LIBRARY CHARGES AND BOOK PURCHASES

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 187, 26 August 1955, Page 5

LIBRARY CHARGES AND BOOK PURCHASES

Discussion By Council A discussion of Public Library finances and charges arose at the Borough Council meeting of August 17, when the Town Clerk, Mr S. Torepe asked for a ruling on the amount which was allowed to be spent on the purchase of books. A statement of the Library Account presented to the meeting showed that as at July 31, 1955, the Account had a credit balance of £216. Starting the year on April 1 with a credit balance of £320, receipts had consisted for the four months to July 31 I of Subscriptions £136, fines £5 and Extras £19. No proceeds from the Library rate of one-eighth of a penp ny have as yet been credited to the Account. This rate will produce about £270. Payments for the four months | were, Salaries £109, Books £142, | Printing and Stationery £3, Furniture | and Equipment £9, Miscellaneous £1, I leaving a credit balance of £216. Cr J. D. Swan said he thought | that the amount spent on purchase of books should be limited to subscriptions received. Cr C. J. Ved- \ der said that purchase of books | should be at the discretion of the | Library Committe at a fixed sum per [ annum. Cr Barton said that Cr Swan's | suggestion did not seem altogether I desirable. The rate was designed to I pay the salary of the Librarian. I Books purchased should be covered I by the subscriptions plus some of the I reserve brought forward of £320. He did not think subscribers should pay I for library fittings. There were I none too many books at present, and I during the building up period they I should use some of the reserve for I purchase of books. I , Cr Swan said if the amount sppnt I on books was at the rate spenL since April the year's purchases would be £400, and it was entirely |: bad to spend £400 for about 130 sub- | scribers, which would give every 1 subscriber one new book for every day of the year. Cr Young asked [ why not charge so much per book. r so that the biggest readers would pay I the most. He thought the Commit1: tee should go into the question of the: i rate of charge. Why should the' I ratepayers pay for 130 subscribers ? Mr K. Winton, Assistant-Town Clerk, reported that subscriptions for the year would probably not exceed £172. Cr C. J. Vcdder asked whether they were going to give a service or i keep o large credit balance? He w thought the money should be spent; at the discretion of the Committee' I who were running the Library. Cr J. E. Barton said they must not m lose sight of the fact that the Litn K. rary was an amenity for visitors* Taupo was a tourist and holiday centre and they should encourage visi- : tors. Cr Swan said that in Roto- [ rua all new books were charged m 6d extra, for the first three 1 months, after which they went into the general stock. Such a charge H" B would bring m more money and heavv readers would pay their proper I share. K ' On the motion of Cr Moxris it ■ was decided to authorise the Librarv B Committee to spend £240 per annum on the purchase of books, or the amount received in the year for subI scriptions, whichever sum was the greater. It was also decided on Cr : Barton's suggestion that the matter [ of an extra charge for new books mentioned by Cr Swan be referred ■ to the Committee for a report. Cr K. O. Lewis asked that it be I recorded that she had taken no part m in the discussion.