300, or the number of tickets 5,500; but in that year the superintendent of the reading-room organized the attendants into sections, the tickets being sorted and distributed to the attendants of the respective sections of the library.

The printing of the catalogue began in 1881, and over one-third of it has been completed. This third comprises about 950,000 titles. As 40,000 volumes, on an average, are added to the library every year, the catalogue is subject to constant alterations and additions. Formerly these were inserted in the shape of written slips, but the volumes of the catalogue became so bulky and numerous that it was found impossible to provide room for them. The space available for the printed catalogue will, it is estimated, suffice for the wants of three centuries to come. The compilation of this catalogue is costing £4,000 a year.

There is space in the shelving in the centre of the reading-room for 2,000 volumes, in which it will be possible to record eighteen million titles, or, in other words, the accumulation of three centuries to come. There is no fear, therefore, of the catalogue being cramped. It is more difficult to understand where all the books to which the aforesaid titles will apply are to be disposed. It is stated that the authorities are negotiating for the purchase of some property close at hand, with a view to carrying out a considerable extension of the library.

In the middle of 1888 the resignation of Dr. Edward A. Bond was announced. For fifty-two years he had been a member of the staff, and for ten years had occupied the post of principal librarian. It is to Dr. Bond that readers owed the introduction of the electric light into the reading-room. This improvement, so acceptable during the dark winter days, was followed by a considerable extension of the hours when the room was available, and by the removal of certain regulations respecting the renewal of tickets of admission. The appointment of a successor was watched with keen interest on the part of the public. Mr. E. Maunde Thompson was appointed his successor. He is Hon. LL.D. of St. Andrew's, and Hon. D.C.L. of Durham.

Now that the new regulations with regard to fiction have had a fair margin to see how they work, and the storm raised by their promulgation has quieted down, it is feasible to see what led to these new and somewhat stringent regulations. The secret of the decree was found in the fact that a number of the men and women who were accustomed to gather daily beneath the dome did so merely to pass away the time. Some of them did not possess homes, but merely places in which to pass the night, and in the strictest sense they could be numbered among the unemployed. Thought and the acquisition of knowledge were utterly beyond these fashionable loungers, but fiction they loved, and of this they could have enough and to spare in the Bloomsbury buildings. This was becoming an intolerable nuisance. And the abuse of its privileges on the part of many of these public-building parasites was notorious. Literary men engaged in genuine research were pressed out, and those desiring to make reference to

As

some work or works could not find a vacant chair or desk. many as 200 of such readers might be excluded in a single day by even twenty of the fiction vampires, who would take up their position immediately the doors were opened in the morning, and monopolize places for the entire day. Some of these gentry would go out to lunch at twelve and return at three, leaving their places occupied by the books and papers upon the desk. The offenders were watched, their wants were for a time supplied. Then came the decree which sent dismay through their number, that no fiction should be supplied which was not five years old, and more than this the reader would be required to state his reasons in writing should he require a modern work of fiction.

A rescript issued a year ago was welcomed by all who care for. the true welfare of this noble institution. It was to the effect that unoccupied seats, even should there be books on the table, will not be reserved for anyone under any circumstances whatever. At first sight it certainly seems hard that a reader who may be temporarily called away should be liable to have his seat confiscated by anyone on the look-out for a comfortable resting-place. But it must be remembered that under the old system it was a most common practice for selfish people who live in the neighbourhood, to hasten to the library in the morning, and, after reserving a place, to go away and perhaps never return for hours. This was a distinct hardship upon legitimate workers, many of whom are dependent for their living upon the National Library, and who perhaps are unable to arrive until the day is well advanced. By all such the rule in question has been welcomed, as not only desirable, but a necessary restriction upon a practice which had long ceased to be merely objectionable.

There are other classes who frequent the British Museum reading-room with whom it will be necessary to deal. The readingroom is not free from a very unsavoury number, who make it exceedingly disagreeable for those who have to work in their immediate neighbourhood. There is still another class. Official statistics tell us that insanity is on the increase. It seems that a regular practice has grown up among middle-class families in London, who happen to have a lunatic member, of procuring a ticket for the reading-room for that member if sufficiently harmless. The patient is thus cheaply provided for during many hours of the day.

It is difficult to find a fair mode of limiting the number of readers without encroaching upon the few rights of those not rich. A great deal was done when the files of newspapers were removed to another room. A similar removal of the Post Office Directories would eliminate many persons who come to address envelopes. Stricter conditions as to age or purpose in the issue of tickets, even a little delay in their issue except in special circumstances, and a return to the old system, by which they had to be renewed every six months, would improve matters. A sentence or two about the presence in the room of employés of "next of kin" and similar commercial undertakings. Is it not straining the privi

leges accorded to the community in making use of the readingroom, to have the time of public servants taken up in continually attending to the demands of persons who are not there for the purpose of literary research or study, but solely in the interests of employers outside, who are conducting businesses of dubious advantage to the bulk of the population? No one would grumble at any reader occasionally applying for a book of which he had no pressing want; but when the newspaper room is used daily, all the year round, for a purpose that surely was never bargained for or foreseen when that addition to the readers' accommodation was instituted, we submit, in the public interest, that some action should be taken in the matter.

