Christchurch Public Libraries

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22661, 16 March 1939, Page 10

Christchurch Public Libraries

Addressing the Town Clerks’ Institute of New Zealand, the Director of the Country Library Service, Mr G. T. Alley, usefully commented on the example of the Dunedin Public Library, which, having become a free library, has for some years abandoned the attempt to “ satisfy “ the people who clamour for the current “ literary rubbish ” and pursued the policy of building up a valuable stock of, books. The example is specially well worth stressing just now, not as unique or as a mere experiment, for it is neither, but because the commercial libraries seem to have beaten the subscriber public libraries at a game they need no longer play, and the opportunity is now open—open wider than ever before—to make public libraries provide a public service worth paying for as such. The supply of a popular demand for books that last a day may be left to the commercial intelligence that has discovered and studied it. There is no need for public libraries to become reference libraries, exclusively; they may, however, buy, organise, and develop without being obliged to consider, first and foremost, the demands of subscribers. They may define their functions more widely, more liberally, and more wisely, and depend on the certainty that the service they supply will not be a service unwanted and wasted. They may do this, of course, only if they are enabled to do it by the substitution of public financial support for private, subscriber support. In Christchurch, fortunately, there is good reason to V believe that, with a little thrust and persuasion, public support will be made available. A year or two ago misunderstanding of the proposal for a centralised library scheme was widespread. The suburban libraries were believed to be in danger of extinction under a scheme which could only strengthen them. This belief has weakened, if it has not wholly disappeared; and councillors who had always opposed rating for public library maintenance and development have moved towards the support of the principle. Mr E. H. Andrews, for instance, about the middle of last year, was ready to explain that an exceedingly small rate, costing the average ratepayer a bare 2s, would furnish £ 6000 a year, a sum considerably above the present expenditure on Christchurch public libraries; and this sum, expended under the central library scheme, would provide an immensely more efficient and extensive service. But it appears that misunderstandings have still to be removed. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Linwood Public Library, a week ago, Cr. T. Nuttall declared that “ the “whole system of public libraries in Christ- “ church was wrong ” —we do not differ, of course—and supplied an illustration by saying that the City Council had “ given to the Can- “ terbury Public Library for years,” yet neither owned the library nor had a voice in its control, Cr. Nuttall is mistaken if he thinks that the council has regularly subsidised the Canterbury Public Library: it has made three grants, of £250, of £IOOO, and of £4OO, in three consecutive years, the £4oo—an unexpected and unexplained and unfortunate reduction—being for the current year. It is true that negotiations for the city’s control, or joint control, of the library were resultless, a year or two ago; but it is almost certainly true that they could be successfully resumed at once—if the council were ready to negotiate without demanding too much or demanding what is unnecessary and even undesirable. A difficulty over' the library endowments would be no difficulty at all if the council were content to leave the endowments as they are and to accept joint control instead of absolute control and ownership. Cr. Nuttall seems to desire for the council no more than “ a voice “ in the control of the library,” in return for a reasonable measure of support. He is not likely to be disappointed if he moves along that line and takes the present as the “ oppor- “ tune time ” at which he promised to act.