IMPRESSIONS OF THE LEIPZIG EXPOSITION By Theodore W. Koch, Librarian, University of Michigan. Leipzig originally owed its prominence to the fairs which made it commercially one of the most important places in Europe. As the oldest and most prominent booktrade city, it was selected as the site for the first International Exposition of the Book Industry and Graphic Arts. The unity and esprit with which all those interested in the book trade worked together proved the wisdom of having selected Leipzig as the place for holding such an exposition. The unexpectedly large participation on the part of foreign governments substantiated this opinion in favor of Leipzig. Without the cooperation of men of science, the help of the German and foreign governments, and the city of Leipzig, the Exposition could not have been brought about. To make it both pleasing to the eye, as well as instructive and inspiring, were the first requisites. Alongside the group of industrial exhibits are historical and technical groups in which the development of special branches and the technical development of each process can be studied by means of models and machines in operation. The Exposition is naturally cultural in nature. The promoters aim to have it give a clear picture of the international culture based on the art of writing and printing, a view of the book trade as a carrier and purveyor of the cultural ideas of mankind. The Exposition tries to show that writing and printing not only preserve, carry into the world, and distribute these ideas, but that they are closely connected with science, art and literature, with the culture and civilization of the whole human race. What does the average man know about how a book is made and put on the market? What does the layman know of the economic importance of the book trade and its geographical and commercial connections? What does the man on the street know about printing or prints? How many can tell a lithograph from a zinc cut, or distinguish a copperplate from a wood engraving? To give information on subjects of this kind, to portray some of the perti- nent facts graphically, and to inform the public as to the history and present status of the book industry are the objects of the International Exposition of the Book Industry and Graphic Arts. There is much for the general visitor as well as for the specialist, be his line paper, printing, bookbinding, publishing, the selling of books, some phase of the graphic arts, or librarianship. The Exposition is officially divided into the following groups: i. Free graphic art. 2. Applied graphic art and the book arts. 3. Instruction (organization of educational institutes and schools for the book industry, photography and the graphic arts). 4. Paper manufacture. 5. Stationery and writing materials. 6. Manufacture of colors. 7. Photography. 8. The technique of reproduction. 9. Lettercutting, typecasting and allied industries, stereotyping and electrotyping. 10. Printing processes. 11. Bookbinding. 12. Publishing, retail and commission book trade. 13. Newspaper and intelligence department, methods of advertising and canvassing. 14. Libraries, bibliography, bibliophilism and book collecting. 15. Machinery, apparatus, materials and implements for the entire printing industry. 16. Measures for the protection and benefit of artisans in these industries. The abovementioned groups are further subdivided into some 63 classes. Each group is arranged along historical and educational lines, so that the layman or casual visitor is given both instruction and inspiration. The development and present status of each branch of the book industry are here so presented and the technical process is brought out in such a manner that they can be generally understood. An ethnographical section is devoted to the productions of primitive peoples. Workshops in action, models and apparatus for demonstration as well as cinematographic machines awaken the interest of specialists as well as of the public in general. The whole Exposition was planned not as a dead col- lection of objects but as a living organism, and information is conveyed through innu- merable channels. The utile is mixed with the dulce on every hand. Even the unavoidable sideshows are brought under the influence of the "black art." The program of the moving picture theatre on the grounds has interspersed with the ordinary scenes such instructive numbers as "How a newspaper is published," "The publication of a book in England," "The progress of a book from publisher to purchaser," "The binding of a book," "The making of a halftone," and "Color work." The amount of time and thought that must have entered into the preparation of the Exposition as a whole can be conjectured by studying such special exhibits carefully and multiplying the work indefinitely. The Exposition is popularly referred to as the "Bugra," a word made up of the first letters of "Buch" and "Graphik," the two subjects of prime interest in the Exposition. The best way to see the Exposition is to get a general idea of the layout of the grounds, to take a general tour of inspection at the outset. The ground which it occupies is a plot of 4oo,ooo square metres (nearly 1oo acres) a part of the site of the Battle of Leipzig (Oct. 1619, 1813), in memory of which there was recently dedicated the huge Battle Memorial which one sees from the Exposition grounds. The Street of October 18th, leading to the Memorial, traverses these grounds, and at right angles run the Street of Industries and the