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u.s. LIBRARY .OF CONGRESS .,
REPORT OF THE
LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS
AND
REPORT OF THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE LIBRARY BUILDING AND GROUNDS
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
ENDING JUNE 30
1908
WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTINGOFFIC~
1908
TABLE o.F CONTENTS
Page
List of officers - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5' Report of theLibrariaIL ~____________________________ 7
Report of the. Superintendent of the Library Building and Grounds - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - 67
Appendix Ia. Appropriations and expenditures (tables)___ 77 lb. Appropriation acts, 1908-9-------.,.-------- 79 II. Report of the Register of Copyrights_______ 85 III. Division of Manuscripts: Report, "iith List
of Accessions, 1907-8--------------.:..---- II3
ILL U S T R AT I ON S
Portrait of Ainsworth Rand Spofford_.:.. _____________ Frontispiece The Library of Congress Exterior view :. .. . Facing page 6 Plan of the cellaL Facing page 6 Plan of the basement ____________________________ Facing page 6 Plan of the first or main floor ...; Facing page 6 Plan- of the second. floor Facing page 6 Plan of the attic .:.. Facing page 6 Diagrams of MSS. collections_ __________ ___________ Facing page 22 Plans of new book stack Facing page 72o ...;
(3)
LIST OF·. OFFICERS
. LIBRARIANS· SINCE THE •.• INCEPTION •OF· THE LIBRARY
I802-I8o7-':'''J ohn Beckley; Clerk of theiIouseqfl~epresentatives and Librar~an'
I807-I8Is-Patrick Magruder, Clerk oftheH9iiseofRepresentatives and Librarian
I8IS-I829-George Watterston I829-I86I-John Silva Meehan I86I-I864-Jolul G. Stephenson
.I864-I897 (june 30)-Ainsworth Rand SpofTord I897 (July I)-January I7, I899-]ohn.Russell Young I899 (APrils)-Hcrbert Putnam'
LIBRARY STAFF
GENERAL ADl\lINISl'RATION
HERBERT PUTNAM-Librarian of Congress ApPLEl'ON PRENl'ISS CLARK GRIFFIN-Chief Assistant Librarian Allen Richarcl~ Boyd-Chief Clerk Jessica Louise Farnum-8ecretary pm tempore
DIVISIONS
Reading ROOl1is-William Warner Bishop, Superintendent; Hugh Alexander Morrison,.· John Graham Morrison, chief assistants. Reading Room for the Blind-Esther Josselyn Giffin, assistant in charge
Division of Bibliography-Hermann Henry Bernard 'Meyer,incharge Card Section-Charles Harris Hastings, Chief Catalogue Divisioll.-J ames Christian Meinich Hanson, Chief; Charles
Martel, Chief Classifier Division of Docu11lents-James David Thompson,Chief Division of ~1tJamtscl'ipts-WorthingtonChauricey Ford, Chief Division of lvlaps and Charls-Philip Lee Phillips, Chief Division of Music~OscarGeorge Theodore Sonneck, Chief Orde~ Division-Margaret Drake McGuffey, in charge Division of Periodicals-Claude Bernard Guittard, Chief
(5)
6 Report of the Librarian of Congress
Division of Prints-Arthur Jeffrey Parsons, Chief Smithsonian Deposit-Pgul Brockett, Custodian (ofticeat Smithsonian
Institution); Francis Henry Parsons, Assistant in charge Law Libmry-Middleton Goldsmith Beaman, Law Librarian
COPYRIGHT. OFFICE
THORVALD SOLBERG,Register
LIBRARY BRANCH,.· GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
Pdnling-William Henry Fisher, foreman Binding-Henry Clay Espey, foreman
LIBRARY BUILDING AND GROUNDS
BERNARD RICHARDSON GREEN-Superintendent George Norris French, Chief Clerk William C. Boulden, Chief Engineer Henry Whitehead, Electrician John Vanderbilt Wurdemann, Captain of the watch
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
« .. .. If
CELLAR
S.W.COUIlT.
----COPYllIGHT STORAGE 81
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. FLOOR PLAN.
N.W.COURT
- --BOUND NEW5PAP[R5 C1
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. FLOOR PLAN.
-. ---=--=-"- , Ii I: Ii!! N E COURT II,!
BINDINO K2 ....----.J
« , " " • A
F')RST STORY
UBRAAY Fl.OOR
M~ CATALOGUE:
-.-s~ R[PRESlNl'ATlVts' R[AQfNG ROOM
Ls BlBU06RAPHY
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. FLOOR PLAN.
K3 ORDER AND CATALOGuE
f'l. E. COURT.
I ~ ~00( Q
~
H3 Qg,
~ I
:E ~ '" d
N.W. COURT e. W, COUIfr
PRINTS CATALOGUE M ... CARD SECTION P4.
N.W.c.oURT
EXHIBIT- BOOKS AHoMAHU5CRI~
C4
I
•
5.E.C.OUR
IDl
I I
S.w.C.OURT
EXHIBIT - PRINTS
54
EXHIBIT
PRINTS
R4
°rNil11P9
SECOND STORY EXHIBITS
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. FLOOR PLAN.
PRINTS REI't.IRS
Ps
SOUTH STACK
If III M1 .., H
ATTIC
!l.t.COURT
S.W.COURT
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. FLOOR PLAN.
N.~.COURT
N.W.COURT
NORTH STACK
Gs MANUSCRIPT
IW'AI1lS
REPORT OF
THE· LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
liVashington, D. c., December 7, I908 SIR: Although this' report •conCludes generaJly with the
fiscal yearendingjUtle30, I can not omit immediate men
tion of an event of sad significance which has occurred since
that date-the.death,onAugust II, of AinsworthR. Spof
ford. His title, during the last eleven, years, that of Chief
Assistant. LibrariaIl,did not obscure his greater· office, that
of Librarian Emeritus, nor the distinction to the Libra.ry or
the honor to himself .ofthesenrice which for thirty-two
years he had rendered. as its Librarian in. chief. His most
enduring senrice-the increase of its collections-continued
to the last few weeks of his life, and continued:with the
enthusia.sm, the devotion, the simple, patient, and arduous
concentration that had always. distinguished. it.... Thehis
tory of it during its most influential period will t>e the his
tory of the Library from '1861 to 1897. 1;his will in due
course, and proper amplitude,appear. A resume of his
career, of his.ielationwiththe Lib'rary and with those who
used it, of his place in the profession, ,of his acthrities in
liter~ture,.·and of. his. characteristics. among me.n, was under
taken at amemoriaLmeeting held at the Library on Novem
ber 1~, the addresses at ~hich will doubtless be printed. 58896-08-'-2 (7)
8 Report of tile Librarian of Congress
This brief note is but the· preliminary recorcLdue to the
momcnt. The Chief Assistant Librarianship has ·been .filled by the
promotion of Appleton. P .. C. Griffin from the post of Chief
Bibliographcr, which he had held since its creation in 1900.
lIr. Griffin's entire life has been~pentin senriceable library
work in connection with research collections ; for twenty
nine ycars (1865-1894) in the Boston Public Library (where
he was successively assistant custodian of the· shelves, cus
todian of the building, and keeper of books), and since
tben, except for a brief intenral during ,~hieh. he performed
special work for the Boston Athemeum. and. the Lenox, at
the Library of Congress, to which in August, 1897, l1e was
appointed by my predecessor, Librarian Young, as an
"assistant librarian." His senrice here has been incessant
and important in dealing with requests for· bibliographic
information, and the direct aid of research; but he Ims in
addition compiled and edited the reference lists on vario~s
topics which have been issued by the Library during the
past eight years. His previous bibliographic l~>ublications
had already gained him a wide reputation.
FINANCE
The table given below exhibits the appropriations and
expenditures of the Library. proper and of the Copyright
Office for the fiscal year, and the appropriations for the
year now current. Iricluded also are the appropriations
for the equipment. and care of the building and grounds,
expended by the Superintendent. The allotment for print
ing and binding (during the past year $202,000) is not
included.
___ ____________
Report of the Librarian of Congress 9
I t\ ppropria APpropria.' r~xpendi- I :~ppropriaObject of alJpropriations tions, 1907 tions, .J 908 tllrc~, 1908 I lIons,. 1909 ---------- I----- ------1-----Library ami Copyrig:Jt i
Ol11ce:
Salarie.s, servlce
I
general I-jS 2" 7.7(,0.00
S:llaries, special
service . ', tl 2. 215. 78 Salarics, Sunda}'
servicc 10.000.00
5239.0(,0.00
(/2.348 .50
10.'000.00
1'12,870.23
5.840.00
rI 4.501. 92
75.300.00
Incr~ase of. Library _, f 98.000.00 iII oS. 000. 00 Contmgcntexpcnscs__},~3oo'~I_ 7.300.00
'folal Librar}'
and Copyrigh t Ol11ce _
45 2 . 21 5.78 46".220.65
Building and grounds:
Care and maintc- I ii. 505· 00 70.785.00
Fl::;I,I;~:I~;, -:;I~~ :I:;S~ -I ccllaneous _ 3 2 .500 . 0 0 32.500.00
Furniture and shelving 20.000.00 I 40.000.00
SlIndayopening____ 2.800.00' 2.800.00
Plans for ncwspaper I st:lck_ _ _ _ 2.500.00 ,
Book stack, south- I'
cast court of I building _ _________ ___________ _________
------ ------ ._---Grand totaL , 587.520.78 I 617.305. 6-5 614. S18. 48 I 7 19.36 5.74
a Including balancc brought forward. b Includes 51.500 deficicncy approprialion. act of February IS, 1908, and 5570.23
credits on accountofsalcsnf card indexes 10 Executive Departments and independent institutions of the Government. Docs not include 587.28 credits }'et to be passed.
cThis expenditure is offset by subscriptions covered into the Treasury during the past year: $22,286.72 actually applied Docs not include indebtedness of S 173.45 to be paid when credits on account of salesof card indexes to Executive Departments and independent institutions of the Gm'ernll1ent have been passed in fUll.
dBaIance available July I, 1907. . c This expenditure is offset by fees covered into the Treasury during the past
year. $82,387.50. I Exclusive of 51.500 to be expended by the marshal of the SUQreme Court for
new books for that body. .
