A Library Primer Part 16

Such a bulletin can often be maintained without cost to the library by having it published by some one who will pay its expenses by means of advertis.e.m.e.nts. The very best way of bringing new books to the attention of readers is to print a list of additions, with call-numbers, as condensed as possible, and with no other matter, for free distribution in the library.

In printing lists of books, make the cla.s.ses covered special, not general. Give lists suitable for as many different needs and occasions as possible. There can't be too many of them. For instance, a teacher would find thoroughly helpful and practicable such cla.s.sified lists of books as, for beginners in third and fourth grades, for the intermediate pupils, for boys, for girls, numerous references to the current events of the day; historical readings divided into periods and adapted to different grades; historical fiction under several forms of cla.s.sification; biographies and biographical sketches suited to different ages; geographical aids, including travel, description, life, scenes, and customs in different countries; natural history and elementary science; the resources of the library available for the purpose of ill.u.s.trating topics in history, art, and science; material for theme studies; special lists for anniversary days now so generally observed in schools, and so on.

Lists in which the t.i.tles of the books come first are better liked by the general public than are author-lists. People commonly know books by name, not by author.

Don't make the mistake of spending much money, at the library's beginning, for a printed catalog. A printed catalog, as stated in chapter 25, is not a necessity. It is useful, particularly for home use, to tell whether the library owns certain books; but with a good card catalog, newspaper lists, special lists, and the like, it is not a necessity. Few large libraries now publish complete catalogs.

CHAPTER x.x.xII

Charging system

On the inside of the front cover of every book in the library paste a manilla pocket. (See Library Bureau catalog.) Or paste, by the bottom and the upper corners, thus making a pocket of it, a sheet of plain, stout paper at the bottom of the first page of the first flyleaf. On this pocket, at the top, write the call-number of the book. Below this print information for borrowers, if this seems necessary. In this pocket place a book-card of heavy ledger paper or light cardboard. On this book-card, at the top, write the call-number of the book in the pocket of which it is placed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Card-pocket. (Reduced; actual size, 7 x 13-1/2 cm.)

CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY

EXTRACT FROM CITY ORDINANCE.

SEC. 1.--Any person who shall willfully or maliciously cut, write upon, injure, deface, tear, or destroy any Book, Newspaper, Plate, Picture, Engraving, or Statue belonging to the Chicago Public Library, shall be liable to a fine of not less than five dollars, nor more than fifty dollars for every such offense.

EXTRACT FROM RULES.

27.--Books may be retained two weeks, and may be once renewed for the same period.

30.--A fine of three cents a day shall be paid on each work, whether bound in one or more volumes, which is not returned according to the provisions of the preceding rules; and no other book will be delivered to the party incurring the fine until it is paid. * * *

RECEIVED.

Acme Library Card Pocket.

Under Pat. Sept. 26, '76, "Ref. Index File."

Made by LIBRARY BUREAU, 125 Franklin St., Chicago

Keep your Card In this Pocket.]

To every borrower the library issues a borrower's card. This card is made of heavy, colored tag-board, and contains the borrowers' name and address, and his number in the series of borrowers' numbers.

The librarian, before delivering a book to a borrower, takes from the pocket the book-card, writes on it the number found at the top of the borrower's card, and after it, with a dater, stamps the day of the month. At the same time he stamps the same date on the borrower's card, and on the pocket in the book or on a dating slip pasted in the book opposite the pocket.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Book card. (Reduced; actual size 12-1/2 x 7-1/2 cm.)

340 D68 Dole, E.P.

Talks about law Ja. 4 826 Ja. 11 F. 6 246 F. 15 Ap. 1 836]

The borrower's card he places in the book pocket, the book-card he retains as a record of the loan, and the borrower takes the book away.

The book-card, with all others representing the books issued on the same day, he places in a tray behind a card bearing the date of the day of issue. All the book-cards representing books issued on a certain day are arranged in the order of their call-numbers.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tray for book-cards.]

Under this system the borrower can tell, by looking at his card, on what date the book he has was taken from the library. If he wishes to renew it without taking it back to the library, he can do so by a letter stating that he took on a certain day a book bearing a certain number, and wishes it renewed.

The librarian can tell, from the book-cards, what books are in circulation, and how many of each cla.s.s were lent on a certain day.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 1. Postal notice. (Reduced.)

City Library a.s.sociation Springfield, Ma.s.s. Feb. 14, 1899.

The book noted below is now in the library and will be reserved for you until 9 P.M., Feb. 15.

_Please present this notice and your library card._ A charge of two cents is made for this notice.

JOHN COTTON DANA, _Librarian_.

Per. S.M.J.

_Book No._ 2173.54 _t.i.tle, etc._ Ave Roma Immortalis.

Reserve Postal, Form 1, Jan. 30. '98, 500]

The borrower's number, written on the book-card of any given book in circulation, will give, through the register of borrowers, the name and address of the person having that book. Overdue books are automatically indicated, their cards remaining in the tray, behind the card indicating the date they were lent, after the day for their return has pa.s.sed.

When a borrower returns a book the librarian can learn, from the date on the pocket, whether or no a fine should be paid on it; if not, he can, if in haste, immediately take out the borrower's card from the book pocket, stamp the date of its return at the right of the date on which it was lent, thus canceling the charge against the borrower, and lay the book aside and look up its book-card later.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 2. Registration card, face. (Reduced; actual size, 7-1/2 x 12-1/2 cm.)

Name. Geo. Brown No. 80 Residence. 72 Vernon.

Employment. Machinist.

Employer. Smith & Wesson's.

Place of business. 85 Main.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 3. Registration card, reverse. (Reduced; actual size, 7-1/2 x 12-1/2 cm.)

Feb. 14, 1899.