H—32A

Several requests have been made by schools for help in reorganizing their libraries, but unfortunately, owing to other duties, it has been possible to carry out only one of these requests. Correspondence School School Library Service staff carried out the reorganization of the Education Department's Correspondence School library. Library service to the primary pupils of this school is now given from nine of the distributing centres of the School Library Service and a member of the staff has been seconded to the Correspondence School to carry out service to the post-primary pupils and to deal with staff requests. The Correspondence School book stock for these purposes has been greatly augmented by long-term loans from this Service. This great increase in request, loan-collection work, and service to public libraries and Correspondence School pupils has been difficult to accomplish satisfactorily because of inadequate accommodation.

Below are tables showing details of the School Library Service at 31st March, 1950 :

Additions to stock were 65,506 fiction and 25,845 non-fiction. Withdrawals were 10,492 fiction and 2,265 non-fiction. The stock now stands at 368,238 of which 244,757 are fiction and 123,481 non-fiction : —■

11

Education Boards. Served* Children (Standard Classes). Auckland 548 53,674 Canterbury 252 12,636 Hawke's Bay 154 10,713 Nelson 83 5,711 Otago 134 5,868 Southland . . 156 6,900 Taranaki 116 8,839 Wanganui . . 160 11,383 Wellington .. 172 14,877 Education Departmei it— Correspondence School 1,119 Special groups 34 798 Maori schools 116 7,265 Child Welfare 19 772 Private schools 110 8,521 Island schools 3 582 2,058 149,657

Books. Fiction. Non-fiction. Total. Stock at 31st March, 1949 Accessions 189,743 65,506 99,901 25,845 289,644 91,351 Withdrawals 255,249 10,492 125,746 2,265 380,995 12,757 Stock at 31st March, 1950 244,757 123.481 368,238