H—32a

Because of the lack of comprehensive up-to-date lists of children's books available from the United "Kingdom and the impracticability of printing our own catalogue, it was decided to issue regular lists of recommended books. The lists are issued monthly and are planned to cover in a year the whole field of available reading for children (excluding text-books). Lists already issued have been of help to schools and public libraries either for buying books or for requesting them from this Service. On behalf of the Department of Island Territories, approximately 3,000 books were selected, prepared for issue, and sent to Western Samoa for circulation among Samoan schools. Below are tables showing details of the School Library Service at 31st March, 194 8

Additions to stock were 62,568 volumes—37,7l2 fiction and 24,856 non-fiction. Withdrawals were 1,672 —1,225 fiction and 447 non-fiction. The stock now stands at 212,464, of which 138,116 are fiction and 74,348 non-fiction :

HOSPITAL AND INSTITUTIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE The survey of present facilities, and possibilities for future development, of hospital libraries has been carried on. Thirty centres where public hospitals are located were visited by the Hospital Librarian during the year. Difficulties in organizing service to hospital patients through the public libraries arise from the fact that some libraries are still under the subscription system, while others suffer from shortage of staff and funds. For these reasons, only a small proportion of local authorities has taken advantage of the offer of book collections by the Service to public libraries in towns under 15.000 population for starting hospital service. For hospitals of over 100

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Education Boards. Schools served. Children (Standard Classes). Books on Issue at One Time (excluding those in Transit). Auckland 437 37,591 43,337 Canterbury 251 11,703 13,280 Hawke's Bay 127 6,496 9,547 Nelson 81 4,404 4,957 Otago 151 7,527 7,877 Southland 132 5,686 6,271 Taranaki 80 5,289 5,593 Wanganui 157 8,266 9,525 Wellington 133 9,209 10,419 Education Department— Maori 105 6,683 6,924 Child Welfare 24 768 76S Private schools 38 2,548 2,548 Totals 1,716 106,170 121*046

Books. Fiction. Non-fiction. Total. Stock at 31st March, 1947 Accessions 101,629 37,712 49,939 24,856 151,568 62,568 Withdrawals 139,341 1,225 74,795 447 214,136 1,672 Stock at 31st March, 1948 138,116 74,348 212,464