hold office on and after July 1, 1897; two clerks at $1800 each; two clerks at $1600 each; three clerks at $1400 each; 10 clerks at $1200 each; 10 clerks at $900 each; and two clerks at $720 each; in all $36,440. For the purchase of books, etc., $11,000 are allowed, of which $4000 are for miscellaneous books, $1500 for law-books, $1500 for referencebooks for the Supreme Court, $1500 for government exchanges, and for periodicals, serials, and newspapers, $3500. For contingent expenses $500 are allowed to the library and $500 to the copyright department. The custody, care, and maintenance of the library building and grounds is put in charge of a superintendent, to be appointed by the President, "by and with the advice and consent of the Senate," at $5000, who shall have charge of all disbursements and the employment of all necessary employes, for which $51,440 are appropriated, besides $35,000 for fuel, lights, repairs, etc. This officer shall give bonds for $30,000. The act further provides that "the officer now in charge of the construction of the building [Mr. B. R. Green] is hereby authorized and directed to terminate his present duty and assume the custody, care, and maintenance of the said building and grounds on and after March 4, 1897, appoint the employes under his charge, procure necessary furniture for the said building, and remove into it the library." It is also directed that "the librarian of congress shall, on and after July 1, 1897, give bonds in the sum of $20,000 for the faithful discharge of his duties according to law." founded in 1800, at about the same time that the seat of government was transferred to Washington. The small collection gathered during the first dozen years of its existence was, however, lost when the capitol was burned by the British troops in 1812, and the library really dates from that year, when Thomas Jefferson sold his private library of 6700 v. to the government for $23,700, thus establishing the nucleus of the present collection of some 700,000 books and 250,000 pamphlets. The history of the new building is briefly given, from the time the matter was first presented to Congress by Mr. Spofford in his report for 1872. The first act providing for the construction of the building passed Congress in April, 1886, but final legislation on the subject was not had until March, 1889. Eight years was the time allowed for construction and the total cost was set at $6,245,567.94. The building was completed in February of this year, well within the original time limit, and at about $140,000 below the limit of cost. Mr. Small describes clearly the plan of the building and the details of its arrangement; he then takes up severally the various special features of the exterior, the entrance pavilion, main entrance hall, rotunda, book-stacks, galleries, pavilions, reading and special rooms, corridors and basement, describing decorations of each and explaining their plan and characteristics. The book is descriptive and not critical, though Mr. Caffin's essay on "The architecture, sculpture, and painting' is a brief survey of the decorative features from the artistic point of view. The illustrations cover almost every detail of the beautiful structure, from the floor plan and the general THE CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY HAND- | exterior view, to the rotunda clock, the series BOOK.* Now that the Library of Congress is completed, its beauties of architecture and decoration have been a topic of general discussion and description in the press and in the leading periodicals. The issue of what may be called the official manual of the library is therefore especially welcome at this time, as giving in compact and attractive form all the essential data as to the library itself and its magnificent new home. This "Handbook of the Library of Congress" is similar in style and scope to the excellent" Handbook of the Boston Public Library" issued last year by the same publishers. Like that, it is compiled by Herbert Small, and is especially rich in illustrations of the representative decorations of the library building, while its arrangement has been so planned as to make it of service as an actual guide-book, the various features and departments being described as far as possible in the order in which they would appear to the visitor. The description of the new building is prefaced by a short history of the library, which was * Handbook of the new Library of Congress in Washington; comp. by Herbert Small, with essays on the architecture, sculpture, and painting, by Charles Caffin, and on the function of a national library, by Ainsworth R. Spofford. Boston, Curtis & Cameron, 1897. 