FREE LIBRARY SCHEME APPROVED

North Canterbury Gazette, Volume 5, Issue 61, 26 June 1936, Page 5

FREE LIBRARY SCHEME APPROVED

Change To Be Made Next Month COUNCIL DECIDES DETAILS OF NEW SYSTEM

Free books from a library under an entirely new system of inanag'ement will be available to ratepayers and residents of tlie Borough of Bangiora about the beginning of August. Changes approved by the Borough Council on Wednesdav night are to be put into effect at the end of next month.

Summarised, the Committee report which the Council adopted provides for the attractive arrangement of books upstaiis in the present reading room, the employment of two female libiaiians, the purchase of good quality fiction and non-fiction through Mi E. J. Bell of Canterbury Public Library, the purchase of highquality magazines through English and American agencies, a new system of issue, proper arrangement of books on adequate. shelving, longer hours for the book room, and the establishment of a more efficient reference section.

Unanimous votes approved nearly every clause of the report submitted by the Library Committee (the Mayor, Mr C. W. Tvler, Councillors W. C. Prosser and E. W. Whitworth, with the Town Clerk, Mr J. M. Fraser, whose detailed report last- month was the basis of investigation). A division! took place on the question of reader’s qualification, a majority of one deciding that absentee ratepayers should lie entitled to membership. One reader’s card is to be issued to each resident and ratepayer over 10 years of age; except that no one household family is to receive more than two cards. Formal application for membership mitst he made. The “Gazette” will co-operate with the Library Committee ini arranging the publication of material of interest to readers. The full text of the Committee’s report was ias follows: “The Council has agreed to make the following changes: Library hours to be 10 a.m. to 12 a.m., 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily. To shift the Library upstairs and use the present Library downstairs as a Reading Room for newspapers and weekly periodicals. To call applications for two library assistants. The Committee recommends: Assistants The hours for Assistants to be tin library hours. They both work the same hours, have the same duties, and the same salaries. The rate of pay to be 15/- per week. Each assistant to work five hours per day for three days per week. j They be both females preferably with secondary school education. Duties summarised as follows: Dusting, repairing, and cataloguing books and papers; issuing, numbering, and Jiling books and papers. Keeping library and contents tidy. Filing newspapers live times daily. Making out readers’ cards and issuing same. Preparing a synopsis of new books added. Putting books and papers in correct order. Receiving country members’ subscriptions, charging and collecting tines and fees for extra books and waiting list. Issuing receipts for all money received and paving same daily to the office. The Committee recommends that applications be called at once, closing on July Bth, and appointments lie made bv the Council. The assistants will be expected to each go to. the Christchurch Library for two weeks to obtain an insight into the.duties of librarians. That the Council pay them £1 per week and train fares while on duty at Christchurch. Shift Upstairs. The Committee recommends the layout as per plan. That quotations be called for altering and shifting the’ shelves and fixtures. Specifications to be drawn up by tlie Town Clerk and confirmed by the chairman. Present Librarian That tfie present- Librarian be given one month’s notice of termination of agreement and informed that she may apply for one of the new positions if she thinks fit, and that the Council thank her for her past work. That the use for reading of all contents of shelves be allowed free of charge to anyone over 16 years during library hours subject to tlie librarians’ supervision. That magazines and periodicals be not allowed for lending outside until they are at least three months old. That each author’s books be placed together in the case of fiction. That each book be indexed on the Dewey system (under subject headings). That a special exhibit of books be made on a separate table 12 times per year. These books for use in the library but not to be lent while they are on exhibition. That a list of new books and synop* sis of same be published locally v monthJv or foiff nightly.

