When the axe was first prominent we thought of the Rt. Hon. H. A. L. Fisher's words: "Wherever a Public Library is open careers are open-to every boy and girl who has a mind to profit by the resources made available"; and we hoped that the Poet Laureate would burst into song (after George P. Morris)thinking of each Public Library as a "Tree of Knowledge," and appealing to the man with the axe "-on behalf of the man in the street :

"

Good man, spare this Tree.
Touch not a single bough.
In youth it aided me ;

It helps my children now.

Some of this" cutting" at the expense of Libraries will affect future generations; but, of course, we can understand the uneducated mind of the type of economist” who says: "Posterity's done nothing for me, so why should I do anything for posterity?"

If you call starving an institution "economy" then Economy requires a new definition-and that definition may be either parsimony, narrow-mindedness, short-sightedness, or even foolishness. Such so-called economy isn't a virtue-it's a DISEASE.

You may "economize on anything to a point of stupidity. For instance, when "Mark Twain was present at the opening of the Kensal Rise Library in 1900, he stated: Truth is a valuable commodity-see that you economise it." Which proves that economy is a word open to ridicule.

With all this economy-feeling electrifying (or polluting) the atmosphere, it is more than ever necessary for those concerned in the welfare of Public Libraries to endeavour to influence public opinion to the full appreciation of the value of Public Libraries.

Realising the urgent necessity for publicity, I proposed to the Library Association that a special Publicity Committee should be formed, and it was mainly as the result of the support received from our Joint Conference of last year that a Publicity Committee came into existence-so it is appropriate that I should report briefly upon the health of the child to its foster-parents, so to speak.

Briefly, the aims of the Publicity Committee are as follows:To endeavour (by every means practicable) to influence public opinion to realise the necessity, importance, and value of Public Libraries in the educational and social welfare of the nation.

To direct public attention to the fact that the work of Public Libraries has invariably been hindered by lack of adequate financial support, and that the present cry for economy should not be permitted to starve such institutions and stifle their progress.

(The economy point is to the fore, you will observe.)

One of our objects is to educate the public as to the educational side of library work through the Press--but the Press in some cases needs educating first with regard to the national importance of libraries. Let me say here that many newspapers, both in London and the provinces, are very helpful to the Public Library Movement,

and we wish to express our appreciation to these enlightened journals for the assistance so freely given.

But, alas, there are others.

Only quite recently a paper in Yorkshire (we won't name it; it doesn't deserve a free advertisement) stated that it very much doubted whether the local Council "had just now any right to spend money on books." Just imagine

A Library without the books:

A paradox complete.

A baker's shop without the bread,

A butcher's without meat.

We question very much whether the Council has any right to spend money on newspapers either-we mean of this type. A paper which does not support Libraries has no right to receive any support from the Libraries. That Library Authority might cease to subscribe for the numerous copies it takes for its various Reading Rooms, and thus save enough money to buy a new book or two. Surely it is puny-minded on the part of a newspaper to advocate non-purchase of books when it should know the value of literature. We could forgive a costermonger for saying it, but not a newspaper.

Mr. Fisher said recently: "For the past few months the Press has been full of allusions to proposed 'cuts' in education. Public opinion has been enlisted upon the side now of educational expenditure, now of retrenchment." There is something to be said against this change of front. Now, after all this general propaganda about economy, we hope the Press will see its way clear to give a helping hand to the Public Library-which Mr. Fisher aptly describes as "The People's University."

Sir Charles Higham, M.P., said recently: "Publicity is the motive power of trade"-and some of us believe that it is an important factor in our work of the future.

If Necessity is the Mother of Invention, then Publicity is the Father of Popularity.

Think of the thousands of pounds spent annually upon publicity. Why, there is a Growers' £12,000 Publicity Scheme to boom tomatoes. The Library Association has a Publicity Scheme, but it hasn't £12,000.

