H—32A

LOAN COLLECTIONS The use of subject loan collections is a particularly valuable part of the service, for they demonstrate to members of small libraries that there is a variety of books available on subjects which are too specialized to be found well represented in any but the largest libraries. This work has, however, owing to the staff shortages, had to be done only perfunctorily, particularly in the North Island.

Use of Loan Collections

PERIODICALS SERVICE A total of 565 periodicals is now taken by this Service, and 133 titles have been sent out regularly (228 copies) to 77 free participating libraries. Each library receives up to 28 periodicals chosen from the list, in lots of from 3 to 8, sending them on to other libraries at the end of each month. Other titles are sent, on short-term loan, to public and Government Department libraries which are interested in them. The Service now possesses some valuable files of periodicals, but difficulties of accommodation cause less use to be made of them than is desirable. HOSPITAL AND INSTITUTIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE This Service makes available collections of books, on a scale based on one book per bed, to those, local authorities which are in a position to extend their public library service to patients in their local hospital. At 31st March, 1950, 10 public libraries were participating in this Service, and 700 books were on loan to them. Exchanges are made direct from the hospital collection of this Service. In return for this assistance, the local authority is required to take responsibility for the administration of the patients' library. The best results are achieved when a member of the public library staff can make visits each week to the wards of the hospital, circulating books from a specially constructed hospital book-trolly. In this way, good co-ordination of service to readers while they are sick as well as when they are in good health is maintained. Where this is not possible, the assistance of volunteers is used. Voluntary workers, however,, are, at a disadvantage, as it is difficult for them to acquire the extensive knowledge of books and readers' tastes that comes from the normal administration of a public library.

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Year Ended 31st March, 1949. 1950. Number of collections sent — To libraries linked with Country Library Service — North Island 196 178 South Island 130 181 326 359 To other libraries — North Island 10 26 South Island 14 11 — 24 — 37 Total 350 396 Number of books issued — North Island 13,474 10,738 South Island 6,708 9,581 Total 20 ,182 20 ,319