REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 91 



fying collections and as a source of information regarding museum 

 methods. This resulted in the establishment of the National Museum 

 Librar}'', which had as its nucleus the collection presented by Secre- 

 tary Baird. By small annual expenditures for the purchase of books, 

 and by the exchange of the Museum publications, by donations, and 

 otherwise, this library has accumulated about 42,000 volumes, 70,000 

 unbound papers, and a number of maps, charts, and manuscripts. 



A similar need in the Bureau of American Ethnology has led to the 

 formation of a library relating to ethnology and archeology, and es- 

 pecially to the North American Indians, which comprises about 

 21,000 yolumes. 



Wliile the Library of Congress has the custody of the " Smithso- 

 nian deposit,'- the title of the library remains in the Institution. It 

 continues to have free use of its books, and also enjoys the use of 

 the books belonging to the Library of Congress. Under the pro- 

 visions of the act of Congress through Avhich the Smithsonian Library 

 was transferred to the Library of Congress, the Institution may with- 

 draw the books upon reimbursement to the Treasury for the ex- 

 penses incurred in binding and caring for them. 



As foreseen by Secretary Henry, this arrangement has both its 

 advantages and its disadvantages. The Institution is relieved from 

 the expense of maintaining a large library, and its books are safe- 

 guarded and housed with other similar collections, whereby the wants 

 of students and investigators in many lines of intellectual work are 

 provided for in one place. 



On the other hand, the Institution has little within its own walls 

 to show for its early expenditures for books, or for the great system 

 of exchanges which has been carried on for more than half a cen- 

 tury. Furthermore, witli the growth of the National Museum and 

 other scientific branches, under the direction of the Institution, the 

 desirability of having a large body of books immediately at hand 

 becomes every A^ear more apparent. This is especially true as regards 

 books on natural sciences, and on the industrial and fine arts, a large 

 number of which are constantly needed by the staff of the National 

 Museum, as well as by the other scientific bureaus of the Government 

 and by representatives of the great body of scientific students and 

 investigators throughout the country who are attracted to Washing- 

 ton by the collections of the Museum. 



In order that this need might be met as far as possible without im- 

 pairing the arrangement with the Library of Congress, the Museum 

 has, as already mentioned, assembled a considerable library of its own, 

 but it has been found desirable also to keep certain series belonging 

 to the Smithsonian deposit at the Institution for longer periods than 

 would be required for ordinaiy refei-ence. The library of the Bureau 

 of American Kthnologj' is also housed in the Smithsonian Building, 



