LIBRARY SERVICE

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31062, 18 May 1966, Page 25

LIBRARY SERVICE

Priority For Suburbs

The New Brighton Public Library urgently required extension to provide adequately for the children’s section, said the town hall and library committee’s report to the Christchurch City Council. Plans had been held in abeyance pending removal of the fire station and the council’s yard, the committee said, and it was expected that the yard would be removed during the current financial year. Reviewing building priorities for suburban libraries, the committee said it was appreciated that some needed resiting. which would probably result in increased membership, but at the same time some extensions were required to existing libraries which had a rapidly expanding membership.

The Papanui library served a large area from most inadequate premises, the committee said.

The Spreydon library would probably have first priority when consideration was given to the replacement of the Spreydon, Linwood, and Opawa libraries. The present building was in very poor condition.

It was recognised that requests for additional library services, not only in Hoon Hay but in other newer districts, were likely to arise from time to time, necessitating the insertion of new building projects into the programme.

A mobile library was one means of providing service in the suburbs, and the council might wish to consider provision of a “bookmobile” rather than to continue to build new libraries. The “bookmobile” was particularly suited to serving outer areas, and it could cope with many in a week. In the meantime, the committee had asked for specific plans for an extension to the New Brighton library, it said, and a sub-committee had been set up to investigate the future of the library at Papanui.