PUBLIC LIBRARY

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25463, 8 April 1948, Page 5

PUBLIC LIBRARY

Sir, —Your correspondent “X.Y.Z.” gives a correct picture of our Public Library. I inquired the other day for a certain book. I was told that there were about four people on the waiting list. It is always the same tale. There is never a new book to be seen. On another occasion I wished to look at some oversea papers for shipping movements. Neither the Sydney nor Cape Town papers were on the file. The leading English weekly, the “New Statesman,’’ is not available. What we want is a town library service on the lines of the country service. Our library is always closed on holidays, the very time it could be of greatest service to the community. Let’s hope it won’t be long before a change is effected and we have a service equal to that of the other cities. —Yours, etc., JAMES F. RICHARDSON. April 6, 1948. [“We can’t prevent people reserving books which are in denfand,’ said the librarian, Mr E. J. Bell. “But there are always new books coming in whichare at once available to the public. This year’s subscription to the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ has been paid’in advance, but no copy has reached us since mid-February. A letter has been written asking the reason for this. The ‘Cape Argus’ has not been sent this year. Last year the full subscription was sent to this paper but copies were received for only half the year. The ‘New Statesman’ is on file in the library and has been for some years. I believe that the Canterbury Library is the only public library in a main centre giving service on Saturdays.”-]