CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 25, 29 July 1937, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE

PUBLIC LIBRARY FACILITIES

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Until recently an unlimited number of "extra" books could be taken out by a subscriber at the; Public. Library on the payment of 3d per book. This was in addition to a book which could be borrowed on the subscriber's card costing 10s per annum. Under the new system just introduced the subscription and use of the ordinary card is unaltered. Each subscriber is also provided with one "extra" card on which extra books, but only one at a time, may be taken out on the payment of 2d. For every additional book the subscriber desires to take, he is required to purchase a Is "extra" card on which one book may be borrowed at the cost of 2d. To meet the competition of book clubs, provision is made for a non-subscriber to obtain a rental card at the cost of Is, on which he may borrow one book at 2d a time. This is equivalent to the above-men-tioned "extra" cards. .■.-.'.

Now the Librarian and his assistants deserve credit for this latter innovation, though it is doubtful if it will balance the loss of subscribers to the book clubs, from which it is much easier to obtain new books. Until new books of fiction are more readily accessible at the Public Library than they have been in the past, the book clubs will draw fiction readers from the municipal library-

If a person wishes to borrow only one book per week, he will be slightly better off with the Is rental card than with the ordinary subscription. If he desires to change a book only once per fortnight, he will save 10s, less 5s 4d, or 4s 3d as compared with the ordinary subscriber. But the writer is more concerned with cases like his . own. At various times in the past he has had as many as eight "extra" books out at once. Since there are eight readers in the family this is not unreasonable. Under the new system it would be necessary to buy seven extra cards at the cost of Is each. It is true that the borrowing fee is now 2d as compared with 3d formerly. But the, plain result will be that far fewer "extra" books will be taken out. Most people having paid a 10s subscription are not. going to pay a further Is to take out a second "extra," even though it is at a reduced rate and a saving over the whole year, can be demonstrated. In other words the initial payment of Is for, the second "extra" card will be more effective as a deterrent than the reduction of Id will'be .as an inducement to take "extras." . :

Hence the library, revenue is likely to fall. It has been stated that it is more convenient for the library officials if every book is issued on a card. But the new system,is definitely not as convenient as the: previous arrangement for the subscribers, and surely their convenience should be paramount.: The writer suggests that regular subscribers be issued two free "extra" cards instead of one, and that subsequent "extra" cards cost only 6d each. There is good reason to believe that this would result in both an increased issue of books and increased revenue.—l am, etc., • .

DAILY VISITOR,

[When the above letter was submitted to the Chief Librarian, he. agreed that in cases where there were eight readers in a family, and seven extra books were required very occasionally, the new system would be more expensive. He pointed out, however, that the case was an extreme one and more than compensated for by the advantages of the new system to the great bulk of subscribers. It was impossible to estimate the effect of the new, system exactly after only a month's trial, but the present indications were that subscribers as a whole were not by any means dissatisfied. The correspondent's suggestion that two free extra cards instead of one be issued, and that subsequent extra cards cost only 6d each might later prove practicable, but so radical a departure from the old system had not yet been considered by the libraries committee, and would no doubt be dependent on the measure of success of the changes already, introduced.]