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merits and reports belonging to the Academy, making them subject to re- 

 moval by any members of the Academy, and subject to reference by the 

 public. 1 am very greatly interested in haying the State Library the 

 center for reference of the entire State on every subject, and by the agree- 

 ment made with the committee of your Academy two years ago this work 

 has been begun and is progressing fairly well. 



The agreement was that the catalog department of the State Library 

 should, as fast as possible and as fast as funds would allow, proceed with 

 this work. Up to the present time we have classified, cataloged, and 

 made analytical catalogs of 143 volumes of domestic reports and 96 for- 

 eign reports, making a total of 239 volumes. These have all been bound, 

 and there are about one hundred volumes at present ready to go to the 

 bindery, some foreign and some domestic. These volumes are systemat- 

 ically cataloged and at the present time I have had them all bound alike 

 in good buckram, with a certain kind of label on the back, with "Academy 

 of Science" at the top and the library call number at the bottom. Inside, 

 a label showing to whom the book belongs, and that it can be borrowed 

 only by the members, but used for reference by the general public. I am 

 not quite sure that it is advisable to bind all these books in exactly the 

 same way. but it makes them easily understood when on the shelves. 

 Members can tell instantly that that book belongs to the Academy of 

 Science. A separate card list is also made in pencil and ink. and easily 

 accessible at any moment. 



I fancy you all understand that the binding is paid for by the library, 

 with the understanding tbat if the Academy ever withdraws the books it 

 must pay that amount, so the bills for binding are kept separate, and the 

 public has the use of the books. The Academy would also have the right 

 to have the cards that are made showing the books properly cataloged. 

 Whether that will ever come, I do not know. 



I am struggling as best I can for a State Library and Historical 

 Museum, in which all the valuable records and scientific reports of the 

 State can be kept, and in making the argument for that I have said thai; 

 the Academy of Science would help. 



I do not know that I can make any further statement about it. only to 

 have it known to you that the reports are cataloged now about as fast as 

 they come in. I have one request to make — that we may have a definite 

 and correct list of your foreign exchanges, your domestic exchanges, ami 



