32 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. 



The year, upon the Avhole, has been a satisfactory one, and I find myself less 

 worn than sometimes at the close of a year, because of a more equal distribution 

 of its cares through its different parts. That its duties are yet very confining 

 and include too broad a field of study for the best of Avork, will not be denied by 

 any who have had experience in such departments. That this multiplicity of 

 cares may appear, must be my apology for any apparent minuteness of detail. 



Kespectfully submitted, 



GEO. T. FAIECHILD. 



-«^ 



EEPORT OF LIBRARIAN. 



Michigan State Agricultural Collkge, |I 



Lansing^ November 30, 1S75. f 



To the President of the College : 



Dear Sir, — The folloAving is a report of the work, use, and condition of the 

 College Library for the year this day closed : 



The Library has been open daily during term time, on Sunday from 10 A. M. 

 to 12 M., on Saturday from 3 to G P. M., and on other days from 4 to G P. M. 

 While open it has beeu, as usual, under the care of a student assigned to that 

 duty. This duty has been satisfactorily performed. 



At the begiuning of the year it was found possible to undertake the work of 

 renewing the catalogue of authors upon the card system, by Avhich the ]3lace 

 occupied by each book on the shelves is found in an alphabetical list of the 

 authors, Avitli the titles of their Avorks. This involved a rearranging, labelling, 

 classifying, and marking for ca?es, of the entire library. The Avork was done 

 nnder my direction by a half-dozen of the Seniors in the first six weeks of the 

 year, and the result has been a great couA'cnience already to the librarian and 

 assistant. A check list of books in the ca^es most in use has also been com- 

 pleted, and found useful. This catalogue thus far extends only OA'er bound 

 volumes. Some progress Avas made in a catalogue of pamphlets ; but for Avant 

 of suitable cases, no arrangement for easy reference could be devised, and the 

 AVork Avas jDostponed. The pamphlets haA'e been classified somewhat, and tied 

 in bundles, Avith a list of contents upon each. 



The filing of newspapers has been made more complete than ever before. 

 Each year's issue of every paper has been tied by itself AA^ith a list of missing 

 numbers, if any, attached, while a full list of the contents of each file has been 

 fastened to the Avliole. SeA'eral of the most complete have been put in cases, 

 where they can be reached for reference. The files of the Lansing Republican, 

 the Wolverine Citizen, and the Michigan Argus, run back Avith considerable 

 fullness to the opening of the College, in 1857. 



A full record of books drawn and returned has been attempted by a system of 

 checks posted to individual accounts Avith those using the library. Only a few 

 cases of failure to make the needed record liave come to my knowledge, and 

 those AA^ere the result of carelessness or thoughtlessness. The freedom allowed 



