Chapter L: C. FERRELL: I suppose anything I may have to say will be in addition

to what was said in the report of the committee on public documents, as the report was rather negative. The matter of bringing about any legislation requires time and involves a great deal of hard work upon somebody. This is especially so if the subject is one in which no member of Congress, in particular, has a personal interest. It generally takes 10 or 12 years to pass any bill of interest to the people that no member of Congress will take care of personally. If it is a matter like saving the country, you can get a fifty million dollar bill passed in half an hour, but you cannot get a member of Congress to take up and pass a bill changing the method of printing and the distribution of documents without a great deal of pressure. Now, if Mr. Heatwole, chairman of the House Committee on Printing, was here, I think we might accomplish something to advantage on that subject, because I think if he could meet this great body of librarians face to face, we might get him to commit himself as to what he will do next session. He has promised me to take up this matter next winter and revise the printing laws from "A" to "Z," as he expressed it, but whether he will do so or not, I cannot say. Now, I shall prepare another bill, or have the old bill introduced again, I do not know which, and, as long as I remain in the office of Superintendent of Documents, I shall endeavor to bring about legislation on the lines proposed in the bills heretofore presented to Congress. In the first place, I want all the government periodicals taken out of the Congressional series and bound in cloth, so that they can be distributed to the libraries as soon as they are printed. But one edition of any document ought to be printed, and that edition ought to have the same endorsement on the back and the same title on the inside. If we continue to print duplicate and triplicate editions--departmental, bureau, and congressional--librarians will always have trouble in classifying and cataloging them. As far as my record is concerned, I suppose most of you are familiar with it. I am constantly endeavoring to improve the service. I have adopted a cumulative index for the monthly catalog; cumulative for six months, with a consolidated index for the entire year, in the December number. That was done mainly because the annual catalog cannot be printed so as to be distributed promptly, and the monthly catalog fully indexed can be made to answer all temporary purposes. Now, we have three series of catalogs, as you all know, perhaps, each one serving a distinctive purpose. The document catalog, or comprehensive index--its official title--is intended for permanent use. It includes all documents printed during a fiscal year--July 1 to June 30, following. The document index is a subject, title, and author index of all congressional documents, indicating the number of each document and the volume in which it is bound up. In the monthly catalog all documents are arranged alphabetically under the author of the document, and everything related to the same subject is brought together in the index. Now, we are broadening out a little in our work; probably doing something Congress never contemplated we should do when the office was established. We are doing a good deal of bibliographical work, and I intend to enlarge upon it as I have the opportunity. We have published "Reports of explorations printed in the documents of the United States government, a contribution toward a bibliography," by Miss Hasse; a "Bibliography of U. S. public documents relating to inter-oceanic communication across Nicaragua, Panama, etc.," and we expect soon to take up the subject of documents relating to the various states, the purpose being to make a complete bibliography of everything printed in the U. S. public documents concerning each state and territory. We propose to take up the matter of documents relating to the Louisiana purchase first, because we are going to have a great exposition two years from now at St. Louis to commemorate that great event.

J. C. DANA presented the

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON CO-OPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL
ASSOCIATION.

Early last winter I secured from librarians, library assistants and teachers about 25 brief articles on co-operation between libraries and schools. These articles were written with special reference to teachers. I made a descriptive list of them and sent this list to leading educational journals in this country, with the request that the editors thereof select from it one or more of the articles and publish them prior to July 1, 1901. Largely through the kindness of Mr. Winship, editor of the _Journal of Education_ of Boston, I got the promise of publication of these articles from educational editors to the number of 25. The articles were duly sent out. I regret to have to report that I have received notice of the publication of less than half a dozen of the whole number. A few others may have been published, but the editors have never notified me of the fact. The articles were brief and chiefly written by persons prominent in library work in this country, they were of general interest, and seemed to deserve publication. The fact that they did not get it is to my mind somewhat indicative of the comparative unimportance of libraries in the opinion of educational people of this country.

Since coming here I have learned of another little incident which throws some light on our relation to the educational profession of this country. From the office of _Public Libraries_ the program of the meeting of the library department of the N. E. A. at Detroit was sent to 32 leading educational journals in this country with the request that they print it. Of these 32 papers two only printed the program as requested, or at least two only printed it and gave due notice of the fact.

