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We learn from the report that the appeal made last year to the members of the Library for assistance in forming a special collection of old reviews and magazines met with a generous response on the part of many members, and produced a total number of 622 volumes. Some of these gifts were duplicates of sets already in the Library, and they are found very useful in enabling the librarian to keep one set at home for reference while the other was in circulation. An interesting collection of works written by foreigners on the subject of Great Britain, numbering 400 volumes, was presented by Mrs. Edwin Edwards. Mrs. Jervis presented 500 volumes, collected by the late Rev. W. Henley Jervis for the purpose of his History of the Church of France. The Rev. Dr. Holden, of Ipswich, presented 88 volumes, consisting chiefly of modern Latin poetry.

NOTTINGHAM.-At the June meeting of the Town Council a letter was read from the Nottingham Literary and Philosophical Society, announcing that it had been decided to dissolve the Society, and offering the residue of its property, after payment of debts and liabilities, to the University College Free Library and Museum Committee, besides scientific collections and apparatus, and a balance of £47. in cash. The gift includes a library of 640 volumes, together with the Proceedings of the Ray, Palæontographical and other Societies, and nearly 100 pamphlets and reports. A resolution to accept the gift with thanks was unanimously carried.

ROTHERHAM.-A valuable gift of books has just been made to Rotherham College, consisting of the library of the late Rev. Dr. Harrison, Vicar of Fenwick, near Doncaster, who died on the 26th of February last. The number of books is about 1700, and consist mainly of critical and patristic works, including about 300 folio volumes of the Latin and Greek Fathers, the works of the German, Swiss, and English reformers, and works relating to recent Church controversies, especially on the question of the Eucharist. The books have been placed in a special room, which will be known as the Harrison Library.

TAUNTON.-The Taunton Somerset Institution, Market House, Taunton, has been given up after an existence of over sixty years, and its library and effects were disposed of by auction on May 21st. The collection comprised about 2000 volumes.

TORONTO (CANADA).-The Free Library Scheme, having passed the ordeal of the popular vote and the attempt to kill it off in the Council by refusing to vote the necessary appropriation, is in a fair way of success. The Library Board starts with a fund of £10,000, besides a building worth £6,000. It is proposed to purchase at once 30,000 volumes. The annual income will be from £2,500 to £3,000, with an increase of ten per cent. per annum. The Globe (Toronto) suggests the idea of building up a complete collection of works of reference, the amalgamation of other small libraries existing for a similar purpose. A special collection of Canada literature is also

suggested.

WANDSWORTH.-We are indebted to a courteous communication from Mr. E. Erskine Greville, the Vestry Clerk, for the information

that the Library Acts have just been adopted at Wandsworth by a majority of 1868.

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WIMBLEDON. The Library Acts were adopted at Wimbledon on June 21st by a majority of 81 upon a poll. The opinion of the ratepayers had already been taken in the two previous years. This is the fifth instance of the adoption of the Acts in the districts on this side of London.

The Sixth Annual Convention of the American Library Associa tion will be held at Buffalo on Tuesday and three following days. An opening address will be delivered by the President, Prof. Justin Windsor. We hope that our American colleagues may have a pleasant and successful gathering.

The final result of the negociations for the purchase for the British Museum of a portion of the Ashburnham Manuscripts has been that the Treasury has agreed to give £45,000 for the Stowe Collection without the Appendix. A parliamentary paper is to be issued on the subject.

The account of the Library of Magdalen College, Oxford, which has been contributed to Notes and Queries by the librarian, the Rev. W. A. B. Coolidge, is concluded in the issue for June 9th.

The Manchester City News (which is edited by our member, Mr. J. H. Nodal) prints a monthly list of the principal additions to the Central Free Library at Manchester. The Leeds Mercury, we believe, prints a weekly list of additions to the Leeds Public Library.

LIBRARY CATALOGUES AND REPORTS.

Dublin. Supplemental Catalogue of Books, by Author, Title, Subject and Class, added to the National Library of Ireland during the year 1880. Dublin: for Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 8vo, pp. xi.-455, cloth.

