often with great success. In New York, small, care- fully selected collections of one or two hun- dred volumes, are sent on request to any town in the state, to be kept a few months. These *' traveling libraries " act as library missionaries and often lead to the beginning of locally supported libraries. Several states provide that from a state library fund a certain small sum for the purchase of books, shall be given to any town not having a library, which will itself raise a stated sum for the same purpose. The American Library Association makes it a part of its business to encourage the starting of libraries. An appeal to it for information or advice on any question of books, their pur- chase, their keeping, their lending, interesting people in them, using them in schools, or on any matter touching the getting of "the best reading for the largest number at the least cost," STARTING A LIBRARY will surely meet with a cordial response. Frank P. Hill, librarian of the public library of New- ark, New Jersey, is the present secretary. It may sometimes be wise to attempt to arouse a little general interest, in the school district, village or town, in books, reading and libraries, before the local public library move- ment is actually set on foot. Many good and wise things have been said in praise of books, and the story of the power of a public library in a community for knowledge, wisdom, hap- piness and general material advancement, has been told again and again. Printed matter of this nature for propaganda work can be got of almost any public library in the country. The spirit of mutual helpfulness is omnipresent among librarians ; and they are, moreover, keenly alive to the value to their profession, and so to themselves, of the growth of the library faith and of the increase of modern, active libraries. The Library Journal is the official organ of the American Library Association. It is a monthly journal, published at 28 Elm Street, New York City, and costs five dollars per year. The Public Library of Denver generally has on hand sample copies to send to those interested, or they can be got from the publisher. It devotes itself almost entirely to the practical side of library work, and to encouraging the spread of the public library idea. The libra- rian of the smallest library will find it useful, and to the larger institutions it is indispensable. Especially valuable is it to one who is connected with the beginnings of a library. STARTING A LIBRARY II The public library of Denver has in stock a good number of articles, pamphlets, catalogs and the like, telling of the beginnings of liter- ary clubs, school libraries, study-at-home clubs, magazine clubs, books for village and school libraries and the like, and is always pleased to send them to any one interested or to answer any questions it can on these subjects. ^ ^ ^ Chapter II (^bt>erft6ing a fetBrarg j^^ UPPOSE the beginning of the library is GZl made ; keep it before the public. The ^^** newspaper will almost invariably aid an enterprise of this kind, gratuitously and with good-will. The local clergy are almost always ready to help. The school teachers can generally be counted on ; indeed it often happens that the teacher is the prime mover in laying the foundation of the village or district library. The book dealer, if at all far sighted, will see that the general increase in reading which a growing public library will bring about, will indirectly increase his sales. Ask for contributions, first of money — and that is hard to get — then of books, new or old, useful or useless, magazines, be it an odd number or an odd volume or a wagon load. Ask for these things. Let the fact of the humblest gift be gen- erally known through the local paper or other- wise, and thank the giver in some formal wa}- if possible. The things received may be of little value ; but those who give will be almost invariably the library's friends and cordial supporters forever after. The}' will aid in cul- tivating in the community that spirit of help- fulness whicli strengthens a library exceed- ingly. As soon as a few good books are got together let the fact be known. Print a list occasionally in the local paper. Publish the ADVERTISING A LIBRARY 13 additions as they come in, on a bulletin board in manuscript or type writing ; or in lists by some duplicating process ; or by reprints from the columns of the paper ; or by lists specially printed for the purpose. As soon as the library is large enough, lists may be got out, and posted or printed, covering references to articles or books in the library on some important current event, or some interesting book, or some topic of present local interest. In a small communitj% and sometimes in a large one, the librarian knows the special tastes or hobbies of many of the users of the library, and perhaps of some who do not use it. Notices that books have been received which are likely to please this, that and the other person, can be sent out on occasion and will help make library friends. Local artists in their respective lines can often be interested to give entertainments for the library's benefit, especially if the proceeds be given to the pur- chase of books in their own lines. Local soci- eties, literary, scientific or historical, may very properly make the library the central point for all their work, and may sometimes be led to begin a special collection, first for their own benefit, afterwards for the public. The children should not be forgotten. If care be taken to provide books for them, enter- taining first, afterwards useful, they will come, and come often, and will soon bring the library into favor with the elders. In the library itself it seems generally ad- mitted that red-tape, signs, rules and restric- tions must be kept out of sight as far as ADVERTISIXG A LIBRARY possible The librarian, as such, should feel that he has no rights which the public is bound to respect. His rules, as far as the public is con- cerned, should be of the fewest, and rarely alluded to. The books in the library ought all to be accessible to the public. Xo one thing can add to the attractiveness and value of a library so much as to permit the public to go to the shelves. Of course there may be special or local reasons why this can not be done, or why it can be done onl}' in part. But it would pay to sacrifice many of the commonly accepted essentials to gain this one point. If there is a reading room with newspapers or magazines, or both, it should be as attrac- tive as the means at hand can make it. Not too formal, not too much regulated. The group of rational Americans that commonh- gathers in a public reading room, can generally be trusted to regulate themselves without signs or attendants. If the reading room is to be made a special attraction — if it is desirable to fill it and to create and keep up its popularity, supply it with the illustrated journals, even to the comic weeklies. There is more truth and art in Life than in many an approved novel, and no community will be the worse for having old and young enjoy Puck and Judge each week. Of all possible advertising the best, perhaps, is a cheerful and accommodating atmosphere in the library itself Librarian and assistants are always prone to affect the official air the moment they become guardians of public prop- ADVERTISING A LIBRARY [5 erty and fountains of information. The}' con- descend, they patronize, they correct and they shake rules and by-laws and red tape in the timid inquirer's face. This top-lofty bureau- cratic spirit should be avoided by all means. Treat boy and girl, man and woman, ignorant and learned, gracious and rude, with uniform good temper, without condenscension, never pertly. Anticipate all inquiries when possible, and especially put the shrinking and embar- assed visitor at once at ease. The library is not a business office ; it's a center of public happiness first, of public education next. ^ $ ^ Chapter III Refecting QSoofts ^Y'^' O HARD and fast rules can be laid ill down for the choosing of the books to Y^ ^ form the beginning of a library. ^■^ There must be taken into considera- tion in determining the character of the books to be purchased, the amount of money to be expended and the sum that will probably be available each succeeding year ; the man- ner in which the books are to be used, whether they are all to be lent or are to be used only for reference, or are to form both a reference and a lending library ; the people by whom they are to be used, and. if children, whether they are for school work only or for general reading, or for both ; the occupations and lead- ing local interests of the community, and its character and average degree of intelligence ; the habits of those who will patronize the library as to reading and study, — will they wel- come any opportunity that may be given them, or must they be coaxed into reading by putting before them the sweetmeats of literature, like simple stories and picture papers. It is a common error in selecting books for a small library to disregard too much the condition of things suggested by the last para- graph, and to buy too many of the classics. It is, generalh- speaking, of the greatest import- ance that the new library be freely patronized, SELECTING BOOKS and its books much used. If its shelves are full of books — no matter how valuable in the eyes of the literary and the learned — which do not appeal to the taste of the majority of those who patronize it, it will lose in interest, few^er and fewer will care to give time and thought to building it up, it will lose its patronage, and wnll soon be a library in name only. The vil- lage or district library in its early days — and the statement is true also of many more preten- tious institutions in the larger towns — can well afford to begin at the level of the community's average reading. The public library has not the limitations of the formal school, in which one looks for courses of study, a general accep- tance of the verdict of time in its choice of text-books and literature, and an adherence to the old models. Popularity is the very life- blood of the new library which is struggling for existence and growing only by the favor of the common people. It must provide the new books, the latest novels, the trifling books, the taking journals, the literature that comes up for discussion at the average man's fireside, at afternoon teas and at the local debating clubs, and is discussed in the morning paper, or review^ed in the last popular magazine. These suggestions apply in other departments of literature as well as in fiction. It is not necessary to begin with Scott, Thackeray, and Jane Austen ; Gibbon and Hume ; De Quincey and Carlyle ; Chaucer, Milton and Dante ; and Locke and Bacon, and all their fellow "stan- dards" and "classics," Such as they will not be much called for and will not attract the peo- SELECTING BOOKS l8 pie as will Crawford, Dumas and Black ; Fiske and Green ; Repplier and Stevenson ; Riley, Miller and Longfellow ; and James, Huxley and Tyndall. The modern, popular writer may l)e the lesser light ; but he is the one who touches most closely the life of to-day, and it is to-day's interests one must appeal to if popu- larity and success are to be gained. With time and means the older and "standard" writers can be added to the list. In science, of course, it is only the recent book that can be thought of. In art the latest criticism and history have the advantage. For reference books those should be selected which appeal rather to the general reader than to the student. Many a school library has been stranded on the Britannica and stuck there for years. In selecting the first books for a school library of from fifty to one or two hundred volumes, there is perhaps no better guide than the lists prepared and published by the state superin- tendent of public instruction of Wisconsin, Mr. O. E. Wells. A copy of this pamphlet can be got, without charge in most cases, by apply- ing to Mr. Wells, Madison, Wisconsin, It is arranged both by subjects and grades, and each book listed is described by a brief note. A selection of books from this list, forming a library to cost about I70, forms the next chapter of this book. Another most excel- lent list is the one prepared by Mr. Geo. E. Hardy, of New York City, called "Five Hun- dred Books for the Young," and published by Chas. Scribner's Sous of New York, at 50c., in SELECTING BOOKS cloth. This also is arranged by grades and classes, and gives publishers and prices. Of works more pretentious, and including books for old as well as young, by far the best for general popular use, is the "Catalogue of the American Library Association Library." This is the catalogue of a library of 5,000 vol- umes, selected by the American Library Asso- ciation, and shown at the Columbian Exposi- tion. It gives authors, titles, publishers and prices. It shows how books should be cata- logued and classified. It includes a model dictionary catalogue. One can get it of the Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C, and, as long as the supply lasts, without expense. It is perhaps too large to be of as much practical help to the purchaser of one or two hundred books for a school library, as the briefer lists already mentioned. But it is invaluable in its field, is a good literary guide, and would be useful in any school or library where the slight- est attempt is made to give the young people a look at literature. In selecting books for a small public library, for old and young, there is nothing in print that can at all compare with it in usefulness. "A Guide Book to Books" is the title of an English work by Sargant and Whishaw, the object of which is "to place at the service of the reader the opinions of those who may be trusted to give sound advice as to the books which are of value in each department of knowledge." The titles given in it, about six thousand in number, are arranged under sub- jects, on a plan easily understood. Each entry SELECTING BOOKS includes author, title, publisher and price. Henry Frowde, of London, publishes it at $1.25 in cloth. It comes down to the year 1890. The best of all books of this kind is perhaps the one compiled by William Swan Sonnenschein, and published by Swan, Sonnenschein & Co., of London, at I9.00 in cloth. "The Best Books" is its title, and it forms, as the title page further says, "a reader's guide to the choice of the best available books (about 50,000), in every department of science, art and literature, w4th the dates of the first and last editions, and the price, size and publisher's name of each book." This is too expensive and too elaborate a work for small libraries. The prime movers in the new library will be, one may assume, book lovers. If they are such they will already have made the acquaint- ance of publisher's catalogues and know their value. The leading publishing houses issue lists of their books with accompanying notes, criticisms, illustrations and portraits of authors. In recent years, since the movement for school libraries has gained such headway, several publishers, such as Harper & Brothers, Chas. Scribner's Sons, The American Book Co., and D. Appleton & Co., of New York, and Hough- ton, Mifflin & Co. and Ginn & Co., of Boston, have prepared select lists of books for the young and for school libraries. All these things are sent free on application, and will be found very helpful in many cases. The catalogues of public libraries are often of use in selecting books, particularly those of smaller libraries started within recent vears. SELECTING BOOKS They represent much care and thought in the selection of the books listed in them ; care and thought which the novice at the business is always welcome to make use of. Most of the smaller libraries will send to any new library their catalogues on application. Perhaps the most difficult part of book select- ing is the deciding what to buy of the thou- sands of new books issued every year. To have any but the most superficial knowledge of them is impossible even for the expert who devotes his entire time to this department of printed things. Many journals are published dealing chiefly with the new books. Those who select the books for the library should take at least one or two of these strictly liter- ary papers and read them with care. It is pos- sible to mention but a few. "The Publisher's Weekly," the American book trade journal. fo.oo a year. 28 Elm Street, New York. If a good many books are to be purchased each yearthis is indispensable. It gives a list of all books published from week to week with descriptive notes in many cases. "The Literary News," an eclectic review of current literature, illustrated. 28 Kim Street, New York. $; .00 a year. In this the best new books are reviewed. It also often prints helpful special lists. Very well edited. "Book News," monthly, information about new books, scope, worth, prices. 50c. a year. John Wanamaker, Phila. This is excellent for the price. It is an advertising journal for John Wanamaker, but is none the less use- ful, and, in the main, quite reliable. "The Publishers' Circular," weekly, book- sellers' record of British and foreign literature. IIS a year. Low, Marston & Co., London. SELECTING BOOKS "The Book Buyer," a monthly summary of American and foreign literature. $i.oo a year. Scribner's Sons, New York. Well edited, handsomely printed, always entertain- ing, and useful to the general reader as well as to the buyer of books. "The Critic," a weekly review of literature and art, 289 Fourth Avenue, New York, I3.00 a year. Probabl}' the best critical weekly in this country. Perhaps a little too inclined to find joy in everything printed. " Tlie Dial," a semi-monthl}' journal of lit- erary criticism, discussion and information. 24 Adams Street, Chicago, 12.00 a year. An admirable journal ; its opinions command respect east and west. "The Nation," weekly, devoted to politics, literature, science and art. I3.00 a year. Box 794 New York. The best of its kind. The following suggestions to teachers who are buying books are condensed from the Nezv Yor-k Library Bulletin : There has never been a time when a little money judiciously expended would go so far in the purchase of a good working library as in this era of cheap editions, instructive com- pends and labor saving appliances. It is believed that attention to the following suggestions will lead to the avoidance of mis- takes commonly made in the selection of books for school and village libraries. I. Buy no book unless by personal acquaint- ance or competent and trustworthy testimony, you know that it is worth adding to your school library. SELECTING BOOKS 2. Do not feel that you must buy complete sets of an author. [Of very few authors are all the works worth having.] 3. Buy books suitable for each grade in your school. The foundation of a taste for good reading should be laid in the lower grades. Failure to recognize this fact is the commonest error in the selection of books for school libra- ries. Books for y(mng pupils should be inspiriting and ennobling, but they must be interesting. No amount of excellence in other directions will compensate for dull books. 4. Buy books which are plainly but substan- tially bound. Attractive illustrations are desir- able in books for very young readers. 5. Look out for American editions of Eng- lish books. If the book is really valuable, such editions are pretty sure to come out at an early day and at a greatly reduced price. 6. Look out for second-hand copies of costly works, but do not trust too much to the second- hand dealer. His wares are often defective. 7. Do not buy of a book peddler. Il nine cases out often you can find better and cheaper books at the stores. 8. Buy of a reputable dealer, but do not surrender your judgment to his. The books for a school library should be se- lected with reference to the help they will afford teachers and pupils in the work of education. Chapter IV QSoofts ^uggefifeb for a ^c^oof EiBrarg ^^ 1ST of about seventy dollars worth of /^f^ books, suitable for a village or school ^^^ district library, selected from the Wis- consin list : First Book in American History. Edward Eggleston. American Book Co. 6oc. Terse and Prose for Beginners in Reading. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. 25c. Little Folks of Other Lands. Chaplin and Humphrey. Inter-State Publishing Co., 40c. First Xatnral History Reader. J. G. Wood. Boston School Supply Co 20c. Second Xatnral History Reader. Same au- thor and publisher 30c. Toby Tyler, or ten weeks with a circus. Kaler (James Otis). Harper & Bros. $1.00 Little Smoke, a tale of the Sioux. W. O. Stoddard. D. Appleton & Co |i-25 Fables and Folk Stories. Edited by Horace E. Scudder. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. ._4oc. Onr Children's Sonars. Harper & Bros., |i.oo Life and Adventnres of Robinson Crnsoe. Daniel Defoe. Ginn & Co 50c. The Swiss Family Robinson. Wyss & Mon- tolieu. Ginn & Co 50c. The Seven Little Sisters who Live on the Round Ball that Floats in the Air. Jane Andrews. Ginn & Co. 50c. The Seven Little Sisters Prove Their Sister- hood. Jane Andrews. Ginn & Co 50c. BOOKS SUGGESTED FOR A SCHOOL LIBRARY 25 Yoini^ Folks' Cyclopedia of Common Things. John D. Champlin, Jr. Holt «& Co. $2 50 Young Folks' Cyclopedia of Persons and Places. John D. Champlin, Jr. Henry Holt &Co I2.50 St. Nicliolas. An illustrated magazine for 3'oung folks, Vol. xx, November, 1892, to October, 1893. Quarto. 2 bound parts, pp. 960. Published by the Century Co. Per vol. |;4.oo Tlie Birds' Christmas Carol. Kate Douglas Wiggin. Houghton, Mifflin & Co 50c. The Household History of the United States and its People. Edward Kggleston. D. Appleton & Co 12.50 The American Boy's Handy Book; or. What to do and how to do it, Daniel C. Beard. With more than 300 illustrations. Chas. Scribner's Sons ^2.00 Wild Life Under the Equator. Paul Du Chaillu. Harper & Bros. $1.00 Hans Anderson's Stories. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. 40c. Selections for Memorizing". Compiled by L. C. Foster and Sherman Williams. Ginn & Co 50C. Building the Nation. Events in the history of the United States from the Revolution to the war between the states. Charles Carle- ton Coffin. Harper & Bros l3-oo Indian History for Young Folks. Francis S. Drake. Harper & Bros l3-oo Christopher Carson. J. S. C. Abbott. Dodd, Mead & Co I1.25 Abraham Lincoln. A biography for young people. Noah Brooks. G. P. Putnam's Sons $1.75 Ten Boys, who lived on the road from long ago till now. Jane Andrews. Ginn & Co. __5oc. History of Julius Caesar. Jacob Abbott. Harper & Bros |i.oo BOOKS SUGGESTED FOR A SCHOOL LIBRARY 26 Stories of Other Lands. Compiled and ar- ranged by James Johonnot. American Book Co 40c. Mr. Stul)bs's Brother: a sequel to Toby Tyler. J. O. Kaler (James Otis). Harper & Bros. $r.oo Raising- the Pearl. J. O. Kaler (James Otis). Harper «& Bros $1.00 The Story of a Bad Boy. Thomas Bailey Aldricli. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. I1.25 Dal) Kinzer. A story of a growing boy. W. O. Stoddard. Chas. Scribner's Sons $1.00 Little Women; or, Meg, Jo. Beth and Amy. Louisa M. Alcott. Roberts Bros. |i-5o Little Men : Life at Plainfield with Jo's boys. Louisa M. Alcott. Roberts Bros 1150 Black Beanty, his grooms and companions. Anna Sewell. D. Lothrop & Co $1.00 The Hoosier School Boy. Edward Eggleston. Chas. Scribner's Sons $1.00 Tom Brown at Rug-hy. By an old boy. Thom- as Hughes. Ginn & Co 6oc. The Last of the Mohicans. James Fennimore Cooper. T. Y. Crow^ell & Co $1.00 Hans Brinker ; or, The silver skates. A story of life in Holland. Mary Mapes Dodge. Charles Scribner's vSons $i-50 Book of Cats and Do^s, and other friends. James Johonnot. American Book Co i;c. Neighbors with Claws and Hoofs, and their kin. James Johonnot. American Book Co 54c. A Wonder Book, for boys and girls. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Houghton, Mifflin & Co.. -40c. The Sketch Book. Selections. Washington Irving. Houghton, Mifflin & Co 40c. The American (xirPs Handy Book. How to amuse yourself and others. Lina and Adelia B. Beard. Chas. Scribner's Sons $2.00 BOOKS SUGGESTED FOR A SCHOOL LIBRARY 27 The Boy's Book of Sports, and outdoor life. Edited by Maurice Thompson. The Century Co $2.00 The Captains of Industry; or, Men of business who have done something besides making money. A book for young Americans. James Parton. Houghton Mifflin & Co $1.25 The Children's Book. A collection of the best literature for children. Edited by Horace E. Scudder. Illustrated. Houghton, Mifflin & Co I2.50 The American Citizen, Charles F. Dole. D. C. Heath & Co. 90c. Youn^ Folks Cyclopedia of (rames and Sports. John D. Champlin and Arthur E. Bostwick. Henry Holt & Co $2.50 Brooks and Brook Basins. First steps in Geography. Alexander E. Frye. Ginn & Co 58c. Tang-lewood Tales. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Houghton, Mifflin «S: Co. 40c. Fairy Tales. By Hans C. Andersen. First series. Ginn & Co. 50c. Eig-ht Cousins; or, The ant-hill. Louisa M. Alcott. Roberts Bros. |i-5o The Making- of the Great West. Samuel Adams Drake. Maps and illustrations. Chas. Scribner's Sons fi-SO Old Times in the Colonies. Charles Carleton Coffin. Harper & Bros. $300 Famous American Statesmen. Sarah K. Bol- ton. Crowell & Co $i-50 Famous American Authors. Sarah K. Bolton. Crowell & Co. I1.50 Heroes of the Desert. Thos. Nelson & Sons. J5I.25 Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey Throug-h Africa. Thos. W. Knox. Harper & Bros IS-oo BOOKS SUGGESTED FOR A SCHOOL LIBRARY 28 The Arabian lights. A selection of stories from Alif Laila, Wa Laila. Edited by Ed- ward Everett Hale. Ginn & Co 50c. American Literature. An elementary text book. Hawthorne and Lemmon. Portraits. D. C. Heath & Co. $1.12 Kidnapped ; being memoirs of the adventures of David Balfour. R. L. Stevenson. Chas. Scribner's Sons $1-25 Civil Government of the United States con- sidered with some reference to its origins. John Fiske. Houghton, Mifflin & Co._.|i.oo Rules of Order. H. M. Robert. S. C. Griggs &Co 75c. References for Literary Workers; with intro- ductions to topics and questions for debates. Henry Matson, A. C. McClurg & Co.. .$2.50 ^im ^!m ^(ft f^ f^ f^ Chapter "V. (jBuging Q0oofe0 ^N MAKING out lists of the books one ^ proposes to buy for a library, it is advis- ^1 able to put down for each book the following particulars : The name of the author, with initials of given name ; the title of the book in full ; the publisher ; and the price. To this may be added, where nec- essary, the date of the special edition wanted and the style of binding desired. The beginner at listing books rarely includes more than the first two items, and generally gives them very briefly. In the case of the more common books it may be sufficient to indicate roughly the authors and titles wanted and leave the selec- tion of the edition and the binding to the judgment of the book-seller. But the market it flooded with inferior editions of the works of the more popular writers; of such men, for instance, as Cooper, Scott, Bulwer and Dickens, and carelessness in ordering may lead to a waste of money in shoddy specimens of book- making. It is alwa3^s safest to specify exactly what you want, getting your data from samples of the books themselves and from publishers' catalogues. The good book for a public or school library — speaking of the book as to its wearing qualities and as to the comfort of its users — is printed on paper which is thin and pliable, but BUYING BOOKS 30 tough and opaque ; its type is not necessarily- large but is clear-cut and unbroken — the old, worn-out type can easily be detected by running the eyes down the edges of the page — and is set forth with ink that is black, not muddy ; the binding is flexible, the book opening easily at any point ; the threads in the back are fine but strong and generously put in ; the strings or tape on to which the book is sewn are stout and are laced into the inside edges of the covers, or are long enough to admit of a secure fasten- ing with paste and paper. Suppose you have to make out an order for a hundred dollars' worth of books for a village library, some such method as the following may be followed to advantage : Prepare about two hundred slips of writing paper, foolscap will do, each about three by eight inches. Near the top of each of these make the full entry suggested, of one after the other of the books as they are selected. The list will inevitably cover more than the amount to be expended — this is the eager book-buyer's heaviest cross — and it is well that it should. The selection will be all the better for a vigorous weeding out at the last. If the books are for general use it will be desirable that they cover several classes of knowledge, as well as literature proper. It would be well to determine how many books there should be in each class, say, of fiction, travels, history and biography, essays, poetry, social science and general science. Then by roughly classifying each book and bringing together the slips of the same class, it will be easv to discover if the books, so far chosen. BUYING BOOKS 31 cover the ground as was planned. In the same way the sHps