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The interest and value that Economics can have is considerably enhanced in the case of most students in further education by their recent entry into the world of work, and into the concern of that world with such matters as buying and spending, budgeting and saving, piece‐rates and time‐rates, and strikes, redundancy, and unemployment. On the other hand, the mental calibre of many of these students is low, while Economics is not a particularly easy subject to study. Again, a lecturer often has to teach Economics at many different levels, perhaps ranging from a discussion group in Liberal Studies in a craft course at one extreme, to Finals B.Sc.(Econ.) at the other. The present article is concerned mainly with the lower levels of classes.

AFTER some unsuccessful negotiations during the period when the first full‐time schools of librarianship were being established, the Birmingham School was founded in the autumn of 1950. Circumstances were not entirely favourable—the immediate post‐war generation of enthusiastic ex‐service students had already passed through other schools; the accommodation available was indifferent; the administrative support was bad; resources were weak, both in books and in equipment. There was, more importantly, a strong local tradition of part‐time classes in librarianship and little or no conviction that full‐time study was necessary or desirable.

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

THE re‐organisation of local government in Greater London and the resultant amalgamation of library authorities is viewed by many with considerable misgivings. The upheaval of staff, the loss of status for some senior officers, the general uncertainty for the future—these are very real consequences of the Act and they cannot be ignored. Many chief librarians will see the work of a lifetime, perhaps spent in building up a comprehensive and unified system, made virtually meaningless overnight.

The re‐organisation of local government in Greater London and the resultant amalgamation of library authorities is viewed by many with considerable misgivings. The upheaval of staff, the loss of status for some senior officers, the general uncertainty for the future—these are very real consequences of the Act and they cannot be ignored. Many chief librarians will see the work of a lifetime, perhaps spent in building up a comprehensive and unified system, made virtually meaningless overnight.

THE joint publication, by the Institute and Society of County Treasurers, of Public Library Statistics for 1963–4 provides material of considerable topical interest at this time. The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 came into force on 1 April 1965 and only a day or so before this date the Department of Education and Science issued Circular 4–1965, which, in addition to giving a general description of the provisions of the Act, includes an appendix drawing attention to the report of the Ministry of Education published in 1962 (“Standards of Public Library Service in England and Wales”) which, the Circular says, “gives guidance on the factors to be taken into account in considering the adequacy of the service”.

The first Aslib Annual Lecture will be given at 6 p.m. on Wednesday 5th April at the Lecture theatre of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, 21 Albermarle Street, London W1 by Dr W. E. Batten. The chair will be taken by Sir John Wolfenden, CBE, Vice‐Chancellor of the University of Reading.

AS Canadians themselves will quickly inform you, this is a big, young country—Great Britain would fit into a small part of Alberta, large stretches of which are still not accurately recorded on large scale maps. Indeed, I listened to radio reports of a search for two aircraft on the first morning we were there. One aircraft (a helicopter) had been missing in the North Western Territories with a Calgary man aboard for two weeks and was eventually found crashed; the other, missing for two days, was a Cessna seaplane which had run out of fuel and punctured a float as it landed close to the shore of the Great Slave Lake. The occupants were rescued by air from this largely uncharted waste.

Most of this Board's senior staff have now been appointed. Mr Alan Swinden became Director in July, Mr Frank Metcalfe is the Chief Education and Training Officer and Mr Mostyn Morris becomes the Board's Financial Controller in November.

THE British Library has appointed a Press Officer, Denys Parsons, who is based at BL HQ in Store Street, London WC1, telephone 636 0755 ext 26.