Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-07
i
MRP PUTNAM REPORT
Over 100000 Books in the
Library Of Congress.
MANY RECENT GIFTS
RECONSTRUCTION WILL OCCUPY
SEVERAL MORE YEARS.
Nearly N;l1ion Do,.eone u;r;kal kbo
Nearly a Million Persons Visited the
Building in Pnst Twelve Months
Revision Of Copyright Laws.

The annual report of Herbert Putnam,
librarian of Congress, for the fiscal year
1865 shows that the library now contains
1,344,61S books, 50, IA maps and charts
tpieces), 1S3T2i prints (artistic), and 49,
80 pieces of music. The manuscripts have
not been enumerated pending their group
Ing into volumes. The law library contains
HOSTS volumes
The important collections acquired by
purchase during the year were the Kelen
collection of year books; the papers of
John J. Crittenden, the papers of Duncan
Macarthur and of William Allen, manu-
script records of Barbados papers of
FRANKLIN Pierce, and a collection of Bur-
mese sacred writings, being examples of
the purest Buddhistc texts. They are Ola
manuscripts ION palm leaves.
The map collection was enriched by the
purchase or SeVenty-two manuscript maps
which belonged to Richard first Earl
Howe, commander of the English fleet in
America in 1867.
Gifts to the Library.
The more important gifts to the library
were received by the manuscript division
First to be mentioned In the report were
the Breckenridge papers, the gift of Miss
Sophonisba Preston Breckenridge and Mr..
Desha Breckenridge, comprising letters
etc, -of John Breckenridge Q7GO-1S06); his
son John G737-1S4D; Robert Jefferson
Breckenridge QSO0-1s71), and w. C. P.
breckenridge 1S31-1905). Mrs. Smith Thomp-
son Van Buren, gave $50 letters received
by Martin Van Buren, while Secretary of
State, Vice President and President. The
library now possesses papers of nine of
the Presidents of the United States-name-
ly, Washington, Jefferson Madison, Mon
roe, Jackson, Van Buren,, Polk, Pierce and
johnson. The collection of Andrew john
son papers received an addition of fifteen
letters written by Johnson The print d.
vision received collection of facsimile re-
productions of engravings by the old mas
tiers as a gift from the government of
Germany.
Progress of Cataloguing.
There were III, 1913 books catalogued dur
ing the year, an increase of 49, 13 over last
year. The work of reciassifying the IL
brary has greatly advanced, although suf-
fcient remains to occupy several years.
The librarian directs attention to the
financial advantages to the libraries of
the country resulting from the distribu-
ton of printed catalogue cards. He est-
mates the saving to subscribing libraries
during the past year to be not less than
$SS, 600.
The library was visited during the year
by 923 116 people
The librarian says regarding proposed
There have been many endeavors to
perfect our copyright laws, but they have
been sporadic, as a rule directed to one
particular defect, and generally undertaken
by the single interest having a grievance
or, perhaps even less fortunately, by advo-
Gates of an abstract justice which ran
counter to a particular interest. The pro-
posed legislation recognizes certain definite
defects which entail certain substantial
hardships.'
Entries for Copyright.
The statistics of the copyright Office
show that 1884 entries were made for
copyright 207, 424 articles (books etc..
were deposited, and s7s,05s were received
in fees.
In discussing the expense of the library
Mr.. Putnam calls attention to statement
made by member of Congress that every
book issued by the library cost the gov
eminent $1.19 in service" The librarian
says this was arrived at by dividing the
total expenditure of the library by the
number of volumes circulated from the
main reading room, taking no account of
the use of the other divisions of the IL
brary the manuscripts, maps, music,
prints, periodicals, documents, law. Smith
sonian deposit, nor of the service OF the
photographic division. The reading room
service cost but $4,000.