Commonplaces

IT IS A sobering thought that the Canadian Library Association's 31st annual conference last month attracted about 1000 librarian‐delegates to discuss the library needs of ethnic groups; this from a total Canadian population just 40% of the UK's. This year's LA conference in Scarborough in September is the first of the new‐style ‘national’ gatherings, and it must be hoped that the unlimited range will draw a record attendance; but it is not likely to be anywhere near commensurate with the CLA. I realise the problems, but effort must surely start to be given towards drawing much wider representation of all professional sectors and tiers at the British annual conference in future years. The goodwill is there on the association's part. It is the employers, 1 fancy, who have got to be pressed into releasing and funding staff, allied also to a withholding of suspicion by those librarians who still view the LA as an association of public librarians.