18 LIBRARIES. 
MEETING OF THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 
In September, the Library Association held its 35th annual 
meeting at Liverpool by invitation of the Library, Museum, and 
Arts Committee. The Association had not visited this City since 
the year 1883. In the interval all the Branch Libraries and 
Reading Rooms have been built. The meeting was in every way a 
success, and the Members generally were favourably impressed with - 
the Liverpool Public Libraries and their work. 
Free LEcTURES. 
The number of Free Lectures delivered during the course of the 
year was 166, one less than in 1911. Twenty-eight were given in 
the Picton Lecture Hall, and 136 in the various District Halls, the 
total attendance being 71,148, shewing a decrease of 6,762 compared 
with the previous year. The principal reason for the diminished 
attendance was the comparatively long spell of abnormally incle- 
ment weather during January and February; the attendances at the 
Picton Lecture Hall falling from an average of over 950 to as low 
as 254. The number of special Lectures for Children was increased 
from 20 to 22, and the attendance at the Lectures was 12,084, as 
against 11,296 in 1911. The signal success attending this very 
important branch of our Lecture work justifies the Lectures Com- 
mittee’s action in extending these special Lectures to centres where 
children have not previously been provided for. 
Your obedient Servant, 
GEO. T. SHAW, 
Cuter LIBRARIAN. 
The Library, Museum, and 
Arts Committee. 
