PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12684, 24 December 1906, Page 9

PUBLIC LIBRARY.

TO TKK EDITOR OF " TnE PRESS." Sir.—ln an account that appeared in your paper of Saturday, heading "Public. Library—lnterviews with the Librarian," I regret that I should have been misunderstood in my remark as picking up wrinkles at the Wellington Public Library. In my oeveral visits there some two years ago. I was never able to glean anything that would hare bevn any use to the Christchurch Library- and as far as the arrangements of the liooks in both departments it compared! most unfavourably with the library hero, particularly 'the circulating; in fact, all department* showeel the want, of an organiser and head and a general want of proper supervision. If a conference of ligrarianscould b<= held say, evrry second year, where id~as could be exchanged . and the general work of a library discussed, it would prove of great value to profession. But the distance cf the different cPntres from each other would, I fear, prevent its being carried out. also the want of funels. A librarian should, T think, take part in all the eluties i? necessity compels him as often he is short handed, but a great many neglect them, to do outside work to snnnleirv>nt their salarits. which are anything but commensurate with the duties they have to perform. Tn many cases the committees are unable, nor have they any knowledge of the reoiii cements of a library, and tbe matter of selecting books and periodicals for readers is not an easy task, and a very thankless one. —Yours, etc., H.S.