with the authors of the past,--his efficiency would be greatly
enlarged, and his readers would have a supplemental catalogue in him,
corresponding, to some extent, to the good work contemplated by our
Cooperative Committee.

There are in every library very many books that are what we might term,
to use a mercantile phrase, dead stock. From the very necessities of the
case there must be many books that will be called for only at great
intervals, while others never have a friendly consultation. But, aside
from these, libraries will often have works of great practical value
that are standing idle, because it is not generally known that the
library possesses them. There may be a choice lot of works on
electricity, a rare collection on ceramics, a fine selection of
engravings, representative works in the various industrial arts; the
call for them not being popular and large, they might be brought to the
notice of a larger constituency by calling the attention of certain
readers to them, or by sending a polite invitation to some manufacturing
firms, to some professional electricians, or to art schools and
scientific schools.

Periodicals, before the days of Poole's Index, were sealed books.
Libraries have been wonderfully expanded where this index is used.
Further cooperation in this direction, as planned by the Cooperative
Committee, should receive hearty encouragement. The books of a library
may be further enlarged in their use by publishing, on the library
bulletin, the works in the library that illustrate important events,
after the admirable plan initiated by Mr. Foster, of Providence.

If the librarian has not the time at his command to read he has rare
opportunities for reading character; and to be on good terms with his
varied constituency he will have to be like St. Paul,--all things to all
men. He must be polite, accommodating, possess his soul in patience, and
be unselfish in his devotion to his readers. Generally, his contact with
his constituency will be pleasant and agreeable, but he will have to
deal with certain typical characters that will vex and fret him.

There is the rummager, who snarls at all catalogues, and wants the
freedom of the library, not for studious research, but to gratify his
bookish propensity. "Five minutes with authors" is his watchword.

The crank, who has been defined as a person with an idea, without brains
to carry it out, is a frequenter of libraries. His inquiries are for
what t