You may remember the story of the newly-wedded couple. Two weeks after the wedding the husband met an old friend, who inquired how married life suited him. "Oh, all right," was the reply, "only my wife's always asking me for money." "Why, what does she do with the money you give her?" asked the friend. Whereupon the husband replied: "Well, you see, I haven't given her any yet."

Well, the Publicity Committee has not had any money granted to it yet, so we're doing our best to carry on for the present without. (Economy again.)

We specially want the co-operation of the Branch Associations, and we are issuing a circular-letter to each body showing the lines upon which each Branch can usefully operate in its particular area.

This publicity is directed to help the Library Movement nationally; and will thereby further the interests of every library locally.

The Publicity Committee is issuing a pamphlet on “Public Libraries and Education," embodying the opinions of leading educationists. We want every Library Authority to order and distribute copies throughout their respective districts-at public meetings of all kinds.

The Publicity Committee has been favoured with the co-operation of certain literary knights. Just as of old knights rode forth to champion the cause of the oppressed, so to-day various literary knights have come forward to champion the cause of the Public Libraries. Sir James Barrie, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, Sir Gilbert Parker, Sir Hall Caine, Sir Owen Seaman, and others have kindly acceded to our request and have specially written. statements to help us in our publicity campaign.

Sir Gilbert Parker stated: "As for Public Libraries, the extent to which they are used is profound evidence of their value. There is no man of sense who would not advocate and support these steps to a higher life, for that is what libraries are."

Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch wrote that "The true key to understanding is the key of a Library." Is it economy to deny the public the full use of such a key? we ask. And the answer is in the negative.

The collected views of these eminent men were published in the Times Literary Supplement, and reprinted elsewhere; and numerous other articles have appeared in various other papers to advance our views. There was a full-page article in Public Opinion, headed by our slogan: "The Public Library exists for the Public Service.'

But we want every paper to give us a helping hand.

We don't believe that people buy certain newspapers merely to obtain cheap insurance, nor solely for racing intelligence. We have a great opinion of the power of the Press; and we appeal to the Press of the land to help us to "broadcast" our views as to the value and possibilities of Public Libraries in the educational and social advancement of the people.

When once the public fully realises the services that can be rendered to them through the Libraries, there will be no question of inadequate provision. When there is any more "cutting" let the newspapers influence opinion in other directions than libraries -let them urge these "economists" to leave the libraries alone.

Let them remember that Mesopotamia used to be a blessed word, and that Economy is another word, but not so blessed! Let them forget Economy where Public Libraries are cerned, and substitute such words as "SUPPORT," "ADVANCEMENT," "PROGRESS."

con

Our campaign may not benefit the immediate present, but we are "futurists"—not artistically, but inasmuch as we are planning for the immediate future, so that whenever the question of Economy is raised again the answer from Press, Public, and all disciples of Progress will be-in clarion voice-" But not at the expense of Public Libraries."

LETTERS ON OUR AFFAIRS

DEAR CALLIMACHUS,

It is ages since I wrote to you, and ages since you honoured these columns with one of your effusions. Why this long silence, Callimachus? Make us acquainted with your thoughts. If If you can't write-if your hand is too shaky with-call it “old age buy yourself a wireless set. Which brings me to my subject, without more ado. If I could have resisted the temptation to make a bad pun I shouldn't have made even that much ado. However—

I've just been reading a paragraph in some local paper. I'm afraid I can't be more specific. The whole issue was sent to me, but as I sat and smoked and thought of something to write to you about I used up as pipe lighters the whole of that paper excepting the blue-marked paragraph which I propose to discuss. So while I cannot, I much regret, give full credit to the enterprising library authority mentioned in the paragraph, I will escape, I hope, the charge of poking fun at any pefinite town instead of at an idea. Not that I am exactly poking fun-but you'd better read the paragraph:

"The Public Libraries Committee is alive to the possibilities of wireless broadcasting and is having a report prepared on the local aspect of the subject. If the matter is to be taken up at all by the town as a town it would seem as if the Libraries Committee is the most appropriate body, being responsible for the dissemination of news and knowledge. When broadcasting and listening-in become, as they surely will, a feature of our ordinary life, what more natural than that common facilities should be provided for the townsfolk, just as reading rooms and libraries are provided ? Questions of accommodation and expense would have to be considered, but, given some enthusiasm, there is no reason why [somewhere— torn off] should not be a pioneer in this something-torn off]."

