An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Indicating Booksh "Overdue," "In," and "Out" in Free Public and other Libraries.
Year: 1888

page_text: An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Indicating Booksh
"Overdue," "In," and "Out" in Free Public and other Libraries.
'I, THOMAS BONNER, Free Public Library, Ealing, W. Librarian & Secretary, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
My invention has for its object to provide simple and efficacious means of showing.
to the Librarian at a glance, the week in which any particular book was issued from
the Library. For this purpose. I construct Blocks of about of an inch thick, and
each of the sides of which are about of an inch in length. The shape of the Blocks
which I find has the most advantages, by giving a sufficient number of colours in the
smallest possible space is pentagonal, but I do not necessarily confine myself to this
shape, as the Blocks may have any number of sides more than two, or may be
round. Each side of the Block (or division, if a round Block is used) has the
number of the book to which it corresponds upon it, upon a coloured ground, each
of these sides or divisions being of a different colour. One of the colours indicates
to the public that the corresponding book is upon the shelf, whilst a different colour,
at the same time seen by the Librarian, shows this to him. The other colours
show to the borrowers that the book is out and they also show to the Librarian
that it has been issued one, two, three, or more weeks previously as the case may
be. The Block is turned round in the Indicator, upon the issue of the book, to
the proper colour, either by taking it out & replacing it, or, in the case of a round
Block, upon a pivot. The borrower's ticket is then placed upon the Block in the
Indicator (sufficient space having been allowed for that purpose) which is an
additional indication to both borrowers & Librarian that the book is out. One of
these colours is used to indicate all books issued during the first week, a different
colour for the second week, and so on until all the colours have been employed.
The colour used first is then again brought into requisition, and the others follow in
the same order as before, and this process may be repeated endlessly. Before any
colour is again used a note is first made by the Librarian or an Assistant of all
Prin di

page_text: "
books issued when the colour was previously used, and which have not in the interim
been returned. These books are then written for as Overdue," having been kept
over the time allowed by the Rules, which is usually four weeks.
In addition to the number of the books, a class letter may be put upon the sides
of the Blocks, when required.
fixed
To suit these blocks considerable alteration in, the construction of the Indicator
was rendered necessary. To make the improvements clear, which I have effected,
a short description of a Library Indicator must be given. An Indicator
upon the Library counter and has glass upon the side next the public to prevent
interference from them. The Librarian's side is open and shows rows of small tin
shelves numbering 100 from top to bottom, the number of these rows depending
upon the number of books in the Library & also upon the provision made for
future additions. There are thin wooden partitions between the rows of shelves,
and the shelves themselves are supported upon these partitions by being inserted
in slits placed in the partitions about an inch apart. Upon these shelves the
Blocks previously described are placed in their proper numerical order, and the
frame itself is formed by an iron standard at each end & wood-work top and bottom,
and the whole firmly braced together. Instead however of the partitions being
straight & deep as usual, when the pentagonal, or hexagonal Blocks are used,
I make them to taper from front to back (from the public to the Librarian's side)
at about the same angle as the Blocks, & the depth of the partitions from front to
back I make about g of an inch only. The depth of the shelves is reduced to the
same depth at the sides as the partitions, and this enables the Librarian to easily
manipulate the Blocks. If these shelves were carried straight across at that depth
only, sufficient support would not be obtained for the Blocks, and to obviate this
I have rounded the backs of the shelves, which thus gives me the necessary depth
and support for them.
The measurements given are not absolute, and may be varied.

