A library can never do its best work until its management recognizes the duty and true economy of providing skilled assistants, comfortable quarters, and the best library equipment of fittings and supplies.
For cases, furniture, catalog cases, cards, trays, and labor-saving devices of all kinds, consult the catalog of the Library Bureau.
Very many libraries, even the smallest, find it advantageous to use for book cases what are known as "steel stacks." The demand for these cases has been so great from libraries, large and small, that shelving made from a combination of wood and steel has been very successfully adapted to this use, and at a price within the reach of all libraries. One of the principal advantages in buying such "steel stack" shelving, with parts all interchangeable, is that in the rearrangement of a room, or in moving into a new room or a new building, it can be utilized to advantage, whereas the common wooden book cases very generally cannot.
CHAPTER IX
Things needed in beginning work—Books, periodicals, and tools
The books and other things included in the following list—except those starred or excepted in a special note, the purchase of which can perhaps be deferred until the library contains a few thousand volumes—are essential to good work, and should be purchased, some of them as soon as a library is definitely decided upon, the others as soon as books are purchased and work is actually begun.
I. BOOKS
*American catalog of books in print from 1876–1896, 5v. with annual supplement. The Publishers' weekly, N. Y. Several of the volumes are out of print. All are expensive. They are not needed by the very small library. The recent years of the annual volumes are essential.
Card catalog rules; accessions-book rules; shelf-list rules; Library Bureau, 1899, $1.25. These are called the Library school rules.
Catalog of A. L. A. library; 5000v. for a popular library, selected by the American Library Association, and shown at the World's Columbian exhibition, Washington, 1893. Sent free from the United States Bureau of education.
*English catalog, 1835–1896, 5v., with annual supplement. The annual supplements for recent years are needed by the small library; the others are not.
Five thousand books, an easy guide to books in every department. Compiled for the Ladies' home journal, 1895. Curtis Publishing Company, Philadelphia, Pa. Paper, 10 cents. Out of print, but can probably be found second-hand.
Fletcher, W. I. Public Libraries in America, 1894. Roberts Bros., Boston, $1.
Library Bureau catalog, containing list of library tools, fittings, and appliances of all kinds, 1898. To be obtained of the Library Bureau, Chicago, 215 Madison St.; Boston, 530 Atlantic Ave.; New York, 250 Broadway; Philadelphia, 112 N. Broad St.; Washington, 1416 F St., N.W.
Plummer, M. W. Hints to small libraries, 1898. Truslove & Comba, N. Y., 50 cents.
Public library handbook, by the Public library, Denver, 1894. Out of print.
Publishers' trade list annual, 1900, v. 28. Office of the Publishers' weekly, N. Y., $2. Catalogs of all important American publishers bound together in one volume.
Reference catalog of current literature, 1898. Catalogs of English publishers, bound in one volume and indexed. J. Whitaker & Sons, London, $5.
Rules for an author and title catalog, condensed. See Cutter, Rules for a dictionary catalog, 1891, p. 99–103. Sent from the United States Bureau of education, Washington, free. These are the rules adopted by the American Library Association.
*Sonnenschein, W. S. Best books, readers' guide, 1891. Sonnenschein, London, $8. Gives author, title, publisher and price of about 50,000 carefully selected and carefully classified books.
Sonnenschein, W. S. Reader's guide to contemporary literature (50,000v.), supplement to Best books, 1895. Sonnenschein, London, $6.50.
*Subject headings for use in dictionary catalogs, Library Bureau, 1898, $2. In a small library this is not needed, but it will save trouble to get it.
Lawrence, I. Classified reading. A list with publishers and prices of books for the school, the library, and the home, 1898. Normal school, St. Cloud, Minn., $1.25.
Iles, George. List of books for girls and women and their clubs, 1895. Library Bureau, $1.
World's library congress, papers prepared for, held at World's Columbian exposition, Chicago, 1893. United States Bureau of education, Washington, D. C., free. Covers very fully the entire field of library economy.
II. PERIODICALS
Book news, monthly. Wanamaker, Philadelphia, 50 cents. (Book reviews.)
Dial, semi-monthly, 24 Adams St., Chicago, $2. (Book reviews, notes and essays.)
Literature, weekly. Harper & Bros., N. Y., $4. (Current English and American literature.)
Nation, weekly. New York, $3. (Book reviews, art, politics.)
Publishers' weekly, the American book trade journal, 59 Duane St., N. Y., $5. (Lists nearly all American and best English books as published.)
Library journal, monthly, $5 a year, 58 Duane St., New York. This is the official organ of the American Library Association.
Public libraries, monthly, $1 a year, 215 Madison St., Chicago. Presents library methods in a manner especially helpful to small libraries.
New York Times Saturday review of books and art. The Times, N. Y., $1.
Monthly cumulative book index. An author, title, and subject index to the books published during the current year, brought up to date in one alphabet each month. Morris & Wilson, Minneapolis, Minn., $1.50
III. OTHER THINGS
Accession book. See catalog of the Library Bureau. For a very small library a common blank-book will do.
Agreement blanks, which the borrower signs before getting his borrower's card giving him the right to use the library. See chapter on charging systems.
Book cards. See chapter on charging systems, and Library Bureau catalog.
Book pockets. See Library Bureau catalog, and also chapter on charging systems.
Borrowers' cards. Given to borrowers as evidence of their right to draw books. See chapter on charging systems.
Borrowers' register, best kept on cards. See chapter on charging systems.
Catalog cards. These are of two sizes and many thicknesses. Select what suits you. See Library Bureau catalog.
Catalog case. See Library Bureau catalog. For a very small library a few japanned tin trays will serve. But your catalog will grow faster than you suppose.
Cole size card; a sheet marked in such a way as to give one at a glance the proper letter to use in indicating the size of any book placed on it. See Library Bureau catalog. In a very small library not needed.
Classification scheme. See chapters on classification.
Cutter author table for book numbers. See chapter on book numbers. For a very small library one can use numbers only.
Daters and ink pads for dating borrowers' cards, etc. The pencil daters are best. See chapter