A CATALOGUE OF BOOKS up to and including 1500. (Author of "Conspectus Incunabulorum," etc.) The two existing bibliographies dealing with early arithmetics are neither of them of much use for the period previous to 1501. De Morgan's Bibliography is nothing more than a sketch of this period, and Smith's "Rara Arithmetica," although excellent for the books in Mr. Plimpton's collection, is not by any means exhaustive. Full In Mr. PEDDIE's list, not only are the separate arithmetical books listed, but an attempt has been made to include every work which has a section dealing with the subject. Bibliographical references are given, and many known copies as possible are registered in order to facilitate research. as Edition strictly limited to the number Royal 8vo; wrappers. Price £1 1s. net. Intending subscribers are requested to register their orders immediately, as the work will not be put in hand until a sufficient number of subscriptions has been obtained to justify the printing of the Bibliography. GRAFTON & CO., Coptic House, 7 & 8, Coptic House, London, W.C.1. Printed by FRANK JUCKES, 85, Aston Street, Birmingham, and Published for the Proprietors by GRAFTON & CO., 8, Coptic Street, Bloomsbury, London. W.C. 1. A CATALOGUE DEALING WITH OF BOOKS ARITHMETIC up to and including 1500. (Author of "Conspectus Incunabulorum," etc.) The two existing bibliographies dealing with early arithmetics are neither of them of much use for the period previous to 1501. De Morgan's Bibliography is nothing more than a sketch of this period, and Smith's "Rara Arithmetica," although excellent for the books in Mr. Plimpton's collection, is not by any means exhaustive. In Mr. PEDDIE's list, not only are the separate arithmetical books listed, but an attempt has been made to include every work which has a section dealing with the subject. Full Bibliographical references are given, and as many known copies as possible are registered in order to facilitate research. Edition strictly limited to the number Royal 8vo; wrappers. Price £1 1s. net. Intending subscribers are requested to register their orders immediately, as the work will not be put in hand until a sufficient number of subscriptions has been obtained to justify the printing of the Bibliography. GRAFTON & CO., Coptic House, 7 & 8, Coptic House, London, W.C.1. Printed by FRANK JUCKES, 85, Aston Street, Birmingham, and Published for the Proprietors by GRAFTON & CO., 8, Coptic Street, Bloomsbury, London. W.C. 1. One of the most disappointing features of present-day library life is the increasing impotence of the Library Association. We cannot see how the Association is justifying its existence at present, except through its examination work. Its meetings are tragic failures in London, and it does not seem to be leading opinion in any way that we can see. There has been, not only in the Library Association but generally, a failure of enthusiasm which is the most fatal aftermath of the war. The armistice found our workers burning with enthusiasm to build a new library profession, to make good in a thousand ways. Where is that enthusiasm now? As for the meetings, the fact can be explained by the equally certain fact that the war destroyed our old social habits. We no longer meet at night with verve and pleasure; we, Londoners especially, seem to have a feeling that it is not respectable to be out after dark. There was never need for greater watchfulness than now; never greater need for a powerful Library Association. The Geddes Reports have tended to destroy every high educational ideal that Englishmen have gradually built up in the last century. The report calmly recommends that all the school evils against which enlightened men have fought should be reinstated; and although it appears that the Government has no intention of adopting these recommendations as a whole, they have given immense delight to hundreds of reactionaries, and it behoves all associations who are concerned with the things of the mind to be alert. There will be two summer schools in librarianship this summerone at University College, London, from July 17th to July 29th, as we detail on another page; and the other at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, in the fortnight immediately succeeding. Both are extremely attractive, and we forbear to comment upon the want of diplomacy on one side or the other which has prevented the combination of these two schools into one. As it is there are advantages this year that were absent hitherto from the two summer schools. Usually the provincial assistant wants to come to London for part of his holiday; and the Londoner, on the contrary, wants to go to the country. Both Londoner and Provincial will now have the chance to combine a course in sound library training with the type of holiday they prefer. At the February meeting of the Library Association the subject of discussion was Home Binderies; and the question is undoubtedly one that from time to time exercises the mind of the librarian. The advantage of having one's binding done under one's own eye, with the materials one has chosen and with continuous supervision of each process, is obvious. But we have yet to be convinced that the plan is either economical or expeditious. Only by bringing together the bills of a library having such a bindery and a similar library not having one, and comparing the results as to cost, speed in work, resultant wear, etc., can the matter be settled. As the matter is important, we may express the view that the worst policy is to bind "by tender.' Few binders are capable of handling every type of book with equal success; and we are convinced that the librarian should select his binder in relation to the kind of work to be done. At the same time there are several binders whose work is of average merit, and if the librarian can use the services of all of them, he can get his work done without the long delays which usually occur when he is bound by the tender system to one binder only. To judge by the remarks in The Library Assistant, few recent opinions have created more stir in the minds of assistants than our statement that unqualified assistants of twenty-five have no career before them in libraries. The Editor of our pleasant contemporary says that if such assistants exist the chief librarian is to blame, and answers our pertinent query whether or not any member of the L.A.A. Council would give a substantial appointment to such an assistant, by saying: Of course not. But our contention is that an assistant ought not to be allowed merely to serve, and that if he does not show signs of qualifying it is the moral duty of the chief to see that he does qualify or leave." We reply: It is the duty of the librarian to select the best assistants available (which are not always the best possible) at the junior stage, and to see that the claims of the craft, its text-books, and so forth, are known to and at the disposal of those who serve Beyond that we cannot accept for him any responsibility at all in the matter. An assistant in a live library who fails to recognize his duty to qualify is lacking in observation, moral sight and commonsense. It is the chief's duty and privilege to give opportunities and to reward qualifications; and there the ethical side of the question ends. We gave willing publicity last month to the letter on American librarians from Miss Clara V. Hunt. As she says, it is quite true that we have criticised certain American attitudes towards British libraries, but we are quite prepared to believe they are exceptional and not typical. There can be no doubt that the world would be better for a direct connection, which is now lacking, between the libraries of the two countries. We hope it may come to pass. Our ideals in librarianship are similar if not identical. Here, as there, Cutter is the Bible of the cataloguer; the Anglo-American code is our common property; and if the Decimal classification is not as universally used here as in America, it is still the most-used system of shelf arrangement. We have no real grounds of difference, except that we believe American publicity methods are as a rule unsuitable to the English psychology. |