of books of all classes suitable for children can be laid aside to see if the juvenile department is as full as the probable use of the library by young people will demand. When the list is finally determined on, arrange the slips alphabetically by the autiiors' names and copy on sheets for the book-seller If you know your local book-dealer to be reliable, and he knows something about books, it is better to buy of him. If you are making a first order of a hundred dollars or more and are not familiar with book discounts and the customs of the trade, it would perhaps be well to submit the list to two or three dealers in neighboring towns and get bids from them. You can, of course, send to established firms in the larger eastern cities with perfect assur- ance of fair dealing. On most American books the discount on a large order will be about one- third. If the books are purchased in small lots, one-fifth or one-fourth is all that can be reasonably asked. If more books are to be purchased within a year or so, it is well to keep up the slip plan, writing out on them the full particulars about books that seem to be desirable as they are noted in one's reading or found in the literary journals from month to month. When the new order is to be sent in a good part of the mate- rial for it will thus be already at hand. In the public library of Denver these book- slips, or order slips as they are called, are cut from rather stiff ledger paper three by five inches in size. The librarian meets in his read- BUYING BOOKS ing, to take a specific example showing the method of book ordering, a note to the eflfect that Houghton, Mifflin & Co are to publish soon a book by John Fiske called " The Discov- ery of America." On one of the order slips he makes an entry thus : Fiske, J. Discovery of America. Houghton, Miff., '93, 2 v., $4.00. This is filed with others containing entries of other books thought desirable for purchase. The time comes for sending in an order. The slips are looked over. Examination is made to Order Slip. Reduced: actual size 3x5 inches. see that no books are ordered that are already in the library, or already ordered but not yet received ; those books are settled upon which the library seems actually to need and can aflford to buy; the slips for the books so selected are arranged alphabeticalh% copied on to one or more sheets, and with an accompanying let- ter of instructions sent to the book dealer — let us suppose Scribner of New York. On the upper left hand corner of each slip is then written "Scrib." and the date of mailing the BUYING BOOKS 33 order. These slips are then sorted in, alpha- betically, with other slips representing other orders previously sent. It is possible, now, to answer these questions : if a certain book is not in the library, has it been ordered ? of whom ? when ? and when may we look for it ? In due time the books come. The box or bundle is brought to the library, the freight bill received and properly entered as part of book expense, the box is opened and the books are placed on the shelves in the catalogue room. They are arranged in the order in which they are entered on the bill, checked and if found correct the bill is O. K.'d, approved by the proper authority and in due time paid. The slips first mentioned on which orders are entered are run over and all those correspond- ing to the bill in hand are placed in the books to which they refer. If any slip contains an entry asking that someone be notified of the arrival of the book noted on it, it is kept in the the book until it is ready for the shelf, when a postal is sent to the person so asking. It is well to note here that in the public library of Denver, as in many other libraries, books are often ordered at the request of interested persons. In the case given, for example, it may be supposed that "the Dis- covery of America" was asked for by J. Winsor. Finding it was not in the library, he asked that it be purchased, and his name and address were entered on the bottom of the slip, and when the book came and had been made ready for use a note was sent to him notifying him of the fact. Chapter VI. ^^■L^HE libraries chiefly had in mind in the £^ writing of these notes are those for ^W school use and those of villages and small towns. In none of these is it cus- tomary to give much space or money to newspapers. The village library would always do well to preserve for reference a file of local papers, and, if the situation demands it, it would seem entirely proper for it to provide for public use a few dailies or week- lies from the nearest cities. Further than this, in this direction, it would not seem expedient to go ; not because it is not entirely proper, in and of itself, to include newspapers in the furnishings of a free library, and not because newspaper reading may not be a form of reading worthy to be encouraged for its educational value, but because it is almost self- evident that better work can be done for the same money in other directions. The village library is too commonly very little used. Young people, especially, are apt to be shy of it, particularly if it is what some are pleased to call a "tread softly" library, placarded with signs enjoining silence and requesting that all conversation be carried on in sepulchral tones, and hedged about with rules. Now, the young people are the library's most hopeful material. To them the wise PERIODICALS 35 librarian hopes to give through books an added pleasure, in them he hopes to awaken a taste for reading — something; in time, something good. To attract the children it will probably often prove wise to have on file a few juvenile journals, picture i)apers and illustrated maga- zines. "St. Nicholas" is the best of these, though the "Youth's Companion" is perhaps more universally attractive. " Life," for reasons which lie too deep in the child's mind for the adult entirely to understand, is a perfect delight even to the very young ; and " Puck " and "Judge " with their colored pictures, to say nothing of their black-and-whites, seem to be the very acme of literature for children, if attractiveness be the thing in view. These same journals, and others like " Har- per's Weekly " and "Bazar," the "Illustrated American," the London "News" and "Graphic," and the "Pall Mall Budget," made easily accessible, will serve also to attract older people. If the first duty of a library is to be used — not to pose as a monument or mausoleum — then it will be wise in opening a new library to put out as much bait in the form of clean, entertaining, illustrated periodicals as may prove necessary to fill the reading rooms and to get the public, old and young, into the library habit. As to magazines — the popular monthlies — there seems to be no question; they should be taken freely. To-day, and it is to-day we are considering, the magazines furnish us with the best fiction, the best poetry, the best essays, the PERIODICALS 36 best discussions of all subjects, old and new, the latest science, and — in this country, any- way — the best art. In spite of all that may be said against the magazine habit, with its accom- panying mental dissipation, it is a question if many a village library would not do more, vastly more, in stimulating the mental life of its community and broadening its views and sympathies and encouraging study, if it diverted a far larger part of its income from books to weeklies and popular and standard magazines. It is not yet fully impressed upon us that the thing the community needs is not a " Library " — it may have a street lined with " Libraries " and still dwell in the outer darkness — but contact with the printed page. Get this con- tact first, then, and let the well-rounded, students' collection of books come on as it will. From five to twenty per cent, can often be saved on the cost of periodicals, whether one or many, by ordering them through a subscrip- tion agency. There are many such agencies in this country. The names and addresses of one or more of them can be got of almost any library. These agencies receive subscriptions at a reduced rate and thus save the library both money and time. A careful record should be kept of each magazine ordered, of the date when ordered, the date when the subscription begins or expires, the price paid, the agency through which it is ordered, and the date of that agency's receipted bill. If the list of journals taken is small this record can be kept very conveniently in a blank book. If it is large PERIODICALS 37 and constantly growing or changing it may prove best to keep it on cards, which can always be arranged in alphabetical order for ready reference. In the same book or on the same card can be minuted the volumes of each journal already in the library, bound or un- bound, the numbers lacking to complete cer- tain volumes, the style and cost of the binding adopted for each journal, the duplicate numbers or volumes in the library for sale or exchange or to give away, and any other items it may seem desirable to have at hand. If it seems best, as it often does, to keep a record of the journals as they come to the library, to make sure that full sets of all things subscribed for are duly received, this record can also be kept with the other data. Perhaps a more conven- ient method is to prepare a separate list, in a book or on cards, with a row of twelve squares ruled off to the right of the name of each journal. At the top of the page letter the twelve columns of squares .with the names of the months. As each monthly comes make a cross opposite its name in the square in the column for the corresponding month. As the weeklies come each month put in the square for that month a dot for each week. The accompanying diagram, for instance, indicates that " Harper's Magazine " has been received for August, September and October, 1894, and that the " Nation " came for its five weeks in August, failed to come the third week in Sep- tember, and came as it should four times in August. PERIODICALS 38 1894 Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Harper's . . X X X Nation . . . • • • • • • • • • • • • The custom is extending of taking extra numbers of the popular magazines and lending them as if they were books, though generally for a shorter period and without the privilege of renewal. When this is done it is almost alwaj's desirable to put each magazine in a binder made for the purpose, to keep it clean and smooth, and also to identify it as library property. Similar binders are often put on the magazines which are placed in the reading rooms. Man}' different st3des of binders for this purpose have been devised, none of them perfect. Flexible ones that will stand the wear are very expensive, and in a measure defeat the end for which they are designed, b}- reason of the fact that they are flexible. As the result of a good many experiments the Public Librar}^ of Denver has for the present adopted a binder the sides of which are of stiff tar-board, a little larger than the magazine to be put into it, covered with heavy, gloss}-, dark brown cloth. The back is of leather of fairly good quality. Along the center of the back, which is rein- forced with a piece of tar-board about a half inch in width, three eyelets are inserted, one in the center and one about halfway toward PERIODICALS 39 each end. Through these holes the magazine is laced in through the center of its back between sections, not perforating anj' of the folds, with a flat yellow shoe-string. B}^ this method no holes need to be punched in the magazine, and they are in no way injured for subsequent binding. ' ' Public Library, Denver' ' and "Lending" or "Reading Room" are stamped in gold on the front side of the cover. In the front cover, near the top, a horizontal _ H^.r^er'•, *YVa^. Odd Nov B - ,: ' -. .. .. ,, :«'s.,I.<,)^-U;ls3is.ls!-'s. '^ol-„' A 1 - -^^x/ /y V/^/y i ^^xxxx /// // //! 11 ^X/x/X// / yy.yy y- i .p ' 1 ^/ xxx /y // / / l"v ^Xyxx// / y/^ yy\ \"- • / XX XX y y^/ y / y y y I-- xx/x/p«/ / /x X 1- -^X/X //'////// /I X////// y X |o. 1 ^/x///// >k /// In 1 1 ^Xx X/ yyy/yyyy lo. j ! ^y.L IS CNTITLEO TO DRAW BOORS FROM THE Public Library WEST WINO OF Hl< DENVER, COLO. Front of Borrower's Library Card. Reduced ; Actual Size, 3x5 inches. The loss of a card should be reported as soon as possible so that any attempt to use it by an unauthorized person may be prevented. It seems no more than right that one who loses a card should thereby incur a slight penalty, and a charge of ten cents is made for issuing a card to replace the one lost. On payment of this pen- alty a duplicate card is at once issued. If, as sometimes happens, the lost card is found after a duplicate has been issued, one of the two must LENDING BOOKS 54 be returned to the library to be destroyed, the rule being that one person may have one card only. Sometimes a person who has lost his card, wishing to evade the penalty, does not report the loss, but presents a second agreement blank properly signed. As soon as the new blank is filed away, the same person's name appears in the alphabetical list with two differ- , , XllA-Z.. ...My(U^--^e^\MJ Apia -Myl4- Ap27N Ap29 Niy:!*:. ( Back of Borrower's Library Card. Reduced ; Actual Size, 3x5 inches. ent numbers. In such a case a request is immediately sent to the borrower to return both cards to the library to be cancelled. Slips and pencils are provided for borrowers to make lists of books desired. Unless some special book alone is wished, lists should be made up of at least six book numbers, arranged DIRECTIONS TO THE PUBLIC 55 in the order of preference. Counter attendants are instructed to begin at the top of the list and give out the first book on the list which is found on the shelf. In order to facilitate wait- ing on the counter the rule is established that persons taking the trouble to make out lists must be waited upon before those who have no DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARV ■ The Number of my card is 11 X. 