REPORT OF iiTATlOIirAL MUSEtJM, 1925 17 



The uncatalogued works above mentioned are not included in the 

 total of 168,099 publications in the Museum library at the close of 

 the current fiscal year. 



PHOTOGRAPHIC LABORATORY 



During the year the photographic laboratory made 1766 negatives, 

 9,641 prints, 279 lantern slides, 156 enlargements, and 59 cirkut 

 prints. Other work completed included the developing of 352 

 field negatives, 26 rolls of ordinary film, 5 rolls of cirkut film, and 

 the mounting of 8 prints. These were required for purposes of 

 illustration in publications, or for record in the National Museum 

 and the National Gallery of Art. 



The new facilities provided for the laboratory last year have 

 proved highly satisfactory, and have increased the efficiency of 

 methods employed in carrying out the regular routine work to a 

 considerable extent. The making of lantern slides has been espe- 

 cially facilitated and slides can now be made much more expe- 

 ditiously than formerly. 



BUHiDINGS AND EQUIPMENT 



In the report for last year mention was made of preliminary 

 plans for a suitable building to be erected to house the National 

 Gallery of Art (including the National Portrait Gallery) and the 

 historical collections of the United States National Museum when 

 funds are available, on a site that has been designated on the Mall 

 immediately east of the Natural History Building. Need for such 

 a structure becomes more and more pressing since available facilities 

 for these collections are seriously crowded and have led to curtail- 

 ment in acceptance of valuable materials through inability to handle 

 them properly. Facilities in the National Gallery are poor and at 

 best the art collections are occupying space badly needed for other 

 materials. 



The new structure proposed was brought to attention in Congress, 

 but definite action regarding it was not taken. It is earnestly 

 hoped that it may be favorably considered during the coming year. 

 Construction will necessarily be slow so that at best with prompt 

 action it will be some time before amelioration of the present con- 

 dition may be expected. 



Building repairs and alterations. — In the Natural History Build- 

 ing the most important work undertaken was the remodeling of 

 the hinged flat-iron bar fixtures used to regulate the ventilating sash 

 in windows in the exhibition halls on the first and second floors. 

 These ventilators have never been satisfactory, since they work with 

 difficulty, and as they are in constant use by the watchmen in properly 



