SUNDAY CLOSING OF LIBRARY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 254, 24 July 1944, Page 4

SUNDAY CLOSING OF LIBRARY

Underlying Reasons MORE WORK, FEWER AND YOUNGER STAFF The Wellington City Council’s decision to close the central and other public libraries, from August 1, at noon on Saturdays and the central library altogether ou Sundays, these curtailments to operate for the war only, has produced some protests, mostly related to the central library where weekend use is made of the reference and commercial sections. Regularly kept statistics of attendance there show a negligible percentage of the population to be affected, but to keep these libraries open at the weekend requires one member of the staff to every six rentiers.

The municipal libraries, by decision of the council, have been forced into reducing their service by the. same factors which has affected many other organizations—staff. Hie difference is that the libraries have managed to carry ou without restrictions for nearly live war years. The pre-war staff was 40; today it is less, but book issues have increased iu six years by 30 per cent., to 1,041,00-1. Only 13 of the April, 1939, staff are still with the libraries, but since then there has been a staff turnover of one arid threequarter times. Seventy-one have left for various reasons, some to take other library jobs. War has brought increased demands ou the reference and commercial libraries. Seekers after information usually ask library assistants to direct them to the references they want. Whether this is done well .and quickly depends largely on training. Skilled assistants are not trained in a few weeks or even a year. The libraries have to compete with the public service and other forms of employment. which in war-time, pay comparatively high wages, for the available labour. However essential (he libraries are to the public they are not essential under manpower regulations. The result is that staff cannot he directed to library work, and if they undertake it, they cannot be compelled to remain. The choice is largely limited to girls between school leaving age and IS, at which age they come under manpower control. A high proportion of young workers lowers efficiency till such time as they can be fully trained. Saturday and Sunday afternoon and night work has not helped to make library work attractive, despite compensating payment. There is too much competition from avenues of employment offering five-day weeks at war-produced wages rates. Hourly counts of weekend attendances in the reference and commercial libraries of the central library have always been kept. Readers spending whole afternoons or evenings there are included several times in the counts and swell the averages. The Saturdays average for the past 12 months has been 22 for each room; the Sunday averages 31 for the reference library and 29 for the commercial. These libraries undoubtedly provide warm, congenial shelter tor some elderly men whose living conditions may not be comfortable. The other readers are students or casual seekers after information. The restrictions were not imposed without a keen debate by the council. Supporters of a move by Crs. W. H. Stevens and R. L. Macalister to have the matter referred hack to the libraries committee lost by 11 votes to five. Afore may yet be heard on the matter. Meantime the library service wants the stuff which would make it unnecessary io consider restrictions.