The Washington herald., 1909-05-01

with every other library in the United
States IN sach way IS viii serve 70
make it the central mechanism that binds
them together as one composite whole
such is ths idea OF Librarian Putnam as
TO what the Library OF Congress ought
70 be, and what he Is making IL as rap
idly as weli-eonsidered and yell-directed
effort caz 90 Il. The Library IS now the
third In size among the Libraries OF the
world. the National BibliOtheque. OF
Paris. With S.ea0.e0g volumes, ranking
first, and the enc OF the British Museum
second. It IS by odds the largest and
most complete in the Western Hemis-
phers. But with all this, there is much
that is yet lacking. Many a publication
Indispensable 10 completeness IN its par
.ticular lire IS wanting The serious stu
deat viii find many missing links. The
same Is true OF every other library IN
America But what one lacks another
possesses By proper cooperation they
nay make Il as II each possessed all
such is the aim OF Afr- Putnam. and
when realized every work in every IL
brary- OF the country vii be ayaliaoie 20
those engaged IN research
The first step necessary TO the full real
izatiaa OF this high purpose viii BE the
making OF a complete card index OF
decentralization 10 be found IN the Ebrar-
les 81 the country This viii cover many
million cards. as each book requires an
av9aee OF FIVE cards 70 properly index
IL with the appropriate cross references
tbs index viii show IN what libraries
Jse rarer works may be had, and applica-
tbn 20 any library by q serious student
vii make It available, even II II has 10
one from the most distant corner OF
ne country. Of course, such an arrange
llent would require a complete and care
fully worked-Out organization, but with
I the Library Of Congress as the firm
nucleus around which such an Organiza-
ton could be built. il is safe 10 predict
that il could be made 70 work well
When this movement for the national
ization OF the Library OF Congress IS
realized, America VIII be ahead OF every
other nation IN library matters. Neither
the British nor the French libraries have
ever undertaken such a far-reaching
work, and they are hardly so constituted
as 70 warrant their doing so in the future
II viii marx The most important step in
library progress Yet taken by any na-
ton
Already NJ Putnam has placed his
ideas into partial operation, and with the
most signal success. The Library Of Con
gress Is now supplying, at cost. 10 other
Libraries. extra copies Of cards repre-
senting books in their own collections
also. and offers facilities in its private
- -.
OF books in other Libraries that are not
in its own collection. L keeps copies
Of these cards 20 inform itself and other
Libraries concerned as 10 their resources
and thus. with its own cards furnished
10 them. avoids needless duplication. and
aids in reciprocal service Furthermore,
i has facilities for relieving other l.
brsries Of accumulated material not nee
essary IN their special work. or supply
ing them with such material as they may
need 10 complete defective sets essential
70 their work. and for purchasing. at
their instance. publications fundamental
10 their work. but beyond their means
In addition TO al this the Library OF
Congress lends freely 70 other Libraries.
and even deposits with them for long
periods such material as they require in
their work, they paying transportation
Even beyond this rs photographic ser
vice-in the compilation OF reference lists
and in aid Of specific research-is always
a. their service.
Without losing sight OF the fact that
the Library was founded for Congress
and by Congress, and that the lawmakers
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 established a per
feet cooperation between the Library
OF Congress and the libraries OF the vari-
Gus. DEPARTMENTS and bureaus OF the gov
5rnment. so that all told they have more
than 100000 books and pamphlets With
out surrendering their individual stand
ing. their work has been so merged that
10 all intents and purposes they constitute
as much a single library as Il all the
collections were under one roof. Taken
together. the government now has the
LARGEST collection OF books in the world.
What has been accomplished with respect
70 the government Libraries IL IS hoped
viii be accomplished with respect 70 all
American Libraries.
The card Index system which has been
established and the plan OF reprinting du-
pIicate cards for gratuitous supply 10
tne various government libraries. and at
cost TO other Libraries. has proved the
emancipation OF the library worker It
costs from . cents 10 80 cents per volume
10 catalogue library books. and from Is
cents n 80 cents 20 print the cards
Duplicates are now supplied at 2 cents
for the first copy and one-half cent for
each additional copy The average book
requires five cards 10 appropriately clas-
sify and cross reference it. There are
now more than Loo Libraries subscribing
for the printed cards OF the Library OF
Congress-, an5 the number Of su5sc-ib-
ers IS increasing at the rate OF about Is
per cent 3 year. There are several grades
Of cards, and the lowest grade full set
70 date may be had for about 500. They
are Of manila paper. and because they
take I'D so much less space-reGuiring
only about three-ffths the space Of the
best cards-they are often preferred TO
the others
Il IS estimated that there are soma
60006.o00 books in the public Libraries OF
the United States OF course, the vast
majority OF these represent duplicates
but taken together they constitute as
complete an array OF publications IS is
20 be. found in any country. Once the
Library has become fully nationalfzed
the American investigator VIII have the
finest library service in the world at his
disposal. No other nation has vet evolv-
ed such q comprehensive plan Of support
10 research or aid 10 investigation.
Some idea OF the magnitude Of the In
dexins and classification work the Ii
brary IS doing may be cleaned from The
statement that L a book index OF the
material in IT'S shelves were TO be printed