From all this we may learn, as I have stated more than once before, that libraries and librarians are as yet held in small esteem by the educational people of this country. Our influence among them is not great. It is not considered that we are connected in any important way with educational work. This is the opinion held by the rank and file. I believe this to be true in spite of the fact that the leaders of the N. E. A. have themselves been more than generous to the library department. Those leaders, largely through the influence of Mr. Hutchins of Wisconsin, gave a special appropriation of over $500 to a committee of this department for the publication of a report on the relation of libraries and schools. This report has been quite widely circulated and has been well received by both teachers and librarians. We owe that to the N. E. A. We owe it to the appreciation of library work by the leaders of the N. E. A. Nevertheless, taking the teaching profession at large, I think it safe to assume that our experience with the educational journals during the past winter is indicative of the teacher's attitude toward libraries and their possible helpfulness in the school room. This fact should not discourage us. On the contrary it should stimulate us to make our collections and our work with them of still more consequence until it becomes quite impossible for anyone in the educational world to be ignorant of, or to fail to take advantage of, the assistance to every day teaching work which we believe our libraries can give.

It is quite difficult, of course, if not impossible, for us to produce any great effect on the teachers of the present day save through individual work in our respective communities. No one can ask for a better opportunity to see the result of such work than I have had myself. I have seen two or three hundred teachers in the course of four or five years changed from an attitude of indifference toward the library as an aid in every day school room work, to one of readiness not to say eagerness, to take advantage of every opportunity the library could possibly offer. Many other librarians have had similar experiences. But this work does not go on rapidly enough to influence the profession as a whole. The teaching profession as it now stands is, as I have said, indifferent toward us. One thing we can do, and that is, arouse an interest among those who are to become teachers. After individual work in our own towns the best thing we can do, and especially the best thing we can do as an association, is to stimulate an interest in library training in the normal schools of this country. Interest in this phase of practical work has increased very much in normal schools the last few years. This is especially true in the west; and perhaps more true in Wisconsin than in any other state.

Mr. Dewey has recently given this matter consideration and I shall be much pleased if he will say something further by way of supplementing this informal report of mine, on what has been done and what can be done in normal schools toward interesting teachers in the use of libraries in teaching.

MELVIL DEWEY: What Mr. Dana has said, though perhaps a little discouraging in its tone, is pretty nearly the truth; but we ought to remember this--the public school teachers and the other teachers of this country are a badly overworked class. Many a man and woman has broken down of nervous prostration in school, who has entered a library and worked hard and kept well. Our friends on the school side of educational work have a strain that comes from the disciplinary side. Worry kills more than work, and teachers have to meet this question of discipline; they have to take responsibility in the place of parents; they have an interminable number of reports to fill out; they have a mass of examination papers to read and deal with; and they have examinations to make until they are driven almost wild. Now, we go to them and present our case, our arguments for co-operation with the library. They admit it; they are convinced of it; but they have not vital energy and force enough to take up the matter and do much work in our cause. It is not that they doubt. They won't question the high plane on which we want to put the library, and they want to fulfil all their duties. I believe if we were to change places and were put into their routine, the majority of us would do just what they do--put it off until a more convenient season. I think that is the real trouble with our teachers. They are overworked, many of them; they are in certain ruts; and my suggestion is to try to reach them when they begin their work, through the normal schools. If we can get the normal school authorities to give the right kind of instruction and the right kind of a start to the teachers, we will accomplish a great deal more. We can do twice as much in working with the student teacher; it is like working in plaster of paris--easy while in a soft and plastic stage, but you leave it awhile and it hardens. So I should say, in considering this report, that we ought not to be discouraged. It is what we should expect, and we should turn our attention to, doing all we can to reach the young teachers who are now in a plastic state, ready to be moulded, but who in ten years will be dominant forces in education.

Miss M. E. AHERN: I wish to call attention to the fact that the program of the Library Department of the National Educational Association calls for a greeting from some representative of the A. L. A., and I therefore request, as secretary of that section and as an earnest member of the A. L. A., that you appoint some member to carry such greetings to the Library Department of the N. E. A.

It was voted that Mr. Crunden be appointed to represent the Library Association at the N. E. A. meeting.

