COUNTRY LIBRARY SERVICE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNTRY LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1945

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1945 Session I, H-32a

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1945 NEW ZEALAND

COUNTRY LIBRARY SERVICE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNTRY LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1945

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by leave

The Hon. the Minister of Education. Wellington, 18th July, 1945. Sir, — During the year the Service has grown at an increasing rate, and at 31st March, 1945, 538 towns and small centres were receiving library service. The School Library Service continues to increase its scope, and at the end of the period 766 schools, with 44,955 children, were served. The Service is still acting for the Army Education and Welfare Service Library under terms of War Cabinet's decision that the machinery of this Service is to be the chief means of supply for library service for the Armed Forces in New Zealand and overseas. A summary of the methods by which books, periodicals, and information are made available to country people is now given: (a) free loans of books on a population basis to libraries controlled by local authorities which in turn agree to make their libraries free and to maintain reasonable standards of library service ; (b) loans of books to independent subscription public libraries at a small annual charge per one hundred books loaned; (c) loans of books through travelling hamper collections to isolated groups of readers at a small annual charge ; and (d) loans through the post of books free of charge to isolated readers. All libraries served under (a) and (b) receive regular visits from one of the specially equipped book-vans of this Service, at least two visits being paid to each library during a full year. It is intended, when petrol and staffing difficulties decrease, to revert to the practice of making at least three visits to each of these libraries. In addition, all persons, whether served by the free public library or through the isolated group, may obtain loans of requested books by post from the headquarters of this Service. Books loaned by the School Library Service are distributed on a circulating basis. FREE PUBLIC LIBRARIES: "A" SERVICE With the approaching end of hostilities, more local authorities are taking the step of co-operation with this Service, and an increased interest is being shown by Town Boards and Borough Councils in towns with populations between 500 and 15,000. During the year ended 31st March the following towns adopted the " free " library idea and received loans of stock from this Service : Eltham, Ohakune, Waihi, Martinborough, Patea, and Eketahuna in the North Island, and Otautau, Richmond, and Palmerston in the South Island. The number of county, borough, and town district free libraries co-operating with this Service is now 54, as compared with 45 at 31st March, 1944. These libraries serve a local population of 128,438, as well as a considerable number of persons in their vicinity, and 18,800 books are on loan to them. A number of boroughs will also make the change to free service during 1945. SMALL INDEPENDENT SUBSCRIPTION LIBRARIES : "B " SERVICE Four hundred and twenty-three of these libraries were linked to this Service during the year, compared with the previous year's figure of 391 ; 221 of the libraries are in the North Island, 202 in the South Island ; 31,450 books were on loan to these "B " libraries, an average of just over 74 books. As the average for each library was 71 for the previous period, it is obvious that country readers are becoming increasingly interested in the type of books supplied by this Service. The figures shown as basic issues do not include the thousands of books loaned to these libraries on short loan through the request service. OTHER WAYS IN WHICH SERVICE HAS BEEN GIVEN Hamper or " C " Service In places where no library exists and where it is not possible for one to be formed, the service to properly established groups by means of travelling hampers has been continued. During the year 61 groups received this service, while in the same period 9 groups transferred to the B service. This change over was made possible by the extension of the itinerary of the travelling book-vans.

