H—32A

generally popular subjects as anthropology, crafts for occupational therapy, fire-fighting, industrial management, and Palestine. Collections on subjects like these are particularly valuable, as they demonstrate to members of small libraries that there are books available, on subjects which are too specialized to be found well represented in any but the largest libraries. «

Use of Loan Collections

PERIODICALS SERVICE A total of 378 periodicals is now taken by this Service, and 137 titles have been sent out regularly (223 copies) to 67 free participating libraries. Each library receives up to 24 periodicals chosen from the list, in lots of from 3 to 8, sending them on to other libraries at the end of a month. Government Departments receive, on short-term loan, new periodicals in which they are interested but to which they do not subscribe. Periodicals are of great use in answering requests for information, but existing accommodation, which necessitates their separation from the book stock, causes less use to be made of them than is desirable. A start has been made on the completion and binding of back files and, although this work is proceeding very slowly, it will eventually enable much more use to be made of the Service's periodical collection. The problem of housing current and unbound periodicals will remain, however, until better quarters are found. SCHOOL LIBRARY SERVICE During the year, Ministerial approval was given to the extension of the Service to all primary, intermediate, and district high schools outside the four cities of Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington. One thousand nine hundred and eighty-two schools, with a total roll of 134,'881 children, novr receive regular exchanges of books.

6

Year Ended 31st March, 1948. 1049. Number of collections sent — To libraries linked with Country Library Service — North Island 188 196 South Island 139 130 Total 327 326 To other libraries — North Island 17 10 South Island 4 14 Total — 21 — 24 Total collections sent 348 350 Number of libraries linked with Country Library Service served — North Island .. . . . . . . 60 53 South Island 18 19 Total *—■ 78 — 72 Number of books issued — North Island 9,722 13,474 South Island 3,490 6,708 Total .. .. 1Q OIO °0 18° 1 O , - I «