CAN THE AMERICAN LIBRARY SYSTEM BE ADAPTED TO CHINA？
To the ear of the West speaks the voice of the East！What future hand is to turn the pages of knowledge that China may read and send forth modernized relics of her arrested science and art？What she speaks for is the crumb from the loaf of educational benefactors；a penny from the world that she may return millions！
The library in China is the subject of my paper，for what factor could mean more to the advancement and civilization of a country，than these store-houses of stimulating volumes？
OLD CHINESE LIBRARIES
Libraries，in the old Chinese conception，are not a novelty，but they are considered such from the Western point of view．In china they meant a store-house where books were kept and hidden away，the main idea being to preserve theliterary treasureof the country．The existence of libraries can be traced back in the official records of early Chinese history．In the Chow Dynasty，for instance，Lao Tan，the founder of Taoism and the respected teacher of Confucius，served as a librarian and custodian of the archives in 553 B．C．Again，after the downfall of the first Chinese Empire，Liu Pan，the founder of the Han Dynasty，upon his victorious entry into the capital in 206 B．C．，directed his minister，Hsiao Ho，to collect the books and state papers from the library and keep them in a safer place．
LIBARIES OF THE PRESENT TIME
Sze Ku，the present of national library，was modeled after that of the Han Dynasty．The contents were collected for the sole use of the state officials and the princes of the royal family，and were more or less looked up to by the public as a precious possession．It is a most regrettable thing to record that，during the Boxer outbreak of 1900，many of the treasures in the national library were taken by the Japanese，British，French，and German troops to their respective countries，and more were burnt by them．
In addition to the national library there are provincial libraries as well as club and subscription libraries．The latter were established by the various craftsmen in their guilds．The customs officers also have small libraries for the members of their staff．Occasionally，in some of the Buddhist temples，are to be found libraries made up largely of Buddhist books and Sanscrit scriptures．Naturally there are private libraries for inpidual use．I recall my great surprise，on visiting a very extensive private collection of manuscripts of the Sung Dynasty，to find that it contained early medical and Buddhist books，old Japanese folios and rare editions．
In connections with the establishment of schools and colleges，there has been a considerable effort to make collections of books for their libraries．These collections have been purely academic，and selected for the sole purpose of meeting of the immediate needs of the schools．
Though I could mention a number of libraries in my country，there has never been a free circulating library of any sort．The collections in the provincial libraries are too one-sided and also too small to be considered as state libraries；even their existence is very seldom known．The books are not to be drawn by readers，their use having been traditionally regarded as a privilege，not as a right of the people．They have，however，gone so far as to install the one-penny admission plan．Apparently the founders of these institutions have never realized the function of a public library．To my mind the real modern library is not for the literati alone，not for the scientific man entirely，nor yet for the fortunate few who could well afford to have a private collection，but should stand with open door as an institution for self-education to train future Lincolns，Grants，Carnegies and Edisons．It should be a center of light to the whole community，from the smallest child who comes in to look at the pictures to the mature man solving the problems of business life．
CLASSIFICATION OF BOOKS IN CHINESE LIBRARIES
As to technique in the Chinese library，there is much to be said．All the books in the state libraries are classified in the same way as those in the national library，under the following headings：Classics，history，philosophy and belles lettres．Under the head of classics are found the books written by or about the great Sages．Confucius and Mencius，either in prone or poetry．Under the history heading are the histories of China．Histories of foreign countries are entirely excluded．The third group includes philosophical works，natural and social sciences，and useful and fine arts．Literature，poetry and miscellanies are entered together，and whatever is difficult to classify is put under the last heading，belles lettres．The inadequacy of the system of classification can be appreciated from this fact that the grouping is too general．Book selection，however，is careful，and in general well made．Books containing radical ideas or critical views of the Imperial government are rejected，not to mention thetrashybooks and most fiction．Should an author once be condemned by the government，his books would not be accepted again under any circumstances，regardless of their value and usefulness．For this reason the works of many talented writers have never been admitted to the library．