F. M. CRUNDEN: Touching the subject before this meeting, I want to corroborate the statement made by Mr. Dana regarding the progress that comes quickly if you once induce the teachers of a city to accept, even in a small measure, the co-operation of the library. Only a few years ago we almost had to beg the teachers to use our books. We had to offer every inducement to them, and they did it, most of them, rather reluctantly. Now the great majority of our schools use the library books. Not long ago I asked three questions of the teachers using the library in their work: What value do you place upon the library in supplementary reading? What effect has it had thus far on the progress of your pupils in their studies? Is it an aid to the pupils? All these question were answered most satisfactorily to us. Several say the library books are worth as much as any study in the curriculum, while two of them say that the library books are worth all the rest. And regarding discipline, the universal testimony is that the library is an aid to the discipline. In the school where most reading is done, the principal tells me that the problem of discipline has been practically eliminated; they give no more thought to it, because the children are interested and pleasantly occupied, so they do not get into mischief. The library has aided in all studies, is the basis of language work, has improved the language of the children, and has given an interest to the school work that it did not have before. Now if the teachers can only understand that this is going to lighten their work instead of increasing it, they will accept the co-operation of the library.

Dr. CANFIELD: Just one word to express my appreciation of the fairness with which Mr. Dewey put before you the position of the teachers and to add this statement: You are all likely to forget that you determine the lines of your own work and that a teacher's work is laid out for her by other people, and it takes about all the time and strength of the pupil to meet the immediate demands of the curriculum, which is often very unwisely laid out. I want to add to that, as a proof of the interest taken by teachers, I know of my personal knowledge that the teachers of the high schools of New York have frequently placed their personal endorsement upon library cards for the pupils they have sent to the libraries and for whose books they are personally responsible. They cannot prove their interest in any better way than that.

Mr. DANA: I just want a moment to correct a possible impression that I was finding fault with the educational profession of this country. I was not finding fault with them, but finding fault with ourselves. If we are not yet a power to the teachers of this country, then it is our own fault. We do not as yet understand our own fitness, especially in relation to schools and reading in the schools, and we do not even know what we want to do, or what books to recommend. We do not know what the field of work in the schools is. How, then, can we expect to teach it; to urge a thing in regard to which we are not yet free of all doubts? The fault is our own possibly, and yet it is not all our own fault. It is largely a question of necessary time.

In the absence of Dr. E. C. RICHARDSON, chairman, the secretary read the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION.

The Committee on International Co-operation in taking up the work referred to it by the Association has limited itself this year to a consideration of the question of a uniform standard of book statistics. This question is a two-fold one, first, what should be called a book, second, when statistics are classified, what are the most practical and useful classes?

In respect of the first matter, it recommends that all books for statistical purposes be divided into two or three classes. (1) Books of 50 pages or over; (2) books under 50 pages; or, where books of under eight pages are regarded at all, books of from eight to 49 pages; and (3) books under eight pages.

In respect of the second question, the chairman has prepared a comparative table of the usage of the _Publishers' Weekly_, _Bookseller and Newsdealer_, _Publishers' Circular_, _Bibliografia Italiana_, _Hinrichs_ and _Reinwald_, arranging these in the order of the Dewey classification. This was printed by Mr. Bowker for the use of the committee, and is herewith submitted.

_Table showing classification of book trade statistics._

Some of the chief matters for attention are the questions of _Biography_, whether by itself or scattered in classes; _Literary History and Art_, by itself or under Philology, or under Bibliography, or scattered; _Juveniles_, by itself or divided among Fiction, Poetry, Education, etc.; _Scientific School Books_, _Geographies_, _etc._, under subject or under Education; _Art of War_, _Commerce_, _etc._, under Economics or Technology. All these conflict somewhere in usage shown and in the judgment of the various members of the committee, although there is a majority for keeping Biography as a separate class--contrary to unanimous foreign usage.

