520. In Wales a different arrangement is in existence. The National Library has been able to supply all the classes with loan collections. 521. At first sight these arrangements seem unnecessarily complicated, except as regards Wales where circumstances have permitted a simpler system to arise. The creation of the Central Library for Students, and the large part it has played in recent years in supplying books to all types of classes, open up the question whether, in the interests of administrative simplicity, it would not be better to abandon all local and sectional schemes and to set up one central agency, which would necessarily be the Central Library for Students, as the sole means of providing all the classes of every type with the books which they require. 522. Such a proposal is attractive. It would relieve a large number of bodies which have very small funds. From a national point of view it might be the most economical arrangement. Given the necessary income to enable the Central Library to issue some 200,000 volumes a year, it would probably work well for a few years. The size of such a library would not be enormous, for it would be considerably less than that of one of our largest cities, Birmingham, Manchester or Liverpool. The administrative machinery required would not be unmanageable. Nevertheless we are convinced that it would not be in the best interests of the library system as a whole, and therefore not in the interests of the library users, to assign this work to the Central Library. We have dealt in the previous chapter with the functions and future development of the Central Library for Students, and we are convinced that some of the more important functions of such a Central Library as we contemplate would be seriously interfered with if that Library were to undertake the whole work of supplying all adult education classes with their loan collections. But the main objections which have weighed with us are based upon other considerations. 523. The responsibility for seeing that each class or each group of students is provided with an adequate supply of books rests upon. the body which undertakes the organisation of the courses of study. It is important that this responsibility should be preserved. The Supervising Bodies, by which we mean the committees responsible for the extra-mural work of the universities, can do much to raise or lower the standard of book selection. They approve the syllabuses of study and can insist on bibliographies being drawn up of such a character as to ensure that the students are made aware of the best authorities from all points of view. Hitherto, notwithstanding the difficulties involved in having to draw upon different sources for the book supply, there have been advantages in keeping up relations with local libraries and the university libraries. There would be a considerable risk in making the classes dependent upon one source alone. However well intentioned the administration of such a central lending library might be, it is hardly conceivable that it could satisfy everybody concerned. It would endeavour to mete out fair and equal treatment: but who is to judge what constitutes fair and equal treatment? It is a common experience in this field of work that one class requires twice or three times as many books as another class. One class may require much more expensive books than another. One class may desire a large number of cheap texts or books which the Central Library might consider it undesirable to stock. So long as various sources are available, friction is avoided and liberty of action is preserved. 524. The elasticity and the freedom of action which belong to the present arrangements are so valuable that we doubt whether any attempt to establish one sole source of supply would succeed. The more enterprising Supervising Bodies would almost inevitably want to do more than the less enterprising. The less efficient bodies would tend to devolve their responsibilities upon the Central Library. 525. Again, it is impossible to draw a sharp line between the supply of books in the form of the class loan collections and the books borrowed by individual members of such classes from local libraries. We have insisted on the importance of the distinction between these two sources, but it is well known that where there is a good local library, and a librarian willing to render assistance, tutors and students do make use of the local library facilities to supplement the books in the loan collections. It is important to encourage co-operation of this kind wherever it is practicable. The establishment of a single source of supply, if it were really adequate, would discourage the growth of such co-operation. The growth of adult education has already stimulated the local library system, partly through the direct demands of the classes and partly through the individual demands of past members of such classes now merged in the general body of readers. 526. Accordingly our recommendation is that the prime responsibility for organising the supply of books to adult education classes should remain with the Supervising Bodies. In some cases they may be able to draw all, or nearly all, that they need from a public library, urban or county. If so, and if the public library is prepared to undertake this task, well and good. If, however, the public library considers that it cannot spare funds for the multiplication of copies needed to meet the requirements of the classes, we do not think that it can be pressed to do so. Its first duty is to the general public. Even so, it can still help the classes considerably by the supply of books to supplement the main stock held by the Supervising Body, which in many instances is already of considerable magnitude. In some cases it may be able to provide accommodation for the Supervising Body's stock; in others it may be able to help through the advice of its librarian or by assistance in such matters as the binding and repair of books. In short, the public library, if not the first line of supply, will be a highly valuable second line; while the third line and ultimate reserve will be the Central Library. 