issued from
September 1875 to September 1876.
In 1879 the Librarian requested the Committee to allow him to purchase
works relating to Norwich, which eventually led to the formation of the
Local Collection, which is described on pp. 77-81.
The library rate was one penny in the pound from the date of the opening
of the library until 1871, but for several years afterwards it was either
about three farthings or one halfpenny. The rate was raised to three
farthings in the pound in 1880, and in the following year it was raised
to one penny in the pound, thereby providing 937 pounds : 10 : 0 for the
year, since which time the full library rate has always been levied. Mr.
F. W. Harmer took a prominent part in securing the increase in the
library rate. He pointed out that to spend the product of a halfpenny
rate on the plea of economy was really the reverse of economical, as it
just sufficed to pay standing charges, leaving little or nothing for the
purchase of books.
The annual report for the year ending March 25th, 1888, is interesting as
it records that the great burden of the debt on the building had been
cleared off, and briefly reviews the work of the Library after ten years'
service of the Librarian, as follows:
"The present Librarian was appointed in 1877, starting with a stock
of 3,500 books in the Lending Department and almost none in the
Reference Department; whereas the present stock consists of 11,500
for Lending and 5,000 for Reference purposes, about 1,200 of the
latter, with 1,650 pamphlets, pictures, &c.
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