PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. XXI 



lying", it wa.s too well known, in compulsory neglect and disorder, owing 

 to the Itick of room in the old quarters in the Capitol, ])ut since their 

 transfer to the new Library building they had been rearranged and 

 much had been done toward bringing into order this valua})le Smith- 

 sonian deposit, which was in some respects the finest collection of sci- 

 entific periodicals and reports of learned societies in the world. 



Congress had last year made an increase in the working force of the 

 Library, and had provided for three persons, one custodian and two 

 messengers, tt) look after the Smithsonian deposit. 



The books had an entire "'stack,'"' which would hold 1T5.000 volumes, 

 and was called the *'East stack," assigned to them, and ])esides this 

 one of the great halls, which was to be used for the books in more 

 inunediate demand, and also as a reading room. 



An appropriation of $80,000 was made, to be expended under the 

 Librarian of Congress, for fitting up this room, and while even this 

 large room would not ])e sufficient to bring together all the Smithso- 

 nian books, it would l)ring together most of the transactions of the 

 learned societies and scientific periodicals, which were among the most 

 valuable portions of the Librar}'. 



He desired to engage the interest of the Regents in procuring for 

 the expenditure, either through their Secretary or the Librarian of 

 Congress, a sum of in all not less than $50,000 fw the joint purpose 

 of sui)plying the defects in the library due to its neglect for the past 

 twenty years, and to fill in the important sets of periodicals which 

 can not be secured l)y exchange. This mone}" could not be spent rap- 

 idly, since many of the books could now be got only after long search, 

 and he presumed that it Avould take several years to supply the actual 

 losses. 



hiternatlonaJ Catalogue of Scientific Literature. — The Secretary 

 said that he had not time to enter upon this subject at length, but he 

 would remind the Regents that the Smithsonian Institution had long 

 ago, under Professor Henry, proposed the scheme of a general cat- 

 alogue of scientific literature to the Royal Society of London for their 

 joint consideration. 



The Royal Society, within the last two or three years, had resumed 

 the project which had now grown to be a very large one. It had re- 

 cently called for and obtained the official aid of the principal govern- 

 ments of the world, and England, France, Germany, and other leading 

 European nations had made large appropriations to this great work. 

 It had been hoped that our own National Government would take its 

 share in this enterprise, but the Secretary regretted to sav that it had 

 not done so, although the Department of State had earnestly recom- 

 mended it. 



The Smithsonian Institution, which had been the original suggester 

 of this great plan, desired to be still associated with it in the measure 



