In connection with the opening of the SHEFFIELD Central Lending Library on the open access system on June 1st, a handy and most useful booklet explaining the new facilities has been published. In its ten pleasingly-arranged pages readers are instructed in the use of the catalogues, the arrangement and classification of the books, and the issue methods, and gives interesting information on the various departments of the library system.

Congratulations to the Publicity Committee of the L.A. on the excellent way in which their present campaign is being conducted. The Association seems to be making a better job of this than of anything it has tackled for many years.

ROYAL LEAMINGTON SPA PUBLIC LIBRARY.-A further sum of £250 having been subscribed by local contribution towards the extinction of the building debt, the Committee have just received from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust another grant of £250 for the same subject.

Since 1915 the total sum of £2,000 has been received in voluntary contributions towards the liquidation of the debt, of which sum the Carnegie Trustees have contributed £1,500.

PERSONAL.

MR. D. W. HERDMAN, Deputy Librarian, Sunderland, has been appointed Chief Librarian, Cheltenham.

Chief Assistant

MR WILLIAM HOLT-JACKSON, Chief Assistant Librarian, Sunderland, is shortly to take over the new and second-hand bookselling business of the late John Cotterill, of 5, Lord Street, Blackburn, Lancs. The business, which has been established for over 30 years, is in a good centre where Mr. Holt-Jackson will be known to many members of the profession.

NOTE.

Next month will see the Summer School at University College, London, and after it will follow the School at Aberystwyth. We trust that all library workers who are rusty, or who desire to systematize their learning, will attend one or other of these two schools. The library profession is now large enough to make both successful; and, to be quite frank, there was never greater need of them than now. The fees and other costs are probably the very best investment than any young librarian (or older one for that matter) can make.

REVIEWS.

PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE.

VAN MEEL (JAN) Openbare Boekerijen, vak-en kinderbibliotheken, leeszalen, reizende boekerijen: practisch handboek voor hunne inrichters en bestuurders [Public libraries, branch and children libraries, reading rooms, travelling libraries: practical handbook for their arrangers and managers]. 8vo, 176 pp. Brugge & Antwerpen, 1921.

This Text Book marks a turning point in the history of Public Libraries in the Low Countries. The growing demand for library provision in Holland and Belgium is known to all, but whereas formerly library work was at the stage when individual workers sought experience in other countries, studied foreign methods, and in short were in the period of experiment and small beginnings, now it would seem that a general notion of national needs has been evolved. They will continue to experiment and study, as we need to do, but at least there is accepted, and now formulated, a definite understanding of the principles of library economy adapted to the needs of their public. At once it is clear that the needs are different from ours in that these countries are essentially rural and not essentially urban-hence the greater attention given to the smaller distributing agencies.

Mr. Van Meel has written an excellent handbook, as might be expected from one who, as secretary of the [Antwerp] provincial commission on public libraries and Flemish literature, has had unique opportunities. Though written primarily for the library workers of the Flemish-speaking districts of Belgium his book will find even more readers in Holland, for it provides a practical text-book such as must have often been needed by the Dutch librarian. It is a small Dutch Brown-Sayers, in fact. Its scope is much that of our English text-book, though it is only fair to say that apparent similarities in the arrangement of the divisions of the text can only be due to the natural division of the subject itself, as the writer regrets that the new edition of Brown (described as "a remarkable book ") was published too late for it to be of as much assistance as it might have been. As it stands the book is a model of what a short text-book of library economy should be. Excluding Brown there is no similar work to compare with it for comprehensiveness, brevity, clear arrangement and up-to-dateness. It is the result of a careful study, not of the painfully evolved methods of any one school or country but of an examination of the best achievements of librarians of all countries, and in that, to a large extent, rests its success. The public library movement in Holland and Belgium can be saved much of the abortive experiments we in England have gone through, but only by the publication of such a text-book as this of Mr. Van Meel, who will have earned the thanks of all his co-workers. -L. R. McC.

Baker (E. A., D.Lit.) THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. Demy 8vo, cloth, 250 pp., illustrated. Daniel O'Connor, 1922. 12s. 6d. net.

Review to follow.

LIBRARY REPORTS.

HOVE (BOROUGH). Twenty-ninth annual report of the Public Library Committee, 1921.

LIBRARIAN: John William Lister. £2,213 (from rate, 1 1/5d., £1,855).

