284 ANNUAL EEPOETS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



material, and more service. In the plans for the future work and 

 development of the department it is hoped that the needs of the 

 library, and also its convenient use, can receive careful consideration. 



A large number of books was discarded during the past year, as it 

 was deemed advisable to hasten this work in order to dispose of any 

 books which were not needed prior to the moving and thus avoid 

 transporting them to the new building. The work of discarding was 

 done under the general direction of the hbrary committee especially 

 appointed to consider tliis matter. In the work of discardmg, the 

 •library had the help not only of the library committee but ^so of 

 members of the scientific force of the Bureau of Crop Estimates and 

 the Bureau of Soils. The number of books discarded was 5,910. As 

 all but a small proportion of these were classified and catalogued, a 

 large amount of work was involved in changing the hbrary records 

 and in the attempt to place the discarded books where they would 

 be of service. In connection with the discarding it was necessary to 

 consider the whole question of the scope and policy of the library. A 

 detailed statement explaining the general policy as to the acquisition 

 of material, the method of purchase, and the administration was 

 accordmgly prepared by the librarian for submission to the library 

 committee. This statement is too extended to include m this report, 

 but it is available in typewritten form. 



The number of books and pamphlets added to the library last 

 year, namely, 9,114, was shghtiy less than the number added during 

 the previous year. This was due to the fact that it was necessary to 

 spend a much larger amount during the past year for furniture and 

 hbrary equipment, the cost of 'the new library stacks being $2,130. 

 The total number of books and pamphlets now contained in the hb- 

 rary, deductmg the books recently discarded, is, in round numbers, 

 131,000. A selected list of the accessions to the hbrary has been 

 included in the new monthly departmental circular which has been 

 issued since May, 1915, and will be continued in future numbers. 



An unusually large number of periodicals was added to the Hbrary 

 durmg the past year. This increase is due partly to the need of 

 additional periodicals by the various bureaus of the department inci- 

 dent to new projects and the constantly broadening fields of investi- 

 gation and partly to the additional pubhcations wliich are bein^ 

 received in exchange for the Journal of Agricultural Research and 

 other pubhcations of the department. The total number of different 

 periodicals now being received currently by the hbrary is 2,337. Of 

 these, 819 are received by purchase and 1,518 by gift. Attention is 

 called to the table given in this report showing the distribution of the 

 current periodicals by class. In addition to the current periodicals 

 the Hbrary received over five thousand serials of less frequent edi- 

 tion, such as annuals, annual reports, proceedings, and transactions 

 published by institutions and societies. About 8 per cent of these 

 were received by purchase and 92 per cent by gift. 



There was considerable delay during the year in obtaining some of 

 the foreim periodicals pubHshed in the countries which are now at 

 war. It nas been the practice of the Hbrary for many years to order 

 foreign periodicals through a New York dealer, from whom they are 

 sent to us in packages by express. In previous years the Hbrary has 

 sometimes received complaints about the delay in the receipt of cer- 

 tain periodicals, as copies subscribed for by scientists personally 



