NEW YORK PUBLICATION OFFICE, 59 Duane Street. LONDON: SOLD BY KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & Co., PATERNOSTER HOUSE, CHARING CROSS ROAD. YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION, $5.00. MONTHLY NUMBERS, 50 cts. Price to Europe, or other countries in the Union, 205. per annum ; single numbers, 25. Entered at the Post-Office at New York, N. Y., as second-class matter. A SHORT TALK TO LIBRARIANS. UNTIL a few months ago, we had an idea that of all profes sional lines of employment, that of a Librarian was about the easiest. Why not? His work is all laid out for him, titles and subject-matter of books plainly given, so that all he has to do is to arrange the books nicely on the shelves, give each a shelf-number, make up two alphabetical lists, one of authors, the other of subjects, having the proper shelf-numbers on each list, and there you are. Well, we have changed our minds, or perhaps, to put it better, we have learned something. What probably is of still more importance is the fact that we are willing to acknowledge that what we don't know about libraries and the work of librarians, even yet, would make a much larger volume than what we do know. For some months we have been taking lessons instead of giving them. We are still in the primary class, but would like to stand up and recite our little lessons as far as we have learned them regarding the Rudolph Indexer system and its adaptation to modern library work. For a time we gave little attention to the Indexer Books, not realizing their importance, and that many libraries not equipped with the Revolving Indexer would use them for shelf-lists. A few large and many small orders opened our eyes to their importance. For a time we had little faith in the transparent celluloid covers for the card slips. A demand for these compelled more pains in procuring the right stock and improved manufacture of the books to acommodate them. Large manufacture, improved machinery, and increased business enabled us to reduce the cost until present prices ought to be no objection to their very extensive sale. So much for the past. For the future we are more than ever convinced that the days of the written card catalogue are over. Printed cards are here to stay. That conceded, economy of space, ease of reference, and elasticity of entries are necessities. The Rudolph Indexer system leaves nothing to be desired in these directions. We shall also make radical changes and improvements in the Revolving Continuous Indexer, especially for use in large libraries. The most marked improvement will be that at least six persons can consult the Indexer at the same time. We will tell you all about them on this page in the next issue of the LIBRARY JOURNAL. In the meantime, if you desire earlier information, drop us a line and we will write you fully. Respectfully yours, THOMAS KANE & CO., 137-139 WABASH AVENUE, CHICAGO. ly, so that within the present year the issue may be made at the proper date. In planning this monthly record, Mr. Crandall—or Mr. Hickcox, who is his chief cataloger—has departed from the plan of Mr. Hickcox's old "Monthly cata departments and bureaus similar to that used in 1884 for the appendix covering the U. S. Government publications in the "American catalogue." This plan was at that time adopted as a makeshift, and Mr. Crandall presents it now in the same light, with profuse apologies. But continued use of the classification raises the question whether, after all, this is not the most practical way of Government cataloging, and superior in plan for practical purposes either to the Poore catalog, which is a bad piece of work, or the Ames catalog, which is a good WHEN the train from the east rolled into Denver, bringing in one contingent 70 representatives of library interests from the eastern and midwest states, Colorado stood ready to treat them with unbounded hospitality, and every participant joins in the verdict that a li-logue" and adopted instead an arrangement by brary conference never had a better time than the conferees of 1895 enjoyed at the hands of its hospitable citizens. The brief report given in this number shows that the proceedings, if they did not bring together in the total as large a number of persons as on some previous occasions, were of real value and wide interest, and those who had not the good fortune to be in attendance will wait with interest the full report, which will come later in the year. A good bit of work was done in Colorado Springs, where a peculiarly successful meeting was held, and indeed one of the real values of the conferences-piece of work. These monthly issues are inthat of making every year new centres of influence for the library spirit—will be notably accomplished this year, as the field is almost entirely a new one. It is to be hoped that the Atlanta Exposition, with its women's congress of librarians we presume masculines will not be ruled out, if they chance to go will furnish a second conference opportunity which will be utilized to the utmost. All librarians who can spare the time for a second professional vacation should arrange their plans so as to be in At-after all, the best method may be to make the lanta at