I B RARY 

OF THE 

UN IVER.SITY 
OF ILLINOIS 



AM 

1886-89 




The person charging this material is re- 
sponsible for its return on or before 1 
Latest Date stamed below. 



Result in dismissal from the Univers.ty. 

University of Illinois Library 



ML 2 7 



IIJU- 



L161 O-1096 




PAPERS AND PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



iU -5* 

EIGHTH GENERAL MEETING 



OF THE 



AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, 



HELD AT 



MILWAUKEE, JULY 7 TO 10, 



1886. 



BOSTON: 

PRESS OF ROCKWELL AND CHURCHILL, 39 ARCH STREET. 

1886. * 



CONTENTS. 



Title. 


Author. 


Page 




. W: F. Poole 


i 


Why librarians know 


. Ernest C. Richardson . . . 


6 




. W: C. Lane 


10 


Close classification vs. bibliography 


. W: I. Fletcher 


ii 




. G: T. Little 


'4 






16 




.F: Vinton 


17 




. E. F. Barton 


'9 


University libraries and seminary methods of instruction 


. E. H. Woodruff 


21 


Cooperation of the Newton Free Library with the public schools, 1885-86 .... 


. Miss H. P. James 


26 


The evolution of the hobby 


. W. DeM. Hooper 


27 




. R. B. Poole 


3' 






34 


Some thoughts on bibliography, especially of science, as exemplified in " Psyche " 




47 




. T. Solberg 


52 




. T. Solberg 


78 




. C: A. Cutter 


82 




. R. C. Davis 


9' 






96 






98 


Relation of the public library to the public school 


. H. M. Utley 


i3 


How to make the most of a small library 


. Miss C. M. Heviins .... 


107 


Report on aids and guides, Aug., 1883 June, 1885 


. F: M. Crunden 


ill 






33 



Proceedings 142 

First Session 142-150 

Addresses of welcome and President's re- 
sponse 142 

Address of President Poole 142-143 

Secretary's report 143-146 

Treasurer's report 146 

A.L.A. catalog 147 

Post-conference excursion 148 

Postage on library books 149, 158 

Second Session 150-156 

Life-membership 150, 151, 158, 159 

Harvard College subject-index 151-152 

Close classification 1 S 2 ~ 1 SS 

Third Session 156-158 

Letters 156 

New devices J S&~ 1 S7 

Shelves for heavy books 157 

Lloyd P. Smith 157-158, "71-172 

Postage on library books 158 

Fourth Session 158-170 

Report of Cooperation Committee 159-160 

Library buildings 160-165 

Committee on report of Cooperation Com- 
mittee 165-174 

Electric light 165-167 

Heat regulation 167-168 



First librarians' association 168 

Miscellaneous matters 169-170 

Fifth Session 170-178 

Letter from Mr. Yates 170-171 

Lloyd P. Smith 171-172 

Next meeting 172-173 

Officers 173 

University seminaries and libraries I73-I74 

Libraries and schools 175 

Binding 175-178 

Distribution of public documents 178-180 

School of library economy 178 

Sixth Session 178-183 

Distribution of public documents 179-180 

Library of U.S. agricultural department . . . 181 

Aids and guides 181 

Miscellaneous 181-182 

Resolutions of thanks 182-183 

Spelling 183 

By-law 183 

Amendment to Constitution 183 

Binding magazines 183 

Appendixes 184-188 

A.L.A. Publishing section 184-185 

The A.L.A. excursion, July 12-20 185-188 

Persons present at Milwaukee meetings .... 189-191 

A.L.A. supplementary list of members .... 192-193 



CONFERENCE OF LIBRARIANS. 



MILWAUKEE MEETING, JULY 7, 1886. 



ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT, 



WILLIAM F. POOLE, LL.D., LIBRARIAN OF CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY. 



Ladies and Gentlemen of the Association : 

IT is a noteworthy incident in the history of 
the American Library Association that we 
meet for our eighth annual conference in the 
great North-west, more than a thousand miles 
from the fringe of cities on the Atlantic coast, 
where it had its origin and its earlier confer- 
ences were held. I know something of the 
North-western States, and venture the state- 
ment that no city in the East has received us 
with a more intelligent and generous welcome 
than we experience to-day in Milwaukee. No- 
where are the benefits of libraries better under- 
stood, and the purposes of our organization 
better appreciated than here. We are not on 
pioneer and missionary ground, so far as a 
proper valuation of books and libraries is con- 
cerned. If you ask me : " Where in the West 
is that pioneer and missionary ground?" I 
must say I do not know. I have here an 
official invitation from a Board of Trade which 
has lately established a free public library in a 
city a thousand miles west of Milwaukee, in- 
viting this Association to hold its next annual 
conference in Denver, Colorado, and promis- 
ing a cordial welcome and every kind of hospi- 
tality. The idea which suggests to a Board of 
Trade to establish a public library, and the 
idea which the masses accept as an axiom, 
that the maintenance of such an institution is 
as legitimate an object for general taxation as 
the maintenance of a public school, seems to 
be indigenous in Western soil. If you insist 
on my localizing that pioneer and missionary 



ground to which I have alluded, I should say 
to'our Eastern friends that you left the region 
when you came into the North-western States. 
The present year marks the close of the first 
decennial period in the history of our Associa- 
tion. In reviewing briefly its record a mention 
of its precursor, a convention of eighty 
librarians and others interested in bibliography, 
which was held in New York City, in September, 
1853, must not be overlooked. Prof. Charles 
C. Jewett, of the Smithsonian Institution, Dr. 
Samuel F. Haven, of the American Antiquarian 
Society, and Mr. Charles Folsom, of the Bos- 
ton Athenaeum, all of whom have passed away, 
were among its prominent members. Prof. 
Jewett was the leading spirit in the call and 
management of the convention, and its Presi- 
dent. Indeed, he may justly be ranked as the 
ablest and most zealous of the early American 
reformers in the methods of library manage- 
ment. He was the first to collect the statistics 
of the libraries of the United States, which 
he published in 1851. One week ago three of 
the librarians who signed the call for that Con- 
vention, and were present, were members of 
this Association. Two of them were our es- 
teemed associates, Mr. Smith, of the Phila- 
delphia Library Company, who died on Friday 
last, and of whom further mention will be 
made, and Dr. Guild, of Brown University. 
The third was myself, then in charge of the 
Boston Mercantile Library. If I did not fear 
to encroach upon the theme of Mr. Barton, 
who will read at this conference a paper on 



173341 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



"The Convention of 1853," I could give some 
reminiscences of its sessions. I may say, how- 
ever, that the Convention of 1853 made a last- 
ing impression on the minds of all the librarians 
who were present, and that it must be regarded 
as an era in American bibliography. Prof. 
Jewett said in his opening address : " This is 
the first convention of the kind, not only in 
this country, but, so far as I know, in the 
world." That conference aroused a spirit of 
inquiry and search after better methods. The 
card catalogue, about that time, had been 
adopted in several American libraries, and 
Prof. Jewett had prepared a system of rules for 
cataloguing, based on those of the British 
Museum, which he simplified and improved. 
Prof. Jewett had on his mind, and pressed it 
on the convention, a scheme of making the 
Smithsonian Institution a great national library. 
He had met with opposition from the scientists, 
who had no sympathy with his project, and 
wished the funds of the Smithsonian to be 
used for the printing of scientific papers. His 
scheme was later defeated by the action of Con- 
gress, and with sadness he retired from the 
Smithsonian Institution. Another project he 
was much interested in at the time ; and it was 
highly creditable to his enterprise and inge- 
nuity. It was an honest attempt to lessen the 
cost of printing elaborate catalogues, which 
were then, and are now, absorbing funds which 
ought to be expended in books. The develop- 
ment of his scheme was one of the chief topics 
considered at the Convention of 1853. In brief, 
the scheme was to stereotype in separate blocks 
the titles of books, using a material cheaper 
than metal ; keeping these blocks in stock, and 
printing from them all the library catalogues 
of the country. The material he used was 
a sort of clay from Indiana. Congress made 
an appropriation for executing the plan. I rec- 
ollect that the librarians of the country gener- 
ally favored it, and that I did not. I remember 
that I spoke of it at the time as " Prof. Jewett's 
mud catalogue." My views concerning it were 
based on some practical knowledge of legiti- 
mate typography, and from specimens of the 
work which Prof. Jewett exhibited. I doubt 
whether the scheme of stereotype blocks could 
have been a success under any circumstances ; 



but it failed in this instance from mechanical 
defects in the process, the shrinking and 
warping of the blocks in baking, and the in- 
tractable nature of the material when baked, 
which made the exact adjustment of the blocks 
on the press impossible. In presenting the 
scheme, Prof. Jewett stated that " practical 
stereotypers had said that it could not be 
done." 

It is not necessary, to be a successful man, 
that one should be successful in everything he 
undertakes. Errors, mistakes, and blunders 
even, mark the path of all the great inventors, 
and the benefactors of the race. One who was 
so full of resources and expedients in library 
economy as Prof. Jewett could afford to make 
an erroneous judgment on the process of using 
baked clay in typography. Those who in fu- 
ture years shall read the Library journal will 
find, with much which is of the highest im- 
portance, schemes which are of no practical 
value in the form in which they were presented; 
but even these may afford suggestions which, 
in other relations, will lead the reader to excel- 
lent and practical results. 

In 1855 Prof. Jewett was elected superin- 
tendent of the Boston Public Library, where, 
with such trustees as George Ticknor and 
Edward Everett, he had a part in developing 
the sagacious policy of that great institution, 
the pioneer of all the free public libraries of the 
country. If he were living to-day, with what 
zeal and charming urbanity would he have 
taken part in the exercises of this conference ! 
He would have completed his seventieth year 
on the 1 6th day of August next. Our profes- 
sion is a debtor to Prof. Jewett for his early 
and scholarly services in bibliography and in 
library economy ; and a memorial paper con- 
cerning him from Mr. Winsor, who was his 
successor in the Boston Public Library, would 
be a fitting recognition of this obligation. In 
the wide range of topics treated at the meet- 
ings of the Association, I do not recall a 
biographical memorial of any eminent American 
bibliographer who has passed away. The 
services of Ezra Abbot, George Ticknor, 
Samuel F. Haven, Joseph G. Cogswell, and 
some others, entitle them to such a recogni- 
tion. 



PRESIDENT POOLERS ADDRESS. 



At the close of the sessions in 1853, it was 
unanimously 

" Resolved, That this convention be re- 
garded as preliminary to the formation of a 
permanent Librarians' Association." 

A committee, of which Prof. Jewett was 
chairman, was appointed to draft a constitu- 
tion and by-laws, and to present them at the 
next meeting of the convention^ to be held at 
Washington City. Perhaps the retirement of 
Prof. Jewett from the Smithsonian Institution 
accounts for there being no subsequent meet- 
ing of the convention. 

If I understand the matter correctly, to our 
accomplished Secretary is due the credit of 
suggesting the revival of the excellent scheme 
of forming a Librarians' Association which had 
slumbered undisturbed for twenty-three years. 
A telegram from Mr. Leypoldt to me at Chi- 
cago, in the summer of 1876, asking if I 
would sign a call for a Librarians' Convention, 
was the first intimation I had on the subject ; 
and I replied by asking who were behind the 
scheme. On receiving a satisfactory answer I 
gladly signed the call. The conference met 
at Philadelphia, October 4, 1876, and was in 
session for three days. The American Library 
Association was there organized, a constitution 
adopted, and officers appointed. One hundred 
and three members were enrolled, eleven papers 
were read, and a variety of interesting topics 
were discussed. The proceedings filled one 
hundred and one pages of the Library journal, 
the first number of which was issued in Sep- 
tember of that year. About the same time the 
elaborate " Report on the Public Libraries of 
the United States " appeared from the Bureau 
of Education, the principal contributors to 
which were the librarians who formed the 
Association. 

The printed report of the Philadelphia Con- 
ference attracted immediate attention in Eng- 
land. Mr. E. B. Nicholson, now Librarian of 
the Bodleian Library at Oxford, urged in the 
Academy of January 27, 1877, tnat a similar 
conference be called in London. The sugges- 
tion was approved by the principal librarians in 
the kingdom, and the result was the Inter- 
national Conference of Librarians at London 
in October, 1877, and the founding of the 



" Library Association of the United King- 
dom," which has since made a brilliant record. 
Mr. Henry R. Tedder, in his introduction to 
the printed Proceedings of the London Con- 
ference of 1877, assigns its origin to the exam- 
ple and good results of the Philadelphia 
Conference. In speaking of the latter, he says : 
" This date, 1876, may almost be said to mark 
a new period in the history of bibliothecal 
science ; for at the same time was issued the 
exhaustive Report of the Bureau of Education 
on the Public Libraries of the United States, 
and in the previous month had appeared the 
first number of the Library journal, founded 
by some of the promoters of the conference. 
Perhaps the most important result has been 
the foundation of an American Library Asso- 
ciation, 'which has since undertaken much work 
of real practical use." Mr. John Winter Jones, 
Librarian of the British Museum, and President 
of the Conference, said in his inaugural ad- 
dress : "The idea of holding a Conference of 
Librarians originated in America, in that 
country of energy and activity which has set 
the world so many good examples, and of 
which a conference of Librarians is not the 
least valuable." 

The second meeting of our Association was 
held in New York City, September 4-6, 1877. 
At its close sixteen of our members sailed for 
Europe to attend the International Conference 
at London, where we were received with every 
mark of attention and hospitality, and the 
Proceedings of the Conference show that the 
American librarians had a large share in its de- 
liberations. The third meeting was held at 
Boston, June 3o-July 2, 1879; the fourth at 
Washington, February 9-12, 1881 ; the fifth 
at Cincinnati, May 11-13, 1882; the sixth at 
Buffalo, August 14-17, 1883, and the seventh 
at Lake George, September 22-25, 1885. At 
these seven meetings ninety-seven papers on 
topics relating to library economy were read, 
and the papers and discussions, as printed in 
the Library journal, fill 639 pages. In literary 
merit, and in the treatment of historical, anti- 
quarian, and biographical topics relating to our 
profession, these papers are not equal to those 
which have appeared in the proceedings of the 
British Association. They are, however, emi- 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



nently practical and suggestive, and, by confes- 
sion of English librarians, more useful than 
those of their own Association. What the 
American librarian, in his treatment of profes- 
sional topics, lacks in scholastic style, he makes 
up in suggestive helpful devices. "He refuses 
to be trammelled by conventional ideas, and 
the solemn frown of precedent has no terror to 
him. He takes delight in cutting red tape ; in 
schemes for enlarging the usefulness of his 
library; in contributing to the accommodation 
of readers ; in devising shorter paths to the 
sources of information, and better methods in 
the arrangement of his books, catalogues, and 
indexes. All his methods and contrivances do 
not survive the test of experience ; but some of 
them do. His associates have no more respect 
for a plan because it is new than because it is 
old. If it be useful it will be generally adopted. 
If it be not useful its ingenuity will not save it. 
The meetings of our Association, and the visit- 
ing of libraries, which is one of the most useful 
features in these annual gatherings, furnish 
opportunities for the exchange of ideas in 
library economy and the discussion of their 
merits. The result has been a practical agree- 
ment in this country as to the essential prin- 
ciples on which libraries should be conducted. 
There is, nevertheless, a great diversity in the 
methods by which these 'principles are applied. 
Every librarian who has ability and originality 
has methods of his own, which, if they have no 
other merit, meet the conditions of his own 
personal equation. Some librarians surround 
themselves with short-hand writers and much 
routine. Every emergency is provided for by 
a rule or contrivance, and every sort of busi- 
ness transaction, by an armory of hand-stamps. 
Other librarians take delight in doing work in 
the simplest way ; in meeting emergencies as 
they arise ; in reducing each business operation 
to its lowest terms, and in turning over to sub- 
ordinates work which they can do well. Such 
librarians are not swamped in an ocean of 
detail ; they write their own letters, are de- 
lightful correspondents, and have time to 
attend to the higher and bibliographical wants 
of their libraries. Methods which are adapted 
for one library are not necessarily adapted for 
another where the conditions are different. 



The past record of the association may be 
seen not only iri the Library journal, but 
in the practical working of the new libraries 
throughout the land which have sprung up 
under its influence. The old libraries have 
been reorganized, and, now that they are 
more intelligently conducted, meet with a 
more liberal support. 

The promptness with which our members 
engaged in the cooperative work on the 
Index to Periodical Literature, and, perform- 
ing all they promised, are now carrying on the 
Cooperative Index, is a pledge that other work 
of a similar character may be accomplished. 
Mr. Fletcher, the chairman of the cooperative 
committee, will lay before you a scheme of 
work which his committee has elaborated, 
to which I ask your respectful attention. I have 
not made myself familiar with its details, but 
I have the highest confidence in Mr. Fletcher 
and his executive ability ; and whatever he un- 
dertakes will be a success. 

What this association has done in bringing 
the public libraries and the public schools into 
closer relations the work of one supple- 
menting the work of the other in the general 
system of education is in itself an object of 
sufficient importance to justify its existence. 

The old controversy, as to whether it is 
proper to lay a public tax for the support of a 
public library, is happily ended, except in the 
Middle States ; and New Jersey, if I am cor- 
rectly informed, has at last come into line with 
the Eastern and Western States on this 
point. New York City is still wrestling with 
the problem of establishing and maintaining 
a public library without using public funds, or 
giving the municipal government any control 
of the institution. It is a problem which, in 
my judgment, can never be solved, unless there 
are citizens in New York who are ready to 
endow the library with four or five millions. 
The one million which Enoch Pratt gave to 
Baltimore will not give New York such a 
library as it needs. What would become of 
the public schools of New York City if their 
support was left to charitable contributions, and 
to passing round the hat periodically? Is the 
municipal government of New York City so 
much worse than that of other large cities 



PRESIDENT POOLERS ADDRESS. 



Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Milwaukee 
that it cannot be trusted with the interests of a 
public library? No peculation or scandal has 
ever occurred in connection with the manage- 
ment of a public library. If every department 
of the corporation affairs in the cities which 
have been named were managed as well as their 
public libraries they would be model munici- 
palities. There is every reason to believe that 
a public library in New York City, organized 
under such library statutes as exist in the 
Western States, would be equally well man- 
aged. New York has no disturbing element 
which does not exist in Chicago, Cincinnati, 
or Milwaukee, unless it be the reluctance of 
wealthy men to be taxed for such an object. 
What are alleged to be disturbing elements a 
large foreign population, socialism, communism, 
anarchism are not so in fact. These people 
desire their children to be educated, and make 
no opposition to the public schools. They 
desire to read books, that their children should 
read, and that this reading should be furnished 
at the public expense. The most zealous 
friends of public libraries in large cities are the 
middle and poorer classes who carry votes, and 
it is public policy to educate these classes. 

The large legacies and gifts which have re- 
cently been made for the founding of libraries 
in this country are among the most cheering 
signs of the times. The Newberry legacy to 
Chicago, the Pratt and Peabody gifts to Balti- 
more, the Scofield gift to Oak Park, 111., the 
Fuller gift to Belvidere, 111., the Hoyt fund for 
East Saginaw, Mich., the Seymour fund for 
Auburn, N.Y., the Ames fund for Easton, 
Mass., the Nevins fund for Methuen, Mass., 
and the Board of Trade gift for Denver, Col- 
orado, are a few among the many which might 
be mentioned. The erection of library build- 
ings by private individuals for institutions 
already existing has become in New England 
a favorite and appropriate mode of expressing 
their donors' interest in libraries. 

The work for which this association was 
organized is not yet completed. We need to 
carry on the reform in the construction of li- 
brary buildings which has already begun ; that 
they shall be planned for the specific purpose 
for which they are to be used, and not simply 



as exercises in architectural display. It is a 
misfortune that the absurd plans of a building 
for the Library of Congress, which were pre- 
sented to this association at its meeting at 
Washington, in February, 1881, and con- 
demned by the unanimous voice of the mem- 
bers present, and also at the meeting of the 
association at Cincinnati the next year, have 
been adopted by Congress. 

To say that we need more discussion of the 
subject of classification would be superfluous. 
We need, however, that the discussion should 
be divested of some of the asperities and per- 
sonalities into which earnest men and honest 
men are liable to fall. We need, also, that 
the discussion should be cleared, as far as 
possible, of technicalities and abstruseness, so 
that an incipient librarian, who has not the 
wisdom of Solomon and the ingenuity of a 
magician, may understand it. We need some 
practical method of lessening the expense of 
printed catalogues, which absorb the resources 
of libraries, and, in rapidly increasing collec- 
tions, soon grow out of date. We have many 
other needs at present, and the future will fur- 
nish its own quota when these are supplied. 

In the midst of this cordial welcome and 
these happy greetings a dark shadow falls 
upon us in the death of our esteemed associate, 
Mr. Lloyd P. Smith, of the Philadelphia 
Library Company, which occurred on Friday, 
July 2. To many of us who read the announce- 
ment in the telegraphic dispatches of Saturday 
last it was a dreadful shock. We had not 
heard of his illness, and he was expected here 
with his wife and daughter. His name is on 
our programme to read a paper on " The Great 
Enemy of Books." I have a letter from him, 
dated May 10, announcing his intention to be 
present, and giving the subject of his paper. 
It is in his usual sportive vein, and a perfect 
type of his mind and temperament when in 
health. To me the death of our friend comes 
as a deep personal affliction. I made his 
acquaintance at the Librarians' Convention 
in 1853, and since that time we have been 
frequent correspondents. I never passed 
through Philadelphia without visiting him at 
his Library, or at his home in Germantown. 
He was the host of the members of the associa- 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



tion when it was formed in Philadelphia, in 1876, 
and he has attended all its conferences except 
the one at Lake George. He was one of our 
number who attended the International Con- 
ference in London, in 1877, and was one of its 
Vice-Presidents. A more lovely spirit and 
genial companion never lived. His sonorous 
laugh was something to be remembered. He 
was a fine classical scholar, and Latin to him 
was almost a vernacular. He loved to think 
and talk and write in Latin, and his letters 
were often half, and sometimes wholly, in 
Latin. His mind had a mediaeval tinge, which 
led him to take delight in the monkish Latin of 
the middle ages. He was by nature and habit 
a conservative, and he had a right to be one. 



He was the librarian of the oldest library, not 
connected with a college, in the country, where 
his father was librarian before him. He believed 
in what is old, rather than in what is new, and 
in this respect was a typical Philadelphian. 
He was never reconciled to the idea of laying 
a public tax for the support of a public library. 
" If people want to read books," he would say, 
" let them buy the books, or buy a share in a 
proprietary library," like his own. His amia- 
bility was such, however, that he never op- 
posed, except in a sportive manner, those who 
held modern ideas on these subjects. I hope 
that appropriate resolutions concerning our de- 
ceased associate may be adopted during our 
sessions, and sent to the family. 



WHY LIBRARIANS KNOW. 



BY ERNEST C. RICHARDSON, LIBRARIAN HARTFORD THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 



PRESIDENT R. D. Hitchcock, telling at the 
A Amherst Alumni dinner, last week, of the 
changes during the fifty years since his gradua- 
tion, said, "Then there were three learned 
professions, theology, law, medicine ; now 
there are four, theology, law, medicine, and 
journalism." I take this occasion, before our 
secretary, in his multiform devices and inex- 
tinguishable energy, has elevated librarianship 
into one of the mechanical arts, to offer this 
modest plea for the recognition of librarianship 
as one of the learned professions. Whether 
they profess it or not, librarians practise learn- 
ing, and they have to, or they couldn't be 
librarians. 

Of course there are exceptions, and you and 
I would be the last to deny it ; but there are 
exceptions in all the learned professions. I 
remember the true story of a negro preacher, on 
the plantation of a friend of mine in Virginia. 
This worthy man, as an example of the zealous 
worker, was admirable ; but, as the representa- 
tive of a learned profession, no great success. 
His exegesis was often at fault, and on one 
occasion he preached a sermon forbidding the 
children to play marbles, because the good 



book says, " Marble not, my bredderen." And 
yet he was a member of a learned profession ; 
and so, too, was the successful doctor of medi- 
cine, a woman by the way, whom I heard 
remark, in response to the suggestion that she 
didn't seem to be entirely familiar with Paris 
as yet, "Oh, my! guess I aint; guess I'm 
kinder green." 

But these do not prove that theology and 
medicine are not learned professions. 

The object of this paper is not mutual ad- 
miration, or self-gratulation on our superior 
learning or wisdom, and even contains some 
food for humility. 

It was suggested by the thought of the very 
varied and extensive, and yet exact and avail- 
able, intellectual culture of some of our leading 
representatives at home and abroad, whose 
names will readily suggest themselves. It 
struck me that a very considerable percentage, 
relatively to other professions, was notable in 
this regard, and it occurred to me to query 
whether this knowledge was real, or only super- 
ficial, and, if real, why it is so general. 

It is a common insinuation that librarians 
know about the outside of books without know- 



RICHARDSON. 



ing much of the ideas which they contain ; and, 
again, that their knowledge is fragmentary, scat- 
tered, and accidental. The insinuation hardly 
calls for resentment, it is so easy to demonstrate 
whether it is true or false ; and then, too, we are 
not apt in this world to resent things unless 
they have some sting of truth in them. 

Analyzing, therefore, the title of the library 
profession to be called learned, the most com- 
mon and simple test is the popular verdict. 
Did you ever notice, thus, in the first place, 
how many librarians have produced books ? I 
know that this is very far from proving that a 
man is learned, and still farther from proving 
that he is wise ; but it is one of the factors of 
the popular verdict, and the number of libra- 
rian book-producers is very large. 

Of the still larger number "who, therefore, 
only are reputed wise for saying nothing,' 1 al- 
most every one has his local reputation for 
learning. Formerly his unwisdom was often 
as great as his learning ; but the modern libra- 
rian must have real knowledge, and that of very 
extended, well-arranged character. Both repu- 
tation and observation, therefore, point to this 
same fact. 

But, passing by this first and very dubious 
claim to a title of knowledge on the basis of 
the popular verdict, to find whether a librarian's 
knowledge is real inquire, first, what the nature 
of knowledge is. 

And so we conclude again that librarians as 
a class do know, from asking what it is to know. 

To some men a steak is a steak, a book a 
book, a horse a horse, whether it be tough or 
tender, good or bad, fast or slow ; and so of 
knowledge. The careful way in which men 
sometimes treasure an accumulation of worth- 
less knowledge reminds one of the man and 
his name is Legion who fancies he has a rare 
work of untold value, in some eighteenth cen- 
tury tract, dear at half a dime. 

It is always amusing to see men cutting off 
knowledge into sections of various sizes and 
shapes, as the country grocer does a big cheese, 
and then, labelling them with some name, Latin 
or otherwise, set themselves to the mastery of 
its every detail, in profound conceit that they 
are scholars, and they alone. Knowledge is 
vital by its very nature an organism ; nay, in 



a certain real sense, if you accept the scientific, 
and at least partially true, analysis of Bain and 
Spencer, it is life itself. That man is most 
learned who has the broadest view of the va- 
ried, interdependent, nucleated facts of this 
universal organization. 

The specialist, in our growing use of the 
term, is not often the learned man. This mod- 
ern, egotistic, utterly unbearable assumption of 
so-called specialists is fundamentally opposed 
to the intrinsic nature of knowledge and life. 
One of the greatest vices of modern scholarship 
is the truly scientific method of German learn- 
ing gone to seed, in an unvital, uneconomical 
aggregate of unnecessary facts. 

It is not necessary to measure every unit in 
a symmetrical pile of bricks, and add the re- 
sults, in order to find the cubic contents of the 
pile ; nor is it necessary to measure every brick 
in the world in order to find what the size of a 
brick is. I know a man who, I think, if he was 
asked to find the size of an ordinary brick, 
would proceed, after having secured the most 
exact metrical apparatus, to take the measure 
of every brick in the world, so far as length of 
life permitted, with the truly scientific and un- 
selfish purpose of making a "complete induc- 
tion." He would, of course, die before he had 
made the induction ; but notice this, his induc- 
tion would be untrue for application, at the 
best ; for, according to him, the normal brick 
would be, say 8.0031781, and he would lay up 
in the National Treasury " a normal brick," 
which was only an approximation to the truth, 
which a less scholarly man would have ascer- 
tained more exactly in fifteen minutes. 

Travesty again, you say of this ; but no, not 
at all. Why should literary pedants be allowed 
to arrogate to themselves an aristocracy of 
learning, just because they are spending their 
lives in getting materials for useless and untrue 
generalization, in things even less vital than 
bricks? Not that I disparage the scientific 
method, very, very far from that, nor spe- 
cialization of studies. It is the only method, 
whether in Natural Science or Theology ; but it 
is in breadth of generalization and trained ra- 
pidity and accuracy of induction that all new 
expressions of truth and all increase of con- 
sciousness and life come, rather than in the ac- 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



cumulation of facts which shall be mechanically 
added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided, and 
the result labelled an induction. 

I could go on for an hour discoursing on the 
mutilators of the true method ; but, not to 
prolong, I remind you that the end of all true 
induction is the recognition of the universal 
likeness running through a series of facts, or 
groups of facts, and that knowledge and life 
are the organized total of such generaliza- 
tions, recognized in consciousness by illustra- 
tive units. 

All knowledge is classification, and a very 
heterogeneous and misty system it is with most 
of us worse, even, than Mr. well, we must 
not specify, let us say Mr. X's system. 

Every judgment that we form, every obser- 
vation we make, is the arrangement of one 
fact with reference to its likeness or unlikeness 
to some others. The man who most constantly 
observes and compares, who has learned most 
quickly to grasp all the features of resemblance 
or unlikeness, and pass the judgment of ap- 
proval or disapproval, acceptance or rejection, 
is the man who is learning fastest, and will 
know most. 

With this brief analysis of knowledge it is 
easy to see why librarians know, may know, or 
ought to know. The largeness of a man's life 
is the extent of the range of facts which he is 
accustomed to take into his every-day thoughts. 
It is the cosmopolitan vs. the provincial, the 
catholic against the dogmatist. The range of 
facts from which he makes his daily inductions 
is his greatness, and the man whose horizon is 
limited by his workshop or native town, whose 
thought is limited to a perfected pin-head, or 
Latin paradigms, or Sanscrit roots, or a couple 
of Bacteria, can only make inductions within 
those narrow limits, and cannot know, as one 
whose thoughts range round the world, and up 
to the farthest star, and down to the most mi- 
croscopic atom, and here and there, and back 
and forth, noting and comparing, in the very 
process fixing and enlarging, and preparing 
the way for newer, and broader, and truer gen- 
eralizations. 

This is the reason of the cultivation which 
comes in foreign travel, it enlarges the cus- 
tomary and natural range of thought. 



Every new science or class of facts touched 
astronomical, geological, geographical, an- 
thropological, or what not adds to possible 
knowledge. 

One of the most influential factors in this 
cultivation, this framework for knowledge, has 
always been the study of languages, ancient or 
modern. Each new language opens a new 
world ; enlarges the limits of thought at the 
same time that it increasingly compels pure 
thought, thinking the thing itself instead of 
its familiar word symbol. 

The first reason for the capacity for knowl- 
edge a librarian may possess is, therefore, the 
necessary equipment of languages, which almost 
every librarian must have, for selection, cata- 
loging, or classification of books. 

Again, the range of topics, of whose exist- 
ence, at least, the librarian must be aware, is 
as universal as knowledge itself. Notice that 
there is no such thing as knowing of a thing 
without knowing a greater or less number of 
facts concerning it. The very identification of 
a thing is the knowledge of certain facts which 
are peculiar to it. The limits through which a 
librarian's mind may range, perhaps must 
range, are almost absolutely universal. One 
of the most striking things to a librarian is the 
vast range of topics of which the average 
man, even the professional man, is absolutely 
ignorant ; has never heard the name of, much 
less inquired whether it might be fish, flesh, or 
fowl. 

A third reason is the very considerable con- 
tent of each general subject which a librarian 
must possess or acquire : 

(a) In the selection of books. 

Notice the process : In each title the librarian 
answers the question, Do we want this book? 
To answer he must answer as to (i) The sub- 
ject treated, (2) Whether it is appropriate to 
this library, (3) The relative desirability to 
others on the same subject. 

To answer the first question he must know 
a certain amount of the contents of the subject, 
for the word is simply the convenient symbol 
which represents to the mind a certain class of 
facts, and simply to know the meaning of the 
word requires a certain general vision of the 
facts and their relation. 



RICHARDSON. 



To judge its appropriateness he must know 
very much more. Whether this judgment is 
formed from title or book notice, or the book 
itself, in making it a man passes in general 
review all that he knows of the subject, the 
phases of it in which knowledge is desirable 
and will be sought. And to decide the relative 
desirability he reviews all that he knows of 
other treatises on the same subject with all that 
he knows of this, and that, too, in its relation 
to his judgment of what is true in that subject, 
and all with the practical end in view of making 
the knowledge available to others. 

This, you notice, is the constant operation in 
every title, book, or auction catalogue read, 
a constant review. 

(b) In the classification of books. 

This, we have seen, embodies the very essen- 
tial nature of knowledge, the arrangement of 
facts according to their mutual likeness or un- 
likeness. To classify a book requires the 
review of what its contents is, and what the 
relation of this to others is, and this fact con- 
tains in itself the fundamental warning against 
artificial systems of classification. 

I fear I have not brought before your minds 
this, to me, very interesting bit of analysis 
of our psychological processes, with sufficient 
clearness to give you the same interest ; but, 
in passing by many subordinate reasons, I trust 
that this fourth and final reason will, of itself, 
make clear the fact to which it is the object of 
this paper to call attention, the fact of the 
superior possibility of knowledge in the very 
exercise of the office of librarianship. 

This fourth reason is the very great, and 
hardly to be estimated, economy of time in 
adding to any desired line of knowledge, 

Lessing accepted his office of librarian largely 
for the opportunity it gave him for learning 
where things could be found, and it was his 
practice to go through each library he visited, 
taking down and examining every book. I 
fear me that the father of German literature 
confined his duties as librarian largely to this 
line of personal improvement ; but he knew how 
to learn, and owed his tremendous range and 
grasp of facts to this consistent cultivation in 
knowing where facts were to be found. 

Three of the brightest student helpers I have 



ever had, two of them with me for three years, 
and one for five or six, have told me inde- 
pendently that they considered the time they 
spent in library-work as well spent as any in 
their course, and the value of the experience 
equal to that of any single line in college or 
seminary curriculum ; and the men were men of 
unexcelled scholarship. 

Every librarian has had not few, but many, 
occasions where men have worked hours and 
days to find given facts, or lines of facts, which 
he at last finds easily for them in a quarter or 
half an hour. 

In the matter of verifying references, looking 
up given facts, and in a large range of things, 
it is far within the limit of truth to say that a 
librarian stands at an advantage of ten to one 
over the average scholar. 

And then in the matter of avoiding worthless 
and secondary or outdated sources he may save 
for himself months and years of other men's 
wasted lifetimes. These could be illustrated 
ad infinitum, but I have been too long. 

There is no limit to knowledge. There is no 
limit to memory excepting artificial or false 
classification. I sometimes think, it seems to 
have some foundation in analogy at least, that 
increase in knowledge is in geometrical pro- 
gression, as if each new fact properly placed 
had two new points of contact. 

Librarians, therefore, in brief, possess unusual 
opportunities of knowledge : (i) In knowing 
where to find facts. (2) In the constant 
necessity of receiving and forming judgment 
on facts. (3) The consequent constant, almost 
unconscious, stimulus and necessity for the ac- 
quirement of new facts. (4) The habit of the 
systematic arrangement of facts. 

The food for humility which I promised in 
the beginning lies in the fact that under such 
circumstances we don't know more. I suggest 
that, if we are in any danger of neglecting 
or despising the thoroughly scholarly side of 
librarianship for the so-called practical, we are 
narrowing our own lives and our capability of 
usefulness. 

In conclusion let me quote an estimate of 
librarians which I hope is not true, for knowl- 
edge which is not vital is not knowledge. 

As I took my seat at table, at the Plankinton 



IO 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



House this morning, some expressions which I 
caught from the conversation of two gentlemen 
at the next table showed that the subject of 
conversation was librarians. Presently one 
broke forth with so much animation that it 
was impossible not to overhear : " The [blank- 



est] lot of cranks, they may know every- 
thing, but they haven't the least idea of 
common-sense and the like." 

We are on trial. I am sure our sessions will 
show that librarians have both knowledge and 
sense. 



HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY SUBJECT-INDEX. 



BY W. C. LANE, HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY. 



^HE Subject-Index to the catalogue of the 
1 Harvard College Library, now in process 
of preparation, although its principal usefulness 
is confined to that Library, is still of some gen- 
eral interest, as it will furnish, when complete, 
the fullest list of topics for catalogue headings 
yet published. 

I ought to speak briefly of the general plan 
of our catalogue, in order that it may be seen 
what this Index is intended to be and why it 
is needed. 

In Mr. Cutter's catalogue, which has been 
the model for so many others recently pub- 
lished, all the subjects, whether general or 
special in character, are arranged in one alpha- 
betical series. In other systems (Mr. Dewey's, 
for example)' the special topics are grouped 
under more general headings, and these in 
turn under still more comprehensive classes, 
but without regard to alphabetical arrangement. 
The subject-catalogue of the library of Har- 
vard College combines features from both plans. 
Related special topics are grouped under gen- 
eral heads ; but the arrangement throughout is 
strictly alphabetical. In this it resembles the 
Brooklyn catalogue, but differs from that in 
having the special topics under many of the 
main heads separated into a number of distinct 
divisions, in this way bringing topics of the 
same kind more closely together, but increasing 
the complexity of the whole. In some cases 
this is carried so far that there are alphabets 
within alphabets in four or five degrees of sub- 
ordination. 

With such a system it is evident that the 
inquirer must frequently be in doubt just where 



he is to look for any given subject, and hence 
the need of a complete index of all special 
topics referring directly to the place or places 
in the catalogue where they will be found. 

The material for this Index was prepared by 
going through the whole catalogue (some 500,- 
ooo cards), and drawing off on separate slips 
of paper all the subordinate headings, with in- 
dications of the place where they were found. 
These were then arranged in alphabetical order, 
and to them were added whatever desirable 
additional topics or references were found in 
the Index to Mr. Dewey's Decimal Classifica- 
tion, Poole's Index, the catalogues of the Athe- 
naeum Library, the Princeton College Library, 
and the Library of the Peabody Institute, the 
American Catalogue, Haydn's Dictionary of 
Dates, Townsend's Manual of Dates, and occa- 
sionally other sources. In many of these 
works there are, of course, many subjects 
which it was not thought worth while to in- 
clude in this Index. Indeed the principal dif- 
ficulty has been to decide what to include and 
what to omit. In general, the Index is an 
index of the topics in the Harvard Library 
catalogue, but many topics have been added 
to the catalogue under which reference could 
be made to easily accessible sources of infor- 
mation, as to the entries in Pool's Index, or 
to the references in Knight's American Me- 
chanical Dictionary, and the like. It thus in- 
cludes many subjects which at present are 
treated of mainly in periodicals ; but these are 
the subjects about which books and mono- 
graphs will be written in the near future. The 
Index, therefore, cannot be considered as in 



FLETCHER. 



ii 



any sense complete or final ; additions will 
have to be made continually, but it is intended 
to stand a little ahead, or, at least, fully abreast 
of the needs of the present. 

In order to make reference more simple a 
system of numbering has been introduced in 
the catalogue for all the main headings, their 
chief divisions, and, in many cases, for each 



special topic. The numbers appear on the out- 
side of the drawers, and on the guides inside, 
and the user is led by these directly to the 
place that he wants. 

The Index will be prefaced by a brief state- 
ment of the system of classification, and a list 
of the main headings, with their chief divis- 
ions. 



CLOSE CLASSIFICATION VERSUS BIBLIOGRAPHY. 



BY W: I. FLETCHER, LIBRARIAN OF AMHERST COLLEGE LIBRARY. 



1 A HE little Latin word in the title I have given 
to this paper is, perhaps, its most signifi- 
cant word. Our president has assured the 
mayor and people of Milwaukee that we are 
a peaceful company, and I am very loath to 
introduce here anything wearing a belligerent 
aspect. But the nature of my paper is wholly 
defensive. If I assume the attitude of con- 
troversy it is not from a love of it, but be- 
cause there seems to be need that some one 
should raise the standard and blow the trumpet 
against an arch-invader, and even a penny 
whistle is better than no trumpet. 

Please observe that I labor here under the 
disadvantage of following an able champion of 
close classification, and of preparing my paper in 
ignorance of the views and arguments he may 
advance. I must, therefore, state the position 
of the close classifier as best I may from my 
knowledge of what it has generally been. 
And the best statement I can make of it is 
this : a library should be so arranged that all 
its resources on a given subject are brought 
together in one place, readers to be referred to 
that place as the chief means of directing them 
in their pursuit of the subject. 

In stating my objections to close classifica- 
tion I would mention first its necessary imper. 
fection. 

Classification, as used in the sciences, may be 
exact, and, to all intents and purposes, is so. 
But, as applied to a library, it cannot be, for 
the reason that many of the best contributions 
to the discussion of a great many subjects are 



not detachable from the books or sets which 
contain them, and which are not classible with 
them. This has been so often urged, and with 
so much force, that I need not dwell upon it. 
I know of but one means of meeting this diffi- 
culty which has been proposed, and that is the 
use of dummies. In speaking of some library 
methods we can judge them by experience ; but 
I have yet to learn of a library where the 
dummy system has been used to such an extent 
as to furnish any answer to the question, "How 
does it work?" My own impression is that it 
is likely to prove a larger and more difficult task 
to carry the dummy business to the point of 
elaborateness and efficiency proposed by the 
advocates of close classification than they sup- 
pose. 

Take, for example, the department of biog- 
raphy. Open the Brooklyn catalog under that 
heading. In repeated instances there are five 
or six titles in small print, under the name of 
some person, for one in large print. That is 
to say, five or six titles that would be repre- 
sented by dummies on the shelf, to one volume 
falling into the same final subdivision with 
them. And, if the idea of looking to the 
shelves rather than to catalogs for guidance is 
to be followed to its logical conclusion, the 
paragraphs which we find in the Brooklyn cat- 
alog, containing several lines of direction to 
periodical articles, etc., must be represented 
either by one dummy bearing this information 
on its side, or by a further set of dummies, one 
for each reference. Nor is this a mere reductio 



12 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



ad absurditm for the sake of argument. It ap- 
pears to be indubitable that to meet the wishes 
of those who would have the shelves them- 
selves exhibit the full resources of the library 
under the various divisions and subdivisions of 
literature, even the minutest of 'them, this 
dummy system must be carried to the point I 
have indicated. Even the references in Poole's 
Index must be carried out on dummies. If it 
be objected that no one has proposed anything 
so extreme as this, I would reply that it is 
simply because no one has got far enough along 
with this idea of a library being its own sub- 
ject-catalog to appreciate whither it tends and 
what it demands. 

Once entered upon I believe this scheme of 
making the library exhibit in one spot on the 
shelves its resources on a given subject will 
inexorably demand that something be placed 
upon the shelf at that spot which shall refer to 
everything contained in the library on the sub- 
ject not classible with it. Here is where we 
join issue with the system as to its practica- 
bility. In practice its demands cannot be met, 
and just the moment its advocates draw back 
from one of them they have struck their flag. 
If, for example, they say they will not parcel 
out Poolers Index in the dummy form all over 
the library, they say they will not have each 
section represent all the resources of the 
library on its subject ; and the system is nothing 
if not all-inclusive. 

Nor are the references in Poole's Index the 
only illustration that can be given of the im- 
practicability of this scheme. Is any one going 
to put into his scientific department a dummy 
for each paper in the Philosophical Transac- 
tions and similar collections? The absurdity 
of the phrase " all the resources of the library 
on a given subject," in this connection, is such 
that it only needs to be hinted at. No librarian 
will deny that catalogs and indexes must be 
consulted before one can be sure that he has 
found either the whole, or even the larger part, 
or the better part, of the references he will need 
on a certain subject. And yet the fallacy of 
close classification is carried to the extent in 
some quarters of giving readers to understand 
that their main reliance may be placed on the 
classification. By this means readers are 



misled (and this is my second objection), and 
allowed to content themselves with a partial 
grasp of the literature of a subject. I have 
found myself constantly under the necessity of 
cautioning readers against the misleading ten- 
dency of so much of classification as we have 
at Amherst ; and I believe the true attitude of 
the librarian who would help readers to do the 
best with their subjects must be this. He 
must advise and encourage them in every way 
to find what is the literature of the subject in 
hand. The work of the best librarians we have 
had in the past has been in this direction, and 
the catalogs of the Boston Public Library, 
the Boston Athenaeum, the Brooklyn Library, 
and many others, such as that of Quincy, 
Mass., have at once recognized the demand, 
and been recognized as meeting it admira- 
bly. 

The time now seems ripe for the next step in 
the progressive development of library science, 
namely, practical cooperation in the produc- 
tion of such bibliographical guides as are to 
some extent furnished by the catalogs I have 
mentioned. I have undertaken to present this 
paper at this time largely because at this point 
its subject runs in a line with the effort we are 
making through the cooperation committee to 
organize cooperative cataloging. But I regret 
the misapprehensions likely to arise from the 
use in this connection of the word cataloging. 
Cataloging is properly used only of that work 
by which we describe and locate for finding 
purposes the contents of a library, or the books 
of a certain period, or those on a special sub- 
ject. The catalogs of which I have spoken 
as showing progress in the direction of fur- 
nishing readers with the means of tracing the 
literature of subjects are marked by the addi- 
tion of what is properly bibliography. They 
answer the question to the best of their 
ability, "What can I find on my subject?" 
but being made with reference to a certain 
library they are confessedly partial as bibli- 
ographers, and only answer the question, 
" What can I find here on my subject?" 

I do not anticipate a time when this ques- 
tion must not be answered in a general way 
with the here in it, by each library for itself. 
But we are all agreed that there is a large field 



FLETCHER. 



i3 



of bibliographical work not to be well or eco- 
nomically done by each library for itself, but 
rather by a combination of libraries or by 
individual enterprise outside, and we may well 
hope and expect that the small number of such 
guides we now have (and find so useful) may 
rapidly and greatly increase. All the progress 
of the past has been in the direction of more 
and more of bibliographical guidance for the 
users of our libraries, and, if I do not greatly 
mistake, bibliography is the watchword of the 
future for us. 

Here, then, is where we join issue with close 
classification, as to its fatal defect as a sys- 
tem of guidance to the resources of a library 
on given subjects. Close classification says: 
"Here you will find all our resources on this 
subject." It will doubtless be objected that I 
lay undue stress on this as the motto of close 
classification ; but I should insist that it is 
practically the claim put forth by close classi- 
fiers, and the fulfilment of which is legitimately 
to be demanded by them. Please observe that 
I allude only to those who use close classifica- 
tion as the common guide to serve in the find- 
ing of the books, and who prefer it to cata- 
logs for that purpose. I have no issue with 
those who classify as closely as possible, so 
long as classification is relegated to its subor- 
dinate place as a minor factor in library admin- 
istration. As opposed to this motto of close 
classification, sensible classification says : "You 
will find in this place our most available re- 
sources on your subject ; " but it adds a warn- 
ing that bibliographies and catalogs and in- 
dexes must be also used. And it modestly 
refuses to be made of much account itself, 
insisting that it is not intended or adapted for 
this work of guidance beyond a most general 
and limited scope. 

I shall be asked why I make so much of a 
supposed antagonism between the two methods 
of guiding readers to what they need. Instead 
of being rival claimants to favor and use, why 
may not classification and bibliography go hand 
in hand, each supplementing the other? But 
this is a simple impossibility. The seeker after 
knowledge cannot go first both to your shelves 
and to your catalogs and bibliographical helps. 
The whole reason for existence of these elabo- 



rate schemes of classification is that they may 
furnish the reader with a short-cut to the 
knowledge he seeks, avoiding the time-honored 
and roundabout modes of study. In this con- 
nection it may be regarded as representative of 
the whole mischievous system of the new edu- 
cation, so called, which would lead men through 
the world of mind by short-cuts on account of 
the modern lack of time for culture. If the 
library system of our day has one mission more 
strongly set before it than another it is that of 
furnishing the means of culture to a people the 
whole current of whose life is in danger of being 
drawn out into the straight canal of a fatal 
specialization. May God forbid I say it with 
reverence that the library system itself should 
add another to the narrowing and specializing 
tendencies of these times ; that it should en- 
courage the disposition to save time at the 
expense of culture, by being itself an embodi- 
ment of the labor-saving, time-saving, and 
superficial spirit of the age, a spirit which 
wants nothing for a classical library but a shelf 
of " ponies." 

To sum up what I have said as to the un- 
wisdom of the proposed substitution of classi- 
fication for bibliography in a wide sense, as the 
best means of directing readers, I would char- 
acterize it as an attempt to substitute machin- 
ery for brains. Intelligent librarians and as- 
sistants, and the best obtainable intelligence 
crystallized in bibliographical books, are the 
furnishing our libraries need. To " ring out 
the old and ring in the new " here means to 
turn out the sorrowing genius of culture from 
what should be the citadel of her hopes, and fill 
her place with a set of cog-wheels. 

A few words on one more aspect of the 
scheme of elaborate classification, and I am 
done. I have attempted to show that in im- 
proving the bibliographical resources of our 
libraries, and laying the chief stress on them 
as guides to readers, we are on the solid ground 
of experience and an orderly development of 
our library system. But this Will-o'-the-wisp 
of close classification dances over the quag- 
mires of inexperience, uncertainty, and extrava- 
gance. For, of all the movements that have 
ever been made in the field of library work, 
this latest one is the most exorbitant in its 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



demands for the sinews of war. I am not 
prepared with figures as to the cost of the 
work undertaken, and to some extent done, 
where the genius of classification most reigns, 
nor should I wish to deal in particulars on this 
ground where we cannot fail to find a" consider- 
able sensitiveness. But those who care to do 
so can easily get the figures, or a basis for an 
estimate in those quarters, and I will content 
myself with predicting that they will find the 
result surprising. The expense put upon this 
work in two or three of our leading libraries is 
such that it can be justified only on the theory 
that it is done once for all, and when com- 
pleted will call for but little further expendi- 
ture. But this will prove to be a delusion. 
The more elaborate and thorough-going is 
your system the more constant and consider- 
able will be the changes dictated by one's own 
progress in knowledge and inevitable shifting 
of position on certain points, and much more 
by the constant changes in the crystallizations 
of the world's thought. Supposing a library 
had been nicely adjusted in all its parts by one 
of these schemes of close classification just 
before the appearance of Darwin's " Origin of 
Species," who can tell what modifications 



would have been made as the result of the 
earthquake caused by that book, not only in 
science, but in every branch of knowledge? 
Noblesse oblige] and just in proportion as a 
scheme is now made to fit with exactness the 
present state of knowledge and modes of 
thought will it be necessary to make changes 
and modifications as knowledge and thought 
change their shapes in the wonderfully rapid 
development of the nineteenth century. As 
well attempt to draw the figure at the bottom of 
your kaleidoscope while it is being slowly 
revolved as to catch and hold the ever-varying 
scheme of human knowledge. 

I have thus attempted, in a humble way, to 
protest against this innovation of close classify- 
ing. I have prepared this paper with a deep 
feeling of the importance of the subject, and 
an earnest desire to throw some clear light 
upon it. From those who may differ with me 
I bespeak the respect and consideration due to 
earnest conviction ; and, above all, I sincerely 
hope that here and elsewhere we may have the 
grace to conduct this inevitable and irrepress- 
ible conflict without unseemly personalities, 
and to the- ultimate triumph of the true, the 
good, and the beautiful. 



A CHARGING SYSTEM FOR SMALL LIBRARIES. 1 



BY PROF. GEORGE T. LITTLE, LIBRARIAN OF BOWDOIN COLLEGE. 



THIS system consists in merely replacing 
each book loaned by a wooden dummy 
bearing the name of the borrower. These 
dummies are pieces of board one inch in thick- 
ness, four in width, and six in length, dimen- 
sions that can be increased with advantage 
when the size of the smallest shelf will allow. 
Each has the name and registration number of 
a borrower painted or otherwise plainly marked 
on the edge or narrow surface which corre- 
sponds to the back of a book. 

1 This system of charging-, in a modified form, was 
described and advocated by Mr. Melvil Dewey several 
years since, in a paper printed in the Library journal, 
vol. 3, page 359. 



The two wider surfaces, or sides, are covered 
with sheets of note-paper, lined perpendicu- 
larly as well as horizontally, so as to give 
spaces in successive rows for book numbers 
and dates, and attached so as to be removed 
when filled. 

To charge a book the number or location 
mark is put on the dummy of the borrower, 
and this placed in the vacant space left by the 
book. When the latter is returned the dummy 
is removed, the date marked on the space 
adjoining the book number, and the account is 
balanced. 

The limitations of this system should be 
plainly stated before dwelling upon its advan- 



LITTLE. 



tages. It is adapted to small libraries only. 
I should hesitate to recommend it to any of 
more than ten thousand volumes or three hun- 
dred regular patrons, and many within each 
limit would be debarred from its use by special 
circumstances, such as a frequently changing 
clientele, free access of visitors to the shelves, 
books at an unusual distance from the counter 
or in a different room. Again, this system 
will not work well in libraries where it is desir- 
able to give daily notices of books overdue, or 
where the patrons are allowed to take several 
volumes at a time, for it cannot answer with 
readiness the question so frequently asked, 
"What other books have I out?" 

Despite the limitations just referred to, this 
method seems to me more useful and better 
suited than any other to the great majority of 
small libraries now using the ledger account, 
libraries where the one in charge knows by 
sight most of those who borrow books, attends 
to their wants in person, and especially where 
aid is wont to be asked in the selection of read- 
ing. 

Foremost among its excellences I place 
accuracy. Mistakes can and of course will 
occur under any system, but this one leaves 
little room for them. A book returned leads 
the librarian directly to the dummy containing 
the loan account of the borrower. Holding 
this in hand until another book is selected he 
is constantly reminded of his duty to make the 
proper entry. On the other side, every book 
loaned has upon the shelves visible evidence of 
the borrower in the dummy, with its location 
marked upon it as check against displacement. 

Under favorable conditions as to the ar- 
rangement of volumes this method of charg- 
ing is a rapid one. From my own experience 
I feel authorized in saying that a circulation 
of a hundred volumes a day can be attended to 
in two-thirds of the time demanded by the 
ledger account. The continual turning of 
leaves and the consultation of library-card or 
index to find the proper place involve a loss of 
time which, though slight, becomes perceptible 
when compared with the ease and quickness 
with which an entry can be made on an open 
page in the hand just at the moment needed. 

Fully as important as either of the advan- 



tages just mentioned is the ease with which the 
selection of a book can be made. If the bor- 
rower is desirous of obtaining a particular 
volume he mentions its location-mark, and, 
in case it is not in, can be informed at once 
who has it and when it will be due. If he has 
prepared a list of volumes this can be used and 
returned to him, often a great convenience 
when time and thought have been given to its 
preparation. If the selection is left to the 
librarian, as is not unfrequently the case in 
small libraries, he has before him a record of 
the past reading that will enable him to per- 
form the task wisely and quickly, without being 
repeatedly met with the remark, " I have had 
that." 

While in all large libraries the examination 
annually is a task as unwelcome and laborious as 
it is necessary, in a small library, on the fixed 
location plan and this method of charging, it 
can be made every week without unduly drawing 
upon the energies of the librarian. It is indeed 
by weekly examinations alone that he can be 
absolutely sure that no book is being kept out 
beyond the proper time. In actual practice, 
however, it will be found that popular books 
likely to be loaned from family to family with- 
out return to the library are those most apt to 
be overdue, and the frequent calls for these are 
quite sure to remind the librarian of any delin- 
quencies on the part of the borrower. 

As a rule this system does away with the 
need of book-supports. I believe, however, 
that it will be found advantageous to have the 
shelves on which the more popular works of 
fiction and the juveniles are located divided into 
compartments by upright strips of zinc or tin. 
To fix definitely the position of a book that is 
likely to be called for a dozen times a day is 
well worth the cost of fitting up a score of 
shelves in this manner. 

This system can be made as inexpensive as 
it is simple. The erection of a single house in 
the village will furnish in its waste odds and 
ends all the material needed for the dummies, 
and a portion of that leisure with which libra- 
rians and school teachers are popularly sup- 
posed to be favored will be ample to fit this 
material for service. 



i6 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



UNBOUND VOLUMES ON LIBRARY SHELVES. 



BY H. A. HOMES, LIBRARIAN OF THE N.Y. STATE LIBRARY. 



IN the N.Y. State Library there are at all 
times from i,oooto 1,200 volumes unbound 
on the shelves, filling the same places which 
they would occupy if bound. The meaning of 
the words " unbound volumes," as here used, 
is this : the covers of books, from which the 
volumes which belonged to them have been 
withdrawn, are employed to receive such classes 
of books in paper covers or pamphlets, as the 
following: (i), the writings of a single author; 
(2), numbers of periodicals ; (3), State or city 
documents; (4), serials of colleges, benevo- 
lent, scientific, or other societies ; (5) election 
sermons of various States ; (6) , eulogies col- 
lected on the same individual. Other classes 
might be mentioned, accordant with the aims 
of the library. The covers may be of octavo 
or larger or smaller size, according to the size 
of the pamphlets. The lettering on the back 
of the cover may be washed off, or covered over 
with paper pasted on to receive a new title to 
be written upon the paper. The front edges 
of both sides of the cover, in the middle, will 
have holes made with an awl, into which pieces 
of red tape, of two and three inches long, will 
be fastened, so as, by means of them, to tie 
them together with a bow as closely as desired. 
In practice, when three publications by the 
same author are on hand in pamphlet form, 
such an unbound volume may be commenced, 
to be titled with his name, and to be carded 
with his name, with full title of each publica- 
tion. Gradually, during several years, the 
volume will expand by additions made to it, so 
that, in some instances, besides being obliged 
to change for a wider cover, the expansion will 
extend in a short time from one to two volumes, 
to four, and even more than six volumes of dis- 
courses and the like, of 500 pages each volume 
for a single author. The longer the librarian 
is able to keep his collection of an author in an 
unbound condition the more complete will be his 
arrangement of the pamphlets by the date of 
their publication. Still, it is not best to leave 



such volumes unbound for too long a time, lest, 
by carelessness or malice, some pamphlet 
should disappear. 

