LIBRARIES. 15 
CHIEF LIBRARIAN’S REPORT. 
GENTLEMEN, 
I respectfully submit a report of the work of the Reference and 
Lending Libraries during the year 1915. 
STATISTICS. 
The attached Tables of Statistics shew that 2,268,530 volumes 
were issued over the counters in the Reference Library, Lending 
Libraries, and Reading Rooms. In addition it is estimated that 
there has been a use equal to an issue of over 464,000 volumes of 
the books on open shelves in the Reference Library. There is 
a decrease in the total issues in both the Reference and Lending 
Libraries. The issues from the Reference Library were 53,500 
less than in the previous year, while the issues from the Lending 
Libraries shew a decrease of over 102,000 volumes. It is impossible 
to give any satisfactory explanation of this decrease which is 
general, as all the Libraries have reduced issues to adults, while 
only four shew increases in the issues to children. There are one 
or two cases where the conditions have been exceptional. The 
Wavertree Branch Library was closed for nearly a month for 
painting and alterations, and the issues at the Kensington and 
West Derby Libraries were affected by the counter attractions at 
the Exhibition in Edge Lane. The Branch Libraries where there 
have been increased issues to Juveniles are Toxteth (13,629), 
Everton (6,353), Rawdon (8,019), and West Derby (2,933). 
There was an issue of 12,481 volumes from the Lending Libraries 
Depot, a decrease of 182 volumes. There were 3,036. volumes 
issued to Blind Readers as mapa 2,797 issued in 1912, an increase 
of 239 volumes. 