128 +24 P. il. D. 30 c.; 50 C. of ethnological heads and the decorative features of staircase, corridors, and galleries. The future of the library in its new home is considered by Mr. Spofford, who in his essay on "The function of a national library" outlines the desirable lines of development and of growth. While the library should be in name and in fact a national library, it should be first of all a library for the use of Congress, and it should always remain a reference library. It should be the repository of all American publications, however ephemeral, and should aim especially at the collection of Americana, while it should also, as far as possible, be of universal range and of well-rounded completeness. For all these possibilities the new building offers the golden opportunity; it but remains to make the best and most far-sighted use of it. THE BUFFALO FREE LIBRARY. THE enabling act authorizing the city of Buffalo and the managers of the Buffalo Library to enter into a contract for the administration of the Buffalo Library as a free public library, supported by city appropriation, was introduced into the state legislature on Jan. 27, as already stated in the L. J. (Feb., p. 104). It passed the assembly on Feb. 3, and the senate on Feb. 4, was signed by Mayor Jewett, of Buffalo, on Feb. 10, and by Governor Black on Feb. 13. On Feb. 15 the proposed contract was submitted to the common council by the committee in charge. It provides for the transfer to the city for 99 years, with privilege of renewal, of the library, consisting of about 84,000 books and 10,000 pamphlets, and its revenues, etc. The right is reserved by the library association to sell any of its real estate, excepting the library building, and to devote the proceeds to the payment of its debts and to use the income of anything remaining for the benefit of the free library. The contract provides that the city shall maintain the library and provide for its care, increase, and improvement, and shall make annual appropriation for the same. The library is to be managed by a board of 10 trustees, to consist of the president, vice-president, and three managers of the Buffalo Library, the mayor, corporation counsel, and the superintendent of education, who shall be members of the board, ex-officio, and two citizens who shall complete the board. The library is to be open 12 hours on week-days and 10 hours on Sundays and holidays. The cost of maintaining the library is set at $70,000 yearly. The contract was referred to the finance committee, and on Feb. 20 was approved by the aldermen; it was approved by the library authorities on Feb. 24, and on March I was finally signed by the mayor and the library trustees. It is hoped that by July the library may be opened to the public under the new arrangement. THE PEORIA PUBLIC LIBRARY. THE new public library building of Peoria, Ill., was opened on Feb. II. It is a threestory edifice, 76 feet front by 135 feet deep, in the middle of a block on Monroe st., nearly opposite the Government Building, ard faces southeast, toward the river. The lot on which it stands is 108 feet front by 171 feet in depth. An alley at the rear gives an open space between the lot line and the building of 16 feet, and, most of the way, 21 feet, for light and air, and 36 feet in the rear for future extension of the stackroom. The choice of a location in the middle of a block rather than on a prominent corner was determined by several considerations - the cheaper cost of the land, the necessity of but one front instead of an expensive front on two streets, and greater freedom from the dust and noise of street traffic. Electric cars running to every part of the city pass within half a block on each side. The accompanying view and plan (see frontispiece) show the external appearance and the internal arrangements of the building. It is an unpretentious, plain, substantial library building, planned more with a view to library uses than as a city ornament to show strangers. The lower story of the front part is of Lake Superior sandstone, the upper stories and the rear of read brick with stone trimmings, the roof of red tile. In one respect the history of this library building is unique. In the spring of 1865 the Mercantile Library Association of Peoria raised the sum of $13,262.50 by subscriptions from 140 public-spirited citizens, with which they purchased property for a library. Through careful management and the advance in values this property was sold Dec., 1894, for enough to pay for the new library building, which was made a free gift to the city of Peoria, the city only paying for the ground on which it was erected -$16,000. Not a dollar from taxation went into the building, which cost under $70,000. The building is larger than the present needs of the library require, in consequence of which the city school board is permitted to occupy the ground floor and the Peoria Art League, with its picture gallery, a part of the third floor, until wanted by the library. The stack-room, which is practically fireproof, is 35 x 64 feet, five 7-foot stories high, with a capacity for 200,000 v., which, by an extension to the alley, can be doubled at slight cost and without modifying the present plans. A feature of the library that has attracted general attention is the artistic scheme of mural decoration planned and executed by two Chicago artists, F. C. Peyraud and H. G. Maratta. The Peoria library is said to be the first municipal building in the west to adopt such decoration, and