The well-known classified catalog of the Chinese national library，printed with critical notes，is in 500 volumes．The abridged edition intended for the use of the state libraries，as a guide to their collections，is printed in 120 volumes．
The arrangement of historical books is very difficult．The average Chinese historian treats of important events arranged according to the year of the emperor who ruled．Each new emperor has his own name and his own date．Sometimes a ruler changed his name several times during his reign．I recall an instance where the emperor's name was changed on one occasion because of an earthquake，and then again because of a famine or plague．Whenever the royal name was changed，a new date was adopted．If the historian recorded events in the fifth year of the emperor，it might be recorded as having occurred in the first year of the titleso and so，though the emperor known by the two different names was one and the same person．This frequent changing of dates and names complicates matters seriously for the student．It is difficult．If not possible，for a Westerner to get an answer to a question like this：What happened in China in 1815？
The assignment of subject heading is a serious problem to Chinese librarians．Though we have a few tools like Bun Tsao Gong Mu，Chinese herbal book of nature，；Dze Woo Min Sze Tu Cow，named and pictures of vegetables，；San Tsai Tu Huei，Pictorial book of nature；Er Yah，Ready guideetc．，we greatly need aids in religious，medical，legal，and scientific subjects．There is no standardization of terms in Chinese．Many simple words，as industry，liberty，girl，etc．，have four or five terms to interpret them，and one term is as much used as another．Which one to adopt is something the librarian must decide．Again many new words have not been translated into Chinese，and the language is so constructed as to make it impossible to attempt to use foreign words without serious confusion．
VARIOUS AIDS FOR CATALOGING AND FILING
Though there is no alphabet in our language，our system of pictorial symbolism is not without advantage．Let me illustrate it by a few instances．We have a symbol standing for the word field，and by adding another symbol，representing strength，it becomes a man ready for field-work；by adding field to it，i．e．，double field，it means comparison of fields；by putting the word grass above it，we have the symbol representing grain，and so on．One who sees any of these words，or symbols，providing one knows the sign for field，will have no difficulty in understanding that each has something to do with field．No doubt it was the realization of the difficulty due to the lack of an alphabet that caused our forefathers to devise the following three valuable methods by which Chinese words are grouped together．They might be used for filing in the library．
1：Natural Method．Words having similar meanings are placed together under distinct heads as：heaven，earth，moulds，hills，waters，plants，trees，insects，animals．The key to this system is theReady guide，which was credited to Chow Kung of the Chow Dynasty about 1100 B．C．The present form was revised about 280 A．D．This method may roughly be compared with the classified catalogs of some of American technical libraries．Anyone unfamiliar with the word belonging to a certain class，would be unable to use it，and its inconvenience and difficulty for the average man prevents its adoption in libraries．
2：Rhythmic Method．A grouping of words is made according to their similar tones．The number of tones in the Tong Dynasty was 206，and was reduced to 160 in the present form．Pa Wen Yung Fu，the treasure of good sentencesin 120 volumes，and Ping Tze La Pen，theclassification of disyllablesin 100 volumes，are the two best aids．They have not been adopted in libraries，because of the lack of a standard phonetic system．Only those who have written poetry or understand the technique of poetry may find them of any help．The people from Canton or Sze-Chuan would not be able to use either of these books，for though the written characters are the same in all parts of China，their pronunciation varies so much in different provinces that the natives find it impossible to understand each other．
3．Analytic Method．In this，the arrangement is made according to the radicals or keys．The number of radicals in Lu Soo Bun Yi，origin of the six modes of writing，was decreased from 566 to 360，and was again reduced to 214 in the Emperor Kang Hsi Dictionary．Any word can be formed from 214 groups．While the lack of an alphabet causes very great inconvenience，still we are fortunate in possessing these radicals，for in them we find the solution of the problem of cataloging and filing of Chinese books．For example，the symbols for the words brightness，yesterday，time，warmth，and summer，have the same root or key as the word sun，under which they are to be filed，one after the other according to the number of strokes．