Eratosthenes and I, alas, oh, Callimachus, have forfeited our slender claims to be worthy of attention. Only a few short moons have waned-and a few short candles waxed-since we were discussing the topic of the

PLEASANT NEWSROOM,

plants and pots and spittoons and all complete. And we were so lacking in foresight, so ignorant of the striding progress of science, that we thought of newsrooms as places to which people came to read. We thought of newspaper stands and the lighting of our rooms, whereas, had we been up to date, we should have discussed their acoustic properties and made involved comparisons of the latest types of

BABBLING MACHINE.

At least we decided, Eratosthenes and I, that the newsroom should be separate from the reference-or definitely "reading room. But though we jest, the babbling machine will come. The pace of this world accelerates day by day. It may now satisfy the ordinary man to get his news within a few hours-excepting, of course, those most important of all news, football and racing results -but the time will come when that which happened ten minutes ago is material for the historian. I am quite prepared to believe in an age of tape machines, babbling machines, and other mysterious

mechanism for forcing a man to do twenty times as much work as he can do now; the only thing I am doubtful about is that mankind will survive the pace. Is it not an extraordinary thing, Callimachus, that every invention that saves time in the execution of any task, instead of saving time for the man who does it makes him hurry more? But that is not the point, just at the moment, Let us not worry our heads about the future. The present problem is "Shall a library bother its head about such things as wireless sets, and if not, why not ?”

Although there is no man living, I think, who believes more than I in the value of extension work, I must admit that this proposal does not appeal to me. It is surely not the work of a library authority to prepare a report on the local aspect of the wireless broadcasting. I wouldn't like to say off-hand whose work it is, but it isn't ours. It is, of course, not only permissable but desirable that the library should help all who are interested, in the same way that we help a man who wants to decide between Margate and Biarritz for a holiday, or who wants to increase the laying capacity of his hens. But we would not feel called upon to prepare a report on the local influences upon that laying capacity, to investigate the effect of the hard water upon the formation of eggshell or to account for the absence of vitamines in the corn sold by local dealers. It's not our job. Our job is quite big enough, without any of these

BUCKSHEE STUNTS.”

This newspaper says that, as it is "responsible for the dissemination of news and knowledge," "the library committee is the most appropriate body to take up this matter." As soon say that we should take up the question of the present high cost of books. We'd like to. But it isn't our job. No. When the wireless service is so well developed that the news-service provided is of such value as to form a necessary part of a library provision, when it is as essential to supplement the newspaper with the babbling machine as it is now essential to supplement the weekly review with the newspaper, then we will give the matter our attention; then we will bring out a new edition of Brown with a chapter on babbling machines; then we will see that the wireless service is the best available, as we now endeavour to exhibit newspapers as soon as possible after publication. In the meantime let us stick to our last and not try to combine tanning with cobbling.

Let us turn then from the things we shouldn't do to the things we should. Dr. Baker, in his new book, gives a list of them, which list will serve a double purpose-that of providing a definite programme for each library authority, and of showing the public what we can do with encouragement and support. Some Labour leaders have just published a book called " What We Want-and Why." This book by a Library leader could well be called WHAT YOU WANT-AND WHY," the "what" being an efficient library service. Dr. Baker has written a book that has long been wanting-one addressed not so much to the librarian (though it will be of great interest and value to him) as to the intelligent public, the by no means inconsiderable body of those who want to know about our aims, our difficulties,

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