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Understanding what is meant by ‘the good life’ has challenged philosophers and scientists for centuries with contrasting views emphasising either virtue or success. This study applies structural equation modelling (SEM) to the self‐evaluations of older people to explore how they perceive ‘the good life’. Self‐evaluations were used to operationalise the concepts underlying ‘the good life’ with life satisfaction being used to provide a global evaluation of flourishing (overall life quality), self‐esteem being used to assess commitment to virtue and self‐efficacy being use to assess commitment to success. A population sample of 632 men and women aged 50 years and older, recruited to participate in an epidemiologic study, were consented and assessed online. Participation included psychological assessment. The analysis presents baseline data for this sample.After adjustment for negative emotions (anxiety and depression) age, self‐report health, deprivation and financial status, a path analysis found that life satisfaction was influenced by self‐esteem (β=0.27, pThese findings may be interpreted at several levels, although inferences on causality must be tentative. In terms of ‘the good life’, the global evaluation of life by older people is directly influenced by virtue rather than success, with success being important insofar as it contributes to virtue. In short, older people deriving satisfaction from achieving things they consider to be worthwhile: the wisdom of years.

This paper's aim is to explore factors underlying resilience to health adversity, where resilience is defined as better perceived health after adjusting for the presence of doctor diagnosed heart disease, stroke or diabetes (vascular disease).

A population sample of 667 men and women aged 50+ years from South Wales was recruited to participate in an epidemiologic study and were consented and assessed online. Participation included health status, psychological and cognitive assessment. Structural equation modelling was used to model causal pathways. The analysis presents baseline data for this sample.

After adjustment for vascular disease, self‐esteem was associated with higher perceived health (β=0.279, p<0.001) whilst depression was associated with lower perceived health (β=−0.368, p<0.001). Self‐efficacy and anxiety were not associated with perceived health. Further analysis found self‐esteem to buffer an effect of vascular disease on depression, reducing the impact of depression on perceived health.

Cognitive and affective factors are involved in resilience, in relation to health these are specific to self‐esteem and depression. Although more complex associations may be found with other adversities, in relation to health, interventions to improve self‐esteem and ameliorate depression are likely to increase resilience.

Resilience has been modelled as a process involving cognitive and affective response to adversity. In the context of health, the adverse effect of depression on health perception was mediated by self‐esteem. These associations add to the understanding of the processes underlying resilience and suggest opportunities for interventions designed to increase resilience to health adversities.

The evaluation of primary and other care services for older people remains difficult due to the challenges of cost‐effective sampling and assessment of older people's views. The internet is an increasingly attractive option for evaluation due to its low cost and flexibility of use. The purpose of this paper is to report on a pilot study into the use of a web‐platform with older people.

A sample of 552 community dwelling men and women, aged at least 50 years, participated in an epidemiologic study conducted entirely remotely which included questions on the provision of services for older people.

The sample was heterogeneous being 52 per cent male, an age range of 50‐95 years (x¯=64 years) and with 13 per cent being in the two most deprived categories of social deprivation. Awareness of the National Service Framework for older people was low (14 per cent). For areas covered by the policy satisfaction with the availability of services was generally high (>70 per cent), whilst satisfaction with level of consultation was low (≤30 per cent).

This study shows that the internet is a viable technology for the evaluation of primary and other care services in older people.

Second Leslie Patrick Memorial Lecture presented in Birmingham on 8th November 1919 at a meeting jointly organized by Aslib Midlands Branch, the Birmingham Metallurgical Association, and the College of Librarianship Wales. The role of the British Non‐Ferrous Metals Research Association, the Zinc Development Association and related bodies in the development of non‐ferrous information in Britain from the 1920s to the present day is viewed in relation to the information staff involved and the abstracting services provided. Future developments applicable to this field are viewdata services and video‐disc storage, and their potential is considered.

To examine the weblogs written by members of UK legislatures and to determine whether such weblogs address commonly cited criticisms of MPs' web sites and serve to bridge the gap between representative and constituent.

Examination of the literature on MPs' web sites to draw up a list of common criticisms. Construction of evaluation criteria to analyse the blogs in terms of content, currency, design, interactivity and evidence of personality both as a snapshot and over a longer period.

That weblogs are, on the whole, kept up to date and show promising levels of activity. Blogs enable constituents to see with what their MPs have been involved (on both the local and the Parliamentary stages) and to see what areas of policy particularly interest their MP. Personality of the MPs is apparent on most of the blogs, which are less party‐oriented than many MPs' web sites. Although the gap between representatives and constituents may have been bridged to an extent, blogging is still largely a top‐down form of communication – even though people do submit relevant and pertinent comments to the blogs, proper two‐way debate is rarely seen and comments are not always acknowledged or answered.

Based on a small number of blogs covering the UK only.

Provides simple evaluation criteria that could be applied to blogs in other areas.

Provides a useful first structured analysis of weblogs written by elected representatives, on which further work can be undertaken once the sample size has increased and existing blogs are more established.

IN JUNE, I broke my 18‐month‐long moratorium on public speaking—a blessed rest!—to travel to the Isle of Wight to talk to the members of HATRICS assembled for their AGM. I attempted to repay the kindly hospitality of Hampshire County Librarian John Beard, IoW County Librarian Len Mitchell and his Deputy, Mike Howley, by a lengthy disquisition on the endlessly fascinating topic of myself, at the end of which I woke up the assembled company in time for tea by banging on the table with my trumpet, whereat they sneezed and expressed themselves well satisfied.

AS OUR subscription‐renewal reminders for 1982 go out, may I offer you a cautionary note— though not, perhaps, the one you will be expecting of me from these introductory words?

SOMEWHAT ENERVATED, this day, to receive in the same post letters addressed to ‘Clive Bongley Ltd’, ‘Clair Bingley Ltd’, and a tearsheet advertisement circulated by our Australian agents of ten years' standing describing us as ‘Charles Bingley Ltd’.

ALTHOUGH the first Public Libraries (Scotland) Act was placed on the Statute Book in 1853, it was not until 1899 that the Corporation of the City of Glasgow was empowered to establish and maintain public libraries throughout the city. Between 1876 and 1897 four attempts were made to secure public approval for the adoption of the Public Libraries (Scotland) Acts, but when all these efforts proved unsuccessful, the Corporation decided in June, 1888 to include in a Local Bill for submission to Parliament, certain clauses conferring upon themselves the power to become a library authority. Promoted in 1899, the Bill became known as the Glasgow Corporation (Tramways, Libraries, etc.) Act 1899, and the library clauses passed through Parliament without opposition and received Royal Assent on 1st August, 1899. The powers conferred by this Local Act empowered the Corporation: