The fourth step in the "Evolution of the Book." The young Indian, his sweetheart attentively watching him, is decorating the dressed and smooth deerskin with picture writing, telling of some historic event of importance to his tribe, for the benefit of succeeding generations.

ment, it had grown to over 1,000,000 books and pamphlets, and the necessity for more spacious quarters had been realized for some years. In 1886 the construction of a new building was authorized and 11 years later this was completed at a cost of $6,347,000, on a site bought for $585,000. This is the present home of the third largest library in the world. That the cost of this magnificent building was kept down to such a comparatively reasonable figure is explained by the fact that many of the artists and sculptors, in a spirit of patriotic loyalty, gave their genius and their art free of cost to the Nation. It is said that twice the sum expended could not duplicate the building under ordinary circumstances.

As to the practical features of the institution, its capacity, facilities for serving the public, and its various activities, only a brief outline can be given. Including the main reading room, the room for periodicals, the Senators' and Representatives' rooms, and the special reservations in the alcoves and galleries, the Library can comfortably accommodate 1,000 readers at any one time.

The main reading room, which contains the issue desk, has seating capacity and desks for 200 readers and 60 tables in the alcoves and galleries, which are assigned to scholars making extended investigations. The issue desk is connected with the stacks, the Capitol, Smithsonian Division, and Librarian's office by pneumatic tubes, while electric book carriers connect the desk with the stacks and with the Capitol.

When a book is called for at the desk, the slip is sent by a pneumatic tube to the clerk in the proper stack. He places the book into a receptacle, from which it is taken by one of the brass book

The fifth in the series showing the "Evolution of the Book," is a picture of the interior of a convent cell revealing a monk seated near a small window, laboriously illuminating in bright colors the page of a large book. It was thus that the monks of the Middle Ages preserved the wisdom and fearning of the past for posterity.

baskets, 18 of which are mounted on an endless double chain forming the book carrier, which travels continually between the stacks and the issue desk. The basket carries the book down to the reading room and automatically deposits it into a cushioned box at the central desk, whence it is taken out by the attendant and delivered to the desk selected by the reader. The books can also be returned to the stacks in the same manner. If a Member of Congress desires a book delivered to him in the Capitol, the pneumatic tube carries the slip making the request to the issue desk and another electric book carrier conveys the book through an underground tunnel over a quarter of a mile in length and delivers it to the waiting statesman in about three minutes.

The book stacks, which radiate from the main reading room, consist of a series of cast-iron frames, supporting tiers and shelves to a height of 9 and 10 stories to the roof, the largest stack being 65 feet high. The shelves, of cold-rolled steel, are polished smooth, and since the addition of the last stack have a capacity of about 3,000,000 volumes. The ultimate capacity, when other stacks are added, will be over 4,000,000 volumes a row of books which would extend over a distance of 100 miles.

According to the report of Mr. Herbert Putnam, the Librarian, just submitted to Congress, the contents of the Library at present are:

The sixth and final picture of the series, the "Evolution of the Book," shows Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, reading a proof sheet that has just come from the rude press worked by a young apprentice.

The Library proper is strongest in bibliography, public documents (especially those of foreign Governments), Americana, economics, political science, public law and legislation, genealogy, and newspapers. Through the Smithsonian Institution extensive files of transactions of foreign learned societies are received. By virtue of the copyright law, it has received the most complete collection in existence of the products of the American press. American local history and biography are represented with unusual fullness. The Yudin Collection of some 80,000 volumes of Russian works, purchased in 1907, is particularly valuable for the history of Russia and Siberia. A collection of Japanese books (9,000 volumes) was bought in 1907, and in 1908 the Huitfeldt-Kaas collection of Scandinavian literature of about 5,000 volumes. Orientalia is further represented by the Weber library of Sanskrit literature (3,018 volumes, 1,002 pamphlets). The Library has bought recently large numbers of the monumenta of European history, and is rapidly growing in the sciences, pure and applied.

The administrative officers of the Library are the Librarian, chief assistant librarian, chief clerk, and secretary. The superintendent of the building and grounds, with his aids, has entire charge of the maintenance of the building and makes all disbursements for the Library.

The Library force, consisting of about 500 persons, is organized into divisions, each with a chief and assistants. The following constitute the principal divisions together with a brief summary of their duties:

The Mail and Delivery Division handles all materials arriving at or dispatched from the Library Building, including all mail matter and all books delivered for outside use.

The Order Division attends to all business connected with the purchase of books, and handles in the first instance all materials destined for the increase of the Library proper, including gifts, deposits, exchanges, and transfers.

Printing office and bindery.-These are branches of the Government Printing Office, which supplies the equipment and details the workmen. The work done is solely for the Library, the allotment for 1911 being $202,000. The printing office prints the catalogue cards and all needed forms and circulars. Five linotype machines are kept constantly busy at the card work. The binding is done in the building, and a special binding division has charge of forwarding material in proper shape, keeping accounts with the bindery, etc.

The Catalogue Division deals with printed books and pamphlets only, and includes the work of classification, shelf-listing, labeling, preparation of copy of catalogue cards for the printer, proofreading, and filing cards in the various catalogues.

The main catalogue of books and pamphlets is in the form of printed cards, arranged in the "dictionary" order, i. e., author, title, and subject entries in one alphabet. There are also special catalogues in book form for many of the special collections.

The Card Distribution Section handles the accumulated stock of printed catalogue cards and their distribution and sale. The stock now numbers over 30,000,000 cards. Complete sets of one copy of each card published are on deposit in the principal library centers of the country, enabling inquirers to ascertain whether a book is in the Library of Congress, and also facilitating the ordering of printed cards. These catalogue cards are sold to other libraries throughout the country at a slight advance over the cost price. In 1910 more than 1,300 libraries and individuals purchased cards.

The Bibliography Division deals with inquiries involving research too elaborate for the attendants in the reading room to handle and compiles lists of references on topics of current interest, particularly those pending in Congress.

The Periodicals Division handles all periodicals as received, and prepares the completed volumes for binding. The total number of periodicals received annually is in excess of 13,000. Over 1,000 newspapers are currently received. The reading room for periodicals has seats for 250 readers, and 400 newspapers and 3,500 magazines are kept in this room.

The Documents Division acquires, arranges, and makes available for use the publications of Governments-national, local, and municipal-commercial bodies, international congresses, and the like.

This vast apartment, imposing in size, is effective in the architectural design and color scheme of the marble walls and pillars, and the massive dome with its elaborate stucco and ornamentation. The room is 100 feet in diameter and 125 feet in height. The richness of the color effect lies in the marbles, of which the dark are from Tennessee, the red from Numidia, and the shades of yellow from Sienna.