The Library World Volume 39 Issue 10

This appears when the first pageantry of the Coronation is over; although London and many other towns are still fully decorated, and over most of our Empire the celebrations continue. Librarians will recall once more that the interest of George VI. in libraries was manifested when he undertook to open Sheffield's central library, and we know that he has promised to lay the foundation stones of important library extensions in the near future. If there are librarians—we do not know them—who think these examples of royal interest are of no particular moment, we can assure them that they do not interpret the common attitude of their people. It was King George V. who first gave significant recognition to the national value of libraries in modern times, and his words at the opening of Manchester central library, which were quoted by us at the time: “To our urban populations open libraries are as essential to health of mind as open spaces to health of body,” cannot be repeated too often, even if our county colleagues may ask if they are not also essential to our rural population.