Population, 46,519. Income,
Expenditure, books, binding

and periodicals, £445; salaries and wages, £1,109; fabric charges, £544. Stock Lending, 21,777; reference, 11,087. Issues: Lending, 124,719; reference, 13,110; children's lending, 34,427; children's reference, 643.

All-round progress is reported, but the feature of the report is the account of the first 18 months' work of the children's library. This department " has

been the means of introducing the pleasures of reading into many new homes. The question is frequently asked, 'Where can I get a ticket for my mother? or Will you give me a book that father can read? There is a spirit

of comradeship or affection between the children and the staff which helps materially the work of both;" and, be it added, this comradeship, so helpful in all departments, is a thing much more easily established with readers when they are young than later on--which is another strong argument in favour of juvenile departments and also an argument to show the necessity for a wise choice of the juvenile librarian. Some assistants will do much more to bring about this comradeship than others, and they are the assistants to choose, whenever possible, for this important work.

The facilities granted to students by the GATESHEAD Public Library, as stated in the "Catalogue of Books in the Educational Section "a select, entry-a-line classified list-are particularly

generous.

(1) All students are allowed to borrow four books at one time. Three of these must be of a non-fictional character while the fourth ticket may be used for borrowing fiction or another book of non-fiction. All books so borrowed will be allowed out the regulation period of 15 days. Books are renewed only when not in demand by other borrowers.

Y (2) Books contained in the Reference Library (except those in the local collection, atlases, dictionaries, encyclopædias, directories, and the like) may be issued, at the discretion of the Librarian, for a period not exceeding seven days, on the understanding that should such books be required for reference the borrower will return the same immediately on receipt of a postcard, the price of such postcard to be paid by the borrower.” SOUTHEND-ON-SEA (COUNTY BOROUGH).

Annual Report of the

Public Library and Museum Committee, 1921-22.

BOROUGH LIBRARIAN AND CURATOR: William Pollitt. Population, 106,021. Expenditure on Library and Museum, £7,600. Lending, 19,775; reference, 1,090.

reference. 2,494.

Stock:

Issues Lending, 247,420;

This, the sixteenth, annual report shows not only a remarkable increase in the issues but, what is even more pleasing, in the stock. The population of Southend has more than doubled since the inauguration of the library system and proportionate increase in stock could scarcely be expected. Furthermore, the initial stock was none too large, and the lean years of the war have had their baneful influence; so it is well to hear that over 2,200 volumes were added during the year, and that this building up is to be continued, as the librarian (of course) and the committee (being wiser than many) are convinced that "the success of the library depends almost entirely on the stock of books available (and to some extent on their good condition), and also on the constant supply of an adequate number of new books." The library position, owing to the unusually rapid growth of the town, has been undoubtedly a difficult one, and the issue figures for this year-the total was 249,914-show that this position is being well handled.

No doubt much of the increase was due to the abolition of that Victorian system known as the indicator" method, readers now being given that right of all free men open access to the shelves. Additional shelving was provided, and the necessary alterations were so carried out that no closing of the library was necessitated.

The work of the school libraries maintained the excellent standard of an issue of 32,000 as in the previous year.

BULLETINS.

The feature of this quarter's issue of the NOTTINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARIES BULLETIN is an illustrated article on the Nottingham poet, Philip James Bailey. The attention of local readers is drawn also to the work of another writer who was born in that townDr. L. P. Sacks.

Yet another issue of the Technical Book Review Index, issued by the Technology Department of the Carnegie Library of PITTSBURGH, brings forth our supplications to the authorities of that library that they should provide a classified index to this publication. With a subject guide this would be an invaluable aid to book selection; without it-well, life is short. In England we, with our limited funds, not only need to know what reviews say about a given book, but we need also to know what books there are, on our special subjects, to be reviewed. Of course, this is looking a gift horse in the mouth-and it's a fine horse.

GENERAL.

4to,

Geary (Marjorie Crane) FOLK DANCES OF CZECHO-SLOVAKIA. cloth, x. +54 pp., illustrated, music. New York: A. S. Barnes & Co. London: Grafton & Co., 1922. 12s. 6d. net.

Three hundred years of oppression and repression among the people of Czecho-Slovakia has fostered the growth of national folk poetry and dancing that has much beauty and originality. The book before us contains over twenty of the Czech dances, arranged in order of difficulty; the steps of each dance are described in detail so clearly that the pupil has no difficulty in learning the movements. A simple arrangement of the original music accompanies each dance. A valuable feature of the book is the interesting series of illustrations, which show Czech dancers performing their national dances.

