Manual of Library Economy Third and Memorial Edition

CHAPTER XVII

Chapter 182,805 wordsPublic domain

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

=241. Numbers.=--The class letters and numbers of all books should be written in the inside, preferably on the back or front of the title-page, and should also be carried on to the labels, book-cards and all other records. On the outside the class letters and numbers may be lettered in gilt or written on a suitable tag, which must be firmly pasted on the back. The usual position for the tag is at about 1½ inches from the foot of the back, as this gives regular and uniform marking, which looks neat. Some librarians prefer a place at the top of the back, as the arranging number thus becomes more prominent, and the tag at the foot is more subject to handling. The diagram shows the two methods.

=242.= In classification systems in which the class numbers are used for charging and all other purposes it is necessary to provide a series of elaborate auxiliary marks to distinguish book from book in the same subdivision. Thus, in the Decimal scheme, 621·18 is the number for books on boilers. If there are six books on this topic, some distinction must be used in charging to enable the librarian to know which book has been issued. Mr Cutter has devised a table for this purpose, which is known as the “Cutter Author Marks,” by which surnames are arranged according to their initials and qualified by a number thus:

Abbott = Ab2. Acland = Ac6. Cook = C77. Cousin = C83. Crabb = C84. Gardiner = G16. Gerry = G36. Gilman = G42. Shock = Sh8.

The six books on boilers would accordingly be distinguished by receiving these author marks, and the numbers might become:

621·18 Ab2 Abbott on Boilers. 621·18 C83 Cousin „ 621·18 G16 Gardiner „ 621·18 Sh8 Shock „

In the Subject Classification these books when given the number for boilers, C210, could be further distinguished by the numbers of the biographical tables, thus:

C210 ---- Abbott on Boilers. 3011

C210 ---- Cousin „ 3669

C210 ---- Gardiner „ 4565

C210 ---- Shock „ 7863

=243. Book and Shelf Marking.=--It is better to have the class numbers stamped on the back of the book at once than to rely on tags or labels, which have a tendency to peel off. In some open access libraries using ordinary gilt lettering, a subsidiary marking has been adopted to prevent misplacement and to aid replacement.

These marks are simple round spots of coloured enamel painted on the backs of books, and they effectually prevent shelf being mixed with shelf and tier with tier. There are eight shelves in a tier, and eight distinctive colours are used, so that no colour is repeated in the same tier, and they are varied in every succeeding tier, so that adjoining shelves will not correspond in the colour of their marking. As a further precaution, the class marks are placed at different heights on the backs of the books in each tier, so that, even if a red-marked book from Tier 1 were placed among the red-marked books on Tier 3, there would still be a distinction. Of course the same level is maintained for each tier, by means of gauges, and the progression of colours is observed. When a book moves forward to another shelf, the mark is painted over with the new colour, and when the book is moved to another tier, the mark is carefully scraped out and altered to suit the new location. As movement is not extensive in ordinary libraries, this alteration is only an occasional duty. The class numbers maintain the topic order on the shelves, and so the most common method of open access shelf marking is complete. It has been argued that the class letters and numbers are all-sufficient to maintain order in a library which allows readers to go to the shelves, but on this point experience varies. At any rate, there is no harm in taking simple precautions of this kind, which certainly possess the great advantage that if a book is misplaced it can be noticed instantly and rectified. Uniform form marks require closer scrutiny, the use of colours demands but a casual glance. In closely classified libraries where there is no public access to the shelves, simple class numbers ought to be sufficient for staff purposes. The only additional point is that, perhaps, the accession numbers should also figure on the backs of the books, especially if an indicator is used for charging in the lending department.

COLOURS.

Tier 1. Tier 2. Tier 3. --------------- --------------- --------------- Blue Yellow Grey --------------- --------------- --------------- Red Mauve Buff --------------- --------------- --------------- Green White Blue --------------- --------------- --------------- Yellow Grey Red --------------- --------------- --------------- Mauve Buff Green --------------- --------------- --------------- White Blue Yellow --------------- --------------- --------------- Grey Red Mauve --------------- --------------- --------------- Buff Green White --------------- --------------- ---------------

FIG. 74.--Colour Marking of Books.

