CAN THE AMERICAN LIBRARY SYSTEM BE ADAPTED TO CHINA？

means unite．Add the symbol for mouth to it，and it means bite．If the symbol for woman is added to it，we have the word handsome．By adding the symbol for dog to it，we have formed the symbol for crafty，and so on．Through an innumerable list，in which we find that all the words have the beginning symbol for unite，but in each case it is not the key．No word can be found in the Emperor Kang Hsi dictionary under the symbol for unite，but only under its component parts．No cross references whatever occur．This is one of the defects of the dictionary plan．In forming a modern catalog in a Chinese library，there must be cross references．They are not only necessary，but essential．

    In cataloging the names of Chinese authors we might use the“One hundred surnames”as a guide．It is commonly used in China．Every boy at ten begins with this book and learns it so thoroughly that he can recite it from memory．The names could be filed according to the order in which they came，but there would arise the objection that the adult searcher would be compelled to drill his memory so as to remember every name on record，something that very few people are capable of doing．Further confusion would be bound to arise，should the subjects and title cards be filed together with the main author cards．The third objection to its adoption in the library is that it is inadequate because there are many new names that have not been entered into the“One hundred surnames”．

    Moreover，the average Chinese writer does not stick to real names．The more he writes，the more numerous are his pseudonyms．The difficulty could be overcome，of course，provided there were aids to assist in finding these names．To be sure we have biographical dictionaries，but that are so inadequate and crude that they could serve no purpose．To make the Chinese library efficient，there is need for some such help as the“Dictionary of pseudonyms”，“Lippincott's universal biography”or“Century dictionary of proper names”in Chinese．

    I have shown that the Chinese library system is unable to meet present-day needs，but that does not assume that we should give up our old system entirely and adopt a new one．If we proceed thus，we shall create an immense amount of opposition．The failure of our reformers，who，while introducing new ideas，new theories，new systems，overlooked the fact that much of our system should be preserved，may serve as a warning to every Chinese librarian，The good points of our system should be utilized，harmonizing with the American ideas．There is no one perfect plan for a whole universe．One system，though ideal in one place，may be found of no use in another．The nearest to an ideal system is what which suits the conditions best and serves the people most efficiently．

    ADOPTION OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY SYSTEM

    Can the American library system be introduced in my country？The answer is yes，but with many modifications．Even in this country，there is no absolutely uniform system in the libraries．each locality has its own special needs．The library of the old plan cannot be the people's university．The card catalog must be introduced．An inadequate arrangement by class should give place to a simple and up-to-date decimal classification．After studying various systems，I consider the“Dewey Decimal Classification”the best for our use because of its simplicity and comprehensiveness，and especially since the Chinese students have learned Arabic figures in solving mathematical problems．The“A．L．A subject headings”will be of immeasurable assistance to our libraries，as an aid in unifying terms．It has been my cherished desire to translate both Deweyis classification and the“A．L．A．subject headings”into my native tongue．The cataloging system should be simple and usable，so that the ordinary person may find the same help as the intelligent student．To solve this great problem，we need a Chinese Dewey，and to remedy the inconvenience of the indexing and the cataloging，we need a Dr．Poole and a Cutter．

    Should Chinese books be used in the library for circulation，better bindings would have to be used and the paper necessarily would have to be of a better quality．Soft paper covers would then give place to strong cloth ones．Fortunately some of the publishing firms have their books published and bound in semi-foreign style，but even these would not be of much service to the library．The Chinese and Japanese books are very thin，so they cannot stand on shelves，so do the European books，instead they must be laid flat，one on top of the other．It will be a duty of the Chinese librarians to demand that library bindings be used，and that different parts of the book be bound in one volume instead of in the usual pamphlet form．This question of binding and serviceability has been a strong objection to the circulation of books in China．After one or two circulations，the books would return as waste paper．

