The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-05


sitiors. o,ooc: photographs, 2,oCO; en-
cravings and chromos, 1000. The re-
manning $500 embrace prints, cuts, de-
signs, drawings, paintings, maps and
charts. Formerly business trademarks
and labels were also issued under the
copyright law, but in 1874 these were
transferred to the patent Office. The
issue of copyrights by the librarian of
congress is now confined to literature
and art in their various branches A
copyright secures the author against
pillage of the product of his brain, as q
patent does the inventor. The life
of copyright is twenty-eight years.
at the expiration of that time it may be
renewed for fourteen years more by the
author, or by his heirs, if he be dead
1t cannot be extended beyond forty-two
years. There are very few publications
the vitality of which is not exhausted
long before even the first limit is
reached.
1.-THE number of entries for copyrights
Approximately indicates the birth of
new books in each year. The entries
are somewhat larger than the actual
issue, for in many cases the enterprise
ends with tho copyright-the manu-
script never goes into the hands of the
printers. The qualification of liter
airy ambition is more or less expensive.
To the publisher it is simple, sordid
question of dollars and cents in which
sentiment is scarcely appreciable fac
tor. He will not publish book unless
he thinks he can make money on it. If
the author has means and faith enough
in, In &c yA,.1y e.
risks, he will, of course, have no diff
Guilty in getting his book into print.
One whose reputation is assured as a
successful caterer to the reading taste
of the people, in any department of
literature, will always find ready
publisher. 1t is the ambitious noviti-
ates in authorship who suffer frequent
and grievous disappointment.
Gas do the bound volumes in the
library, the 100000 pamphlets cover the
widest possible range that the mind
can conceive. They are upon every
subject that has entered into the mind
of man. Naturally much of this class
of literature is ephcmeral, having only
temporary or local interest. Many of
these pamphlets, however, are of per-
muncnt historical, statistical or scien-
tific value. These, as well as all bound
books, are recorded in manuscript
catalogue classified by topics and by
authors, SO that anything called for
may be readily found. Years ago it
was attempted to keep up u printed
catalogue, but this proved impractic-
able, by reason of the large and con-
stantly growing increase of the library
and the copyright business. and the
plan was abandoned. The manuscript
catalogue is found sufficient for all
practical needs. This is kept closely
up to date, all publications received
each day being at once entered accord
ing to their proper classification. The
catalogue is somewhat ponderous with
its 100000 entries, but so perfect is the
system that there is little delay in find
ing whatever may be wanted"
"1iow about newspapers" l asked.
Resides complete issues of maya
zines and reviews of all kinds" replied
the librarian, there are in the library
a very large number of newspapers, in
Guiding 10000 bound volumes. Among
them are many foreign newspapers.
There are English papers running back
more than two centuries, and American
papers from a hundred to a hundred
and forty years. 1t may be easily un-
derstood that these relics of the past
bear little resemblance to the daily is
sues under the marvellous enterprise
and development of to-day in the field
of journalism. These old newspapers.
in quaint Typography, faded and yellow
with age, have Il value that goes
beyond the nero qualification of curl
osity. AS record of current events in
years long past, the writings and
speeches and deeds of former genera
tions, they arc often sought by the stu
dent of history and the antiquarian.
These may be consulted in the library
rooms. but under no circumstances are
they permitted to be taken away. If
lost or destroyed it would be impossible
to replace them"
1.-The library is now very much
crowded, is it not?"
ga new and adequate building should
have been erected years ago. Congress
has long had the subject under consid-
Grafton, and it is matter of congratu-
lation that at last the project has crys-
taliZed into definite form, and the
walls of the new National Library
building are slowly but surely rising.
An entire square, just east of the capt
toll, was bought for this purpose Arch
fleets were sent to Europe to examine
the great libraries in order that the
best possible plan might be perfected.
As maturcd, it is believed to be second
to none in the world. The building will
cover three acres IL will bo 1orrar
than the great State. Army and NAVY
building. Its estimate cost will be
So 600, Ooo 1t is the only structure vet