REPORT. STATE LIBRARY, To the Legislature of the State of Michigan: } In compliance with legal requirements, I hereby submit respectfully to your honorable body the following as my official report: During the period of the past two years this Library has been the recipient of 1,868 volumes of books. Of this number 375 volumes were purchased, 417 received through the medium of exchanges, and 1,040 by donation. Total number in the Library at the present time, 17,928; of this number 337 are in pamphlet form, and 7,149 are duplicates. The duplicates consist of books of a miscellaneous character, Reports of our Supreme Court, Supt. of Public Instruction, State Geologist, School Laws of Michigan, 1859, and the laws, journals and documents of several States. The duplicates, published by the authority of this State, are occasionally withdrawn from the Library, to supply the necessities of county officers, and for inter-State exchanges. Nine of the rebel States, willfully disregarding their federal obligations, have failed to send us their usual modicum of exchanges, since June, 1861. As all exchanges are received at the Library and receipted by the Librarian, it would seem to be the wisest policy for that officer to manage the system of inter-State exchanges, instead of the Secretary of State, upon whom the law now imposes that duty. In several of our sister States, the State Libraries are en riched by receiving in exchange for public documents, through the legal agency of the Librarians, the standard newspapers and magazines published at the more important points, thus forming a nucleus and cabinet of local history that must be of incalculable value. I am of the opinion that legal provision ought to be made for the adoption of the system in this State. In the absence of more enlarged space in the Library rooms, many of the books are closely packed away, and are inconvenient of access, while others, as a matter of sheer necessity, are illy arranged in the cases. We have no convenient space for the proper display of maps, charts, portraits, &c., or for the reception of mineral specimens, curiosities, relics of the war, or the tattered flags sent home by our brave boys from the battle-fields of the Republic. Taking into consideration the limited space afforded by the Capitol building, and its insecurity, the spirit of true economy would seem to dictate the immediate erection of a fire-proof building for the convenience and safety of the Library. The Legislature of 1863, (Act No. 204, Sess. Laws of 1863) appropriated the sum of $300 for the insurance of the Library. The Board of State Auditors, acting under the provisions of that law, have expended the entire amount of the appropriation, in causing the Library to be insured for the period of nearly two years, covering an amount of $15,000 insured value. It would seem to be highly necessary that an insurance should be continued, and that the sum of $300 per annum for the ensuing two years should be appropriated to secure an insnrance of $30,000 on the Library. The State Librarian is legally required to keep a set of meteorological tables, in accordance with the forms adopted by the Smithsonian Institute. The Library is not supplied with the necessary apparatus to enable the Librarian to execute the important provisions of that law. An appropriation of $400 at least would be necessary to procure a suitable set of instruments for meteorological observations. The Legislature of 1863 (Act No. 219) appropriated the sum of $500, (together with the amount of $756 90 remaining in the treasury to the credit of the Library fund on Nov. 30, 1862, making a sum total of $1,256 93,) for "the enlargement of the State Library." Of that amount nearly $1,000 have been expended for tho purchase of books, the vouchers for which are on file in this office. The list of books purchased, together with that of exchanges and donations, will be found in the Appendix to this report. There are some books that we are unable to procure through the medium of exchanges which aro absolutely necessary for the uninterrupted continuation of partial series now on hand; therefore I would respectfully suggest to your honorable body the expediency of an appropriation of the small sum of $200 per annum for the ensuing two years, to be expended in the purchase of books and maps. It is with some degree of diffidence that I submit to the Legislature the patent fact that, taking into consideration the duties and responsibilities imposed upon the Librarian, and the increased prices of all the commodities which are required to keep up a continued living union of soul and body, that the present salary of that officer is inadequate. There appears to be no constitutional blockade existing to prevent the active exercise of the good will of the Legislature in increasing the present limited salary of the State Librarian. In obedience to statutory provisions, I have published a Catalogue of the Library, which, with this meagre report, is respectfully submitted to the due consideration of your honorable body. J. E. TENNEY, |