figures for 1908 being 212,701 desk applicants and 905,030 volumes). 28,297 volumes and 70,007 pamphlets were received. 34,936 volumes and 12,003 pamphlets were accessioned, making the total number available for readers 793,854 volumes and 295,078 pamphlets, a total of 1,088,932 pieces in the reference department, which with the 755,406 volumes in the circulation department give an aggregate of 1,844,338 pieces in the whole library. The print department now contains 70,310 prints; there has been little increase in the music, map, or manuscript departments. There were catalogued 44,230 volumes and 42,858 pamphlets; the public catalogues in the ASTOR and LENOX reading rooms contain now 1,580,235 cards; the official author catalogues at these two buildings contain now 1,138,974 cards. 1902 periodicals have been indexed number by number, for which 22,995 cards or printer's slips were written. Periodicals currently received amount to 6,662 if counted by titles, or 168,362 counted by individual pieces; readers of current periodicals at the ASTOR branch numbered 41,785, and these readers called for 264,257 single pieces or numbers.

In the circulation department, the number of branches has increased from 39 to 40, volumes in the department from 680,244 to 755,406, circulation for home use from 6,504,402 to 7,013,649; 4 Carnegie branches have been opened during the year (a total of 32).

The total expenditures for the calendar year 1909 were $885,698.43, of which $210,963.25 was spent for the reference department and $674,735.18 for the circulation department.

Of the reference department expenditures $40,017.78, or 18.9 per cent., went for books, binding, and periodicals; $118,507.12, or 56.1 per cent., went for salaries; $52,438.35, or 24.8 per cent., for all other purposes.

Of the circulation department expenditures $210,209.33, or 31 per cent., went for books, binding and periodicals; $332,588.80, or 49 per cent., went for salaries; $131,937.05, or 20 per cent., for all other purposes.

Of the circulation department expenditures $630,204.22 came from the city appropriation.

There are now 659 persons on the staff of the Library, 156 in the reference department, 503 in the circulation department.

Of the reference department staff the number of librarians, assistants, etc., was 109; the number of janitors, pages, etc., was 47.

Of the circulation department staff the number of librarians, assistants, etc., was 458; the number of janitors, pages, etc., was 45.

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR

REFERENCE DEPARTMENT.

NEW BUILDING.

69

Progress on the new central building at Fifth Avenue and Forty-second Street has continued satisfactorily. One new contract has been let, that for the electric generating plant, and bids have been opened for another contract, though this last, for furniture and equipment, has not yet been awarded.

The plate opposite this page shows the condition of the main reading room at the end of December, 1909.

Work on the individual contracts stands to-day as follows:

Contract No. 4: Book Stacks. The erection of all stack work has been completed, including all gallery stairs and railings, with the exception of the stairs in the Technology and Periodicals Reading Rooms.

The wrought iron railings and bronze hand rails at window spaces in the main stack have been set. The bronze numerals for stack ends are in place in the four upper tiers of the main stack room, and 42,296 shelves have been delivered, though they are not yet put in place.

The ornamental bronze railings and fascias in the Periodicals Reading Room have been set and in the Technology Reading Room they are delivered ready for setting.

The bronze hand rails to stack balustrades throughout the building are in place.

The marble floor slabs to gallery stacks, and all stair treads, have been set, except the treads in the Periodicals and Technology Reading Rooms, and the treads of the south staircase in the main stack room.

Throughout the stack room the marble floors are in place, with the exception of a few slabs adjoining the book lifts, where the delivery of enclosing screens is awaited; and the marble tiles in the lowest floor, where the work is almost completed.

The painters have finished work on all stacks on the second and third stories, and are now at work on the stacks and special reading rooms on the first floor.

Contract No. 5: Heating and Ventilation. All duct work throughout the building has been completed and all exposed ducts in the cellar have been encased with both the magnesia and canvas coverings; the smoke stack in boiler room has been encased in metal, also with asbestos plaster covering.

The heavy cast iron floor plates have been set at furnace doors in the boiler room; all cast register faces have been set in first, second, and third stories; all steam piping of every description throughout has been completed; all steel covers over trenches leading to radiators have been set and packed with mineral wool; all radiators in third story rooms have been set in place,

fitted, connected, and painted; the steam fitters are now engaged in setting the radiators in the basement, first, and second floors.

The work of installing fans in blower rooms is completed; two tempering coils are in place and two others are nearly completed.

All copper drip pans have been set under skylight steam coils; all thermostat work, piping, etc., of every description has been completed throughout, except the setting of the thermostats.

Contract No. 6: Plumbing. All finished toilet room fixtures have been set complete in every respect throughout, and all the nickel faucets and bright work wrapped and protected; the fountains in halls, slop sinks in main stack rooms, and sinks and basins in all other rooms throughout have been set and completed. The drinking water cooler has been installed in cellar, and lines. run to all drinking water faucets and fountains.

Connections have been made with the permanent water supply lines and the street mains; all fire valves and hose reels have been set, as well as all sill cocks on the approaches that are furnished by this contractor.

The cast iron drain boxes for floor drains in the boiler room have been set; all hot and cold water pipes throughout have been covered with cork insulations and canvas covering.

Contract No. 7: Interior Finish. The condition of the work under the interior finish contract is so far advanced that the contractor expects to be through some time in May following.

Contracts 4, 5, 6, and 8 are so nearly completed, and the work yet remaining is so closely related to the work of the interior finish contract, that all five contracts should be finished at about the same time.

The cabinet workers have completed the erection of all wood trim in the third story, except in the Main Reading Room, the Public Catalogue Room, and the Stuart Room, a large quantity of this trim being delivered ready for erection. In the second story all wood trim is completed. In the first story all wood trim is completed except in the Technology and Periodicals Reading Rooms. In these rooms much of the ceiling work is delivered ready for setting, the steel angles and wood frame have been put up, and the erection of ceiling work has been started.

In the basement floor the wood trim of the Children's Rooms and the Lecture Room has been set, and the wooden wall shelving in the Lending Delivery Room is delivered ready for setting.

The marble workers have completed the setting of all interior work throughout, with but a few exceptions, such as drinking water fountains, floor borders, mantels, etc. A large force of men is now engaged in rubbing down, cleaning, and pointing up the joints of the entire floor and trim.

Bronze workers have completed the erection of all windows, doors, grilles,