Four hundred and seventy-five titles not found in any library were ordered for national stock.
The number of requests received by the centre represents probably less than half the total volume of traffic among New Zealand libraries, the proportion of direct interloan being higher in the special and university libraries. Interloan was devised and introduced among libraries by the New Zealand Library Association and in its operation the responsibility of the National Library Service is not merely to act as a clearing house but to provide all the material it reasonably can to make the system effective. Other libraries participate reciprocally, or lend so that they may the more freely borrow. The contribution, as has always been expected, is a varying one and one or two libraries may consider that they have a substantial and unrealisable credit balance in their favour. The point beyond which certain libraries may feel they cannot go in the common interest has not so far been determined administratively but it may be necessary to consider this. If so, it is better that it be done quantitatively on the basis of a common library policy rather than that the present procedure should become an embarrassment or be administered capriciously or conservatively.
_Central Bureau for Library Book Imports_--After the introduction of import control in January the Government approved that the facilities of the bureau should be extended to meet the situation and assure libraries of their essential supplies. The bureau was set up in 1940 as a responsibility of the Country Library Service as a result of discussions between the Government and the Library Association. Because libraries undertook to avoid unnecessary duplication and develop cooperative ways of recording and using their holdings, the 50 per cent cut in book imports made in 1939 was restored and the necessary machinery established to safeguard the country's supply of essential publications.
The situation now is that recommendations for licences are made to the Comptroller of Customs in two categories: firstly, block licence in annual or six-monthly lots to cover a full licensing period, on behalf of public libraries serving a population of 20,000 and over, university libraries, and a few special libraries; secondly, individual recommendations on behalf of smaller libraries which are made on the basis of orders sent in when making application. Book-sellers are expected to give libraries a proportionate share of their 1956 transactions on which their current licence would be computed.