PREFACE. THE preparation of this Hand-book has been a race against Parliament. It was practically completed when the passing of the Act of 1892 made it necessary to revise the whole, and that revision was barely finished when it became necessary to add the Act of 1893. Library Legislation is still in the experimental stage, and each session of Parliament will probably see fresh attempts to complete the incomplete. Before long the Act must be passed that should have been enacted as the corollary of Forster's Education Act: "There SHALL be a library in every city, town, and district, and the State and the Local Authority between them shall support it". This must The State compels the people to learn to read-it must now supply good reading. If this is not done Forster's Act will become a curse rather than a blessing; for, if the State does not provide wholesome reading, agitators will supply something else, and the end will not be far off when an educated and perverted democracy is in the ascendant. come. The State has provided schools for the people-it must go a step further and provide the People's University. THE EDITOR. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PUBLIC LIBRARY LEGISLATION. ENGLAND. PAGE 19. Borrowing Provisions of Public Health Act, 1875, as to 23. Vestry of District Board in London may Appropriate Lands Sections 19 to 21. Appointments, Meetings and Powers of Committee 12. General Management Vested in Council, etc. 1877 Act Sect. 4. Constitution of Committee. |