Gisborne Library.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 325, 16 July 1889, Page 2

Gisborne Library.

A meeting of subscribers to the above wm held last night. There were about twenty present, Mr Greenwood. being in the chair, Those present included Archdeacon Willlame, Rev. Mr Gardiner, Dr Pollen, Mr and Mra Dunlop, Messrs Watson (Secretary), Lucas, J. Bourke, Townley, D. Johnetoo, Featon, Finnerao, Shelton, Sceats, Grant, Morgan, Adair, Coleman, and Harper. OIMMITTEn'e BEBOBT. Your Committee have the honor of submitting to you thia evening their annual report, and the balance-sheet of the Turanganul Public library, and ih doing co express satisfaction that considering the depreaieiM state of everything throughout the colony, affairs of the Library are in nc The average num'*«r ot thtfsubeoribera on books, during the past year, has- been being a decrease of seven on the preceding year, and the average number of daily reader) has been eight. The total number of tha books on the shelves is 2,149, being an increase since last year of 330 volumes, and the number of newspapers and periodic Us on the tables amounts to no lees than 82. Since the last annual meeting, new books to the value of £35 have been added to the library. The sum received for the use of the reading room only during the year has been £7 Is, an amount not sufficient to defray the expense) of the periodicals supplied by your Committee. This charge to the reading room is one that the Committee would most willingly forego if the financial ooqdition of the library would j ustify their doing so. The Committee propose to submit the question of charging admission to the reading room for decision by the subscribers at thia meeting. The Oom-, mittee regret to state that the library receives bat a scanty measure of support from the public generally. It is hardly credible that out of a population of 4000, within a radius of 20 miles from tha library, only-94 persons canbe found to take an interest in the institution by becoming subscribers, In consequence of this apathy on the part of the inhabitants of Cook County, and of the Withdrawal of a!( Government gid, your Qcmmittee do not ae) their way clear to order any. new books for the coming year, The local Industrial Exhibition and Flower Show, promoted by your Committee, and held in November last, as a means of popularising the library, and raising fund) for procuring new books, proved a failure and loss to the institution of the sum of £lO 12s 4i, through the wtnl of support accorded to it by the general -pub'ie of Fcverty Biy, Your Committee bag again to record tfielf thanks to the donors of various articles to the library and museum, It the library is to continued, it is' imperatively necessary sidering more especially the outride compel!- J tlon of priva’e lending libraries) Utlv periodical supplies of new literature should he arranged for. It is obvious that new books must be obtained, in order to keep pace with thetlmes, and satisfy ths reasonable requirements of subscribed. Rut la ifia absence ot more liberal support from the inhabitants ot the district, your C nunjlttee do not see how fresh eupplles of books con possibly bs obtained as tl)e Committee must decline to make themselves persohally ' lihhie in the future, as they have done on many ocoiiions in thi past. Io conclusion, it is apparent toyou) Committee that, during tha ensuing year, tt will be necessary at once for the incoming Committee to devise some plan tor increasing the revenue, and decreasing the expenses, The balance sheet showed the liabilities at £49 Sa 3d, and the Mseta £6lB 5s . lOd. The receipts amounted to £127 17s sd, and expenditure to a like- amount. Considerable discussion took place as to the- position' *of affairs and tha difficulties which had to be contended with by th) Committee. Mr Dunlop strongly advised the reduction of the subscription and making the reading room free. Iu this he was supported by Mr Lucas and others, who contended that the experiment had proved a failure, It was thought however, tint ths Institution woqld not be able to carry on if what was proposed were dona. After some dUcusslun it -#*jdaclded to roduoe the subscription to 12a 6d per annum, or 5s per quarter, and that the reading room be open to the public frac from 2to 6 o'clock Iq the efternpon. A charge of 01 per week will be made for the use of the reading room In the evening. The following officers wero elected President, Archdeacon Williams) VioePresident, Mr G. L. Greenwood, Corns mittesi Messrs Shelton, ficeate, Grant, Morgan, Adair, Featon and Rev, Gardiner. At a moating of the committee held immediately afterwards, Mr Featon was elected Treasurer, and Mr Hambl-tt was re appointed Librarian. The appointment of a Secretary wee held over/