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Postal or " D " Service This service to people living in really isolated places, out of reach of an established library, has increased very much, and 709 persons were registered with the service, as compared witli 468 at the same period last year. The figure of 709 includes 20 field cadets attached to Lincoln Agricultural College but working in country districts. These cadets are supplied with general reading on farming and agriculture. The service to lighthouse keepers and assistant keepers and their families, which was commenced last year, is maintained. Fifteen lighthouses round the coast of New Zealand, with a total of 66 borrowers, are sent books in special canvas containers supplied by the Marine Department Request Service All the libraries, groups, and individuals receiving library service from the Country Library Service can ask for special short-term loans of books of an educational and informational type from the headquarters stock of this Service, and during the year 11,935 requests were received, of which 11,617 were filled, the great majority from our own stock ; 318 (2-6 per cent.) were not filled, either because the requested book was unobtainable or because the request was not within the scope of the service—i.e., it was fiction or non-fiction of an ephemeral kind. Subject Loan Collections Ninety-seven collections, consisting of 3,508 books and 468 periodicals and pamphlets, were issued for periods of two months to libraries. The previous year 27 such collections, totalling 898 books, had been issued. The most popular subject was again, gardening, and 16 collections on this subject were sent out during the year. Other subjects in demand were hobbies and crafts ; education ; " other countries ; art appreciation and art reproductions ; child care and management; home furnishings, designs, &c. Loan collections were issued to 23 libraries linked with this Service, and also to the Frankton, Hamilton, Nelson, Timaru, and Wanganui Public Libraries and the Dunedin and Wellington Teachers' Training Colleges. Inter-library Loan The figures for the first complete year in which this scheme was operating are as follows :— Number of inter-loan cards received by the Country Library Service .. 1,735 Number of items located before the issue of Book Resources— (a) From Country Library Service stock .. .. .. .. 860 (b) From Union Catalogue records .. .. .. ~ 103 (c) From other Wellington libraries .. .. .. .. 295 Number of items which had appeared previously on Book Resources and were on order .. .. .. .. .. _ _ 24 Number rejected (outside scope or having insufficient data) .. .. 37 Number of items remaining not supplied from Wellington .. .. 426 Number of items requested by Country Library Service .. .. .. 286 Total number of items appearing on Book Resources .. .. .. 712 Number located through Book Resources .. .. .. .. 288 The total number of inter-loan cards received in the five and a half months of last year during which this scheme was operating was 410; for the corresponding period this year, 883 were received. Periodicals Service A total of 320 periodicals is now taken by this service weekly, monthly, and quarterly. One hundred and twelve different periodicals have been sent regularly to 43 free public libraries participating in this Service. Each library received up to 40 periodicals chosen from the list, in lots of some 6to sending the periodicals on to another library after one month. Army Education and Welfare Service Library A.E.W.S. Library in New Zealand and the Pacific and E.R.S. Library in Great Britain and the Middle East have been provided with books bought through the Country Library Service. It was necessary in June of last year to arrange for an officer of this Service to be sent overseas to assist in the buying of books in London, and it is clear now that but for her efforts the supply to Middle East would not have been made in time. By establishing a buying agent in London it was possible also to see that books needed by men to satisfy specific interests were bought on request. Continuous buying has been needed to keep the service in New Zealand and overseas up to date and to replace the normal casualties in books during the last two years. In New Zealand arrangements were made for the taking over by the Country Library Service of the staffing of one A.E.W.S. Library depot, and it is anticipated that this will be done in the case of other depots as staffing becomes available and as the Service demands decrease. In taking over A.E.W.S. Library depots it is desirable to consider whether the mobile service which has proved successful in meeting Service requirements should not now be made available to civilians. In small townships at present a limited deposit made twice a year does not allow the local borrower to see many books, and if the deposit were made every month the range of books seen in twelve months would be relatively small. Local librarians, furthermore, generally work voluntarily and would be in some cases unwilling or unable to cope with the work involved in monthly exchanges. In these circumstances it might be that the method used by the Army would be workable. Once a month a van carrying about 1,000 books would visit the township and remain for an afternoon or for an afternoon and an evening while local borrowers select books from the van shelves. This monthly visit with possibly a less frequent deposit of books of general interest would give fuller service. Even in larger townships the present conservative system of exchanges of books tends to restrict borrowing to books of general interest. The town librarian or library committee is asked to select from the van twice a year enough books to last for six months. The librarian or the library committee is reluctant to borrow for lengthy deposit books in which only two or three borrowers are likely to be interested ; but in most townships only one or two will be interested in such subjects as watchmaking, plumbing, rhododendrons, electronics, plastics, and indeed most interests are represented in a small community by only one or two borrowers. The longer the period between exchanges, the less well

