MEDICAL BOOKS

Evening Star, Issue 19408, 17 November 1926, Page 11

MEDICAL BOOKS

UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ACCOMMODATION CONSIDERED BY COUNCIL When the Dean of the Medical Faculty of the Otago University (Sir Lindo Ferguson) was in America last year he purchased on behalf of the University some 11,000 medical volumes, and since these arrived in Dunedin they have been lying in the cellars at the University. At the last meeting of the University Council a committee was set up to consider the matter of accommodation for them, this report being presented at yesterday’s meeting of the council. The report was as follows; “The librarian explained that about 100 books, nearly all back numbers of journals to which the University subscribes, had already been transferred to the library. There were also journals which he desired to transfer to the library to help to complete files of other journals to which the University already subscribes, but which he could not transfer for want of space. The journals in question were ‘ Progressive Medicine,’ ‘American Journal of Medical Science,’ ‘ Index Medians,’ ‘ Archives' of Internal Medicine,’ ‘ La Presse Medicalo.’ There were also a number of other journals to which the University did not subscribe, most of them being of dates running approximately to 1916. The journals he considered to b© the most valfiiße part of the collection. “By far the greater proportion of the collection consists of text hooks in various branches of medicine. Dr Drennan stated as ‘his opinion that the majority of those books dealing with his subject were worthy of being placed on the shelves. “It was resolved that .estimates be laid before the council for plain deal shelving, 7ft high, being erected on two sides of the .tutorial classroom adjoining the library, and for a bay either 10ft or 20ft long, and that subject to satisfactory prices the council be recommended to approve of the 1 erection of this shelving, and to ask the heads of the various departments to select 'the books which should he placed on tlie shelves.” Mr W. J. Morrell moved the adoption of the committee’s report, and pointed out that the total number of books received was 11,000, a certain number of which were duplicates of

boobs already in hand. It was not desired at present to find shelving for all of the others, the committee having resolved to ask the council to find shelving for one-third of the books, and that the heads of the departments of the Medical School be asked to select the books to be placed on the shelves. The opinion had been expressed that a number of the journals were of considerable value in completing files already in hand, and the cost of erecting the shelves would 1 not be high. Dr Marshall Macdonald said that, roughly, about 5,000 books were duplicates of those that they had at present. It would be necessary to consider the placing on the shelves of only about 50 per cent, of the others. The council should consider the question of getting rid of some of the others. Some 5,000 were lying in the basement, and the opportunity should he given to the associations throughout New Zealand to purchase them. Otherwise they should be sent to the paper mills. The estimates were considered in committee by the council, the question of shelving being referred to the Works Committee. The adoption of the report was seconded and carried, the matter of the disposal of the duplicates of medical books being referred to the Medical Committee, on the motion of Dr Marshall Macdonald, seconded by Mr J. S. Douglas. /