BOOK III. Chapter V. Examples, Indexes, and Estimates. But the best of all conceivable Catalogues, of a literary kind, will not, of themselves, suffice for the good order and good management of a Library. Inventories, Shelf-lists, Catalogues of ancillary collections, will still be necessary for its internal business and economy. These link themselves with the small but essential matters of shelf-arrangement, stamping, and pressmarking; and will now claim some brief consideration. Ir a case of books be traced from its first receipt at the doors of a Public Library, to the deposit of each volume of the contents in its assigned place upon the shelves, we shall find that every book has to go through a series of manipulations, the aggregate of which becomes, in a large Library, so formidable a thing, as to require well-considered system, constant attention, and exact punctuality. If, at this stage, arrears are allowed BOOK III. Chapter VI. Local arrangeappliances. ment, and its BOOK III. Chapter VI. ment, and its to accumulate, they become the seeds of future disLooal Arrange order, and are tolerably certain to produce a plentiful appliances. crop. The curious history of what is termed the "fonds non porté," at the Imperial Library of Paris, would afford an instructive illustration of this fact, were space available for its insertion. If the books come by purchase, the first thing to be attended to is their collation, and comparison with the booksellers' bill. Whatever the care bestowed on this operation there will occasionally be oversights, which render the marking of each volume with the dealer's name and the date of acquisition a useful precaution. The next process is the stamping of the book with the Library mark. If the strength of the Library staff admit of immediate cataloguing, the preparation of the title-slip may be made the next step. If such a form be used as that suggested on page 849, the short or marginal title might become the entry both for the "List of Additions" (if that be kept,) and for the "Shelf Catalogue" (the keeping of which is, in all cases, essential). Then come the placing of the book on its proper shelf in the Library; and its press-marking, both on the inside of the cover,-preferably upon a label bearing the name of the Library, and also a reference to the place of the book in the Classed Catalogue,and likewise on the outside. The entry in the Shelf Catalogue may be in some such form as this: points in the daily working of the Library will be found order in which title-slips are kept several important will then pass to the proper receptacle. On the strict that book and title-slip are press-marked together. It Catalogue should of course remain in the volume, so Until this entry be made, the title-slip for the main to depend. " 12 Registrum Morars... " 66 1837 appliances. ment, and its Local arrange Chapter VI. BOOK III. |