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than to pick up omissions. The higher the sense of proportion possessed by the cataloguer the better. What is required is the

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Where the Accession number is used for charging the same should be entered on the card in brackets as shown in order that direct reference to the particular volume in the class quoted may be obtained, because, as has been pointed out, the subject-matter might be quite different. If the cards are kept in trays in order of accession matters are considerably facilitated, particularly when there are many books in the class referred. Incidentally this is the better way as they form an index to class books in" and

"out." Where an author notation is in use we are enabled to

go straight to the volume required. If the index is to be permanently MS it may be thought desirable to give author and short titles for ease of reference.

I have tried in this article to illustrate how the fallow ground of books may be cultivated, and to show that however barren the resources of a library may appear to be on the surface, what a little" digging" will do.

LIBRARY NEWS.

[Readers are invited to send us items of news for this column. Brief Notes on innovations, interesting happenings, appointments and changes and other local items of general interest are particularly welcome.] The MIDDLESEX Education Committee have adopted the Public Libraries Act for the Part III area of the county not included in existing library areas and propose to organise a service on the accepted "repository and boxes of books" principle. The scheme will be assisted by the Carnegie Trustees who suggest that a trained librarian should be appointed at a salary of £400 per annum. The grant for books is at the rate of one per five of school population, i.e., about 6,200 volumes. It is estimated that, when the scheme is in full working order (say in three years), the maximum cost to the Middlesex Education Committee will be about £600, including the librarian's salary of £400.

To return, however, to the report: A very satisfactory increase in the issue is noted and there has been a splendid demand for books for the student." "A joint committee composed of representatives from the Education Committee, Public Library Committee, and the teaching profession is making arrangements for the establishment of libraries in the senior departments of each elementary school."

The Executive Committee of the Labour Party have recently published a memorandum on Local Education Schemes for submission to the Board of Education, which concludes with the following paragraph :—"Libraries. Where existing facilities are deficient the Local Education Authority should establish circulating libraries. This is an urgent need in most rural areas and county education authorities should be pressed to exercise the powers conferred by the Public Libraries Act, 1919, to adopt the Public Libraries Act. It should be made obligatory on Local Education Authorities to make adequate library provision where the Public Libraries' Acts are not in operation."

HELEN OF THE OLD HOUSE.

HAROLD BELL WRIGHT.

A stirring romance of life to-day. The story of a girl whose pure, sweet nature is only deepened by changes in her worldly position.

8/6 net.

JOSEPH C. LINCOLN.

THE MAGNIFICENT MR. BANGS. Mr. Lincoln mingles romance and mystery and rollicking humour in a fashion that is enviably his own. We laugh and laugh again, but in our laughter there cores, too, a lump in the threat. We must look out for Joe Lincoln books-past and future."-Aberdeen Daily Journal. 86 net.

THE UNSEEN EAR.

NATALIE S. LINCOLN.

Here is a detective story in which a mysterious murder and robbery that threaten to be wrongly avenged are finally solved by a strange device. THE SAMOVAR GIRL. FREDERICK MOORE.

An absorbing tale of grey Siberia, where men's passions burn and swift scenes move to a climax of romance.

THE HOUSE OF THE FALCON.

7/6 net. HAROLD LAMB.

7,6 net.

The romantic and thrilling adventures of a young girl in India, and her final escape and triumph over her enemies. Autumn announcement list, and special juvenile list now ready.

D. APPLETON & COMPANY, 25 Bedford Street, London.

AT THE MANCHESTER CONFERENCE
We had Three New Exhibits-

A stronger improved leather for cheap tight-back binding.
A new sewing for economic binding of large books.
A new and economical method of strengthening-by 300
per cent.-the thick bad paper of modern books.

All this tends to economy and makes a new book, in Chivers' re-inforced or Niger binding, give the service of TWO or MORE BOOKS.

CEDRIC CHIVERS Ltd.,

Public and Rural Library Booksellers and Bookbinders, PORTWAY, BATH.

