H.—32,

1908. NEW ZEALAND.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY: REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR 1907-8.

Laid on the Table by Leave of the House.

The Chief Librarian to the Chairman of the Joint Library Committee. Sir,— I have the honour to submit the following report for the year 1907-8 : — Recess Library Committee. This Committee, under the chairmanship of W. Fraser, Esq., M.P., held three meetings during the recess. Lists of books for order were submitted by the Chief Librarian and duly considered. The majority of the works ordered have arrived, and have been placed on the tables in the main reading-room. Additions to the Library during the Year. During the year ending the 10th June, 1908, there were added to the Library, by purchase, exchange, and donation, and under the provisions of the General Assembly Library Act, 2,400 volumes. _ , ~ , . The law-books selected by the Sub-committee of Selection set up last session are now on the shelves in the Sociology Room. . The Recess Committee decided that the Library should suoscribe to the Victoria County Histories, and an order for this monumental work has been sent to our agents in London. It is expected'that the volumes already published, some forty in number, will be added to the Library before the close of the present session. Succeeding volumes will be added as they are issued by the Special attention has been paid to science and sociology, and practically all the latest works of any importance in history, biography, voyages and travels, and general literature will be found amongst the new accessions. An opportunity having offered itself for purchasing a duplicate copy of Angas s " NewZealanders,' , the Committee decided to acquire the same, the copy previously possessed by the Library having suffered much wear-and-tear from its being so frequently consulted or shown to visitors. The old copy will now be repaired, and the one more recently acquired preserved in the New Zealand case. Recess Privileges. Recess privileges were granted to 450 persons, exclusive of those on the permanent " full privilege " list No new fiction is issued to the holders of the ordinary recess privilege. As a rule the works borrowed, some three thousand in all, have been of a high class of literary merit. As usual the newspaper files have been much consulted not only by officers of the various Government Departments, but by the general public. The number of persons from other parts of the Dominion who desire and are permitted to use the Library temporarily for reference purposes is steadily increasing each year. The books borrowed have not, so far as I can ascertain, been injured in any way, although of course, the use of the books by the public during the recess must necessarily entail a certain amount of wear-and-lear. Books sent to Members. About the usual number of baskets of books have been sent out to members during the recess, sociological works being in special demand. I would again impress upon members the desirableness of not returning books through the express companies, but of forwarding them through the Post Office, with which the Library has a special arrangement.