Former librarian dies at 70

Press, 27 December 1979, Page 4

Former librarian dies at 70

The librarian at the University of Canterbury for 37 years, Mr C. W. Collins, , died on December 24. He t was 70. Mr Collins had a big role 5 | in the planning of the 12- ’ storey library and arts block r at Ham. and was considered r a pioneer in the devel- . opment of the university libIrary since his appointment j [as librarian in 1934. W’hen Mr Collins retired , in 1971, he had responsi- ' bility for more than 400,000 j books and periodicals and 5 the university library was . considered one of the best in , Australia and New- Zealand, i Born in Christchurch, Mr . Collins was educated at , Christchurch Boys’ High , (Schoo! and the then Canterr bury University College where he graduated Master _ of Arts in 1932. . Mr Collins was awarded a 'Carnegie travelling fellowship to study librarv work and graduated bachelor of [library science from the University of Michigan in 1933. before studying library; i systems throughout North America, Britain, and Eur-I id O pp. | He was appointed the uni-1 versity librarian on his re-1 turn and in the 1930 s was ’81 responsible for organising M |the library inter-loan sys-i tern. Mr Collins had plans t 0 for the expansion of the lib-1 r >' racy into a new building ati tg —

i the town site of the univer- • site along Hereford Street.] : but World War II stopped f its construction. The library continued to! expand, and in 1959 moved Ito the old School of Fine i Arts building. ■I Mr Collins was also re-i I sponsible for the planning of ithe new engineering and scilence libraries for Ham. Mr Collins was made an: honorary life member of! J the Library Association ini 1960 after serving it in vari-j •I ous offices since 1937 and asi president in 1949.