The times., 1898-12-04

history. biography, and some fiction, are
grouped in shelves surrounding the read
ing room The ample accommodations Of
the new building have made PRACTICAL e
the differentiation of the work OF the Ii
brary. so that there are now different de-
partments devoted to cataloguing. coyp-
rights. manuscripts. music. art, etc. BE-
sides the general reading-room, Mr..
Hutcheson has in charge the one for
Senators and Representatives.. the pavi!-
ion for the blind reading-room at the
Capitol, and the care of books and book
stacks
Increasing the Plant.
The last Congressional appropriation
gave the library $4,000 for the purchase of
books. OF this amount $4,000 was for
the general library; S2.5OO for law books;
1850 for books of reference for the Su-
preme Court $500 for exchange of pub
lie documents for publications of foreign
governments; $500 for purchase of files
of periodicals, serials and newspapers.
This amount is but drop in the bucket
of the Library's need, but ii has enabled
the librarian, who is making strenuous
efforts to strengthen the resources OF the
coiicC lion, to accomplish good results in
that direction. Important accessions
have been made, and the library already
the largest in the country, numbers near
ly S00.000 volumes, exclusive of pamphlets
and unbound periodicals. 1t is particu-
larly rich in matter relating to the Amer
lean Continent, ana foreign works are
coming in more rapidly than in former
years. Large accessons are being made
by copyright and purchase of books on
Spain Cuba, the Philippines and Hawaii,
too. come in for good share AS soon
as Congress convenes, there will be pub
lished catalogue of works on Spain.
During the past year four bulletins have
been published by the Library-No. ],
Copyright Law with Annotations;" No.
2, List of Books Relating to Cuba" No.
3, Hawaii" No. 4, List of Maps of
Alaska and Northwest Territory" No.
will have Spain for its title. Mr.. Young
is constantly endeavoring to impress up
on Congress the need of larger appro-
priation to strengthen the collection of
books along special lines. Numerically"
he says, 1T is strong, but there are great
deficiencies in such departments as musi-
cal literature. medical science, archaeol-
ogy, natural science, useful arts. theology
and philology. especially in the romance
language and literature" He also de-
plores the fact that modern French writ
ers have such small representation.
Among foreign nations Great Britain
ranks first in contributions TO our collec-
ton. one chapter of the forty-four, into
which the library is divided, being deyot-
ed to her publications. France comes
next. followed by Germany. Spain Is
fourth In regard to our growing inter-
course with Spansh-American countries,
and the need for more works relating to
them, Mr.. Young says: THE Spanish
American countries have done some cred
liable work in that regard, especially
Chile and Peru. We have the record of
series of valuable. documents pertaining
to the discovery, conquest and organlza-
tion of the Spanish colonies of America.
The first series is necessary to our col
lection"
The rare books of the library number
two or three thousand, some Of which are
on exhibition in glass cases in the north
west corridor of the building Several
of the most important are: The earliest
editions of Shakespeares works, first edf-
ton of Paradise Lost first edition of
pierce Plowman's VISION 1850, and 9TH
er copies of old English writers. There
is an old volume of newspapers contain
ing the Pennsylvania Evening Post, with
the first printed copy of the Declaration
of Independence. Among the rare copies
of the Bible are the Bishops Bible. 1853:
Cranmer's Version. 1910; Coverdales YER
sion. Matthews Version, 1851; King James
folio Bible, first issue, 1911; the Codex
Snaitacus and Codex Alexandrinus; black
letter Bibles of early dates; Luther's Ger
man version and others. There is a copy
of the Bible used by George Washington
on exhibition. 1t is hoped that in short
time the Library may have editions of
the Bible printed in every tongue into
which ii has been translated. In glancing
through the pages of the old books it is
interesting to note the style of the title
pages, so different are they from those
of today. One old volume, entitled, His
tory of the Life, Death and Exploits of
George Washington has a lengthy and
verbose descriptions of itself in the title
page. After a long preamble of presenta-
tation, the price is printed in large let
tiers, ''S7 1-2 cents
The Catalogue Department.
The open Sesame" to the treasures
of the Library is the catalogue depart
ment, for by means of its ramifying,
yet systematic arrangement, the army of
books is marshaled out on its mission of
enlightenment, without any one of its
members losing place in line. so COM
pletely is trace kept of 1t. The system
is a modification, or rather amplification,
of the Jeffersonian method, the latter
having been in turn based upon that of
Bacon, who divided the catalogue into
three chapters, History, Poesy and Philo-
sophy, with various subdivisions Mr..
Spofford made radical changes in the sys-
tenn in vogue when he became Librarian.
and increased the number of chapters
from 40 to "A. Among them are such as