THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19854, 15 February 1930, Page 9

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

The librarian of the Canterbury Public Library reports that January was one of the best months on record as regards work carried out in all departments pf the Liidrary. No fewer than 15,826 books were issued for home rending, this being an increase o 016 volumes compared with January last year. Undoubtedly the spell of bad weather which was experienced was responsible lor this increase. The books consulted in the reference library also showed an increase of 1016 over the issue for January of ia^». It was an excellent month for now members, 110 fewer than 126 enrolling, so that at the end of the month the adult membership showed an increase of 138 compared with last Year's figures. New books to the number of 137 were added to the stocK, this being considerably below the average. At this period of the year the output from publishing houses is usually small, ana so the Library suffers from the scarcity of iiew books. However, it is anticipated that a very large number of books will be added during the next few months. The new e l tion of the Encyclopaedia Britannica already reached Lyttelton, and it is "°P that the 24 volumes will be placed on shelves at an early date. ' The Children's Library membership is increasing slowly, but more boys and gir between the ages of nine and sixteen are invited to enrol. There are nearly 4000 books on (he shelvos in this section, an< * these mav be borrowed free of charge. Las month about 2000 books were issued lor homo reading.