From other men: as wooden legs are stiffer
Than those of pliant joints, to yield and bow,
Which way soe’er they are design’d to go”.
Hence it happens that all library appliances are subject to the happy influences of disagreement, which, in course of time, leads to entire changes of method and a general broadening of view. Many of these differences arise from local conditions, or have their existence in experiment and the modification of older ideas, so that actual homogeneity in any series of the appliances described in this Handbook must not be expected. It will be sufficient if the young librarian finds enough of suggestion and information to enable him to devise a system of library management in its minor details which shall be consistent and useful.
FITTINGS AND FURNITURE.
To some extent the arrangement of fittings and furniture will be dealt with in the Handbook on Buildings, so that it will only be necessary here to consider their construction, variety, and uses.
BOOK-CASES, SHELVES, &c.
Standard cases or presses, designed for what is called the “stack” system of arrangement, are constructed with shelves on both sides, and are intended to stand by themselves on the floor. They are without doors or glass fronts, and their dimensions must be decided entirely by the requirements of each library and the class of books they are to contain. For ordinary lending libraries a very convenient double case with ten shelves of books to the tier can be made about 9 feet 6 inches wide × 8 feet 6 inches high, including cornice and plinth × 18 inches deep—the depth of the shelves being about 9 inches, their length 3 feet, and their thickness, as finished, not less than ¾″ nor more than 1 inch. Such a case will hold about 1800 volumes in 8vo and 12mo sizes, and the top shelf can be reached by a middle-sized person from a step or stool 12 inches high. Lower cases should be provided if rapidity of service is particularly required and there is plenty of floor space to carry the stock. The top shelf of a case 7 feet high, including cornice and plinth, can be reached from the floor by any one of ordinary height, small boys and girls of course excluded. These cases are made with middle partitions between the backs of the shelves, though some librarians prefer a simple framework of uprights, cornice, and plinth. For the sake of security and the necessary rigidity a central partition ought to be included, and if this is formed of thin ¼″ boarding, double and crossing diagonally, with a strong iron strap between screwed tight into the outer uprights, all tendency to bulging will be obviated, and the cases will be firm and workmanlike. The skeleton or framework cases have to be stayed in all directions by iron rods and squares fixed in the floor, and, when empty, look very unsightly and rickety; besides, books get pushed or tumble over on to the adjoining shelf, and the plea of ventilation, which is practically the only recommendation for this plan of construction, loses much of its weight in a lending library where most of the books are in circulation.
Fig. 1.[1]—Standard Book-case.