WANGANUI PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12716, 30 January 1906, Page 7

WANGANUI PUBLIC LIBRARY.

TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT.

Following ds the report to lie presented at the annual general meeting of subscribers this evening:—

The -numbe of sxibscriibers for the year Trias 372, and is shown in detail in the lacoompainying tables. The subscribers are requested to bring before newcomers srad others tne advantages of subscribing to the library, which provides in periodicals alone reading matter that is well ■worth the annual subscription. The facilities given to persons wishing to subscribe for a short time should be made known as widely as passible. The enlarged subscribers' reading room now affords a comfortable place of resort, atnd >ie "well supplied with magazines and

reviews. It is hoped that a large ac- | csss-sion to the number of members may •be looked for. A members' smoking and chess room, and additional book accommodation, have been added during the past year. This was practicable owing to the late Thomas Reid's generous bequest During the past year £51 Is have been paid by subscribers for short periods. Subscribers for one month are charged 2s; for three months 5s 6d. In this way, subscribers who may -wish <b» subscribe (for the purpose of reading any particular book or books, or who for any other reason wish to subscribe for jv short period, are liberally provided for. The advantages of the Free Public Read xg Room ought to be better known aroir.ejjt ttaoso who, for any reason, are n-nl .Vubseribers. The Free Public Room is Jut only supplied with the latest papers, well lighted and orderly kept, 'but every person frequenting it can have a book to read in the Public Room from the Lending or Reference Library on •application to the Librarian. The usaial yearly supply of books was obtained, comprising general literature as well as fiction. The monthly supply, besides novels, always includes a portion of popular works of general literature, including, amongst other subjects, travel and biography, thus endeavouring to make the institution valuable for educational and litierary purposes as well as for the enjoyment of lighter literature. This 'will, during '1906 s he considerably increased.

lha dirsctcrs beg to thank thoss newspaper propraeStors who have supplied the reading room with free copies of their journals. The directoi's thank the Borough Council for the subsidy of £75 for the year; they also thank the Waitotara County Council for a grant of £15, and the Wainganui County Council for a grant of £10. An amount of £17 4s 9d was received from the Government oirb of a grant for public libraries for the year.

H. E. DYMOOK, Chairman