H.—32

1913. NEW ZEALAND.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY. REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR 1912-13.

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 herewith the following report for the year 1912-13 : — Recess Library Committee. The Recess Library Committee, under the chairmanship of W. H. D. Bell, Esq., M.P., held meetings during the recess. Lists of books suggested for order were brought forward by the Chief Librarian and duly considered. Recess Privileges. The number of permits issued to non-members during the recess was 478, as against 462 in 1911-12. The number of books issued to ordinary recess-privilege holders was 5,213. Besides these volumes lent to recess-privilege holders, books were as usual issued to persons whose names had been placed on the full-privilege list by the Joint Committee, such as the Judges, the officers of the House, and others. Books issued to these persons are not included in the above total. The vocations of the 478 ordinary recess-privilege holders were as follows : Government employees, 23; Civil servants, 77; barristers and solicitors, 16: commercial men —agents, 45; law clerks, 17; clerks, 25; secretaries, 37; bank clerks, 25; insurance clerks, 23; estate agent, I—total,1 —total, 173: importers, 3; boot-importer, 1; draper, 1; grocer, 1; warehouseman, 1; private means, 78; hotel employees, 2; merchants, 2; doctors, 5; chemists, 2 ; masseurs, 2; dentists, 2; nurses, 3; artisans, 3; caretaker, 1; gardener, 1; labourer, 1; Harbour Board officials, 3; architects, 3; civil and marine engineers, 4; domestic duties, 17; musicians, 2; visitors, 2; clergymen, 10; School Inspector, 1; Native Land Court Judge, 1; students, 16; journalists, 5; surveyors, 3; photographers, 2; artists, 5; art students, 5; officer, 1. The books issued to the privilege-holders come mainly under the following heads : Biography, history, voyages and travels, science, poetry, and belles lettres. No fiction was issued save to persons on the full-privilege list. Differently coloured tickets were issued, in accordance with the instructions of the Joint Committee, to the two classes of privilege-holders. Additions to the Library. The Accessions' List for the year 1912-13, copies of which have been issued to members of both Houses, includes all books and other publications added to the Library during the period 24th May, 1912, to 9th June, 1913, the total number being 2,647, as against 2,730 for the preceding year. From the 9th June to date of this report (22nd July), 405 additional books and publications of various kinds have , been catalogued and entered on the Accessions Ledger. A " Check Reception-book " is now kept, in which each officer through whose hands new books added by purchase pass signs for the same, the process being continued until the volumes, duly stamped, leave the Library bindery. The winter and spring publishing seasons 1911—12 were not remarkable for the appearance of many really notable books, the publication of several important books being postponed owing to the disturbing influences upon the publishing trade of the Balkan War and the strikes. Nevertheless, as will be seen by reference to the Accessions List, a large number of interesting and instructive works in all classes of literature have been added to the Library.

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