WHAT THE PUBLIC READS

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 25

WHAT THE PUBLIC READS

FICTION LEADS THE WAY. LITTLE DEMAND FOR SCIENCE. The people of Dunedih still refuse to tak* their reading too seriously. The record of the last 12 months in the Public Library shows that fiction, especially of the lighted typ®> pays the authors far better than mori serious mattter, if demand for books if any indication of their financial return iq the writers. With the reading publio of this city the popular novelist beats the professor hollow. In the adult lending library 176.020 volumes were issued during the year, and o* that number 152,179 were works of fiction. As this library contains 8960 books of fiction, each volume was, therefore, issued close on 20 times during the 12 month*. . Contrasting these figures with those for purely literary works, which stand fairly nigh in the list, it is found that eaoa volume in the latter category was not issued quite three times during the year. The nooks oiroulated in the various othef branches of reading were as follow: —History and travel, 9770; fine and useful arts, . 4058; literature, 3131; biography, . 2681 1 sociology, 1648; philosophy and- religion, 1497; and natural science, 1064. In connection with the large amount of wear and tear to which works of fiction are sub'jaotfcid in ■ their rapid intorohange ( the problem of keeping them presentable is one whioh occasions the librarian (Mr M'Ewan} a good deal of anxiety. He states that the difficulties of keeping up &■ good all-round service in the adult learning department have materially increased during the yeary So many books have become worn out of, are now out of print that it is impossible to -satisfy every demand and individual taste. Supplies of fiction have practically doubled in price, and must naturally be •restricted, and this applies equally to the replacement of old books as well as to the purchase of new works of fiction. N 6 fewer than 799 books were added to the adult lending department during last year, and the total stock for this one department alone now stands at 47,807 books. Of this number 8847, or nearly one-half, are books of a serious nature as distinct from work* v of fiction. '■ ' , ._' A great deal of interest continues to be shown by the children in the juvenile de v partment, and the library authorities assert ■ that they have muoh less trouble in getting the young folk to follow the regulations than the adults. In this department 32,106 volumes were circulated during the year, as compared with 28,765. during the previous 12 months. There.are 3953 books in ■' stock and 2027 children on the register* This department is one, above all others, ' in which a marked advance has been shown. The reference department of the library is undoubtedly one of its most valuable assets, and while this fact has been reoog-j ■■<**. nised during the year by .23,248 persons.of a studious nature, it has not received the . attention which it merits. 'The books moss in demand in this section were those dealing with useful arts, literature, and sociology. - The department contains in all 6470 volumes- -' on all manner of subjects, and to the book- . lover it contains' a veritable gold mine in which he may stake out a most valuable... . and profitable claim and increase his know-: ;••, ledge in those things that are above" money , . and above price. .-* , ,• ■ ;,: Let it not-be forgotten that the M'Nab;'- ? Library_ of New Zealand books is nowv'; housed in the Moray place institution.' So far 4353 items have been catalogued in this , library, which, according to Mr M'Ewan is increasing in publio favour. The works . on natural 9oienco and the local history 0t... : the province of Otagb are the volumes most frequently referred to in this collection.'. , V Tne reading rooms, where the illustrated :■.*, papers and magazines of all grades and V, shades are to be found, was well patronised, during the year, but there was slight fall- ~ ing off here as compared with last year. One unsatisfactory feature of the workin connection with the library is the loss-: each year of a small number of volumes; . apparently by theft. The mysterious disappearances last year numbered five volumes from the reference department, eight from the adult lending library, and only two from the juvenile department. The question of branch libraries, which was first raised in 1914, has not been lost ' sight of. and the librarian states that in his opinion the present building is rapidly approaching its full development, and that the time, is ripe for the inoeption of & scheme of branch libraries in the various suburban districts. . ■;' , : Viewed as a whole' the library has experienced a good year, and with its excellent equipment and successful management ha*- '". continued to fill a sphere of great usefulness in the community. But for the increased number-of holidays which markedthe successful termination of the -war a.\ the end. of. last year and the unfortunate • influenza epidemic, the returns would have exceeded tho record established last year, thus showing that the library continues' to grow in favour, and that an increasing. number of people are realising its advanfc. . - ages. Unfortunately, a good many books were lost during the currency of the influenza epidemic, and it is proving a diffi- ~ cult matter to pick up any traces of these. • It may be mentioned in conclusion, that",.--the Fbrary is equipped with the magnificent. total of 32.583 books, close on 2000 having { been added during last year. i ~ S 9