The Library World Volume 34 Issue 10

Abstract

THE programme of the Bournemouth Conference shows variety enough concentrated into its three days of business to satisfy even that Mr. Smith, of Leicester, who made Cheltenham memorable for the cheap press. The main subject appears to be book selection of two kinds, adult and junior. Mr. Callender has been given a difficult task, and it does not appear conceivable that any very practical issue can come of the debate even with Mr. Jast as opener. Book‐selection must be the application of a series of definite answers to such questions as “What is a good book?” “What is a bad book?” “When may an inferior book prove to be the best for the end in view?” and so on; and that is a matter first for a committee, which may give well‐led and lengthy deliberation to the subject; it certainly won't come to much in open conference. Much the same must be the case with “An Analysis of Child Reading,” even if Mr. Osborne leads and Mr. Berwick Sayers follows him. On what enquiry will the analysis be based? Who has analysed children's reading in England on any scale that would justify public debate?

Citation

(1932), "The Library World Volume 34 Issue 10", New Library World, Vol. 34 No. 10, pp. 240-264. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb009155