The work cannot fail to appeal to librarians, educational authorities and teachers, who will find the folk songs and dances which originated in the minds of the simple peasants of Czecho-Slovakia a treasury of musical beauty. BOOKPLATES, by Frank Brangwyn, R.A., with a Foreword by Eden Phillpotts, and a Technical Note by E. Hesketh Hubbard. Crown 4to, cloth, 69 plates. The Morland Press, 1920. 42s.

EX-LIBRIS AND MARKS, by Ludovic Rodo, with an Introduction by Frank Brangwyn, R.A. Crown 4to, wrappers. The Morland Press, 1921. 3s. 9d. net.

BOOKPLATES, by Pickford Waller, with an Introduction by W. G. Blaikie Murdoch. Crown 4to, wrappers. The Morland Press, 1921. 3s. 9d. net.

Librarians who were interested in the little article published by us last month on Bookplates for Libraries might do worse than to examine carefully this interesting series of bookplates by well-known artists. These are examples of work that is practically free from heraldic design, and the artists have created a type of bookplate that is unconventional and that is noticeable for its fluent beauty, humour and imagination.

BOOKS RECEIVED.

ANDREW MARVELL, 1621-1678. Tercentenary Tributes, by The Right Hon. Augustine Birrell, The Right Rev. H. Hensley Henson, D.D., T. S. Eliot, Cyril Falls, Edmund Gosse, H. J. Massingham, J. C. Squire, and Edmund Wright. Edited, with an official record of the Tercentenary Celebrations at Kingston-upon-Hull

and in London, by Wm. H. Bagguley, F.L.A., City Librarian of Hull. Cloth, crown 8vo, 132 pp., four portraits and nine other illustrations. Humphrey Milford, 1922. 6s. net.

Barr (J.) THE CITY OF AUCKLAND, 1840-1920. Cloth, crown 8vo, 260 pp. Auckland, Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., 1922. A History of the City of Auckland, compiled by the Chief Librarian of that city.

Byrne (Donn) MESSER MARCO POLO. Crown 8vo, cloth, 154 pp., illustrated. Sampson Low, Marston and Co., Ltd., 1922. 6s. net.

Hocking (Silas K.) THE GREATER GOOD. Cloth, crown 8vo, 278 pp. Sampson Low, Marston and Co., Ltd., 1922. 6s. net.

Chatwyn (Alys) THE TALK OF THE SCHOOL. Cloth, cr. 8vo, 240 pp., illustrated. The Epworth Press, 1922. 5s. net.

LIBRARY ASSISTANTS' ASSOCIATION.

NORTH WESTERN BRANCH (LIVERPOOL AND DISTRICT DIVISION). THE members of the Liverpool and District Division spent a joyous time on Friday, May 12th. Leaving the Reference Library, William Brown Street, Liverpool, at half-past two in the afternoon, the party (exceeding 40 in number and including Mr. G. T. Shaw, Chief Librarian of Liverpool, and Miss Shaw) proceeded by motor coach to Sefton, where they were met by Professor Sir William and Lady Herdman, Miss Herdman, the Reverend J. A. Hobson, and Mr. W. E. Gregson.

An interesting visit was then paid to the Church of St. Helen, a splendid example of Gothic ecclesiastical architecture and one of the most notable old churches in South-West Lancashire, dating back to the early part of the 14th century.

After leaving Sefton, the party were cordially entertained to tea at Ince-Blundell Hall, the magnificent Lancashire seat of C. J. Weld-Blundell, Esq. Ince Blundell Hall, the residence of the Blundell family since the days of the Conquest enjoys a European reputation for its priceless art treasures, which comprise by far the largest private collection of antique marbles in the country. The statues, some six hundred in number, are chiefly Greek and Roman, although some modern sculptors are represented. The pictures in the Gallery comprise the works of Andrea del Sarto, Michael Angelo, Teniers, Canaletto and Gainsborough.

Later the members resumed their seats in the motor coaches and sped off to Southport, where they spent an enjoyable hourand-a-half. At half-past eight the party bade farewell to Southport, and arrived back in Liverpool at ten o'clock.

This excursion, one of the most pleasurable the Liverpool District has ever organized, formed a fitting conclusion to the successful series of meetings held during the winter months.