The morning call., 1893-10-28
THE FREE LIBRARY
An Attempt to Abolish
Tag Checks.
POLICEMEN TO PLAY A PART.
New Plan for the Fillmore Street
Branch Library Adopted by
the Trustees Yesterday.
POLICEMEN TO PLAY A PART.

The Free Library will positively open on
next Monday morning, and the public
Will be surprised TO see the difference be-
tween the now luxurious quarters and the
cramped, inconvenient and not over clean
apartments of the old library.
Every arrangement has been completed
for the opening, and there is no doubt that
the Institution has started on new and
prosperous career, as applications for
membership are coming ln very rapidly.
1t is probable that one of the first and
chief Improvements of the new library
will be the doing away with the check
system. At the old library every person
who entered was given a brass check or
tag with a number on, which the visitor
was obliged to return on leaving. Some
times the check was either stolen. lost or
mislaid on some reference book, and the
visitor had TO go through considerable red
tape before leaving. The tag was always
looked upon as suspicion of the honesty
of the visitor, and for this reason many
people would not join the library.
Mayor Ellert has long been opposed to
this tag or check system and has had
within the last few days several conSulta-
tCns with the trustees of the library on
the subject. The trustees recognize the
objections to the tag or check system and
desire to do away with it ii possible. They
have been holding meetings every after
noon this week and are striving to devise
some plan to obviate the difficulty.
The chief obstacle is TO prevent the
stealing Of books, which has been found
to have been chiefly the work of young
men and boys. If these can be taken care
of and some separate department made
for the borrower and transient visitor
there will be less difficulty in solving the
problem. Mayor EllerJ says he hopes
that the check system will be abolished by
the trustees.
The latter in order to ascertain the man.
ner in which other libraries are success
fully conducted without checks have ad-
dressed a communication to ten of the
principal libraries in the United States
asking for information on this head, and
also on other matters pertaining to d
public library. The design is to select all
the best suggestions and incorporate them
in the practical operation OF San Fran
cisco's library.
The trustees and librarian have deter
mined to pay more attention to the pre-
vention Of books being held and stolen by
unscrupulous borrowers. Ii the book is
lost compensation will be eXacted in each
case. Formerly the library authorities
we're not as strict as they should have been
and have never sued on their rights to en-
force the guarantor's contract. a notice
was sent out, and if no atteD tion was paid
to it, notification of being placed on the
black list followed. That was all that
was done, and in consequence many books
were lost. In some cases so lax was the
management that books were held out for
months before any notice was sent out.
Trustee O'COnnOr hello a book for six
months before steps were taken 10 re-
cover it.
+. j. Casey, the new assistant secretary,
II
OF the library, has made arrangements TO
pursue a more stringent method than the
one in vogue for the collection of unre-
turned volumes. He has made arrange
ments with the Chief of Police TO detail
police officer whenever wanted by the
library. When borrower tails to return
a book the usual warning notices will be
sent. If no attention is paid to these the
police officer will be detailed to accompany
the messenger of the library to the homes
of both the borrower and the guarantor
and a request will be made for either the
book or its equivalent in money. Should
this also fail summary proceedings will be
taken. 81 must have the books or their
value" said MIR. Casey, land none will be
lost if | can help il"
The trustees also decided yesterday to
open up the new branch library on the
corner of Fillmore and California streets
under new plan, which has been found
to meet with great approval in Los An
geles. where it has been just introduced.
Trustee b. ID. Sawyer went especially 10
Los Angeles to study uD the workings OF
the new plan.
The new scheme is for residents of the
vicinity of the new branch library to visit
it in the morning. consult the catalogue
and then go downtown to their work. On
their return in the afternoon OF evening
they will find the books they selected wait
ing for them. In the winter months this
will be great convenience to the public
in the Western Addition, and will do away
with long visit to the new City Hall.
Ii the new branch is successful as 1t is
hoped other branches will be establish ed
in drugstOreS all over the city. The books
will be collected and delivered by the Ii
brary messenger, who has a wagon.