EXCELLENT LIBRARIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22030, 9 February 1935, Page 10

EXCELLENT LIBRARIES

PROVISION IN AMERICA fs ' ,'r. NEW ZEALANDER'S IMPRESSIONS Most of his time during the six'and a-half -weeks in which be was in America was spent in visiting libraries and art galleries, said Mr. W. S. Wauchop, assistant librarian at the General Assembly Library, who returned to Wellington this week after a year's absence from New Zealand. • Mr. Wauchop said that he had never seen anything like the libraries in America. He had expected much, but they exceeded his expectations. The libraries vrere magnificently housed and had everything in the way of modern equipment. He was everywhere iriost cordially received, said Mr. Wauchop, and the various library staffs could not do enough for him, He had a most instructive and happy time at the Congress Library. He visited 36 libraries and 20 art galleries. In most, of the towns in America the library was a real cultural centre, with functions extending beyond '"the lending of fiction and light reading. Most of the libraries were divided into departments. The business branches of the libraries filled a big part in American business life, and throughout the day they were thronged with people seektng business information. If some libraries had suffered through the depression, most of them had funds enough to carry on the essential work. The large selections of prints and reproductions in the libraries were of the utmost value to art teachers, art students and teachers generally, said Mr. Wauchop. The library work in connection with the schools was another feature of American life. Americans did all they could to attract |>eople into the libraries, and many of the libraries carried advisory staffs for th» benefit of readers.