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can these individual interests be represented in the deposits made and the more the selection must be restricted to books of general interest, which will find borrowers throughout the six months' loan. It is desirable that books of general interest should be available, but it is specifically the responsibility of library service to see that individual interests are satisfied, and this could be done by more frequent exchanges in larger towns and by direct borrowing from the van in smaller towns with monthly or less frequent exchanges of books of general interest. Especially in those smaller places where catering for individual needs would put too heavy a burden on the local and possibly voluntary librarian the plan of monthly borrowing from the van should be considered. A.E.W.S. Library has demonstrated the need for increased mobility in the exchange of books of individual interest, and it is hoped that as A.E.W.S. depots are made available for civilian use the kind of mobile service which has been developed will become available for civilians. Conservatism in the use of civilian transport has been essential during the war years, but advance in library service in the future will be dependent upon its more generous use. Special Groups One thousand two hundred and ten books were also 011 loan to 16 groups and libraries in various types of institution. BOOK STOCK During the year the adult section of this Service added to stock 29,087 volumes —11,482 fiction and 17,605 non-fiction. Withdrawals were 2,562 volumes—2,o23 fiction and 539 non-fiction. Thus the net additions to stock were 26,525, and the total adult stock of this Service now stands at 119,167, made up of 47,985 fiction and 71,182 non-fiction. Stock of the children's section at 31st March, 1945, was 92,994, making a grand total of all stock of 212,161 volumes. It is still difficult to import books from abroad, and sincere acknowledgment is made to the overseas agencies of the New Zealand Government for the assistance given to this Service in securing publications from outside New Zealand. In addition to the book stock mentioned above, 29,930 volumes were purchased during the year and made available on extended loan to A.E.W.S. Library. Since February, 1943, 63,756 books have been provided in this way. This Service wishes to thank sincerely those people who have donated books during the year, with particular mention of the gift of a valuable set of Upton Sinclair's works, as well as reference books supplementary to our own stock, donated by Mrs. M. Parry, of Lower Hutt. EXPENDITURE, STAFF, PREMISES Expenditure for the year was £21,223, under Subdivision XIV, " Country Service," vote " Department of Education." In addition, £6,275 was expended 011 the purchase of books for the School Library Service (Subdivision II of the same vote). £20,623 from War Expenses Account was expended 011 books and periodicals and other incidental services for A.E.W.S. Library. Books and equipment so provided remain the property of this Service and will be handed over when no longer needed by the Armed Forces, and the War Expenses Account reimbursed accordingly. The staff of the Country Library Service now numbers 39, including officers who are acting as wartime replacements for 8 officers—s permanent and 3 temporary —who are on military leave or, in the case of one permanent officer, seconded to the civil branch of one of the Armed Services. The staff has worked keenly and conscientiously during a very busy year, and whatever credit is due to the Service is because of their efforts. The existing accommodation is still inadequate to house the staff and stock, both rapidly increasing, although steps are being taken to set up new and larger premises in Christchurch, and to enlarge the Wellington office by taking over an adjoining building. CENTRAL BUREAU FOR LIBRARY BOOK IMPORTS From Ist April, 1944, to 31st March, 1945, 180 recommendations for special license to the value of £5,518 (New Zealand currency) were made. The recommendations have covered books and periodicals. In May arrangements were made with the Comptroller of-Customs whereby the four city libraries in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington and three of the University colleges in these centres were granted block special licenses. This meant that while these libraries continued to forward copies of their orders to the Central Bureau the individual orders were not recommended for special license by the Bureau. This alteration in procedure accounts for the disparity between the recommendations made in 1943-44, which amounted to £13,956 55., and the recommendations for this year. Union Catalogue The Union Catalogue, covering as it now does the accessions of the major libraries for the past five years, continues to be increasingly useful in the locating of books. Libraries are continuing to send forward information concerning additions to stock, and some 10,000 new entries have been added to the Catalogue during the year. New Zealand Book Resources Committee The Committee met twice during the year. The main work has been the checking of lists by libraries against their stock and the subsequent ordering by this Service of titles held to be essential and which were not already in New Zealand. The Standard Catalog for Public Libraries, section 700 ; Scholes, P. A., List of Books about Music; Readers' Guide to Books on Music . . . Painting . . . Graphic Arts , . . Photography , . . Collecting . . . Handicrafts have been checked and titles which are deemed essential are now being ordered. The Cumulative Book Index, 1942, has been checked against the Union Catalogue and those titles which were not found and which it was decided should be in the country have been ordered. During the year the total number of books ordered through Book Resources was 2,457, to the value of £1,113 14s. sterling.

