4 
the establishment charges generally is most gratifying, and has 
enabled the Committee to deal with several important matters. 
In the first place, the Committee have been enabled to repaint 
and clean thoroughly the news rooms and corridors. This, coupled 
with some necessary cleaning in the Curator’s house has cost about 
£74. Next year they hope to be able to deal with the Museum 
in the same way. They have also long thought it desirable to 
reduce by degrees, and to pay off as soon as possible the £500 
they have on loan. They have during the past year been able to 
set aside £100 towards a sinking fund for this purpose, and in the 
absence of unforeseen sources of expense, hope to do the same in 
succeeding years till the debt is discharged. 
The Librarian’s Annual Report to this Committee is appended 
hereto. It contains the usual statistics, to which all those interested 
in the inner working of the Institution are referred. The Committee 
believe that the Institution was never more flourishing, and that it 
is being worked in a thoroughly efficient manner, and at an 
economical rate. 
On behalf of the Committee, 
WILLIAM HOBSON, 
CHAIRMAN. 
OcTOBER 27th, 1887. 
To the Chairman and Members of the Free 
Library and Museum Committee. 
GENTLEMEN, 
I have much pleasure in submitting to you my second Annual 
Report. 
The past year has been a prosperous one as regards the 
Library. The stock in the Lending Library numbers 13,796 
volumes, and that of the Reference Library 8376 volumes against 
13,256 and 8184 last year, or an increase of 732 volumes. The 
total number of Books in the Library is therefore 22,172. The total 
issue has been in the Lending Library 131,641, and in the Reference 
Library 28,070, a net increase on last year’s issues of 9573 volumes. 
The increase in the number of works reed is greater than is apparent 
from these figures, as the old books in three volumes are being 
