The first library: Pietermaritzburg, 1910-1945
4.3. Library expansion, 1937 – 1945
4.3.2. Library staff, 1937 - 1945
The request by the Library Committee in 1935 to the Carnegie Corporation for a grant to purchase books had also included a request for funds to employ an assistant to help with the construction of a library catalogue. On 1 February 1937 a temporary typist, Miss S.
Nicholson, was employed for the express purpose of cataloguing and classifying the books. Apparently the Carnegie Corporation had made this a requirement for the granting of funds, as may be deduced from a statement made by the Chairman of the Durban Library Committee in his report for 1936 which said, “It is hoped, too, that the Carnegie Corporation will, seeing that the requirements are being met, be encouraged to give us funds which are urgently needed.”338
Whatever the reason, this initiative paid off and Nicholson’s hard work was much appreciated. In his report for 1937 the Librarian reported: “I cannot speak too highly of the valuable work she has done in cataloguing and classifying the books.”339 In 1939 Nicholson’s post was made permanent and during her term of employment she
336 Natal University College, Pietermaritzburg Library Committee, Chairman of Library Committee’s report, [1937], unpublished.
337 Natal University College, Pietermaritzburg Library Committee, Minutes of a meeting held on 13th March 1944.
338 Natal University College, Library report [Durban], 1936.
339 Natal University College, Report of the Librarian [Pietermaritzburg], 1937.
catalogued and classified the contents of the entire Library, barring the “Miscellaneous”
section, as well as undertaking the typing of a union list of scientific journals “held in Pietermaritzburg and surrounds” which had originally been compiled by Professor of Zoology, S.F. Bush.340 Upon her resignation in April 1943 to take up a position at the State Library in Pretoria her vacant post was advertised. Interestingly, it may be seen from the requirements as set out in the advertisement, that it was no longer considered good enough to have an interest in books. According to the advertisement, knowledge of cataloguing and classification was considered essential. Applicants were also required to state their qualifications, including their knowledge of languages and those applicants who possessed “advanced library qualifications”341 could be considered on a higher scale than that advertised. Obviously, the Library Committee had begun to recognise the importance of relevant qualifications, possibly as a result of Henry himself having undertaken the SALA correspondence courses on offer.
A sub-committee was convened to consider applications and finally Miss W.M. Snelling, who possessed a diploma from the University of London, was a Fellow of the British Library Association and had previous work experience at the Port Elizabeth Public Library, was appointed. She commenced duty on 20th July 1943 and, presumably due to her qualifications and previous experience, it was agreed that she should be paid on the higher salary scale of £200 x 20 - £300, starting on the £260 notch.342
Henry retired after 23 years’ service at the end of 1944. Snelling was appointed Acting Librarian and it was agreed that a temporary assistant be appointed to assist her until the proposed new staffing arrangements for the College Library could be put into effect.
An explanation of these is provided below.
In 1938 an offer was made by the Carnegie Corporation of New York which would have far-reaching consequences for the management of the Library. At the first Library
340 S. Nicholson, Scientific periodicals available for consultation in Pietermaritzburg, [Pietermaritzburg]: Natal University College Library, 1943. First mentioned at the Library
Committee meeting of 3rd March 1942; at the meeting of 6th May 1943 it was reported that the list had been completed. It listed 524 titles and also provided two indexes, one grouped by subject and the other grouped by country of publication.
341 Natal University College, Pietermaritzburg Library Committee, Minutes of a meeting held on 18th March 1943.
342 Natal University College, Pietermaritzburg Library Committee, Minutes of a meeting held on 6th May 1943.
Committee meeting of 1938,343 the Chair read out a letter received from the Carnegie Corporation of New York,344 seemingly the Corporation’s response to the request for a grant made in 1935. In addition to a book grant, the Corporation was prepared to offer a
“Carnegie Library Fellowship.”345 The minutes state that “A letter from the Carnegie Corporation with reference to an offer of a Carnegie Library Fellowship and grant for books was read to the meeting by the Chairman.”346
The offer, it seems, was the same or very similar to that made to Rhodes University by the Corporation as reported by Currey. In Rhodes University, 1904 – 1970, Currey mentions that in 1938 the University received a letter from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, offering a one year Carnegie Library Fellowship to enable a librarian to be trained in the United States.347
The Library Committee agreed to recommend to Council that the “full conditions and proposals as laid down in the letter”348 be accepted in principle. At the October meeting it was reported that a decision had been taken to set up a Selection Committee to “select a candidate for the post of Chief Librarian, Natal University College.”349 A circular letter inviting applications for the Fellowship and the post of Chief Librarian of the College was sent out on the same day. The letter stated:
The successful applicant will, after satisfactorily completing the year of overseas study be appointed as Chief Librarian of the N.U.C. (Pietermaritzburg and Durban) and will be required to give an undertaking to serve the College in this capacity for a period of three years following such appointment.350
Details of the salary scale are given: a starting salary of £450 for a man and £50 less for a woman. This differentiation in the salaries for men and women was in keeping with the
343 Natal University College, Pietermaritzburg Library Committee, Minutes of a meeting held on 15th March 1938.
344 No copies of this letter appear to have survived.
345 Natal University College, Pietermaritzburg Library Committee, Minutes of a meeting held on 15th March 1938.
346 Ibid.
347 Currey, Rhodes University, 1904-1970, p. 81-82.
348 Natal University College, Pietermaritzburg Library Committee, Minutes of a meeting held on 15th March 1938.
349 Natal University College, Pietermaritzburg Library Committee, Minutes of a meeting held on 18th October 1938.
350 Quoted in a letter from J.J. le Roux, Chair, Pietermaritzburg Library Committee, to the Registrar, Natal University College, 6th March 1942, unpublished.
accepted norms of the day and College policy.351 It was stated quite clearly that the Chief Librarian would be stationed in Pietermaritzburg. At the Committee meeting of 14th March 1939,352 the Chair announced that Dr H. Coblans had been selected for this Fellowship. Coblans, a graduate of the Natal University College and at that time a chemistry lecturer at Howard College in Durban, had been a member of the Durban Library Committee since 1936. He was thus no stranger to the functioning of a college library although at this stage he did not hold any library qualifications.
As is so often the case in matters such as this, events moved exceedingly slowly, to the chagrin of the Committee. They looked forward with anticipation to the Chief Librarian assuming his duties and had high hopes in the development of the College Library once Coblans commenced his duties as Chief Librarian. In a report presented by the Library Committee to a College committee investigating the present and future needs of the Natal University College, they hoped that there would be
... immediate developments in all branches of the Natal University College library, thus resulting in the library playing a more vital role in the educational life of the College (and of the Province).353
They thus recommended that “... Dr Coblans be released at the earliest possible moment to take up his Carnegie Fellowship. This matter is considered to be of the utmost
urgency.”354 It appears that the College Council was dragging its heels about releasing Coblans from his lecturing duties, but it was to be another five years before Coblans was in a position to take up office as Chief Librarian.