Originally published in March 1904 Problems of a Reference Librarian By Ida L, Rosenberg UMEROUS AND complex Niscitsnstins eich oe front a reference librarian who conscientiously desires to make her work a power for good. ‘All reference work should have one unvarying end and aim: to fur- nish (o each and every applicant, the readiest, easiest, and surest method of obtaining any information sought. ‘The various means by which this end may be attained constitute the prob- Jems which we must consider. If our efforts are crowned with a fair mea- sure of success, that, and a con- sciousness of duty well performed, will be the reward with which an ear” rest worker will be best satisfied. He who looks for such reward in the praise and apreciation of those for whom he works and studies must be disappointed and discouraged, for except ina few rare instances, people are too busy, too engrossed with their own interests, to consider ways and means after they have obtained that for which they are secking. The problems may be consid- ered somewhat as follows—First: What books are properly reference books and should be retained exclu- sively for such use? Second: What class of books, even though desirable for circulation, can be of more use to the people in general when so reserved? This will is little information available about Ida Rosenberg, but we do know that she labored at the Grand Rapids Public Library (Michigan) as an assistant librarian from 1894-1904 and as Superintendent of Circulation from 1904-1909 require thought, and each librarian must decide very largely for himself, consulting the needs and resources of his own particular domain. Third: The proper classifying and listing of reference books independently of the general catalog. This should be as simple and direct as possible, making it quite easy to find a desired book even for one who is The library exists for people's educa tion, improvement, and entertainment not entirely familiar with them through daily use, for there must arise emergencies in every library when such assistance is unavoidable Fourth: How far may we become conversant with the contents of our books, that we may waste no time in tilling barren ground—seeking through many volumes for that which they could not possibly contain. Fifth, and most important: How shall we best and most wisely utilize all for those who come to us for help? With the books for reference use exclusively should be placed, oF course, encyclopedias, atlases, alma. nacs, year books, indexes, statistical works, quotation books, concor- dances—in short, all such books as would never be used for consecutive LIBRARY JOURNALIUNE 15, 1991 reading, but only as wells of informa- tion to be drawn from at need. Added to these should be such works as are {00 valuable or too rare to make the Jending of them advisable and such as are too bulky to be circulated. ‘The next question (What circu- lating books would be of more use for reference?) is more difficult of a solu- tion, particularly for small libraries where books must be chosen and money expended with careful econo- my. This must be decided by the li- brarian from personal experience and judgment. Some histories, other than historical encyclopedias, some good works on mythology, some literary histories and general collections which would usually seem to be do- ing most good in circulation, are very acceptable to a reference librarian as permanent additions to his. stock. When such books in the circulating department can be duplicated in the reference room, duplicate by all means. When that is impossible it will be found a helpful plan to ascertain to what subjects pupils, students, or club workers are intending to devote themselves at a certain time and re- serve the material from the circulat- ing department for such use. Other- wise the fortunate or provident first comers secure all the best, much to the discomfort and inconvenience of the more tardy ones and to the refer- ence librarian How may we know our books? By endless patient research, Read, read again, read more, study your books. Know each book individually as you know your friends, only know it far better. Know just what sort of knowledge it contains. An encyclo- pedia, dictionary, or atlas will pay for the trouble of investigare strong in one direction, some in another, while an almanac is a trea- sure of information . So much for preliminaries, for just as all work in the circulating li- brary is but toward the one end of supplying the needs and wants of the people, so all plans in the reference room must be for that one purpose also. This fact is sometimes almost lost sight of by the enthusiastic “'spe- cial” workers who are in danger of harboring the conviction that the me- thodical care and preservation of the library is of prime importance and who would make rules and regula- tions to that efect regardless of all else While accessioning, shelf-listing and cataloging, etc., cannot be too carefully, methodically, and neatly done, still these are but means to an end and that end is placing the books before their owners, the people, in a manner to make them feel a true in- terest and pride in their property. The library exists for the educa- tion, improvement, and entertain- ment of the people, while we are the trusted custodians’ of their wealth, without whom it would be of litle service to them. Therefore, the kind- est of relations and utmost consider- mn