Chapter 9

Proceedings, including delivery:Jan.15.Publishers' Weekly,balance on printing and binding Atlanta Proceedings$142 92Publishers' Weekly,delivery Atlanta Proceedings66 27Mar.17.Publishers' Weekly,cartage50Oct.2.Publishers' Weekly,Montreal Proceedings and delivery881 34———$1091 03Stenographer:June30.J. H. Kenehan$30 75July7.G. D. Robinson73 69———$104 44Secretary and conference expenses:April24.F. H. Gerlock & Co., printing handbook$59 00F. H. Gerlock & Co., circulars, etc.35 25May29.Henry J. Carr, postage, etc.112 90June30.F. H. Gerlock & Co., programs and circulars37 75July24.Henry J. Carr, travel secretaries' expenses67 92Oct.18.F. W. Faxon, stamped envelopes, etc.15 60Dec.12.F. W. Faxon, salary, on account50 00———$378 42Treasurer's expenses:May29.Gardner M. Jones, postage, etc.$14 00Oct.2.Salem Press Co., printing bills, etc.5 50Gardner M. Jones, stamped envelopes, etc.46 85Dec.24.Gardner M. Jones, expenses31 55———$97 90Trustees of the Endowment Fund, life membership for investment$50 00————$1721 79Balance on hand, Dec. 31, 1900:Deposit in New England Trust Co. Boston$201 55Deposit in Merchants' Bank, Salem, Mass.106 05$307 60————————$2029 39=======

From Jan. 1 to July 1, 1901, the receipts have been $1650.00 and the payments $781.32, the balance on hand July 1 being $1176.28. The membership, hence the income, of the Association is increasing from year to year, but it should be borne in mind that increased membership means increased expenses. The secretary and treasurer are obliged to ask for more money for postage, stationery, printing, etc., and it is only by the most rigid condensation that the recorder is able to keep our conference Proceedings within our means.

The number of members in good standing on Dec. 31, 1900, was as follows:

Honorary members3Perpetual member1Life fellows2Life members34Annual fellows (paid for 1900)9Annual members (paid for 1900)796Library members (paid for 1900)29——874

During the year 1900, 208 new members joined the Association and seven died.

Gardner M. Jones,Treasurer.

The following report of audit was appended:

The Finance Committee have performed the duties laid down in the constitution; theyhave examined the accounts of the treasurer,during the period covered by his report, and find them properly kept and vouched for.

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Necrology.

1. Eleanor Arnold Angell (A. L. A. no. 1631, 1897) assistant librarian American Society of Civil Engineers, New York City. Born Jan. 23, 1874; died in New York City May 18, 1900. Miss Angell graduated from the Pratt Institute Library School in 1896 and was a member of the Pratt Institute Library staff until July, 1897. From Dec., 1897, to the time of her death she was assistant librarian of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

2. Hon. Mellen Chamberlain (A. L. A. no. 335, 1879) ex-librarian, Boston Public Library. Born in Pembroke, N. H., June 4, 1821; died in Chelsea, Mass., June 25, 1900. He was graduated from Dartmouth College in 1844, taught school at Brattleboro, Vt., entered the Harvard Law School in 1846, was graduated and admitted to the bar in 1849. In the same year he took up his residence in Chelsea and began the practice of law in Boston. He held several municipal offices and was a member of both houses of the state legislature. From 1866 to 1870 he was an associate justice of the Municipal Court of Boston, then chief justice of the same court until his resignation in 1878. He was librarian of the Boston Public Library from Oct. 1, 1878, to Oct. 1, 1890. During his administration the library's collection of Americana was largely increased and the preliminary plans for the new building were developed. The remainder of his life was devoted to literary and historical work. Judge Chamberlain was recognized as one of the foremost students of American colonial history and his collection of autographic documents relating to American history was one of the finest in the country. This collection was deposited in the Boston Public Library in 1893 and became its property on the death of Judge Chamberlain.

(See "Brief description of the Chamberlain collection of autographs," published by the Boston Public Library.)

3. Henry Barnard (A. L. A. no. 104, 1877.) Born in Hartford, Ct., Jan. 24, 1811; died July 5, 1900. He graduated from Yale College in 1830 and in 1835 was admitted to the bar. From 1837-40 he was a member of the Connecticut legislature and during his term of service advocated reforms in insane asylums, prisons and the common schools. From 1838 to 1842 he was secretary of the board of school commissioners in Connecticut; from 1842 to 1849 school commissioner of Rhode Island; from 1850 to 1854 state superintendent of the Connecticut schools, and from 1857 to 1859 president of the State University of Wisconsin. From 1865 to 1867 he was president of St. John's College, and from 1867 to 1870 U. S. Commissioner of Education. He wrote and compiled many educational books and edited several educational periodicals, the most important being theAmerican Journal of Education. In 1886 he published a collected edition of his works comprising 52 volumes and over 800 original treatises. Dr. Barnard received the degree of LL.D. from Yale and Union in 1851 and from Harvard in 1852. He was always greatly interested in libraries. In 1823 or 1824 he served as assistant librarian and made his first donation to the library of Monson Academy, and from 1828 to 1830 was librarian of the Linonian Society of Yale College, giving twice the amount of the small salary back to the library in books. During his connection with the legislature and common schools of Connecticut, 1837 to 1842, the district school library system was established and the power of taxation for libraries was given to every school society in the state. During his sojourn in Rhode Island he started a library in every town in the state. He joined the A. L. A. in 1877, and was made an honorary member at Chicago in 1893. He attended the conferences of 1876, 1877, and 1893.

("National cyclopedia of American biography," vol. I;L. J.,4:289.)

4. Enos L. Doan (A. L. A. no. 1909, 1899), librarian of the Wilmington (Del.) Institute Free Library. Born in Indiana about 40 years ago; died in Wilmington, Dec. 18, 1900. He was a graduate of Haverford College and was for several years connected with the Friends' School in Wilmington, first as teacher and later as assistant principal and principal. In the spring of 1899 he resigned that office to accept the appointment of librarian of the Wilmington Institute Free Library. He had previously been active in the development of the library, and as chairman of the library committee had aided in the reorganization of the former subscription library into a free public library.

