These figures make a total of 919,668, and though they do not 

 represent distinct persons, they are more representative of persons than 

 might be imagined seeing that readers confine themselves very largelj' 

 to a particular kind of literature. 



The Pictou Reading Eoom is an extension of the Library built by Sir 

 William Bro^vn, and was so called by the City Council in honour of the 

 late Sir James Allanson Picton, who for nearly 40 years presided over 

 the Committee of these institutions, and who devoted so much of his 

 time and abilities to promote their success. 



The room is circular in shape, with a diameter of 100 feet. It is 

 lighted by day from a central roof-light 24 feet in diameter, and by 

 night by electricity from an ornamental column rising from the centre of 

 the floor of the room. The three arc lamps, with their screen of opal 

 glass, form one of the most eflFective and successful installations in the 

 country. The room is set apart for study and literary research and 

 inquiry. Novels and popular magazines are not issued except under 

 very special cicumstances. Pens and ink are provided on certain of the 

 tables. Special facilities are gi^'en for obtaining dictionaries, encyclo- 

 paedias, and other works of constant reference. Atlases are placed in 

 various parts of the room, and there are some 200 of the principal 

 scientific and literaiy review-s and journals, both English and Foreign, 

 to which the readers have access at pleasure. Every desire is made to 

 render the room as attractive for literary work as possible, and to 

 dispense with as much '' red tape " as is compatible with the safety of 

 the books and general advantage of readers. The following comparative 

 table shows that 201,70.5 volumes have been issued during the past year 

 against 173,831 last, making an increase of 27,874 volumes. This is 

 quite apart from the issues in the Brown Reading Room. 



In the previous Report attention was called to the vote of money by 

 the City Council, under the Customs and Excise Act, for the purpose of 

 increasing the luunber of technical books in both the Reference and 

 Lending Libraries. The addition to the libraries, from this source, of 

 many valuable and useful books of a practical and technical kind is 

 evidently being appreciated, for the class which has been most affected 

 by the general increase of the issues is that of arts and sciences. 

 Compared with last year, the issue of scientific books has increased by 

 10,592 volumes. To aid the student and general reader, a small Hand- 

 list of important books of reference, with notes giving the scope and 



