ing Dr. Wire 10 out of 28 votes, on motion of Mr. Roden his election was made unanimous. Mr. Hild moved that the secretary be directed to cast one vote for Mr. Burchard, the retiring secretary, and the latter was re-elected; Dr. Wire having made a similar motion in regard to Mr. Merrill, the latter was re-elected treasurer for the ensuing year.

Mr. Roden moved that a vote of thanks be offered to the retiring officers. The meeting then adjourned.

W. S. MERRILL, Secretary pro tem.

Reviews.

those libraries from which information could be obtained; many good illustrations of the various buildings are included. The report contains also an historical sketch of "Some early libraries," by H. F. Bassett, librarian of the Silas Bronson Library of Waterbury; and the text of various "special acts" relating to libraries and passed at the 1893 session of the legislature.

DENVER (Col.) P. L. Public library hand-book,
Denver, Carson-Harper Co., 1895. 182 p.
S. pap. 35 c.; cl. 65 c.; mor. $1.

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For about a year past there have appeared from month to month in Books, the organ of the Denver Public Library, short papers on prime factors of library work. So apt and lucid were CONNECTICUT. P. L. COMMITTEE. Connecticut they, that issue in such ephemeral and inconpublic library document, no. 1, 1895 (whole venient shape seemed unfortunate, and the anno. 4); report of the Connecticut Public nouncement of their amplification and publication in book form was a most welcome one. Library Committee, 1893-4. 1895. 116 p. O. The little volume into which these papers have This is the first report of the Connecticut been gathered is issued solely as the production Public Library, and it is a gratifying record of of the Denver Public Library. According to the well-directed and fruitful work. The commit-title-page, it is "by the Public Library of Dentee was organized under the "law relating to libraries," passed in 1893, and promptly began its work by the distribution of a circular, setting forth the main features of the law regarding the establishment of libraries by state aid, and urging communities to take advantage of it. The report gives the text of the law, the circulars issued by the committee, and directions as to the action to be taken by towns desiring to establish libraries. The method of purchase and distribution of books is described, and a sample list of about 150 v. is shown. During the period covered by the report, nine towns have voted to establish libraries, and books to the value of $200 have been sent to six of these. Specially interesting is a short article, entitled "Suggestions for the smallest libraries," by Miss C. M. Hewins, who gives simple and concise directions for the routine work of a library of from 3002000 v. A series of tables gives statistics of Connecticut libraries from 1891-1893, showing the name and location of the library, its general character, number of volumes, yearly accessions, circulation, income and source, library building with name of donor, if any, informa- | tion as to use by children and mechanics, stock of books on education or pedagogy, and name of librarian. These statistics have been compiled with care and attention to detail, and afford an interesting bird's-eye view of the library status of Connecticut. Out of 171 towns, 13 possess libraries, owned and con- Mr. Dana covers the whole field of library routrolled by the town and free to all the people; tine in its simpler details. Beginning with the three have libraries "owned and controlled by starting of a library, either by gift, legislation, the municipality and free to all the people of the or the expansion of subscription or school libramunicipality"; 22 have free libraries having no ries, he describes the best means of enlisting and connection with the town; five have libraries to arousing public interest, methods of selecting, which the town appropriates money, but is not buying, lending, and charging books and periodirepresented in the management; 56 have libraries cals, gives suggestions to the public and to assiswhere a fee is charged; and 71 towns have no tants, and presents careful and lucid expositions library. Following the statistical tables are 50 of the modus operandi in accession work, deliverypages of "sketches of libraries," collected and ar- desk methods, classifying, cataloging, stock-takranged by Miss Alice S. McQuaid, giving in al-ing, binding and rebinding. The keynote of the phabetical order short accounts of the history of book seems an earnest belief that "the first duty

