CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 240, 27 January 1898, Page 4

CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY

The annual meeting of the subscribers and members of the corporation of the abovo Library was held on Monday evening. There were present :—Messrs W. tout (chairman), G. E. C'ark, It. C. Dyer—members ot the Committee—Jas. Hally, Jno. M. Hally, T. Hartly, G. Empson, W. 11. Wright and A. Blackman. New Members of the Corvoration. —The following were elected upon the Library Corporation, they having been mbsoribers for over twelve months and contributed £1 to the funds of the institution :—O. W. Arnold, C. Boycc, R. Chambers, Jas. Dean, P. Fogarty, (! Giffo'nl, J. Howe, It. W. Mears, G. P. McCullagh, M. McDermott, It. S. Poole, H. G. Itowe and Geo. Thorpe. The Report and Balance-sheet.— The annual report was then read as follows :—Upon taking otlice in February last the Trustees set earnestly to work to make the Library, if possible, more effective for good by increasing the number of newspapers for the reading room : also a better arrangement of books, and of the system of changing same in the lending Library. In respect to the newspapers an appeal was made to the proprietors of most New Zealand papers for a free copy with most gratifying results as over thirty responded generously to the request. The result being that the reading room is now more amply supplied with news from all parts of the colony than could have been reasonably anticipated, for which the trustees feel very grateful and express their thanks to the various proprietors. It may be mentioned that all the newspapers arc now regularly filed and preserved for the use of the public. Unfortunately some person has been guilty of purloining papers from the reading room in the of the custodian, to the great. Hunoyancc of those who frequent the room ; every attempt to stop this practice has been a failure, therefore the Trustees feel it will be a public duty to prosecute the delinquent when detected, as a caution and to prevent similar practices in the future. The old custom of subscribers helping themselves to books from the shelves of the lending Library and then reporting to the Librarian what they bad returned or taken out, appeared to the Trustees to be fraught with danger, as the bulk of the books were sadly mutilated without a chance of rinding out where they were so illtreatcd ; moreover many were missing and it seemed impossible to trace them or to find out who had taken them. The Trustees, therefore, thought it one of the most necessary duties to initiate a different system ; they at once called in a'l the books as a preliminary to a new arrangement, with •the result that several hundred volumes were found missing, amongst them beta}.' fifty-eight very valuable works from the Reference Library alonp, some cf which can hardly be replaced for love or money. And though every effort has been made by personal appeals and public advertisements, none of these have yet been returned. Of the ordinary books from the Lending Library a large number came to hand and are still dropping in after years of detcution, while it is hoped many more will be returned, as each book is of small value to any individual to retain, though its value on the shelves of the Library for the use of a large number of subscribers cannot be estimated. Simultaneously with tlio calling in of the o'd books orders for new works were given to the bookseller as it was found a new catalogue must be prepared for the proper carrying out of the improved system, therefore all the old and new books were classified and re-numbered ; some extensive repairs >vcre instituted ; the internal shelving and counter room was altered and revised; and new ledgers for bookkeeping procured and opened preparatory to the re-issue of the books. All this work involved a great deal of trouble, expense and time, but the end is attained and a complete check is now in force that if carried out should prevent further losses or mutilation. It may be remembered that glass showcases were reported to be in hand for the museum at the date of the last annual report, to receive the curios so generously given by Miss Hooper; these cases have been finished and placed in position, and thus the nucleus of a local museum has been established and awaits' the gifts and kind co operation of those persons possessing local objects of interest— native weapons or manufactures, or other objects of interest—to make it a most attractive feature to all visitors to Cambridge, as also a most instructive lesson book to young students. The trustees therefore earnestly appeal to all persona capable and willing to assist in this direction with minerals of the neighbourhood, shells, insects and all natural history collections, besides those other objects above mentioned, to present them to the museum and thus improve its attraction and usefulness. The report then went on, at considerable length, to thank a number of fiiends who had made donations of various kinds to the institution, and specially mentioned Mr G. E. Clark, who had, at considerable personal inconvenience, sold a number of Jubilee photos, from which the funds of the institution had benefitted to the extent of £4, the Hamilton Amateur Dramatic Society, and those who assisted at the Library concert. The report then continued: It may here be mentioned that the catalogues have already borne good fruit in affording facilities for finding out what books arc in the Library ; many of the best workß bad been previously seldom taken out, but now they are in general demand. The trustees are glad to state that they have, by diligence and economy, made both ends meet, the balance in hand being nearly the same amount as they began with, while many of the outstanding arrears of* 181J6 have been collected several have been obliged to be written off. Some have left the district and now do not care to pay what is owing, and somo have died without assets, which facts have determined the trustees to enforce the rule that all subscriptions shall be paid in advance. This, they hope, will prevent any further accumulation of bad debts, and afford a certain and reliable income to the institution. The trustees wish further to intimate that they have recently received advices of a further shipment of part of an order for the latest new books, which they expect will soon erriveaud form an additional attraction to the subscribers of the Cambridge Library, which stands in the very first rank of country Libraries. containing as it does some 2400 books as already catalogued, with a further 200 to be added as soou as the latt order is completed, aud a reading-room supplied with over 40 newspapers from ever} part of the colony.—The balance-sheet, as published in last issue, was also read, and both were unanimously adopted. A letter from the auditor, Mr M. McDermott, suggested a few alterations in the method of keeping the accounts, and stated that, if re-elected, the writer would be glad to assist the secretary in the clerical part of the work.—We need hardly say Mr McDermott was immediately re elected, aud his kinel offer accepted with thanks, fcr it and also for past services. Election of Trusters.—Mr Hartly said it was evident the Trustees had given satisfaction during the past year or there would have been a larger meeting, for it appeared to be the rule with subscribers not to attend the annual meeting unless there was some elisssatisfaction with the management. He moved that the retiring Trustees be re-elected. —Mr Empson seconded the motion, which was supported by Mr McDermott, who bore testimony to the valuable work done by the Trustees during the past year. He said the Cambridge Library now occupied an almost unique position amongst country libraries, with a surplus of over £6OO of nssets over liabilities.—The motion was unanimously ugreed so,—Mr Dyer biiefly

returned thanks on belmlfof the Trustees. In doing so he said lie thought the public did not, realise the amount of work that had been done in connection with the new catalogue, etc. Straightening Ur the List of Members.—On the motion of Mr Hartly, seconded by Mr Dyer, the following resolution was unanimously agreed to: " That the incoming committee be instrue'ed to excise from the list, of members of the Corporation of the Cambridge Library all who have signified that they have ceased to subscribe to the Library funds or who have left the district, also all who have not paid the subscriptions due for the past twelve months." Mu It. 15. Fitzimtwck.—A letter was received from Mr Fitzpaiiick, complainng of the ac ion of the Trusties in excluding him from the reading-room. It was very abusive in some parts, but the rcadiug of it caused great laughter. The whole r,f the circumstances connected with the case were explained, and it was then unanimously resolved : "That the action of the Trustees in relation to Mr Fit/.patriek l,c approved and endorsed."—Messrs Clark and Dyer said Mr Fitzpatiick blamed Messrs Rout, Wells and Archdeacon Willis for the action taken by the Trustees, but it was only fair to them to state that it was unanimously agreed to by the whole of the Trustees. .Donations—The Chairman urged the members to use their influence in getting donations made to the Library and Museum, and after the usual votes of thanks to the retiring officers the meeting terminated. At a subsequent meeting of the committ c Mr W. Rout was re-elected chairni*n.