TURANGANUI LIBRARY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17472, 22 January 1931, Page 6

TURANGANUI LIBRARY

PAST YEAR REVIEWED

INCREASE IN SUBSCRIBERS

Including adults and children, IiJJ new names were- added to the list of subscribers to the Turanganui public library last year, a review of which is contained' in the report to be presented at the annual meeting next .Monday evening. For purposes of comparison the figures for IW2B are quoted in parentheses. ' The report states, inter alia: "The year ended with 618 subscribers (458),. including 516 adults (402), and 102 juveniles (96). ' . '"During the year 952 (979) books were added to the library, comprising 728 novels; four essays, 33 biography, 42 travel, nine' history, two natural history. 10 war; four plays, two religious, one theosophy, 13 miscellaneous, and 109 juvenile.- Included in the additions were 70 volumes presented by various dbnors, these 'being principally -j avenue- books. There are now in the library 10,822 books (10,232). md 53,928 (63,936) were, circulated during the yeair. "Receipts for the year totalled £lOlO 10s 3d (£906 15s 4d), made up as follows:—Bents, £319 (£319); subsidies, £125 10s (£l2B 13s) • subscriptions, £513 12s 6d (£422 17s 6d); and miscellaneous; £52 7s 9d (£36 4s lOdj. Expenditure • for --the ve'ar "■ totalled £1075 16s 5d (£922 "ss" Id),' .the principal items being salaries £234'17s 3d (£iS5 Is sd); books,•' magazines and papers, £307 Os Id (£257 18s lid); rent, £227 (£227), and rates, £95 6s M (£32). Though the year was/eoni. meneed with' ' a -credit' balance; of- Hit 1s lid. if concluded with an overdraft >f £23 Is 3d.' This excess of expenditure over revenue, was due to'the heavy amount payable for rates. "In previous years the.' library has been able to obtain a reduction in valuation of 50 per cent., but iii 1930, on revaluation, tho valuation department disallowed this, hence the very considerable increase in the amount of rates. This was quite 'unexpected; but, the finances are now in order and in future allowance will be made for the added expense. . . , ;

"From the point of view of the number of subscribers, the year has been most satisfactory; finishing with the highest in the* existence of the library. The added income following on this increase enabled the committee to spend more on books, and provide more of the better class of literature which it is considered is the duty of such a library as ours. "During the year the librarian attended the annual conference of the Libraries Association, held in Auckland, and was able while there to obtain much valuable information which is being used for the betterment of the library. The committee welcomes suggestions that will improve the library, •>r add to the comfort of the subscribers. It also desires to thank those who have presented books and magazines during the year. It also wishes to express learty appreciation of the efforts made iv tho staff on behalf of the library."