D LIBRARIES. 



Another of the signs of the times may possibly be seen in the 

 growing number of lady student readers who use the Picton 

 Reading Room. In 1899 they numbered (i,910 ; last year this 

 number was increased by 882, making a total of 7,792. Ten years 

 ago no statistics were taken of the number of lady readers, but the 

 number then bore no comparison with that of last year. It may 

 be mentioned that novels, illustrated papers, and the lighter kind 

 of magazines are excluded from this room. 



A further study of Table II shows a total increase of volumes 

 issued in the Picton Reading Room of 12,619 over those of last 

 year, while compared with ten years ago there is an increase of 

 55,462 volumes. 



The total number of volumes in the Reference Library is 

 120,243 : pamphlets, patents, and Parliamentary papers are not 

 counted as volumes except when a number of them are bound 

 together and form a volume in the strict sense of the word. During 

 the last few years the Patent Library has much increased in 

 popularity and usefulness. This is due in a great measure to the 

 more commodious rooms in which it is housed, and the freedom and 

 facilities given to those making investigations. Ten years ago the 

 issue of patents only numbered 17,125. This year the number has 

 increased to 31,94-3. The greatest improvement effected in the 

 Library for some years has been in the heating and ventilation of 

 the Brown Library. The obsolete and somewhat dangerous cockles 

 have been removed, and the rooms most efficiently heated and 

 ventilated on Key's "Plenum" system. This alteration has enabled 

 the basement to be utilised for the purposes of book storage, and for 

 providing the Staff with mess and cloak rooms. It also affords the 

 much-needed opportunity for the re-arrangement of the books. 

 The Library had become so congested for want of shelf space that 

 efficiency of service was much diminished and impaired. 



Since the foundation of this Library no bequest to it can at all 

 compare in extent, value, and importance to that of the late Mr. 

 Hugh Frederick Hornby, of Wavertree. His gift of books, engravings, 

 and autograph letters of eminent personages may justly be termed 

 princely. To attempt to describe it within the limits of this Report 