=244.= It is desirable that the arrangement of the shelves should be made as clear as possible to the staff and to readers by means of various guides, and these are particularly necessary in open access libraries. The best general guide is a plan of the department showing the disposition of the books in the cases, and indicating the sequence of the classification by means of arrows. The plan of the Croydon Central Lending Library may serve as an example. If the classes are indicated chromatically: for example, 000 red, 100 blue, 200 yellow, 300 green, etc., the plan will be more easily followed. Such a plan, drawn to a large scale, framed, and hung in a conspicuous position, will give readers a valuable conspectus of the department.

FIG. 78.--Tier Guide showing Lettering of Front (Section 244).

In addition, a series of bold class labels at the top of each class, and plenty of topic labels on the shelves, together with the progressive class numbers boldly printed, and fixed to the end of each shelf, will be found a great help to understanding the classification and finding the books. Shelf topic and number labels can be printed by the staff with an ordinary rubber-printing or sign-writing apparatus, and they can be fixed to the shelves by means of the label-holders mentioned in Section 249. For class numbers on the shelf-ends xylonite label-holders will be found economical and convenient, as they can be cut into inch widths. The above figure (Fig. 76) of a shelf-front with labels will give some idea of the application of these marks. The class number of the first or last topic only need be given. A method of guiding by tiers instead of by shelves is described in _The Library World_ (Nov. 1904) and is one of many experiments which have been made with shelf guiding. The illustrations (Figs. 77, 78) will show much better than words the appearance and possibilities of this system. Another form is illustrated below (Fig. 79) and shows a class label for indicating the chief contents of a main class. The illustration of an open access lending library given opposite (Fig. 80) shows the system of press guides used at the North Islington Library, which in practice has been found very effective.

FIG. 79.--Class Guide (Section 244).

=245. Shelf Register.=--The shelf register is a record of the books as they stand on the shelves, and is the main guide used in stock-taking and otherwise checking the books. Cards are sometimes used for this purpose, each work being entered on a separate card, the whole being arranged in trays in the order of the classification.

Another method is to use shelf-register sheets, which occupy very little space, a single sheet being used for each class division or subdivision. The sheet is headed, as shown in the subjoined ruling, with the class letter and number, and the books in the section are entered in author-alphabetical order to begin with, afterwards just as books are added (Fig. 81). The narrow columns are reserved for checking the shelves. The date of check is written at the top, and the presence of the book indicated by a tick. In some open access libraries stock is taken of the shelves twice a year by means of these sheets. Missing books are not ticked, but noted in order that further search may be made in the charging system and other records. When they turn up they are ticked off. The sheets are collated periodically, and any books which continue to be unaccounted for are noted and entered in a special book ruled to show author and title, date missing, and having a column for the record of any subsequent facts, such as its finding, replacement, or other means of recovery.

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FIG. 81.--Shelf-check Register (Section 245).

=246. Dummies and Overflow Stock.=--Sometimes the library becomes congested at certain places owing to limited space and rapid growth, and if discarding is not resorted to some of the less popular, or old, books must be removed to a supplementary store. There is scarcely a library which does not possess a second classification stored apart, where such crowded-out books are kept. On the shelf-register these books can either be indicated by some such means as a red-ink cross, or they can be removed from the original and entered on supplementary sheets. Dummies, such as those described in Section 247, can also be used to show books located elsewhere, especially in open access libraries, or lists can be mounted on cards and kept beside each tier. The question of surplus stock is one which ought to be dealt with on the broad lines of the discarding policy discussed in Section 199, but, of course, an actual division of stock caused by overcrowding must be treated as recommended above.

Large and odd-sized books should be shelved in special presses, and their place in the classification can be indicated by means of dummies, as described below.

=247. Shelf Accessories.=--For the purpose of maintaining order on the shelves and marking particular divisions or classes, various devices have from time to time been introduced.

DUMMIES are used to indicate the temporary absence of books, or to show that particular works, because of their large size, are located on some other shelf. The simplest form of shelf dummy for classification purposes is a block of wood about 7 inches × 5 inches × ⅝ inch, painted white, or covered with white paper on the edge, and lettered with the title of the book which it represents. The title may be written on each of the seven-inch faces, in case the block gets reversed, and should also bear a plain direction to the location of the book it represents (Fig. 82). [A similar dummy, bearing the classification number and the name of the division, serves as a good guide to the classification. The block is inserted at the beginning of each new classification sequence; and both in this case, as in that of the dummy that represents books, the dummy is too unlike a book to be taken for anything other than a guide.]

