180  Field  Columbian  Museum — Reports,  Vol.  i. 
the  Museum  library.  Three  installments  of  the  duplicate  copy  of  the 
John  Crerar  Library  catalogue,  mentioned  in  the  last  report,  have 
been  received  and  the  cards  arranged  in  alphabetical  order.  It  will  be 
of  great  use  to  the  staff  and  will  prevent  the  duplicating  of  expensive 
books  already  to  be  found  in  that  library.  The  permission  secured 
from  the  Chicago  Public  Library  to  draw  out  reference  books  has 
been  quite  frequently  made  use  of.  The  reference  books  in  the  Gen- 
eral Library  are  constantly  used  by  the  staff,  and  a  marked  increase 
has  been  shown  of  late  in  the  number  of  visitors  availing  themselves 
of  the  opportunity  to  consult  the  books.  This  is,  however,  evidently 
chiefly  due  to  the  prize  essays  now  in  preparation  by  pupils  of  the 
Chicago  Public  schools. 
Records. — The  records  have  been  much  improved  during  the  past 
year,  especially  in  the  introduction  of  a  new  index  and  a  new  system  for 
recording  incoming  and  outgoing  material.  The  historical  jackets 
have  all  been  checked  and  re-arranged,  and  any  confusion  of  data  that 
prevailed  at  the  time  of  the  last  report  has  disappeared.  By  the  sys- 
tem now  in  operation  the  expenses  of  this  department  have  been  con- 
siderably reduced,  while  the  service  seems  to  be  very  satisfactory. 
The  amount  of  material  received  through  the  customs  has  not  been 
large,  but  sufficient  to  require  close  attention  on  the  part  of  the 
Recorder.  The  officers  of  the  custom  house  have  been  very  accom- 
modating, and  the  furnishing  of  careful  instructions  to  consignors 
and  the  better  knowledge  of  the  requirements  at  this  port  on  the  part 
of  regular  correspondents  have  assisted  in  the  dispatch  of  business  of 
this  character. 
Departmental  Cataloguing,  Inventory  and  Labeling. — Asintimated 
at  the  introduction  of  this  report,  this  very  important  feature  of  the 
work  of  the  Museum  has  been  pushed  with  all  possible  vigor  through 
the  entire  year.  All  of  the  departments  report  gratifying  progress  in 
this  uninteresting  but  valuable  work.  In  the  Department  of  Anthro- 
pology a  great  deal  of  labor  has  been  expended  in  this  particular  line 
of  duty,  more  especially  in  the  last  four  months.  There  were  prac- 
tically no  records  of  this  department  when  the  Museum  was  opened, 
and  probably  more  material  has  been  received  by  this  department 
than  by  any  other,  thus  constantly  demanding  the  attention  of  the 
Curator  and  his  assistants  to  care  for  the  new  work,  until  at  one 
time  it  looked  as  if  confusion  confronted  the  records  of  the  depart- 
ment. Realizing  the  prime  necessity  of  putting  the  records  into 
intelligent  shape,  additional  clerical  assistance  was  provided,  and 
the  work  has  been  earnestly  pushed  for  the  better  part  of  this  year, 
and  especially  for  the  past  four  months.     With  the  work  already  in 
