paration of a catalogue of its library on the Smithsonian plan proposed by Professor Jewett. This work has been successfully prosecuted since July last; and according to Professor Jewett's report, upwards of 6,000 volumes have been catalogued. This plan, the honor of the invention of which the Convention of Librarians has awarded to Professor Jewett, and which has been received with approbation by those well qualified to judge of its merits, is now in a fair way to be reduced to practice. The objects to be gained by adopting it are

1. To avoid the necessity of preparing, composing, and correcting anew the titles once printed, when the library has received accessions; or the alternative of printing the titles of these accessions in supplements, which are very inconvenient appendages.

2. To prevent the repetition of the work of preparation of titles, composition, and correction of press, for copies of the same book in different libraries. The title once prepared and stereotyped remains at the Smithsonian Institution, to be used by any library having the

same book.

3. To secure uniformity in the construction of catalogues, thus greatly facilitating the researches of the student.

For other facts and details, see Professor Jewett's report herewith submitted.

Lectures.-Lectures have been given as usual by a number of distinguished gentlemen on the following subjects:

A course of eight lectures by Dr. Robert Baird on "Modern Europe."

One lecture by Hon. Henry Barnard on "The School."

One lecture by Professor Stephen Alexander, of the College of New Jersey, on "Climate."

One lecture by Job R. Tyson, esq., of Philadelphia, “Patrick Henry.'

One lecture by Rev. Dr. C. C. Pise, "Charles Carrol, of Carrolton."

One lecture by Dr. E. K. Kane, U. S. N., "On the New Expedition in search of Sir John Franklin.”

A course of five lectures by Professor A. Guyot on "The Harmonies of Nature and History."

A course of seven lectures by Dr. J. V. C. Smith, of Boston, on "Modern Egypt and its Institutions.

One lecture by George Sumner, esq., on "France."

Lectures were also delivered during the season, in the Smithsonian lecture room, to the Washington Young Men's Christian Association, Metropolitan Mechanics' Institute, and the Teachers Association.

We have concluded to adopt the plan of a continued course on a single subject extending through the entire season; and for this purpose Professor J. Lawrence Smith, of the University of Virginia, has been engaged to give a full course on chemistry during the present

winter.

Meeting of the Establishment.-The Secretary was directed by the President of the United States to call a meeting of the members and

honorary members of the "Smithsonian Institution," or, in other words, of the body which is generally known by the name of the "Establishment." I may mention that this body consists of the President of the United States, the Vice President, the Chief Justice, the Mayor of Washington, the several officers of the cabinet, (excepting the Secretary of the Interior, this department having been created since the passage of the act establishing the Institution,) the Commissioner of Patents, and such other persons as they may elect honorary members. This body met in the Smithsonian building on the 3d of May, 1853, and at a subsequent meeting adopted a set of by-laws, and elected Professor Parker Cleaveland, of Bowdoin College, Maine, an honorary member.

In accordance with the third section of the act of incorporation, a full account of the proceedings of the Establishment will be given in connection with the report of the proceedings of the Board of Regents. Respectfully submitted,

JANUARY, 1854.

JOSEPH HENRY, Secretary Smithsonian Institution.

REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY, IN CHARGE OF THE LIBRARY.

DECEMBER 31, 1853.

SIR: The following table exhibits the additions to the library during the year 1853, distinguishing the receipts by purchase, by donation and exchange, and by copy-right:

The whole number of books, pamphlets, maps, engravings, and other articles at present belonging to the library, is shown by the following table:

The purchases during the year have been few and unimportant. The receipts by exchange and donation have been numerous and valuable. A particular account of them is given by Professor Baird in his report upon the exchanges. It is not thought necessary, therefore, to dwell upon them here, further than to state, that many of the works thus received are of great value, from their intrinsic merit, and from the

Totals.

difficulty of procuring them through the ordinary channels of the book

trade.

It is much to be regretted that no measures have yet been taken for the better regulation of the copy-right deposit. I have repeatedly called attention to the subject, and in my last two reports have expressed, at considerable length, views which I hoped might lead to a revision of the law. The interests of this Institution, of publishers, and of the literary public, require further legislation on this subject, and substantially such, it is believed, as was recommended in the reports alluded to.