Street of Nations. The interest taken in the Exposition by foreign nations is shown in the appropriations made by various governments for their national representation. France voted a half million francs for the erection of its own building, Italy 2oo,ooo lire, Austria 2oo,ooo kroner, Russia the equivalent of about $65,ooo, and Switzerland $10,000. Much thought has been spent upon the laying out of the grounds. The Street of October 18th is a splendid piece of landscape work, with avenues of spruce and bay trees, sunken gardens and fountains, and pansy beds containing myriads of blooms faultlessly matched. Hedges seem to be made overnight, and one is amazed at the size of the trees that are planted in the ground and thrive afterwards. As one enters the grounds by the most used gate, he finds himself in the Street of Nations. The international character of the Exposition becomes at once apparent. The first building on the right is that of Russia, with its unmistakable Muscovite architecture. Opposite is the solid looking Austrian pavilion, with its row of yellow and black flag poles and the striking but not altogether pleasant scheme of interior decoration, which most of us would think too garish as a background for rare books or specimens of modern graphic art. The British pavilion is one to which the American will turn as to an outpost of his own civilization. It is designed in the style of the Tudor period, the golden age of English literature, and many structural details have been accurately reproduced from existing Tudor buildings. While made largely of staff, there is a suggestion of solidity about the building that is quite British, and its interior is arranged in a manner that recalls the old college libraries of Oxford and Cambridge. The British exhibit installed by the Board of Trade is a most creditable one. It is under the charge of a special Commissioner, who is appointed by the Exhibition Branch of the Board of Trade. This branch, which has been in existence for six years, had charge of British exhibitions at Brussels, Rome, Turin and Ghent. The British exhibit consists largely of printed books grouped by publishers, examples of printing, binding and illustrations, and a number of loan collections illustrating various branches of English literature and book production. The majority of the big publishing houses of Great Britain have contributed collections of their publications. The American visitor is pleased to note the exhibition of G. P. Putnam's Sons. The loan exhibits are chiefly of an historical character, the most important of which is a collection of Shakespeariana. This collection illustrates the history of the printed editions of Shakespeare's works from their first appearance during the lifetime of the poet down to the present day, the period covered being about three hundred and twenty five years. There are reproductions of the early quartos, the first four folios, and, of course, the chief critical editions from that of Nicholas Rowe published in 1709, to those of our own time. While there has been no attempt to show the variety of languages into which the works have been translated, there are included a number of plays translated into various Asiatic tongues, like Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil and Urdu, all of which are loaned by the Indian office. As curiosities, there are included Braille editions of King Henry V and of the Sonnets.* (*The collection of miscellaneous books printed in Braille, now produced commercially by machinery, will attract the visitor's sympathetic interest. In the Austrian building can be seen specimens of the old German method of printing for the blind. There is a brief chapter on the general subject in the catalog of the section devoted to "The Child and the school,") The photographs of documents and of scenes connected with the life of the Bard of Avon round out the collection and furnish an admirable setting for the books. The provisional edition of the catalog, which sells for a shilling, gives promise of a final edition worthy of a place on many library shelves. Among the preliminary pages are brief papers on the "History of British publishing," by John Murray; "Printing," by Emery Walker; "History of papermaking for printing and stationery," by R. W. Sindall; and "Wood engraving and process engraving," by Robert Steele. There are interesting notes on the exhibits of books of travel and discovery, maps, illustrated and juvenile books, specimens of types, book bindings and graphic arts. The French pavilion is a structure typifying the best Gallic traditions, and the exhibit it houses includes many interesting things sent on by the best publishers and by well known printing establishments. The Italian pavilion needs no label to declare its nationality. It is a reproduction of a Florentine palace, and its exterior is covered with frescoes and stenciled designs which attract the eye of the most casual saunterer. The anteroom is fitted up with furniture and bookcases accurately reproduced from an old Italian monastery. Japan's contribution to the Street of Nations is a miniature woodengraving es- tablishment, where one can see artists from the Land of the Rising Sun carving and inking the wood blocks and pulling the prints. In addition to the above independent pavilions, there is the Hall of Foreign Nations, where are installed the exhibits from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain. It is to be regretted that even in this joint exhibition hall there is nothing