TAUPO PUBLIC LIBRARY

Taupo Times, Volume III, Issue 117, 23 April 1954, Page 1

TAUPO PUBLIC LIBRARY

REPORT BY COMMITTEE The Borough Council's Library Committee, consisting of Councillors W. G. Morris, Chairman, J. E. Barton and J. M. Stanley, presented to the Council meeting held on Wednesday, April 14, a report on the Taupo Public Library covering the period April 1, 1953, to March 23, 1954. The report included a statement I of the Library Account for the portion of the financial year ending on the last mentioned date. This showed that at the beginning of the year there was a balance of hand of £385/19/9, the greater part of which consisted of unspent balance of a library rate levied two years ago. Revenue consisted of Subscriptions £80/10/3, Saies of books, etc. £20/17/-, Penalties on overdue books £7/19/4, and donation £12, a total of £121/6/7. Payments comprised books purchased £180/5/11, stationery £42/15/6, and wages £9, a total of £232/1/5, leaving a credit balance of £275/4/11. The Town Clerk mentioned that as at March 31st this would be increased by some £14 arrears of rates. The report stated that following a meeting of the committee which had been attended by Mr N. A.

Duthie, chairman of the voluntary Library Committee which had administered the Library during the year, and by Mr S. Torepe, Town Clerk, the committee made the following recommedations to the Council: — (1) That Mr Duthie be permitted to arrange for the auction of books no longer considered useful. (2) That the striking of a Library rate of one-eighth of a penny be considered when framing the estimates. (3) That applications be called for the position of part time librarian at a wage of 5/- per hour, for a 20 hour week, hours to be from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., five days a week, the present voluntary committee being prepared to take over on Friday nights and Saturdays. (4) That a street light be erected outside the Council Buildings at a very early date. (5) That a heater be procured for the Library before the winter sets in. (6) That the selection and buying of books be left in the hands of Mr Duthie. (7) That the Council place on record its thanks to the ladies and gentlemen of the voluntary committee who had placed the library on a sounder footing in the short time they had administered itr Cr. J. D. Swan moved, seconded by Cr. C. J. Vedder, that the Council accept the report. Cr. K. E. Young said he was somewhat concerned at the position shown in the balance sheet. It seemed stiff to expect ratepayers to find the balance over expenses when many subscribers would not be ratepayers. He thought 4/- an hour for a librarian would be sufhcient. He suggested that a change from the yearly subscription of £1 to a scale based on number of books read might be advantageous and minimise loss. The Town Clerk mentioned that 5/- per hour was the award rate for a librarian. Cr. W. G. Morris, Committee Chairman, said a rate of one-eighth of a penny would produce about £250 and pay the librarian. He would like to see a trial given with a librarian and at

the same subscription as formerly. There were now 110 subscribers, many of whom had joined recently. Cr. J. M. Stanley said the Library was a service to the community, and could provide a service to the young people, and they should have it. t Cr. J. E. Barton said the Borough should have a library, and also a reading room where visitors could see papers from their home towns. The town should have a library of which it could be proud. We now had a library where before we had only a collection of books. He thought there would be few to cavil at a library rate of one-eighth of a penny. The motion was carried without dissent, and the Library Committee was instructed to draw up conditions of appointment for a librarian and advertise the position with power to act. All the speakers expressed appreciation of the work of the voluntary committee' under their chairman, Mr. Duthie.