H—32a

CENTRAL BUREAU FOR LIBRARY BOOK IMPORTS At the request of the New Zealand Library Association, representations were made to extend the granting of block licence to libraries serving a population of 20,000 and over. Eight libraries which had hitherto been recommended for special licence on individual orders were granted block licence facilities by the Comptroller of Customs. This change is reflected in the figures for recommendations :

UNITED STATES INFORMATION SERVICES The library resources of the country continue to receive valuable accessions of strength by books and periodicals received through the United States Information Services. This material, which is recorded as United States Information Library stock, is available as before from the National Library Service. Thirty-one new periodicals were recently added to the list of those currently received by this channel. BOOK RESOURCES COMMITTEE Two meetings of the Book Resources Committee were held during the year. The Committee, acting in an advisory capacity on the work of the National Centre, made recommendations on the bibliographical and other projects outlined above. Other matters dealt with included the indexing and microfilming of New Zealand newspapers and the inquiry on library specialization in New Zealand which is still in progress.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (879 eopies), £42 10s.

By Authority: B. E. Owen, Government Printer, Wellington.—1950.

Price 6d.\

15

— 1948-49. 1949-50. Block licence— United Kingdom United States £ 5,654 1,324 £ 2,914 1,493 £6,978 £4,407 Special licence— United Kingdom United States Other countries £ 12,177 9,975 1,812 £ 21,918 7,573 2,008 £23,964 £31,499