92d Annual Report on the New York State Library, 1909, TRANSMITTED TO THE LEGISLATURE APRIL 4, 1910
ALBANY: UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (1911)
CONTENTS PAGE
Summary 3
Scope and growth of the Library 4
Order section 6
Catalogue section 10
Shelf section 11
Bibliography section 11
Reference section 13
Manuscripts section 16
Medical Library 33
Legislative Reference section.... 34
Law Library 36
Publications and printing 43
Indexes 44
Library for the Blind 45
Library School 48
Division of Educational Extension 50
Libraries under State supervision 50
Library extension work 52
Money allotments 54
Support of free libraries 55
Traveling libraries. 56
Library progress 58
Appendixes
1 Additions by sources 68
2 Binding account 69
3 Financial summary 70
Index 71
Supplements
1 Medical serials with bibliography of medical jurisprudence (Bibliography bulletin no. 47)
2 Best books of 1909 (Bibliography bulletin no. 49)
3 23d annual report of New York State Library School, 1909 (Library School bulletin no. 28)
New York State Library
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 1909
To the Regents of the University and the Commissioner of Education of the State of New York
I have the honor to submit the following report on the work of the New York State Library for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1909. This report also includes that of the Division of Educational Extension, and summarizes the work of the Library School, though its full report is published separately.
On the first of April 1909, Miss Florence Woodworth, Miss Ada Alice Jones and Mr Walter Stanley Biscoe completed twenty years of service on the staff of the State Library. Service so long and so uniformly acceptable is uncommon enough to deserve particular mention here.
Summary
Important facts about the State Library, Library School and Division of Educational Extension are summarized below. Fuller details may be found on later pages.
Total number of volumes September 30, 1909 478 488
Total number of pamphlets September 30, 1909. .about 300 000
Total number of manuscripts September 30, 1909.about 265 000
Books added to collections during the year 18 679
Books bound during the year 7 809
Books lent from general library 33 497
Books lent from Library for the Blind.... 7 702
Books sent out in traveling libraries 45 511
86 710
Number of traveling libraries sent out 852
Active study clubs 0400
Students in Library School (regular course) 33
Students in summer school 28
Employees on staff
State Library 68
Library School 5
Educational Extension 1689
Appropriations $147 300
Students in Library School (regular course) 33
Students in summer school 28
Employees on staff
State Library 68
Library School 5
Educational Extension 1689
Appropriations $147 300
Expenditures
Salaries (State Library, Library School and Educational Extension) $83 006 91
Books, serials and binding (State Library, Library School and Educational Extension) $32 337 21
Grants to libraries $30 826 50
$146 170 62
Public libraries in New York State
Number of libraries inspected during the year. .. . 347
Total number of chartered or registered libraries. . 441
Total number of libraries reporting (including school and college libraries) 1 306
Number of volumes in all libraries reporting 9 957 225
Number of free lending libraries reporting 689
Volumes in free lending libraries reporting 4 227 665
Circulation of free lending libraries reporting. ... 18 747 849
Number of libraries receiving cash grants 354
New library buildings occupied during the year. ... 18
Scope and growth of the Library. It is interesting to trace the growth of a large library which, after nearly a century of existence, has come to be in some respects a great library. It is curious to note the influences, the conditions, even the accidents, which have shaped its policy and its collections. Exuberant and hyperbolic guides to the Capitol building have been heard to say to sightseers, "This is the State Library. It has every book that has ever been printed." The New York State Library is not in such sense a great general library. Though it probably has some books on most subjects, it does not collect nor try to collect all the books or even all the important books on all subjects. Indeed not more than one or two libraries in the country do this, not a dozen in the world. The claims of a definite constituency, financial limitations, the nature and extent of neighboring libraries, a variety of local circumstances — any one of these may serve, or all of them may conspire to determine for even the largest and richest libraries the special lines within which it seems best to develop their collections.
From its establishment in 1818 the State Library has paid special attention to the subjects of law and United States history. In later years and as auxiliary to the latter subject, no pains nor expense has been spared to get a complete collection of American genealogy. As conceptions of the functions of the State enlarged and its business grew, the new activities were reflected in demands from its executive and administrative officers, as well as from the judiciary and the Legislature, which were the originally contemplated beneficiaries, for books on a wide range of topics. The Library in time became allied with the administrative educational officers of the State and thus exceptional facilities offered for and strict heed was given to the collections on American education. The State Museum was attached to the same department, and a claim upon the Library for scientific books for its staff has resulted in a fair working collection in the natural sciences. In 1889 the Library School was attached to the State Library and this, with the rapid growth as a reference library, required the best and largest possible collection of books on bibliography.
Ten years ago the Albany Medical College gave its library (7346 volumes and 3661 pamphlets) as the nucleus for an adequate public reference library in this subject, which should form a department of the State Library. The physicians of the State united to secure a small annual appropriation for medical books and an advisory council of Albany physicians has done useful service in selecting the books and approving policies and publications. The resulting collection (19,000 volumes, chiefly periodicals), including many gifts from interested physicians, while not large, has been carefully chosen and is already a serviceable research library for medical subjects.
Within the past ten years the State has undertaken engineering on a large scale and a special appropriation of $2000 was lately made for books on engineering and technological subjects, to meet the increasing demands on the Library from the hundreds of expert workmen who have been brought into the State Engineer's office, the Public Service Commission, the Department of Public Works, the Barge Canal office, the State Architect's office, the Department of Highways and the Water Supply Commission.
As political and social problems have arisen from the relations between capital and labor, municipal administration, the conduct of elections, forest and water conservation and similar topics, the State Library, in direct line of duty and in response to a constant and increasing demand, has acquired considerable collections in the practical phases of such subjects as are represented in this country.
In its collections on American and English law, United States history and genealogy, bibliography, and education, the New York State Library probably closely approaches preeminence among American libraries. In medicine, technology, engineering, science and social subjects, the Library has fairly strong collections, which are increased as rapidly as funds will allow. To other subjects, for example, philosophy, religion, philology, the mathematical and physical sciences, fine arts, foreign literature, relatively little attention is paid, and while they are often represented by considerable collections no active efforts are made to give them symmetry or scope.
Turning from printed books, the State Library has developed since 1847 a collection of manuscripts notable for historical importance and interest. The statutory provision through which the various State departments deposit in the Library such manuscript records as are no longer in active request, has in effect made of the Manuscripts section of the Library an official public record office, a veritable State archives bureau, which only awaits the space and facilities to be afforded by the new building, to be properly cared for and rendered more fully available for research. To these official manuscripts have been added, usually by gift, sometimes by purchase, several considerable private collections so noteworthy as to be of distinctly public interest. Chief among these are the Sir William Johnson manuscripts, the George Clinton papers, the D. D. Tompkins papers and the manuscripts relating to the manor of Rensselaerswyck.
Somewhat detailed statements follow, covering the activities of the various sections of the Library for-the year under review.
Order section The Order section has supervision of all printed accessions to the Library, whether by purchase, exchange or gift. It also has charge of the duplicate collection, the binding, and the distribution of the publications of the Education Department to other libraries and institutions.
Purchase. The total number of volumes purchased during the year was less than last year. For this there were several reasons. More expensive sets and titles were bought in an effort to round out the collection, particularly along special lines; e. g. several important technological sets were purchased as a beginning of a collection which the Library is endeavoring to build up in order to meet the increasing demands of other State departments, such as the Barge Canal office, the Public Service Commission, the State Engineer's office, etc. As no special fund has been provided for the purchase of these books, they were paid for from the general appropriation for books.
Many expensive items of genealogy and local history were also purchased, over $800 having been spent for these subjects at a single auction sale, a more detailed account of which is given on page 16 of this report.
The number of books bought at auction (almost double the number secured in this way last year) partly offsets the cost of expensive sets purchased. Frequently the titles acquired were items on which purchase had been deferred until they should come into the auction rooms.
The comparatively smaller total of volumes purchased during the year is also partially explained by the amount it was found necessary to expend for binding in addition to the sum regularly allotted for this purpose each year from our book fund. This extra amount was for binding valuable foreign sets of periodicals purchased abroad and for making leather portfolios for a number of our rarest manuscripts.
Important additions by purchase. The following is a list of the more important additions to the general library by purchase during the year, aggregating a total cost of $1569.91. These titles represent sets practically completed by the present purchase.1 [1 For important additions to the Law Library see page 44, and to the Medical Library see page 35.]
American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association. Proceedings 1900-8. 9v.
Bartlett, J. R. Genealogy of.. .Russell family... descendants of J. Russell.
Bookman. v.7-32.
Codices Graeci et Latini. v. 13 and supp.v.6. 2v.
Collinot & Beaumont. Encyclopedie des arts decoratifs de l'Orient.
Electrician. v. 1-57.
Elias, J. E. Vroedschap van Amsterdam. 2v.
Graves, A. Royal Academy of Arts. 8v.
Howard, J. C. Howard genealogy.
Hulbert, A. B. Crown collection of photographs of American maps. v-5
Institution of Civil Engineers. Minutes of proceedings, v.2-58, 154-71 and Index to v.1-58.
Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Proceedings. 22v.
Iron and Steel Institute. Journal 1890-1906. 41 v.
Mackenzie, A. History of the Chisholms.
Moon, R. C. Morris family of Philadelphia, v.4 and 5.
Alorley, C. Ichneumonologia Britannica. 3v.
National Antarctic expedition. Natural history. 4v.
Parker, J. H. Archaeology of Rome. 9v.
Pefianel, A. Monumentos del arte mexicano antiguo: text, 1v. and plates, 2v.
