Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/337

 A British Library Bureau. 325 Does the former refer to a bathing machine proprietor, or to a tour round the music halls with a performing walrus ? Again, how very few, if any catalogues give information about the subject-matter of important novels, or even their proper sequence when part of a series ? Look at the extra- ordinary and indiscriminate muddle of entries usually found in alphabe- tical order only under such names as Balzac, Cooper, Dickens, Dumas, Scott, Trollope, &c. Although a librarian may know that Lytton's Harold is an historical novel, probably not one per cent, of his readers does. In the catalogue of a free library in a large west of England city, issued only a short time ago, I find Le Sage's Gil Bias under Smollett as the author ! This kind of ignorance of elementary literature prevails to a very great extent, and, with the utter lack of serious effort to assist readers in public libraries to understand what books are about, is the sort of thing which requires exposure in a journal like THE LIBRARY. But not on the lines of past attempts, which took almost a personal form by naming individual library catalogues. My proposal is that THE LIBRARY should publish lists of new catalogues giving such bibliographical details as may prove valuable as a record, and that comments on the whole batch be added, which could be made to embody all kinds of suggestions for improvement and references to defects, without singling out any library or individual. No librarian with the progress of the profession at heart could possibly object to such a course, which I am confident would have beneficial results both to librarianship and the public. W. A. H Brftfsfo OLfbrars Bureau. WE are pleased to hear that a Library Bureau will shortly be opened at 21, Bloomsbury Street, near the British Museum. Five or six years ago we strongly urged that an attempt should be made to establish a British Library Bureau, and we endeavoured to enlist support among the members of the Library Association, but as necessary funds could not be guaranteed nothing came of our efforts at the time. If conducted on proper lines, as we have every reason to believe it will be with Mr. Cedric Chivers as manager there can be no doubt the Bureau will prove of great value to the library world. Hssocfation IMPORTANT NOTICE. THE members of the Association are invited by the Rt. Hon. the Lord Mayor to meet in the Mansion House, London, on Thursday, October 18, 1894, at 8 p.m., when a paper will be read by Mr. Charles Welch, Librarian to th Corporation of London : " THE PUBLIC LIBRARY MOVEMENT IN LONDON : A REVIEW OF ITS PROGRESS, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR ITS CONSOLIDATION AND EXTENSION." Richard Garnett, Esq., LL.D., Ex-president of the Association, will take the chair. Members and their friends who intend to be present are requested to send in their names to the Hon. Sec. of the Association.