WORKINGTON.—A short time ago the Chairman of the Finance Committee alleged that the libraries were badly and expensively managed, and at the suggestion of the Libraries Committee, who were wise and courageous enough-and knew enough to challenge the statement, a sub-committee was appointed to investigate the matter. We are pleased to learn that the Council came to the unanimous conclusion, after the sub-committee had made their report, that no such charges could be sustained. More than that, the investigation will have shown many that instead of the libraries being expensively managed, the service is given at a cost which, to anyone with any knowledge of the comparative costs of library service throughout the country, appears to be exceedingly low too low, if the best possible work is to be done. When one hears that the rate levied is no more than 2d., producing £880 to serve a town of 25,000 inhabitants, one is at a loss to understand how the mere thought of" extravagance could have entered the head of any sane man. However, the facts are now in the hands of the public. If the Chairman of the Finance Committee hoped, when he made his allegation, to serve the interests of the ratepayers and to increase the means by which efficiency can be maintained, he can rest content. He has succeeded. Now that the Workington Council understand the situation, as sensible men, they can have no hesitation in increasing the rate levy to at least threepence.

PERSONAL.

Mr. J. P. Lamb, Deputy Librarian, Rochdale, has been appointed Deputy Chief Librarian, Sheffield. Mr. Lamb holds the six certificates of the L.A., with merit in sections 1 and 6; trained at St. Helens Public Libraries, and later at Birmingham Public Libraries.

Mr. A. S. Firth, Senior Assistant, Birkenhead, has been appointed Cataloguing Assistant, Sheffield. Mr. Firth holds certificates in sections 3, 4, 5, and 6.

REVIEWS.

REPORTS.

ISLINGTON (Borough) Public Libraries.

List of the periodicals,

newspapers, directories, and annuals currently displayed in the Central and Branch Libraries. 8vo., 12pp.

The mere size of this closely printed list will show the extent of this remarkably comprehensive collection. The booklet is made most useful by the addition of a classified list, and all large systems might well compare this selection with their own, for it has been compiled with much care and discretion.

LEYTON Urban District Council Public Libraries. Catalogue of Works of Fiction in the Central and Branch Libraries. Compiled by Z. Moon, Chief Librarian.

This is an excellently compiled author and title catalogue, offering no new feature-as the possibilities for originality in a fiction catalogue, where space is a consideration, are few indeed-but listing a large and, to a point, very comprehensive selection. The weakness is in modern works. For example, J. D. Beresford, D. H. Lawrence, Michael Sadleir, Clemence Dane, and Norman Douglas are not represented, only one work each by Hugh Walpole and Ibanez is listed, Rose Macaulay, Somerset Maugham and Gilbert Cannan are represented in each case by two unimportant works, and the Conrads are not complete. But as the basis of the collection is sound, this can easily be remedied, and a really good collection will result.

NEWARK-ON-TRENT, Gilstrap Public Library. Thirty-eighth Annual Report for the year ended 31st. March, 1921.

Librarian: ARTHUR SMITH. Population, 16,435; Income, £1,036-from rate. £575; Expenditure: Books, binding and periodicals, £257; printing stationery, etc., £78; fabric charges, £184; salaries, £420. Stock: Lending, 10,207; Reference, 2,241. Issues: Lending, 48,996; Children's Library, 11,709; Reference, 40,027.

The Librarian here is doing such excellent work that few, if any, libraries of the size and income can record not only such proportionately high issues but also such keen vitality in the many activities of the institution. Especially notable is the fine work that is being done for the children. A great deal has been accomplished with a view to dispelling the prejudices and misconceptions of many of the parents, and a properly organised system of library lessons to the children in the top forms of the schools is in full working order. The summary of the lessons as printed in the report is well worth quoting in extenso:

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Having cleared the way a request was made to the Education Authority for the top classes from each school to form Library Classes from 3 to 4 on Tuesdays, and 2 to 4 on Fridays. Some months passed before a conference of head-teachers requested that the Librarian should place his scheme before them.

The syllabus was as follows:

LESSON 1.

