LIBRARY PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 144, 20 June 1934, Page 10

LIBRARY PROBLEM

BETTER BOOK PIECING

"SCARCELY POSSIBLE"

LIBRARIAN'S/ REPLY

Referring today to suggestions which have been made that pending the erection of a. new Central Library something should be' done to improve the arrangement- of books in the lending department to make them more accessible to subscribers, the.Chief Librarian (Mr. J. Norrie) said that little could be done under the present difficult conditions. ,' ' .''■■'"' ' ' ■' . "The building was erected over forty years ago," he said,- "and ■ though the plans no doubt .provided- for an extension of library work; such' great expansion as has-been the'fact .was Dlahily never \ anticipated.' ; "Within-' a few years of the- completion of the first section —the Mercer Street section, now used as the .newsroom downstairs and as offices and part of' the reference department upstairs—it-was necessary to add. the Wakefield Street section, but that did not' meet the need for long. During the^war years. the Shortage of space became really aeute^ for the issue of books from the lending- department, which is only par.t 'of ttie library's work, practically doubled.' '-Cheapening of. branch .libraries ; to ■some extent■ relieved the demands on' the. Central Library, but not to thp extent which would at first .be thought, for the branches rather brought new subscribers than gave old subscribers facilities for changing books in their home suburbs. In 1914 the total number'of issues from all the then-libraries (Central and branches) was' about 150,000. Last year-the issues from the Central Library aloue were -319,000, and if space was getting short in 1914,' there is no doubt about-it now. I PARTIAL CURES. \ Mr. Norrie said that a few years ago it had been suggested'that-the newspapfer room; should1 be closed as one means whereby - space- could be: found, but it -was generally felt' that, the read-ing-room -is too- popular:.a: section to be discontinued.' ■ '.■'■■:../. [\

The addition of new volumes'to bring the -reference : department more up .to date made' it necessary, to remove a large number of' books in only occasional demand to' the Newtowh Library, and though that did not inconvenience the majority of'readers -it did mean that people wishing to look up a particular subject were, not too*pleased at having to conic : back again when the book had been-retrieved from the store stacks. "And it does-not seem to matter how old a.book.or,how little called for it has been for.years, past,- take it from the shelves and send'it up .to store and someone, wants it next- day," he said; ..;■'.•■■:. ' -: ■.>;-'". -.. : The policy of -storing books- in little demand at Newto'wn. had enabled the small store room'at the head of the stairs to be "cleared and''the' commercial section to .be established.: The space was too small for'anything, like full development,: but vthc -commercial ■ reference roam/was-certainly, popular and. he believed, of real! value. • : ; CLOSELY PLACED. BACKS. Past criticism' has "beeii directed mainly at,the. double-banking.of papers in the newspaper room, 'said: Mr. No'.\rie, but when there was desk'space for one paper and two had ""to bo filed double-banking was unavoidable, annoying though' it 'might- be. ■■.-'- : ■ "Now the criticism is 'directed more against the -lending, department, the complaints-being that the racks are so closely placed that-.-.during'.-busy, hours it is difficult- -to • move about and that the lighting, is cut off to.suph an extent that it-is difficult to read-titles on the lower- shelves.- With all "that 'everyone agrees,- bu-t it is-.seareely possible to.dp anything, about it.. An easy way out would.be to take away a,few thousands of the 25,000 books and space out the: rack's, butt then- a' lot ■ more critics would take: a hand ;and miake it very hot for the,department.-. - . -. "Fortunately .those who'criticise the library recognise .that' the position is just about' impossible,1 and that until' a new building is'available- ■'the: iiicdiivemence. and overcrowding- arc unavoidable."- ■ '- '.'...' r -