N.Z. libraries ‘lagging behind’ in technology

Press, 28 June 1983, Page 9

N.Z. libraries ‘lagging behind’ in technology

New Zealand libraries were “lagging well behind” in some ways in coping with the information revolution, said the City Librarian, Mr J. E. D. Stringleman, yesterday. Many Asian libraries were ahead in the use of new computer techniques, such as the linking of a country’s libraries in a bibliographical network. “Here it is still in the planning stage,” Mr Stringleman said of work to form such a network. “I expect significant developments in the next year or so.” Computerised bibliographies would provide a “national card catalogue” that could be researched quickly from any library in the network. Librarians would use the system at the start, determining where books were available throughout New Zealand. Eventually, such a system could be used direct by the library user. “It will be much easier to use than a card catalogue,” said Mr Stringleman, who recently attended the Congress of South-East Asian Libraries in Singapore, as president of the Commonwealth Library Association. One problem eased by computers in Singapore was the use of four languages by

the population. Mr Stringleman said there was no estimate yet of the cost to individual libraries of a national library bibliographical network. Mobile space Approval for an Aikmans Road mobile library parking space should be sought from the council’s works and traffic committee, councillors said. Such space would be near Papanui Road and one Merivale Mall entrance, but away from the mall carpark, where the present site was too remote from pedestrian traffic, and in a congested area, where it was difficult for the library vehicle to manoeuvre. The mall management was reluctant to provide a better site in the car-park, said a staff report, but council-owned land in Aikmans Road, reserved for future road widening, was available. The site would be fenced and sealed, with a power supply provided, for the twice-weekly mobile library visits. The work would cost $1630. A mall car-park space is marked for the library at present but during Thursday evening late shopping people took no notice of it, said Mr Stringleman. On

that evening, the space would be taken up by shoppers’ cars. Library crossing Traffic engineers should look again at a proposed pedestrian crossing in Gloucester Street between the Canterbury Public Library and Chancery Arcade shops, councillors said. But Cr Geoff Stone said that better enforcement of parking laws might be more effective than a mid-block crossing that many drivers would ignore. Such a marked crossing without light controls would “create as many unseen hazards,” he said. The committee was told that widening of the footpaths on both sides of the street had reduced the amount of road to be crossed, but motorists still stopped on yellow lines in the narrowed section. They often parked illegally for some minutes. That added to confusion in the area and increased the danger to pedestrians. Frequent complaints were received about the crossing from members of the public. Mr Stringleman said that a marked crossing might at least dissuade drivers from parking in that part of the street.