In the early part of October last year, the Committee, finding the 

 accommodation insufficient through the great increase of readers, made 

 arrangements to adapt the large corridor and two class-rooms, at the North 

 end of the building, for reading purposes, the additional space thus obtained 

 being sufficient for one hundred readers. By this means the amount of room 

 has been increased, so that upwards of six hundred persons can now avail 

 themselves of the advantages of the Library at one time. 



The new Catalogue referred to in the last Report is in progress, but is 

 necessarily a work of considerable labour and time. 



LENDING LIBRARIES. 



For some years these Libraries have been issuing between four and five 

 hundred thousand volumes annually. 



Situated in the most densely-populated parts of the town, among a class 

 of people having but a very rudimentary education, they afford the means of 

 self-improvement to all who choose to avail themselves of the advantages 

 afforded them. An inspection of the appended table of the classes of persons 

 to whom Books have been issued during the year, cannot fail to proye that 

 the work of self-education is going on to a great extent, for no less than one 

 hundred thousand volumes have been lent of an almost entirely educational 

 character. No doubt a large proportion of the total issues are works of 

 fiction ; but it is a subject for congratulation that these Libraries are the 

 means of diffusing harmless amusement and cultivating the imagination, by 

 the reading of a pure literature, amongst a ckss who might otherwise be 

 exposed to influences of a pernicious character. 



During the year 420,282 volumes have been lent to 8,233 readers, being 

 at the rate of 51 volumes to each person. 



4,295 new tickets have been issued : at the North Library 2,185, at the 

 South 2,110. Against this number 3,971 tickets have been cancelled : North 

 Library 2,051, South 1,920 ; leaving an increase on each Library respectively 

 of 134 and 190, or a total of 324 borrowers. According to a rule of the 

 Libraries, it is required that each reader shall renew his ticket of membership 

 every twelve months. There is therefore a regular monthly revise of one- 

 twelfth* of the tickets. All tickets not renewed in the month specified are 

 cancelled, and the parties, if desirous of again becoming readers, are required 

 to furnish new forms of application, as in the first instance. 



The additions to the stock number 1,338 volumes : 1,328 by purchase, 

 and 10 by donations from R. A. Macfie, Esq., and L. P. Stubbs, Esq. 

 250 volumes, worn out, have been replaced at a cost of £29 lOs. These are 

 principally cheap editions of standard popular books, incapable of bearing 

 much wear. 



