Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-04
Cost of RecIassifying.


Estimating the present collection as for
this purpose only 800 900 books and pam
phlets. to reclassify and 'shelf-llst' it might
require force of lie persons working an
entire year at a cost of $685. 600. To re-
classify, sheif-list and catalogue it Ton the
dictionary SYSTEM in one year might re-
qulre force of AS persons at a cost of
%is5,ooO. To accomplish II in five years
might require force of ninety-one persons
Uwenty-six in classification. sixty-fve in
cataIoguIne) at compensation of $3.50
per annum. The above estimates assume as
unit for classification 10000 volumes per
annum as the output of each cassifer
o,ooo volumes per annum the output of
each cataloguer tauthOr and subject en-
trles). But the figures include also the
necessary supervisors. revsers copvists
sEeif-ilsters, label pastors, and attendants
assisting In minor and manual service.
II the library Is to render full service
TO this generation obviously this great ar
rear should be made up within a few years
A proper classification exact shelf-list and
thorough catalogue are equally necessary
as OASIS for future growth, and with
every year the difficulty of the work will
increase with the growing mass.
But so large a force can be worked in
put gradually. For the year beginning
July l. 1900, the estimates provide there
fcre for both catalogue and shelf depart
ments combined a force of but forty-six
employees. of whom six are mere boys
accessions 10000 yolumes) and perhans
$1,000 volumes of the 800, 900 In arrears I
note. however, that 1t is a carefully graduat
ed and balanced force: the work of the
various groups is interdependent; a reduc.
ton in one direction would therefore i'm
pair efficiency in others. Special under
taklngs In cataloguing it seems best to pro-
vide for by department of bibliography"
Department of BibIiography.
The benefits Of the proposed department
of photography are detailed at length. Mr.
Putnam says:
"A department of photography in the
library would aid in the collection of bib
hthopraphic material: compile special bibIi-
ographies of material In this library. COM
pile catalogues for use here of important
material in other libraries of the District
of Columbia; attend to inquiries involving
special research not possible for the at
tendants in the reading room, busy with
the wants of the general public. answer
inquiries by mail involving biblioeranhic
question or special research; developing ,n
this way into bureau of information for
iHQuirers at a distance; edit and supervise
through the press all of the publica tions
of the library; aid in such general hjbIio
graphic undertakings may justly claim
the cooperation of the Library OF Com
gress.
Among the publications that should he
undertaken Immediately are: list of cur
rent serials taken by the libraries of the
District OF Columbia; a check list of all
files of periodicals in the libraries of the
District; check list Of the files of Ameri-
can newspapers in the Library of Congress:
a check list of United States and of for
eign documents in the Library of Com
gress: check list of bibliographies in the
Library OF Congress Many of the under
Continued on Fourteenth Page)