BROWN UNIVERSITY.-R. A. Guild, the librarian of Brown University, recently read in Providence an interesting paper on the growth and progress of the college library, which now has 50,000 volumes. The books first obtained for the library, he said, were probably procured in England by the Rev. Morgan Edwards, who went there in 1767 to solicit money and books. In 1772 the library was so meagre that President Manning wrote: "At present we have but 250 volumes, and these not well chosen, being such as our friends could best spare.”— Tribune.

TUFTS COLLEGE.—The library of Tufts College, the Universalist institution located at Medford, Mass., has been enriched by a valuable contribution from the widow of the late Rev. Thomas Whittemore of Cambridge. Mr. Whittemore was the first vice-president of the Board of Trustees, and his entire library, consisting of 3000 volumes and 2000 pamphlets, together with busts of Shakespeare, Milton, Scott, Washington, Webster, and Franklin, has come into possession of the college. Nearly one-half are duplicates, but many of these are standard works, of which it is desirable to have several copies.

A LAW LIBRARY FOR CALIFORNIA.-Judge S. C. Hastings, of San Francisco, has offered to deposit $100,000 with the treasurer of California, on condition that the State shall promise to pay seven per cent a year forever to the Uni versity of California, the amount thus received to be divided into two parts, one of $4000 and the other of $3000, the former to be used at first to purchase books for a law library, and the latter for a professor's salary.

PAXTON (MASS.) LIBRARY.-The recent town meeting appropriated $250 to establish a public library, and Mr. Ledyard Bill, the prime mover in the matter, has added a donation of $100. Mr. Bill has been elected president, and it is hoped to open the library about the 1st of June, in a library room now being fitted up in the town hall.

RICE LIBRARY (KITTERY, ME.). The free public library now has 1050 volumes, about half of which are out at a time. During the year 450 volumes have been added. The reading-room is supplied with magazines and papers. The income of the fund left by Miss Rice will supply a steady increase of volumes.

AT the recent election at the Ware (Mass.) library it required twenty ballots to elect one

of the directors, "and yet there was no filibustering."

OF applicants for books not in the Public Library of Boston, about one seventh are in search of books in other languages than English.

THE executors of the estate of the Hon. Oliver Ames will carry out his wish regarding the Easton (Mass.) Public Library at once, and operations will soon be begun.

SALEM (Mass.) has fifteen libraries, with some 75,000 volumes, and no free public library. The Essex Institute, with 30,000 vol. umes (including the library of the old Salem Athenæum) is the largest.

MR. BREVOORT, of the Astor, is filling up gaps and endeavoring to make the library more popular. The card catalogue, including the accessions since 1866, is now in public use, and a duplicate arranged in subjects is nearly completed.

THE increase of issues at the Boston Public

Library in March over March of last year, for the several departments, and as expressed in per cent, is as follows: Bates Hall, 24; Lower Hall, 8; South Boston, 29; East Boston, 20; Roxbury, 64; Dorchester, 9; Charlestown, 27; and Brighton, 19.

THE trustees of the Winn legacy have just purchased the Davis estate adjoining the Winn estate, on which the new library at Woburn (Mass.) is to be erected. This enables them to place the building more satisfactorily, and as the property was secured at a very low figure, the friends of the library are greatly pleased.

MR. VINTON, the efficient librarian of Princeton, says a Tribune correspondent, has been a constant purchaser at the numerous sales held in New York during the past winter, and has brought back from there over 2000 carefullyselected books. The libraries now contain over 48,000 volumes, and the funds used for that pur pose guarantee a constant increase of standard works of literature.

GREAT BRITAIN.

THE ENGLISH CONFERENCE.-A meeting was held in London, at the London Library, St. James' square, on the 9th April, to hear from Mr. Nicholson, of the London Institution, a statement as to the manner in which his proposal for a general conference of librarians had been received by the profession. Mr. Robert Harrison, of the London Library, was in the chair, and altogether nineteen members were

present. Mr. Nicholson's report was most favorable, the metropolitan and provincial librarians having warmly espoused the cause, and cordially promised to attend the convention whenever it should be held. The following resolutions were then passed: "That this meeting of London librarians, having assured itself of the concurrence of the leading provincial librarians, determines that a conference be held for the interchange of ideas upon all points of library management and regulation. That the conference be open to librarians and others connected with or interested in library

work. That librarians from other countries be

invited to the conference, it being understood, however, that all proceedings of the conference will be conducted in the English language. That, for the purpose of organizing the conference, this meeting appoints a committee, who shall determine and make known the time, place, and duration of the conference; shall receive and decide upon offers to read papers; shall suggest papers on subjects which it may be desirable to discuss; shall arrange provisionally the order of proceedings at the conference; and shall recommend to the choice of the conference a president, vicepresidents, council, and secretaries; and that in the performance of these and all other duties the committee shall consult the leading provincial librarians." The meeting then con

stituted those present members of the organizing

committee, with power to add to their number, and appointed Mr. Nicholson secretary. It was decided to defray all expenses by a payment on the part of each person attending the conference.

Mr. Yates, of Leeds, has received a letter from the Under-Librarian of the Biblioteca Nazionale of Palermo, relative to the Conference, in which the latter says: "As I have long wished for a general meeting of librarians, to clear up many questions of bibliography, resolve many queries, and improve what can be improved in public libraries, I think it advisable that foreign librarians be invited to that meeting. Perhaps many of us will be very glad to take part in such an interesting meeting, as it is certain that by that means what is wanting in one nation will be supplied by what abounds in another, and a friendly intercourse between librarians will cause very great advantages to science. As now we have means of travelling which could not be had half a century ago, I hope that you will do all you can towards the

convocation of an international congress of librarians, in which congress many persons will impart to others their learning, and a few, as I, will be very glad to learn."

