there are probably several reasons which might be given in account- 

 ing for it, but the principal one in my opinion, is the fact that 

 the past year has been a good one for business. Most of the people 

 who use the Library and Newsrooms have been in constant employ- 

 ment, and have had less time for reading, and some degree of the 

 novelty which attached to the opening of a special Children's De- 

 partment has worn off. Of the decrease referred to over 3000 are 

 in the Children's Library, and 5000 in Fiction, all other classes re- 

 maining about the same. I am glad to report that there is very 

 little to complain of in the way the books are used. 



Tables 3 and 4 deal with the Reference Library. The total 

 number of books here is 10,847, including 2,822 volumes of Patents. 

 The additions number 298 (including 121 Patents) against 130 last 

 year, when no patents were included. The daily issue is 43 against 

 41 last year, and there were 2,206 Patents consulted against 2,594 

 last year. 



Various miscellanous items of information are collected in Table 

 5. The number of borrowers also shows a decrease, but the propor- 

 tion between the sexes remains about the same, and Table 6 giving 

 the occupation of the last thousand borroweis shows that all classes 

 are represented among them. Those described as of no occupation 

 are mostly married women, and to that extent, the term is, or 

 should be, a misnomer. The distribution of the same thousand 

 borrowers among the wards of the town is shown in the table below, 

 which varies only slightly from former years. Babington, Becket. 

 Derwent, Friar Gate and Litchurch Wards all contribute above 

 their share; Arboretum, King's Mead, and Castle are below their 

 proper number, although there is a considerable advance in the 

 ward last named. 



