Mr. Bowker. They have been making special effort to catch up on the publication of the annual reports of the Commissioner of Education. They have gained one year but are still two behind. Mr. Fletcher. Perhaps, with the consent of the subscribers, an appropriation of part of the subscription to the LIBRARY JOURNAL might be made each year for the publication of these lists as bibliographical monographs. Mr. Nelson. This "craze " may be of some use to the smaller libraries in creating a demand for certain reference-books which conservative library committees have heretofore declined to purchase. [By general consent the discussion on this subMr. Cutter. - Making a LIBRARY JOURNAL SUP-ject was considered as held in "executive sesplement for the Publishing Section. Mr. Bowker. The publishing of these lists becomes finally a financial question. PRIZE QUESTIONS. The President. - We now come to the question, How much persons who come to librarians for answers to prize questions ought to be helped? We have been troubled very much by persons seeking answers to questions published in the Transcript and in Lippincott, and elsewhere. They expect us to find the answers to the questions, which is demanding too much. sion," and is not reported.] IMPORTATION. Mr. Larned suggested that the President be requested to make inquiries and report in the LIBRARY JOURNAL as to the possibility of the formation of a syndicate of libraries for the importation of foreign books, and subscriptions to American periodicals. The President declined for want of time. [At this point a recess of 10 minutes was taken to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Dewey, who had just arrived.] On motion of Mr. Larned, Mr. Nelson was re Mr. Larned. I even received a letter from Chi-quested to make the inquiries referred to, and recago asking the answer to some prize question. Miss Johnson. -20 or 30 persons in Waltham were at work on these questions; I assisted them at first, but I had to give up giving 2 or 3 hours a day. Mr. Fletcher, I find a strong temptation to help them myself when I know I cannot refer them to books that will help them, and it takes much time. It puts one in the dilemma of either disappointing the applicant by not spending the time, or of spending it. Each case has to be de cided on its merits. port. INDEX TO PORTRAITS, ETC. The President. In connection with the Essay index I would like to bring up Mr. Bardwell's suggestion recently made in the LIBRARY JOURNAL in reference to an index to pictures, portraits, designs, or illustrations. Miss Sargent will tell us what she has been doing. Miss Sargent.--I have done some such work in making a card index of designs, and illustrations of different kinds in connection with inquiries for designs; also of portraits and of fugitive Mr. Bowker. Does this result in educational poems scattered through periodical literature. benefit to the inquirer? Mr. Fletcher. I was dissatisfied until the 100 prize questions in Lippincott came out; their method and system of publishing the answers may result in good, I think, Mr. Larned. I think the persons interested in these questions shed information as a duck sheds water. Mr. Larned. Dr. Linderfeldt has begun something of the kind at Milwaukee. Mr. Jones. Has any attempt been made to make an index of the maps in different books of travel? Mr. Cutter. - Mr. Bliss, of the Redwood Library, whose excellent indexes of the maps in Petermann's Mittheilungen and in the Royal Ge Mr. Cutter. Helping a person to win a prizeographical Society's publications have appeared of $100 is of no educational use to that person; neither is answering a question received in a letter. Directing an inquirer to books and showing her how to use them would be of more benefit than in the Harvard College Library bulletin, may have such an index in mind, but I do not know that it has made any progress on paper as yet. We have a very large card list of portraits in our library and intend to make it complete at some time. It is a pity each library should do this for itself. If we only had some means of publishing what work has been done we might avoid this repeating of labor. We have also begun an index of engravings, photographs, and other reproductions of famous pictures. Mr. Bowker. - Some of the leading libraries, leading publishing houses, and illustrated newspapers might coöperate and pay $100 or $200 apiece for such an index. Mr. Dewey. I move that Mr. Bowker be appointed a special committee to report at St. Louis meeting on the practicability of making a cooperative index to portraits and illustrations. Voted. Mr. Dewey. How many of us here knew of this index of Mr. Cutter's? None! Oh, Mr. Brown; how long have you known of it? Mr. Brown. Since August. Mr. Dewey. Well, here is an important