(L. J., Jan., 1901.)^nbsp;

5. Josiah Norris Wing (A. L. A. no. 585, 1886), librarian New York Free Circulating Library. Born near Lynchburg, Va., Sept. 29, 1848; died in New York City, Dec. 20, 1900. His father, E. N. Wing, was engineer of the East Tenn. and Va. R. R. He was a Union man and after the siege of Knoxville removed to New York City. Here young Wing attended the public schools and entered the College of the City of New York, but before the close of the first year he became aclerk in the Mercantile Library. He was connected with the library for 13 years and became first assistant librarian, but his unceasing work and devotion to details injured his health and he was obliged to retire from active work. In 1880 he took charge of the library department of Charles Scribner's Sons, for which his library training well fitted him. In April, 1899, he was elected chief librarian of the New York Free Circulating Library. During the years he was in the book business Mr. Wing kept in close touch with library interests. He was a member of the A. L. A. for 14 years, and was almost from its beginning an active member of the New York Library Club. He had been treasurer of the New York Library Association for seven years, holding that office at the time of his death. He was also prominent in book trade organizations and in various civic reform movements in New York City. He was always ready to give help and service in any good cause and he will be missed by many friends among librarians and bookbuyers.

(Publishers' Weekly, Dec. 29, 1900;L. J., Jan., 1901.)

6. Huntington Wolcott Jackson (A. L. A. no. 884, 1890), president board of directors of the John Crerar Library. Born in Newark, N. J., Jan. 28, 1841; died in Chicago, Jan. 3, 1901. He attended Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass., and entered Princeton College. At the end of his junior year he enlisted in the army, where he secured rapid promotion. After a year at the Harvard Law School and a year spent in European travel and study, he finished his studies in Chicago and was admitted to the bar in 1868. He practiced law in Chicago and in 1888 was elected president of the Chicago Bar Association. Mr. Jackson was a warm and trusted friend of the late John Crerar. At Mr. Crerar's death he was, with Mr. Norman Williams, one of the executors of the will and a co-trustee of the John Crerar Library, then to be founded. For many years Mr. Jackson was chairman of the committee on administration and practically all of the details of administration were passed upon by him and some quite important changes were made by him. Mr. Jackson was a member of the A. L. A. from 1890 until his death, but there is no record of his attendance at any conference.

(See Report of John Crerar Library, 1900.)

7. Robert Crossman Ingraham (A. L. A. no. 205, 1879), librarian of the New Bedford (Mass.) Free Public Library. Born in New Bedford, Feb. 11, 1827; died there March 3, 1901. The New Bedford Free Public Library was instituted in 1852 and Mr. Ingraham was chosen its first librarian, then taking up the work to which he gave nearly half a century. Under his management the library grew from its nucleus of 5500 volumes to 72,000 volumes, and the strength and good proportions of the collection are due to his scholarship, unsparing labor, and discernment of local needs. For many years Mr. Ingraham had little or no assistance in the library, yet for more than 30 years he cataloged every book added to its shelves. He kept in touch with changes in library administration and was not prevented by conservatism from adopting those which his good judgment approved. Mr. Ingraham was a man of retiring disposition and simple tastes, a hard student with a marvellous memory. In addition to his great fund of general information, and knowledge of the books in his library, he was thoroughly posted in everything relating to the history of New Bedford, and had few equals in his knowledge of mosses and liverworts. He devoted his life to his library and his fund of erudition was always at the service of every one who sought his assistance.

(See W. R. L. Gifford in L. J., April, 1901.)

8. Eugene Francis Malcouronne (A. L. A. no. 1973, 1900), for the last 10 years secretary-treasurer and librarian of the Fraser Institute Free Public Library, of Montreal,diedApril 11, 1901. Mr. Malcouronne will be pleasantly remembered by many who attended the Montreal conference.

The treasurer's report was accepted.

C. C. Souleread the

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE ENDOWMENT FUND.

To the Secretary of the American Library Association.

I submit herewith a report of the receipts and expenditures from the date of last report, June 6, 1900, to July 1, 1901, together with a schedule of assets, and an estimate of income for the ensuing year.

There are no donations to report. The permanent fund has been increased by the fees for three (3) life memberships, $75 in all.

In March, 1901, the mortgagor on a loan of$1000, bearing interest at six per cent., and falling due Aug. 1, 1903, asked leave to pay off the mortgage. He was allowed to do so on paying $53.97, being the difference between the six per cent. he was to have paid, up to maturity of the mortgage, and the four per cent. which the trustees can expect to get on reinvestment of the $1000 repaid. This repayment to the fund has been kept in bank until after this conference. If not needed by the Publishing Board as a loan, it can be invested at, say, four per cent. Of the $2102.18 now on deposit, subject to check, $655.04 is on interest account, available for expenditure as the Council may direct. (In addition to this, $301.03 income may be expected during the year 1901-2.) $1437.14 is on principal account to be invested as opportunity offers.

Charles C. Soule,Treasurer A. L. A. Endowment Fund.

ENDOWMENT FUND STATEMENT, JUNE 6, 1900-JULY 1, 1901.

The following report of audit was appended:

At the request of Charles C. Soule, treasurer of the Endowment Fund, we have examined his accounts and securities, and find evidence of investment of $3700 in mortgage loans, of deposit of $1050.80 in the Brookline (Mass.) Savings Bank, and of $2102.18 in the International Trust Company, of Boston. We also find his accounts correctly cast, with proper vouchers for all expenditures.

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Mr.Soule: In submitting this report, I would call the attention of the Association to the fact that the permanent fund is not as large as it ought to be. If you will remember, the attempt at collection, made with much vigor at first, had to be abandoned on account of general financial trouble through the country. No systematic effort has since been made to increase the fund. The work of the Association would be very much furthered if this fund were large enough to provide $5000 or $6000 of income, so that the Association could have two or three, or one or two, permanent paid officers, with a good allowance for travelling and incidental expenses. If any of you should be asked where an amount of say $100,000 could be placed with advantage to the general library cause, I hope you will bear in mind the inadequate funds of the Association.

