In a little time the nucleus of the new Reference gathering
was also in hand, and for three years the institution sojourned with the
Council. The new buildings were opened June 1st, 1882, and the date
should be recorded as a day of rejoicing and thanksgiving. The Reference
department was opened to readers on the 26th of the same month. In place
of the hired rooms so long used as a library in Constitution Hill, there
has been erected in the near neighbourhood a neat two-storey building
which will accommodate some 2,000 readers per day, and the shelves are
supplied with about 7,000 volumes. This new library was opened July 18,
1883. To summarise this brief history of the Birmingham Free Libraries
it is well to state that L78,000 has been spent on them, of which
L36,392 has been for buildings. The cost of the Central Library so far
has been L55,000, the remaining L23,000 being the expenditure on the
branch libraries. The present annual cost is L9,372, of which L3,372
goes for interest and sinking fund, so that an addition must soon be
made to the 1d. rate, which produces L6,454. The power to increase the
rate is given in the last Act of Parliament obtained by the Corporation.
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