



Produced by Adrian Mastronardi, David E. Brown and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
(This book was produced from scanned images of public
domain material from the Google Print project.)









  ON THE
  SUPPLY OF PRINTED BOOKS FROM
  THE LIBRARY TO THE
  READING ROOM OF THE BRITISH
  MUSEUM


  "The requisition to insert the Titles and Press-marks on the
  tickets is not merely reasonable but it is indispensible, if
  the Library is to be conducted with satisfaction to the Public
  and to the Librarians. If people will not take the trouble to
  comply with Rules, which, so far from being vexatious, are
  absolutely necessary for their own comfort, they have no right
  to complain. The fault is _theirs_, if mistakes and delay arise;
  and it is as absurd as unjust to impute the effect of their own
  ignorance or carelessness to the Officers of the Museum."

                                      SIR NICHOLAS HARRIS NICOLAS.


  MDCCCXLVI.




The publication of the annexed correspondence has been determined upon
not for the pleasure of exposing the mistakes and inconsistencies of Sir
Nicholas Harris Nicolas, but for the purpose of drawing the attention of
those who take an interest in the collection of Printed Books in the
British Museum to a most important part of its management, _viz._ the
supply of books to readers. In order to make the correspondence
intelligible, it will be necessary to explain not only the circumstances
which gave rise to it, but also the system of arrangement adopted to
secure a regular attendance upon the readers from the Library, as well
as the reasons why this system has been suggested; and it is hoped that,
when the whole system is carefully examined, it will not be found
undeserving of that support, without which it is impossible that any
scheme can be carried out.

At the risk of entering into minute and very uninteresting particulars,
well known to those who are conversant with the arrangements of a large
Library, it is requisite to state that the books in that of the British
Museum are found by certain references, Press-marks, or symbols, by
which each work is identified with the corresponding entry of its Title
in the Catalogue. The Title of a work marked in the Catalogue with, for
instance, 500 _a_, means that the work itself is in the press which is
numbered 500, and on the shelf of that press which is distinguished by
letter _a_; if the mark be 500 _a_ 2, the meaning is that the work
occupies the second place on that shelf; and if marked 500 a/6 2, that
it is the sixth article in the 2nd vol. on shelf _a_ of press 500. A
book being wanted, the shortest way by far is generally found to be
(and in the greatest number of cases it is the only one) to search the
Catalogue, find the Press-mark, and look for the book accordingly. In
1836, at my suggestion, an alteration in the then prevailing system was
adopted, which the Committee of the House of Commons on the British
Museum, then sitting, considered an improvement, and so it was
universally pronounced to be. The question put to me on the subject by
Lord Stanley, as well as my answer, are here inserted.

  "Will you state what improvement has been recently adopted in the
  New Transcript [of the Catalogue] with regard to reference?"

  "In the Catalogue of the British Museum, the one which we keep for
  the use of the Library, there are certain references given, or
  symbols, to know exactly where to find a book. In the Reading Room
  Catalogue those symbols were not put; I thought, and Mr. Baber
  thought also, that it would be an evident improvement to have in the
  Catalogue for the Reading Room, the same references as in the
  Catalogue of the Library, because the reader would have only to copy
  the title of the book as well as the reference, and instead of his
  ticket going to one of our men, who is obliged to look over the
  Catalogue inside to put the reference, the attendant would go direct
  with that ticket to the place where the book is, and carry it to the
  Reading Room immediately. It would be an economy of time for the
  readers, consequently an economy of time for our men, and
  consequently a saving of expense in the number of men. But there are
  other advantages attending this system. Often the readers come to
  ask for a book which was never printed, or which, if printed, is not
  in the Library or they write down the title as they have seen it
  elsewhere, not correctly