borrowers, have received notice at once that their books must not be 

 returned till the houses have been disinfected, and in every case the book 

 has been destroyed on its return to the Library. The public may therefore 

 have confidence that the Library does nothing in spreading contagious 

 diseases. I have to acknowledge gratefully the ready co-operation of the 

 Sanitary Committee, and the great assistance I have received from the 

 Medical Officer of Health for the Borough (\V. Iliffe, Esq.) and the Sani- 

 tary Inspector, Mr. Wilkinson. 



The News Room and Reference Room continue to be much used, and 

 in the evenings are often uncomfortably full. Monday and Saturday are 

 the busiest days. The behaviour of those who come to read has been 

 exemplary, and I have much pleasure in noting the fact that there seems 

 every disposition to conform to the regulations in force for securing good 

 order and perfect quiet. The only unpleasant circumstance to report 

 during the year is the undetected theft of two magazines. 



The re-arrangement and labelling of the Minerals in the Museum was 

 completed last December, and a complete Catalogue of the collection has 

 since been compiled by Mr. H. Arnold Bemrose, M.A., and is now avail- 

 able to the general public at a small cost. The Fossils are in process of 

 re-arrangement, and will, it is hoped, be finished by the end of the present 

 year. The re-arrangement of the Shells necessitated by the large additions 

 made last year is practically completed now, and the labelling is in a 

 forward condition. A valuable collection of British Birds' Eggs has been 

 purchased, and the Museum Committee have had funds placed at their 

 disposal for the purchase of Geological specimens which may be found 

 wanting as the re-arrangement progresses. I hope soon to be able to report 

 the Museum in perfect order. 



I am again glad to express my complete satisfaction with the work 

 done by the staff of the Institution. Both the junior assistants have left 

 since my last Report, taking with them an excellent character for industry, 

 and those appointed in their places are doing their work well. The work 

 done by the other members of the staff is of the same high quality which 

 has characterised their many previous years of faithful service. I should 

 like also to place on record my sense of the high service which is rendered 

 by the entire newspaper press of Derby, and thankfully acknowledge its 

 hearty co-operation in all that tends to the welfare of the Institution. 



The usual Tables are appended to this Report, to which I beg to refer 

 all who require more detailed information, and beg to remain, Gentlemen, 



Yours obediently, 



W. CROWTHER, 

 November qth, 1889. Librarian and Curator. 



