REPORT OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1946

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1946 Session I, H-32a

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1946 NEW ZEALAND

REPORT OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1946

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by leave

The Honourable the Minister of Education. Wellington, 11th July, 1946. Sir,— On 26th August, 1945, Cabinet approved of the designation " Country Library Service " being changed to " National Library Service " and of the organization of the latter Service being carried out in three divisions—(l) Country Library Service : (2) Library School: (3) National Library Centre. Organization under the above three divisions has accordingly been undertaken and will be reported upon below. Texts of the proposals for development were given, together with a diagram, in H.-32a, 1945, annual report of the Country Library Service. SECTION I. —COUNTRY LIBRARY SERVICE During the year this Service has expanded, and at 31st March, 1946, 638 towns and small centres were receiving regular loans of books, an increase of 100 centres on the previous year. The School Library Service has also increased, and at 31st March, 1,042 schools with 63,923 children were being served, compared with 766 schools and 44,955 children a year ago. The increase in the number of schools and children served does not include 162 schools and 9,619 children in the Otago Education Board's District which was linked with the National School Library Service in November, 1945. 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. In addition, all persons, whether served by the free public library or through

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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. It is expected that during the next year the number of visits by book-van will have been restored to three per year. FREE PUBLIC LIBRARIES : "A " SERVICE During the year the following towns decided to make their libraries free and to participate in the Service : Dannevirke, Matamata, Papatoetoe, Raetihi, Waipawa, and Waipukurau in the North Island, and Ashburton, Blenheim, Lyttelton, Picton, and Port Chalmers in the South Island. There are now 64 borough and town district libraries and 1 County Council library co-operating with the Service, as against 54 on 31st March, 1945. These libraries serve a local population of 141,857, as well as a quite considerable population in their vicinity, and 20,764 books are on regular loan to them, in addition to many specially requested books and subject loan collections. In view of the steady growth in the number of smaller free public libraries it is worth while to note the increase since 1938, the first year of the Country Library Service :

It will be useful also to set out the scale of assistance which has been available to free libraries participating in this Service. From 1938 to 1940 the population limit for boroughs to be eligible for service was 2,500. Books were provided on a basis of 15 per 100 of population. Assistance in library management was also given where possible. On Ist March, 1940, the population limit was raised to 10,000, and loans of books were made on a sliding scale, with a maximum loan of 750 books for boroughs between 9,000 and 10,000. On Ist October, 1944, the population limit was raised to 15,000, boroughs in the population group 10,000-15,000 being offered a loan of 1,000 books of non-fiction in addition to the request' service and subject loan collections. The minimum loan to smallest libraries was also raised to 200. Since 12th April, 1946, the population limit has been raised to include boroughs over 15,000, but not to include any of the four main cities. Libraries will not be entitled to receive regular supplies of books from the book-vans, but will, if free service is adopted locally, receive subject loan collections and the free request service. In addition, one trained reference assistant will be seconded from the Country Library Service if from January, 1947, a satisfactory standard of free service is maintained and the local authority desires this secondment to be made. It is hoped that decentralization of the Service and the more generous distribution of books which peacetime transport facilities can provide will improve the * standard of development, admittedly very uneven, which has been xeached by the many libraries which have taken the first step of making their service free and co-operating with this Service. The influence of the Library School in providing trained personnel will be marked, while an immediate and practical step which will benefit smaller libraries is the decision to give a short course in January, 1947, at the Library School 'for librarians of smaller libraries.-

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, - Date of Annual Report (H.-32A). Number of Free Public Libraries in Places under 15,000 Population. ;31st March, 1939 .. 16 " "31st March, 1940 .. . . . .. 21 31st March, 1941 . . .. .. 28 31st March, 1942 .. .. ... ; . 42 31st March, 1943 43 31st March, 1944 .45 31st March, 1945 .. .. .... 54 31st March, 1946 .. .. ,. . .. 65

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SMALL INDEPENDENT SUBSCRIPTION LIBRARIES : £< B " SERVICE During the year 504 of these libraries were linked to this Service, compared with the previous year's figure of 423. Of these libraries, 271 are in the North Island, 233 in the South Island. Altogether, 37,750 books were on loan to these "B " libraries, an average of approximately 75 books. Figures showing the growth of this section of the Country Library work are now given :

