The Library World Volume 28 Issue 4 Available to Purchase

THERE was an air of expectancy about the audience which assembled at Draper's Hall on October 27th to hear the address with which the President of the Board of Education inaugurated the session of the London Branch of the Library Association. Quite unjustifiably, we fear, because it rested upon the expectation, or hope, that the noble and right honourable gentleman would deliver his views of library policy in anticipation of the report of the Trevelyan Committee. Lord Eustace Percy's speech was charming, was stimulating, and was an excellent statement of certain elementary ideals, which, though familiar to us all, cannot be emphasised too often. It was, indeed, exactly the type of speech which a cultured and skilful statesman must make (if he have the ability) to such an audience as ours, which would dearly have liked to hear him say something nearer to what was in their own minds. It said nothing whatever about the Committee, or even referred to its existence. Of course, no minister would or could anticipate the deliberations of any body which had not yet finished its work.