USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1895 > Part 20
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The old wooden cases have been abandoned. Steel stacks have been substituted, light and strong, so constructed that light and air can reach all shelves. This will be of noticeable benefit to the books. The shelves themselves are interchangeable, and can be easily adjusted when loaded, making it a very simple and easy matter to enlarge the space set apart to any particular class of books, as the
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
continual growth of the library may from time to time require. This arrangement also adds largely to the shelf space devoted to the accommodation of the volumes for immediate use or for occasional reference. This will be more apparent when the statement is made, that between 50,000 and 60,000 volumes can be placed upon the stack which now occupies the space that formerly was crowded with less than 23,000.
These stacks occupy two stories. The upper story is easily reached by a stairway at each end of the book-room, and these stair- ways are so constructed as to give the least obstruction to the light, in this respect, following the design of the book-stack. The upper floor is of thick glass, and has an ornamental front and gallery rail.
There are two means for interior lighting, gas and electricity. Pipes and wires have been laid with great care so as to avoid any danger of fire. Even when gas is used, there will be no danger from the use of matches, as each burner is connected with a battery, and the gas lighted by electricity. It should also be stated that in light- ing the several stacks, as they may be needed, each alcove is on a separate circuit. It is evident that this gives a marked advantage over any other ordinary method.
A still further change has been made in introducing a large book lift in the rear of the room, running from the basement to the second book-stack floor. All books will be received and unpacked in the basement, and at some future time a room should be fitted up there for the repairing of books.
The cost of the alterations in the building, the new book-stack, and the necessary changes and repairs amounted to $5,967.58. A detailed statement will be found in the financial exhibit herewith submitted. I congratulate you that you were able to complete the work, according to your original plans, within the appropriation made by the City Council for the purpose.
CLASSIFICATION AND CATALOGUING.
In perfecting the arrangements made, a vast amount of work was necessary, and it is obvious this could not be done while the library was open. The contractors, who had the alteration of the building, and the erection of the book-stack in charge, must have undisturbed possession of the book-room for three months, and it was necessary
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F - REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
to close the library June 1st. In less than three days over 23,000 books were packed away in boxes, filling the delivery room well-nigh to the ceiling, and in the old cases set up in the reading room, so closely arranged that it was with great difficulty individual volumes could be reached. This fact, together with the very contracted space in which any clerical work could be done, made the labor of cataloguing, classifying, and changing the number- ing system very exacting. It may be said, however, that no more faithful and vigilant work has been done for the city, than that wrought by the Cataloguer of this library, Miss F. Mabel Norcross, and her assistants, who have numbered sometimes as many as eight. Let it be understood that this work included not merely writing the titles of books for an ordinary list catalogue, but a careful classifica- tion of all the books in the library. In this respect, and in the admirable success attained, Miss Norcross deserves most honorable mention. She has been tireless in her efforts to have the catalogue in every way complete. The extent of this work will be readily seen by any one who will examine a catalogue slip and notice what it in- cludes,- bearing in mind that every work in the library had its individual slip .-
521.1
808
SPOFFORD, AINSWORTH RAND and
S 3
GIBBON, CHARLES, ed.
Library of choice literature :
prose and poetry, selected from standard authors. Ed. 2.
17423-32
Phil. [c.1888.] 10 v. 8º.
pl.
Note .- For index of authors, see v. 10.
First, the author's present name, frequently a difficult matter to ascertain, as many more books are written anonymously than is generally supposed, and matrimony makes strange havoc with even authors' names. Second, the complete title of the book. Third, the
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
edition of the book. Fourth, the number of volumes in the set. Fifth, where published. Sixth, when published. Seventh, size of the book. Eighth, illustrated or not. Ninth, number of pages in book. Tenth, any other bibliographic notes that may be needed to describe the work or edition. Eleventh, the old shelf number of the book. Twelfth, accession catalogue number. Thirteenth, classification. Fourteenth, new class or call number.
The merely mechanical work necessary was arduous. Every book had to be written on two slips, one under its title, the other under the name of the author. Such slips numbered nearly 60,000. But this was only a part of the work needed. Every book was overhauled, the label on it steamed off, and a new one put in its place and a new number given it, and this new call number must be written on the book-plate within the book, and on both sides of the charging slip. Every book, besides, had on the inside of the back cover a pocket for the charging slip, which must be folded and pasted in its place, and a dating slip attached on the last fly-leaf.
