LIBRARY MANAGEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 23481, 23 January 1940, Page 3

LIBRARY MANAGEMENT

WELLINGTON'S NEW BUILDING DESIGN PMSEBBES QUIET DIGNITY EXCELLENT INTERIOR LAY-CUT "Wellington's new central library, the structure of which was completed two months ago, is being prepared for the important function it is to fulfil next ' year. For 20 years at least the old library across the way from the new one in Mercer street, has not been an amenity of which any Wellingtonian was unduly proud. The design itself was basically wrong, and, though an addition was mad© on the southern, side some years ago, the building has never been really suited to the purposes of a public library in the sense that such an institution should be a cultural-cum-social centre of which every citizen , should be proud. These virtues, however. are being incorporated in the new structure, which in design possesses a • .quiet dignity without any decorative extravagances, as far as the exterior is concerned, and within cvery_ room, thanks .to a system of through lighting, is supercharged with natural light. The foreground of the new central library is now being attended to. There is to be one broad approach to the main entrance in the centre, and one on either side, lead- - ing to the broad approach pathway r which will traverse the full breadth of the building. Steps lead to the main entrance, between massive piers, faced with English stone. Inside the piers there is a concreteflagged portico, which admits _to , two. sets of bevelled glass swing doors. Within these doors, and between them, is located a general inquiry office. LENDING DEPARTMENT. Straight ahead across a rubber-floored foyer are two more sets of doors._ These ' form the entrances to the lending de- • partment for current fiction and the . more popular books of the day. At the present time, according to the director (Mr J. Norrie), 1,000 books are taken out every day. This part of the library is beautifully floored in rubber, has . natural lighting on: all sides, and is amply ventilated by means of fanlight windows. At present the stands for the shelves which are to contain the hooks ■ -are in position, and- the .leaves of the ? ’shelves' are stacked ready for adjustment. The stands are fitted with what are known as Tonks’s fittings, a strip of steel let into the wooden inner sides of the stands, perforated in such a way that each shelf can he adjusted to books of any size within reason. JUNIOR DEPARTMENT, Parents and lovers of children will be delighted with the junior department. This is a room, almost as large as the papular library, situated at the ..eastern side of the ground floor on the Mercer street frontage, an immense room without a dull corner so ainple and uniform is the natural lighting. In, this department everything is de- ' signed- for the children. The desks are ■ only 2ft 6in in height, and the chairs and tables are in keeping, all exquisitely finished in stained maple. In the northeast corner of this roonr one emerges into another apartment in, cream and pale blue —the children’s story room. In this, room teachers and children- - lovers, assured of an audience, could read stories aloud in an atmosphere designed for the purpose. One of the features of the story room is the gay little - hearth, the tiles of which tell the story i» pictures of ‘ The Little Pig.’ Later on an imitation (electrical) log fire is to he placed in the hearth, to add that .visual touch of warmth and comfort during the winter. Actually the whole building will be centrally heated, so ■ that there will he no need for real fires. - Upstairs, extending right across the : Mercer street frontage, is the magnificent reference department, where will be shelved the lore and knowledge of all the wise writers, political economists, scientists, engineers, preachers, leaders of industry and commerce of all time and every country.i The newspaper and - magazine rooms,' on the western side of . the main entrance, are nearly furnisher]. ’ Desks and newspaper stands, beautifully finished in French-polished maple (dark brown stain), are practically all ready for, duty. All they need is a final dusting. It is expected that the new library w'ill bo opened early in February.