and is now in use: a statement of the annual cost will be found on pages 29, 30.
Reference to the plans will show that the library is considerably narrower on one side than on the other. The adjoining land was fortunately vacant, and has been recently acquired by the corporation. It is proposed to extend the news-room, which is the most congested part of the building, by continuing it outwards. A large book-store for the reference department could be placed over it, and so additional room be found for the rapidly increasing number of volumes.
The branch library at Elswick, which was opened in 1895, was the gift of Alderman W. H. Stephenson, and is notable as providing other accommodation than that ordinarily given in libraries established under the Public Libraries Acts. The building is 86 feet by 43 feet, and comprises two floors. On the ground floor there is a ladies' reading-room, a room for games, committee room, and a restaurant, the rent from the latter being expected to provide a large share of the annual cost of maintenance. The upper floor, which is reached by a separate entrance, consists of one large hall, 70 feet by 36 feet, with raised platform and retiring rooms. This is used at present for a newspaper and magazine reading-room, and will shortly be fitted with shelves for use as a lending library also. One of the conditions of the gift is that the donor and his family shall have the right to use this room on certain days for public and social meetings and lectures, but political and religious debates and
