OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2510, 24 April 1882, Page 3

OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.

To the Editor of the Globe. Sir, —I wrote you a short time back referring to the placing of certain magazines, &o , on the tables of the reference department of our public library as an absurdity and a blunder ; immediately upon the management seeing my letter, through the agency of your valuable paper, this error was recognised and correoted. But it would appear that the management are resolutely bent upon bringing this institution into contempt and ridioule, for no sooner has one blunder been exposed and corrected, than another one, still more gross and impudent, is committed. Among the valuable new (?) books recently received from tho agent of the management in England, was a child's illustrated toy book of nuraery rhymes, called "Mother Goose," and dedicated to Lily and Eddie. Now, sir, you, no doubt wondering why this book was sent for at all, will scarcely credit the faot that it has actually been placed in the reference department, under the division "Fine Arts," and ticketed, "Canterbury Public Library— For reference orly," and remains a direct iqfn.lt to the intelligence cf the visitors there. This book cannot be by any method (known outside the management) twisted into an exposition of " Fine Arts," neither is it likely to be required for reference by anyone (always excepting the management) out of their infancy. This being a type of the ordinary management, it dearly shows that the present managing body are incapable, and unfit to oater for the superior intelligence of the frequenters, subscribers, and general publio, by whom the institution is supported, and the question naturally arises, why are they permitted to retain their position to the disadvantage of the publio, and, therefore, sir, I ask once more, "QUIS CU3TODIET CUSTODBS."