from the United States. One is tempted to ask whether this non- participation is due to "the selfsufficiency of Americans" or to a lack of national interest in the subjects of the Exposition. The International Exhibit of Graphic Art, which takes up the major part of the "Halle der Kultur," is arranged by countries, and here one finds interesting supplements to the exhibits in the national pavilions. The inscription at the entrance to this section is striking: "Three thousand years of graphic art in the service of science." Even a hasty survey must impress the visitor with the wealth of the collection. There is something here for every lover of prints, no matter what be his favorite school, artist or medium. The librarian's eye will, of course, detect and linger over Felix Schwormstadt's picture of the dedication of the Konigliche Bibliothek, Berlin. The Hall of the Book Industry is the largest building on the grounds. It consists of two parallel wings, with a connecting corridor. In the eastern wing are the publishers' and booksellers' exhibits, grouped around three open spaces devoted to Berlin, Leipzig and Stuttgart, the three chief publishing centers of Germany. Then comes the section devoted to libraries, first the German libraries and then the A. L. A. section. The space beyond is taken up with illustrated journals, so that on the other side of the A. L. A. party wall we have as neighbors Fliegende Blaettcr and Lustigc Blaettcr, the latter with a moving cartoon show. If visitors approach the A. L. A. exhibit from this side of the hall they are sure to be in a good humor, though they may find us overserious by contrast. The parallel wing contains exhibits relating to printing, book binding, photography and color work. In the connecting pavilions are a series of lithographs, arranged historically, and exhibits from the private libraries of Frau Schoelle and of Emperor William. Here, too, are the musical exhibits, with halls in which free concerts are given on the newest instruments of the automatic type. The exhibit of the Borsenverein should be of interest to many outside the ranks of booksellers. There are collections of books on the booksellers' trade, specimens of early German book catalogs, and portraits of early printers of different nationalities, among whom Franklin is represented by an engraving after Houdin's bust. The development of printing is portrayed graphically by a selection of illuminated manuscripts, incunabula and a great many specimen leaves illustrating the development of the titlepage and the art of illustration. Early Italian and German woodcuts are shown in great profusion. There are some splendid old bindings and end papers. By way of curiosities, there are a few recent books showing passages blocked out by Russian censorship. In the "Haus der Frau" there is a special exhibit of woman's work as writer, librarian, bookbinder, bookseller, typist, journalist, teacher, artist, photographer, and in other callings which stand in close relation to the underlying idea of the Exposition. In this building there is a small exhibit installed by a committee of which the chairman is Miss Martha Schwenke, the daughter of Dr. Paul Schwenke, of the Konigliche Bibliothek, Berlin. While women have only recently entered the ranks of librarianship in Germany, statistics show that they are now quite numerous, more than 5oo being employed in 1o0 German libraries. Women with academic training are only in a few cases going into library work. For the lower grades of the service, examinations are provided in Prussia, Alsace Lorraine and Baden. The completion of the gymnasium course is a first requisite for this career, and this is followed by three years of special training which embraces practical as well as theoretical work. The passing of a state examination has not hitherto been required of all assistants, the attendance at the library school or practical training having frequently sufficed. It is expected that in the near future nonstate libraries will only engage assistants who have received a special library diploma. There is an asso- ciation of women library assistants with headquarters in Berlin, W., Genthinerstrasse 13. As the work of library assistants cannot very well be shown graphically to the public, the committee had to content itself with showing a picture oi the library school in session, specimens of library handwriting, catalogs of private libraries and of the musical library of a church, done by students, a bibliography of books relating to feminist literature of 1911, and a map showing the German libraries in which women are engaged in both public and scientific library work. In the Austrian building a special room devoted to library science contains some seventy views of libraries, specimens of forms and catalogs and a remarkable collection of bookplates. The Imperial Library of Vienna has sent a choice lot of books illustrating the history of printing in Austria (on which see ihe article by Dr. I. Himmelbaur in the Austrian catalog, pp. 121-137). A few minutes should be given to a visit to the "Wandervogel," the artistic home of a society of nature lovers, who have reproduced an old German country house and fitted it up with interesting furniture, handwoven fabrics and specimens of peasant ware of various kinds. There are, of course, books and other printed ware on exhibition and sale here as everywhere. The membership of this society includes a large number of young people of both sexes who, moved by the "Wanderlust," take