053
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Title
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053
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Transcription
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and the last possible addition has been made to the stacks. It is frequently necessary to shift many shelves of books in order to place a few newly-acquired volumes, and temporary shelving outside of the building is already being resorted to.
The administration of the library divides itself into two distinct periods, that preceding and that following 1892. In the early days, the direction and management of the library was in the hands of a library committee whose chairman performed to some extent the duties of a librarian. For the first ten years no regular hours of opening were observed and very little use of the library was made by students. In the fall of 1878, Dr. George E. Howard returned to the University as an instructor. The professor who was chairman of the library committee was absent on leave and Dr. Howard was asked to assume some of his duties, among them to take charge of the library. He immediately opened the library from two to six each afternoon. This was very popular with the students. January 1, 1879, Dr. Howard was made instructor in English and history and librarian, with full power of administration over the library, though there was still a library committee of the faculty. Later the power was again vested in the committee, but with Dr. Howard always a member, frequently as chairman. From 1888 to 1891 Miss Ellen Smith was "Registrar and Custodian of the Library," and for 1891-92 Professor George MacMillan was "Custodian of the Library." During this early period all members of the faculty carried keys to the library, and Dr. Bessey has told, in the Cornhusker for 1908, how it was impossible to secure their consent to give up this privilege until Chancellor Canfield, after presenting the matter in faculty meeting and setting forth the reasons why all keys should be turned in, added the information that the lock on the library door had just been changed by the University carpenter so the keys would be of no further use; and as Dr. Bessey adds, "The keys were turned in." There was no catalog of the library during these years except a sort of accessions list of the books as they were received, and such classification
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Rights
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