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Enquiries for information put to library staff during a six‐month period in 1976 are analysed according to subject, originator, channel, source and frequency. Results are discussed, along with the implications for library policy.

Traditionally, the specialist subject expertise required of librarians and information workers has been of two types:

Some British academic libraries are offering information services which are misconceived and/or inappropriate. There is also a possibility that some services canvassed as a means of improving academic library standards are, in fact, contributing to their decline. The provision of such services is in need of reassessment and the efficiency and effectiveness of individual services need to be monitored closely. The ‘mix’ of services and their place in the totality of library services need careful planning and scrutiny. A model service is prescribed which includes enquiry service, induction, instruction in literature searching techniques, publications and current awareness services. It could probably be adopted by most general academic libraries without extra funding or could be used as a checklist against which to evaluate existing information units.

BEFORE THE French Revolution a number of libraries were open to the public, often the result of public‐spirited donations on the part of local men of letters or wealthy bourgeois. Books were generally scholarly and of little interest to the majority of the population, who for the most part were in any case illiterate.

The Aslib Social Sciences Group was established in 1969 to promote the study of two distinct subject areas: (a) the bibliography and handling of the literature of the social sciences; and (b) the application of social science methods to librarianship and information work. The major effort of the Group has, rightly in my opinion, been centred on bibliographical issues; the aim of investigating the social sciences for their relevance to librarianship has been served by two excellent papers, on the relevance of psychology and politics to librarianship. I want to try to add to the valuable insights of these two papers by looking at the potential contribution of a sociological perspective to our understanding and effectiveness as librarians. I am using the definition of sociology used in Worsley's introductory textbook: ‘A way of looking at man's behaviour as conditioned by his membership of social groups.’

ONE OF MY oldest friends in the profession of librarianship retires next month from the post he has held for the last 19 years —that of City Librarian of Westminster.

I was fairly certain that I had explored most aspects of Whitehaven history. However this town of endless surprises had yet one more to spring on me. On his return my plumber friend unwrapped a parcel: it contained a ship's log — not the official one, but one kept by an apprentice on a voyage to the far east in the early nineteenth century — and the minute book of the Whitehaven Literary Society, 1820–1822. Of all the material things written about White‐haven very little has been said about its cultural activities. For the development of an interest in art it should be said by the way that the town owes a debt to William Gilpin of Scaleby Castle, the agent for Sir John Lowther of Whitehaven. Directly through his patronage of Matthias Read, and indirectly through his son and grandsons Gilpin contributed not a little to the promotion of painting in Cumberland and elsewhere.

The following is an annotated bibliography of materials published in 1978 on orienting users to the library and on instructing them in the use of reference and other resources. A few entries have a 1977 publication date and are included because information about them was not available in time for the 1977 review. Also some entries are not annotated because the compiler was unable to secure a copy of the information.

WAS IT ONLY the pure in heart (such as myself) who found the Great Christmas Holiday Shutdown the biggest bore of the year? Four days of actual Christmas lay‐off had me pining to be back at the office on the Wednesday morning, although most of Britain, including a number of academic libraries, reckoned it wasn't worth switching on the heating for only three days before the New Year holiday, and stayed in bed or sprawled in front of the telly for a grand total of 11 days.

WADING THROUGH this month's pile of press‐releases, and finding it, yet again, ‘dry’ as far as Library Association news is concerned—when did I last see one from them?—I reflect moodily on the great PR fiasco of last year. I think I shall deliver a little homily on the subject.