TIMARU LIBRARY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21785, 15 October 1940, Page 4

TIMARU LIBRARY

Use By Schools Scheme Highly Praised “The purposeful use of the library by schools seems to have been developed in Timaru to a far greater extent than elsewhere. Statistics of a year’s use of the library by school children at Timaru are a revelation of opportunities neglected elsewhere.” The above remarks were made by the Liaison Officer of the New Zealand Libraries’ Association in a report to the Association, and were conveyed to the Timaru Borough Council last night by the Librarian (Miss A. K. Eliott). The Librarian also pointed out that in his report, the Liaison Officer said: “The Timaru Library with a staff of six and an annual issue of 238,331, is in at least one direction doing more extension work than any other library in the Dominion.” Miss Eliott’s report continued: “The £5O subsidy from the Education Board is now available, and a splendid selection of books (294) is now awaiting cataloguing. With this year’s subsidy books to the value of £l5O are now on loan from the four town schools—making in all about 1000 books.” Rural Schools “A meeting of rural teachers was held in the library on Saturday, September 16. Fairview, Washdyke, Gleniti and Springbrook were represented (apologies for three other schools). Mr J. W. Preen, of the Education Board, was also present. Miss Tizard gave a resume of the work already done for a united effort, and suggested that if the Board would give a subsidy the teachers and committees would do their best to raise £ for £. It was hoped that with this money in view, the Timaru Borough Council would see its way to permit rural children attending manual classes in Timaru access to the juvenile shelves. Ten schools would be involved (standards 5 and 6 only), averaging about 200 children. “It has now been ascertained from the Board that a further subsidy of £25 (plus £25 from schools) is available for this year to be spent on books chosen by the Librarian in conference with the rural teachers—all, of course, subject to the much desired approval of the Borough Council. With this money, the stock (for the remaining six months) can be supplemented by at least 300 books, and this number, in conjunction with the £5O worth of books now in hand, would be an excellent foundation and in no way handicap the town children, who would also benefit from the rural schools’ £5O worth of books. If the Borough Council will permit the housing and administering of this extra stock in the juvenile library, the scheme will become one of benefit not only to rural schools, but also to the town schools. “The following are the schools attending manual training: Makikihi. St. Andrews, Springbrook, Pareora East, Kingsdown, Salisbury, Fairview, Claremont, Gleniti, Washdyke. I wish to make a strong recommendation that the scheme be approved and put into operation as soon as passible.” The report was adopted.