During the year, 26,047 requests (an increase of 9.2 per cent) were referred to Wellington. Of the total issues, 4,975 were books belonging to other libraries throughout New Zealand, whose willing cooperation is gratefully acknowledged.
_Expenditure_--Expenditure under Subdivision XII, vote "Education", for the year was £264,956. This figure includes £94,544 for the purchase of books, of which £45,357 was for books and periodicals on behalf of Government Departments. The expenditure on behalf of Departments represents 12,146 books and standing orders for approximately 11,000 serial publications.
Expenditure under Subdivision III for the purchase of books by the School Library Service was £50,580.
On 31 March 1958, 989 towns and small centres were receiving regular loans of books, an increase of 32 centres over the previous year. In addition, 54 Ministry of Works, State Hydro-electric, and New Zealand Forest Service camps and stations were given library service. Books are also on loan to six places in the Chatham Islands, and to Niue, Rarotonga, and Pitcairn Island. Free loans of books on a population basis are given to mental hospitals and prisons situated both in country and urban districts.
Books, periodicals, and information are available to country people in the following ways:
(a) Free loans of books on a population basis to libraries controlled by the local authorities, which in turn agree to make their libraries free and to maintain reasonable standards of library service.
(b) Loans of books to independent subscription public libraries at a small annual charge per fifty books loaned.
(c) Loans of books through hamper collections to isolated groups of readers at a small annual charge.
(d) Free loans of books to lighthouse keepers and similar very remote readers.
(e) Free loans of books on a population basis to Ministry of Works, State Hydro-electric, and New Zealand Forest Service camps.
All libraries served under (a) and (b) and the majority under (c) receive regular visits from one of the especially equipped book vans of this Service; at least three visits being paid to each library during a normal year. In addition, all persons, by whichever of the above means they receive library service, may obtain loans of requested books by post.