long tramps, sometimes of several days' duration, and live the simple life. The colors of the house are what might be called in English slang "smashing," but may be thought clashing when seen in close proximity to the grays and drabs of cement and stucco. One would like to see the house reset after the Exposition has closed on the edge of a forest or in surroundings sympathetic with the aims of the people who built it. The old paper mill brought from Haynsburg and set up in the grounds is a novel feature of the exhibit of the paper industry. Besides operating the mill, the administration has reproduced old workshops where typecasting, printing and bookbinding are done along primitive lines by workmen dressed in the style of the fifteenth century. The librarian with seeing eyes will find throughout the Exposition many a suggestion for the better display of the books in his own library, possibly for the more artistic arrangement of some of his reading rooms. There are new ideas here in the line of exhibit cases for both books and pictures. The Germans have mastered the exhibition business and arc always on the lookout for something new and practical. The various uses made of lantern slides, arranged in a wall screen or in a sloping frame and illuminated by an electric lamp, are surprising and effective. A small bit of stained glass, a mere panel here or there, a copy of an old design in rich colors, set into a larger window, give a certain richness without seriously affecting the lighting of the room. While the exhibition halls close at 7 p.m., the grounds remain open throughout the evening, when special entertainment is provided for Leipzigers and other visitors, who turn out in crowds to hear the concerts and to enjoy the Quartier Latin, the separate "Student Ausstellung" and other attractions located outside the regular grounds. Every one is in gala mood, and under the influence of music and electric lights the entire place develops a new beauty. In a parklike setting of trees, winding paths and gardens filled with shrubs and gay flowers are restaurants, cafes and conditorei with varied forms of amusement. Several evenings a week a display of fireworks elicits the admiration and applause of the crowd. During the day the Ausstellung is an exposition of the German spirit of work, giving an idea of the tremendous capabilities of these people when in serious mood. The night scene is an exposition of the German spirit of play, forming a nice balance to the scheme as a whole. Indeed, the Exposition of the Book Industry and Graphic Arts would be incomplete without it. OPENING OF THE A. L. A. EXHIBIT Dr. F. P. Hill, Chairman, A. L. A. Leipzig Exhibit Committee. Sir: I have the honor to report that, pursuant to instructions and according to arrangements made by your Committee, I sailed for Germany on the HamburgAmerican liner Cincinnati, April 18, with thirtyeight cases in the hold destined for the International Exposition of Rook Industry and Graphic Arts. On arrival at Hamburg, April 29, these boxes were shipped by fast freight to Leipzig and reached the Exposition grounds May 3 and 4. The exhibit was planned to form a section of the division of libraries in the large hall devoted to the book industries. The space allotted to the A. L. A. is of generous size, running from east to west and measuring approximately 97 x 23 feet. To the south of the A. L. A. space is a booth occupied by the Prussian state libraries, under the charge of the Royal Library of Berlin. Another adjoining booth, installed by the Library of the University of Leipzig, contains a charging desk and shows the system in use at the University Library. Nearby are a model of the Leipzig University Library building and numerous pictures of various public and university libraries throughout Germany. Show cases contain some interesting books from these libraries, and there are special exhibits of the "Leipzig Workingmen's Library" and of the "indicator" in use at the public "Buecherhalle" of Hamburg. The A. L. A. space is divided north and south by three aisles,a center one, three metres wide, and two side ones, each two metres in width. This divides the center exhibition space into two side booths, 7 x 4z/i metres, and two center ones, 7x6 metres. The height of the walls dividing our space from that of our neighbors is about 2 23 metres, but several of these party walls are higher owing to the requirements of exhibitors. These walls are on an average about one metre higher than anticipated by the A. L. A. Committee, and, consequently, that much higher than the screens sent over from the United States. The latter, however, are very satisfactory for subdividing the space into smaller sections, though only a few of these screens have been put up as yet since the entire shipment of mounts has not been received up to date. At the request of Dr. Boysen, chairman of the committee on the library section, we agreed to omit one of the party walls, 6 metres wide, so as not to obstruct the view of the threestory Lipman stack put up at considerable expense by the manufacturers, Wolf, Netter & Jacobi of Berlin and Strassburg. The Lipman stack is of bracket construction and is the one used in the newbuilding of the Royal Library at Berlin. Visitors stop to look at the stack, which looms up rather high in the hall, and they incidentally see the A. L. A. exhibit. The shelves of this specimen stack are well filled with books from the University of Leipzig Library, and so indicate rather neatly to him who runs, the