including the sections of medicine, law, and dogmatic theology, have been transferred to the less accessible shelves.

THE CATALOGUE DEPARTMENT.

In January, 1896, the catalogue of the reference side of the Library was very incomplete and unsatisfactory. The Astor Library had two printed author catalogues, but this record stopped with 1880; the Lenox Library had printed seven "Contributions to a Catalogue," but these included a fraction only of its peculiarly valuable collections. There was practically no subject catalogue for either library; there were no shelf lists, and the author catalogues on cards were incomplete and not made according to modern methods. One cataloguer was at work at the Lenox and two at the Astor.

To-day the Library has a card catalogue of authors and subjects containing over two millions of cards, i. e., titles, and this is much used by readers. There are still a number of older books and pamphlets which have not been properly catalogued, but all material recently obtained is properly noted, and the older material is being recatalogued as fast as possible.

Ten years ago the books had a fixed location and a very insufficient classification; to-day the majority have been reclassified, and arranged and marked for a relative location system, thus permitting all books relating to a particular subject to be brought together.

We now have eighteen persons employed in the catalogue department, and the results of their work are very satisfactory to the public.

THE PERIODICAL DEPARTMENT.

In 1896 the Library contained about 57,000 volumes of periodicals; it now contains about 100,000 volumes, an increase of nearly 80 per cent. The increase has been greatest in the departments of history, art, science, technology, and sociology.

Ten years ago the Library subscribed to about 350 current periodicals, which were kept on shelves behind the delivery desk; of this number about one hundred were not available until the volume was completed and bound. As periodicals, however, to-day contain the latest discussion and presentation of public questions and scientific topics of interest, it was necessary that the department should be largely extended. The number therefore was rapidly increased and special attendants were assigned to take charge of them in the south reading room at the Astor, and deliver them to readers.

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351

At present the Library receives 5,400 current periodicals, of which 744 are weeklies, 201 semi-monthlies, 1,518 monthlies, 188 bi-monthlies, and 641 quarterlies. These figures do not include 1,000 official series or 7,181 annual publications received by gift. The daily average of readers in the department is about 100; of periodicals called for, about 700 numbers; this record does not include the 100 periodicals placed on open reference shelves.

THE DOCUMENT DEPARTMENT.

The increase in the document department has been greater than that in any other department of the Library during the last ten years. In 1896 this department contained about 12,000 volumes and pamphlets. It now contains about 185,000 volumes and pamphlets, or about one-fifth of the total number in the Library. This rapid increase has been mainly due to gifts.

It is especially strong in its collection of legislative proceedings, including American federal and state, British parliamentary and colonial, Italian federal and provincial, French, German, Spanish, Belgian, Dutch, Servian, and Bulgarian. It is also strong in municipal reports and documents of all countries, and in statistical reports relating to population, finance, taxation, railroads, commerce and trade.

It is much used by students in political science and economics, and in municipal organization and finance, and also by investigators in history, and is one of the most important collections in the world for consultation by writers on these subjects.

THE SEMITIC DEPARTMENT.

In 1898 Mr. Jacob H. Schiff gave to the Library a fund of $10,000 for the purchase of Semitic literature. The books relating to the history and literature of the Jews were collected and placed under the charge of a competent Hebrew scholar and large additions were made to it from the Schiff fund, which has since been doubled. Immediately adjacent to this was placed the collection of works in Arabic and other Semitic languages, to the care of which Dr. Richard Gottheil of Columbia University has given a portion of his time.

The number of volumes and pamphlets in the Jewish collection is now about 14,000; it has a special catalogue containing 49,500 cards, and is much used, more so than any other similar collection in the world.

THE PRINT DEPARTMENT.

In December, 1899, the Board of Trustees decided to establish a print

department in the Lenox building, the basis being the collection of prints in the former Lenox and Tilden libraries. The first important accession to the department was made in May, 1900, when Mr. Samuel P. Avery presented to the Library his collection of etchings, lithographs, photographs, and illustrated works, numbering 17,557 pieces and 82 volumes in folio and quarto; subsequently Mr. Avery added largely to his gift and since his death his son, Mr. Samuel P. Avery, has continued to add to the collection.

Other friends of the department have shown their interest in the collection by making gifts from time to time, so that there is now in the print room a total of over 56,000 pieces. These prints proved of material assistance to the 1355 persons visiting the room during 1905.

At present the department contains a remarkably good collection of 19th century French and other etchings and lithographs, including unique or practically complete series of the works of Jacque, Rajon, Bracquemond, Flameng, Mauve, Zilcken, Meryon, Turner, and others. Americana are well represented, especially in the Emmet collection; as is also the work of American etchers, line engravers, and wood engravers of the 19th century.

The department is weak in the most modern foreign work, has but few of the notable English mezzotints and stipple engravings, and has none of the older engravings, i. e., work before 1700; no Rembrandt, no Dürer, no Claude, no Marc Antonio Raimondi. It is greatly to be hoped that these desiderata may soon be supplied.