should exist between the teach- ers, pupils, clubs, business people, and workers on the one hand, and the librarians on the other. ‘The recent advance in education- al ideas which makes both pupil and teacher less dependent upon the text- book, but rather encourages the pur- suit of knowledge in every available direction, makes the library a neces- sary adjunct to the public school, and teachers and librarian may work to- gether to the advantage of both them- selves and the young people in their charge. Intelligent discussion be- tween librarian and teachers, and hearty co-operation as to methods, ‘would simplify one of our problems. ‘After a teacher has given a few hints as to her intended line of work the librarian can look up and gather the desired material. With a little in- struction quick-witted young people are soon able to dig for themselves, and such digging is much more for their good than too much dependence upon others. The slower ones require patience, of course, but when we have helped them to help themselves, not only have they gained the bit of knowledge they are seeking but, bet- sie ‘that has as yet ter still, they have gained in self-reli- ance and strength of character. Their questions are sometimes so wide of the mark and show such vague com prehension of their task that close questioning is necessary before one is, able to understand just what they are seeking. Just here must one use kind- ness and tact, making them realize that they may feel they have found a sympathetic helper to be appealed to atall times. Let us introduce them to their books and teach them intelligent use of catalogs and indexes. The women’s clubs bring to the librarian some delightful work and some sore trials. A perusal of one club year book will show with what admi- rable courage the ladies face and anni- hilate every difficulty in their path Literature, art, history, science, med- icine, philosophy, theology, and cooking are all discussed and written about. When the woman of artist and literary tastes is obliged in the “hit or miss” distribution of topics to write a paper upon microbes and dis- ease, about which she is densely igno- rant, and the lady who delights in compounding pies and cookies must expound Greek philosophy—well, “there's the rub."” We can but do our best for them and for ourselves, and if the effort tends to broaden one’s mind and prevent undue devotion to a hob- byiithas its value... . When all these aids are at hand Jet not the reference worker fall into the easy error of keeping the public in a state of helpless ignorance by doing all the search work herself, placing before them not only the book but page and paragraph desired. This }RARY JOURNALIJUNE 15,1991 method is much easier and less trying than showing the people the sources whence they may help themselves, but it is not real help. There are ex ceptions to this certainly; no bit of advice however good can be applied promiscuously to all cases. We must learn to diseriminate between the stu- dent who wishes to learn and the indi- vidual who must needs write a paper for the edification or otherwise of a more or less intelligent audience and would accomplish the task in a man- ner involving as little personal labor as possible. For such the method first mentioned will be found altogether most satisfactory . The foregoing suggestions pre- suppose the existence of a separate reference department, which there should be if any way possible. There should always be a room which is Quiet and restful Last to be mentioned, but neither Jast nor least in importance, are the qualities and character desirable in ‘one who takes upon herself the duties and obligations of a reference librari- an. One needs a stock of general all- around knowledge embracing the var- ied subjects upon which human intel- lect of all ages has exercised its pow- cers and its weakness—or in absence ‘of such knowledge, for one cannot be an animated encyclopedia—there must be a faculty for finding the infor- mation desired. Of almost more im- portance than the knowledge itself is the familiarity with the sources from which it may be derived, and their name is legion, No bit of wisdom should be scorned, no matter how trivial it may seem. Garner all, from the gravest, driest bit of ancient Egyptology to the latest, most approved method of trout fishing. All, all will be useful for the ‘many men of many minds” who come for help in their search for knowledge. Added to this should be endless patience with those who are searching, yet “know not what they seek,” and the tact which cannot be acquired but which emanates from a quick sympathy with others and their interests, even their fads and hob- There be worse things than these. We may take for our motto and watchword Edward Everett Hale’s “Lend a hand” and, though we may never reach our ideals, we can but strive to do so and surely constant, patient endeavor must be attended with a fair degree of success at last.Originally published in November 1902 Reference Work from the Librarian’s Point of View By Corinne Bacon HAT IS “the librarian’s point of view”? Is there but ‘one? It seems to me that the of view is conditioned, both by the librarian and the library in which she works, and that the number of ‘ways of looking at the subject is equal to the number of librarians engaged in the work. ‘The point of view here taken is that of a librarian in a library of from 15,000 to 