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THE ILLINI 
 
 (OFFICIAL PAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY) 
 
 VoL. XXVIII. urbana and Champaign, Illinois, Friday, January 13, 1899. No. 15 
 
 EVENING. 
 
 Across the tired, weary world 
 The sun g-ave one long- look, 
 
 As in the misty, darkening- East 
 The robe of nig-ht he shook. 
 
 Then far and wide so silently, 
 
 With deft and practiced hand. 
 
 He drew the darkness from the sky 
 And spread it o’er the land. 
 
 He paused upon the ocean’s rim 
 To g-aze o’er everything-. 
 
 Before he crossed the world’s threshold. 
 And then remembering-. 
 
 As he heard the low, sleepy hum 
 From forest, hill and deep. 
 
 He kissed the summits of the hills 
 And left the world asleep. 
 
 A. N. D. 
 
230 
 
 THE ILLINI: JANUABY 13 , 1899 . 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS STATE LIBRARY SCHOOL. 
 
 HISTORY. 
 
 From September 14, 1895, to July 1, 1897, 
 this school was known as the Department 
 of Library Science of Armour Institute of 
 Technology, Chicago. 
 
 It started with only a short elementary 
 course to meet a certain demand which was 
 felt in the Middle West, and its connection 
 with a technical school was at first consid- 
 ered peculiarly fortunate. As conditions 
 changed, or were more fully appreciated, 
 the course was extended, but it soon became 
 evident that the school could not meet the 
 demands upon it without larger quarters and 
 more generous equipment. 
 
 The offer of the University of Illinois in 
 1897 to adopt the department, its students, 
 and its technical equipment, and to make it 
 the State Library school, presented a wel- 
 come opportunity. The decision to move 
 was not made hurriedly nor without consul- 
 tation in the east and in the west, and when 
 the transfer of the school and its property 
 was made, with the good will of Armour 
 Institute of Technology, in September,^ 1897, 
 the friends of the school felt that a new era 
 for it had begun. 
 
 It was suggested that the school should 
 omit all instruction during this first jear in 
 the new quarters, because of the great 
 amount of library work. This condition 
 seemed, however, a reason for having the 
 school, as the experience in organizing 
 would be invaluable. It -was considered 
 unwise, also, to allow the school to lapse, 
 even for a year. 
 
 Those students who had entered when 
 requirements were lower, with the expecta- 
 tion of completing the course, were given 
 an opportunity to take advanced work this 
 year, but this year only. No effort was 
 made to secure a new class, but those who 
 were prepared to meet the new requirements 
 were accepted. This year was considered a 
 transitional year, and was devoted to a care- 
 ful study of university conditions with their 
 reference to the library school curriculum. 
 The result was many changes in the inter- 
 ests of thoroughness, system and harmony 
 with university terms and methods. 
 
 EQUIPMENT. 
 
 The State of Illinois recently erected for 
 the University, at a cost of $160,000, one of 
 the most beautiful and convenient library 
 buildings in the country. 
 
 The library is 167x113 feet. The main 
 floor contains the reference room, the peri- 
 
 odical reading room, the conversation room, 
 the library school lecture room and the 
 delivery room, which opens into the second 
 story of the book-stack. The second floor 
 contains the library school class room, four 
 seminar rooms and the administrative offices 
 of the University. The basement contains 
 well-lighted rooms, which are at present 
 used for various collections. The book- 
 stack forms a rear wing to the building,, 
 separated by a fire-proof wall. This will 
 eventually contain five stories, accommodat- 
 ing 150,000 volumes. At present only three 
 stories are fitted with shelving, while the 
 upper portion is floored to form a class room 
 for the library school Here each student 
 has a desk specially fitted for library work, 
 and has easy access to the collections of the 
 school in this room and to the book-stack 
 directly below. 
 
 The libraries now embrace about 40,000 
 volumes, and the last Legislature appropri- 
 ated $20,000 for additions within two years. 
 This affords unusual opportunities for the 
 library students. 
 
 The library school has the complete col- 
 lection of manuscript notes and problems 
 which have been prepared since the school 
 opened in 1893, and as the number of text 
 books is so small, this collection is invalua- 
 ble. A collection of library reports and 
 catalogues, of mounted samples and of me- 
 chanical devices is carefully classified and 
 is continually increasing. 
 
 REQUIREMENTS. 
 
 The requirements for admission from 
 1893-97 were a high school course or its 
 equivalent. Candidates were required to 
 take examinations in general history, gen- 
 eral literature and general information. In 
 1897 they were obliged to take examinations 
 also in one year each of French and Ger- 
 man. College graduates whose records 
 were satisfactory were admitted without 
 examination. As these were admitted first, 
 and others in the order of their preparation, 
 and the number in each class was limited, 
 there were very few students who had only 
 a high school preparation. 
 
