THE HESPERIAN.
book. On one of these cards will be found
considerable useful information about the
book, its size, paging, date of publication,
etc. The cards arc arranged alphabetically,
under author's surnames, all the letters in a
name or word being considered if necessary.
"Ballades" comes before "Ballads,""Abbott,
Edwin," before "Abbott, Jacob," etc., and
under each author his separate works are
arranged alphabetically by their titles. In
order to find a book on the shelves after
finding it in the catalog, the class and book
number on the upper left hand corner in blue
ink should be noted. The book will be found,
if in its proper place, under the shelf bearing
the first three or more figures of the class
number, that is the number containing the
decimal point. Upon the shelves the books
are properly arranged alphabetically accord
ing to the letters on the back. These few
facts kept in mind will enable one to find a
book very readily. And doubtless many
have discovered that it is quite useless to
look for any book bearing the class number
goo among the literature books, or for any
bearing any other numbers than 100-200 in
the philosophy corner. A few facts like this
noted and con-noted will not only enable one
to use the library easily but may convince him
that the machine he is handling is very neat
ly and firmly constructed.
The subject catalog is built up similarly,
only here, the books are grouped alphabetical
ly according to subjects. The cards contain
the same information as to the books. The
main subjects are divided into many sub
divisions, and one may have to do a little
brain work himself in using this to think
what subdivision a book will appear under.
The guide cards also show many cross refer
ences, so that one who is looking up a sub
ject thoroughly can find all the material in
the library bearing on the topic, so far as the
material is cataloged.
On certain subjects the catalog is com
plete to date. American hiatory, Literature,
Philosophy, Historical Biography, and
Sociology are some of the subjects on which
the catalog is of most lelp at present. The
work is perhaps a littlo over half done, for
the old part of the library. When one con
siders that every book requires from two to
six cards, that some, treating of many sub
jects require more, the magnitude of the
work becomes evident. Miss Robbins tells
us of one book in another library, a collection
of sermons of different preachers, which re
quired fifty cards. This was unusual, but is
an illustration of the new library idea, which
requires that all possible helps should be
given a reader for finding information on any
subject.
The librarian and her assistants wish es
pecially that the students would not be afraid
to ask questions. They are willing to give
assistance at any time, and are anxious to see
the students learn to use the library with ease
and dispatch.
Flora Bullock.
The Final Local Debate.,
gOjHE "attendance at the debate Satur
rQ day evening indicated that we are
recovering from the financial depress
ion consequent upon the demonstration in
the gymnasium the other morning.
The debate upon the question, "Resolved:
"That Canada should be annexed to the Unit
ed States" was opened by Mr. Sherman, up
on the affirmative. Mr. Sherman argued that
Nature had never intended the Great Lakes
to be the sole property of the United States,
and that the two nations suited to one another
in race and language should share their re
spective blessings in common.
Mr. Clint Barr replied that the time when
a nation could conquer a people and call
them citizens was no more, and emphasized
the danger of sacrificing American love of
freedom, for land.
Mr. E. O. Barr pointed out the influence
of geography upon history and declared that
the United States must follow out the destiny
fixed by Nature and the destiny of mankind.
Mr. Skiles showed the danger in a further
complication of the immigration question
and in the addition of eight new states with
sixteen senators who might hold the balance
of power.
Mr. Weaver replied that instead of intro-
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