The report was accepted.

In the absence ofW. L. R. Gifford, chairman, the secretary read the

REPORT OF THE CO-OPERATION COMMITTEE.

The exhaustive report on co-operative cataloging rendered by the Co-operation Committee of last year has disposed for the present, so far as this committee is concerned, of the most important subject which has of late years been brought to its attention.

Dr. Richardson reports that the index to theological periodicals is progressing rapidly, and will probably be published before the next conference of the A. L. A. The index will cover the years 1891-1900, and will include all the standard theological periodicals, of Poole rank and upwards, in all languages of which there are representatives in American libraries, together with many references to theological articles in general periodicals, in all not less than 25,000 references. It will be an alphabetical subject index like Poole, but will differ from Poole in giving regular author-title entry, and will be more bibliographical in character through the select references to general periodicals. A feature of the index will be a very brief definition of each subject. Dr. Richardson has at present seven clerks engaged in the work, and is pushing it as fast as possible.

The dictionary of historical fiction, in preparation by the Free Library of Philadelphia, is making satisfactory progress, and will probably be issued within the coming year. Since the announcement was made at the Atlanta conference that this dictionary was in preparation there have been many inquiries concerning it, and the prospect of its publication will be welcome.

The committee has received no new information during the past year in regard to plans for bibliographical work, and it would emphasize the recommendations of previous years that all such plans be reported promptly to the committee, so that they may be published in its annual report.

William L. R. Gifford,Chairman.

In the absence ofC. H. Gould, chairman,C. W. Andrewsread the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN DOCUMENTS.

The committee begs to report, with considerable confidence, that this is positively its last appearance in connection with the list of French government serials, which has been long in course of compilation and publication. This work is now in its final stage, and as it will soon be in the hands of the reviewer, to say much in regard to it at present seems hardly necessary. Two points, however, require a word:

1. Recognizing the difficulties in the way of attaining anything like completeness in an enumeration of this nature, the committee deliberately decided to omit certain documents in favor of others. Thus it happens that no reference is made to the legislative proceedings of the several Revolutionary Assemblies, nor to other publications of equal importance.

2. In addition to enumerating documents, this list indicates particular libraries wherethey may be consulted. It was, of course, unnecessary, even had it been possible, to mention all the libraries in the country which possess sets more or less complete. But it is hoped that the libraries chosen are so widely distributed as to save a would-be reader from undertaking a long journey when a shorter one would serve.

Such other features as call for notice will be referred to in the preface.

It would, however, be unbecoming if the committee failed now to recognize and thank Miss Adelaide R. Hasse for the pains and labor she has bestowed upon the list. She has co-operated with the committee from the first, and to her and to Mr. Andrews the committee is under special obligations.

The committee would further report that it now has on hand a considerable amount of raw material for a German list similar to the French; and it is hoped that progress may be made in arranging this during the present summer.

Respectfully submitted,

C. H. Gould,Chairman.

W. I. Fletcherread the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TITLE-PAGES AND INDEXES OF PERIODICAL VOLUMES.

Your committee have understood their business to be the preparation of a note to be addressed to the publishers of periodicals, setting forth the views of librarians in regard to the issue of title-pages, etc., with periodicals. They, therefore, submit as their report the accompanying draft of such a note, with the recommendation that it be sent to the publishers of all leading periodicals, and that a committee on this subject be continued, to receive and act upon any correspondence that may be called out.

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Note to publishers of periodicals, as to the furnishing in proper form of title-pages and contents. This note was drawn up by a Committee of the American Library Association and was approved by the Association.

As a result of much dissatisfaction among librarians with the irregularities and uncertainties connected with the issue, by publishers of periodicals, of title-pages and "contents" of volumes, the American Library Association has had a special committee considering the subject with a view to drawing up a suitable memorial to be presented to such publishers, looking to the securing of more uniformity and propriety in this matter. After mature consideration the committee have prepared the following recommendations as embodying the minimum of improvement which may reasonably be hoped for.1. Title-pages and tables of contents should always accompanythe number completing a volume,and not the first number of a new volume. [They should bestitched in, and not sent loose.] There are several cogent reasons for this recommendation:(a) In many cases it is a serious detriment to the usefulness of a set in a library, if a completed volume cannot be bound until the receipt of the next number.(b) More important is the need that the numbers of a volume shall constitute the volume in its entirety, so that as they are bought and sold there shall not be the necessity of handling also another number belonging to a different volume in order to complete the first. Now that libraries are buying periodical sets and volumes in such large numbers for use with Poole's and other indexes, it is of great importance to the book trade, as well as librarians, and must have a real bearing on the business interests of the publishers, that this matter, often trifled with, shall receive due attention. Publishers must come to feel that if it is necessary (which it generally proves not to be) to delay a completing number a day or two in its issue in order to insure its completeness in this respect, the delay is abundantly compensated for.2. Title-pages and contents should be furnishedwith every copyof the issue of a completing number. We earnestly believe that by inserting title-pages and contents in all cases publishers will at once put a premium on the preservation and binding of their magazines, suggesting it to many who otherwise would not think of it. In the long run the demand for back numbers to make up volumes must more than compensate for the extra expense of putting in the additional leaves.The policy of sending title-pages and contents only to those calling for them is suicidal, as it results in flooding the market with numbers from which volumes cannot be made up and by destroying the hope of making up sets weakens thedemandwhich would otherwise exist for volumes and numbers of the periodical in question.If an alphabetical index, in addition to a table of contents, is furnished, which is the preferable practice, the former should be paged to go at the end of the volume. When such an index is furnished, and no table of contents, the index should be printed to follow the title-page.3. As to the form in which title-pages and contents should be issued: they should beprinted on a two-, four-, or eight-leaved section, separate from other printed matter, either advertising or reading. Nothing is more important in binding volumes to stand the hard wear of our public libraries than that none of the earlier leaves in the volume shall be single leaves pasted in. One of the greatest abuses of the book trade at present is the disposition to have title and other preliminary leaves pasted in. Librarians find to their cost (what is not so obvious to the book manufacturer) that this does not work. An absolute requirement for good bookmaking is that the first and last portions of the book especially shall be good solid sections—no single leaves, nor do most librarians or owners of private libraries like to include advertisements, in order to secure these solid sections for binding. We feel sure that it is abundantly worth while for the publishers to squarely meet this demand.4. Admitting that there may be cases in which it is practically impossible to furnish title and contents with the completing number of a volume, we would recommend for such cases that such a separate section as has been described be made and furnished with the first number of the new volume, stitched inat its end,not at its beginning. The last-named practice is likely to cause more trouble to librarians than any other that is common, as it is difficult to remove the section without making the number unfit to place in the reading room.We would like to call the attention of periodical publishers to the difficulties arising from the common practice of printing some first or last leaves of reading matter on the same section with some pages of advertising. Most librarians prefer to remove the advertising leaves before binding the magazines. The practice referred to makes it necessary to bind in some advertising leaves or else take off and paste in single leaves of reading matter, sometimes three or four in one place, which is very inimical to good binding. Publishers are advised to have all advertising pages printed on separate sections if possible.Desiring to meet, so far as possible, the views of publishers in regard to the matters referred to above, the committee will be pleased to hear from any to whom this note may come.

