THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4300, 8 March 1901, Page 6

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

CEUTAIX ALTERATIONS NECESSARY PROPOSED INCREASE OF THE LIBRARY RATE. The overcrowding of books at tjie Wellington Public Library, nnd the fact that the general want of accommodation in the present building is now being: seriously felt, has been under the attention of the city authorities, and the Library Committee has held - several meetings to discuss the question. The following report, drawn up by the committee '.-as submitted at last night’s meeting of the City Council: “In the lending library not only are all the shelves full, bu't several hundred

volumes are double-banked. /There is no more room there for further shelving. In ■ the reference library, there is no further room for books, and many large volumes are stacked on the door. There is no store-room in connection with the library but the lavatory is fitted up as a storeroom for newspapers, and no further accommodation can be obtained here. The coal-shed has been pressed into service as a store-room, and much valuable matter here is undergoing a xirocess of rapid destruction. “Owing partly to the fact that there is no proper accommodation for clerical work and partly to the fact that the greater part of the chief librarian's time is taken np merely in the duties of afi attendant in the reference library, there is no proper alphabetical or 1 analytical catalogue of the books in this department, but merely a rough book-list, intended for merely temporary use. There is a printed catalogue of the books in the lending library np to April, 1891, with supplements to December 1891, and December, 1895, and manuscript additions of books since added; but owing to the fact that the main catalogue was issued seven years ago, the entries in the various catalogues by no means represent the present state of the lending library. Many books of ephemeral interest have been worn out and not replaced. It is highly necessary that proper catalogues should he prepared, in order that the library may be of the greatest amount of use to the citizens. In order that this mav be done, it will be necessary to relieve the chief librarian of the duties of a mere attendant. -'The unanimous opinion of the staff of the library/ is that the ladies’ room is greatly abused; and that it fulfils but to a very small extent its ostensible purpose They think a table or tables' in the reference library set apart for ladies only will amply serve the purpose of the few ladle? who at present use the room as a genuine reading room. Room can be found for these by placing the tables a little closer together. "The committee therefore recomipends—"l. That the ladies' room bo converted into an office for the chief librarian, and be fitted With shelves, to act partly as a store-room, and that, in lieu of the accommodation at present provided, a tahh or tables be set apart for ladies only in the reference library. “3. That the most economical and the most useful catalogue being that known as the card catalogue, apparatus for card catalogues for both departments he obtained. at a cost not exceeding £7O. , A printed catalogue of the reference librarj alone would cost at least £SOO (the .printed catalogue for the lending department cost £l2Bl. . "3. That in order to net free the chief librarian for the important work of cataloguing and other clerical workman additional assistant be obtained for the library

"4. That this be a male assistant, about 16 years of age,'salary to begin with to be fifteen shillings per week. “5. That the salary of Mr J. E. F. Perry, second-assistant librarian, bo raised from £2 5a to £2 15s per week; and that the salary of the relieving officer be raised from £2 to £2 8s per week. "G. That, in order to meet the expense of equipping the Newtown branch library as well as the increased expense in connection with the central library, the librarrate be raised to its former amount of’ld in the £, This will put the finances of the library on a sound footing, as shown by ‘ the following statement:—Estimated receipts—Rate. Id in the £ bn £458,000 £1908: subscriptions and fines, £280; total. £2IBB. Estimated expenditure—Salaries, wages, etc (including cleaning) £810; books, papers, etc, £300; lighting, insurance and sundries, £300; provision of furniture, books, etc,, Newtown librarv £300; interest on loan, £200; total £l9lO, Credit balance, JE278.” Councillor Izard • strongly protest ed against being: asked to con aider this report without notice, and raised the poipt that such report, under a rule of-the Council, could not be considered unless it had been in the hands of members for two or three days. v The Mayor ruled that this was so. and consequently the consideration of the report was postponed for a week. y