TIMARU LIBRARY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19985, 18 December 1934, Page 6

TIMARU LIBRARY

A COMPLIMENTARY REPORT

REMARKS BY CHAIRMAN At last night’s meeting of the Timaru Borough Council, the chairman of the Library Committee (Cr. G. Benstead) said that he desired to call the Council’s attention to the survey of the New Zealand Libraries recently prepared and published under the auspices of the Carnegie Corporation of New York by Mr Ralph Munn, director of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and Mr John Barr, chief librarian, Auckland. In a chapter on the public libraries of the secondary cities the report stated: “The libraries of the secondary cities vary greatly. Timaru is serving its residents more adequately than any other place in New Zealand.” Later on the report stated: “Timaru is one of the very few libraries in New Zealand which are supported entirely by local rates and therefore free to all residents. It has over 30 per cent, of its inhabitants enrolled as borrowers, as against an average of less than 10 per cent, among the best patronised subscription libraries. The number of books issued for home reading exceeds that in many larger cities. The bookcollection is well chosen and is kept in better physical condition than in any other city visited. The reference section contains only books of a purely reference character and the bulk of the non-fiction is available for borrowing. Work with children is recognised as an important feature and compares favourably with similar work overseas. Although the building is overcrowded and poorly planned, Timaru is cited to library authorities of other secondary cities as the best in its class from a service standpoint.” In another part of the report dealing with the library service for children, it was stated: “Timaru and Wanganui are smaller communities with creditable service for children." Cr. Benstead said that it was regrettable to note, however, that the expenditure on books and periodicals at Timaru was shown to be only £504 annually as against £560 at Wanganui, £515 at Palmerston North and £6BO at Invercargill. These figures were, however, for 1933, and since then Timaru had increased its expenditure by £IOO a year, and he trusted that they would never in any circumstances again see a reduction in the vote for reading matter. Cr. Benstead said he must congratulate the librarian (Miss M. E. E. Culverwell) and the staff on the excellent condition of the library and said that if the library was allowed to function as in the past the same efficiency would be maintained. Cr. W. G. Tweedy endorsed the remarks of the chairman in regard to the good work of the librarian and her staff. The library was a very definite asset and he hoped that future councils would realise the advantage it was to the town. “We may congratulate ourselves on the state that the library is in,” said Cr. H. J. Mathers. The Mayor (Mr T. W. Satterthwaite) said that great credit was due to a previous Mayor and Council for securing such a fine library for the town. During the time he was Mayor of the town, Mr James Craigie had been responsible for the enterprise and this, combined with the generosity of Mr Andrew Carnegie, had brought about the fine institution the town possessed to-day. He endorsed the remarks concerning the librarian, and said it was very gratifying to know that the expert’s report had been so favourable. He referred to the need for further improvement to the library, and hoped that the time would come when the town would have a building in which to house the contents of the present art gallery, which was part of the library buildings. Perhaps some publicspirited citizens would in the future move towards having a suitable art gallery erected.