1. Title-pages and tables of contents should always accompanythe number completing a volume,and not the first number of a new volume. [They should bestitched in, and not sent loose.] There are several cogent reasons for this recommendation:

(a) In many cases it is a serious detriment to the usefulness of a set in a library, if a completed volume cannot be bound until the receipt of the next number.

(b) More important is the need that the numbers of a volume shall constitute the volume in its entirety, so that as they are bought and sold there shall not be the necessity of handling also another number belonging to a different volume in order to complete the first. Now that libraries are buying periodical sets and volumes in such large numbers for use with Poole's and other indexes, it is of great importance to the book trade, as well as librarians, and must have a real bearing on the business interests of the publishers, that this matter, often trifled with, shall receive due attention. Publishers must come to feel that if it is necessary (which it generally proves not to be) to delay a completing number a day or two in its issue in order to insure its completeness in this respect, the delay is abundantly compensated for.

2. Title-pages and contents should be furnishedwith every copyof the issue of a completing number. We earnestly believe that by inserting title-pages and contents in all cases publishers will at once put a premium on the preservation and binding of their magazines, suggesting it to many who otherwise would not think of it. In the long run the demand for back numbers to make up volumes must more than compensate for the extra expense of putting in the additional leaves.

The policy of sending title-pages and contents only to those calling for them is suicidal, as it results in flooding the market with numbers from which volumes cannot be made up and by destroying the hope of making up sets weakens thedemandwhich would otherwise exist for volumes and numbers of the periodical in question.

If an alphabetical index, in addition to a table of contents, is furnished, which is the preferable practice, the former should be paged to go at the end of the volume. When such an index is furnished, and no table of contents, the index should be printed to follow the title-page.

3. As to the form in which title-pages and contents should be issued: they should beprinted on a two-, four-, or eight-leaved section, separate from other printed matter, either advertising or reading. Nothing is more important in binding volumes to stand the hard wear of our public libraries than that none of the earlier leaves in the volume shall be single leaves pasted in. One of the greatest abuses of the book trade at present is the disposition to have title and other preliminary leaves pasted in. Librarians find to their cost (what is not so obvious to the book manufacturer) that this does not work. An absolute requirement for good bookmaking is that the first and last portions of the book especially shall be good solid sections—no single leaves, nor do most librarians or owners of private libraries like to include advertisements, in order to secure these solid sections for binding. We feel sure that it is abundantly worth while for the publishers to squarely meet this demand.

4. Admitting that there may be cases in which it is practically impossible to furnish title and contents with the completing number of a volume, we would recommend for such cases that such a separate section as has been described be made and furnished with the first number of the new volume, stitched inat its end,not at its beginning. The last-named practice is likely to cause more trouble to librarians than any other that is common, as it is difficult to remove the section without making the number unfit to place in the reading room.

We would like to call the attention of periodical publishers to the difficulties arising from the common practice of printing some first or last leaves of reading matter on the same section with some pages of advertising. Most librarians prefer to remove the advertising leaves before binding the magazines. The practice referred to makes it necessary to bind in some advertising leaves or else take off and paste in single leaves of reading matter, sometimes three or four in one place, which is very inimical to good binding. Publishers are advised to have all advertising pages printed on separate sections if possible.

Desiring to meet, so far as possible, the views of publishers in regard to the matters referred to above, the committee will be pleased to hear from any to whom this note may come.

Mr.Fletcher: The committee have corresponded with some of the magazine publishers, and if any are disposed to consider what is here proposed an ideal system, your attention may be called to the fact that several of our magazine publishers are carrying it out. For instance, Houghton, Mifflin & Co.—I am not mentioning them as superior to others; others might be mentioned—but in their reply to a tentative letter Houghton, Mifflin & Co. say that "in all of our publications every one of these recommendations is strictly carried out." They took pride in replying to us that they believed they were doing exactly what we wanted—and several other publishers.

G. M. Jones: I understand the report to recommend that title-pages and indexes be fastened into the last number of the volume. Now it seems that in many cases it would be very much better to have them left loose. The case is this: In almost all public libraries of any size periodicals are put into some kind of a binder. On many accounts binders which perforate are the best, but we do not wish to perforate title-page and index, if we can help it, especially the title-page, and I would like to inquire why the committee considered it so essential that the title-page and index should be fastened into the number?