the date named. tended, as Mr. Crandall explains, for the temporary record, and their material will be put in final shape in the annual catalog or "compre. hensive index,” also provided for in the law. Mr. Crandall invites suggestions and criticisms before deciding on the method for this annual catalog, and it is important that he should have them fully and promptly, so that once started the annual index may be carried on systematically and uniformly. We suggest that, annual catalog on the lines of departments and bureaus - which is practically a subject classification and a classification by publishers, — supplementing this with an index by author, title, and specifically by subject. If the other method is adopted, certainly the present, which is the natural classification for government documents, should be given as an appendix necessary to supplement the original work. THE first fruits of the new public documents bill are shown in the "Monthly catalogue of Government publications " for January, February, and March, 1895, just issued from the office of Superintendent Crandall. As the bill was not signed until January 12, and Superintendent Crandall was not appointed until March, and the whole force had to be reorganized by the new superintendent, these first issues are neces- It is to be regretted that the further investigasarily far behind date; but Mr. Crandall has tion into the accounts of the Library of Congress acted wisely in beginning the issue with the first and the copyright office has shown deficits of a month of the calendar year, and it is promised really serious nature. In employing more peothat the succeeding numbers will follow prompt- | ple than the law authorized and distributing the | total salary amount according to his own discretion instead of at the rates prescribed by law, Mr. Spofford of course laid himself open to serious criticism from every point of view, and with the natural result. The system of handling cash receipts has also been so defective as to invite trouble, and evidently the library has not only been swamped physically by the enormous accumulation of books, but administratively by the enormous increase of detail, particularly in the copyright department, without the executive oversight and organization to handle these details. Mr. Spofford's mistake throughout a mistake which has led to very unfortunate results-has come, as has more than once been suggested, from willingness to handle detail which should be clerks' work, instead of general organization, which is the proper work of an executive. The general desire to recognize that this result is a failing rather than a fault of Mr. Spofford has shown a most kindly feeling toward him, and it is to be hoped that in the long run the investigation will do good without showing more than serious and blamable carelessness, from which there can scarcely be acquittal. THE recent investigation of the office of the Regents of the University of the State of New York seems to have resulted chiefly in demonstrating how largely the volume and value of the Regents' work has increased under Mr. Dewey's energetic management. This, of course, is against accepted precedents, for an "investigation" that does not reveal misdoing and malfeasance is, in popular opinion, unworthy of its name. The present investigation appears to have failed in this respect; but its failure has been directly beneficial, in setting the work accomplished by the Regents prominently before the public. The full reports of the examining committee's sessions in the local press' have served a useful purpose, though some of the information there imparted must have surprised even those acquainted with the work. The Regents maintain the Albany Argus gravely states — “a state lunacy school," where, in 1894, out of 1600 applications but 87 could be accepted, owing to lack of desk-room. This is certainly startling, and readers of the Argus may well ponder why the state should furnish instruction in lunacy and why 1600 persons should seek such instruction. It will probably be easier to settle these questions than [It is undoubtedly true that economy obliges many libraries to do what they must, rather than what they would, especially where cataloging is concerned; but it is also a fact that a closely packed solid page is unattractive, and fatiguing to the eyes. In the case cited, this was especially marked, some divisions of the catalog being set with leads and heavy-faced catchwords, while others combined catch-words in capitals (not heavy face) with solid brevier for titles and solid nonpareil for contents, even omitting leads between separate entries. — ED. L. J.] LIBRARY ADVERTISING. in street cars interested me particularly, as it MISS MCGUFFY's suggestion as to advertising had also occurred to me that it would be a legitimate way of bringing a library into notice. We have been discussing it here, and at the boards at our nearest "L" station, at the ensame time whether or not to place bulletintrance to the viaduct, in local stationers', and in the branch post-office. Within a few days I have learned that one New York library-the Harlem Library · does advertise in the Third avenue cable cars. Why should we