Page:The Library, volume 5, series 3.djvu/129

GERMAN LIBRARIES. 117 own library. 1 If the State or University library of his district does not possess the desired book, he applies to the Information-bureau. 2 After having been informed which library contains the desired book and is willing to lend it, he applies to this library, and that once more, as a rule, by the help of his library. Thereupon the one library lends its book to the other, and the borrowing library lends it to the reader, and this according to its own rules, if the lending library does not make special conditions. The time allowed for using the book is generally several weeks, but may be prolonged. Very valuable books, or books per- manently used in the library itself, will not easily be sent away. The former, if lent, must be kept in a fire-proof room by the borrowing library, and used only within the building of the borrowing library ; the latter, if lent, are lent only for a short time (one week or so). The reader is responsible to his own library, and the borrowing library in its turn to the lending library. Most of the books are sent through the parcel post ; sometimes they may be sent as registered letters or even by book-post ; sometimes they may or must be sent as despatch- goods (by the Royal Library at Berlin, for instance, two or more newspaper volumes). The expenses incurred are discharged sometimes by the reader, 1 If there is no library within easy reach, and either the student is a person of recognised position or a person of recognised position is guarantor, the student often may get books from the great libraries immediately. 2 In many cases the second step is to apply to the Royal Library at Berlin, and only the third to apply to the Information-bureau.