number of slips representing requests for books was practically the same as last year, but the proportion of unsuccessful calls for books was lower, being 56.6 per cent against 58.8 per cent last year. Of the total unsuccessful requests only 63,288 called for fiction, as against 80,947 a year ago. Of the total number of volumes sent out from the Central Library this year through the branches 85,649 were taken directly from the shelves of the Deposit Collection in the Central Library.

Three branches and 8 reading rooms show substantial gains in circulation over the previous year; the increase in circulation at the South Boston Branch being over 16,000 volumes.

The number of volumes sent out on deposit from the Central Library was 44,257 as against 46,972 last year and 43,013 in 1919-20. The number of volumes thus sent out often fluctuates from causes beyond the immediate control of the library, depending, as it does, upon the needs of the schools, itstitutions and other agencies of deposit. This past year at one time the pressure of work at the Central Library caused the omission of deposits to reading rooms for one month or more, and a delay in making up school deposits for a period longer than was desirable. The number of volumes sent to schools from the Central Library and branches and reading rooms was 46,096, compared with 43,196 last year. Of this number 17,222 were sent by the Branch Department, Central Library, as compared with 17,023 the year before. The number of individual teachers supplied was practically the same, being 1,100 as against 1,118 in 1920-21.

Attention is called to the following quotations from the report of Marian A. McCarthy, who has charge of the binding of branch books:

During the past year special attention has been directed to the upkeep and repair of the branch books. The poor quality and construction of the average book makes vigilance necessary. Trained judgment in the care of books is now more important than ever.

To acquaint branch assistants with the construction of a book and to train them as to the best methods and materials to be used in mending, classes in book repairing have been held at the Central Library. Here exhibits of mending materials and mounted examples of the various processes of book repair

ing are displayed. Samples of the comparative stages in binding a book by machinery and by hand are also exhibited.

The co-operation of the children in the care of the books has been sought by sending to the branch libraries and schools sets of gaily colored posters, following them by a little talk on the "story of the book" and an appeal for better care of the library books.

The total circulation of the branch system for the year was 2,318,059 volumes, compared with 2,129,407 the year before, and 1,992,987 in 1919-20 a gain of 188,652 volumes over the year 1920-21. All of the branches, with the exception of one, show a gain in circulation; in some of them a gain of over 10,000 volumes. All of the reading rooms but three made a gain, many of them from 5,000 to 10,000 each. The larger supply of books was the chief factor in this result.

The number of new books bought for the branches was 17,477 as against 10,688 in 1920-21 There have been replacements to the number of 14,600 volumes compared with 12,686 the year before. The additions to the permanent collections of the reading rooms was 16,163 volumes compared with 7,731 in 1920-21. Special attention was given during the year to building up the collection of reference books, technical books, and books relating to fine arts. The number of books issued on deposit from the branch libraries, chiefly to schools, was 48,357 compared with 45,507 last year.

In the appendix to this report may be found interesting quotations from the reports of the librarians of several branches and reading rooms — quotations valuable because they indicate some of the significant and varied activities and problems that are met with in the course of the year.

THE BINDERY AND PRINTIng Departments. During the year the Finance Commission of the City of Boston has made an investigation of the bindery A report submitted to the commission by Mr. Frank J. Barnard, Jr., a well-known Boston binder, after a study of the library plant, was referred to the Board of Trustees. A committee of the Board asked the chief of the library bindery to reply to the criticisms and suggestions presented and then, after a study of the two reports, the committee submitted them to Mr. Charles W. Facey, chief of the bindery of the Harvard College Li

brary, for his consideration. The committee of the trustees and the librarian gave careful study to the three reports, held conferences with Messrs. Kenney and Facey, and then reported to the Board of Trustees. After further deliberation by the Board it was decided that all the activities of the library bindery ought to be continued in the Central building and that increased appropriations should be sought in order to place the plant in a position to carry on its work with a modern equipment of machinery, an economy which will pay for the investment in a short time and will increase the present efficiency of the department.

The usual statistics furnished by the chiefs of the bindery and printing department may be found on page 61 of the appendix.

LECTURES AND EXHIBITIONS.

Lists of the library courses of free lectures given during the season, of the lectures given under the auspices of various civic societies, and of the public exhibitions held at the Central Library during the year, may be found on pages 58-60 of the appendix. As in former years, the record covers the period from the fall of 1921 through the spring of 1922.