The unbound volumes devoted to the writings 
of an author, or to other subjects, will frequently 
be composed in part of articles that have never 
appeared in pamphlet form, but have been 
made up from slips from newspapers cut down 
to an octavo page in length, and pasted upon 
octavo size leaves, as of a book. 

In the case of State or city documents the 
volume may commence with miscellaneous sub- 
jects ; but, gradually, by additions, retaining 
first and last the heading of the State or city, 
the volumes will subdivide themselves into 
reports on health, asylums, water, the poor, 
etc. When enough on any one topic are re- 
ceived to fill a volume in a continuous series 
they may be bound. The expansion on the 
card catalogue must correspond with the ex- 
pansion on the shelves, so that, when a volume 
on a particular subject regarding a city has 
been commenced, it should have its separate 
card. The volumes with the heading of a 
single city, Milwaukee for example, will finally 
have many volumes under that heading, with 
subordinate headings of charities, fire depart- 
ment, and the like. 

Unbound volumes relating to colleges will be 
commenced so soon as three or four pamphlets, 
catalogues, or other kinds regarding a particular 
college have come to hand ; and, when enough 
pamphlets have been collected to form a volume 
of four to six hundred pages, it can be bound 
in the usual manner, and ticketed Vol. I., and 
so, successively, for following volumes. For 
some of the older colleges, whose pamphlets of 
various kinds will be very numerous, as much 
classification as may be convenient should be 
indulged in, annual catalogues, triennial cata- 
logues, annual reports, obituary notices, class 
histories, inaugurations, etc. Our set of Har- 
vard College publications make thirty volumes ; 
of Yale College, twenty-four ; and of Columbia 



VINTON, 



College twenty volumes, all averaging more 
than 500 pages each. All of these have been 
bound, except three or four, which are waiting 
for the process of growth. 

The same method is pursued with periodicals 
and serials generally. If a set of thirty vol- 
umes of a review is complete, except in part of 
a volume, the part on hand is placed on the 
shelves unbound, and carded. And so, also, 
with the proceedings of ecclesiastical conven- 
tions and reports of all societies and associa- 
tions. As few as possible are to be massed in 
pamphlet volumes of a miscellaneous cast ; but, 
if there is a fair probability of obtaining enough 
to make a volume, they should remain unbound 
until enough have been obtained for at least 
a single one. 

The advantages of the system are, that, so 
far as it is carried out, one readily can tell just 
what pamphlets are in the possession of the 
library, and the inquiries of readers can be 
definitely answered. It secures the library 
from unnecessarily multiplying duplicates. The 
wants of the library are constantly suggested 
from the cards and the presence of the un- 
bound volumes. The New York State Library 
has not sufficient staff to carry out this plan as 
thoroughly as is desirable. Consequently there 
are always 10,000 loose pamphlets, assorted 
under subjects with which they have an affinity, 



waiting to be picked out, as time favors, and to 
be put in an unbound volume, or be bound up 
wi^h our thousands of volumes of miscellaneous 
pamphlets. Whereas it would be desirable that, 
under the system, all pamphlets in the library 
could be as speedily catalogued, as the books 
are, and at the same time be subject-indexed. 
The sources from whence covers in sufficient 
numbers for the purpose can be obtained are : 
from the covers of cloth-bound books when 
sent to the bookbinders by the library ; from 
the bookbinders who will give up, for a trifle, 
covers which they take off of the books which 
they bind ; and from the unused cases or covers 
prepared for editions of thin and thick volumes 
which they have occasion to bind. The same 
covers may serve several times in succession 
for fresh unbound volumes ; the first pamphlets 
placed there having become numerous enough , 
or consecutive in serial numbers enough, to 
admit of their being bound. The upper left- 
hand corner of each card of an unbound volume 
should have plainly written there, with a lead- 
pencil, u.b. or unbound. And when, in due 
time, the u.b. volume reaches a condition to 
render it expedient to bind it in the usual man- 
ner, this symbol should be rubbed off the card . 
The whole plan here set forth is especially 
adapted to a reference-library, or to the refer- 
ence department of a popular library. 



THE NEW ASTOR CATALOGUE. 



BY F. VINTON, LIBRARIAN OF THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY. 



THE reissue of a Catalogue of the Astor 
Library, presenting all the contents of that 
great and choice assemblage of books, is of in- 
terest to every intelligent American ; for that 
library is larger and more select than any other 
to which we are offered access. It is cause for 
congratulation that this first volume is so well 
edited and so well printed. Many things show 
that high intelligence and learned caution have 
watched over it. Oriental names have been 
skilfully treated ; and a comparison of the 
pages with the corresponding parts of the alpha- 
bet in Brunet demonstrates that few books of 



signal importance are yet wanting in the col- 
lection. The chief deficiency thus far notice- 
able is " Art (L 1 ) de verifier les dates." 

Three forms are possible in making a cata- 
logue, all depending on what stands first in the 
titles. The first thing may be an author's 
name ; or, the subject of the book may be 
written over the title as a heading ; or, the title 
may be entered under its first word. Origi- 
nally all catalogues took the first form ; the 
second makes a true subject-index ; the third is 
meant to help the memory, and is very useful 
in respect to novels, plays, and poems. But, 



i8 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



to enter every title under its first word, aggre- 
gates enormous numbers under such words as 
" History," "Address," and the like, with vory 
little benefit to anybody. Besides, it swells 
prodigiously the bulk and the cost of the cata- 
logue. We have so long been accustomed to 
the alphabetical list of authors' names that 
many people expect that in every catalogue. 
But it is useless for purposes of research. It 
is of no use except to the man who already 
knows that a certain author has written upon a 
given subject. What the student needs is in- 
formation on a certain topic ; and, if a catalogue 
shows him all the library contains on that sub- 
ject, it is all he wants. Such a catalogue is a 
true dictionary, and a dictionary is the shortest 
road to knowledge. Some catalogues unite 
the list of authors with the list of topics in one 
alphabet. That is the plan of the Boston Pub- 
lic Library. The Peabody Institute, of Balti- 
more, adds to these the series of titles under 
the first word of each. This makes a book 
exceedingly bulky and expensive. The two 
volumes of their catalogue yet issued contain 
1826 pages, of double columns, and full of small 
type. They include the titles A-G. If con- 
tinued in this manner to the end there will be 
five volumes, and much more than 4,000 pages. 
If one of these pages cost $3, the cost of 
merely printing the whole must be more than 
$12,000; and the subject-index will yet be 
wanting. 

The new Astor Catalogue gives every title 
under the author's name, and elsewhere notices 
the same book under the first word of the title. 
It gives no aid to research. All the help it 
gives is for him who remembers that a certain 
author has written on a given subject, or re- 
members the first word of a title having to do 
with it. It is true there are cross-references 



meant to guide to a few select topics. But these 
bear no proportion to the wealth of the library. 
They may be said to be of no use, for the stu- 
dent is never sure that his topic has been 
selected. They may be called excrescences, 
marring the harmony of the plan, for they can- 
not be called part of it. If this catalogue is 
to be followed by a subject-index these cross- 
references should be found there. Alas ! there 
is no promise in the preface of any subject- 
index at all ! And, if there shall be no subject- 
index, these beautiful volumes merely mock 
the inquirer. 

Another pitiable waste of work is in the 
copious tables of contents given under the 
names of learned societies. Of what use are 
they, standing where they do? Is any man 
going to read them over for the chance of 
remembering who wrote upon some subject? 
W T e may be thankful that they have been ana- 
lyzed, and that each man's contribution is under 
his name. But even that is of value chiefly to 
the biographer, for it is not also set under the 
topic discussed. 

At the beginning of each letter is a copious 
collection of initialisms found in the title-pages 
of certain books. These are a sort of pseudo- 
nyms, but they are the proper contents of a 
dictionary of initialisms, and are out of place 
here; for the words "authors and books" are 
prefixed as a heading to this catalogue, and an 
initialism is neither. 

Whatever its excellences, this catalogue 
shows want of wisdom and want of strictness 
in adhering to the plan. Its authors fixed 
their attention on details, and not on the way 
to be useful. These characteristics may not 
have originated in those who did the work, but 
in those who formed the plan, and fixed the 
lines of the cataloguers' operation. 



BARTON. 



THE FIRST CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN LIBRARIANS. 

BY EDMUND M. BARTON, LIBRARIAN OF THE AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY, 

WORCESTER. 



F) EPRESENTING, as I do, a society which 
IV has for nearly seventy-five years attempted 
not only to preserve books relating to America, 
but to make them as well, I shall be excused, 
at least by my A.L.A. associates, for announc- 
ing as the subject of my short paper, that 
which relates to the dead past, and not to the 
living present. It might be added, if any fur- 
ther excuse were necessary, that the American 
Antiquarian Society had much to do with the 
calling of the meeting of 1853, and still holds 
to Ovid's sound doctrine upon it sseal, that 
"Nee poterit ferrum, nee edax abolere vetu- 
stas." 

My purpose is twofold : to give a hasty 
sketch of the proceedings of " the first Con- 
vention of Librarians that ever assembled in 
the United States," and to draw from three of 
its members and ours Messrs. Poole, Guild, 
and Smith their impressions of that intelli- 
gent and clear-headed body whom we of the 
American Library Association of 1876-1886 
may well delight to honor. 1 

The " Call," which was signed by twenty- 
four librarians, was as follows : " The under- 
signed, believing that the knowledge of books, 
and the formation and management of collec- 
tions of them for public use, may be promoted 
by consultation and concert of action among 
librarians and others interested in bibliography, 
respectfully invite such persons to meet in con- 
vention at New York, on the I5th day of Sep- 
tember next, for the purpose of conferring 
together upon the means of advancing the 
prosperity and usefulness of public libraries 
and for the suggestion and discussion of topics 
of importance to book collectors and readers." 
At the informal meeting in the chapel of the 
New York University, Thursday morning of 
the day appointed, fifty-three delegates were in 

1 Mr. Lloyd P. Smith, our friend dearly beloved, rested 
from his abundant labors on the second day of July, iSS6. 



attendance. Mr. Charles Folsom was elected 
temporary chairman, Mr. Charles C. Jewett, 
president, and Mr. Ed. B. Grant, Secretary. 
Rev. Samuel Osgood made the wise and far- 
sighted statement that " the object of the Con- 
vention will be to create a cooperative spirit 
among librarians, and there is no class in the 
community that deserves more honor ; for how 
much do we owe them ! We should call the 
attention of the people at large to the desirable- 
ness of establishing a good popular library in 
every village." He also offered the following 
resolutions, which were adopted : 

"Resolved, That while we maintain most 
decidedly the importance of libraries of the 
highest class, in furtherance of the most ad- 
vanced literary and scientific studies, and re- 
joice in the rise and progress of our few great 
collections of books for professional scholars, 
we are convinced that for the present our chief 
hope must be in the establishment and im- 
provement of popular libraries throughout the 
land. 

" Resolved, That the Business Committee 
be requested to call attention to the desirable- 
ness of a popular library manual, which shall 
embody the most important information upon 
the chief points in question, especially upon : 
I. The best organization of a library society 
in regard to its officers, laws, funds, and gen- 
eral regulations ; 2. The best plans for library 
edifices and the arrangement of shelves and 
books, with the requisite architectural draw- 
ings; 3. The most approved method of making 
out and printing catalogues ; 4. The most 
desirable principle to be followed in the selec- 
tion and purchase of books as to authors and 
editions, with lists of such works as are best 
suited for libraries of various sizes from five 
hundred to one thousand volumes or upwards. 

" Resolved, That the Business Committee be 
requested to consider the expediency of me- 
morializing Congress to procure the preparation 



20 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



of such a manual through the agency of the 
Smithsonian Institution." 

The president appointed Mr. Guild, of Provi- 
dence, and Rev. Mr. Osgood, of New York, a 
committee upon these resolutions. 

The first resolution indicated a need which 
the country was not yet ready to endorse, nor 
is it to-day fully willing to do so, though its 
wisdom cannot well be gainsaid. The second, 
as we know, bore fruit five years later, when 
the chairman of the committee, Mr. Guild, 
issued his admirable Librarian's Manual. 

Mr. Folsom read a paper on " The Duties 
apd Qualifications of Librarians and the Impor- 
tance of Libraries," and Mr. John Disturnell, 
the publisher, one in which he proposed a plan 
for the preparation of a catalogue of works re- 
lating to American history and geography, 
and statistics of population, emigration, agri- 
culture, internal improvements, minerals, coin- 
age, and banking. 

Invitations were duly received and accepted 
to dine with an association of gentlemen at the 
Kemball House, in Nineteenth street, and to 
visit the New York Historical and New York 
Society libraries. Wyman's gallery of paint- 
ings, the Crystal Palace, and Banvard's pano- 
rama. 

Mr. Guild offered the following resolutions, 
which were adopted : 

" Resolved, That this Convention be re- 
garded as preliminary to the formation of a 
Librarian's Association. 

" Resolved, That a committee of five be ap- 
pointed to draft a constitution and by-laws for 
such an association, and present them at the 
next meeting of the Convention. 

''Resolved, That when the Convention ad- 
journs it adjourn to meet in Washington City, 
at such time as the said committee shall ap- 
point. l 

" Resolved, That this committee be requested 
to suggest topics for written communications 
or free discussion at this adjourned meeting, 
and also to make such other arrangements as 
shall, in their judgment, be best adapted to 
meet the wants of the public in regard to the 
whole subject of libraries and library economy." 

1 The Second Conference was held in Philadelphia, 
October 4-6, 1876. 



Messrs. Jewett, Folsom, Grant, Haywood, 
and Guild were appointed the committee on 
permanent organization, called for by the 
second resolution. 

Mr. Lloyd P. Smith presented a resolution 
with reference to the distribution of public 
documents through the Smithsonian Institu- 
tion. Mr. Gorham D. Abbott read .the follow- 
ing, which was adopted : 

" Resolved, That the time has now arrived 
when the extension of well-selected libraries of 
one thousand, five thousand, or ten thousand 
volumes throughout the towns and villages, the 
associations, the institutions, the schools of 
every kind in the United States, has become a 
matter of the greatest importance to the future 
welfare of our country. 

''Resolved, That a committee of three be 
appointed to report a digested plan for the 
promotion of this object at the next meeting 
of this Convention;" and Messrs. Abbott, 
Haven, and Jewett were named as that com- 
mittee. 

Mr. Charles Folsom submitted the follow- 
ing: 

" Resolved, That we have examined the work 
entitled ' Index to Periodicals,' by W. F. 
Poole, librarian of the Mercantile Library 
Association of Boston, and that we approve of 
its plan and execution, and that we recommend 
a similar plan of indexing to be extended to the 
transactions and memoirs of learned societies." 

It was, on motion of Mr. Guild, 

" Resolved, That the members of this Con- 
vention cordially recommend the mutual inter- 
change of the printed catalogues of all our 
public libraries." 

An editorial in the New York Herald, of the 
issue of September 17, 1853, says: "From 
the report of the Librarians' Convention, in an- 
other part of our paper, it will be seen that 
they have not met in vain. Several resolutions 
of a most important nature to the cause of 
libraries were passed, and if carried into exe- 
cution, as we trust they will be, great and 
beneficial changes must take place in the pres- 
ent methods of arranging, classifying, and 
managing libraries throughout the United 
States. In these important particulars we are 
fast going ahead of other countries. . . . 



WOODRUFF. 



21 



There is one feature which distinguishes this 
Convention above all others, and that is the 
entire unanimity with which its proceedings 
are conducted." Let me add that it is unfor- 
tunate that the official records of this Conven- 
tion, at which so many good resolutions were 
at least made, have apparently not been pre- 
served. Lt would be of real interest to know 
who responded at the session which was given 
up to the reports of librarians. We know that 
our president reported for the Mercantile 
Library Association of Boston ; Mr. Samuel 
F. Haven, for fifteen years my beloved mentor, 
for the American Antiquarian Society ; Rev. 
Edward E. Hale, for the then newly born 



Young Men's Library Association of Worces- 
ter, of which the Free Public Library is the 
rugged offspring; Mr. Charles Folsom, for the 
Boston Athenaeum ; Mr. Reuben A. Guild, for 
Brown University; Mr. Lloyd P. Smith, for 
the Library of Philadelphia ; and Mr. Charles 
C. Jewett, for the Smithsonian Institution ; 
but beyond this short list we cannot go. It is 
probable that there were no lady members of 
the conference of '53 ; but the world moves, 
and we of '86, looking at this goodly company 
of men and women, will not only be thankful 
that we can together do the great work set 
before us, but also for the blessings which so 
surely come with its faithful performance. 



UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES AND SEMINARY METHODS OF 

INSTRUCTION. 



BY EDWIN H. WOODRUFF, CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. 



THE recent labors of librarians have been 
almost wholly directed to library econ- 
omy. This term may be more narrowly con- 
strued as having for its object the service, 
mainly by mechanical means, of the maximum 
number of books to the largest number of read- 
ers in the shortest possible time, and at a mini- 
mum expense. In its aggravated form it is 
fully possessed of what the president of Johns 
Hopkins, on a recent occasion, aptly called the 
" statistical devil." 

The mechanical devices which library econ- 
omy has called out have hitherto relieved many 
actual necessities, and there should be no word 
of depreciation for those who have zealously 
and unselfishly devoted themselves to the in- 
vention and perfection of these labor-saving 
contrivances. Yet it is becoming noticeable 
that the engrossing inventive interest which 
has been excited, in librarians of a mechanical 
turn of mind, by the demand for the most eco- 
nomical administration of our large libraries, 
may result in blinding their eyes to those who 
should be the objects of any such contrivance 
soever, namely, the readers. This particular 



phase of library-work is beginning to be pur- 
sued for its own sake, and the result is show- 
ing in an occasional discussion of frivolous 
themes, and in the restless effort to elaborate 
simple articles that have always been of com- 
mon utility into library trinkets of somewhat 
questionable worth. 

While those librarians have been debating 
the recent advances in step-ladders, or have 
feverishly discussed the latest wrinkle in cata- 
logue cards, or have waxed violent over the 
merits of various combination pen-wipers and 
inkstands, others, comparatively few in this 
country, have been devoting themselves, in the 
privacy of their vocation, to pure bibliography, 
if what is more often sheer bibliomania should 
be dignified by a considerate euphemism. 

To these bookmen there is no odor so fra- 
grant as the sensuous pungency of crushed le- 
vant, no sight so ravishing as the gilded mazes 
of filagree tooling. A tremulous word or un- 
certain ligature made five hundred years ago by 
some lean, monkish scribe, who had too fully 
explored his cup's design at the refectory table, 
hatches a brood of their learned monographs, 



22 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



which flutter about in our libraries with piercing 
and critical notes. But this sort of bookish 
enterprise is sane and worthy too, if it does not 
go to the irrational extreme which has just been 
suggested. When, however, it is pursued, it 
may well be left to those laymen whose wealth, 
aptitude, and leisure incline them to it, and it 
should not be done at the slightest sacrifice, 
even in a library which only assumes to touch 
the people at the third or fourth remove. 

The first-mentioned tendency to reduce li- 
brary-work to service by machinery finds its 
counterpart in our present industrial condition, 
which manifests itself in the substitution of a 
few large industries for many small ones, call- 
ing for a limited number of mechanical en- 
gineers to invent and superintend, and not for 
many skilled workmen with a comprehensive 
knowledge of the scope and continuity of their 
work. There are no longer apprentices being 
equipped by various service for any emergency, 
and there are few workmen with a sense of 
mastership or ownership over their machines 
and themselves. So, too, in our libraries (for 
they are not one whit less important than the 
greatest material industries) the machinery of 
administration is now bewildering enough to 
the ordinary person, however familiar and re- 
sponsive it may be to the unseen officers ; and 
the elimination of the hearty personal interest, 
however much divided, of sympathetic libra- 
rians, leaves nothing to nurse the ardor of will- 
ing readers, or to angle for the susceptibilities 
of unwilling ones. Readers should be led to 
assert a mastership over books, and to feel the 
harmony of books with books, and of books 
with men. Something should be done whereby 
a division of part of the functions of intricate 
catalogues and microscopic classifications may 
be made, and those divisions controlled and 
supplemented by constant oral information, 
based upon extensive knowledge, and inspired 
by abundant personal sympathy. 

A sick or vicious animal will be helped 
farther toward health by a little food, fed from 
a sympathetic hand, than by all the fat oats in 
the manger. Half the frequenters of a library 
\\ant the good word and the helpful tone that 
should go with every book, but which so often 
must come from outside of it. 



The duty of a library is not merely to put a 
book into the hands of the reader in the 
shortest possible time, something that any 
book-store will do for a consideration ; but its 
highest function should be to excite in him that 
intelligent love and reverence for books, and 
responsiveness to them, which have been ex- 
perienced and celebrated by the best of minds 
of all times, to kindle in him some of the 
joy that a confirmed book-lover realizes in the 
friendship of books. When such a one scans 
a shelf of books he feels a subtle and pleasur- 
able mental activity excited within him, and 
the volumes have faces and voices for him as 
soon as he reads their titles. When his eye 
catches an old friend in dingy cloth, how his 
forefinger leaps up, draws the book from its 
place, and fondles each familiar page ! when he 
spies an inimical pamphlet, his lip twitches 
with the hint of a sneer ; how he laughs aloud 
when he recalls the jolly companionship of the 
next fellow in motley ! and best of all is his 
greeting to the new-comer in two volumes, 
large 8, full gilt, whose advent has long been 
announced, and which is destined to " mark an 
epoch," if the critics are to be believed. He 
catches his breath in a half-suppressed excla- 
mation, and, impelled forward by irresistible 
curiosity, he takes down both volumes at once, 
with a gentle scraping as they rub their neigh- 
bors' sides. When he opens them the leaves 
stand stiffly up or bend but little, as if unduly 
conscious of the weight and beauty of their 
impressions ; but, oblivious of this vanity, he 
thrusts his beak into the shadowy and honeyed 
depths between the uncut leaves, whence he 
withdraws with a meditative look, only to seek 
again for nourishment farther on. Such an 
intelligent and active love of books as this 
it should be the aim of every library to quicken 
and foster in the community which it is meant 
to serve, and the immediate practical purpose 
of this paper is an attempt to show how this 
desideratum may, in some degree, be achieved 
by a university library. It must have been 
already inferred from the foregoing that the 
chief requisite is an oral supplement to cata- 
logues, classifications, and all mechanical econo- 
mies. Those who have in mind the confession 
of the president of Harvard in speaking of 



WOODRUFF. 



card catalogues, or any one who has rescued a 
keen young student or a sagacious old professor 
from the labyrinthian complexus of an im- 
proved dictionary catalogue with its signs, 
tokens, and elusive references, must have 
recognized that thereabouts somewhere there 
is a great loss in the efficiency of the library, 
that between library economy on one side, 
and pure bibliography on the other, there has 
been left a gap to be filled in by an energy 
whose manifestation must differ from that 
shown in those two kinds of library activity. 

At the end of a four years' course in college, 
the student usually takes away with him ac- 
quirements well worth his labor. But his atti- 
tude during those years of acquisition has been 
one of passive receptivity. With youthful ap- 
petite and eupepsia he has eaten all things put 
into his mouth, and pronounced them good. 
He has been led to look upon his professors 
and text-books as final authorities in their own 
departments. He has not learned how to dis- 
tinguish and question, in a deferential way, even 
those things about which the judgment of 
youth is apt to be quite as correct as the ex- 
perience of age. He remembers the trigonom- 
etry of his freshman year as something con- 
cerned with the measurement of triangles ; 
that it used sines and cotangents ; that he 
passed an honorable examination in it; that 
his teacher was Prof. A., and the text-book was 
by B. He thinks that, twenty years hence, he 
could, if necessary, brush up his knowledge 
sufficiently to solve an easy problem. But, 
unfortunately, the professor has neglected to 
impress upon him that other men besides B. 
have written trigonometries, and that, within 
twenty years, there will be many written which 
will be far more lucid and practical, and much 
less expensive than B.'s. The professor has 
not thought to show him the mutability of 
trigonometry by giving him a peep at the backs 
of the dozens in the library ; so that at the end 
of four years he carries away of his term's 
work in this branch of mathematics, aside 
from its disciplinary value, only two things of 
practical worth. the name of one particular 
text-book, and a vague idea of its use ; when 
he should have learned also that mathema- 
ticians will not quit cooking when he has been 



served, and that twenty years hence their food 
will be more nutritious and easier of digestion. 
What is here applied to trigonometry, for pur- 
poses of illustration, is more true of literary 
and historical subjects. The practical duty of 
a college library, in addition to the general 
one of creating such a love of books as has 
been already described, is to teach the student 
how he may, if necessary, at any time in his 
post-collegiate years, seek out and use the 
books that have displaced or carried along the 
knowledge of his college-days. It should re- 
veal to him the fact that no text-book or pro- 
fessor's word is final. And he should feel that 
the college has done all it can for him when it 
has led him into the library, taught him to 
love, reverence, and use its contents, and made 
him acquainted with those books which are 
letters accrediting a man to all good books 
published, or to be published, making him 
known, and served by the best minds and 
hearts all his life through. 

This leads us to the inquiry, how students 
and library may be brought closer together, 
and what is now being done in our universities 
to offer a hope in the enterprise. At Harvard 
the chief cataloguer delivers one lecture a year 
on the use of catalogue. At Cornell and the 
University of Michigan the librarians give an- 
nually a valuable course of lectures on bibliog- 
raphy, including the history of manuscripts 
and printed books, binding, and other biblio- 
graphical detail, with some attention also to 
catalogues and other aids in the use of the 
library. Such instruction very properly has a 
place in a scheme of general education ; but 
dealing so exclusively with bibliography, it 
must be dismissed from consideration here, as 
not securing the close contact with books, and 
skill in their use, which fill the objective of this 
plea. Something has been accomplished by 
reserving books for various classes, and giving 
their members free access to them ; but, inas- 
much as students will not consult these refer- 
ences unless especially required to do so, and 
give the professor the results as proof of con- 
sultation, this plan also fails of our purpose. 

There are, however, now being introduced 
into American universities, two methods of 
instruction, which promise, in time, to offer a 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



practicable solution of the difficulty. The first 
of these is the modern seminary method, which 
has been evolved out of the old ecclesiastical 
training in defence of original theses. Its 
present application has been mainly confined to 
the study of history and political economy, 
where it fills a place similar to that g'iven up to 
laboratory and experimental work in natural 
science. The seminary may or may not be 
attendant upon recitations or a course of lect- 
ures, and is open only to a limited number of 
advanced students, to each of whom, at the 
beginning of the work, is assigned a subject, 
which may or may not be related to those 
assigned to other members. The student's 
work on that subject is carried perhaps through 
a year, reports of progress being made to the 
professor at the periodical meetings of the 
seminary. Errors of logic or rhetoric are 
revealed by a bit of Socratic banter. Errors 
of fact may be rebuked by the professor's 
reference to an authority which has escaped 
the student's search, and which he is asked to 
consult then and there, for the room in which 
the seminary is conducted, is, or should be, in 
the library building. 

At the beginning the student is given a list 
of authorities which, once searched out, only 
lead him into his subject still farther by a 
thousand allusions and foot-notes until he is 
soon beyond the professor's support, though 
not beyond his oversight and counsel. May 
be, before his task is finished, he finds that he 
has explored a corner of " original sources," 
the historian's paradise. The monograph of 
one or two hundred pages, offered as the result 
of his labor, may not always be worthy of pub- 
lication as an important contribution to knowl- 
edge, but it does nevertheless witness that the 
student has learned the chief practical use of 
the university library ; that he has become 
skilled in private research ; and, more essential 
than either, that he has felt at least a prelim- 
inary glow of that friendship for books which 
made it natural for Charles Lamb to give a kiss 
to an old folio, as Leigh Hunt once saw him 
do to Chapman's Homer. 

This is what the student has acquired from 
the librarian's point of view, and it is not 
within the range of this paper to say from the 



professor's stand-point what special historical 
knowledge has been gained by this method of 
instruction. 

The other method of instruction which brings 
its students into close relations with the library 
is the topical method, which has, thus far, like 
the seminary, been somewhat limited in its ap- 
plication. Students are assigned topics directly 
connected with the subjects being treated by 
the professor in lectures or recitations, and are 
required to make a report to the class, at a given 
time, upon the results of their library-work on 
the topic. They are directed to a few author- 
ities by the professor, and, in consulting addi- 
tional ones, they are governed by their zeal and 
the time at their disposal. Here are some of 
the topics treated in five or ten minute talks by 
members of a class in American history : Good- 
rich's "Life of Columbus; " Alden's " Life of 
Columbus ; " The Portraits of Columbus ; The 
Burial-place of Columbus. A part of the colo- 
nial period was covered in this way by students 
to whom were assigned some of the colonial 
governors, who served as subjects for so many 
brief lectures to the class. 

What the advantages of this method are 
from the teacher's stand-point can best be told 
in the words of Professor Moses Coit Tyler, 
who has for some time successfully adapted it 
to his work : 

"I have found it impossible by the two 
former [recitations and lectures] to keep my 
students from settling into a merely passive 
attitude; it is only by the latter [topical 
method] that I can get them into an attitude 
that is inquisitive, eager, critical, originating. 
My notion is that lecturing must be reciprocal. 
As I lecture to them, so must they lecture to 
me. We are all students and all lecturers. 
The law of life with us is cooperation in the 
search after the truth of history." 

From the librarian's point of view any one 
who has seen the dexterity and earnestness 
with which students reach into the books of the 
university library in search of material for these 
reports, and compares it with the indifference 
to the library displayed by students who have 
been bred down to mere passivity by lectures 
and recitations, will understand how the topical 
method affords one other help towards the 



WOODRUFF. 



achievement of that close relation to be estab- 
lished between man and book. 

Unfortunately the seminary method can be 
applied with satisfactory results only to a 
limited number of advanced students who are 
well-grounded in the general subjects with 
which they will find the object of their special 
investigation connecting itself as their work 
progresses. They must also devote much 
more time to this work than can be given to it 
by the regular student who must also answer 
the demands of other studies. The topical 
method, however, can be applied successfully 
with a much larger number of students ; and, 
although it does not carry them so far into 
knowledge of their particular subjects as the 
seminary method would do, yet it gives them 
quite as much facility in the use of the library, 
and shows them more fully the variety of its re- 
sources. 

There is no reason why both of these methods 
may not be applied with success, not only in his- 
torical study, but also to instruction in natural 
science, technology, letters, or any knowledge 
preserved and nourished by a literature, and 
having a place in the university library. 

In schemes of instruction these methods 
should take their place along with lectures and 
recitations, which will be none the less neces- 
sary for being so supplemented ; and the limit 
of the efficiency of the university library will 
be marked, so far as the students are affected, 
only at that point where the topics assigned 
must be so far subdivided, in order to serve all, 
as to require no special inquiry on the part of 
the student. Probably that point would never 
be reached. 

Both of these methods, extended in applica- 
tion and fairly used, would effect the installa- 
tion of every professor as active librarian-of his 
department in the university library, as far as 
its use by students is concerned. The miss- 
ing aid, distinct personal assistance, 'would be 
found in the professor. This plan would 
strongly emphasize and undoubtedly realize 
Carlyle's statement that " the true university is 
a collection of books," and, in bringing stu- 
dents and library together in intimacy, it would 
fulfil that use of universities 'which he said, on 
another occasion, " is, that after you have done 



with all your classes, the next thing is a collec- 
tion of books, a great library of good books^ 
which you proceed to study and read. What 
the universities can mainly do for you, what 
I have found the universities did for me, is, 
that they taught me to read in various languages 
in various sciences, so that I could go into the 
books which treated of these things, and gradu- 
ally penetrate into any department I wanted to 
make myself master of, as I found it suit 
me." 

And now a suggestion as to what can be 
done to attain similar conditions in the public 
library. You are all familiar with what has 
been done towards making the public library 
and the public schools complement each other 
in a scheme of popular education. What is 
the best way in which those outside the public 
school, but within the ken of the public library, 
can find the holy inner kingdom of books, and 
be set upon the high road to an intellectual life? 
Catalogues, classifications, and economic 
devices can contribute ; but they must be 
manned by wise heads and sympathetic hearts, 
which should search out, satisfy, and excite 
further, not only those readers who may re- 
quest help, but also the far larger number who 
may be found wasting time and patience in a 
blind and indiscriminate pursuit of information. 
Let the public library be considered by its libra- 
rians as a hospital for crippled minds, quite as 
much as an aid to those persons who already 
understand and appreciate it. There need not 
be fewer catalogue-cards with their sparse and 
grudging notes, but near the catalogues, and 
among the readers, there ought to be active 
and helpful librarians, whose sole duty should 
be to furnish dral notes and advice in extenso. 

Two of the main uses of the policeman are, 
to direct the stranger, and help the feeble. 
The great retail stores have their floor-walkers, 
who point you to the elevator or lace-counter 
with insistent unction. Railroad corporations 
have discovered that index sign-boards and in- 
tricate time-tables are riddles to many persons 
even of more than ordinary intelligence, and 
have therefore supplemented those devices in 
large depots with an oral information man who 
succeeds in adjusting the passenger-service of 
the road to the particular wants of individuals, 



26 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



and not merely to the presumptive wants of 
that abstraction, the " patron." But where, in 
our American public libraries, is there a like 
officer, whose chief duties are to set right a 
perverted reader ; to direct the lost reader 
through the crowd of 100,000 books to the 
friend he is seeking ; to tell all the connections 
to be made, and all the delays to be endured on 
the " Royal Road to Learning? " 

Let us rest a bit from the invention of me- 
chanical substitutes for personal contact with 
books and librarians, before we end up in at- 
tempting experiments for the determination of 
the mechanical equivalent of thought. 

Let us leave pure bibliography for a while 



entirely to emeritus professors and scholarly 
millionaires. Let librarians now look around 
more for an opportunity to do personal hospital 
and reformatory service. 

Poolers Index, the catalogues of Cutter and 
Noyes, the organization and administration of 
the great Boston Public Library, and the vol- 
umes of the Library jottrnal, are the best 
results of modern library-work. There are two 
more tasks here with us, which, successfully 
extended and accomplished, will take rank 
with those achievements ; and these are co- 
operative bibliographical work and the intro- 
duction of prominent and distinct personal 
assistance to readers in libraries. 



COOPERATION OF THE NEWTON FREE LIBRARY WITH THE 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS, 1885-6. 

BY MISS HANNAH P. JAMES, LIBRARIAN OF THE NEWTON FREE LIBRARY. 



OUR first year of work with the public 
schools of Newton, although partial, has 
been so successful in its results in awakening 
the intelligence and interest of the pupils that 
it seems worthy of record and imitation. 

The first step taken was the establishment of 
a friendly acquaintance between the librarian 
and the teachers ; and, to that end, a personal 
visit was made by the librarian to nearly every 
school in the city, the methods of the proposed 
work explained, and the offer of every assist- 
ance on the part of the librarian given. 

Ten cards were allowed each teacher on 
which to draw books for the use of the schools, 
the selection to be confined strictly to such as 
would aid in the mental and moral growth of 
the pupils. The selecting of books for the 
lower grades of the grammar and for the 
primary schools was practically left almost 
entirely in the hands of the librarian, the 
teachers giving a list of the studies being pur- 
sued as a basis for the selections. A careful 
record was kept of the shelf-number of each 
book loaned, and the school and grade to 
which it was sent, which was of great assist- 
ance. 



The teachers of the High School and upper 
grammar grades generally indicated the special 
books, desired, or the particular points they 
wished to elucidate. 

Of the most useful and popular books in 
history, biography, travel, and natural science, 
more or less duplicates were purchased, and 
about $450 were spent in that way. 

All these books were to be used in the 
schools, or were allowed to be taken home by 
the pupils, at the discretion of the teacher, he 
or she, of course, being responsible for their 
careful use and safe return. The books were 
issued for two weeks' time, but at the end of 
that period could be renewed upon a seasonable 
request being made to that effect. The number 
of times of such renewal was unlimited, but it 
was thought advisable to have a report of the 
books every two weeks. 

Owing to a press of other work the librarian 
was unable to visit all the schools until late in the 
spring, so that the work did not have a full trial. 
One school commenced in September, four in 
October, one. each in November, December, 
and January, one each in April and May, and 
two in June. But with this partial delivery 



HOOPER. 



27 



2,300 books were loaned to the schools, inclu- 
sive of renewals. 

The Superintendent of Schools and the 
teachers are enthusiastic in their opinion as to 
the amount of good accomplished, and of 
the interest in intelligent study and reading 
awakened. Though entailing some extra care 
and responsibility upon the teachers, the books 
were found to so quicken the minds of the 
children, and create a desire to read them, that, 
when used as a reward for good lessons or 
good conduct, they served as powerful aids in 
the discipline of the schools. 

Through their diffusion, too, among families 
living at a distance from the library, and so 



unacquainted with its treasures, the work is 
having a very marked influence ; and this fact 
is indicated in a measure by an increase of our 
delivery during the first six months of this 
year of nearly 4,000 over the first six months 
of last year. Without doubt a large share of 
this increase is owing to a better knowledge of 
and interest in the library, which has been 
the result of the work of the library with the 
schools. 1 

1 [Miss James writes : " In iSSg, our per cent, of fiction 
was 67.4; the first six months of this year it was 64.7; and 
in March went down to 62.7; all of which shows that the 
increased circulation was owing to a demand for solid 
reading and study." ED.] 



THE EVOLUTION OF THE HOBBY. 

BY W. DE M. HOOPER, LIBRARIAN OF THE INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC LIBRARY. 



I. OF HOBBIES IN GENERAL. 

IN classifying the natural history of the sub- 
ject my purpose will be answered by mak- 
ing three genera of the class " Imagination." 

1. The Chimera. A fabulous animal; un- 
real, the creature of a disordered imagination ; 
type of superstition and ignorance. 

2. The Hobby. Realistic; utilitarian; the 
offspring of sanity and reason ; objective ; type 
of naturalness and reality. 

3. The Ideal. The standard of perfection. 
It goes beyond nature, yet is modelled upon it. 
It is broad as the intelligence, high as the in- 
spiration, vast and deep as the scope of the 
human mind. It recognizes the lowest of cre- 
ated things as a type perfect in itself; it em- 
braces all of nature and humanity, and soars 
above the universe to fold its wings at the foot- 
stool of that Deity which is above its compre- 
hension, and which it recognizes but through 
its faith. 

How plain the evolution ! 

Out of fable into faith ; out of conjecture 
into conviction ; out of unreality into reason ; 
through chimera to crotchet ; through crotchet 
to hobby ; through hobby to inspiration ; through 
inspiration to Truth, the essence of the Divine. 



The hobby, then, occupies an intermediate 
place ; neither too illusive to discuss, perhaps 
with some profit, nor too broad and deep for 
such a paper as this. 

The very evolution of the term and its appli- 
cations follows naturally in the order of geo- 
logical and biological development : bird 
mammal man. 

Its earliest use in English was derived from 
the O.K. " hobe" and meant a small, strong- 

O 

winged falcon, trained to fly at pigeons and 
partridges ; and as hawks, like dogs and 
horses, were general pets in the days of 
falconry, and hawking was the favorite pastime, 
it is quite evident how the word " hobby " got 
its present meaning, the pursuit of an object 
for amusement and pleasure. Bartlett adds, 
" Hobby-horse is a corruption of ' hobby- 
hause ' (hawk-tossing) , or throwing off the 
hawk from the wrist. Hobby-horse is applied 
to a little pet horse by the same natural trans- 
position as a ' mews ' for hawks is now a 
stable for horses." 

The later, and better known, use of the 
word is also from the O.F. " hobin" a little, 
ambling horse. What an innocent and pleas- 
ing idea it conveys ! Little, it should be harm- 



28 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



less and under control ; ambling, it should 
not run away with us ; but a horse, and, if we 
ride it, sure to carry us somewhere. 

Again: little and not to be confounded 
with the heavy draft-horse of Perseverance ; 
ambling and does not vie with the thorough- 
bred racer of Energy, or the pawing war-horse 
of Enthusiasm ; and, still, a useful little fellow, 
mildly invigorating when gently urged, carry- 
ing us over a good deal of ground in a quiet 
way ; but, alas ! too susceptible of being ridden 
to death if exercised immoderately ; prone to 
pitch one off; and even capable of turning the 
tables and riding its master if indulged too 
far. 

James Whitcomb Riley, the Hoosier poet, 
in my presence, a short time ago, was bewail- 
ing his ill-luck with horses and his fear of them. 
" I verily believe," he said, " if I were to get 
a-straddle of a saw-horse the pesky thing would 
rear up and kick my brains out." Some 
people's hobbies are not unlike "Jim's" saw- 
horse. 

Hobbies,! apprehend, are self-imposed tasks 
taken up for pleasure, in contradistinction to 
those pursued only for profit; and a man's 
character is probably better revealed in his 
hobby than in anything else. He must possess 
both heart and imagination to have one ; and 
a very unpleasant and dangerous neighbor he 
would be without these : that is, without tastes, 
without inclinations, without likes. 

Hobbies are begun in childhood. How 
many boys and girls have started with a mania 
for collecting postage-stamps and crazy-quilt 
scraps, and have carried out their destiny in 
after-life by giving fabulous prices for cracked 
cups and saucers, peach-blow vases, bric-a-brac, 
and " articles of bigotry and virtue," as Mrs. 
Malaprop calls them ! 

How often people's hobbies endear them to 
us, in giving a touch of eccentricity to their 
character, and revealing many an amiable and 
lovable trait ! 

Who of us does not know some one with a 
hobby for making everybody happy, one of 
those angels of light whose sole aim seems to 
be to infuse comfort, and help, and purity into 
the lives of others ? God bless and multiply all 
such ! The world is sweeter and better and 



brighter for their presence in it, and heaven a 
gainer at their departure. 

There are some hobby-riders, of course, from 
whom the instinct of self-preservation prompts 
us to fly, the bores. It is not necessary to 
enumerate them all ; in fact- it would be im- 
possible. The musical prodigy, the amateur 
painter, the family genealogist, the croaker with 
a pet grievance or an illusionary disease, the 
critic who would lose his reputation if he praised 
anything ; the nil admirari of any kind ; that 
very American animal, you know, the mono- 
anglo-maniac ; the political economist who 
knows the country is going to the dogs, the 
gushing parent with a "smart" child, that 
despicable wretch the punster, the new convert 
to homoeopathy, the teetotal crusader, the anti- 
tobacconist, the doctrinal and dogmatic hob- 
byist, who has not suffered from some 
aggravated type of most of these afflictions, 
besides others " too numerous to mention ?" 

And then the hobbyists with but one idea, 
who delude themselves that they are leading in 
the grand race of life, and do not realize that 
their steeds are tethered to a single stake by a 
single rope, and are but trampling down the 
grass in a ring, and winding themselves up in 
an ever-narrowing range till they come to a 
sudden stop only to choke to death, or to un- 
wind themselves again. Of this type was the 
old professor in a German university. He 
had filled the chair of Greek for over sixty years ; 
and when he was dying he called to his bedside 
his son, himself a grandfather. With his last 
breath he whispered: " My son, you will suc- 
ceed me as professor of Greek. Be warned 
by my example, and do not attempt to do too 
much. I started in my work with the ambition 
to master the whole of the Infinitive mode of 
the Greek verb. Had I but confined myself 
to the Aorist tense what might I not have 
accomplished ! " And then he did what he 
should have done sixty years before he 
died. 

There is but one suggestion I would make 
regarding these hobby-riders. Shut them in a 
dark room, lock the door, and await with faith 
the natural evolution, the survival of the fittest 
(or fightesf) . 

But to return. Hobbies are born of desire, 



HOOPER. 



29 



cradled in affection, nurtured by impulse, and 
develop into achievement. 

They are born of desire, for their very exist- 
ence implies an aim, an end to be sought, an 
incentive to move to action. 

They are cradled in affection, for, of neces- 
sity, they appeal and endear themselves to the 
natural inclinations of the mind whose off- 
spring they are. 

They are nurtured in impulse, for they re- 
ceive their sustenance from the fount of the 
parent will. 

Lastly, they develop into result in the addi- 
tional knowledge, the mental discipline, and 
the breadth attained in their pursuit ; and, let 
us hope, in the incidental pleasure and help 
they may have been to others. Here we have 
aim, love, motive, achievement. What more? 

How often we hear it said, "As to that, 
consult Mr. X., it is his hobby ; " and if Mr. 
X. is a man of sense and judgment we are will- 
ing to accept his dictum. 

Since librarians are always people of sense 
and judgment it follows that they should be 
successful hobbyists ; and this leads me to treat 

II. BILIOTHECAL HOBBIES IN PARTICULAR. 

I hold it true that the librarian, if any man, 
is, in his fulness, the apostle of self-culture. No 
man, neither the preacher nor the teacher, 
and they should be synonymous, has broader 
opportunity for making his work far-reaching 
and diverse. The high and low, the rich and 
poor, senility, maturity, abdolescence and juve- 
nility, wisdom and folly, dignity and impudence, 
the scholar, the specialist, the dilletante, the 
tyro, the crank, all come ambling along to him 
in never-ending, ever-changing variety. All 
need help ; all must have it. With each we 
mount his hobby and ride apace, to set him on 
his way. A pleasant task it often is, and loath 
we are to dismount and watch our late fellow 
pursuing his way beyond our ken. But, with a 
sigh and a " God speed you," back we turn, to 
greet, perchance, some sorry wight with hobby- 
horse ungirthed and saddle all awry. Buck- 
ling and tightening this and arranging that, 
we give him a lift to his saddle, put bridle in 
his hand, and, with a word of help and encour- 



agement, away he goes, perhaps to fall again, 
perhaps to reach his goal. 

Verily, these are some of the compensations 
in the librarian's work ! 

Heigho ! what should we do if others had 
no hobbies ; and, above all, if we had none our- 
selves? We haven't. Who said so? Well, 
we just have, lots- of them, and proud we are of 
our pets. 

How about "reformed spelling" and deci- 
mal notation, classification, close and loose, 
duets rivalling in intensity and vigor those 
sung by our feline friends upon back walls in 
dead of night? And all the cooperatives, 
cooperative cataloguing, cooperative indexing, 
cooperative purchasing, and in time, perhaps 
(who knows?) cooperative reading, coopera- 
tive thinking, cooperative brains, and (why 
not?) the grand central bureau of cooperative 
management ; and so, with the aid of rubber 
stamps, stenographers, and electricity, do 
away with the necessity for librarians alto- 
gether? 

Then the subject of buildings, great and 
small ; shelf systems ; pneumatic and auto- 
matic indicators; subject colors for binding; 
buckram vs. leather ; and the school, fiction, 
and juvenile questions. Excellent hobbies, 
these ; many of them deserving a higher epithet 
than "hobby," and blossoming into the realm 
of divine enthusiasms. That's it, enthu- 
siasms, they are what the librarians need, 
enthusiasms for everything useful. 

To the librarian the cosmopolite in the 
world of letters and knowledge hobbies are 
as indispensable as steam to the engine, when 
the safety-valve is in good working order, and 
discretion and "gumption" must be his gov- 
ernor and valve. 

In the character of adviser-general to every- 
body and his wife you must be like the chame- 
leon, and take color from the immediate en- 
vironment. You whose work is never done 
must depend, to some extent, upon the knowl- 
edge of others ; but you must be independently 
dependent. Each must work out for himself 
his own scheme of salvation ; and another's 
hobby may, or may not, be of use in your own 
particular case. There is such a diversity of 
opinion among even experts in every line of 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



thought, the natural result of the different 
environment under which each one works, 
that you can but generalize the ideas of others, 
and modify them to your own surroundings. 
It is the old, old story of progress and the 
search after truth, the unanimity of the igno- 
rant, the diversity of the inquiring, the una- 
nimity of the wise. How many reach the last 
this side of the Jasper Gates? 

Let me reiterate. The librarian must have a 
hundred hobbies, but must hold them well in 
hand. Have you ever regretted the time spent 
upon one? If so, you rode it too far and too 
long. He should have a hobby for nosing into 
things in general, for character-reading, for 
finance and management, for statistics, for 
many special subjects. 

Pride in his own town and State may lead 
him into an historical society, or half-a-dozen 
local scientific and literary clubs, merely for 
the sake of studying the bibliography of his 
own city, county, or State, all to the general 
good of his constituents, let us hope, and to 
the strengthening of his personal influence 
upon them. He must have a hobby for a little 
detective business sometimes, for the protection 
of his library. A hobby for the evil influences 
of light reading and printed poison will inevi- 
tably lead him to exert more personal influence 
and direction over his readers, and a closer 
scrutiny of the class of fiction bought for his 
library. 

And so I might go on multiplying instances ; 
but you can work them out for yourselves better 
than I. 

Above all must he have a hobby for books. 
While he is not a bibliopole, a book-seller, 
he must be a book-buyer, and must study the 
art ; and to do that he must be a bibliophile in 
his love for books ; a bibliognoste in his knowl- 
edge of title-pages, colophons, editions, etc. ; 



a bibliopegist in his knowledge of their ex- 
terior and material forms, their bindings ; a 
bibliographer, learned in the lore of special 
subjects. All these are necessary to his edu- 
cation as a bibliologist ; while he must use his 
discretion and avoid the danger of becoming a 
bibliotaphe, a hoarder and concealer of his 
treasures under glass cases and in dark places, 
a bibliothecal miser, in fact ; or a bibliolatrist, 
and falling into too great worship of them ; 
or a bibliomaniac, and coveting their posses- 
sion too greatly. 

L'ENVOI. 

Cultivate hobbies ! Don't confine yourself 
to one. Dare to be broad, and to be narrow 
too, broad in a few subjects in which to verse 
yourself thoroughly ; narrow in many minor 
things of which you can but gain a superficial 
knowledge at the best ; and you will find that 
the aggregate of many narrow things will add 
wonderfully to the breadth of your general 
nature and knowledge. 

Cultivate hobbies, both in yourself and in 
others. They will bring you into sympathy 
with the many, making you useful to them, and 
them to you. 

Cultivate hobbies. Have plenty of them, but 
don't make others ride them, willy-nilly. Keep 
them to yourself, unless you can give others a 
lift with them. 

Cultivate hobbies ; they are the healthy im- 
pulses which refresh one's life ; they are the in- 
spirations, the " heavenly visions " sent to these 
latter-day generations, as were the divine com- 
mands to the prophets of old. Study them, 
attend to their voices, and be able to say with 
Paul, " Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not 
disobedient to the heavenly vision." Above all, 
have a hobby for hobbies. 



POOLE. 



THE LIBRARIAN AND HIS CONSTITUENTS. 

BY R. B. POOLE, LIBRARIAN OF THE YOUNG MEN*S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF 

THE CITY OF NEW YORK. 



BY constituents is not meant political con- 
stituents. It is unfortunate for any libra- 
rian when he holds his office in a public library 
as a political favor, and library appointments 
should be as far removed as possible from all 
party influences. A public library, like any 
other public property, is susceptible of being 
used as a tool, and may easily degenerate into 
a political job, unless specially protected by its 
charter. New York city has one such library. 
The library exists for the librarians ; its con- 
stituents not readers are of the school 
of politics. The example, it is to be hoped, is 
a unique one in our country. 

A brief retrospect of the libraries and libra- 
rians of the past may help us to more fully 
comprehend the situation of the librarian and 
his constituents of to-day. 

The monk represented the librarian of the 
Middle Ages. He was not by profession a 
librarian, and yet the valuable service he ren- 
dered to literature entitles him to the name. 
He was at once chorister, master of ceremo- 
nies, transcriber, illuminator, and collector. 
Professedly the monk was a religious ascetic. 
He retired from the world to devote himself to 
religion, to a life of self-denial. His language 
was the Latin ; the books or MSS. that sur- 
rounded him were works of the Fathers, books 
of devotion, service-books, and the classics. 
These were just in keeping with his life and 
thoughts. A congenial occupation was thus 
opened to him. The hours of the cloister 
were made shorter as the monk duplicated and 
reduplicated some dainty missal, or some com- 
mentary of Augustine, or painted a miniature 
of the Virgin or of the apostles. 

However much we may differ in opinion as 
to the service rendered to religion by the mon- 
asteries of the Middle Ages, as librarians we 
have a fellow-feeling with these toiling monks, 
and are grateful to them for the service they 



have rendered the libraries of to-day by their 
preservation of works that otherwise would 
have been destroyed. There is nothing in the 
book-making arts of to-day to compare with 
the artistic skill displayed in the illuminations 
and miniature-painting which enrich and beau- 
tify the MSS. of those times. 

The monastic libraries were small, and the 
readers few. Books were loaned from mon- 
astery to monastery. They were distributed 
once a year, at the Lenten season. As each 
borrower returned his book he was catechised 
as to its contents ; if the examination was satis- 
factory he was allowed another book for the 
coming year ; if not, he must take his old book 
again. 

One not a member of the order of St. Bene- 
dict, or an attachi of Cluny or Canterbury, 
could procure the coveted treasure, sometimes, 
by pledging to return with the MS. borrowed 
a full transcription. 

Library economy in these ages was very 
simple. Catalogues were little more than inven- 
tories, and no discordant notes were chanted, 
in duets or solos, over systems of classification. 
The absolute or fixed system of shelving was 
in vogue, the books being held in their places 
by chains. The survival of this feature exists 
in the attachments of the modern city directory. 

But, not to linger longer in cloisters or ab- 
beys, we come to the age of printing and to the 
foundation of the modern libraries of Europe ; 
the treasures in the monastic libraries con- 
tributing to form their vast collections. 

The monk's occupation as a librarian was 
gone, and he was succeeded by the collector, 
the keeper, the scholar. In the centuries im- 
mediately succeeding the invention of printing 
there was a growing diffusion of knowledge by 
means of libraries. We smile at the restrictions 
imposed, and look upon them as so many 
fetters on the intellect. It is, however, to be 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



borne in mind that at this time books were 
costly a/id rare, and on this account were 
guarded with great jealousy. 

When the Bodleian library was founded it 
was stipulated by law that under no pretence 
should any book be lent to any one, no matter 
what his station. A Fellow of Corp'us Christi 
College could not enter the sacred alcoves 
alone, and he was under oath not to remove a 
book. The books were there for use, there 
can be no question ; and in the Bodleian, to 
which we have just referred, a person could 
have six books at a time to consult, and the 
library was open for six hours during the 
day. 

About 1650 Humphrey Chetham bequeathed 
,1,000 for a public library in Manchester, 
England. He was a firm adherent of the fixed 
location. " My mind and will is," he says, 
" that care be taken that none of said books be 
taken out of the said library at any time, and 
that the said books be fixed or chained." After 
specifying certain religious books, and annota- 
tions on the Bible, he adds, " and other books 
proper for the common people." It was two 
hundred years after this, in this last half cen- 
tury, before the Public Libraries Act was intro- 
duced into the English Parliament ; and from 
this period we may date a new era, both in Eng- 
land and in this country, in the dissemination 
of books and improved library methods. The 
last decade, commencing with the formation of 
A.L.A. and the beginning of our second century 
as a nation, has witnessed results hitherto una- 
chieved in library economy. It is not neces- 
sary to enlarge here upon the work that has 
been accomplished. The important thing to 
note is that the librarian of to-day should be 
en rapport with all that pertains to his profes- 
sion. He should acquaint himself with schemes 
of classification, and elect from them that which 
is best adapted for the purposes of his own li- 
brary. He should adopt the best system for 
charging, acquaint himself with the most ap- 
proved library appliances. Whether he adopt 
the classed catalogue, the dictionary, the alpha- 
beto-classed, or any other form, let it be one 
that shall be abreast of the progress that has 
been made in this department of library science. 
The librarian can scarcely keep pace with his 



fellow-librarians unless he receives the right 
hand of fellowship of the American Library As- 
sociation, and is a reader of the Library jour- 
nal or the Library notes, just launched and de- 
signed to cruise along the coast into the smaller 
ports. The advantages which the librarian re- 
ceives from these sources will qualify him better 
for his profession, but the greater advantage 
will accrue to his readers : knowledge will be 
made more available, and a bright, cheerful 
atmosphere will pervade the alcoves of his 
store-house. 

The librarian of to-day is developing to the 
full the utilitarian principle. He is practical, 
practical in his library management, practical 
in his choice of books. His constituency is 
either a particular class or the great public. 
To supply the masses with reading, and to 
make books helpful in all the vocations of life, 
is the librarian's aim. It is just here that we 
need to emulate our predecessors, the monks 
and the collectors and bookworms of the six- 
teenth and succeeding centuries. 

He must have the spirit of the collector, the 
animus of the scholar. He must not forget 
that he is an antiquarian in his zeal for utility. 
His constituency is not confined to the present ; 
he is building for posterity as well. His library 
will live after him. He therefore needs to be 
a wise master-builder. 