 In 1898 candidates for technical library 
 work had to present satisfactory credits for 
 two years of university work. High school 
 candidates must now enter as freshmen -in 
 the University, and take the course outlined 
 in one of its colleges for two years. Candi- 
 dates are urged, however, to complete *a 
 general college course before taking the 
 
/ 
 
 231 
 
 / ^ 
 
 STATE LIBRARY SCHOOL. 
 
 technical work, and an encourag-ing* num- 
 ber of g’raduates are applying^. 
 
 LENGTH OF COURSE. 
 
 The course at first was so planned as to 
 offer but one year of instruction, so arrang-ed 
 that it could be supplemented by a second 
 year of advanced work if desirable. In 1895 
 a second year was added, and has been g-iven 
 ever since. Now the course covers four 
 years beyond the hig-h school, consisting of 
 two years of regular college work. 
 
 It has not seemed wise to restrict admis- 
 sion to the graduating class by extra exam- 
 inations or by personal decision, and it 
 seems quite impossible in a State institution 
 to refuse promotion to those who have won 
 that right by their records, although strenu- 
 ous efforts are made to deter those who seem 
 personally unfitted for the work and to turn 
 their energies in other directions. ' 
 degree. 
 
 The degree of Bachelor of Library Sci- 
 ence (B.L.S.) will be conferred on those 
 who complete the course outlined. 
 
 At Armour Institute of Technology no 
 degree was given. Former graduates who 
 possessed the present requirements will be 
 counted as alumni of the University of Illi- 
 nois, but they can not receive the degree, 
 because they have not been in residence. 
 
 INSTRUCTION. 
 
 The course at first was modeled after the 
 junior year at the New York State Library 
 School, although English literature was 
 required, owing to the lower standards of 
 admission, and later typewriting was added. 
 As long as the course was limited to one 
 year, the tendency was to crowd into it as 
 much advanced work as the students could 
 carry. When a second year was added, no 
 change was made in the first year, and the 
 uneven division of work was soon manifest. 
 The effort now is to restrict the instruction 
 to library topics, according to the recom- 
 mendations of the A. L. A. Committee on 
 Library Schools in 1895, and to more evenly 
 divide the work. The earlier tendency was 
 to magnify technical details. The effort in 
 the future will be to give a broader knowl- 
 edge of books. 
 
 Cataloguing . — Instruction is given ac- 
 cording to Dewey’s “Library School Rules” 
 and Cutter’s “Rules for a Dictionary Cata- 
 logue.” At first the course taught the con- 
 struction of a classed catalogue, and the 
 classed catalogue of Armour Institute of 
 Technology afforded practice throughout 
 the year. Dictionary cataloguing was 
 taught later in the year for a period of six 
 weeks, but there was no practical opportu- 
 
 nity to apply it. Experience showed that 
 nearly all of the students went out to libra- 
 ries for which the dictionary catalogue was 
 more convenient. 
 
 Therefore, without any intention of decid- 
 ing in favor of one form in preference to the 
 other, but rather for practical reasons, the 
 main instruction was given on dictionary 
 cataloguing, and the Armour catalogue 
 was changed to this form to afford practice 
 for the students. This course has proved 
 much more satisfactory than the former 
 method. 
 
 All details of author cataloguing are 
 given before subject headings are touched 
 upon. Then full cataloguing is required 
 to give a review of details. Each student 
 has at the end of the course a sample dic- 
 tionary catalogue with an index by princi- 
 ples which it illustrates, e. g.., “Compound 
 names, see Baring-Gould, Lane-Poole;” 
 “Series card, see American statesmen.” 
 Students are required to make a classed 
 catalogue for a certain number of books, in 
 order to learn the arrangement, but further 
 practice is considered unnecessary. 
 
 Advanced cat^aloguing has been taught 
 in various ways. Until last year a study of 
 principles was based upon a comparison of 
 ten codes, ranging in date from the British 
 Museum to the latest edition of the “Library 
 School Rules.” Last year the study was 
 based upon a proposed code for cataloguing 
 government documents. This will be con- 
 tinued, and a course on preparing a printed 
 catalogue will be added. The students will 
 prepare for the printer the complete list of 
 books used for instruction in dictionary cat- 
 aloguing, with the index by principles, will 
 select the paper, decide upon the type and 
 read the proof. 
 
 Throughout the course practical experi- 
 ence is given in cataloguing. At Armour 
 Institute of Technology the students made 
 the greater part of the card catalogue, but 
 the books were not very difficult. At the 
 University there have been plenty of diffi- 
 cult foreign scientific books and continua- 
 tions, and the advantages have been satis- 
 factory. 
 
 Formerly cataloguing was given first in 
 the course, partly through following prece- 
 dent and partly because it gave a better 
 foundation in detail work. This arrange- 
 ment was changed at the University, be- 
 cause it brought the heavy instructional 
 work of the cataloguing department just 
 when the entire force was needed to cata- 
 logue the large invoices of books in the fall. 
 This year the instruction follows the logical 
 order of the work, beginning with the order 
 
232 
 
 THE ILLFNI: JAXUARY 13, 1899. 
 
 LIBRARY HALL. 
 
