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4
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIVISIONAL COMMITTEE
OF
Clapham Public Library,
For the Year ended 31st March, 1903.
The new rules and regulations adopted by. the Council for the
seven libraries in the Borough came into operation in the first
week in February, 1903, The chief alterations in Clapham were
the change of the stocktaking period from the first fourteen days
in August to the first fourteen days in July, the Lending Library
to be open on Saturdays till nine p.m. instead of eight, readers'
tickets to be available for one year instead of two years, and alteration
of fines for overdue books. The keeping open of the Lending
Library till nine p.m. on Saturdays has not proved the success
that was anticipated, very few borrowers coming after eight o'clock.
A supplementary catalogue of books added to the Lending
Library since the publication of the general catalogue in 1899 was
compiled by the Librarian and ordered to be printed.
The number of volumes now in stock is 11,499. The number
issued during the year was 77,558, an increase of 4,741 as compared
with the previous year, and representing a daily average
issue of 318 volumes. A large number of worn-out and dilapidated
books were replaced and rebound.
A new stand for four newspapers has been placed in the
Reading-Room, and a magazine rack in the Reference Library.
In November, 1902, the Committee received with regret the
resignation, in consequence of ill-health, of Mr. Thomas Stock,
and the Council elected Mr. R. de M. Rudolf, I.S.O., to fill the
vacancy, upon the recommendation of the Committee. Councillor
Kipling was also elected a member of the Committee in place of
Alderman Dunkley.
The Committee have much pleasure in expressing their appreciation
of the satisfactory manner in which the Librarian and his
staff have discharged their duties.
On behalf of the Committee,
Charles P. Greene,
Chairman.
25th May, 1903.