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30 



To the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution : 



Sir : In compliance with iny official duty, 1 ])resent to you, at this time, 

 a report upon the affairs of the library during the year ISol. 



The following table shows the number of books and other articles, which 

 have been received since the last annual report: 



Adding these suras to the aggregates of the last year, we obtain the follow- 

 ing table, exhibiting the whole number of books and other articles at pre- 

 sent belonging to the library, and the sources from which they have been 

 received . 



The purchases have been few, and limited to works required for immedi- 

 ate use. Until the completion of our building and the appropriation of all 

 the funds of the Institution to their permanent objects, the increase of tlie 

 library from this source must continue to be small. The books which are 

 needed for immediate use must of course be procured, if possible, at what- 

 ever cost ; but with respect to all other works, it will doubtless be well to 

 allow our funds to accumulate, in order to make a more considerate purchase 

 when more favorable opportunities may occur. 



The manner of buying books, a few at a time, in this country, is inordi- 

 nately expensive. The saving liy purchases through a competent agent at 

 the book auctions and antiquarian shops of Europe, should not be reckoned 

 by a per centage ; it is rather the obtaining of books for a half or a quarter 

 of the price which they would cost through the legular channels of the 

 importation trade. 



The number of books received by exchange has been considerably larger 

 than it was during the preceding year. The books are, too, of a valuable 

 class, consisting mostly of the current publications of learned societies in 

 Europe and America. In some cases, comple'te sets of these publications 



