THE
BUSINESS LIBRARY
WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT DOES
By
LOUISE B. KRAUSE
Librarian
H. M. Byllesby & Company
Chicago
SECOND EDITION REVISED
Journal of Electricity
San Francisco
1921
Copyright
Journal of Electricity
1921
To
H. M. BYLLESBY AND COMPANY
whose generous cooperation has made
possible the successful application
of Library Science to the
business of their
organization
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
As the publishers desire to issue a second edition of "The Business Library" the following additions and revisions have been made.
Articles of value on the subject of business libraries which have been published since the first edition was written have been added to "References for Additional Reading"; minor additions have been made to the text, and the prices and editions of all reference books mentioned have been brought up to date, and some additional titles have been added.
Three drawings of floor plans which have been used for business libraries have been added to Chapter Seven as of possible value to business firms making small library layouts.
L. B. K.
Chicago, Illinois.
November 1, 1920.
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION
This handbook has been written with the purpose of giving brief comprehensive information to the business man on the subject of the business library as an indispensable earning factor in the conduct of business enterprises. It aims to tell how to organize and maintain a business library, what to do in order to get the best results from it, and to show by concrete illustrations, gathered from the experience of firms maintaining library service, what the business library is worth as a financial asset.
The subject matter is not designed to set forth the work of any one class of business libraries, but is a composite study of many. It records business library facts as observed by the author during ten years of service as a business librarian, and as such, may be also of value to librarians contemplating the undertaking of business library work.
The references given at the conclusion of each chapter have been selected from a large mass of printed material on the subject, on the basis of practical supplemental reading only and are not designed to be exhaustive reference lists.
The author makes grateful acknowledgment to her Library School class-mate, Renee B. Stern, now Editor of "The Woman's Weekly," for most helpful advice, and to her friend, Virginia Fairfax, Librarian, Carnation Milk Products Company, Chicago, for generous criticism and correction of the manuscript.
L. B. K.
October 1, 1919.
Chicago, Illinois.
CONTENTS
| PAGE | ||
| [I] | THE ORGANIZATION OF THE BUSINESS LIBRARY | 7 |
| [II] | THE SERVICE RENDERED BY THE BUSINESS LIBRARY | 23 |
| [III] | PERIODICALS—HOW TO USE AND HOW TO FILE THEM | 30 |
| [IV] | GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS AND THE BUSINESS LIBRARY | 50 |
| [V] | TRADE CATALOGS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND LANTERN SLIDES | 59 |
| [VI] | CLASSIFICATION AND CATALOGING IN THE BUSINESS LIBRARY | 70 |
| [VII] | MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT FOR THE BUSINESS LIBRARY | 81 |
| [VIII] | REFERENCE BOOKS FOR THE BUSINESS LIBRARY | 95 |
| [IX] | THE ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS OF THE BUSINESS LIBRARIAN | 110 |
| INDEX | 123 |
THE BUSINESS LIBRARY
WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT DOES
CHAPTER I
THE ORGANIZATION
OF THE BUSINESS LIBRARY
What is meant by the word library? Twenty-five years ago it could be accurately defined as a collection of books on a series of shelves, and although this old definition still partially describes its present form, the true interpretation of what a business library really is, can be stated best by saying that it is a genuine service department, whose chief business is to give information to the members of a firm on subjects of vital importance in the conduct of their business.
The business library is not limited to a collection of books, but contains information in any form, namely, periodicals, pamphlets, trade catalogs, photographs, lantern slides, and also manuscript notes which are accumulated in connection with the specific work of an organization. The business library even goes so far in its service as to supply information which is obtained by "word of mouth" in advance of its appearance on the printed page.