GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1947

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1947 Session I, H-32

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1947 NEW ZEALAND

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1947

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave

To the Chairman, Joint Library Committee. Sir,— I have the honour to report on the operations of the General AssemblyLibrary for the year 1946-47. The Book Stock The number of accessions during the financial year was 4,694, compared with 3,301 in the previous year and an average of 3,259. for the past sixteen years. The total number of volumes now accessioned is 179,409. The book collection falls short of that number, however, by some thousands of books withdrawn or lost. The accessions for the year were classed as follows (the figures for the previous year being shown in brackets) : Bibliography, 167 (106) ; newspapers, 148 (73); philosophy, 69 (49); religion, 165 (51); sociology, 1,023 (714); parliamentary, 229 (162) ; philology, 61 (24) ; natural science, 141 (81); Useful arts, 462 (288) ; fine arts, 312 (184) ;. literature, 509 (392) ; travel and history, 649 (589) ; biography, 328 (249) ; fiction, 347 (306) ; New Zealand, 64 (36). The great increase in the number of books received, amounting to about 50 per cent, over the previous year, is due to the revival of publishing since the war, particularly in England. For some years past we received only a proportion of the number of books ordered. Orders are now being fulfilled in their entirety, and many books ordered some time ago are also arriving. The price of books having increased considerably, we have not only liquidated the credit balance which was shown for some years past, but have had to appeal to the Government for an increased book-buying vote. As a consequence we are now receiving £2,000 per annum instead of £1,250. The Year's Work The fillip in accessions has thrown a considerable extra load upon the staff, particularly the cataloguing division and the bindery, both of which have been working at high pressure all through the year. We have again been compelled to carry out a considerable reorganization of the book stock owing to the pressing need for more stack-room accommodation. Built at a time when the collection numbered only 40,000 books, the library is now quite inadequate for a stock of almost five times that number. The top floor was never fully shelved. Portions have been fitted with wood shelving from time to time, and we are now faced with the necessity of

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adopting some further expedient. The work of the Library has increased so much during recent years that it is difficult to carry on within the walls of the present building. Not only is the design out of date, but the sunshine through the tall windows of the main reading-room is seriously affecting the bindings. The working-quarters for the staff are quite inadequate, particularly in the reference room and the cataloguing department. The number of students and graduates engaging in research continues to increase and further provision for their accommodation is required. Staff There have been a few staff changes through the year. Mr. J. 0. Wilson, on being released from war service, carried out a tour of study of libraries in Great Britain and the United States. He paid particular attention to official papers in both countries and spent a considerable proportion of his time in the British Museum and H.M. Stationery Office in London and in the Library of Congress in Washington. In both countries he got an insight not only into official papers, but also into the copyright procedure. I regret to announce that Mr. William Baine, who joined the staff of the Library in 1912 and had retired towards the end of 1946, died in December. Manuscripts There have been no important additions to the manuscript collection during the year, but further progress has been made in the organization of collections already in our possession. Donations Amongst the donations were a number of volumes of the Proceedings of the Medical School at Otago University. Other gifts were received from the Department of External Affairs, the French Press and Information Service (Sydney), Edward W. Hamilton and Whitney D arrow. Reginald Hunter (New York), A. M. Isdaile (Thames), the Korean American Cultural Association (Hawaii), Library of Congress (Washington), the Licensee Publishing Co. and National Council of the Licensed Trade, J. F. Mackley (Auckland), A. E. Monaghan (Wellington), the Netherlands Information Bureau (Melbourne), the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, W. Erie Rose (Southbridge), and the Theosophical Society (Auckland). Interloan Our operations under interloan continued to expand during the year, and we lent 983 books, as compared with 805 in the previous year. The number of borrowing libraries was 37 (as compared with 32). The principal of these, the National Library Service, received 528 volumes (as compared with 545) ; Wellington Public Library received 50 (as compared with 65) ; Dunedin Public Library received 42: Auckland Public Library and Palmerston North Public Library, each 37; Gisborne Public Library, 25; and Invercargill Public Library and Nelson Institute Library, each 20. Seven others received more than 10 volumes and four more than 5. Eighteen received less than 5. Loans to the Library School numbered 48. Our borrowings from four libraries totalled 5. The books lent from our stock were classified as follows: bibliography, 54; philosophy, 60; religion, 40; sociology, 169; philology, 12; science, 39; useful arts, 49; fine arts, 64; literature, 160; history and biography, 323; New Zealand, 13.