piece of work begun, in which we are all interested, and yet not a soul of us knew of it. Mr. Brown. - Excuse me, but I have a soul. Mr. Dewey. Well, you are the sole man. How much work has been done on this list? Mr. Cutter. We have six catalog drawers full of cards of this index already. Mr. Bowker. - Don't you think, Mr. President, that it should be one duty of persons knowing of such work to make it known through the LIBRARY JOURNAL? [Laughter.] him in the publication of his book of anonyms, $20 for the four parts. If 50 libraries will subscribe it will help him very much, and secure its publication. Adjourned. In the afternoon an excursion was taken to Haines's Falls, Tannersville, and Onteora Park. The evening session was called to order at 8 p.m. The President called on Mr. Fletcher to make some remarks on THE FUTURE OF CATALOGING. Mr. Fletcher. It seems to me that we have come to a point where a good deal is hopeful as to the future of cataloging. The time is fast coming when subject catalog work will be considerably abridged. I have advocated the abandonment of making subject catalogs. For the smaller libraries very satisfactory work can be done without making a subject catalog. At the Pratt Institute they have got along for over a year without a subject catalog. The author cards have been written, and title cards will be added. They have type-written shelf lists, and these have proved very acceptable and useful. Catalogs of other libraries, the Brooklyn and others, are accessible to the public, and more will be obtained. Many kinds of coöperative work are now going on, each library thus getting assistance from others, and there is no need of such elaborate work as has been done at the Boston Public Library. The card catalog has come to stay, though Pres. Eliot predicted that the card catalog would break down by its own weight if much larger. The adoption of the postal card size has the great advantage of placing a great amount of matter at the top of the card. Type-written cards are a great improvement, and perhaps a duplicate can be made at one writing sufficiently good for some purposes. They still use small cards at the Pratt Institute, and will duplicate the author cards with the typewriter. The future will see an increased disposition to separate author and title cards from the subjects. The author and title catalog will be the essential catalog of the library. The subject catalog is largely the indexing of books, which will be provided for by special bibliographies and indexes prepared outside. I agree with the remark dropped by Mr. Nelson, that we may anticipate the distribution of new books to libraries ready cataloged by the typewriter or printed cards. We had some experience in the use of printed postal cards last year; the attempt to use the Publishers' Weekly titles on the middle of the card was an objection. The cards should be in larger type suited for library purposes. This I think can be done when new books can be supplied to libraries from some central point already cataloged, as suggested by Mr. Nelson. Mr. Growoll thinks the plan originally advocated by Mr. Jewett may prove a success in the near future. I have a great deal of hope that the next step beyond having cards furnished with the books will be having titles stereotyped and kept for use in making alphabetical catalogs. We ought not to prepare for too great things in the line of work as now done, in laying out large and elaborate plans for cataloging. On the other side we should do all we can at present and not take too much stock in a future that has not yet materialized. Mr. Larned. This is just what we have done for ten years. - Mr. Dewey. If the library is arranged by Mr. Dewey. In the future will authors and subjects and the shelf lists are indexed, you have titles be in one alphabet? - - a sufficiently accurate subject-catalog. I think the printed slips referred to, printed on the middle of the card, were a fizzle; it was not a fair trial, and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Publishing Section, I protest that it was not a failure. The cards were not properly printed. Mr. Dewey. I do not believe in the dictionary catalog. I have tried to be converted, but the more I am converted the less I believe in it. We have had valuable catalogs made on this system, but valuable because of the ability put into their making. The dictionary catalog has been a popular fad and will die out. Mr. Cutter. -I feel just the opposite. The classed catalog is just now beginning to be a fad with librarians; it will have its run and then fall out of favor again. Mr. Larned. - I should like to know from the librarians present what is the average time that elapses after a new book comes into the library before it is cataloged and made