BETTER LIBRARIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 136, 6 December 1938, Page 9

BETTER LIBRARIES

EFFfcCT OF NEW SERVICE

RANGIORA'S SUCCESS

An outstanding example of what can be achieved by an enterprising local body with the assistance of the country library service is provided by the Rangiora free public library. The Rangiora Borough Council, which controls this library, instituted a free lending service before the Country Library Service came into existence and was at that time one of the only two free small town public libraries in New Zealand. With the assistance of the service, "a rapid improvement in the scope and equipment of the library has been possible, and it now has a following in Rangiora of which any library would be entitled to boast.

Out of a population of 2200, the Rangiora library has 798 adult and 350 juvenile members, a total of 1148, which is described as a magnificent figure. The library receives from the service 340 books every four months and also the newly instituted periodical service which provies expensive and valuable publications that the smaller libraries are or.dinarily unable to take. Two years ago, before free lending was introduced, the library had a membership of only 100 and the- cost to the borough was high. Now it is 2s 6d per head of population.

It should be mentioned that to obtain the free service a local body is required to undertake to spend on its library not less than 2s 6d a head of population from its own funds. This figure compares favourably with library costs in other countries. In the United States, for instance, a cost of a dollar (4s 2d) a head is considered satisfactory. In England the cost varies and is in isolated cases as low as 6d a head.

A recent photograph of the interior of the Rangiora library is published on this page.