REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 97 



Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, Dr. AVilliam H. Dall, Mr. R. Ridgway, Dr. 

 C. W. Richmond, Mr. J. C. Crawford, Dr. O. P. Hay, Dr. A. C. 

 Peale, Mr. W. R. Maxon, and Mr. F. D. Millet. 



The Museum library, according to the best statistics available, 

 now contains about 42,000 volumes, 70,000 unbound papers, and 122 

 manuscripts, besides maps, charts, etc. The accessions during the 

 year consisted of 1,791 books, 3,608 pamphlets, and 276 parts of 

 volumes. During the same period 824 books, 060 complete volumes 

 of periodicals, and 3,622 pamphlets were catalogued. 



Attention Avas given as in previous years to the preparation of 

 A'olumes for binding. In all 543 books were sent to the Government 

 binder}^ during the yeap. The binding is, however, still much in 

 arrears, and it is hoped that more money can be devoted to this 

 purpose in the future. Large numbers of pamphlets need card- 

 board covers to protect them from injury. Though the covers them- 

 selves are available, it is impossible with the present force to bring 

 them into use to the extent required. 



During the year 24,815 books, periodicals, and pamphlets were 

 borroAved from the library, among them 5,515 obtained from the 

 Library of Congress and other libraries, and 4,560 were assigned 

 to the sectional libraries of the Museum. The majority of these sec- 

 tional libraries contain publications that are constantly needed by the 

 several curators and other officers in identifying and classifying 

 material, working up collections for publication, writing exhibition 

 labels, etc., and the books are kept together as long as required, 

 though any of them may be recalled temporarily to the general 

 librarj^ for the use of readers. Similar collections of books on 

 museum administration, museum methods, etc., are kept in the offices 

 of the assistant secretary in charge of the Museum, the administra- 

 tive assistant, the editor, and the superintendent. In all, 31 such 

 sectional libraries are now in existence, one relating to textiles having 

 been added during the year. 



The records of the Museum library consist of accession book and 

 an author catalogue, a periodical record, and a lending record in 

 card form. The lending record includes books borrowed from the 

 Library of CongTess and from other libraries for the use of the 

 Museum staff. 



Correspondence relative to new exchanges and missing parts of 

 serial publications already in the Museum library was carried on as 

 in previous years. A number of new titles were added by this means. 



Bureau of American Ethnology. — The report on this library will 

 be made by the ethnologist in cliarge and incorporated in his general 

 report on the operations of the bureau. 



Astrophysical Observatory. — Owing to lack of room in the office 

 of the observatory, a part of the books belonging to this library have 