527. It is necessary to take into account the great variety in the circumstances affecting the book supply for this particular purpose in the different parts of the country for different types of classes. As an instance we may compare the group of some twenty University Tutorial Classes organised by the University of Cambridge, and the classes organised in Cumberland by Armstrong College. The former group of classes is scattered over ten counties; the Supervising Body has an excellent library and a long experience in administering it. In Cumberland, on the other hand, the classes are new; the County Education Committee is able and willing to provide for their needs by an adaptation of its county library scheme. The Central Library for Students is called upon only to supplement the more local provision in either case. 528. The forty or fifty classes of various types in the five or six counties bordering upon Birmingham are at present mainly dependent upon the Central Library for Students, because the organisation of local supplies presents very great difficulties, and has hardly been attempted, whilst the University Library stock for this purpose is inadequate. It is unnecessary to describe the many different arrangements prevailing in the fourteen or fifteen areas into which the country is roughly divided for adult education. Uniformity is not to be looked for. The educational organisation is undoubtedly complicated. It has developed largely through voluntary efforts and through the co-operation of voluntary agencies with the universities and the local education authorities. It is in different stages of development in different areas, and there are many areas in which public authorities carry on work in adult education side by side with voluntary associations. We are not concerned with any question of reorganising the educational arrangements, but we are obliged to take these circumstances into account in proposing a co-ordination of the library service in relation to the needs of the classes. Fortunately this problem is less difficult than would appear at first sight. 529. Even under the present conditions all the classes succeed in obtaining a supply of books, in some cases an adequate supply. In other cases, however, the supply is meagre and the selection is hampered by the difficulty of obtaining exactly what is required. As we have said before, the line of least resistance would be to make the Central Library the chief source of supply wherever the other sources are inadequate, but we are convinced that the better policy is to strengthen the local resources, leaving to the Central Library the important function of supplying such books as cannot reasonably be supplied by the local public libraries or by the Supervising Bodies. The special stocks of books owned and administered by the Supervising Bodies require to be augmented. Some universities are in a position to provide the necessary funds, as the total amount involved is not very large. Where no such funds are available it may be found practicable for the local education authorities to contribute, seeing that they already recognise a certain responsibility for aiding this branch of higher education in their areas. In many areas, however, it will be found more convenient to make use of the new county libraries as the first source of supply. The methods by which most of these libraries are administered make it perfectly practicable to utilise them for the purpose of supplying the nucleus stock of standard books required by the classes. These can then be supplemented by further requisitions from the Central Library. The prime responsibility for seeing that the books are obtained will continue to rest with the Supervising Body in each case; and it is for them to make the local arrangements and the arrangements with the Central Library. Experience has already proved that on these lines all the most essential requirements of the classes can be met. 530. If such a system as is here outlined is to work well, it is highly desirable that the functions of the tutors of all classes in regard to the selection of books should be performed more systematically than they have been in the past. Many of the bibliographies drawn up in the syllabuses for Tutorial Classes are models of what is desirable as a guide to students; but as regards a large number of classes, no doubt owing to the uncertainty of being able to get more than a meagre supply, the selection of books recommended has left much to be desired. If the various sources of supply are to be drawn upon, and a proper co-ordination is to be established, a systematic treatment of the requisitions is necessary. The local libraries which co-operate will naturally desire to furnish such books as are likely to be of more general use; the Central Library will tend to furnish the more exceptional books. As an aid in determining the most appropriate division of function between the two or three libraries concerned, systematic bibliographies closely related to the courses of study should be insisted upon by the Supervising Bodies, and should be communicated to the libraries concerned. As these bibliographies increase in number arrangements for their systematic interchange between areas will no doubt be developed. Chapter VII. LIBRARY LAW. (a) A consolidating measure. 531. At present the Acts governing the provision of public libraries in England and Wales are: Public Libraries Act, 1892 (55 & 56 Vict. Ch. 53). Public Libraries (Amendment) Act, 1893 (56 Vict. Ch. 11). Public Libraries Act, 1919 (9 & 10. Geo. 5 Ch. 93). 532. The Public Libraries Acts of 1892 and 1901 are also affected in some degree by the Ministry of Health (Public Libraries, Museums and Gymnasiums, Transfer of Powers) Order, 1920, (Statutory Rules and Orders, 1920, No. 810), and by Section 2 (6) of the Rating and Valuation Act, 1925. 533. We have had occasion to make a substantial number of recommendations in the Report which relate to clauses of these Acts. Some of our proposals are of minor importance and are directed to the removal of irritations rather than disabilities in the public library service. Others, e.g., those relating to the empowering of every form of combination and co-operation, represent a vital necessity of the library movement and it is our hope that in these circumstances legislative sanction will be given to them without delay. 534. Assuming, therefore, that a Public Libraries Bill is necessary, we have considered the existing measures and are not satisfied that the best method of procedure will be an amending Bill. Owing, in part, to substantial changes in local government powers and responsibilities since the Act of 1892, much of the terminology in the early Acts is out of date. Each successive Act has effected modifications or repeals in earlier Acts, and important provisions have found their way into an obscure Statutory Rule and Order, so that it is a matter of great difficulty to find out, except after considerable research, the precise state of the law in regard to many matters of importance. It is desirable that the law relating to public libraries (administered as it is mainly by laymen) should not only be clearly stated but should be readily accessible. This circumstance appears to have been recognised in 1892 when the seven previous Acts were consolidated and amended, and we have no hesitation in recommending that the present opportunity should be taken to consolidate the 1892 Act and subsequent Acts so as to provide for the needs of the library movement to-day. 535. We have endeavoured in the following pages to indicate the more important provisions which should be contained in a |