98 REPOKT OF THE SECRETARY. 



The policy of increasing the library by exchange has been continued with favor- 

 able results. In carrying this out, 877 letters were written for new exchanges and 

 for completing series already in the library; 317 periodicals were added to the list; 

 451 defective series were either completed or partly filled, according to the pub- 

 lisher's ability to supply the numbers requested. About 1,800 letters were received 

 and filed in jackets on which a synopsis of each letter is given. 



The card catalogue of correspondence for reference has been continued, as well as 

 the issuing of orders for Smithsonian puljlications sent in exchange. When single 

 numbers are reported as missing, postal cards are forwarded requesting that they be 

 supplied. Corresponding postal cards are sent as acknowledgments of receipts. 

 About 1,090 numbers were asked for, and 703 supplied. 



The reference room and the reading room, the proceedings and transactions of 

 learned societies being in the former and the scientific periodicals in the latter, have 

 been used not only by the staff of the Smithsonian Institution, l)ut by many other 

 departments of the Government. In the reading room alone 3,208 periodicals and 

 25 bound volumes were withdrawn for consultation. 



The sectional library at the National Zoological Park has been added to, and the 

 collection is growing in importance. 



In the Institution there are maintained, besides the Secretary's library, the office 

 library, the employees' library, three sectional libraries— Aerodromics, International 

 •Exchanges, and Law Reference. 



In the Astrophysical Observatory attention has been given to the sets of period- 

 icals. These were gone over, missing parts ordered, and 46 volumes bound. 



The employees' library has increased in popularity, and during August last a 

 branch extension was made to the Zoological Park. The books are i:)laced in an 

 upright box made for the purpose, with a ca2;)acity of 40 volumes, and sent out once 

 a month. The library now contains 1,370 volumes, and during the year 2,379 l)ooks 

 were borrowed. 



The librarian having, with the permission of the Secretary, relinquished his posi- 

 tion as custodian of the Smithsonian deposit at the Library of Congress, to render 

 possible his attention to certain duties outside of the Institution, Mr. Paul Brockett 

 was on April 1, 1902, appointed assistant librarian of the Smithsonian Institution 

 and custodian of the Smithsonian deposit. 



Mr. Brockett will attend to matters relating to the Smithsonian Institution 

 library and the Institution's interests at the Library of Congress. During the few 

 months he has been in the library he has made himself familiar with the various 

 details of the office and the Smithsonian deposit. 



Early in November, 1901, Gen. John Watts dePeyster presented to the Institution his 

 magnificent collection of books and pamphlets relating to Napoleon Bonaparte, to be 

 known as the "Watts de Peyster Collection, Napoleon Bonaparte." It is a very 

 complete one, containing books from all countries and in all languages. In it I have 

 noticed many rare volumes, and the valuation of $10,000, i)ut upon it by General de 

 Peyster, I think very low, for a number of the books were long ago out of print and 

 have now reached the point where no price can be jiut upon them. There have 

 been received from General de Peyster nearly 2,000 volumes, whi<'h are now in tem- 

 porary cases, but the number of l)ooks has outgrown the space provided. A running 

 list has been made and sent to General de Peyster for his information, and at a 

 very early date suggestions for the permanent care and the making of a card cata- 

 logue of this collection will be presented for your consideration. 



The art room has received considerable attention, and, in accordance with the Sec- 

 retary's wish, the collection of i)hotographs of representative portraits by the old 

 masters has been returned from the Buffalo Exposition and hung njion the walls in 

 chronological order. The question of extending the Parthenon frieze around the 

 entire room has been taken nj) and it is IiojhmI that it will l)e in j)lace during the 

 summer. 



