Go to the LAP Home Page

About LAP | Find a Library | Browse Directory | Resources | Contact us | Help


9th CDNLAO Meeting: New Zealand Country Report

Update on the National Library of New Zealand/Te Puna Mätauranga 0 Aotearoa

Mr Christopher Blake, Director

Governance and Role

The National Library of New Zealand (NLNZ) is an autonomous government department. Established in 1965, its role is defined by the National Library Act 1965 (subsequently amended). The Chief Executive, who is also the National Librarian, reports to the Minister Responsible for the National Library (currently the Hon. Marian Hobbs).

The NLNZ fully meets the criteria defined by UNESCO for national libraries and national bibliographic services.

Services

Major areas of the NLNZ's services include:

Collections

The NLNZ obtains New Zealand imprints under its legal deposit provisions. Other information resources within the scope of the National Library of New Zealand Collections Policy (available on the NLNZ web site) are acquired by purchase and donation. Under the current budget NZ$1.6 million is available for purchases for the Alexander Turnbull Library,1over NZ$1.6 million for the NLNZ general collections,2 and NZ$1 million for the Schools Collection.3

Staff and Budget

The NLNZ currently employs 368 staff (338 FTE including part-timers and temporary contract staff). This compares with 452 staff as at June 1996, 415 staff in June 1999, and 389-staff in mid-2000, and reflects the impact of fixed budget baselines over that period and the repositioning of the library's operations. Its operating budget is NZ$44.6 million ($17.8 million USD).

Recent Major Initiatives and Milestones

Recent Initiatives by the NLNZ

NLNZ involvement in current national issues:

The key Government Goals applicable to the NLNZ relate to national identity, to education and skills, and to ensuring equal opportunities for access to information by all sectors of the national community.

As part of New Zealand's e-Government initiative, consideration is currently being given to making National Library accessible via the proposed all-of-government portal, and implementing a set of high-level metadata for disclosure of information produced by Government departments. It is possible also that the principle that government-held information should be made more freely available to all New Zealanders will have some impact on the NLNZ's charges for some of its products and services.

The NLNZ is involved in the current debate about national policy for promoting the development of an 'information society' in New Zealand. The Library sees its services (for the general public, for research and for schools) as contributing to closing the 'digital divide' in society. The Library is involved in discussions with the national professional association (LIANZA) which has published its own proposal for a national information strategy.

To learn more:

NLNZ services can be accessed at www.natlib.govt.nz. Visitors to the site will also be able to see the latest information on National Library initiatives in areas ranging from oral history (such as the 'Living Heritage' project) to the digitisation of newspapers and the development of policy on the promotion of 'information literacy'. Visitors to the NLNZ website can also find the National Library Act, the Strategic Plan, Te Puna Strategic Directions, read about 'digital library' initiatives, and see highlights of the ATL collections.

1. The 2000/01 acquisitions budget of the ATL is NZ$1,603,000, including NZ$1,183,000 for the published collections and NZ$432,000 for the unpublished collections.
2. The 2000/01 acquisitions budget for General Collections (including General Lending, Reference, Music, Serials, Auckland-Business Collection, Print Disabilities, Medical/Health Literature, National Childrens's Collection) is NZ$1,652,000, of which 78.3% is for serials.
3. The 2000/01 acquisitions budget for the Schools Collection is NZ$1,020,000. The Schools Collection (currently 528,811 items, mostly in book format, increasing by c40,000 items p.a.) covers all areas and levels of the national curriculum.


About LAP | Find a Library | Browse Directory | Resources | Contact us | Help

Hosted by the National Library of Australia

Last updated Monday 26-Mar-2007
http://www.nla.gov.au//lap/2001newzealand.html