THE LIBRARY. 809 



worse have made it possible to continue the service. The circulation 

 of current periodicals is, however, one of the Library's problems 

 which can not yet be regarded as satisfactorily settled. 



The statistics of the accessions to the Library given in one of the 

 previous paragraphs show the large increase in the number of con- 

 tinuations annually received by the Library by gift. This is largely 

 the result of the efforts of the periodical division and has involved a 

 great amount of correspondence and much searching for out-i^f-way 

 material. The Library's connection with the distribution of the 

 publications of the department to foreign periodicals, societies, and 

 mstitutions has been used to advantage in obtaining many valuable 

 exchanges. During the past year a new and improved form of con- 

 tinuation slip was adopted, and a beginning was made in recopying 

 the continuation catalogue. The additional information contained 

 on the new slips w411, it is believed, be a decided advantage in sys- 

 tematizing the work in connection with periodicals and serials and 

 make the continuation catalogue a still more valuable record. The 

 number of annual reports and other serials of infreciuent issue received 

 in the past year was 3,560, in addition to the 1,948 current periodicals. 



BINDING. 



It is gratifying to be able to report that the number of books and 

 periodicals sent to the bindery during the past year was 3,930, an 

 mcrease of 656 over the previous year. In addition, 1,377 volumes 

 were put in temporary binders, making a total of 5,307 volumes bound. 

 If the rate of increase of the past year in the number of volumes bound 

 can be continued, it will probably be possible in a few years to bring 

 the binding approximately up to date. 



DUPLICATES. 



The Library continues to receive a large number of duplicates, 

 for the most part Government, State, and society pubUcations which 

 are sent to various offices of the department and later transferred 

 to the Library. It was hoped that it would be possible to print during 

 the past year a list of tne duplicates on hand, similar to the list 

 printed in October, 1910, but the illness of the assistant in charge of 

 the work has delayed the preparation of the list. The list is now in 

 preparation and will be distributed to the agricultural colleges and 

 experiment stations in the near future. Lack of suitable s])ace for 

 the sorting of the duplicates and for their temporary storage continues 

 to hamper the work. 



INVENTORY. 



During the past year the Library began the work of taking an 

 inventory of the Library which was recommended by the De})art- 

 ment Committee on Economy and Efficiency. As far as is known, 

 no inventory of the Library has ever been taken. It ^s■^l\ therefore 

 involve a great amount of work and can not probably be finished 

 under two years. The Librnry has realized the desirability of taking 

 an inventory, but has deemed it advisable to devote its energies first 

 to the com])letion of the catalogue of tlie Library. While the Library 

 is not yot completely catalogued, the remaining back cataloguing 