All this labor was necessarily connected with the new method of classification and cataloguing. When the finding list was com- pleted, it was found to contain 472 closely-printed pages. How much work this represents may be partially known by studying the extent of the classification. There are ten general classes. Each class has ten divisions, and each division has, at least, ten sections.
The following tables will give a general idea of the Decimal System of Classification : -
CLASSES.
0. General Works.
1. Philosophy.
2. Religion.
3. Sociology.
4. Philology.
5. Natural Science.
6. Useful Arts.
7. Fine Arts.
8. Literature.
9. History.
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F- REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
DIVISIONS.
.000 GENERAL WORKS.
010 Bibliography.
020 Library economy.
030 General cyclopedias.
040 General collections.
050 General periodicals.
550 Geology.
060 General societies.
560 Paleontology.
070 Newspapers.
080 Polygraphy.
090 Book rarities.
590
Zoology.
100 PHILOSOPHY.
110 Metaphysics.
120 Special metaphysical topics.
130 Mind and body.
140 Philosophical systems.
150 Psychology.
160 Logic.
170 Ethics.
180 Ancient philosophers.
190 Modern philosophers.
200 RELIGION.
210 Natural theology.
220 Bible.
230 Doctrinal theology.
240 Devotional and practical.
250 Homiletic. Parochial.
260 Church. Institutions.
270 Religious history.
280 Christian churches. Sects.
290 Non-Christian religions.
300 SOCIOLOGY.
310 Statistics.
320 Political science.
330 Political economy.
340 Law.
350 Administration.
360 Associations.
Institutions.
370 Education.
380 Commerce.
390 Customs. Costumes.
700 FINE ARTS.
710 Landscape gardening.
720 Architecture.
730 Sculpture.
740 Drawing. Design.
750 Painting.
760 Engraving.
770 Photography.
780
Music.
790
Amusements.
800 LITERATURE.
810 American.
820 English.
830 German.
840 French.
850 Italian.
860 Spanish.
870 Latin.
880
Greek.
890
Minor languages.
400 PHILOLOGY.
410 Comparative.
420 English.
430 German.
930
Ancient history.
450 Italian.
950
Asia.
460 Spanish.
960
Africa.
470 Latin.
970
North America.
180 Greek.
490 Minor languages.
900 HISTORY.
910 Geography and description.
920 Biography.
440 French.
940
(Europe.
Modern.
South America. -
980
990
Oceanica and Polar regions.
600 USEFUL ARTS.
610 Medicine.
620 Engineering.
630
Agriculture.
640 Domestic economy.
650 Communication. .
660 Chemical technology.
670 Manufactures.
680 Mechanic trades.
690
Building.
500 NATURAL SCIENCE.
510 Mathematics.
520 Astronomy.
530 Physics.
540 Chemistry.
570 Biology. .
580
Botany.
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
THIRD SUMMARY. SECTIONS.
600 USEFUL ARTS.
601 Philosophy.
602
Compends.
652
Penmanship. Methods.
603 Dictionaries. Cyclopedias. 653 Shorthand. Abbreviations.
604
Essays.
Lectures.
Addresses.
654
Telegraphy. Cables. Signals.
605 Periodicals. Magazines.
655
Printing. Type. Publishing.
656 Transportation. Railroading, etc.
657 Book-keeping. Accounts.
658 Business manuals. Methods.
659 Advertising and other topics.
610 MEDICINE.
611 Anatomy.
612 Physiology.
613 Hygiene. Gymnastics.
614 Public health.
664 Foods; sugar, starch, etc.
665 Lights ; gas, oils, candles, etc.
666 Ceramics ; glass, clay, cement, etc.
667 Bleaching. Dyeing. Inks.
668
Other organic chemicalindustries.
669 Metallurgy. Assaying.
620 ENGINEERING.
621 Mechanical.
622 Mining.
623 Military.
624 Bridge and roof.
625 Road and railroad.
626 Canal.
627 River and harbor.
628 Sanitary. Water-works.
678 Rubber.
679 Celluloid.
630 AGRICULTURE.
631 Soil fertilizers. Drainage.
632 Pests. Blights. Insects.
633 Grains. Grasses. Tea, etc.
634 Fruits. Orchards. Vineyards.
635 Kitchen garden.
636 Domestic animals.
686 Book-binding.
687 Clothes-making. Hats.
638 Bees. Silkworms.
688
689 Other trades.
640 DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
690
BUILDING.
