Borough of 2)erb£. 



SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 



OF THE 



FREE LIBRARY AND MUSEUM COMMITTEE 



For the Year ending September 29///, 1888. 



THE Free Library and Museum Committee beg to present 

 their Seventeenth Annual Report to the Council, and in 



doing so, beg to congratulate them on the continued prosperity 

 and usefulness of the Institution. 



Large additions of Books have been made to both Libraries 

 during the year, in the selection of which the Book Committee have 

 exercised much vigilance and care, and the works purchased have 

 been supplemented by a handsome gift of 42 volumes, chiefly of a 

 valuable scientific character and for reference, from the Delegates 

 of the Clarendon Press, Oxford. The warmest thanks of the Com- 

 mittee and the Council are due to the University of Oxford for 

 this welcome addition to the Reference Library. 



The Committee have been enabled by strict economy in the 

 ordinary expenses of maintenance to deal with several matters of 

 importance. Last year the lower part of the building was painted 

 and cleaned throughout, and during this year the second part of 