===================================================================
DEWEY (ORDER). | PUB. WEEKLY. | BOOKSELLER |
| | AND NEWSDEALER. |
-------------------+-------------------------+--------------------+
| | |
00 Collected and | Literature and | Unclassified. |
mis. works. | coll. works. | |
010 Bibliography. | | |
Period. and | | |
proceedings. | | |
070 Newspapers. | | |
100 Philosophy. | Philosophy. | Philosophy. |
230 Theology. | Theology and | Religion. |
| religion. | Christ sci., |
| | occultism, |
| | theosophy. |
320 Polit. Sci. | Law. | Law, tech. |
and Law. | | Politics. |
Economics and | Polit. and soc. | Sociological |
social rel. | sci. | subj. |
370 Education. | Education. | Education. |
400 Philology. | | |
500 Natural | Physics and math. | Mathematics, |
science. | sci. | chem. and physic. |
| | Biology. Nat. |
| | history. |
600 Useful arts, | Useful arts. | Technology. |
Gen. | | |
610 Medicine. | Medicine and hyg. | Medicine. |
630 Agriculture. | Domestic and rural. | Farming and |
| | gardening. |
Art of war. | | |
700 Fine arts, | Fine arts, il. gift | Art, architecture.|
Gen. | books. | |
780 Music. | | On music and |
| | musicians. |
790 Games and | Sports and amusements. | Sports and |
sports. | | games. |
800 Literary | | |
hist. | | |
Poetry and | Poetry and drama. | Poetry and drama. |
drama. | | |
Fiction. | Fiction. | Fiction. |
Juveniles. | Juvenile. | Juveniles. |
Other forms. | Humor and satire. | |
900 History. | History. | History. |
920 Biography. | Biog. and correspond. | Biography. |
910 Geog. | Descrip., geog., trav. | Travel. |
travels and | | |
descrip. | | |
=========================================================================
| | |
DEWEY (ORDER). | PUBLISHERS' CIRCULAR | BIBLIOG. ITAL. |
| | |
-------------------+-------------------------+--------------------------+
| | |
00 Collected |Misc. includ. pamphlets, |Enciclopedia. {|
and mis. | not sermons. | {|
works. | | {|
010 Bibliography. | |Bibliografia. {|
Period. and |Year b'ks and serials in |Atti accademici. {|
proceedings. | vols. | {|
070 Newspapers | |Giornale politici. {|
100 Philosophy | |Filosofia-Teologia. {|
230 Theology |Theol. sermons, Biblical |Pubbl. relig. e pie. lett.|
320 Polit. Sci. |Law, jurisp. Legislazione, Guirisp. |
and Law | | Atti de senato, atti |
| | duputati. |
Economics and |Polit. and soc. sci. |Scienze polit. soc. Stat. |
social rel. | Trade and commerce. | bilanci ecc. |
370 Education. |Education, classical and |Instruzione. Educaz. Libri|
| philological. | scolastici. |
400 Philology. | |Filologia storia lett. |
500 Natural |(See below) |Scienze fisiche, mate. e |
science. | | nat. |
600 Useful arts, | |Ingegneria-Ferrovie. |
Gen. | | |
610 Medicine. |Medicine, surgery. |Medicina. |
630 Agriculture. | |Agricolt. Industr. comm. |
Art of war. | |Guerra Marina. |
700 Fine arts, |Art, science and |Belle arti. |
Gen. | il. books. | |
780 Music. | | |
790 Games and | | |
sports. | | |
800 Literary hist.|(See below) | |
and crit. | | |
Poetry and |Poetry and the drama. |Lett. contemp. Poesie. |
drama. | | Teatro. |
Fiction. |{Novels, tales, juvenile |Romanzi e nov. |
Juveniles. |{works and other fiction.| |
Other forms. |Belles lettres, essays, |Misc. e lett. popol. |
| monographs, etc. | |
900 History. |Hist., biog., etc. |Storia-Geografia |
920 Biography. | |Biografia contemp. |
910 Geog. travels |Voyages, travels, | |
and descrip. | geographical research. | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
=========================================================================
| | |
DEWEY (ORDER). | HINRICH. | REINWALD. |
| | |
-------------------+-------------------------+--------------------------+
| | |
00 Collected {|Bibliothekswesen, |Divers. |
and mis. {| encyklopädien, Gesammt. | |
works. {| werke. Sammel werke, | |
010 Bibliography. {| Schriften Gelehrten. |Bibliografia. |
Period. and {| Gesellschaften |Atti accademici. |
proceedings. {| Universatätswesen, etc. | |
070 Newspapers {| |Giornale politici. |
100 Philosophy {| |Filosofia-Teologia. |
230 Theology |Theologie. |Religion (Philos. morale).|
320 Polit. Sci. |Rechts u. Staatswiss. |Droit et économie polit. |
and Law | | |
Economics and |Handel, Gewerbe | |
social rel. | Verkehrswesen. | |
370 Education. |Erziehung u. Unterricht. |Education. |
| Jugendschriften. | |
400 Philology. |Sprach u. |Linguistique. |
| Litteraturwissen. | |
500 Natural |Naturwiss. Math. |Sciences, medicales et |
science. | | naturelles. |
600 Useful arts, |Bau u. |Technologie. |
Gen. | Ingenieurwissenschaft. | |
610 Medicine. |Heilwissenschaft | |
630 Agriculture. |Haus, Land u. Forstwiss | |
Art of war. |Kriegswissenschaft |Art militaire et marine. |
700 Fine arts, |Kunst. |Beaux arts. |
Gen. | | |
780 Music. | | |
790 Games and | | |
sports. | | |
800 Literary hist.|(See below) | |
and crit. | | |
Poetry and |Schöne Litteratur. |Littérature. |
drama. | | |
Fiction. | | |
Juveniles. | | |
Other forms. | | |
900 History. |Geschichte. |Histoire, Biog. polit. |
920 Biography. | | |
910 Geog. travels Erdbeschreibung, Karten. |Geographie. |
and descrip. | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. Bowker, in behalf of the committee, has submitted the matter, through Mr. G. H. Putnam, to the International Congress of Booksellers, and it is hoped that there may be a committee appointed or empowered to confer with this committee, and that some practical result may be reached in spite of various difficulties. This committee therefore recommends for the purpose of library reports, etc., the use of the Dewey order and divisions given in the accompanying table, with such modification as may be necessary to meet book trade requirements, but in the case of all recommendations begs to make them subject to an international understanding, and asks that the committee be continued and given full power to adopt a recommended order, providing an understanding can be reached with a representative of the booksellers. If such an understanding is reached, efforts should be made to get the further concurrence of other library associations and bibliographical bodies generally.

