Evening star., 1898-12-12
Minor Government Libraries.

IN a previous REPORT fefercnce Vas made
to the libraries belonging to the govern
nent in the District Of Columbia Excin-
sive of ours. these plumber thirty-six and
are estimated as, containing sI6,146 vol
umes, 1890 pamphlets, $3.50 maps and
manuscripts. Many of these are special
collections, some Of them unsurpassed;
notably the surgeon generals library 50
complete in contents, catalogue and admin
istration. Other scientific collections of
Importance are those of the naval obserr-
atory, patent office. geological. survey, coast
survey, National Museum, fish commission,
bureau of ethnology and weather bureau.
THE executive departments. as well as
the Senate and House of Representatives,
have their own libraries. While the fact
is recognized that, both for scientific and
administrative purposes, such special Ii
braries are a necessity, it is believed that
the entire library work of the government
should be carried on under some sort or
general corporation. For the past fVe
| years an association of librarians in Wash
| ington, composed largely of persons con-
nected with government institutions, has
done much toward bringing about useful
| and practical relations among the libraries.
| This should find formal expression in
uniform system of catalogung and in the
requirement that duplicate copy of each
| card made in any library belonging to the
government should be sent to the Library
| of Congress, where central catalogue
would always be maintained.
| These special and distinct libraries, thus
dependent upon government support, are.
| in fact. part of the national library and
| their contents should be accessible to the
students, would be the case with a gen
eral catalogue.
The government, inclusive of our own
collection. owns in the capital at least
!, ,NhouD volumes, and it should be the aim
| of Congress to centralize these col -ections
and give the public the advantage of con-
Venient access TO that end there could be
| no prouder contribution to the cause of
universal knowledge than general cata-
| losue of all libraries enjoying government
support.
The Juvenile Library.
| 1T has been deemed advisable to set
| apart reading room for children. The
| library Goes not admit those under sixteen
| to the reading room. 1t has seemed a
| hardship to deprive children at the outset
| of their lives of what may be precious
| opportunity in the bending of the mind to-
| ward knowledge, and, therefore, the rule
| has had but lax enforcement However.
| giving them their own room seems best for
! the general readers, interest The lower
| floor adjoining the blind pavilion has there
| fore been set apart and will be opened as
| juvenile room as soon as the furniture is
! arranged. Some ten or twelEs,. thousand
volumes suitable for children will be trans
| ferred to the shelves, and it is believed that
! the experiment will he Il success. While
| the rights of the eldrr readers are guaran-
teed, the children wsh have every advan-
| tage in their owniwaS.
| The librarian desires to acknowledge the
| receipt from Mrs. Hogatio kpS, widow CT
| the distinguished gentleman who served as
Postmaster General in the cabinet of Pres
ident Buchanan. large and representative
collection of volumes belonging to his i
brary. These were gpthered by Mr.. King
during his public life And will be of special
| value as illustrating american political his
| tory. especially dfFthp period Immediately
| preceding the civH iwaf.
Through the generosity of the children
ttleanora Digges, Spear, Anna Morgan
Mosher. Ada Morgan, HILL James Dudley
Morgan and Cecil Mntfan) of the late Nora
Digges Morgan of this city daughter of
! William Digges of Maryland. a consider
aDle number of historical manuscripts will
| be given to the Library of Congress. The
! papers thus presented concern the founda-
| ton of the seat of government at Wash
! ington, although few illustrate the revo-
| lutionary period. There Is a letter of Gen.
| Washington, dated at Valley Forge, Feb
| ruary 2S, ITS, to Col. John Fitzgerald, at
| Alexandria, aid-de-camp on his staff. In
{ this letter the general speaks in caustic
! terms of Miff1n. Conway and Gates. who
! We're leaders of what is known as the
| Conway cabal.'
/. Suitable reference is also made to the
| Gardiner G. Hubbard collection, and the
! correspondence upon that subject is fur
| nished. This correspondence has been
| heretofore published in The Star.
! ITO broaden the library in every respect
| and while adding to its usefulness as the
! Library CoovreSS making HkeuiSa