Consuming Interest
The Weekly Book
By LESLIE ADRIAN Ir you want a new book as soon as it is published and don't want to buy it, the way to get it is to join one of the better circulating libraries. Public libraries (on which I reported some weeks ago) cannot, in the nature of things, cater for everyone's needs quickly. The circulating libra- ries, on the other hand, are in business to make money and, what with the increased and increas- ing price of books, this is becoming more and more difficult. Before joining a circulating library have a good look at the prospectus, talk to the librarian about your requirements and, if possible, ask existing members whether the ser• vice provided' is what it claims to be.
What kind of a service can you get? I have been looking at the four libraries you are most likely to consider : W. H. Smith's and Boots, each of which has about 300 branches around the country, the Times Library (42 Wigmore Street, WI; WELbeck 3781) and Harrods Library (Knightsbridge, .SWI; SLOane 1234). Smith's and Boots give much the same service. Each has an 'A' and a 'B' service and the sub- scriptions are the same in each case ('A' service. 30s. a year, 'B' service 15s. a year). The 'A' service includes the newest books and all the books on the shelves. The 'B' service does not include the newest books. The 'A' service entitles you to reserve books; the 'B' service does not. Each service entitles you to one book at a time. Extra books may be borrowed at a daily rate and there is a 'pay as you read' service for non- subscribers.
These two libraries provide a limited service —limited by the size of the subscription. You can reserve books with both, but you may have to wait a while if there is a heavy demand. Smith's say that `no guarantee can be given to Supply any particular book within any specified time' and Boots say, 'A lengthy list [of books required] provides a greater opportunity of giv- ing good service, but books can only be supplied as they become available in the stock at the branch concerned.'
In other words, don't expect too much. A sub- scription of 30s. a year can't cover everything and both libraries indicate pretty clearly what you can not get from them. Smith's: 'No under- taking is given or implied to supply every book published or asked for. Reference books, medi- cal and technical books, editions de luxe, etc., are not supplied.' Boots : 'Medical, Technical or Foreign Publications, hooks of Unsuitable For- mat, Annuals, Guide Books, Reference Works, or books not in general demand among our sub- scribers are not included in circulation. The right is reserved to exclude non-fiction books published at a price higher than 21s. or fiction books pub- lished at a price higher than 15s.'
From the Times Library and from Harrods Library you can expect a great deal, but you, will, of course, pay rather more for it. The ser- vice here is not a full service in the sense that you can have any book at all, but it is extremely comprehensive. If there is a demand for a book both of these libraries will provide it. You can take it that if half a dozen people want it this constitutes a demand.
The service is also a personal one. Each mem- ber deals with the same librarian all the time by telephone, in person or by post, so that even when a subscriber rings up and says he (she?) wants 'a nice, new novel' the librarian will know, after a while, which kind of novel to offer.
With both libraries you can . call personally, order by telephone and have your books delivered, or exchange books by post. Harrods seems to me the better value. For six guineas a year you can collect or have delivered (in Harrods' deliverY area in and 'around London) one book at a time. The Times Library charges six guineas for per- sonal exchange and eight guineas for delivery service. By poSt Harrods charge seven guineas a year for one book at a time and the Times Library charges £9. (The Times Library, how- ever, allows for 'overlap'—you need not return books by post until you receive your fresh supply.) The postal service in both cases is rather more expensive than it sounds, because, of course, you have to pay postage when you send your books- back to the library—upwards of Is. for an average novel.
Harrods offer a 'Casual Reader Service' which seems to me to be very valuable. The subscrip- tion is the same as the normal one, but for it you get 365 'book-days.' If you read a great deal your subscription runs out in less than a year. but if you happen to be abroad or are otherwise unable to use the library for some time the pro- portionate part of your subscription is not wasted. You could even combine it with an ordinary subscription elsewhere, have had several letters from enraged bank clerks protesting at my suggestion that banks should try harder to be open and fully staffed during the hours in which they are most needed. I am sorry if I have infuriated what appears to be a rather overworked body of men, but I stick to my guns. They, collectively and severally, com- plain that : (1) for enough clerks to be around at lunch time, bank clerks would have to eat at eleven or three; (2) that they have to stay till six o'clock and later to finish that part of the bank's work that goes on after the doors have closed; and that (3) a good many banks are understaffed as it is. I dare say they are; but that, 1 humbly submit, is not my fault, but the fault of the banks themselves, who should employ enough people to make sure the work doesn't go on all evening; and as for eating lunch earlier or later—why not? People in travel bureaux, restaurants, pubs and other places where trade is likely to be busy over the lunch hour do just that. One thing that could be done without offending the bank clerks, me or common sense is to ban the business of firms between the hours of 12.30 and 2 or, at the very least, allot the firms one particular clerk and make them queue up for hint.
From time to time requests still come in for the list of recommended London restaurants which I used to send out to Spectator readers, on application. The trouble with such lists is that they very quickly go out of date. In any case, it is often misleading to suggest a good place to dine without making a number of qualifications; some restaurants are reliable for certain dishes, not for others: in some the service is poor, or slow, but worth waiting for if you have time —and so on. I am therefore relieved that' Ray- mond Postgate is going to take the burden off my shoulders—particularly as he intends in his monthly articles occasionally to look outside London, as he does this week. r will continue, though, to answer any specific inquiries on London restaurants, to the best of my ability; and will see that any comments or suggestions are passed on to Mr. Postgate fiw his future use.
Previous page
