THE CITY LIBRARIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 192, 3 May 1918, Page 3

THE CITY LIBRARIES

.AXNUAT, REPORT. /J'he annual report of the Chief Librarian (Jlr. 11. Jjaillte) again shows an increase in the work of all the departments of the Municipal Library. It is a notable coincidence, Mr. Baillic elates, that the Central and Ncwtoivn Libraries should show nil equal percentage increase on last year's work—the issues being Jβ per cent, and Hie subscriptions r l per cent. The children's department in each shows an increase of 53 per cent, in (lie number of subscribers. Tho children's department at Central shows an increase of 39 p»r cent, in book issues. jNo separate record can be kept at Newtown, but it may bo taken for granted that there has been a similar increase li'.erp. Compared with the records of ten years argo, (he Central issues have increased 72 per cent., and New!own iiS per cent.; subscriptions, Central, (i<) per cent.; Newiown, 58 per cent. At Brooklyn during the year subscriptions increased 33 per cent., and issues 24 per cent. The amounts collected from all sources during 1917-IS, xritli tho figures for the pluvious year in parentheses, were as follow—Central, /:Sll 15s. M. (.£051); Newloivn, £Sm (.£29!)); Brooklyn, 7?. !kl. (.£25 12s. 2d.); totals, il2lß 7s. 6d. (.£975 12s. 2d.).

As to book issues, the compnrative figures are:—Central: Adult. 11!),9J8 (103,097); children, 21,350 (8891); reference, 810 (7J-1); totals, 133.138 (112,732). Ncwtown, 75,031 (64,531); Brooklyn, GM7 (M 80); schools, 58,917 (36,(i71); grand totals, 273,536 (219,114). Tho report continues:—"There \can be no doubt that the various increases have been helped by the attention of the various members of the staff to tlio wants of the public. Such increases as wo show could not hßve been attained if the assistants were not doing their best. With the number of subscribers we liave, or with the sunply of new books that we can afford, it would be impossible to satisfy every demand, and I am pleased to find that as a general rule the relations between the members of the staff and members of the public are of an amicable nature. It is a pleasure to note that there aro very few actual .complaints."