the columns in such a manner as to make the alphabet consecutive and at the same time to render the cases easier to consult. The space thus gained permitted also the addition of many tables by which at least fitty more readers are accommodated. The removal of paint from the windows in the lantern has made the hall more cheerful and has greatly reduced the use of artificial light in the day-time.

The introduction of electricity has been of great advantage in improving both the ventilation and light as well as in preventing damage to books by the vapors given off by gas.

In the early part of the present year the apartments used by the former janitor became available for the better housing of bound newspapers and books; by this means twenty-five hundred square feet of much needed floor space was gained for library use. The removal of the newspapers from the room between the lower hall and Bates hall floors, and the relegating of the work of arranging the periodicals coming from the reading-rooms after their first use to the book-department, where they are more satisfactorily and expeditiously attended to, afforded a commodious place for the duplicate books, which for many years had been piled in heaps in a dark basement room, where they were rendered practically useless for lack of space. These duplicates, amounting to some twelve thousand volumes, are now properly shelved, and a list is preparing by means of which they may be better known and disposed of, either by supplying deficiencies in the Library or by sale or exchange.

The large mass of combustible material that was for many years permitted to accumulate in the basement has finally been removed. The entire fire-extinguishing apparatus, which was found utterly unserviceable, has been put into good condition, and an actual test of its efficiency is now made every month. These, together with other changes in the arrangement of the basement, have tended to improve greatly the sanitary condition of the building as well as to ensure its safety.

The administration has been in many ways simplified and the character of the service rendered more efficient. Great and needed improvements have been made to facilitate the registration of applicants wishing to become card-holders, and to afford relief from some of the formalities, which, although once considered indispensable, have been found in practice to be unnecessary; and in general, every effort has been made to promote the use of the Library by the people. Long experience has shown that the great mass of those who use the Library do not abuse the privileges afforded them. The trustees have therefore considered it better to reduce to the

lowest possible limit all obstacles to the freest circulation of books, and to run the risk of small and insignificant losses, rather than to incommode the public by annoying restrictions.

Boxes have been placed in the public halls for the reception of complaints to the trustees, but the number of complaints has of late been noticeably small. The trustees desire again to call the attention of the public to these boxes, with the assurance that all complaints will be promptly and fully considered, and if well-founded, acted upon.

During the past year very few recommendations for books have been received from the public. This is apparently due to the fact that, with the increase of the Library, fewer deficiencies are discovered.

As the Library has grown in numbers and the hours of use have been extended, considerable trouble has been occasioned by the misplacement of books. In the present building no satisfactory remedy can be applied to this evil, but it is believed that with the improved organization which is contemplated in the new building, it will practically cease to exist.

The change of the limit of age for users of the Library from fourteen to twelve years has had the effect of extending the usefulness of the institution, as has also the rule whereby inhabitants of the city who are entitled to register are permitted to borrow books for home use without presenting a card upon depositing the value thereof. The Library privileges have been extended to officers and enlisted men of the United States Army and Navy who may for the time being be, stationed in Boston or vicinity.

During the past year two janitors have performed satisfactorily all the work formerly done by three. The letting of the miscellaneous carpentering, etc., by contract to one person, instead of making use of the expensive and unsatisfactory method of employing outside mechanics, has saved time and money, and fixed the responsibility for the proper performance of the many and varied petty pieces of work that are constantly needed in and about the central and branch buildings.

The revision of the registration begun in 1886, which was the first in eighteen years, is practically completed and all the re-registrations made, so that the figures for the past year, amounting to 11,502, represent new applicants for cards. This number compares favorably with those of the years preceding the revision.

This revision has corrected many abuses and cut off excrescences and dead wood. It has shown that numbers of

people were holding more cards than they were entitled to. In one case, which is the type of a great many, a person was discovered who had registered five separate times and who was using the five cards thus obtained, a course manifestly calculated to help the circulation, but hardly consistent with a due regard for the rights of others. The principle of the system used in the examination of the shelves is applied to the revision of the registration, so that it goes on continuously and is completed in each period of twelve months. By this means the great inconvenience to the public by a re-registration will in the future be avoided. Abuses such as those referred to above are now impossible, and a glance shows whether a registration is alive or dead, whereas under the old system this could be determined only by a constant surveillance of a suspected case, the only clue in any case being the surrender of old cards for new ones.

BINDING.

