Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1889-03-07
SCRAPS AND CLIPPINGS.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PREFERENCE
DEPARTMENT" OF A LIBRARY.
The Rev. John Todd's Index Rerum," Its
Uses and Outgrowth-valuable Collection
of Scraps Made by War CorresI ondent.
Suggestions.

Uses and Outgrowth-valuable Collection
of Scraps Made by War CorresI ondent.
Suggestions.
Every person who uses the Brooklyn
library to any extent is cognizant Of the
fact that its Reference Department" is q
prominent feature of that institution. It
is now proposed to supplement the refer
ence library by the addition of collection
of carefully kept scrap books, and already
portion of this collection Is ready for the
| publics use The attention of O reporter
was called to this addition to the library's
usefulness not long since, and he called
upon Acting Librarian Bardwell to obtain
some further information in regard to it.
Mr.. Bardwell is quite an enthusiast upon
the subject of keeping scraps, and when
questioned upon it thus expressed his
views:
1.-THE Rev. John Todd, of Pittsfeld,
Mass, he said, some years ago published
| an Index Rerum; or, Index of Subjects:
| intended as a manual to aid the Student
and Professional Man in preparing him
self for Usefulness This work, which
passed through over twenty editions, was
blank book with an alphabet printed at
the head of the pages and directions L.
lustrating it's utility and method of use,
which consisted in jotting down important
facts or striking passages met with in
books, or in noting under the appropriate
subject in the index the volume and page
where the extract could be found when
wanted. William Writ says: There is
not fact within the whole circle of hu-
man observation, nor even fugitive an
ecdote that you read in newspaper or
hear in conversation, that will not come
in play some time or other; and occasions
will arise when they will, involuntarily,
present their dim shadows in the train Of
of your thinking and reasoning, as belong
ing TO that train, and you will regret that
you cannot recall them more distinctly
"Dr. Todd's index was for the purpose
of noting where an article might be found,
and served to some extent the same pur-
pose as the numerous books of quotations
and extracts that have been published in
recent years.
'The department Of scrap books now in
process of development at the Brooklyn
library bids fair to be an index rerum on
q very extensive scale. 1t is collection
of clippings and extracts from news
papers, commenced many years ago by
Mr. Wilcox (H. K. W., a war correspon-
dent, who commenced clipping and fling
away extracts for bis own personal use.
These, as time passed on and the collec-
tion became larger, he divided into sub
jects and kept in boxes labeled according
to the contents of each box. At his death
he left his collection, the accumulation Of
more than twenty years, to the Brooklyn
library, where it is now being carefully
collated and arranged under classifca-
tion similar to that Of the library cata-
logue The clippings are being pasted on
sheets of MANILA paper, which after being
properly dried and pressed are arranged
by single sheets mot bound together, as
this would preclude the Incorporation Of
any further material in its proper place
under its subject heading, as additions
are made from time to time). These
sheets are kept in boxes that are labeled
on the back so as to indicate the subject
and the subdivision of subject contained
In each box.
THE arrangement of the material thus
kept being strictly by subjects and their
various ramiications, and the whole be-
ing formed into one alphabet, no index Is
required to guide the searcher for infor-
nation. All that is necessary is to look
at the labels until the subject needed Is
reached in the line. Then take down the
box that contains what is wanted and use
1t. as time passes and the library collec-
ton is developed it Is expected it will be
found of especial value to literary people
as containing much valuable material
which will Be made easily available by its
arrangement under subjects, bringing to:
gether items of information that would
otherwise be so scattered as to be practi-
cally lost unless collected under some
such plan as this"
"What do you think, Mr.. Bardwell, of
the value of scrap collection in gen.
eral?'
Gas to the value of material thus col
lected variety of opinions may exist, but
so far as possible the source from which
the information was obtained is mentioned,
as well as the date of publication. The
question suggests itself whether every
literary person may not find it advantage
Gus to keep a collection of scrap books.
Items that appear from day to day may
prove exceedingly valuable in the future,
and the only time to secure these is while
the eye is upon them, as almost any ono
who has tried to locate q paragraph he
thinks he saw at an indefinite time, few
months or even few days ago, can testify.
Il one has hunted through file of papers
for an extract he can appreciate the diff
Guilty and will probably wish he had saved
the scrap.
Zone can make collection of his spe-
cialty or can make . general collection OF
any material he thinks would be useful
In the future He can include his own
productions under their own subject
headings, or he can include them all In
one volume marked Personal A Literary
man should bear in mind that he may one
day become famous, in which case a col
lection of all the fugitive pieces he has
ever had in print might prove valuable as
well as interesting. While there is no
limit to the subjects on which one may
collect scraps, every one must be bis own
Judge as to how large his collection should
Be, and what range of subjects he will
require, but, in any case, thorough ar
rangement Of the material by subjects
Will obviate any necessity Of an index.
Il thoroughly classified in this way, the
collection viii be Its own index, and there
Il no other way, so far as can be seen at
present, that would be so effective. There
are other libraries beside the Brooklyn
that have some scrap collections. Some
college libraries have collections covering
the history of their institution from the
start"