Mr.Fletcher: These questions were all considered by the committee, and I would say when I first drew up my suggestion on this point it was that title-page and index should be sent loose; but I found an overwhelming argument against that, when we came to consider that they were desired to be with every completing number; that those completing numbers are sold to the people in railroad trains and elsewhere and are coming into the second-hand periodical market, where we must look for many to make up our sets. Now as to the point which Mr. Jones has spoken of. If the magazine is to be perforated to be put in the binder, as the completing number is to have the title and index, as we proposed, in a separate section, it can be removed by undoing the stitching, or sewing, if it is sewed. That can be done before it is put into the binder. Of course there is no necessity for ruining, the stitching in its entirety. There may be some little objection there, but it is so slight that it seemed to the committee entirely counterbalanced.

Mr.Jones: Mr. Fletcher's reply is perfectly satisfactory on that point.

W. S. Biscoe: One other suggestion: Do I understand from Mr. Fletcher, if there is a table of contents, that the index be put after the title-page?

Mr.Fletcher: No, the suggestion is thatif there is an alphabetical index and a table of contents, the index should be planned and arranged at the end of the volume, but that if only an index is furnished, and no table of contents, that would be in accordance with the usual practice in such cases—the index should go, like a table of contents, after the title-page.

Mr.Biscoe: If there is no table of contents the alphabetical index is to go after the title-page? It seems to me desirable that it should always go at the end of the volume.

Mr.Fletcher: I am very glad that point has been called attention to. I should like it if Mr. Biscoe would suggest an amendment. According to the report, when such an index is furnished, and no table of contents, the index should be printed to follow the title-page. We might say: if an alphabetical index is furnished, it should be paged to go at the end of the volume.

T. L. Montgomery: Was not the committee's report to provide for the printing of the alphabetical index in the place of a table of contents, thereby making it one section?

Mr.Fletcher: The advantage of that would be that there would be something to go with the title-page to make up the section. The title-page should be part of a section for binding as a separate section. I wonder if most of the librarians present haven't had the same exasperating experience which I have so often had with those title-pages which are separate leaves, and have to be pasted into the volume. There is hardly any practice so vicious in bookmaking as having the title-page pasted in. It almost always pulls out before the book is in any other respect at all dilapidated.

A. G. Josephson: I would suggest that the committee recommend that both a table of contents and an index should be furnished.

Mr.Fletcher: The committee would entirely agree to that, and it could very easily be done. If an alphabetical index, in addition to the table of contents, is furnished, a practice to be preferred might be to consolidate them.

Pres.Carr: I think, Mr. Fletcher, you should be able to modify your report, before printing, to incorporate those suggestions.

F. W. Faxon: If the committee is trying to get at an ideal arrangement, it might be well to suggest that the publishers of magazines have some one who knows something about the contents make the index. We have a magazine in Boston that persists in indexing articles under "a" and "the," and proper names under "John" and "James." But if the committee is trying to get a rule that the publishers will be most likely to adopt, it seems to me they might suggest that the index be published in each concluding number of a volume, even though the index is put in place of that many pages of text. Of course it would not do to suggest that these pages be taken out of advertising, but as the text usually costs the magazine something, publishers would probably be willing to devote four of the pages they would have to pay for to an index, which would cost them much less.

Mr.Fletcher: I think it would interest the Association to know of an example that Mrs. Fairchild sent me some time ago of the way these indexes are made. Some periodical in New York had an article on motive power for the canals, and in the index it appeared under "Mule, Must the Canal Go?"

The report was approved and referred to the Council.

In the absence of Dr.J. S. Billingsthe secretary read the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON "INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE."

Your committee begs to report that the final conference of delegates of the various governments for the purpose of considering an International Catalogue of Scientific Literature was held in London on June 12 and 13, 1900, and, as intimated in the report of your committee last year, owing to the failure of Congress to make it possible for delegates with power to attend, no representatives of the United States were present. Mr. Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress, who was visiting England at the time was informally in conference with various members of the Royal Society and rendered effective service in enabling them to reach a conclusion.

The conference decided to undertake the issuing of the Catalogue provided 300 complete subscriptions were received by October 1st, the quota of the United States in this being 45. During the summer the Smithsonian Institution issued a circular to American libraries and universities and learned societies and scientific men, announcing the fact, with the very gratifying result of the subscription to the equivalent of over 70 complete sets for a period of five years.

A meeting of the International Council to finally arrange for the beginning of the work was held in London on December 12 and 13, 1900, at which the necessary financial arrangements were agreed to, the Royal Society advancing certain sums and agreeing to act as publisher, and being authorized to enter into contracts, etc. Doctor H. Foster Morley was elected director and offices were secured at 34 and 35 Southampton street, Strand, London, W. C. The initial work has begun. The preparation of a list of periodicals to be indexed and a more careful revision of the schedules was the first work to be done. Thus far the periodical lists for Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Holland, Japan, Portugal, Canada, India and Ceylon have been printed. That for the United States is expected to be ready for transmission to London about August 1st.

In the absence of any provision, the Smithsonian Institution is carrying on the work for the United States,although with very inadequate force. It would be very desirable if legislation could be had to enable the Smithsonian Institution to prosecute this work more vigorously and without drawing upon its own funds.

J. S. Billings,Chairman.Cyrus Adler,Secretary.

Pres.Carr: Dr. Hosmer has, I think, a communication to make that is of concern to us all.

MEMORIAL TO JOHN FISKE.

Dr.Hosmer: Mr. President, and Ladies and Gentlemen:

We meet here in the midst of beautiful surroundings, but with considerable discomfort. Perhaps we hardly make it real to ourselves that this is in our country a time of calamity. Never in the course of a somewhat long experience, can I remember so many fatalities from the terrible heat of the summer. The newspapers have come to us from day to day with the list of victims from the great cities, and this morning comes in intelligence of a death which touches us librarians very closely—the death of John Fiske. He died yesterday at Gloucester, Mass., overcome by the heat; and I think it entirely right to say that in the death of John Fiske comes the extinction of the greatest force in American literature at the present moment. John Fiske, while not a member of our association, was at one time a librarian; he had a great interest in the Association; he was the personal friend of many of its members. It is perhaps quite right to say that no author at the present time is so frequently in the mouths and in the hands of the librarians. It has been thought fitting by the executive committee that we should make an exception in his case, and that there should be some formal mention of his passing. I regret very much that the time is so brief. What I have to say must be unconsidered.

