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Botanical Literature in the State Library. By John S. Wright. 



As a member of the Academy Committee on the State Library, sometime 

 ago I made a list of the works in that institution wliich are upon botany and re- 

 lated subjects. The numlier of such books is small, the authorities who have in 

 charge the purchases are inclined to increase the collection in lines of literature, 

 biography and history rather than science. While it may be true that those who 

 most use the library have greatest use for works of that nature, yet the State 

 Library should also be the repository of the standard and best works in the va- 

 rious departments of science, especially of the larger and more expensive sets 

 which are often beyond the purse of the individual worker. 



In talking over this matter with the present Librarian and her predecessor 

 each expressed a desire to make the sections of botany and other sections of sci- 

 entific works what they should be. They also said that they would be glad of 

 any suggestions, from those competent, as to additional purchases. In accord- 

 ance with this wish about two years ago I prepared a circular letter addressed to 

 the professors of botany in the several colleges of the State. This letter contained 

 a list of the main botanical works then in the Library, and a request that they would 

 recommend such others as they thought it should contain, giving the name of the 

 publisher, place and date of publication and cost of each work so recommended. 

 Nearly every one to whom a letter was addressed responded, and from these let- 

 ters a list of books was compiled and recommended to the State Librarian for pur- 

 chase, each one of which was accompanied by the name of the person or persons 

 requesting its purchase and the other data mentioned. Since that time, however, 

 the Librai-y has changed management, has been thoroughly overhauled and re- 

 arranged, so the purchases asked for have not been made. The present Librarian, 

 however, is quite favorable to the improvement of the Library in this respect and 

 I believe that it is only necessary to bring a little intluence to bear upon other 

 library officials in order to secure to the Library a creditable number of botanical 

 works of reference. While it will be impossible to withdraw books from the State- 

 house, the establishment of such a collection should, nevertheless, be of interest 

 to botanists of the State. 



list of works in state library ox botany- and related subjects. 



An accurate classification could not well be made; many pamphlets on di- 

 verse subjects are bound together in one volume, and other works are general in 

 character, not fallintr wholly under any single division. 



