WOMEN'S MINDS
Sut,—From my observations, as a municipal librarian, I think Elizabeth Dunn's readers cannot be representative of women as a whole. Although there may be a slightly greater use made of non-fiction by men (and this is a debatable point, the main evidence being that our non-fiction issues are highest on a Saturday when men are free to visit the library) the ration of one woman reader of non-fiction in 99 would never be accepted by municipal libraries. I analysed a typical day's issue in December, and found that of the 19.2 per cent. non-fiction on loan, 10.2 per cent. was issued to men and 9 per cent. to women. Of the novels, 31.4 per Cent had been borrowed by men and 49.4 per cent, by women. That women are greater novel readers than men may be due to the fact that men lack the necessary imagination for the enjoyment of this form of literature. Althotigh romances are admittedly popular with women, wild west and detective novels are equally popular with men, and there is little to choose between these types of books. The best novels are read equally by men and women, e.g., War and Peace, for which we have eight women and four men on our waiting list at the moment. The only ex- planation of the difference in Miss Dunn's readers' tastes and those of a public library, appears to me to be that women who want to read non- fiction, particularly standard works, go to their municipal library, knowing that the aim of the latter is to advance education and culture, as well as to serve the recreational needs of the public.—Yours faithfully,
MURIEL M. GREEN, Borough Librarian. Public Library, London Road, Mitcluirm, Surrey.
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