Vol. XV. Edited by H. R. MCILWAINE, State Librarian. AUGUST, 1924. No. 1 INTRODUCTION The true librarian is reluctant to discard any literature - which may come to hand, yet unorganized material is ordinarily unavailable and therefore almost useless; the expectation of future arrangement may justify its retention, but such expectation is not generally well founded, as the cataloging force of a live library is constantly overtaxed. Ordinarily it is possible to catalog as separates only the more important .. material; minor material must be organized and its subjectmatter made reasonably available in a more economical man ner. The Virginia State Library has received many enquiries in regard to the handling, arrangement and final disposition of pamphlets, clippings, etc. The literature on the subject is fairly comprehensive, but we have found need for a detailed and definite, yet concise, statement of procedure in its entirety. The vertical file is a customary tool in libraries for the handling of such matter, but the final disposition of accumulated material is a matter of concern. The method of thinning the file and discarding old material is an incomplete and time-consuming practice, and does not sufficiently restrict the growth of the vertical file which, admirable as it is for limited use, may grow into a clumsy tool, expensive and wasteful of floor space. The method used in the Virginia State Library has proved a satisfactory means of effecting co-ordination between the material in the vertical file and the material on the shelves, preserving, with economy of time. 1 The following treatises are suggested for further study of the subject: (1) Pamphlets and minor library material: clippings, broadsides, prints, pictures, music, bookplates, maps, Chicago, American library association publishing board, 1917. 29 p. (Preprint of Manual of library economy, chapter 25.) Contains also bibliographies of literature on the care and treatment of the various classes of minor material. These references should be consulted by the student of the subject. (2) McVety, Margaret A. and Colegrove, Mabel E. The vertical file. Woodstock, Vt., The Elm tree press, 1915. (Modern American library economy as illustrated by the Newark, N. J., free public library, by John Cotton Dana. v. 2, pt. 18, sec. 1.) A detailed description of methods pursued in the administration of the large and successful file of the Newark, N. J., Public library. 879732 |