'&% £ £\A New York State Education Department Division of Educational Extension DIRECTIONS FOR THE LIBRARIAN OF A SMALL LIBRARY BY Zaidee Brown, Library organizer PAGE Book selection 3 Ordering 5 Accessioning 5 Pasting 6 Classification Subject classes 7 Author or name marks 8 Catalogues Kinds of catalogues 9 PAGE Catalogues ( continued ) Catalogue cards 11 Arranging cards 17 Inventory 18 Withdrawals and replacements! . 19 Statistics of circulation 19 Pamphlets 20 Annual report 21 ALBANY UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK i 9°9 Eii7r-D8-i2oo (7-1835) NOTE This pamphlet is in no sense a manual for the organization of small libraries by persons not experienced in library work, but is merely intended as a guide to be left in a library already organized by some experienced person, to help librarians and their successors to carry on consistently the system already established. It has been prepared especially for the use of the library organizers in New York State. As methods must vary according to the size and character of the library, it is to be annotated to suit the requirements of each case. The methods suggested are intended primarily for libraries of a few hundred volumes that are not expected in the future to exceed two thousand volumes, roughly speaking. The librarians of such libraries are usually residents of the place who give a few hours a week to the work, often without compensation, and who may have little or no previous library training or experience. Some- times a library changes hands and new librarians have no oppor- tunity of learning from their predecessors the methods which have- been used. To enable , such librarians to carry on the library prop- erly these directions have been prepared. Any changes made in these rules,, from time to time, to accord with the practice in a particular library, should be indicated clearly in this book for the information of future librarians. The following manuals give fuller information, examples of cata- logue cards and other forms. Stearns, L. E. Essentials in library administration. A. L. A. Publishing Board, 34 Newbury st., Boston, Mass. 15c Plummer, M. W. Hints for small libraries. The author. Pratt In- stitute, Brooklyn, N. Y. 50c Dana, J. C. Library primer. Library Bureau, 316 Broadway, New York city. $1 BOOK SELECTION In choosing books for purchase it is highly desirable to use the book lists prepared specially for librarians. As a rule these should be used to supplement reviews found in magazines and newspapers, which, however informing, often express the judgment of one person only. These lists are certainly better guides than advertise- ments of publishers, who naturally do not mention the faults of their publications. The chance recommendation of an acquaint- ance, often made without real knowledge of the book, is also of uncertain value. Some aids to book selection are named below with suggestions as to their use. There are many other valuable lists, but for the sake of brevity we mention here only those fur- nished free to registered libraries by the State. These lists are made up by comparing the opinions and criticisms of several^ people on each book, and by reading the printed reviews of it. i. A. L. A. Catalog of 8000 volumes, published in 1904. This is in two parts, the first part being* arranged by subject and contain- ing descriptive notes about the books, with symbols showing their gen- eral character. Read the explanation of these symbols on page 48 of part 1. This list may be used when the library wishes to buy more books of a given sort. For instance, if the library is weak in United States history and has money to buy a few books, a choice may be made by reading the notes on the different books, pages 353 to 365 of part 1. Books published since 1904 may be found in other lists described later. By noticing the symbols already referred to, one may pick out the specially readable books, the books suitable for young people, the scholarly books, etc. The same method may be followed with other classes, such as poetry, housekeeping, fiction etc. To find the books on any subject, consult the subject index, pages 373 to 403 of part 1. The numbers given are the class numbers corresponding to the various subjects. The classes are arranged by their corresponding numbers, and the numbers are written at the beginning of each class. One may also find what number stands for a given class from the classification scheme, pages 35-46 of part 1. The A. L. A. Catalog may also be used to find a descrip- tion of a book suggested for purchase, to see if it is desirable. To do this, look for the author or title of the book in part 2 (which is arranged alphabetically like a dictionary) and you will find its class number at the right. Then look for it under its class in part 1, 4 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT where there will usually be a descriptive note and a symbol showing its general character. In making the A. L. A. Catalog , it was in- tended to include most of the books then published which were thought desirable for a small library. For books published since 1904, the librarian may use the annual list of Best Books of the year, and the monthly' A. L. A. Booklist. 