_.—8

6

A very largo number of volumes of fiction will want replacing through the ill-usage they have received at the hands of the subscribers, at least 95 per cent, of whom are novel-readers, and it is greatly to be regretted that so little care is taken of the books. A supplementary catalogue, amalgamating the quarterly supplements issued since the publication of the main catalogue in 1895, has been published and brought down to April, 1898. The main catalogue of 1895 will be out of print during the year, necessitating the publication of a new one. The financial assistance received from the Gammack Trust up to the 31st December amounted to £400. The following figures show the income derived from subscriptions during the last six years : 1893, £757 12s. ; 1894, £781 2s. 6d.; 1895, £651 Is. 6d.; 1896, £739 14s. 6d.; 189.7, £825 Is.; 1898, £857 15s. Reading-room. —The space in ihis department has been increased by taking in the lower office and connecting it with the room previously used, but still more accommodation is urgently needed. In addition to eighteen magazines which are provided for readers the following newspapers are filed : English, 8; American, 1; Australian Colonies, 9 ; New Zealand (about), 69.

Canterbury Public Library: Circulating Department. — Stock-sheet for Year ending the 31st December, 1898.

Reference Library. — Total of Books in each Section. History ... ...1,077 English literature, prose 520 J Botany ... ... 107 History, constitutional... 47 ; Foreign literature ... 399 Astronomy ... ... 90 Educational ... .... ' 166 ! Architecture ... ... 569 Biography ... ... 53.S Political ... ...2,188 Learned societies ... 171 Divinity ... ... 752 Calendars, &o, ... ... 956 Miscellaneous ... ... 264 Mineralogy ... ... 18 Newspapers ... ... 336 Agriculture ... ... 278 Geology ' ... ... 169 Zoology ... ... 287 Fine arts, &c. ... ... 355 i Legal... ... ... 70 Natural science ... 221 Chemistry and physics ... 72 Mathematics ... .. 121 Travels ... ... 395 Dictionaries ... ... 338 Biology ... ... 26 English literature, poetry Philosopy and mental Anatomy, surgery, &c. ... 104 and drama ... ... 278 j science ... ... 625

u 43 O .2 ft a 2ft g o s. g EC O ffl 6 •a Cβ h I 1 "1 Is || I 3 !| gQ Ph 111 tic CD s I i d 0 o o H W d g , 3 S H In stock, 1st January, 1898 New books and renewals added during year Total 1.1 I 1,! 1,283 62 ,283 62 , :-t4fi 1,400 1,57' 71 4; 1,471 1,611 1,400 71 1,574 45 (■4 a 15 L9 3 320 4 8,379 794 967 18 37 355 8L<J 1.8 10 12 1,018 1,071 17,186 66 33 1,115 1,345 1,471 1,619 324 9,173 256 55 985 35 365 831 1,084 1,104 18,301 U 1 275 1 69 7 .. 32 Taken off, unfit for issue Books missing Placed in reference library "l 12 l: 7 5 12 7 5 L2 4 "i h 2 "l 12 Total 1 1 12 % 12 24 U 311 4 4 2 2 18 2 376 In stock, 1st January, 1899 l>! 1,344 ,344 1,459 1,59, 1,459 1,595 )5 a 324 8,862 981. 31 363 829 1,066 1,102 17,925 Canterbury j Pub, J ublic j die Library. — L Libran, y. — Lis jtsi t of . Magazi s, Papers, d> f<3. ;«es, r\Aji«. Weekly. Daily, Bi,- and T weekly Taj: Bi, weel Daily, ,- and Triily Papers. tripers. Monthly C Magazines. IV Quarterly m *■ Magazines. lotalH - I I . Calculating Department— British American Australian New Zealand 1 1 11 45 6 1 3 57 1 7 1 1 6 2 i 13 55 2 2 71 Reference Department— British American Australian New Zealand i 2 4 14 1 2 3 2 2 20 1 2 5 2 4 20 2 2 28 Hoading-room— British American Australian New Zealand 4 56 8 1 5 10 14 1 22 2 9 69 3 60 24 18 102