TURNBULL LIBRARY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 11, 8 October 1919, Page 7

TURNBULL LIBRARY

A MAGNIFICENT GIFT REPORTS ON THE COLLECTION. Interesting references fo tho Tumbull Library are contained in _ the report of the Department of Internal Affairs:— "The most notable public bequest of recent years was the gift to the people of Now Zealand by the late Mr. A. .H. Turnbull of the library which he had - spent so many years in gathering together. To suitably house the gift, Mr. Turnbull's .residence in Bowen Street was.purchased by the Government, nnd immediate steps were taken to make it thoroughly fireproof. No time was Most in appointing a librarian and a staff to assist him. Mr.. Johannes Andersen, of tho General Assembly Library, ■ was the successful applicant for the position, .and.for .some months now has been encaged in the task of indexing and arranging the books. Tho Department is greatly indebted to Mr. Charles Wilson, Chief Librarian of the General Assembly Library, for his valuable advice and help, anfl his consenting to act as Advisory Director of the library has removed many-difficulties in the way of satisfactory administration at the critical stage of the library's existence as a public institution. "Mr. Wilson's estimate of .£BO,OOO as the present selling value of the library indicates clearly the magnificence of Mr. Turnbull's bequest, and -his rieht to be considered ono of the world's great collectors." Tho Advisory Director of the library makes a more detailed report on tho library:--"The Turnbull Library, the gift to tho State of the late Alexander.H. Turnbull, was taken over by the Department of Internal Affairs in 1918. The library consists of somo 30,000 bound volumes, together with a large collection of pamphlets, charts, maps, engravings, and manuscripts. Tli'o library is specially rich in works dealing with tho early history, geography, languages',' and folklore of New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. In addition it includes many rnro and valuable works in English and French' literature, being particularly rich in copies of first editions, autographed' and 'association' books, many being exceedingly valuable. "I have not deemed it either necessary or desirable to attempt any detailed estimate of the value of tho library. Its bibliophilio treasures (quite outside the New Zealand and Australian section) are, I may, however, be permitted to «tate, far greater than those of any other public or private library in the Dominion, with the exception of the Grey Collection in Auckland, which, however, was formed on lines quite different from thoso followed by the lato Mr. Turnbull. . It is more than doubtful if in any part of the British Oversea Dominions there exists such an extensive and valuable collection of Emrlish literary • rarities and bibliophilic treasures, as are to be found in tho Turnbull Library. "A special feature-of the library is the almost immaculate 'condition' oi the books, and the astonishing proportion of artistic and very costly bindings, by suoh, famous binders as Zahnsdorfr, Cobden Sanderson, Sangarowski and Sutcliffe. Riviere, Cazin, and other firms which Biisht be mentioned. In due course it is hoped that the price given by Mr. Turnbull for each volume or set of works will be ascertained, and that tho present-day values of the books, as established by the price* realised at sales at Sotheby's, of L'onTlon, and tho Anderson Galleries, New York, may also bo placed on record. This, however, is a task which, may well be left untouched until the whole collection is classified and catalogued. Meanwhile, judging, by information as to book values 'gained from Slater's 'Book Prices Current' and Karslako's 'Book Auction Records'— wherein each great sale is reported in detail—l should 6ay that a. very conservative estimate of the actual presentday, commercial value of the collection as it now stands could be not less than .£BO,OOO. By ronson of its special and peculiar wealth of rare and valuable books._ charts, and manuscripts on Australasian; history;- geography, and ethnology, it'must rightly'be considered 1 as of almost priceless value to the people of flits country. "Much -interest and curiosity must naturally attach, as to the probable date upon which it may be found possible to open the library to'tho public. Recognising that for tho purposes of /historical research the section including New Zealand and Australian history, topography, etc., will be more specially useful to, students,-the librarian is at'present confining his attention to pushing on with the classification, cataloguing] and arrangement on the shelves of that particular portion of the collection. He hopes that the New Zealand and Australian section (including works on the Pacific generally) will lie available for referenco purposes by students and thß public bv the end of the year, but at present it is impossible to specify the probablo date of the opening. This section may bo roughly estimated at JO,COO volumes, of which, wthen the- library opens,' a scientifically detailed and very useful catalogue should be ready for use. "With regard to tho remainder of tho collection, it would be'unwise to fix nny (late upon which \\ is likely to be mado fully available for refereuco purposes, but, speaking generally, tho library as a whole cannot well be classified completely, and arranged under two years. Once, 'however, the first section is ready for usei _by the public there need bo no objection to visitors being admitted to the library and reading arty works the library is known to contain, although it may be found necessary to place a temporary 'taboo' or reserve on the particular _ class which is undergoing examination or being catalogued. "Once one section is open to tho public the work of cataloguing the remainder of tho collection will probably be slower than at present, as the attention required to be given .to students and visitors will trench upon the time of the assistants to somo Appreciable extent."