The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-06
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN
Mr.. Putnam's Review of the Work
of the Past Year.
Large Increase in the stock of Rocks
corning Reference Library.

Herbert Putnam. Librarian OF Congress,
in MS annual report. which VAS present.
eG to Congress today, puts the expen5i-
lures for the Library for the year fe0e
including salaries, increase OF library
contingent expenses. and printing and
binding at S2z6.s40.46, and appropriations
for the same for 1901 at Ss7e, ass. Fer
building and grounds. including care and
maintenance, fuel, lights, and missslla-
neous furniture and shelving, zshe expen-
ditures for 1900 are marked down IS
sfo4 .ISs.9 Sc, and appropriations asked I>r
$50. amount TO s137, ,065-
Tie increase OF the Library dariug the
past year amounted to 3sIf9 printed
books and pamphlets, total. ss5.156; manu-
scripts, rs, total. ZT,Z7s; maps and
charts, S.536, total 50, III: miscellaneous,
1s. COS. total. 2s4,O7o; prints, la,O4s, total.
s4SII.
The report gives a detailed account of
every department of the Library. the ac-
eession Of printed books and pamphlets,
etc. binding and repair, catalogues. di-
vision Of photography, etc.
The total number of visitors to the
Library building in the fiscal year ended
was 655, ,43s daily average 2-150; readers,
main reading room, 123. .S44: books issued
main reading room, So, $50; books issued
for home use II. .S9S; total attendance at
readings for the blind. 7,409
Fees for copyrights received during the
year, So, ,206; total number Of entries of
titles 81, 79S.
Referring TO the recently established
Congressional Reference Library Mr. Put
nam says:
with height sufficient to render the
mittee rooms habitable, IL could be made
to serve the main purposes of the Con-
gressional Reference collection as a CON-
suIting library It is not. however, on
the convenient level for that ather service
proposed; the receipt of applications for
books and the receipt and distribution Of
books from the main library. Fer this
service there is Indispensable a room on
the level of the main fo0f convenient
TO Senate, to House and to the terminal
of the book railway (which cannot be
extended). A large room IS not necessary.
One of the two adjacent to the old library
space and the inner courts might answer.
These are not light nor otherwise attrse-
tive for use as committee rooms. L ear
nestly recommend that one of them at
least, and both, If possible, be assigned
TO this service =
Concluding his report Mr Put
nam says: This year which is
the centennial year of the Lii
braTy. as Of the Capital viii have witness
ed what is in effect revisior Of its strue-
ture. a revision in the interest Of q larger.
broader more scholarly sers5ee.
1t is in the interest also Of the service
which should be TO the Library its pTi-
mary obligation: the service TO Congress
itself. But this service can never be rem
dered adequately in the main Library
Building alone. It requires collection CT
books at the Capitol; catalogues eiso and
bibliographieaI tools. and il connection
with them the best expert aid that the
Library can furnish The men are ready;
the books. catalogues. and tools are being
made ready.
'.Rut there is yet to be provided for
them a place. Until that shall be pro-
Fided the Library, whatever It's general
activities. viii not be rendering to Con-
gress itself the service which Congress
has. the right TO demand from the Library
of Congress.
.I close my report. therefore. with the
earnest recommendation that the project
for a reference library at the Capitol,
which Congress had IN view when it last
adjourned, shall be carried into effect,
and shall not give way before any archf-
tectural difficulty which can reasonably be
surnounted.'