gradual republication of the Catalogue in classes is being proceeded 

 with ; the Fiction division is nearly ready for the printer, and the 

 third division which is to consist of History, Biography and Travel, 

 is in progress. 



The re-arrangement of the Museum is steadily progressing, and 

 the Committee which has the work in hand has done a good year's 

 work, principally among the Invertebrates. Further details respect- 

 ing the Museum will be found in the Curator's Report. 



The building is in a good state of repair, and the amount spent 

 on keeping it so has been again comparatively a small one. With 

 no special expenses during the year, the Committee have been able 

 to go back to the usual amount spent on the Library proper, and 

 they see no reason why this amount should not be further increased 

 during the coming year, as there seems to be no probability of any 

 special outlay. 



The Committee note with very great regret, the death of Mr. 

 William Hobson, J. P. for twenty-three years Chairman of this 

 Institution. At their meeting on October 30th, 1893, when they re- 

 ceived his resignation, they placed on record their conviction that 

 " His unremitting attention to the interests of the Institution has 

 done much to place it in its present piosperous condition." In 

 his retirement its welfare occupied much of his thoughts, and the 

 remembrance of the work he had done in connection with it was 

 always a source of keen pleasure to him. 



It is the duty of the Committee in closing this Report to thank 

 the numerous donors of books, newspapers, magazines, and Museum 

 specimens for their gifts during the past year, and they desire further 

 to place on record their high opinion of the way in which the 

 Librarian and all his staff perform their duties. 



On behalf of the Committee, 



GEORGE BOTTOMLEY, 



Chairman. 



October, 28th, 1897. 



