REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 29 



therefore, can not be expected to part with them except l)y sale. 

 About four years ago a specitic item for purchase was agreed to b}' 

 Congress, and while the sum ^allowed was altogether iuad(Hiuate to 

 meet the requirements of the Museum, yet through it many important 

 o])jects were secured. In the appropriation bill for the ])ast yeai- this 

 item was omitted by Congress, and many objects which sliould have 

 come into the possession of the (xovernment have been obtained by 

 other nmseums. This is especially the case in connection with the 

 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, where exc«?ptioiial opportunities were 

 presented for enriching the National Collections with needed mtitcrial. 



When the Museum building was erected, the need of a working 

 librar}' actually at hand was felt, and through the generosity of Pro- 

 fessor Baird, who presented his entire private collection of scientific 

 publications to the National Museum, the nucleus for such a library 

 was estal)lishcd. In the years following, the Library of Congress 

 became so overcrowded that it was glad to have retained at the Museum 

 as much of the Smithsonian Library as was useful, and to send down 

 for indetinite deposit as many of the Smithsonian books as were 

 required. This condition no longer obtains, however, and an enlarged 

 working lil)rary for the Museum has become absolutely essential, if 

 the provisions of Congressional enactments for the classification and 

 arrangement of its collections are to be carried into eti'ect. The sums 

 of money heretofore available have not sufficed even for the purchase 

 of all such books needed in the work as were not contained in the col- 

 lection of the Library of Congress or in the Smithsonian de})Osit, and 

 the increase requested is a low estimate for the actual reijuirements of 

 the Museum. 



The National Museum is open to the public only on week days, from 

 9 a. m. to 4.80 p. m., and its important educational features are restricted 

 to persons having leisure only during official hours. It has long been 

 urged that means be granted for so extending the hours of opening 

 that no one shall be deprived of the advantages which it offers for 

 instruction and enlightenment. Such an arrangement has been in suc- 

 cessful operation at the Library of Congi'ess for several years, and a 

 similar course has long been followed by the larger museums elsewhere 

 in this country and in most European capitals. The National Museum 

 has recently been provided with a complete installation of electric 

 wires and lamps, and could, therefore, be opened l)()th evenings and Sun- 

 days at the mere cost of the necessary additional supplies and help. The 

 Smithsonian building, however, has not yet been furnished with the 

 means for lighting the public halls, l)ut could be opened on Sunda3's. 

 The expense involved is that needed for obtaining the extra amount of 

 coal and of electric current required, and for the employmtMit of a few 

 additional persons to supplement the night and Sunday watch force, 



