16 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 30 



All important change during the year was the removal of the 

 Langley Aeronautical Library from the Smithsonian Building to the 

 Library of Congress, where although still remaining a unit of the 

 Smithsonian library, it will be more centrally available to the stu- 

 dent. Many gifts were received during the year, among which may 

 be mentioned a collection of 1,400 volumes on various subjects from 

 Mr. James Townsend llussell, jr.; 150 volumes and 1,000 periodicals 

 chiefly on aeronautics from the National Aeronautic Association; 

 and 58 volumes on Japanese history and literature from the Histori- 

 ographical Institute, Tokyo. 



Further progress was made on the union catalogue, but this large 

 task will require many years for completion unless additional assist- 

 ants are provided. The congested condition of the Museum library 

 was relieved for the time being by the installation of 400 feet of new 

 shelving. 



The librarian notes that although two additional assistants are 

 provided for in the coming year, six more are needed to enable the 

 libraiy to render the desired service to the work of the Institution. 



GOVEKNMENTALLY SUPPORTED BRANCHES 



NATIONAL MUSEUM 



The event of the year for the Museum was the i)assage of the 

 Smoot-Elliott bill authorizing an appropriation for the extension 

 of the Natural History Building by the construction of wings at 

 the east and west ends at a cost of $6,500,000. These additions, 

 which will follow the style and general arrangement of the present 

 building, will relieve the greatly overcrowded condition of the offices 

 and exhibition halls, and also will permit of normal expansion of 

 the national collections which are the foundation for researches in 

 pure science and consequently for their application to the welfare of 

 mankind. 



The appropriations for the maintenance of the Museum for the 

 3'ear totaled $762,514, an increase of $14,490, of which $9,500 pro- 

 vided for salaries of five additional positions, namely an assistant 

 curator of moUusks, an additional clerk in the administrative office, 

 and three sergeants of the watch. These additions to the personnel 

 were of great benefit to the Museum's work, but several offices are 

 still undermanned, both as to scientific and clerical workers. 



Additions to the collections during the year totaled 410,815 speci- 

 mens, the majority coming to the department of biology. Material 

 sent in for expert examination and report numbered 1,306 lots, and 

 gifts of duplicate material to schools totaled 11,474 specimens. Ex- 

 changes to the number of 12,649 specimens were sent out, and 33,208 

 were loaned to scientific workers outside of Washington. 