ERNEST C. RICHARDSON, _Chairman,
for the Committee_.

J. C. DANA for the

COMMITTEE ON LIBRARY TRAINING

made a brief statement, that the committee as a whole had been unable this year to visit and report upon the schools. He presented, as the report of the committee, a letter from Dr. E. C. Richardson, one of its members who had visited several of the schools as lecturer.[D]

WILLIAM BEER spoke briefly on

COLLECTION AND CATALOGING OF EARLY NEWSPAPERS.

The few remarks I have to make on this subject are prompted by a recent effort to collect from printed catalogs the scattered newspaper material for the first 15 years of the 19th century. The collection of information on the locality of files of newspapers up to 1800 has been commenced, and will in time be completed by Mr. Nelson, who publishes his results in the "Archives of the State of New Jersey." Many corrections will be necessary to his list, but it will even in its present shape be of great advantage to historical students.

The difficulty of the work increases almost in geometrical proportion as the dates approach the present era. The great increase of newspapers renders it necessary to divide the work into decades. I have chosen to carry it to 1815 on account of the importance to Louisiana history of the reports on the battle of New Orleans.

The particular feature in cataloging which I would fain see carried out in every library is the chronological conspectus, of which so admirable an example exists in Bolton's catalog of scientific documents, which is, or ought to be, familiar to all present.

It is exceedingly simple and easy to prepare and is of the greatest possible service, both to the librarian and the student.

Take any folio book ruled in wide columns with an ample margin. For my purpose I start by heading the first column 1800, and so on to the end of the page. Taking material from Mr. Galbreath's useful compilation, I find that in the libraries of Ohio there is only one title which will appear under this head, the _Western Spy_ in the collection of the Cincinnati Young Men's Mercantile Library. Enter in the marginal column the full details of the publication of this newspaper and draw a horizontal line across the column. The years 1802-3-4, etc., present an increasing number of titles. The horizontal lines in the columns present an immediate summary of all the newspaper literature on the subject.

Dr. G. E. WIRE read a paper on

SOME PRINCIPLES OF BOOK AND PICTURE SELECTION.

(_See_ p. 54.)

MELVIL DEWEY: I want to say a word about that New York list of pictures. When we printed that bulletin a great chorus of criticism arose from among the newspapers, and we smiled; we said it was characteristic of newspapers to discuss a thing without knowing at all what they were talking about. But I did not suppose that same characteristic would appear in this Association. Our bulletin states very distinctly what it is for, and it makes its own case absolutely infallible. We had to meet the problem in the state of New York, of circulating pictures bought with the taxpayers' money, to be put on the walls of the school houses--Jewish schools, Roman Catholic schools and schools of many denominations. Under those peculiar conditions it was a question whether we could carry the movement at all, and we selected about 50 people, whose judgment was most reliable, and asked them, out of several hundred pictures, to select 100 that would be open to no objection of any kind. There was no effort whatever to select the hundred _best_ pictures. They simply made a list that would pass the legislature. It included pictures that people ridiculed sadly; and yet we had on file letters from prominent people in the state to the effect that they would protest against certain well-known pictures, and we thought it wiser not to raise issues over minor details. Our bulletin is simply a list of pictures that have been passed by representatives of various religious and ethical interests. You may think it most absurd that certain pictures, perhaps the most famous, should have been voted out of such a list, but if you were to go through the schools of the state of New York or any other state you would find that there are conscientious mothers and fathers, who have had no opportunity for art training, who would get down on their knees and pray that some of these pictures might not be put on the walls of the school room. If you do not know that, you are not familiar with the sentiment in the rural districts. There was a specific purpose in our action; we heard all of these criticisms, and we did the thing that seemed right and best under the circumstances. There are about a hundred of us on the state library staff, but we do not yet, as a body, venture to feel as omniscient as some single individuals regard themselves. I strongly believe that it is not a bad thing to take the opinion of experts. We are perfectly willing to show respect to the specialist in his own field, and I think it is mighty unwise advice to give young librarians, when they are told not to ask the opinion of a good specialist, whose verdict commands the confidence of the public.

