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185
Books Issued During the Year 1891-2.
peckham.
(Temporary)
livesey.
dulwich.
(Temporary.)
minet.
(Camberwell
and Lambeth.)
total.
125,736
99,801
130,331
139,202
495,070
Of the foregoing numbers, 166,549 refer to the issue of
volumes relating to history, science, art, biography, &c., and
328,521 to prose fiction. Although the demand for "light"
literature naturally takes the lead in point of numbers, the
amount of reading in the other classes is far greater than
appears from a mere comparison of the figures quoted. All
the most popular works in science, for instance, are as
largely sought after as well-known novels; but, as the
former take a much longer time to read, it is obvious that
they must necessarily change hands less frequently than
books of fiction.
The average daily issue during the past twelve
months was 2,008 ; the totals for the respective libraries
being, Peckham, 505; Livesey, 401; Dulwich, 534;
Minet, 568. Exclusive of residents in Camberwell who use
the Minet Library, no less than 355,868 volumes were
borrowed from the Peckham, Livesey, and Dulwich
Libraries, by over 13,000 persons resident in the Parish.
Taking into account the comparatively small stock of
books, the turnover is remarkable, and it is not likely to
be exceeded until the permanent libraries are opened.
During the year the number of volumes added to the
lending libraries were:—Peckham, 676; Livesey, 257;
Dulwich, 308 ; total 1,241.