REFERENCE DEPARTMENT. Systematic aid to readers is given by means of an information desk or reference librarian. in larger libraries the demand has led to adding various assistants who devote their time to answering questions, helping readers to find what they wish, and incidentally showing them how to use bibliographies and cata logues for themselves. The children's librarian is one of the most useful. Larger institutions arc developing a library faculty of specialists, each assisting readers in his special field.
The rapid development of reference work comes from recognizing the library as an educational centre. The room of a skillful reference libra rian. surrounded by the best reference hooks slip !demented with card indexes. notes, and the rapidly increasing bibliographic devices, becomes like an enlarged universal eneyelopaslia. Such a librarian not only answers questions on every conceivable subject and utilizes French, German, and probably other languages freely. but also
teaches applicants how they may find mat for themselves next time. and thus in time develops the ability to use to the best advantage a well equipped library. This department becomes the information bureau for its whole constituency. Some investigations require considerable time and are not in their nature of such public value as to he justifiable at public expense. These are made for any one willing to pay the pro rata cost of the assistant's time. This gives free use of all library resources and facilities and pro tects against using the time of public officers for private purposes.
Free access to the shelves is becoming more common, and in most libraries serious students have no difficulty in getting shelf privileges.