98 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1914. 



THE AERONAUTICAL LIBRARY. 



With the inauguration of the Langley Aerodynamical Laboratory 

 many important works on aeronautics published in the last few 

 years were needed in connection with the work. A specially pre- 

 pared list made by Dr. A. F. Zahm and Naval Constructor Jerome 

 C. Hunsaker, United States Navy, was considered, and 120 publica- 

 tions not already on the shelves were secured. 



ART ROOM. 



The collections of works on art have remained practically un- 

 changed during the year. The administration of the National Gal- 

 lery of Art being now under the National Museum, all books relating 

 to the fine arts formerly assigned to the art room are now placed in 

 the museum library as I'eceived. 



EMPLOYEES' LIBRARY. 



The employees' library has been very fortunate in receiving, 

 through the estate of Miss Lucy Hunter Baird, volumes in addition 

 to those presented by her some years ago, which add interest to the 

 collection of general literature for the use of the employees. 



NEW STEEL BOOK STACKS. 



In the report on the library for last year the preliminary plans 

 for the new steel book stacks for the main hall of the Smithsonian 

 building were discussed. On March 14, 1914, a contract was entered 

 into for the erection of the stacks in the east end and the completion 

 of the work within 120 days from that date. On February 26, 1914, 

 the wrecking of the galleries had begun with the moving of the 

 books of the Bureau of American Ethnology library, and within 10 

 days the old galleries had been razed and the old exhibition cases 

 removed, leaving the east end of the hall entirely fiee. At the end 

 of the year the floor and walls at the east end of the hall had been 

 repaired, the heating plant reinstalled, and the steel framework of 

 the stacks put in place. 



These stacks are of steel construction, in three tiers, one on the 

 main floor and two above, the two above having floors of glass. On 

 the east wall is a single-faced stack covering the entire wall area 

 from the floor of the hall to the ceiling. At the two columns second 

 from the east end is erected a double-faced stack, partitioning the 

 stacks from the main hall, and on the west face of this stack are 

 two galleries which are an extension of the floors of the stacks. The 

 stacks between this partition and the east wall have open shelving 

 throughout. A passageway on the lower floor leading to the offices 

 of the Institution in the east end of the building has been provided 



