8 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



LIBRARY 



By Bessie W. Kibbe, Departmental Librarian 



Despite the war 's effect on the personnel of our division, the utiliza- 

 tion of the Library's facilities has not diminished; the requests by those 

 who are carrying on definite fish and game studies and projects grow 

 daily. 



There has been a reduction in the number of students and other 

 visitors from the outside, due to preoccupation with the war, although 

 officers and men of the Army and Navy have called upon our Library 

 frequently for information about the natural history-^especially fish — 

 of the Pacific theatre of war. 



The war has continued to prevent the receipt of most foreign period- 

 icals, although those from Australia, New Zealand and England have 

 come through regularly. 



The Library has contributed its revised holdings to the Union List 

 of Serials of the San Francisco Bay Region, Supplement, one of the 

 important tools in libraries in this territory. 



The rehabilitation of some of the Library 's much-used volumes, and 

 the binding of periodicals deemed worthy of permanent retention, was 

 carried on. 



We were able to purchase the very much desired back numbers of 

 Biological Abstracts, thus completing our file of this important library 

 tool. " 



The Library's shelving and floor space is gradually becoming more 

 and more crowded. 



The duties connected with the properly functioning of our division 's 

 Library, which cover so many phases and sections of any general or 

 branch library: reference, catalog, laws and legislation (fish and game 

 laws and reports of all States and foreign countries) and order section, 

 have so materially increased with the steady natural growth of our 

 Library, that it is becoming somewhat difficult for one person to carry on, 

 in an adequate and completely satisfactory manner, all the attendant 

 details that the management of such a Library entails. It is hoped that 

 when more normal times return, additional facilities, both in space and 

 assistance, may be given this Library. 



The policy of the division 's Library, with restricted funds per- 

 mitting, is to furnish books and material helpful to our force in the studies 

 and work pertinent to fish and game and conservation thereof. To this 

 end, during the thirty-eighth biennial period, we have added 336 books; 

 by purchase amounting to $1,243.14 ; by gift $188.35. The total number 

 of bound volumes on file is 3250, with a value of $11,772.18. 



Scientific pamphlets added during this period were 718, being $59.11 

 by gift; $103.64 by purchase. Total number of pamphlets catalogued 

 and filed are 7997, with an appraised and/or known value of $1,385.53. 

 Books and pamphlets represent $13,157.71. 



A microfilm reader and certain special films were added to the other 

 property holdings of this Library, but the value of all such property is 

 not included in this report. 



