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TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT 



OF THE 



free libra r\> ano fIDuseum Committee, 



For the Year ended September joth, 1893. 



i^t^HE Free Library and Museum Committee, in presenting their 

 V/ 1 Twenty-Second Annual Report to the Council, are glad to be 

 able to say that the Institution under their charge is in a prosperous 

 condition, and is doing its work successfully. 



The issue of books for the year, particularly in the Lending Depart- 

 ment, shows a marked increase which is very gratifying, the issues now 

 reaching a daily average of over six hundred. The new books added 

 during the year number 919, and the replacements of worn-out books 

 amount to 355, making a total of 1,274 books purchased during the 

 year. It has not been thought necessary to publish an additional 

 supplementary Catalogue, but type-written lists of the books added are 

 shown in the Delivery Room. Those who wish for further information 

 respecting the Library are referred to the Librarian's Report, and the 

 exhaustive tables which accompany it. 



The building is in a good state of repair. In view of the introduc- 

 tion of the Electric Light, the painting and re-decoration of the Museum 

 and Library have been deferred for a time, but these will shortly be 

 proceeded with. The completion of the Electric Lighting installation 

 is now only a matter of a few days, and will probably be completed by 

 the time this Report is before the Council. The Committee feel sure 

 they have acted in the best interests of the Institution in incurring this 

 expense, as a great saving will be effected in the charges for painting 

 and decoration, as well as in bookbinding ; while the amount of benefit 

 both to the staff and to the visitors in the way of better light and 

 increased purity of atmosphere can scarcely be over-estimated. 



The cost of the installation will probably be about ^370, and the 

 Committee are glad to say that they will be able to pay this, and also 



