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Purpose – Researchers use the concept of biosociality and a disability studies framework of empowerment to present and analyze examples of community formation and participation for youth with pediatric multiple sclerosis.

Methodology – The data were collected using participant observation, individual and focus group interviews during Teen Adventure Camps held in the summers of 2004–2009 and an Educational Transition Retreat held in the fall of 2008.

Findings – Evidence of community formation and identification include the development of formal and informal systems for mutual support and mentoring, as well as transformations in self-perception and collective identity. Challenges to community formation include differing perspectives about disability-pride vs. diagnosis-specific affiliations.

Research implications – This research indicates that there are many pathways to individual and community identification which may include and even intertwine both diagnosis-specific and disability-pride approaches. The process of community formation is transformative, thus preferences with regard to community identification should not be considered stable, but rather understood as a developmental process that may change over time.

Originality/value of paper – Building upon social and minority group theories, this research moved beyond social critique to develop and implement strategies for community development, individual, and group empowerment.

Liat Ben-Moshe is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her dissertation, as part of a PhD in Sociology and Disability Studies at Syracuse University, examined abolitionary demands to close down repressive institutions that house those labeled as criminals, mentally disabled, and mentally ill. Liat has written on topics such as the International Symbol of Access, inclusive pedagogy, academic repression, disability, anticapitalism and anarchism, queerness and disability, deinstitutionalization and incarceration, and the politics of abolition.

A pæan of joy and triumph which speaks for itself, and which is a very true indication of how the question of poisonous adulteration is viewed by certain sections of “the trade,” and by certain of the smaller and irresponsible trade organs, has appeared in print. It would seem that the thanks of “the trade” are due to the defendants in the case heard at the Liverpool Police Court for having obtained an official acknowledgment that the use of salicylic acid and of other preservatives, even in large amounts, in wines and suchlike articles, is not only allowable, but is really necessary for the proper keeping of the product. It must have been a charming change in the general proceedings at the Liverpool Court to listen to a “preservatives” case conducted before a magistrate who evidently realises that manufacturers, in these days, in order to make a “decent” profit, have to use the cheapest materials they can buy, and cannot afford to pick and choose; and that they have therefore “been compelled” to put preservatives into their articles so as to prevent their going bad. He was evidently not to be misled by the usual statement that such substances should not be used because they are injurious to health— as though that could be thought to have anything to do with the much more important fact that the public “really want” to have an article supplied to them which is cheap, and yet keeps well. Besides, many doctors and professors were brought forward to prove that they had never known a case of fatal poisoning due to the use of salicylic acid as a preservative. Unfortunately, it is only the big firms that can manage to bring forward such admirable and learned witnesses, and the smaller firms have to suffer persecution by faddists and others who attempt to obtain the public notice by pretending to be solicitous about the public health. Altogether the prosecution did not have a pleasant time, for the magistrate showed his appreciation of the evidence of one of the witnesses by humorously rallying him about his experiments with kittens, as though any‐one could presume to judge from experiments on brute beasts what would be the effect on human beings—the “lords of creation.” Everyone reading the evidence will be struck by the fact that the defendant stated that he had once tried to brew without preservatives, but with the only result that the entire lot “went bad.” All manufacturers of his own type will sympathise with him, since, of course, there is no practicable way of getting over this trouble except by the use of preservatives; although the above‐mentioned faddists are so unkind as to state that if everything is clean the article will keep. But this must surely be sheer theory, for it cannot be supposed that there can be any manufacturer of this class of article who would be foolish enough to think he could run his business at a profit, and yet go to all the expense of having the returned empties washed out before refilling, and of paying the heavy price asked for the best crude materials, when he has to compete with rival firms, who can use practically anything, and yet turn out an article equal in every way from a selling point of view, and one that will keep sufficiently, by the simple (and cheap) expedient of throwing theory on one side, and by pinning their faith to a preservative which has now received the approval of a magistrate. Manufacturers who use preservatives, whether they are makers of wines or are dairymen, and all similar tradesmen, should join together to protect their interests, for, as they must all admit, “the welfare of the trade” is the chief thing they have to consider, and any other interest must come second, if it is to come in at all. Now is the time for action, for the Commission appointed to inquire into the use of preservatives in foods has not yet given its decision, and there is still time for a properly‐conducted campaign, backed up by those “influential members of the trade” of whom we hear so much, and aided by such far‐reaching and brilliant magisterial decisions, to force these opinions prominently forward, in spite of the prejudice of the public; and to insure to the trades interested the unfettered use of preservatives,—which save “the trade” hundreds of thousands of pounds every year, by enabling the manufacturers to dispense with heavily‐priced apparatus, with extra workmen and with the use of expensive materials,—and which are urgently asked for by the public,—since we all prefer to have our foods drugged than to have them pure.

THERE IS SIGNIFICANCE, perhaps, in the fact that in 1876, the year the first library in Moberly, Missouri, probably disappeared, a Wizard came to town. Professor Macallister, the Prince of Magic Performers, gave ‘great entertainments’ for three days, April 3rd, 4th and 5th, at Morgan's Opera House. ‘Without a peer in his line of business’, and ‘a gentleman whom it is a pleasure to know’, wrote the editor of the Moberly Enterprise‐Monitor (the first daily published in Moberly, its first issue dated 3 April 1873). ‘Do not be misled by classing the great East Indian magician with inferior traveling concerns, styling themselves Fakirs, etc. They not only injure reputations of first class magicians, but they give their patrons snide jewelry and sham watches for presents.’ Not so Professor Mac‐allister, who, in addition to his first‐class performance, distributed one hundred costly and valuable presents each evening: china tea sets, chamber sets, tête‐à‐têtes, chairs, marble‐topped tables, bureaus, American watches. Wisely, too, these articles were not brought out of the Wizard's hat but were purchased by his canny manager, Mr Harry Weston, from the business houses in the town. Any resident—or visiting drummer—for 25 cents (50 cents reserved seat) could see a true Wizard perform and also have a chance of winning atête‐à‐tête or a chamber set.

