Owing to the inadequate accommodation in the Reading Room on the first
floor, the question of extending the Library building received the
attention of the Committee for a considerable period, and eventually the
City Engineer prepared plans for the extension of the building, to
provide a reading room on the ground floor. The new room cost about
1,640 pounds and was provided with book-cases, furniture, etc., at a cost
of 267 pounds, and was opened to the public in April, 1907. Most of the
book-cases were provided for shelving several classes of the Lending
Library books, partly because more shelving accommodation was required,
but principally to permit the public to inspect the books, "the object
being to induce a more general use of these works in place of fiction."
A collection of directories, annuals, and reference books was placed on
open shelves in the room for ready reference.
In accordance with the Committee's decision to adopt the Dewey Decimal
System of Classification, some attempt was made to classify the books
according to this system.
An experiment which aimed at fostering the use of the Library by school
children was made during the winter of 1907-8.
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