STATE LIBRARY SCHOOL. 
 
 233 
 
 and accession department, and this brings 
 cataloguing in the winter term, when in- 
 struction will not interfere with library 
 service. 
 
 Order and Accession. — In teaching meth- 
 ods of ordering books, a list of American 
 and foreign requests, with several inaccu- 
 rate items, is given to the students. They 
 must verify this and prepare orders and 
 write any necessary instructions to the 
 agent. In a short time the American books 
 are delivered, with a bill which needs cor- 
 recting and necessitates correspondence. 
 Later a custom house affidavit is sent to 
 each one, and this is executed before a nota- 
 ry public. The foreign books, with bill, are 
 then delivered and all records of the trans- 
 action are completed. The same books are 
 accessioned. Formerly trade bibliography 
 was taught before students took this work. 
 Hereafter it must be combined with the 
 order department because of the change in 
 the course. 
 
 Classification. — The Dewey Decimal Class- 
 ification is taught in the junior year, with 
 merely an introduction to the Cutter Ex- 
 pansive Classification for the sake of com- 
 parison. This latter system is carefully 
 studied in the senior year, together with 
 other well-known systems, for an under- 
 standing of principles rather than for 
 details. Both at Armour Institute of Tech- 
 nology and at the University the practice 
 of the students is with the Dewey Decimal 
 System. 
 
 Shelf. — Instruction is given upon sheet 
 and card shelf lists, book numbers and care 
 of the shelves. A section of shelves is 
 assigned to each student for practical care, 
 and experience is given with a card shelf 
 list. 
 
 Loan. — At first students were required to 
 memorize the details of a number of systems. 
 Now they study the principles of single and 
 double entry, and of the two-book system in 
 preparation for class or individual visits. In 
 the senior year, after having seen several dif- 
 ferent systems in operation, they make a 
 comparative study of the principles of guar- 
 antee, age limit, fines, renewals, reserves, 
 etc., in connection with regulations for 
 readers. 
 
 Binding. — Instruction in binding treats 
 of materials and processes, and is followed 
 by visits to binderies. Instruction is given 
 also in practical mending. 
 
 Refej'cnce. — Lectures in the junior year 
 are given on reference books in groups, 
 such as indexes, dictionaries, cyclopedias, 
 atlases, handbooks of history, handbooks of 
 general information, quotations, statistics. 
 
 etc. At the risk of losing interest because 
 of infrequent recitations, this subject has 
 been carried through the year rather than 
 grouped in one term, in order to familiarize 
 the students as early as possible with the 
 most used reference books, while studying 
 other subjects. Prom the very opening of 
 the school great stress has been laid on the 
 actual preparation of reference lists for 
 posting, and students have had opportuni- 
 ties to show their ingenuity in suggesting 
 and preparing timely lists. Their speed 
 has also been tested by the preparation of 
 class and society lists needed at a specified 
 time. Advanced students study govern- 
 ment, state and society publications. They 
 have also a short practical course in in- 
 dexing. 
 
 Bibliography is a tendency to 
 merge in other subjects the work formerly 
 given under this head. Instruction is given 
 in the junior year in the trade bibliography 
 of America, England, France and Germany. 
 Reading lists and short bibliographies are 
 included in reference work. In the senior 
 year subject bibliographies have been given 
 by specialists, and an original bibliography 
 has been required of each student before 
 graduation. The students have in this way 
 received many valuable lists, but they have 
 not had enough class exercises upon them 
 to make them familiar with them. This 
 omission was excused for lack of time, be- 
 cause the original bibliography was so 
 absorbing. The F acuity has finally reached 
 the conclusion that it is better for the stu- 
 dent to have more of these special bibliog- 
 raphies from authorities, with time for class 
 drill after each, than to become very famil- 
 iar with one subject to the exclusion of all 
 others, or at the risk of extreme superfi- 
 ciality. 
 
 Thesis. — The library school will hereafter 
 require only a thesis with list of references, 
 although a bibliography or reading list may 
 be substituted. A thesis will be preferred 
 in order to cultivate the power of written 
 expression. It has always been claimed 
 that preparation in general subjects must 
 be gained before entering the library school, 
 and that the latter was in no way respon- 
 sible for them. The experience of this 
 school has shown that college graduates, 
 and others who have good preparation other- 
 wise, are deficient in English composition. 
 The library school can not introduce this 
 subject, but it can provide for it in a certain 
 measure. For this reason, this year the 
 school will require from the juniors a writ- 
 ten book review each month, and from the 
 seniors a written outline of topics discussed 
 
234 
 
 THE ILLINI: JANUARY 13, 1899. 
 
 THE ROTUNDA OF THE LIBRARY BUILDING. 
 
STATE LIBRARY SCHOOL. 
 
 235 
 
 in seminar each week, and a written paper 
 with references on some library topic once 
 in two months. This oug’ht to secure better 
 theses at the close of the course, and pre- 
 pare the g-raduates to write clear reports and 
 addresses. 
 