Adjourned at 12.05 p.m.

_FOURTH SESSION._

(LIBRARY HALL, MADISON, WIS., MONDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 8.)

President CARR called the meeting to order at 2.25 p.m., and in a few words expressed the appreciation of the Association for the delightful arrangements that had made "Madison day" so interesting and enjoyable.

Miss MARY W. PLUMMER then spoke on

SOME EXPERIENCES IN FOREIGN LIBRARIES[E]

Miss PLUMMER deprecated any desire to make a comparison between foreign and American libraries. They served so different a purpose, for the most part, that comparison was impossible. Libraries, like systems of education, were an outcome of the history, of the race-temperament and characteristics, and of the social conditions of a people. And it was according to one's point of view whether such a comparison would be favorable to one side or the other. One thing seemed almost predicable--that, wherever democracy was making its way, there the library supported by the people and for the use of the people had a tendency to appear patterned more or less after those of England and America.

English libraries were not touched upon, but the leading collections of Germany, France and Italy were briefly described. At the Bayreuth and Nuremberg libraries books were secured without formality, and all privileges were extended to the visiting colleague, with entire trustingness and fraternity. In Italy more formality was required, the libraries being government institutions for reference use, but courtesy and a desire to be of service prevailed throughout. Considering the question, "What do people do who want to read fiction in Italy--the same people who are always wanting the new novels in this country?" Miss Plummer said: "Apparently, these people do not exist in sufficiently large numbers to be considered in the libraries. If a work of note comes out, such as a new novel by d'Annunzio or Fogazzaro, it can be had at the book shops in paper for two lire or two and a half, _i.e._, 40 to 50 cents, and people buy it and lend it. In some of the little book shops books circulate for a small fee, but not by any means the best class of books. The government libraries may purchase the novels of such authors as those I have mentioned, but they do not make haste about it, and in one library (a municipal, circulating library) no book can go out that has not been in the library's possession three months. The novel-reading class is chiefly composed of visiting or resident English and Americans, and in all Italian cities of any size there is a subscription library where books in English can be had."

At Florence, when one discovers the large and enterprising subscription library which the Viesseux, father and son, have carried on for several generations, one's troubles in getting books seem ended, for they have all the books that the government libraries cannot and do not buy--a large subscription list of periodicals, open shelves, late books separated from the rest, and they will get what one asks for if they haven't it already. If American publishers sent their lists regularly to Viesseux one would probably find more American books there. Further than this, one's subscription entitles one to a book or books by mail to any place in Italy or in the surrounding countries where one may be staying. Of the Florentine libraries, the Marucellian is the nearest our ideal of a modern reference library in its collections as in its methods. It has, as its chief field of purchase, the best modern books in belles-lettres, and as it is open in the evening its rooms are often crowded with students and readers until closing time. It has a card catalog by subjects and a duplicate card catalog of part of the collection of the National Library of Florence; a ms. catalog in book form by author, which is accessible to readers; a room set apart for women students, with a woman, a university graduate, to preside over it. The National Library is a much greater collection and older, in its 87 rooms; and its periodical room is the most modern of all, with its magazines from all countries, even our own _Harper_ and _Century_ showing their familiar faces on the racks. A special room here is devoted to the catalogs, which were partly in ms. book form and partly on cards, and students were always searching the pages or the cards without let or hindrance.

At Rome the Victor Emanuel Library had a small room shelved with the Leyden catalogs, in constant consultation. As in most of the government libraries, there was a table reserved for women, though it did not seem to be much used.

