With the issuance of the A. L. A. Catalog, 1904-11, which is now in
press, the Publishing Board practically completes an important group
of bibliographical aids which has been in process of compilation or
publication during the past five years. The chief publications embrace
the following:
A. L. A. Catalog, 1904-11, to be issued in 1912.
List of subject headings for use in dictionary catalogs, 3rd
edition revised by Mary Josephine Briggs. 1911.
Small library buildings; a collection of plans with introduction
and notes by Cornelia Marvin. 1908.
Guide to the study and use of reference books, by Alice B.
Kroeger. 1908.
Supplement to the above, compiled by Isadore G. Mudge. 1911.
Foreign book lists, embracing to date German, French, Hungarian,
Norwegian and Danish, and Swedish.
550 Children's books; a purchase list for public libraries, by
Harriet H. Stanley. 1910.
Selected list of music and books about music for public libraries,
by Louisa M. Hooper. 1909.
Hints to small libraries, by Mary W. Plummer, 4th edition. 1911.
This list does not include a number of new tracts and handbooks, nor
the tentative chapters of an A. L. A. Manual of library economy which
it is proposed upon completion to assemble in book form. An index
to annual library reports, which is well under way, will probably
be put into type before the expiration of the calendar year. In
addition, during the quintennial period now closing, the Board has been
instrumental in securing the publication of the following important
bibliographical aids bearing the imprints of other organizations: Index
of economic material in documents of the states of the United States,
prepared by Adelaide R. Hasse; A. L. A. Portrait index, edited by W. C.
Lane and Nina E. Browne.
New chapters of the Manual of library economy are noted in another
paragraph.
Directions for the librarian of a small library (3000 copies), by
Zaidee Brown was reprinted for the League of library commissions from
the type used by the Free public library commission of Massachusetts.
The library and social movements; a list of material obtainable free
or at small expense (1250 copies), compiled by Ono Mary Imhoff, of the
Wisconsin free library commission, was reprinted for the League from
the type used for the edition of the Wisconsin free library commission.
Subject index to vol. 7 of the A. L. A. Booklist (2500 copies) was
printed in June, 1911. Although proportionately valuable to vols. 1-6
the sale has been very unsatisfactory and is not an encouragement to
prepare future yearly indexes.
During the past year the following publications have been reprinted:
A. L. A. Index to general literature, edited by W. I. Fletcher, 1905
edition (500 copies); Cataloging for small libraries, by Theresa
Hitchler (Handbook No. 2) (1000 copies); Binding for small libraries,
compiled by the A. L. A. Committee on Bookbinding (Handbook No. 5)
(1500 copies); Guide to reference books, by Alice B. Kroeger (1000
copies); and Cutter's Notes from the art section of a library (Tract
No. 5) (1000 copies). A new edition of Miss Stearns' Essential in
library administration (2000 copies) is now in press. It has been
brought up to date by the author.
=Publications out of Print=--Several publications for which plates were
not made have recently become out of print. Magazines for the small
library, by Katharine MacDonald Jones, and Graded list of stories for
reading aloud, by Harriot E. Hassler were both League publications
which had been turned over to the Board. There is a steady demand for
them and they should be either brought up to date and reprinted or
something else issued on the same subject.
=Questions of Policy=--The work now nearing an end has engaged the
attention and absorbed the resources of the Publishing Board to
an extent that precluded entry into new fields calling for large
expenditures. The editorial work involved in the compilation of the
third edition of Subject headings, extending over a period of several
years, and the editorial expenses incident to the publication of the A.
L. A. Booklist have practically exhausted the current funds available
for such service. Beginning with the new fiscal year, the funds derived
from sales will doubtless care for all outstanding obligations, and the
income from the Carnegie endowment can be devoted to maintain and to
further strengthen the Booklist, and to undertake new enterprises.
Out of the great labor involved, and time required in the preparation
of Subject headings, and of the A. L. A. Catalog, has developed the
suggestion that work for new editions of the former compilation should
be continuous, and that the Booklist bears a logical relationship to
the A. L. A. Catalog. While the members of the Publishing Board are not
fully prepared at this time to urge a definite permanent policy in this
connection, an interesting suggestion comes from Mrs. Elmendorf, which
well merits consideration in having an important bearing on future
development. Her suggestion, in her own words, is this:
"Would it not be well to consider the publication of the A. L.
A. Catalog in loose-leaf form on something the same principle as
Nelson's Cyclopedia? Different parts of it might then be revised
from time to time and the parts or pages might be for sale
separately.
"It could be so printed that the pages might be mounted and
arranged in a vertical file, headings being suggested at the
bottom for arrangement as any library preferred, in regular
classed order or in alphabetico-classed. A card index to the
vertical file might be made to minimize the difficulties of the
classed arrangement. The notes should be attractive notes, letting
the presence of the book in this "Choice Catalog" vouch for its
worth and in a general way for the treatment, for the choice
should be guided by the best popular, readable treatment. I am
more and more thinking that effective helps to awakened personal
interest are needed and are lacking. The A. L. A. Catalog has
always been too bulky, too costly, too much directed to the buyer
for effective personal service. I have long been convinced that
the greatest popular service can be performed even in the large
libraries with quite a limited number of books, I think not more
than 20,000, perhaps not more than 10,000. I should like to
advertise that many adequately and attractively and watch the
results.
"I know that there are many objections and difficulties to be met,
and yet I believe that there is the germ of a workable scheme
present."
