It was found, however, that some readers, who neglected to comply with these rules, hindered the ready supply of books to those who did comply with them; and when, in 1837, I succeeded Mr. Baber as Keeper of the Printed Books Department, I thought of suggesting printed tickets or formulæ, according to which books were to be asked for by merely filling them up. The following is an exact specimen of these tickets:

-----------+-----------------------------------+-----+--------+------ Press Mark.| Title of the Work wanted. |Size.| Place. | Date. -----------+-----------------------------------+-----+--------+------ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | -----------+-----------------------------------+-----+--------+------

On the Supply of Printed Books from the Library to the Reading Room of the British Museum — Part 3

(Date) ___________________________ (Signature).

On the Supply of Printed Books from the Library to the Reading Room of the British Museum — Part 3

Please to restore each volume of the Catalogue to its place, as soon as done with.

On the Supply of Printed Books from the Library to the Reading Room of the British Museum — Part 3

1. Not to ask for more than _one work_ on the same ticket.

2. To transcribe _literally_ from the Catalogues the title of the Work wanted.

3. To write in a plain clear hand, in order to avoid delay and mistakes.

4. Before leaving the Room, to return the books to an attendant, and to obtain the corresponding ticket, the READER BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOOKS SO LONG AS THE TICKET REMAINS UNCANCELLED.

N.B. Readers are, under no circumstances, to take any Book or MS. out of the Reading Rooms.

Can any one say that to request readers to fill up such a form _correctly_, and to comply with these rules, is giving unnecessary trouble? My suggestion was approved of by Sir H. Ellis,--under whose especial control the management of the Reading Room is placed,--and who, moreover, proposed that the same system should be adopted for MSS.; which was done accordingly with the concurrence of Sir F. Madden, and the sanction of the Trustees. It has continued in operation ever since for both departments; but no attack has been made upon any one but myself for this scheme. The improvement was all but unanimously acknowledged to be very great; and no one rendered more justice to its merits, to the motives which led to its adoption, and to its beneficial results than Sir N. Harris Nicolas, who, having heard that a reader had expressed some dissatisfaction, addressed to me the following letter: