longer any excuse for putting novices in charge of libraries - institutions where wide knowledge and thorough trainare more indispensable than in any other profession

whatever.

In State libraries, no uniformity prevails as to control. In some States, the governor has the appointment of the 1 'rarian, while in others, he is an elective officer, the State Legislature being the electors. As governors rarely contrue in office longer than two or three years, the tenure of a librarian under them is precarious, and a most valuable

cer may at any time be superseded by another who would have to learn all that the other knows. The result 1 rarely favorable to the efficient administration of the Ibrary. In a business absolutely demanding the very largest compass of literary and scientife knowledge, frequent rotation in office is clearly out of place. In a public or State library, every added year of experience adds incalculably to the value of a librar an's services, provided be is of active habits, and full of zeal to make his acquired knowledge constantly useful to those who use the library. Partizan politics, with their frequent changes, if suffered to displace a tried librarian and staf, will be sure to defeat the highest usefulness of any library. What can a political appointee, a man totally without ether library trening or library experience, do with the tools of which he has rever learned the use? It will take him years to learn. ard by the time he has learned, some other political party coming uppermost will probably displace Lam, to make room for another novice, on t Iple that "to the v, tors belong the spoils" of ore. Meanwhile, the hunp look up and are not fod." as M on

that

is, realers are deprived of expert and intent guidance Thare of political jobbery has not been confined to the 1braries of States, but has invaled the management

of many city and town libraries also. We have yet to learn of any benefit resulting to those who use the libra ries.

In the case of a few of the State libraries, trustees or library commissioners or boards of control have been provided by law, but in others, a joint library committee, composed of members of both houses of the Legislature, has charge of the library interests. This is also the case in the Library of Congress at Washington, where three Senators and three Representatives constitute the Joint Committee of both Houses of Congress on the Library. The membership of this committee, as of all others in Congress, is subject to change biennially. It has been proposed to secure a more permanent and careful supervision of this National Library by adding to the Joint Committee of Congress three or more trustees of eminent qualifications, elected by Congress, as the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution now are, for a longer term of years. The trus tees of the British Museum are appointed by the Crown, their tenure of office being for life.

In several States the librarian is appointed by the supreme court, as the State libraries are composed mere largely of law books, than of miscellaneous literature, ani special knowledge of case law, and the principles of jursprudence, is demanded of the librarian.

Where the trustees of a public library are elected by the people, they have in their own hands the power of chos ing men who are far above party considerations, and they should exercise it. In no department of life is the maxim -"the tools to the hands that can use them," more important than in the case of librarians and boards of managers of libraries. The value of skilled labor over the unskilled is everywhere recognized in the business of the world, by more certain employment and larger compensation: and why should it not be so in libraries?

CHAPTER 18.

LIBRARY REGULATIONS.

No feature in library administration is more important than the regulations under which the service of the library is conducted. Upon their propriety and regular enforcement depends very much of the utility of the collection.

Rules are of two kinds, those which concern the librarian and assistants, and those which concern the public resorting to the library. Of the first class are the regulations as to hours, division of labor, leaves or vacations of employees, &c. The larger the library, and consequently the force employed, the more important is a careful adjustment of relative duties, and of the times and seasons to be devoted to them. The assignment of work to the various ass-tants will naturally depend upon their respective qualifations. Those who know Latin, and two or more of the ndern languages, would probably be employed upon the catalogue. Those who are familiar with the range of books published, in literature and science, will be best qualified for the service of the reading-room, which involves the supply of books and information. In direct proportion to the breadth of information possessed by any one, will be his usefulness in promptly supplying the wants of readers. Nothing is so satisfactory to students in librares, or to the casual seekers of information of any kind, as to find their wants immediately supplied. The reader whom an intelligent librar.an or assistant answers at once is grateful to the whole establishment; while the realer who is required to wait ten to twenty minutes for what he wants, becomes impatient and sometimes que rulous, or leaves the library un-atisfied.

One rule of service at the library desk or counter should be that every assistant there employed should deem it has duty to aid immediately any one who is waiting, no matter what other concerns may engage his attention. In other words, the one primary rule of a public library should be that the service of the public is always paramount. other considerations should be subordinate to that.

It is desirable that assistants in every library should learn all departments of library work, cataloguing, supply ing books and information, preparing books for the shelves, etc. This will enable each assistant to take the place of another in case of absence, a most important point. It will also help to qualify the more expert for promota «n. A second rule for internal adminstration in any library should be that all books are to be distributed, or repla upon their shelves, daily. If this is not systematically done, the library will tend to fall into chaos. And even a small number of volumes not in their places will embarra-s the attendants seeking them, and often deprive readers their use-a thing to be always sedulously avoided.

In the Library of Congress, the replacement of low as upon the shelves is carried out much more frequently than once daily. As fast as books come in at the central de by the returns of readers, they are sent back through the book-carriers, to the proper floors, where the outside la «inumbers indicate that they belong, and replaced by the attendant there on their proper shelves. These mechan cal book-carriers run all day, by electric power, supplied by a dynamo in the basement, and, with their endless chain and attached boxes constantly revolving, they furnish a near approach to perpetual motion. Thus I have wen a set of Macaulay's England, called for by ticket from the reading-room, arrive in three minutes from the outlying book-repository or iron stack, several hundreds of feet de

tant on an upper floor, placed on the reader's table, referred to, and returned at once, then placed in the bookcarrier by the desk attendant, received back on its proper floor, and distributed to its own shelf by the attendant there, all within half an hour after the reader's application. Another rule to be observed by the reading-room attendants is to examine all call-ships, or readers' tickets, remain#g uncalled for at the close of each day's business, and see of the books on them are present in the library. This precaution is demanded by the security of the collection, as well as by the good order and arrangement of the library. Neglect of it may lead to losses or misplacements, which might be prevented by careful and unremitting observance of this rule.

Another rule of eminent propriety is that librarians or assistants are not to read newspapers during library hours. When there happen to be no readers waiting to be helped, the time should be constantly occupied with other brary work. There is no library large enough to be worthy of the name, that does not have arrears of work incessantly waiting to be done. And while this is the case, no library t me should be wasted upon periodicals, which should be perused only outside of library hours. If one person em

ved in a library reads the newspaper or magazine, the Fad example is likely to be followed by others. Thus serieus inattention to the wants of readers, as well as neglect fbrary work postponed, will be sure to follow.

A fourth rule, resting upon the same reason, should prevert any long sustained gossip or conversation during he Erary hours. That time belongs explicitly to the pubbe or to the work of the brary, The rule of sal nee which is enforced upon the public in the interest of readers «bould not be broken by the 1brary managers themselves, Such brief question and answer as emergency or the need