2 Best Books. This list of 250 titles is published annually by the New York State Library, about midsummer, primarily to aid the smaller public libraries in selecting books published during the previous calendar year. The books are arranged by subject and descriptive notes and references to reviews are provided. All books in this list are recommended, and an attempt is made to indicate by marking a, b and c, those which might well be chosen first by a library with very limited funds. An index at the end makes it easy to find the description of any book known by author’s name. This annotated list of best books recommended for purchase is based on the Tentative selection embracing four or five times as many titles, issued earlier in the year, and sent to all librarians in the State and to many beyond its borders to obtain expression of opinion as to what titles should be included in the shorter list. The Tentative selection contains no notes, except in an appended list of new editions, completed sets, changed titles, etc. It is made up only after actual examination of every book included and many omitted, and embraces only from a sixth to an eighth of the annual output in America. For the larger libraries it is useful as a buying list. By no means all the books included are recommended to small libraries, yet titles not desirable for them under ordinary conditions might yield valuable suggestions when a special class needed strengthening, and its files, as well as those of the shorter recom- mended list should be carefully preserved. 3 A. L. A. Booklist. This is published 10 times a year by the Publishing Board of the American Library Association. It is spe- cially useful for books published since the last number of Best Books; i. e. for all current publications. Full descriptions are given, and specially desirable books are marked with a This list is a valuable help in buying current fiction, as it includes most novels worth considering and indicates the good and bad points of each. An index is published at the end of the year, and should be kept with the set. These various lists will be most useful if kept together. A librarian wishing to choose a book on a given subject, or to find a DIRECTIONS FOR A SMALL LIBRARY 5 description of a given book, could then consult first the A. L. A. Catalog , as described above; then look for later information in the file of Best Books, beginning with 1904; and last in the numbers of the A. L. A. Booklist published since the last number of Best Books. It is desirable to keep the back numbers of the A. L. A. Booklist, as the file for a year includes many more books than are found in Best Books. ORDERING BOOKS A duplicate copy of orders sent should be kept by the library, giving, when known, the list price and publisher. Libraries expect to receive at least 33 J /z per cent discount on all except net books, and at least 10 per cent discount within the first year after publi- cation, on books marked net. A convenient way to keep a list of books ordered is on slips of paper or the back of waste catalogue cards. One card may be used for each book and the list kept alpha- betically by authors. When new books come they should be con> pared or checked up with the bill and with this order list to see that all those ordered have been received and that the prices charged are right. When catalogue cards for new books have been placed in the catalogue, the order slips may be destroyed. Leaves should be cut. Publishers will replace imperfect copies whenever discov- ered. When the book is checked with the bill, the cost may be written lightly in pencil upon the inside edge of the page after the title- page, without the dollar sign or decimal point. This may be useful in accessioning. The bills should be kept, chronologically arranged. A convenient way is to clip or paste them into a blank book. ACCESSIONING The accession book is a list of all books in the order in which they were added to the library. The lines should be numbered down the left side of the page and an accession number given to each book. No two books ever have the same accession number. There should be ruled columns for the items mentioned below and a column should be left for Remarks. After a book has been re- ceived and checked with the bill and order list, and examined for imperfections, it should be entered in the accession book and its accession number written in ink, or stamped, at the foot of the page following the title-page. The most accurate way of entering is to write with the bill before one, entering the books in the order of the bill and taking the price directly from the bill. Give date of 6 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT entry (or better, date of bill) ; author’s last name, or name with initials; brief title; volume number, when book is part of a set; source, and cost. By source we mean the dealer of whom the book is bought or the person who gives it. When the book is a gift, write G or Gift in the cost column. By adding a serial number in red ink, the total number of gifts will be shown. Each volume of a set is given a separate line and number. Pamphlets are not entered in the accession book. Magazines are entered only when bound. When lists are sent for Regents’ approval in account for public library money, write in the Remarks column, opposite the first title on the list, “ Numbers to sent to Regents,” and then give date. For example, in a list of one hundred books sent for approval, the first title being number 62 in the accession book, the entry would read “ Numbers 62 to 161 sent to Regents, June 17, 1908.” This does not apply to lists sent for approval in advance of purchase. PASTING AND LABELING The following pasting may be necessary. 