fact that he is running through the library section. In return for our waiving the right to a dividing wall, our neighbors allowed us the use of two stacks. one metre in length, one double faced (which shelves the majority of the children's books), and the other a wall case (which accommodates the miscellaneous publications sent over by various libraries). As the freight shipment reached the exhibition hall only 48 hours before the official opening of the Exposition, scheduled for Wednesday noon, May 6, no time was to be lost in making something of a showing. As soon as a few boxes were opened a temporary arrangement of material was made so as to show to the best advantage from the center aisle clown which was to pass the procession of inspectors headed by his Majesty King Frederick Augustus of Saxony, under whose patronage the International Exposition was to be held. The trials and tribulations of those first two days need not be recounted here. Confusion reigned throughout the grounds. Hundreds of teams were coming and going, shipments were being left at the wrong halls, boxes were being searched for wildly, and a babel of strange and excited voices was heard on all sides. We were fortunate in being able to keep our collective shipment together. There being no artificial light in the hall, we were forced to rent a big acetylene lamp the night before the opening so as to finish our installation in time. Exhibits that were not ready were to be curtained off, as the King had said at the Architectural Exhibition of last year that he did not care to come up to Leipzig simply to see a lot of packing boxes,and we had not come over from America to hide our light behind a curtain on the opening day. By pressing a number of laborers into service and getting a volunteer from the local public library, we made quite a brave showing by Wednesday noon. At a quarter to twelve your representative laid aside his threefold part of carpenter, decorator, and chairman of the hanging committee, and with the aid of a sprinkling can made a hasty toilet and under cover of some of the above mentioned screens, got into a dress suit. Dressing in a Pullman berth is the height of luxury and ease in comparison to preparing for a reception behind a lumber pile in an exhibition hall, where a crowd of people are excitedly and momentarily expecting the arrival of their king. At high noon your representative was standing in the center aisle, fairly properly attired, and there was a tension in the air indicating the approach of the King. There were subdued whispers of "Er kommt! Der Konig kommt!" Down the aisle came a squad of police to clear the way and keep the people back at a respectful distance. Your representative was requested to stand out beyond the line a bit so as to indicate his official position in case his dress failed in this respect. Dr. Volkmann, the president of the Exposition, preceded the King and explained the nature of the various exhibits. When the royal party arrived at the A. L. A. exhibit, Dr. Volkmann presented me to His Majesty and said that I could explain the American exhibit. The King inquired about the Library of Congress and the New York Public Library, pictures of which were in evidence on the walls, and asked whether we had the same library system in America as they have in Germany. The question was a little vague, but the answer, whatever it was, seemed to satisfy the questioner. No sooner had the procession passed than I became conscious of the fact that, in replying, I had not once made use of the phrase "His Majesty." One's esprit d'escalier always comes out on an occasion of this sort. I apologized to one of the officials for my democratic manner in talking with the King, and was assured that I need not be concerned about it, as the King was himself very democratic in his ideas. I was invited to the "Salamander" with which the special Student Exposition was officially opened that same afternoon. This was presided over by the King and was a gay and joyous outdoor affair. There were large delegations from student organizations all over Germany, and the bright, variegated uniforms, with the little caps and clanking swords, made a sharp contrast to anything ever seen on an American college campus. The drinking of toasts was a most formal matter. The singing was very spirited, even though many lagged behind time in a truly laughable manner. Apparently "Gaudeamus igitur" is sung more slowly in some parts of Germany than in others. At the evening reception a high official of the Exposition came to me and expressed the hope that I appreciated the honor of having been presented to the King. I assured him that I did. He then informed me that in arranging for this it was intended to honor America, and I was asked to notify my fellowcountrymen of the fact. Since the opening we have been busy with the rearrangement of the exhibit occasioned by the arrival of seven cases of Library Bureau furniture and a case of books for the Children's Room, and additional material from the Library of Congress. We are still awaiting a large number of photographs and mounts for use on the walls and screens. The exhibit from the Library of Congress occupies the western booth, and consists of eleven large framed pictures of the building, a collection of the Library's publications since 1897 and a 9otray catalog cabinet containing both the dictionary and systematic catalogs of the bibliographical collection in the Library of Congress. In the installation of this exhibit, as