PENCILS for public use should be the ordinary cedar ones at about 5s. a gross. For note-book copying purposes a Rowney “H” pencil, retailing at twopence, will be found of great value, as it does not “set off” like the ordinary “H-B.” A hard pencil lasts much longer than a soft one, it does not require pointing so often, and the fact just mentioned, that writing done by its means does not blur or “set off” is an advantage not to be despised. Red and blue crayon pencils should be kept for checking purposes. Ordinary pen-holders and hard and soft pen-points are occasionally stocked in public libraries, as well as pencils, to lend out to the readers. Where this is done a certain amount of loss will have to be faced, as pens and pencils both disappear in the most mysterious ways. It is, however, a very great convenience to provide pens, especially in reference libraries fitted with special reading-tables provided with sunk ink-wells. Blotting paper, foolscap paper ruled faint, scribbling pads, and common white paper in sheets about 15 inches × 9 inches for mounting slips, should be provided among the writing materials of a library. =324. Library Stationery Cabinet.=--It is needless to set out in more detail the various desk accessories and miscellaneous stationery required in a library, and an enumeration of the minimum contents of a stationery cabinet, which ought to be had for every library will suffice. A cabinet of this sort could be made up in various sizes and prices, like medicine chests, and would be found much more useful than the random method of buying articles at present in vogue. STATIONERY CABINET Paper clips. Stationery case. For holding a supply of envelopes, note-paper, etc. (large sizes). Numbering machine (five figures). Rubber dating stamps, with loose type and with band-changing apparatus. Rubber printing outfit. Nest of drawers, twelve in cabinet. Cash-box. Paper fasteners, corner clips, wire clips and brass clips. Red tape, several spools (for documents only). Pins. Hand-rest for writing. Tape measure or good two-foot rule. Waste-paper basket. Dispatch basket (wicker), for holding documents. Letter scales, weighing to eight pounds. Scissors. Paste in bottles. Rubber bands, assorted. Rubber erasers. Call bells, for public or office use. Gummed labels, assorted sizes. Sealing wax. Twine of various thicknesses. Ruled quadrille or squared paper (for planning). Tracing paper or linen. Case of mathematical instruments. Paper knives. Bone folders. Leather book-carrying straps. Reading and magnifying glasses. Key rings and labels. Writing pads or tablets. Manuscript books of various sizes, 8vo, 4to, folio, for odd record purposes. etc. etc.