 Selection of hooks. — Study is based upon 
 the Publishers’ Weekly and the Publishers’ 
 Circular, with a view to making- a selection 
 of books each month. The leading- critical 
 mag-azines are divided among- the class for 
 examination. Particular books are assig-ned 
 to individual students, who are required to 
 orally review them with reg-ard to author, 
 subject, edition, series, etc. Briefs of books 
 are frequently required, and once a month 
 a carefully written review must be presented. 
 During- the fall term, before reviews of the 
 fall books are available, the students study 
 children’s books by classes and contempo- 
 rary authors by g-roups, so that each student 
 becomes familiar with a larg-e number of 
 writers. Throug-h the year each student 
 is required to carefully read at least twenty 
 of the new books. 
 
 The broad side of the work has been 
 developed, so that the cutting- and mount- 
 ing- of items from the Publishers’ Weekly is 
 now only an incident, whereas formerly it 
 was magnified to an unprofitable degree. 
 
 General Library economy. — During the 
 fall term an effort is made to give the new 
 students information on general topics about 
 which they are often questioned; such as 
 library schools, library associations, travel- 
 ing libraries and library economy publica- 
 tions. Later, in the junior year, general 
 talks on each subject are given while the 
 technical work is in progress, instead of 
 being scattered through the year. During 
 the senior year advanced subjects are taken 
 up by the seminary method. 
 
 The library staff and library school have 
 organized a library club for the discussion 
 of general topics. This meets once a month 
 during the college year, and affords a means 
 of social intercourse. 
 
 Bookmaking. — This subject was first 
 treated in a few scattered lectures by Dr. 
 Gunsaulus, when the antiquarian side was 
 emphasized; next it was given in a long 
 course of lectures by Mr. Irving Way, when 
 the modern and practical side was empha- 
 sized, and later an attempt was made to use 
 text books for class study and to combine 
 the two features. Another year a course of 
 lectures will be given, illustrated by lantern 
 slides, and this will include the history of 
 printing and the history of binding. 
 
 History of libraries. — In this course libra- 
 ries are studied by types and by countries. 
 
 Library visits. — This school, like those 
 in the east, has made a practice of visiting 
 libraries annually for comparative study of 
 methods. While in Chicago, one visit was 
 made and discussed each week. Last year 
 the class spent one week in Chicago, mak- 
 ing two visits a day, and devoting many 
 days to discussion on their return. It is 
 doubtful if these visits will be repeated, at 
 least in the same way. The plan now is to 
 have a member of the staff thoroughly revise 
 the library school notes, on a much more 
 thorough basis, and to keep these up to 
 date. These will be supplemented by pho- 
 tographs and models, if possible, and will 
 be made the basis of comparative study of 
 principles at the University during the jun- 
 ior year. This will give the students a 
 clearer idea of details, and it will relieve 
 librarians of the task of minute explana- 
 tions which they have so graciously repeated 
 for several years. If it seems best, later, 
 the seniors may visit Chicago to study 
 broad questions, and to obtain final material 
 for their theses. 
 
 Laboratory work. — This term for practi- 
 cal work has been adopted since the connec- 
 tion of the school with the University. 
 Formerly this work was done at pleasure 
 during the day, and it was of a very miscel- 
 laneous character. This lacked system and 
 did not give satisfactory results; it wasted 
 the time of the staff and inculcated irregu- 
 lar habits on the part of the students. Now 
 regular laboratory hours are assigned; defi- 
 nite work is distributed beforehand, and an 
 instructor is in charge; tardiness or absence 
 from laboratory is as serious as from a reci- 
 tation. 
 
 In order to learn the details of office work 
 which cannot be taught in class, each stu- 
 dent acts as assistant for a time to each 
 member of the library staff in turn. Each 
 member of the staff has a senior assistant 
 and a junior assistant at the same time. 
 Formerly these worked independently, but 
 now the senior has charge of the junior’s 
 work and makes a report upon it each week. 
 This was devised as a slight test of the 
 executive ability of seniors, as trustees 
 always ask about that quality when engag- 
 ing librarians. 
 
 NOTICE. 
 
 nomirratiim for football man- 
 agei«*N£or be received 
 
 until Tue5d«^vening7'3'al^^!U^;^ 
 
 J. K. Ho^G^^tND, 
 
 Pres. Athletic Association. 
 
236 
 
 THE TLLINI: JANUARY 13, 1S99. 
 
 THE MAIN ENTRANCE. 
 
THE LIBRARY IN DETAIL. 
 
 237 
 
 THE LIBRARY IN DETAIL. 
 
 Government Documents. 
 
 THEIR ARRANGEMENT AND THEIR INDEXES. 
 
 The library of the University of Illinois is a 
 “designated depository;” that is, it is designat- 
 ed by law to receive all government publi- 
 cations which are issued in the congressional 
 or sheep-bound set. The library, however, 
 does not possess a complete set. Many of the 
 early volumes were never supplied, and doubt- 
 less some of the later volumes were lost be- 
 cause of inadequate provision for storage. 
 
