LIBRARY ISSUES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29511, 12 May 1961, Page 15

LIBRARY ISSUES

Shorter Loan Period The reduction in the loan period for books from the Canterbury Public Library from one month to two weeks last January had had startling results, the City Librarian (Mr R. N. O’Reilly) said yesterday. Books have poured into the library—"so many that we could not find shelves for them,” said Mr O'Reilly. “We have had phenomenal issues,” he said.

The period of loan is now a fortnight plus the odd days to the Monday after the fortnight. The return day for all books is a Monday, or, if this is a holiday, a Tuesday. “One of the side effects has been the queues at the returning, issuing and inquiries desks on Mondays.” said Mr O’Reilly. "Friday used to be our busiest day but now it is Monday. There does not seem to be any way of doing anything about it at the moment." Extended

Mr O’Reilly said the loan period was extended in 1959 with the idea that if the period was longer, fewer overdue notices would need to be sent. He said this method had been successful and many books had been recovered without the borrowers being notified. A great many borrowers, however, had held books and the library's stock had become depleted. “We bought popular books at a greater rate than ever and pushed more and more books through the shelves but could not keep the shelves filled. We began to have a few complaints about the service for the first time.” said Mr O’Reilly. “Then we realised that the depletion of books was bound up with the longer loan period so we reduced the period. “It has meant that our plan to reduce the number of borrowers to whom overdue cards had to be sent has not been a success in the long run. But now we have the books on the shelves and a great many persons are coming to us,” said Mr O’Reilly.