If the choice of books is in the librarian's 
hands, or if he occupies an important position 
in connection with the selection, his best effort 
should be given to this department. The 
responsibility is not small. He will find it 
more difficult often to reject than to select. 
He must consult the wants of his readers ; but 
there is a limit to that. Everything that is in 
print may be called for, but that is no reason 
why it should be honored with a place in a 
library. The librarian's personal equation is 
not to be the standard, but the foundation prin- 
ciples of morality, truth, and sound sense must 
guide him. No quarter should be given to 
books of doubtful morality. Fiction now finds 
a place in most libraries open to any extent to 
the public, and this class of books forms so 
large a part of the circulation of many libraries 
that it is becoming a question of no small im- 
portance as to how far public funds should be 



POOLS. 



33 



expended for such bociks as afford little else 
than pastime. A public library is a public 
educator. It is not a sluice into which every 
publisher may dump his entire wares ; as 
educators, librarians and managing boards 
have the right to maintain the purity of their 
collections, and to protect them from inunda- 
tions of worthless books. 

The librarian should be alert to supply his 
readers with all they require that will be help- 
ful, as we have said ; but, more than this, he 
should lead them. He may do so by procuring 
works of standard worth, new and old, that 
represent the best thought in any department 
of literature or science. 

Unless he has something of the spirit of the 
collector very much will elude his grasp, and 
be, perhaps, utterly lost to his library. There 
are the limited editions, now so unlimited in 
number; the privately printed book; the first 
numbers of periodicals ; the first reports of 
societies ; local histories and genealogies ; me- 
morial volumes, and the like, works whose 
value is enhanced by time. 

A librarian, to be successful, must be a lover 
of books. The novice, in applying for a libra- 
rianship, often puts it down as one of his 
cardinal qualifications that he is fond of read- 
ing. To the active, toiling worker this is not 
suggestive of business. A love of books very 
naturally suggests a taste for reading, except 
when bibliomania is in the blood. A true 
friend of books is not such because his collec- 
tion embraces Elzevirs and Aldines, or because 
they are in Grolier or Bedford bindings, or 
printed on Whatman or Holland paper, 
these are matters of just pride, but because 
the army of silent authors, marshalled under 
his leadership, will diffuse light and knowledge 
wherever they go. The librarian imbued with 
this spirit, if he finds time to read, will reflect 
what he has read. It is to be feared that the 
librarian who reads in these times is the ex- 
ception ; and yet there can be no question that, 
if he could have each day an hour or two for 
reading, time enough to acquaint himself 
with the thought of the times, and occasionally 
commune with the authors of the past, his 
efficiency would be greatly enlarged, and his 
readers would have a supplemental catalogue 



in him, corresponding, to some extent, to the 
good work contemplated by our Cooperative 
Committee. 

There are in every library very many books 
that are what we might term, to use a mer- 
cantile phrase, dead stock. From the very 
necessities of the case there must be many 
books that will be called for only at great inter- 
vals, while others never have a friendly con- 
sultation. But, aside from these, libraries will 
often have works of great practical value that 
are standing idle, because it is not generally 
known that the library possesses them. There 
may be a choice lot of works on electricity, a 
rare collection on ceramics, a fine selection ot 
engravings, representative works in the various 
industrial arts ; the call for them not being 
popular and large, they might be brought to 
the notice of a larger constituency by calling 
the attention of certain readers to them, or by 
sending a polite invitation to some manufact- 
uring firms, to some professional electricians, 
or to art schools and scientific schools. 

Periodicals, before the days of Poolers Index, 
were sealed books. Libraries have been won- 
derfully expanded where this index is used. 
Further cooperation in this direction, as 
planned by the Cooperative Committee, should 
receive hearty encouragement. The books of 
a library may be further enlarged in their use 
by publishing, on the library bulletin, the works 
in the library that illustrate important events, 
after the admirable plan initiated by Mr. Fos- 
ter, of Providence. 

If the librarian has not the time at his com- 
mand to read he has rare opportunities for 
reading character; and to be on good terms 
with his varied constituency he will have to be 
like St. Paul, all things to all men. He must 
be polite, accommodating, possess his soul in 
patience, and be unselfish in his devotion to 
his readers. Generally, his contact with his 
constituency will be pleasant and agreeable, 
but he will have to deal with certain typical 
characters that will vex and fret him. 

There is the rummager, who snarls at all 
catalogues, and wants the freedom of the 
library, not for studious research, but to gratify 
his bookish propensity. " Five minutes with 
authors " is his watchword. 



34 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



The crank, who has been defined as a person 
with an idea, without brains to carry it out, 
is a frequenter of libraries. His inquiries are 
for what the library does not possess. This 
affords him a text for lecturing the librarian 
and the managers. If the librarian's senti- 
ments are not in accord with that idea of his 
he threatens to expose him in the newspapers. 

The curiosity-hunter is another representa- 
tive reader. He is brother to the rummager, 
but he does not despise catalogues. They ex- 
hibit the oddities of the library, at least the 
odd titles, such as Luther's " Vagabonds and 
Beggars," The Foundling Hospital for Wit," 
or "The History of the Tread-mill." He 
passes quickly from one to the other, gleaning 
here and there till curiosity is satiated. 

Another reader helps the librarian materially 
in his statistics ; if he calls for one book he 
calls for an armful. The subject he is investi- 
gating may require all the light the library can 
focus upon it ; but he disposes of his armful so 
quickly that the query is, by what alchemy 
knowledge is appropriated so rapidly. It must 
be put to the credit of this age. 

The intelligent tramp is another habitid of 
libraries. He is sometimes a desultory reader, 
sometimes he is a specialist, and he investigates 



with a profound air the most difficult problems ; 
but that is as far as he goes. He is constitu- 
tionally lazy. He has some love for literature 
and science, but a far more appreciative love 
of leisure. He does nothing, produces noth- 
ing- 
Then there are walking encyclopaedias. You 
cannot name any author or work that they 
have not an acquaintance with. They can 
talk glibly on any subject ; they absorb like 
sponges, but they give out nothing. They 
have a passion for reading ; but they either do 
not, or will not, make their knowledge available 
to others. The colored man who not long 
since applied to me for something on the tooth- 
ache, as he was to deliver a lecture upon this 
interesting topic, was not of this non-productive 
class. If his monogram has been published 
it will be a good book for close classification. 

The librarian who feels the obligations of 
his position realizes that his influence as an 
educator is far-reaching, telling effectively upon 
the community in which he lives, and destined 
to extend far down the years to come. It be- 
comes him, therefore, to fully equip himself for 
his work, and to give to his constituents the 
results of his ripest experience and his most 
unselfish attention. 



KING AQUILA'S LIBRARY: A SEQUEL TO 

CLASSIFICATION." 



KING LEO'S 



BY J. SCHWARTZ, LIBRARIAN, NEW YORK APPRENTICES' LIBRARY. 1 



TOUCH of my hearers as had the pleasure 
[_O of listening to an account of " King 
Leo's Classification " at our last annual meet- 
ing are aware that Dr. Owl, Professor of 
Natural History at the University of Science 
in Aquilia, had been sent by his royal master 

'Mr. WM. F. POOLE, President of American Library 
Association : 

The manner in which the enclosed MS. came into my 
possession is so extraordinary that I feel that some ex- 
planation is due to the Association before offering it for 
perusal. 

You may have noticed that I was frequently absent 
from the interesting, but somewhat too numerous, discus- 
sions at the last Librarians' Conference. The explanation 



on an important scientific mission to the coun- 
try of King Leo. The historian who favored 
us with an account of the learned doctor's ex- 
pedition neglected to state the precise object 
of his investigation. We are fortunately in a 
position to supply this information. A little 

is simple: I was perfecting myself in the Language of 
Birds, for the study of which the charming island on 
which we were located offered unusual facilities. Thanks 
to my untiring efforts, I am now, I flatter myself, quite 
an adept. It was, therefore, easy for me to decipher and 
translate the curious and instructive history that I have 
been fortuuately able to secure in time for this conference. 
But to proceed with my story. 

At 3 o'clock, precisely, on Tuesday afternoon, on April 



SCHWARTZ. 



35 



bird, with whom we are intimately acquainted, 
states positively that Dr. Owl was only one of 
many scientists who had been sent to all parts 
of the earth to find out and definitely deter- 
mine, if possible, the natural order of things, 
with the view of applying the knowledge thus 
gained to the arrangement and classification of 
the books in the Aquila Free Public Library. 
From the same reliable source we have obtained 
a full stenographic report of the meeting at 
which this subject was discussed. 

The king was unfortunate in not being able 
to avail himself of Dr. Owl's investigations. 
It seems that the learned scientist was prepar- 
ing an essay " On the Cause of the Reflex 
Action of the Muscles of the Hoof, with Espe- 
cial Reference to the Mule," which he intended 
to read at the next meeting of the University 

1st last, as I was taking my daily constitutional, I halted 
in front of the sombre pile formerly known as the New 
York Reservoir, on whose ruins the ex-aldermanic presi- 
dent, Mr. Sanger, proposed to erect the future great li- 
brary of the metropolis, which scheme was then being bit- 
terly and (unfortunately) successfully opposed by certain 
New York librarians. By a natural association of ideas 
the proximity of the water-works suggested the propriety 
of resting for a few moments under its protecting walls, 
to drop a silent tear for the ruined prospects of the great 
Might Have Been. 

My meditations were rudely interrupted by a sudden 
fall of some heavy substance, which narrowly missed 
grazing my nose. On looking up to ascertain the cause 
of the disturbance I perceived a small bird perched on 
the top of the reservoir, who was evidently the culprit. 
I had not yet examined the missile, and, not wishing to 
meet with the fate of Tobit (especially as angels are 
rather scarce nowadays), I concluded that it would be pru- 
dent to beat a hasty retreat. Besides, I never did like fish 
anyway; and 1 think the breed that cured the venerable 
patriarch has died out long ago. But you may bet I was 
furious, and, when at a safe distance, I immediately pro- 
ceded to upbraid the unmannerly little rascal. 

" Is it weakness of intellect, Birdie? " I cried, when I 
was interrupted in my philippic by a shrill peal of 
laughter from the supposed delinquent. On inspecting 
him more closely, I was surprised and delighted to rind 
that he was my old friend and instructor, A. Blackbird, 
Esq., in whose company I had spent so many happy hours 
at Lake George. 

"It's all right, old boy," he said. " No need of getting 
excited. I threw that little package on purpose. I know 
you are gone on classification, so I've brought you some 
interesting reading. It's a full account of the big meeting 
we had on the Aquila Free Public Library. All the 
classification fellows had a ch;mce to let themselves out 
for all they were worth. But you ought to have seen our 
King Aquila go for them ! I tell you it's the big head 
he's got. There are no flies on him, and you bet he under- 



of Science. He had elaborated an ingenious 
theory, and only needed to verify it by some 
practical experiments on the mule. These he 
attempted to make while in King Leo's domin- 
ions ; but an unfortunate accident which befell 
him during these experiments so disabled him 
as to require his absence from the discussion, 
of which we have now the pleasure of submit- 
ting a verbatim report.] 

KING AQUILA'S ADDRESS. 

At the University of Science, on the I3th 
day of the month of Incubation, in the I3th 
year of his gracious majesty King Aquila, the 
meeting on the Free Public Library was opened 
by his majesty, who spoke as follows : 

" Moved by the entreaties of many of our 
loving subjects, and by the advice of our coun- 

slands his biz. So long; I must go back to the library. 
They have got my system in use there, as you will see 
by the report." 

On examining my find I discovered that it consisted of 
a number of strips of bark, with innnumerable characters 
traced on them in the Aquilian language. This language 
has a pronounced resemblance to Alwato, but the char- 
acters are quite different. They look very much like 
" crow-tracks." Even the name of the language has a 
slight resemblance to that of the future universal speech. 
It is called " Alsamee-Aquihi." But I must reserve a 
more detailed explanation of this curious language for 
a paper I am preparing for the American Philological 
Society, and proceed to give some account of the subject 
discussed. The strips of bark seem to contain an ex- 
planation, by the inventors themselves, of nine widely 
different systems of classification, with the running com- 
ments of King Aquila, who appears to have been well 
versed in bibliography. What struck me as particularly 
remarkable was the close resemblance these schemes bore 
to some of our best known Anglo-American systems of 
classifications. But when I came to consider that, as 
Stephen Pearl Andrews says, each department of nature 
is an echo or repetition of every other, the mystery was 
explained at once. 

On looking over some other parts of the package, that. 
I have not thought it necessary to translate, I found that 
there had recently been considerable discussion on " close 
classification " in Aquilia. It seems that method of ar- 
ranging books had fallen into " innocuous desuetude " in 
consequence of the arguments of certain critics whom the 
advocates of " close classification " stigmatized as " offen- 
sive partisans." I may some day reproduce the whole 
discussion, but sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 
This explanation is already so long that it is time to bring 
it to a close. Let us, therefore, hear what the Dicky birds 
say. 

Very truly yours, 

J. SCHWARTZ. 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



sellers, we have determined to establish a Free 
Public Library, and, as we desire the said 
library to reflect honor on us and on our 
realm, we have sent our ambassadors to all the 
kingdoms of the earth to inquire in what 
manner and after what order the books may be 
best arranged. We have also caused those of 
our loving subjects who have made a study of 
these matters to appear before us and explain 
their methods that we may, if possible, profit 
thereby. It is our pleasure that the Professor 
of Dreams give us his views." 

LIBRARIES MUST BE ARRANGED BY SPECIAL- 
ISTS. 

Prof. Bendix. May it please your majesty, 
I have carefully examined all the latest schemes 
for classifying books, and I reject them all. 
You will hardly believe it; but I assure you 
that not one of them arranges the science of 
dreams in the order that the learned Stickle- 
back says is correct. I have arranged my own 
library, which is mainly composed of books on 
dreams, on this system, and I find it works 
very nicely. I like this plan, because I have 
studied it, and understand it. My opinion, 
therefore, is, that the books in each grand de- 
partment be arranged according to the views 
of the latest recognized specialist therein. 
When this is done your system is complete. 
Nothing can be simpler. 

King Aquila. Is there not danger that 
some of these departments may overlap, and 
the same subject be in more than one? 

Prof. Bendix. It is true that a few other 
departments have some of the books we have. 
Thus, the Professor of Unreason has, I believe, 
works on the Philosophy of Dreams, and other 
similar topics. The Professor of Events has 
books on the History of False Dreams, and 
even, if I mistake not, on the History of True 
Dreams ; and there may be other similar cases 
of duplication ; but as we cannot possibly 
elucidate our science without these books it is 
evident that they belong to us alone. 

Here there was a loud clamor, the professors 
all speaking at once, and protesting that the 
claim was absurd, as the books in question 
plainly belonged in their departments, inas- 
much as they could not get along without them. 



When the king, by a wave of his hand, had 
imposed silence, Mr. Decimus arose and 
said : 

THE CRAZY-QUILT SYSTEM. 

Mr. Decimus. The principle of my friend 
Bendix is all right, he merely errs in its appli- 
cation. I have myself devised a plan, based on 
the idea he advocates, which has been much 
admired. People come miles to see it. I call 
it the Crazy-Quilt System, and the way I de- 
vised it was this : In our college there are pro- 
fessors of everything ; so I got each one to make 
a classification of his specialty. Now, I have 
discovered that no method of arranging books 
can be a success unless the main and sub-de- 
partments are uniformly divided by tens. By 
getting your raw material from the professors, 
arranging the departments and subdivisions in 
their natural order, and then by lengthening or 
shortening make them fit in the scheme of tens, 
you have the perfect system. If there are sub- 
jects that appear in more than one specialist's 
list you must put them where they will do the 
most good, that is, where they will best fit in 
your scheme of tens. 

King Aquila. I suppose your reason for 
making each division just 10 is to have a sort 
of proportion in your classes so that they will 
be equal in their growth. 

Mr. Decimus. The main thing is to have 
the classes just 10, neither more nor less. If 
any of the classes need subdivision you can 
make as many new ones as you please by a 
method I have discovered, which consists, of 
simply adding, at the end of the class to be di- 
vided, one of the 10 digits. By this system 
we have already made some 50,000 new heads, 
and our library is not half arranged as yet. 
Inasmuch as you can use as many figures as 
you please, the plan is practically limitless. 

One of the many valuable features of my 
system is its mnemonic or suggestive character. 
Each number is used for a distinct purpose. 
Thus, for example, the figure 5, when followed 
by a 9, means an eastern country. If the 9 
precede it means a western country. If there 
be a 6 after 9 it means the theory or philosophy 
of the subject, whereas 5 following 6 shows that 
the section in question is devoted to the history 



SCHWARTZ. 



37 



of the said class. By the same simple method 
almost every figure is invested with a particular 
significance. Hence, by combining these 
figures, as we must do in forming subdivisions, 
we are able to use the scheme as an Organon of 
discovery. We not only make new classes out 
of old ones, but we discover subjects that are 
entirely absent from other systems. For ex- 
ample, 68,294 is our symbol for the Palaeozoic 
period, and 98,364 is the way we indicate lives 
of Italian organ-grinders. If we combine the 
two thus, 6,829,498,364, we have a scientifi- 
cally precise place for the biographies of all 
Italian organ-grinders of the Palaeozoic period. 
Another example of the astonishing power of 
our figures must suffice for this branch of the 
subject. 9,321,874 is our simple mnemonic 
symbol for the 99th Assyrian dynasty, and 
956,789 represents Kalamazoo. By combining 
the two thus, 9,321,874,956,789, any facts that 
may be discovered relating to the history of 
Kalamazoo during that early period can be in- 
stantly classified. Of course some of the 
smaller public libraries will not need these 
minute divisions. They are more particularly 
intended for special and extensive collections, 
and are merely instanced to show how handy it 
is to have such classes if they should be needed. 

Another advantage of our method of number- 
ing is that the notation does not present that 
monotonous regularity which is so displeasing 
to a cultivated taste. On the contrary there 
is endless variety. Class 98 may be followed by 
99,672, this by 9,968, and this again by 999. 
Hence I call my notation the zigzag method. 

King Aqitila. It seems to us that you lose 
all the symmetry of your arrangement by tens 
if you keep tacking on figures at the end of 
your classes. It also occurs to us that it must 
require a wonderful memory for your assistants 
or students to find their way about in the end- 
less maze of divisions and subdivisions. 

Mr. Decimus. We have provided for that 
difficulty by a device which is the most valuable 
feature of my system. We make a list of all 
our subjects with their numbers, and if any one 
wants a book, or a class of books, we look in 
our list for the name of the subject, and we 
know at once where we have shelved it. All 
new subjects that arise, or that we discover by 



our method, we put them on the list. If we 
didn't they surely would be missed. 

King Aquila. A difficulty occurs to us in 
connection with your method of subdividing 
classes that are too full. Suppose 1,000 books 
in Class 623 are numbered I to 1,000, and you 
make ten new classes by adding figures to 623, 
will it not be necessary to renumber all these 
thousand books? 

Mr. Decimus. Not at all. You merely add 
the class figure and leave the book numbers as 
they were, filling up the blanks created by the 
transfers whenever you can. 

King Aquila. But you thereby destroy the 
meaning Q{ the book numbers. 623.10 meant 
the loth book in Class 623. But if you change 
this to 6231.10 the latter number has no meaning 
at all, least of all does it mean the lothbook in 
the new class. But the principal difficulty -still 
remains. Whether you change the book num- 
ber, or the class number, or both at the same 
time, it is absolutely necessary to indicate this 
change in every list or catalogue, printed or 
written, where the original number was men- 
tioned. This implies thousands of alterations. 

Mr. Decimus. I must confess that this is a 
difficult problem to solve at present, but we are 
making experiments, with satisfactory results, 
which I will lay before your majesty when com- 
pleted. 

King Aquila. As we wish to start right at 
first we cannot wait for these results ; but will 
call upon Prof. Sector, who, we understand, has 
a scheme that overcomes all difficulties. 

THE PERFECT SYSTEM. 

Prof. Sector. Your majesty is right in say- 
ing that my system solves all difficulties. I 
begin by remarking that I agree with Mr. 
Decimus that there should be a certain fixed 
number to start with. His mistake is in sup- 
posing this number to be 10. I have discovered 
that it is 35, and I have an unanswerable 
argument to prove that this alone is the perfect 
number. It is well known that there are, tak- 
ing large and small together, just 70 countries 
in the world. Now, you cannot number 70 with 
10 figures. But if we divide them and call the 
first 35 "A," and the second 35 " B," the thing 
is done. By a remarkable coincidence I have 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



also discovered that the primary natural classes 
are just 35, and not 10, as Mr. Decimus sup- 
poses, who is likewise mistaken as to their 
order. Now, if you invent a series of signs 
that amount to just 35, you have a method of 
marking a great many books with a few symbols. 
Mr. Decimus has been fortunate enough to 
invent such a numbering base, and I have 
adopted it. It is simplicity itself; you merely 
use the 9 figures and the 25 letters interchange- 
ably. Thus, 10 is expressed by "A," 35 by 
"Z," and 36 by " n." Consequently 19 does 
not mean nineteen, but 44. It is a little con- 
fusing at first, but one can be educated up to 
it. 

King Aquila. Would it not be possible to 
combine, in one class, some of the unimpor- 
tant countries about which few or no books 
have been written, rather than invent a new 
and difficult mode of notation? 

Prof. Sector. No, your majesty ; that 
would not answer at all. It is a fundamental 
maxim with me that every subject, big or little, 
must have its own number. If there are more 
than 35 subjects in a division it is easy to add 
a figure, or letter, or both ; so that it is always 
easy to provide for as many subdivisions as 
may be needed. I argue this way : the object 
of a classification is to find all the books of the 
same kind in one place. Now, how can you 
find them in one place if two or more subjects 
are put together? I have, therefore, provided, 
or intend to provide, for my system is not 
yet fully worked out, a place for every variety 
of animal, plant, and mineral ; for every king 
that ever reigned ; and for every person whose 
life has been, or may be, written. For exam- 
ple, your majesty no doubt remembers that the 
priests of Khemi read to a visiting historian 
the names of 330 kings who, they said, had 
reigned in that country. It is true we do not 
know what their names were, or what they did, 
but their names may be discovered. We may 
even unearth papyri covering their reigns. In 
so important a matter we cannot afford to leave 
anything to chance. The most serious conse- 
quences might result, if, say loo years hence, 
the histories of the reign of Ra Mentuhotep 
XIV. were mixed up with those of his prede- 
cessor Ra Sahotep XXII. 



King Aquila. How do you arrange the 
separate books remaining after your final di- 
visions ? 

Prof. Sector. That is the most beautiful 
part of my system, and I am sure your majesty 
will be pleased with it. I first divide the books 
into four sizes. Then in each size I arrange 
alphabetically by authors. Then their separate 
works alphabetically by themselves. Then the 
separate editions in strict chronological order. 
Then the translations in the alphabetical order 
of the languages. Then, finally, the individual 
translators alphabetically by their names. I 
have a set of signs to indicate all these dis- 
tinctions. It is very ingenious and very sim- 
ple when you once understand it. To know 
in which size to find a book I use a dot between 
the class number and the book number. By 
varying the thickness or position of this dot 
you know at once which size is meant. W T hen 
my library is finally arranged say in twenty 
or thirty years more I intend to separate the 
books into four parallel libraries: (i) Books 
bound in morocco ; (2) those in large type ; 
(3) those with less than 100 pages ; and (4) 
the other books. Special signs will show 
which library is meant. 

King Aquila. You seem to be a little in- 
consistent in making it a fundamental principle 
that each subject should be in one place only 
and then proposing to put it in 16. Do not 
your readers and attendants experience some 
difficulty in finding the books if all these fine 
distinctions are carried out? It also occurs to 
us that your numbers cannot be given verbally 
on account of the size dots, and that, even 
when written, there may be danger of mis- 
takes. 

Prof. Sector. This will all be provided for, 
your majesty. It is true that some of my read- 
ers complain that they cannot find the books 
without assistance ; but I tell them that a per- 
fect system can only be appreciated as a whole. 
When it is all worked out it will be perfectly 
clear and simple, that is, of course, after some 
preliminary study. Meanwhile, however, I 
have provided abundant helps. In the first 
place there is a map showing where each grand 
department is. Then in each department there 
are different-colored cards to show the location 



SCHWARTZ. 



39 



of each class, the beginning of each size, and 
so on. By consulting the map and following 
the cards there are not more than loo in each 
class you can get any book at once, provided 
you know its size, what particular edition it is; 
and whether it has less than 100 pages, is 
printed in large type, or is bound in morocco. 
It has been frequently objected that my nota- 
tion is complicated and hard to be understood. 
The charge is absurd. Why, the other day, a 
new boy was hired, and I wanted him to get a 
book for me. After merely consulting the map 
and less than a dozen guide cards I pointed 
out the shelf where the book was, and the boy 
got it without any serious difficulty. Surely a 
method must be simple that allows a raw, un- 
trained boy to get a book so easily ! 

King Aquila. Your system is certainly very 
ingenious, but we fear it is planned on too 
large a scale for our purpose. As we intend 
to start with only 50,000 volumes, we should 
not need so many classes as your system re- 
quires. 

Prof. Sector. That difficulty is easily over- 
come. You can begin by using as few classes 
as you want, and then adding the others as 
they are needed. 

King Aquila. But the difficulty remains of 
changing the numbers of the separate books 
when we have added these classes and put the 
books in new places. 

Prof. Sector. The difficulty does not exist 
in my system. It does, I know, in nearly all 
other plans, because the separate books are 
usually numbered arbitrarily. My method 
I call it so because I have improved on the 
original idea is to arrange and number 
alphabetically. All you need to do then is to 
add a sign for the new class ; the book numbers 
will remain as before. 

King Aquila. This seems plausible, but 
still a difficulty remains. The alteration of the 
class will require a corresponding correction in 
all the catalogues to show where the new places 
are. It seems to us this involves great labor, 
and we fear the time could hardly be spared in 
a busy public library. 

Prof. Sector. It might prove somewhat in- 
convenient in a public library, but where there 
is plenty of help and few readers, as is the case 



with us, the difficulty is not serious and can be 
overcome in time. 

King Aquila. We thank you for the lucid 
explanation of your system, and regret that we 
cannot use it, as it is not yet sufficiently worked 
out. Your object is certainly sublime, and we 
trust you may achieve it in time. We will 
now hear from Mr. Forgenus. 

THE REASONABLE SYSTEM. 

Mr. Forgenus. May it please your majesty, 
I am no believer in the necessity for having a 
particular number to begin with, whether 10 or 
35, or any other number. I don't see the sense 
or need of it. I use as many numbers as I 
want, neither more nor less. Looked at in 
this common-sense way the problem of classi- 
fication is very easy of solution. All you need 
to do is to find out how many primary and sub- 
ordinate subjects there are, make a list of them 
in their order, and then number them from No. 
i to the end, and your system is made. For 
future subjects that may arise I leave blank 
numbers, here and there, sometimes 50, or 100, 
or 500, as the case may be. Here you have a 
system that a child can understand : a complete 
enumeration of all known subjects, arranged in 
their natural order, and a separate number for 
each. What more can be desired ? By the 
way, I would call attention to the fact, that my 
natural order is not the same as that of Mr. 
Decimus or Prof. Sector. I suspect they have 
allowed their " personal equation" to mislead 
them. It is a sad thing to have a " personal 
equation." 

King Aquila. If you uniformly give one 
number to every subject, and some subjects 
have large literatures and others small ones, in 
the former case you will get very high numbers 
for your books. 

Mr. Forgenus. Oh, that difficulty doesn't 
bother me at all ! Numbers are cheap, and I 
use as many as I want. 

King Aquila. The difficulty is still worth 
overcoming, if possible, as long numbers take 
longer to write, are more liable to error, and 
take up more of the time of the clerks and public. 

Mr. Forgenus. Well, I don't have to write 
the numbers, so the public and the clerks can 
fight it out among themselves. But, if your 



4 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



idea is to have short numbers, you want to get 
the " Oyster System." I am most familiar with 
it, and therefore think it is the best. I don't 
at all like the "Nomad System " of Mr. Deci- 
mus, which is in use in my library. It was in- 
troduced before I got there, and I can't change 
it now. The constant shifting of the books 
about once every five years, that this plan re- 
quires, seems to me all wrong. A book should 
have one fixed place, never liable to be changed, 
and it has it on the " Oyster System." For a 
small library, such as yours will be to begin 
with, you don't need many divisions ; 40 will 
do very well. The main thing is to keep books 
of the same size together, number each volume. 
to a particular shelf, and then any one can find 
it when it is needed. The catalogue will give 
all needful information on any subject. 

King Aquila. Your idea of a permanent 
place for every book has much to commend it, 
but we hear that it is difficult to carry out for 
any length of time. What do you intend to do 
when the space you have allowed for a particu- 
lar subject is full, or what method of relief do 
you offer when a subject reaches a thousand 
volumes ? 40 divisions for 40,000 volumes seem 
hardly enough. 

Mr. Forgenus. Well, when that time comes 
you can rearrange the library. New cata- 
logues will have to be printed occasionally any- 
way, and you can renumber the books every 
time you print one say once in every ten 
years. 

King Aquila. We much dislike this con- 
stant renumbering. The worst form of " No- 
mad " arrangement seems to us far better. 
Besides, if you renumber and shift your books 
every ten years you not only commit the very 
error you condemn in Mr. Decimus's system, 
but you add to it, for his plan does not neces- 
sarily imply change of numbers. Another 
objection is this. All the readers who bought 
catalogues before the change will be compelled 
to buy new ones. The objection may seem 
trivial, but the public would not like it. 

As we have now heard from the East and the 
West we should be pleased if some representa- 
tive from the South would enlighten us on these 
knotty questions. If Prof. Faber is present we 
shall listen with pleasure to his views. 



THE PREHISTORIC SYSTEM. 

Prof. Faber. Some men become librarians ; 
others are forced to be such because they have 
failed in literature or art ; but I was born so. I 
therefore naturally admire old things. I think 
Mr. Forgenus has expressed the true principle 
of arranging books, viz., to use as many figures 
as you need. The mistake he makes is in re- 
quiring classification at all. Now, our library 
is the oldest in the country, and the arrange- 
ment begun 100 years ago is as good to-day as 
then, and will be as good 100 years hence as it 
is now. We simply arrange the books in three 
sizes, calling the first L (little size) ; the second, 
M (middle size) ; and the third, B (big size) ; 
and then number each book, in each size, in 
regular order, as it is received. We have a 
catalogue that tells us just what number every 
book has, so we can easily get any. one we 
want. 

King Aquila. Your plan is certainly sim- 
plicity itself; but itjseems to us there must be 
some advantage in having books of a kind to- 
gether, to a certain extent at least. If you 
have 100,000 volumes in your library, and a 
man wants 10 books on the same subject, your 
plan requires considerable running about from 
one end of the library to the other to get them. 

THE FROGLAND SCHEME, WITH VOWEL AT- 
TACHMENTS. 

Prof. Faber. The difficulty your majesty 
mentions has also occurred to me as a possible 
objection. I have therefore devised a plan of 
arranging by subjects, that seems to me, on the 
whole, better than the systems just explained 
by my friends. The principle I go on in my 
plan is this : anything that is old is better than 
what is new. As before stated, I naturally 
admire old things ; they are safer. Our library, 
for instance, is old, and I am myself an old 
librarian ; and even the scheme I am about to 
unfold is not mine, strictly speaking, but is an 
old one, in use for hundreds of years in Frog- 
land, which, as you all know, is a very old 
country. Its leading idea is to arrange all 
knowledge in 5 grand divisions, in the natu- 
ral order of the different sciences. By the 
way, none of the schemes just explained is quite 
correct in claiming to have this natural order. 



SCHWARTZ. 



4 1 



My improvement on the Frogland scheme con- 
sists mainly in an ingenious system of notation 
that I have devised to fit it for practical use. 
There are five departments, and five seems to 
me to be a perfect number. We have five 
senses, each foot has five toes, and each hand 
five fingers, and there are five vowels. We 
begin, therefore, by giving a vowel to each 
department. We then subdivide each depart- 
ment by lower-case letters. Further subdivi- 
sions are made by figures, using as many as 
I need. For certain occult reasons, that I am 
not at liberty to divulge at present, I omit the 
first three signs for figures and substitute in 
their place the cross, the square, and the 
pyramid, the elements, in fact, of all form. 
If this system should be considered as a founda- 
tion for the perfect system that is, doubtless, 
still to be established, I shall die happy. 

King Aquila. While we are greatly in- 
debted to you for your explanation we must 
confess that we do not precisely understand 
the raison d^tre of your system, nor what it 
proposes to accomplish. Perhaps our lack of 
comprehension is due to the fact that we are 
not old enough. Now, let us hear from Mr. 
Populus, who has, we hear, charge of one of 
the largest and best-selected libraries in our 
dominions. 

THE ABC SYSTEM. 

Mr. Populus. I do not pretend to know 
anything about systems of arranging books, as 
I have never studied them. The system in use 
in my library was not devised by me, but it 
works admirably, and I do not wish for any 
better. We improve on Prof. Faber's idea of 
discarding classification by dispensing even with 
numbers. Our books are arranged entirely in 
alphabetical order, by authors' names, and we 
have no trouble in finding any book we want. 

King Aquila. Your plan has certain ad- 
vantages as a secondary principle ; but to 
arrange the whole library in one unbroken 
alphabetical series involves the same objection 
found against Prof. Faber's first plan of one 
unbroken series of numbers. A number seems 
to us also desirable for charging books, and to 
readily find particular editions. 

Mr. Populus. I should have stated that 



we do not arrange our books in one unbroken 
series, but in three, viz., (i) The popular books, 
(2) The unpopular books, and (3) The epi- 
leptic, or those that appear by fits and starts. 
Our arrangement is, therefore, not open, in the 
same degree as that of Prof. Faber, to the 
objection that it causes useless running about. 
King Aquila. If you find it useful to 
subdivide your books at all, whether into 
3 or 33 divisions, you admit the validity of 
classification, and prove that a purely alpha- 
betical arrangement is not practicable. It is 
merely a question of degree as to how many 
classes are to be admitted, and, as we have 
already had sufficient testimony on " close 
classification," we should like to hear a word or 
two from the advocates of moderate classifica- 
tion. Dr. Utilis, we understand, has arranged 
a very large library on this plan, and we should 
be glad to have him explain his method. 

THE UTILITARIAN SYSTEM. 

Dr. Utilis. There has been a good deal of 
truth and a good deal of error in the views 
expounded before your majesty. Some of the 
schemes explained seem to me to carry their 
subdivision of classes altogether beyond the 
point of utility. Utility, as I understand it, 
means 200 classes, and not 50,000. The perfect 
number is neither 5, 10, nor 35, but just 22, 
because I have ascertained that all knowledge 
can be reduced to that number of primary de- 
partments. If we, therefore, arrange them in 
their natural order, which, by the way, none 
of the preceding systems has succeeded in dis- 
covering, we can use nearly the whole alpha- 
bet to designate them. I exclude I, Q, V, and 
X on philological grounds. The sub-classes I 
form by means of the lower-case letters, using 
these, however, scatteringly, thus : a, c, e, g, 
etc. I do this to leave room for any possible 
future class not provided for in my scheme, and 
to subdivide existing classes. Should the 
blanks be filled we can call the new class M*, 
M D , or M A , and there are other methods. I 
agree with Mr. Populus as to the advantages of 
an alphabetical arrangement by authors, but I 
differ from him in two particulars: (i) I use 
it as a secondary principle, as your majesty 
suggested, under each class ; and (2) I combine 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



the subject and author arrangement by means 
of a table of 9,999 numbers, divided into 500 
alphabetical combinations. This allows 20 
numbers for each author combination. It is 
true an author may write more than 20 works, 
but that is not my lookout. My _ system re- 
quires that no author should exceed this 
number, and I trust that my wishes will be 
respected. 

King Aquila. Is this table of numbers you 
speak of original, or has it been used before? 

Dr. Utilis. Strictly speaking it is not 
original ; but I have adopted it, with some 
improvements of my own, and have found it a 
very useful device. There is one feature in this 
table that I do not exactly understand ; but, 
having found it in the original, I did not venture 
to change it. It seems that the numbers are 
not apportioned equally. Some letters have 
more and others less. I have, however, made 
a valuable discovery. It has become clear to 
me that instead of there being more writers 
beginning with S and M than with K or N, as 
appears to be the case when we confine our 
observations to works of fact, when we come 
to works of fiction there are invariably 1,000 au- 
thors in each letter who all agreed to write just 
1,000 works each. Why this should be so I 
cannot exactly explain ; but my system requires 
it, so it must necessarily be true. By the 
simple expedient of omitting the class letter, 
on the well-known principle of " lucus a non 
lucendo" and using the initials of authors 
in its stead, I can mark 12,000,000 works of 
fiction with only 9 characters (including the 
volume and duplicate sign). The class symbol, 
of course, shines only through its absence. 

King Aquila. Your plan of leaving blanks 
for subdivided classes we have already com- 
mented on. As regards the two portions into 
which you divide your scheme, fact and fic- 
tion, we cannot understand why it should be 
necessary to change the proportion of numbers 
in each letter in the latter case. The same 
rule should hold good in both cases. Alto- 
gether, we like your plan greatly, and we will 
consider it more fully should no better one be 
offered. 

The East, the West, and the South have been 
well represented. Is there any one here who 



will tell us what the North is doing in the way 
of classification? 

THE SING-SONG SYSTEM. 

Dr. Eruditus. May it please your majesty, 
it is curious that no one should have seized 
upon the true method of nomenclature until 
the plan I am about to unfold happily occurred 
to me. It is clear that signs for books are not 
only written, but may be used vocally. The 
first principle is, therefore, that the symbols 
must be capable of being articulated. Words 
are possible only by combining consonants and 
vowels ; hence it follows that the nomenclature 
must be syllabic, that is, pronounceable. The 
preceding speaker was, therefore, quite right in 
confining the signs to designate classes to let- 
ters only. The mistake he made was in using 
such unpronounceable combinations as Rg, Rl, 
and Sr. The notation of my friend, Mr. Deci- 
mus, appears to me to be altogether too simple 
in its structure, whilst that of Prof. Sector is, 
to my thinking, far too complex. A happy 
medium is afforded by using letters alone in 
such a way that they form euphonious sounds. 
It is true these words, if I may so call them, 
convey no meaning whatever, but they can be 
pronounced ; and that is, after all, the main 
thing. 

I have also discovered that it is much easier 
to write ten letters that form words than three 
figures. Why this should be so I am unable 
to explain ; but the fact affords a powerful 
argument in favor of my system. 

The nomenclature is, however, merely inci- 
dental. My great discovery is this : Prof. 
Faber was altogether wrong in using the five 
vowels as the basis of his whole scheme. The 
fact is, they belong exclusively to the historical 
sciences, because there are, if I may so express 
myself, just five quarters of that department of 
knowledge. Thus, A can be used for Aquila 
land; E, for the Effete Despotisms; I, for the 
Islands ; O, for the Old Countries ; and U, for 
the Unclassified. The scheme is mnemonic, 
to a certain extent : vowels for history, and con- 
sonants for the other books, and each vowel ex- 
pressing the initial of the particular branch of 
history. Now, by adding these vowel classes, 
and their subdivisions, to the consonant classes 



SCHWARTZ. 



43 



we can show the particular geographical or his- 
torical development of a science. For example : 
FUNY signifies Humor, Satire, Wit, etc., and 
Ojiji means Senegambia ; hence, a Senegambia 
Joe Miller would be numbered FuNY-Ojljl. 
On the other hand, suppose we desire to keep 
together all the books relating to a country in any 
aspect, we simply reverse the method. Thus, 
Ojiji-FuNY would, as before, designate a store- 
house of Senegambian chestnuts ; OjlJi-MuNKY 
would be a work on Senegambian Simia; 
OJIJI-JAWY, a codification of its statutes; 
while Ojiji-CuKY would represent a treatise 
on its Domestic economy. The beauty of the 
system is that either method can be followed 
according to circumstances. This power of 
variation has induced the editor of the " Aquila- 
Bookist " to pronounce my system to be " the 
most remarkable ever invented." 

King Aqtiila. I suppose your consonant 
classes are arranged on the same principle as 
the vowel classes, that is, mnemonically accord- 
ing to the initials of their names? 
- Dr. Eruditus. No ; the idea had occurred 
to me, but I was led to abandon it when I 
found some one else had anticipated me. Be- 
sides, the best authorities are agreed that there 
is nothing in it. The consonant classes are 
arranged in the natural order of the subjects. 
This is the only true order that will satisfy a 
cultivated taste. Many systems claim to have 
discovered what this natural order is ; but I am 
confident none have attained it except mine. 
Furthermore, it won't do to make our methods 
too simple. I am quite willing to admit that 
it would be easier to find books if the mnemo- 
nic (or alphabetical) arrangement of classes 
were carried out consistently ; but is there not 
something higher required of a system than 
the mere convenience of readers and attend- 
ants? That seems to be reducing the whole 
problem to a purely practical question, and 
loses sight of the educational value of a scien- 
tific classification. What does the juxtaposi- 
tion of Medicine and Novels teach ? Absolutely 
nothing! On the other hand, if we place Medi- 
cine, as we logically should, immediately before 
Useful arts, or is it Mental science (I can't for 
the moment tell which) ? the educational 
value of the Association is apparent at once. 



King Aquila. As most of the readers in 
a public library are debarred from access to 
the shelves, the educational value of the mere 
juxtaposition of certain classes must be very 
small, even admitting that it exists. But your 
scheme appears to us inconsistent in that it is 
neither logical nor mnemonic. If your mne- 
monic arrangement is best for history there is 
no reason in the world why it should not work 
just as well in science. And, if the logical 
order be best for science, then it ought to 
apply equally well to history. As to your idea 
of making the signs for classes euphonious 
words, we deem it a principle of doubtful value. 
The main objection to it is that it unneces- 
sarily multiplies signs. We should greatly pre- 
fer a method that reduces the symbols required 
to a minimum. As your plan increases them 
we are afraid it will not work. Is there any 
one present who has made a study of the best 
method of economizing shelf-marks ? 

SYSTEMS OF BOOK CLASSIFICATION AND BOOK 
NUMBERING MUST BE BASED ON THE BOOKS 
THEMSELVES. 

A. Blackbird. May it please your majesty, 
my predecessor was afraid that the problem 
of classification might be reduced to a purely 
practical question. I am of the opinion that 
it admits of solution on no other basis. At 
least I propose to consider it from that stand- 
point alone, and see what will come of it. Be- 
fore stating the conclusions I have arrived at, 
by a purely practical examination and study of 
the subject, I will sum up the results arrived at 
by the preceding discussion : 

First. All the various systems explained 
to your majesty are reducible to three typical 
forms: (i) The Numerical, (2) the Alphabet- 
ical, and (3) the Classified. 

Second. Neither of the first two systems is 
adequate to meet the requirements of a library 
when used as a sole principle of arrangement. 

Third. But they are both necessary as sec- 
ondary principles of a classified arrangement ; 
the alphabetical arrangement being necessary 
to readily find individual books, and the nu- 
merical arrangement to preserve the combina- 
tion of the classified and the alphabetical sys- 
tems, and to quickly find particular editions. 



44 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



Hence a perfect scheme must combine the 
three. 

Fourth. To change or. alter a book-number 
introduces confusion and waste of labor ; hence 
the numbers must be permanent, although the 
flace of the book may be changed. 

Fifth. Consequently the scheme must be 
complete at the beginning, and cannot depend 
on hap-hazard future tinkering or " adjust- 
ment to local requirements." 

It being conceded that classification is to 
be the leading principle, there are only three 
points that require to be settled, and these are : 
(A) The number of classes ; (B) The order of 
the classes, and (C) The system of notation. 
I shall briefly consider each of these heads in 
order : 

A. The Number of Classes. 

A good deal of the confusion of ideas sur- 
rounding this part of our subject is due to 
the fact that the Deductive, instead of the 
Inductive, method has been followed. As 
the things to be classified are books it would 
seem the most natural course to pursue to ex- 
amine their characteristics and peculiarities, and 
base our system on these actual facts rather 
than make the facts bend to an a priori 
theory. Now, one of the first facts, visible 
even to the naked eye of the most short- 
sighted librarian, is this : Books are of differ- 
ent sizes, from the Liliputian 64 up to the 
gigantic Elephant folio. Unless we adopt a 
heroic mode of treating this difficulty, and 
make all our shelves at least thirty inches high, 
we must graduate them to accommodate these 
physical inequalities. Consequently works on 
the same subject may be on different shelves 
according to the size of the book. Hence it fol- 
lows that a range is the limit of classification, 
and that any attempt at a " closer " classifica- 
tion is a contradiction of terms. 

To determine how many classes are needed 
in a library we, therefore, need to know only 
these two facts: (i) How many books will go 
in a range (or class), and (2) What is the 
total number of books to be classified ? A li- 
brary with ranges high enough, or long enough, 
to contain 1,000 volumes each, could have only 
one class for every thousand, or part of a thou- 



sand, volumes. If the ranges were smaller the 
number of possible classes would, of course, 
be correspondingly increased. A range small 
enough to hold only 100 volumes would permit 
10 classes for every 1,000 volumes. It will 
thus be seen at once that the whole question is 
a purely practical one, and that we cannot stir 
a step in the matter until we settle the two pre- 
liminary questions : (i) The dimensions of the 
range and (2) the total number of books to 
be classified. 

As regards the first point it will, I think, be 
generally conceded that unless the library can 
secure professional gymnasts as assistants, it 
will be better to avoid a construction of its 
shelves that requires the use of steps or lad- 
ders. In other words, a range should not be 
higher than seven feet. The length should 
avoid two things : it should not fatigue the eye 
nor bend the shelf by the weight of the books. 
Let us say that four feet be the maximum 
length. A range of these dimensions would 
allow for about seven shelves, graded to fit the 
most pronounced differences of size, and each 
shelf would hold about 30 volumes ; hence a 
range would average, say 200 volumes. 

As regards the second point the number 
of volumes to be classified the difficulty con- 
sists in providing for future accessions. We 
must fix upon some limit. But, it may be 
asked, why determine upon some arbitrary 
number at all ? Why not devise a scheme that 
will permit the library to grow indefinitely? 
The answer to this is that knowledge is con- 
tinually changing. The classifications based on 
the knowledge of 100 years ago would be almost 
useless for the students of to-day. And it is 
more than probable that the classifications of 
to-day will be equally useless 100 years hence. 
At the same time we cannot reorganize our li- 
brary to square with every correction of knowl- 
edge. If we, therefore, select loo years as the 
extreme limit of the life of a system of classifi- 
cation, we are, I think, making a very liberal 
allowance. How many volumes is a library 
likely to reach at its centennial? If we put 
the average annual increase at 10,000 volumes 

and there are but few libraries that add more 

a library might reach a million volumes be- 
fore it would need entire reorganization and 



SCHWARTZ. 



45 



reclassification. To be perfectly safe let us 
suppose that we have made an error of 50 per 
cent, in our calculations, and put the average 
increase at 20,000 volumes, our maximum will 
then be 2,000,000 volumes. Consequently, if 
the minimum number of volumes to a range 
(or class) is 200, it follows that the highest 
number of classes possible in 2,000,000 vol- 
umes is 10,000. 

But even this number is much too high, for 
these reasons: (i) Because it assumes that no 
class will exceed 200 volumes. (2) Because it 
assumes that knowledge is susceptible of a di- 
vision into 10,000 equally proportioned classes. 
While this is true of one portion of knowledge, 
viz. : books arranged by subjects, it is not true of 
another portion, viz. : books arranged accord- 
ing to their literary or other form. In the for- 
mer case the number of possible subdivisions 
is practically limitless. In the latter case we 
can only subdivide the classes or departments 
into minor forms to a limited extent. (3) Be- 
cause a scheme to be of any practical value 
ought to be short enough to be memorized : a 
list of 10,000 classes would have to be supple- 
mented by an index, with its two possible sins 
of omission of necessary topics and inclusion 
of superfluous ones. (4) Because the scheme 
ought to fit the smaller as well as the larger 
libraries. If we, therefore, assume that, in 
place of one range, each class or section 
may grow to ten, we can at once reduce our 
scheme to manageable limits, and at the same 
time fulfil all the requirements demanded of a 
shelf classification, for on that supposition we 
shall need only 1,000 sections, which is not too 
many for a small library, and is large enough 
for the most extensive collection. 

I have used the term sections in place of 
classes advisedly, because, as just shown, it is 
not possible to arrange a library under any 
number of equally proportioned classes. Some 
classes are not capable of subject subdivision, 
and yet contain many books. Fiction is such a 
class. In most public libraries in Aquilia it em- 
braces one-tenth of the whole collection. If we, 
therefore, give it but one section, we necessa- 
rily increase the shelf marks of the separate 
books of fiction. On the other hand, if we ap- 
portion the sections to suit the number of books, 



we should require loo in a scheme of 1,000, 
and then only would the shelf marks be equal 
to those in other classes. The first principle of 
numbering is, therefore, that each class must 
have as many sections as the number of books 
in it demands. A neglect of this principle will 
inevitably result in an accumulation of figures 
in the most popular classes. For these di- 
visions all happen to be rich in books but poor 
in subject divisions. What we have to do, then, 
is, from a study of existing literature, to ar- 
range the library in i ,000 as nearly equal pro- 
portions as possible, giving each class as many 
sections as the extent of its literature demands. 
But this must not be done mechanically, but 
must be controlled and modified by another 
principle : evident distinctness of subject. The 
1,000 divisions need not, and cannot be exactly 
equal, but they will approximate to that con- 
dition by observing these two rules. 

It would take too long to pursue this branch 
of the subject here, and as I have fully worked 
out a scheme of classes, based on these princi- 
ples, which is published in full in the last 
volume of the " Aquila-Bookist," any one in- 
terested in the details is respectfully referred to 
that journal. I will assume that the 1,000 
sections have been found ; the next point to be 
determined is how shall they be arranged ? 

B. The Order of the Classes. 
There are three systems to choose from ; 
there is (A) the logical or natural order of 
classes, according to which each subject has its 
exact place in the scheme according to its rela- 
tion to the class preceding or succeeding. I 
reject this method without hesitation, for these 
reasons : (i) If such a scheme be possible it 
has not yet been discovered. There are some 
3,000 or more logical classifications in existence, 
all claiming to have the Simon Pure article. 
They cannot all be right, and the chances are 
they are all wrong ; at least we have no cri- 
terion to determine for us which one is correct. 
(2) I. do not think it ever will be discovered, 
because, after 2,000 years of trying, it ought to 
have been discovered already. (3) It will be 
of no use in arranging a library even if it 
should be discovered, because books are not 
written to fit an ideal scheme, and even the 



4 6 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



most perfect system possible would have to 
bend from its ideal symmetry and order to suit 
the practical convenience of the library. " Logi- 
cally " fiction may belong on the sixth gallery, 
but practically it will be shelved on the first 
floor. 

There is, secondly (B), "The practical order," 
according to which the classes are arranged to 
suit the needs of each particular library, the 
least used books being shelved on the upper 
galleries, and the most popular ones nearest to 
the delivery counter. The difficulty with this 
method is that it can never be universal (and 
it is such an order that we want) , but must be 
modified to suit the exigencies of each library. 

There remains then only (C), " The alpha- 
betical order" of the classes, that is, first, of 
the departments by themselves ; then of the 
classes therein, and, finally, a sub-alphabetical 
arrangement of the sections or sub-classes. 
This seems to me the only rational method to 
adopt, for these reasons: (i) Provided there 
be agreement as to the names chosen for the 
classes there can be no dispute as to their 
order, which is based on the alphabet instead 
of on some metaphysical idea in the mind of 
the classifier. (2) It is universally understood, 
and is therefore universal in its application. 
(3) It is mnemonic. (4) It can be modified 
to suit the idiosyncrasies or practical needs of 
each library or librarian. It can, without dif- 
ficulty, be thrown into the " logical" or " prac- 
tical " order, and it thus combines the advantages 
of both systems without losing its own. 

C. The System of Notation. 
The maximum number of volumes contem- 
plated by our system is 2,000,000, or (allow- 
ing two volumes per work) of 1,000,000 works. 
It would be desirable, for many reasons, to 
number each volume separately, but there are 
thirteen objections to so doing, the principal 
one being that it can't be done. If we, there- 
fore, assign a separate number to each work 
only we shall be able to number a million works 
with six symbols. As the Arabic system of 
numerals is fully adequate to accomplish this 
task there is no necessity for adopting any of 
the unnatural and complicated schemes pro- 



posed in its stead. The Arabic system is under- 
stood by every one, and until it can be shown 
that it results in excessive numbers, when 
properly used, it is simply folly to propose, as a 
substitute, a system that violently disturbs the 
accepted traditions and usages of centuries. As 
all the new-fangled substitutes yet proposed 
result in numbers composed of from seven to 
ten symbols we are quite safe in sticking to a 
scheme that gets along very comfortably with 
six, and has, besides, the immense advantage 
that it does not require a special education to 
understand it. 

Without going into comparisons with other 
systems I think I may safely claim this much 
for mine : that it is entirely built up and de- 
veloped from facts and data furnished by the 
books themselves; and, as such, I respectfully 
submit it for your majesty's further considera- 
tion. 

King Aquila. Your plan seems to us more 
suited to a public library than any other we 
have yet heard, and we therefore command 
that the books in the Aquila Free Public Library 
be arranged in accordance with its principles. 
As a public library is for the benefit of all 
classes, both learned and unlearned, and as the 
latter will necessarily predominate, it is essential 
that simplicity and intelligibility be the leading 
characteristics of whatever system be adopted. 
The arrangement that is understood by the 
majority, and not merely by the learned minority 
of its patrons must be given the preference. 
For this reason we pronounce for the simple 
Arabic numbers as against the mixture of 
figures and letters in the plan of Prof. Sector ; 
for the natural and usual order of figures as 
against the zigzag method of Mr. Decimus ; 
for 1,000 divisions as against 50,000; and for 
the alphabetical order as against the logical or 
practical. While we cannot deny that all the 
systems that have been explained to us have 
merits of their own, we think most of them are 
more suited to libraries for scholars than for 
one intended for the people, and it is the latter 
alone that we wish to classify and arrange. 
Thanking you all for the profit and pleasure 
you have afforded us, we now declare this as- 
sembly dissolved. 



MANN. 



47 



SOME THOUGHTS ON BIBLIOGRAPHY IN GENERAL, AND 
ESPECIALLY ON THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE LITERATURE 
OF SCIENCE, AS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE BIBLIOGRAPHICAL 
RECORD OF "PSYCHE." 



BY B: PICKMAN MANN, EDITOR OF " PSYCHE. 



'T'HE application of bibliography to the work 
1 of the student of science has increased at 
a rapid rate within the last few years. The 
custom of citing references for the purpose of 
giving credit, or of affording opportunities of 
verification of statements, is very old ; but the 
use of bibliographies as working-forces in aid 
of research is much more modern. In the 
department of entomology the attempt to pub- 
lish a current bibliography of publications of all 
kinds was not begun, so far as I know, until 
this attempt was made in " Psyche," which 
started with the numero for May, 1874, as a 
monthly publication. The limited number of 
pages which could be printed, and the lack of 
sufficient working force to keep the bibliography 
complete to date, has thus far prevented that 
full accomplishment of the work aimed at which 
was hoped for in the beginning. The work 
accomplished in the twelve years which have 
followed this beginning has served, however, 
to show the feasibility of the methods adopted 
and gradually improved, and has taught many 
useful lessons in regard to such work. 

The student of science is apt to set little 
value upon the refinements of the art of bibliog- 
raphy. If one may judge from the kind of 
work which is often put forth as bibliographical, 
by writers on science, there is hardly any kind 
of fault which may not be committed or over- 
looked by such workers. There can be no 
doubt, however, that accuracy is an indispensa- 
ble requisite to any good work in this field, 
as it is in general. Many details of the art, 
which are of interest to the collector of books, 
may be neglected in the making of bibliogra- 
phies as aids to investigation ; but this neglect 
should never involve errors in the work which 
is actually done. The width of margins, the 
weight or quality of paper, the style or elegance 



of binding, are not essential elements in such a 
bibliography ; but the date of publication, the 
name of the author, the number of pages, or 
the length of articles, and the nature of the con- 
tents are indispensable to usefulness. 

The first lesson to be learned in the making 
of a bibliography for use is the necessity of 
providing some method of indexing. If the 
titles are arranged by authors, alphabetically 
or chronologically, they cannot at the same 
time be arranged by subjects. If they are 
arranged by their principal subjects they yet 
need indexing to bring together the references 
to subordinate subjects. It is not necessary to 
say anything to convince literary workers of 
the value of indexes to individual works. All 
that has been said and might be said upon that 
subject applies with yet greater force to a bibli- 
ography which is intended to be used as a 
hand-book of literature. 

