REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 41 



The remainder was obtained, as usual, by ^ift, and, less frequently, 

 by purchase. 



The most important accession to the library during the year was the 

 bequest of the late curator of Archseology, Dr. Charles Eau, of his 

 archaeological and general library, comprising 2,437 volumes and 

 pamphlets, many of very great value. Of these, 408 have already been 

 entered and catalogued. 



When finished, these books will form the " Eau Memorial Library," 

 and will be assigned to the sectional library of archaeology. 



Other important donations were as follows : From the estate of the 

 late Prof. S. F. Baird, 65 volumes, 21 pamphlets, 303 parts of serials, 

 and 3 charts ; from Prof. Charles U. Shepard, of Charleston, South 

 Carolina, 134 volumes and 5 pamphlets from the chemical library of his 

 distinguished father. (This donation was made at the suggestion of 

 Prof. F. W. Clarke, chief chemist, TJ. S. Geological Survey.) From Dr. 

 George E. Horn, of Philadelphia, a complete set of " separates " of his 

 entomological papers, comprising 44 pamphlets. 



During the year 5,492 books were borrowed from the library and 

 3,023 returned. Ninety-four persons are now authorized under the 

 regulations to draw books from the Museum Library, and of these 73 

 are also authorized to obtain books from the Library of Congress 

 through the Museum Library. Two hundred and ninety-eight orders 

 were sent to the Library of Congress during the year. 



The " Ledger of Books Issued " having grown so bulky and so in- 

 convenient, on account of the impossibility of alphabetical arrange- 

 ment, it was decided to try the experiment of transferring the charges 

 on this book to separate slips, which could be filed in alphabetical 

 order. When these slips were prepared by the copyist they were care- 

 fully compared with the records by the librarian in person, who then 

 canceled the old record. The slips used are of uniform size, one-fourth 

 of the standard octavo. When a book is issued the title, with the name 

 of the borrower and date of issue, is written on one of these slips, which 

 are kept by themselves for the day, and counted and filed the first 

 thing on the following morning. On the return of the book the slip is 

 removed from the file and canceled. The receipts of each borrower are 

 kept as before, but are filed alphabetically instead, of by their dates. 

 The experiment has proved entirely successful. It is calculated that at 

 least half the time formerly consumed in recording loans is now saved, 

 and there is a distinct increase in accuracy. The success of this experi- 

 ment induced the librarian to use the same method in keeping the ac- 

 counts with the Library of Congress, as a great deal of time was wasted 

 whenever it was necessary to learn whether a certain book had been 

 drawn from the Library or when one had been returned. Of the latter we 

 had no record except the unindexed file of canceled receipts, bound in a 

 clumsy volume. At present, one alphabetical file of slips gives the 

 titles of all books drawn from the Library of Congress, with the date 



