THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
The passage through Parliament of a new Public Libraries Bill was effected with the minimum of friction—one might almost say "of interest." But public libraries, accustomed as they have been through fifty years to Legislative stonings, can hardly yet realise that they have in their hands at length the very bread of life. For some, that statement "renews the unspeakable anguish" of dissolution—of the day when they closed their doors to the public from sheer inability to exist. Others may witness to a miracle of healing, rescue when in extremis. Others, again, survey the newly-granted means wherewith to end bravely contracted debts. But the majority become slowly conscious that the burden has fallen from their backs, and that they may go forward with a lighter step to a far brighter future. The removal of the rate limit will effect a revolution in public library practice; but its results cannot become at once apparent. It rests with individual library authorities to make a rate each year—to afford their charges the opportunity, as they now possess the power, of proving to all sections of the public that they are necessities and not luxuries. That some of these Councils will fail is certain—the public library idea is not yet sufficiently commended to minds with the parish pump ideal; and only external pressure and the education of the general public in library values will bring certain painfully parochial legislators into line with their opportunities. In London the situation is diverting; one Metropolitan Borough has awakened rather late to its peril, and like a surprised bather is frantically making for shore; with a desperate consciousness that close behind is the shark-like shadow of the London County Council. Other two Boroughs must be in doubt as to whether their very exiguous libraries, possessed of neither service nor system—neither use nor ornament—will place them out of reach of attack. And, if so, for how long? Other legislation is foreshadowed, and the Library Association (deeply grateful that the long years in the wilderness have ended) intends to bring libraries to all the people as a necessary preliminary to bringing all the people to the libraries.
A correspondent writes of a report in our first issue: "On page 109 you state that our forty-second annual meeting marked 'a definite cleavage between librarians and the Board of Education' with respect to future library policy. Here you innocently place the Association in a false position. The third interim report, the subject of the discussion to which you refer, was that of a committee appointed by the Ministry of Reconstruction, and was addressed to that Ministry. The Minister of Education considerately invited the opinion of the Library Association on that report. The Library Association, whilst approving certain recommendations contained therein, differed from others, and submitted a reasoned statement of its views to the Board of Education, as a reply to Mr. Fisher's request. It is therefore obvious that there is no 'cleavage' between librarians and the Board of Education; and an incorrect statement to that effect would give a wrong and damaging impression of the facts. Moreover, the Library Association is by no means exclusively composed of librarians. A very considerable proportion of those present at the Southport meeting were members of library authorities, many of whom were also members of education committees."