FREE LIBRARY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 August 1940, Page 6

FREE LIBRARY

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL ADOPTS SCHEME VOTING SIX TO FIVE. PAY COLLECTION NOT BEING ESTABLISHED. Masterton is to adopt the Country .Library Service free library scheme. This decision was reached by the Alasterton Borough Council last night by a majority of one, one councillor having left the meeting before the vote was taken. It was decided not to establish a pay collection.

Councillor W. Kemp, chairman of the library committee, moved that the question of establishing a free library service be held over, in accordance with the recommendation of the Library Committee before the last meeting of the council. This was seconded by Councillor R. Russell. Councillor G. W. Morice moved an amendment that the council accept the offer of the Country' Library Service to supply 750 books every four months and agree to the abolition of the subscription system to residents of the borough as from January 1. 1941. Referring to letters in the paper, Councillor Morice said one correspondent was evidently under a misapprehension. He seemed to think the supply of fiction would be reduced, but under the proposed system the supply of fiction would be very much greater. The average supply of books at present was 45 per month, mainly fiction. If they accepted the offer of the Country Library Service they would have an average of 90 extra books of fiction per month. The council would continue to spend money in the purchase of books and would buy just as much fiction as before, if not more, as it might not be necessary to spend any money on nonfiction books, as these would be supplied by the service. He did not believe it was true that people did not appreciate what was provided free. He believed the subscription library in the course of a few years would be as antiquated as the toll gate. Why should not the council supply such an essential thing as a library free? The council was almost supplying it. free at the present time. If the council established a pay collection for luxury reading they would get in with country subscribers as much as they did from subscriptions at present. The Mayor. Mr T. Jordan, said it was a question whether the amount received from country subscribers and from pay collections would be sufficient to equal the present subscription from subscribers and so obviate the possibility of any increase in. the rates. “It is something in the way of a gamble, but experiences elsewhere show that they get approximately the same return,” said Councillor Morice, who added that he thought they would get more country subscribers under the scheme. He had no desire to increase the rates.

“FREE FOR ALL.” Seconding the amendment. Councillor J. Ninnes said the library should all be Tree. He did not see why the man who liked light fiction should have to pay for it. Councillor H. E y Gardner, while admitting that there were merits in the scheme, thought that, as it was something of an experiment, nothing should be done at present. He referred to expert advice he had obtained at .Palmerston North to the effect that to be a success the pay section must be run separately and under separate management. It would have to be in the main street and made attractive and Councillor Moricc’s proposal was not in keeping with that advice. At present a subscriber paid 7s 6d for two books a week whereas under the new scheme, he would pay 26s a year for fiction. Palmerston North had made a success of the scheme, but it had cost a lot of money. The council would have to have a shop in Queen Street.

Councillor W. White, ’in supporting the amendment, thought the scheme would make the library even better than it was now. At the same time he congratulated the Library Committee on its good work.

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL ADOPTS SCHEME

CONDITIONS OF PROPOSAL. Mr Jordan pointed out, in reply to an interjection, that tlie proposal was that the service would supply 750 books every four months, half fiction and half nonfiction, which would be handed out to residents of the borough free of cost. The conditions of the scheme were that the library should be under the control of the council, that there should I be no subscription to local residents and that the council should maintain a reasonable standard of efficiency, say. by the expenditure of 2s per head of population per year. R. Russell maintained that the council would gain no advantage by making a change at this juncture. All had to admit that during the 24 years they had been in office the council had run the library successfully. The committee’s ambition was to endeavour to reach the 600 mark as far as subscribers were concerned and in spite of the competition of other libraries he believed they would reach that figure before their term was up. Four-fifths of the committee were in favour of making no change at present. He paid a tribute to the work put in by Councillor Kemp. He could not see that it was a free library un-

der the proposed scheme. He doubted if the Government would be able to continue the supply of books under war conditions. SCHEME OPPOSED. Councillor Kemp said when he first joined the council in 1913, they had nearly 200 subscribers. The next time he came to the council, about 1922 or 1923, there were not 400 subscribers and the maximum number reached was 678. A censorship was started after he Was put off the council and what did they do? They lost dozens of subscribers because they would not be told what they were to read. Six years ago there was another change on the library committee and it was absolutely fatal. That committee wanted to tell the people what they should read and they lost about 300 subscribers. In order to re-

medy that position, the Library Committee had set out to cater for what the people wanted and the committee had succeeded in getting the subscribers back. He believed the subscribers in this town held the opinion that the committee had done its job. Councillor Kemp asserted that the fiction provided in the proposed service was not the latest, and that much of It would not be any good for the Masterton Library. As to the non-fiction books, he admitted that there were many that! would be worth having, but he thought perhaps the council could pay for the loan of these books. Only ten per cent of their subscribers wanted non-fiction