52.,8.21)5.5 0 52;,9. o{,o. 00
(/2.36 0.74
10.000.00
16.Soo.00·
5. S.IO. 00 5. 8 40 • 00
I 4.499.17 1------ _
~ 74.784.291 77.800.00 107.999.33 1108.000.00
i.278.97 i.300.00 -----,-----
463.4 15.73 46 7. 160.74
76 .90 5. 0076 .4S9.33
32: 500. 003 2 • 165.53
39.974.64 40.000.00
2.773.25 2.800.00
_
100. 000. 00
Salaries. distribu
tion .of card indexes
Salarie!>. indexes.
digests. and. COIl1
pilation of laws_ __
Salaries. iudexes,
digests. and COIII
pilation of laws.
rlIO.SOO.oo
5.840.00
1907..8 .I 5.000.00 Salaries, Copyrig:lt I
Ol11ce 75.300.00
10 Report ot the Librarian ot Congress
A. P PropriCl- The tipl)ropria.t.·ic)l1s for 1908 varied from those of the yearlions preceding only in the following particulars:
Salaries (general service) : The salaries of the Chief Assist
ants of the Divisions of Documents, 'Maps and Charts,.
Prints and Smithsonian, advanced from $1,200' to $1,400;
. that of the· Chief Assistant in the Division of Bibliography
from $1,200 tO$I,500. Th~ salaryof the As~istantinCharge
of Binding ,vas increased from $1,200 to $1,400.
Card indexes (distribution of) : A deficiency appropriation
Of$I,500 provided under the act of February 15, 1908.
La:w indexes: The appropriation of $5,S40 continued for
the preparation and publication of the Index to the Statutes
at Large. A special appropriation of $5,000 -to expedite the
preparation and publication of that portion of the Index
covering the period since 1873;
Increase of library: The appropriation for general increase
advanced from $90,000 to $100,000.
Building and grounds: Salaries: Decrease of2 .watchmen,
$1,440; increase of 2 check boys, $720; net decrease, $720.
Furnitun:: Increase from $20,000 to $40,000, the latter being
the usual amount appropriated.
A pproprill- The.appropriations for 1908-9 make additional provisionlions, 1008-9
as follows:
Salaries (Copyright Office): The position of Assistant
Register of Copyrights at $2,500.
Card indexes (distribution of): The ~ppropriation for
service in connection with the distributiOli of card indexes
increased from $10,800 and$l,soo (deficiency) for 1908 to
$16,800 for 1909.
Printing and binding: The allottnentdecreased·. to $202,000
as an. offset to the increa~ed.appropriati()llJorcarc1indexes;
certain .service •h~retofore rendered by the Govermnent .
Printing Office in connection with the distributionofprintec1
catalogue cards andchargec1 to the allotment for Printing
IIReport of the Librarian of Congress
and Binding, now transferred to the Library o[Congress and
pro~Tided for under the 'appropri~tionforCardIndexes. Hwilding and grounds: A telegraph and telephone switch
operator at $720 ~nd an assistant telephone switch operator
at $600 provided in place of 2 telephone operators at '$600
each. COPYRIGHT OFFICE
COPYRIGHT:The report of the Register of Copyrights appears In full Statistics as Appendix 11.
The principal statistics of. the business done are as follows:
Fiscal years-
Fecs rccci\'ed and applied
________1 1902-3 1903-4 1904-5
-1905-6 I 1900-7 1907-8
---1-----
Domestic (50 cents) . I entries _ $.l4. 340.00 $\6,360.00$51.772.00 $54, 080.50 $56, 287. 00'$54,148.50
Foreign ($1) entries 9,299.00 10,'11?00 9.83°.00 9,543. 00 II,255· 00 11,445.00
For certificates 14,423.00 14,556.00 15, 607. 00 15, 819.5° 16,39°.5° 16,047. 00
For assignmenls re•corded 770. 00 1,273.001 80S. 00 738. 00 741. 00 70S. 00
I-or searches..... 42.5° 30.001 .p.oo 17. 00 II. 501 39. 00
'1'olal ~ 72,629.001 78.°5-".00 So,19-"·00 84. 61';5. 00 82.31';7.5° 1 1
'1'olal number of deposits receh'ed (ma i' terial of all classes, including dupl i-
I cales) . 177.519 18",799 207•424 211,131'; 227, 0471 221.7
22
Total number of enlries . 97.979 103. 130
1 113•3741 11 7• 70,,\ 123. 829i 119,74
2
Total communications recch'ed, including parcels. but excluding deposits noled above .
'1'olal COlllnlunications sent oul (including letters writlen) -.
92• 149 94076477,009. J3, 478 84. 063 7 8 ,,"'\
I 121,249 129,600 137,779 145,020i 161. 728 164,069
1
12 Report of th"e Librm'ian of Congress
The fees from copyrights are covered into the Treasury
and not applied directly to the maintenance of the Copy
right Office. They forma regular revenue 0'£ the Govenlment, however,and a net revenue over the direct expenses
of the Office, as appears from the following comparison :
RECEIPTS
COI'YRIGIITFees covered in during the fiscal year 1907"":8, as above... $82,387.,5° OFFICi>:
Receipts (I lid EXPENSES expellses
Salaries as stated - - - - - .. - - - $74, 784. 29 Stationery and sundries. ... ____________ I, 182.9°
Net cash earnings . _ 6,420.3 1
The amount expended for salaries ($74,78429) includes
the sum of $4,6~o paid in salaries to certain employees who
have been classifying and crediting the old deposits received
prior to 1897. This expenditure is chargeable to arrears.
The current expenses of the Office are tlu~refore considerably
more than met by the current receipts.
The above statement includes all disbursements except the
cost of funliture, of printing, and of binding, but only cash
receipts.
In addition to cash fees the copyright business brings each
year to the Government, in the articles deposited, property
to the value of many thousands of dollars. During the past
fiscal year 221 ,722 such articles were received. The value of.. those drawn up into .• the collections of the Library far
exceeded the amotmt of netcashearnings.
The work ofthe Copyright Office is divided into.lwopor
tions: (I) .••. 'fhe •• current business, covering ... applications
received since the••.•.·.. reorganization of •••.•• the •••• Office .••• under .•.the
Register in 18Q7;. (2»the arrears~the.classification,crediting,_
and indexing of •• the entries and deposits. prior tOl 897 (i. e.,
from 1870, when the copyright business was first placed
imder' the· Librarian .' of Congress).
Report of the Librarian of Congress 13
On the 3,clday 0,fJu,ly, I, 90,"8,w,h,en"there,pO,.,rt of the Copy- . ClIm·n.t CO/>J'.. '.. ,.... ' . . nght bllSHlCSS
right Officcwas submitted ,the remittances .. received up to .
the third rnail of the day had been. recorded and acknowl...
edged; the account books of the bookkeeping. division were
written up and post.edto June30, and the accounts rendered to the Treasury Department were settled up to and including
the month of June, while earned fees to June 30, inchisive,
bad been paid into the Treasury. All copyright applications received up to and during June
30 had been passed upon and refunds made. The total
unfinished business for the full eleven years from July 1,
1897, to June 30, 1908, amounts to but $266·73, as against ~
total of completedbtlsinessfor the same period of$774,606.
At the close of business on July 3, 1908, the titles for
record had been •dated , classified, and ,numbered' to .Ju1y 2
(inclusive) for books andperiodica1sand tOJu1ylforall
other classes. All titles had been indexed up toandinclud
ing June 30. The articles of ". aU· classes deposited during •. the year •had
been stamped, catalogued, and credited up to the receipts of
June 30, inclusive. The Catalogue of CopyrightEntries,\vl?ich since the trans
fer .of its publication from the Treasury Department to the
Library of Congress (see Appendix II) has been issued in
four separate parts, hadbeenbroughtJonvard, in the new
series, to Part, 1, .·books"etc.,Vol. .5 ,.No.: 1,·July 2; Part'2,
periodicals, Vol. 3, Nos. 23-26, June; .Part 3, musical compo
sitions, Vol. 3, Nos. 23-26, June; Part 4, engravings, cuts,
and prints,etc.,VoL4,:N0S.23-26,June. The certificate and non-certificate entries had been
recordedtoJunc 30 ,inclusive, and certificates and notices of
entry to the same date made, revised, and mailed.
14 Repo,.t of th~ :"'ib,.a,.ian of Congress
bll~,~e~/;r;:/~~ Credited articles to the number of 34,782 {including 426 j1.1y I, '1897 pamphlets, 19,185 periodicals, and 14,886musicalcomposi
tions) have been filed_ away under year and number. In the
'work of crediting deposits,15,979articles were,handlcdand
15,328 articles (including 14,830 musicaL compositions and
322 pamphlets) were credited and filed, those desired by the
Library being fonvarded to the shelves for use. In the case
of 651 articles, identification and credit could not be made,
and they were accordingly indexed and .' (excepf ••' those
desired by the .Library) filed for convenient' reference.
Titles to the ,number "of II6,776, enteredpri6rtoJulYl,
'1897, but heretofore filed only in rough bundles, have been
collated, arranged, and permanently' filed.
