PUBLIC LIBRARY

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2298, 17 November 1925, Page 6

PUBLIC LIBRARY

MUNICIPAL HAUL OFFERS NO RELIEF. The providing of better public facill. tics at the Public Library has been exercising the minds of the Palmer, fiton North Borough councillors for some months. One of the suggestions put forward was that which proposed the partitioning of tho Municipal Hall for the purpose.

Cr. Oram (chairman of the library committee) reported to the Council last evening that the present building had a floor space of 2,559 square feet. The Municipal Hall would only provide an additional 200 square feet of space and the cost of partitioning would be £430. He did not consider the expenditure, in the would be warranted.

Cr. Graham: It is rather disappointing. The only thing seems to bo to wait for the ratepayers to endorse a loan.

Cr. Eliott recommended the con, sideratlon of securing another building for the newspapers and the retaining of the old building for the lending de, partment.

■The Librarian (Mr. Christian), in' his report to the Council also statedl “I am desirous of stressing yet once more the urgent need of new library premises worthy of our ous town. In point of menw bership, excluding four great centres of population and In* vercargill, we stand about third in ths libraries of the Dominion. The pre* sent building is externally by nq means ornamental and within is qultd inadequate for the proper accommoda, tion and comfort of the increasing number of subscribers. It would cer, tainly be a sad mistake to discourage this increase. So far, we hav e mado the best of th e present premises, andj in spite of many drawbacks the library has become a popular one. The build* ing as it stands to-day. is a very pool l advertisement of our civic spirit, and the comfort and health of staff an,d subscribers alike, most calls for a more up.to.datc and coins modious structure, which will a credit and not an eyesore to thi( community."