CIVIC CONTROL SUGGESTED.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20905, 12 July 1933, Page 8

CIVIC CONTROL SUGGESTED.

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. CHAIN OF SUBSIDIARY INSTITUTIONS. The suggestion that owing to the decrease in the revenue from endowments the Canterbury College Board of Governors might be amenable to a proposal to hand over the control of the Canterbury Public Library to the Christchurch City Council was made by Mr E. J. Howard, M.P., at the reopening of the Spreydon library last evening. Mr Howard expressed the hope that the day was not far distant when all suburban libraries would be linked in a chain through the suburbs, with the central public library acting as the "supply ship" for the subsidiary institutions, and circulating several thousands of books around the chain. He also thought that there was room for the adoption of some such scheme as was in operation in South Africa—the establishment of study circles in connexion with each library. These, he said, could be the means of adding much interest and value to the reading of the public. "The central public library in Christchurch belongs to Canterbury College and exists under endowments," said Mr Howard. "Endowment lands these days are not a very great asset, and so the suggestion that, the City Council should take over the library should be acceptable to the board of governors.