LIBRARIES. i 
statistics fully justify the thorough re-organization of the 
Central Lending Library which the Committee contemplate carrying 
out during the ensuing year. This Lending Library has over 7,000 
readers on its books, and during the year issued 217,380 vols. It has 
the largest issue of any of the Branch Libraries; and its accom- 
modation for both borrowers and stock is quite inadequate. At an 
early date necessary structural alterations to the room will be made, 
the staff increased, the books re-classified, and a new catalogue 
compiled. By these improvements it is hoped that the Library will, 
for the present, be able to meet the demand which it is evident the 
people of Liverpool expect it to supply. 
The issues of Literature in Foreign Languages and Music shew the 
steady continuity of the demand which the past policy of the 
Committee has created and developed. 
Towards the end of the year it was decided not to issue works of 
prose fiction within a year of their publication; the Committee, of 
course, reserving the right to make such exceptions as they might 
- consider desirable. This delay in purchase will it is hoped enable 
the Committee to make a more thorough selection of novels, and 
at the same time prevent the acquisition and issue of any of an 
objectionable character. 
_ The Committee are anxious to improve the condition of the stocks 
jn all the Branch Libraries, and in accordance with their instructions 
i more than five thousand volumes have been withdrawn as worn out 
and over four thousand new copies have been substituted for them. 
This work must necessarily be proceeded with slowly as the cost of 
_ renewing the stocks in so many libraries will make a serious drain 
on a limited income. 
It is gratifying to be able to report a large increase in the issues 
to Juveniles (i.e. children between the ages of 9 and 14 years), 
17,184 more books being issued for home reading than in the previous 
year. There was an increase of 6,135 in the number of borrowers. 
It is interesting to note that the increased issue to Juveniles in the 
Lending Department coincided with a decreased issue in the Juvenile 
Reading Rooms. In only one Library (West Derby) was there an 
