The Library World Volume 4 Issue 1

Abstract

In this number Mr. Thos. Johnston, the Chief Librarian of the Hornsey Public Libraries, contributes an article on the “infected” book question, following up Mr. Jast's note in a previous issue, in the course of which he gives the result of information obtained from other libraries as to the practices followed. This is an excellent example to other librarians, which we hope they will carefully note and act upon. That is to say, when they next send round the usual circular letter (or it may be a postcard), with the usual batch of questions relating to Sunday opening, or salaries, or the caretaker's uniform, or requiring perhaps a full account of the library, “from the earliest period to the present day,” and receive the usual percentage of replies, do not let them pack away all this information in a box or drawer when their immediate purpose is accomplished, there to lie undisturbed till the next librarian comes along, and burns it with other of his predecessor's “rubbish.” This is a selfish policy. Let him send it to us for publication, and so make some sort of return for the expenditure of temper and time the replies have cost the busy men of the profession : the men with nothing to do seldom reply. Then the same questions would not continue to be asked. Having answered once the question, What are your hours of opening and closing in all departments? you would not be required to go on answering it several times a year. Should there be so benighted a member of the profession as not to see our magazine, and should he promulgate the query, a postcard with the simple words, “Buy The Library World—and read it,” will be sufficient. This will at once fulfil the threefold purpose of relieving you, helping your correspondent, and last, but not least, advertising us. Many librarians who might contribute to our columns do not do so, on the plea that they cannot think of anything to write about. Here then is a suggestion. Have they not, stowed away somewhere or other (but, of coarse, carefully indexed on cards), interesting and valuable material gathered in this way, which would require very little working up to be an acceptable contribution to the comparative study of library methods? It is this comparative study which must form the basis of any thoroughly sound and widely useful system of library economics

Citation

(1901), "The Library World Volume 4 Issue 1", New Library World, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb008833