Annual Report of the Chief Librarian, Alexander Turnbull Library, July 2008 to June 2009

Turnbull Library Record, Volume 42, 1 January 2009, Page 101

Annual Report of the Chief Librarian, Alexander Turnbull Library, July 2008 to June 2009

CHRIS SZEKELY

Introduction

This year was a difficult one for the Turnbull Library as it endeavoured to meet the demands associated with the redevelopment of the National Library's Wellington building. It was also a year of transition, as several key staff left the Library, new staff came on board, and leadership roles were changed. In the face of these challenges there were, nevertheless, some favourable business results. There were many notable new acquisitions; the numbers of new records added to online catalogues exceeded targets; and there was a significant increase in the amount of material preserved, digitised and made available online. Public programmes, particularly in the first half of the year, provided other highlights. This report describes some of the challenges and issues faced by the Turnbull Library between July 2008 and June 2009, and gives an overview of core activities during this time.

Making the Collections Accessible

Providing access to the collections is central to the Turnbull's purpose. This is done in numerous ways, for example, through direct services to on-site and distant researchers, online through digitised collections and electronic finding aids, and through exhibitions and public programmes.

Services to Researchers

Approximately 24,500 researchers were assisted by the Alexander Turnbull Research Centre during the year. This is lower than last year's figure of 26,000. Reference enquiries and independent on-site use of the National Library's general collections also decreased slightly. Conversely, visits to the National Library website

and the use of digitised material and electronic finding aids continued to increase exponentially. During the year the National Library Reference Service and the Turnbull Library Research Centre combined to form Alexander Turnbull Library Research Services.

Cataloguing and Description: Electronic Catalogue Records Over 25,000 records were added to the TAPUHI database, Turnbull's online catalogue of unpublished materials. These represented both newly acquired and retrospectively described material. This is a significant increase on the previous year's figure, attributable mainly to effort clearing a backlog in the Archive of New Zealand Music, exceeded targets in Drawings, Paintings and Prints, and a project in the Photographic Archive to digitise World War II photographs.

Excellent progress was also made addressing long-standing backlogs in the Library's published collections. This work is undertaken for the Turnbull by the National Library's Content Services Directorate, which dedicated significantly increased cataloguing hours to retrospective work. At the end of June 2009 every monograph and serial title in the Turnbull's New Zealand and Pacific Published Collections had an online catalogue record. Good progress was made cataloguing the published cartographic collection (2,407 items) and special printed collections (2,730 items). The focus now is to complete the Cartographic and Special Printed Collections work, address backlogs of published music scores and sound recordings, and Turnbull's general collections.

Digitisation and Online Delivery

The Copying and Digital Services Team, led by David Adams, delivered a muchenlarged digitisation programme during the year. This included a curatorial selection of maps, ephemera, and recent acquisitions from Drawings, Paintings and Prints. The largest portion was the digitisation of over 4,400 photographs relating to the Second World War. All of these items were stored in the National Digital Heritage Archive and made accessible online through Timeframes. The in-house team also digitised over 5,000 pages of Kai Tiaki: Journal of the Nurses of New Zealand (19081929), which were delivered through Papers Past (http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz). The demand for public-order copies from the collections increased markedly, as many orders were placed in anticipation of impending collection closures. Our sound conservators installed additional equipment and created work processes for digitising a number of at-risk audio formats, including unstable lacquer disks and open-reel tapes.

In December 2008 the National Library launched a new website dedicated to the online delivery of manuscripts (http://www.mp.natlib.govt.nz). Over 100,000 pages from the Sir Donald McLean collection - diaries; correspondence, including

3,000 letters in Maori; letterbooks; telegrams and other papers - became accessible online. The project, led by Elliott Young from the National Digital Library, was a massive undertaking, representing a major achievement for the digital specialists, archivists, historians and te reo Maori experts who worked on it. The website has received much praise from staff and researchers for its ease of use, and it has been well used since its launch. Unfortunately, further work on developing the technological platform has not been possible, and further digitised manuscript material has not been added. It is hoped, however, that this work can be prioritised later in the coming year.

Exhibitions

The National Library Gallery presented two seasons of exhibitions during the year, both of which were well received. Normally there are three exhibition cycles; however, in anticipation of building closure the Gallery shut its doors in April 2009. The first season of exhibitions ran from August to November 2008, and comprised the following: 'Grimm Stuff: Folktales and Fairy Stories', a book-based exhibition drawn from the Dorothy Neal White and National Children's collections of the National Library, curated by Lynne Jackett, and shown in the Turnbull Room.