The index to a bibliography of scientific 
literature should be very detailed. To render 
practicable, within the necessary limits of bulk 
and cost, a detailed index, the method of 
reference should be very condensed. At the 
very outset it is evident that it will be imprac- 
ticable to refer to works by the citation of their 
titles in the index. Whole series of articles 
scattered through the volumes of one periodi- 
cal, or articles on related subjects, even by the 
same author, in different periodicals, some- 
times bear such similar titles that all, or nearly 
all, the words of the title must be cited to dis- 
tinguish one title from another. Frequently 
the titles are exactly alike, and the name of the 
periodical, or the date of the article, must be 
given in addition, for the sake of definiteness. 
Even in the most favorable cases the citation 
of a portion of a title occupies space which it is 
desirable to economize. 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



To secure the advantages of a condensed 
method of reference some symbolism should be 
employed. In the " Bibliotheca entomo- 
logica," published in 1863, by W: Engelmann, 
of Leipzig, from the manuscripts of Dr. H. A. 
Hagen, the titles of the works cited are ar- 
ranged under the names of the authors, chrono- 
logically, the names of the authors being 
arranged alphabetically. The several works 
of each author are designated by a current 
numeral. In the index reference is made to 
the name of the author and the current numeral 
of the work. The references are arranged in 
four columns, in fine type, on a page containing 
204 square centimeters of type. A page nearly 
solid with references is found to contain 209 
references. In the pages of "Psyche" the 
titles are arranged essentially without order, 
but each title is designated by a current nu- 
meral. In the index reference is made to the 
current numeral of the work. The references 
are arranged in two columns of larger type, 
on a page containing 201 square centimeters 
of type. The most open page of 16 so far 
printed of the index to volume 3 contains 200 
references ; the most solid, 732 ; and the aver- 
age of the first 12 pages is 440 references to 
the page. The first 20 pages of the index con- 
tain 8,079 references to 3,362 topics, including 
2,148 references to 754 authors. The number 
of titles to which these references are made is 
nominally 1,654, but some titles are dupli- 
cated. 

The usual method of making citations in 
scientific writings is to refer to individual or 
separate works by name of author, title, and 
page ; to articles in periodicals by title of peri- 
odical, date (sometimes), and page. A very 
useful device is to give in a preface or appen- 
dix a list of all the works cited, with some 
symbol attached, and to refer to this symbol 
wherever references are to be made. Some 
authors have undertaken to accept some bibli- 
ography as a standard, and to refer to the 
symbols employed in that. The catalogue of 
the Royal Society, for instance, has been used 
as a standard. One difficulty with this method 
is that the catalogue of the Royal Society 
covers only a limited period, and, in scientific 
writings especially, the most recent works are 



those which require citation the most often. 
Another difficulty, and a very serious one, is 
that the catalogue of the Royal Society is not 
generally accessible. The same difficulty must 
be experienced whatever work is accepted as a 
standard, unless a work can be produced which 
shall be so inexpensive, or otherwise accessible, 
that it may be within reach of scientific workers 
generally. 

In a current bibliography the arrangement of 
titles is a matter of very little consequence. 
The more frequent the issue of such a bibliog- 
raphy the less important does the matter of 
arrangement become. Indeed any attempt to 
substitute arrangement for an index is a " de- 
lusion and a snare." Too various subjects are 
treated in one article to admit of the possibility 
of indicating all by the arrangement of the titles. 
Whatever is attempted in this way should not 
be allowed to interfere with the practice of 
appending to each title a current numeral. 
This will enable any person who feels the need 
of an index to make one for himself with the 
greatest economy, and to make his index avail- 
able to other persons. Let us look at the 
"Cooperative index to periodicals" with this 
idea in view. We may say, in the first place, 
that an arrangement alphabetical by titles is no 
more a systematic index than one with no ar- 
rangement at all, because titles have no signifi- 
cance. Even when titles are broken up or 
made over, with the purpose of giving them 
significance, the alphabetic arrangement throws 
apart what should go together. For instance, 
I find the following entries in the " Cooperative 
index " for January to March, 1886 : 

" All sciences," instruction in, philosophical 
phase of. 

Culture and science. 

Education and a philosophy of life. 

Education, higher, organization of. 

Education in American development. 

Education, a liberal. 

Technical education, value of. 

These entries, as will be noticed, range all 
the way from "A" to " T," and the whole 
index must be read through to find what it 
contains on the relations of education to 
mental development. Twenty-seven numbers 
of the "Cooperative index" have been issued 



MANN. 



49 



already, and seven more may be expected 
before the first half decade is finished, and the 
work will be supplanted by the first volume 
of the supplement to Poole's index. Poole's 
index itself is open to the same objection. 
Another objection I would make to the whole 
system on which this and similar indexes are 
formed is that it violates the integrity of titles. 
Titles are the proper names by which books 
or articles are known and identified, and it is as 
mischievous to designate an article by the title 
"The frigate bird," because it treats of frigate 
birds among others, when the author named 
the article " Torture of the fish-hawk," as it 
would be to speak of a tow-headed man as 
" Blanco," when his parents had named him 
"Rufus." 

Scarcely any plea of economy can be raised 
against the practice of designating titles by a 
current numeral. The first 100 titles in the 
index above mentioned occupy 174 lines. The 
insertion of a current numeral after each title 
would necessitate the occupation of 16 more 
lines, or an addition of 9 per cent. ; but this 
would be at least in part offset by the saving 
resulting from the absence of any necessity for 
repeating titles under two or more catchwords. 

If each person who wishes to index the index 
must write in the current numbers in his own 
copy, there can be no assurance that another 
person will attach exactly the same numerals. 
Accidents or systematic errors may occur to 
cause a variation. Moreover, the necessity 
imposed upon each subscriber to the index to 
write in the numbers in his copy, when these 
numbers might all have been printed in the first 
place, is a great burden. As the monthly or 
quarterly " Cooperative index " is only intended 
for temporary use, there is not the same induce- 
ment to prepare a good index that there will be 
to prepare an index to the five-year volume, 
which may be looked upon as a work of per- 
manent character. It is to be hoped, therefore, 
that if the change is not made in the quarterly 
index it will be taken into consideration for the 
final work. If it is deemed advisable to insert 
current numerals in future issues of the quarterly 
index, the earlier titles could be counted, a 
statement could be made of the current numeral 
corresponding to the first title or the head of 



each column of the twenty-seven or twenty-eight 
parts earlier issued, and the current numerals 
in continuation of that count could be printed 
with the titles. 

I have mentioned already the desirability of 
making the method of reference as condensed 
as possible. Just as in a book the chapters are 
not paged separately, but the pages in a single 
series from beginning to end, so in a current 
bibliography the series of numerals should be 
continuous from volume to volume. A single 
symbol, then, the current numeral, will suffice 
for a complete and definite reference. The 
difficulties already pointed out in the use of any 
one bibliography as a standard, arising from the 
circumstance that this one standard cannot 
readily be made accessible to all students, will 
then be reduced to a minimum, for a simple 
numerical table of equivalents will suffice to 
establish the relation between any two standards 
that may be adopted, and such tables can be 
prepared in small compass and at small expense 
for printing. For instance, if, in a work which 
I may compose, I choose to make numerical 
references to the titles of works contained in 
the Bibliographical record of "Psyche," and it 
seems desirable to enable references to be made 
by my readers to some other bibliography, also 
considered as a standard, I can append a table 
in which the first column shall give the current 
numerals of the " Psyche" record, and the 
second column the corresponding numerals of 
the other standard. 

It is to be hoped that at some time in the 
future a publisher will be found to issue a bib- 
liography of entomological writings subsequent 
to 1862, to form a companion volume to Hagen's 
" Bibliotheca entomologica," which contains 
essentially all the titles of entomological works 
published prior to that date. If such a work 
were to be issued, and the titles were to be 
designated by a simple numerical symbol, as 
in " Psyche," or by a combination of an 
author's name and a numeral, as in Hagen's 
Bibliotheca, the immense amount of work ex- 
pended upon the systematic index to " Psyche " 
could be utilized by the simple expedient above 
described. I do not know of any index, except 
two or three concordances, to any work which 
is so detailed as the indexes to " Psyche." The 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



systematic index to the first volume, referring 
to 715 titles, has not been counted ; but I esti- 
mate the number of references at about 4,500. 
The alphabetic index to that volume is estimated 
to contain about 3600 references to names of 
genera and species on 218 pages. The sys- 
tematic index to the second volume contains 
5,075 references to 1,830 categories, in 731 titles ; 
and the alphabetic index contains 4,208 refer- 
ences to 758 generic and 2,714 specific names 
belonging to 1,575 genera mentioned on 296 
pages. The index to the third volume, which 
index is not yet all printed, has been mentioned 
above. 

For special purposes indexing cannot be 
carried too far. The principal objection to 
the detailed construction of indexes by literary 
workers is that the maker cannot expect to find 
himself remunerated for the labor involved. 
If, by some means, the making of an index 
once with proper care can be made to serve 
the needs of all subsequent workers, there is 
no doubt that indexes will be made oppor- 
tunely. If, for instance, the publishers of the 
" Cooperative index to periodicals " would 
designate the titles in their publication by a 
symbol such as I have mentioned, there is little 
doubt that some person would make an index, 
at least of the literature relating to some of the 
specialties treated in the periodicals indexed. 
This index could be printed either as a part of 
the "Cooperative index" itself, if it was 
esteemed worthy by the publisher, or it could 
be issued independently, as many indexes have 
been published within the past few years. Such 
an index would be of permanent value, be- 
cause by the mere construction of tables of 
equivalence it could be made to serve also as 
an index to the five-year volume hereafter to 
be issued. 

As an aid to scientific investigations the 
works enumerated in a bibliography must be 
analyzed. The analysis should indicate the 
special phase of the subject treated in the 
work. It would be impracticable within desir- 
able limits to make an abstract of each work 
enumerated, even if the bibliographer were 
such an expert in each special branch of scien- 
tific knowledge as to render him competent to 
make an abstract. The nature of the subject 



discussed can usually be determined, however, 
by bibliographers possessed of wide general 
knowledge and culture. In cases of difficulty 
the aid of specialists could be called in. In 
order to facilitate the making of analyses in 
definite and simple form each title in the bibli- 
ography should be confined as closely as pos- 
sible to one subject. For this purpose it is 
better to enter the several chapters of a work 
as separate titles, if they have separate titles, 
and treat of distinct subjects. The whole work 
can be integrated under its own title by giving 
in the analysis of it the list of its chapters, to 
which the reader is referred for details. For 
instance, I will take the annual report of a 
State entomologist, in which the several chap- 
ters have no further connection than the cir- 
cumstance that they all refer to insects, and 
that these insects are the ones to which atten- 
tion has been directed during a single year. 
First comes the title of the work as a whole. 

NEW YORK State entomologist, 1881 (Jo- 
seph Albert Lintner). First annual report. 
Albany, 1882. 22 + 381 + p., 24 X 16. 

Contains a detailed "Table of contents," 
p. 5-7 (of preface) ; a "General index," p. 345- 
378; an "Index to food-plants," p. 379-381; 
and chapters with the following titles, all re- 
corded under the name of J. A. Lintner as 
author, to u'hick reference is to be made for 
further analysis : Importance of entomological 
study, p. 1-15 ; Progress made in economic en- 
tomology, p. 15-55; Remedies for insect depre- 
dations, p. 56-63. . . . B: P. M. (1204.) 

Then come the titles of the several chapters, 
with analytical reference to the work in which 
they are contained, and with similar analyses 
of their contents. 

LINTNER, Joseph Albert. Importance of 
entomological study. (ist ann. rept. State 
entom. N.Y., 1882, p. 1-15.) 

Mentions the acceptance of late years ac- 
corded to entomological investigations by gov- 
ernments and private individuals, and describes 
the "Extent of insect depredations," "Losses 
from inse'ct depredations," "Excessive insect 
depredations in the United States," "The im- 
mense number of insects," and the "Necessity 
of a knowledge of insect habits." 

B: P. M. (1205.) 

As I have said before, the arrangement of 
titles is a matter of little importance, as it can 



MANN. 



hardly follow any system in a current bibliog- 
raphy for many numbers before the system 
of arrangement must be broken off and the 
series started anew to embrace new matter 
upon old subjects. The utmost extent to 
which it has been found worth while to attempt 
any arrangement in the latter volumes of 
" Psyche " has been to include as far as pos- 
sible material upon one subject at one time, 
and to arrange the authors and titles in one 
issue of the magazine in alphabetical order. 
Thus reference to a single numero of the maga- 
zine is somewhat facilitated ; but when the 
alphabets rise in number into the hundreds 
they might almost as well be dispensed with. 

The publication of such a bibliography as I 
have described, whether a current bibliography 
or one containing all the works which have been 
published within a certain epoch, is a great and 
costly task. It is not to be expected that such 
works will often be republished, neither is it 
necessary. The number of references which 
will be made to any one special subject is not 
likely to be so large that, in case of emergency, 
it will not be practicable to secure a manuscript 
copy of them from some correspondent who 
may have access to a copy of the bibliography. 
For instance, of the 17,650 references in the 
systematic indexes so far printed to the first 
three volumes of "Psyche," only 16 relate to the 
use of insects as food for man. The republica- 
tion of the indexes is a much more practicable 
and desirable matter. The three volumes of 
" Psyche," at present indexed, make three in- 
dexes, and the fourth volume, now five-sixths 
issued, will require a fourth. The index to the 
first volume was made according to the system 
of Dr. Hagen's " Bibliotheca entomologica ; " 
that of the second volume, according to the 
first edition of Mr. Dewey's Decimal classifi- 
cation, with a large development of certain 
departments beyond those embraced in Mr. 
Dewey's work. The index to the third volume 
is made according to the new edition of Mr. 
Dewey's classification, which embraces some 
changes made by Mr. Dewey himself in his 
classification, and other changes resulting from 
the imperfect manner in which the old classi- 
fication was extended. The three indexes do 
not correspond, therefore, in some of their 



most important features; and, while the differ- 
ence between the second and third relates to 
certain details that are not likely to occasion 
serious inconvenience to the users of the index, 
the first differs in almost every particular of 
arrangement. The 3,100 titles embraced in 
that portion of the bibliography are mostly dis- 
tinct, and their serial arrangement unimportant, 
as reference is made to them by a single series 
of current numerals ; but the same is not the 
case with the arrangement of the indexes. The 
same subjects are referred to in each index, 
and all the indexes must be examined to find 
the complete set of references to any one sub- 
ject. In reprinting the several indexes as one 
the classification numbers and the classificatory 
catchwords will be given only once, so that 
the combined indexes will occupy much less 
space than was occupied by them separately. 
Should the bibliography be continued in future 
volumes the desirability of having a combined 
index will constantly grow greater. Such an 
index could be placed in the hands of many 
students who could not afford to subscribe to 
the whole series of volumes, and would enable 
these students to know of the existence of cer- 
tain literature upon subjects in which they were 
interested, and would guide them to procure 
the more specific references in some practical 
manner. 

The principal difficulty in the preparation of 
a bibliography is in getting any person or per- 
sons to undertake the labor and responsibility 
of writing or editing the work. The magnitude 
of the task is too apparent. I find that the 
labor of writing a part and editing the whole 
of the "Psyche" Bibliography of entomology, 
in addition to my regular employment, over- 
taxes my strength. What must, then, be the 
feeling of any person who looks, for instance, 
upon the task of editing the "Essay index," 
which is so dear to the hearts and to the wel- 
fare of the members of the American. Library 
Association! If, however, the " Essay index" 
can be issued as a current bibliography, with no 
regard to the order of titles or the connection 
of subjects, but making use of such material as 
can be availed of upon opportunity, attaching 
to each title a current numeral that will serve 
for reference from an index, no editor will need 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



to feel that he has a large task before him. He 
may feel that so much as is issued is a step in 
the right direction ; that if no more is issued a 
good work has been done. He can lay down 
the editorship at any time when his strength or 
will gives out, and the work can be continued 
by others. It is only necessary that the titles 
of chapters and articles be given accurately, 
the analytical references be made fully, and the 
rest left to others, who, for their own purposes, 
will make indexes that will take the place of 
any special analyses of contents. If, at any 
time in the future, the number of references 
gathered in this way is sufficient to induce any 
person to rearrange and republish the bibli- 
ograpny according to some alphabetic or philo- 
sophic system, all previous workers will feel 
that they have contributed to the good result, 
and will share in its benefits. 



The objections which may be made to this 
seemingly random way of securing the forma- 
tion of the "Essay index " may be obviated by 
enabling all persons who wish to have some 
systematic arrangement of titles to secure 
copies of the printed lists, which can be cut up 
and made into a card catalog. 

If the publishers of the Library journal were 
not disposed to devote a few pages each month 
to the publication of such a current Essay index 
as I have described, undoubtedly the publishers 
of some more general educational magazine, or 
the United States Bureau of Education itself, 
would undertake the publication. At the end 
of the first year an annual index could be pub- 
lished ; at the end of the second year an index 
to all that had gone before ; and so in each year 
an index complete, so far as the work had pro- 
gressed, would be available for use. 



INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT IN CONGRESS, J837-IS86. 1 

BY THORVALD SOLBERG, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



HPHE earliest movement in the direction of 
1 International Copyright in the Congress 
of the United States was the presentation to 
the Senate, by Henry Clay, of Kentucky, on 
Thursday, the 2d of Feburary, 1837, in the 2d 
session of the 24th Congress, of an "Address 
of certain Authors of Great Britain." This 
memorial bears fifty-six signatures, the name 
of Thomas Moore coming first, and including 
among the other signers, the poets, Thomas 
Campbell, Robert Southey, and Samuel Rogers ; 
the novelists, Bulwer, G. P. R. James, Maria 
Edgeworth, and Miss Mitford ; both the 
D'Israelis, Henry H. Milman, Henry Hallam, 
William and Mary Howitt, Mrs. and Mr. S. C. 
Hall, Mrs. Mary Somerville, Miss Martineau, 
and Thomas Carlyle. The complaint made in 
this ' ' Address " is that, for want of a law secur- 



1 The writer is glad to use this opportunity to publicly 
acknowledge and return his thanks for friendly assistance 
received from Mr. Amzi Smith, Superintendent of the 
Senate Document Room ; Mr. Thomas H. McKey, of the 
same office; Mr. G. M. Weston, and Mr. A. W. Church, 



ing to the authors of Great Britain the exclusive 
right to their respective writings in the United 
States, injuries have been inflicted, not only 
upon their property but on their reputation, and 
on the interests of literature and science ; 
which, the memorialists think, " ought to con- 
stitute a bond of union and friendship between 
the United States and Great. Britain." The 
profits arising from sometimes extensive sales 
of their works are appropriated by American 
booksellers, and, besides, their works are 
liable to be mutilated and altered at the pleas- 
ure of the booksellers, or of any other persons 
who may have an interest in reducing the price 
of the works, or in conciliating the supposed 
principles or prejudices of purchasers, while, the 
authors' names being retained, they are made 
responsible for works which they no longer 

of the Senate Library; Mr. Ferris Finch, File Clerk of 
the House of Representatives; Mr. John G. Ames, 
Superintendent of Documents, Department of the Inte- 
rior; Mr. David Hutcheson of the Library of Congress; 
and Mr. R. R. Bowker. 



SOLE ERG. 



53 



recognize as their own. Such mutilation has 
been actually perpetrated, and the authors have 
no redress. It is pointed out that American 
authors are injured, because, the unjust, free 
appropriation of English works being open to 
the publishers, they are under no inducement 
to afford to American writers a fair remunera- 
tion for their labors. As a proof of the evil 
complained of the petitioners cite the case of 
Walter Scott, and claim that an equitable re- 
muneration from American publishers might 
have saved his life, and would, at least, have 
relieved its closing years from the burden of 
debts and destructive toil. The "Address" 
closes with the following petition: "That, 
deeply impressed with the conviction that the 
only firm ground of friendship between nations 
is a strict regard to simple justice, the under- 
signed earnestly request the Senate of the 
United States in Congress assembled, speedily 
to use, in behalf of the authors of Great Britain, 
their power of securing to the authors the ex- 
clusive right 1o their respective writings." Mr. 
Clay, upon presenting the document, said : 
" I am quite sure, Mr. President, that I need 
not say one word to commend this address to 
the attention and friendly consideration of the 
Senate, and every member of it. Of all classes 
of our fellow-beings, there is none that has a 
better right than that of authors and inventors 
to the kindness, the sympathy, and the protec- 
tion of government. And surely nothing can 
be more reasonable than that they should be 
allowed to enjoy, without interruption, for a 
limited time, the property created by their own 
genius. . . . When we reflect what important 
parts of the great republic of letters the United 
States and Great Britain are, and consider their 
common origin, common language, and simi- 
larity of institutions, and of habits of reading, 
there seems to me to be every motive for recip- 
rocating between the two countries the secur- 
ity of copyrights. Indeed, I do not see any 
ground of just objection, either in the Consti- 
tution or in sound policy, to the passage of a 
law tendering to all foreign nations reciprocal 
security for literary property." Mr. Clay, in 
conclusion, moved that the memorial be printed 
and referred to the Committee on the Library. 
Upon this Mr. William C. Preston, of South 



Carolina, while admitting the general propriety 
of the reference to that committee, said he 
thought the subject one of some difficulty, be- 
cause the American authors upon the one side 
would necessarily favor the measure, while the 
publishers had an opposite interest, and had 
arrayed themselves against the object of the 
memorial, and the subject, therefore, resolved 
itself into a complicated question of free-trade 
and protection of the mechanical arts. On 
this subject Mr. Preston was not then pre- 
pared to decide. "Great Britain," he con- 
tinued, " had two authors to our one, and was, 
therefore, more interested in the protection of 
mental labor; while the United States pub- 
lished three or four times as many books, and, 
therefore, more interested in protecting pub- 
lishers." He concluded that the subject ought 
to go to the Judiciary Committee. But Mr. 
Grundy, of that committee, said it had already 
as much before it as could be properly per- 
formed, and suggested a select committee of 
five. Mr. Calhoun, of South Carolina, made a 
few remarks to the effect that while aware the 
interests of booksellers in the United States 
were adverse to the object petitioned for, he 
did not suppose that it was of a character or 
nature such as required its rejection. The 
works for which copyrights would be secured 
constituted but a small portion of the entire 
literature of Great Britain ; and of the works 
of the distinguished names on the memorial, 
the copyright of a great portion had expired, 
which was, therefore, subject to free publica- 
tion. The proper committee, he thought, was 
that of the judiciary ; but he would not object 
to a select committee. Mr. Buchanan, of Penn- 
sylvania, felt called upon to say something in 
defence of the interests of the reading people of 
the United States. He thought that when the 
question came to be considered it would be a 
vexed and difficult question. The effect of 
granting copyrights would be that the authors 
who were anxious to have their works appear 
in a more expensive form would prevent the 
issuing of cheap editions, "which were now 
published and sent all over the country, within 
the reach of every individual," and the result 
would be the reduction of republication to one- 
half. " But to live in fame," the senator con- 



54 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



eluded, " was as great a stimulus to authors as 
pecuniary gain ; and the question ought to be 
considered, whether they would not lose as 
much of fame by the measure asked for as they 
would gain in money." It was well to ascertain 
also, " what would be the effect on the acquisi- 
tion of knowledge in this vast country." Mr. 
Grundy's motion, however, was carried, and* 
Senators Clay, Preston, Buchanan, Webster, 
and Ewing, of Ohio, were appointed to com- 
pose the select committee. On February I3th 
Mr. Cambreleng, of New York, presented the 
address of the British authors to the House 
of Representatives, without remark. It was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
but no further action was taken in the House 
in regard to it, except to order it to be 
printed. 

Two days later than the proceedings in the 
Senate, Mr. Clay presented a list of additional 
names of British authors, which by mistake 
had been overlooked, but which was now re- 
ferred to the select committee, and at his 
request the "Address" was ordered to be 
printed. On behalf of the committee Mr. 
Clay, also, moved the appointment of an addi- 
tional member, upon which Mr. Ruggles, of 
Maine was appointed. On the same day 
Senator Clay presented the "Memorial of a 
number of citizens of the United States, pray- 
ing an alteration of the law regulating copy- 
rights," which was also referred to the select 
committee on this subject. This is really the 
petition of the American authors, and has 
thirty signatures, including Longfellow, Prof. 
Felton, the eccentric John Neal, Rufus Dawes 
(the now hardly remembered Boston poet), 
William A. Duer, Dr. McVicker, and George 
P. Morris. The number of Philadelphia names 
is noticeable : Robert Montgomery Bird, Willis 
Gaylord Clark, Robert Morris, George Mifflin 
Wharton, H. Biddle, T. K. Wharton, and 
others. The names of a number of the then 
prominent journalists are also found appended 
to this petition, which first represents that the 
signers believe, " Native writers to be as in- 
dispensable as a native militia ; that, although 
foreign writers and foreign writings may be 
had cheaper, owing to the present law of copy- 
right, our people must look, for the defence of 



their habits, their opinions, and their peculiar 
institutions, to those who belong to them, and 
have grown up with them, to their own 
authors, as to their own soldiers." Second, 
owing to the want of an international copyright 
law, American authors are not able to contend 
with foreigners ; therefore, the memorialists 
pray, "that such changes maybe had in the 
present law of copyright, as, while they ensure 
to authors a safer interest in their property, to 
our own writers encouragement, and to foreign- 
ers a reasonable protection, the public may be 
secured against a discouraging monopoly, the 
commonwealth of literature open to a fair and 
liberal competition, and the groundwork laid 
for a future international law of copyright be- 
tween the Old World and the New." On 
February i6th, Mr. Clay, from the select com- 
mittee, submitted to the Senate a report, ac- 
companied by a bill to amend the copyright 
act. It was ordered that the report (which it 
is safe to assume was drawn up by Mr. Clay) 
should be printed, and one thousand additional 
copies sent to the Senate. According to this 
report, it is incontestable, " that authors and 
inventors have, according to the practice 
among civilized nations, a property in the re- 
spective productions of their genius, 
and that this property should be protected as 
effectually as any other property is, by law, 
follows as a legitimate consequence." . . . 
Furthermore, " It being established that liter- 
ary property is entitled to legal protection, it 
results that this protection ought to be afforded 
wherever the property is situated." . . . "We 
should be all shocked," continues the report, 
" if the law tolerated the least invasion of the 
rights of property, in the case of merchandise, 
whilst those which justly belong to the works 
of authors are exposed to daily violation, with- 
out the possibility of their invoking the aid of 
the laws. The committee think that this dis- 
tinction in the condition of the two descrip- 
tions of property is not just ; and that it ought 
to be remedied by some safe and cautious 
amendment of the law." This being the first 
measure proposed to Congress upon this sub- 
ject, the constitutionality of any proposed law 
was naturally a matter of consideration. As 
the reasoning presented in the report is in 



SOLE ERG. 



55 



some respects noticeable, and, as it has subse- 
quently been repeated, the paragraph is 
quoted : 

"With respect to the constitutional power 
to pass the proposed bill, the committee en- 
tertain no doubt. The Constitution authorizes 
Congress to ' promote the progress of science 
and useful arts, by securing, for limited times, 
to authors and inventors, the exclusive right to 
their respective writings and discoveries.' 
There is no limitation of the power to natives 
or residents of this country. Such a limita- 
tion would have been hostile to the object of 
the power granted. That object was to pro- 
mote the progress of science and useful arts. 
They belong to no particular country, but to 
mankind generally. And it cannot be doubted 
that the stimulus which it was intended to give 
to mind and genius in other words, the 
promotion of the progress of science and the 
arts will be increased by the motives which 
the billoff ers to the inhabitants of Great Brit- 
ain and France." 



The bill which the committee asked leave to 
introduce was the first international copyright 
bill presented to Congress, and was entitled : 
" A bill to amend the act entitled 'An act to 
amend the several acts respecting copyright.' " 
It enacted briefly stated the extension of 
the provisions and benefits of the domestic 
copyright law then in force (the act of Febru- 
ary 3 !83i) to works by the authors of Great 
Britain and Ireland, and France, published sub- 
sequently to the passage of the act ; provided, 
a printed copy of the title of the book was de- 
posited, and the other requirements of the 
domestic law complied with, and an edition of 
the work was printed and published in the 
United States simultaneously with its issue in 
the foreign country, or within one month after 
depositing the title. The bill was read twice 
without debate. 

February 2oth, Mr. Clay presented to the 
Senate the " Memorial of G. Furman and other 
public writers," and also the " petition " of the 
professors of the University of Virginia. It 
was ordered that they lie upon the table and be 
printed. The first document, which has 154 
names attached, mainly residents of New York 
City, sets out that the petitioners "have long 
viewed with regret the existing law of copy- 
right in the United States, as inconsistent with 



the spirit of the age, the diffusion of sound 
knowledge, the interests of American writers, 
and the rights generally of literary property." 
The petition enlarges upon what is termed the 
" total indifference to the rights of literary 
property," and questions whether the shadow 
of a reason can be adduced in support of the 
exception of this kind of property from legal 
protection, and closes by praying the passage 
of an international copyright law with Great 
Britain. The nine professors of the University 
of Virginia say that they have " long felt and 
lamented the inadequacy of the law of copy- 
right in the United States, to give that encour- 
agement to the literature and science of the 
country which its patriotic framers intended, 
inasmuch as our publishers are neither willing 
nor able to pay the American author for his 
labors (except in a few special cases) , so long 
as the productions of British authors can be 
republished here free of charge," and they rep- 
resent " that an individual has as just a claim 
to remuneration from those who profit by his 
literary labors, as from those who profit by any 
other species of his industry." They there- 
fore ask for a change in the law, and suggest 
that if Congress "should think the greater 
cheapness of the current British literature is 
not to be disregarded," the privilege asked for 
might be extended to British authors for a 
shorter term than that which is given to Amer- 
ican citizens. This agitation, however, pro- 
duced no effect upon Congress which resulted in 
action. In the second session of the following 
Congress, December 13, 1837, Mr. Clay again 
introduced his bill, without alteration, and it 
was now referred to the Senate Committee on 
Patents and the Patent Office. But this move- 
ment brought down upon the Senate a flood of 
memorials and petitions against the passage of 
the bill, and they were also referred to the same 
committee. Noticing only such as were ordered 
to be printed, the first of these, in chronologi- 
cal order, presented by Mr. Buchanan, January 
15, 1838, was the memorial of a number of 
" citizens " of Philadelphia, who oppose the 
bill upon the ground that its passage " would 
be productive of the most deleterious conse- 
quences to a very important branch of the 
national industry," meaning thereby, the book- 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



making establishments, of which a great por- 
tion, it is claimed, would be paralyzed upon 
the bill becoming law. A pathetic picture is 
drawn of the prospective misery of the work- 
people thus thrown out of employment, which 
would be poorly compensated for, as the peti- 
tioners put it, " by any display of ultra sym- 
pathy towards those who stand in no need of 
it." The possible effect of a copyright law 
upon the price of the honestly printed book is 
regarded with dismay, and Congressmen are 
entreated to consider how it would affect their 
constituents, " the honest farmers with their 
interesting families," who, instead of re- 
ceiving their literary supplies at a rate " almost 
too trifling to mention," would have to buy at 
a tenfold cost. On the same day this memo- 
rial was presented by Mr. Toland, of Penn- 
sylvania, to the House, and it was printed in 
the documents of both chambers. 

On February I3th Mr. Norvall, of Michigan, 
presented the "Memorial" of the Columbia 
Typographical Society, of the city of Washing- 
ton, which is signed by George C. Smoot, 
President. This document is short and to the 
effect that the passage of the bill will prove, in 
the opinion of the memorialists, " the immedi- 
ate destruction of the book-printing business 
of the United States ; and the consequent im- 
poverishment of the thousands dependent on 
this branch of industry . . . ; will greatly 
enhance the price, and limit the circulation of 
literature, confining it to the wealthy alone ; 
in fact, in every view, hostile to the interests 
of our country, without being calculated to 
promote a sale of American authors' works, 
expected from its passage." The New York 
Typographical Society also sent a document 
of considerable length, signed by its president 
and secretary, and presented to the Senate on 
March I3th, by Mr. Wright, of Massachusetts, 
and ordered to be printed. The main effort 
of the memorial is to show, as the petitioners 
put it, that "the most injurious tendency of 
this bill will be that of causing books to be 
manufactured in England that are now printed 
in this country ; " but, when it is remembered 
that one of the provisions of the bill necessi- 
tated the printing of all copyrighted books 
in this country, it is difficult to see how 



this could follow. Mr. Buchanan, on March 
igth, presented the " Memorial of Peter S. Du 
Ponceau and others, praying Congress to appoint 
committees of inquiry on the subject of copy- 
right, and to await their report before acting 
on the subject," which was laid on the 
table, and ordered to be printed ; but, 
subsequently, on March 2Qth, upon a 
motion to that effect, it also was referred to 
the Committee on Patents. This neutral peti- 
tion, it may be noted in passing, contains, 
among its signers, the names of some who 
subscribed to the first petition, of February 4, 
1837, asking the passage of a copyright bill. 
On the loth of April, also, Mr. Buchanan 
presented to the Senate what purports to be 
the "Memorial of Richard Penn Smith and 
others, against the passage of the bill to es- 
tablish an international copyright law," but 
this is (word for word) the petition presented 
by him on January I5th, with another list of 
114 signers attached. It consequently is 
twice printed in the documents of the same 
session of Congress. 

While in the House (where petitions for 
and against had been introduced in the early 
part of this year), a memorial from the 
booksellers of Boston was presented by Mr. 
Fletcher, of Massachusetts, April i6th. This 
was ordered to lie on the table, but was printed 
in the House documents for the 2d session of 
the 25th Congress. The memorialists con- 
sider the request contained in the "Address" 
of British authors as unseasonable, because, 
in the words of the memorial, "the law of 
copyright in Great Britain, as it stands at 
present, contains no express provision for trie 
protection of any but British authors ; its 
protection to foreigners, if any, is wholly con- 
structive. . . . When Great Britain shall 
have opened her doors to our authors, then, 
it would seem, a more fitting occasion would 
be presented for entertaining a proposition to 
extend to her authors a like courtesy in the 
United States." It might, perhaps, be taken 
as indicative of some growth in free-trade 
notions, that the strivers for a protection 
measure in the national Legislature nowadays 
are so averse to seeing it properly labelled, 
for in 1838 there was manifested no hesitation 



SOLBERG. 



57 



in publishing a desire for as much protection 
as could be secured. So the Boston book- 
sellers, in their memorial, say, that "in order to 
the protection of our own manufactures and 
industry, for which we are mainly solicitous, 
and on which depend our means of subsist- 
ence, we conceive that the following provisions 
should be clearly and explicity set forth in the 
proposed law : " I . The act shall not apply to 
books printed prior to its passage, nor to sub- 
sequent editions of such works ; 2. The 
American edition to appear simultaneously 
with foreign issue and within one month after 
deposit of title; 3. The work to be wholly 
manufactured in this country; 4. Copyright 
claim to be printed on back of title ; and 
5. The privileges of copyright to be reciprocal. 
On the 2 ist of May, Mr. George W. Toland, 
of Pennsylvania, presented four petitions from 
Philadelphia against international copyright, 
and Mr. W. B. Calhoun, a member of the 
House from Massachusetts, presented, June 
4th, a petition from inhabitants of that State 
remonstrating against international copyright. 
The latter was ordered to lie on the table, and 
to be printed ; but in printing the signatures 
were omitted. The Massachusetts memorial- 
ists think the passage of Mr. Clay's bill "would 
be unjust, impolitic, and hostile to that general 
diffusion of intelligence among the people 
which is the best safeguard of our republican 
institutions" unjust, they think, to the Ameri- 
can book-manufacturers, and impolitic in giving 
foreigners emoluments to which they are not 
fairly entitled. They claim also that an inter- 
national copyright law would have a retrospec- 
tive operation and impair the obligation of 
contracts, by giving copyright to new editions 
of English works already prepared at large 
expense by American publishers for the Ameri- 
can book market. The "Address" of British 
authors is criticised by the petitioners in 
several respects. Meanwhile the friends of 
the measure became active. On March igth 
Mr. Toland presented to the House of Repre- 
sentatives a petition from citizens of Philadel- 
phia praying the passage of an international 
copyright law, and April 24th, Senator Rives, 
of Virginia, and Mr. Clay, presented to the 
Senate petitions from Boston and New York of 



similar import, and Mr. Preston the memorial 
of W. Marshall & Co., and others, of Philadel- 
phia, also favorable. The Boston petition, 
which is headed by Edward Everett, and con- 
tains, among the remaining 78 signatures, the 
names of Samuel A. Appleton, George S. 
Hillard, C. C. Felton, Willard Phillips, John 
Brooks Fenno, Nathaniel Greene, William 
Beach Lawrence, and George T. Curtis, favors 
the proposed measure because it is held essen- 
tial to the encouragement and development of 
American literature, and because, in the words 
of the petitioners, "it is demanded, with much 
propriety, as an act of justice by the principal 
foreign authors interested. . . . The plea 
of the British authors appears to us to be 
founded in the plainest principles of justice. 
Our law already recognizes the right of native 
citizens to hold and transfer literary property 
as fully as it recognizes the right of transferring 
any other species of property. We cannot 
well conceive why a foreign author should not 
have the same liberty and right to consign or 
transfer literary property to his agents in this 
country that a foreign merchant has to transfer 
and consign his merchandise. ... Is not the 
distinction palpably unjust and impolitic ? . . . 
In conclusion, your petitioners would respect- 
fully urge that they consider the proposed 
measure as demanded by a due respect for the 
principles of justice founded in the use of a 
common language, by a sense of enlightened 
national reciprocity, and by the great literary 
interests of both countries." 

The New York petition bears 136 signa- 
tures, including such well-known names as 
Henry Ogden, John McVickers, Charles 
Anthon, Theodore Sedgwick, Jr., William A. 
Duer, and Cornelius Mathews. Also may be 
noted the name of Grenville A. Sackett, who 
is reputed to be the author of the first inde- 
pendent work published in this country upon 
the subject of international copyright, namely, 
the anonymous pamphlet, published in 1838, 
under the title "A Plea for Authors," etc. 
The copyright law of the United States, 
according to this memorial, " is an anomaly 
in civilized legislation," and "the effect of 
limiting the protection of copyright to 
citizens or residents is as impolitic as it is 
unjust. . . . This measure (virtually an 
international copyright law) is not only 
demanded by a just regard to the property of 
foreign writers but is imperatively required 
for the advancement of our own literature. 11 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



The memorial introduced by Senator Preston 
as from Philadelphia is word for word the 
Boston petition above, signed by publishers, 
booksellers, authors, and others. On this 
same day, also, upon the motion of Senator 
Rives, the petition of the professors of the 
University of Virginia, sent in to the Senate 
during the previous Congress, was also referred 
to the Committee on Patents. This petition, 
it will be remembered, was favorable to an 
international copyright law. A second Phila- 
delphia petition, "praying the extension of 
the advantage of copyright to all native or 
foreign residents or non-residents," was pre- 
sented by Mr. Toland to the House on May 
2 ist, and was referred to the Committee on 
the Judiciary, and printed. Its text is the 
same as that of the memorial presented to the 
Senate by Mr. Preston on April the 24th, 
having doubtless a different list of signatures ; 
but in printing the names of the signers have 
been omitted. 

By this time the Senate Committee on Pat- 
ents, to whom these various memorials had been 
referred, evidently thought they had accumu- 
lated literature enough, both pro and con, and 
they hastened to make a report, which was 
submitted by Senator Ruggles June 25th, and 
was adverse to the passage of Mr. Clay's bill. 
The committee, in this report, decline to discuss 
the question of authors 1 natural rights of liter- 
ary property, thinking it sufficient that their 
works are protected by domestic law, and 
claiming further, that " international copyright, 
in strict sense, has no existence." They seem 
to have discovered also that the British authors, 
in making their petition, entertained the sinis- 
ter purpose of monopolizing the American 
market for their works, to the destruction of 
the book-manufacturing interests of the coun- 
try ; and as to the complaints (which had re- 
peatedly, and in strong language appeared in 
the memorials) of the ill effects of free repub- 
lication of foreign works upon the growth and 
development of American literature, the com- 
mittee treat them as though they were but the 
screen for the home authors' greedy desire for 
higher prices for their own works ; and con- 
cerning the competition with foreign books, 
they doubt its existence to any degree, and in 



any case consider it as " far from undesirable," 
and " they are, therefore, persuaded that the 
benefit of such a law would inure principally 
to foreign publishers and manufacturers, to the 
great discouragement of our own, and that 
authors on either side of the Atlantic would 
derive much less advantage from it than might 
at first view be apprehended." 

Senator Clay, however, was not disconcerted 
by this adverse report on his bill, and promptly, 
in the next session of the same Congress, 
on Dec. 17, 1838, he brought in his bill for 
the third time, and it was now referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary ; and on December 
igth, upon his motion, it was ordered that the 
several memorials and petitions on the files of 
the last session should be referred to the same 
committee. But on March I, 1839, before 
any report had been made, Senator Wall re- 
quested that this committee be discharged from 
the further consideration of these petitions, 
etc., which was granted. 

Determined to keep the matter before the 
Senate, Mr. Clay, on the 6th of January, 1840, 
presented his bill for the fourth time, when it 
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
of that Congress, from which committee it was 
promptly returned to the Senate two days 
later, with the report that they neither recom- 
mended nor approved of the passage of the 
bill. On the I5th of April, however, the 
Senate, as in Committee of the Whole, pro- 
ceeded to consider the subject ; but for some, 
doubtless, good reason, which is, however, 
not set out in the journals of Congress, 
Mr. Clay requested that further consideration 
of the bill be postponed to the 23d instant, 
and then be made the order of the day, which 
was agreed to ; but it failed to get a hearing on 
that day, not obtaining consideration again 
until Friday, July I7th, upon which unlucky 
day it was ordered to lie on the table. 

A second wave of copyright agitation was 
set in motion during this year, 1840. Dr. 
Francis Lieber published a letter, addressed to 
Senator Preston, on International Copyright, 
and Dickens's visit to this country in 1841 in- 
creased the agitation to a flood-tide ; where- 
upon Mr. Clay, in the following session of 
Congress, on the 6th of January, 1842, again 



SOLE ERG. 



59 



obtained leave to bring in his bill, which was 
a third time referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary. No report was made ; but we learn, 
from the record of the Senate proceedings of 
May II (upon which day Senator Preston 
asked Mr. Berrien, chairman of the committee, 
what had become of the bill), that Mr. Clay 
had inquired some time previously as to the 
committee's views upon the bill, and learning 
that an adverse report was determined upon, 
he had requested that the latter should be 
delayed for the purpose of getting further 
testimony, evidently feeling that no report was 
preferable to an adverse report. Meanwhile 
the lukewarmness of the Senate had led the 
friends of the measure to look to the House of 
Representatives in hopes of producing some 
result there, and on March 14, 1842, a petition 
by Washington Irving and twenty-four others 
was presented by Mr. Edward Stanly, of 
North Carolina, and referred to a select com- 
mittee of five members, consisting of Mr. John 
P. Kennedy, of Maryland ; Mr. Robert C. 
Winthrop, of Massachusetts ; Mr. John H. 
Brockway, of Connecticut ; Mr. John McKeon, 
of New York, and Mr. Benjamin G. Shields, 
of Alabama. 

April 12, 1842, in answer to a request from 
the House, made (the 7th of April) upon 
motion of Mr. McKeon, the President trans- 
mitted to the House the correspondence be- 
tween Lord Palmerston, British Secretary of 
State for Foreign Affairs, and the United 
States minister in London, of March 6 and 8, 
1839, enquiring whether our Government was 
then disposed to enter upon a reciprocity copy- 
right treaty. This correspondence was referred 
to the select committee on International Copy- 
right, and was printed. 

June 13, 1842, Mr. Toland presented to 
the House, and Mr. Buchanan to the Senate, 
the memorials of C. Sherman, and of T. & J. 
W. Johnson (the well-known Philadelphia law- 
book publishers) urging the inexpediency of 
an international copyright law. They were 
referred to the respective judiciary committees. 
Senator Buchanan, in presenting the petitions, 
said that they contained a brief and conclusive 
argument against the passage of an interna- 
tional copyright law, and that he was happy to 



learn that the Committee on the Judiciary were 
also unanimously against the adoption of any 
such law. His motion to print the memorial 
of T. & J. W. Johnson was referred to the 
Committee on Printing, and was favorably re- 
ported on June I5th. This last memorial from 
Philadelphia does not differ in tenor from pre- 
vious ones from that quarter . ..." A man 
is entitled to the fruits of his labor, physical 
or mental ; but what these fruits shall be must 
be determined by a regard to the general good. 
.... The argument of justice to authors, in 
favor of an international copyright law, is 
valid only so far as it may coincide with the 

good of the whole The whole question 

is one of policy, and is simply this : will it 
benefit the nation, all things considered? . . . 
All the riches of English literature are ours. 
English authorship comes free as the vital air, 
untaxed, unhindered, even by the necessity of 
translation, into our country ; and the question 
is, Shall we tax it, and thus interpose a barrier 
to the circulation of intellectual and moral 
light? Shall we build up a dam, to obstruct 
the flow of the rivers of knowledge? . . . 
Shall we refuse to gather the share of this har- 
vest, which Providence, and our own position, 
makes our own ? " So runs this writ. It is 
assumed as beyond question, that the Ameri- 
can public, rather than pay the small percentage 
additional needed to acquire from the English 
author the honest right to the use and benefits 
of these riches, would suffer the " drying up of 
such fountains of light." The American au- 
thor is relegated to the great work of popular- 
izing knowledge, which is otherwise explained 
to be adapting English works to American 
wants and wishes, and it is suggested, as a 
point of vital import, that the passage of an 
international copyright law would prevent such 
free and uncontrolled use of the foreign au- 
thors' works. A strong sidelight is thrown 
upon this document by recollecting that the 
authors of it occupied the position of law-book 
publishers, having a long list of publications, 
nearly the whole of it being the titles of Eng- 
lish law books, and that they were at the time 
issuing a series entitled the " Law Library," 
containing 104 volumes, embracing 185 distinct 
English works, and including not a single book 
by an American author. 

The session of Congress came to an end be- 
fore the select committee of the House had 
taken any action, and in the next, the 3d ses- 



6o 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE, 



sion of the 27th Congress, this committee was, 
on motion of Mr. Kennedy, revived, Mr. Caleb 
Gushing being substituted for Mr. Shields. 
Dec. 14, 1842, on request of Mr. Kennedy, the 
memorial of Washington Irving, presented to 
the House on March I4th, was transferred to the 
new committee ; and on motion of Mr. Cushing 
it was resolved that this committee be em- 
powered to consider of the propriety of amend- 
ments generally in the existing law of copyright, 
and to report by bill or otherwise. For some 
reason not set forth the committee made no 
report. 

January 18, 1843, it was resolved, upon re- 
quest of Mr. Charles J. Ingersoll, of Pennsyl- 
vania, that the Committee on the Judiciary 
of the House be instructed to inquire whether 
the copyright laws might be amended, and to 
report accordingly. No report came from that 
committee upon this subject. 

The next international copyright movement 
was again in the Senate, where Mr. Choate, in 
the ist session of the 28th Congress, Dec. 15, 
1843, presented a memorial from American 
publishers, which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary, and the motion to print hav- 
ing been submitted to the Committee on Print- 
ing, was favorably reported on December i8th. 
But in the interim Mr. John Quincy Adams had 
presented the same petition to the House on 
the i6th inst., and as it thus reached the 
printer first from that branch of the Legislature 
it will not be found in the Senate documents, 
but in the Executive Documents of the House. 
The tenor of this important document is most 
readily ascertained by the following quotation : 
" Your memoralists, deeply interested, not only 
as booksellers in particular but also as Ameri- 
can citizens in general, in the greatest possible 
diffusion of knowledge and sound literature, are 
fully convinced, by their experience as traders 
in books, that the present law regulating lit- 
erary property is seriously injurious both to the 
advancement of American literature and to 
that very extensive branch of American in- 
dustry which comprehends the whole mechani- 
cal department of book-making. It is alike 
injurious to the business of publishing, and to 
the best and truest interests of the people at 
large. Your memorialists, after a careful and 
mature consideration of the important subject, 
are fully satisfied that the great interests of 
knowledge, of the industry of those who pro- 



vide the community with reading, and of the 
vast reading community itself, would be most 
essentially promoted by the passing of a law 
which would secure to the authors of all nations 
the sole right to dispose of their compositions 
for publication in the United States (whether 
they may be published in foreign countries or 
not) ; provided, always, the book be printed in 
the United States within a certain time (to be 
settled by law) after its publication in a foreign 
country ; and provided, also, that the copy- 
right for this country shall be transferable 
from the author to American resident pub- 
lishers only. Your memorialists are satisfied 
that this equitable protection would enable the 
publishers to furnish their fellow-citizens both 
with foreign and American literature in such 
forms and at such prices as would truly meet the 
wants as well as the means of the people ; while 
the writers of books would receive the just com- 
pensation for their labor and talent wherever 
their works may be read." Finally the memo- 
rialists petition Congress to enact a law secur- 
ing to foreign authors, of such countries as 
may reciprocate the privilege, the right to dis- 
pose of their works to American publishers to 
be printed in this country. This document is 
signed by twenty-three publishers and book- 
sellers, five printers, and seven binders, of New 
York, including among the first class the then 
important houses, D. Appleton & Co., Bartlett 
& Welford, Alexander V. Blake, Robert Carter, 
Francis & Co., and John S. Taylor & Co. ; 
twenty-two publishers of Boston, including T. 
H. Carter & Co., Crocker & Brewster, Samuel 
G. Drake, W. D. Ticknor & Co., and Lewis & 
Sampson ; eighteen booksellers and publishers 
of Philadelphia, including George S. Appleton, 
J. B. Lippincott & Co., and A. S. Barnes & 
Co., besides twenty-two booksellers from Hart- 
ford and other places, ninety-seven signatures 
in all. No action was taken by the Committee 
on the Judiciary of the Senate upon this memo- 
rial ; while in the House a vote rejected its 
reference to the Committee on the Library, and 
referred it to a select committee of nine mem- 
bers, Messrs. Winthrop, Adams, C. J. In- 
gersoll, E. J. Black, Reuben Chapman, Her- 
rick, Leonard, Bowlin, and Potter, of Ohio. 

Mr. Winthrop, of Massachusetts, on Mon- 
day, Jan. 15, 1844, presented a memorial 
of Nahum Capen, of Boston, which was re- 
ferred to the select committee, and on Friday 
his motion was agreed to by the House to print 



SOLE ERG. 



61 



the document. Mr. Capen's memorial is a 
lengthy argument in favor of international 
copyright, divided into three chapters: i. 
Copyrights as property recognized by law; 
2. The effect of an international copyright 
law on literature, science, and education; 3. 
The effect of an international copyright law 
upon authors and publishers. The select com- 
mittee made no report. 

Senator Johnson, of Maryland, in the first 
session of the 2gth Congress, attempted to 
revive the subject by making a motion, Jan. 
22, 1846, that the several memorials upon inter- 
national copyright on the files of the Senate be 
referred to a select committee. This was 
agreed to, and Messrs. Cass, Berrien, Dix, 
Johnson of Maryland, and Pennybacker were 
selected to form the committee ; but they do 
not seem to have taken any action. 

Like a shuttlecock this subject of inter- 
national copyright appears now in the House, 
now in the Senate, and then, again, in the 
House, where, March 22, 1848, Mr. T. Butler 
King, of Georgia, presented a memorial of 
John Jay, and also the memorial of William C. 
Bryant and others, which was ordered to be 
referred to a select committee, and April I3th, 
Messrs. King, Marsh, Ingersoll, Horace Mann, 
Morse, Hilliard, Sims, Preston, and Murphy 
were appointed to serve upon the committee. 
On the 2Qth Mr. King moved that the memo- 
rials be printed, which was agreed to, and the 
document as printed, occupying 33 octavo 
pages, contains : ist, Mr. Jay's petition ; 2d, 
the memorial of the publishers, which had 
been presented to the House Dec. 16, 1843, 
and already printed in the documents of the 
ist session of the 28th Congress ; 3d, a cata- 
logue of American books published in England ; 
and, 4th, the petition signed by William C. 
Bryant and fifteen others. Mr. Jay's document 
is the most thorough yet presented to the at- 
tention of Congress in this class. The key- 
note is struck in the first paragraph, where he 
states that, from a careful examination of the 
law of copyright then in force, he " is well 
persuaded that many injuries, direct and re- 
mote, are inflicted by the exclusion of foreign- 
ers from the privileges of that act, upon the 
rights of American authors, upon the stability 
and respectability of the American book-trade, 



and upon the interests of the American reading 
public, and that the passage of an international 
copyright law, by which foreign authors shall 
be allowed their copyright here, and American 
authors assisted to their copyright abroad, 
would not only be an act of national justice, 
but of national policy ; that it would afford to 
our native authors what they have never yet 
enjoyed, ' a fair field', ' that it would supply 
a new stimulus to intellectual exertion, infuse a 
more elevated tone into our national literature, 
give a healthier character and a wider compe- 
tition to the American book trade, and secure 
a better class of books for general circulation." 

In support of these views he'appends various 
facts and arguments. It is interesting to note 
that he sustains Mr. Clay's argument that there 
is no constitutional objection to the extension 
of copyright to foreigners, because the object 
of the constitutional clause was to promote the 
progress of science and the useful arts, which 
belong to no party or country, but to mankind 
generally. The want of an International copy- 
right act, he argues, produces: I. Injury to 
American authors, <z, in regard to the sale of 
their books at home, b, in regard to the 
sale of their books abroad ; 2. Injuries to 
American publishers and the numerous artisans 
connected with the book trade (by rendering 
the business of reprinting speculative and un- 
safe) ; 3. Disadvantageous to the reading pub- 
lic and the nation at large. The objections 
which at different times had been advanced 
against International copyright are answered 
seralim, and at length, and with much force. 
He finally urges upon Congress to extend the 
provisions of the domestic copyright act to the 
works of foreigners published after the passage 
of such a law, provided a title-page and copies 
of each work are deposited according to the 
law, besides a duplicate copy sent to the 
Smithsonian Institution, and provided the 
work is printed and published in the United 
States within a specified time. Translations 
to be included in the protection. 

The document, to which is appended a list of 
signatures headed by William Cullen Bryant, 
is but the first and the last two paragraphs of 
Mr. Jay's memorial. Among the signers are 
Charles Fenno Hoffman, Ogden Hoffman, Jr., 
and Theodore Sedgwick. 

February i, 1851, Mr. Winthrop, on the floor 



62 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



of the Senate, said : " I present the memorial 
of the American Medical Association, prepared 
in conformity with the resolution adopted 
at their late annual meeting in Cincinnati, 
and signed by their president, Dr. Mussey, 
praying for the adoption of an international 
copyright system, both as a measure of abstract 
expediency and justice, and more particularly 
as essential to secure a just remuneration to 
American authors, and a just encouragement 
to American literature. I move the reference 
of the memorial to the Committee on the Judi- 
ciary ; and, as it relates to a subject of no little 
public interest, and comes from an association 
composed of gentlemen of high scientific char- 
acter and great moral worth in all parts of the 
Union, I move that the memorial be printed." 
But, on February 4, the Committee on Printing 
reported against printing the document, and 
nothing further came of this movement. 

The next senator to say a word in favor of 
international copyright was Mr. Charles Sum- 
ner, who, July 19, 1852, presented the petitions 
of Washington Irving, James Fenimore 
Cooper, and others, with these words: "I 
have in my hands an important petition con- 
cerning American literature, signed by names 
universally honored in this country. The pe- 
tition is short, and I will read it : ' The 
undersigned, authors, publishers, booksellers, 
printers, editors, and paper-dealers, citizens of 
the United States respectfully ask that your 
honorable body will enact a law for the benefit 
of American literature which shall give to Brit- 
ish authors and publishers the same right to 
the control of their literary property in the 
United States that the law of England offers 
reciprocally to the authors and publishers of 
this country.' I have also a second petition to 
the same effect. These petitions were pre- 
pared some time ago, but only now have been 
placed in my hands. Among the illustrious 
petitioners are James Fenimore Cooper, on 
whose signature is now the sacred seal of death, 
Jonathan N. Wainwright, Hermann Melville> 
William C. Bryant, George P. Putnam, Wash- 
ington Irving, Rev. Dr. Francis L. Hawks, Dr. 
Edward Robinson, Rufus W. Griswold, Bayard 
Taylor, and John Jay. Uniting with these pe- 
titioners in their prayer, and cordially desiring 



some action of Congress on this subject, if not 
this session, yet speedily, so soon as it prac- 
tically can be done, I move that these peti- 
tions be referred to the Committee on the 
Library." The petitions were so referred, but 
no action was taken upon them. 

The following year, 1853, copyright agitation 
was begun from another quarter, namely the 
Department of State. On the I5th of Febru- 
ary five publishing firms of New York City, 
viz., D. Appleton & Co., G. P. Putnam & 
Co., Robert Carter & Bros., Charles Scribner, 
and Stanford & Swords, addressed a letter to 
Edward Everett, then Secretary of State, set- 
ting out the points which they deemed of prac- 
tical necessity in passing an international 
copyright treaty. These "points" are in 
effect, that the title of a foreign work should 
be entered in the United States District Court 
or the Department of State before its publi- 
cation in England ; the type set up, and 
the book printed and bound in this country, 
and the American publisher, in order to secure 
protection, must show his right to the book 
from the author in writing. If within thirty 
days from its publication abroad there is no 
authorized edition published here, then any one 
shall have the right of reprinting the work. 
Mr. Everett began negotiations, through the 
American minister in London, to effect a copy- 
right treaty, and, as we learn from a letter 
written by Mr. Charles Sumner, this treaty was 
reported by the Senate Committee on Foreign 
Relations, considered in the Senate, and finally 
left on the table, without any definite vote. 
In the meantime opponents of international 
copyright viewed with alarm this new move- 
ment, which they thought more likely to suc- 
ceed, perhaps, than the attempted passage of 
a bill, and in December of that year, and dur- 
ing the first four months of 1854, a dozen peti- 
tions were presented to the Senate, from 
" citizens " of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, 
Michigan, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, 
remonstrating against the ratification of a 
treaty. They were variously referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations, or Committee 
on the Library, or were laid on the table. Mr. 
James Cooper (also a senator from Pennsyl- 
vania) requested information from Mr. Henry 



SOLE ERG. 



