The Library World Volume 46 Issue 8

EVERYTHING in the library world at the present moment is influenced by the uncertainty of the war situation. This note has run through our editorial comments for many months past, and as the spring of 1944 approaches it becomes even more insistent. The resumption of the bombing of London by the Luftwaffe, although some papers minimize it on the grounds that it will achieve no military decision, is nevertheless sufficiently disturbing to interfere with the immediate prospects of libraries there. It is difficult to arrange any of those extra activities— lectures, reading circles and the like—which gave a certain liveliness to London libraries, while there is prospect of an evening siren. Most libraries, however, are continuing their ordinary work at a higher pressure than they have known even in peace‐time, or at any rate their issues are maintained week after week at the best peace level.