 The government documents which are in 
 the library are arranged as follows: 
 
 Unbound and cloth bound documents are 
 classified and arranged with other books on 
 the same subject, sheep bound documents if 
 limited to a special subject are classified and 
 arranged with other books bn that subject- 
 Sheep bound documents which are of miscel- 
 laneous contents, or which are duplicated in 
 the cloth volumes, are arranged on the first 
 floor of the stack room in the order of the 
 “Check list to public documents,” which is 
 issued by the superintendent of documents at 
 Washington. This check list is a catalogue of 
 documents by congress, session and document. 
 It further tells where in the sheep bound set 
 any particular reports may be found. It is 
 supplemented each month, and should be con- 
 sulted before trying to use the documents, 
 unless the number of the desired volume is 
 known. Copies may be consulted at the loan 
 desk, the reference desk or in the document 
 room. This check list does not index special 
 articles. This work is covered by the document 
 index, which is issued at the close of each 
 session, and by the document catalogue, which 
 is issued at the close of each congress. These 
 publications are with the other indexes in the 
 reference room, and their use will be explained 
 at any time by the reference librarian. 
 
 Perodicals. 
 
 THEIR ARRANGEMENT AND THEIR INDEXES. 
 
 Current periodicals are all recorded in the 
 main library, but they are deposited wherever 
 they can be the most conveniently used. All 
 periodicals which are not sent to the depart- 
 ments for use, are filed in pigeon holes in the 
 
 reading room. A list of periodicals posted at 
 the end of the periodical case tells where any 
 magazine may be found. Usually the last 
 three numbers of periodicals are on file, other 
 numbers are in the stack room with the bound 
 volumes. In the stack room all periodicals are 
 on the third floor, arranged by subject. If the 
 desired volume is not found inquiry at the loan 
 desk will tell where it is. 
 
 The library possesses a full line of periodi- 
 cal indexes, and most of these are duplicated 
 in the reference room of the College of Engi- 
 neering. 
 
 Poole's Index covers general perodical liter- 
 ature from 1800 to 1897 and is continued by 
 the Annual Literary Index down to January 
 of each year. This is supplemented b}^ the 
 Cumulative Index^ which is issued monthly, 
 and by the brief lists in each number of the 
 Review of Revietvs. Magazine articles may be 
 found for any subject by looking under the 
 subject word, where will be found title, some- 
 times author, volume, page, and date. The 
 Cumulative Index also indexes portraits and 
 reviews of new books. Indexes to German 
 periodicals and French periodicals will soon be 
 added to the library. Technical periodicals 
 are indexed in the same way, though less thor- 
 oughly, by Galloupe's Engineering Index., the 
 Descriptive Index to Engineering Literature 
 and by the monthly indexes in the Engineering 
 Magazine; also by the lists in Electrical 
 World., and by the Repetiorium der technischen 
 Litteratur. 
 
 Familiarity with these indexes will lighten 
 the work of faculty and student. The refer- 
 ence librarian is ready at all times to explain 
 their use. 
 
 Agricultural Experiment Station Library. 
 
 In 1887 the U. S. government appropriated 
 $15,000 a year to each state for the purpose of 
 establishing and maintaining agricultural ex- 
 periment stations in connection with colleges 
 founded upon the act granting public land to 
 to them. The Illinois Agricultural Experiment 
 Station spent a large part of its early appro- 
 priations for books, and the result was nearly 
 5,000 titles, including pamphlets and clippings. 
 
238 
 
 THE ILLINl: JANUARY 13, 1899. 
 
 which were deposited in the main library last 
 spring. 
 
 Among the most valuable possessions in this 
 library are the bulletins and reports of the 
 agricultural experiment stations of the differ- 
 ent states of the union. 
 
 The collection is unusually complete, includ- 
 ing in many cases also the publications of sta- 
 tions supported by the state. This collection 
 was made through the painstaking efforts of 
 Mr. Pillsbury, when secretar}^ of the station, 
 and is now carefully continued by Professor 
 Davenport, director of the station. 
 
 Each station is required to publish a bulletin 
 at least once in three months, and these bul- 
 letins give the result of local experiments. 
 
 scriptions, and in publications which can be 
 secured through exchange. 
 
 The Library Classification. 
 
 It is an aid in finding books on the shelves 
 if one has some idea of the meaning of the 
 numbers on the book. In the University 
 library the numbers on the first line of the 
 label denote the subject; the letter and figures 
 below denote the author. This brings all 
 books on one subject together, and arranges 
 them by authors. Tlie plan is that of the 
 Dewey decimal classification and supposes all 
 knowledge to be divided into nine main classes 
 marked by the digits 1 to 9, with 0 assigned to 
 those works which are too general for any one 
 
 AMONG THE BOOKS. 
 
