Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/405

 Constitution of Colonial Public Libraries. 393 Library is undoubted, the number of readers during last year having been 173,205. It is open on Sundays (in addition to week days) from 2 till 6 o'clock, and in 1892 was visited during those hours by about 8,000 persons. In addition to the Sydney Public Library there are smaller libraries in the other principal population centres throughout the Colony which may be classed under two heads, viz., Schools of Art, receiving an annual sub- vention in proportion to the amount of monetary support accorded by the public, and Free Libraries established in connection with municipalities. Under the provisions of the Municipalities Act of 1867, an y Municipality may establish and maintain a Free Library, and when such is done the Council of the Municipality is entitled, for the purchase of books, to the sum of ^"200 if the Library is available for the use of a population of one thousand, or 100 when the population to whom the Library would be accessible reaches 300 persons, the remainder of their income being raised by the subscriptions of members, &c. The number of volumes in the various Public Libraries, exclusive of the Sydney Free Public Library, is estimated at about 240,000. Victoria. In Victoria is to be found one of the noblest Insti- tutions of its kind in the whole of Australasia. The Melbourne Public Library was established in the year 1853, and sprang from the zeal for education that actuated the community. But behind every public sentiment that assumes activity there must be a man to give it shape. In Victoria that man was Sir Red- mond Barry, whose work in connection with the Public Library question is well known to many of the members of the Library Association. At a time when nothing of the kind existed, and Melbourne contained a numerous working population, Sir Red- mond Barry, in true kindness of spirit, opened a small lending library in his back kitchen, with a spare room fitted up as a reading room, one of his servants, in addition to other miscel- laneous duties, performing those of librarian. Out of this humble commencement sprang the Melbourne Public Library, which at the present time contains over 300,000 volumes, pamphlets and parts, the building having cost from first to last ^185,203, and is still unfinished. This large sum has been provided entirely by the Government, together with further monies, amounting, with the above-mentioned sum, to half a million sterling, of which about ^"30,000 was received by the trustees during last year. The Library is open to the public without payment of any kind on week days from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and is visited annually by