20,000 volumes, where there were for some years but two librarians, and where consequently the duties of each were as all-embrac- ing as the duties of the railroad em- ployee, who, when reprimanded for negligence, versed his woes as fol- lows: “Oh, Lam a train and a station hand, ‘And a flagman as tends a switch, ‘And a ticket-seller, and a handy ‘And I don’t know mostly which!” ler, Each of us was reference librari an—and a great many other things as well. To this valuable experience 1 have recently added a brief term of service in the reference department of a library of some 400,000 volumes. I fear that I shall be unable to set Corinne Bacon got her Bachelor's Degree in Library Science from the New York State Library School in Albany in 1903, She later directed the library at the Drexel Institute in Philadelphia, served ten years ‘san editor on the H.W. Wilson Company's Standard Catalog series, and did a bref stint as Acting Director of Libraries at Washington and Lee University. She later freelanced as an editor, bibliographer, and lecturer su forth any new truth concerning refer- ‘ence work. All that I can do will be to ‘emphasize certain truths, familiar and self-evident, which loom up es- rrecially on my horizon; and to set forth the subject in an orderly fash- ion, it may be well to take up in se- quence (1) the worker or reference librarian; (2) her materials and meth- ‘ods of work; and (3) those for whom she works—the public. If anything is impressed upon us nowadays, itis the seriousness of our profession as librarians, the impor- tance, nay, the necessity of attaining physical, mental and moral perfec- tion. After listening to such preach- ing, one feels almost sorry for the un- fortunates who inhabited our little planet before the modern librarian appeared to teach them how to live! ‘Are we not taking ourselves too ser ously? Why should we insist upon shouldering the whole burden of the well-being of the universe? There are others—parents, teachers, doctors, ministers, legislators—with whom we may and ought to share the re- sponsibility. Why should not mothers take at least as much thought for what goes into their children’s minds as for what goes into their stomachs? ‘And is the printed page the only influ- ‘ence at work upon humanity? Suppose we grant that librarians in general ought to be perfect, then what shall we require of the reference librarian? It seems to me that she should then be what an old French teacher used to mark his pupils when they had an unusually good lesson— ““More than perfect.” For is not the reference department the heart of the library? It is well to provide men, ‘women and children with the litera: LIBRARY JOURNALIUNE 15, 1991 ture of power and with the literature of amusement, but the function of the library in both of these directions is necessarily limited. The books which serve for inspiration should b owned, they can never do all that it is in their power to do for the reader while on a fortnight’s visit from a li- brary, while the amount of ephemeral light literature purchasable by most libraries is strictly conditioned by the pauicity of funds available for new books of this type. The reference de- partment, which purchases for the many, books too expensive for any one man to buy for the limited use he is likely to make of them, which sup- plements and continues the work of the school, is, in the eyes of many taxpayers, the sole justification of the tax-supported library. This depart- ment therefore calls for a high grade of service, and even though the li- brarian in charge of it cannot attain unto perfection, still there are a few qualifications which seem to be es- sential to the proper discharge of the duties of her office. The reference librarian should first and foremost Be approachable. There are some people who are reservoirs of knowledge, and yet all their wisdom is of no avail to the man who wants information, because their manner is so forbidding that the average man would as soon face a Gatling gun as ask them a question. Cultivate pleasant, easy manner of meeting people on their own ground. This does not mean to cultivate the grin of the Chesire cat. It is quite possible to make oneself t00 agreeable. It is not necessary to be keepin’ your face in smifin’ order like a grocer o° market-day, for fear people shouldna think you civil enough!” Be omniscient. If you can’t be omniscient, be as omniscient as you can, You never thought or said or leaned or did anything which may not some day be of use to you in your reference capacity. Have you built a boat, or sailed one? Made a pudding, or taught a Sunday-school class? Studied conic sections, or specialized in abnormal psychology? Climbed the Alps, or experimented upon your- self with mushrooms? You are sure to want some day whatever know!