Documents Accompanying the Journal of the House

A list of books, received from all sources, since my last report, is hereunto appended. A full titular description of the same may be found in the Library Catalogue for 1863.

The law imposes the duty of conducting exchanges, upon the Secretary of State. I would respectfully suggest to your Honorable body, the expediency of altering the law, in such a manner that it shall be made the duty of the Librarian to conduct the inter-State exchanges. Such a plan would seem to be necessary, because all exchanges are deposited in the Library, and receipted necessarily by the Librarian.

It may not be deemed impertinent to repeat, here, a suggestion made in my last official official report, that the Librarian be legally empowered to supply the publishers of standard and permanent papers of this State with our annual documents, in exchange for their publications. This system is pursued with the most beneficial results, in several of the States.

We are indebted to Hon. JACOB M. HOWARD, and other gentlemen, for donations of books, and especially to Lieut. J. D. GRAHAM, U. S. N., for twenty-two valuable charts of the Michigan Lake Surveys.

The capacity of the Library rooms is too limited for the proper accommodation of the books, maps and charts, now on hand; consequently a large number of volumes are packed away, and are very inconvenient of access. We need four times as much space as we now have, for library purposes. This want might be very properly supplied, by the erection and completion of a fire-proof brick building. Such an edifice might be constructed at an expense of $3,000; and in addition to the rooms used for Library purposes, it might contain an apartment for the accommodation and convenience of the Supreme Court. Its location on one corner of the Capitol yard would be feasible, and when a new State House shall have been completed, the Library building might be disposed of, probably, on advantageous terms. The animus of true and timely economy would seem to invite your Honorable body to consider the foregoing suggestion in a favorable point of view.

A good, comprehensive State Library is a State necessity. Experience has proved fully that our Library is too small for the actual wants and necessities of the several Governmental departments. A number of standard elementary law books, are absolutely needed; also several volumes of law and chancery reports, to supply deficient sets now on hand. In addition thereto, the "Debates in Congress," Congressional Globe, several standard works of a Historical character, Encyclopædias, Dictionaries, and other works, needless to mention here, and so convenient for reference by legislators, Executive officers, legal gentlemen, and others, "in pursuit of knowledge under difficulties," but which are sought after in vain in this Library. Should your Honorable body deem it expedient to provide for the construction of a Library building, then an appropriation of $500 annually, for five years, for the gradual enlargement of the Library, would not be deemed extravagant, but would supply its present and future wants, besides placing it on a footing commensurate with the reputation, progress and dignity of the great State of Michigan. When we take into consideration the comparative wealth of Michigan, it is certainly derogatory to her character to lag behind her sister States in this respect Illinois appropriates annually, for Library purposes, $1,500; New York, $6,000; Massachusetts, $2,800.

Of the sum appropriated by an act of the Legislature approved March 21, 1837, for the enlargement of the State Library, there remained in the Treasury on the 30th of November, 1862, a balance of $756 90. For a period of twenty-five years, the Legislature has not appropriated a dollar for the enlargement of the Library. No appropriation has ever been made for its insurance.

The State Librarian is required by law to keep a set of Meteorological Tables, under the direction of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and in accordance with the forms adopted by the Smithsonian Institute. I have not been able to comply with the terms of the law in this respect because the Library is not supplied with the necessary apparatus.

In pursuance of statutory provisions, I have prepared and published a Catalogue of the Library, which with this necessarily limited report, is respectfully submitted to the consideration of your Honorable body.

J. E. TENNEY,

State Librarian.

APPENDIX.

The following list comprises the volumes of new books received from all sources, since Dec. 27, 1860. The titles herein presented are necessarily brief. The titles of the books added (with a few unimportant exceptions) will be found described and classified in the Catalogue of the Library, for 1863.

LIST OF EXCHANGES.

ALABAMA.

Senate and House Journal 1859-60,.

Session Laws, 1859-60,....

ARKANSAS.

Reports of the Supreme Court, vols. 17, 19,.

CALIFORNIA.