Nearly all these smaller libraries are in counties. A considerable task lies ahead in organizing a service to them which will compare favourably with that given in the best free borough libraries. There are, however, signs of increasing interest among County Councils in library development. " C " OR HAMPER SERVICE In places where no library exists and where it is not possible for one to be formed and visited by book-van, the service to properly established groups by means of travelling hampers has been continued. During the year 69 groups received this service. An interesting development has been carried out from the Christehurch Office of the Service,- by which 30 groups receive regular exchanges direct from that office instead of exchanging with each other on a rota system. POSTAL OR " D " SERVICE This service to people living in really isolated places, out of reach of an established library, has increased greatly. There are now 674 active members, as compared with 496 at the same period last year. These numbers include field cadets attached to Lincoln Agricultural College, but working in country districts, who are supplied with general reading on farming and agriculture. The service to lighthouse keepers and assistant keepers and their families has increased. Nineteen lighthouses, with a total of 81 borrowers, are supplied, as compared with 15 lighthouses and 66 borrowers last year. The books are sent in special canvas containers, which are supplied by the Marine Department. REQUEST SERVICE All libraries, groups, lighthouses, and individuals who receive library service from Country Library Service can ask for special short-term loans of books of an informational type from the headquarters stock of this Service. During the year 14,719 requests were received, of which 14,402 were filled, the majority from our own stock; 317 (2-15 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., light fiction or non-fiction of an ephemeral kind. Borrowings from other libraries throughout New Zealand were of great help in meeting requests; 1,925 volumes were borrowed for libraries participating in this Service, of which 510 volumes 4rere lent -by the General Assembly Library. To this and other libraries grateful acknowledgment is made for this help, without which the proportion of unfilled requests would have been higher.

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Number of Date of Annual Report (H.-32A). " B " Libraries participating. 31st March, 1939 179 31st March, 1940 265 31st March, 1941 302 31st March, 1942 348 31st March, 1943 368 31st March, 1944 391 31st March, 1945 423 31st March, 1946 .. . . .... 504

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Some of the most popular subjects requested were floral decoration ; painting in oil and water colours ; dressmaking and sewing ; house planning and interior decoration ; gardening ; child psychology. Many books were requested for University and secondary school studies. LOAN COLLECTIONS One hundred and eighty-four special collections, consisting of 7,484 books and 580 periodicals and pamphlets, were issued to libraries for periods of two months. The previous year 97 such collections, totalling 3,508 books, had been issued. The most popular subject was again gardening, and 22 collections on this subject were sent out during the year. Among the other subjects in demand were hobbies and crafts ; education ; other countries ; music ; homecraft; New Zealand ; art; child care ; sports and pastimes, &c. Loan collections were issued to 42 libraries linked with this Service, and 9 collections were sent to teachers' training colleges and to public libraries outside the Service who required them for special purposes. PERIODICALS SERVICE A total of 380 periodicals is now taken by this Service. One hundred and eleven periodicals have been sent out regularly to 46 free participating public libraries. Each library received up to 31 periodicals chosen from the list in lots of some five to nine, sending the periodicals on to another library at the end of each month. WORK WITH CHILDREN Report op the School Library Service Book orders from overseas are now coming to hand more regularly, and the total stock now stands at 124,782 books (40,183 non-fiction and 84,599 fiction), compared with 92,994 a year ago. In addition, 9,390 books from the Otago Education Board's collection now becomes part of the School Library Service stock. All approved lists of children's books have now been checked, and titles more suitable for children in New Zealand have been ordered. Book ordering is now a matter of duplication and replacement, with the monthly addition of newer approved titles. A large number of titles are still, however, out of print. At present there are 24 geographical districts receiving exchanges from 9 distributing centres. The Auckland office of the Country Library Service makes exchanges to 8 of these geographical centres, the Palmerston North office to 4, the Christchurch office to 3, the Nelson office to 1, and Headquarters in Wellington to 4. The Greymouth, Timaru, Wanganui, and Dunedin Public Libraries act as exchange centres in their respective districts. In the case of Grreymouth, Wanganui, and Dunedin Public Libraries, a member of the Country Library Service staff has been seconded to each of these libraries to carry out exchange work. Schools in the Taranaki Education Board's area are now eligible to receive books from this Service. Applications are coming to hand, and 8 schools to date are receiving service. Formerly the Taranaki Education Board maintained its own scheme, but early in 1945 this was discontinued. In November, 1945, the Otago Education Board's scheme was amalgamated with this Service, the Dunedin Public Library continuing to act as distributing centre. This means maintaining the service to the 162 schools and 9,619 children in this area. The Otago Board and the Dunedin Public Library have developed an outstanding service to schools, which will be maintained and increased as opportunity permits, in co-operation with the Dunedin Public Library. The number of schools which qualified for free service to 31st March, 1946, is 648. This means that these schools have " paid the required levy for two complete and consecutive years and have carried out all other conditions of the School Library Service which apply to it." Also, in the Otago area, 130 entitled to receive free service. It is planned to give a reference and request service to the schools belonging to the School Library Service, to meet the demands for subject material in connection with

