The Washington herald., 1909-05-10
OUR NATIONAL LIBRARY.
Some Account OF the work It L
Doing for Learning.

Doing for Learning
Herbert Putuam. IN tho Sstional 8IsgAxns
It Is not & library for the mere general
reader. except as. subject TO the conyeH-
ienee OF the investigator, such a reader
Is permitted to use its material upon the
premises. Even less is It library for the
education or cultivation Of the young. The
service TO the general reader and 70 the
young through the issue or instructive OF
recreative books In the domain OF general
literature Is left 20 libraries Of different
sort-the academic Libraries and the NUM-
oIpaI reference and lending libraries. Only
when II comes 10 the student somewhat
more mature Is the national library con-
eerned- Nor IL IT primarily 10 aid one Dur-
suing studies merely for his own personal
instruction or cultivation II Is Z library
Of research; but research calculated 70
advance the boundaries OF knowledge, and
thus 10 benefit the community as q whole.
not merely 10 satisfy the interest or pleas
ure OF an individual
II OF course welcomes the investigator
20 the direct use OF It's collections, pro
v!d!ng for him not merely conveniences
freedom Of access unparalleled n any
other research library. The investigators
who take advantage Of its opportunities
are numerous. including especially mem
bers Of the faculties Of various institu-
tions Of learning IN this country and
abroad, who utilize their vacation peri
DDS for tour OF investigation 70 Wash
lngton. But the library does not stop
with these Any book n rs collections
required for serious research may be
borrowed by an investigator az dis
tance. There are certain stipulatiOns:
the book must not be one which Il Is the
duty OF the local library 20 supply; Il
must be q book which can az the moment
be spared from Washington; the appiica-
ton must be rade through the local T.
brary-the lOaL IS II form made 70 that
library, and tts expense OF transporta-
ton is borne by the borrower; but the
essential thing IS accomplishe6-the IN
vestigator gets his book. and perhaps It
may be a book without which his con-
clusions would be impossible. or his in
vestigations absolutely blocked. Under
this policy the library IS sending vol
urnes Ell over the United States. from
Maine 20 California, from Minnesota 70
Texas.
To-day the collections comprise nearly
$4,000 ttems-l.5o0.0c0 printed books and
pamphlets. and nearly i000005 other ar
ticles manuscripts. maps. prints. and
muslc)-by all means the largest COliec-
lion OF the western hemisphere and per
haps the third largest IN the world They
are increasing az the rate OF about 70.10
books and pamphlets and 5o.000 other ar
ticles yearly. The resources for their in
crease include still copyright; iuterns-
tional exchange (Of Official publications
with foreign governments; miscellane-
Gus EcceSsiOns through various other
government departments and bureaus;
and with other Institutions. including
the results OF exchange by the Smith
sOnian Institution with other acad-
emies and Institutions: and S10S 900 a year
toward .he actual purchase Of material
With these resources Il may not compete
with private collectors whose purses
know 10 bottom. nor with certain en-
dowed institutions G!ke TIE LeuOx and
the Carter Brown able 10 concentrate
large funds within special areas; nor 10
catch up with institutions Ike the Brit
ish Museum and BibhotheGue NationaIe.
whose collections represent the accUmu-
lations of centuries and include material
that VIII never again come into the mar
ket-but Il can and viii develop here
collections that viii advance the oppor-
tunities for American investigators n ev-
cry branch OF science which has z litera-
ture. whether rs literature be book. map,
print. music, or IN the case OF American
history (for I am using science il the
larger sense) manuscript originals