COUNTRY LIBRARIES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5042, 20 October 1926, Page 4

COUNTRY LIBRARIES.

CONCERNING THE MANAGEMENT. PROVISION OF NEW BOOKS. If the librarian of a city library were asked what subscribers read he would doubtlessly answer at considerable length, giving the relative proportions of fiction, drama, history, scientific works, biographical, etc. On the same question being put to f

country district librarian the answei would almost certainly be the twe words “new books.” While this does not necessarily reflect on the people of the country, who probably read more scientific matter connected with their work per medium oT the periodicals than do city dwellers, it constitutes a problem for the managers of country libraries, and probably explains why many of these institutions are not in a flour-, ishing state. .When new books have passetj through the hands of ha,lf a dozeji subscribers and the gaudy wrappers have been discarded they cease, in the eyes, of many subscribers, to be new books and are therefore not worth reading. The librarian is .then asked the familiar question: When are you getting some new books ? Unless there is a large regular supply el! books the membership falls off and it becomes impossible to make the same amount of purchases. While it is manifestly foolish to say that a book that is not new is not worth reading, any country librarian will confirm .tha statement that the demand is proportionately/ far below that for books still in their paper wrappers.

TWO PROGRESSIVE LIBRARIES. Since its reorganisation in April last a very creditable advance has been made by the Turua Public Library in that 160 new books i have, beeij purchased, bringing the total to about 1500. The Ngatea library has not Advanced so rapidly, but about 100 new books have been purchased during thd past year. Despite this, both institutions are still lacking the Support they deserve. The subscription in each case is 2s 6d a quarter or 10s, a ye,ar.

The Turua library probably holds the record of being the oldest established institution on the Hauraki Plains. Many of its books, are dated 1886, and it is. thought that over half a century ago it flourished as the Turua Literary Association.