Libraries And Book Clubs

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 153, 25 March 1938, Page 13

Libraries And Book Clubs

Sir, —The lettep in your issue of Tuesday, in which Mr. Harold G. Fownes contrasts the municipal libraries with the book clubs, is interesting. Most people will agree with hi's contentions and it can be said that if one is interested in latest literature then the book, clubs give far better service than the public libraries. Whoever is responsible for stocking the shelves of the latter seems to be' completely out of touch with public taste, not only in regard to fiction, but also in regard to the popular type of general reading matter. I.could quote dozens of instances, but one or two will suffice. Two popular travel works were .issued and placed on the shelves of the book clubs and incidentally they were featured in the leading bookshops and most favourably reviewed by “The Dominion,” .1 and others requested that they be added to the municipal library, but it was not until twelve month's later that they "were placed on the shelves. ■ -• •' Some little time ago-I-paid-the 3d. fee to reserve a new book,- but hearing nothing more about it,' made inquiries v only to learn that there are four others ahead of me, which means I won’t get it for two months. I went into the-book club to which I belong, and found the book on the shelves. The girl informed me they had procured three or four copies. The municipal library also procures more than one copy of several books and while I don’t want to be dogmatic on this point, it seems to me that almost invariably several copies are procured of hooks not very much in demand. Further, the left-wing type of literature appears to get a better run in the municipal library than it merits, and it is about time a halt was called. —I am, etc., SUBSCRIBER. Wellington, March 23. -