From Munn-Pitt to Library Act : Stimulating Support for Public Libraries in New South Wales 1935-1939: Part 3: Troubled Times

This three-part series traces efforts to establish a system of free public libraries in New South Wales, Australia, from the time of publication of the Munn-Pitt Report in 1935 to the passing of the New South Wales Library Act in 1939. The series delves beyond the published accounts of events and describes the actions and interactions of the interested parties - the senior librarians at the Public Library of New South Wales, the Free Library Movement, the Library Group, the Libraries Advisory Committee, New South Wales politicians, the media, local government bodies, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Australian Council for Educational Research. There are also insights into the public and private views of key individuals, including Ralph Munn, W. H. Ifould, D. H. Drummond, and G. C. Remington. The third part outlines the immediate effects of the Libraries Advisory Committee Report and the protracted negotiations between the Government, the Free Library Movement and local government interests to finalise library legislation. The impact of the outbreak of war on library developments is described, together with the eventual implementation of the New South Wales Library Act