[ x ] 



THE ADDRESS OF THE TRUSTEES WAS AS FOLLOWS:- 



Sir, 



A portion of the left Wing of the Melbourne Public Library, being so far 

 completed as to allow the admission of Visitors, the Trustees have done themselves 

 the honor to request your Excellency to declare it open to the Public. 



It may be interesting to you, Sir, to be informed of the progress of this 

 Institution. 



The centre part of the building, erected at a cost of about 16,000, 

 consisting of an Entrance-Hall, with a Reading-Room above, 50 feet by 50 feet, 

 and 32 feet high, was opened by His Excellency Major-General McArthur, on 

 the 11th February, 1856. 



The Library then contained only 3,846 volumes, and the hours of admission 

 were from 10 a. m. to 4 p. m. 



It was not until the end of May that the arrangements for lighting the 

 building with gas were finished; the hours of admission were then extended 

 from 6 p. m. to 9 p. m. 



The number of Visitors during the broken period of that year was 23,769. 



During the ensuing year, 1857; the number increased to 49,226, and as 

 considerable additions had been made to the collection of books, and as a 

 desire for a further extension of the hours of admission was manifested by the 

 public, it was opened on the 1st January, 1858, from 10 a. m. to 9 p. m. 



The enlargement of the hours of admittance caused a considerable aug- 

 mentation in the number of Visitors, as in the year 1858 the number was 77,925. 

 During the first three months of the present year, the number was 21,259, 

 giving for three years and two montlis a total of 172,179. 



When it is borne in mind that hitherto there has not been much to 

 attract the idle and inquisitive, or to entertain the frivolous, that the works in 

 this place are those which invite the scholar, instruct the diligent inquirer, and 

 detain the serious, the number of readers here presents a remarkable proportion 

 to that of the visitors to other libraries. Also as the chief impediment hitherto 

 experienced has been actual want of space, and as the Trustees will now be 

 able to yield to the inclination of opinion that the Library should be kept open 

 until 10 p. m., there is good reason to believe that the increased accommodation, 

 and the still further extension of time for reading, will enable still larger 

 numbers to avail themselves of the privileges now granted. 



The number of books at present on the shelves is 13,214. This includes 

 100 rare and costly volumes presented by the Emperor of the French. 



To these may be added 2,000 expected to arrive daily, of which a large 

 portion, shipped by the "Omeo" (charged also with the Electric cable intended 



