REPORT. STATE LIBRARY, To the Legislature of the State of Michigan: } In obedience to the requirements of law, I submit herewith, for the consideration of your honorable body, the following as my official report: Subsequent to the date of my last report, (Dec. 1, 1864,) there has been received into this Library, from all sources, 3,754 vols. of books, including pamphlets. Of this. number 366 vols. were purchased, 627 received through the medium of exchanges, and 2,761 by donations. Total number sold and exchanged, pamphlet form,. . . . . " 48 .... 248 451 8,879 21,483 The list of book receipts, from all sources, will be found in the appendix to this report. By authority of Act No. 204, Session Laws, 1865, I have sold a limited quantity of duplicates, consisting of Miscellaneous Law Books, Equity and Law Reports, and Winchell's Geological Survey. The proceeds of the sale of these surplus books amounted to $308, which sum I have paid into the State Treasury. The duplicates now in the Library consist, for the most part, of U. S. Statutes at large, Winchell's Geological Survey, Laws, Documents and Reports of Michigan, and other States. The duplicates of our own State are disposed of as occasion may require, for miscellaneous and inter-State exchanges, and to supply the demands and necessities of County and State offices. The States lately in rebellion are sending us once more their usual modicum of exchanges. Upon due examination it will be found that some of the legal enactments relative to the Library, were created prior to the adoption of our present State Constitution, and are practically inoperative, while others need modifications and amendments. In a large number of the States the system of inter-State exchanges is conducted by the State Librarians. Under the provisions of our law, the inter-State exchanges are conducted by the Secretary of State. As all of the exchanges are sent to the Library, the Librarian is presumed to know what books ought to be sent in return as an equivalent, if possible, for those received. By this method justice and equity may be meted out to our sister States, in the system of mutual exchanges. In the extension of the Capitol building, a very convenient room has been added for library purposes. Notwithstanding this timely addition, more room is absolutely needed. We have no space for the necessary arrangement of maps, charts, the reception of specimens of nature and art that are presented to the library from time to time, or for the display of the tattered ensigns and flags of Michigan's scarred and war-worn veterans. A fire-proof building is needed imperatively for the convenience and safety of the Library. There is an insurance of $25,000 on the Library, which expires in the month of May next. In order to continue the insurance on the above amount, after the expiration of the present risk, for the ensuing two years, an appropriation of $1,000 will be necessary. The amount appropriated for the enlargement of the State Library, and the purchase of books, (Session Laws of 1863, Act No. 219, and Session Laws of 1865, Act No. 222,) has been entirely exhausted. The vouchers for its disbursement are on file in this office. |