Occasionally a difficulty arises in selecting the right radical of a word．For example，we have a symbol which means unite．Add the symbol for mouth to it，and it means bite．If the symbol for woman is added to it，we have the word handsome．By adding the symbol for dog to it，we have formed the symbol for crafty，and so on．Through an innumerable list，in which we find that all the words have the beginning symbol for unite，but in each case it is not the key．No word can be found in the Emperor Kang Hsi dictionary under the symbol for unite，but only under its component parts．No cross references whatever occur．This is one of the defects of the dictionary plan．In forming a modern catalog in a Chinese library，there must be cross references．They are not only necessary，but essential．
In cataloging the names of Chinese authors we might use theOne hundred surnamesas a guide．It is commonly used in China．Every boy at ten begins with this book and learns it so thoroughly that he can recite it from memory．The names could be filed according to the order in which they came，but there would arise the objection that the adult searcher would be compelled to drill his memory so as to remember every name on record，something that very few people are capable of doing．Further confusion would be bound to arise，should the subjects and title cards be filed together with the main author cards．The third objection to its adoption in the library is that it is inadequate because there are many new names that have not been entered into theOne hundred surnames．
Moreover，the average Chinese writer does not stick to real names．The more he writes，the more numerous are his pseudonyms．The difficulty could be overcome，of course，provided there were aids to assist in finding these names．To be sure we have biographical dictionaries，but that are so inadequate and crude that they could serve no purpose．To make the Chinese library efficient，there is need for some such help as theDictionary of pseudonyms，Lippincott's universal biographyorCentury dictionary of proper namesin Chinese．
I have shown that the Chinese library system is unable to meet present-day needs，but that does not assume that we should give up our old system entirely and adopt a new one．If we proceed thus，we shall create an immense amount of opposition．The failure of our reformers，who，while introducing new ideas，new theories，new systems，overlooked the fact that much of our system should be preserved，may serve as a warning to every Chinese librarian，The good points of our system should be utilized，harmonizing with the American ideas．There is no one perfect plan for a whole universe．One system，though ideal in one place，may be found of no use in another．The nearest to an ideal system is what which suits the conditions best and serves the people most efficiently．
ADOPTION OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY SYSTEM
Can the American library system be introduced in my country？The answer is yes，but with many modifications．Even in this country，there is no absolutely uniform system in the libraries．each locality has its own special needs．The library of the old plan cannot be the people's university．The card catalog must be introduced．An inadequate arrangement by class should give place to a simple and up-to-date decimal classification．After studying various systems，I consider theDewey Decimal Classificationthe best for our use because of its simplicity and comprehensiveness，and especially since the Chinese students have learned Arabic figures in solving mathematical problems．TheA．L．A subject headingswill be of immeasurable assistance to our libraries，as an aid in unifying terms．It has been my cherished desire to translate both Deweyis classification and theA．L．A．subject headingsinto my native tongue．The cataloging system should be simple and usable，so that the ordinary person may find the same help as the intelligent student．To solve this great problem，we need a Chinese Dewey，and to remedy the inconvenience of the indexing and the cataloging，we need a Dr．Poole and a Cutter．
Should Chinese books be used in the library for circulation，better bindings would have to be used and the paper necessarily would have to be of a better quality．Soft paper covers would then give place to strong cloth ones．Fortunately some of the publishing firms have their books published and bound in semi-foreign style，but even these would not be of much service to the library．The Chinese and Japanese books are very thin，so they cannot stand on shelves，so do the European books，instead they must be laid flat，one on top of the other．It will be a duty of the Chinese librarians to demand that library bindings be used，and that different parts of the book be bound in one volume instead of in the usual pamphlet form．This question of binding and serviceability has been a strong objection to the circulation of books in China．After one or two circulations，the books would return as waste paper．
TRAVELING LIBRARIES
A magnificent marble library building with a large collection of books is indeed a pride to a community and an honor to a nation，but it is not a necessity in China at present．Aside from the question of cost，it would hinder the movement，because of the people's ignorant awe of grandeur and imposing appearances．Of most importance is an efficient staff to carry the great cause forward．Instead of waiting for the readers to come to the library，traveling libraries should be established in the different localities．They can be worked out on an extensive scale，but at a relatively small cost．