C. Carey, "calculated to enable him to act 
understandingly in reference to the interna- 
tional copyright treaty now awaiting the action 
of the Senate," which request resulted in the 
publication of Mr. Carey's well-known " Let- 
ters on International Copyright." 

In the first session of the 35th Congress in- 
ternational copyright was again revived in the 
House by Mr. Edward Joy Morris, of Penn- 
sylvania, who, Dec. 10, 1857, gave notice of his 
intention to introduce a bill, and Jan. 18, 1858, 
presented House bill No. 82, which was referred 
to the Joint Committee on the Library ; but no 
action was taken. In the first session of the 
next Congress he asked leave to reintroduce 
his bill, and Feb. 15, 1860, presented it un- 
changed, as House bill No. 32 of that ses- 
sion, "A bill to provide for an international 
copyright law," when it was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs. Neither com- 
mittee nor House seems to have given any 
further concern to this bill, the second interna- 
tional copyright bill presented to Congress. 
The bill was never printed ; but the manuscript 
original is preserved in the file room of the 
House of Representatives. Its purport was to 
so amend the copyright act of Feb. 3, 1831, 
as to extend its provisions to persons not 
citizens of the United States, and to their 
widows and children ; such persons being the 
subjects of foreign countries granting equal 
benefits to citizens of the United States. The 
stipulations necessary to be complied with be- 
fore a copyright could be secured were the 
deposit of a printed copy of the title, before 
publication, in the clerk's office of one of the 
district courts, and the stereotyping, printing, 
and publishing of the work copyrighted in the 
United States, within one month after its pub- 
lication abroad, by a citizen of the United 
States. The importation of the foreign edition 
by the American copyright proprietor rendered 
importation, or reprinting, free to all, which 
was also the case if the publisher allowed the 
supply of any work to become exhausted. 
The provisions of the bill were not to apply to 
newspapers or periodical publications. 

During the Civil War it was not to be ex- 
pected that any thought could be given to the 
subject of copyright, and it is no surprise, there- 



fore, to find no renewal of agitation concerning 
this question until 1866. On February igth 
of that year Mr. Edwin D. Morgan, of New 
York, presented to the Senate a petition from 
citizens of that State, praying the enactment 
of an international copyright law, which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Rela- 
tions ; and during the months of March and 
April following Mr. Sumner presented eleven 
different petitions and memorials for the same 
object, the first of these headed by William 
Cullen Bryant, and the second signed by Henry 
W. Longfellow and others. They were all re- 
ferred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Rela- 
tions, but were not printed ; and on February 
28th of the following year (1867), Mr. Sumner, 
from that committee, asked that it be dis- 
charged from the further consideration of these 
petitions for international copyright, without 
any report having been made by the com- 
mittee. 

Dickens's second visit to this country, in 1867, 
may partially account for the renewal of the 
agitation beginning about that time, and which 
reached Congress early in the following year, 
when Mr. Samuel M. Arnell, of Tennessee, 
January i6th, submitted the following resolu- 
tion to the House of Representatives, which 
was read and agreed to: "Resolved, That the 
Committee on the Library is hereby instructed 
to enquire into the subject of international 
copyright, and the best means for the encourage- 
ment and advancement of cheap literature, and 
the better protection of authors, and to report 
to the House by bill or otherwise." The Com- 
mittee on the Library was a joint committee, 
consisting at that time of Senators Morgan, of 
New York ; Fessenden, of Maine ; and Howe, 
of Wisconsin, and Mr. Baldwin, of Massachu- 
setts ; Mr. Spalding, of Ohio, and Mr. Pruyn, 
of New York, members of the House of Rep- 
resentatives. Promptly, Feb. 21, 1868, Mr. 
Baldwin presented to the House a report ac- 
companied by a bill, both of which were 
ordered to be printed. Mr. Pruyn asked and 
obtained consent to submit the views of the 
minority of this committee, but probably be- 
cause no further action was taken upon the 
majority report no minority report was ever 
presented. 



6 4 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



Mr. Baldwin's report, the third international 
copyright report, is a considerable document, 
presenting forcibly the need for and advantage 
of a law protecting the works of foreign authors 
in the United States. The initial paragraph is 
as follows : ' ' We are fully persuaded that it is 
not only expedient but in a high degree im- 
portant to the United States to establish such 
international copyright laws as will protect the 
rights of American authors in foreign countries 
and give similar protection to foreign authors 
in this country. It would be an act of national 
justice and honor in which we should find that 
justice is the wisest policy for nations, and 
brings the richest rewards." The report con- 
tinues : " In all civilized nations it is under- 
stood that the author of a book or a work of 
art has a natural right of property in his work 
as real as that of his neighbor to any other 
kind of personal property. No right can be 
more unquestionable." Pointing out how bene- 
ficial have been the results of the international 
copyright laws and treaties of European 
countries, the committee says: "We alone 
have neglected to change the antiquated and 
vicious policy that allows our authors to 
be plundered in foreign countries, represses 
literary development in our own country, makes 
the business of publishers, to a considerable 
extent, speculative and uncertain, and encour- 
ages the circulation here of the most worthless 
English books instead of the better books from 
other countries and from our own writers, 
which, under the operation of suitable copy- 
right laws, would exclude them from the mar- 
ket." For the policy advocated by Henry 
Clay, in his report, of granting protection to 
the works of foreign authors, the following 
four reasons are given, and each sustained by 
good arguments : I . A sense of justice to the 
author's right of property in his work ; 2. The 
development of our own literature, making it 
national; 3. The improvement of the business 
of manufacturing, publishing, and selling books 
in the United States ; 4. The promotion of the 
interests of American book-buyers. It is to be 
noted that this report lays much stress upon 
the need for laws which will secure the Ameri- 
can authors' property abroad, a consideration 
which was not touched upon in the two previous 
reports. The case of Mr. Motley and his 
"History of the Dutch Republic" is dwelt 
upon as an illustration of the need of such 
protection. Another novel argument in this 
report is to the effect that the establishment of 
international copyright laws would tend to en- 



courage the publication of translations of the 
best works of foreign countries, such as the 
best French, German, Swedish, and Danish 
works (according to the report), instead of 
the republication of the worthless English 
books. The committee have thought it worth 
while to devote more than a page of their 
report to answering the objections, real or 
imagined, which have been alleged against 
the bill, especially such as have been con- 
tained in the memorials presented to Congress. 
These objections are quoted, enumerated as 
follows, and answered seratim : I. " Such laws 
would increase the price of books to American 
readers ; " 2. " No American books are repub- 
lished in Great Britain;" 3. "This policy 
would give British manufacturers of books 
entire monopoly of the American market ; " 4. 
" It would prevent the adaption of English 
books to American prejudices" (which fact 
the committee thought an excellent reason for 
an international copyright law) ; 5. "It would 
derange and oppress the American book-trade, 
by suddenly giving the benefit of copyright to 
foreign books already published here." Re- 
troactive copyright was, of course, never con- 
templated. The bill accompanying Mr. 
Baldwin's report was the third international 
copyright bill presented to Congress. It is com- 
posed of five long sections, and enacts, in brief, 
that foreign authors of books, maps, dramas, or 
musical compositions, as well as designers of 
engravings, which are first published abroad 
after the act has gone into effect, and their ex- 
ecutors or legal assigns, shall have the same 
copyrights as are granted to citizens of the 
United States ; provided, the countries of first 
publication have secured to citizens of the 
United States equal rights of copy, and upon 
the stipulation that all editions are to be wholly 
manufactured in the United States, and sold by 
publishers, citizens of the United States, one 
copy of the best foreign edition to be deposited 
in the Library of Congress and the title-page 
registered in the clerk's office of some district 
court of the United States within three months 
after first publication, and within the same 
term arrangements must have been made, in 
good faith, with an American publisher for im- 
mediate publication in the United States, and 



SOLE ERG. 



all the requirements of the domestic copyright 
law registration of title, deposit of two copies 
in Library of Congress, etc. have been com- 
plied with, as for an original American work. 
Translations are to be protected provided the 
original work has been registered in the United 
States and a copy deposited in the Library of 
Congress within four months after first publi- 
cation, and it is announced upon the title-page 
that the author reserves the right to translate ; 
and, further, that within six months after date 
of such registration of original work the author- 
ized translation has been offered to an Ameri- 
can publisher. As with the original work, 
every edition of the translation must be wholly 
manufactured in the United States, and pub- 
lished by a citizen ; the provision as to trans- 
lations to extend only to books first published 
in countries where similar protection is secured 
to American authors. A proclamation by the 
President that arrangements have been con- 
cluded with any nation shall immediately 
entitle authors and artists of such country to 
the benefits of the act. The presentation of 
the "Baldwin" report resulted in a consider- 
able agitation among authors and an increment 
to the already considerable literature upon the 
subject of an international copyright with Eng- 
land. Just previous, in October, 1867, Mr. 
James Parton contributed a forcible article to 
the Atlantic Monthly; and in 1868, Mr. Henry 
Charles Carey issued a second edition of his 
" Letters on International Copyright," while 
the " Copyright Association for the Protection 
and Advancement of Literature and Art " pub- 
lished a pamphlet entitled: "International 
Copyright," being an account of the proceed- 
ings at a meeting of authors and publishers, at 
the rooms of the New York Historical Society, 
April 9, 1868, for the purpose of organizing the 
International Copyright Association. This was 
edited by Mr. Edmund Clarence Stedman, and 
contains, besides a number of letters from 
various authors, speeches by William Cullen 
Bryant, S. Irenaeus Prime, Francis Lieber, 
Samuel Osgood, and Philip Schaff, together 
with an appendix containing "The Right of 
Copyright," by S. I. Prime, and Richard Grant 
White's article "The Copyright Question as 
it Stands," and at the end a memorial to 



Congress praying the passage of a bill to 
secure the rights of authors, artists, and de- 
signers, which is signed by 153 authors, pub- 
lishers, artists, etc. But the outside agitation 
produced no effect upon Congress, and no 
action was taken upon either bill or report 
during that session. 

In 1870 Lord Clarendon proposed, on behalf 
of the British Government, a reciprocity treaty 
for a term of five years ; but this treaty pro- 
posal seems never to have gone so far as to 
have been considered by the Senate. 

In the 2d session of the 42d Congress Mr. 
Baldwin's bill was revived by Mr. S. S. Cox, 
of New York, who introduced it, without 
change, as House bill No. 470 of that ses- 
sion. He presented it to the House Dec. 6, 
1871, when it was committed, without dis- 
cussion, to the Committee on the Library, and 
ordered to be printed. Not content with the 
prospect of a probable interment of his bill 
in the pigeon-holes of that committee, he 
moved, December nth, the consideration and 
passage of the following resolution: " Re- 
solved, That the Committee on the Library be 
directed to consider the question of an inter- 
national copyright, and to report to this House 
what, in their judgment, would be the wisest 
plan, by treaty or law, to secure the property 
of authors in their works without injury to 
others' rights and interests, and if, in their 
opinion, Congressional legislation is best, that 
they report a bill for that purpose." Mr. Kelley, 
of Pennsylvania, objected to the resolution; 
and Mr. Perce, of Mississippi, suggested that it 
be referred to the Committee on the Library, 
whereupon Mr. Cox pointed out that there was 
no propriety in doing that, as the resolution 
was a direction to that committee that they 
exercise their duty in a peculiar manner. As 
Mr. Kelley again objected to the resolution, Mr. 
Cox moved the suspension of the rules so as 
to enable him to introduce it, pending which 
the House adjourned ; but on the following Mon- 
day, December i8th, the resolution was taken 
up again, and decided in the affirmative by a 
vote of 105. On the 23d of January Mr. Cox 
moved that 500 additional copies of the bill be 
printed, which motion was referred to the Com- 
mittee on Printing, and the committee reported 
favorably February 7th, upon which Mr. Cox 
asked leave to make certain corrections in the bill 



66 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



before the extra copies were printed, which was 
granted. Of this second print of the bill it 
has been impossible to secure a copy and 
ascertain the exact nature of the corrections or 
amendments; but as the "Baldwin" bill pro- 
vided that titles should be recorded in the 
clerks' offices of the district courts, and as Mr. 
Cox had reintroduced this bill without change, 
although the domestic copyright law when 
codified, July 8, 1870, had changed the place 
of record to the Library of Congress, it is safe 
to conjecture that the bill was amended in this 
respect, and very likely in this only. Mean- 
while the Pennsylvanians felt it necessary to 
take active steps to head off the new copyright 
movement. Mr. Kelley, following Mr. Cox's 
precedent, submitted to the House an opposi- 
tion resolution on Feb. 12, 1872, which was 
also referred to the Committee on the Library, 
and was ordered to be printed. It was to the 
following effect : " Whereas it is expedient to 
facilitate the reproduction here of foreign works 
of a higher character than that of those now 
generally reprinted in this country ; and 
whereas it is in like manner desirable to facili- 
tate the reproduction abroad of the works of 
our own authors ; and whereas the grant of 
monopoly privileges, in case of reproduction 
here or elsewhere, must tend greatly to increase 
the cost of books, to limit their circulation, 
and to increase the already existing obstacles 
to the dissemination of knowledge ; Therefore 
Resolved, That the Joint Committee on the 
Library be, and it hereby is, instructed to 
inquire into the practicability of arrangements 
by means of which such reproduction, both 
here and abroad, may be facilitated, freed from 
the great disadvantages that must inevitably 
result from the grant of monopoly privileges 
such as are now claimed in behalf of foreign 
authors and domestic publishers." In the 
Senate, also, the Pennsylvania senators were 
busy pouring in memorials from " citizens" of 
that great State, who are represented as being 
"engaged in making books," and more par- 
ticularly described as type-founders, printers, 
paper-makers, music-printers, binders, and 
gold-beaters ! (Pennsylvania statesmen do not 
recognize that class of her citizens called 
authors engaged in making books). These 
various petitions were referred to the Com- 
mittee on the Library, but were not printed. 
Mr. Henry C. Carey issued his second work 
upon this subject, entitled, " The international 



copyright question considered with special 
reference to the interests of American authors, 
American printers and publishers, and Ameri- 
can readers," in which the "Baldwin" bill is 
sharply criticized and copyright of any kind 
objected to ; and on January 27th there was a 
meeting of Philadelphia " publishers, paper- 
makers, and others interested in the manufact- 
ure of books," presided over by Mr. Henry 
C. Baird, at which a memorial was adopted 
opposing international copyright for eight rea- 
sons, and this document was ordered to be 
taken to Washington and laid before the Joint 
Committee by a suitable delegation. In New 
York the booksellers and publishers of that city, 
with a delegation from Boston, held meetings 
January 23d and February 6th declaring in 
favor of copyright, and drawing up a bill em- 
bodying their ideas, which, with an argument 
in support of it by Mr. William H. Appleton 
(who drew up the bill), together with other 
documents, it was resolved should be taken to 
Washington by a committee and laid before 
Congress. At the second of these meetings 
was presented a memorial of British authors, in 
which they conceded that " the Americans 
have strong reasons for refusing to permit the 
British publisher to share in the copyright 
which they are willing to grant to the British 
author," and, expressing themselves as duly 
appreciating the force of the reasoning which 
distinguished between the British author and 
the British publisher, suggested that negotia- 
tions be renewed on the condition of American 
re-manufacture. This document was signed by 
fifty authors, including Herbert Spencer, Sir 
John Lubbock, John Stuart Mill, George Henry 
Lewis, James A. Froude, John Morley, Prof. 
Huxley, Charles Darwin, Prof. Tyndall, and 
Mr. Ruskin. Especially to be noted as among 
the number are the two persons who were 
also signers of the first "Address" of British 
authors sent to America, thirty-five years 
earlier, namely, Thomas Carlyle and Harriet 
Martineau. The executive committee of the 
Copyright Association held a meeting in New 
York, on Friday, January 26, and adopted, for 
the purpose of presentation to the Library 
Committee, a bill drawn up by Charles Astor 
Bristed, which is comprehensive in proportion 



SOLE ERG. 



to its brevity, and is to the following effect : 
"All rights of property secured to citizens of 
the United States of America by existing copy- 
right laws of the United States, are hereby 
secured to the citizens and subjects of every 
country, the government of which secures 
reciprocal rights to citizens of the United 
States." The act to take effect two years after 
its passage. 

This agitation of the subject induced the Joint 
Committee on the Library, consisting, at that 
time, of Senators Howe, of Wisconsin ; Mor- 
rill, of Maine, and Sherman, of Ohio ; and Rep- 
resentatives Peters, of Maine ; Wheeler, of 
New York, and Campbell, of Ohio; to hold 
two public meetings for the purpose of hear- 
ing testimony upon copyright, and arguments 
were listened to from Mr. Appleton, of the New 
York publishing firm ; E. L. Andrews, Esq. ; 
Mr. Bristed ; Prof. Youmans ; Isaac Sheldon, 
and the late Mr. Van Nostrand, of New York, 
in favor of some bill protecting the works of 
foreign authors ; and, as opposed to the pas- 
sage of any measure, Mr. W. P. Hazard, one 
of a committee from Philadelphia, who also 
read a communication from Mr. Henry C. Lea ; 
and Mr. Hubbard, of Boston, who read a let- 
ter from Harper & Brothers objecting to inter- 
national copyright. This letter closes with 
the following words : " In view of the great re- 
sults which have grown out of the freedom of 
literary exchange which we now enjoy, . . . 
the liberalizing, broadening, elevating influ- 
ence upon the national mind of the choicest 
thoughts of another great and cultivated people 
now so freely opened to it, it is our belief that 
the adoption of any serious restriction upon 
this freedom would be a very hazardous experi- 
ment, and possibly an irrevocable calamity to 
the nation." On the igth of February the 
Committee held a final private meeting, at 
which were presented a printed statement by 
Henry Carey Baird, and a final draft of the bill 
drawn up by American publishers, slightly mod- 
ified from that presented at the earlier meet- 
ing of the committee. ' Directly following this 

1 The text of this proposed bill is given in " The Law of 
Copyright," by W. A. Copinger, 2d ed.,8. London, 1881, 
pp. 496-497; and in the Publisher's Weekly, v. 15, 8. 
N. Y., 1879, p. 323. 



meeting of the committee, however, it was 
called upon to consider two new copyright 
bills, based upon the then novel "royalty" 
scheme of copyright, both presented to Con- 
gress upon the same day, Wednesday, Febru- 
ary 21, 1872, the one in the Senate by Mr. 
Sherman, and the other in the House by Mr. 
Beck. The two bills were ordered to be 
printed and referred to the Library Committee. 
The bill presented by Senator Sherman, com- 
monly called the "Elderkin" bill, from its 
being due to the suggestion of Mr. John El- 
derkin, grants to the foreign author of such 
country as extends similar privileges to Amer- 
ican citizens, what is called a " copyright " for 
ten years from first publication ; provided he 
delivers to the Librarian of Congress, within 
twelve months from such first publication, two 
copies of his work and complies with the other 
stipulations of the domestic copyright law; 
having done which he is at liberty to print and 
publish his work in this country himself, or he 
may contract with any publisher in the United 
States for publication at the rate of five per- 
centum of the gross cost of the publication as 
his royalty, it being especially enacted, how- 
ever, that any person or persons may republish 
the author's work, upon which, the bill pro- 
vides, he may sue them in any court of com- 
petent jurisdiction for his lawful royalty of five 
percentum of the gross cost of each publication. 
The bill introduced by Mr. Beck was suggested 
by Mr. John P. Morton, the well-known pub- 
lisher, of Louisville, Ky., and is similar in 
principle to the "Elderkin" bill, providing 
that a foreign author may obtain a copyright 
on his work on the following terms and condi- 
tions : " Before his work is first published for 
sale in this country, the title-page thereof must 
be recorded in the office of the Librarian of 
Congress, the work to be free to be printed 
and published by all responsible publishers ; 
the copyright not to exceed ten per centum on 
the selling price. The author shall have an 
agent prepared to make contracts, notice of 
which shall be given through the public press." 
Both bills stipulated that nothing in the act 
was to prevent the importation or sale of the 
foreign edition of the work. Mr. Morton, who 
suggested this bill, says, in a letter to the Hon 



68 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



S. S. Cox, " Whether Congress ought to pass 
an International copyright law or not is another 
question. But, if they should do so, they should 
look to the interests of the millions of readers, 
and not to the protection (I believe that is the 
word) of the few publishers." 

In this chronological progress our narrative 
has now reached the first set speech in Con- 
gress upon the subject of international copy- 
right, which was delivered by Mr. Archer, of 
Maryland, on the floor of the House, Saturday, 
March 23, 1872. Mr. Archer's long speech, 
which occupies nearly five pages of the Con- 
gressional Globe, is mainly devoted to the 
consideration and refutation of the arguments 
advanced by Mr. Henry Charles Carey, in his 
" Letters on International Copyright." The 
speaker's own position upon this question is 
plainly indicated in the following expressive 
passages, which open his oration: "What a 
melancholy spectacle is presented to the Chris- 
tian and moralist, in this day of boasted en- 
lightenment, by the two greatest nations on 
the globe, in their dealings with each other in 
the matter of mental commodities ! Two bands 
of literary pirates, virtually armed with letters 
of marque from their governments (for their 
governments would most assuredly protect 
them if resistance were made to their piratical 
encroachments), launch themselves boldly 
forth on the great sea of literature, and openly 
flaunting the black flag in the mid-day sun, 
swoop mercilessly down upon property which 
they know to be another's, and selecting for 
capture the richest prizes there afloat, hurry 
them into port, where they find thousands of 
eager purchasers. These purchasers having, as 
one might think, no honest scruples, propound 
no awkward queries about right and title, but 
buy and read, and ponder and profit by their 
ill-gotten merchandise just as coolly and as 
calmly as if no crime had been committed 

against the laws of God and of justice 

It is, indeed, not too much to say that such 
plain infractions of the eighth commandment, 
tacitly sanctioned as they are by our govern- 
ment, and constantly going on in our midst, 
by habituating us to scenes of open robbery, 
perpetrated with entire impunity, are enough 
to demoralize the whole nation, already deeply 
tainted with political corruption. And per- 
haps the most startling feature of the matter is 
to be found in the utter indifference with which 
the whole thing has come to be regarded, even 
by persons of undoubted integrity." 

Mr. John B. Storm , of Pennsylvania, also made 



a speech in the House on Saturday, April I3th, 
on international copyright, in which, after some 
preliminary remarks upon property in mental 
productions, and an account of the recogni- 
tion of the right of literary property in Eng- 
land, he dwells more particularly upon the 
provisions of the "Baldwin" bill, introduced 
by Mr. Cox, which he defends. These two, 
by no means great efforts, are the only speeches 
as yet delivered in Congress upon this impor- 
tant subject. 

The Committee on the Library withheld their 
report until the next session of Congress, when, 
on Feb. 7th, 1873, Senator Morrill, of Maine, 
submitted it to the Senate, whereupon it was 
ordered to be printed, and the committee dis- 
charged from the further consideration of the 
subject. On the same day he reported the bill 
introduced by Mr. Sherman without amend- 
ment, and that it ought not to pass ; and, upon 
his motion, it was ordered to be postponed in- 
definitely. 

The "Morrill" report, as printed, is a 
document of eight pages, some of these 
being taken up by tables showing the English 
and American prices of the same books, from 
which exhibits the committee conclude that the 
law of copyright in England and this country 
" tends unmistakably to check the popular dif- 
fusion of Ikerary production by largely increas- 
ing the price." The committee, in the first 
paragraph of their report, say, " that, after 
attentive consideration of the subject-matter, 
they have found the question of international 
copyright attended with grave practical difficul- 
ties, and of doubtful expediency, not to say of 
questionable authority." It had been argued 
before the committee, by Mr. E. L. Andrews, 
that the provision of the Constitution granting 
Congress power to legislate concerning authors, 
had not been limited to American authors, and 
was, therefore, intended to grant protection to 
literary and scientific productions, irrespective 
of nationality, that this was a matter of jus- 
tice and right, and that the Constitution, in 
this respect, is mandatory in its character, and, 
therefore, not to legislate in this behalf is to 
refuse the performance of an obvious duty. 
This reasoning, it will be remembered, is in line 
with that adopted by Mr. Henry Clay, in the 



SOLE ERG. 



69 



first international copyright report. In reply 
to this, the committee say (with much reason) 
that, as regards the constitutional provision, 
"The language is sufficiently comprehensive, 
doubtless, to include all authorship. But, in 
construing the Constitution, reference should 
be had to the condition of affairs at the period 
of its adoption, the obvious intent of its framers, 
as gathered from contemporaneous history, 
and must receive such construction as will 
carry out the object in view. It was, it should 
be observed, to constitute, in a qualified sense, 
a government in the interests of the people of 
the United States. Its framers would not, 
therefore, be expected to be solicitous for the 
protection of individual rights of those alien to 
its jurisdiction, nor were the circumstances of 
their national position such as were calculated to 
invite to the consideration of topics so eminently 
international in their operations and relations." 
And the report concludes : "In view of the 
whole case, your committee are satisfied that 
no form of international copyright can fairly 
be urged upon Congress upon reasons of gen- 
eral equity or of constitutional law ; that the 
adoption of any plan for the purpose which has 
been laid before us would be of very doubtful 
advantage to American authors as a class, and 
would be not only an unquestionable and per- 
manent injury to the manufacturing interests 
concerned in producing books, but a hinder- 
ance to the diffusion of knowledge among the 
people, and to the cause of universal education ; 
that no plan for the protection of foreign 
authors has yet been devised which can unite 
the support of all, or nearly all, who profess to 
be favorable to the general object in view ; and 
that, in the opinion of your committee, any 
project for an international copyright will be 
found, upon mature deliberation, to be inex- 
pedient." 

Within a year after the date of the " Mor- 
rill" report the sixth international copyright bill 
was presented to the House of Representatives 
by Mr. Henry B. Banning, of Ohio, Feb. 9, 
1874, and referred to the Committee on Pat- 
ents. The document is entitled, "A bill ex- 
tending to authors in certain cases the rights, 
privileges, and protection given inventors by 
the laws of the United States," and is a simple 
and comprehensive reciprocity copyright bill, 
granting that authors and artists of foreign 
countries publishing works after the act has 
been passed "shall have the same exclusive 
right and liberty to multiply and sell copies of 
such works in the United States that now are, 
or may hereafter be, granted by the laws of the 



United States to authors and artists who are 
citizens of the United States, subject to the 
same conditions, regulations, and limitations : 
Provided, however, That the provisions of this 
act shall not be extended to the books or other 
works of authors and artists that may be first 
published in any foreign country where the 
laws shall not, at the time of such first publica- 
tion, grant and secure to citizens of the United 
States, and to persons resident therein, privi- 
leges and benefits of copyright equal in extent 
to those herein specified." This bill unhap- 
pily, received no further attention either in the 
committee or in the House. 

In 1878 was set on foot, for the fourth time, 
a movement to secure international copyright 
by treaty. This agitation is noticeable as orig- 
inating with Messrs. Harper and Brothers, who 
had previously been so outspoken in opposition 
to any measure for this purpose. On Novem- 
ber 25th of that year they addressed Mr. Wm. 
M. Evarts, then Secretary of State, submitting 
a draft for an international copyright conven- 
tion, based upon the so-called " Clarendon 
treaty" of 1870, which has become known as 
the "Harper draft." 1 This new movement 
awakened considerable discussion. The draft 
was drawn up in the interests of publishers as 
well as authors, and while there were some 
differences expressed in matters of detail, nearly 
all the prominent publishers signified their ap- 
proval, while John Jay, James Grant Wilson, 
and Nathan Appleton, as American members 
of the International Copyright Committee of 
the Association for the Reform of the Law of 
Nations, sent a memorial approving the plan 
of treaty, to the Secretary of State, Feb. n, 
1880, and, in August of the same year, it was 
approved by fifty-two American authors, in- 
cluding Longfellow, Holmes, Whittier, and 
Emerson. In September of that year it was 
submitted by Minister Lowell to Earl Gran- 
ville. But the basis of this treaty had been 
the stipulation that English books, to secure 
copyright in this country, must be wholly manu- 
factured here, by an American citizen, within 

i The texts of the "Clarendon" treaty and of the 
"Harper draft" are printed in parallel columns in 
the Publisher's Weekly, v. 15, 8. N.V., 1879, pp. 



7 o 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



three months after original publication in Eng- 
land ; and Earl Granville, in his reply to Mr. 
Lowell, in March, 1881, stated that the British 
government favored such a treaty, but consid- 
ered it essential that the term of republication 
be extended to six or twelve months. With 
the change of administration, and the sad 
death of President Garfield, the matter ended 
without having been officially presented to 
Congress. 

In the 3d session of the 46th Congress the 
petition of Theodore D. Woolsey and others, 
for the passage of a bill extending copyright in 
the United States to foreign authors, compos- 
ers, and designers, was presented to the House 
four times between Dec. 6, 1880, and Jan. 10, 
1 88 1, and referred to the Committee on the 
Library, and it was also twice presented to the 
Senate on Dec. 9th and I3th, 1880, and re- 
ferred to the same committee. This petition 
which was signed, among 'others, by Ed. 
Everett Hale and Dr. J. G. Holland, was never 
printed, and seems to have received no further 
consideration. In the first session of the next 
Congress, on Feb. 2, 1882, and again on Feb- 
ruary 28, Mr. A. C. Harmer, of Pennsylvania! 
presented petitions of " citizens representing 
the industries connected with the book and 
printing trades," in favor of international 
copyright. These were referred to the Com- 
mittee on Ways and Means. 

The next movement in order of time was 
the introduction, on March 27th, 1882, to the 
notice of the House, by William E. Robinson, 
of New York, of an extraordinary measure in- 
tended, if taken seriously, to codify the whole 
subject of literary property. The title of this 
elaborate bill, which consists of 22 sections 
and covers 73 quarto pages, is as follows: 

"A bill to declare and define two species of 
personal rights of property in literary articles ; 
to declare and define national rights and inter- 
national rights which the Government of the 
United States, for the people thereof, possesses 
in literary articles ; to provide for the protec- 
tion of such personal rights and of such national 
and international rights ; to declare any viola- 
tion of such personal rights and of such na- 
tional and international rights to be a species 
of crime ; to classify such species of crime into 
degrees ; to fix the punishment for each degree 
of such crime; and for other purposes." In 



order to carry out the purposes of the bill, as 
defined in its title, provision is made for the 
establishment of the " United States Office of 
Literature " within the Department of the In- 
terior, to be under the immediate direction of 
the " United States Commissioner of Litera- 
ture," whose duties are defined at great length ; 
he or she (the bill providing that all the offi- 
cers may be either male or female) is to hold 
office during good behavior at a salary of $5,000 
per year. The amount appropriated in the bill, 
to carry out its various provisions, is the mod- 
est sum of $1,290,000 ! The bill may be called 
an international-copyright bill, its provisions 
being extended to foreigners by section 18 
(K) which is to the following effect: "Any 
person of a foreign nation whose government 
grants, within its jurisdiction, to any and all 
citizens of the United States the same rights in 
literary articles which it grants to its own citi- 
zens, shall have in the United States the same 
rights in a literary article originally and law- 
fully conceived and made by such foreign per- 
son, as any citizen of the United States has in 
the United States." It was ordered to be 
printed and referred to the Committee on Pat- 
ents, but seems to have been regarded more 
as a literary curiosity than as a serious legisla- 
tive document. 

The eighth international copyright bill was 
introduced by Mr. Patrick A. Collins, of Mas- 
sachusetts, to the House of Representatives, 
December 10, 1883, when it was, without dis- 
cussion, referred to the Committee on Patents, 
and ordered to be printed . 

This bill, which is entitled, " A bill to extend 
the privileges of the copyright acts to persons 
not citizens of nor domiciled in the United 
States," contains some original and novel pro- 
visions. It grants copyright to foreigners to 
the extent of the provisions of our domestic 
copyright law, by striking out of the latter the 
words " citizens of the United States or resi- 
dents therein, "and substituting the word " per- 
son ; " but the rights thus simply granted are 
made dependent upon the fulfilment of certain 
stipulations set out in Section 5 of the bill, as 
follows : " That every copyright article first 
published, represented, or performed beyond 
the limits or jurisdiction of the United States 
shall be printed and published by the author or 
proprietor, or under his authority, either in the 



SOLE ERG. 



original form or in translation, within one year 
from the date of entry, and two copies of such 
American publication delivered or deposited 
within fourteen days after the expiration of a 
year from the date of entry, in addition to the 
copies now required by Section 4956 of the 
Revised Statutes." In connection with this 
stipulation as to the American edition, Section 
1 1 specially provides that plates from which to 
print may be imported. And, according to 
Section 7, if such American publication is not 
made, any person may, after the expiration of 
one year from the date of entry of title, make a 
new entry of the title, authorship, or proprietor- 
ship, and thus obtain the exclusive right of 
republication upon giving bond, with surety, 
to the Librarian of Congress, to faithfully per- 
form the following conditions : i . Give notice 
of the original entry of copyright and of the 
subsequent entry. 2. Keep an accurate account 
of the numbers of copies printed, vouching the 
same monthly by sworn statements of printers, 
binders, and himself. 3. Make affidavit as to 
the highest retail price and of the discounts 
allowed to the trade ; and 4. Pay to the Libra- 
rian of Congress eight per centum of the high- 
est retail price for each book before it is put 
upon the market ; in default of all of which 
he shall be liable to an injunction, account, and 
treble damages. The Librarian of Congress is 
to pay to the proprietor, according to original 
entry, on demand and identification, the pro- 
ceeds, less five per centum as his commission. 
The bill is also designed to protect dramatic 
and musical compositions, it being enacted 
that the public representation of a drama shall 
be deemed to be a publication of it, and if no 
publication or representation of a foreign drama 
or musical composition occurs within a year 
after registration, any person may represent or 
perform the same upon paying the Librarian of 
Congress $20 for each performance. Mr. Col- 
lins's bill seems never to have been brought 
back to the House from its committee. 

The next move in Congress in relation to in- 
ternational copyright was the introduction of 
the much discussed "Dorsheimer" bill, pre- 
sented by the Hon. William Dorsheimer, of 
New York, to the House, January 8, 1884. 
Being put to a vote as to the committee refer- 



ence, it was agreed to refer it to the Committee 
on the Judiciary, 1 consisting at that time of 
fifteen members, including John Randolph 
Tucker, of Virginia ; William Dorsheimer, of 
New York ; Patrick A. Collins, of Massachu- 
setts, and Luke P. Poland, of Vermont. Mr. 
Dorsheimer's measure is entitled, " A bill 
granting copyrights to citizens of foreign coun- 
tries, 1 ' and contains seven sections providing, 
in the order of the sections, as follows: i. 
Foreign authors of books, maps, dramatic, or 
musical publications, shall have sole control of 
the publishing and selling of their works in 
this country, and, in case of dramas, of the 
public performance thereof, and they shall have 
the exclusive right to dramatize or to translate 
their own works ; 2. This right to continue for 
twenty-five years ; 3, but shall terminate upon 
the death of the author ; 4. No copyright, how- 
ever, to be renewed after the expiration of the 
term of twenty-five years; 5. Whenever any 
foreign country shall grant by law to citizens of 
the United States similar privileges, the Presi- 
dent shall issue a proclamation to that effect, 
from the date of which, the authors of such 
country shall be entitled to copyright in the 
United States ; 6. But the provisions of the act 
are not to apply to authors of any country 
until the President has made a proclamation as 
above ; 7. The provisions of the domestic 
copyright law, not inconsistent therewith, to 
be applied to foreign authors ; and foreign 
copyrights to be subject to the stipulations of 
the domestic law. Promptly on Tuesday, the 
5th of February, Mr. Dorsheimer submitted a 
report from the Judiciary Committee, which 
was ordered to be printed ; and reported the 
bill with some amendments, upon which it was 
placed upon the Calendar of the House. The 
amendments made in committee are to the fol- 
lowing effect: In the first section the word 
" map" is stricken out, and the provision that 
" authors shall have the exclusive right to 
dramatize, or to translate their own works" is 
modified to "may reserve" such right. The 

1 The newspaper discussions upon this bill are con- 
veniently reprinted in the Publisher's Weekly, v. 35, 
8. N. Y., 1884, pp. 39, 58-61, 91-5, 169-174, 108-207, 230- 
243, 360-374, 394-303, 3 2 3-29. 347-5', 488-9, S3-o, 572-3, 
S95-6- 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



third section is stricken out, and sections two 
and four are so amended as to make the terms 
of copyright twenty-eight and fourteen years, 
or the same as the terms granted by the do- 
mestic law. Sections five and six contain 
verbal alterations, and an amendment giving 
foreign countries the option to extend a similar 
grant to American citizens by convention of 
treaty as well as by law, and section seven is 
amended so as to more explicitly require foreign 
authors to comply with the stipulations of the 
domestic law in order to obtain a copyright. 
Three new sections are added enacting that 
whenever any foreign country shall cease to 
grant copyrights to Americans, the citizens of 
such country shall cease to enjoy literary rights 
here, and that works published or dramas pub- 
licly performed in this country before copy- 
right is obtained, or abroad one year before 
application has been made may not obtain 
protection. These amendments were doubt- 
less due to the efforts of the American copy- 
right league. The report which accompanied 
this amended bill is a very brief document, 
setting out, firstly, the provisions of the bill 
which it recommends, followed by information 
as to the copyright provisions of the most im- 
portant European countries, mainly as to the 
term of protection, etc., and a list of the copy- 
right treaties negotiated by the principal Euro- 
pean States from 1843 to 1881, and finally 
summarizes the arguments in favor of the 
measure as follows : ' ' There is no civilized 
country which does not in some form recognize 
the property which an author has in the crea- 
tions of his intellect. The committee think 
that the United States should grant this right 
of property to foreigners as well as to natives. 
There can be no just discrimination based upon 
the nationality of the person to whom the prop- 
erty rightfully belongs. The policy by which 
States refused rights of property to foreigners 
has long since been reversed. In most, if not 
in all the States of the Union, foreigners are 
entitled to hold property, both real and per- 
sonal, upon precisely the same terms as natives. 
It is manifest that the ancient discriminations 
grew out of ignorance and prejudice, and that 
the modern rule conduces to civilization and to 
the peace of nations. It is believed that, if the 
bill accompanying this report is passed, Amer- 
ican authors will receive great and valuable ad- 
vantages . . . The committee earnestly 
recommend this measure to the House, in the 



full belief that its passage will work a high and 
enduring benefit to the people of the United 
States, and contribute to the civilization and 
enlightenment of the world." 

On Monday, February 1 8th, Mr. Dorsheimer, 
under instructions from the Committee on the 
Judiciary, moved that the rules be suspended 
so as to enable him to report from the com- 
mittee, and the House to agree to, a resolution 
making the bill a special order for February 
27th, and to continue from day to day thereafter 
until finally disposed of. But even a move to 
give the bill a chance for discussion was not to 
be successful. Mr. Deuster, of Wisconsin, re- 
quested the reading of an extract from the 
Chicago Tribune to the effect that the bill was 
"a scheme to make books dear," and followed 
it by some remarks based upon the assertion 
that this is not the "land of monopolies, 
but the land of liberty . . . the powerful pro- 
tector of free competition," etc. Mr. Chace, 
now a senator from Rhode Island, then a mem- 
ber of the House, while in favor of an inter- 
national copyright and therefore favorable to 
the discussion of this bill, was opposed to it in 
its present shape, on protection grounds. Mr. 
Kasson, of Iowa, considered the bill as present- 
ing a question which it was important to dis- 
cuss, and he would therefore vote affirmatively. 
Mr. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, desired to say that 
he was a believer in the doctrine of international 
copyright ; but the bill involved the interests of 
paper-makers, printers, bookbinders, etc., and 
he therefore thought a two weeks' interval 
should be given them to make themselves heard 
before the House was called upon to vote upon 
the bill. The question being put, 156 voted 
yea, and 99 nay ; but as 65 failed to vote, the 
resolution was lost for want of a two-thirds 
vote. Following this action in the House two 
protests were sent in, the one from citizens of 
Media, Pa., March 2oth, and the other from 
the Chicago Trade and Labor assembly, against 
the passage of an international copyright bill, 
and were presented by Mr. Everhart and Mr. 
G. R. Davis. April i6th, on motion of Mr. 
Dorsheimer, the House ordered the bill to be 
reprinted with an amendment in the nature of 
a substitute recommended by the Judiciary 
Committee. This is the third print of the bill, 



SOLE ERG. 



73 



in which the bill as originally introduced on 
January 8th, is printed in crossed type, and is 
followed by a complete print of the bill in 
italics, as it was reported from the committee on 
February 5th, there being no change in the 
text. 

President Arthur's message to Congress at 
the beginning of the 2d session of the 48th 
Congress Dec. i, 1884, recommended legis- 
lation upon international copyright in the fol- 
lowing words : " The question of securing to 
authors, composers, and artists copyright privi- 
leges in this country in return for reciprocal 
rights abroad is one that may justly challenge 
your attention. It is true that conventions 
will be necessary for fully accomplishing this 
result, but until Congress shall by statute fix 
the extent to which foreign holders of copy- 
right shall be here privileged, it has. been 
deemed inadvisable to negotiate such conven- 
tions. For this reason the United States were 
not represented at the recent conference at 
Berne." 

December 8th, same year, Mr. Spooner pre- 
sented to the House, and, Dec. igth, Mr. 
Aldrich to the Senate, a memorial of the Music 
Teachers' National Association urging the pas- 
sage of the Dorsheimer or some similar bill. 
In the House this memorial was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, while upon the 
motion of Senator Aldrich it was printed in 
the Congressional Record, and referred to the 
Joint Committee on the Library. This petition 
sets out the belief of the petitioners that musi- 
cal-art creation has not developed in America 
proportionally with the other arts, owing to the 
want of an international copyright law, and the 
consequent free reprinting of foreign musical 
works, and it is therefore urged that the 
"Dorsheimer" bill be passed. The Boston 
Handel and Haydn Society, and K. H. Darby, 
of St. Louis, and others, presented, through 
Mr. Spooner, Feb. igth, 1885, similar peti- 
tions. But, although Mr. Dorsheimer's bill 
was now upon the House Calendar, it failed to 
come up for discussion and there was no sub- 
sequent action upon it. 

On the 5th of Jan., 1885, the tenth inter- 
national copyright bill was presented to Con- 
gress by Mr. English, in the House, where it 
was read twice, ordered to be printed and re- 
ferred to the Committee on the Judiciary. 



This bill deals wholly with dramatic composi- 
tions, and provides, stated as briefly as possi- 
ble, that citizens of such foreign countries as 
shall grant similar privileges to citizens of the 
United States, who shall comply with the pro- 
visions of chapter three, title sixty of the Re- 
vised Statutes relating to copyrights, within 
one year after first publication or performance, 
shall thereupon, have the sole right to reprint 
or perform their dramatic works in the United 
States for the double terms of twenty-eight and 
fourteen years, and may reserve the right to 
translate their own works. No action was 
taken upon this bill. 

The eleventh international copyright bill, 
which was drawn up by the American Copy- 
right League, was presented to the Senate on 
the 6th of January, 1885, by Mr. Hawley, of 
Conn., and was referred to the Committee on 
the Judiciary. This bill contains five sections, 
of which the first enacts, " That the citizens of 
foreign states and countries of which the laws, 
treaties, or conventions confer, or shall here- 
after confer, upon citizens of the United States 
rights of copyright equal to those accorded to 
their own citizens, shall have in the United 
States rights of copyright equal to those en- 
joyed by citizens of the United States ; " the 
fifth section providing that the proclamation of 
the President to that effect shall be conclusive 
proof that such equality of rights exists in any 
country. Section 2 enacts that the law shall 
not apply to any work published before the 
date of the act ; and Section 3, that the domes- 
tic copyright laws shall be applicable to the 
copyright created by the act ; while Section 4, 
repeals the clause (Section 4971 of the Revised 
Statutes) in the domestic law which allows the 
importation of foreign books, this being neces- 
sary in order to prevent other importation than 
that authorized by the copyright proprietor, his 
right of importation being implied. This sec- 
tion also amends the paragraph of the copyright 
law (Section 4954), which provides for the 
fourteen years' extension of copyright, by strik- 
ing out the words which limit such second 
term to citizens or residents of the United 
States ; and further amends the clause (Section 
4967) which forbids the printing or publishing 
of any manuscript without consent of the 



74 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



author, by striking out the parenthetical condi- 
tion, "if such author or proprietor is a citizen 
of the United States or resident therein." But 
the wording of the first section of this bill, to 
the effect that foreign authors are to have such 
copyrights as are conferred by our law upon 
our own citizens, makes it necessary to leave 
Section 4952 of the Revised Statutes intact, 
which grants copyright to " any citizen of the 
United States, or resident therein" which is an 
awkward necessity, and is besides likely to lead 
to confusion of construction. The committee 
making no report during that Congress, Sena- 
tor Hawley in the first session of the following 
(the 49th) Congress, reintroduced his bill 
Dec. 8, 1885, when it was again referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary. But, on the I4th 
of the same month, Senator Hoar from this 
committee asked that the committee be dis- 
charged from the further consideration of the 
bill, and that it be referred to the Committee 
on Patents, which was agreed to. On the 6th 
of Jan., 1886, the Hon. John Randolph Tucker, 
of Va., brought the bill before the House of 
Representatives, upon which it was referred to 
the Judiciary Committee of that branch of 
Congress. 

The annual message of President Cleveland, 
transmitted to Congress at the beginning of 
the present session, and dated December 8, 
1885, contains a paragraph concerning inter- 
national copyright. After speaking of the 
Berne conference of September, 1885, and our 
listening delegate there, the President says : 
"The interesting and important subject of 
international copyright has been before you for 
several years. Action is certainly desirable to 
effect the object in view. And while there may 
be question as to the relative advantage of 
treating it by legislation or by specific treaty, 
the matured views of the Berne conference can- 
not fail to aid your consideration of the subject." 

On the 2ist of January last, Senator Chace, 
who, when a member of the House of Repre- 
sentatives, had shown considerable interest in 
the subject of international copyright during 
the agitation of the " Dorsheimer " bill, intro- 
duced to the Senate the twelfth bill presented 
to Congress for the purpose of accomplishing 
the desired object. This bill was read twice, 
and referred to the Committee on Patents. It 



is worthy of notice and comment that the 
method adopted by this last bill for securing 
to the foreign author protection for his literary 
property in this country is identical with 
that suggested more than fifty years ago by 
the earliest public advocate of international 
copyright yet discovered by the writer. The 
anonymous author of the article entitled 
" Community of copyright," published in The 
Knickerbocker for October, 1 835 , speaking of the 
phraseology of the copyright act of February, 
3, 1831, which extends the privileges of copy- 
right to " any person or persons, being a citizen 
or citizens of the United States, or resident 
therein," says, after setting out at some 
length, and in strong language, the injustice 
worked by this clause, both to English and to 
American authors : " This should be reason and 
argument enough for the instant repeal of the 
oppressive clause. But, if another reason is 
required, let it be found in the meanness and 
injustice of the provision. Let the clause be, 
then, repealed, wherever it occurs in the instru- 
ment, so that all persons who choose 
foreigners and citizens alike may enjoy the 
benefit of what clearly is and manifestly should 
be considered property. . . . The act of 
1831, thus purified, would be tantamount in 
effect to the passage of an international copy- 
right law betwixt America and Great Britain." 
And in this very way the bill introduced by 
Senator Chace grants copyright to the foreign 
author, by striking out from the text of the 
domestic copyright law every clause which con- 
fines the privileges of the right conferred to 
"citizens" or "residents" of the United 
States, leaving the reading of the section of the 
Revised Statutes which creates the right, " any 
author, inventor, designer, or proprietor of any 
book, map, chart, dramatic or musical compo- 
sition," etc., shall have the sole control of the 
sale of copies thereof. But while the first sec- 
tion of the present bill so exactly carries out 
the suggestion of the writer quoted, the further 
provisions of this bill would most certainly not 
find favor with the anonymous contributor to 
The Knickerbocker, who believes in the author's 
absolute and perpetual right of property in his 
literary productions. For while the " Hawley" 
bill was limited by the reciprocity provision, 



SOLE ERG. 



75 



the copyright privilege granted by this bill is 
restricted ; ist, by the requisition of American 
manufacture ; 2d, by the absolute prohibition 
of importation ; and, 3d, by the total loss of 
literary property in case of a publisher's breach 
of contract. The provisions of Mr. Chace's 
bill, as originally introduced, may be summa- 
rized as follows : I, Amending the various sec- 
tions of the Revised Statutes so as to exclude 
the limitation of its provisions to citizens of the 
United States, thus extending to foreign 
authors the copyright therein secured to citizens 
or residents ; 2, Granting authors the exclusive 
right to dramatize or translate their copyrighted 
works. To secure these rights the copyright 
must be recorded in the office of the Librarian 
of Congress not more than fifteen days subse- 
quent to its publication in the country of its 
origin, and two copies of the best American 
edition must be deposited in the same office 
within three months after the date of recording. 
And in case the American publisher, after pub- 
lishing, abandons the publication, the copyright 
becomes void ; and during the existence of the 
copyright the importation of other editions is 
absolutely prohibited, and custom-house offi- 
cers and postmasters are required to seize all 
copies entered at the custom-houses or trans- 
mitted by mail; but, in the case of copyrighted 
translations, the prohibition of importation 
shall apply only to other translations, and not 
to the original work, unless that is also copy- 
righted. The charge for recording is to be 
one dollar, to go to defray the expenses of lists 
of copyrighted articles to be printed by the 
Secretary of the Treasury, at intervals of not 
more than a week, for distribution to collectors 
of customs and postmasters and possible sub- 
scribers at $5 per annum; the material for 
these lists to be furnished by the Librarian of 
Congress, who is to have an addition of one 
thousand dollars to his salary therefor. Each 
volume of works of more than one volume must 
be entered separately, and new, revised editions 
of foreign books heretofore published may be 
copyrighted. 

These two opposite measures, the reciprocity 
bill of the Copyright League, and Mr. Chace's 
bill, which is strongly tinged with " protection," 
both before the same Senate, awakened con- 



siderable discussion. Authors and writers 
generally naturally advocating the former (Sen- 
ate bill No. 191), and the opponents of inter- 
national copyright, as well as those in favor of 
granting a restricted right, uniting in favor of 
the latter (Senate bill No. 1178). Petitions, 
memorials, and other documents pro and con, 
were sent to the Senate Committee on Patents, 
and the committee, evidently in earnest in the 
matter of hearing all sides regarding this sub- 
ject, held public hearings on January 28th and 
agth, February I2th, and March nth. These 
meetings were well attended by authors, pub- 
lishers, and representatives from various book- 
manufacturing establishments, and the views 
of all parties were expressed without restraint. 
The American Copyright League, in defence of 
their own bill, introduced by Senator Hawley, 
were directly represented by Dr. Howard Cros- 
by, A. G. Sedgwick, Esq., and Mr. George W. 
Green ; while their bill was advocated in 
speeches by Mr. Henry Holt, the well-known 
publisher, George Ticknor Curtis, and James 
Russell Lowell, as well as by a carefully pre- 
pared " Argument," drawn up by the Execu- 
tive Committee of the League, which was 
distributed to members of the Senate Commit- 
tee in a pamphlet, and was also included in the 
printed appendix to the report of the com- 
mittee. Mr. Dana Estes, of Estes & Lauriat, 
the Boston firm, and Mr. Horace E. Scudder, 
may be said to have represented the publishers' 
side of the question, both advocating interna- 
tional copyright, but inclined to favor a clause 
in any law passed requiring the American 
manufacture of foreign books copyrighted in 
this country. It should be noticed, however, 
in regard to statements from publishers, that 
Mr. Holt's oral argument, as well as letters 
sent to the committee by George Haven Put- 
man and Harper & Brothers, was unreservedly 
in favor of the "Hawley" bill. Mr. R. R. 
Bowker, editor of the Publishers' Weekly, 
whose earnest efforts in behalf of international 
copyright, extending over many years, are well 
known to the reading public, made a brief oral 
statement, and also submitted a concise paper 
(printed with the report), in which the subject is 
considered as affecting the interests of authors, 
the interests of publishers, the interests of the 



7 6 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



public, and as affected by the principle of jus- 
tice. Mr. Gardiner G. Hubbard argued against 
copyright of any kind, and Mr. Henry C. Lea 
submitted a statement criticising the " Hawley " 
bill and advocating that of Mr. Chace, while 
Mr. Henry Carey Baird, in his statement, took 
the ground that no protection shouldbe granted 
to foreign authors until our own domestic copy- 
right laws are revised, in his words, " upon a 
rational and sound basis." Mr. Welsh repre- 
sented the Philadelphia Typographical Union, 
which union claims to have drawn up the bill 
presented by Senator Chace, and he submitted 
some two dozen " Resolutions," etc., from 
other Typographical Unions advocating the 
latter bill. Mr. Roger Sherman, of Phila- 
delphia, who boasted that he was the only de- 
fender of the rights of 55,000,000 of reading 
people against the "ring" of 200 authors, 
proved pretty conclusively that he was but the 
narrow advocate of his own interest in a single 
piratical publication ; while Joseph R. Sypher, 
Esq., gave valuable testimony as a copyright 
lawyer, setting out the legal status of the 
" Chace" bill in particular. The last hearing 
was devoted to the statement of Mr. A. R. Spof- 
ford, Librarian of Congress, a most valuable 
argument in favor of an international copyright 
law, in which he takes into consideration (i) 
the effect upon American authors and Amer- 
ican literature of the denial or the granting of 
copyright between nations ; (2) its effect 
upon foreign authors ; (3) its effect upon Amer- 
ican publishers and book-manufacturers ; (4) 
its effect upon American readers, or the great 
mass of the people, and he closes with the fol- 
lowing words : 

" Finally, Mr. Chairman, there can be no 
higher aim in statesmanship than the endeavor 
to establish justice ; for justice is the highest 
interest of all men. The authors appeal for 
what they deem a right long denied. Either 
we must hold that authorship is the only form 
of human labor that shall go unpaid, or we 
must grant a copyright that shall be paid pro 
rata by all who use the authors' works. . . . 
If, as has been said, the policy of nations is 
enlightened selfishness, and the aim of the 
legislator is not justice, but expediency, the 
question recurs, is it expedient to foster a 
brood of merely cheap and common literature, 
at the expense of the great masters of English 
and American thought and speech ? The book- 



manufacturing interests have enjoyed, for nearly 
a century, protection in every form ; the book- 
writing interests now ask you to consider their 
appeal for some measure of protection, an 
appeal seconded by the majority of the publish- 
ers and by the almost unanimous voice of the 
American press. By simple extension of the 
area of copyright, already granted by all the 
leading nations except our own, it is plain that 
the present worth of copyright to authors will 
be enhanced. If it is true that the chief glory 
of a nation is its literature, whatever Congress 
can do to promote and elevate that literature 
should be done. Beyond question, the just 
thing will be found in the long run to be the 
expedient thing, and the fact that we cannot 
do perfect justice should not deter us from 
doing as much justice as we may." 

The testimony upon the subject of inter- 
national copyright thus obtained at the hear- 
ings before the Senate committee was reported 
stenographically and printed, making a pam- 
phlet of 133 pages, of which several thousand 
copies were distributed by the committee and 
other persons interested in the subject. The 
same matter was also appended to the report of 
the committee submitted to the Senate by Mr. 
Chace, on May 21, 1886, accompanied by a 
new print of his bill, somewhat amended, which 
is given a new number as Senate bill 2496 of 
the 1st session of the 4gth Congress. 

The corrections in the new print of the 
"Chace" bill are largely verbal and unim- 
portant : instead of fifteen days being allowed 
for recording title the record must be made 
not later than the day of first publication ; 
"American edition " is emphasized to " edition 
printed in the United States ; " the clause to 
increase the salary of the Librarian of Con- 
gress is stricken out and provision made that 
he may employ an additional clerk at $1,200 
per annum to prepare the weekly lists of copy- 
right entries ; and the date set for the taking 
effect of the act is changed to the ist day of 
July, 1887. The amendments of importance 
are the striking out of the clause which renders 
the copyright void in case the American pub- 
lisher for any cause abandons the publication ; 
and the rewording of section four relating to 
the copyrighting of separate volumes of works 
of more than one volume, and of revised edi- 
tions of foreign works, prohibiting the copy- 
righting of works of which one volume has 



SOLS ERG. 



77 



been published before the act takes effect, or 
of books forming part of a series in course of 
publication at the time the act shall take effect. 
The effect of this amendment will be to ex- 
clude from the benefits of the act such deserving 
works as the "Encyclopedia Britannica," the 
"International Scientific Series," the "English 
Men of Letters " series, and the series entitled 
the " English citizen," besides other valuable 
serial publications. 

The report accompanying this amended bill 
institutes, in the first place, a comparison be- 
tween patents and copyrights, and our patent 
laws as contrasting with our copyright laws. 
The following distinction is drawn between a 
patent and a copyright: "An invention for 
which a patent is granted is but an idea put in 
a mechanical form, but the subject of the 
patent is the idea or mechanical principle, and 
that the Government protects ; whereas copy- 
right does not secure any monopoly to the idea 
or thought, but only to the form of words or 
language with which the idea is clothed." 

