4. General readers of all classes, and all persons are general readers
when not reading for a definite purpose, but for general culture.
Obviously the rights of all these classes are not of equal importance.
To outline the means of protecting their rights, it is necessary to
classify users by certain of their characteristics which bear no
relation to the groups named above. First, the conscientious worker
who, while using many books, never retains one beyond his real need for
it, and who constantly bears in mind the possible need that others may
have for a book he is using. Library rules are not made for such. The
next and most difficult class to deal with are those who want to gather
about them all the books they can conveniently lay hands on, with the
thought, that they will "come handy some day." A large class, running
down to the lowest ranks of college students, comprise those who think
they must have all the material on a subject at hand at one time.
Another class, largely college students, is made up of those selfish
persons who, having a task, ride rough shod, if necessary, over the
rights of others in doing it. Then there is the small class that can be
designated by no other names than thieves and vandals, those who steal
books, and cut out text or illustrations.
An adequate code of rules and regulations should be drawn up, care
being taken that all rules should be made for the sole purpose of
preserving rights and property. Of first importance are the regulations
for getting books back into the library. A time limit of one month
on all books not in use for instruction or research has been fairly
successful. All bound volumes of periodicals may be limited to two
weeks or one month. A limit may be put on the number of volumes a user
may have out at any one time. A requirement that all books must come
back to the library, once a year, regardless of the use being made of
them, will keep in the library many books that have been left lying
around after being used.
Within the library the problem of making all books available for use
when needed is not a simple one. Reserve collections, and the recall
of books when needed are familiar practices; but when the demand for a
book is very great, its use by one person may be limited to one-half
or one hour as the case may call for. The failure to return a reserved
book when due interferes seriously with others' rights. In these cases
students must be made to respect the rights of others, even at the
cost of losing their own privileges which is often a more effective
discipline than a money fine. The library shares with other departments
of the college or university the duty of teaching students a due regard
for the rights of others. The problem of detecting the few thieves and
vandals who curse all used libraries, may require professional advice.
Few seem to be brought to justice, in spite of all efforts.
Whatever measures are employed to protect the users' rights and the
library property, they must have their foundation in a system of
classification and notation that clearly indicates in every record
the character of the book and its relation to other material in the
library; and in a system of record of use that tells not only where a
book is when out, how long it has been out, and who is responsible for
it, but also tells the life history of that book from the time it comes
into the library until it is worn out.
* * * * *
After the discussion of Mr. Austen's paper, Mr. F. K. W. DRURY,
assistant librarian of the University of Illinois, presented a paper on