Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-09
Mr.. YOUNG'S REPORT
Librarian of Congress Reviews Pres
ent Condition of His Charge.
fAVORS KEEPING OPEN At NIGHT
Suggests the Concentration of the
Department Libraries.
VIEWS ON COPYRIGHT LAW

hf join Dung, the IDrarlan or
Congress. today presented his annual
port TO Congress. The report being the
first enc submitted since the new building
was occupied, is elaborate statement of
all matters corrected with the library.
The report says, in part:
ION the Both of June, 1897 your libra
Tian was Lomirated and confirmed to be
librarian of Congress. Upon the lst of
July he took the oath and entered upon the
duties of his office.
The larger portion of the books belong
ing to the Smithsonian collection, consist
ing of the books and pamphlets not in
cluded in the collection of publications of
learned societies. is included in the emu
meration of the library books the
shelves At the present stage of the Ii
brary classification it has been found i'm
possible to arrive at an accurate knowl-
edge of the exact number of books known
the Smithsonian Library.
According to this estimate, the library
is composed of 7S7,115 books and 21S34o
pamphlets. On the LIST of November the
number of books reported loaned out in
the hands of readers was $500, of which
1,4i6 were charged to senators and MEM
bers no longer IN Congress, and to others
entitled to take out books. A few of the
1.446 may be returned but from these fig
~ Il *
during thirty years. The daily average of
books in the hands of readers may be
placed at 5000. This, however, varies, the
number of books taken out during the ses-
sion of Congress being much larger than III
the recess. The percentage of books lost
in thirty years is about five in thousand.
THE privileges OF the library have been
mainly abused in the direction of keeping
out books longer than the rules allowed,
rather than in failing to return them. 1t
would have been more satisfactory to have
given you an exact count. rather than an
estimate. This was impossible. as the
books were stored in the Capitol and the
work of removal and classification. as
iE a measure 70 be ready for the opening
of Congress. has made ii impossible since.
This came from the pressure for space,
the lohg-continued congestion oppres-
sive that the library collections were only
saved from chaos by the energy and vigil
lance of those in charge. The problem
a library approaching 100000 volumes and
shelf loom for 100000
Easy Access to the Books.
After describing the removal of the books
to the new building. he says:
THE library, closed on July 81. was oren-
ed to the public on November l. This meant
the adjustment of over 100000 books so
that they might be available. Since then
the reading room has been opened daily.
except on Sunday. While the public has
therefore. the advantages of splendid
reading library, the work of classification
still goes forward, and in a short time we
hope to have every volume and pamphlet
in it's appropriate place
LAS part of the present system, there
is a pneumatic tube, tunnel and electric
machinery for the transmission of books
from the library to the Capitol. 1t would
be impossible to overeStimate the impOr-
lance of this ingenious work in the Iracti-
cal efficiency of library administration.
test was made of its opera lions on October
q by the library officials. The telephone
was not yet in operation, and, therefore,
the experiment was under imperfect condi-
tons Without any Encouragement, or
prewarning, request for books was con-
veyed through the pneumatic tube from the
Capitol to the reading desk.
TN ten minutes and five seconds the vol
ume asked for reached the Capitol. The
second request was for four bookstore in
English, the other three in Italian German
and French. respectively. Three of them
the Italian, German and English-came
within eight minutes and eleven seconds.
The French volume. Les Chatiments,' ar
rived two minutes later. The third vas a
request for the London Times containing
an account of the battle of Waterloo. The
Times, the volume of 1915, was promptly
found on its appropriate shelf in the upper
part of the library building; but owing to a
little delay at the reading desk. was twelve
minutes in reaching the Capitol.
This test was notable dS denonstTa ting
the practical convenience of the library in
the service of Congress and the Supreme
Court The present arrangement may be
described as almost automatic in its char
acte-, and there is no reason why a sena-
tor at his desk, or u justice of the Supreme
Court IN the conference room, may not
summon the Page and have whatever he
requires from the library within twelve or
fifteen minutes This is not a theory or an
anticipation. but practical demonstration
The new library brings it's treasures within
an easier reach of those who need them
than ever before
The one main duty of the librarian
during the recess of Congress has been the
removal and arrangement. ofa he books.
To this duty all else has been subordinate
As a consequence. the other departments,
with the exception Of the copyright and
reading room, are as yet not quite ready
but in various processes Of organization
The matter of appointments has likewise
been governed by the eXigencies of the
service
'In order that the library might in Its
reorganization have efficient service ell
appointments were probationary. subject
either to the tests of experience or ex-
animation
The Clerical Force.
ITO aid in this. the librarian appointed a
board, composed of Mr.. Sponord. Mr.
Hutchinson, the superintendent of the read
ing room. and Mr.. Solberg, the head of
the copyright department, as the gentle
men who represented the best available
experience for determining aptitude for the
veriouS forms of library work. The board
account of the exigency of removal and
special and exactins duties thereby i'm
posed upon each of its members, has thus
far been unable 10 meet. 1t IS believed
that the examinations will be concluded
in December. This delay has been in no
respect hardship TO the applicants as
the probationary appointments were yir-
tually under tuition. Nor has Il been found
an injury 10 the service
The duty OF selecting well qualified ap-
po.ntments possessing special aptitude for
library work. has been attended with many
embarrassments. Portions of the library
service require technical knowledge as
much so as the duties of the medical or
engineer corps. Each of the divisions of
the library-music, the graphic arts the
reading room, the catalogue bureau the
hall of maps and charts, tne manuscript,
the law department Of the library, the pc
riodical and newspapers -necessit2ted,
apart from "a general knowledge Of library
work, a special knowledge of the depart
ment to which the candidate was assign
ed. What increased the embarrassment
was that. az q rule, the thousands Of ap-
plcations represented meritorious and ac-
compllshed people, with the highest recon-
nendations. from all classes and capable
OF good service IN the many stations Of