680 ANNUAL, REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The completed manuscript of all Dairy Division publications, as well as all 

 manuscript sent to the division for review, is recordetl in, and transmitted 

 through, the division library. This includes entries covering all successive steps 

 before tlu' publication is issued. 



The libr.iry is also charged with making all requisitions for the distribution 

 of Dairy Division publications in connection willi correspondence or in the 

 original distribution, and with the care of publications used in oflice work. 



CARE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND SLIDES. 



This work, which is also done in the division library, consists of the mount- 

 ing, labeling, filing, and indexing of photographs; the labeling, filing, and 

 Indexing of lantern slides; the mounting and indexing of bromide enlarge- 

 ments; and the circulation of lantern slides both in and out of the department. 

 Duplicate sets of the slides most in demand are filed in small cases and kept 

 in circulation among our field men, each change being recorded in the library 

 charges. The photographic collection now consists of 4,044 mounted prints, 

 1,960 lantern slides, and 282 bromide enlargements. The library is charged 

 with the making of all requisitions for photographic work (with the exception 

 of blue prints) and with the receipt of the finished work. 



A detailed statement in regard to the photographic indexes has already been 

 given in this report. 



FIELD LIBRARIES.* 



One small field library is maintained by the Dairy Division, its books being 

 purchased from the Dairy Division appropriation. It now consists of 69 such 

 purchased volumes and about 40 bound Government publications. These books 

 are received by the division library when purchased, there collated, stamped, 

 and listed before being sent to the fipld station. A few single copies of books 

 are filed with certain field men in isolated places and are considered bureau 

 property. It is required that an inventory of these out-of-town books be 

 forwarded to the division library once each year. 



Caroline B. Sherman, Librarian. 



LIBRARY OF THE OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



The library of the Office of Experiment Stations has avoided the collection 

 of a greater number of books than is imperatively demanded for the work of 

 the office. The utmost possible advantage is taken of its proximity to the 

 main Library, whose resources are so extensively used as to free the office 

 library from the necessity of maintaining a catalogue or of keeping upon its 

 shelves a large number of books. The office maintains a collection of the 

 publications of the State experiment stations, which is probably the most com- 

 plete set of its kind in existence. This, together with a somewhat less com- 

 plete file of publications of the Department of Agriculture, constitutes practi- 

 cally the entire office library, and affords a complete record of American agri- 

 cultural experimental work for the use of the office force and for others who 

 wish to consult it. As these volumes are rarely permitted to go into circulation 

 outside of the building, and are at all times readily accessible, this set practi- 

 cally supplements that of the main Library, which necessarily circulates con- 

 stantly. A very few reference books, charged by the main Library, and cur- 

 rent files of about 50 periodicals are kept in the office library. About 120 

 periodicals and a number of reports and occasional publications of agricultural 

 institutions are received by exchange. After circulation in the office, these are 

 sent immediately to the main Library, or, in the case of a few which duplicate 

 main Library sets, they are kept for a year or more in the office library. 



The work of the office library is closely related to, and in a measure deter- 

 mined by, that of the Experiment Station Record. In the interest of this publi- 

 cation all accessible current literature is searched for records of original in- 

 vestigation or experimental work that may bear upon agriculture. Daily 

 examination is made of books and periodicals received by the main Library, 

 and those suitable for purposes of review or of special interest are brought to 

 the attention of the editors concerned. Examination is also made of proof 



1 Libraries outside of Washington. 



