70 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



A check list of scientific periodicals iu the Smithsonian library is being prepared 

 for the new edition of Dr. Bolton's Bibliography of Scientific Periodicals, to be issued 

 by the Institution. In view of the very large number of publications of this charac- 

 ter belonging to the Institution, the preparation of this list entails much labor and 

 is not yet completed. 



In accordance with the plan of the Secretary for increasing the library exchanges, 

 673 letters were written for new exchanges and for completing series already in the 

 library, with the result that 104 new exchanges were added to the list and 101 defec- 

 tive series were either completed or added to as far as the publishers could supply 

 the missing parts. 



I have little doubt but that much more could be done in this direction if more 

 assistance could be had. The preparation and revision of lists and the examination 

 of the library records for the ascertainment of missing parts requires much and 

 careful labor, and must necessarily proceed slowly. The time occupied in writing 

 the letters is but trifling, compared with that required for the preliminary work. 



During the year I attended two meetings of the American Library Association — one 

 at Cleveland, in August, 1896, at which I presented a paper entitled "Fifty years of 

 library promotion at the Smithsonian Institution," and at the meeting of the same 

 association held at Philadelphia in June, 1897, a paper on the proposed "Interna- 

 tional Catalogue of Scientific Literature." 



Respectfully submitted. 



Cyrus Abler, Librarian. 



Mr. S. P. L ANGLE Y, 



Secretary of the Smithaonian Institution. 



