Mr. WHITNEY illustrated the difficulties and confusion in transliterating Russian by the different forms to be found of the name of the novelist Turgenef, as Tourgeneff, Turgenef, Toorgenef, Turgenev, Turgenjeff, Tourgueneff, Tourguénef, Turgenjew, Turgenieff, Turgheneff, Tourgenieff, Turgenuv, etc. He continued: It is hardly an exaggeration to say that no two persons, even in the same library, will agree in any particular case as to the best form of transliterating Russian, and whichever form may be chosen, the Russian student, especially if Russian born, will hold up his hands in horror and despair as he comes to the card catalogue.

It is, doubtless, best to print titles with Russian type, if such can be obtained. The German printers have fonts; if any are to be found in this country, elsewhere than at Cambridge, this Association would be glad to know it. Lacking type, the next choice is to imitate the Russian character with a pen. In either case the original difficulty is encountered. How are you to alphabetize the title in your card catalogue so that, having once let it pass from your sight, you can ever hope to find it again?

If the Committee on Transliteration can settle these questions the Association will build them a monument covered over with inscriptions, in terms of oriental extravagance, and not printed in oriental characters.

Mr. CUTTER. A question has been submitted to the committee on which they desire some expression of opinion by the meeting, whether it is best to transliterate by sounds or by letters.

Mr. NELSON. - I may state that I have followed in every instance the British Museum catalogue. I put in pencil in the margin the transliteration of the British Museum names. Mr. WHITNEY. - The only way is to take some good authority and stick to it through thick and thin.

After further general discussion, all speakers favoring letters rather than sound as the better basis for the committee to use in making its code of rules, Mr. Dewey said: Personally I know little of this question, having given it no special study. I moved, two years ago, that this committee be appointed, because I wished a set of rules for my own cataloguers, and was disheartened with the diversity of practice. All my prejudices favor the phonetic rather than

the literal plan; but practically I know our alphabet is not now equal to representing the sounds of even our own language. Then very few of us or our cataloguers know the pronunciation of these odd languages or have time to learn them. We can mechanically write a certain letter for another character without knowing the sound or meaning of either. While the phonetic method is the ideal method I am convinced that it is not practicable, and if tried would lead to endless blunders and diversities. The committee asks on which plan it shall base its rules. As every speaker has favored letters I think we may safely express that as our opinion and go on with our crowded program. I therefore move that in the opinion of the Association the better plan would be to transliterate the letters.

AUTHORITY AND INFLUENCE OF THE A.L.A.

Mr. POOLE. I question the policy of expressing by vote the opinion of the Association on a matter like that of transliteration, and especially when so few of us have given it attention, and there seems to be a difference of views. The value of these meetings is not in the votes we pass, but in the statements of fact and the expressions of opinion by individual members, which are to be taken for what they are worth. In order that a vote of the Association, as a body, may have authority, we ought to be careful as to what we are voting upon. I am free to say that I do not know enough about the principles of transliteration to vote upon it intelligently, and do not believe there are halfa-dozen persons present who are better qualified than I am. What authority will any opinion have which we may express? We do too much voting. I have never asked the Association to indorse by vote any of my hobbies in methods of library work. It is enough that we have an opportunity of stating our views. For the opinions of members who have given special attention to a subject, I have much respect. I will accept Mr. Dewey's opinion on some subjects (laughter); but these opinions will not be strengthened by a vote of the Association. We accept Mr. Cutter's opinion in the matter of cataloguing as the highest authority; but when advised by him, through the coöperative committee, to write my Christian names "W: F:" (with two colons) I have not brought myself to do it, and never shall; nor do I use the

colon abbreviations in cataloguing. Again, we have been officially advised, through another committee, perhaps by a vote of the Association, to express the sizes of books by "F. Q. O. D.” I am, nevertheless, using the old forms for expressing folios, quartos, twelvemos., and sixteenmos., and am happy. I shall never be reformed. I hope the Association will pass no vote for or against any rule for transliteration, if for no other reason, because no one seems to know much about it.

