100 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1914. 



catalogue, and much has been done toward securing, in connection 

 with this work, parts of publications. 



The moving of the biological, anthropological, and general refer- 

 ence series of the library to the new building having been completed 

 in the previous year and the rearrangement of the publications on 

 the shelves taken up, attention was given to the finishing of this 

 latter task. 



DUPLICATE MATERIAL. 



For many years the Museum library was overcrowded to such an 

 extent that the shelves had overflowed and it was impossible to 

 have a proper arrangement of the books. With these publications 

 were many duplicates which had been received by gift and other- 

 wise from the very beginning. 



Among the duplicate material were many volumes of United States 

 Government documents duplicating publications already on the 

 shelves, and these, being of no fui-ther use to the Institution, were 

 transferred to the superintendent of documents, in accordance with 

 law. 



BINDING. 



The lack of sufficient funds for the binding of publications is a 

 serious question. This will obstruct the work in the future more 

 than in the past, unless an adequate sum can be set aside, so that 

 all the volumes may be bound and made ready for reference. To 

 prepare a volume for binding and then to be obliged to take out 

 parts of it urgently needed b}^ the staff makes it incomplete, and 

 should that part be lost the volume may remain incomplete, inas- 

 much as the publications which the Museum needs for its work are 

 published in limited editions and it is often impossible again to 

 secure them for binding Avhen there is money available for the 

 purpose. 



During the year 690 volumes were prepared for binding and sent 

 to the Government bindery for that purpose. 



GIFTS. 



Many important gifts Avere received by the library during the 

 year, the estate of Miss Lucy Hunter Baird being one of the donors. 

 The following members of the staff presented publications: Dr. 

 William Healey Dall, Dr. O. P. Hay, Dr. C. W. Richmond, Dr. Edgar 

 A. Mearns, Mr. Alfred Klakring, and Dr. Harriet Richardson Searle. 



HAIRD LIBRARY. 



Spencer Fullerton Baird, second secretary of the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, gave his valuable scientific library to the United States 

 Xational Museum when the Muscmn library was founded. He re- 



