The staff have always given members of Parliament every possible service, but the scope has tended to grow. Last century members tended to do more of their own research, and relied on the staff to locate books rather than individual items of information. The desire for this last service grew and attempts were made to provide it.
To do so, however, required considerable advances in staff and technique. It involved the indexing of periodicals, often attempted by the staff which was rarely in a position to do it well and to continue it. Today much of this work is done either commercially or cooperatively and, although the results are not available quickly, the staff is freed for other work.
Today the Library is working towards the time when it can give a reference and research service similar to that of the House of Commons Library, or to imitate in a smaller way that of the Library of Congress in Washington. Such a service requires intelligent, well trained staff who are capable of locating and organising information into a form where it can be readily understood and used.
The Library is doing an increasing amount of such work, but it has not the staff to do all that is required of it. I am sure, however, that before the story of the Library is much longer, it will be giving a fuller service.
In this connection there is one aspect of the work that should not be passed over—the indexing of newspapers. Newspapers have always been important to the Library, giving as they do so much current history and opinion. Only in recent years has it been possible to index certain papers fully, and so provide quickly necessary references.
BOOKS AND MEN
Books are of little value without men to care for them and men to use them, so that to be successful a library needs good books and good men. The General Assembly Library has been fortunate in the men who have controlled it and the men who have used it.
No librarian can ask for more than the support and interest of those who control the library, or that the material and information he provides is being put to good use. No user of a library can ask for more than the real interest and help of the librarians in his research and reading. Again the General Assembly Library has been lucky in the interest shown by members of Parliament and by the staff who have served in it.
Some names have been mentioned here; many more should have been. Suffice it to say that as far as Parliament is concerned many members have given generously of their time and energy to help make the Library what it is today.
The same remarks can be applied to the staff. They are fortunate, for their work gives a pleasure that much work does not, and so makes doing it so much easier.
This support from members of Parliament and from the staff gives the Library such reserves that it faces its second century with confidence. Difficulties there may be, but they will not be so great as to prevent even better library and information service being given to Parliament.
BY AUTHORITY:R. E. OWEN, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND—1958