REPORT.

To His Excellency HENRY G. BLASDEL,

Governor of the State of Nevada:

SIR-In compliance with the requirements of the Statute creating the Board of Directors of the State Library, we have the honor to submit herewith a full report of the purchases and expenditures for the preceding year, on account of the State Library, and also the Report of the State Librarian.

No change has been made during the past year in the rules and regulations adopted by this Board for the government of the State Library.

We have purchased during the past year from Banks & Brothers, of New York, 392 volumes-mostly Law Reports--of which a list is given in the Report of the Librarian hereto annexed. These cost in New York the sum of sixteen hundred and ten dollars and fifty cents ($1,610 50). The premium paid for insurance to Sacramento was eighty-eight dollars and sixty cents, ($88 60) and the freight and charges from New York amounted to one hundred and thirty-four dollars and seventy-five cents ($134 75); making the whole cost of the 392 volumes delivered at the Library eighteen hundred and thirtythree dollars and fifty cents ($1,833 50) in greenbacks. To pay for these books we drew from the Library Fund, August 10, 1866, four hundred and forty dollars in coin, ($440) with which we purchased a coin draft on New York (deducting exchange) for four hundred and twenty-seven dollars and nineteen cents, ($427 19) and remitted it to Banks & Brothers as an advance payment. They sold it at current rates in New York and credited us with the proceeds, being six hundred and twenty dollars and fifty cents ($620 50) in greenbacks. Upon receipt of the books we drew eleven hundred dollars ($1,100) in greenbacks from the Library Fund, and remitted the same (less $5 50, commission of Post Master) by Post Office orders to Banks & Bros., thus paying the balance due them on books already purchased, and leaving a balance of fifteen dollars and ninety cents ($15 90) to credit of the State to apply on an order for some additional books sent with the remittance. The only other purchase of books made by the Board during the past year was of five volumes of law books bought of Isaac Atwater, costing the State twenty dollars ($20) in greenbacks.

The Library has received considerable accessions of books from other States and from Congress, during the past year, but they are scattering volumes of Statutes and Reports, for the most part of little real value to the State, except those sent from California. Sent to us, as they generally are, by Express, their cost delivered here (although a gift originally from the States sending them) is generally greater than if we should buy the same books in New York and have them sent us by slow freight across the Isthmus. The Report of the Librarian, hereto annexed, gives a schedule of the books so added to the Library

We append hereto a tabular statement of the disbursements made from the Library Fund during the year last past.

The last Legislature made no provision for a Clerk of the Secretary of State to take charge of the Library. The Secretary has found it necessary to employ a clerk for that purpose, as himself and his deputy cannot perform their official duties and attend upon the Library. Unless there is a Librarian constantly in attendance great inconvenience must ensue, and there is danger of frequent loss of books. We respectfully recommend an appropriation by the Legislature of a reasonable compensation to Joseph F. Hatch, who has had the care of the Library, under the Secretary, during the past year, and provision for clerk hire for the same purpose until the next session of the Legislature.

The State Library now contains a tolerable selection of law books. Still, it falls short of what a State Library should be in that respect. There are very many practicing lawyers in the country who have more extensive law libraries. But its great lack just now is, we think, in works of a political nature. We need very much a set of the "Congressional Globe" and "Niles' Register" from their commencement, and there is not a copy in the Library of the debates on the Federal Constitution, nor even of the Madison papers. The current receipts by fees, &c., under present laws, are no greater than should be expended for the purchase of law books, and we suggest the propriety of a small appropriation (say two thousand dollars) for the purchase of works of the class above referred to.

June 15... Paid I. Atwater for 5 vols. Law Books.

August 10. Coin for draft sent Banks Bros.....

Greenbacks for P.O. orders-Banks Bros
Freight and exchange paid on books by
C. N. Noteware.

E. B. Rail, hardware...

January 16 Express charges and postage on books

from other States...

$20 00

$440 00

1,100 00

134 75

1,674 75

27 75

242 11

$1,964 71

LIBRARIAN'S REPORT.

NEVADA STATE LIBRARY, 1867. }

Carson City, January 1st, 1867.

To the Directors of the Nevada State Library:

GENTLEMEN

In compliance with the requirements of an Act entitled "An Act in relation to the State Library," approved February 14th, 1865, I have the honor to transmit my Annual Report of the condition of the State Library.

The whole number of books now in the State Library is four thousand seven hundred and twenty-one, (4,721) of which two thousand two hundred and nine (2,209) are in the Law Department, and two thousand five hundred and twelve (2,512) are in the Miscellaneous Department. The Statutes of Nevada, and Journals of the Senate and Assembly, are included in this number.

Your attention has heretofore been called to the necessity of binding the State newspapers, the regular files of which are furnished to the Library by the publishers free of charge, and will, in the future, become a valuable acquisition to the Library, if they are properly preserved for reference. Large numbers of papers are now accumulating, but in their present form are almost useless. I would respectfully ask that an appropriation be made sufficient to bind these papers in substantial form.

I would respectfully call your attention to the necessity of an appropriation for the Library Contingent Fund. Almost all the exchange of Reports, Session Laws, and Legislative Documents are received by Express, and postage charges large, for which there is no appropriation provided.

The accumulation of books, during the past year, rendered the removal of the partition between the Library and the room occupied by the Justices of the Supreme Court necessary, and the shelf room, with this addition, is manifestly insufficient for the convenient and advantageous disposition of the books now belonging to the Library, and it will be difficult, even, to store the exchanges of the next year, without some additional room.

The almost constant use of the books in the Law Department demand the constant attendance of some competent person. For the past year I have employed J. F. Hatch, Esq., and would most respectfully recommend that an appropriation be made for the purpose of paying him therefor. Also that authority be given me to procure the services of some person to take charge of the Library, and to perform such other duties as may from time to time be required in the office of Secretary of State.

The following is a list of the books received from other States by exchange, and by individuals by donation.

I also furnish herewith a list of books bought of Banks & Bros., New York, and of Hon. J. Atwater.

All of which is most respectfully submitted.