Loading your reading…

On the supply of printed books from the library to the reading room of the British MuseumPanizzi, Anthony, Sir

History

On the supply of printed books from the library to the reading room of the British Museum

Name: On the supply of printed books from the library to the reading room of the British Museum
Author: Panizzi, Anthony, Sir

Panizzi, Anthony, Sir

British Museum; Libraries -- Great Britain

By the new system, a
  person will be obliged to look in the Catalogue in order to put down
  the reference; he will therefore ascertain whether we have the book
  or not, and not give us useless trouble, and to the injury of other
  readers. Having given that reference, if it be wrong, it may be
  wrong because it is incorrectly put, and then we must answer for it;
  but if it be the fault of the reader, although I could find the
  book, I would, on principle, return the ticket, because all the
  other readers are inconvenienced by the carelessness of this one,
  and the returning the ticket would be the best mode of ensuring
  attention. By this means we shall save much time, and remove much of
  the inconvenience now complained of by the readers."

It was found, however, that some readers, who neglected to comply with
these rules, hindered the ready supply of books to those who did comply
with them; and when, in 1837, I succeeded Mr. Baber as Keeper of the
Printed Books Department, I thought of suggesting printed tickets or
formulæ, according to which books were to be asked for by merely filling
them up. The following is an exact specimen of these tickets:

  -----------+-----------------------------------+-----+--------+------
  Press Mark.|     Title of the Work wanted.     |Size.| Place. | Date.
  -----------+-----------------------------------+-----+--------+------
             |                                   |     |        |
             |                                   |     |        |
             |                                   |     |        |
             |                                   |     |        |
             |                                   |     |        |
             |                                   |     |        |
             |                                   |     |        |
             |                                   |     |        |
  -----------+-----------------------------------+-----+--------+------

  (Date)                       ___________________________ (Signature).

  Please to restore each volume of the Catalogue to its place, as soon
                               as done with.

On the reverse it is as follows:

              READERS ARE _PARTICULARLY_ REQUESTED

  1. Not to ask for more than _one work_ on the same ticket.

  2. To transcribe _literally_ from the Catalogues the title of the
  Work wanted.

  3. To write in a plain clear hand, in order to avoid delay and
  mistakes.

  4. Before leaving the Room, to return the books to an attendant, and
  to obtain the corresponding ticket, the READER BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR
  THE BOOKS SO LONG AS THE TICKET REMAINS UNCANCELLED.

  N.B. Readers are, under no circumstances, to take any Book or MS.
  out of the Reading Rooms.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

On the supply of printed books from the library to the reading room of the British Museum

No reviews yet