H.—32A

Free Public Libraries

Small Independent Subscription Libraries : "B " Service Three hundred and sixty-eight of these libraries were linked with the Service during the year, compared with the previous year's figure of 348 ; 179 of the libraries are in the North Island, 189 in the South Island ; 26,410 books were on loan to these " B " libraries, an average of just over 71 books per li brary. The need for conserving oil fuel and tires again made it necessary to reduce the number of exchanges effected by means of the book-vans to two per year. In certain cases the libraries were encouraged to exchange both their own stock and books borrowed from this Service with corresponding stock of nearby libraries. In some cases where local libraries were enthusiastic and enterprising such exchanges were carried out, and were mutually beneficial. The shortage of books in New Zealand book stores and the tendency for a greater amount of purchasing-power to be available caused the smaller libraries to make more demands on this Service than could be fulfilled. Many libraries which two years ago were receiving loans of fifty books have increased these loans, or have wished to do so. Other Ways in which Service has been given Hamper or "C " Service.—ln places where no library exists and where it is not possible for one to be formed, the service to properly established groups by means of travelling hampers has been continued. During the year 70 groups received this service, compared with 54 for the previous year. Many additional collections were made up during the year and despatched for the first time to groups, while those which had been sufficiently long in circulation were withdrawn. A change was also made

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f &4 iss 9 , §o| gi,g» 8 gssg sag || . 8. . •«■§§ 2 gs» . I°.la *3 liai g*- a g Name - i «|1 «||! «|Il Ij*® I J1- Ss 1 Siss 4 i iil H«i I ill ill? ill! is iiA ,it< Ph fe a tgj mm H £ £ Alexandra .. .. .. 871 150 20 lOOf 7,600 97 104 Balclutha .. .. .. 1,546 421 59 65f J 205 213 Bluff .. .. ... 2,038 390 .. 60 12,600 35 127 Bulls .. .. .. 527 100 40 52 { 18 104 Cromwell .. .. .. 737 111 21 12 2,381 238 147 Peatherston .. .. .. 1,050 239 40 79 8,809 81 141 Feilding .. .. .. 4,550 763 62 200 40,189 275 471 Greymouth .. .. .. 8,115 2,741 78 450 68,059 678 853 Hawera .. .. .. 4,663 1,780 218 710 97,436 650 1,090 Helensville .. .. .. 961 Informat ion not sup plied. Huntly .. .. .. 1,942 926 49 145 60,000 200 220 Hokitika .. .. .. 2,689 Informat ion not sup plied. Inglewood .. .. .. 1,271 366 108 200 29,129 102 289 Kaiapoi .. .. .. 1,598 650 20 60 17,385 125 173 Kaikohe .. .. .. 662 248 27 120 J J Kaitaia .. .. .. 780 157 94 88 8,437 50 180 Kaponga .. .. .. 406 144 40 23 { J j Kawakawa .. .. .. 520 115 46 45 5,886 38 73 Levin .. .. .. 2,658 1,616 170 452 75,087 490 786 Mackenzie County .. .. 3,158 682 None 70 28,263 350 349 Mataura .. .. .. 1,500 436 26 135 24,509 26 277 Morrinsville .. .. ... 1,796 907 189 165 49,325 150 479 Motueka .. .. .. 2,169 335 125 J 50,778 205 505 Otaki .. .. .. 1,744 Informat ion not sup plied. Otorohanga .. .. .. 712 260 * 80 J J Paeroa .. .. ..2,149 890 38 J % 141 252 Pahiatua .. .. .. 1,668 520 J 90 $ t Putaruru .. .. .. 789 248 36 65 J 50 143 Queenstown .. .. .. 931 220 J 32 J $ t Rangiora .. .. .. 2,239 1,263 55 l,000f 45,514 352 446 Botorua .. .. .. 6,351 2,891 574 358 109,473 750 1078 Roxburgh .. .. .. 479 171 J None j j '92 Runanga .. .. .. 1,647 240 Informat ion not sup plied. Taihape .. .. .. 2,183 1,285 140 200 39,677 200 424 Taradale .. .. .. 1,206 456 7 60 11,672 50 44 Tauranga .. .. .. 3,387 919 252 376 64,489 450 558 Te Aroha .. .. .. 2,366 736 83 None 20,703 145 243 Te Awamutu .. .. .. 2,224 709 207 230 38,898 200 269 Te Karaka .. .. .. 355 82 4 36 4,732 20 23 Te Puke .. .. .. 961 338 121 83 15,555 71 181 Thames .. .. .. 4,268 962 20 165 % 246 258 Waimate .. .. .. 2,315 643 102 250 40,936 209 432 Wopdville „ 1,031 KV7 35 1 78 8,618 90 123 * Expenditure in many cases includes the cost of books for rental or pay collection, part or all of which is recoverable The cost of the local service especially for providing lighter fiction, is not fully borne by the ratepayers. t This library was free before the Country Library Service began operating. j Figures unavailable or not supplied.