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NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY^ J f 
 
 HANDBOOK FOR READERS 
 
 Concerning the New State Library and its 
 home in the State Education Building 
 
 PAGE 
 
 State Education Building 3 
 
 Scope of the State Library 4 
 
 General Reading Room 5 
 
 Periodical Reference Room 6 
 
 Public Catalog Room 6 
 
 Law Library 7 
 
 Legislative Reference Library 8 
 
 Medical Library 9 
 
 History Collection 9 
 
 Education Collection 10 
 
 Social Sciences 10 
 
 Technology and Engineering 11 
 
 Science n 
 
 Bibliography. 11 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Manuscripts 11 
 
 Card Catalog 13 
 
 Reference Section 14 
 
 Debate Service 16 
 
 Interlibrary Loan System 16 
 
 Division of Educational Extension. . 17 
 
 Library for the Blind 18 
 
 New York State Library School. ... 19 
 
 Historical Sketch 19 
 
 The State Library and the Citizens of 
 
 New York State 23 
 
 Publications 23 
 
 Rules 24 
 
 ALBANY 
 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT 
 
 1913 
 Lnr-Mn,5-5ooo (7-4992) it 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924014515047 
 
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STATE EDUCATION BUILDING 
 
 HOME OF THE NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 
 
 A separate pamphlet giving a general description of 
 the State Education Building has been issued and will 
 be given free to any person interested. This handbook 
 aims to give only such information about the State 
 Library and its collections as will acquaint the reader 
 with the layout and material equipment of the Library. 
 The following general description of the Library's quarters 
 is taken with slight modifications from the Library 
 Journal for October 1912. 
 
 The State Education Building, which is the home of 
 the New York State Library, is located on Washington 
 avenue, facing the Capitol. It has a length of 590 feet, 
 and the entire building has a depth of about 125 feet. 
 Back of this, 175 feet, extends the stack wing, from a 
 point a little east of the center of the main parallelogram, 
 thus giving the building an extreme depth of 285 feet. 
 In designing the front, the architect tried to secure a 
 striking architectural effect without sacrificing sufficient 
 light. A striking and very beautiful effect has been 
 secured. 
 
 The first floor of the building is used chiefly for the 
 general offices of the Education Department. On the 
 same floor are the chief administrative workrooms of 
 the library, that is, the quarters of the order, catalog, 
 and shelf sections. 
 
 From the main entrance the public reading rooms 
 are reached by a staircase 25 feet wide, leading directly 
 into the central rotunda, the most striking feature of the 
 building. It is cruciform, like an Italian church. Both 
 the nave and the transept, as they may aptly be termed, 
 are vaulted and at the crossing are crowned with a dome 
 which runs up through three stories. The center of 
 this rotunda forms the architectural center of the build- 
 ing, and from there access is had to the five principal 
 reading rooms ; or better stated, perhaps, a group of five 
 special libraries — law, medicine, periodicals, legislative 
 
 [3] 
 
reference and public documents, and the principal refer- 
 ence room. The latter seems likely to rank as one of the 
 handsomest and most satisfactory reading rooms in the 
 country. One hundred twenty-five by 107 feet and 
 55 feet high, extending through the second and third 
 floors, it is an adaptation of the reading room of the 
 Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. The ceiling is composed 
 of twelve domes, supported on slender, ornamental 
 columns, the domes being done in decorated tile, while 
 the side walls are in artificial limestone. 
 
 On the third floor are the Division of Educational 
 Extension (corresponding to the library commission in 
 other states), the Library for the Blind and the Library 
 School. 
 
 The books are housed in a series of stackrooms con- 
 veniently situated with reference to the five reading 
 rooms. The main stack, designed to accommodate close 
 to 2,000,000 volumes, is directly under the principal 
 reading room floor. Five of the stack floors are the full 
 size of the reading room. At the east and west sides 
 of the two upper stack floors extend workrooms 165 feet 
 long by 25 feet broad. Corridor stacks between the law 
 and legislative reference rooms and between the medical 
 and periodical rooms provide shelving for 300,000 volumes 
 in addition to the books shelved in the alcoves of these 
 special libraries. Special stacks on the third floor accom- 
 modate 100,000 volumes for the traveling libraries and 
 the collection of books for the blind. 
 
 SCOPE OF THE STATE LIBRARY 
 The State Library can not hope to be a universal 
 library collecting all the important books on all subjects. 
 Government libraries of this type almost always receive 
 the larger part of their acquisitions automatically and 
 without cost through copyright deposits. The State 
 Library has no such resource and no Legislature, how- 
 ever generous, can be expected to finance so large 
 an undertaking. The situation had to be faced anew 
 after the fire and a choice made between two plans, 
 either to be a fairly good general library but eminent 
 in no field, or to be a specialized library notable for 
 its collections on those subjects most closely connected 
 
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with the history and activities of the State, but relatively 
 weak in other fields. The Library authorities have from 
 the founding of the Library consistently approved the 
 second plan and from time to time determined the scope 
 of its various collections. These include bibliography and 
 library economy, law, medicine, history, education, the 
 political and social sciences, including government docu- 
 ments, natural science and technology, manuscripts and 
 archives. 
 
 It has seemed wise at this time to indicate herein 
 rather the scope of the proposed collections in these 
 subjects, than to attempt to enumerate or describe 
 present holdings. So rapidly are the collections growing 
 that such a description, if attempted, would be out of 
 date almost before it could be printed. 
 
 GENERAL READING ROOM: ROOM 228 
 
 A general description of the room has been given. 
 Certain details concerning the working arrangements 
 need to be added. 
 
 Directly facing the main entrance is the loan desk. 
 Here registered borrowers should make application for 
 and return books. Back of the loan desk are the private 
 elevators used in bringing books from the stacks. Back 
 of the elevators and nearly in the center of the room is 
 the reference desk, where all requests for information 
 and books for use in the library should be made. 
 
