CHILDREN'S READING ROOMS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 98, 18 January 1908, Page 11

CHILDREN'S READING ROOMS.

The latest additional equipment of mosl of. the free -lending libraries in the big centres of ;England is the -children's reading-room, which is opened free of; access to small boys and girls : who aro for want; of something better to do, apt to spend their time in-play-ing in tho street. -The success of this-'depar-ture, which was first tried some years ago as a doubtful experiment, is now undoubted, and the children's reading-room is.now-the most attractive spot in the free library of to-day; A model room has green tiled walls'and shining white paint, and'tho walls are lined with glass-doored bookcases, ■ tho highest-' shelf; being well .011 a level with a ten-year-oldV eager eyes. Little - tables and chairs stand about the room, at which boys and girls can poro over fairy tales or bound volumes of "Chum's," or '/'Young England." In connection with some'of the juvenile reading-rooms are home-lesson - rooms, where older 'children can find maps/dictionaries, arid encyclopaedias. Such rooms are free to children,of. all classes, and poverty and patches, are of no- account as long as a clean pair of hands can he shown to the librarian, and attention paid'to the orderly behaviour regulations. In some libraries slips aro pasted inside; t.he books, telling tho names and library number of other books on the same subject. Every once in a while "library talks" arc given in the read-ing-room'to interest children in some fresh subject, and magic, lantern pictures help to make things clear and attractive. After that a list of books''on the same subject is hung up, and each child is asked to ]ook at- it. All pains bestowed on the child reader have been found to be very much worth while. In America the system of free juvenile, reading-rooms" is very 'hiucli in advance of anything; England has, and it- scents as if it- was time Australia ; ospcriinented with one at least. ' '