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The career of Henry Heaney is described from assistant librarian at Queen’s University Belfast to university librarian and keeper of the Hunterian Books and Manuscripts, University of Glasgow. His achievements as the first executive secretary of SCONUL are described as are those of his tenure at Glasgow University, with particular reference to buildings, automation and staffing. His role within Scottish university librarianship is examined, leading to an appreciation of his national and international activities. Special attention is paid to his work in various roles with the British Library. Finally, Henry Heaney’s character and characteristics are discussed.

Describes a research project aiming to develop models to facilitate co‐operative initiatives and partnership arrangements which will improve the identification and collection of local publications under legal deposit and the coverage of these publications in the BNB. Underlines the importance of locally‐held collections and outlines the concept of “the national published archive”. Argues the need for a review of, and changes to, legal deposit, highlighting the need for greater co‐operation between the legal deposit libraries and others, whilst noting existing co‐operation. Maintains that the success of any distributed national published archive will depend upon a co‐operative approach, between the legal deposit libraries themselves and other information providers at local and regional levels. Above all, any new arrangements must be sustainable – able to withstand, for instance, future local or regional reorganisations of the kind recently experienced, and properly funded.

Upon its establishment in 1973, the British Library was seen by many university librarians with nervous concern and suspicion. The functions, development and influence the British Library has had on the national library scene since then are described. It is argued that, in a time of financial constraints, there is a need for policies to be developed in closest collaboration between the British Library and university libraries in the best interests of the national research community.

The outcomes of the Follett Committee report are described and the question of access to research collections is discussed. The considerations of a national research strategy and the work of Professor Anderson’s committee are considered, and the importance of the Coopers and Lybrand study of levels and costs of use of higher education libraries by external researchers emphasised. The development of a strategy for research access is described including demonstrator projects and non‐formula funding for cataloguing, preservation and improved access to major humanities collections. The impact of electronic informations and wider developments is also discussed.

Reviews the events of the last 12 months concerning the British Library and its move to St Pancras. Considers two official reports which comment adversely on the management and planning of the new building. Discusses the pressures from readers′ groups to retain the Round Reading Room, and notes fears that the computerized retrieval and delivery systems at St Pancras are untried and will prove inadequate.

THE Reference Department of Paisley Central Library today occupies the room which was the original Public Library built in 1870 and opened to the public in April 1871. Since that date two extensions to the building have taken place. The first, in 1882, provided a separate room for both Reference and Lending libraries; the second, opened in 1938, provided a new Children's Department. Together with the original cost of the building, these extensions were entirely financed by Sir Peter Coats, James Coats of Auchendrane and Daniel Coats respectively. The people of Paisley indeed owe much to this one family, whose generosity was great. They not only provided the capital required but continued to donate many useful and often extremely valuable works of reference over the many years that followed. In 1975 Paisley Library was incorporated in the new Renfrew District library service.

Paul Outlet. International organisation and dissemination of knowledge: selected essays of Paul Otlet translated and edited with an introduction by W. Boyd Rayward. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1990. xi, 256 pp. $115.50/Dfl.225. 0 444 88678 8. (fid 684) Paul Otlet was born in Brussels in August 1868 and died there in December 1944. A lawyer who grew to be ‘bored with the law’ and became absorbed with books, libraries and information, he is probably principally remembered in connection with the Universal Decimal Classification (UDC).

The West Midlands region has been poorly represented in national media and especially in fictional media forms. The Archers is therefore a very important part of representation of the region to the nation. These two representational elements — regional and national culture — are part of the BBC’s duties under the Royal Charter. As such, they form a core obligation for the BBC. For many years arguments have raged over whether Ambridge is located in Worcestershire or Warwickshire. This is, of course, largely a matter of interest within the region, but does have some wider implications about narrative fiction. Whilst, in one sense Ambridge and Borsetshire are purely fictional, they simultaneously have a potential impact on the national image of the West Midlands and especially its rural areas. This chapter will consider both reasons to suggest that The Archers is specifically drawn from the county of Worcestershire and issues of identity formation that may arise from the representations offered by The Archers of the county and the West Midlands region.

Recession, inflation, cuts — these and related keywords have dominated the international literature of librarianship in recent years. The academic library community has been implored to change its “mission”, redefining its basic priorities, and substituting service for stock, access strategies for holdings strategies, collection management for collection development, undergraduate needs for postgraduate needs (or vice‐versa), and management skills for professionalism. While the production of prescriptions, frequently radical ones, has become an industry, analysis and, above all, measurement of the underlying problem has been strictly limited. Descriptions of cuts have tended to paint a qualitative rather than a quantitative picture. Statistical analysis of aspects of recession has usually been restricted by time‐span, subject coverage, type of material, or a combination of these.