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harmonize the several requisitions of Congress, and the resohitions of the 

 Hoard of Regents, with a system of active operations, the influence of 

 which shall be as widely extended as practicable. Though almost every 

 one will admit the value of libraries, and the importance of collecting in 

 this country as great a variety of books as possible, yet it may well be 

 doubted whether the accumulation of a large number of books, which are 

 to be found in almost every library of the country, is, in the present state 

 of the funds, to be expected or aimed at. It is believed that a portion 

 of the income devoted to the library, may be more efficiently expended in 

 tlie promotion of the same ends by other means, and hence, it was resolved 

 to make special collections of books; particularly to procure such as are 

 not in the country, and also, in order to render more available those which 

 are now in our libraries, to prepare, as far as practicable, a general cata- 

 logue of all the books they contain. 



In accordance with these views. Professor Jewett has devised a plan of 

 facilitating the publication of catalogues of libraries, which bids fair to be 

 of much importance to the literature of the country. This plan has been 

 submitted for examination to a commission of gentlemen well acquainted 

 with the subject, and has received from them a very favorable report 

 recommending its adoption. [S'ce Jlppendix.^ 



The propositions submitted to the commission for examination, were 

 as follows: 



1. A plan for stereotyping catalogues of libraries by separate movable 



titles; and 



2. A set of general rules, to be recommended for adoption, by the different 



libraries of the United States, in the preparation of their catalogues. 



For a full account of Professor Jewett's plan, and of the advantages 

 anticipated from it, I yiust refer to his report herewith submitted. I may 

 however, briefly allude to the leading principle of the plan, which is to 

 ►sLereotype the titles of books on separate movable blocks. These blocks 

 once prepared, and kept in a central depository, may be used for the print- 

 ing of new editions of the catalogues for which they were originally made, 

 allowing the interposition of additional titles in the proper order; as well 

 as for the printing of all other catalogues coutaining the same titles. 

 T'he collection of the stereotype blocks of the titles of the several libra- 

 ries, will thus form the stereotyped titles of a general catalogue of all 

 the libraries. They will lend themselves to the construction of biblio- 

 graphies of particular branches of knowledge, and will admit of being 

 arranged alphabetically, chronologically, or in classes, m accordance with 

 any required system. 



These blocks' are not to be made in advance of a demand for their use. 

 They are to be gradually accumulated, by an arrangement, which, impo- 

 sing only a temporary and light burden upon the funds of this Institution, 

 will effect the great public object desired, at the same time that it dimin- 

 ishes to but a "fraction of the present cost, the expenses of publishing 

 catalogues, and secures the construction of them upon a uniform and a]> 

 proved system. 



The details of a plan so comprehensive, may well be supposed difficult 

 of adjustment, and not capable of being clearly described within the limits 

 of a few paragraphs. These have, however, been fully considered by a 

 competent tribunal, and the plan has received commendation and promises 

 of co-operation, from some of the principal institutions of the country. 



