Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-15

fore 1890. Important statistical material in the
library are records of Prudential Life InSur-
ance Co.
Next in point of size is the Smithsonian In
stitution Library. It is housed in 10 branches
throughout the city, and includes more than
SOC, 900 volumes The principal branch deposit
is the Smithsonian in the Library of Congress.
although the United States National Museum
collection is also important. In addition to pub
locations of learned societies and institutions Of
the world, works both general and special on
aeronautics, anthropolcgy, archaeology, astro-
physics, botany chemistry, ethnology, fine arts.
Europe, mathematics, mechanics, museums.
seismology physics, paleontology, zoology are
available to every one in the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition.
The superintendent of documents library Of
the Government Printing Offlce is the official
depository for the United States Government
publications. It's collection of 480,189 bound
volumes and 81 1853 maps is the best in the whole
world.
Several departmental libraries have more than
100000 volumes ON their shelves Army War
College has fine library Of over 100000 books.
magazines and clippings relating TO world mill
tary activity.
The Bureau of Geological Survey under De-
partment Of the Interior has q wonderful spe-
cialized collection of some 25o,000 books per-
tanning to geology. 1t has been accommodating
them since 1879.
Inc department OF Agriculture Library,
which has several branches, Is said to be the
richest In the world. Their collections involve
almost every phase of scientific study-bot-
any, biology, chemistry. geology, physics, ento-
mology. plant and animal industry, forestry,
veterinary science, metereology. sociology, engi-
neering-there are about 900 volumes. ex-
elusive of the Weather Bureau Library. Be-
sides these it has 5000 periodicals and an even
greater number of serials, such animal re-
ports, proceedings and transactions. It has
a Collection of horticultural catalogues number
ing $4,000. The directory catalogue Of the
library now contains more than 100000 cards
and is a record Of book resources OF the entire
department.
The following bureaus in the Department Of
Agriculture have libraries: Forestry Chemistry
and Soils Entomology Biological, Public
Roads, Agricultural Economics, Home Eco
Monies and Experimental Stations. All Of
them are complete and highly valuable. Tst1bei
Macdonald visited the Home Economies La
braEy when she came to Washington. BOOKS for
research are lent by the department to libraries
ana institutions in every State Of the Union.
THE Weather Bureau Library has about $4,000
books Of general reference, and few
hundred works seismOlegy left over from the
days when. the Weather Bureau had an in
terest in earthquakes: all the others are
meteorological books
Ten thousand volumes eInbody descriptions
and statistical literature Of climates. 1t in
cludes records Of meteorological observations
throughout the world as published by various
obseFvatories in $1,000 places On the earth
where weather observations are taken every
day. One Of the largest groups OF borrowers
from this library are business men interested
in expansion Of export trade who require de-
tailed weather information.
The Library Of the Department Of State Is
the Oldest of all departmental libraries
aA4A e. A.
estimate OF expenses for the department dur
ing the first year. according to the cid records.
included Is American newspapers ct an average
Of "a per year $500 with which to begin q
collection of laws of the States and $50 for
the purchase Of foreign gazettes. All Of the
State Department library was destroyed by the
British in 1914.
Thomas Thrift compiled a manuscript cata
logue in 1920 and listed 2,4O0 books maps,
charts aliases as well as files Of 241 domestic
and foreign newspapers. In 1888 the frSt Ii
brarian for the department was appointed.
Secretary McLane directed the clerk In charge
of Bureau of Pardons, Remissions and Copy
rights to include the library in his duties
Prom them on many changes in designation
and organization affected the librarian. 1t Is
now a part Of the office Of the historical ad-
wiser
the years. such as a complete set of Session Laws
in the United States, the books and manu-
scripts of George Washington James Madison.
Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Ben
janlin Franklin and James Monroe, have been
sent to the Library Of Congress From 1877
until 1894 the Declaration of Independence
was kept on exhibit at the State Department.
In that year it was withdrawn from public
view to prevent further deterioration and re-
NAMED in the vault Of the State Department
until 1922. when 1t was placed in g&Sw at
the Library Of Congress.
The sstatA Ilanartu1ert ,lfl,rarvraors,kak N non