THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 103, 2 May 1890, Page 3

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

DISCUSSION IN THE CITY

COUNCIL.

An important report, prepared by the Legal Committee of the City Council, with reference to the Free Public Library, was presented and considered. The report was as follows :—

(1) That the income of the Library, exclusive of the Costley Trust, is (rate, £609 ; lending and subscriptions, £45) £654, and the estimated expenditure on the basis of laafc year's operations is—salaries, £330; wages, £150 ; guarantoee, £3; gas, £200 ; insurance, £105; ground rent, £100; furniture, £50 ; binding, £100 ; sundry expenses, £50 ; periodicals, £100 ; total, £1,188. (2) Your Committee is of opinion that very little furniture will be required ; much of the periodical literature which now fills the shelves can be removed upstairs, and so make room for new books as required, and that £10 will cover that item. (3) That binding should be minimised as much as possible, and that; an attempt should be mado to reduce ib to £30, and that it ehould be charged against the Costloy Tiust Fund. (4) That £25 should be sufficient to cover all unforeseen requirements. (5) That though periodicals cannot strictly be considered books, yet underthecircumstances that itemoiay fairly be covered by the Costloy Trust Fund. (6) That the Lending Library should be removed to the room above, and the work of that department be done by the ordinary staff; a special attendant would not thfin be required. (7) Thab the work of the oleanor does not justify a payment of 20a a week ; 10s would be a fair wage. Should the present cleaner not be willing to accept that wago, that it would be beet to employ a man and his wife at 30a and 10s a woe'k respectively, as eecond messenger and cleaner. (8) That it is found by observation that extremely few persons visit the Library before half-pa'et ton in the morning ; that very few are found there between the hours of h'vo and seven in the afternoon, and not many after nine ab night. If the Library were openod ab 10.30 a.m., closed from five to seven in the winter (May Ist to October Ist), and from 5.30 to 7 in the sutnmer, and finally closed ab 9 p.m., there would be a saving of £100 a year in gae ; and as the Library hours would only be eight and α-hulf a second aesistant librarian would not be required. (9) The Committee recommends : (a) That furniture be limited to £10 (clause 2); (b) thab binding be limited to £30, ana bo made a charge upon feho Costley Trust Fund {clause 3); (c) that sundry expenses be limited to £25(clause 4); (d) that periodicals bo made a charge upon the Costley Trust Fund ; (c) that the Lending Library bo removod to the room above, and that the special attendant be dispensed with : (f) that the wages of the cloaner be reduced to 10s a week, in terms of clause 7 ; (g) that the Library be opened at 10.30 a.m., closed from 5 to 7 in winter, and from 5.30 to 7 in summer, and finally closed at 9 p.m., the newspaper reading-room to bo opened as usual; (h) that the second assistant librarian bo dispensed with ; (i) that the salary of the librarian be reduced to £100 and that of the assistant to £85 : (j) that a soparate gae-meter bo obtained for the Library. (10) The expenditure for management will then appear as follows: — Librarian (with kouse and allowances), £100; do. assistant, £85; watchman (proportion), £52; second mesKengor (do.), £60; cleaner, £26; guarantooe, £3; gaa, £100; insurance, £105; pround rent, £100 furniture,£lo; sundries, £25; total, £666, as agoinst income from rates and subscriptions, £654 ; leaving a deficiency of £12. (11) If those recommendations be given effect to, there will be available from tho Costley Truss a sum of about £500 a year for the purchaso of books as follows:—lncome from Uostloy Trust, £642 10s,- lees deficiency in rates, £12; periodicals, £100; binding £30: Total, £130. Lens sale of old paper, £1210s—£117 10s—£129 10s: total*. £513. (12) The balance on hand is £842, which with the above £513, making £1,355 in all, will be available for the purchase of books during the current year. The Committee recommends that this sum ehould be expended at the rate of, as nearly as possible* £200 every two months, the books to be imported ns usual under contract. Tenders to be called for six months. (13) Only five gentlemen consented to act on the Advisory Committee for the selection of books. Tho Committee therefore recommends thab others be invited to give their help, viz., Sir Maurice O'Rorke, Professors Brown and Posnett. (14) The Committee considered the question of insurance, which ab present is as follows:—On building (half of £17,000), £8,500 ; Grey collection, £7,600 ; public library, £3,800 ; fittings, £1,000 : total, £20,800 ; but before making any recommendation it is suggested that the Insurance Companies concerned be asked whether the average clause applies to the Council's policies.

♦ The Mayor mentioned thab'bhere was no name inserted in the report, and the proposed alterations were in the offices ohly. When the report was adopted ib would remain for consideration how the decisions arrived should be given effect to. The recommendations were proposed seriatim, and wore passed with very little discussion.

Cr. Farrell urged thab tho reductions should not bb tho.dk by ciltting down salaries, and suggested that tho amount £85 for the assistant's salary should nob be fi*ed.

Cr. Dignan said 'there had been a mistake made in bho first instance in opening tho Lending Library, bub it had not yeb had a fair trial, and the existing arrangement , should , nob be interfered with on Euch a shorb trial. On the Other hand, he did riot think the interest of the Cbatley money Should be spent ptt books when they were) nob required. He also objected to the catbingr do#n salaries to pub books oh shelves. The prof)bsal to curtail the hours, howevor, was a air curtailment, and Could be mad©. Cr. LennOx urged the necessity: of bringing the Library expenditure within the income. The Maytfr said there wan no intention to close thbLendingLibrary, which he looked upon as one of the most useful institutions, if the report wfcrd adopted the working of the Lending Library would show a profit instead of a loss. Tho Committee were unagreed as to whether there should be two ladies or one man for the iiitb of £85 as proposed* The librarian saw the neceasiby of the proposed reduction in his salary, aha was prepared to accept £100 a year. In addition to tbia he had a very comfortable house, and the remuneration appeared to be a iair one for ih6 work done. The' Mayor moved the adoption of bhe report; ", O; Crowther moved that clause 13 be referred back to the Committee. He thought thab when Mr T. W. Leys and others declined to act, others of similar attainments Bhbuld have been chosen. The MayOrurged thab the Advisory Committee had been arranged so as to be as diverse as possible.. , Cr. Goldie urged thab there was nob an intelligent mechanic on the committee, and suggesbed the names of several practical men. Hβ moved bhe addition of.the names bf Messrs Swainson and Herbert. Cr. Farrell seconded the amendment, bub at the same time recognised the valuable practical knowledgeof mechanics possessed by Professor Brown; - X , «.. The amendment was and the report as thus added to was adjjn^fed. The Mayor then moved,'" That the Library Committee, be requested to report in whab way the etaff of the Library can be most conveniently altered," and this was agreed to. "