[purPEE] MODERN PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND THEIR°METHODS 39 
LOAN OR CHARGING SYSTEM. 
The primary requisites of any system for keeping a record of 
books borrowed in a public library, are speed, simplicity, and the 
minimum of trouble to the borrower. In some libraries readers are 
driven away by unnecessary and exasperating “red-tape”; and in 
others the efficiency of the library is sacrificed to the impatience of 
borrowers. Hither extreme is in the long run fatal to the growth 
and efficiency of the library. And yet it is not always easy to attain 
that happy medium which should be the aim of every right-minded 
librarian. Borrowers are not always patient and reasonable — as 
instance the case of Mr. Carlyle, already referred to—and the tempta- 
tion is doubtless often strong upon the well-meaning librarian to 
sacrifice accuracy and thoroughness upon the altar of popular favour. 
The oldest of the various systems at present in use for charging 
books, is what is known as the Ledger System. In this system — 
which is widely used in English, Australian and Canadian libraries, 
as well as on the Continent,—the record of books borrowed and bor- 
rowers’ names is kept in a ledger, each borrower having a separate 
page. Whena book is taken out, the number is entered on the proper 
page, with the date, and when the book returns, the charge is can- 
celled. A day-book is frequently used with this system, for the sake 
of speedy charging. The advantages of the system are its permanent 
form, compactness, speed, and the fact that each borrower’s record 
and do not pretend to cover the literature of the subject with any approach 
to exhaustiveness:— 
“Papers Prepared for the World’s Library Congress,’ edited by Melvil 
Dewey. Washington, 1896. pp. 737, 924, 979, 989, 993. 
“ College Library Administration,” by Prof. Otis H. Robinson, in ‘ Report 
on Public Libraries in the United States.” Washington, 1876. p. 516. 
7th Annual Report (1899) Home Education Department. University of 
the State of New York. pp. 79, 84, 90, 152, 251. 
“Freedom in Public Libraries,’ by William Howard Brett, in “ Trans- 
actions and Proceedings, International Library Conference.” London, 1898. 
pp. 79-83. 
“Denver Library Hand-Book.”’ pp. 14, 60. 
“The Free Library,’ by J. J. Ogle. London, 1897. p. 101. . 
“Library Administration,’ by J. Macfarlane. London, 1898. pp. 78, 208, 
211; 
‘Library Construction,’ by F. J. Burgoyne. London, 1897. pp. 169, 187, 
205, 210. 
Library Journal, V. 8, p. 241 (Foster), V. 13, p. 35 (Cornell), V. 15, pp. 100, 
103, 133-4, 197-8, 229-31, 296 (Symposium on Open Access), V. 16, pp. 268-9 (Hig- 
ginson), 297-300 (N.Y. Lib. Club), etc., etc. 
Library Notes, V. 2, p. 216, V\ 12, p. 189, V. 18, p. 181, V. 24, C136-42, etc., etc. 
The Library (London), Ser. 2, V. 1 (Dec., 1899), pp. 49-62. 
