of the Library have been continued and in some instances expanded, but no new activities have been undertaken. PUBLICATIONS. In December, 1917, the Library issued its report for the fiscal year 1917, a pamphlet of 13 pages. In June, 1918, it issued Library Leaflet No. 1, entitled "Raise Chickens." This leaflet of four pages, with illustrated cover, contained a list in readable form of publications of the Department on poultry. Similar leaflets entitled "Raise Pigs" and " Raise Sheep," issued as Leaflets Nos. 2 and 3 and containing lists of publications of the Department on pigs and sheep, were sent to the printer before July 1, and have since appeared. The illustrations for the covers of these leaflets were contributed by the artist, Mr. C. B. Fall. The leaflets were issued to further an intelligent interest in the present problems of increased food production and conservation. Four numbers of the multigraphed publication of the Library entitled "Library Notes" were issued during the year. The titles were as follows: No. 3, Directories; No. 4, New serial publications of the Government; No. 5, New book shelves and display case for new bulletin and pamphlet material; No. 6, Bibliographical work, special indexes, directories, and lists of publications in progress in the Department of Agriculture. LIBRARY STAFF. The number of employees carried on the roll of the main Library at the close of the year was 35, the same as last year; the number employed by the bureau, division, and office libraries was 44. The total number, 79, employed in the main Library and the bureau, division, and office libraries includes 61 librarians, library assistants, and stenographers, 1 translator, 15 messengers, and 2 charwomen. While fortunately few changes have taken place in the more responsible positions in the main Library and the bureau, division, and office libraries, the changes in the personnel as a whole have been unusually numerous. In the main Library 26 resigned, including two who entered the military service. In some instances a position was vacated two or three times during the year, as it was possible to make only temporary appointments. Out of the main Library's staff of 35 on July 1, 1918, 12, or 33 per cent were newly appointed during the year. Of the 26 who resigned, 13 were library assistants, 2 clerical assistants, and 11 messengers. The present unsettled conditions due to the war and the large number of low-salaried positions on the statutory roll of the Library have been the cause of the resignations. The difficulty of filling these lower positions has been greater than ever before. In view of the fact that no Civil Service eligibles were available for appointment to fill the library assistant positions, it was necessary to make temporary appointments, pending the establishment of an eligible register by the Civil Service Commission. On account of the difficulty of finding permanent assistants at the salaries the Library was able to offer, it was decided to take advantage of this opportunity to offer temporary appointments to assistants in agricultural college libraries who wished to have experience in this Library. Librarians or library assistants from four agricultural libraries availed themselves of this opportunity, namely, the Nebraska College of Agriculture, the Agricultural College Library of the Iowa State College, the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and the Kansas State Agricultural College. The experience gained in this Library will, it is believed, be helpful to the agricultural libraries represented, and it will also be an advantage to this Library to have been brought in closer touch with agricultural college libraries. Library staff meetings were held each month from October, 1917, to June, 1918. WAR SERVICE. In addition to its normal and regular duties to the Department, the Library has endeavored to render assistance in other war activities of the Government by lending two of the library assistants, one for two weeks and the other for a month, to the Committee on Public Information for the work of preparing an information file of Government activities and officials, and by helping in the food conservation campaign. The Librarian was appointed in June, 1917, as chairman of the American Library Association food information committee, and in that capacity as well as through the Library has endeavored to aid in various ways in the work for food conservation and increased production. In August, 1917, a circular letter was sent to the public libraries of the country calling attention to the opportunities for libraries to serve in this work. Lists on food subjects have also been prepared and publications of the Department on these subjects have been sent in quantities to libraries for distribution. BUREAU, DIVISION, AND OFFICE LIBRARIES. The usual work of the branch libraries in the bureaus, divisions, and offices has continued along the lines reported in previous years, and there have been no new undertakings of importance or changes in organization. On account of the expansion of the Bureau of Markets, due to new war activities, the work of the library of the bureau has been affected to a greater extent than the work of other bureau libraries. The table following gives certain statistics with regard to the various libraries and the names of the librarians in charge. Additional statistics with regard to the use of the books in these various libraries are given in Appendix 1. An account of their bibliographical work and other activities is given on preceding pages of this report. Books, pamphlets, and periodicals in bureau, division, and office libraries. All books for the use of the Department in Washington, including those filed in the bureaus, are purchased and catalogued by the main Library. No bureau libraries are maintained by the Bureau of Animal Industry and the Bureau of Soils. The Weather Bureau library is administered separately, with the exception that the books and periodicals are purchased from the appropriation for the Library of the Department, the sum of $1,000 being set aside each year for this purpose. The report of the Weather Bureau library is contained in the report of the Weather Bureau. As noted in previous reports, books for "field use "-that is, for use outside of Washington-can be purchased from the funds of the bureaus, divisions, and offices. The records in connection with the books and periodicals purchased for use in the field are, in the majority of the bureaus, cared for by the libraries of the bureaus. The amounts spent for such books during the year, as reported by the various bureau libraries, were approximately the same as last year. While there were no changes in the location of the various branch libraries, with the exception of the Biological Survey library, which was moved to other rooms on the same floor, there were numerous changes in the location of offices of the Department due to expansion in their work. A number of offices have been moved to a considerable distance from the Department grounds, which has complicated the delivery of books and current periodicals to these oflices. Under present conditions, it is difficult for the main Library as well as the bureau, division, and office libraries to give prompt service. APPENDICES. APPENDIX 1. STATISTICS OF CIRCULATION. Books and periodicals charged by the main Library and the bureau, division, and office libraries during the fiscal years 1917 and 1918. 1 Statistics include circulation in all bureaus and offices not mentioned below. No bureau library is maintained. The statistics of circulation of books are included in those of the main Library. Circulation statistics included in statistics of main Library. No records kept. Statistics for only 10 months. Approximately." APPENDIX 2. The following table indicates the growth in the work of the circulation division of the main Library during the past five years: Statistics of circulation (main Library), fiscal years 1914 to 1918. APPENDIX 3. CLASSES OF BORROWERS. No. of persons. (a) Department employees___ (b) Libraries and Government offices in Washington__. APPENDIX 4. INTERLIBRARY LOANS. 1,915 24 92 85 2, 120 Record of books lent outside of Washington during the fiscal years 1914 to 1918. Summarized statement of books borrowed from other libraries during the fiscal years 1914 to 1918. |