4 CHAIRMAN’S PREFACE. 
Each of the two New Branch Libraries is a finer and _ better 
stocked building than many a large town’s Central Library, 
and it was a great delight to us all that one of them, the Sefton 
Park Library, was opened by Dr. Carnegie himself, to whose 
generosity we owe these and other equally fine Library buildings 
which now adorn this City. The compliment of his admission to 
the Civic Freedom was deservedly paid to him on the occasion of 
his visit, and his eloquent and touching address in reply will long 
live in the memories of those privileged to hear it. The provision, 
now in hand, of Reading Rooms at Old Swan and in the Edge Hill 
District will complete the series of munificent gifts by Dr. Carnegie 
to the City. 
In the Museums the scheme of improvements in hand has made 
good progress. In the new ‘‘ Liverpool Room ’’ many of the Views, 
Maps, and Plans, intended to illustrate the annals of the City, have 
been installed. The Committee are anxious to make this local 
collection as complete as possible. This they can only do by draw- 
ing upon private collections to supplement their own, and they 
would be grateful to the owners of any objects of interest for the 
eift or loan of them. Mr. Robert Gladstone, Junr., and Mr. 
A. H. Arkle have, from their intimate knowledge of local history, 
rendered much help to the Committee in the arrangement of this 
Room. 
The Rooms recently allocated for housing the Egyptian, Cretan, 
and Hittite Collections are in course of arrangement, and will soon 
be completed. For valuable aid in this work, and for the provision 
of many objects of great interest and worth, the Committee are 
indebted to Professors Bosanquet, Newberry, and Garstang, who 
have given the Museum the full benefit of their skilled knowledge 
and experience. 
That the Museums continue to be appreciated, both by experts 
and by the general public, is evidenced by the numerous gifts of 
additions to the Collections, averaging 20 a day throughout the 
year, and by an average daily attendance of 1,500 visitors. 
[ 
o 