In the public lecture course on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons are included, as in former years, the course on outdoor life provided by the Field and Forest Club, and the course on the drama and theater provided by the Drama League. The Boston Ruskin Club continued its public meetings and lectures on alternate Mondays.

The demand for the use of the lecture hall has increased to such a degree that requests have to be denied repeatedly; the hall was in use every evening, most of the afternoons, and many forenoons during the winter. University Extension courses on the following topics were given in the hall: Survey of English literature (to library assistants), Elementary English Composition, Conversational French, Conversational Spanish, Present-day Economics, Foreign Trade and Public Speaking. A course on the Appreciation of Music was given by the Trade Union College. Eight public lectures were given under the auspices of the New England Home Economics Association and six by the Massachusetts State Federation of Women's Clubs. Meetings were

held by the Women's Auxiliary of the American Legion, Boston Elementary Teachers' Club, the Massachusetts Library Club, Women's Municipal League, National Council of Geography Teachers, Parent-Teachers' Association, American Folk Lore Society and the New England Anti-Vivisection Society. The Dickens Fellowship again provided the annual pre-Christmas reading of Dickens's "Christmas Carol."

Two largely attended public meetings were held by the Massachusetts Section National Civic Federation and the Massachusetts Public Interest League, to discuss respectively the Sheppard-Towner and the TownerSterling bills.

As the current year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the free lecture courses given in the main lecture hall it has seemed appropriate to print an account of their growth and development. They have given great enjoyment and instruction to thousands of the citizens of Boston and the neighboring municipalities. From their inception they have been under the thoughtful direction of the assistant librarian, Mr. Fleischner, whose interesting sketch may be found on page 57 of the appendix.

The Pilgrim Tercentenary Exhibition described in the last annual report was continued into September, and afforded interest and instruction to thousands of summer tourists.

In connection with the meeting of the American Medical Association held in June there was exhibited Dr. Edward C. Streeter's notable collection of early medical texts, supplemented by some items loaned by the Boston Medical Library.

An exhibition of representative books, prints and photographs relating to Dante and the sexcentenary of the poet's death was held in September; the books remained on view until the end of the year.

The unique collection of original autographs, letters and sketches contributed by world-famous personages for the "Book of the Fatherless Children of France" was exhibited publicly for the first time and attracted numerous visitors during November.

The exhibition of the Boston Young Men's Christian Union Camera Club proved to be an inspiring display of artistic photography and revealed unsuspected beauties in familiar Boston spots.

In January the original drawings for the proposed

Boston war memorial, submitted by the Mayor s Committee, were shown in Sargent Hall and attracted much attention.

Other loan exhibits of wide popularity were the Poster competitions for school children, held by the Junior Red Cross and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS.

For the first time in a period of years it has been possible to undertake some repairs of major importance. Extensive work has been done on the roofs of the Brighton, Charlestown, North End, West End and East Boston branches and the Lower Mills and Faneuil reading rooms. Exterior painting has been done on the Brighton, Charlestown, East Boston, Hyde Park, North End and West End branches, and the Lower Mills and Faneuil reading rooms. Interior painting has been done at the East Boston and North End branches. Important carpentry repair work has also been done at most of the above places, in addition to considerable masonry work and steamfitting Electric lights have

been installed at the Faneuil Reading Room, and a more modern lighting equipment at the North End Branch, the Tyler Street Reading Room and in the Children's Room at the Brighton Branch.

With the approval of the Mayor, the trustees advertised in the City Record of July 30 and August 6 for proposals for the installation and completion of a new electric passenger elevator in the Central Library Building. The contract was awarded to the F. W. Payne Company for the sum of $5,624. The work on the elevator was completed on November 30 The new equipment is a convenience long desired by the public.

An attractive children's story hour room has been secured at the Brighton Branch by partitioning off a section of the basement. The Children's Room at the Dorchester Branch has been entirely rearranged and refitted making an attractive room. Confidence is expressed that the work with the children of this district. will be materially enlarged, now that the children's quarters have been made so satisfactory.

Serious consideration must be given immediately to the need of a thorough overhauling and extension of the pneumatic tube and electric book carrier systems in the