That newspapers be filed by an official as they arrive and he refiled and tidied by the librarian five times daily. That several magazines be no longer purchased, but be replaced by others (a list was supplied on request), and that these be purchased from England and America. That the Council aim to secure a collection of uprto-date useful reference books to form the nucleus of a reference library: atlases, dictionaries, gazettes, lists, ■ etc. That the librarians keep all books inf good repair. That stock be balanced yearly. That Mr Bell purchase new books in tiie proportion of 80 per cent, fiction and 20 per cent, non-fiction. That the hours for the newspaper room be 9 a.m. to 9.30 p.m. daily, except Sundays, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Anzac Day, and Good Friday. The room to be opened and closed by the inspector as at present. That children be allowed to change books on Monday or Thursday afternoons. That maps he backed and filed in the Library for general use. The committee submits the estimate of cost of a free library herewith and considers that the sum of £SO extra cost is ample to allow this change being made. (This is not counting the cost of change-over, £SO, already agreed to). The Committee recommends that the Library be free to Borough residents That an appeal be made for gifts of all classes of books, especially chddren’s books; the Council reserving the right to accept or reject. That the change be made on August 3. or as near thereto as possible. That the present library be closed for one week to allow the change to be made. All books to be returned by July 25 at the latest, and no issues to be made for the following week. The Committee invites Councillors to help in the change-over principally in transferring books and getting them in older for classification. That present Borough subscribers be issued with two reader cards for each subscription until their subscription periods expire. Rules The following rules are necessary: That the present rules be repealed; no talking or reading aloud ini the library; no obstruction to readers or Council servants; bags and umbrellas must Tie deposited with assistants on entry; no admission to private quarters; no smoking, spitting, or partaking of refreshments; no dogs or bicycles allowed ; no damage to books or property; no taking clippings; no putting up bills or refreshments without permission; no diseased people allowed; no lying on tables or chairs; no giving false names to obtain. privileges; no making tracings without permission; no taking books out of library except from librarian; exclusion of offenders to rules and by-laws; penalty for breaking rules and by-laws. Membership One reader’s card to be issued after application to each resident or ratepayer of the Borough over 16 years of age free of cost but not- more than two cards to each household family. An application to be made for each card accompanied by a guarantee agreement to be signed by a ratepayer who Avill be personally responsible for the cost of replacing books and for fines or other charges incurred. That the Council reserve the right-to refuse to- issue or to cancel any reader’s card if it thinks fit. , All applications to be approved or otherwise dealt with by the Town Clerk at the library each Monday morning. Readers living outside the Borough to be supplied with two readers’ cards at the same charge as at present (10/per annum). This gives subscribers the right to two books at one time. Issue of Books All books must be returned ivitliin 14 days. Books retained over this period of 14 days to bo charged 3d per week or part of a week. Fines must be strictly enforced. No reader will be allowed further loans of books if subscriptions or fines

