IS 
library work in the city which was the first to open a free library under 
Mr. Ewart’s Act; and the employment of women in libraries found a 
vigorous supporter in Miss James. French translations of the last two 
papers had been prepared and were circulated. Mr. GiLpurt’s paper 
ought to set all aspiring authors longing to print, a-thinking. He makes 
the astounding statement—and we believe he knows—that the unsold 
copies of books published in London reach 300,000 every year. Some 
half-dozen other papers were read, more interesting to the bibliographer 
and the bookworm than to the practical librarian, and these will doubtless 
all appear in due course in the Journal of the Association, where they will 
receive all the attention they deserve from a much more extended circle. 
Coming now to the places visited, the first was the Mazarine Library, 
founded by the famous Cardinal who bore that name. It was made a 
public library in 1691, and is one of the four Government libraries of 
Paris. It is open daily from eleven till five o'clock, free. It contains 
30c,000 books and 5,800 manuscripts, and is specially rich in early Bibles 
and religious books, among them being a copy the famous Bible printed 
by Gutenberg, and known as the Mazarin Bible. The annual State 
ma.ntenance grait to this institution is £1,880, of which £1,280 is 
expended in salaries. ‘lhe daily average of readers is about 40. 
A visit followed to the Library of the Society of the History of 
French Protestantism, a most interesting place maintained by a private 
Society, but recognised by the State. The Society was founded in 1852, 
and now owns 3c,000 books, and 400 manuscripts, some of the latter, 
bearing on early Huguenot history, being priceless. ‘I'he series of fire and 
thiet-proof safes in which these valuables are kept is not the least 
remarkable feature of the collection. 
On the second day, visits were paid to three typical Municipal 
Libraries, those in the First and Second Arrondissements, and to the Forney 
Art Library. These visits were naturally among the most interesting 
we paid, and some features in these Institutions are worthy of special 
mention. A capital report was prepared for the Association by His 
Excellency the Minister of Public Instruction, and this contains most 
valuable information respecting the Paris system of Municipal Libraries. 
The work was fairly begun in 1878, at which time there were only nine of 
these Libraries, and five only were much resorted to by the public. Now 
there are 64 of them, and the scheme will not be considered complete till 
there is one in each of the eighty wards of Paris. There is one in each of 
the twenty Mairies, and the rest are located for the most part in the 
communal schools. As a rule they are open from 4 to 6, and from 8 to 
Io p.m., and from ro a.m. to 12 on Sundays. Attached to all is a small 
Reference Department, and they all lend out bound volumes of music. In 
the year 1890, the total issues reached 1,386,642, whereas in 1878 they 
