20 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



In my last report, I referred to the commencement of tlie work of 

 Increasing tlic library l>y excbanfjes. This work has now been carried 

 on t'ov ii year with fairly promising results. 



The labor of assigning the different journals recommended as desira- 

 ble to the four cla;5ses mentioned in my last report — namely, (1) journals 

 which receive no Smithsonian publications, and which are not to be 

 found in the library of the Institution ; (2) journals which receive 

 Smithsonian publications, but which make either no return or an inad- 

 equate return for these; (3) journals which regularly exchange with 

 the Institution, but of which the files in the library are for any reason 

 defective; (4) journals which regularly exchange with the Institution, 

 and of which the library possesses a complete file — occupied the time 

 until January 18, 1890. The writing of letters asking for exchange or 

 calling attention to deficiencies was then commenced systematically. 



Up to the close of the fiscal year, 1,601 such letters had been written. 

 In response to these letters, 201 new exchanges were received and 360 

 defective series were completed, either wholly or as far as the missing 

 parts were still in print. 



A list of the i>ew exchanges is presented in the Appendix (Report of 

 the Librarian) where will also be found a list of the most important 

 accessions outside of the regular serials. 



The work of re-organization of the library under the regulations which 

 I had prepared upon my appointment as Assistant Secretary, and de- 

 scribed at some length in my report for the years 1887-88, has been 

 efficiently carried out by the librarian, Mr. Murdoch. I may also men- 

 tion that a plan is under consideration for the further extension of the 

 usefulness of the library, by establishing as a part of it a collection of 

 books on general literature for the use of the employes of the Institu- 

 tion and its dependencies, although in its present location its growth is 

 impeded for lack of room, owing to the pressing demands of the Gov- 

 ernment business in the Exchange Bureau. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



statue of Professor Baircl—l desire to call the attention of the Re- 

 gents to the fact that the bill introduced in the Senate and passed by 

 that body on February 10, 1888, making an ap[)ropriation for the erec- 

 tion of a bronze statue in recognition of the distinguished services to 

 the country of the late Professor Baird, has failed to reach final action 

 by Congress. I earnestly hoi)e that steps will be taken to secure for 

 this measure the attention it merits, and 1 continue to give it my per- 

 sonal care. 



Grants in aid of the physical sciences. — In accordance with an early 

 established precedent, though one of late in disuse, some small grants, 



Caroliiiin Germauic:« NatiiriL' Ciuiosonun; " AbhaiHlliuigen " of the Bt^rlin Academy; 

 •^Nova Acta" of tlio AciuU'niy of L'ptsala. In addition to these the Philosophical 

 TraiisactioiiH of the Royal .Society, and the " Comntes-Rendns" of the Freuch Aca- 

 demy of Sciences have been deposited iu the otHce of the editor. 