Physical review, v. 1-26.
Punch. 34v.
Purchas, S. Hakluytus posthumus. v.1-20.
Rhodes' journal of banking 1885, 1887-95. 19v.
Telegraphic journal and electrical review, v. 1-53. 56-60.
Traction and transmission, 1901-4. 1ov.
Utrecht. Hist, genootschap te Register . . . kronijk. 72v.
Vooght, C. J. Nieuwe groote lightende zee-fakkel.
Wilde, O. Works. 13v.
Windsor magazine. 25v.
Gifts. The total number of gifts received during the year included 8126 volumes, 57,842 pamphlets and 364 maps. Especially noteworthy among the gifts of the year were four volumes of the catalogue of manuscripts and early printed books from the libraries of William Morris. Richard Bennett, Bertram fourth earl of Ashburnham and other sources, now forming portion of the library of J. Pierpont Morgan, printed in London at the Chiswick Press, elegantly bound in seal and illustrated with reproductions in color of manuscripts described. From the Troy Public Library came a valuable accession of bound volumes of local newspapers, including the Troy Press, Northern Budget and Troy Times, which helped materially to complete the Library's files.
Accessions and withdrawals. The State Library withdrawal book shows 436 volumes withdrawn during the year. Of the total number withdrawn 149 were duplicates, 11 of which were transferred to special collections in the Library, such as the Library School collection: 131 worn out or lost and not replaced; 127 worn out or lost and replaced; 12 bound with other accession numbers; and 17 withdrawn to be treated as pamphlets.
Growth of the Library. Adopting count of accession books at close of fiscal year September 30, 1909, the growth of the Library 1905-9, exclusive of the duplicate collection now estimated at 177,420 volumes and without deductions for withdrawals estimated at 9786 volumes, is as follows:
Growth of special collections. The following table shows approximately the present number of volumes in a few important subjects and the growth during the past two years. Notable additions were made to the collections in medicine, law, genealogy and local history and to technology. For the last class, which does not appear in the following table, it is impracticable to present detailed statistics.
1 Including United States, state, municipal and foreign documents, but excluding law and education.
2 Excluding documents kept in the Law Library, which are classed in this table under sociology.
Binding. There were received from the bindery 7557 volumes of new binding at a cost of $6100.11, besides 252 volumes bound for the Library for the Blind at a cost of $255.44. Repairing, gilding of call numbers and other work brought the total amount expended for binding up to $8034.86. A full statement of the bindery account is given in Appendix 2.
Serials. The serials checklist, including all serials except annuals, biennials etc. received by gift, numbered on October 1, 1909 about 3500 titles. Of these about one-third were purchases and the remainder gifts and exchanges. In addition to this the Library received as gifts 14,963 annuals, biennials etc.
Exchanges. The exchange mailing list, which numbers 2398 names, includes the more important libraries and learned institutions in this country and abroad, to all of which the fortnightly shipments of publications, first made in October 1907, have been sent regularly.
Duplicates. Duplicates received during the past year numbered 3388 volumes and 5627 pamphlets. The total number of duplicates now stored in the malt house is estimated at 177,420 volumes and 358,165 pamphlets. The value to our own State departments, and to important offices and libraries in other states, of the duplicate collection of New York State publications, which was put in shape in 1908, bears out the experience of the previous year and shows conclusively that work along these lines should not only be continued as soon as removal to the new building affords room, but also that for the sake of economy a scheme of centralized distribution for all New York State documents, such as is successfully used in Massachusetts, should be adopted.
Catalogue section
Cataloguing. 9602 volumes were catalogued. 24,588 new cards were added to the catalogue. These included 14,810 author and title cards, and 9778 subject cards. These figures are exclusive of the cards for traveling library books, which in many cases are in the catalogue only temporarily.
It will be noticed that the total of cards is larger, and the total of volumes smaller than in the preceding year. This is caused by the large number of volumes of bound pamphlets catalogued where one volume may require many cards.
Shelflists. There were 9579 volumes shelflisted during the year. Shelflist entries were also made for 192 boxes of pamphlet continuations which have not been permanently catalogued. On September 30, 1909, the sheet shelflist for the general library contained entries for 264,352 volumes and occupied 300 binders.
Changes were made in call numbers for 1234 volumes, including the changes on books, cards and shelflists resulting from the expansion of the classification for West Virginia (975.4), Ohio (977.1), Wisconsin (977.5), Iowa (977.7) and California (979.4).
Among other items of miscellaneous work the following subjects, chiefly periodicals and the history of southern and western states, were transferred from the temporary shelflist to the permanent shelflist on 10 x 25 cm. sheets; i. e. 050-099, 975.4, 976.1-976.4, 976.7, 977-977-1. 977-5. 977-7. 978-979.8. Overcrowded shelf sheets were rewritten for the classes Religion and History and for parts of General works and Literature. Entries were also removed from the catalogue and shelflists for books missing five years.
Printed cards. 3724 sets of Library of Congress printed cards have been received during the year, a small number of these being for use in the Law Library and the Legislative Reference section. The total cost was $154.54, an average of $.041 per set.
Shelf section
Inventory. A thoroughgoing inventory of the books in the Library as often as every two or three years is desirable for several reasons. It not only draws attention to books actually lost (surely a sufficiently important matter) but reveals misplacements; brings to light many clerical mistakes on the shelflist, book plate or catalogue card; corrects current charging records; indicates needed rebinding; and in other ways has many of the effective and wholesome features of the “spring housecleaning." Each year's added occupancy of our present sorely overcrowded, and often poorly lighted, book rooms has now brought the difficulties of making an accurate and complete inventory to a point where neither time nor labor enough is available to do what at best could be but imperfectly carried out. No further effort will be made toward an inventory until the Library is moved into its permanent quarters in the new building.
Every year thousands of miscellaneous pamphlets, not regularly cared for otherwise as continuations, are recorded, classified, catalogued and prepared for the shelves, involving an amount of detail known only to those who have handled this troublesome but exceedingly important class of accessions.
On September 30, 1909 the Library contained 8191 volumes classed in bibliography, of which 6775 were in the general library and 1416 in the Library School collection. 414 volumes were added. 698 new cards were filed in the classed catalogue, making a total of 11,167 subject cards in bibliography.
Card bibliographies. The following seven Library School graduation bibliographies were added to the collection of card bibliographies.
Blanchard, L. R. Bibliography of fiction in English, dealing with stage life
Gray, F. B. American colonial furniture
Phipps, G. E. English cathedrals; a selected and partially annotated reading list
Reed, L. A. Relation of church and state in America; a contribution towards a bibliography
Strong, G. F. Bibliography of Jane Austen
Wheeler, J. L. Selected list of books on the wood-working and building trades, mostly recent and American, with annotations
Wilson, M. Z. Bibliography of Augustus Saint Gaudens and his works, supplementing the list of references in the Monthly bulletin of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, March 1909
On September 30, 1909 the card index to scientific literature, issued by the Concilium Bibliographicum at Zurich, numbered about 218,500 cards, of which 18,509 were received during the year. 1000 cards were added to the printed card bibliography of agricultural experiment station literature, making a total of about 31,000.
23,080 cards issued by the A. L. A. Publishing Board, analyzing sets of periodicals, and 39,632 cards for the Library of Congress depository catalogue, were also added, making over 82,000 printed cards received and arranged by the Bibliography section.
The universal catalogue, which includes the depository catalogue (the latter covering approximately 359,600 titles), was spread through 470 trays and many new guides were added.
Pamphlets. The number of pamphlets in the State Library is estimated at 299,869.
Aside from the pamphlets cared for by the Education and Legislative Reference sections and the Law Library, there were prepared for the shelves of the general library 20,235 miscellaneous pamphlets, requiring the addition of 741 pamphlet boxes, 701 manila cases and 1206 strawboard covers. 3459 temporary slips for pamphlets were filed in the name catalogue.
Maps. During the year 364 flat and roll maps were received, including 100 topographic maps issued by the United States Geological Survey.
The tentative card catalogue of maps (including section 912 of the general classed catalogue, all the additions of the last two or three years and the somewhat fuller list of maps of New York State) now contains 4125 cards, of which 1783, arranged as a separate section, are for United States topographic sheets. Several hundred maps from duplicate United States government publications were catalogued and filed.
Reference section
INCLUDING EDUCATION, HISTORY. GENEALOGY AND LOANS
Bibliography section
The topics discussed under this heading, while having a certain unity and pertinence to the caption Bibliography, are primarily grouped here because they are and for some years have been the special care of the Director's assistant, Florence Woodworth. The few statistics which express the steady annual increase of the Library's bibliographic collections and the growth, care and arrangement of such research tools as its universal card catalogue, and extensive special card bibliographies, are but the most meager testimonies to the untiring work which has been spent. on them.The Library's collections in bibliography, library economy and history are preeminent largely because they have for years been nursed by persistent and indomitable begging and a zealous fidelity in the pursuit of fugitive numbers and volumes.Every year thousands of miscellaneous pamphlets, not regularly cared for otherwise as continuations, are recorded, classified, catalogued and prepared for the shelves, involving an amount of detail known only to those who have handled this troublesome but exceedingly important class of accessions.
On September 30, 1909 the Library contained 8191 volumes classed in bibliography, of which 6775 were in the general library and 1416 in the Library School collection. 414 volumes were added. 698 new cards were filed in the classed catalogue, making a total of 11,167 subject cards in bibliography.
Card bibliographies. The following seven Library School graduation bibliographies were added to the collection of card bibliographies.
Blanchard, L. R. Bibliography of fiction in English, dealing with stage life
Gray, F. B. American colonial furniture
Phipps, G. E. English cathedrals; a selected and partially annotated reading list
Reed, L. A. Relation of church and state in America; a contribution towards a bibliography
Strong, G. F. Bibliography of Jane Austen
Wheeler, J. L. Selected list of books on the wood-working and building trades, mostly recent and American, with annotations
Wilson, M. Z. Bibliography of Augustus Saint Gaudens and his works, supplementing the list of references in the Monthly bulletin of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, March 1909
On September 30, 1909 the card index to scientific literature, issued by the Concilium Bibliographicum at Zurich, numbered about 218,500 cards, of which 18,509 were received during the year. 1000 cards were added to the printed card bibliography of agricultural experiment station literature, making a total of about 31,000.
23,080 cards issued by the A. L. A. Publishing Board, analyzing sets of periodicals, and 39,632 cards for the Library of Congress depository catalogue, were also added, making over 82,000 printed cards received and arranged by the Bibliography section.
The universal catalogue, which includes the depository catalogue (the latter covering approximately 359,600 titles), was spread through 470 trays and many new guides were added.
Pamphlets. The number of pamphlets in the State Library is estimated at 299,869.
Aside from the pamphlets cared for by the Education and Legislative Reference sections and the Law Library, there were prepared for the shelves of the general library 20,235 miscellaneous pamphlets, requiring the addition of 741 pamphlet boxes, 701 manila cases and 1206 strawboard covers. 3459 temporary slips for pamphlets were filed in the name catalogue.
Maps. During the year 364 flat and roll maps were received, including 100 topographic maps issued by the United States Geological Survey.
The tentative card catalogue of maps (including section 912 of the general classed catalogue, all the additions of the last two or three years and the somewhat fuller list of maps of New York State) now contains 4125 cards, of which 1783, arranged as a separate section, are for United States topographic sheets. Several hundred maps from duplicate United States government publications were catalogued and filed.
Reference section
INCLUDING EDUCATION, HISTORY. GENEALOGY AND LOANS
Reference use. The increase of the scientific and technical collections attracted a larger number of engineers and scientists to the Library than ever before, and much more extended research has been undertaken in these fields. The public reference collection kept in the reading rooms has been strengthened by purchase of new reference books and older standard books not in the Library, and by substitution of better books and later editions whenever such have been available.
Requests for information by mail have come in about the same number as last year, and an increased number of similar-letters have been referred to the Library from other State departments.
Science and technology collection. For the last two years the Library has been buying largely in the fields of science and technology. A majority of the important books in these subjects published in English in the last five years are now in .the Library. As the life of the average scientific book is certainly not greater than ten years, purchase of older books should be undertaken with caution.
The Library has completed its files of many important technical .periodicals, as well as the publications of many scientific and engineering societies. In the case of periodicals of less importance subscriptions have been placed for current issues, and the purchase of older volumes left until funds for this purpose may be available.
Much remains to be done. Subscriptions should be placed for nearly all the magazines not now received, indexed in the standard technical indexes;the files of the publications of all English and American societies in the various branches of engineering should be added or our incomplete file completed; and a few of the most important foreign publications in this field purchased.
The new appropriation of $2000 for this purpose will make possible only a beginning on this plan. It is to be hoped that the Legislature may see the wisdom not only of making such an appropriation annually, but of increasing its amount.
Genealogy collection. Purchases of genealogy have been made on a somewhat more liberal scale than for the last few years. The Library does not buy expensive limited editions, nor does it purchase largely the genealogies of non-American families. Eliminating these classes of publications, it seems evident that efficiency can be maintained only if its collections approximate completeness. Distinction can be gained only by possession of unique material, some of which is furnished by official State records already in the Library. Manuscript genealogies, when compiled by accredited genealogists, and transcripts of church and local records, are of the same class. Some manuscript genealogies and a number of important printed genealogies were obtained by the Library at the sale of the library of the late Samuel S. Purple. At the sale of this library in Boston the presence of representatives from all of the large genealogical libraries, as well as bookdealers and agents for private collectors, made the sale a record one. The State Library bid on 160 items out of the 2800 offered and obtained 130 at a cost of $825. With few exceptions, where agents had instructions to buy at any price, the prices, while high, were fair.
Some progress has been made in the arrangement of newspaper clippings from the Boston Transcript and other papers devoting special attention to genealogy.
Considerable work was done by this section in investigations in connection with the Champlain Tercentenary and the Hudson-Fulton celebration. That more than a passing interest was aroused by these events has been evidenced by the correspondence, and by the call for material on these subjects in the Library.
Education collection. The State Library's collection of books on education is the professional library, the laboratory collection for the large expert staff of the State Education Department. The great range and extent of the supervisory, constructive and publishing work of the Department occasion equally varied demands upon the Library, and as the work of the Department touches and quickens educational work throughout the State,so in turn is this reflected at the State Library by increased requests for professional literature.
The annual grist of educational literature in the English language is enormous. Systematic efforts are made to get all of it — the serious literature of educational theory and practice — the reports, courses of study and catalogues of every kind of school or educational institution — complete files of all educational periodicals — official publications of states, cities and governments — student publications from hundreds of colleges and high schools, which will one day be the materials for history. Persistent effort and eternal vigilance are required even to approximate to our intentions and despite all that can be done, with the clerical help available, in the face of the calls by mail and in person on the education collection, it has become impossible to maintain some important routine work or to attempt to increase the number of foreign education books and reports.
Loans. The statistics of loans from the general, law and medical libraries are given below. The number of borrowers (individuals and institutions) has increased from 2085 to 2148, while the volumes loaned have decreased from 34,175 to 33,497- This slight decrease has been limited to fiction and current literature while a marked increase is shown in the circulation of technical books.
Manuscripts section
For years the safety of our invaluable collection of manuscripts has been a matter of grave concern. The collection numbers over a quarter of a million. All of these have real interest, some of them are the exclusive sources of State and national history, and a few of them are unique and priceless documents because to all intelligent and patriotic Americans they are primary evidence of great events in the evolution of the State, country, and nation. All of these documents, without much opportunity for discrimination, have been kept in a single room without suitable cases and subject to many dangers from fire, handling, or even theft. As to the larger part of the collection, this must inevitably continue until we move to the new Education Building, but inasmuch as the larger number are of less interest they are subject to less peril. There is a smaller number of particularly choice pieces which it seemed could be accommodated in safer quarters, and within a year suitable leather cases have been made for them and they have been lodged in a safe in the main office of the Department on the first floor of the Capitol. The following documents were cared for in this way last June.
Charter or grant from Charles 2 to the Duke of York, of the land included in the present state of Maine, the territory between the Connecticut and the Delaware rivers, Long Island, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, 1664
Duke's Laws, 1664-65
Dongan's Laws, 1683-84
Manuscript engrossed copies of the Constitutions of the State of New York for 1777, 1821, 1846, 1894, and of the proposed Constitution, 1867-69
Journal of the proceedings of the State convention held at Poughkeepsie, 1788, to ratify the Constitution of the United States
Autographs of the signers of the Declaration of Independence
Andre papers
Washington's opinion of the surviving generals of the Revolution. 1791-92
Draft of Washington's farewell address, 1796
Statement of Washington's household expenses, 1789
Draft of President Lincoln's first emancipation proclamation, September 22, 1862
Numerous Washington relics
A fuller description of each item will be found in the Journal of the Regents meeting for June 17, 1909. To these was added in October a copy of Bradford's Laws, the first book printed in the present State of New York, 1694.
Sir William Johnson volume. The final revision of the Calendar of the Sir William Johnson manuscripts, 1733-91, which was delayed last year by the publication of the Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts, has at length been completed. An exhaustive index has been prepared and the volume is about to be issued. It is more fully described under Publications on page 45.
Additions. Through the courtesy of Mr Howard Townsend of New York and Jonkheer W. M. van Rensselaer Bowier of Amsterdam, Holland, transcripts were made of 49 Dutch and English documents relating to the van Wely, van Rensselaer and van Bylaer families and to the colony of Rensselaerswyck. These documents form part of a collection of 83 papers, ranging in date from 1476 to 1795, which at one time belonged to the late Vice Admiral van Rensselaer Bowier and which in 1895 were brought to this country by J. F. Pieters, alias Pieters van Wely, together with the papers published under the above title of Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts. The documents were left by Pieters with Mr Stephen Van Rensselaer Townsend, of New York, and after his death came into the possession of his brother and executor, Mr Howard Townsend. who submitted them to the archivist for identification and afterwards caused them to be restored to Mr van Rensselaer Bowier at Amsterdam. Among the papers are many of a personal nature, which are apparently referred to by Mr de Roever, on p. 42 of the Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts, but which at the time of publication of that volume were believed to have remained in possession of the family.
A complete list of the papers is as follows:1 [1Papers which were copied are indicated by a' start*). The numbers in parentheses are those on backs .of documents. The number of pages given after each entry refers to written pages only.]
Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts, Series 2
A Papers relating to various members of the van Wely, van Rensselaer and van Bylaer families
1 1476, Thursday after St Martin, in the winter. Certificate of Johan van Wely, tax collector of the lord of Culemborch, that Claesz Die Wit and Hellenborch, his wife, have conveyed to him a piece of land at Ommeren [in the province of Gelderland]. Parchment 4¾ x 9 in. 2 1541, June 20 Deed from Claes Lamberssen and Enyck Claessen, his wife, to Wynalt van Byler, of one half of a farm at Bernevelt [in the province oi Gelderland]. Parchment 6 x 9½ in.
*3 (12) 1574, Oct. 4 Grant by Johan van Leeuwen van Wely to- his wife, Geertruyt van Bylaer, of a life interest in a certain piece of land at Ryswyck [in the province of Gelderland], and provision that said land, after the death of Geertruyt van Bylaer, is to pass to Jan van Wely, the grantor's eldest son. Parchment 6¾ x 14 in.
4 1578, Feb. 3 Marriage contract between Jan van Byler and Hillegondt Henrick Elbertsoons-dochter. Parchment 17¾ x 22½ in.
*5 (10) 1586, June 10 Deed of Jan Gerritsz and his brother and sister to Johan van Welij of part of a piece of land known as Harmen Loeff's Camp, at Ryswyck [in the province of Gelderland]. Parchment 6 x 12½ in.
6 (3) 1591, July 1 Will of Katelyne Bolles, born at Niewekercken, in Flanders, and now living in London, widow of Fabiaen de Vliet and wife of Wolfaert van Byler. Parchment 21¾ x 20¼ in.
7 1594 Sept. 10 Marriage contract between Wolffaert van Byler, merchant and jeweler, widower of Catharina Bolles, and Anna Willekens, widow of Thomas Haukijns. Parchment 19 x 20½ in.
8 (2) Duplicate of the preceding, to which are attached two folio sheets of paper containing statements of the amount of property possessed by each party at the time of their marriage. *9 (9) 1596. July 16 Grant by the States General of an annual pension of 200 pounds Flemish to Capt. Johan van Renselaer and his wife Sandrina van Erp, and after their death of a pension of 100 pounds Flemish to Kill van Renselaer, nephew of the former, in payment of the services of Capt. van Renselaer and his company of foot from Oct. 4, 1580, to Dec. 31, 1595. Parchment 14 x 19½ in.
*10 (4) 1597, Jan. 2 Marriage contract between Jan van Weely, the younger, and Leonora Haukyns. Parchment 10½ x 22½ in.
11 Duplicate of the preceding.
12 (5) 1597, Oct. 11 Joint will of Johan van Weely and Leonora Haukyns, his wife. Parchment 16½ x 23½ in.
13 1602, June 6 Inscriptions on the memorial stone in the church at Nijkerk placed by Kiliaen van Rensselaer on the tombs of his uncle Johan van Rensselaer, deceased Feb. 7, 1601, and of his father Hendrick van Rensselaer, deceased June 6, 1602. 15¾ x 12½ in. 1p. These inscriptions are printed in Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts, p. 43. On the back of the paper is a copy of part of a letter without date, addressed to Advocate M.T.G.G. Moorees, about the settlement of debts of van Hellenberg.
14 1604, March 4 Acknowledgment by Jacques vander Hecke, embroiderer, of his indebtedness to Jan van Wely in the sum of 900 pounds Flemish for pearls received from said van Wely. Parchment 6¾ x 11^ in.
15 1605, July 15 Warrant of Prince Maurice for the arrest of Jacques vander Heck, embroiderer, who is indebted to Jan van Welij in the sum of 402 pounds Flemish for pearls and who can not be found. Parchment 8½ x 14 in.
*16 1608, Mar. 1 Letter from Kilijaen van Rensselaer, at Praagh [Prague in Bohemia], to Wolphart van Bijllaer, merchant at Amsterdam, 1p.
A translation of the greater part of this letter is printed in Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts, p. 44-55. *17 1614, Feb. 28 Contract of business partnership entered into by Jehan van Weely, Wilhelmo van Weelij, Jacqs l'Hermite de Jonge and Kiliaen van Rensselaer; signed March 1, 1614. 6p. Mentioned in Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts, p. 45.
18 1623, April 21 Release by Jan Cup Pietersz, having power of attorney from his brother Hendrick Cub Pietersz, and through him from his parents Pieter Cup and Lijsbeth Jansdr. van Welij, of all the right and interest which his parents have in the estate of Wolphert van Bijler, in favor of Leonora Haukens, widow of Jan van Welij. Parchment 9 x 19 in.
*19 1627, Nov. 13 Marriage contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer, widower of Hillegunda van Bijlaer, and Anna van Welij. Parchment 18½ x 18½ in.
20 Copy of the preceding, dated April 19, 1668. 7p.
*21 1630, July 30 Deed from Joncr. Johan van Rumelaer to Jehan van Weelij of the house and land called "de Schans ", at Wiel, in the parish of Eck [in Gelderlandl 8p.
22 1632, June 23 Mortgage by Theodora van Weelij, widow of Admiral Jacques l'Hermite and wife of Rijckaert van Diest, for herself and as guardian of her four children by the said l'Hermite, and Johannes van Weelij, also as guardian of the said four children, to Trijntgen Arents, widow of Jan Pijnas, of two houses on the Keijsers Graft, adjoining the house of Kiliaen van Rentzelaer. Parchment 6½ x 10½ in.
Satisfaction of mortgage, dated Jan. 27, 1634, on back. 23 1632, June 23 Deed of Kiliaen van Rentzelaer to Theodora van Welij, widow of Admiral Jaques l'Hermite and wife of Rijckaert van Diest. of two houses on the Keijsers Graft, numbered 24 and 25, and adjoining the house of the grantor, on which said two houses the city of Amsterdam holds a mortgage of 3328 guilders. Parchment 7½ x 13½ in.
24 (11) 1634, Oct. 3 Marriage contract between Tomas van Welij and Anna Maria Isaax. Parchment 17½ x 17½ in.
*25 1642, May 7 Letter from Thomas van Weelij to his wife, giving an account of his experiences on his arrival at the farm at Ryswyck, at nine o'clock in the evening of the preceding day. 2p.
*26 1643, July 20 Letter from Anna van Rensselaer to her husband Kiliaen van Rensselaer, asking whether he wants the grass in the orchard at Cralo mowed or plowed under. ¾p
*27 (6) 1650, June 20 Will of Leonora Hackins, widow of Jean van Welij. (Certified copy by notary Joost van de Yen, dated Dec. 13, 1650) 5p.
*28 (15) 1659, Dec/ 15 Letter from J[acob] Cats to Johan van Welij. asking financial aid for van Wely's nichte (niece or cousin), Elisabeth Kup, wife of Johan de With, formerly a lieutenant in the company of Otto van Mierop, and at present living in great distress at the Hague. 2p.
Accompanied by recent transcript made for Mr de Roever. *29 [Between 1667 and 1674] Sept. 30 Letter from Nicolaus van Rensselaer to N. N. Pauw, lord of Bennebroeck, president of the Court of Holland. asking Pauw to release-him from his confinement in a house at Delft, where, under pretext of insanity, he has been placed by his uncle Jan van Welij and his brother Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, who previously locked him up in his house at Amsterdam and attempted to poison him. 4p.
30 1668, July 4 Promissory note of Thomas van Wely to Elisabet Feijte, widow of Jan Fortuyn, for the sum of 1767 ducatons, the amount of a loan of 1000 ducatons with interest from July 24, 1662, to be paid on sight at Amsterdam by Jan van Wely to Reynier Serooskercken or his order, receipted on back, under date July 11. 1680, by Hrs. Serooskercke. 15 x 19 in. Signed and sealed by Pieter Elmers and Jacob Bremer, schepens at Baravia, and Andries Schellingwoud, secretary.
31 1668, Nov. 6 Letter from Tho: V: Weelij, at Palimb: [Palembang, island of Sumatra], to Jan Van Weelij, David Van Weelij and Jan Baptista Van Renselaer, at Amsterdam, warning them not to pay a promissory note for over 1700 ducatons, which in consequence of a decision of the court at Batavia he was forced to give on July 4th last, and stating that he expects to return to Holland next year. 3p.
32 1669, Aug. 16 Letter from Jacob V: Leeuwen, in the East Indies, to Joan Van Welij and Anna Van Renselaer, at Amsterdam, announcing the death of his cousin Thomas Van Welij at Palingbangh and asking that a promissory note of said Van Welij in favor of Annetje Coenraets be promptly paid when presented, 1p. *33 (14) 1681, Aug. 8 Commission by Hetwich Agness van Brederode, lady of Vianen, Ameijde, etc., to Richard Renselaer, as administrator of the fiefs (Stadthoudcr van de Leenen) in the lordships of Vianen, Ameijde and Harlaer. With certificate of same date that Richard Renselaer has taken the oath, and certificate of March 10, 1713, that Kiliaen van Rensselaer, eldest son of Richard van Rensselaer, deceased, has turned over his father's official seal. 3p. Accompanied by recent transcript made for Mr de Roever.
PRINTED MATERIAL
34 (8) 1616 Rotliamel, Nicolaus. Carmen Trivmphale . . .Appositum sepulchro D. Iohannis a VVely Civis Amstelredamensis. Amstelredami, typis Henrici Bernardi, 1616.1 [1 Not mentioned in Knuttel, Petit, Tiele, v. d. Aa. Kramm.] Pamphlet 7½ x 6 in. 16p. Elegy on Johannes van Wely, murdered at the Hague in March 1616.
35 1736, May 22 First sheet of the Amsterdamse Dingsdaegse Courant, No. 61. Mentions death, at the Hague, of Francois Bowiers, Kapiteyn in het regiment van den Collonel van Berchem.
36 1888 Roever, N. de. Een drietal brieven van Hendrick Goltzius. 5p.O. Separate issue of an article on three letters of the .engraver Goltzius, printed in Oud Holland, 1888, 6:140-53. Two of the letters, written in 1605 to Johannes van Wely, were found by Mr de Roever among the papers of Admiral van Rensselaer Bowier and were presented by the admiral to the National Print Collection of the Netherlands.
B
Papers relating to the Colony of Rensselaerswyck
37 1632, June 27 Letter from Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet. 6p.
Copy. A translation of this letter is printed in Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts, p. 196-201.
38 Extract from the above letter. 1p. Mentioned in no. 58 of this list.
*39 1637, Dec. 2 Power of attorney from Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerrit de Foreest, to have Gerrebrant Pietersz, mate, and Symon Jansz Huypot and Henrick Stoffelsz Friessje, sailors, of the ship Rensselaerswyck, summoned before the court of Monickendam and examined under oath, and to take such further measures as their deposition may require. 2p.
*40 [1637, Dec. ?] Examination of the above persons by the court of Monickendam as to the disappearance of 11 casks of tobacco and 1 cask of beavers belonging to the cargo of the ship Rensselaerswyck. 5p.
*41 1639, Apr. 8-1641, Apr. 20. Extracts from letters of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart, dated Apr. 8, 1639; Apr. 5, 1640; Apr. 26, 1639; June 11, 1639; May 3, 1640; May 7, 1640; May 14, 1640; Jan. 25, 1641; and Apr. 20, 1641. 5p. Copy of a paper that was certified by F. Doude, notary at Leyden, Mar. 13, 1650. Translations of letters of Apr. 8 and June 11, 1639; May 3, 7 and 14, 1640; Jan. 25 and Apr. 20, 1641, are printed in Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts. The document is mentioned in no. 65 of this list.
*42 1640, Mar. 20 Account of fees for notarial instruments drawn up for Kiliaen van Rensselaer, Mar. 19-Oct. 29, 1639; receipted by J. Vande Ven, notary, Mar. 20, 1640. 1 p.
*43 1641, Apr. 20-1643, Sept. 12 Extracts from letters of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart, dated Apr. 20, 1641; June 6, 1641; July 5, 1641; July 9, 1642; July 18, 1643; Aug. 6, 1643; and Sept. 12, 1643. 3p Copy of a paper that was certified by F. Doude, notary at Leyden, Mar. 14, 1650. Translations of letters of April 20 and June 6, 1641, and July 18 and Aug. 6, 1643, are printed in Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts. The document is mentioned in no. 65 of this list.
*44 1641, July 1 Declaration by Samuel Blommert, Adam Ressels, Johannes de Laet and Touchain Muyssart, before Benedict Baddel, notary at Amsterdam, that they agree to pay their shares of 1400 guilders each in the 7th and 8th assessments levied by Kiliaen van
Rensselaer for the colony of Rensselaerswyck, without prejudice to the equality of their rights in the said colony, and that they protest against all loss which may result from the management by anyone who assumes superior powers or privileges. 1p.
*45 [1643] Last part of a letter from Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler, regarding his duties as commis. yip. Entitled: Vervolgh op den brief van A: van Corler.
46 1644, Aug. 9 Account of grain delivered by Teunis Dircksz van Vechten to the West India Company. IP- Pencil copy of document printed in Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts. p. 715.
*47 1648, Nov. 20 Memorial of Samuel Blommardt, Johannes de Laet, Margriete Reijnst, widow of Adam Bessels, and Touchain Muijssart to the States General. 3p.
Copy. The resolution of the States General on this Memorial is printed in Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts, P. 725.
*48 1649, April 26 Memorial of Johan van Wely and Wouter van Twiller, guardians of Johan van Rensselaer, to the States General, in answer to the petition of Samuel Blommaert and associates of Nov. 20, 1648. 3p. Mentioned in no. 55 of this list. In margin is written the resolution of the States General of same date, of which a translation is printed in Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts, p. 725-26. *49 1649, May 10 Certificate of Joost van de Ven, notary at Amsterdam, that he has delivered to the daughter of Samuel Blommaert a certified copy of the memorial of the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer of April 26, 1649, with the resolution of the States General of the same date, and has served notice that said Blommaert and associates must reply within 14 days. 2p.
*50 1649, June 12 Certificate of Henrick Schaeff, notary at Amsterdam, that he has delivered to the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer certified copies of the reply of Samuel Blommaert and associates to the memorial of April 26, 1649, and of the resolutions of the States General of May 31 and June 4. and has served notice that they are to appear before their High Mightinesses' deputies on June 25. 2p.
Inclosed is a note by R. Huyghens, stating that June 25, 1649, has been set as the day for the hearing before their High Mightinesses' deputies.
*51 1649, June 26 Rejoinder of the guardians of Johannes van Rensselaer to the reply of Samuel Blommaert and associates of May 31, 1649. 3p. Indorsed: Duplicq C. 52 : Other copy of the above. 3p.
*53 1649, Sept. 30 Resolution of the States General on the petition of Samuel Blommaert and associates, ordering the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer to exchange documents with their opponents within eight days from the date that notice of the resolution is served. Followed by certificate of Henrick Schaeff, notary at Amsterdam, that he served said resolution on the guardians on Oct. 4, 1649. 2P
A translation of the above resolution is in Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y. 1 -.237. *54 [1648, Oct. 14] Petition of the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer to the States General, praying that Samuel Blommaert and his associates may be ordered to furnish to the petitioners a proper inventory of the documents submitted by them. 1p.
In the margin is written the resolution of the States General of Oct. 14, 1649, of which a translation appears in Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y. 1:32c *55 [After 1649, Oct. 14] Inventory of documents submitted to the States General by the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer, in the dispute between them and Samuel Blommaert and associates. 3p.
Mentions nos. 48 and 60 of this list. 56 Other copy of the above. 3p.
57 Other copy of the above. 6p.
*58 [After 1649, Oct. 14] Inventory of documents submitted to the States General by Samuel Blommaert and associates in the dispute between them and the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer, 1p. Mentions no. 38 of this list.
59 Other copy of the above. J4p.
*60 [After 1649, Oct. 14] Further answer of the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer to the reply of Samuel Blommaert and associates of May 31, 1649. 22p Indorsed "Deductie.'' Mentioned in no. 55 of this list as to be submitted later, if necessary.
61 Linen bag for the transmission to the States General of documents submitted by the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer in their dispute with Samuel Blommaert and associates.
*62 1649, Dec. 16 Letter from the States General to the Court of Holland, stating that they forward two bags 'with documents submitted by Samuel Blommaert and associates and the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer, and asking the Court to examine the matter at issue and recommend a decision to be rendered by the States Generai. yip.
*63 1650, Mar. 8 Proceedings before Hugo Blocq and Ael brecht Nierop, deputies appointed by the Court of Holland to hear the arguments in the matter of Samuel Blommaert and associates against theguardians of Johan van Rensselaer; contains the demand by Cornelis Borsman, attorney for Samuel Blommaert and associates; the answer of Gerard de Roodere, attorney for the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer; the reply of Borsman; and the rejoinder of de Roodere. 7p.
Copy, certified by Adriaen Pots, assistant secretary of the Court of Holland. Indorsed: "Verbael."
*64 [After 1650, Mar. 8] Answer of Gerard de Roodere, attorney for the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer, to certain documents newly submitted by Samuel Blomiraert and associates to Hugo Blocq and Ael brecht Nierop, deputies appointed by the Court of Holland. I4p.
Signed by F. Brandyn [advocate, associated with Gerard de Rooderel]. Indorsed: "Debath."
*65 [After 1650, Mar. 14] Supplement to inventory of documents submitted by Samuel Blommaert and associates to Hugo Blocq and Aelbrecht Nierop, deputies appointed by the Court of Holland to hear the arguments in the matter of Samuel Blommaert and associates against the guardians of Johan van Rensselaer. 1 p. Mentions extracts from letters of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart, Apr. 8, 1630-Apr. 20, 1641, and Apr. 20, 1641-Sept 12, 1643, given under nos. 41 and 43 of this list.
*66 [1650?] Petition of Wouter van Twyller to the Court of Holland, praying that he be released from imprisonment in which he was placed in accordance with the demand of Samuel Blommaert and associates under sentence of Oct. 8, as security for the making out of commissions and instructions to officers in the colony of Rensselaerswyck in the name of all the directors instead of the patroon alone and for the procuring of a colony seal. 2p. Signed by F. Brandyn [attorney].
*67 1651, Mar. 20 Letter from Johan van Rensselaer and co-directors of Rensselaerswyck to [Brant van Slichtenhorst], giving instructions for the administration of the colony. 4p.
*68 1652, Feb. 12 Agreement between Johan van Rensselaar, as patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, and Johan van Welij and Wouter van Twiller, his guardians, on the one side, and Johannes de Laat, for himself and Toussain Muijssart, and Jacques Bessels, as attorney for the widow of Samuel Blommart and for himself and in the name of his mother, the widow of Adam Bessels, on the other side, to settle amicably the accounts of the administration of the colony, which have been thesubject of litigation in the Court of Holland, and to submit further differences to arbitration. 3p.
*69 1653, June 5 Letter from Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, at Nieuw Amsterdam, to the patroon and co-directors of Rensselaerswyck, at Amsterdam, mentioning earlier letter and papers concerning theCompany's aggression upon the colony, news of the prospect of war between England and Holland, arrival and hasty departure of embassadors from New England, measures taken for putting the fort at the Manhatans and Fort Orange in a position of defense, the Company's promise to assist in the erection of a redoubt on the fifth kill for the protection of the mill, 230 as the total number of able bodied men in Beverwyck and the colony, and the intention to employ the Maquas and the Mahikans against the English if necessary. 2p. Accompanied by recent transcript.