Much inconvenience has been experienced from the delay in finishing the central building. The books stand in double rows, on most of the shelves, in the room where they are at present placed. Some of them have been injured, too, by exposure to dampness. It is impossible with the means provided to warm the room, and all who have been engaged in the library have suffered severely from colds contracted while working in it. It has been found necessary to remove many pamphlets and papers to the basement, where they are subject to injury, and where it is difficult to consult them. The labors of the library are doubled by the want of proper accommodations. On these accounts, it is much to be desired that the main library should be finished at as early a day as possible, in order that the books may be removed to a permanent, safe, and convenient lodgment.

Applications have been made to me during the year for the opening of the library in the evening, and some remarks on the subject have appeared in the newspapers. It was impossible to comply with these suggestions without employing an additional attendant. The present attendant is required to be on duty from daylight in the morning till five o'clock in the afternoon. It would be unjust to require services of him in the evening. Besides, no arrangements have been made for lighting the reading room, nor can they well be made till the building is finished. It has seemed necessary, therefore, to postpone, for the present, the further consideration of the subject; which I do, with the hope that it may hereafter be found practicable to extend the time for consulting the library, if desired by any considerable number of persons.

Another topic connected with the library, to which I wish to direct the attention of the Board of Regents, is the framing of a set of bylaws and regulations for the management of the library and the use of the books. I would also suggest the appointment of a standing committee upon the library. Such a committee becomes the more necessary as the library becomes of more importance, both from its extent and the character of its books, and as the time is near at hand for the completion of the building, and the permanent arrangement of the collection.

The reading-room has continued to be a place of great resort for citizens and strangers. The list of periodicals is extensive, and comprises many of the best scientific and literary journals of this country and of Europe.

It is proper for me here to call attention to the desirableness of completing the series of periodicals and of transactions and journals of learned societies. But very few of our sets are complete. Inquiries are daily made for back numbers which are wanting. As it is probable that we have received all or nearly all of the earlier publications

of societies which they are able to supply, it seems advisable to furnish our agents in Europe with lists of the volumes which we possess, and authorize them to purchase, as opportunities may occur, the volumes that are wanting.

The "Notices of Public Libraries," prepared with considerable labor, and published three years ago by the Smithsonian Institution, is still almost daily called for, though about 6,000 copies, printed by Congress and by the Institution, have been distributed. Very few copies remain on hand. Since the book was published a large amount of additional matter has been received. There is a great demand for information of this kind, and it seems desirable to issue a new and enlarged edition of the Notices. It has been impossible for me, during the past year, to gain time for this work, from the daily duties of the library, and the unremitted labor which the superintendence of the catalogue system has imposed upon me.

The National Convention of Librarians and Bibliographers, which met in New York in September last, deserves to be particularly noticed in this report, on account of the frequent reference there made to the position and operations of the Smithsonian library, as well as on account of its importance to all libraries, and to the general interests of literature in this country. It was composed of more than eighty delegates, representing forty-seven libraries in all parts of the country, from Maine to California.

It is gratifying to know that the services of the Smithsonian Institution, in the department of bibliography, were fully recognised by this convention in the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted:

"Resolved, That the thanks of this convention be presented to the Board of Regents and officers of the Smithsonian Institution for their steady and effective efforts for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men; and particularly for the measures which they have adopted for the encouragement and promotion of the public libraries of our country; and we have great pleasure in looking to that Institution as the central establishment of the United States for the furtherance of all such objects."

The convention also passed the following resolutions relative to the great central library of reference and research which it has been the intention of Congress to establish at the Smithsonian Institution :

"Resolved, That the establishment of a great central library for reference and research, while it is demanded by the condition of the United States as to general civilization and intellectual advancement, is especially interesting to this convention from the bearing it would have upon libraries throughout the country.

"Resolved, That we deem such an establishment as being eminently worthy of support from the national treasury; and that in no way can the government better promote the progress of learning through the whole country, than by placing a central national library under the administration of the Smithsonian Institution."

Among the topics which received particular attention at this convention was the preparation of a convenient manual as a guide to the organization of library societies, the collection of libraries, and their proper management. A committee was appointed to digest the plan