PUBLIC LIBRARY

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 270, 13 August 1942, Page 4

PUBLIC LIBRARY

Subscriptions Increased

Wellington Public Library subscriptions were increased by the city council last night. The subscription for one book will remain at 10/- a year or 5/- a half-year, but two books will be £1 instead of 15/- and three books £l/10/- instead of £l. Extra books and books taken out on the 1/- card will be 3d. each instead of 2d. each. The chairman of the libraries‘committee, Cr. Gandhi, said that it was impossible to carry on without an increase in charges. The cost of books had increased 50 per cent, in the last two years and wages bad gone up from £BB7O in 1938-39 to £13,650 this year. The increases in subscriptions were expected to produce an additional revenue of £lBl5 over a period of 12 months. The Price Tribunal had intimated that it would agree to the proposed charges. Cr. Appleton said that even on the new rates the public would be well served.

Cr. Stevens said that library users would benefit because it would be possible to spend more money on good books and give a better selection. The council decided to provide £lOOO for the purchase of new books.