And the report continues: "While it is true, 
as all thinking men will admit, that the influ- 
ence of literature upon the welfare of the nation 
is and has been far more beneficent than that 
of mere invention, it is remarkable that legis- 
lation upon property in patents has proceeded 
much farther and upon a much broader basis 
than has that upon the subject of copyright. 
Herein your committee believe the people at 
large have suffered a loss. All governmental 
protection to property is based upon the in- 
herent right of each individual to the fruit of 
his own labor. We recognize the rights of the 
foreigner to be protected here in e\ r ery kind of 
property except the productions of authorship. 
... In so far as patents for the arts are con- 
cerned we put the citizens of all nations on an 
equal footing with our own. This was in the 
line with much of the legislation of the country, 
and in keeping with the general progress of in- 
ternational law, and that recognition of comity 
among nations upon which rests to a large 
degree that valuable and fructifying interna- 
tional intercourse the value of which is coming 
to be recognized by all the great civilized 
nations of the earth. The United States Gov- 
ernment has recognized this principle in its 
treatment of all international questions save 
and except this one of international copyright. 
. . . The United States alone, of all the great 
civilized nations which have made advances in 
literature, still refuses to recognize the principle 
of international comity as applied to the pro- 



duction of literary property. Your committee 
recognize the moral obligation of comity 
amongst nations, and believe that the best in- 
terests, material, moral, and intellectual, of our 
people will be promoted by adopting and acting 
upon that principle in the treatment of this 
question. . . . The theory accepted by some, 
that we may secure cheap literature which is 
beneficial to the people, by refusing to protect 
the right of the foreign author to his literary 
property, is, in the judgment of your com- 
mittee, a mistaken one." 

Having made this excellent argument in 
favor of granting copyrights to foreigners, the 
committee are thereupon necessitated to de- 
fend the restrictions upon such rights contained 
in the bill, which last, according to the report, 
4< recognizes the paramount duty of protecting, 
first, the material interests of our own people, 
and proceeds so far only in securing the rights 
of citizens of other nations as that may be 
done without injury to vested rights in this 
country or without interfering with the income 
of our own labor, . . . and that, by its 
provisions, we carefully protect the American 
publisher and the American artisans who make 
the books in this country." But, in spite of 
this language, the assertion is reiterated in the 
report that the bill commended has nothing to 
do with the tariff", free-trade, or protection. 
The matter of prohibition of importation is 
twice referred to in the report, and stated to 
be " founded upon sound and strong reason ; " 
but no reasons are given in support of the 
statement, the only defence of the clause 
being the following paragraph : " With this 
provision the operation of this bill would be 
beneficent in its influence upon all these in- 
terests ; without this safeguard a great wrong 
would be done to them." " The foreign au- 
thor cannot complain," continues the report, 
" because we give him protection in our mar- 
kets conditioned only that he publish here. The 
American artisan will be insured only that 
which he now possesses, the labor put upon 
the publication of foreign books. The Ameri- 
can publisher and the foreign will both be pro- 
tected, while the American reader, if he will 
compare the cost of books published abroad 
with that of similar books published in this 
country, the committee believe, will readily 
perceive that his interests will suffer no detri- 



7 8 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



ment. In order to secure all these interests no 
practical way could be found except the provi- 
sion prohibiting the importation of copyrighted 
books." It is curious to recall in this connec- 
tion, that on Saturday, January 27, 1872, at a 
meeting of publishers and others, at Philadel- 
phia, including Mr. Henry C. Baird and Mr. 
Henry C. Lee, who now find so many arguments 
in favor of the absolute prohibition of importa- 
tion, a protest was signed against an inter- 
national copyright bill which contained a simi- 
lar provision, because " it would enable the 
foreign author and his assignee in this country, 
by an absolute monopoly in the protection, to 
fix the price of his book without fear of com- 
petition." It would almost seem that the 
Philadelphians (who, it will be remembered, 
are the originators of this bill), convinced 
against their will that public sentiment 
in 1886 demands international copyright 
as simple justice to foreign authors, are 
determined in yielding to this sentiment to 
secure such absolute monopoly as they can, 
without regard to the cost to the American 
reader. 

To sum up, the efforts in Congress to secure 
an international copyright law have now ex- 
tended over a period of nearly fifty years, 
during which time twelve separate and distinct 
bills have been drawn up for the purpose of 
obtaining this measure, and they have been 
presented to the attention of Congress twenty- 
one times. Memorials and petitions, for and 
against, have been laid before Congress and its 
committees in great numbers, more than 
twenty of these having been deemed of 
sufficient importance to be given permanent 
record in the printed Public Documents. 
Six reports have been made upon the sub- 
ject by Congressional committees, four of 
these being favorable, and but two adverse. 
The twelfth bill, accompanied by a favorable 
report from a committee of the Senate, 
awaits the action of the present Congress. 
This bill will undoubtedly come up in the 
next session, and there is still room for 
hope that the forty-ninth Congress will not 
finally adjourn without doing itself the honor 
to pass some measure securing international 
copyright. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

BILLS. 

1837 (Feb. 16). A bill to amend the act en- 
titled " An act to amend the several acts respecting 
copyright." Presented by Henry Clay, of Ky., 2d 
sess. of 24th cong. Senate bill, no. 223. Printed, 
2 pp. 4. 

Note. This bill is reprinted in " Remarks on literary 
property. By Philip H. Nicklin," 16. Philadelphia, 1838, 
p. 36. 

1837 (Dec. 1 6). A bill [etc., same title]. Pre- 
sented by Mr. Clay, 2d sess. of 25th cong. Senate 
bill, no. 32. (Same as S. bill, 24: 2, no. 223.) 
Printed, 2 pp. 4. 

1838 (Dec. 17). A bill [etc., same title]. Pre- 
sented by Mr. Clay, 3d sess. of 25th cong. Senate 
bill, no. 75. (Same as S. bill, 24: 2, no. 223.) Not 
printed. 

1840 (Jan. 6). A bill [etc., same title]. Pre- 
sented by Mr. Clay, 1st sess. of 26th cong. Senate 
bill, no. 129. (Same as S. bill, 24: 2, no. 223.) 
Printed, 2 pp. 4. 

1842 (Jan. 6). A bill [etc., same title]. Pre- 
sented by Mr. Clay, 2d sess. of 27th cong. Senate 
bill, no. 115. (Same as S. bill, 24:2, no. 223.) 
Not printed. 

1858 (Jan. 1 8). A bill to provide for an inter- 
national copyright. Presented by Edward Joy 
Morris, of Pa., 1st sess. of 35th cong. H.R. bill, 
no. 82. MS. 

1860 (Feb. 15). A bill [etc., same title]. 
Presented by Mr. Morris. 1st sess. of 36th cong. 
H.R. bill, no. 32. (Same as H.R. bill, 35: i, 
no. 82.) MS. 

1868 (Feb. 21). A bill for securing to anthors, 
in certain cases, the benefit of international copy- 
right, advancing the development of American 
literature, and promoting the interests of publishers 
and book-buyers in the United States. Presented 
by John Denison Baldwin, of Mass., 2d sess. of 
4Oth cong. H.R. bill, no. 779. Printed, 6 pp. 

4- 

1871 (Dec. 6). A bill [etc., same title]. Pre- 
sented by Samuel Sullivan Cox, of N.Y., 2d sess. 
of 42d cong. H.R. bill, no. 470. (Same as H. 
R. bill, 40: 2, no. 779.) Printed, 5 pp. 4. 

Note. A second (corrected) print of this bill (500 copies) 
was ordered Jan. 23, 1872. The text of this bill is printed 
in "The publishers' and stationers' weekly trade circular," 
v. i, S B . N.Y., F. Leypoldt, no. 2, Jan. 25, 1872, pp. 39- 
40. 



SOLE ERG. 



79 



1872 (Feb. 21). A bill providing the terms on 
which copyrights may be granted to foreign authors. 
Presented by James B. Beck, of Ky., ad sess. of 
42d cong. H.R. bill, no. 1667. Printed, 2 pp. 4. 

1872 (Feb. 21). A bill for securing to authors, 
in certain cases, the benefit of international copy- 
right. Presented by John Sherman, of Ohio, 2d 
sess. of 42d cong. Senate bill, no. 688. Printed, 
2 PP . 4". 

Note. The text of this bill is printed in " The publish- 
ers' and stationers' weekly trade circular," v. i., 8. N. 
Y., F. Leypoldt, 1872, p. 209; and letters commenting 
upon it, p. 199, and pp. 295-296. 

1874 (Feb. 9). A bill extending to authors, in 
certain cases, the rights, privileges, and protection 
given inventors by the laws of the United States^ 
Presented by Henry B. Banning, of Ohio, 1st sess. 
of 43d cong. H.R. bill, no. 1825. Printed, 2 pp. 

4- 

1882 (March 27). A bill to declare and define 
two species of personal rights of property in literary 
articles ; to declare and define national rights and 
international rights which the Government of the 
United States, for the people thereof, possesses in 
literary articles; to provide for the protection of such 
personal rights and of such national and inter- 
national rights; to declare any violation of such 
personal rights and of such national and interna- 
tional rights to be a species of crime; to classify 
such species of crime into degrees ; to fix the punish- 
ment for each degree of such crime ; and for other 
purposes. Presented by William E. Robinson, of 
N.Y., 1st sess. of 47th cong. H.R. bill, no. 5463. 
Printed, 73 pp. 4. 

1883 (Dec. 10). A bill to extend the privileges 
of the copyright acts to persons not citizens of nor 
domiciled in the United States. Presented by 
Patrick A. Collins, of Mass., 1st sess. of 48th cong. 
H.R. bill, no. 770. Printed, 5 pp. 4. 

1884 (Jan. 8). A bill granting copyrights to 
citizens of foreign countries. Presented by William 
Dorsheimer, of N.Y., 1st sess. of 48th cong. H.R. 
bill, no. 2418. Printed, 3 pp. 4. 

Note. A second (amended) print was ordered Feb. 5, 
1884, 4 pp., and a third print, with original and amended 
texts was ordered, April 16, 1884, 6 PP- The text of 
the original bill is printed in " The publishers' weekly," 
v. 25, 8., N.Y., 1884, p. 59, and the text of the amended 
bill, pp. 204, 205; while comments from all sources are 
printed, pp. 39, 59-61, 91-5, 169-175, 198-207, 230-242, 261- 
2 74. 294-303, 323-9, 347-351, 380-390, 464-5, 488, 572-3, 
595-6, 666. 

(J an - 5)- A bill granting copyrights to 



citizens of foreign countries. Presented by William 
E. English, of Ind., 2d sess. of 48th cong. H.R. 
bill, no. 7850. Printed, 3 pp. 4. 

1885 (Jan. 6). A bill to establish an inter- 
national copyright. Presented by Joseph R. Haw- 
ley, of Conn., 2d sess. of 48th cong. Senate bill, 
no. 2498. Printed, 2 pp. 4. 

Note. The text of this bill is printed in " The pub- 
lishers' weekly," v. 27, 8. N.Y., 1885, p. 28; and editorial 
and quoted comments, pp. 49-52, and v. 29, 1886, pp. 20- 
3> 74-5, iQS-7- 

1885 (Dec. 8). A bill [etc., same title]. Pre- 
sented by Mr. Hawley, ist sess. of 49th cong. 
Senate bill, no. 191. (Same as S. bill, 48: 2, no. 
2498.) Printed, 2 pp. 4. 

1886 (Jan. 6). A bill [etc., same title]. Pre- 
sented by John Randolph Tucker, of Va., 1st. sess. 
of 49th cong. H.R. bill, no. 2493. (Same as 
S. bill, 48: 2, no. 2498.) Printed, 2 pp. 4. 

1886 (Jan. 21). A bill to amend title sixty, 
chapter three, of the Revised Statutes of the United 
States. Presented by Jonathan Chace, of R.I., 
ist sess. of 49th cong. Senate bill, no. 1178. 
Printed, 4 pp. 4. 

Note. The text of this bill is printed in "The pub- 
lishers' weekly," v. 29, 8. N.Y., 1886, pp. 232-3; and 
comments, pp. 140, 233, 778-9. 

1886 (May 21). A bill [etc., same title]. Pre- 
sented by Mr. Chace, 1st sess. of 49th cong. 
Senate bill, no 2496. (S. bill, 49: I, no. 1178, 
amended.) Printed, 5 pp. 4. 



1837 (Feb. 16). Report, by Henry Clay, of 
Ky., from the Select Committee to whom was re- 
ferred the address of certain British and the peti- 
tion of certain American authors concerning Inter- 
national Copyright. Printed, 3 pp., 8, for uniform- 
ity in Pub. doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 24th Cong., v. 
2, doc. no. 179. 

Note. Mr. Clay's report is reprinted, with comments 
upon each paragraph, in " Remarks on literary property. 
By Philip H. Nicklin," 16. Philadelphia, 1838, pp. 27-38, 
and noticed in "The American quarterly review," v. 21, 
8. Philadelphia, no. 41, March, 1837, pp. 214-229. 

1838 (June 25). Report, by John Ruggles, of 
Me., from the Committee on Patents and the Patent 
Office, to whom was referred a bill (S. bill, 25 : 2, 
no. 32) to amend the act entitled "An act to 
amend the several acts respecting copyright." 
Printed, 7 pp., 8, in Pub. doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 
25th cong., v. 6, doc. no. 494. 



8o 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



1868 (Feb. 21 ). International Copyright. Re- 
port, by Mr. Baldwin, from the Committee on the 
Library, who were instructed " to inquire into the 
subject of international copyright, &c., and to re- 
port by bill or otherwise." Printed, 6 pp., 8, in 
Reports of committees of H.R., 2d sess. of 4Oth 
cong., v. I, no. 16. 

1873 (Feb. 7). Report by Mr. Morrill, of Me., 
from the Joint Committee on the Library, on the 
resolution directing them to inquire into the practi- 
cability of securing to authors the benefit of inter- 
national copyright. Printed, 8 pp., 8, in Reports 
of committees of the Senate, 3d sess. of 42d cong., 
v. I, no. 409. 

Note. Mr. Merrill's report is reprinted in full, with 
editorial note at end, in "The publishers' weekly," v. 3, 
8., N. Y., no. 58, Feb. 22, 1873, pp. i9i->95- 

1884 (Feb. 5). Copyright to citizens of foreign 
countries. Mr. Dorsheimer, from the Committee 
on the Judiciary, submitted the following report. 
Printed, 3 pp., 8, in Reports of committees of H. 
R., 1st sess. of 48th cong., v. I, no. 189. 

Note. Mr. Dorsheimer's report is reprinted in "The 
publishers' weekly," v. 25, 8., N.Y., 1884, pp. 261-2. 

1886 (May 21 ). International Copyright. Mr. 
Chace, from the Committee on Patents, submitted 
the following report: to accompany bill, S. 2496. 
Printed, viii. + 133 pp., 8, in Reports of the com- 
mittees of the Senate, ist sess. of 49th cong , no. 
1 1 88. 

CONTENTS : Report of the Committee, including- text of 
title 60, chap. 3, Revised Statutes; and S. bill (49: i), no. 
2496: " A bill to amend title sixty, chapter three, of the 
Revised Statutes of the United States," pp. i-viii. State- 
ments made before the Committee on Patents of the 
United States Senate relating to the bill (S. no. 101) and 
the bill (S. 1178), pp. 1-133: The testimony is prefaced 
by the text of S. bill no. '191, p. i; and S. bill no. 1178, pp. 
1-2; following- which are the statements of Howard 
Crosby, pp. 3-4; Senator Joseph R. Hawley, pp. 4-6; A. 
G. Sedgwkk, pp. 6-S; Henry Holt, pp. 8-14; George 
Walton Green, pp. 14-15; S. L. Clemens ("Mark 
Twain"), pp. 15-17; George Ticknor Curtis, pp. 17-20; 
William Henry Browne, pp. 20-21; Horace E. Scudder, 
pp. 21-27 ( a ^ f Jan. 2Sth) ; James Lowndes, pp. 27-28; 
Gardiner G. Hubbard, pp. 28-33; James Russell Lowell, 
pp. 34-44; James Welsh, pp. 44-53; Dana Estes, pp. 53- 
58; R. R. Bowker, pp. 58-60 (of Jan. 29th). Brief pre- 
sented by the American Copyright League : " Interna- 
tional Copyright. Memorandum in behalf of Senate bill 
no. 191 and H.R. bill no. 2493," pp. 60-68. Statement of 
Henry C. Lea, pp. 68-73 ; statement of Roger Sherman 
(Feb. 1 2th), pp. 74-86; additional statement of Dana 
Estes (Feb. I2th), pp. 86-90; statement of Josiah R. 
Sypher (Feb. I2th), pp. 90-111; additional statement of 
R. R. Bowker, pp. 111-115; statement of Henry Carey 
Biiird, pp. 115-120; statement of Ainsworth R. Spofford 



(March nth), pp. 120-130; statements of George Haven 
Putnam, pp. 130-131; Harper & Brothers, pp. 131-132; 
John W. Lovell Co., p. 132; George Munro, pp. 132-133. 

MISCELLANEOUS (PETITIONS, MEMORIALS, ETC.). 

1837 (Feb. 2). Petition of Thomas Moore and 
[55] other authors of Great Britain, praying Con- 
gress to grant to them the exclusive benefit of their 
writings within the United States. Printed, 4 pp., 
8, in Pub. doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 24th cong., v. 
2, doc. no. 134. 

The same : Address of certain authors of Great 
Britain (Feb. 13, 1837). Printed, 4 pp., 8, in 
Exec, doc., H.R., 2d sess. of 24th cong., v. 4, 
doc. no. 162. 

Note. The Address of British authors is reprinted, 
with remarks upon the different paragraphs, in " Remarks 
on literary property. By Philip H. Nicklin." 16. Phila- 
delphia, 1838, pp. 13-26. 

1837 (Feb. 4). Memorial of a number of citi- 
zens of the United States, praying an alteration of 
the law regulating copyrights. Printed, 2 pp., 8, 
in Pub. doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 24th cong., v. 2, 
doc. no. 141. 

1837 (Feb. 20). Memorial of G. Furman and 
other public writers, praying the passage of an In- 
ternational Law of Copyright. Printed, 3 pp., 8, 
in Pub. doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 24th cong., v. 2, 
doc. no. 192. 

1837 (Feb. 20). Petition of the professors of 
the University of Virginia, praying an alteration of 
the laws respecting Copyrights. Printed, 3 pp., 8, 
in Pub. doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 24th cong. v. 2, 
doc. no. 193. 

1838 (Jan. 15). Memorial of a number of citi- 
zens of Philadelphia against the passage of an In- 
ternational Copyright law. Printed, 4 pp., 8, in 
Pub. doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 25th cong., v. 2, doc. 
no. 102. 

The same : Pennsylvania. Memorial of inhabi- 
tants of Philadelphia against an International Copy- 
right law. Printed, 4 pp., 8, in Exec, doc., H. 
R., 2d sess. of 25th cong., doc. no. 117. 

1838 (Feb. 13). Memorial of the Columbia 
Typographical society of the city of Washington, 
against the enactment of an International Copy- 
right law. Printed, I p., 8, in Pub. doc., Senate, 
2d sess. of 25th cong., v. 3, doc. no. 190. 

1838 (March 13). Memorial of the New York 
Typographical society against the passage of an 
International Copyright law. Printed, 5 pp., 8, 
in Pub. doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 25th cong., v. 4, 
doc. no. 296. 



SOLBERG. 



81 



1838 (March 19). Memorial of Peter S. Du 
Ponceau and others praying Congress to appoint 
committees of inquiry on the subject of copyright, 
and to await their report before acting on the sub- 
ject. Printed, 2 pp., 8, in Pub. doc., Senate, 2d 
sess. of 25th cong., v. 4, doc. no. 309. 

The same : Pennsylvania. Petition of Peter S. 
Du Ponceau and forty-eight others, citizens of Phil- 
adelphia, against the International Copy-right law. 
Printed, 2 pp., 8, in Exec, doc., H.R., 2d sess. 
of 25th cong., v. 8, doc. no. 260. (Same as Senate 
memorial, 25 : 2, v. 4, no. 309, except that the 
name of Jacob K. Switz is substituted for that of 
Jacob R. Amett.) 

1838 (April 10). Memorial of Richard Penn 
Smith and others against the passage of the bill 
(S. bill, 25 : 2, no. 32), to establish an Interna- 
tional Copyright law. Printed, 4 pp., 8, in Pub. 
doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 25th cong., v. 4, doc. no. 

369- 

1838 (April 1 6). Memorial of the booksellers 
of Boston, Mass., against the passage of the Inter- 
national Copyright law. Printed, 2 pp., 8, in 
Exec, doc., H.R., 2d sess. of 25th cong., v. 10, 
doc. no. 340. 

1838 (April 24). Memorial of a number of 
citizens of Boston praying the passage of an Inter- 
national Copyright law. Printed, 4 pp., 8, in Pub. 
doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 25th cong., v. 5, doc. no. 398. 

1838 (April 24). Memorial of a number of 
citizens of New York praying the passage of an 
International Copyright law. Printed, 4 pp., 8, 
in Pub. doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 25th cong., v. 5, 
doc. no. 399. (Same as Senate doc. 25 : 2, no. 
398, but with different list of signatures.) 

1838 (April 24). Memorial of a number of 
citizens of Philadelphia praying the passage of an 
International Copyright law. Printed, 3 pp., 8, 
in Pub. doc., Senate, 2d sess. of 25th cong., v. 5, 
doc. no. 400. 

1838 (May 21). Citizens of Philadelphia, &c. 
Memorial of citizens of the United States, princi- 
pally resident in Philadelphia, asking for the exten- 
sion of the advantage of Copyright to all native or 
foreign residents or non-residents. Printed, 3 pp., 
8, in Exec, doc., H.R., 2d sess. of 25th cong., v. 
10, doc. no. 383. (Same as Senate doc. 25 : 2, no. 
398, without the signatures.) 

1838 (June 4). Massachusetts, Inhabitants of. 
Remonstrance of inhabitants of Massachusetts 
against the passage of an International Copyright 
law. Printed, 3 pp., 8, in Exec, doc., H.R., 2d 
sess. of 25th cong , v. 10, doc. no. 416. 



1842 (April 12). International Copyright. 
Message from the President of the United States 
transmitting the correspondence between the 
Governments of the United States and Great 
Britain in relation to the international law of 
copyright. Printed, 4 pp., 8, in Exec. doc. H. 
R., 2d sess. of 27th cong., v. 4, doc. no. 187. 

1842 (June 13). Memorial of a number of 
persons concerned in printing and publishing, . 
praying an alteration in the mode of levying duties 
on certain books, and remonstrating against the 
enactment of an International Copyright law. 
Printed, 4 pp., 8, in Pub. doc., Senate, 2d sess. 
of 27th cong., v. 4, doc. no. 323. 

1843 (Dec. 16). Copyrights: Memorial of 
citizens of the United States for an International 
Copyright law. Printed, 3 pp., 8, in Exec, doc., 
H.R., 1st sess. of 28th cong., v. I, doc. no. 10. 

The same, reprinted in Misc. doc., H.R., 1st 
sess. of 3<Dth cong., doc. no. 76, pp. 13-15. 

1844 (Jan. 15). Memorial of Nahum Capen, 
of Boston, Mass., on the subject of International 
Copyright. Printed, 10 pp., 8, in Exec, doc., H. 
R., 1st sess. of 28th cong., v. 3, doc. no. 61. 

Note. This Memorial seems to have been republished, 
" by request," in Boston, n.d., i pi., iz pp. 8. 

1848 (March 22). International Copyright. 
Memorials of John Jay, and of William C. Bryant 
and others, in favor of an International Copyright 
law. Printed, 33 pp., 8, in Misc. doc., H.R., 
1st sess. of 3Oth cong., doc. no. 76. 

Contains : John Jay's memorial, New York, March 18, 
1848, pp. 1-13. Appendix A: Memorial of citizens of 
the United States for an International Copyright law [i.e., 
Exec, doc., H.R., 38: i, no. 10], pp. 13-15. Appendix 
B : Catalogue of American books published in Great 
Britain, pp. 16-31. Memorial of W. C. Bryant and 
others, pp. 32-3}. 

1852 (July 19). Petition of Washington Irving, 
James Fenimore Cooper, and others. Printed, 
without signatures, in "The Congressional Globe," 
1st sess. of 32d cong., v. 24, part 3, p. 1832. 

1872 (March 23). Speech of S. Archer, of Md., 
inH.R. Printed in "The Congressional Globe," 
2d sess. of 42d cong., part 3, pp. I93 l ~ l 935- 

1872 (April 13). Speech of John B. Storm, of 
Pa, in H.R. Printed in "The Congressional 
Globe," 2d sess. of 42d cong., part 3, pp. 2410- 
2412. 

1884 (Feb. 1 8). Discussion in H.R. on the 
"Dorsheimer" bill (H.R. bill, 48:1, no. 2418). 
Printed in "The Congressional Record, "ist sess. of 
48th cong., v. 15, part 2, pp. 1200-1203, 



82 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



1884 (Dec. I). Message of the President 
[Chester A. Arthur], communicated to the two 
Houses of Congress, 2d sess. of 48th congress. 
Printed, I 1., 21 pp. 8, Govt. printing office, 1884. 
(Contains paragraph relating to International Copy- 
right, p. 7.) 

1884 (Dec. 19). Memorial of. the Music 
Teachers' National Association praying that steps 
be taken for the establishment of an International 



Copyright law. Printed, without signatures, in 
" The Congressional Record," 2d sess. of 48th 
cong., v. 1 6, part I, p. 348. 

1885 (Dec. 8). Message of the President 
[Grover Cleveland], communicated to the two 
Houses of Congress, ist sess. of 49th cong. Printed, 
I 1., 44 pp., 8. Govt. printing office, 1885. (Con- 
tains paragraph relating to International Copyright, 

p. 12.) 



AUTHOR-TABLES FOR GREEK AND LATIN AUTHORS. 



BY C: A. CUTTER, LIBRARIAN OF THE BOSTON ATHENAEUM. 



I HAVE prepared a table of equivalents for or 
transliterations of the names of Greek and 
Latin authors, so devised that with few char- 
acters one can give a separate mark to every 
author, to every one of his works, and to every 
edition of each work, and that these marks 
should keep the authors alfabetically arranged, 
and their works alfabetically subarranged, 
and the editions in chronological order. 

The great difficulty in the use of translitera- 
tion tables is that one can never foresee who 
will write books, and after one has used the 
best judgment in guessing the future one may 
find oneself compelled to intercalate an unex- 
pected name in some place where intercalation 
means long numbers. But there is no such 
drawback to their use for the classics. One 
knows just how many names one has to provide 
for ; the roll is made up ; one can use a mini- 
mum of figures in assigning them symbols, 
without fear that any new-comer will disturb 
the order. 

The order adopted is: I, whole works, 
chronologically arranged ; 2, translations of 
whole works alfabetically arranged by the lan- 
guages ; 3, dictionaries, commentaries, and 
other illustrative works ; 4, selections ; 5, single 
works, each with the same three divisions that 
the whole works have. 

The method of marking may be shown by an 
example : Paley's frogs would be marked v for 
Literature, P for Greek, A7 for Aristophanes, 
R for Ranae, 1878 because published in that 
year, or all together VP-A7R 1878. Rogers's 



translation of the Lysistrata would be L for 
Lysistrata, E for English, and R for Rogers, 
thus: VP-A7L.ER. 

It will be noticed that the year is written in 
full. Mr. Biscoe's scheme for giving dates 
briefly is admirable. It has only two defects. 
First, it is not self-interpreting; it does not 
suggest its meaning, but has to be understood 
by a sheer effort of memory. But I do not see 
how this could be otherwise ; if I did I would 
make a better table. Secondly, it will not last 
long enough ; it stops at A.D. 2000. I suppose 
this seems a long way ahead to our younger 
members, who do not know how time flies. Let 
them "wait till" they "come to forty year." 
2000 A.D. will be here before they know it. 
Nevertheless, I use the table in one section of 
the Athenaeum and mean to use it elsewhere. 
But in the classics it seemed better to put 
on the backs of the books a mark which 
everybody could understand at a glance, 
the usual date, 1886, 1494, etc. With our 
system of charging the four figures cause 
no delay, and the greater clumsiness of the 
mark when used as a call-number is com- 
pensated by its greater intelligibility on the 
shelf. 

As few names of languages into which the 
classics are likely to be translated begin with Y 
or z, I use these letters to mark the works 
about a classic, putting after the Y or z the 
initial of the modern author's name. (Any 
translations into Yoruba, or Zulu, or the like, I 
should mark x.) In this notation z is used for 



CUTTER. 



dictionaries, Y for commentaries and other il- 
lustrative works. 

Thus Saulcy's Campagnes de Cesar dans les 
Gaules would be VJ-C2G-YS; Ernesti's Clavis 
Ciceroniana would be vj-C7'ZE. 

I have not thought it worth while to lengthen 
the list by inserting a number of obscure 
authors of whose fragments there is, so far as 
appears in Engelmann's " Bibliotheca classica," 
no separate edition. If by chance a librarian 
should have to deal with a pamphlet about any 
of these it is easy to intercalate a number. For 
example : if one had Leist's program on Alanus, 
he would put it between Agrippa (AI5) and 
Albinovanus (Ai6), and would mark it AI55. 
Sometimes it would not be necessary to use 
a third figure, as there are vacancies among the 
two figure marks. In such work Engelmann 
should be consulted, and a number assigned 
in such a way as best to accommodate the 
other unnumbered writers. In certain cases, 
where such intercalation would be difficult, I 
have made the lists complete. 

For the Fathers of the Church a special list 
has been prepared. 

Scholia on ancient authors and modern dis- 



cussions of those scholia I should put with the 
authors commented upon (e.g., Acron's scholia 
under Horatius, VJ-H5YA) ; but as others may 
prefer to put them under the name of the 
scholiast when known, I have included scho- 
liasts in the list. 

I have several times risked a slight disturb- 
ance of alfabetical order for the sake of giving 
a single character to a prominent or voluminous 
author. For instance, I have assigned B to 
Boethius. In the improbable case that any one 
should have something by or about Balbus, Ba- 
silius, Bassus, Bellesarius, Blossius, orBocchus, 
he could not get the name before Boethius un- 
less he marked it Agg, and he would probably 
put it out of order as Bl. 

The names of some of the more common 
writers are printed in small capitals, to facilitate 
finding them in the list. If any one, glancing 
over them, wonders why for this purpose one 
was taken and another left, let him compare 
together the various lists that have lately been 
published of the 100 best novels or the ten most 
important authors, he will learn that it is not 
easy to select. 



LATIN AUTHORS (CLASS MARK vj). 



Accius 
Acron 


A 

Al 


Aquila 
Arusianus 


Acta diurna 


All 


Arvales fratres 


Adamantius 


Al 


ASCONIUS 


^Lthicus 


Alj 


Asellio 


Afranius 
Agrippa 
Albinovanus 


A1 4 
A16 


Auguralia 
AUGUSTUS Imp. 
AUSONIUS 


Alcimus 
Alcuinus 


A1 7 

Al8 


AVIANUS 
AVIENUS 


Aldhelmus 
AMMIANUS 


Al 9 

A2 


Boethius 


Ampelius 
Annales maximi 


A23 


Caecilius Balbus 
Caecilius Statius 


Anthimus 
Apicius 
Apollinaris, see Sidonius and 
Sulficius. 


A25 
A3 


Caelius Aurel. 
Caelius, M. R. 
CAESAR 
CALPURNIUS Siculus 


APULEIUS Madaurensis 


M 


Calvus 


Apuleius L. minor 
Apuleius Celsus 


A 4 1 
A42 


Capella 
Capitolinus 



A44 
M8 
AS 



A6 

AT 

A8 
A9 
B 

c 

cl 

clS 

C1 7 

C2 

C25 

C26 

C2 7 

C28 



Cassiodorus 

Cassius Hem. 

Cato philos. 

Cato, M. P., censor 

Cato, Val. 

CATULLUS 

CELSUS 

Censorinus 

Charisius 

CICERO, M. T. 

Cicero, Quint. 

Cincius, L. 

CLAUDIANUS 

Claudius Caesar 

Claudius Quad. 

Columella 

Commodianus 

Consentius 

Corippus 

Cornificius rhet. 

CURTIUS 



C3S 
4 

C4S 
048 

C5 

c6 

c6 S 

c68 

C7 

C 7 1 

c?5 

c8 

082 

c8 3 

c8 5 

c86 

c8 7 

c88 

089 

eg 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



Dares 


D 


Justinus 


J6 


Pacatus 


P 


Dictys 


Dl 


JUVENALIS 


J7 


Pacuvius 


Pl 


Dicuil 


D2 


Juvencus 


J8 


Palladius 


P3 


Diomedes 


D3 






Paterculus, C. V. 


pl5 


Domitius Marsus 


04 


Laberius 


L 


Paulus 


p! 7 


Donatus, Aelius 


D 5 


Lactantius Placidus 


Ll 


Pelagonius 


pig 


Donatus, T. C. 


D6 


Laevius 


L2 


PERSIUS 


P2 


Dositheus 


D 7 


Licinianus 


L3 


PEVIGIMUM Veneris 


P2 5 


Dracontius 


D8 


Livius Andronicus 


14 


PETRONIUS 


J"3 






Livius Patavinus 


L 5 


Peutingerana tabula 


P35 


Ennius 


E 


LUCANUS 


L6 


PHAEDRUS 


?4 


Ennodius 


E2 


Lucilius, C. 


L7 


Phalargyrius 


P42 


Epicadius 
Euanthius 


E3 
E4 


Lucilius, C. S. 
LUCRETIUS 


L8 
L9 


Phocas 
Placidus 


P43 
P45 


Eugippius 
Eumenius 


E5 
E6 


Luscius 
Lutatius 


L92 

L94 


PLAUTUS 
PLINIUS Secundus, C. 


P5 
p6 


Eutropius 
Eutyches 


E 7 
E8 


Luxorius 
Lygdamus 


L96 

1,98 


Plinius (Valerianus), C. 
PLINIUS Caecilius Secundas, 
C. 


P6 5 


Exsuperantius 


E 9 


Macer 


M 


Polemius 


p 7 l 






Macrobius 


Ml 


Pollio, C. A. 


P72 


Fabius 


F 


Maecenas 




Pompeius, Sextus 


P73 


Festus 


Fl 


Maccianus 


Ml 


Pomponius 


P 74 


Firmicus 


F2 


Mallius 


M2 


Porcius 


P75 


Firmicus, jun. 
FLORUS, Jul. 


F4 


Mamertinus 
Manilius 


M25 


Porphyrio 
Priscianus Caes. 


P76 
P77 


Florus, P. Annius 
Fortunatus 


F6 


Marcellus Empir. 
Marius Maximus 


M33 


Priscianus, Theod. 
Proba 


P78 


Frontinus 
Fronto 


F 7 
F8 


Martialis, Garg. 
MARTIALIS, M. V. 


M37 

M4 


Probus 
PROPERTIUS 


P79 

P8 


Fulgentius 


F 9 


Martianus 


M 5 


Prosper 


p85 






Maximus Taur. 


M59 


Prudentius 


p 9 


Callus 


G 


Mela 


M6 






GELLIUS, Aulus 


G3 


Merobaudes 


M 7 


QUINTILIANUS 


Q 


Germanicus 


G5 


Messala 


M8 






Gratius 


G7 


Musa 


M9 


Rabirius 


R 










Rufmus 


R4 


Hadrianus 


H 


Naevius 


N 


Rufus Festus 


*5 


Hegesippus 


Hi 


Nazarius 


Nl 


Rusticius 


R6 


Historia miscella 


H2 


Nemesianus 


N2 


Rutilius, Cl. M. 


R 7 


Homerus Lat. 


H3 


NEPOS 


N3 


Rutilius Lupus, P. 


R8 


HORATIUS 


H5 


Nepotianus 


N4 


Rutilius Rufus, P. 


R9 


Hyginus, C. J. 


H8 


Nero 


N5 






Hyginus gramat. 


H9 


Nigidius 


N6 


SALLUSTIUS 


S 






Nipsus 


N 7 


Sabinus 


si 


Idacius 


I 


Nonius 


N8 


Sabinus, Asellius 


sll 


Isidorus 


15 


Novius 


N9 


Sacerdo 


Sl2 










Salcius 


Sl22 


Jordanes (Jornandes) 


J2 


Obsequens 


o 


Santra 


513 


Juba 


J3 


Optatianus 


06 


Scaevola 


5133 


Julianus 


J4 


Orientius 


07 


Scsevus 


sU 


Junior 


J5 


Oviuius 


08 


Scaurus, M. A. 


515 



CUTTER. 



Scaurus, Q. T. 


sl55 


STATIUS 


37 


Valerius Max. 


V 4 


Scipio 


s!6 


SUETONIUS 


88 


VARKO 


V S 


Scipio ^milianus 


8166 


Sulpicia 


382 


Vegetius Ren., F. 


v6 


Scribonius Largus 


817 


Sulpicius Severus 


884 


Vegetius Ren., P. 


v61 


Scribonius Libo 


8177 


Symmachus 


387 


Velleius. See Paterculus. 




Sedulius, C. 


s!8 


Symphosius 


889 


Verrius 


v; 


Sedulius, Scotus 


S1 9 


Syrus 


S 9 


Vestricius 


V75 


SENECA, L. A. 


S2 






Vilius 


V 77 


[Seneca tragicus, if 


sepa- 


TACITUS 


T 


Victor, J. C. 


v;8 


rated 


S25] 


Terentianus 


T2 


Victor, M. 


V79 


SENECA, M. A. 


S3 


TERENTIUS Afer. 


T3 


Victor, S. A. 


v8 


Serenus, Sept. 


S33 


TIBULLUS 


T 5 


Victor Sulpicius 


V82 


Serenus Sammonicus 


S34 


Tiro 


T6 


Victor Vitensis 


v83 


Sergius 


336 


Trogus 


T8 


Victorinus, Mar. 


v85 


Servius 


34 


Turpilius 


T9 


Victorinus, Max. 


v86 


Severianus 


542 






Victorius 


v87 


Severus, C. 


346 


Vagellius 


V 


Vincentius 


v8g 


Severus, J. 


548 


Valerianus 


Vl2 


VIRGILIUS 


V 9 


Severus Sanctus 


35 


Valerius 


vl s 


Vitruvius, P. 


V 9 2 


Sidonius 


S55 


Valerius 


v!6 


Vitruvius, R. 


V93 


SlLIUS 


s6 


Valerius, J. 


V2 


Volcatius 


V9S 


Sisenna 


363 


Valerius Aedituus 


V27 


Vomanus 


vg6 


Solinus 


s6 5 


Valerius Antias 


V28 


Vopiscus 


v 9 8 


Spartianus 


867 


Valerius Flac. 


V3 


Vulcacius, M. 


V99 



WORKS OF CICERO (vj. c 7.) 



e.g., the Tusculanae, vj. 07x5 the Orator, vj. C7K. 



SELECTIONS A 

RHETORICA B 

De claris oratoribus C 

De inventione oratoria D 

Orator E 
De optimo genere orationis F 

Ad Q. fr. de oratore G 

Paradoxa H 

De partitione oratoria I 
Rhetorica ad Herennium j 

Topica K 

ORATIONES L 

Ad Antonium LA 

Pro Archia LAR 

Pro Balbo LB 

In Caecilium LC 

Pro Caecina LCA 

Pro Caelio LCB 

In Catilinam LCC 

Pro Cluentio LCL 

Pro Deiotaro LD 

Pro domo LE 



Pro Flacco 

Pro Fonteio 

De haruspicum responsis 

De lege agraria 

De lege Manilia 

Pro Ligario 

Pro Marcello 

Pro Milone 

Pro Murena 

Philippicse 

In Pisonem 

Pro Plancio 

Pro Pompeo 

Cum Populo gratulavit 

De provinc. consularibus 

Pro Quintio 

Pro Rabirio 

Pro Q. Roscio 

Pro S. Roscio 

Pro Scauro 

Cum Senatui gratulavit 

Pro Sestio 



LF 


Pro Sylla 


LSY 


LG 


Pro Tullio 


LT 


LH 


In Vatinium 


LV 


LI 


Verrinae 


LW 


LJ 


EPISTOLAE 


M 


LL 


Ad Atticum 


N 


LM 


Ad Brutum 


NB 


LN 


Familiares 


NF 


LO 


Ad Quintum fr. 


NQ 


LP 


PHILOSOPHICA 


P 


LPI 


Academica 


Q 


LPL 


Cato, de senectute 


R 


LPO 


De finibus 


S 


LPP 


Laelius, de amicitia 


T 


LPR 


De natura deorum 


U 


LQ 


De officiis 


V 


LR 


Somnium Scipionis, 


w 


LRO 


Tusculanae 


X 


LRP 


POLITICA 


Y 


LS 


De legibus 


YL 


LSE 


De republica 


YR 


LSF 







86 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 





VIRGILIUS (VJ.V9) 






Aeneis 


A 


Bucolica and Georgica 


BG 


Georgica 


G 


Bucolica 


B 


Culex 


C 








' LATIN FATHERS. 






Ambrosius 


A 


Hieronymus 


H 


Paulinus Nolanus, M. P. A. 


P 


Arnobius 


A 4 


Hilarius Pictavensis 


H 5 






Augustinus 


A6 


Hippolytus 


H6 














Ruffinus 


R 


Basilius 
Beda Venerabilis 


B 
B3 


Isidorus Hispalensis 


i 






Bernardus Claraevallensis 
Boetm'us 


B 4 
B6 


Joannes Moschus 
Joannes Damas. 


J 
JS 


Sedulius 
Silvester II., Pope 


S 

S5 


Clemens Romanus 


C 


Julius Firmicus Materna 


J9 






Cyprianus 


09 






Tertullianus 


T 


Dionysius Alex. 


D 


Lactantius 
Leo I., the Great 


L 


Titus Bostrensis 


T5 


Ephraim Syrus 


E 


Minucius Felix 


M 


Victorinus 


V 


Gregorius Turinensis 


G 






Vigilius Thapsicus 


V 7 


Gregorius Maximus 


G8 Novatianus 


N Vincentius Levinensis 


v8 


GREEK AUTHORS (CLASS MARK vp). 


Achaeus 


Al 


Andocides 


A 4 3 


Archimedes 


A66 


Achilles Tatius 


Al3 


Andromachus 


A44 


Aretaeus 


A67 


Aelianus 


AlS 


Andronicus 


MS 


Aristenetus 


A68 


Aelianus Tact. 


A16 


Anthemius 


A 4 6 


Aristides 


A6g 


Aeneas Gazaeus 


A1 7 


Antigonus 


M7 


Aristonicus 


A693 


Aeneas Tact. 


Al 8 


Antimachus 


M8 


ARISTOPHANES 


A 7 


AESCHINES 


A1 9 


Antiphon 


AS 


Aristophanes Byz. 


A 7 3 


Aeschines Socrat. 


Al9l 


Antisthenes 


A5l 


ARISTOTELES 


A8 


AESCHYLUS 


A2 


Antoninus 


A 5 2 


ARRIANUS 


A9 


AESOPUS 


A3 


Antoninius Lib. 


AS 23 


Arsenius 


A 9 1 


Aetius 


A 3 1 


Aphthonius 


A53 


Artemidorus 


A92 


Alcaeus 


A32 


Apollodorus 


AS4 


Asclepiades 


A93 


Alcinous 


A33 


Apollonius Cit. 


ASS 


Astrampsychus 


A 95 


Alciphron 


A34 


Apollonius Dys. 


A$6 


Athenaeus 


Ag6 


Alcman 


A35 


Apollonius Pyr. 


A57 


Athenagoras 


A97 


Alexander Act. 


A36 


Apollonius Rhod. 


A 5 8 


Autolycus 


A98 


Alexander Aph. 


A3&3 


Apollonius Soph. 


A59 






Alexander Mag. 


A37 


APPIANUS 


A6 






Alexander Tral. 


A 3 8 


Apsines 


A61 


Babrius 


B 


Ammonius 


A39 


Aratus 


A62 


Bacchylides 


B2 


ANACREON 


A 4 


Arcadius 


A&3 


Berosus 


B 4 


Anaxagoras 


A 4 l 


Archestratus 


A6 4 


Bion 


B6 


Anaximenes 


A 4 2 


Archilochus 


A65 


Brutus 


B8 



CUTTER. 



CALLIMACHUS 


c 


Epicharmus 


27 


Hero Alex. 


H3 


Callinus 


cl 


Epictetus 


29 


Hero Ctes. {See Heron) 


H32 


Callisthenes 


cl 5 


Epicurus 


E3 


H erodes 


H33 


Cebes 


C2 


Eratosthenes 


4 


Herodianus Ael. 


H34 


Cedrenus 


C2S 


Erinna 


E43 


Herodianus Mst. 


H3S 


Chariton 


C3 


Erotianus 


E45 


HERODOTUS 


H 4 


Chion 


C33 


EUCLIDES 


6 


Heron Alex. 


H44 


Choerilus 


c 3 6 


Eudemus 


62 


Heron Ctesias (see Hero) 


H46 


Choricius 


C39 


Eudocia 


63 


HESIODUS 


H 5 


Cleanthes 


C4 


Eunapius 


E 7 


Hesychius Alex. 


HS3 


Cleomedes 


C S 


Euphorion 


76 


Hesychius Mil. 


HSS 


Coluthus 


c6 


Eupolemus 


78 


Hierocles Alex. 


H6 


Conon 


C 7 


EURIPIDES 


8 


Hierocles gram. 


H62 


Constantinus Man. 


072 


Eustathius Ant. 


9 


Himerius 


H6s 


Constantinus Porph. 


C73 


Eustathius Mac. 


9! 


Hipparchus 


H&7 


Crates Theb. 


c86 


Eustathius Thes. 


92 


Hippocrates Cous 


H7 


Cratinus 


c81 






Hipponax 


H75 


Critias 


085 


Galenus 


G 


HOMERUS 


H8 


Ctesias 


09 


Georgius Choe. 


G2 


Horapollo 


H84 






Georgius Cod. 


G3 


Hybrias 


H8s 


Damascius 


D 


Georgius Gem. 


G 4 


Hyperides 


H9 


Damocrates 


Dl 


Georgius Pach. 


G 5 






Demetrius Cyd. 


Dl7 


Georgius Pis. 


G6 


lamblichus 


I 


Demetrius Mos. 


Dl8 


Georgius Schol. 


G7 


Ibycus 


12 


Demetrius Pep. 


Dig 


Glycas, J. 


G75 


Ion 


13 


Demetrius Phal. 


D2 


Glycas, M. 


076 


Isaeus 


14 


Demetrius Zen. 


D22 


Gorgias 


G8 


Isidorus 


15 


Democritus 


D25 


Gregoras 


085 


Isigonus Char 


16 


Demophilus 


D29 


Gregorius Cor. 


G 9 


I sis 


17 


DEMOSTHENES 


D3 


Gregorius Cyp. 


G95 


ISOCRATES 


18 


Dicaearchus 


D 3 8 










Didymus 
Dinarchus 

T\" /~* 


D4 


Hanno 
Hapluchiris 


H 
Hi 


Joannes Alex. 
JULIAN us Imp. 


J 
J6 


Dio Las. 


D 5 


Harpocration 


Hll 






Dio Chrys. 


D6 


Hecataeus 


Hl2 






Diocles 


065 


Hecataeus Abd. 


Hl3 


Laurentius Lydus 


L 


DIODORUS Siculus 


D 7 


Hecataeus Mil. 




Leo diac. 


L2 


Diogenes Apollo 


075 


Heliodorus Ernes. 


Hl4 


Leo philos. 


L2 3 


Diogenes Laert. 


D8 


Heliodorus Met. 


Hl 5 


Leonidas 


L2 5 


Dionysius Ael. 
Dionysius Byz. 


084 

D88 


Heliodorus poeta 
Hellanicus 


Hl6 
Hl7 


Libanius 
Longinus 


L3 

14 


DIONYSIUS Halic. 
Dionysius Perieg. 


D 9 

092 


Hephaestion 
Heraclides 


/ 

Hl8 


Longus 

LUCIANUS 


L6 


Diophantus 


094 


Heraclides Pont. 


H2 


Lycophron 


L7 


Dioscorides 


D95 


Heraclitus Eph. 


H22 


Lycurgus 


L8 


Dositheus 


097 


Heraclitus Myth. 


H23 


Lysias 


L 9 


Draco 


098 


Hermes Tris. 


H24 






Duris 


099 


Hermesianax 


H25 


Manetho 


M 






Hermias 


H26 


Marcianus 


Ml3 


Empedocles 


E2 


Hermippus 




Marcus 


Ml4 


Epaphroditus 


E23 


Hermippus Smyrn. 


H27 


Marinus 


M1 5 


Ephorus 


E2 5 


Hermogenes 


H28 


Matthaeus 


M1 7 



88 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



Maximus 


MIS 


Phaedrus 


P22 


Scymnus 


S22 


Maximus Tyrius 


M2 


Phalaris 


P23 


Sesenus 


523 


Megasthenes 


M25 


Phanodermus 


P235 


Severus 


S2 4 


Meleager 


M3 


Phavorinus 


P24 


Sextius 


S2S 


Memnon 


M35 


Pherecrates 


P245 


Sextus Empiricus 


S26 


Menander com. 


M4 


Pherecydes Lerius 


P2 5 


Sibyllina oracula 


S2 7 


Menander rhet. 


M42 


Philemon gram. 


P259 


Simeo 


S28 


Menelaus 


M44 


Philes 


P26 


Simonides Amorg. 


829 


Mercurius 


M46 


Philetas 


P2 7 


SIMONIDES Ceus 


S3 


Michael Acorn. 


M48 


Philo Byz. 


P28 


Simplicius 


532 


Mimnermus 


MS 


PHILO Judaeus 


P29 


Socrates Ath. 


S3S 


Mnaseas 


M55 


Philochorus 


P294 


Solon 


S4 


Moeris 


M(J 


Philodemus 


P296 


SOPHOCLES 


S5 


Moschion 


M65 


Philolaus 


P29 7 


Sophron 


352 


Moschopulos 


M 7 


Philostratus 


P 3 


Soranus 


S53 


Moschus 


MS 


Philoxenus Cyth. 


?3l 


Soterichus 


S 55 


Musseus 


M9 


Phlegon 


P32 


Stephanus Byz. 


S57 


Musonius 


M9S 


Phocylides 


P 33 


Stesichorus Him. 


S59 






Photius 


p 35 


Stobaeus 


s6 






Phrynichus soph. 


P36 


Strabo 


s 7 


Nemesius 


N 


Phurnutus 


P 3 8 


Strato 


S 7S 


Nicander 


N2 


Phylarchus 




Suidas 


s8 


Nicanor 


N25 


PlNDARUS 


P 4 


Synesius 


589 


Nicephorus Blem. 
Nicephorus Bryen. 


N3 

N35 


Planudes 
PLATO 


p 45 
P 5 


Synesius Cyr. 
Syntipas 


59 


Nicephorus Greg. 


N 4 


Plotinus 


P 55 


j t 




Nicephorus Sti. 


N45 


PLUTARCHUS 


J J 

P6 






Nicetas Acorn. 


N56 


Polemo Ant. 


P61 


Terpander 


Tl 


Nicetas Eug. 


N&S 


Polemo Perieg. 


p&3 


Theanus 


T1 7 


Nicolaus Damas. 


N 7 


Pollux J., gram. 


p6s 


Themistius 


T2 


Nicomachus Geres. 


N8 


Pollux J., hist. 


p66 


Themistocles 


T2S 


Nonnus Parop. 


N9 


Polyaenus 


p68 


THEOCRITUS 


T3 


Nonnus Theoph. 


N9l 


POLYBIUS 


P 7 


Theodoretus 


T32 






Porphyrius 


P 75 


Theodorus Ducas 


T33 


Ocellus 


o 


Posidonius 


P 7 8 


Theodorus Gaza 


T33 


Olympiodorus philos. 
Onosander 


03 

oe. 


PROCLUS 
Procopius Caes. 


P8 
p81 


Theodorus Met. 
Theodorus Prod. 


T34 
T35 


Oppianus 
Oribasius 


J 

06 
08 


Psellus 
Ptolemaeus Chen. 


p86 


Theodosius Alex. 
Theodosius Trid. 


T37 
T38 


Orpheus 


09 


Ptolemaeus Cl. 
Ptolemaeus Eord. 


P8 7 
P88 


THEOGNIS 
Theon Alex. 


T 4 

T44 






Pythagoras 


P 9 


Theon Smyr. 


T45 


Paeanius 


p 


Pytheas 


P 95 


Theon Soph. 


T 4 6 


Palaephatus 


pi 






Theophanes 


T47 


Palladius 
Panyasis 


Pl2 
P1 3 


Quintus Smyrnaeus 


Q 


Theophilus 
Theophrastus 


T48 

T 5 


Pappus 


P1 4 


. 




Theophylactus 


T52 


Parmenides 


pl s 


Rhianus 


R 


Theopompus 


TS3 


Parthenius 


P1 7 


Rufus 


R 5 


Thomas Mag. 


T$6 


Paulus Aeg. 


P18 






Thrasyllus 


T58 


Paulus Silent. 


Pig 


Sallustius 


s 


Thrasymachus 


T59 


Pausanias 


P2 


Sappho 


S2 


THUCYDIDES 


T6 


Pediasimus 


P2l 


Scylax 


S2l 


Tiberius 


T63 



CUTTER. 



89 



Timaeus Socr. 


T&5 


Tzetzes 


T 9 


Zaleucus 


Z 


Timaeus Soph. 


T66 






Zenodorus 


Z2 


Trichas 


T 7 


Xenocrates 


Xl 


Zonaras 


Z 4 


Tryphioclorus 


T74 


XENOPHON Ath. 


X 


Zosimus hist. 


z6 


Tryphon 


T 7 8 


Xenophon Eph. 


x6 


Zosimus Pan. 


z8 


Tyrtaeus 


T8 


Xiphilinus 


*7 








WORKS OF PLATO 


OP-PS). 




e.g. t the Gorgias is VP. P5G, the Phaedo VP. PSPH. 


Alcibiades primus 


A 


Erastae 


ER 


Minos 





Alcibiades secundus 


A 


Eryxias 


ES 


Parmenides 


p 


Apologia Socratis 


AP 


Euthydemus 


EU 


Phaedo 


PH 


Axiochus 


B 


Euthyphro 


F 


Phaedrus 


PI 


Charmides 


C 


Gorgias 


G 


Philebus 


PL 


Civitas (See Respublica). 




Hipparchus 


H 


Politicus 


PO 


Convivium 


CO 


Hippias major 


HI 


Protagoras 


Q 


Cratylus 


CP 


Hippias minor 


HJ 


Respublica 


R 


Critias 


CQ 


De Justo 


J 


Sisyphus 


S 


Crito 


CR 


Laches 


K 


Sophista 


SO 


Definitiones 


D 


Leges 


L 


Theaetetus 


T 


Demodocus 


DE 


Lysis 


LY 


Theages 


TH 


Epinomis 


E 


Menex 


M 


Timaeus 


TI 


Epistolae 


EP Meno 


N De Virtute 


V 


WORKS OF PLUTARCH (VP. p6.) 


t.g ., the " De sera," VP.p6s. 


Aemilius Paulus 


A 


Eroticse narrationes 


E 


Otho 


O 


Agesilaus 


AG 


Eumenes 


EU 






Agis 


AH 






Pelopidas 


P 


Alcibiades 


AK 


Fabius 


F 


Pericles 


PE. 


Alexander 


AL 


Flamininus 


FL 


Philopoemen 


PH 


Antonius 


AN 


De fluviorum et montium 




Phocion 


PJ 


Aratus 


AR 


nominibus 


FM 


Pompeius 


PO 


Aristides 


AS 


Galba 


G 


Publicola 


PU 


Artaxerxes 


AT 


Gracchi 


GR 


De pudore vitioso 


pp 


Brutus 


B 






Pyrrhus 


PY 






Instituta 


H 






Caesar 


C 


Isis et Osiris 


I 


Romulus 


R 


Camillus 


CA 










Cato major 


CL 


Lucullus 


K 


De Sera numinis vindicta 


S 


Cato minor 


CC 


Lycurgus 


L 


Sertorius 


SA 


Cicero 


CI 


Lysander 




Solon 


SO 


Cimon 
Cleomenes 


CJ 
CL 


Marcellus 


M 


Sulla 


SY 


Coriolanus 


CO 


Marius 


MY 






Crass us 


CR 


Moralia 


M 


Themistocles 


T 






Musica 


MU 


Theseus 


TH 


Demetrius 


D 






Timoleon 


TI 


Demosthenes 


DE 


Nicias 


N 






Dio 


DI 


Numa 


NU 


Vitae 


V 



9 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



COLLECTIONS. 



Anecdota gracca VP'9 

Oratores VP6' 

Poetae VPP'9 

Poetae aenigmatum vpp'9 

Poetae Alexandrini VPP'9 

Poetae bucolici VPP'9 

Poetae didactici VPP'9 

Poetae epici VPP'9 

Poetae fabularum VPP'9 

Poetae gnomici VPP'9 

Poetae hyrnnorum vpp'9 

Poetae lyrici VPP'9 

Poetae satyrici VPP - 9 

Poetae scenici VPD'9 
Poetae sillographici et pa- 

rodici VPP'9 



Rhetores, vp-gS 

Scriptores vp - g 

Scriptores rei accipitrariae vp-gS 
Scriptores astronomici 
Scriptores biographici 
Scriptores commentario- 



VP'9 



Scriptores epistolographi 
Scriptores erotici et fab. 