- edge you have gained in these ways, or in any others, Be tactful. A keen insight into BRARY Toe gan kone | Chr sphinx and the attitude of a Cook's guide... . ‘The quality which I should place next to tact is parience—the patience of Job. Yea, more than the patience of Job, for the public, however, fool- ish, flighty and unreasonable, may never be taken to task by its humble servant as Job took to task the Al- mighty. I do not go so far, however, as to set up patient Griselda for a model, for I think that there should bea limit to the long suffering of even the reference librarian It goes without saying that one must have the persistence of a sleuth- hound when on the trail of a fact, must be accurate, and must be thor~ “One can do better work with a few well-selected books under one’s hand, than with a greater number scattered over a considerable area” human nature, the power to read peo- ple quickly, the tact which tells us when to offer and when to withhold help, and how we may often help without the appearance of doing so, are invaluable qualities to the refer- ence librarian. It will not do to make the mistake of thinking that an intelli- gent person needs no assistance in or- der that he may successfully wrestle with card catalog, indexes and bibli- ‘ographies. People of far greater intel- lectual ability than the librarian may not, generally do not, know how to use the librarian’s tools. And even if the public do know the use of these things, they are not likely when left to themselves, to take the short and roy- al road to knowledge. It is one of the hardest problems which confronts us—the problem of deciding when to offer assistance—of striking the hap- Py mean between the attitude of the oughly familiar with the tools of her trade. It is also necessary to form the newspaper habit. A librarian who does not read the daily papers loses many opportunities of usefulness. It is especially desirable to read the lo- cal papers, and in every possible way to gain a thorough knowledge of your town. I fear that the model librarian often held up for our admiration, who knows all the ministers, teachers, editors, political bosses, members of the school board, labor leaders, offi- cers of the woman's club, and of all other clubs and classes, religious and secular, is a myth. A woman in the ordinary small library who should at- tempt to add all this outside work of keeping in touch with everybody and everything to her required eight hours or more in the library, would certainly have very few hours left for LIBRARY JOURNALJUNE 15, 1991 Ais Pe 8 cating and sleeping, and though she might cut down her allowance of food and rest for a time with impunity, she would soon do what the old horse did just as he was nicely trained to live on a straw a day—"‘up and die!” Nevertheless, a great deal can be done if you will only read the papers and thus keep in touch with what is going on. Is there a smallpox epidem- ic, necessitating the erection of an ‘lation hospital? Send the chairman of the committee on construction that recent book you bought on “Epider ics and isolation hospitals.”” It wi never occur to him to come and ask whether you have any such book in the library. Is the town considering a new method of sewage disposal? See that those who are to determine what system shall be adopted know the re- souirces of the library on the subject. Is a noted man about to lecture in town? Put up a portrait bulletin with a list of all his books that are in the library, and if possible a few refer- ences to the man himself . . Given the qualities of approact ableness, omniscience, tact, pa- tience, persistence, accuracy, knowl- edge of one’s tools, knowledge of one’s town, and familiarity with cur- rent events, yet all is not said. Last, but by no means least, the reference librarian should possess a sense of humor. It will lengthen her days, as well as add materially to the comfort of the public. It is better to be able to smile than to be irritated at the fool- ishness of a teacher when she sends a boy presumably aged ten to you for material for a composition on ‘The duties of parents,”” or “The nature and choice of a procession.”” (The boy evidently varied that last subject slightly.) The child who asks you for the “Anthropology of poetry der that she may look up a piece to speak, and that other who demands “The laws of New Britain against trees" when he wishes to look up lo- cal ordinances bearing upon tree pro- tection, will add to your joy in life, and enable you to be more polite 10 the next bore who victimizes you. Secondly, as to methods and ma- terials of work. The reference books prop2r should be as compactly ar- ranged as possible. Extra copies of books circulated, but also necessary in reference work, should be provid- ed for the reference room. My own experience indicates that one can do better work with a few well-selectedbooks under one’s hand, than with a greater number scattered over a con- siderable area. When books needed are located in different rooms, per- haps widely separated, so that the intervention of runners is necessary, is harder to do satisfactory work, than where immediate personal in: spection of the books is possi ble... ‘A complete bibliography of a subject is generally less useful than a well-selected and annotated list. The thing that we usually want to know is What are the few best books and art cles on a given subject, and the com- plete, unannotated bibliography has usually been of greater use to the compiler than itis ever likely to be to any one else. And no bibliography can ever take the place, in public li- brary work, of the librarian who knows her books. ‘The usefulness of magazines as substitutes for and supplements to books, their superiority to books in scientific work, because the scientific BRARY J oOURNAL CL book is out of date before it can be put upon the market, their value in getting up debates, etc., is, I think, generally understood. I wonder whether the desirability of indexing certain articles in them as soon as the magazines