CO-ORDINATION DESIRED

Evening Star, Issue 21935, 23 January 1935, Page 6

CO-ORDINATION DESIRED

LIBRARIES OF THE FOUR COLLEGES PROPOSAL SUPPORTED BY SENATE ' Co-operation among the libraries of the four colleges has been advocated by the librarians and the Senate of the University of New Zealand, at its meeting yesterday, lent support to the proposal (says to-day’s Christchurch 1 Press ’). Financial assistance from the Senate will be forthcoming, at least to the extent of the expenses of a librarians’ conference. It is also intended to apply to the Carnegie Corporation for a grant. The librarians reported ae follows; “ In our opinion co-operation between the college libraries is necessary, and can best be achieved in two ways. First of all by providing a means whereby a reader :n any one of the libraries may know what books and periodicals are at present held by the other libraries, and second, by agreeing upon a policy of specialisation in the purchase of books and periodicals in the future. Both these objects may be achieved without the establishment of a central office.”

Commenting on the first point, the librarians advocated the appointment of a person to make a card catalogue on slips of paper of all important books and periodicals held by the four libraries. These slips could then go to each library. On the second point, it was remarked that the four libraries, up to the present time, had gone their own way, and up to a certain point that did not matter. In a few years, however, specialisation in books would be necessary, following specialisation in teaching. The main difficulty was one of finance.

Dr J. Hight said that there were some grounds for making a demand on the funds of the Senate, if any were available, and he asked the Senate to indicate its willingness or otherwise to do so. . Professor T. A. Hunter (Vice-Chan-cellor), in moving that the subject should be referred to the Executive Committee with power to act, argued that libraries and librarians were just as much teachers as professors. _ If therefore a conference of librarians was necessary the Senate should meet the cost, as it did when heads of a department had to confer. Mr W. J. Morrell, who agreed that the Senate should give some assistance, suggested that the Senate should give general support to the report, and refer it to the college councils. Professor Hunter adding this to his motion. Mr H. F. Von Haast was of the opinion that the Finance Committee should also deal with the matter. The Carnegie Corporation, he continued, was more inclined to help those who helped themselves. He moved as an amendment that the matter should be referred to the Finance Committee, to see what amount, additional to that for a librarians’ conference, it might bo prepared to spend. The objection was raised by Professor Hunter that the representative of the Carnegie Corporation would be in New Zealand months before the committee met, and it was stated by other members that the extent of the requirements was not known. Mr Von Haast then withdrew his amendment, and Professor Hunter’s motion was carried.