CARNEGIE INSTITUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1921, Page 5

CARNEGIE INSTITUTE.

MEETING OF LIBRARY SUB- . SCRIBERS,

The annual meeting of subscribers to the Carnegie Library Institute was held last night, Mr. W. H. Skinner presiding over an attendance of about twenty.

ANNUAL REPORT.

The thirty-sixth annual report of the institute stated that there had been a steady advancement in all branches during the year. In the circulating library the progress had. been very gratifying, the number of subscribers being 756, an Increase of 184 ,as compared with the previous year. This gave an additional revenue of over £9O to spend in books. During the year 1172 volumes were purchased and placed on the shelves. • An expensive purchase of over 200 volumes was made from the library of the late Mr. A. Waring Saxton, and these comprised an excellent assortment of works of scientific and educative value. Another purchase on a large scale was 140 volumes from Mudie’s Library, London, the books being mainly on travel and biography. A number of books dealing with the great war, history and poetry were added to the respective sections, the total acquisition of serious literature, as opposed to fiction being about 500 volumes. Nearly 700 novels were bought during the year. The average number of books and magazines issued per month was about 5000. Of the class of book taken out by subscribers 95 per cent was fiction, the -remaining five per cent comprising all ojther branches of literature. Seeing that |he efforts of the committee during the past year had to a large extent been directed to building up the more solid side of the library it was suggested that the incoining committee give consideration to the increasing of the lighter side, with clean, healthy fiction, as far as possible. The rule of allowing subscribers to take out extra volumes at a cost of 3d each had been largely availed of, 1440 books having been issued as extras during the year. The number of books in the institute on March 31 was 7700, of which 2000 were in the reference library and 5700 in the circulating library. The magazine room, the report stated, had become quite a popular feature, large numbers of readers making use of it. Tn the reading-room there were 80 newspapes and periodicals available to the public. At certain times the room was taxed to its utmost, and the question of further space was already looming up. A very satisfactory feature was the large number of young people who made use of the facilities offered.

In the Old Colonists’ room the committee had been forced to mark time owing to the difficulties experienced in providing safe accommodation for the exhibits. In the museum Several valuable additions had been received, the bulk being straight-out gifts. The committee placed on record its appreciation of the good work done by the librarian (Mr. Beattie) and assistant (Miss Free). * After a general discussion on matters affecting the library, the report was adopted. Among the speakers who testified to the splendid work being done, Mr. J. A. Valintine said that the librar/ was superior to anything in the Capital City and the magazine room was the best that he was acquainted with for a town of the size of New Plymouth, and even bigger. ’ The borough was to be congratulated on supporting such an institution and the committee deserved credit for the conduct of its affairs.

GENERAL.

A proposal that an endeavor should be made to keep the library open on holidays, was put forward for the consideration of the committee. It was decided to recommend to the Borough Council for re-election to the committee the present subscribers"’ representatives, namely: Miss Douglas and* Messrs. W. H. Skinner, G. H. Dolby, and W. H. Moyes. There was some discussion on the question of approaching the Taranaki County Council for a subsidy, seeing that the library was largely used by country residents Some speakebs contended that the whole upkeep should nojt be cast on the borough, and failing t)>e securing of a country subsidy they advocated an increase of the subscription for country members. This, however, did not meet with general approval. It was decided that half-yearly subscriptions be 5s 6d, and annual 10s. A vote of thanks to the officials for their work was also carried.