ver, and the preface bears signature of the same corporation. But, in contradiction to the ancient axiom, the soul of this corporation is easily discoverable. The modest note prefacing the table of contents informs us that "criticisms of the book should be directed against J. C. Dana, who planned it, and edited and revised all ms."— and if criticism, then, too, the recognition and appreciation that it is so much pleasanter and more needful to accord. Mr. Dana has had the co-operation of three members of his staff, F. D. Tandy, John Parsons, and J. M. Lee, to whom full credit is given; but his direction and supervision are manifest throughout. He has contributed nine of the 25 chapters, two others being his work, conjointly with Mr. Tandy. The hand-book owes its existence largely to a process of evolution. It had its inception in an attempt to answer some of the many requests received for information and suggestion as to library work, and its scope gradually widened far beyond the original plans of its projector until it formed a compact "body of library doctrine" as preached and practised at the Denver Public Library. Its immediate usefulness, however, extends far beyond the limits of a single city or state, and though meant especially as a manual for the training classes of the Denver Public Library and for small Colorado libraries, it deserves a front rank among library text-books.

of a library is to be used not to pose as a monunumber of briefer notes being especially large. ment or mausoleum," and all that will make a li- The maps, plans, etc., comprise maps of Cenbrary more useful, more attractive, more popular tral Europe, Eastern Europe, the Roman Em-in the best sense of the word is specially em- pire, four "development maps" of Spain; a phasized. In this connection we find suggestions "logical outline" of Roman history; and chronfor a plentiful supply and circulation of periodi-ological tables of the ninth and tenth centuries. cals, no age limit-"the young people are the library's most hopeful material"— as free access to the books as it is possible to give, an absence of red tape, and a general responsiveness to the borrower's desires and needs. There are several excellent annotated lists—among them," Books suitable for a small school library"; literary journals, useful in the selection of books; "Some periodicals suitable for a small library"; and "Books on library work." The explanation of the decimal classification and of the classifying and cataloging of a library is so clear and careful that any intelligent novice who had no other guide should be easily brought into the way of light. Lucid as they are, the expositions of cataloging and classification are comprehensive of all essential details, bringing the reader up to the "refinements and niceties, the intricacies and moot points and woes thereof," of which it is not within the province of the "hand-book" to treat. All stages of cataloging are demonstrated by fac-similes of cards and methods of entry in actual use, reduced to fit the small page, but with the proper dimensions stated. Indeed, the many illustrations, covering not only cataloging and classification, but showing order slips, magazine records, application blanks, borrowers' cards, book cards, card pockets, public notices, accession sheets, tags, bindery orders, etc., are a most useful feature of the book. There is an excellent index, and a novel and useful list of "a few definitions," giving simple explanations of the terms most used in library work.

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The book is a welcome and useful addition to the literature of what is aptly characterized as "the freemasonry part" of library work, and Mr. Dana and the Denver Public Library are worthy successors to Miss Plummer and Mr. Fletcher in a field where as yet there is little danger of overcrowding.

LARNED, Josephus Nelson. History for ready reference from the best historians, biographers, and specialists. In five vols. Vol. 4- Nicæa to Tunis. Springfield, C. A. Nichols & Co., 1894.

It is unnecessary to do more than summarize briefly the main features of this fourth volume of Mr. Larned's historical compendium. Its scope is as wide and its mass of information as varied as has been the case in the previous volumes. It is really astonishing to glance down page after page and note the extent and variety of the entries, covering all epochs and subjects within the compass of the plan. The subjects to which most space have been given are Rome, 98 pages; the papacy, 64 pages; printing and press, 20 pages; Russia, 32 pages; Scotland, 42 pages: Slavery, 62 pages; Spain, 44 pages; tariff legislation, 26 pages. On the whole, however, this volume contains comparatively few extended entries, or rather historical essays, the

WENCKSTERN, Fr. von. A bibliography of the Japanese empire: being a classified list of all books, essays, and maps in European languages relating to Dai Nihon [Great Japan], published in Europe, America, and the East from 185993 A.D.; to which is added a fac-simile reprint of Léon Pagès' Bibliographie Japonaise, depuis le xve siècle jusqu'a 1859. Leiden, E. J. Brill, 1895. [London, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co.] 14+338+68 p. O.