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WORK WITH CHILDREN With book orders coming to hand more regularly, the book stock in this section shows a decided increase over the previous year; the total now stands at 92,994, compared with 68,197 a year ago (non-fiction, 29,038 ; fiction, 63,956). Many titles reported out of print at the commencement of the Service have now been reprinted and supplied. Up to date no school has received a book which it had previously, and, as originally planned, four years will have elapsed before titles are sent again to the same school. At present there are 21 geographical districts receiving exchanges from 7 distributing centres. The Auckland office of the Country Library Service makes exchanges to 8 of these geographical centres, the Christchurch office to 3, the Palmerston North office to 4, and Headquarters in Wellington to 3. The Wanganui, Timaru, and Greymouth Public Libraries continue to act as exchange centres in their respective districts. In the case of the Greymouth Public Library a member of the Country Library Service staff, seconded to the Greymouth Public Library, carries out the exchange work. Up to the end of 1944 the Taranaki Education Board maintained its own library scheme for schools in that area. With the beginning of the school year in February, 1945, owing to the high cost of books and the difficulty in obtaining new stock, the Board discontinued its service and arrangements were made for this Service to supply books to the children in Taranaki. Applications are now being received from the schools, and a pool stock is being assembled. It is hoped to begin distribution later this year. The Otago Education Board has not received any further supplies of books (an initial grant of 1,000 books was made during 1942-43), but maintains its own scheme ; but some help is being given by this Service to the Dunedin Public Library, which carries out distribution for the Board, by the seconding of an assistant in the Junior Department of the Library. Free Service During 1944, 263 schools qualified for free service, and with the number which qualified last year (221), this means that 484 schools " have paid the required levy for two complete and consecutive years and have carried out satisfactorily all other conditions of the School Library Service which apply to it." It is anticipated that by the end of 1945 well over 1,000 schools will be receiving books from this Service. At the end of March, 1945, service was being given as shown below:— Education Boards. Schools served. Children served. Books on Issue. Auckland .. .. .. ..259 20,120 20,356 Canterbury .. .. .. .. 163 6,695 7,413 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. 65 4,444 4,632 Nelson .. .. .. .. ..37 2,043 2,142 Southland .. .. .. 33 1,592 1,640 Wanganui .. .. .. ..138 6,020 6,645 Wellington .. .. .. ..69 4,041 4,303 766 44,955 47.131 The apparently large difference between the total book stock and the number of books in the schools is accounted for by— (1) The fairly substantial pools which have to be maintained at distributing centres. (2) There are actually a large number of books in the course of transit and at schools ; new quotas are always delivered before any books are returned. (3) Owing to labour shortage, binding has accumulated, which would not be the case in normal times. DEVELOPMENT OF THE SERVICE In the report of this Service to the Minister of Education for the year ended 31st March, 1944, it was stated, " At the earliest favourable time it is proposed to develop the Service on a regional basis. Instead of separate services for city and country it is proposed, with the co-operation of the city library authorities, to combine the services of town and country in one regional service. A strong National Library Service is essential to co-ordinate the work of such regions." During 1944 proposals for regional development of the Service and for a National Library Service were considered by committees of the New Zealand Library Association and, after amendment, were approved by the conference of the Association at Wanganui in February, 1945. In addition, following representations from the Library Association, a recommendation* to the Government concerning the establishment of a Library School in Wellington was approved. Below are given the texts of the proposals concerning regional development and National Library Service, together with the statement of the Minister of Education concerning the Library School. The diagram showing the plan of organization of the National Library Service is included in order that the functions of the main components of the proposed service may be clearly seen. 1. Regional Development : Proposals for Decentralization on a District and possibly on a Regional Basis of the Country Library Service City and Country Library Service The war has held up the development of the Country Library Service which was originally planned, but this postponement may turn out to be not without advantage. The original plan whereby the Country Library Service would remain entirely separate from the City Library Service may be replaced, if an acceptable plan can be worked out, by voluntary co-ordination of the two Services, city and country, and the operation of library service on a regional basis. Under such a scheme New Zealand could be divided into a number of regions, each of an economical size for library administration. Such regions would also need to be geographically workable.

