LETTERS
From R. Moss, Sir Frederic Bennett MP, Dr I. B. Walsh, Sir Denis Brogan, Enid Lakeman, Arthur Rowland Goodwin, George Chowdharay-Best, David Cheshire, Sir Walter Howard, the Rev A. N. B. Sugden, T. C. Skeffingion-Lodge, the Rev. David Mills Daniel.
Waiting for Lord Eccles
Sir: May one librarian support Mr Giles Gordon (8 August) in asking for fair reward for authors whose books are borrowed from libraries? I deplore that over the years British librarians—the exceptions could be counted on the fingers of one hand—have shown complete indifference towards the plight of the authors, on whom all librar- ians are entirely dependent.
May we also have an end to the myth of the 'free' library? It is not free. Its costs are borne both by that section of the public--4-by far the majority—which does not borrow books from libraries, as well as by the minority which does. It is quite wrong that, in an age when people will pay for bingo, television and motor cars, they should not pay to borrow books. There is something absurd about a society in which, in some instances, motorists are demanding parking space at libraries while they borrow 'free' books.
The principle of the 'free' library is more elastic than sacrosanct. There are some libraries which make a hire charge for lend- ing pictures. I believe there are also others which charge to lend gramophone records. The public is entitled to ask whether such ac- tivities are a proper function of institutions supported by public funds and intended for the spread of education by the printed word. Finally, librarians have never hesitated to collect fines for overdue books.
It is quite wrong that employees of the public should be able to dictate policy, particularly one so unjust, in this way. Perhaps one day some author may find time to examine and put on record the librarians' part in this squalid story. He might also ex-
tend his researches to more recent and, if anything, more dangerously undemocratic examples of the powers of British library bureaucracy.
R. Moss 10 Shournagh Drive, Blarney, Co. Cork
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