666 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



above conditions the present compromise arrangement has gradually 

 been evolved and extended until it has reached proportions never 

 anticipated ^vhen the service was first attempted. In fact, it has 

 become so extensive as to be in danger of breaking from its own 

 weight. To explain further the diniculties in connection with the 

 service, a copy of a circular letter which was sent out in June, 1911, 

 to all in the department who receive current periodicals regularly is 

 given below ; 



Circulation of Current Periodicals. 



The Library receives more than 2.000 current periodicals. Of this number 

 about two-tbiids circulate regularly among the various bureaus, divisions, and 

 laboratories of the department. The nuniljer of different offices to which each 

 periodical is sent varies from 1 to 40. It will be seen, therefore, that if each 

 office retains only three days a number of a periodical circulating regularly to 

 only 20 dififerent offices the last person on the list will receive it after it is two 

 months old. Although not every periodical goes to as many as 20 diherent 

 offices, a considerable number of them go to more, and the average circulation 

 is very large. The Library has endeavored to help the situation by purchasing 

 additional copies of many jieriodicals when the need for them seemed impera- 

 tive. There is a limit, however, to justifiable duplication, and it has been the 

 policy of the Library not to curtail the expenditures for building up the re- 

 sources of the Library by an extravagant duplication of material. If no i)eriodi- 

 cal were retained more than three days in an office the problem would be com- 

 paratively simple, even in the case of the periodicals with the largest circulation, 

 but in spite of rules and appeals it frequently happens that current i)eriodicals 

 are kept in a single office not three days, but several weeks. As a result the 

 Library receives numerous complaints from the users of the periodicals that the 

 periodicals in which they are especially interested are often six months old 

 before they are able to see them. So numerous have these complaints become 

 that it has seemed imperative to bring about a general imprcnement in the 

 promptness with which the periodicals are used, otherwise the whole object of 

 the circulation will be defeated and may as well be discontinued. Few. if any, 

 libraries attempt to circulate regularly their current periodicals, but the Library 

 has not infrequently received expressions of appreciation of this service, and its 

 discontinuance would doubtless be generally deplored. This circular is there- 

 fore being sent to all who receive the periodicals regularly, to ask their coopera- 

 tion in improving the present service by complying with the inclosed rules and 

 suggestions.^ The Library will be glad to receive further suggestions for the 

 improvement of the service. 



As a result of the circular letter there has been considerable im- 

 provement, but the failure on the part of a few to cooperate by using 

 and returning the periodicals promptly seriously interferes with the 

 service and gives reason to fear that it will not be long before it will 

 be necessary to make a radical change in the system. 



As in other parts of the Library, lack of space in the periodical 

 department has seriously handicapped its work. The periodical read- 

 ing room is only large enough to accommodate pigeonhole cases for 

 half the current periodicals filed in the Library, while the periodical 

 workroom is still more inadequate. In fact, the present space for the 

 periodical work should be doubled. The work in connection with the 

 sorting and care of back numbers and duplicates is done under con- 

 stantly increasing disadvantages. It has been necessary to do much 

 of this work in the public corridor, which is especially to be regretted, 

 not only because the light in the corridor is poor, but also for appear- 

 ance's sake. Such work necessarily gives an impression of disorderli- 

 ness and should be done in a room not open to the public. As pre- 



1 The rules and susgestlons which accompanied the circular letter are printed aa 

 Appendix 3 of this report. 



