THE peculiar circumstances under which I

pre

assume this position will, I am sure, be sufficient to excuse the desultoriness of the few remarks which, on so short notice, I have been able to throw together for your consideration this evening. When, but a few days ago, I found that the duties of this position would devolve on me, it chanced that my mind was already occupied, to some extent, with a line of thought which I at once saw was the only one on which I could hope to be in the least prepared to speak on this occasion. In developing this line of thought, as best I could in the few days left me, under the pressure of other absorbing duties, it has sented itself to me under two phases, and I have hesitated which phase I should make most prominent by letting it give a name to my theme. Under one phase my subject would be, "The public library of the future;" this subject has peculiar fascinations for the castle-builder, and derives great interest from the marvelous development of library interests in the recent past, pointing to still greater things in the near future; but one must needs hesitate to assume the role of prophet when it is noted how rapidly the conditions, both physical and social, on which predictions must be based, are changing. Only a seer may venture to forecast the future, otherwise than by a careful study of present indications and past progress. The progress so far made and the indications at present available in this field are too full of variety, and even inconsistency,

to furnish a basis for calculations as to the future, and delightful as may be the attempt to peer into that future, a sober second thought prompts me to come at my subject on the other and more practical side. Hence, I bring you as my theme, "Some library economies," and wish to be understood as using the word "economies "in its most usual and homely sense.

"Library economy" is a much-abused and an ambiguous term. As a name for the craft of the librarian it is singularly infelicitous, and yet no other term is so much used-in fact none other has yet been found-to express in English the idea of the German "Bibliothekswissenschaft." "Library science" may be considered a literal rendering of this term, but it does not convey to the average mind the idea intended. He will confer an immense benefit on our fraternity who shall furnish an intelligible and satisfactory name for the science and art of "book-keeping" in its noblest sense. But whatever library economy may mean or may not mean, we can all understand library economies as signifying the practical carrying out of the third member of the triple expression serving as a motto for this Association. Lest some of you may have neglected to carry in mind so rudimentary an attachment of the Association as its motto, you will allow me to remind you that it is "The best reading, for the largest number, at the least cost."

"The best reading"-in one form or

another this subject has formed the theme of much of our discussion. A proper selection of books for purchase is one aspect of it. It is significant that these words, "The best reading," form the title of the excellent work by W. S. Sonnenschein which our committee on the A. L. A. catalog have accepted as a basis for their work. Before this session is over you will have your attention drawn to the plans of that committee for revising and improving this book along the lines long ago laid down for the famous "A. L. A. Cat.," which, though often said to be dead, justifies its name by proving to have nine lives at least. But to most of us the greatest interest in "the best reading" has centered in efforts to induce readers to use books of the better sort. No further raison d'etre for the Association need be asked for than what it has accomplished in this line.

When we come to the second clause in our motto, "for the largest number," we reach the great subject of library extension. What wonders have been and are being wrought in this direction! The day of libraries for the few is past, and libraries for the many —yes, for everybody is the watchword of recent progress. Since our last meeting at least one other State-proud New Hampshire, the mother of the American public library system - has followed the example of Massachusetts in legislating for the positive encouragement and financial assistance from the State to towns, in the establishment of public libraries, while the great Empire State itself, by legislation just enacted, makes public libraries an integral part of her great State university system. I find no reason yet to withdraw my prediction, made last year by the Pacific, that the time will come when all our communities will be required by law to maintain libraries as much as to maintain schools.

Another phase of this work of library extension deserves notice. Two years ago, come September, one of the most significant movements ever made in the interest of library extension was set on foot when the endowment fund of this Association was established. From the energetic men who

have charge of the raising of this fund you will hear a report at this session. Let it be understood as widely as our influence goes that the double use to which the income of this fund is to be devoted means the best reading for the greatest number most emphatically. The cause of library extension awaits more than anything else the thorough informing of the people as to the work. When the endowment fund begins, as it very shortly will, to yield an annual income of some hundreds of dollars, a wide and (let us hope) judicious distribution of just such information will be made. The people of those parts of the country where this movement is in its infancy or wholly unknown will be told how great are its advantages and how easily and cheaply they are to be obtained. Heaven speed the endowment fund!

