THE LIBRARIES' CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 776, 28 March 1910, Page 6

THE LIBRARIES' CONFERENCE.

AN ASSOCIATION FORMED. ' (By Telegraph-Press Association.) Dunedin, March 26. The first conference of representatives from the public libraries of the Dominion (convened by the Dunedin City Council), was opened in the Town Hall to-day.,. Delegates were present from the Dunedin City Council, Wellington City Council, Auckland City Council, Leys .Institute (Auckland),, and the Dunedin Athenaeum. .The delegates were welcomed by Mr. J. H. Walker (Mayor), who said that he -trusted .that the deliberations which they were about to enter on would fulfil their best wishes, and prove valuable to the whole of the institutions in' : the Dominion, and that their value might .be further accentuated by holding a conference',on.the same lines periodically in the different centres.. ;.,- In responding to the. welcome, Mr. Leys said that the public libraries of Nerw Zealand were not on the footing which they should be considering their importance as educators. '■' Ho did not think that their importance was appreciated by those in authority, ahdhe referred to' what he described as the deplorable spectacle J of country 'libraries being practically wiped put by one I stroke of aMinister's. pen..'. If the conr, ference could get the Government to understand and appreciate the value of publio'libraries'as'paTts of a system of mational education' its 'existence would ibe' justified.'- v ; ~ • '.;;■•• •'".

Mr. R. : Gilkison ..was appointed chair-, man of the conference, and Mr.'R: W;' Richards, town clerk of Dnnedin, was appointed hon. secretary... ■'; The chairman, in his address to" the delegates, referred to the benefits that would result from the conference. The formation of '. a Libraries' Association ■ would be a strong bond ; 'of. union amongst those having liko objects- in different towns, 'and-would lead to the development of a clear body of national opinion in!matters which would greatly assist all present and future public libraries in Now Zealand: He should like to seo.tho State take a more active interest in public libraries, and he;hoped,, before the conference, closed, that a resolution . would be ; ''adopted-, urging Parliament to recognise its responsibilities in the direction of looking after tho general provision: of these most necessary means of education..■■'.

' It; was resolved ;to form an association, to; be called the Libraries' Association of New Zealand. A draft : of the.' proposed constitution' of the association was read, and, after a'short discussion, it was resolved to refer rit to a committee, consisting of Messrs; Gilkison, Baillie, Leys; M'Ewan, Atkinson, Morrell, and Parr. Mr. Wilson (Chief Parliamentary: Librarian) read a paper entitled "The selection and purchase of books for public libraries." ' In the matter of the selection' of books he submitted that a librarian should be allowed every latitude and freedom, and should have personal responsibility and. personal -authority. The secretary read Dr. Frengley's paper, "Library Hygiene." It was resolved to defer discussion on this till Monday. ' : " .■■■ V '-, ,■