In several directions, John Fiske was a great writer. First as regards the doctrine of evolution, the great idea which has come to the world in our day. What a great and solemn thing it is! The slow process through the lapse of ages from the monad to that which crawls, then to that which swims, then to that which flies, until we come at last to that which walks erect with brow expanded broadly to the light of heaven; the slow increment of intelligence in the brain, as species becomes merged in constantly higher species; the extension of infancy, with its beautiful sequence of humanity, of love, of spirituality. This has come to be accepted by scientific minds as the path which the divine energy chooses to follow in the work of creation. Now, among our American writers, I suppose there is no one who has had so much to do with the development of the doctrine of evolution as John Fiske. He was the intimate friend and counsellor of Darwin, of Huxley, of Herbert Spencer, of Tyndall. They recognized in him their peer, and if it is the case—and I believe it to be the case—that John Fiske contributed to the doctrine of evolution the idea of the "extension of infancy" as being the cause of what is most gentle and lovely in humanity he deserves to be named with the first of those who have been connected with that great theory.

In the second place as a historian, this wonderfully versatile man stands among the very first of the country. As a historian, John Fiske is not to be spoken of without discrimination. He had his limitations. I do not think that he had the power of picturesque description to the extent that Motley or Prescott possessed it. I do not think that he had the power of indefatigable research to the extent that it was possessed by our honored fellow-member, Justin Winsor. I do not think that he had the faculty of character-drawing as it was possessed for instance by the great historian, Clarendon, of the seventeenth century. But John Fiske had his gift, and it was a remarkable one. Taking a chaotic mass of facts, I know of no other American writer who had such genius to go in among them, to discern the vital links that connected one with another, to get order and system out of it, and then to present the result with a lucidity and a beauty which carried captive every reader. That was his faculty, as a historian; and he possessed it to such an extent and he used it in such a way that he is entitled to a place among our greatest historians.

Nor are these the only claims to distinction of this great man who has gone. As a religious leader, John Fiske is one of the foremost men of the time. His "Destiny of man," his "Idea of God," his latest noble address on the immortality of the soul, not yet published, are priceless writings, and men and women among the very best and brightest find in these books the best expression and guidance for their religious feelings.

Every one here has had opportunity, abundant opportunity, to know the greatness of John Fiske's mind. Few here, perhaps no other one, has had such opportunity as I have had to know the warmth and the generosity of his heart. For ten years in the Washington University, at St. Louis, we were colleagues; for 35 years we have been friends, and as I stand here before you to speak of him, my emotions fairly overcome me and I can do nothing but take my seat; but it is appropriate that in the American Library Association there should be some recognition taken of the passing from the midst of us of this great and noble figure.

Pres.Carr: After these fitting and touching words, we can hardly have it in our hearts to transact any further business this session, and therefore, if there is no objection, we will proceed to take an adjournment.

Mr.Crunden: I think a fitting action, on the suggestion of Dr. Hosmer, would be the appointment of a committee, with Dr. Hosmer as chairman, to draw up memorial resolutions. I make a motion to that effect.

The motion was adopted, and a committee was appointed, of J. K. Hosmer, George Iles, and R. G. Thwaites.

Adjourned 12 m.

(Fountain Spring House, Saturday morning, July 6.)

The meeting was called to order by PresidentCarrat 10.20.

In the absence ofR. R. Bowker, chairman,W. E. Henryread the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.

The Committee on Public Documents this year makes an exclusively negative report. The Congress was occupied so exclusively with matters of larger public policy, particularly in relation with new territorial developments, that no attention was given in either house to public documents measures. A bill was presented in the House of Representatives by Mr. Heatwole, on somewhat different lines from the Platt bill offered in the Senate last year, but like that in essential conformity with the general position taken by the American Library Association. This bill did not, however, progress beyond the introductory steps.

Within the past twelvemonth the Indiana State Library has issued its useful "Subject catalog of U. S. public documents in the Indiana State Library," as an appendix to the 23d biennial report of the state library, covering 289 pages, and presenting a useful conspectus within its field. This index, while serving helpfully as a general key for the use of other libraries through the range of documents contained in each specific library, suggests the greater importance of an adequate subject index to U. S. government publications in general, which could be made a checklist by several state and other libraries. The Indiana State Library has also prepared anindex to theDocumentary Journalof Indiana from the beginning of that publication in 1835 to 1899, which is included in the 23d report of that library.

There is also little to report as to state publications, although there is evident a growth of interest in state bibliography, particularly in the state libraries. Part second of the bibliography of "State publications" is promised for the present year, including the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

A contribution of interest within this field has been made by the Acorn Club, of Connecticut, which has issued an elaborate bibliographical record of "Connecticut state laws," from the earliest times to 1836, compiled by A.C. Bates, librarian of the Connecticut Historical Society, a useful feature of the work being the indication, when possible, of some library in which each issue recorded may be found. Record may also be made, in this connection, of the work accomplished or accomplishing by the Public Archives Commission of the American Historical Association, headed by Prof. William McDonald, of Bowdoin College, as chairman, in which Professors Robinson, of Columbia, Caldwell, of Nebraska, Bugbee, of Texas, who are his associates on the committee, have the co-operation of representatives in the several states. While this commission does not concern itself specifically with bibliography, it is preparing the way for a better bibliography of state publications than has hitherto been possible, by investigating the conditions of the public archives of each state, with a view to inducing the systematic and more complete collection in each state of its own archives, including its printed documents as well as manuscript records.

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Herbert Putnam: I would suggest that the Superintendent of Documents is here, and that possibly he might have some suggestion or recommendation to make on the subject of this report.