the paintings have been described and discussed in the periodicals and daily press of Chicago, New York, and other cities. Most of the rooms in the building have been tinted simply in colors to harmonize with the woodwork and marble panelling, and the main decoration has been confined to the clerestory of the third floor. Here have been placed large allegorical paintings representing education in relation to the arts, which form one continuous series, set in arched panels and divided by bas-relief cartouches bearing appropriate inscriptions. The oval ceiling of the vestibule has also a symbolical painting, while on the wall back of the stairway are placed two pictures of direct local association; one an autumn landscape of the view to be had from Prospect Heights, Peoria; the other a local setting, in which is depicted the landing in 1673 of Père Marquette and Louis Joliet on the spot where Peoria now stands. cember, decided to hold the annual meeting in Philadelphia, from the 21st to the 25th of June, inclusive. PROGRAM. June 21, Monday evening. at Historical Society. Social meeting June 22, Tuesday morning. - President's address; Reports of officers; Reports of committees, and other special reports. June 22. Tuesday afternoon. - Library legislation; Public documents; Travelling libraries. June 22, Tuesday evening. - Public meeting; Addresses by Dr. Wm. Pepper, Mr. Henry Howard Furness, Dr. Talcott Williams, Agnes Repplier, and others. June 23, Wednesday morning. - Two programs will be provided, in different halls, one treating of college and advanced library work, the other dealing with elementary library practice. June 23, Wednesday afternoon. Ride to Wissahickon. June 23, Wednesday evening. - Reception and organ concert at Drexel Institute. June 24, Thursday morning. - Continuation of the program of Wednesday morning. June 24, Thursday afternoon. - Books of the year; Meeting of Trustees' Section; Election of officers. June 24, Thursday evening. -Addresses by an educator, a writer, and a librarian. June 25, Friday morning. — Miscellaneous papers. June 25, Friday afternoon. - Departure for European trip and American post-conference excursion. It is thought best not to announce any names until all have been arranged for. We hope to present, not later than next month, a complete program. The work of making the arrangements in Philadelphia is in the hands of the local committee, of which Mr. Thomson, of the Free Libraries, is chairman. In addition to the announcements contained in the program, arrangements are substantially completed for an American post-conference excursion which will include a visit to the Delaware Water Gap. WILLIAM H. BRETT, President; ENGLISH POST-CONFERENCE, JUNE 26- E. M. Barton, F. B. Gay, and Misses H. P. James, M. Francis, K. E. Sanborn, C. A. Farley, Mrs. M. H. Curran, and the committee. The conference and excursion will afford an excellent opportunity to become acquainted with the leading English librarians and library methods, and to strengthen the bonds which already, through our common history and literature, bind together the two great Englishspeaking countries. The committee have realized that many of those participating will be visiting England for the first, and perhaps the only, time, and have therefore included in the itinerary as many places of historic and literary interest as possible. By vote of the American Library Association all members of the Association and their immediate families can join the excursion, but the registration of other persons, not eligible to membership in the Library Association on the ground of their being engaged in library work, is subject to the approval of the committee. ITINERARY. June 26, Saturday. A.M. leave Boston on the Cunard steamship Cephalonia. July 5 or 6, Monday or Tuesday. Arrive at Liverpool. July 7, Wednesday. In Liverpool (Public Library, Walker art gallery). P.M. to Manchester. July 8, Thursday. In Manchester (Public library and branches, Earl Spencer library). Evening to Birmingham. July 9, Friday. In Birmingham (libraries). July 10, Saturday. Kenilworth, Warwick, Stratford, and to Leamington. July 11, Sunday. In Leamington (an attractive watering-place). July 12, Monday. A.M. to London. July 13-16. Tuesday to Friday. In London (International conference of librarians, visits to London libraries, etc.). July 17-23. English post-conference, under the conduct of the Library Association of the United Kingdom, probably visiting Salisbury (spend Sunday), Stonehenge, Wells, Glastonbury, Cardiff, Bristol, Bath, and Reading, reaching Oxford Friday evening, July 23. July 24, Saturday. In Oxford (Bodleian Library, colleges). July 25, Sunday. In Oxford or London. THE European trip committee has issued the suits individual tastes. following circular: August 1, Sunday. In Cambridge. August 2, Monday. To Ely (cathedral), Lincoln (cathedral), and Sheffield. July 31, Saturday. A.M. to Cambridge (UniAt the Cleveland Conference of the Ameri-versity Library, Public Library, colleges). can Library Association an invitation to an international meeting in London