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the school syllabus. A reference collection is being built up at the main centres, and as staffing and stock permit this branch of the Service will be developed. At 31st March, 1946, service was being given as shown below :

A valuable piece of work has been done by the Planning Committee —school and children's libraries —of the New Zealand Library Association. The Committee's report discusses the possibility of library service to children through — (a) Children's public libraries : (b) Children's libraries as well as school libraries : (c) Complete service from school libraries. It considers that at present, apart from the larger centres, books for children must be distributed through school libraries. The report also discussed problems of regional and district distribution, and stresses the need for trained staff and skilled bibliographical service. Its recommendations will be most carefully considered when expansion of the School Library Service is possible. ARMY EDUCATION AND WELFARE SERVICE LIBRARY Purchases of books and periodicals have been continued for A.E.W.S. Library, although on a diminishing scale because of the end of hostilities. Details of the policy decisions of War Cabinet governing such purchases and the subsequent return of books to the Country Library Service have been given in earlier reports, as have descriptions of the kind of service given by A.E.W.S. Towards the end of 1945 the main work of A.E.W.S. Library had been done. The service given in the Middle East, and especially in Italy during the pre-embarkation period of the 2nd N.Z.E.F., has been most favourably commented upon by returned personnel of all ranks. The excellence of the library service was made possible by the system of supply built up by Miss Carnell, who acted as buying agent in London. Supply on a generous scale to Italy was also organized by the Staff Officer, Libraries, A.E.W.S., in Wellington. Supply of publications to the New Zealand Force in Japan, J Force, is continuing. This Force was also able to draw on the stocks of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. Library before leaving Italy. The remaining 2nd N.Z.E.F. E.R.S. library books have been returned to New Zealand and are being handed back to this Service for civilian use, the War Expenses Account being reimbursed accordingly. It has been possible *to arrange the transfer of Southern Military District A.E.W.S. stock to this Service, 10,102 books having now been returned at valuation. In addition, 3,640 books from A.E.W.S. headquarters library at Wellington were returned and transferred to Christchurch. The E.R.S., 2nd N.Z.E.F., stock of some 30,000 books is awaiting formal transfer and is being held for use at Palmerston North in district or regional development of the Country Library Service.

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Education Board. Schools served. Children served. Books on Issue. Auckland 369 29,878 30,320 Canterbury 203 8,859 9,741 Wanganui 151 6,924 7,528 Nelson 48 3,090 3,215 Southland 64 2,914 3,066 Hawke's Bay 95 5,829 6,115 Wellington 104 5,881 6,303 Taranaki 8 548 558 1,042 63,923 66,846 Otago 162 9,619 10,128 1,204 73,542 76,974 ■

