128 ANNUAL REPOUT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 2 8 



books sent back to other libraries was 2,451, of which 2,262 were 

 returned to the Library of Congress. The volumes prepared for 

 binding numbered nearly 2,200; of these 1,701 were sent to the bind- 

 ery during the fiscal year. As usual, thousands of publications Avere 

 consulted in the reading room, not merely by members of the Museum 

 staff, but by investigators from other departments of the Government 

 and elsewhere, including some from abroad. In connection with their 

 work an increased reference service was rendered by the library staff, 

 as was the case in connection with the many inquiries for information 

 that were received from different parts of the country. 



The sectional libraries, Avhich now number 36, were brought into 

 closer working relation with the main library of the Museum and 

 with the other units of the Smithsonian library sj'stem. The work 

 of completing their sets of society and serial publications was 

 continued, their binding was considerably advanced, and marked 

 progress was made in cataloguing their collections. The sectional 

 libraries are as follows : 



Administration. Marine invertebrates. 



Administrative assistant's office. Mechanical teclmology. 



American archeology. Medicine. 



Anthropology. Minerals. I 



Biology. Mineral technology. 



Birds. MoUusks. i 



Botany. Old World archeology. 



Echinoderms. Organic chemistry. 



Editor's oflBce. Paleobotany. 



Ethnology. Photography. 



Fishes. Physical anthropology. 



Foods. Property clerk's office. 



Geology. Reptiles and batrachians. 



Graphic arts. Superintendent's office. 



History. Taxidermy. 



Insects. Textiles. 



Invertebrate paleontology. Vertebrate paleontology. 



Mammals. Wood technology. 



TECHNOLOGICAL LIBRARY 



The reorganization of the technological library, which is housed 

 in the Arts and Industries Building, received particular attention. 

 Many thousands of Government publications not related directly to 

 the work of the institution and its branches, which had been accumu- 

 lating in the library for years, were returned to the Superintendent 

 of Documents, thus releasing space for the much needed rearranging 

 and expanding of the collections now going on. The most noticeable 

 change was made in the reference room. The cement floor was 

 covered with a cork carpet, many new shelves were built in, some 

 of the furniture was done over, and, to make the room still more 



