THE NATIONAL CENTRAL LIBRARY Available to Purchase

The thirty‐fifth Annual Report of the Executive Committee of the National Central Library for the year ending 28th February, 1951, is of particular interest this year, in that it devotes some space to a history of the benefactions of the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust from the foundation of the library. Since 1948–9 the Trust had been gradually withdrawing its financial support, on the grounds that the library is now a national institution, and that its achievements justify support from national and local public funds. The year under review marks the final grant from the Trust. Apart from the gift of the Malet Place headquarters building, which cost £50,000 in 1933, the Trust has, since 1916, made direct grants to the library of £112,861. If all the benefactions of the Trust, including grants to the regional library systems and to outlier libraries, are taken into account, a total sum of £293,784 has been provided. The committee acknowledges ‘the far‐seeing, vital contribution the Trustees have made’.