1 Bookplate, giving name of library. Place on the inside of the front cover. The bookplate looks better if rules are not printed on it. The rules of the library, if given in the book, may be printed on the book pocket or on the reader’s card. 2 Labels. These, if used, should be well moistened and rubbed hard to keep them from peeling off. They are less likely to do this if the place where the label is to go is brushed with strong ammonia. The shelves look better if all the labels are at a uniform hight. A convenient measure is to make the distance from the bottom of the book to the top of the label half the length of a catalogue card. By cutting a notch out of the card, it is easy to apply this measure. If the books are marked with ink instead of labels, this mark also should be at a uniform hight. If a label placed at this hight covers the name of the author or the title, it should be placed lower or higher, but unimportant printing may be covered by the label. In some libraries books are marked with white or black ink, and labels used only where there is no plain surface upon the back of the book. The best black ink for marking is India ink. White ink, when used, should be covered with a coat of shellac. Some librarians shellac all labels. White oil paint, such as is used by artists, may be used instead of white ink. It is applied with a brush and does not need the coat of shellac. All DIRECTIONS FOR A SMALL LIBRARY 7 labeling should be as neat and plain as possible, and the printed forms of letters are the best to use. If the librarian can not make really good figures and letters, it is perhaps better to write on labels than on the book itself. 3 Book pockets. 4 Dating slips. For examples of how to paste in the pockets and dating slips, see those already in the library. The library should keep on hand some good paste. Homemade paste is usually not so good as that which may be bought, and small jars or tubes of paste may be obtained in most villages. It may be bought in quantity at less expense. The following kinds are satisfactory and keep indefinitely. Day’s white paste, prepared by the Diamond Paste Co., Albany, N. Y. Drawing board mucilage, prepared by the Library Bureau, 316 Broad- way, New York city. A recipe for making a paste that will keep will be found in Stearns’s Essentials in library administration, page 89. CLASSIFICATION The books of a library are to be placed and kept in such order that a given book or material on a given subject may be readily found. Two things are requisite to this. 1 Subject classes. First separate all the books into classes or kinds of literature. This process is called classification. In a classi- fied library all histories are in one class, all books of science in another, the books of fiction in another, and so on, until every book is in some class with other books of a similar character. In the system here used, each subject or class (except fiction) is repre- sented by a number which is written on the label and bookplate of each book in that class. Books for young people have y before the class number. Fiction has no class number and is simply ar- ranged alphabetically by name of author. Fiction for young people is marked with a y. The classification scheme is given in the first part of the A. L. A. Catalog, pages 35-46. In the card cata- logue are cards written with red ink, showing what numbers stand for the subjects already in this library. In classifying a new book, first decide what is its main subject or class, and then look in the alphabetic card list of subjects in 8 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT red ink to see what number stands for that subject. If you are in any doubt, look at the shelflist cards or the books already under the number you are thinking of and see if they are similar to the one you are classifying. If the library has not yet any book like the one you are classifying, look at the classification, pages 37-46 in the A. L. A. Catalog , and try to find the right class. A book should be classified where it will be most useful. If you can not find a class, look in the subject index, pages 373-403, part 1, of A. L. A. Catalog. After selecting a number from the subject index always turn back and look at it in the scheme of classification, pages 37-46, to see whether in your library that number may be used. The scheme as given in the A. L. A. Catalog is simplified for your library and the changes made are indicated on pages 37-46. If the book is in the A. L. A. Catalog, the annual lists Best Books, or the A. L. A. Booklist, you will find a subject number given to it. Here again, however, before using that number you must be sure to look at the outline of the classification as used in your library, to see whether that number may be used by you. For instance, the biography numbers given in the A. L. A. Catalog would not be used by you, and you would use only the first three figures of most numbers given. If you start a new class be sure to make a card referring to it in the red ink index of subjects. If people might think of the subject under two different words such as farming and agriculture make an index card under each. 2 Author or name marks. The next thing is to mark the books again with letters or names so that they may be arranged alpha- betically in each class. This makes it easier to find a given book, and has other advantages. Books are arranged in each class alpha- betically by the last name of the author, except in the case of indi- vidual biography, which is explained below. The initial of the author’s name is written below the class number.