Mr. DEWEY. I feel constrained to appeal from Mr. Poole as cataloguer to Mr. Poole as orator, for in his eloquent opening address he assured us that the first question which libraries asked when difficulties arose was, "What does the A.L.A. say on this point?" But now he assures us that it is useless for us to give any opinion on difficult points.

This brings us to a question on which I have before expressed strong feeling. As secretary during the past ten years I have had the best opportunity to judge the kind of inquiries that are oftenest made, and the kind of advice and help that is most wanted. Mr. Poole was right when he said, in his opening address, that the first thought of new libraries and of old ones reorganizing was to get the opinion of the A.L.A. on the questions they were considering. What else can they do? They inquire of neighboring libraries, and find each following, and of course recommending, a different plan. Their only resource is to get the average judgment of the best libraries, which is expressed only by the votes at our conferences. Suppose those votes are not always the wisest possible. Is there anything else that will have as much value as these? This is true in theory, and practice only emphasizes it. Hundreds of libraries have adopted recommendations we have made, and thus secured uniformity and a good system, and I venture to say the best system in the vast majority of cases. We have done nothing more practical in advancing library interests than in formulating our general opinions on various subjects. When we degenerate into a mere debating society, in which to make speeches, and never dare to express our present opinion, for fear that in the future we may learn more and wish to alter it, we shall take away the chief value to the libraries at large. The old and experienced libraries are not the ones to whom these meet

ings are most useful. Some of them will never alter the plans they used in their younger days, however great improvements may be made. But there are hundreds of the smaller libraries who wait to learn the result of these meetings, and they will be sorely disappointed to find that the net result is a series of speeches, with no means of knowing what the general judgment of the meeting is. It is folly for us to take time to record the individual opinion of each member when a vote will show so quickly the number favoring either side. I should favor recording the number voting each way; but we should remember that nine-tenths of the questions we have discussed, after they have been fully considered, have been voted unanimously one way, and the results of those votes have been eminently satisfactory to the very large number who have been guided by them.

Mr. MERRILL.-I think it would be better to get the full report of the committee next year, and, so far as I am concerned, I cannot see why it is necessary to have an absolute rule about it. It frequently happens that some name has been transliterated a great many times, and I do not suppose it has been transliterated in two catalogues exactly alike; but there are cases where two catalogues have agreed. I think the last name I looked up I found fourteen different ways. I move that the consideration of Mr. Dewey's motion be postponed until the next meeting.

Mr. DEWEY.-The Committee on Transliteration asked for instructions; there has been discussion, and we ought to dispose of the business in some form. They ask, as I understand it, whether we want rules for transliteration by sound or by letters. Many of us are waiting for these rules, and do not want to wait another year. It is hardly fair to ask

our committee to work out a set of rules on one plan at great labor, only to be told that we want rules for the other plan. With our present light it is clear that most of us want rules for letters, not sounds. This very diversity which Mr. Merrill mentions is the reason why I asked the expression. The views of the Association are very largely adopted by the smaller and the new libraries, and it is important that they may have some idea what the general sentiment of this representative meet. ing is.

Mr. MAC. I had occasion to look up the records of the British Library Association, in which the matter was indefinitely laid over. It has gone into the papers on this side of the ocean in a way which makes the Association stand in a certain position on a subject which was not acted on at all. It seems to me that whatever is done ought to be done in such a way that the records would show what action was and was not taken.

Mr. RICHARDSON. If the Association takes an acknowledged position on this subject as it has on a number of others, a good many people cannot follow, and yet the Library Association has committed itself, and a great many will follow implicitly. Has this been discussed enough to give us a fair expression of careful thought?

There have been a number of things that have been rushed through and not thoroughly considered by us. I think the subject should

be deferred to some future time.

