THE LIBRARY YEAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 106, 6 May 1936, Page 16

THE LIBRARY YEAR

ISSUES AND REFERENCE

REMARKABLE GROWTH

The annual report made by the Chief Librarian, Mr. J. Norrie, upon the work of the Central and Branch Libraries once again records a year of remarkable expansion, in both issues of books from the lending departments and in the number of readers in the reference departments. In twenty years the number of books issued to subscribers has been trebled, and in the last five years has been more than j doubled. Even should the Central and other Branch Libraries remain at their present stage of briskness, next year's figures will show a big increase again in the total, for within the past few weeks' the Lyall Bay branch has come on to the list of suburban libraries. The new Central Library, Mr. Norrie states, is not likely to be in use before the end of 1937, so that for eighteen months longer Central Library business must be carried on in a building which was outgrown eight or ten years ago.

"The reference and commercial departments have always been something of a mirror of social conditions, and it is interesting to note that while there has been an increase in Sunday attendance, the use of these departments has fallen off during week days," stated Mr. Norrie. "The reabsorption of more people into employment is responsible for the slackening of week-day attendance, while the increase in the number of Sunday visitors is a sign that habits formed in times of adversity are not entirely obliterated by the return of more normal conditions. It is anticipated that with the probable reduction in the hours of work, increased leisure will cause further use to be made of the stock.

"The lending department has. of course, for years past been working at full pressure. The newspaper room, too, is still being used extensively; though conditions have never been entirely satisfactory in this department. It is a matter as much as anything else of planning, and it is hoped that conditions' in the new building will obviate a good many of the difficulties of administration in this respect. HOME READING. "Although the libraries are working throughout at full pressure and I am able once more to point to a record year, saturation point has been reached and only the change over into new quarters can increase the scope of the lending department's work very considerably. Last year the books taken from all lending departments numbered 646,025, this figure being exclusive of books issued to schools. During the year just completed 677,719 books were issued, an increase of 31,694. Average daily issues for 1935-36 were 2514, as compared with 2394 for the previous year." The revenue from subscriptions and exti^ books increased by £394 13s Id, the total sum received amounting to £4923 14s Bd, as compared with £4529 Is 7d the previous year, stated the librarian. > x During the year ended March 31 the Central Library issued 369,466 volumes, exceeding the previous year's total of 354,998 by 14,468. The average daily issues, numbering 1232, were in excess of the previous year's issues by 52 per day. UP AND UP. Other record figures quoted were: —Average daily issue 1232 (previous figure 1180); issues in a single week, 7675 (7446); issues in a single month. 34,036 (32,556); issues in a complete year, 369,466 (354,998). The use of books in the various classes is indicated by the following table:— Tcr cent. Magazines •. 0.5 decrease Philosophy and religion C.S , decrease Sociology. 9.0 increase Language and literature .i S.O decrease Science ■-. ".33 decrease Useful tirts 0.3 increase Fine arts 2.0 decrease History, biography, and travel 32.0 increase Fiction :!.S increase Juvenile 3.C increase USE OF REFERENCE ROOMS. Figures of the estimated use made of the reference and commercial rooms are summarised in the report as follows:— Total attendance, 219,153; previous figure, 228,508. Average week-day attendance, 667.9; previous figure, 695.8. Average Sunday attendance, 324; previous figure, 316.8. In the aggregate 9355 fewer persons were estimated to have used these departments during the year than during the proceeding year, and this decrease, coupled with a large increase in the number of telephone inquiries and a further increase in lending room figures, goes to show that people have less leisure during the day in which to pursue their researches; but are still in as great need of information as before.