b LIBRARIES. 



greatest care, and are at once entertaining', instructive and .stimu- 

 lating to acts of kindness and good feeling. The blind are provided 

 with a large and interesting selection of books adapted to their needs. 

 Lovers of music are encouraged in the study of that refining art : 

 and since forcible arguments are continually advanced in favour of 

 places of rational entertainment for the masses, the Public Libraries 

 and Heading Rooms have provided these for many years past with a 

 success which the statistics fully prove and confirm. 



The principal event in the extension of the Libraries during the 

 past year was the opening of the new South Library- -now called the 

 Toxteth Library — by Mr. Andrew Carnegie. His genial and en- 

 couraging address on the occasion gratified all who heard it. The 

 building externally is an architectural ornament to the neighbour- 

 hood, and its reading rooms are commodious, bright, comfortable and 

 attractive. In its general reading room there is accommodation for 

 150 adults ; an equal number of boys can be further accommodated 

 in their own room, and 50 ladies in a room set apart for their special 

 use. The popularity of the Library was assured from the first. The 

 work done during the first three months is represented by the 

 following figures : — 



Volumes issued for home reading 47,058 



,, in Reading Room 34,782 



,, in Ladies' Room 5,612 



in Boys' Room 23,217 



110,009 



The construction of this Library externally and internally, and the 

 extent of its useful work, so pleased Mr. Carnegie that on Kith 

 December he addressed the following letter to the Chairman of the 

 Library Committee, Sir William Forwood : — 



Xew York, December Kith, 1902. 

 My dear Sir William, 



Delighted to hear of the progress of the Toxteth Library. 



You mentioned that you wished to build another such branch 

 somewhere, costing about thirteen thousand, pounds. If it 