 A general reference library is shelved in the main 
 portion of the reading room. Larger representation is 
 given to certain subjects, such as political and social 
 science and American history, subjects peculiarly within 
 the scope of the Library, than to current literature, art, 
 philosophy and travel. The attempt is made, however, 
 to include the most important reference material on all 
 subjects. In the usage of the Library a reference book 
 does not necessarily mean an encyclopedia or a dictionary. 
 It means any book of high informational value. It may 
 be a textbook, a history of some subject, a handbook or 
 a periodical. 
 
 The rear of the reading room is divided into three 
 alcoves devoted to three of the Library's special collec- 
 tions : American local history and genealogy, technology, 
 
and education. Special reference assistants are in attend- 
 ance during the day to render any possible aid to readers. 
 The open shelf collections in the reading room numbering 
 about 25,000 volumes, may be freely consulted without 
 formality. The arrangement of the reference collection 
 by subjects is roughly shown on the accompanying plan 
 of the main reading room. 
 
 For the convenience of readers, individual desks are 
 provided. Most of these are equipped with a shelf for 
 holding books, while the others have drawers. 
 
 PERIODICAL REFERENCE ROOM: ROOM 219 
 
 Periodicals are recognized as a highly important part 
 of a reference library. An attempt at adequate provision 
 for the use of this class of material has been made in 
 the periodical reference room. In metal filing cases 
 which line the wall are arranged in alphabetical order 
 the current unbound numbers of all periodicals regularly 
 received by the Library, with the exception of those titles 
 attracted to special reference collections. In the adjoin- 
 ing stack the bound sets of the most used of these 
 periodicals are kept. Here, so far as the Library owns 
 them, are all the sets indexed in the best known periodical 
 indexes, " Poole," " Readers guide," " Magazine sub- 
 ject index," etc. These indexes themselves and a number 
 of more special indexes are available in the periodical 
 reference room. 
 
 Current issues of a number of the most used periodicals, 
 protected by binders, are displayed on the tables. 
 
 PUBLIC CATALOG ROOM: ROOM 229 
 
 In room 229, immediately adjoining the main reading 
 room, is the public card catalog of which somewhat 
 detailed description is given on page 13. In the same 
 room is a working collection of subject bibliography in- 
 tended to supplement the catalog. Any extended research 
 involves use of the catalog and bibliographies. The 
 reference librarian has a desk in the public catalog room 
 and may be freely consulted as to the resources of the 
 Library, methods of obtaining books or information of 
 any kind needed in the course of investigation. 
 
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LAW LIBRARY: ROOM 209 
 The law library has practically complete collections 
 of all American, English, Irish, Scotch and Canadian 
 court reports, together with the leading digests, tables 
 of cases, citation books and other legal bibliographic 
 apparatus necessary to the convenient and exhaustive 
 study of this material. It also has an unusually exten- 
 sive collection of American statute law, including the 
 laws of the colonial period. Much of this material is 
 important not only as legal material but also as rare 
 early Americana, some volumes of which form important 
 examples of the history of printing in this country. The 
 statute law of the Dominion of Canada, the several 
 Canadian provinces, England, Ireland and Scotland is 
 represented by excellent working collections. 
 
 The Library has a complete set of the records and 
 briefs in the Supreme Court of the United States since 
 1874, and in the New York Court of Appeals, the four 
 Appellate Divisions of the New York Supreme Court, 
 and in many of the cases reported in the New York 
 Miscellaneous Reports, since the time of the fire. Every 
 effort will be made to carry these collections of the 
 records and briefs in the New York courts as far back 
 as possible. 
 
 The Library already has a very large collection of 
 American legal textbooks, cyclopedias, dictionaries etc. 
 and aims to be practically exhaustive in this field. For 
 the present at least, only the leading English and 
 Canadian legal textbooks of practical importance to the 
 American lawyer will be secured. 
 
 So far as possible all legal periodicals in the English 
 language, with a selection from those in other languages, 
 will be acquired. Many of these sets are already in the 
 Library. 
 
 The Library has a very extensive collection of the 
 reports of bar associations and legal societies, the nucleus 
 of which (about 725 volumes) is, with the exception of 
 some items in the Harvard law school library, the well- 
 known collection which Mr Francis Rawle of Philadelphia 
 accumulated during a period of many years. 
 
 Much success has already been achieved in replacing 
 
8 
 
 the former notable collection of the journals, debates and 
 documents of American constitutional conventions. 
 
 Considerable progress has also been made on collec- 
 tions of legal history and biography, literature of the 
 law, international law, constitutional law, and trials, 
 and continued attention will be given to these topics. 
 
 No systematic work has yet been done in the direction 
 of collecting material in the field of foreign law, outside 
 of English-speaking peoples, but in general it will be the 
 policy of the Library to secure such of the statute law 
 and legal literature of foreign countries as will be useful 
 to our State courts and departments in passing upon 
 foreign questions coming before them, and to the Legis- 
 lature for a comparative study of legislation. 
 
 LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE LIBRARY: 
 ROOM 212 
 
 This section contains a special collection on subjects 
 of legislation, general sociology, and public affairs, and 
 is organized to be of particular assistance to legislators 
 and individual students of public questions. The col- 
 lection is principally made up of special bibliographies, 
 selected matter clipped from all classes of periodicals 
 and newspapers, pamphlet material of both official and 
 private origin, legislative bills, and similar ephemeral 
 but extremely useful and valuable publications, as well 
 as manuscript reports on the results of original research. 
 It is kept under a special scheme of classification in a 
 vertical filing system in the western end of the legislative 
 library. Practically complete sets of New York legislative 
 journals, documents, and bills are shelved in the same 
 part of this room. Since 1890 this section has indexed 
 the general legislation of the various states and published 
 this and other related information in a valuable series of 
 legislation bulletins (see page 23). 
 