- Of course, it will often happen that two or more books, sometimes 10 or 20, will have the same initial; but this will not matter much, because they will all stand together, and by looking at the printed title you can pick out the one you want. For instructions as to who should be con- sidered as the author of a book when there is doubt, look at the next section headed Catalogues. If there is no author or editor, use the initial of the first word of the title no^ an article. Individual biography is arranged by the names of the persons written about, so that all the lives of one person may come together. It is therefore marked, not with the initial of the author’s name, DIRECTIONS FOR A SMALL LIBRARY 9 but with the surname of the man written about. For examples, see individual biographies already in the library. Write the class number on the bookplate (if that is customary in your library), on the book pocket, and on the upper left-hand corner of each catalogue card. For the place of the class number on the back of the book, look at the paragraph headed Pasting and labeling. While fiction has no class number, it may b'e marked with the author’s initial or the author’s last name to make it easier to keep the books in order on the shelves. Some libraries mark fiction only when the author’s name is not printed on the back of the book. In a small collection it may be sufficient to arrange the fiction merely by the initial of the author, putting first all the A’s, then the B’s, etc. When the collection becomes so large that it takes long to find a given book under this system, or when it seems desirable to keep together the novels by one author, the books should be arranged more exactly, according to the alphabetic order of the authors’ names. If the library uses a charging system requiring book cards, these should be marked on the top line with the class number, with the letter or name, written to correspond with the marking on the back of the book. On the second line write the author’s last name and on the third line write brief title. It saves time to the librarian when books are returned if the same things are written _ on the book pocket. These book cards are used for keeping a record of books taken out. When a book goes out, its card is kept and the reader’s name or number written on it. For convenience in keeping statistics, use book cards for fiction of one color , for non- fiction of another color , and for unbound magazines and pamphlets of still another . CATALOGUES The list of books in the library is - kept on cards to allow ready insertion of new cards for additions. All catalogue cards should be written as plainly as possible. Each book, or set of books having the same title, is catalogued on a separate card. Kinds of catalogues. The kind of catalogue and the number of cards made for a book vary according to the size of the library and the needs of the community. One card at least is made for each book or set of books. This card has the author’s name on the top line, the surname being given first, and the title below. A different card may be made with the title on the top line and the author 10 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT below. This is called a title card. The call number or letter in the upper left corner of a card always shows where the book may be found on the shelves. Cards for nonfiction always have a class number in the corner and cards for fiction have either an initial letter or nothing. The absence of a class number means that the book will be found on the fiction shelves, where the books are arranged alphabetically by author. The letter, when given, is the same as the letter marked on the back of the work of fiction; and is usually the author’s initial. Following are the principal kinds of catalogues. 1 Shelflist. The simplest and most necessary list in most cases is a list of the books in the order in which they stand on the shelves. As the books are arranged by subject number, the cards are also arranged by subject. Such a list is called a shelflist, but may also be regarded as a subject catalogue. Besides serving as a subject catalogue, this list is an account of stock and may be used in taking an inventory of the books, to see that none have been lost. There is also an alphabetic card list, written in red ink, of the subjects represented, telling what number stands for each subject. For convenience, these may be called index cards, as they practically are an index to the shelflist. They are arranged either at the beginning of the shelflist, in an alphabet by themselves ; or in the alphabetic list of authors and titles described under 4. 2 Title list. The list described above may be supplemented by a second list giving titles, arranged alphabetically like a dictionary. Such a title list includes all titles of fiction and may include striking titles of nonfiction. It does not include such titles as History of England, Miscellaneous essays, etc. This list is useful in find- ing a book whose author or subject is unknown. As explained earlier, the number in the upper left corner of the card shows where the book may be found. 3 Author list. An alphabetic author list of all the books in the library may also be made to show what books it has by a given author and where they may be found. This list is also useful in making out orders, to avoid buying a duplicate of a book already in the library. It may be made in either of two ways. a By making a second author card for each card in the shelflist (the list described above under 1) omitting accession number unless it is used for charging. (The cards for individual biography which in the shelflist have the subject on the top line will, in this author DIRECTIONS FOR A SMALL LIBRARY II list, have the author on the top line. For example, see cards already in your catalogue.) b A shorter method is to make a second card only for nonfiction. File these author cards for nonfiction with the alphabetic author list of fiction in the shelflist, and the result is an alphabetic author list of the whole library. This list may still be used as a shelflist of fiction for taking inventory by simply disregarding all the nonfiction cards, that is, all the cards with class numbers in the corners. 