668 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



MAILING LISTS AND EXCHANGES. 



Since the above he!ulin<>; does not clearly suggest what this part of 

 the Library's work consists of, it seems advisable to explain the work 

 in some detail, as in previous rej:)orts. In addition to havin<; on file 

 in the Library copies of the forei<i;n mailinjj; lists of the bureaus, 

 divisions, and offices of the department, the Library has charge of 

 (1) the "Libraries List" (a list of libraries and institutions in this 

 country and abroad to which are sent all the publications of the 

 (lci)artment ) ; (l2) the Library bulletin list — that is, the list to which 

 the ^fonthly Bulletin of the Library is sent; (3) the foreign mailing 

 list for the Yearbook; (4) the foreign mailing list for the Farmers* 

 Bulletins; and (5) the "Exchange List" (a list of libraries, institu- 

 tions, oificials connected with agiMculture, and exchanges in foreign 

 countries, to which is sent regularly the Monthly List of Publications 

 of the department). The Library has no control over the lists of the 

 bureaus, divisions, and offices — that is. it can not make changes in their 

 lists without their authority — but it has direct charge over the other 

 lists above mentioned, and is thereby able to make advantageous 

 arrangements for exchanges. For the purpose of preventing dupli- 

 cation and to aid in obtaining exchanges, the Library also maintains 

 a consolidated list, arranged geographically, of all the addresses on 

 the above lists. It is also the duty of the Library, in cooperation 

 with the Division of Publications, to attend to the miscellaneous 

 requests from foreign countries for publications of the department. 

 If the institutions or individuals making the requests are entitled to 

 the publications, an order requesting them to be forwarded is sent to 

 the Division of Publications. This arrangement has been very ad- 

 vantageous to the Library in obtaining exchanges. Requests from in- 

 dividuals who are rendering no service to the department and requests 

 from institutions with which the Library has no interest in arranging 

 exchanges are referred to the Division of Publications for attention. 



During the past year there have been no changes of note in the 

 work in connection with the mailing lists and the sending of depart- 

 ment publications. There were certain changes which seemed advis- 

 able, namely, a revision of the mailing lists and a new comprehensive 

 order in regard to the distribution of publications, especially in regard 

 to the distribution to foreign countries, to replace the old orders 

 issued several years ago, during which time conditions have changed. 

 It was deemed advisable, however, to await the report of the com- 

 mittee on efficiency and economy in the department before making 

 any changes. The report, as previously mentioned, was issued on 

 June 30. 1911, and recommended certain changes in regard to the 

 distribution of department publications. These changes, as far as 

 they affect the Library, will be acted upon in the coming year, and 

 it is hoped will better systematize the work. In this connection special 

 mention should be made of one of the recommendations of the com- 

 mittee in its report on "Libraries," namely, the following: 



That all exchaiises received in return for rlepartnient publications be re- 

 frarded as tlie property of the main Library and be sent there to be catalogued. 

 If required by the bureaus later, such exchanges could be lent in the usual 

 manner. 



"While there has been from year to year an increasing willingness 

 on the part of the bureaus and offices of the department to cooperate 

 with the Library in the matter of exchanges, it is too important a 