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The Government's Part (a) District Development of Country Library Service with Co-operation of City Authorities. —• It may be necessary in the meantime for a demonstration to be carried out to show how such a regional service would work, since it is not likely that agreement can be got from all the authorities concerned to co-operate with the Country Library Service, nor is staff and the necessary book stock available for an " all over " scheme. The Country Library Service therefore proposes to decentralize its work gradually, and at an early date plans to set up a district distribution from Auckland covering the northern half of the North Island. If the consent of the Auckland City authorities can be obtained, two steps can be taken at this point:— (1) If the Auckland City Library stock can be made available for district requests which cannot be satisfied by the Auckland Country Library Service district stock, just as it is now available to A.E.W.S., the Country Library Service would offer to second a reference assistant to the Auckland public libraries. This assistant would be directly responsible to the chief librarian, Auckland public libraries, but her salary would be found by, and she would remain an officer of, the Country Library Service. (2) Books of the Country Library Service in the Auckland district stock would be available for lending direct to Auckland public libraries. The staff necessary for the work of the district service would be Country Library Service staff, responsible, through a district librarian, to the Director, Country Library Service. Note.—The city librarian would not be asked to assume at this point the responsibility of a regional librarian. (b) Regional Library Service administered by a Board representative of the Region and on which the Country Library Service would also be represented. —The New Zealand Library Association might well discuss whether fuller development could be planned later in another area —for example, Otago and Southland—in order to test the working possibilities of the regional plan. Stages in this development might be— (1) The Regional Board would take over all distribution in its region, adopting the same plan for co-operation with local authorities as is followed by the Country Library Service. (2) Staff necessary for such distribution would be found by the Country Library Service, and all, including the Country Library Service district librarian, would be seconded to the regional librarian, who would have responsibility (for the work outside the city boundaries) to the national service through the Regional Board. (3) Books and equipment, including transport, needed for the country service are to be found by the Country Library Service. County Councils in District Development In order to give all local authorities a full chance to take advantage of the services offered, free service would be extended to county authorities as from a given date. This would involve the discontinuance of the present Country Library Service " B " service to independent subscription libraries for counties. It is probable that for a year or two there would be difficulties in administering a service of the above kind over a wide area, because some counties would not want to participate until others had done so, and some might conceivably not want to at all. There might be oases of severe hardship if services were withdrawn from a library which had participated in the Country Library Service as an independent small unit for some years, and it is possible that special provision would have to be made to meet such a case. The new service would be available only on terms similar to that available to boroughs and Town Boar,ds, but now extended to counties ; in other words, books would be supplied free, but they would have to be issued free to borrowers : — (1) County authorities would be asked to make local provision for library service on the basis of, say, Is. per head of population. (2) This money would be used— (a) In the form of a grant to a contiguous borough library for service to county people in the areas able to be served by that borough. This would enable a much better standard of staffing and service to be maintained in such libraries. (b) Also, the county may need to meet the charges of maintaining at a satisfactory standard the various smaller libraries within its boundaries which were previously' independent. (c) Provision for service to county residents not provided under clauses (a) and (b). This sum would not be paid to the General Government, however, any more than is the money found for local free borough library service. The main point is that minimum local expenses required for the adequate maintenance of free service to residents, whether county or borough, should be met by the residents served, and the partnership of General Government and local governments in giving library service will be preserved. Further, the supply of light fiction —pay collection material —would not be a charge either on the local authority or the General Government, but the cost would be recoverable. If a concerted effort were made appealing to the local authorities of a given region for their cooperation, and wide publicity were given, it is unlikely that many would abstain from co-operation if the issues were made clear. Increased expenditure will be needed to carry out the proposed developments, but this expenditure will be mainly on staffing. It will be a valuable service to the community which we can produce in New Zealand, since, as it has been said, library service is a means of using skilled labour to make the fullest use of imports of books. If, as is likely, the present shortage of books persists for some time after the war, the case for a fuller library service is thereby strengthened, since it is undeniable that the most economical use of books imported into the country can be got by a system of circulating them as widely as . possible. New Zealand is badly off for trained library staff. Vigorous action is needed to remedy this lack. The comments of the Association are invited as to whether the existing means of training for librarianship

