The Binding Fund. It was reported by the treasurer a year ago that the cash and securities in the binding fund amounted to $22,997.54. The net increase during the year ending November 30, 1893, after deducting annual appropriations for binding, and binding clerk's salary, and fees for recording mortgages, was $394.66. The details are given in the comprehensive report of Treasurer Proudfit who, without compensation, is doing valuable work for the Society in the management of its private funds. The present condition of the fund is as follows: Cash and securities in charge of treasurer 1 $23,392 20 1,000 00 400 00 Total $24,796 20 At the last session of the legislature, permission was given the Society (chapter 54, laws of 1893) to dispose of the Draper homestead on West Washington ave., Madison, for the benefit of the binding fund. The property has not been placed upon the market, however, chiefly owing to the financial panic. The premises are rented, with privilege of sale at any time, and are kept in good repair by the sub-committee in charge thereof. It will be remembered that two years ago the Society entered into a financial arrangement with the widow of Dr. Draper, by which, after the expiration of three years, an annuity was to be paid to her for a release of her dower right in the homestead. By the death of Mrs. Draper, during the present year, the possibility of that annuity becoming a charge on the Society has ceased. Little progress has been made since our last report, a year ago, in the settlement of the Draper estate, in which this The notes are as follows: One-third payable annually, with interest at 7 per cent. after due: Dr. Lyman C. Draper (deceased), $300; Hon. John A. Rice, $ 100 -total, $400. They are, with the exception of Dr. Rice's, which was temporarily withdrawn by him, deposited in the office of the corresponding secretary. fund has interests. The mining stocks, which constitute the chief part of the personal property, appear at present to have no market value, and the estate is encumbered with debts and bequests, to the payment of which the executors do not see their way clear. They report, however, that they have a proposition to make to the Society, in regard to the debts, which, if accepted, will tend to hasten the settlement of the estate. The Antiquarian Fund. The balance in the antiquarian fund last year was $1,541,96. As will be seen from the treasurer's report, the increase during the year ending November 30, 1893, was $173.32 (from interest on loans, one-half the receipts from membership dues, and the sale of duplicates), leaving the present condition: Cash and securities in hands of treasurer Notes given for the fund, as yet unpaid $1,715 28 Total.. 30 00 $1,745 28 But for the financial crisis and the World's Fair, an effort would have been made during the year to materially increase this important fund, the income of which, when large enough, "shall be used in prosecuting mound explorations or other historic investigations within the state of Wisconsin; the procuring of desirable articles of Wisconsin antiquities, historic manuscripts, paintings, or other objects of historic interest." But under the circumstances it was not deemed best to ask our friends for contributions, and only the natural increase in the fund can be reported. It is sincerely hoped that a better showing may be made a twelve-month later. Frequent opportunities arise for profitable use of such a fund, and no efforts should be spared until it reaches at least $20,000. 1 The notes in the hands of the corresponding secretary are as follows: one-third payable annually, with interest at 7 per cent. after due: Hon. Henry M. Lewis, $10; Hon. Frank A. Flower, $ 20-total, $30. LIBRARY ACCESSIONS. Following is a summary of library accessions during the year ending November 30, 1893: Books purchased (including exchanges).. Books, by gift.... Total books...... Pamphlets, by gift.. Pamphlets, made from newspaper clippings, etc., worthy of preservation... Total pamphlets.. Total accessi ns.. Present estimated strength of the library Books..... Pamphlets.. Total.. 1,285 2,311 3,596 3,849 125 3,974 7,570 79,402 .. 80,620 .160,022 It will be noticed that the accessions for the year amount to the really surprising number of 7,570 titles-books 3,596, and pamphlets 3,974. This is by far the largest annual increase the library ever experienced. Of this increase, the gifts amounted to 6,160 books and pamphlets, about 84 per cent. of the whole. But the actual gifts to the library have been far greater than this, for there were received from that source no less than 5,426 books and 6,011 pamphlets, a total of 11,437; of this large number, 1,830 books and 2,037 pamphlets-a total of 3,867 titles, or about 27 per cent-were duplicates of what were already on our shelves, and therefore do not appear in the above report on accessions. Due credit for all these are, however, given in the list of "Givers of books and pamphlets," which it will be seen embraces men and women from far-distant parts of the civilized world, showing that the Society has friends and correspondents in many lands. That so many of the gifts to the library are duplicates, should in no way discourage intending donors, for the Society carries on an active exchange of duplicates with other important libraries in the country, and needs material for that purpose; occasional sales of duplicates bring needed money to the binding and antiquarian funds; with the constantly increasing clientage of readers, it is often found desirable to have upon our shelves more than one set of a given work; and not infrequently the Society gives freely of its duplicates to public libraries newly organized in leading Wisconsin cities. One secret of the phenomenal library increase which we are able to report this year, lies in the fact that three distinct efforts were made in that direction, on special lines: (1.) The library is quite rich in the department of geology, especially in American state reports and monographs. Early in the present calendar year, the corresponding secretary placed himself in communication with the various state surveys now in operation, and with the leading geological writers of the country, with a view to filling gaps in our collections. The result of this correspondence was the receipt of 36 books and 148 pamphlets, of high value in that department. (2.) In April, a letter was sent by the corresponding secretary to each member of the American Historical and American Economic associations, informing the latter of the works from his pen already in our library, and asking that he send us such pamphlets as he could spare, that were not already in our possession. This appeal, which in every case met with a cordial reception, netted us 99 books and 643 pamphlets, all of them being monographs of great practical value in our ibrary, in the important departments of history, economics, and social science. This appeal, like the one to the geologists, also resulted in securing scores of new and valuable friends for the library, who may be relied upon hereafter to favor us with their monographs as issued. (3.) In September, the corresponding secretary and the librarian made an expedition to the World's Fair for the specific purpose of making a complete collection of the literature prepared for distribution at the exposition by the several states and foreign countries. In this manner 192 books and 497 pamphlets were gathered a total of 689 titlesmost of it being material of considerable importance in a reference library, being statistical and descriptive handbooks, often elaborately illustrated, with the latest obtainable data regarding the several states and countries by which they were issued. Many of the books, especially from Europe, were of unusual importance and costly in form, being brought to the exposition solely for the purpose of being placed in leading American libraries and in the hands of important government officials. We regard this special effort as one well worth the making. and are not aware that any other library has made so complete a collection of the serious literature of the Columbian Exposition. WORK IN THE LIBRARY. The Card Catalogue. Satisfactory progress has been made on our new card catalogue, a work which has been under way for five years past. Several years must yet intervene, however, before it can be declared complete, but when at last we shall have brought it up to date, the library will have a practically faultless card catalogue, based upon the most approved modern systems, with special features adapted to our peculiar needs. All of the accessions since the publication of the last printed volume of the catalogue (VII.), May 1, |