McNab New Zealand Collection Policy 2012

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  5. McNab New Zealand Collection Policy 2012

SCOPE

This policy is concerned with the McNab New Zealand Collection in the City Library, a part of the Dunedin Public Libraries network. It does not cover archival material for which a separate policy exists. Note: Local History collections in the Community Libraries are governed by the operational collections policy documents.

1. Collection Scope

The collection aims to provide resources with a research focus and includes specialized materials of permanent or long term value to researchers. The collection is not a repository of all New Zealand published materials. Criteria for inclusion in the collection must still include consideration of the likely future use of the item.

2. Collection Purpose

The collection aims to provide resources to meet the current and future needs of historical researchers, students, genealogists, and members of the general public who are pursuing general and advanced study in the history, development and cultural life of New Zealand, and especially Dunedin, Otago, and the southern part of the South Island. It underpins the New Zealand component of other collections and plays an important part in the Library’s provision of reference services. The inclusion of government materials in the Heritage collections ensures that resources needed for public consultations on official policies are freely available.

3. History

The McNab New Zealand Collection, based on the third floor of the City Library, is named after Robert McNab (1864-1917). McNab was a lawyer, politician, farmer, and historian whose major research interests were Pacific exploration and early New Zealand history. He wished his collection to be made available to the general public, and his donation of 4200 books to Dunedin Public Library in 1913 was intended to provide a collection which would be of value to all Dunedin citizens. One of the conditions of the gift was that the original collection be added to continually, and it has proved to be a strong basis for later acquisitions. The complete set of high school magazines which formed part of the original gift is a much used part of the collections that is still maintained. Overlap between the collections and those of the Hocken library were noted by early librarians but the question of amalgamation, although raised as a possibility, was discounted as impractical given the restrictions on access provided within the research library environment. The collection has benefited greatly over the years from generous donations.

4. Description of Collection

The McNab New Zealand Collection consists of material relating to all aspects of New Zealand life, history, culture, and the natural environment, and is particularly rich in local material. It forms an accumulating permanent record comprising over 75,000 items and is made up of the following:

  • Books
  • Newspapers
  • Serials
  • Government documents
  • Educational materials e.g. University calendars & prospectuses, school magazines
  • Annual reports
  • Maps
  • Pamphlets & Directories
  • Ephemera
  • A small quantity of archival material.
  • Microfilm and microfiche

Some of the early newspapers and some other sets of volumes are irreplaceable, and many other items are rare or unique. These are supplemented by vertical files on a wide variety of topics relating to people, places, and events, (Dunedin firms and buildings are among the topics of perennial interest), and by a unique online newspaper index (Southern Regional News Index) begun in 1861, online since1993 and primarily sourced from The Otago Witness, The Evening Star, The Otago Daily Times, the Midweek and the Weekender.

4.1 Genealogical resources

The collection also offers key New Zealand genealogical resources including indexes of births, deaths, and marriages, street directories, electoral and military rolls, and some shipping records and passenger lists.

4.2 Ephemera

This is a collection of Dunedin ephemera (printed items intended for short-term use), chiefly 20th century. It primarily comprises programmes and brochures for exhibitions, concerts, theatre, festivals, sports events, travel, etc. It also includes daily newspaper cartoons (1930s to 1960s), some wartime memorabilia and greeting cards. Its greatest strengths are in music and theatre. Although a few items date from the early 1860s, most are from the 1890s onwards, particularly 1920s to 1960s. The collection numbers around 14,000 items, of which 20% date from pre-1945, and many are very scarce or even unique. The collection is presently only added to irregularly by contribution from staff and members of the public.

4.3 Map collection

This includes topographical maps for all of New Zealand, selected geological, city, town, and hydrographic maps, local orienteering maps, and some particularly useful historical maps of Dunedin.

4.4 Australian Collection

The Australian Collection is a small but valuable collection of about 400 items documenting the early years of Australian colonisation and including plan views of cities.