in July, 1897, was received from the Library Association of the United Kingdom. This invitation was accepted and a committee appointed to make ar-brary). rangements for the trip. It is hoped and expected that there will be a large attendance of leading American Itbrarians, trustees, and others engaged in library work. The following have already expressed an intention of attending the conference: Messrs. Justin Winsor, Melvil Dewey, Herbert Putnam, F. P. Hill, G. W. Cole, W. S. Biscoe, August 3, Tuesday. In Sheffield (Public li August 4. Wednesday. To Leeds (Public library) and York. August 5, Thursday. In York (cathedral, city walls and gates, Roman remains). August 6, Friday. To Durham (cathedral) and Newcastle (libraries). August 7, Saturday. To Melrose Abbey, Abbotsford, Dryburgh Abbey, and Edinburgh, August 8, 9, Sunday and Monday. In Edinburgh (old and new town, libraries, museums, Holyrood). August 10, Tuesday. To Glasgow, via Stirling (castle), Trossachs, and Loch Katrine. August 11, Wednesday. In Glasgow (libraries). P.M. to Liverpool. August 12, Thursday. A.M. in Liverpool or Chester. P.M. sail. August 22, Sunday. Due at Boston. TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS. Persons who have decided to go are requested not to delay registration in order to make choice of room-mates, but to send their deposit at once and arrange such details as soon as possible thereafter. The blank enclosed with circular should be filled out at once and sent to the Library Bureau with a deposit of $25 for each person. If inconvenient to make the full deposit of $25 at once, a remittance of $5 will secure registration, but the balance of the $25 must be sent before April I. The remainder of the full cost of the trip must be paid before June 5, or state-rooms will not be held. Make checks payable to the Li All travelling arrangements have been placed in the hands of Messrs. Henry Gaze & Sons' tourist agency, whose wide experience guaran-brary Bureau. tees the comfort of the party. Mr. H. E. Davidson, of the Library Bureau, will act for the committee and have direct charge of the excursion. The cost of the whole trip, with the exception of the two weeks from July 17 to 31, will be $290. This sum covers all ocean and railroad travel and hotel accommodations and transfer from railroad station to hotel when necessary. On the steamer the rate is on the basis of four persons in a room, outside rooms. A few inside rooms, accommodating only two in a room, can be had at the same price. If outside rooms are occupied by three persons, an extra charge for each person of $15 each way will be made, and if by two persons, an extra charge of $25 each. No organized sight-seeing under the charge of the tourist agents in the fashion of so-called personally conducted tours will be arranged for, with the exception of the day in Warwickshire, the day at Melrose, etc., and the day in the Scotch lakes. 75 pounds of personal baggage, besides hand baggage, will be carried free. Surplus trunks and heavy ocean clothng can be stored at Liverpool until the return. It should be stated that the cost is higher than was expected because all ocean rates have been advanced this season. Tickets will be good to return during one year on any steamer of the Cunard line on the basis of $75 accommodations. Notice of the time when one wishes to return should be given as early as possible. The two weeks from July 17 to 31, not covered in the above arrangement, include one week which may be spent with the English post-conference excursion and a second week which may be spent in London or elsewhere as each one pleases. It is estimated that the expenses of these two weeks and minor expenses of the remainder of the trip need not exceed $75, although a larger amount should be taken to cover contingencies. REGISTRATION. Notice of intention to join the party must be received by April 1, or it may not be possible to provide accommodations, as the time of sailing is precisely when the steamers are most crowded. Berths will be assigned in the order in which applications are received. Promptness will secure the first choice of accommodations. SUMMARY. Cost of trip, excluding July 17 to 31, $290. The fortnight from July 17 to 31, and other necessary expenses, from $75 upwards. Extra charge for extra accommodations on steamer as above. Deposit of $25 to be sent before April 1 to the Library Bureau. Address all correspondence to H. E. David- BOSTON, March 1, 1897. PUBLISHING SECTION. PRINTED CATALOG CARDS. lowing announcement: The circular sent out in December, 1896, of fering to furnish printed catalog cards, to be selected by the purchaser from an advanced list of titles, has brought so few responses that the Publishing Section will not attempt at present to carry out this plan, but will continue, as heretofore, to print cards for the current books as published, and receive subscriptions for the whole set. To assure the continuance of this work on a satisfactory basis it is very desirable that the number of subscribers should be further increased. It is possible that the Publishing