And the new Head Librarian Joanne Brangman has thrown her support behind the Island getting a "purpose built'' building or at least an extension to the current one in Par-la-Ville Park.

But while a new library building is still a dream, Ms Brangman said the Progressive Labour Party Government has promised increases in the book budget, to improve on what she called "an excellent little library''.

Ms Brangman, who first joined the library as a newly minted university graduate with a psychology degree and unable to find a job in 1984, is now into her third week as head of the free public library.

She was first a library assistant in the youth department where she became enamoured of dealing with young people.

But two years later, with a masters degree in library Science, she was promptly assigned to reference work and later moved up to head the circulation department.

While aware the decision making and general direction the library takes is a Ministerial decision, Ms Brangman is sure it will continue to give quality service to all who come through its doors.

"We are small but we have chosen our books well,'' Ms Brangman said. "The library staff is the most important resource it has. Even in the times of no money they would find ways to bring in quality books.'' She added: "Our goal was and is that people should leave feeling like they have found something. At least they would feel that somebody had tried.'' "I would look at the quality here more than the square footage or number of books,'' Ms Brangman said. "We have had a lot of years of severe cuts. But we have some catching up to do. There are certain things that a library must buy every year. Reference books can go for up to $500 each.'' She added that other books like bestsellers can cost upward of $50 and even paperbacks could sell for even $10.

A quick infusion of hordes of new books might not be such a great idea, considering the current size of the building and staff, Ms Brangman pointed out.

But the library will improve steadily in the future while building on a solid foundation.

"The ideal would be a new facility,'' she said. "One of the drawbacks of having the separate facilities is we are loosing the teenagers.'' She added: "They see the youth library as a place for the pre-schoolers and primary school students -- a place for children. Teenagers need a place for themselves where the books are chosen for their educational and recreational interests.'' "The library can't be jack of all trades. We have to decide where we want to fit into Bermudian society,'' she said. "I would like to know exactly what the Bermudian public feel the Library should do.'' Such public input will be a major feature of Ms Brangman's administration, as will a general membership drive.

There are also plans to increase the membership and activities of the Friends of the Library, a registered charity, which raises funds for projects in the library.

Ms Brangman will also make the library's lending policy become more stringent before issuing library cards. New patrons will have to produce identification as well as proof of their current address to get the cards.

Often readers do not return their books and reminders and overdue notices often return to sender by mail.

Ms Brangman would also like to see enforcement of the Printed Publications Act under which anyone who publishes a book in Bermuda must give a copy to the library in its role as National Repository.

"It's our national heritage,'' she said. "Very rarely can you find some of the Bermuda books that we have. There are so many things people assume about Bermuda are written down that are not. But we work hard to get what is.'' Other new programmes at the library include the refurbishment of microfilm reels of copies of almost 200 years of The Royal Gazette and other local newspapers.

A feasibility study has begun on getting a generator for the mobile library which does not have access to electricity for air conditioning at some of its stops.

There will also be more services for the deaf, blind, and other impaired people like more talking books, and braille books.

Soon a special computer with reading equipment will be operating in which blind people can place books or magazines and have it read back to them automatically.

Ms Brangman said the public perception of library staff only reading books all day was wrong.

"It's funny, so many people believe that's all we do,'' she said. "I'm afraid it's not true. The best thing about being here is that you see all that you may want to read before everyone else!'' As of September 9, the library will open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays; and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

There are also plans in the works for the library to open on Sundays, revealed a spokeswoman. But the starting date and times for these openings have yet to be finalised.

The mobile library will be off the road from today until September 7. The time off was to allow for staff vacations.

Any readers who have borrowed books from the mobile library can return them to the main library on Queen Street or wait until the mobile library returns to service.