Mr. LARNED. - Mr. Dewey is trying to get some opinion out of us who haven't any opinion. I want the committee to tell me what I do want. For me and others are in the same predicament- it is impossible to vote on this motion.

Mr. HARRIS. I understand the object of Mr. Dewey's motion was to bring the matter before the House, and secure an expression. I think it matters very little what is done with the question, if such an expression is secured. Mr. LANE. The object of the motion had already been served in drawing out the opinions of the members; and, this being done, I hope it will be postponed until next year. The question of transliteration by letters or sounds has special application in the Greek, where the pronunciation has changed very much from the Greek of old times.

Mr. MANN. - If we find no one to defend the opposite side I think we have no reason for any vote. I would like to hear from Mr. Cutter the reasons why he would adopt that method.

think that a definite vote at this time is desirable.

Mr. NELSON.I am happy to find that Mr. Whitney and Mr. Cutter and Mr. Lane don't know any more about it than I do. (Laughter.) I have studied this thing until my head ached, and I want the committee to make a report that I can follow instead of struggling with it alone. Mr. DEWEY withdrew the motion. Mr. FOSTER read the report on the

SCHOOL OF LIBRARY ECONOMY.

Mr. NELSON inquired if any other library was known in which a club has been established like that at Columbia. No one knew of any. (See p. 97.)

LIBRARIANS.

Mr. FOSTER read his paper on "Some Compensations of a Librarian's Life."

(See p. 1.)

BOOK-SUPPORTS.

Mr. G. W. HARRIS. I am sorry we have not a sample of the book-support we use in the Cornell University. It is a block of wood, about 8 by 5 inches, 11⁄2 inches thick, and one inch of that is rounded. On the edge is fastened an iron, bent at right angles underneath, and curving slightly upwards, so as to give a little spring. This strip of iron is held by two screws, and a strip of cloth is fastened to it, so there is no danger of injury to the books by sharp edges. On the front edge can be placed a letter signifying the classification of books on that shelf. As to the cost of these book-supports I cannot give definite information. The wood and iron cost about five cents, and the supports we use were put together by the janitor. They cost us really nothing but the first cost of the materials. We have found them very satisfactory.

Mr. FOSTER called attention to another booksupport made of a bit of sheet-iron, with a thin block of wood; two screws pass through it, and it has the spring which Mr. Harris refers to. The support was not one in which he had any special interest. They cost $12.50 per hundred, and may be ordered in two different sizes.

Mr. DAVIS. - Can Mr. Harris' support be used on shelves in iron cases, and are they sufficiently strong for tall volumes?

Mr. DEWEY. — Tell us how they work. Every little while I find some new support, and being determined to have the best, and give all candidates a fair trial, I buy a sample-lot, but after a week's trial I want to sell them out for half price. (Laughter.)

Mrs. SANDERS said the support shown by Mr. Foster held the books firmly and perfectly well, but cut into the wood shelves badly.

Mr. BORDEN. -If you put a book back on the shelf hastily, and push it on both sides this support at once, it injures the book seriously.

This was confirmed by two other speakers. Mr. FLETCHER. - The difficulty with that support is that it costs too much.

Mr. HEDGE. - The Cornell support would have to be much larger for the bound folios or heavy quartos, and I do not see how they are to be efficient.

Mr. DEWEY. I have tried a half-dozen kinds that reached above and below the shelves and did not find any that worked in a wholly satisfactory way. The three-cornered block, which I copied from Mr. Winsor at Boston, was costly, took a great deal of room, and would hold up only light books. We tried the coiled wire Lowell book-support for a little while. In fact, we make it a rule to try two or three dozen of each new kind invented by putting them in use in a tier of books largely used, so we can study practical results and compare them with our older styles. The brick covered with paper I found cost about as much if a pressed brick was used, and the others were so uneven that they would not stand upright. They had the faults of the blocks, with a new one of their own. Being so heavy, they endangered corns, and in falling were liable to break. — (A Voice. — I tried these till I got my toes smashed.) We have had five or six devices that hug the

