Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-04

true OIL every OIllEt
library in America But what one lacks
another possesses. By praper co-opera-
ton they may make it as if each pos
,sessed all. such is the aim OF MI.
Putnam. and when realized every work
in every library of the country will
be available to those engaged IN re-
search.
The first step necessary to the 1uli
realization of this high purpose VIII
be the making of a complete card IN
dex of each publication to be tound
I'm the libraries of the country. rms
will cover many million cards, as each
book requires an average OF nVe caros
to properly index it, with the appro-
pirate cross references. rms meek
will show in what libraries the rarer
works may be had, and application TO
any library by a serious student VIII
make 1t available, even If 1t has TO
come from the most distant corner OF
the country OF course such an ar
rangement would require a complete
and carefully worked out organization,
but with the library of congress the
firm nucleus around which such an
organization could be built, 1t is saLe
to predict that it could be made TO
work we'll
When this movement for the nation
alization of the library of congress is
realized America will be ahead of every
other nation in library matters. Neither
the British nor the French library mas
ever undertaken such far-reachlng
work, and they are hardly so consul
tuted as to warrant their doing SO IN
the future. 1t will mark the most I'M
portant step in library progress yet
taken by any nation.
Already Mr.. Putnam has placed his
ideas in partial operation, and with
the most signal success The library
of congress Is now supplying at cost
to other libraries extra copies or cards
representing books in their own col
lections also, and offers facilities In lts
private printing plant for the printing
Of cards of books in other libraries that
are not in it's own collection. 1t Keeps
copies of these cards to inform itself
and other libraries concerned as to
their resources, and thus, with its own
cards furnished to them, avoids need
less duplication and aids in reciprocal
service. Furthermore it has facilities
for relieving other libraries of accu-
mulated material not necessary in their
special work, for supplying them with
such material as they may need to
complete defective sets essential to
their work and for purchasing, at their
instance, publications fundamental to
their work but beyond their means.
In addition to all this the library OF
congress lends freely to other Libraries
and even deposits with them for long
periods such material as they require
in their work, they paying transporta-
ton. Even beyond this it's biblio-
graphic service-in the compilation of
reference lists and in aid of specific
researches always at their service.
without losing sight of the fact that
the library was founded for congress
and by congress, and that the law
makers have the first claims upon its
attentions, the librarian is seeking in
every way to extend the scope and the
usefulness of his work. He has estab-
lished a perfect cooperation between
the library of congress and the libra
ries OF the various departments and
bureaus of the government, so that all
told they have more than 100000
books and pamphlets. Without sur
rendering their individual standing,
their work has been SO merged that to
all intents and purposes they consti-
tute as much a single library as If all
the collections were under one roof.
Taken together. the government now
has the largest collection of books In
the world. What has been accom-
nlished with respect to the govern
inent libraries it is hoped will be ac-
complished with respect to all Ameri-
can libraries.
The card index system which has
been established and the plan of print
ing duplicate cards for gratuitous sup
ply to the various government libra
ries, and at cost to other libraries, has
proved the emancipation of the library
worker. 1t costs from % to 90 cents
volume to catalogue library books, and
from IL to 90 cents to print the cards.