112 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



scientific Avorkers on account of the multiplicity of series in which 

 these publications are issued. Few librarians or bibliographers are 

 able to catalogue, classify, and arrange the various bulletins, rej)orts, 

 circulars, and periodicals which the Department has issued. 



CARD IXDEX. 



Two issues of a card index to the publications of the Department 

 have been made, covering all articles in the Yearbooks for the years 

 1894 to 1898, inclusive, and the first 100 Farmers' Bulletins. A com- 

 plete author and subject index is sent to more than 300 libraries, 

 agricultural colleges, and bibliographical institutions. They have 

 been sent without expense to the recipient, and have been so planned 

 as to require only alphabetical arrangement in order to be imme- 

 diately available. This I believe to be the first attempt to furnish to 

 the outside world a complete printed card catalogue of the publica- 

 tions of any institution. The cards have been found very useful by 

 the institutions receiving them, and such a demand has arisen for 

 continuance that an attempt will be made to cover all of the publica- 

 tions of the Department as soon as possible. 



COOPERATION WITH OTHER LIBRARIES. 



As the most complete Agricultural Librarj^ of the world, it should 

 be the mission of this Library to place at the disposal of the various 

 agricultural investigators of this country the reference works which 

 they are unable to obtain from any other institution, in so far as such 

 a policy- does not interfere with existing law. Modern library pi*ae- 

 tice has as one of its most important features the idea of mutual lend- 

 ing between libraries. This idea has been as fully develoj)ed as 

 possible in this Librarj", constant loans being made to the various 

 experiment station and agricultural college libraries, thus materially 

 assisting the work of the investigators connected with these institu- 

 tions. Frequent use is made of the other libraries of this city, and 

 especial thanks are due to the Library of Congress and the Surgeon- 

 General's Library for courtesies received. This Library would 

 undoubtedly be of far greater use to persons outside of this city were 

 it provided with a printed catalogue. 



PRINTED CATALOGUE. 



The card catalogue of the Library may be said to approach comple- 

 tion, and the printing of this catalogue would undoubtedlj- be of 

 great service. The cost of such a catalogue is so great that in the 

 past no suggestion has been made in tliis direction. Except in the 

 case of a few libraries suijported by Government appropriation, the 

 jirinting of catalogues has been too costly to be considered. The 

 advantages of such a catalogue would be so great, however, that I 

 believe it would repaj" the cost of its production, and it is my inten- 

 tion to ask in the near future for a specific appropriation for this 

 purpose. 



RECOMMENDATION. 



I woitld strongly urge j^our favorable consideration of the arguments 

 accomi)anying my estimates for an increase of the appropriation for 

 the purchase of books. It is false economy to withhold adequate 

 supj)ort for a repository of knowledge such as this Library must be 

 conceded to be. The work is seriously hampered by the lack of funds. 