This catalogue, which has been prepared by Mr. William Archer, who signs the preface, is a most thorough and satisfactory piece of work. As the title will have indicated, it is compiled upon the Dictionary plan, and on the lines laid down by Mr. Cutter. The compiler, who has the advantage of speaking from considerable experience, speaks very confidently of the utility of this kind of catalogue not only in the library itself, but also outside the library as a guide to reading. The entries, with the exception of the main or author entry, are as far as possible restricted to one or two lines, and the nature of the entry is indicated by corresponding varieties of type. In the case of the main entry the title is given in full, or, if condensed, the individuality is respected as far as possible. Contents are given in numerous cases, and the number of pages, and of illustrations, &c., followed by the place of publication, and the publisher's name, and date. Some of the larger subject entries are exceedingly full, specially the names of Countries, Criticisms, Essays, Fine Arts, History, Literature, Natural Sciences, Philology, Philosophy, Sociology, Theology, Useful Arts. Under Biography we find no less than 37 sub-heads of professions, &c.; the entries in small type extending over more than five pages. Altogether we cannot imagine how the work could be more thoroughly and adequately planned, while the care with which it has been done, and the remarkable freedom from typographical or clerical errors reflect the utmost credit upon cataloguer and printer. We wish that every library in the country might be provided with such a list of its yearly accessions; and we could wish it no greater boon.

Liverpool. Annual Supplementary Catalogue of the Liverpool Library (with the Laws and Report), 1883. Liverpool, 1883. 8vo. pp. 78.

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The annual list of accessions is prepared with Mr. Wakefield's usual care. The "Novels and Tales are kept together, and not included in the general alphabet. The one hundred and twenty-fourth annual report states that the issues during the year were 60,697, being a slight decrease on the previous year. The income was £1,310.; and the year closed with a balance in hand of £87. 88. 1d. The amount expended on purchase and hire of books and bookbinding was £636. Os, 11d.

Nottingham Mechanics' Institution. Catalogue of the Lending and Reference Libraries, compiled by J. T. Radford, Sub-librarian. Nottingham, 1883. Price 6d. 8vo, pp. iii.-144, double col. This is the catalogue of a good library of about 13,000 volumes, part of which consists of a small local collection. By far the larger portion of the books belong to the lending department; those in the reference department extending only from p. 133 to 142. A short list of assumed names is affixed (2 pp.) The catalogue is compiled upon the dictionary system, and is printed in a small but clear type. The contents of collectaneous works are set out, but not those of periodicals. It is a solid and careful bit of work.

Manor of Aston Local Board. The Fifth Annual Report of the Free Libraries' Committee, March 26th, 1882 to March 25th, 1883. Aston, 8vo, pp. 16 and wrapper.

The issues for the year were: in the reference department, 8,096; in the lending department, 75,395 volumes. The stock is now, in the reference department, 3,216 volumes; in the lending department, 5,582 volumes. A local collection has been commenced, and a catalogue is in type. It is hoped soon to establish branch news rooms. The rate produced £509. 12s. 3d. Glasgow. Annual Report of Stirling's and Glasgow Public Library, 1882-83, with Proceedings of Annual Meeting of Subscribers, held on 10th April, 1883. Glasgow, 1883. 8vo, pp. 16 and wrapper. The issues and the number of new members enrolled far exceeded those in any previous year. The issues were: in the reference department, 53,981 as compared with 34,641 the previous year; in the lending department, 50,733, as compared with 22,822 the previous year. The increase this year was nearly twofold. During the year 1,115 volumes and pamphlets were added. The number of new subscribers was 298, and the total number of members is now 664. The income was: from rent £390., from subscriptions £261. 16s. 11d. The Directors refer to the cordial relations always subsisting between this institution and the Mitchell Library, which as far as possible are worked as one. London. Report of the Committee of the London Library to the Forty-second Annual General Meeting of the Members, Thursday, May 31, 1883. [Followed by List of Additions.] 8vo, pp. 53. The Committee report that 183 members had been added during the year, while 157 had been lost by withdrawal or death, leaving a net increase of 25. The number of members now on the register is 1,737. The receipts were £4,687. and the expenditure £4,120. The amount expended upon books was £992. 16s. 3d. The accessions to the library numbered 4,942, a very large proportion being by donation. The number of volumes sent out for circulation was 97,957, being a decrease of 1,274 upon the previous year. (For an account of the meeting see p. 96.)

Nottingham. Forty-fifth Annual Report of the Nottingham Mechanics' Institution. . . Nottingham, 1883. 8vo, pp. 15.