At the close of business June 30, 1908, there. remained
uncredited in'the files of the CopyrightOffice 73,08l'articles
, deposited prior to July 1, 1897, as follows :
Pamphlets and leaflets_:"_ - ---- - - - - - - -,- -- - - - - - - -- -- -- --- ... - 34,444 Periodical numbers_ _____________ ________________________ 8, 020
Musical compositions ... ___ 18, 993 Posters __ ____ __ ___ _ 2,969
Articles which could not be credited_ ~ ~____ 8,655
TotaL_ ... ::.. . 73,081
.During the past eleven y~ars tIle business done by the
Office shows the followipg: 'fotal number of entries ... I, II2,398
Total number of articles ~eposited----------'----------I,936, 050 Total amount of fees received and applied $774,606.00 'fotal expenditure for service ... _... _... $651, 881. 55 Net rcccipts ~bo\'e expcnscs for servicc S~22, 724.45
During the thirty-eight years since the copyright work
became a business of the Library of Congress the total
number of entries has .been ,993,25+
Report of the Librar·ian oieongress 15
INCREASE OF .'fI-ntLIBRARY
Adoptit..lgthecount ofprin.t.-.ed. b...o.•.·..ok.~S.•••.. an.d..pa.mphl.ets made. COlllellls of the .. . . . . .' . . " ... Libmry JlIlIe 3 0 ,
,in June, 1902, as being accurate,thetotalcontents of the J90 i, alld JUlie
Library, inclusive of the Law Library, a.t the close of the 30, 1908 past two fiscal years were as follows :
Contents of. the Library
Description 1907 1908 Gain
Books____________________ 1,433,848 1,535,008 101,160
Manuscripts(report omitted) - ----- -- --- - - -- - -- - -- --- - - - - - - - - - --
l\Iaps and charts (pieces)___ 98,382 105, II8 6,736
Music (volumes and pieces)_ 464, GI8 483,41 I 18,793
Prints____________________ 253,822 279,567 25,745
Description
Net accessions
1907 1908
Printed books and pamphlets J________ 54, 604 100, 067 l\Ianuscripts (report omitted)__: - - -- - - - - - - - ------:--- - -,- --------- -
Maps and charts (volumes and pieces)_______ .8,5 13 6,736
Music (volumes and pieces) ~ _'_____ 27,108 IS, 793
Prints (pieces) ,. - ------ - - - 39,546 27,745 Miscellaneous - - - - 27 I 113
The accessions of book,s and pamphlets clur.,ing the past Bookspamphll'isandbJ' two year?, 'in detail, classified by s~urce, were as follows:soltrces
1908How acquired ___--'- --'- -------1-··--
22,424By purchase - - ----- -- - -J. I 1,210 By gifL -- - - - --~-------- - ----:-- ---
By transfer from United States Government
libraries -:-.---- ----.:..:. --'--- -- ----'-1'"""".""";".,.•• ,:,'
\Vith the exception of manuscripts,. and the \Vhitaker'
collection of lithographs (a purchase), only one collection
of importance in any department of literature has been
'acquired during the year. This'was the HUitfeldt-Kaas
collection of Scandinavian literatuie,describedbelo~v. The'
gifts-apart from manuscripts, .. 111usic,and .. prints, . of
which special n~ention is made'underthese heads-have
1,394
4,128
40 4
33 1 9. 0 74
3. 858
6,889
464
2,553
15 2
12,3°8
4.489
38,95 1
101.160
6.348
1.853
482
_~_7t._ I
1,4641 ' 3. 2 45
-1-5 8 ! 158/
9, 103 I
How acquired
IlEDUCTIONS
Report of the Librarian oj, Congress
Net acc~ssions 1 54.60-1-/, ----
16
Gifts of thc United States Government in all its branches _
Gifts from statc govcrnmcnts ... _
Gifts from local governments _
Gifts froillcorporations and associations _ By copyrighL _
By Smithsonian _
By cxchange (piecc for picce) _
By priced exchange :; .,. _
Library of Congress publications (specially
G,~:':~d;~;:;,;;sc;)~- ~;I;;;;'-';~'; -i~ ~;~~i~~:: ':I ----------
Total added-hooks. pamphlets, and I I . I . I11leccs 1 78,965.
/:='= By cOlisolidation in binding and by' comple- I
tion of periodical volut1Jes - - - - - - - _- -! 9. 456 I !'Uplicales seu t in exeh~ng,,-~ c _ -. __ -. I 14•4.181 Returns of college and lIbrary catalogues ~ I .487
Books witl~dra\\n from stacks and returned I I to Copynght Office -------- __ - _1_-_--_-_-_-_-_-_-_-: 9_6
I 2~. 361 I I I
Report of the Libraria'n. of Congress 17
been routine (fro~l1 governments>or instituti?ns) or of
ordinary material.' Their.. total has, however, reached
10,370 pieces. As stated above, the important purchase of the year HUITI'HI.DT
en bloc was of the Huitfelclt-Kaascollection. This was the ~:.~\S COl-I.I'Cprivate library of HenrikJorgen Huitfeldt-Kaas, the late
state archivist of Norway. Mr. Huitfeldt-Kaasdied.inI905 at the 'age of seventy
two. He was, at the time oLhis. death, the head of the
Norwegian branch of the well..known noble family of
the name fIuitfeldt-Kaas, celebrated alike in Danish and
Norwegian history. The state· archivist was a man of quiet and studious
habits. Even as .a young man he had developed a strong
lov(' of books, and 'when, at the age of eighteen, he entered
the Uriiversity of Christiania, in 18S2, he had already laid
the foundation of his private library. In the university
he devoted himself for some years to the study of law;
but his interest in history. especially in genealogy, biog
raphy, and local history, was so strong that he soon aban
doned the field of jurisprudence and decided to give. all
his time arid energy/to historical research. He accord
ingly entered the ••• service of the Public Records .•'office of Norway in 18s8andremained there until the time
of his death .••• in .••190 s .\having bec6111e thechiefstate ••archivist in .'1896..... Hewas ••• thei leading .me111ber .•.• of '. various historical and other learned societies, being . for several
y.ears the'president. of the Dani.sh-NorwegianBiographical
Society. In his histo~~cal researches he had paid par
ticular attenti()nlo the history of the Norwegian nobility,
resthetics, the drama, and the stage. In fact, his history
of the Christiania theater is one of hi~leading works. His .chief work, however,begun in 1861, consisted in
the editing of the Diplomatarium Norvegicum. His
IS Report of the Librarian of Congress
IIU I 'rF r. I. DT- researches in' connection •with .••.•. this ...••• compilation necessi-K.\AS COI.I.HC- _ •
TION tated frequent ,~isits to Copenhagen
19 Report of t~e Librarian of. Congress
Librarian of DeichmanskeBibliothek, at. Christiania, and
well knO\vninthis country as. the. official representative· of
Norway at the International Library Congress.of 190 4. Mr.
Nyhuus not merely aided us to a judgment of the collection,
but personallyassistecl in the transfer of it.
Nor must we omit appreciation of the spirit shown by the
heirs of Mr.. Huitfeldt-'Kaas who .considered .in the' negotia
tions less the mere commercial value of the collection than the
public. service which it. might. perform in the.· Nation.?};
Library of the Unifed States. .The significance of this servis~
may be estimated frOth the fact that there are now nearly.
fi:ve million persons in the United States who are natives,~;.
or immediate descendants of natives, of Scandinavia; and
that there are now chairs of Scandinavian literaturein the
Universities of Iowa, :Minnesota, North Dakota, and \Viscon
sin, and courses at Harvard, Coluinbia, Cornell, and other
universities, as well as at various denominational colleges
and academies, especially in the "Vest. Through our sys
tem of inter-library loan this collection will become available
to teachers, students, and investigators throughout the
country. EXCHANGES
These have continued and increased in volume, no less than
38,95 1 pieces having been sent out (to various·libraries).
The material received from variousgove~me~flibraries
under the appropriation act of February 25,1903, totaled
62,957 pieces as against 10,476 in I 907. The practice which
this transfer·· implies is ·relieving healthily various bureau
libraries of material irrelevant to the work of the particular
bureau, and ena}Jling the Library·
••
20 Report of the Librarian.ot Congress
DIVISION .····.OFMANUSCRIPTS
(From the reportof the chief, Mr. Ford)
The accessions of.·.m~nuscripts•. which.havebeeninlportant
aredescribed"in detail in Appendix III ofthis Rei)orL MSS. Gifls Among the more .important collectionsir.eceived by gift
are: The papers of Harry Innes, a distinguished personage in
Kentucky affairs in the early part of.' the nineteenth··century ;
and the papers of the firms of Riggs & Company and of Cor
coran &"Riggs, the mercantile and banking house of Jong and
honorable standing·in \Vashington.
The receipt of the mai1Uscripts bequeathed by:Mr. J.
Henley Smith \vas recorded In the last annual report without
any attemptat evaluation or analysis of their contents. In
Appendix III will befouncl a description of their principal
characteristics. The transcripts and notes from. Spanish
sources bequeathed by Mr. Woodbury. Lowery are. the sub
ject of further notice in the same Appendix. Mrs. David
Murray of Brunswick, N.J., gave thepaper~of her husband, Mr. David Murray, who hadacommission(inI873from the
Japanese Government .to reform the educational system of
Japan. Papers. relating to the Lafayettefamily were given
by M.EmileEdou~rd••• Cellerier. ••••. An·.• appreciativenotice
of these. appears in ••. the Appendix which •••••• inc1udes .. various
otherjtem~ofinterestreceivedby gift as .well as purchase.
Among the latter is a '.' royal decree issued by Philip IV of
Spain, the terms of which are notable.
DIVISION OF One new exhibition case, made' onaspecialpattern, has MANUSCRIPTS; b . "1'1 dO' h . hObo . °d '. 'h'" . fill 0 h0
Equipmc71land een msta e .• lnt e ex 1 lt10n.. cor.r.l o.r,t. us..... mg t elast collcctions . . 01 bi .f . hOb' 0 'A fspace.' avala e .or ex. 1 lt1onpurposeso .••.•..•·.new.case or
the catalogue cards has been.ordered,ardth;.second gallery
in •. the north curtain will soonbeinc1~se(lin·glassandmade
available .for manuscripts.. These additi8ns to the equipment of ~he Divisionpracticallycomplete'nhat wplbelleeded
for some yearso The •second gallery will .• be very useful in
••
21 Report of the Librarian of Congress
giving space for stbrin?and~rrangi~gmanuscripts,and
eventually.for ho!dingthecollecHonsthatare not much.in
demand. .The .• increase. ofthe card catalogue each year is. rapid, because a single worker ~anprepareabout7,000 cards,
and three persons put OUt2I ,ooocards~year....' It is hardly
possible toprepare •. cross-referenc~'.5ardstoma?~scBPts,. as a single paper (like the petition of theiyh~bitj?t~.ofVan
dalia) rnayrequireAoo orso() cards..•..• "yettBeti111e111aycome
when such .•••• ascheme ••. canbe·.·~ tili~~d. ~~)ai,~:~trieted .plan. At presentith~'.'.printed.•••••. calenclars~f!~rthebest·solution,
with this ••• ady~ntage~lsot.l1at~uchcal~?d~rs .. ·.may •.. be. distributed .so.wid~l:y ast?lne~tthe needs ." of all .•• interested,
however .remotefroh1t~eCapital. The fact that one-half ofthe north curtain of the Library,
with its three tiers of cases. is now complete and houses
material sufficient-to •• occupy
22 . Report of the Librarian of Congress
DIVISION 01: SO great is the volume; and the scope and· importance to ~[ANUSCRII'TS . •
historical study of the leading collections are shown by the
accompanying diagram, prepared by :Mr.. John C. Fitz
pa~rick, of this Division, in which only the leading coll~c
tions are named, and the years each approximately covers.
