Miss Crawford: It seems to me if the committee would correspond with public libraries there might be some change of opinion on the matter.
Miss Wagner: I find that Chicago enters Y. M. C. A. under Y. M. C. A., as the St. Louis Public Library does.
Miss Crawford: The logical thing has always seemed the fair thing in this matter—to ask one's self the question, Has the organization a national existence? And if so, to enter it under the generic name. The Y. M. C. A. has a national existence, which is more important as a governing body than any one of the local associations. And the same is true of other organizations. If they have no national organization, then I enter them under the local name; but if there is a national association, then I enter under the generic name.
Miss Ambrose: Would you follow the same reasoning for entries under Methodist Episcopal church, or would you put them under the place? It seems to me the same reasoning would apply.
Miss Crawford: I shouldn't wish this logical process to supersede the better rule of entering under the best known form. And I think in the case Miss Ambrose mentions the best known form would be the locality.
Mr. Hanson: Miss Wagner's question has launched us into the center of the most difficult problem of all—that is, corporate entry, entry of societies and institutions. There is an underlying principle which governs our distinctions, I believe. There is a distinction to be made between societies, and to some extent institutions; societies, including royal academies, which are societies, to be entered under the first word not an article; on the other hand, institutions, galleries, museums, libraries, etc., which generally have buildings and are affiliated closely with the place, to be entered under place, unless they have other distinctive names—that is to say, names from persons or geographical locations. That principle would to some extent affect the Young Men's Christian Associations and mercantile libraries.
Miss Crawford: Would that override the other rule of entering under the best known form? Would the institution entry override the principle of entering under best known form?
Mr. Hanson: That rule we have not formulated. We have not considered as broad a rule as that—entry under best known form. We have tried to lay down some rule that should govern entry under place and entry under name; and what we are really trying to get at is best known form.
Miss Crawford: I appreciate that, and there ought to be some ground on which to make exceptions. I think your distinction between institutions and societies is a good one. Is not the Y. M. C. A. a good case to make an exception?
Mr. Hanson: Yes, that is the 21st exception, is it not, under the rule? The general rule is, "Enter societies under the first word not an article or serial number, of its corporate name." Then there are 22 exceptions, and we began with the 21st.