Calendar: 1931-1932 Page 423

ANNUAL REPORT over to the Library the big laboratory formerly used by Geology has proved extremely valuable During the Long Vacation connecting staircase has been constructed which will enable the full use of this addition as an integral part of the Library to be enjoyed during the Session 1930-31 It is intended to group here in contiguity with some of the principal Science departments the scientific books which are housed in the main Library This most valuable improvement was financed by special non-recurrent Treasury Grant To provide for the arranging cataloguing and necessary supervision of this extension the Library Staff has been strengthened by the addition of Library Assistant Larger changes however are likely to prove necessary at no distant date The Library has inevitably outgrown the original provision for its administration the problem of the organ- isation and control of departmental and class libraries which has been accentuated by the opening of the East Wing will need to be considered in the light of present conditions The time has now come when new system must be devised and although inevitably it will involve increased expenditure the matter urgently requires attention special non-recurrent grant of £1 500 was also received from the University Grants Committee for the purchase of books and for binding This will enable some important gaps to be filled and some of the heavy arrears of binding to be overtaken Finance The usual grants of £49 000 and £8 500 were received from the Treasury through the University Grants Committee and from the London County Council but the grant received through the University Court from the other Local Authorities was £269 more at £2 943 The fee income at £53 015 showed an increase of £1 341 on the previous year It is not yet possible to give final statement of the cost of erection and equipment of the East Wing pending one or two minor additions and the completion of ventilating scheme for the large lecture-room but the amount expended up to the end of last Session was £38 188 It was met partly from the New Buildings Fund and partly by means of loan of £25 000 which is to be repaid in period of about twenty- four years at the rate of £2 000 per annum this payment to include capital and interest on the amount outstanding During the year the New Buildings Fund was closed with the com- pletion of various large-scale alterations and additions culminating with the new East Wing new Fund called the Reconstruction Fund has now been opened to receive any sums set aside for expenditure on alterations and improvements and from which sums may be transferred to Capital Account as required To this Fund there was transferred the sum of £3 770 from the year's income together with special non-recurrent grant of £3 000 received from the University Grants