The rapid increase and the strength of the collections for
certain periods are shown in this manner far better than
could be done by any detailed description. Such a record
of growth is very satisfactory.
The tasks performed in the Division in the last year were
as follows: The calendar of the military papers of\Vash
ington has steadily progressed and without interruption.
Probably one more year will be required for this work. The
calendar of the New n'Iexico papers has also progressed,
and has leached the year 1791, the work being pushed for
ward as rapidly as the trained calendarist can perform it.
The Spanish records of East Florid~ have all bee11 opened
and jacketed, and are to be calendared on the completion of (
the New Mexico papers. The Andrew Johnson papers have
been calendared to 1865. Each of these tasks 'involves the
preparation of thousands ofcards, the reading of thousands
of documents, and the determination of many perplexing
questions of writer, date, and place. .The British transcripts
are roughly indexed and carded as· received. The Van
;Buren pape'rs have been calendared through 1838. Added
to these constant and exacting duties have been the exam
ination of collections offered, .and .the arrangement of such
as are acquired by the Library. This 11as been done with
a force no larger than that of 1900, but with an organiza
tion and efficiency so much greater as to permit its accom
plishment.
The publication of the Journals of the Continental Con
gress has continued without interruption on the plan origi
THRY COVER
~~~ \870 U~90 1910 1840 18601lf188Ol fi900l
THE MOM IMPORTANT MANUSCRIPTS COLLECTIONS AND THB PE
1650 ~ ~ 1710. U1]ID ~ ~ ~ 11660 1111680J F'fiOOlI!'!nQ]IIIT401111760 178011180011
Vernon -Wager
Ja~. ~adi&on Dorolhy[Payne
Benjamin Franklin
Wilham Thornton
George Washington
Brecktnrtdge
John Davis
James Monroe
Alexander Hamtlton
Sylvanus Bourne -
RIODS
1820
Andrew Jackson
Thomas Jefferson d
John Paul Jones
James Kent
Roberl Morris
John J. Crittenden
ttttttt
IfttHtttt f+I+H+H
•
rttttttttt
THE MORE IMPORTANT MANUSCRIPTS COLLECTIONS AND THE PERIODS THEY COVER
1650 1670 1690 1710 1730 1750· 1770 1790 1810 1830 1850 ~ 1890 1910
I~I~I~I~.~~ ~ ~i~i~I~~I~~i~0 Duncan MCArlhur •Ellis & Allen John M. Clayton I II Marun Van Buren II
I
Daniel Webster II
Henry R. schoolcraft I I I SalmonP. Chase
I I John McLean I
Josoph Holt I
Jame&K.Polk
Thaddeus S leven8 I
rtttttttEdward McPherson I
Elihu B. Washburne
Franklin Pierce
Andrew Johnson
11111 Lyman Trumbull IIII 1111
23 Report ojthe Librarian of Congress
nally laid'. down in 1903. In.thelasttwelve months three
volumes. (X,XI,andXIl),covering"therecord for 1778, were
printed; the .records .for 1779, also comprising. three volumes
were prepared forthepri?terandsent to. him promptly;
and the preparation of .. the copy for 1780 begun. Thus.no
delay has.occurred from any side...•. After ••• 1779 ••• so large a part of the journals was' omitted in the printed volumes,
through considerations of .~c0tl0m yorofpublic policy, .•• as to give to,this edition the value.oLa newwork. Itsutility
has been widely acknowledged, and it is gratifying to find.
that no serious defect in methodofc()l11pilation and pub
lication has been pointed out. The insertion of the
committee reports is recognized as adding much to the
interest and sequence ofthe record. The number of pieces ofll1anu~cript repaired and mounted
in the fiscal year was 8,632,riearly all of which belonged to
the Washington Papers. In addition, there were 550 Jack
son papers treated. for binding, and 22 volumes of those
papers have been bound, covering the collection to the year
181 5. Also additional were the opening, moistening, and
pressing of forty -two volumes of. the Florida papers, and many individual items repairedfor this and other Divisions,
demanding special .~reatment. The figures of regular repairs for five >years have been:
1903-4,3,650;1904-5,7,817; 1905-6,8,830; 190 6-7,8,033;
1907-8, 8,632 • These are exclusive of what can be regarded as outside of
regular series. It is impossible to measure with any degree
of accuracy the output by mere numoer of pieces, as a single
manuscript may require any· time- from a few minutes to
days in its treatment. Yet it is certain that the outpl;lt has
increased, and increased to an extent greater than the
figures show. The collection now being treated, the Wash
ington Papers, had been so much and so carelessly handled
24 Report of the Librarian of Congress
as to demand much more attention than such a collection
as the Jackson. That the figure oL 8,632 pieces .should,
under such conditions, have been reached, is proof of ~ffi
ciency. A further evidence of this,if any were needed, is
the increasing number of visitors from other library insti
tutions to inspect the processes employed, and the large
number of inquiries from fuany quarters concerning the
methods, .the. special •• rn.a.terials, and recipes used. Much
naturally depends upon the individual skill of the repairer;
but only practice and proper methods are needed to -do
what is required' to·· preserve' manuscripts' against ordinary
wear and tear. The salient fact is. the increasing interest
in the subject, and the recognition that the Library repair
room offers the best opportunity for obtaining a knowledge
of the ess~ntials demanded.
There are many questions still to be consid,ered' before the
methods of repairing manuscript or printed ~aterial can be regarded as determined. _ The Bureau of Stan
----------
Report of the Librarian of Congress 25
DIVISION of DOCUMENTS
(From the report •of the Chief, Mr. Thompson)
DOCU:lIENTS.During·.• the •••..• fiscal year .• ending June 30, 19°8 , the ac Accessio,~s cessions to.the·.Librarythrough.the Division of •Documents
were as follows:·
Pamphlets ·TotalVolumesHow acquired
I Received byvirtl1eoflaw-; --- - --'" - Gifts of the. Government .of the
United States in all itsbranches-Gifts of state governments _
Gifts of local governments -,
Gifts of foreign governments (inter
national exchange) --- - - - - --- - -- Gifts of corporations and associations_
By transfer-- - - - -- --------- - -----
Totalto be recorded _
By purchase, exchange, deposit, and
transfer .(counted in the. Ot:der
Division) __ - - - ... - - - ---- ------ --., By binding periodicals _
1,204
593 2,112
243
6, 609
174 1,223
P,158
12, 623
1,857
2,115 i
801
2,016
161
2,146
157
1,937
9,333
7,709
I
3,319
1,394 4,128
4°4
. 8,755
331
3, 160
21,491
20,332
1,857
17,042 I 43,680"Total·handled- -- ----------- 26. 638 1
In addition to the above, 1,902 sheet maps and charts
and 39 atlases have been received by official donation.
An increase. Of30. per cent over the document accessions
of the previous fiscal year is indicated by these figures, and
comparison with the statistics of the year ending June 30,
1906, shows that the .number of volumes and pamphlets
received in the Division during twelve months has increased
almost 100 per cent in two years. Since the beginning of
1901 , when a separ~te count of the material handled in
the Division of Documents was inaugurated, the total
26 Report- of the Librarian of Congress
DOCUMENTS: accessions in its field have amounted to 189,763 volumes AccessioJls
and pamphlets.
In order to compare the work done by the Division from
year to year, the annual totals of volumes. and pamphlets
handled should be divided into two parts: (a) receipts
by international exchange, and from State12,600
Ig05-6----------------------- ... g,106 12,031 Ig06-7-- ... _
13, goo 18,210
28, 205Ig07-8------.:.----------------------- _ 13,618
Average Ig05-lg08-- _ 12,208
*Accessions not classified.
The annual accessions in group (a) afford a measure of
the results of the Division's activity as an agent for the
acquisition o~ official publications direct from issuing
sources other than the United States government; the
fluctuation shown by the second column of figures is largely
Report of the Librarian oj Congress 27
accidental, being due mainly to the variation in the amount
of material transferred from other government .libraries. The preparation of want' lists of foreign documents has • Foreign docu
1JIents .
.been continued during the past year along the lines indi
cated in the last annual report. In additiontothe channels
of communication with·· the publishing •.• centers therein
'described.,.. w.e. ha.v.eavailed ourselves of th.e.· •. s.e.fvi.ce.•• ·.s ...o.. f..·•.. the • • """ ' ",:", ",' ,""","""""'.""',,",,',,",,,"","' ... """," , .,',.",............'.. ,"
Bureau ofInternationaL Exchanges in .forwarding the lists
to the appropriate offices.. Statements ·of •• ourwants ••. have
been sent during the year to the following countries:
Argentine Republic, Bavaria, Belgium,Bolivia, Great
Britain (Patent Office) ,Budapest, BuenosAires (Province),
Bulgaria, Ceylon, ..Chile, Costa •. Rica, . Denmark, Egypt,
Greece, Guatemala,Honduras, India,. Japan,. Netherlands'
New Brunswi~k, havebe;n •.•• received as •follows:. Argentine Republic, 189 volumes and pamphlets ; Commonwealth
of Australia, 6; BelgiuIIl,SII;Brazil, 307; Budapest, IS;
Bulgaria,loI; •.• Ecuador, 44; ·France, •. 1,803; Hungary,
lOS ; Italy, 637 ;Japan,92;~e\VBrunswick,Ioo;Peru,
113; Prussi~,I()I;.Q~eells1aI1d,305;.Switzerland,.. 133,
Tunis, 50; .• Victo~a,308;."YesternAustralia; .•• ISI ... There were received also.482 h1a.psfrom Hungary, 89 ••.••• from ..
France, and 71 •• fromYictpria;andfr()mtheBritish)Gov
ernment a set of .the •• volumes·· containing .•• theiBritishcase,
counter case, and argument in the Anglo-Venezuela~
boundary dispute, with appendices, index, minutes of pro
.ceedings and atlas. We are advised that further· consign
I"let'ItII;(I"alcxchallgcs
28 Report of the Librarian of Congress
ments from Ceylon, India, Queensland, the Bureau· of Sta
tistics of Bulgaria, and the French Chamber of Deputies
are on their way to us.