'T Z- ^Of^ Mi7 ^ ly^ J4^3^7- f In making list Write Book Hmitr. in Full. Order Slip. Reduced ; Actual Size, 3x5 inches. lists. It not only makes the counter work unnecessarily wearisome but causes dela}^ and annoyance to many people, if, when several are waiting for books, an attendant goes to see if a certain book is on the shelf, and on saying it is not in, is asked to see if some other certain book is in, and so on for perhaps half a dozen books. This may sometimes be unavoidable in the case of recent additions, when the borrower LENDING BOOKS 56 can not be expected to know the shelf number ; but in the case of fiction, where the shelf num- ber can be found either in the printed cata- logue, or on the bulletin board, the borrower ought, in justice to the public and to the busy attendants, to take the trouble to make out a list. Books should be ordered by number, not by name or author. The number, not the name of the book or of its author, tells the atten- dant the exact relative location of the book on the library shelves, as well as its subject, gen- erally speaking. Consequently an order given by number is far more likel}" to be quickl}^ and accurately filled than one given bv name. The full number should be given. In this library the fiction number always consists of one, two or three letters followed by a number. For example : G 762 is the shelf number of "The Heavenly Twins." As soon as the attendant sees that number he knows almost the exact spot where the book must stand if it be in its place on the shelf. Books other than fiction have a double number, a classifi- cation number and an author number. The former indicates the general or specific char- acter of the book, the latter its relative position, alphabetically, in all the books of a certain class. For example: 824 C 19 is the num- ber of Carlyle's "Heroes and Hero Worship." The S24 means, to an attendant, that it is, ist, in Literature, 2d, in English literature, and 3d, that it is in English essays. The C 19 indicates that among English essays it will be found among the writers whose names begin with C, and near the beginning of the C's. It is read- DIRECTIONS TO THE PUBLIC 57 ily seen that not to give the double number makes the attendant suppose that the borrower wishes for a novel by some author whose name begins with C instead of Carlyle's great essay. As arbitrary signs, R has been adopted to indi- cate a reference book, which does not circulate ; and an X to indicate a book suited more espec- ially to children. As all juvenile books, both in fiction and elsewhere, are separated from the other books in the library, it is very important that the X be not omitted when ordering chil- drens' books. Borrowers are expected to use ordinary care in the use of books, and are accordingly held responsible for any injury due to carelessness or malice. The value of a book to a librarv does not depend entirely upon its original price, but also upon the time required to replace it and the cost of the work of getting it on the shelf, which is in some cases greater than the market price of the book. The loss of a book should be reported as soon as possible. To the borrower it saves the accumulation of fines,. and it gives the libr;iry an opportunity to avoid delay in replacing it. Borrowers are of course required to pay the full publisher's price of any book lost by them, in ad-iition to the fines which may accrue before the loss of the book is reported and the book paid for. Fines accrue on a book lost until it is paid for. Chapter IX. CafafogueB : 3nformoks in Circulation. Reduced; the cards shown are 3x5 inches. book card just below the date of charging, and it is well also to note on the cover of the book or on the opposite flj'-kaf, the same date for the convenience of the borrow^er. Unless such a date appears upon the book slip when the book is returned, the usual fine for retaining a book beyond the usual time must be charged, and in case of any objection to paying such a fine, the person should be referred to the librarian, or in his absence to whoever is in charge of the counter work. CHARGING BOOKS 79 In looking up charges, use the utmost care and diligence. Notice particularly whether the book number is preceded by an "X," and whether the book is an "a" or some other copy of the book. Care should also be taken that all books where charges have not been looked up be put on one side of the person looking up charges and that all books looked up be placed on the other side in a separate pile. As far as possible charges should be looked up when the book is received. Delay in looking up charges is a matter of conven- ience to the public that they may get their books as soon as possible ; but it often leads to inconvenience, especially when a book has been renewed without being presented, since the date of such a renewal does not appear on the book pocket. In receiving such books it is desirable to note on the book pocket in pencil the date of renewal, in order to save time in looking up the charge for it. When, in look- ing up charges, the book slip can not be found, a new book slip should be written, and this with care, and put in the book. There should also be written a "new card written" slip, upon which should be noted the exact book number, the date wdien it is written, also the date when search was made for the original book slip, and also the last apparent date on the pocket of the book. If the original book slip has simply been misplaced, it and the " new card written " slip will ultimately come together in the section containing the slips for overdue books, and in this case both slips may be destroyed as cancelling one another. SUGGESTIONS TO ASSISTANTS 80 When returning the book slip to the pocket of the book, always put the book slip into the pocket with that side upwards, upon which the last charge is made, unless that side be full, in which case be sure to cancel it by pencil cross- ings, and then insert the book slip with the blank surface upward. Chapter XIV. ^uggestione to {^66t6f anf 6 : ^enbing QXcttceB The Denver Public Library's Circulating Department SINES are to be charged at the rate of two cents per day, Sundays and holi- days included, and two cents addi- tional when "postal" is stamped be- reatli the last charge, and, in addition to the above, twenty-five cents when "messenger" is stamped below the charge. Fines should in no case be remitted unless by order of the POSTAL. MESSENGER. Impressions of Stamps used on Book Charges. Reduced ; Actual Length, J^ and % inches respectively. librarian or the assistant in charge of the counter. Whenever a borrower disputes the correctness of a charge and objects to paying his fine, do not discuss the matter, but refer him to ihe highest authority in the library. Sending out notices for books overdue is a matter of great importance, and should be very carefully done. It is annoying to receive notice that a book is overdue when the book has already been returned, and the public should be spared this annoyance as much as possible. Such annoyance is generally avoidable if care is taken in looking up charges and in sending SUGGESTIONS TO ASSISTANTS 82 out notices for books overdue. Notices are sent for books overdue three days. The per- son attending to this work should take the charges for books three days overdue, and first carefully see if any "new card written" slips appear for any of such charges. If so, these slips probably cancel one another; and this can be readily determined by comparing the dates on the " new card written " slips with the overdue charge. If the "new card writ- ten " slip was written at a dale subsequent to the last date on the overdue charge, and if on the former the "last time lent" agrees with the last date on the overdue charge, they, in all probabilit}^ cancel one another. If there be any doubt, look for the book in its place on the shelf. If it be there with a new slip in the pocket, cancel the two slips. If not there, and there is any reason to doubt, look through the charges for the new book slip. If found, can- cel the other two slips. The next thing in order is to look on the shelf for the books whose numbers appear on the overdue charges. If a mistake has been made in looking up charges, it will probably be corrected by this process. It is well, when several copies of a book are on the shelf, but not the exact copy for v;hich there is an over- due charge, to look in all the several copies, so that if an error has been made of putting an "a" slip into a "c" copy, etc., the mistake may be detected. When, after these processes, overdue charges are still on hand, the proper blank should be filled out, w'ith the name and address of the 83 SENDING NOTICES borrower, which will be given on the guarantor blank having the same number as last appears on the overdue charge. Care should be exer- cised that the last date on the overdue charge is taken. To insure this it is well to look on both sides of the book slip, and it is also well by means of rubber bands, to keep the over- due charges of any one day by themselves. BRING THIS SLIP B.O. «oX 3|s.4Lr^^c«» «.. 1 AMI »mi OF Bo»»m« JsWJM^-iftJYU^-- toontss OF Bomm.in S'^Z . 'l W 'Sj.JL^^'t. You are charged willi book nunibereJ will you kicdiy call anu explain the matter. Rrin this card with you. A fine of two cculs per day charged for each day overdue. If not returned withi added to defray t J. C. DANA, Lit ENVER. COLO. y^ VV\L 'J Public Library.^ineteenth and Notice of Book Overdue. Reduced 3x5 inches. Actual Size, On this notice should also be placed the number of the borrower's card, taken from the overdue charge, and the exact number of the book. When these notices, which are printed on postal cards, have been prepared as above, direct them as legibly as possible, with SUGGESTIONS TO ASSISTANTS the full name and street address, and put them in the mail box at once. When a book is not returned within seven days after an overdue notice has been sent, messenger cards should be prepared. The printed blanks for this purpose should be filled out as fully as possible. Blanks are also furnished for notifying guarantors that persons whom they have guaranteed have books over- due, that fines are accumulating on these books and that the library holds the guarantor liable for the fines and also for the book if it be lost. If borrowers have no guarantors, messen- ger cards should be prepared at the time speci- fied above. If notice is sent to the guarantor, messenger cards need not be prepared till seven days have passed ; but after that time a mesr senger should be sent both to guarantor and borrower. The special messenger should secure the book and also collect the fine, including messenger fees. If a borrower, to whom a special messenger goes, refuses to pay his fine, his card should be cancelled, and his name entered in the index of persons to whom the privileges of the library are denied. If a guarantor refuses to make his guaranty good, his name should be entered in the same index as one whose guaranty is no longer accepted by the library. When it appears no longer possible to recover a book, the book slip should be handed to the catalogue department with an endorsement on it "not recoverable," or something equally definite, and the guarantor blank and the cor- responding blank in the index by name should SENDING NOTICES 85 be cancelled, and the name of the borrower and also of his guarantor, if he have one, be entered in the index of persons denied the use of the library. /' i\ '^ M Chapter XV. feenbtng ^gBfems for ^maff EiBratieB ^£%ERHAPS the most common of the old- I If fashioned ways of keeping a record \^P^ of the books lent was by means of a ^" blank book. In this were set down each day the books lent for that day and the names and addresses of the persons who took them. As the books w'ere returned the entries were run over until the proper ones were found and checked off. While this plan may work fairly well where the number of books circu- lated is very small, it is easy to see the difficul- ties that must arise as the number of entries increases. If some one keeps out a book for several weeks, and on returning it forgets the day on which it was taken, it is necessary to make a search through all the unchecked entries for perhaps several weeks back to find the proper record. This difficulty is not met entirely b}'^ opening a book in the ledger form with a page for every borrower and an index of borrowers. The person who bor- rows a book is not always the one who returns it, and if it has passed through two or three hands while out of the library it may be ver}' difficult to learn to whom it was originally charged. The book itself is the thing about which the library is chiefly concerned, and of the book's whereabouts it seems essential that LENDING SYSTEMS FOR SMALL LIBRARIES the record should give information with the least possible trouble. To open an account in a bound volume for every book lent, and when, and to whom, is practically impossible. But such an account can be kept on slips with very little trouble and with slight danger of error. The outfit necessary for keeping such an account, one which can be enlarged to any reasonable extent, is always up to date and calls for very little labor, consists simply of slips of paper, cut to the size, say, of 3 x 5 inches. Heavy manilla will do, common writ- ing paper is better, and better still is stout ledger. On these slips, near one end or one side, as suits the fancy, write the author and title, one book on each slip, of all the books in the library. As the slips are written drop each one into the book whose author and title are entered on it; or, if this proves inconvenient, arrange them in alphabetical order and keep them in a box or tray on the table. If, now, John Benham wishes to borrow '' The Heavenly Twins," by Sarah Grand, his name, and address if necessary, and the date of lending are written on the slip belonging to that book and it is put one side with other "books lent" slips. The "books lent" slips should be arranged in alphabetical order, the new ones being sorted into their places from day to da3\ When " The Heavenly Twins " is returned it is easy to find among the " books lent " slips the one belong- ing to it. Draw pen or pencil through the record of the loan, put the slip back into its proper book or into its proper place among the "books in the library " slips, and the transac- LKNDING SYSTEMS FOR SMALL LIBRARIES 88 tion is complete. The two sets of slips, it will be seen, form a complete catalogue of the librar}-, and will always answer these questions: Has the library a certain book ? Is it now in ? If not, who has it? If there are in the library more than one copy of the same work, they can be identified by writing on the title page "Copy I," "Copy 2," etc.; and the same entry should be made on their corresponding slips If it proves desirable to keep together the records of books lent on each day, this can ^WUtT^Xe-^^^^^^-rO-^ -^ Wa Vv^^ulC ^^tn n Book Slip, to illustrate Lending Syst«»m for Small Li- brary. Reduced; Actual Size, 5X 3 inches. easily be done by putting before the slips for each day a card a little longer or wider than the slips, with the number of the day of the month written plainly