20 Mis. No. 48. 



Occasional jjuhlication of separate treatises on subjects of general interest. 



This part of the plan of organization requires to be carried into operation 

 with much caution. It is hable to much abuse, unless the publication be 

 confined to a narrow class of subjects, viz : to scientific reports on the 

 present state of knowledge of a given subject, to precede the periodical re- 

 ports, to translations from foreign languages of papers of general interest, 

 and occasionally, perhaps, the exposition of a subject on which, at a par- 

 ticular time, popular knowledge is required. We should be careful not to 

 establish a precedent which may lead us into difficulty, in the way of de- 

 clining the publication of works which may be presented to us. Scarcely 

 a week passes in which the Institution is not requested to publish some 

 essay or compilation, and the funds which can be devoted to all our pub- 

 lications would not suffice for one-half of those offered of this kind. The 

 only work of this class which has yet been attempted by the Institution, is 

 one entitled " Hints on Public Architecture," under the direction of the 

 Building Committee. Although the Secretary's name Avas mentioned in 

 the resolution authorizing the publication of this treatise, yet he has thus 

 far had no connexion with it. The publication was authorized before the 

 details of the plan of organization were fully settled. It was at first in- 

 tended merely as a report of the Building Committee, giving an account of 

 the plans submitted, and the one adopted for the Smithsonian building, 

 together with a report of the investigations of the committee with regard 

 to the materials of construction, 6lc. It was afterwards changed into the 

 form of a regular treatise in order that it might be referred to a commission 

 of persons chosen to examine it, and that the Institution might thus be re- 

 lieved from the responsibility of pronouncing upon its fitness for publica- 

 tion. I tliink it important that besides the preface of this work, a full ac- 

 count of its origin should be given in an introductory advertisement. 



Library. 



During the past year the library has continued to increase by donations, 

 and by the books which have been deposited by publishers, in accordance 

 with the 10th section of the Act establishing the Institution. The require- 

 ments of this Act are, however, not strictly observed by all publishers; and 

 I would direct the attention of the board to a special report of the Assistant 

 Secretary with reference to the point. The whole subject will probably 

 come before Congress during its present session. 



Prof Jewett, the Assistant Secretary, has been industriously engaged 

 during the past year in procuring statistics of the libraries in the United 

 States, and in digesting plans for the details of the library of the institution, 

 and I beg leave to refer ypu to the able and interesting report of the results 

 of his labors, herewith submitted. A considerable portion of the copies of 

 the Smithsonian Contributions will be presented to public institutions 

 which publish transactions, and which are able to present us in return 

 with additions to our library. The volume now in process of distribution 

 has been preceded by a circular requesting exchanges of the works of all 

 institutions which issue transactions and catalogues of all libraries to 

 which the Contributions may be sent. 



