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281
To the Library Committee of the Vestry of Hammersmith.
Gentlemen,
The report for the year ended 25th March, 1898,
which I have the honour to present to you, contains a
record of the first full year's work of the Passmore
Edwards Library, Shepherd's Bush, and on that account
should prove additionally interesting.
RAVENSCOURT PARK LIBRARY.
Lending Department.
Stock.—The number of volumes in the Lending
Department is 10,152; 311 of which were added during
the year, 43 being presented and 286 purchased. Notwithstanding
the additions the stock is slightly less than
it was last year owing to a number of books withdrawn
at stocktaking not having been replaced.
Issue.—The number of volumes issued was 73,220
(daily average 297). These figures show a marked
falling off as compared with the issue of previous years,
but there are good reasons for the decrease. The primary
cause is that borrowers living in the northern and eastern
parts of the parish have availed themselves of the facilities
offered by the Passmore Edwards Library, of which they
have not failed to take the utmost advantage, as a glance
at the statistics will prove. The second reason for thedecline
I attribute to the extension of time allowed for
reading a book from seven to fourteen days, which was
granted in August, 1896.
Borrowers.—The number of borrowers enrolled
was 869; 43 tickets were issued for music only; 1,314
were renewed and 122 cancelled, leaving 2,016 as the
approximate number in force.
Reference Department.
In the Reference Department the stock numbers
3,201 volumes, 133 of which were added during the year,