'Cautionary Tales: The Satirical Engravings of William Hogarth' drew on the Turnbull Library's extensive collection of Hogarth prints, along with items from the Cartoon Archive, Special Printed Collections and the Ephemera collection. The show was curated by Gallery Curator Aaron Lister. The Turnbull trialled a new approach to public programmes by hosting several evening events to support the exhibitions. This proved very successful. Wellattended lectures were given by David Maskill, Mary Kisler and Gavin Bishop.

The second season commenced in December 2008 and closed in April 2009 and featured the following exhibitions: 'Welcome Sweet Peace: Returning Home After the Great War' brought together an array of material from across the Turnbull's collections to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armistice. The exhibition was curated by Andrew Francis.

"Collecting Pandemonium: John Milton in the Alexander Turnbull Library" acknowledged the 400th anniversary of the poet John Milton's birth, and was an opportunity to showcase items from the Turnbull's world-class Milton collection. The exhibition was curated by Aaron Lister and shown in the Turnbull Room. The Friends of the Turnbull Library organised a series of events to celebrate the Milton anniversary. These included a school essay competition, a special edition of the magazine Off the Record , and a day-long seminar in December, "Miltonic Origins/ Miltonic Innovations: Milton's Poetry and Thought in New World Societies and Cultures.' The Turnbull Library was pleased to host a reception to welcome the

seminar's keynote speaker, Milton scholar Professor John Rumrich from the University of Texas at Austin. That same evening, the Library launched a colour edition of the Turnbull Library Record , which had a particular Milton focus. Aaron Lister curated the third show in the trio: 'Leo Bensemann, the Fantastica Drawings/ Fanstastica: 13 Drawings was published by the Caxton Press in 1937; this was the first time the complete set of original drawings had been exhibited. It gave the Library the opportunity to exhibit Bensemann's striking self-portrait, acquired last year.

Loans to Other Exhibitions

Thirty-three Turnbull Library collection items were lent to other institutions for exhibition and display during the year. They included the Adam Art Gallery, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Whangarei Art Museum, the Parliamentary Library and the Gus Fisher Gallery. The largest single loan, consisting of 14 items from the Drawings, Paintings and Prints Collection, was to Te Papa Tongarewa for the Rita Angus exhibition.

Public Programmes

Public programmes were a highlight for the Library this year, particularly in the first six months, with the focus on support for book launches, the Poet Laureate award ceremony, and public lectures. Many of these activities resulted through a close and productive partnership between the Turnbull and the National Library Gallery. Peter Ireland, Exhibitions Manager, deserves particular mention as initiator of several of these activities, supported by Public Relations Manager Susan Bartel.

In early August 2008, I was delighted to host a tribute to New Zealand's poets laureate. The 'Night of Poets' evening was held in the National Library's reading room, and attracted an audience of several hundred. Led by then Poet Laureate, Michele Leggott, the evening comprised several former laureates reading their work. Each possesses a tokotoko (ceremonial carved walking stick), specially carved for them by Jacob Scott. The tokotoko have become a feature of the Te Mata Poet Laureate Award, and a special tokotoko matua has been made to be held permanently at the National Library. The event was organised by Victoria University of Wellington's International Institute of Modern Letters and the National Library.

In February the Turnbull hosted a special event to honour the life and work of Robin Hyde (1906-1939). The Turnbull acquired papers and photographs relating to Hyde earlier in 2008, collected by Hyde's son and biographer, Derek Challis. The event was called 'Houses by the Sea: Celebrating Robin Hyde', and involved Mr Challis, Michele Leggott and Lydia Wevers reading and commenting on Hyde's poetry to a packed auditorium. Earlier in the evening, the Library was very pleased to have received as a gift from Mr Challis the typescript draft of Hyde's autobiographical fragment, 'A Home in This World', and correspondence relating to its possible publication.

Michele Leggott's term as the inaugural Poet Laureate under the government award came to an end in June 2009. The Turnbull has been the recipient of Michele's notes during her time as laureate, and the Oral History Centre has recorded some of her spoken ideas and thoughts. The Library was pleased to host the launch of her book of her book, Mirabile Dictu, and CD, Michele Leggott: The Laureate Series, at the end of her tenure.