The question has been raised as to whether a catalogue of the newspapers could not be prepared. The periodicals in the National Library are fully and carefully catalogued in the general index. At present if one inquires whether a particular paper is in the Museum, the answer given is to the effect that all current newspapers are received and kept there. If anyone wishes to refer to some defunct journal, of, say, 40 or 50 years ago, the reply made is, that if an application is made on the regular specified form, inquiry will be made as to whether such journal is in the Museum collection or not. The list of periodicals in the Museum Library has been published, with an index, in a handbook to be obtained at the Museum: could not the same be done for the newspapers? The work would not be a very voluminous one, nor need it occupy a very long time in preparation. Further, is it absolutely necessary that the newsroom should be closed at four p.m.? The readingroom is available till seven p.m. all the year round: could not the newsroom be kept open till, say, five p.m., at least ? It is probably owing to these drawbacks that the average attendance in the newsroom, some 54 or 55, is so small.

The principal librarian is considering the suggestion that bulletin boards shall be publicly displayed in the library, on which readers and students can post their wants, and in this way open up communication with others also interested in their special pursuits. This plan already works well at the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, and in several of the principal Public Libraries of the United States, including that in connection with Harvard University.

The one great need is that Public Libraries with their reference departments shall be established all over London. It is utterly impossible for the British Museum reading-room to meet the growing demands made upon the space available for readers, and the only possible way of meeting the difficulty will be by opening other sources of supply. That, however, is coming, for London has experienced a wave of Public Library enthusiasm.

Some considerable misconception has prevailed among the Public Libraries of the country as to the number of duplicate copies of books which are available for distribution. With regard to foreign works this has only occurred when presentation copies have been sent by foreign authors, and the same works have

been purchased out of the sum set aside annually for the purchase of foreign books. Of English works some authors send copies to the British Museum, and the publishers do the same, so that duplicates and at times triplicates find their way to that institution. These are distributed to the various Public Libraries in the country. But it must not be imagined that the supply is unlimited, and it is very certain that the demand far exceeds the supply. It is quite unnecessary to impress upon the principal librarian the wisdom of sending these duplicates only to rate-supported libraries. This is a necessity of which he is already fully aware. This is seen from a circular which is sent to Public Libraries making application, in returning which librarians have to state the amount of the rate, and what the rate produces, and how it is spent.

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CHAPTER XXIX.

Object Lessons in Public Libraries.

HIS title is used in order to distinguish libraries, most of which are being conducted with an express object in view. In most of these places unsuccessful attempts have been made to adopt the Acts, and friends of the movement have been unwilling that the districts should go without Public Libraries, and have started them supported by voluntary contributions or subscriptions.

Without any desire to disparage the efforts which have thus been made, it is safe to urge that only in very exceptional cases should these object lessons be started as a substitute for a library under the Acts. This is urged not on the ground of the non-success of the existing object lessons, but as a matter of policy. It has become manifest that in most instances they retard rather than help on the adoption of the Acts. The active opponents to the adoption of the Acts point to the library and ask why they should tax themselves with a rate for the maintenance of the library when they can have one free of expense to themselves personally. These object lessons are again efforts naturally of a limited character to what libraries under the Acts would be, and residents overlook this fact, and come only too often to the conclusion that if the object lesson is as large and important as would be a library under the Acts, there would not be much to show for their money. The motives which have led to these small libraries being established are worthy of the men who have devoted time, thought, and energy to them, but the movement has now reached a stage when it can dispense with further examples of a similar character.

ARBROATH.

In 1873 steps were taken with a view of securing to Arbroath the benefits of the Public Libraries Acts. A leading part was

taken in the promotion of the scheme by a number of the prominent gentlemen of the town, including the large ratepayers. A public meeting was held, and the subject was discussed, but the opponents succeeded in defeating the proposal by a great majority. The defeat of the Acts caused considerable disappointment to a large number, and in order, as far as possible, to meet their views, the managers of the Arbroath library entered into negotiations with the shareholders of the Arbroath subscription library with the view of securing the books belonging to them, and the premises occupied by them, as the nucleus of a Public Library. The consent of the shareholders was obtained, and, under certain conditions, the whole books and property were handed over to the new managers along with the sum of £1,160, which was subscribed by a number of gentlemen for the purchase of books. In order to give the community an opportunity of becoming possessed of so valuable an institution, the promoters made it a condition that if the Public Libraries Acts were adopted before January 1, 1880, all the books, fittings, and money should be transferred to the managers under these Acts.

In 1879 the movement was again revived to secure the adoption of the Acts, and a requisition was got up and presented to the magistrates in terms of the Act, and accordingly in December of that year voting papers were issued, which resulted in a majority of 666 against the adoption of the Acts, the numbers being, for, 966, against 1,632. There has been no further movement made since that date. The number of books is 16,000, and the subscription is 2s. 6d. a year. The issue averages seventy-five per day, and of these eighty per cent. are fiction. Arbroath should bring forward the question once again, and so place itself in line with all the progressive towns of Scotland.

BAILLIE, MITCHELL, AND STIRLING'S LIBRARIES.

The Glasgow people are truly a penny-wise and pound-foolish community. Had the citizens of this large capital of the North been wise on the last occasion, they might have seen to-day a large central library erected, or a portion of the new municipal buildings set apart for a central library, instead of being taken over by the Water Commissioners. With the magnificent libraries, which would have been handed over to the city on the adoption of the Public Libraries Acts, it is difficult to see why the unusually hard-headed dwellers in Glasgow said "No" to so well-sugared a plum. The Glasgow libraries have been so well dwelt upon by a former librarian of one of these institutions that it would be superfluous to do anything but give the brief facts.

On September 29, 1887, there was opened what is called Baillie's Institution, and which is in effect an addition to Stirling's Library. There are now in Glasgow three public collections of books besides the library of the University, which, of course, is not public, and if these three were gathered together