45S HEPO^T OF NATIONAL MiTSEUM, 1903. 



know that, notwithstanding- tho absence of all such obstructions as are 

 usually employed in Europe, the library since its foundation has lost 

 only 14 volumes, and some of these, moreover, may 3^et be found, for 

 an English library has recentl}^ reported the return of a volume that 

 had been missing for forty-five years/' During the year 1900, 41,097 

 persons used the library, more than 20 per cent of them women; that 

 is to say, an average of 134 daily (maximum 282, minimum 35). The 

 daily average of evening visitors from 5 to 10 o'clock was 30. Order 

 cards to the number of 32,653 were issued. 



There are 28 employees, 10 of whom are women — 5 librarians, 1 

 treasurer (and secretary), 13 assistants, 4 attendants, 3 pages, and 2 

 janitors. The hours of service in summer are from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m.; 

 in winter till 5.30 p. m., with ah hour for luncheon. From 5 to 10 in 

 the evening another shift of employees comes on. 



While the chief librarian is the actual leader and soul of the whole, 

 the institution is controlled ])y a board of 13 directors, who from their 

 own number choose a president, 2 vice-presidents, and a secretary. 

 The directors, excepting the president, are also formed into four com- 

 mittees of 3 persons each, on finance, administration, buildings and 

 grounds, and books. 



The resources of the John Crerar Librarv, on the interest of which 

 it is supported, in 1900 were 13,400,000; the reserved building fund is 

 $319,000; the reserve book fund, $131,000, and besides there is a secu- 

 rity reserve fund of $16,200. The assets are, therefore, almost 

 $4,000,000. When the building fund reaches the necessary sum the 

 erection of a special building will be taken up. Quite recently the 

 chances for this have been much improved, and there is now a prospect 

 for obtaining a favorable building site.* The financial course has been 

 very sound from the beginning. It was determined that the capital 

 should never be touched, neither for the purchase of a site, for the 

 structure itself, nor for an3'thing else whatever, but that all expendi- 

 tures should be made entirely from the interests of the funded, 

 bequeathed capital. 



The expenditures in 1899 were for rent, light, etc., $13,331; salaries 

 and wages, $25,006; printing, $2,303; books, $17,587; periodicals, 

 $4,468; binding, lettering, repairs, $8,403; miscellaneous, $6,895, mak- 

 ing a total of $77,994. As, however, the income from the interest 

 reached $139,944, $61,950 could be applied to the building fund. The 

 library is insured for $107,000. 



The organization of the John (3rerar Library is as exemplary as it 

 is original. The library is, with the exception of those of the univer- 

 sities, one of the few purely scientific libraries in the United States. 

 With its great wealth and its wisely restricted policy it will doubtless 



"Fourth Annual Report of the John Crerar Library, 1898, p. 17, 1899. 

 f> Tlie construction of a new building will soon begin, 1903. 



