to be &
remain wth ye Court of this City, & ye other to be kept in ye
Library, yt ye Library Keeper do get ye sd Catalouges made wth all
convenient speed, yt ye Books be rang'd into some method & order, yt
ye Library Keeper shall take in such assistance as is wanting, & his
charge & trouble be allow'd according to ye discretion of ye
Society."

These rules show that borrowers were permitted to record the books they
borrowed, that they were allowed to retain them for a month, that damaged
books should be reported to the Under Library Keeper before being taken
away, and that a stocktaking fine of 2s. 6d. was provided for in the
event of books not being returned in the January of each year.

The Minutes between 1716 and 1731 chiefly record formal matters, and
little of note regarding the administration of the Library. On February
7th, 1731, "It was then unanimously agreed that the Members meet for the
future on the first Tuesday in every Month at two o'Clock in ye
afternoon." On the 7th of the following month two delinquent borrowers
were dealt with: "Whereas the Revd Mr. Francis Johnson took some time
since the Works of Bishop Bull in 4 volumes 8vo out of this Library, &
has return'd only ye 1st, 3rd & 4th Vols & instead of ye 2d Sherlock on
providence, it Was then Order'd, that that shd be return'd him again, &
that he be requir'd either to send back ye sd 2d vol. or take the
remaining three, & send an entire Sett. Order'd likewise that Mr Morrant
be requir'd to return B-p. Stillingfleets Origines Sacrae, being ye 2d
vol. of his works, Long since taken out by Him."

The regulations for the administration of the Library were again revised
in 1732/3 by the City Council: {11}

"At an ASSEMBLY held on _Feb._ the 24th, 1732/3. the Right Worshipful
the MAYOR, _Sheriffs_, _Aldermen_, and _Common-Council_ this Day
assembled, for the better Regulation of the _Publick Library_, have
unanimously appointed the following ORDERS to be observed, upon Pain
of Exclusion from the said _Library_.

"ORDERED, That the Catalogues already printed be Six Hundred; and
that one Half of them be kept in the Town-Clerk's Office, to be
delivered out to the Members of the Corporation; and the other Half
be left in the Library, to be delivered out to the Subscribers.

"ORDERED, That the Books in the said Library be Annually called over,
in the first Week of _June_, in the Pre