70 1662, Aug. 19 Letter from Jeremias van Rensselaer, in the .colony of Rensselaerswyck, to his mother, Anna Van Rensselaer, at Amsterdam, stating his desire to preserve the estate of Cralo intact and announcing his marriage on July 12 to Maria, daughter of Oloff Stevensz. 2p. Accompanied by recent transcript. The original draft of the letter is in Letter Book of Jeremias van Rensselaer, p. 42-4,3, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss.
71 1671, July 6 Letter f ro n Dirck Mieusen Heunich, skipper. to the freighters of the ship "De Witte Cloodt." stating that the ship has excellent sailing qualities, that they had some difficulty with the custom officer at the Texel on account of the large quantity of provisions, and that they are about to put to sea. 1p. Accompanying the letter is a recent transcript made for Mr de Roever. The invoice of the ship is printed in Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts, p. "95-803.
*72 1678, Oct. 16 Letter from Nicolaus van Rensselaer, at N: Yorck, to his brother Jan Baptista van Rensselaer, merchant at Amsterdam, acknowledging the receipt of the warrant from the Duke of York, expressing his satisfaction at the news that the Duke has restored the "fuijck" to the colony, describing his efforts to sec the Governor, and stating the fears of the Albany people that the beaver trade may be transferred to Schaneghtade. 3p. Accompanied by recent transcript.
*73 1689, July 5 Power of attorney from Richard van Renselaar and co-heirs of Kiliaan van Rensselaer in Holland. to their cousin Kiliaan van Rensselaar van Welij, to secure to Samuel Staats, Jochim Staats and Reijnier 1'arendsz possession of certain lands in the manor of Rensselaerswyck, which were sold to them by the heirs in Holland under date of Jan. 12, 1688 and which the heirs in America have failed to deliver. 8p.
74 Copy of first part of the above. 2p.
*75 [About 16941 Petition of Henry Sheibell, son of Hartman Sheibell and Katherine his wife, born at Fridberg in Witteravia, Germany, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, son of Jan Baptist Van Rensselaer andSusanna his wife, born at Amsterdam in Holland, and others, to their Majesties and the Parliament of England, praying that an act may be passed for their naturalization. Parchment 36x11^ in.
Entitled: An Act for the Naturalizing of Henry Sheibell and others.
*76 1695, Aug. 22 O. S. Richard van Rensselaer, at Vianen, to his nephew Kiliaen van Rensselaer van Welij, at Nieuw Jorck, referring to previous correspondence and matters connected with proposed settlement with American members of the family, and inclosing a copy of a letter of June 24, 1695, m which mention is made of an order of the Lordson a petition of said Kiliaen, which after his departure from England was sent to cousin Kick at Rotterdam. 2p.
*77 1695. Nov. 1 Indenture between Kilian Van Rans'aer, now of the City of New York, son of John Baptista Van Ranslaer, late of the City of Amsterdam in Holland, and Killian Van Ranslaer, of the Mannor of Ranslaerswijck, son of Jeremias Van Ranslaer, deceased, whereby the party of thefirst part agrees to release to the party of the second part the right and title of himself and the heirs in Holland to the manor of Rensselaerswyck and to pay to Leonora Van Ranslaer the sum of 2000 guilders and to the children of Susanna Van Ranslaer, deceased, the sum of 1000 guilders; and whereby the party of the second part agrees to release to the party of the first part the right and title of himself and the heirs in America to the land in Holland known as Cralo and to a tract of land at Riswycke, in Gelderland; to release all claims on personal property in Holland, as well as on certain expectations from relatives on their decease: to deliver the title to three farms in the manor, reserving the tenths. and to pay the sum of 700 pieces of eight. Two sheets of parchment. one measuring 20Y2 x 235^ in., the other 17*4 x 23lA >n
78 Copy of above. 7p. Note at end. Aldus getrouwelijk vertaalt uit de originele van woort tot woort over een komende met de neevenstaende Copie. Jn Amsterdam dezen 26th Augusti Ano. 1704. tooconde [t'oorconde] Hrmn Sohabaalje, Nots. Rol. [Pub.] Copy . . the 2nd May, 1795, p. R. S. V. R. at Amsterdam.
79 First part of Dutch translation of the above. 3p *80 1695, Nov. 1 Release by Kilian Van Ranslaer, son of Jeremias Van Ranslaer, to Kilian Van Ranslaer, son of John Baptista Van Ranslaer, of his right and title to Cralo and to the land at Riswycke, in Gelderland. Parchment 18 x 25^ in.
*81 1695, Nov. 1 Bond by Killian Van Ranslaer, son of Jeremias Van Ranslaer, in the sum of 5000 pounds current money of the province for the fulfilment of the terms of the indenture of same date. Parchment 6y2 x 1134 in.
*82 1700, July 9 Judgment-of the Supreme Court of Holland in the action of Kiliaen van Renselaer van Weely and Richard van Rensselaer against their cousin Kiliaen La Court, ordering said La Court to observe the terms of his release, under date of June 30, 1700, of his share in the colony of Rensselaerswyck and of his legacy under the will of Leonora van Rensselaer. Double sheet of parchment 15x10 in., containing a copy of the release referred to.
*83 1795. ... 15 Letter from Killian van Renselaar, at Albany, to Jan Jac. van Renselaar [at Amsterdam], mentioning voyage of his nephew Robert . S. van Renselaar, letters from Dutch relatives, treaty of commerce and navigation with Great Britain concluded by Win. [should be John] Jay, and progress made by the United States. 3p.
From Mrs Schulyer Van Rensselaer the Manuscripts section received transcripts of two important documents in the Public Record Office at London relating to the trial of Jacob Leisler and his adherents. The documents are listed in the Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series, America and West Indies,1689-1692, under nos. 1379 and 1458, I, as follows:
1691, March 31 Copy of the trial of Jacob Leisler and his New York accomplices, upp. Endorsed. Reed. 10
Sept., 1691, from Capt. Nicholson. [Board of Trade. New York, 4. No. 4.]
Copy of the Rolls of Court in the trial Jacob Leisler and his accomplices. 19pp. Endorsed. Reed. 6 Sept., 1691.
This last document accompanied a report, dated May 6, 1691, sent by Gov. Sloughter from New York to the Earl of Nottingham, Secretary of State,which is no. 1458 in the Calendar.
From John E. Scopes & Co. Albany, N. Y. were bought two account books of Evert Wendell, attorney at law at Albany, containing general mercantile accounts, 1710-23, and accounts of fees for legal services, 1726-34 and 1720-45. Besides reflecting the activities of a prominent Albany attorney of the period, these account books are of interest for the genealogy of the Wendell family, of which many members are mentioned.
At an auction sale of autograph letters and historic documents held on Jan. 29, 1909, by Samuel T. Freeman & Co. Philadelphia, Pa. several manuscripts were bought, among which were the following:
1722, Oct. 17 Manor St. George. Letter from Col. Henry Smith to Gov. [William Burnet], asking leave to appoint Daniel Dayton and Lion Gardner, Jun. Lieutenant and Ensign in one of the companies of East Hampton, in the stead of. Mr. Miller and Mr Conckling, who were formerly recommended by him but have failed to qualify. 1p. 1755, June 15 Boston. Letter from Gov. William Shirley to Col. Peter Schuyler, informing him that Lt. Col. Ellison will confer with Col. Schuyler, Col. Johnson and Col. Lydius upon the proper measures to be taken to convey the troops destined for the strait of Niagara, in the expedition under Shirley's command. 1p.
1789 Conditions upon which John Lamb, collector of the port of New York, plaintiff, and John Murray, defendant, agree to submit themselves to the decision of the Supreme Court of New York as to the amount of duties to be levied upon imported merchandise, for which a bond for £144 was given on June 23, 1788. 2p. Signed by Richard Varick.
[missing pages 32 and 33]
Bulletin of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland. Baltimore
Clinical journal. London
Journal of the Indiana State Medical Association. Fort Wayne
Lancet — Clinic. Cincinnati
Medical press and circular. London
Tuberculosis; publication of the International Antituberculosis Association. Berlin
Beginning with v.I, 1903.
West Virginia medical journal. Wheeling
Yale medical journal. New Haven
Zeitschrift fur Tuberkulose. Leipzig . Beginning with v.1, 1900.
The most important periodical sets completed by purchase were:
Archiv fiir die gesammte Physiologie des Menschen und der Thiere. v.1-61, 1868-95. Bonn
Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift. v. 1-45, 1851-95.
Medical council. The membership of the Advisory Council for the year has been as follows:
Dr Thomas Ordway, Dr Albert Vander Veer, Dr Samuel B. Ward, Dr Henry Hun, Dr George E. Gorham, Dr Arthur W. Elting.
Legislative Reference section
On October 15, 1908 Mr Clarence B. Lester, from the staff of the Indiana State Library, became Legislative Reference librarian.
Publications. The annual Digest of Governors Messages, which has been prepared and published by this section since 1902, will be discontinued with the issue for 1908. While the recommendations of the governors of the several states touching public policy and legislation are not without interest, or even significance, the demand for this annual digest during the years in which it has been published has not been great enough to make it clear that the publication is worth the time and labor spent upon it. It is no secret that governors' recommendations are often made under the spur of political exigency or expediency; that they are sometimes hasty and ill considered; still oftener of purely local importance and bearing. It is, after all, the laws that actually pass and which are covered in the annual Index of Legislation and the biennial Review of Legislation, prepared in the Legislative Reference section, that are important enough to deserve such compilation and annotation.