4.5 Voyages Collection

Another significant asset is the Voyages Collection of just under 400 items, many of them rare and valuable, and many beautifully bound. It includes accounts of all the important early European voyages to the Pacific which relate to Australia and New Zealand. There is material in several languages, and different editions and versions of the major voyages, such as those of James Cook. American accounts are also represented and relate particularly to the whaling and sealing period.

4.6 Troopships Collection

The Troopship Journal Collection initiated by Dunedin’s first Librarian, William Barker McEwan is arguably one of the finest in the country, with approximately 379 journals from troop and hospital ships, military camps and the frontlines written by and for New Zealand’s armed services.

4.7 Archives

See Heritage Archives Collection Policy.

5. Collection Management

Responsibility for managing the collections rests with the Heritage Librarian.

5.1 Selection Tools

Resources used to aid selection include:

  • Suggestions from the public
  • Trade, library, general, and special interest magazines – print and online
  • Publishers’ and booksellers’ catalogues – print and online
  • Special interest websites
  • Online newsletters e.g. Booksellers’ Brief
  • New Zealand National Bibliography
  • Titles on approval from local suppliers
  • Auction catalogues

5.2 Selection Guidelines

Robert McNab’s wish was for the collection to be comprehensive; comprising all books written about or in New Zealand, or by New Zealanders. Increased publishing output has led to a narrowing of focus for the collection.

Single copies of different editions will normally be retained but additional copies may be purchased when long-term, heavy demand is expected or where it is desirable to retain different editions for comparison. As a general rule, a maximum of two copies of printed material is retained although further digital derivatives may be created.

Both published material and original works are collected in any format or language to fulfill the following criteria

Collection Priorities:

Works collected comprehensively include:

  • Materials of cultural significance to Otago and Southland,
  • Publications of the Dunedin City Council and the Otago Regional Council

Generally acquired include:

  • Official publications
  • Works about local flora and fauna,
  • Local literary works
  • Works by local illustrators or artists
  • Biographies
  • Serials

Selectively acquired:

  • Maps
  • Cookbooks
  • Children’s materials
  • Sports titles
  • Archival materials
  • Examples of the work of local printers
  • Ephemera reflecting Otago’s documentary heritage
  • General works without intrinsic research value but representative of an era
  • Works by local authors of local interest but limited literary merit or long term value

Exemptions

Decisions to purchase some marginal items are influenced by the holdings and acquisitions of some other libraries in Dunedin, especially the Hocken Library.

Not collected:

  • Works with no local relevance
  • Works which have little or no relevance outside a particular profession or occupation
  • Summaries of reports where the Library holds the complete version, provided they contain no extra material
  • Monographs under five pages unless forming part of a series
  • Histories of organisations outside Otago such as schools, churches, and business firms, covering less than one hundred years
  • Genealogical records of interest or value only to a specific family or families
  • Works containing duplicated content, such as reprinted, reissued, or insubstantially revised editions, unless the original edition is not held or is in poor condition.
  • Overseas translations of New Zealand works
  • Works published overseas whose author, editor, or compiler is a New Zealander or a New Zealand resident but which have no other New Zealand relevance.
  • Overseas publications which have limited New Zealand relevance (for example less than 10%) particularly where the author is not a New Zealander.

6. Deselection

The McNab collection is a permanent one. An item may be deselected if the following criteria apply:

  • Material is an exact duplicate, with no significant heritage value (e.g.: signed by prominent citizen)
  • Item is damaged
  • Not locally relevant
  • Of current interest only e.g. calendars
  • Superseded editions with no significant difference from previous edition
  • Items do not fit the stated scope and aims of the collection
  • Items do not contravene McNab’s Letter of Agreement

7. Acquisition and Purchasing

Most new items are purchased through the Library’s usual suppliers. Specialised New Zealand suppliers of new and second-hand materials are used for some obscure or rare publications.

8. Standing Orders

A small number of standing orders are maintained, for example for the New Zealand Official Yearbook and the Road Code. Some fiction is also received on Standing Order.

9. Review

This policy will be reviewed within five years.

Endorsed by the S