New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-08-28
ru,ertapt Invention Plau for stcreotypins
Catalogues.


able paper on new plan for Stereotyping Library
Catalogues by separate, movable titles. and for
forming General stereotyped Catalogue Of the
Public Libraries Of the United 5tates-read be'ore
the late Scientific Convention At New-Haven, by
Prof c. c. JEwETT Of the Smithsonian lnstitaslon
/ The subject is one which has attracted much atten
tiop. and excited a considerable sensation in the
( Convention; the end aimed at seems here to have
been attained.
Everything which facilitates research onotes
the progress Of science. Every thorough student
knows, from experience, the value offall accurate
al conveDien. catalogues and indexes. II was
on these accounts tina, the speaker vensured to call
attention TO project which offered 10 every library,
however rapidly increasing, the means OF issuing
at small expense, complete annual or biennial cats-
logues Of its treasures, which would render
practicable the publication, say every FIVE years, o.
q general catalogue OF all the Libraries Of the
country.
Prof ]. dwelt at considerable length upon the
nature aud extent OF the difficulties which had
been experienced in printing catalogues of large
European Libraries. There was supposed to be
no possible way of keeping them up to the conii-
WV VI vic b4SAoASj SNt ~ hSdNOuh hNPPA~iAOhs9i
which were so inconvenient as practically to be
well nigh useless. The catalogue Of small Lii
brsry might easily be reprinted but when the col.
lection became 90 large as the BIRTHS Museum,
where the estimated cost Of printing the catalogue
is 40 coo pounds sterling the reprinting becomes
too burdensome for even national establishments
Not one OF the larger Libraries OF Europe has
complete printed catalogue in one alphabet The
best photographers in Europe have come, or are
fast coming to the opinion that the printing Of cata
loeues of increasing Libraries is inadvisable. Bat
no scholar proposes submits to this decision. ex
cept when driven by necessity
It was while seeking some way 70 remedy this
evil, that the idea occurred to Prof ]. about four
years ago. of stereotypiHg the titles separately, 40
that the additions could be ins erted between the
old titles and complete catalogues printed as often
as desired. He MADE known his plan 10 emile
men interes ted 10 such matters, and in 1913 pro.
posed its adoption by the Smithsonian Institution
Is now brought forward. But it vast ld neces
sary to defer action in the matter till the Institution
should be fully organized. The energetic aid and
ingenious suggestions Of Rev Hale Of Worces'
ter, Mass. has given a now impulse to the project
and enabled the Institution to bring the matter for
ward earlier than had been anticipated.
Prof J. stated that in the Summer Of ls4s, he had
communicated the plans he had formed to Nj.
Henry Stevens, and had requested him to detail
them to the Librarians of the British Museum, for
The advantage Of their suggestions Several months
6fierwsrd, a AR. Cooley, q frequenter OF the Ma.
scum, proposed plan In some respects similar
without giving any credit to Prof ]. TO any one
else, for the suggestion This proposal was not
made public $50 far - coald be ascertainsc) til
April, 1885, and not known to Prot j. till June last
Bot several gentlemen Of this country knew of his
PROT. J.'s) plans three or four years ago. Mr. j.
hoped be would Lot be accused OF Borrowing or
stealing this idea, and that he should not be made
responsible for the absurd able adjuncts
with which others might connect it; and that the
| plan itself would not be judged by any exhibit
tion OF 1t by those who do not comprehend its de
tails.
The first question to be settled, is the practca.
biity OF steyeotyDang By Titles. THIS bad been set
tied by practical men. Prof j. exhibited beeuti.
ul specimenplate, prepsree under the direction of
Rev. Mr. Hale, by Mr.. Wilcox Of Boston, explain.
! ed its use, aud showed how the same result ight
be accomplished by the common stereotype pro.
cess. he then exhibited some specimens of
| ttereoty ping, with new material aud by anew
process invented by Mr.. Josiah Warren Of Ind !
BY this invention the cost Of stereotyping would
be greatly diminished, the capital required reduced
to svery small sum. The facility of the operation
$50 great, that man of common I'M enuity cao
practice 1t successfully after two DAYS instruction
The plates give beautiful impr ssiion, and are
more durable and not more liable to injury than or.
olIary stereotype plates. This process ia under.
gong examination by the severest tests. Thus
lar II mas borne them with entire success The
right 70 use 1t In the District OF Columbia has bsen
purchased by company Of practical printers. who
are DOW printing by IT part Of the Patent Office
report II the success 10 such az ia now conf.
IDENTITY hoped, this invention creates new era in
the art OF typography. Ii would be seen by the
specimen titles presented how remarkably this
process lent itself to the purposes under dscassino
| IL seemed invented on purpose TO reduce the ex.
pense and promote the convenience OF this work
Inc manner OF forming catalogues OF particular
Libraries and OF forming general catalogue was
next dwell upon and was briefly as follows
| /. The Smithsonian lDstisution to publish rules
for the preparation Of catalogues
2 To request other Institutions to make their
catalogues according TO these rules and allow them
to be stereotyped.
3. The Smithsonian Institution to pay the extra |
expense OF stereotypiDg such titles.
g. The stereotype titles to belong to the Smithso.
MAN Institution
8. Each Library to retain the right to use all the
titles IN possession Of the Smithsonian Institution
as often as desired Tor the printing Of is own ca.a.
ogues.
6. The Smithsonian Institution to publish ut
stated Intervals, general catalogues.
Prof then showed the great pecuniary adyan.
tsge OF this system, both for single Libraries, and
In connection with general system. II saved for
every edition OF the catalogue, after the ist the
coat and time Of preparation, composition, reading
proofs, &c title stereotyped for one Library
was ,tereosyped for every Library posse sing that
Identical book. Ths would save for soms books |
the cost OF p pairing and printing the same title
hundred times or more, for some books are 10 al.
most every library in the country. Prof ]. caIca.
lated that more than two thirds OF the coat of print
ing the catalogues Of public Libraries in this coun.
try might have been spared by this plan. For this
reason all extra expesse Of stereotyping is soon
later the accumulation Of the titles OF two or three
large Librsries) more than counterbalanced by the
saving Thus the expense TO the Smithsonian In
sttution will SIMULTANEOUSLY cease. Then will