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36 



placed beyond dispute. It seems equally certain that it can be done by 

 Mr. Warren's method. The choice an:iong these three ways must be deter- 

 mined by their comparative economy, convenience, and elegance. We 

 have not yet had the opportunity to bring this point to a final decision. It 

 is certain, hovrever, that the v\'ork can be done. I proceed, therefore, to 

 state the proposed manner of applying this plan to the printing of cata- 

 logues of particular libraries, and to the formation of a general catalogue of 

 all the libraries in tliis country. It is as follows: 



1. The Sinitlisohiiin Iiisiitiilioii to piiblisli Rules Cor the |ire));u-;!tioii of CaI;iIoj,'np.«. 



2. To feqiK.'st, otlifii- IiisliliUions iiUenfJing to publish f:ii;i!(><;ives oftheir liooks to prepare them 



iH:eor(litv;f to these rules, with a view to their heiiig steieotyped iiiider the diruciioii ol' the 



Smithsuniiui Itistitiiiioi!. 



3. Tiie Sii)it!isoiii:in Iiistitiiiioii to p;iy tiie wiiole extra expense of stereotyping, or such part 



thereof as may be agreed on, 



4. Tiie stereotyped titles to remain llie property of tlie Smithsonian Insiiiiition. 



5. r.vcry l.ii)rary niiitiiig in liiis phin, to have liie right of using nil the lilies in the possession of 



the Instititliiin, as olieii as desired for the [iriiiliiig of its own catalogne ; \\\f the Smisiiso- 

 iiiaii In-lilniion paying only the expense of trjakiiig up the Jiages, of tiie press worU, and 

 of dislribnling, the titles to their proper places. 



6. ']'he Smithsonian Institution to publish, as soon as pnssiblo, atid at stated intervals, Genera) 



Catalogues of all l.,ibrarics coming into ibis sysieni. 



It is believed there is nothing impracticable in any part of this plan, 

 provided that the benefits to be derived from it, be such as to secure the 

 co-operation of the various libraries in the country. To these benefits, 

 therefore, it is necessary to direct particular attention. 



And first, let us consider its advantages in an econcniical point of view 

 to the first institution adopting it. 



We will suppose, for example, that the American Antiquarian Society 

 proposes to publish a new catalogue of its library. This institution 

 ])rinted, in 1837, a handsome and valuable catalogue, in five hundred 

 and sixty tv/o large 8vo. pages, in fine type. The composition cost, 

 we will suppose, one dollar a page. This must all now be reprinted, in 

 order to add the titles of books received since 1837, the number of which 

 is almost equal to that of the former catalogue. If a new catalogue be 

 now printed, in ten or twelve years it will be necessary to reprint the 

 whole, and this process will go on, till the expense of reprinting will be 

 quite appalling. Now had the titles of the orignial catalogue been stereo- 

 typed, the catalogue, instead of costing for the composition 500 dollars, 

 .might have cost, for composition and stereotyping, 750 dollars, counting 

 the extra cost of stereotyping in titles 50 per cent, above that of the 

 composition.* 



But the necessity of re-cornposing the first part would no longer exist. 

 Five hundred dollars would therefore be saved in the first reprint, whilst 

 the extra expense of stereotyping v\-as only tv/o hundred and fifty dollars, 

 Thus the net gain would be two hundred and fifty dollars, minus the cost 

 of newly making up and imposing the old matter, Avhich would be very 

 inconsiderable. But there would be still further gains. It would not be 

 thought necessary to print so large editions, if the work could be repro- 

 duced at a trifling expense. The re-arrangement, too, passes from the 



* [ am unable to state what would be tiie exact cost of stereotyping or elet trotypiiig by 

 iiiii's. I assume 50 percent, extra, as a convenient rate for calculation, though if Mr. War- 

 ren's plan succeed, it can be done for much less. 