In September 2008 the Turnbull hosted the launch of the book Atoms, Dinosaurs and DNA: 68 Great New Zealand Scientists by Veronika Meduna and Rebecca Priestley. The book is based on the 'Butterflies, Boffins and Black Smokers' exhibition held at the National Library Gallery in 2006. The book subsequently won the Elsie Locke Award for non-fiction at the LIANZA Children's Book Awards.

In the previous month we were proud to support the launch of As if Running on Air: The Journals of Jack Lovelock. The book was edited by Turnbull's Curator of Manuscripts David Colquhoun in a private capacity, and published by Craig Potton Publishing. The launch coincided with the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, and launch attendees were thrilled to watch a screened replay of Lovelock's victorious moments at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. The book was launched by Emeritus Professor Roger Robinson, who had arranged for Lovelock's gold medal to be displayed at the event.

The Library celebrated the release of A New Zealand Christmas by Sarah Ell, hosting its launch in November 2008. The book was published by Random House in collaboration with the Turnbull, and features 100 items from across the Library's collections. This is the second partnership with Random House, following on from the success of Map New Zealand in 2006. Attractively printed in hardback and in full colour, A New Zealand Christmas received many favourable reviews and generated excellent publicity for the Library.

In keeping with the Christmas theme, the Turnbull also hosted the Wellington launch of Alexa Johnston's book, Ladies, A Plate, complete with Christmas cake and biscuits. Ms Johnston discussed the book in the National Library auditorium, supported by displays of historical recipe books from the Turnbull and National Library collections. The book went on to win the contemporary lifestyle section of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards.

The Turnbull Library supported the 'Cartooning for Peace International Symposium', organised by the Alliance in November 2008. Our staff assisted with the mounting of the accompanying exhibition at the Michael Fowler Centre. The Turnbull hosted an event in association with the symposium, in which a panel of international and New Zealand cartoonists presented and discussed their work. The presentation was organised by lan Grant, and attracted a capacity audience in the National Library's auditorium.

Family History Month In March 2009 the Turnbull worked closely with the Wellington branches of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists to support Family History Month. The Library ran a programme of well-attended events, which included talks by guest speakers, displays, workshops and tours. Speakers included genealogist Jan Gow, historian Jock Phillips, and Ngaio Press founder John Mac Gibbon.

Research Fellows and Grants

In September 2008 the National Library Research Fellow for 2007/8, Joanne Drayton, launched her book Ngaio Marsh: Her Life in Crime. It was based on her research at the Turnbull and was published by Harper Collins. Dr Drayton gave two well-attended lectures on Ngaio Marsh at the National Library.

Redmer Yska completed his tenure as National Library Fellow in April 2009. His topic was the history of the New Zealand Truth newspaper. He worked closely with Turnbull staff during his research, and gave talks on a number of occasions. We look forward to the ensuing publication.

In May 2009 Janet McCallum's book, Women and their Words: Notable Pioneers in Journalism, published by Fraser Books, was launched at the National Library. Janet McCallum received the National Library Research Fellow Award in 1992, but due to illness was unable to complete the final draft of her book. Recently, close colleagues collaborated to ensure the book was brought to fruition. Speakers at the launch included her partner and her daughter, National Librarian Penny Carnaby, and Associate Professor of History at Victoria University, Charlotte Macdonald.

The National Library Fellow Programme is now in abeyance as some Turnbull collections go into closed storage for two years. The award is expected to recommence in 2012.

In November 2008 the Friends of the Turnbull Library awarded research grants to two people for different projects. Paul Meredith, with the guidance of Tainui kaumatua Tui Adams, is editing a book based on Maori King Te Rata's 1914 journey to England to meet King Edward VII. The research will focus on a diary kept by Te Rata's private secretary and held by the Turnbull. Award-winning author Philip Simpson received a research grant to write his new book, Totara: Te Mahi a Rauru. The book will be a comprehensive natural and cultural history of the totara tree, to be published by Auckland University Press.

Publications and Citations As a research library the Turnbull's collections are heavily drawn upon to generate new knowledge and scholarship. Consequently, many new books are published each year with direct links to the Turnbull. Normally, these are noted by the Library through a citations count. Unfortunately, the Library was unable to maintain an accurate citations count for the full year. While 158 new publications were recorded, it is estimated that this represents only about one-third of the publications that actually drew directly on the Turnbull. The citations count has since recommenced with greater rigour to gain a more accurate count.

