LIBRARY LECTURES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19626, 3 May 1927, Page 11

LIBRARY LECTURES.

AUCKLAND CITY COURSES. COMMENCEMENT THIS EVENING,, PROVED CULTURAL BENEFIT. Since 1914 Auckland, alone of the four New Zealand centres, has had the benefit each winter of a series of library lectures, the cultural advantages of which are abundantly manifest. The 1927 programme will be entered upon at Remuera library hall this evening. Although Auckland leads the Dominion in this class of municipal enterprise, it is common in England and America, where it is regarded as part and parcel of the extension work of libraries. Mr. John Barr, city librarian, who is in control of the scheme, stated yesterday that one of the primary objects was to attract people to the library, and the lectures served as finger posts leading to further reading. Generally speaking, the result had been quite effective and it was noticeable that following upon a topical lecture there was a demand for books bearing upon its subject. Certainly a reaction could be traced as far as the reading of educational work was concerned. It was, perhaps, only natural that when the scheme was inaugurated in 1914, the lectures should concentrate on war subjects, but thereafter topics of more general interest were touched upon by the best available local lecturers. The scope of the series was extended from the Grafton Library, where the first lectures were held, to Epsom, Grey Lynn, Parnell and Remuera libraries as well, until now there was a lecture at one or other of them each week from this evening until October. Each library in the city has its individual series but all are part of the one plan. One other reason for the scheme is that it tends to make the library halls—a civic advancement in Auckland noticed by the visitor—what they ought to be, centres of local community activity. Further to accomplish this objective concerts are arranged at intervals. Course tickets are issued at a small change to those attending the lectures, with the idea of having those following a series regard it more as a "course" than a vehicle for occasional entertainment. The services of everybody connected with the movement are given gratuitously. Mr. Barr uttered an appeal with a note of warning when he said that liberal support of the lecturers must be maintained, else, possibly, their discontinuance might have to be considered.