 The bulletins of this library were bound last 
 spring as far as they were complete. They 
 can be easily found in the library, as they 
 are arranged by states alphabetically. If a 
 reader wishes to find material on a given agri- 
 cultural topic he will use the Handbook of 
 experiment stations published in 1893, and the 
 Experiment station record since that time. He 
 will also find a card index to these bulletins 
 and reports in the station office and in the 
 main library. The idex, however, is not up to 
 date. 
 
 The Illinois Experiment Station needs all of 
 the government appropriation now for experi- 
 ment work and publishing, so that it will not 
 add to the library except in periodical sub- 
 
 class. Each class is divided ten times if desir- 
 ed. Each division may be divided ten times 
 and so on as far as practicable. 
 
 The classes are — 0 General Works; 1 Phil- 
 osophy: 2 Religion; 3 Sociology; 4 Philology; 
 5 Natural Science; 6 Useful Arts; 7 Fine Arts; 
 8 Literature; 9 History. 
 
 The number of a book remains the same re- 
 gardless of location. For example, 942 means 
 the history of England; 9 is for history, 4 is 
 for Europe and 2 is for England. 943 means 
 the history of Germany; 9 is for history, 4 is 
 for Europe and 3 is for Germany. 
 
 Library Club. 
 
 The Library Staff and the Library School 
 
THE LIBRARY US DETAIL. 
 
 239 
 
 form a library club which meets once a month 
 throughout the college year. The club con- 
 siders topics which are allied to library work, 
 but it does not deal with the technical sub- 
 jects which are included in the Library School 
 course. 
 
 During the present college year it has been 
 addresssed by Professor Frederick on “Modern 
 Methods of Illustrating,” by Professor Ricker 
 on “Library Buildings,” illustrated by a large 
 collection of lantern slides, and by Professor 
 Dodge on various editions of Shakespeare. 
 
 The club has no constitution and no regular 
 officers. Its programs are arranged and its 
 business conducted by an executive committee 
 of three, composed of one member from the 
 staff, one from the senior class, and one from 
 the junior class. 
 
 Evening Use of the Library. 
 
 Evening use of the library has steadily in- 
 creased, but there is room for many more read- 
 ers. The demand for this privilege was met 
 by the University authorities upon entering 
 the new library. Last year the light was in- 
 sufficient. This year the rooms are well light- 
 ed and every convenience is afforded as in the 
 daytime. The hours are from 6 :30 to 9 on Mon- 
 days, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. 
 
 The Library Catalogue. 
 
 The catalogue of the library is written on 
 cards which are filed in cases in the delivery 
 room, where they may be freely consulted. 
 Each book is represented by one or more cards. 
 These cards are arranged alphabetically by 
 authors, titles and subjects. If a student is 
 looking for a book by a particular author he 
 has only to look under this author’s name; if 
 he wishes to see what the library has upon a 
 given subject, he should look under the sub- 
 ject word in its alphabetic place. The num- 
 ber in the left hand margin of the card is the 
 call-number, denoting the subject and author 
 of the book and showing where it may be 
 found on the shelves. 
 
 The John Crerar Catalogue. 
 
 The John Crerar library in Chicago was 
 opened to the public about two years ago in 
 temporary quarters at 87 Wabash avenue, in 
 the Marshall Field annex, sixth floor. Its trus- 
 
 tees decided to make it a special library of 
 science and its applications in the broadest 
 sense, but to keep it for reference only. At 
 the same time they decided to print their card 
 catalogue and, to distribute duplicate cards to 
 such libraries as could most profitably use them. 
 During the first year the cards were assigned 
 to six libraries in Chicago and its suburbs. 
 Last year the University of Illinois applied for 
 these cards and received them, while all other 
 applicants were refused. 
 
 These cards are now arranged for free use 
 in a case in the reference room. It will be 
 valuable for the faculty and students to know 
 whether or not they can find certain scientific 
 works at this library before making a trip to 
 Chicago. Cards will be filed as soon as re- 
 ceived. The arrangement is alphabetical by 
 authors. 
 
 Reference Department. 
 
 The reference room is situated at the right 
 hand side of the entrance to the library, and in 
 it are placed books of such general interest 
 that they are frequently consulted, as dic- 
 tionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, indexes, alma- 
 nacs, year-books, books of quotations, collected 
 biography, etc. These books are classified in 
 the same manner as the rest of the library and 
 are so arranged upon the shelves. 
 
 In addition to the reference books, which 
 are kept permanently in the reference room, 
 are also a large number of books reserved for 
 a specified time at the request of the professors 
 and instructors for the use of their classes. 
 These books are compared each day with a list 
 which was made up at the time when they 
 were placed upon the shelves of the reference 
 room, and any missing book is promptly re- 
 ported to the instructor. 
 
 The work of the reference department is 
 developing along two distinct lines, first, the 
 answering of a number of questions of the 
 moment, such as: What is the cost of keeping 
 our naval reserves? What is the greatest alti- 
 tude in Illinois? Where find what corres- 
 pondence has passed between the United States 
 and Great Britain in regard to the release of 
 Mrs. May brick? and second, the bringing 
 together of all or part of the material which 
 the library contains, upon any desired subject. 
 
