Prior to the advent of subject guides, the UC library published a Reference and Bibliographical Series to help researchers find material.
There is one on the catalogue: New Zealand drama : a bibliographical guide. which was written by former English Department staff member Howard McNaughton. This was number 5 in the series. The rest do not appear to be on the catalogue.
There were two more that I know of no. 2 (left) and no. 6 (right).
Both of these were written by former reference librarian Robert Irwin. The content they describe was held on microcard which has now long been discarded.
Number 2, published in 1980, described the library holdings of British Government Documents. The main item was the House of Commons Sessional Papers on micro-card. These were superseded by the Sessional Papers on microfiche and these in turn were superseded by the Sessional Papers online.
Number 6, published in 1976, described the Evans Collection of Early American Imprints which was a collection of all the books published in the United States in the period 1639-1800. The library did not replace the micro-cards after they were withdrawn. The collection has now been digitised by Readex in the United States.
What were numbers 1, 3, 4, and possibly subsequent numbers of the UC Library Reference and Bibliographical Series and where are they?
Tim O’Sullivan
Thanks to Alison here is some more information about the series:
“I found some titles of the Reference and bibliographical series on OCLC. The series record on OCLC says the series started no. 1 (1973) and ceased with no. 7 (1981).
French works in the rare books collection at the University of Canterbury : a catalogue / compiled by Campbell McLachlan. No. 7, 1981, 60 leaves.
A guide to statistical data held in the Library of the University of Canterbury. No. 3, 1974, 36 pages.
A guide to the presentation of theses. No. 1, 1973, 13 pages.”
I have a copy of…French works in the rare books collection at the University of Canterbury : a catalogue / compiled by Campbell McLachlan. No. 7, 1981, 60 leaves.
I have also scanned it for a small project I am looking at.