are received, is equally well understood? cis natural to go on from this to speak of the importance of keeping notes of the lairs of facts once pain- fully run to earth. The few minutes spent in making a permanent note for your card index of the sources of in- formation which it has been difficult for you to find is never wasted. What fone man wanted to know to-day, someone else is pretty sure to want to know a few months hence. The importance of working through the newspapers also needs to be emphasized. If the editors are friendly, it is possible to print lists of books and interesting paragraphs about the library which will lure many a citizen to the reference room. OLITICS ARE indeed en- Mering the library profes- fied with having used the position of the State Library as a political football for several years, is now introducing a bill which would abolish the office of State Librari- an and tur the State Library over to the University of Michigan. ‘Ohio is again having its trou- bles. ‘ing are from a letter which is being circulated around the State: ““We, as Demo- crats and interested in the success of the Democratic party, are tak: ing the liberty of addressing you upon a subject which is close to ‘our hearts, namely, on behalf of Honorable D.C. Throckmorton, member of the Democratic State Central Committes .... We be- lieve that he should be in a mea- sure at least, recognized for a life time of service to the Democratic Can’t Official Action Be Taken? _ of the Democratic State Central pare and send to us a written en- dorsement on behalf of Judge ‘Throckmorton, asking Honorable Martin L. Davey to appoint him as State Librarian... .” Staunch li- brarians, throughout the state, are working hard through Citizen's Committees and other organiza- tions and the State Library Trust- ‘ees seem to be in favor of keeping polities out of this position, but ‘what the new governor will do re- mains to be seen. South Dakota has only this ‘month removed Miss Leora J. Lewis, Director of the State Li- brary Commission, for purely po- litical reasons, after an exceptional service of 16 years and a national reputation for accomplishment. Isn't there some way that Amer- ican librarians, 12,000 stong, through their organization, can party, and knowing of his out- take official action regarding these ability and character we _ situations? are asking each and every member Editorial, January 1, 1935 ae ‘cite ioreeenmetmies te: As Shes Thirdly, the public. The public may be divided into three classes: (1) The select few who know just What they want, state their want with clearness and expect you to meet it, It isa joy to work for them, 2.) The people who expect nothing of You, apologize for disturbing you, and break out into a fever of gratitude over the slightest assistance. These are amusing. G.) The people who expect you to do all their work for them. These are irri- tating. they are all good fellows in the main, with more virtues than I can take time to point out. Let me rather dilate upon a few of their fil- ings—express a few wishes of the ref- ‘erence librarian concerning certain of them. The librarian wishes That they would learn to know what they want, So many people are like the woman who wanted to study up the settlement of Ireland for her club, but didn’t know whether she wanted books on the earliest or the Danish or the Cromwellian coloniza- tion; or like the woman who went into’a Chicago library and said that she wanted a book which would tell her how to be a virtuoso! The librari- an tried to ascertain alittle more defi- nitely what was wanted, and was an- swered as follows: “Oh, I don’t know. I heard a virtuoso was a good thing to be, and I just thought I'd like to be one. Haven't you a book that will tell me how?” That they would conquer their re- luctance to ‘ell you what they want, when they happen to know. 1 have never yet been able to understand the secretiveness of the average individu- al when he confronts a reference li- brarian! He could not be more reticent about his debts or his love affairs than heis about the fact he wishes to ascer- tain. One would almost think that he considered it indecent to state baldly what he wanted. He will ask you for a United States history, and shake his head over all that you offer, until he finally decides as a forlorn’ hope to reveal to you his exact want, and tells you that what he is after is something aboutthe battle of Gettysburg. Where- uupon you produce the book desired. That they would not tell you that they know where certain information is to be found when they don’t. That makes you lose time. One soon learns, however, that when a manLt says he wants an article on Hawaii which appeared in Harper’ for 1893, it is much more likely to be found in Scribner's for 1889 (or somewhere else), and that it saves time to look first in Poole. That they would cultivate a will- ingness to use their own brains, in- stead of requiring that their mental food be predigested . . .. Mr. Doo- ley’ idea of reading is the idea a good ‘many people have about studying up a subjectinalibrary. They don’t want to think when they're doing it orit’s ‘no fun.” They will indulge in “a kind iv near thought,” but if there is any real thinking to be done, they prefer that the librarian should do it. Now while we are glad to furnish the man with tools wherewith to build his house, he really has no right to expect us to build the house