Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-17
THE BOOKS OF 1909
Reference Works Discussed
by Library Association.
OBSERVATIONS EXCHANGED
Substitute for Monthly Lecture or
Address.
PLEA FOR SHORT HISTORIES
Edwin Wiley Contends That the
Day of Long and Argumentative
Compendiums Is Past
OBSERVATIONS EXCHANGED
PLEA FOR SHORT HISTORIES

The new edition of Webster's Interna-
tionaI Dictionary edited by the late W.
T. Harris former commissioner of edu-
cation: the recent edition of Nelson $
Loose-Leaf Encyclopedia and the Ency-
clopeda of American Agriculture were
pronounced by members of the District Of
Columbia Library Association at round
table discussion last night In the Public
Library the most valuable books OF ref
erence published in 1909. William w.
Bishop of the Library Of Congress. presi-
dent Of the association. presided. Other
valuable reference books mentioned out
ofthe fifty or more discussed were Beard s
American Government and Politics. War.
ren's Principles OF Agriculture and Sc
ries of books On American sociology ed
tied by members of the University Of
Wisconsin.
In Lieu of Monthly Lecture.
The round table discussion on reference
books published last year was held in
lieu of the regular monthly lecture or adj
dress. 1t is an annual affair and is re-
garded as probably the most important
of the associations gatherings. Its pri-
mary purpose is to exchange valuable OBJ
servations upon the most impor' Mt refer
cnce publications for the preceding
Twelve months.
The reference books were classed under
five heads, as follows: General reference
books. social sciences. agriculture Ian
Suage and literature and American his
tory. The discussions under each head
We're begun respectively by Miss Grace E.
Rabbit of the Public Library. g. NJ.
churchill of the Library of Congress.
Miss Eunice r. oberly of the Depart
ment of Agriculture. Prof. A. F. w.
Schmidt. librarian of the George Wash
ington University. and Edwin Wiley Of
the Library of Congress.
\ high tribute was paid TO the new
Webster International Dictionary as one
of the most complete collections and con-
veniently arranged publications of the
words of the English language. Inciden-
tally its editor was praised for his ex-
haustive labors which made the value Of
the work possible. The fourth volume Of
the encyclopedia of American agriculture
was declared especially valuable in that
il discussed for the first time, at any
length. rural life and agricultural products
in concise and convenient form.
No More Long Histories.
Edwin Wiley in his discussion of Amer
lean historical reference books asserted
that the day for the massive, argumenta-
tive forms of histories, such as Prescott's 8.
Guizots and others. is past. In their
place. he asserted, the compact histories
of recent publication had permanently
appeared. These. he said, were conven-
lent historical reference books rather
than historical dissertations. He con-
tended that the days of the one-man
opinion. the one-man deductions and the
influence of individual sympathies in his
torical works were gone.
Mr.. Whey expressed his approval Of
government and state records as ideal for
historical reference. These records, he
said. were assuming more and more i'm
portance among students of history and
the time was not far distant when their
place in the study rooms of historians
would be far more important than ever
Iefore.
The meeting closed with a light supper
and business announcements.