Among the Paris libraries described were the Ste. Geneviève, the Sorbonne, and one of the ward or "arondissement" libraries. The latter was in the Mairie, and open at 8 p.m. only. The books were in floor cases, with a counter between them and the people, and on the counter lay small pamphlet finding lists. It is not hard to keep these up to date, since the libraries themselves are far from being so, and new books are not often added. The librarian, who had some other occupation during the day and served here in the evening, to add a trifle to his income, got books and charged them in a book as people asked for them. Use of the library was permitted only after obtaining as guarantor a citizen living in the same arondissement with the would-be borrower. While this kind of library is of course much better than none, and the situation in Paris is that much better than in Italian cities, the fact that the hours of opening are only in the evening is a barrier to much usefulness. On the other hand, a library to each arondissement is a fair allowance, and no one has to go very far to reach his library. For the most part they are patronized by the small tradesmen of the neighborhood and their families. A large proportion of our reading public is missing from these municipal libraries--they buy their own books, in paper, at the department stores, and make no use whatever of the government libraries or of these small circulating centers.

In conclusion, Miss Plummer said: "If I were asked what sort of library was most needed in France and Italy, I should say first _good_ libraries for children and young people. The children of these countries read earlier than ours, the language presenting fewer difficulties of spelling and pronunciation, and many of them are fond of reading. Good material is not plentiful, and what there is the child has no help in getting hold of. Bad reading there is in abundance, in the shape of so-called comic papers, etc., at every turn and for an infinitesimal price. One is ready to say that it is better not to know how to read than to be induced by one's knowledge to make such acquaintance as this."

Dr. J. K. HOSMER followed with an amusing fable, entitled

FROM THE READER'S POINT OF VIEW, AND THE ERA OF THE PLACARD.[F]

The subject was presented in the form of a clever parable, satirizing the present-day "booming" of popular books, and the unseemliness and vulgarities of modern advertising methods. It concluded with an "imaginary conversation" between a librarian and a reader, as follows:

"'A fellow-librarian?' said I.

"'Not quite that,' said he, 'but one who uses libraries--a reader, in fact.'

"I felt a sudden thrill of satisfaction. Here at last I had found my reader, and I faithfully proceeded at once to get at his point of view. 'Well,' said I, 'is it not an inspiration to live in the era of the placard; and what do you mean to do for the Great American Bill Board Trust?'

"We walked down the street arm in arm, and this is the rather unsympathetic monologue in which the reader indulged:

"'The bill-board--and I mean by the bill-board coarse and obtrusive advertising in general, whether shown in this defacement of natural objects, road-signs, street car panels, or in newspaper columns--an evil from which even the public library is not free--the bill-board is an evil, but after all only a minor evil. If we had nothing worse than that among our social problems to vex us, we should indeed be fortunate. Advertising is a legitimate incident of commerce. The merchant who has wares to sell may properly make his commodities known. I own I study the advertising pages of my _Century_ and _Scribner_ with scarcely less interest than I do the text. But the world is so full of bad taste! There is no sanctity or silence through which the coarse scream of the huckster may not at any time penetrate. The loud bill-board is but the scream of the huckster transmuted so that it may attack still another sense. The wonder is that this bill-board, and its fellow enormities in the street car panel and the newspaper columns, do not repel instead of attract. In the case of refined minds certainly repulsion must be felt. Now for myself,' said the reader, and here I thought he spoke conceitedly, 'the fact that a thing is coarsely and loudly advertised is a strong, almost invincible reason for my not buying it, however necessary it may seem. With the world in general, however, the standard of taste is low. Coarseness does not offend; also, it pays to use it.

"'I have sometimes seen on library walls placards sent in with the demand, 'Please display this prominently,' that have exercised upon me an immediate deterrent effect. Still,' said the reader, with his superior air, 'do not think me ill-natured. The best thing we can do is to keep our temper, stamp down as we can what becomes too outrageous and indecent, and labor and pray for the refinement of the world's taste. This no doubt will come very slowly.'

"'Can we help the thing forward at all?' said I, falling in for the moment with his humor.

"'Only as we can promote in general the diffusion of sweetness and light,' said the reader. 'If a man should be aroused to attack directly I believe he might strike a more effective blow through ridicule than through denunciation. Keep denunciation for the more weighty and ghastly evils that beset us; a mere annoyance it is better to laugh away if we can do it.'"

Adjourned at 3.30 p.m.

_FIFTH SESSION._

(FOUNTAIN SPRING HOUSE, TUESDAY MORNING, JULY 9.)

