CITY LIBRARIES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 837, 8 June 1910, Page 3

CITY LIBRARIES.

CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT MOOTED

WANT OF ACCOMMODATION

• Th® annual report of the City Librarian (.Mr. H. Baillie) states that the number of books borrowed during the year amounted to 131),000, as against 131,000 issued during- the previous year. Included in this number were 859 volumes issued from the reference department, under tho deposit system, being a slight, increase on the number, taken out, last year. No fiction was issued from this department. The number of volumes added in all departments and branches was a few - undar -1000. Five hundred volumes were rejected, chiefly.from the circulating department, ns being past further use. -Alosfc of these were accepted by the authorities of the Sailors' Rest aud Mission to. Seamen for distribution'on over-sea ships. The reference department, has kept up well, and an increase of about 5 per 'cent, is shown by the . attendance register. .There arc fourteen books missing from this 'department. Considering tne large' number oi readers wlio visit the library,, and that ttiPii: ar'! no restrictions as to" the-hand-ling or books, the loss is light, but n seems . ungrateful. that persons should steal books that are always at their service free of cost.- All classes of books suffer from thefts, including books" on religion.

Tlie-revenue lias come in fairly well. Central subscriptions were slightly over those of last year, but fines and sundries were rather lower. The Government subsidy, usually amoulitiiig to about <£IG, has been discontinued. Newtown showed an- increase in subscriptions and lint":, but a dcreasa in receipts for "extra''" books. The children's department has not been opened owing to a shortage;.of books. The librarian did not feel justified in taking from the ordinary vote of the other departments, and he asks the council to'provide in the estimates far at least «£U)l) being spejit on a children's department. "When the room is opened, another assistant will be needed to tane charge of this department. This will be one of tho most important positions on the staff, and must be. filled by one who takes an interest in children, and -will make a study of the literature suitable for children, so that she may gradually train the younger readers to understand aud enjoy the best books. She will also have tho oversight of all the juvenile literature recommended to the committee for the central library and branches.

Want of room is becoming, a trouble at the central library again. Thoro' is not sufficient space for books, and it is only one of the ordinary decencies of modern library life,' states Mr. Baillicj that the staff should have a separate room. Tiie central library should receive a thorough renovation. The engineer has been a;:kedto report on a system of ventilation for the main reading room 'downstairs. The librarian suggests that a small book] committee, which might even be formed from the library committee or, council, would be a great help to him; To Mich a committee might be left the question of 00-operation with the other libraries in the city, so that each might have some definite objects in 'which it should specialise, and' thus avoid unnecessary overlapping.

Another sul)-committoo might undertake the supprrision of the. museum, which at present lias no definite line of action, and the series of lectures that are arranged each year. Tn accordance with a resolution .carriod at the'library Conference, permission h(i given for tlio establishment of;a literary alul debating society, W a branch of the Shftkcsnpftro Society, or both, in connection M'ith the ''sewtown brand). Similar societies <;arri; a l on in 'connection''with the Lpys Institute and Library, at Tonsonby. Auckland, have bean most successful. . *