are unpaid. Change of address to be notified to librarian. Not more than one new book to be allowed at one time. A waiting list of books wanted to be kept by the librarian. Entries will be made on payment of 4d. Posted notice to be sent to readers when books are available. Two days’ clear notice to be allowed in the Borough and three days in the County. These may be treated as extra books without additional charge. Extra books allowed to be taken out on payment of 3d. No restriction oil the number of extra books. Two magazines will be allowed out in place of one book, or a charge of 3d for two magazines treated as extra books where available. All magazines will be re-covered and strengthened as soon as they arrive in the library. Non-fiction books to be allowed on loan as per fiction, but not more than one at a time. Catalogues to be kept in small bound volumes and placed in a suitable position in the library for use of readers. Strictly reference books not to be loaned without express permission of the librarian. The sub-committee recommends that a special library committee be set up to meet regularly, as distinct from the Finance Committee, for at ieast three months, until the free library is in good working order. (The present committee was appointed.) Council Discussion “The Committee decided early in its deliberations,” said Cr Prosser, introducing the report, “that no personal considerations could be taken into account. If service is to be given it is necessary to alter the whole system, and this means scrapping the present system entirely.” He mentioned in addition that the appointment of a senior librarian could he made, on merit, after perhaps three months. Concerning the question of the Town Clerk’s supervision: he had recently been relieved of the. duties in connexion with the pictures which took up quite half of his time, this was a Borough sendee, and it was reasonable to think that he could give daily attention to tlie library. Tlie clauses in the report were taken seriatim, each one provoking discussion. Cr Prosser was called upon to answer many questions. The report was tabled at 8.40 p.m. The Council adjourned at 10.50 p.m. for a slipper provided by Cr Prosser, and the final clauses were not approved until 11.40 p.m. Magazines Magazines in the downstairs room, open all day and until 9 p.m., would be much the same a.s at present, Cr Prosser stated, except that those which had frequently gone missing in the past would he retained under the librarians’ supervision. Most of the present magazines would be retained, but it was intended to cut out ordinary short story magazines and replace them with those dealing with history, travel, etc. Cr Avers: Hear, hear! It would be cheaper and more efficient to buy magazines direct from agencies in England and America. They would arrive one month earlier. Purchase of Books “We will not be too hard at present,” he said, concerning the proportion of fiction to ‘non-fiction. Elsewhere lie said there wag only 28 to 30 per cent, of fiction. It was proposed to purchase a good many books from an English firm which specialised in selling second hand but unspoiled books of good quality at half-price. The present arrangement with local booksellers would continue for fiction. On Cr O. J. Smith’s recommendation it was amended that juvenile members be allowed to change books twice a week. Reader’s Qualification The number of cards for each household family had been provisionally limited to two and could lie increased if necessary, said Cr Prosser. Ratepayers living outside the Borough had not been considered, as they liked ratepayers to live in the Borough. It was, in any case, necessary to draw a line somewhere. Ci- J. A. Ivory moved an amendment to this clause (which provided only for residents) that each ratepayer and each resident over 1.6 years receive a card, with a limit of two cards to each household family. “Someone’s paying his rates for him,” said Cr W. T. N. Keir when Os Ivory and Ayers maintained that ratepayers living outside the Borough were entitled to the free sendee. The Town Clerk argued that, in effect. an absentee ratepayer would, with bis wife, receive two cards in addition to the cards given to tenants on his property. Cr Whitworth : We’re giving two books for nothing in place of one for 10/- as in Christchurch; and you’re quibbling about it and asking for more. The amendment was carried, 5-4.

Cr F. T. Ager asked how boarders in hotels and boarding houses were affected and Or Whitworth replied that the guarantee* clause and the right of refusal of membership would cover any inconsistencies. Appointment of Assistants The two clauses governing the appointment of assistants made a division necessary. It was argued that the Council should immediately * appoint a senior and a junior librarian, and an amendment to this effect was defeated on the votes. A further amendment that two assistants be appointed, one to be made a senior librarian later, was defeated on the casting vote of the Mayor. The sponsors of the report maintained that an assistant showing special merit could be promoted later if necessary, but in the meantime it was advisable to divide duties and responsibilities equally to ensure harmony. Finance Estimates of the financing of the new library provide for £35 from country subscriptions and £226 grant from the Council (in comparison with £205 ordinarily). Expenditure will include £9O salaries, £9O books, £lO repairs, £2O light and heat, and £SO reading room. The estimate of £9O for book purchases was ample on the population basis, said Cr Prosser. Dunedin and Timaru free libraries spent less in proportion. There was no allowance in the estimate, he pointed out, for income from fines and charges for extra books. Neither was there any allowance for current subscriptions, and these sums must be considered as additionally advantageous. The Council had fixed £SO as extra expenditure. He wished to point out that the cost to the Council had been increased only by £2l. The cost of printing and shelving for the change would be £35. Laying linoleum over all the upper floor would cost. £45 to £SO, hut it was considered the Council should spend only within its means at present. Gifts Acknowledged The Mayor acknowledged gifts of books to the library from Cl’s Whitworth and Keir. and the gift of a very fine stag’s head from Mr H. K. Kippenberger. Cr Whitworth gave 249 volumes valued at £lB, and Cr Keir gave 25 volumes valued at 15 guineas. They wall form the nucleus of a reference section. Cr H. R. Taylor’s offer to mount and varnish maps was accepted with thanks. Mr E. J. Bell. Librarian, at Canterbury Public Library, confirmed by letter his offer to train two assistants and also offered to co-operate in securing supplies and indexing the new system. The offer was accepted with thanks. A final motion gave the Committee power to proceed with the changes, and arrangements) were made for considering applications for tlie positions of librarians at a special Council meeting to be held on July 8.