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Recess Privilege The number of privilege holders this recess is smaller than for some years past, 350, as compared with 871 in the previous recess. The recorded occupations of the recess privilege holders are as follows: accountants, 5; agents, 1; agricultural economists, 1; architects, 1; auditors, 1; authors, 1; booking managers, 1; chemists, 2; civil engineers, 4; Civil servants, 70 ; cleaners, 1; clergymen, 2; clerks, 28; company directors and secretaries, 2; convent sisters, 1; cranemen, 1; dancing teachers, 1; d,ental surgeons, 1; district investigating officers, 1; domestic duties, 27; doorkeepers, 1; draughtsmen, 3; editors, 2; fitters and turners, 1; foremen, 1; historians, 1; journalists, 5; lecturers, 3; library assistants, 7; machinists, 2; mechanicians, 3; medical practitioners, 2; messengers, 7; meteorologists, 1; monotype-operators, 1; musicians, 1; naval officers, 1; no occupation, 34; painters, 1; photographers, 1; police officers, 2; radio assemblers, 1; research assistants, 5; retired, 16; school-teachers, 13; school inspectors, 2; soldiers, 3; solicitors, 4; staff supervisors, 1; stenographers, 2; students, 60; typists, 6; waterside workers, 1; wireless operators, 1. Books posted to Members and to other libraries during recess amounted to 73 baskets and 327 parcels, as compared with 63 baskets and 180 parcels in the previous year. Binding We have again had excellent service from this department, which has made rapid, progress in catching up the arrears incurred during the war. The promptness with which new books are made available for issue is of great benefit to the Library in all branches of research work, where it is essential that source material, even if unaccessioned, should be readily at hand. Both new books and unbound material, which comes into the Library in considerable quantities through copyright and under international exchange, are often required for use without delay. Copyright The operations under this heading remain at about the same level as in previous years. During the year 348 receipts were issued, compared with 335 in the previous year. Great vigilance is required on the part of this division to avoid missing new publications emanating from the press in New Zealand. A considerable amount of correspondence is entailed in collecting the particulars of bibliography necessary for cataloguing purposes. This division furnishes for the National Library Service the entries upon which its weekly list of new publications is based. The return of members to the staff has enabled us to develop considerably the copyright lists. We are now issuing a quarterly list three times a year in addition to the annual cumulation. Early in the year we issued a list of the newspapers currently received at the Library. The annual copyright list is much larger than usual, and has as an appendix a list of the New Zealand periodicals received at the Library. Newspaper Collection This important section of the Library is now sadly cramped for space. For some years past, in order to make space for the annual growth of the collection, we have been compelled to stack on the floor sets which were not much used. At the moment we have been given access to a small adjoining cellar, which it is hoped will ease the situation when shelving is available.

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The Library continues to receive for custody sets of obsolete newspapers from different parts of the Dominion, which otherwise would be in danger of being lost or destroyed. We have recently received sets, covering long periods, from North Canterbury, Gisborne, and Kawhia. International Exchange During the year, as agent of the International Exchange, we received from abroad 22 cases, compared with 24 in the previous year, and 1,660 packages, compared with 1,956 for the previous year. Nine of the cases were for the General Assembly Library, and the balance, with most of the packages, were redespatched to other institutions and addresses. Archives Work was commenced a year or two ago in anticipation of the Otago Centennial Celebrations which are to take place next year. A considerable quantity of records of interest to Otago Province came into possession of the General Government under the Abolition of Provinces Act, 1875. Other papers bearing on the history of the province occur in the deposit of the New Zealand Company. These have all been organized as opportunity occurred and have been made available to Otago historical students and others engaged on the centennial history of the Province. Acknowledgments Our thanks are again due to the overseas agents of the New Zealand Government for their very efficient handling of orders for books and periodicals. I have also to acknowledge the sympathetic interest of the Joint Library Committee in the work of the Library, and the cheerful and efficient work carried out by the staff under conditions which were always arduous and sometimes trying. Attached is the statement of receipts and expenditure for the year, with the Auditor-General's certificate. I am, &c, G. H. SCHOLEFIELD, Chief Librarian and Archivist. GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY ACCOUNT Statement for the Year ended 31st March, 1947 jßeceipts \ Payments £ s. d. £ . g. d. Balance .. .. .. 982 2 0 Purchase of books and. Annual grant .. .. 1,250 0 0 periodicals in— Refunds, lost books, &c .. 29 11 6 United Kingdom .. .. 1,199 17 8 Private Bill fee .. .. 25 0 0 U.S.A. and Canada .. 745 9 1 Australia .. .. 64 11 8 New Zealand .. .. 193 16 10 Bank charge . - .. .. 0 10 0 Cheque-b'ook .. .. .. 0 10 0 Petty expenses .. .. 1 12 9 Balance, Bank of New Zealand 80 5 6 £2,286 13 6 £2,286 13 6 G. H. Scholefield, Chief Librarian. Examined and found correct.—J. P. Rutherford, Controller and AuditorGeneral.

Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (828 copies), £8 10s.

By Authority: E. Y. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 947. Price 3cZ.]

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