L. C. Ferrell: I suppose anything I may have to say will be in addition to what was said in the report of the committee on public documents, as the report was rather negative. The matter of bringing about any legislation requires time and involves a great deal of hard work upon somebody. This is especially so if the subject is one in which no member of Congress, in particular, has a personal interest. It generally takes 10 or 12 years to pass any bill of interest to the people that no member of Congress will take care of personally. If it is a matter like saving the country, you can get a fifty million dollar bill passed in half an hour, but you cannot get a member of Congress to take up and pass a bill changing the method of printing and the distribution of documents without a great deal of pressure. Now, if Mr. Heatwole, chairman of the House Committee on Printing, was here, I think we might accomplish something to advantage on that subject, because I think if he could meet this great body of librarians face to face, we might get him to commit himself as to what he will do next session. He has promised me to take up this matter next winter and revise the printing laws from "A" to "Z," as he expressed it, but whether he will do so or not, I cannot say. Now, I shall prepare another bill, or have the old bill introduced again, I do not know which, and, as long as I remain in the office of Superintendent of Documents, I shall endeavor to bring about legislation on the lines proposed in the bills heretofore presented to Congress. In the first place, I want all the government periodicals taken out of the Congressional series and bound in cloth, so that they can be distributed to the libraries as soon as they are printed. But one edition of any document ought to be printed, and that edition ought to have the same endorsement on the back and the same title on the inside. If we continue to print duplicate and triplicate editions—departmental, bureau, and congressional—librarians will always have trouble in classifying and cataloging them. As far as my record is concerned, I suppose most of you are familiar with it. I am constantly endeavoring to improve the service. I have adopted a cumulative index for the monthly catalog; cumulative for six months, with a consolidated index for the entire year, in the December number. That was done mainlybecause the annual catalog cannot be printed so as to be distributed promptly, and the monthly catalog fully indexed can be made to answer all temporary purposes. Now, we have three series of catalogs, as you all know, perhaps, each one serving a distinctive purpose. The document catalog, or comprehensive index—its official title—is intended for permanent use. It includes all documents printed during a fiscal year—July 1 to June 30, following. The document index is a subject, title, and author index of all congressional documents, indicating the number of each document and the volume in which it is bound up. In the monthly catalog all documents are arranged alphabetically under the author of the document, and everything related to the same subject is brought together in the index. Now, we are broadening out a little in our work; probably doing something Congress never contemplated we should do when the office was established. We are doing a good deal of bibliographical work, and I intend to enlarge upon it as I have the opportunity. We have published "Reports of explorations printed in the documents of the United States government, a contribution toward a bibliography," by Miss Hasse; a "Bibliography of U. S. public documents relating tointer-oceaniccommunication across Nicaragua, Panama, etc.," and we expect soon to take up the subject of documents relating to the various states, the purpose being to make a complete bibliography of everything printed in the U. S. public documents concerning each state and territory. We propose to take up the matter of documents relating to the Louisiana purchase first, because we are going to have a great exposition two years from now at St. Louis to commemorate that great event.

J. C. Danapresented the

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON CO-OPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

Early last winter I secured from librarians, library assistants and teachers about 25 brief articles on co-operation between libraries and schools. These articles were written with special reference to teachers. I made a descriptive list of them and sent this list to leading educational journals in this country, with the request that the editors thereof select from it one or more of the articles and publish them prior to July 1, 1901. Largely through the kindness of Mr. Winship, editor of theJournal of Educationof Boston, I got the promise of publication of these articles from educational editors to the number of 25. The articles were duly sent out. I regret to have to report that I have received notice of the publication of less than half a dozen of the whole number. A few others may have been published, but the editors have never notified me of the fact. The articles were brief and chiefly written by persons prominent in library work in this country, they were of general interest, and seemed to deserve publication. The fact that they did not get it is to my mind somewhat indicative of the comparative unimportance of libraries in the opinion of educational people of this country.

Since coming here I have learned of another little incident which throws some light on our relation to the educational profession of this country. From the office ofPublic Librariesthe program of the meeting of the library department of the N. E. A. at Detroit was sent to 32 leading educational journals in this country with the request that they print it. Of these 32 papers two only printed the program as requested, or at least two only printed it and gave due notice of the fact.

From all this we may learn, as I have stated more than once before, that libraries and librarians are as yet held in small esteem by the educational people of this country. Our influence among them is not great. It is not considered that we are connected in any important way with educational work. This is the opinion held by the rank and file. I believe this to be true in spite of the fact that the leaders of the N. E. A. have themselves been more than generous to the library department. Those leaders, largely through the influence of Mr. Hutchins of Wisconsin, gave a special appropriation of over $500 to a committee of this department for the publication of a report on the relation of libraries and schools. This report has been quite widely circulated and has been well received by both teachers and librarians. We owe that to the N. E. A. We owe it to the appreciation of library work by the leaders of the N. E. A.Nevertheless, taking the teaching profession at large, I think it safe to assume that our experience with the educational journals during the past winter is indicative of the teacher's attitude toward libraries and their possible helpfulness in the school room. This fact should not discourage us. On the contrary it should stimulate us to make our collections and our work with them of still more consequence until it becomes quite impossible for anyone in the educational world to be ignorant of, or to fail to take advantage of, the assistance to every day teaching work which we believe our libraries can give.

It is quite difficult, of course, if not impossible, for us to produce any great effect on the teachers of the present day save through individual work in our respective communities. No one can ask for a better opportunity to see the result of such work than I have had myself. I have seen two or three hundred teachers in the course of four or five years changed from an attitude of indifference toward the library as an aid in every day school room work, to one of readiness not to say eagerness, to take advantage of every opportunity the library could possibly offer. Many other librarians have had similar experiences. But this work does not go on rapidly enough to influence the profession as a whole. The teaching profession as it now stands is, as I have said, indifferent toward us. One thing we can do, and that is, arouse an interest among those who are to become teachers. After individual work in our own towns the best thing we can do, and especially the best thing we can do as an association, is to stimulate an interest in library training in the normal schools of this country. Interest in this phase of practical work has increased very much in normal schools the last few years. This is especially true in the west; and perhaps more true in Wisconsin than in any other state.

