Iviii Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



Expenditures. 



Books purchased $ 7 . 29 



Postage 107.70 



Express, freight and drayage 49.81 



Office suppHes 25 . 35 



Miscellaneous 91 . 40 



$281.55 



Balance due January 1, 1906 1 .49 283.04 



Balance on hand January 1, 1908 $10 . 92 



The Academy has accumulated by exchange with kindred 

 societies the rich literature of serial publications. The reports, 

 proceedings and transactions of institutions and societies con- 

 tain information of the first importance to the student. 

 Embodying as they do the last result of the thought or investi- 

 gation of scientific men, these publications supply what will be 

 sought in vain elsewhere. All achievements in science are re- 

 corded in the pubHcations of scientific institutions long before 

 they appear in book form. To the specialist of everj^ kind, peri- 

 odical literature is indispensable. The libraries of learned soci- 

 eties are the chief sources of information, and to these an in- 

 vestigator in the exact sciences may come with an assurance of 

 finding all desirable treatises, serials and monographs. 



Undoubtedly there is great scientific knowledge and interest 

 in our city, but at present its forces are divided among various 

 scientific societies, each holding meetings for the reading and 

 discussion of scientific papers. Conforming to that fundamental 

 principle of modern scientific thought that all sciences are only 

 branches of one all-embracing science, these societies should unite 

 with the Academy by becoming sections of it, so that all may 

 enjoy the benefits and advantages of the treasurer of past 

 achievements in our library. 



The value of such a library will depend in a large measure 

 upon the completeness of its series of publications. Nothing can 

 be more annoying than to find the sets broken at the very point 

 where the reference is required. With a view to completing the 

 Academy's series, requests for missing volumes were sent to 460 

 societies exchanging publications with the Academy. To date, 

 516 volumes and 733 numbers have been received from these 

 societies, completing 61 sets and 63 additional volumes in our 

 library. 



It is the presence of this antiquarian element which gives a 

 library such as ours its value to those engaged in research work. 