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Here is a cosmopolitan work, written by a German, in the English language, containing a photographic fac-simile of a French bibliography with words of praise for its comprehensiveness, and dedicated to an American librarian, "In memoriam Guilielmi Friderici Poolei, illustrissimi bibliothecarii Americani." The preface bears out this character, for it is written in English just enough tinged with German to amuse and give it that charm which often attracts in the pronunciation of a foreign lecturer. It is a work of German thoroughness; some 21,000 lines -long lines in small type - are given to a classified list of all books, essays, and maps in European languages, relating to Dai Nihon (Great Japan), published during only a quarter of a century, from 1859 to 1893. The thoroughness of research may appear from six successive references on p. 158 to Appleton's Journal, Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, Galaxy, All the Year Round, Rendiconti dei Lincei, Murray's Magazine, and on the opposite page Gazette de Beaux-Arts, Magasin Pittoresque, Proc. U. S. Nat. Museum, Mem. Lit. and Phil. Soc. Manchester, Chemical News, Journal of Indian Art. The title should have read " European languages excepting the Russian." Mr. Wenckstern justifies this omission from the difficulty he "would have had to overcome in order to give an approximately accurate and complete list" of Russian works. It is not said whether this obstacle is be a sufficient excuse, and as it is shared by most ignorance of the language; that certainly would

readers, the omission of the Russian literature is little to be deplored. We have not noticed titles in any other Slavic language nor in Hungarian; perhaps there are no books on Japan in those tongues. But we have come across entries in Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Spanish, Italian, French, German, and English, the latter being much the most numerous. The classification is elaborate and well conceived. 23 classes have 82 sub-divisions. The order has some peculiarities. Travels is the 4th class, History the 8th, with Religion and Philosophy, Philology and Belles-Lettres coming between them, and Topography and Hydrography is the 19th, followed by Physiography. The Folk-lore puzzle is well solved by putting it, with Fairy tales and Proverbs, under Ethnography. For the style of

number of books was given out to the teachers for use in the schools than last year. Four of the intermediate, two of the primary, most of the grammar schools, and the high school drew books to use in this way. About 650 volumes were thus circulated by the teachers, 30 in the primary schools,'490 in the intermediate schools, 100 in the grammar schools, the remainder in the high school. Many of the scholars in the primary and intermediate schools exchanged their books every week during the school sessions, so each volume was read many times."

California State L., Sacramento. (44-45th rpt.) Added 6739; total 94,752.

Los Angeles (Cal.) P. L. (6th rpt.) Added 6353; total 43,777. Issued, home use 450,818 (fict. 40.5%; juv. 10 %; current magazines 20 %); ref. use 38,271. New members 4709; total membership 18,057. Receipts $20,452.82; expenses $20,208.13.

Additional shelf-room has been given by the construction of 600 feet of extra shelving, but the space for books is constantly becoming more limited. The appendix contains a useful list of The circulation of pictures and mounted ilstate publications, noted elsewhere, and a sum-lustrations was 1779 for the year, or .3 per cent. mary of the free public libraries of California, of the total home use. giving statistics of the 28 libraries organized and operated under the general law or under city charters.

"Fiction shows an increase, due to the publication of the 'fiction list.' There are 10,000 volumes in the library in classes other than fiction which are not listed, or printed, and which are consequently unknown except through the medium of the shelf-sheets.

Chicago P. L. Where all maY READ. (In Chicago Inter-Ocean, Mr. 17, 1895.) 7 col. 10 il. An account of various branches and delivery stations of the library, with lists of the periodicals subscribed for, views of reading-room interiors and exteriors and portraits of the librarian and four of the reading-room super

intendents.