It seems clear that for use in the legislative reference work the few really important recommendations of governors in other states can be indexed or abstracted in mimeograph form early in the session and put in the hands of members for immediate use.
Torrens system papers. During the year the Governor's office deposited in the Legislative Reference section eight volumes of minutes, correspondence and data which accompanied the Report of the New York State Commission to investigate the Torrens system, submitted to the Governor in 1908. The valuable nature of this material is sufficiently indicated by the following list:
Book A Minutes in full of the proceedings of the- New York State Commission to investigate the Torrens system.
Book B Correspondence and tabulation relative to the methods in use and the special laws operating in the several counties of New York State, also tabulation of statistics as to work done by registry officials.
Book C Compiled information as to registration of titles in Mass., 1ll., Minn., Col., Cal., Ore. and Wash. Book D Correspondence relative to the existence, operation and effect of conveyancing by registration of title In the several states and territorial possessions.
Book Ea Correspondence relative to the existence, operation and effect of conveyancing by registration of title in foreign countries.
Book Eb Correspondence relative to methods of conveyancing, otherwise than by registration of title, in foreign countries.
Book F Miscellaneous correspondence and memoranda.
Book G Correspondence relative to the operation of the Illinois system and also relative to the public hearings held by the New York Torrens Commission.
In addition to the above manuscript material the Governor's office deposited in the Library 311 pamphlets and books relating to the systems of land registration, which were collected by the State Commission.
Changes in staff. During the year Mr John T. Fitzpatrick was assigned to the work of indexing and editing the New York session laws, and Dr Lauros G. McConachie (Cornell) was in July appointed to take charge of the indexing and digesting of American state laws for our annual Index of Legislation. Dr McConachie is a recognized expert in work with statute law and the author of an important study of Congressional committees.
Law Library Not only did the Legislative Reference section, as has been noted above, pass into new hands during the year under review, but on December 1, 1908, Mr Frederick D. Colson, from the faculty of the Cornell University Law School, became Law librarian in succession to Mr Frank B. Gilbert.
The New York State Law Library. This makes it appropriate to review briefly the growth and character of the 88,000 books which form the Law Library and to comment somewhat upon its conduct and work.
The unusual collection which the Law Library possesses is due in very large measure to its former librarian, Mr Stephen B. Griswold, who combined a profound knowledge of legal bibliography with a rare judgment and discrimination in the selection and purchase of legal material. Even these qualities, however, would not have produced the results they did if Mr Griswold had not added to them a single hearted devotion to the Library. For over thirty six years (1868-1904) he directed its growth with a solicitude that can only be compared to that of a father for his children. His long administration resulted in establishing in the Library practically all the collections which ought to be included within a law library circumstanced as this one is, and while his successors may from time to time be required to branch out into new fields in order to keep pace with new legal developments of interest and importance, nevertheless their primary duty will always be to keep abreast of current literature in the collections as Mr Griswold left them and to maintain a watchful eye for opportunities to perfect them. Nearly all the gaps which still remain are in the Library's remarkably strong collection of American statute law, probably- unsurpassed by that in any other library and equaled only by two or three. The list of noteworthy additions to the Library appended to this report will show that this important field has not been neglected during the past year.
Mr Frank B. Gilbert, who succeeded Mr. Griswold January 10, 1906, came to the Library with a wide reputation not only as a sound lawyer but also as a legal editor and an expert in statute law and legislative procedure. His intimate acquaintance with the legislative and administrative departments of the State government and with judges and lawyers throughout the State gave him a detailed knowledge of their activities, enabling him to cater most effectively to their needs. His chief service, as Law librarian, was in developing the Law Library as an effective working tool for the legal interests of the entire State. Mr Griswold's energies had been devoted mainly to the gathering of the Library's magnificent collections; Mr Gilbert was able to turn his attention more to bringing this wealth of material closer to those for whom it was established — the legislative and administrative departments of the State government, the judges of the courts, and the lawyers having business with these departments and courts, not only as their activities were carried on in the capital city itself but throughout the State. The Law Library should be brought as closely as possible in touch with all phases of the legal interests of the entire State, and, as one means of doing this, steps should be taken from time to time to acquaint those having these interests in charge with our exceptional facilities and our willingness to aid them in all ways within our power. A liberal policy of lending books to responsible persons and institutions, not only in Albany but anywhere throughout the State,must be pursued. If the books can be consulted only in the Library itself, much of its valuable material is lost to those whom the Library was established to assist. While it is obvious that this policy involves not only the possibility of losing some of this material so sent away, but also at times the very serious inconvenience of not having it in the Library if called for, perhaps in an emergency, it seems sure that even with these dangers in mind the Library is more nearly performing its proper functions than it would be if a narrower policy were to be pursued. As a matter of fact, experience proves that these dangers are much more remote than might be supposed.
Indexing and editing the session laws. In the latter days of his administration, Mr Gilbert was instrumental in having an act passed providing for the cooperation of the State Library with the Secretary of State in the publication of the session laws. This was simply one phase of the policy to bring the Law Library in closer touch with the legal interests of the State, but its importance and the fact that in. some features the act directs editorial work of a character not prescribed by the statutes of any other state, or previously in New York, justify the following somewhat extended explanation of the statute and the work done under it.
The act was first passed in 1908 in the form of an amendment to section 45 of the legislative law (see L. 1908, ch. 216), and is now to be found in section 45 of the consolidated legislative law of 1909. After directing that the Secretary of State shall annually cause to be published the laws and concurrent resolutions passed at each session, tables showing the laws and parts thereof amended or repealed by such laws, indexes of the laws and concurrent resolutions, and certain other matters not necessary to enumerate here, it provides that this material "shall be prepared for publication in the State Library under the supervision of the Director thereof. Side notes or section headings shall be inserted indicating the subject-matter of the several sections of the laws and concurrent resolutions. Suitable references to existing general or consolidated laws, codes, or special or local laws may be made in footnotes or otherwise."
The plan of side noting is similar to that followed by several other states and by New York itself down to 1905. Attention, however, may be called to two features. First, care has been taken, in the case of amendatory or repealing acts, to indicate just what prior laws or parts of laws are expressly amended or repealed, using figures and abbreviations whenever their employment would be conducive to ready reference. This is particularly useful in states, like New York, where by statute, legislative rule or custom, no figures or abbreviations can be used in the text of the law itself. Second, where the law does not take effect immediately, the precise date of its taking effect is given.
It is in the provision for footnotes that the act is unique. For the first time in any state, provision has been made for thus annotating the regular series of session laws. This should prove the most valuable feature of the work, and will, if properly understood, be of no small assistance to the legal profession; certainly so when it has been worked out in more detail. The footnotes are being used, in the main, for three. purposes. Precise citations to prior laws are given where in the body of the law itself only a general reference is made to these laws. It often happens, for instance, that only the short title of a law is given in the text — the footnote supplies the citation. Frequently the language of the text is simply to the effect that a certain thing must be done in .accordance with the provisions of law relating thereto. Whenever practicable, the specific reference to those provisions, omitted from the law itself, is supplied by a footnote. Secondly, great pains have been taken with amendatory acts to indicate in the footnotes just what parts of the old law have been affected by the amendatory act — in other words, the precise scope of the amendment. This feature, it is believed, will appeal strongly to all persons whose work requires them to deal extensively with our session laws, and is perhaps the most useful purpose subserved by the footnotes. A third purpose is to explain ambiguities, or apparent inconsistencies or anomalies, appearing on the face of the laws.
The tables of laws amended or repealed were prepared with great care and there is good reason to believe that they are absolutely accurate. Inasmuch as the passage of the consolidated laws this year affords a good starting point, these tables will be cumulated from year to year so far as the consolidated laws are concerned, thus making it possible to ascertain from any subsequent volume of the session laws all the changes down to that time, made in the consolidated laws since their enactment in their original form. This is done in the annual volumes of the Massachusetts Acts and Resolves, where they use the Massachusetts Revised Laws of 1902 as a starting point.
As to the index, no attempt has been made this year to make any wide departures from the general form which has been employed for several years past. The time was too short to allow of a sufficiently careful and comprehensive study of this difficult part of the work to permit of any satisfactory determination as to whether changes were called for. It is doubtful whether any radical changes will be made in the near future. It seems probable that the effort will rather be to perfect the details of the present scheme.
As this is the first year the State Library has been charged with this work, it is as yet simply in its experimental stage and to some extent, at least, tentative in its nature. As the work progresses from year to year, it is hoped that the experience gained will permit of the working out of additional details and the further perfecting of the general scheme.
Practically all the above work, except the preparation of the index, was done by Mr John T. Fitzpatrick, who has been a member of the Library staff for some years. As most of his work has been done in the Legislative Reference section of the Library, he brought to the work much valuable expert training.
Cataloguing. In February, 1909, the Law Library purchased a separate set of the Library of Congress catalogue cards which list law material, using the word "law" in a broad sense as including material in the fields of sociology, and political science and economy, which is of a quasi-legal nature. This set is kept in a Library Bureau catalogue cabinet following the cards of our author catalogue. As a continually up-to-date catalogue of American law material, it has proved of great value:
1 As an aid in the selection and ordering of current accessions. The cards afford the most convenient resort for much of the bibliographical information necessary for these purposes, and the growing practice of giving prices is of obvious utility.
2 As a source of information relative to material requested by users of the Library, but which we do not have, leading sometimes to its acquisition.
