FRIENDS OF THE TURNBULL LIBRARY ANNUAL REPORT 1971/72

Turnbull Library Record, Volume 5, Issue 2, 1 October 1972, Page 45

FRIENDS OF THE TURNBULL LIBRARY ANNUAL REPORT 1971/72

A. G. Bagnall Chief Librarian

Membership The Society enjoyed a reasonably successful year during the period under review. The increase in membership noted in earlier years has been sustained, the total as at 31 March being 594, 116 more than for the preceding year. Apart from the continuing interest of people not merely in Wellington but throughout New Zealand in the Library, the growing membership is probably due to the regular publication of the Record. Three meetings of the Society were held during the year as follows: 9 June (A.G.M.), Mr R. F. Grover: New Zealand manuscripts held in Australia. 4 August, Professor D. F. McKenzie: The Indecent Publications Tribunal, an intimate view by a former member. 22 September: Joint meeting with Wellington Branch of New Zealand Library Association: Mr J. C. T. Oates, President of the Bibliographical Society and Under-Librarian at the University of Cambridge: “The Duke of Buckingham’s acquisition of the oriental library of Thomas Erpenius. . . .” In response to an appeal to the Wellington membership, a number of Friends assisted on the duty roster for the Fox exhibition held jointly with the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts at its rooms in the National Gallery in February. The help of members in this task was greatly appreciated.

Officers The following officers were elected at the Annual General Meeting: President Professor D. F. McKenzie Imm. Past President Canon N. Williams Secretary Miss M. Walton Treasurer Miss D. Sherratt Committee Mrs I. Winchester, Messrs J. Berry, D. Glover, L. C. Staffan, C. R. H. Taylor, J. E. Traue and I. McL. Wards. In the absence overseas of Professor D. F. McKenzie, Mr I. McL. Wards has acted as Chairman. The Society wishes to place on record its deep regret at the death of Professor J. C. Beaglehole on 10 October last. A biographical note by Mr R. I. M. Burnett has appeared in the May issue of The Turnbull Library Record, and a commemorative bibliography, prepared in the Library, is being published jointly by Victoria University of Wellington and the Friends of the Turnbull Library.

Publications Two issues of The Turnbull Library Record appeared during the year. While it is pleasing to note that interest in the Record has been sustained, the steadily mounting costs of publication must not be overlooked. Without the assistance of profits from the sale of publications, as well as donations, it would be difficult to maintain publication at the present level merely from subscription receipts. It is now five years since the subscription was raised to its present level of $2.50 per annum, a relatively modest sum in comparison with contributions expected by other similar organisations. The Committee has no recommendation to place before the membership but the matter is one which will need to be watched. It is pleasing to note that there has been a small increase in the return from sale of publications through the Library, while the arrangement made with the Endowment Trust for the sale of Andrew Sharp’s Duperrc/s Visit to New Zealand in 1824, and further monographs published by the Trust, will provide some necessary assistance.

The Future The period covered by this report represents the last complete year that the Library will be in the Turnbull Building. When the next annual report is presented, the Library, on present expectations, will have been in the Free Lance Building on the Terrace for some six months. Although it is proposed to retain use of the Turnbull Building, certainly for storage and perhaps for other purposes, for a limited time, the Library’s main collections and services will be in the Free Lance until the erection of the National Library. The most optimistic forecasts place this latter development in perhaps five or six years, the more realistic 10-12 years. Cabinet authority for the working drawings of the National Library Building is welcomed, and will permit an advance to the next major stage, after final costing—the formal approval for the erection of the building itself. Within the Free Lance Building, as in the National Library, the identity of the Turnbull will be preserved. There may be differences of opinion as to how this can best be achieved in the National Library Building but what is evolving will be, I am sure, an appropriate recognition of the special character of the Turnbull Library. On the other hand, it is necessary to provide for close association between the various parts of the National Library, of which Turnbull is part, particularly for the efficient use of Turnbull’s many special collections which, in themselves, form the country’s national collections in these areas. The final alterations to the sketch plans will be considered by the Trustees’ Special Committee for the Alexander Turnbull Library, which has a particular responsibility in this matter.

Our departure from the Turnbull Building, more because of its structural weakness than for its spatial inadequacies, increasingly frustrating as these are to staff, is undoubtedly a significant milestone in the Library’s history. The temporary home, which is being fitted out at some expense, will house only a slightly larger proportion of the total Turnbull stock than does the Turnbull Building. There will be minimal provision for expansion even within the decade for which it will probably be occupied. The need to press on with the National Library Building is. therefore, the more urgent. It will be only at the ultimate stage of completion that an appropriate and fitting home will be provided to display and house the Turnbull collection and its services. A lengthy interregnum is ahead in which the support of the Trustees, Friends and staff will be needed and, I am sure, will be forthcoming.