THE ATHENAEUM. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5267, 6 January 1879, Page 3

THE ATHENAEUM. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,— Referring to Mr Howlett's letter of ye iterday, and to your sub-leader thereon, you will greatly oblige by allowing me to say a few words concerning the Atheneeum. When a short time ago the situation of librarian became vacant, a memorial, signed by about two-thirds of the members, was presented to the Committee, requesting them to appoint the sub-librarian, Mr Cummock, to the vacant post, urging on his behalf his long experience in the library and intimate acquaintance with all the books therein, as well as his uniform urbanity, and the celerity with which he performed the duty of entering the names of members as they took away their books,—and thia last, let me tell you, was a very great boon when as many aa 10 to 20 were all waiting at once. The Committee have thought proper to ignore the expressed wish of these members, and bave appointed a young gentleman totally unknown iv the Institute, and who cannot have had much bibliographic experience,—so that they had to giye an extra L2O to the sublibrarian to coach him up in his duties. They allegeaa their reason for so doing, that the sublibrarian was 'deficient in the necessary amouut of education required for the position, The other reason (for there are only these two given) is, that in making out a list of periodicals, he committed many gross errors. Now, Sir, I obtained thia list of periodicals, and perused it most critically, and could only detect one or two errors of s'Ach a trivia' i_ atllre that I am sure '-;__ai,y nine persons out of a hundred would never havo noticed thorn. I cannot help thinking that, aa tho annual gsn'eral meeting was so near, tho least the Committee could have done was to defer the appointment until that took place, in order that tho subscriber.-' might have had some voice in the matter ; for, after all, thelibrarian is theservantof the subscribers and not of the Committee.

Another source of complaint is tho total absence of a copy of tho rules. Ever since I became a member I have vainly endeavoured to obtain a copy. There never has been, since I have been a member, so much as a single copy posted either in the library or readiogroom. The only rules visible are a short abstract posted inside the cover cf the books. This alone seems to me to be an unpardonable piece of neglect. Of course, not having a copy of the rules, T cannot say whether the whole, or some, or none of the Committee retire by effluxion of time ; but I trust the subscribers will attend the meeting, and interest themselves a little more than they have done in tbe advancement of the institution by letting some fresh blood into the Committee. Again, owing to long-continued neglect many of the books have been taken out of the library, and have never been returned, and no one knows who has thorn; and in order to compel these persons to return their books the library J» to b'» kept r-bat up indefinitely, Hull* ranking

a scapegoat,of all the.-other members..-* This appear" to be so monstrous, that I recommend the subscribers to help themselves,, as I have done, Onae more.' Upon requesting to have a catalogue of the books,*! was referred to an old, tattered, dog's-eared' piece of manuscript, and was told that was the only catalogue. I selected a few titles of books I should have liked to read, and, upon applying to the librarian for them, I was told they had been taken away from the library by a member of the Committee because he did not think them proper. Now, I ask, what right has any individual member to suppress works that are legally published—works that are, I believe, to be found in every public library in the United Kingdom ? Some super-prudish person may say that they were' suppressed on account of the ladies and youths. But: the ladies and youths "Are hot: obliged to read them if they don't like, and if they do like they will procure them elsewhere, and read them with all tho greater relish for being forbidden fruit. In the name of. the grown-up male subscribers who are old enough to judge for themselves, I protest against one or two persons emasculating the library,l which 'is pne of a purely cosmopolitan description, because some books shock their immaculate and Bupersanctified. notions of morality. I allude to Ouida's novels. .

I have ascertained that the manuscript copy for a new catalogue has been prepared for some time, but owing to some bungling, ; the subscribers are to wait an indefinite period for it. Perhaps the printer, being a relation of the honorary secretary, may induce the subscribers to overlook any shortcomings from that quarter. ...-.■. I could say much more, but that I am afraid of exhausting both your patience and space. Trusting this may cause a full attendance of members at the annual meeting (whenever that is to take place), and induce them to take some interest in the reformation of this long-neglected institution—l am, &c, J. Russell. December 31st, 1878.

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