the Council deem it a matter of the utmost moment, that the annual Meeting should consider the desirability, or otherwise, of continuing the annual Volumes.

Free Library Returns.-In March last Bodley's Librarian, Mr. E. B. Nicholson, suggested to the Council that they should ask Sir John Lubbock to move on their behalf for a Public Library Return. The Council at once took steps to ascertain the wishes and views not only of our own provincial Members, but also of others, who are in charge of the Public Libraries. Acting upon the replies received to their communication, they resolved that in view of the approaching Meeting at Liverpool, and of the opportunity the librarians and managers of Free Public Libraries would thus have of considering the whole question, the Council were of opinion that the matter should be laid before the Association at Liverpool. This resolution was communicated to Sir John Lubbock, who promised to delay moving accordingly.

Proposed Visit to America.-The invitation tendered to the Association by Mr. R. R. Bowker-the late Editor of the "Library Journal"-at our Cambridge Meeting, to visit America next year, will, no doubt, still be in the memory of our Members. Mr. Bowker has not allowed this subject to drop since his return to America, but has been in correspondence with our Secretary on the subject. At the Buffalo Meeting of the American Library Association (on the 14th of August and following days), the Conference, Mr. Bowker writes, extended to the English Association a welcome for 1884, and left the time and place of the next Meeting to be fixed by the executive Committee, in order that our convenience might be consulted. It is, no doubt, a serious matter to propose, but the Council may safely say that English Librarians would enjoy nothing more than a visit to their American colleagues if it could possibly be arranged.

Liverpool Meeting.-The Council have the pleasant duty of expressing their appreciation of the efforts and exertions which have been made by the Officers and Members of the Local Committee at Liverpool. Thanks to their energy and liberality, a most excellent programme has been planned for our gathering, and the Conncil have no doubt that the Members of the Association will long continue to look back with pleasure to their visit.

The Council cannot conclude their Report without placing on record the deep sense they entertain of the valuable services rendered by Mr. E. C. Thomas, the Secretary to the Association, whose labours both officially and as Editor of the "Monthly Notes,' have been specially onerous during the past year.

They also wish to express their warm thanks to Mr. R. Harrison, who has held the responsible office of Treasurer from the foundation of the Association.

Examined and compared with the Books and Vouchers, and found to be correct,

(Signed) ROBERT HARRISON, Treasurer.

R.

(Signed) {GEOV HUMPHERY, } Auditors.

J. WHITTALL,

Liabilities.

8 do.

Bills unpaid

do.

88 do.

46 4 0

Five Subscriptions, 1883-84

LIBRARY NOTES.

BATH.-Mr. Eizak Pitman has issued the following circular dated the 1st of August, 1883 (Institution of the Parcels Post), and addressed "To the Librarianz ov the Free Librariz in Great Britian and Ireland."

FIRST STAGE OF THE SPELLING REFORM.

To the Librarianz or the Free Librariz in Great Britain and Ireland. Two or three yearz ago Bath achieved some notoriety in connection with the Free Library movement by refuzing to accept a Library ov 9,000 volumez that had been workt for six yearz az a Subscription Library. This valuable collection ov Books, together with commodious and centrally-situated, freehold premisez, adapted for a Library ov 100,000 volumez, waz offered az a gift to the City on the condition that the inhabitants would pay a d. Rate to support it. A Poll ov the burgessez was taken, and the offer waz refuzed by a vote ov two to one. Ov the Books that constituted the Bath Public Library, 2,000 had been prezented by myself, and 500 came from the library ov the late Mr. Francis Barham. On the dissolution ov the Subscription Library some of the books wer returned to their donorz, and the rest wer sold to pay the liabilitiz ov the Library. Az the literary executor of Barham, hiz 500 volumez came into my pozession, together with my own 2,000, and I bought about 500 volumez at the sale. I hav since increased the collection to 6,500 volumez, and now dezire to prezent them to the Free Librariz ov Great Britain and Ireland, at the rate ov 50 volumez to each.

Enclozed iz a catalogue ov the principal Books, numbering about 2,700 volumez, The remainder, ov a miscellaneous character, it is not necessary to catalogue.

