's
England, called for by ticket from the reading-room, arrive in three
minutes from the outlying book-repository or iron stack, several hundreds
of feet distant on an upper floor, placed on the reader's table,
referred to, and returned at once, then placed in the book-carrier by the
desk attendant, received back on its proper floor, and distributed to its
own shelf by the attendant there, all within half an hour after the
reader's application. Another rule to be observed by the reading-room
attendants is to examine all call-slips, or readers' tickets, remaining
uncalled for at the close of each day's business, and see if the books on
them are present in the library. This precaution is demanded by the
security of the collection, as well as by the good order and arrangement
of the library. Neglect of it may lead to losses or misplacements, which
might be prevented by careful and unremitting observance of this rule.

Another rule of eminent propriety is that librarians or assistants are
not to read newspapers during library hours. When there happen to be no
readers waiting to be helped, the time should be constantly occupied with
other library work. There is no library large enough to be worthy of the
name, that does not have arrears of work incessantly waiting to be done.
And while this is the case, no library time should be wasted upon
periodicals, which should be perused only outside of library hours. If
one person employed in a library reads the newspaper or magazine, the bad
example is likely to be followed by others. Thus serious inattention to
the wants of readers, as well as neglect of library work postponed, will
be sure to follow.

A fourth rule, resting upon the same reason, should prevent any long
sustained gossip or conversation during library hours. That time belongs
explicitly to the public or to the work of the library. The rule of
silence which is enforced upon the public in the interest of readers
should not be broken by the library managers themselves. Such brief
question and answer as emergency or the needful business of the library
requires should be conducted in a low tone, and soon ended. Library
administration is a business, and must be conducted in a business way. No
library can properly be turned into a place of conversation.

All differences or disputes between attendants as to the work to be done
by each, or methods, or any other question leading to dissension, should
be promptly and decisive