4 Author and title list. The title list (described under 2) and the author list (described under 3) may be filed together in one alphabet. The index cards written in red ink (described under 1) may also be filed in this alphabet instead of at the beginning of the shelflist. 5 Dictionary catalogue. One or more subject cards may be made for each book, having on the top line the subject of the book written in red ink, and author and title below. These cards may be filed in one alphabet with the author and title cards. This makes what is called a dictionary catalogue. Catalogue cards. Number. The number of cards required for each book by the above lists are as follows : 1 For a shelflist alone, one card. 2 For a shelflist and a title list, two cards each for all fiction, and for nonfiction with a striking title. One card for other non- fiction. 3 For a shelflist, title list and author list : By method a: two author cards and a title card for all fiction and for nonfiction with striking title ; two author cards for other nonfiction. By method b : one author and a title card for all fiction, and two author cards for all nonfiction, with title card when the title is striking. 4 Same number of cards as in 3, the only difference being in arrangement. 5 Same number of cards as 3 plus whatever subject cards are made. This varies with different books. Author card. 1 Give author’s name on the top line, beginning at the first red line; the surname is given first. As to the fulness in which the name is given: If there is only one first name, this should always be written out. If there is more than one first name you 1 To make explanation easier, we have used the term author card for all cards giving first the author’s name, including shelflist cards. In technical books on cataloguing, this term is not applied to shelflist cards. 12 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT may either (a) give initials only; ( b ) write out the first name and give initials for the others; or (c) write the name in full. If the author is known under two names, such as Mary E. Wilkins and Mrs Freeman, choose the one you think best known and make a card under the other form of the name, referring the reader to the form chosen. For example, Freeman, Mrs to be found in this catalogue under Wilkins, Mary E. and in your catalogue, see If one book is the sequel of another, or if it is one of a series of connected novels, it is well to state this fact on the lower part of the catalogue card. In the case of a series, the name of the series may be written in curves after the title, with the series num- ber of that particular book. Any kind of descriptive note may be written or pasted on the lower part of the catalogue card. For examples, see the following cards in your catalogue. DIRECTIONS FOR A SMALL LIBRARY 13 If there is no author, use the name of the editor or compiler and write editor or compiler after this name on the card. If there is neither author nor editor, leave the top line blank, writing the title below, and use the initial of the first word of the title, not an article,, as the initial on the back of the book. If the book is published by some branch of the government or by a society or organization, the body publishing it is regarded as the author. This is called the official author. Sometimes, how- ever, when the whole of a public document is written by one man he is put down as the author. A note should then be written on the lower part of the card, stating that the book is an official publica- tion of a certain organization. For the official author of a state publication use first the name of the state, followed by a period, and then the branch of the state government issuing the document. For example, New York {state). Forest, fish & game commission. For the official author of a United States publication, use the name United States, and then the branch of the government issuing the document. The initial on the back of a book for New York publications will be N, and for United States publications it will be U. Many government publications may be catalogued di- rectly under the title if sufficiently distinctive; for example, Con- gressional directory, Congressional record, Farmers bulletins, Ex- periment station record, Consular reports, Treaties and conventions, Monthly weather review. In such cases a card may be made in the name of the official author referring to these titles. For example : U. S. Agriculture Department, see also Farmers bulletins 34 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT The list of documents in the first part of the A. L. A. Catalog, p. 367-72, may be useful in finding the names of the branches of the government. The Congressional directory, which may be ob- tained free by applying to your congressman, also describes the dif- ferent branches of the government. Write the title on the line below the author, beginning at the second red line, using as much of the title as you think desirable to show the character of the book. Capitalize only the first word and words always requiring capitals, such as proper names. The initial article may be omitted when not necessary to the sense. After the title, give the number of volumes, if there are more than one. In nonfiction the edition and date of publication may be given, if desired. These show how recent a book is and are useful to the occasional student, especially in works where the date makes a difference, such as scientific books. In giving the date, give date at the foot of the