MUNICIPAL LIBRARY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 295, 10 June 1912, Page 5

MUNICIPAL LIBRARY

THAT ENCYCLOPAEDIA. Arising out of the strictures recently passed on the Library Committee by the (Borough Council, Mr. F. E. Wilson ha* written as follows to the chairman of tn« committee.—

"I thank you for your invitation to attend the meeting of the committee and regret that I am unable to avail myself of the opportunity. As chairman of the last committee, of whose actions criticism ' is now offered. I think it right to place on record the facts. The committee decided to buy the new edition of the Kneyelopaedia on information, gained from English advertisements, that the publishers were desirous of ascertaining before going to press what measure of support they would receive, were offering the work at reduced rates for a short period. No one could foresee that a like offer would be made in the Dominion some months later, and, as a matter,of fact, the work was on the library shelves before it was obtainable by purchase in New Zealand. The question then arose as to what was to be done with the old work. It is well known that there is no market for it. Cr. Ambury is reported to have said that he would gladly give £5 as a speculation, but a copy m excellent order, with oak book-case, has failed to bring a reserve price of that amount in a local auction room. Our copy was not in good order, the binding ibeing gone (the eariier volumes being 3Q years old) and the committee decided to name £3 as its price. Had the committee been in the habit of selling old books the course suggested by the Conn-, cil is the correct one, but this case was the firsj; that had ocenrredinmy experience of five years. As you had mentioned that you might tak« the old edition, the committee asked if you would give the price, and, after reflection, you agreed. It is only right to say that you, took no part in the committee's deliberation on this point. The Council should be informed that the committee has always made purchases from the local booksellers when the price was deemed reasonable. New novels have of late years almost always been procured here, and replace works from Mudie's. In the words of the resolution, 'all things being equal, books for the library' are always purchased in New Plymouth." It is also interesting to note that the Library Committe has sent the follows ing reply to the questions asked by the Council:—(l) The Encyclopaedia Britanica was disposed of by the authority of the Library Committee, in accordance with long-established usage. The volume was sold to Mr. P. White. (2) That the committee, while fully agreeing with the principle of selling cast-out books by auction, desires to point out that on some occasions it has found it more advantageous to the Council to deal with sales by private treaty, and therefore considers that to lay down a hard-and-fast mle such as is suggested by the Council is undesirable. (3) This recommendation lias always been followed by the committee.