86 THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 



The librarian has little to add to these statistics. A quiet 

 and uneventful year leaves little to be said in a report. 

 Some considerable time has been spent in an examination 

 of the library with a view to making it more accessible to 

 nsers. The files of newspapers have been arranged and a 

 list made of missing numbers. In order to make room for 

 our ever-increasing number of books it has been found nec- 

 essary to remove some of those which are rarely consnlted 

 to quarters outside the library building. The necessity for 

 this is to be regretted and we are looking hopefully for- 

 ward to the time when an addition to our funds will enable 

 us to build a stack room in the rear of our present build- 

 ing. We also trust that we may be able at no distant day 

 to make a catalogue of the library and thus greatly in- 

 creaseits usefulness. 



With all our drawbacks the library is eonsulted very 

 frequently and we have reason to believe is of great use to 

 students who are pursuing special lines of study and re- 

 search. 



Our library does not aim to be a populär one in the 

 sense of furnishing the current literature of the day. This 

 is left to, and is abundantly supplied by the Public Library. 

 But we do aim to make it as complete as possible in certain 

 directions and believe it to be a most valuable library for 

 reference and consultation. Students and investigators 

 are always welcome to the rooms and all the advice and 

 assistance possible is given them in the prosecution of 

 their researches. 



The public appreciate more and more as the years go by 

 the good work that the Institute is doingin their midst. 

 Let us hope that this appreciation may before long take 

 some substantial form which will enable the Institute to in- 

 crease its sphere of usefulness. 



Chas. S. Osgood, 



Librarian. 