on the part that projects above the rest. An advantage in this plan is that it tells one at a glance what books have been out for a wetk, or two weeks, or any given length of time. Rooks overdue are thus located in a moment, and tho5-e who have them can be at once requested to return them. In the case of a school library or of the library of a small village, it is generally unnec- LENDING SYSTEMS FOR SMALL LIBRARIES essary to have any system for the ideutificalion of qualified borrowers. The person in charge will know almost ever}^ one who comes to the library, and the privileges of the library will be extended to every one, to visitors or new- comers, for instance, without question, or after a recommendation or introduction b}' a repu- table resident. If the size of the town or the character of its population or any peculiarity in the library's constituency makes a system of identification necessary, the methods and blanks used in the Public Library of Denver, as set forth in the preceding chapters, seem as brief and convenient as any. Denver has a very shifting population; but apparently as far as abusing library privileges are concerned a very conscientious one. And if the Public Library rules are sufficient to protect very well its interests, they are probably elaborate enough and stringent enough to serve in any Western community. It may be desirable, in a school, for instance, to keep an account not only of what persons have read a certain book, which the system suggested does, but also of what books a cer- tain person has read. It may be useful, too, to know wliat persons use the library, how^ many regular borrowers there are, and whether now and then one has proved untrustworthy and is black-listed for a time or permanently. All this information can be secured by making the charging system a double one. On another set of slips, which may be identical in style with the first, enter the names and addresses of borrowers, each, as he or she comes, on asepa- LENDING SYSTEMS FOR SMALL LIBRARIES 90 rate slip. When a borrower takes out a book write the name of the book on the slip bearing his name, and write his name on the slip belonging to the book. Arrange the book slips as before; the borrowers' slips arrange like the book slips in two sets, one the " books out " set, the other the " no books out." Now, when a book is returned, its own slip is first looked up and then the slip of the borrower whose un- cancelled name appears on it. Each borrow- er's slip will in this wa}" show at any time what Borrower's Slip, to illustrate I^ending System for Small Library. Reduced; Actual Size, 5x3 inches. books that particular borrower has read, and, if desired, if he has properly paid any fines due, has observed the library rules, is undeserving of the library privileges, etc., etc. A little consideration will show how greatly the processes here described can be shortened if a brief identifying number is given to every book, if every borrower has a special number, if dates are stamped instead of being writ- ten, and if other such short cuts as are set forth elsewhere in this book are brought into use. Chapter XVI. (^cceBBton n5?orft The Denver Public Library's Accession Department /^•^HESE chapters, like those on the meth- ^^ ods and rules of the Circulating Depart- ^^ ment of the Public Library of Denver, will be of value to small libraries chiefly by way of suggestion. When gifts are received an acknowledgement is sent to the giver, enclosing the circular, "Objects of Collection Desired by the Public Library. ' ' The fact of the receipt of the gift, its character, and the date, are properly entered in the indexed donation book under the name of the giver; the number of bound volumes, pam- phlets and periodicals being entered each in its proper column. If the gift consists of the report of a public institution, given by that institution, it is entered as a "report" under the institution's name. Gifts to the Colorado Medical Library Association * are entered in the book kept for that purpose. This entry is made as follows : Name of the giver, followed by his initials, his address, the fact whether the books are given * The Colorado Medical Library Association deposits its books in the I^ibrary. They may be used by the general public for reference, but may not be taken from the I,ibrary by anyone except members of the Associa- tion. The Library agrees to spend each year as much money for the purchase of medical books as does the Association. ACCESSION TVORK 92 "gIVEH to the DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY Denver Public Library Lent to the Colorado Medical Library 3>.cv.», \63^ Denver Public Library .Property of the Colorado Medical LIbi Book Plates. Reduced ; Actual Size of the largest, 2%xi inches, others reduced to same scale, or lent, and any condiiions that may be made regarding them, the date, a complete list of all numbers of magazines and the accession num- bers of bound volumes which hav^e been acces- sioned, thus : "Smith, Dr. John, io6j Brown St., Denver, lent to Colorado Medical Library Association, 20th June, 1894, (list of miscellaneous pam- phlets, etc.) also, Accession Nos. 2 12 15-21224." A memorandum of each gift to this Aissocia- tion is sent to the Secretarv, Dr. Henry Sewall, THIS BOOK IS THE FF.OPEBTY OF THE COLORADO MEOrCAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AND CAN BE TAKEN FBOM THE LIBRARY ONLY BY --MBERS OF THAT ASSOCIATION J. C. DANA. Label used on Outside Cover of Books belonging to Colorado Medical Library Association. Reduced ; Actual Size, 3'3^xii<( inches. ACCESSION WORK 93 23 Eighteenth Avenue, Denver, who sends the acknowledgement to the giver. As soon as a gift is acknowledged and entered, the proper book plate is pasted inside the front cover and on it are written the name of the giver and date of receipt. All books belonging to the Colo- BOUGHT OF The Stone & Locke Bcp and Stationery Co,, 800 TO 806 Sixteenth St., Cos. stout. Wt keep a full line of Offiot^Sl^fU, ACCESSION NO l^rTl^^r^^t Bill showing Marks made in the Accession Department. Reduced ; Actual Size, 4x6 inches. rado Medical Library Association have its label pasted on the outside of the front cover. When books are received from booksellers their proper order cards are looked up and placed in their respective books before any- thing else is done. They are then checked off ACCESSION WORK 94 the bill. The price of each book is written in the upper left corner of the first right hand page after the title page. In the first volume on a bill is written also the name of the firm from which the book comes, and the date of the bill. When several different books which can be bought separately, are billed as one item, the individual price of each is written in the first ; for example, a set of Miss Alcott's works is billed at $10.50, so the entry is made !,,„, 29S'92 ACCESSION f.T. CLASS BOOK VOL AUTHOR TITLE 7581 Alb :b66 Sbwr^£Jb,O.S:), Sicr^ 7561-93 82 Z113 \oU,U baa 5cr.i:?'».83 84 91M F54 F5A v.l V.2. i^^,^'. 2L)>UK/3^rtMJl oV 0/tue/ 85 Accession Book. Reduced ; Actual Siz( thus: "lov. losea." But if diff"erent volumes of one work are billed as one item, for example, a set of Macaulay's " History of Eng- land," the collective price is written, thus: "4v. 1 10.00 set." They are entered on the accession book according to the same plan. The book is then accessioned according to the rules given at the beginning of the accession book and in the New York card catalogue rules with the following exceptions : ACCESSION WORK 95 (i) The books are not necessarily entered in the order in which they are received, though those on each bill are entered in the order in which the}^ appear on the bill (2) The number of pages and the size of the books are omitted. These items are given on the catalogue card, and it seems a waste of labor to enter them twice. Especially is this true in a library which buys many duplicates of popular works, as it saves -ACE AND PUBLISHER DATK BINDING SOURCE COST REMARKS vii- O^. 1665 V^- SiyuinruiA, .e (Ji^JL.no. 35Ar . ^-rt \m di. „ b\ „ „ 3CS h {^otVl \&^^. „ : ! 1 1' " •> £ 2>1 2x is% iuches (giviug space for 40 entries). the trouble of looking up the number of pages and of measuring the size of each copy except the first. On the left margin of the accession book are noted the numbers of the first and last books on each bill, the date of the bill, and the name of the firm from which they were purchased, thus : "20115-20472, Scrib., 19 Jan., '94." ACCESSION WORK 96 This memorandum is made at the beginning of each bill, and if the bill fills more than one page of the accession book, ii is repealed at the top of each page. In accessioning books belonging to the Colo- rado Medical Library Association, or any simi- lar society, the name of the society is entered in the " source " columii. The memorandum in the left margin shows from whom they were purchased or by whom they were given. Colorado Medical Library ASSOCIATION Denver Colorado Offue of the Secretary. July. i8qi. The medical tralernity of Denver and Colorado are endeavoring, as Ihe accom- panying booklet shows, to build up a medical library in this city It is not necessary 10 call attention to Ihe advantages which accrue to the profession of medicine through Ihe establishment of a medical library. Our remoteness from the centres of population makes the work we have undertaken difficult in many ways Your society can aid miterially in this enterprise by sending us its proceedings. Anything sent us will be acknowledged, placed on the shelves of the library and brought to the attention of its readers. Yours Respectfully, J. T. ESKRIDCE, M. D., PresiJenl. Henry Sewall, M. D., Setrelarv, Address, c.lre Hublic Library. J. C- Dana, Librarian Public Library, Denver. Colorado For the Association One of many Circulars sent out to Advertise the Library Reduced ; Actual Size, 6x3^4 inches. Before any bill leaves the accession depart- ment it is O. K.'d and the first and last acces- sion numbers of its items are written on it. All persons who make any entries on the accession book write their initials in red ink in the left margin opposite the number at which they begin and at the top of each page. The acces- sion number is written in the lower left corner of the first right hand page after the title page and in the left upper corner of page 21. Chapter XVII. (Routine 'TJJorft The Denver Public Library's Accession Department ^^^HE pasting, stamping, pocketing, and ^^^ other work of a similar nature which ^'^ must necessarih' be performed on each volume before it is ready for circulation, are generally done at the earli- est convenient time. It is annoying, when a book is about to be put on the shelves, to find that the pages are not yet cut, or that some similar work has been neglected. At the same time it is often inconvenient to delay cataloguing a book until it is stamped and pocketed. In a small library where one person does all the work this difficulty is not much felt ; but in a large insti- tution it is often economical to employ inexpe- rienced assistants to do the purely manual work, while the cataloguer devotes his time to the work requiring experience and skill. With such a division of labor one person would often be kept waiting for the other if any regular order were rigidly adhered to. It is necessary, however, that the person who does the routine work be able to tell at a glance what has been done on each book, otherwise much time may be lost in finding out which books need pockets, which have not yet been stamped, and so on. In order to avoid this delay those doing any work on a given group of books are instructed to keep together on the shelves all volumes ROUTINE WORK ^ 98 j which are in the same stage of development ; and to leave a note with each group, stating what further work is to be done on it. For this i purpose the following blank is used. Each * portion of the work, as it is done, is checked off j the list. ^ PUBLIC LIBRARY, DENVER ; Outline of the work of getting a book ready for the library shelf : Bill from Date Find order cards. Check off bill. ! Medical books — • Make special bill. 1 Put book plates on cover. ; Gifts— I Acknowledge. \ Enter. i Book plate. | Accession. j Open. j Cut pages. j Stamp. j Pocket. j Tag. ! Classify. | Catalogue — . Author card. ! Cross reference cards, etc. | Author slip. Title slip. wSubject slips, etc. (except for medical ' books). i ROUTINE WORK 99 Fiction — ^^t'^^^^^^^ I For counter. Title card i Bulletin. Medical books — Author card ] Title card I o u- 4. 1 . - For medical alcove Subject cards, etc. Bulletin. j Write number. Varnish tag. Put book on shelf. Arrange cards by accession number. Bnter class number in accession book. Arrange cards numerically. Shelf list. Arrange cards alphabetically. Distribute cards and slips. As far as practicable the order here set forth is maintained. First the book is carefully opened. William Matthews in his "Modern Book-Binding" gives the following instruction as to how this should be done: " 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 on, alternately opening back and front, gently pressing open the sections till you reach the center 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 and cause a start in the leaves. Never force ROUTINE ^VORK the back ; if it does not yield to gentle opening, rely upon it, the back is too tightly or strongly lined." If a little care is taken to open as near the middle of each section, or signature, asma}* be, the danger of causing " a start in the leaves" is much lessened. This process is especially necessary in our library by reason of the dry- ness of the climate, which makes the glue on the backs of the books very brittle, causing the bindings to break if a book is not very carefully handled at first. The pages are next cut if necessary. Care is taken to cut evenly along the pages and well into the joint on top. The pages of any book bound in paper are not cut unless special instructions to do so are given. Paper books are usually bound before being placed upon the shelves, and they can be sewn easier and better if the pages are uncut. Each volume is next stamped on the title page, on pages 21, loi, 20 [, 301, etc., and on the last page. The front cover is then turned back and the leaves are fanned out and stamped obliquely across their front edges. This makes a mark which it is very diffcult to erase, as a small portion of the impression of the stamp is left on the face, as well as on the edge, of a large number of leaves. The book is then held firmly shut and stamped across the bottom edges of the leaves. Seven-day pockets are pasted inside the front covers of all works of fiction; everything else has fourteen-day pock- ets, except reference books. These last receive their proper book plates. All pockets are pasted halfway up the middle of the cover, KOUTINE WORK. with the front edge of the pocket about half an inch from the inside edge of the cover; this last in order that the book card may not slip out when the book is partly open, or be bent when the book is closed. In pasting in the pockets no more paste than is necessary is used. The pocket may be held between the thumb and fingers of the left hand by its curved edge, or, it may be placed face down on a piece of DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY Reference Book Not to be taken from the Library Book Plate for Reference Book. Reduced Actual Size, 5x3 inches. waste paper, a little paste is put on underneath the end pieces, along the front, and over the end pieces. When placed upon the book cover all superfluous paste is carefully wiped away with a clean cloth before the book is closed.