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in New Zealand are adequate—i.e., the courses conducted by the New Zealand Library Association, and other facilities or whether some means, such as a School of Librarianship, is necessary. It is possible that if regional development were embarked upon in one area, the experiences gained could be used and the regional experiment used to help the School of Librarianship. Some of the bibliographical work, however, could be taught elsewhere ; and in order to reach the necessary standard such a school would require full-time work on the part of students and of at least some of the staff, although specialists could be asked to help in certain subjects. 2. National Library Service : Proposals for setting up a New Zealand National Library Service (Submitted to the New Zealand Library Association Planning Committee—National Library— by the Director, Country Library Service, and approved as a basis of discussion by the Minister of Education and later approved by the New Zealand Library Association.) Book Resources and the Need for a National Centre The past few years have taught New Zealand librarians the importance of co-operation, and a pressing need has arisen for a well-organized national centre to co-ordinate the efforts of all libraries concerned with the exploitation and conservation of the informational stock of the country. It is obvious that if we are to wait for a National Library building many valuable years will be lost and much valuable information will not be available to those who need it. Further, both in acquisition and storing of books and serials, wasteful duplication is occurring and will occur among learned libraries and the libraries of Government Departments; while, without a national centre, problems of recruitment and use of adequately trained staff are likely to be insoluble. The need for a National Library as a centre is adequately brought out in the report, dated 19th October, 1944, of the Committee of the New Zealand Library Association on University and research libraries. The question is, how can the National Library be brought into action ? National Library Service It is suggested that there should be three divisions in the National Library Service :— (1) Regional development, concerned mainly with the exploitation of library stock through public library service ; (2) Development of a National Library Centre, concerned with both the exploitation and conservation of stock ; and (3) A Library School concerned with the supply of adequate training facilities. Regional Development. Hie establishment of regional organization of public library services to provide the necessary stock and transport and to second the necessary trained staffing and leading to complete decentralization. This division will not be described in the present draft proposals. It has already been approved in principle by the New Zealand Library Association. National Library Centre. The second division, the National Library Centre, will be concerned with both conservation and exploitation of stock and will develop centrally as well as regionally. Where conservation is being emphasized, the regional development of the National Centre will be more important. As shown in the plan of organization, liaison with the University libraries and the creation of regional storage facilities are important functions of the National Centre. Equally important, however, are the functions to be carried out in Wellington. In Wellington the librarian of the National Centre will have responsibility for the following :— (1) Establishing satisfactory liaison between all library units. (2) Organization of programme of work and coverage projects of the Book Resources Committee. (3) Central Bureau for library book imports and Union Catalogue. (4) Union List of Serials. (5) Centralized reference clearing-house, employing subject specialists. (6) Centralized book ordering available to all Government libraries and Departments. (7) Centralized cataloguing available as above. (8) Active participation in the staff-training programme. The librarian of the National Centre, with the approval of the Director of the National Library Service, will second to the libraries of the University colleges staffing, if it is desired, to allow co-operative regional projects to be carried out —e.g., cataloguing of stock in University libraries; the storage of nationally owned stock will be planned in regions, and University library buildings should be designed to act as regional depositories of national stock. This will prevent storage within the public library system of material not in frequent demand. Staffing should be seconded to University libraries to cope with the work of storage. Library School, Wellington.—This is the third essential part of the National Library project and is needed to provide necessary staffing : — (1) Intensive training facilities should last for one academic year, and should be given at a Library School where students will work full time. It is recommended that students attending the school be paid in a similar way to students at the training colleges ; it is also recommended that students be required to give an understanding that they will remain in library service for a reasonable period after their training, and that up to thirty graduates or non-graduates approved by the Training Committee and the Director of the school be admitted to the school each year. (2) Provision is needed for training for special librarianship for Government Department librarians. (3) Tutoring of the general training course and the writing of the parts for the diploma should be undertaken by the school. (4) Intensive short courses, such as summer schools lasting six to eight weeks, will be organized by the school for librarians of small country libraries. (5) Provision is needed for training of librarians in charge of school and children's libraries.

