NEW BRANCH LIBRARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 148, 25 June 1931, Page 3

NEW BRANCH LIBRARY.

OPENING AT AVONDALE. OLD BOROUGH HALL UTILISED. The Avondale branch library, which will be opened on Satiuday, is the latest addition to the library system of Auckland, which, including the Leys Institute, now consists of ten separate establishments. Miss E. Melville, chairman of the library committee, will perform the opening ceremony. Ever since the amalgamation of Avondale with the city there have been requests for library facilities to be extended to the district. When the first request was made, financial and other considerations militated against granting the request, but on further representations being made the library committee recommended' that a motor bookwagon should be utilised for providing citizens; of the district with a book service. This suggestion did not meet with the approval of the City Council, and the committee, having been instructed to suggest an alternative scheme, proposed that the old borough hall should be converted into a branch library building. This recommendation was adopted by the council, and at the beginning of this year the alterations required in the building were undertaken. Sincc April the librarian, Miss M. McDonald, has been engaged in assembling and preparing the stock of books for the branch. When opened, the library will be equipped with a stock of approximately 1700 volumes, of which about 1150 will be found' in the lending department, about 400 will be set aside for the use of boys and girls, and the balance, comprising quick reference books, will be located in the reading room. In addition to the book literature popular periodicals >wiii be provided for each of the departments. Although quite an old building, it is in very sound condition, and with the alterations which have been made three commodious departments have been provide'd. They are, a lending department vvtli accommodation at the present time for over 3000 volumes, a room for boys and girls with tables and chairs which will accommodate l(i readers at a time, and a reading room for adults with similar accommodation.