The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-09
ACCESS TO THE SHELVES,
Desirable Innovation in Pros
pect at the Public
Library.
1t Is to Be Considered at Once by
the New Library AS
ISOLATION.


The sixteen thousand or more patrons
of the free public library in this city viii
receive with more than ordinary interest
the news that there is lively movement
on foot to innovate the "Clerkenwell"
plan of free access in general to the book
shelves.
To J. c. Rowell, librarian of the State
University, is accredited the Inauguration
OF it. He, with City Librarian Clark and
Librarian Jellison of the Mechanics Insti-
tute, started the Central California Libra
rians' Association short time ago, and it
is proposed to lose no time in having that
organization get down to discussion of such
innovations as may best improve the pub
lie library service.
The "Clerkenwell' system is therefore
already on the tapis, and when the asso-
citation comes together next Friday even
ing it will be examined in all its workings.
Free access to the book shelves is enjoyed
by the members of both the Mechanics In
stitute and Mercantile libraries but as
they are private subscription libraries,
hardly any other arrangement could have
been expected. Very few free public libra
rieS in this country allow general book
shelf access. The ''few'' comprise the
public libraries at Cleveland, Ohio, Mime
apolis, Mimi, and Pawtucket, r, L. In
Boston there is large reference collection
to which free access is granted, but for
that matter, free access to shelves is
already enjoyed by those who desire it in
the reference department of the public
library here, and Secretary Casey says it
has been very successful. Librarian g. I.
Clark said yesterday:
The question has been agitated for several
years in this country, and at the last annual
IibrQrV A
which was held at Lake Placid, n. Y, the
librarian of the Enoch Pratt library of Balti-
more, Mr.. Steiner, submitted report, in which
he stated that as result OF correspondence he
had obtained the views OF 100 Librarians scat
tered over England, this country and
Australia. While they varied in their attitude
toward the question, they all agreed as TO the
advisability OF granting free access to shelves
in their reference departments. Many ex-
planned that they already give general access
in the cases OF particular patrons, such as
teachers and scholars, and others who seek
special classes of literature.
The Cleveland library has enjoyed free access
for about two years. The Newark library in
New Jersey gives access to most OF the shelves.
John C. Hutchins, president of the board of
trustees of the Cleveland library, referred TO
the matter as follows in his last annual re-
port:
''The plan adopted some time since tenta-
lively can no longer be regarded as an expert
ment as it has worked to the entire satisfae-
ton of the management and to those using the
library. This radical innovation introduced
by us has resulted in its adoption in several of
the other public libraries throughout the coun-
try, and is destined TO general recognition"
OF course, free access here can only be
adopted when all the conditions become favor
able. 1t would necesSltate larger place than
we have at present, and general rearrange-
ment. Our entire system of classification and
grouping would have to be revised.
Giving free access to bOokshelves is called
| the "Clerkenwen plan" because OF its having
been perfected as system in that English
city.