96 Proceedings. 



No further progress has been made with the card catalogue, funds not being avail- 

 able. 



A further arrangement has been made providing for the placing of the serial publi- 

 cations as they arrive in spaces with printed headings, so that thej^ maj- be the more 

 easily kept together. The estimated cost of pigeon-holes was, as mentioned in the 

 last report, about £60. I have, however, found a way by which the same purpose has 

 been accomplished without any extra expense. 



I shoidd mention that owing to the kindness of the Hon. the Minister of Internal 

 Affairs I was able to employ a person on arranging a laige mass of unclassified serials 

 belonging to the Museum and to the Institute. This person was working for three 

 months, and did useful work. The work done will be of little permanent value unless 

 some money can be foimd for binding. 



The most important work that requires now to be done in the library is to make 

 a commencement in completing the serials that mo have in some cases taken in for a 

 great many years, but which have not been bound from time to time, and in consequence 

 have lost one or more of their parts. For the purpose of scientific study in any branch 

 it is essential that we shoidd endeavour to keep the series of the principal publications 

 in each branch complete, available, and up to date. 



27th January, 1910. A. Hamilton, Librarian. 



The President moved, and Mr. Chapman seconded, " That the Hon. 

 Librarian's report be adopted." Carried. 



Report of Committee on Joint Library Scheme. — The report of the com- 

 mittee on the joint library scheme was read, as follows : — 



The committee appointed to consider Mr. Hamilton's proposed scheme for more 

 thoroughly utilising the libraries of the affiliated .societies beg to report that they have 

 been in communication with the societies, and find that the scheme has been cordially 

 received by the Canterbury Listitute in their letter of October, 1909, and by the Otago 

 Institute in their letter of June, 1909 ; the Auckland Institute is quite in accord with the 

 main idea that the library imder their control should be available for the use of students 

 throughout the Dominion, and is quite ready to adopt any reasonable measures tending 

 to that end. Hawke's Bay is not in favour of the general idea of the joint library which 

 aU members of the Institute should be able to use under certain conditions, but is willing 

 to consider any special application for rny particular book as hitherto ; it. however, 

 agrees to an-angements being made by the Institute for the preparation of a joint card 

 Catalogue, as proposed. 



It will be recollected that Mr. Hamilton's scheme involved four main points — First, 

 the general use of the libraries- by members in any part of New Zealand : this seems 

 to be generally agreed to, and is the most important of the whole. Second, that a joint 

 card catalogue should be prepared : this would cost a rather considerable amount, and 

 is not universally agreed to, and it had better be left for further negotiations. The 

 next point was specialisation : the committee regret that there is not more imanimity 

 ou this matter, as it was pointed out in the plainest possible manner that specialisation 

 in any subject did not prevent the authorities of a library purchasing other works. It 

 is one of the cardinal points about a joint library that b^^ a certain amount of specialisa- 

 tion unnecessary duplication wotdd be avoided. 



There are still ho]3es that we may be able to get a little further along this line, but 

 for the present the committee have pleasure in rejiorting that the larger societies have 

 agreed to the principle of placing their books at the disposal of any member of the New 

 Zealand Institute wherever he may be, provided always, of course, that the necessary 

 regidations for borrowing and returning made bj- the local society are observed. 



The committee desire reappointment. 



27th January, 1910. A. HAinxTON, President. 



On the motion of the President, seconded by Mr. Yomig, it was resolved 

 that the report of the Committee on the Joint Library Scheme be adopted. 



Dr. Cockayne moved, " That a vote of thanks be accorded to the Hon. 

 the Minister of Internal Affairs for enabling work to be done in the further 

 classification of the library." 