The following table shows the receipts by·. in~ermitional
exchange since the organization of the Division of Docu
ments:
Volumes andAccessions: Jnternatim:all'xl'1lange' pamphlets
1900-1 _ 6,476
19°1-2 _ 5,850
4, 8091902-3------------------------------------------1903-4-------------------------------------~----· 4,916
1904-5------------------------------------------ a 3, 506
Average 1900-1905 _ 5, II 1
3,522
19°6-7------------------------------------------ 19°5-6------------------------------------------
10,°39
1907-8----------------------------------~-------- 8,755
Average 1905-1908- _
a The gifts from foreign governments reported in this year included also 2.968 volumes and pamphlets (miscellaneous publications). which fonned parts of the official exhibits at the Louisiana Purchase ExPosition.
It.-is estimated that under normal conditions the num
ber of volumes and pamphlets r~ceived annually from for
eign governments should. amount to about •• 7,000.
The negotiations for the establishment of 'international
exchange with China were brought to asuccessfuLconcIu
sion, and a collection of sheep-bound congressional docu
ments from.I901 to date was despatchedtotheAmerica?
Chinese· Publication Exchang-e Department,.Shanghai Bu
reau of Foreign Aff~irs,..in February. Liberia has been
added to the list of countries receiving partial sets of United
• States documents in exchange for their. own ~fficial publi
cations. /.~r
Report of the Librarian of Congress 29
A revised want list of the journals and documents of the Slale documellts
various state legisiatures and of the reports of state offi
cers has been prepared during the year and is now in
press. I tis to bedistr~buted to libraries for the purpose of
obtaining the material needed,as far as possible, byinter-.
library. exchange of duplicates. The distributing agendes
in the various States have already supplied all the material
that is at their disposal.
A beginning has been made with ·thedevelopment of the dO~~~,::e::t:ciPal collection of municipal documents,. American.· and foreign.
One hundred. and two volumes of such publications. were
obtained from the leading cities of Great Britain during the
early part of 1908, and a systematic gathering of the docu
ments of American municipalities was begun in Jun~, fol
lowing the reclassification and shelf listing of the existing
collection. in. the. Library.
LAW LIBRARY
The accessions during the year were as follows:
1907.-8
How acquired Main
Library Conference
Library Main
Library Conference
Library
By copyright ______________ l,j20 -------- 1,506 --------By gifL -: - _":" _______________ 1,444 64 1,022 93 By purchase _______________ 1,958 2j2 1,843 233
Total
Total accessions
3264,37 15, >221 ---------1·----'---
_
_
Total contents of Law Library .,. _: -: _ 122,119 126,816
30 Report of the Librari"an of Congress
The more noteworthy accessions have been:
A~:S~io~~brary: By gift: France, Tables analytiques;Arretsdelacour de cassation (crimine11e). I I· vols.; Bulletinofficiel du Min
istere .dela justice. 18 vols.; Hunga.rY,Landesgesetz
sammlung und Gesetzsammlung. 23Vols.;EvfT()rvenyek
Gyiijtemenye. 37 vols.
By ·purchase: Belgium, •• J~risprudenced~Portd'Anvers
with tables. 1856-I965' •• S3;vols.;J~risprudencedes tri
bunaux. 1852-1904- •• 54Vols.;GeIlTIany,Rechtslexikon, Weiske. 16 vols.; ·Studien zur Erlauterung desbiirger
lichen Rechts,Leonhard. ..•• 27 vols.;Great'Britain,Central
Criminal Court Reports...•. 49vols. ; Newf?undland,. Session Laws, 1835 .•.. 1886; 27 vols.;NewBrunswick, Session
Laws, 1838-43. 6 v.ols.;. Nova Scotia, Session·.• Laws, .1830
... 1865. 20.vols.; South Australia.,SessionLaws,1876
87. 12yols.; Tasmania, Session Laws, 18s6 . .79.'{O
vols.; Cape of Good Hope, Supreme Court Reports. 13
vols.; Law Journal, London,I~66-77·.(News and Notes):
22 vols.; Law Notes, London, 1882-1906. 25 Vols.;Neth
erlands, Regtsgeleerdheid enWetgeving,withBijblad: 120
volS.; Bijdragen tot de kennisvan het Staats-,Provi?ciaal'
en gemeente-bestuur in Nederla.nd. 1857--1889. 3.6 vols.;
Spain, Boletin de la Revistageneralde •• legislacion y juris
prudencia. 120 vols.; .. Sweden, ••• 'ridskrift.f6r Lagstiftung, Lagskipning och F6rvalting,·1864-88. 26 vols.; Massa
chusetts, SessionLa\Vs,I8I6 ..... 1880. 18 vols.; Ver
mont, Session La",s,18IO ... I869... 60 vols. Service Dr. George"\Vin~eldScoft,whoent~red our service De
cember, 1903,asL~'NLibrari~n, resigned that office on Oc
tober.3I, •.•• I907,cont.inuing,however,· ~hrough the remainder of the fiscal year---i.e.,u.ntil}une 30, 1908-upon the index
ingwork described below,for whose institution, plan, method, .
. and progress hewas chiefly responsible, and which has passed
its ,stage of experiment and of demonstration with the issue
Report of the Librarian of Congress 3 I
of the volume now· published. He was succeeded as Law
Librarian by Mr.· Middleton •• G. Beaman, who had already
served the·· Library. for over a year in connection with •• the
inde.xing.
INDEXES, DIGESTS, . AND COMPILATroN'!;OF LAW
(From the report of Mr. Middleton G.Beaman, now. Law Librarian, but in immediate conduct of theindexirigfrom its organization in 1906) . i
In the Sundry Civil Appropriation Actfor the fiscaL year
1907 appeared the following paragraph (34Stat. L., 753):
. To systematize the preparation of lawindexes ana so forth and toprovide •• tr~ined·lawd~rks.therefor:.To enable the Librarian of Congress to direct. the Law Li
brarian to prepare anew indext() the Statutes at Large, in accordance with a plan previously approved by the Judiciary Committees of both Houses of Congress, and to prepare such other indexes, digests and compilations of law as may be required for. Congress and other official use, five thousand eight hundred and forty dollars to pay for five additional assistants in the Law Library: One at eighteen hundred dollars,. one at twelve hundred dol
lars, one' at nine hundred dollars and ~wo at seven hun": dred and twenty dollars eachandfor the Law Librarian five hundred. dollars, the said sum to b·e·paid to the Law Librarian notwithstanding seventeen hundred and sixty five of the RevisedStatutes.
In compliance with this statute, and under direction of
the thenLa\v:Librarian,Dr.:George W. Scott, work was
begun ear1y.inJulyoLiI906 •• ~~onthe plan required by the
statute to be. subtnitted for.the approval of the Judiciary
Committees of both Hous~~ofCongress.
This plan
32 Report of the Librarian of Congress
Law ilulc:xcs of which uniformity of results could be obtained in the actual
indexing. This tentative classification, containedina printed
volume of nearly 800 pages, widely spaced and margined to
permit of interlineations and corrections, was submitted not
only to the J ucVciary ·Committees of both Houses of Con
gress, but to specialists in the various subjects in the gov
. ernment service and. throughout the legal professioll,with
a request for criticisms and suggestions. It was a matter
of .surprise and·· regret .that almost no suggestions of. value
were. received.
The plan did not receive the necessary approval of the
Senate· Judiciary Committee' until·· March, .1907. Owing to
this delay and·also. to the •• need •• experienced by Congress for
a comprehensive subject-index to the Federal statutes in
force. work was then begun at once on a subject-index to the
general and permanent law found in the Revised Statutes
of 1873 and.the seventeen.volumes of the Statutes at •• Large
which follow-altogether about 25,000 quarto pages of
statutes. This has now been completedand~ublished.
Because the personal, local, andtelIlporary statutes
have con~tantly mixed. in with them provisions. of general
and permanent .force,every line .ofthe2s ,ooopageshad to be read with t?e closest scrutiny... Theaimwaostobring
to light and to accumulate under a definite category. the
references to all provisions on a .definite subject, however
scattered those provisions mightbeinthe various sorts of
enactments. The failure to •• employ precise language in
the statutes, the use of different language at different
points in the same act orin different acts to attainappar
ently identical objects, and the' numerous conflicts and
inconsistencies in the provisions of· the statutes, giving. rise
to implied repeals and amendments, have tended to obscure
the obvious construction, which 'it is' the business of an
index to note, and to retard progress.
33 Report oj the Librarian oj Congress
The method. eniployedwas·.·.as follows: The·.·whole field
was divided into. a fewJarge· groups, composed of subjects
of a more or less cognate nature, and each group assigned
to one of the lawyers engaged upon the work. Eachperson
in charge oisuch.a group read, howeve,r, the entire body
of the. statutes, taking out that part which related to his
subjects. To .secure uniformity of style in the treatment
of the various subjects,an~to make sure that nothing had
been omitted, this work was checked up during the.progress
of the indexing. by one individual, who.·.himse1freadevery
line 6f the statutes.
When· the.·.initial.··.indexing.wasfinished,.•·••• thetuaterial. col
lected consisted oLaboutloo,OOO type\~rittencards, each
containing •. a. brief entry, or' description of ••. the statute,
followed bya reference to the volume and page. where
found, and date of passage. These entries were then com...
pared and· edited, and all parts of.the ·classification checked
up for definiteness and consistency with •their' cognate
parts. A typewritten manuscript was. then prepared for
the printer, and carefully proof-read from .the carqs. The
printed proof was scrutinized with the utmost care, and
again compared with~hecards,which remain on file, and
to whichadditionscan'ge made at any time.
As stated above,thevolume now published contains ref
erences only to thestatlltes of. a general' and. permanent
nature contained in the Revised Statutes of 1873 and the
Statutes at Large subsequently enacted to March, 1907
(vols. I 8-34),togetherwithatableof express repeals and
amendments, .and·a .Jist giving the'•.. popular •names of 'acts
and resolutions.. '•. Th~re.retnaintobejn~exed.' •• (I) laws of a
:=::;~::'t!01c;;/:n~~eISOjS)nat;r~i":ince ....1873, (2) all The total cost ofth~workl.lPtoJune30,.I908,exclusive
of the prjnting,butincludingproof-readingby the aut,hors,
34 Report at the Librarian at Congress was provided for in two .• annual appropriations of$S,840
each anda$s,oooappropriationmadeforthe.purpose of
expediting the work on statutes general and permanent in
character.
