154 FOUNDATION AND EARLY WORK 



R.S. TAS. 



being got together. The Library appears to have been 

 intended to be a public one : — 



''The nucleus of a Public Library has been formed, 

 ''which, it is to be hoped, may, through the cordial sup- 

 "port of Members of this Society, and of the community, 

 "aided by the liberality of Government, expand into an 

 "institution at one© creditable as a national undertaking, 

 "and of the highest importance in making available to 

 "practical purposes in this new country the rich stores of 

 "knowledge accniing from the labours and researches of 

 "the learned and scientific in other parts of the world. The 

 "Library comprises at present only about eighty volumes, 

 "besides pamphlets; almost all of which are presentations 

 "from Members.'"' 



"The Books are being registered, and Rules and R,egula- 

 "tions are about to be framed for rendering them as wide- 

 "ly accessible to the public as the circumstances of the 

 "Society will permit.'*' (64) 



In 1849, the Tasmanian Public Library (65) was form- 

 ed, and the Council consequently restricted the purchase of 

 books to such as were of a scientific character : 



"In the last Annual Report it was said 'the nucleus of 

 ' 'a Public Library has been formed.' Since then the Tas- 

 'manian Public Library has been established, claiming as 

 'a separate institution the sympathy and support of the 

 'community. 



"This has led the Council to restrict the purchase of 

 'Books for the Society's Library to such as are of a scien- 

 'tific character. Amongst the books bought are 20 parts 

 'of 'Groulds Birds of Australia' ; the residue will be proi- 

 'cured through Mr. Gould's agent here. It is a costly 

 'work, but indispensable to the study of Australian Or- 

 'nithology. Equally expensive, and quite as essential to 

 'a student of the Natural History of Tasmania, is the 

 ''Mammals' of the same author; of this the first part has 

 'been procured, and Mr. Gould's agent will supply the rest 

 'as they issue from the press. The increase of the Library 

 'has, of course, been limited — the register comprising only 

 'about 250 volumes besides pamphlets." (66) 



The first catalogue of the Library was published in the 

 Report for 1850. A second catalogue was published in 

 1856. (67) 



(64) Report, 1848, pp. 16-16. " 



(65) The Library was at first a subscription library, and in 1849 a 

 grant of £100 a year for the purchase of books was made by the Govern- 

 ment. The Library was at first at No. 1 liarra-ck-street. There had been a sub- 

 scription library in Hobart as early as 1826. 



(66) Report, 1849. p. 18. 



(67) The Library was again catalogued in 1885. by Mr. Morton. 



