“BORROWED” BOOKS

Evening Star, Issue 19856, 3 May 1928, Page 14

“BORROWED” BOOKS

PUBLIC LIBRARY'S LOSS CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION That the books taken from the Public. Library and not returned Inst year followed the trend of study of a. certain portion of the community was the opinion expressed by Cr Clark when the Library Committee’s report was being considered bv the City Council at last night’s meeting. The adoption of the report was moved by Cr Black and seconded by Cr Mitchell, the-danso in regard to the loss sustained by the Public Library during tho year being to the effect that twenty-nine volumes were lost last year, these comprising three volumes from the reference library, twenty-three from the lending library, and three from the juvenile department Included in the volumes missing from the lending library was a volume of Fronde’s ‘ History of England,’ thereby breaking a useful and valuable set. Or Clark said that he did not think tho loss of twenty-nine books was very remarkable, and he said that ho believed he had lost more books from his own library during the year. Tho trouble, however, was that the people who appropriated tho books were those who should and must know the value of these books. It was deplorable that any student should take a book which he knew was of incalculable value to his fellow-students, besides meaning a loss to the council. “ We would not like it to go forward that these books were deliberately taken,” said Cr Black. Cr Clark had admitted that even among his_ own circle of friends books went missing even more than in tho case of the Public Library, and one would not say it was the class of friend he kept. (Laughter.) Just as in the case of the library, it might be due to absence of mind. Books might have been taken and the borrowers may have forgotten to return them. When the fact was taken into consideration that 875 people were going in and out of the library every day it was hardly correct to state that the number of books missing meant a tremendous loss to the council in accordance with the meaning of that, word. The report was adopted.