Page:Library Administration, 1898.djvu/47

 caused constant irritation to scholars engaged in research.

Candidates for the post of assistant in the Bibliotheque Nationale must have a degree in Arts or Science, and have passed an entrance examination. The latter, however, is excused to those who have a diploma from the Ecole des Chartes or the Ecole des langues orientales vivantes. Having thus become a "stagiaire" or "probationer" in the library, the candidate works there for at least a year, and if found efficient is admitted to the examination for the post of "sous-bibliothecaire," corresponding to that of assistant at the British Museum. This name has recently replaced that of "employe de troisieme classe," which gave rise to erroneous impressions as to the social standing of the men.

The attendants in the Bibliotheque Nationale are selected from the ranks of deserving old soldiers.

The condition for obtaining a post as librarian in one of the university libraries are something less severe. The aspirant must have a degree in Arts, or "secondary classical teaching," and serve a year as supernumerary in a university library. This period is reduced to six months for licencies (a higher grade than the backeliers). The examination is both written and oral, and comprises questions in bibliography and library management, and translations from the languages which the candidate "takes up" (German must be one of these).

The "bibliotheques communales" in France, i.e. those neither national nor belonging to a university,