ld by the agent of a factory or the cashier of a bank
to the governing board of the factory or bank.

Some cashiers and some agents have more power than others. The power
conferred depends upon the knowledge, training, experience, industry,
enterprise, good judgment, and ability of persons holding such
positions.

If the board of trustees of a library is more competent to manage its
affairs than the librarian, and if it is ready to give the time that is
necessary to the discharge of the duties of management, it has a perfect
right to do so, and the librarian need then only be a clerk.

So, too, if on any board of directors there is one man of leisure who
has especial qualifications for conducting the affairs of a library, the
board may delegate to him the performance of the more intellectual
portions of the work of the librarian.

Even, however, in such cases as those the individuality of the
librarian should be considered, because, although his position may be
very humble, yet he can do better work if allowed to work in his own
way, rather than in accordance with the provisions of rules laid down by
others which he is required to strictly observe.

When a librarian is accomplished, it will be found wise for a board of
trustees or directors to ascertain his views on most subjects before
acting, and it will generally appear manifest that it is well to give
very careful consideration to those views.

A board which encourages its librarian to initiate measures, will
administer its trust more satisfactorily than it can if it reduces him
to the position of a mere executive officer, who is only to carry out
the plans which it has formed.

I should say that the wisest course for a board of trustees to pursue is
to let a good librarian do pretty much as he thinks best, only keeping a
watchful eye on him for the purpose of seeing that things are not going
wrong under his conduct of affairs. It is better, generally speaking,
for a board to change its librarian than to undertake to manage matters,
unless its members are willing to give much time and thought on the
subject.

Mr. Greenough, at that time the President of the Board of Trustees of
the Boston Public Library, said to me, just after Mr. Windsor gave up
his position of Superintendent of that library, that he wished in his
successor the qualities of a librarian (using that designation in a
restricted sense) and not those of a superintendent, and that the title
of