 The section also contains the Library's general col- 
 lections of legislative journals and documents, national, 
 state and local, both American and foreign, and the 
 eastern end of the legislative library and the adjacent 
 stacks are mainly devoted to this class of material. 
 This collection is already rich in the official publications 
 

 
 
 
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of the United States Government and of certain American 
 states and cities. The collection will include eventually 
 as complete a set as possible of the printed documents 
 of the United States Government both in the collected 
 and departmental editions, similar sets for every state 
 in the Union, the collected edition when issued, other- 
 wise the separate edition, of the documents of every 
 American city with more than 25,000 population, and 
 of all counties, cities and incorporated villages in New 
 York State, as well as a selection from the official publi- 
 cations of foreign countries, made with a view to their 
 importance in the study of comparative legislation. 
 
 MEDICAL LIBRARY: ROOM 217 
 
 The medical library aims to collect complete sets of 
 all important medical serials, transactions of medical 
 societies, and hospital bulletins. In addition it will have 
 a good working collection of special treatises, cyclopedias 
 and texts, as well as collections of medical biography 
 and history. The library already contains over 22,000 
 volumes and about 3000 pamphlets, and a large number 
 of periodicals, of which 427 are received regularly. Any 
 licensed physician in the State can have material col- 
 lected on any subject, to be used either in the library 
 or sent to his home. 
 
 HISTORY COLLECTION 
 
 In history the Library aims to acquire: 
 
 The standard histories of all countries, especially of 
 those European nations which were early or active 
 colonizers of this country and which have influenced 
 our government, people and institutions. 
 
 Americana, in the broadest sense of the term, with 
 strong emphasis on the thirteen original colonies. 
 
 As complete a collection as possible of material relating 
 to the State of New York, both books and manuscripts. 
 
 American local history, cartography, American im- 
 prints before 1800, New York imprints before 1825, 
 American newspapers before 1850, besides certain selected 
 newspapers in complete runs, American biography and 
 
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 genealogy, with so much of English and foreign genealogy 
 as may be necessary to trace early history of American 
 families. 
 
 The Library already contains a good working collec- 
 tion of American local history and genealogy. The 
 Edward Eggleston collection on American history, num- 
 bering about 5500 volumes, the William Beer collection 
 of maps, consisting of about 300 atlases and 3000 maps, 
 mostly American, and other purchases give a foundation 
 for the program outlined. 
 
 EDUCATION COLLECTION 
 
 As a part of the State Education Department, the 
 State Library is directly concerned with the entire 
 educational system of the State. It has an extensive 
 collection on education, somewhat richer in material 
 relating to American educational history and administra- 
 tion, American theory and practice than in material 
 relating to foreign methods. This entire collection is at 
 the service of the teachers and schools of the State 
 either for use in the Library or for loan to schools under 
 the regulations governing interlibrary loans. 
 
 SOCIAL SCIENCES 
 
 The Library aims to acquire extensive collections on 
 social, economic and political science, industrial history, 
 and statistics. In this field lie the political and economic 
 questions which are the subjects of legislation and of 
 state regulation or control. On such topics as elections, 
 suffrage, labor, taxation, banking and finance, munic- 
 ipal government, conservation, public utilities, insur- 
 ance, charities, no pains will be spared to build up 
 notable collections. 
 
 The Emile Levasseur collection, numbering 16,000 
 items, forms a remarkable basis for such a collection. 
 Representing all modern schools of economics and polit- 
 ical thought, but especially rich in modern French works, 
 the collection concerns itself particularly with those 
 practical politico-economic questions which are of vital 
 importance to the State. 
 
II 
 
 TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING 
 
 The Library will secure all useful and important 
 journals in this field and in the selection of books will 
 more particularly notice topics which relate to activities 
 or enterprises in which the State is engaged: canals, rail- 
 roads, highways, water storage, agriculture, public health 
 and the engineering phases of utilities regulated by the 
 Public service commissions. 
 
 SCIENCE 
 
 Beyond the fundamental general reference material, 
 the State Library will specialize in science only so far 
 as may be necessary to serve such agencies or depart- 
 ments of the State government as are doing scientific 
 work. Good working collections will be made in geology, 
 zoology, entomology, botany, with more particular atten- 
 tion to the economic phases of these subjects, and in 
 chemistry as related to agriculture, the arts and 
 commerce. 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 
 Both as the tools of research for the general student 
 and as the field of study for the Library School, bibliog- 
 raphy and library economy are of peculiar importance 
 to the State Library. The attempt is being made to 
 collect bibliography in a very broad sense; books about 
 books; the history of printing; examples of early printed 
 books, of notable bindings, of books from famous presses, 
 of exceptional typography; library history; administra- 
 tion and publications. 
 
 The William Beer collection of approximately 2300 
 volumes, and the Adolf Growoll collection of about 1000 
 volumes on bibliography furnish a substantial basis for 
 future growth. 
 
 MANUSCRIPTS 
 
 The collection of manuscripts consists largely of 
 important public records obtained by gifts, purchase, or 
 transfer from other State departments. Despite heavy 
 losses from fire in 191 1, the Library still has what, for 
 the historian, is the most important body of archives 
 
12 
 
 in the custody of the State. Among the most mportant 
 individual manuscript items are: 
 
 Charter of the Colony from Charles II to the Duke of 
 York, 1664 
 
 Duke's Laws, 1664-65 
 
 Dongan Laws, 1683-84 
 
 Constitution of the State of New York, 1777 
 
 Constitution of the State of New York, 1821 
 
 Constitution of the State of New York, 1846 
 
 Proposed constitution of the State of New York, 1867- 
 69; rejected except sixth article. 
 
