In 1902 he wrote the A. L. A. tract on “Library Rooms and Buildings.”
For forty active years in business as a bookseller, he has handled and issued books.
For over thirty years of membership in the A. L. A. he has been intimate with leading librarians.
In the Boston controversy, he felt obliged to investigate thoroughly every point he criticized on behalf of the librarians.
When elected as a trustee in Brookline he found a very conservative board at the time the new developments of library progress were slowly gaining ground, and had to go to the bottom of every new method before the board could be persuaded to try it.
During the last five years Mr. Soule has frequently been called on as an expert, and has been through all the detail of building problems of several different grades.
All this educated him in such a school of experience that Mr. Dewey thus spoke of him at one of the A. L. A. Conferences: “When people ask who are the most active and efficient librarians in America we are almost sure to name two or three men who are not librarians at all; for instance, R. R. Bowker and C. C. Soule.”
After such experience, we can commend what the author has to say, to respectful attention.
Illustrations have been suggested, but have not been included in this volume lest they should increase the bulk and price too much. If they are asked for, we will issue a separate volume of illustrative plates.