641 Cookery. Gastronomy.
691 Materials, timber, stone, etc.
642 Confectionery. Ices.
692 Plans and specifications.
643 Food. Dining. Carving.
693 Masonry. Plastering, etc.
644 Fuel. Lights.
694 Carpentry. Stair-building.
645 Furniture. Carpets. Upholstery. 695 Slating and tiling.
646 Clothing. Cosmetics. Toilet.
696 Plumbing. Gas and steam-fitting.
647 Servants. Training. Wages.
697 Warming and ventilation.
648 Laundry.
698 Painting, glazing. Paper-hanging.
649 Nursery. Children. Sick-room. 699 Car and ship-building.
670 MANUFACTURES.
671 Articles made of metals.
672 Of iron and steel; cutlery, etc.
673 Of brass and bronze; bells, etc.
674 Lumber.
675 Leather.
676 Paper.
677 Cotton, wool, silk and linen.
680 MECHANIC TRADES.
681 Watch and instrument making.
682 Blacksmithing. Horseshoeing.
683 Lock and gun-making.
684 Carriage and cabinet-making.
685 Saddlery. Trunks.
637 Dairy. Milk. Butter. Cheese.
639 Fishing. Trapping.
660 CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY.
661 Chemicals ; salts, paints, etc.
662 Pyrotechnics. Explosives.
663 Beverages ; wines, liquors, etc.
615 Materia medica. Therapeutics.
616 Pathology. Diseases.
617 Surgery. Dentistry.
618 Diseases of women and children.
619 Comparative medicine.
650 COMMUNICATION. COMMERCE.
651
Writing. Cipher. Typewriters.
606 Societies. Fairs. Exhibitions.
607 Education.
608 Patents.
609 History of useful arts.
629 Other branches.
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F -REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
We made some changes from the decimal system, and, except in few instances, did we carry the classification beyond the decimal point. Fiction and biography, for instance, were taken out of the regular classification in order to prepare separate finding lists on those two subjects, and in fiction and biography the Cutter Expansive System was used.
It is not to be understood that the new finding list is perfect, or is the best that could be made if we had plenty of time, a large library force, and plenty of money. It has its advantages over the old-style catalogue, and also its disadvantages. The ideal catalogue would have had, in addition to the subject and the author list, a complete title list, with full cross references, but the question of expense prevented this, and compelled abbreviated titles and names, the omission of size of books, pages, edition, and bibliographical in- formation, which we hope to supply in a complete card catalogue, which I trust the funds at your disposal may permit us to commence very soon, and nothing will interrupt until it is completed, or rather brought up to date, for a card catalogue is never complete, so long · as a library is used. Such a catalogue as we need, and must have, if we are to make the most of our opportunity, will call for another large expediture of money and time.
Something should be added just here, more in detail, concerning the difficulty of classification and the dissatisfaction one feels when he has done his best. It might seem an easy matter, at first glance, to place an author's name and work. The contrary is true. For an illustration, let us take some of the works of Ruskin, shall they be placed under the head of art, or essay, or somewhere else? He is best known by his books on art, yet he has written on political econ- omy, he has given to the world a volume of poems and more than one of essays ; his writings include history, travels, biography, natural science, sociology, natural history, and religion. A single book of his might properly be classed in either one of two or more classes, but unfortunately a single book cannot be shelved in two places at the same time. What shall we do with it? The most practical rule is to consider where the average person would look for it and so classify it. Of course it will be seen that some books are naturally · perplexing. Letters might properly enough be classed under litera- ture, and English letters be marked 826, yet letters of travel might be placed with the 910's, while others might be placed with the works
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
on biography. Biography may easily be confounded at times with history or travels, and history or travels with biography. It frequently happens that when, after close study, you have classed a work under one head, you are perplexed to find that it might almost as well have been classed under another head.