240 
 
 THE ILLINI : JANUARY 13, 1898. 
 
 A careful list is made of such material and 
 preserved for future use. For instance a year 
 ago when the classes in Rhetoric studied Stev- 
 enson, such a list was made of all the works 
 by Stevenson in the library, and of everything 
 which could be found concerning him. This 
 list was consulted a number of times each day 
 during the spring term. This year when the 
 present class begins their study of Stevenson 
 this list will be taken as a basis, but all the 
 articles which have appeared in books and peri- 
 odicals during the last year will be consulted, 
 and if of sufficient importance added to it. 
 Many such lists are being made continually, 
 at the request of the various instructors and 
 also of the students, for assistance in thesis 
 and other work. 
 
 It is the aim of the department always at 
 
 beginning of each year these lists are com- 
 bined to form the Annual American Catalogue. 
 Once in five years these volumes are combined 
 to form the American Catalogue. Through 
 these volumes an American book may be 
 traced from the present time back to 1876. 
 In tracing earlier publications a librarian 
 would better be consulted. 
 
 Current English books can be found by con- 
 sulting the Publishers' Circular. This peri- 
 odical gives a list of books published in Great 
 Britain each week. These lists are combined 
 each year to form the Annual English Cata- 
 logue, and these volumes are again combined 
 at unequal intervals to form the English Cat- 
 alogue. Through these volumes English books 
 may be traced back to 1835. 
 
 French and German books may be traced 
 
 A LIBRARY VIEW. 
 
 any time to be in readiness to find any infor- 
 mation wanted to answer questions which arise 
 at the moment, to prepare lists of books and 
 periodical articles upon any topic, and to assist 
 the students in learning to use the library 
 intelligently. 
 
 How to Find Publishers and Prices of Books. 
 
 The American, English, French and Ger- 
 man trade bibliographies are in the reference 
 room, where they can be used as freely by the 
 Faculty and students as by the librar}^ assist- 
 ants. Current American books can be found 
 by consulting the Publishers' Weekly. This 
 periodical gives each week a list of books pub- 
 lished in the United States, adding all trade 
 details and descriptive notes. It also gives, in 
 the first number of each month, a list of books 
 published during the previous month. At the 
 
 by similar lists, although they are not so well 
 represented for current publications. 
 
 General Reference Course. 
 
 This year a course on the use of the library 
 was offered to all students in the University, 
 and was entirely independent of the courses in 
 the library school. Its object was to help 
 students in the different colleges to help them- 
 selves in using the library. It^ comprised 
 lessons on the classification, the card catalogue, 
 general periodical indexes, technical and special 
 indexes, encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks 
 of history, biography and geography, hand- 
 books of general information, book and peri- 
 odical buying, book binding and repairs. 
 
 The scope of the work and the size of the 
 class made recitations impracticable. Students 
 were tested by written work altogether. A list 
 
TAIL, 
 
 241 
 
 questions was given to the students to 
 answer before the next lesson, and these an- 
 swers could only be found by actually exam- 
 ining the books which had been explained. 
 
 The term examination tested the ability of 
 the student to use the library aids, and it in- 
 sured individual work. Each student was 
 asked to select a subject of interest to him- 
 self, then to find five periodical references on 
 the subject, giving name of periodical, date, 
 volume and pages; to find five books on the 
 subject, giving author, title, publisher and 
 price; to find if these periodical articles and 
 books were in the University library; if they 
 were, to explain the meaning of the call num- 
 bers given on the catalogue cards; if they were 
 not in the library, to assign to them probable 
 call numbers (limited to three figures) using 
 the decimal classification. Students were al- 
 lowed to work at their convenience during 
 three days, and the results were very satisfac- 
 tory. It is hoped that more may take the 
 course another year and that it may be prac- 
 ticable to add new features. 
 
 Urbana Public Library and Illinois State Library 
 School. 
 
 Beginning in January this year the Library 
 School of the University will open the Urbana 
 Public Library each afternoon during ten 
 months of the year. 
 
 The library in Urbana has been closed dur- 
 ing the day because of inadequate funds for 
 help. The director of the Library School, 
 wishing to secure public library experience as 
 a regular part of the course, offered the ser- 
 
 vices of the school to the Library Board, and 
 the offer was accepted. 
 
 The work will be considered a senior privi- 
 lege. The plan is to open the library from 3 
 to 6 veach day, with two Seniors in charge. 
 Each^one will give two hours a day, so that 
 there will be two on duty at the busy hour at 
 the close of the public schools. Each Senior 
 will be on duty one month at least, and the 
 terms of service will overlap, so that one expe- 
 rienced person will always be in attendance. 
 
 The students will have entire charge at this 
 time, although they will serve under the direc- 
 tion of the librarian of the public library, and 
 will carry out the rules of the Board. 
 
 The opportunity is an exceptional one for 
 the Library School, and it is believed that it 
 will be much appreciated by the patrons of 
 the library. 
 
