354 A HISTORY OF 



for re-election. The Society thus retains a substantial 

 voice in the management of this important institution. 

 The National Library remained in Leinster House until 

 1 89 1, when it was transferred to the handsome new build- 

 ing it now occupies, in close proximity to its old quarters. 



The part of the library which remained in the 

 Society's possession after the Act of 1877 consisted of 

 scientific serials, the transactions and publications of 

 other learned societies, and certain early editions, and 

 duplicates of modern works. Many of these books 

 had been presented to the Society in exchange for its 

 own publications, a system which is still continued on 

 an extended scale. By agreement with the Govern- 

 ment the Society has undertaken to afford full and 

 free access to the public at all reasonable times to the 

 scientific serials and publications of learned societies 

 reserved to the Society by the Act. 



The books retained by the Society formed the 

 nucleus of the present library, which now occupies 

 nearly as much room in Leinster House as the 

 National Library did when it was transferred to the 

 Crown. The difficulty of finding room for this library 

 is one of the problems which the Society must face in 

 the near future. In the past twenty years the Society 

 has spent 7253 in purchasing books, which is at the 

 rate of 362 per annum, and the number of volumes 

 purchased annually is about 600. In addition to this, 

 several hundred volumes are received in exchange. A 

 general catalogue of the library up to June 1895 was 

 published in a single volume in 1896, and additional 

 volumes have since been published at intervals of five 

 years. A card catalogue which is kept posted up to 

 date is accessible to the members and associates, to 

 whom lists of accessions are sent from time to time 

 during each session. 



