Fortieth Annual Meeting. 15 



ton. While it is true that duplicates may be convenient in 

 some cases, for the greater part it is simply a waste, and the 

 expense of it could supply other much needed wants. If all 

 these libraries were under one management, with a competent 

 head librarian,' there could be departments, each covering a 

 certain field, and not including the books belonging to other 

 departments. Thus, the law library would include those pub- 

 lications needed by the courts and lawyers. The scientific 

 department would include all books such as the proceedings 

 of scientific societies, Smithsonian reports, books on geology, 

 natural history, astronomy, mathematics and medicine. An- 

 other department would be devoted to literature and history. 

 Each of these would be distinct from the museum collections. 

 The general office would contain encyclopedias, dictionaries 

 and books of reference, as well as the general catalogue of 

 all books found in these libraries. All exchanges would be 

 directed by a single set of officers. Current periodical litera- 

 ture would be kept on file and be accessible for consultation 

 in the department to which it belongs. Our state library 

 would then be of great educational value and a Mecca for all 

 students who come to Topeka. 



On motion, the report of the secretary was adopted. 



The president announced his appointment of committees 

 as follows : 



On nominations: Messrs. Knaus, Bailey, and Miss Meeker. 



On resolutions : Messrs. Dyche, J. G. Shirk, and Deere. 



On program : Messrs. Bushong, Wooster, and Mead. 



On press : Messrs. A. J. Smith, McWarf, and Sayre. 



On necrology: Messrs. Lovewell, Thompson, and Mrs. 

 Smyth. 



On membership: Messrs. B. B. Smyth, Sternberg, and 

 Hoyt. 



On time and place of next meeting: Messrs. C. J. Shirk, 

 Iden, and Scheffner. 



On publication: Messrs. Yates, Lovewell, and Dains. 



The last committee is composed of the retiring president, 

 the secretary, and one member from Topeka, and was deter- 

 mined by vote of the Academy, according to the rule adopted 

 last year. 