It is relevant to note that most of the titles shortlisted in the non-fiction categories of this year's Montana New Zealand Book Awards drew on Turnbull collections. Of particular note is Jill Trevelyan's biography, Rita Angus: An Artist's Life, published by Te Papa Press. Jill is a former curator of the National Library Gallery. The book makes significant use of the Archive of

New Zealand Music, specifically the letters from Rita Angus to Douglas Lilburn. Rita Angus went on to win the Montana medal for non-fiction. The Turnbull Library is particularly pleased to congratulate Jill on her achievement.

Developing the Collections

Over 76,000 items were added to the Turnbull Library collections during the 2008/9 year. Approximately 8,000 were digital items such as sound recordings and websites, acquired through legal deposit. A list of notable acquisitions follows this report. A few highlights are mentioned here.

Remarkable among the many items added to the Drawings, Paintings and Prints collection is a portrait believed to be Eruera Maihi Patuone, a Ngapuhi leader of the Hokianga. Patuone was one of the signatories of the 1836 Declaration of Independence of New Zealand, and the elder brother of Tamati Waka Nene. The painting is by Margaret Bullock (1845-1903).

The Library also purchased a modern portrait of Alexander Turnbull by contemporary artist Gavin Hurley. The painting is a large (1370 x 1013 mm) oil on hessian, and is expected to be on public display when the Library is refurbished. In December 2008 the Library purchased from the Trustees of the New Zealand Centre for Photography a collection comprising some 11,000 negatives, 900 transparencies and 400 prints. Highlights include glass-plate negatives of the West Coast taken by William Sherlock (1846-1910), lantern slides taken by Sir Frederick Truby King, and colour transparencies of scenes in New Zealand and the Cook Islands taken in the 1950 s and 1960 s by Ron Bowie.

In February 2009 the Library hosted an event to mark a milestone in the oral history interviews conducted in the 1990 s of 10 women who had survived Pol Pot's regime in Cambodia. The recordings were originally deposited by interviewer Niborom Young in November 1993. The February event was an opportunity for the Library to present interviewees with copies of the recordings and update them on progress of the transcription and translation of the interviews. This work was supported by a grant from the Friends of the Turnbull Library.

Preserving the Collections

National Digital Heritage Archive

The National Digital Heritage Archive (NDHA) became operational in February 2009 as the repository where the Library's digital collections are stored and preserved. Nearly 130,000 items were in the archive by the end of June; a mixture of digitised items (72,682) and digitally born items (57,067), including websites and cartoons.

Oil Painting Conservation

The Turnbull was again fortunate to benefit from the Friends of the Turnbull Library's successful application to the National Library's Macklin Bequest for funds to support remedial treatments to selected paintings. Three paintings were chosen for restoration based on their condition, conservation costs, and potential for exhibition.

Nairn Street, Upper Willis Street, painted about 1856 by Charles Decimus Barraud, was a bequest from Clara L. Horner in 1945. It is the second-earliest known oil painting of Wellington (the earliest being another by Barraud of Karori). Before conservation, the painting had a very dirty surface and some details were obscured. As a result of treatment, the calibre of the painting and certain stylistic details were revealed, and the work could be reattributed from 'artist unknown' to Barraud - one of New Zealand's premier early artists.

Maori Rock Drawings in Weka Pass, Canterbury, 1876 by Thomas Selby Cousins was in particularly poor condition before restoration, with a great deal of surface dirt and missing paint. The painting is thought to be the oil exhibited as Ancient Rock Paintings at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, London, in 1886. The work was donated to the Library in 1963 by J. E. Pedersen.

Whangaroa Showing Taratara and Figures in a Canoe in 1879 by Charles Blomfield was the third painting to undergo conservation treatment. The canvas was torn and it needed a new stretcher; it had never been exhibited in the Library because of its poor condition. The Library has a strong collection of works by Blomfield, New Zealand's most highly regarded landscape painter in oils of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

National Preservation Office

The work of the National Preservation Office (NPO) continued in 2008/9, with a mix of workshops, consultancies, site visits and responses to enquiries. Two workshops presented by Turnbull Conservator Mark Strange, focused on care of photographs. A third, held in May in collaboration with Te Papa National Services Te Paerangi, catered for photographers with expertise in collection photography. A conservator on contract to the NPO visited and assessed six museums in the Southland-Clutha area. They helped the museums plan changes to storage environments, improve standards of collection care and apply for funding.

