The Annual Reports of the Bureau of Education are devoted to statistics concerning the educational system of the United States. There are also discussions and papers on important educational movements in other countries. The law provides for an edition of 35,000 copies, 20,000 of which are distributed by the Bureau. The reports from 1867 to 1898 are indexed in A. L. A. Index, 2d ed. Since 1906 much of the descriptive material in the annual reports has been eliminated and published as Bulletins. These contain many late monographs of importance and the results of study of new problems in education. Bulletin 2, 1908, is a List of Publications ... 1867-1907. The annual bibliography of education which has been issued for the past eight years in the Educational Review is now printed as a Bulletin of the Bureau of Education.
The Experiment Station Record, a publication of the Office of Experiment Stations, gives a technical review of the current literature of agricultural investigation, not only in the United States, but also throughout the whole world. It reviews books and annual reports of governments and the agricultural experiment stations in the various states and about 1,600 periodicals in twelve or more languages. The Office maintains a mailing list, and application for publications should be directed to the Director. The Record is also sold by the Superintendent of Documents at $1.00 per volume, beginning with July, 1909. Previous volumes are $1.50.
The Annual Reports of the Interstate Commerce Commission cover both the administrative and the quasi-judicial proceedings of the Commission. In its administrative features the report presents railroad statistics, discusses the uniform methods of accounting, and summarizes the results of enforcing the safety appliance laws, the hours of service act and the accidents law. Important decisions made during the year by the Commission and by United States Courts are reviewed. The reports are furnished gratuitously by the Commission to those who apply. Another valuable serial is the report on the Statistics of Railways in the United States. It is prepared according to schedules, and covers the mileage, the amount of railway capital, the earnings and income, the general expenditures and the accidents. This volume is also distributed free by the Commission.
The Bureau of Labor issues three serials which ought to be found in every library. The Annual Reports contain the results of investigations which the Bureau has made on industrial and social subjects. The Special Reports are on particular subjects, and are prepared as requested by the President of the United States or by either house of Congress. The Bulletin is issued bi-monthly, and contains the latest information on subjects within the wide field of labor and not included in the other reports. The Annual Reports and Bulletins up to 1898 are indexed in the A. L. A. Index, 2d ed. The Bureau issued an Index in 1902 which covers Annual Reports 1-16, Bulletins 1-39 and Special Reports 1-9. Application for these publications are best made to the Bureau and handled from its mailing list.
The most useful publication of the Library of Congress in a small library is the series of bibliographies compiled in the Division of Bibliography. They vary in size from approximately complete bibliographies to small reading lists on questions of current interest. Inasmuch as they are based on the largest collection of library materials in the United States, the bibliographies give an idea of existing references and sources which might not be suggested or even known in smaller institutions. Through library loans and the judicious writing for sources, the small library can supply liberal materials for study from these bibliographies. As to the distribution of these publications, the Library of Congress makes this statement: "With certain exceptions, the publications are not distributed gratis, except to institutions with which the library regularly exchanges." At any event, they can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents for from ten to fifteen cents. The complete list of these bibliographies is published in the List of Publications Issued Since 1897 (by the Library of Congress).
The Daily Consular and Trade Reports are issued from the Bureau of Manufactures. These are a collection of reports made by United States consuls in all parts of the world on matters of commercial and current importance, such as new inventions, crops, market possibilities and commercial relations in general. The Bureau will add a library to its mailing list upon application.
The Bureau of Statistics of the Department of Commerce and Labor issue two serials which are of use in small libraries. The Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance is the leading statistical publication of the government. It gives a very complete and detailed statistical account of the foreign commerce of the United States, the internal commerce and the commerce with the non-contiguous possessions. The Statistical Abstract covers, in summarized form, most of the important subjects in the wide field of government activity, and easily ranks as "the most useful summary of statistics relating to our country that is printed." The edition is limited to twelve thousand copies—three thousand to the Senate, six thousand to the House, and the remainder to the Bureau. Application for both serials can be made directly to the Bureau, and especially for the Monthly Summary.
In conclusion, the librarian that intends to be alive to his opportunity with government documents will get the Annual Reports of the Superintendent of Documents for 1907 and 1908 and commit them to heart. They contain the best explanation of the present plan of distribution and other problems with these publications that has been written. The library should receive the series of Price Lists and Leaflets now being issued by the Documents Office. The one is virtually a bibliography of some important subjects which the documents cover; the other is a description of some one document or some class of more than passing interest. Both show what can be purchased and the price of the publication. If the library has not received copies of Free Lists Nos. 1 to 3, they should be sent for. They contain a list of the documents which are offered free of all charge to libraries. Many rare and useful publications can be secured in this way. Finally, if possible, subscribe for the Monthly Catalog of Public Documents, which keeps the reading public informed as to what is now being published by the government, how and where the publications can be obtained and the purchase price.
Such are a few suggestions concerning important government serials in the small libraries. No account has been taken of single documents, of which a long list can be made. Nor have such problems as shelving, classifying and cataloging the documents been discussed. The endeavor has been to show what such a list of documents offers by way of additional reference source material and how it may be secured. Documents must not be despised because they are free. They are to be regarded with honor even in their own country.