indeed in the work of the entire opening month, we were fortunate in having the assistance of Mr. Ernest Kletsch of the Library of Congress staff. On the wall is a large statistical chart showing the growth of libraries in the United States from 1875, 1885, 1896, 19o3 to 1913. In the center of this booth is a model of a typical small branch library building showing the arrangement of reading rooms and delivery desk to admit of easy supervision. This is mounted on a platform 3J/2 feet high, draped with a large American flag loaned by the American Consulate. The model has attracted a great deal of attention and is especially instructive, as there are in nearby spaces models of Assyrian, medieval and eighteenth century libraries, the new building for the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Florence, and also the reading room of the new Royal Library at Berlin, and the close proximity of these models affords the public an opportunity to contrast these different types of libraries. The Library of Congress exhibit has attracted a great deal of favorable attention. Many visitors were already familiar with one aspect or another of it. It is famous here for the modernity of its system and the liberality and excellence of its administration. The large framed views of the building were much admired, and the reading room was compared with that of the Konigliche Bibliothek, Berlin, which it resembles somewhat closely. The card catalog of the section devoted to bibliography called forth a number of questions as to the L. C. classification in general, its application to special fields of knowledge, comparison with the decimal classification, comparison of the printed cards with those of the Konigliche Bibliothek, which are distinctly inferior to the L. C. cards. The ninety tray cabinet containing the L. C. catalogs was frequently contrasted with the German make to the advantage of the American original. The director of the Leipzig City Library detailed an Englishspeaking assistant to file cards and learn about the L. C. system, with a view to introducing the card catalog system into the City Library. A philologist to whom was entrusted the reclassification of the literature section in a public library found the printed schedules of classification so satisfactory that he wanted to use the schedule for literature as soon as issued. The secretary of a series of workingmen's libraries became much interested in the card system and hoped to be able to use the L. C. classification in classifying the books on their shelves. The director of an art library wanted to know to what extent the L. C. classification could be used in his own library, and upon looking over the scheme for art he thought it quite full and satisfactory. The representative of a musical journal admired very much the publications of the music division, and said that he was quite unaware of the splendid opportunities in this line in the L. C. In fact, he had not thought it possible to do such work in the United States. One medical man was interested in the possibility of using the L. C. cards for cataloging a large private library, and another physician, an American, said that until he had had the opportunity of studying the L. C. system as shown in Leipzig he had no idea of its excellence, and that upon his return to the United States he would make an early pilgrimage to Washington to learn more of the national library. Librarians of a technical high school in Munich and of a commercial high school in Nagasaki inquired as to how L. C. cards could be applied to their needs and how card catalogs could be started. Another librarian saw specimens of photostatic work done in the L. C. and was interested in comparing them with similar copies done by a German machine. An Austrian archivist was interested in the possibility of using a card system in cataloging archives, and said that he hoped to see the day come when there would be an international code of catalog rules and an international exchange of printed catalog cards. He thought that the Deutsche Riicherei, which since Jan. I, 1913, has been receiving a copy of every new book printed in Germany, might require of every author whose book was deposited, cooperation to the extent of filling out a blank giving full name, date of birth, title and subject of bookall information helpful in cataloging. A German librarian requested a copy of the A. L. A. catalog rules in order to incorporate into his own new rules the points in regard to author entry, size, collation and other features in which the American code is more specific than the German practice. The eastern end of the A. L. A. space is given up to the exhibit of library work with children, in which the visitors have shown a very lively interest. Reading rooms for children are hardly known in Germany, though beginning to be well known in Vienna. About two hundred juvenile books are exhibited on shelves, and those with the most attractive illustrations are spread open on exhibition ledges or on the small tables of two heights sent over by the Library Bureau. These tables, with the chairs to match, call forth the warmest admiration. Many school children look admiringly at the furniture and linger over the books as well as over the photographs of scenes in various children's libraries that cover the walls of the booth. The illustrated books are much admired and fond mothers have wanted to buy some of them to take home to their own children. Surprise has at times been expressed that we neither sell