title-page, and if the first edition of the book was published more than a year earlier, add the date of first publication in brackets. The date of first publication in this country is the first copyright date on the back of the title-page. If there is no copy- right date, the preface sometimes shows when the book was written. If in doubt about what date to give, do not give any. On the shelf list cards write the accession number between the two red lines near the bottom of the card. If there is more than ■one volume or copy, give the accession number of each. For ex- amples, see the following cards in your catalogue. DIRECTIONS FOR A SMALL LIBRARY X 5 Title card. Title cards are made for all fiction and for non- fiction when the title is striking, such as Following the equator. The title is written on the top line, beginning at the second red line, and the author’s name below, beginning at the first red line. If the author has more than one first name, give initials only on the title card. If there is more than one volume of a book, write the number of volumes after the title. Omit the articles the, an and a at the beginning of the title on the title card. If the article is necessary to the sense it may be used in parentheses, but should be disregarded in alphabeting the cards. If there are two or more novels in a book, a title card should be made for each. In such cases write on the lower part of the card for the second and third novels in the book, with his or her, and then give the title of the first novel in the book. For examples in your catalogue, see This is especially desirable when only the title of the first novel is printed on the back of the book. If the title begins with some words not usually used in speaking of the book, omit these and make the title card under the name usually used. For instance, if the title reads Life and adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit, use for the title simply Martin Chuzzlewit. The title cards made should be indicated either on the shelf list card, or the author card in the alphabetic list of authors. This is called tracing the card and enables one to readily remove from the catalogue all cards for a lost book or for one whose number is changed. A simple way of tracing is to make two dots on the author card under the first word that appears on the title card. If there are several novels in the book and title cards have been made for each, dots should be used upon the author card under the first word of each title. The accession number need not be given on the title cards. l6 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT Subject cards for parts of a book. It often happens that a book on one subject contains material on another subject, or a book may- consist of miscellaneous essays on various subjects. The book is of course classified according to its main subject, but it would be very useful if the other material might be readily found when wanted. Often a library has no whole book on a given subject,, but it may be discussed in chapters of two or three books scattered in various classes. Unless some record is made, such material can be found when wanted only if the librarian happens to have read and remembered the books ; and manifestly all librarians have limita- tions. It is better to make subject cards for such portions of books,, when the librarian has time. The work is interesting and will add greatly to one’s knowledge of the books in the library. It may be kept for those hours, if such there be, when other work is not pressing. Such cards for portions of a book are called analytical cards , or analyticals, because they analyze the book into its parts. To make such a card for an essay, say, in a given book, write, on the top line, beginning at the second red line, the subject of the essay. Use that word to express the subject which you think people will be most likely to think of. Having once adopted a given word to express a given subject, always use that word in making other cards. For instance, if you have made a card under Agriculture do not make the next one under Farming. Having written the subject on the top line in red ink, write below, beginning at the first red line, the name of the author of the essay. On the line below, beginning at the second red line, write its title. After this in parentheses write In his and then give the name of the whole- book. Give the page where the essay is found. If the whole book is by some other person, use that person’s name instead of the pronoun his. In the upper left corner of the card write the class- number and initial letter of the book, which shows where it may be found on the shelves. Whenever you look up a subject for an y one and find part of a book on it, it is well to make such a card, as a memorandum for future use. For examples in your catalogue, see DIRECTIONS FOR A SMALL LIBRARY 17 These cards had better be filed in the same alphabet with the cards in red ink that index the shelflist. This will bring together all the material on one subject. If you have a general index card referring to the shelflist under a given subject, and an analytical card on the same subject, file the analytical card after the general card. Then write on the general card “ See following cards for additional material on this subject^ If much of this analytical work is done, a rubber stamp could be bought which would print that sentence. Two such cards would read as follows. General index card: Astronomy See books in class 520 See following cards for additional material on this subject Analytical card: 824 H Astronomy Howell, Joseph How to find the constellations (In his Miscellaneous papers. Page 41) It is well to trace each subject analytical made for a given book by writing the name of the subject on the back of the author card, or the shelflist card if there is no author list in the library. Then if a book is withdrawn all its cards may be taken out of the cata- logue. Arranging cards. 