THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 June 1916, Page 2

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

(To the Editor). >Sir, —in answer to Mr Robertson's ioUor ol' June !£2ndi re my complaints o F the condition 01 things in the library, i am still of opinion that when it is opened to the public cleaning operations, oven if it is only dusting, should be over. I always understood! that was the reason why it was opened ait Mich a laite hour. Mi- Roberston says Mi ss Haste being dusting after the opening hour answers any implied charge that the library is dirty. 1 .suppose most of us have different staud'nrds of dirty and clean. >Mr Robertson, is there anything espeoia« in The Dominion for December, 11)15, that it is singled out for filing in the reading room, instead of being one the ■ lusty untidy bundles stuffed behind/ jno cl the bookstands in the lending department? You also tay the only reason we do not keep even more ancient files of representative daily journals is want of space. Surely the store-room is not full'? You make a mistake in salving that. I saw modiern history in the form of the Dominion for June 22nd, at the. time of my visit: that was still in the future. Of oouirse T did not mention the modern history that 1 did see; that is there without saying, had 1 not seen it I should have said) so. Since Mr Robertson cites Wellington library, did he find tattered remains of The Daily Mirror river a year old and lite l-'S.S. Co'is time-tables long past ufie! J 1, too, have seen files of longpast dailies in the reading room there; also journals there. bu/t not in the reading room; in neat tidy bundles in one (if the lobbies. When I said surely pasting a back on a book ought to be included in the duties of a caretaker, tin-- notion that dloing so would keep that book free from rags and dirt was the l.iKt thing in my mincl, but I do say it wouYl prolong the time of a book being available for use. Since the town 'clerk is the one to go to, did the librarian tell him slio lo.frt the books neatly arranged! alphabeticaiUy and on her return wa.s put to the trouble of getting them back into propeir order!' or, Mr Robertson, did she tell you when talking over my >etiter ? Oil both counts 1 refer you to the town clerk. 1 did make my complaints to i.iio town clerk, but no signs ol improvement being visible 1 rushed into print. Mr Robertson says since MiEs Haste has been in charge no complaint has been leceivedi as to its management while on the other. hand councilors have told him of many commendations they have heard of her manner of conducting. "When the town clerk is the light one to make complaints to ; should be not also the one to praise, too? Mr Robertson might ask hrn for the name of councillor wlio made a complaint of the state of things in the lending department. I am only a ratepayer therefore what I have heard said;, by users of the library, adverse to the librarian's methods is not worth writing. My final compfoint re the bicycit> in the front entrance, Mr J liobeitsoii says is absurd; but it is tiom neglcut of little things abusesarise One one occasion I saw a bicycle in the lending department a'nd concluded it was the librarian's; the one 1 saw in the front eiiwanee did not show in any way to whom it belonged. Read up the by-law, Mr Robertson, I fail to see that the librarian in leaving her Uicyole in the front entrance paid any deference to that or any other library by-law. lam quite wiliing Mr Robertson, to meet you, the town clurk and mayor in the council chambers any time you like to fix and t.uash out my complaints thereby doing away with this rushing into print you object to. Mr Jiditoir 1 must apologise ) f..r the length of my letter. I hope it i- the last 1 shall tax your time with on the subject of our library. ■Again thanking you in anticipation,— 1 am, etc., E. PALMAR. Oxford-street. June 24th 1916.