University and Research Libraries

Abstract

THE University and Research Section of the Library Association held its first week-end conference since 1938 on September 21–24 at Wadham College, Oxford. The Conference was well attended, and visits were paid to many of the Oxford college and other libraries. The general meeting of the Section held on September 22 and 23 was concerned chiefly with the discussion, amendment and final approval of the Committee's proposals for the postwar development of university and research libraries. As soon as they are approved by the Library Association Council, they will be issued to the general public. Reference has already been made in Nature (Dec. 11, 1943, p. 687; February 19, 1944, p. 203) to these proposals which are intended to ensure an adequate supply of books and other materials for the prosecution of research in Britain. They deal with the place of university and research libraries in a national system, the national and local organisation for research, administration and staffing, and plead for the fullest co-ordination of all library facilities. But this cannot be achieved until the national library resources have been comprehensively and qualitatively surveyed, a long overdue piece of bibliographical research. The programme of such a survey has been prepared by a committee of the Section's and it is hoped that funds will eventually be forthcoming for the project.