. 9 



the Library shelves, the issue of volumes to readers was 35,978. 

 During the last year, with 8,054 volumes, the issue has been 99,021 ; 

 being an increase of 81^ per cent, on the books in the Libraries, and 

 275 per cent, on the issues ; or, in other words, whilst in the first year 

 every book in the Libraries was, on the average, lent eight times, 

 during the past year, with the number of books nearly doubled, each 

 volume has been lent above twelve times. The present weekly circu- 

 lation is 3,014 volumes, and is still increasing. 



On one day in the past month, np fewer than 1,248 volumes were 

 received and issued. 



The importance which these Lending Libraries are assuming may 

 be judged from the fact, that the number of volumes they now circulate 

 is greater than the combined circulation of the three largest Libraries 

 in Liverpool — the Lyceum, the Collegiate, and the Mechanics' Insti- 

 tutions — containing, probably, ten times the number of volumes. 



The care taken of the books is highly creditable, on the whole. 

 Fifteen books have been lost or injured while in the hands of readers. 

 In fourteen of these cases the books have been replaced by the readers 

 themselves; in the remaining instance the book was paid for by the 

 guarantee. It is a fact worthy of notice that, since the commencement, 

 out of a circulation of nearly 140,000 volumes, only one book has been 

 lost to the Library. The system of a small pecuniary fine for irregularity 

 has been found to work admirably. This produces punctuahty ; and, 

 where incurred, the fines are cheerfully paid. The amount received 

 from this source during the year is ^38 Os. 2d. 



A few statistics connected with the working of the estabhshment may 

 not be without interest. 



The ages of the readers are as under : — 



Between fourteen and twenty-one, 2,689 ; between twenty-one and thirty-five, 1,102 ; 

 between thirty-five and fifty, 351 ; above this age, 102. 



Their occupations are as follows : — 



Merchants' and shopkeepers' apprentices, oflace lads, and school boys . . 1499 



Mechanics, labourers, warehousemen, and pohce-officers 1462 



Clerks, shopmen, and others employed in shops 780 



Teachers, pupil assistants, and Scripture readers 163 



Commission agents, shopkeepers, and retail traders 66 



Students and those engaged ia professions 39 



Business not ascertained (principally females) 235 



> Males, 3,879 ; females, 365.— Total, 4,244. 



B 



