TURNBULL LIBRARY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28895, 15 May 1959, Page 13

TURNBULL LIBRARY

Original Writings Sought (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 14. The Alexander Turnbull Library is always on the lookout for original writings, such as diaries and manuscripts, and these now constitute its richest material, the chief librarian (Mr C. R. H. Taylor) told the Advertising and Publicity Club, of Wellington, today. “Many such documents can be found among family possessions,’’ •he said, “ and a few are donated to the library. But more often than not the valuable papers are put under the family’s copper—a fate which happens all too often.’’ Mr Taylor said the library was primarily a research and information library, specialising in New Zealand and Pacific and English literature. In these fields the Alexander Turnbull Library was of a calibre equal to a library 25 times as large and was on a par with the British Museum and the United States Library of Congress. The library has copies made of old works that cannot be bought and is the only library in the Southern Hemisphere which is getting a U.S. service of microfilms of all books in English printed up to 1640. “This is an incredible boon to the student in a 100 fields of study,” Mr Taylor said. Members were shown some early first editions of Milton’s works, books by Dickens and French publications from the library.