BOOK IMPORTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23974, 24 November 1939, Page 3

BOOK IMPORTS

LIBRARIES SERIOUSLY CONCERNED REPRESENTATIONS TO MINISTER "The serious position which has arisen through the new regulations relating to import restrictions under which books from all sources were cut by 50 per cent., caused a good deal of concern at the council meeting." states New Zealand Libraries, the official bulletin of the New Zealand Library Association. "A deputation composed of the president and secretary approached the Minister of Finance on the subject, and explained the position in which the libraries would find themselves. "The Minister has arranged for the Comptroller of Customs to consult officers of the association, with a view to devising workable machinery whereby essential library importations may be preserved. Nothing in the way of an exemption of libraries from the restrictions could, of course be considered without some safeguard against waste, and it may be that the misfortune consequent upon lack of sterling funds, and the necessity for keeping imports of books down to the satisfactory minimum will be responsible for the setting-up of co-ordinat-ing machinery, of which the need has been felt even in normal times. "The establishment of a central bureau is a probability for the purpose of checking orders, supplying librarians with information of what other libraries are ordering eliminating waste, and acting as an advisory agency to the Customs Deoartment in the matter of granting'import licences Certain supplies of books are essential; and although the haphazard ordering of many copies of individual titles would, in present conditions be wantonly wasteful, yet. with the association's assistance in ensuring that only reasonable supplies of titles are brought into the country—without waste and without unnecessary duplication—it appears probable, not only that the shortage of sterling funds may not affect the facilities granted to readers very seriously, but also that the foundatiou may be laid for a' co-ordination of library buying which is . already a long-standing want. "Further information as to the arrangements which it has been possible to come to with the Government will be given to members at the earliest op portunity."