Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-01-04
TELLS HOW BOOKS ARE.
HANDLED AT LIBRARY
City Librarian Writes Some
Interesting Information
About Library Work.
By Miss Flora M. Case.


hundred and fifty patrons have come
and gone taking with them the interest
ing facts they wished or the books of
their choice. Some scores have found
time to read the newspapers, the mag
azines OF the encyclopedia article that
appealed to them. Many and varied
are the questions the desk attendant
has been asked to answer.
Upon the scene enters one OF the
characters, a thoughtful business man,
speaas in low tone: " should hike
a book to read that will give briefly,
but in an interesting manner, the whole
story of the European war"
The attendant makes answer ai'er
"a moment Of thought. ~ could give
you book on The battle Of the Marne,
or any other special offensive, or a
book about bnef period of time such
as palmcr-s my Year of the Great
War;" ard there are books about the
work of the aviators or the medical
corps, the life in submarine or in a
tank, but we have no one comprehen-
sive work that covers the whole war.
/ shall make q note of your request to
find if we cen secure it for you."
The request goes to the office. 1t
presents itself as need which the IL
brary should be able to satisfy. The Ii
brarian begins her search for the best
book to serve the purpose. The A. l..
A. Booklist is occasioned; this is a
monthly list Of the best books that
come from the press, with descriptive
notes. The Bookman, the monthly mag
szine devoted to books and authors, is
searched, then the New York Times
Book Review, and the circular letter
received from the committee on Refer
ence books appointed by the Pacific
Northwest Library association.
1t appears that Frank H. Simonds,
who has been writing those good war
articles for tho New York Tribune is
publishing a popular history of the war
which is meeting with the most favor
with the critics. The Book Committee
o. K. IS the choice, and Simonds His
tory of the Great War; becomes the
hero Of this tale.
All of the trade items: The publish
er, the date of publication, the bind
ing and the price are carefully gather
ed from the U. s. trade eatalog, and
the set gets its place on the outgoing
order to the bo6k dealer. Fortunately
the books are in stock, and within a
week freight box is thrust into the
basement, which contains among Others
the volumes Of the anticipated history.
When the order is checked the eata-
logger takes the books in charge. By
authority of the U. S. Catalog and
Who's Who in America, 19lS-19, the
authors full name is assigned-Frank
Herbert Simonds.
The book number is chosen carefully
for this number determines the shelf
upon which the books shall stand. There
is no question about the general class;
it is history, therefore, among the 300 s
It is history of a special geographic
division, Europe, hence, $40. Again it
is of the most recent time, further
figure is needed for history of the
present time, and 94o9 makes up the
class number. There are, however, sew
eral shelves of books about the Euro
pean war, all elassed in 940.9. The new
set must have its special place in this
numerous family, and its authors name
decides this point. Cutters Authors
Tables fix Sis as the author number.
The new acquisition is ehristened with
its individual call number-s40.9 Si5,
vol. & 2.
Now the estaloger turns her attention
to the cards which shall represent the
set in the eatalog The first card shall
be under the authors name-Simonds,
Frank Herbert, every author is so hon
ored in library. This one card is not
sufficient to call attention to the work
for few pstrons viii remember the
name Of the author or how to spell 1t.
The title is not so distinctive that it
will be sought 1t is the subject that
it important, therefore, card is made
with European War, 1914" typed In
red on the top line, with the author
and title below. The card win be filed
in its alphabetical place in the E-tray
in the eatalog.
Only the mechanical preparation re-
mains. Each book is opened methodie.
ally on table, leaves at the front snd
back are pressed down alternately
through the whole book TO give elias
tieity to the glue in the back. The un-
cut pages are neatly cut with an ivory
knife. The stamp Of library ownership
is placed. A pocket is folded and pasted
on the inside of the back cover, where
the book card shall rest until it gives
place to the card of the patron who
borrows the book. A slip of white pa
per is tipped onto the fly leaf opposite,
where. the date ON which the book is
borrowed is to be stamped. Now, with
q pen and white ink, the marker writes
on the back on the binding the call
number, and with brush she spreads
shellae over the number for protection
from wear. Since these books are dark
in color they may not have a eomprrs
soat Of shellae.
On the following Saturday morning
the two volumes of Simonds' "History
II the Great War; are in their place
On the New Book Shelf, and there the
first interested patron who has read
If them in the Friday evenings issue
If the Capital Journal win find them,
lnless the thonghtful-looking business
nan who made the first request wished
% have the privilege Of the first read
ng. The later volumes of the set viii
'ollow by the path they have made.