tional case, and such a mass of pamphlets, already located, and not bound, as existed at the beginning of the present year, the accumulation of several years, in excess of binding facilities,

is not likely again to happen. Beside the sources of error mentioned in the Report, there is the chance of mistake in selecting the wrong shelf-label, and a wrong one being attached, the volume of course finds an improper place on the shelf. In addition to 7,475 books located during the year, there were such labels attached, probably, to enough môre books where the old labels had become detached to make the gross number of selections of such labels between 8,000 and 9,000, and a few errors must necessarily occur. A similar point is covered in the Custodian's report in regard to the seventy books unaccounted for in the Lower Hall. Nearly 24,000 volumes were covered with paper during the year; and on these there must be copied on the back, at the lowest computation, over a hundred thousand figures, an error in any one of which would cause possible confusion. Again, in charging the 176,000 volumes issued from the Lower Hall during the year, not much short of a million of figures must have been made, and any single mistake is liable to cause trouble to the examiner.

I feel that the examination has been faithfully done, and the obstacles in the way are very likely conducive to a greater degree of thoroughness than when every volume is recalled. I believe such an examination never took place before in a large library with a great number of volumes in circulation at the same time; but what is proved so easy with us might be found impracticable in a library destitute of shelf-records, and where the system of charging loans is in account with individuals and not in account with books. Of course where no periodic examination takes place, and where the arrangements do not require an exact position for each volume on the shelf, so as to need rectification at intervals, there can be no reasons of the kind we have experienced against keeping ever-open doors to all

comers.

This is the case at the New York Mercantile Library and the question with them is only, whether a circulation of five or six hundred a day during the month of August is sufficient for dispensing with the customary vacation. In our case, it was thought that the use of the Library during August would prove to be about 50 per cent. of the average use of the year. It in fact amounted to nearly 74 per cent. The use in August was 92 per cent. of that of July. In August there were 62 volumes taken home daily from the Bates Hall. The highest use of the Lower Hall in one day was Saturday, the 28th, when 646 issues were made; the lowest in any other day was 342. The daily average of issues for the preceding eleven months in both halls was 770; while that for August was 568. By actual count, the number of volumes in the hands of borrowers from the Lower Hall in one day (August 12) was 2,770. It is not unlikely that in future the use of the Library in August will approximate much more nearly to the average of the year, as it becomes more widely known that the summer closing is dispensed with. In the few instances where I have found a record by months, it does not prove that the falling off in August should be as large as we have experienced it this year, though the different constitution of the social system in various places may affect the result; but at Liverpool, the use in August is nearly 92 per cent of the average for the year; at Birkenhead, nearly 90 per cent; and at Bolton (England), 91 per cent.

3. OUTSIDE CLERK, AND FINES.

The office of Outside Clerk in the Lower Hall was created last spring. The increased use of that department seemed to demand the presence of a male attendant for a police oversight, and it was desirable to relieve the receiving and delivery clerks from all interruptions arising from the settlement of fines, the sale of catalogues and questions of visitors, all a part of a system later to be explained for hastening the delivery of books

to borrowers. It was felt, moreover, desirable to institute a more uniform system of exacting fines for the over-detention of books. After the new attendant began his duties, his strict performance of them not unlikely checked somewhat the increase of circulation, which up to that date had been steady, since delinquents do not always graciously accept a situation, in which it is a new phase to be reminded of their obligations. The result of a four months' record by Mr. Bradshaw has been the detention of 104 cards for non-payment of fines, and the subsequent return to the holders of just about one-half (81) on the satisfactory adjustment of all dues. Longer familiarity with this rule will doubtless diminish infractions, and prevent any tendency to forego the privileges of the Library on account of it.

4. REGISTRATION OF APPLICANTS.

The registration of applicants has gone on through the year on the same basis as explained in the last Report, and the results appear in Appendix XII. The first year of the new record brought us of course the names of those most ready to avail themselves of the privileges of the Library; while those drawn in the present year show more nearly the normal additions for a year to our reading constituency. The number applying during the year (6,490), is 1,674 more than the average for eight years previous to beginning the new registration. Of these applications, more than one-half, since the directory afforded no evidence, went to the police for verification, while not much more than one in four went last year;* but on the other hand only one in eighty-five applicants were refused cards, while the number last year was one in fifty-one. The number of actual card-holders at the end of the year was about 17,000, though it is probable a considerable percentage of this number,

* This is evidence of our working in a larger degree below the directory level, or outside its range.

owing to removals, deaths, etc., were not in constant or even occasional use of the Library.

A new form of card having been substituted which entitles the bearer to the use of either hall, a record is no longer preserved of the issue of cards to the respective halls.

The claim which has been made for this Library, that it is the freest in the world, is virtually acknowledged by Mr. Edwards in his recent volume on "Free Libraries." He says the phrase is strictly applicable to it, regarded as a lending collection; but that the requirement of recommendations for strangers visiting it to consult books in the building prevents it being for a reference library as free as others. Mr. Edwards was not aware that he was copying rules that are not now in vogue with us. No recommendation whatever is now required.

5. BINDING DEPARTMENT.

The Binding Department has been put within the year in a more efficient condition, and I anticipate we shall be able to supply all, or nearly all our wants in the building when the binding of our pamphlets, now being pushed rapidly forward, is completed. From experiments made, there is reason to believe our binding is more conveniently and cheaper done than at the outside binderies. From one of the latter 1,639 volumes, comprising mainly the plain Lower Hall style of binding, and periodicals bound according to pattern have been received; while the number from the other is much less and of the costlier styles.

6. HOURS, PRIVILEGES, ETC.

Beside dispensing with the vacation, we have established a more liberal time-table for the public. The hour for opening the Bates Hall has been changed from ten o'clock to nine o'clock, making now the whole building accessible at that hour. By fixing more precise limits at the close of the day, as six o'clock

in winter and seven o'clock in summer, some further gain is made over the old rule for closing at half an hour before sunset. The following table shows our present average hours:

The average of six of the principal English libraries is sixtynine hours per week for the reference, and fifty-four for the circulating departments.

The granting the use of ink to the frequenters of the Bates Hall has produced no unsatisfactory results, and it is a privilege well accorded. It is now allowed at the British Museum, and the rule forbidding it has been rescinded at Berlin and in others of the large European libraries. Indeed, a relaxing from former stringency in many respects characterizes not a few of the principal libraries of Germany, as notably at Munich.

A change in our method of charging books to borrowers has worked well, and saves labor on our part, and it is thought to conduce to a more rapid delivery of books. The borrower now writes his name and residence, and the numbers of the desired books, on a printed slip, and when the volume is delivered and the writing on the slip verified by the applicant's card, the same slip is preserved as our record of delivery. There was some apprehension that illegible writing would produce mistakes; but this difficulty has not been experienced, all irregularities being corrected as the writing is verified.

7. BRANCH LIBRARIES.

The recent passage of a new Ordinance by the City Council, relating to the Library, is likely to open the question of branch libraries. The argument in their favor is of course the greater chance of usefulness for the books, by scattering them nearer