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JOHN Y. W. MacAlister was a wonderful honorary secretary and accomplished a great deal for the Library Association, obtaining its royal charter among other things. Very progressive in outlook, he was fruitful in suggestion for improving the library service in all sorts of ways, and his far‐reaching influence with important people enabled him to procure favours and concessions such as few others have ever been able to effect. For instance, when the Second International Library Conference was held at the Guildhall of the City of London in 1897, MacAlister secured the whole dress circle of the Lyceum for the delegates to see Sir Henry Irving in one of his most famous performances, and likewise arranged for every delegate to be accepted as an honorary fellow of the Savage Club while the Conference lasted. He read a paper at the Conference too, of which the following is his own characteristic synopsis:—

IN the comparatively small world of librarianship it is an undeniable distinction to be invited to contribute to the proceedings of this school in this particular way, and I assure you I am very sensible of the honour accorded to me. Realising that I have now reached the stage when I must be regarded as having arrived at the beginnings of old fogeyism at least, I am quite frankly going to claim one of the recognised privileges of advancing years by indulging in some reminiscencing. For full forty years now I have been actively interested in the affairs of librarianship, so it is my purpose to use this opportunity for paying some tribute to the two Associations with which I have been connected all the time, for the many valued friendships made, as well as for the encouragement and inspiration it has been my good fortune to receive.

IN indulging in these reminiscences of days before the war of 1914–18, and set forth in the comparative tranquillity of the late thirties, I am preparing the way as it were to pay a tribute to the organisations which have made it possible for me to enjoy the privileges which have been mine, and to commend to you the benefits to be derived from taking advantage of the spirit of association. By taking active part in the affairs of the former Library Assistants' Association I entered a world which vastly increased my knowledge of human nature, intensified my interest in everything appertaining to libraries and librarianship, and provided me with a host of friends such as any man might be proud to boast about. Though well aware that temperament plays an extraordinarily important part in this matter, and equally alive to the fact that possibly I might have found the same happiness in Nalgo, Freemasonic, Photographic or any similar circle, I cannot help feeling that one's vocation has a paramount claim over all others, and that by allying oneself to any organisation having the furtherance of one's life‐work as its purpose, such a sphere offers the greatest opportunities for self‐expression, and the exercise of the creative impulse. Perhaps my enthusiasm deludes me into imagining golden glories where only bleak desolation exists, but it would take a lot to convince me of error in this direction, feeling absolutely confident that anyone who is willing to give cheerful service in promoting the welfare of his own professional organisation will not go unrewarded.

OUR various accounts of the Portsmouth Conference, and the official record of it which is now in the hands of readers shows that it may be regarded as a successful one. It was specially notable for the absence of those bickerings and differences which must inevitably come to the surface at times. There may be something in the suggestion of one of our writers that the weather was a main factor. However that may be, there was uniform good temper, and we came away with the belief that a good week's work for librarianship had been done.

[In view of the approaching Conference of the Library Association at Perth, the following note on the Leighton Library may not be inopportune. Dunblane is within an hour's railway journey from Perth and has a magnificent cathedral, founded in the twelfth century, which is well worthy of a visit.]

BY the time these words appear the majority of those who attend Library Association Conferences will have made tentative arrangements for their visit to Margate in June. Already, we understand, adhesions are coming in as many in number as for any September conference, and, if this is so, the fact will reassure those who have doubts of the wisdom of the change from September to June. We give on other pages some outline of the programme and in Letters on Our Affairs are presented with a Study of the subjects of the papers. Here we can concentrate upon one or two important points.

We offer our readers a special Norwich Conference Souvenir number of “The Library World” which we trust they will find of permanent interest. It contains several features to which we wish to draw their attention. With regard to our article “The Library Association: Old and New Councillors” we thank those who have so kindly sent us details of their career. It has unfortunately been impossible in the short time at our command to obtain portraits of more than a few of the Councillors, and we have therefore decided to omit them in the hope that at some future opportunity we may be able to get together a more complete collection.

There is greater expectation of hope and progress in library politics than has been known of late years. The letter of the Library Association to local authorities asking them to support its effort to remove the limitation on the library rate has caused much discussion all over the country, and has produced some definite results. We have no access to the replies the Library Association is receiving, but from the information open to us, Hull, Norwich, Sunderland, Taunton, West Hartlepool, Wallasey, Burton‐on‐Trent and several other places have resolved in agreement with the Association.

OWING to the comparatively early date in the year of the Library Association Conference, this number of THE LIBRARY WORLD is published so that it may be in the hands of our readers before it begins. The official programme is not in the hands of members at the time we write, but the circumstances are such this year that delay has been inevitable. We have dwelt already on the good fortune we enjoy in going to the beautiful West‐Country Spa. At this time of year it is at its best, and, if the weather is more genial than this weather‐chequered year gives us reason to expect, the Conference should be memorable on that account alone. The Conference has always been the focus of library friendships, and this idea, now that the Association is so large, should be developed. To be a member is to be one of a freemasonry of librarians, pledged to help and forward the work of one another. It is not in the conference rooms alone, where we listen, not always completely awake, to papers not always eloquent or cleverly read, that we gain most, although no one would discount these; it is in the hotels and boarding houses and restaurants, over dinner tables and in the easy chairs of the lounges, that we draw out really useful business information. In short, shop is the subject‐matter of conference conversation, and only misanthropic curmudgeons think otherwise.

THE “power of the Press” is infinite in almost everything, and none the less in Public Library Administration. In addition to notices of important accessions to the Library, reports of library lectures, paragraphs on every happening with the object of keeping the institution constantly in the public eye the idea of contributing special “publicity” articles to the local newspapers may be worthy of general consideration.