THE LIBRARY. 815 



The number of volumes contained in the Hbrary at the time of its 

 reorganization in 1893 was estimated by Mr. Cutter to be about 

 45,000. In 1899, under the direction of Mr. Cutter, the issuance of 



{)rinted cards for the publications of the department was begun by the 

 ibrary. It was, as far as known, the first attempt on the part of any 

 institution to furnish to the outside world a complete printed card cata- 

 logue of its ])ublications. The service in printed cards was still 

 further extended in 1902 under the direction of Miss Josepliine A. 

 Clark, who was at that time librarian, when the printing by the 

 Library of Congress of the catalogue cards for accessions to this 

 library was begun, the library of the department being the first of 

 the Government department libraries to cooperate in this way with 

 the Library of Congress. It was also under Miss Clark's direction that 

 there was begun, in 1904, in cooperation with the Library of Congress, 

 the preparation of a printed card index to three important foreign 

 agricultural journals, namely, Annales delascience agronomique, Land- 

 wirtschaftliche Jahrbiicher, and Die landwirtschaftUchen Versuchs- 

 stationen. In addition to issuing the printed cards above referred to, 

 the Library has printed separate lists of its publications relating to 

 botany, forestry, irrigation, and entomology and lists of its periodi- 

 cals. It has also published a quarterly bulletin of its accessions 

 from January, 1894, to December, 1909, and a monthly bulletm of its 

 accessions since Januar}'". 1910. 



It is not necessary to describe here the present extent and activities 

 of the Library, as they have been previously described in tliis report. 

 The Library continued to ocupy the large room on the second floor 

 ^of the main building, into which it was moved in 1887, until the 

 completion in 1908 of that "new and properly arranged department 

 building of a less inflammable character than the present one" which 

 was so earnestly recommended by the Commissioner of -Agriculture in 

 his report for 1887. The moving of the Library to the ground floor 

 of the east wing of the new laboratory buildings was begun on March 

 26, 1908, and completed on May 20, 1908, during which time there 

 was, however, no interruption in the circulation of books and periodi- 

 cals. It contained at that time nearly 100,000 volumes, but of this 

 number only about two-thirds were filed in the main library, the 

 remainder being filed in the bureau and di^asion libraries. The 

 moving of the Library to the new building in 1908 relieved for a time 

 the crowded condition which existed in the old building, but the 

 space assigned to it was only sufficient to provide for about three 

 years' growth; therefore there is again the same imperative need for 

 additional room. The rooms, being designed for laboratories, are 

 also not well adapted for library use. It is, however, a matter of 

 congratulation that the Library is now stored in a fireproof building, 

 as it would mean an almost irreparable loss to the department if its 

 collections were destroyed. The manv inconveniences of the i)iesent 

 temporary quarters are overlooked as much as possible by dwelling 

 hopefully on the prospect of adecjuate and convenient quarters espe- 

 cially designed for the Library, which, according to the ])resent plans, 

 are to be provided in the new administration building when it is built. 

 This will De an event of special importance to the Library, for at no 

 time in its history has it oeen housed in quarters planned for library 

 use. With ample room suited to its various requirements the Library 

 will more nearly be able to perform its })roper service. 



