LIBRARY.

Periodicals. Approximately 300 periodical publications are regularly received. These are recorded on cards as received, and completed volumes, when bound, are entered in the accession book.

Books accessioned. There were recorded in the accession book, in which is kept the complete and permanent record of books that are permanently added to the library, 2,666 books, making the total number of books entered 61,346.

Cataloguing. The work of cataloguing the publications of the various State geological surveys has been continued. With the exception of those of New York, Pennsylvania, Kansas, California, and Washington, all these State publications have been catalogued and cards have been printed by the Library of Congress. The publications of the geological surveys of Sweden and Norway have also been catalogued. Some cataloguing has been done on the general geologic works, and the publications of this office have been catalogued as soon as received. All these manuscript cards are sent to the Library of Congress to be printed and distributed. A very large amount of duplication of cataloguing thruout the country is thus saved, the cards being sold at the cost of printing and of administration of the work. The sale of the Geological Survey cards is said to have greatly exceeded expectations. The total number of cards printed since this cooperative work was begun, on April 1, 1905, is 2,170.

Bibliographic work.—The annual bibliography and index of North American geology, paleontology, petrology, and mineralogy for 1904 was printed as Bulletin No. 271, and the regular edition as well as an extra edition of 500 copies is exhausted. The bibliography for 1905 is completed, and this material has been combined with the bibliographies for 1901, 1902, 1903, and 1904, the editions of which are exhausted, and the whole will be published as Bulletin No. 301.

Translations.-Letters in foreign languages received by the office, as well as a number of scientific articles, have been translated by members of the library force.

Purchase of books.-The appropriation of $2,000 for the purchase of material for the library has been fully expended. All purchases are made on the approval of the library committee except occasional material which is urgently needed.

Circular list of new publications.-During the year five lists have been published. An edition of 2,200 is being issued. These lists keep those most interested in the work of the office informed of what is being published and aid materially in thoroly and adequately distributing the publications.

Relations with other libraries.-The cooperative work, in cataloguing and printing cards, with the Library of Congress has been continued,

and books are borrowed from and loaned to other Government libraries. Conferences have been had with other librarians as to methods to prevent duplication of work and unnecessary duplication of purchases of books. It is expected that definite plans will be adopted in the near future.

Foreign and domestic exchanges.-The greater part of the publications received in the library are obtained by exchange. All the book publications of this office are regularly sent to 400 foreign and 350 domestic exchanges. Four hundred and fifty sets of the map publications are also distributed. Considerable additions to the library are received from those to whom circular lists of new publications are sent and who select the particular publications desired. The lists, containing more than 3,000 addresses, are kept up to date in the library.

New steel book stacks and map cases.-Double-floor steel stacks, having a capacity of 20,000 books, and map cases to contain all the foreign and domestic reference maps have been installed and the books and maps are now in place. All the wooden stacks and map cases have been removed from the library. On account of the indemnity of $10 a day for nonperformance of contract there remained a balance of $1,018 of the appropriation unexpended. Contracts are now being made for additional pamphlet stacks and book and card stacks, which will require the expenditure of the greater part of this balance.

Committee work. -The librarian was appointed a member of one of the assistant committees to the committee on department methodsthat on libraries-and spent considerable time on that work.

Field work. From July 1 to October 10 the librarian was engaged in geologic field work in the West. During the winter months considerable time was given to the preparation of a report on the springs of New York State, which is now ready to be submitted for publication.

DIVISION OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PHOTOGRAPHIC LABORATORY.

The increase in the output of the laboratory over last fiscal year is as follows: Glass negatives, 7 per cent; lantern slides, 185 per cent; map prints, 4 per cent; mat prints, 24 per cent.

Experiments have been started on collodion emulsion to replace and cheapen the wet-plate process at present used. The making of printing-out gelatine prints has been discontinued and developing paper substituted. By this means the uncertainty of sunlight is eliminated from the printing and prompt delivery insured.

A process has been introduced and improved for mounting prints dry by an electrically heated press, by which curling of the mount is entirely obviated. This process will be of great advantage in mounting the 6,000 prints which are to form the nucleus of the general geologic collection.

SECTION OF GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS.

Illustrations to the number of 4,854, to accompany 74 publications, were prepared during the year, viz: Maps, 424; sections and diagrams, 941; paleontologic drawings, 2,740; photographs, 549; miscellaneous, 200.

At the close of the year the material to accompany 20 reports and papers was in hand, and a large number of the illustrations for these reports had been prepared.

Proofs to the number of 2,882 were received and examined critically, and the full printed editions of 176 plate inserts were examined at the Government Printing Office after delivery there by the contractors.

During the year 61 electrotypes were furnished to outside applicants.