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2671 LG V. I

LIBRARY
SCHOOL

I

THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION RECORD,

JANUARY, 1899.

EDITORIAL.

T having been decided at the Annual Meeting at Southport that it was "imperative that the Journal of the Association should be the official organ and property of the Library Association," the Council took immediate steps to carry that decision into effect, and after much anxious deliberation submit this journal to the Association as representing what they hope will meet the general wishes of the fellows and members.

It will be readily admitted that the year in which the Association attained its majority-for it was on the 5th October, 1877, that the resolution was passed for founding the Library Association of the United Kingdom-a year which has already been signalized by the grant of a charter from the Crown, could not be more appropriately marked than by the Association being placed in possession of its own official organ.

The new policy has unfortunately involved a severance of official relations with The Library, which for ten years has been carried on by Mr. J. Y. W. MacAlister, with much ability and self-sacrifice.

While carefully avoiding anything in the nature of a boast of what we hope to perform, it may be well in this our first number briefly to define the proposed scope of our journal, and to point more directly to the results which we hope may follow from its establishment.

Our principal design is to furnish members of the Library Association, more particularly the country members, with the full and punctual information respecting the Association's proceedings which they have a right to expect. The Record is therefore, strictly speaking, a periodical report of the Library Association, primarily addressed to, and intended for, the use of its members.

But there is another and more ambitious design which we have in view. It is the establishment of a convenient medium of communication, not alone between members of the Library Association, but between librarians in all parts. of the English-speaking world. By this means each will be enabled to profit by the experience of the other, and a feeling

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will be fostered that all are engaged in a common work—a feeling which cannot be other than beneficial in its effects.

As regards its subject-matter, the Record will deal with all that concerns the library and bibliographical interests, and when we speak of bibliographical interests, we use the term "bibliography" in its broadest sense, as the science of books considered under all aspects.

In addition to the various departments included in the present issue, the scope of which is in each case briefly, but it is hoped clearly defined, we shall from time to time, as the space at our disposal permits, introduce others dealing with matters of interest alike to the librarian and bibliographer.

For example: all Library Catalogues and Reports, which may be sent to us for that purpose, will be carefully noticed, and their contents freely criticised-without fear or favour -after they have been tested by competent experts.

We shall likewise give prominence to all information relating to Book Sales, whether past or approaching.

We shall endeavour through the medium of our pages to turn wasted power to account, by inducing many competent members of the Association, who are at present unproductive, to take a more active part in promoting the welfare of the Association, and in advancing the still greater cause of education and culture, by contributing papers and articles, dealing with the subjects upon which they are entitled to speak and write with authority.

A further use of the Record will be to serve as a receptacle for Bibliographical Notes and Queries and adversaria. It frequently happens that a librarian in the course of his work lights upon scraps of interesting information, or perhaps discovers an inaccuracy in some work of authority. Yet, nothing comes of his discoveries, because he does not know where to send them. We hope, therefore, that our journal may become the natural depository of such fragments of knowledge, each perhaps insignificant in itself, but in the aggregate capable of leading to results of great interest and value.

We specially invite Communications from our professional brethren which may consist of views, criticisms and suggestions upon any subject that comes within the scope of bibliography and librarianship. There is, however, one condition which we must impose: that nothing in the nature of personality shall be indulged in; and we reserve to ourselves the right of systematically excluding anything that partakes of a personal character, or which is likely to create unpleasantness, or give offence to any member of our Association.

As Mr. Frank Campbell has elsewhere in the pages of

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