. The reason is of course that by the former plan of construction greater strength is obtained, and future trouble in the way of repairs will be largely obviated. Avoid showy chairs, and everything that smacks of the cheap furniture market. It will strengthen the chairs to have hat rails as well as ordinary side rails, and be a convenience to readers as well. They should cross from the bottom side rail, thus,

. Arm-chairs should be provided at discretion. In magazine rooms where there is a rack, tables can be largely dispensed with if arm-chairs are used. If neither wood-block flooring nor linoleum is used, the chairs may with great advantage be shod with round pieces of sole leather screwed through a slightly sunk hole to the ends of the legs. These deaden the noise of moving greatly, and are more durable than india-rubber. Two or three dozen of chairs more than are actually required should be ordered. Umbrella stands are best patronised when attached to the tables, like ordinary pew ones. An umbrella stand close to the door is such an obvious temptation to the thief that careful readers never use them on any consideration. Of rails for fixing to the tables there are many kinds, but probably the hinged pew variety, plain rail, or rubber wheel, all with water-pans, will serve most purposes. Many libraries make no provision at all either of hat rails or umbrella stands, for the simple reason that 50% of the readers do not enter to stay, while 99% never remove their hats. In proprietary libraries everything is different, and an approach to comforts of the sort indicated must be made. The standard hat rack and umbrella stand combined, like that used in clubs, schools, the House of Commons, &c., is the best for such institutions.

Show-cases ought to be well made by one of the special firms who make this class of fitting. Glass sides and sliding trays, with hinged and locked backs, are essential. For museum purposes all sorts of special cases are required, and the only way to find out what is best is to visit one or two good museums for the purpose.

TECHNICAL APPLIANCES.

Charging Systems and Indicators.—The charging of books includes every operation connected with the means taken to record issues and returns, whether in lending or reference libraries. Although the word “charging” refers mainly to the actual entry or booking of an issue to the account of a borrower, it has been understood in recent years to mean the whole process of counter work in circulating libraries. It is necessary to make this explanation at the outset, as many young librarians understand the meaning of the word differently. For example, one bright young man on being asked what was the system of “charging” pursued in his library responded: “Oh! just a penny for the ticket!” And another equally intelligent assistant replied to the same question: “We don’t charge anything unless you keep books more than the proscribed time!” Before proceeding to describe some of the existing systems it may be wise to impress on assistants in libraries the advisability of trying to think for themselves in this matter. There is nothing more discouraging than to find young librarians slavishly following the methods bequeathed by their predecessors, because in no sphere of public work is there a larger field for substantial improvement, or less reason to suppose that readers are as easily satisfied as they were thirty years ago. The truth is that every library method is more or less imperfect in matters of detail, and there are numerous directions in which little improvements tending to greater homogeneity and accuracy can be effected. It is all very well, and likewise easy, to sit at the feet of some bibliothecal Gameliel, treasuring his dicta as incontrovertible, and at the same time assuming that the public is utterly indifferent to efficiency and simplicity of system. But it ought to be seriously considered that everything changes, and that the public knowledge of all that relates to their welfare increases every day; so that the believer in a dolce far niente policy must be prepared for much adverse criticism, and possibly for improvements being effected in his despite, which is very unpleasant. In libraries conducted for profit, everything likely to lead to extension of business, or to the increased convenience of the public, is at once adopted, and it is this sort of generous flexibility which ought to be more largely imported into public library management. A suitable reverence for the good work accomplished in the past should be no obstacle to improvement and enlargement of ideas in the future.

LEDGERS.

The present state of the question of charging turns largely on the respective merits of indicator and non-indicator systems, or, in other words, whether the burden of ascertaining if books are in or out should be placed on readers or the staff. There is much to be said on both sides, and reason to suppose that the final solution lies with neither. The non-indicator systems come first as a matter of seniority. The advantages of all ledger and card-charging systems are claimed to be that readers are admitted directly to the benefit of intercourse with the staff; that they are saved the trouble of discovering if the numbers they want are in; that they are in very many cases better served, because more accustomed to explain their wants; that less counter space is required; that the initial expense of an indicator is saved; and, finally, that with a good staff borrowers can be more quickly attended to. Some of these statements may be called in question, but they represent the views of librarians who have tried both systems. From the readers’ point of view there can hardly be a doubt but that the least troublesome system is the most acceptable; and it is only fair to the non-indicator systems to assert that they are the least troublesome to borrowers. The original method of charging, still used in many libraries, consisted in making entries of all issues in a day-book ruled to show the following particulars:—

Date of Issue.
123456789
Progressive No.Title of Book.Class Letter.No.Vols.Date of Return.Name of Borrower.No. of Card.Fines.
1
2
3

But after a time certain economies were introduced, columns 2, 7, and 9 being omitted, and day-books in this later form, perhaps with the arrangement slightly altered, are in common use now. Of course it is plain that a book on issue was entered in the first vacant line of the day-book, and the progressive number, borrower’s number, and date were carried on to its label. On return, the particulars on the label pointed out the day and issue number, and the book was duly marked off. It will at once be seen that this form of ledger only shows what books are out, but cannot readily show the whereabouts of any particular volume without some trouble. As to what book any reader has is another question which cannot be answered without much waste of time. A third disadvantage is that as borrowers retain their tickets there is very little to prevent unscrupulous persons from having more books out at one time than they should. A fourth weakness of this ledger is that time is consumed in marking off, and books are not available for re-issue until they are marked off. For various reasons some librarians prefer a system of charging direct to each borrower instead of journalising the day’s operations as above described. These records were at one time kept in ledgers, each borrower being apportioned a page or so, headed with full particulars of his name, address, guarantor, date of the expiry of his borrowing right, &c. These ledgers were ruled to show date of issue, number of book, and date of return, and an index had to be consulted at every entry. Now-a-days this style of ledger is kept on cards arranged alphabetically or numerically, and is much easier to work. Subscription and commercial circulating libraries use the system extensively. The main difficulty with this system was to find out who had a particular book; and “overdues” were hard to discover, and much time was consumed in the process. To some extent both these defects could be remedied by keeping the borrowers’ cards and arranging them in dated trays, so that as books were returned and the cards gradually weeded out from the different days of issue, a deposit of overdue borrowers’ cards pointing to their books would result. Another form of ledger is just the reverse of the last, the reader being charged to the book instead of the book to the reader. This is a specimen:—