page_text: An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Indicating Books
"Overdue," "In," and "Out" in Free Public and other Libraries.
I, THOMAS BONNER, Free Public Library, Ealing, W. Librarian & Secretary, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention has for its object to provide simple and efficacious means of showing
whether a book is "in," or "out" of the Library and also of showing, in addition, to
the Librarian, the week upon which any particular book was issued.
For this purpose I construct Blocks of about 3 of an inch thick and each of the
sides of which is about of an inch in length. The shape of the Blocks which I find
has the most advantages, by giving a sufficient number of colours and at the same
time taking up the smallest possible space, is pentagonal, but. I do not necessarily
confine myself to this shape, as the Blocks'may have any number of sides more than
two, or may be round.
Each side of the Block (or division if a round Block is used) has the number of the
book to which it corresponds upon it upon a coloured ground, the number itself being
white, each of these sides or divisions being of a different colour. One of the colours
indicates to the public that the corresponding book is upon the shelf, whilst a different
colour, at the same time seen by the Librarian, shows this to him. The other colours
show to the borrowers that the book is out and they also show to the Librarian, that it
has been issued one, two, three or more weeks previously as the case may be. The
Block is turned round in the Indicator upon the issue of the book to the proper
colour, either by taking it out and replacing it, or in the case of a round Block, upon
a pivot. The borrower's ticket is then placed upon the Block in the Indicator
(sufficient space having been allowed for that purpose) which is an additional
indication to both borrowers and Librarian that the book is out. Upon the return of
the book this process is necessarily reversed, the borrower's ticket being taken out of
the Indicator and the Block turned back again to indicate that the book is "in."
One of the colours is used to indicate all books issued during the first week, a
different colour for the second week, and so on until all the colours have been
employed. The colour used first is then again brought into requisition and the others
follow in the same order as before, and this process may be repeated endlessly.
Before any colour is again used, a note is first made by the Librarian or an Assistant
of all books issued when the colour was previously used, and which have not in the
interim been returned. These books are then entered in a book kept for the purpose
and written for as "Overdue," having been kept over the time allowed by the Rules,
which is usually four weeks.
In addition to the number of the books, a class letter may be put upon the sides of
the blocks when required.

page_text: To suit these blocks considerable alterations in the construction of the Indicator
was rendered necessary. To make the improvements clear which I have effected, a
-short description of a Library Indicator must be given. An Indicator is fixed upon
the Library counter and has glass upon the side next the public to prevent interference
from them. The Librarian's side is open and shows rows of small tin shelves
numbering 100 from top to bottom, the number of these rows depending upon the
number of volumes in the Library, and also upon the provision made for future
additions. There are thin wooden partitions between the rows of shelves and the
shelves themselves are supported upon these partitions by being inserted in slits placed
in the partitions, about half an inch apart. Upon these shelves the Blocks previously
described are placed in their proper numerical order, and the frame itself is formed by
an iron standard at each end, and wood-work top and bottom, the whole being firmly
braced together. Instead however of the partitions being straight and deep, as is
usual; when the pentagonal Blocks are used I make them to taper from front to back,
(from the public. to the Librarian's side) at about the same angle as the Blocks,
(coming to a point at the back), and where any other shaped Blocks are employed,
these partitions are adapted to each particular form. The depth of the partitions from
front to back I make about of an inch only. The depth of the shelves is reduced to
the same depth at the sides as the partitions, and this enables the Librarian to easily
manipulate the Blocks. Where pentagonal Blocks are used one of the sides is always
presented to the public and two to the Librarian, and the point formed by these two
sides also offers a ready means of manipulating the Blocks by taking hold under and
over of them, provided the shelves are kept back from this point sufficiently-say
about of an inch.
Instead of carrying the shelves straight across at a depth of 3 or of an inch only,
I make them round at the backs, bringing them within about of an inch of the
point of the Block as previously described, and by this means I obtain the necessary
support for them. I also tilt the shelves towards the glass slightly as a further means
of securing the Blocks in their places.
By my method the number of the book and the number of the borrower's ticket
would be entered in a Daily Register, and the date of issue in a small Register
pasted inside of the book lent. These entries may however be varied by the
Librarians using the Indicator, some thinking that further check, such as a Posting
Book is necessary, whilst others may consider some of these redundant, but the above
is the system I recommend.
To facilitate the entries of the date, I recommend that a small hand stamp be
used for that purpose.
Where provision is made, as is usual, for future additions, the blocks and the
shelves may be removed until they are required, or the number may be covered by
a strip of coloured paper, the ends going over and under the blocks. The latter
I consider preferable, as although there is no difference practically between the two
methods, the Indicator presents a better appearance if kept full.
A book may be renewed either by the borrower bringing it to the Library
and having it re-entered, or a Renewal Ticket may be applied for and given
14/3/89.
A book lent out for a week would by this ticket have the time extended to a
fortnight, so that if it was issued on the 14th of the month it would be due back on
the 28th and no fine would be incurred until after that date. The former of these
methods is the better one, so far as the Librarian is concerned, but the latter would
suit the borrowers best as they could renew without carrying the books to the
Library. This is a point therefore which may be varied to suit the ideas of the
Librarian using the Indicator.

page_text: The measurements given are not absolute, and may be varied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Constructing Indicator Blocks by means of which it may be shown when books
are "in," or "out," of the Library, and also when "overdue"; substantially as, and
for the purposes herein described.
2. Improved arrangements in the Indicator Frame to suit these Blocks, sub-
stantially as herein described.