nor take orders for material exhibited here. Children ask questions about the Indians they see pictured in Deming's "Little Indian folk." Even the one lone Indian on the back of Willson's "Romance of Canada" called forth a series of questions from one boy as to how many Indians there were in America, whether they were very bad, and whether they were to be found in every city. He said that he had seen one in a circus. As a special mark of appreciation this lad promised to return later and show us his English school book. Every juvenile visitor agrees that a special reading room for children must, indeed, be "sehr schon." The major part of the center booths is given up to the work of public libraries, college and university libraries and library architecture, with special exhibits on cataloging and binding. Samples are exhibited to snow methods of rein forcingbooks in publishers' bindings, morocco and pigskin backs, the use of Keratol cloth and Holliston buckram. The Trenton winged cabinets have attracted a great deal of attention, possibly more on account of the mechanism than because of interest in the subjects illustrated. The Germans are always on the lookout for something practical, and we have frequently been asked whether we could sell one of these cabinets after the Exposition closed. We had some experiences which may be helpful in arranging for the San Francisco exhibit. First, as to labels. There can hardly be too many of them. To paraphrase a wellknown saying about museums, an exhibition is a collection of carefully prepared labels adequately illustrated by correlated objects. The Germans placard everything. Go into a street car, and you see one sign calling attention to the law in regard to unprotected hatpin points and another informing the traveling public as to how much damages are to be paid for the breaking of the different sized panes of glass, lamp chimneys or electric light bulbs. Labels should be in several languages, including the vernacular of the country. Signs in English only may be helpful as exercises on which Germans can try their linguistic skill, but in many cases they fail to convey fully and clearly the desired information. Thanks to our neighbors, we secured German labels for the table exhibits reading "Please do not disturb" and "Without permission nothing is to be removed, not even circulars." It was found necessary throughout the exposition to protect exhibits in this way. From the model of the Assyrian Library one of the little figures had been removed, and from a publisher's booth a set of an architectural journal had been broken into. Volumes 5, 4 and 3 were taken in succession by some one who believed in beginning at the end, but appreciated the value of completeness. We caught one man in the act of removing a book from the children's section, but were less fortunate in the case of the person who took a fancy to Mrs. Julia Cartwright Ady's "Pilgrim's way from Winchester to Canterbury." The volume, which was the first item in an exhibit showing the history of a book from the first stage of book selection through the processes of ordering, cataloging and preparing for the shelves, was taken with item 9 of this exhibit. 1. e., the book pocket. One Pittsburgher who looked in on us said that as he came down the long hall lined with booths most attractively furnished with couches and curtains to the plainer part devoted to libraries, he thought that he must be coming to the American sectionit was so bare in comparison. The German exhibitors certainly gave a lot of time and thought to their displays. Being not only trained to this sort of thing, but also at home, they could afford to indulge in attractive fittings which could be utilized after the close of the exhibit. A corresponding treatment of the A. L. A. space would have been almost prohibitive. If more furniture had been brought from the United States the expense would have been much greater, and if bought here it would have had to be sacrificed at the close of the exhibit. The sound of the hammer is still heard on all sides. Some buildings like that of Russia have just been roofed in, while another pavilion has just been begun. Others are provisionally open an hour per day. Many doors are still marked "Geschlossen" or "Kein Eingang." Trees and hedges are being planted and lawns made. There are beautiful parterres of luxurious flbwers down the main avenue and the landscape setting is most delightful. By the time the various A. L. A. parties arrive in midsummer the Exposition will be at its height and the unfinished look of the first month will be a thing forgotten. The richness of the exhibits in the different fields of bookmaking and the graphic arts will be found surprisingly well set forth in many buildings and in exhibits from many lands. We hope that the regret of the American visitor in finding that his own government took no official part in the Exposition and that American publishers have not participated will be in part offset by the exhibit of the American Library Association. I am sure that visitors will find in the exhibit what the Committee has tried to make it,a fair presentation of modern American library methods, modern equipment, with a suggestion of our historical background and an indication of the lines along which American libraries are developing. Respectfully submitted, Theodore W. Koch. Leipzig, May 14. 1914. ------------------------------ (downloaded from worldcat.org, the Hathi Trust Digital Library) (This document is in the public domain)