THE LIBRARY. 729 



To meet the frequent demands for information rej^jarding the 

 periodicals received oy the Library there was prepared durino: the 

 past year a list of those currently received in 1909. The hst, which 

 contains 1,575 titles, is arranged alphabetically by title of the peri- 

 odical and also has a subject index. It has proved to be very useful 

 and has ^\-ithout doubt increased the circulation of the periodicals. 



There is need in the periotlical division of another assistant whose 

 time can be entirely devoted to work with serials, of which the 

 Library receives not fewer than 2,500 in addition to the 2,002 peri- 

 odicals received. To keep the files complete and up to date requires 

 continual viti:ilance and a o;reat amount of labor and correspondence. 

 It is hoped that much more time can be devoted to this work durin«^ 

 the next year in order that the next printed cataloo;ue of the periodicals 

 and serials in the Library may not show so many imperfect fdes. 



BINDING. 



It is especially gratifyino; to be able to report that 3,245 volumes 

 were prepared for the binilery during the past year, an increase of 

 1,335 as compared with the previous year. This is the first increase 

 in the number of books bound that it has been possible to report 

 since 1906, in which year 2,463 volumes were bound. The increase 

 of the past year was due partly to the fact that more funds were 

 available for binding and partly to the fact that it was possible to 

 devote more time to the work. It is hoped that it will be possible 

 to report a still greater increase in the next fiscal year. When the 

 number of current periodicals and serials received by the Library 

 is taken into consideration it is evident that at least 5,000 volumes 

 should be bound each year. Even with that annual increase it will 

 be some years before it will be possible to catch up with the arrears 

 which have accumulated. 



In addition to the 3,245 volumes sent to the government binder}^, 

 128 volumes of periodicals were put in temporary binders. These 

 binders are used for periodicals which need to be preserved, but 

 wdiich are not so frequently used as to justify permanent binding. 

 They are also used for incomplete volumes, as they permit the inser- 

 tion of the missing numbers wlien they are obtained, and in the mean- 

 time keep the file in an orderly condition in a form convenient for 

 use. 



DUPLICATES. 



This Library accumulates a large number of duplicates of govern- 

 ment and state publications, and also a large numl^er of duplicate 

 periodicals. They are sent currently as gifts to the bureaus and 

 offices of the Department and later find their way to the Library, 

 which in many cases has already received copies. In spite of the 

 time consumed in handling these duphcates and the ddliculty of 

 disposing of them, it has been the policy of the l^ibrarv to encourage 

 the bureaus and offices to send their exchanges to the Librarv, as 

 valuable additions aie often received in this way. Many of the 

 duplicates would, without doubt, be appreciated by other libraiies, 

 but the pr()i)lem has been how to place them where they will bo 

 of use. Lack of room and assistance to devote to the care and disposal 

 of duplicates has from time to time forced the destruction of many 