books. His opinion was that there was only one motive in the proposed service, the education of the people in a political way. He referred to the difficulty of the task in selecting 750 books from the library van. As io “shockers,” (which Councillor Kemp regarded as books which offended good taste) the committee had found it impossible to keep them out of the library. He defended the novel, especially the older’ ones, for their educational value. Under the proposed service, he said, ninety per cent of the people would have to pay more for their books, so that ten per cent could get the books they wanted for nothing. There was a question of tire Government taking a prominent part in this library scheme, much as it did with the radio. lie considered things should be left as they were, as the library committee had done its job. It would be a great pity now to upset their subscribers if a change were made.

SOMETHING BETTER. Councillor G. D. Wilson said that some of the improvement in the library was directly attributable to the librarian engaged temporarily a while ago. He did not think the drop in subscribers had been as great as Councillor Kemp had stated. It seemed to him the council was being offered something, which, on the face of it, was, something better than what it had. If he thought there was any possibility of the service being used for political purposes, as the radio was, he would flatly oppose it. Unless the council were going in for substantial alterations, it would not cost the council much to try out the scheme. If he thought the fiction, speaking generally, dated back to 1932 or 1933, as Councillor Kemp had stated, he doubted whether it would be much good, though he was inclined to believe much later works would be available. Subject to these points, he supported the scheme. Stating that he was voting against the amendment, Councillor A. D. Low said he did not think there would be any thought of political motives in the scheme. He felt that the matter was an experiment and as the library was placed now—it was in a very satisfactory condition —he thought things should remain as they were. The library was filling a need with the reading public of Masterton. -There were few in the community who read for a serious purpose. They must consider the interests of 90 per cent of their subscribers rather than to provide for ten per cent. NO PROPAGANDA.

“I agree entirely with what Councillor Wilson has said,” observed Mr Jordan. If there was any touch of propaganda he would be just as eager to drop the scheme as Councillor Wilson and other councillors.

“I am against this scheme at the present time," said Councillor A. T. Jackson. If the council took it up, he said, it would have a good deal of expenditure.

Councillor Morice explained that he had not gained the impression that the fiction books were old ones. He read reports he had received from other towns which had adopted the scheme, which were all very favourable to it. In every case there was a substantial increase in the number of subscribers. Referring to Councillor Low's remarks. Councillor Morice said that the great majority of the fiction would be in the free section and in addition, there would be added to the fiction section about 90 books per month, all of which would be free. There were undoubtedly some of the most up-to-date books included in the Country Library Service but just what proportion of them would be the newest books he did not know. He admitted that they would come a little slower but they would get them, though if the people wanted them at once the council could still buy them. If they made use of this

service he believed the reference books would be read. He agreed that people would not be told what they should read. The Country Library Service recognised that and its policy was to put in books that would be read. If the public were offered good reading thev would read it. They were all of one mind as to any suggestion of using the service for propaganda purposes. He regretted the use the present Government made of the broadcasting service and councillors would know what to do if the Government started using the library for propaganda. Councillor Morice said the man in charge of the van gave considerable help in the selection of the books. He was pleased with the library as it was at present and he was confident, if the proposed change were made, ' the number of readers would increase. There was no reason why the library should not be improved. He believed they would increase the amount of reading in the borough by at least 100 per cent by the j adoption of the scheme.

PROPOSAL ADOPTED. On the amendment being put to the meeting it was carried, the voting being:—

For: The Mayor, Councillors White. Low, Wilson, Morice and Ninnes. Against: Councillors Jackson, Gardner, Russell, Kemp and Judd. Councillor Low, who had previously spoken against the amendment, said he was voting for it. Councillor Trevor Beetham was absent. Councillor Morice then moved that the council establish a pay collection at 3d per volume. Councillor Low seconded the motion.

Councillor Ninnes said he objected to the pay library, which could only be run separately. Councillors Gardner and Kemp also opposed the motion. Councillor Kemp stating that it would cost from £3OO to £5OO. Councillor Wilson: “The cost to the borough of the free library is another £180.” Councillor Morice said his idea in suggesting the pay library was to avoid any increase in rates. The motion was defeated, the voting being:— For: The Mayor. Councillors Low, Wilson and Morice.

Against: Councillors Ninnes. Jackson, Gardner, Russell, Kemp, Judd and White.

It was decided that the subscription for country subscribers be the same as at present, 15s per year.