 Constitution of the State of New York, 1894 
 
 Journal of the Proceedings of the Convention of the 
 State of New York to ratify the proposed Constitution 
 of . the United States, held at Poughkeepsie, June 17— 
 July 26, 1788 
 
 Ratification of the proposed Constitution of the United 
 States by the State of New York in Convention assembled 
 at Poughkeepsie, July 26, 1788 
 
 Autograph letters and documents of the 56 signers of 
 the Declaration of Independence 
 
 Andre Papers. 13 manuscripts 
 
 Washington's opinion of the surviving generals of the 
 Revolution, written in the winter of 1791-92, after the 
 defeat of Gen. Arthur St Clair by the Indians in the 
 autumn of 1791 
 
 Draft of Washington's Farewell Address, written in 
 the spring of 1796 
 
 Tabulated statement of Washington's household ex- 
 penses in 1789 
 
 Draft of President Lincoln's first Emancipation Proc- 
 lamation, September 22, 1862 
 
 Rensselaerswyck Manuscripts: 
 
 Map of the Colony of Rensselaerswyck of about 1632 
 Patent of the Colony of Rensselaerswyck, 1685 
 Commissions in the militia, as justice of the peace and 
 
 as commissioner for Indian affairs to various members of 
 
 the Van Rensselaer family, 1670-1768. 21 documents 
 Commissions to Philip Schuyler as major general in 
 
 the Continental Army, 1775, and as surveyor general of 
 
 the State of New York, 1781 
 
13 
 
 Letters of freedom and citizenship of the City of 
 Albany granted to Jeremy Van Rensselaer, 1733, and 
 to Stephen Van Rensselaer, 1763 
 
 Draft of commission to Tuenis Van Der Volgen as 
 deputy ranger of the County of Albany, from Jeremiah 
 Van Rensselaer, 1732 
 
 Besides the manuscript archives, which in accordance 
 with law are from time to time transferred to the State 
 Library, by other State departments, the Library will 
 attempt to secure all important private manuscripts 
 that can be obtained relating to the history of the State 
 and to the lives of its public men. 
 
 CARD CATALOG 
 
 The resources of the Library are made available to 
 readers through the card catalog. To some of the unin- 
 itiated a large catalog may seem so complicated that 
 no effort is made to understand it. This is a mistake. 
 The catalog of any large library is necessarily complex, 
 but its main principles are easily acquired and a little 
 study soon reduces the real difficulties to a minimum. 
 The librarians on duty are always glad to assist readers 
 in the use of the catalog. 
 
 Explanation. The card catalog is what is known as a 
 dictionary catalog, the cards being arranged as nearly 
 as is practicable in alphabetic order, as the words in a 
 dictionary are arranged. The cards are of three kinds, 
 representing either authors of books, titles of books, or 
 subjects treated in books, with reference from one sub- 
 ject to other related subjects. The author cards include 
 not only personal names, but names of societies and 
 governmental bodies which are authors of their proceed- 
 ings, reports or other official publications. Names of 
 editors, translators, prominent illustrators, etc. are also 
 included among the author cards. The cards for titles 
 include titles of periodicals, cyclopedias, anonymous 
 books, fiction, dramas, and any other works with strik- 
 ing titles. The subject cards are recognized at once by 
 their headings in red ink. Reference cards are to guide 
 the consulter from commonly used forms of names or 
 subjects to the heading adopted by the library. For 
 
example, Disraeli, Benjamin, see Beaconsfield, Benjamin 
 Disraeli, ist earl of. Ornithology, see Birds. Oriental 
 languages, see also Chinese language. 
 
 Under the names of voluminous authors, as Shakspere, 
 it has been found necessary to subdivide the mass of 
 cards into several groups: (i) Complete works; (2) 
 Partial collections; (3) Single works; (4) Works about 
 Shakspere. When this is remembered, the arrangement 
 will not seem confused. 
 
 The cards are so arranged that the drawers read down, 
 in single vertical tiers, and the cards in each drawer read 
 from front to back. To obtain a book from the shelves 
 after finding its card, copy the call number in the upper 
 left corner of the card and give the author and short 
 title: for example: j 2 4-5 2 j s tne ca u number of one 
 edition of Joseph Addison's works. If volume 5 only is 
 desired, write -\^\ on the slip provided, also the words 
 
 "Addison. Works, vol. 5," and take the slip to the loan 
 or reference desk. 
 
 REFERENCE SECTION 
 
 It is through this section that the Library performs 
 the greater part of its direct personal service to the 
 people of the State. The reference room is open daily 
 from 8.30 a. m. to 10 p. m. and the time of a special 
 staff of librarians is given to meeting the needs of readers 
 and borrowers. 
 
 Inquiries by mail. Scarcely less in volume and import- 
 ance is the reference work carried on by correspondence. 
 Letters from all over the country bring requests for 
 information. The Library encourages such inquiries 
 from persons who can not visit the Library in person 
 and attempts to answer all reasonable requests no matter 
 whence they come. Certain limitations in the amount 
 of time that can be devoted to inquiries by mail are made 
 necessary by pressure of regular work on the reference 
 staff. The mail brings many requests involving more 
 extended search than the Library can undertake. It 
 brings many requests which lack the definite elementary 
 statements needed as clues to further search. It brings 
 
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 many requests for transcripts of books, manuscripts, or 
 articles in periodicals. It seems desirable therefore to 
 indicate with some definiteness what the Library can 
 undertake to do and what limits it has been found neces- 
 sary to observe in inquiries by mail. 
 
 The Library will gladly answer questions of the fol- 
 lowing kinds: 
 
 1 Inquiries as to its possession of any particular 
 books, manuscripts, newspapers or periodicals, if the 
 same are accurately listed. Full name of author, date, 
 place and name of publisher should be given if possible. 
 
 2 Requests for brief lists of authoritative material in 
 the Library on any subjects within its scope. 
 
 3 Requests for references to bibliographies or sources 
 likely to be of use in study of any subject within the 
 scope of the Library. 
 
 4 Inquiries concerning particular facts in history, 
 especially the history of the State of New York or con- 
 cerning the government or administration of the State, 
 provided the inquiry does not involve extended search. 
 
 5 Requests for information desired in order to pur- 
 chase out-of-the-way books; the author of a book of 
 known title; date, publisher or probable cost or value of 
 a specified book, etc. 
 
 6 Inquiries as to the source of a given quotation, if it 
 can be readily obtained. Extracts from books in the 
 Library will be furnished only when quite moderate in 
 extent and only from books not readily available through 
 local libraries or through the trade. 
 