1 Shelflist. Arrange shelflist cards having class numbers in the corner according to number. The cards having the same number should be arranged alphabetically by author. For example, first place together all the cards in class 220 and then arrange them alphabetically, then the cards in 230 arranged alphabetically, etc. Now put them in their proper places in the shelflist, always arranging first by number and then arrang- ing all the cards of one number alphabetically by author. The alphabeting must not be by the first letter only, but should be carried out as in a dictionary. If there are decimal fractions of a number, these indicate subdivisions of the subject represented by the whole number and are filed immediately after this whole num- ber. For example, first comes 973, then 973.2, 973.3 etc. and then comes 974. 1 8 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT 2 Alphabetic lists. The alphabetic author and title lists are ar- ranged first according to what is on the top line. When the top line is the same for two cards (as when there are two cards for the same author) they are arranged according to what is on the line below. The alpha'beting must be followed out as in a diction^ ary. An article at the beginning of a title is disregarded, but in the middle of a title it is regarded in the alphabeting. If one word forms the first part of another word, the shorter word comes first regardless of the word following. For example, New York comes before Newark. That is, nothing comes before something. If authors and titles are in one alphabet, rind an author and a title card begin with the same word, the author card comes first. In filing, it is well to put the cards in place first without pulling- out the rods, so that the cards project. Then go over them to make sure that they are in the right places, before pulling out the rods and locking them in. INVENTORY The books in the library should be examined occasionally, pre- ferably at least once a year, to see that none are lost. At the same time any mistakes that may have crept into the shelflist will be found. It is not necessary to call in all the books to take an inventory. The books should first be put in exact order on the shelves. Then one person should read the list of books aloud from the shelflist while another looks to see if the books are on the shelves. One person can of course do the work, but it is much easier with two. If the library uses Cutter numbers, only those numbers need to be read. If it does not (and they have not been suggested in these directions) it will be necessary to read class- number, author and enough of the title to identify the book. When a title is read which is not on the shelves, the person looking at the shelves says “ Out ” and the person reading writes down the class number and the accession number if this is used for charging, with author and title. When all the shelves have- been read, the list of books not on the shelves is compared with the list of books loaned, and those found regularly charged to some one are crossed off. Those remaining are missing and should be diligently searched for. If after several months they arfe not found, they should be crossed off in the accession book and Missing and' DIRECTIONS FOR A SMALL LIBRARY *9 the date written in the Remarks column. If worth replacing, a new copy should be bought ; if not, they should be withdrawn from all records [see Withdrawals and replacements]. WITHDRAWALS AND REPLACEMENTS If a book is withdrawn and not replaced, all its cards should of course be taken from the catalogue. Keep a few pages at the end of the accession book, or in a separate blank book, for a record of books withdrawn. This is to include both those that are replaced and those that are not. Number the lines on the pages, giving a line to each volume withdrawn. If this record is kept from the begin- ning, or from some time when an actual count of books is made, it will give the total number of volumes withdrawn. By substracting this total from the total in the accession book, the present number of books in the library will be known. In writing this record of books withdrawn, give date when the book is withdrawn, brief author and title, accession number, and reason for withdrawal if you wish. When a book withdrawn is replaced by a new copy of the same, write Repl. or Replaced after the title in the Withdrawal record. Cross off the accession number of the old copy in the accession book, and in the Remarks column write Replaced by no. — . Enter the new copy in the accession book with a new number, and in the Remarks column write Replaces no. — . Change the accession number on the shelf list card by drawing a line through the old number and writing the new one. The book card of the old copy should be kept and placed in the new book. If the accession num- ber is given on the book card it must of course be changed. When you put the old book card in the new copy, write Replaced after the last charge on the card. STATISTICS OF CIRCULATION A record should be kept of the number of volumes of fiction and nonfiction circulated, and also of unbound magazines and pamphlets. Each of these classes may be separated into juvenile and adult, if desired. The manner of keeping this record will depend upon the charging system. Where a system is used that has a book card, the easiest way is to count the cards at the end of each day, and put the totals by date in a table, where they can readily be added up. They may be added up at the end of each month or quarter and the totals entered in a table, where they can easily be added for the annual report. 