mplaints regarding the
lack of a printed catalogue had been made continuously for several years,
it was decided, as an immediate advantage to the public, to publish at
the price of one penny, a bi-monthly magazine entitled "The Readers'
Guide," which would contain the whole or a portion of an annotated and
classified catalogue of the books in one of the sections immediately
after its revision, and also an annotated list of new books added to the
Library. The Fiction Catalogue was published in the first number, which
was issued on 1st November, 1911, and the series of classified catalogues
containing altogether the titles of over 17,000 volumes was completed in
the issue for May, 1915, since which date the "Readers' Guide" has
contained special bibliographies of local subjects and topics of current
interest, in addition to the usual list of recent books. The special
bibliographies have included the subjects of the University Extension
lectures each year, George Borrow, Lord Nelson, Agincourt and Erpingham,
Norfolk Artists, the European War, Shakespeare, Child Welfare, and Thomas
Gray. For the use of borrowers two card catalogues have been installed
in the Lending Library, the one being a complete author catalogue, and
the other a complete classified catalogue, with numerous subject guide
cards to facilitate reference.

A stock of books specially suitable for juvenile readers was obtained in
1911 to form a Juvenile Department of the Lending Library, in order that
the young people should acquire a facility in the use of a large library
which would be of value to them after leaving school. A classified
catalogue of the books in this Department was prepared by the
Sub-Librarian under the supervision of the City Librarian, and was
published in September, 1914, and an enlarged edition was published in
September, 1916.

During the period 1911-1916 there were several changes in the personnel
of the staff. The great pressure of the re-organising work and the need
for a trained assistant on the staff led the Committee to advertise for a
Sub-Librarian in 1913, and in November Mr. Charles Nowell, Chief
Assistant of the Coventry Public Libraries, and the holder of four
certificates of the Library Association, was appointed to the position.
With the view of increasing the efficiency of the staff the Committee, in
common with many other Public Library Committees, has made the
appointments of junior assistants conditional on their