To the Chairman and Members of the Derby 

 Free Library and Museum Committee. 



Gentlemen, 



I have much pleasure in submitting to you my Sixth Annual 

 Report. 



The Lending Library now contains 16,160 books, against 15,594 last 

 year, and the total issues have amounted to 133,594, against 129,269. 

 The daily average has risen from 493 to 518. Of new books we have 

 added 882, and we have also replaced 376 of the 669 volumes withdrawn 

 as worn out. Fourteen volumes have been lost and paid for, four totally 

 lost, and five books coming from infected houses have been destroyed. 

 I can again report favourably as to the way in which, for the most part, 

 the books are used, and considering the enormous circulation, and the fact 

 that the readers, as shown in Table VI., come from all classes of the 

 population, there is very little to complain of. 



The Reference Library stock now amounts to 9,322 works against 

 9,079 last year, 254 books having been added, and n withdrawn as worn 

 out. The issues amount to 13,520, against 17,380, and the daily average 

 stands at 47 instead of 59. The reduction in these figures is occasioned 

 by the temporary withdrawal of the bound volumes of illustrated magazines, 

 and I am glad to report that there is no reduction in the numbers of those 

 readers who consult the more valuable portions of the Library ; but, on the 

 contrary, a large increase of students, as opposed to those who come merely 

 to look at pictures, or to pass an idle hour. The University of Cambridge 

 has lent some of the more valuable books used as text books for the 

 courses of University extension lectures, and we have added all the others 

 necessary, and the text books kindly presented by the University Corres- 

 pondence College are also very largely consulted. The new books added 

 have all been carefully chosen, and include many of the most recent and 

 valuable works on Science and Art. 



The number of new borrowers added during the year is about 

 normal, and the number of cards cancelled considerably less than the 

 average. The number of overdue books which have had to be written 

 for, again shows a gratifying diminution, and that the privilege of 

 bespeaking books by the payment of one penny is appreciated is shown 



