1890-91.] REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN. 57 



REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN. 



Toronto, April 15th, 1890. 



Since my election as Librarian in May of last year, I have devoted 

 what time I could reasonably spare to an examination of the books in 

 the library, with a view to their proper arrangement and classification. 

 The lack of shelf space has hindered systematic arrangement, but a short 

 time ago it was wisely determined by the Council to provide new shelv- 

 ing for some 1,500 volumes, and with this increased accommodation it 

 is to be hoped that the books will be so arranged during the coming 

 summer as to admit of ready consultation. 



The value of the series of scientific societies' proceedings, transactions, 

 etc., now in the Institute's library is very great, and such value must 

 tend to increase. The total number of exchanges received by the Insti- 

 tute for the year (April ist, 1889, to April ist, 1890) is 485, consisting of 

 2,402 separate volumes and fasciculi. For facility of reference these 

 exchanges must be bound, and it is evident that the Institute, in having 

 them all bound as soon as possible, would only be doing what is clearly 

 to the advantage of its members and of students of science in all its 

 branches. I therefore have no hesitation in recommending and request- 

 ing that a certain fixed sum be appropriated annually towards the bind- 

 ing of volumes in the library. 



The exchange list of the Institute's Proceedings is yearly increasing, 

 and the widened circulation given to the papers read before it must 

 result in benefit to the Institute in general and to the individual authors, 



I cannot refrain from congratulating the Institute upon the great value 

 of its library to men of science throughout Canada, for the volumes it 

 contains excited in no small degree the admiration of the American 

 friends who were our guests and visitors in August last. I hope the time 

 is not far distant when there will be few scientific libraries in America 

 that will exceed in value and importance that of our own Institute. 



Finally, I beg to recommend that some steps be taken towards secur- 

 ing the proper cataloguing of the library, and disposing of such miscel- 

 laneous books as it is not desirable to retain in a purely scientific library. 

 It will also be necessary to provide for the proper safe-keeping (should 

 the Institute not see fit to dispose of them) of the many valuable pamph- 

 lets now in the possession of the Institute. 



Annexed will be found the usual statement of the accessions to the 



