The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-10

FAST GROWING IN QUALITY as
WELL As QUANTITY.
lDcclSl Limos IN WhHch the CongresSI0AaI
LTbrary- 10 Proemincnt -Grcatest Col
lection OT Law Books Theresa Mecca
, for students Vr Social PrahIema.

libraries OF the world, 40 far AZ more mass
Of material is concerned. are the BibIiO-
thSuue Rationale al Paris. the British
Museum Library In London. che Library
OF Congress- at Washington, the Imperial
Library at St: Petersburg and the Royal
Library at Berlin.
Their relative size is probably In that
order. There in 10 doubt about the fnst
Two. About tho others there may be some
question; but the Congressional, with APP
proKimately a million and a half printed
books and pamphlets. almost a hundred
thousand maps and charts. half a million
pieces OF music and a quarter million pho
tOgraphs and prints. would probably lead
IL libraries we're classed by bulk.
But American pride in the national library
hhOuld not be too rampant. OF the num-
Der Of volumes IL contains, hundreds Of
thousands are duplicates. Ofseparate titles
there are probably not more than 800. 900.
And. with apologies to the book makers of
this pen driven people. a great many OF that
roo. 900 would not be admitted TO the shelves
but for the copyright law.
Why, Harvard has a better library. In
quality, than the one at Washington. So
has Boston. New York will have one when
the Aston and the Lenox are brought to-
Eether. Each Of these institutions-Har-
ward. Boston and New York-boasts about
100. 1000 volumes. and they rave not accu-
mulated by copyright deposits. either. but
by years Of careful selection.
But though ne Congressional may not
lead as a library for general research IL
does stand foremost in certain lines and is
\ fast becoming a great library in quality as
well as in mere quantity. For instance. the
Law ibraryisthe largest collection OF strictly
law books in the world. 1t contains more
than 1000 volumes. and 10 in constant use
by the Judges OF courts and member OF
the national Government.
The fact that the library 10 primarily
the library Of Congress is one which will
govern the lines on which it ia to be de-
veEoped. According to present plans it
viii in time lead absolutely in collections on
Jurisprudence. social science and all ques-
efons OF public administration
Il will be strong in books dealing with
industrial problems and sociological matter
or all kinds. It will be the mecca Of every
student Of social science.
II will he only less strong in some Of the
physical sciences such as chemistry biology.
the development Of electricity, &c. 1t will
he rather light on agriculture. for the reason
chat the Department OF Agriculture il
cultivating hat held with all the energy
at It's command
II will almost entirely neglect medicine,
because there il already at Washington,
IN the Surgeon-General's library, one OF
the greatest mece,ial libraries in the world.
In the department OF literature. while It
will not be measre. il will not perhaps be
a. strong a. some other libraries.
The idea is not TO make it a repository
oG belleslettres 1t IL to be a working
library. where the nation can study its
problems, sum up what the world has
accomplished and build ideas for greater
achievements.
Another strong department il that OF
music. A copy OF every piece Of music
copyrighted in this country must be de-
posted in the library,
It may be thought that this brings only
o worthless mass Of ragtime melodies
and coon songs. On the contrary. almost
all the worlds great music comes in under
some detail Of copyright, either a new
lingering, a new arrangement or something
OF that sort.
The library contains also the most notable
collection of public documents and the
largest collection of publications by societies
In all parts of the world. The Smithsonian
gets out a magazine OF its own. which il
exchanges with those OF other scientific
institutions Of all countries. These ex-
changes, containing the latest reports Of
scientific experiments, are all deposited in
the library Of Congress.
In Americana the Congressional is not so
strong as the John Carter Brown library
ct Providence, the Lenox at New York
or any one of several collections. II lacks
the maintenance funds OF these heavily
endowed institutions.
The John Carter Brown library, for
instance. can pay thousands of dollars
for a single work. As the Congressional
il irving TO become a great library in other
and perhaps more practical directions
and has less than BOO, 0Oo a year this year
N was sO4, 500 with which to accumulate
treasures, it is not buying things simply
because their price is high.
That the library IL n national institution
IL true in ways that most persons
know nothing about. IL is no longer for
the use Of Congress alone. Any person
from any place may examine any book
in it's possession and may do this freely
without introduction or credentials.
II is not a circulating library. although
within the District OF Columbia any person
engaged in serious research may have the
home uss Of books II IL In required. Better
stiIl hooks are lent from Maine to Cali
fornia 10 assist students and investigators
who cannot go to Washington to carry on
their work.
These books are lent only through another
ibrarv. II il done On condition that the book
IL an unusual one which IL is not the duty
oF the local library TO supply, that il can
for the time being be spared from the IL
brarv nf Congress. and That the risk and
the expense OF transportation be borne by
the borrowing library.
Another service TO tho public at large
Is performed 10y the bibliographical de-
partm~nt The walking encyclopedias
J" -h-rre Of ."is DEPARTMENT receive about
~ A.F' lattors OF inquiry n rear.
Hwy rome from all over tho country and
they ash all manner OF questions. Most OF
Thorn ask for lists Of books on various sub
,ects. 10 meet this demand the library
publishes these lists from time to time
az now matters occupy public attention.
In 1905 ton new lists were, complied and
seven lists reprinted.
These Included lists OF works relating 70
mercantile marine subsidies. to child labor,
10 Government regulation OF insurance, TO
Government ownership Of railroads, TO the
Germans in tho United States. 10 the con
sular service, TO the negro question. to
Immigration and 40 on. The preparation
Of these lists is only one Of the many ways
IN thich the student has his path OF inquiry
smOothed for him.
In making things easy for the Tes1er
This. coIntry h probably doing more than
sny other. unless II il England. Mr.. Put
nam. librarian 81 the Congressional, ssys
that England ia using mn 10 date library