39. [ 1 ] 



In connection with this topic I would add : ]jy law, a copy of every 

 hook for which a copyright shall be secured in this country is required to 

 he delivered to the Smithsonian Institution, and to be preserved therein. 

 It is hoped that additional legislation on this subject, will, while it lightens 

 ihe Iturdens of publishers, secure the observance of lliis law, with respect 

 \o the Smithsonian Institution, in all cases. If then, the books thus ob- 

 tained be all preserved, they will constitute the complete monumental 

 history of American literature, during the existence of the law. It is 

 useless to enlarge upon the value of such a collection. 



If, now, a list of these publications, as they come into the lil)i-ary, should 

 month by month be published in the proposed Bulletin, and the titles 

 immediately stereotyped, the expense would be trifling of juiblishing every 

 year a catalogue of the books copyrighted in America during the year, 

 and to print every five years, a general catalogue of American publications 

 up to that limit. Thus, the monthly bulletins, the annual lists, and the 

 quinquennial catalogues would furnish full and satisfactory records of 

 American publications. 



Again, this general catalogue w^ould enable purchasers of books for 

 public libraries, to consult, judiciously, for the wants of the country. So 

 poor are we in the books which scholars need ; so long, at best, must w"e 

 remain in a condition of provincial dependence in literary matters ; that a 

 responsibility to the whole country rests upon the man who selects the 

 books for any public librarv. 



Another important l>enefit of this system is that it allows us to varv 

 the form of the catalogue, at will, from the alphabetical to the classed", 

 and to ra<odify the classification as we please. The titles, separately 

 stereotyped, may change their order at command. If, for example, it 

 were required to print a separate list of all books in the country on the 

 subject of tneieorology, it would be necessary merely to check off in the 

 general catalogue the titles to be used, and to hand it to the printer to do 

 the rest of the work. 



Another great benefit of this project would be to secure uniformity in 

 catalogues. A good degree of uniformity w'ould be absolutely indispen- 

 sable to the success of the plan. Entire uniformity is not indeed to be 

 expected. Perfection is not an attribute of the works of man. Eut a 

 much higher degree of uniformity would result from this plan, than could 

 otherwise be hoped for. The rules for cataloguing must be stringent, 

 and should meet as far as possible all difficulties of detail. Nothing, so 

 far as can be avoided, should be left to the individual taste or judgment 

 of the cataloguer. He should be a man of sufficient learning, accuracy 

 and fidelity, to apply the rules. In cases of doubt, reference should be 

 mide to the central establishment to which the wliole work should be 

 submitted, page by page, for examination and revision. Thus we should 

 have all our catalogues formed substantially on one plan. Now, even if 

 the plan adopted were that of the worst of our catalogues, if all were on 

 the same plan, this uniformity would rentk-r catalogues, thus made, far 

 more useful than the present chaos of irregularities. ]5ut we hope that 

 the best possil)le system may be adopted. 



Another general consideration is that this project looks towards the 

 accomplishment of that cherished dream of scholars, a universal catalogue. 

 If the system should be successful in this country, it may eventually be 

 so in every country of Europe. When all shall have adopted and carried 