available for the public. Mr. Fletcher. For larger libraries I should recommend making a subject index to the shelf lists. Mr. Nelson. - Mr. Peoples reported to the New York Library Club that books purchased for his library in the morning were ready for the public in the afternoon. Mr. Larned. I do not believe cards can be printed more cheaply than we have them done on the typewriter. Mr. Dewey. That may be case if no notice is taken of other requirements than merely copying the title-page. A lively discussion followed on making full titles, on giving authors' names in full, and on the amount of work that should be expended in large and small libraries in cataloging. Adjourned at 9.30 p.m. THIRD DAY-THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27. CHARGING BY MEANS OF BAGGAGE CHECKS." for borrowers, filled with pins on which were hung numbered checks corresponding to the number of borrowers; and another board for the books with pins and checks corresponding to the books. When a book was taken the bookcheck was hung on the borrower's pin and the borrower's check on the book-pin. Mr. Dewey. We found the same system in use at the college library at Kingston, Can. Mr. Davidson. The system is crude and lia- discussions. I will now call on Mr. Nelson to ble to errors. describe to us the plan of the Howard Memorial Mr. Dewey. From it has developed the Library, at New Orleans, of which he is to have card and pocket system. READING CLUBS AND LIBRARIES. Mr. Peck.. About two years ago a reading circle was organized by some ladies in our town, and they wanted to read a course of travels through Germany. I made out a list of books for them, which they purchased, circulated, and read, and when they were through with them they presented them to our library. Every year we get 30 to 40 v. in this way; books that cost on the average $3 each, such as we cannot afford to buy. Library boards generally expect to get 125 v. for each $100 appropriated. By systematic begging many books may be obtained. I have completed several sets of periodicals by taking all I could get and exchanging duplicates. There are dealers in New York who will exchange evenly, especially if you do not tell in advance what you want. Mr. Dewey. The Frazier Institute, in Montreal, made an arrangement with a reading club there, under which the club bought books for the use of its members, and the library took care of them and circulated them among the members of the club only for six months; at the end of that time the club gave the books to the library. Many clubs might be willing to do the same. I think this would be an ad Mr. Fletcher. mirable plan in many cases. Mr. Dewey. - Mr. J. D. Mullins, of the great Birmingham Free Library, told me that he never could find time to read any of the books in his library, but he joined a reading club, and when the books came round to him in turn he read them and enjoyed them very much. HOWARD LIBRARY, NEW ORLEANS. The President. We have discussed so far practical questions, and have had some lively charge. Mr. Nelson. The Howard Memorial Library of New Orleans has been founded, as its name indicates, as a memorial of the late Charles T. Howard, a wealthy citizen of that city. At the time of his death, which occurred suddenly about three years ago at his summer residence at Dobb's Ferry, on the Hudson, Mr. Howard had in contemplation the erection and establishment of a public library in New Orleans. His daughter Miss Annie T. Howard and his son Frank T. Howard have carried out the project as a memorial to their father. The handsome building, of which a view and ground plan are given, was designed by the late H. H. Richardson, of Boston, a native of New Orleans. The exterior is of brown stone from the Kibbe quarry, Mass., and the roof of Akron red tiles. The entrance opens into a delivery-room 19 ft. 8 in. x 30 ft.; on the right is the book-room 75 x 40 ft., containing twelve alcoves, with galleries, access to which is had by circular stairways in the corner towers. Crossing an anteroom 12 ft. wide to the left of the entrance, one enters the circular reading-room 41 ft. 4 in. inside diameter, panelled to the height of 14 ft. with quartered white oak, which wood forms the entire interior finish of the building. The book and reading rooms have timber work ceilings open to the roof and handsomely finished, and in the reading-room there is a large open fireplace. The reading-room will be furnished with round oak tables 7 ft. in diameter. The double alcove opposite the entrance will be used as a periodical-room, the single alcove in the anteroom probably as a ladies' reading-room, and the first alcove to the right of the periodical-room is enclosed as the librarian's room. The deliverydesk, with a gate at either end, separates the book |