SUBURBAN LIBRARIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 82, 6 April 1918, Page 6

SUBURBAN LIBRARIES.

READING ROOM FOR ROTS. SUGGESTED IN THE CITY. I The library interests of the city are (being steadily developed. The Mayor ! stated this morning that the librarian , advised him that notwithstanding the jwar conditions there had been a constantly improving patronage, and it was i really wonderful the way in which the | library was being developed. The recently I adopted policy of a juvenile library in the schools had proved a great success, and I there was no doubt that this was now a permanent branch of the work, and one | which would receive every possible attention, as the evidence of the headmasters and others left no doubt of the value of jthe facility to the children. The organisation and conditions generally at the library were steadily improving. An enormous amount of work had been done .during the past year, and the books .were in a better condition than at any previous time. The Shaw and O'rey collections had been transferred to the new room, where dampness would be excluded. Mwa Melville, chairwoman of the Library Committee, had advised him that .the suburban libraries showed satisfactory returns, and, after consultation with this committee, it was decided to recommend the iCouncil to authorise the establishment of a branch library in the Epsom district. This would make the fourth branch' library that had been established. The City Council was securing the Epsom .Hall, on the main road, and a portion of this would be almost immediately available for the suburban library in this centre. Probably the other portion of the building would be used its a hall, for lectures associated with the library I interest*, and public meetings, a« in thp j past. He was sure that the residents of Kpsom would very much nppreciatc the fact that the Council go early after the nmnLramation had been able to arrange for this valuable facility to be provided. In this, as in other matters, the Epsom residents, now included in the city, and this.applied also to other areas within the city, could depend upon thp best possible services being offered to them, although it was not possible to do everything at once that he desired to see accomplished. Another interest contingent upon the library work uliich he had had in mind: for some time was that of a juvenile i rea.iin- room and recreation room in the j city. This now under consideration,' and he hoped some practical suggestion would be forthcoming, so that this mucbncci!»d facility for the bove of our city wculd be provided. He had been very much struck with the work which was carried on arnon. the boys at the Leys Institute, and he was satisfied that somethin? of thw kind was wanted right in the heart of the city, so that the hoys could find profitable" use for their time during the evenin.s, and thus enhance their education and usefulness, instead of spending their evenings aimlessly and uselessly. "