=248.= For books temporarily withdrawn a piece of millboard covered white on one side may be used in the form shown below (Fig. 83). This should have the author, number and title of the missing book written on the white side. One board of this sort can be used over and over again for different books, by simply adding the new title and obliterating the old one. This board can also be used instead of the block above illustrated (Fig. 82) if space is a matter of moment.

The object of the tail in this form of board is to prevent the board from disappearing behind or getting lost among the other books. When placed between two books, with the projection overhanging the front of the shelf, it will always stick out so as to be seen readily, while it cannot very readily be pushed deep into the shelf because of the projection.

=249.= LABEL-HOLDERS for keeping all kinds of classification or other labels in place upon the fore-edges of shelves, close to the books which they indicate, are made in various forms. An old form was made out of tin or thin japanned iron, with a pair of flanges on the upper and lower edges to take a card-label. This was screwed or tacked on to the edge of the shelf and shifted when necessary. Another form of this holder is made precisely the same as regards the turned-over flanges to form grooves, but without the screw-holes, and has in addition a long projection to slide under the books on the shelf so as to keep in place. This can be moved easily, but it is very apt to be pulled out when books are removed. A simple, effective shelf label-holder is made from strips of transparent xylonite bent in a rectangular form, and pinned or screwed to the under-side of the shelf as illustrated (Fig. 84). This can be made to fit into shelves with either square or rounded edges, and keeps the labels clean, as it covers them over. The advantage of this form of label-holder is that it can be cut with a pair of scissors or a knife to any size if wanted only for simple shelf or class numbers. It is also easily adjusted or changed.

=250.= BOOK-RESTS AND SHELF GUIDES.--Practically every librarian born before 1880 has invented a book-rest at some period of his career, and there is consequently the less need for describing more than one or two typical devices. The best-known form is the ordinary rectangular metal rest, which is made in several styles in japanned iron. Fig. 85 is the commonest form, though it is objectionable, because books are apt to be impaled upon the sharp edge and damaged, and occasionally the rest itself is lost. A better, though slightly more expensive, form is Fig. 86. By reason of the flanged side there is no danger of books being damaged, and this side can also be used as a classification guide if wanted to indicate where one class begins and another ends. A variation of the dummy mentioned in Section 247 (Fig. 82) is a plain wooden block mounted on metal angle pieces which can be made to act as a useful label-holder in classified libraries. The illustration (Fig. 87) will show the form of this device.

Another form of book-rest or support is sufficiently described by the illustration (Fig. 88).

=251. Book-Stands and Carriers.=--For desk and table use there are two very convenient and adjustable book-stands, which will be found useful in public as well as private libraries. One is the American stand with adjustable wire compartments, which is useful for keeping books handy for desk use or for sorting out cards, etc.

=252.= The other is the English adjustable book-stand which is largely used for displaying and carrying about a few books for committee or consultation purposes. As a table book-holder, this is probably the best and strongest form ever invented. As shown in the illustration (Fig. 89), the uprights slide and firmly grip a large or small number of books, according to the capacity of the holder. This contrivance has been adapted as a library book-carrier, by having strong hooks attached, which fit into staples affixed to the fronts or ends of bookcases. They are very useful for classifying and arranging books awaiting replacement or shelving.

There are other forms of book-holders and carriers with fixed upright ends, but they are not so satisfactory as the adjustable forms described.

=253.= In large libraries a book-truck will be found a useful appliance for moving quantities of books about, either for purposes of service or location or cataloguing. The design in Fig. 90 will explain this device sufficiently.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

=254. Author Marks:=

Brown, J. D. Author Marks and Symbols. _In his_ Subject Classification, 1906, p. 26.

Cutter, C. A. Author Marks. _In his_ Expansive Classification, 1891-93, p. 139.

---- Three-Figure Alfabetic-order Table. Library Bureau.

Dewey, Melvil. Decimal Classification (last ed.), Intro. and Appendix. Institut International de Bibliographie. Classification Décimale, fascicule i.

Sayers, W. C. Berwick. Notation. _In his_ Introduction to Library Classification, 1918, p. 68.

=255. Classification and Shelf Guides:=

Coutts, H. T. Classification and Shelf Guides. _In_ Stewart, J. D., _and others_, Open Access Libraries, 1915.

Sayers. Introduction, chapter xii. (_vide supra_).

Dewey, Melvil. Shelf List. _In his_ Library School Rules, 1892.

For Articles, see Cannons, H 96-108, Shelf Arrangement, etc.

DIVISION VIII

CATALOGUING, FILING, INDEXING