I shal feel obliged if you wil select 50 volumez, and mark them with red ink. Az it iz probable that several Librarianz wil select the same Books, pleaze to mark a second 50 with black ink, and a third 50 with a pencil. From these I will send 25, and ad to them 25 miscellaneous volumez. If you select one or more sets ov books that consist ov more than 50 volumez, they wil be sent.

A few Librariz have alredy been supplied. To Birmingham, which dezervd the most consideration its first Library having been destroyed by fire, about 500 volumez hav been sent, in sets ov periodicalz; and several Young Men'z Librariz hav received 50 volumez each.

The Spelling Reform iz now so far establisht that I think I can with propriety ask you to accept a few volumez ov the Phonetic Journal from 1873 to the present time, for your Reference Library-the previous 31 volumez ar out ov printalso a small volume entitled "A Plea for Spelling Reform," and "A Memorial of F. Barham," printed phonetically, for your Lending Library. The Free Librariz ov the large towns hav alredi received sets ov the Phonetic Journal.

I also wish to send a dozen numberz ov the Phonetic Journal, and a dozen copiez ov the above "Plea," for prezentation to the memberz ov the Library Committee, and to any frendz who may inquire az to the nature and objects ov the Spelling Reform. To large townz I would send two or three dozen or the "Plea" if required. They wer printed at the expens ov Mr Coltman, ov Newcastle-on-Tyne, for sale at a nominal price, or for gratis distribution. I wil also ad a dozen or two ov second-hand School Books, etc., consisting ov Grammarz, Historiz, Geographiz, Maps, Hymn Books, and miscellaneous works, for prezentation to boyz and girlz who frequént your Library, and hav but few books ov their own.

I shal be glad to receive your reply in ten dayz,

EIZAK PITMAN.

CHELTENHAM.-At a public meeting, of a stormy character, held in Cheltenham on the 16th of July, a resolution was carried in favour of adopting the Libraries Acts. A poll was taken on the 18th, when the ratepayers decided to adopt the Acts.

DUNFERMLINE.-The library presented to his native town by Mr. Andrew Carnegie, now of New York and Pittsburg, was, on Wednesday, the 29th of August, opened by the Earl of Roseberry, who afterwards addressed a crowded meeting in the public hall. About £8,000 have been spent in the erection and furnishing of the building. This is situated in the centre of the town, having two street frontages, and is in the domestic Tudor style. Over the doorway is a carved scroll with the inscription, "Carnegie Free Library," beneath a rising sun, with an inscription, which was suggested by Mr. Carnegie himself, "Let there be Light." The library itself is 57 ft. by 25 ft., besides which there are a recreation room of 26 ft. by 25 ft., a reading room 34 ft. by 25 ft., and a ladies' reading room, 22 ft. by 18 ft. The library already has 11,926 books. On the laying of the foundation stone by his mother about two years ago, Mr. Carnegie, addressing the working men, reminded them that he had been himself a working man in Dunfermline, and told them that "they might dine upon homely fare, but that when they entered the portals of a library they had a banquet worthy of the gods." The Libraries Acts were adopted at Dunfermline in 1880.

GLASGOW.-We are informed by Mr Barrett that the Mitchell Library has now completed the second million in the number of volumes issued to readers, and advantage may be taken of this circumstance to draw attention to the very remarkable degree in which Mr. Michell's benefaction has been appreciated and made use of by all classes of the citizens-artizans, clerks, students and professional men. The first book was issued at ten o'clock on the morning of 5th of Nov., 1877; the first million issues were completed 14th January, 1881, being 982 working days from the opening; the second million issues were completed at 6.45 P.M. on Saturday last, 1st September, 1883, and occupied 808 working days. It is believed thatthere is no previous instance on record of the issue of two million volumes within so short a period of the opening of a public library. It should be stated, too, that in addition to this large number of volumes asked for at the counter there has been a very great use made of the current periodicals, which, to the number of more than 200 lie freely upon the tables. The following is a statement of the number of volumes issued in each of the classes in which the library is arranged, with relative proportion of the whole issue:—

The smallness of the proportion of fiction is very noticeable. Of the whole issue, no more than 10,481 volumes have been issued to