* When possible the books are pressed for a few * A pocket and tag pasting method used with great success in some libraries is this : On a smooth surface, preferably a piece of heavy glass, spread a layer of paste, the paste to be of varying consistency as the work demands; clap tags, not gummed, of course, and ROUTINE WORK I02 hours after being pocketed ; the covers are then less likely to warp and the pockets stick better. The tag is next put on. This is so placed that its bottom edge is just four inches from the bottom of the book, except where it would in this position cover the author's name or the title. In such a case it is moved up or down to the nearest convenient place. If the choice of position is nearU' equal it is moved up rather than down. Four inches is selected for the standard height because it is found that at that distance from the bottom it is least likely to cover the author's name or the title. If it is placed much lower it gets soiled more quickly, as people usually hold a book by the bottom when they are reading. Moreover, it is often difficult to see a tag placed near the bottom of a book which stands on a shelf above the line of vision, especially if the book gets pushed back on the shelf The place for the tag being located, the glair is washed away from that place with a clean cloth dampened with a weak solution of ammonia and water. If the book is thin the label is cut when it is first put on so that it does not quite reach the edge of the back. If the book is so thin that there would not be sufficient room for the book number on pockets, lightly but smoothly and evenly down onto the paste-covered plate ; pick them off the plate with the fingers and paper cutter and put onto the place where wanted. They will be found to have taken up from the plate a quantity of paste just sufficient to make them stick quickly and firmly. So says C. R. Dudley, Libra- rian of the Cit3' Library, Denver. ROUTINE WORK [O3 a tag cut to fit it, the tag is placed on the upper left corner of the front cover. The tag is pressed tightly and evenly dov^^n until it sticks firmly all over. Dennison's "ASS" gummed tags are used. - These being round, present no corners to be easily ruffed up. They are free from lines around the border, so the whole space is available for the book number, and they are of very convenient size for this kind of M^ork. After a book is catalogued the call number is written in one straight line on the pocket and on the top of each side of the book card. It is important that these numbers be written legibly, in good, dark lines, and close to the top of the book cards. In reference books the accession number, as well as the call number, is written on the book plate. The call number is next written on the tag. The class number is written on one line and the author number below, leaving nearly quarter of an inch between the lines (see i, in cut of a group of tags). If there is a volume number or a letter to distin- guish different copies of the same book, they are written below (see i and 2); but if a volume number and a copy letter appear on the same book, the copy letter is written on the same line as the author number, and the volume number below (see 3), The date of an annual is regarded as a volume number (see 4). Ref- * If the gummed tag is moistened, not with water, but with a thin reduction of Higgins's drawing-board mucilage it sticks better, we are told, than it does under any other treatment. If this is done the book need not be washed in ammonia and water as described above. ROUTINE WORK 104 erence books have an " R " written above the class number (see 3 and 4), and juvenile books have an " X " to the left of the class number (see 2). In juvenile fiction the " X " is placed above the book number (see 5), and in adult fiction the letter is placed above and the num- ber below (see 6). The volume number is Book Tags. Reduced Actual Diameter of each, inches. alwaj's written on the tag whether it appears elsewhere on the back of the book or not. Tlie numbers and letters on the tags are written clearly and with heavy lines so that they may be easil}- seen. When the ink on the tag is dry the tag is varnished with a coat of while shellac and alcohol, the tag being evenly covered and the varnish run over a little on the book all around it. When this is dry a second coat is put on and dried and the book is ready for the shelf. This last process is still largely an experiment. routine: WORK The person who writes the numbers on the pockets, etc., writes his initials below the accession number on the first right hand page following the title page. He is held responsi- ble if the book is not properly stamped, the pages not cut, or any routine work neglected, as he is supposed to see that everything is finished before he lets the book get on the library shelves. All members of the library staff are required to make all their records in the regular vertical " library hand." For this purpose a fine stub pen is usually found to be the best. Estabrook's 312 Judge's quill is most used. Barnes's inks are used for all ordi- nary work, but where a heavy black line is required, in writing the numbers on the book tags, for example, Higgins's waterproof draw- ing ink is found best. The paste used is gener- ally purchased from a paper-hanger's shop or a book-bindery. As soon as the paste is bought a few drops of oil of cloves are mixed with it, to prevent its turning sour, and it is put in an earthenware pot. Usually this paste is too thick for library purposes, but it can be easily reduced with water as required. In pasting a sheet of paper, or anything similar, it is placed face downward on an old newspaper, and held firmly by the left hand at the bottom. The paste is then applied evenly to the upper half of the sheet, starting from the middle and working toward the edges. Then the sheet is held from the top and the rest of it pasted in a similar manner. If it is desired to put a thin line of paste along the edge of a sheet, to paste a loose page into a ROUTINE WORK 1 06 book, for example, the sheet to be pasted is placed flat on waste paper, another sheet with a straight edge is placed on top of it, leaving exposed as much of the margin of the lower sheet as seems best to paste. The paste is brushed over the edges of the two sheets. When the top sheet is removed the sheet which was to be pasted will have a straight, even line of paste along its edge. An^-one who has been using paste is required to wash out the brush and leave it in a dry place. If any paste is left in the paste pot, he is required to cover it with a piece of paper. If no paste is left, he Book Support. Reduced ; Actual Height, 5% inches. rinses the pot out and fills it with water, so that the next person who wishes to use it may find it ready. After varnishing tags the brushes are washed in a solution of ammonia and water. Everyone is required to put away his work before leaving it. Whenever practicable the w^ork on hand is finished before it is left. If this is impossible it is left at some convenient stopping place and a note of what has been done is left with the work, so that another can continue it without trouble. ROUTINE WORK 107 Books are not allowed to lean obliquely on the shelves, as this breaks the bindings greatly. If any of them are too big to stand upright on the shelf they are placed flat. Whenever books are stacked one above another they are placed back to front alternately. The back of a book is nearly always a little thicker than the front, and if several are piled the same way the top of the pile will not be level and the books will be apt to fall down. In putting on gummed labels, book tags, stamps, etc., care is taken not to wipe away the mucilage. These can be dampened well all over by applying a wet sponge or brush. If they are gone over a second time the mucilage will probably be wiped away. No permanent records are written within at least half an inch of the margin of a book, as they may be mutilated when the book is trimmed in rebinding if this rule is not ob- served. ¥ ¥ ¥ Chapter XVIII. Ccifcifogutng ani CfeBsifging a Introductory note— in the foiiow- k ing attempt to outline the work of put- *1 ting in order a small collection of books, very much has of necessity been sacn ficed to brevity. It is not to be hoped that this may prove a sufficient guide to the work herein described, even for the most apt of library learners. It may serve, however, to give here and there a tyro such a hint of the difficulties and problems he will meet in handling effi- ciently even a small library, as will lead him to wish to post himself thoroughly before he begins his labors. If it does this — if it makes manifest his ignorance now and again to an amateur librarian, it will serve its purpose. This chapter, it will be seen, is supplemented for the learner by the one which precedes it, and by those which follow. They furnish many of the details — this is the outline. The definitions, names of books, etc-.-fou-Bd »ear the end of the book, will also help to complete the sketch here given. The classification scheme suggested will be, of course, recognized as a condensation of the Decimal. CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY 109 A person without library experience is made librarian, let us suppose, of a collection of 300 books, which are to be at once shelved and lent to the public, or to the pupils of a school. He immediately takes account of stock. He does this by carefully checking off the books from the bills, and filing the bills in such a manner that they can be easily consulted — pasting them into a scrap-book, for instance. Or he makes a list, brief, but fuller than the bills, of all the books, and their prices, on sheets or in a blank book, heading it with an entry like this : *' Books in the Library when A B took charge, 189 — ." If he makes any inquiries in regard to the methods of invoicing buoks in use in libraries generally, he finds that it is possible to get a blank book, ruled and lettered and numbered especially for library invoicing, and called an " accession book." If it is probable that his library will increase to several thousand volumes within a few years, he will be wise to get one of these books. If expense is a serious consideration, or if the library will probably grow very slowly, he can make any small blank book or a few sheets of ledger paper serve very well. In his invoice or accession book or sheets he enters the fol- lowing items concerning each of the volumes put into his charge : The author, the title, the publisher, the year of publication and the price paid ; and he leaves at the right of each entry space for any note that it may be necessary afterwards to add, and at the left of each entry space for entering book numbers, if any should be adopted. Each entry occupies a line, each CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY IIO line is numbered from i up to such number as the library has volumes. The number of each line, called in library parlance the " accession number," is written on the back of the title page of the book described on that line. If any book is lost, or stolen, or worn out and dis- carded, or rebound, or exchanged for another book, a note of the fact is made in the space left at the right of its entry in the accession book. This accession book is a life-history of every book in the library. It is such a record as any business-like person would wish to have of property entrusted to his care. It is also a catalogue of all books in the library, and a useful catalogue as long as the library is small. It can answer many of the questions which may arise about titles, prices, publishers and the like. The books being properly invoiced, the librarian next marks them. He does this cheaply and efficiently by stamping them with a rubber stamp bearing the name of the school, village or society to which they belong. The stamp is of plain t3'pe and preferably in one line, as it makes a clearer impression in that form. The pad used is violet, as that color fades less than black or red. Pad and stamp together cost about fifty cents. The impression is put on the title page and on the 21st and loist pages, and on several ether pages if it seems advisable. For keeping a record of the books lent the librarian adopts the book-slip charging system suggested in a previous chapter. For each book he writes a slip as there described, and CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRAKY III arranges the slips in the alphabetical order of the authors' names. Where there are more than one copy of the same book he identifies the second copy by writing a small " a " on the title page, the third copy by "(^," and so on, writing the same letters on the corresponding book-slips. He now puts his books on the shelves in the alphabetical order of their authors' names, and they are ready for lending. During the first year 500 volumes are added to the library. As they are received they are invoiced, or accessioned, and stamped, and book-slips are written for them. The collec- tion now numbers 800. The books are used freely and a large proportion of them are all the time in circulation. Questions like these are asked quite often: Has the library any books by a certain author? Has it a book by a certain title ? Has it any books on a cer- tain subject ? The answers to these queries the librarian cannot learn from the books them- selves, for a third of them at least are all the time in the hands of borrowers. He can answer the first one by looking