'Times' in library

Judie Falloon

Students now have access to back numbers of one of the world's leading newspapers.

The University library has acquired microfilm of the New York Times, complete from 1851 to 1955.

The American Council of Learned Societies provided 12,000 dollars of the 14,000-dollar price tag. The Council, an offshoot of the Ford Foundation, had offered items on American history and civilisation to all university libraries in Australia and New Zealand.

The library will at its own expense keep the series up to date.

Having the New York Times on microfilm saves space but there are disadvantages—the machine for viewing the film is clumsy and noisy and could be disturbing to students working in the periodicals room.

Some of the library staff feel a special room is needed for the machine. At present no such room is available.