That so much. was. completed during' the flscal years I 907
and 1908 was due,nottothefactthatthesalariesprovided
were adequatetosecure~ersons of competent ability, but
"to the fact that lawyers .of unusual ability were led to
engagein the work in the hope of ~dvancement. By their
diligence and' untiring' devotion much was accomplished,
but our inability to incr~ase the salaries has resulted, in
the resignation of most of the force. ILishardly. to be
expected,lhatothers"will be, found .to. take thed place who
will stay for any length of time.
bide" to Stat- 1'he workis complex. A person to take it up musthave
ut~~:~:;;:~~,t~ hadagoodlegal training, he must possess an active mind and be able to exercise a
ReportojtheL'ibrarian of Congress 35
If, therefore, suitable persons 'are to he drawn into the
work, and retained ,.Congress must provide •••. adequate' sala
ries. At present,there arefivepositions,asfollo\Vs: One
at $1.800, one at$I,20o,.oneat$90o,hvoat.$72o,and$500
additionalcompensatipn to the Law Librarian. I,. shall
recommend the addition of twc>positions-oneat, $2,400
and one at $3,000:
DIVISION' 01" MAPS AND • CHARTS
(From the report of the Chief, Mr. Phillips)
AccessionsThe following tables, AandB, respectively, show the
number ofaccessio~sfor the year and the totalnumber of
pieces in the Map. Division.
TABLE A-AccessiOl~s, July I, I907-June 30, I908
D,~,iDt;on. CODY- Pn'- GUt
Sheet marL"- .....2~::~ d::~ ~5~ Tron'-I Ex 'f t I
":51 dm::, 6~:3' Pocket ~lapS___________ 7 12 - ------'----- 19
Atlases________________ 49 132 46 1_1 4_' _ 232
Manuscripts___________ 17 IS
View.s,.. ' - _ 30 5 - - - - -1- - - - - 36
___T_otaL~~::.....2,-':~__~5_~6~~_.~L'~_L6,~3~ TABLE B-'-Total number of pieces in Map Division June 3D, I908
--:------ ------,------. I June 30, 1907 ,Accessions.
I
1908: TotalDescription I
6,43 1 99,932Sheet maps - - - - - - - - 93;5°1
96619Pocket maps - - - -:.. - 947 232 4, IIIAtlases - - - - - - - - - - - 3,879
18 269Manuscripts - - '- -,- -
Views - -.:. - -"- - -- - 36 2°9173
Total ' 6,736 105,48798,75 1
58896-08-.'-'4
),
Report o/the Librarian oj Congress
The preceding lablesdo nztinc1ude the total number of
sheets·. in.·. the
37 Report ot the Librarian. ot Congress .
A plan of the battle on BunkersUill. .. 1775, by an officer on the spot. London, R. Sayer & J.Bennett, 1775.
Printed beneath the plan is an account of the battle: "The fol~owing description of the action near Boston, on the 17th of June, is taken from a letter written by General Burgoyne to his nephew, Lord Stanley," dated" Boston, June 25, 1775."
A compleat description of the province of Carolina in 3 pts. 1st. The improved part from the surveys of Maurice Mathews & Mr. John Love. 21y. The west part by Capt. Tho. Nairn. 31y. A chart of the coast from Virginia to Cape Florida. .. Published by Edw.Crisp. Engraven by John Harris. London, [171 I?]
. Map of Kentucke drawn from actual observations . . . [dedicated] to ... Congress and to his excellCY George Washington . . ." by John Filson. Philadelphia, 1784.
Only six known copies. The first' map of Kentucky. This map has 1?een reproduced in exact fac-simile with a bibliographical description.
A mapp ofye improved part of Pensilvania in America, divided into countyes, . townships and lotts. Surveyed by Tho. Holmes: To William Penn . .. this mapp is humbly. dedicated . .. by Ino. Harris. [London, 1681]
A mapp of Virginia discouered to ye hills and in its latt: from 35 de. & t neer Florida to 41 deg: bounds ofNew England. John Goddard sculp. Domina Virginia Farrer collegit. Are sold by John Overton withoutNe~vgateat the corner of little Old Baly. [I655?]
Dudley, Robert. Dell' Arcano del Mare.. 3 v. in 2. Firenze, 1646-47.
First edition; perfect copy with maps.
The English pilot. The fourth book [American] London, ]. Thornton; R. Mount, 1706.
One of th~ early editions. and the earliestintheLibrary.
--- Same. London, J.Mount, T.Page, and W. Mount, 1775.
Julien, J. R. Letheatre du monde. •.. Paris, 1768. An interesting atlas containing "eleven beautifully engraved
copies of plans of ." Paris from the time of the Gauls to •I766.
Le Rouge, G. S. Recueil des plans d~ l'Amerique Septentrionale.• Paris, Le Rouge, 1755.
Plans of American cities and fortifications, including the map of Boston so often wanting.
Mercator, Gerardus. Atlas sive cosmographicae meditationesde fabrica mvndi et fabricati figvra . .. Editio secundo." Amstelodami, 1607' .
Earliest edition.in.the Library.
Report of the Librarian of Congress
The North American pilot for Newfoundland, Labrador, the gulf and river St. Laurence ... New' England, New York, Pensilvania, Maryland and Virginia also the two Carolinas and Florida . . . Drawn· from original surveys· taken ..• by Capt. .•.. John Gascoigne, Joshua Fisher, Jacob Blarney 2V. London, R. Sayer and
1\
!~
J. Bennett, 1777· The first edition.
Ortellus, Abraham. Theatrvm o~bis terrarvm. [Colophon:5J Antverpiae, 1570.
One of the three impressions of the second edition. With colored
maps. Ortelius, Abraham. Additamentvm III. Theatri. orbis terrarvm
Abrahamvs Ortelivs geographiae studiosis. Antuerpiae ambiva
ritorum, 1584. ./ A Map· of the world printed on gores, intended to be mounted as a
globe, being one of the reduced copies of the gigantic globe measuring fifteen feet in diameter, constructed in 1683 by order of the king Louis XIV, by the celebrated Venetian cartographer, Marco Vincenzo Coronelli.
DIVISION OF MUSIC
(From the report of the Chief, Mr. Sonneck)
Accessions otthe Music Division for the fiscal year ending June 30, I908
Music.. _- - - - -
Literature of music.. _____
Instruction_ -
Copyright Gift
Purchase
--5,794
674
23°
Exchange
--
34
29 6
Trans- Other I. Totalfer
------
35 1 18,793
8
I----~-983
28 993
12,9°2
82
635
27
186
94
TotaL_ 13; 609 3°7 6,698 69 71 I 5 20,769
Contents of the lHusic Division attheclose of the fiscal year June 3D, I908
Music: The Division contained upto June 30,1907, vol
umes an~ pieces ~ 462,775
Accessions during the fiscal year numbered, volumes and pieces_________________________ 18,793
Total on June 30, 1908-----------------;.--------- 481 ,568
•
Report of the Librarian of Congress 39
Literature of music:
The Divisioncontained up to June 30, 1907, vol
umes, pamphlets,etc__ - -'- - - - - ... - -- - -- - - - -
Accessions·during the fiscal year numbered - - -
Total on June 30, 19°8--------------'-------------. 8, 029
Musical instruction:
The Division contained up to J~ne 30, 1907, volumes and pieces .. 10,007
Accessions during the fiscal year numbered____ 993
Total onJune 3°,1908-------------.-------------- II,OOO
Grand total, volumes, pamphlets, and pieces __ - - -- - - - 500,597
The only really notable giftcame from Mrs. Paine, Cam- M~~~~
bridge, Mass, It is a volume containing several c~aracter-
istic autograph scores of the late John Knowles Paine, prin
cipally his unfinished tone-poem '~Lincoln." On thewhole, the purchases during this fiscal year have Accessions
surpassed·. those of previous years in value ·and.·importance.
Among the most noteworthy were the transcripts of the
following old operas : Hasse's' La ClemenzadiTito,}omelli's
Ezio, LeomtrdoLeo's Olimpiade, Lotti's Ascanio and Teofane,
Martin y Solar's· capricciosa< corretta, Mayr's L'Avaro,
Pasquini's La Forza d'amore, Scarlatti's Laodiceae Bere
nice, Vogler's>Hermann vonUI1na,> \Vinter's Helena und
Paris, Zingarelli's I phigenia.in. Atilide. (All these and
others have. been. receivedsincepublicati(mof our Cata
logue of Dramatic •• Music.) Angel() da Piccitono's Fior
angelicodi musica, 1547; Faber-Aventinus'sMusicae rudi
menta, 1516; de Caus's Instruction harmonique, 1615;
Cotelle's Collection des quintetti' de· Boccherini;Froschius's
Rerum musicarumopusculum, 1535; Marcoda Gagliano'S
Dafne, 1608'; Guerson's Utilissimemusicalesregule,I5 I8 ;
Hale's Social. harmony, 1763;Hasse'sCredopieno in Fmaj.
supposed autograph; Hugo •Reutlingensis's .. Floresmusicae,
1488 ; JUIl1:ilhac'sLa science .••.. ,1673; Koswick'sCom
40 Report of the Librarian of Congress
MUSIC D J - pendiaria musice artis, 1517; ·Lassus Secondo libro eli VJSJON
madrigali, Venetia, 1573 (C. T. A. B. Q.); Lord North's
Philosophical essay, 1677; Ornithoparcus's Micrologus, 1609,
ed. by John Dovland; Playford's Musical companion, 1673, ,1686; Praetorius's Syntagma musicum, 1615-20;Sibire's Chelomanie, .1806; Simpson's Division-violis~, 1659; Locke's
Present practice of l11:usick vindicated, 1673; Tapia'sVergel
de musica, 1570; Vitali'~ Aretusa, 1620.
Publtcations During the year a Catalogue of full scores of dramatic
music has been issued. This has caused useful comment
from the unexpected resources .whichit exhibits in a collec
tion so recently deve1oped.a It may be followed by a
catalogue of our full scores of modem orchestral music-a
collection now approaching completeness.
a As an example of such comment maybe quoted the following from
"Le Guide Musical," Bruxelles. (Sept. 6, 1908.)