Roman 
Florilegia 

Scriptores geographici 
Scriptores grammatici 
Scriptores historici vp-gS 

Scriptores historiarum Alex- 

andri Magri SpA'9 



Scriptores historiae By- 

zantinae 8PD'9 

Scriptores rerum inventa- 

rum vp'98i 

Scriptores mathematici vp-gS 
Scriptores medici vp'gS. 

Scriptores metrici et mu- 

sici 

Scriptores metrologici 
Scriptores rei militaris 
Scriptores mythologici VPL'9 
Scriptores rerum nat. et 

paradoxorum vp-gS 

Scriptores paroemiorum vpy'9 
Scriptores philosophi Vp-gSp 
Scriptores physiognomici Vp-gSp 



To show how the table is applied I give about a third of our shelf-list for 



HOMER. 



COLLECTED WORKS. 

Opera. Lips., 7759 VP'H8'i759 

Carmina, cur. Heyne. Lips., 1802 VP'HS'i8o2 
Church. Selections from Homer VP'HS'gc 
Whole works; tr. into Eng. by Chap- 
man VP'HS'EC 
Iliad and Odyssey; tr. into Eng. by 

Coiuper VP'HS'ECO 

Iliad and Odyssey; tr. into Eng. by 

Ogilby VP'HS'EO 

OZuvres; tr. into French by Dacier VP'HS'FD 
CEuvres; tr. into French by Gin VP'HS'FG 

Werke; tr. into German by Voss vp-HS'GV 

" " " " " (another 

ed.), vp-H8'GV2 

Arnold. On translating Homer VP'HS'YA 

" Last words on translating 
Homer VP'HS'YA'L 

Crusius. Greek & Eng. lexicon of 

Homer vp-n8'zc 

Seber. Index vocabulorum in Home- 
rum VP'HS'ZS 



SINGLE WORKS. 



Batrachomyomachia; tr. into Eng. by 
Chapman 



Ilias. 
Iliad; 
Iliad; 
Iliad; 
Iliade 



vp-H8rl768 

Vp-H8rl872 

Vp - H8i - EC 

Vp - ii8rEp 

vp - H8rEP'2 



Hymni, etc. Lips., 1858 vp-H8H'1858 

Hymn to Ceres; tr. into Eng. by 

Lucas 

Ilias. Lond., 1768 
Lips., 1872 

tr. into Eng. by Chapman 
tr. into Eng. by Pope, 1721 
tr. into Eng. by Pope. 1802 
tr. into Italian by Monti 
Collins. The Iliad 
Nagelsbach. Anmerkungen 
Scholia in Iliadem 
Pendergast. Complete concordance 

to the Iliad Vp-HSrzp 

Odyssey; [Gr.]; ed. by Hayman. 

1866 vp-HSoD'1866 

Odyssey; tr. by Bryant VP'HSoiVEB 

Odyssey; tr. by Chapman vp'iiSoD'EC 

Odyssey; tr. by Pope vp-HSoD'EP 



vp-HSi'YC 



vp - H8i'YSCH 



DAVIS. 



9 1 



Aretas A 

Athanasius A8 

Athenagoras A9 

Barnabas B 

Chrysostomus C 

Clemens Alex. 05 

Cyrillus Alex. c8 

Cyrillus Hieros. 09 

Didymus Alex. D 

Diognetum Ep. ad ny 

Dionysius Corinthius r>g 

Epiphanius E 



GREEK FATHERS. 

Eusebius Pamphilus E8 

Evagrius 9 

Georgius Pisides 

Gregorius Naz. G 

Gregorius Nys. c8 

Gregorius Thaum. eg 

Hegesippus H 

Hermas H2 

Hermias H3 

Ignatius I 

Isidorus Pelusinus 15 

Justinus Martyr J 



Methodius 



Origenes 



Papias 

Petrus Chrysol. 
Polycarpus 
Procopius Gaz. 



Tatianus 

Theophilus Antioch 
Theodoretus 
Theodorus 



P 
P2 

p6 
P8 



T 
T4 

T5 
T6 



TEACHING BIBLIOGRAPHY IN COLLEGES. 



BY R. C. DAVIS, LIBRARIAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. 



I HAD not performed the duties of a librarian 
long before it became evident to me that 
many of my readers were working at a disad- 
vantage. Their knowledge of books of com- 
mon reference was very limited ; they did not 
know of the existence of special bibliographies, 
and of indexes to serial publications ; that they 
could help themselves in these matters by an 
intelligent exercise of their reasoning powers 
never occurred to them. They were, in short, 
running in a rut out of which it seemed impos- 
sible for them to get. In addition to this they 
made no effort, on coming into the library 
building for the first time, to learn what they 
might expect, or what was expected of them, 
or the whereabouts of anything. They were 
willing to leave all to chance. 

As one effort to remedy these evils I decided 
to give a few lectures on the library in general, 
and on library aids in particular, at the opening 
of each college year. This I did first in 1879, 
and have continued to do since. One lecture 
(the first) has reference to the use of the library. 
I endeavor to show the student what his obli- 



gations are as a user of the library, and also 
what his rights are. I also describe the card 
catalogue, showing how it is constructed, and 
how it should be handled, with a mention of 
the printed catalogues of other libraries in our 
possession, and how they may be helpful. I 
give a list of the books of reference, with ex- 
planations of their scope and value. Particular 
attention is called to the special bibliographies 
which are becoming so numerous. And, lastly, 
I endeavor to teach that mental process which 
is available everywhere, and under all circum- 
stances, in which the present knowledge of the 
inquirer is interrogated, and made to indicate 
the direction in which further knowledge is to 
be sought. 

This lecture is followed by a second, on " The 
Books of the Year," and a third, on "Reading 
Why we Do it, and How we Should Do it." 

These lectures, delivered, as I have said, at 
the opening of the college year, are sometimes 
well attended, and sometimes not. I shall 
continue them, because I have evidence every 
year that some individuals are helped by them 



both in their ability to use books and in their 
appreciation of books. 

In the year 1881 I submitted to the Faculty 
of the University an outline of a systematic 
course of instruction in Bibliography, which 
they were desired to consider, and, if it met 
with their approval, to recommend to the Board 
of Regents for incorporation in the curriculum. 
The scheme was approved by the Faculty, 
recommended by them as desired, and, at the 
next meeting of the Board of Regents, the 
course was established. It is an elective, lect- 
ure course, of one hour per week, extending 
through the second semester. Those who take 
it, and pass a satisfactory examination, receive 
a credit of one-fifth. 

Before proceeding to give an outline of this 
course of study I will make a few explanatory 
remarks. 

I hardly need to say in this presence that, 
although Bibliography is not a new subject, and 
although it has been the specialty of a number 
of eminent scholars, its boundaries are not 
quite settled yet. While generally agreeing 
that it is the " Science of Books," writers differ 
more or less as to the extent of the field it may 
cover. 

Some of the most distinguished of the French 
and English bibliographers have included in it 
the study of ancient MSS., as well as the study 
of printed books. The writer of the article on 
the subject in the gth edition of the " Encyclo- 
paedia Britannica" confines it to a consideration 
of printed books, and applies to a consider- 
ation of ancient MSS. the term Paleography. 
There is no need of controversy here. Bibli- 
ography properly covers ancient as well as 
modern books ; it includes Paleography. If 
it is sometimes desirable to consider modern 
books alone, so it is sometimes desirable to 
consider ancient and modern books in connec- 
tion, the modern as a development of the 
ancient ; and it is sometimes desirable to con- 
sider ancient books alone. In neither case 
should the use of the term Bibliography be pro- 
hibited as inapplicable. 

This is undoubtedly a bibliographical associ- 
tion, yet the line dividing between types and 
pens, between paper, and parchment and papy- 
rus, is never crossed in the papers that are read 



at its meetings, or in the discussions that fol- 
low the readings. If there is a bibliographical 
journal published in the country it is the 
Library journal; and yet I think only one 
article of an antiquarian character has ever ap- 
peared in it, and that was followed by a note 
stating that it was an exception to the rule of 
the Journal, which " confines it to topics 
that concern the librarian as an administrator 
rather than as a scholar." 

I think the language of the announcement of 
the School of Library Economy to be opened at 
Columbia College at the beginning of the 
coming year is that " the principles of library 
management " only will be taught. Of the 
wisdom of the founders of the Association, and 
of the Journal, and of the School of Library 
Economy, in thus confining study and discus- 
sion to the utilitarian side of Bibliography 
there can be no doubt. Time and use, which 
test the wisdom of all courses of action, attest 
the wisdom of this course as regards the Asso- 
ciation and the Journal. 

But the case is altered when the subject is to 
be taught to college students not for a specific 
purpose but rather as a part of liberal educa- 
tion. The antiquarian, or historical, side is 
important then. The student should become 
familiar with that portion of the subject in all 
of its aspects. If art contributes to it as it 
does he should know what it contributes. 
If history contributes to it as it does he 
should know what is gained from history. If 
literature contributes to it as it does, largely, 
of course he should know what literature 
gives. 

In the course given at the University, there- 
fore, all these contributions from art and his- 
tory and literature are collected and arranged 
in that order which seems the most natural, 
and to the two divisions of Bibliography which 
are generally recognized, viz. : Material, or 
Practical, and Intellectual, another is added, 
which I term Historical Bibliography, and 
place first as introductory. We have, then, 
three main divisions of the general subject : 

i. HISTORICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY. This com- 
prises a description of the writing materials of 
the different ages; of MSS. ; of the preserva- 
tion of ancient literature ; of the revival of 



DA VIS. 



93 



learning in the fourteenth century, and that 
almost simultaneous event, the beginning of 
modern literature ; of the invention of printing 
and the improvements in the art ; of the early 
printers and their works ; of libraries, and of 
the copyright. 

2. MATERIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY. This has 
reference to the denominations and sizes of 
books, and their mechanical execution ; to 
bibliographical nomenclature, to editions, to 
catalogues, to buying and caring for books, etc. 

3. INTELLECTUAL BIBLIOGRAPHY. This has 
to do with the classification of literature, and 
the contents of books. 

In order to convey as clear an idea as pos- 
sible of what is taught I will give a synopsis 
of the twenty lectures which at present consti- 
tute the course. 

On Historical Bibliography there are seven 
lectures : 

I. WRITING MATERIALS. 

The origin of writing growing out of the de- 
sire of man to give expression to his thoughts 
and perpetuity to his achievements ; Rock in- 
scriptions ; Tables of stone, ivory, metal, and 
wood ; The use of coloring matter, making 
available the barks and leaves of trees, and the 
skins and intestines of animals ; Clay tablets ; 
Papyrus ; Parchment ; Wax tablets ; Palm leaf 
of the Cingalese, and other Eastern nations ; 
Origin of modern paper, and when and how a 
knowledge of its manufacture was introduced 
into Europe ; Minor materials, as pens and inks. 

2. CLASSICAL MSS. 

Forms assumed by MSS. ; The characters 
in which they were written ; How they were 
multiplied, and to what extent, in the times of 
greatest literary activity in Greece and Rome ; 
The subject illustrated by a view of books and 
reading in Rome in the first century ; The no- 
menclature of the subject ; Dangers to which 
classical MSS. were exposed ; Their preserva- 
tion through the Dark Ages ; Part of the Monks 
in the matter. 

3. THE REVIVAL OF LEARNING. 
What this revival was ; "Through 700 years," 
said Lionardo Bruni, "no one in all Italy has 



been master of Greek letters ; Petrarch ; Boc- 
caccio ; John of Ravenna, the itinerant professor 
of Latin ; Emanuel Chrysoloras, the Greek ; 
Filelfo ; Poggio, and the MSS. found and tran- 
scribed by him ; Nicholas V., and the Vatican 
library ; Vespasiano, first of modern booksell- 
ers ; Vittorino da Feltre, the model educator ; 
Aldus Manutius, the first printer of critical 
texts ; Decadence of classical learning in Italy 
in the i6th century, and its rise in Northern 
Europe from the labors of Grocyn, Linacre, 
Reuchlin, Erasmus, and others. 

4. MSS. OF THE MIDDLE AGES AND THE BE- 
GINNINGS OF MODERN LITERATURE. 

Ulphilas and the Gothic language in the 
4th century ; Cyril and the Sclavonic language 
in the gth century; Celtic MSS., and Celtic 
learning in the 7th and 8th centuries ; Arabian 
MSS., and Arabian learning in the 9th and 
loth centuries; What the MSS. of the Middle 
Ages contained that still finds appreciation in 
its entirety, or has been worked over and finds 
appreciation in other forms of literature. 

5. THE INVENTION OF PRINTING. 

The arts of the first part of the I5th cent- 
ury; Wood engraving; Playing cards; Block 
books ; Political and social condition of Europe 
in the I5th century; The invention typogra- 
phy, not printing ; The claimants to the honor 
of the invention ; Warmth of the controversy 
over these alleged inventors ; The older 
writers on the subject bibliographers rather 
than practical printers ; Their conclusions un- 
satisfactory on this account; Elimination of all 
from the list of claimants except Coster and 
Gutenburg ; A consideration of the claims of 
each ; The phenomenal books, the " Biblia Pau- 
perum," the " Ars Moriendi," the ' Speculum," 
the " Donatuses," and others ; How were they 
printed, and who printed them ? Why the ancient 
nations did not print ; The conditions that 
made the art possible in the I5th century. 

6. THE EARLY PRINTERS. 

Fust and Schoeffer ; Their "Offices of Cicero," 
the first classic printed (1465) ; Sweynheim 
and Panwartz at Subiaco and at Rome ; Their 
" Lactantius ; " Roman type first used by them 



94 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



in their edition of Cicero's Letters (1467) ; 
Nicholas Jensen ; The Manutii ; Their editions 
of the Greek classics ; The Aldine, or Italic 
type ; Ulric Gering, the first printer of France ; 
Antoine Verard, and the new school of print- 
ing founded by him ; The Estiennes, or Ste- 
phenses ; John Amerbach and his editions of 
the Christian Fathers ; Jean Froben, Amer- 
bach's successor, and the friend and publisher 
of Erasmus ; The Elzeviers ; William Caxton ; 
Wynkin de Worde ; Richard Pynson. 

7. LIBRARIES. 

Ancient libraries ; Libraries of the Middle 
Ages ; The classification of libraries ; The Li- 
brary of the British Museum ; The National 
Library of France ; The Library of the Vatican; 
The Imperial Library of St. Petersburg ; 
Harvard College Library. 

On Material Bibliography there are five 
lectures : 

I DENOMINATIONS AND SIZES OF BOOKS. 

Anonymous, pseudonymous, posthumous, 
and other names of books resulting from cir- 
cumstances of authorship ; Esoteric and exoteric 
books ; Classics ; Sizes of books, as folios, 
quartos, etc. ; How the sizes are produced ; 
This method of designating books unsatisfac- 
tory ; Efforts of librarians to change it ; Methods 
of the American Library Association and the 
United Kingdom Library Association. 

2. THE MECHANICAL EXECUTION OF BOOKS. 

Paper ; Type ; Illustrations ; Bindings, etc. 

3. EDITIONS. 

What editions are ; How they are multi- 
plied ; Wherein editions differ ; Books of 
which there are many editions ; The choice 
in editions 

4. CATALOGUES. 

Catalogues of authors ; Catalogues of sub- 
jects ; Classified catalogues ; The dictionary 
system; General catalogues, as Brunei's and 
Lownde's ; Catalogues of libraries ; Catalogues 
of collections for sale ; Written and printed 
catalogues; The card system ; Special bibliog- 



raphies ; Poole's index of periodical litera- 
ture ; The cooperative index : Bulletins. 

5- THE CARE OF BOOKS. 

The enemies of books enumerated by Mr. 
Blades, viz.: "fire, water, gas and heat, dust 
and neglect, ignorance, the bookworm, other 
vermin, bookbinders, and book collectors ; " 
How improvements in the construction of li- 
brary buildings preserves from some of these 
enemies ; In what ways ignorance is inimical 
to books ; What the bookbinder does that is 
disastrous ; The book collector, or bibliomanic : 
his idiosyncrasies ; How to pack books. 

On Intellectual Bibliography there are eight 
lectures : 

I. THE CLASSIFICATION OF KNOWLEDGE. 

Schemes of Bacon, Bentham, Coleridge, and 
others, relating particularly to philosophy ; 
Systems for the classification of books in li- 
braries, notably Bouillaud's, Ersch's, Home's, 
Brunei's, Edwards 1 , and later ones. 

In the seven remaining lectures the main 
classes into which literature is divided are 
subdivided to as great an extent as possible, 
and an endeavor is made to name the best 
books in each of the subdivisions. 

The reasons for the course that existed in 
my mind, and by which I justified the request 
for its establishment, may be formulated thus : 
The book is the student's chief tool, his sine 
qua 11011. Has he mastered the Literce hu- 
titaniores, if on the day of his graduation he 
knows little or nothing about this tool with 
which he has wrought, either its history or its 
workmanship? It has been necessary for him to 
become familiar with the theory of the evolution 
of man from a primordial cell. Should he not 
also become familiar with the fact of the evolu- 
tion of the modern book from a rock inscrip- 
tion, or, more remotely, from a grove of trees, 
or a pile of stones? Why should not the col- 
lege student be taught bibliography as well as 
philosophy, or art, or literature? It may be 
said that a knowledge of books, as books, is of 
less importance than a knowledge of philoso- 
phy, or of art, or of a particular literature. I can- 



DA VIS. 



95 



not admit it. I wish to be understood aright. 
I am not considering the relative importance 
of the subjects abstractly, weighing them, 
but their importance to the student in general. 
The exigences of life will make a demand on 
that student for bibliographical knowledge 
twice where they will make one demand for the 
other more special knowledge. I appeal con- 
fidently to the experience of college-bred men 
for confirmation of what I affirm. 

Again, it may be said that a knowledge of 
Bibliography is gained from a study of other 
subjects. Yes; something about the MSS. of 
certain ancient classical writers will be im- 
parted by the professors of the ancient lan- 
guages. Something about the various editions 
of the modern classical writers will be received 
from the professors of the modern languages. 
But all this is incidental ; the facts are few 
and disconnected, and the impressions made 
will not be permanent. For instance, if the 
student is reading the Correspondence of 
Cicero, he will probably be told that the sole 
authority for the letters " ad Familiares " is a 
MS. discovered by the poet Petrarch at Ver- 
celli. He will wonder, momentarily, how this 
happened to the sentimental Italian, with whose 
name he has always associated that of Laura, 
the woman who was the source of his inspi- 
ration, and then he will probably forget the 
fact altogether. 

Now give this fact to the student, with the 
associated facts, in a chain of interesting 
events. He beholds Petrarch in a new char- 
acter ; as a student of Cicero, and a lover of the 
old Roman literature, art, life, and philosophy. 
Laura does not appear upon the scene. 
Petrarch's utterances are those of a practical, 
earnest man. " I detested," he said, as he 
turned from what was about him back to the 
past, " I detested the frivolities and senseless 
chatter of the moderns. ... I was the 
first, in Italy at least, to bring back the style 
of our forefathers." The student will not 
forget the fact in this company, nor the 
associated facts. He will be taught not only 
that the poet was the apostle of the Renais- 
sance, but also what that great movement was, 
and what was accomplished by the actors in it. 

Again, the teacher of Italian literature will 



dwell upon the piquant style of Boccaccio, upon 
his wit and his eloquence, and will remark 
probably that it is a pity that his masterpiece, 
the " Decamerone," is too indecent to be read. 
His association with Petrarch, and his partici- 
pation in the revival of learning may be 
mentioned incidentally, but his earnest and 
successful labors in the interests of learning 
will not be given sufficient prominence to make 
him live in the mind as any other than the 
author of a fascinating, but licentious, book. 
But the page of Boccaccio's life that is open to 
the bibliographical student does not tell him 
about the " Decamerone," but describes his 
indefatigable pursuit of the relics of ancient 
literature. What lives in the memory is not a 
tale penned to delight an immoral court, but 
his noble and indignant protest against the 
mutilation of books as he looked tearfully over 
the neglected library at Monte Casino. 

While, therefore, bibliographical knowledge 
is obtained by the study of literature as 
commonly pursued, and by the study of other 
subjects, it is only at those points where the 
subjects dovetail into each other, and it is 
consequently inadequate. In the study of a 
literature, the end of the study is a knowledge 
of that literature pure and simple. The in- 
structor, at the moment that he says, " Here 
is an interesting fact, but not altogether 
relevant," calls attention away from it again. 
It can only be something " by the way." 

Now a practical consideration : A college 
education is supposed to, and generally does, 
make books a necessity. Should not a part 
of that education that makes books necessary 
include instruction in the arts of acquiring and 
caring for them? The existence of a School of 
Library Economy at Columbia may be taken 
as a justification of this instruction for 
librarians. I need only to call attention to the 
fact that any man who collects books in large 
numbers has to meet many of the responsi- 
bilities of a librarian. 

The results of the experiment may be given 
briefly. During the four years that the lectures 
have been delivered there has been an annual 
average attendance of twenty-four persons, 
regularly enrolled. Others are present, but 
are not members of the class. About ten per 



9 6 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



cent, of those regularly enrolled take the work 
for some other reason than a desire to be 
benefited by it, and they are not benefited by 
it particularly. They fail at examination. 
About twenty-five per cent, both grasp the 
subject as a whole and enter into its details 
with intelligence and enthusiasm. They speak 
often, with gratification, of finding links that 
bind together fragments of knowledge already 
possessed by them, but of which they had not 
before perceived the connection. And they 
find much that is suggestive in the matter 
brought to their notice, much that provokes 
them to profitable research in this direction 



and in that. Also they find that, as an 
immediate result of their study, their grasp 
of all the accumulations they have made is 
rendered more comprehensive. Of the remain- 
ing sixty-five per cent, it may be said that they 
do their work fairly well, and are helped by it. 
I think these results justify the establishment 
of the course, and I consider that part of the 
matter as practically settled ; but that it may 
be so modified and so changed as to produce 
far better results is certain in the nature of 
things, and I shall not only welcome sugges- 
tions but I shall also endeavor to take criticism 
in that spirit which makes it profitable. 



SOME NEW DEVICES AND ARRANGEMENTS. 



BY J. N. LARNED, OF THE BUFFALO LIBRARY. 



I HAVE here a drawing of the book-stacks 
which are being constructed in the new 
building of the Buffalo Library. They are a 
modification of the book-stack idea as devel- 
oped heretofore at Harvard, Amherst, Ann 
Arbor, and elsewhere. Instead of being carried 
to a height of six or seven stages, or tiers, 
our stack stops at two (of seven feet each) ; 
each tier having capacity for the storage of 
nearly 100,000 volumes. The construction, 
designed by the architect of the building, Mr. 
C. L. W. Eidlitz, of New York, is entirely 
novel. Since the weight to be sustained is 
comparatively small, it has been possible to 
make the structure exceedingly light. The 
standards are of iron gas-pipe, an inch in 
diameter, one pair of them to form each pier, 
if I may call it so, in each stack. Bearings of 
cast-iron, sliding upon these standards, and 
fixed in place as desired, furnish the supports 
to the shelves, and also carry, riveted upon 
them, light partition-plates of sheet-iron, to 
brace the books upon the shelves, and separate 
the shelf-sections from one another. The same 
standards support, at the height of seven feet 
from the floor, a light platform of open iron- 
work and glass, which constitutes the floor of 
the second tier of the stacks. The whole 



structure is characterized by a remarkable 
economy of materials, of cost, and of space. 
It will enable the greatest possible number of 
books to be stored in a given room, with the 
least possible obstruction of light. I am con- 
fident, moreover, that the appearance of the 
book-room filled on this plan is going to be 
decidedly agreeable to the eye. 

I have also brought with me, to show you, a 
sample book-brace, which is the fruit of a good 
deal of contriving on my part during some 
months past. I have tried most of the inven- 
tions in use for bracing the end of a row of 
books in a half-filled shelf, and have been sat- 
isfied with none of them. I wished to devise 
something that would not twist on the shelf, 
nor easily be buried out of sight among the 
books. The primary idea in my mind was of 
a groove in the shelf which should hold the 
brace squarely at right angles to itself. Start- 
ing from that notion, I experimented with 
various forms of brace, first in wood, then in 
cast-iron, finally in wire ; but it was not until 
I enlisted the help of our library janitor that 
the satisfactory book-brace was evolved. He 
combined my idea with the old idea of a bit 
of sheet-iron bent to a right angle, and put the 
combination into wire. Here you see the re- 



LARNED. 



97 



suit. The projecting wire foot slips along a 
groove in the shelf under the books against 
which the brace is to be pressed, and books 
and brace give steadiness to one another. If 
Mr. Davidson, of the Library Bureau, thinks 
as well of this little device as I do, and cares 
to add it to his library supplies, he is welcome 
to do so. 

Inasmuch as all variations of charging sys- 
tems are interesting to many librarians, I feel 
justified in bringing to your notice a double- 
entry card scheme which I am bringing into 
use, for keeping accounts with books and bor- 
rowers equally. I wished to keep the book 
side of the account without going through the 
preparatory labor of making a card or slip for 
each book, to be carried in the pocket of the 
volume, as is done in several charging systems 
heretofore devised. I have accomplished this 
by the help of the printer, whose types and 
presses take almost all the preparatory work 
off my hands, quite simply, and with little cost. 
He rules and prints for me a set of stiff cards 
10 inches long by 5^ inches wide. These 
cards are to stand on one of their long edges. 
At the top of each, on one face, is printed 
"CLASS ," and it is ruled vertically in 

20 columns. These columns are numbered 
i to 20 in a certain number of cards ; then 

21 to 40 on a second lot; 31 to 60 on a third, 
and so on to as high numbers as may be re- 
quired. Now I need only fill in the blank left 
at the top of the cards for the designation of a 
class of books, and do this on one each of the 
successively numbered cards as far as the 
number of volumes in the designated class 
may require, in order to be prepared to keep 
account of the loaning and other movements 
of every book in that class. Our books are 
shelf-marked for the relative location, i.e., 
by class-number and place-number. There is 
a column on the cards ready numbered, there- 
fore, for each book. If there are not more 
than 20 works in the class, one card of the 
first series of numbers is sufficient ; if there 
are more than 20 and less than 40, I add one 
of the second series ; and so according to 
the measure of the several classes. A set of 
pigeon-holes 8 feet long and 2^2 feet high will 
hold the necessary cards for fully 100,000 



volumes, giving plenty of room for easy work- 
ing. If there is any more economical and easy 
method of providing an "indicator" for a 
library, to show at all times the presence, or 
absence, and whereabouts of every book, I 
shall be glad to hear of it. 

My card for keeping the account with bor- 
rowers explains itself. It is 5 inches long by 
7 inches high. The following is a representa- 
tion of one face : 



1728. Smith, John. 





Mon. 


Tues. 


Wed. 


Thurs. 


Fri. 


Sat. 


1 














fti 2 














JAJfU 

CO 














4 














5 














ft? 6 














b 
ft? 7 














N 

fS 8 














9 














10 














hj 11 
o 














K 

S 18 














13 















9 8 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



This face of the card provides for one ac- 
count (with John Smith, for example) during 
the first quarter of the year. Then the card is 
turned over, and the account is similarly carried 



on through the second quarter. Another card 
is prepared for the remaining half of the year. 
The advantage of the arrangement is in the self- 
dating of every charge, which saves much time. 



ECLECTIC BOOK-NUMBERS. 



BY MELVIL DEWEY, COLUMBIA COLLEGE. 



I AGREED to talk a few minutes on this 
question of book-numbers, because I get 
almost every week inquiries from som one 
who is confused and in trouble about them. 
At the risk of repetition and commonplace to 
those who hav studied the matter, I shal speak 
of it without assuming any knowledge on the 
part of the listener, because in this way it can 
be made clearer. That this important topic 
may com within the limits of time, you must 
allow me to speak ex cathedra without stopping 
to submit proof of all my statements. I shal 
be gratful for any criticisms or suggestions, 
after my remarks appear in our Proceedings, 
which may help to mak the points clearer and 
more useful to any library. 

1. The subject is important, for it has much 
to do with rapid, accurate and economical ad- 
ministration. Som prominent libraries hav 
been long without book-numbers. So hav 
others without either class or shelf numbers. 
There ar families too that as yet hav no sewing- 
machine. 

2. The question of book-numbers is entirely 
distinct from that of class or shelf numbers, 
and from any special system. It applies no 
more to my "Decimal Classification" than to 
its various rivals. 

3. We may safely say that all libraries 
classify at least broadly, and that a growing 
number ar classing closely. The very few 
exceptions that ignore all classing on the 
shelves ar barely enuf to prove the rule. 
Som separate the library into no more than 
26 classes, lettered A, B, C, to Z. Others 
use almost as many thousand topics. The 
question of book-numbers does not arise til 
this of classification has been settled. 
Whether 20 or 20,000 heads ar used, after the 



books ar separated into these groups, their 
arrangement within each group must be 
decided. In many private libraries nothing 
further is attempted, but the books ar jumbled 
together as chance dictates. All the mathe- 
matical books ar together, and if one is wanted 
the shelves ar hunted thru til it is found. With 
time enuf it may always be found ; but to one 
who has ever used an exact call-number, such 
a jumble is as unbearable as it is extravagant. 
There is no exact designation of a book 
without writing its title, and in all the records 
and charges each entry is a standing protest 
against the folly of no book-numbers. 

It is without the province of this talk to 
discus whether the classes shall be few or 
many, lettered or numbered. We assume that 
the library has examined the question and 
chosen the plan that is best for its use ; that 
the books ar assigned to these classes, and 
bear numbers or letters showing clearly to 
which subject each volume belongs. This 
number is the class-number, and is best written 
as the numerator of a fraction whose denomi- 
nator is the book-number which shows in the 
same way the exact place of each volume 
within the class to which it is assigned by the 
class-number. The whole fraction, class 
and book numbers, together with volume- 
number if there be any, make up the "call- 
number" which is the complete identification 
of the book, used in calling for it by number, 
charging it, and in all records, and is even 
more exact than a full written title, as it 

513 
specifies the identical copy. Thus, 24 means 

2 

the 2d volume of the 24th book in subject- 
number 513. 513 is the class-number, 24 



DEWEY. 



99 



the book-number, 2 the volume-number which 
is used only for works having more than one 
volume. It is the best form of the second 
number that I am to discus. 

4. The above assumes that the relativ 
location is used. For the last year or two its 
advantages hav been so generally recognized 
that I do not now recall a case where any 
library, after lerning these advantages, has 
adopted the old fixt location. If, however, 
such a case should arise, the 513, insted of 
meaning subject-number 513, would mean 
shelf 513, i.e., in a well-numbered library, 
alcove or case 5, tier I, shelf 3, counting from 
the top. Then the question is how to arrange 
on the shelf insted of in the class. But so many 
of the advantages of any arrangement ar lost 
in not using the relativ location that with the 
fixt location the simple accession or r, 2, 3 
order is almost universally followed. Then, in 
the number above, 24 means nothing more 
than that it is the 24th book that happened to 
be put on the shelf, regardles of all other 
considerations. Indeed the use of the shelf 
insted of a class number prohibits any other 
plan, for it could be followed only temporarily 
and by rude gues-work. We wil therefore go 
on the assumption that a relativ location of 
som kind is used. 

5. General Principles. In comparing the 
merits of the over a dozen possible plans for 
book-numbers three tests must be applied, 
viz., as to simplicity, brevity and utility. Any 
book-number should be simple, brief and use- 
ful ; but to which quality the greatest weight 
should be given depends on special circum- 
stances. A library in which most of the work 
consists in charging books for a very large cir- 
culation must lay great stres on brevity. A 
university library, where scholars ar constantly 
working at the shelves and making require- 
ments unknown to a popular library, must lay 
greatest stres on what the book-number ac- 
complishes, i.e., its utility. A library where 
all the work is done by cheap help may be com- 
pelled to sacrifice both brevity and utility to 
simplicity. Before these three judges every 
system must be tried. 

Then each system may be applied either ex- 
actly or approximately: e.g., if alfabetical, by 



author's names, absolutely accurate arrange- 
ment wil require longer numbers and occasional 
alterations, as authors with very similar names 
arise, or else very long decimals must be used ; 
but if a nearly accurate order wil answer 
much shorter numbers ar practicabl. Here 
again the welthy reference-library wil be 
likely to use exact order, while the more 
popular wil content itself with the shorter 
and cheaper approximate accuracy. In choos- 
ing it must be noted that the class-numbers 
in one way affect the choice of book-num- 
bers. If the classing is close, and there 
ar few books under each number any inter- 
calation system wil waste numbering mate- 
rial much worse, and the simple I, 2, 3 sys- 
tem wil have an advantage. But if coarse 
classing is the rule and there ar many vols. 
under each number, the advantages of the 
author and time systems ar brot into promi- 
nence while their numbers ar also proportion- 
ately shorter: e.g., if there ar 1,000 books 
in a class, 900 of them wil require three figures 
in the i, 2, 3 system, i.e., all from 100 to 
999, and the book-number would be just as 
long as the Cutter number of one letter followed 
by two figures, which keeps the books in alfa- 
betical order by author's name. But if, as is 
the case in my own library, a minute classing 
is made, many topics wil hav not over ten books 
and will require in the i, 2, 3 system only a 
single figure, while in the author system the Cut- 
ter number wil be just as long as if there were 
i ,000 books. Beside if there ar only ten books 
in a class it is much less important to have them 
in alfabetical order for the quick finding of any 
one wanted, as in so small a group the eye 
catches the title almost at sight. The rule, then, 
is " the more books in each class the less the 
waste and the greater the gain by author or 
time numbers." 

6. Notation. An examination of the entire 
resources of the printing-office wil reveal only two 
systems of symbols having a fixt order wel 
enough known in themselves and to be usable for 
marking books. These ar the Arabic figures 
i, 2, 3, to 9 and the Roman letters a to z. 
While size may be indicated by special 
marks or punctuation, to introduce any other 
characters into regular notation wil cause 



100 



MIL WA UKEE CONFERENCE. 



more labor and confusion than any possibl 
gain. 

7. The i, 2, 3 System. The most natural 
and simplest plan is to mark the books under 
each class number I, 2, 3, as they com in. 
Here, as in every book-number, the book, not 
the volume, is numbered. This plan is simplest 
to use and explain. There ar no skips on the 
shelves or in the shelf-list. The last number 
shows the total number of books in that class to 
date. It never " blocks up, 1 ' for books may be 
added in regular order without limit or alteration. 
It is as easy to put 1,000,000 books in any class 
as to put one. The shelf-list simply goes 
straight on, and never requires re-copying or re- 
arranging. The local memory is aided by find- 
ing always the same books side by side on the 
shelves, e.g., if a green book stands between 
two red ones, a page who has brot it a few 
times wil get it without looking at number or 
title. In the I, 2, 3 system this always re- 
mains between the two red books, but in all the 
other, i.e., intercalation systems, sooner or 
later, other books or sets may com in be- 
tween. In other words, the 1,2, 3 system 
has just the advantage, and about the only one 
that the fixt-shelf system can fairly claim, a 
help to local memory. In consulting the 
shelves, if a book is out the blank numbers 
show the fact at once as in no other system. 
The shelves and shelf-list show at the end of 
each subject the latest additions to the library, 
which, to be sure, ar not always the latest 
books. 

Against these great advantages there ar two 
serious objections. This i, 2, 3 plan disre- 
gards entirely author, date, publisher, language, 
style of treatment, and every quality except the 
accident of the order in which the library 
chanced to secure it. The other objection is 
that the shelves ar not their own catalog, as 
they ar when arranged by the Cutter numbers. 
There is no help whatever in finding a book 
beyond chance memory of its place, and the 
catalog must be consulted to get the number. 

8. Alfabetically by authors. This plan is, 
of late years, growing in favor. It is quite as 
likely as the I, 2, 3 to be the first plan thot of. 
Its great advantage is that it requires neither 
memory nor a catalog to find the place of a 



book in its class. The call-number and charge 
shows not only the subject but the author, a 
great convenience at the loan-desk, where peo- 
ple constantly ask what books they hav out. 
This is the one plan that can be used with- 
out a separate book-number. A majority of 
the books hav the author's name lettered on 
the back. Many libraries arrange alfabetically 
by these names, and ar very wel satisfied. The 
saving of the book-number is obvious. The 
objections to such saving ar, that many books 
are not lettered to agree with the catalog, 
and, of course, the arrangement on the shelves 
must be under the form of entry chosen for 
the alfabetical catalog, or an absurd confusion 
results, and there is no certainty in looking for 
anything. This difficulty is removed by letter- 
ing the proper name on all these books at 
quite a little cost. The greater objection is 
that it takes much longer to arrange on the 
shelves, find again, and charge, than with a 
book-number. A librarian experienced in 
putting cards into the catalog, wil see at once 
that it is vastly slower to alfabet by words than 
to arrange by book-numbers. Another loss is 
in the irregular position on the back where the 
name chances to be lettered. The book-num- 
bers are gilded or pasted at a uniform hight 
from the shelf, so that the eye runs across the 
straight line, in a small fraction of the time it 
requires to hunt up and down the back til one 
is sure he has the right word, for many books 
hav several names on the back from which 
the page must choose each time he gets or 
replaces a book. Of course mistakes ar fre- 
quent, and then the book is lost til some one 
chances to discover its misplacement. These 
practical difficulties ar so great that som prefer 
to incur the large expense of gilding the author's 
name at a uniform hight on each book, regard- 
les of its being alredy lettered in another 
place. Then, in charging, the full name, e.g. 
Chateaubriand, must be written each time, and, 
unles the complete heding to the catalog card 
is given, there is always a chance that the same 
class may contain another book with a similar 
name. To avoid this indefinitness, some 
libraries, in charging, add in each case the 
accession number, which is, of course, exact. 
This makes a very long book-number to charge 



DEWEY. 



101 



by, and does not tel what the book is without 
reference to the accession-number. 

For fuller discussion of all these points 
those interested should read the articles by Mr. 
Cutter and others, in early vols. of the LIBRARY 
JOURNAL. In short, this going without a book- 
number, and using the author's name as in the 
book, while at first appearing to be a saving, 
really amounts to using the full name or the 
long accession-number, or both, as the book- 
number, insted of the much shorter Cutter num- 
ber. It is easy to say : "If you want alfabeti- 
cal arrangement, simply put the books so by 
the name on the back ; there is no need of 
these new-fangled schemes." But you may be 
sure that the wide-awake libraries who hav 
translated these names into Cutter numbers 
hav not done so til after they have proved that 
it is real economy. I shal, therefore, hereafter 
speak of the Cutter number as the best form 
for this alfabetical arrangement. This uses 
the author's initial, and translates the rest of 
the name into Arabic numerals on the decimal 
plan. Thus, Burns is 693 ; Burr is 694 ; Burt, 
695. These numbers combine most of the 
simplicity of the I, 2, 3 system with the great 
advantages of the alfabetical order. 

The disadvantages of this plan ar mostly 
those that inhere in any system of intercalation. 
The shelf-list must either be kept on cards (a 
method not to be approved because of the 
facility it affords for covering thefts or losses) , 
or else now and then the shelf-list must be re- 
written. As it wears out in time this re-writ- 
ing is not nearly so serious an objection as it 
would at first seem. The call-numbers wil 
average a little longer than in the i, 2, 3 
system. The local memory, as pointed out 
above, is interfered with by the constant inter- 
calation of books in the series. If the exact 
order is kept up, numbers must be altered now 
and then to correct wrong averages, or else the 
initial author number must be made so long as 
to be more objectionable than the occasional 
changes. These changes take time, and modify 
the accuracy of the old records, for the changed 
number has lost its old meaning. 

9. Time system. This plan and the trans- 
lation scheme for applying it, devised for our 
catalog department, is fully described in last 



year's Proceedings, p. 246. It continues to giv 
excellent satisfaction in the classes Science and 
Useful Arts where we applied it. The books 
stand in the order in which they were written, the 
newest work on the right, the oldest on the left. 
The historical development of the subject is 
thus constantly kept before the librarian and 
all who. go to the shelves. A book first printed 
in 1874 is markt N 4. The N in the table 
means the decade from 1870-1879, and the 
figure specifies the exact year. This scheme 
has fully met our hopes. It has all the objec- 
tions urged against the author scheme above, 
and also the fact that the shelves ar not their 
own catalog unles one knows when each book 
was first publisht. Its gain is in giving infor- 
mation of value not likely to be mapt out else- 
where. Only libraries admitting readers largely 
to the shelves would adopt it, as otherwise the 
gain would not balance the loss. 

10. Bad methods. The 1,2,3; author ; and 
time plans given above ar the only ones really 
used except in very exceptional cases. 

The eclectic system, to be described later, 
wil, I think, also com into wide favor. I wil 
merely mention the other systems that hav 
been suggested. While, for certain special 
purposes, som of them might merit partial 
adoption, I feel safe in putting them under the 
bed " Bad methods." 

a. By publishers. Used in book-stores 
for convenience in making up orders for new 
stock, tho a good classification which would 
help in selling would be vastly more useful. 

b. By colors of binding. Mere millinery. 
Affected by some private book owners who 
can't bear to hav colors side by side that 
" swear at each other." 

c. By cost. A whim, except as very costly 
books are separated for safer keeping. 

d. By style of treatment. Used wisely in 
some cases, separating out school-books, juve- 
nils, periodicals, outlines, dictionaries, etc. 

e. By merit. Used in making parallel li- 
braries, or in selecting the best reference-books 
for open shelves, etc. Som private book- 
owners risk arranging their small collections 
with the best book on each subject at the left, 
and the poorest at the right. Such grading is 
amusing, interesting, and, under some circuni- 



IO2 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



stances, profitable as an indication to the 
young readers of the family of the opinion of 
the classifier. Public libraries wil hardly risk 
such an experiment. 

f. By title. This has all the disadvantages 
of the author system without being much of a 
guide to the shelves, because titles ar so indef- 
init as compared with authors' names A 
Sunday-school library, where titles only ar 
used, might possibly work so crude a plan, but 
to determin the main word or remember ex- 
actly which was the first word of the title is so 
difficult as to neutralize any advantage in such 
an arrangement. 

g. By language. Many libraries make 
special libraries of each language, but I never 
yet herd of one that divided the books on each 
topic into language groups, tho it is an easy 
and not useles plan. In libraries where half 
the readers ar Germans it would be practi- 
cally convenient to hav all the German books 
standing at the right and the English at the 
left of each subject. Our Columbia plan of 
showing the language by color of binding ac- 
complishes the same useful end much more 
conveniently. 

h. By further subject division. This is 
very like the German who, being asked to name 
the three things he would choose if his wish 
could be fully gratified, chose, first, all the beer 
he could drink ; second, all the sauerkraut he 
could eat; third (after some reflection), som 
more beer ! As we started with the premise that 
the books had been clast as closely as was 
desirable, the introduction of " subject divis- 
ion " for a book-number seems like "more 
beer" in the old story. But, in fact, the 
plan is successfully in use, and is liked. How- 
ever close the classification may be made in 
som final sections, there wil be groups of books 
allied to each other that a critical mind wil wish 
to place side by side. If the smallest period is 
taken in English poetry, one wil wish to keep 
together the works of the same author in that 
period. If (as at Columbia) each leading poet 
has a subject number he wil wish to keep 
different editions of the same work together 
among the author's books. If he has two lives 
of the same man he will put them together. 
In short, if given a shelf full of books on any 



topic, large or small, and told to arrange them 
to suit himself, he will almost inevitably make 
groups really dependent on still closer class- 
ing. 

ii. The Eclectic Book-Numbers. I hav 
mentioned 1 1 systems abov, each of which may 
be best in som circumstances or for special 
works. The system that seems to me best, I 
call the eclectic, because it allows one to choose 
whatever seems best for each group. If a 
library has its subjects all numbered, as most 
of them hav, in Arabic figures, or with initial 
letters followed by figures, I use for book- 
numbers a, b, c, skipping freely if I foresee any 
possible use for the letters omitted. If there 
is no choice these letters simply take the place 
of i, 2, 3, to 26 in the first system described, 
and hav the advantage that twenty-six books 
may be marked with but a single letter to each. 
In close classing, few subjects hav over twenty- 
six books, and therefore nearly all book-num- 
bers ar of one character only. Another great 
advantage is gained in saving a dash or line of 
separation between class and book number, as 
is necessary if both ar figures, 513-24 unles 
separated might be read 5132-4, but 513 D 
cannot be confused however it may be written 
or read. This practical gain is very great. 

Now for the eclectic feature. If, as is usually 
the case, we prefer som arrangeiifent rather 
than the chance a, b, c, order in which the 
books came in, we make whatever seems the 
best arrangement in that case. We put it just 
where we want it on the shelves and letter it so 
it wil always be put back in that place. We 
can always mark a book to go just where we 
please by extending our decimal principle. If 
it belongs between c and d we mark it C5. 
When a book comes that should go between c 
and C5 it is C3- Another may com in as C4- 
Then, if a book finds its true place between C4 
and C5, it is C45- It is possible to put 2,600 
books (not vols.) under each minute head with 
three marks ; or 26,000 with four marks, i.e. 
C455, etc. A large library, closely clast, wil 
hav book-numbers averaging only two charac- 
ters each. 

We arrange oftenest by authors, using the 
first initial of the name, and adding figures 
where necessary. This gives, practically, the 



UTLEY. 



103 



the Cutter number, and, in skipping for addi- 
tions, we ar guided by Cutter's table. 

The time-numbers work in the same way. 

If a fair approximation wil answer, insted of 
running out the decimals one may often use 
the nearest vacant letter; e.g., if a book by 
Grant comes in, and G has already been used 
for a book by Green, the Grant book may go 
in on F or H, thus keeping the book-number 
down to a single letter, where the size and 
growth of the library, and the closenes of the 
classing, make it likely that not over 26 books 
wil com in for a generation. But probably the 
day wil com when the larger library, grown out 
of the small, wil be annoyed because of this 
economy in erly years. This brief book-num- 
ber, which saves labor for som time, now 
involves re-numbering ; the outside, as wel as 
all cards, plates, etc. In the only case which I 
recall of this " pretty-near-wil-answer " method, 
I found, som months later, that the cataloger was 
regularly adding a figure, so to keep the right 
initial in all cases. Under the right initial, it 
is not so serious if the exact order is not 
strictly observed, tho even this concession to 
short marks tries the librarian's accurate spirit. 

The most common form of the eclectic book- 
number is the I, 2, 3, with intercalations where 
wanted. This is simplest, and, for most libra- 
ries, best. If a book comes in by the same 
author, or in answer to another, or for some 
reason allied to a book alredy on the shelves, 
it is put next to it by adding a figure to its 
letter, e.g., H,Hi. If there is no such reason, 
the numbers go on to Z. Then 9 ar put in 
after each letter, Ai to Ag, Bi-Bg. Should there 
be more than 260 books in the class, we start 
off again with Aio-Alg, Bio-Big, and so on. 



Of course, if any principle other than the 
I, 2, 3 is adopted for any class, a note is made 
at the top of the shelf-sheet, showing, without 
examination, on what plan those books ar 
arranged. 

I hope I hav made the plan plain enuf so 
that any one may adopt it, and hav the satis- 
faction of doing in each case what seems best 
in that case, and yet in harmony with a well- 
digested system. 

12. Size in Shelving. From the list of 12 
systems, I hav purposely omitted that one 
which forces itself as a modifier on them all, 
and has been often used alone in private libra- 
ries, viz., by size or hight of books. 

I hav been for years satisfied that the old 
separation of books into R8, 8, 12, 16, 
1 8, 24, 32, 48, etc., was utter nonsens. 
Also that the division of this series into even 
two groups was a mistake. We ar satisfied 
that the best plan is to set all regular shelves 
2 jcm a p ar t t and to put on them every book and 
pamflet that wil go there. For Q and sm. F 
( 2 5-35 cm in hight) we turn three of these 
standard shelves into two. For F 4 and F 5 
(35~5 Cm ) we turn two standard shelves into 
one ; or, if depth of shelving does not allow of 
this, we use the shelves under the counter- 
ledge. Books over 5o cm high ar more safely 
shelved on their sides. Comparatively few 
books ar over 2S cra in hight, and these are 
largely in groups like geological reports, at- 
lases, etc. We dummy these. Our regular 
shelves ar thus made complete. To avoid the 
dummies the call number for Q and F book 
must giv a size mark. 

If I hav failed to make my points, I shal be 
glad to hear from any critic or inquirer. 



RELATION OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL. 



BY H. M. UTLEY, LIBRARIAN OF DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY. 



IN July, 1787, Congress passed an ordinance 
for the government ot the North-west Terri- 
tory, which embraced the whole vast region be- 
longing to the United States north-west of the 



Ohio river, in which it declared that "Re- 
ligion, morality, and knowledge being neces- 
sary to good government and the happiness of 
mankind, schools, and the means of education 



104 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE, 



shall forever be encouraged." A few days later, 
and at various subsequent periods, Congress 
supplemented this act by others setting apart 
liberal grants of the public domain, in the ter- 
ritory mentioned, for the support of common 
schools. 

In Michigan the appropriation amounted to 
one section of land in every township, or one- 
thirty-sixth of the entire area. The people of 
the State added to this liberal endowment the 
proceeds of special taxes upon railroad and 
mining corporations. So that now the schools 
are maintained not only free to every child 
but with very small expense to the people. 
Nor have the other " means of education " men- 
tioned in the ordinance been overlooked. The 
Legislative Council (I am speaking of Michi- 
gan), by act approved in 1831, provided that 
any seven or more persons capable of contract- 
ing in any township or district might organize 
themselves into a corporation for the purpose 
of maintaining a library to be known as "So- 
cial Library, No. , of the township of ." 

The Legislature of the State, in 1837, ree'n- 
acted substantially the territorial act with the 
further provision for township and county 
lyceums, with the same privileges as social 
libraries. 

The first constitution of the State, adopted 
in 1835, contains this provision: "As soon as 
the circumstances of the State will permit the 
Legislature shall provide for the establishment 
of libraries, one at least in each township, and 
the money which shall be paid by persons as 
an equivalent for exemption from military 
duty, and the clear proceeds of all fines assessed 
in the several counties for any breach of the 
penal laws shall be exclusively applied to the 
support of such libraries." The present 
constitution, adopted in 1850, contains the 
same provision, omitting the words, " as soon 
as the circumstances of the State will permit," 
and omitting reference to payments for exemp- 
tion from military duty, which had been abro- 
gated. This was, however, slightly amended 
in 1881, to allow greater latitude in the applica- 
tion of the money. The Legislature of 1840 
enacted that each and every (school) district 
shall be entitled to its proportion of the clear 
proceeds of all fines collected within the several 



counties for any breach of the penal laws, and 
for penalties, or upon any recognziances in 
criminal proceedings, . . . which money, 
when received, shall be applied to the purchase 
of books for the district library, and to no other 
purpose. 

Whatever may be said as to the policy of 
school district libraries in sparsely settled dis- 
tricts as against township libraries, a subject 
over which there has been some controversy, 
the argument will not apply to cities and large 
villages. By a system of union districts a school 
district is made coextensive with the corporate 
limits of a city or village. In such districts the 
law has been of great practical benefit in the 
promotion of libraries. The moral effect of an 
established source of revenue has been excellent. 
In the principal centres of population the in- 
come from the constitutional source has gone 
far toward maintaining and improving the li- 
braries. This income varies from year to year, 
with the vigor of the administration of justice, 
and the persistence with which sureties on de- 
faulted bonds are followed. 

If it be true that ignorance is at all respon- 
sible for crime, and prison statistics seem to 
show that the criminal classes are mainly illit- 
erate, there is a degree of poetic justice in 
devoting penal fines to the advancement of 
facilities for knowledge. 

There is general consent to this disposition 
of the public moneys thus acquired. With the 
slight relaxation involved in the amendment to 
the constitution referred to, the policy entered 
upon at the beginning has been steadily fol- 
lowed. The people of any township or school 
district are authorized to levy a tax for library 
purposes. These libraries are by the law placed 
in the hands of the school-officers. We cannot 
fail to note how intimately the school and the 
library are linked throughout all this legisla- 
tion. The supreme court of the State has 
held that the library is part of the school 
apparatus. 

The facts in the case of Michigan, thus 
briefly outlined, show clearly the popular opinion 
that the library and the school are essentially 
on the same footing, and bear a mutual relation. 
Not only is this so in cities with large libraries 
and many schools, but it is equally so every- 



UTLEY. 



'05 



where. Do not the facts obviate the necessity 
for any argument based upon theory or gener- 
alization? It is hardly necessary to multiply 
words to prove that which seems to be univer- 
sally conceded. 

Practically, then, how can the library and 
the school best serve each other? If there is a 
mutual relation there is a mutual responsibility, 
and should be a mutual benefit. I am aware 
that this subject has been ably discussed before 
this Association by Mr. Green, of Worcester, 
Mr. Foster, of Providence, and others, and 
that Mr. Green's invaluable book has brought 
it home to a vastly wider circle than these 
words can reach. But we have the very highest 
authority for reiteration. It is true elsewhere, 
as in morals, that there must be "precept 
upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon 
line, line upon line, here a little and there a 
little." So I venture to lay before you some 
account of work that has fallen under my ob- 
servation. 

The public library probably cannot under- 
take to do much for the children in the primary 
departments of the schools. Nursery literature 
is not commonly regarded as within its prov- 
ince ; nevertheless, in the cases to which these 
notes refer, the work began with the youngest 
children. . It happens that books for these are so 
abundant and so cheap that every household 
that contains young children is supplied with 
them to a greater or less extent. These were 
gathered from the homes of the children, and 
put into a common stock, and quite a showing 
they made. These united contributions, with 
such juvenile periodicals as Harper's Young 
People, Youth's Companion, St. Nicholas, etc., 
subscribed for by the school, furnished all the 
material that was desired. 

But in the grammar grades, where children 
are twelve to fourteen years of age, a more sys- 
tematic and extended course of reading was en- 
tered upon. Children fourteen years of age may 
have library-cards in their own name. Younger 
children may use the library-cards of older 
members of the family. The library-cards of 
teachers and pupils, backed by the full power 
of the librarian in the matter of special permits, 
furnished the books in sufficient quantity and 
variety. The books were selected from the 



large lists which the publishers, with the co- 
operation of judicious authors and compilers, 
are able to furnish. With the study of geog- 
raphy were taken up such works as the 
"Zigzag" books, the Arctic books of Hayes 
and Schwatka, " Land of the Midnight Sun," 
"Young America in Japan," the "Bodley" 
books, "Boy Travellers" books, Bayard 
Taylor's books, the " Vassar Girl " books, 
"Wonderful City of Tokio," "Beyond the 
Himalayas," " Egypt to Japan." With the 
study of history were taken up such books as 
Coffin's " Building a Nation," "Old times in 
the Colonies," " Boys of '76," Lossing's " Field 
Book of the Revolution" and " War of 1812," 
Abbott's series, Hawthorne's " Stories from 
New England History," " Young Folks' 
Heroes of History" series, Dickens' "Child's 
History," " Story of the Nations " series 
" Magna Charta Stories," " Youth's Plu- 
tarch," " Children's Crusade." With the study 
of natural history were taken up such books 
as " Fairy Land of Science," "Little Folks in 
Feathers and Fur," "The Naturalist on the 
Amazon," " Old Ocean," " History of our 
Planet," "A Mouthful of Bread," Appleton's 
" Science Primers," " Young Folks' Pliny," 
"Rambles in Woodland," "Homes without 
Hands," "What Mr. Darwin Saw," "Ad- 
ventures of a Young Naturalist," " Life and 
her Children." For general and miscellaneous 
reading there were taken up such books as 
"Tom Brown," Bullfinch's "Age of Fable," 
" Water Babies," " Sandhills of Jutland," 
"Alice in Wonderland," Lamb's "Tales from 
Shakespeare," Yonge's " Book of Golden 
Deeds," and " Daisy Chain," McDonald's 
" Back of the North Wind," Church's " Tales 
from Homer," Miss Alcott's, Mrs. Whitney's, 
Susan Coolidge's books, Eggleston's " Big 
Brother" and " Capt. Sam," Cooper's "Prai- 
rie," " Pioneer," " Deerslayer," " Pathfinder," 
Scott's " Ivanhoe." Of course these mentioned 
do not include a tithe of the list. They are 
only intended to indicate the character of the 
books and the classification of subjects. 

The plan is to read the books in school. 
Books used in connection with studies are read 
aloud and discussed in the classes during the 
hour of recitation. It is found that in this way 



io6 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



a keener interest is excited in the subject than 
is awakened by the mere school text-books. 
Children who show an inclination to pursue 
further investigations in the same direction are 
encouraged to do so, and are helped in the 
selection of books. Children who are quick to 
learn, and who master their lessons before the 
hour of recitation, are permitted to have a 
library book to read in their seat. In this way 
bright scholars get through a surprisingly ex- 
tended course of reading in the school and un- 
der the personal observation of the teacher. 
These library books are kept at the school and 
are not taken by the children to their homes, 
except by special permission, over Sunday. 
Another thing in connection with this plan of 
work is that the children are not only taught 
in the school what to read, how to read to the 
best advantage, but they are also taught the 
useful lesson how to properly treat and care for 
books. It is a noteworthy fact that the books 
thus used in the schools are invariably kept 
clean and tidy. They are not marred with 
turned leaves, pencil-marks or dirty thumbing. 
This habit of properly handling books needs 
to be impressed upon many grown people as 
well as upon children. It is wise to lay the 
foundation of these good habits in early life. 