    TRAVELING LIBRARIES

    A magnificent marble library building with a large collection of books is indeed a pride to a community and an honor to a nation，but it is not a necessity in China at present．Aside from the question of cost，it would hinder the movement，because of the people's ignorant awe of grandeur and imposing appearances．Of most importance is an efficient staff to carry the great cause forward．Instead of waiting for the readers to come to the library，traveling libraries should be established in the different localities．They can be worked out on an extensive scale，but at a relatively small cost．

    BOONE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

    In order to give my readers an example of this plan，I call to their attention Boone University Library in Wuchang，China．This library was established through Miss M．E．Wood by the gifts of American friends．It has two departments，with a collection of about 6000 volumes in the English department and 9000 in the Chinese department．The former is largely made up of theological and literary books；the latter，of classics and histories．Though the collection is too small to meet all the needs of that city，the books have been well selected．At first the people did not come with the purpose to read，but from sheer curiosity．Even the students of the university were reluctant to believe in its usefulness．Many a time the librarians were greatly discouraged，and the heads of the university doubted whether the library could continue．Gradually but steadily the students began to appreciate it and to draw out books．The work with the people in the outlying districts has also been encouraging．In 1914 only three traveling libraries had been placed in government schools，where books could be taken out for home use，but the number had grown into ten such stations，as the last year's report shows．This is a bait．More people will be drawn into the library when the privilege is understood and the reading habit is formed．

    The university extension lectures on various topics such as“How disease is carried”，“Prevention of blindness”，“International law and neutrality”，etc．，held in the library auditorium，have done much in advancing the library movement．The average attendance of these meetings is between four and five hundred．Both before and after the lecture，the students serve as ushers to conduct the audience in separate groups through the library to view the arrangement and classification of books on the shelves，and to explain the purpose of the library．Most important is the influence that is exerted——the seed sown in the minds of these students，who will be the leaders of Chinese thought in the reconstruction period that is before us．Possibly no other agency is so capable of carrying to remote parts of the country the idea of the library as a factor of public education and progress．An institution such as Boone University Library，with a collection of well selected books and up-to-date American system would，with the willingness of its officials to serve，prove my people's university．

    At the traveling library branches，with workable collections，Boone Library will have an important role to play in introducing the American library system．Considering the progress and development already made，I am full of hope that traveling libraries，in charge of trained assistants，may be established in the treaty-ports along the Yang Tze valley，an extent of one thousand miles．Another step will be to work with the so-called club and subscription libraries，which will gradually develop into larger ones．Then will follow the organization of provincial libraries．

    The exhibits of American library methods at the Panama Exposition turned over to the Chinese Y．M．C．A．at Shanghai，will be of immeasurable help in the future of our libraries．I learned recently that Prof．Robertson of the lecture department will use them to conduct a campaign in the library movement throughout the country．

    Some time ago Andrew Carnegie formed a committee with Dr．Eliot at its head，to investigate the advisability of establishing a library on the American plan in the capital of China，but unfortunately this noble idea was laid aside，if not indefinitely postponed．Has the investigation of the liberal educator proved satisfactory，the nation would have applauded him with a lifelong fidelity．

    The present government is beginning to recognize the importance of the library as an educational factor and has conferred upon the writer this present scholarship as a student in the Library School of the New York Public Library．One more student will be sent next year to continue the study of such administration．

    I have tried to show that the Chinese library is still in the mediaeval period；how the American system can be advantageously adopted and how Boone can be a model of the American library in China．It is in this cause I appeal to you，the citizens of land of libraries；to you，librarians and lovers of humanity．The eternal gratitude of a nation stands awaiting to be won！

    To my people I give forth a vision I have had；the vision of a new China here education shall be free to all；where the best books shall be available to all；where the history，art and science of our civilization and the civilization of the West shall be gathered into libraries and museums，and form a background for the new civilization toward which we have set our faces and our hearts．

    （见1916年《The Library Journal》第41卷第6期）