LIBRARY FINANCES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 112, 4 February 1933, Page 10

LIBRARY FINANCES

Better Revenue and More

Readers

WELLINGTON INSTITUTIONS

Whatever may be the situation in the business world, the public libraries of Wellington are at least holding their own financially. This much is clear from the revenue figures released yesterday by Cr. W. J. Gaudin, chairman of the City Council’s libraries committee.

Revenue from subscribers during the last nine mouths of 1932 was slightly greater than that during the corresponding period of 1931, and this increase, though small, is regarded as satisfactory. The number of books issued, moreover, was greater than ever before, as was shown iu “The Dorninion’’ last month: so at the present time, particularly when its income is compared witli that of other similar institutions, Wellington's public library system may be taken to be in an extremely healthy state. The reason for comparing nlncinontli periods ami not entire calendar years is that the libraries' year, like the city’s financial year, runs from April to March, and the records are compiled according to that plan. Nevertheless, since the periods correspond to eaeli other and are in any case a substantial part of the year, com-

parisons between them must lead to the conclusions of the same order as if whole calendar years were compared.

Comparisons of revenue for the last nine months of 1931 and 1932 for the various public libraries, excluding the recently - established Wadestown branch library, are given below. The amount received from subscribers in the adult and juvenile sections for subscriptions, fines, fees for extra books, reservation fees and magazine fees, with the totals, show clearly what the trend has been. The figures are as follow:— CENTRAL LIBRARY. 11131 1982

It will -be seen from these, figures that the revenue from subscribers has on the whole been well maintained. The 1932 total for all five libraries is £2744/18/2, which is an increase of £4l/2/9 on the corresponding total for the preceding year, £2703/15/5.

£. s. d. . s. d. Subs. . .. ma 17 6 1156 14 0 Fines 77 8 11 98 14 7 Extras 391 6 9 386 6 6 Reserves »2S 15 6 31 6 0 Mags. 41 10 3 41 17 6 Juv. subs. 37 2 4 > 44 0 9 Juv. lines (j 19 (1 11 3 10 Juv. extras T 7 0 0 1 3 Juv. reserves 0 9 3 0 3 0 Juv. mags. 2 5 11 1 18 4 Totals 1710 3 0 1778 10 9 Increase, 1932 over 1931, £ 68/7/8. NEWTOWN 1931 £. LIBRARY. . 1932 s. d. £. s. d. Subs. 364 17 6 31-3 10 0 Fines •« 13 7 4 19 19 n Extras .. 153 9 9 139 11 9 Reserves 3 19 6 (J 14 0 Mags. .. 20 0 11 18 4 Jnv. subs. 12 16 3 38 1 3 Juv. fines .) 0 11 5 19 0 Juv. extras . ■ 3 1 9 3 12 6 Juv. reserves Juv. mags. 1 H 4 1 2 1 Totals GOS 17 3 576 17 4 Decrease. 11)3 2 below 1931, £31/19/11. BROOKLYN 1931 £. LIBRARY. 1932 s. tl. £. a. d. Subs. 61 12 6 61 10 0 Fines 4 10 7 I) 1 o Extras 16 3 24 19 0 Reserves 0 15 3 0 11 0 .Mags. 0 7 3 8 0 Juv. subs. 10 10 0 9 13 9 Totals IOS 5 2 106 3 4 Decrease, 1932 below 1931, £2/1/10. KAR0R1 LIBRARY'. - , :1931 .- 1932 . d. P s. d. Subs. . • 97 12 6 103 7 f) Fines s 6 3 10 18 o Extras 33 4 9 30 19 3 Reserves 1 7 9 - 1 16 9 Mags. .. 12 3 6 9 1 Juv. subs. 12 S 9 12 2 6 Totals 158 12 3 165 13 6 Increase, 1032 over 1031. £7/1/3. NGAIO LIBRARY. 1931 .£. s. d. e 19 s. d. Subs. 69 10 0 75 17 (J Fines 0 9 3 14 6 Extras •• 34 10 6 2 G .» Reserves .. 1 12 6 1 14 3 .Mags. •> 7 S 3 ») Juv. subs. 6 16 3 6 16 6 Totals 117 17 S 117 13 ;; Decrease, 1932 below 1931, 4/5.