We publish to-day a communication complaining of some of the rules in force in the library. The writer urges the injustice of the system which causes a man to loose his privilege of taking out reserved books if he fails to return them within a few minutes of nine o'clock. He further says the fines imposed are too heavy, and that the new rule which prevents a man from transferring his privilege is unjust. On the last point the writer may have some ground for complaint; one often wishes to take out books in another man's name for some reason or other. This fact, however, is not sufficient to justify us in expecting the library authorities to revoke a rule which experience has proved to be necessary. As to the complaints about the heaviness of the fines, and the rigidity of the rules concerning reserved books, they are almost too childish to deserve notice. Long experience has shown our librarians what limitations and punishments are necessary for the best good of all who use the library. The correspondent complains because a person is fined ten cents for every day he keeps out a book beyond the allotted time; he thinks he should be notified when the time allowed for the use of the book is expiring, since he is too busily engaged with other matters to think whether the book is due or not; he wishes to push all the responsibility and trouble on the librarian. It seems to us that these men ought to think of such things themsleves without being reminded; it is better that their poor brains be severely taxed, if necessary, than that the librarian should be obliged to notify all who use the library when their books are due.

The other point the writer advances is equally trival. He seems to forget that reference books are always in great demand; if a man who takes out a reserved book is too much absorbed in self to think for a moment of the rights of his fellow-student, a privation for a time, of the use of the reserved books may help to make him a little more considerate of others.

In cases where the offence was slight or caused by some accident, the librarian has always been very lenient; it is only the cases of gross, inexcusable carelessness, that the punishment is inflicted to its full extent.