Evening star., 1896-12-11
The NATIONAL LIBRARY
Suggestions as to Arrangement and Classi.
fcation Of Books on Removal.
Assistance should He Given the LII
sion to Govern II in the Future.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:

| To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
One Of the important matters that will
engage the attention of Congress during
] the present session is the removal and re-
| organization of the Library of Congress.
| The most complete and in every respect
| the finest building in the world has been
/ provided for this library and is now ready
! for occupancy. The library itself. while by
| no means the largest. is among the largest
| anywhere to be found. and il proper ap
probation Of its Importance is felt by Con-
| gress it is destined at an early day to be
the most complete collection of books in
| the world. 1t Is, therefore, of supreme
| Importance that no avoidable mistake be
made in the transfer of the present library
| and its rearrangement in the superb quar-
| ters hereafter to be its home. An oppor-
| tunity is now afforded for minute and
| thorough examination of the contents of
| the library, a discovery of its deficiencies,
| and its disposal in the new building in a
| manner that shall meet the requirements
| of the lAtest demands regarding library
| arrangement, and that shall be satisfactory
| FOR all time to come. 1t is reflection
| whatever upon it's distinguished head that
| in its present inadequate, limited and
cramped quarters 1t is probably not so
| thoroughly classified and arranged nor SO
| minutely subdiyided as could be desired. Ii
| is impossible while so restricted for space
| that Its arrangement could be in any large
| oOSicc SdlSldClOTy, WHICH IL SnOulu be
! when transferred to its new and magnif-
cent apartments. 1t would. therefore, be
| an almost objectionable mistake if the de-
1ects In the present arrangement, and faults
| In the matter of classification. etc, should
| be transferred with the library and so per-
| petuated. If. however. these are to be cor
| fected. 1t must be done now: otherwise IL is
! not probable that 1t will be done for gen.
| GRAFTON. Or course, this will necessitate the
taking of no little time to accomplish the
! transfer.
| 1t is stated that under certain circum-
stances as, for example. the calling of
| extra session of Congress in April next.
| the removal may be made within the period
OF one month. and that this would have to
| be done in order that Congress might not
| be put to any Inconvenience In this event
| the individual volumes would be marked
SO that they could be placed in the new
| hbrary In the same relative position that
| they hoid in the present. This, however
| Woufd carry over, and carry on. the same
| classification and arrangement that now
| exist. and would be continuing the very
| faults that ought now TO be remedied To
| make the transfer during one month would
| require the removal of from % 900 to 30 900
| volumes per day, work of stupendous
| magnitude as one may see, If he stops to
consider all that ought to be involved In
| thls transfer. 1t is, however, not believed
| that any such attempt will be made or
| that either Congress or the librarian would
insist upon or permit this over-haste. Con-
| gresS, with the other libraries available for
| its use. can well afford to give six months
or even year, to this work The library
| may well be closed to the public for this
| length OF time. II. when the work is ac-
compnshed. 1t shall be found in all respects
| to have been done in accordance with the
| wisest and best methods
| Assistance In Classification.
| 1t Is not probable that in the matter of
| deciding upon the proper classified ton and
| arrangement of the library any single
| librarian would wish to be held responsible
Tor conclusions reached and put practically
| into effect. 1t is not to be doubted there
| 1ore, that Mr. Spofford would accept with
| Satisfaction competent assistance in this
| matter, and, therefore, the suggestion is
| offered that a commission be appointed
| consisting of four or six of very best
| librarians and catalogrers, additional TO
the present librarian of Congress. of which
| commission he should be chairman Such
commission should be authorized to deter
mine the classification and arrangement OF
| the library IN It's new quarters, and in the
| examination of the books of the present
| library, decide upon the class to which each
| should be assigned. There would, of course.
| be no disagreement as to how the larger
portion of the library should be classified
| and arranged, but in regard to not a few
| works the question might occasion discus
| sion, and diversity of opinion, to be,
| however, determined by the major vote.
| This commission would, in the course of
| its work, be able to discover the deficien-
| cies in the present library in its several
|
| This process will of necessity be compare
| lively slow, but the result Will fully justify
| all expenditure of money of time that
| would be involved This commission may
| also be authorized to formulate rules and
| regulations for the future admins tration
| of the library.
| The time has come when a new designa-
| ton should be given to this ins titutio
| When originally established 1t was intend
| ed for the special or exclusive of Con-
gress, and it has since for the most part,
| been administered with special reference
| to the convenience of that body. If in
some measure it has been made to subserve
| the interest of the community or of the
| people at large. it has been under arrange
| ments that were far from being satsfac-
| tory, though probably the hest that could
| be made under existing circumstances.
| Hereafter, however, this library is not 10
| be regarded as restricted to these limited
| relations; it is to assume relations not
simply to Congress, nor to officers of the
government, nor to the citizens of the Dis
! trict. but to the whole nation. 1t is sup
ported from the public treasury, and every
| citizen, therefore, who contributes to the
| public funds must be regarded as having
| a pecuniary interest in the library. Every
| citizen should also feel a personal pride
| in it. He should at the same time under
| stand that he is entitled to it's use mat
| ter in what section of the country he may
| reside. Sustaining these national rela-
tions, supported by the contributions of the
people at large, 1t should now take on
| national character and assume a national
| name. Hereafter. therefore. it may with
all propriety be rightly designated the Ma
| tional Library of the United States, and its
| head, the national librarian. This would
| adequately indicate its character. and show
| that it is no longer to be regarded as
| mere appendage to Congress.
Commission Suggested.
The present writer, while disagreeing
with certain propositions male by Dr.
Dewey in his examination by the library
committee, is in full sympathy with his re-
marks regarding the comprehensive uses
| to which the library should 'e-eafter be
| put. especially in Its being made to sub
serve the convenience OF the people at
large of the United States. Ii Is not prob
| able that the suggestion as to travelling
I libraries could be carried into execution,
nor can the institution assume the charac-
| ter of a circulating library even for The
citizens of the District. 1t can, however. If
properly equipped. be made vastly service
able to all students, investigators, writers,
ETC., however distant their home may be
| from the national capital. 1t ought to be
made perfectly practicable for such one
t.