 For genealogical inquiries an examination will be made 
 of the catalog of the Library and of printed indexes, and 
 promising references selected. If a reference seems 
 obviously to be the one sought, a further examination 
 of the book referred to will be made and the result noted. 
 A particular date or name will be verified from a cited 
 source, but no extended genealogical research will be 
 undertaken. It should be particularly noted by beginners 
 in genealogical work that definite information concerning 
 the history and migrations of at least a few generations 
 of a family is a necessary prerequisite to any genealogical 
 search. 
 
i6 
 
 The Library must refer to the professional genealogist 
 the inquirer who wishes his or her family tree constructed 
 and presented as a finished product. It is obliged, as 
 well, to decline to make extended copies from printed 
 or manuscript genealogies. 
 
 Tracings of coats-of-arms will be furnished only when 
 sufficient genealogical data is given to identify the 
 armorial device with the family. 
 
 Photographs of rare illustrations, maps or other 
 material can be arranged for at the inquirer's expense. 
 Here, as in all cases involving outside professional help, 
 the Library will endeavor to refer the inquirer to persons 
 whose charges are believed to be moderate. 
 
 DEBATE SERVICE 
 
 The Library has recently undertaken the upbuilding of 
 a special debate collection consisting of books, pam- 
 phlets and clippings on important social, economic and 
 political questions, on the principles of debating and on 
 the organization and conduct of debating societies. The 
 Library is ready to assist debating teams in schools, 
 colleges and clubs in the selection of subjects, in bibli- 
 ographical work and by the loan of material under the 
 regulations governing interlibrary loans. 
 
 INTERLIBRARY LOAN SYSTEM 
 
 Supplementing the traveling libraries is the inter- 
 library loan system. The traveling libraries work is 
 organized to meet the normal demands of study clubs, 
 local libraries and individual readers without adequate 
 library facilities. The collection of books from which 
 traveling libraries are formed, is selected with reference 
 to these demands. 
 
 Somewhat different are the needs of the special student, 
 the historian, the man of letters, or the scientist. A 
 much wider range of books and more specialized treatises 
 are needed. This service the Library seeks to render 
 through its interlibrary loan system. In its special 
 fields the Library contains many books, which on account 
 of their rarity, cost, or specialized character, are to be 
 found only in the largest libraries. Such books with 
 rare exceptions can be loaned within the State to pro- 
 mote original research or serious study. 
 
17 
 
 Public and school libraries may in the same way meet 
 more adequately the temporary special demands of 
 their patrons and supply material needed for the study 
 of subjects not adequately treated in their own collec- 
 tions. The State Library is thus a great central library 
 standing back of each local and school library and honor- 
 ing their drafts on its resources as required to meet their 
 special needs. The Library regards this interlibrary 
 service as highly important and welcomes inquiries of 
 any kind relating to it. For regulations governing inter- 
 library loans, see page 26. 
 
 DIVISION OF EDUCATIONAL EXTENSION 
 
 Closely allied with the work of the State Library, and 
 under the supervision of its Director, is the work of the 
 Division of Educational Extension, which comprises the 
 following activities: 
 
 Public libraries. By its official visitors the division 
 promotes new library organizations and, when the re- 
 quirements have been met, recommends them to the 
 Regents for charter and registry. It inspects all regis- 
 tered libraries, distributes money allotted to them by 
 the State, and approves lists of books bought with this 
 money and the equal amount raised from local sources. 
 Assistance is given in planning or remodeling buildings 
 and in securing by the work of its organizers the best 
 arrangement of books, a suitable catalog and proper 
 methods of administration. It also receives the annual 
 reports of the libraries of the State and prepares a sum- 
 mary for the Legislature. 
 
 Traveling libraries. Libraries containing from 25 to 
 100 volumes are sent to communities having no public 
 library on application of five resident taxpayers, and 
 also to schools, libraries, study clubs, granges, churches, 
 or any recorded organization needing books for reading 
 or study. The library may be general in character or 
 on a special subject, and may be kept six months, some- 
 times longer if needed. Ten volumes are lent for three 
 months to an individual or single family with the privilege 
 of renewal for a like period. 
 
i8 
 
 Study clubs. Clubs which agree to carry out an ap- 
 proved course of study are registered by the division and 
 assistance is given in preparing programs and selecting 
 suitable books. 
 
 Programs of study and syllabuses covering a wide 
 range of subjects, with other aids to study, are furnished 
 registered clubs. The requirements for registry are: 
 five or more members, an annual report, a course of 
 study approved by the division, and meetings extending 
 over at least 10 weeks. Besides the traveling library, 
 which may be retained as late as June ist, pictures 
 illustrating the subjects under study may be borrowed 
 from the Division of Visual Instruction of the State 
 Education Department. 
 
 No fee is charged for the first 25 volumes where books 
 are available to all members of the community. When 
 more than 25 volumes are ordered, a fee of 50 cents is 
 charged for each additional 25 volumes. 
 
 For study clubs, granges, private institutions, etc. the 
 fee is $2 for 25 volumes and $1 for each additional 25 
 volumes sent in the same shipment. 
 
 For individuals the fee is $1 for ten books for three 
 months. They may be renewed for three months for 
 50 cents additional. 
 
 Transportation charges to and from the nearest rail- 
 road, boat or stage office are in all cases paid by the 
 State. Local cartage is paid by the borrower. 
 
 LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND 
 
 This collection contains over 2500 volumes printed in 
 embossed type. It includes textbooks and music, 
 periodicals and general literature. Any blind reader in 
 the State may borrow from this library without personal 
 expense, the books being carried free in the mails. 
 Through a special appropriation the Library is able to 
 add a few titles each year to the number of books printed 
 for the blind. Of the 96 books so printed all are in New 
 York point, which is the type of the greater part of the 
 collection and the one taught in the New York State 
 schools for the blind. American and English Braille, Line 
 letter and Moon types are, however, fairly well repre- 
 sented with over 800 volumes. 
 