over the two sets of "books in" and "books out" slips, though this involves looking through two alphabetical series. The second he can answer only from memory, or by running over all titles in his two sets of slips. For the third he must trust to his memory almost entirely. He meets these difficulties as best he can, and continues with the plan described for another year, when the library has increased to 1,500 volumes. Other disadvantages of his system now become CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY 112 more evident. For instance, some one comes in and says, " I would like to see all the poetry there is in the library." Another asks for "a look at all j^our history." Another, and her name is legion, wishes "to take a look at all the fiction." Another asks for "something on Robert Burns," and not until she goes out, after a fruitless search, does the librarian re- member Carlyle's dissertation on that poet in his collected essays. Another is "looking up certain features of English travel," and is dis- appointed. Neither she nor the librarian happens to remember that Hawthorne's "Note Books" cover just the topic she was in search of. Manifestly the public is not getting the full value of the library. The books are there; but their usefulness is curtailed because a full and handy record of their character and con- tents is lacking. Another and quite serious disadvantage he finds is the airangement of the books on the shelves. After he knows, from memory or from an examination of his book-slips, what vol- umes of poetry, for instance, there are in the library, it is necessary, if some one wishes to see them all, to run over all the volumes and pick out here and there the special ones wanted. Bryant is near the beginning of the shelves, Longfellow near the middle, and Wordsworth comes close to the end. This difficulty he easily overcomes for a subject like poetry by putting all the poets in an alphabetical series by themselves. Fiction he arranges in the same way. And the books on history, travels, biography and other easily distinguished sub- CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY jects he groups without difficulty. This ar- rangement he finds has many advantages ; but he soon meets with new difficulties, arising partly from the method of grouping he has adopted, and partly from the lack, previously noted, of any adequate key or index to the contents of the library. Some one asks if he has any of the works of Matthew Arnold in his collection. He dees not happen to remem- ber whether he has or not. If he goes to the shelves to learn, he does not know whether the books by that author which are in the library, if there are any, are in the class of poetry, or essays, or religion, or social science, or edu- cation, or what not ; and he must run over all the books the names of whose authors begin with "A," in all classes, before he can answer. And even then an examination of the shelves proves nothing, as a full third of the books are out in circulation. If he goes to his book-slip lists to learn he finds there, for instance, "Arnold, M.. Poems." This is plain, and he can put his hand on the book at once if it is in. He finds also, "Arnold, M., St. Paul and Pro- testantism," and for this he must look in per- haps three places, as he does not remember whether he placed that book with the biogra- phies, on the evidence of the first part of its title, or with religion, in view of the " protest- antism," or with the essa3-s, because Arnold's standing as an essayist led him to think all his books not poems were probably essays. He finds he is himself sometimes at a loss, also, in placing books on the shelves, to determine in what group he should put, for instance. Gal ton's CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY 114 "English Men of Science." Is it biography? Is it science ? or, Is it ps3^chology ? If an ex- amination to-day leads him to put it with books on psychology, will he remember that fact when he wishes to find it two months from to-day ? The difficulties suggested, and others not here noted, lead the librarian to this conclusion, that it is wise to group the books in classes for the convenience especially of the people who visit the shelves, and all do this who wish ; that if he does so group them they should be so marked that he can tell at a glance, when one is off the shelves, to just what group it be- longs ; and that, as the books themselves in any class do not form their own full catalogue, many being all the time out of the library, he should have a full catalogue by subjects, as well as his full catalogue b} authors. He decides also that he must have a list of the titles of all his books, and in many cases a partial list of their contents, if he would meet the difficulties already suggested arising from his lack of a complete and handy record of the contents of his library. Each entry in his record, he finds, moreover, must bear such a characteristic mark that he can go from it at once to the book to which it refers ; or he must, each time he re- fers to a book in his records, write out in full the name of its author, its title, and the name of the class in which he has decided to place it. He must, in effect, devise a scheme of class- ification for his library, or use one already invented, with a set of arbilrar}^ symbols, preferably brief and legible, as the insignia of the several classes he adopts. CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY "5 We may suppose that our librarian has by this time made the acquaintance of that most essential of library tools, the Library Jourjial, that he has knowledge also of the Library Bureau, and that he has received hints and suggestions from his fellow craftsmen. Jn the light of his own experience, and under advice from those learned in the art of handling books, he does as follows : He decides that he will divide his books into sixteen classes, which shall be designated thus: CI.ASSES, AND THE FIGURES, CAI.I.ED THE NOTATION, USED TO INDICATE THEM GO — Generai, Works, including Bibliogra- phy, Library Economy, General Cyclopedias, General Collections, General Periodicals, Gen- eral Societies and Newspapers. lo — PhiIvOSOPHY, including Metaphysics, Philosophical Systems, Logic, Ethics and Phi- losophers. 15 — Mentai. Faculties, including Psychol- ogy, Mind and Body. 20 — ReIvIGION, including Bible, Theology, Pastoral and Church Work, Religious History, Christian Churches and Sects, and Non-Chris- tian Religions. 30 — Sociology, including Statistics, Political Science, Political Economy, Law, Administra- tion, Associations and Institutions, Customs, Costumes, and Folk-Lore. 37 — Education. 40— Philology. 50 — Natural Science, including Mathe- matics, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Geol- CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY ii6 ogy, Paleontology, Biology, Botany, and Zool- ogy- 60— Useful Arts, including Medicine, En- gineering, Agriculture, Domestic Economy, Communication and Commerce, Chemical Technology, Manufactures, Mechanic Trades, and Building. 70— Fine Arts, including Landscape Gar- dening, Architecture, Sculpture, Drawing, Design, Decoration, Painting, Engraving, Photography, Music, and Amusements. 80— Literature, including Poetry, Drama, Essays, Orations and Speeches, Humor, and Satire. 91 — Geography and Travel. 92 — Biography. 93 — Ancient History. 94 — Modern Histor\% except United States. 97— United States History. Fiction. The librarian now, with the classification scheme before him, decides into which class each book shall go, and writes the distinguish- ing figures of that class on the reverse of its title page, below the accession number, and also on a label pasted on its back. The fiction is distinguished by the fact that it is given no class number. He finds that he can save himself consider- able labor if, while he is thus handling his books, he makes out the full record, or index, or catalogue of authors, title and contents, which he has already concluded it is desirable to have. He secures, therefore, a large supply — several thousand — of the slips of stout ledger paper CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING- A SMALL LIBRARY 117 already in use for book-slips ; or, better still, he buys from the Library Bureau similar slips carefully cut, conveniently ruled, and with a hole punched near their lower edges for the insertion of a wire to hold them securely in the tray, or box, or drawer in which they may be kept. On these slips he begins the making of a full record of his collection. For each book he writes a slip, or card, called commonly a "catalogue card," beginning with the name of its author, as " Dole, C. F., American citizen "; another beginning with the name of the book, as, "American citizen, C. F. Dole"; another beginning with the name of the general sub- ject of the book, as, " Civil Government, Dole, American citizen "; and still others, as it seems to him advisable, beginning with the names of certain subsidiary topics touched on in the book, as " Government, Dole, American citizen"; and " Political economy, Dole, American citizen." In the left upper corner of each slip he writes the group or class number of the class to which he decides the book for which the slip is written be- longs. When these slips are arranged in one alphabetical series they form such a record of the contents of his library as will answer in a moment any one of the questions already noted: Has the library any books by a certain author ? Has it a book by a certain title? Has it any books or parts of books on a certain subject ? The last question it will answer quite fully, as the librarian wrote, for each book covering more than one subject, a slip for each subject that seemed to be treated therein at any length. CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY ii8 This index or record of the library is commonly called a dictionary catalogue. It is easy to see that it adds enormously to the value even of a collection of 1,500 volumes. The numbers on the corners of the slips tell the librarian, or the student who is using the library, in what class the books therein entered are to be found, and as the books in each class stand on the shelves in the alphabetic order of their authors' names, any desired volume can be found in a moment. To this alphabetical arrangement by the names of authors, or by the title of the book where the author is not given, our librarian finds it advisable to make an exception in the case of the lives of individuals. In asking for biogra- phy he finds that most people are naturally most interested in the persons written about, not in the authors who write about them. He arranges individual biography on the shelves, therefore, in the alphabetical order of the names of the subjects of biography. Collective biography he arranges by authors, like other books. As the work of preparing his dictionary cata- logue goes on, as volumes are added from month to month, as the number of borrowers increases, and, above all, as he extends his knowledge of library methods, he decides that it would be advantageous, not only to distin- guish his books by marks indicative of the class to which they belong, but also to distin- guish, one from the other, the books in the same class. He would adopt some system of marking whereby each book should have a CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY 119 certain number, or numbers, or combination of numbers and letters, as brief and as easily written and as quickly taken in by the eye as may be, which shall identify it, which shall distinguish it from all other books in the library. This can be simply and easily done by writing after the class number of each book the number of that book in its class. Thus, Fiske's " Idea of God " may be the first book in class 20 and would bear the number 20:1 ; Clarke's "Ten great religions " may be 20:2; Allen's "Continuity of Christian thought," 20:3. Under this plan, however, the books in each class, if arranged in the order of their numbers, do not stand on the shelves in the alphabetical order of their author's names. That they should so stand seems desirable. Our highly progressive librarian has learned in his reading of a device called an author- table — a printed scheme cf initial letters fol- lowed by numbers — arranged in alphabetical order for easy reference. This table, named after Mr. Cutter, its author, gives at a glance the proper combination of letters to be written after the class number of any book in order that that book, when placed on the shelf in the alphabetical and numerical position indicated by such letters and numbers, shall stand, in relation to other books in the same class, in the alphabetical order of its author's name. Thus, Fiske's "Idea of God" will have, in accordance with this author-table, the class number 20, followed by the author or book number F54, F54 being in effect a shorthand way of writing " Fiske "; Allen's " Continuity CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY I 20 of Christian thought" will have the number 20AI5 ; and Clarke's "Ten great religions," 20C55. He secures one of these "author- tables" — they cost very little — and adds the proper author-numbers to all class numbers on books and slips. He gets with the author-table simple directions for so writing these numbers that books by the same author in the same class, or books b\' different authors, but wnth the same name, in the same class, may be easily distinguished. As he gives to the several books, and to their corresponding catalogue cards, their respective book or author numbers, w^riting these below or beside the class numbers as seems conven- ient, he turns to his accession or invoice book, finds, by the number on the back of each title page, the line describing the volume in hand, and enters on that line, in the space already mentioned as left for such purpose, the class and author number decided upon. He also writes on the back of each card the accession number of the book entered on it. He can now refer in a moment from cards to accession booic, from accession book to cards, and from either to the books themselves. The class "fiction" is distinguished, asalread}' noted, by the fact that it has no class number. To each volume in it he gives its proper book or author number, and this alone is sufficient to distinguish it from all other books in the library. He finds, however, that his entries are still insufficient. He cannot now check off his books, or take account of stock, from his CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY 