Excerpt from Twenty-Fourth Annual Report of the Trustees of the Public Library, 1876 In the report of the last year the Trustees asked the atten tion of the City Council to the necessity of a prospective en largement of the Boylston-street building, by the erection of a suitable addition to it upon the estate adjacent, purchased for that purpose by the city in the year 1872. They also proposed to present suitable plans for this improvement pre vions to the preparation of the appropriation bill for the present year. But, in consequence of the depressed financial condition of the community, it was deemed best to await a more prosperous season before calling for such a considerable expenditure as would secure the fire-proof structure needed for the Library extension. During the year, however, the needs of the institution were so pressing for the catalogue department, that an ex tension of two stories was made behind the bates-hall floor, giving two rooms 45 X 16 feet, and relieving the floor and galleries of the blocking and confusion caused by insufficiency of room. This addition is of wood, covered with sheet iron. To it should be added iron or steel shutters, to make it tolerably safe from any neighboring fire. This structure is not of such a character as would have been afforded by the proposed extension on Boylston street, and will, at least, it is to be hoped, serve only a temporary purpose. The collection of books is now of such great pecuniary value, that simply as a matter of money the city cannot afford to run any risks with it that prudence can avoid. It is hoped that plans will be submitted early next year to the Council, after they have been approved by the Board, for such an edifice as the proximate wants of the institution require. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.