out the lack of unanimity in, and
the need of cooeperation for, a uniform system in the various branches
of library work. To carry out uniform methods requires uniform
material, and this was hard to obtain. The American Library
Association as such, of course, could not take up a business venture
of this kind, but it was decided to advise an organization for keeping
on sale such supplies and library aids as the association might decide
were needed.

The Library Bureau was then organized for this purpose, and has
continued to keep the same relation toward the library association
as was originally intended. Referring to the numbers of the Library
Bureau catalogs, one may trace the history of the development not only
of the appliances furnished by the Library Bureau, but also of ideas
of library economy as they are gathered there from every source. It
confined its attention at first to libraries only, the business being
divided into four departments: employment, to bring together libraries
and librarians; consultation, to give expert advice on any phase of
any library question; publication, to publish the various needed
helps (from point of usefulness to libraries rather than profit
to publishers); supply, to furnish at lower prices all articles
recommended by the A.L.A., and to equip any library with best known
devices in everything needful. Among the things noticed in these
departments are catalog cards, cases, trays, and outfits, book
supports, blanks, book pockets, boxes, desks, inks, etc. Some
specialties are noted in library devices, and helpful advice as to
their economical use is given. The successive catalogs follow the
same line, attention being directed toward all improvements in old
material, and to all advanced work in library administration wherever
found. Not all the material recommended was manufactured by the
Library Bureau, but a generous spirit is shown in recommending any
device, plan, or publication known to be helpful to the library
profession. It has brought to notice many notable contributions to
library literature, such as the Author table, by C.A. Cutter, of
the Boston athenaeum; Decimal classification and relative index and
Library notes, by Melvil Dewey; _Library journal_; Library school
rules; Perkins' manual; Linderfelt's rules; Sargent's Reading for the
young; Lists of books for different clubs; Subject headings of A.L.A.,
etc. The Library Bureau catalog itself is one of the best library aid