GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY (REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1942).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1942 Session I, H-32

M.—32.

1942. NEW ZEALAND.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY (REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1942).

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

To the Chairman, Joint Library Committee. Sir, — I have the honour to report 011 the operations of the General Assembly Library for the year 1941-42. Accessions. Daring the year 3,400 volumes were added to the stock, as compared with 3,363 in the previous year, 3,837 in the year before, and an average of 3,400 for the last twelve years. At 31st May, 1942, the number of books accessioned was 162,950. The accessions for the year were classified as follows : Bibliography, 120 ; newspapers, 114 ; philosophy, 26 ; religion, 105 ; sociology, 949 ; parliamentary, 416 ; philology, 20 ; natural science, 94 ; useful arts, 343 ; fine arts, 88 ; literature, 157 ; travel and biography, 755 ; New Zealand literature, 70 ; fiction, 143. There were again some losses of books in transit from Great Britain due to war conditions, but these were reordered or replaced forthwith. The general effect of the war has been to slow up the delivery of books and to show a deceptive credit balance, most of which is already absorbed by commitments unfulfilled. Donations. Gifts were received during the year from the Adelaide City Council (South Australia), the Canadian Trade Commissioner (Auckland), the Consul-General for Belgium, J. Dowgray (Granitv), Arthur Jacobs (Wellington), Rev. M. G. Milmine (Dargaville), Alfred Perrin (Petone), P. B. Stephens (Wellington), W. T. Prentice (Napier), the Director of Publicity, Sydney Morning Herald, Dr. W. B. Sutch, W. A. Tanner, and the Wellington Tramways Department. The Year's Work. The annual Accession List and List of Copyright Publications were this year smaller than usual, reflecting the effect of the war on publishing. The change in the class of books demanded by readers, which was noted last year, has been accentuated with the intensification of war. Whereas up to 1939 there was a considerable demand for books on world affairs and various political ideologies, this material is now practically unwanted. In their place readers are asking for more factual literature, including up-to-date descriptive matter and history and good war narratives. Historical research has practically ceased, and the attention of the staff is demanded instead for the solution of problems in industrial and technical research, mostly in connection with new industries, the manufacture of munitions, and other war activities. There is a very lively demand for books and reference material dealing with every aspect of home defence and air-raid protection. Inquiries from Government Departments continue to expand, as they have done for some years past, and the Library was again much used by members of the Public Service who have been selected for post-graduate study. Archives. In view of the extension of the war to this area it was thought advisable to remove a portion of the book and manuscript stock to a repository in a provincial centre. This now contains the bulk of the contents of the New Zealand room and of the manuscripts in the Archives, and a complete set of New Zealand official publications. With the closing of the Centennial period, research into original sources has shrunk considerably, and the removal of Archive manuscripts to a provincial repository has not caused any serious inconvenience. On the other hand, advantage is being taken of this respite to push ahead with the arrangement and weeding of a mass of material transferred to the Archives in recent years both from other Departments and from offices which were being demolished.

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Inter-Library Lending. There was again a considerable increase in the number of books lent to other libraries on interloan. The total number of books lent was 491, as compared with 302 last year, 155 the year before, and 85 in the year before that. As usual, an increasing proportion of the books (actually 423 volumes) was lent through the Country Library Service. The books borrowed were classed as follows : History and biography, 192 ; sociology, 69 ; literature, 68 ; useful arts, 35. Twenty requests could not bo satisfied from our stock. The General Assembly Library, on the other hand, borrowed 11 books, as compared with 10 last year and 19 the year before. International Exchange. During the year the Library received, as agent for the International Exchange Service, 2,594 packages and 10 cases of official and scientific publications, as compared with 3,214 packages and 14 cases last and 3,046 packages and 10 cases the year before. The btdk of the material was for ourselves, and the 2,594 packages were distributed by post or delivery to individual addresses. Recess Privileges. As stated before, the prevalence of frequent sittings of Parliament at short intervals has restricted the use of the Library by recess privilege holders. The total number of privilege holders in the 1942 recess, exclusive of those who enjoyed the full privilege, Government Departments, and officers of Parliament, was 305. The figures in recent years were : 1938-39, 790 ; 1939-40, 516 ; 1940-41, 289 ; 1941-42, 305. During the recess 84 baskets and 277 parcels were posted to members of the Legislature. New Zealand Library Association. Owing to the war the annual conference of the New Zealand Library Association, which was to have been held in Auckland in February, 1942, was postponed. The annual meeting was held instead at Wellington. The Library staff has co-operated as usual in the various projects of the Association. I am very much indebted to the High Commissioner and his staff for the prompt and efficient manner in which they attended to our needs. The difficulty of replacing missing books and periodicals we know has been very burdensome. A word of praise is also due to the Library staff as now constituted for the enthusiasm with which all have carried out their duties. All members of the staff have been called upon to do some entirely new work, often in addition to their previous duties. The Joint Library Committee has shown its usual sympathetic appreciation of our difficulties. The statement of receipts and expenditure for the year, with the certificate of the Auditor-General, is attached. I am, &c., G. H. Scholefield, Chief Librarian and Archivist.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY ACCOUNT. Statement for the Year ended 31st March, 1942. Receipts. £ Payments. £ Balance .. .. .. .. .. 519 Purchase of books and periodicals in— Annual grant . . . . . . 1,250 United Kingdom and United States .. .. 553 Refunds, lost books, &c. . . . . . . 6 Australia . . .. .. .. 8 New Zealand . . .. .. .. 208 Petty expenses, &c. .. .. .. .. 4 Balance: Bank of New Zealand .. .. 1,002 £1,775 £1,775 12th April, 1942. G. H. Scholefield, Chief Librarian and Archivist. Examined and found correct. —Cyril G. Collins, Controller and Auditor General.

Approximate Cost of Pap&r.—Preparation, not given ; printing ((595 copies) £2 ss.

By Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 942.

Price 3d.~\

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