The meeting was called to order by President CARR at 10.20 a.m.

The president announced the receipt in pamphlet form of the

REPORT ON GIFTS AND BEQUESTS.

(_See_ p. 87.)

This was read by title, and filed for publication in the Proceedings.

W. I. FLETCHER presented the

REPORT OF THE A. L. A. PUBLISHING BOARD.

(_See_ p. 103.)

Mr. DEWEY: I wish to remind some of you who were with us 25 years ago in Philadelphia, when we organized the A. L. A., and who, during that whole period, have studied its interests so closely, that the time has come at last when we are really on the way to secure one of the things we have always thought most important--co-operative printed catalog cards. This will make for all of us less drudgery and more inspiration, for there is not much inspiration in writing out author's names; it will relieve us of a considerable burden; it will produce economy and increase efficiency; and it appeals strongly to our trustees and business men. It is perhaps the most important thing we have to do, and there have been apparently insuperable obstacles to success; but we have always hoped for one complete solution. And this was that it could be done at the National Library in Washington, with its printing presses, post-office facilities, copyright department and great central collection. You remember that when the Pacific railroad was built, and as the ends came together to make the connection, a great celebration was held through the country, a thrill that the work was at last done; and I feel to-day, now that we hear in this able report that printed catalog cards are really to be undertaken at the National Library, that what we have waited for over 20 years and what we have been dreaming about has come to pass at last. After serving my term on the Publishing Board--this is my valedictory--I feel to-day that I must say just this: Now that we have reached this point, that every one has hoped for so long, we must see to it that this agency is utilized and appreciated. Every one of us ought to watch those printed cards, and make suggestions as to their use. If we utilize them, and prove their value and their economy, we can rely on the great support of the National Library in many other movements.

The secretary read a letter from the Hon. Secretary of the

LIBRARY ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM,

inviting the A. L. A. to be represented at its annual meeting, to be held in Plymouth, England, Aug. 27-30, 1901; and, on recommendation from the Council, it was voted that members of the A. L. A. abroad at the time of the English meeting be authorized to represent the American Library Association on that occasion.

The president announced that the polls would be open for

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

in the library exhibit room at the Fountain House from 8 to 10 Tuesday evening, and that J. I. Wyer and J. G. Moulton would serve as tellers.

In the absence of F. J. TEGGART, chairman, the secretary read the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON HANDBOOK OF AMERICAN LIBRARIES.

Since its appointment this committee has worked steadily towards the accomplishment of the object of the handbook. Specifically this object is the collection of the statistics, history and bibliography of all libraries in the United States having 10,000 or more volumes on Dec. 31, 1900.

While about 80 per cent. of the circulars sent out in 1899 were returned, the cases in which the bibliographical and historical data was supplied were too few in number to be of much assistance. The work which has therefore fallen on the chairman of this committee is neither more or less than the preparation of a check list of all the publications of American libraries. The need of this work must be apparent to any librarian who considers that there is at present no bibliographical source in which information regarding library publications may be found. The "American catalogue," for example, ignores such publications altogether.

In beginning this work the chairman of your committee indexed the set of the _Library Journal_ and all available bulletins and catalogs of libraries for library publications, and cataloged the similar material existing in the libraries of San Francisco. Approximately the list now includes between 8000 and 9000 cards.

This large body of material has been reduced to shape, and the greater part has been typewritten on sheets. What now remains to be done is that some person conversant with the library literature of a state or city should take the sheets representing that district and carefully compare the entries with the books themselves, supplying omissions and correcting errors. This certainly is no light piece of work, but it is essential to the success of the undertaking.

The historical notices have been prepared in part, but the statistics obtained in 1899 must of necessity be renewed to bring the entire work down to the end of the century.

As the manuscript can be completed by Jan. 1 next, there is every reason to believe that this large piece of work can be presented in completed form to the Association in 1902, with one proviso. When the committee was appointed in 1899 it was given a general authorization to incur expenditure--in fact, without doing so no work could have been done. Again, in 1900, an authorization for expenditure was passed by the Association. Up to the present the chairman of the committee has expended directly on this work on postage and printing about $150. Owing apparently to the general terms in which the authorizations for expenditure were made at previous meetings, the officers of the Association have not so far made any appropriation towards this amount, and it would seem proper that some definite provision should be made by the Association at this meeting to cover a part at least of this expenditure if the handbook is to be considered an "A. L. A." undertaking.

FREDERICK J. TEGGART, _Chairman_.