The latest additions from NZETC include another haul of new nineteenth-century material as well as some new(er) texts from OUP, Random House and VUP.
- Indirections: A Memoir 1909-1947, Charles Brasch (OUP, 1980)
- Recollecting Mansfield, Margaret Scott (Random House, 2001)
- State Authority, Indigenous Autonomy, Richard S. Hill (VUP, 2004)
- A Life of J. C. Beaglehole: New Zealand Scholar, Tim Beaglehole (VUP, 2006)
- Geoffrey Alley: Librarian, His Life & Work, W. J. McEldowney (VUP, 2006)
It’s an interesting route for the publishers and NZETC to take, especially for the titles only a few years old. Most of the e-ditions note that the publishers have given permission for inclusion in the collections (‘Digitisation authorised by…’ seems to be the lingo). Even Margaret Scott is given the chance to authorise her book’s inclusion.
Of note is the lack of an authority statement for the Brasch book, and one wonders if the VUP authors know their works are now online and freely available. Presumably these are out-of-print and unlikely to reprint so the authors aren’t losing any possible royalties. Free availability might even enhance reputations and increase sales of future books. Let’s hope the authors agree.