DIVISION OF PUBLICATIONS. 629 



The general index is growing rapidly, and it is hoped an opportu- 

 nity will soon be found to overluuil it and make it more complete 

 and useful. The demand for its use has grown slowly, and it seems 

 very desirable that its advantages should in some systematic way be 

 drawn to the attention of students and writers throughout the 

 department at least, if not throughout the country. 



There is reason to hope that it will in time sufficiently prove its 

 usefulness to justify having it printed on cards and distributed 

 generally. Before this is done, however, it must be completed, 

 revised, and perfected. 



The most important change in policy in the liistory of the section 

 was foreshadowed at the close of the fiscal year. This was the 

 decision of the Secretary that all indexes for department publica- 

 tions should be made here, and it is hoped a good report can be made 

 in tliis for the current year. The indexes made for such books 

 during the fiscal year 1911 have been much tlie same as previously, 

 including indexes of the Yearbook and other general publications 

 and a few indexes of bulletins prepared in the bureaus, divisions, and 

 offices. 



The writing of letters on general requests for publications ran per- 

 haps a little heavier than in any previous year, the total number 

 of letters being 8,017. The orders made in connection mth these 

 letters number 12,026. The number of index cards prepared was 

 21,829, and the number of copies made was 45,767, making in all 

 67,586. 



The circulars of the division carrying lists of publications for dis- 

 tribution, Nos. 2, 3, and 4, were replaced near the close of the year 

 by circulars for each separate branch of the department, and the 

 older lists are no longer issued. But Circular 1, Organization of 

 the Department, and the Montlily List of Pubhcations are still com- 

 piled and edited here. 



The work of the current year will include a revision of Bulletin 3, 

 of the department, already begun, and the compilation of a supple- 

 ment to Bulletin 6, the complete list of the department books. Also 

 a general index for the Yearbooks 1906-1910 will be prepared, to be 

 printed as a bulletin of tliis division. 



A considerable portion of the time of the assistant in charge of 

 indexing is occupied in examining and rating papers for the United 

 States Civil Service Commission. 



The space assigned to the index section is 418 square feet. Three- 

 fifths of tliis is taken up with file cases, bookcases, desks, and tables 

 necessary to the transaction of the business sent there. The 

 remainder, 169 square feet, is divided between necessary passways 

 through the room, which are often as narrow as 18 inches, and the 

 10 persons regularly employed in the work. Another room equal in 

 size to that now occupied is urgently needed to provide adequate 

 quarters for this branch of the work. 



ILLUSTRATING. 



During the year 1,566 drawings were prepared by the three drafts- 

 men, as compared with 1,460 in the precedmg year. Many of these 

 drawings were either large or intricate, and sometimes both, requiring 

 an unusual amount of time and care, so that the numerical increase 

 does not fully show the amount and character of the work done. 



