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Purpose - To give a snapshot of a noteworthy event in library history - the launch of the first issue of Libray Review , in 1927. Design/methodology/approach - The article is a reproduction of the first editorial notes. Findings - The notes illustrate the policy of the magazine as that of helping to advance the standard of library service by helping all who administer or minister to the service. It aimed to associate the message of the book with all kinds of social educational effort. Originality/value - The article provides historical information for information professionals. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
The preliminary announcement issued in connexion with this new magazine has aroused much interest amongst librarians and educationists and others doing work bearing on library activities. We are glad to record that the interest has been expressed in practical manner, and we feel that the magazine is assured of success. Librarians especially have been kind. Every man is a debtor to his profession, and it is only proper that support should be given to all instruments that express a professional ideal. In this connexion it may be desirable to state that the magazine will not compete with any existing library periodical. It has a field and a purpose of its own. It will view library work as social educational work of the highest importance and will endeavour to express its spirit and aims to all interested in books and their message. Its concern will be with county libraries, which have some 10,000 centres, and with libraries working in co-operation with them. The field is a wide one.
In publishing a popular magazine to express the best ideals of county and public co-operating libraries, we feel that we are also meeting a need of the average library reader interested in the everyday work of libraries. Public interest in libraries is now widespread and should be stimulated. To deepen that interest both in the case of the average reader and of all who serve libraries will be our chief aim. Books are a splendid bond of union between librarians and the most helpful elements in the community, but interest constantly requires to be stimulated.
How to stimulate and maintain this interest is a first-class problem. It can only be solved by the imparting of enthusiasm. And this applies most definitely to library work through local centres. In the most successful library schemes the librarian visits the centres as often as possible, and does personal propaganda. That is most effective. But we have not yet heard either here or in the States of a librarian being free to visit the centres as often as desire suggested. Visits are usually associated with the placing of a new collection; but the mere placing of a collection is of secondary importance to the opportunity afforded of pushing the scheme and of imparting enthusiasm for it. Visits are all too rare to be effective, and even the best of letters are poor propaganda. As an aid and as a regular "contact" we trust this magazine may break new ground, and help to serve as a friendly visitor at the centres.
But though a social educational and bookish magazine of the kind here presented, and definitely related to the work of local centres, should be of much interest and value, we are aware that it can be improved. In order to make it as useful as possible, we are prepared to "regionalise" it in terms of provinces. Thus the copies ordered in bulk for "Barsetshire" might contain one or two pages giving, say, the names and addresses of the local custodians; notes on book exchanges; intimations of local meetings, classes, and conferences; new rules; publicity information of all sorts; and any other special information which the county librarian or the education committee might desire to advertise. An arrangement of the kind would serve to knit up the scheme effectively and also save much routine correspondence.
The nature of contributions best suited for a magazine of this kind has been given much attention, and it has been decided that purely professional articles dealing with the technique of librarianship should not be published in it. On the other hand, we hope to publish in each number one or more articles dealing with the broader aspects of library work: the educational expression of the functions of library service. Such treatments should be interesting and helpful. There will also be library notes and news of a general sort to interest all readers. For the rest, each number will contain bookish articles and reviews by first-class writers; short classified bibliographies on special subjects; and a Dewey classified buying-list of new publications and of new editions suited for libraries.
We hope in these pages to discuss questions of book provision quite freely; and all such discussions and such lists as we publish will be in terms of our readers' requirements. We believe we can serve the publishers and help our subscribers at the same time. In the past five years, the large book distributing houses have been perfectly aware of the tremendous development that has taken place in the spread of county libraries and the reactions of these on the town libraries; but we feel that so far many firms of publishers have not really considered the movement as a great book buying scheme in the interest of a vast reading population. The attitude is a short-sighted one, as some of the county libraries are in a position to spend thousands of pounds per annum on books alone, and last year at least two had book appropriations of, respectively, £5,000 and £6,000. As a plain matter of fact, in the case of public book provision the county libraries are leading the way. It may be added that these libraries have requirements as to book stock of a nature rather different to those of town libraries, and they are all developing very rapidly. In the past they have done splendid work under exceedingly difficult conditions; but the future is with them.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the magazine has a clear-cut policy: that of helping to advance the standard of library service by helping all who administer or minister to the service. It will aim to associate the message of the book with all kinds of social educational effort. Whatever is being done nationally by any of the bodies whose work "contacts" in any way with library service will be discussed in its pages by those intimately in touch with such movements. Professional criticism, unless of a usefully constructive nature, will not find place in its pages. It will be published in consultation with the executive members of The County Library circle, members of The Library Association, and educationists of high standing.
This article was first published in Library Review , Spring 1927, No. 1, pp. 1-3. It has been included in this issue as part of a series of articles celebrating 80 years of the journal.
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