THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 562, 17 July 1909, Page 10

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY.

Sir,—Tho tinfc-has come,'l, think, wji#n the collection-of, booksi housed in .the, Parliamentary Buildings, and known as tho "General Assembly Library," should receive o difteront designation, and be named, "The National Librarj " The collection is hardh second to any othor south of the "lino,' and tho fullest opportunity, ought to to the general public by throwing open the library doors to ovory accredited individual desirous of adding to his or her store of knowledge At present tho functions of tho library are those of a club during tho sit- ' ting of Parliament, the public being excluded during that period. Ihis exclusion is a hardship, and something ought to be clono ui tho direction of allowing tho benofit ' of using the books, perhaps'in a somewhat circumscribed way, during tho wholo year. ' Certainly, during the recess members of Parliament and tho public should stand on tho 6amo level, tho privilego of the private in- * dividual being. 4n every way identical Aviththat of tho Jmmcr. As at present, con-. ; ducted the latter is painfully restricted Bqqks of recent publication, after being d|s- ' pajched to members and returned, n™ mot i' eyeh then avadable to privilege-holders »At this timo of day it is imperative that cveiy consignment of books should bo placed liCfull view of those who desiro to read 1 thfitn It is not sufficient to leave only the books in the racks for selection My View is 4hat the privilego should not in any way be curtailed during tho recess, and the present dog-in-the-manger, methods should bo effectually put an end to. .i The spirit that pervades tho library is altogether to bo deprecated. There is in some members of ,the staff an obsequiousness apparent in tho presence of certain individuals, whilst, on the other hand, there is an entire absence of desire to give any assistance to eeekers for definite books. Tho duties of staff 'do not, surely, end with the' doJ pafture of tho members of Parliament. ;in> > v order that the public should receive tho full ' betfofits of tho-Jibraryi all the members ,of tha staff BhoriWhavo a cultured acquaint* anbVwith literature, and be able to sugEesMhero odngefiial reading could be found/ its lite being indicated Certain members lof fh"©~staff~no" one would bko to boo replaced, but to the person acqaainted Aith, books- and library routine of tho best metnodi\tthings are not as they ought to bo, and, i rightly or wrongly, one is impressed with a sense of deterioration. In a library - of such consoquenco scrappy literature shouM be laltogethor excluded, notwithstanding tho demands of unliterary members of Paita- ' mentfor such mental pabulum —I am, etc , ""AiIISTOS.' , , r Jaly 12. > >' • » i > ~