3 As a means of disabusing persons of erroneous ideas as to what has been published, when without this check they would go away doubting the accuracy of our information. While this check is not conclusive (and we never claim that it is), it generally results in satisfying the inquirer.
As the Library of Congress continues more and more to catalogue its old collection as well as current accessions, this set of law cards will obviously become more and more a catalogue of our own collection, and will be of great value when the work of recataloguing the Law Library is taken up in earnest.
This set of Library of Congress cards is being maintained intact as a separate collection, but additional copies of cards are being bought from time to time to use in the regular cataloguing of our current accessions. This will probably be done more and more as time goes on.
Mrs, Lansing's gift. Before Mr Gilbert left the Library, Mrs Abraham Lansing, of Albany, N. Y. had generously offered to make a gift to the Library,and the negotiations were all carried on by Mr Gilbert, though the gift was not made until January 21, 1909. It consists of two parts. One part is made up of four books containing notes of lectures taken by Peter Gansevoort, Mrs Lansing's father, at the Litchfield Law School, Litchfield, Conn. in 1810 and 1811, and reports of moot cases argued by him at the school. A fifth book contains copies of various legal papers drafted by him and a list of dates of his admissions to practice in various courts.
Much historical interest attaches to the Litchfield Law School. It is generally said to have been the first law school established in the United States, and for many years was the only school of this kind. It was commenced in the year 1784 by the Hon. Tapping Reeve, afterwards Chief Justice of Connecticut. In 1798 the Hon. James Gould, afterwards a judge of the Supreme Court of Connecticut, became associated with him. Under their joint instruction the school continued till 1820, when Judge Reeve withdrew, and Judge Gould conducted it alone until 1833, when his health failed and the school was discontinued.
Peter Gansevoort was such a big figure in the life of Albany for the first three quarters of the last century that more than a passing reference to him is perhaps called for. From an obituary notice we cull the following information: "Peter Gansevoort . . . was born in Albany, Dec. 22, 1788; graduated at the College of New Jersey, at Princeton; afterwards attended the celebrated Litchfield Law School; read law in the office of Harmanus Bleecker, and was admitted to the bar about 1811. His practice was for many years very considerable, and he ranked among the prominent members of the profession. He acted for some time as private secretary of Governor De Witt Clinton; and then on his military staff as Judge Advocate General from 1819 to 1821. In 1830 and 1831 he was a member of the Assembly, and then a senator for four years from 1833 to 1836, inclusive . . . He was a trustee of the Albany Academy for fifty years, and for twenty years was chairman of the Board. In 1840 he was one of the Committee ... to organize the Albany Cemetery Association . . . He was a trustee of the Cemetery until his death. Among the public positions held by General Gansevoort was that of first Judge of the County Courts of Albany county, from 1843 to 1847 the duties of which office he discharged with great fidelity and to the entire satisfaction of the legal profession and the public." He died in Albany January 4, 1876.
The other part of Mrs Lansing's gift consists of eight books containing lecture notes taken at the Harvard Law School in 1856 and 1857 by Henry S. Gansevoort, Peter Gansevoort's son. The lecturers were the famous Theophilus Parsons, Joel Parker, and Emory Washburn. A ninth book contains moot cases argued in the moot court of the school. Henry S. Gansevoort entered the war of the rebellion as a private in the celebrated Seventh New York, afterwards commanded a regiment, rose to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General, and died in 1871.
Mrs Lansing's gift is one of much historical interest, which for this Library is enhanced by the positions occupied by the Gansevoorts and by the donor herself in this community. It is only the lack of proper accommodations in the present quarters of the Law Library that prevents its being prominently displayed.
Additions. The following are some of the noteworthy additions made to the Law Library during the period covered by this report:
Publications and printing
List of publications Oct. 1, 1908-Sept. 30, 1909
90th annual report 1907, 3v. cloth.
v.1 contains: Director's report 1007; Educational Extension bulletin 47; Library School bulletins 22, 25; Bibliography bulletins 42, 43;
Catalogue of the Duncan Campbell collection.
v.2 Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts.
v.3 Legislation bulletins 35 and 36.
Yearbook of legislation 1907. cloth. Contains Legislation bulletins 35 and 36.
Calendar of the Sir William Johnson manuscripts in the New York State Library, compiled by R. E. Day. 683P. cloth.
The documents described in this calendar are preserved in twenty-six large volumes in the State Library and number about 6550. Nearly all "were public and private papers in the possession of Sir William Johnson at the time of his death in 1774. The aim has been to exhibit the contents of each document succinctly, but to disregard nothing, allowing those who may consult the calendar to judge the value or interest of many particulars mentioned.
The documents cast a vivid light on military and political events and situations during a considerable period of the 18th century, while they reveal the attitude of colony and crown toward the Indian problem of that day and present a picture of the transactions in land, which engaged -the keenest interest of English colonists. At the same time these letters, official and military reports, and records of public proceedings are invaluable memorials of a strong and genial personality, around .which romantic interest continues to gather with the .movement of years.
Tentative selection from the best books of 1908. 57p. With an appendix of new editions of books long out of print, considerably revised and enlarged editions, completed sets, changed titles, etc.
A list of 1208 books selected from the publications of 1908, submitted for an expression of opinion respecting the best 50 books of the year for a village library. It aims to include all books to which the smaller libraries should have attention called and to admit nothing which has not a value in meeting some probable need. This list is used as a basis for preparing the later annotated list of 250 titles, which appears as Bibliography bulletin 45 below. In New York Libraries, July 1909, 1:236-38, is an article entitled Best Books of 1008, which gives a list of books receiving the most votes in 13 broad classes, also a list of the 50 books receiving the most votes, in the order of the votes.
New York libraries. v. 1, no. 5-8.
A 32 page quarterly bulletin published in the interest of the libraries of the State and sent free to them and to all members of library boards.
Circular of information concerning the New York State Library School 1909-10. 17p
Library handwriting: a guide for the use of students in the New York State Library School 11p.
BULLETINS Bibliography
No. 45 Best books of 1908. 48p.
Legislation
No. 36 Index of legislation 1907. 599p.
No. 37 Digest of governors messages 1908. 181p. No. 38 Index of legislation 1908. 264p.
Library School
No. 26 Selected national bibliographies. 40p.
A list of national bibliographies used in the course in elementary bibliography in the Library School, being a revision of Library School bulletin no. 7, published in 1900. It includes preliminary lists of bibliographies of bibliography and of general bibliographies.
No. 27 Library School report 1908. 25p.
EDUCATIONAL EXTENSION Directions for the librarian of a small library, by Zaidee Brown. 22p.
HANDBOOKS No. 8 pt a Educational extension
No. 9 pt f Free libraries
No. 8 pt g Public library allotments
TRAVELING LIBRARY LISTS No. 65 50 recent volumes of interest to adults
Indexes During the year 42 indexes have been prepared: 8 for the State Library, 13 for the State Museum; 20 for other divisions of the Education Department and one for the Executive Department. These indexes vary in length from a few . pages to 142 closely printed pages with thousands of entries.
The most extensive index (142 pages) was that for the Calendar of Sir William Johnson manuscripts, made more than ordinarily difficult by its large number of proper names, many of them with variant spellings.
The following three card indexes were kept to date: Supplementary index to the State Museum publications, the Index to the journal of the Regents meetings and the Index to the proceedings of the University Convocation and other educational associations.
Library for the Blind Growth. In February 1899 the first books were sent out from the Library for the Blind to the readers of the State. September 30th of that year, the Library contained 218 volumes, of which 194 were printed in New York point and 24 in Line letter. September 30, 1909, the collection consisted of 2691 volumes printed in five different types as follows:
TYPE LITERATURE MUSIC New York point 1 555 347
American Braille 31° I21
Line letter 202 5
Moon 79
English Braille 72
Total 2218 473
Publications. During the year the nine books listed below were printed in New York point and are ready for sale at the prices given.
AUTHOR TITLE PRICE
Aldrich Poems. 2 v $5 5°
Crothers The gentle reader. 2v 5 .. Harker Miss Esperance and Mr Wycherly. 2 v. (.Gift of Miss Nina Rhoades) 5 Keller The correct training of a blind child 40
The world I live in 2 50 La Sizeranne The Blind Sisters of St Paul. 2 v 7
Lee Uncle William .3 25
Rothschild Lincoln, master of men. 3 v 10 50
Taft Present day problems. 2 v"
In seven of these books printed in New York point this year the capitalization and full punctuation of the ink-print editions were followed. The following explanatory note was printed on the page before the title-page arid also at the top of the first page of the text: "To conform to general literary usage, the capitalization of the ink-print edition of this publication has been followed. As a substitute for the fourth base capitals of the New York point system or for capitals made by embossing the small letters with enlarged points, the capital is here indicated by the sign :.: placed before the letter to be capitalized. The sign is separated from the letter to be capitalized by a single space and from the preceding word by a double space."
Gifts. The following table shows the number of gifts in embossed print received during the year, most of which are from blind readers.
Gifts in embossed print, Oct. 1, I9e8-Sept. 30, 1909:
The gift this year of Miss Nina Rhoades, a blind author of New York city, was the printing of the delightful little story of Mrs L. A. Harker, Miss Esperance and Mr Wychcrly. Two hand-copied volumes in New York point — the story, The masquarader — were the work and gift of Miss Margaret E. Schoeffel of Rochester. Mr William Wade has this year added The awakening of Helena Richie, in six volumes, to the large number of books in English Braille that he has already given to the Library. Extracts from Mrs A. D. T. Whitney's Mother goose for grown folks, printed in American Braille were also the gift of Mr Wade. Mr. Walter H.
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