Mr. Dewey has recently given this matter consideration and I shall be much pleased if he will say something further by way of supplementing this informal report of mine, on what has been done and what can be done in normal schools toward interesting teachers in the use of libraries in teaching.

Melvil Dewey: What Mr. Dana has said, though perhaps a little discouraging in its tone, is pretty nearly the truth; but we ought to remember this—the public school teachers and the other teachers of this country are a badly overworked class. Many a man and woman has broken down of nervous prostration in school, who has entered a library and worked hard and kept well. Our friends on the school side of educational work have a strain that comes from the disciplinary side. Worry kills more than work, and teachers have to meet this question of discipline; they have to take responsibility in the place of parents; they have an interminable number of reports to fill out; they have a mass of examination papers to read and deal with; and they have examinations to make until they are driven almost wild. Now, we go to them and present our case, our arguments for co-operation with the library. They admit it; they are convinced of it; but they have not vital energy and force enough to take up the matter and do much work in our cause. It is not that they doubt. They won't question the high plane on which we want to put the library, and they want to fulfil all their duties. I believe if we were to change places and were put into their routine, the majority of us would do just what they do—put it off until a more convenient season. I think that is the real trouble with our teachers. They are overworked, many of them; they are in certain ruts; and my suggestion is to try to reach them when they begin their work, through the normal schools. If we can get the normal school authorities to give the right kind of instruction and the right kind of a start to the teachers, we will accomplish a great deal more. We can do twice as much in working with the student teacher; it is like working in plaster of paris—easy while in a soft and plastic stage, but you leave it awhile and it hardens. So I should say, in considering this report, that we ought not to be discouraged. It is what we should expect, and we should turn our attention to, doing all we can to reach the young teachers who are now in a plastic state, ready to be moulded, but who in ten years will be dominant forces in education.

MissM. E. Ahern: I wish to call attention to the fact that the program of the Library Department of the National Educational Association calls for a greeting from some representative of the A. L. A., and I therefore request, as secretary of that section and as an earnest member of the A. L. A., that you appoint some member to carry such greetings to the Library Department of the N. E. A.

It was voted that Mr. Crunden be appointed to represent the Library Association at the N. E. A. meeting.

F. M. Crunden: Touching the subject before this meeting, I want to corroborate the statement made by Mr. Dana regarding the progress that comes quickly if you once induce the teachers of a city to accept, even in a small measure, the co-operation of the library. Only a few years ago we almost had to beg the teachers to use our books. We had to offer every inducement to them, and they did it, most of them, rather reluctantly. Now the great majority of our schools use the library books. Not long ago I asked three questions of the teachers using the library in their work: What value do you place upon the library in supplementary reading? What effect has it had thus far on the progress of your pupils in their studies? Is it an aid to the pupils? All these question were answered most satisfactorily to us. Several say the library books are worth as much as any study in the curriculum, while two of them say that the library books are worth all the rest. And regarding discipline, the universal testimony is that the library is an aid to the discipline. In the school where most reading is done, the principal tells me that the problem of discipline has been practically eliminated; they give no more thought to it, because the children are interested and pleasantly occupied, so they do not get into mischief. The library has aided in all studies, is the basis of language work, has improved the language of the children, and has given an interest to the school work that it did not have before. Now if the teachers can only understand that this is going to lighten their work instead of increasing it, they will accept the co-operation of the library.

Dr.Canfield: Just one word to express my appreciation of the fairness with which Mr. Dewey put before you the position of the teachers and to add this statement: You are all likely to forget that you determine the lines of your own work and that a teacher's work is laid out for her by other people, and it takes about all the time and strength of the pupil to meet the immediate demands of the curriculum, which is often very unwisely laid out. I want to add to that, as a proof of the interest taken by teachers, I know of my personal knowledge that the teachers of the high schools of New York have frequently placed their personal endorsement upon library cards for the pupils they have sent to the libraries and for whose books they are personally responsible. They cannot prove their interest in any better way than that.

Mr.Dana: I just want a moment to correct a possible impression that I was finding fault with the educational profession of this country. I was not finding fault with them, but finding fault with ourselves. If we are not yet a power to the teachers of this country, then it is our own fault. We do not as yet understand our own fitness, especially in relation to schools and reading in the schools, and we do not even know what we want to do, or what books to recommend. We do not know what the field of work in the schools is. How, then, can we expect to teach it; to urge a thing in regard to which we are not yet free of all doubts? The fault is our own possibly, and yet it is not all our own fault. It is largely a question of necessary time.

In the absence of Dr.E. C. Richardson, chairman, the secretary read the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION.

The Committee on International Co-operation in taking up the work referred to it by the Association has limited itself this year to a consideration of the question of a uniform standard of book statistics. This question is a two-fold one, first, what should be called a book, second, when statistics are classified, what are the most practical and useful classes?

In respect of the first matter, it recommends that all books for statistical purposes be divided into two or three classes. (1) Books of 50 pages or over; (2) books under 50 pages; or, where books of under eight pages are regarded at all, books of from eight to 49 pages; and (3) books under eight pages.

In respect of the second question, the chairman has prepared a comparative table of the usage of thePublishers' Weekly,Booksellerand Newsdealer,Publishers' Circular,Bibliografia Italiana,HinrichsandReinwald,arranging these in the order of the Dewey classification. This was printed by Mr. Bowker for the use of the committee, and is herewith submitted.

Table showing classification of book trade statistics.

Some of the chief matters for attention are the questions ofBiography,whether by itself or scattered in classes;Literary History and Art,by itself or under Philology, or under Bibliography, or scattered;Juveniles,by itself or divided among Fiction, Poetry, Education, etc.;Scientific School Books,Geographies,etc.,under subject or under Education;Art of War,Commerce,etc.,under Economics or Technology. All these conflict somewhere in usage shown and in the judgment of the various members of the committee, although there is a majority for keeping Biography as a separate class—contrary to unanimous foreign usage.

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