Borough of Derby. 
SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 
OF THE 
FREE LIBRARY AND MUSEUM COMMITTEE 
For the Year ending September 29th, 1888. 
a 
HE Free Library and Museum Committee beg to present 
| their Seventeenth Annual Report to the Council, and in 
doing so, beg to congratulate them on the continued prosperity 
and usefulness of the Institution. 
Large additions of Books have been made to both Libraries 
during the year, in the selection of which the Book Committee have 
exercised much vigilance and care, and the works purchased have 
been supplemented by a handsome gift of 42 volumes, chiefly of a 
valuable scientific character and for reference, from the Delegates 
of the Clarendon Press, Oxford. The warmest thanks of the Com- 
mittee and the Council are due to the University of Oxford for 
this welcome addition to the Reference Library. 
The Committee have been enabled by strict economy in the 
ordinary expenses of maintenance to deal with several matters of 
importance. Last year the lower part of the building was painted 
and cleaned throughout, and during this year the second part of 