=List of Subject Headings=--The chief publication of the year has
been the new List of subject headings, revised and edited by Mary
Josephine Briggs, cataloger of the Buffalo public library. After
nearly five years of labor this third edition appeared October
1st, 1911 and has met with a most appreciative reception. 3000
copies were printed as a first edition. 1312 copies have already
been sold (to June 1), and a steady demand continues. The reviews
have been almost uniformly favorable.
=A. L. A. Catalog, 1904-11=--The new A. L. A. Catalog, 1904-11,
although not yet off the press as this report is written, will be
distributed we hope about the date of the Ottawa meeting. It contains
a selection of about 3000 of the best books published since the A.
L. A. Catalog of 1904, with a list of books now out of print which
appeared in that Catalog, and also of new editions. Children's books
are listed separately. Five thousand copies are being printed as a
first edition, of which nearly 3000 have been subscribed for in advance
of publication. From the preface written by the editor, Miss Elva L.
Bascom, the following extracts are selected:
"The general plan of the Catalog and the routine of co-operation in
the selection of titles practically coincide with those of the original
work except that the whole routine, from the preliminary selection to
the final preparation for printing, has remained in the hands of one
person.
"All titles have been submitted to the publishers for latest
information, so that the list should be dependable for prices.
"The sixth edition (1899) of the Decimal Classification has been
followed. This decision was made on the information that the smaller
libraries had not to any extent adopted the seventh edition. It is to
be hoped that when the time comes to revise the 1904 Catalog there may
be at hand a complete revised edition of the "D. C." simplified for the
requirements of the smaller libraries.
"The addition of subject headings (not given with the titles in the
1904 Catalog) was determined on before the decision to print only a
class list was made. It has been a frequent request from the librarians
of smaller libraries, who need help in this matter and who found it
difficult to find the headings chosen for the Dictionary list in the
1904 Catalog. The new edition of the List of subject headings has been
followed with some additions. Where the subjects of analytics are
easily ascertainable, they are only recommended.
"While in the beginning the attempt was made to adhere fairly closely
to the proportion of titles to each subject given in the 1904 Catalog,
it was found impossible to do so without impairing the usefulness of
the list. The output of books in the subjects grouped under Sociology
has been so great, and the demand for them so heavy, that it seemed
better to include a larger number than was originally planned rather
than risk weakening the usefulness of the section. The greatest
increase has been in Useful Arts, and this was intentional, since there
is no division where the average librarian is more in need of help, nor
where it is more difficult to find the "best book" on short notice.
"Two special lists are incorporated in the Catalog, both in answer to
definite requests. One is a selection of about 50 titles of religious
books specially chosen for Catholic readers. Two preliminary selections
were made, one by an assistant in the St. Louis public library at the
request of the librarian, Dr. A. E. Bostwick, and a second by the Rev.
W. J. McMullen of Pittsburgh, at the request of the librarian of the
Carnegie library of Pittsburgh, Mr. H. W. Craver. Both lists were then
incorporated into a much more extensive one, covering all subjects,
compiled by Mr. William Stetson Merrill, of the Newberry library.
The final selection, limited to religious books, was submitted to
Archbishop Ireland, and at his request was examined by the Rev. J. A.
Ryan, of the St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, Minn."
The second list consists of 50 titles of modern drama and books about
it. It was impossible to get any unanimity of opinion on such a brief
selection and the editor is aware that it will satisfy a very small
proportion of libraries. It is allowed to stand, however, for the
suggestion it may give to the perplexed librarian of the smaller
library.
"It is hardly to be imagined that any one ever prepared a list of this
character and extent without wishing to ask the indulgence of possible
critics and to explain why it is so much farther from perfect than
it was expected to be. It seems a fairly simple task to select 3000
titles from the books published in eight years, but a list based on the
co-operation of about 75 librarians and 100 experts, all fully engaged
with their own work, and selected, edited and prepared for printing in
the intervals between work having a prior claim, is bound to progress
but slowly and to suffer many changes of fortune. One needs to be this
sort of clearing house of opinion but once to realize how far apart our
libraries are in the matter of book selection. In many cases what is
one library's meat seems to be another's poison, and one soon reaches
the conviction that there are no "best books" on any subject for a
library of any size--if librarians alone are to be consulted. Happily,
professors, special students and experts in general are less at
variance. It is only fair to say that the Fiction and Children's lists
represent librarians' votes only. It is to be doubted if the Fiction,
at least, would have retained the proper amount of "light reading"
if it had passed through the hands of literature professors. If it
does not prove a good "working" selection the editor will be greatly
disappointed, for it was on that ground alone that many titles escaped
the deleting pencil."
=A. L. A. Booklist=--With the current number of the A. L. A. Booklist,
volume 8 is completed. Since the initial number appeared in January,
1905, the Booklist has come to be regarded as an indispensable tool in
every library. There has been no deviation from the original policy
of furnishing to the libraries, and the numerous small libraries
particularly, an unbiased guide in selection of books currently
published. The number of titles listed from the 2500 annually examined,
has been expanded from time to time, but the general character of the
publication has been retained. Suggestions have come to the Board for
change of name, for change of form and size, and for other changes
that might lead to a larger use of the list by the general public.
While the members of the Board have given careful consideration to the
arguments presented, they have deferred reaching a final conclusion
until practical unanimity can be arrived at as to the wisdom of the
changes sought. A total of 7729 titles has been included in the 2456
pages which comprise the eight volumes of the Booklist: