GENERAL REPORT. 



In the last Report reference was made to the difficulties arising from 

 a diminishing income and increasing expenditure, and the failure of the 

 attempt to induce the Ratepayers to apply for Parliamentary sanction to 

 add a farthing in the pound to the rate. Allusion was also made to the 

 refusal of the Council to sanction the purchase of a portion of the Mayer 

 Collection. This valuable assemblage of interesting objects has since 

 been disposed of by auction at Sotheby and Wilkinson's in London. A 

 few lots, to the utmost extent of our means, have been secured for the 

 Library. 



Since the establishment of the Lending Libraries, thirty-five years 

 ago, many circumstances connected with their scope and object have 

 changed. The City has doubled in population, but the extension has 

 been irregular in its advance, and it became an important question how 

 the additional demand thus arising could be best met. 



At the beginning of the year a Sub- Committee was appointed to 

 consider and report on the district libraries and reading rooms as to their 

 extension, and, if necessary, their removal to more suitable situations. 

 Mr. T. B. Hall, Chairman. This Sub -Committee, after a patient and 

 diligent inquiry, has presented a report, a copy of which accompanies the 

 present issue.* This was brought before the Council on the 1st of 

 February, and after ample discussion and a division, the following reso- 

 lution was adopted : " That the Report on the Free Lending Libraries be 

 received and referred back to the Library Committee to obtain plans and 

 estimates for carrying out their recommendations, to be hereafter 

 submitted to the Council." 



The Committee cannot but feel that their work of enlightenment and 

 education has to be pursued under circumstances of great difficulty. 

 There is no doubt that, in respect to the support accorded to these Insti- 

 tutions, Liverpool is falling behind in the race, whilst other communities, 

 such as Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Preston, are advancing with rapid 

 strides, and obtaining a proud pre-eminence. It remains to be seen 



• See Appendix. 