In the high-school department the same 
general plan is followed. The list of books is 
extended considerably. It is broadened to 
meet the advanced age and attainments of the 
pupils. Additional subjects are covered, since 
in this department are studied, among other 
things, philosophy, chemistry, and various 
branches of science, political economy, com- 
merce and business, and ancient and modern 
languages. In this list may be included a very 
large part of the books of a public library, 
excluding mere technical works and those too 
abstruse to interest young persons. In addi- 
tion to the work done in the school with library 
books there is also work done in the library. A 
suitable room is provided for the purpose, to 
which classes come in a body, with their in- 
structors. Books selected by list previously 
furnished to the librarian have been already 
placed on the instructor's desk. The instruc- 
tion is by means of lectures, of which the class 
must take notes, and upon which they are after- 



ward catechised. The books are used for ref- 
erence and in illustration of the subject. For 
classes in Greek and Latin, and in ancient his- 
tory, are illustrated works too expensive to be 
allowed to be taken from the building, but 
which may here be used freely. For classes in 
natural history are atlases of zoology : " Audu- 
bon's Works," " Voyage of the Challenger," 
Arnold's " Living World," Baird's " Birds." 
Appropriate for other classes are botanical 
atlases: Michaux's " North American Sylva," 
Eaton's " Ferns," Meehan's " Native Flowers," 
and the " National Geographical Explorations 
and Surveys," "American Ethnology," etc. 
For classes in history are Bradford's " Views 
of the Peninsula," " Historic Costumes," 
" Arms and Acoutrements of War," and 
"Domestic Implements," and the elaborately 
illustrated " Castles and Cathedrals of Great 
Britain and Europe." The art treasures of the 
library may properly be brought before such 
classes and discussed as they are examined. 
For classes in literature the various editions of 
works of great authors are brought out, their 
characteristics explained and investigated. 

For college classes 1 the work has been some- 
what similar, though thus far none of it has 
been done by instructors in the library. The 
work has been mainly in the assignment of 
topics for independent investigation by stu- 
dents. Sometimes the professors furnish a list 
of books, which may be consulted in looking 
up the subject, and sometimes they leave that 
as part of the task of investigation for the 
student himself. In the latter case he is sure 
to make free use of the librarian to help him 
out. Such assistance is always rendered by 
way of hints and suggestions to start him on 
the right track, if not in a more direct way. It 
is one of the most interesting compensations of 
library-work to observe with what earnestness 
and enthusiasm these students engage in their 
tasks. The resources of the library are freely 
placed at their disposal, and they are permitted 
to take to their rooms for night-study books 
which otherwise do not circulate. 

The practical results of the work carried on 

The Detroit College is not part of the Public School 
System, but is under the control of the Jesuit Fathers. 



HE WINS. 



107 



under the system thus outlined have been 
admirable. Much, of course, depends on the 
earnestness of the teachers, in whose hands it 
mainly is. But the hearty cooperation of the 
library authorities is an incentive to them to 
make their opportunities tell upon the children. 
It is missionary work of excellent quality 
among the growing generation, and in the 
families of the humblest as well as the most 
favored. The children, thus trained to correct 



taste and habits of reading, are sure to make 
constant and intelligent use of the library when 
they pass beyond their school days, and to help 
to train their children in turn to the same taste 
and habits. In what way can a public library, 
which is the people's library, owned by the 
people for their use and benefit, make its influ- 
ence more widely felt in the community, or 
build up for itself more surely a stable and 
enduring popularity ? 



HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF A SMALL LIBRARY. 



BY MISS C. M. HEWINS, LIBRARIAN HARTFORD LIBRARY. 



THE question is not what to do with a library 
of five hundred thousand, or a hundred 
thousand, or fifty thousand volumes. It has 
nothing to do with libraries which can afford 
to buy manuscripts or incunabula, black-letter 
tracts, or early American sermons. It is not 
for libraries whose collections of original au- 
thorities took away, many years ago, the cause 
of John Adams' reproach that, in his time, the 
books from which Gibbon's statements might 
be proved true or false could not be found in 
the United States. A student may go to the 
libraries in the great cities and read at his 
will, order from abroad books relating to his 
specialty, or, if he can show just cause for his 
request, may even have books sent to his dis- 
tant home. The libraries which concern us 
are those of thirty, or ten, or five, or even of one 
thousand volumes, in towns and villages, oj>en, 
perhaps, all day six days in the week, or two 
or three hours on one day. I mean this for 
you, whose library spends a thousand dollars a 
year ; and you, who have but five hundred for 
books, periodicals, and binding ; and you, who 
struggle along with fifty dollars' worth of new 
books twice a year. It is for you, too, whose 
library has existed in a half-alive state with 
poor American reprints of English books, 
novels in wretched condition, antiquated 
volumes of science, biographies of the dreari- 
est, incomplete volumes of magazines. How 



can such libraries be made centres of sweetness 
and light in country towns? 

" Your house is not large enough to swing 
a cat in," said a man to his friend. " But I 
don't wish to swing a cat," answered the 
friend. And 

" The whole world was not half so wide 
To Alexander, when he cried 
Because he had no more worlds to subdue, 
As was a single paltry tub to 
Diogenes, who ne'er was said, 
In aught that ever I could read, 
To cry, put finger in th" eye, and sob, 
Because he'd ne'er another tub." 

These bits of homely wisdom, and another, 
" When you can't have what you like, you must 
like what you have," are as useful in libraries 
as anywhere else. 

But they do not mean that you are to be 
satisfied with the present use of many of the 
books which are now gathering dust upon your 
shelves. Some of them may easily be made 
to answer the questions of your readers. 
Spend the next money that you have in a few 
books of reference, a new edition of an ency- 
clopaedia, a good atlas, " Lippincott's Bio- 
graphical Dictionary," " Poole's Index " and its 
cooperative supplement, the Brooklyn cata- 
logue, and the Providence reference-lists. If 
you can get also, or if you have already, all 
the volumes of Harpers Magazine, Scribner's 



io8 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



Monthly, and the Century, the Popular Science 
Monthly, and LitteWs Living Age, with the 
separate indexes, including articles and poems 
too short to be indexed in Poole, you are ready 
to meet the wants of most of your readers. If 
you have time, index St. Nicholas, Wide 
Awake, and Harpers Young People'. A libra- 
rian of a small library can often satisfy a reader 
by showing him an article written ostensibly 
for children, but told in the clear, simple style 
which appeals to many older persons. The 
thinking powers of many boys and girls never 
develop after they leave school at fifteen, and 
knowledge, in order to be attractive to them 
in their later years, must be set forth as attrac- 
tively as in their school-days. If you can over- 
come the repugnance of many persons to books 
which they think childish and beneath them, 
you can often give them just what they are 
able to enjoy. I sometimes say, " The best 
article that I know is in the Wide Awake (or 
St. Nicholas, or Harper's Yoring People), and 
if you have no objection to reading a boys' 
and girls' magazine, I think that you will find 
in it just what you need." 

A magazine which has. a department of 
" Answers to Correspondents " asked, in a late 
number, for no questions which might be 
answered by referring to an encyclopaedia or 
biographical dictionary. In the next number 
a correspondent begged the editor to remem- 
ber that many persons had no access to such 
books, and their only way of learning what 
they wished to know was through the magazine. 
The library in every town or village should 
supply this want, and should also contain 
Brewer's ' ' Reader's Hand-book " and ' ' Dic- 
tionary of Phrase and Fable" (which, though 
often inaccurate, are much better than nothing) , 
and Wheeler's "Dictionary of Noted Names of 
Fiction," and " Familiar Allusions." As soon 
as you can afford it buy all the volumes of 
" Notes and Queries ;" but until then you can 
answer many questions from the books of 
reference already named. 

The stock questions with which every libra- 
rian is familiar, such as who wrote " I am 
dying, Egypt, dying," whether Shakespeare 
was of noble birth, or Eleazar Williams was 
Louis XVII., are easily disposed of. If you 



can make your readers understand that they 
must formulate their requests in intelligible 
shape you have gone a long way towards 
making your library useful. They expect 
a librarian to find "a book about cheerfulness ; " 
or " a book about whether education is better 
than wealth;" or "a book in marbled covers 
that wasn't exactly a history, but had something 
about history in it, that mother read about nine 
years ago." 

This is no place for discussing the merits of 
rival encyclopaedias. I find the Britannica, 
Chambers', Appleton's, and Johnson's all use- 
ful. If I could have only one, and no atlas, 
I should take Appleton's, on account of its 
maps, its full lives of living persons, and its 
yearly supplement. A person often goes to a 
library with a question which he fancies can be 
answered only by reference to many learned 
books, but really is a very simple one. A 
stranger from out of town once said to me 
with a pompous air, " I am pursuing an exten- 
sive course of historical reading, and wish to 
know what works the library contains on the 
history of Constantinople." I meekly replied 
that we had only a very few of the original 
authorities, and that they were in English 
translations. "What have you, then?" I 
named the more familiar histories, and a few 
recent books of travel, like De Amicis' and 
Gautier's. " I wish to see a minute map of the 
city." "We have nothing minute. The best 
that I can give you is in the ' Encyclopaedia 
Britannica.'" "Ah, indeed! That is a work I 
have never heard of. May I see it ? " This con- 
fession betrayed at once the depth of the 
stranger's learning. He read the encyclo- 
paedia for about ten minutes, then returned it 
with thanks, and went away saying that he had 
now finished his course of reading on Constanti- 
nople ! An encyclopaedia often satisfies the 
vague desire for knowledge of a person who 
has not learned how to use books, and asks in 
an indefinite way for something on a certain 
subject. 

The Brooklyn catalogue is especially useful 
in its biographical references to lives in books 
which, without it, might stand unopened on 
the shelves. For example, a librarian, when 
asked for a life of Queen Christina of 



HE WINS. 



109 



Sweden, might not remember without con- 
sulting it that, although there was no life 
of her in the library, chapters upon her 
might be found in Wilkie Collins 1 "Miscel- 
lanies," Hays' "Female Biography," Mrs. 
Jameson's "Lives of Female Sovereigns," and 
Russell's " Extraordinary Women." " Poole's 
Index " unlocks LitteWs Living Age, which is 
full of biographical and historical articles. 
Every volume of essays in a library should 
be indexed, and every title placed in the 
catalogue. 

The question of what kind of catalogue you 
should have is one that depends largely on the 
number of your readers and the kind of 
books which they take. A printed one soon 
grows obsolete. A card-catalogue, well 
arranged under authors and subjects, with 
zinc indicators to show the places of subjects, 
and brass rods so that the cards cannot be 
displaced, is as good as anything that has yet 
been used. "I made my catalogue," said a 
librarian to me a year or two ago, "so that 
the greatest fool in town could not possibly 
make a mistake in finding an author or title." 
This catalogue is certainly a model of clearness 
and simplicity. Long experience with fixed 
shelf-numbers has convinced me that they 
should not be used, but should give place to 
the Dewey plan or one of its modifications. 

The books which you buy should depend, 
like your catalogue, on your class of readers. 
A library in a village where there are farms 
and gardens should have the latest and best 
books upon farming, gardening, the care of 
cattle and poultry, and several agricultural and 
horticultural papers and magazines, that may 
be allowed to circulate after they are bound. 
I saw not long ago in a newly endowed library 
in such a town, several books with finely 
colored illustrations of beautiful-leaved plants 
and flowering shrubs, that must certainly have 
an influence in time in making the gardens 
of the neighborhood very different from the 
traditional farm-house door-yard. A town 
with telephones, electric-lights, machine-shops, 
and manufactories, where many young men of 
intelligence are electrical engineers, machinists 
and draughtsmen, needs all the newest books 
that it can afford to buy on electricity, applied 



mechanics, and mechanical drawing. We find 
in Hartford a steadily increasing demand for 
books of these classes. Scientific works, 
unless of recent date, are worse than useless, 
except to a student of the history of science. 
A person who asks for a book on physics or 
chemistry from a printed catalogue does not 
always notice the imprint, and chooses a work 
quite out of date. A librarian can and should 
tell him where to find a newer and better one. 

The use of books on special subjects grows 
every year. The Society for Study at Home, 
the Chautauqua Society, many smaller clubs, 
Queries and other periodicals, with their 
lists of prize questions, have all done their part 
in encouraging readers to use libraries. The 
prize questions are often just such as anybody 
might write by opening any volume of history 
or biography at random and framing a question 
about the first name or subject on the page. 
Such questions are a severe tax on a librarian's 
time and patience ; but if a reader conies in 
search of answers he must be kindly received, 
and all the resources of the library placed at 
his disposal. A librarian needs a certain tact 
and skill in guessing at the wants of readers. 
This comes by practice, after one has learned 
to estimate the mind-power of the frequenters 
of a library. " Can you give me something on 
the French Revolution?" asks a young girl. 
Instead of offering Thiers, or Carlyle, or even 
the " Epoch of History " volume, the librarian 
asks, " How long an account do you wish, one 
in several volumes?" " Oh, not very long, 
and not very deep, please." "An histori- 
cal novel, perhaps?" "Yes," with a visible 
brightening of the face, and the reader goes 
home happy with " Citoyenne Jacqueline," 
perhaps to come back and ask for another 
novel of the same period, or even a history. 
It is, however, too much to expect that every 
reader who desires a little historical knowledge 
will go through a course of many-volumed books. 
The various lists of historical novels published 
by the Boston Public Library and other li- 
braries, Professor Allen's "Catalogue of Novels 
and Poems on English History," and Adams' 
"Manual of Historical Literature," are every- 
day helps in even the smallest library. It is 
not hard for a librarian to make a list of the 



I IO 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



novels in his or her own library which illus- 
trate different periods. 

A small library has this advantage over a 
large one, that it cannot afford to buy poor 
novels. The following list of about seven 
hundred dollars 1 worth of books was. made for 
the beginning of a free library in a manufactur- 
ing and farming town, whose inhabitants are 
of average intelligence. It is, of course, only 
a beginning, and is entirely deficient in many 
departments, which are to be filled later when 
the taste for reading and demand for books 
increase. The biographies are all new, and 
many of them are expected to supplement the 
scanty list of histories. The lives of English 
men of letters are expected to excite an interest 
in and demand for their works. The depart- 
ment of United States History for boys and 
girls is made as full as possible. 

BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS. 

Stories by Miss Alcott, Aldrich, William Black, 
Noah Brooks, Mary Hartwell Catherwood, Mary 
Mapes Dodge, Edward Eggleston, Thomas Hughes, 
Helen Jackson, Elijah Kellogg, Harriet Martineau, 
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, Horace Scudder, "P. 
Thome," Charles Dudley Warner, " Susan Cool- 
idge," Miss Yonge. 

Travel, by Dana, Darwin, Du Chaillu, Knox, 
Nordhoff, Butterworth, Hale, Scudder. 

Fairy Tales and Myths, by Hawthorne, Miss 
Mulock, Lewis Carroll. 

History and Biography, by Coffin, Towle, Eggles- 
ton, Abbott, Higginson, Richardson. 

Classics: " Robinson Crusoe," "Robin Hood," 
"The Boy's Froissart," and "King Arthur," "The 
Life of the Chevalier Bayard," Lamb's " Tales from 
Shakspeare." 

Miscellaneous : Miss Kirkland's " Speech and 
Manners," Lukin's " Amongst Machines," "Young 
Mechanic," and " Boy Engineers; " Blaikie's 
" How to get Strong and Sound Bodies for Boys and 



Girls." "The American Boy's Handy-book" and 
"American Girl's Home-book." Two or three 
cook-books. 

NOVELS AND STORIES 

by Aldrich, " Mrs. Alexander," Jane Austen, Black, 
Blackmore, Charlotte Bronte, Mrs. Burnett, Cable, 
Crawford, Rose Terry Cooke, Cooper, Dickens, 
Ebers, George Eliot, Jessie Fothergill, Mrs. Gas- 
kell, Gautier, Hale, Thomas Hardy, Nathaniel 
Hawthorne, O. W. Holmes, Blanche Howard, 
Howells, James, Sara Jewett, Charles and Henry 
Kingsley, George McDonald, Miss Mulock, Mrs. 
Oliphant, Miss Phelps, Mrs. Prentiss, Charles 
Reade, Clarke Russell, Scott, Stockton, Mrs. 
Stowe, Baroness Tautphceus, Bayard Taylor, Thack- 
eray, Sarah Tytler, Mrs. Walford, Lew Wallace, 
Mrs. Whitney, Theodore Winthrop. 



by Miss Bird, Miss Gumming, Lady Brassey, 
Stanley, Du Chaillu, Baker, Bishop, Edward King, 
Ober, De Long. 

BIOGRAPHY. 

"English Men of Letters," "American Men of 
Letters," " American Statesmen," " Famous 
Women," "New Plutarch." 

SCIENCE. 

International Scientific Series, Proctor's "Easy 
Star Lessons," John Burroughs' " Wake-Robin," 
and several other books on the birds of the region, 
Harris' " Insects Injurious to Vegetation," Saunders' 
" Insects Injurious to Fruit," Abbott's "Naturalist's 
Rambles." 

HISTORY AND REFERENCE. 

Bryant's " History of the United States," Green's 
" History of the English People," Masson's 
"Outlines of the History of France," Shakspeare, 
Bryant's "Library of Poetry and Song," Encyclo- 
paedia. 



CRUNDEN. 



in 



REPORT ON AIDS AND GUIDES, AUGUST, '83, TO JUNE, '85. 



BY F. M. CRUNDEN, LIBRARIAN OF ST. LOUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY. 



THE data for this report were gathered partly 
in May, 1884, in anticipation of the pro- 
posed Toronto Conference, and chiefly in May, 
1885, for the meeting of that year. Illness 
prevented the preparation of the report for the 
Lake George Conference ; and, in reply to the 
request of the Program Committee, I could 
undertake nothing further than collating the 
material already on hand, which work I was 
unable to take up until within a few days of 
this meeting. The report, therefore, covers 
the period from the Buffalo Conference, Aug., 
1883, to June, 1885. 

In May, 1884, I sent a letter of inquiry to 
members of the Association, and on May n, 
1885, the following printed circular, which met 
with quite a general response. 

PUBLIC LIBRARY, 
ST. Louis, May n, 1885. 
Will you kindly send me, at your earliest 
convenience, any information which may be 
properly embodied in my report to the coming 
conference of the A.L.A. on "Aids and 
Guides ? " 

1. In what form does your catalogue exist? 
In your card-catalogue do you give con- 
tents? 

2. Do you publish a bulletin of additions? 
How often ? 

Does it give contents of books ? 
Descriptive notes. 

3. What catalogues, class-lists, or bibliogra- 
phies have you published since June, 1883? 

4. What other methods have you adopted 
to notify your readers of additions to your col- 
lection and to give them information regarding 
the character and value of the books ? 

5. What new appliances have you introduced 
during the last two years ? 

6. What methods have you found most ac- 
ceptable and most effective in assisting readers 
to the best books and sources of information? 



The many details covered by the term " Aids 
and Guides " may be found fully set forth in 
Mr. Foster's report, page 71 of Proceedings of 
Buffalo Conference. Any information on any 
of these topics will be thankfully received by 
Yours respectfully, 

FRED'K M. CRUNDEN. 

The returns from one hundred and eight 
libraries, being collated, show that twenty-five 
depend chiefly or entirely on printed catalogs ; 
thirty-six have card catalogs only ; and forty- 
seven have both printed and written. Every 
imaginable kind of catalog was returned from 
the MS. list in a book up to the most com- 
plete and elaborate combinations of author, 
title, and subject catalogs, printed and card, 
with contents, cross-references, annotated bul- 
letin of accessions, and so on, ad libitum, 

Among card catalogs about one in four gives 
contents ; some give contents in the author and 
not in classified part of the catalog ; some give 
them frequently ; some occasionally ; and many 
not at all, relying on the Brooklyn, Athenaeum 
and other printed catalogs. Thirty-seven 
libraries report as publishing a bulletin of addi- 
tion at various periods regular and irregular, 
ranging from a week to two years. Sixteen of 
these give contents and descriptive notes regu- 
larly ; a smaller number give them sometimes, 
frequently, or rarely. 

Thirty-two libraries report no publications of 
any description during the two years covered 
by this report (June, '83-'85) ; ten published 
catalogs, eight supplements, and the rest are 
represented by finding-lists, class-lists, refer- 
ence-lists, etc. 

The favorite method for notifying readers of 
new accessions is through the newspapers. This 
plan is pursued by twenty-three libraries. This, 
in my opinion, is the best possible method. It 
not only keeps users of the library informed as 
to recent additions, but also calls general atten- 
tion to the library, and increases the number of 



112 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



its patrons. The lists are made much more 
valuable in every way if accompanied by brief 
notes on the book, descriptive and critical. In 
this way good reading-matter can be furnished. 
If, however, a paper cannot be found liberal 
enough to publish such lists, or wise enough to 
see that a column of such matter is as interest- 
ing as a column record of common crimes in 
remote localities, then it is better to advertise 
brief lists at the reduced rates which can always 
be secured. 

The various other methods adopted are 
sufficiently specified in the returns from libraries, 
which make up the body of this report, as are 
also new methods and appliances in other 
directions. 

Among the most acceptable and effective 
methods for assisting readers to the best books 
and sources of information, fifty-three librarians 
report " personal help." Many of them believe 
this to be the most important of all " aids ; " and 
on this point again your reporter is glad to 
record his vote with the majority. His own 
opinion is entirely in accord with the sentiment 
expressed in a number of the reports, that 
nothing can take the place of "an intelligent 
and obliging assistant at the desk," " intelli- 
gent officers in charge of the delivery," etc. 

Some twenty libraries rely on " a good cata- 
log," preferably their own, where they have one ; 
in lieu of that, the Brooklyn and other standard 
catalogs. Nine libraries find in their own cata- 
logs the most valuable of all aids ; twenty-four 
mention subject-indexes, class-lists, etc., pre- 
pared by other librarians, Poole's Index and 
Foster's Reference-Lists taking the lead. The 
other methods are set forth in the abstracts 
which follow. 

For particulars regarding guides to best books 
for the young, see the valuable report of Miss 
James, at the Lake George Conference. 

EXTRACTS FROM REPORTS. 

CALIFORNIA. SAN FRANCISCO. (Mer- 
cantile Library, A. E. Whitaker, Librarian.} 
Posts on bulletins lists of additions as soon 
as received, and prints abbreviated lists on 
postals monthly, and sends them to members. 

CONNECTICUT. BRIDGEPORT. (Miss 
Agnes Hills, Librarian .) Printed catalogue and 



four supplements. Card catalogue, not yet com- 
pleted, gives contents ; also a special written 
catalogue of the Historical Department, 
chiefly for the use of teachers. Postal cards 
containing lists are sent to students and to 
teachers, intelligent workingmen, etc., asking 
them to inform others. New books are placed 
in a show-case, where they can be examined 
under the care of an attendant. 

" Ours is a very young library (June, 1884), 
and many of our plans for aiding readers are 
still incomplete. We purchase many books, 
pamphlets, periodicals, etc., published as 
' aids and guides ' to library work, and try to 
teach our readers to use them. We publish 
yearly supplements to the catalogue, and, 
through the courtesy of the Bridgeport Stand- 
ard, we are enabled to print in its columns 
monthly lists of additions to the library, with 
brief criticisms appended. The bulletin-board 
is used continually, both for references on 
current topics and brief courses of reading on 
special subjects. Students are carefully in- 
formed of additions relating to their particular 
studies, and are encouraged to make their 
wants known to us. We watch all educational 
efforts in the city, and aid them, as far as our 
limited means will allow, by supplying such 
works as would be too costly for the majority 
of those who attend evening classes in art, 
science, etc. 

" Teachers frequently consult the librarian 
about the work of their classes ; pupils are 
encouraged to come with their difficulties, 
while debating societies and all other argu- 
mentative persons invoke our aid as a matter 
of course. On the whole, we are inclined to 
think that the best ' library aid ' in a manu- 
facturing city like ours would be the constant 
presence of some thoroughly trained student, 
full of energy and tact, whose sole occupation 
should be to help readers in their search after 
knowledge. If it was once understood that 
such a person's stated business was to answer 
questions there would be no hesitation in 
asking them. It would only be necessary that 
the questions should be answered in a per- 
fectly business-like manner, and with a careful 
avoidance of anything resembling a ' mission- 
ary ' attitude. 



CRUNDEN. 



" I find my greatest help in intelligent work- 
ingmen. Such men are educational centres, 
and their opinions are usually respected by 
their less-educated comrades. In every factory 
here there are a few such men, and we make 
it our business to know them. A work rec- 
ommended to one of these, and approved of by 
him, will always have a large circulation among 
his friends. The best reading done in our 
library is done by factory employes. 

" Our constant experience is that some of 
the best ' aids ' too often become hindrances 
in unskilful hands. 

" I may add that we have adopted the envel- 
ope system of preserving newspaper cuttings, 
and find it very useful." 

HARTFORD. (Miss C. M. Hewitts, Libra- 
rian.) Printed dictionary catalogue to 1874, 
card catalogue from that time ; also manuscript 
lists to December, 1878, and quarterly bulle- 
tins since then. Card catalogue gives contents 
under authors ; under subjects catalogue is to 
be made fuller hereafter. Publishes a bulletin 
containing notes, etc. [to the practical value 
of which the reporter takes pleasure in testify- 
ing] . Has published second edition of " Books 
for the young " [which should be in every 
public library]. 

Librarian furnishes occasionally newspaper 
notes on topics of general interest. Written 
titles of new books are posted. 

Best method cf assisting readers : " Never 
being too busy to leave whatever I am doing 
and giving personal aid in suggesting or find- 
ing books. We depend to a great extent upon 
Poole's Index, the Brooklyn Catalogue, and 
the Providence Reference Lists. Your list of 
the best novels has already been useful to us. 
Our own aids are the bulletin, question and 
answer blanks, and movable titles of new 
books." 

HARTFORD. (Trinity College, J. H. Barbour, 
Librarian.) Has a card catalogue, (a) classi- 
fied without cross-references as yet', (b) 
alphabet of authors, titles of anon., and sub- 
jects of all biographies which very seldom as 
yet gives contents. New books are kept for a 
while by themselves, and all members have 
free access to the shelves. Believes in per- 
sonal help. 



MIDDLETOWN. (Wesleyan Univ. Library, 
W. K. Stetson, Librarian.) Has published 
Russell Library and Wes. Univ. Library 
Class List for Literature. 

Keeps reference lists on specific topics 
posted in sight. 

ILLINOIS. BLOOMINGTON. Has a partly 
published catalogue, and also a card cata- 
logue of authors, titles, and subjects. Uses 
Poole's Index, Foster's Reference Lists, the 
Brooklyn Catalogue, and the Quincy, Mass., 
Catalogue ; checking books in the last named. 
Notifies readers of additions through the 
daily papers. Believes the best method for 
assisting readers to be " Personal help, find- 
ing something, if possible, on every subject 
called for." 

CHICAGO. (W. F. Poole, Librarian.) Re- 
lies on card catalogue and printed finding-list, 
published April, 1884. Thinks finding-lists 
are, perhaps, the most practical method of 
meeting the wants of rapidly growing libraries. 

Its card catalogue analyzes the contents of 
collections of essays, miscellanies, plays, as if 
they were separate publications. 

Issues supplements to finding-list about 
once a year, and posts new books on bulletin- 
boards. 

Has successfully established six delivery- 
stations in different parts of the city. About 
9,000 vols. are delivered, and the same number 
returned, through them monthly, with very lit- 
tle expense and trouble. The issues are in- 
creasing monthly, and they have become very 
popular. The issues through them do not 
diminish the issues at the main library, which 
go on increasing. 

IOWA. IOWA CITY. (Library of Iowa 
University, Mrs. Ada North, Librarian.) In 
its card catalogue does not give contents, but 
depends largely on Noyes' catalogue of the 
Brooklyn Library for contents. Publishes lists 
of additions in the college paper once a week. 
Has published for the use of students a pam- 
phlet of fifty pages, containing " Historical 
References for the igth Century." Has a 
special card catalogue on educational topics 
for the use of the chair of Didactics. An 
autograph collection, containing also many fine 
portraits, has been commenced, and is being 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



carried on. In a university the work is done 
more readily and effectively through the indi- 
vidual instructors. The librarian gives lect- 
ures to the freshmen, and frequent special aid 
in connection with debates, essay work, etc., 
with encouraging results. 

MAINE. BRUNSWICK. (Bowdoin Col- 
lege Library, Geo. T. Little, Librarian.) Has 
introduced card catalogue ; gives personal 
notification of the purchase of books in which 
each is supposed to be interested. Believes 
personal conversation to be the most effective 
method for assisting readers. 

" The Brooklyn and Boston Athenaeum cata- 
logues are placed among the reference books, 
and are frequently used to supplement our 
own partial." 

PORTLAND. (S. M. Watson, Librarian.) 
Uses black-board bulletins in delivery-room, 
and manuscript catalogues. Aids readers " by 
furnishing to the inquirer the books which best 
answer his questions. But, first, find out his 
question ; then get him the books which an- 
swer it best. Searchers for information are 
.generally diffident about asking for informa- 
tion directly, but call for books which they 
suppose will give information desired. If book 
No. I fails he asks for No. 2, etc., etc. By 
the books asked for his question can often be 
guessed ; if it cannot be, then ask him what 
he wants, and then help him with books which 
you know will give him the information he is in 
quest of. This I find to be at least a good 
way." 

WATERVILLE. (Library of Colby Univer- 
sity, Ediv. W. Hall, Librarian.) Has a card 
catalogue, not giving contents. As to assist- 
ing readers librarian says : " With us the 
professors usually direct the students to par- 
ticular volumes. New books are at once 
placed in their proper positions on the shelves, 
old books moved upstairs if necessary to 
make room. The alcoves, being open to all, 
afford the best means of acquainting the 
reader with what the library possesses on 
any given topic." 

MASSACHUSETTS. BOSTON. (Boston 
Athenanin, C. A. Cutter, Librarian.) Pub- 
lishes a bulletin every three weeks, giving 
contents of books and descriptive notes. 



Posts lists of new books in the intervals be- 
tween the bulletins, using the proof-slips to 
post; has introduced Crocker's book-supports, 
Borden's newspaper file, wooden pamphlet 
boxes, electric bells, electric heat-regulator, 
and electric light. All of the attendants are 
instructed to render all the assistance to readers 
that they can. In the art-room a large part, 
perhaps the larger part, of the attendant's 
time is taken up in aiding research. 

BOSTON. (Public Library, James L. Whit- 
ney, Assistant Librarian.) Posts bulletins of 
new books on the walls to notify readers of 
additions ; and, to give them information re- 
garding the books, clerks are detailed, who are 
consulted by many thousand readers yearly. 

Since the Buffalo meeting of the A.L.A., 
1883, this Library has published: 

1. Hand-book for readers. This contains 
the regulations of the library, an account of 
the catalogues, and of the interesting books 
and works of art in the library. An index is 
added to the notes about books and reading 
and other special book-lists found in the cata- 
logues of different libraries and periodicals. 
Also a list of indexes to periodicals, and other 
matter interesting to readers. 

2. The Bulletins of the library have con- 
tained much bibliographical matter, with lists 
of books on various topics. 

3. A new Fiction Catalogue was issued in 
August, 1884. In this historical fiction is 
especially noticed, and books which have 
appeared under two or more titles. The 
catalogue contains other new features. 

"Our card catalogue, after much experi- 
menting, has assumed the form that satisfies 
us. The titles are compact and legible. 
Being printed, the subject cards are as full 
as the author cards, a great desideratum in 
a large library." 

. (J. Francisco Car ret, Assistant 

Librarian.) The following is quoted entire, 
as giving a full roster of "aids and guides," 
with their several functions, in a well-officered 
library : 

"Your circular of the nth inst. [May, 
1884], commanding me 'to stand and deliver' 
any information I had upon ' aids and guides,' 
arrived in due course of mail. 



CRUNDEN. 



"My experience in either capacity has been 
exceedingly limited, having never been either 
an ornamental ' colonel ' or a ' trail-hunter.' 
But, supposing you will readily lay down your 
fan for a few moments, I will try to give you 
an idea how we endeavor to assist readers 
here in the Bates Hall or reference department 
of this library. 

"i. We have a card catalogue covering the 
Bates Hall collection of 260,838 volumes, and 
filling 196 drawers, each containing (estimated) 
about 2,200 cards ; i.e., the whole catalogue 
contains upwards of 420,000 cards. The 
author and subject cards are all in one alpha- 
bet. Cross-references are made from one to 
another of allied subjects. Each drawer is 
plainly marked on the outside, and guide- 
boards are plentifully scattered through the 
catalogue. 

"2. A Bulletin, or list of books recently 
added, is published thrice a year. Each 
Bulletin, covering from 60 to no pp., 1. 8, 
contains also lists on special topics. 

" 3. Between the appearance of the Bulle- 
tins copies of the printed titles that go into the 
card catalogue are posted as fast as printed. 

" 4. A Hand-book for readers, containing 
152 pp., 24, giving the regulations of the 
library, with an account of the catalogues, in- 
dexes to notes about books, indexes to peri- 
odicals, a catalogue of books about patents, 
and other information. 

"5. For the convenience of readers who 
are ignorant of the above helps, and especially 
for that ever-present class of readers who 
can't or won't read, there are five of us upon 
the Bates Hall floor ready to act at call as a 
' steering committee.' 

"6. For the diffident inquirer Mr. Knapp 
has had for years a book, accessible to the 
public, where queries of all sorts are entered, 
and replies to them made. It has at the same 
time given the captious an opportunity to at- 
tain that state of complacency usually reached 
through the process of ' freeing one's mind.' 

" Hoping that at Toronto you will not be 
dazzled by the resplendent uniforms of the 
' aids,' or appalled by the business-like 
readiness of the bowies and pistols of the 
' guides.' 



BROOKLINE. (Miss M. A. Bean, Librarian) 
Has a full printed catalogue (1873), Supple- 
ment (1881), and card catalogue of all books 
added since December, 1871. Catalogue gives 
contents invariably and fully, and with the 
monthly bulletins furnishes majority of patrons 
all the information wanted. Has published 
monthly since January, 1877, a bulletin of addi- 
tions, frequently giving contents of books, but 
rarely giving descriptive notes, and as part of 
the town report, which goes into every house- 
hold in town, annual lists of additions. 

Also provides interleaved catalogues posted 
to date. Finds best aids " personal effort, 
advice, and assistance on the part of librarian 
and staff." 

Librarian thinks there is such a thing as 
wasting effort and money by being too far 
ahead of the wants of a community. 

I should like to give Miss Bean's letters 
entire; but space is limited, and perhaps the 
writer did not intend them for publication. 

CAMBRIDGE. {Harvard College Library, 
Justin Winsor, Librarian.) Continues to pub- 
lish bulletins and bibliographical contributions, 
and sends postal lists of new books. Methods 
in general same as heretofore. Believes the 
most effective aid to be answering questions. 

CAMBRIDGE. (Dana Library, Miss A. L. 
Hayward, Librarian.} Printed catalogue, 
1875, and five supplements since; official 
catalogue without notes. Publishes a bulle- 
tin of additions, without notes, in a local news- 
paper and on slips for tables, and mounts 
them on cards about once in three months. 
Additions are written and posted in rooms till 
they mount up to 150-200 books ; then a bul- 
letin is printed. 

"We have two lists of books for children, 
mounted on a large card framed and under 
glass, and hung in the public room. They are 
very useful. Should do more if not over- 
worked. What we need is a librarian at 
leisure to advise and assist readers." 

CLINTON. (Bigelow Free Public Library, 
F. M. Green, Librarian.) Publishes a bulle- 
tin every month without notes. Found them 
too expensive. Has been at work for two 
years on new catalogue ; has published in the 
local papers, for several years, class-lists, bib- 



u6 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



liographies, etc., for the benefit of pupils and 
young people, on topics of the day. Published 
lists on every subject in course of ten lectures 
on the " England of to-day." These lists 
have been classified and indexed in a scrap- 
book, which is placed on library reading-table 
and constantly used. 

Has a separate author card catalogue of ad- 
ditions, with contents and notes ; also pub- 
lishes every month list of new books in local 
papers. 

Has introduced a new slip, thin card-board 
(Si x I J) : " As none of the numbers on your 
card are in, this book is selected for you." 

Finds medium of local papers the best 
method of guiding and assisting readers. 

CONCORD. {Miss E. F. Whitney, Libra- 
rian.*) Publishes bulletin of additions every 
January. List of additions posted ; also sepa- 
rate drawers of cards for new books. 

"The larger number of the readers seem to 
prefer having the librarian do the work of the 
catalogue ; others use the card catalogue very 
successfully." 

FALL RIVER. (W. R. Ballard, Librarian.} 
Has published two bulletins, and has distrib- 
uted among readers two useful lists : one con- 
taining the titles of the books which were 
selected by vote of the readers of the " Literary 
News," of N.Y., as the best published during 
1884; and the other, one hundred of the best 
novels in English. 

LYNN. (J. C. Houghton, Librarian.') 
" About once in two years we have issued 
our bulletins. They are useful when first 
published, but a series of bulletins is not 
popular with readers. They complain of the 
large number of alphabetical lists, etc. 

" Have not published a bulletin since 1882 ; 
but have prepared a catalogue of the entire 
library, which is now [June, 1885] passing 
the press, and will comprise about 600 pages. 

" New accessions are posted on our bulletin- 
board in the library-room as soon as they are 
ready for circulation. 

" The best catalogues of other libraries have 
been placed among our reference books for the 
benefit of our readers ; also, the Q.P. Indexes, 
and the excellent " Index to Periodical Litera- 
ture," by W. F. Poole and his assistants. 



" We find personal assistance rendered to 
students and readers the most effective aid. 

" I know not precisely what limits the 
' Association' has placed with regard to 
essayists ; but it seems to me that some useful 
suggestions may be made upon the hindrances 
as well as upon the aids to library work. 
Our modern librarians have certainly done 
good service by careful planning, and by thor- 
oughly testing their plans in the practical 
operations of the library. Have they fully 
measured the annoyances and losses resulting 
from the lack of active cooperation on the part 
of the cities and towns? A collection of books 
is not necessarily a library. Catalogues, in- 
dexes, Library journals, intelligent and 
accommodating librarians, and the wisdom of 
the A.L.A., are not at their best in rooms 
which were planned for dwellings, druggists' 
shops, benevolent societies, committee-rooms, 
armories ; in short, for all uses under the sun 
except those of a successful public library. 
The best aid to efficient work in any library is 
a building or rooms prepared with a wise 
reference to the special wants of that institu- 
tion." 

NEWTON. (Miss H. P. James, Librarian?) 
Publishes a weekly list of new books in two 
local papers. One of them is paid for, and 
contains notices of the books. Copies of this 
list are struck off and sent weekly to the dif- 
ferent agencies. 

" The most efficient method of aiding read- 
ers is ' personal contact.' I find the more I 
become acquainted with borrowers the more 
ready they are to apply to me for help. 

" At last, after many years' waiting, the 
teachers in the public schools are beginning 
to take books out for the use of the pupils in 
school. There has been such an amount of 
routine work demanded of them heretofore 
they have had neither the time nor the strength 
to do anything beyond. Now a beginning has 
been made, and when the experiment has 
become an established fact in this village I 
shall be able to work with the teachers of the 
other parts of the city. I can come into per- 
sonal contact with but few of our teachers, we 
are so situated in regard to the other schools 
geographically. Fully half our books circulate 



CRUNDEN. 



117 



by means of an express, which we employ all 
the time to carry baskets of books to the 
depositories or agencies in eight different vil- 
lages. The books are exchanged daily, and 
we do a great amount of helping through 
written requests. Often the subject alone of 
some desired information is given, and we 
send to the anxious inquirer the most desirable 
book on the question in point that we possess. 
The card catalogue is so very full that we 
seldom fail to find something ; but if that 
gives out we go to ' Poole,' and usually are 
helped. I have procured a dozen copies of 
an excellent juvenile catalogue, published by 
the School Committee of Cambridge, Mass., 
and inserted our numbers therein. I wish 
Miss Hewins's ' List ' was in a larger form, so 
that it could be handled more easily and num- 
bers could be inserted. If a blank space were 
left in place of the price of the book, and the 
list itself were larger, it would be far more 
useful." 

TAUNTON. (E. C. Arnold, Librarian.) 
Has published " a supplementary catalogue 
and four bulletins since June, 1883 ; has 
also monthly MS. lists of additions, classed 
under thirteen generic heads. 

" The printed bulletins were started in 1884. 

" In addition to the above we have a notice 
conspicuously posted, inviting persons desir- 
ing information on any subject to apply at the 
desk ; and in response to such applications 
we place at the disposal of readers whatever 
books the library contains relative thereto, in 
an alcove suitable for such investigations." 

WOBURN. (W. R. Cutter, Librarian.) 
Has a printed catalogue and a partially com- 
pleted card catalogue, which " shows contents 
generally given where naturally expected." 
Has a yearly bulletin. Notifies readers of 
accessions by newspaper lists, and MS. lists 
posted on bulletin-boards in the library. 

Consolidated MS. lists of additions have 
been placed on reading-room tables. Believes 
the best aids for readers to be " good finding- 
lists" printed and MS. 

WORCESTER. (Samuel S. Green, A.M., 
Librarian.) Publishes a bulletin of additions 
about once a month, giving contents of books 
and descriptive notes. 



Publications of 1883-85 : 

Catalogue of the circulating department and 
of a portion of the books belonging to the 
intermediate department ; and " Public libra- 
ries and schools ; results of recent efforts to 
make the former useful to the latter," a pa- 
per prepared, at the request of the Mass. Bd. 
of Education, for its 48th annual report, by the 
librarian. 

MISSOURI. ST. Louis. (Frederick M. 
Crunden, Librarian.) " Has a printed cata- 
log, 1870; supplement, 1872; a volume ot 
annotated bulletins with alphabetical index, 
including additions from 1879 to 1883 inclu- 
sive ; and two complete card catalogs up to date, 
one official, the other public, each containing a 
classified and an alphabetical arrangement of 
the entire collection. The official classified 
catalog is used for taking the inventory. 

"The bulletin above-mentioned was full and 
minute, giving cross-references, contents, and 
numerous descriptive and critical notes. The 
expense of its publication was lessened by 
advertisements ; but the library funds would 
not admit of its continuance. It seemed to 
be, as Miss Bean says, too much in advance 
of the wants of the great majority of our 
members. A spasmodic attempt was made 
last December to revive it in a simpler and 
cheaper form ; but that, too, after two issues, 
was discontinued for want of money, and also 
the lack of any active demand. 

"During nearly the whole period covered by 
this report a column of notes on recent ad- 
ditions to the library appeared in the Republi- 
can, which, with no cost to the library beyond 
the librarian's time, did more to keep members 
informed about new books added than any of 
the costly methods previously tried. 

"The number which closed our five-year 
experiment in publishing a bulletin was an 
exception to the rest of the series. It con- 
tained a list of ' Best novels,' and a list of 
' Books for the young, 1 which created a 
genuine interest. All the copies were dis- 
posed of, as well as an extra edition of the 
novel and juvenile list ; and more could have 
been sold if we had had them, as there is still 
a demand for them. This experience leads 
me to think that special lists on subjects of 



n8 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



popular interest are more desired, and are 
especially of more permanent value than gen- 
eral lists of new books. Acting on this idea 
our library published this spring six reference 
lists on ' Buddhism,' 'Children, their training 
and management,' ' French history,' ' The 
Renaissance,' ' Travel,' ' Music.' Each was 
prepared by a person who had given special 
attention to the subject, and consisted of a 
few prefatory remarks as to methods of study, 
followed by a list of the best books on the 
topic treated. To these the librarian, as 
editor, added other good books suggested by 
the resources of the library ; in one case, 
music, publishing a complete class-list on 
that subject. These came out too late to 
make a present test ; but we anticipate a fair 
appreciation of them in the fall. 

" We have a rack with four shelves on one 
end of the issue-desk for the display of new 
novels, and a double case for other new 
books, which are arranged therein according 
to classes. Postal cards are occasionally sent 
to readers calling attention to new books in 
which they are supposed to be specially in- 
terested." 

NEBRASKA. LINCOLN. (State Library, 
Guy A. Brown, Librarian.} Has published one 
entire catalogue of law and miscellaneous de- 
partments, notifies readers of additions through 
local newspapers, and believes in personal 
answers to questions. 

NEW YORK. NEW YORK. (Apprentices' 1 
Library, Jacob Schwartz, Librarian.) Gives 
contents in card catalogue, publishes annually 
a bulletin of additions with contents ; has also 
published " Classified lists of the most popular 
works," ten in number, commencing May, 
1884, and finds these the most useful aid to 
readers. 

NEW YORK. (Columbia College Library, 
M civil Dewey, Chief Librarian.) Has a card 
catalogue: I. Author. 2. Subject. 3. Lead- 
ing titles. 

Gives contents only in special cases. Is 
about to begin the publication of a quarterly 
bulletin. Has published full classification and 
index, 250 pp. 

Notifies readers of additions by means of 
notes in college papers and bulletin boards. 



Refers to annual report for notes on some of 
the many new appliances introduced. 

Keeps two reference librarians specially to 
aid inquirers. 

NEW YORK. (Mercantile Library, IV. T. 
Peoples, Librarian.) Publishes a bulletin of 
additions semi-annually, and has also pub- 
lished a list of books contained in the library 
on political economy, and weekly lists in news- 
papers, which latter are distributed free among 
members. Has introduced the cyclostyle. Re- 
lies upon bulletins for assisting members. 

NEW YORK. (Y. M. C. A. Library, R. B. 
Poole, Librarian.) Is not a circulating library. 
New books are placed in a case by themselves 
and placards posted on them notifying readers. 
Classes of books are designated by slips at- 
tached to the shelves. This works well. 

Occasionally posts lists of books on special 
topics. 

Finds most effective aids in " Good cata- 
loging, assisting the uninitiated in its use, 
free access to Poole's index and Foster's, and 
personal attention to the wants of readers." 

ALBANY. (N. Y. State Library, H. A. 
Homes, Librarian.} Publishes additions in an- 
nual report. Gives personal aid to students ; 
but, being strictly a State library, has no need 
for many of the devices and methods which 
are necessary to librarians having a popular 
clientage. 

AUBURN. (Seymour Library, Miss M. A. 
Bullard, Librarian.) Gives contents in card 
catalogue, and publishes a bulletin of addi- 
tions bi-monthly, with contents and notes. 

Most acceptable means of assisting readers : 
" My own sweet gift of speech and the hand- 
books on different subjects, Foster's Refer- 
ence lists, Quincy and Boston Public Library 
catalogues, and anything and everything I can 
find." 

BROOKLYN. (W. A. Bar dwell, Acting 
Librarian.) Has published since June, 1883, 
four bulletins of additions and a class-list of 
English prose fiction, the latter being a reprint 
of the Fiction Catalogue of 1877, with a sup- 
plement of forty pages, giving the additions 
since 1877 and through 1884. 

"A weekly list of additions is made, and 
seven copies are taken by the hectograph. 



CRUNDEN. 



119 



One copy is put upon the bulletin-board, while 
others are upon the tables in the delivery- 
room. One copy is sent to the branch in the 
Eastern District. The new books are placed 
on the delivery-counter, and can be readily 
examined by members. Occasionally notices 
of new books are inserted in local papers. 

" The reference department of this library is 
very much enlarged. About 1,000 books have 
been placed upon new shelves, free of access 
to members. Old files of newspapers are 
placed in a room by themselves, arranged 
alphabetically on the shelves. A collection of 
newspaper cuttings is being made, from out-of- 
town papers, on subjects not generally or 
fully covered by books. These cuttings are 
mounted on brown paper sheets and kept in 
pamphlet boxes. 

"Reference to the Brooklyn Library Cata- 
logue, compiled by Mr. S. B. Noyes, seems, 
on the whole, to give the greatest satisfaction 
to readers. The free use of 1,000 reference 
volumes, embracing cyclopaedias, dictionaries, 
gazetteers, atlases, catalogues, directories, 
laws, etc., gives much information and guid- 
ance. 

" A special consulting reference librarian, in 
addition to our present force, would be very 
useful." 

BUFFALO. (Young Men's Library, J. IV, 
Lamed, Librarian.) Has a card subject-cata- 
logue (systematic) and card finding-list, or al- 
phabetical catalogue of authors and titles, in 
which contents are given to a great extent, but 
not of all works yet. (Working all the time 
at that feature of the catalogue.) Publishes a 
bulletin of additions about once a month (as 
often as we fill four pages), which, in most 
cases, gives contents of books and descriptive 
notes. 

About to print a finding-list of history, biog- 
raphy, travel, and politics. 

New books are kept in open cases near the 
delivery-desk for several months, for free in- 
spection. 

For aiding readers relies on personal as- 
sistance by the librarian, which is given as 
freely as practicable. 

GLOVERSVILLE. (Lem Parsons Library, A. 
L. Peck, Librarian.} Librarian compiles 



monthly a list of such new publications as, in 
the opinion of reliable critics, will have a 
more permanent value. In this list descrip- 
tive notices are given, and titles of books 
added to the library are underscored in colored 
ink. A copy of the list is sent to every 
literary society in the town, and one is posted 
in the delivery-room of the library. 

On his monthly visits to the various schools 
of the town and vicinity he informs teachers 
and scholars of additions likely to interest 
them. 

Considers the most effective " aid " to be : 

"i. Direct intercourse with the reader, 
manifestation of interest in each individual, 
readiness to help in cases where aid is de- 
manded, and proper care of not being too 
officious. 

" 2. Lectures. The pastors of our six 
Protestant churches deliver each, annually, 
one discourse on books and reading. In this 
manner we have six lectures annually ; of late 
I have ventured to do likewise." 

ITHACA. (Cornell University Library, G. 
Wm. Harris, Librarian.} Has a dictionary card 
catalogue, giving contents ; publishes a bulletin 
of additions three or four times a year, giving 
contents of books and descriptive notes, the 
latter very sparingly, and has published 
during 1883-85 classified lists of works on 
mathematics in the library, 1883. 

In the Library Bulletin the following : Anti- 
slavery periodicals in the C. U. Library ; 
record of ancient publications by officers of 
C. U. ; lists of current periodicals. 

Professors are in the habit of calling the 
attention of their students to books in the 
library for collateral reading. Lists of refer- 
ences for subjects allotted for essays and 
orations are prepared for the convenience 
of students. 

NEWBURGH. (C. Estabrook, Librarian.*) 
Publishes additions in daily local papers with 
catalogue number. These lists are cut out by 
readers and pasted in their catalogues. 

Finds most effective method of assisting 
readers in " encouraging them to tell me what 
subject they are seeking information on, and 
giving them to understand that rendering them 
assistance is a source of pleasure to me." 



I2O 



MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE. 



POUGHKEEPSIE. (J: C. Sickley, Librarian.) 
Has a dictionary catalogue, which gives con- 
tents briefly ; publishes a bulletin of additions 
in daily newspapers when books are added. 
For other methods refers to article in Library 
journal, vol. 9, page 100. 

" A reference-room was opened, giving op- 
portunities for those who wished to have a 
place for quiet study. Copies of our catalogue, 
which is arranged on the plan of the Brooklyn 
Library Catalogue, were placed in every school 
in the city, public and private. Special privi- 
leges were given to teachers. They were al- 
lowed to draw three books at a time if desired. 
Books upon a subject which a class were study- 
ing or investigating were kept in the library 
for the time required for such study, upon a 
teacher's leaving a request and furnishing a 
list of books. A circular letter was sent to all 
teachers, requesting them to instruct pupils in 
the use of the catalogue, and to advise with 
them as to the best reading. 

" Lists of new books were published in the 
newspapers as received, and posted on the bul- 
letin in the library. Nearly every week a list 
of books in the library, and also articles in 
periodicals having reference to some local or 
general event or person of importance. An 
instance, Matthew Arnold's arrival in America. 
A list of his works in the library, and articles 
about him and his works in the periodicals, was 
published in the daily papers. The 4Ooth an- 
niversary of Luther a list of books and maga- 
zine articles on Luther and the Reformation 
were published. Lists of books relating to the 
subject of a lecture at the Lyceum or Literary 
Institute were also published in the daily pa- 
pers. 

ROCHESTER. (Library of the University, 
H. K. Phinney, Assistant Librarian.} Pro- 
vides readers with a MS. list of magazines, in 
order to save trouble to attendants and disap- 
pointment to applicants by calls for magazines 
to which Poole's Index refers, but which are not 
in the library's magazine collection. 

OHIO. CINCINNATI. (C. W. Merrill, 
Librarian.) Has published finding-list, 
1882-4, bulletins of 1883-4, and furnished 
manuscript lists of new books, and sometimes 
special lists. 



" When my eyes get well, and I have a 
month's spare time, will try to answer this. 
(1884.) This library employs over fifty living 
aids and guides. (How many are blind guides 
I don't care to confess.) Then we have a new 
finding-list classified by subjects, which is in use 
within the library, although it awaits indexes 
before being finally issued. Then we have 
the important library catalogues and bibliogra- 
phies, etc., etc. As to young readers we have 
given them Mr. Larned's and Miss Hewins's 
catalogues, with our numbers added. I have 
given the Normal and High school pupils talks 
and explanations, and shown the books, etc., 
about as Mr. Poole described his efforts in 
Chicago. One of the city papers publishes 
every week an article for young people upon 
some author or some subject, in which all the 
appropriate books are given, with the public 
library numbers. The teachers in the public 
schools have helped somewhat, but not a great 
deal." 

CLEVELAND. (/. L. Beardsley, Librarian.) 
Under date of July 5, 1884, he writes : " We 
have a bulletin-board where all new books are 
posted as placed upon the shelves for the use 
of the public. All titles of books added are 
entered in the ' Burr index,' which has been 
found the most convenient aid we have ever 
had, for it can be referred to instantaneously, 
and thus save, in nine cases out of ten, refer- 
ring to the cards. Instead of multiplying cards 
to give references to fractions of books on vari- 
ous subjects I use a ' Burr index,' which I find of 
great service. . . I have in progress an exhaust- 
ive catalogue of all the books in the library up 
to 1882, about 39,000 volumes." Hasaclassi- 
fied catalogue, 1876-77, with 5 supplements, to 
1882 ; a title and author card catalogue of one- 
sixth of circulating department, and is begin- 
ning one to include subject-references. Pub- 
lishes lists in daily papers (as news) , monthly 
lists of accessions, and posts them on a bulletin- 
board. 

PENNSYLVANIA. GERMANTOWN. 
(Friends'* Free Library, Wm. Kite, Libra- 
rian.) Has manuscript catalogue ; authors in 
one volume, subjects in another. Latter di- 
vided into 70 distinct heads. 

Publishes an annual bulletin of additions, 



CRUNDEN. 



121 



also lists in local papers occasionally. Believes 
in personal intercourse. "With children, 
teachers and librarian mutually advise." 

PHILADELPHIA. (Library Co. of Philadel- 
phia, Lloyd P. Smith, Librarian . ) Has printed 
catalogues, 1731 to 1855; card catalogue, 1855 
to 1885. The latter very seldom gives con- 
tents. Publishes a bulletin of additions every 
six months, sometimes giving contents of 
books, and frequently descriptive notes. 

Has published, June, 1883-85 : 

List of regimental histories of the Rebellion. 

List of issues of the Pennsylvania press, 
from 1770 to 1776. 

Keeps accounts with members on cards in- 
stead of a ledger as formerly. 

Believes the most effective aids to be : 

1. A good catalogue. 

2. An intelligent and obliging assistant at 
the desk. 

PHILADELPHIA. (Mercantile Library, John 
Edmands, Librarian.} Has published in its 
bulletin for July, '83, " Bibliographia Websteri- 
ana " (4 pages) ; for October, '83, "Reading 
Notes on Luther" (5 pages); January, '85, 
"Reading Notes on Catacombs" (2 pages) ; 
April, '85, "Reading Notes on Wyckliffe" 
(3 pages) ; July, '85, " List of Indexes " 
(6 pages) ; October, '84, and January, '85, 
" Bibliography of Dies Irce" (12 pages) ; and 
April, '85, "Reading Notes on Education" 
(7 pages). 

RHODE ISLAND. PAWTUCKET. (Mrs. 
Minerva A. Sanders, Librarian.} As books 
are put into the library, lists are sent to the 
local papers, with favorable criticism when 
necessary. 

[For method of dealing with dime-novel 
readers, see Library journal, May, 1885.] 

" I have a table on which I place from one 
hundred to a hundred and fifty of the best 
books of all classes, except fiction. These 
may be examined at pleasure, and are renewed 
as often as two or three times a week. I fre- 
quently call attention of patrons to these books, 
and that which I commenced as an experiment 
eighteen months ago has become one of the 
best methods of improving the taste of our 
readers, and has reduced our circulation of fic- 
tion three per cent. 



" For assisting readers to the best sources 
of information I have no special method. I 
give it my personal attention whenever it is 
possible, especially among the children. 

" I find Poole's Index the most valuable aid, 
not even excepting the various encyclopaedias, 
though I could not, of course, do without 
them. 

" Teachers and pupils are encouraged to use 
the library with perfect freedom, and to seek 
the aid of the librarian and her assistants, with 
the assurance of a prompt and cheerful re- 
sponse. We not unfrequently have twenty or 
thirty girls and boys at the tables together, 
taking notes in connection with their studies. 

" A few weeks since a paper was read before 
our Business Men's Association on ' The 
Yellowstone Park.' During the next three days 
sixty children came to the library, ' armed and 
equipped as the law directs,' with pencil and 
paper, ask