Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-05
OUR NATIONAL kIBRARY.
Reflections Suggested by Librarian
Putnan1's Annual Report.
washington correspondence


washington Correspondence
The erection of the new building fol
the library of congress and the trans
Ter to it of the collections of the librar!
did more than provide new quarters fol
the books; it offered the opportunity
never obtained in the cramped rooms o
the capitol, to make the library more
than 4 mere annex TO congress-
make il national, as the library Of tbs
British Museum Is nationals the col
lections of the Biblitheque Rationale il
Paris are national. The change in ad-
ministrations helped the change in the
character of the library, too. The re-
lief of Mr.. Spofford, for thirty years
ing catalogue of the collection and the
copyright clerk, and the death of the
distinguished politician obtruded into
the place of the librarian, made way
for the appointment of a man trained IN
modern methods, of many years polit-
ical experience, and withal young
With his appointment in April. 1899
the library of congress may be said to
have begun it's progress toward becom-
ing real rational library. The an
nual report of the present librarian
shows how that progress continues.
A fire In the capitol on Dec. "a, 1851,
destroyed more than half Of the col
lection then existing, leaving only TO-
coo volumes. Since then considerably
more than 100000 volumes have been
received, until on June 80, 1901, there
were 1,071,647 volumes, besides manu-
scripts, charts and maps, pieces of mu-
sic, prints and law books. The library
OF congress is now one of the large H.
braries of the world.
From 1876, the law has required that
two copies of all books and other arti-
cles copyrighted must be deposited in
the library of congress; and to many
persons it must have seemed as If this
deposit of books would suf-
fee to make the library important. 1t
has done so, of course, so far as private
American publications are concerned,
and since 1891 so far as foreign works
copyrighted here are concerned. But
these two sources are not enough in
themselves. The law did not provide
means of obtaining foreign
books, or until recently. even of works
issued by the government. The parlia-
library at Ottawa had, and
may still have, a much more complete
file of American official publications
than the library of congress.
Before the new building was occu-
pied, however, steps had been taken to
Increase the library in a more general
way; the report shows with what sue
cess. OF total accessions of 76,4S1 VOL
INES acquired during the fiscal year
1901, only 1888 were copyright depos-
is, while 26,194 We're purchases, 6,476
we're acquired by international ex-
,hange, and 9,67S were received as
gifts.
Apart from its extension of it's field
oy the aid of appropriations for buy
ng books, the present librarian has
ried to make the library of congress
more useful to the people at large
The right to borrow books is properly
United to those having an official pos
ton, but the reading room is open to
my person, without reference or Gre
lentials Of any kind. Besides the main
ead1ng room there are divisions where
periodicals, documents, manuscripts
maps and charts. music and prints
nay be consulted: there is a law Ii
'rary of nearly 100000 volumes, and
reading room for the blind, where
n innovation in library management
eadings and recitals are given daily
lore than 10000 blind persons availed
themselves of the books provided for
heir use during the year 1901.
Further than these branches of ac-
iyity, the librarian has offered to sup
ly catalogue cards to other libraries
t certain fixed rates, ana has devel-
ped the system of international ex-
hanges very largely. By this system
he library now receives regularly ali
fficial publications issued by some
orty different countries.
The position of the collection as the
cvernment depository of books and
he absence of any comprehensive plan
f development on the part of congress
ave hindered persons from giving to
ne library anything but books. It has
ever received a gift of money, mot a
ingle gift. therefore, says the libra
Ian. which added to it's collections by
CELEBRATE selection The librarian |
otes that at sales of manuscripts st
arely secures more than one in four of /
ne items 1t bids upon" 1t thus an
ears that the absolute dependence of
he library upon congress has been a |
PURGE of weakness as Well as of
trength, but that on the whole the de-
elopment has been very one-sided. But I
18th the new building. an administers
on which is safeguarding the coIlec-
ons and making them useful and by
len expenditures as it can make in
material, 1t is hoped thar
fits of money as we'll as of books NAV
e attracted. as they have been to the
reat English national library, that OF
lie British museum. largely for the
stincton of association and service
18th a collection already the most dis
nguished in the world"
The librarian under whom the librarv
congress is becoming worthy of its
aw building is Mr.. Herbert Putnam
nder his direction, the collection or
ooks in Washington is becoming in
Ict, II not In name, national library
Id taking its place among the great
ational collections of the world.
Sometimes cold settles in the bowtl is
he pain pierces like a lance. Get rid of
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in sweetened water There is
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