346 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



libraries was 45. Of the total number, 78, employed in tlic main 

 Library and the bureau, division, and office libraries, 18 are men and 

 60 women, divided as follows: 19 in administrative work, includin<r 

 the Librarian of the Department, heads of the divisions in the main 

 Library, and librarians of the bureaus, divisions, and offices; 31 

 library assistants, 12 clerical assistants, 1 translator, 12 messengers, 

 iand 3 charwomen. 



During the year this Library, in common with other libraries, 

 suffered the loss of several assistants, among whom should be es- 

 pecially mentioned the heads of two divisions, namely, the chief of 

 the binding division, Miss Fanny L. Parker, who resigned on ac- 

 count of home duties; and the reference librarian. Miss Mary G. 

 Lacy, who resigned to become the agricultural librarian of the Iowa 

 State College, Ames. 



In the main Library there were in all 28 resignations during the 

 year. Some positions were vacated two or three times, for in several 

 instances it was possible to make only temporary appointments. 

 Out of the staff of 33 on July 1, 1919, there were only 17 who were 

 on the Library rolls at the beginning of the fiscal year. In other 

 words, we had lost half of our staff. Of the 28 who resigned, 15 

 were library assistants, 4 clerical assistants, and 9 messengers. 



On account of the loss of so many assistants in the main Library, 

 not only during the year but also in the tAvo previous years, there 

 have been greater burdens on the remaining members of the staff'. 

 These have been met in a spirit of cheerfulness and loyalty to the 

 Library which has helped greatly to minimize the difficulties. Dur- 

 ing the influenza epidemic several members of the staff of the main 

 Library and the bureau libraries were granted leave to serve as Ked 

 Cross nurses, and other members of the staff spent much of their 

 time and strength out of official hours in helping in the emergency. 



In continuation of the Library's policy of offering temporary 

 appointments whenever possible to the librarians or assistants con- 

 nected with the State agricultural and experiment station libraries 

 who wish to have experience in this Library, one more was added 

 during the year to the list of such appointments, the librarian of 

 the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station having been ap- 

 pointed for a period of one month. 



The only change in the personnel of the librarians of the bureaus 

 was in the Bureau of Public Roads. The former librarian, Miss 

 Grace Francis, resigned in August, 1918, and was succeeded by Mr. 

 M. A. Plays. One assistant in the Bureau of Plant Industry library 

 and an assistant in the Forest Service library also resigned during 

 the year. The librarian of the Bureau of Plant Industry and the 

 librarian of the Dairy Division were detailed June 15, 1919, for six 

 months to the Joint Congressional Commission on the Reclassifica- 

 tion of Salaries. 



Library staff meetings have been held each month from December 

 to June. No meetings were held in October and November on account 

 of the influenza epidemic. 



The Librarian of the Department visited the Delaware Agricidtural 

 Experiment Station in March at the request of the station to advise 

 the librarian of the station in the arrangement of the library. 



