Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-09
UNCLE SAM AS A BOOKSELLER

inexpensive as possible. When 1t was
suggested to the speaker that with this
end In view 1t would be reasonable to
afford such access without any cost to
the applicant, he responded that the aver
age man deems of little value that which
costs him nothing, and Is more apt to
peruse with interest the literature for
which he has paid a price. however mod
est.
This action on the part Of the govern
ment, said Mr.. Donath, docs not mean
that it Is entering into competition with
private publishers, because the United
States public documents are published by
the government alone, and there can be
no competition"
In order then to enable tho interested
citizen to obtain the public documents
at small cost and with a minimum OF
trouble this Office was established March
20, 1895, and to this official was committed
the duty of supplying the ever-increasing
demand for these valuable documents.
=.
Certain preliminary information u gen.
orally desired by the would-be patron in
order to Judge intelligently as to tho de-
STABILITY Of ordering the publications. To
supply this need the office prepares price
lists and leaflets on special subjects, a
perusal Of which will generally enable
the reader to determine whether anything
has been published that may be worth his
expenditure of money These price lists
and leaflets. numbering at the present
time Seventy-seven. are gratuitously Of
fered to all desiring them. In their pages
will be found description of documents
ranging from the smaller pamphlets,
which can be purchased for a. few cents.
up to the History of the United States
Capitol" by Glenn Brown, a fellow Of
the American Institute Of Architects.
This masnificentiy illustrated and bound
treatise Is published in two volumes and
is sold by the office for $50. being the
most expensive document to be found in
the governments bookstore.
While the functions OF this Office are
the country" said Mr.. Donath to the in
terviewer. there is still much ignorance
manifested as to the scope OF its opera
tons which hinders to a greater or LESSER
degree the usefulness Of this branch of
governmental service"
In view of this lack of knowledge Mr..
Donath set forth the functions of his
Office assigned it in the general print
ing act of January Il, 1895, by which the
Office was created His Office is the
principal distributing station for United
States public documents. He sends to
each of the principal libraries Of the
country every book and pamphlet pub
lished by the government. These libraries
are known designated repositories"
because each senator and representative
designates one, and because the books and
pamphlets deposited to them. though for
public use, remain the property OF the
government. In this list are also the
ries of the executive departments of the
government. of the military and naval
academies, and Of the land grant COL
leges.
He malls the publications Of the United
States geological survey to q larger list
OF libraries. for which each senator and
representative designates four. He malls
the Congressional Record. the Patent Of
flee Gazette. the Experiment Station Rec
ord and the Army Directory to large
lists of subscribers. He complies and
publishes, monthly. annually and BIZ
ennially, complete catalogues and in
dexes of public documents These are
not for general distribution. but may be
consulted at the designated libraries
To these duties should be added three
auxiliary functions which are very ex-
tensive Answering letters of inquiry
relative to what the government has
printed on certain subjects, and quoting
the prices of the books containing the de-
sired information. If they are in stock, or
directing the inquirer to the nearest IL