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Lack of accommodation and shortage of staff have prevented the transfer of A.E.W.S. stock and library service in Northern and Central Military Districts from being carried out. It is expected, however, that this will be possible later. Consideration is being given to the needs of library service to the Armed Forces on a peacetime basis, including a service of technical books and periodicals to Army libraries. It is appropriate at this point to note the development of the library service to the Armed Forces of New Zealand during the war years. In the first three years the service was staffed by voluntary and part-time help and supplied with books and periodicals given by the people of New Zealand, together with books bought through the National Patriotic Fund Board. Librarians and local authorities thus combined with the National Patriotic Fund Board and the Country Library Service to make possible the War Library Service. It is estimated that half a million books and a million periodicals were collected through the various book drives since 1939. Distribution was made to Armed Forces at all points in New Zealand, overseas, and on transports. The War Library Service lacked full-time professional staff, a technique of circulating subject material, books, and periodicals themselves in many subject fields, and an officially recognized part in the education and welfare of the Armed Forces. The A.E.W.S. Library supplied these lacks and has given an enlightening and energetic demonstration of mobile library service. Figures of losses are not available, but it is known that they are heavy. When the conditions of service are considered, as well as the fact that the greater part of the books purchased for A.E.W.S. will ultimately become available for civilian use, the cost of the library service to the Armed Forces has been reasonable. Compared with other items of war expenditure and considering the benefits gained, its cost has been low. HOSPITAL LIBRARY SERVICE The need for an adequate hospital library service has been clearly seen for some time. Much voluntary work of an excellent kind has been, and is being done, while one city authority, Dunedin, operates a service to the public hospital in its area. An important step was taken in August, 1945, when the Red Cross Society of New Zealand made it possible for a New Zealand graduate librarian to go to the United States for hospital library training at the University of Minnesota. It is expected that a co-ordinated scheme for hospital and institutional library service will be started when this librarian returns. It will be useful to give the report of the Hospital Libraries Committee of the New Zealand Library Association, convener (August, 1945), Mr. A. Gr. W. Dunningham Report of Committee on Hospital Libraries, August, 1945 (1) Survey.—On behalf of the Committee, the Secretary, N.Z.L.A., wrote to 44 Hospital Boards and received replies from 27 ; of these, only 2 had arranged regular staffing and finance for hospital library service, and 12 others report some service on a voluntary basis. (2) Statistics.* —The average number of beds occupied per day in public hospitals is 9,378. There are 143 hospitals : Beds available — General .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,940 Children's cots .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,329 Maternity .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 868 Tuberculosis .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,321 Infectious .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,153 Total beds available .. .. .. .. ..11,611 (3) Supply of Books. —Local authorities cannot be expected to provide wholly for the needs of local hospital libraries since many of the patients may well come from outside the rating area, and the only fair way of drawing money from local bodies would be through the Hospital Boards, which are financed on a pro rata basis by local authorities. This would vest ownership of the books in Hospital Boards and add to the present confusion of authorities administering library service. The alternative and simpler way out would appear to be to vest ownership of stock in the National Library Service and for the finance to be provided through the National Library Service and administered on a regional basis.

* Latest figures available from the 1944 " New Zealand Official Year-Book " for the year 1941-42.