19 
 
 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY SCHOOL 
 
 This school, the first of its kind, was established in 
 1887 to supply the demand for trained librarians. In 
 its twenty-five years' history it has steadily raised its 
 entrance requirements and extended its curriculum. 
 Candidates for admission must be graduates of colleges 
 approved by the Education Department and meet 
 certain standards of character and fitness for the 
 work. The two-year course leads to the degree of 
 bachelor of library science. Over 2100 library positions 
 have been filled by the 670 students of the school. 
 
 Summer course. A summer course of six weeks, con- 
 ducted by the faculty of the winter school, offers instruc- 
 tion to those already holding paid library positions or 
 under appointment to such positions in public or school 
 libraries. This course is especially planned to meet the 
 needs of librarians and assistants in New York State, 
 but a few candidates from other states may be admitted. 
 
 Nearly four hundred young men and women of New 
 York State have, as students, received professional train- 
 ing here and by far the greater part of the principal 
 public and college libraries of the State have at some 
 time had the services of librarians or assistants trained 
 at the school. A large number of staff assistants of the 
 State Library, who have also received training in special 
 lines of library work through partial courses in the school, 
 are giving expert service in other departments of the 
 State service. 
 
 HISTORICAL SKETCH 
 
 The history of the New York State Library is of 
 particular interest. Not only did it rank until the destruc- 
 tive fire of 191 1 as the greatest of American state libraries, 
 but even that disaster was unable to affect this pre- 
 eminence for any length of time. If its collections are 
 today, and must remain for some time, inferior to those 
 of the old library, it has refused to narrow its ideal of 
 service or contract its circle of influence. It holds, there- 
 fore, a broader conception of its function and has realized 
 a larger part of that conception than any other state 
 library. 
 
20 
 
 Historic names are connected with its history. De 
 Witt Clinton had a hand in its founding and purchased 
 its earliest collections. For 70 years the Regents of the 
 University of the State of New York have fostered and 
 guided it. Romeyn Beck, Henry A. Homes, John V. L. 
 Pruyn and Alfred B. Street saw to it that its collections 
 were rich in literature, science and history. Alexandre 
 Vattemare obtained for it rich gifts from European 
 countries, and Melvil Dewey made it a dynamic force 
 throughout the State. 
 
 Like most state libraries, it had its beginnings in the 
 laws and other documents received by the State from 
 the United States and from other states in exchange for 
 its own publications. These soon became so considerable 
 in amount as to require special attention and by act of 
 Legislature April 21, 1818, the New York State Library 
 was established. By the terms of this act a room in 
 the Capitol was set apart " for the purpose of keeping 
 therein a public library for the use of the government 
 and the people of this State." It further provided " that 
 no book, map or other publication shall be at any time 
 taken out of the library for any purpose whatever." 
 " For the purpose of carrying this act into effect " the 
 Legislature " appropriated the sum of #3000, and also 
 the further annual sum of #500." Six hundred volumes 
 were purchased in 1819, the committee making such a 
 selection, De Witt Clinton reported, " as would best 
 meet the needs of the Legislature and correspond with 
 the character of the State." In 1835 the library con- 
 tained 5000 volumes " chiefly standard works in American 
 history, politics and legislation." 
 
 A special appropriation of #2500 is reported in 1841 as 
 having been spent chiefly for books on civil engineering, 
 mineralogy, geology and statistics. 
 
 During its early years the Library was in charge of 
 various State officers as ex officio trustees. As it grad- 
 ually grew in size it became evident that better super- 
 vision could be provided by a more permanent board, 
 and on May 4, 1844, it was transferred to the custody 
 and control of the Regents of the University of the State 
 of New York. The Regents state in their first report 
 that " they were desirous to show as early as possible 
 
21 
 
 that they esteemed the purchase of books relating to 
 our own State and country of paramount importance " 
 for the general department and they recommended 
 increased resources in education, political economy and 
 practical science. In 1854 the Library was removed to 
 a building specially constructed for the purpose, facing 
 on State street and connected with the old Capitol by a 
 two story corridor. This building was 114 feet long by 
 48 feet wide. The law department occupied the ground 
 floor, and the general library the second floor. When it 
 was constructed the Legislature prescribed very definite 
 limitations regarding its size, lest it should be unneces- 
 sarily large; but within ten years its shelves were full. 
 In 1878 Henry A. Homes, the librarian, described the 
 library as one of the most complete in the country in 
 law and American history, as abundantly supplied with 
 English, Dutch and European history and as containing 
 a representative collection of standard English literature. 
 The Regents determined in 1879 to devote a large part 
 of the available funds to the enrichment of the special 
 collections. For the law library they recommended 
 approximate completeness in American law and liberal 
 purchases in international and foreign law. For the 
 general department they were unwilling to limit the 
 library to a policy which would strictly exclude pur- 
 chases outside the field of legislation and American 
 history, while agreeing heartily with the policy of special 
 development and preference in these fields. " As an aid 
 to officers of the government, legislative, executive, 
 administrative, and judicial, special prominence ought 
 to be given to the whole range of political and social 
 science. Whatever pertains to the science of government 
 in its broadest sense has a peculiar and special place in 
 a library for the aid of those that are to administer 
 government. Whatever illustrates the history, character, 
 resources and development of the State, past, present 
 and future, should be collected and preserved." This in- 
 cludes a wide range, for the " history of the State involves 
 to a large extent the history of the sister states and 
 Europe. It includes the geology of the State, its geog- 
 raphy, its agricultural and mineral resources, its com- 
 merce and manufacture, its intellectual government and 
 
22 
 
 career, its religious, moral, intellectual and educational 
 systems. In this connection the periodical publications 
 of the State, general and special, and newspapers, which 
 illustrate the daily life of the people, should be largely 
 included." 
 
 In 1883 progress on the new Capitol required the 
 demolition of the old Capitol building and the State 
 Library building. In September and October of that 
 year the Library was therefore transferred to temporary 
 quarters on the second floor, north side, of the new 
 Capitol. 
 
