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Slough based Spectral Technology Ltd is the world's largest manufacturer of accelerated drying equipment, and along with its lamp manufacturing subsidiary Primarc Ltd has been involved in the development of UV and drying technology since the 1970's. The Group manufactures products employed for the drying and curing of inks and other surface coatings in the widest range of applications: from printing to wood finishing and printed circuit boards.

James P Harris has been named president of Exxon Chemical International, Inc., the Brussels‐based organisation responsible for co‐ordinating Exxon's chemical interests in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He succeeds John E Akitt, who served in this position for the past five years. Mr Akitt, as Basic Chemicals president, is relocating to Exxon Chemical headquarters in Houston, Texas.

THE title of this short paper is somewhat of a misnomer, as the German Volks bibliothek is not the same as an English Public Library. As Dr. Schultze says: “When we speak of an English Public Library we know exactly what is meant, but the German Volks bibliothek does not convey any definite impression. Too often it still means a very small collection of books, probably gifts which are accessible to borrowers at certain hours each week. As a rule, the revenue is so trifling that after paying the small working costs there is little or nothing left for buying books.” Taking, therefore, the term Public Library for the sake of convenience, we may assume that the first Public Library in Germany was opened in Hamburg, in 1529, as the result of Luther's recommendation (1524) “that good libraries, especially in the large towns, should be established.” At the beginning of the 18th century, a number of free libraries were established, these were usually connected with churches and schools, yet their very name “free” seemed an invitation to everyone to share the treasures they contained. These libraries were principally in central Germany and Saxony.

DURING the three years I have attended the meetings of this branch association, papers of so interesting a character have been read that I am well aware of the difficulty each paper reader must have in keeping up the standard. But as my subject seems a good one, you may be inclined to overlook an indifferent treatment of it.

ACCORDING to the Directory of Libraries in the United States and Canada, there are about 4,500 libraries of a more or less public character in those two countries. The Literary Year‐book, Clegg's Directory, and other authorities, furnish the information that at least 2,000 public libraries exist in the United Kingdom. Allowing 10,000 more for the rest of the world, we get a total of 16,500 libraries. Deducting three‐fourths of this number as representing libraries of the smallest and most poverty‐stricken or special kind, we obtain 4,000 institutions capable of supporting professional literature of all forms. A sanguine librarian might be induced by these figures to launch out in authorship, certain of his market, and might even be prone to disregard the warning that not more than about one‐tenth of these 4,000 libraries are to be depended upon as possible purchasers.

GLASGOW was later by about one hundred and thirty years than some of the Scotch towns in establishing a printing press. Three hundred years ago, though Glasgow contained a University with men of great literary activity, including amongst others Zachary Boyd, there does not appear to have been sufficient printing work to induce anyone to establish a printing press. St. Andrews and Aberdeen were both notable for the books they produced, before Glasgow even attempted any printing.

EVERYONE interested in the British library movement will learn with sorrow and regret that one of its greatest friends and strongest champions has passed away, in the person of Thomas Greenwood, the kind‐hearted and generous advocate of libraries, who won the respect and regard of every English libiarian. From one of his own periodicals the following particulars are abstracted:—

Books and periodicals on aeronautics: A buying list

THE 31st annual meeting of the Library Association passed off very comfortably at Brighton, and if nothing particularly momentous occurred affecting librarianship, everybody enjoyed the various entertainments and the breezy weather. Brighton certainly deserved the title to breeziness which it claims, because it was stormy nearly every night or early morning during the run of the Conference, and members must be congratulated on the lucky manner in which it was found possible to dodge the showers.