Cleveland (0.) P. L. The Open Shelf, heretofore published monthly by the library, has been made a quarterly publication, on recommendation of Librarian Brett. The advertising income of the journal proved insufficient to admit of its continuance as a monthly.

Columbus (0.) Public School L. (18th rpt.) Added 3065; total 20,738. Issued, home use 94,642 (fict. 32.27%; juv. 35.60%); ref. use 8096; no record of reading-room use is kept.

sented to the city by the members of the club. The library contains about 500 v.; it will be conducted as a free town library, open one or two days in the week.

There is a special collection of school classics, containing about 3730 v.; these are sent in lots of 25 copies to each school for a period of four weeks, with permission for renewal, if desired. They are kept in constant circulation throughout the school year, each set reaching from five to six schools during the year. The books are purchased in lots of from 50 to 150 copies each. Hartford, Ct. Watkinson L. An exhibition

"On March 12, 1894, the new charging system went into effect, each book being provided with a card which remains in the book when in the library, and when 'out' the card is in the slip-case. The cards bear the number of every borrower who has read the book to which the card belongs, and the charges indicate the sex of the reader and the date of the issue of the book. These book-cards have room for 35 issue charges, and the 450 cards which have been filled furnish a very interesting index to the books The card catalog of the library is complete most widely read in this city. Charles King's to date, arranged by author, subject and title. books head the list with 26 cards, five A ms. subject catalog is nearly completed, and being for Two soldiers,' four each for 'Foes when finished will be combined with author and in ambush,' and 'Starlight ranch,' and three for title entries as copy for a printed dictionary cata-Between the lines,' the remaining 10 being log. scattered. Rose Nouchette Carey comes next with 25 cards, and Little Miss Muffet' leads with five cards, followed by 'Averill' with four cards. Clara Louise Burnham has 22 cards, six of which represent Dr. Latimer,' this book having the largest number of issues of any in the library during that time. Next is Next door' with five cards. There are nine copies of each of these books, and eight copies each of the King and Carey books. King is a very popular author with boys and young men, the love story being subordinated to the action. Miss Carey is the favorite with girls, both authors occupying the intermediate ground between juvenile and adult fiction."

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Indianapolis (Ind.) P. L. The bill taking the library from the jurisdiction of the school board and placing it under control of a board of directors, which passed the legislature in February, failed to pass the senate for lack of a constitutional majority. It was brought up twice, but was unsuccessful each time.

of the rare ancient and modern books obtained by the Watkinson Library at the Columbian Exposition was held during the week of March 15-22. It included valuable editions in literature, fine art, history, biography and travel, and rare books on forestry, vineyard and flower culture.

"Music has an increased circulation to its credit, and is a particularly satisfactory feature with the borrowers. The demand for many of the popular operas was so great that several duplicate copies of them had to be purchased

in order to meet it.

"In

A list of the most popular writers is given in the following order: Behrens, Clemens, Gunter, Barr, Crawford, Dumas, Sarah Grand, F. MarHartwell (O.) L. On March 21, the library of ryatt, Burnett, Doyle, Haggard, Stannard, Baythe Hartwell Literary Club was formally pre-ley, Forrester, Barrie, Clifford, Hector.

Maine State L., Augusta. (26th rpt.) Added 5479; total not given. Mr. Carver gives a review of the work of the library for the past two years, during which the growth of the library has been nearly double that of any like period of time in its history. Appended are a list of adadditions; a list of exchanges; a list of publica-is tions issued by the state, Dec., 1892- Dec., 1894; "laws concerning the State Library "laws relating to free public libraries," and tabulated lists of the libraries of the state, free and subscription.

Milwaukee (Wis.) P. L. In the serious fire of March 26 the library had a narrow escape from total destruction. The building in which it quartered is in the business section of the city and contains several offices and stores; the li";brary occupies the western half of the building. The structure caught fire at about I a.m., and was saved only after hard work by the firemen. The fourth and fifth floors, devoted to a business college and society rooms, were badly damaged ; but the library section escaped.