Thursday, August 23, 2007

Old Books

I recently came across some fascinating old business books at Archive.org. The 1914 edition of Schulze's "The Amercian Office" provides a wealth of information on the early modern office. Chapters include sections on:

- Construction
- Furniture
- Selecting office employees
- Management
- Training
- Supervision
- Managing records and systems

Hitchcock's "Forms, records, and reports in personnel administration" is equally entertaining.

There is also a very odd series of works: "An extension of the Dewey system of classification as applied to mining" (1912) by Allen. Who knew that "blowpiping" should be in class 622.123.51 or that "Bolivia" belongs in 622.188.4. There is also Ricker's 1906 "An extension of the Dewey decimal system of classification applied to architecture and building", from which I learned that Roofs--Metal--Purlins should be 721.543 and that Screws--Building is 696.5. Breckenridge produced "An extension of the Dewey decimal system of classification applied to the engineering industries" (1906) from which I learn that "Pumps, centrifugal--steam, deep well" is 621.64. The final contribution of interest is "A system of card membership record for masonic bodies and a scheme of classification for masonic books. Being an extension of the Dewey decimal system". (Thompson, 1910) Apparently, "Proceedings of Grand Cammanderies K.T., Grand Encampment K.T., Knights of Malta, Knights Hospitallers" belongs in 899.3.