To the Editor of the "Norts-Cama Dairy News."
€1r,—Amidst the general apathy concerning the Public Library, it is refreshing to read the result of a "Griffin Typist's" visit to the unpretentious room on Nanking Road. She has evidently spied out the nakedness of the land. Our Public Library has many weaknesses that have been long known to the Committee, and it is felt that the ideal would be a_ free library in a building by itself. When the new Municipal Buildings were erected the Committee hoped that larger quarters would be_provided in the present Town Hall. It, however, transpires, that the only possible extension at present is in the direction of the market in the rear, and when. the changes have been made double the present space will be available. The public has never patronized the Library to any marked extent, but it is satisfying to know that the lowering of the fee has resulted in doubling the number of subscribers. The annual grant approved by the ratepayers is so limited that the Committee cannot do better in the way of obtaining new books. the ratepayers want the grant increased. it is up to them to say so. It is commonly said that Shanghai is different from cther cities. A free library could not be managed, and besides there is the competition of numerous well equipped club libraries. Whatever truth there may be in these allegations, the new extension and the lowering of the fees is a step in the right direction.
The shelf of reference books is certainly open to the shafts of ridicule heaped upon it, but our critic will be pleased to hear that in the new extension there is provision for a proper reference library. The basis for this library was donated as a memorial to one who fell in the War. Even a children's library has been talked of, but must wait for a larger scheme. As to "Main Street'? haying appeared so late in the Library, I am glad to report that by recent resolution popular novels, instead of being ordered from home, will henceforth be purchased locally. Let local booksellers take note.
I have referred to a_ larger scheme, and I look forward to the day when the Library will have a building of its own, situated in a more conspicuous place. Some years ago it was proposed that a triangular piece of ground near the Garden Bridge should be utilized for 2 modern public library building. sufficiently large to include the library and museum of the Royal Asiatic Society -which, like our own, lurks in obscurity, and possibly there might also be a Chinese section. As to this last, there ought to be enough public-spirited Chinese in Shanghai to erect a special library for Chinese literature. There are several valuable collections, including that of the Christian Literature Society, perly. which at present might as well be situated in Timbuctoo so far as rant use is concerned; nobody knows where they are. And when I am speaking of public-spirit amongst the hinese, may I hint that amongst the European and American residents of Shanghai there ought to be one or more who are able to earn the gratitude of the generations to come by donating a public library building to the City. I am sure that the Public Library Committee would welcome a revival of interest in some such scheme, and in the success of the Library generally, am, etc., D. W. McGurivray. Chairman, Public Library Committee.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.