 The Library remained in these temporary rooms till 
 early in 1889, when it occupied portions of the third, 
 fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the west end of the new 
 Capitol. In less than twenty years this space became 
 so cramped as seriously to handicap the work of the 
 Library and to make it necessary to store many thousand 
 duplicates in a warehouse. In 1906, the Legislature 
 made provision for a separate building for the New York 
 State Education Department, including the State Library 
 (Laws of 1906, chapter 678), but before the building 
 was completed the fire of March 29, 191 1, swept away 
 practically its entire collection. 
 
 In spite of the utmost effort to save everything that 
 fire and water had left of the old collection, the salvage 
 was pitiably small. 
 
 The catastrophe is probably the greatest in modern 
 library annals. The burning of the Kaiserliche Univer- 
 sitats und Landes Bibliothek in-Strassburg during the 
 Franco-Prussian War did not destroy so many books. 
 The fire at Biblioteca Nazionale in Turin (1904) was 
 notable for the large number of rarities and manuscript 
 treasures lost, though no more, numerically, than 25,000 
 books and 2000 manuscripts were destroyed. The com- 
 bined library losses at San Francisco in 1906, while 
 perhaps aggregating nearly half a million volumes, were 
 not comparable in the character of the books and manu- 
 scripts burned. At Albany a round half million of books, 
 three hundred thousand manuscripts, the costly apparatus 
 of administration — all these, forming a collection rank- 
 ing with the first half dozen in the western hemisphere 
 and among the first twenty in the world, were swept 
 away in a few hot and disheartening hours. 
 
23 
 
 The fire of 191 1 is a matter of history. The Library 
 is now housed in a well-arranged and beautiful building. 
 It is rebuilding its collections with remarkable rapidity 
 and looks forward to resuming its place in the educa- 
 tional life of the State with undiminished efficiency. 
 
 THE STATE LIBRARY AND THE CITIZENS OF 
 NEW YORK STATE 
 
 The State Library exists equally for the organized 
 state government, the schools and other cultural insti- 
 tutions of the State, and for the private citizen. As a 
 State institution it exists primarily to promote efficiency 
 in government. As a reference library it aims to pro- 
 mote research. As part of the educational system of the 
 State it cooperates with libraries, schools and study 
 clubs in the broad work of education. 
 
 To the citizen of the State it offers books of all kinds, 
 books for entertainment, books for instruction, books for 
 research. Where there are no libraries it offers small 
 collections of books to be used in the homes of the people ; 
 where libraries or registered schools exist, its system of 
 interlibrary loans places the resources of the Library 
 at the disposal of the citizen. It meets the demand of 
 the citizen for a larger range of reading than his own 
 resources or those of the local library can supply. It 
 offers material for the special study of topics not ade- 
 quately treated in small collections as well as the special 
 treatise required by the research of the historian, the 
 man of letters, the engineer, or the scientist. 
 
 PUBLICATIONS 
 
 The publications of the State Library are described 
 and listed in Handbook 6, part 2, of the State Education 
 Department. Copies will be sent free to any persons 
 interested. 
 
 Besides its annual report the Library has published 
 five series of bulktins. The legislation series includes, 
 besides occasional monographs and lists, three annual 
 bulletins which index and review the laws of the various 
 states and digest topically the governors' messages. 
 The history series (no longer published) relates to early 
 
24 
 
 New York State history, including reprints or calendars 
 of valuable manuscripts. The bibliography series com- 
 prises classified lists of books on various subjects, or 
 relating to individuals or places. This series includes 
 the annual list of best books of each year, which is sent 
 on request to any library. The Library School series 
 embodies lists, outlines, problems and monographs on 
 subjects relating to library economy or the courses of 
 instruction given in the New York State Library School. 
 These bulletins appear also in the bound annual reports 
 of the Library. 
 
 New York Libraries is a quarterly magazine devoted to 
 library affairs and interlibrary relations in New York 
 State. It is sent without cost to all libraries and members 
 of library boards in the State, making application. To 
 others it is sent postpaid for 25 cents a year or 10 cents 
 for a single copy. 
 
 RULES 
 
 Suggestions for making the Library more useful are invited and any reader having 
 cause for complaint will greatly oblige the Director by reporting the facts personally 
 or by letter. 
 
 i Ignorance of rules. As these rules are publicly posted in the 
 Library and a copy is given to every borrower, no violation of them 
 will be excused on the plea of ignorance. 
 
 2 Suspension of rules. No Library rule may be suspended 
 except by official action. Any request for such action should be 
 submitted to the Director in writing. 
 
 3 Hours of opening. The Library is open for readers and bor- 
 rowers from 8.30 a. m. to 10 p. m. except during July and August, 
 when it closes at 6 p. m. The Library is closed Sundays and on 
 July 4, Thanksgiving day and Christmas. On other holidays and 
 on Saturdays it is open during the regular hours. The business 
 departments are open from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. except on holidays. 
 On Saturdays they close at 12 m. 
 
 4 Decorum. Quiet and order must be observed in the reading 
 rooms. No loud or unnecessary talking is permitted. Begging, the 
 circulation of petitions and the sale of articles are prohibited. 
 
 5 Preference. State officers shall be given preference in the use 
 of any and all books in the Library when needed for official use. 
 
 6 Access to shelves. No one but officers of the Library may 
 have access to its private rooms or shelves, unless accompanied by 
 an attendant or holding an official shelf permit. 
 
 7 Reproductions. No tracings or reproductions by photography 
 or otherwise are permitted without the approval of the Director or 
 the reference librarian. 
 
25 
 
 8 Injuries. Notes, corrections of the text or marks of any kind 
 on books belonging to the Library are forbidden. Any person 
 violating this rule or otherwise injuring property of the Library must 
 make good the injury or reimburse the Library for all costs ot replac- 
 ing such property. The borrower is responsible for all losses or 
 injuries which occur to a book while it is lent to him, either tor 
 reference or home use. Books are assumed to be in proper condition 
 when issued and if they are found to be mutilated or defaced the 
 fact should be reported without delay at the loan desk. 
 
