from the rest of the Library will be an advantage all round, if it is found 

 possible to do so. There has been a considerable amount of controversy 

 lately as to what young people read in the way of tales, and I have taken 

 the trouble to ascertain the issues of two favourite authors, one for boys, 

 and one for girls. We have in the Library 98 copies of books by G. A. 

 Henty, and 76 by Mrs. Marshall. I find that the former were issued 

 5,400 times during the year, and the latter 2,400 times, an average of 18 a 

 day in the case of the boys' book, and of 8 in the case of the girls'. 

 When it is borne in mind that there are other authors nearly as popular 

 for both sexes, it will be seen how largely this department is used. 



We have added 1,207 new borrowers during the year, and the number 

 of cards cancelled is only 101, so that the number of borrowers is greater 

 than ever. Table 6 showing their occupations, is always an interesting 

 one, and shows that we draw on all classes for our customers. About 

 one-fifth return themselves as of no occupation, but this class includes 

 most of the married women, and the description does not by any means 

 accurately describe them, although it is the only one open. I give again 

 a Table showing the distribution of our last thousand borrowers in the 

 various wards of the town, which shows about the same results as formerly. 

 The number from Derwent Ward is about that to be expected, Babington, 

 Becket, Friar Gate, and Litchurch wards supply more than their quota of 

 readers, the first named Ward having the highest average, while Arboretum, 

 King's Mead, and Castle Ward fall below. 



The number of people using the News Rooms is as great, if not 

 greater, than ever, and I have had little cause to complain of the conduct 

 of those frequenting them. The rule of silence is on the whole well 

 observed, and a word of caution has always been found sufficient where 

 there was a disposition to break it. 



There have been no important additions to the Museum during the 

 year, beyond some remains presented by the Directors of the Midland 



