It should be noted that of the additions given above, 1,915 volumes were duplicates, which had long been in possession of the library (most of them since 1869), but had not been catalogued. They appear in former reports as "duplicates not in circulation." They are really additions to the available contents of the library, and must, therefore, be included in the table, with the explanation that they represent expenditure only to the extent of the cost of their cataloguing. 1 The amount expended for books, periodicals and binding in successive years may be seen from the following table: The figures above show that the past year is beyond all precedent in the amount of money devoted to keeping up and increasing the supply of reading matter; that its excess over the average amount so spent in former years is $3,776 58. This excess would be still greater if the first year were to be omitted, as might very properly be done, since the running expenses for that year being necessarily light, there was little call for expenditure other than for books. With all the additional labor and expense necessarily involved in a much larger collection of books and a constantly increasing circulation, it is as remarkable as it is grâtifying, that while the income has remained about the same, a careful supervision has enabled the management to set apart for the book fund a larger sum than in any previous year. Additional satisfaction may be derived from the fact that the Public School Library expends a much larger portion of its income for books than the average of other libraries, as is shown by the following Table comparing volumes bought, amount paid, etc., by the Public School Library and other Libraries. Boston Public......... 1852 1876 312,020 16,554 21,714.50 1.31 117,800.00 18.6 Chicago Public............................ 1872 1877 51,408 2,441 2,504.17 1.02 25,959.44 9.6 Cincinnati Public........ 1853 1876 84,602 6,307 10,134.56 1.60 31,307.44 32.3 11,510.91 8.4 800 651.71 0.81 5,900.00 11.2 46,485 2,570 6,697.12 2.60 27,567.96 24.1 49,155 1,697 6,059.00 3.57 24,558.26 24.6 44,926 2,421 3,810.93 1.57 27,542.19 13.8 *The average of the St. Louis Mercantile Library for the two years is taken in computing the general average. The above table includes all libraries whose late reports are at hand, with the exception of two or three which are so differently circumstanced that a comparison would be worthless. It would be manifestly unfair, for instance, to collate our statistics with those of a library which is open only certain days of the week (though one of those in the table closes for two hours at dinner and one hour at supper time,) and on the other hand due recognition is given to the fact that our apparent advantage over the Boston Public Library results not from superior management on our part, but arises from the more extensive administrative demands which are sustained by that institution. It is evident that as there is an increase in the number of books to be cared for and the number of members to be waited on, the current expenses must be increased and a smaller ratio of income can be spent for books. This must be generally true, though, as was shown in a former table of comparisons, the present year is a notable exception in the case of the Public School Library. No better evidence can be offered of the excellent system and economic management of the Boston Public Library than the fact, that out of an estimated total expenditure of $129,698 for the coming year, $24,572, nearly 20 per cent., can be devoted to the purchase of books and periodicals. Moreover, any comparison is unjust to it which does not take into consideration the outlay attendant upon its extensive system of cataloguing and its frequent publication of bulletins, which disseminate bibliographical information over the whole country. Attention should be called to the further gratifying disclosure that the Public School Library has paid less per volume for its purchases than most other libraries. This is the more noteworthy in view of the unusual number of rare and costly works which appear among our additions for the year. With regard to the character of the books purchased, I quote from the quarterly report of last May: "If a descriptive list could be given with prices annexed, it would be seen that a statement of the number of volumes added does not adequately represent the additions lately made to the permanent growth and solid worth of the library. A systematic and economical management has enabled the book committee to take advantage of opportunities offered by numerous auction sales of private libraries in New York. At these sales they have purchased many rare and valuable books for less than half, in many cases less than one-fourth of their value. The accession list would show also that these works of permanent and growing value, which will not need to be replaced, which will make the library more useful to students and add to its enduring reputation, have not been bought to the detriment of the general reader or to the disregard of current publications. The usual supply of popular fiction has been furnished; and recent works of worth in science, literature and art have been placed on the shelves." Among the many valuable accessions which deserve special mention a few may be cited as examples. Napoleon's L'Egypte, 24 vols. Text 8vo.; 11 vols. Plates Atlas folio; Strutt's Forest Scenery, Imp. 8vo.; Bryant's Picturesque America, 2 vols. quarto; American Historical and Literary Curiosities, 1 vol., quarto; Examples of Modern British Art, quarto; Dore's Ancient Mariner, folio; Murphy's Arabian Antiquities of Spain, Atlas folio; Walpole's Works and Letters, 8 vols., quarto; Pinkerton's Voyages, 17 vols., quarto; Klein's Geschichte des Dramas, 12 vols., 8vɔ; Jones' Grammar of Ornament, quarto; Planche's Cyclopædia of Costume, 2 vols., quarto; Nicholas' History of the Orders of British Knighthood, 4 vols., quarto; Neal's Westminister Abbey, quarto; Ottley's Facsimiles of Rare and Curious Engravings, quarto; Stukely's Stonehenge and Abury, quarto; Churchill's Voyages and Travels, 8 vols., quarto; Allom's Chinese Empire, 2 vols., quarto; Humphrey's |