THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 31 



requesting the Secretary of the Institution to call the attention of the 

 joint Library Committee of Congress to the Smithsonian plan of cata- 

 loguing, and to the advantages — economical and literary — which would 

 accrue to the Library of Congress and to other libraries, by their adop- 

 tion of this plan. The committee examined the subject, and recom- 

 mended to Congress an appropriation of three thousand dollars for com- 

 mencing a catalogue. The work was begun in July last, and has pro- 

 ceeded most prosperously till the present time. Upwards of six 

 thousand volumes have already been catalogued, and about one-third 

 of the appropriation remains unexpended. The consideration of the 

 magnitude of the enterprise thus commenced, has led to great caution 

 in adopting the rules establishing precedents. A great part of my time 

 has necessarily been given to the work. Less will probably be required 

 for the future. 



I have so frequently and at so much length explained the details and 

 the advantages of the system, that it is not necessary for me to dwell 

 upon them at present, except very briefly. 



The title of every work and of each distinct edition of every work 

 is stereotyped upon a separate plate. The author's name also stands 

 on a plate by itself. Each plate shows at a glance the heading to 

 which it belongs. It is obvious that these plates may be placed to- 

 gether in alphabetical or other order, as may be desired. They are 

 mounted on blocks for printing, like other stereotype plates. 



The great ends to be gained, and which will thus be secured, are: 



1. To avoid the necessity of preparing, composing, and correcting 

 anew the titles once printed, when the library has received accessions, 

 or the alternative of printing the titles of these accessions in. supple- 

 ments, which are very inconvenient appendages. 



2. To prevent the repetition of the work of preparation of titles, com- 

 position and correction of press, for copies of the same book in different 

 libraries. The title, once prepared and stereotyped, remains at the 

 Smithsonian Institution, to be used by any library having the same 

 book. 



3. To secure uniformity in the construction of catalogues, thus great- 

 ly facilitating the researches of the student. 



It is obvious that the cost of the first catalogue will be greater than 

 if it were not stereotyped. The work of preparation will also be more 

 expensive; but the additional cost of the first edition will be more than 

 saved in the first re-printing of the whole catalogue. It will be further 

 understood that the sum paid by the first library is not only for its own 

 benefit, but for that of every other library hereafter adopting the plan, 

 so far as its books are the same. Congress is, therefore, now confer- 

 ring a great boon upon other libraries, while at the same time it is 

 taking the course the most economical for the procuring of its own cata- 

 logue. 



It will be remembered that we had two classes of difficulties to 

 meet, the one literary and the other mechanical. The theory of the 

 system had first to be perfected in all its details. The practical appli- 

 cation had then to be made. The time and money which have been 

 expended in Europe in discussions connected with' the subject of the 

 best methods of cataloguing, indicate the difficulty of the theory. Prac- 



