10 



have always ionnd a word quiftlj' spoken, enout,'h to cheek any little 

 irregularity. 



Perhaps, a somewhat more personal note in my concluding 

 paragraph may be forgiven. I comi)lete this week twenty years in 

 your service, and at such a time, one is tempted to look back and note 

 the changes that liavi^ taken place. In 1885, we had 20,870 books in 

 the Library ; to-day, we have 37,001, and the average daily issue is 100 

 more. The wliole of the Lending Lil)rary has been re-catalogueil, 

 and w-e have established a sepaiate ('hildren's Librai-y, and also 

 opened a Branch Reading Room. Nearly the whole of the Museum 

 has been re-ari-anged and re-labelled, brought more into conformity 

 with modern requirements, and mfide proportionately more useful 

 to the student. Inthe Art Gallery, we possessed in 188.5, three pictures; 

 now we have about fifty, and in addition some 1,300 S|)ecimens of beau- 

 tiful china, forming a collection, j^robably the best of its kind in the 

 Kingdom : while during the whole time, we have had three p]xliibi- 

 tions in each year, a result achieved in few other towns. The work 

 involved, and it has not t)een small, has been a pleasure to me, and it 

 has been carried out under pleasant conditions. I have always been 

 fortunate in my staff, who have willingly seconded my efforts for the 

 good of the Institution, and in passing, I may say they have 

 never been better than at the present time. The assistance I 

 have had from the Special Sub-Committee (Mr. Stokes and Mr. 

 Arnold-Bemrose) in the work of the Museum has been of inestimable 

 value, and I gratefully acknowledge the unbroken kindness and 

 consideration I have always received from all the members of the 

 Committee. I hope such pleasant relations may long continue. 



It is always a pleasure to me to acknowledge the valuable assis- 

 tance rendered me by the local Press in the interests of the Institution, 

 and with this expression of it, I beg to close my Report, and remain, 

 Gentlemen, 



Your obedient Servant, 



WILLIAM CROWTHER, 



Lifjranan, Curator, and Secretary 

 October 26th, 1905. 