BOONE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
In order to give my readers an example of this plan，I call to their attention Boone University Library in Wuchang，China．This library was established through Miss M．E．Wood by the gifts of American friends．It has two departments，with a collection of about 6000 volumes in the English department and 9000 in the Chinese department．The former is largely made up of theological and literary books；the latter，of classics and histories．Though the collection is too small to meet all the needs of that city，the books have been well selected．At first the people did not come with the purpose to read，but from sheer curiosity．Even the students of the university were reluctant to believe in its usefulness．Many a time the librarians were greatly discouraged，and the heads of the university doubted whether the library could continue．Gradually but steadily the students began to appreciate it and to draw out books．The work with the people in the outlying districts has also been encouraging．In 1914 only three traveling libraries had been placed in government schools，where books could be taken out for home use，but the number had grown into ten such stations，as the last year's report shows．This is a bait．More people will be drawn into the library when the privilege is understood and the reading habit is formed．
The university extension lectures on various topics such asHow disease is carried，Prevention of blindness，International law and neutrality，etc．，held in the library auditorium，have done much in advancing the library movement．The average attendance of these meetings is between four and five hundred．Both before and after the lecture，the students serve as ushers to conduct the audience in separate groups through the library to view the arrangement and classification of books on the shelves，and to explain the purpose of the library．Most important is the influence that is exertedthe seed sown in the minds of these students，who will be the leaders of Chinese thought in the reconstruction period that is before us．Possibly no other agency is so capable of carrying to remote parts of the country the idea of the library as a factor of public education and progress．An institution such as Boone University Library，with a collection of well selected books and up-to-date American system would，with the willingness of its officials to serve，prove my people's university．
At the traveling library branches，with workable collections，Boone Library will have an important role to play in introducing the American library system．Considering the progress and development already made，I am full of hope that traveling libraries，in charge of trained assistants，may be established in the treaty-ports along the Yang Tze valley，an extent of one thousand miles．Another step will be to work with the so-called club and subscription libraries，which will gradually develop into larger ones．Then will follow the organization of provincial libraries．
The exhibits of American library methods at the Panama Exposition turned over to the Chinese Y．M．C．A．at Shanghai，will be of immeasurable help in the future of our libraries．I learned recently that Prof．Robertson of the lecture department will use them to conduct a campaign in the library movement throughout the country．
Some time ago Andrew Carnegie formed a committee with Dr．Eliot at its head，to investigate the advisability of establishing a library on the American plan in the capital of China，but unfortunately this noble idea was laid aside，if not indefinitely postponed．Has the investigation of the liberal educator proved satisfactory，the nation would have applauded him with a lifelong fidelity．
The present government is beginning to recognize the importance of the library as an educational factor and has conferred upon the writer this present scholarship as a student in the Library School of the New York Public Library．One more student will be sent next year to continue the study of such administration．
I have tried to show that the Chinese library is still in the mediaeval period；how the American system can be advantageously adopted and how Boone can be a model of the American library in China．It is in this cause I appeal to you，the citizens of land of libraries；to you，librarians and lovers of humanity．The eternal gratitude of a nation stands awaiting to be won！
To my people I give forth a vision I have had；the vision of a new China here education shall be free to all；where the best books shall be available to all；where the history，art and science of our civilization and the civilization of the West shall be gathered into libraries and museums，and form a background for the new civilization toward which we have set our faces and our hearts．
（见1916年《The Library Journal》第41卷第6期）
本书搜集了沈祖荣先生于1916—1944年发表的中英文文章共46篇，反映了新中国成立以前国内图书馆的发展概况、国内图书馆教育工作的思想概况、图书馆学教育和档案管理学教育的开创与推进的史实，也介绍了一些欧美和日本图书馆的概况，是一本关于图书馆学教育历史的文献。