[ no ] 32 



SECOND REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN 

 INSTITUTION, RELATIVE TO THE LIBRARY-PRESENTED JAN. 2, 1S50. 



To the Seci'e'ary of the Smithsonia?i Listitution : 



Sir: In anticipation of the annual meeting of the Board of Regents, I 

 beg leave to present to yon t!ie following report of operations during the 

 year 1S49, in the department committed to my care. 



A rapid growth of the hl)rary during this period was not expected. We 

 had not at our disposal funds tor the extensive purchase of books. But 

 although we have been compelled to postpone the fnlfJment of our de- 

 sign in one of its most essential features, the delay has been improved in 

 making ai-rangements which will greatly facilitate our future progress, and 

 in advancing, to a degree which would not otherwise have been possible', 

 the plans detailed in my last report, for rendering our library a centre of 

 bibliographical reference. 



Statistics of the Libranj. 



Previous to the present year, the books belonging to the institution 

 were few, and were in the hands of tlie< various oiiicers, the Building 

 Committee, and gentlemen engaged in preparing memoirs for our pubhca- 

 tions. They have been collected together, arranged, and prepared for 

 use. For the first t\yo or three months they were lodged in a room in 

 the Patent Office, obligingly jjlaced at our disposal by the Hon. E. Burke, 

 then Commissioner of Patents. In March, the books were transferred to 

 the second story of the eastern range of our own building, where they still 

 remain. The spacious rooms of the western wing are now nearly ready 

 for occupation. Temporm'y shelves have been erected for the accomiuo- 

 dation of the books, and we propose soon to remove them thither. 



The collection, though small, forms a respectable beginning. 



The following table exhibits the number of books and other aj-ticles be- 

 longing to the library, including a few deposited by an individual for the 

 use of the institution: 



Books ------- 



Pamphlets ...... 



Engravings, in sheets or framed 



Maps and charts, in sheets or mounted 



IMusic, in sheets - - - - . - 



Architectural drawings .... 



Other articles, (five MSS., two medals, &c.) - 



Whole number of articles . - . . 