121 accession book or from his cards, for the books do not stand on the shelves in the order in which they are entered in either of these records. Moreover, when he is deciding what author number a book shall have he cannot be sure that he has not already in the library a book in the same class, by an author of the same or a very similar name, to which he has already given the author number he would naturally give to the one in hand. The shelves are no guide in this case, for many of the books are out. His only recourse, and he finds this same difiiculty is met in this same way in older libraries, is to make another record, not in the order of authors' names and not in the order of purchase, but in the order of the class and author number of every book. The entries in this record stand in the same order as do the books on the shelves, when all are in the library. For making this record he gets from the Librar}' Bureau, if he is not satisfied with loose sheets of paper cut to a uniform size, a supply of "shelf sheets," conveniently ruled and punched for temporary binding. On these he enters his books in the order of their num- bers, first the class, then the book or author- numbers, and adds to each entry the accession or invoice number of each book, that reference may be easily made from this shelf sheet record to all others. This shelf sheet record is, as suggested, a guide in giving to books their proper author numbers, and a record with which it is easy to check off the library or take account of stock. It is, moreover, a great help in classifying books. It is not always as easy CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY 122 as it might at first seem to place a book in the class in which it properly belongs, even where the classes are few and general in character. From the shelf sheets it is easy to learn what sort of books have already been placed in a certain class, and with the aid of this knowl- edge it is generally not difficult to learn where to place the book in hand. The shelf sheet, also, is a catalogue of the library by classes, and a study of it now and then tells the libra- rian in what departments his library is weak, in what strong, and what should be ihe charac- ter of his next additions. The library now has a record of all its books ir the the order of their purchase, the accession book, the business or financial record ; a record of all its books in the alphabetical order of their authors' names, in the dictionary cata- logue ; a record of all its books in the alpha- betical orler of their titles, also in the diction- ary catalogue ; a record of all its books in the alphabetical order of their subjects and sub- subjects, also in the dictionary catalogue ; and a record of all its books in the order of their class and author numbers, which is the on er in which they stand upon the shelves, in the shelf sheets. Each book, except in fiction, has its cla=s number and its book or author-number on its back and also on the back of its title page, and the same number is written against every entry that is made of it in any and all records. The librarian can now much shorten his labors in charging books or making records of the persons to whom they are lent. In making CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFYING A SMALL LIBRARY 123 note of any volume he can, in place of writing out author and title in full, use the brief sym- bols found on each bo >k. By giving to each borrower a separate number, he can make with little labor a double entry of all books lent, as suggested in the chapter on charging sys- tems, and thus can always learn what books any given borrowers have read, and what borrowers have read any given book. As for the refinements and niceties of acces- sion book, catalogue and classification, and the rules, and regulations, and intricacies, and moot points, and woes thereof, are they not all set forth in the Library Journal ■^wdi in volumes on the art and science of the librar}^ and can he not learn of them if he will ? And, if his library grow greatly, he must. ^ Chapter XIX, CfofiBtfjing QSoofte Denver Public Library's Accession and Catalogue Departments /^^^HE books in hand having been acces- ft^. sioned, and Ihe routine work upon them ^^ having been finished, as set forth in Chapters XVI. and XVII., they are next classified. The Dewe}- Decimal System of Classification is used in this library. This system divides all knowledge into ten general classes. These ten classes are each divided into ten divisions, and each of these again into ten sections. These sections can be further subdi- vided as far as may be desirable by the use of decimals. The accompanying reproduction of a page of the "Decimal System," showing the ten gen- eral classes and the hundred divisions, gives one a better idea of the general character of the system than would several pages of expla- nation. It is impossible to enter here into any discus- sion of the relative merits of different classifi- cation schemes or of different methods of no- tation. It may be proper, however, to make mention of a few reasons why the " Decimal " is worthy of consideration by anyone, espe- cially in this part of the country, who is taking charge of a new or unclassified librar3\ I. The system is already in use in several libraries in the State, and will probably be CLASSIFYING BOOKS 125 DIVISIONS. 000 General Works. 500 Natural Science. 010 Bibliography. 510 Mathematics. o;o Library Economy. 520 Astronomy 030 General Cyclopedias. 53° Physics. 040 General Collections. 540 Chemistry. 050 General Periodicals. 550 Geology. 060 General Societies. 560 Paleontology. 070 Newspapers. 570 Biology 080 Special Libraries. Polygraphy. ^So Botany 090 Book Rarities. 59° Zoology 100 PhUosophy. 600 Useful Arts. Metaphysics. 610 Medicine. 120 Special Metaphysical Topics. 620 Engineering. '3° Mind and Body 630 Agriculture 140. Philosophical Systems 640 Domestic Economy. 150 MentalFaculties. Psychology. 650 Communication and Commerce. 160 Logic. 660 Chemical Technology 170 Ethics. 670 Manufactures. iSo Ancient Philosophers. 680 Mechanic Tk.ides. 190 Modern Philosophers. 690 Building. 200 KeUgion. 700 Fine Arts. 3IO Natural Theology. 710 Landscape Ga!.dening. 220 Bible. 720 Architecture. 230 Doctrinal Theol. Dogmatics. 73° Sculpture. 240 Devotional and Practicau Drawing. Dei-.gn. Decoration. 250 HomileticPast.-.p.al.Parochial. 75° Painting. 260 Church. iNsm-moNs. Work, 760 Engraving. 270 Religious History. 770 Photography. 280 Christian Churches an d Sects. 780 Music. 290 r4 inches. with a cross reference from " prestidigitation," and he indicates on the slip already mentioned that the same entry, "conjuring," is to be made for this book. If he finds on the sheets no subject entry word which exactly meets all the requirements CATALOGUING BOOKS 135 of the case in hand, he selects such a word > writes it, and all the necessary cross references to it, in their proper places on the sheets, and S1 Z).\ A^ Ur .u /^h F ah 'J>fc2. ^'- Cat F .S. G o A. I. Bui. J Added Entry Card. 91 ? >,1 ^ Lli A ji. , ^ crlv F5A ^0 'nar'9!) Cat. F S. S. G o A. 1 Bui. J Author Card. Catalogue Cards. Reduced; Actual Size, 5X 3 inches. makes out the slip which goes with the book accordingly. Reference is always made from each of the more general of the headings on these sheets to the more specific entries CATALOGUING BOOKS 136 under those headings, and from these latter to those still more specific, thus making the catalogue syndetic. These sheets form a com- plete classified list of all the subject headings already in actual use. They show what cross reference entries are necessary in any particu- lar case that the catalogue may be continued in the syndetic form. For medical books subject slips are not writ- ten ; cards for the catalogue kept in the medi- St. .liju.xuo^— - X 'hXajWYTw; „.J61A_ o^^...o.,..\6S>a. S.S. G o A. H. Bui. L Catalogue Card for Annuals. Reduced ; Actual Size, 5x3 inches. cal department are written instead. On the back of the main author card the entry word of each extra card written for the main cata- logue is noted in red ink, and in black ink a memorandum of the slips written for the dictionary catalogue is made. On the back of the main cards of medical books no entries are made of the cards written for the medical cat- alogue. But on the back of the author card for the medical catalogue are noted the other c irds written for that catalogue. For all fiction CATALOGUING BOOKS 137 author and title cards are written for a cata- logue for public use. And for all books, in- cluding fiction and medicine, an author card is written for a general author list for public use. The entries on the cards for the main cata- logue are made in full. Those for the medical catalogue, fiction catalogue and general author ^oiwY^dnyji, ^ l-:jj^ZoY^. ^ x 3^ inches. A letter-press copy of the list of recent addi- tions to the medical department is sent to the Secretary of the Colorado Medical Library Association. When a book is catalogued, the date is stamped on the bottom of the first right-hand page after the title page, and on the lower left hand corner of each card written. The initial of the cataloguer is written on the bottom line CATALOGUING BOOKS 140 of each card after the word "Cat." there printed. Any person for whom a book was especially ordered is notified of its arrival as soon as it is ready for circulation, and the book is given to those in charge of the circulating department, with instructions to reserve it for the proper person. All other books ready for circulation are put on the table in the book room the first thing each morning. It is generally found to be economical to classify a number of books first and to cata- logue them afterwards. If each book is classi- fied and catalogued separately, the tools used in each process have to be gotten ready for each book. Furthermore, it is much easier to classify togeiher a group of books treating of similar subjects in their respective classes, than it is to classify the same books separately. The author cards which have been written for any group of books are arranged numeri- cally by the accession numbers, and the call number of each is entered in the accession book. The fact that the call number of any book has been entered in the accession book is prima facie evidence that such book has been turned over to the circulating department. Whoever writes the call number of any book in the accession book writes his initial after the letter "A" which is printed on the bottom line of the catalogue card. The same cards are next arranged numeri- cally by the call numbers and entered on the shelf sheet. The person doing this writes his initial after the " SS " on the catalogue card. CATALOGUING BOOKS 141 Everyone who enters books on the shelf sheet is required to give a memorandum of the num- ber of volumes entered in each class to the chief cataloguer, to assist him in compiling statistics. All cards and slips which have been written for a given group of books are next arranged alphabetically and distributed in their respec- tive catalogues. When duplicates are to be catalogued, care is first taken to see that they are really duplicates and not different editions of works already in jUJtwi^ OUjfX^^ trrrjrjjjjjji iiA-*cit»to»%. 1 Lcu-^.caX^-c>^-ro- C ) Catalogue Card for Magazines. Reduced Actual Size, 9x3 inches. Chapter XXI. curbing QBooftB Denver Public Library's Accession and Catalogue Departments ^^"y S SOON as a book begins to show se- ^^^ rious signs of wear, it is laid aside Q^ ▼ till some one who is competent to judge can inspect it and determine whether it shall be repaired in the librar}-, sent to the bindery, or condemned and thrown aside. Most books are poorly made and will not long stand the wear and tear of constant use. The bindings in which they are purchased are usually made of very cheap material, and books and bindings are generally carelessly put together. The paper used is, as a rule, thick, heavy and pulpy. This makes the book look large. The object of this thick paper custom is to trade upon the ignorance of the book-buying public, by giving them the im- pression that they are getting good money's worth. A thin, tough, flexible paper, such as should be used for all ordinary books, takes much of the strain off the back and makes the binding last longer. Very often the glue on the back of a book splits away from the leaves. This again is owing to the poor quality of the paper used. What really takes place is this : the surface of the paper, to which the glue is BINDING, RK-BINDING AND DISCARDING BOOKS applied, splits away from the rest, and the glue, adhering to the binding in rough ridges, forms a sort of file which rubs against the back of the sections every time the book is opened. The fold of the outside leaf of each section has already had the surface taken off in break- ing away from the glue ; consequently, if the book is circulated a few times in this condi- tion, the outside leaves of most of its sections are cut through and it is not worth rebinding. But if taken in time and sent to the bindery, it will, if properly re-bound, be much stronger than before. When a book is taken to pieces to be re- bound, the glue which may be found sticking to the back of the sections is commonly scraped away with a knife, usually taking a good deal of the paper with it. Before being resewn the sections are all sawed across to make a mark for guidance in sewing, and in some cases to allow the string to which the book is sewn to fit in flush with the back. These two processes wear out a book consider- ably, so that it is seldom that a book is worth re-binding a second time. If the outside leaves of the sections are worn through, it is usually best to throw the book away. These remarks apply chiefly, of course, to the ordinary run of books ; not generally to rare editions and ex- pensive books of any kind. Ordinary books are rebound in half red buffing, with cloth sides. Reference books,, bound magazines — except those for circulation — and large books generally, are bound in half morocco. All books are sewn on tapes and BINDING, RE-BINDING AND DISCARDING BOOKS 146 have a cloth joint. This joint is made by sew- ing a piece of cloth on the outside of the first and last sections and pasting its outside edge down onto the cover. This adds strength all along the joint where the greatest strain comes. Great difficulty is often experience in getting binding done satisfactorily by binders not familiar with library work. This is not due so much to carelessness as to a feeling of sympa- LETTEKING 354 55 56 57 )jjrji 6.