STUDIES ON MUSEUMS AND KINDRED INSTITUTIONS. 809 



of hose, and alarm indicators. Only a part of the floors are covered 

 with linoleum. Tlicy are mostly of parquetr}' or brick, with strips 

 of carpet. Some of the book rooms proper have iron grates. The 

 bookstaf-ks and bookshelves are mostly of iron, the other furniture 

 of wood, both strikingly elegant. There have recently been intro- 

 duced sheet-iron waste-paper baskets with covers, because one of the 

 ordinary waste-paper baskets was once set on tire. The folio volumes 

 lie in their stacks on rollers, like those mentioned in connection with 

 Columbia University. The cases for maps and photographs are con- 

 structed in a very practical manner. The separate drawers drop when 

 drawn out to an angle of 75 degrees, so that the sheets may not only 

 be conveniently examined as if on a slanting desk, but may also be 

 placed for closer inspection- on a lattice which covers the drawer. 

 The books are bound in twelve colors, corresponding to the principal 

 languages of the globe; for example, black represents German. This 

 applies to all books which ai'e l)ound for the library or in the library 

 itself, and makes it easier to find them quickly. Current periodicals 

 are kept in pasteboard boxes. Movable stacks for transporting books 

 are constructed in a very practical manner. 



For the library proper two extra elevators arc in use. They are 

 installed in a very ingenious manner, provided with electric bells and 

 telephone. There are also staircases, partly of iron, partly of wood. 



The arrangements for the care and use of the books show the great- 

 est skill and attention to every detail. 



The arrangement of the entire libi'ary is strictly ac<'ording to the 

 system devised by IMelvil Dewey, who has been director since 1888. 

 According to his ingenious decimal system, the figure signs contain 

 the title of the book in a nutshell, and the books are arranged strictly 

 according to the tigure series. Each book has, therefore, its definite 

 place and its prescribed sign. The system, which is followed else- 

 where only in Columl)ia University and in smaller libraries, has here 

 completely demonstrated its value. The card catalogues are made 

 very accurate. The}^ have in America extremely practical arrange- 

 ments for such card catalogues. Even the price of the book is given 

 on the later printed catalogue cards, which are furnished by the 

 Library Bureau in Boston. Up to the present time there are over 

 300,000 cards in use, the greater portion arranged according to authoi's. 

 Author and sul)ject cards are kept separate, but in cases standing- 

 side by side; the author catalogue is in l-iO drawers, each containing 

 1,200 cards; the subject catalogue is in 112 drawers. They are both 

 made in duplicate. There is also an alphabetical list of all the authors 

 represented in the library. In the accession catalogues one ma}' find 

 all possible data relating to any l)ook. 



The library publishes the following: Annual reports since 181J>(the 

 eighty-first, of 1898, has 105 pages and is illustrated); bulletins with 

 reports since 181U; additions to the bulletins since 181H>, -1 numbers; 



