H—32A

Service. During the'year, 20,767 requests were received, of which 20,392 were filled, the majority from our own stock; 370 (1-8 per cent.) were not filled either ' because the requested book was unobtainable or because the request was not Within the scope of the Service—i.e., light fiction or nonfiction of an ephemeral kind. Of the total supplied, 1,053 were sent to A.E.W.S. libraries in response to requests:—

f. Books borrowed from other libraries throughout New Zealand were of great help in meeting requests; 1,803 volumes were borrowed for libraries participating in this Service/ of which 454 volumes were lent by the General Assembly Library. To this and other libraries grateful acknowledgment is made for this help, without which the proportion of unfilled requests would have "been higher. Some of the most popular subjects requested were floral decoration; painting in oil and water colours; dressmaking and sewing; house-planning and interior decoration; gardening; child psychology. Many books were requested for University and secondary-school studies. \ LOAN COLLECTIONS Two hundred and forty special collections, consisting of 9,840 books and 941 periodicals and pamphlets, were issued to libraries for periods of two months. The previous year, 184 such collections, totalling 7,484 books, had been issued. The most popular subject was again gardening. Among other subjects in demand were hobbies and crafts; music; homecraft; New Zealand; art; drama and theatre; child care; sports and pastimes; and books for intermediate readers —boys and girls between the ages; of thirteen and eighteen years. Loan collections were issued to 55 libraries linked with this Service, and 17 collections were sent to teachers' training colleges, W.E.A. summer schools, Education Department refresher courses, and to other libraries outside the Service which required them for special purposes:—

6

— North Island. South Island. Total. Supplied Not supplied 13,000 324 7,393 50 20,393 374 1 13,324 7,443 20,767

North Island. South ( Island. Total. Number of collections to Country Library Service libraries To other libraries Number of books issued Number of Country Library Service libraries served 120 12 103 5 223 17 132 108 240 6,552 3,228 9,840 42 13 55