of the Library they would become more conveniently available to students.

They have been made so. On the other hand, there has now developed at Santa Fe a museum, well housed, under competent control and direction, which is to be a center for the study of the history, as well as of the archæology, of the Southwest. Under these improved conditions the Library has encouraged new representations to the Interior Department and a request for the return of the archives for deposit in that museum, and as this report goes to the printer the present Secretary expresses his assent to this action, which will be promptly arranged for.

We welcome it, not merely as substantiating the good faith of the motives of the original transfer to Washington, but as a recognition of a policy which, as a repository of original manuscript sources, we are endeavoring to promote, viz, the localization of documents having an interest primarily local, but, as a counterpart, the concentration at Washington of those whose interest is general and national, even if their origin be local.

SERVICE.

The satisfaction in the legislation, enacted in 1922 and effective July 1, 1922, under which the structural and repair work in the Library Building and the operation of the mechanical plant were placed in charge of the Architect of the Capitol, was intensified by the confidence that the incumbent of that office, Mr. Elliott Woods, would prove not merely efficient in the administration of the work but influential with Congress in presenting the needs. The untimely death of Mr. Woods (on May 22, 1923), which deprived the Government of unusual talents, extensive experience, and services uniquely reliable, frustrated this expectation,

The prospect is, in a measure, relieved by the selection as his successor of the member of his staff, Mr. David Lynn, most familiar with the problems and his intimate associate in the treatment of them.

The death on March 11, 1923, of Oswald Welti, chief assistant in the division of maps, lost to our service a valued worker, remarkable for the gentle fidelity of his disposition. He had been with us 21 years.

There were fortunately no other losses by death among the higher officials. Dating from July 1, i. e., the close of the fiscal year, there have been shifts in three of the staff positions. Mr. Meyer has been relieved of the responsibility for the bibliographic division, in order to devote his entire attention, during the present session, to the administration of the Legislative Reference Service. Mr. Slade has been transferred from the conduct of the order division to the temporary charge of the division of bibliography; and Mr. Martin A. Roberts from the office of the chief clerk to the temporary charge of the order division.

RECLASSIFICATION.

The enactment, on March 4, 1923, of the bill “to provice for the classification of civilian positions" in the Federal service advanced by one more stage-legislative action-toward the establishment upon a scientific basis and with suitable definitions and nomenclature of the various positions in the Government service, with schedules of compensation conforming. The actual application of the system to the existing positions and employees was, under the act, left to a commission representing the Bureau of the Budget, the Bureau of Efficiency, and the Civil Service Commission, acting upon recommendations (allocations) submitted by the executive heads of the several Government establishments. The decisions of that commission would appear in the appropriation estimates for

the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1924. Action by Congress upon those estimates (i. e., the appropriation act for that fiscal year) would then initiate the system in its actual application to the existing service.

The passage of the act left therefore still undetermined the decision as to where within it a particular position was to fall. In the case of many positions its terms were indeed sufficiently definite to leave little question; in the case of others—particularly in the scientific and professional groups-they left some uncertainties.

It is the professional positions in the Library—the professional character of the service involved, and of the qualifications requisite for it-that in the application of the act have been our chief concern. The "allocations" finally submitted by me to the commission, were the result of a sifting and challenging procedure involving four stages: (1) Initial allocations by the several chiefs of divisions; (2) a review and revision of these by a commission of seven staff officials headed by the chief assistant librarian; (3) opportunity to the several chiefs to submit further representations in support of decisions negatived; (4) a final review by myself.

The inequalities disclosed in the investigation pervaded our entire service; the discrepancies as between our service and that of the other Government establishments appeared particularly in the professional groups. It is upon these groups that the future of the Library as a learned institution must rest; and an adequate recognition of them, a suitable professional status and compensation for them, seemed of the most pressing importance, and in no way calculated to disparage the others ("clerical and administrative") which were certain to have their due recognition under the identities common to all the Government establishments.

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Our especial effort with the commission was, therefore, in support of the professional groups, and particularly, as illustrative and determinant of them, of the positions heading the several divisions or involving specialization within them. As a preface to consideration of our allocations was submitted a general memorandum on "The Library of Congress" designed to bring into relief its characteristics as a "learned institution." This, with two supplementary memoranda, concerning the staff positions (chiefs of divisions) seems not inappropriate as an appendix to this report. (Appendix IV.)

While this report is under preparation the first decisions of the commission have been returned to us. Necessarily hastened as the basis for the estimates to be submitted to Congress (for the appropriation bill for 1924-25) they are understood to be tentative, and subject to review on appeal. In the possibility that in the case of the Library some at least of them (which must be appealed) may be modified, I refrain from present comment upon them.

Meantime, as required, we conform our estimates to the allocations as returned to us.

FINANCE.

The appropriations for the Library, while not sufficing for expansion of the service, have permitted the ordinary operations to be maintained, except as, in the cataloguing and classification, deterioration of the staff through our inability to retain a sufficient supply of competent workers has impaired the output. There is, however, one appropriation in which the recent inertia has meant a serious curtailment. This is the appropriation (formerly an "allotment") for printing and binding. On its face considerable ($212,250) it has to meet charges which so diminish it that the portion of it available for publication

which should be one of its chief purposes-has become practically nil. These charges are

(1) The printing of the Bulletin of Copyright Entries, which absorbs each year over $30,000. (Last year $33,500, with $4,500 of work carried over.)

(2) The printing of the catalogue cards, which involves an increasing expenditure in proportion, not merely to the number of new titles undertaken, but of extra copies printed for the benefit of other libraries; and of cards reprinted for stock held for their benefit. Last year this expenditure amounted to $48,800, of which $28,600 was incurred in the interest of other libraries; that is to say, for the production of cards to be sold to them at cost. (I except the 50 sets issued without charge to the depository libraries.)

The receipts from sales (last year $105,132.75) are covered into the Treasury. Every card sold, therefore, every card produced for sale, represents a charge upon our appropriation in no way reimbursed to it.

Taken together the expenditures for the Copyright Bulletin and for the (extra) cards absorbed last year $62,100 of the entire appropriation.

Of the residue ($150,150) binding and repair, keeping these at the minimum necessary for a reasonable maintenance of the collections and the treatment of new material, required no less than $107,200.

Deducting the expense of the cards ($20,200) properly chargeable to the Library, there was left for miscellaneous printing but $19,950, an amount sufficing only for the printing of administrative forms and stationery, the annual report, and our Monthly List of State Publications. The printing of bibliographies, or of those special compilations (e. g. in cartography, law, manuscripts, music and prints) which have been valuable contributions to knowledge and aids to research, and which in the past have brought distinction to the Library and the Government, has had to be suspended. Numerous such compilations, ready for the compositor, are now being held, awaiting action.

The following table exhibits the appropriations and expenditures of the Library proper and of the coypright