13 



Males, 6,771; females, 1,902. There are 2,901 borrowers between 

 14 and 21 years of age, a period of life when impressions for good or 

 evil are readily made, and character is generally formed. It is therefore 

 peculiarly gratifying to find so large a number of young persons availing 

 themselves of the opportunities here afforded for self-cultivation, and this 

 fact is in itself a most hopeful sign for the future. 



There are 37 blind persons thankfully availing themselves of the 

 privilege of borrowing books in Moon's embossed type, and during the 

 year 711 volumes of works of this character have circulated among them. 

 The Committee have recently ordered a number of miscellaneous books 

 in the raised type for their especial benefit. 



The borrowers at present using the Libraries reside within the 

 following distances of the Branch at which they obtain books — 



North. South. Total. 



Half-a-Mile 2427 1810 4237 



One Mile 1657 1708 3365 



One Mile and a Half 225 477 702 



Two Miles and upwards 128 241 369 



Total 4437 4236 8673 



From this it appears that seven-eighths of the readers reside within 

 the radius of a mile of the Library at which they are borrowers. 



3,121 volumes have been added to the collection in the past year, 

 and 98 volumes of superfluous duplicates withdrawn from the stock. 



In selecting books for these Lending Libraries, the great aim the 

 Committee keep steadily in view is, to provide the working-man not 

 merely with the means of self-instruction, but with healthful and innocent 

 recreation for his leisure hours at his own fireside. In a word, their 

 motto is, " Improve a man's taste, if possible, but don't starve him, by 

 endeavouring to cram him with what he cannot relish." 



The books and borrowers are thus distributed : — 



Volumes. BorroTvers. 



North District 1^116 4437 



South District 15283 42-36 



Total in both 29899 8673 



The North Branch has this year taken tlie lead of the South. The 

 number of borrowers has considerably increased. This is easily accounted 

 for by the rapid growth of the town northward, and the transference of 

 the Timber Trade from the South end to the new North Docks. 



The cost of replacing works worn out in the service up to the present 