for him... . The reference librarian is fre- quently and sadly struck by the num- ber of people who refuse to attack a subject for themselves, but are very eager to know what others have thought and said about it. Often the very teachers, whether through lack of time or of training I will not at- tempt to decide, are unwilling to deal with the simplest sort of original ma- terial, from which they may select and boil down what they want, but insist upon a book which will give them the information in the exact form in which they intend to present itto their pupils. And their pupils too often prepare for composition or de- bate by copying what they half under- stand from encyclopedias and maga- zine articles, instead of thinking of themselves along the lines suggested, This induces mental indolence, and, to quote Mr. Dooley once more, the state of the man who “so doped him- self with books that he'd stumble ‘over @ carpet-tack!”” Of course the schools should not put a premium upon this sort of thing. But neither should the reference librarian. That people would treat books properly. The librarian who quails not before the man who wants to know ‘what proportion of the fresh water of the globe pours over Niagara Falls yearly, or what was the old English form of the freedom of the city, or ‘what determines the rate of wages, or what are the recent changes in the customs of the English court as to ostrich plumes . .. will yet shrink from suggesting ever so politely to a woman who is ruining the “Century BRARY J OURNAL CL The True Test of Reference Work HERE WAS A teacher in our town who sent in the fol- lowinglistof questions witha request that we should within twen- ty-four hours get out all the books and articles in the library bearing upon every one of them, as she ‘would like the classtolookoverthe material in order to decide upon which subjects they would preferto write. This is the list: 1. Is the Cuban capable of self government? 2. The bearing of the Monroe doc- ‘rine upon the questions of the day. 3, The influence of art on character. 4 International arbitration asa preventative of war. 5. Journalism as a profession. 6. The influence of music upon community. 7. What the musical world owes to ‘modern campaigning. 11, The effect of present methods of campaigning. 12, Are the present political meth- ods justifiable? 13, Warships of the twentieth centu- ty. 14, Problems confronting Greater ‘New York. 15, Our next really great electrical invention, This was too much. The worm (otherwise reference librarian) turned and told the teacher that if she would decide which subjects the class were to write upon, the material should be speedily forth- ‘coming, but that it would be impos- sible to hunt upall the references on those fifteen subjects. It was rather puzzling anyway to know just what material one could offer on ‘Our next really great electrical inven- tion’” before it was invented, dictionary,” that she should handle it alittle more carefully. The boldness of alionis meededtodo thisat all, and the craftiness of Machiavelli is needed to do it without offence. Lastly, the reference librarian wishes humbly, knowing that she is wishing for the impossible, thar the people wouldn't all come at once. It LIBRARY JOURNALJUNE 15, 1991 ASSICS the man who wants everything that the library contains upon landscape ‘gardening, and the woman who wants references for a club paper on “The causes of pauperism,”” would only de- lay their coming until you have gotten ‘out the books on “Government con- trol of railroads” for the Y.M.C.A. debate, and a few references on “What the 19th century has done for women’” for the High School girls, uninterrupted except for a call to the desk now and then to translate an Ital- ian word, ortell thecost ofa eatin the New York Stock Exchange, or sug- est some new and pleasing entertain- ment for the Methodist Church, or help your new assistant by telling her what the boy wants who is calling for ““Eugene’s book of western verse,” the woman who is demanding ‘Various fairs” [Vanity Fair], or the man who is clamoring for “Dewent’s ‘origin of insects" [Darwin's origin of species}, or the novel ‘Ben she.” But no, it always pours inquirers when it rains atall, and the reference librarian ‘who cannot, outwardly serene as a matter of course, and inwardly serene iff possible, attend to at least six things simultaneously, might better leave the profession. Before closing I want to make a brief plea for reasonably short hours of work, “There was a young student of Tyre, Who said, * *Tis my constant desi ‘To work night and day, For it bores me to play’"— Now was he a prig or a liar?"* 1 think that he was both—and something of a fool into the bargain. ‘There is a limit to all human endur- ance. The more exacting ones work is, the briefer should be the period of labor. The reference librarian cannot main‘ain the required mental keen- hess, concentration and agility of mind, and serenity of temper de- manded by the work, for many hours at a stretch, have held up my ideal for the librarian, and my ideal for the public. We fall far short of our own ideals, and. the public for whom we sogladly work fall fer short of our ideals for them, “I'm not denyin’ the women are fool- ish,” said Mrs, Poyser, “God Al- mighty made ’em to match the men.”” “T'm not denyin’ the reference librarians are faulty," we may say, “God Almighty made ‘em to match the public!” 7