The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-13
6IzxzcIusive senyice The Survey Press Bureau)
With Books

A nenitentiary library needed re- ,rganization. The state Furnished no ,superyisor for institution libraries The new wardeI's belief in the re- iformatory possibilities of a weii-rnan- an aged library were so great that he ap- healed to an adacent librarian, little Irealizfng what he was asking of her in time or responsibility. The Hbrar- ian heard the call to service.
 There was the usual collection of discarded books in, dismal surround- ifnga She fsince these actors shall be nameless) could spend only occasional hours in suggestion and supervision He fthe inmate the institution fur nished to do the actual work) gave at first a part of his time and all the opinions and information he had gath cred in a life spent in various peniten- tiaries with short intervals between terms in which to try out new and in genious devices in crime.
 The first step was to discard the useless books She began the work slowly and conscientiously only to find on the next visit that He had solved the whole problem by packing every book which did not interest Him in a far attic He had been in his pres ent quarters long enough to dominate every aetipity He felt that He only knew what was needed in that library. She was permitted to classify unaid- ed but at each following visit was put through a rigid catechism on the work of the preceding dasy. In the interval He had studied each book, had formed his own opinion and not infrequent1y had changed the class number to suit his own ideas.
 why did you put The, Holy Roman Empire in $40 ?'' He queried. It be- long in 2S2.''
 why did you put this book in. bio- graphy? The Seattle library has it un- der sociology"
 How do you know where the Seat tie library has it?" She parried-
 "I saw list of some of their new books in paper
 Such interest in the fine points o1 classification deserved encouragement and copy of Dewey on library classi- dication was loaned Him. He sat uI nights and rose early mornings tc study it's mysteries He was soon pre- pared to give pointers to the inventor land to all subsequent users There is no need to arrange books by sub- jeets. know where every book is land that is enough q will not allow fnay sets broken up.' s'I don't want any gaps on my shelves seYou can't put that bib book next that little one!"
 He expostulated at every innova- ltion. She left instructions for the cus- toTnary cards and supplies to be pre- pared at the print shop of the instftu- tioned and returned to find the order changed to one large card on which He proposed to enter the readers name and the title of every book read stAll I need to know is what a man has read in all the years he has been here will then choose his book. Dc you think am going to be bothered by men coming in here to examine the shelves? I will tell them what te read. They will take what I give them or go without"
 She asked that inmates send in slips containing titles of books they wished purchased. He suppressed the slips which did not meet with his approva, and handed Her the rest. She recon. rnended a list for a, book order. He added before sending the letter, Doyle Dumas, Cham bers s.lid others of hi. favor1tes. She began to feel the diff culties in being adviser to an egotist
 The prison officials said that wha they most wished to avoid was a1 appeal to their authority. His ego tisfn had made trouble whenever H. came in contact with other inmate and this isolation in the library wa.