Manual of Library Economy / Third and Memorial Edition

by James Duff Brown; W. C. Berwick Sayers

191. Sets of Periodicals.

191. Sets of Periodicals.—Some discrimination must be made in regard to the collecting of periodicals. Larger libraries settle the question by securing and preserving sets of all magazines of value which they can accommodate; but obviously the expense of the practice, the ephemeral character of much of this type of literature, and the large amount of shelf space it requires, makes that practice impossible for any but the largest libraries. Ephemeral, but otherwise wholesome, magazines may be used unbound for issue in lending libraries to good purpose; or may be bound and so used—but not replaced when they are worn out. Only periodicals which have a reference value should be retained in sets, and then only where the geographical situation of the library warrants that course. A smaller town near a great town library may reasonably refer its readers to that library for sets of expensive periodicals. We are led to this view by the facilities now at the disposal of librarians through the Library Association. That body now publishes the Subject Index to Periodicals, hitherto called The Athenæum Subject Index—an invaluable and indeed indispensable tool for all librarians—and by an arrangement with the Central Lending Library for Students, Tavistock Square, London, W.C., any article recorded in the Subject Index may be borrowed for a payment of about fourpence. The Index, moreover, gives a list of the principal periodicals, and is a rough guide to assessing their permanent worth as well as an admirable key to their contents.

192. Music

192. Music.—Nearly every public library of any importance has now established a music collection, and the general experience is that it is one of the most popular and appreciated sections in the library. The provision should not at first extend to more than collections of pianoforte, violin, organ and vocal music in the form of bound volumes; operas, oratorios, cantatas and other vocal scores; the scores of orchestral and chamber compositions; and text-books on theory, history and various instruments. Single compositions in sheet form should be very sparingly introduced, if at all, unless collections of the songs of some of the best modern composers are formed and bound up into volumes. A large stock of compositions in single sheets, however bound or secured, would prove a great trouble in a public library. The compositions of local composers should be collected, however, and bound in volumes. In providing shelving for music, it is well to have special cases with uprights only eighteen inches apart, as it is very difficult to consult long rows of thin quarto books, when on shelves three feet long, owing to the weight of the books. This applies to quarto and folio books generally.

193. Engravings.

193. Engravings.—Save in book form, very few public libraries have done much in the way of collecting engravings, prints and etchings, unless they have been of local interest. Considerations of expense would deter most British public libraries from attempting this kind of collection, and it is rather a pity, because many prints and engravings which illustrate historical events have immense practical value. Portraits, too, are extremely valuable and useful, but as means are at present provided, the whole matter is one of pure speculation and sentiment. But perhaps the day will come when public libraries may be able to collect specimens of the etched work of great artists; engravings after the greatest masters; engravings and prints depicting leading events in the national history; and pictures illustrating costume, ceremonials, manners and customs, disappearing buildings, great engineering works, topographical changes, etc. The value of these graphic aids to the furtherance of knowledge is enormous, and it is a pity some systematic effort cannot be made to record, preserve and index them more generally and effectively than has been done in depositories like the British Museum.

194. Photographs.

194. Photographs.[3]—Collections of photographs which deal with local matters should be made by every public library (see [Chapter XXVIII.]). Certain American libraries also collect photographs of great pictures and those which represent various natural forms. Studies for the use of artists are also collected, mounted on cards, and made accessible, and some of these attempts to popularize art should be made in British libraries. Photographs are comparatively cheap, and almost every kind of picture and study can be obtained in this medium. What is particularly required is some kind of practical list or guide, drawn up by an expert, from which libraries could make their selections. A systematic list covering the various arts of design, historical painting, sculpture, architecture, etc., would be of great service. Photographs of great public events, ceremonials, buildings, etc., and of eminent personages, would have to be purchased according to means, and, as every one knows, this might be made an endless matter. There is no reason, however, why public libraries should not preserve good photographs of the most eminent authors, artists, musicians, scientists, military commanders, royal personages, etc. Portraits of such persons are not always easy to find in books, when required, especially as the A. L. A. Portrait-Index is limited in scope; therefore a separate collection of portraits in alphabetical order would be a valuable addition to a public library. In this connexion it is useful to remove portraits of celebrities, views, etc., from worn-out books and magazines, and preserve them along with all other appropriate matter.

[3] The matters thus marked are dealt with more fully under the Division on [Reference Work], but are included here for the sake of giving a complete conspectus of the material involved in selection.—Ed.