246 A Librarian's Work. [xn. 



visited seem to have taken their cue from the British 

 Museum. But in America we have hit upon a less 

 ponderous method. To accomplish this end of keep- 

 ing our titles in their proper alphabetical order, we 

 write them on separate cards, of stiff paper, and 

 arrange these cards in little drawers, in such a way 

 that any one, by opening the drawer and tilting the 

 cards therein, can easily find the title for which he is 

 seeking. Our new catalogue at Cambridge is a 

 marvel of practical convenience in this respect. At 

 each end the row of stiff cards is supported by 

 bevelled blocks, in such a way that some title lies 

 always open to view ; and by simply tilting the cards 

 with the forefinger, any given title is quickly found, 

 without raising the card from its place in the drawer. 

 In September, 1833, ^^^ library began its second 

 supplement, consisting of two alphabetical manu- 

 script catalogues. Vobcmes received after that date 

 were catalogued upon stiff cards arranged in drawers, 

 ■whWe pamphlets were catalogued, after the European 

 fashion, on slips of paper pasted into great folio 

 scrap-books. This distinction between pamphlets 

 and volumes was a most unhappy one. To a 

 librarian the only practical difference between these 

 two kinds of book is that the latter can generally 

 be made to stand on a shelf, while the former 