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(4) Staffing.—Librarianship in hospitals does not exist in New Zealand in the sense in which it is known overseas, and it would be desirable if, first, one librarian could be trained in hospital library service overseas and later return to train others in the Library School recently established in Wellington. One specially trained hospital librarian is needed to be responsible for this work in each library region, and wherever there are district depots within regions district hospital librarians should be responsible for the service within the area covered by the depot and would work in close contact with the regional hospital librarian. All staffing should be seconded to regions and districts by the National Service. In the main centres full-time staffing will be needed, as well as the administrative hospital librarian, but in smaller centres voluntary assistance should be invited from the Red Cross Society. (5) Administration.—lt is recommended that a standing committee of the New Zealand Library Association should be established and that by invitation one member of this committee should invariably be nominated by the Red Cross Society ; also that regional sub-committees of the Hospital Library Committee should be established in the same way as the regional book resources committees are planned, and that on these committees the Red Cross Society should also be represented. It is recommended that the national librarian should be ex officio a member of the Standing Committee on Hospital Libraries, and that the regional librarian should be ex officio a member of the regional Hospital Library Committee. In every small centre where there is a hospital a sub-committee consisting of the local librarian and Red Cross Society representatives should be set up for the purpose of co-operatively running the hospital library with the advice and assistance of the district hospital librarian, who would provide books and the request service and direction in technical matters. (6) Request Service. —Active request service is needed for hospital libraries, and the question of service to tubercular patients has been-taken up with the Health Department. It is hoped that a reply will be attached to this report. INDUSTRIAL, TECHNICAL, AND COMMERCIAL LIBRARY SERVICE Scientific and industrial development in this country is proceeding at an accelerating rate. Library service has a responsibility to such development, to the apprentice in the small industry as well as to the research chemist in the larger one, to the disabled serviceman learning a new trade, and to the industrialist beginning a new process in industry. Library service available at-all points throughout the country with all the resources of the libraries behind it is the only effective way by which such needs can be met. A service operating from Wellington cannot meet these needs, actual or potential'. It has been reported that a meeting of industrialists considered recently proposals for setting up a separate library, privately owned and operated, for industry. Another instance is of a private firm offering to give an information service to industry, using the resources of city and special libraries. The New Zealand Library Association has been very active in this matter through a committee appointed to report on technical and commercial library service. The committee, which was representative of public libraries, Government Departments, University, and other libraries, met a number of times and has reported to the Council Of the Association. Its report stressed the point that effective library service at the industrial, technical, and commercial levels should be available through the library system of the country. It recommended the appointment of subject specialist technical and commercial librarians, one at headquarters and one in each of the four main centres. The Association has requested that these appointments be made to the staff of the National Library Service, and the necessary approval was obtained for this to be done. Unfortunately, insufficient time was available before the opening of the Library School for the appointments to be made, and it is therefore proposed to readvertise the positions later in this year. It is considered that graduates in science with professional library training will be required. BOOK STOCK During the year additions to stock were 46,598 volumes, 18,869 fiction and 27,729 non-fiction. Withdrawals were 7,200, 6,513 fiction and 687 non-fiction, making net additions 39,398. The latter figure includes 10,102 books handed back from A.E.W.S. Library. The adult stock of the Service now stands at 158,565, made up of 60,341 fiction and 98,224 non-fiction. At 31st March, 1946, stock of the children's section was 124,782, making a grand total of all stock of 273,347 volumes. Difficulty in obtaining books from overseas has continued, but is expected to decrease,

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The very great assistance given by overseas agencies of the New Zealand Government in securing publications for the Service is acknowledged. In addition to the stock mentioned above, 8,857 books were purchased during the year for extended loan to A.E.W.S. Library. Since February, 1943, 72,613 books have been provided in this way. Figures giving the number of books purchased overseas for the use of E.R.S., 2nd N.Z.E.F., are not available, but expenditure is included in the amounts given below under the heading " Expenditure." EXPENDITURE Expenditure under Subdivision XIV, vote, " Department of Education," for the year was £41,462. Expenditure for books for the children's section is not available, but forms the larger portion of the item, " School and Class Libraries " (on Subdivision II of the same vote), which amounted to £27,783. For the Armed Forces, £28,450 was expended from War Expenses Account for the purchase of books and periodicals. The greater part of this was for the publications sent direct from overseas sources to E.R.S., 2nd N.Z.E.F., in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT During the year the Christchurch office of the Country Library Service moved to premises which were specially designed for library service, consisting of 5,000 square feet on one floor of a large building in the centre of the city. The whole of the distribution work for the South Island has now been taken over by the Christchurch office with the exception of the Otago Education Board District's School Library Service, and distribution centres from Greymouth Public Library and Nelson Country Library Service. Accommodation has been sought without success in Auckland to enable further decentralization to be organized there, while plans are being prepared for carrying out the work of the southern half of the North Island from Palmerston North. Pressure on space at Wellington is most severe and working conditions are not satisfactory. An additional fitted book-van was placed in service during the year. It embodies improvements in design which the experience of the past years had shown to be desirable. It is hoped to have five book-vans in service in a year's time, three in the North Island and two in the South. STAFF The staff of the Service is now 79, including eight approved vacancies for. which suitable appointees are not available at present. The Country Library Service will need more staff in its programme of decentralization and regional development, while the National Library Centre is not yet staffed. The new scales of salaries now approved for trained librarians in the Service as a result of the findings of the Consultative Committee on Salaries in the Public Service will provide adequate salaries to qualified professional workers. They will go far towards placing the library profession in a reasonable position compared with other workers in the field of education. During the year Miss E. J. Carnell, Assistant Director, Country Library Service, resigned on completing her mission in England, where she had undertaken successfully the purchase of publications for A.E.W.S. Miss Carnell's contribution to New Zealand library development has been an outstanding one, and her departure is a loss to the Service. Cabinet approved in August, 1945, of the granting of a Library Fellowship in the United States of America to be available for a graduate of the Public Service, the selected person to be available on return to teach in the Library School. Miss M. S. Fleming, M.A., was the successful applicant, and began her studies at Columbia University School of Librarianship in October, 1945. The work of the staff during the year has been excellent, and acknowledgment is due to them for their loyalty and co-operation.

