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 AMERICAN BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Plans for the organization of an American Bibliographical Society 
 have been discussed during the last years at several meetings of the 
 Bibliographical Society of Chicago: first at an informal meeting of 
 resident and non-resident members held at Waukesha, Wis., in July, 
 1900, in connection with the American Library Association, then at a 
 meeting called for the special purpose of discussing such plans, at 
 Magnolia, Mass., in July, 1902, and at a similar meeting at Niagara 
 Falls, N. Y., in June, 1903, the two latter meetings being largely 
 attended by members of the American Library Association. At the 
 Magnolia meeting a committee was appointed to take definite steps 
 toward the formation of an American Bibliographical Society. This 
 committee reported at the Niagara Falls meeting as follows: 
 
 “ The committee recommends that in the formation of a national 
 bibliographical society (which might be called the American Biblio¬ 
 graphical Association) the Chicago society should invite widely the 
 co-operation of book collectors and scholars generally, besides libra- 
 [ rians, in order to give the new society a more representative character 
 at the start. It is the opinion of the committee that this plan would 
 gain more members than if the present society should change its name 
 of its own volition to the more comphrehensive one. 
 
 “This committee suggests that in order to give the new society a 
 vigorous start the Chicago society should have some definite publica¬ 
 tions in hand to propose as the first issues of the new society. It is 
 recommended also that the organization of the new society be left in 
 the hands of the Bibliographical Society of Chicago. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 William C. Lane, Chairman. 
 Wilberforce Eames.” 
 
 Following out the recommendations of this committee which 
 were endorsed by several speakers and were accepted as the sense of 
 the meeting, the Bibliographical Society of Chicago hereby extends an 
 invitation to bibliographers, librarians, scholars, book collectors and 
 booklovers generally to join with it in the formation of an American 
 Bibliographical Society. 
 
That the lime is ripe for such action is clear to everyone who has 
 followed the bibliographical movements during the last decade. The dis¬ 
 cussion in this country which followed the establishment of the Institut 
 international de bibliographie and the publication of the plans for the 
 International catalogue of scientific literature has shown how serious 
 is the interest in bibliography among scientific men as well as among 
 bibliographers and librarians, and signs are not wanting that indicate a 
 growing interest in scientific bibliography among book? collectors and 
 bookmen. But bibliography has not yet attained to the position 
 which it ought to occupy in the intellectual life of the nation, owing 
 largely to the lack of a central body which could unite the hitherto 
 scattered and unorganized forces and work consciously and systematic¬ 
 ally for the extension of bibliographical activity and for the promotion 
 of bibliographical research. To provide such a body should be the 
 chief purpose of the American Bibliographical Society. It should 
 offer at its meetings opportunity for the discussion of bibliographical 
 plans and problems, and in its publications, works of scholarly char¬ 
 acter especially in American bibliography, but without neglecting other 
 branches of the subject; it should collect and make known informa¬ 
 tion about bibliographical undertakings in progress or in preparation 
 in this and other countries; it should try to arouse the interest of book 
 collectors in scholarly research, and endeavor to persuade them to 
 make their treasures available to the student and scientific worker and 
 thus to take active part in the promotion of learning; it should finally 
 have for its chief object the establishment of an Institute for biblio¬ 
 graphical research where large national undertakings could be planned 
 and executed, and which could represent this country in an efficient 
 way in such international undertakings as are sure to be proposed in a 
 more and more increasing degree. 
 
 The possibility of an international bibliographical congress at 
 St. Louis in connection with the World’s Fair makes the present time 
 especially propitious for the formation of a society representative of 
 American bibliography. 
 
 With the object of presenting a concrete proposition the council 
 of the Bibliographical Society of Chicago has prepared the appended 
 draft of a constitution. It will also be ready to propose to the council 
 of the new society some material for publication. As a general prop¬ 
 osition it is suggested that while means for the publication of a 
 
quarterly journal might be found after the society has been perma¬ 
 nently established for some length of time, it would be practicable 
 from the start to issue a Yearbook and a series of monographs similar 
 to the publications of the Bibliographical Society of Chicago, with 
 extension of the plan so as to include works of interest to the 
 scholarly book collector. 
 