Take for illustration, Custer's Boots and Saddle. It is largely a book of travel and description, 917, but the A. L. A. catalogue places it in biography, 920. We classed it 917.83.
917 represents travels in North America, 917.8 represents travels in the Western States in general, and 917.83 represents travels in Dakota. It will thus be seen, that by using five figures in the call, or shelf number, we are enabled to place all books of travel in one State, side by side in the library.
So, too, Collier's History of English Literature in a series of biographical studies might be classed as either collective biography, 920, or history of literature in general, as it contains American litera- ture, 820.
Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress might properly enough be classed as fiction, or as religious miscellany, which includes religious novels, allegories, etc. The A. L. A. classes it among fiction. We placed it under religious miscellany, that is, 244.
Of course our classification is abundantly open to criticism. I say " of course," because nobody can classify a library so that it satisfy anybody else, or even satisfy himself after he has finished it. There is no royal road to classification. "The best" is still to be found. The reasons for or against placing a certain book in a particular class, are too nicely balanced, or too slight and unimportant for different minds to be determined by them identically. We can all of us criti- cise every scheme that ever has been, or ever will be prepared, for at best, it is a matter of opinion, and opinions disagree. Even our own opinions are not the same under different states of mind.
Strabo records the fact that the King of Egypt employed Aristotle to classify his library, who pronounced him to be "the only man who was able to arrange the books of a large library in an orderly and systematic manner."
COST OF CLASSIFICATION AND FINDING LIST.
When it was decided to classify the library and print a complete finding list of the books, we estimated that it would cost $4,350,
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F-REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
and that it would take, at least, one year to do the work. As a mat- ter of fact, the finding list was completed in thirteen months from the time we commenced the work of cataloguing, and the total expense was $4,343.97.
We paid for extra help in this work in 1894, $251, and during this year $1,144.22. To these sums should be added the salaries of Miss Norcross for fourteen months, and of the librarian and his two assistants for the four months that the library was closed, viz. : $1,318.33. The cost of printing and binding 1,000 copies of the complete finding list, and 1,000 copies of the works of fiction and biography, was $1,630.42, making the total cost $4,343.97.
CITY APPROPRIATIONS.
The action of the city government in its appropriation for the benefit of the Public Library deserves more than a passing notice. It is difficult to gauge the value to a community, both in material prosperity and intellectual and social culture, of such enlightened liberality, - difficult, because in the nature of things, there may be no perceptible immediate results. It is easy to see an apparent ad- vance in prosperity - when some special turn in public affairs " booms " real estate, or gives a transient excitement in any depart- ment of business. But the steady, resolute, and persistent advance in enduring prosperity is not so easily determined. It is the story over again of the mushroom and the oak. The first grows in a night and we can measure its size, the latter grows through scores of years, but the rings that tell of passing time are hidden, and we can judge of the vigor of the tree only by the slowly widening spread of its branches, and its patient endurance of summer's heat and winter's frosts.
It may be stated as a fact that the character of a community is largely determined by its intelligence, and that its intelligence de- pends upon its thought, its active force, and its purpose of life. All these are very largely dependent upon the educational resources of such community. Of course this brings us not merely into the region of that social life whose amenities have come from successive genera- tions- but from the immediate use of such means as the Public Library and the Public Schools - together with all that religious and philanthropic institutions can provide.
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
The refinement of life in our large towns and cities, and especially throughout New England, is no accident. It can be traced to the thoughtful use of agencies that foster good living, high thinking, and an energy of life that is not appalled by difficulty, that does not faint by any exhaustion or dissipation of power in unworthy directions.
This city's government must care for varied enterprises. The resources of the city must be taxed -it may be thought, at times, too heavily. But there is no wisdom which can have better results, than that which not merely provides for present emergencies, but for future development.
So far as the Public Library is concerned, I venture to call atten- tion to the increased use made of the facilities it offers, not only by the general reader, not only by those who pursue some specialty, but by those in our homes who need the rest which a good book, whether essay or novel, can give, and also by those who are entering upon man- hood and womanhood, and upon whom must soon rest the respon- sibility, embracing the weal or woe of the future. Let it be understood that this institution has no professional narrowness. The Public Library can help the clergyman, the physician, the lawyer, the teacher. It should be so systematized in its arrangements that every profession and calling can consult it with the least possible trouble. But let us bear in mind that the average information, the average education, the average activity of life, make up the average character of the people. We do not judge the wealth of resource of our country by some excep- tionally fertile valley or by the uplifted grandeur of some mountain range, but by the fertility of prairie lands and the reserve force in our lakes, that through natural or artificial channels turns the wheels of our multiplied industries. The educated common sense of the people in the various avenues of trade, and in the application of labor to all industrial arts is that upon which the hope of the future must rest, and by which the present work for the future must be governed.