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SECTION lI.—LIBRARY SCHOOL Report by the Director : Miss M. P. Parsons On 2nd May, 1945, the Minister of Education announced that the Government had, in line with the recommendation of the New Zealand Library Association, decided to establish a Library School in Wellington, attached to the Country Library Service, to give basic training for professional library service in all types of libraries —University libraries, school libraries, Government departmental libraries, and other specialized libraries, and public libraries in city and country, including children's libraries. The opening date for the first professional course was fixed for 18th February, 1946, with the intervening time for organization of the School. It was necessary to recruit a faculty, to make careful plans for the curriculum, and for the availability of book collections upon which the curriculum would be based and to provide accommodation. The organization of the School proceeded under serious difficulties. The acute shortage of professional librarians, which had made it necessary to establish the School, made it also very difficult to find librarians of the ability and wide experience required in Library School lecturers, who could possibly be made available to the School. Unusual post-war shipping conditions delayed the arrival of books, which had been -ordered in good time. Because of acute shortage of buildings, materials, and labour, it proved impossible to provide really adequate accommodation for the School anywhere in Wellington. While it is necessary to record these major difficulties, some of which still persist, it is pleasant to emphasize the generous co-operation which helped the School in meeting them. The New Zealand Library Association at its 1946 National Conference passed a resolution giving first priority to the needs of the Library School in 1946. University, public, and governmental libraries have been generous in making books, staff, and accommodation available. Librarians and other community leaders and subject specialists have been generous in helping as visiting lecturers. The Library School opened without formality on 18th February, 1946, in rented space at the central building of the Wellington Public Libraries, and moved after three weeks to rooms which were being adapted for its use in a house adjoining the National Library Service. The professional course, covering the principles and practice of librarianship, is now being given on university graduate level to students who have the B.A. in science or arts, or equivalent education, or some higher degree. In book courses students are learning how to evaluate and select books, periodicals, .and pamphlets for different types of libraries, how to use these materials as reliable tools in answering reference questions asked by the public, how to plan and document research work, and prepare annotated book lists and bibliographies. In courses on technical subjects like classification and cataloguing students are learning how to organize these professional techniques as a means toward making books useful to the public. In studying organization and administration of libraries students are considering the active role of libraries in the education of children, young people, and adults, and in .all community life, social, economic, and recreational. Twenty-nine students approved by the Minister of Education are enrolled in this 1946 professional course, which began on 18th February and will close in December. They will receive living-allowances according to the scale applicable to students of Teachers' Training Colleges and promise to give full time to the work of the School and to remain in professional library work, if their services are required, for at least three years after their course is completed. They are working together with keen interest, enthusiasm, and a spirit of friendly co-operation which promises well for their future -contribution to librarianship. 2—H. 32a

