THE LIBRARY. 173 



containing many works too expensive for each agricultural college to 

 buy, could be made more often available to special workers in these 

 colleges. This class of workers should be the next to be benefited 

 by the use of the Library after the employees of the Department, 

 Whenever it can be done without interference with the work of the 

 Department. It would extend the usefulness of the Library, and it 

 would be appreciated by those aided in their researches. Again, the 

 duplicate copies of many publications which accumulate from year to 

 year in all large libraries could be exchanged between this Library 

 and the libraries of agricultural colleges and experiment stations to 

 the advantage of both. A list of available exchanges will be issued 

 by this Library at an early date for the purpose of furthering such 

 exchanges. The request has come from agricultural colleges for sug- 

 gestions concerning better methods in the administration of their 

 libraries, and, if possible, for assistance in carrying them out. It 

 would seem to be a legitimate function of the Library to have in train- 

 ing scientific aids who should be preparing to meet these requests. In 

 addition to previous library training, such aids could become familiar 

 with agricultural literature and gain experience that would enable 

 them to organize an agricultural library and to continue its adminis- 

 tration. Scientific aids, with the necessary qualifications, would also 

 advance the work of the Library. 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



The facility with which scientific investigations can be carried on 

 in the Department depends very largely upon the completeness of the 

 collection of books in the Library and its preservation and accessi- 

 bility for ready use. In order to fulfill these requirements, and thereby 

 meet the needs of the constantly increasing number of users of the 

 Library in connection with the broadening fields of investigation, a 

 larger appropriation should be made for the purchase of scientific 

 books and periodicals; also a special appropriation is needed for 

 binding current periodicals in the Library. An appropriation for 

 scientific aids and such other assistants as shall advance the prepara- 

 tion of reference lists in connection with current work of the Depart- 

 ment is a present need. 



A most urgent matter for consideration is the provision for safer 

 and more commodious rooms for the preservation and administration 

 of the Library. This collection of 70,000 and more books and pam- 

 phlets is of exceptional value, and could not be duplicated for many 

 years, if at all, and without a much larger expenditure of money than 

 it has already cost. The delay to investigations from loss of any con- 

 siderable part of the collection can not be estimated. In addition to 

 the unsafe housing of the books, the accommodations for readers and 

 for the work of the Library staff are crowded and inadequate. This 

 crowded condition arises largely from the generally crowded condi- 

 tion of the Department, which necessitates the occupying of room in 

 the Library for other than library purposes. I would, therefore, 

 earnestly recommend that early consideration be given to these needs 

 as set forth above, that the growth of the Library maybe furthered, and 

 thereby meet the demands of the expanding work of the Department. 