"[Washington] Library of Congress. Dramatic music: catalogue of
full scores, by O. G. Th. Sonneck, in-8° de 170 pages.
"Nous avons deja signale lesefforts de M. Sonneck, chefdu. departe
ment de musique a la Bibliothequenationale des Etats-Unis, a Wash
ington, et les publications qu'ilnous a envoyees,' soit pourla division
raisonnee des collections,soitpourle. catalogue des nouvelles acquisi
tions. Comme l'argentne. manque' jamais la-bas, les resultats sont
superbes. Voicilecatalogue despartitionsd'orchestre{full scores), et
it represente probablement la.collection la.plus·considCrable du monde
entier. Nonseulementon adrainepresquetout cequ'on a pu obtenir
dans les maisonsd'editions europeennes(et ce n'est pastoujours facile;
fen pourrais citer qui s'ysontnettement opposees),. et aussi achete
Ie plusde partitions anciennes possible, mais on a fait copier a la main
nombredc manuscrits ou d'editions rares et uniques.Cependant, M.
Sonneck avertit que ceci .n'est qu'un premier aper~u,qu'on achete
encore constamment,etquela partie ancienne, surtout, sera tres
etendue. Je Ie. croissanspeine: 'ellecomporte pourtant deja des
documents de tout premier ordre, soit.originaux, soit ainsi copies tout
expres. H. deC."
•
------------------
---- -----
4 1Report a/the Librarian of Congress
DIVISION OFP.ERIODICALS
(From the reportoCtheChief, Mr. Guittard) 'UJ
The following comparative table, covering six fiscal years,
shows the accessions· of serials from various •. sources:
----------,------------------ ----- -How acquired 1903 1904 1905 1907
Gifts and transfers_______ . - -' 2.861 3. 128 3. 8 50 4.47 1 5. 016 5. 6 47
CopyrighL______ - __ - - - - --- 1.246 1.423 1.729 2.026 2.342 2.594
Subscription._____ - - - - -. - - - 1.013 1.047 1.212 1.340 1.40 5 1.468
Smithsonian deposiL. --. - - . 1.270 1.679 2.425 2.63 1 2.883 3. 1~9
Total (titles. not y( 1U1ncs) ~ . 6.390 7.277 9.216 10.468 11.646 12.828
The congestiondue to the bound ·files of newspapers still
embarrasses, but relief is now assured in the new' book stack
the construction of which was authorized in theappropria
tion act for this year. The stack will fill completely the
southeast inner courtyard, with a height identicar with
that of the present "south stack," of iwhich it will be in
effect but an ex~ension. Withasapacityofover 800,000
ordinary volumes, it will provide not merely for the news
papers and art folios (each inshelves.of special design), but
also for a considerable mass ofbooks •• and pamphlets of the
ordinary type. Its completion will, however, require at
least a year and a half.
DIVISION OF PRINTS
(From the reportof the Chief, Mr. Parsons)
The increase of the collection has been: By copyright,
16,151; by purchase, 6,904; by gift, 85; by transfer, 2,605;
total, 25,745. The collection now numbers 281,615 pieces.
Among the purchases have been:
(I) A series of Chinese engraVl.·ngs ••·.r.e.pr..es.en.••·.. ti.n.•••.g.ithe..•••. vic-. PRINTS:' . .. .,. . Purchases
tories of Kien-Lung, of which the Library has been fortunate
PRINTS:
Accessions
42 Report of the Librarian of Congre3s
in securing two sets-one .engraved by na,tive artists, one
engraved in France from· sketches sent. fr~m China.
(2). A collection of bob'k:s,.original woodblocks, and.prints
by Alexander Anderson. (1775-1870), one oLthe important
American wood engravers of the early nineteenth century.
(3) A collection of lithographs. formed byMr.Charles H.
Whitaker, of Boston, Mass. It consists of 687 lithographs,
25 volumes ill~strated by well-~nown lithographers},and 12
booksof reference on lithography...One hundred and fourteen
.lithographers are represented in the collection, the most
important being Gericault, .• Bonington, Harding; Isabey,
Delacroix, Charlet, Deveria, .•. Raffet, Gava:-ni, Fantin
Latour, Haghe, Hall, Huet,Pennell,Prout, Nanteuil, Noel,
Rops, Shannon, Varderhaert,. Vernet; Ward, 'Vay, and
Whistler. The lithographers most largely represented are
Rops (ISO), Gericault (49), Raffet (41),. Gavami (38),
FantiJ).-Latour (29), Vernet (28), Shannon (19), CabaneJ (18),
Isabey (18), Charlet (17), Lane (15), Ward (12), Huet (II),
and \\Thistler (10).
With material already in our possession and. certain
additions, the collection will serve in a study oflithography
from the time of Gericault (1791..,-1824) to the present.
Gericault was one of the first among the/artists ·to make
use of this process, invented in 1798 bySenefelder (1771
1834). The illustrated volumes are by the welL known lithogra
phers, Haghe, Raffet, Prout, Harding,'Valton, Shannon,
Way, IVladou, and Leech.
(4) About }5,500 pllOtqgraphs it:i continuation. of a
series already begun, usefuLfor exhibit, foriIlustration, and
for student use. The recent purchases cover. particularly
paintings in .. Brlti~hgaIIeries and··.subjects in English and
German architecture.
Report of the Libraria~' of Congress 43
A large collection of photographs of .the western· part of
the United States, taken intheearly seventies, was received
by transfer from the.lnteriorDepartment.
A special collection ofthe wood engravings of Mr. Tim
othy Cole was lent, for exhibition, by the CenturyCOlnpany. ExhibitsThe exhibits ·.·duringthe year .·have inc1udedseveral·.of
photographs ... illustrating .the history of Art and Architec
ture; of three-color process prints illustrating the work
of American .• illustrators;.of.i Hiroshigeprints ..• (from •• the
Crosby S.. Noyes.· collection) ; and of nineteenth. century
etchings. The Aruridel.· •• Society·.. prints have· been perma
nently installedin.wing.frames.
READING ROOM ••• FOR THE· BLIND
The collection of books for the blind has been increased
during the year by the gift of 77 volumes and the purchase
of 69 volumes.
Contcnts of the colle Mrs. Rebecca Mcl\f. •Colfelt, New
York City; Miss Susie I. Duffy,Wa;shington;Miss Emily
44 Report of the. Librarian of Congress
IHarper Edrington, Luray, Va.;·. Mr. J. M..• Eggleston, Washington; Miss Margaret E.·Em~rson, Syracuse, N. Y.; Mr.
S. C~ Foreman, Washington; Miss Catherine L. Grady,
Washington; Miss Sarah Moyer··Hay, Nutley, ~. J.; Miss .Winifred Holt, New York City; Mr. B. B.Huntoon, Louis
ville, Ky.; Mr. David Hutches()n, Washington; Miss Cath
erine M.Keith,Washington;Mr. Oscar Kiisterni~p, Mil
waukee, Wis.; Hon. Blair Lee, Silver SP?ng, Md.; Miss
Lily T. Linn,· Highland, Md. ; Mrs. James McManes,. New
York. City; Miss Louise. Moore, Washington; .Miss A. Claire
D.Murray,Washlngton;Hon. Charles H.Quigley, Maryland;
Mr. Wm. J. Somerville,Washington;)1r.C.F.Spangenberg, Washington; Miss Rose Waple, Vienna, Va., the Xavier Free
Publication Society for the Blind, New YorkCity, anc~ the
Ziegler Publishing Company for the Blind, New York. City.
SMITHSONIAN DEPOSIT
T.h~ effort to perfect the serial sets has been continued,
with cordial assistance from the authorities oLthe Institu
tion. The process, however, is necessarily a slow one.·
BINDING
The number of volumes bound was 34,275. This number,
although less than the number sent to the binderies during the
preceding year (36,51 3)",compares favorably with the number
received backcompleted (30,600). Of the total, 34,275 items,
25,312 were bound in.theLibrary branch, 8,963 in the main
office. The endeavor, in the interest of econ()my, to, dif
ferentiatematerials in recognition or'the difference in value,
permanence. and use of the various classes continues.
45 Report of theLib,'arian of Congress
CATALOGUING
(From the report of the chief,Mr.Hanson)
The total numberof:'volll111escatalogued>was 123,828. In addition, 1,o54partsofyolumes\\7ereaddedon· the serial·
record and.shelfJists,oftheDivisi.on,andS,oo5 volumes
were, after carefuFsearch and comparison,. rejected ·as
duplicates' and turned over to the Order and Documents
divisions.
The total number of volumes catalogued shows adecrease
of 5,548. asagainstthepreceding •••• year.••••• This.is accounted for by thegreatamountoftilTIe to .•• the Anglo-American
agreement on rules;. secondlY, bythe Chiefof the, Division and
two of the assistants, to thec~mpilation,editing,and printing
of the first edition of the same rules. Another. reason forthe
decrease· is •• nodoU})Lthelossess~stained.bythis •••••·Division
during .the'lastfew~ear~o~ account of resignations.! tgere
having .. been •..•• no less than 36 resignations and 3 transfers
during 1906 and 1907. The large number of assistants who
have been called to better paying positions elsewhere seems
to indicate that .as the ·Library is becoming more and more
a central cataloguing agency for the country, there is an
increasin,g tendency·.· on. the part of ot?er libraries t~ draw
upon us for assistants .trained in the methods of cataloguing
which obtain here. .As other institutions adopt the printed
cards of. this' Library they no doubt. find it an advantage to
have some one at hand who has been specially trained in the
rules and methods which obtairlin.thecompilation of these
entries.
The inducements offeredto assistants who have re~igned
. also ind,icate that while thesala.ries voted for the Library
in 1897-1899 compared favorably with those of other
46 Report ot the Librarian of. Congress
libraries at. that. timc,theyarenow considerably b~low
those which obtain in the average American library. Under
the circumstances this Division· is becoming.· to some extent
a training schooLwhere persons come for two or three years
of experience at a low salary intending to accept the first
promising offer from the outside. While this s~ate of
affairs may have its good features it naturally has a ten
dency to decrease the general efficiency of the Division and
must materially reduce the output.
