THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2143, 28 December 1920, Page 8

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

A SUCCESSFUL TEAS. The librarian at the Canterbury Public Library reports that the year just closing has been a most successful one in all departments of the publie • library. The members of thj staff'have endeavoured to make the institution popular, and it is pleasing to find how well the public using the library have appreciated their efforts. During the last four years the number of books issued out for home reading has steadily increased, as the following table will show:— 1917 .. .. .. .. 314^70 }»}« n%m i?» .. isß.ifia 1930 ~ 178.0W There has been some splendid daily issues of books, the record being reached on April 1, when 1178 volumes went out, and again on August 14, when 1038 volumes were is-.ed. Accessions to the lending library during the year numbered 1600 volumes, and about 4000 subscribers' tickets were issued, this being an increase of i bout 600 on the total subscribers registered during 1919J In the reference library there lia» been a large increase in the number of books tiensulted. The" following table shows the number of books used during the past four years>--i»i7 '.. Mjej wis 2&5 1919 87,881 1920 4(1.000 There have been added to the reference library stock about 500 volume*, and of these about 150 have been presented. The attendance in the juvenile library has continued very good throughout the year. About 20,000 "volumes have been issued out for home (reading, .and about 400 volumes added to the stock. Ten travelling libraries have been established during the year, so that there are .about 400 good volumes circulating amongst readers in the country ■districts of Canterbury. The total stock in al! departments at the public! library now exceeds 40,000 volumes.