 HOME USE 
 
 9 Borrowers. Regents of the University, members of the Legis- 
 lature, judges of the Court of Appeals, justices of the Supreme Court, 
 heads of the several State departments, their deputies and clerks 
 officially resident in Albany, all institutions in the University, and 
 such other libraries, institutions or individuals as may be registered 
 as having special claim on its resources in some department, may 
 borrow books subject to recall if specially needed. 
 
 io Loans. Books will be delivered only on personal application 
 or on a written order. No borrower may transfer his privilege or 
 borrow books for the use of others. 
 
 No borrower may keep from the Library, without the Director's 
 written permission, more than three volumes at a time, nor any 
 volume longer than two weeks without renewal. 
 
 ii Restricted books. As the State Library is primarily a refer- 
 ence library, only such books are allowed to circulate as will not 
 seriously hamper the reference work of the Library. Books in 
 special collections, indicated by a letter preceding the call number, 
 and newspapers and periodicals, bound or unbound, are for refer- 
 ence and are lent only in special cases and on a written permit. 
 Current literature and fiction in the State Library are for preserva- 
 tion and reference and are lent only to State officers and employees 
 residing in Albany. 
 
 12 Fines. Books issued on call slips are for use in the reading rooms 
 only. Any person taking a book from the Library without having 
 it charged at the loan desk will be fined 50 cents for each offense. 
 
 13 Renewal. A single renewal for a period of two weeks may be 
 secured either in person or by a note addressed " Loan Desk, State 
 Library, Albany, N. Y.," but the sender must take all risks of the 
 mail. No book will be renewed if reserved by another reader. 
 
 14 Reserves. Any book in circulation except fiction will be 
 recalled at the end of two weeks if needed by another reader. On 
 leaving title of book and name and address at the loan desk, notice 
 will be sent the borrower when the book is available and it will 
 be held for him two days. 
 
 15 Recall. All books are subject to recall at any time, and when 
 recalled must be returned immediately. 
 
 16 Books not returned. Any book not returned after one week's 
 notice may be sent for at the expense of the borrower, and if not 
 
26 
 
 returned within one month after such notice may be considered 
 lost, in which case the borrower must pay its value. 
 
 17 Violation. For wilful violation of any Library rule, for failure 
 to pay any fine or replace a lost book the Director may exclude 
 the offender from all further use of the Library. 
 
 LOANS OUTSIDE ALBANY 
 
 The State Library recognizes as one of its most important functions the assistance 
 it is able to give to local libraries, schools, colleges, study clubs and individual in- 
 vestigators throughout the State. In offering to supplement with brief loans the 
 limited and more popular collections of public and school libraries, it tries to make 
 more widely useful works that are not otherwise accessible either because of their 
 rarity, price or specialized character. In its special collections the State Library 
 possesses many books to be found only in the largest libraries; these are, with few 
 exceptions, available for use by any registered institution. 
 
 18 Registered institutions. The State Library may lend to local 
 libraries, schools, study clubs and other institutions registered with 
 the New York State Education Department, such books as can be 
 spared for temporary use outside of Albany; but rare and restricted 
 books (see 11), books merely popular in character or such as local 
 libraries may reasonably be expected to supply shall not be lent. 
 
 All applications for books must be made through the librarian 
 of a local library, the principal of a school, or the secretary of a 
 club. 
 
 19 State officials. State officers not officially resident in Albany 
 may borrow for official use such books as are not in frequent demand 
 at the State Library. 
 
 20 Individual investigators. Individuals not residents of Albany 
 will be registered as borrowers only when they can not be served 
 through a local library or other registered institution, and when the 
 books are wanted for serious study or research. 
 
 21 Transportation. The borrowing library or individual shall 
 defray all transportation charges, take all precautions in packing 
 necessary to guard against possible injury in transportation and 
 reimburse the Library for any loss or damage. 
 
 22 Length of loan. Unless otherwise specified, the maximum 
 period of loan shall be two weeks, subject to a single renewal for 
 the same period; but all books must be returned at the earliest date 
 consistent with the special study for which they are borrowed. 
 
 INJURIES AND DETENTION 
 
 Laws of 1892, ch. 378, § 43-44 
 
 § 43 Injuries to property. Whoever intentionally injures, defaces 
 or destroys any property belonging to or deposited in any incor- 
 porated library, reading room, museum, or other educational insti- 
 tution, shall be punished by imprisonment in a State prison for not 
 more than three years, or in a county jail for not more than one 
 year, or by a fine of not more than $500, or by both such fine and 
 imprisonment. 
 
27 
 
 § 44 Detention. Whoever wilfully detains any book, newspaper, 
 magazine, pamphlet, manuscript or other property belonging to 
 any public or incorporated library, reading room, museum or other 
 educational institution, for 30 days after notice in writing to return 
 the same, given after the expiration of the time which by the rules 
 of such institution, such articles or other property may be kept, 
 shall be punished by a fine of not less than $1 nor more than #25, 
 or by imprisonment in the jail not exceeding six months, and the 
 said notice shall bear on its face a copy of this section. 
 
" The distinctive event of the library year [1912] w| 
 the opening of the New York State Education Buildii 
 at Albany, housing the State Library, whose destroy! 
 collections have been so energetically replaced that tj 
 number of books already approximates and will present 
 exceed the old figures. The new building, devoted 
 large part to library purposes, is one of the most dignifi] 
 and noble in the country." 
 
 Library Journal, January 19 j 
 
 " The noblest public building in the State is no lorn 
 the structure in which the executive and legislatij 
 departments have their seat, or a prison, or a hospita 
 or an almshouse. It is an education building. Perhal 
 the most splendid and commodious building devotl 
 wholly to public education to be found anywhere in tf 
 world." 
 
 Educational Review, November 19I 
 
11 
 
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