WORK OF COUNTRY LIBRARY SERVICE SYSTEM OUTLINED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 68, 25 November 1949, Page 5

WORK OF COUNTRY LIBRARY SERVICE SYSTEM OUTLINED

Those who were present at the final meeting of the Whakatane Parent-Teacher Association at the High School on Tuesday evening heard a very interesting address on the National Library Service given by Miss P. Taylor, Wellington. Miss Taylor outlined the development and aims of the Service, and gave details of the special service provided for libraries that come with the scheme. Three times ? year the book van visited each centre, and a town the size of Whakatane would receive about 450 books on loan each time. In addition there is a request service by which a member can obtain practically any book in the country; If it does not happen to be in the headquarters collection when asked for, it can easily be obtained. In the year ended March 31, 1949, 28,000 books were supplied to libraries in various parts of New Zealand on request. The Service will also send out special collections. Thus a group in Whakatane studying music _or drama, gardening, stamp collecting, fire fighting, or some particular sport could have a special collection made up and sent to the local library if it linked up with the Service. This service is especially valuable to small libraries, as books become available on subjects, which are too specialised to be found well any but the largest libraries.

Miss Taylor also dealt with the library school, which is responsible for the professional training of librarians, and the National Library Centre, which is largely occupied with the purchase and cataloguing of books. ' At the conclusion of her address Miss Taylor answered a number of questions, and a vote of thanks proposed by Mr I. B. Hubbard, Headmaster, was carried.