4^4 Report S.A.A. Advancemfnt of Science. 



of Kimberley. T am unaware of anv attempt at scientific classification 

 in South Africa, yet it is little to be doubted that the Dewey or 

 Decimal system is making headway both in England and in America, 

 and will be also adopted in South Africa, thus enabling all libraries 

 to a<lopt a uniform sy.stem. 



As for time allowed for reading, two weeks seems universal, but 

 lines for exc-eeding this period vary tremendously. Manche.ster has 

 never imposed a fine : California, on the contrarv. makes it a mis- 

 demeanour to detain a librarx book thirt\- davs after vou have been 

 asked to return it. In South Africa we fear to imyiose fines for fear 

 that we shall lose subscriptions. 



As to librar\ staffs. America boa.sts of an elaborate svstem for 

 training librarians in their ]>rofessio'n, but. practically, it is seldom 

 available for any but assistant librarians, liecause librarianships 

 are there, like most civil appointments, party spoil to be divided 

 among the faithful henchmen of the victors at each election. In 

 England librarianshi])s are .seldom the prey of political party; they 

 are usually advertised, and there is often keen competition, in which 

 not infrequently the trained and capable assistant from a library is 

 defeated by the local candidate, who has earned a pension in 

 some other sphere of life, and whom it is desired to give a .supposedly 

 easy billet to. But the idea of a librarian as something more than 

 ;i mere keeper of books is abroad in the land, and the I>ibrary Asso-' 

 elation has instituted a jjrofessional examinatiim. though at present 

 its diplonia is held b\ no librarian. Both in England and in 

 America libraries have found it advantageous that assistants shall 

 have had at least .some bibliographical training, and that experienced 

 assistants are the best methods of making the contents of the liVirary 

 readily accessil)le. 



Out here librarianship has grown up with the library movement, 

 and against the one librarian of Cape Colon\ who seems to have 

 remained in his profession to develop in a most remarkable manner 

 the Cape Town Lil)rarv — need I say that I refer to^ Mr. Jardine — 

 all else that 1 can learn of previous generations of libran' assistants 

 is that they deserted their librarie.s — the one to win the name and 

 fame of being the greatest of South African poets —while the other 

 became your first Premier. But Pringle and Molteno were hardly 

 trained librarians, and the apparent lack of that native product in 

 South Africa has led to the ajipointment of those who have gained 

 some experience in the libraries of the Home Country. 



In America manv more women are employed in libraries than 

 in Great Britain, and the great superiorit\ of the children's libraries 

 in the States is doubtle.ss due to the fact that they are in the charge 

 f)f women. ( )f course the woman librarian is paid a less salary than 

 the man. but it must never be forgotten that a staff which does not 

 look to its profession as other than a temporary occupation, and is 

 frequently changing, is not the be.st staff. Girls in a library mav be 

 younger and fresher than boys — and possibly of a Ijetter type than 

 many of the boys that our small incomes compel us to employ — 

 but however much they may be desirable from the aesthetic point 



