bookseller supply them.

An ideal bookseller, qualified to act as your agent, is one who has
familiarized himself with the various editions of books, and will
always make selections with greater stress on quality than quantity;
who will not send you the second edition of a scientific work when a
third is out; who will avoid sending you expensive publications (even
though you may have ordered them) until he is satisfied that you want
them; who will exert himself to get desirable books that may be out
of print or issued by an out-of-the-way publisher; who will always
be prepared to advise you as to the latest work on any particular
subject, as well as the best work.

These points are of greater importance to the live librarian than is
the percentage of discount. Say nothing about per cents; to do so is
misleading and unsatisfactory always. No one understands you.

It is safe to estimate that your purchases of fiction and juvenile
literature will average inside of $1 per volume.

A general list, including reference books, of say 4000v., would
average about $1.25 per volume, or $5000.

Make your purchases with the needs of your community clearly in mind,
securing such books as will be constantly in use, and thereby get
returns for your expenditure. The expensive publications and books
that are called for only at rare intervals should be left to libraries
with very large incomes, and to those making special collections.

Where possible to do so avoid buying large bills of books at long