LIBRARY QUESTIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 22, 27 January 1938, Page 7

LIBRARY QUESTIONS

NELSON CONFERENCE

SEMINAR TALKS

VARIETY OF SUBJECTS

The annual conference of the New Zealand Library Association is to be held in Nelson from February 15 to February 18. The conference will provide the first opportunity for a full discussion of current problems winch has occurred since the conference held at Timaru in 1935, because the:conference held at Wellington at the beginning' of 1937 was occupied with one or two major problems, and with the formalities of reorganising the association itself.' 'The principle of seminar discussions to be adopted is one which has been used a good deal in Great Britain and the .United States/It is thought that the seminars -.will be instructive as well as interesting. , Two activities undertaken by tne Government recently have been the dissemination of' books '■ to. the whole pf the population and the maintenance and improvement of, reading standards. The movement for :the increase of adUlt education by means 6f libraries is one which should furnish a solution tP:the problem of increased leisure. The Government, by its appointment of Mr, O. T. Alley, M.A., as-director of rural library services, has-< taken the first big step, and it is anticipated that there will be great enthusiasm: for the expanding work at ,the conference. FULL PROGRAMME. An excellent programme has been arranged, including a talk by Miss Kathleen Harvey, and another by Miss Dorothy M. Neal, who are in charge of junior work at the Wellington and Dunedin Public Libraries respectively, both of whom have recently undergone a of training in junior work in the United States of America. In addition to tins, Mr. Alley will speak on "Country Libraries, 1938." Although he has only recently- received his present appointment, Mr. Alley is experienced in Country library' work, and has far some.years past been engaged" in administering the extension work ;of the University of Otago under the- direction of-the Association for Country Education, a system of distributing books by boxes from headquarters at. Canterbury University ' College,' ' Christchurch.; Mr. Alley recently, on behalf of the Carnegie Library Group, conducted a survey of the Taranaki district, with the idea of obtaining further information about the suitability of that area for rural library development,, and- his talk is looked forward, to with.keen anticipat tibh. ... -...- -",'-.. ■',{ :,; ./'.-.'seminar" piscirjssiONS.,. In . tovthe. formal talks, a new idea for these conferences is being arranged, namely'; various seminar' or group discussions bri current questions in the library world. The first seminar is on the subject; of ''Book Sources and Prices for New Zealand Libraries," and is to be conducted by Mr.' A: L.Low, the librarian of the New Plymouth Public Library, aihd; a.' former bookseller, who is by virtue >of these qualifications in an excellent for, understanding the whole vexed question of book,supply to libraries, as important.'a question here as it is in England. Another seminar on the subject of "Union Catalogue and" Union List of Serial Publications," a project which ./would make; the availability of books, etc., very much higher than it is at. present, < is to be conducted by Mr. C. W;- Collins, M.A., iwho ''■'. on his return'sifroni;.tw.o yeari 'in- ;the United Statesi; of/>America , k assumed the reins ; of the/Canterbury,;^^Uniyersity: Gollegi i' Library, and has since then;giyen many proofs of his calibre. :/A,,third sion on the subject Of ."Going? Free'! is.to. be conducted by Mr. W.C.'jProsser of the Eangiora Public,, Library: Committee. ' Mr; Pros'ser was largely instrumental in the Rarigiora'rPubli'c Library having become free to;the public, that is to-say,, issuing their books to members of ;the public without receipt of any subscription, and being successful in doing,it on a sound financial basis.

BOOK CLUBS. The fourth discussion.oa the subject of "Private Circulating Libraries" (what are known sometimes as commercial libraries or. bookclubs) is to be conducted by'Mr.I'John Barr, who has for a good many years been Chief Librarian of ' the ' Auciclarid ;• Public Libraries. The.influence^of these book clubs is felt- most.,in: .the^ citiesV. arid Mr. Barr is in ah.excellent.position to.assess their effect oh public litirary issues, arid ito weigh up the merits ;arid demerits of the two types of service. Dr. G? H..Scholefield;,Chief Librarian of the General: Assembly. Library, is to take the seminar on] the subject of "Pamphlets as a Source of Information," dealing first, with: New Zealand material, and secondiy-j'with overseas material. The. General . Assembly Library is of course orie of the principal repositories of pamphlets, and Dr. Scholefield is : himself, an. authority on the subject.' Mr. .A. G; W. Dunnihgham of the Dunedin Public Library is to lead 7 a discussion on the subject of "The Minimum Reference Stock Requirements of the Small Library." Members of the Wellington public who have had cause to be grateful to the inquiry' service in the reference department of the Wellington Public Libraries will understand (the value of a quick reference section, and-will! appreciate just how important a small collection of,the right books would be to a country place, i ■