Charging system
On the inside of the front cover of every book in the library paste a
manilla pocket. (See Library Bureau catalog.) Or paste, by the bottom
and the upper corners, thus making a pocket of it, a sheet of plain,
stout paper at the bottom of the first page of the first flyleaf. On
this pocket, at the top, write the call-number of the book. Below
this print information for borrowers, if this seems necessary. In this
pocket place a book-card of heavy ledger paper or light cardboard. On
this book-card, at the top, write the call-number of the book in the
pocket of which it is placed.
[Illustration: Card-pocket. (Reduced; actual size, 7 x 13-1/2 cm.)
CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY
* * * * *
EXTRACT FROM CITY ORDINANCE.
SEC. 1.--Any person who shall willfully or maliciously cut, write
upon, injure, deface, tear, or destroy any Book, Newspaper, Plate,
Picture, Engraving, or Statue belonging to the Chicago Public Library,
shall be liable to a fine of not less than five dollars, nor more than
fifty dollars for every such offense.
* * * * *
EXTRACT FROM RULES.
27.--Books may be retained two weeks, and may be once renewed for the
same period.
30.--A fine of three cents a day shall be paid on each work, whether
bound in one or more volumes, which is not returned according to the
provisions of the preceding rules; and no other book will be delivered
to the party incurring the fine until it is paid. * * *
* * * * *
RECEIVED.
* * * * *
Acme Library Card Pocket.
Under Pat. Sept. 26, '76, "Ref. Index File."
Made by LIBRARY BUREAU,
125 Franklin St., Chicago
* * * * *
Keep your Card In this Pocket.]
To every borrower the library issues a borrower's card. This card is
made of heavy, colored tag-board, and contains the borrowers' name and
address, and his number in the series of borrowers' numbers.
The librarian, before delivering a book to a borrower, takes from the
pocket the book-card, writes on it the number found at the top of the
borrower's card, and after it, with a dater, stamps the day of the
month. At the same time he stamps the same date on the borrower's
card, and on the pocket in the book or on a dating slip pasted in the
book opposite the pocket.
[Illustration: Book card. (Reduced; actual size 12-1/2 x 7-1/2 cm.)
340 D68
Dole, E.P.
Talks about law
Ja. 4 826 Ja. 11
F. 6 246 F. 15
Ap. 1 836]
The borrower's card he places in the book pocket, the book-card he
retains as a record of the loan, and the borrower takes the book away.
The book-card, with all others representing the books issued on the
same day, he places in a tray behind a card bearing the date of
the day of issue. All the book-cards representing books issued on a
certain day are arranged in the order of their call-numbers.
[Illustration: Tray for book-cards.]
Under this system the borrower can tell, by looking at his card, on
what date the book he has was taken from the library. If he wishes
to renew it without taking it back to the library, he can do so by a
letter stating that he took on a certain day a book bearing a certain
number, and wishes it renewed.
The librarian can tell, from the book-cards, what books are in
circulation, and how many of each class were lent on a certain day.
[Illustration: No. 1. Postal notice. (Reduced.)
City Library Association
Springfield, Mass. Feb. 14, 1899.
The book noted below is now in the library and will be
reserved for you until 9 P.M., Feb. 15.
_Please present this notice and your library card._ A charge
of two cents is made for this notice.
JOHN COTTON DANA, _Librarian_.
Per. S.M.J.
_Book No._ 2173.54
_Title, etc._ Ave Roma Immortalis.
Reserve Postal, Form 1, Jan. 30. '98, 500]
The borrower's number, written on the book-card of any given book in
circulation, will give, through the register of borrowers, the
name and address of the person having that book. Overdue books are
automatically indicated, their cards remaining in the tray, behind
the card indicating the date they were lent, after the day for their
return has passed.
When a borrower returns a book the librarian can learn, from the date
on the pocket, whether or no a fine should be paid on it; if not, he
can, if in haste, immediately take out the borrower's card from the
book pocket, stamp the date of its return at the right of the date on
which it was lent, thus canceling the charge against the borrower, and
lay the book aside and look up its book-card later.
[Illustration: No. 2. Registration card, face. (Reduced; actual size,
7-1/2 x 12-1/2 cm.)
Name. Geo. Brown No. 80
Residence. 72 Vernon.
Employment. Machinist.
Employer. Smith & Wesson's.
Place of business. 85 Main.]
[Illustration: No. 3. Registration card, reverse. (Reduced; actual
size, 7-1/2 x 12-1/2 cm.)
Feb. 14, 1899.
I hereby declare that I am a resident of the City of Springfield, and in
consideration of the right to use the Free City Library, agree to comply
with all Regulations provided for its government.
George Brown.
I hereby certify that the above subscriber is a fit person to enjoy the
privileges of the City Library, and that I will be responsible for any
loss or injury the Library may sustain from the permission given to draw
books in consequence of this certificate.
Signature (in ink)
Residing at No. Street.]
Double and special borrowers' cards are not needed under this
system. It accommodates itself readily to a "two-book" system. On the
book-cards belonging to the second book, and all other books after
the first, which any borrower may take, the librarian writes the
borrower's number preceded by any letter or sign which will serve to
indicate that these books are charged, not on the borrower's card, but
to the borrower direct, on the strength of a general permission to him
to take more than one book.
[Illustration: No. 4. Overdue notice. (Postal card, reduced.)
The City Library Association, Springfield, Mass. LITERATURE: ART:
SCIENCE.
The Library: Circulating Department.
The rules of the library require all books to be returned in two
weeks. Book No. G647.2 stands charged to you (Card No. 1906) as taken
from the library Feb. 2. '99.
You are incurring a fine of two cents for every day's detention.
If you think a mistake has been made, please notify us.
A charge of two cents is made for sending this notice.
The City Library. Per B.
Present this notice with your library card.]
The postal notice no. 1, the registration cards 2 and 3, the notice
that the book is overdue, no. 4, the fine slip, no. 5, all explain
themselves.
In most places, certainly in all small towns, a sufficient safeguard
against the loss of books is found in the signature of the borrower
himself. No guarantee need be called for. To ask for a guarantor for a
reputable resident is simply to discommode two people instead of one.
The application which the borrower signs should be brief and plain.
Name, residence, place of business, and any necessary references,
should be written in by the librarian on one side; the signature to an
agreement to obey the library rules can be written by the applicant
on the other. All borrowers agreements should be filed in alphabetical
order. They should receive borrowers' numbers in the order of their
issue, and the date. The borrowers' cards should state that they
expire in a definite number of years from the date of issue, and
the date of issue should be stamped on them. An index of borrower's
agreements should be kept by their numbers. This need contain only the
borrower's number, his name, and, when necessary, his address. It is
conveniently kept in a book. It is better to keep it on cards.
[Illustration: No. 5. Fine slip. (Reduced; actual size 12-1/2 x 7-1/2
cm.)
The City Library Assocation
Springfield, Mass.
Fines received FEB 14
No. 34. 5-82 D.
4
2
16
6
22
8
2
4
6]