THE LIBRARY LOAN PROPOSAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20643, 15 February 1929, Page 3

THE LIBRARY LOAN PROPOSAL.

TO THE EDITOR, bin,—Permit me to congratulate you on the atti* 1 — de of your journal towards the proposed loan for extensions to the Public Library. It is certainly refreshing to the ratepayers to have the assurance of support from at least one section of the press in their protest against the borrowing propensities -f the City Council, with the consequent increase in rates. The public meeting of last Tuesday even!' , was largely attended by coutmilloi'a and a small coterie of their supporters—the total attendance could not be regarded in any sense as representative of the ratepayers of this city. The lack of interest indicated by the paucity of attendance may reasonably be accepted as evidence that, in the main, the ratepayers are against the proposal. There can be no reasonable objection to widening the scope and increasing the usefulness of the Public Library, provided such extensions arc proved to be absolutely essential. In the absence of such proof, the pregout accommodation should suffice until sufficient profits accumulate from the trading concerns of the city to provide for the extensions without recourse to borrowing ,nd to increased rates, or until su.h thn as the City Council has satisfactorily disposed of the greater problems such as reading, wafer supply, etc. The value of the lending library from an educational point of view is fictitious, and, if persisted in, can only conduce to a superficiality, which is the greatest enemy that true education has to combat, and if encouraged, would be most detrimental to civic progress. Education, after all, is merely a process whereby ability is brought to the top, and tasks are apportioned to capacity. It is absurd even to imagine that such ends can be attained by the hurried reading of modern fiction. I readily admit that the Library is serving a purpose, more particularly the reference section of it, which is a great boon to students and apprentices, and, possibly, to the professions, but the pica that amalgamation and in•adequate accommodation for the lending department constitute a sufficient argument for the proposed extensions is altogether too weak for serious consideration. If more store space be required, particularly for books that are not in everyday demand, then why not utilise the caretaker’s rooms for this purpose, and provide from the trading account an amount sufficient to purchase a residence, i.e., if the responsibility of providing a caretaker’s residence has been assumed by the City Council. I give the Library Committee credit fur being sincere, but sincerity is no evidence that the proposed extensions arc either needed or wanted, and until the necessity actually exists, thro ratepayers would be well advised to vote against the proposal.—l am, etc..

George P. Cuttbiss, Dunedin, February 14.