Size matters when it comes to researching history

In response to a reference to Dunedin Public Libraries in Jim Sullivan’s article ‘Cancelled tiki tour participants – just read all about it here’ (ODT, 14.4.20) where he compares the Patearoa Library’s and Dunedin Public Libraries’ ability to identify the first book ever borrowed from their respective libraries. Unfair. Size matters.

Dunedin holds 603,567 physical items and 13,000 e (digital) items and while in lockdown can’t access many of our records to be able to check Mr Sullivan’s query.

We do have the original accession register from when the library opened for borrowing in 1908 but in all honesty we probably couldn’t identify the original borrower.

Our current statistical tool indicates we have issued 7,577,641 items between November 2014 and March 2020.

Adult Fiction tops the list of the 20 highest turnover collections, with large print genres family saga, mystery and thriller, romance and westerns taking five of the top spots. Of the larger collections, contemporary fiction in ordinary print and children’s picture books rank highest. Foreign language films rank highest of the DVD collections, taking places 8 and 10 in the top 20 of all formats.

Linda Geddes Dunedin Public Libraries manager

collections and access

Bauer media

I WOULD like to endorse Paul Tankard (Letters, 7.4.20) and agree with him at the loss of the Listener which has been such a source of the politics and literature of New Zealand.

When we add the departing Metro, North and South, and NZ Review of Books the picture is decidedly bleak. We are very lucky to have retained the Otago Daily Times to carry us on with NZ reality.

Mary Ronnie

Maori Hill .....................................

BIBLE READING: All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another. Peter 5.5.