The NPO fielded 153 enquiries during the year, ranging from requests for publications to more in-depth conservation and preservation queries. Libraries, museums, galleries and archives together were the source of 40% of queries, while 39% of queries were received from individuals. The 'Preserving Precious Items' section of the National Library's website received on average 210 visits per month for the year, and remains the main way of providing preservation information to the public. NPO pages on the National Library website received nearly 800 visits per month. During the year, all NPO publications were made available online.

In the absence of permanent NPO staff, the Preservation Office was run by fixed-term contract staff, with support from the Library's Preservation Services units. Fiona Moorhead was NPO Co-ordinator, assisted by Salme Kortet. The work of the NPO is recognised as valuable, and is expected to undergo a review in the next 12 months to determine how services will be delivered in the future.

Protecting the Collections Collection care is always of paramount concern for the Turnbull Library. Faced with the possibility of moving the collections and the attendant risks, this became a specific focus for the year. A Collection Protection Framework was developed which brought together the various policies, standards and guidelines that support collection care. Move committees were established for each Turnbull collection area and included curatorial, conservation and logistics expertise. An international preservation expert was commissioned to provide an independent review of the Library's collection relocation plans on an ongoing basis.

A major component of the move plans involved permanently rehousing parts of the Turnbull collections into tailor-made, protective archival boxes. Nearly 7,000 items, predominantly rare books and manuscripts, were identified for rehousing. By the end of June a third had been rehoused. Some 8,000 newspapers are also to be permanently rehoused in special boxes.

Organisational Changes, Strategic Directions and Service Development This was a demanding year for the Turnbull Library as it balanced the delivery of services and business continuity with the need to prepare for organisational change and physical relocation. Several of the Turnbull's senior management team were seconded to support the NLNZ New Generation Implementation Programme. While valuable and committed contributions were made by many staff in this regard, multiple secondments combined with several vacancies had a heavy impact on the ability of the Turnbull to manage daily business operations. Earlier work done on developing a new delivery model for research services was parked while attention was necessarily diverted to the need to plan for relocation and building redesign.

The major redevelopment of the National Library's Molesworth Street building was re-examined in the context of the global economic downturn. The original plan involved a significant expansion of the building, requiring a complete evacuation of staff, services and collections. While the project was being reconsidered, public controversy arose over costs and proposed changes to the exterior of the building. Further concerns were raised regarding the consequent need for temporary collection closures and reduced services. Various aspects of the National Library's strategic directions were also criticised. The impact on staff morale was considerable.

It was a welcome relief for the Library to receive a decision on project funding in April, bringing an end to a protracted period of uncertainty. By the end of June 2009 the National Library was well on the way to re-scoping the project in line with new funding levels, and addressing failing infrastructure issues and storage requirements.

Several experienced staff in key management or specialist roles left the Turnbull. The Library farewelled Philip Rainer, Manager, Research Centre; Pamela Najar-Simpson, Manager, Preservation Services; Cathy Williams, ATL Music Librarian; Susan Bartel, ATL Public Relations Manager; Tharron Bloomfield, National Preservation Officer Maori; and Lynne Jackett, Curator Dorothy Neal White Collection.

A new leadership team structure was implemented for the Turnbull Library. This aligned with the cessation of my role as Deputy National Librarian, and reinforced my substantive responsibilities as ATL Chief Librarian. Two Associate Chief Librarians positions were introduced; one responsible for collections, the other for research services. Ronald Milne, formerly of the British Library, was appointed to the collections role. David Reeves, from the Auckland Art Gallery was recruited into the research services role. Ann O'Rorke was appointed to the newly created position of Turnbull Business Development Manager. Ann had formerly worked in a senior role at the University of Waikato Library, and more recently on the National Digital Heritage Archive project.

Concluding Comments

The most significant achievements in the Turnbull Library over the past year have related to the staff's ability to continue to deliver excellent services to researchers and to manage the collections effectively in a context of substantial change, controversy and increased workloads.

I congratulate and thank the Turnbull team and colleagues from across the National Library for their resilience, commitment and forbearance during a year of considerable uncertainty.

Thanks are also due to the Friends of the Turnbull Library for their continued support at a time when the Library certainly needed friends. Similarly, I acknowledge the role played by the Guardians/Kaitiaki of the Alexander Turnbull Library, who have remained steadfast in their vigilance, and in particular to Lydia Wevers and Judith Binney, whose tenures as Guardians finish later in 2009.