Cards filed Cards to the number of 704,907 were· filed in the various
catalogues of the Division, exclusive oLthe general Unicm
catalogue for which no record is as yet a'railable.
RewlaillUIl11lU The following classes were completed in 1907-8 : General
societies (AS) ; Economic history; .Organization and situation
of agriculture and industries (HD); Land (HD); Labor
(HD) ;Industries (HD); Public finance (HJ); Sociology: (HM);
Social -reform (RN); Universities and colleges-Europe
(LF) ; Universities and colleges--:-Asia, Africa, Oceailia(LG);
Theory .of music (MT) ; Fiction, English and American (PZ);
State Medicine. Public health. Medicat" climatology.
Hospitals. Medical jurisprudence (RA); Practice of Medi
cine (RC); Gynecology and obstetrics (RG); Building con
struction (TH); Electrical engineering (TK); Chemical
technology (TP) ; Photography (TR); Cook-books (TX7IS).
Reea/alou U i'd General.periodicals (AP) completed to letter M; Genealin par t a 11 d Itnder-zIJay ogy (CS); Directories, American locaL (F); Family, woman,
etc. (HQ); Social pathology, hygiene (HV); Fine arts,
General works (N);. Manufactures (TS);· Trades. (TT).
rtl~Sa t a lou u e Much time has been expended on the compilation arid
printing of the joint rules.agreed. upon by committees' of
the. American. and. British. Library Associations. As Chair
man of . the American committee and •.. editor of the;-'£tst
American edition of the Rules. theChiefoLthe Division
•
47 Report at the Librarian at Congress has devoted a considerable part oihis till1eto theprepara
tion of copy and to seeing the Rules through •• the press.
In order to settle definitely the various questions •about
which there was stillsome difference of opinion or 'uncer
tainty, he was delegated by the American Library Asso
ciation to attend the annual meeting of the British Library
Association at Glasgow, September 16-19,.1907. Consul
tations with the Catalog .Rules Revision Committee.·of that
Association resulted. in a substantial agreement and paved
the way for the printing of the first edition which appeared
in August of thepresenfyear. As this work represents
also the rules of •• the Library ofCongress , it furnishes a guide
to that section of its new catalogue which represents agthors and titles. ......;b'
The next. problem ... to be attacked will be the preparation ~~l~.
and printing of the List of subject headings. The· Rul~~ for
the author and title catalogue were compiled in .• corijiiric
tion with the American .. Library Association, and therefore
. demanded many concessions and changes. in the practice
of the Library. To perfect the agreement between so
many libraries •and ••. to •.·•• harmonize themanyvaried.interests
and cataloguing traditions proved to be ..• the>workofseveral
years. In prep~ring and. printing ..• the subject •~uide 'ion the
other hand,while:here ••• again. the ..• Libraryma.ybe .. called upon to. make several concessions in.orderto>facilitate
agreemenf in headings .between its .ow~cat~lo~u~andthat
of the. manyJibraries which • now subscribe to •..•.•. the printed
cards andwhichare~at~rally.• anxious .•• ·. tomak~use. of the subject headings .thereindicated.withouf.extensive •• changes
or modifications,ther[ is not-likely to be .any such. demand
for generalharmony:sinthe case of theauthorrules. The
preparation of the guide .to subjects should accordingly
present fewer .•• problems· and be carried •• fonvard· more expe
ditiously th~t1i was the compilation and editing of the Rules.
http:to�..�.�
48 Report of the Librarian of Congress
loO::;cial cala- During the past year considerable additions have been
made to the catalogue of early Americana in the Library
of Congress, described in the Librarian's; report of 190~-7,
page 57. In addition to booksprlntedpriort.oI800 n~te
has also been taken. of many imprints· of a much later date.
In some •of the· western .•• states, •for. instance, books· printed
prior to 1870 may be considered as early imprints and are
for that reason inc1udedinthe list.
Fol-anexhibitiontobeheld at Buenos Aires a special
catalogue of •• books •••.. in .••• the •. I;ibrary •which deal with the
Argentin~< Republic. has. been prepared .and forwarded.
The catalogue consisted of almost 2,500 .titles, on printed
Report of the Librarian of Congress 49
which 51,302werc···•.. new •.• accessions . (1906-7, shelf listed,
112,797; new accessions, 45,707). The rec1assifiedportion of the Library now contains in . Classification
round numbers7I3,000.volumes,·viz :.(~lassA(Polygraphy), 48,000; C--D(HistorY),78,000; E-F (America), 59,000; G (Geography),T5,OOo;H-} (Social sciences), 129.000; L
(Education), 32,060; ML-MT (Music," literature, '. and
theory), 12,000;N (Fine arts), 8,000;PZ (Fiction),36.ooo ;
Q (Science),. 103,000; R (Medicine), 32,000; S (Agricul. ture), 29,000; .T(Technolo~y), 55,000; U (Military science),
11,000; V (Naval scieri~e), 10,000; Z (Bibliography),
52,000; Congressional reference library, Incunabula, etc.,
4,000. .Arrears.-Work is inprogress.on class B, Philosophy and
religion (arrears' ca. 60,000 vols.); on the remaining sections
of C, Biography, Genealogy. _Heraldry,' etc. (20,000); J, Docu.ments (20,ooo),and.some.remainingsections in
political'sci~l1ce:Slavery,International.law, etc. (8,000);
N, FineaEts i (8'000};variousfo~Ill cla.sses •AC, AP '. AY,
General .•• collections,·.•. periodica.ls, yearbooks 'idirectories' ••.. etc.
(20;000);. a •..•.·.. few.·•• s1TIaller •••.•••• classe~,ancillary .•.••. sciences,· •••••. GR, Folklore,GT,MannersanclcustoIT1~,etc.(4.000) Two of ..•
the main·.' groupsre1TIain'~ntouched;. theyarec1assP,
Language and •.. lit.erature(70,ooo),andJ{,< Law>« 125,000).
DISTRIBUTION ..•.• OF PRINTED .•• CATALOG UE CARDS
(From the report of the Chiefofthe Card Section, Mr. Hastings)
During the year the number of subscribers has increased
from 952 tOI,128. The increase iri the cash sale of cards duringI90t-8, as Sale of cards
compared withtha:t of the previous year, has been about 16
per cent.
Report of the Librarian of Congress 5°
In the tabulation of the sale of cards given below the
amount realized from subscription to proof sheets is included
in the cash sales.
Sale of cards by moltths
Sale of cards July-- $1, 249· 57 by months AugusL____________________________________________ 1,271. 03
September '-_____________________________ 1,261. 98
October ----------------------------------~-----____ 1,910. 75 November - -.__ _ __ ___ _ 1,947.48 December ----______________________________________ 2,°53.36 January----- 2,010.77 February 1,624.77. March 2,379.58
ApriL - - - - _- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ____ I, 9°7. 53 May · ._______ 2,114.18
June--------------- ... -------------------------~----_ 2,555.72
Total 22,286.72
Sales to libraries of the United States Departments_______ .935· 34
Total ~~---------------------------23,222.06
Pursuant to. a decision of theComptroller, dated March 3I,
1908, .. a ••. deductioi1of .• lo ••. per •• centfrom ..•• theusu~lcharge for cards must now be made on cards supplied to librarie~of
the. UnitedStatesDepartments, '.• and·· theam~un t. remaining is credited to •the LibniryofCongress, seven-tenths to its
appropriation for salaries of assistants. in ••• the Card Section and three-tenths. to' its< allotment for printing and binding.
Several of the libraries which had expected to pay for cards
as he~etofore, by transfer of credits for printing and binding
on the books of the Government Printing Office, found it
impracticable to pay by the new method, and the charges
against them were necessarily canceled. The~mount given
above under" Sale of cards to libraries of the United States
Departments," represents the value of the cards'which were
actually paid for by transfer of credits. 'Under the former
method of bookkeeping all of the cards printed for the
Library ot the United States Department of Agriculture
Report of the Librarian otCongress 5 I
and distributed for that Department.by the Card Section
were counted as sales. It is now impracticable to regard
them,.as such. Although the number of cards supplied to
or distributed for the)ibraries of the Departments was con
siderably larger· this year than last, the figures do not show
it for the reasons stated above.
Cash deposits received/or cards
July------- -- -- -- -- -- - -- - -- -- - ----- - --.--------- ----- $1,°53.41 Deposits 1-CAugust ~_ 1,647. 85 cei'l!('d jor curds September__ - - - - - - - - -.:. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - __ 1,842 .-55 October _
1,7°7.9°November '- _ 1,5 18. 83 December_~ ~ _
2, 21 7.34January-- ~ _
1,591. 51February _
1,909. 44 l\'!arch _
2, 115. 10 Apri~ .,- _ 2,395. 86 l\fay ~_
2,302 . 0 7 June----------------------------------------------- 3,008.80
Total deposits 23,310.66 Deposits refunded_ -- -- - - -_ ____ 114.81
Net totaL - 23,195.85
During. the year two additional depository sets have
been supplied, one·. to. the Kansas State Historical Library, the other to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburg, Pa.
Sets ofcards necessary to complete files of proof-sheets Prooj - sheet cut to card size have been assigned to Missouri University depositories
-Library and to Dartmouth College Library. Thecomplete
list of "proof-sheet depositories"· is now as follows:
Cornell University Library, ItlIaca, N. Y. Dartmouth College Library, Hanover, N. H. Leland Stanford Junior University Library, Stanford University,CaI. Los Angeles Publi~ Library, Los Angeles, Cal. Missouri University Library, Columbia, Mo. Wesleyan University Library, Middletown, Conn.
Libraries which have acquired this form of record of cards
in stock of the Library of Congress seem coilvinced .that it 58896-08--5
52 Report of the Librarian of Congress
CARD SHCTION
Part ial depositories
is for their rise preferable to the full depository set, because
it serves •.•. the same purpose. and .• occupies·.· much .less space,
the white,
53 Report of the Librarian of Congress
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY:
Cards cov~ring such branches of science.' and technology as are related to the work of the Survey.
GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE:
Cards on medicine, psychology, and allied topics. INTERNATIONAL BUREAU OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLICS: '
Cards relating to the Central and South American Republics. INTERSTATE COl\l;\IERCE COMMISSION:
Cards for certain groups in sociology, economics,law, technology and Government documents relating to these subjects.
MILITARY ACADEMY (WES~ POINT):
Cards for m