NEW PLYMOUTH LIBRARY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 283, 22 April 1911, Page 8

NEW PLYMOUTH LIBRARY

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of subscribers to the New Plymouth Library was held last night. Mr. F. E. Wilson presided, and there were also present: Messrs. G. Tisch, E. G. Whetter, P. White, E. T.! Morshead, J. E. Cooke, G. H. Dolby, W. H. Skinner, and Rev. Burton. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report as published in yesterday's issue, referred to the very poor attendance of subscribers. He was in the unique position of having to apologise for a credit balance of £l2O, but a good deal of this was due to the fact that in previous years the library financial year had ended on December 31st, but had been altered so that the subscribers' and Council representatives could be appointed simultaneously. On January let, 1911, they were just about square. Since then,, however, a large number of subscriptions had been received. He pointed out that all the money did not go in books for the fiction shelves. None of the Government subsidy or the borough subsidy went for that purpose. The Government subsidy, which was a source of income that could not be relied on, was utilised for purchasing standard works or works for the reference library. The borough subsidy was utilised for paying tlic caretaker, lighting, etc. No portion of it went in fiction. Moreover, he pointed out that the committee lad' to look after the building, and only received revenue from the circulating room. I Subscribers paid in £l5O to'the" fands' of the library, whereas'£ll4 lis liad I been paid out in books. This in. hided newspapers and periodicals, as well at books for the reference library, r.r.d, after that, fiction. He also maintained that in calculating the number of wirks of fiction read as against ;Uiulard works and books of reference, iu account was taken of the large -lumb.ir of people who visited the library and ivftdo use of the reference books. He f'rther stated that the majority of joined the library for the sake of obtaining any fiction needed. Any works of reference required a man purchased for himself. He considered thanks wv:e c'ue to the selection committee, who baft done their best in getting books for the shelves.

Mr. Tisch, in seconding, congratulated the chairman on the lucid financial statement and explanation given. Personally, he would like to .->oe i.iorj subscribers, for the membership was vtryj small for a town the size of New Fiy-I moutk. Mr, White stated that two --Mrs rgo' he went into figures.nnd ?.,"ind th.il: of the books borrowed by subs fibers It 1-S per cent, were reference wir-«, hvd f-6 2-3 per cent, were Action. Yet, despite that, of the books purchased by the ecmmittee only 43 per cent, wis firiion and 57 per cent, other wor&s, thus showing, at any rate, honesty cf pa" in improving the more solid portion v the library.

Mr. W. H. Skinner men closed trat standard works of reference v ere far more expensive than those of fiction. The chairman pointed out tint daring the year several valuable t inks had been presented to the libra.'}'. Mr. W. H. Skinner had not only presented a complete set of the New Zt-.ala:id Co.'s reports and pamphlets, dating from i?4O, but had also loaned other works. Mr. J. D. Henry had also presented a copy of all books on petroleum written by himself. He also mentioned ihat Mrs. Morshcad had presented half a dozen sets of steps for use in the ei'.ulaling library. j The report and balance-shea were adopted. The following four were ehetfd representatives to act Ath four representatives of the Borough Courcil: Messrs. P. White, R. •?. Whctter (teelected), F. B. Wilson and Rev. Burton. Votes of thanks were nwwied to out-going committee, and io tie library officials. A special vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. W. H. Skinner, who was retiring from the committee afbr twenty year?' service, and a general hope was expressed that he would not cease to take an interest in the bleary, which should one day be of immense »*lue if its chief function in securing as ciuoli as r'- c s">Lle of local interest was cir. -, »d out. Mr. Skinner stated that h-i vouid always take a warm inte/est in the library, which it had h"en his am to make the nucleus of the future iiovin-j cial historical library.