290 The Smithsonian Institution 



the Institution, was appointed an assistant librarian of the 

 Library of Congress, and, as his especial duty, had under his 

 care the publications of learned societies and scientific pe- 

 riodicals, which constitute the bulk of the Smithsonian library. 



From this time on the Institution became, in a certain way, 

 an office for receipt and record of publications. Exchanges 

 were continued, but there was no other source of increase, 

 while the entire care of the books was assumed by the Li- 

 brary of Congress. 



With the great growth of the museum, consequent upon 

 the accessions after the close of the Centennial Exhibition in 

 Philadelphia in 1876, and the very much enlarged scientific 

 activity which grew up in the Institution through the work 

 of the body of scientific men placed in charge of these 

 collections, it was found absolutely essential to have a work- 

 ing library of books at the Institution. The first consider- 

 able impetus to this collection was the gift by Professor 

 Baird of his library, to form the nucleus of a library for the 

 National Museum. This important gift he announced in the 

 following words : 



" In the increasing amount of routine work with which I 

 am charged in the several capacities of Secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, Director of the National Museum, 

 and Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, it has become en- 

 tirely out of the question to continue those special researches 

 in zoology to which I devoted so much time in the early 

 years of my connection with the Smithsonian Institution, and 

 for which I had accumulated, at my own expense, a large 

 number of important works. These I have now formally pre- 

 sented to the Library of the National Museum, feeling as- 

 sured that they will do the most good in that connection." 



To which he added the statement : 



" The most important source of supply to the Library of the 

 National Museum consists in the direct exchanges of publi- 