The number of members on the books in 1882 was 2,892, being a decrease of 237, though the income was larger by £66. 3s. 5d. The accessions to the library

100

MONTHLY NOTES OF THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.

by purchase or presentation were 749, making the number of volumes now in library 13,164. A new Catalogue (see notice, supra) was compiled by Mr. T. T. Radford the new Assistant-Librarian, whose services are acknowledged by the Committee.

Richmond. Free Public Library, Richmond, Surrey. Second Annual Report of the Committee, 1882-83. Richmond, 1883. 8vo, pp. 16.

The issues for the second year of the working of the library were: in the lending department 79,060, in the reference department 6,844. These figures on the whole compare favourably with those of the first year (198 days), when they were 60,403 and 7,320 respectively. The daily attendance for the year is estimated at 1,217 persons. The accessions for the year were 995, of which 642 were donations. The Committee regret that the ordinary income has not been equal to the ordinary expenditure. The rate for the year produced £378. 14s, 7d. The dinner fund (see M. N., Vol. III, p. 111) produced £108. 11s. 6d. The usual tables are appended.

Twickenham. Free Public Library. First Annual Report, 1882-83. Richmond, 1883. 8vo, pp. 16.

The Acts were adopted on the 11th February, 1882. Sir Charles Freake kindly allotted three rooms in the Town Hall for the use of the library, and the newsroom was opened on the 2nd October. From that date to the close of the year (147 days) it was visited by 31,567 persons. The libraries, with a stock of over 3000 volumes, were opened on the 24th of February, and the number of borrowers during the 21 days up to the 25th of March was 2,358. The extraordinary expenses of the first year were very heavy, amounting to £303., but the Committee expect that the product of the rate (about £290.) will hence. forward maintain the library in an efficient condition.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of "MONTHLY NOTES."

To members who, like myself, were called upon in 1881 to pay the heightened price of 14s. per vol. of the "Transactions," some explanation seems due of the fact that these are now being retailed by an Edinburgh bookseller at 6s. 6d. per vol. Apparently the stock has been larger than we were led to believe, and the public are now enjoying an advantage which it would have been sound policy, not to say fair, to have first offered to the members of the Association. Aberdeen, May 22.

QUERY.

A. W. R.

In what Catalogue, or where is there a setting-out of the Archeologia, The Journal of the Archaeological Association, or The Archaeological Journal? ARCHEOLOGIST.

NOTICE.

In answer to several correspondents the editor begs to state that the only numbers of the first three volumes of MONTHLY NOTES out of print are those for October and November, 1881. The other numbers may be obtained from Messrs. Trübner & Co., 57, Ludgate Hill, E.C.

LONDON: Printed and Sold for the Association by J. DAVY & SONS, Dryden Press, 137, Long Acre.

Single Numbers, Threepence each. Annual Subscription, post free, 3s. 6d.

VOL. 4. Nos. 8 & 9.]

[August 15 and September 15, 1883.

MONTHLY NOTES

OF

The Library Association of the
United Kingdom.

Contents:-Official Notices-The Liverpool Meeting-Report of the Council; with the Treasurer's and Auditors' Report-Library Notes-Library Catalogues and Reports-Notices of Books-Correspondence.

THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE LIVERPOOL MEETING, on the 11th September, are now tolerably complete. The following will probably be the order of business :

Tuesday, September 11th, 9.45 for 10 a.m.-President's Address; Mr. T. E. Stephens on "The Rise and Growth of Public Libraries in America;" Mr. Peter Cowell on "The Origin and History of some Liverpool Libraries;" Professor R. K. Douglas on "Chinese Libraries; and Mr. Henry Stevens on "Founders of Libraries :

James Lenox."

Wednesday, September 12th, at 9.45: Chancellor Christie on "Old Church and School Libraries of Lancashire;" Mr. John Lovell on "Functions and Operations of the Free Library System;" Mr. Samuel Smith on "Library Pests;" and Mr. William Henman, A.R.I.B.A., on "Free Library Buildings; their Arrangement and Fittings."

Thursday, September 13th, at 9.45: Mr. W. R. Credland on "Starved Free Libraries;" Mr. T. Formby on "A Proposed System of Differential Rating for Free Libraries;" Mr. John Southward on "Technical Literature and Free Public Libraries."

Friday, September 14th, at 9.45: Mr. E. C. Thomas on "Q: an Experiment in Bibliology."

The programme will also include Reports from the 'Committees on Illustrations to the Cataloguing Rules and on Size-notation, besides which special reports may be presented on the Examination of Library Assistants and on Classification,

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