WANTED: A PUBLIC LIBRARY

Waipa Post, Volume 36, Issue 2147, 21 April 1928, Page 5

WANTED: A PUBLIC LIBRARY

Sir, —For a long time past I have been expecting some move to be made following a decision at a public meeting held about a year ago to consider ways and means of re-establishing, for Te Awamutu and district, a public library and reading room. I understood at that time that the committee then set up v/ould confer very soon and report back to another public meeting. Time went on, and apparently most people forgot all about the matter. Can you tell me what happened ? You will agree, I think, that there is need for a public library in Te Awamutu, which town prides itself somewhat upon being up to date. Other towns, many of them much smaller than Te Awamutu, have libraries and reading rooms that are much appreciated. What is wrong with Te Awamutu? I have heard that there is a sum of money accumulating year by year, and that when this sum is considered adequate to erect a building the movement will be gone on with. But why not proceed to augment the already extensive stock of books now housed in the borough council chambers? They are, I agree, very much out of date for the most part, but there are very many really good books that are too valuable to jettison. Why not overhaul that supply, throw out those regarded as useless, and then spend a few pounds in replacing them with more up-to-date literature? That course would induce more people to become subscribers, and the vogue

would probably grow 'until the time arrived for providing a suitable building. By the way, I notice a representative of the Carnegie Trust was in New Zealand not long, ago, and he mentioned that the Trust had considerable sums of money available for subsidising the efforts of local people to establish libraries. Why not apply to that Trust for a grant ? In any case, what is the committee doing? We are surely entitled to know. If it has not done anything, and is not likely to, I suggest that the committee's convener call another public meeting to see if an active new committee cannot be selected. —I am, etc., ~:•:, AVID READER.