not, also, where the entrance is not on the main thoroughfare, place at the street corner some sign directing attention to the location of the library? I remember when visiting one of the "model" public libraries situated on a side street, and not having anything to call attention to it, going on for several blocks. If this is true of one looking for the library, how much more so of those who need to have its advantages suggested to them. ALMA ROGERS VAN HOEVENBERG. FREE LIBRARY, WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, N. Y. CITY. THE TRAINING OF LIBRARY EMPLOYES. — IV. CLASSIFICATION. use. Let the psychology alone, with its modern application BEFORE the pupils are permitted to make any in education, medicine, and criminology! The original research or to enter upon the more eagerness with which these lessons were looked difficult reference-room work, they should be forward to in the Los Angeles Library Trainingthoroughly familiar with the classification of the Class was proof conclusive of their usefulnesslibrary. To some extent they must have come one class in particular displayed special interest, in contact with it during the time in which they which numbered among its members professionwere occupied with accession-book, shelf-list, al teachers and college and university graduates. etc. If the principle of the system used has Let the instructor have an ample supply of been thoroughly explained to them at that reference books at hand, and an equally ample time, even then they have had no opportunity supply of carefully prepared notes. of becoming acquainted with its specific appli- pupils make annotated lists of reference books cation in the library. A simple way of assisting for each subject as it is gone over, including this acquaintance is to have all the books which standard histories, compendiums, dictionaries, are returned by the borrowers put back in their etc., and at the end of this course prepare a places on the shelves by the pupils, until they classified list of this material for their own are as thoroughly familiar with the location of Insist always on good arrangement, capevery book, map, pamphlet, etc., as are the italization, abbreviation, etc., according to catattendants who are regularly employed to do alog rules. Or let each pupil be given a subject this work. Then begin with the assembled on which to prepare a complete list of all the class to take up subject after subject of the standard histories, etc., making critical annotaclassification, with a view to bring out the fol- tions of the scope, comparative value, etc., lowing facts: who is the authority on this sub- and showing publisher, price, and date. These ject; what is the most important book on this may then be duplicated and a copy distribsubject; what is the ground covered, and the stand uted to each pupil. If the D. C. is used in the taken; or in what respect do two or more library a variation may be introduced in the equally important books differ; what periodi- subjects of history, 900, literature, 800, and cals are devoted to this subject; what persons portions of science, 500, sociology, 320, 330, and are to-day prominently engaged in researches | religion 200, by arranging all in one chronologialong these lines; call attention to recent litera- | cal table, using the D. C. time subdivisions; or, ture, etc.; point out also co-ordination of sub- a number of historical periods may be selected jects in the classification, etc. Let the class and the pupils required to fill them in chronomake notes and copious references. So much logically from the above-named classes, showof real enthusiasm may be awakened by this ing contemporary events, prominent characters, exercise that the writer has come to the convic- etc.; an object lesson thus being given also of tion that it might successfully be introduced the ramification of subjects in the D. C. among the regular employes of libraries where the system of "specialties" prevails. These same methods may be applied to the Cutter clasification, and a diagram can be prepared of this classification to show the pupils at a glance the gradual growth of this system from its first to its last class. A comparison of the D. C. and the Cutter may very profitably be made by placing the D. C. numbers under their synonymous letters in this diagram. In the actual classification of books, the pupils should by all means be given a hand, whenever new Do not attempt to cover this ground too rapidly, as it is one of the most important means of extending the pupils' point of view and arousing a permanent interest while they are pursuing their studies. Classification presented merely with an explanation of the inventor's selection of general subjects, and the systematic grouping of specific subjects under these, with reference perhaps to preceding and now histor-books are added to the library. ical systems, means nothing real to the pupil, and brings nothing home to him. What a wealth of material may be brought out in the discussion, comparison, etc., in the subject of REFERENCE work. The pupils having become acquainted with a wide range of subjects, and to a certain extent of the contents of the library, they are now com |