THE CAXTON CELEBRATION.-The loan collection of articles connected with the art of printing will be opened at South Kensington, the western galleries having been put at the disposition of the committee by direction of the Queen, on Monday, June 11th, and will probably be kept open for two months. Among the members of the general committee are the following Americans: J. C. Brevoort, Geo. W. Childs, Gen. John Eaton, Richard Hoe, H. O. Houghton, G. H. Moore, Joel Munsell, W. F. Poole, Stephen Salisbury, Lloyd P. Smith, A. R. Spofford, J. H. Trumbull, and Justin Winsor-a handsome compliment to American librarians. The exhibition will possess much bibliographical interest, especially in Class A (printed books), in which Caxtonia and other early works will have prominent place. Lord Spencer has offered the committee choice of

all his treasures, which include 57 Caxtons, II block-books, etc., and the Bodleian, Lambeth, the Cathedral, and other great libraries have made similar proffers.

FREE LIBRARY FOR DUBLIN.-A public meet

ing was held in Dublin last month, under the presidency of the Lord Mayor, to consider the

desirability of establishing a free library in that

city, in accordance with the Public Libraries Act. It was stated by one of the speakers that "there was no such a thing as a free library in Dublin, no place where the artisan or the poor man could go to read either a newspaper or a book." The meeting passed resolutions in favor of the object in view. This is the first movement of the kind in Ireland, though the Libraries Act has been in operation since 1855.

CAVENDISH'S PUBLIC PRIVATE LIBRARY.Henry Cavendish, the eccentric English philosopher, lived in London in one street, and had another house in another street devoted exclusively to his books. Here he had collected a large and carefully chosen library of works on science, which he threw open to all engaged in research; and to this house he went for his own books, as one would go to a circulating library, signing a formal receipt for such of the volumes as he took with him.

A SCHEME is on foot for lending books from the Library of Lambeth Palace to persons residing in the county of Kent.

MR. WATTS has undertaken to paint the portrait of the Rev. H. O. Coxe, Bodley's librarian, for which a subscription has been raised.

FRANCE.

MEDICAL LIBRARY.-The Bibliothèque de l'Académie de Médecine consists of 51,000 works in 92,000 volumes. The library of the late M. Daremberg, which has not yet been unpacked for want of room, numbers 17,000. There are 30,000 volumes of theses and 910 periodicals in 7600 volumes. Eighteen languages are represented in the collection.-Le temps.

GERMANY.

PALESTINE LIBRARY.-Dr. Titus Tobler, the author of important works on the geography of Palestine, died at Munich, January 21st, 1877. By his will he provides for the deposit at Jerusalem of his private library of works on Palestine, for the use of scholars and travellers.

THE library of the late Prof. Tischendorf has just been sold to the Free Church College of Glasgow.

THE Strassburg University Library received last year 10,449 volumes by gift and 15,911 by purchase. It now has in all 370,360 volumes.

ΑΝ ITALIAN

ITALY.

at

BIBLIOGRAPHER. - Died Naples, March 26th, Gen. Mariano d'Ayala, 67 years old. He was a man of liberal politics, and had held office under the constitution of 1848 and the provisional government of 1859. In 1860 he commanded the National Guard, and was afterwards general in the Italian army. Our reason for mentioning him is his

Bibliografia militare-italiana anticae moderna divisa in sette parti: I. su le Arti militari in generale. II. Architettura militare e assedii. III. Dell' artiglieria e de' suoi regolamenti. IV. Marineria e regolamenti

navali. V. Medicina militare, Arti e Ordini cavallereschi. VI. Letteratura militare. VII. Legislazione, Amministrazione, Lessicografia e Poligrafia. Torino, dalla Stamperia Reale, 1854. xxxii + 450 p. 8°.

This is acknowledged to be the best Italian military bibliography. The preface contains a short treatise on the theoretical division of military art and science, and a few words on the importance of military libraries. In the bibliography the country of each writer is noted,

and not merely his printed but also his manuscript works are recorded, with an indication of the libraries in which they are to be found. When necessary, there are careful notes. There are over 2000 numbers. The work is concluded by a full index, in which the country and the age of each writer is given. The first edition of this bibliography had appeared as part of Ayala's" Dizionario militare francese-italiano," Naples, 1841, which was republished at Genoa, in 1841, without the bibliography. Ayala wrote many other military and historical works, of which a list will be found in the Bibliography, pp. xxviii-xxxii. D. CHILOVI,

National Library, Florence.

NETHERLANDS.

ROTTERDAMSCHE LEES KABINET.-This institution, according to its annual report, has now 1563 members. The library has been increased 2452 works in 5171 volumes from the Bogaers donation. The librarian, Heer Mulder Bosgoed, whose Bibliotheca piscatoria we lately noticed (Bibl. 42) is praised for his unremitting courtesy and the valuable assistance which he gives to all who use the library. A card-catalogue is to be made, in order to satisfy the often-expressed wish on the part of the members to be able to use the catalogue themselves, and not through the intervention of the library attendants. We would call Prof. Hagen's attention to this. It was a precisely similar desire and complaint at Harvard College Library that led to the establishment of Prof. Abbot's author-and-subject card-catalogue.

Now it is asserted that it would be well to return to the former inconvenient arrangement, to prevent the public from doing any thing towards getting their own books, and so relieving the library attendants, the result of which would probably be that in a busy afternoon the professors would engross the services of the attendants, and the forty or fifty students, after waiting more or less impatiently for the slow process to be finished, would go away empty-handed. C. A. C.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Art Workman, London, and The Workshop, published by E. Steiger, New York, English monthlies devoted to the useful arts, have the same illustrations as the Gewerbehalle, published at Stuttgart. The text, with some unimportant exceptions, is a translation from the German.