_9._ Name twenty works which you consider essential to the success of a quick-reference section. _10._ Outline the duties of an assistant in a (_a_) children’s library (_b_) lending library (_c_) information desk. _11._ Give a list of ten newspapers and six general, six trade, six political, and six ladies’ periodicals you would recommend for a general reading room. State what you consider to be the best means of displaying them, and outline fully the instructions you would give with regard to filing the periodicals you select. _12._ Discuss the value of statistics in estimating the work done by a public library. COURSE 8: HISTORY OF LIBRARIES. There are not wanting those who claim as the first and greatest of all libraries that vast and glorious “stone book of nature.” It was by observing the ability of hard substances to leave their impress on those of a softer nature--the means by which this great stone-book was written--that man acquired the art of writing, of recording his opinions and the various incidents of his life and the lives of those around him. In the earliest stages of his progress in this art this was done on the walls of his rough habitations, but later man adopted a more permanent and convenient form on bark, leaves, skin, tablets of clay and like substances. It was for the preservation of these that “houses of the records” came to be established throughout the countries of the ancient peoples, sometimes as parts of their temples and sometimes as distinct buildings, and it is from these that our modern libraries have evolved. As a study, the history of libraries only appeals to a small portion of the library profession, therefore, I am not giving special reading lists, but simply a brief outline of the requirements necessary, a select bibliography of the more important works, and the questions one would expect a student to be able to answer should he present himself for examination. For a general idea of primitive libraries Edward Clodd’s “Story of the alphabet” _Library of Useful Stories_, Richardson’s “Beginnings of libraries,” _1914_, and Rawlings’ “Story of books,” _1912_ should be read as an introduction to the subject. REQUIREMENTS. Origin, varieties and history of libraries in general. The ancient libraries of Assyria, Babylonia, Chaldea, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome. Mediæval libraries and their modern successors--Monastic, Royal and University libraries. Private libraries should also be known, and students must become familiar with the lives of eminent book-collectors from the earliest times to the present day. Such names as the following should be noted: Benedict; Richard de Bury; Nicholas V.; the Medici Family; Jean Grolier; Sir Thomas Bodley; Gabriel Naudé; Jules Mazarin; Robert Harley; Sir Hans Sloane; J. A. Zaluski; Duke of Roxburghe; Lord Spencer; Lord Crawford; P. Morgan; H. E. Widener. The principal British libraries are:--