The United Nations at Auckland Libraries
A rich selection of 20th-century pamphlets, books and serials published by the United Nations (UN) has been transferred to our rare books collection. This sample, produced from the late 1940s onwards, shows how the UN marketed and communicated its policies and work on globally significant issues to the public.
Aside from documenting the core operations of the UN and other agencies, these publications also provide insight into the UN as a prolific publishing house, as well as trends in publication design, visual language, prose style and printing methods from the mid-20th century through to the decades before the internet.
Image: Poster from the former UN Documents collection: The Freedom Charter of South Africa
The United Nations: origins and purpose
The UN was established in the final months of World War II as an intergovernmental organisation to maintain peace and security through collective action, following the failure of its predecessor, the League of Nations, to achieve this. Its founding document, the UN Charter, was signed by 51 countries, including New Zealand, on 26 June 1945.
The UN has been variously perceived as a peacekeeping and humanitarian organisation that effects positive global change, as well as an exclusive club of elite countries that does not represent the wider world. An increasing global awareness of the complexities and complicities inherent in worldwide injustices pervades the UN’s current state: at risk of financial collapse, at odds with the US government and ineffective amid continuing warfare.
Auckland Public Library and the UN Depository Library Programme
The UN established the United Nations Depository Library Programme in 1947 as a vital network for disseminating official UN content worldwide. Auckland Public Library (APL), as Auckland Council Libraries was then known, became a depository library in 1948. This was considered an honour at the time and a sign of APL’s distinguished status. It was the only UN depository library in Aotearoa until 1975, when Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka also became one.
David Verran, local historian and former manager of the Central Research Centre, held the position of UN Documents Librarian between 1977 and 1989. He was responsible for all incoming material, much of which came from the European Economic Community (EEC) and the UN agency the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
During this time, the collection was based on the ground floor of the then newly built Central City Library, within the Commerce, Science and Technology department. At a time when information was disseminated physically, this collection was one of the few local places to find information about a range of industries across more than a hundred member states. This included annual statistics relating to trade and agriculture, as well as general information about foreign countries. Industry and material guides and specifications were useful for businesses and researchers investigating topics such as alternative energy sources, innovative building materials and fuel production.
The UN collection was used by all manner of researchers, including journalists, law school students and academics, as well as people and organisations interested in human rights. Many research queries came through ACTIS, the Auckland Commercial & Technical Information Service, which was formed to meet the information needs of businesses. Backed by university, government, industrial, commercial and research organisations, ACTIS operated out of APL in the 1970s and 1980s as the regional branch of SATIS, the Scientific and Technical Information Service.
Verran recalled that, at points during the 1980s, publications for the collection arrived daily. The number of FAO documents increased significantly, often resulting in a backlog awaiting processing. The collection eventually spanned approximately 275 linear metres of serials, books, pamphlets, resolutions, meeting minutes, newsletters, reports and guides.
Image: Pamphlets from the former UN Documents collection: Disarmament
Caring for and reassessing the UN documents collection
Niki Wright, who will soon be retiring after a long and distinguished career, was the International Documents and Law reference librarian in the early 2000s. At this time, new UN material was displayed on the first floor of Central City Library.
In her most recent role as Researcher Services Onsite Lead, Wright and her team revisited the UN documents, assessing their currency and usability. With more than two million records available through the UN Digital Library and previously published materials continuing to be digitised, an appraisal of the many documents held in the library’s basement was overdue.
The collection has been disestablished as a separate entity, and its materials are now dispersed throughout the library system. A significant portion of the collection has been made available for borrowing and transferred to the Research and Heritage Collections.
From UN depository libraries to the Knowledge Network
In 2025, the UN announced the discontinuation of the depository library programme and the transition towards a UN Charter Libraries Knowledge Network. The material transferred to Heritage Collections demonstrates the strength of the relationships between print publishers and libraries throughout the 20th century. It also highlights the enduring role of libraries as repositories of information and enablers of access to it.
Many thanks to current and former Auckland Council Libraries staff members for sharing their insights into the United Nations and International Documents collections: CJ Simmons, David Verran and Niki Wright.
Comments
Post a Comment
Kia ora! Please leave your comment below.