The entries are handwritten in commercially produced blank ledger books, which generally still have their original bindings, and are housed in modern archival paperboard boxes.
In addition to accession number and brief details about its corresponding title, the information recorded may include: copy and volume number, author, title, place and publisher, date of publication, number of pages, size of volume, type of binding (for example: paper, cloth or half-morocco), date added to the collection, source, donor name, and cost.
Smithsonian Libraries (SIL), formerly known as Smithsonian Institution Libraries, is a library system comprising 20 branch libraries serving the various Smithsonian Institution museums and research centers, as well as central support services which include a Book Conservation Laboratory and an Imaging Center. The Libraries serve Smithsonian Institution staff as well as the scholarly community and general public with information and reference support. Its collections number over 1.5 million volumes including 40,000 rare books and 2,000 manuscripts.
Summary:
Accession book catalog created and compiled by the Smithsonian Institution library to record its books (monographic and serial publications) acquired between the years 31 January 1899 and 23 September 1907, with accession numbers ranging from 172751 to 185738.