20 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PAMPHLETS Pamphlets should not be allowed to accumulate, but should be looked over as soon as they come. Keep only what may be useful. If you receive regularly some publication that you do not want, send notice to the office sending it. Ask if they w ? sh you to return copies you already have at their expense. This is done for some government documents. Decide what is the main subject of the pamphlet and mark the class number on its upper corner. Write or stamp on the cover the name of the library, and place the pamphlet with books having the same number. It is best to use a box for this purpose if one of the right shape can be obtained. A heavy pasteboard box, backed with white paper 9^x7x434 inches will be made by any box factory for $3.50 per hundred. The open- ing should be on the long narrow side. A few thin pamphlets on the same subject may be kept in a folder of heavy paper, or they may be placed between two pieces of card- board and tied like a parcel. It is then easier to place them with books on the same subject. A box or folder containing pamphlets should be marked with the class number and a general title, Pamphlets on . If you put a pamphlet in a class in which there are no pamphlets as yet, make a general card for the shelflist, giving class number in the corner and saying Pam- phlets on . When you think a pamphlet is out of date or no longer useful, discard it. As the pamphlets are not entered on your accession book nor included in the count of books in the library, this is a simple matter. This is specially desirable with old college catalogues, etc. after new ones come. Pamphlets that are worth it may be bound in cardboard covers, and marked on the back with author and title. They should then be treated in all respects as if they were books. If several pamphlets or leaflets are bound together in the same cover, a common title-page may be written and fastened in front, saying Pamphlets on . If any one wishes to take out a pamphlet, in a library where book cards are used, a temporary book card may be made giving the class and name of the pamphlet, and when the pamphlet is returned this may be put in it for use again. Neither pamphlets nor unbound magazines are to be included in the count of volumes circulated, but should be added in the annual report at the foot of the page in a separate count. DIRECTIONS FOR A SMALL LIBRARY 21 ANNUAL REPORT A report of the work of the library is sent to the Regents once a year on blank forms furnished for that purpose. Usually the library year, like the school year, begins July i and ends June 30. If another date is regularly adopted by the library for local reasons, it should be plainly indicated on the top line of the report. The im- portant items are the Number of books, the Additions for the year, the Circulation of fiction and the Total number of books circulated. If children’s books are kept and charged by themselves, they may be separately reported in their own column and also included in the total. The separation of children’s books is not required. The cir- culation of magazines or other unbound material may be separately noted at the foot of the page or elsewhere on the blank, but should not be included in the general total. Note carefully the Rides for counting circulation printed on the report blank. The items of money received and of money paid out are also important, and the names of library trustees should be given. Such a report after being signed by the librarian and certified by the president (or, in his absence, by the vice president or one of the trustees) should be sent to the Division of Educational Exten- sion at Albany as early in July as it can be conveniently prepared. Under Regents rules this report is due August 1, and if delayed be- yond September 20, without sufficient excuse, the right to receive public money during the following year is forfeited. With careful attention to the accession book and the daily and monthly records of circulation and money account, there should be no difficulty in making up all the items required within one week after the close of the year. It will in fact be found much easier to give the matter prompt attention than to postpone it. It will be well to bear in mind that the annual report is intended to show just how matters stand at the close of business on June 30. Anything added the next day or the next week or month belongs with the report of the succeeding year. If the library has received money from the State for buying books, a list of books bought with this money and with the equal amount locally supplied, should be copied from the accession book showing the cost of each book and sent with the annual report for approval. If all the money has not been spent the books already bought should be reported and an additional list sent later, before asking for another grant. Lists of books requiring approval must 22 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT be submitted within one year from the payment of the State allot- ment. Libraries that wish to do so may also submit for advice and ap- proval lists of books which they intend to buy. An exact copy of the annual report is kept by the library to be consulted in making the next report, in order to insure agreement between the two. Finally , remember that the State library is ready to give advice or help , even on minor matters.