in German, Italian, Greek, Latin, &c. It has a commodious
Reading-room, well supplied with journals and periodical publications;
while a Society of Natural Science has also been inaugurated and meets
in connection with it. The Guernsey Mechanics' Institution--after an
existence of just half-a-century--was absorbed into it at the close of
1881; and the Library of the _Société Guernesiaise_--founded in
1867--now finds a home on its shelves. The subscription for membership
is merely nominal, and Messrs. Guille and Allès have made arrangements
to endow the Institution with such ample funds as shall secure in
perpetuity the many benefits which it is conferring upon the island.

THE FUTURE OF THE INSTITUTION

is therefore fully assured and its wants provided for. The spacious
new buildings which have been for many months in process of erection
are now (December, 1885) rapidly approaching completion. They comprise
a spacious and handsome Lecture Hall, capable of seating from 250 to
300 persons; a Book-room 63-ft. by 25-ft., exclusively for the lending
department, and which will accommodate on its shelves from 45,000 to
50,000 additional volumes--with a large anteroom for the convenience
of the subscribers. The present Reading-room will then be used for a
Reference Library and Students' Consulting and Reading-room. There are
also a General Reading-room, a Working Men's Reading-room, and
numerous apartments suitable for Class-rooms and Committee-rooms. The
roof of the original building has been reconstructed and raised so as
to form a suite of rooms 100-ft. long, 24-ft. wide, and 10-ft. high.
Lighted from the top these are specially adapted for the exhibition of
objects of interest, pictures, or for a local museum. A convenient
residence for the Librarian is arranged in a separate building, which
is extended so as to provide on the ground floor convenient rooms for