MEDIA STATEMENT

HON MARIAN HOBBS

MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE NATIONAL LIBRARY

22 December 1999

NATIONAL LIBRARY RESTRUCTURING HALTED

Restructuring of the National Library and the disposal of books from its general collection has been halted, the Minister Responsible for the National Library, Marian Hobbs, announced today.

This follows a meeting with the Chief Executive of the National Library, Chris Blake.

"We have agreed to review the strategic plan implementation and book disposals policy," Ms Hobbs said. "In the meantime there will be a halt to the restructuring and book disposals.

"We will be talking closely with interested parties, including the Trustees of the National Library, LIANZA (the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa), the National Library Society, the Friends of the Turnbull Library and users of the National Library, be they libraries, general users or researchers."

The Minister says she will be taking advice on the review which, she expects, will begin in January.

Labour's election policy promised to stop the current restructuring and consult key stakeholders.

ENDS

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