Men make war; women make peace. Men make war; women make children. Men make war because women make children. Because men make war, women make children. Women make peace because they make children.

We offer our readers a special Norwich Conference Souvenir number of “The Library World” which we trust they will find of permanent interest. It contains several features to which we wish to draw their attention. With regard to our article “The Library Association: Old and New Councillors” we thank those who have so kindly sent us details of their career. It has unfortunately been impossible in the short time at our command to obtain portraits of more than a few of the Councillors, and we have therefore decided to omit them in the hope that at some future opportunity we may be able to get together a more complete collection.

The Conference of the Library Association, which took place at T Bristol, on September 25th to 2Sth, 1900, will be remembered chiefly as a highly successful and enjoyable series of social events, for which the local arrangements were admirable. The atmosphere of the old city itself, with its memories of Cabot, Chatterton, the Slave Trade, and John Silver, to name only the more romantic, threw a glamour over the whole meeting, and the consequence was that, even the small rump of practicality which had been added to the proceedings for the look of the thing, was absorbed in the interest of the surroundings. Who was going to waste time, had there been any to waste, discussing the value of abstract lectures on—say bees, to public librarians, when, outside in the fresh, open air, dainty bands of Red Maids challenged attention, and the magnificent gorge of Clifton fascinated every lover of books and nature ? It was putting too great a strain upon the enthusiasm of members to expect them to forsake the beauties of a fine city for a bare and flavourless hash of papers which would do little credit to the smallest local branch of the Association. We do not in any way reflect upon the literary ability of most of the papers presented, which was uniformly high, nor upon their antiquarian interest, which, again, was great ; but we must deny the utility of most of the papers which were read, as incentives to discussion, or as in any way forwarding the main cause for which the Library Association was formed. Fourteen papers were put down for discussion, and of these only five had any direct connection with library work. Three others had a certain bearing upon the work of libraries established under the Public Libraries' Acts, while the remaining six were papers of local or literary interest. We do not complain so much about the composition of the programme, as against the cutting down of the time allotted to the discussions. If the whole business of the meeting had been to discuss the papers of Messrs. Aldred (“ book Selection and Rejection ”); Hulme (“ Principles of Dictionary Subject Cataloguing”); and Doubleday and Quinn (“Dictionary versus Classified Catalogues”), and nothing else, the time of the Conference would not have been frittered away as it was, but the Cataloguing papers were never even reached, while the one on “ Book Selection ” only survived to the discussion stage, because its author had the foresight to have it printed in advance. Next year the Council will, perhaps, organise afternoon sessions on questions pertaining to library work, for those who have no particular interest in the manufacture of soap, linoleum, or tobacco.

SATISFACTION was the general feeling in connection with the Conference at Leeds. The local arrangements had been made with care, every reasonable want of the visitors had been anticipated, and all things possible for their comfort had been done. In general the weather was fine, and what intervals of leisure could be snatched from meetings and social gatherings could be devoted usefully to a study of the great city. On other pages of this issue comment is made upon the papers. Here it is sufficient to draw one or two morals from the Conference as a whole.

MRS. — receives neither honourable nor other mention in annual reports, yet she cannot be unknown to every librarian. The assistant at the issue desk could probably give a very interesting account of her habits and instincts, of which he must perforce make a daily study. In a temple of literature issuing 100,000 volumes annually there will probably be twenty of her class, and each morning ten at least of “the old familiar faces” may be seen, apparently worshipping mystic, symbolic figures for awhile, and then offering and receiving gifts from the messenger of their goddess. From remarks passed by these devotees, we gather that they worship not Truth, but Fiction. Their saints are Miss Braddon, Mrs. Wood, Marie Corelli, and others. Many of their saints' good works are “not in,” “read long ago,” &c. Mrs. —'s reading may produce no apparent effect upon herself, but it has such an influence upon the tabulated results of Public Library work that it is worth while giving the matter some attention. It is most unfortunate that those judging the influence of a Public Library upon a community should rely solely upon the statistics usually given in annual reports. Pro and con may take the same statistics, and by most flawless logic each will prove the arguments of the other to be absurd, and in many cases it is done quite conscientiously; the conclusion arrived at quite depending upon the point of view. In this library issuing 100,000 volumes a year the percentage of fiction is, let us say, 60. Mrs. — comes at least every other day for a novel, and, as we may safely multiply Mrs. — by 20, we find she borrows 3,000 novels a year, or 3 per cent. Then, again, we never consider the many novels taken away and brought back next day because they were “not nice.” If there are 20 daily, we would now gladden the heart of the librarian by showing the percentage of fiction borrowed from his library to be 51, instead of 60. Should the issue in the class containing magazines and reviews be counted with fiction or not, certainly a large assortment of attractive magazines falsifies the record if not placed amongst fiction. Think of a classification which places in the same column—as is very frequent—the Strand Magazine and Mathew Arnold's “Essays”! Juvenile literature is surely fiction, and yet many reports totally ignore this fact, although it often amounts to 25 per cent. of the issues. For example, I find in the thirtieth Annual Report of the Borough of Tynemouth that the issue of fiction is 53 per cent. of a total issue of 85,625; but, if we take into account the 16,121 juvenile literature and 15,531 magazines and reviews, we will find the percentage of Fiction to have jumped up to 90 !