 The Bibliographical Society of Chicago invites all to whom this 
 call is addressed to active participation in the formation of an Ameri¬ 
 can Bibliographical Society, and hopes for early and favorable 
 response. The 1st of February, 1904, has been fixed as the final day 
 for the return of the enclosed blank. Immediately after that date the 
 council of the society will provide for the election of an organization com¬ 
 mittee of five members by means of votes, taken by mail, of all those 
 who up to that date have signified their intention to join the American 
 Bibliographical Society, provided their number seems to warrant action. 
 Each ballot v/ill be accompanied by a list of bona fide members. The 
 committee so elected, it is proposed, shall take immediate charge of 
 the affairs of the new society and arrange for an organization meeting 
 in connection with the scientific congresses at St. Louis in the fall 
 of 1904. 
 
 Prospective members are requested to fill out the enclosed form 
 and forward the same to the secretary of the Bibliographical Society 
 of Chicago, not later than February 1st, 1904. 
 
 THE COUNCIL OF THE BIBLIOGRAPHICAL 
 SOCIETY OF CHICAGO 
 
 Aksel G. S. Josephson, President 
 James W, Thompson, Vice-President 
 Charles H. Brown, Secretary 
 Carl B. Roden, Treasurer 
 Frederick H. Hild 
 Camillo Von Klenze 
 Azariah S. Root 
 
 Secretary’s Address: 
 
 The John Crerar Library, 
 
 Chicago, Ill. 
 
 Chicago, December, 1903. 
 
PROPOSED CONSTITUTION OF THE AMERICAN 
 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 1. The name of this society shall be the AMERICAN BIBLIOGRAPH¬ 
 ICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 2. The object of the society shall be to promote bibliographical study and 
 research. 
 
 3. The officers of the society shall be a president, two vice-presidents, a sec¬ 
 retary, a treasurer, and a recorder and curator. The affairs of the society, includ¬ 
 ing the election of members, the adoption of by-laws, the calling of meetings, 
 and the selection of works to be printed, shall be in the hands of a council, consist¬ 
 ing of the officers, the last ex-president, and four councilors. The president, 
 ex-president, secretary, and treasurer shall constitute the executive board of the 
 council. The officers shall be elected annually and serve until the election of 
 their successors. Of the councilors two shall be elected every two years, to serve 
 two years. Any vacancy occurring during the year shall be filled by the council. 
 But in case of vacancy in the presidency the council shall elect one of the vice- 
 presidents as president. Standing committees, and special committees not other¬ 
 wise provided for, shall be appointed by the president. 
 
 4. Any person approved by the council may become a member of the society 
 on payment of three dollars, which shall take the place of the membership fee for 
 the first year. The annual fee shall be two dollars, payable April 1st. Any 
 member who shall pay to the society, in one sum, fifty dollars, shall be a life 
 member and exempt from further dues. A member whose fees have been in 
 arrears for more than one year shall be dropped from the society, but may be 
 restored by the council on payment of all back dues. 
 
 5. On the unanimous recommendation of the council the society may elect 
 honorary members, who shall be exempt from all fees. The number of such 
 members shall never exceed ten. A member who has rendered distinguished 
 service to bibliography or to the society may, on the proposal of a member at an 
 annual meeting, be elected a fellow of the society. 
 
 6. All fees of life members, together with such other sums as may be given 
 for the purpose, shall be set aside as a publication fund, not to be used for the 
 ordinary expenses of the society. 
 
 7. Branch societies may be formed in any place where ten or more members 
 reside, by the election of a local secretary and by notifying the national secretary 
 of the action taken. 
 
 8. Amendments to this constitution may be voted on at an annual meeting, if 
 notice has been given at a previous annual meeting, or if the amendment has 
 received the unanimous approval of the council.