Perhaps the ideas covered by the expres sion "at the least cost" have not engaged our thought to such an extent as have these others. We have gloried in the size of the figures which represent the expenditures of communities or the gifts of individuals for the establishment and support of libraries. I fear we have not often enough considered whether these sums were so expended as to produce the best results. Let me make it clear at this point that I am not here to advocate the saving of public money in the sense of having less expended on libraries, but rather to plead for such economies as shall save money from accessories to be applied to essentials. "More books" is the demand of every library. How hungry, how insatiable are our libraries for books! That terrible hunger which gnawed upon the vitals of political shysters excluded for a quarter of a century from the pantry of Uncle Sam is as nothing. The greed of the daughter of the horse-leech, crying "Give! give! give!" is satiety itself compared to the cravings of our partly filled shelves, or even of shelves already apparently bursting with plenty, for more books and yet more books. It is to meet this overwhelming demand for books that library economies are called for. As the old patriotic legend says, "Millions for defense, not a cent for tribute," so the

library calls for millions for books, not a cent for wasteful expense.

But it is time for me to come down to something specific and definite. I propose to point out certain library economies as being practical and at the same time largely neglected. In the first place there is economy in library buildings. Library architecture "is the tune we librarians' do delight in," to judge by its constant recurrence on our programs; let us have it with variations by a little talk about the cost of library buildings. What is a fair ratio of dollars in cost of a building to volumes accommodated? How may the ratio change if the volumes are not accommodated, but "stored?" How may it change again as more or less provision is made for the accommodation of readers, students, classes, lectures, etc? These are questions only to be properly answered when something like library statistics have been collected, and what is vastly more important - collated, by some bibliothecal Carroll D. Wright. I have lately had the pleasure of examining the new library building of the Hartford theological seminary, planned, I think, mainly by our brother Richardson, (not H. H., but he of Princeton, the "encyclopedia" man). I find there a fire-proof building of brick with stone trimmings, neat, sufficiently ornate, with unusually large provision for study and lecture-rooms, which will shelve, in such a way as truly to "accommodate " not far from five volumes for every dollar of cost. Compare this with some of our monumental buildings which represent $2 or $3 for every volume "stored " (not accommodated)! What is the difference? It is simply the difference between library economy and library extravagance.

The Mercantile libraries of St. Louis and of New York have shown us how a large city library building may be constructed on strictly business and utilitarian principles, and be made to contain (and accommodate) three or four volumes for every dollar of cost, while built in the most substantial and thorough manner. (As to the capacity of these buildings, I am figuring on the basis of the whole structure being devoted to library

purposes, as it may ultimately be.) Nor is there omitted in either of these buildings any appeal to the esthetic sense which need be expressed by a building intended for use and convenience. Let it be understood that a public library is first and foremost an institution for practical every-day use, and the battle for economy in building is won. A comparatively small sum will add to a building, simple and utilitarian in its general plan, sufficient ornamentation to make it elevating and refining to the taste of all who enter it.

One requirement, which seems to have been singularly overlooked in many of our library buildings, is that of economical administration. The arrangement of the offices and work-rooms with reference to the delivery and reading-rooms is a problem deserving great attention from the economical point of view. It is often a great object to employ one attendant to attend to two or more departments of work at the same time. I gave considerable thought, not long since, to the arrangement of these administrative parts of a library building, with the view to enable one person at certain hours to take care of the entire library and reading-room, and at the same time to do conveniently such ordinary routine work in cataloging. labeling books, etc., as the lulls in patronage would permit. Where any economy is practiced, these things must be looked after. A building may be so arranged (actual examples are not wanting) that the additional expense of administration consequent upon its erection may represent the interest of a sum larger than the cost of the building—which is thus practically doubled.

I had in mind to allude to certain economies of a minor sort connected with the arrangement of the shelving, etc., but must pass them over for the present. The next department in which I will enter a plea for economy is that of cataloging. On this subject I hesitate before expressing myself so radically as is justified by my profound convictions. But the duty of expressing convictions is only second to that of having them, and I must have my say. If the words be not those of truth, as they are assuredly those of