H.-32

1944 NEW ZEALAND

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY (REPORT OF THE CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1944)

Laid, on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

To the Chairman, Joint Library Committee. Sir, — I have the honour to report on the operations of the General Assembly Library for the year 1943-44. Accessions. —During the year 2,997 volumes were added to the Library stock, as compared with an average of 3,350 for the previous thirteen years. At 31st March, 1944, the number of books accessioned was 168,300. The accessions for the year were classified as follows : bibliography, 68 ; newspapers, 103; philosophy, 20; religion, 81 ; sociology, 696 ; parliamentary, 175 ; philology, 20; natural science, 91 ; useful arts, 240 ; line arts, 120 ; literature, 269 ; travel and history, 619 ; biography, 213 ; New Zealand literature, 31 ; fiction, 255. Losses of books in transit were considerably less than in the earlier war years. The more prompt arrival of books in response to orders, especially after the arrangement for receiving American publications through the Supply Mission at Washington, has somewhat reduced the credit balance, against which, however, there is still a large number of book orders outstanding. Owing to shortage of paper and limited editions, many publications are out of print before our requests reach England. Donations. —Gifts were received from the American Legation (Wellington), the Australian Trade Commissioner (Wellington), Hon. W. E. Barnard (Tauranga), J. A. Capper (Wellington), Consul-General for Poland (Wellington), Consul-General of Belgium (Wellington), Consul of Netherlands (Wellington), Consul of Switzerland (Wellington), P. B. Cooke (Wellington), Captain J. Cormick (Wellington), C. J. Dickeson (Kaikohe), executors Right Hon. J. G. Coates, executors Mrs. H. D. Crawford, Mrs. G. M. Fowlds (Auckland), B. D. A. Greig (Wellington), Sir Edward Grigg (England), Library of Congress (Washington), Colonel J. H. Nankivell (Wellington), Prime Minister's Department (Wellington), Rosicrucian Fellowship Group Centre (Auckland), and Jos. Stewart (Waimea West). The Year's Work. —The year has been a particularly arduous one. In the first session of the new Parliament (February-March, 1944) there were exceptional calls on the reference and research department, to which the depleted staff of the whole Library responded with admirable enthusiasm. They had also a very heavy physical task in the reception and distribution of more than 17 tons of books which had been sent away early in 1942 for safety during the war. In this the whole staff, with the assistance of four members of the Legislative Department, gave ungrudging service. New shelving is urgently called for to accommodate the growing stock. Great difficulty has been experienced in keeping pace with the routine work and processes of the Library. The continued absence of trained personnel on active service is now being most severely felt. During the year B. D. Zohrab and Miss M. Webster returned from overseas, but neither of them resumed duty on the staff. Mr. Zohrab accepted appointment on a Ministerial staff, and Miss Webster resigned to be married. A. S. Wickens and Miss M. Hogg have been appointed to the permanent staff, and Miss M. B. Young has been appointed a library assistant. i