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In January, 1947, the Library School will give a short refresher course for librarians of small public libraries. As early as possible short refresher courses will be planned also for Government departmental librarians and for school librarians. The 1947 professional course will begin on 10th February and close in December. Administratively the Library School is now a Division of the National Library Service. It is also a joint undertaking of the New Zealand and the United States Governments, since the Director of the Library School is the Director of the United States Information Library in Wellington, who has been seconded for part time by the United States Government, upon request of the New Zealand Government, to direct this School. In return the New Zealand Government has seconded to the United States Information Library in Wellington a full-time clerical worker and a part-time professional librarian, SECTION lII.—NATIONAL LIBRARY CENTRE Report by the Librarian: Mr. A. G. Bagn all INTER-LIBRARY LOAN The scheme has now been operating for two complete years, and the following table shows the growth of the service : 1945. 1946. Number of inter-loan cards received .. .. .. .. 1,735 3,029* Number of items located before the issue of Book Resources — (a) From Country Library Service stock .. .. .. 860 1,428 (b) From Union Catalogue records .. .. .. .. 103 232 (c) From other Wellington libraries .. .. .. .. 295 522 Number of items which had appeared previously on Book Resources and were on order .. .. .. .. .. 14 17 Number rejected (outside scope or having insufficient data) .. 37 84 Number of items remaining not supplied from Wellington .. .. 426 74fr Total number of items appearing on Book Resources .. .. 712 1,172 Number located through Book Resources .. .. .. 288 929 Number of items requested by Country Library Service .. .. 286 426 The increase in the number of inter-loan cards received amounts to 75 per cent.,, while the subsidiary figures have increased proportionately. The number of items obtained from Wellington libraries in excess of those found in the Union Catalogue emphasizes the need for the completion of this catalogue. The outstanding increase in the number of titles located through Book Resources, 929, as against 288 for the previous years, is accounted for by the increased number of libraries co-operating and the wider range of title requested. Inter-library loan requests show already an increase over the figures to 31st March, 1946. UNION CATALOGUE The Union Catalogue, in which accessions to the stock of the major libraries havenow been recorded for six years, is becoming increasingly useful beyond the location of inter-library loan requests ; 15,000 cards were added during the year. The inclusion of catalogue entries before 1941 is still a vital necessity. The Carnegie Corporation of New York, which had agreed to supply micro-filming equipment to the New Zealand Library Association in 1941 for this purpose, has reaffirmed its intention to assist, but the equipment is not yet available. UNION LIST OF SERIALS Work is proceeding on the union list of serials under the supervision of the editor,. Mr. John Harris, of Otago University. From the additional information obtained after the issue of the check-list a supplement was published in 1945 covering scientific and technical serials. It is hoped to merge into the general sequence all information obtained from the check-list issue before handing the union list over to the custody of the National Library Centre at the end of the year.

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BOOK COVERAGE Owing to the general staff shortage it was not possible to carry out the check of the 1943 Cumulative Book Index against the Union Catalogue; a start has since been made by the National Library Centre. For this reason only 671 books were ordered, compared with 2,457 in the previous year, all of these being titles not located in New Zealand after they had been requested in Book Resources. CENTRAL BUREAU FOR LIBRARY BOOK IMPORTS From Ist April, 1945, to 31st March, 1946, 159 recommendations for special license to the value of £7,280 (New Zealand currency) were made. The recommendations have covered both books and periodicals. In addition, block licenses totalling £16,191 were: recommended for four city and two University college libraries. BOOK RESOURCES COMMITTEE Two meetings of the Book Resources Committee were held during the year, on the 22nd August, 1945, and 4th February, 1946, when reports on the above projects were presented and discussed. Other matters handled by the Committee were the preparation of a list of private libraries for possible use in inter-library loan and the drawing-up of an inter-library loan poster to advertise more widely the inter-loan scheme. A draft proposal for a music library service, based on a union list of the holdings of musical societies with consequential inter-loan, was circulated to those interested for comment and suggestion. Through the generosity of the Rockefeller Foundation, the American Library Association has donated to the National Library Service 543 titles, comprising a selection of books published in the United States of America during the war years which have been considered significant of the research and scholarship of that period. The books, which will form part of national stock, may, after arrival and processing, be on display in the four main centres. The American Library Association has also offered to fill gaps in sets of periodicals held by New Zealand libraries, and a return is at present being compiled of New Zealand requirements. Gr. T. Alley, Director.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (723 copies), £22 10sBy Authority: E. Y. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington. —1946. Price 6d.]

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