Report of the National Library Service for the Year Ended 31 March 1958

Report of the National Library
Service for
by G. T. Alley and
National Library Service (New
Zealand)

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Title: Report of the National Library Service for the Year Ended 31
March 1958
Author: G. T. Alley and National Library Service (New Zealand)
Release Date: November 13, 2006 [EBook #19780]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Coat of Arms]

REPORT
OF THE
NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE
FOR THE YEAR ENDED
31 MARCH 1958
Presented to the House of Representatives by Leave
BY AUTHORITY: R. E. OWEN, GOVERNMENT PRINTER,
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND--1958

CONTENTS
PAGE
Letter of Transmission 3 Scientific, Technical, and Commercial Library
Service 3 Regional and District Library Service 4 National Library
Proposal 5 Book Stock 5 Request Service 5 Expenditure 5
Country Library Service 6 Free Public Libraries 6 Book Van 7
Minimum Standards for Public Libraries Participating in the Country
Library Service 8 Independent Subscription Libraries 9 Hamper
Service 9 Lighthouse Service 9 Free Service to Ministry of Works,
State Hydro-electric, and New Zealand Forest Service Camps and

Stations 9 Hospital and Institutional Library Service 9 Loan Collections
10 Periodicals Service 10
School Library Service 10 Loans to Smaller Public Libraries 11
Information and Request Service 11 Book List 11 Assistance to Islands
Schools 13
Library School 14
National Library Centre 14 Inter-library Loan 15 Central Bureau for
Library Book Imports 15 Libraries of Government Departments 16
Book Resources Committee of the NZLA 16 Union Catalogue 16
Bibliographical Section 16

The Hon. the MINISTER OF EDUCATION.
Wellington, 16 July 1958.
SIR,
I have the honour to submit the following report of the activities of the
National Library Service. The report covers the work of the Service as
a whole and its four divisions--Country Library Service, School Library
Service, Library School, and National Library Centre.
The functions of the Service may be summed up as the provision of
such assistance to any New Zealand library maintained directly or
indirectly from public funds as circumstances and policy permit. More
specifically, help is given by a lending service to rural, borough, and
county libraries, by the provision of books for school libraries, by
advancing professional training through the Library School, and by
maintenance of records of all library holdings of books and periodicals,
as well as other facilities and stock to aid the cooperative use of this
material.
The National Library Service was formed in 1945 from the Country
Library Service by Cabinet decision with the strong support of the New

Zealand Library Association. During the war the Country Library
Service had been given responsibility for several tasks of national
scope, such as the War Library Service, the Central Bureau for Library
Book Imports, the formation of a Union Catalogue, and the operation
of part of the inter-library loan scheme.
The Country Library Service, which began in 1938, has maintained its
van services to rural areas and has been brought into closer contact with
its districts by decentralisation to three district offices--Christchurch in
1944, Palmerston North in 1948, and Hamilton in 1953.
The number of free libraries regularly receiving service has grown to
112. Special assistance in a number of cases has been given to libraries
serving a population of up to 50,000 operating a free and rental service.
The assistance given to the Gisborne and Wanganui Public Libraries
has continued. New Plymouth Public Library which changed to free
service in November 1957, and Palmerston North Public Library,
which is expanding its service, have also received assistance. The
fundamental principle of encouraging full local responsibility for
adequate rate-supported libraries has continued.
The School Library Service has continued to bring a wide range and
variety of books to school children, the rate of issue now exceeding one
million copies annually. Distribution is effected through 15 centres.
During the year this Service received three valuable sets of books
chosen to represent all phases of American life and thought. The
Carnegie Corporation of New York made these sets available to some
26 libraries in New Zealand.
Scientific, Technical, and Commercial Library Service--A
recommendation has been made by the New Zealand Library
Association that impetus be given to scientific and technical library
service, chiefly through public libraries. At a time when increasing