THE LIBRARY CHRONICLE. public ^libraries anb 6ov>ernment publications. THE custodians of public libraries should note Mr. Gladstone's reply in the House of Commons to Mr. Hayes Fisher, of Fulham, on December 27th, 1893, on the question as to the free supply of public documents to libraries. It was to the effect that since 1886 provision had been made to supply copies of parliamentary papers to any Committee of a Public Library applying for them to the Comptroller of H.M. Stationery Office, London. Mr. Mullins, of Birmingham, points out that in September, 1886, the same reply was given to the same question by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It seems extraordinary that no steps were taken to make known this intention on the part of the Government, and it is doubtless due to this negligence that so few librarians were aware of the matter. It is to be hoped that advantage will be taken of this provision by libraries all over the country, if only to justify the various outcries which have been made from time to time on this question. pening of tbe Camberwell Central SLibran?* THE extensive borough of Camberwell, which includes the parliamen- tary divisions of Duhvich, Peckham, and North Camberwell, was en fete on October 9, the occasion being the opening, by the Prince of Wales, of the new Central Library, and a public garden in the rear of the building, in the Peckham Road. The presence of his Royal Highness, accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of York, naturally added to popular enthusiasm, but the widespread interest evinced by many thousands of readers in the institution itself was also an important factor in making the event a memorable one in the history of the borough. The success of the Camberwell Public Libraries has been very re- markable. Sincr the first library was opened in 1890, 1,407,369 books have been issued to readers. During the past year, four libraries were in operation, two of which were in temporary premises, and the issue of books reached a total of 542,425. The new edifice is a handsome structure, designed by Mr. R. P. Whellock, in the Jacobian-Renaissance style. The elevation facing the Peckham Road is of red brick and Portland stone, having two gabled buildings, one on either side of a tower, with an open arcaded porch supported on four columns of Cornish granite. The main corridor is ten feet wide, partitioned with arcaded granite columns, the lending library, news and magazine rooms, commissioners' and chief librarian's rooms being to the right and left of the corridor, which leads to the reference library. Spacious store-rooms 'and caretakers' apartments