Section can catalog cards for articles contained in certain perform an acceptable service by providing periodicals, society transactions, or books of a composite nature, such as One hundred years of American commerce, Annual report of the Bureau of Ethnology, MASSACHUSETTS STATE L. COMMISSION: Miss E. P. Sohier, secretary, Beverly. THE Massachusetts commission has issued its seventh annual report (40 p. O.), covering the work accomplished in 1896. Evidently, so far as the establishing of libraries is concerned, it will not be long be ore the commission finds its occupation gone, for there are now but 19 towns in the state that are without a free library. Of these, two have the free use of adjacent libraries, and of the remaining 17 four or five are maturing plans for the formation of a library, while in nearly all the others there are good association libraries. But there is no lack of other directions in which the commission is of direct helpfulness to the libraries, and its work as a supervising and advisory body shows no sign of diminishing. Requests for advice and information have been received not only from residents of the state, but from persons all over the country, while a number of inquirers have remained anonymous, preferring "that even their names or the localities they designed to benefit should be unknown to the members of the commission." "There is hardly a detail relative to the selection of a site, the plan, the material for construction, the heating, lighting, ventilation, the external ornamentation or the interior finish, the arrangement of the rooms, the shelving and the manifold conveniences for the economic and systematic administration of a library building that has not been the subject of frequent inquiry," while information as to selection, purchase, classification, and arrangement of books, methods of work with the schools, extension of reference work, co-operation with clubs and associations, and means of raising the standard of reading, is constantly sought. During the year four towns have been supplied with books under the act of 1890, three towns have received books under the act of 1892, and one town (Peru) has been given books under the special act of 1896 to replace its library, which was destroyed by fire. The 18 travelling libraries of the Woman's Education Association are among the most valuable auxiliaries of the commission. The record of gifts and bequests to Massachusetts libraries during 1896 includes 16 cities or towns. Besides its summary of work accomplished, the report contains a useful precis of "state effort to establish free libraries," giving the laws now existing in the various states with a note on legislation now pending, and a suggestive account of "the use of libraries by children," with hints for strengthening the relations between libraries and schools. The record of library legislation is an especially valuable feature and should be widely useful. Appended are the usual "Roll of honor," listing givers of free library buildings in Massachusetts, and the library laws of the state. President: J. C. Rowell, University of California, Berkeley. Secretary: A. M. Jellison, Mechanics' Institute Library, San Francisco. Treasurer: A. J. Cleary, Odd Fellows' Library, San Francisco. COLORADO LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. President: A. E. Whitaker, State University Library, Boulder. Secretary: Herbert E. Richie, City Library, Denver. Treasurer: J. W. Chapman, McClelland Library, Pueblo. THE February meeting of the association was held at Boulder on the 12th. The best part of the day was spent by the visiting members in inspecting the state university and particu larly its library, which is in charge of Mr. A. E. Whitaker, president of the association, who was our guide and instructor. The meeting proper was held in the Congregational church with a large and much interested audience present. The program was arranged with the idea of creating public interest in the question of establishing a public library in Boulder, and the Rev. Charles Caverno first addressed the meeting on that subject. Dr. Caverno was of the opinion that when the citizens of a town wanted a library the way to get it was to start right to work and do it without any red tape or preliminaries. He therefore introduced a resolution to the effect that the Colorado Library Association select a committee of citizens to canvass the town and consider ways and means of organizing. This committee, consisting of five members, was duly appointed and instructed to report at a public meeting to be called by them on or before May 1, 1897. Mr. G. M. Lee, the chairman of the committee on legislation, then made a report on the progress of the bill now pending to establish a state library commission. Mr. Lee's report was highly encouraging although not certain for the passage of the bill. Mr. J. C. Dana then spoke on the subject "A library building for a growing town." Mr. Dana exhibited a set of building plans drawn with the view of starting on a small scale and occupying only a part of the building and using |