More than twenty agencies were visited in Lae, Madang, Kainantu, Ukarumpa, Goroka and Port Moresby. Despite news of increased violence during the week before my departure, once I arrived and for the duration of my stay, I did not feel the least bit uncomfortable. It is regrettable that this is not necessarily the case with the post-1975 collection. Our contact has diminished and PNG acquisitions have proven difficult - as, it seems, has been the experience of many other Australian libraries. The realities of life in PNG prohibit the likelihood of there being a permanent preservation collection of all national imprints maintained within the country.
Collections are at constant risk.
For these reasons, international researchers and library users with an interest in PNG affairs, as well as PNG students themselves, are reliant on the continued development of and access to solid collections elsewhere. Menzies Library and I was glad of the opportunity to talk with staff there proir to my departure. The University also has direct contact with some PNG agencies which are predominantly non-commercial institutes and research centres. While the ANU has the advantage of having staff engaged in work in the region, their PNG acquisitions are also somewhat 'retrospective' as they receive material from academics after they have finished working on an area of interest. The distances between regional centres and the terrain which must be covered in New Guinea adds to the sense of isolation - in only six days, we travelled over 880 km by road and considerable distances by air.