Mr. George Easter, who succeeded Mr. Harper as Librarian in January 1877, was a native of Norwich, who had followed the craft of a wood-carver in Cambridge, and had had no training in library work. The burden of debt upon the Library having been considerably diminished, and the librarian coming to his duties with enthusiasm and a disposition to seek advice on books and library matters from those competent to give it, he was able to effect some improvements in the administration of the Library, and to develop it. About six months after his appointment he had prepared for the press an author catalogue of the books in the Lending and Reference Departments of the Library, which was ready for sale at sixpence each in December. One thousand copies of this crown octavo catalogue of 94 pages were printed. In this catalogue the hours of the Lending Department were stated to be from 11 a.m. till 3.30 p.m. on week-days. The publication of an annual report was revived in 1879 when a report covering the period December 1st, 1877 to December 31st 1878 was submitted to the Town Council. It showed that the stock consisted of 4,400 volumes, of which nearly 1,000 had been added during the year; and that during the period 1,545 borrowers' tickets had been issued, and 27,408 volumes had been issued, as compared with 15,312 vols. issued from September 1875 to September 1876. In 1879 the Librarian requested the Committee to allow him to purchase works relating to Norwich, which eventually led to the formation of the Local Collection, which is described on pp. 77-81. The library rate was one penny in the pound from the date of the opening of the library until 1871, but for several years afterwards it was either about three farthings or one halfpenny. The rate was raised to three farthings in the pound in 1880, and in the following year it was raised to one penny in the pound, thereby providing 937 pounds : 10 : 0 for the year, since which time the full library rate has always been levied. Mr. F. W. Harmer took a prominent part in securing the increase in the library rate. He pointed out that to spend the product of a halfpenny rate on the plea of economy was really the reverse of economical, as it just sufficed to pay standing charges, leaving little or nothing for the purchase of books. The annual report for the year ending March 25th, 1888, is interesting as it records that the great burden of the debt on the building had been cleared off, and briefly reviews the work of the Library after ten years' service of the Librarian, as follows: