12 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1924 



most important phase of the Institution's work in diffusing knowl- 

 edge, and it is intended to reneAv the series with increased scope in 

 the fall. 



ASSISTANCE TO JAPANESE LIBRARIES DESTROYED DURING THE 

 RECENT EARTHQUAKE 



The recent disastrous earthquake in Japan destroyed large collec- 

 tions of books in many of the Japanese libraries, including the entire 

 collection of 700,000 volumes in the library of the Imperial Univer- 

 sity of Tokyo. During the year an appeal was received in this 

 country from the Japanese Association of the League of Nations for 

 books to replenish these unfortunate libraries, especially those of 

 universities and colleges. The Institution made up as nearly as pos- 

 sible complete sets of its own publications and forwarded them to a 

 number of the Japanese libraries, the volumes and pamphlets thus 

 sent totaling several hundred. In addition, the International Ex- 

 change Service of the Institution served as a central forwarding 

 agency for the other American institutions desiring to contribute 

 their publications, and during the year several large consignments 

 containing many thousands of publications were transmitted to 

 Japan. 



COOPERATION WITH ORGANIZATIONS MEETING IN WASHINGTON 



There has been during the year an unusually large number of 

 meetings in Washington of scientific or other organizations whose 

 work has been in some way related to that of the Smithsonian. In 

 providing an auditorium in the Museum for these meetings, and 

 through the assistance given in various ways by the scientific and 

 administrative staff, the Institution has been able to render a real 

 service in promoting scientific work and discussion. To illustrate 

 the appreciation of this service by organizations taking advantage 

 of these facilities, there may be mentioned three important meetings 

 held during the year. The American Association of Museums held 

 its nineteenth annual meeting in Washington May 10-13, most of 

 the sessions being held at the National Museum. After the meeting 

 the secretary of the association wrote to the Institution in part as 

 follows : 



The success of the nineteenth annual meeting of the American Association 

 of Museums was due In considerable part to the hospitality of the Smithsonian 

 Institution and the friendly help of many individuals on its staff. 



At the close of the first National Conference on Outdoor Recrea- 

 tion, held in Washington in June, the following resolutions were 

 passed : 