Besides the gifts above mentioned from S. P. Avery, father and son, we have received many valuable gifts from other sources. Among these mention should be made of the 378 prints and 90 drawings by A. B. Durand from John Durand; 1,763 Japanese prints and chromo-xylographs from Charles Stewart Smith; 909 prints from H. R. Storer; 345 etchings, many of them by Americans, from Frederick Keppel; 990 prints (over 1400 pieces) from Charles B. Curtis; 628 prints by James Smillie executed between 1825 and 1885, and 295 by other artists, from James D. Smillie; a unique collection of proofs by F. Juengling, from William Miller; from the estate of Robert F. Blum, a representative collection of his etchings; and from many American artists, such as J. Alden Weir, R. Swain Gifford, Dr. L. M. Yale, E. D. French, F. S. King, Henry Wolf, T. R. Sugden, George H. Boughton, specimens of their works; and from publishing firms, such as the Century Co., Harper & Brothers, Charles Scribner's Sons, Charles Sedelmeyer, many pieces of artistic merit.

Exhibitions of prints have been constantly made in the Lenox galleries during the last five years, and have attracted many visitors.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THE CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT.

353

In 1896 the Library had no books for circulation. In this connection, however, it was stated in the address to the municipal authorities asking the aid of the City in obtaining a new library building, presented March 25, 1896, that the circulation of books from the new building could be provided for and that "if further funds can be supplied . . . sufficient to establish and maintain an adequate number of branches for circulation, it is certain that the City of New York can and will have a free public Library on the broadest and most comprehensive plan."

At that time about 19 libraries and branches in the Borough of Manhattan, all belonging to private corporations, were engaged in the circulation of books, the total yearly amount being about 2,000,000 volumes. There were no free circulating libraries in Richmond or in the Bronx. The funds granted by the City for the support of the Manhattan libraries in 1896 amounted to $63,500.

On January 11th, 1901, the New York Free Circulating Library, having eleven branches, consolidated with the New York Public Library, thus providing the basis for a circulation department, which has now been in operation five years.

On March 12th, 1901, Mr. Andrew Carnegie formally offered the City to supply funds for building branch libraries in New York City and certain adjoining counties on condition that the City should furnish the sites and agree adequately to maintain the libraries when erected.

This offer was accepted by the City; a legislative act authorizing it to establish and maintain a free public library system became a law April 26, 1901, and on June 17, 1901, an agreement was executed between the City and the New York Public Library (as agent for Mr. Carnegie), providing that the City furnish not more than forty-two library sites in the Boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Richmond, upon which sites the Trustees of the Library were to erect buildings with funds provided by Mr. Carnegie. By an amendatory agreement, signed March 26, 1902, the number of sites to be furnished by the City was increased to fifty. These sites and buildings the City leases to the New York Public Library so long as free branch libraries are maintained therein, and the City agrees adequately to provide for their maintenance. Thus suddenly and unexpectedly it became necessary for the Library to examine carefully the whole City, to divide it into appropriate districts, and to proceed to provide circulation for each, considering at the same time the work of the corporations then engaged in circulation.

The contract with Mr. Carnegie contemplated the furnishing of ten sites in each year and the erection of buildings thereon. In 1901 the City

supplied one site, in 1902 six, in 1903 four, in 1904 seven, and in 1905 five, being in all twenty-three sites, upon which sixteen branch libraries have been erected, equipped, and opened to the public. Three more are nearly ready and the remaining four are in process of erection. It is hoped that at least seven more sites will be supplied by the city during the year 1906. In the meantime other corporations engaged in circulation consolidated with the New York Public Library or turned over their properties, namely, the St. Agnes and Washington Heights Free Libraries in 1901 (August 1 and December 1 respectively), the New York Free Circulating Library for the Blind on February 21, 1903, and the Aguilar Free Library, with four branches, on the 24th following; the Harlem Free Library, the Tottenville Free Library, the Webster Free Library, and the University Settlement Library on January 1, 1904; and the Cathedral Free Circulating Library, with five branches, on January 1, 1905-constituting practically all of the Libraries in the city engaged in the free and public circulation of books.

The circulating department now (June 1) includes 34 branch libraries, of which 18 (namely, Chatham Square, Rivington Street, Hudson Park, Tompkins Square, Muhlenberg, Sixty-seventh Street, Riverside, Yorkville, St. Agnes, Ninety-sixth Street, Aguilar, One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Street, Mott Haven, Tremont, Kingsbridge, Tottenville, and Port Richmond) are in Carnegie buildings, 7 in buildings owned by the New York Public Library, 6 in rented quarters, and 3 in quarters rent free. The number of volumes in these libraries is 543,955; the number of volumes circulated in 1905 was 4,116,750, and the circulation this year will probably be over 4,500,000.

A system of interbranch loans has been established by means of which a reader at any branch can obtain for his use any book in any other branch. The travelling libraries circulate about 500,000 volumes a year through about 421 travelling libraries, containing from 11 to 8,000 volumes each. These are sent to schools, clubs, fire-engine companies, department stores, etc.

All appropriations by the City for public libraries in Manhattan, The Bronx, and Richmond are now made to the New York Public Library for the support of its circulation department, the amount granted for the year 1906 being $411,830.00.

THE BULLETIN AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS.

The publication of a monthly "Bulletin" for the Reference Department was begun in January, 1897, and nine volumes have been completed. It has proved itself a useful instrument for the announcement of the activities and resources of the Library, and for securing in exchange pub