To the Chairman and Members of the Derby Free 

 Library and Museum Committee. 



Gentlemen, 



I have much pleasure in submitting to you my Fifth Annual 

 Report. 



The Lending Library now contains 15,594 books, against 14,836 

 last year, and the issues have amounted to 129,269, against 124,556. 

 The average daily issue is six lower than last year, but taking into 

 account the gradual withdrawal of three volume novels, and the substi- 

 tution of books in one volume, there is rather an increase than a 

 decrease in the works issued. The Reference Library stock now 

 numbers 9,079 volumes, against 8,825 last year, but the total issue has 

 fallen from 23,222 to 17,380, and the average daily issue from 84 to 

 59. This is entirely accounted for by the withdrawal of all the worn- 

 out bound volumes of the Illustrated London News and Graphic, the 

 issues of which were counted in the Reference Library returns. There 

 is no serious diminution in the numbers of those who consult the 

 more important portions of the Reference Department. The daily 

 average issue in the Lending Department varies from 566 in April to 

 373 in July, and in the Reference Department from 80 in October to 

 39 in May and July. 



In the Lending Library 427 volumes have been withdrawn as 

 worn out : of these 340 have been replaced. The places of some 

 have been declared vacant, and others will be re-purchased as opportu- 

 nity arises. Nine volumes have be^n lost and paid for, and four 

 totally lost. The new books amount to 858, which include the most 

 recent works in science, biography, and travels ; and plenty of good, 

 healthy reading for boys and girls. The additions to the Reference 

 Library number 322 volumes, and include some of the most valuable 

 works of the day. 



A new Supplementary Catalogue has been prepared during the 

 past year, and was issued to the public in August last. It deals with 

 about 4,700 volumes. A glance at this will show the character of all 

 the books added in recent years, and bear eloquent testimony to the 



