during the last two years of nearly a million volumes, only 9 are lost 

 or missing. This speaks well both for the honesty of the readers and 

 the efficiency of the working staff. 



In the last report an account was given of the proceedings of the 

 sub-committee appointed to consider the question of the extension of 

 Lending Libraries to the north and east districts of the city, and a 

 Report on the subject was appended. It was subsequently found 

 desirable to modify the conclusions then arrived at, and ultimately it 

 was decided to request the Council to appropriate a plot of land at 

 Kensington Fields fronting the high road, for the erection of a Lending 

 Library and Eeading Room. This report was adopted by the Council, 

 who further agreed to erect the building at a cost of about £3,000, the 

 rent calculated on this basis to be paid out of the Library Fund. This 

 will be a valuable boon to the increasing population of an important 

 district. 



The existing reading rooms continue to be popular, the attendance in 

 each of them having increased, amounting in the whole to 114,777, as 

 against 106,264 in the previous year. 



Museum. 



The visitors have increased during the year, from 255,616 to 291,754. 



Since the 1st October last the Museum has been thrown open to the 

 public on Monday evenings from 7 to 10. 



Some years since a similar attempt was made, but owing to the 

 disorderly conduct of some of the visitors, it had to be abandoned. It 

 is gratifying to find that at present the utmost order and propriety prevail, 

 indicating an advance and improvement in the popular feeling. 



In connection with this movement addresses or short lectures have 

 been given illustrative of the collections by voluntary lecturers, which 

 have been highly appreciated. A list of these will be found below. 



Mayer Museum. 



Not many additions have been made during the year, but those which 



have been acquired are of high interest. The attention of the curator 



has been principally directed to classifying, cataloguing, and labelling 



the collections, so as to render them more intelligible and available to the 



visitors. 



Signed on behalf of the Committee, 



J. A. PICTON, Kt., 



Chairman. 



