THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 294, 21 January 1910, Page 4

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

The annual report of the New Plymouth Public Library, published elsewhere in this issue, does not make particularly gratifying reading. It is somewhat remarkable that the resources of such an excellently equipped institution should be so little availed of by the public of the district, especially when it is remembered that the library is really the property of the people, administered by the people's own representatives. That the scant membership is not due to any excessive rate of subscription has been conclusively proved by the absolute failure of the system adopted by the Library Committee of reducing the tariff in order to encourage more people to make use of the institution. To locate exactly the reason for the paucity of the support extended to the institution is no easy matter, but it may be that someone present at the annual meeting in the Town Hall this evening may be able to give, the committee of management some suggestion that will have the desired effect. The report shows very clearly that the circulating library is' the'haunt of the devourer of fiction rather than that of the student, for works relating to geography, travel, and science are in an almost infinitesimal proportion to the amount of fiction issued to subscribers. The reading-room and magazine-room find no place in the annual review of the committee's affairs, but it must be remembered that the care of these and the provision of newspapers and periodicals are a fairly heavy drain upon the library funds', and constitute an expenditure for which there is no cash return. In these departments, however, there is evidently no lack of appreciation of the facilities and journals provided, for from the hour of opening I until closing time there are always ■people making use of these two wellfurnished public rooms on the ground lloor. Jt is hoped the subscribers and others' interested will show by their attendance at to-night's meeting that they appreciate the work of the committee and the amount of time given by its members to the management of the institution.