 Annotated Catalogue Cards on English History. 
 
 The library has just received catalogue cards 
 for the most important books on English his- 
 tory published in 1896, 1897 and 1898. The 
 cards are edited by W. Dawson Johnston and 
 issued by the Publishing Section of the Ameri- 
 can Library Association. Books are not se- 
 lected until six months after publication, in 
 order to test their value and to profit by re- 
 views. 
 
 The cards bear full descriptive and critical 
 notes and refer to reviews in critical journals. 
 The library has for each book, one card for 
 the author, one card for the subject and a slip 
 to insert in the book for the aid of the reader. 
 The titles for 1898 are also issued in pamphlet 
 form for convenience. 
 
242 
 
 
 JANUARY 13, 1899. 
 
 JHemoriam. 
 
 JONATHAN B. TURNER. 
 
 At hour of gfoing- to press we are 
 pained to^earn that the University has lost 
 its life-lon^Bupporter and friend, Proft^ssor 
 Jonathan B. ^urner. No particulars could 
 be learned at that late hour concerning- his 
 death, but owin\ to his advanced ag-e his 
 death is no great\urprise. A full account 
 of his life and wonis will appear in next 
 week’s Ielini. 
 
 NOTICI 
 
 Regular meeting of Athl^c Association, 
 Wednesday, January 18. 
 
 J. K. HoagiNvnd, Pres. 
 
 PEPE’S STORY. 
 
 beat glanced sorrowfully on the scene 
 him. Great piles of mangled slain lay ever 
 where. Horses and men mingled with 
 bursted caissons and broken cantion. A 
 mist had fallen on the country y^nveloping 
 the scene in a ghostly white shroud of fog. 
 As the soldier gazed throi^^h the mist 
 he saw a form rise up froiji a pile of slain 
 and flit across the field. /^iVas it a spy or a 
 prowling ghoul from the^'camp? 
 
 “Again and again iP paused, and by the 
 feeble rays of a lantern examined the faces 
 of the dead. Nearer and nearer came the 
 
 Thej^ often wondered in the hamle\ why 
 old Pepe lived alone on the battlefield. 
 True he had but a leg and had been p^- 
 sioned by the government, and having m 
 one to look after or care for he could live 
 where he pleased. But why did he choose 
 such a dismal, gloomy place as that? The 
 very memories surrounding the slope upon 
 which his humble cabin stood wer^ full of 
 blood and carnage. And when he Tilled his 
 garden in the spring he often turned up skel- 
 etons of the victims of that d^y of slaugh- 
 ter. It was a gruesome pl^te — that bat- 
 tlefield — and no one knew w/hy Father Pepe 
 lived there until they hac^/heard his story. 
 
 One summer night as/the old soldier sat 
 on the doorstep smoking, a party of peasant 
 folk came across tlye field. “Give us a 
 story. Father Pepe^/ one said as they seated 
 themselves revere^tlj" at the old man’s feet. 
 “Yes, give us ^story. Father Pepe, of the 
 war,” cried a^^chorus of voices. And so 
 Father Pepe/as he looked out on the battle- 
 field flooded with silver light from the rising 
 moon, be^an. 
 
 “Gra/elotte had been fought and won 
 and the held of battle was still from the 
 sound of charging columns and roaring can- 
 nod. A silence of death had fallen on the 
 bloody field. A picket as he paced his lonely 
 
 figure until the s^tinel challenged it. As 
 he did so it be^ over a heap of slain, and 
 with a wild cvj it fell to the earth. And 
 the sentinel fired.” 
 
 Pepe paused a moment and looked out on 
 the battl^eld. “It was right over there,” 
 he said/pointing to a hillock, “where they 
 went and found it. It was a woman, lying 
 dead, with her lips pressed to a dead car- 
 bineer’s cheek — shot through the breast by 
 the sentinel. Who they were no one could 
 find out. Such is the fate of war. Were 
 they lovers, or wife and husband? Who can 
 ill. “But, Pepe,” said one of the listeners 
 laughing,' “your story has no end. What 
 of \he sentinel?” “I was the sentinel,” 
 Pepe\eplied, still looking out on the battle- 
 field. \ E. L. 
 
 Now chfnes the farmer’s short course man, 
 :h dignified expression, 
 
 An 1 trie^o prove a single man 
 
 Can make a whole procession. 
 
 ATNTHE THEATER. 
 
 They were from \he country and evidently 
 never had been to vwy many plays. Before 
 the curtain rose the;^at looking about in 
 childish curiosity, andNvhen the orchestra 
 struck up the prelude boTh leaned forward, 
 scarcely breathing. Kver^hing was real 
 to them. They clapped th^ hands with 
 glee at the success of the hero^or sank back 
 in despair as the villain produced another 
 plot. They were happy — very h^py — and 
 as the curtain dropped on the last ^t they 
 followed the crowd aimlessly, withXtheir 
 eyes fixed upon the floor. They were tnmk- 
 ing — thinking over that brief play as an 
 in real life. G. F.