Of course the subject-headings' list must be systematically used, and
must be marked and annotated to fit your special needs. This work,
like classifying, can best be learned by doing.

There are many ways of keeping your catalog cards. The thing to use is
a set of trays made for the purpose. (See Library Bureau catalog.)
The cards are extremely valuable, and expense should not be spared in
providing for their safe keeping and handy use.




CHAPTER XXVI

Preparing books for the shelves


All books should be marked with the name of the library. This is
cheaply done with a rubber stamp and violet or red ink pad. An
embossing stamp makes a good and indelible mark. The type used should
be of moderate size and open faced. A perforating stamp now on the
market marks a book neatly and most permanently. Mark books freely, to
assure their being recognized as the library's property wherever seen.
Have some definite pages on which stamps always appear. Many use the
title-page, fifty-first or one hundred and first, and the last page.
This need not interfere with marking elsewhere.

[Illustration: Embossing stamp.]

On the back of the book write the call-number. For this purpose use a