Manual for Institution Libraries (Classic Reprint)

Book excerpt: Excerpt from Manual for Institution Libraries The library in a state institution is confronted by a threefold problem. It is concerned with getting suitable books, finding and equipping a place to keep them, and carrying on the library so as to make it effective. It is not very difficult to get a collection of books for an institution, but it is often a hard matter to find a suitable room for library purposes. Moreover, it is not enough to have the room and the books, there must be a person to act as librarian. Notwithstanding these obstacles, there are a number of institutions in the United States that have succeeded in getting all three of these requisites and their experience is unanimous on two points. First, they are agreed that there should be a central library from which books could be issued singly or in quantities and to which the inmates could go in person without disturbing the routine of the place. Second, they believe that the library must be recognized as a distinct department and have a suitable officer in charge who will devote at least half his time to its management. The questions which must be answered by an institution librarian may be grouped as follows: 1. What books shall I select? 2. How shall I arrange them? 3. How shall I keep track of them? 4. How shall I get them to the readers? 5. How shall I keep them in good condition? The Manual which is herewith presented aims to provide a guide for librarians in hospitals, prisons, reformatories, schools for the deaf, blind, feeble-minded, and children who are wards of the state. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.