PUBLIC LIBRARY

Evening Star, Issue 22879, 10 February 1938, Page 7

PUBLIC LIBRARY

OPENING AFTER ALTERATIONS INSIDE ARRANGEMENT ENTIRELY CHANGED To-morrow the Dunedin Public Library reopens after two weeks of closed doors, the inside arrangement of the building having been entirely changed during that time. Partitions which formerly divided magazine, circulating, and newspaper rooms have been demolished to form one large room, an opening up of the building which has produced an impression of space and light. Painted chairs and modern striped curtains in the magazine room have created an effect of colour unique in New Zealand libraries. Libraries should be as light, comfortable, and attractive as they can be made, and as far as possible they should not look intimidating and monumental inside. Many modern libraries have planned carefully to make the outside of the building unimposing and simple. The aim is to avoid the impression that the library is not for everyday use. It is now usual for much more comfortable furniture inside, and if older furniture has to be used it is better that it should be as gay in colour as possible. NEW ARRANGEMENT OF SHELVES. The present rearrangement of the rooms is temporary, pending a permanent. alteration and extension to 'the building.. The aim has been to give as much space as possible to the lending service while at the same time combining the facility of one largo reading room in which related.books and magazines can be found and read together. In this way it has been possible to group the magazines on sociology with the sociology section, magazines on the fine arts with the books on fine arts; magazines on radio arc'with 1 the radio section, and magazines’ oh' the cinema near the section on films. The whole

of the ground floor is controlled from one entrance, which is faced by a desk for information. INFORMATION. One assistant will be always available to assist readers in finding the material they, require. Near the information is the general catalogue, which, is an alphabetical record of books added. The catalogue, lists books by subject as well as by author and title, and is the basis of the library. By means of it a reader can tell how many books the library has on a particular subject; if the library has a particular' book or what books there are by a particular author. If the books are not in at the moment they can, of course, be reserved. MAGAZINES. ‘ Dunedin has for some years been behind other New Zealand cities in its supply of magazines. This will now be met by a new service attached to the pay-collection for books. It is expected that this service of magazines will considerably grow during the year. PARENTS AND TEACHERS, A new feature of the room is a special section for parents and teachers. The section contains books on education and on the care and training of children. There is also a section of children’s books for parents who want to borrow the' kind of book suitable for reading aloud; and also picture books for the very young. This section is in charge of Miss D. M. Neal, and when more developed will be transferred from the adult. lending room to the children’s room. Beside the section are magazines on education, and on health and for parents.' ' A plan of the new arrangement of the building has been prepared and is available in the library.