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If these proposals for the National Library Service are adopted and put into action, it will be possible to appoint students of the Library School as trainees—i.e., they will be on the staff of the National Library Service and will be able to be seconded to points where they are most needed in New Zealand after training. At a later date, when the staffing of the National Library Service becomes established, members of the staff will be available for lecturing in the school. In the meantime, efforts will be made to obtain teaching staff, possibly on a part-time basis. Resolutions of Planning Committee, National Library That there is an urgent need for the creation of a National Library Service : That it be a recommendation to the Minister of Education that a National Library Service be established, and that it be a separate Department under the Minister : That to this end the following be recommended as immediate steps : — (1) The establishment of a National Library Centre to be developed from the various services already organized by the Country Library Service —i.e., Union Catalogue, Book Imports Bureau, Book Resources activities, Reference service, Interloan, &c. (2) The establishment of a school for the training of librarians (as already recommended to the Government). (3) The development of regional organization of public library service as already approved by the New Zealand Library Association (report printed in N.Z.L., 1 : 197-202, December, 1944). And that the following further steps be taken as opportunity offers :— (4) The integration of the State-owned libraries in Wellington (including the departmental libraries), though without prejudice to their specific functions. (5) The erection of an adequate National Library building. 3. Library School : Statement of the Hon. the Minister of Education " To help to meet the very great shortage of trained librarians in New Zealand, the Government has decided to establish a Library School attached to the Country Library Service in Wellington. The Government is impressed with the advances that have been made in library work during recent years, particularly in the extension of library service to rural areas, to the Armed Forces, and to country schools. While much of this progress has come through the work of the Country Library Service, founded in 1938, the New Zealand Library Association, an active body incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1939, has been a vigorous proponent of improved library service." The Minister stated that the development of the Country Library Service in spite of the war had been very great, and decentralizing of its administration through regional development was being planned. " Fullest use of the stocks of books in our public and other libraries can be achieved only through better staffing," said the Minister. " The Library Association has begun a system of training, and final tests for the New Zealand Library Association Certificate will be taken shortly by a number of students. The need is clear, however, for more powerful means of training, and a Library School which will give a full academic year's training is to be established." The Government has asked for, and the United States Office of War Information, through the United States Legation in Wellington, has agreed to make available, the services of Miss M. P. Parsons, Director of the United States Information Library in Wellington, as Director of the Library Training School. This is a generous action which is deeply appreciated by the Government and which the library profession in New Zealand will applaud. Miss Parsons is experienced in library-school matters, and, in addition to being Resident Director of a Library School in Paris from 1924 to 1929, she has taught in library schools in Canada and the United States and has held responsible library posts. Miss Parsons has an impressive academic record with the degrees of A.8., 8.L.5., and Ph.D., (University of Vienna). Subject to the appointment of the necessary staff and other necessary preliminaries being carried out, the Library School will give short courses this year, one for librarians of smaller town libraries and one for librarians of Government departmental libraries. In 1946, with the approval of the Man-power authorities, the school will give a year's training to thirty students, who will be University graduates in science or arts. " Other developments may be possible," said the Minister, " such as short courses given by the faculty of the school between full courses. These could be given in other centres than Wellington and would be open to librarians approved for the course by the Director of the school and the Training Committee of the New Zealand Library Association. The students accepted for training at the full course of the school will be paid allowances sufficient to meet their living-costs and will be required to give an undertaking that they will remain in library work for a certain period. " It is clear that adequate training of our library personnel is the logical and economical way of using our stocks and imports of books and printed material," concluded the Minister. I have, &c., G. T. Alley, Director.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (705 copies), £17 10s.

Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington. —1945,

Price 6d.~\

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