Save the National Library Overseas Published Collection

The National Library of New Zealand has made an appalling mistake in deciding to abandon its wonderful collection of 600,000 overseas books.  Our national library must be  at the heart of the culture of Aotearoa New Zealand,  where we see ourselves as part of a global community, and not as an insular, narrow minded country engaged only in navel gazing. 

This collection has been built up by many generations of New Zealanders at considerable expense.  It must be retained for the people of New Zealand now and into the future.  We appeal for an immediate moratorium on any book disposals until the collection can be reviewed in a considered way and the future of the National Library in the Department of Internal Affairs is resolved.

We cannot allow the National Library to retreat into a narrow mindset and dispose of our wonderful taonga of precious books.  All other national libraries around the world retain their collections, do not willingly dispose of them, and have collections from other countries.  We owe this to our children.  It is not too late to save this collection if we take action today.