Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-03

under the charge of Mr.. Spofford- He re-
fers to the enactment of the statute of 1870,
which changed the system of copyrights, SO
that all the original records of copyrights
in all the states were transferred to Wash
ington and all records of copyright entry
were from that time kept In the Office of the
librarian of Congress.
He said that this measure. while great
step in the direction of improved and eff
cient working of the copyright system,
brought the librarian of Congress greatly in
creased labor and responsibilities 1t added
to the duties of the librarian, previously
limited to the library itself, an extensive
bureau of details. : II this increase of
duties. as well as the additions made to the
library. We're interfered with by the nsces-
sity of occupying the narrow and already
overcrowded space set apart for the library.
The report refers to the earnest appeals
made to Congress for additional room, begin
ming in 1872. He states that during the past
few years the number of new publications of
all kinds actually received has reached from
10000 to nearly 100000 annually.
The report sets forth at length plan OF
classification to be carried out when the
library is installed in the new building.
The report refers to the ample room pro-
vided in the new building for the copy
right publications and to the space allotted
to the various features of the library, such
as the reading room and the facilities for
handling the books expedite usly.
librarians Many Duties.
The report then discusses the subject of
the reorganization of the force employed
! in the library, and gives a brief summary
of the extent of the duties involved in the
administration of the library and the copy
right department. THE librarian" the re-
port states, lis charged with two wholly
distinct functions. One as librarian of Con-
gress, the other register of copyrights.
| In the first capacity he must act as the
| ff,fltn he mr. farfn IN l1Y ana
to considerable extent, the interpreter of
the great collection ccnfided to his charge.
His daily duties involve the direction of all
assistants, the furnishing of books and in
formation to Congress and to readers fire.
quenting the library, the special researches
incident to that duty, the increase of the
library through the searching of auction
ca dialogues and other book lists, the orders
sent to agents or booksellers in the United
States and in Europe. the acknowledgment
of all books and pamphlets presented, the
orders or receivals of subscriptions to
| many periodicals, the adjustment and pay
ment of bills and of salaries, the answering
of numerous letters of inquiry on many
subjects. OF constant applications for en-
ployment, the supervision of the cata
logue system of the library. the final re-
vision of titles and the decision of doubt
full cases. the arrangement or rearrange
ment Of portions of the library, constantly
going on, the selection of books pam
phetS and periodicals for binding or re-
pairs, the scrutiny of all title letterings re-
turned from the hindery. to correct errors,
| the purchase of stationery consumed the
provision of room for outside storage of
the library overflow, the time consumed in
personal interviews and in extending the
courtesies of the library to foreigners and
| other visitors. and a multiplicity of other
details too numerous for mention here
| Add to this the records OF books drawn
| out and returned by both houses of Con-
| gress and other officials entitled to that
| privileg e, with the constant vigilance re-
qured to protect the collection from de-
pletion through violation of its bylaws
| and some idea may be formed of the va
ried functions of he librarian charged
! with all these responsibilities.
THE other branch of the librarians du-
| ties, the registry of all copyrights granted
| to citizens of the United States and to for
egrerS, requires additional amount of
| daily labor which is by Itself sufficient to
| employ all the time and energies of one
nan, however willing or competent he may
be. He is required to deal daily with a
correspondence amounting to 10000 to 90
| OG0 letters a year, to read and dictate re-
| plies to all inquiries submitted, to keep
daily record Of all fees received and to
| turn them into the treasury without re-
| GO,OOO publications by their titles, to sign
with his own hand copyright certificates
| for at least half that number. to keep UP
| constantly an index of copyright entries by
| authors and publishers and by subjects
| Though not prescribed by law, to receive
| for deposit nearly 100000 copyright publ-
| cations Oh all Glasses every year. TO stamp,
| register and file away all this mass of ma
| terial, which must also be credited in the
| copyright ledgerS and upon the index, to
! sign receipts for all such publications when
| requested. to furnish certified copies under
| seal of numerous entries where required by
| parties to suits involving copyright prop
| erty. to produce for examination the orig
| inal publication deposited, to devote time
| to judicial examinations, crosS-eXamina-
| tons and affidavits whenever his testimony
| is required, to institute daily searches in
| his records and in those of the District
| courts in order to fix the time of expira-
| ton of all copyrights. to prepare and to
print g constantly increasing series of
| forms of instruction and information to
| applicants for copyright. to determine
daily, in a large proportion of the applica-
| lions, whether the article presented Is or
| is not a lawful subject of copyright, to
| furnish weekly to the printer full cata-
| logue of the publications deposited, to as
sign to each assistant in the copyright bu-
| reau his special labor, and so to organize
| the work as to reduce its arrears to min
| imum to take personally upon himself in
! many cases the examination of records and
| transcripts to avoid mistakes, and to re-
| spond to all corners seeking information
| as to any Of the manifold questions in
| volved in copyright.
| .All this multifarious labor has been per-
| formed by the librarian (however imperfect
| " in some portionS) for twenty-five years
| past, with force of assistants quite mad
| euuate to the task, and in the midst of OBJ
| StructionS arising from want of room for
! its performance, which is believed to be
| without parallel in the business Of the
| government.
| Register of Copyrights.
| Under all the disadvantages in the way
of prompt and thorough service that this
library has done SO much for the informa-