LIBRARY CONTROL

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21706, 13 February 1936, Page 20

LIBRARY CONTROL

CHANGES SAID TO BE IMMINENT

OPINIONS OF COUNCILLORS

Important changes in library administration in Christchurch, in the reorganisation of the central library and in the introduction of a system of exchange among suburban libraries, were predicted by speakers at last evening’s annual meeting, of the Addington Public Library. • A year of change might be expected in library matters, said" the Deputy - Mayor Cr. E. H. Andrews, who presided, because of the position in which the Canterbury Public Library, which was administered by the Canterbury University College Council, found .itself. In many .quarters it was felt that the library should be the concern of the city and not merely of the college. A conference had been called between the City Council and the college council to consider putting the library-on a better footing.. The college had not had sufficient money to spend on the library buildings which had been standing for many years without being given attention. -An attempt would also be made to improve the reference library, which was at present in a neglected condition and which could not be effectively supervised through the obsolete lay-out of the building.- . . . The case of tne suburban libraries was intimately connected with this reorganisation, for the city might be ' called bn to evolve a scheme to embrace all libraries within the City, continued Cr. Andrews. One suggestion was that they should be conducted so as to allow the interchange of books. There were difficulties in the way, one being that It. was whetherJbooks would be -in good enough order to be exchanged among the dozen or so libraries; in city. Whatever, was the issue, Cr. Andrews said he sincerely hoped-that the suburban libraries would continue their own management, for which the .City Council owed them a deep debt of gratitude. . ■ .. ■ Reconsideration of library matters was inevitable, said Cr. P. D. Sargent, for the central library was well out of date. However, tne change ; could come without bringing any injury to local control, and he trusted. and_ believed that anything that was done would help hnd not hinder suburban ‘ committees. . ■ Mr'W.'S. Brettell; representing the Linwood Library, said that the aim of the reorganisation was jp . obtain a system- similar to that used In the cities in the Old Country The idea of the exchange of books bad l?d -to a misconception in some quarters; actually, when the system was in work-; ing order, the suburban libraries had non-fiction sections, to take readers, to a'certain- point;, when .they wanted more advanced hooks, they applied totheir own librarians, who secured the hnoks on loan from the* ceptral llbrrary. This interchange concerned only the more expensive reference and nonfiction books, and not fiction. • If the central library were set aside for volumes of reference and the local libraries were' in qharge.of the* distribution of fiction, all the troubles of the suburban committees would be over, said Mr A. Bonney (Waltham). He If' to

added that books of fiction would not stand up to frequent exchange. A warning that the suburban libraries should keep a watch on their organisation was given by. Mr J. Fehsenfeld (Spreydon). The work of the central and the suburban libraries should be co-ordinated.