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‘To MEET the threat, and to realize the potential, we do not need a doctrine of salvation. We have the weapons we need, our minds. Reasoned analysis, imaginative designing and an experimental approach to action form a rational, or at any rate reasonable, triptych which has always served men well. This is the method of liberty; its substance is defined by the new conditions in which we live today. The new liberty means that we have to change our attitudes in order to pass through the turbulence ahead in a manner which enhances human life‐chances. This is what I mean when I say that the subject of history is changing; and the change in approach is reflected in the words which we use—new words; improvement instead of expansion, good husbandry instead of affluence, human activity instead of work, and of course one word which is quite old, liberty.’—Ralf Dahrendorf (‘The new liberty’, 1975 Reith Lectures)

IT WAS DIFFICULT to believe the tidings that have only just reached me, the news that Stanley Snaith died in Dorset on December 19 last, a few days after his 73rd birthday. The rising generation of librarians may say ‘Who was Stanley Snaith?’, so all the more reason for this tribute.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS subject headings are relatively unusual in this country and they do provide for some relatively unusual headings. ‘Ground effect machines’ and ‘one‐leg resting positions’ are just two examples. ‘Ground effect machines’ refers to such things as hovercraft. ‘One‐leg resting position’ however could cover books on anthropology or art. ‘Negative income‐tax’ sounds like something we would all like to receive but it's not exactly the first term which springs to mind to describe income benefit schemes. However, despite these oddities, our subject catalogue seems to be fairy well used and our new guide cards make it even easier to use.

SATURDAY MORNING. The morning after the night before. The night before was the 5.30 to 9.00 shift. Time to have a quick perusal of the professional literature to see what our elders and betters have been writing. Time to read Alan Day's ‘Comment’ (NLW October) before the first of the punters arrive in search of information, with the light of science in their eyes.

All items listed may be borrowed from the Aslib Library, except those marked, which may be consulted in the Library.