shelves by a spring, but I have found none that fitted various shelves and worked so I should care to accept a supply as a gift. The only thing that has stood the test of trial with us is the L.B. support, which Mr. Guild reports as so satisfactory. We have rejected all others in favor of that. The only fault in it is that careless boys may crowd a book astride the iron plate, thus injuring the leaves. (Mr. Guild. You should not have careless boys in the library.) —Then, sometimes, its very compactness is an evil, as they get pushed back out of sight. As it never wears out or breaks, or comes to pieces, being a single piece of iron, we find it cheapest and best, but would like to find one with its merits, without its faults.

Mr. POOLE. Those of the coil device are not stiff enough to support a book.

Mr. DEWEY. -I have been experimenting with an attachment to the L.B. support, which hooks over the front edge of the shelf and prevents its getting pushed back, and also shows so plainly that there is no excuse for crowding a book on it. This hook we have also had made so as to hold the regular shel label. It can be used well only on the thickness of shelf for which it was made, but it seems to be the most compact that I have

The informal session was held in the upper parlor, which was crowded to its utmost capacity. The discussions cannot be reported, as three or four were often going on at once. Those present considered it one of the most profitable sessions ever held; those who stayed at home must content themselves with their great loss, and hereafter come to the annual meetings. The reports of the formal ses

sions are incomplete and meagre compared to the meetings themselves; but the chief value of the conferences has ever been just those parts that cannot be reported. It is this fact that explains why those who come once are so sure to come regularly thereafter, if really interested in library progress.

Mr. WHITNEY submitted samples of his new card-catalogue guides, and of the printed cards now used in the Boston Public Library. Mr. LANE submitted the printed cards now used at Harvard; and several others gave samples, prices, and experience. As a result of discussion it was found that the time had already come when it was practicable to have printed cards for the leading books, prepared promptly

top. Each one of the smaller sticks binds the middle of each paper against the other sticks, holding it securely and keeping it separate from the other papers.

Figure in the illustration represents this file filled with papers. Figure 2 shows about the usual condition of papers in many other styles of files, in which pins or spurs are depended on for holding the papers in position. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the end of the file and the group of seven small rods surrounding the central rod, each small rod holding one paper. Figure 4 represents the file drawn to a larger scale without papers.

Mr. Borden claimed the following merits for it:

:

on publication, and sent to subscribing libraries at an actual saving of money.

Twelve libraries represented, after the plan had been developed, gave their names as wishing to subscribe for such cards at a pro rata share of cost, and Mr. BowKER being asked to coöperate agreed to consider doing the work at the Library journal office and distributing the cards, if the coöperating libraries would bear the actual expense.

It was agreed that a statement of the plan, with estimates of cost, should be printed and sent to all enough interested to apply to Mr. Bowker's office, 31 Park Row, N.Y.

Mr. W. A. BORDEN, librarian of the Reynolds Library of Rochester, showed his invention, the Athenæum Newspaper File.

It consists of a centre stick, around which are arranged seven smaller sticks, which are kept in place by the rubber handle at the bottom and a common rubber umbrella ring at the

1. It is light and yet strong.

2. It holds seven dailies (all that most people care to refer to) and no more; consequently no neglect in taking off the old papers can make the file heavy and tiresome to handle.

3. All the pages of a paper are together and not separated by a dozen or more papers of another date, so that one is not obliged, to his great disgust, to hunt through the whole file for the fifth page of his paper, and after he has found it to "flop" over all the intervening papers, to the great annoyance of those about him.

4. The papers themselves are arranged consecutively as well as their individual pages, giving the file all the advantages of a bound volume without its weight.

5. On the top of each of the small sticks is printed the day of the week, so that the papers, when on the file, are completely indexed, and