The question of the binding of books is becoming each year more serious. Some time since the trustees effected a complete reorganization of the bindery department with a view to reducing the cost as well as to improving the quality of the work. The result has been so satisfactory that in spite of the steady increase of the number of books bound and repaired, a saving of some $4,400 a year has been effected in salaries alone, and the quality of this binding compares favorably with that of former years. A plain, serviceable, and uniform style has been adopted for all books, while an experiment has been made of binding newspapers in cotton duck with a stout loop of the same material over the backs by which the heavy volumes can be easily handled.

At the present time a great number of bindings are becoming unserviceable, not so much from rough handling or extraordinary wear and tear as from simple disintegration caused by age, heat, and noxious gases. In the early days of the Library great masses of new books were put upon the shelves. The bindings of these books seem to have reached the limit of serviceableness almost simultaneously and all need attention at once. Within a short time some twentyfive hundred of these books have been removed from the shelves, and must be bound before they can be used by the public. This work must be done in addition to the ordinary work of the department. It would be in the interest of economy, and of benefit to the public, if means were placed at the disposal of the trustees, to enable them to have all the

books of the class referred to bound as soon as possible. As delay will only increase the number of books needing rebinding, as well as the difficulties attending it, the trustees respectfully urge the necessity of an extra appropriation of $6,000 for this purpose.

Books.

Toward the end of the year 1890 the trustees consolidated. the shelf-department with the ordering- and receivingdepartment.

By this arrangement they were able to dispense with the services of three assistants, two of whom had received a salary of $1,000 apiece. The head of the new department thus formed has charge of the ordering and care of all the books in the library. This change has resulted in greater efficiency of service, though the increased duties are performed by a reduced working force.1

An analysis of the work of this department shows that the Library has developed with remarkable evenness during the last four years, and that no class of books has been neglected.

The system of recording gifts has been changed. By entry in a single book with an alphabetical index, the hitherto complicated methods are simplified, and the names of the benefactors of the Library are recorded side by side with a description of their gifts.

Great attention has been paid to the method of buying books and periodicals both at home and abroad, and the whole system has been placed upon a business basis. It is believed that a decided saving has been made in this direction and that the Library buys its books at the lowest possible prices.

The cumbersome order-sheets and accession lists are no longer used, and in their place a compact order-book has been substituted, in which are found all data necessary to trace the history of each book from the time it was ordered to the present.

The plan of notifying agents by postal card of the publication of books necessary to complete sets in the Library has produced a gratifying promptness in the remittance of the desired volumes.

Within a short time the branch libraries have been provided with sets of the latest edition of Appleton's Cyclopædia, with the annual volumes to date and complete indexes. These libraries have also been furnished with the latest reference-books and a large selection of volumes issued in popular series, such as the "American Commonwealths, American Statesmen," "Epochs of History," "Stories of the Nations," Sir John Lubbock's " Hundred Books," so far as published, and others. These publications have the advantage of presenting information upon the topics treated in the most convenient form used by the general reader. It is thought that the addition of this class of books will greatly extend the usefulness of the branch libraries.

The character of the books purchased during the past year has elicited commendation from many visitors who, by virtue of their wide range of learning, are regarded as authorities. The best fruits of modern thought have been culled from the bibliographical lists which are daily examined in the Library and the carefully prepared selections are submitted for approval to the trustees, who give this most important subject their closest attention.

The trustees hope that during the coming year their endeavors to procure from the authorities at Washington a set of the United States patents, classified by subjects, will be successful. An accession of this character will add greatly to the usefulness of the patent department.

The annual examination of the Library shelves, previous to 1869, was effected by closing the Library outright for a month. The trustees of that year, acting upon the advice of Mr. Winsor, then adopted the present system which entirely obviates any necessity for closing even for a day. The examination is prosecuted continuously throughout the year by means of the written shelf-lists, so that the circuit of the alcoves is made in twelve months. This task is rapidly assuming formidable proportions. Each year's accessions add greatly to the difficulties and the time is not far distant when it will require the constant services of one competent person.

The list of gifts that will be found in the appendix shows that the friends of the Library are both numerous and liberal. The most noteworthy gift is that of 2,463 volumes received in March, by bequest of the late Miss Caroline Coddington Thayer. These books were the remainder of her valuable and remarkable collection of finely illustrated books, portfolios of portraits, and memorials of Theodore Parker, the greater part of which had been given by her from time to time during her life-time and deposited with the books be