I would especially emphasize the wisdom of the expenditure for the enlargement in accommodation and books in the Public Library. As I have said, we cannot determine the value of such expenditure by immediate accomplishment, but we may with entire confidence anticipate from it the gradual uplift of the community, and the deepening and broadening of its noblest life. Sometimes this comes with gradual development, sometimes by what seems a surprise. Florists are agreed that some of the most perfect flowers were what
·
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F-REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
were called "sports," or, in other words, accidents. But accident is only revelation of unrecognized power. The king may sleep in the cradle of a peasant. Was not an Emperor of Rome once a slave ? Did not Alfred find shelter in a herdsman's hut? Was not one President of the United States a rail-splitter, another a tailor, another a tow-path boy? When you lay your hand upon the forehead of a child, and quicken its intelligence, you may touch a head that may be crowned with the dignity of labor, labor that may come to live in the White House, or be crowned at the bench of the mechanic.
The Public Library is meant to develop public resources for the public good. Let it have the generous support and hearty encourage- ment of those who constitute the public.
STATISTICS.
The whole number of books placed in the library since it was founded, as recorded in the Accession catalogue, is 31,739, and the number lost, worn out, and withdrawn during this same period, ap- pears to be 2,755, making the number of books in the library at the present time 28,984. This does not include many volumes in the public document and duplicate room, and pamphlets.
During the past year 4,010 volumes have been added, and 163 have been worn out and withdrawn, making a net gain of 3,847 volumes. Many of these have been added to complete sets, and to strengthen those departments of the library that were most deficient. Most of these books were added during the early part of the year, and are included in the new finding list. Of the number added, 346 volumes were donations, and 3,664 volumes by purchase, and the binding of serials.
CIRCULATION.
The library has been open for the distribution of books only 204 days during the past year, it being closed June 1st. The East Somerville agency was discontinued April 15th, and the agency at West Somerville June 1st; neither of them have been reopened, but instead, the eight large grammar schools will be made distributing centres.
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
The number of books given out for home use was 68,231. The circulation of books during the year cannot be compared with any degree of accuracy with the circulation in former years, as the condi- tions have been so entirely different. While it is a fact that the library was nominally open for the delivery of books October 1st, only works of fiction and biography were ready for circulation at that time, and it was nearly December before all of the classes of books in the circulating department were ready for the public, therefore, the above figures do not represent the normal circulation for eight months.
The people living in the eastern and the western portions of the city, who relied upon the agencies for their books, have not adapted themselves to the changed conditions, and are not using the library as freely as they did. It may be found that the deliveries through the schools will not take the place of those closed, and supply the needs of these patrons. If such should prove to be the case, and a considerable number of persons living in those localities should ask for agencies open during the same hours as the library, their request should receive careful consideration. Over 13,000 volumes were sent through the agencies at East Somerville and Davis square last year. The number circulated through these channels the present year is misleading, and is therefore omitted.
In this connection it may be fitting to suggest, as we look forward at the future possibilities of the library, that it is worth our thought- ful consideration, whether it may not be practicable, at no distant day, to extend the facilities of the library, not only by delivering books at the schools, but at individual homes. It certainly seems possible that a system of book delivery could be devised that would be inexpensive, and a great saving of time.
Since not only books, but everything that a pupil can use in our public schools, are placed in his hands at the public expense, when- ever he needs them, why should not those who rely upon the " people's college " for their mental equipment, have a similar advantage? In these days, when so many calls upon the time are made, not by business only, but by social duties, why would it not be to the great interest and advantage of those who would avail themselves of the rich resources of the library, to have a call by postal card or tele- phone for a volume answered as readily as the order for the morning newspaper or the latest magazine, that the postal service delivers at a simply nominal sum, indeed, it might be connected with the local postal service ?
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