Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-23
DO YOU TAKE CARE
OF YOUR BOOKS?

THERE is a certain home library of nc
uncomfortable size. carefully chosen
and well read, which is classified accord
ing to the colors of the book bindings.
Shakespeare's works. one of 1.-THE Ouch.
ess' " novels, a two-volume history of
art, a book about thoroughbred dogs. a
new work by famous French phtloso-
pher. the bylaws of woman's club and
half dozen recent best sellers occupy
one shelf In frankly systemless red
row.
Possibly this classification serves its
purpose as we'll as any other, for the
owner Of the library places books by
their bindings. David Harum" to her
is bright yellow primarily rather than
a book Of American fiction, and a desire
to consult one of Baedeker'S guide books
calls up in her mind the idea of a red
binding rather than the idea of books
of travel. But her library is an uncharted
wilderness to any one whose mind works
in a different way.
x X
Books should always be classified SO
that any one can find them. Even in
the smallest library they should be ar
ranged under accepted headings. Works
of poetry should be kept together, and
fiction, travel, biography. science, fine
arts, including painting, sculpture, art
collecting and kindred subjects; useful
arts, which take in cooking, basket
making, nursing. housekeeping and other
manual and vocational subjects; philos-
ophy sociology, chemistry and other
sciences; nature, sports. reference history
and essays are other headings which
may be used.
Books should always be returned to
their places on the shelves, otherwise
the most complicated and exhaustive
system of classification will do no good.
If there are many books they can be
arranged alphabetically in their respec-
tive departments. For instance, histories
of France should be placed before his
tories of the United States, and Green s
History of England should go before
Hume's.
Every one knows the annoyance of
lending books which are never returned.
Many of us, too. know how annoying
it is to borrow a book and then forget
to whom it belongs. Every book, out Of
justice to borrower and lender, should
have the owners name plainly written
on the fiyleaf A note book can be kept
for listing borrowers names, which can
4
turned If they are not returned after
a reasonable lapse Of time it is quite per-
missible to ask for them.
Book plates are a further aid to the
book owner. They are printed now In
attractive designs and sold by the box
for a very small price. Those for chill
dren's books show various designs inter
esting to young people. One shows
small boy with line on which the name
of the youthful owner is to be written
and beneath it the words his book
Others show rural landscapes and ami
mails. Persons who use brush or pen
skillfully often design and execute their
own plates or simply design them and
have them engraved. In this case 1t is
usual to make the book plate personal to
embody the family arms or crest or SYM
bols of personal tastes in the design.
The book owner who likes pictures
often finds 1t interesting to make small
portfolios the size and color or the vari-
out books out of stout paper, In when
interesting pictures illustrating them,
clipped from magazines, papers or other
books or bought for the purpose, are FLED.