. Historical notes : Public Library of New South Wales. onAssembly, afifirm-ness, in thegenerally, ofLibrary on Dr. Langthe innovation. The President (Dr. Badham), in a letter to the Principal Librarian, to whichpublicity was given in the Sydney Morning Heraldoigih. April, 1878, wrote :— What is this philanthropy which would promote health and cheerfulness byopening that great dingy cavern of yours to the working-man, and wooing him, bybooks of voyages and travels, from healthy air and exercise? .... A Library is not a fit refuge for those who have heard sermons, nor at
. Historical notes : Public Library of New South Wales. onAssembly, afifirm-ness, in thegenerally, ofLibrary on Dr. Langthe innovation. The President (Dr. Badham), in a letter to the Principal Librarian, to whichpublicity was given in the Sydney Morning Heraldoigih. April, 1878, wrote :— What is this philanthropy which would promote health and cheerfulness byopening that great dingy cavern of yours to the working-man, and wooing him, bybooks of voyages and travels, from healthy air and exercise? .... A Library is not a fit refuge for those who have heard sermons, nor at all areasonable substitute to indemnify those who have not. 48 THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF The JVustees, as a bod\-, when the matter was referred to them, declinedto incur tlie responsibilitv oi taking any action, or making any recom-mendation. They had no funds to pay overtime to the staff, and pointedout to the Minister that an additional expenditure of^,300 per annum wouldbe required for this purpose. The Government, feeling that the weight of. PUBLIC LIBRARY, SYDNEY. public opinion was behind Parliament, acquiesced, but would not provideany additional funds. A careful account has been kept of the number of persons who havevisited the Librar\- on Sunday afternoon, and the number of books usedby them ; the figures show that the public has not availed itself of theprivileges of access to the Library on Sundays to the extent which wasanticipated. During twenty-six years (from 1879 to 1905) the number ofbooks used on Sunday afternoon has been practically stationary, while thenumber used on week-days has increased nearly threefold. In May, 1896, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 49 a notice was given, in Parliament, to extend the hours on Sunday to 9 ;but the matter was allowed to lapse. In 1S83 the system of furnishing Literary Institutions in the countrydistricts, with boxes of books, was brought into force. The first boxequipped, containing sixty expensive, well
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