ROUND TABLE CLUB.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20279, 13 April 1934, Page 3

ROUND TABLE CLUB.

Mr E. J. Bell Speaks on U.S. Libraries. Some impressions of his recent travels in America were given by Mr E. J. Bell to members of the Business and Professional Women’s Round Table Club at a meeting at Canterbury College last evening. Miss B. E. Shackleton presided over a good attendance of members. In introducing Mr Bell, Miss Shackleton paid a tribute to the kindliness and helpfulness Mr Bell had always shown to visitors to the Canterbury Public Library. “ The Americans seem to recognise the fact that libraries are an essential adjunct to adult education.” Mr Bell declared. It was usual to find libraries in all the great cities, endowed generously and wonderfully equipped. Mr Bell’s Mecca was the New York Public Library—the greatest public library in the world. It had a subscribers’ list of 695.000, and it had on its shelves more than three million books. The lavish furnishing of the largest libraries impressed the speaker particularly. In one library there was a -completely-equipped hospital, besides the numerous staff rooms and reception rooms. Mr Bell described many of his experiences in the various cities. On the motion of Miss Shackleton, Mr Bell was thanked for his address.