In addition to the work proper to the several departments of the 

 Library, Museum, and Art Gallery, it has been the desire of the Com- 

 mittee to utilize as far as practicable the available portions of the buildings 

 for other objects of a kindred nature. Thfe Government examinations for 

 the Civil Service, and the Cambridge examinations of the female Classes 

 for honours have been held in the building, which has also afforded 

 accommodation to the Liverpool School of Science. Lectures have also 

 been delivered in the theatre to the Volunteers by Col. Peel Yates, R.A. 



On the whole, every department may be pronounced to be in a state 

 of eflBciency and progressive usefulness. The principal want which re- 

 mains to be supplied is a suitable building for the Gallery of Art. 

 Evidences are continually being manifested of the loss the community 

 is sustaining for want of a place to receive and disjilay pictures and 

 objects of taste, which there is every reason to believe would flow in 

 freely if provision were made for their reception. Liberality in this 

 direction is chilled and repelled by the present absence of accommodation. 



The following are the statistics in each department : — 



REFERENCE LIBRARY. 



The number of volumes issued during the year has been 470,230, 

 against 507,335 in the previous year. This diminution can only be 

 accounted for by the flourishing state of employment in the different 

 branches of trade during the past twelve months. 



The following is a classified list of the Books issued : — 



Daily 



CLASSIFICATION. Volumes. Average 



about 



Theology, Morals and Metaphysics 11,320 40 



NaturarPhilosophy, Astronomy, Chemistry, &c 10,381 37 



Natural History, Botany, Mineralogy, &c 9,561 34 



Science and the Arts, Architecture, Painting, Music, &c. 27,494 97 



History and Biography 19,604 69 



Topography and Antiquities 7,323 26 



Geography, Voy.nges, and Travels ; 15,745 56 



Miscellaneous Literature 200,356 706 



Jurisprudence, Law, and Politics 3,185 11 



Commerce, Political Economy, and Social Statistics ... 2,205 8 



Education, Logic, Language, &c 7,863 26 



Poetry and Dramatic Literature 10,987 39 



Works of Imagination 136,160 479 



Classical Literature 2,120 8 



Heraldry, Encyclopaedias, and "Works of Reference 0,426 23 



Total 470,230 1,659 