A brief account of libraries from early times-British Museum. How our own came into being and how it is maintained. The three departments. How to use the books in the Reference Department. Hours of opening. Period for which books can be borrowed and such rules as applied to children. LESSON 2 (given at the Museum).

The Book--Printing, types of machines. Type setting. Binding Sewing, covering, repairs. Correct method of handling books. Harm done to books by using exercise books, etc., as book marks and by leaving the volumes in excessive heat.

LESSON 3.

The last talk in the series described the method by which books are classified; the arrangement of books on the shelf, and the system of cataloguing in vogue was also explained. The makeup and arrangement of the catalogue as well as the way in which it may assist readers to find the books they require was also given. Exercises in finding books.

After much discussion the desired permission was granted. In each lesson 120 children were dealt with the classes consisting of 30 students, making 12 lectures in all. On the completion of the course a test paper was set and 122 students returned splendid

answers.

Members of the Library Committee and the Secretary of Education offered prizes for the two best papers submitted in each class. The winning marks were between 183 and 190, these being out of a possible 200.

On Thursday, April 21st, at 7 p.m., a public meeting was held

in the Town Hall when the Mayor presented the prizes to the suc cessful students.

The presentation was followed by a lecture given by the Librarian upon the Public Library.' He dealt with his subject from the following points of view: educational, recreative, business, its true aspects and duty, and reported upon the present-day results and hopes.

We have only one fault to find. Mr. Smith must persuade his Committee to revise the list of periodicals taken. Even a small reading room is not properly stocked when it lacks such magazines as "The London Mercury," the Fortnightly, Quarterly, Edinburgh and English Reviews. Apparently, too, no evening paper is displayed. An unusual feature of the report is a group photograph of the staff. Very interesting--but.

NORWICH Public Library Readers' Guide, Vol. VII., No. 15, Oct.-Dec., 1921, Norwich Library Committee, 2d. Contains an interesting reference list on English Architecture to 1550. STEPHEN GEO. A., "Literature Relating to Norfolk Archæology and Kindred Subjects, 1916-1920." Norfolk and Norwich Archæological Society, Vol. XXI, pages 97-110. 8vo. wrappers.

1921.

A useful list of books and pamphlets in the Norwich Public Library on local topics. Mr. Stephen, in keeping his local bibliography up-to-date, is setting an example which might, with advantage, be followed in many localities.

Catalogue of the War Poetry Collection of the BIRMINGHAM Public Libraries Reference Department. 8vo. wrappers, 60pp. Printed for the Donor by The Birmingham Printers, Ltd., 1921. A special collection of unique character presented to the Birmingham Public Library by an anonymous donor in memory of one killed in the War. The Chief Librarian points out in his preface that it is sought to make this collection as complete as possible by purchase or otherwise, and that he is anxious to obtain details of works not already included.

WALTHAMSTOW PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

Classified List of Books relating

to Fine and Recreative Arts (excluding gardening and music). 8vo., 12 pp.

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This is a little-a-line" hand list, arranged according to a slightly modified Dewey system, and as we have pointed out before, a great deal more value could have been given if these entries had been expanded and annotated. As it is, the list will be useful-all the same is it not so excellent a production as it could have been made with a little care. dates whatsoever are given, there are many misprints, and the classification is strangely applied, to say the least, in some cases. There is, for example. a heading for "Pottery, Porcelain," yet we find Chaffers' Marks and monographs on pottery and porcelain," Frantz's "French pottery and porcelain," and Knowles' "Dutch Pottery and Porcelain under the heading of "Brasses. Bric-a-Brac." Similarly Holme's "Modern Etchings, Mezzotints and Dry Paints (sic) and Reed's "Etching are under "Drawing. Sketching instead of under Engraving. Further, although the list is supposed to include Recreative Arts," none of the purely recreative arts are included, and lastly, if the list is a complete one, the collection is in need of considerable amplification.

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WALTHAMSTOW Public Library. Walthamstow Education Committee, Teachers' Library, the Catalogue of Books provided for the use of Walthamstow Teachers and available for home reading. "Walthamstow in the Past," a guide to an Exhibition of Phonographs in the Walthamstow Phonographic Survey.

On view

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