9 



since been cancelled ; this will account for the small increase of bor- 

 rowers over the previous year. Such constant changes naturally arise 

 from the fluctuating character of the population. The number now 

 given may be taken as a fair estimate of the number of individuals at 

 present borrowing books. 



The works in the Libraries are classified as under :— 



Vols. 



Theology, Morality, and Metaphysics 543 



Natural Philosophy .,g^ 



Natural History .3, , 



Science and the Arts ook 



History and Biography 2 354 



Topography and Antiquities jOg 



Geography, Voyages, and Travels U44 



Miscellaneous Literature 2 01" 



Law, PoUtics, &c , q„ 



Commerce and Political Economy 73 



Education, Logic, Language, &c _ _ ]^g3 



Poetry and the Drama qqq 



Novels and Eomances 5 3g(. 



Classical Literature ., . 



Total number of volumes in the Libraries 13 254 



The books and readers are thus distributed : — 



Vola Readers. 



Number of volumes in the North District Library 5,896 l.gSi 



Number of volumes in tlie South District Library 7,353 3 21 6 



Total number in both Libraries 13,524 



5,200 



The proportion of readers being much greater at the South District 

 than at the North, in the distribution of the books this fact has not 

 been overlooked. 



The sum of ^70 3s. 4d. has been received for fines for detention of 

 books beyond the time allowed. 1,650 copies of the catalogues have 

 been sold, and 2,550 copies of the supplements. A complete catalogue 

 of the Soutli District Library has been recently published, and one for 

 the North is at present in preparation. 



The care taken of the books is still highly creditable ; but from the 

 continual wear and tear which is going on, from the immense circula- 

 tion, it will become necessary to replace the more popular works from 



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