The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-06
0D|||lT more
[IfRAllr PATR0h|lED
! HTsroRrcAL UNDERTAKING
1r6it1nx and Publishing OF Journal OF
Virgins House Of Burse~scs n Great
Task--Lat~ary 10 Cooperate With
U rederal Department.

81 ana the state Librarian report an IN
creased use OF the Library by inoi-
vfduais throughout the state, due
chiefly to the cheap rates OF postage
ssssfnc< the adoption OF the parcels post
xysten, by the posfoffice Department.
4 Before the parcels post rates vent into
effe<s. the cost Of transporting BOOKS
hack ana forth to individual borrow
exx was almost probihitive Of extensive
use 7, is now possible 10 borrow
hook from the State Library, at an
average cost OF seven cents postage
each way This privilege OF borrow
/ ing is granted every responsible Per-
San an ,hs state over eighteen years
n sxe whose responsibility may be
c~rfired by any mem her Of the Gen
ersi Assembly, any STATE omcer. any
fudge the MAYOR Of any city or town.
81 ary division superintendent OF
.rhools. Any resident of Virginia by
undressing the state Librarian may
receive a circular giving fun intor-
naston as to the procedure OF Dor
rcwine books This privilege has been
taken advantage Of by teachers, COL
lexe and high schools students. mem
4 berS OF literary clubs. workinEmen--
l. fart. by representatives Of all
classes in the State. The Library has
been restricted somewhat on account
! 81 having insufficient funds for pur-
CHASING new hooks. but IL has tried to
ohytate this lack OF means by making
use OF all pamphlet matter that II pre-
scented to the Library. and also by
4 keeping file of clippings from cur
rent ma gaines.
In addition to sending books TO In
Aiyidusls BY mail the Library has
travelling library system. by means OF
which collections Of twenty-five and
fffy-volumes may be sent to schools
or to groups OF citizens who wish
small library for A few months. These
books are carefully selected, emery
Tor their stimulating and entertaining
value The number OF such travtIing
libraries in use varies from 400 10 ESQ
The demand for such service 10 so
great that II is not possible to satisfy
il. Instead OF having only 400 or 2S0
special libraries OF this kind. the State
library should have 1000.
Guardian OF Archives.
An important function OF the LII
hrary is to act as guardian OF the
archives Of the state, the Oldest OF
which bear the date Of the middle OF
the seventeenth century. m the three
hundred years Of the history or var
rinia many accidents have befalten
/ the records. Wars. fire and theft have
/ ali depleted the ancient records, "
that what remains In but a small part
or what there should he. In view o.
this. the guardianship Of the archives
Ii probab bly, the most important func
ton of the State Library. The presen
board and librarian are doing all tina
II In now possible to do, with the room
and money availa BILE In order u
preserve the archives, they should b.
Il carefully opened. examined, CLASSIFIED
ratalogued and flied in permanent
cases. This requires a long time to d.
thoroughly. After all this work /
y aonc, the time and money expended
may be entirely lost II fireproof ant
detached building for the safekeepinI
~~eef the archives IS not provided. tn
sfate cannot much longer shirk II
duty TO the citizens of former days il
--~refusing TO erect a building whicl
shall preserve for all time the origina
and only correct documents which II
lustrate its social and political life
4 The present State Library Building j
primarily an ONCE building. and can
\ not be adapted 10 modern library pur
I poses, and TO the preservation o
! archives, The only permanent SOLD
1 ton OF this question will be the con
4 gtruction o a separate fireproof build
ing for the library. with all the equip
s ment that modern ingenuity can sum
mon for the care of books and manu-
scripts
In the past eight years the employe
4 Of the Library have been engaged II
the cataloging OF the books an
q pamphlets. the total number OF whicl
d now in the Library is 10000. In or
aer TO do the work OF catai Logging per
N Gectiy, the books must be examine
carefully for author and subjects. |
4 svery book was published with a It'll
/ page which clearly and correct
named the author. and indicated tn
subject of which it treated. the cata
i0gins and classification OF q librar,
would be simple matter. But man.
/ books appear with no author, or will
tseujonyms instead OF authors, anc
III this requires investigation. Then
there is no limit TO which the human
= mind may go in adopting a title tina
aides the ubjeot Of which tho boob
May treat To find the subject OF
\ book, II is often necessary to read 1
I part of II. The cataloging OF the Stat,
library has been done on cards, ant
these cards are filed In cabinets, npel
& 10 the public for inspection. all card
pelng filed in one alphabetical order
Ehere are now IN the public card cata
j89ue OF the state Library 170,0e'
t1rds. Tire catalogue In increasing a
the rate OF about 10000 to 10000
n tards year In addition IA having q
ard catalogue. The Library has pub
B8n&G eight volumes OF printed lists
total of several thousand pages, the
hst one OF which is list of all the
hooks a. present In rf1e Library relat
tnE TO Virginia and Vtrginisns, con
Il Inning the titles Of about : 900 items
Other special lists are the following
American history. seheslogy
fhakespeAre. history. geography,
bAtion. social ana political sci
tnce. constitutions OF Virginia
II Sonfederate publications tech
q toloEy. manuscripts relating 10
lEr1cuItur~, newspa pefs maps relating
b Virginia II is the intention TO con-
bnue the publication Of such lists
g mus making known a. much as possi.
4 W. the valuable contents Of the Ii
bFAry.
A Monumental Undertaking.
"a In the editing and publication OF
= ehe Journals OF the House OF Bur.
r hoeses. the Library In carrying out {
- Sentimental historical undertaking
u t6r many years. historical students
u rave wished to consult these Journals
hut were unable 10 do so, for IN,
4naEou that the journals OF the earl.
1oars existed only In manuscript form
n the Public Record Office in London
When q public printer was esta biishes
L. nd