Criticism Of Library ‘Strange Statement’

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32347, 13 July 1970, Page 16

Criticism Of Library ‘Strange Statement’

Criticism by Mr R. J. Johnston, a senior lecturer in geography at Canterbury University, of the Christchurch City Council’s administration of the Canterbury Public Library was called “one of the strangest reports to have emanated from our university in recent years” by the chairman of the council’s cultural committee (Cr H. G. Hay) last evening.

Mr Johnston told a forum conducted by the Canterbury Accountant Students’ Society on Friday that the committee was imposing “middle-class values” on others through its ' policy of administration. “Personally.” Cr Hay said, “1 deplore references to socalled middle-class values in ■ respect of the arts or literature, and suggest that Mr i Johnston define what he means in such remarks. “No doubt his ideas are} based on the relatively-un-limited resources of university libraries as far as the function of a public library is concerned, and differ considerably from the accepted function which has prevailed' in New Zealand for some • years." ! Cr Hay said that serious literature of an educational na- 1

ture, together with reference books,. had normally been available free of cost to library users (often university students). “But I fail to see why already-overburdened ratepayers should be asked to finance the cost of purely recreational reading such as “Playboy” or “Man” so that they may be available free to university students, lecturers, or anybody else.” he said.

! “The ratepayers of the Christchurch City Council area are already paying more than $200,000 towards our library services. Until Mr Johnston or any other person can suggest a more equitable I source of finance, we will j continue to make a charge for [books such as ‘Peyton Place’ or magazines such as ‘Play'boy,’ Cr Hay said.