PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18599, 29 December 1920, Page 3

PUBLIC LIBRARY.

A SUCCESSFUL YEA R . Tho librarian reports that the year just closing has been a most successful ono iu all department of the Public Library. The members of the staff havo endeavoured to make the insti-tution-popular, and it is pleasing to find how well the public using the library have appreciated their efforts. During the last four years the number of books issued otit for home reading has steadily increased, as the' following table will show:— 1917 . . . 114,570 . 1918 . . V- 115,693 1919 ... 153,152 1920 ' . . ' . 178,000 There have been, some splendid daily issues of hooks,' the record being readied ou April I, when 1178 volumes went- out. and again on August 1-1, when 1033 volumes were issued. Accessions j(o tho lending library during the year numbered 160_Q volumes, and about 4000 subscribers’ tickets have been issued, this being an increase of about 600 on the total number of subscribers registered during 1919. In the reference library there has been a largo increase in the number of books consulted. The following table shows tho number of books during the past fojjr years: — 1917 . . 22,683 ' 1918 . ■« . 25,534 1919 . . . 37,331 1920 * . . 46,000 There has been added to the reference library stock about 500 volumes, and of these about 150 have been presented. The attendance in the .juvenile library has continued very good throughout tire year. _ About. 20,000 volumes have been issued out for homo reading, and about 400' volumes added to the stock. Ton travelling libraries have l>een established during rbe year, so that there are about 400 good volumes circulating amongst readers in the country districts of Canterbury. Tho total stock in all departments at the Public Library now exceeds 40,000 volumes.