FRIENDS OF THE TURNBULL LIBRARY

Turnbull Library Record, Volume 4, Issue 2, 1 October 1971, Page 110

FRIENDS OF THE TURNBULL LIBRARY

D. F. McKenzie, President

ANNUAL REPORT 1970/7I

Membership. The Society’s increasing membership continues to be a matter for satisfaction to the Committee, the total as at 31 March 1971 being 478 (including 16 life members), an increase of 149 during the year. Fifty-four exchanges are also currently maintained with advantage to the resources of the Library. Jubilee. The main events during the year were the functions commemorating the Library’s 50th Jubilee, which were reported in the August 1970 issue of the Record. As President I am glad, formally, to place on record my appreciation of the addresses given by Professor J. C. Beaglehole and Dr E. H. McCormick. Dr McCormick’s address Alexander Turnbull - Some Biographical Reflections was given under the auspices of this Society. Officers. The officers of the Society, elected at the Annual General Meeting, are: President, Professor D. F. McKenzie; Immediate Past President, Canon N. Williams; Secretary, Miss M. Walton; Treasurer, Miss D. Sherratt; Committee, Mrs I. Winchester, Messrs J. Berry, D. Glover, L. C. Staffan, C. R. H. Taylor, J. E. Traue and I. McL. Wards.

At the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting held on 29 September 1970 Mr A. G. Bagnall gave an admirably judged talk about the history of the North Island Main Trunk Railway. I would like to thank Miss M. Walton, Secretary, and Miss D. Sherratt, Treasurer, for their splendid help throughout the year. Sale of Publications. Returns from the sale of publications, associated with the Library and its interests, have continued to support members’ subscriptions as a major source of the Society’s income. The Committee was very pleased to be able to accept the offer of the New Zealand Administration of Expo ’7O to make available to members a limited edition of Miss S. Skerman’s prints of the ‘Bush Walk’. The rapid sale of the set of 90 - your Committee donated to the Library a set of the ten separate subjects - was proof of the appreciation of this most interesting and unusual offer. Sales of greeting cards continue slowly and the Committee has decided to issue another three this year, one reproduction being a separate issue of a scene from one of the Endowment Trust’s forthcoming 1971 series. The Record continues to flourish under the excellent editorial direction of Mr Bagnall. Three issues were published, financial assistance with the Jubilee number being given by the Endowment Trust. The Society also published the catalogue of the Jubilee Exhibition which was distributed gratis to members.

In conclusion I would like to take this opportunity of reminding all concerned that membership of the Society implies both privilege and obligation. The material benefits to individuals lie chiefly in the receipt of the Society’s publications and the opportunity to purchase others at a discount; less tangible but no less significant is the opportunity of being associated with an institution whose collections are part of the national heritage. Reciprocally, membership of such a Society usually carries the obligation to assist in the development of the Library’s resources in however humble a way and I am hopeful that our Committee will shortly be able to give specific leads as to how this potential goodwill can be made effective.

VIGNETTE FROM THE PAST Extract from letter to J. H. E. Schroder from Iris Wilkinson (Robin Hyde). \ . . As for the Turnbull Library, I’ve been going there lately and enjoy it even the dog-eared volumes of sermons by first Colonial ministers, but my style is cramped a little by a very sweet old lady with white hair who insists on helping me when ever I don’t want it. She won’t let me burrow, or ferret, or meander. She finds me the best books on everything and supervises my every step. Now, is that helpfulness or is it suspicion?’ Extract from letter to J. H. E. Schroder from Iris Wilkinsou (Robin Hyde), 6 January 1928